April 27, 2017

THE APPALACHIAN

JUMPING FOR JOI PAGES 8-9 MERLEFEST PAGES 12-13 SENIOR GOODBYES PAGES 20-23

APR.

27 2017

April 27, 2017

THE TEAM Carl Blankenship @carl_r_blank EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITORIAL MULTIMEDIA BUSINESS

Aleah Warner @aleahwarner MANAGING EDITOR Victoria Haynes @victoriahayness CHIEF COPY EDITOR Sammy Hanf @sammyhanf NEWS EDITOR

Jacob Oller @ollerifyouhearme BUSINESS MANAGER Jordan Boles @jorddb MARKETING DIRECTOR

Olivia Wilkes @theappalachian ADVISER

Angelo Errico @angeloerrico821 OPINION EDITOR Lee Sanderlin @lee_sanderlin ENTERPRISE EDITOR Front cover: Courtesy of Jeff Clements

CRIME LOG

CAMPUS APRIL 25

1:40 a.m. | Drug Violation Lovill Hall Two students were arrested for possession of marijuana and Xanax

APRIL 24 7:00 a.m. | Vandalism Holmes Convocation Center Parking Lot Under investigation

APRIL 23 5:15 p.m. | Larceny Student Recreation Center Under investigation

APRIL 23 12:30 a.m. | Larceny Belk Library Complex Under investigation

APRIL 23 4:40 a.m. | Vandalism Peacock Parking Lot Under investigation

Halle Keighton @halle_keighton PHOTO EDITOR Maleek Loyd @maleekstuff VIDEO EDITOR Braxton Coats @brxcoats22 WEB MANAGER

Katie Murawski @murawskikm A&E EDITOR Jason Huber @realjasonhuber SPORTS EDITOR

Sydney Spann @spannooo VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR

APRIL 22 12:59 a.m. | Drug Violation Hoey Four students were arrested for possession of marijuana

APRIL 22 11:30 p.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol Justice Hall A student was arrested for underage consumption of alcohol

APRIL 22 9:55 p.m. | Vandalism Justice Hall Under investigation

APRIL 21 4:00 p.m. | Larceny Student Recreation Center Under investigation

APRIL 11 5 a.m. | Vandalism Dauph Blan Street Leads exhausted

SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS

App News is a service of the Division of Student Development. Email wilkeso@appstate.edu for submissions with subject line: APP NEWS PAGE. Submissions should not exceed 100 words and must include the event title, date/time, location and cost, and a contact email, phone and/or URL. Announcements will be edited as needed and will run as space allows. Preference is given for events that are free or have a nominal cost.

WHAT TO DO LEADERSHIP COACH Leadership Coaching is an opportunity for you to define your current skills and enhance your leadership ability. You will meet one-on-one with your Leadership Coach on a weekly or bi-weekly basis for one hour. Our coaches are professional staff and graduate students from a variety of backgrounds. They are experienced leaders and are passionate about coaching our next generation of great leaders.

Leadership can take place in the classroom, in campus clubs and organizations, in the community or in the workplace. Any ASU student who is currently in a leadership role or is interested in enhancing their leadership abilities is eligible!

Please complete the AppSync form to express your interest in Leadership Coaching. If you have questions about Leadership Coaching, please contact Dr. Jim Street at streetjl@ appstate.edu.

STRESS FREE ZONES Join Wellness and Prevention Services for a series of 3 Stress Free Zones! In preparation for final exams, we will offer FREE professional massages in partnership with Down To Earth Massage + Wellness. Join us in the Plemmons Student Union Solarium on May 1-3 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED WHILE DISCONNECTING The Office for Fraternity and Sorority Life is sponsoring a workshop Friday, April 28 2-3 p.m. in Beacon Heights, PSU. With the summer break fast approaching, we all are getting excited about the mental break and time away, potentially, from campus. Let the battle begin between our need for a vacation from the leadership responsibilities and the ever present need to get things done for the fall semester and ensure all is, and all are, taken care of.

Come join us for a workshop on boundary setting, time management skills when the calendar takes a breather, and learn how you can stay on top of your game and connected with the FSL happenings/Chapter business over the summer months. Trust us when we say we want you to enjoy some R & R too! Space is limited. Please RSVP on AppSync at https:// orgsync.com/90455/events/1903111/occurrences/4429610.

CUTTING TIES WITH THE TAGS

Union.

PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM WORKSHOP Introduction to Photovoltaic System Design & Construction Workshop: May 15-19. Get into the solar field with with this one week workshop! This 40-hour workshop will introduce participants to the fundamentals of solar energy, types of solar energy systems, system sizing principles, and the electrical and mechanical design of photovoltaic arrays. Early registration rate ends April 28. Visit energy. appstate.edu for more information.

UP LATE APP STATE “Up Late App State” is an experimental comic playground intended to make us laugh and think about issues, big and small. The show is produced, directed, and hosted by students on AppTV. Watch new episodes Monday through Friday at 10:30 p.m. and every night at midnight. AppTV programming is available on campus on Channel 23.3 and off campus on Spectrum Channel 198 and SkyBest Channels 20/1020. Visit the show’s Facebook page to catch the past episodes: https://www.facebook. com/uplateappstate/. Interested in contributing? Contact Dylan McMurry at mcmurrydk@ appstate.edu.

To finish out the semester, the Animal Welfare Club will be having a free vegan spaghetti dinner! Open to the public! Newcomers are always welcome! Wednesday, May 3 7:308:30 p.m. in Watauga River Room, Plemmons Student Union.

APP-SI presents shopping in a completely different way; with no numbers, no sizes, no stress! By removing the sizes and numbers, that are inconsistent from brand to brand, the experience of choosing clothes becomes about style, personality, and simply what feels good.

All items $5 or less! We will accept cash, cards and Venmo. Drop in whenever you like and look around! (All clothes not sold during this event will be donated afterwards.) Come join us for a fun, encouraging, body positive event! Thursday, April 27 4:30-7:30 p.m. in Blue Ridge Ballroom, Plemmons Student

THURSDAY, APRIL 27

FRIDAY, APRIL 28

SATURDAY, APRIL 29

Cutting Ties with the Tags

Intramural Color Fun Run

Golf For Grayson Charity Event

4:30-7:30 p.m.

Blue Ridge Ballroom, PSU

1 p.m.

Duck Pond Field $10

7:30 a.m.

Boone Golf Club $60

Stay Connected While Disconnecting

“Hidden Figures” Screening

2-3:30 p.m.

Beacon Heights, PSU

7 & 9:30 p.m.

I.G. Greer $1 advance, $2 door

FREE SPAGHETTI

GOLF FOR GRAYSON This year Pi Sigma Epsilon will be holding it’s 18th annual golf tournament on April 29, 2017 at Boone Golf Club. For the third year in a row, this tournament is dedicated to a former member of this organization who we lost too soon. The Grayson C. Huffman Memorial

Scholarship Fund is a scholarship for high school seniors that exemplify similar qualities of our beloved brother, such as his zeal for life and determination to succeed. For info, please visit PSE’s AppSync page.

FREE LEGAL ADVICE The Student Legal Clinic, in suite 324 in Plemmons Student Union, offers confidential advice, information, and referrals provided by a licensed attorney.

The attorney can meet with any currently enrolled Appalachian State student and can advise students on any issue that is not directly adverse to the university.

Make an appointment by calling (828) 2628284. More information at legalclinic.appstate. edu.

DON’T THROW IT AWAY Don’t Throw It Away is an annual event hosted

by ACT that aims at reducing the amount of trash that ends up in our landfills. By recycling our gently used goods, we can make a huge impact in our environment while turning trash into cash. We need YOUR help to collect donations around campus in order to have enough items to sell at our BIG Sale at the beginning of the year. Each time slot is two hours with a meal provided. Please bring closed toed shoes.

Sign up for volunteer slots on AppSync at https://orgsync.com/90450/events/1887603/ occurrences/4401183.

SUNDAY, APRIL 30

“Hidden Figures” Screening 7 & 9:30 p.m.

I.G. Greer $1 advance, $2 door

“Sleepy Hollow” Screening 7 p.m.

Greenbriar Theatre $1

“Hidden Figures” Screening 7 & 9:30 p.m.

I.G. Greer $1 advance, $2 door

MONDAY, MAY 1

TUESDAY, MAY 2

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3

Stress Free Zone

Stress Free with FIJI and DTD

Stress Free Zone

11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Solarium, PSU

11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sanford Mall

11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Solarium, PSU

Guided Meditation

Stress Free Zone

Peer Coaching

noon-1 p.m.

Rich Mountain Room, PSU

11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Solarium, PSU

noon-3 p.m.

International Hallway, PSU

LGBT+ Music Therapy Group

LGBTQIA+ Therapy Group

7-8 p.m.

Room 407, Broyhill Music Center

5:45-7 p.m.

LGBT Center

Animal Welfare Club Meeting Free Spaghetti!

7:30-8:30 p.m.

Watauga River, PSU

THURSDAY, MAY 4

April 27, 2017

NEW VICE CHANCELLOR FOR STUDENT DEVELOPMENT J.J. BROWN SAMMY HANF NEWS REPORTER

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.J. Brown left The Uni-

versity of Tennessee, where he spent over 15 years as both a student and administrator to work for Appalachian State University in 2010. He said the move was to “spread his wings” and add his skills in student development to a university where he already saw a strong commitment to the student experience.

Brown, the new Vice Chancellor for Student Development, said his parents never attended college but his grandmother whom he lived with as a child inspired a passion for higher education that led to him persisting through even the most trying times.

He faced a lot of challenges, coming from a working-class background and relying on a large network of extended family for support.

Brown said he almost had to drop out when his father had medical issues, only staying because of the support of the student development faculty at the University of Tennessee.

The support and encouragement he got from the student development staff then motivated Brown to work in higher education, specifically for his alma mater.

Maxine Thompson-Davis, Vice Chancellor of Student Development at the University of Tennessee, said she knew Brown as a student and was impressed with his willingness to go the extra mile.

Carson Rich, an intern in the office of student development and former

Appalachian SGA president, said Brown helped him through the series of deaths that rocked the campus a few years ago, pushing him to be his best even in the most trying situations.

Rich said he had a lot of conversations with Brown about counseling services, the product of which was converting space that was previously used for PO boxes to offices for counseling.

More than that, Rich said Brown encouraged him to open up and tell people what he was going through, supporting him by making himself available and truly being there for him.

“Some people just hear you. J.J. listens,” Rich said.

Brown said his own difficulties during his time at the University of Tennessee helped him to understand what students are going through and provide the appropriate level of challenge while also supporting them through those challenges.

Leroy Wright, interim vice chancellor for student development, said the most important thing about the job is genuine care and concern for students, something that he has personally seen in Brown while working with him.

“That’s the beauty of being in an educational framework and an educator is I think you’re always learning,” Brown said. “My grandmother passed away in September, and she was 95 when she passed away, would have been 96 this year, and the thing that I’ve always admired for as long as I can remember about her is that she’s always learning.”

J.J. Brown is the Dean of Students and Associate Vice Chancellor.

APP STATE STUDENT TYLER HARDIN ELECTED PRESIDENT OF UNCASG ANGELO ERRICO OPINION EDITOR

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or the 46th session of

the University of North Carolina Association of Student Governments, the UNC System’s 17 student body presidents, and each of their three delegates, elected Appalachian State University’s own Tyler Hardin as their new president.

After earning 75 percent of the votes, Hardin is now the sole student member of the UNC General Administration Board of Governors.

Hardin and his vice president, Elliot Jackson of Fayetteville State University, ran on the slogan “Listen to students.

Learn from students. Advocate for students.”

“For me I want to really ensure that members of the board and our president are accessible to students and are eager

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and actively listening to students across the system,” Hardin said.

Last year, Hardin served as the UNCASG VP for media outreach, where he used his “Powerful Voices” platform that he developed to inform the UNCASG members about news pertaining to their campuses, and allow a forum for students to have their voices heard by state and federal leaders.

The UNCASG advisor, Dr. Bethaney Meighen, said Hardin’s desire to advocate for all students is engaging and well-suited for the position.

Along with continuing to educate the 220,000 students about the association and its benefits like awarding student grants, Hardin is focusing on the Board of Governors’ accountability.

Hardin’s was inspired to run after he had a conversation with Chairman of the

Board Lou Bissette. Bissette told Hardin his only student interaction has been with the board’s student member since he took the position in 2015.

This next school year, the BOG is putting their new strategic plan into effect, which is adapting to meet five expectations: increasing access to public education and student diversity; affordable education that’s suited for all in the state; ensuring degree attainment, its value and its relevance; deepening partnerships among the 17 campus communities to strengthen the state’s economy; and having institutions focus on more specific, individual missions.

In addition to holding the board accountable for these goals, Hardin and Jackson plan to hold “Be the Change” (quoted from Mahatma Gandhi, who said, “Be the change you want to see in

the world”) town halls where Hardin and his team will go to each institution to hear student concerns directly across every spectrum.

Hardin’s want for leaders to be held accountable is crucial for this plan to meet its substantial goals, and also helping Appalachian State, which is the third-largest university in the system but the lowest funded per full-time enrollment.

Last year, Hardin lost the App State student body election, a catalyst for him to seek this position.

“It put me in a place where I know that I can try something and fail and then again go on and continue to stay motivated,” Hardin said.

To read Hardin and Jackson’s platform and the Board of Governors strategic plan, visit www.theuncasg.org.

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ppalachian’s l h Carbon Footprint

Paper

Student Commuting Water

Faculity Commuting

Study Abroad

Agriculture

Air Travel Ground Travel Chemicals Fleet Vehicles Solid Waste

Gen

era tors Chek out our online content from sustainability week at our website, www.theappalachianonline.com!

April 27, 2017

Senior Will Buckley waits for the signal to start the race during an indoor track meet. In 2015 Buckley posted the fifth fastest 100-meter dash in the Sun Belt.

BUCKLEY GAINING SPEED JAY BOYD SPORTS REPORTER

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wo years ago, during

App State track and field senior sprinter William Buckley’s sophomore year, he caught others’ attention with his speed. As this outdoor track season heats up, Buckley has been proving he can still compete at that high level.

Posting the fifth fastest 100-meter dash in the Sun Belt in 2015, running it in 10 minutes, 30 seconds and the seventh fastest 200-meter, running a 21:01, getting back to this level of success has been Buckley’s goal since then.

“Right now, it’s about going back to the things I did before, and thinking that I’m at the bottom trying to work my way to the top,” Buckley said.

“Every day in practice, and the meets, I look at it that way, and every time I step on the track, I try to compete that way, that I’m at the bottom trying to compete to the top. I have a lot of great teammates that push me to do that, and

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a lot of support from Coach [Weaver] pushing me to do that.”

Buckley’s teammates have joined in on the success. One teammate in particular is doing as well as anyone around. Freshman sprinter Jordan Johnson has chased success along with Buckley at recent competitions. Jordan finished sixth in the 100-meter in one of their most recent meets, while Buckley came out on top, running his fastest time of the year, a 10:47.

“We all push each other, we all have confidence in each other, we just go out there and have fun,” Johnson said.

Both have pushed each other to do better, leading the Mountaineers in the sprint events. This type of motivation from a teammate has helped Buckley make a push toward the top of the Sun Belt.

Johnson hasn’t been the only one providing Buckley with a push to get better. Track and field head coach John

Weaver has had as much impact as anyone, always pushing Buckley to return to the things that once made him great.

“He’s just realizing that he’s got to do things a little bit better,” Weaver said. “He’s mentally more prepared. I think he had a great breakthrough to get back to where he needs to be when he broke the [200-meter] indoor record.

He’s now realizing he has to do the things necessary that made me such a good sprinter my sophomore year, he has to get back to that stuff.”

Though chasing a time from two years ago, Buckley does not want his career to be defined by trying to match that success. Buckley wants his career to be defined by his success, but not the fact that his success came early and he had to try to get back to that time.

“I think in the future it’ll be a different story, and we’ll talk about what I’ve done, and not what I haven’t done

since my sophomore year,” Buckley said.

All of this success has not come without change. Buckley has had to make changes to his life that include his diet and his mindset. These changes have helped him make strides towards his goals that will place him along runners from across the country, not just the Sun Belt.

“Treating practice differently, eating differently, making sure I’m hydrated, things like that,” Buckley said. “Things that I did before, and I kind of slacked off on and got complacent, just trying to have a different mindset all around.”

As far as goals for the end of the season, both Weaver and Buckley agree that the NCAA championships in Oregon are the end goals. Both understand what it takes to get to that level.

“That’s what we prepare for all season, anything other than that would be a failure,” Buckley said.

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April 27, 2017

Senior distance runner Tristin Van Ord was recently awarded Sun Belt Track Athlete of the Week.

VAN ORD, IN RECORD TIME NOAH GERRINGER SPORTS REPORTER

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ristin Van Ord

knows what it feels like to have her own personal records broken right in front of her eyes. She knows what it feels like to lose the top spot that she worked so hard for. She’s seen a name above her own. A name, and a faster time.

Nowadays that name looks an awful lot like her's. That’s because she’s the one breaking her own records.

The App State senior distance runner out of Chapel Hill is fast. How fast? A sub-five minute mile, and has qualified for the first round of the NCAA Track and Field Championships every year while at App State fast.

“Over the last four years, she's really progressed to be a very talented Division I athlete,” distance coach Michael Curcio said.

Van Ord chose Appalachian because it was Division I, in North Carolina, and she loved the mountains. She considered it the “perfect fit” for her.

During her freshman year, Van Ord feels she didn’t represent her true self.

In the Wake Forest Open, Van Ord ran a personal best and placed first in the 5,000-meter with a time of 17 minutes, 13.78 seconds. At the SoCon Outdoor Championships, she ran another personal best and took home fifth in the 1,500-meter with a time of 4:32.10. Even though she placed in the top five in several of her events, Van Ord wasn’t satisfied with her performance and her overall mindset on the sport.

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“My freshman year wasn’t that great,” Van Ord said. “I had a bad mentality. I was too much of a perfectionist. Once I started enjoying running more, I got better my sophomore year and then from there it just kind of took off.”

Since then, Van Ord has dropped five seconds in the 1,500-meter (4:27.63) and almost a minute in the 5,000-meter (16:23.24). She holds the top spot in the Appalachian State record books for the 10,000-meter (34:06.64) and has been named Sun Belt Student-Athlete of the Week four times in her career, along with Sun Belt Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week already this outdoor season.

Her 10,000-meter record not only breaks her previous personal best, and is atop the Mountaineer leaderboard, it is also the fifth fastest time in the country

and the fastest time in the Sun Belt by more than three minutes.

App State track and field head coach John Weaver said that people like Van Ord are a motivation for the rest of the team.

“They don’t put limits on themselves, they put destinations,” Weaver said.

“Their destination is to be the very best they can be.”

Weaver went on to say that they are simply trying to succeed “until they can’t succeed anymore,” and that’s what he loves about this team.

As far as the remainder of the season goes, Van Ord is focused on her final shot at the NCAA Track & Field Championships. She has never been able to escape the preliminary round, year after year of making it to that point. All of the

T R I ST I N VA N O R D Appalachian Women’s Track & Field

10,000 meter: 34:06.64

#1 in App State history 5th fastest in the nation #1 in the Sun Belt 5,000 meter: 16:23.24 1,500 meter: 4:27.63 800 meter: 2:17.51 Mile: 4:55.65

races she has won, awards she’s been given and records she has set mean nothing to her or anyone else at the starting line.

“You don't wear your medals on the starting line,” Van Ord said. “A lot of people don’t know who you are so you're just in that moment.”

The NCAA Preliminary Round Competition is held at the University of Kentucky May 25-27. The top 48 athletes from each event in the East Region will be accepted into the competition.

Van Ord said that during her previous trips to Kentucky, she psyched herself out. The realization that she is running with some of the best runners in the country sinks in and doubt begins to take over.

This time around, she plans to focus on the simple fact that “we’re all in the same race.”

“Tristin has shown that year in and year out, she can put herself in that position and challenge anyone in the Sun Belt and certainly on the east coast,” Curcio said.

Beyond college, Van Ord has her eyes set on a much larger tournament: the 2020 Olympic Trials.

“My main goal for after college is to start running half marathons and marathons,” Van Ord said. “I really want to go to the Olympic Trials in 2020 for the marathon. I think that's a very obtainable goal for me.”

Van Ord realizes a chance at the Olympics isn’t just handed out, but she’s determined not to quit until she gets one.

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April 27, 2017

Senior guard Joi Jones dribbles the ball on offense around Coastal Carolina player during a home game this past season.

ALONG FOR THE RIDE TYLER HOTZ SPORTS REPORTER

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s the final game of each season concludes, the stat sheet can reveal why a team meets or falls short of expectations. However, most will overlook a stat that is unmeasurable: the leadership that brings a team together.

Following a loss during her junior season, App State women’s basketball senior point guard Joi Jones made an unexpected visit into head coach Angel Elderkin’s office. Instead of voicing her frustration, Jones took on a larger role, demanding to become a team captain.

“One moment that stands out to me pretty vividly is after we lost last season, she came into my office and said, ‘Coach, I want to be a captain,’ and I thought that was her stepping out of her shell,” Elderkin said. “My end of the season meeting with her this year was one that was so informative from a place of love, and now she wants to see App State basketball be at the best place it can be.”

While Jones is seeing her time at Appalachian come to an end, she is determined to continue the game she loves to play. Growing up in a family close to the game, Jones understood she needed to make herself stand out.

Making a name for herself, the point guard participated in the Pro Hoops Combine and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association ‘So 8

You Want To Be a Coach’ program in Dallas, Texas, the same weekend as the women’s Final Four.

When her senior year started, Jones had intentions after college to work as a graduate assistant or to play basketball overseas. Helping her along the way, Elderkin took time to check off the necessary boxes.

Starting with the coaching program, Elderkin wanted to make sure her starting point guard beat the October deadline. During her first year on staff, Elderkin saw current graduate assistant and former guard Katie Mallow narrowly miss the deadline.

Putting together a resume, a personal statement, a 30 second video and getting a letter of recommendation from her head coach, Jones was accepted months later.

“When Joi talked about wanting to be a graduate assistant and pursue a career in coaching, I asked her about doing this program,” Elderkin said. “She worked really hard on her application, and when I got the email that she got accepted, I called her and it was a big moment.”

The Pro Hoops Combine came about in a different way, but Jones’ head coach was still heavily involved.

In January of this season, Elderkin received an email inviting Jones to the Pro Hoops Combine that hosts various WNBA coaches, general managers, agents and coaches from overseas.

Understanding the opportunities that both presented, Jones decided to split her time in Dallas, participating in both programs. Along the way, her ability to motivate herself and others around her yielded a positive experience.

“I went in and didn’t know anybody in the program, so I had to make friends myself,” Jones said. “Going in, you don’t really know what to expect, and when you get there you have to branch out and network yourself to players and coaches.”

Networking became a common theme that Jones learned about during her time battling in the Pro Hoops Combine. Branching out to new players, she now has new friends and competitors to help her improve her game.

Bringing different styles to the court, Jones excelled with players she may never play with again. Making connections, however, also applied to her potential career in coaching.

Staying proactive, Jones befriended Dianne Murphy, the head of the entire ‘So You Want To Be a Coach’ program. Sending emails back and forth, Jones gained tips on her resume and how to effectively network herself into the coaching world.

Offering more than a rigorous schedule, the coaching program also gave players the opportunity to attend the Final Four games. Watching Geno

Auriemma’s UConn Huskies from the bleachers, Jones saw one of the biggest upsets in women’s basketball history, seeing Mississippi State nail a buzzer-beater to knock the Huskies out of the tournament and end their lofty 111-game win streak.

“It was great. I was able to participate in one of the most record-breaking Final Fours,” Jones said. “It reminded me of how much I loved basketball so much because anything can happen.”

Returning home after her hectic weekend, Jones realized both programs offered her chances to pursue a career in basketball. Getting to where she is now, Jones attributes major parts of her success to the foundation the Mountaineer program has given her.

Different schools from the Big South and the Sun Belt recruited the Duluth, Georgia standout, but recent commitments to App State from local players made her aware of the school.

Enjoying her visit, Jones soon signed on to bring her basketball talents to Boone.

Playing sparingly in her first few seasons, a new style proved to be a game changer for Jones. Instead of the conventional, slow-paced approach in her first season, Elderkin’s system was focused on driving the ball up and down the court.

“For her, a challenge is always a good thing,” App State assistant coach

Lindsey Vaughn

April 27, 2017

Senior guard Joi Jones on offense during a home game against Little Rock in the 2016 season.

Kate Dempsey said. “She likes it, and her growth that way has been tremendous.”

Leading her team in scoring her junior season, Jones set career highs in points, assists, and rebounds per game.

A strong start early in the season kept her in the starting rotation throughout the entirety of the season.

Finishing her time as an upperclassman, Jones started in all 61 games, played in her final two seasons and picked up third-team all-Sun-Belt honors her senior year. Her strong senior campaign left her one assist short of breaking 300, placing her sixth alltime in program history.

“Looking back to freshman year, it’s everybody’s dream to leave their mark and be in the record books,” Jones said. “Finally seeing all the hard work pay off, and you become that record holder, it’s always good to see.

It was a really proud moment of mine, and I can always relive it and think about it later in life.”

Graduating in May, the decision to

choose between coaching and playing abroad is not an issue for Jones.

Pulling from experience, Dempsey was also put in a similar position.

While not looking to coach directly after her college career at Wofford College, Dempsey lived through the uncertainty that overseas basketball warrants.

Gaining tryouts from teams in Iran and Israel, Dempsey’s agent was finally able to land her in Portugal. Injuring her ankle in her first season, she returned home to continue her life in basketball, taking an assistant coaching job at Presbyterian College.

As Jones assesses her own situation, factors overlap, but the most important one is keep her time on the basketball court going as long as possible.

“I really do want to go overseas to play basketball, but I also want to be a coach,” Jones said. “Whichever presents the best opportunity is the one I’m going to take. As far as basketball, I want to push it and stretch it as long as I can.”

Senior guard Joi Jones dribbles the ball on offense during a home game against Little Rock in the 2016 season.

Lindsey Vaughn

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April 27, 2017

STUDENTS SHOWCASE DOCUMENTARIES IN ROOTS OF RESILIENCE FILM FESTIVAL ASHLEY GOODMAN A&E REPORTER

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or the past se-

office about initiatives, including the Zero Waste Initiative and the mester, the free store. students of “We’re trying to Laura England’s special connect issues of food topics course, Outreach insecurity with ideas Skills for Sustainability, about zero waste and have been collaborating show how they’re rewith nonprofit organizalated to each other and tions in Boone to study that they’re not comsustainability efforts in pletely separate issues,” our community.

Willmschen said.

The students have been Willmschen and her doing more than studypartners hope to use the ing, however. England’s opportunity to present students have been the class documentaries working to create short to let students know documentaries following about the positive initiathe initiatives of the seven tives taking place on organizations the students’ campus and in the surgroups have partnered rounding community. with.

She said that comThe students have munity awareness about learned and worked these organizations is through every aspect of especially important documentary making in the current political themselves, from interclimate, as the federal viewing to filming to government is cutting editing, with the guidance funding to science and of their professor and clean energy initiatives.

University Documentary “I hope this inspires Film Services. hope that there are still On April 28, England’s really good organizastudents will invite the tions doing good work Boone community to out there, no matter attend a free film feswhat is happening in tival titled “Roots of the nation and higher up Resilience,” featuring the than that,” Willmschen students’ seven docusaid. mentaries, discussion and Senior sustainable locally donated food. development major England’s students James Hogan also felt have used the opportuthat the current politinity to learn about what cal climate demanded it takes for community greater outreach from organizations to thrive and nonprofit environmental succeed and are hoping to organizations. use the opportunity of a “I think these are film festival to teach the issues that need to be rest of the Boone commuaddressed, and it starts nity the same thing. on a community level,” “I hope that my stuHogan said.

“Nationdents gain a respect for al action hasn’t been what these organizations taken, so it’s importdo,” England said. ant when it comes to As many of her individual, everyday students are sustainable decisions people make.” development majors Hogan’s group is intending to go into the creating their documennonprofit sector, England tary about Blue Ridge said that it was important Women in Agriculture, for her students to realize Students’ groups discuss their documentaries and plan for the Roots of Resilience film festival. a nonprofi t dedicated to how much time and effort connect local farms to the community. goes into outreach and sustainability “This feels very tangible,” Willmputting something out there.”

Hogan’s teammates are also partnering efforts. schen said. “That’s what I like about this Willmschen’s group for the project with Faith Mountain Farms, one of the Natalie Willmschen, a senior sustain- class; it feels very real-world. We aren’t partnered with Appalachian State’s farms associated with Blue Ridge Womable development major, said that she just make-believing in the class that we Office of Sustainability. Willmschen en in Agriculture. enjoyed the opportunity to do real work might do this eventually. We’re actually and the other students on her team have Hogan said that despite living only in the field. planning this event and we’re actually spent the semester interviewing the

10

Ashley Goodman

April 27, 2017

Students review documentaries before the film festival. The students organized and crewated publicity posters for the festival. about 200 yards from one of the association’s food hubs, he didn’t know of the organization until he began working on this project, which made it all the more important to him to educate others.

“Starting this project was how I learned about Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, so I feel like it’s already working as a tool for educating people,” Hogan said.

Olivia Nelson and Morgan DePue, both seniors majoring in sustainable development, sought not only to educate students about their partner organization, New River Conservancy, but also to promote one of its larger initiatives, the Water Watchers program.

New River Conservancy is charged with protecting the “waters, woodland and wildlife” of the New River Watershed, and has been doing so for over 40 years, according to their website. Their recent initiative, the Water Watchers program, encourages community members

Ashley Goodman

along the New River to participate in scientific research.

The Water Watchers’ citizen scientists receive basic training to run tests on water turbidity, temperature, pH levels and other factors to collect data on the branches of the New River running right through their own yards and communities.

“They champion what they’re doing as citizen science,” Nelson said. “Instead of using federally backed research, they’re getting people that can take very simple measurements after taking a class. They actually monitor the health of the streams and creeks that add to the overall health of the watershed, just in their backyards once a month. It really helps create a reliable source of data for the conservancy to figure out which places are successes and which need some restoration.”

In their documentary, the students sought to shed light on the issues faced

by the New River, and the urgency of its protection. They hoped to teach the community about what the Water Watchers are doing, and encourage people to participate in the initiative themselves.

“This is one of the oldest rivers in the world, so we have this huge responsibility to protect the New River,” DePue said.

England’s class plans to showcase its work and incite community education through the student-run film festival.

The students have taken responsibility for organizing the festival, from creating publicity with posters and graphic designs to meeting with local businesses to coordinate refreshments for the event.

The hope of the class is that the opportunity to show their documentaries to the public will encourage more participation in sustainability initiatives throughout Boone.

“The fact that all of these organizations are rooted right here in Boone

really lets you know that it doesn’t take much to be involved in a community,” Nelson said.

England and her students are using the festival to share their own work over the past semester and to spark conversation about the work that local organizations have already been doing. England felt that celebrating the successes and accomplishments of our community is important to promoting better work in the future.

“It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the scope of what we collectively need to do to become a resilient, sustainable community,” England said. “In order to not let that overwhelming feeling take over, stopping to celebrate is really important.”

The event is free and open to the public, and will take place on April 28 at 7 p.m. in the Blue Ridge Ballroom.

“Food, film and fun - and bring your friends,” England said.

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April 27, 2017

MERLEFEST CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY

Scythian performing in the Dance Tent at MerleFest 2016. MerleFest is held on the Wilkes Community College campus every year.

ADRIENNE FOUTS A&E REPORTER

I

n 1985, Eddy Merle Watson, musician and son of folk music legend Doc Watson, was killed in a tractor accident on the family’s farm. Three years after Merle’s death, an annual music festival called MerleFest was established in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in his memory. Thirty years later, MerleFest is still going strong and growing every year, celebrating the “music, moments and memories” of the Watsons and of Appalachia.

Held on the campus of Wilkes Community College over the last weekend in April, MerleFest is a “traditional plus” music festival. Doc Watson, a Deep Gap, North Carolina native, used this term to describe the music that he and Merle played, meaning traditional Appalachian music plus whatever else they were in the mood to play. Those styles of music carried over to the festival, and over the years, MerleFest has hosted a variety of musicians including bluegrass, country, blues, Celtic and rootsrock artists.

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This year, MerleFest is celebrating its 30th anniversary from April 27 until April 30. All of the regular festival traditions, such as the Hillside Album Hour, will happen as usual, with some added special features to mark the anniversary, including a MerleFest museum with photos and videos from the festival’s three decades of life.

Festival director Ted Hagaman said that MerleFest is always looking for ways to improve the festival experience while maintaining and protecting its original values and traditions.

“Now that we’ve been around for 30 years, we’ve had people who grew up going to the festival and are now bringing their kids here,” Hagaman said. “We have seen growth, but our number one goal is not necessarily to see how big we can get, but to make sure we maintain the quality of the event.”

MerleFest now sees more than 75,000 visitors each year, but has a unique atmosphere compared to other music festivals, like Bonnaroo. For one, MerleFest is a very family-friendly festi-

val, with a kids’ area and entertainment.

In addition, no alcohol is allowed or sold at the festival - something that Doc Watson instilled at the beginning.

“The artists who come here tell us over and over again that they love to come here because people are really focused on the music and not as much on the party,” Hagaman said. “They really listen, and the artists really appreciate that.”

That’s not to say that MerleFest isn’t a party. Jam sessions around fires at nearby campsites can last until the early morning, the Dance Tent is packed most nights and people come from all over the country to experience the festival.

Musicians also often walk around the festival grounds, talk with fans, watch other artists’ sets and participate in impromptu jams and collaborations with other artists. The Hillside Album Hour, a favorite MerleFest tradition, began as a jam between multiple musicians that went 45 minutes over the set time, Hagaman said. Now, Album Hour happens on Saturday afternoon each year at the

Hillside Stage, where huge crowds flock to watch The Waybacks and guest artists perform an album straight through, with the crowd not knowing what the album will be until they start playing. Past Album Hour albums have included Jimi Hendrix’s “Are You Experienced” and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Deja Vu.” “I recommend that first-timers check out the Hillside Stage,” Mallory Vannoy, a senior hospitality & tourism management major at Appalachian State, said.

“It’s easy to miss because it is tucked away in the corner and a little hard to find, but the setting is very intimate and special. People sit on a huge hill with tall trees for shade, and look down on the stage and the rest of campus. Some of the best bands go there, too.”

With 13 stages and over 120 artists, MerleFest packs a lot into the festival’s four days. Often, the biggest challenge for festival-goers is figuring out who is playing when and who they most want to see, Hagaman said. However, many artists play multiple sets at different

Adrienne Fouts

April 27, 2017

MerleFest’s mascot, Flattop the raccoon, at MerleFest 2016. stages over the weekend, so people have a greater chance of seeing their favorite bands.

A core group of musicians, including Doc Watson until his death in 2012, Sam Bush and others, play at the festival every year and are integral to its musical style and traditions. However, MerleFest has drawn in hundreds of other artists, from local and regional bands to world-famous acts. This year’s lineup includes the Avett Brothers, Zac Brown Band, Mandolin Orange, Mipso and Steep Canyon Rangers.

MerleFest also has “pickin’ tents” where festival-goers can bring their instruments and jam with others in their chosen musical style: bluegrass, old time or “anything goes.” Several instrument, songwriting and dance workshops are held throughout the weekend as well, often led by MerleFest artists.

The annual Chris Austin Songwriting

Courtesy of Jeff Clements

Contest, named after a musician and songwriter from Boone, offers songwriters the opportunity to perform their original songs for professionals in the music industry during the festival. This year, out of more than 800 entries, two Appalachian State alumni and Appalachia natives were chosen as finalists: musicians Alexa Rose and Shay Martin Lovette.

Lovette, who won second place in the contest in 2010, is originally from Wilkesboro, so MerleFest is his hometown festival and has always been special to him. This year, he’ll be performing his song “Bermuda Run” at the competition on April 28.

“The song is about leaving the past behind, living in the moment and running towards your dreams, whatever they may be,” Lovette wrote in an email.

“The song is special to me because it’s one that my brother, Chad, loved to play.

He passed away after an extended battle with brain cancer last year.”

Lovette said that he and his brother were raised on the music of Doc Watson and the many artists he performed with, so he appreciates the history of Appalachian music that the festival celebrates.

Like Lovette, several people who grew up visiting the festival as fans now find themselves going as performers.

“The Avett Brothers are from North Carolina and came to the festival for years growing up,” Steve Johnson, MerleFest’s artist relations manager, said.

“So it’s cool to see them go from being fans to playing headliners here.”

Another North Carolina native, James Taylor, will be making an appearance during the Transatlantic Sessions: a collaboration between Irish, Scottish and American artists on Friday night at MerleFest.

Very few festivals have as many

stages and artists for the ticket prices that MerleFest charges, Johnson said.

However, MerleFest also welcomes over 700 volunteers during the festival weekend. Volunteers have to work a shift on their day, but have the rest of the day to attend the festival for free.

“So there is no reason that anyone can’t come to MerleFest,” Hagaman said.

Vannoy volunteered at the festival last year, helping to unload equipment and instruments at the main stage, learning how things worked behind the scenes and talking to bands.

“MerleFest celebrates the traditional music of the Appalachian area, but it also encourages all types of music,” Vannoy said. “If you are interested in learning more about the area, that is a great place to start. The environment is very welcoming and the people that go to MerleFest are the best around.”

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April 27, 2017

ASU BEEKEEPERS UNVEIL FIRST ON-CAMPUS HIVE Beekeeping club advisor James Wilkes in his beekeeping protective attire showing the club where the queen is located.

HALEY BROWN AND KATIE MURAWSKI A&E REPORTER AND A&EDITOR

O

n Friday afternoon,

a small crowd gathered at the LLC Gardens to celebrate the opening of the first on-campus beehive. The event was created and sponsored by the beekeeping club at Appalachian State University.

Junior sustainable development majors Katie Payne and Hallie Graves are the presidents and founders of the club.

About two years ago, the duo decided they wanted a hive at App State. From there, they created the beekeeping club.

“The process itself took about a year, and we’ve been a club for about a

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year since then,” Payne said.

Graves said the goals of the club are to promote bee populations, to generate an awareness of bees on campus and to encourage sustainability.

The hive-opening was the first time the beekeepers got to work with the insects in real life.

“We don’t really have any experience with beekeeping itself so it’s all going to be a learning process,” Payne said.

“That’s the most fun part, is learning about them and also getting to meet other people who are passionate about the same sort of things,” Graves said.

Although the founders don’t have

any personal experience beekeeping, the club is in good hands with faculty advisor James Wilkes.

“We are relying quite a bit on our advisor right now, who has his own hives and a business with bees basically,” Graves said. “So, he’s teaching us a lot and we still have a lot to learn.”

Wilkes is the chair of the computer science department at Appalachian State University. Outside of school, he owns the local Faith Mountain Farm, which features beehives and offers local honey for sale. He also created a piece of software called Hive Tracks that helps beekeepers track their bees’ health and productivity.

A core group of beekeepers contacted Wilkes about starting the club. He agreed to help out, and believes that Appalachian’s campus is an ideal place to open a beehive.

“On campus, it’s a great place for folks to learn about the honeybees.

Especially with sustainability being one of the core goals of Appalachian,” Wilkes said. “Honeybees are part of that because they’re a base part of the food system. A lot of your crops are pollinated by honeybees, so a lot of the foods we eat are dependent on bees.”

The pollinator role of honeybees was taken into account when choosing a location for the hive. The LLC Gar-

Katie Murawski

April 27, 2017

(Above) Beekeeping club presidents Hallie Graves and Katie Payne (with hat) posing next to the only on-campus bee hive. (Bottom) Seed bombs offered at the Hivening on April 21. Seed bombs are encouraged by Wilkes to help bees pollinate more flowers.

dens feature a variety of plants, making it a good place for a beehive, Wilkes said.

Graves said Wilkes has already helped improve the beekeepers’ knowledge and understanding of bees.

“He’s taught us just about the bees in general, like about the queen and how they’re turning nectar into honey and how they have their own A/C systems.

Katie Murawski

It’s really awesome,” Graves said.

The particular hive they installed has a special history at Appalachian State.

It had previously been used in classroom demonstrations to teach sustainable development students about the importance of honeybees, Wilkes said.

Now that the hive has found its forever home in the LLC Gardens, Payne said they’d like to expand as much as

they can.

“We want the club to continue running after we graduate, and I think we both want to sell honey at the Watauga County Farmer’s Market,” Payne said.

Now more than ever, Wilkes believes it’s necessary for students to learn about pollinators.

“People should be aware of honeybees and their importance, and every-

body can do something to help the health of the pollinators,” Wilkes said.

“Whether its buying local honey, or planting particular bee-friendly plants in their yard, or not mowing down all the dandelions.”

The beekeepers wrapped up the hive unveiling by passing out packets of seeds that will provide local bees with food and pollen for honey.

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April 27, 2017

3-D TYPOGRAPHY

(Bottom left) Lee Taekyeom’s 3-D printer that he made himself. He uses it to create various ceramic object with a clay extruder.

Lee Taekyeom, assistant professor of graphic design at Appalachian State University, is writing his own history with the aid of machinery. Taekyeom has built his own 3-D printer with a clay extruder. With this machine, Taekyeom is able to create ceramic typographic sculptures. Typography is the visual art of creating written words.

Everything started with Taekyeom’s academic research for his thesis. Taekyeom created 3-D typography using unconventional materials and techniques, which were ceramics. He has made 3-D ceramic type as a series of typographic explorations to create tangible type in 3-D space.

The title of Taekyeom’s thesis project was “Manual Pixeling.”

-JULIANNE BLAYLOCK A&E REPORTER 16

Courtesy Lee Taekyeom

April 27, 2017

Some examples of typography that Taekyeom has created with his typography machine.

Taekyeom holding text that was created by his typography machine.

Taekyeom’s work station where he keeps his 3D printer that he made himself. He create various ceramic objects with a clay extruder.

Taekyeom’s favorite ceramic he has made using his own 3D printer with a clay extruder. He built the 3-D printer himself as well.

Examples of Taekyeom’s ceramics that he has made using his own 3-D printer with a clay extruder.

Courtesy Lee Taekyeom

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April 27, 2017

Veda Lane modeling one of the outfits for the 2017 senior apparel design fashion show.

Taylor Rogers modeling one of the dresses for the 2017 senior apparel design fashion show.

FASHION AT APPALACHIAN APPAREL DESIGN AND MERCHANDISING SHOWCASE STEVEN CAUGHRAN A&E REPORTER

I

n every field of study, it is critical to gain real-world experience. For Apparel Design and Merchandising students, they can get some experience at the department’s yearly showcase.

On April 23, students and faculty in the Department of Applied Design put on a show in the Holmes Convocation Center to exhibit work from the program’s senior students.

“Showcase is basically an annual exhibition of student designs, with some brief demonstrations of faculty designs too,” Anthony Wilson, a professor in the Apparel Design and Merchandising program, said.

Wilson, as faculty director of the showcase, has been planning the show for quite a while.

“I determine the number of committees that students serve on to help plan the show, I determine the showcase timeline, I get weekly updates from the students, all of that,” Wilson said. “I’m also the backstage manager, I book the venue, anything really that’s associated with producing the show falls on me.”

Wilson is also the faculty instructor for the Apparel Design Studio Four class, which is partly responsible for putting on the show.

“There are four courses that are included in the showcase,” Wilson said.

“There’s Apparel Design Studio One and 18

Two, Sustainability and Apparel, Apparel Design Studio Four and any designs created outside of class.”

Wilson believes that putting on an event like this is an important way for the students to demonstrate what they have learned.

“It’s a way for them to show the culmination of all the work that they have done and the skills that they have acquired during the time that they’ve been at Appalachian,” Wilson said. “It’s basically a senior showcase, everything they’ve done in their four years culminates in this showcase.”

The showcase is representative of the work students will be doing in the industry upon graduating from Appalachian.

“They’re creating apparel collections from concept to completion. They’re coming up with their inspiration, doing a storyboard, a presentation and a series of sketches,” Wilson said. “I help them whittle that down to a three-piece collection, they create the original patterns for those garments and then they actually produce those garments.”

The showcase provides a capstone experience and an overview of the industry for seniors.

“It’s interesting to learn about the different aspects of the industry,” senior apparel design and merchandising major Taylor Stevens said. “It helps you appreciate the T-shirt you’re wearing, and a

lot more besides [that].”

Stevens and her fellow students have put in endless hours of work in the lab to prepare for the showcase.

“Pulling a 12-hour day in the lab sounds like a lot at first, but it’s been kind of the norm for all of us,” Stevens said.

Stevens put three works into the showcase, narrowed down from a larger number and modified several times.

“You pick what’s the most cohesive out of the group. You can make changes to your designs along the way. I’ve definitely had to do that,” Stevens said.

“The sketches you envision don’t always work out when they come to life.”

The showcase also brings notoriety and recognition to Appalachian State’s Applied Design program.

“I transferred here specifically for this major, and the opportunities that I’ve had here have made it totally worth transferring,” Stevens said.

The Apparel Design and Merchandising program at Appalachian has experienced growth as a direct result of the showcase.

“A lot of people really had not known that we were here, but we’ve been a part of Appalachian basically since its inception,” Nancy Oliver, the program’s coordinator, said. “We’ve had a couple of different names, but our visibility has really increased within the last five

years.”

The production has increased in size exponentially since the first full-scale showcase event in the spring of 2010.

“We had it at the Broyhill for a couple of years, then we had it at Harvest House, last year was in the Schaefer Center and now it’s grown to the Holmes Convocation Center,” said Oliver.

As the size and participation of the event has grown, so has the public interest in the event and the Apparel Design and Merchandising program.

“I would say that there were maybe 150 at the first one, last year at the Schaefer Center there were around 600, and we’re anticipating a really big crowd this year in the Holmes Center,” Oliver said. “It has really grown substantially in the years since that first showcase.”

Oliver believes that in addition to the publicity that the event brings the university, it is also very important for the growth and development of the students in the program.

“I’ve had students come to me at the beginning of the semester saying that they don’t know if they can do this, and here they are,” Oliver said. “It’s just one of those stepping stones, and I believe this in everything. We don’t know what we can accomplish until we’re forced to do it, and then we’re kind of amazed at what we can do.”

Kristen Brown

April 27, 2017

A MARCH FOR CLIMATE

O

n March 22, 2017, thousands of people all across the globe gathered in major cities to march

for science.

From Washington D.C. to Boston, and all the way to Paris and Frankfurt, people gathered to protest the recent rise in anti-scientific government actions.

These actions ranged from Trump’s recent budget plan, which according to the Washington Post would cut 31 percent of the EPA’s funding, to the Australian government rejecting the Climate Change Authority’s report on potential policy changes, as reported by Gizmodo.

The march may not have been solely focused on climate change, but for many it was their primary reason for marching.

And for good reason too, climate change is a hot-button issue that impacts everyone.

According to a mid-January NASA report, 2016 was the third year in a row to set a new record for average surface temperatures.

These massive temperature increases are caused by the massive amount of carbon dioxide, or CO2, buildup in the atmosphere.

Throughout the Earth’s history, the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have fluctuated, generally ranging from around 180 parts per million to 300 parts per million.

For as far back as scientists can mea-

Q Russell is sophomore journalism major from Charlotte, North Carolina sure, CO2 levels in the atmosphere have never gone above 300 parts per million.

However, NASA finds that since 1950 the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has skyrocketed, leading to the current level of 400 parts per million.

For perspective, in just 67 years, humanity has managed to increase the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere by around 33 percent, something that would naturally take thousands of years to happen.

Yet despite this and many other glaring examples of climate change, the Trump administration refuses to acknowledge the facts.

Trump famously tweeted in November 2012 that “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.”

Additionally, Trump’s pick for EPA

director, Scott Pruitt, said in a March CNBC interview that he doesn’t believe that CO2 is the leading factor in climate change.

Therefore, it can be assumed that for the next four years the federal government will do little to stymie the progression of CO2 buildup and climate change.

This leaves the burden of fighting climate change on the shoulders of state governments. Much like the federal government, state governments have the ability to enact laws and statutes to fight climate change.

California and New York are instituting renewable energy requirements, low-carbon fuel standards, vehicle regulations and greenhouse gas targets.

The question then arises, how is North Carolina doing?

On one hand, the Citizen-Times reported that as of March 2017, North Carolina has pulled out of a massive multi-state lawsuit opposing former president Obama’s Clean Power Plan, which is a step in the right direction.

But on the other hand, in 2012 the North Carolina state legislature passed a law that bans the state from basing coastal policies on the latest scientific predictions of how much the sea level will rise.

This law is in addition to Bill 843, which makes it harder to build and operate wind and solar farms in the state.

These decisions follow on the heels of

repeated attempts from Republican lawmakers to repeal the 2007 North Carolina Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard.

Much like our rather short-sighted federal administration, the North Carolina state government is doing its best to ignore climate change.

They all seem to have it in their heads that so long as they deny climate change, it doesn’t exist or affect them.

It is frustrating to know that these officials have all of this evidence and more to prove that climate change is real and that CO2 is its primary contributor, and yet still deny it.

These decisions are ignorant, unintelligent and shortsighted, to the point that they act in support of misguided beliefs rather than in support of the well-being constituents.

But what’s more frustrating is the people who don’t care. The people who couldn’t be bothered about the issue either way.

They don’t think to ask why water temperatures and the overall global climate are growing warmer, or why the seasons are being disrupted, they only care that it disrupts their personal lives.

Either way, climate change is real, it’s happening and neither our state or federal governments are willing to do anything about it.

So it’s up to you to do something, to act, to fight, because who else is going to care if you do not?

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April 27, 2017

SENIOR GOODBYE: KATIE MURAWSKI

I

have been with The Appala-

chian since the spring of 2015.

As a shy and confused sophomore reporter, I scribbled my way through my first term on the paper. I was too scared to pitch ideas, so I quietly sat through the meetings and waited for an assignment. Before finding my voice at The Appalachian, I wasn’t in a good place academically, mentally or emotionally. I like to think, without being too cryptic, that The Appalachian gave me purpose as a student at Appalachian State.

I came to college wanting to make a difference, a significant difference. I went into the sociology field because I was thinking too big. I wanted to uproot the patriarchy, I wanted to change soci-

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ety’s opinion on gender and sexuality, I wanted be an advocate for people of color and I wanted to give a voice to those who may not have one. I wanted to DO something. However, I noticed that I spent the majority of my time in a classroom watching documentaries on sexual assault in the military.

This sickened me, why couldn’t I find a place to get involved and start making a difference? After switching majors (thank you, mom), I didn’t realize what journalism really meant. I originally joined the paper thinking I would only write film reviews because it didn’t occur to me that by writing and telling stories that matter to people, I could change the world a little bit at a time.

After writing for the paper for two

semesters, I learned a really valuable lesson about myself: I was a leader. I wanted the editor’s job more than I had ever wanted anything. As an editor, I actually had dreams and aspirations. Going to New York City and Washington D.C. with the paper only made me try harder and dream bigger. After the Inauguration of our 45th president, in the era of posttruth, “alternative” facts and right in time for graduation, I realized just how serious and critical my future career is and will be. No matter how rough the road, I am still confident and driven to change the world. Even if it is only one story at a time, one community at a time.

While at The Appalachian, I have met and became close to an amazing, eccentric and passionate team on the edi-

torial board and A&E desk. These people ranged from journalists, graphic designers, videographers, photographers and even those damn English majors. These people are what made the long nights transcribing interviews and chasing down sources worth it in the end. I have spent many nights, whether I wanted to or not, bonding and becoming close with them. I have been so privileged to get to know them and spend time with them because each one of them has taught me something different, and for that I will always be grateful. All of this to say, it has been lit, fam and you all will always be my lit fam.

Goodbye, The Appalachian. Remember me when you see a really dank meme.

April 27, 2017

SENIOR GOODBYE: ALEAH WARNER

S

ince my senior year

began I’ve been wishing it away. I was so excited to graduate, so excited to leave Boone and start a new chapter of my life. It wasn’t until I began to write this that I realized everything I’ll be leaving behind. Now that it’s time to say goodbye, I’m not really sure where to begin.

At the risk of sounding dramatic, I can undoubtedly say that The Appalachian has changed my life. More than just helping me realize the career I want to pursue, it has introduced me to an incredible group of people and taught me some invaluable lessons about myself and the world around me.

In the last three years, I’ve gone from being a reporter to an over-enthusiastic chief copy editor to an exhausted

managing editor with an odd, love-hate relationship for this publication. I am grateful for every step of my journey, for the hundreds (thousands?) of hours I have spent in Room 217 and for the insane, frustrating, hardworking, inspiring people I have been lucky to call my colleagues.

I know I am not the easiest person to work with, so I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has endured my quirks, forgiven my outbursts and let me watch Chopped marathons in the office on production nights. There are so many people worth mentioning, but for the sake of word count I will only mention a few.

To Katie Murawski - Where do I start? There is so much I need to thank you for. For being my right-hand

woman (more realistically for picking up my slack), for always being willing to meet and troubleshoot or just to vent and of course, for introducing me to some dank memes. You are so compassionate, and incredibly driven. I am lucky to call you my friend and grateful for everything you’ve done to help ease my load this year when you were just as busy.

To Sydney Spann and Victoria Haynes - My ladies! I am so, so proud of you. In the last year I have watched you come out of your shells and run this newspaper better than I could have ever hoped to. Sydney and Victoria, you are the strong, independent women The Appalachian needs, and I am so excited to see what you accomplish next year.

To my brother, Chris - Without you, I would have never become anything more than a somewhat unreliable arts & entertainment reporter. You helped reinspire my passion for journalism when you encouraged me to become an editor, and because of you I have spent two incredible years working in this newsroom. Thank you for being the person I can always turn to, for always believing in me and encouraging me.

To those before me, thank you for paving the way. Without your encouragement and advice, I wouldn’t be where I am today. To those who will be taking over next year, thank you for continuing the legacy. The work may feel trivial at times, but never forget that what you are doing is important and will change your life, if you let it.

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April 27, 2017

SENIOR GOODBYE: ANGELO ERRICO

H

ey, I’m Angelo.

I don’t do a lot here, but hell if I didn’t enjoy every second of my time at The Appalachian. The award-winning one, mind you.

Let’s backtrack a bit. Much like every anxiety-ridden college junior, I struggled with determining my major and ultimately my purpose as a disgruntled student afraid of adulthood.

I am now desperately seeking a career in journalism, which all started here as a clueless sports reporter.

While covering sports I realized a lot of important life lessons regarding this field.

First, always seek better, more challenging employment.

Second, don’t eat the complimentary pizza meant for the market-

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ing interns, you selfish prick.

Lastly, never be misogynistic over a women’s sport, because you’ll learn, after watching them, they’re often much more interesting than the men’s.

After sports, I was lucky enough to join the editorial board as the new, highly sought after (not really) Opinion Editor, where I edit two opinions a week and… that’s pretty much it.

But what’s important is that I learned so much. More than I could ever imagine from any journalism textbook or professor, which is not a slap in the face to my many great teachers.

The fact of the matter is, journalism is not something you can just be taught with a $45 textbook or Prezi.

Journalism is all about putting

yourself out there in hopes of answering one’s many curiosities.

It’s a skillset that comes with practice and many long nights of transcribing interviews, getting your thoughts out onto a Google Doc and, most importantly, regurgitating the intellect of your peers.

A journalist, or anyone for that matter, is nothing without the guidance of those who play a part in their ongoing quest for knowledge and success.

My peers at The Appalachian have been critical, mentorial, but most of all, caring.

I came onto this board as the one and only student who applied for the position, with barely any journalistic or grammatical knowledge under my belt.

But because of Carl Blankenship, Aleah Warner, Katie Murawski, Maleek Lloyd, Halle Keighton, Sydney Spann, Sammy Hanf, Braxton Coats, Jake Oller, Lee Sanderlin, Victoria Haynes, Olivia Wilkes, and yes, even Jason Huber, I’m leaving this place with the skills I need, and a little less anxiety.

They cared about me enough to educate me on what to do and what not to do in this stressful profession, and for that I will always be thankful.

An important quality that has only grown in me since becoming a journalist is humility. My colleagues and this school instilled upon me to always remain humble in my endeavours, and I hope all of you will seek to better the world and not yourselves. Especially now.

April 27, 2017

SENIOR GOODBYE: CARL BLANKENSHIP

I

can’t act like all four years

at this school and at this publication have been great. There have been problems, but I can’t escape feeling my college experience was made exceptional by this paper.

The Appalachian is far and away the most important part of my college career. Yes I took a bunch of classes about journalism and history that I’ll take with me, but this place has given me everything I need to function as a journalist.

It gave me experience, gave me work samples, gave me connections, gave me professionalism, honed my leadership skills, gave me managerial skills, gave me friends and gave me work ethic.

That last paragraph shoehorns what this place has done for me into a typical resume builder pinpoint like you would expect to hear from someone telling you to “get involved.” I vindicated my life choices at this publication. This school,

this program and my commitment to journalism were all violently drug out and tested by my experiences at this paper.

When I came into college I was unenthusiastic. I was in college because it was expected of me and it was the only way I could see getting where I wanted to be: writing for a living. I had several dreams of what I wanted to write about and I didn’t want to write books.

I don’t believe any degree will make you a great writer, and journalism seemed like a good way to get some practical skills that would help me break into something I would be good at. I was not committed, I just thought it made sense. I got involved at The Appalachian the first semester my freshman year because I thought I should. I had been on the paper in high school, but that doesn’t hold a candle to an established college paper.

From there I grew into it. I read

some news already but I became more interested in the reporting process. Reporting strategy and piecing together the narrative arcs of the real world became an obsessive interest for me. I still think about it every day, every time I read a story or think about a potential one.

I had a very mixed experience with the paper for the first two years, but because the adviser at the time, Allison, thought to reach out to me while I was not working at the paper during the second semester of my sophomore year, I applied for and got the News Editor job. From there I have had formative experience after formative experience at the paper and a lot has changed over the past couple years. I would do it all again and leaving is surreal.

That’s my story in a nutshell and I’m not into melodrama so I’ll close by thanking a few people. If I don’t mention you by name and you think you were important while I was at the

paper, believe me you were, but I want to keep this short and mention some of the people who had a major impact on the paper.

Allison, thank you for believing in and taking a chance on me. I wouldn’t still be at the paper if you didn’t. That one email pushed my life forward tremendously.

Malik, thank you for believing in and taking a chance on me. I wouldn’t still be at the paper if you didn’t and your unapologetic risk taking was the best thing about that year.

Sydney, I saw you rise to the challenge and come into your own at the paper in a dramatic way over the past year. You always did what was needed without a second thought and I can’t say how much I appreciate that work ethic.

You are going to do great next year.

Aleah, thank you for being there.

Dow, miss you bud.

Bye fam.

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