VANGUARD THE
INSIDE
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VOL. 54, NO. 14
“If it matters to the USA family, it matters to us.”
APRIL 21, 2014
Camp Kesum Comes to USA By STEPHANIE FEATHER Managing Editor
Sun Belt men’s tennis player of the year
B
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► Sports: Jags take Sun Belt series against Georgia State See Sports, page 11
► Opinion: Stop forcing students to experience the Freshman Experience
eginning summer 2015, USA will join with universities across the country to host a student-run summer camp for children with a parent who has or has had cancer. The summer camp program is called Camp Kesem, and it originally began in 2001 with Stanford University hosting a camp for 37 children affected by cancer. The program has since grown to 23 additional universities hosting camps from Los Angeles to Boston, and serving over 1,000 children a year, according to their website. “These children are forced to grow up a little faster than the rest of us,” Jemimah Chen, a biomedical science major, said. Chen is a co-director of USA’s Camp Kesem chapter. She began the process of starting a Camp Kesem at South after her friend who attends MIT told her about his involvement at his school’s chapter. “He said it was one of the most fulfilling volunteer experiences he’s ever had, and he really encouraged me to apply and bring it to South,” Chen said. This will be not only the first Camp Kesem in Alabama, but also the first in the region that includes Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas. The camp is completely free for all the children. They will have between 30 and 40 campers, with a 3-to-1 camper-to-counselor ratio. All of the counselors working at the camp will be
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See Kesum Page 2
ALYSSA NEWTON| SPORTS EDITOR
USA loses soon-to-be graduate By MATTHEW STRICKLAND JagLife Editor
U
SA senior Miranda “Randi” Hamilton died April 14 after two pickup trucks col-
lided on Alabama State Route 217. Hamilton, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was the only casualty of this wreck, which is currently under investigation. The death comes at a sad time at South, as Hamilton is the third
COURTESY OF SAMMIE HAMILTON
Randi Hamilton was known for her positive personality.
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USA student to have died within a month’s time. The 24-year-old was scheduled to walk with her class at graduation May 10. After majoring in biology and marketing, she hoped to secure a job as a vet pharmaceutical representative. Hamilton was known by friends and family for her work ethic and positive attitude. “She was always full of life and lived life to the fullest. (She) worked hard to get where she was,” Sam Treadaway, Hamilton’s friend, said. “It was rare to see her not smiling. You always wanted to be around her for her positive and caring energy. It was beautiful,” Daniel Moran, another friend of Hamilton, said. She is survived by her sister, Sammie Hamilton, a civil engineering sophomore at South. “Randi was more than a sister to me – she was my best friend. Life will never be the same, but I keep remembering her smile and that’s what gets me through. She will forever be loved and remembered,” Sammie Hamilton said. There is currently no memorial service planned.
In this Issue: Sports, Page 9 Opinion, Page 13
JagLife, Page 5