the
TUNE of AUBURN AN AUBURN UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Sweetwater 420 Fest is sweet option for the weekend Auburn University Dance Marathon makes an impact on a local hospital What is your Auburn bucket list missing? Go to page13 for some fun ideas
the
TUNE of AUBURN AN AUBURN UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
inside the spring issue
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Sweetwater 420 Fest
a sweet option for a fun weekend outside of Auburn.
Marc Broussard Concert
singer-songwriter brings his bayou-soul style to the Opelika Area.
Auburn University Dance Marathon supporting local Children’s Miracle Network hospital in Columbus, Ga.
Auburn City Fest
annual event brings the city of Auburn together for a day full of festivities.
10 Things to Add to Your Auburn Bucket List make the most out of your time at Auburn.
from the
EDITOR
I’m a senior at Auburn University, graduating in May 2015. I’m an outgoing and energetic worker looking to pursue a career in public relations. I love working with people and making ideas come to life. I’m addicted to orange juice, Buzzfeed, and Game of Thrones. I quote Saturday Night Live sketches in almost every conversation, and wish I was funny or famous enough to be a host, but some dreams are a bit out of reach. My friends call me Kitty, and for the past four years of my life, I have only been called Kathryn in the classroom, when talking to my family, or when talking to friends from home. There are some people at Auburn University who most likely don’t even know my real name is Kathryn, considering it’s rarely spoken.
FUN FACTS about me: Favorite TV show: Game of Thrones Favorite color: Blue Favorite food: Is orange juice a food?
I grew up in Mobile, Alabama with my wonderful mother and brother. Being at Auburn University, I wasn’t too far away from home and my If I could travel anywhere family. Here at Auburn University, I’ve had the opportunity to be a part right now it would be: of a new, flourishing organization on campus, engage and influence Scotland local high schoolers, learned about who I want to be as a leader, and overall grown as a student, employee, and friend. I’m excited for what the next chapter of my life has to offer, because I love learning new things and being thrown into new situations. I’m a very hands-on learner and am excited for the challenges that lay ahead.
What I’ll miss about college: People thinking my real name is Kitty
SweetWater 420 Fest
a sweet option for a weekend away from Auburn.
by: Kathryn Calhoun
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weetWater 420 Fest is an annual festival put on by Sweetwater Brewing Company in Atlanta, Ga. This year, it was held April 17thApril 19th at the Centennial Olympic Park. The festival had a number of musical guests on multiple stages throughout the day, a comedy tent put on by Relapse, and a SweetWater experience tent where anyone 21 and up could come taste year-round and special season SweetWater brews.
on a weekend trip to Atlanta, Ga., said, “I loved getting to talk about what goes into each beer. There is so much thought and time put into the brewing process, and I loved learning more about it.” The experience tent, in a way, acted as a similar setting. It gave attendees to enjoy similar perks of sitting at the brewery and expanding their SweetWater knowledge and palette for their brews.
General admission prices were $42 a day or On the musical stages, you could find headliners like: attendees could purchase $75 three-day admission Snoop Dogg, 311, Primus, Thievery Corporation, passes. The three-day admission pass gave you access Cage the Elephant, Slightly Stoopid, Moe., Gov’t to all three days of activities including 45 bands, Mule, and Cold War Kids. You could also find the Relapse 420 Comedy Tent, the SweetWater openers like: Marc Broussard, The Floozies, The Experience Tent, Artist Market, and more. It Revivalists, Anders Osbourne, and many more. allowed one exit with re-entry per day. Big Fish VIP passes were also available.
“There is so much thought and time put into the brewing process, and I loved learning more about it.” At the “Not-So-Silent Disco”, a number of EDM artists from all around the world performed. The 420 Disco was just started in 2013, so it is relatively new to the festival. With lasers, visuals, and cryogenics, the disco won’t disappoint. If you were interested in more than just music, the Relapse 420 Comedy Tent had improv workshops throughout Saturday and Sunday. There was also famous Atlanta comics performing their stand up acts. TBS’s Ground Floor star Rory Scovel was performing each night as well! With the SweetWater experience tent, attendees could try the variety of beers SweetWater produces. The brewery has events and open hours where people can come drink and spend the afternoon trying new beer. Dabney Perrine, a student at Auburn University who has visiting the brewery
For the more motivated attendees, SweetWater 420 Fest also holds an annual 5K Saturday morning before the festivities begin. The SweetWater 420 Fest 5K is USATF Certified and is a Peachtree Qualifier. It began at 8:30 a.m. at Centennial Olympic Park on April 18, 2015. It began at the Centennial Olympic Park Drive entrance and ended near the Marietta Street entrance. Registration for this run could be done online, at the Road Runner Sports Buckhead store, or at the location on race day. Registration cost $50 and includes a shirt, beer at the end of the race and a $5 off discount code for a three-day fest pass.
Marc Broussard
comes to the Opelika Event Center
by: Kathryn Calhoun
M
arc Broussard performed at the Opelika Event Center with the Josh Adams Band on Friday, Feb. 27.
“A Life Worth Living” was released on July 29, 2014 by Vanguard Records. Broussard performed some new songs from his album that include, “Hurricane Heart” and some older songs that have gained popularity like, “Love and Happiness”. Paxton Templin, a student at Auburn University, heard Broussard for the first time at a local Jazz Fest in Alex City a few years ago and said she “liked the laid back kind of grooviness in his music.” She said, “He is the only artist I listen to on a regular basis. His music still has that laid back feeling to it and more and more people are finding out how amazing his music is.” Broussard’s live performances have become so popular that he recently released a live version of his album. He released live versions of his songs after the release of his newest album and the live versions can be purchased separately or purachased as a delux album with both versions included. Broussard said in regards to starting his career, “My father was a musician, so I played around with his bands when I was a young boy, and then started this professionally around 2002.” Broussard released “The Wanderer”, one of his first extremely popular songs in 2002. Christopher Vought, a student at Auburn University, said, “I’ve never gotten the chance to see Broussard live, and I really hope he plays one of his older songs ‘Lonely Night in Georgia’.” The Josh Adams Band, known for performing at local venues such as Fat Daddy’s and Balcony Bar, opened for Broussard.
The doors opened at 6 p.m. and the show began at 7 p.m. There was food from Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q at the venue, which is located in downtown Opelika. Tickets for the concert were $25 in advance and $30 the day of the concert and could be purchased online. Marc Broussard is a singer-songwriter from Carencro, La with a “bayou-soul” style. He has released five studio albums; his latest album is titled “A Life Worth Living”. Marc Broussard also has upcoming shows in New Jersey, Maryland, New York, and Virginia.
“My father was a played around with I was a young boy, this professionally
musician, so I his bands when and then started around 2002.�
Auburn University
by: Kathryn Calhoun
S
makes an impact on a local hospital
aturday, February 7, 2015, the Auburn Family came together to support and celebrate the families supported by our local Children’s Miracle Network hospital in Columbus, Ga. Auburn University Dance Marathon raised $238,035.14 for the Midtown Medical Center of Columbus Regional Health. Auburn University Dance Marathon has exceeded their fundraising total each year by an astounding amount. Most dance marathons set a goal of exceeding their previous goal by 20%, this year AUDM exceeded last years total by 35%. With over 900 dancers registered, this organization was able to raise awareness and funds for the local CMN hospital and support the miracle families that attended the event. The event consists of standing and dancing for 12 hours in honor of the miracle children and their families.
Throughout the day, the families gave their testimony and shared their gratitude with the Auburn students. Along with hearing the testimonies of these families, the dancers played games, simply celebrated the lives of these children, and even learned a line dance that everyone did together at the end of the event. All of the registered dancers are split up into color teams led by morale captains. Those color teams compete in fundraising, compete in different games, and create some order and camaraderie throughout the day. There are five theme hours that rotate throughout the event, so each hour has games and activites catered towards that theme. This year, there was a Marvel vs. DC theme that had Jake and Charlie, two of the miracle children, bouncing off the walls with excitement, because they got to be the real superheros they truly are. The treatments and doctor’s visits these children go through, make them superheros in their own way. One of the other miracle children, Martin Thiele, an 18-year-old patient at Columbus Regional Medical Center, is such an inspiration to the younger miracle children. Whenever he has the energy to walk down the halls and encourage other patients, he always puts a smile on their faces. He was diagnosed with Stage IV Rhabdomyosarcoma. Thiele has been in an out of chemotherapies for the past 3 years.
Dance Marathon
“It’s funny though, cancer doesn’t realize that every time it comes back, I come back stronger.” Martin Thiele Unfortunately his cancer has come back recently and his is back in the hospital. He is still fighting and was even able to come to this years dance marathon and speak to the Auburn University students. When he spoke at the event, he told the students in attendance about how he was having to keep a chest tube in for 6 weeks to make sure he didn’t have fluid build up in his lungs. The president of AUDM, Sarah Kelly, challenged the participants to raise $6,000 in one hour. A $1,000 for each week Thiele would have to keep his chest tube in. After one hour passed, the participants had raised $6,XXX. This act of fundraising
$238,035.14 President of AUDM Sarah Kelly has been a part of this organization for all four years of its existence on Auburn’s campus. This year, she has led the staff through the organizational and fundraising process and is glad to see the culture of dance marathon forming on Auburn’s campus. The dance marathon culture is similar to the Auburn family culture that we all embrace. It includes supporting and caring for others, celebrating triumphs, and embracing the hope for the future. Columbus Regional Medical Center is constantly growing and expanding its programs because of organizations like AUDM that help fund the hospital’s operations and expansions. This past year, they opened the new pediatric inpatient and intensive care units in the hospital, which includes newer and more advanced equipment and larger rooms so families can stay with their children through their treatments. This expansion is helping to complete the development of a children’s hospital within a hospital.These funds raised by all who participated in AUDM 2014 and 2015 support that expansion and keep it going. .
Final Totals Through the Years 2012 $65,995.25 2013 $124,739.89 2014 $176,589.65 2015 $238.035.14
Auburn City Fest brings the community together by: Kathryn Calhoun Auburn City Fest was a huge success this year. It is Auburn’s largest free outdoor festival that brings together Auburn residents to enjoy live music, arts and crafts, local vendors, and activities for children. The Auburn City Fest is put on by the City of Auburn and the business community in Auburn. It is held the last Saturday of April every year at Kiesel Park. Admission, parking, and park activities are all free. This was the 15th Annual Auburn City Fest. Opelika- Auburn News and Four Seasons Federal Credit Union are the major sponsors of the event each year along with a number of business in the Auburn area.
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The event took place in Kiesel Park in Auburn on Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There was no fee to attend this event. Dog’s were welcome but were asked to be kept on a leash. There were food vendors at the event, but attendees were also welcome to bring own food.
Jim ‘N’ Nicks provided barbeque and there were a number of great local bands performing, making the Blues and BBQ theme come together quite nicely. Some musicians in attendance were The Alabama Blues Project, Soul Coalition, and Big Swamp Blues Band. At the imagination station in the children’s area, there were the Hogway Speedway Racing Pigs, pony rides presented by Jubilee Farms, and inflatables will all be at the Children’s Imagination Station. Children could also go get their faces painted, play games, and do other fun crafts. Children could also spend time digging in the new and improved sandbox, “The Farm Dig”, sponsored by The Home Depot. There were also crowd favorites such as Lew-E the Clown, the Alabama Ghostbusters, and a variety of inflatables. At the Hogway Speedway Racing, guests had the opportunity to cheer on piglets, hogs, goats and ducks as they raced around the speedway track. Mary Ellen Dixon, the public relations representative from Auburn City Parks and Recreation Department, said, “They
brought out pigs, pot-bellied pigs, ducks and goats, and they raced around a 100-foot track. At the end, they got a little stuffed prize, and that’s how they get them to race around.” The Auburn University Raptor Center had an Exhibition, so children could see the eagle. Aubie also made an appearance. Families could get pictures with both treasured mascots of Auburn University. Many students from Auburn University came out and volunteered to help the event run smoothly and enjoy some of the fun activities themselves. Even though there was an 80 percent chance of rain on Saturday, the Auburn Parks and Recreation Department said the event would still go on. It ended up being quite the success anyways. Overall, the event went extremely well, and brough the community together for a fun day of activities and entertainment.
10 Things to Add to Your Bucket List regarding Auburn of course
by: Kathryn Calhoun
As my senior year comes to a close, I started to think back on all of the fun things I’ve done while at Auburn University and all the things I wish I would have done during my time here. From my personal opinion as a student, I’ve listed some things below that I think you should add to your personal bucket list for your time at Auburn University.
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Everyone’s go to activity of grabbing a sweet snack and spending an afternoon on Samford Lawn enjoying a beautiful spring day. Whether it’s Toomer’s Lemonade, a Steelcity pop, or a homemade picnic, it is sure to be an awesome afternoon. You can take a break from studying or bring your notes and study in the sunshine.
Take advantage of all of the awesome UPC events that happen throughout the year. Almost every student looks forward to Auburn Airwaves each year, but don’t forget other cool events like Tiger Nights, movies in the stadium, and even cooking classes. Your student activity fees help fund these events, and they are all geared towards students with free food and a variety of activities.
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Try out new restaurants in Auburn. With places like The Hound, Tacorita, Acre, Live Oaks, and Finks popping up, you don’t want to miss out on a new favorite spot. Grab your friends and have a fun group dinner on a weeknight or weekend!
Take advantage of cheaper student tickets and go to as many away games as possible. Visiting other schools, meeting new people, and supporting your favorite team, there’s no better way to spend your Saturday’s during the fall.
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Go to Chewacla State Park for the day. It’s only $2, and you have a day full of hiking, biking, and soaking up the sun by the water. You can even rent a bike, hammock, or kayak from the outdoor rental store at the Recreation and Wellness Center and take them to the state park for the day.
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Take a stroll through Downtown Opelika on the first Friday of every month. You can get a group together to eat local, shop late, listen to live music and see everything Historic Downtown Opelika has to offer. The shops in Downtown Opelika open for the community to shop until 8 or 9 p.m. on the first Friday of every month. There is live acoustic music outdoors performed by local entertainers from Opelika and even some Auburn University students.
Put your hands in the air, and wave ‘em like you just don’t care while going 70 miles per hour on Goliath at Six Flags over Georgia. I can tell you from experience that it is one of the most thrilling rides at the park and is definitely worth the wait for the front row. Get your friends together, find promo code off a Coke can and buy your tickets ahead of time to get the best deals. If you go during the summer, it is best to pick a week day, so the lines aren’t nearly as long as they are on the weekends.
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Speaking of Atlanta, Ga, you can’t miss out on a Braves game. They have awesome deals for groups of college students, so get a group of friends together or plan a social event for an organization you are involved in and head to Atlanta for a great day at Turner Field.
During the summer time, go The Market out at Ag Heritage Park every Thursday and shop from local vendors. The Market is a growers only farmers market that operates each Thursday throughout May, June, July, and August. It is hosted by the College of Agriculture and features area vendors offering fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, baked and canned good, soaps, honey, cheese, fresh-cut flowers and more.
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Something I always wish I would have done while at Auburn University is studying abroad. With all of the wonderful programs our university offers to so many different majors, it’s definitely worth, spending a semester or summer getting class credit and learning about different cultures. Student Lisa Elcan, pictured to the left, studied abroad with the Spanish program and said, “That summer was probably one of the best summers of my life, and taught me a lot about myself and the culture I was immersed in.”
Now, go forth and explore all that Auburn University and the cities around us have to offer and enjoy some of the best years of your life.
On the rolling plains of Dixie ‘Neath the sun-kissed sky, Proudly stands our Alma Mater Banners high. To thy name we’ll sing thy praise, From hearts that love so true, And pledge to thee our loyalty The ages through. We hail thee, Auburn, and we vow To work for thy just fame, And hold in memory as we do now Thy cherished name. Hear the student voices swelling, Echoes strong and clear, Adding laurels to thy fame Enshrined so dear.
www.kathryncalhoun.com
From the hollowed walls we’ll part, And bid thee sad adieu; Thy sacred trust we’ll bear with us The ages through. We hail thee, Auburn, and we vow To work for thy just fame, And hold in memory as we do now Thy cherished name. Auburn University Alma Mater