The All State SPECIAL SUMMER EDITION
PHOTOS BY THE ALL STATE STAFF
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Summer 2015
Quiñones featured as Unity keynote » By SEAN MCCULLY News Editor
Photo by Jonanthan Bunton APSU President Alisa White addresses the crowd in Mabry Concert Hall on March 23, 2015 after being officially installed as the 10th president of APSU. Guests from across the university, state and country attended the inauguration.
becomes 10th president of APSU By Chelsea Leonard and Sean McCully The All State
APSU inaugurated its 10th president, Alisa White on Monday, March 23, in a heap of praise and well wishes from those inside the Mabry Concert Hall. President of APSU’s Faculty Senate Mercy Cannon served as the master of ceremonies, which included Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, university presidents from across the Tennessee Board of Regents and friends and colleagues of
White’s. Student Government Association President Zac Gillman began greetings from campus and community leaders by recounting his initial impression of White at the beginning of his term as SGA president. Gillman said he quickly learned White’s enthusiasm for education was contagious, and feels she is a great fit for APSU.
See PRESIDENT, on Page 4
John Quiñones, ABC News correspondent and host of “What Would You Do?,” stressed to students the importance of race equality and journalism and shared anecdotes during his visit to APSU on Wednesday, April 1. Quiñones was the 13th speaker of the annual Unity Celebration, with past speakers including Soledad O’Brien, who spoke in 2014, Robert F. Kennedy, who spoke in 2011, and Giancarlo Esposito, who spoke in 2004. He is originally from San Antonio, Texas,
and though his family has lived there for seven generations, Quiñones said he is still seen as an immigrant. “They saw me as just another Mexican kid … with no chance of making it in college. They judged me by the color of my skin and the accent in my voice,” Quiñones said. A student asked what Quiñones’ thoughts were on what he referred to as “social media activism.” “I think the more information you get out the better, you just have to consider the source,” Quiñones said. Aproximately 330 students attended Quiñones’ address. TAS
APSU adopts new policy, includes veterans, LGBT » By SEAN MCCULLY Assistant News Editor
APSU announced the adoption of a new nondiscrimination statement on Monday, April 27, which includes members of the LGBT community. The updated Notice of Nondiscrimination reads, “APSU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin,
sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/ expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities sponsored by APSU.” The Notice of Nondiscrimination can be found at the bottom of every APSU webpage. “The
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Summer 2015
APSU Child Learning Center celebrates 25 years
Summer 3
APSU to acquire Jenkins and Wynne lot » By DAVID HARRIS Staff Writer
APSU is working toward acquiring the Jenkins and Wynne Honda dealership property for further expansion of campus. Roughly one year ago, Jenkins and Wynne approached the university with plans to relocate the dealership, asking if APSU would be interested in buying the property. In October 2014, the proposed property acquisition was submitted to the Tennessee Board of Regents, then the State Building Commission approval was secured in December 2014. While there are currently no specific plans for the property, APSU will discuss options with key stakeholders and develop a plan based on campus priorities. “Our new Vice President for Advancement, Communication and Strategic Initiatives [Derek van der Merwe] will guide the campus community through a strategic planning process, and the resulting plan will serve as a guide to the property development,” said President Alisa White. White said the priorities right now are to develop the Jenkins and Wynne property, then build a fine arts building that
complements the Trahern Building. She said if the state legislature approves Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposed budget, APSU will be able to begin construction on the fine arts project in the fall. The process of purchasing the Jenkins and Wynne property will take time, said Vice President for Finance and Administration Mitch Robinson. First, “a request is submitted to the TBR requesting approval to acquire property,” Robinson said. “TBR submits the request to the SBC for consideration and approval. A phase one environmental survey is performed, and, in some cases, such as this one, a phase two environmental survey is also performed. The State Department of General Services, Real Estate Division, secures an appraisal from a State Certified Real Estate Appraiser, an option to purchase the property is executed with the seller, a land survey is obtained, a closing date is determined, and the transaction to acquire the property is completed.” Until the appraisal is completed and the option is signed, it is unknown what the property’s total cost will be. “[This purchase] is the opportunity of a lifetime,” White said. TAS
FOLLOW THE ALL STATE! The Child Learning Center held an event to celebrate its 25th anniversary on Tuesday, Jan.27. The CLC offers certified child care to APSU students, staff and faculty. DANI HUNTER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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New policy: Change welcomed by GSA, others CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
addition of LGBT groups is long overdue from APSU’s nondiscrimination policy,” said President of the GayStraight Alliance, Dani Hunter. “There are still things to do to improve these relations, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.” The original Nondiscrimination statement did not protect
employees or students on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or status as a protected veteran, and this new statement attempts to break down these forms of discrimination. Additionally, all university publications are required to include the new nondiscrimination statement. TAS
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This is definitely a step in the right direction.” — Dani Hunter, president Gay-Straight Alliance
PRESIDENT: Colleagues, friends welcome new leader with praise, hope from page 2
“I know this university is on the verge of something great. … Dr. White, you are that something,” Gillman said, whose remarks served as a prelude of what became high praise during the inauguration remarks. Among the many speakers who welcomed White, one common theme arose: White’s commitment to community at APSU. Brandon Harrison, president of the National Alumni Association, said White has a “passion for fostering community at APSU.” Joel Wallace, Clarksville Mayor Pro Tem, lightened the formal tone of the proceedings by comparing APSU’s relationship with the community to a Reese’s peanut butter cup. “Peanut butter is good. Chocolate is good. Put the two of them together, its really good. Here’s to a bright future with two great tastes that taste great together,” Wallace said. APSU is unique in its proximity to Fort Campbell and White has worked alongside Garrison Commander Col. David Dellinger to continue to facilitate the relationship between the post and APSU. “She’s not once been afraid to climb in the foxhole with us,” Dellinger said of White. Not only did White receive accolades for commitment, but for diligence. Previous colleague and mentor, Rodney Mabry, president at University of Texas at Tyler who nominated White for the presidency at APSU, said, “Alisa White is not afraid of hard work.” Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam attended the event to welcome and encourage White’s new position. He had a positive opinion on the current standard APSU sets for colleges in Tennessee. “We can’t think of a more important time to be involved in higher education or a more important university,” Haslam said. White addressed the crowd after receiving the presidential medallion, expressing gratitude. “To whom much is given, much is required. I have been given much. I am honored,” White said.
Photos by Bailey Jones ABOVE: John Morgan, chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents and APSU alumnus, congratulaties Alisa White after administering the oath of office March 23, 2015, officially installing White as the 10th president of APSU. BELOW: Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam shakes hands with APSU President Alisa White after delivering remarks, congratulating her on her inauguration.
Methodist Campus Minister the Rev. Jodi McCullah delivered the invocation. Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Jaime Taylor spoke favorably of the future of APSU in White’s term as president for the years to follow. Taylor also issued the formal charge to White, which was “to continue to nurture the culture that has helped Austin Peay become a national leader. “Use your vast knowledge of and experience in higher education to help APSU leverage the positive, cooperative environment we have. Help us leverage the can-do attitude and the willingness to take risks is at our core.” Taylor was confident and optimistic as White took his charge. “With Alisa White as our president, there is no doubt the best is yet to come,” Taylor said. TAS
Summer 2015
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APSU comes together in day of service Hundreds join effort to provide thousands of meals to children in 70 countries » By ELENA SPRADLIN Staff Writer
APSU joined forces with Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian organization that sends food to over 70 countries worldwide, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy on Friday, Jan. 30. A total of 530 volunteers participated to create 531 boxes of food, or 114,696 meals, for children in Africa, exceeding the original goal of 100,000 meals. The program was made possible by funding from the APSU Diversity Committee and an E^3 grant that Fonda Fields, director of Human Resources, applied for. Ty Jesinoski, coordinator for Programs and Special Events, knew of Feed My Starving Children because it is based in his home state Minnesota. “The response from the APSU community was slow at first,” Jesinoski said. “Mostly because I doubt many people heard of Feed My Starving Children before. But once we started to get closer to the event and with some help from President Alisa White sending out e-mails, the response from the APSU community was great, and [it] turned out to be a fantastic event.” Planning for the event first began last fall. Professor of English and Chair of the Diversity Committee Barry Kitterman said although the committee has wanted to hold an event celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. for years, planning has been a problem since the holiday is at the beginning of the spring semester. Fonda began communicating with Feed My Starving Children early enough, however, that they were able to successfully coordinate the event. Feed My Starving Children arrived on campus Thursday, Jan. 29, with a semi-trailer of
MEGAN ENDSLEY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
bulk food in tow. Bags of rice exceeding 500 pounds were lifted out of the truck with a forklift. Throughout the evening, the APSU football team assisted in setting up the Foy Fitness Center, and on Friday, the food was organized into packages designed to provide a meal for six people. “Most of our volunteers were simply individual students who showed up one by one when they heard about the program,” Kitterman said. “At our first session, several of the campus police officers came to work. At our final session, President White worked at my table to seal the bags of food.” TAS
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Roberts elected SGA president Voter turnout jumps to highest total since 2012 » By SEAN MCCULLY Assistant News Editor
Chief Justice Will Roberts was elected as the 2015-16 Student Government Association president, announced at the ratification ceremony on Thursday, April 2. Student involvement in SGA elections increased from previous years, with 1,079 total votes cast. Student participation has not exceeded 1,000 votes since 2012, when 1,726 votes were cast. The 2015 elections saw more student involvement than four of the last six years. Roberts ran unopposed for SGA president, though 21 additional candidates appeared as write-ins in the election results. Roberts
won with 836 of the 872 eligible votes. Ankit Patel was elected SGA vice president with 422 of the 961 eligible votes. Faith Merriweather was elected executive secretary with 544 of the 945 eligible votes. Frank Burns was elected sophomore senator with 653 of the 857 eligible votes. Artrice Pray was elected junior senator with 284 of the 896 eligible votes. Dominik Shannon was elected senior senator with 389 of the 928 eligible votes. In the College of Science and Mathematics, Dominic Critchlow, Dylan Kellogg and Peter Ponce were elected senators with 430, 362 and 305 votes, respectively. In the College of
Education, Zach Puckett, Lydia Bullock and Jay Alvarez were elected senators with 481, 458 and 427 votes, respectively. In the College of Business, Darrin Jones, Trey Norman and Evelyn Wingett were elected senators with 778, 31 and 22 votes, respectively. In the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, Blaine Gunderson, Glenna Beaty and Mark Brown were elected senators with 394, 377 and 364 votes, respectively. In the College of Arts and Letters, Ari Ruiz, Jonathan Johnson and Brittany Meyer were elected senators with 482, 462 and 380 votes, respectively. TAS
ROCK THE VOTE APSU students set record for highest voting turnout since 2012.
297 1,079 21 18 total eligible votes cast in the Spring 2015 Election.
Student senators elected to represent APSU colleges and classes.
more votes cast than in 2014.
write-ins for president.
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Summer 2015
Rex Gandy named provost Gandy fills full-time slot last held by Jaime Taylor » By CANDICE SNOW Special to The All State
TAYLOR SLIFKO | PHOTO EDITOR
President Alisa White announced on Tuesday, Feb. 24, that Rex Gandy would serve as APSU’s new provost effective Monday, June 1. The provost is responsible for all things academic, and in the instance that the president is unavailable, the provost is required to fill in as the acting president. Gandy was selected from a pool of four candidates including Dwight Watson, Joseph Bessie and Paul Starkey. Gandy earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in physics from the University of Memphis and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Texas at Austin. He has held positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Auburn University, the University
of Idaho, the University of Southern Mississippi and Texas A&M UniversityKingsville. Gandy initially decided to apply for the provost position due to “the fine reputation of APSU for academic excellence.” “I am excited to be joining the APSU family,” Gandy said. “During my interview, I was impressed with the quality of the faculty, staff and students.” When asked what he would like to focus on in the future, Gandy said, “I think enrollment growth and improvement in student success will be two important areas of emphasis.” Gandy will follow Jaime Taylor, who has served as interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs for the past two years. TAS
APSU joins community in support of Fort Campbell White, van der Merwe speak against downsizing » By MARINA HEAD Features Editor
President Alisa White and Athletics Director Derek van der Merwe represented APSU’s concerns about military downsizing at the Fort Campbell listening session on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
The session was held to address questions about downsizing the military personnel at Fort Campbell and to allow citizens from the surrounding areas to speak to Director of Force Management Brig. Gen. Roger Cloutier in support of CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
APSU President Alisa White speaks at Fort Campbell listening session on Tuesday, Jan. 20. MARINA HEAD | FEATURES EDITOR
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Summer 2015
Fort Campbell CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6
retaining the Fort Campbell soldiers. In her speech, White focused on the support APSU has previously given the soldiers at Fort Campbell. She referenced the Fort Campbell campus where APSU offers eight-week courses to support the soldiers’ schedules with 43 full-time personnel. “The Army is not just welcome here, the Army is embraced,” White said. White spoke about awards APSU has been given, saying APSU’s ROTC is one of the best in the nation. She also referenced the specialized education soldiers can receive, such as a Bachelor’s in criminal justice with a focus on homeland security. One of the goals of the listening session was for the speakers to show how Fort Campbell is different from the other bases that might suffer from the drawdown. “The difference here is that Fort Campbell, the surrounding community and APSU are so integrated and interwoven that all would lose, given a drawdown here,” White said. “APSU would not be as strong as it is right now, Clarksville would not be as strong as it is right now, and, frankly, the Army would not be as strong as it is right now if Fort Campbell were to suffer that drawdown.” Van der Merwe spoke of how the APSU football team auctioned their camouflage football jerseys and donated
$8,000 in proceeds to Wounded Warrior Project. More than 1,500 people attended the listening session, with many overflowing from the Family Resource Center into Cole Park Commons and Wilson Theatre. As of 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21, there had been over 1,600 viewers on the Cube, which streamed the event online. Hundreds of attendees were reportedly turned away at the gate. The Department of Defense has already agreed on a reduction from 570,000 soldiers to 490,000. “Sequestration is the law of the land,” Cloutier said. “We have a mission to get to an Army end-strength of 920,000.” As for future cuts, Cloutier said definitive numbers would not be available until late spring or early summer. “No decisions have been made,” Cloutier said. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Kentucky Lt. Gov. Crit Luallen were also in attendance, with videos from several dignitaries, such as Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The mayors of Montgomery County, Clarksville and Hopkinsville were among various officials, business owners, veterans and other citizens of the area surrounding Fort Campbell who spoke at the event, which lasted late into the night. TAS
WELCOME TO APSU!
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‘Governor Peay X’ voted winner over ‘The Gov’, remains APSU mascot FILE PHOTO
“Governor Peay X,” pictured right, won the Mascot Challenge against “The Gov,” pictured left.
ABOUT US Morgan University Center, room 111 P.O. Box 4634, Clarksville, TN 37044 phone: 931-221-7376 fax: 931-221-7377 theallstate@apsu.edu allstateads@apsu.edu
Katelyn Clark, editor-in-chief Lauren Cottle, managing editor Taylor Hudgin, online editor Sean McCully, news editor Marina Head, features editor Glavine Day, sports editor
Elena Spradlin, perspectives editor Taylor Slifko, photo editor Nadia Nunez-Magula, advertising manager Elizabeth Clark, business manager Jake Lowary, adviser
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ABOUT THE ALL STATE The All State is published every Wednesday of the academic year, except during final exams and holidays. Letters to The Editor should include author’s full name, email and phone number, plus major and class, if applicable. Letters will be checked for authenticity and
should be received no later than 4 p.m. on Friday to be considered for publication. Letters may be edited for clarity and content, and should not exceed 300 words. The All State’s mission is to publish timely and pertinent news for the Austin Peay State University community. It serves as a voice
for the students and is entirely managed and produced by APSU students. The All State is not an official publication of Austin Peay State University. The views herein do not necessarily reflect those of The All State, APSU or the Tennessee Board of Regents.
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Van der Merwe promoted Van der Merwe steps down from athletic director position to take on role as VP » By SEAN MCCULLY Assistant News Editor
On Friday, March 13, President Alisa White announced that Athletics Director Derek van der Merwe will take the role of vice president of Advancement, Communications and Strategic Initiatives. He officially assumed the role on Wednesday, April 1. Van der Merwe served as deputy athletics director at Central Michigan University from 1997 to 2013, when he took the position of athletics director at APSU. The vice presidency was left vacant by Brian Johnson’s departure for the presidency of Tuskegee University for the 2014-15 academic year. Van der Merwe has served as APSU Athletics director since June 2013, following
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APSU current head basketball Coach Dave Loos’ resignation as Athletics Director in April 2013. “I have served in athletics for more than 18 years because of my passion for higher education and a responsibility to train and prepare students for life,” van der Merwe said. “This passion will continue as I serve the entire faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters of the university from my new role.” Van der Merwe’s appointment came soon after the naming of Rex Gandy as the new provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “Van der Merwe’s first priority will be to initiate the university strategic planning
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Post-Traditional Empowerment Conference Attend P-TEC. A conference for adult learners and students with children who want a successful and less stressful semester!
August 4th 2015 9:00a.m. to 3:30p.m. Registration open now
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Summer 2015
Fine arts building projected to start in fall Trahern will also get renovated Guest Writer
APSU is expecting the construction of a new fine arts building in fall 2015. Marc Brunner, director of Facilities Planning and Projects, said in February 2015 that the decision to build a new fine arts building stemmed from consensus by students, faculty and staff who claimed Trahern was no longer able to meet the needs of the campus. Senior theatre performance major Christian Jasper said it looks like Trahern is falling apart from the outside. He said he likes that there will be a new building. The new building will be used to provide space for the programs remaining in Trahern and provide new space and amenities in the new building. Built by the construction management company Turner Construction, the building will feature new studio spaces for 2-D art classes, a student and department gallery for displaying artwork, a recital space with seating for around 75, a graphic design computer studio, ample pin-up/critique spaces, a photo lab, faculty offices, student/faculty consult spaces, break-out meeting spaces and open-seating study areas. “The building is designed with the intent of maximizing faculty and student interaction,” Brunner said. “Anyone walking through the spaces will see a lot of activity and collaboration between
van der Merwe CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
process, which was deferred until a new provost and vice president for Academic Affairs was named,” President Alisa White said in an email announcing van
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» By DAVID HARRIS
It will be a very dynamic place.”
— Marc Brunner, director of Facilities Planning and Projects
students and faculty. The goal has been to create spaces that will bring the learning out of the classroom and into the public spaces for the whole campus community to see. It will be a very dynamic place.” Construction is expected to last for about one year, with Trahern being in renovation for six months. The construction budget is $16 million, and APSU was waiting for approval from the governor’s and legislature’s approval of the state budget to begin next fall. The state legislature approved Haslam’s budget in April 2015. Senior Marcus Erand said it is about time for a new fine arts building and that the space is 20 years overdue. Although he will have graduated by the time construction is finished, Erand said he will come back to campus to see the new building. “I think we need a new fine arts building,” said sophomore art major Danielle Marvel. “This one is fine, but I like to see what else they can do with it. I’d like a new one.” TAS
der Merwe’s assumption of the position. APSU is conducting a nationwide search for a new athletics director, with Assistant Athletics Director and Senior Women Administrator Cheryl Holt serving as interim athletics director. No announcement had been made of the new athletics director as of Thursday, June 4. TAS
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SGA FALL ELECTIONS SEPT. 8-10 TH AVAILABLE POSITIONS FRESHMAN SENATORS : GRADUATE SENATORS
INTERESTED IN RUNNING? APPLICATIONS CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.APSU.EDU/SGA LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD AND VOTE AT WWW.APSU.EDU
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« More than
500 registered
Summer 2015
« More than sites in the Clarksville area
« More than
20
1,000 combined man hours
volunteers
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THE BIG EVENT More than 500 volunteers serve 20 sites in Clarksville area in one day » By AALIYAH MITCHELL Guest Writer
The Big Event was held on Saturday, March 21, at more than 20 sites in Clarksville. More than 500 student volunteers met at the Foy Center to check in and have breakfast in the morning, left to their assigned sites for their service and met up again in the afternoon for lunch. “The event was a huge success,” said Student Government Association President Zac Gillman. “I believe the
Sig Ep fraternity wins award for academics Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity was awarded the Grand Chapter Scholarship Cup on Saturday Feb. 1. The Grand Chapter Scholarship Cup is presented to chapters ranking first in academic standings among fraternities on campus for an entire academic year. To receive such an award, a chapter must have a GPA above the all-campus average and maintain a 3.15 or higher for one semester
Big Event is a great event, but we must understand community service must not be done in one day out of the year. I hope this event will encourage more students to get involved with the Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement.” Students donned red shirts and went to various locations across the city to help out, including Fort Defiance, the Dunbar Cave State Park, the Riverside Drive Cleanup, the Teacher’s Warehouse, the APSU Victory Garden and the SOS Food Pantry. “Everyone’s got a good attitude,” said during the academic year.
ATΩ, XΩ both raise $22,000 for their philanthropies
Alpha Tau Omega raised $22,706 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital at their annual Jump for Jude event on Friday, April 10, 2015. The event includes Southern home cooking, live entertainment, corn-hole, inflatables and trampolines. Through an online donation page, Eta Tau has raised over $75,000 over seven years.
Garden Assistant Chris Upton. “Without volunteers like these guys, [the Victory Garden] wouldn’t happen.” The first Big Event was started by students from Texas A&M University in 1982 for students to give back to residents in their community rather than exclusively helping those in need of economic assistance as many existing service projects did. Zac Gillman brought the event to APSU for the first time this year. “I found out [the Big Event] was a major volunteer effort for students ... showing people we can all work together; … that
was probably my biggest reason for coming out,” said senior biology major Jennifer Kuhn, who worked at the Food Pantry for the event. “I think it’s amazing to get this many college students together at one time and [send] them out to where our community needs them.” Gillman said SGA “hopes this will become another signature event of APSU like our other events, G.H.O.S.T. and Mudbowl.” SGA is planning to host the Big Event again next year and aims for 750 students to sign up for the day of service. TAS
In April, Chi Omega sorority eclipsed $22,000 for Make A Wish foundation during its annual Wings for Wishes. The sorority annually hosts Wings for Wishes, a popular event that provides all-youcan-eat chicken wings.
Dodge Like a Champion is an annual dodgeball tournament ASA has hosted for five years to raise money for the Special Olympics of Tennessee.
A∑A raises $2,000 for Special Olympics of Tennessee
APSU’s Kappa Alpha Order fraternity accepted their Award of Distinction from the North-American Interfraternity Conference at their annual Gold Medal Banquet in Kansas City. This is one of many awards the chapter has obtained in recent years.
Alpha Sigma Alpha raised $2,687 for the Special Olympics during their Dodge Like a Champion event on Wednesday, April 15.
KA accepts Award of Distinction
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The All State ranks 4th in South APSU to host regional conference in Februrary 2016 Âť By SEAN MCCULLY Assistant News Editor
The All State won eight awards at the Southeastern Journalism Conference held at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Ga, from Thursday, Feb. 26, to Saturday, Feb. 28. In the Best of the South competition, which is judged by industry professionals over the course of the four months preceding the conference, The All State took home three awards. The All State as a whole placed No. 4 in the Best College Newspaper category, which is judged against more than 30 schools in the Southeast. In individual awards, Assistant Photo Editor Taylor Slifko
ranked No. 10 in the Best Press Photographer category and Assistant News Editor Sean McCully ranked No. 2 in the Best Multimedia Journalist category. The All State was also entered into various onsite competitions on GSU’s campus ranging from News Photography to Sports Writing, taking home five total awards. Multimedia Editor Katelyn Clark placed No. 3 in the Page Layout competition, Features Editor Lauren Cottle placed No. 2 in the News Writing competition, Staff Writer Megan Endsley placed No. 2 in the News Photography competition, and Slifko received an Honorable Mention in the Sports Photography competition. The All State as a whole placed
No. 3 in Onsite competitions. The Southeastern Journalism Conference is a conference held each year since 1987 at different universities throughout the Southeast. Twenty four universities from Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee had applied for conference membership by June 1986 before the first Southeastern Journalism Conference, held at the University of Alabama from Feb. 19, to Feb. 21, in 1987. APSU and The All State aim to continue the standard of excellence set by their predecessors when they host the Southeastern Journalism Conference in 2016. For more info on SEJC, visit www.sejc.org. TAS
Members of The All State won five onsite competiton awards on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Southeastern Journalism Conference in Atlanta, Ga. The All State Instagram
The All State is APSU.