March 29, 2012 by The Johnsonian

WHY WAIT TILL THURSDAY? READ MYTJNOW.COM.

New Velodrome attracts international business, tourism. See Sports, page 11

The Social Work club “h8s” cyberbulling, educates students on prevention. See Science & Tech, page 6

Need a summer job? It’s never too early to start looking. See Opinion, page 5

THURSDAY March 29, 2012

WINTHROP UNIVERSITY

Issue 23

NEWS

President DiGiorgio announces 2013 retirement AMANDA PHIPPS phippsa@mytjnow.com

After 23 years of leading the Winthrop community, President Anthony DiGiorgio announced his plans to retire in 2013. “We have decided that next year will be our last as president and first lady,” he said. DiGiorgio addressed a small crowd of reporters during a press conference held Tuesday in the Stone House. DiGiorgio said there were two reasons as to why he decided to retire now, both personal and institutional. When he came in 1989, DiGiorgio said he had

a plan for the university that was built around six overarching goals. “We put language around those goals that was very far-reaching,” he said. “We have worked very hard over the last 23 years to reach those goals. The institution is in very good shape.” From a personal standpoint, DiGiorgio said he and his wife feel this is a good time for a change. “The time is simply right for us as a couple,” he said. “We have been in the public eye for 23 years and it is time for us to segue into a quieter style of life.” DiGiorgio said he is proud of the accomplishments he has achieved during his time at the university. He said he is proud of the state of the art, technol-

ogy, athletics and campus community that surrounds Winthrop. DiGiorgio said the one major disappointment he has is that construction of a new library could not be completed. “It will happen at some point in time,” he said. The president said he and the first lady will continue to be actively involved in the community. They plan to take a year off before continuing to play a role at Winthrop. “There are lots of things to do beyond life in the presidency,” he said. First lady Gale DiGiorgio said Win-

See DIGIORGIO page 3

DiGiorgio addressed the media last Tuesday after announcing his retirement. Photo by Claire VanOstenbridge • ostenbridgev@ mytjnow.com

CULTURE NEWS

Honors program aids Nicaragua

Student attacked at CVS, car stolen JONATHAN MCFADDEN mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

She thought someone would hear her scream. No one did. Amanda Patterson, 21, made what seemed to be a routine, uninteresting, every day stop to CVS across from campus to pick up a few things. It was the Friday before Spring Break, when most of the campus was empty of students heading home, road tripping to the beach or getting as far away from academia as possible. The senior psychology major purchased some

The Winthrop School in Rocha, Nicaragua was built with $8,000. Photo courtesy of Virginia Williams

Winthrop students build school, raise funds for small Nicaraguan town ALISON ANGEL angela@mytjnow.com

Students don’t just live, learn and lead in South Carolina; entirely different countries feel the motto of Winthrop University. Built in 2008 with funds raised by six Winthrop students and Associate History Professor Virginia Williams, the Winthrop School in Nicaragua has aided

the small community of Rocha. Williams had been visiting areas of Nicaragua and Guatemala with students since 2007 as a part of a service learning trip. While in the community of Rocha, Williams said that she and her companions all noticed one main thing: kids roamed the streets. “This is a very poor community,” Williams said. “They don’t have electricity or running water,

there are no paved roads, and while we were there we noticed a lot of kids weren’t in school. We started asking a lot of questions about that.” It all snowballed from there as the community asked the seven to help build a school. They returned home and began raising the $8,000 it would take to build a one-room schoolhouse, the first

groceries, walked outside and placed them in her car. She then pulled up to the Redbox kiosk outside the store to get a movie. She wasn’t there for 30 seconds before she saw a man standing near her, she said. “He says, ‘Give me the keys to your car,’” she said. Unsure of what to do or what would happen, Patterson screamed, hoping someone inside the store would hear her and run to her rescue. It didn’t happen that way. Lamarcus Williamson,

See ATTACK page 2

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Dive-In movie splashes food, fun at West Center pool

See ROCHA page 9

SPORTS

Basketball recruits sticking with WU Amid benching of head coach Peele, new men’s basketball recruits staying at Winthrop, two players fulfilling National Letter of Intent DAVID THACKHAM thackhamd@mytjnow.com

The fate of Winthrop basketball’s assistant coach Larry Dixon will likely decide whether a transfer recruit from Tallahassee Community College comes to Rock Hill this fall. Christian

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I think any time you’ve got a transition, there are always questions and doubts.

Farmer, a 6’4” guard from Charlotte, N.C., said on Tuesday that his strong family connection with Dixon was a key reason why he signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Eagles this fall. “It depends [whether I go to Winthrop], but I know that if I decide to stay with [Dixon],” he said, “I’ll be fine on and off of the court.” Farmer’s brother, Cory, had been recruited and played under Dixon during his time at East Carolina University. The younger Farmer says he knew Dixon since elementary school. [They’ve] been very tight,” said Farmer’s junior college coach Eddie Barnes. [Cory] had a great career there and Coach Dixon has been a great friend to the family.” The uncertainty stems from the firing of former head coach Randy Peele earlier this month. The Herald has reported that fellow recruit Jackson

Duck toss was just one of many games for students at the Dive-In movie, sponsored by Winthrop Recreational Advisory Council (WRAC) and DSU. Hannah Flemetis, sophomore, keeps score and gathers the little plastic ducks for students to throw through inflatable rings. Photo by Sarah Auvil • auvils@mytjnow.com

See more pictures inside

See RECRUITS page 10

Eddie Barnes

Questions? Contact us at editors@mytjnow.com Serving Winthrop since 1923

I N D E X

See MOVIE page 8

CAMPUS NEWS OPINION

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CULTURE

HEALTH & SCIENCE

SPORTS

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THURSDAY March 29, 2012

JONATHAN MCFADDEN News Editor mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com AMANDA PHIPPS Assistant News Editor phippsa@mytjnow.com

Woman assaulted at CVS seeks to give grace to man who attacked her ATTACK • from front 30, went behind Patterson and grappled his arm around her neck, squeezing tightly. Patterson managed to reach into her pocket and produce her keys, but Williamson didn’t stop choking her, she said. “I didn’t understand why he wasn’t taking the keys,” Patterson said. “I was just confused.” Williamson kept choking Patterson. Anytime she tried to get away, he would Lamarcus Williamson, Patterson’s attacker, is still behind bars. strengthen his hold. The entire time, Patterson kept thinking someone would tion Center on a $45,000 bond. come out. Patterson called the police’s quick “Eventually, I started feeling weak and response “amazing.” She also has her car I’m thinking ‘I’m going to pass out,’” she back. said. Patterson managed to fling her arm Recovery upward, practically throwing her keys in Williamson’s face. He grabbed them, Since the attack, Patterson admitted jumped in Patterson’s car and took off. she becomes tense at night and doesn’t Patterson retreated into the store, like going out when it’s dark. She attends where employees called the police. Rock counseling, but right now is still leery of Hill police officers arrived within minmen she doesn’t know. utes, she said. “I think all those things will gradually About 15 minutes later, police found fade over time,” she said. and arrested Williamson sitting in PatIn the midst of it all, Patterson said terson’s 2009 Pontiac Vibe. she’s received phenomenal support from They arrested and charged him with friends and family who have encouraged first-degree assault and battery, strongher with prayers and Scripture, she said. arm robbery and grand larceny. Other She’s been processing that night, runcharges on his warrant include two ning it through her head; she’s even tried counts of distributing crack cocaine near to look at the situation from her attacka school, and one count of manufacturer’s perspective. ing and distributing crack cocaine. “I don’t want to be fearful of him, so He is held at the York County Deten-

Class allows students to take part in Democratic National Convention By Zoe Irizarry irizarryz@mytjnow.com

A new class in the fall will give students an opportunity to get involved with the Democratic National Convention. Political Science 390 is a class that will teach students about the presidential nominating conventions. Assistant Director of the John C. West Forum Katarina Moyon and Karen Kedrowski, department chair of political science, will be teaching this class together. It is not strictly geared towards Democrats. They encourage students with different political backgrounds to sign up. The class will teach about the other conventions going on as well, but will just only visit the Democratic National Convention because of its proximity to Winthrop. There are no prerequisites for the class, and it’s designed for students of all majors. It is a three credit hour class and will begin at the beginning of August, before students are back on campus. The bulk of the initial information will be available through Blackboard. The Democratic National Convention will be held in Charlotte the first week in September, in which delegates will choose President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden as their candidates for the 2012 presidential election. Students taking this course will miss that week of classes in order to go to the

convention and get firsthand experience. The events the class will participate in are not yet set in stone. There is a fee of $100 for the class. The cost covers transportation to Charlotte during the week of the convention, supplies, a t-shirt, an identification card and the cost of the space rented for the class in Charlotte. The class requires a book and students who sign up will receive e-mails over the summer so that they can get the book before the class starts on August 1. After the convention, students won’t have to attend classes for a few weeks but will be expected to complete a final project. The class ends toward the end of September. Only 20 spots are avaialble so students interested should sign up as soon as they get the chance, the professors said. Students who cannot take the class can still take part the convention as well.

I’m just thinking, ‘What was he thinking in the moment? Was he afraid when I yelled for help? Just trying to see him more objectively’” she said. “Does he have a family, what made him be so desperate that he wanted to steal a car…?” “By replaying it, I’m able to see him with more love rather than fear,” she said. Thus far, she hasn’t found answers to any of her questions. For now, she’s content with that, she said. Bystander effect After her attack, Patterson sat on the floor of CVS and immediately realized she had just experienced “the bystander effect.” The bystander effect is a social phenomenon in which people are more hesitant to act and help someone when there are more people around, said Donna Nelson, professor of psychology. Listening to details of Patterson’s attack, Nelson said the bystanders at CVS fell under the informational social influence theory. Because Patterson’s screams were ambiguous and public muggings are infrequent, people naturally looked to others to help them interpret the situation, Nelson said. When a situation is vague, people look to others and wonder, “maybe they know” what’s happening, Nelson said. If people appear to be going about their business, another person follows suit al-

though others may be internally processing the situation as well. If a person is a “lone witness, lone observer,” they are more likely to investigate the incident and help, Nelson said. Because people are used to hearing children “horsing around,” CVS shoppers assumed nothing serious was happening, she said. “The people at CVS said that they heard me, but they thought it was just kids playing around outside,” she said. “So, that’s been difficult to deal with.” Still, she’s doing her best to show grace. “I don’t know what I would have done if I was in their situation… I can’t be mad,” she said. “I think a lot of it… wouldn’t have been as bad if they had walked outside just to see.”

Amanda Patterson

THURSDAY March 29, 2012

DiGiorgio to retire in 2013 DIGIORGIO • from front throp was nothing but inviting when she first arrived. “I wasn’t expected to be so welcomed by the community,” she said. The first lady said she enjoyed the relationship with the faculty, staff and students, but looks

forward to a vacation. “Maybe Tony won’t have to check his phone all the time,” she said. The president said he could always count on students for a positive interaction. “I know they are getting a great education,”

Some DiGiorgio milestones: 1989: Became ninth president of Winthrop 1989 - 1990: Constructed the university’s Vision of Distinction, a strategic visionary master plan for the university

1992: Winthrop moved from college to university status early in DiGiorgio’s presidency, a change that highlighted that the campus offered graduate professional degrees, as well as a wide variety of liberal arts-based undergraduate degrees in Arts & Sciences, Education, Business and Visual and Performing Arts.

1996: Winthrop achieved 100 percent national accredi-

tation of every academic program for which such accreditation is offered in 1996.

1998: Launched its first-ever capital campaign, surpassing its original goal and raising more than $31 million over the course of the campaign

2000: Winthrop begins working with the City of Rock Hill to initiate tandem economic development planning for several urban core locations: Downtown Rock Hill, the College Town area immediately around Winthrop, and the Textile Corridor zone between Winthrop and Downtown Rock Hill.

2011: Winthrop was identified by the Bill and Melinda

Gates Foundation as one of 40 American campuses where minority students excel at ‘Beating the Odds’ against degree completion that exist nationally.

Anthony and Gale DiGiorgio speak with reporters and officials during a press conference hours after DiGiorgio publicly announced his decision to retire in 2013. Photo by Claire VanOstenbridge • vanostenbridgec@mytjnow.com

Garvin slams student apathy at campaign forum By Jonathan McFadden mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

It was no Super Tuesday, but CSL Chair Kambrell Garvin still made an appeal to the student body to vote on Winthrop Election Day and shed the attitude of apathy. Sitting alone at a table in the DiGiorgio Campus Center’s lobby on March 27, Garvin, the only nominee for student body president, told a little more than 20 students— many of them members of CSL— that they must take “ownership of the issues.” Those issues include the higher costs of tuition, safety on campus and, most of all, student apathy. “Being that we have four chairs here and one candidate sitting here...that’s a problem,” Garvin said. “Where are the College Democrats, where are the College Republicans, the student socialists, the Winthrop Student Congress...,” Garvin questioned. “...They don’t show up, they don’t run. To me, that’s problematic.” After addressing student apathy, Garvin took questions from the audience.

Kambrell Garvin, the sole candidate at the forum, speaks to students about his campaign promises. Photo by Jonathan McFadden • mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com Senior social work major Serrico Flowers asked Garvin if he plans to enhance communication between student organizations. “There seems to always be a lot of tension,” Flowers said. “The different organizations aren’t working together.” Charlie Snipes, a senior sports management major, also had concerns about school unity, asking Garvin how he planned to promote more turnout at athletic events. “We have to remember we’re a community and we have to work togeth-

er,” Garvin said. “We’re either going to sink or float as one.” Absent from the forum was Vice Chair contender Christopher Aubrie, who had a scheduling conflict, said CSL Election Commisioner Christine Counts-Davis. Grace Grindstaff, the race’s only write-in candidate, did not participate in the forum because she didn’t turn in her materials as of Tuesday, CountsDavis said. The next campaign forum will be on Apr. 3. Voting begins on Apr. 3 and ends on Apr. 5.

Write-in candidate joins CSL race By Amanda Phipps phippsa@mytjnow.com

A better connection with students and improved campus safety are some of the goals sophomore family and consumer science major Grace Grindstaff hopes to achieve if she is chosen as vice chair of CSL. After getting 250 signatures, Grindstaff has met the requirements to run as a write-in candidate for vice chair. Grindstaff said she takes this role seriously. She said she does not want democracy to be lost. “I like choices,” she said. “I want people to know I’m taking this seriously.” Grindstaff wants to improve campus safety with faster communication to students when things happen. She also wants to get graduate students more involved on campus. “We have the opportunity to learn something from them and give them the Winthrop experience,” she said. Grindstaff said she wants to send a message to students. “Anyone can do this,” she said. “This is your Winthrop experience and is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Grace Grindstaff Grindstaff encouraged students to get involved. “You should step up to the challenge and accept it,” she said. “If you don’t step up, who is?” Grindstaff was involved with CSL last semester, but did not get an opportunity to get things passed or make changes. The VP candidate said she will be a good fit for the position. “I can get things done,” she said. “It’s good to have students empowered to make a change in their Winthrop experience.”

THURSDAY March 29, 2012

Former WU employee jailed for embezzling university funds asks for new sentence

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By Jonathan McFadden mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

The former Winthrop employee sentenced for miusing a Winthrop credit card and embezzling more than $200,000 from the university has filed a motion asking the judge to reconsider his fouryear sentence. On March 14, Judge Lee Alford sentenced George Robert Walker, 47, to four years in prison. The sentence was split, meaning Walker will serve at least two and a half years based off four years of service, said York County Deputy Solicitor Willy Thompson. Walker will be eligible for parole on Sept. 12, 2014, Thompson said. As soon as the gavel came down, Walker was sent to Columbia for “reception and evaluation,” where officials determined he would serve his time at the Kirkland Correctional Institute in Columbia, Thompson said. The solicitor’s office will schedule a new hearing for Walker in the next court term, which could be as early as next week, Thompson said. Over the course of five years, Walker managed to misuse a Winthrop procurement card and embezzle more than $200,000 from the university. In September 2010, Winthrop Police arrested Walker after the university’s internal office performed an audit and noticed larger-than-normal charges coming from the printing services office. Walker supervised printing services and, after a decade of work at the university, resigned from his post in April 2010. The university realized Walker was receiving payment from a credit card through a PayPal account, according to the original incident report. Authorities questioned Walker on his use of the card, but his answers were found to be “unsatisfactory,” the report states. Details of the crime From 2005 to 2010, Walker set up two bogus accounts and generated fraudulent invoices charged to the university’s credit card, said York County Solicitor Kevin Brackett. Over the course of those

He was basically what people would consider an upstanding citizen. Eric Collins

Defense attorney

George Robert Walker years, Walker managed to steal over $209,000 by generating 110 fraudulent invoices, Brackett said. “You can buy a nice house with that money,” said Brackett, prosecuting on behalf of the York County Solicitor’s Ofﬁce. “This is a very serious charge and this is money that was entrusted to him… this is public money.” Stepping forward on Winthrop’s behalf, university Internal Auditor Pat Rhyne told the court that Walker’s crimes remained undetected for several years. It wasn’t until the university performed an inventory for all of its departments in 2010 that they noticed discrepancies in charges from printing services, Rhyne said. By the time Rhyne began his investigation, Walker had already resigned from the university. Months later, in September, Walker turned himself in. He was arrested and charged, but later released on a $150,000 bond. “The university community felt a betrayal of trust by a respected professional… a peer we liked and admired,” Rhyne said. The defense, the addiction and the illness

In spite of his misdeeds, George Walker is a typical middle-class family man who was dedicated to providing for his family, said Eric Collins, Walkers’ attorney. Collins asked the court to keep in mind that prior to this most recent crime, Walker had no criminal record. He was a member of his church and held a good job, holding a printing services position before his move to Winthrop. “He was basically what people would consider an upstanding citizen,” Collins said. After a few years at Winthrop, Walker became addicted to Internet gambling, Collins said. “Mr. Walker knows that his addiction to gambling is no excuse” for his crimes, Collins said. Acknowledging Walker’s wrong, Collins told the court “he is committed to paying back every penny in restitution.” “Let him do the right thing; let him become a fully functional member of society again,” Collins pleaded. Since leaving Winthrop, Walker managed to find work at another printing company. Instead of supervising an office, he’s worked an entry-level position for months, Collins said. He was finally brought on full time two months ago, the attorney said. Walker also enrolled

in an addiction rehabilitation program at Keystone Substance Abuse Center. But, amid the fallout of his crime, Walker was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In October, Walker underwent a surgical procedure to remove his cancer. ‘He’s always been about family’ Sherry Walker, George Walker’s wife of 27 years, addressed the court in an attempt to paint a different picture of her husband. During their time together, Sherry has known her husband to be a hard worker, striving to provide a better life for his wife and two daughters, both of whom are now adults. “He’s always been about his family,” she said. “He is a very helpful person, and doesn’t intend to hurt anyone.” The Rev. Brock Washington, Walker’s minister for a number of years, was next to defend him, telling the court that Walker’s a faithful, committed member of Rock Grove AME Zion Church in Rock Hill. “He’s always been helpful and faithful in the work of church,” Washington said.

A Winthrop officer was sent to Scholar’s Walk at 6:30 p.m. after receiving word that a person from the trespass list appeared on campus, according to the police report. The reporting officer located the suspect on Scholar’s Walk outside of Owens Hall. When asked for his identification, the suspect informed the officer that he did not have his ID on him. The subject took a debit card from his pocket and gave it to another man who was with him. The officers asked the suspect what his name was and the suspect gave them a name that was not on the debit card. The reporting officer checked and confirmed that the suspect was on the indefinite trespass list. The suspect was arrested for trespassing and giving false information to police. PETTY LARCENY (3/7/12) At 1:30 p.m., a Winthrop reporting officer was dispatched to an office inside the Coliseum in response

to reports of a missing camcorder, according to the police report. The victim told the officer that he last saw the camcorder on February 15. The victim asked his fellow collegues if they had used or seen the camcorder since the 15th and they told him that they had not seen or used it since that date. Due to lack of information this case has been administratively closed pending development of a new lead, according to the police report. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE 2ND (3/10/12) A Campus Police officer was following a driver when he noticed the driver crossing his vehicle over the road’s yellow lines and into oncoming traffic, according to the police report. The officer initiated a traffic stop and asked the driver for his identification. The driver handed the officer a North Carolina ID card. He told the officer that he did not have a valid driver’s license. The officer noticed a strong scent of alcohol coming from the driver. He asked the driver if he had been

drinking, after which the driver confirmed that he had. The officer informed the suspect that he would have to conduct a field sobriety tests and he read the suspect his Miranda rights. The suspect waived his rights and agreed to answer the officer’s questions. He told the officer that he had four or five beers and one shot during the night. During the sobriety tests, the officer noticed the suspect’s eyes did not transition smoothly and he was swaying. The officer concluded that the driver had been driving under the influence and placed him under arrest. He was taken to the Rock Hill City Jail where the officer found that the suspect did have a South Carolina driver’s license but it had been suspended, according to the police report. The suspect was booked for driving under the influence. Compiled by Zoe Irizarry

Judgment Kevin Brackett countered the defense, reminding the court that Walker stole public money and violated the public’s trust. The judge agreed. “Everybody’s got an excuse for why they steal money,” Judge Alford said. “He’s stolen from the public trust…he’s violated the public trust.” With that, Alford sentenced Walker to 10 years behind bars, based on four years of service. After the sentencing, Walker’s wife and supporters shed tears and embraced each other for comfort. Not too far away, Brackett, Walker’s prosecutor, expressed his sympathy for his family. “He [Walker] is responsible for their [his family’s] misery now,” Brackett said. “People have to be held accountable for their actions.”

Inside Walker’s head Another individual to step to

––– Police Blotter ––– TRESPASSING, FALSE INFORMATION TO POLICE (3/7/12)

Walker’s defense was Harold Morgan, a psychiatrist who administered a series of psychiatric tests on Walker last year. Probing Walker’s gambling addiction, Morgan told the court he determined that Walker suffers from a “disorder of impulse control.” Throughout his years at Winthrop, Walker developed a “fascination for gambling,” Morgan said. And, in spite of his success at the university, Walker remained insecure. “He doesn’t think highly of himself,” Morgan said. “I think he’s highly motivated at this point” to quit gambling and pay back all he owes, Morgan said.

2012 brings $$$ change By Amanda Phipps phippsa@mytjnow.com

Students should apply for financial aid as early as possible. The financial aid office is required to verify tax information listed on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which has extended the time for the office to process student’s information, said Michelle Hare, interim director of financial aid. This is one of several changes in federal financial aid programs, effective July 1, 2012. “It is now more important than ever for students to make sure that their 2012-2013 financial aid file is complete before summer vacation,” Hare said. Students can visit the financial aid section of Wingspan for any outstanding requirements they may have, she said. Though the annual loan limit of $20,500 for graduate and professional

students has not changed, these students will no longer be eligible for Federal Direct Subsidized Loans. These loans will accrue interest while students are still in school. Students who will receive federal subsidized direct loans between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2014 will no longer have a grace period where loans will not accrue interest. Interest will accrue during the sixmonth period after a student is no longer enrolled at least half-time. The Pell Grant may be awarded to students for a maximum of 12 semesters and the annual grant maximum of $5,550 will not change. The maximum Expected Family Contribution (EFC) for Pell grant eligibility has been reduced to $4995. Students who repeat and pass a course will not receive federal aid for a third attempt.

Do you have a summer job? With summer rapidly approaching, many students are on the hunt for jobs and plans for the summer. Accordingly, I thought I would share some advice Sarah Auvil Junior from my personal successes and failures looking for internships, part time work and just things to do in the summer. There are a lot of options, but planning is key. I only have nine points because I like to be different. 1. The first step is to know when people are hiring and keep track of when applications are due. A lot of companies looking for summer interns are looking and hiring now (November through March and early April are good times to keep an eye out), so make sure to get your applications in! 2. A huge mistake I made freshman year was to look for something and start freaking out about summer plans in the middle of April. While other friends had jobs, camps and fancy internships lined up, I was scrambling to find something to do. 3. If you’re behind on your credits or need 30 hours to keep your LIFE scholarship, a summer class can be great. Summer classes are more focused and you won’t have the responsibility of juggling 4-6 classes along with extracurriculars, and many students find this to be a GPA booster or a way to knock out a pesky class they’ve been dreading. Some dorms are open during the summer as well. Internships can also often count for class credit, though summer ones can be more competitive. 4. To get any kind of serious internship or job, the first step is to have a good resume. Look at descriptions for jobs you are interested in and pay close attention to what they’re looking for. Do you have those skills? In the end, it’s the experience that impresses. Make sure your resume is appropriate for the job you’re applying for. While you want to be honest, take off unrelated items. Imagine you’re the employer reading the resume. For this job, will they really care that you have this hobby or won this award in a completely unrelated field? Focus on what the employer needs and what you have to offer. 5. Pay attention to the personality of the employer. Some employers prefer laid back workers with more personality who they think will brighten up their

On March 9th, President Obama signed HR. 347, also known as the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011, into law. This piece of legislation restricts people from entering or blocking public areas that have been closed off by Secret Service while a person under their protection is passing through. The law also includes major public events, like inaugurations and presidential campaign stops. This legislation could have effects on anyone that tries to exercise their 1st Amendment right to assemble in protest at any of our President’s campaigning appearances over the next few months. The irony is that this sounds a lot like what Governor Nikki Haley and House Republicans are trying to do in restricting camping on the State House grounds by Occupy Columbia. Apparently, democrats and republicans can unite when it comes to dealing with people that they disagree with. What is the old saying, “an enemy of my enemy is my friend?” It continues in our beautiful state, as the House last week passed a joint committee bill unanimously that bans sexting, or the electronic transmission

of sexual photos and videos. This legislation is expected to come across our Governor’s desk very soon. Your personal e-mails, text messages, and Internet searches are Sydney Evans your own business Senior and should not under any circumstance be subject to government or any entity for explanation or judgment. This applies to the Patriot Act and Google’s attempts to make more money by “data mining” through your computer. I understand the concepts of social contract where I relinquish some of my freedoms in exchange for rule of law as provided by government. I appreciate that government entities protect me and to an extent provide for the general welfare. I draw the line when it comes to having my freedoms and privacy infringed upon. Government has extended too far, and it needs to stop.

Editor-in-Chief CLAIRE BYUN

Science & Technology Editor CATHERINE ZENDE

Managing Editor & Webmaster DEVANG JOSHI

Sports Editor JEFF BRODEUR

News Editor JONATHAN MCFADDEN Assistant News Editor AMANDA PHIPPS Culture Editor ALISON ANGEL Opinion Editor SYDNEY EVANS Arts & Entertainment Editor MONICA KREBER

Our Say

office, while other jobs are more competitive and serious. Which one do you prefer? Your interview is also a great way for you to see the office and learn more about the company and work environment. Sometimes you may go to an interview and not click with an employer, and it’s good to find that out before you’re hired. 6. Be honest when applying and interviewing. If you aren’t qualified to do a job or tell a stretched truth about one of your “skills,” you’ll be in a lot of trouble if you have to start and have no clue what you’re doing. Some internships are more teachingbased, others expect you to know your stuff walking in. If you’re not qualified, look for experience or an internship that will teach you. Most employers appreciate honesty, and are usually pretty upfront about what they are looking for themselves. 7. It’s the summer, so have fun! If you’ve had a rough year, reward yourself with a fun trip or some time to relax! A lot of organizations have summer trips, sometimes even opportunities to go abroad. I went on a trip to the beach last summer with a student organization that was a great price. Traveling abroad does require some time preparation (visas, research, itinerary planning, etc), and if you plan to travel within the next 10 years, it might not be a bad idea to get a passport. 8. Network! Have some initiative and get to know your professors as well as local professionals. Many departments hold networking events, and if you find a professional or alum whose business you are interested in, there’s nothing stopping you from contacting them and asking them for advice... you never know. 9. Give back. Some nonprofits might be able to use your skills in an internship, but also volunteering or helping out at a camp could be a chance for you to grow as a person. Service is a heart learning experience. It’s crucial to balance work and play –so many college students seem to get wrapped up in one or the other, either working 10 jobs at once, or finding themselves in their senior year without any real work experience or connections, expecting the perfect job to magically float down into their arms from the sky. You can’t put “party” on your resume, so don’t be lazy, but also don’t work yourself to death. Good luck to everyone on applications and interviews, and hang in there these next five weeks or so.

Big government, big brother

Sports Editor DAVID THACKHAM Copy Editor STEPHANIE ROJENCHES Copy Editor EDWARD SZEMAN Multimedia Editor JEREMY ALLEN Assistant Multimedia Editor SARAH AUVIL

SYDNEY EVANS Opinion Editor evans@mytjnow.com

THURSDAY March 29, 2012

To DiGiorgio, with love After 23 years on the job, President Anthony DiGiorgio is going into retirement. Though many students only catch a glimpse of the fearless leader, walking through the DIGS or playing basketball in the West Center, DiGiorgio has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to improve Winthrop. His relentless fights with the state to sustain and increase funding are impressive, as well as his efforts to save the university money. Not every college can say their president works to keep money in students’ pockets (though it doesn’t always seem that way). During his reign, DiGiorgio has always supported student athletics. Many of our

staff have noticed the president sitting in the court, field, arena and everywhere else, cheering on the Eagles with students. In 1992, Winthrop College became Winthrop University, and 1996 ended with the university’s full accreditation. Let’s not forget DiGiorgio’s posted office hours, allowing individual students a chance to meet and chat with the president. The touch of personalization really makes a difference while in a position which affects so many students, staff and faculty. So here’s to you, DiGiorgio. We at The Johnsonian appreciate your time and dedication to Winthrop University.

Wake up, you are the injustice Most who have seen the Kony 2012 video probably know of Jason Russell and his organization, Invisible Children. You likely also know of his recent naked escapades in the Riley Schott Senior streets of San Diego. However, the Invisible Children cause was a futile one long before his recent transgressions. Jason Russell is the founder of Invisible Children, a not-for-profit organization with the goal of bringing awareness to the inhumane acts of The Lord’s Resistance Army in Central Africa. The LRA’s leader is a man by the name of Joseph Kony, who abducts children and forces them to serve as soldiers in his army. The recent viral video, produced by Invisible Children, is another effort for the group to gain awareness, begging viewers to support their movement through a variety of acts. After watching the video I could understand the outrage toward the LRA’s leader, and the organization as a whole. However, it must be understood that supporting such a cause is pretentious and hypocritical. We as American’s enjoy privileges that other parts of the world cannot begin to fathom, in much the same way we cannot imagine the impoverished world as it exists elsewhere. Most of us were born in this state of privilege and know nothing else. Even those born in the worst parts of America experience liberties that are rarely seen in the Third World. Because of this privilege we are subject to a great amount of guilt when met with images of others in dire straits. We see the less fortunate and believe it is our duty to jump to the rescue. We see a picture of a starving young girl in some poor country and immediately feel obligated to send a few bucks a month to her aid. We don’t have the slightest clue of what she’s going through or what her life is like. We can’t even begin to empathize with her. Nonetheless, we feel sending a few bucks a month is a generous gift to help solve another problem in the world. The truth is, it’s not the little girl we are helping; it’s ourselves. We spring into action not to eradicate the injustices of the world, but rather to eradicate the injustices from our minds. It’s all an effort to validate our own privilege. Whenever you text on your shiny iPhone, buy a new Nike shirt or take a

“”

gulp of Coca-Cola, you show just how much you disapprove of injustice in our world. News flash; it isn’t very much You see, in order to enjoy the aforementioned products, and many others, it requires great injustice somewhere down the line. Whether it is Chinese workers laboring away to the point of suicide for that iPhone, Thai children slaving away in sweatshops for that Nike shirt or privatized water and tortured protestors for your Coca-Cola, there’s unfairness behind most of the privileges enjoyed here in the States. Like it or not, the world is full of unfairness, here and abroad. It just doesn’t make sense to care only about one issue for a short amount of time, or for that matter a few issues for a long time. It doesn’t make sense to send over a few dollars a month and expect things to change. And, it certainly doesn’t make sense to go over to another country, even with the best intentions, and expect that you can change things by yourself. If you really want to help the people of Uganda and Central Africa, go and join the resistance. Join the African protesters. Become a part of the people who live in the injustice. Don’t just hang up banners and send a few bucks to some organization and expect to cure the ills of the region. This is my problem with Invisible Children, and organizations of the like. They are all part of what Teju Cole, writer for The Atlantic, calls “The white savior complex.” That sense of privilege we are so accustomed to goes to our head. Our ego makes us believe we are better than the rest, with knowledge and ability. We think we can go over and eradicate all the injustices of other parts of the world. The truth is, more times than not, the result is more harm than good. What is lacking is a sense of humility. Why don’t we respect the people of Uganda? Why do we ignore the efforts they have been working toward? Stop believing that just because you are an American, you can be the savior of the planet. Realize the simple fact that if you are an American, you are the injustice.

It doesn’t make sense to send over a few dollars a month and expect things to change.

About The Johnsonian

Photographers CLAIRE VANOSTENBRIDGE JOHN RHODES SARAH AUVIL

The Johnsonian is the weekly student newspaper of Winthrop University. It is published during fall and spring semesters with the exception of university holidays and exam periods.

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Our offices are located in suite 104 in the DiGiorgio Campus Center. Phone: (803) 323-3419 E-mail: editors@mytjnow.com Online: mytjnow.com LETTER POLICY Letters and feedback can be sent to editors@mytjnow.com or by mail at The Johnsonian, 104

Campus Center, Rock Hill, S.C., 29733. Comments submitted online at www.mytjnow.com may be printed as letters and may be shortened for space and edited for clarity. Please include your name, major and year if you are a student; your name and title if you are a professor; or your name and profession if you are a member of

the community. Letters, cartoons and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily the opinions of The Johnsonian staff. CORRECTIONS Contact us if you find an error in an issue of the newspaper. We will correct it in the next issue.

THURSDAY March 29, 2012

CATHERINE ZENDE Science & Technology Editor zendec@mytjnow.com

Stopping ‘i H8 u’ cyberbullying By Frances Parrish parrishf@mytjnow.com

Bullying is not just on the playground anymore. In the age of technology, cyberbullying grows exponentially, and victims have no control over it, according to Ms. Beverly Holbrook from Health and Counseling Services in Crawford. The Social Work Club hosted a panel discussion educating students about cyberbullying and its effects in honor of Social Work month in March. The panel consisted of Dr. Shebby Neely-Goodwin, assistant professor of social work, Ms. Holbrook and Officer Charles Yearta from the Winthrop Police Force. To start off the discussion, a video clip of the ABC Family movie, Cyberbully was shown to demonstrate an act of cyberbullying and its affects. After the clip, Dr. Goodwin started off her presentation with the definition of cyberbullying. According to Goodwin, cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, pre-teen or teen using the internet or mobile phone. Cyberbullying is also classified as electronic aggression which can happen in email, chat rooms or blogs, and it is the disclosure of someone else’s personal information in a public area. “Cell phones and computers are not to blame; it’s the people who are writing the information,” Goodwin said. According to Goodwin, even the Center for Disease Control (CDC) department dedicated to Youth Risk Behavior is interested in cyberbullying because it is a stressor and can cause youth to participate in some risky behavior and affect their health. After Goodwin’s presentation, another video clip was shown from Cyberbully, about the main character’s attempt to commit suicide and then her counseling session afterwards. Following this clip, Ms. Holbrook spoke about the counseling services offered to students in the

Crawford building. Holbrook explains that when cyberbullying happens in college, it has crushing effects. According to developmental psychologist Erik Erikson, there is a fifth stage in psychosocial development called Identity vs. Confusion. During this stage, adolescents are trying to develop a sense of self through social interactions. Holbrook described a client, whose name is confidential, and her situation in cyberbullying. She was referred to as turd in school. “They are calling her s-h-i-t. She says ‘I feel worthless’,” Holbrook said. Victims have no control over what is happening to them. “I feel lost” and “I don’t know who I am” are just a couple common reactions of cyberbullying victims, according to Holbrook. “Do not minimize the importance of what this is about,” Holbrook said. After Holbrook’s presentation, a video clip of the CNN news about the MySpace suicide was shown. In 2006, Megan Myer committed suicide because of a MySpace bullying incident, according to CNN. At the conclusion of this clip, Officer Charles Yearta spoke about what the police can do in an event of cyberbullying. Yearta told students that there are three things that the police can do for you in this situation. The first thing is that they will ask the individual to block or unfriend the harasser and tell the harasser not to contact the individual. If that does not end the bullying, the police can call the person or visit them. “This mostly ends the behavior,” Yearta said. The third thing the police can do if visiting the harasser is not enough, is to arrest them on a charge. Yearta explained that there is no law against cyberbullying, so it is hard to charge someone with it. Yearta describes a cyberbullying case at Winthrop in which a female student received comments on Facebook and emails from an anonymous person. For four months she was bullied, even to the extreme of her life being threatened. The Winthrop

Jasmine Morgan and Christine da Rosa served as representatives for the Winthrop Social Work Club and spoke at the stop cyberbullying lecture. Photo by Claire Van Ostenbridge • vanostenbridgec@mytjnow.com Police were able to arrest him and take him to court. Yearta urges students to report these incidents. “If it’s something that makes you uncomfortable, report it,” Yearta said. According to Goodwin, cyberbullying is a different kind of pressure because it can happen 24/7 because it is online. Some Winthrop students have experienced cyberbullying. Rebecca Ruddy, a senior photography major, is currently being cyberbullied. “It’s a large scale cyberbully thing that is international,” Ruddy said. Ruddy said that the session could have been more detailed, but it did help her a little in her situation. “There is a lot that probably hasn’t been discussed about how wide range this could get. Then again, some people probably haven’t had to deal with that kind of scale,” Ruddy said. On the other hand, Will Cooner, a

senior ﬁnance major, found the lecture very informative and good advertising for Crawford. He admits that he was cyberbullied in a sense, during his freshman year. He said he would get these messages randomly during the night from a girl he had never met before. “I just blocked her, and that was it. I never heard from her after that,” Cooner said. Yearta encourages students being cyberbullied to report it to the police, and Goodwin urges students to save any kind of evidence, such as emails, Facebook pages and text messages, to make it easier for the police to stop the behavior. For cyberbullying victims, Holbrook urges them to come to Crawford where individuals can receive one-on-one counseling. Students can contact Campus Police at 803-323-3333 and Health and Counseling Services at 803-323-2206.

Tree in front of Byrnes removed due to rotting By Catherine Zende zendec@mytjnow.com

Winthrop’s campus is ﬁlled with grand, lush trees, but one particularly tall oak is now missing. The large oak tree that once stood in front of Byrnes Auditorium was removed last Wednesday due to issues with its base. According to Walter Hardin, associate vice president for facilities management, the tree was removed because it’s base had become rotten after being struck by lightening about ten years ago. The tree’s base lost half of its integrity up to about 20 ft off the ground, according to Hardin. While the exact age of the tree is unknown, Hardin believes the tree

Workers slowly take down the tall oak in front of Byrnes. Photo by Catherine Zende • zendec@mytjnow.com

Why the color pink is ‘make-believe’ I hate to burst all you ladies’ bubbles out there, but pink is not a real color. What I mean is, pink isn’t a band of light. That’s right, your lipstick, pet piglet and ﬂamingo By Riley Schott lawn ornament schottr@mytjnow.com are all illusions. As many of you may know, the colors we see in a rainbow are just wavelengths of light. Take a look at a rainbow the next chance you get and you will see red, blue, purple, yellow, orange, green and all kinds of colors in between. However, one color you will never see is pink. That’s because the creation of pink is from a mix of purple and red wave-

lengths. The problem is, these wavelengths never touch. If you were to wrap the rainbow to make a color wheel, you will get a gap between red and purple. What does this mean? It means pink is kind of made up. It isn’t a band of light, and no wavelength represents it. This doesn’t mean you are imagining things when you wear you Victoria’s Secret undergarments, or slap the breast cancer awareness sticker on the back of your Honda Civic. But, it does mean that you will never be able to create a pink light. It just can’t happen. I learned this interesting fact by watching a YouTube video entitled “There is no Pink Light,” which is part of an animated video series called “Minute Physics.” If geeky science facts and problems ﬂoat your boat, I invite you to surf on over and give them a shot.

was likely planted in 1939 when Byrnes was ﬁrst built. Hardin believes the tree was at least 72 years old based on the tree’s alignment with the building and other trees. “The trees in front of Byrnes were planted very intentionally and symmetrically. That would lead me to think they were planted around 1939 making them 72,” Hardin said. However, he also said that tree could be as old as 100 if it was planted prior to Byrnes. Byrnes was originally built as part of the Works Progress Administration as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal plan to combat the depression and construct public buildings. Christine Da Rosa, co-president

of the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC), believes that removing the tree was necessary but unfortunate. “Cutting it down does make sense as it could have become a safety hazard, but naturally we expect it to be replaced,” Da Rosa said. Da Rosa even has a suggestion for how the tree could be utilized despite being removed from the campus. “Considering how many generations of students have walked under this oak, SEAC would like to see its wood converted into something which would beneﬁt the campus out of respect for it - such as a bench,” Da Rosa said.

THURSDAY March 29, 2012

MONICA KREBER Arts & Entertainment Editor kreberm@myjnow.com

How to organize a mystery dinner Winthrop Literary Society hosts a mystery dinner, with proceeds going to Early Learning Partnership of York County By Monica Kreber

kreberm@mytjnow.com

Last Saturday the Literary Society held a Mystery Dinner at the Shack. About 45 people participated in the event. Senior English major Rykia Clark, president of the Literary Society, said creating such an event is not difficult – as long as you stay organized.

Step 1: Get a kit The Literary Society found a company called Dinner and a Murder that makes murder mystery kits, so Clark said they purchased a kit. The kit included a plot, subplots, and all of the character information. The theme of the dinner was a 1920s speakeasy – “Murder at the Four Deuces.” The Literary Society did not want to have an actual sit-down dinner because they wanted the focus to be on the mystery and mingling aspect, therefore food was not a very big deal. Besides planning where and when to have the event and putting in the request for that, they planned

for decorations to go along with the theme and simple finger foods. “Everything just seems to come together as it draws closer,” Clark said.

Step 2: Plan ahead Clark said the trick was to just plan far in advance. “We put in a space request for this weekend’s event last semester so that we would have the venue set and all that we needed to do was ensure that people would come,” she said. The Literary Society has wanted to host the dinner since earlier in the school year. “We’ve had the idea to do this since the fall and put in the space request for it then,” she said, “but we didn’t start selling tickets or publicizing it until January.” As president, Clark said she was in charge of publicizing the event for participants. “I’ve been in charge of organizing the ticket sales and matching participants to characters,” she said, “as well as approving the artwork for our

advertisements, ordering everything that we needed and making sure that it’s been properly publicized.”

Step 3: Advertise Senior English major Kaitlin Shiner is the Public Relations Chair for the Literary Society. Shiner said a majority of her responsibilities involve advertising for the society’s events -- flyers, announcements, emails, etc. “Brittany Ergle is our Event Coordinator and (did) a wonderful job with the planning process,” Shiner said. “However, all of our officers have been working closely together to ensure that everything goes smoothly.” Shiner said they each took turns selling tickets in the DIGS lobby in the weeks leading up to the event. “Beyond that, the planning process has mainly consisted of: finding a location, deciding on food and decorations, and assigning characters to our guests,” she

CrossWUrd Puzzle

Across 4. New candidate for CSL VP (first name). 5. Actor who plays the famous pirate in last week’s dive-in movie. 7. Last name of the character/murderer at the Literary Society’s Mystery Dinner. 10. DiGiorgio’s retirement year (20__ -- spelt out). Down 1. Name of new Rock Hill cycling facility. 2. The act of bullying online. 3. Last name of The Johnsonian’s rising editor-in-chief. 6. Last name of Winthrop Men’s basketball recruit from Tallahassee. 8. President of the Literary Society (last name). 9. Winthrop _____ (nearly 900 people like this page on Facebook). -compiled by Monica Kreber

said. “We have also decided on a charity to which we will send a percentage of our proceeds: Early Learning Partnership of York County, which helps to fund several literacy programs in the area.”

Step 4: Assign characters Senior theatre major Cassie Prodan said she helped organize the Murder Mystery Dinner with the Literary Society through helping with ticket sales, distributing flyers for the event, helping with the character assignments and general party planning. Prior to the event Prodan said she was most anticipating how the characters would be portrayed. “I’m looking forward to having such a big group of people come together for Lit Society,” she said. “The characters in the mystery dinner are pretty varied, so I’m excited to see how people will interpret their assignments.” Prodan said despite the long planning, Dinner and a Murder was very helpful in creating the package. “They give you

Staff reporter Frances Parrish, right, attended the Mystery Dinner with her boyfriend, George Smith (non-student). Parrish played the murderer Rebecca Ravioli. Photo provided by George Smith everything you need and tell you how to best plan out the party,” she said. “This is the one of the biggest events that I’ve been a part of. It’s been in development for a semester, and I’m glad to see it actualized.”

Step 5: Dress the part Clark said they decided to hold this party because they thought it would be a fun event to have in the spring. “It seems to be something that people are interested in participating in but

have never had the chance to,” she said. “Plus, we wanted to raise money for literacy programs in the York County area, and this seemed like the most fun way to do it.” Prior to the event, Clark said her biggest anxiety was someone not showing up for the event. However, she was excited to have the chance to dress up and improvise a character. “I’m also excited to get the word out about Literary Society as some people were unaware that we even existed,” she said.

THURSDAY March 29, 2012

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Students ‘dive in’ for movie night

MOVIE • from front

The West Center featured DSU Eagle Flicks: Dive-In Movie and a Pool Party. Above left: students bob around in the West Center pool while watching the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” Above: Members set up the projector and audio equipment that made the Dive-In Movie possible last Wednesday night. Left: The projector waits for 6:30 p.m. to arrive for attendees to ﬁll up the pool. Photos by Sarah Auvil • auvils@ mytjnow.com

www.winthrop.edu/dining

THURSDAY March 29, 2012

ALISON ANGEL Culture Editor angela@mytjnow.com

Winthrop helps produce first graduates in Rocha ROCHA • from front ever in the Rocha community. “There had been no formal education in this particular area and one reason was because of the civil war that took place in Nicaragua,” Williams said. What few teachers went to Nicaragua during the civil war returned home because of the level of violence, leaving the educational system behind. “So [due to that] the average adult in Rocha only has about one year of education, it’s really bad,” Williams said. In 2009 the group raised enough money to add a second room to the schoolhouse, and since its inception Williams has continued to take students to the community to do what they can. In addition to the five-year commitment Williams has made to the Winthrop school in Rocha, she and her students do short term projects like planting community gardens and

A woman in the Rocha community in her home. Most citizens of Rocha, Nicaragua make less than $2 a day. Photo courtesy of Virginia Williams

setting up pharmacies. Each year they bring a doctor or nurse to the community from the nearest town, round up the most basic medical supplies like ibuprofen and antibiotics, and hand them out in a free medical clinic to the community members. “When I say basic, I mean basic,” Williams said. “The doctor will write prescriptions for these things, and we’ll pass them out and we’ve been doing that every year since we’ve been going because there’s really no medical care. Most will never see doctors… they don’t have the money to do that. The average person makes about $2 a day, and they don’t work everyday.” All of the issues that the Winthrop community tries to combat in Nicaragua stem from the same seed: poverty. “There’s a lot of issues so we’re trying to work on different projects, sort of getting at the different issues that are all issues of poverty particularly,” she said. Other Winthrop organizations have begun to pitch in. Because the Winthrop school in Rocha is an elementary school, teaching first through sixth grade, there is another issue: how to continue education when there are no schools near and no money to get to them. “There is no public transportation to take people to a middle school,” Williams said. “The closest middle school is… eight miles away by non-paved road, so it’s kind of a treacherous ride.” Winthrop’s service-oriented group WUHA, or the Winthrop University Honors Association, has committed to help produce some of the first high school graduates in the area by helping to fund transportation from the Winthrop school to middle schools in Nicaragua. Williams said that a truck driver has been hired to take any children to middle school in the next town over who want to attend, for about $2500 a year in fuel

Students converge in the one-room schoolhouse at the Winthrop Rocha School. Photo courtesy of Virginia Williams costs. “That’s what WUHA is helping with and what I’m raising money for,” Williams said. “What that will do is produce high school graduates. They will be the first [high school graduates].” So far WUHA has hosted two events that will go towards fundraising for the cause, said Kathy Lyon, head of the WUHA organization. “WUHA hosted an international Trivia Night on March 7… with all proceeds going to the Rocha project, and we are partnering with ODK at Groucho’s Deli March 28,” Lyon said. Fifteen percent of all sales at the Groucho’s event will go toward the Rocha school project. If you would like to make a personal donation to the project, checks can be made out to the Winthrop University Foundation with ‘Rocha Project’ in the bottom left corner. They can be sent directly to Williams in 362 Bancroft Hall.

Social Media and the Arab Spring: More than just a status update By Jordan Lent

Special to the Johnsonian

Turns out social media can be used for more than just telling the world what movie you saw or posting your new relationship status to Facebook. According to Mohammed El- Nawawy, a communications professor from Queens University who spoke at the event “Arab Spring Forum One Year Later: Where Have We Gone and Where Are We Going?”, social media is the medium that allowed protestors within Middle Eastern countries to mobilize and virtually brought so many citizens together that the Arab Spring became a hugely wide-spread event. The event, which took place Monday, March 26, 2012 was hosted by Winthrop University’s Political Science Honorary Society Pi Sigma Alpha. Timothy Kroboth, the society’s president, acted as moderator between two speakers: Mohammad El-Nawawy, mentioned above, and Greg Starrett, a professor of anthropology at UNC Charlotte. (A third speaker was supposed to attend but was unable to do so.) The discussion centered around the Arab Spring and the impact that social media has had on the events unfolding in the Middle East. According to Timothy Kroboth, the honor society hosted the event because they believed it would be a “good kickoff” to the Model-UN Conference, which had a theme centering around the Arab Spring. In fact, this event is just one of several Arab Spring related events taking place on campus this week. El-Nawawy, who was in Egypt during the time President Mubarak stepped down, a direct result of protests taking place during the Arab Spring, illustrated how social media can influence people to act. He tells the story of Khaled Said, an Egyptian man caught video taping policemen dividing the spoils of a drug-bust among themselves. The man, spotted by undercover policemen in the cyber-café from which he filmed, was beaten to death. Not long after, an anonymous source posted pictures of Khaled Said both before and after the beating on the internet with a caption that read, “We Are All Khaled Said.” The pictures inspired protests across the country and is just one example of the power social media has. Social media has spread awareness among the people and has enhanced citizen journalism, allowing people who previously felt helpless to make a difference. However, El-Nawawy also warns his listeners that social media is not edited the same way in which other news media is. One must always be wary of the information being given. The question of authenticity is key, even among other classes of media. Take Syria for example, where the news sources are forced to use potentially erroneous social media to gather information because the government has banned large news networks. One intriguing question that El-Nawawy poses concerning media is: “Do the media make or cover revolutions?” This is a question he believes is at the heart of the matter. Starrett builds upon El-Nawawy’s discussion, saying that although social media is important, it is not a complete history of the events going on in the Middle East. Journalism, he says, tends to relay information in story format because that is what people are comfortable with. They want a beginning, a middle, and an end. This is something that is not possible with an issue as complex as the Arab Spring. It is not over yet, and there are so many facets of it. Additionally, the media is vulnerable, and governments do interfere with the spread of information. For example, when Egypt tried to cut off its access to the media, activists rebounded by creating flyers which instructed citizens on issues ranging from what to do in case of a tear-gas

attack to how to organize themselves in a march of protest. As simple as it may seem, signs have even been used to protest against regimes, containing such phrases as “Leave” or “Down With the System.” Social media is obviously not the only way of amassing activists. However, despite these things “there has been no revolution in the Middle East,” according to Starrett when thinking of revolution in terms of large political, social, and economic changes. The so-called “systems” are largely still present within Middle Eastern countries. On the other hand, according to El-Nawawy, in terms of people finally breaking free of their fear of the government and speaking out, then what is happening in the Middle East can be considered a revolution. Still, it is important to remember that each country has it’s own set of circumstances, and no two countries are experiencing the same events. In the words of El-Nawaway, “Each country has its own spring, its own autumn, and its own winter.” Students who attended the event were intrigued by what they heard. Timothy Kroboth said the speakers “did a good job of covering both positive and negative aspects of social media.” Likewise, Leonel Gonzales, a sophmore at Winthrop said, “It was interesting how internet really did play a big role in the uprising. A lot of people take [social media] for granted and use it to post things like what they ate for breakfast.” Perhaps it would not be a bad idea for students to take the advice El-Nawawy gave to his listeners and use social media to campaign for an issue they find important. The power of social media has already been proven.

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THURSDAY March 29, 2012

JEFF BRODEUR Sports Editor brodeurj@mytjnow.com DAVID THACKHAM Sports Editor thackhamd@mytjnow.com

Winthrop recruit “not having second thoughts” RECRUITS • from front Trapp, a product of Fishburne Military Academy, has asked out of his National Letter of Intent. Whoever takes over the head job at Winthrop will have to fill at least four starting slots, as George Valentine, Andre Jones, Reggie Middleton and Matt Morgan will graduate this spring. Larry Dixon, who is currently on the recruiting trail for Winthrop, did not respond to The Johnsonian’s questions via email. “I think any time you’ve got a transition, there are always questions and doubts,” Barnes said. “But as far as I know, [Farmer’s] coming to Winthrop.” Although Farmer says he hasn’t heard interest from other schools, the guard has the capability to be an offensive shot in the arm for a Winthrop team that averaged fewer than 64 points per game last season. Farmer played 63 games in two seasons with the Tallahassee school, averaging 10 points a night off of 43.3 field goal percentage. “He’s one of the top 50 shooters in the country,” said Barnes, who’s

“”

He’s one of the top 50 shooters in the country... He’s definitely a winner Eddie Barnes

Head men’s basketball coach of Tallahassee Community College

coached the program since 1991. “I’ve been around the business in a long time. He’s a big time shooter… definitely a winner.” For now, Farmer says he is focusing on his graduation, but that Winthrop is still in his sights. “It’s not too far away from home, so my family can always come and see me. I’d probably say I’m about 75% coming to Winthrop.” Trapp decision “up to his family...” Meanwhile, Trapp’s coach at Fishburne Military Academy said it was “up to [Trapp’s] family and him” to determine whether the six-foot four-inch,” 185 pound shooting guard from Virginia follows Farmer to the Coliseum. Although Trapp signed his own National Letter of Intent in the fall, the coach of the Caissons, Ed Huckaby, indicated he’s now looking at other options. “He doesn’t want to come to a school with a coach that didn’t recruit him,” Huckaby said. “He has no idea of the coach they’re going to hire, if he fits in to what they want to do. Winthrop’s going to do what they’re going to do. Jackson is going to do what he and his family wants to do.” Peele had announced in November 2011 that Jackson and Farmer had signed their letters of intent during the early signing period.

Christian Farmer (3) in action at the 2011 NJCAA Tournament against Cape Fear Community College. Photo courtesy of Andrew Carpenter

With the freshman featuring mainly on the bench this season, the CSI Golden Eagles fell in the first round of the 2012 National Junior College

Athletic Assocation National Tournament. Foster played in 14 of 33 games, averaging 2.5 points per contest.

Eagle to Eagle? A third recruit, Jerran Foster, a freshman out of the College of Southern Idaho, has begun paperwork to come to Winthrop, but the deal is not finalized as of yet. Foster’s coach, Steve Gosar, did not return The Johnsonian’s phone calls.

5th annual Manchester Cup to showcase region’s finest soccer talent

Photo courtesy of Winthrop Athletics

High school, collegiate women to play on Friday, men to square off on Saturday By David Thackham

thackhamd@mytjnow.com

Nationally and regionally respected teams from the Southeast will descend on Rock Hill’s Manchester Meadows to compete in the 6th annual Manchester Cup, a spring friendly soccer tournament played at the end of every March. This is the second consecutive year that women will have a full schedule in the two-day tournament, which starts on Friday, March 30. Soccer fans will be able to watch talent from college teams from five states along with local flair from Fort Mill, Northwestern, South Pointe and Rock Hill high schools. There will be a total of 12 games played through out the day on the men’s schedule and six matches on the ladies’ schedule. Winthrop’s ladies will begin the tournament at 4:30 p.m. on Friday against UNC Charlotte before playing the nightcap against Appalachian State four hours later. On Saturday, the men will take on the Wildcats of Davidson at 8:45 p.m. after playing College of Charleston at 10:45 a.m. Gardner-Webb, Queens University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Furman, UNC Wilmington, East Tennessee State and Binghamton will also be showing off their teams as coaches look to figure out the strengths of their rosters before season play begins in August. To learn more, visit Winthrop coach Rich Posipanko’s website at http://www. birdnest.org/posipankor/MANCHESTER%20CUP%20WEB%20PAGE.htm.

Graphic by Courtney Niskala • niskalac@ mytjnow. com

THURSDAY March 29, 2012

SPORTS

The $5 million dollar facility could bring a plethora of cycling fans to Rock Hill. Photo by Jonathan McFadden • mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

Rock Hill Velodrome draws international attention By Jeff Brodeur brodeurj@mytjnow.com

The Rock Hill community could be producing the next generation of professional cyclists. Last weekend, Riverwalk unveiled its brand new Giordana Velodrome, a 250m world-class track at the Rock Hill Outdoor Center, which also features a BMX track, mountain biking trails and more. The facility, designed by German architect Ralph Schuermann, will host several national and Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) events throughout the calendar year for cyclists of all ages and skill levels. The state-of-the-art velodrome is expected to attract professional level track cyclists as a place to train and hone their skills during the offseason. Thad Fischer, cycling coordinator for the city of Rock Hill, believes the $5 million investment will greatly benefit the community from an economic standpoint. “This venue is going to attract a lot of people to Rock Hill, which means lot of tourism dollars coming in,” he said. Fischer, who has been cycling for over 30 years, stressed that the 42-degree embanked track offers something for everyone, regardless of his or her skill level. “You don’t have to be an elite cyclist to use the velodrome,” he said. “We all have an attachment to cycling in one way or another, and have some fond memory with

cycling.” The Giordana Velodrome will offer classes specifically geared toward children and beginners to teach them the basics of the sport. All participants must complete a training course and become certified prior to riding on the track. The requirements vary based on the individual’s past riding experience. All bikes must meet specific standards before entering. Luckily, rentals are available on site for just $5. Standard track bikes have no braking system and use one, fixed gear, which allows for a lightweight bike, meaning increased speed. For those without any desire to learn the sport, the velodrome also holds 800 spectators, perfect for families and friends to come out and enjoy a race. The city is hoping this venue can turn back the clock, as cycling races were widely popular back in the late 1800s and early 1900s in Rock Hill. Fortunately, there isn’t going to be much in the way of competition, considering the Giordana Velodrome is one of just 26 such facilities in the United States. “It’s an amazing structure to come and see,” said Fischer. “The city of Rock Hill is proud of the sports tourism niche which we can begin to carve out for ourselves and become a real destination.” For more information regarding classes, memberships and fees, visit the city of Rock Hill website at www.cityofrockhill.com.

Dacus librarian co-writes Bob and the Blue Sox: historic baseball novel By Casey White whitec@mytjnow.com

Bob Gorman, head of the Dacus Library reference department, has been a baseball fan since he was a little kid. Gorman even remembers the first baseball game he ever attended at 7 years old in which the Miami Marlins flew in pitcher Satchel Paige by helicopter during the game. “I grew up watching baseball,” said Gorman. “I always loved the game.” As Gorman grew up, his love for the sport also grew, which led him to begin researching and writing about baseball, something he had never tried before. “I started writing about it about 15 years ago,” Gorman said. “That’s when I got involved with writing, doing research, and the history of the game. It just kind of grew from there.” His growing interest in writing about baseball recently led him to co-author a book with Jim Sargent titled “The South Bend Blue Sox: A History of the AllAmerican Girls Professional Baseball League Team and Its Players, 19431954.” Gorman said that there have been books on the whole league before, but he and Sargent wanted to look closer into the history of one specific team in order to see how they fit into the league as a whole. The two authors originally planned

to write a biography on a local player who played for the Blue Sox. “Initially when we started this one, to be honest with you, we thought about doing a biography about Jean Faut who lives here in town,” said Gorman. “But she was very uncomfortable with that.” After deciding against writing about Faut, Gorman and Sargent decided that they would focus on the Blue Sox. Faut, who played on the Blue Sox during the team’s peak, was happy to be a source. Gorman and Sargent were lucky to have access to old copies of The South Bend Tribune, a local newspaper the covered the Blue Sox games. The newspaper allowed them to get background information and specifics of what happened during each game. Although The South Bend TriPhoto by Jeff Brodeur • brodeurj@mytjnow.com bune was a good primary source, Gorman and Sargent wanted to worked on, so Sargent and Gorman write about more than just achad a number of contacts to get more counts of the games. information that was different than just “Even baseball fans would be bored accounts of the games. with just hearing game account after Many of the women offered scrapgame account,” he said. books they made of their careers. Sargent knew a number of the play“We were able to have access to a lot ers from the Blue Sox because of past of primary source material that other interviews for other articles he had people either didn’t look at or hadn’t looked at or didn’t know existed,” Gorman said. The rare material provided Gorman and Sargent with the opportunity to take a look deeper into what went on in the team outside of team statistics. “We wanted to look at the ‘behind the scenes’ sort of things that were going on with the players and the league and the team itself specifically and put it within context and talk about the impact those experiences had on these women,” Gorman said. The book took about two years to write and research, but the two divided up the work in order to make the whole process easier. Gorman did a majority of the research, while Sargent wrote the book. “Sometimes if you have joint authors writing they write differently so it looks disjointed when the reader is reading it,” Gorman said. “It’s better to have one person be the primary writer and the other person be the reviewer and editor so you keep it in that consistent voice or that consistent form of writing.” Gorman co-authored a book prior to this one, called “Death At The Ballpark”

WANT A COPY? What: The South Bend Blue Sox: A History of the All- American Girls Professional Baseball League Team and Its Players, 1943-1954 Where: Winthrop bookstore or http://www.mcfarlandpub.com so he had experience with the whole process. Much of the promotion for the book has to be done by Gorman and Sargent, so the two authors are planning events that they hope will spark interest in their book. Gorman and Sargent are in the stages of talking to the South Bend Historical Society to hold an event in South Bend now that the book is released. “I think there would be a lot of interest there since the team was from there,” Gorman said. “A lot of the players still live in that area.” After Gorman is finished promoting his new book, he has hopes of writing another book analyzing professional baseball player Roger Merris the year he broke the season homerun record.

THURSDAY March 29, 2012

THE JOHNSONIAN

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