The Xavier Herald @xulaherald
xulaherald.com
September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
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Xavier University of Louisiana
New Orleans, La.
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September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
XULA Uses OrgSync by Jordan DeLoch Contributing Writer jdeloch@xula.edu
Being “in the know” is one of the main duties of the average college student. In doing this, many students miss out on campus activities because they have no way of finding about them. Here at Xavier University, students use the program OrgSync to stay updated on more than just activities. OrgSync allows for all students to be connected and informed about various clubs, service opportunities, and fun activities. According to Xavier’s Student Activities Director, Amber Davis Prince, Org Sync began being used on campus in 2015. Before this, there were no other ways of communication among students and because of this
many people thought nothing was going on on campus. “Throughout campus, OrgSync allows for direct communication between student organization leaders and students. Every student is in the system,” said DavisPrince. Freshman Mikala Bowen said, “I like OrgSync because it is a place where you can see all of the information at once, rather than having to search all around for what is going on on campus.” However, some students didn’t know what OrgSync was at all. When speaking of ways to avoid this problem DavisPrince said, “It is the student’s responsibility to stay updated on campus activities now that there is OrgSync. There will be a relaunch of OrgSync next semester; however it will always be up to the student to
check the program.” Overall, this semester has brought various events that have been displayed on OrgSync. Compared to before using OrgSync, student activity throughout Xavier was low, but after using this program, students appreciate it because they can be involved first hand. “I love OrgSync, because it allows me to collect event data. This program allows for all of my work to be justified, because it teaches SGA accountability,” said Davis-Prince. “Until something better comes along, OrgSync will be the program for Xavier.” For more information about how to troubleshoot or begin using OrgSync, email Amber Davis Prince at advispr@xula.edu.
The Freshman Focus: #XULA20 Gets Adjusted by Jordan DeLoch Contributing Writer jdeloch@xula.edu
Freshman year brings about new experiences, new independence, and ultimately a new chapter of one’s life. During this time, students learn various new things such as: how to adjust to being away from home, how to make new friends, how to maintain their grades, and much more. In addition to these things, it is important for freshman students to reflect on this time, as it leaves as fast it comes. By Sept. 26, the freshmen at Xavier University of Louisiana are starting to get accustomed to some of the ups and downs of college. Jasmine Collins, a Chemistry Pre-Pharmacy major from Donaldsonville, La. feels that her college experience has been a smooth transition from high school. “I have made plenty of friends from each of my classes. The workload is extremely time consuming, yet manageable,” Collins said.
In order to maintain good grades, it is appropriate to acknowledge that anything is possible as Collins does. Che Demczuk, a History major from D.C. has been enjoying his new found freedom and learning opportunities. He has befriended his entire living hall because he believes that there is a mutual friendship within everyone. Demczuk believes that classes have been tricky but understands that more time must be spent studying, visiting professors’ office hours, and utilizing the library. “I am most excited about getting the best achievable grades that I can, as well as accomplishing all of my other goals,” Demczuk said. Like Demczuk, it is extremely to establish goals early into the semester because anything can come about to alter the chances of the goals to be accomplished. Kennede Potts, a Biology Pre-Med major from Atlanta, finds it interesting to be in New Orleans because she enjoys befriending new
people and learning their backgrounds. Potts likes her professors, but knows that she must work with their office hours. “The only thing that I do not like is waking up early for 8 am classes. The lectures can be dealt with, but it is most important to know what you do and do not know, because you can go to the resource center for help,” Potts said. Whenever freshmen are having difficulty in any of their courses, the Resource Center is there to be a guiding light to success. It is always important to address all issues before it is too late. One thing all three could agree on was being excited for homecoming; they’re excited in what it has in store.
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Freshmen students showcase excitement during freshmen orientation. Photo by Jordan DeLoch.
September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
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Xavier Hosts Black Lives Matter Symposium Oct. 21-22 by Kendall Lawson Contributing Writer klawson@xula.edu
Among the detrimental patterns of police brutality and educational disparities facing the African-American community, Xavier’s Institute for Black Catholic Studies will host a symposium addressing these issues. The seminar will feature renowned community leaders, speakers and civil rights activists from around the country. The “Black Lives Matter Symposium: Urban Education Matters” seminar takes place Oct. 21-22, 2016, in the University Center, and it will touch on civil issues such as education reform, racial consciousness, and discrimination on college campuses. Attendees will be able to participate in workshops and panel discussions. “It’s disheartening to wake up to another domestic terrorist or another black man shot with no weapon in broad daylight. We have to
continue to work to create a positive image of AfricanAmericans in this country,” said Dr. Brian Turner, an assistant professor in Xavier’s psychology department and special guest. “It starts by being comfortable in our skin. To talk about Black Lives Matter begins at supporting the notion to each other as African-Americans that ‘your life matters’.” When Katherine Drexel founded Xavier during the Jim Crow Era, her mission was educating and providing a safe-haven for minorities of color. The Black Lives Matter symposium is an extension of that cause. “ It’s important that our voice is heard, ” said Dr. Renee Akbar, Chair of Xavier’s Division of Education and Counseling. “That it is not okay to make black lives a commodity that is easily disposed. It’s not okay to disrespect our contributions to the world.” “‘Black Lives Matter’ is an open invitation to the community to participate
in a clear and thoughtprovoking discussion of racial conflict and unrest, and, more importantly, to be part of an earnest dialogue that can hopefully provide effective solutions leading to understanding and reconciliation,” said Reverend Maurice Nutt, Director of Xavier’s IBCS, whom began hosting the symposiums last year to raise awareness of racial conflicts occurring in America. The symposium begins at 7 p.m. with an introduction by Lezley McSpadden, the mother of Michael Brown, followed by a keynote address by the Executive Director of Teach for America in St. Louis, Mo., Brittany Packnett. The night will end with spoken word by student volunteers in the Administration Auditorium. “ I hope people walk away with a renewed vision of the world,” Akbar said. Senior Pastor and Chair of the Board of Trustees, Rev. Dr. Frederick Haynes, III will open the second day with his
Dr. Brian Turner will be a special guest during the Black Lives Matter Symposium.
Dr. Renee Akbar, the chair of Xavier’s Education & Counseling Division.
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lecture at 9 a.m. After, several workshops will take place across campus from 10:20 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. with lunch and another round of seminars from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nutt said the workshops will discuss urban Catholic education, school-to-prison education reform, racial and cultural consciousness and being young, black and gifted. The panel discussion will have Jarvis DeBerry, Columnist for The TimesPicayune Newspaper as the moderator and will feature Akbar, Dr. Brenda L. Walker, Dr. Andre Perry, Kenneth E. Seals-Nutt, and Amber Domingue as guest panelists. The symposium will conclude with a closing by Dr. Calvin Mackie and special remarks by Nutt. “This is not just a matter of information or a social conference, it’s about the intersectionality of social justice and human rights, ” Akbar said. Xavier students are able to attend the conference for free with their ID. Event
registration for non-Xavier students is $30, while general admission is $65, which includes lunch for one day, and group rates are available. Other package deals offer discounts. For more information on the symposium, including event schedules and registration, is available online at http://www. xulablacklivesmatter.com/ register, and in the IBCS Office located in Xavier South, Suite 560, telephone 504.273.7300. “At this critical juncture, I think Black Lives Matter serves a two-folded purpose,” Turner said. “One, to tell police officers, judges, and lawmakers that black lives matter, but also within our own community and our own dialogue.”
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September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
The Xavier Herald Staff FALL 2016
Editor-in-Chief: Kaelin Maloid Design Editor: Nicholas Davison Photography Editor: Natese Dockery Graphic Design Nicholas Davison
Photographers Natese Dockery Zakia Solomon Kaelin Maloid
Staff Writers
Tyler Johnson Jordan DeLoch Joe Brown Kaelin Maloid
Sports
Kaelin Maloid
Contributing Writers Kendall Lawson
Faculty Adviser: Melinda L. Shelton 504.520.5096, mshelton@xula.edu
HERALD CONTACT INFORMATION
On the Cover
photographer: Natese Dockery
Design:
Nicholas Davison
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Herald Office: Email Stories: Advertising:
Xavier South, 112B 504.520.5096 herald@xula.edu 504.520.5096
The Xavier Herald is an award-winning newspaper produced by, for and about students at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, La. While The Herald is housed in the Department of Mass Communication, its contents do not necessarily reflect the views of the department or Xavier University. The Herald is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and as such adheres to the collegiate journalists’ code of ethics. The Herald staff reserves the right to accept, edit, or refuse content.
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September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
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Division of Business
Getting a Summer Internship Began in High School
by Myeisha Jackson Division of Business mjacks24@xula.edu
During summer 2016, I had the pleasure of fulfilling an internship at Linebarger, Goggan, Blair, & Sampson, LLP. I was the collections intern for the fourth consecutive year. I originally got the placement when I was a senior in high school. High performance seniors are referred to paid internships that they attend MondayFriday. I interviewed during the spring semester of my
junior year in high school. After graduation, the firm offered me a summer internship. LGBS is a law firm that collects delinquent property taxes on the behalf of Dallas County and several other counties within Texas. My duties consisted of negotiating and producing payment agreements with taxpayers, making inbound and outbound calls, recording voicemails, processing military affidavit searches, and updating court cases in the database. I also had the privilege of working with attorneys, managers, and business analysts to help find solutions in enhancing the company’s collection strategies. The Division of Business influenced my internship experience by helping build my professionalism. Taking course like Business Communication has helped improve my interpersonal skills.
On e Nation a l Con fer enc e . M a n y Offers. Sum m er ’ 1 7 Se t.
with several of its sponsors. Prior to attending the NABA convention, Marian Minnard in the Office of Career Services helped me revise my résumé and conducted a mock interview with me to prepare me for the interviews. The NABA convention was an enlightening experience; I was able to network with accounting professionals. In particular, by Alaina McClue I met two former Xavier Division of Business graduates who were junior amcclue1@xula.edu partners in two of the top My name is Alaina accounting firms in the McClue, and I am a sophomore Accounting major. country. I also met and became friends with several In January 2016, I applied students who attend other for a National Association HBCUs. of Black Accountants At the NABA scholarship. In May, I was convention, I interviewed with notified that I was awarded five different firms, which a $1,500 scholarship and included Ernst & Young, an all-expense-paid trip to PricewaterhouseCoopers, Hollywood, Fla., to attend Microsoft Inc., DOW the 2016 NABA national Chemical, and Wells Fargo. convention. I was also After the interviews, I notified that NABA had received 2017 summer arranged for me to interview
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internship offers from Price Waterhouse and DOW Chemical. Additionally, I received an invitation from the Ernst & Young office in Atlanta, Ga., for a second interview in Atlanta. After receiving in all expense paid trip to Atlanta and interviewing with the Ernst & Young partners there, I was offered and accepted a 2017 summer internship.
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September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
THE AFTERMATH OF THE LOUISIANA FLOOD by Kaelin Maloid Editor-in-Chief kmaloid@xula.edu The Flood Damage
The Louisiana flood, which received little national coverage despite leaving roughly 110,00 homes damaged, started August 8, although most of the flooding started August 12. It swept through southern Louisiana in a matter of days, leaving a total of 6,900,000,000,000 gallons of rainfall in its wake—enough to fill 10.4 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. Livingston parish, the hardest hit parish of the 20 parishes affected, received more than 2 1/2 feet of rain the Tuesday after the flood started, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Watson was the hardest hit part of the parish, in which 31.39 fell within 15 hours. During that same 15-hour span, Baton Rouge received 19 inches of water. Members of the Coast Guard, National Guard, and emergency responders helped evacuate people from their homes. An estimated 30,000 people. Governor John Bel Edwards also stated about 1,000 pets were rescued, too. All in all, there is an estimated $20 billion dollars of damage done. Allison Hudson Xavier University of Louisiana alumni and current Public Information Officer in Gonzalez, Lou., Allison Hudson was still fielding questions Sept. 5 about the flood from people who had supplies for the people that had been displaced in Gonzalez. It hadn’t flooded in Gonzalez since 1993. Although the rain started on Friday, Hudson said the water came in more quickly on Saturday. On August 13, the city of Gonzalez made 1192 rescues. The next day,
Sunday, the 911 Center went down, and deputies took inmates to the tower to sandbag it for 13 hours. Two hundred roads were closed. Boat control became instrumental in getting the police department around. They started making sure there were no deceased bodies left in the house. By Wednesday, the water was a a stand still. The city began spraying three times a day for mosquito control. “We were just making sure our community that we see on a daily basis was okay,” Hudson said. However, this was not Hudson’s first rodeo with a natural disaster. She was enrolled in Xavier when Hurricane Katrina hit. “You thought you were attached, but really I just miss my shoes,” Hudson said. “I really just miss my shoes.” During this time, Hudson was only getting two to three hours of sleep. She slept on a cot in the office. In fact, she didn’t even get to see her home—which she was in the process of building—until the Sunday after the flood started. “I didn’t go back for a week and a half,” Hudson said. “I didn’t want to.” People need housing. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) “sucks,” according to Hudson—they have updated the trailers to make them bigger, but the criteria for receiving the trailer doesn’t match what the residents have. Hudson said that while the donated supplies is good, one day it’s going to run out. “Go through it the best way you know how,” Hudson said.
shelves. Residents had lost everything. “I’ve never seen anything like this before, and I’ve been here since 2000,” Pat Anders, an East Baton Rouge resident, said. Anders complained about the lack of helping Baton Rouge residents were receiving from the government. The residents need help gutting out their houses and cleaning them out. They need a place to stay. “FEMA is giving us the blues right about now,” said another EBR resident, Leon Clipps. “There’s so much process you have to go through.” Clipps, however, was appreciative of the help FEMA did give. Still, there was a need for more. Residents in the 20 parishes are in need of donations still. Families have lost everything from the large to the small, from sofas to underwear. To see more information, go to YouTube.com and search ‘Data News Weekly Louisiana Flood Aftermath.’
House on Winbourne Avenue in Baton Rouge, La. is in the process of being emptied for gutting.
East Baton Rouge Residents Want Help In front of each house on Winbourne Avenue in Baton Rouge is a pile of ruined belongings from inside the homes. Items range from babies’ toys to refrigerators with rotting food in them to football helmets on top of
Two East Baton Rouge residents sit down and talk with the Herald staff about the aftermath of the flood.
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September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
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Red Cross volunteers and Arkansas natives Joanne Thomas and husband flew down to Baton Rouge to pass out hot meals to families cleaning and gutting their homes.
A child’s room in an emptied house with writing on the walls.
These photos are the only things left standing in the midst of the destruction in a Gonzalez home.
The families down this street in Baton Rouge are rebuidling from the bottom up.
A baby’s toy sits in the middle of a pile of debris in Gonzalez.
Allison Hudson sits down with The Xavier Herald to further explain the damage done by the flods in Gonzalez.
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September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
The Birth of a Nation Review by Joe Brown Staff Writer jbrown55@xula.edu
Empowering. That one word can be used to describe the film “Birth of a Nation.” The film features actors such as Nate Parker, who is also the director; Gabrielle Union; Aja Naomi King; and Colman Domingo.The movie originally premiered at Sundance and took home the “Audience Award” and “Grand Jury Prize” as a U.S. drama. After watching the trailer for this film in April, I had to see it. I knew this film would make history, so I jumped at the chance to see the film at an early screening. This movie is an emotional experience that really engages the audience through its heart-wrenching scenes and romantic scenes
that Nat Turner shares with Cherry. Parker does a great job of mixing aesthetically pleasing scenes while also capturing the gore and blood of my ancestor’s blood being brutally spilled.
The film follows Nat Turner and his legacy as a slave who preaches to other slaves and starts a rebellion to free his people. Hearing about the history of slaves in the South is one thing but witnessing this movie will illustrate what slaves mentally and physically dealt with in 1831. “Birth of a Nation” also shows the unity and fearlessness of Nat Turner and his people rebelling against their owners. The most moving scene in the film is the courage of outnumbered newly freed slaves armed with knives and sledgehammers battling with slave owners who had guns and cannon balls. Seeing
that moment in theaters and realizing what our ancestors had to go through made everyone else’s problem seem small and trivial. The mere fact that Nat Turner survived the battle and turned himself in on his own terms shows the strength and power he had and what we all are capable of achieving as a whole.
The takeaway from the film is that this isn’t a “we hate white people movie” but a look back into the past and showing what black people have endured. We have came from such an unappreciated and unaccepted place. Where we are today is really a blessing that many of us don’t realize. Using our resources in society is vital to our success, which means that education and other opportunities should really be taken seriously to make our ancestors proud.
“Keys to the Streets,” YFN Lucci’s Rise by Trana Hopkins Contributing Writer chopkins@xula.edu
On Sept.16, 2016, YFN Lucci joined a few artists — Tink, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, and budding local rappers — and put on a performance at Xavier’s Convocation Center. YFN Lucci is an Atlanta rapper who grew up listening to multiple rappers he related to like Tupac, Lil Wayne, Hot Boys, Ja Rule and more. At age 16, Lucci discovered his own musical talent and decided he could make it big while rapping about his lifestyle and the way he was brought up in the world. As Lucci’s popularity gained in summer 2014, TIG signed him to their label.
His first EP, “Wish Me Well,” is available on iTunes. Lucci’s most recent mixtape “Wish Me Well 2” came out in Feb. 16, 2016 on his birthday. “Wish Me Well 2” went nationwide and sold over 60,000 copies and had 1 million views on LiveMixtape.com. One of his most popular songs on the EP is “Keys to the Streets,” which features the Migos as well as Trouble. This song was on everyone’s playlist while going out with friends. Now that Lucci is being known for his incredible talent, he is living his dream and connecting with many people that can relate to his lifestyle.
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September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
September is Suicide Awareness Month by Tyler Johnson Contributing Writer tjohns52@xula.edu
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. Even though black people have the lowest rates for suicide, it is still a problem that has to be stopped. “In the black community suicide is very stigmatized, we talk about ‘Oh, we’ll pray for you’ and ‘Oh, it’s not that serious,” said Elizabeth James, Miss Sophomore. “But it is that serious.” On Sept. 20, the sophomore class presented #MyStoryMatters. They had a suicide awareness and prevention table from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The table held suicide awareness bracelets, temporary semicolon tattoos, and more.
“We’re trying to raise awareness in the black community,” said Jeffery Ugwuanyi, Mr. Sophomore. “Because it’s not something that’s talked about.” Raising awareness is a good idea because studies show that social and emotional support has been shown to lower suicide rates among black teens. Some of the popular reasons for suicides are: social media bullying and regular bullying, fear of never being good enough, loss of hope, loss of a loved one, or some form of abuse. Social media is good and bad. Good because it provides a way for people to connect and network. But every up has a down. Some people feel the need to bully others on social media. Some bullying victims ignore it or block their bullies, but others let it get to them. They let the bullying create inner doubt. This inner doubt grows into
something bigger, and this can cause suicide. There are several things you can do to stop getting attacked from someone online: block them, report them, log off, or simply delete your account. This does not always stop the depression, though. Some of steps recommended to healing are: talking to someone you trust, doing activities you enjoy, and taking care of yourself. It is hard but talking to someone can help. Find a counselor, teacher, friend, or a parent but find someone to talk to. There are other ways that have been proven to improve self-esteem and get rid of bad feelings. Exercise, healthy living, and music are ways to reduce stress load and can help with depression. Sweating and releasing toxins have been proven to help mental health, which can aid in lowering suicide and self-harm rates. Another way is listening to music. Music
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can put you in a better mood or make you realize you are not alone. One particular artist may tell a story that resonates inside of someone. Suicide is never the answer. Committing suicide creates nothing but more pain for your friends and family. “People make permanent decisions based off of temporary circumstances,”
James said, who actually had two friends commit suicide within the same year. “It’s very serious, and it’s something we need to start discussing as a black community.”
Ugwuanyi applies a temporary tattoo to a student at #MyStoryMatters table. Photo by Natese Dockery
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September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
Sports Spotlight: Sarah Pitts-Groce Volleyball: I played soccer for a long time, and then I just got tired of it,” said Pitts-Groce. “So I started to look at what else I could do that involved jumping. And as the time passed, I started playing more and more.”
Statistics: 1.08 points per set, .88 kills per set, .42 per set, and .22 bocks through 18 matches and 48 sets played.
Student athlete: “Keeping up with all your credit hours during the season because we travel. It’s been a struggle for me. It’s really difficult, but I think if you stay on top stuff, it’ll be okay.” Not all is bad, though, Pitts-Groce said, “You get to interact with a lot of people. You get to meet a lot of new people.” Sometimes people she doesn’t know on campus will come up to her and tell her ‘congratulations.’
Best volleyball memory: “Regionals at Disney World,” Pitts-Groce laughed. During the final match of her club volleyball’s championship game, the refs didn’t call a single ball against the other team. “I think it was the last point, and the girl doubled the ball, and he finally called it, and we won the championship. And we were like, ‘Yes, Yes! They were on our side.” On Xavier: She chose Xavier because of the art enviornment in New Orleans, and she heard the art program at Xavier was good. “And it is,” Pitts-Groce said. “Everyone in the art department is like my family now.” She loves Xavier, but admits it’s tough and rigorous. “With Xavier, you get what you pay for.” Photo by XULA Gold.
Name: Sarah Pitts-Groce Hometown: Atlanta, Geo. Classification: Sophomore Sport: Volleyball Major: Art
Right: Pitts-Groce during the Big Easy Blast off . Left: Pitts-Groce highfives teaammates as they go on to defeat Dillard 3 sets to none. Photos by Kaelin Maloid.
Remaining Home Games Thurs. Sept. 23 vs. suno sat. Oct. 1 vs. talledega sun. oct. 2 vs. edward waters thurs. oct. 13 vs. dillard sat. oct. 15 vs. mobile
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September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
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When Creole Meets China by Nylah Smith Contributing Writer nsmith20@xula.edu
Friday, Sept. 16, 2016 Xavier University’s Confucius Institute celebrated their third annual MidAutumn Festival. Mid-Autumn festival is the second most important traditional Chinese festival after Chinese New Year. The festival is celebrated when the moon is believed to be the brightest and fullest. To the Chinese, it is a symbol of happiness, abundance, and family reunion. The students of the Confucius Institute embodied just that. The night was laced with beautiful performances by the Xavier Jazz Band, the beautiful women of
New Orleans Chinese Yinhe Dance Team, Yuan’s Dance Studio, and New Orleans Chinese Choir. The event even featured performances by Xavier students such as a Chinese Rap by Serena Newberry and an elegant traditional dance appropriately named “Bright Moon When Will You Appear” by Paulina Crouch. Xavier Freshman Ibe Montanya said his favorite part of the night was watching the choir and enjoying Serena Newberry’s eclectic rap. Other students such as Ashley Mellow and Shakira Thomas, said they were interested in the Mid-Autumn festival in hopes of learning new things about the Chinese culture, and they look forward to the festival next year. President Verret even stated how much of an auspicious occasion it was and how he looks forward to
the cultural binding of New Orleans and China through Xavier’s Confucius Institute.
Dance performances during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Photos by Zakia Solomon
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SNAPS!
September 27, 2016 - October 17, 2016
Brianna Anderson, Afshanti Hunter, and Sydney Labat pose with the BET #VoteYourVoice Instagram cut out. Photo by Natese Dockery.
Lil Uzi Vert stops to take a selfie with a fan at the Saucin’ ‘N September concert Sept. 16, 2016 held at the Convocation Center. Photo by Kaelin Maloid.
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