St. Catharine College
November 2013
Volume 7 Issue 2
PATRIOT PAGES St. Catharine College marks SGAWeek with variety of campus activities By Sadie Hill Patriot Pages Staff Writer St. Catharine College’s Student Government Association hosted a week full of fun for students, faculty, staff and their families the week of Oct. 7-10. The week was packed
with a wide variety of events for all ages. A carnival in Lourdes Hall Monday, Oct. 7 brought in free unlimited snow cones, cotton candy, “Beast” pizza from Snappy Tomato Pizza, and many inflatable activities including an obstacle
course, a bungee pull, and a slide. Students enjoyed the food and activities, adding their own impromptu game of soccer on the sidelines. On Tuesday, Oct. 8, SGA sponsored a booth offering free snacks and water bottles to passing stu-
Chris Owens brings enthusiasm to job as residence life director
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Environmental issues the focus of new student organization
By Amber Ellis Patriot Pages Staff Writer One of the familiar faces you may have seen around campus this year is that of Chris Owens, St. Catharine College’s new Director of Residence Life and Student Activities. Since late June 2013, Owens has been a man who wears many hats, CHRIS OWENS putting forth genuine, whole-hearted effort into improving the quality of life around SCC. Supervising and overseeing various matters in residence life aren’t the
dents. That evening, the SGA sponsored a trip for a group of about 30 students who traveled to Bardstown for a night of bowling. Students had a great time, especially when the lights went down and the music went up. The night was a hit, and
By Will Phillips Patriot Pages Editor-in-Chief
SGA lunch bunch As part of SGA Week, on Thursday, Oct. 10, the St. Catharine College Student Government Association provided a free lunch to the college’s commuter students in the basement of the Hamilton Health and Science building. From left, SGA President Starr Roberts, and members Dallas Smith and Kerrie Sneed strike a pose while preparing sandwiches. Photo by Sadie Hill.
St. Catharine College has a wide variety of clubs in which students can participate in activities related to their existing interests and expand their knowledge into new areas. One of the newer campus clubs that is recruiting interested students is the SCC Sustainability Club. The Patriot Pages spoke recently with club adviser Dr. Leah Bayens about its activities and its goals. Dr. Bayens is heavily involved in the sustainability Continued on page 5
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SPORTS Patriot men’s soccer team ends season looking for improvement next season Many of the fall sports teams are deep into their seasons with some of them preparing to finish up their schedules. Here is an update of how the teams have done thus far.
ISAAC ROBINSON
Men’s Soccer Sports Editor
There’s no sugar coating it; it has been a rough year for the men's soccer team. Standing at a dismal 3-13 overall record and a 0-8 conference record, there are only two games left to go before seasons end. Hopefully they can regroup and look toward a good season next year.
month up to this point. They are now sitting at an overall record of 15-10 (9-5 in conference play). There aren't many games left to be played with the MSC Tournament looming on November 14th.
Women's Soccer
Swimming
The men's soccer team may be struggling but their Lady Patriot counterparts having been doing very well for the season. They were able to pick up a huge win against St. Mary of the Woods College for Senior Day to send off the seniors and their time at SCC on a high note. Currently their record is 12-4 (5-3 in conference play) with only two games left to play in the regular season and then moving onto the MSC Tournament, beginning on November 9th.
SCC swimmers were able to take home two third place finishes, two fourth place finishes, one fifth and one sixth place finish when they took on the University of the Cumberlands and Union College.
Volleyball The Patriots volleyball team hit a hot streak in the month of October, losing only one game the entire
Basketball Both basketball teams are set to kick their seasons off around Halloween with the Men's teams first official home game on Halloween against Virginia University of Lynchburg and the Lady Patriots first official home game being November 15th (there is a scrimmage on Halloween against Kentucky State University).
Just makes double-double doable doable Rebecca Just recorded a double-double in the game against the Blue Raiders of Lindsey Wilson College on Oct. 23. Just has four double doubles on the year, a team high. Photo courtesy SCC Sports Information Office.
November sports schedules Volleyball Nov. 1, 2013@ Midway College Nov. 8, 2013@ University of Pikeville Nov. 9, 2013@ Bluefield College Nov. 12, 2013 Kentucky State University (Senior Night) Lourdes Hall Nov. 14-16, 2013Mid-South Conference Tournament, Louisville
Women’s basketball Nov. 1, 2013@ Miami UniversityMiddletown Nov. 8, 2013@ College of the Ozarks Nov. 9, 2013@ Taylor University Nov. 12, 2013@ Kentucky Wesleyan College
Nov. 15, 2013West Virginia State University Nov. 18, 2013@ Wilberforce Nov. 21, 2013 University of Pikeville Nov. 23, 2013 Bluefield College
Men’s basketball Nov. 2, 2013@ Morehead State University Nov. 5, 2013 University of St. Francis Nov. 8-9, 2013 Cardinal Stretch @ University of St. Francis Nov. 18, 2013@ Wilberforce College Nov. 21, 2013 University of Pikeville Nov. 23, 2013 Bluefield College Nov. 29, 2013@ Robert Morris College Nov. 30, 2013@ Life University
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SPORTS Intramural sports teams’ popularity growing among SCC students By Isaac Robinson Patriot Pages Sports Editor Sports is an incredibly important factor on campus here at SCC, athletes make up a staggeringly large amount of the student body that lives on campus, so it came as a surprise that we did not have any sort of Intramural sports programs. Intramural sports is an organized (but recreational) sports program for people who don't play on the official campus team. So for instance volleyball players can't play on a volleyball Intramural team (that would just be unfair) but everyone else is fair to play; for sports like kickball, everyone is invited. Last year however, SCC opened up a brand new Intramural program and so far things are looking bright. I was able to catch up with the Student Intramural Director, Donovan McCutcheon, for a couple of questions regarding this relatively new program. Patriot Pages: What is the schedule for Intramural sports this year? Donovan McCutcheon: Our Intramural sports that we have this year are Kickball (August), Wiffleball (September), Flag Football (October), and Dodge ball (November). Then in the second semester Volleyball (January), Basketball (February), CornholePool-Pingpong tourneys (March), and Soccer (April). Also some special events we have are on November 22-24, we are sending a
flag football team with people that played in our football sport league to WKU to participate in that and represent the college in the WKU National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Region II Flag Football Tournament. It’s a big event that we are happy to have a part in with our first full year of existence and be a part of NIRSA. PP: What program is currently active? DM: Currently active is our football season which is flag football and is very exciting. This year we have 6 teams participating in it and with all different mixes of people. We actually have one commuter team which is called the “Discount Doublechecks” and a staff team which is called “The Franchise.” So it’s cool to see these different groups coming together and playing organized sports just to get a break from it all. PP: How is the turn out so far? DM: The turnout is amazing, we are consistently about 4-6 teams each sport plus a lot of our students are coming out just to watch even in the cold, wind or rain and I have to respect people who come out to support us even on the gloomy days. PP: Did you take part in the Intramural program last year when it was first getting together? And if so, how did it all come about? DM: We started out last year in winter after coming back from winter break. Ticha was the coordinator last year when we started this and hired me and Nikki Peterson as
supervisors and Cliff Fant and Cody Beasley as referees. We all sat down and discussed what sports we wanted and made things happen with dodgeball, like putting up fliers and even signing up teams. We never expected our first night we would have five full teams with seven people each and
another 25 people in the stands just watching. It was amazing to see how each time more people came out and even participated. This continued through dodgeball, cornhole & pool, and into basketball and football also. Once we started basketball though, Ticha was called up to be Dean of Students and, so I stepped up and helped organize everything and we added another guy to help with refereeing. After we wrapped up with football last year, I applied to be the director of
Intramurals and got the job. Over the summer we decided to expand intramurals. We added an office and new sports. Once school started we added more staff; we now we have nine on staff as either supervisors or referees. We have expanded to adding possibly more activities and special events. We have a new logo and are hoping to get more involved in our neighboring schools through NIRSA, the worldwide group for recreational sports and intramurals. We are rapidly expanding and hoping to grow more just like our school continues to grow. So far the Intramural program is a huge success and all things are going smoothly. The program is an exciting new piece of campus life that will be sure to stick around. If you want to be a part of the Intramural sports program contact Donovan McCutcheon or Ticha Chikuni, SCC’s dean of students. Th Intramural sports office is located in the Student Center, below the cafeteria. All students are more than welcome to join; this includes commuters, residents, athletes and nonathletes. Faculty and Staff and Alumni are also open to join in any sport.
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STUDENT LIFE Banned Books Week 2013
Above, Dr. Jan Lantz takes time to read during SCC’s annual observance of Banned Books Week. At top right, Megan Hazelip was one of many students who participated by reading aloud to those gathered for the event. At right, the Emily W. Hundley Library courtyard was the ideal place to conduct the Banned Books Week events. Dean of Students Ticha Chikuni manned the grill to provide attendees with burgers and hot dogs. Photos by Jesse Osbourne
On the road to Atlanta From left, Brittany Bird, Hayley Boone and Whitney Hamilton attended the 37th annual radiation therapy conference in Atlanta in September. The conference is hosted by the American Society for Radiologic Technologists. Radiation Therapy Program Chair Carol Scherbak accompanied the students to the conference.
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SCC campus celebrates SGA week with activities for everyone Continued from Page 1
SGA will likely make it a repeat event. SGA members were up bright and early Wednesday, Oct. 9, in order to begin a campus clean-up. Their garbage bags ended up bursting at the seams due to so much trash. There was so much that the Residence Hall Association is planning to further pick
up the litter on campus. Later that day, an SGA-sponsored car wash was held in front of Aquinas Hall. The cars were washed free of charge, though customers were encouraged to make a donation to Operation Christmas Child. If you did not get to make a donation at the car wash, students, staff and faculty can purchase gift items and donate them to
the Operation Christmas Child program. Donations will be accepted at Dean of Students Ticha Chikuni’s office through Friday, Nov. 15. Bringing the week to a close, SGA provided lunch to its commuter students in the lower level of the Hamilton Health Science Building. Subway sandwiches were available to students as well as chips, snack cakes,
and a cooler full of drinks. SGA representatives say they hope students enjoyed the week of activities on and off the SCC campus. The organization exists to be the voice of SCC students, and students are encouraged to contact the group in their office at Hamilton to voice their opinions and share their ideas.
SCC’s newest club aims to increase awareness of sustainability issues Continued from Page 1
efforts of several groups in Washington and surrounding counties. Patriot Pages: Recently, you started a Sustainability Club on campus. Can you tell me a little bit more about that? What are the goals of the club? Dr. Leah Bayens: A number of students, faculty, and staff expressed interest in forming a group on campus to learn more about environmental stewardship and ecological, economic, and cultural sustainability issues, so I advertised an initial meeting at Club Rush, collected contact information from folks interested in participating, and administered a sustainability interest survey. Our first meeting was a resounding success! Fifteen students, faculty,
and staff attended and determined our top priorities: education, service, and cross-campus and community collaboration. With those goals in mind, we have already completed two major tasks. First, three group members accompanied Dr. Corey Brelsfoardís environmental science class on a trail cleanup project at Marion County’s Gorley Trail on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Second, on that same day, we hosted representatives from Washington County’s grassroots organization, New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future to speak to our group about their work and about how we can collaborate with them. Dominican Sister of Peace Claire McGowan, Washington County resident Amanda Haan, and SCC English
major and NPSF intern Jessica Shelton presented a number of opportunities, including attending a rural community forum event on alternative energy sources in Elizabethtown, helping circulate information about the Bluegrass Pipeline in the community, and working on educational projects in Washington County. In addition to working on these projects, we are also planning field excursions, environmental education speaker engagements, and service projects. We encourage everyone in the community to keep their eyes peeled for ways to participate in these fun activities and to attend our next meeting: Tuesday, October 1 at 5:00pm in HL 304. We always have free (and delicious) food, and we usually have a drawing for a free bonus
item (water bottles and a book by Michael Pollan, for instance). Weíre still developing the details before we submit paperwork to become an official club, so students still have the opportunity to shape the group! Contact LeahBayens@sccky.edu for information. Students who want to learn more about sustainability can attend the club’s meetings, 5 p.m. on Tuesdays in HL 304. For those who wish be get active, contact the New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future, who have volunteer opportunities for distributing informational flyers in the area. Contact NewPioneersSF@aol.com for details. Students can also visit the group’s website, http://www.newpioneersfsf.org.
Chris Owens brings enthusiasm to his new job as SCC resident life director Continued from Page 1
only responsibilities he carries. Chris is also the adviser of Patriot Activites Council (PAC) and serves on the student intervention team. He began his college education at Southeast Community and Technical college where he earned an Associates of Science degree. He then enrolled at
Eastern Kentucky University to continue his studies with a focus on psychology and science. He landed his first job working in student housing at EKU, serving as a resident adviser. After Owen received his Bachelor’s Degree, he went on to earn a master’s degree at EKU in Arts/Human Services with emphasis
on college personnel. He accepted a job at the university as a residence hall coordinator for McGregor and Todd residence halls. Prior to his arrival at SCC, Owen was assistant director of residence life at UVa Wise, a branch campus of the University of Virgina. During his tenure there, he said he because aware
of his love for his home state and kept an eye out for an opportunity to return. Owen described the chance to come to SCC as “a blessing from the Lord.” The Harlan native now calls Willisburg home with his wife and two dogs, Doc and Oreo.
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ENTERTAINMENT Marvel scores with ‘Iron Man’; ‘Scary Movie’ more painful than frightening The Purge Directed by: James DeMonaco Starring: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey and Max Burkholder You know how sometimes in a movie, one of the heroes will come oh-so-close to dying, only to be rescued by one of his comrades? There are so many instances like that in “The Purge” that I lost count. One begins to wonder: do the characters refrain from intervening until their friends are a fraction of a second away from death out of sheer meanness? Anyway, surrounding these interminable scenes is a pretty intriguing plot. It takes place in a future with advanced technology, low unemployment and no crime: that is, except for during the Purge, an annual night where any crime is legal. Ethan Hawke plays James, a wealthy man whose home is invaded during, you guessed it, the Purge. We are soon introduced to an eccentric criminal (played by Rhys Wakefield as some sort of junior version of Heath Ledger’s Joker) and Hawke’s son (Max Burkholder), who lets a strange homeless man into his home during the Purge (Well, who wouldn’T?). Fortunately, the movie does sport a
DALTON ROGERS
Entertainment Editor
nice collection of performances; the veteran character actor Hawke is his typical intense self, and Headey, Wakefield and Adelaide Kane make up a solid supporting cast. One just can’t help but feel that the unique concept is let down by the generic execution. Grade: B-
The Hangover Part III Directed by: Todd Phillips Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis Looking up the word “hangover” in the dictionary, one of the possible definitions is: “a letdown, as after a period of excitement.” That pretty much sums up this last installment in the “Hangover” trilogy, which (for some reason) takes the franchise into downbeat crime thriller territory. Think about it this way: one of the film’s more straightforward comedic moments involves the decapitation of a giraffe. As the movie opens, Alan’s (Zach Galifianakis) father (Jeffrey
Tambor) dies of a heart attack, and soon the gang is taking the emotionally unstable Alan to a rehab facility across the country. On the way, they encounter a group of violent gangsters and -- does this sound like the plot for a comedy to you? I can’t even criticize it for being unfunny, because that doesn’t seem to be the intent. Melissa McCarthy and Ken Jeong are the only ones playing this for laughs; the other performers just drearily shuffle their way through this funeral dirge of a movie. That’s not to say the film is without its funny moments (the ending works pretty well, for instance); they just don’t come that often, and they’re surrounded by a murky swamp of cathartic depression. After three attempts, writer/director Todd Phillips has finally captured the cinematic equivalent of a hangover. Congratulations? Grade: C
Iron Man 3 Directed by: Shane Black Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Guy Pearce After the slightly disappointing “Iron Man 2,” Marvel’s Iron Man
series returns to form with this third film, once again starring the charismatic Robert Downey, Jr. This time around, there is a mysterious villain named the Mandarin on the loose, openly threatening Tony Stark (Downey) and attacking his home. Stark/Iron Man is forced to go on the run, learning everything he can about the enigmatic Mandarin as he goes. Of course, this all builds to a spectacular action climax, complete with dazzling special effects. As superhero movies go, this is one of the better ones, certainly the best so far this year. I could accuse this movie of being brainless, but that’s really beside the point. “Lethal Weapon” writer Shane Black directs with a wit and enthusiasm reminiscent of the first film; and the cast predictably delivers the goods, with Downey, Paltrow, Pearce and Don Cheadle all giving satisfying performances. The real stand-out here, though, is Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin, who unfortunately seems a bit underused here. Still, apart from this (and a strange plot twist toward the end that seems wholly unnecessary), “Iron Man 3” is yet another victory for the Marvel team. Grade: AContinued on Page 7
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ENTERTAINMENT Continued from Page 6
Scary Movie 5 Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee Starring: Ashley Tisdale, Simon Rex and Charlie Sheen I could tell from the opening scene of “Scary Movie 5” that I was in for trouble. It was basically an extended cameo for series regular Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan (who, by the way, really needs to have a long talk with her agent) and, aside from Sheen’s typical wackiness, didn’t really have anything interesting to offer. The sad thing is, it’s probably the highlight of the movie. After another brief scene following Snoop Dogg into a “cabin in the woods” (har har), we get down to the main storyline, which follows Jody (Ashley Tisdale) and Dan (Simon Rex) as they try to cope with their new
adopted children, who are under some kind of possession. We also get Madea showing up to critique a ballet performance, Usher portraying a dancing custodian and Dan getting outsmarted by a chimpanzee (If any of these scenes sound funny to you, go see “Scary Movie 5” immediately). And don’t parodies of things like “Inception,” “Planet of the Apes” and “Fifty Shades of Grey” seem a little out of place in a movie dedicated to spoofing horror films? While it doesn’t quite sink to the horrifying depths of “Inappropriate Comedy,” the constant barrage of lame jokes and forced pop culture references make this a painful 90 minutes. Grade: D
Patriot Pages Staff & Credits Editor-in-Chief: Will Phillips Sports Editor: Isaac Robinson Entertainment Editor: Dalton Rogers Patriot Pages Staff: Sadie Hill, Amber Ellis, and Landon Page. Advisers to the Patriot Pages include Dean of Students Ticha Chikuni, administrative adviser, and Jim Brooks, newspaper consultant. Photo credits: Jesse Osbourne, Sadie Hill, Amber Ellis, and Justin Farr. Comments and letters to the editor may be sent to: patriotpages@yahoo.com.
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OPINION Students are the key ingredient if we want to improve SCC campus life I want to begin, as always, by thanking our readers for the time they take out of their schedule each month to read The Patriot Pages. We do what we do to bring you an interesting and informative newspaper, but there's no point to that if you don’t read it. So, truly, I thank you. Overall, there hasn’t been much controversy on campus recently, which leaves me sorely lacking in editorial content. So, in lieu of an actual issue to rail against, I’ll take this opportunity to write about the college experience and what that means for the everyday St. Catharine College student. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, there is a problem on campus regarding poor student attendance at various school events. All clubs (including the newspaper) have felt this. It’s difficult to get students to attend meetings, to stay through an entire event, and God forbid you ask someone to show up on a weekend. This is an issue that other campuses don’t face, I think. At first, I thought it had to do with Saint Catharine’s size. I felt as though this sort of thing happened at all campuses, and we just felt it more since we’re smaller and have fewer people overall. But then I decided to dig into it a bit more. As of 2011, Saint Catharine’s enrollment stood at 1,091. Nearby Centre College had an enrollment of only 1,242 that same year. However, Centre manages to have a very active campus, complete with a full-fledged drama program, a vibrant Greek community, and a football team. This is in
WILL PHILLIPS Patriot Pages Editor-in-Chief
addition to being one of the most respected schools in the state. So, this raises the question: if they can do it, why can’t we? The long and short of it is this: we can. We absolutely can have the same type of campus life that Centre College does. And it comes down to the students. There is an atmosphere of discontent on this campus; a systematic un-involvement at every level. For some reason, people just don’t want to commit to anything. In part, I think it comes down to the fact that we are so focused on athletics that we let other things suffer. Coaches are concerned with their teams, and rightly so. However, the rigid schedule of collegiate athletics doesn’t lend itself to involvement in other activities. How do we solve this? Well, here is where I have to admit that I don’t know. I think it needs to begin with the students, but how does that happen? Unfortunately, I say it falls to the freshmen. They are the ones with a real opportunity to change this school; be it for better or worse. Your college experience is in your hands. Do something with it.
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PERSPECTIVES The longest stride: Tackling doubt, adversity led student to SCC During one’s adolescent years of life, graduating high school is a huge milestone. Typically after high school, college is the next step into early adulthood. In order to ensure success and financial stability, people most commonly feel that possessing a college degree is essential. Every college student, from freshman to senior is aware of the mental capacity and time consumption required to achieve academic goals. Many traditional students may feel as though being a parent while working on furthering their education is a difficult task. Parenting, that’s what we should do after graduation, after securing a job with a comfortable salary. Being a father or a mother can consume a very large portion of a person’s time as well as being physically and mentally demanding. How in the world can you focus on your education while taking care of another human being? I am one of the few non-traditional students here at Saint Catharine. Eight years ago I graduated from Scott County High School, and became a mother soon after. For years I’ve struggled to survive, working endless hours at entry-level jobs that made me completely miserable. After a while, I began to feel like this is the only way of living. Often times I would get discouraged because I’d feel stuck, regardless of my silent desire to do better with my life.
AMBER ELLIS Patriot Pages Staff Writer
How in the world could I afford to further my education? Student loans, sure. What if I fail my classes? Not only would I waste thousands of dollars, but it would be a waste my time. I still would need to work full time to pay my bills, but childcare would be ridiculously expensive. There’s no way I’ll ever be able to get into school, so I thought. Besides, I felt like I needed to be 100 percent sure of my choice of major before I’d even made such an attempt. Out of the blue one day about a year ago, I received a phone call from my grandmother. She said, “I had an ultrasound on my kidney today. Have you ever thought about going to school for that?” “No,” I replied, “but I will look into it.” I remember spending nearly an hour searching for sonography programs around Lexington, where I had lived for more than 10 years. I discovered the St. Catharine College website and submitted an inquiry for information. I would often get phone calls from online universities and
various campuses across the state, but their timing was always terrible: I would always miss the call. I can remember relaxing at home enjoying my day off from waiting tables when my phone rang — Pilar Espinosa, one of our wonderful student ambassadors, was reaching out to follow up on my inquiry. A week later, I drove to St. Catharine for a visit. Maybe it was fate that intervened when that call came through, maybe it was just luck. Whatever it was, I’m glad it happened. Pilar along with the entire admissions staff answered my endless list of questions, and eased my fear of making such a big transition with my life.
SGA Week: It’s in the bag! SGA President Starr Roberts and Dallas Smith take a break from the SGA Week campus cleanup to show some of the garbage they collected in a short period around the SCC grounds. More volunteers are needed to help continue the pickup; contact SGA or the Residence Hall Council to find out how to help. Photo by Sadie Hill
It really doesn’t matter how old you are, it’s never too late to do something beneficial with your life. Once I analyzed the positives and negatives of making this change, I knew it was one of the best decisions I’d ever make. Not only would I be able to escape the degrading lifestyle of a waitress, I’d also be able to secure a better future for my son. For anyone who may be on the fence about going to college later in life as a non-traditional student, all it takes is an ounce of self-confidence and the will to succeed. Overcoming adversity can seem like an unachievable task. Truth is, the first step is the longest stride.