Meet the Senior Defense
From the subways of NYC to the stages of Scales
OLD GOLD&BLACK Sports | B2
W A K E
F O R E S T
VOL. 95, NO. 14
T H U R S D AY, D E C E M B E R 1 , 2 0 1 1
“Covers the campus like the magnolias”
Rethinking Admissions SAT-optional policy prompts more diverse applicant pool By Madeline Goode | Staff writer Applying to college is a major part of every high school student’s career. Applicants try to illuminate their top attributes and wellrounded natures, while also striving to achieve stellar academic records in this pursuit. One long-standing factor to the application process has been the SAT. Students study
intensely, often for months before the test, receiving help through practice books, prep classes or tutors. Many retake the test until they are satisfied with their scores or feel they cannot improve any more. For most, the test brings a feeling of intense pressure to succeed at one four-hour test designed to forecast a student’s knowledge gained throughout their academic career. Wake Forest decided three years ago to make SAT and ACT
Feminist pedagogy, scholarship and community advocacy for women and minorities were shared principles on which the university’s Women’s and Gender Studies program was founded. A group of faculty members, administrators and librarians came together in 1982 to combine these interests in a discipline of its own: Women’s Studies. The interdisciplinary minor has been offered at the university since then, when a humanities course called Introduction to Women’s Studies was provided for students as well as other courses across academic disciplines. And today, some of the same faculty members who were there for the formation of the program were able to see the Committee on Academic Planning approve the curriculum for a Women’s and Gender Studies major Balzano Nov. 14. Over the minor’s history, there have been many students who have taken enough courses to be considered “majors” by other departmental standards. And after seeing a number of students take well over the 18 hours required for the minor, the WGS faculty decided to pursue major status. Wanda Balzano, director of the department since 2005, has been leading the pursuit for the major in recent years. The goal initially came about after a program
See Finals, Page A6
Ph.D. student overcomes obstacles From high school dropout to honors graduate — Rockett shares her compelling story By Kasha Patel | Contributing writer Writing intently at her laptop in her office in the Salem Hall, Stephanie Rockett compiles her research materials to complete the last 20 pages of her dissertation. Rockett, 27, is preparing to defend her thesis at Wake Forest in December for her Ph.D. in analytical chemistry. It’s been an interesting journey for Rockett, as she looks back on what led her to Wake. No one would ever guess that the 5-foot-4 brunette with a charming Southern accent and magnetic smile was homeless after she dropped out of her high school in Marion, N.C., in the 10th grade.
1982: Women’s Studies minor instated 2004: Start of process of becoming a major 2011: Students can now declare a major in Women and Gender Studies
See WGS, Page A6
By Meenu Krishnan | News editor
See Rhodes, Page A3
Kirsten Hutton/Old Gold & Black
History of WGS Department
review in 2004 when Anne Boyle, professor of English, was director of the program. Last year, the process gained momentum. Representatives from Emory University and Ohio State University came to campus to discuss their own WGS departments and how the university’s program could expand. The Committee on Academic Planning provided an outline entailing the procedure for requesting a
Finals week: 24-hour Pit and extra study space
charming personality on top of it all.” Turner also conducts research on the molecular structure of proteins with Dean of the college Jacquelyn Fetrow and was awarded the 2010-2011 American Physical Society Scholarship for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors. “He has worked with me on a research project every semester, since spring of his first year,” Fetrow said.
See Admissions, Page A3
By Meenu Krishnan | News editor
Senior Brandon Turner, a biophysics major and sociology minor, was named a Rhodes Scholar Nov. 19. Turner is among 32 Americans chosen by the Rhodes Trust to study at Oxford University next year. Turner completed a rigorous application process,which involved a 1,000-word personal statement, 6-8 letters of recommendation and a two-page resume of recent activities and accomplishments. After being selected as a finalist, Turner participated in two days of interviews along with 16 other finalists. “Without knowing the intimate details of everyone’s application, I thought all of the other candidates were extremely talented, extremely motivated, and very deserving of the scholarship,” Turner said. “The committee commented that they were impressed with my research background, so I’m sure that contributed to my selection.” Turner has been actively involved in a number of activities during his years on campus. He holds the Carswell Scholarship, plays rugby, and regularly volunteers at the Samaritan Inn, a homeless shelter in Winston-Salem. “Brandon is an exceptional person and well deserving of the Rhodes Scholarship,” Saylor Breckenridge, associate professor of sociology, said. “He is a stellar student, a notable athlete, and is pointedly socially conscious. Plus he has a
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During the hectic, work-filled weeks between Thanksgiving and winter break, study space on campus is always at a premium. In past years, students have resorted to literally camping out in the library and classrooms just to retain their precious study spots. This year, however, the administration is making an active effort to respond to student requests for more study spaces. The Provost’s Office, Hospitality Services, ARAMARK, the Z. Smith Reynolds Library and the Dean of the College have teamed up to offer additional study spaces during the critical period before and during exams. For the first time ever, the Pit will stay open on a 24 -hour basis, beginning Fetrow Monday, Dec. 5 and ending at 9 p.m. Dec. 16. While normal food service hours will be continued, students will now be able to access the Pit after-hours for additional study spots and snacks. After 9 p.m., students will only need to show their student I.D., and no meal swipes will be required, though the soft drink, coffee and cold cereal stations will be available at all times for students to use freely. “I believe ARAMARK will provide some study break offerings for the early morning hours such as popcorn, cookies, and whatever other surprises they come up with to help the students stay focused and refreshed,” John Wise, assistant vice president for Hospitality Services, said. The ZSR Library has been working in conjunction with multiple groups, including a political science class, to expand the number of study spaces available to students. The class is “Gandhi” with Dr. Charles Kennedy. Recently, temporary tables have been added on the fourth floor in Government Documents. The library is currently reviewing options for how tables can be placed near existing electrical outlets without violating fire code. In addition, the library will be renting additional chairs and tables for the atrium as finals approach. “We are very happy that many units on campus are collaborating to provide additional study spaces for students,” Lynn Sutton, dean of the library, said. “It is a little like the old folk tale of ‘Stone Soup.’ Starting with an empty pot — scarce study space — one by one, university offices stepped forward to add a room here, a bit of food there, until there is a very rich stew of resources available to the people on campus.”
Women’s Senior Brandon Turner and Gender named Rhodes Scholar Studies is new major By Lindey Campagne | Staff writer
Life | B5
U N I V E R S I T Y
You dropped out of high school after 10th grade. What led you to dropping out?
Stephanie Rockett Photo Courtesy of Ken Bennett/WFU
My parents are divorced and my stepdad isn’t the greatest so family life wasn’t the greatest for me. I moved from my mom’s to my dad’s and went to high school. My dad gave me a lot more freedom so I just started not to care about things. People were mean to me in school and then I just started hanging out with the wrong people. I was really depressed and I found
some sort of happiness hanging out with these friends. Just thinking about my home life, having it change like that, dealing with all those emotions and then hanging out with the wrong people, I dropped out of school. You mentioned people were mean to you in high school. Can you elaborate? I’m very friendly and not judgmental. I didn’t deal well with talking behind people’s backs, gossiping, so people attacked me. One thing was I was voted on homecoming court in the first year, which angered a lot of people. Also, I didn’t want to date any of the guys so they found this weird and called me names. We had a message board, almost early cyber bullying and there would be rumors about me on there. Part of me dropping out of school was that I didn’t want to deal with this. Did you try to go back to high school after dropping out? I said “I’ll do home school,” but I just started hanging out. I wasn’t motivated to do anything. It took me a while to get my GED and I tried to start my college career early at Asheville-Buncombe Tech. I was going just
See Deacon Profile, Page A2