Oct. 30, 2017

anguard V If it matters to you, it matters to us.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA

THE

MONDAY OCT. 30, 2017 VOL 1718 ISS 12

w w w. t he vangu ardus a. c om

Let there be light Planned Parenthood Generation Action shines light on unsafe campus conditions.

Page 3

Scholarships for “average” students A college student gives advice on getting scholarships.

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Dear Debbie, can I date my teacher?

A student struggling with their feelings about their professor reaches out.

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Jags join Aubreigh's Army

Parking ticket forgiveness day is a joint effort between SGA and parking services. Photo by Shannon Lundgren

Parking Ticket Forgiveness Day Nov. 1 BY: SHANNON LUNDGREN | EDITOR-INCHIEF

The Jags plan to dedicate their Nov. 4 game to Aubreigh Nichols, who is fighting Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Giloma. Photo by Shelby Guidry BY: RACHEL SULLIVAN | REPORTER

On Nov. 4, the USA home football game against Louisiana-Lafayette will be in honor of Aubreigh Nichols and Aubreigh’s Army, according to Travis Toth, senior associate athletic director/external affairs.

Aubreigh is a local 10-year-old girl fighting Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, an aggressive and hard to treat brain tumor. Her friends, family and community have united to raise money for her treatments and to spread DIPG awareness.

In support of Aubreigh, the USA football team stepped forward to

contribute to the cause. The game on Nov. 4 will honor Aubreigh and the team, coaches and cheerleaders plan to wear her bracelets. JagNationTV plans to highlight Aubreigh in their video promo of the game.

“Members of our athletic staff had ties to the family and the Semmes community and were already making arrangements to support Aubreigh through events and purchasing bracelets so when we were contacted we were prepared to become more involved,” Toth said.

According to Toth, the athletic department makes great efforts to support community causes, the

most recent being the Homecoming game dedicated to breast cancer awareness.

“South Alabama Athletics guiding principles include graduation, citizenship and championship,” Toth said. “So we take citizenship very seriously. Our studentathletes are required to perform community service hours, but more importantly, have embraced our community and desire to become great ambassadors for our university, city and region. Our student-athletes seek enrichment opportunities and want to improve the quality of life for our citizens.”

The department’s participation in Continued on page 7

Parking Ticket Forgiveness Day is scheduled to return to USA on Nov. 1, giving students the opportunity to have one parking ticket forgiven in exchange for a charitable donation to the Dumas Wesley Community Center’s transitional housing program.

Parking Ticket Forgiveness Day is a collaborative effort between SGA and parking services.

Only certain tickets are eligible for forgiveness. They are out of zone parking, parking in a staff space, no permit visible and 30-minute parking violations.

Only one ticket per student is eligible for forgiveness. Students will know the status of their submission by the end of the fall semester.

To have a ticket forgiven, students must fill out a form on Google drive.

Continued on page 2

2

Vanguard 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 Asst. Managing Editor Copy Editor Opinion Editor Web Editor Reporters

Shannon Lundgren Marissa Mason Richard Narramore Amber-Lynn Boothe Rachel Goodman Krisha Amin Hannah Blackburn Hannah Clayton Charles Harrison Natasha Spradlin Rachel Sullivan Tricia West Photographers Briana Cunningham Shelby Guidry Muqit Asif Khan

Advertising Advertising Manager Tiyana King Advertising Rep Preston Smith Graphic Designer Jennette Bago

Advisors

Advising Heather Leigh Stanley James Aucoin

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, JagMail 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. 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 Office of Student Media. Issues are available at most University buildings and select offcampus locations. Freelance writers and photographers will receive payment upon successful publication.

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

NEWS

USA Crime Report

10/20/2017 Duty Upon Striking an Unoccupied Vehicle Parking lot, Medical Sciences Bldg.

Unknown person(s) damaged victim's rear bumper of her vehicle while it was legally parked in the Medical Sciences parking lot without leaving any required information.

10/21/2017 Suspicious Circumstances Location not given Unknown person(s) attempted to move an article from the rear of a sorority house.

10/22/2017 Harassment The Grove parking lot An unknown male pulled a bumper sticker off a vehicle in The Grove, without permission. In doing so he

frightened a female occupant of the car.

10/22/2017 Criminal Mischief Third Degree ($500 or less) Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity Unknown person (s) damaged wooden sign in rear of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house, which depicts the fraternity greek letters.

10/23/2017 Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle Auxiliary Gravel Lot A theft from a vehicle was reported to USA Police.

10/25/2017 Theft of Article from Auto Educational Outreach Bldg Unknown Person(s) entered the victim's vehicle and removed listed

article(s) from within the victim's vehicle without the Owner's consent. The value of the article(s) taken does not exceed $111.00 in value.

10/26/2017 Warrant Stadium Blvd.

A person was arrested on a warrant out of Mobile County Sheriff Offices.

10/26/2017 Attempt Theft of Property First Degree Gamma #9 Parking Lot Unknown person(s) unlawfully attempted to steal the victim's vehicle by punching out the driver side door lock, and then breaking the steering column. Unknown subject(s) also removed an item from the victim's vehicle without

Ticket Forgiveness Day, cont'd Continued from page 1

Then, students must bring in two items from the list below to the SGA office on Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The SGA office is in the Student Center, suite 214, directly across from the Ballroom.

Items must be newly packaged and unopened. Travel sizes will not be accepted. Only listed items will be accepted. All proceeds will benefit the DWCC’s transitional housing program.

Students may bring the following items for donation: • Paper towels • Bleach • Lysol Disinfectant Wipes • Dish detergent soap • Lysol all-purpose spray • Band-aids • Antibiotic ointment • Anti-bacterial hand soap • Baby wipes

• Body wash • Laundry Detergent • New manual can openers • New large bath towels • New bed pillows • New twin size bed sheets According to Dumas Wesley’s website, their transitional housing assistance program was opened in 1999 to address the gap in services in Mobile for families that need more time to work on long-term goals.

“The program has served over

850 individuals and 238 families from Mobile and surrounding counties,” the DWCC website stated.

Previous beneficiaries of Parking Ticket Forgiveness Day are Feeding the Gulf Coast, Mulherin Custodial Home and Penelope House, a domestic violence shelter for women and children.

To fill out the required form for Parking Ticket Forgiveness Day, visit goo.gl/forms/AKJocaXskICeGN9v1.

SGA and parking services are partnering with Dumas Wesley to raise funds for their transitional housing program. Photo by Shannon Lundgren

NEWS

3

Planned Parenthood Generation Action has a bright idea BY: PATRICIA WEST | REPORTER

USA’s chapter of Planned Parenthood Generation Action plans to host a campaign launch party to increase lighting on campus in effort to prevent sexual assault and violence on Nov. 1 in the Student Center, room 212.

“At USA’s Generation Action’s first meeting of the semester, sexual assault prevention was at the forefront of the discussion,” Allie Broadway, Planned Parenthood Southeast Field Organizer, stated.

“Specifically, attendees expressed concern for their safety when on campus after dark. Unlike most campuses of its size, USA does not have blue-light emergency phones installed on campus. More specifically in dimly lit areas that are frequented at night.”

According to the University’s 2016 crime statistics, available on USA’s website, there were eight

cases of on-campus reported rape in that year. There was also one case of stalking, two cases of non-

“Several students have even chosen to opt out of night classes... to avoid safety concerns...”

-Allie Broadway consensual fondling and ten cases of dating violence on campus in 2016.

“Several students have even chosen to opt out of night classes needed for their majors to avoid safety

concerns, hindering their academic progress,” Broadway stated.

Generation Action is scheduled to brainstorming ideas to make the new lighting a reality at the launch party and will plan future events to raise awareness and promote safety, according to USA Generation Action Secretary DeJarra Johnson.

“I think it’s a great idea,” USA sophomore Brittney Smith said. “I think it would help with sexual assault, and also students getting hit by vehicles at night.”

“I like the idea of leaving my night classes safely,” USA junior Leslie Fruger said.

According to Broadway, USA Generation Action plans to use student surveys to identify areas of concern on campus and determine where installation of the new lights will be.

Funding for the project will come from a $5,000 dollar grant that

When the sun goes down, many students worry about walking to and from classes on an unlit campus. Photo by Richard Narramore

USA Generation Action received called The Planned Parenthood Action Fund, a fund created to support a proactive sexual assault prevention campaign on campus.

Broadway provided statistical facts to highlight the importance of the project.

“At a time when an average of one in five women will be sexually assaulted during college, this seems like a small price to pay for the safety of our students,” Broadway stated. “What’s more, with the United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ recent announcement of her plans to roll back Obama-era guidance on sexual assault, it is clear that the burden of effecting policy changes related to this issue lies on our students.”

To find out more about the project, email usagenaction@southalabama.edu or attend the launch party on Nov. 1.

4

SGA began finalizing a project that could bring more money to student orgs

NEWS International House

bridges cultural differences

BY: EMMA ROYAL | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SGA approved College of Education senate project to bring new water fountains to the Health, Kinesiology and Sport building. Photo by Shannon Lundgren BY: HANNAH CLAYTON | REPORTER

SGA began finalizing a project that could bring more money to student organizations, approved the College of Education’s senate project and discussed a new government position in their Oct. 23 meeting.

SGA Treasurer Kevin Aria discussed an initiative to bring more money to organizations that win Organization of the Month at USA. This initiative seeks to provide a monetary award of up to $500 each month to the winning organization of Organization of the Month The award is intended to be used toward an event of the winning organization’s choice. Each application and award would be submitted through Orgsync to avoid fraud.

The initiative is planned to start this coming January. Aria hopes that the amount will increase with future SGA councils. The initiative is scheduled to be be finalized in the following two weeks, according to Aria.

SGA also passed a bill which proposed water bottle fillers be installed in the Health, Kinesiology and Sport buildings.

College of Education Sen. Zorrya Kelley discussed the bill, citing the large number of students that uti-

lize water bottles within the building and the deterioration of the current water fountains as reason for the project.

The project is expected to cost approximately $3,800, leaving the SGA with roughly $5,000 for other senate projects, according to Aria.

SGA is looking to fill the University-led “Chief Diversity Officer” position. USA conducted interviews this past week and according to Heather Sprinkle, SGA advisor, there will be at least two more sets of interviews.

SGA decided against voting a resolution telling USA administration that USA students did not want SAE to return to USA. Sen. Santa Cruz, the resolution’s primary author, cited last week’s approval of the matter by the Interfraternity Council as cause for removal from the floor.

The IFC approved the return of the controversial fraternity in their last meeting.

The president of the IFC was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

The next SGA meeting will be on Monday, Oct. 30 in the Student Center Ballroom. In honor of Halloween SGA members will be in costume and will feature a special guest speaker.

Have you ever wished you could learn more about different countries, cultures and languages? Do you love travelling or have plans to travel out of the country in the future? What if I told you there was a way to experience different cultures and learn more about global engagement right in your own dorm room?

For the first time this semester, the University of South Alabama has transformed the Beta 1 on campus dormitory into an International House. What makes this new International House unique is that it is open to students from the U.S. as well as any of our international students.

According to Dr. Rinne, the Director of the International Studies Program, “This is a way for those who are interested in engaging with other people and cultures, whether in the US or abroad, to live near like-minded students.”

All students with an interest in learning more about other countries are invited to apply. According to Dr. Rinne, “One of our goals is to encourage domestic and international students to interact and engage with one another. The International House benefits everyone,

and provides a way for students to share their culture with each other and our campus community.”

The result is something far greater than your average international house. Rebecca Culberson is an American student majoring in International Business and International Studies, and she is living at the International House this semester.

When asked if she enjoyed living there so far she replied, “Yes, I like that there are many international students around me and being able to see how they adjust to the U.S.” This is just one example of students who are interested in global engagement and are excited to have this new opportunity to further their knowledge.

If this sounds like an opportunity you would be interested in then Dr. Rinne says, “Apply! The experience is largely what students want it to be, and what they make of it.

The opportunities are there, but you have to go after them. This is a great way to make new friends, learn a little about your fellow global citizens, and enhance your college experience. Best of all, this opportunity is open to all of our undergraduate students; you don’t have to have a specific major or be in a certain class to live in the International House.”

USA’s International House allows students to experience new and different cultures while staying on campus. Photo courtesy of Marketing and Communication

LIFE

5

Paranormal investigators seek ghost

The Mobile Order of Paranormal Investigators looked for ghosts at Fort Morgan. Photo courtesy of mobileparanormal.com BY: ELAINE RUSS | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Do you ever get the feeling that somebody is watching you? Do you ever get the chills in a graveyard?

Do you think you hear whispering in the middle of the night? If you do, then you might know a ghost.

Fortunately, the Mobile Order of Paranormal Investigators is here to help.

The Mobile Order of Paranormal Investigators was founded in 2002 by Veda Cejas, in order to help people with their paranormal problems. It is non-profit, and gives practical advice to those who have

having trouble with a spirit. Cejas has been interested in the paranormal since she was a child.

“I saw things, heard things. My grandmother was Creek Indian, and she believed me. It made me want to start looking for (ghosts),” Cejas said.

Cejas is a nurse full-time, and consults on the side. Her experience in medicine and science has helped her during the investigations.

“Being a nurse, I have to be objective and see what is causing the problem,” she said. “I’ll give you an example: we had a family that was living in a historical home. They kept thinking they were having visions. We later went in and investigated, and discovered through our equipment that they had a gas leak.

What they were experiencing was because of the gas. We try to eliminate any sort of possibility before we look for ghosts.”

After they determine that a place, or places, is haunted, then Cejas and her team counsels whoever is affected. “We don’t do cleansings,” Cejas said. “I give them advice; they can either say a prayer of command it to leave.”

Real-life paranormal investigation is very different than its television portrayal, Cejas explained.

“That show, Ghost Adventures, we’ve been to some of those places that Jack goes to, and sat in those

exact same spots he’s sat in, and nothing happens,” Cejas said. “It’s only for ratings,” she laughs.

Actual hauntings occur for a number of reasons, she explained.

“Most of the time,” Cejas said, “I would say it is someone [who is haunting the location] that is related to someone. Most of them seem to be family.”

When evaluating a home, her equipment of choice is a tape recorder.

“That’s all we really use,” Cejas said. “Sometimes we use meters to detect a change of temperature or electromagnetic field, but all we need is a tape recorder. I just have a normal conversation, about this and that, and when I listen to the tapes back, that’s when I hear their response.”

“They’re very noisy,” Cejas said.

“They get all up in your business; they just want attention.” The spirits of children seem to be the most active. “They act the same as if they were alive. We went to a cemetery, and we asked, ‘Is anyone here?’ and on the recording, we heard a child’s voice saying, ‘I’m right here!’

They’re very interactive with toys, like a [living] child. “[Adult and child ghosts] don’t know that they’re dead,” Cejas said.

“They talk to you like they’re alive.”

According to Cejas, ghosts and spirits are rarely destructive, and are mainly benevolent. Most people appear to live in harmony with their dead companions.

If you would like to find out more information about Veda Cejas and her team, please go to mobileparanormal.com.

The Mobile Order of Paranormal Investigators brought along other ghost hunters when they searched Fort Morgan. Photo courtesy of mobileparanormal.com

Writer Adam Prince to come to South BY: ALICE JACKSON | USA MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Adam Prince will read from his works in the Student Center. Photo courtesy of USA News

The Stokes Center for Creative Writing and the department of English at the University of South Alabama will present visiting writer Adam Prince reading from his works on Monday, Oct. 30.

The 4 p.m. event, which will be held in the Terrace Room of the Student Center, is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be available.

Prince’s award-winning fiction

has appeared in “The Missouri Review,” “The Southern Review” and “Narrative Magazine,” among others. His first book, a short story collection, called “The Beautiful Wishes of Ugly Men,” is now available from Black Lawrence Press.

Acclaimed writer David Rice said on his writing website, TheRumpus.net, that “the eleven stories in Adam Prince’s debut collection feel lived rather than written.”

“Like stories told by strangers in bars when you’re both drunk, their

core tragedies and ironies achieve a casual understated universality,” Rice added.

Prince is currently at work on a novel and several screenplays.

Born and raised in Southern California, Prince earned his bachelor of arts degree from Vassar College, a master of fine arts degree from the University of Arkansas and a doctorate from the University of Tennessee. He served as the 20122013 Tickner Fellow at the Gilman School in Baltimore.

LIFE

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USA’s LGBTQ organization, Spectrum, is inviting the campus community to celebrate Halloween in a fabulous fashion with their annual drag show “Hallow-queen”, which will be held from 7-11 p.m. on Oct. 31 in the Student Center Ballroom. Admission is $3 for students, and $5 for the general public. Spectrum encourages attendees to come with dollar bills to tip the performers, which will be used as a donation to Spectrum.

“This is an event we do as a kind of tradition,” Spectrum’s President Jamie Robinson said. “We do this every Halloween for the kids here at South. Mobile doesn’t really have anything for people under 21 to go to for a drag show, and a lot of queer people in the community want to see that. This is something that is for everyone in the community.”

Spectrum has scheduled plenty of entertainment, from student performers and local professionals alike. The latter can be seen on stages all across the Gulf Coast and include Zamereyah Dawn, Alotta Wood, Champagne Munroe, Pharrah Kayla Dynamics, Kianah Elegants and recent USA graduate Macy Marcs. As part of the drag show, a costume contest is also scheduled.

“We are very excited to have professional drag queens come do this for us,” Robinson said. “We hope it will help draw a big crowd and show people that there is a

strong queer community here on campus. The costume contest will be judged by the queens themselves, so we encourage everyone to dress up and join in on the fun.”

The drag show is important to give lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered groups like Spectrum and the queer community in general a way to show who they are and what issues they support.

“In 2014 there was a lot of heated debate over marriage equality and what defines marriage,” Robinson said. “The USA campus has been very accepting of us, but in general the gay community saw a whole lot of homophobia and negative reactions. It didn’t come out of nowhere though because homophobia has always been an issue, it’s just at that time everything just started bubbling up. It has been a big topic of debate.”

Robinson also brought to light the issue of transphobia that has been rampant in the past year as another reason for the drag show.

“We are doing this ultimately to make the campus more aware of it [transphobia],” Robinson said.

“People are scared of what they don’t know, and if it stays unknown people may not understand that that isn’t a man with a dress on, that person is trans. Our goal is to bring awareness to these different identities.”

To find out more about Spectrum and other events they host,connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Champagne Munroe will be at the Hallow-queen Drag Show. Photo courtesy of Peopleof Alabama.com

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SPORTS

7 Jags Join Aubreigh's Army, cont'd Continued from page 1

USA football players, cheerleaders and coaches plan to wear bracelets to support Aubreigh's fight against DIPG on their Nov. 4 game. Photo by Shelby Guidry

these efforts brings a lot of media attention to the athletes, however Toth stated that these efforts are made because of the interest of the department and students.

“We typically don't have to encourage our staff or football student-athletes to get involved in supporting our community because they usually approach us as administrators about their involvement on their own,” Toth said. “As young leaders, they recognize the impact they can have on our community especially when they can serve local families and children. A good example is when our student-athletes have the opportunity to visit children at USA Children's and Women's each year and how they themselves are impacted personally, and realize they can make a difference in people's lives.”

Toth expressed his hopes of mak-

ing a positive impact for Aubreigh’s Army through the department’s efforts and compassion.

“My hope is that we can rally around Aubreigh's fight by providing a little joy for her and her family through our USA community and our genuine care and participation,” Toth said. “We also hope and pray that our coverage through JagNationTV and social media will capture the essence of this terrible disease and bring awareness to how people can get involved and help in so many ways.”

To keep up with the coverage on Aubreigh’s Army, follow JagNationTV on social media or visit usajaguars.com/watch/?Archive=1628& type=Archive. To follow Aubreigh’s journey follow Aubreigh’s Army on Facebook. There is also an opportunity to donate via her YouCaring page at youcaring.com/aubreighnicholas-948986.

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Across from USA

SPORTS

8

Inside Athletics: Yu Fujioka

BY: HANNAH BLACKBURN | REPORTER

USA freshman Japanese tennis player Yu Fujioka brought her talents from the other side of the world to make her mark as Jaguar.

The business major and Funabashi Japan native visited the USA campus and instantly knew this is where she wanted to play.

“I made a trip here and was very excited about this place because in America, women’s tennis is ranked very high,” Fujioka said. “I really liked the culture here and how nice everyone here is. Also it’s really cold in Japan; I much prefer the warmer weather you have here.”

Fujioka also sees playing here as a way to improve her tennis game and all around athleticism.

“I get to use nice facilities such as the gyms and courts,” Fujioka said.

“I have good coaches and good teammates who have helped me get better with playing. Playing here has really been a great experience because I feel I am learning more and becoming a better athlete every day I am out there.”

Fujioka started her first year as a Jaguar this fall. Photo courtesy of USAJaguars.

The stat sheet is evidence of Fujioka’s success in her first year on the courts as a Jaguar. Fujioka ended the fall season with a 5-2 singles record.

“I was really happy when I won all those matches,” Fujioka said. “I really love playing tennis and being able to win and do well in it makes more exciting to play. I like playing doubles more than singles because you get to play and have fun with a teammate; when you win they also win.”

Fujioka’s older sister was her inspiration when it came to wanting to play tennis.

“My sister is six years older than me and she is also a professional player in Japan. She taught me a lot when I was younger,” Fujioka said. “She travels all over the world

when she plays, and she plays high ranking women from a lot of different countries. We would play a lot together back home; she was a really good coach. I like watching her play and just by watching her I am able to learn a lot.”

As the season comes to a close, Fujioka is pleased with how she and her teammates have played, and she is looking forward to the final two tournaments of the season.

“I like how my first year playing here went,” Fujioka said. “I feel that being able to win all those matches was a good way to start. I am excited about the rest of the season because I think I can do well in those matches too.”

To find out more about Fujioka and the women’s tennis team, visit USAJaguars.com.

USA basketball prepares for upcoming 2017-2018 season BY: CHARLES HARRISON | REPORTER

The start of college basketball is right around the corner, and the Jags are busy preparing for their Nov. 10 matchup against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the NAISMITH Memorial Hall of Fame Tip-off Game.

The Jags are coming off of a tough 2016-2017 season where they went (14-18 7-11 SunBelt) and were on average out-scored by 1.2 points. Road games are going to be a key area of improvement for the Jags this season after going (4-10) on the road.

“We’ve got to continue finding new ways to win on the road. We had games at Georgia State and

Georgia Southern that came down to one possession, and we got beat,” Coach Matthew Graves said about the games against Georgia State and Georgia Southern.

Pre-season play has already gone against the trend from the last year with the Jags defeating the Spring Hill Badgers 77-55 in an exhibition game on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

The Jags struggled in the first half, despite getting a lead early in the game.

“As a coaching staff we are trying to play more line ups, and worked on subbing more quickly,” Graves said.

The Jags head into this season

“We’ve got to continue finding new ways to win on the road.”

-Matthew Graves

with a very young team. After graduating several key players the Jags are going to need underclassmen to step up.

A player to watch for is sophomore forward Josh Ajayi who averaged 10.6 PPG and 5.4 RPG. Ajayi will be taking on the main brunt of a workload he split with three seniors last year: Georgi Boyanov 8.8 PPG 5.8 RPG, Don Muepokelly 8.7 PPG 5.0 RPG, and Nikola Marijan 0.9 PPG 1.1 RPG. He, along with fellow sophomore guard Jordan Andrews, earned special mention from Coach Graves as players to watch.

Basketball season runs from the start on Nov. 11 to the end of March Madness so turn out and support your Jaguar Basketball teams, both men and women, as they take on this season. For more information about Jaguar Athletics go to USAJaguars.com

Josh Ajayi is gearing up to take the season by storm. Photo courtesy of USAJaguars

OPINION

9 Five tips for scholarship seeking BY: PATRICIA WEST|REPORTER

Between the months of September and February it’s not uncommon to see students scrambling to finish that last-minute scholarship essay, or remembering to re-accept their scholarships for the upcoming semester an hour before the deadline.

Acquiring scholarships can be difficult, time consuming and seemingly impossible, but it doesn’t take a 4.0 GPA and officer positions in several clubs to pay for tuition.

As a 3.0 GPA high school student with a 25 ACT score, I attended my first year of college at the University of South Alabama completely free with the help of institutional, external and financial aids.

1) Set yourself apart “Students are incredibly multifaceted, and there are a lot more experiences to a student outside of a GPA,” Office of Scholarship Services Manager Brooke Moore said.

“If this [academics] isn’t necessarily your strongest asset then you must find other ways to market yourself.

Don’t get me wrong, GPA matters but you don’t have to be a 4.0 student. We have approximately 580 scholarships in Jagspot and that’s just what’s available here at the institution...Your major, extracurricular activities, community/civic engagement, volunteer work and even your geographic location can assist you in receiving aid. A lot of program reviewers look less at GPA and more at how you’ve contributed to your program of study or how you’ve impacted the community around you.”

From personal experience, along with the characteristics Moore mentioned, financial and minority status can also help in getting scholarships. Many scholarships and Pell Grants are also exclusive to those in financial need. Other scholarships may put priority on those in financial need, or at least consider it in the screening process.

Certain scholarships are also exclusive to minorities, whether it be ethnic or even part of the LGBT

community. Organizations like ScholarshipRed exclusively grant scholarships to applicants with natural red hair. If you’re a minority in any way, take mental note. The less competition you have applying for the same scholarship, the better.

Moore also suggested keeping a log of all the activities you do or have done freshman year in high school all the way until your senior year of college. This builds your resume as a student, sets you apart from others applying and reminds you of useful references whose recommendation could make all the difference.

“As a student you are your own brand.” Moore said. “Don’t sell yourself short.”

2) Prepare Have your references and resume ready ahead of time. Give yourself time for essays.

“Always ​connect with your references ahead of time,” Moore said.

“Many systems - JagSPOT included simply require you to enter the email address of your reference.

Make sure their contact information is the same, and be sure they are willing and able to act for you in that regard. It’s best to have all of this ready before the deadline is up.”

Having a resume ready ahead of time can help you even if the scholarship does not require it.

More than once I sent in a scholarship application close to deadline and wished I could tack on a few more clubs I had been involved in, or volunteer work I had completed.

If the scholarship does require a resume, it’s good to have one ready and proofread instead of submitting a rushed or unedited one.

“Pay attention to the deadline dates. Students should have time to work on essays and make them perfect before having to submit them,” Scholarship Coordinator Elizabeth Bordeaux said. “Review committees are looking at students that are already qualified when they read their essays. They’re looking for something to make that student

stand out. Remember, it’s about content, not length. That’s why you want to have time to think it out before writing it. The same goes for short answer questions. These committees are looking for information about you as a person, not just what they see on a transcript.”

3) Be social According to Moore, scholarship providers often use social media platforms to advertise their scholarships. Instead of only googling to find scholarships you’re eligible for, you can also use hashtags on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to find scholarships. You should also use USA’s Scholarships Services Office, Jagspot and make sure you’re networking with different clubs and members of your community for scholarship and aid opportunities.

Moore suggested that students watch social media sites such as Reddit and Twitter for scholarship opportunities.”

“A lot of these external scholarship agencies use social media platforms,” Moore said. “Do your own research and stay active on social media.”

4) Apply “Academic scholarships vary by institution,” Moore said. “South is very generous at how the​y​ support their incoming students but the focus is not just on your ACT or SAT scores. They offer aid to a wide range of students. It’s a great opportunity here to have that initial admission scholarship but remember that’s not all ​that we offer. Once you’re here​, many of our endowed scholarships are focused on major, extracurricular activities, departments ​and ​leadership engagement. My biggest tip is to apply, apply, apply.”

In my personal experience, applying for scholarships was easiest when I treated it like it was an assignment. I set aside an hour each day to search the internet for scholarships, or work on scholarship essays. At minimum, I aimed to apply for five scholarships a week and in total I received three scholarships that covered the cost of my total

tuition. I would not have received these scholarships had I not spent hours on the internet searching for them. A similar personal system could ensure you stay applying for scholarships, and don’t let deadlines pass you by.

A lot of students also choose not to apply for Government Financial Aid (fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as FAFSA ) because they don’t believe they will be eligible.

Remember that if you get a single dollar from filling out and submitting your FAFSA, that’s a dollar less that you’ll be in debt.

5) Don’t give up “A lot of scholarships go unawarded, because not enough eligible people apply,” Moore said.

Both Moore and Bordeaux recommended that students not give up on the application process, despite how many applications they’ve submitted.

“Our office is always here to help and every student has the potential to earn scholarships or aid,” Moore said. “They just have to get their materials together and go after them. Don’t get discouraged, there are new scholarships every year and every student at South should be applying every year for scholarships.” Bordeaux said.

Remember, one scholarship application could make the difference between a full ride and a 10,000-dollar student loan.

I applied to USA with the expectation that I would be in debt for a few years, and I wasn’t going to let that happen. By applying for federal aid, external and institutional scholarships, I was able to get over $14,000 in aid for one year at USA. Students should log onto JagSpot for more information on available institutional scholarships, and for more tips on how to obtain scholarships . Questions about obtaining scholarships can be answered by calling The Office of Scholarship Services at (251) 461-1958 or emailing scholarships@southalabama.edu for more information.

OPINION

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XXXtra credit

BY: RACHEL GOODMAN|OPINION EDITOR

Dear Debbie: I’m thinking of asking my professor out. I know this may sound crazy at first, but let me explain.

I’m 23, so I am a bit older than most college sophomores.

I had a baby when I was 18, so I was not able to have a normal college experience.

I started school for the first time in Fall of 2016, pursuing a degree in nursing. My lab has a graduate student for a teacher and I know he can not be older than 30.

He’s highly intelligent, funny and interesting to listen to. I only have two months left as his student.

I know I will never have him as a teacher again because this is the only class he can teach as a graduate student.

I really feel like we would be very compatible. So my question is: should I go for it?

I don’t want to overstep any boundaries, but I also do not want to miss out on what could be a great relationship.

-Blushing Dear Blushing: No. You should not go for it, at least not now.

I agree that this is a different situation than what typically comes to mind when someone thinks of a student/teacher romance, but you have to put school first.

You are paying thousands of dollars and dedicating your time towards gaining a degree in nursing.

A could-be romance is not worth risking that. Just imagine if you asked him out and he did not reciprocate.

Shannon puts school first. Shannon makes good decisions. No USA professors were harmed in the making of this photo. Photo by Muqit Asif Khan

You still have to spend another two months as his student.

You pose the potential of making him, and yourself, very uncomfortable for the remaining class time.

If you feel awkward interacting with your teacher, you will be less likely to ask questions or ask for help when you need it.

If he does reciprocate your feelings, you have created a different problem.

Grading would become very awkward if you become romantically involved.

If you did very bad or very good

on a test it would be difficult for his personal opinion of you to not to influence his marks.

Even if he was able to stay completely unbiased, your grades would be subject to heavy scrutiny if other people found out about the relationship.

Other students may think that you are getting inappropriate extra credit.

Even if these speculations are inaccurate, they can still harm your reputation.

Your reputation matters and it may be the difference between get-

ting a job or not getting a job in the future.

People talk, and you don't want them talking badly about you.

I just personally don’t think that it is worth the potential trouble to ask him out.

If you still feel the same after final grades are entered in December, then maybe go for it.

I still wouldn’t recommend it because he is faculty and you are a student, but only you can decide if you think that’s worth it.

{Questions for Debbie? Email her at deardebbievangaurd@gmail.com}

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