Opinion The Campbell Times The Official Student Newspaper of Campbell University since 1936
Editor In Chief Courtney Schultz Feature Editor Courtney McGowan Entertainment Editor Emily McIntosh News Editor Sean Neal Design/Layout Hannah Hoffner
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Publication Board Charles Broadwell Publisher, The Fayetteville Observer Lisa Farmer Editor, The Daily Record Pam Nelson Copy Editor for Magazines and Newsletters, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Melissa Lilley Communications, Baptist State Convention Thomas P. Anderson Campbell Professor, Wiggins School of Law Dr. Tony Cartledge Campbell Professor, School of Divinity Dr. J. Dean Farmer Chair, Communication Studies Dr. Ed Johnson Campbell Professor, Communication Studies Sara Acosta Former Campbell Times Editor
3 The Campbell Times • January 21, 2013
Our View
An open mind to the future
By Courtney Schultz Editor In Chief
From what you’ll discover in this issue of The Campbell Times, Campbell’s Associate Registrar Billie Jo Pittman has chosen to resign at the end of January. “There is hardly anyone who has been associated with Campbell University since 1996 that has not been touched in a positive way by Jo’s incredible energy, consummate professionalism, and winsome smile,” Registrar J. David McGirt said in an email to the faculty. I’ve never had to make a trip to the Registrar’s Office; therefore, I never came in contact with Ms. Pittman, but clearly she’s left an impression on Campbell. The announcement puts the cycle of the world in perspective. As college students, especially seniors, steadily working towards their first steps into the “real world,” they
embark on a similar transition as Pittman. Both are closing a chapter in their lives, while attempting to gracefully soar into the next. To be honest, graduation gives me anxiety. With less than three semesters left of college, I still have plenty of time to make up my mind regarding my next chapter, but the thought of the transition makes me restless. Many of my friends have plans of law school, graduate programs, or teaching careers for after graduation, but my path isn’t so finely paved. I feel many college juniors or seniors find themselves in a position of conflict. They know what they’re passionate about or what they like, but a career is a totally different issue. We put off thinking about real world stresses as long as we can. Lately, economists only seem to gripe about how 50-plus % of college graduates are unemployed or underem-
ployed and employment hasn’t increase, which makes the future appear daunting. College life is great compared to the outside world. We have specified housing, meal plans, and schedules to keep our lives organized and composed. Although the routine can become mundane, a comfort resides in not needing to worry about cooking or the electric bill. Nevertheless, the real world is inevitable. I think what’s really important in beginning a new chapter is to follow a passion. Without zeal for what you’re doing, what’s the point of doing it? To make money? Why would you want to live your life in such a fashion? As I make my way toward the adult world, I hope to discover what will make me happy in the long run. In the words of Aldous Huxley in Brave New World, “I want to know what passion is. I want to feel something strongly.”
Throughout life, individuals go through many transitions, so college graduation is a small step into many more. Yet, I hope all graduates can find their passion and what makes them happy. “The saddest people I’ve ever met in life are the ones who don’t care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there’s nothing to make it last.” -Nicolas Sparks, Dear John.
Agree with us? Disagree with us? Want to share a topic we’ve yet to discuss? E-mail Editor Courtney Schultz at cdschultz0415@ email.campbell.edu to be considered for a letter to the editor in a future edition of Campbell Times.
Professor of the week column: Dr. Edward Fubara
Choosing to serve others It’s not about you. For me these are the most memorable and moving words from Rick Warren’s blockbuster The Purpose Driven Life. It’s funny how different this idea is from the heart of our contemporary reality-TV-look-at-me-I’mfamous-and-it’s-all-about-me culture. Who would have thought that we would develop an entire genre of TV shows about people who are not famous who in turn become famous for…well for being famous. Don’t get me started on the things people will do or the price they will pay for 15 minutes in the spotlight. Not to mention the things that we have decided are worth paying attention to. Recently a man was killed while trying to take a picture of Justin Bieber’s car. What’s more serious to me though is how this “it’s all about me” attitude shows up in our popular and political conversation. I was a little sad (in some cases a lot sad) as I watched Facebook last fall and saw some of my “friends” turn downright ugly. MY rights, MY guns, MY taxes, MY money, MY point of view, MY tribe… Oh my. This week we celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and Week of Service. The philosophy behind the Week of Service is a phrase from one of Dr. King’s sermons: “everybody can be great because
everybody can serve.” In his life and work Dr. King demonstrated that service is more than an act or an action Fubara but that service requires a certain attitude. It’s a heart or a mindset that says “it’s not about me.” As you may know, Dr. King had the intellectual ability and oratorical skill that could have earned him a pretty comfortable life. He could have lived quietly as a pastor or even been a professor or an attorney. We probably would have understood if he had withdrawn from public life when his safety was threatened. He certainly didn’t have to put his life on the line for strangers. But when he said “I may not there with you, but… we as a people will make it to the promised land” he was in a sense saying “it’s not about me.” That’s not the kind of sentiment we hear today from our so-called “public servants.” Of course Dr. King was in many ways, imitating the King of Kings – the ultimate example of humility and self-sacrificial service! Recently I have been reflecting on some of the Old
Testament prophets, human suffering and the life and work of people like Dr. King (how’s that for reality TV?). One of the themes that I see is that in spite of setbacks, tragedies, difficulties and challenges the ultimate movement of God’s people is onward and upward. We as a people will make it to the promised land… It’s kind of like the stock market. It goes through dips and crashes but ultimately it’s a pretty safe place to be. Each year as we celebrate the MLK Week of Service I observe students who seem to be a little confused about it. They can’t really relate to the Civil Rights Movement or Jim Crow or liberation theology… Well, here’s a way to look at it: Let’s make this an annual attitude check up. Do you have the attitude or heart of a servant? What have you done for someone else lately? Of course there’s nothing wrong with being self-interested. Looking out for your self-interest is actually a good thing. However, self-centeredness and plain old selfishness are not. After all, it’s not about you. P.S. Shout out to my colleague, Dr. Jerry Taylor, a man of the people with the heart of a servant. Well done!
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