Inside this issue:
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FAREWELL KOBE
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
COMMENTARY
SYMPOSIUM PG. 8
PG. 11
LIVES, GUNS, & SOLUTIONS
PROFESSIONAL
Jaguar Tennis Falls to Alcorn PG. 4&5
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Volume 66, Issue 11
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Candlelight vigil held for two fallen Jaguars
SU Federation Gearing up for National Elections BY EDDIE BYNOG
DIGEST STAFF WRITER
will continue to celebrate their lives and the times we shared with them,” finished Mensah. SU sophomore Pole Vaulter and marketing major Ambrosia Williams of Danville, Illinois, reflects on the manner in which January would run during track meets and practice. “Nette was always smiling and there would be times when she would be upset about running her miles, but as soon as she began running she was all smiles,” said Williams. “It’s going to be hard to no longer see her running or doing her hurdles, but we as a
Beginning June 1, 2016, the Southern University Alumni Association will hold its biannual election to elect seven individuals to serve as national officers of the Southern University Alumni Federation, the Alumni Association’s governing body, for a two-year term. “Any and all active Southern Alumni are able to participate in the election” said Current Federation President and 1990 Southern graduate, Preston Castille Jr. President Castille, who is also seeking reelection this June, went on to add that since he has been President the federation has made it it’s goal to help the university increase retention and do what ever they can to support the students and faculty. When asked what advice he would give to students who may not feel the need to give back or join their local chapters, Castille added that he hopes current Southern University students will join their Southern Alumni. “We are the backbone of the University and a critical component of that is investing in the needs of our fellow jaguars so Southern can be around
See VIGIL page 3
See GEARING UP page 3
Don Green/ DIGEST Jade Foy/DIGEST Southern University students gather to pay tribute to fallen colleagues, Lashuntae Benton and Annette January during a candle lit memorial on April 12. BY LAUREN JOHNSON DIGEST EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Southern University held a candlelight vigil for the two fallen Jaguars, Lashuntae Benton and Annette January, on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Cotillion Ballroom of the Student Union. Mass communications major and Sophomore Class President Anthony Kenney, Jr. spoke on behalf of SU19 and presented a token of gratitude with love to Dawn January, mother of Annette January. “The Jaguar Nation loves your daughter so much and we will continue to love her for the rest of our lives,” said Kenney. “Each and every day you should strive to be not who you were yesterday but a better person the next day, and remember when
its time for you to go on home ask yourself what will the world say about me? Did I play my part in God’s eyes and not mans?” finished Kenney. The 2016-2017 Association for Women Student President Paula-Marie Mensah spoke on behalf of the women students here on campus. “I and the ladies would like to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends and classmates of Benton and January,” said Mensah. “We don’t realize that these types of things can happen, until it happens so close to home. I’m sure when the girls stepped out that evening they did not realize that this would have been their last evening hanging out with their friends. Tonight, we
Academic Honors Day Awards Program BY BRIA GREMILLION DIGEST NEWS EDITOR
The Committee of Academic Honors held its annual Academic Honors Awards day program in Seymour Gym on Friday, April 16. All Southern University students who earned a 3.0 gpa or better during the Spring and Fall 2015 semesters were invited to attend. Students receiving scholarships and awards from different community organizations were honored as well. The program’s theme
was “Academic Excellence: a habit, not an act!” The Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of Southern University, Dr. M. Christopher Brown II, served as the speaker of the ceremony. Brown earned his Ph.D. at the age of 25 from Pennsylvania State University and is the former President of Alcorn State University while being named 2013 Male HBCU President of the Year, amongst numerous other achievements, awards and honors.
He began his speech with a bold proclaim, “My people, Southern people, Jaguar people, who are we?” Brown spoke about the power of one and how significant changes have occurred in history because of one person who decided to make a difference. Brown challenged students to become excellent without excuses and stated that no matter how many articles are published in the Advocate See HONORS page 3
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of Southern University, Dr. M. Christopher Brown, II delivers a speech to an audience of students, faculty and family members at the annual academic honors day awards program on Friday April 16 in Seymour Gym.
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF SOUTHERN UNIVERSIT Y AND A&M COLLEGE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
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SUITE 1064 – T.H.HARRIS HALL – P.O. BOX 10180 – BATON ROUGE, LA 70813 225.771.2231 PHONE / 225.771.5840 FAX WWW.SOUTHERNDIGEST.COM The Southern DIGEST is written, edited and published by members of the student body at Southern University and A&M College. The Southern DIGEST is published once weekly (Tuesday with a run count of 4,000 copies per issue during the Southern University - Baton Rouge campus fall, spring semesters. The paper is free to students, staff, faculty and general public every Tuesday & Friday morning on the SUBR campus. The Southern DIGEST student offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. The offices are located on the first floor of T.H. Harris Hall, Suite 1064. ISSN: 1540-7276. Copyright 2016 by The Southern University Office of Student Media Services. All articles, photographs and graphics are property of The Southern DIGEST and its contents may not be reproduced or republished without the written permission from the Editor in Chief and Director of Student Media Services. The Southern DIGEST is the official student newspaper of Southern University and A&M College located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Articles, features, opinions, speak out and editorials do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the administration and its policies. Signed articles, feedback, commentaries and features do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, staff or student body.
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CONTARA MAYFIELD
BRE’ANNA PERKINS
NURSING PRE-MED SOPHOMORE ABUJA,NIGERIA
BIOLOGY FRESHMAN SUNSET
POLITICAL SCIENCE SOPHOMORE MONROE
“I feel that our University has responded in a great way. There was a beautiful MAYFIELD vigil for the ladies and this tragedy has taught me that our University really cares.”
“I feel as though the University responded in a very respectable PERKINS manner to honor our fallen angels and their family.”
KEVIN DARR
TORRIE REDWINE
TY’N FLEET
MASS COMMUNICATIONS FRESHMAN FAIRFAX,VA
PSYCHOLOGY FRESHMAN ATLANTA,GA
ACCOUNTING SENIOR HAMMOND
“I feel that the university responded well. They paid respects to the two fallen DARR students and held services for both,however, I do believe property owners should enforce better security at the Cottages.”
Campus
Briefs HOUSE OF HOOPS Student Government Association presents Spring Fest 2016 Basketball Tournament, Thursday April 21 in the intramural complex. First 8 teams that sign up will receive a spot on the bracket. For more information contact: subr. sga@gmail.com. Deadline to enter will be Tuesday April 19 at 2:00pm. SPRING CONCERT Southern University Department of bands presents its “Serenade to Spring Concert” featuring classical and contemporary music on Thursday April 21 at 6:30pm in the Smith-Brown student union Cotillion Ballroom. BACK TO THE BASICS Southern University’s NPHC will host events with the Divine Nine on April 18, 19 and 22. Contact a Greek member for locations.
CAMPUS BRIEFS
THUNDERSTORMS
FRI. APRIL 22
How do you feel the University responded to the two fallen Southernites in the recent shooting at the Cottages?
“I feel like the required attention was given towards the loss of the two AJOKO fellow students. We had a candle light vigil in their honor, which I felt was gratifying. Their pictures were also posted on social media to fellow students in the university sympathizing with the friends and family.”
SPRING 2016
THURS. APRIL 21
OSITA AJOKO
DIGEST STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lauren Johnson
The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body since 1926
FUNDRAISER The Kappa Kappa Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota will be selling pizza slices for $2 on Wednesday, April 20, in front of the Band Hall. MIX AND MINGLE The Kappa Kappa Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota will be hosting a “Mix and Mingle” in Debose Hall room 133 on Tuesday, April 26, at 7:03pm. SCHOLARSHIP E-BOOK The most effective way to search for scholarships is right at your fingertips. The SU System
“Our school is a “I feel like family, and when we Southern lost members of our University paid Jaguar family we all enough respect FLEET REDWINE had to comfort each to the two fallen other. Everyone Jaguars. All the small programs knew in that moment that we all had they had for them were great.” to come together and comfort one another.”
Foundation Scholarship E-book connects the best and brightest students with the financial opportunities to further their educational goals. Begin your search today, visit http://foundation.sus.edu/ southern-university-systemfoundation-scholarships/ LAST DAY OF CLASSES The last day of classes for the spring 2016 semester will be April 28. FINAL EXAMS Final examination period for the spring 2016 semester starts April 29. END OF SEMESTER HOURS Home Zone, Mexigo, Java City and Popeyes will close April 28. Burger King and POD Express will close May 4. RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL Help Southern University win up to $50,000 towards improving our campus through the Home Depot “Retool your School” project. Vote everyday via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook using the following hashtag: #SouthernU_RYS16 STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITY The Center for International Affairs and University Outreach is giving students to the opportunity to study in Belize from May 15 to June 5. Financial aid will be available. For more information call: (225) 771-2613.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL PREVENTION The Office of the Dean of Students wants you to check out their latest information on the illegal use of drugs and alcohol. For more information visit:www.subr.edu/dos 2016 SPRING TUTORING C-USA is having tutoring sessions for the Spring 2016 semester every Monday through Friday from now until April 28. Tutoring Services will be located in Stewart Hall, room 155. MICROSOFT IT ACADEMY The Southern University IT Program is currently holding Microsoft Academy classes until April 14 in J. B. Moore Hall Room 129. To register, visit: www.subr.edu/ itacademyresgister. INTRAMURAL SPORTS The Intramural Sports Complex will be host the following events this week: Ripped Fitness Tuesday 5-6pm Wet N Wild fitness Tuesday 5:15-6:15 Extreme Boot Camp Wednesday 6-7pm Nutrition zone Thursday 3-6pm and Martial Arts 6-7:30pm
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GEARING UP from page 1 for another 136 years,” said Castille. Currently, less that 2 percent of all Southern alumni give back to the University, a figure that is startling low when compared to other historically black colleges and universities. It is the issue of young alumni involvement in the federation that is one of the reasons why 07’ graduate and National Chair of the Southern University Young Alumni Network, Deion Dorsey, is a candidate for his 2nd Vice Presidency of the Federation. “In running I want to try and help bridge the gap between young and old alumni, and the current student body. Young alumni are in a position to help fix issues and make things that much easier for current students,” said Dorsey.
When asked what he wanted to achieve should he become 2nd president, Dorsey said that he would like to develop a very strong connection with the student body. “After graduation, we want the next logical step for former students to, be alumni participation and to expand the young alumni network to include current students so we can always keep our finger on the pulse of what’s going on, on campus,” commented Dorsey. 93’ alumni and Dallas Chapter President and currently serving as 1st Vice President of the Federation, Laquitta Thomas, is running for reelection this June. When asked what motivated her to run two years ago Thomas said, “I feel like I
HONORS from page 1 or Times-Picayune, Jaguars are on the move. “There is power in each and every one of you,” Brown told students. Brown spoke of how as Jaguars, we must show up to any battle prepared to fight the opinions and perceptions about Southern University. “You must not accept anyone’s definition of who you are, where you are going or how you are going to get there,” said Brown. Graduating senior and nursing major, Anne Chumbow of Cameroon, Africa received the award of “graduating senior with the highest average in the nursing school” with a 3.6 GPA. Chumbow spoke of how humbled and honored she was to be recognized by the university. “The university makes me feel like it’s worth it to pursue academic excellence. I wasn’t trying to do good to be rewarded but the reward itself makes it all worth it and lets me know my efforts don’t go unnoticed,” finished Chumbow. The Southern University Symphonic Band provided several musical selections during the ceremony. Students were
presented with their monetary awards on stage as their names were called under each division of awards. Memorial awards, community organization awards, department awards of meritorious scholarship, industrial awards and several other special awards were recognized. Students on the honor roll , as Chancellor Scholars, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.4 as a sophomore, junior and senior were honored along with students who maintained a straight A average and made the Dean’s List. Students of the Honors College who participated in the University Honors Program were honored as well. Freshman Computer Science major, Michelle Harris of Memphis, Tennessee received an award as an honor student with a 3.5 GPA. “It feels good to know that Southern looks out for their students and that we do matter and that we are important. It’s a great accomplishment,” finished Harris.
have something to give back, there is always something we can do to help further the mission of Southern University,” said Thomas, “but more than that it is very important for all of us to be engaged because Alumni are the heart beat of Southern University and its survival depends on the entire Jaguar Nation.” The 2016 election of Federation Officers will take place via mail in ballot from June 1 until the 30 and the results will be announced at the 2016 National Alumni Conference that will take place in Chicago, Illinois. Current students who maybe interested in joining the federation are encouraged to seek out their local chapters and become involved once they’ve graduated
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VIGIL from page 1 team must keep pushing. When we complain about a workout we have to remember that “Nette” ran her last race and we must live each day thankful and we can’t take life for granted,” finished Williams. Even though Benton worked closer with the football team, Williams did mention that she gave the best “rub-out massage” ever and always connected with her on conversations centered around hairstyles. Prior to the vigil, the track team had a balloon release to show their respects. SU junior Defensive-end football player and business management, Aaron Tiller of Columbus, Ohio says the team took it hard, and that Benton was very supportive of the team. “She was like a sister to me. I have to push forward and keep the good memories, even though I see her face in my head. When asked how dedicated Benton was to the team, Tiller responded saying she was the most dedicated. “I remember during practice season “Tae” would be up at 5 a.m. with us, and didn’t have to be,” said Tiller. “A couple of players caught full body cramps, during training camp and had to go to the hospital, and “Tae” was the only trainer that went to the hospital and stayed there and made sure they were ok,” said Tiller. When asked what is one thing she will be remembered by Tiller responded by saying, “Well I know one thing she loved cornbread, and on Mondays she would eat like six pieces, with no red-beans,” finished Tiller. Both Benton and January were laid to rest on Saturday, April 16, 2016. Benton’s service was at Christian World Ministries in Lake Charles, and January’s was at the Church of God and Christ in Hammond, Indiana. The Southern University System Foundation has established a memorial fund to support the families of Benton and January. Donations can be made at netcommunity.sus.edu.
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Bounce Back Weekend
Southern returns with strong gameplay BY JARREN NARCISSE DIGEST SPORTS WRITER
The Southern University baseball team stayed home and took on Prairie View A&M in a tournament series this past weekend in which a change of pace occurred. This change of pace is healthy for Southern University’s baseball team. The Jags started off their three game tournament with a swift 4-1 win over the Panthers. The game started off at a slow pace. It wasn’t until the bottom of the second inning when Southern was able to score. The run came from an RBI that was credited to freshman outfielder, Anthony Valdes. Southern was able to sit on their 1-0 lead for three more innings until they were able to build on the lead, thanks to two more runs. Freshman Malik Blaise scored one of the two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to bring the baseball
team lead to 3-0. It took another four innings for Southern to add to their lead and they scored for the final time in the bottom of the eighth. However they did an amazing job at holding the Panthers off in the final inning. The Jags took the first game by a score of 4-1, concreting their first win in nine games. Saturday proved to show a whole new team when the Jags came out and absolutely dominated Prairie View A&M. It didn’t take long for Southern to get started as they found themselves on the board early with one run lead in the bottom of the first inning. Southern held off PVAMU in the top of the second and then immediately poured it on them. The Jags managed to score a tremendous four runs in the bottom of the second. Grambling tried to bounce back in the following inning, but thanks to great defense by Southern, they were only able to score nine runs. When the Jags were back on offense, they scored three more runs to change the score to 13-4. Another win for the books.
Southern scored three more times to add to the lead, and only let the Panthers score once more. Southern finished out the game with a score of 16-5. Sunday was a little bit closer than the Jags would have liked, however, they were still able to pull away with the win. Southern started off strong when they were able to score five runs to make the score 5-0. However, the lead quickly diminished when the tigers were able to score in the top of the second inning. Southern was able to score profusely, however they kept letting the tigers score as well. In the bottom of the seventh, Southern lost the chance to build the lead when they left three men on base. However, they quickly bounced back and scored five runs to help close out the game in the bottom of the eighth. The boy’s baseball team is set to take on Loyola University on Tuesday, April 19, at Lee Hines Stadium. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:00pm.
Southern snaps SWAC Championship streak Alcorn claims top spot BY FELIX CUNNINGHAM DIGEST SPORTS EDITOR
For the first time in seven years, the Southern University women’s tennis team failed to capture their seventh championship ring during the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship tournament weekend on April 15-17, 2016. The defending champions have now become fighters. Since the inception of the championship circle in 1988, Southern has won 12 championships, more than any team in the SWAC than almost three times. Before 2010, it was volley on which team would capture the title but Southern soon began to sweep the series gallantly. As unnatural as this event is for Southern, Alcorn captured the SWAC title after toppling Southern 4-2 on April 16 then going on to send Jackson State to the same demise on the following day. The last time Alcorn State raised that championship banner was in 2008. Southern’s first opponent in the quarterfinals match was
Prairie View A&M in which the Lady Panthers became the first victims for the Lady Jaguars when losing 4-1. The Jaguars picked up the doubles point with wins by Laura Syori and Amanda Materre at No. 2 doubles 6-0 over the Panthers’ Trinity Randolph and Timara Maxwell. Southern also won at No. 3 doubles with a 6-1 victory by D’Jeri Raymond and Mia Kent over Shaddae Findley and Tatiana Ruhl. In singles action, Prairie View’s Staccy Lackey won 6-3, 6-2 over Mia Kent at No. 5 position. Southern’s Darnesha Moore defeated Sydney Thomas, 6-3, 6-1, at No. 2 singles while Amanda Materre defeated Trinity Randolph, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3 position. D’Jeri Raymond wrapped up the win with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Timara Maxwell at No. 6 singles. Their view to advancement for championship glory and the sweep was imminent until Southern met their demise. Alcorn State knocked off defending champions Southern, 4-2 to advance to the 2016 SWAC Women’s Tennis Tournament championship match. The Braves
advance to win against Jackson State. Alcorn State picked up the doubles point. Aida Kelic and Ivana Boberic won 6-4 at No. 2 doubles while their teammates Aakanksha Punj and Marline Maier defeated D’Jeri Raymond and Mia Kent, 6-1. In singles action, Southern picked up a point when Rufaro Chirewa defated Patricia Normand, 6-0, 6-3 at No. 4 position. The Jaguars Amanda Materre won 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, over Sibohan Ryan-Bovey at No. 3 singles. Alcorn State picked up victories at No. 2 when Ivana Boberic won 7-6, 6-3, over Darnesha Moore. The Braves’ Ekaterina Potapova defeated D’Jeri Raymond, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, at No. 5 singles, while Marlene Maier beat 6-7, 6-0, 6-1 Nicki Neal at No. 6 singles for the win. Amanda Materre and Rufero Chirewa were the only Jaguars to make the 2016 All Tournament Team while in previous years it was swaddled with Southern talent. Although Southern ends the season not becoming champions their 5-2 record in the SWAC proves that their season was an inept and most challenging one yet.
Rodgers named to NABC All-District Team
COURTESY SOUTHERN U. ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced the 2015-16 NABC Division I All-District teams and coaches. Selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC, these student-athletes and coaches represent the finest basketball players and coaches across America. Southern University guard Adrian Rodgers started in all 35 games for Southern and reigns as the teams leading scorer for the second consecutive season. The Atlanta, Ga. native averaged 16.6 points per game, third highest average in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. He ranked
first in FT% (.790), 3-pointers made (80) and 3-pointer per game (2.5) and Led SU in scoring in 19 games, including career high 30 points against Grambling. He scored game winning tip-in to send SU to NCAA Tournament with a 54-53 SWAC Tournament win. In 2016, Rodgers earned a first team All-SWAC selection and a All-tournament team selection and eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau at Southern. Located in Kansas City, MO, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group
to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s studentathletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www. nabc.com.
Courtesy: Christopher Jones, Chris Jones Photography
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Farewell My Friend Bryant leaves it all on the court BY SKYLER FRANKLIN DIGEST STAFF WRITER
When someone shoots a piece of paper from beyond the rim into the trash, they yell that timeless phrase, “Kobe”. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers has officially played his last game in the NBA. Kobe’s final game against the Utah Jazz had fans around the world grieving as if someone close to them had died. In fact, someone did die. The tenacious, entertaining snake, otherwise known as the “Black Mamba” played his last game at the Staples center on April 13. No one died literally, but figuratively fans around the nation grieved over a big loss. When Kobe played in his last game, a part of the NBA died. His legacy will be cherished forever. Why is he so important you ask? Well Mr. Bryant is the first guard to play 20 seasons and the first player to play 20 seasons with one franchise. He is a 17 time all-star, 11 time first team all NBA and has received five NBA titles during the span of his career while also leading the Olympic team USA to two gold medals. Not only was Bryant a scorer, but he was a defensive stopper as well. He is a 12-time defensive team and is ranked 14 all time in steals. Over the last 20 years Kobe Bryant has evolved the game of basketball. While he was just a senior in high school, Bryant was surrounded by a buzz that just couldn’t seem to be quite. Everyone wanted to know if he would start a college career or head straight to the NBA. In 1996, Bryant was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets as the thirteenth
overall draft pick, but was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers courtesy of Jerry Bus. This trade might have been the best decision in Bus’ career because Kobe led the Lakers to five NBA titles. Although Bryant is infamous for his cheating scandal, he has also changed the game of basketball and the City of Angels forever. He has two children with his wife Vanessa Bryant. Crazy how just a few years ago fans were chanting “MVP” when he shot free throws and now his career is over. His final game was played on April 13, 2016, which is also unofficially Black Mamba day. Kobe was given a tribute at almost every away game but none could compare to his last game at the Staples Center. Laker legends including Shaquille O’Neal, Phil Jackson, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom and Magic Johnson all congratulated Kobe on his accomplishments before he stepped foot on the court just one last time. Bryant scored 60 points against the Utah Jazz to lead the Lakers to a victory just one final time. The most cherishing moment was Kobe scoring 60 points in this game and he is one of the oldest players in the game to score that many points in a single game at that age. That impact made the fans roar for an eternity. He inspired many players from many generations and even initiated a change The Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant salutes the crowd after his final game, on into the hearts of players in the lockers. 13, 2016, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Bryant scored 60 points in After the game, Kobe spoke to crowd “I Wednesday,aApril 101-96 victory against the Utah Jazz. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS) can’t believe how fast these 20 years went by…” Fans cannot believe it either, for players of all time. ball always dribble in your court. the millennial, he is one of the greatest His legacy will live on forever, may the
Stay tuned in to all Southern University Sports VISIT: GOJAGSPORTS.COM
Don Green/DIGEST Southern University students gather outside the Smith-Brown Memorial Union for the candlelight vigil remembering their fellow students, Annette January and Lashuntae Benton.
Photos of Don Green/DIGEST Mother of Annette January, Dawn January, holds a framed memorabilia given by the Southern University Track Team in memory of her daugher.
Jade Foy/DIGEST Southern University students sign a banner for their fallen Jaguars Lashuntae Benton and Annette January at the candlelight vigil held on Tuesday, April 12 in the Student Union.
Bria Gremillion/DIGEST
Members of the Southern University Symphonic Band perform at the annual Academic Honors Day Awards program on Friday, April 16 in Seymour Gym.
Don Green/DIGEST Students during the “The State of the African American Millennial Professionals� held on Saturday, April 16 in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom.
Don Green/DIGEST SU Track Team members gathers prior to candlelight vigil to share memories of Annette January with her mother Dawn January. The Team released purple balloons in her honor.
the Week
Don Green/DIGEST Foy/DIGEST Southern University students enjoy a pick up flag football game onJade campus near the SU Mini Dome on Sunday, April 10.
Skyler Franklin/DIGEST Members of the Alpha Tau chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. strolling at their yard show, which was relocated to the ballroom due to inclement weather as apart of “May Week.”
Jade Foy/DIGEST Southern University Gospel Choir performs a rendition in honor of Lashuntae Belton and Annette January at the Candlelight Vigil held on Tuesday, April 12 in the Cotillion Ballroom..
Skyler Franklin/DIGEST Participants perform during the Mr. Crimson & Creme Pageant held on Wednesday, April 13 in F.G. Clark Activity Center.
Jade Foy/DIGEST Southern University students work it out during Jiggaerobics hosted by The Alpha Tau Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta on Monday, April 11 in the Intramural Complex.
Arts & Entertainment THE
Page 8 - Tuesday, April 19, 2016
SOUTHERN DIGEST
The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body since 1926
The State of the African-American Millennial Professionals Symposium Honoring Leaders of the New School
BY BRIA GREMILLION DIGEST NEWS EDITOR
The Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management honored students that successfully completed a leadership development program titled “The State of the African American Millennial Professionals Symposium: Honoring Leaders of the New School” on Saturday, April 16, at 10 am in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom of the Smith and Brown Memorial Union. Executive Director of Student Achievement and Retention Services, Dr. Vaneshette T. Henderson, spoke of how she felt there was a need for student development on campus. As freshmen, a student should be taught the proper speaking, communication and networking skills to carry into their sophomore, junior and senior years. Henderson wants students to understand the importance of leadership upon completion of the program. “A leader is a doer, a thinker, a believer, an encourager,” said Henderson. Students were given certificates and participated in a pinning ceremony at the front of the ballroom as family, guests and supporters watched. “In order for you to be a leader, you have to be a servant as well,” finished Henderson. The symposium included two guest speakers that were invited to the University by Associate Dean of Students, Ryan E. Tucker. The first speaker, Rachel Scott, is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California and is a producer for ABC News. Scott shared with the audience her story to success. Some words of encouragement that the producer shared with the future leaders were to embrace all failures, say yes to the smallest opportunities that you may have interest in because they may lead to larger
Bria Gremillion/DIGEST Policy Advisor for STEM Education, Innovation and Diversity to the U.S. Chief of Technology Officer for the White House, Dr. Marvin D. Carr delivers a speech at “The State of the African-American Millennial Professionals Symposium” on April 16 in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom of the Student Union. opportunities and how important it is to take advantage of all opportunities offered in our present environment. “You have to believe that every mishap, every stumble, every failure is leading you closer to your future. Trusting that approach has truly made all of the difference in my life,” said Scott. Pre-Nursing Sophomore, Darrian Favorite of Edgard, Louisiana was an honoree at the Symposium and spoke of how much she enjoyed the speakers. “They gave their experiences and I like the fact that they
Bria Gremillion/DIGEST ABC News Producer Rachel Scott gives a speech to students during ‘The State of the African-American Millennial Professionals Symposium” on April 16 in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom of the Student Union.
weren’t afraid to tell us their failures because now I understand that failing helps people become better,” said Favorite. The second speaker of the ceremony was the Policy Advisor for STEM Education, Innovation and Diversity to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer for the White House, Dr. Marvin D. Carr. A graduate of Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, the 28-year-old began his speech with the question, “What is the difference between
equality and equity?” Carr spoke of how important it is as a millennial born between 1980 and 2000; we must set the foundation for younger generations. We must fight for equity for our people which is defined as fairness or justice in the way people are treated. Carr also spoke of how as young leaders, it is important to be prepared for any
See SYMPOSIUM page 10
Emojis: Just another way to miscommunicate? BY ROCHELLE OLSON
STAR TRIBUNE (MINNEAPOLIS)
Smiling eyes might by lying eyes. University of Minnesota researchers have found that anthropomorphic emojis, like language, can get lost in translation, causing significant misunderstandings. This happens two ways. There’s the technical translation glitch. What’s sent as a smiling face from a Google Nexus would appear as a frown on the recipient’s Apple iPhone and vice versa. Then there’s the human component: People interpret identical emojis differently. Hannah Miller, a third-year Ph.D. student is part of the university’s GroupLens research lab and posted the findings on the GroupLens blog. Miller said she researches humancomputer interaction, studying how to design technology to improve quality of life and social interaction. To demonstrate the study’s findings, Miller’s blog post showed how the “grinning face with smiling eyes” appears across 10 platforms. The emoji is varied. Some show teeth. Some mouths are open while others are just a straight line. Some have open eyes while others are closed. The corners of the lips are turned up on some while others are turned downward.
Researchers have found that anthropomorphic emojis, like language, can get lost in translation, causing significant misunderstandings. (Screenshot/TNS)
To study how emoji diversity can cause miscommunication, Miller and the researchers used five of the 22 most popular human-appearing emojis. They asked participants to describe the emoji in words and assess their personal emotional reaction as well. “We found that in many cases, there is quite a bit of potential for miscommunication,” Miller wrote. For example, the grinning face with smiling eyes from Apple’s iPhone to a Windows phone, Samsung, LG or Nexus, is sent as “mildly negative emoji” but will be received as a “relatively positive one,” the study found. Researchers had recipients rank the emojis on a scale of negative 5 to positive 5 in terms
of emotional response. For 9 of the 22 emojis tested, the average difference in emotional rating between two platforms was greater than two points. People also described emojis differently. When seeing an Apple emoji of a person raising both hands in celebration, people described it as “stop” and “clap.” When describing Google’s version of the same character, people used “praise” and “hand,” Miller wrote. Miller said the finding that “really surprised” researchers was that a “good deal of the potential for miscommunication may come from different interpretations of the exact same emoji rendering.” In other words: people see things differently. Here’s the kicker: Whether people use the same platform and see the same emoji or whether they see different emojis, the variance in emotional interpretation is almost identical. On the -5 to +5 scale, researchers found that the sender and receiver will differ an average of 2.04 points in terms of reaction to the emoji _ when the image is translated across platforms. However, even within the same platform, say comparing Apple to Apple reactions, the
average difference is 1.88 points. In her comments, Miller pointed out that some scholars argue that emoji use represents a seismic shift in language, so understanding its role in human communication is important in developing the next generation of technology. The idea for the study started germinating when Miller noticed that an emoji she saw on Facebook wasn’t identical to what she saw on her phone. “That’s kind of an important thing,” she said in an interview. “I think people aren’t aware of it and now they can realize someone on the other side isn’t seeing what they’re seeing.” Co-author Isaac Johnson said the students had fun with the study. “It really caught our imagination,” he said. The study involved 304 people in various pairings to replicate how reactions would differ in two-way conversations. The ultimate goal is to make life better for humans, Miller said. The paper on the research will be published as part of the 2016 AAAI International Conference on Weblogs and Social Media in Cologne, Germany, next month. The GroupLens lab is part of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
Arts & Entertainment THE
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Movie Review Barbershop 3: The Next Cut BY JADE FOY
DIGEST STAFF WRITER
The highly anticipated star cinema film Barbershop 3: The Next Cut was released this past Friday, April 15, 2016 in all major theaters, and if you’re looking for a laugh and a lesson, I highly recommend you go see it. It was produced featuring actor Ice Cube, Robert Teitel, who produced the previous Barbershop movies, and George Tillman Jr, who produced movies such as “Soul Food”, and “The Longest Ride”. Barbershop 3 features some of the actors that were featured in the previous Barbershop films such as Eve, and Cedric The Entertainer, but it also features some surprising new actors such as Regina Hall, and Anthony Anderson, and Rappers Nicki Minaj, Tyga and Common. This movie sends a powerful message to both old and young generations. Though the previous Barbershop movies were about a black owned barbershop and the trials and tribulations of owning a business in an “Urban” area and keeping it open, this one differs. It was filmed in Chicago; Illinois where crimes such as street violence claim many African American lives. A point that is focused on Chicago but it seems to be a national message to people everywhere.
Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer and Common in “Barbershop: The Next Cut” (Chuck Zlotnick/Warner Bros. Entertainment and Metro-Goldwin Mayer)
Barbershop brings up valuable points such as black on black violence, marriage in the black community and even relationship standards in the African American Community. The movie also reached out specifically to the younger audiences teaching them the lesson in a more comedic way of just watching and listening. Following the release of the film, some individuals have disagreed with the way Ice Cube went with the plot of this movie and how he addressed the
situations, others, however thought he did a good job portraying those problems we as African Americans have today that aren’t really being solved. Despite its controversy, This movie should inspire you to make a change in your community and the problems that are occurring, at home, school, work, and even personal issues. Personally, after reviewing this movie I felt the need to help and change the problems that occur in and around me,
especially here at Southern University and A&M College. We have to take more pride in the area we visit and live in everyday. Once again I highly recommend that you see this film because it gives you drama and comedy while focusing your attention to the main focus of what is being said. Not many movies send messages like these nowadays, and you have to give credit where credit is due. It’s also family friendly.
April: Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Awareness Month BY TREVOR MOORE DIGEST A&E EDITOR
April has been nationally recognized as Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Awareness Month. A STD is an infection that can be transmitted through sexual contact with an infected individual. STDs can be transmitted during vaginal or other types of sexual intercourse including oral and anal sex. STDs have been around in the medical world since the 18th and 19th centuries. Before then, there were no modern medicinal advances to decrease the spread of these diseases, and there was also a lack of awareness and understanding of treatments available. In earlier times the most known medicinal aids used were Mercury, Arsenic and Sulphur. Sulphur was frequently used to treat venereal diseases, which resulted in a large sum of deaths because of mercury poisoning. A few years later STDs became a serious matter to lots of individuals, so serious in the second half of the 19th century, the Contagious Diseases Act was passed in order to arrest and treat suspected prostitutes, and other individuals that were purposely and carelessly spreading diseases. In the early 20th centuries,
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV infection, and one in eight doesn’t know they have it. (Fotolia)
more medicinal advancements for STDs started to be found as more new discovered diseases began to increase. In the early 20th Century, the discovery of penicillin and other antibiotics led to an effective cure of bacterial STD, but other diseases such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), were left with no cure even to this date. One might ask, “Who is exactly at risk?” Well anybody who has engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse or contact is at risk of transmitting an STD. There is a higher risk rather, in
certain groups such as drug abusers, those with multiple sex partners, and those partners who have had multiple sex partners. Once you feel as if you have symptoms of an STD, it is strongly recommended that you receive medical attention. Some of the symptoms of an STD include, Discharge from the penis or vagina, itching around the genitalia, pain experienced during sexual intercourse or while urinating, sores and pain in those practicing oral sex with an infected person, and even fever, weakness, body and muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes. There are a variety of organisms
that are STDs, they include hepatitis B, herpes complex and human papilloma virus (HPV), gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. All of these diseases though not all curable, are treatable. If you are diagnosed with these diseases, or feel as if you or anyone else has these diseases or symptoms of these diseases, please refer or visit the nearest physician, and ask questions about diagnosis, medicine, and other aids to assist you. The most effective assistance is to educate yourself as well as others, on the history, causes, and symptoms, of these diseases.
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SOUTHERN DIGEST
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SYMPOSIUM from page 8
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disadvantages one may face because he is African-American, especially upon entering the work force. “The most important thing is that you reach back to your neighborhood and you encourage others the same way,” said Carr. Freshman Mass Communication major and Sophomore Class President Elect, Anthony Kenney of Baton Rouge attended the program and also spoke of how much he enjoyed both presentations. “They talked about being a leader, how to prosper as a leader, how to learn from failure, how to stay in success and how to keep growing as a leader,” stated Kenney.
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 “Yeah, like that’s gonna happen” 5 “That’s clear now” 9 Honored with a big bash 14 New Jersey or California city 15 French champagne maker founded in Germany 16 Bakery lure 17 Maximum impact 19 Olympic racer since 2008 20 Staggering dizzily 21 Get dizzy 23 “__ out!” 25 Suffix with switch 26 DJ’s stack 27 Accessory for note-taking 31 __ Wiedersehen 33 Lang. of Florence 34 Close pal 40 Slush __ 41 JFK overseer 42 Food Network’s “Beat Bobby __” 43 Healthy, with “in” 47 IRS agent 48 Ukr. neighbor 49 Softball of a question 51 Little newt 54 Pokes fun at 57 Baseball : ump :: football : __ 58 Beach footwear 61 British elevators 65 What the suffix “phile” means 66 Achilles’ heel 68 Stood 69 Italian automaker since 1899 70 Melt fish 71 Tentative bite 72 Airing, as a sitcom 73 Safecracker DOWN 1 __ Romeo: sports car 2 Like lemons 3 Doing nothing
4/19/16
By Bruce Haight
4 Office cabinet document holder 5 Texter’s “If you ask me” 6 Browse websites 7 Oscars host, e.g. 8 Mideast VIP 9 British Invasion nickname 10 Humorist Bombeck 11 Poisonous 12 Correct, as text 13 Game that drives home a point? 18 Envelope part 22 Pumpernickel buy 24 U.K. fliers 27 Annoy 28 Storage case for tiny scissors 29 “Death in Venice” author Thomas 30 Senseless 32 Six for you, six for me, e.g. 35 Posed 36 Bit of folklore 37 Giggly Muppet 38 Tandoori bread 39 Physics unit
Monday’s Puzzle Solved
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44 On the house 45 Disney’s “__ and the Detectives” 46 Place for a hoop 50 Get bought up quickly 51 Key above D 52 Fauna’s partner 53 Records for later, in a way 55 Super, at the box office
The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body since 1926
4/19/16
56 Where rain falls mainly on the plain 59 Bothersome insect 60 Doc’s “Now!” 62 Santa’s access 63 Zesty flavor 64 Loot 67 Off-road transport, briefly
Commentary
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Tuesday, ApriL19, 2016 - Page 11
Will the administration please sit down BY ITHALYNN BROOKS DIGEST STAFF WRITER
Will administration please sit down? Due to further investigation I have found out that the lack of employee raises and misuse of institutional funds runs far deeper than I thought. The insight I gained was very eye opening. The fact still remains that waters don’t run too deep. Most people including myself assumed that the Board of Supervisors were the ones getting the large salaries but in reality, the pay isn’t that much. The Southern University System is made up of a hierarchy. It is stack up like this because the Board of Regents are over everything, including the Board of Supervisors, the President Chancellor and least important the administrative staff who are more like secretaries “aka” underlings. Like with the governor of Louisiana and the President of the United States, these people get paid large salaries. When John Bel Edwards was elected governor, he was questioned for the raises that he approved for his administrative staff after blaming Bobby Jindal for the same practice. According
to governor Edwards, it cost to keep a top notched staff. The only problem with this is when you have a Ph.D. with 20 years of experience making $40,000 a year and a person who has a bachelor’s degree making twice or three times that amount this practice becomes questionable. I still stand by the fact that the Board of Supervisors needs to stand up and reevaluate and reformate the system. Whoever is getting the pay raises, are the people who never teach a class or contribute to the everyday operations of the campus. No one knows who they are or what they do. To me this is worst then the Board of Supervisors receiving raises. These people are the lowest in the system organization. Our faculty and staff who haven’t seen a raise in almost eight years are the ones that deserve the pay raises. If you work at Walmart, you get a raise every year. We as students have to stand by them because they are the ones teaching us every day and providing us with the training we will need in our chosen fields. How can they provide us with the best education if their morale is low. So we have to start demanding the best and ask how are the ones in the big house aka the J.S. Clark Administrative Building
Lives, Guns & Solutions BY PORCHA MATEN DIGEST STAFF WRITER
Stop the violence, increase the peace…has the violence finally reached home for some or has it become a reality for others? On Sunday, April 10th there were two lives lost to gun violence. Southern University students, Lashuntae Benton and Annette January, left the world too soon. Benton and January were killed by gun shots intended for someone else. The two were young and had full lives ahead of them; leaving empty spaces in the hearts of their family and friends that will never be filled. Our fellow Jaguars Benton and January lost their lives just doing what college students do, hanging out with friends. They were both attending a birthday party when shots were fired. Although the details of the incident are unclear, the fact remains that the decisions of a few impacted the lives of many forever. Frivolous arguments shouldn’t end in bloodshed. We all should have the opportunity to go out for a little fun and make it home safely. I remember my early years of college and how exciting they were. Sure I saw fights but there was never an incident involving guns, resulting in innocent lives lost. I did not know these young
ladies personally but my heart goes out to their family. It is not fair that someone could not control their emotions. It is not fair that Benton and January didn’t make it back home. When parents send their children off to college, they expect them to return home with degrees in hand, not return in body bags. This has to be the worst news a parent can ever hear about their child, and IT IS NOT FAIR. I’ll also take issue with our local media. Was it important to name the alleged shooter as a former Southern University football player? Does attaching him to our football team help us get justice? No, it was irrelevant for the public to know. The university lost two students, but the media was yet again trying to tarnish the name of our beloved university. Gun violence is plaguing our streets and it needs to stop. Guns do not kill people; people who pull the trigger do. We have those who want to make stronger gun laws and others who want to keep it the same. How do we keep guns out of the wrong hands? What happened to the days of using your fists rather than guns? Moreover, what happened to just talking things out.
are spending the funds. I said in my previous article since they combined the offices of President Chancellor, why can’t they combine some of these administrative positions or why do they need such a large administrative staff in the first place? With the budget crisis that the state of Louisiana is dealing with and the problems that need fixing on campus like the elevators in the library, instead of giving unnecessary people pay raises and investing in a $12 million on a building project, the system needs to fix what’s already broken. We need the leadership of someone like former President, Delores Spikes, who was one of the best presidents that cared more about the students and the university then her own personal gain. This is what Smith and Brown were fighting for when they were killed on this campus. That is why the union is named after them. Southern needs to take many lessons from the man we are taught to learn about every black history month, Mr. Booker T. Washington. Stop spending money you don’t have on unimportant things and fix what is already broken. Selfsacrifice is the lesson of the day.
SUMMER 2016 ACADEMIC CALENDAR DATE(S)
ACTIVITY
May 25 - June 3 (W-F)
Book Vouchers
May 30 – June 3 (M-F)
Registration For All Students
June 3 (F)
Residence Halls Open Residential Students Report to Campus Housing, 9:00am–4:00pm Tuition and fees must be paid in full prior to moving into the residence halls.
June 3 (F)
Non-Payment Purge, 5:00 p.m.
June 4 (Sa) June 6 (M)
Late Fee Assessment Begins CLASSES BEGIN
June 6 - 14 (M-T)
Attendance Reporting Period (NS/SH)—Students who do not report to classes during this period will have their classes removed and financial aid reduced or cancelled.
June 10 (F)
Final Day to Add Courses for Credit and Change Sections
June 10 (F)
Deadline for Paying Fees for Summer 2016
July 4 (M)
Independence Day Holiday
July 5 (T)
Classes Resume: 8:00 a.m.
July 15 (F)
Deadline for Withdrawing from Classes or from the University
July 22 (F)
Last Day of Classes
July 25- 26 (M-T)
FINAL EXAMINATION PERIOD
July 29 (F)
Final Grades due to Registrar’s office by 5:00 p.m.
August 1 (M)
Final Grades posted and viewable on the Web for All Students by 12:00 p.m.
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