April 24, 2017

If it matters to you, it matters to us.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA

anguard V THE

MONDAY APRIL 24 2017 VOL 59 ISS 29

w w w.t he v angu ardus a .com

SGA votes to endorse master plan

Parking lot in construction

Students are celebrating the promise of a new campus parking lot.

The details will be discussed during the June board of trustees meeting.

Page 4

Page 5

Tips for taking tests A USA professor shares valuable guidance to get you through finals week.

Page 16 & 17

Mud mayhem at Oozeball

By Ryann guy | sports reporter

Alanna Whitaker served as The Vanguard’s editor-in-chief for the 2017 spring semester. Photo

by Jake Cannon

Farewell from The Vanguard editor By alanna whitaker | editor-in-chief

The Vanguard’s future was uncertain.

The previous year’s staff had dispersed, either graduating or accepting other jobs to diversify their portfolios.

Continued on page 2

The University of South Alabama Southerners hosted the 29th annual Oozeball Tournament this past Saturday.

Oozeball is an all-day long event of mud volleyball, friendly competition, prizes and lunch provided by Foosackly’s. This is South’s biggest and longest running event for Jaguars.

“Oozeball to me means lots of laughter, lots of sludge, and lots of amazing memories with amazing people,” junior nursing major Maria Longo said.

More than 500 students, faculty, and alumni got down and dirty as they ‘digged’ and dove in 8-18 inches of mud. It takes place next to the football fieldhouse at the volleyball courts, between The Grove and the JagTran transportation office.

“I was roped into playing last minute, but it turned out to be super rad,” freshman computer engineering and physics major Robin Shorrosh said. “It was the only thing worth waking up early on a Saturday. If you ooze, you lose!”

The event costs $15 per person and helps support the Southerner “Spotting Excellence” scholarship.

The scholarship is awarded to University of South Alabama students who display excellence in and out of the classroom.

All funds raised through Oozeball are matched by the Mitchell Moulton Scholarship Initiative.

Continued on page 8

A competitive oozeballer competes for first place. Photo by Jake Cannon

2

Managing Editor | Marissa Mason smm1421@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, April 24, 2017

V

NEWS

anguard Editor-in-chief’s farewell, continued THE

University of South Alabama Alpha Hall South Room 336, Mobile, Ala., 36688 Tel: 460-6898 I Fax: 414-8293 Advertising: (678) 644-7838 thevanguardeditor@gmail.com STAFF

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Opinion Editor Life Editor Web Editor

Alanna Whitaker Marissa Mason Micaela Walley Joel Goode Krisha Amin Jake Cannon

Reporters Richard Narramore Shannon Lundgren Ryann Guy

Advertising

Advertising Manager Spencer Schuneman Advertising Rep. Tim Holloway Graphic Designer Alex Jackson

Management Advising J. Sellers J. Aucoin Accounting Kathy Brannan

Distribution Distribution Cory Judkins Cameron Hall

Mission The Vanguard, the student-run newspaper of the University of South Alabama, serves its readership by reporting the news involving the campus community and surrounding areas. The Vanguard strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes firmly in its First Amendment rights.

Send letters and guest columns to: thevanguardeditor@gmail.com Letters and guest columns must be received by 7 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication.

Submissions should be typed and must include the writer’s name, year, school and telephone number. All submissions become the property of The Vanguard.

The Vanguard reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length and clarity. Letters will be limited to 300 words. Letters and guest columns are the opinion of the writer. The Staff Editorial represents the consensus opinion of the Editorial Board. All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight. The Vanguard has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifications. To report a mistake, e-mail thevanguardeditor@gmail.com. The Vanguard is published Mondays during the academic year, except for exam periods and vacations, and is published twice each summer. The Vanguard is supported in part by an allocation from student activity fees and operates in the Student Media Department of the Division of Student Affairs. Issues are available at most University buildings and select off-campus locations. The first copy is free.

Additional copies are $1 each. Freelance writers will receive payment at the discretion of the section editor and will be notified.

To request additional issues at a stand near you, email: vanguarddistribution@gmail.com

Continued from page 1

The newly elected editor-in-chief, who’d never worked at the paper, scrambled to assemble a new staff within a matter of weeks.

I’d followed the paper on-and-off throughout the years, scribbling on sudoku puzzles between classes.

So, when a Facebook message popped up asking me to apply for the managing editor position, I jumped on it.

I was fresh off a summer internship and desperate for challenges.

I felt uncertain taking a high-ranking position at a job where I hadn’t paid my dues, but life is weird that way; at some point in my future I’ll have the opportunity to be overlooked for a job I’m qualified for. So, I readily accepted the position as managing editor at The Vanguard.

I’d never published an article with the paper. Hell, I’m in school for advertising. But I did my best.

I edited articles for AP Style I knew and learned new rules as I went. I scheduled my first interviews, began to train our new staff, and began to redesign the front page, an on-going process that lasted most of the year.

A highly visible student publication protected by the First Amendment affords the paper many freedoms. It also means that we, as a paper, and as student leaders, have the responsibility to use that power responsibly.

In the middle of the school year, The Vanguard failed to meet this standard. After fewer than four months on staff, I was unceremoniously promoted to editor-in-chief of the paper.

I feel undeserving of this position. I accepted three internships as an undergraduate student, and The Vanguard tops them all. As a non-traditional senior with student loans looming above me, I burned through my internships with a fervor that my previous supervisors didn’t understand.

As my own boss, I kept setting new goals. As long as I kept asking questions, the paper continued to deliver.

The opportunity The Vanguard gave me, and any who pass through its pages, is the opportunity to prove one’s competency. Work is publicly displayed. Successes are muted and failures loudly criticized.

I regret not becoming involved at The Vanguard sooner; we have advertisers, engineers, scientists, philosophers, creative writers, designers, and journalists on staff.

Our Vanguard alumni migrate to diverse industries — sports broadcasting, local and national journalism, Harvard law school, and photography at Cosmopolitan, to name a few. I hope to add something notable to that list.

I think I made The Vanguard a better paper. It’s not up to me to determine the legacy of my extremely brief tenure as editor.

Nonetheless, I must give thanks to have made it this far.

First and foremost, I must thank Marissa Mason, managing editor at The Vanguard. She is an upbeat woman who willingly stayed with me in the office until 2 a.m., endured my nit-picky edits, fixed our computers when all hope was lost, and more.

Thankfully, she’ll remain with The Vanguard as managing editor for the coming year.

Dr. James Aucoin, thank you for allowing me to serve as editor-in-chief.

I’ve proudly collected a copy of every issue I published as editor, and I am so grateful to you for this opportunity.

Thank you, Mr. John Sellers, for remaining on-call for questions and guidance as The Vanguard advisor. The paper will miss you.

Bob Lowry, the entire Vanguard staff plagues you with emails, yet you dutifully respond to them regardless of how off-the-wall or obvious the questions. We’re indebted to you for your help.

Micaela Walley, I’ll miss the opportunity to learn from your edits; thank you for your keen eye as copy editor.

Richard Narramore, The Vanguard collectively owes you at least $75 for Starbucks, but you won’t let us pay you. Also, your article titles are priceless. Thanks for spicing it up.

Krisha Amin and Ryann Guy — you’re both new but talented. Keep plugging away at it, and you’ll both enjoy continued success at The Vanguard and beyond.

Naturally, thank you to the students and faculty who read the paper. Keep us sharp.

Finally, Shannon Lundgren. You’ve been invaluable. This Wednesday, your future with The Vanguard will be

determined before the board of communication, but I anticipate your rise as the new editor-in-chief.

You’re a broadcast journalism major imbued with curiosity and skepticism, an inexhaustible work ethic, and you’ll be armed with a motley crew of reporters.

Good luck, USA. Thank you all again for the opportunity to be a small part of something great.

I invite daring students to challenge themselves at the paper.

Success is fueled internally, and The Vanguard will vet those who lack grit.

Success is not your GPA. It’s not your tassels, or your sashes, or your lack thereof. So, bite off more than you can chew. Rub people the wrong way.

Ask questions and demand answers.

Get over the need to be liked. Square up.

If you’re lucky enough to work for The Vanguard, you’ll do all that and more.

Alanna Whitaker will graduate from USA in May 2017. She earned double bachelor’s degrees in communication and studio art with a minor in marketing. Alanna plans to forge a career in advertising. Visit her online portfolio at alannawhitaker.com.

NEWS

3

Managing Editor | Marissa Mason smm1421@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, April 24, 2017

Farewell from The Vanguard

Alanna Whitaker, Editor-in-Chief (left) and Marissa Mason, Managing Editor (right)

Micaela Walley, Copy Editor

Jake Cannon, Web Editor & Photographer

“Learning how to make and manage connections, people and events has been and invaluable experience for me. I hope I can continue to work with and grow the paper and people’s interactions with it.” - Marissa Mason

“This paper is always going to be a work in progress. Know that there are a lot of people behind the scenes that put their hearts into making it every week.”

“This position allowed me to explore new spectrums of photography and really challenge the way I take photos.”

Joel Goode, Opinion Editor

Krisha Amin, Life Editor

Alex Jackson, Graphic Designer

Briana Cunningham, Photographer

“I liked the opportunity to become more connected to what was happening on-campus and to interview campus officials.”

“I loved how I was able to branch outside of my introverted bubble. It helped me become less shy.”

“I enjoyed the challenges that forced me to problem solve and the opportunity to work in the field of graphic design.”

“Working for the Vanguard has allowed

Spencer Schuneman, Advertising Director

Shannon Lundgren, Reporter

Richard Narramore, Reporter

Ryann Guy, Sports Reporter

"The Vanguard gave me the opportunity to see parts of campus life I would have otherwise missed.”

“Through interviewing people and writing about them I have gained a new lens through which to see the world.”

“Being on the other side of athletics has introduced me to an entirely different love for the game.”

“I enjoyed the opportunity to gain experience related to my career field.”

me to not only be apart of South Alabama’s community but also to be more aware, engaged in school events.”

NEWS

4

Parking, other upgrades coming to campus

These areas will undergo construction this summer and fall semesters. Map courtesy of USA Department of Communication and Media Relations

Submission by bob lowry | director of communications & media relations

The University’s continuing infrastructure enhancements on the main campus will shift into a higher gear during the upcoming summer semester.

Work is scheduled to begin in earnest on May 7, the day after spring commencement exercises. Here is a summary of the activities, with scheduled start and end dates: • May-Start of Fall Semester: A 248-space, gravel parking lot will be built in the wooded area north of the new Connector Road and east of Health Services Drive. The site will include sidewalks and JagTran access.

• May 7-August 1: Restricted parking at the Student Center, Alumni Hall and Seaman’s Bethel to accommodate installation of underground piping and the reconfiguration of the Student Center loading dock for improved traffic flow and delivery access. The Bookstore entrance will serve as a temporary delivery location.

• May 8-early June: Closure of Cleverdon Parkway for the installation of new turn lanes where Cleverdon meets Old Shell and Hillcrest roads.

Detour routes will be provided.

• May 8-August 1: Restricted parking at the Instructional Laboratory Building and Life

Sciences Building to accommodate equipment storage for new roofs on those buildings.

• May 8-August 1: Occasional detours just west of the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center for an underground piping project.

• May 8-most of summer: Closure of Tonsmiere Drive to accommodate the construction of an Alabama Power substation north of The Grove.

• Late May to mid-June: Closure of USA South Drive at the traffic circle for underground piping installation.

• Mid-July to late July: Closure

of Stadium Drive at the traffic circle for crosswalk improvements.

• Throughout the summer: Reduced parking in the vicinity of the residence hall under construction next to New Hall and the Jaguar Training Center east of the football practice fields.

Several campus roads will receive restriped turning lanes along with crosswalk painting this summer. While all roads should re-open by Aug. 1, scheduled work is subject to change, especially if weather conditions require adjustments to various projects.

For a map showing the affected areas, visit www.southalabama. edu/departments/financialaffairs/ facilitiesmanagement and click on Summer/Fall Projects.

NEWS

5

SGA Update

By Shannon Lundgren | reporter

SGA passed five bills in their final meeting of the academic year on April 17, voting to endorse the final draft of the campus master plan, updating officer job descriptions, and purchase clocks for every classroom in Shelby Hall.

The campus master plan assesses the ability of USA’s physical facilities to meet the university’s mission, according to the USA website.

The draft of the campus master plan is not yet available to the public, according to USA Communications and Media Relations Director Bob Lowry.

The campus master plan will go through a formal approval process at the USA Board of Trustees meeting in June, according to SGA President Joshua Crownover.

The campus master plan was developed with input from students, faculty, staff and community groups according to Crownover.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools requires a campus master plan to maintain the school’s accreditation, according Crownover.

“Any changes that may be made after this will be primarily superficial,” Crownover said. “Content wise, it’s going to stay the same.”

The campus master plan calls for the construction of an auditorium/ lecture hall in the Student Center, according to Crownover.

“In several other places in the document, you can see that student life and student organizations are incorporated, how we have a growing need for facilities for those on campus,” Crownover said.

Attorney General JuWan Robinson encouraged next year’s SGA to continue to support the growth of the student center.

“The student center is a nice facility but as the campus grows, we are outgrowing the facility,” Robinson said. “It’s not necessarily going to continue to meet the needs over the next years this plan [covers].”

SGA also voted to update the duties of Chief Justice, Senator Pro-Tempore and Student-at-Large.

The chief justice heads the SGA Supreme Court and supervises the associate justices. The senator pro-

SGA met for the final time this academic year and passed several bills. Photo by Shannon Lundgren

tem leads the senators and enforces senatorial responsibilities.

The student-at-large represents the SGA to student organizations.

In their April 10 meeting, SGA voted to increase the stipends of these positions due to their updated and increased responsibilities.

The intent of these bills is to codify the additional duties these roles have taken on, according to Arts and Sciences Senator Shaun Holloway.

“It’s a way of saying these students [duties] are necessary,” Holloway said.

The last bill modified previous legislation to purchase clocks for every classroom in Shelby Hall.

According to College of Engineering Senator Blake Lee, the maintenance personnel responsible for installing and maintaining the clocks requested SGA purchase atomic clocks that automatically adjust for daylight saving time.

There are no clocks in Shelby Hall and many professors do not allow students to use watches, according Lee. The college of engineering senators aim to have the clocks installed in time for finals.

For more information on SGA’s next meeting, like them on Facebook @usasga.

USA Crime Report

251-460-6312

04-14-2017

04-17-2017

Property Damage Research Park III Building identifier sign knocked over.

Possibly knocked over by a vehicle.

Theft of Lost Property Humanities Building A Kuwaiti passport and black Adidas backpack were stolen by an unknown person.

04-14-2017

04-18-2017

Domestic Violence - 3rd Degree USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital A police officer responded to a call for service at said hospital in reference to a domestic dispute.

Unlawful Breaking & Entering Vehicle Maintenance parking lot An environmental employee had his parking permit stolen.

If you SEE something, DO something!

LIFE

6 Finals Frenzy Student Center

If USA buildings were your friends

April 30 Game Night 5 p.m.

Nacho Bar 8 p.m.

Midnight Snacks, by The Grove Midnight

May 1 Therapy Dogs 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Video Game Tournament 5 p.m.

Midnight Snacks - Foo and Waffles Midnight

May 2 Bowtag Battle 4-8 p.m.

Potato Bar 8 p.m.

Midnight Snacks, by Campus Quarters Midnight

May 3 A Goofy Movie 5 & 8 p.m.

Marco’s Pizza 8 p.m.

Midnight Snacks, by the Student Center Midnight

Marx Library quotes “The Wealth of the Nations” ironically and attends Satori’s Open Mic Night religiously. Photo by Jake Cannon

by Krisha amin | reporter

As my first year of college comes to an end, I often find myself trying to compartmentalize the details of every encounter I’ve had into various different nooks and crannies. From the historic buildings to new construction, the University of South Alabama has a wide range of personalities and appearances.

Karl Marx Library: These are the rookies. It’s their first time at college with newfound freedom. They dye their hair blue and get tattoos. They’ve learned everything there is to know about college social life from Ron Swanson from “Parks and Recreation.”

Communications Building: Lights, camera, action. Ironically, communication students are the ones who truly get to live like movie characters. They go on to work in New York City as a public relations consultants for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” have a network of friends, including the infamous Anna Wintour, and a seemingly never ending social life with a bottomless budget. They get to live out our secret fantasies.

Alpha Complex: Even Nancy Drew can’t figure them out. They are a mystery to us all. They might have Facebook accounts but they only ever use them to check their news feed.

Therefore, what’s actually known about them is through word of mouth.

Therefore, do not assume that they are a follower instead of a leader. They actually know how to change a tire and do their taxes, unlike the rest of us.

Mitchell Center: Did someone say house party? These are the students that are everyone’s best friend. You know you are bound to have fun whenever you are in the presence of their “swagger.” They embrace their embarrassing school teacher dance moves and have absolutely legendary

playlists. They are the epitome of the hashtag crazes. #lit Student Center: They put the “pro” in procrastination. Hibernation is a vital part of this aspect. Don’t wake them up before noon or else. They have a “Hunger Games” mentality; they are barely surviving but they are still surviving nonetheless. If you coincidently walk past them and smell something funky, just know that those long nights catching up on studying has finally taken its toll on personal hygiene.

Laidlaw: Forget the humanities.

These are your true hippies. They don’t mind waiting 20 minutes in line at the Student’s Center’s Chik-fil-A because to them, it’s about the journey and not the result. They are most notably your community activists and future commencement speakers. You heard it here first.

Moulton Tower: Forget Instagram famous. These kids were already campaigning for their presidency before 50 cent was worth more than 50 cent[s]. Their life goals are synonymous with old-timey pageant girls: end world hunger and ensure world peace. They are still in the grassroots phase of their ambitions, but some super PACs have already donated to their cause, whatever that will be.

Shelby Hall: Imagine that class ends at 3:00. It is 2:59. Most of the class is tired of listening to their professor babble on about their immense knowledge of a certain architect with certain ideals with a certain history.

When the professor asks if there are any additional questions, there is dead silence. Yet, at very last moment, one student raises his hand to ask about the online assignment. Enough said.

Instructional Laboratory Building (“ILB”): These are the students who are in majoring in something practical, like physics or engineering, just to

avoid upsetting their parents. They are what we call “cool nerds.” They are the inventors of all things, including puns such as, “The magnetic force vector on a current carrying wire equals ILB.” Maybe Mark Cuban would want to invest in their humor if they went on “Shark Tank.”

Biomedical Library: These are the friends who are unmistakably premed students. But don’t underestimate them. Sure, they are book smart, but these black horses will school you at “water” pong. They can also give you CPR once you lose. They also don’t want you to know they watch “The Bachelorette” in their spare time.

Be careful of their cleverly mastered façade.

Humanities Building: These friends are constantly going through a new phase in their lives. They are the wannabe hipsters with an undecided major. They are self-proclaimed Unicorn Frappuccino enthusiasts in their spare time. Too bad the genetically altered purple drink trend only lasted a few days. I guess it’s time to move onto S’mores Fraps.

Tholos of Delphi Replica: More of an acquaintance than a friend. You run into each other from time to time and engage in some small talk about their success in life. There is a reason you guys aren’t friends. I don’t need more reasons to feel unaccomplished in the most banal aspects of my life.

Mitchell College of Business: Their father’s best friend’s cousin’s sister-in-law’s ex-boyfriend’s coworker works on Wall Street. You can essentially say they have one foot in the door at Goldman Sacs and the other in their finance textbook. They carry around Yeti’s strictly for aesthetic purposes and have LinkedIn profiles that mimic the Wolf of Wall Street minus the everything.

Intramural Fields: Do they even go to school here?

LIFE

7

Free scheduling tool for students available Special for the vanguard

South Scheduler is a free visual scheduling tool students can use to create their schedule for the next semester.

South Scheduler allows students to customize their schedule as they sort through their options for the upcoming semesters.

Students have the ability to block specific times they need off from school while exploring schedule options to fill their course requirements.

The students select the semester term they are registering for, enter the course numbers, and South Scheduler adds in what would be the best option for the students.

After students have their schedule sorted out, the course registration numbers are provided and there is an option for students to send the course registration numbers to their

worksheet.

Colleges including Auburn University, University of Tampa, Texas Christian University, and Texas Tech University use Visual Schedule Builder.

Auburn University has used the program for a few years and has reported a decrease in the time it takes the first-time freshman to register at orientation, according to USA Management System Specialist Craig Walker.

One of the added benefits to South Scheduler is the ability to generate analytical reports as students utilize the software.

These reports allow the Registrar’s office to view class combinations that students are searching for. The reports will also allow analysis of times students are blocking off for time away from classes, according to Walker.

For more info, visit southalabama. edu/departments/registrar/visual_ schedule_builder.html.

Students can now use South Scheduler, a free visual scheduling tool, to find which classes to take in upcoming semesters. Image courtesy of YouTube

CRAWFISH BOIL

FRIDAY 28 APRIL 2-6PM

@THE GROVE POOL RSVP FOR VIP

FOLLOW @GROVEMOBILE ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE DETAILS 251-341-9412 GROVEATMOBILE.COM

LIFE

8

Oozeball (continued) Continued on from page 1

Officer Chris Cox and Officer Lena Phillips pause for a photo with Canine Gaines and Canine Morgan. Photo courtesy of Callie Diamond

Marine Resources adds fish-sniffing canines Special for the vanguard

If you happen to be a fisherman in Mobile or Baldwin County, you may have already heard about the new officer in town.

However, this officer isn’t an ordinary officer. His name is Gaines, an English Working Cocker Spaniel – and he finds fish.

Gaines, brought from the United Kingdom, is the only one of his kind in the United States, and his sense of smell is unlike any other.

Gaines has been trained to sniff out and alert authorities of illegal fish fillets, particularly red snapper.

The Department of Marine Resources’ canine program, however, employs two dogs, Gaines and Morgan. Morgan, an English springer spaniel, works in Mobile County.

Gaines handles Baldwin County.

Conservation Enforcement Officer Chris Cox is the caregiver of and partner to Gaines. “He loves to work,” Cox said.

“When he sees me in my uniform in the morning he gets very excited.

He has a drive that I have never seen in any other dog.”

Cox said that word has quickly spread about this new program, and that he believes it will be very successful, particularly this summer

during the peak of fishing season.

He has been working with Gaines by training with real life “problems.”

“We catch the fish and filet them, just as anyone who was doing this would,” Cox said. “We then hide them on different boats in odd places, where many would think the dog would miss. Gaines and Morgan have both been very successful in their numerous searches.”

Major Scott Bannon made the decision to bring the program to Alabama, after he saw a successful department in Ohio with a fishsniffing dog.

“I was sitting in my office thinking about the challenges we’ve had with people hiding fish, filleting them, and how we should approach it,” Bannon said. “I had always been amazed by the way dogs could find drugs and other things.

“It seemed to me they should be able to find fish. The challenge is that boats smell like fish. If you go out and catch red snapper during the closed season and you throw them back, your boat is still going to smell like red snapper.”

Many fishermen seem to be on board with the program, in hopes that those who break the law will have a better chance of being caught, along with serious consequences and hefty fines.

“It was a ton of fun,” junior biomedical science major Cody Santora said about his first time experience as an ‘Oozeballer.’ “They keep you active even when you aren’t playing by giving away free prizes, playing games and a lot of free food.”

This USA tradition is an all around fun day for players, friends, and family.

Many parents and siblings came to watch their Jaguars getting down and dirty in the mud. People of all ages rave about Oozeball whether they played, watched, or heard about it.

Sophomore business major Ben Mangrum said, “I didn’t play this year, but after seeing some of my friends play and seeing how much fun they had, I want to sign up for next year.”

The Southerners originated in 1978 and are a 20-member group of students at USA working with the National Alumni Association, President’s Office and many other University and community groups.

They are a group of students who serve has the official ambassadors

for the University of South Alabama.

Members are chosen based on an essay, interview, academics and extracurricular achievements.

Next year, the Southerners plan to hold its 30th annual Oozeball tournament. Details on how much was raised at this years event has not yet been released.

“Playing Oozeball had become a quintessential part of my experience at South Alabama,” senior English major Grace Mitchell said. “With lots of mud, friendship and terrible puns, what more could a student want?”

Sometimes, it’s not about winning or l-oozing, it’s about “mud” over matter and having a good time playing while being am-ooze-d by the other teams as they slip around trying to win their next match.

For more information on how to become involved with the Southerners, contact Ailey Shirazi at shirazi@ southalabama.edu or Dr. Nick Gossett at gossett@southalabama.edu. You can also go to www.southalabama.edu/ departments/alumni/southerners.html for membership applications.

Oozeball is the most popular Jaguar event. Photo by Jake Cannon

LIFE

9

Student spotlight on Kaitlyn Roberts

by Krisha amin | reporter

If you wander into the Bethel at 10:00 p.m. on most weekdays, you will find plenty of honors students studying - future engineers, mathematicians, business moguls, screenplay writers, doctors - among them is Kaitlyn Roberts, a pre-med senior majoring in chemistry.

Yet, Roberts, most notably known as “Krob” by her classmates, says that her day-to-day studying schedule is a complete dichotomy to her freshman studying habits.

“I was a procrastinator,” Roberts said. “If I could go back and tell my freshman self anything, it would be to study a little every night.”

Regardless, it is pretty safe to say that Roberts is a master of all anecdotes. She knows exactly who she is and that is the epitome of authenticity.

She mixes her enthralling laugh with the utmost sincerity, her love of capturing moments with living in the moment and her imperfect algorithms to catch the most Mardi Gras beads with her chemistry thesis on the synthesis of ligands.

Roberts, who hails from Hoover, Alabama, fell in love with chemistry while in high school. Unlike most of us, who find this subject matter to be the bane of our existence, Roberts found a unique solitude. When the time came to choose a major, chemistry was a no-brainer for her.

In addition, her tireless commitment to the university and surrounding community only reinforced her desire to become a future doctor.

Roberts has committed her time and efforts to a multitude of student organizations, including Alpha Epsilon Delta, Honors Program Organization, Mortar Board, and the American Chemical Society, in which Roberts serves as the chapter’s president.

“The best leaders are the ones who don’t forget that they were once led,” Roberts said. “It requires that the leader ‘get dirty’.”

Getting dirty can be really rewarding at the end of the day though. Roberts said that one of her favorite college memories is from ChemScouts, a day where second to fifth grade Girl Scouts receive their

chemistry badge.

“I really enjoyed getting to see the girls interested in science and see their faces light up every time that they performed an experiment,” Roberts said.

Despite her many commitments on campus, Roberts finds ways to cherish those in-between moments as a means of self-reflection, whether it be through step classes at the recreation center or through bingeing on Gilmore Girls.

Roberts also makes several efforts to go to Target as many times as possible as a stress reliever. She is known as the person who can spend hours upon hours at the clothing section of the store.

While her days as a Target enthusiast may be tamed, her contagious zeal and spirit towards this university are truly enduring. If constantly “throwing up the J”, ending every statement with “Have a great day and go jags” and concluding every letter with “jaguar pride” doesn’t justify this notion, I don’t know what will.

“During my four years at South I have been molded into the person I am today from my various activities,” Roberts said. “While undergrad was busy and sometimes stressful time I have enjoyed every minute of it.

Some of my favorite memories have come from just getting to understand different views on things.”

Upon graduation, Roberts plans to take a gap year and give back to the community through various service projects while applying to medical school.

In true Roberts’s fashion, “Have a great day and go Jags!”

Kaitlyn Roberts studies chemistry in USA’s honors program. Photo courtesy of Kaitlyn Roberts

Kaitlyn Roberts plans to take a gap year after graduation to participate in service projects before applying to medical school. Photo courtesy of Kaitlyn Roberts

SPORTS

10 Home Games Baseball vs University of Southern Mississippi April 25 | 6:30 p.m.

Baseball vs Texas State University April 28 | 6:30 p.m.

April 29 | 6:30 p.m.

April 30 | 12 p.m.

Baseball vs Texas State University April 29 | 1 p.m.

April 29 | 3 p.m.

April 30 | 12 p.m.

Away Games M Golf vs Sun Belt Conference Championship Sandestin, Florida April 23-25 Track and Field vs Golden Eagle Invitational Hattiesburg, Mississippi April 28-29 Softball vs LSU Baton Rouge, Louisiana April 25 | 6 p.m.

For Location of Home Games

Scan this QR Code

Softball hits four home runs, sweeps Louisiana-Monroe Courtesy of usajaguars

The University of South Alabama softball team belted four home runs en route to a 7-4 victory on Sunday and complete the series sweep of Louisiana-Monroe at Geo-Surfaces Field.

“It was nice to have some power today; it was a real difference for us,” South Alabama head coach Becky Clark said. “KK’s [Katelyn Gruich] hit in the beginning kind of set the tone and our players never took their foot off the gas; they just kept working and grinding at the plate and it really paid off for us.

“Chandler [Sparkman] did a great job on the mound for us and the defense really backed her up. Chandler did a good job of hitting her spots and she made adjustments when she needed to make them. I would have loved for her to have been able to finish that game, but things started getting interesting there in the seventh, so we brought Devin [Brown] in, but I still thought Chandler did a great job for us today. It was a good day all the way around.”

South Alabama (28-17, 10-12 SBC) will close out its stretch of sevenstraight road games at No. 16 LSU on Tuesday. First pitch versus the Tigers is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Tiger Park.

With the series sweep, the Jaguars have now won nine straight in the series and 21 of the last 22 meetings dating back to 2011 season.

USA also improved to 17-3 in games in the series played on the Warhawks’ home field.

The four home runs recorded by the Jaguars marked the first time the program has done so in a game since April 3, 2015 against Texas-Arlington.

For the series, USA recorded seven home runs during the three-game series versus ULM. Savanna Mayo led the way with two homers – her third and fourth of the season – while Kristian Foster registered her third and Katelyn Gruich posted her second of the season and the weekend on a firstinning grand slam.

The two home run performance by Mayo marked the first time a Jag has

had two or more home runs in a game since Kaitlyn Griffith had two in that same game at UTA during the 2015 season.

Amanda Minahan, Foster and Mayo each recorded multi-hit performances in the win with two hits apiece, while the latter two also scored twice.

Chandler Sparkman (2-2), making just her third career start, went sixplus innings, allowing four runs on 11 hits.

Devin Brown entered in the seventh and set down all three batters that she faced.

Louisiana-Monroe (28-21, 10-11 SBC) dropped its sixth-straight game with the loss.

Starting pitcher Paige Porter (65) lasted just a third of an inning, surrendering four runs – three earned – on two hits.

Melanie Coyne entered in relief and lasted 1.2 innings, also allowing two runs on two hits. Jessie Wyatt pitched the final five innings, allowing one run on five hits.

Sydney McKay was 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored, while Megan Shaw and Sami Billeaudeaux also had two hits apiece.

After getting off to slow offensive starts in each of the first two games of the series, South exploded for five runs on three hits in the first.

Kaleigh Todd reached on an error to start the game and then with one away USA loaded the bases on a single to left by Foster and a five-pitch walk

by Minahan.

Gruich then stepped to the plate and cleared the bases as she blasted a home run deep over the wall in left on the first pitch she saw from Porter.

The grand slam by Gruich was the first by a Jag since Haleigh Lane’s against Troy in the regular-season finale last season and just the 16th alltime in program history.

After a ULM pitching change, Mayo got into the long-ball act as she homered to left off of Coyne to stake USA to a 5-0 lead – the second time this spring that South has gone back-to-back (Minahan and Abby Krzywiecki, Houston Baptist, 2/11).

The Warhawks got on the board with a run in their half of the second

on Shaw’s RBI single to left, scoring Coyne who had led off the inning with a single to left, to make it 5-1.

USA quickly answered back in the next half inning when Foster led off the inning with solo shot to left-center.

The Jaguars extended their lead to 7-1 in the sixth as Mayo recorded her second homer of the day – this one a solo shot down the leftfield line – to lead off the top half of the sixth.

ULM tried to mount a late rally in the seventh. Shaw singled back up the middle and beat Todd’s throw to first for a lead-off infield single.

Jayden Mount then homered to left to narrow the Jag lead to 7-3. After McKay tripled to right, Brown was brought in.

Louisiana-Monroe was able to get another run and pull within three (74) on Hunter Hogan’s sacrifice fly to left, but the Jag right-hander though didn’t allow anything else as she got Lyon to strikeout and Coyne to pop out to Mayo at third to end the game.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/ USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.

Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear.

All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program.

For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/ bullpenclub

Kaleigh Todd prepares to bat against Louisiana Lafayette. Photo by Brad McPherson

SPORTS

11

South defeats Mississippi State Marissa Mason | Managing Editor

South Alabama baseball took down No. 11 Mississippi state on April 18 at Stanky Field.

USA right-handed pitcher, Sean Trimble tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, earning his second win of the season.

“He mixed his pitches well; he threw his changeup,” USA head coach Mark Calvi said. “He pitched in to (Brent) Rooker, and no one pitches him in – he is one of the best hitters in the country. Trimble did something different, and that was had guts, wasn’t afraid to pitch him inside and he used his slider. I thought Sean was really good against him; that was the game plan and he executed it and I am proud of him.”

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning. Brendan Donovan singled to right field, Drew LaBounty advanced to second, Hunter Stokes to third and Cam Cummings scored. Next, Travis Swaggerty singled to the pitcher, scoring Stokes.

LaBounty scored when Jared Barnes

grounded to third base, giving the Jags a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Barnes flied out to center field, scoring LaBounty, driving USA’s score to 4-0 against the bulldogs.

Mississippi State struck back in the top of the eighth, scoring two.

USA scored on a throwing error at the bottom of the eighth.

The Bulldogs were unable to make a comeback in the top of the ninth, ending the game in the favor of the Jaguars.

“I am proud of Colton Thomas for coming off the bench and being ready to play,” Calvi said. “That run made me a little more comfortable going into the top of the ninth. They (MSU) are still a dangerous club with very capable players. Every run matters, and we got locked in a little at the end.

But I wasn’t pleased with the game offensively or defensively. Luckily Sean Trimble was ready to go.”

The Jaguars will be back in action April 25 when they return home to Stanky Field to take on the University of Southern Mississippi.

Drew LaBounty prepares to throw in defense against Mississippi State. Photo courtesy of Scott Donaldson

Inside Athletics: JagNationTV.com Marissa Mason | Managing Editor

Many Jaguar sports are now streamed live in high definition for free on JagNationTV.com (JNTV).

Volleyball, soccer, basketball, baseball and softball are covered on the website live. The only sports not live on JNTV are golf, track, tennis, and football. Football is covered instead by ESPN. For all Jaguar sports, the games are covered with edited content post-game, including exclusive interviews with players and coaches.

“This academic year, we made a significant investment in cameras, HD equipment, and backstage stuff,” Director of Athletics Joel Erdmann said. “That benefits everybody. What we are providing is a high-quality product.”

The ability to watch any Jaguar sport live in HD, as well as get postgame coverage is an amazing feat. This takes an entire media team to be able to shoot and produce this content, many coming hours before a game and leaving hours afterwards.

The media team incorporates many University of South Alabama alumni

and students, including the camera workers which are all current USA students.

“I’ve been very pleased with the students,” Jaguar Sports Properties Director of Multimedia Services Pat Greenwood said. “Camera work is very difficult and most came in with zero experience. To see how far they’ve come is nothing short of amazing. I’m especially pleased when I compare our product with other schools.”

Many of the student workers are majoring in communications, but this is not a requirement. Some of the students are majoring in other subjects such as engineering and simply like to work with JNTV. “As a mechanical engineer, I really had my work cut out for me with a full load of classes and working for the Mitchell Center,” Mechanical engineering student Brandon Lymann said. “But when my boss recommended I join JagNationTV, I had got experience filming sports on a whole new level. Every night is something new. I love this job so much that I wouldn’t change this experience

for anything.”

Through a lot of hard work by staff, alumni, and students, there is no arguing that the product is an amazing

asset that many schools can not offer.

If it is impossible to support the Jags in person, JagNationTV is a great, free source to get your USA sports fill.

FudgeVanHooser is a student worker at JagNationTV. Photo by Jake Cannon

SPORTS

12

To the coach who ruined the sport I loved Ryann Guy | Sports Reporter

Eat, breath, sleep, softball. At one point, my life revolved around my sport. As far back as I can remember, softball was everything. I loved it. I had dreams of playing for a big university and, some day, as a professional.

It was my life.

It never crossed my mind that just before my senior season, I would quit playing softball.

I know what you are probably thinking: “You just didn’t want it bad enough.”

Let me clarify this; I played for my high school and for the town and travel softball teams.

Throughout my athletic career, I received all-conference recognition, I was chosen as the team captain and awarded MVP as a sophomore. I went to college showcase tournaments, recruitment camps, pitching lessons and hitting lessons. If it had anything to do with softball, I was there.

Softball was something that came naturally to me and you don’t willingly volunteer your spare time to do all of

that if you don’t truly love doing it. I had the ability to pursue my athletic career and I worked hard for it.

It was not that I didn’t want it badly enough. I was deterred from playing the game I loved. It was ruined for me.

The sport I cried, sweat, and bled for meant nothing more than a paycheck to the man I was expected to call “coach,” The five-hour afterschool practices and Saturday morning workouts were just a bonus for him.

He didn’t have the love for the game like the players did. He did not take the time to learn our individual strengths and weaknesses. Everything changed for me when my coach prioritized money before talent.

Favoritism turned into cliques, splitting our team apart. Softball became a political game. It was about which players’ family had the most money and whose parents donated the most time to the team.

Their child became a favorite.

This wasn’t about working as a team, improving our skills or furthering our athletic careers. He turned it into a battle within the team, not against our opponents.

I knew then, I wanted to stop

Ryann Guy (15) was called up as a freshman to play a varsity tournament. Photo by Ray Guy

playing softball. I started to hate it.

The moment my father found out I didn’t go to my senior year tryouts was one of the biggest turning points in my life. I can still hear the crack in his voice; it trembled from the pressure of his breaking heart. When I was a little girl, my father introduced me to the game.

Since then, he was right there with me during every win, loss, practice, 5 a.m. schedules and multiple-hour drives. My father exposed me to this life and watched as my passion and love for softball grew.

Then, it all fell apart.

I felt cheated. I deserved better coaching than I had. Not every coach was bad, but experiencing several bad coaches lead me to believe this happens too often and affects other families as well.

Bad coaching was a reoccurring theme for me as I pursued my athletic career and is still an issue for aspiring athletes everywhere experiencing a bad coach of their own.

A person who doesn’t have an understanding of the dedication players put into this game doesn’t deserve to be called a “coach.”

Merriam-Webster’s defines coach as; “One who instructs or trains; especially: One who instructs players in the fundamentals of a sport and directs team strategy.

My coach’s “instruction” was to continue the same “strategy,” This included practicing the same drills every week he had been doing for the past 20 years and collect a paycheck.

His “fundamentals” of bad coaching ended my life dream, aspiration and ambition.

I hope that someone who aspires to be a coach in the future will truly understand the value of their involvement and the affects they have on players. Too many hard-working athletes are cut short by coaches who do not share their team’s love for the game.

Without a good coach, any player can lose their drive. A person who respects the game and is as dedicated as the players to making their dreams become reality, deserves to be a coach.

Playing softball may have been ruined for me, but I found a new love for the game writing about it for The Vanguard. One day, I will be the coach my worst coach never was.

Ryann Guy (16) stretches as she prepares to play with varsity. Photo by Ray Guy

OPINION

13

Internships: the new interview

PAN.

MAKE REF.

D/W

Features

MIRABELLE DINING ROOM

KITCHEN

MASTER BATH

BATH 2

WALK-IN CLOSET

Community Amenities • Fitness Center • BBQ Area • Surface Parking • Playground • Pet Friendly • Swimming Pool & Wading Pool • Sports Court • Dog Park • Nearby Transportation and Highways: I-65 & I-10

LINEN

D

W

CLOSET

ENTRY

Fleur

YOUR HOME! Pet: $

Application Fee: $

Deposit: $

FLEUR Cherie Refer a move in and receive a $25 rent credit* 3 Bedroom Flat Residence Amenities *call the office for more details 2 Bath 2 BEDROOM FLAT/ 2 BATH CLOSET

FIREPLACE

LIVING ROOM

BEDROOM 3

MASTER BEDROOM

ENTRY

PAN.

D/W

CLOSET

DINING ROOM

KITCHEN

BATH 2

WALK-IN CLOSET

W

•

Pet: $

Application Fee: $

Deposit: $

Rent: $

MASTER BATH

UTILITY

D

REF.

• • • • •

CHERIE

FIREPLACE 3 BEDROOM FLAT/ 2 BATH

LIVING ROOM REF.

D/W

3 Bedroom Townhouse KITCHEN 2.5 Bath 1,415 Sq.Ft.

DINING ROOM

CLOSET

PDR.

BATH 2

MASTER BATH

Features

WALK-IN CLOSET

LINEN

BATH 2

W

DN

PAN.

CLOSET

AZALEA RD.

UP

W

REF.

CLOSET

Fleur

CLOSET

Community AmenitiesDAUPHIN ST. • Fitness Center AIRPORT BLVD. • BBQ Area ENTRY DINING MASTER • Surface Parking 65 KITCHEN MASTER ROOM BEDROOM MASTER BATH BEDROOM • Playground .

LIVING RD BEDROOM ROOM L 2 • Pet Friendly IL H N E FIRST FLOOR SECOND FLOOR AG NOT TO SCALE TT& • Swimming Pool CO Wading Pool Pet: $ Application Fee: $ Deposit: $ AMOUR • Sports Court 3 BEDROOM TOWNHOUSE / 3 BATH Pet:COMMUNITY $ Application Fee: $ Deposit: $ •AMENITIES Dog Park • MIRABELLE LEASING CENTER • 6427 Airport Blvd • Mobile, AL 36608 • FITNESS CENTER Nearby Transportation and FLEUR Highways: I-65 & I-10 2 BEDROOM FLAT/ 2 BATH • BBQ AREA D

D/W

2 Bedroom Flat 2 Bath 1,014 Sq.Ft.

SCHILLINGER RD.

D

BEDROOM 3

ENTRY

CLOSET

CLOSET

Amour

BEDROOM 2

Air Conditioning Heating Patios/Balconies Washer/Dryer Hook-ups Carpeting Vinyl Flooring Full Size Kitchen New White Shaker Cabinets Quartz Countertop Throughout Range Refrigerator Microwave Dishwasher Garbage Disposal

HILLCREST RD.

CLOSET

• • • • • • • •

BEDROOM 2

CLOSET

1,367 Sq.Ft.

CLOSET

FIREPLACE

Rent: $

Rent: $

Cherie

251-343-6800 • MirabelleMobile.com

3 Bedroom Flat • SURFACE PARKING Residence Amenities Floor plans are artist’s rendering. Square feet and configuration may vary between individual apartments. Prices and availability are subject 2 Bath LIVING • PLAYGROUND BEDROOM • Air Conditioning ROOM details and information.

BEDROOM • 1,367 Sq.Ft.to change without notice. Please contact sales3 associate for additional PET FRIENDLY 2 • Heating MASTER • SWIMMING POOL & WADING POOL BEDROOM • Patios/Balconies • SPORTS COURT ENTRY • Washer/Dryer Hook-ups • DOG PARK • Carpeting & • NEARBY TRANSPORTATION DINING KITCHEN Vinyl Flooring • HIGHWAYS: I-65 &•I-10 ROOM MASTER BATH BATH • Full Size Kitchen 2 • New White Shaker Cabinets Pet: $ Application Fee: $ Deposit: $ AMENITIES Rent: $ • Quartz Countertop RESIDENCE Throughout • AIR CONDITIONING CHERIE • Range 3 BEDROOM FLAT/ 2 BATH • HEATING • Refrigerator BEDROOM • PATIOS/BALCONIES 2 LIVING • Microwave BEDROOM • WASHER/DRYER HOOK-UPSROOM 3 • Dishwasher ENTRY • CARPETING • Garbage Disposal 3 Bedroom Townhouse • VINYL FLOORING 2.5 Bath • FULL SIZE KITCHEN PDR. D A UP H I N S T .

1,415 • Sq.Ft. NEW WHITE SHAKER CABINETS BATH 2 • QUARTZ COUNTERTOP THROUGHOUT • RANGE AIRPORT BLVD. 65 • REFRIGERATOR KITCHEN DINING MASTER MASTER ROOM BEDROOM BATH • MICROWAVE .

RD • DISHWASHER LL HI N • GARBAGE DISPOSAL E G FIRST FLOOR SECOND FLOOR A CLOSET

CLOSET

FIREPLACE

CLOSET

PAN.

CLOSET

UTILITY

D/W

D

REF.

WALK-IN CLOSET

W

FIREPLACE

Amour

CLOSET

CLOSET

CLOSET

CLOSET

CLOSET

UP

W

AZALEA RD.

D

CLOSET

HILLCREST RD.

D/W

SCHILLINGER RD.

DN

REF.

CLOSET

In the current job market, you should be doing everything to make your resume better than the competition and internships are a great place to start.

Contrary to popular opinion, your diploma does not come with a job attached with it. While that slip of paper proves that you made it through many sleepless nights and tyrannical professors, you are not guaranteed a job.

College was just round one on the battlefield of the unemployed.

Consider internships to be the new interview. It is your chance to make an impression on those who may hire soon. It also shows employers that you have, in some slight sense, experience in the field.

Internships are more than just polish to your resume. They can give you important life experience and guidance that your bank-breaking education can not. Your lecture style classroom does not resemble the ebb and flow of an office or lab.

Megan Sparks, senior instructor and internship coordinator at the communication department, shared her advice with students.

“Most students lack experience since they have been attending school full time,” Sparks said. “Internships can bridge this gap and provide handson experience for recent graduates seeking employment.”

Physically setting yourself in the workplace may provide insight if your dream job is really the dream it seems to be.

An internship can allow you to dip your toes into the water and see if you enjoy the job. If you love or hate your internship, will you still walk away knowing more than you did before the internship.

You will be either reassured that the student debt is worth it or convinced you need to change your major. Fast.

Sparks added that are several resources available to students at USA seeking internships. She suggested that students make use of their advisors and major departments, as well as Career Services located in Meisler Hall. Other places to search include professors, organizations connected your discipline and online websites where internships opportunities are posted, such as Jaguar Job Link.

You should also check with your academic advisor to see if you can intern for credit hours. The time you put into raising your survival odds post-college may also pay off academically. You can gain field experience that will count toward your college degree. Some internships even pay.

Sparks said to be wary of unpaid internships. Sometimes companies will try to find free labor or temporarily replace someone in their organization.

In these cases, students do not receive the benefits of being mentored and do not gain experience, added Sparks.

Internships give you invaluable social contacts in your job field. A letter of recommendation or a good word carries a lot of weight in the workplace.

“In media, it’s all about networking, so being able to set up a network in my hometown was great,” said Adam Shubert, a USA broadcast journalism major who completed an internship with 94.5 WJOX in Birmingham.

In a shrinking job pool, you should be doing everything you can to make you and your resume better.

Internships are a great a place to start.

Hop on the computer, email your advisor, call your contacts. Start improving your odds for the postcollege world.

$50 OFF per month on a 6 or 12 month lease

Rent: $

PAN.

Special for the vanguard

BEDROOM 2

FIREPLACE

PAN.

A USA student discusses possible jobs at a career fair. Photo by Jake Cannon

MASTER BEDROOM

LIVING ROOM

2 Bedroom Flat 2 Bath 1,014 Sq.Ft.

NOT TO SCALE

CO

Rent: $

Deposit: $

Application Fee: $

AMOUR

TT

Pet: $

3 BEDROOM TOWNHOUSE / 3 BATH

MIRABELLE LEASING CENTER • 6427 Airport Blvd • Mobile, AL 36608

251-343-6800 • MirabelleMobile.com Floor plans are artist’s rendering. Square feet and configuration may vary between individual apartments. Prices and availability are subject to change without notice. Please contact sales associate for additional details and information.

FURNISHED UNITS AVAILABLE

OPINION

14

Smartphone and its uses submission by dr. mir zohair husain

The National Endowment for the Humanities aims to support national heritage. Image courtesy of NEH.gov

NEH set for elimination Submission by Susan McCready & Steven Trout

We celebrate our culture, and we know that to be worthy of our future we must honor the best of our past. This is why it troubles us that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has been slated for elimination.

The NEH, which supports museums, archives, libraries, colleges, and universities, favors projects that reach the widest possible public for widest possible impact.

For example, NEH funding has supported scholars across the country in putting presidential papers on-line.

Thanks to NEH, educators here in Mobile and throughout Alabama can share with our students material that was once packed away in dusty boxes, accessible only to experts.

In addition to preserving our American heritage, the NEH helps expand our knowledge of regions of the world vital to US interests.

For example, University of South Alabama scholars with the Center for the Study of War and Memory have asked the NEH to fund a project to translate and publish key documents of Russian military history that give Americans and policy makers critical context for understanding Russian military thinking today.

Some have asked, “Why should the American people pay for the NEH?” We would answer that we have a duty to the past to preserve our heritage

and a duty to the future to teach our children about our history and culture.

Moreover, it is in our interest today to understand other world cultures in order to make informed global policy decisions.

Supporting the study and celebration of American history and culture is a civic responsibility and an act of patriotism. Supporting the study of the world is essential to national security.

These are the core missions of the NEH and they accomplish them for very little money in comparison to the overall budget. NEH receives .003% of our national budget or about 47 cents per American annually.

It has been suggested that private networks can fund the kinds of programs supported by the NEH, and they can help, but public support is essential. Think about it: should Thomas Jefferson’s papers belong to Princeton University or to all Americans?

From our small investment in the NEH, we reap a huge reward: ownership of our rich national heritage.

Susan McCready Steven Trout Mobile, Alabama The authors are Co-Directors of the Center for the Study of War and Memory at the University of South Alabama.

The increasing popularity of the cellular phone in the early 1990s greatly accelerated the communication revolution, which began in the 19th century. In 1973, Motorola researcher Martin Cooper designed and used the first handheld cellular phone.

The world could scarcely imagine the cell phone’s future potential at the time of its emergence. Today, the cell phone is the smartphone, and its various iterations have become pervasive worldwide.

On January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs introduced Apple’s iPhone. He described it as “a breakthrough internet communications device.”

In January 2017, Tim Cook, Apple’s latest Chief Executive Officer, noted that the iPhone has become an “essential part of our customer’s lives, and today more than ever it is redefining the way we communicate, entertain, work, and live.”

The smartphone is prized for its abilities, beyond simply making phone calls. Integrated software allows for applications (apps) that possess features that have become necessary when conducting business, socializing, and much more.

In the last two decades, the smartphone has become a part the daily lives of many, all over the world. Have you ever considered the many things the smartphone can do? While some are more familiar with the smartphone’s uses, most may be surprised to learn about the smartphone’s full range of capabilities.

First, there are the primary functions of the modern smartphone, which include calling individuals anywhere in the world; conference and group calling; text messaging, instant messaging, and group messaging; sending and receiving e-mails; as well as Skype and FaceTime for audiovisual, real-time communication.

There are the built-in functions of smartphones that help make day-today life easier for users. These include taking pictures and videos with the smartphone’s camera; editing pictures or videos with editing software; mapping out locations, getting stepby-step voice directions, and dropping a pin to share one’s location; a compass and elevation sensor; a calculator; a calendar; and a flashlight.

These applications help users

easily research or save information.

These include search engines; weather forecasts and updates/alerts; functions to save a “to-do list,” copy notes in class, do homework, and record lectures; receipt-saving apps; apps to securely store and access documents in the “cloud”; dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias; apps created by universities to check online course assignments and grades.

The different uses allow users to buy the things they need or want. For example, there are apps that allow people to shop for virtually any item on sites, such as Amazon, Walmart online, and many other retailers; purchase or sell items through auction sites, such as eBay; pay bills, check credit, and transfer funds; book or track flights to or from anywhere in the world; find transportation through Uber or Lyft; and buy, trade, and keep track of stocks and/or build portfolios.

Applications represent new and emerging technologies. Some of the most obvious examples are automated system controls for the home or automobile; advanced recognition technology (such as eye and fingerprint recognition as well as biometric scanning); and location devices that pinpoint one’s device and friends with “Find my iPhone” and “Find Friends” functions.

The final category includes uses related to staying healthy. Popular health and fitness apps include ones that keep track of personal health by integrating health data, such as pulse rate, heart rate, and steps walked (pedometer); provide instant emergency help and a medical identification feature that can potentially save one’s life in the event of an accident; track sleep patterns; and include health and food diaries.

While this list includes many valuable uses of the smartphone, it is far from an exhaustive enumeration of the smartphone’s marvelous capabilities. As smartphones update and change, their uses will increase exponentially. The smartphone has become a nearly indispensable part of the human experience.

While it is all too easy to rely on the smartphone, it is important not to become overly dependent on it.

However, the smartphone will, for better or worse, continue to remain an integral part of our increasingly technology-driven world.

OPINION

15

Allow tasers on USA campus

By Joel Goode | Opinion Editor

The University of South Alabama does not currently allow either students or police to carry tasers or stun guns on campus.

This can be problematic for a number of reasons.

First of all, police do not have an option to employ a non-lethal alternative during confrontations that, in certain situations, could be more effective than currently prescribed non-lethal weapons, which include pepper spray and extendable batons.

Tasers and stun guns have greater capacity for incapacitation than pepper spray.

Stun guns allow officers to maintain a safer distance from an assailant than the use of a baton.

Most importantly, tasers and stun guns provide another buffer between an officer and the lethal use of a gun.

If an officer is faced with an assailant who has taken drugs or behaving irrationally, their first instinct may be to use a lethal weapon.

This instinct can be disproportionate to the danger, particularly if a suspect is unarmed.

In a matter of seconds, a life may be lost - a circumstance to be avoided at all costs.

Four years ago, such an incident happened on this campus.

On October 6, 2012, USA freshman Gil Collar was shot by USA Police Officer Trevis Austin, according to the complaint filed by an attorney on behalf of Collar’s parents.

Collar was unarmed and on psychedelic drugs, per the complaint.

He died on the spot.

Collar reportedly charged at Austin after banging on the police station windows, which prompted the officer’s encounter with Collar and led to the officer’s firing the lethal shot.

The freshman never made physical contact with Austin, according to the complaint.

Perhaps the drugs would have made the stun gun ineffective, but because it was not an option no one will ever know.

Meanwhile, students who want to feel safe from robbery or assault should have access to non-lethal alternatives to pepper spray and mace.

USA currently does not allow

The University of South Alabama Police Department is located at Beta/Gamma Commons, 290 Stadium Blvd.. Photo courtesy of Google Earth

concealed carry.

A policy that allows tasers and stun guns could provide a compromise between students and faculty who want a level of protection beyond pepper spray and members of the community who feel uncomfortable with the allowance of guns on campus.

USA Police Chief Zeke Aull cares deeply about the safety of students and officers on campus.

He also disagrees with the notion that his officers would be better-served with access to stun guns or tasers.

When asked if there are situations where access to a taser or stun gun may prevent the use of lethal force by an officer, Aull said he did not want to traffic in hypotheticals.

“The [non-lethal] options we currently have are reliable, and the use they’ve had is minimal.”

Aull went on to say that he believes the real solution is to prevent incidents in which the use of force is required, and that officers are trained to talk to suspects and de-escalate situations.

While diplomatic solutions to confrontations are, of course, preferable, the risk of violence is nevertheless present when lethal force is an option.

Implements which lower the likelihood of lethal force should be seriously considered if not fully embraced.

There is no clear reason, especially given the level of advocacy for concealed carry on campus, that students and officers alike should not have access to such non-lethal options.

YOUR N O I N I OP ) : S T COUN We know you have opinions.

Share your thoughts with The Vanguard at thevanguardeditor@gmail.com

16

OPINION

Professor advice on objective & essay exams submission by Dr. mir zohair husain

Part 1: Tips to Excel on Essay Examinations 1. It is a good idea to ask students what examinations are like in an instructor’s course, if they previously took the class with the same instructor.

Their input could help you develop a study plan.

2. If the syllabus for the course does not clearly state what type of questions will be used on the examinations, ask the instructor. Will the questions be true/false, multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answer, essay?

What materials will the examination questions cover? Do they come mostly from the lectures, textbooks, key terms, etc.? If there are going to be short answers questions or essays, ask what they are looking for.

At the very least, after taking your first examination, you should have a better idea of what to expect in the future.

3. Do not wait until the last minute to study. You may be overwhelmed by the volume of information you will need to cover, and prioritizing at that late stage may pose serious problems.

4. As important as studying is, getting sufficient sleep the night before is critically important. If your mind and body are well-rested, your memory will be sharper and clearer, and you will, therefore, perform more effectively.

5. Do not take an examination on an empty stomach. Eat a breakfast that is rich in whole grains and fiber, but low on white flour and sugar. Take bottled water and low fat, high-fiber foods for a snack, if that is an option.

6. Come to the examination with a positive frame of mind. Your attitude about what you know is just as important as what you actually know.

When taking an examination, if you have attended the classes, done your assignments and homework, taken good notes, and put forth the time and effort to study, you should walk in with confidence.

The only reason you are there is to demonstrate to your instructors your overall understanding of the course content as well as the fruits of your hard work. Concentrate on doing your best on the examination, and put

everything else out of your mind.

7. Bring along two soft 2-B pencils (with erasers), a small sharpener, and a couple of ballpoint pens.

8. Arrive to all examinations a few minutes early in order to sit in your preferred seat or somewhere in the front of the classroom.

Getting there early also allows you to ask questions that your instructor may be willing to answer before, rather than during the examination. In the best case scenario, the instructor may inadvertently give you more assistance than you thought he/she might.

After all, the examination is not meant to punish, but rather to solidify and crystallize the highlights of the course material. If you have a question about the examination, ask the instructor.

While the instructor will not give you the answer, he or she will usually be more than happy to clarify what the question is asking.

Most instructors only want you to get answers wrong for not knowing the answer, not because you did not understand the question.

9. Arriving late is a sure way to increase stress and miss any instructions your instructor/proctor may have provided at the beginning of the examination.

10. Do not panic when you see a long examination. Read all the directions on the document before answering the questions. As mentioned, if you do not understand the directions, do not hesitate to ask the instructor/proctor.

When reading directions or questions, pay attention to words that are underlined, capitalized, or italicized. These words will help you make more accurate choices. Even if the first answer choice seems correct to you, read the others before making your choice. One of the other answers could be even better.

11. Relax prior to the examination.

Even if you have to do this for a minute or two during the examination, the benefits are well worth it.

12. It is always a good idea to skim through the entire examination before answering the questions. This will allow you to develop the full measure of what your instructor expects.

If it is a mathematics or natural science exam, scribble some of the formulas or laws on the scratch

These tips may help you to become productive and successful. Photo by Jake Cannon

paper so that you do not forget it.

Tackle each question one at a time, rather than thinking about the entire examination. Do not get discouraged if you do not know an answer. You are not expected to know the answer to every question. Change your answer if, on second thought, you think another response is better.

13. Read each question carefully before answering. If it is a computergraded answer form or scantron, be sure that the question numbers in the examination matches your answer on the scantron.

For some, putting the answer sheet alongside the examination questions helps, so that the answer sheet is directly in front of the hand with which you write.

If possible, line up the examination questions and the answer sheet.

14. Pace yourself. You do not want to run out of time for an examination, but you also do not want to rush through it, thus increasing the chances for error.

Depending on how points are

distributed for each question, you may want to answer the easier questions first, in order to gain as many points as possible, and save your essay for the end, so that you know how much time you have left to spend on it.

15. Use the process of elimination for multiple-choice questions.

Eliminate any answers that you know are wrong, and then, consider the remaining choices. In this way, you will improve your chances of giving the right answer.

16. Guess, if you do not know the answer. However, always make a sensible guess. In other words, your choices should make common sense and not be outrageous.

When reading a question, look for qualifying words, such as mainly, most likely, major, and best. Decide which answer choice fits with the meaning of that word.

17. When shading in bubbles on a scantron, avoid making any stray pencil marks or shading outside your chosen bubble. Make sure that you have shaded in only one bubble for

OPINION each multiple-choice question. Also, thoroughly and completely erase any answers you wish to change.

Remember, most true/false and multiple-choice examinations are computer-graded, and the computer does not know which answer you want to keep. If the computer finds a pencil mark or shading of a bubble in the wrong spot, it will mark the answer wrong.

18. If you do not do well on an examination, meet with the instructor after the examinations are graded and ask him/her what he or she would recommend so that you can do better as the course progresses.

Most likely, the instructor had previous students who faced similar problems, and therefore, he or she may be able to tell you what worked.

At the very least, it highlights to your instructor that you are putting forth every possible effort to improve and do well in his or her class.

19. Do not waste time on any one question. If you do not know an answer, go on to the other questions and return to it later. If you are able to, make a mark or a note to yourself next to that question so that you do not forget to return to those challenging questions if time permits.

20. Attempt to answer every question. If you do not answer a question, you will definitely lose those points.

If you answer a question, even if you do not know that it is the right answer, there is a chance you could get those points.

21. Guessing on multiple-choice questions. If you are not certain or do not know an answer to a multiple choice question, the following techniques can increase your odds of selecting the correct answer: a. Eliminate answers you know are wrong, thus narrowing down the answers you have to choose from. b. If it is a fill-in-the-blank multiple-choice question, eliminate the answers that do not fit grammatically—inconsistencies with subject-verb agreement, present/past/ future tenses, or words beginning with a vowel/consonant.

It could be that the instructor made an error when writing the examination, or it could be that there is a good hint for what options/ answers might not belong. c. If two words, terms, or quantities are very similar, choose one of these two.

22. Guessing for matching section.

In some situations, every answer is

17

Zohair Husain is a professor at the University of South Alabama. Photo courtesy of AL.com

only used once (as explicitly stated on the examination, or if they confirm this for you after being asked).

If this is the case, first answer the questions you know, then eliminate that answer and narrow down your choices to answer the questions you are unsure about.

23. Evaluating true/false questions.

These questions are typically tricky, since just one word can change whether a sentence is true or false.

Particularly, look for qualifying terms like all, most, sometimes, never, and, rarely. Also, watch for not, no, and except. Since there are few absolutes, sentences with terms like always or never are often false.

24. Review your answers. Firstly, everyone makes mistakes. Make certain your answers correspond to the questions on the examination.

Secondly, make sure your answers are legible, and darken the scantron bubbles completely with your pencil.

Thirdly, do not skip any questions or leave any blank. No matter how confident you are in your answers, if you have extra time, be sure to review them.

Tips to Excel on Essay Examinations 1. Write legibly. Make certain your handwriting is legible and that you provide enough space between words on the same line and in between lines, so that it is easier on the instructor to grade your essay.

2. Write a brief outline. This will save the time you would waste worrying about the essay being disorganized, wondering what point needs to be brought up next, or accidentally forgetting to bring up key points.

3. Always keep two words in mind: “substance” and “significance.”

These are the two most important elements that differentiate between a mediocre essay and an above average essay. Typically, instructors look for two things.

They want you to mention key points, especially the ones they stressed as being essential, and they want you to understand why they are essential.

First, you should incorporate key terms, concepts, and issues into your essay. This is the “substance” part.

However, substance alone does not demonstrate understanding. This is

the “significance,” or the “so what?,” part. Why are the terms, concepts, and issues in your essay important?

How do they relate to each other?

How do they answer the instructor’s question? How do they relate to the bigger picture that your instructor has been emphasizing throughout the course?

4. If you are not sure you explained something correctly or clearly, give an example that will demonstrate that you comprehend it.

In fact, whenever possible, you should use the examples, analogies, metaphors, stories, etc. that your instructor used in explaining the same ideas.

5. The essay should be well organized. The introduction should restate the question and provide an overview of your main points.

Typically, if you are being asked to write a five paragraph essay, you will have three main points, and a paragraph should be allotted to each.

There should be a transition between each paragraph, summarizing what you just discussed in that paragraph and signifying that you are moving on to your next point.

Next, in your concluding paragraph, summarize your essay’s main points; these should be similar to, if not the same as, the ones you indicated in your introduction.

Finally, you should have one or two sentences that restate the thesis, thus answering the question posed by the exam, bringing a sense of closure for your instructor.

6. Do not include fluff and do not intentionally write large to create the illusion that you have written more than you actually have.

Firstly, all instructors were once students, and many instructors have already read many essays submitted by students. Therefore, they already know all the tricks used to camouflage a lack of knowledge and understanding of the material. Secondly, your instructors read an essay for every student in each class, every time they give an essay question. So, they know all the ploys used to disguise a poor answer to an essay question. They will be more favorable in grading your essay, if you make the grading for them easier.

Dr. Mir Zohair Husain is an Associate Instructor of Political Science in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice. He has also taught courses on “Study Skills” through USA’s School of Continuing Education and Special Programs.

18

DISTRACTIONS

DISTRACTIONS

ACROSS 1. Tibia 5. Respond by changing 10. Mold 14. Yield 15. The original “10” 16. Beach banquet 17. Result of a rice theft?

20. Pickle portion 21. Treacherous curve 22. Gives the boot to 23. Hardy heroine 25. Give a single star, perhaps 26. Miss Manners’ mé·tier 29. Twitchy 33. Water quality evaluation?

35. Fidel’s friend 37. Type of tennis or bowling 38. She played Gin on Full House 39. James of Rollerball 40. Suffix with lex- or morph41. Succinct Sahara summary?

43. Former senator D’Amato 45. Edmonton skaters 46. Gore and Sharpton 47. Eso Beso balladeer 48. When Macbeth kills Duncan 51. American Uncle 53. Mutual of 57. Midmorning fruit dish?

60. Rapids river 61. Like some verbs, abbrev.

62. Kind of garden 63. T-men, generally 64. Mercantile establishment 65. Squid sprays

DOWN 1. See 30 down 2. Give a hand 3. Like some hands 4. Denial 5. Member of the colonial army?

6. Saharan fruits 7. Fruity refreshments 8. Bowlers’ targets 9. Children’s chase game 10. Show off and show often 11. Avignon ayes 12. Rave’s partner 13. Rumple 18. Last name in vacuums 19. Treatment for a cow or a celeb 24.Sunday speeches 25. Ideal example 26. Fit 27. Golden Globe category 28. Wheel of Fortune buy 29. Buying binge 30. With 1 down, govt. students 31. “See if ___!”

32. Meeting maestro 34. Eyeglass holders 36. You’d like to make them meet.

39. Squid snack 41. Kind of acid 42. Big name in cameras 44. Swoons 47. Decorative resin 48. incantation initiation 49. Alpine perch 50. Clump of curls 51. Reorder 52. Retro do 54. Very prolific auth.?

55. Wield a machete 56. Says “who?”

58. Towel label 59. Bronze of iron, eg.

Courtesy of Robert Stockton © 2007

19

20