We are family by Kaleidoscope UAB

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family 2018

contents Greeting from the Vice President of UAB Division of Student Affairs....................................... 3 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Family Timeâ&#x20AC;? illustration by Leisha Chambers...............................................................................................6 Relationships of UAB Biochemists Louise Chow and Thomas Broker............................................................................... 8 The Mukhtars............................................................................................................................................................... 10 Brynn Welch and her son Ben....................................................................................................................... 11 Creative writing professors Tina and James Braziel.................................................................. 12 Communication studies professors Kelly and Steve McCornack................................. 14 Peggy and Christopher Biga........................................................................................................................... 14 Student couple Daniella Hincapie and Kevin Lawhon............................................................ 15 The Moores................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Gordon and Ceren Fisher.................................................................................................................................. 18 Communities of UAB Sorority sisterhood.................................................................................................................................................. 20 Campus/commuter living .............................................................................................................................. 21 Resident Assistants of UAB ........................................................................................................................... 22 The return of football ........................................................................................................................................... 23 International student experiences............................................................................................................ 24 Student family talk ................................................................................................................................................. 25 Family Weekend schedule ............................................................................................................................ 26 Family Weekend information........................................................................................................................ 28 What to do in Birmingham ............................................................................................................................ 29 The Blazer Way ........................................................................................................................................................ 30 Family Weekend maps ....................................................................................................................................... 31

September 25, 2018

Welcome Families!

PHOTO COURTESY BY UAB IMAGE GALLERY

Greetings from the UAB Division of Student Affairs! Two years ago, we launched UABâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of Parent and Family Services with the sole purpose of meeting the needs of our parents and family members. The office serves as a one-stop shop for supporting you in navigating the UAB campus, assisting with your questions and providing you with continuous communication from the University. We are excited you are joining us for Family Weekend 2018. An event, which is all about you and your Blazer. It is a fun-filled packed weekend full of opportunities to learn more about UAB resources and the greater Birmingham area, bond with your student, have fun, enjoy athletic events, eat great food and make lasting memories. After this weekend, please stay connected by

going to our family-focused website at uab.edu/ families, subscribing to our monthly e-newsletter, participating in our webinars or reaching out to us directly via email (family@uab.edu) or calling us (205-975-0684). We are honored that you have chosen to enroll your son or daughter in UAB. Throughout the weekend, I look forward to meeting you and learning of your experiences. Enjoy your weekend! Go Blazers! Sincerely, John R. Jones III, Ph.D Vice President UAB Division of Student Affairs

OCT

@ Commons on the Green during Lunch

OCT

@ Commons on the Green from 4 PM until we run out Swipe + $9

03 OCT

OCT

Meal Plan ApPreciation Day

Donor To Diner @ Commons on the Green Check social media for details.

OCT

Dinner with the Director

OCT

20 OCT

Oktoberfest 2018

@ the Dragonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Den in the Commons on the Green starting at 5 PM. Check social media for details.

OCT OCT

Sunday, September 30 starting at 10:30 AM COMMONS ON THE GREEN

@ Commons on the Green from 4 PM until we run out

16 16

Sunday Brunch

featuring a special menu including: Carved Smoked Ham, Belgian Waffles, Spanish Grilled Salmon, Classic Grits, Potato & Garlic Herb Cheese Frittata, London Broil, and more!

@ Commons on the Green during Dinner

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2 DURING LUNCH @ THE COMMONS

PARTY ON THE PORCH BHM

UAB HOMECOMING GAME

vS. North Texas @ Legion field

See you at the Student Tailgate!

Halloween Dinner in the commons

Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest Wear a costume to get in FREE Themed menus Games & Prizes

ALA

Featuring an exclusive Ghost Train Brewing Co. Root-Biergarten

“Family Time” by Leisha Chambers

RELATIONSHIPS OF

U A

Easy chemistry Professors in the Department Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics bond over DNA Mallorie Turner Louise Chow was near graduation in biochemistry at California Institute of Technology when Thomas Broker entered the department as a postdoctoral student in 1972. Broker, who had been a graduate student at Stanford, joined the lab of distinguished Caltech biologist Norman Davidson. “He was good looking,” Chow said, professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. “I think he was impressed by my big dog.” Chow was known to take her large, pure white boxer around with her into the labs of Caltech. Embden Meyerhof, fondly named after famous biochemists Gustav Embden and Otto Fritz Meyerhof, had to be as familiar with the nuances of Caltech’s labs as both Chow and Broker. He would spend weekends and evenings with Chow as she worked, serving as her four-legged companion in scientific discovery. Both Chow and Broker, also a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, had been assigned to the same lab while in Caltech. From the time he first saw her, Broker could tell Chow was a person of exceptional intelligence. They started dating the year they met. In May of 1974, the two married in Pasadena, CA after two years of dating. The price of being underpaid postdoctorate students had taken a toll on the couple financially. Their low-wages forced them to have a doit-yourself wedding ceremony with almost everything being handmade. Their wedding guests included fellow Caltech researchers along with Chow’s sister and her family. Unexpected catastrophes befell Broker and Chow on their big day. Their cake was custom made, decorated with a portrait of Embden, their dog, who was framed with a DNA

Louise Chow and Thomas Broker met at the California Institute of Technology and married in Pasadena.

double-helix, each symbolizing what was important to the two. When Broker was driving home from the bakery, he was cut off by a driver, slammed on his breaks, and the cake took flight. The cake was demolished and only the portrait of Embden could be salvaged. On top of the cake fiasco, the minister meant to marry Broker and Chow failed to appear. Hastily scanning a phone book for a replacement,

Broker convinced a clergyman who was having a pool party at the time to come marry him and Chow. Everything worked out in time for the wedding, where Broker and Chow tied the knot under a beautiful cherry tree amidst the sweltering Pasadena heat. After leaving Pasadena, the two joined the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Long Island, New York in 1975, where they focused on RNA

PHOTO BY AMY LAWHON

transcription and DNA replication along with other areas of research. Chow and Broker joined the faculty at UAB in 1993 where they resumed research on the human papillomavirus. Each of their research endeavors have been a collaboration with the other since they have been married. Between their research and being parents to Embden, Chow and Broker have found ways to keep their marriage strong for nearly 50 years.

Thomas Broker is an avid art collector and has decorated the hallways of their workplace with various pieces of art.

Outside of their work as biochemists, Broker and Chow like to attend various plays and classical music concerts in the Birmingham area. “Each season, we are averaging two concerts a week,” Broker said. “Which is a nice way to end a day.” The two have been patrons of the Alabama Symphony for many years as well as the Birmingham Chamber Music Society, Opera Club, the Alabama Ballet and some Alys Stephens Center productions. Broker, an avid art collector, usually presents one or more exhibitions per year at major U.S. museums. His fourth exhibition in Birmingham premieres in December and he has recently had one come down from Virginia. He hopes to write a catalog on the works in an upcoming exhibit he is doing with the curators of the Birmingham Museum of Art. Their love for the outdoors and fine art is reflected in their offices in the UAB McCallum Basic Health

Sciences Building. The walls are adorned with the couple’s collection of fine art pieces which include Art Deco and Modernist works. Exotic plants, memorabilia from places around the world the couple has given research presentations, are also present. Broker calls their workspace a reflection of the world they have made for themselves. When asked what the two hope to see for themselves in the coming years, Broker was to the point. “To live,” he said, a response met with laughter by Chow. The couple’s 50 years of marriage, apparently shows the two biochemists possessed the right chemistry with each other.

Each season, we are averaging two concerts a week. - Thomas Broker

PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD

Love through biology I think it was fate and our backgrounds that both led us to this field of research.

Sufia Alam Karolina Mukhtar, associate professor in the Department of Biology, and Shahid Mukhtar, assistant professor in the Department of Biology, credit their mutual love of biology to both their first meeting and successful marriage. In 2011, Karolina and Shahid were selected for a fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, at Cologne, Germany, a prestigious institute that screens for 100 applicants, interviews 20 and accepts 10-12. Both were destined to meet the first day of their interviews. A few days after their first meeting, Karolina and Shahid were able to celebrate, as new friends, their acceptance to the No.1 science research society in the world, according to the Times Higher Ranking Education. After ending up in the same class of a cohort of about 12 people, a few months later, their respective departments required them to collaborate with each other to work on their projects. This instance gave them an opportunity for the two to become even better friends. Karolina was pursuing a project modifying potatoes using genetic tools while Shahid was working on understanding the molecular mechanisms in plants and how they fight off diseases. “Biology lovers really very often gravitate toward biomedical research just because that seems the natural choice,” Karolina said. “And I think it was fate and our backgrounds that both led us to this field of research.” According to Karolina, what sometimes people who are not in the science world forget to consider is that plant and animals have the same level of sophistication, they just evolved in two different directions over millions of years.

- Karolina Mukhtar

PHOTO COURTESY BY THE MUKHTARS Karolina and Shahid Mukhtar got married in between dissertation defenses, weeks before graduating with their PhD’s. “A lot of people don’t realize we’re headed toward a global food crisis that’s projected to occur in 2050,” Karolina said. “This is when the population will explode and we will not have enough food to grow to feed all the people who are alive today and yet to be born.” Both Mukhtars believe that they’re research is vital to the future. “Someone I respect once told me,

a doctor can save your life one day but plants save your life every day.” A few years later after their first meeting, they decided to make their relationship official through marriage. “The year we were both graduating with our Ph.D.’s, it was a very interesting and busy time in our lives,” Karolina said. “We had to fit in the wedding and two dissertation defenses all within a few weeks period.”

According to the Mukhtars, working at UAB has been one of the greatest decisions they have taken as a couple. “Birmingham is a great place to raise our children,” Shahid said. “UAB is a phenomenal place to work. We love our friends, we love the food, the culture and our colleagues.” Karolina said that raising children while in academia is harder because of their constant busy lives. “We’re so proud of our daughters who have put up with our crazy schedules and really being children of biology,” Karolina said. Being from two different backgrounds, Karolina being from Poland and Shahid being from Pakistan, they have both strived to find a parenting model that fits their life style. “We both came from very traditional family backgrounds where our dads were the majority breadwinners,” Karolina said. “Because we’re both in academia, we really disregarded the standard gender roles and found a model that fit our needs.” Now the couple hopes they can be role models to their students both in academia and their marriage, said Karolina. “It’s great to have an intellectual connection and to have someone really understands,” Karolina said. “We hope our students can look at us and see having a two full time careers and a happy family is possible.”

Going ‘up! up! up!’ with Ben Philosophy professor writes children’s book featuring her child Parker Rose When you step into Brynn Welch, Ph.D., assistant professor in the applied ethics, office, it is not difficult to quickly deduce the things she cares for most. On the wall to the left of her desk hangs a bulletin board teeming with children’s drawings. Behind her, on the bookshelf, sits framed portraits of the artist himself – her 5-year-old son, Ben. There is even a small toy version of their family – herself, a middle-aged white woman with red curls, and little Ben, who has brown skin. “I call him Bennie, but I think he’s old enough now that he has a pretty strong preference for Ben,” Byrnn said. “But it’s a hard habit to break.” When lrynnooks back on when she found out that she would not be able to have children, she doesn’t view it negatively. “It made me think about what I wanted out of life as a woman in my late twenties,” Brynn said. “And I just had the same selfish desire as anyone to become a parent – this was just my path to do it.” After finishing her dissertation and accepting what was expected to be a life-long position at a small Virginia college, Byrnn was ready to start the adoption process. A process which, shockingly, did not take very long at all. After a four-month long home study, there were only roughly 20 days before she got to meet Bennie in person. “It just wasn’t supposed to happen that fast,” Brynn said. But, like anyone eager to become a parent, her tone suggested that she did not mind the rush. And from the time he was born, little Ben was enveloped in a rich community of people who surrounded him with love and care. “When we lived in Virginia, we lived in a very small town, and everybody just took care of everybody’s kid,” Brynn said. “You coordinated babysitters, you brought your kids to campus.” But it wasn’t long before Brynn realized that something was amiss – and it’s evidence sat right on her bookshelf.

PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD Welch showcases the children’s book she wrote, featuring her son Ben. Always harboring a passionate love for children’s literature, Brynn was more than prepared to fill young Ben’s life with the same colorful and imaginative stories she enjoyed even long past her own childhood. She may have forgotten onesies when she went to pick up Ben from the hospital – but her bookshelves at home were well-fortified. But it was not until she brought Ben home when she realized that the worlds she enjoyed in these books did not seem to include children who looked like him – or many minorities at all, for that matter. More-

over, they did not include families that looked like the one she was building with Ben. It was then that she realized the necessity of entering the conversation about the lack of representation in children’s literature, which became her focus. She even did a TEDx event in 2016 on the subject. “But then this weird phenomenon emerged,” said Brynn. “Everyone heard me talk about it so they started to give me or Ben books that featured people of color, which is great, but I was already doing that.”

I just had the same selfish desire as anyone to become a parent – this was just my path to do it. - Brynn Welch

According to Brynn, getting Ben to see himself in the world was only half the battle. Other children need to see him too. “We want little girls imagining themselves being scientists, but we also want little boys to imagine little girls being scientists,” Brynn said. To Brynn, having more representation in children’s literature isn’t just about being politically correct or having access to more books for her son to enjoy – it’s about making use of an imaginative space that all children are able to enjoy. All children should be able to read books and easily immerse themselves in the story – and it’s a lot easier to imagine yourself as a superhero when the superhero looks like you. Brynn said they should be able to immerse themselves in stories about characters who not only look like they do, but act like it, too. “Maybe we just need kids being kids,” she said. But more than just creating that imaginative platform, Brynn also said she believes that we can use children’s literature to build the kind of social structure we would like to see in the real world. Narratives about children of color which feature similar themes as the ones about white children will inevitably affect how these two racial groups view one another – they will be able to see that they might have similar experiences or face similar struggles. Shifting the way children view other children is just another version of shifting the way people look at other people – and honestly, the former is more important. And while Brynn’s work is far from over, she is making some wonderful progress in her own way. Recently she with the help of another female author, wrote and published the colorful and amazing Bennie Goes Up! Up! Up!, which features the exciting everyday adventures of Ben and his love for uplifting things – like elevators, where Brynn’s is also a featured character.

A house with two stories Creative writing professors built a house “off the grid” Sufia Alam In the spring of 2008, Tina Braziel, program director of Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop, attended a conference at San Francisco with the mission to find a new fiction writer to serve as a new professor for UAB. Little did she know, that same conference, she would end up finding both the professor and her future husband. “I remember thinking, wow, he’s really tall and good looking,” Tina said. “I don’t know why, but all I remember was her fuzzy sweater,” James, English professor, said. After knowing each other for some time, instead of having a traditional wedding to tie the knot, they eloped and married in Oregon. “We got married in our mutual spring break at Eugene City Park,” Tina said. “We were actually lacking witnesses so we had to ask random people from the park to be there for us.” Although both became professors at UAB initially, Tina left to pursue her MFA in poetry for a time before coming back to the university. “It’s funny because I was building a house for her, and I promised when she would be done with her Masters, the house would be ready,” James said. “The house was not even near ready.” Both James and Tina share a passion of being in nature, and decided to build a house located half “off the grid.” “We ended up living in a tent for a while because the house wasn’t ready yet,” Tina said. “It sounds scary but I didn’t mind the experience.” Although both professors are also writers, their themes and writing

It’s funny because I was building a house for her, and I promised when she would be done with her Masters, the house would be ready. - James Braziel styles differ. “I grew up on a farm,” James said. “It’s inspiring to be in the South, listening to people and the way they talk always inspires stories.” James said he describes his work as “always about land, and the people in the rural south.” “It’s ironic because my first book is titled, Birmingham, 35 miles which I wrote while in Georgia before I even lived in Birmingham,” James said. His second book is called Snakeskin Road in which he combines post-apocalyptic themes along with his Southern references. Tina said she likes to focus her work being about her experiences in nature and of her past. “I grew up on a trailer park. Not everybody thinks trailer parks are a great place to live but I liked it,” Tina said. “I feel very at home with nature. The sensibility of the wild life and the natural world is place I like to write about, and what my connections are to that.” Much of the day-to-day life of the Braziels is spent either writing, grading their students work or critiquing

PHOTO BY AMY LAWHON James and Tina Braziel met in a writing conference in San Francisco and got married privately shortly after.

PHOTO COURTESY BY THE BRAZIELS

ABOVE: Tina Braziel inside the house James Braziel promised to build for her. BELOW: From their separate sides inside their DIY house, the Braziels write stories, edit student work and share creative ideas. each other’s literary pieces. “Our house is a glass house pretty much, and it’s like one big room,” James said. “So, our desks face the west wall and Tina’s on one side and I’m on the other. We work around each other all the time and read stuff out loud. Sometimes I’ll even be reading student stories and I’ll be like, ‘oh, you got to hear this.’ ” Although the house is not completely ready yet, both work on it together whenever they can. “The house has walls now, but we don’t have running water,” Tina said. “We have little hacks like a having a compost toilet. We have one of those big canisters that holds water and also canister for washing our hands.” By building their own house, the Braziels are now one step closer to being as environmentally friendly as they would like. “We have electricity, but we’d like to go to solar power,” Tina said. “But we do save a lot of water, because we don’t have easy access to it. And it’s not that inconvenient, but it’s just inconvenient enough that you end up saving water.”

Our house is a glass house pretty much, and it’s like one big room. - James Braziel To further save their water supply, the Braziels practice outdoor showering and only use 5 gallons a shower. “We have to haul in the water using a 250-gallon tank on the back of a truck,” Tina said. “Then we siphon it to the house when we we’re done filling it from the water authority place. That 250 gallon lasts us about a month.” During a regular day, the Braziels, they use 10-15 gallons of water a day. “That’s the amount people use on average just by flushing their toilet 3 times,” Tina said. After the house is complete, the Braziels plan on inviting their family members over from over all over the country so that they can finally introduce each other to their families.

Lecturing love

Couple teaches course on relationships

PHOTO BY AMY LAWHON

Peggy and Christopher Biga.

Married roomies PHOTO BY AMY LAWHON

Kelly and Steve McCornack.

Myah Clinton Kelly and Steve McCornack, both professors in the Department of Communication studies, teach students about communication – together. “It was kind of created on a whim. The chair was like ‘why don’t you pair up and do a he-said she-said for one semester?’” Steve said. In their class, Interpersonal Communication and Close Relationships, students learn how to define interpersonal communication, key theories from the field and various emotions that affect interpersonal communication and close relationships. To enforce course concepts, Steve and Kelly give examples from their own lives and relationships. After teaching the class at Michigan State for 20 years and UAB for 2 years, McCornack and Morrison still have many observations about their experience teaching together. During the first five years of the co-taught class being offered during the fall semesters, some students would express disappointment when

Steve and Kelly taught individually during the spring semesters, Steve said. Then they began teaching it together every semester it was offered. Kelly said that Steve still surprises her when he teaches. “Sometimes you kind of sit back in awe of this person that you’re married to, because you see them as professor, but you also see them as colleague and co-author,” Morrison said. “He’ll remember something I don’t remember. He’ll present something in a way I haven’t thought of presenting it. Just last week, he used a class example that I swear I had never heard before.” Steve said he likes the way Kelly explains course concepts. “There’s not a lecture that happens that I’m not kind of astonished by the way she expresses something,” Steve said. “This happens almost once a day. I’ll have to repeat something she said, because she’ll say something that’s so packed with potency, but she’ll say it really quickly.”

Roommates found love across the living room Myah Clinton In 1998, Peggy Biga, professor in the Department of Biology, and Christopher Biga, professor in the Department of Sociology, were starting their Ph.D. programs at universities eight miles apart from each other. They were both coming from out of state and needed somewhere to stay, so they responded to an ad renting rooms from the same house, Peggy said. According to both professors, they did not have a memorable first impression of each other, but they developed a friendship over their time living together in the house. “We became close because we both enjoyed the academic environment and we both enjoyed being around other people who were studying and having fun,” Peggy said. Twenty years later, the couple is now married with an 11-year-old son. Christopher said that because both he and Peggy are professors, they understand the heavy workload

that university-level faculty must juggle. “There’s a lot to do. Sometimes she’s working at eight or ten at night and I’m doing the same thing in another room,” Christopher said. Peggy said that people outside of academia are not always aware of what faculty members do. “I have friends whose spouses are not academics and there’s often a misunderstanding of what the job is and what is expected,” Christopher said. Peggy said that maintaining independence is key to working together as a couple. “It’s important to make sure you create time and space for you as an individual and not just see yourself as part of the couple wherever you work,” Peggy said. “You have to make your own independence within your partnership.

Together through thick and thin Student couple embarks on adventures. And emergency rooms. Sufia Alam

PHOTO COURTESY BY DANIELLA HINCAPIE AND KEVIN LAWHON Daniella and Kevin celebrate UAB with their Blazer gear.

Daniella Hincapie and Kevin Lawhon both passed by their freshman year in the same Psychology 101 class in 2012 before they even knew of the other’s existence. “We were also in the same group chat for about a year and still didn’t know each other,” Daneilla said. According to Kevin, when they started noticing each other’s presence, they started hanging out with their smaller group of friends and eventually just each other. “If you ask me about our first date I can’t even tell you because it gets a little hazy,” Daniella said. “It might have been M.E.L.T or the time after that but I’m not completely sure.” The couple said the line between being just friends and a couple is blurry enough that they don’t remember when it turned one to the other. All they remember is they made their relationship official during the end of their junior year. After spending time as a couple, Kevin introduced Daniella to her many firsts at UAB. “I went to by first basketball game, the bonfire at homecoming and football game all because of him,” Daniella said. “He’s a sports guy

and I definitely wouldn’t have done any of these things on my own.” Although both shared many memories at UAB, according to Daniella, her favorite memory of them as a couple is when Kevin helped her at a time in need. “We went to a fair and I got really sick,” Daneilla said. “He took me to the emergency room, stayed with me until three in the morning, took off work the next day and stayed with me the entire time before my mom came to help from Montgomery.” Kevin said one of his favorite memories involved happier times when they both celebrated Daniella’s graduation by spending a week in Orlando. “I love amusement parks and it was fun because he rode everything with me and we had fast passes for all the rides,” Daniella said. Other favorite trips included a weekend at Chattanooga exploring Rock city and Ruby falls together with their best friends. Since their first meeting, Daniella and Kevin have been dating officially for three years. “UAB has shaped both of us in many ways,” Daniella said. “I can say I was a completely different person before I entered college.”

Family means being there for the big moments in life and sporting Green and Gold on Gameday. - Taylor Stewart Senior in English PHOTO COURTESY BY TAYLOR STEWART The Stewarts participate in the XI Delta tailgate before the first UAB

Never too many Moores Two generations of Blazers still going strong on green and gold Sufia Alam Ray and Dianne Moore’s love story began in the Education Building room 120 almost 33 year ago. Dianne was a freshman in biology and was nervous for her first real science class in college. “I had never taken a class in the big auditorium room before, and when I walked in, I couldn’t find anyone I knew,” Dianne said. “I was very intimidated, that’s why I decided to sit in the back. When I got there, there was a nice-looking young man with an empty seat next to him so I asked, “is this seat taken?”” After class, Ray and Dianne started talking about their schedules and discovered they had the same biology lab and a couple mutual friends. According to Ray, they quickly became good friends and started spending many hours of their free time together. During their first thanksgiving break, Dianne left Birmingham to visit some of her family in Texas. “I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder because that’s the first time I heard from Ray outside of school,” Dianne said.

Ray, Lauren, Marina and Dianne Moore have all studied at UAB.

As Dianne was spending some quality sister time with her cousin, both were interrupted when Dianne opened the door to the doorbell and discovered she received a telegram for Ray letting her know that he missed her and couldn’t wait for her to come back to Birmingham.

“That was my way of letting her know, maybe we could be something more than just friends,” Ray said. Dianne said that as soon as she returned to UAB, the two started dating. “We would always study together at the old Hill Student Center study lounge and he

PHOTO BY SUFIA ALAM

would help me fix my graphs for biology lab,” Dianne said. The two found some favorite spots at UAB to spend time together when they weren’t studying or in class. “There was and old gravel parking lot where one of the dorms are now, and we would always sit under the shade and

We would always study together at the old Hill Student Center study lounge and he would help me fix my graphs for biology lab. - Dianne Moore

talk for hours,” Ray said. In 1991, as Dianne was visiting Ray’s apartment, after eight years of dating, he got down on one knee, and popped the big question. By the end of the night, Dianne became the future Mrs. Moore. Four years later, they had their first daughter, Lauren Raffaela Moore, who is now a senior in English and the Balzernews editor of UAB student publication, the Kaleidoscope. Four years after her, the Moore’s had their second child, Marina Gabriella Moore, who is now a freshman in business. Lauren and Marina’s experiences at UAB began when they were little children doing volleyball, and dance camps every summer. As both graduated high school, to carry on the family tradition, both enrolled at UAB. Instead of completing the full orientation, Ray took Lauren around campus showing her where all her classes would be. Four years later, Lauren and Ray would show Marina around campus at her orientation. According to Ray, he is very thankful of his family and will always cherish his memories of UAB. Ray said all his happiest memories are of when he was been with his entire family. “Everybody always tells me my family is the most thoughtful, caring people they have ever met,” Lauren said. “They genuinely care about everybody and not just their family and that’s really important to me.”

PHOTO COURTESY BY RAY AND DIANNE MOORE Dianne and Ray both graduated from UAB and were employed at the university for two decates.

Love runs the distance Couple flies to Turkey to get married again Sufia Alam When Gordon Fisher, assistant professor in the Department of Human Studies, saw Ceren Yarar Fisher, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, the very first time walking past his desk at his research lab at Auburn University, that was very the movement he knew he liked her. “I remember thinking he was a really nice guy,” Ceren said. “I didn’t know the campus at all and he helped me navigate through and have me a lot of tips.” Originally from Ankara, Turkey, Ceren decided to choose to study at Auburn in part because of the recommendations of her friends as the place to pursue her doctorate in Neuromechanics. After their first meeting in 2008, they tied the knot twice, once in America and then in Turkey in 2011. “The wedding in Birmingham, it was a smaller thing, we kept it only within our family,” Gordon said. “That was February 18.. On September 9. we had our big celebration wedding in Turkey. The wedding dress, the party, everything.” According to the Fisher’s, some of their friends even flew to Turkey to attend the oversees wedding. “It was a resort, at a beach, it was beautiful,” Ceren said. The couple were both attracted to Auburn University because of their research interests. Gordon initially decided to pursue exercise science because his past as a distance runner. “It’s very hot and humid in Michigan,” Gordon said. “I was always interested in knowing how the body works. Why my body didn’t respond in the summer as well it did in the winter. My curiosity based on my athletic background drove my career interests for a while.” According to Gordon, he was initially drawn to addressing research

You have more compassion for the work life of your partner. - Ceren Fisher

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FISHERS Gordon and Ceren Fisher celebrate one of their two weddings, in Turkey. questions such as; what are the effects of carbohydrate intake on exercise, or testing performance based outcomes on the human body. However, once Gordon arrived to UAB, he said his interest shifted to being more clinical. “I started questioning things like how can exercise decrease the risk of getting certain diseases,” Gordon said. “I wanted to use exercise as a tool to increase health and decrease risks of

disease.” Ceren wanted to use her professional degree in Physical Therapy to drive her doctorate. “Using my background, I study things like spinal cords and metabolism,” Ceren said. Ceren works to find the most optimal rehabilitation plan and diet interventions to improve patients with their neuro recovery and metabolic

health for patients with spinal cord injury according to her biography at the UAB website. “We worked together on a PILOT grant and it went well because we were two colleagues at work and not husband and wife,” said Ceren. Working at the same university, according to Ceren has given them an opportunity to understand each other at a more intimate level. “You have more compassion for the work life of your partner , which helps you understand each other better,” Ceren said. Ceren said both feel very fortunate to have their professional careers at UAB. “Working at UAB, we’re lucky to we got the opportunities we did, the fact it was able to work out, we’re very fortunate,” Gordon said. According to Gordon, transferring from Auburn to UAB was a very comprehensive decision both of them took together. “We basically gambled that Ceren would also be able to make it here with her physical therapy background and research interests,” Gordon said. “Finding any two tenure track jobs in academia at the same time is always challenging for any couple.” The biggest advice the Fishers can give to couples who work in academia is to establish a good work life balance. “Make time for each other and most importantly, do the things you enjoy,” said Ceren.

COMMUNITIES OF

U A

Significance of sisterhood Sorority brings friends close, sisters closer Bella Tylicki

After just a short time in Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII), Megan Padilla and Rania Awwad built a friendship that has lasted beyond their time in the chapter. Five years ago, Megan and Rania became fast friends upon being paired with the same “Big.” “Megan and Rania’s friendship is one that everyone wants but only a few get,” said Bella Padilla, freshman in nursing. “You know when you were little, and you wished that your best friend could be your sister so that you could have sleepovers every night and spend all your time with her? That is what Megan and Rania’s friendship is like.” Greek life is a major part of many students’ college experience, that oftentimes extends beyond graduation. Nearly a thousand UAB students find their home in Greek life, where friends really do become family. In some cases, sisters become family twice over. Following in the footsteps of her older sister Megan, who graduated last year, Bella “ran home” to AOII this fall. “Without AOII, I would not have been able to meet and form such strong relationships with these girls,” said Janan Awwad, Rania’s sister. “They are nothing less than actual sisters to me.” In the fall of 2017, Janan joined AOII in search of friendships like Megan’s and Rania’s – friendships that go much deeper than wearing the same letters. “Since Megan became part of Rania’s Greek family, she has been a part of our actual home family,” Janan said. “She comes to our grandmother’s house to watch Auburn football with us. Megan and Bella’s dad and our dad hangout when he’s in town, and it’s just so much fun and I love how our home families intersect so much.” For both pairs of sisters, Greek life has strengthened their family bond. “Even though Megan has been my sister my whole life, and Rania and Janan have been like sisters to me since I met them, it is crazy to finally be able to call them my sisters,” Bella said.

They are nothing less than actual sisters to me. - Janan Awwad

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALPHA OMICRON PI LEFT TO RIGHT: Megan, Isabella, Janan, Rania celebrate Bid Day, 2018.

AOII’s Big/Little reveal was Sunday, Sept. 23. To Bella’s delight, she was paired with Janan, making their friendship even more special and adding another connection within the web that is their family tree. “Bella and I have grown so close the past few years, and she is definitely like a mini-me,” Janan said. “I get to see her all the time, and she’s like family. I would do absolutely anything for her. My sister’s friendship with Megan is something I hope me and Bella can achieve in the future as the years go on.” The significance of sisterhood bears a profound meaning to Greek women. “Being a sister is more than just a title,” Janan said. “A sister is someone who will listen while you complain about the same bio test for the hundredth time, someone who will always offer their house as if invitations aren’t required, someone who will give you their dining dollars because you left your OneCard at home. There’s so much more to a sister other than the fact you just gained the title from joining the same sorority.” “The word sister holds a lot of meaning to me,” Bella said. “It means being supportive, being caring and loving. Trustworthy and always there. It means talking to you while you cry about a dumb boy who broke your heart and staying up until 2 a.m. to help you work on homework that is due the next day. Being a sister is more than just a friend. It is being something that every girl deserves to have in her life. A supporter, a follower, a guide, a peer and everything else in between.”

Campus vs. commute Students share their experience about how their proximity to campus affects them Lea McMillian Jonathan Jones On-Campus Jonathan Jones, freshman in social work, said he enjoys the freedom that comes with on-campus living. He said that even though not having as much contact with them as before is hard, the newfound independence has been refreshing. He also said that his family checking in on him over the phone helps the transition. “Your choices are your decision and in college you are your own parent,” Jones said.

Faylan Stokes Off-Campus Faylan Stokes, an undeclared freshman, said that despite living at home she does not get to spend too much time with her family. On the average school day after class, Stokes said she stays at the library to study and spend time with friends, leaving little time to spend at home. “Between going to school and trying to keep a social life it’s hard to manage everything at once,” Stokes said.

Genesis Moore Off-Campus Balancing Lego construction Simeon Hill sessions and homework assignOn-Campus ments is an everyday challenge to Genesis Moore, a freshman in communication studies and mother of a 3-year-old Simeon Hill, undeclared freshman, said girl. his newly achieved freedom as an on-camBefore enrolling into college, Moore said she pus student has not changed many of his habits. spent most of her time with her daughter. Together, Running against the clock with assignments and they took long walks in the park, drew pictures and tests is still an issue, he said, regardless of his mental cooked. Now, Moore wakes up at 6 a.m. to commute to preparation before starting college. campus from Vestavia. Hill also said that being away from family has been Moore said that even though she gets less time to spend a challenge, as their support is not readily available at the with her child, it makes the time they do spend together even doorstep of his home as it used to be. more precious. “Procrastinating was still and is still an issue and it isn’t easier “I do miss her because [college] takes time away from us, but it when you’re on your own,” Hill said. “You must be your own motivagives us both a positive break,” Moore said. “I can do my work and study tor and when you don’t have your family calling you often that’s diffiwithout having to worry about her getting into things or distracting me. It’s cult. When you are used to being under your family and seeing them positive for her because what I’m doing is for her. I’ll be able to show her every day you become accustomed to that.” the support and care I wasn’t shown at her age.” PHOTOS BY AMY LAWHON

Meet UAB’s older siblings The Resident Assistants working to keep students at home, away from home Ceri-Lune Renneboog

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCKENNA KILLETS RA and Rast Hall Social Media Director McKenna Killets.

Kierra Smith, senior in electrical engineering and Resident Assistant in Rast Hall, said she wanted to become a RA due to the positive experience she received with her RA’s during her sophomore and junior years living on campus. “They gave me such a better outlook on campus life that I wanted to share that with other people, specifically upperclassmen,” Smith said. “Because they are often forgotten in the spectrum of residents on campus.” The process of starting college and simultaneously moving away from family and friends you have known most of your life is a milestone in a student’s development and can often be stressful. That is why campuses all around the country, including UAB’s, create an environment that mimics the familial structure, so students can be assured they will feel at home. Resident Assistants are full-time students that additionally take on the role of overseeing dormitory floors and help on campus students with any difficulties they may have. Smith said she believes there are

PHOTO BY CERI-LUNE RENNEBOOG Rast Hall Resident Assistant Shreya Pokhrel.

often many perceptions about RA’s. One example is that they only check One Cards and guests in at dormitory entrance desks. However, RA’s are trained to deal with a large scope of communal issues, from inclusivity to crisis management. “We strive to make our floors and hall one big community where residents can share their knowledge and experiences,” Smith said. RA’s are often the first in the line of communication when it comes to providing students with the college experience they expect. RA’s help students to navigate both their academic life as well as their social lives. “We provide a home away from home,” Smith said. “Being on campus is the first time people have never lived with their parents and siblings if they have them. We work to create a

tight knit web of family to bridge the gap between their home and school lives.” The role of RAs within the dormitories is to provide students with comfort, whether it be in the form of conflict consolation or helping a student find their way to class. By knowing everything there is about campus life, RA’s help to make students’ lives easier every day. Shreya Pohkrel, junior in Public Health and RA in Rast Hall is serving her fourth semester as an RA at UAB’s dormitories. The community is one of the many reasons Pohkrel decided to become an RA for UAB. “To me, being a Resident Assistant means being an involved, active member of the UAB community,” Pohkrel said. “You advocate for your

We strive to make our floors and hall one big community where residents can share their knowledge and experiences. - Kierra Smith

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAST HALL Resident Assistant Kierra Smith

residents and help them to reach their full potential.” The misconception about RA’s is that they simply serve as front-desk secretaries, but in reality, Resident Assistants are a source for college students, said Pohkrel. McKenna Killets, is a senior in biomedical sciences and has been serving as a RA for two years at UAB’s Rast Hall. One of the most important things about the RA position is the immense amount of growth it offers you as a person, Killets said. “It’s a place where we may sleep, but also a place for us to grow as well,” Killets said. “There is a support system. There is always an RA that is there and wants to listen and help out.” Students often find solace in the support offered by Resident Assistants, while many students go on to create lasting friendships with their RA’s. “To me, being an RA is a privilege,” Killets said. “I’ve been humbled in this position with helping be that stepping stone to help residents grow. We get trained on important and necessary topics, however it’s never as real as the real thing.”

‘Begin with the end in mind’ How the Blazer community recovered the ball from oblivion Myles Womack

Over the past few years, the UAB Football program has been on a roller coaster ride of emotions and changes. Its cancellation in December, 2014 led to an outrage. Fans, alumni, students, and sponsors no longer had a place to rally and cheer for the Blazers on Saturday afternoons. Legion Field, for the first time since 1991, did not host the Green and Gold team for two college football seasons. Now, Blazers have returned to the field thanks to community efforts. One of the main figures in the rebirth of UAB football was Timothy Alexander, 15’ UAB graduate and Director of Character Development at UAB Athletics. Alexander remained dedicated to reinstituting the sport at UAB throughout the three years of its cancellation. Alexander’s mindset throughout the process of bringing back football never wavered. “You have to begin with the end in mind,” Alexander said. Upon hearing of the news about the cancellation, Alexander did not wait to start working with his classmates to ensure that current UAB students would continue to get the full college experience. Alexander helped start the Free UAB Student Organization (FUSO) which aimed to gain the support of the student base in bringing UAB football back. “Birmingham and its students have our backs, so we’re going to have theirs,” Alexander said.

A top football star during his college years, Alexander said he never thought playing football would lead him to one day help save a football program. Tevin Crews, a former middle linebacker for UAB’s previous football program, experienced both sides of the UAB football reinstatement story. When Crews first heard of the news about the football program being shut down he said he was heartbroken and devastated. “I thought it was done,” Crews said. “I didn’t even want to play football anymore.” Six months passed by before Crews would receive a phone call from UAB Football Head Coach, Bill Clark, assuring him that efforts to bring back the program were being made. “Coach Clark has taught me a lot of life lessons,” Crews said. “How to be a man and to stand up for something bigger than myself.” Before the shutdown, UAB football was beginning to rebuild and find its identity on the field. “We were on our way, but I believe [the shutdown] was a blessing in the storm,” Alexander said. The new UAB football facility, which opened in the fall of last year, is one many of the new resources that came from the movement to reinstate football at UAB. “Being a leader means never forgetting where you came from,” said Alexander, “It’s not about you, but the vision you have.”

PHOTOS FROM THE KALEIDOSCOPE ARCHIVES FRONT TO BACK: Timothy Alexander during game day, UAB’s Blazers storm the field for a game.

Worldclass Classmates International students share their transition experience to the US Myah Clinton Keita Tokura M.B.A. from Tokyo , Japan

Thu “Jolie” Nguyen M. Ed. in TESOL from From Hochiminh City, Vietnam

“When I got here, I couldn’t speak English at all. I struggled with it, but the people in INTO know how the struggle is, and they helped me out a lot. They help you try to be accustomed to the United States life. In my case, INTO is a bridge between my country and the United States.”

“Somehow the INTO staff helped me to not really miss my family. They’re always there to help me and encourage me, to help me get over the culture shock. The first week when I was here, I really got homesick. I missed my family and my friends a lot. I talked to INTO employees Jennifer and Meghan, they just nicely talked to me and listened to me so that I can relieve my stress and homesickness.”

Joseph Cha Senior in Community Health and Human Services from Incheon, South Korea

Siddharth Patel Master’s of Public Health—Epidemiology Foram Patel M.P.H.—Healthcare Organization and Policies from Gujart, India

“We feel like family here. Dr. Acahala, if we have any problem we can share it with her, so she is so good for us. I have one younger brother, he is studying right now for his bachelor’s in India. It was very hard leaving home, but right now we feel like we have family here.” - Foram

“I have like six classmates in my program, and they are all my close friends now too. Because they are from a different country and they are alone, we help each other spontaneously unlike other people, other normal classmates would do. We lived in the dorm the first semester and I guess I was speaking better English than some of them, so people would ask me for help and I was glad to..

PHOTOS BY DREW CRENSHAW

Those friends, their friends became my friends too, and that’s huge. Because I’m working here, all the office members here help me out a lot. They think of me as a family member. Seriously, they call me to make sure I’m okay, they text me, they’ll email me, they find any kind of way to reach me. They’re all people who I can speak to whenever I need help, whenever I feel lonely.”

Let’s talk family Students share their personal stories and memories. Collin Davis From Birmingham sophomore in electrical engineering PHOTOS BY LAKYN SHEPARD

“To me, family are the people that you can lean on, even if you’re not necessarily related to them through blood. I consider some of my friends to be my family, even though we’re not technically family.”

Lauren Moore

“I miss my sister while I’m here at college, she’s younger than me. She’s a freshman in high school this year, my baby. And you know, I still saw her as a seven year old, but then she joined Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Crops. When I saw her in her uniform I almost had a heart attack because it freaked me out.”

Alexis Grace From Montgomery sophomore in chemistry

Alan Atkins From Birmingham sophomore in art studio

“People can also technically be your family but not show the characteristics of family. Like, sometimes your friends can be your family, in a way. It’s someone who is always being there for you, always got your back, supporting you, caring for you and all that. So, I think what family means to me is just someone always being there for you and showing you the love and care and everything that you need.”

Kamari House From Columbus, GA sophomore in marketing

Sidney Smith From Birmingham junior in communications

“We don’t really have any family traditions that we do throughout the year, My family is kind of basic. I live at home with my family and commute to UAB. My family is just a really good support system for what I want to do school-wise.”

“My sister and I, we’re two different people. She’s annoying, and she probably thinks I’m annoying too. But it’s weird, we didn’t start hanging out until she got to college. And it’s weird too because I didn’t really ever worry about her before. When it comes to family traditions, my great grandma, her name was Christine, me and my cousin are the only people in the family that share her name.”

Kenya Harris From Birmingham junior in psychology

“I’m the baby of the family. I miss all of my family while I’m here, because I’m really close to all of them. I almost said my dog is who I miss the most, but you can’t talk to your dog on the phone like you can with your family. Every time I facetime my parents, they try to get my dog to talk to me, and she’ll just keep on walking by.”

Alexa Jacks From Birmingham sophomore in pre-immunology

“I don’t have any family traditions here at UAB because no one came here other than me. But, my family is just like a support system that I can always rely on. And I know that no matter what it is that I’m going through, they’ll always be there for me.”

Friday what

Schedule

where when

Family Weekend Check-In

Come meet with UAB staﬀ and collect your the materials for Family Weekend.

Hill Student Center Ballrooms

3 - 7 p.m.

Blazer Mixer Enjoy some light refreshments and chat with representatives from the various colleges and schools as well other departments and services on campus who are all here to help your student get involved outside the classroom and be successful inside the classroom

Alumni Legacy Event Calling all UAB Alumni Family members. Join the National Alumni Society for light refreshments and a short program which will include our NAS president and other legacy families. Parents will then be given the opportunity to pin their UAB student with a special Legacy lapel pin.

Women’s Volleyball v. Marshall Come cheer on our Blazers! Ticket prices $5/adults, $3/children

Freshmen Theatre Showcase (Free) An exciting event where freshman Theatre and Musical Theatre majors will grace the UAB stage for the ﬁrst time. Please join us for an entertaining evening of monologues, scenes and songs as we celebrate and welcome these aspiring artists to the UAB campus. Doors open 6:30 p.m.

Alumni House

5:30 p.m.

Bartow Arena

7 p.m.

Alys Stephen Center

7 p.m.

Saturday what

where when

Brunch in the Halls

We know you miss your Blazers. Student Housing and Residence Life and the Vulcan Materials Academic Success Center invite you to a brunch within the residence halls. Both oﬃces will be on hand to help you and your student create a healthy dialogue about working together for student success.

Honors College Coﬀee & Connections

Blazer Hall, Lower Level RLC

Heritage Hall, 5th ﬂoor

Join the Honors College for snacks and coﬀee and view the newly renovated honors space and mix and mingle with our faculty and staﬀ.

UAB Family Football Tailgate Enjoy an afternoon of tailgate games, food and fun before going to watch the Blazers taken on the Charlotte 49ers. Meet with representatives from across campus, experience Blazer Walk, the oﬃcial welcome of the Blazers to Legion Field before the game, and hang out in Blazer Village. The Fan Zone inside Blazer Village will have interactives including inﬂatable games, temporary tattoos, face painting, photo opportunities, and more.

UAB Football vs. Charlotte Come cheer on our Blazers as they take on the UNC-Charlotte 49ers! (Tickets included with registration)

Birmingham Excursions* The City of Birmingham has many diﬀer= ent attractions and events to ensure entertainment for the entire family. The Oﬃce of Parent & Family Services has worked with many of the local attractions to create Family Weekend rates. Choose your adventure with your registration!

Legions Field, Blazer Village

Legions Field

Birmingham, AL

8 - 10 a.m.

10 - 11 a.m. 2 - 6 p.m.

6 p.m. all day

Sunday what

where when

Sunday Family Brunch*

UAB Women’s Soccer vs. Rice

Commons on the Green

10:30 a.m. - noon

1 p.m.

BBVA Compass Field

Come cheer on our Blazers! Ticket prices $5/adults, $3/children

*Indicates additional fee

Registration Information FREE for UAB students! Friday, September 28 – Sunday, September 30: $40/per person Saturday, September 29 – Sunday, September 30: $35/per person Registration Includes: • • • •

All family weekend materials Family weekend t-shirt Family Weekend stadium bag Family Tailgate at Blazer Village

Children under the age of 3 are free* for family weekend costs, but a football ticket is required if they will be attending the football game against Charlotte. Tickets can be purchased for $8 as part of your family weekend registration.

Please contact the Oﬃce of Parent & Family Services with any questions you may have about Family Weekend at 205-975-0684 or by families@uab.edu.

UAB Bookstore Family members receive a 10% discount at the UAB Bookstore, with Family Weekend lanyard. Bookstore hours: Friday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Places to visit in the Magic City

PHOTO COURTESY BY UAB IMAGE GALLERY

What does it mean to be a part of the UAB community? In Fall 2018 -- through the shared beliefs, experiences and vision of a dynamic group of individuals from across the University -- The Blazer Way was born. The Blazer Way is our creed, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much more. Its tenants embody our identity, our character and culture. Whether you are student, friend, faculty, staff, or alum, the guiding principles of The Blazer Way light the path for us all. And, they make us proud to call UAB home. Bryna Reid Assistant Director Marketing & Communications Division of Student Affairs

PARENT & FAMILY SERVICES WELCOMES ALL FAMILIES TO STOP BY OUR TAILGATE IN BLAZER VILLAGE

UAB campus map

SEE REVERSE FOR SHUTTLE INFORMATION

Join the

Kaleidoscope family! Going on our 51st year of operation, the Kaleidoscope team is as strong as ever. Every week during the semester, our reporters, editors, photographers and designers create a newspaper that reflects and observes what matters most to UAB and to Birmingham. Our family can never get too big. We are always accepting new members who share our passion for storytelling, design and photography. Join our community and help us share the story of the Magic City!

For more information, visit us at uab.edu/studentmedia/kaleidoscope or contact Kristina Balciunaite at kribal@uab.edu. Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @kaleidoscopeuab