October 28th, 2010 Issue

WHY WAIT TILL THURSDAY? READ MYTJNOW.COM.

Do you voodoo?

The Arts Ball: “Curse of the Creole.”

See A&E, page 7

First trustees meeting on Campus Center third floor Nov. 5 See News, page 2

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

Turning paper waste into ethanol?

Professors, students investigate.

See H & S, page 6

WINTHROP UNIVERSITY

Issue 9

SPORTS

Eagle team takes on big competitors

BY DAVID THACKHAM thackhamd@thejohnsonian. com

that Peele is determined to bring another golden year to Rock Hill. The team is scheduled to play in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Preseason NIT Tournament in its second competitive matchup on Nov. 15, with a ticket to play in historic Madison Square Garden, N.Y., on the line.

Following that is a mouthwatering three-game stretch as Winthrop takes on Jacksonville Univer-

Coming off Winthrop’s Big South Tournament victory in the 2009-2010 season, men’s basketball head coach Randy Peele refuses to talk about “defending” his title.

“What we’ve done is done,” he said. “We’ve got to pursue a Big South conference now.”

The Eagles’ schedSee PREVIEW page 10 ule is evidence enough

P

REACHERS ROMPT ROTEST

NEWS

Professor moves on to city manager position

BY CLAIRE BYUN byunc@thejohnsonian.com

Scenes of whispering students, faculty lunches and black marker on the whiteboard will now exist as memories for one veteran professor.

After working in Winthrop’s political science department for 20 years, David Vehaun was appointed Rock Hill city manager Oct. 6. Because of this new position, he must leave his teaching job at the university.

“Unfortunately, we’re really working to inish this semester; City Council asked me to put my focus on city manager,” Vehaun said. “I’ve really come to appreciate working with the students and staff at Winthrop. I’ll miss that.”

Vehaun’s irst day on the job was Oct. 18 and, unlike city oficials, he was not elected but negotiated a two-year contract to serve with City Council. Near the end of the two years,

See VEHAUN page 4

Top: Freshman mass communication major sends a message to the street preachers who came to the area in front of Byrnes Oct. 13. Photo courtesy of Amanda Patterson Bottom: Freshman choral music major Chandler Robinson argues with one of the street preachers as sophomore theater major Philip Calabro listens. Photo by Paul Ricciardi • ricciardip@thejohnsonian. com

SEE PAGE 2 FOR MORE PROTEST PHOTOS

NEWS

Baseball coach contract expected by December

BY CLAIRE BYUN byunc@thejohnsonian.com

Over the summer, Winthrop appointed a new head baseball coach, Tom Riginos, who has been working with the Eagles during their summer and fall practices.

Like many other Winthrop coaches, Riginos does not have a contract with the university.

However, the athletic depart-

ment is hoping to have one written up by the end of December, said Tom Hickman, director of athletics.

Instead of a contract, Riginos signed a letter of appointment that listed his start date, salary and duties, Hickman said.

“The letter of appointment simply appoints him (Riginos) as the head baseball coach for Winthrop,” Hickman said.

The new head coach’s salary

is $100,000 per year, which comes out of the athletic department’s fund. The fund is supplied, in part, by student fees and tuition.

Joe Hudak, former head baseball coach, no longer works at Winthrop. After he was removed from the position in July, a settlement process began, according to Hickman.

“Currenly we are in negotiations as to with him and his at-

torneys,” Hickman said.

Hudak was paid $96,000 per year as head coach and is still receiving payment through “privately raised funds,” Hickman said.

After he was notiied he was not going to be head coach, payments at that point came from outside of Winthrop; the athletic department fund was not affected, Hickman said.

AT A GLANCE The athletic department announced at the beginning of July that Joe Hudak was being relieved of his duties as head baseball coach.

Tom Riginos, a former assistant coach at Clemson, was hired toward the end of July.

NEWS

Effects of Bleachery demolition concern resident

BY JONATHAN MCFADDEN mcfaddenj@thejohnsonian.com

Action Demolition and Recycling is currently demolishing and cleaning up the Bleachery site adjacent to campus. Photo by Paul Ricciardi • ricciardip@thejohnsonian.com

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

On her irst day as a fullledged resident of Rock Hill, graduate student Tammy Fesperman witnessed the Rock Hill Bleachery burn practically in her backyard.

“I said, ‘Okay, that’s going to be a hot mess,’” Fesperman said.

One year and three months later, Fesperman had no idea what had shaken her—literally.

On Oct. 6, Action Demolition & Recycling knocked down a 200,000 gallon water tower at the old Rock Hill Printing & Finishing Co., also known as the Bleachery.

The graduate student, who also hosts her own radio show,

I N D E X

“Tenacious Tammy, I’m Marginally Known” on WINR, lives in an apartment nearly one block from the Bleachery.

Fesperman was at home writing a paper when she said a shockwave from the tower’s collapse swept its way into her neighborhood.

As pieces of Rock Hill’s textile history tumbled down and were crushed into debris, Fesperman said her windows rattled, her power lickered on and off and glasses in her cabinets shook.

She said the worst part was that she had no idea what was happening in the area.

“It was like, ‘All right whoa, how did we not know about this,’” Fesperman said.

She didn’t realize what had happened until she read cover-

age of the tower’s demolition on the Rock Hill Herald’s website.

The news report didn’t bring relief, she said.

Neither the city nor the demolition group had notiied anyone in the neighborhood about the water tower being torn down, Fesperman said.

Lyn Garris, oficer of public affairs for the City of Rock Hill, said the demolition of the Bleachery had been occuring for some time prior to the water tower’s demolition.

If they did send out any type of notiication, Fesperman said she did not receive it.

When the city began considering plans for the College Town Action Plan, Fesperman said

See BLEACHERY page 4

CAMPUS NEWS

2-5

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

10-11

OPINION

6-7

CULTURE

12-13

HEALTH & SCIENCE

8-9

SPORTS

14-15

2

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

CLAIRE BYUN News Editor byunc@thejohnsonian.com JONATHAN MCFADDEN Assistant News Editor mcfaddenj@thejohnsonian.com

Protesters exercised free speech rights

By Jonathan McFadden mcfaddenj@thejohnsonian.com

The street preachers who aroused a student protest on Byrnes’ front lawn Wednesday were not given a permit, said Frank Ardaiolo, vice president for student life.

Ardaiolo said the preachers asked to set up in the campus’ free speech zone, which in accordance with Winthrop’s assembly policy, allowed them to demonstrate at Byrnes without prior written approval.

The preachers originally set up in the concourse between the DiGiorgio Campus Center and West Center. They were moved to Byrnes when Ardaiolo personally informed them the campus center area was not a space designated as a “free speech zone.”

The preachers said two students told them the campus center was a free speech zone.

Ardaiolo said he was not concerned with the impact of the preachers’ message.

He said students need to be exposed to all types of ideas and manners of

expression to liberate them from preconceived biases in their own thinking and ideas.

This is one of the prime reasons for the existence of the ‘HMXP 102: Who Am I?’ course, Ardaiolo said.

For more information and photos of the protest, visit mytjnow.com.

Faculty appeals process put on back burner for upcoming board meeting

Above: Street preachers visited campus Wednesday, Oct. 13, causing many students to form a crowd around the protest. The visitors held up signs with pictures of aborted babies, angering some students to the point of yelling. Left: Shawn Holes, who goes by Shawn the Baptist, has a family ministry called Luke Ten Two. Photos contributed by Joshua Demarest.

Transfer students acclimate to new college, urge campus involvement

By Shana Adams Special to The Johnsonian

By Claire Byun byunc@thejohnsonian.com

With a new campus center comes new meeting places, and the Gold Room will hold such events.

The Winthrop Board of Trustees, which supervises and is vested in the conduct of the university, will hold their irst full meeting in the campus center November 5.

The Gold Room, located on the third loor of the campus center, can only be accessed by a certain elevator and staircase.

Since a key is needed to use both modes of transportation, campus center staff will be on hand to escort attendees to the third loor beginning at 12:50 p.m., Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, said.

“If folks do not want to wait for the elevator, the stairs to the third loor will be unlocked about 12:30 or so,” Longshaw said.

In order to comply with South Carolina’s Sunshine Laws, cardkey access to the third loor will be installed within the next few weeks, according to Longshaw.

This will allow staff to override the elevator system in order to provide public access during all public Board meetings.

Concerning the topics discussed during the meeting, Marsha Bollinger, faculty conference chair, said she does not plan on bringing up any issues

that are before Faculty Conference.

“I will report on activities of Faculty Conference since the last Board meeting in June,” Bollinger said.

Last year, the Board revoked the faculty’s ability to appeal the decisions made by President DiGiorgio unless it relates to personnel or tenure.

This was a matter of concern to Faculty Conference last year, and Bollinger said she plans on re-visiting the issue sometime in the late spring of 2011.

“At a time closer to that likely review, I will remind the Executive Committee of the faculty’s concerns which were brought up last academic year,” Bollinger said. “I am hopeful that these concerns will be taken into consideration during that review of the Board bylaws.”

Similar to Faculty Conference, the Council of Student Leaders (CSL) has yet to decide on the issues it will present to the Board. Sydney Evans, chair of CSL, said she must irst coordinate with the president and Frank Ardaiolo, vice president of student life, before setting the agenda.

“To be completely candid, it’s not even on my radar quite yet,” Evans said.

The meeting is open to the public, and will take place November 5 at 2 p.m.

Junior Allen Body started his college career at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Completing his freshman year in April 2008, Body realized he could save more money by staying at home in Rock Hill and commuting back and forth to Winthrop. Body, similar to many other transfer students, wasn’t fully aware of the risk involved in transferring or the opportunities available to make the transition easier.

According to Lynn Harand, director of Student Services for the College of Arts and Sciences, students should “communicate with the Student Services ofice of your academic unit to conirm transferability of courses prior to taking courses at another institution.” Body witnessed irst-hand the value of research. “Only 21 of my credits transferred, but I was still considered a sophomore at Winthrop,” Body said. Senior Terrence Richardson had 58 credits transfer from his time at Florence Darlington Technical College and College of Charleston, making him a senior when he arrived at Winthrop.

Richardson had dificulties adjusting to Winthrop. “The most dificult things to adjust to were the professors, the work that was required, the

quality of work (especially in my major), the campus and the students,” he said.

Richardson said he tried to get involved on campus when he transferred by joining the homecoming committee, although he’s not involved on campus now. Body urges other transfers to become more involved with their new school.

“The only advice I have is to become involved at your new school and do not be afraid to let people know you are a transfer student,” he said.

According to Debi Barber, director of undergraduate admissions, physically transferring is only half the battle.

Transfer students have an added duty to acclimate to their new school and environment. “Some transfer students may delay getting involved in campus activities, but becoming fully engaged as a Winthrop student is important for all new students.”

Winthrop has programs that aim to help make the transition easier for incoming transfer students. For students transferring from York Technical College, two new transfer options exist. For the irst option, students may choose courses at York Tech to transfer for speciic degree programs. This option allows students to transfer 31-32 hours toward their major at Winthrop. Option two allows students to choose 63-65 hours of courses that go to-

ward speciic degree programs at Winthrop.

For transfer students older than 25, Winthrop offers New Start. “New Start is a service program that assists adult students with the admission process and provides ongoing support and information.

A simple call or visit gets you started; staff members explain admission procedures and answer questions you may have,” said Tracey Hudson, coordinator for New Start.

Beneits enjoyed by New Start students are aimed at making the transition into Winthrop easier. “We offer a simpliied application process, specialized Orientation events and personal attention to a student’s individual needs.

We offer ongoing support to students through an electronic newsletter, scholarship program and special events geared toward the special needs of adult students,” Hudson said.

Registrar Gina Jones advises potential transfers to use research tools, such as the Winthrop website, for assistance with transfers. Information on articulation agreements and the transferability of courses taken at other colleges and universities is provided on the Admissions website. Information on Winthrop degree requirements can be found in the undergraduate catalog on the Records and Registration website.

Career fairs: Make employers do a double-take Learn the tricks to scoring an internship at career fairs from the Center for Career and Civic Engagement graduate assistant Alright, troops. We’ve you, too. been through the ringer Come again? Allow me to explain. these past three weeks, When it comes to job and grad and the time is nigh for school fairs, it’s easy to feel like a you to put your profeswee, tiny ish trying to get noticed sional prowess to the in a sea of qualiied competition. test. The Fall Career and But while you’re swimming around Graduate School Fair shouting, “Pick me! Pick me!” rewas this past week. Have member this: Katie Levans you been paying attenEmployers want you to pick Center for Career and Civic Engagetion? them, too. ment graduate We’ve talked about It’s true. Recruiters don’t come assistant how to pimp your to these events to stand around and resume, prepare for an look good. They come here to meet interview and dress to potential employees, and, ideally, impress. At this point, you should all be they will eventually want to hire you. glowing, gold-standard applicants. Now Just as much as you’re focused on imlet’s add a little polish and watch you pressing these professionals, they, too, really shine. are trying to impress you—you qualiied, I realize you probably planned to go well-spoken, sharply dressed applicant. to the Fall Career and Graduate School So work it—your charm, your intelliFair in hopes of inding a job that’ll put gence, your wit—and this event will work you to work (or a grad program that’ll for you. bury you in homework), but that doesn’t Doesn’t that make you feel a little bit mean you can’t make this event work for better? I’m not saying you should waltz

in there like you own the place, but at least give yourself a little credit. If you’ve been paying attention to my advice and are adequately prepared, you’ll have nothing to worry about.

To cruise through future job fairs with conidence, remember these tips: 1. Bring several copies of your resume – There will be 40+ employers and schools in attendance.

You may not need a resume for every single one, but come prepared. You can visit the Center for Career and Civic Engagement to have your resume critiqued.

2. Wear comfortable shoes – I’m not saying this is a time to throw on your bunny slippers (you’re supposed to be professionally dressed, remember?), but you shouldn’t be in pain, either.

3. Practice your handshake and eye contact – I’m really not kidding at all.

Weak handshakes are lame and death grip handshakes are terrifying. Find a happy medium by shaking your room-

mate’s hand over and over and over again until you get it right.

Advice for future fairs 4. Do your research – Registrations are still coming in, but in attempt to give you ample time to prepare, we’ve provided a tentative list of employers and schools below. Visit their websites and see which companies might be a it for you.

5. Create a plan of attack – You’ll receive a map when you enter the fair.

Identify which employers or schools you are most interested in and visit their tables irst when you’re energized and on top of your game.

6. Two words: Breath mints – You know what I’m saying.

Not ready? Don’t worry! You still have time to visit the Center for Career and Civic Engagement for one-on-one resume consultation, interview prep, job searching and more.

3

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

Editor’s note: Keep up with the job market for Winthrop graduates with reporter Jonathan McFadden. This is the third story in a three-part series about where alumni are now.

“They picked the jobs they wanted; they were turning down jobs,” Vorder Bruegge said. “They had jobs in March before they graduated.”

Once the recession hit, the jobs began to vanish.

“They don’t get jobs right away; it might take them a year,” Vorder Bruegge said.

Because of this, the theatre and dance department has placed considerable changes into its curriculum to provide students with a more career-planning focus.

By Jonathan McFadden & Shatesha Scales mcfaddenj@thejohnsonian.com scaless@thejohnsonian.com

Once graduating, political science graduate Josh Walker and mass communication graduate Kyra Warren packed up their belongings and moved to St. Paul, Minn.

Thanks to a video audition they completed during their last semester of college, the two landed jobs as actors for Creative Learning Ideas for Mind and Body (CLIMB) Theater.

They currently tour schools across the loved it,” she said.

Midwest with CLIMB and perform origiWalker agrees. nal educational programs that touch on “I love that I'm acting as my job besocial issues ranging from bullying and cause this is what I want for my life. I also acceptance to methamphetamine use love that I am able to work with children and the environment. and make a difference for them,” he said.

How they got the job?

Toward the end of her semesAdvice to students ter, Warren went to the website Backstage.com and noticed that Walker said he had no inCLIMB was holding auditions. ternships prior to getting the So, she sent in a video of herself job, but he has had plenty of performing the same monoexperience with theatre. He logue as three different characactively participated in the ters. theatre program during his They liked it. time at Winthrop.

“I was contacted for a phone “My theatre classes were interview and a week later I was a great preparation for the offered the job,” Warren said.

Kyra Warren ‘10 show,” he said.

Walker also got the job Warren was heavily involved through video audition; however, he said with the theater program as well, but said landing his first job was not simple. her mass communication degree has also “I auditioned for many of theaters all been helpful in her career so far. over before I go this job,” Walker said.

“Taking those classes also helped beOne of those auditions included a trip cause I come in contact with many differto Chicago to the Illinois Theater Assoent people every day, and that broadcast ciation Auditions to audition for theaters background gives me an extra confidence in that area. to network and deal with people,” she Now, both theatre minors are emsaid. ployed.

When it comes to finding jobs, their At the beginning of their contract, technique is simple: Keep trying and Walker said a typical rehearsal day would don’t get discouraged. start at 8:30 a.m. and last until 5 p.m. But “There are many people in the world now that they’re touring across the Midwho are trying to get jobs, and just bewest, no two days are the same. cause you don’t get hired does not mean “Now we have to drive to schools, load you are not good enough,” Walker said. up our sets and sound equipment and Warren suggests students keep an open set up in the school. It’s a lot of work," mind and said students should apply for Walker said. everything and anything that may interWarren said every “call time,” the est them. time the actors are expected to be at the “If someone had told me a year ago I theater, varies, but even with the hectic would be living in St Paul, Minn., I would schedule, changing jobs isn’t an option. have called them crazy, but you never The chaotic schedule is why she loves know what door can open,” she said. working with CLIMB, Warren said. The “Take a chance.” best part about her job is getting to know the different individuals involved with Minors meet success theater, from her fellow company actors to the children at each school they visit.

Similar to Warren and Walker, other “I love getting to perform for children theatre minors manage to find success in and seeing them run up to you after the entertainment industry. the show and tell you how much they

Preparing to work Display head by Mika Parajon

With workshops that help students prepare for specific auditions, guest speakers in classes and career forums, the theater and dance department is preparing its students for the competitive industry Andrew Vorder Bruegge, department that awaits them. chair of theatre and dance, said many “We’re trying to impress upon them the students who minor in theatre or dance fact that they have to be extremely proacdo so because of their experiences betive, extremely assertive and persistent fore college. Once they come to college, about their careers if they want to work though, they decide not to major in the in the entertainment industry,” Vorder arts because they are unsure Bruegge said. of what to do with those skills, Internships also help. so they choose to minor inVorder Bruegge said the thestead. atre department has connections “They’ve already committed with places such as Carowinds, to this major over here and schools and community theaters it’s too late to change, so they in the region that are always minor in theatre or dance and looking for students to work for do exceptionally well,” Vorder them.

Bruegge said.

“There are all kinds of people Vorder Bruegge, who said out there who need artists on a he himself majored in psyJosh Walker ‘10 show-by-show basis,” Vorder chology in college and miBruegge said. “They’re hiring a nored in theatre, said some minors have choreographer, a director, a costume the skills to work in a professional comdesigner and our students, even while pany if they wanted to. they’re students, can get these jobs.”

Minors also aren’t the last picked when Other opportunities for theatre and it comes to auditioning for the theatre dedance students include Narroway Propartment’s productions. ductions in Fort Mill and the York Coun“We don’t give any preferences to maty Cultural & Heritage Museums, both in jors,” Vorder Bruegge said. “If a minor their administrative offices and in Hiswants to audition in a show, we’ll cast toric Brattonsville, which reinacts Civil them as we would a major.”

War-era events.

For students majoring in theatre, the Such employment opportunities are recession hasn’t had too much of an imalso available at businesses and corporapact. tions that are searching for liberal arts “Whether it’s a recession or good times, graduates, Vorder Bruegge said. people in the arts really have always “An actor can do a whole lot of things worked very hard to get work,” Vorder besides just act,” Vorder Bruegge said. “A Bruegge said. dancer can be productive in many, many These graduates, Vorder Bruegge said, ways besides dancing.” have to be willing to go where the work Theatre and dance majors are people is and walk through whatever doors may oriented, able to solve problems and are open. good at collaboration, all things employEven during a recession, industries ers search for, Vorder Bruegge said. such as theme parks and cruise ships are Vorder Bruegge is confident that stustill making money and are venues in dents who receive a theatre or dance eduwhich theatre and dance graduates may cation can be vital members of the econbe able to find employment. omy and valued assets to any company.

Still, even in liberal arts, education jobs “They can write well, they can think were some that were hit hardest. and express themselves well, they know Up until 2008, Vorder Bruegge said how to collaborate. And they know how theatre education and dance education to adapt,” Vorder Bruegge said. graduates had 100 percent placement in schools.

POLICE BLOTTER POSSESSION/CONSUMPTION OF BEER UNDER 21; IMPROPER TURN (LEFT) (10/15/10) At 10:36 p.m., a reporting officer stopped a white Ford Explorer for making an unlawful left turn at Oakland Avenue and Eden Terrace.

The officer spoke with the driver and his passenger and noticed the driver appeared intoxicated.

The officer could also smell a heavy odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle.

The officer asked the driver if there were any open containers in the vehicle, but the driver said no.

The officer noticed a 12-ounce unopened can of Bud Light sitting on the backseat.

The officer asked the passenger for his I.D. The passenger said he either lost it or left it at a club.

The officer was able to gather the passenger’s information and realized he was 19.

The officer administered the Pas/Vr Sensor Test to confirm the passenger had been drinking.

The officer issued the driver a ticket for an improper left turn and the passenger a ticket for

possession and consumption of beer under 21.

PETTY LARCENY ($2000 or less) (10/14/10) At 6:04 p.m., Dr. Frank Ardaiolo, vice president for student life, reported that an unknown person removed the letter “O” from The Courtyard sign. A reporting officer determined the letter must have been stolen between 2 and 6 p.m.

DRIVING UNDER SUSPENSION (10/21/10) At 10:32 p.m., a reporting officer observed a driver make a right turn and fail to stop at the stop sign on Alumni Drive at Ebenezer Avenue.

The officer activated the blue lights on his patrol vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.

The officer searched the driver’s DMV record and discovered the driver’s driving privileges had been suspended for failure to maintain proof of financial responsibility.

The officer issued the driver, a first-time offender, a citation.

Compiled by Jonathan McFadden

The Police Blotter: a good way to check on your roommate.

www.mytjnow.com/police-blotter

CORRECTION: In the Oct. 14 issue of The Johnsonian on page three, the Jobs 2010 series mistakenly referred to Jennie Rakestraw as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Debra Boyd is the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences while Jennie Rakestraw is the Dean of the College of Education.

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

4

Airborne particles, construction worry resident BLEACHERY • from front she received ive postcards that informed her and others in the city that the city was holding public forum to discuss the possibilities for change.

“Why were they able to provide cards for that city campaign and not for something toxic like this?” Fesperman said.

Her concern is that the community was not informed of the hazards of the demolition, such as her claims of asbestos on the site.

The City of Rock Hill did place warning signs of asbestos and demolition on the fences outlining the Bleachery site.

Asbestos, a set of mineral ibers commonly used for insulation and ire retardation in buildings, can cause serious illnesses in its powder form if inhaled, said Patrick Owens, department chair of chemistry, physics and geology.

During this past summer, Fesperman said humid air caused asbestos to kick up and loat in the air when demolition on the Bleachery began.

Garris said before any group can demolish anything, they have to be approved by the Department of Health and Environmental Control, or DHEC. If DHEC did not approve the area, then no further demolition would have taken place, Garris said.

Fesperman said she no longer feels that the neighborhood is safe due to the debris loating around from the abandoned factory.

“As soon as I graduate, if I do get a position in the Rock Hill area or at least in the Charlotte area, I’m moving,” Fesperman said.

Now that demolition has started, it’s no longer a beautiful day in the neighborhood for her, she said.

“Between the sound, which is extremely loud, and the occasional dusty clouds of who knows what, that area’s become pretty bad,” Fesperman said.

Due to inancial circumstanc-

VEHAUN • from front Vehaun said both he and City Council will reassess and renegotiate.

Though the city gained a new oficial, Winthrop lost one of it’s own. Karen Kedrowski, political science department chair, is thankful for the experience and practical knowledge Vehaun brought to the university.

“He taught a variety of courses and has done a great job with all of them,” Kedrowski said.

“With each case he’s been able to bring in a practitioner’s perspective that augments the academic perspective.”

Having connections within the city creates many opportunities for students, and Vehaun provided many political science majors with internships. Some graduates have even begun careers in public administration thanks to the help of the new city manager.

“He has real world experience and he knows all

es, Fesperman said she is unable to move until after inishing graduate school.

Summer ‘09 The Bleachery has been the subject of much attention ever since it was set ablaze in summer 2009.

This summer, Action Demolition & Recycling began tearing down the Bleachery.

The memories weren’t fond for Fesperman, who had just inished unpacking all her belongings into her new home when the Bleachery’s ire sent smoke and the smell of burning metal throughout her house and surrounding neighborhood.

As ireighters worked to put out the ire, Fesperman and her cats had to vacate their new home, temporarily taking up residence in a hotel.

When the ire was inally contained, Fesperman returned to her apartment to ind it illed with smoke. Fesperman said the whole neighborhood was smoky and toxic. “…And it [the Bleachery] kind of just sat there after the ire and then people started rummaging and folks were stealing copper,” Fesperman said.

Not too much later, smoke from the Owens ire hit the neighborhood as well.

“We’re kind of like a hot zone for whatever could be coming from the factory; whereas the campus is like secondary,” Fesperman said.

Even though she said the demolition group has gotten a lot of the big stuff out of the way, Fesperman’s primary concern is for the others who may have been affected.

Collateral damage?

Fesperman said families seeking low-rent housing or subsidies on their housing primarily inhabit the neighborhood.

But they aren’t alone.

Park Avenue Adult Daycare Center and School Days Learning Center also stand in the

the movers and shakers,” Kedrowski said. “I can say for myself that I’m thrilled for David and I’m thrilled for the city of Rock Hill.”

Looking forward to his new career, Vehaun is most excited about the city’s long-term projects coming to a close. The expansion of the bleachery property, College Town Action Plan and almost complete Riverwalk development are the three major ventures.

“We have a number of very important projects underway in our community, and I’ve had an opportunity to work on these projects over the years,” Vehaun said. “Just the opportunity to see those long projects come to pass is what I’m most looking forward to.”

His past experiences at Winthrop have helped coach and build the political science professor into his present self, including the ability to work under three previous city managers.

“The relationships

Construction on the Bleachery has been active since June, leaving some students complaining of the noise.

Photos by Paul Ricciardi • ricciardip@ thejohnsonian.com

Bleachery’s ring of inluence.

“In providing housing, education and care for folks in that area, they’re also being subjected to whatever’s going on with the factory,” Fesperman said.

Barbara Smith, director for the Park Avenue Adult Daycare Center, said she too wasn’t notiied of the tower’s demolition. but it did not impact the daycare at all.

“I wasn’t even aware [of the demolition],” Smith said.

Smith said that while there may be more particles in the air from debris, she doesn’t think anyone really noticed.

with many of the folks on campus, and being able to fall back on those relationships when needed, has really helped me with my career with the city,” Vehaun said.

Bridging the world of politics and academics, Vehuan’s presence will be missed by faculty and staff. Replacing the practical knowledge of the city manager will be a challenge, said Adolphus Belk, associate professor of political science.

“The city’s gain is Winthrop’s loss; he bridges the world of scholarship and application of scholarship.”

Even though Vehaun will no longer be instructing courses at Winthrop, his connection to the faculty and students will occasionally bring him back around.

“I don’t think you’ve seen the last of my face on the Winthrop campus,” Vehaun said.

News Briefs Halloween party, haunted house A haunted house will be held in the basement of Wofford Hall Friday. A Halloween party, complete with food and drinks, will be waiting at the other end of the tour. The event will start at 8:30 p.m. and participants are encouraged to wear their costumes.

Womanless beauty pageant info meeting The Mass Communication Department is hosting a womanless beauty pageant at 8 p.m. Nov. 18. Tickets are $3 at the door.

For more information email smiths14@winthrop.edu.

Sharon Neely, co-owner with her husband of the Park Avenue Inn, said she felt the water tower’s fall.

“It sounded like an earthquake,” Neely said.

Neely said the impact shook the inn, but once she realized what had happened, she wasn’t bothered by it.

“We can put up with a little bit of noise,” Neely said.

Neely said she was not informed of the water tower’s demolition, but she said she knew it was coming; she just didn’t know when.

School Days Learning Center

also stands near the Bleachery.

Deborah Nipe, director for the preschool, said other teachers felt the impact of the water tower’s fall, but she herself did not.

In fact, Nipe wasn’t even aware of the demolition until her sister told her to notice how the skyline had changed from the water tower’s absence.

Daniel Selvey, a junior psychology major, lives on Ebenezer Road. The Bleachery stands right behind his home.

“The trains are louder than the demolition,” Selvey said.

5

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

CONNOR DE BRULER Opinion Editor debrulerc@thejohnsonian.com

Our Say Excerpts from letters to the editor in reference to the Oct.13 protest

“”

True democracy shouldn’t have to wait until the next time the bylaws are revisited.

We lost.

We failed just like every other campus does when the hatemongers come. We were bored. We were indignant. We showed up in droves.

We gave them their congregation. They probably went home proud, thinking about how many people they preached God’s message to.

I’m pretty sure they’re not thinking about how they told people they were going to hell, or that we’re all bad people.

Javy Gwaltney, senior English major Il l us tr atio n by Co ur tney Nis kal a • nis kal ac@thej o hn s o nian.co m

Faculty appeals process to board should be reinstated As the first full board meeting of the semester approaches, The Johnsonian encourages the campus community to take this opportunity to visit the top floor of the DiGiorgio Campus Center.

Aside from the fact that Winthrop’s Board of Trustees makes important financial and policy decisions, this board meeting is special in its

own right.

This is the first time the board will meet in full in its new “digs.”

If students and faculty don’t show up on Nov. 5, they’re losing a golden opportunity to see the Gold Room on the third floor.

This part of the campus center remains off-limits to students and most staff members by locked stairwell doors and eleva-

tors that require a key for access.

The Johnsonian hopes the mentality of keeping this top floor area a secret will not extend to the way in which the Board of Trustees operates this year.

Cutting off the ability of the faculty to appeal decisions made by the president is similar to cutting off regular access to an entire floor of a

campus center.

The detachment is both literal and figurative.

But, as with all things, this can change.

The board could choose to adjust their bylaws to allow for a formal appeals process by the faculty conference.

True democracy shouldn’t have to wait until the next time the bylaws are revisited.

We are all out-of-touch. shouldn’t have given them the time On Oct. 13th a couple of of day. But we did. Now we have kept odd characters showed up at the wheels of ignorance turning. our school and started spitWhat ticked me off the most was ting their bizarre message of how much offense Christian students pseudo-Christianity. took. Brittany Brock, a senior psyTheir ideas were so strange chology major, told the Johnsonian I had a dificult time believing in an earlier interview that the prothat “Shawn the Baptist” was Connor de Bruler testers didn’t relect the true views of genuine. Obviously their goal Christians.

Opinion editor was not to do anything but Well, duh. provoke a sort of ideological I’m a staunch atheist and I could havoc. have told you that.

My assumption was Winthrop stuPeople who think “Shawn the Baptist” dents were all too busy to respond to such was an actual Christian are about as smart nonsense and eventually the demonstraas Shawn. Saying those men were model tors would go home, having accomplished Christians is like saying terrorists are nothing. model Muslims. It just doesn’t give.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

What angered me the most was how dim Instead, students crowded around and an understanding students in the crowd argued. Within hours the whole issue blew had of the First Amendment. Alex Boukeso out of proportion that gay-pride orgades, a sophomore environmental studies nizers and the Student Socialist Network major, told me she didn’t think people like started demonstrating, tacking their irrelShawn should be allowed to protest in front evant views onto an already broken bandof Byrnes. Her friend Grace Grifin agreed wagon. There was no clarity, no communiand made an off-handed remark about sucation and ultimately no real purpose. ing the school.

It reminded me of how utterly out-ofWe live in a free country. We are free to touch the American people have become speak and write what we wish. We may with social and political issues. No one acprotest in public venues. Author Philip tually says anything anymore. No one tries Pullman, during an NPR interview, said, to persuade or reason. The radio waves and “You have the right to disagree and the television broadcasts are illed with either right not to listen. But do not have the right hollow rhetoric or mindless barking. Glenn to never be offended.” In order to keep our Beck and Keith Olbermann are actually freedom of speech intact, we have to step considered news today, which makes me on each others toes now and then. Crazy sick. street preachers and liberal gurus are The modern version of a debate is simply equally protected. drowning out the opponents message. And I wish we were arguing about the ambiwhile the truth loats in the ether, we are guity of Clear and Present Danger. I wish so blinded by opinion and rhetoric that we we were protesting the DEA’s little-known don’t seek it out. project defoliating Colombia. But instead Their message should have been so bewe’re getting riled up about the innocuous neath us, so irrelevant to our understandstatements of a crazed street preacher. ing of social and religious issues that we Well, at least I’ll see you all in hell.

Arts & entertainment editor JESSICA PICKENS

Managing editor TIFFANY BARKLEY

Assistant arts & entertainment editor ALISON ANGEL

News editor CLAIRE BYUN Assistant news editor JONATHAN MCFADDEN Opinion editor CONNOR DE BRULER Culture editor ALEXIS AUSTIN Health & science editor AMANDA PHIPPS

Sports editor CHRIS McFADDEN Graphic Designer COURTNEY NISKALA Copy editors BRITTANY GUILFOYLE BRANTLEY MCCANTS Ad designer SAMANTHA FURTICK

Webmaster DEVANG JOSHI Advertising manager KERRY SHERIN Ad sales team SARAH MACDONALD DEBRA SETH WILLIAM NORTON

About The Johnsonian 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.

CONTACT INFORMATION Our ofices are located in suite 104 in the DiGiorgio Campus Center.

Phone: (803) 323-3419 E-mail: editors@thejohnsonian. com Online: mytjnow.com LETTER POLICY

Faculty adviser LARRY TIMBS

Read these letters in their entirety on the opinion page of our website, www.mytjnow.com/opinion.

There have been quite a parents, and this forever few people writing about blacklisted me in their eyes religious perspectives in the as a “heathen”, or whatever past few weeks, so I felt like Christians call unbelievers jumping on the bandwagon. of their religion.

I personally have no probI don’t get why some lem with religion itself. It’s Christians do this. They perfectly okay for everyone can accept the ridiculousJared Epps to have their own beliefs ness of their own religion, Guest columnist and personal practices. (because a guy’s decomI draw the line when peoposed corpse resurrecting ple start trying to assimilate other itself is totally alright) but treat other people into their own belief system belief systems with a level of conwhile denying the apparent validity tempt that borders on bigotry. of other religions.

This kind of extreme fundaIt would be nice if other people’s mentalist behavior isn’t exclusive religious views didn’t have any affect to Christians, but if you’ll ever be on my life, but that’s just not the religiously discriminated against in case.

America, it’s a safe bet it’ll be from Here’s a typical scenario I have a Christian group. I’m sure most experienced: A random person I’ve Christians know they’ll have an never spoken to before suddenly eternity of wonderful things waiting approaches me wielding a bible of for them as their corpses rot in the sorts, wanting to talk to me about a ground, so why do they feel the need guy named Jesus Christ and how he to do God’s work and judge the rest saved humanity. I don’t need people of us? trying to preach at me about things If people have their own religious they’re too ignorant to understand. beliefs, they shouldn’t judge other So I usually just smile and nod; I people by those same irrelevant and shouldn’t do that, because it gives often irrational standards. After all, them the wrong idea. can any religious fundamentalist He then told me I’m going to hell if have the absolute knowledge reI don’t believe what he says. I’m a bit quired to even know if a god exists? upset that these scare tactics are still If a god does exist, why would she being employed in the 21st century, (aha!) even care what happens on but I’d be giving humanity too much our tiny, inconsequential blue speck credit to assume otherwise. of a planet?

As for more ways that religious Anyway, if you want to believe bigots have gotten on my nerves in Yahweh, Allah, Christ, Buddha, before, I have a friend whose parAmon Ra, Cthulhu, or whoever, ents take their own beliefs and hold that’s great. Just remember they are people to their own silly standards. beliefs about things nobody has any I told this friend the best thing for proof of, and they shouldn’t affect him to do is to believe in whatever everyone else. he wants to believe instead of being shoehorned into a religion by his

Photographers KATHLEEN BROWN STEPHANIE EATON Multimedia editors SHATESHA SCALES KAYLEE NICHOLS

Jennifer Belk, Assistant Professor, Interior Design Program

Student offers fun religious viewpoint

Out-of-touch America drowns out true debate

Editor ANNA DOUGLAS

As a Christian, do I think I am perfect? “Heavens” no! I do things that disappoint myself and God, probably on a daily basis. I have royally screwed up time and again and am keenly aware that I have a long way to go. However, I have a biological family, a church family, and now a Winthrop family who show me more Godly love, forgiveness and acceptance than I could ever deserve. Although I don’t talk about my faith in the classroom, I hope that, through my dedication and obvious love for my students, they will come to know God and know that there are people in our Winthrop community who care.

Letters and feedback can be sent to editors@thejohnsonian.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 relect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily the opinions of The Johnsonian staff.

CORRECTIONS Contact us if you ind an error in an issue of the newspaper. We will correct it in the next issue.

6

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

AMANDA PHIPPS Health & Science Editor phippsa@thejohnsonian.com

Professor, students research ethanol production

By Amanda Phipps phippsa@thejohnsonian. com

Using wastes from the paper industry can be a way to use unused materials, one professor said.

While other scientists have tried fermenting alcohol from plants such as corn, this process caused problems, said Jason Hurlbert, assistant professor of chemistry, physics and geology. Though corn provides a renewable fuel source, the use of these plants caused spikes in food prices.

An alternative fuel source may lay in the use of waste from woody plants, Hurlbert said.

“Bacteria that normally degrade woody plants express enzymes that allow them to break the hemicellulose that glues the cellulose ibers together into sugars that can be metabolized,” he said.

The Project Hurlbert worked with chemistry majors Cameron Waller and Elizabeth Bales to understand how the enzyme breaks down the plant materials and how to make it work more eficiently.

They worked with an enzyme from a bacterium found in a compost pile, Hurlbert said.

“We cloned it from the isolate into a strain of Escherichia coli,” he said. “This E. coli makes large amounts of the cloned enzyme, and we can purify the enzyme from the bacterial cultures.”

Normally, using the waste wood materials from the paper and agricultural industries requires expensive chemical pretreatments to break down the hemicellulose. This breakdown produces sugars, which the bacterium ferments to ethanol.

“We are characteriz-

ing enzymes from different bacteria to identify the best ones for the job and then clone them into a biocatalyst that is designed to produce high yields of ethanol,” he said.

Most enzymes cannot break down the hemicellulose in plants because of the presence of chemical groups on the main polymer that act as protections for xylan, the primary component of the hemicellulose in plants, Hurlbert said.

Xylanases are enzymes that break down the xylan.

He said they are trying to understand the structural basis for the requirement the enzyme has for the xylan substitutions, Hurlbert said.

“If we can understand the molecular architecture of the enzyme, we may be able to transfer it to another more eficient enzyme or modify it to expand the range of materials it can recog-

Above: Elizabeth Bales works with a grid screen to look at the effects the changing of characteristics of a mutant Xylanase C enzyme has on crystallization.

She was one of the students who worked with assistant professor of chemistry, physics and geology Jason Hurlbert studying the enzyme and its ability to be used for ethanol production. Right: A crystal formed from the Xylanase C enzyme in a grid screen.

Photos by Kathleen Brown • brownk@thejohnsonian. com

nize, bind and degrade,” he said.

This will allow them to create a type of “super bug” or biocatylst that can ferment alcohol from more types of plants and maximize the fermentation of ethanol from a variety of substrates.

“There are wastes in the paper industry already,” Hurlbert said.

“The goal is to be able to ferment alcohol from anything that is normally wasted.”

Forming Mutants Last year, Hurlbert solved the structure of the Xylanase C enzyme, and based on that work, designed mutations to examine the function of several residues in the protein, Hurlbert said.

Waller mutated the residues to the amino acid alanine.

They worked together to understand which amino acids were important in the Xylanase C enzyme function, he said.

If an amino acid that was taken out does not cause any change to the active site, it is not a key player in the enzyme’s ability to function, Waller said.

Xylanase C will only work on plants that have side chains or brances off the principle polymer chain, Waller said. Normally, these branches protect the plant and the enzyme cannot work. The goal is to understand how the enzyme requires these branches.

The enzyme is naturally expressed in a bacterium and can already break down wood as a food source.

“The groundwork is already in place,” he said. “We want to understand how it works and improve the process so we can apply it

better.”

Waller said he started this process when he took chemistry 551 last semester, a course that allowed him to do research for credit.

Crystallization Process After Hurlbert solved the structure of the enzyme and Waller formed the mutated versions, chemistry majors Tyler Couch and Bales expressed and puriied the proteins. Bales then began crystallizing them.

Couch said he is currently growing the protein Bales will use for crystallization and Waller will work with next semester.

Couch worked with the different Xylanase C mutants that were encoded into circular pieces of DNA, or plasmids.

These were inserted into E. coli cells.

“Normally, E. coli does not have the DNA that codes for the Xylanase C enzyme,” he said.

Once the cells multiplied and each had the DNA, he induced them, causing them to release an enzyme that makes the protein.

“I then have to extract the protein from the cells and purify it so that all we have left is our pure protein,” he said.

Over the summer, Bales worked on crystallizing the four Xylanase C enzyme mutants.

She worked on purifying the proteins in the mutants to get the enzyme to crystallize, or making the proteins come together in an ordered fashion. The crystals would form distinctive shapes and could be used to predict the structure of the enzyme.

Bales worked with the structure of the wild type Xylanase enzyme that formed crystals.

“It’s a lot of guess-

work,” she said, “but I took what I knew and went around the enzyme to ind conditions that will crystallize it.”

Hurlbert said Bales used grid screens to examine the effects of changing the characteristics.

“The mutants are similar to the nonmutant form of the enzymes, so we don’t expect there to be a signiicant change in the conditions (for crystallization),” Hurlbert said.

He said the crystallization process requires work.

“It’s a bit of an artwork to identify the crystallization conditions,” he said.

Bales was able to crystallize two of the mutants, Xylanase C s235A and Xylanase C y274A, over the summer. She will work the rest of this year on crystallizing the other two mutants.

Once crystallized, the hope is that the mutants can be sent off for x-ray diffraction, Bales said.

By looking at a pattern formed from light hitting the crystals, or the diffraction process, the structure of the enzyme can be calculated.

This process will help them understand how the enzyme works with the substitution in place, which will help them better understand how it can help the bacterium ferment alcohol more eficiently, she said.

Currently, Hurlbert and the students involved are working on crystallizing a ifth mutant of the Xylanase C enzyme.

The hope is to use this enzyme to break down wood wastes for ethanol, Bales said.

“It’s a great way to convert waste into fuel,” she said.

Students wear pink to support breast cancer awareness

By Amanda Phipps phippsa@thejohnsonian.com

A room full of people in pink listened as two women spoke about ighting for their lives.

October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) and Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) sororities joined forces in hosting the event “Pink Out for Breast Cancer” on Tuesday in Tillman, which informed students about cancer, treatment options and prevention.

The sororities had partnered previously on breast cancer awareness, and it was successful, so they decided to join again, said chairman of the AKA breast cancer program committee Arieal Bernadette.

“It was a pleasure to work with them for the cause,” she said.

The event included a performance by Skin Deep and a Yoplait yogurt table, where students could enjoy the yogurt and then donate the pink lids to Susan G. Coleman for the

Cure, Bernadette said.

Piedmont Medical Center and Career and Civic Engagement on campus sponsored the event, she said. Piedmont had resource tables for students.

Donation jars were placed at the giveaway tables, and all donations went to Susan G. Coleman for the cure, Bernadette said. Gifts such as ribbons, pens and lanyards were also given out.

Breast Care Navigator at Piedmont, Rosemary Clement, spoke about being diagnosed with breast cancer and the importance of self-exams and catching the cancer early.

The U.S. Services has released new breast cancer prevention guidelines that advise women against mammograms until age 50 and self-exams, Clement said.

“It has many people confused,” she said. “Piedmont still follows the standard American Cancer Society guidelines.”

Clement said Piedmont fol-

lows the standard guidelines because self-exams and mammograms allow for the early detection of breast cancer.

“The survival rate is higher when the cancer is caught early,” she said.

With stage-one cancer, a person has a 90 percent survival rate, Clement said. With stage-three cancer, the survival rate is 57 percent and with stage-four cancer, the survival rate decreases to 14 percent because the cancer has spread to other organs.

Women should have mammograms at the age of 35 and then every year after they turn 40, she said. This is true unless the person has a family history of breast cancer, in which case she should have mammograms beginning when she is ten years younger then when her relative was diagnosed.

Women should do self-exams after their period once every couple of months, Clement said.

“They should get to know what their normal is,” she said.

“Look for abnormal lumps that do not go away.”

People can prevent breast cancer by not smoking, eating right and exercising, Clement said.

“Three million women in the U.S. have been diagnosed with breast cancer and have survived,” she said.

Though it is uncommon, men can also get breast cancer, Clement said. Obesity in men and women can contribute to cancer. Breast cancer is estrogen-fed and dietary fat produces the enzyme aromatase, which converts into estrogen.

“My cancer is estrogen-fed, so I am trying to lose weight and get lean,” Clement said.

She has been cancer free for four years.

Though cancer can go into remission for years, it can always come back, she said.

“We don’t ever say a person is cured,” she said.

The event included speakers.

Christen Moody spoke about being diagnosed at 32 years old

this year. She made the point that it can happen to a person without the gene or family histrory, but she remains positive.

“Breasts don’t make the woman,” she said. “Life is worth more than a pair of breasts.”

Her husband, Jeremy Moddy also spoke.

“Breasts don’t matter, you fall in love with the person’s heart,” he said. “I love my wife.”

Bernadette said she became involved in the event because it is important for college students to be aware.

“College students think it can’t happen to them,” she said, “but it is never too early to get resources and be aware.”

The event was a way for students to have fun while getting the information they need, Bernadette said. “‘Pink Out’ was a good way to get everybody to come out,” she said. “It was a unique way to get the campus aware.”

7

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

JESSICA PICKENS Arts & Entertainment Editor pickensj@thejohnsonian.com ALISON ANGEL Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor angela@thejohnsonian.com

Students remember Halloween memories: trick-or-treating

Peter Landis, senior journalism major: “When I was ive, I dressed up as Robin Hood and my little girlfriend dressed up as Maid Marion.”

Elizabeth Elmore, senior biology major: “I lived in the country in a small neighborhood, so my neighbors made little bags with all of our names on them.”

Jeremy Allen, junior computer science major: “My family always went to a fall festival at church or school. My parents dressed me up as a scarecrow every year for the costume contest.”

Brittany Brian, sophomore elementary education major: “I always did trunk-or-treating at my church, so it was safe and Christian-based.”

Photos by Paul Ricciardi • ricciardip@thejohnsonian.com

Cheap costumes Costumes at Halloween specialty stores can get expensive. Who wants to pay $50 for an Iron Man costume that doesn’t even look authentic? Keep your wallet full and run to a craft store to make a cheap costume.

Ke$ha: Lady Gaga costumes were creative last Halloween. Wear Ke$ha’s outit from the VMA’s and fashion a dress out of a black trash bag. Also, don’t shower or brush your hair for a couple of days.

Hester Pryne from the “Scarlet Letter”: Remember reading Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic novel in high school? You don’t necessarily have to dress in Puritan clothes; just grab some red cloth, cut it into the letter “A” and pin it on your clothes.

Rosie the Riveter: Who wouldn’t want to dress as the biggest female icon of the 1940s? Wear a blue button up shirt, wrap your head in a red and white bandana, slather on some red lipstick and lex your muscles.

Academy Award: Dress up as the item most movie stars vie for. Wear all gold or maybe even paint yourself gold.

You could wear gold leggings shorts, and a tank top and have the brightest costume.

Detective: Whether you want to be Sam Slade or Sherlock Holmes, all you have to do is grab a trench coat, a pipe and look smug.

Gilligan: Ever watch the show “Gilligan’s Island” on Nickat-Nite? Wear a red polo shirt, blue jeans and get a sailors hat (you can get them for a couple of dollars at the dollar store).

Arts Ball curses students

By Alison Angel

WANT TO GO?

angela@thejohnsonian.com

Winthrop students get a taste of Mardi Gras early this year courtesy of the arts department students.

The 2010 Arts Ball is taking us down to New Orleans for “The Curse of the Creole.”

The event is planned, designed and executed by art students and will double as a fundraiser.

Jill O’Neill, music professor, teaches the class in charge of planning the Arts Ball.

The class, Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Arts Production and Performance, is designed to teach the different arts majors how to work together, O’Neill said.

“The Arts Ball is a multidisciplinary event,” O’Neill said. “It’s an event we put together to establish the idea of teaching people of certain art forms how to deal and work with people of other art forms.”

The class meets twice a week to plan the Arts Ball and does everything from designing costumes, sets and lighting schemes to picking the theme for each Arts Ball.

The play, “The Curse of the Creole,” will take place down in Louisiana during the preparation of Mardi

What: Arts Ball “Curse of the Creole” Where: Byrnes Auditorium When: Friday, Oct. 29 Time: 7:30 p.m.

Cost: Free Gras.

The story follows a witch doctor in the town who hates Mardi Gras and decides to stir up a hurricane to stop it.

Students from each of the arts disciplines will play different characters throughout the event and some are employed to help the witch doctor carry out his schemes.

“Some of the girls in the class are dance majors, and he (the witch doctor) turns them into voodoo dolls. They will be doing three dance numbers,” O’Neill said. “One is to the theme song from ‘True Blood.’”

O’Neill said two music majors, a lutist and a cellist, will work with the witch doctor and act as gypsy women.

A student will be a weatherman and report on Mardi Gras and the hurricane’s progress.

This year marks a turn-

ing point in the class, which used to only have students from different arts disciplines.

“This year, we have kids outside of the arts participating,” O’Neill said.

“One of my students in my music appreciation class is a business major and he’s going to be our witch doctor. He’s going to be the lead role in the whole thing and he’s not even an arts student.”

The Arts Ball will serve as a fundraising event for arts schools in New Orleans.

O’Neill said the class found arts schools that had not been able to replace lost supplies after Hurricane Katrina hit.

The money raised at this year’s Arts Ball will help these schools.

“Because this is the 15-year anniversary of Katrina,” O’Neill said. “We decided to do this theme and do a fundraiser to send those kids money.”

The Arts Ball will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 29 in Byrnes Auditorium and is a free event.

All proceeds from Mardi Gras accessories sold at the event will go toward arts schools that Katrina affected in New Orleans.

Film ‘Darkness’ paralyzes, scares horror fans Student says star of film is its director Some secrets should never come to light.

That’s the tagline to the second horror movie, “Darkness,” I recommend renting for Halloween.

The 2002 Jaume Balagueró ilm stars Anna Paquin, Lena Olin and Ian Glen.

The movie is about a family who moves into a remote countryside house in Spain only to discover their gloomy new home has a secret so horrifying it threatens to destroy them all.

The ilm opens with a clichés, but horror lashback that alludes to fans don’t need to something terrible that worry about it behappened 40 years ago. ing a carbon-copy Switch to present day, horror ilm. and the horrible events On the contrary, of the past start to reocBalagueró remains Jeremy Gatlin cur supernaturally when undeterred from Mass the family moves into the the clichés and communication major house. uses them to his Many movies with advantage to create haunted-houses have an unsettling and been made over the years and chilling mood. they all have their similarities, The pace of the movie is slow such as self-activating toys, and deliberate as important plot strange voices on the phone and details about the past are kept ghostly images on photographs. out of reach just long enough to “Darkness” includes these give the ilm its edginess.

Balagueró lets the audience gradually learn that seven children, who remain faceless whenever they appear on screen, were used in a ritual to satisfy a certain evil that wasn’t completed; the evil longs for the ritual to be completed.

The cast does an impressive job of carrying the story and are very believable when the characters in the movie show their fear and are worn down by the supernatural events.

Paquin is especially noteworthy as she plays the feisty heroine who realizes something is wrong and puts all the clues to-

gether.

The real star of the ilm, however, is Balagueró because of his amazing directing skills.

He wears down the audience’s senses with odd camera angles, strange editing techniques and eerie special effects.

After a while, I found myself utterly freaked out and unable to move as I watched the movie and tried to solve the mystery.

Balagueró made a ilm so brilliantly mind-blowing and unnerving that you can’t help but stare at the TV screen long after the credits have rolled.

8

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

Halloween 2010 Looking for something to do on Halloween? Here is a list of events in surrounding areas that will keep you entertained.

“Dracula: Ballet with a Bite” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, through Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia.

Scarowinds, the scary version of Carowinds, will be open from 7 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, Oct. 28, through Sunday, Oct. 31. General admission is $42.99. This is a PG-13 event, so don’t bring your children.

Photo courtesy of Boyd Jones

WU alum acts,writes play about jazz greats

By Alison Angel

WANT TO GO?

angela@thejohnsonian.com

The stories of legendary jazz musicians Miles Davis and John Coltrane will come to life in the new DiGiorgio Center.

The original play, “Miles and Coltrane” was written by Winthrop alumnus Quentin Talley.

Talley, who also stars in the play, graduated from Winthrop in 2003 as a theater major.

After graduation, he moved to Charlotte and joined a group of artists called Concrete Generation.

The group performs nationally and helped Talley write the play. Talley started his own production company called On Key productions.

He also competes as a poet and won a national poetry slam competition with the Concrete Jungle.

After college Talley was burned out on theater, but his passion couldn’t keep him away forever.

“I started getting back into theater after a while because I missed it,” Tal-

What: “Miles and Coltrane” Where: Dina’s Place When: Oct. 28 Time: 8 p.m.

Cost: $5 with I.D., $10 without ley said. “The play ‘Miles & Coltrane’ came about around 2007.”

The show is not meant to be an homage to Miles and Coltrane, Talley said.

“We took it from an artist’s aspect,” Talley said.

“I would say 80 percent of the show is fact and 20 percent is ictional to give it a little spice.”

Talley is playing the character of John Coltrane.

He said the more research he did into Coltrane’s life, the more he was able to identify with him.

“I’ve always been a fan of him,” Talley said.

“Once I started getting in depth with the research

on where he came from, I saw a lot of parallels to my life.”

Coltrane grew up in North Carolina with a church family and moved to a big city. Talley said this mirrors his own life, especially moving to spread his wings.

Talley and his writers chose to center the play on Miles and Coltrane because the two musicians are still inluential on music today.

Both artists’ music is still used in movies and television, and they are considered to be icons in jazz music.

“They’re probably two of the most inluential musicians, period,” Talley said. “They stand the test of rock and jazz; they have inluence on pretty much every genre of music you can think of.”

“Miles & Coltrane” will be at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 28, in the Dina’s Place Theater in the DiGiorgio Center. Admission is $5 with I.D., $10 without and free with a DSU fall pass.

GLoBAL is holding a Halloween party at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 29, at the DiGiorgio Campus Center.

The Arts Ball presents “The Curse of the Creole” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 29, in Byrnes Auditorium. Admission is free.

The Charlotte Symphony is performing “Thrills and Chills” at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Belk Theater in Charlotte. Tickets range from $13 to $26.

Ke$ha and Kevin Rudolf will be performing at the Grave Diggers Ball at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30, at Dixie’s Tavern in Charlotte. Tickets range from $20 to $80.

Upcoming on-campus ilms: Saturday, Oct. 30: Halloween double feature: “Gremlins”- The 1984 camp classic is about a boy who breaks rules, while caring for an odd new pet.

After breaking these rules gremlins wreak havoc.

“Nightmare on Elm Street”- The 2010 remake is about the serial killer Freddy Kreuger who kills people in their dreams.

Wednesday, Nov. 3: “Oceans”- A 2009 documentary on all the oceans of the world narrated by Pierce Brosnan.

Car competition winner The winner of the $25 gas credit card is Jordan Chaney with his 1966 Chevrolet Impala. E-mail Jessica Pickens at pickensj@thejohnsonian.com to claim your prize.

CROSSWURD PUZZLE

Deadline to enter is Nov. 15, 2010

Across 2. Josh Walker and Kyra Warren are currently working with what theater group?

4. What is the last name of the men’s head basketball coach?

5. What is the name of the Chinese version of Halloween? (two words) 7. Full name of Winthrop alum performing in the DSU play.

8. Last name of The Johnsonian’s sports editor.

9. What Charlotte university is Winthrop playing basketball against for homecoming?

Down 1. What is the name for Halloween in Sweden? (three words) 2. What is the title of the book author Mary Jane Ryals is coming to Winthrop to discuss? (three words) 3. What is the theme of the Arts Ball?

6. One of the jazz legends featured in the DSU play on Oct. 28. (last name)

Guidelines: --Images used must be owned by the artist or labeled for reuse by the owner.

--Artwork should be in JPEG, TIFF, or PDF format.

--he artwork does not have to be a traditional hand turkey. We will gravitate more towards artwork that is related to the hanksgiving holiday though.

--Group submissions will be accepted but only one prize will be given. Only one piece of artwork will be accepted per artist.

--Hand outline must be drawn but can be scanned and combined with images.

9

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

ALEXIS AUSTIN Culture Editor austina@thejohnsonian.com

Editor celebrates Halloween for irst time

Graphic by Courtney Niskala • niskalac@thejohnsonian.com

Costume choices, festivities become something new

By Alexis Austin

Growing up, I never dressed up for Halloween. I've only been trick-or-treating once and even then I wore regular clothes.

For religious reasons my mom wasn't allowed to dress up for Halloween. I'm not really sure if this is why my mom didn't take my brother and me trick-or-treating or dress us up as Batman and Cinderella. For me, Alexis Austin Halloween is a much dreaded Junior holiday because I never understood the hype behind dressing up in a costume.

austina@thejohnsonian.com

Goblins, witches and ghosts. The very things that are meant to scare us are the very things that inspire those outrageous costumes people consciously put on every year. Why do they do it? It's a question I ask myself every year.

I think the only way to fully understand something is to experience it. The only way to understand the hype behind Halloween is to be a part of it.

So this year, that is what I'll do.

After 20 years, I will put on a Halloween costume.

Now the problem is deciding what I'll be. A witch? Wonder Woman? Cat Woman? French maid? There are so many options. I don't know what to choose let alone how to choose the right costume. Should I be something original or typical? Is

Halloween around the world While Halloween is widely known as an American holiday, several countries that their own spin on the spooky day. Here are how a few countries celebrate on Oct. 31.

Chieh. People put food and water in front of the photographs of dead relatives and light lanterns to light the path of their spirits as they travel through the night.

Austria: People leave a lighted lamp, bread and water on the steps of their homes on Halloween night to welcome dead souls back to Earth. They consider Halloween night as magical.

Czechoslovakia: People place chairs in front of the ireplace. There is a chair that represents each living family member and a chair for each family member who has passed.

Korea: There is a festival Belgium: People light known as Chuosk. candles on Halloween Families take time to night in honor of dead thank their ancestors. relatives.

Sweden: Halloween is China: The Chinese known as “Alla Helgons celebrate by having Dag.” It’s celebrated from a festival called Teng Oct. 31 to Nov. 6.

Source: pumpkinpatchesandmore.org Compiled by Alexis Austin

there a top-10 list of things you should or shouldn't wear?

The older I get it seems as if Halloween costumes get less scary and more sexy. Do goblins and mummies get turned on

by French maids? Whatever I decide to be, I just hope I don't look like an idiot.

Not only do I hope I don't look like an idiot, I hope whatever I choose there aren't four other people at the same party wearing the same thing as me. This is already bad when it's a regular party, so I can only

imagine how it will be with a costume on.

Most of all, I want my irst Halloween experience to be a good one. In a few months I'll be 21, and after I graduate, dressing up in a Halloween costume may not seem so cool.

No matter if my irst Halloween experience is good or bad, should I have children, I will not deprive them of the Halloween experience.

10

SPORTS BRIEFS Athletes of the week announced Members of the women’s soccer team took both athlete of the week honors and were named Big South Players of the Week for games played Oct. 11-17.

Courtney Durbin, a junior, was named Big South Conference Choice Hotels Women’s Soccer Attacking Player of the Week. Durbin scored three goals, one a game winning goal, and had six total points for the week.

Kelsy Weavil, a redshirt-junior, was named Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week. The goalie posted a 2-0-1 record in three games and recorded back to back shutouts. She also had 16 saves.

Men’s soccer woes continue

team

The 25th-ranked men’s soccer team, the College of Charleston, left Winthrop’s soccer ield with a 3-1 victory over the Eagles.

At press time, Winthrop is on a three game losing streak, sinking their record to 4-8-1. College of Charleston’s victory pushed their record to 10-2-2.

College of Charleston scored two straight goals late in the game to break up a 1-1 tie. Miquel Casajuana posted Winthrop’s other goal. The team’s other two losses came from Radford and Coastal Carolina.

Cross country teams dominate competition

Men’s basketball team picked to inish second Winthrop, the 20092010 Big South Conference Champion, was picked to inish in second place by the conference coaches. Coastal Carolina was picked to win the league.

The Eagles ended last year with a 19-14 overall record and a 12-6 conference record. Winthrop lost in the irst round of the NCAA basketball tournament to ArkansasPine Bluff.

Men’s golf team drive shome third place inish Mizuno Savannah Intercollegiate Tournament has been good to the men’s golf team.

Three years after tieing for irst in the same tournament, the Eagles inished in third place behind irst-place inisher Florida Gulf Coast University and Wofford College.

The team was paced by junior Jordan Sease’s six under par performance.

CHRIS McFADDEN Sports Editor mcfaddenc@thejohnsonian.com

Men’s basketball looks for third conference title in four years PREVIEW • from front sity at home and travels to the University of Dayton and the University of Kentucky in December.

Peele is pleased with the challenges of the upcoming schedule.

“Any time you play good [teams] it’s going to help you know what your strengths and weaknesses are as you go into your schedule, Peele said.

“You can then tweak your performance here and there, and that will certainly help us.”

The squad will need to adjust fast because the challenges for a repeat championship are more diverse than ever before.

The most pressing need is the lack of muscle in the middle.

Forwards Mantoris Robinson and Andy

Buechert graduated last year and a recent marijuana use suspensions cost Winthrop the services of Charles Corbin (6.67 ppg and 5 rebounds) for the fall semester and Robbie Dreher (5.9 ppg) for the irst four games.

“We’re undermanned in the post,” Peele said. “Two post players who will be coming off the bench will be freshmen (Derrick Scott and Joab Jerome), so we’re thin inside; I’m concerned.”

The Eagles will have to learn to play without key players, while also helping the freshmen adjust to the college game.

Equally as vital is correcting Winthrop’s shooting woes.

The team shot a lowly 9 percent from the loor during last season’s opening round loss to Arkansas- Pine Bluff in the NCAA Tournament.

The team was similarly dismal in three point shooting during the season, shooting just 24.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Peele is determined to turn Winthrop’s shooting game around, promising that the team has been “working on it like you’ve never seen.”

The most likely to provide that turnaround are junior guard Reggie Middleton and junior center Matt Morgan.

Peele described both players as “potentially allconference caliber kids.”

The duo combined for an average of 19.7 points a night but are also a physical presences on defense.

The players on the team will be important to a successful season but, according to the coach, equally as importan is the support from loyal Eagle fanatics.

“I want our students to be proud of our team and to be true fans, not fairweather fans. We really need their support,” Peele said.

Winthrop’s head coach of four years is a believer in home court advantage.

In his opinion Winthrop has the ingridents to make the coliseum an intimadating venue.

“I want our coliseum to be the toughest place to play in the league,” Peele said.

“Our fans should be loud because when that happens it leads to momentum swings, gives energy to the defense and helps generate offense.”

With Homecoming on November 13 against Queens University of Charlotte, the team is wary not to be caught up in the hype and pressure of the irst game.

“It will be a challenge

because it’s our irst, but it’s exciting because it’s the start of the season,” he said. “However, there will be pressure every game.”

Being the conference champs two of the last three years adds additional pressure.

“It’s hard to be a champion,” Peele said. “You’re going to get punched in the mouth, have nights where you don’t shoot well and get tough calls.”

At the end of the day Winthrop just wants to win. To do that, Peele believes it will take a combined effort from the team and the fans.

“I want [the students] to be proud of our program.

I challenge them to have the coliseum sold out every home game. There’s no reason why we can’t,” he said.

Competition, hard work key to women’s soccer player’s success Goalie was key in team’s run to the championship round of the 2009 Big South Tournament

By Hannah Schwartz Special to The Johnsonian

The men and women’s cross country teams held the top six and top ive inishes in the 2010 ASICS Fall Classic.

The men placed six of their runners in the top six, led by junior Adam Freudenthal. The women were paced by freshman Jeanne Stroud. The win was Stroud’s fourth top 10 inish this season.

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

The irst week of October was a big one for Winthrop goalie Sarah Schippers.

She got her irst collegiate win on October 2nd.

Then, on Oct. 6th, she was named Winthrop Athlete of the Week.

The Oct. 2nd win against Gardner-Webb University was also the irst win for the Eagles this year.

“We are deinitely a better team this year than we were last year, it just took us a while to get it going,” Schippers, sophmore from Solon, OH, said.

“That irst win, it was a great feeling.”

The team is now assured a spot in the Big South Conference Tournament.

“It was a big conidence booster for Sarah as well as the rest of the team,” women’s head soccer coach Spencer Smith said.

Schippers has 28 saves so far this season and only has allowed eight goals in six games this year.

The Oct. 6th game wasn’t the irst time Schippers has come up big for the Eagles.

Last year, she was the goalie in the shoot-outs against VMI and Liberty University during the team’s run to the Big South Conference Championship game.

This year, Schippers has been splitting time in the net with Kelsey Weavil.

The two were splitting time almost evenly

until Schippers hurt her shoulder.

The competition, however, stays on the ield and Schippers thinks having two reliable keepers is good for the team.

The two are good friends off the ield, but they push each other to work harder on the ield.

“If she has a good practice, then she is the starter, and if I have a good practice, then I’m the starter,” Schippers said.

The competition has helped Schippers mature this year.

“Her level of training has really increased. I’ve seen her take more of a professional level at practice,” Smith said.

Schippers knows that she has to work harder to earn time defending the net than she ever has before.

As her recent accolades show, that work seems to be paying off.

For now, Schippers is concentrating on putting in the same type of effort that helped her earn her recent recognition as she and the rest of the team prepare for the stretch run of the season.

As the Big South Conference Tournament approaches,the team, at press time, was on a ivegame winning streak and is focused on doing the best they can.

“Our mentality is don’t let all of our hard work go to waste,” Schippers said.

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

11

SPORTS

New basketball season brings excitement, challenges for Lady Eagles Women’s team will have to overcome youth, inexperience

By Devonne Good Special to The Johnsonian

As the fall season rolls in so does basketball.

The girl’s basketball team is working hard to make sure they are well prepared for the upcoming season. From practicing to working out, they want to be in the best shape to make this season a successful one.

The team will have to overcome youth and inexperience to reach that goal.

“We’re going to do well, but it’s going to take time because we are so young,” freshman point guard Samiya Wright from Oswego, Ill., said.

Wright is one of the ive freshmen who joined the team this year. Wright will not be able to help her fellow teammates because of a season ending injury.

Women’s basketball coach Bud Childers pushes his team to improve by working on their abilities outside of practice.

Coach Childers, in his seventh season as Winthrop’s head coach, views going the extra mile and pushing themselves as one way of overcoming the team’s relative lack of experience.

Childers is an “action is louder than words” type of coach.

“Ready is one thing, doing is another,” he said.

The team exhibits the teamwork that will be necessary to achieve their goals by monitoring each other and making sure everyone is putting in the work to make themselves ,and the team as a result, better.

“We’re still working on making our team better because if we’re going to do well we just have to work hard,” freshman guard from Bellwood, Ill., Dee Gray, said.

New assistant coach Tuonisia Turner-Lewis concurs with Gray’s opinion.

“They’re young but they’re energized and eager to learn the skill needed to make the team successful,” she said.

They offer constructive criticism of each other by communicating on and off the court and telling one another what they did wrong or what they should try to improve their game.

The team will also have to take better care of the ball than they did last season. That could be easier said than done with the number of freshmen.

The Eagles averaged 21.2 turnovers per game last season.

Over all, the sentiment is good concerning the upcoming

The Eagles only have three players on their roster who are either juniors or seniors. The eleven freshmen and sophomores will have to contribute for the team to have a successful season.

Photo By Laney Whitle • Special to The Johnsonian season.

“Every team has problems but they work through them,” junior center Taquoia Hammick said.

“We’re young but we’re good.”

Hammick, one of the few re-

turning players who saw action last season, had 25 blocks, 17 steals and averaged 5.9 rebounds per game last season.

With the players being optimistic and willing to put in the

work needed to succeed, the upcoming girl’s basketball season could be one to watch as they gain experience to match the hard work they are putting in.

THURSDAY October 28, 2010

THE JOHNSONIAN

12

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