To the Administration of Appalachian State, the Board of Trustees, and Chancellor Everts: On August 12, 2017 white nationalists took over the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia. This blatant show of violent racism was in response to the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a confederate general. As a result, confederate memorial statues all over the country were taken down quietly and not. On August 14, The Confederate Soldiers Monument was pulled down in Durham, North Carolina.
when House Bill 2 was passed. All of these are examples of when hate has not only been present on our campus, but was manifested here.
Chancellor Everts and the Administration of Appalachian State University have repeatedly ignored the presence of hate groups, hate speech, and white nationalism on our campus. The implementation of #NoHateAppState invalidates the student experience and is dangerous to those In response to white nationalists Charlottesville, The with historically marginalized identities. A “resiliency Chancellor sent an email with a call for, #NoHateAppState. The Chancellor also declared that, “there is no toolkit” is not necessary for students of color after an esplace for hate on our campus… No hate at App State. Pass tablished white nationalist hate group makes its presence it on.” known on campus. It is irresponsible of the University and of the Chancellor to expect students Less than a week later, the to learn to accept the boiling presence In lieu of national surge of white supremacy of white nationalists on our campus. #NoHateAppState, emboldened the white nationalist Buttons, stickers, and banners are not we want to see group, Identity Evropa, to hang a going to ensure the safety of black recruitment banner on Appalachian students, Jewish students, queer stuChancellor Everts, State University’s campus on August dents, and indigenous students. Appalachian 22, 2017. The banner drop at State University Appalachian State University was a White supremacy is pervasive. Not part of a larger national recruitment Administration, and The only is it embodied by hate speech Board of Trustees schema: Project Seize. and hate groups, it is also exemplified by the lack of support for students take active steps There is hate on our campus. of color and those with marginaltowards White nationalists targeted Appaized identities by institutions. It is combating injustice lachian State University because the prioritization of a quota over the and inequity. they knew they could get away with physical, emotional, and mental well recruiting on our campus. For stubeing of fourteen percent of Appadents of color and students with historically marginalized lachian State University’s student body. In direct response identities, this is not the first time Appalachian State to the Administration of Appalachian State University and University has failed to adequately address the fears, Chancellor Everts’ apathetic response to white nationalism concerns, and needs of its most disadvantaged. on our campus, we demand that our university makes a better effort towards making Appalachian State University Recall the anti-semitic stickers that were spread across a safe and successful environment for all students. In lieu campus. The chalkings that targeted undocumented, Latof #NoHateAppState, we want to see Chancellor Everts, Appalachian State University Administration, and The inx, and Muslim students after the election. The students Board of Trustees take active steps towards combating that were verbally harassed outside of Anne Belk Library injustice and inequity. by racial slurs. And the deadly silence from administration
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See page 3 for more information, article and authors
Sept. 28, 2017
THE TEAM Sydney Spann @spanooo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Olivia Wilkes @theappalachian ADVISER
EDITORIAL
BUSINESS
MULTIMEDIA
Victoria Haynes @victoriahayness MANAGING EDITOR
Q Russell @Q_M_Russell OPINION EDITOR
Jonathan Mauldin @MauldinJonathan GRADUATE ASSISTANT
Maleek Loyd @maleekstuff VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR
Halle Keighton @halle_keighton PHOTO EDITOR
Reilly Finnegan @reillyfinn CHIEF COPY EDITOR
Adrienne Fouts @adriennefouts A&E EDITOR
Bradley Workman @Brad_Workman BUSINESS MANAGER
Nora Smith @noraagracee GRAPHICS EDITOR
Jamie Patel @jptalksfooty VIDEO EDITOR
Tyler Hotz @TylerHotz15 IN-DEPTH EDITOR
Sammy Hanf @sammyhanf NEWS EDITOR
Braxton Coats @brxcoats22 WEB MANAGER
Jason Huber @_JasonHuber SPORTS EDITOR MARKETING DIRECTOR T H E COV E R: A letter written by students from Appalachian’s Multicultural Center condemning the administration and community’s lack of response regarding acts of hate on campus. For more info, see page 3.
CRIME LOG
CAMPUS SEPT. 24
SEPT. 23
12:07 a.m.|Indecent Exposure Stadium Drive Closed
3:57 p.m.|Underage Consumption of Alcohol Kidd Brewer Stadium Closed
SEPT. 23
SEPT. 22
3:21 p.m.|Underage Consumption of Alcohol Sidewalk of Trivette Hall Closed
1:53 p.m.|Larceny - From Buildings Eggers Hall Closed
SEPT. 23
SEPT. 22
3:45 p.m.|Underage Consumption of Alcohol Kidd Brewer Stadium Closed
2:30 a.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol Cannon Hall Closed
SEPT. 23
SEPT. 16
9:15 p.m.|Underage Consumption of Alcohol Gardner Hall Closed
1:10 a.m. | Larceny - Auto Parts & Accessories Beasley Broadcasting Complex Further Investigation
SEPT. 23
SEPT. 16
4:27 p.m.|Underage Consumption of Alcohol 572 Rivers Street PVA Closed
12:31 p.m. | Larceny - From Motor Vehicle Mountaineer Hall Parking Lot Further Investigation
Sept. 28, 2017
STUDENT’S CRITICIZE ADMINISTRATION’S RESPONSE TO HATE ON CAMPUS Sammy Hanf│
group of students that attended the Board of Trustees meeting last Friday delivered a letter criticizing Appalachian’s handling of displays of white nationalism. The letter, signed by over 200 students, called for administration to make more re-
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sources available to support marginalized students. Danica Lee, a senior biology major, said she hoped to have the board address the concerns stated in the letter, which was delivered to the Student Development Committee by SGA President Anderson Clayton on Thursday. John Blackburn, chair of
@SammyHanf│News Editor
the student development committee, said the letter raised complex and serious concerns and requested a copy so the board could respond. Lee said the “#NoHateAppState” campaign fails to address the concerns of marginalized students, who need real support, not just a hashtag.
“There have been multiple instances of hate not only happening here but being manifested here as a direct result of lack of action from administration,” Lee said. Megan Hayes, director of university communications, said administration has reached out to Clayton and the students who signed
the letter to have a dialogue around their concerns. The letter was delivered to the board before they met in closed session. Clayton said there is a lot of work to do going forward, but there are signs administration is willing to work toward supporting marginalized students.
THE LETTER Written by Students of App State
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o the Administration of Appalachian State Univer-
s i t y, t h e B o a r d o f Tr u s t e e s , and Chancellor Everts: On August 12, 2017, white nationalists took over the streets of Charlottesville, Vi r g i n i a . This blatant show of violent racism was in response to the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a confederate general. As a result, confederate memorial statues all over the country were taken down quietly and not. On August 14, The Confederate Soldiers Monument was pulled down in Durham, North Carolina. In response to white nationalists Charlottesville, The Chancellor sent an email with a call for #NoHateAppState. The Chancellor also de-
clared that, “there is no place for hate on our campus... No hate at App State. Pass it on.” Less than a week late r, t h e n a t i o n a l s u r g e of white supremacy emboldened the white nationalist group, Identity Evropa, to hang a recruitment banner on Appalachian State Univers i t y ’s c a m p u s o n A u gust 22, 2017. The banner drop at Appalachian State University was a part of a larger national recruitment schema: Project Seize. There is hate on our campus. White nationalists targeted Appalachian State University because they knew they could get away with recruiting on our campus. For students of color and students with historically marginalized identities, this is not the first time Appalachian State University
Ariel Green
Avery Walter Caroline Parker
The Chancellor:
The Administration:
Signed,
● Publicly denounce white nationalists, hate groups, and hate speech. ● Support the removal of confederate monuments and confederate memorials across North Carolina campuses, including Silent Sam at UNC Chapel Hill. ● Support the integrity and fiscal support of HBCUs. ● Sustained communication with students regarding steps moving forward.
● Active steps towards fully staffing the office of Multicultural Student Development. ● Hire faculty and staff of color as well as bilingual faculty and staff. ● Hire mental health counselors of color and bilingual mental health counselors. ● Continued and increased multicultural competency, inclusivity, and bias training for students, faculty, and staff.
has failed to adequately address the fears, concerns, and needs of its most disadvantaged. Recall the anti-semitic stickers that were spread across campus. The chalkings that targeted undocumented, Latinx, and Muslim students after the election. The students that were verbally harassed outside of Anne Belk Library by racial slurs. And the deadly silence from administration when House Bill 2 was passed. All of these are examples of when hate has not only been present on our campus, but was manifested here. Chancellor Everts and the Administration of Appalachian State University have repeatedly ignored the presence of hate groups, hate speech, and white nationalism on our campus. The implementation of #NoHateDanica Lee Diana Feria
● Continued and increased resources towards the Bias Reporting system. ● Implement multicultural competency, inclusivity, and bias training into the University College First Year Seminar program. ● Resources used in the distribution of #NoHateAppState merchandise be reimbursed towards initiatives for underrepresented students. ● Devote funds to creating scholarships for undocu-
AppState invalidates the student experience and is dangerous to those with historically marginalized identities. A “resiliency toolkit” is not necessary for students of color after an established white nationalist hate group makes its presence known on campus. It is irresponsible of the University and of the Chancellor to expect students to learn to accept the boiling presence of white nationalists on our campus. Buttons, stickers, and banners are not going to ensure the safety of black students, Jewish students, queer students, and indigenous students. White supremacy is pervasive. Not only is it embodied by hate speech and hate groups, it is also exemplified by the lack of support for students of color and those
with marginalized identities by institutions. It is the prioritization of a quota over the physical, emotional, and mental well being of fourteen percent of Appalac h i a n S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y ’s s t u d e n t b o d y. In direct response to the Administration of Appalachian State University and Chancellor Everts’ apathetic response to white nationalism on our campus, we demand that our university makes a better effort towards making Appalachian State University a safe and successful environment for all students. In lieu of #NoHateAppState, we want to see Chancellor Everts, Appalachian State University Administration, a n d T h e B o a r d o f Tr u s t ees take active steps towards combating injust i c e a n d i n e q u i t y.
Everette Seay Ricki Draper
mented students. ● Provide free immigration legal counsel for students, faculty and staff. ● Publically add an onsite immigration lawyer to University staff. ● That University Police do not allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on our campus unless required by warrant. ● Provide continued education programs in case of deportation and/or arrest.
The Board of Trustees: ● Continued and increased fiscal support for Multicultural Student Development. ● Continued and increased fiscal support for Equity, Diversity, and Compliance. ● Provide the resources for Multicultural Diaspora Studies. ● Prioritize initiatives for students with historically marginalized identities.
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Sept. 28, 2017
TOWN TO HOLD MEETINGS TO DETERMINE NEW SKATE PARK LOCATION The remains of the Boone DIY Skatepark at the old Watagua High School property. The skate park was demolished earlier this month after Appalachian State took possession of the property.
Sammy Hanf│ tarting Wednesday, the town of Boone will be holding meetings to find an acceptable location for a new skatepark after the one at the old Watauga High School property was demolished. The meetings will be attended by officials from the town and county, along with Appalachian students and the owner of Recess, a local skate shop. Council member Jeannine Collins said she had been looking at the issue of skateboarding in Boone since a presentation was given by members of a skateboarding club at Appalachian a year or so ago, but the issue flared up again after App State bought the old Watauga
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High School property. “I felt like there needed to be a proactive committee to get together representing the county, the town, the university and the private sector to talk about these two issues,” Collins said. Megan Hayes, director of communications at Appalachian, said while there are no plans to allow for skateboarding, since it is prohibited by university policy, Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Paul Forte will be representing Appalachian at the first meeting of the committee. J.P. Pardy, owner of Recess, said while he is disappointed that they were unable to keep skating at the old high school, he is thankful to the town and
@sammyhanf│ News Editor
county for working with them. Pardy said the committee will be looking to identify unused sites that are owned by the town where they could set up a new skate park, with much of the funding expected to come through Kickstarter or other crowdfunding venues. “At the end of the day, all the funding came from local fundraising,” Pardy said. “Really most of the guys were just coming out with a few bucks and building something that day.” Pardy said that for people who are not into team sports, skateboarding provides an alternative outlet to exercise and express themselves. Pardy said he is glad to have the support he has from the town
of Boone and feels optimistic that action will happen by next year. Collins said she would like to have a presentation be given to all relevant parties by December of this year, a quick turnaround, but she is confident that it can get done. She also hopes to have conversations about what legal skateboarding would look like in the town of Boone, citing proposals like prohibiting skating on King Street, but allowing it in the rest of town as possible solutions. Collins said she wants to look at how Asheville has handled the issue, since the town has a similar hilly terrain. Comparing the similari-
ties between skateboarding and biking, Collins said both carry safety risks, but with proper protection and regulation, they can be a safe mode of transportation. “I think if we can mesh and look at different regulations it will be successful,” Collins said. Collins said she thinks the town is heading in the right direction on the issue of skateboarding. “I think we have it now,” Collins said. “I think by the formation of this committee and some people being sympathetic to it and seeing that there is a push for it that we do need to come to some resolution.” The first meeting will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Jones House.
NEW LECTURE HALL BEGINS APPALACHIAN EXPANSION Dylan Austin│
ust off King Street next to Plemmons Student Union is a little-known addition to App’s campus. Howard Street Hall opened this fall to faculty and students. Darrell Kruger, provost and executive vice chancellor at Appalachian, played a leading role in the remodeling of the building, previously a Presbyterian church the university acquired in 2010. “In order to continue to provide high-quality education for students, we really need the requisite academic facilities,” Kruger said. As part of a leadership team
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with the three other vice chancellors and Chancellor Sheri Everts, Kruger helped decide to use funds to turn the old church into two lecture halls and 21 faculty offices. Due to Appalachian’s growing population, most of the offices have already been filled since the space opened in August. Kruger said that the university is currently renovating the buildings in the health sciences college and bought the property of the former Watauga County High School for development. “The university has two options in providing new space: build up or acquire as much new property as possible,” Kru-
@DylanPAustin│Intern News Reporter
ger said. “Building upward can only go so far so that the university coexists with the natural aesthetics of Boone.” Carol Soule, a family and child studies professor, was one of the faculty members to receive one of the new offices. Previously using an office shared with many other faculty, she said the new office gives her much needed space to talk with students after class and do work without going to a computer lab. Art Rex, the director of space management and planning at App, said the budget for Howard Street Hall was $2.65 million. The planning and de-
sign started in the spring of 2016 with the architecture firm LS3P. Construction started the following fall with Vannoy Construction and the ribbon was cut Aug. 25. Rex said one concern during renovation was keeping a separate space for the Lucy Brock Child Development Laboratory Program in the lowest level of the building. Accommodations included removing a stairway that connected the main floor and child care facility as well as installing sound dampening floors in the lecture spaces. One feature of the space that stood out to Soule was that, unlike other lecture halls, Howard
Hall has an area where students can eat, study or gather socially. She said it’s a space that would be more likely found in a student union than a lecture hall. Katelyn McKinney, a senior career and technical education major, is one student who can be found outside the lecture hall with her feet propped up, earbuds in and working on her laptop. McKinney said she enjoys being able to use the quiet space in between classes. Howard Street Hall gives space for lectures that span departments across the university, including geography and planning and anthropology.
Maleek Loyd
Sept. 28, 2017
This is a collection of all the posters based on Timothy Snyder’s book “On Tyranny.” These posters were designed by Suzanne Dean and the Vintage Design Team of Kingston University, London and are placed in the Smith Gallery.
TYRANNY IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY Rachel Greenland│
wo of four discussions were held by the Humanities Council concerning Timothy Snyder’s book “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century,” which will include Snyder’s speech at the Humanities Council Symposium this Friday. Snyder is the Housum Professor of History at Yale University and has authored six award-winning books. His most recent book, “On Tyranny” is a discussion of the values America was founded on and where America is in the aftermath of the 2016 election.
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Topics range from resistance to patriotism and fake news to preserving the rule of law. Faculty from a variety of departments, as well as members of the Boone community are scheduled to facilitate these discussions surrounding democracy to engage both students and professors at Appalachian State. “What [our founding fathers] established through our constitution and our institutions is a democracy that has provided us with stability, has limited the passions of the extreme ends for the last 225 years or so,” Phillip Ardoin, chair of the government and justice studies depart-
@rach_greenland│Intern News Reporter
ment, said. “The question is: do those institutions and that form of democracy still work today?” Throughout the discussions, questions were posed about engagement, hope, truth and power. By creating a conversational setting, many raised questions and concerns that Snyder’s book addressed. A frustration that was shared across the board was the lack of political engagement in fellow citizens. Faculty encouraged students to share books, knowledge and information with their classmates and friends to help put an end to issues like voter apathy and lack of political
knowledge. “Not just the people that I know and people in my generation are battling internal political struggles about what to do and when,” Brit Westbrook, a freshman elementary education major, said. “Everyone from every generation is kind of feeling that same thing, that it’s not just 18 and 19-year-olds.” These discussions were organized by Nancy Love, coordinator of the Humanities Council at App State. “With its 2017-18 programs on ‘Sustaining Democracy,’ the Humanities Council hopes to promote a dialogue about democracy that
explores its various meanings in the experiences of different peoples,” Love said. “What do these experiences suggest about the sustainability and vulnerability of western democracy? What future possibilities might emerge from considering alternative approaches to democracy?” The two following discussions take place Sept. 27 as well as Oct. 4 and are entitled “Are you a patriot? The meanings of patriotism, populism and America First” and “Are your rights disappearing? Preserving the rule of law.” Snyder will be on campus to speak about his book on Friday.
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Sept. 28, 2017
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s new book, “What Happened.” In the memoir, Clinton details what she believes led to her defeat in the 2016 presidential election.
WHAT HAPPENED: HILLARY CLINTON SPEAKS OUT
illary Clinton released her tellall book, “What Happened,” on Sept. 12, 10 months after she conceded the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump. “This is my story of what happened. It’s the story of what I saw, felt, and thought during the two most intense years I’ve ever experienced,” Clinton said in her opening lines. With the inside front cover showing Clinton in her all-white pantsuit waving to a crowd and the back inside cover showing a little girl holding up a “Stronger Together” sign, “What Happened” is Clinton’s statement on the 2016 presidential election. “What Happened” shares Clinton’s views on the campaign, primary and general elections, her life, reasons she lost and moving onward. Her focus in “What Happened” is not to make excuses; in fact, in the author’s note she said that there were plenty of mistakes and that “they are mine and mine alone.” Many wanted Clinton to go away after the 2016 election and she alluded to that in her book, but with the release, it is clear she is here to stay.
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Mickey Hutchings
Moss Brennan is a freshman journalism major from Durham, North Carolina. You can follow him on Twitter at @mosbren. The 464-page book is split into five different sections: perseverance, competition, sisterhood, idealism and realism, frustration and resilience. Each section has chapters talking about different issues during the campaign. From chapters titled “Showing Up,” “On Being a Woman in Politics” and “Making History” to “Those Damn Emails,” “Election Night” and “Why,” Clinton talks about a broad range of subjects. When I first started this book, I expected it to be about her making excuses, blaming everyone, not owning up to her mistakes and attacking Trump. While she did have her gripes
over things that happened during the campaign and blaming did happen, it was not to the extent I believed it would be. Clinton talked about Trump in a significant way, in my opinion, 29 times and Bernie Sanders only nine times. “I go back to my own shortcomings and the mistakes we made. I take responsibility for all of them,” Clinton wrote. “You can blame the data, blame the message, blame anything you want -- but I was a candidate. It was my campaign. Those were my decisions.” This was the second quote that opened up the chapter titled “Why,” in which she explained the outside forces she think impacted the election. This is the chapter in which she does place blame on others. Clinton talks about FBI Director James Comey and his letter bringing the email investigation back to life on Oct. 28, 2016, Russia’s campaign to influence the election and how the Trump campaign may have colluded with Russia. She mentioned this quite a bit and was adamant that this played a part in her losing to Trump. While the book was somber in its writing, there were parts
that gave me chills and parts that made me laugh. Clinton mentions meeting with Sandy Hook families and talking with them about what to do about gun violence. She also talks about Flint, Michigan, and meeting young kids that now have problems due to the poisoned water and the heartbreak she felt meeting them. Clinton devotes pages talking about her love for kids and how much she cares for their well-being. She didn’t just have dark and sad parts about the campaign in “What Happened,” she added light-hearted comments and had some fun with her political counterparts. She said hi to Al Gore, John Kerry and Mitt Romney when she was wondering if anyone reading will ever lose a presidential election. She also had some fun with her emails, the controversial ones, bringing up an email where she told John Podesta to “please wear socks to bed to keep your feet warm.” This made Clinton appear more relatable with readers as she made fun of herself, which is rare among politicians. While the book goes pretty indepth on her view of the election,
it does not bring much new to the table. Clinton lists the same excuses that have been made about why she lost the election: Russia, the emails and third party voters. Granted, she does goes deeper into those reasons, but to many of her diehard critics, it is just another way Clinton excuses the loss to Trump. Clinton also uses this book to tell readers what she would have done as president and how she would have used her first few months in office. That may be good to some of her supporters who want to show how bad of a job Trump is doing, but it feels like propaganda and a way to make her seem better. Overall, Clinton’s “What Happened” is an intriguing view on the 2016 presidential election from the losing perspective. The book was a very good read that had me engrossed from the very beginning. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to take a look at the election through Hillary Clinton’s eyes, learn more about the scandals that impacted the elections and see what it was like to lose an election. I give “What Happened” a four out of five star review.
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Sept. 28, 2017
BREAKING BARRIERS WITH SPORTS PROTESTS
The American flag being displayed at the beginning of the Panthers football game in November 2016. he sports world has been brought to the center of attention once again over the last few weeks due to the renewed clash of sports and politics. We have been here before though. Sports and politics have always been associated. This issue of conflicts between sports, politics and race goes back to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in 1947 when he became the first African American to play in the MLB. Or when Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the army in 1967 and said, “I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong.” In 2013, the Miami Heat protested against the Trayvon Martin shooting. Billie Jean King created the first women’s players union in 1973. According to the Chicago SunTimes, the 1936 Berlin Olympics sporting events were more of a showcase for the supposed virtue of racial purity and nationalism. The events were more of a fight against Hitler with matchups of Germans vs. Americans. If none of these barricades were broken, many of the social equalities that we have today wouldn’t exist. Racism, white supremacy and inequality have been brought to the forefront once again as a result of the current nine-month tenure of President Donald Trump. Racism has always existed. It did not begin when Trump became president or when Barack Obama became president. The focus has just been elevated due to the divisive dialect spoken by our president. In 2016, former San Francisco
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Jason Huber is a senior journalism major from Huntersville, North Carolina. Follow him on Twitter at @_JasonHuber. 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refocused the limelight back to the sports world when he kneeled weekly during the National Anthem. This led to many other NFL players kneeling and sparking debate between freedom of speech and respecting the American flag. Kaepernick kneeled because of the police brutality taking place against African Americans such as Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and Keith Lamont Scott. According to The Washington Post, Kaepernick comes from a white mother and a black father, and grew up in a religious family. It was Kaepernick’s faith that led him to become a civil activist and philanthropist. Even while raising $2 million on GoFundMe for floods in Somalia, or $50,000 for Meals on Wheels with the help from Kaepernick, the protests led to Kaepernick being voted as the “most hated player” in the NFL. Now, Kaepernick is out of a job. One can argue that Kaepernick is out of a job not because he is not a good quarterback, but because he
was standing up for what is right. Two weeks ago, ESPN anchor Jemele Hill spoke up about President Trump not condemning the Charlottesville riots and the white supremacists who played a part. Almost immediately, the White House issued a statement saying that Hill should be fired for speaking out against Trump. Yes, Hill works for the sports industry, but she is also a black woman who has been discriminated against throughout her life. All Hill was doing was using her First Amendment right of free speech. In some jobs, it would be wrong for Hill to speak up. But in sports, the impact an athlete or sports figure has is profound. According to an ABC News study in 2016, there were 104 incidents of racism in sports internationally, and that’s only what is reported. New York Giants player Nikita Whitlock has had his home robbed and vandalized, with threats spray painted on the walls, such as “KKK” and “Go back to Africa.” Denver Broncos lineman Brandon Marshall protested the National Anthem and received hate mail that included the N-word and racial slurs according to that same source. Discrimination is real. A majority of sports are made up of black athletes. In a study by University of South Florida called The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports, 70 percent of NFL athletes, 75 percent of NBA players and over 50 percent of NCAA student-athletes in 2016 were African American. Every one of these athletes has likely received discrimination because of their skin color in one way or another.
If not them, then their family members or friends do. Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers said after the Panthers game Sunday that “Protesting wasn’t an attack on the military, it was protesting an attack the president made on my brothers.” They have every right to protest the division taking place in our country. When President Trump brought up NFL protests at a rally in Alabama on Friday, he called Kaepernick “a son of a bitch,” and said NFL owners should fire players for kneeling during the National Anthem. Yes, the American flag is a monumental piece of our country, and people have died for the flag, but people have also died to give us the right to have freedom of speech and freedom to protest. We have a president who can’t condemn white supremacy, but who can condemn black athletes for protesting about discrimination that themselves, friends, family and fans receive. On Saturday, Trump tweeted that the Golden State Warriors were no longer invited to the White House for their championship celebration because star player Stephen Curry was hesitant to accept the invitation due to Trump’s views. Outrage around the sports landscape was raised even more. Outspoken star players like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant and many others defended Curry and the Warriors. University of North Carolina Chapel Hill’s basketball team even went on to cancel their visit in addition to this. NFL teams owner and commissioner Roger Goodell began to
speak out against Trump’s comments. On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans decided not to come out for the National Anthem. The Associated Press has counted at least 130 players who either sat or kneeled during the anthem before their games just through the 1 p.m. games. Despite Trump’s comments, the sports world has once again brought unity. Athletes are some of the most powerful figures in the world. Silence can sometimes be good, but when one athlete speaks out, it has proven to create a domino effect of positives in the political community. Just because they are athletes does not mean the community, or the president, can take away their right of standing up for what they believe in. Whether it is the St. Louis Rams and NBA teams wearing shirts that said, “Hands up, don’t shoot!” in 2013, Venus and Serena Williams supporting women’s rights, athletes and teams coming together after 9/11 or the Boston Marathon Bombings, sports has changed the modern day world for the better. Now, when we are in another rough time, athletes and teams have once again begun standing up for what they believe. When a majority of athletes that we as fans watch on a daily basis are the ones who are or have been discriminated against, we have no right to question their choices. It may seem like a mess now, but in one way or another, the sports world will once again come around and break a new barrier. That movement has already begun, and it must be supported.
Jason Huber
Sept. 28, 2017
HOW GLOBAL WARMING AFFECTS NATURAL DISASTERS ildfires and earthquakes are ravaging the west coast and hurricanes Harvey, Irma and now Maria have devastated everything in their wake. With such intense and widespread disasters assaulting the United States just this year, eyebrows have rightfully begun to raise towards the possible causalities. Global warming, or “an increase in the earth’s atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect,” according to Merriam-Webster, is the most scientifically proven causality of severity in natural disasters reported by NASA. So could there be a correlation between more frequent and intense natural disasters and the neglect of acknowledgement towards cli-
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Kayla Smtih is a freshman journalism major from Concord, North Carolina. Follow her on Twitter @berkleys26. mate change over the past 35 years? Global warming has always been a controversial topic within the political sphere. Ninety-seven percent of liberals think global warming is occurring, but only 42 percent of conservatives think so according to Yale University, so it is not shocking that global warming is one of the most heavily debated topics
in politics. But, in the end, it boils down to the fact that is just a matter of science. Since the 19th century, the global temperature of the Earth has been rising at unprecedented levels, and according to NASA, 95 percent of this is due to human activity. NASA finds that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions have caused the global temperature to rise 1.1 degrees Celsius, and most of this global warming has occurred over the last 35 years. What does this have to do with these irregularly intense disasters, such as hurricanes? NASA notes that the oceans have absorbed majority of this global increase in temperatures, and warmer sea temperatures lead to a greater intensity within the storms. Daniel Caton, an astronomy professor at Appalachian State University who regular-
ly speaks on the impact global warming has on the Earth, supplements that fact. “The earliest climate models have predicted an increase in the intensity of storms,” Caton said. “As [the Earth] warms, you have more moisture in the air which is what drives these storms.” In the 1970s the average amount of category four or five hurricanes was about eight to ten per year. Currently there are approximately 18-20 category four or five hurricanes globally reported by Live Science. If the human race continues to ignore the annual rising temperatures, the levels of intensity of future hurricanes are going to produce unrecoverable amounts of destruction. The world is in need of a wake up call, but it is not too late to be more conscious of the environment.
“[I am] disturbed by the notion of mitigation preparing for disaster,” Caton said. “[it is key to focus on] joining the rest of the world in controlling our CO2 and burning of fossil fuels. [The state of global warming] is only going to get worse.” Global warming is not controversial, it is not arguable, it is just disregarded. “You believe in the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus, you understand science, it is not a belief, it is an understanding of the evidence that there is for a phenomenon,” Caton said. It is time to stop preparing for the end of the world when we can prevent it. Consciousness and understandings of individual carbon footprints, to energy efficiency, or to conserving natural resources is crucial for the preservation of Earth, as well as the manageability of future hurricanes.
Lindsey Wise
Sept. 28, 2017
Boone Film Fest attendees watch film entries during the 2016 film festival. The venue last year had room for 400 people.
BOONE FILM FEST HIGHLIGHTS LOCAL AND REGIONAL STORIES Macon Atkinson│
oone Film Festival, a two-day event in September, supports local nonprofits and gives filmmakers the opportunity to share their work with others. The festival began as an idea to showcase local and regional stories on film. Co-founders and executive board members Jason Berry, Bill Ireland and Russ Hiatt were inspired by Banff Mountain Film Festival, which comes to Boone every year during its world tour. The three of them won-
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dered if they could do the same thing, but with a focus on the Appalachian community. “There’s a lot of cool things that happen in the region,” Berry said. “And someone needs to champion that. There’s a lot of stories to be told.” The first Boone Film Festival took place in April 2016. It was held in a 400seat venue and tickets sold out in 10 days. There were 32 submissions and every film category was filled. Now, the festival’s executive board is looking ahead
@atkinson_macon│Intern A&E Reporter
and sees future potential for the festival to become a weeklong event, spread out across several locations. “We really see the potential for this to be another reason for people to come to Boone,” Ireland said. “For being such a small town, it’s an incredibly active outdoor community.” In Berry’s words, Boone Film Festival is “by the community, for the community.” It’s completely volunteer-based and 100 percent of proceeds are donated to local nonprofit organizations. This year’s benefactor
is Mountain Alliance, a program that provides leadership and service project opportunities to local students. Joni Horine, another board member, said that this year’s film entries are dynamic and diverse and that their film culture is phenomenal, even international. Horine also said that she enjoys having a female voice in the group and in the event. She has been involved since the beginning and helped run the festival in 2016. The 2017 Boone Film Festival will take place Thursday through Saturday, be-
ginning with a screening of the youth category films in Watauga High School’s Ross Auditorium at 6 p.m. Tickets are $3 for those under 18, and $5 for all others. On Saturday, the Appalachian culture, environment and adventure category films will be shown at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, beginning at noon. Tickets are $10 for those under 18, $15 for all others and $50 for a VIP package. For more information and a detailed schedule visit Boone Film Festival’s 2017 Events page.
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(Left to right) Sean Gorham, Leonardo Faillace, Evan B Knight.
MEET THE
EVAN BUTTON Georgia Walker
eet one of Boone’s local bands, Evan Button and the Tribe: Evan Button, guitar and vocals; Sean Gorham, bass; Austin Bowling, saxophone; Leonardo Faillace, lead guitar and vocals; Nate Anderson, trumpet and keyboard; and Danny Knight on drums. The band first started in November 2016 and performed their first show in January 2017 at Legends. Button, a sophomore music industry studies major, originally started as a solo artist, already having two songs released while he was in high school, which are available on Spotify. Button and Faillace met in their dorm and eventually found the rest of the members. “I was able to come to App and have a fully functional band, and it’s been a really cool experience,” Button said. The band recently welcomed a new member, Sean Gorham, a sophomore music industry studies major. He has been in bands before, so this is not new to him. He has performed in Utah, Las Vegas and even has an upcoming gig in Iceland. Gorham joined Evan Button and the Tribe in the beginning of the 2017 fall semester.
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Leonardo Faillace, who plays lead guitar and vocals. He joined after meeting Button in their dorm. 10
“It’s a lot of work being a student and being in a band,” Gorham said. “The hardest part is you don’t have have enough time, but you have to make time, so you stay up late so you can rehearse and record.” The material the band plays would be considered reggae and soul. Faillace said that his musical inspiration is Jerry Garcia and his solo technique. “I think Boone has an amazing music scene, especially right now,” sophomore music industry studies major Bowling said. “There are a ton of great bands, so it’s impossible to say we are one genre but we have the Boone sound.” The band gets together multiple times a week with a minimum of two practices a week. Since five out of the six members are in the music school, the band is used for a lot of recording majors’ projects. Most of their time outside of class is spent on these projects, in the studio or creating music. “I’m the only one in the band that’s not a music major. It is different because the rest of the band is typically in the same building for the whole day, and I’m just hopping around campus all day and then I’m called into that building,” sopho-
Courtesy of Evan Button
Sept. 28, 2017
Button, Nate Anderson, Austin Bowling and Danny
BAND:
AND THE TRIBE
@GeorgiaCWalker│Intern A&E Reporter
more international business major Faillace said. Button writes most of the songs, but the band is looking to expand and cowrite songs as a group. Faillace and Button recently cowrote a song. “It is tough because most of us have been writing by ourselves for so long that it’s hard to open yourself up with songwriting, because it is so personal,” Faillace said. Bowling added, “We start off with Evan’s songs as a template, but as we play them as the band, we change the songs over time and they change into something completely different than as they start as. By the time we play them live, all of us are in the song.” It is clear that songwriting is a group effort and each member gets the chance to put their own words and emotions into the music. The band is approaching a year together and hopes to continue as long as they can. “As of right now, none of us know what position we are going to be in three years from now when we are graduating, so it makes it challenging, but our goal is to keep playing out and keep expanding to new territories and markets as well as breaking into the festival
Courtesy of Evan Button
scene,” Button said. “I think we are all on the same page. If this seems like a viable thing to pursue full time at that point, we will go for it.” The band has had its up and downs, but definitely has their share of stories so far. “At our first Legends show before we went on, our opening act was playing on our drummer Danny Knight’s drum set, and the drum set broke right before the show,” Bowling said. “Danny had to drive across town to get parts for his drum set. Leo and Evan were on stage playing acoustically just trying to keep the audience contained.” The farthest the band has traveled to is James Madison University in April 2017. This year, they are going to play in Virginia Beach on Nov. 10, a six-hour drive. “We are always so excited to play live,” Bowling said. “We are a family of six guys, but when we play a show, everyone in the audience becomes our family.” If you want a chance to see the band live, they will be playing on Oct. 5 with Death Poets at Black Cat. This is an 18 and older event with a $5 cover charge. Check out their Facebook to find out gig dates as well as when new material comes out.
Evan Button, who started off his music career in high school, came together with the band to create music. 11
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Senior Annika Sharard from Australia and junior Mae Müller from Germany experiencing their first Appalachian State football game as international students.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TAKE APP STATE BY STORM Mariah Reneau│
lthough there are several resources on our campus for Appalachian State students to study abroad in other countries, there are also many opportunities for other students around the world to come to App State. Appalachian State has several partner institutions around the world that allow students to study at App State for the semester or even a year. These students come from a variety of places ranging from Europe to Australia and Asia to South America. So why did these students decided to come to App State? “We had a lot of different partner universities within the United States [at my university back home], but I thought that App State was specifically interesting because it’s lo-
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cated in the South in the Bible Belt, which is something I’m not used to culture-wise for my own home town and my own environment,” Mae Müller, a German native and junior American studies major, said. These students not only have to deal with everyday college student problems, but they also have to learn a whole new culture. “When I got off the plane I was like, ‘Wow this is so different. I have to tip, how do I tip?’” Annika Sharard, an Australian native and senior public health major, said. It’s not just the little things like restaurant courtesies that make Boone and the United States different for these students. “Everything is bigger and everything’s really extreme,” Müller said, using big trucks that drive on Boone’s roads as an example.
@reneau2│A&E Reporter
Even our own campus, something many students take for granted is very different for these international students. “Everything’s really clean. Where I live is not clean at all,” Joan Rojas Martinez, a Chilean native and senior geography major, said. The atmosphere outside of the classroom is just another example of what makes the students’ experiences in the U.S. so different. “I think in the U.S. it’s so easy to make friends,” Alena Kaltenbach, a German native and graduate student, said. “I’ve found that if you go up to any American in class and you just sit next to them, you just get to talking.” Many of these students take classes at App State that then transfer over to their respective schools. Although the classwork is the same, the classroom dynamic and the
amount of school work is different. For many international students, their universities have professors that will lecture and provide instruction during the class, but will not give any homework or assignments to work on after class. It’s not until final exam time that students have any work outside of class. “During the semester it’s so easy because you have so much time when you go to university, but when all the exams are due you’re just buried in your room for four weeks,” Kaltenbach said. International students are also not very familiar with residence hall life. For many schools around the world, students will often live with their parents or in apartments in the city. There isn’t as much on-campus living. “Living on campus is only a thing if you’re from a rural
area. We only have four residence halls on campus and they’re relatively small,” Sharard said. “Most people would commute about 45 minutes by train to get to university. That’s common, but also a lot of us live with our parents still.” So does a residential housing life make a difference in a student’s college experience? “People [in Chile] live at home with their parents. I think many people here are more mature. They are younger but more mature,” Martinez said. Martinez also pointed out that one of the reasons people here in the U.S. are younger is because many majors in our country take around four to five years to complete. That isn’t the case in Chile, where it takes five or six years to completea major. “That is the duration of the major but most people finish
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Sept. 28, 2017
Graduate student Alena Kaltenbach (left) is an international student studying food technology and nutrition. in more time,” Martinez said. So how is it that these students handle such big changes? Luckily, there are several resources on campus for international students to use; one of the biggest being International Appalachian. International Appalachian, usually known as INTAPP, is a student-run organization that works to promote studying abroad, international recruitment to Appalachian, leadership and internationalization of Appalachian’s campus, according to the organization’s website. The club provides several services, including picking up the students from the airport and taking them to orientation, and even just being a resource on campus for these students to ask questions. “We go the first day they get there and make sure all of their bags are there and they
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have all of their visa stuff figured out,” senior global studies and Japanese double major Alivia Hancock said. “And we do give them orientation here at App State and help them into their dorms and figure out where all of their classes are.” Many of the international students are extremely appreciative of the group’s efforts and mentioned that a lot of their other international friends who attended different U.S. universities have not received the kind of help they have here at App. “They have been there for us a lot. They were involved a lot [with orientation week] and they helped us,” Müller said. INTAPP also plays a large part in helping the international students answer questions before they ever even step foot on campus. “There were some ques-
tions I had that were more for students than teachers and a lot of the INTAPP members were in the fall Facebook group, so I messaged them individually,” Sharard said. Overall, there are a lot of experiences, as well as lessons, that these students are learning as they continue with their time at App. “I always say that things are weird, and I have to accept that weird is not weird, it’s just different,” Sharard said. It’s not just other students that can gain from these experiences either. Hancock, vice president of INTAPP, is a large advocate for App State students studying abroad. “I think we’re at a really critical place socially and politically on a global scale, that people need to realize not everyone is like them and different isn’t bad,” Hancock said.
Student: Annika Sharard Home Country: Australia Year: Senior Biggest change coming to App: How do you tip?
Student: Mae Müller Home Country: Germany Year: Junior Biggest change coming to App: Everything is just bigger
Student: Alena Kaltenbach Home Country: Austria Year: Graduate Student Biggest change coming to App: How friendly everyone is
Student: Joan Rojas Martinez Home Country: Chile Year: Fifth Year Student Biggest change coming to App: Everything is really clean
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Sept. 28, 2017
The Turchin Center is located on King Street next to App State’s campus and offers free and discounted programs to students and community members to help them engage with their own and others’ art.
TURCHIN CENTER: OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL ARTISTS Amber Grant│
he Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, located on King Street next to Appalachian State’s campus, is a lively center for young artists to get involved and observe others’ works. The Turchin Center engages everyone from the university and the surrounding area to get involved in an interesting and dynamic way to help inspire those wishing to create art. Through the use of outreach, educational and collective programs, artists of all ages are encouraged to come and visit in hopes of receiving inspiration. On Sept. 20, App State students gathered together for a weekly open studio session located within the Turchin Center. Students were encouraged to participate in the collaborative creation of art using var-
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ious supplies provided by the hosts and the Turchin Center. At the open studio, students were inspired by other people’s arts and activities and the creative aura could be felt all around the room. “It’s truly an incredible environment,” Creston Morrison, a freshman graphic design major, said. “The creative and artistic expression flowing around the room definitely helped other people to make their own art.” Morrison was inspired by the works of Dan Eldon, an artist and photographer most famous for his social work and journals about the conditions of Africa. Creating his own piece, Creston cut up pictures from a newspaper and plastered them onto a page, creating an artistic journal-like piece during his time at the open studio. El-
@am_the_writer│Intern A&E Reporter
don’s inspiration can be seen within Morrison’s work as the piece as displays the dark feel of Eldon’s journals and collage work during his time in Africa. Devin Frakes, a freshman computer science major, also created a piece at the open art studio at the Turchin Center. “It’s a picture of me, about anxiety that causes me to have sleep paralysis. There are objects circling around my head and the piece is supposed to represent the types of anxious dreams I used to have,” Frakes said. Frakes also used supplies provided by the open studio to create his work of art. Water color pencils, charcoal, paint brushes and canvases were passed around as everyone worked for hours to create their art. “The open studio is a great
place to be whenever someone feels stressed out. The studio is very expressive and calming and overall a great place for artists to get their creativity flowing,” Nikki Hendrix, a freshman art and visual culture major, said. “I like using colored pencils the most because coloring for me is the best way to calm down and relax. Making art is definitely a go-to stress reliever for all students.” Not only does the Turchin Center provide an open studio for the public, but there are several other activities happening every week on King Street for artists of all types. On Oct. 6, visitors will be able to view two new exhibitions opening up at the gallery. One exhibition entitled “Taking Tea” will transform the Turchin Center into a tea house formed completely from old tea bags and loose
tea leaves, creating a quiet and scented environment for all tea lovers. The tea house was created by Judith Gregory and will be open for viewing in Venue Gallery A. Another exhibition that will be opening is entitled “Spectacle and Scaffolding: Contemporary Photography Muses Hierarchy,” which revolves around photographs representing the hierarchy and power structures people live with today. The exhibit shows the interworking relationships between the nation and working citizens and interactions within the social hierarchy. The exhibit features several different photographers including Mark Curran, Elin O’Hara Slavick, Trevor Paglen and Greta Pratt. Stop by the Turchin Center for more information about upcoming events and artistic opportunities.
Maleek Loyd
Sept. 28, 2017
A sculpture outside of the Turchin Center, located on King Street next to App State’s campus.
Adrienne Fouts
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Ben Lynch tells the crowd he wants to be known as a “hat guy” during his performance Sept. 20. As the winner of the competition, Ben will open for an upcoming show featuring Chris D’Elia.
CHRIS D’ELIA TO PERFORM HOMECOMING SHOW Myles Toe│
n Sept. 20, the Appalachian Popular Programming Society hosted a stand-up competition that featured 13 App State students competing for the opportunity to open for stand-up comedian Chris D’Elia. The competition was held in the Blue Ridge Ballroom with a packed crowd of students and faculty alike. The competitors were given five minutes to showcase their best material and were graded on a numerical scale of zero to five in categories that measured creativity, crowd feedback and overall showmanship. The acts were judged by members of the Appalachian student body, including Student Body Vice President Alan Lee, Kiera Massi, a member of the a capella vocal ensemble group Eharmonix, and APPS President Matthew Raynor. The event also included members of the Come-
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dy Club, including their president, Jimmy Briggs, and vice president, Brooke Hayhurst, who both performed. Students of all grades from freshmen to seniors attended and performed. There were moments of riotous laughter when senior psychology major Adam Perez told his uncanny story about a fictional CIA job interview, which consisted of him becoming abducted by police and covered in salad dressing. There were also moments of deafening, soul-crushing silence as jokes bombed horribly in front of the blank-faced crowd. All the comedians had moments of hilarity, but it was junior journalism major Ben Lynch who tied with junior sociology major Anthony “Tony” Jennings for an unprecedented sudden death match. Lynch used his improv skills and quick wit to tell jokes he made up on the spot, while Jennings used his body language to convey emo-
@TheAppalachian│A&E Reporter
tion and make the audience roar with laughter. In the end, however, it was Lynch who finally won by unanimous decision. “I’ve only been doing comedy for a year and a half and mostly everything heard today was on the fly,” Lynch said. “I wrote some of it, but mostly it was off the top of my head, especially the second part; I was not expecting that.” Lynch said his style is more silly and unexpected and that the audience reacted well. The event was hosted by APPS as a way for students to showcase their talents and funny attributes. “The event went really well last year and we are unbelievably happy about how it went this year,” Caroline Day, sophomore interior design major and Special Events Council chairperson for APPS, said. APPS will continue to host a myriad of events this year to
further showcase student talent and to get students more involved. The comedy event was held not only to support student involvement, but also for the prize of being able to open for comedian D’Elia on Oct. 4 as he performs a homecoming week show, located at the Schaefer Center for Performing Arts. Lynch will be given a five-minute set in the beginning of the show and then will bring D’Elia on stage. “Some of the jokes will stay the same, but I’ll change a good bit of it,” Lynch said. The show is presented by the APPS Concerts Council, which focuses on bringing national touring acts to App. Some of their previous events have included The 1975, Keller Williams and Lil Wayne. “We’re very lucky to have Chris D’Elia perform here,” Concerts Chairperson Emma Forbes, a junior public relations major, said.
D’Elia is one of the most sought-after comedians and actors in the comedy world and he is best known for his starring role on the NBC comedy series “Undateable.” His latest stand-up special, “Man on Fire,” is on Netflix. He has also launched a successful podcast “Congratulations with Chris D’Elia” in February, and has since been high on iTunes’ comedy podcast charts. Most recently, D’Elia signed on for a major supporting role in the romantic drama “Life in a Year,” joining actors Cara Delevingne, Jaden Smith, Nia Long and Cuba Gooding, Jr. D’Elia will also act in the Netflix horror comedy “Little Evil” opposite Adam Scott and Evangeline Lilly, set for release later this year. The event is $20 for students and $27 for the public. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. on Oct. 4.
Sept. 28, 2017
Senior running back Terrence Upshaw attempts to run the ball past the opposing team during the game against Savannah State on Sept. 9. The Mountaineers won the game with the score being 54-7.
BOUNCE BACK YEAR FOR UPSHAW Eric Jackson│
n 2016, Terrence Upshaw went into the football season with hopes of proving himself a star running back for Appalachian State. The senior running back out of Duluth, Georgia rushed the ball 193 times for 1,115 yards in his first two years with the Mountaineers, which are more than decent numbers for a guy who actually wanted to play safety. “I wanted to play safety in college but it did not go as well
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as I thought,” Upshaw said. “I loved safety more than running back because you don’t get hit as much.” Expectations for making an impact on the 2016 team came to a halt as Upshaw was told that he was academically ineligible and was not allowed to play the season. While this news hurt the running back, he kept working on his craft to help himself and help the team. “I played scout team running back and so I took that serious because being over there,
@ej_buckets│Intern Sports Reporter
I helped the defense out, and every time the defense shut somebody out, I felt like I had an impact on it,” Upshaw said. With Upshaw’s return, he has been splitting carries with 2016 Sun Belt offensive player of the year, junior running back Jalin Moore. The two are good friends, but when it comes to being on the field, they battle and push each other hard. “We push each other all the time, every practice,” Upshaw said. Upshaw finds motivation
in the movie “300.” He believes that if there is any movie that someone should watch and take to heart, it should be that one. Having a year to think about what he should do and how he could improve, it could have been easy for Upshaw to transfer and start somewhere new. But for him, transferring was not even close to being an option. The reason he stayed was because of the promise he made with his teammates. “When we all came, being
myself, Marcus (Cox), Taylor (Lamb) and Brandon (Pinckney), we just made a promise that we were not leaving, no matter what we went through,” Upshaw said. With a year to press the refresh button, the running back became a better football player. He studied the plays constantly so he could get a better grasp on what he needed to do and he became more knowledgeable with the whole scheme of the offense. “He is more in tune to the
Lindsay Vaughn
Sept. 28, 2017
Senior running back Terrence Upshaw walks on the field to warm up before the game against Wake Forest on Sept. 23. The Mountaineers lost the close game with the final score being 20-19. whole picture and what is going on in the offense,” running backs coach Stu Holt said. “I think whenever you go through some adversity like he did and wasn’t able to play, it is a big wake up call.” Becoming a reliable weapon for the Mountaineers this year, Upshaw has played well and been a consistent player for the Appalachian State offense in their first few games of the 2017 campaign. Upshaw made his fifth start of his career and first since 2015 against Wake
Stephanie Lee
Forest on Saturday where he rushed for 86 yards on 15 attempts. “His reliability is huge,” Holt said. Upshaw leads the team in rushing yards with 252 on 46 attempts and he has rushed for two touchdowns with 5.6 yards per carry. Not only does Upshaw produce on the field, but gets along well with his teammates, whether they are on the offensive or defensive side of the ball. He is quite the jokester
off the field according to teammates, but when he steps on the field he is a whole different animal. “Off the field he is a funny guy,” senior safety A.J. Howard said. “On the field he is a pretty hard matchup. It is definitely not an easy task when going up against him.” When Upshaw is running the ball, he runs aggressively and hard. His mindset is to not give up when he gets hit and to bulldoze over defenders to guarantee an extra yard or two.
“His mindset is to get every inch he can,” Howard said. “Try to fall forward, lower his shoulder and get as many yards as possible.” There is no question Upshaw is an important part to the Appalachian State offense. He provides a balance between himself and Moore. Having Upshaw to split the carries with Moore makes an impact on the offensive gameplan. “It really just comes down to balancing the reps so one guy doesn’t get too fatigued,”
Holt said. “It is nice to have a different skill set from each other. We just try to manage the reps to keep the guys fresh who are in there.” Upshaw has learned from his time off and has grown from his experience. With a fresh start that was used to improve himself personally and physically, Upshaw will continue to be a key asset for Appalachian State football team in his final season.
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Freshman Reed Hunnicutt heads back on offense. The forward’s goal led to the Mountaineer’s win against Longwood.
FRESHMEN MAKING AN EARLY IMPACT FOR MOUNTAINEERS Silas Albright│ t is not very often that a NCAA soccer team has 14 freshmen on a team. It is even less often that a team with this many freshmen is able to compete at a high level and beat some quality opponents. Even in this case, most of the freshmen probably would not be seeing too much playing time, much less starting, playing impactful minutes and scoring goals. Apparently, no one told second-year App State head coach Jason O’Keefe about these notions. Or maybe someone did, and he just threw caution to the wind. Whatever the case may be,
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this year’s young team along with a pair of first-year transfer students brings O’Keefe’s first full recruiting class to a total of 16. “I’ve been thoroughly impressed. They’ve come in, been professional, been mature and it’s been good,” O’Keefe said. With a total of 16 newcomers to the program, one would expect the Mountaineers to be going through a sort of rebuilding phase with high hopes for the future and not much of a focus on actually winning matches. O’Keefe clearly is not one who focuses too much on what other people think as he has
@silasalbright│Intern Sports Reporter proven all of these things untrue, or at least in this case. The Mountaineers are currently a respectable 3-4-1 and have been competitive in each match. “As far as this class goes, we’re real excited about what has transpired with them and we’re excited about the rest of the season and beyond,” O’Keefe said. Eight of the team’s freshmen have started at least one match so far this year and four have found the back of the net, scoring at least once this season. “Getting them these quality games prior to conference play is massive. We’ve been in some
heavy games with some really good programs but everything is going to be amplified once we start conference play,” O’Keefe said. “We’ll hopefully be ready to go after this non-conference schedule and these important minutes and experiences that they’ve been able to log.” Freshman forward Juan Hernandez leads the team in both goals with two and total points with five. Hernandez was also named Sun Belt offensive player of the week after his standout performance against Central Arkansas in which he scored both goals to lead App State to a 2-1 victory. After coming off
the bench in the victory, playing 61 minutes and scoring the decisive goals, the Winter Garden, Florida native earned himself a starting role and has started six of App’s eight games. Another one of the more productive freshmen has been forward Reed Hunnicutt, who is tied for the team lead in assists with two. In addition to his assists, Hunnicutt has scored a goal, giving him four total points on the year, good for second on the team. His goal was the decisive one in App State’s shutout 1-0 victory over Longwood. Despite fitting right in at the collegiate level, Hunnicutt did
Hayley Canal
Sept. 28, 2017
Juan Hernandez celebrates just moments after kicking his second goal of the night. As a freshman, Hernandez established himself as a valuable asset to the team during his first home game against UCA. notice a difference between the styles of play in high school and college. “It’s definitely a lot more competitive,” he said. “In high school you have a few good players, but then you come to the collegiate level and there is definitely a lot more talent and skill that you have to adjust to.” Freshman midfielder Marc Pfrogner has been Appalachian’s most efficient attacker, shooting four of his five shots on goal but has been plagued with good goalie defense and hasn’t yet chalked up a goal. A key component of the Mountaineer defense that forced a clean slate is freshman
Hayley Canal
defender Zeiko Harris. Harris has started all eight of Appalachian’s matches and aside from being a valuable piece of the back line, Harris also scored a goal that helped App State pick up a big 3-2 win at VCU. Harris has not been surprised by his early success and said, “I expected for myself to come in and start and make an impact on the team.” Freshman defender Brady Gunter has been another valuable piece of that back line, starting six of eight matches and logging 602 minutes so far. Gunter expected the collegiate game to be more challenging but was confident in the group
and and knew they had the right mindset. “I knew it would be hard work, but I knew we had a good freshman class coming in, probably one of the best we’ve had in a long time,” Gunter said. “We all had different expectations for ourselves, but we did know that we’d get our time to make an impact.” Gunter also credited some of the older guys on the team with helping them get acclimated so quickly. “They really helped us out a lot,” he said. “We have a couple really good leaders on the team that really help us through everything, so were able to adjust
really well to it.” O’Keefe likes what he has seen out of his group so far, but knows the season is still young. “It’s a process. It’s one we’re trying to speed up every day but at the end of the day, it’s still a process and you just
have to roll with it,” O’Keefe said. With such a strong, young core, the Mountaineers are built for the future. But why wait for the future when you already have the present?
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Sept. 28, 2017
Sophomore tight end Collin Reed warming up before the game against Wake Forest on Sept. 23. The Mountaineers lost the close game with the final score being 20-19.
BIG SHOES TO FILL Aman Hyrams│
he tight end position has played a large role in the history of Appalachian football. From Steve Wilkes to Barrett Burns, the position has always been a fan favorite. To be an App State tight end, or a tight end in general, one has to have the skills to block, catch and set the tone with toughness. “Big shoes to fill” is how senior Levi Duffield explained how it felt coming into this season, knowing he and his position group would have to perform to continue the tradition of playing tight end at App. This year is no different for the Apps. Led by Duffield and redshirt sophomore Collin Reed, the position group brings the same mentality. They are always looking to improve their game all around. “I had a great receiving game, but the blocking wasn’t all there,” Reed said. Reed was a little tough on himself and humble even
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though the Mountaineers ran for a season high 274 yards and tore up the Savannah defense. “A few mistakes, not really missed assignments but giving up a little penetration,” Reed said. “I got the job done, but it’s not just let’s get the job done, it’s let’s dominate.” Reed and Duffield were able to light up the Savannah secondary, scoring touchdowns from 58 and 68 yards, two of the longest from tight ends in App State history. “Duff” as his team calls him, scored the 58-yarder setting the longest from a TE since Ben Jorden in 2008, only to be broken a few plays later by Reed, scoring from 68 yards out on a nice throw from senior quarterback Taylor Lamb. Duffield scored a touchdown against Savannah State and Wake Forest, and Reed had a career high two touchdowns against Savannah State. “I knew he was gonna score on that long one,” Duffield said. “I told him I was gonna meet him in the endzone when
@aman_hyrams│Intern Sports Reporter
they called the play. I had to wait on him and I couldn’t run on the field otherwise it would have been a penalty.” With only four tight ends on scholarship, the smallest position group on the team, the group has been forced to learn from each other, looking up to Duffield as their leader and some former guys that have helped the group figure things out. “There was no trash talk, we’re all buddies,” Duffield said with a smile. When asked how Duff has been able to teach him, Reed said, “Ah, Duff. Really we work together. I learned a lot from Barrett, and Duff has taught me a lot too but really it’s learning Duff, knowing where he’s gonna be. We build a lot of chemistry in practice, knowing where each of us are going to be.” Burns was one of the leading receivers on last years team who is finding his path in the NFL this year after a short stint with the Baltimore Ravens.
Duffield attributes his learning to Burns, following his path last season before taking over the group this season. “Coming in two years ago I had never played tight end in my life,” Duffield said. “I learned a lot from [Barrett] and I’ve just passed it on to these guys.” Even their coach, offensive coordinator Frank Ponce, can see the culture shifting for the offense and the tight ends specifically. He noted their selflessness as a team. “Our guys have been great in terms of understanding the system,” Ponce said. “They have to understand the big picture. They do a great job in the run game and in pass protection.” The passing game has seen a spike in production in 2017 with Lamb already having career games, and the tight ends have played a large role in this spike. With their ability to catch the ball and run, the group has become a legitimate threat that the defense will fo-
cus on week in and week out. These guys are not just competing together on the field. When they’re off the field they’re hanging out, doing things regular college students do and with such a close knit group they stick together. The rest of the tight end groups include senior Bill Cecil, who just received a scholarship this summer, sophomore Devin Papenheim and freshman Zeke Brandle. “We’re the only position group with only five guys,” Duffield said. “Even the quarterbacks have more than us now. We’re always hanging out, sitting on the bus together and I know a lot about these guys. Friends for life.” This unit has become one of tightest on the team and learn about one another every day on and off the field. All sharing a common goal of a Sun Belt Championship and getting to a bowl game, they simply want the fan base to continue to cheer them on and to see what they have in store for the rest of the year.
Stephanie Lee
Sept. 28, 2017
SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS
App News is a service of the Division of Student Affairs. 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 NEEDED! POLITICAL CARTOONISTS The Appalachian student newspaper is looking for students interested in getting their political cartoons and illustrations published. Use your illustration talents to express your opinions and commentary on current events. Email adviser@theappalachianonline.com for questions or interest.
shoes. Please call us to schedule your time today! This will take place Wednesdays at the Habitat for Humanity - Watauga County/ReStore, 1200 Archie Carroll Road, Boone, North Carolina 28607.
ANNUAL STUDENT MEMORIAL PROGRAM
Student Union. It brings together a cacophony of voices from Jews in the Berlin Republic, ranging from Michael Blumenthal, the Founding Director of the Jewish Museum in Berlin, to Adriana Altaras, an actor and stage director, who was involved in interviewing survivors for the Shoah Foundation.
substance use, mental health, nutrition, sexual health and various wellness policies. The Wellness Summit will include 4 breakout sessions. Lunch will be provided. Register on AppSync at https://orgsync.com/125469/ events/1979735/occurrences/4658180.
WELLNESS EDUCATOR APPLICATIONS
FALL BREAK BACKPACKING TRIP
The Peel Literature and Arts Review is looking for student submissions of design, photography, fashion, poetry, prose, music, short stories and more! To receive feedback on your submissions, submit your work before our initial (feedback) deadline, Sept. 29 at midnight. Our final deadline is Nov. 3 at midnight. Visit thepeelreview.submittable.com. Email any questions or concerns to adviser@theappalachianonline.com
On Saturday, September 30 at 11:00 a.m. in the lobby of the BB Dougherty Administration Building, Student Affairs will be hosting our annual Student Memorial Program. The program began in 1990 and honors the memory of Appalachian students who died while they were enrolled at Appalachian. Name plaques for all of these students are on the Memorial Board in the lobby of the B.B. Dougherty Administration Building. Members of the university community are invited to attend this program. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at 828-262-2060.
STUDY ABROAD
VISITING WRITERS SERIES
MORTIFIED OPEN MIC
The Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series presents September 28. Fiction and Nonfiction Author Randall Kenan (Author of Let the Dead Bury Their Dead; The Fire This Time; Walking on Water: Black American Lives at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century) will be reading at 7:30 p.m. in the Table Rock Room of the Plemmons Student Union. His craft talk, Let Me Out of this Coffin: Lessons the Gothic Can Teach Us, will be from 3:30-4:45 p.m. in the Table Rock Room of the Plemmons Student Union.
The Peel Literature and Arts Review and Lyric present Mortified. Bring your embarassing stories, poems and songs to make us laugh. Sept. 28 7:30 p.m. at 3rd Place. Follow @ thepeelreview for more info.
As an extension of the Department of Wellness and Prevention Services, the Wellness Educators for Change, Advocacy, and student Needs (WE CAN) work to positively impact student wellness at Appalachian State University by: empowering peers to change health behaviors, working as an advocacy group for student well-being and addressing student needs to promote and protect healthy lifestyles. WE CAN plans and implements programs encompassing body image, mental health, nutrition and sexual health. WE CAN is a volunteer opportunity. Applications need to be completed in it’s entirety by Oct. 20 on AppSync at https:// orgsync.com/125469/events/2079738/occurrences/4979348. Students that will be 2nd semester 1st year students in the Spring are eligible to apply. Students graduating in the Spring are ineligible to apply.
APPALACHIAN WELLNESS SUMMIT
FLU CLINIC Wellness and Prevention Services, The Beaver College of Health Sciences, and CVS Pharmacy will offer low/no cost Flu Clinics in various locations on-campus. This will provide an easy access opportunity for students to get vaccinated. See below for dates, times and locations.
From Sept. 12 until Oct. 3, the traveling exhibition “Jewish Life in Germany Today” will be on display on the first floor of Plemmons
The Appalachian Wellness Summit is a peer initiated 1-day event that provides Appalachian State students information about the wellness resources that are available. Sponsored by the Department of Wellness and Prevention Services (WPS) and facilitated by members of WE CAN, Red Flag Educators and additional campus partners, student attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a number of workshops and trainings involving alcohol and
THURSDAY, SEPT. 28
FRIDAY, SEPT. 29
SATURDAY, SEPT. 30
SUNDAY, OCT. 1
Visiting Writers Series: Randall Kenan
The Peel Review Initial Deadline
Quidditch Tournament
midnight thepeelreview.submittable.com
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Brookshire Park
GET YOUR CREATIVITY PUBLISHED
The application deadline for many Spring 2018 programs has been extended until the end of September. We are also accepting applications for many 2017-2018 faculty-led programs, as well as Summer 2018, Fall/AY 2018 and Spring 2019 programs. Get started on your application today at international.appstate.edu.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Join us as we continue building the 5th home on our neighborhood, GreenWood, for the Love family. You can choose to volunteer from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m, or 9 a.m. to 4 p.m each Wednesday. All you need to bring is a water bottle, your lunch and a willingness to learn while helping others! We will provide the tools, materials and instructions! Be sure to wear old clothes and old closed-toe
Craft Talk: 3:30-4:45 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Table Rock Room, PSU
JEWISH LIFE IN GERMANY TODAY
Join OP as we travel through Pisgah National Forest spending each night under the stars and sharing meals over a campfire. We will visit hidden waterfalls, explore the mountains to sea trail, sleep under a canopy of Fall foliage, hike to stunning vistas and get to know one of Appalachia’s greatest natural environment.Pretrip meeting time: Monday, 10/9 6pm @ OP Basecamp. Trip meeting time: Thursday, 10/12 at 8 a.m. @ OP Basecamp. Cost: $200 for ASU students, $250 for all others. For more info, visit op.appstate.edu.
Appalachian Wellness Summit
Mortified Open Mic
9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Three Top Room, PSU
7:30 p.m. 3rd Place
Student Memorial Program 11 a.m. BB Dougherty Admin Building
MONDAY, OCT. 2
TUESDAY, OCT. 3
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4
THURSDAY, OCT. 5
Flu Clinic
Majors Fair
Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity
Financial Wellness Workshop
noon-3 p.m. Room 212, Edwin Duncan Hall
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Grandfather Mountain Ballroom, PSU
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Habitat for Humanity - Watauga County/ ReStore 1200 Archie Carroll Road, Boone, NC 28607
5:30-6:30 p.m. Room 114, Belk Library
Flu Clinic 4-7 p.m. Roess Dining Hall
Trivia Night 7-8:30 p.m. Whitewater Cafe, PSU
contact outreach@theappalachianonline.com