UAB’S OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER
VOLUME 58, ISSUE 4
Student Health and Wellness offers a myriad of counseling services to all students. Read more on Page 3.
The
Kaleidoscope CELEBRATING OUR
50th YEAR OF PUBLICATION
45TH GREEK FESTIVAL
‘Greek is my passion’ yp Cultural celebration spreads food, dancing and community downtown Kristina Balciunaite Life & Style Editor
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he scent of baklava, the sound of bouzoukis and an overall mood of warm festivity surrounded the corner of 3rd Avenue South and 19th Street South last weekend. Once again, the annual, free 3-day Greek festival attracted big crowds from all over the rural Birmingham area to celebrate Greek culture, tradition, but most of all - food. Katherine Sissa Staursky, Daycare & Greek School Director at Holy Trinity and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral, has been a part of this event ever since she can remember. “This is a good outreach to the community,” Staursky said. “It’s good for people to experience culture and fellowship.” According to Sissa Staursky, the festival, although is ‘hard work,’ keeps their community close knit and flourishing. She said that returning customers were happy to find Greek groceries that are usually unavailable anywhere else. The profits of the Greek Market will be donated to traditional Greek youth dance groups in
AUSTIN SIMPSON/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Greek festival attracted big crowds from all over the rural Birmingham area to celebrate Greek culture, tradition, but most of all - food.
Birmingham. The event is organized and was started by the members of the Greek Orthodox Church in Birmingham. The Greek community has deep roots in Birmingham, as the
first Greek immigrants arrived as early as in 1884. Ever since, they have been growing and expanding their family
See FESTIVAL, Page 8
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
New travel ban deemed indefinite Sudan removed to add North Korea, Venezuela and Chad, effective Oct. 18 On Sunday, Sept. 24, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation implementing new travel restrictions on certain foreigners from the countries of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. These new travel restrictions will replace the ban that was implemented Jan. 27, which is set to expire this Sunday, Oct. 1. The new restrictions on travel will vary country to country. While the United States may suspend the entry of all immigrants and nonimmigrants in one county, some countries may allow
the entry of people who possess a valid student or exchange student visa. “Student equity and inclusion are both cornerstones of this administration and are guiding principles in every action we take,” said Samuel Moss, Chief of Staff for the Undergraduate Student Government Association. “President Trump’s revised travel restrictions are in stark contrast to our own stance. Knowledge knows no borders. Our diverse student body, faculty and staff continue to strengthen UAB daily. Recognizing that contribution, USGA will
continue to advocate without hesitation for our international students as well as all of those affected by these new restrictions.” UAB has been ranked as the third most diverse college campus in the U.S. according to the Princeton Review. While students may not be directly affected by the ban, many students on campus have families who live in the now restricted countries. “As a Muslim Arab American, I feel like Trump is trying to build a wall between my two different identities,” said Dania Mal-
lah, a senior in biomedical engineering and a native Syrian. “I am not shocked by his decision, but I am disappointed that these decisions are being implemented.” While the previous travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration were temporary, current new restrictions are set to be indefinite. “We do not anticipate any obstruction to travel for students and scholars who have already secured F or J non-immigrant visa and we will be carefully watching
See TRAVEL, Page 7
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As a Muslim Arab American, I feel like Trump is trying to build a wall between my two different identities. I am not shocked by his decision. — Dania Mallah
OPINIONS Fall 2017 Editorial Board Chandler Jones Editor-in-Chief chanj1@uab.edu
Wallace Golding Managing Editor wsgoldin@uab.edu
Sufia Alam Campus Editor sufia@uab.edu
Kristina Balciunaite Life & Style Editor kribal@uab.edu
Ian Keel Photo Editor iankeel@uab.edu
Connor Gentry Sports Editor zcgentry@uab.edu
Will Harris Asst. Sports Editor willhrrs@uab.edu
Page 2 September 26, 2017
U.S. SENATE
Tweet is mightier than the sword serves as a bulletin board for rehearsed public announcements. enator Ted Cruz (R-TexPoliticians have full-time as) is known popularly as staff dedicated to managing a prominent conservative their social media presence. and presidential hopeful, but Interacting with supporters Twitter followers of Cruz and serving campaign platirecently learned the straighttudes with no chance of real laced politician may conversation for fear have a few unresolved of saying something oedipal kinks. unscripted that alienates No one actually voters. thought Cruz was And then there is sharing pornography Trump. Presient Donon Twitter; everyone ald J. Trump, notable realized immediately Greene for his Twitter use and it was likely a staffer. controversial adminisAfter Cruz confirmed such, no tration, has drawn ire due to one was surprised. The public his online presence. While the accepts that their representacontroversy may be warranttives are not actually convers- ed, there is no doubt who ing with them through Twitter started it. without second thought. Where other politicians This disconnect between defer their social media to the person the account repstaffers, Trump is prolific resents and the actual human in his content. Rarely does themselves contradicts the Trump go more than 24 hours point of social media. Twitter without sharing his impreswas developed for people to sions of his surroundings or share off-the-cuff snippets current events. of their day, instead it now Often posts are made
Elliott Greene Opinion Columnist
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without foresight, contemplation or understanding, and just as often they ignite controversy by contradicting facts, good sense and his own previous statements. Markets and people react wildly to messages sent without regard to consequences as doubt is cast about what federal policy actually is. If the President’s official Twitter were to share obscene material, no one would assume it was a staffer (or be surprised). Trump, for all of his flaws, does one thing that no other politician does right: he is himself. Critics denounce this casual usage, citing his impromptu banning of people who are transgender or the shakeup to Boeing’s stock price after he suggested canceling contracts. The president making un-rehearsed statements can have rapid, unpredictable effects on millions of people. But is this really a bad thing? Regardless of what you think of the president,
you possess far more intimate knowledge of his thoughts and beliefs than his contemporaries. No one who voted in November can say they did not know the real Donald Trump, because he was available @realDonaldTrump. In an ideal world, Donald Trump would have no lessons to teach other politicians. In this world, Trump is the best example of what the internet can bring to politics. A direct line from the voter to the representative is misused as a soapbox for canned responses. In a hopeful future, politicians learn from Trump and recognize the value of this line. Dissolving political theater and engaging citizenry with productive dialogue has become a possibility for the first time in human history, which makes it sad the only person to realize is our President. Elliott Greene can be reached at elliottg@uab.edu.
Marie Sutton Advisor masutton@uab.edu
Patrick Johnson Production Manager plj3@uab.edu
ILLUSTRATION BY LEISHA CHAMBERS/ILLUSTRATOR
CORRECTION Undergraduate Student Government Association President Mugdha Mokashi’s name was misspelled on Page 3 of last week’s edition, Issue No. 3. Letters to the Editor can be submitted to Chandler Jones, Editor-in-Chief, at chanj1@uab.edu. The Kaleidoscope functions as a memeber of UAB Student Media in association with UABTV, BlazeRadio and Aura. Website: UAB.edu/kscope Twitter @UABkscope Facebook facebook.com/uabkscope/ Instagram instagram.com/ uabkscope/ The Kaleidoscope is produced in the office of UAB Student Media. Suite 130 Hill Student Center 1400 University Blvd. Birmingham, 35233 (205) 934-3354
Reaffirmation of Equal Opportunity and Discriminatory Harassment Policy The University of Alabama at Birmingham remains fully committed to equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, nondiscrimination and the prevention of unlawful harassment in employment, education and the participation in university programs. We have long embraced diversity and equal opportunity as core values that encourage the type of supportive environment and campus community that allows faculty, staff, and students to excel and reach their fullest potential. We maintain and promote these values not only because they are right and equitable, but also because they are integral to achieving our institutional goals, our mission, and our vision to be one of the most dynamic and productive universities—and the preferred academic medical center—of the 21st century. Therefore, we reaffirm our full support for diversity and equal education and opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual ori-
We reaffirm our full support for diversity and equal education and opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, disability unrelated to job or program performance, veteran status, or genetic or family medical history. entation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, disability unrelated to job or program performance, veteran status, or genetic or family medical history. Discriminatory harassment, whether sexual or non-sexual, is strictly prohibited. The University seeks to ensure that all aspects of employment, education and program participation remain free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. All University
employees are expected to comply with this policy and any actions involving faculty, staff and students are initiated and administered in compliance with our commitment to federal/state laws and Executive Orders with respect to nondiscrimination and affirmative action. All UAB employees holding administrative, managerial and supervisory positions are required to ensure that this policy is fully implemented by enforc-
ing only valid, position-related requirement decisions for employment, promotions, and work assignments and to ensure that progress continues with regard to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. Our commitment to fairness, nondiscrimination and the prevention of unlawful harassment is the foundation of UAB’s Equal Opportunity and Discriminatory Harassment policy and should be the guidepost for other management decisions as well. I urge each member of our University community to join me in supporting these principles and ensuring that our core values of embracing diversity, showing mutual respect, and exhibiting fair and equitable treatment at UAB, remain intact, every day. The Equal Opportunity and Discriminatory Harassment Policy may be accessed in the Policies and Procedures Library at uab.edu/policies. From the UAB Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
CAMPUS
Page 3 September 26, 2017
10 IN 10
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
with Sunna Savani USGA Senator (Business) 1) What is your role as a USGA senator for the Collat School of Business and the head of the School of Business Committee? I speak for the people of the School of Business. As the committee head, I’m responsible for finding the best direction for the senators, finding what issues we want to work on and setting a path for getting these issues taken care of.
PHOTO BY AUSTIN SIMPSON / PHOTOGRAPHER The Student Health and Wellness Center offers a wide range of counseling services to students, including individual counseling and substance abuse assistance.
Smashing stigmas Services offered to students to aid their mental health Lauren Moore Campus Reporter Offering assistance to those suffering with everything from eating disorders to anxiety, UAB’s Student Counseling has an array of services all students may make use of to aid their mental health. “We want to encourage a culture where we do take down the barriers to counseling and that we can reduce the stigma around counseling so that people get help before it becomes a crisis and can go about pursuing their academic goals” said Dr. Angela Stowe, director of counseling services and wellness promotion. A wide range of counseling services are available to students, including individual, couples, substance abuse, eating disorders, LGBTQ students, gender transition services and athletic mental health. The office also offers five group counseling options to students. The Personal Exploration
Services. Crisis and emergency services are also available. “If students are expeGroup provides sturiencing suicidal thoughts dents with a safe space or are worried about to process their issues someone who is, give among peers. Doing us a call,” Stowe said. Better Together works “We can intervene and as an active, structured provide assessment and therapeutic skills group. support, and get someA separate group is also body safe and get them provided for students the help they need.” struggling with eating Education and predisorders. vention services are also BorderTRANS provided. Blazers allows a safe space Bounce Back is a group for students program launched experiencing issues within the past with gender idenyear that works as tity. The Meditaa resiliency initiation, Mindfulness tive, and involves and Relaxation workshops on how Stowe Group is an open to build resilience group that any student and bounce back from can attend without an difficult situations. The appointment. program is open to There are also many anyone. online services, including The Mental Health eCheck-Ups, ULifeline Matters program exists and mental health screen- to train faculty and staff. ings. Links to mental There will be a Peer health apps to assist with Coaching program for PTSD, breathing exercisstudents to help fellow es, and positive thinking students by Oct. 2017. tools are also available to QPR Suicide Gatestudents. keeper Training is a “We want you to program for faculty, reach your goals, both staff and students who personal and educationwant to know how to al,” said Herbert Wilkerhelp somebody that they son, a clinical counselor fear may be considering with Student Counseling suicide. Active Minds will
sponsor a training session Sept. 27. All students are invited to participate. “No one should be afraid to talk about mental health and everyone should know that resources such as UAB Student Counseling Services, the Crisis Center and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline are available,” said Siddhu Srikakolapu, a junior in philosophy and a student counselor. “As students, many of us are busy with class, work, and other factors that life throws our way,” said Megan Robinson, a senior in psychology. “It can be difficult to balance everything, often times even more difficult if suffering from a mental illness or experiencing a rough patch in life. I think it is important to have resources on campus that address mental health along with physical health.” All counseling services are free and completely confidential. Students may also speak with an intake coordinator to see what services might be the best fit for them. Lauren Moore can be reached at lrm33@uab.edu.
STUDENT LIFE
From wallets to breast pumps Lost belongings find their way to campus buildings Sufia Alam Campus Editor From designer sunglasses to laptop chargers to OneCards, students on campus have lost many precious and expensive items every semester. Fortunately for students, most buildings on campus have a designated lost and found area. “The weirdest thing we have ever collected would definitely be a breast pump,” said Doctorre McDade, an employee of the Learning Resource Center (LRC). “We also have a herd of umbrellas and sunglasses that increase substantially every week.” What McDade said surprises him the most however, is the number of students who never come back to pick up their lost items. “If we can identify
who the item belongs to then we email them immediately to let them know they can pick it up at the information desk,” McDade said. “But so many never come back.” When more expensive items such as phones and electronics are found by LRC employees, they require students to be able to put in the passcode to unlock the electronic device before it is handed back to the student. Less inexpensive items such as such as sunglasses and water bottles are handed outside the information desk at the end of the semester. According to McDade, hundreds of dollars’ worth of lunchboxes, water bottles and chargers are gone within minutes. According to Sam Smith, an undeclared sophomore and an employee at the Hill
Student Center (HSC), students tend to lose their OneCards often in the building. “I would say anywhere between 30 to 50 one cards make their way to this desk every semester,” Smith said. “We also get a crazy amount of driver licenses and gift cards every month, too.” If a student loses an item in the HSC, students are required to retrieve the lost items by checking it out with either their one card or driver’s license regardless of its value. If a student decided to claim a laptop charger at the Mervyn H. Sterne Library, they may face confusion trying to figure out which one belongs to them. “We have three entire drawers filled with batteries, phone chargers
and laptop chargers,” said Godfrey Watkins, a library assistant. According to Watkins, Sterne library has no official policy regarding how long items stay in the lost and found area. According to Jutulya Macloan, a sophomore in elementary education and employee of the UAB Recreational Center, most lost and found items include goggles, backpacks and shoes. If items are not claimed by the end of the month, all items are donated. Other buildings students may be able to find lost items include Campbell Hall and the Business-Engineering Complex. Buildings such as Humanities Building and the Chemistry Building have no central lost and found system for students to refer to. Sufia Alam can be reached at sufia@uab.edu.
2) How do you address the issues that business students would like USGA to work on? We plan on tabling next week to get a better idea. But, a lot of the problems right now are with the building space issue, which will be solved when the new building opens. 3) What are you currently working on? We are currently trying to implement a new peer mentoring program for the incoming freshman. The school of business has a lot of commuter students and because of that I feel like there’s a big disconnect within us, we’re not really a cohesive united school. If we can pair some upcoming freshman with our juniors and seniors with the same majors, I think it will be very beneficial for our school. 4) Do you have any plans for this semester? I am also a part of the dining committee and we are currently working on getting a food labeling installed in the Commons. 5) Why is this something that you would like to be implemented? For example, I can’t eat pork for religious reasons and sometimes you’ll ask what type of meat something has and they might not know. Students with allergies may also be facing problems. Having a printed sheet listing what’s in the food is a very simple solution to address all these issues. 6) Is anything being done about the seating issue the Commons? We definitely plan to address it. We may request for more booths lining the walls to give students more place. All the materials are already in storage, it’s just a matter of figuring the seating arrangement. 7) Why do you think USGA needs to spread advocacy about mental health? I think mental health is a problem that is not addressed appropriately across many college campuses. We need to give students resources to address their problems so we can take care of holistic students and not just academic students. 8) Are there any other committees you are involved in? I am also a part of the search committee for a new Title IX investigator. Having an approachable and highly competent investigator is important for the safety of students on campus, especially sexual assault and harassment victims as well as LGBTQ students. 9) How can students from the School of Business reach out to you with comments or concerns? We will be tabling next week with suggestion forms and will pass out our contact information as well. We want to make it known we are the senators and we are the people you come to with your problems. 10) Why do you think it is important for business students to voice their concerns to USGA? Because UAB is such a science heavy school, the concerns of business students sometimes get overlooked. For that reason, it is especially important for business students to make sure their voices get heard and that’s what I’m here to do.
SPORTS
Page 4 September 26, 2017
VOLLEYBALL
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRENT BEERENDS/MT ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS UAB’s Gabby Deshotel attempts to defend a kill from MTSU’s Vonnie Covington during the match between UAB and MTSU on Sept. 22.
Blazers sweep on road UAB starts conference play on a high note at MTSU and UTEP Connor Gentry Sports Editor The UAB Volleyball team hit the road to begin conference play at Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Texas El Paso. The lady Blazers’ first game of the trip was against the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro, TN. The first set was a slow one for UAB. MTSU jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, and UAB could not catch up to the Blue Raiders and lost the first set 25-17. “It was a great night,” said Kerry Messersmith, UAB Volleyball head coach. “Everyone really stepped up and responded well from a tough first set. We showed in the final three sets what we are capable of when we play together and eliminate the errors.” The second set was a much closer affair than the first. MTSU took an early
lead, but the lady Blazers tied it up and traded the lead with MTSU. However, UAB prevailed and tied the match at 1-1 with a 25-22 win. Set three began with another back and forth score as both teams tried to figure the other out. However, UAB
UAB senior Petra Silic led the team with 13 kills and two blocks. Silic also contributed a .579 hitting percentage against the Blue Raiders. Junior Victoria Young had an even higher hitting percentage at .632 and chipped in 12 kills and four blocks. Senior Erika Zembyla contributed 11 kills. UAB’s second game of the trip was against the UTEP Miners in El Paso, Texas.
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back and take a 21-19 lead, but could not hold on to it. The Miners won the first set 27-25. The second set began with a 2-0 lead for the Miners, but the lady Blazers stormed back and led 17-8. The Miners fought to close the gap to just three points, but the Blazers were able to hang on to the lead and win the second set 25-21 to tie the match at 1-1.
We’ve been up and down all season, but now that we’re in conference play, it seems like everyone is stepping up their game. —Kerry Messersmith scored six straight points to push their lead to 21-14 and then a 25-16 win. The final set saw the lady Blazers take a 21-15 lead, but MTSU fought back to tie it at 24. UAB caught a break when MTSU committed two attack errors, sealing the UAB victory, 26-24 for the set, and a 3-1 match win.
The first set began with UAB taking a quick 2-0 lead on an attack error by UTEP’s Macey Austin and a service ace by Holderfield. The Miners fought back to tie the set, and it became a back and forth affair until the Miners were able to build an 11-6 lead. The lady Blazers were able to fight
A service error and an attack error gave UTEP a 2-0 lead to start the third set of the match. UAB responded with five straight points to take the 5-2 lead. The set saw many ties and lead changes before UAB took a 19-13 lead. UAB was able to close out the set 25-20 after an attempted comeback by the
Miners. Two kills and a service ace gave UAB a 3-0 lead in the fourth set of the match. UTEP came back to take a 6-5 lead, but could not keep up with UAB’s scoring. The lady Blazers outpaced the Miners the entire set and never led by less than four points. UAB took the final set 25-20 and won the match 3-1. Deshotel led the Blazers with 23 points and 17 kills. Jared finished with 13.5 points and ten kills. “This was a fun weekend,” said Messersmith. “We’ve been up and down all season, but now that we’re in conference play, it seems like everyone is stepping up their game... we are getting the results we had been hoping to see from this group.” The lady Blazers finished the trip 2-0 and improved to 7-9, 2-0. UAB returns to action at home against the University of North Carolina Charlotte on Friday, Sept. 29. Connor Gentry can be reached at zcgentry@uab.edu and on Twitter @Kscope_sports.
OPINION
Was killing football a blessing in disguise? Will Harris Asst. Sports Editor
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he two-year absence of football was torturous for UAB fans. I, like other Blazer fanatics, went to other team’s games just to support former UAB players. Saturdays felt empty without UAB football. While UAB did regain the program shortly after it was shut down, it was hard waiting for the return to be complete. The team is back with a 2-2 record, a new school single-game attendance record (45,212) and a beautiful practice facility. These are accomplishments that UAB football is building on since the revival of the program. The wait seems to be worth it, so one thought has to
be going through the minds of Blazer fans. Was shutting down actually beneficial to UAB football? Looking back on UAB history, the Blazers had a few marquee wins at LSU and Mississippi State. In 2004, UAB had its best season with a trip to the Hawai’i Bowl with seven wins that season. Fast forward 10 years to 2014 and the Blazers became bowl eligible yet again. When UAB hired Bill Clark, they finally seemed to find the right fit to get them to the next level. Football in Birmingham was starting to build up, but it would soon be torn down on December 2, 2014. This seemed like a day that would live in infamy for Blazer
athletics as the football, UAB attire. I cannot go bowling, and rifle proout in public without grams were shut down. being stopped by citiThe countless protests zens in the Birmingham and overwhelming area that just want to support forced the talk about how hapuniversity to re-evaluate py they are that UAB the decision, and on football has returned. June 1, 2015, President Coach Clark has also Ray Watts reinstated all made it a mission three sports. to make UAB Head coach Birmingham’s Bill Clark stuck team. UAB has around and built held decal drives a team from the by going around ground up. The Birmingham and team no longer putting the UAB has to fill in holes Harris 2017 decals on on the practice the outsides of field with sand. They local businesses. I have practice rain or shine never seen the commuwith the covered field nity this involved in the at the new facility. The program before. buzz around football is The UAB fans, and not only seen through the people of Birmingbuildings, but throughham finally woke up out the community. in 2014 after football Being the Blazer fan was taken from them. that I am, I’m always Blazer fans answered wearing some form of the challenge and have
poured in donations to support the program. The money is one thing, but the people still had to show up at games. UAB broke the attendance record on the first game of the season against Alabama A&M and currently averages the most in Conference USA through two home games. I sat in the press box at Legion Field on Sept. 2 and kept hoping more people would roll in to the stadium. I remembered hosting Southern Miss game in 2003, when UAB broke its former attendance record of 44,669. As a 9-year-old kid I had other priorities. I remember telling my dad that it was too crowded and that I was upset that we couldn’t throw my football on the con-
course level inside the stadium because there were too many fans. Still, Coach Clark said it best when he mentioned that when we come back, we want to come back the right way. UAB had a great recruiting class, has a practice facility that is competitive with other division one NCAA schools, and gained community support for the return. The shutdown finally gave fans and community a hard reality check that we desperately needed. If we don’t support it, we don’t have it. The shutdown was hard for loyal fans, but it was the best thing to happen to this program. Will Harris can be reached at willhrrs@uab.edu and on Twitter @Kscope_sports.
September 26, 2017
The Kaleidoscope
Page 5 | Sports
SOCCER
Women on fire, men on ice Ladies continue hot start on road while boys fall at home Trinity Dix Sports Reporter Women’s Soccer: UAB Women’s Soccer traveled to El Paso, TX to face off against the University of Texas at El Paso Lady Miners. The Lady Blazers started slow, but eventually found their rhythm at the eight minute mark when senior Amy Brewer fired a shot just wide of the goal. At the nine minute mark, UAB senior Rachel Green took a shot that UTEP’s Alyssa Palacios saved. UTEP attacked UAB with both headers and shots from corner kicks. However, UAB’s junior goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty saved them all, and the first half ended with both teams tied at zero. In the second half, the Lady Blazers started hot with an attempted shot from Brewer. UTEP continued to attempt to score a goal with Jeanna Mullen’s header from Carleigh Simmons’ corner kick, but it did not find the back of the net. Brewer then corner kicked the ball to Green, who proceeded to score the first goal of the game giving UAB a 1-0 lead. “This was a great result for our team and I thought we showed a lot of character in certain moments of the game,” said Erica Demers, UAB Women’s Soccer head
coach. “UTEP put us under pressure in the second half and it was vital for us to be able to withstand it. Our backline did a great job of keep the game scoreless until Rachel stepped up and absolutely buried a finish.” At the 56 minute mark, UTEP stepped up their game with an attempted shot caught by Daugherty. UTEP’s Carleigh Simmons and Lauren Crenshaw attempted the corner kick to shot on goal trick, which UAB blocked. “This win was a great way to start league play,” said Green. “We came out and fought for a full 90 minutes and Kelsey had so many incredible saves to keep us in the game. I was lucky enough to get a perfect setup for a late goal. It was a great team win.” In the end, UAB’s defense won the game 1-0, leaving El Paso, Texas, with their first C-USA win of the season. The Lady Blazers’ overall record improved to 7-2-1, 1-0-0. This game marked the eighth shutout from Daugherty, saving her goal nine times versus Palacios’ six. “We did a really good job executing the defensive game plan,” Daugherty said. “Everyone worked together and did their job.” The UAB Women’s soccer team travels to Miami, FL. to face off against the Florida International University Panthers on Sept. 29.
PHOTO BY IAN KEEL / PHOTO EDITOR Sophomore MF Chase Rushing takes a free kick over five FIU defenders in the Blazer’s 2-1 home loss on Sept. 14.
Men’s Soccer: The UAB Men’s Soccer team traveled to Norfolk, VA to play against the Old Dominion University Monarchs. The Blazers started slow with the Monarchs taking over the ball. After a foul and corner kick, ODU’s Niko Klosterhalfen fired a high header shot, just missing the goal. ODU and UAB played a game of possession, and the Monarch’s Brandon Perdue attempted a shot, but it was blocked. UAB’s senior David Valverde attempted a shot, which ODU’s goalkeeper Mertcan Akar saved at the 13 minute mark. After a corner kick and header shot from ODU, Max Wilschrey bulleted the ball straight into the net with a pass from Perdue. This gave the Monarchs a 1-0 lead.
After two more corner kicks and a saved shot, Perdue fired the ball into the right side of the net with assistance from Fox Slotemaker from a corner at the 18 minute mark giving the Monarchs a 2-0 lead. UAB attempted to score with a shot by redshirt senior Rami Dajani, but Akar saved his goal. The first half ended with the Monarchs having a twopoint advantage over the Blazers. The second half of the game started with a foul on both teams and with Klosterhalfen receiving a yellow card at the 50 minute mark. At the 54 minute mark, sophomore Tarnue Tyler attempted a shot, which was saved by Akar. After a foul on both teams, Dajani shot at the right side of the net and scored a goal for UAB with
an assist from Tyler in the 58th minute cutting the ODU lead to just 2-1. ODU, however, answered with a straight shot at the goal from CJ Taylor with assistance from Tyler Edwards in the 63rd minute pushing the Monarch advantage back to two points. In the 85th minute, UAB sophomore Massimo Ferrin chipped over Akar and fired a shot into the empty net, scoring another point, but it would not be enough for a comeback. The Blazers fell to the Monarchs 3-2, and a 2-3-2, 0-3-0 record for the season. The Blazers return to BBVA Compass Field on Sept. 30 to take on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte 49ers. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. Trinity Dix can be reached at tri913@uab.edu.
Page 6 | Sports
The Kaleidoscope
September 26, 2017
FOOTBALL
Blazers fall flat at North Texas High scoring contest leads to disappointing defeat for UAB Trinity Dix Sports Reporter The UAB Football team traveled to Denton, Texas, to take on the University of North Texas Mean Green in Apogee Stadium for their first Conference USA game since 2014. UAB started with the ball, and redshirt junior quarterback A.J. Erdely threw the ball to redshirt wide receiver Andre Wilson for a gain of 14 on third and 11. The opening drive concluded when the Blazers scored a touchdown from freshman running back Spencer Brown. This gave UAB a 7-0 lead with 9:06 remaining in the first quarter. North Texas’ drive began with a fumbled the snap on the 1-yard line, but it was recovered. Redshirt senior Shaq Jones broke up a pass
to force a UNT field goal on the 29-yard line cutting the Blazer lead to just 7-3. UNT quickly moved ahead with 0:41 seconds left in the first quarter and scored a 47-yard touchdown from Mason Fine to Jalen Guyton. The first quarter ended with a 10-7 Mean Green lead. The second quarter began with the Blazers third and eight, only to lose the ball through an interception. The Mean Green’s Jeffrey Wilson scored a touchdown after rushing in from two yards out with 11:17 remaining in the second half. The Blazers ensuing drive resulted in a quarterback sack and a punt to UNT, but redshirt senior Tevin Crews forced a fumble which redshirt senior Darious Williams recovered, halting the drive. However, the Blazer offense went
three-and-out and punted the ball to UNT. With 4:03 remaining in the half, UNT’s Nic Smith scored a 29-yard touchdown, giving the Mean Green a 16-point lead against UAB. Wilson rushed for 21 yards to keep the next Blazer drive alive. Erdely then passed the lson for a 48yard touchdown to cut into the UNT lead. With 0:44 seconds left in the half, the Mean Green scored another passing touchdown. By halftime, the Blazers trailed by 24 points. The third quarter began with UNT receiving the ball. After a while, UAB opened the second half with a stop on the fourth down, and they got the ball on the UNT 45-yard line. Redshirt freshman Lucious Stanley scored his first career touchdown on a 5-yard rush with 8:45 left in the game. UNT responded quickly with a 4-play drive to score a touchdown with 6:56 to go in the third
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quarter. Once again, the Blazers’ offense was unable to move the ball, and they punt the ball to UNT with 5:20 left in the quarter. Later in the quarter, UAB’s defense made a stop and got the ball at their 13-yard line. Redshirt junior Collin Lisa’s one-handed catch on third and six allowed the Blazers to keep their drive alive. Erdely threw the ball to Wilson for a 58-yard touchdown with 2:30 in the period. The third quarter ended with UNT being eight points ahead of the Blazers. The fourth quarter began with a UNT field goal to lead by 11 points with 14:12 in the game. UAB answered with a 70yard touchdown pass from Erdely to redshirt junior Ronnie Turner Jr., however, the referees negated it with a penalty. UNT’s Trevor Moore connected from 45 yards out as the Mean Green tacked on three more,
leaving the Blazers down by two touchdowns with 7:43 left in the game. After UAB got the ball back, Erdely passed the ball to Lisa for a gain of 60 yards. The Mean Green were also flagged for roughing the passer on the play, giving the Blazers a first and goal. With 5:51 left in the game, Erdely passed the ball to redshirt junior wide receiver Sederian Copeland to score a touchdown. Erdely then made a pass to Stanley with 4 minutes to play and scored a 5-yard touchdown. Despite this, UNT (2-2, 1-0) kicked a field goal as time expired to give the Blazers (2-2, 0-1) their first loss in conference play, 46-43. UAB goes on a bye week to prepare for their homecoming game on Oct. 7 against the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs at Legion Field. Trinity Dix can be reached at tri913@uab.edu.
COMMUNITY 10 IN 10
Page 7 September 26, 2017
SENATE ELECTION
with Kim Rafferty, Councilor, District 2
1) What got you into politics? The politics I could do without. I just enjoy helping people and formulating policy in the most efficient way you can do it. 2) Who have your mentors been? Trudy Phillips is a mentor of mine. She has taught me that I am capable of things I have no idea I could do. My grandmother also taught me a lot about life. Richard Arrington and William Bell also played a role in teaching me how not to do things. 3) What do you think is the biggest issue Birmingham faces? The education system. We cannot reap the benefits of having big money employers here if our workforce is not educated. If we do not have a good, viable education system, nothing else works right. 4)What kinds of issues would you say you are the most passionate about? My fight began against the airport here in Birmingham and the decimation of the residential areas surrounding it, which still exists. Another issue is our state constitution, which is the largest and the worst state constitution in the world, second only to India. On the civil rights end and the human rights end, that has not been my focus. 5) Do you think you are making an impact for women in your role? Yes, because I have given more and more speeches to women who are actually already in positions of leadership but have a lot of self-doubt. 6) What is your favorite part about our city? The multicultural aspect. I love when people come together and we see the exchange of culture. We are not caught up in the civil rights strife and we are celebrating life. 7) If you could live anywhere other than Birmingham, where would it be? I spent my college years in New York City and I love it there. I also love the mountains and the countryside, just a slower paced environment. 8) What projects are you currently working on to improve for District 2? We have a new park going in at Ruffner Mountain. It is a park in the Roebuck Springs area. I have renovation projects going on in Crestwood South on their walking trails, it’s an expansion project. Crestline Park, which we fully funded to completely redo their playground. 9) What do you think is unique to Birmingham history and what can we learn from it? We have a rich history but for Birmingham to be able to move forward and be remembered for positive things we need to accept the past. 10) Why do you think it is important for people to be a part of a community? Because you are stakeholders. The success of the community hinges itself on the stakeholders in the community being involved.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GARRETT STEPHENS Garrett Stephens, left, and Doug Jones, center, celebrate with members of the Jones campaign on primary election night, Aug. 15, 2017.
Bringing blue to ‘bama Doug Jones’ notable career stands as platform for national role Bella Tylicki Community Reporter
F
or 35 years, the families of the victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing hungered for justice. The prosecutor, Doug Jones, who finally put the culprits behind bars in 1998 will be on the ballot for U.S. Senate this year. In December, Alabama voters will decide who will work on Capitol Hill alongside Richard Shelby. The Democratic candidate is Jones, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. Bill Clinton appointed Jones to this post in 1997. In 1998, a Birmingham women’s clinic was bombed just across 17th Street from what is now Al’s Deli and Grill. Jones responded to the scene almost immediately and oversaw the task force responsible for the aftermath. Later that year, Jones picked up the prosecution against the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing suspects. Both former Klansmen were found guilty. Following the conviction of the bombers, Jones revisited private law. In 2004, he was appointed General Special Master in the case against Monsanto in Anniston, a seminal case in environmental law. Three years later, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute presented Jones the 15th Anniversary Civil Rights Distinguished Service Award. “[Jones] has done so many good things in his tenure as an attorney, and I think he would be perfect to send to Washington,” said Collier Fernekes, president of the UAB College Democrats and political science student. She believes he is the best candidate the Democrats have run in a long time. “He believes in Alabama, which means a great deal to me because people tend to forget about us,” Fernekes said. Despite his apparent and numerous challenges as a Democrat in Alabama, UAB students remain optimistic about Jones’ chances. “If any Democrat can win in Ala-
Travel
From Page 1
developments on the issuance of future visas,” said Catherine Crowe, director of International Student and Scholar Services. If students have any questions related to the new proclamation, they may contact International Student and Scholar Services. “The new travel proclamation will affect us to the extent that we may see an increased need in services related to travel advising,” said Crowe. “International students should always feel free to contact us for a travel letter before going abroad and should always travel with a copy of their current transcript to demonstrate fulltime academic enrollment.”
“
Jones speaks to and cares about a lot of the issues that students and young people care about: paying for school, making sure we have jobes when we graduate and ensuring that we will have a place in society without fear of discrimination and bias. —Garrett Stephens bama, it’s Doug Jones,” said Garrett Garner, a junior in political science. Garner ventured that the special election this December will inevitably have low voter turnout, which usually doesn’t bode well for Democrats. He clarified that if Roy Moore wins the Republican runoff, which he believes is the likely outcome, a Jones victory is not impossible. Because Moore is not popular with moderate Republicans, Jones could possibly steal their votes. “In this new political landscape, nothing is impossible,” Garner said. Garrett Stephens, UAB’s Graduate Student Government president, serves as Jones’ campaign’s Central Alabama Field Director, coordinating functions such as canvassing, phone banking and events for 17 counties. He works closely with Jones, seeing him almost daily. “Jones has a proven record of advocating for civil rights and social justice, which is why I was drawn to the campaign,” Stephens said. “Since joining the campaign, I have seen voters realize the importance of voting and why we should elect people who have an inclusive message that will not embarrass Alabamians.” Stephens also spoke to the role Jones has given college students in the election. “Doug has done a tremendous job of giving young people major roles in his campaign and allowing us to learn and grow so that we can go on [and]
continue to make change,” Stephens said. Before he entered his current position, Stephens’ role was to help with communications and the media. “Even then, I would sit in with [Jones] during media interviews and discuss policy issues with him,” Stephens said. “In person, he loves to joke around and make whatever situation he is in [enjoyable]. But, when the need arises, he is very thoughtful and serious about the matter at hand. He is very personable, sometimes to the frustration of his staff, and loves to talk to people.” Jones’ campaign pillars address the environment, education, economy, health care and women’s health and equality. “Jones speaks to and cares about a lot of the issues that students and young people care about: paying for school, making sure we have jobs when we graduate and ensuring that we will have a place in society without fear of discrimination and bias,” Stephens said. Jones’ complete platform is outlined on his campaign website. The state-wide special election will be held on Dec. 12 between Doug Jones and the Republican candidate, which will be decided in next week’s runoff.
International students may also reach out if they need assistance with immigration or counseling services. “We understand that this is a stressful time and urge students to contact UAB’s new International Stu-
dent Services Liaison, Luciana Silva, in Student Health & Wellness for additional counseling if necessary,” Crowe said.
Bella Tylicki can be reached at btylicki@uab.edu and on Twitter @_belty_.
Sufia Alam can be reached at sufia@uab.edu.
LIFE & STYLE
Page 8 September 26, 2017
SELF DEVELOPMENT
Bilingual in no time How to learn a language by implementing a few simple tricks into your everyday life Kristina Balciunaite Life & Style Editor Learning a new language can seem overwhelming in the beginning stages, and many aspiring bilinguals give up before even starting. Chances are, however, they were pursuing an ineffective technique. A language is different from most other disciplines, as it requires a holistic approach to be learned properly. This is the reason why most of us recall nothing more than our como esta’s and bonjour’s from the second language classes we took in high school. Learning a second language is not hard, as long as it’s done the right way.
1.
Speak it. Although this seems obvious, many people forget to actually speak the language they’re learning. For many, this is the hardest part, as it requires leaving your comfort zone. However, the important thing to remember is that you will never be ready. The only way to really learn how to speak a language is by talking to people who speak it well. So if you have no problem making a fool of yourself, learning a language will be easy for you. If you don’t know anyone who speaks the language you are learning, remember, you live in the perfect age for information exchange. Some good resources are websites such as ConversationExchange.com, where people from all over the world connect and teach each other their native languages. Remember also, that UAB is a diverse campus and chances are, you will find conversation companions from most corners of the world.
2.
Exercise it. Language is a muscle; in order to maintain or improve its condition, you need to exercise regularly. Setting off some time every day would do wonders for you. Even ten minutes is enough. Sit down and review small bits of vocabulary, write out a few sentences or conduct a conversation with yourself or someone else in the language. Some other good resources to engage in are free apps such as Duolingo and Memrise, which are really helpful for acquiring basic knowledge of vocabulary and phrases in some of the most popular languages.
3.
ILLUSTRATION BY LEISHA CHAMBERS/ILLUSTRATOR
4.
Sleep in it.
Wake up with it. There is a reason why we usually go to school in the mornings – it’s the time when our brains are the most receptive. During the first hours of the morning, the levels of cortisol in the brain, which is a stress hormone that is bound to receptors in the hippocampus and amygdala - regions in the brain that are heavily associated with memory and learning. By including five to ten minutes of language practice every morning, you will be surprised how much you pick up. It is also an effective awakener, as it brings your brain from a drowsy state to alertness by making it solve problems.
Yes, you can learn a language while catching up on your Z’s. This technique is effective once you have accumulated a basic understanding of the words and phrases in the language and are wanting to improve your fluency, as well as strengthen your memory of what you have learned. Although you are unconscious while asleep, parts of your brain remain active. During the NonREM sleep period, the calmest duration of the sleep cycle when theta activity in the brain is increased, the brain reactivates acquired information. Which is why exposing it to the information that you have learned will enhance its manifestation in your stored memory. So before you go to sleep, put on an audiobook, a speech or even just dictation of words and phrases you have reviewed beforehand, and you will see your fluency improve.
5.
Live it.
Language is not a skill, it’s a way of thinking. All words were at some point invented and modified by people, reflecting their worldview, which is why it’s a good idea to start by understanding the culture behind it. Start by listening to music, watching TV shows and movies and inquiring in the literature of that language. Once you’ve acquired a basic grasp of the language, start incorporating it in your life. Write your diary, grocery list, reminders in the language. Change your social media websites to the language. Read the news in that language. Anything you do in English, you can do in a different language. Kristina Balciunaite can be reached at kribal@uab.edu and on Instagram at @kristinaib.
Festival From Page 1
businesses and restaurants throughout the city. Originally, only people of Greek ethnicity and heritage were a part of the church, but in the more recent decades, their church and community has expanded and now includes anyone who wishes to be part of it. According to Andrew Staursky, this event is bigger than just a festival for the local community. He said that people from all over the Southeast region, yearly make their way to Birmingham to experience the event. “This isn’t just a weekend event,” A. Staursky said. “The women have been baking for weeks!” The location for the festival was right next to the The Holy Trinity - Holy Cross Greek, which is the eighth oldest Greek Orthodox church in the country. Attendants were offered free guided tours to learn more about the church and the perish. “I came here for the food,” said Marta Pirosca, senior in music. “I think this festival shows the diversity of Birmingham, especially with you UAB being right here.” The turnout of the festi-
PHOTO BY AUSTIN SIMPSON/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER This was the 45th year the Greek community of Birmingham has invited the city to learn and celebrate their culture and traditions. According to Sassa Staursky, the turnout was as expected - big.
val was large and the location was packed most of the time. Attendants of the event were happy learn about the Greek community as well as taste their traditional dishes. “I think it’s wonderful to experience this,” said Jacob
Skiles, sophomore in music. “It exposes people to the Greek culture. Each group of people needs to show off to their community about their culture.” This was the 45th year the Greek community of
Birmingham has invited the city to learn and celebrate their culture and traditions. According to Sassa Staursky, the turnout was as expected - big. “Greek is my passion,” Sassa Staursky said. “I hope
people go away from this with a happy heart, love for Greek food and for Greek people.” Kristina Balciunaite can be reached at kribal@uab.edu and on Instagram at @kristinaib.