The Yellow Jacket by The Yellow Jacket

The Yellow Jacket Autumn '13

Proudly produced by WVSU students in an on-going learning lab.

Issue Four

Yellow Jacket Staff Editor-in-Chief Bianca Prince is the editor-in-chief of The Yellow Jacket. She is seeking a major in English as well as minors in Journalism and Technical Writing. Additionally, she is an editor for the Kanawha Review and president of the English Club. She is an avid animal lover and photographer.

Assistant Editor Jessica Clark is the assistant editor of The Yellow Jacket. She is seeking a degree in English with a minor in Spanish. With her degree, she hopes to teach English as a second language. Jessica is also a member of the English Club and an editor for the Kanawha Review.

Staff Writers Marta Tankersley, named WVSU Journalism Student of the Year 2013, is a junior communications major. She writes for the Charleston Gazette, WV Executive Magazine and works with PRSSA and Tower Communications. Marta is engaged to WVSU graduate CR Hays.

Michael Snead is an Art History and History major who started as a Regents student before deciding to go for a double major. He is a member of the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society and president of the Pinnacle Honor Society.

Jason Robinson is a communications major entering his sophomore year. He also has an interest in pre-law and the legal profession. He won “The Best Defensive Attorney Award” at the West Virginia University School of Law Summer Institute. Jesse Jenkins is a senior communications major with a focus on business and advertising. When he is not at school, he works full-time as a manager at Books-AMillion. In his spare time he enjoys reading, making films, and watching them. Bobbie Spry is a communications major with a minor in English. She is the president of the National Broadcasting Society, member of Pinnacle, Alpha Epsilon Rho, and Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Societies. Next to her family, WVSU is the most important thing in her life.

Lena Lambert is a sophomore here at West Virginia State University majoring in Social Work. She lives in Nitro with her husband and 3 sons. She is involved with the Social Work Organization, and is looking forward to her first year with the Yellow Jacket. Rose Taylor is an English Professional Writing major and a native of West Virginia hailing from Roane County. She is a junior and this is her first semester writing for the Yellow Jacket. Cody Cummings is a communications major with an avid interest in video games. He hopes to work in video game production after graduation. Tabatha Paluso is a senior professional writing major. She is a member of the GSA and English Club. She hopes to graduate in May and go on to get her MA in Journalism at UCSB.

The Yellow Jacket is published by West Virginia State University students throughout the fall and spring semesters as part of an on-going learning lab. Approximately eight issues are published throughout each individual semester. Issues are published bi-monthly. Free copies are distributed on the West Virginia State University campus. The Yellow Jacket is dedicated to being a trusted source of news, entertainment and discussion for the students of West Virginia State University. © 2013 Yellow Jacket. Content may not be reproduced without permission. Faculty advisor: Dr. Jessica Barnes Pietruszynski.

WVSU Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony with Judge Damon J. Keith by Jessica Clark

The groundbreaking ceremony for the start of construction on the Judge Damon J. Keith Scholars Hall took place on Friday, September 20. The dormitory is the first to be built on the campus since 1969. The building featuring two-, three- and four-bedroom suites will be named after 1943 alumni Judge Damon J. Keith. He celebrated with President Hemphill at the ceremony. “Judge Keith represents the rich history and proud legacy of West Virginia State University,” said President Hemphill. “He is an example of a past student who made a significant impact on the world, while retaining a deep connection to the institution he loves so dear. This residence hall, bearing Judge Keith’s name, will stand as a

tribute to and reminder of his strength, courage and loyalty.” Judge Damon J. Keith, who is originally from Detroit, Michigan, was the first person in his family to go to college in 1939 and he recalls his arrival at WVSU as the first time he ever had a black teacher. In fact, he used to live in Prillerman. "West Virginia State shaped my entire future. It's like the cataracts in my eyes were taken off. I felt motivated. Thank you for all you've done for me and for those yet to come," says Keith. After graduating from WVSU he went on to also graduate from Howard University Law School and the Wayne State University Law School. Keith has served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for

the 6th Circuit since 1977. As a judge, he prohibited Richard Nixon in warrantless wiretapping which is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. The ruling is referred to as “The Keith Ruling.” He has also gained the reputation for defending the constitutional and civil rights of all people. He has also received the Springarn Medal, which is the NAACP’s highest honor. Previous honorees of the award include Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and Colin Powell. Other honors Keith has been awarded include the American Bar Association's Thurgood Marshall Award, the Distinguished Public Service Award from the National Anti-Defamation League and the Detroit Urban League's Distinguished Warrior Award.

Dr. Brian O. Hemphill Inaugurated as WVSU President by Bianca Prince

West Virginia State University stepped into the future with the inauguration of Dr. Brian O. Hemphill on Saturday, September 21. The investiture ceremony took place at 9 a.m. in the P. Ahmed Williams Auditorium, located in Ferrell Hall. During his speech, Hemphill expressed his joy at the recent news that full-time freshmen enrollment had gone up for the first time in years, increasing

from 291 in 2012 to 432 in 2013. "[The students] realize you don't have to leave the state or leave the Kanawha Valley to get a quality education. You can do it right here, at West Virginia State University,” President Hemphill said. Hemphill also spoke of his own journey at WVSU, a moment that brought the president to tears.

"I never dreamed I would find such a beautiful place to call home, a safe community to raise my family," said Hemphill. "The mountains of West Virginia are truly majestic, but I will tell you that it is the people who have captured my heart.” Dr. Hemphill is WVSU’s 10th president. Before coming to State, he served as vice president for student affairs and enrollment at Northern Illinois University.

The Inauguration of Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.

All Photographs Courtesy West Virginia State University

The Judge Damon J. Keith Scholars Hall Groundbreaking Ceremony

All Photographs Courtesy West Virginia State University

Professor and Alumni Involvement in EmmyWinning Miniseries by Jessica Clark

Professor Sam Holdren and former alumnus Jason Hively and Holly Siders were involved in the making of “The Men Who Built America,” a miniseries which won two Emmy awards on September 15 for “Outstanding Costumes for a Variety Program or a Special” and “Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera).” The miniseries was produced by the History Channel and was filmed in parts of West Virginia’s panhandles. The show takes place over 50 years, from the Civil War to World War I. It focuses on how the industrious men Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Astor, Ford and Morgan built their own form of modern capitalism as well as how they helped the country move into the industrious age with the building of the oil, rail, steel, shipping, automobile and finance industries.

Holdren says he first became involved in the miniseries in September of 2011 when Rebecca Stair, the location manager for the film was interested in having him work on her team for scouting locations for pre-production. “My responsibilities also included serving as an ambassador of sorts during our Technical Scouting excursions, as most of our key crew were from out of state and unfamiliar with the state and region, “Holdren told the Yellow Jacket. “Once shooting commenced, I drove our unit truck to set, helped to open doors of our base camps, set up our holding and staging spaces, and stayed on walkie in case the production had any location issues.” What makes this series so interesting is its connection to our state and more specifically, the university. “I will always be most grateful to Puck (Stair) for her

confidence in me, to the production team for their willingness to invest in West Virginia,” says Holdren. He goes on to say he was thrilled to find out that “The Men Who Built America” was nominated for 5 Emmys and that it is a testament to how hard everyone worked. Image Courtesy The History Channel.

Update: Gore and Prillerman Demolition On Saturday, September 28, the Ambling University Development Group began the much anticipated demolition on Prillerman Hall. The week prior they began by removing the large trees out of the way to clear the area. Nearly half of the building

is now lying on the ground within the fence. They are slowly removing debris from the ground and placing it in a trailer size garbage bin as they work on clearing the area. The new dormitory is expected to be completed by next

by Jessica Clark

school year and students are starting to get excited. “It was very exciting getting to watch them tear down half of Prillerman,” says English major Tabatha Paluso. “Although it was also somewhat sad as I've had many good memories in Prillerman.”

WVSU to Expand Online Biology and Agriculture Courses by Jessica Clark

West Virginia State University received over $500,000 in funds from the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to expand online Biology and Agriculture courses. This project is called the "Learning and Teaching Biological and Agricultural Science Online: Success Through Comprehensive Training, Development, and Research,” and has a five objective outline with includes training faculty and staff for the online and blended courses, developing a media-rich online training program that is self directed, designing workshops related to global food security and conducting educational research for virtual labs. “Investments in workforce training and higher education are key to creating new jobs and attracting businesses and

Cont.: Update

students to West Virginia,” Senator Manchin said at a press release in Washington, D.C. on September 20. “This project will provide the West Virginia State University’s faculty, staff and students with advanced training and necessary upgrades to successfully administrate their online courses and programs.” This program will benefit WVSU students, especially commuters who are balancing family, work and attending classes. It will allow their schedules to have more

flexibility and they will have more time to work on their course material without the hassle of driving to and from classes. “Overall, I'd say this is pretty great news. With more money to allocate towards online classes and programs, that would possibly allow the departments to offer more and hopefully encourage more students to consider science related majors, which could provide the departments involved more benefits later down the road as well,” says Biology student Melissa Litton. Litton goes on to say that she does have some concerns about online science courses in general, but she believes anything that is helping the sciences on campus is always a positive.

Student Government Election Leaves Many Positions Vacant by Lena Lambert

Does your vote count? It does, if you vote. West Virginia State University held their Student Government Association elections on September 10, however many students seemed to be unaware that an election had taken place. When questioned about what seemed to be a lack of information regarding elections and asked how the information was shared, SGA President Vasilios Dianellos said, “By flyers, emails and social media. The main one being email.” All students received an email sent to their WVSU email address informing them of the elections with a link directing them to online voting and detailed instructions on how to do so. Many students followed the link in their email to vote, only to find no one to vote for. “The lack of involvement is normal,” said WVSU SGA Treasurer Brandy Jarrell. When it comes down to it, WVSU is a commuter school, and students don’t seem to want to be involved. Jarrell said that students “come to class and go home.”

Dianellos said that a goal of SGA is to work to involve commuter students more. There are many vacancies in the SGA because of this lack of involvement, and many people run unopposed. “Unfortunately this is the trend, which we hope to get broken,” said Dianellos. Positions decided in the election were Miss Freshman and Miss Junior, which went to Taquila Bruce and Tiffany White, and College of Professional Studies Senators, which went to Desiree Unselt and Tiffany Myers. Positions left unfilled are Freshman Class President, Freshman Class Vice President, Sophomore Class President, Sophomore Class Vice President, Miss Sophomore, Junior Class President, Junior Class Vice President, Senior Class President, Senior Class Vice President, Miss Senior, College of Business & Social Sciences Senator and College of Natural Science and Mathematics Senator. These vacancies can be appointed by the SGA President, and approved by the Senate. What does this mean to you, and why should you

care? Even if student government doesn’t interest you, it’s important that ever student have a voice. As a student here at WVSU, it’s important to involve yourself in the college community. Whether you are a traditional student or non-traditional, live on campus or a commuter student, you are a student at WVSU. Take pride in that fact. If everyone does the least expected of them, and gives nothing back to the school, then the student body has nothing to complain about when they aren’t receive the college experience that they hope for. According to their brochure, the SGA Mission reads, “The Student Government Association serves as the voice of the students of the university. We strive to promote the student interest within the University and the surrounding community in order to improve student life, education, and the WVSU experience.” Why not give of yourself, and serve your school with your time and involvement? Contact the SGA at sga@wvstateu.edu and get involved!

Students Vie for Award at STaR Symposium

by Bianca

Prince

Two of West Virginia State University’s own are entered in the STaR Symposium Student Video Competition. Communications and Biology major Kevin Carte and Biomedical student Hannah Cavender are vying for the “Fan Favorite” award with their video on the “complexation of aluminum by nitrogencontaining ligands.” Confused? Most people would be. That is why Cavender and Carte created the video. With the help of graphics and visuals, Cavender explains in a voiceover the scientific process she and a team of others used to figure out how to trap aluminum and hold it in place. “The goal is to pull people in from all walks of life and give them the opportunity to gain an appreciation for research,” Cavender said in a statement along with her video

presentation. This is the 5th biennial Science, Technology and Research Symposium (STaR). The symposium will focus on energy and will feature keynote speaker David Pogue, author and host of NOVA Science Photo Courtesy Division of Science and Research Now. The event will be held in Morgantown, W.Va., on present at the symposium. October 22 and 23. The videos were allowed to This is the first time the cover topics ranging from symposium is having a student science, technology, video competition. It is engineering or mathematics. replacing the poster The competition and competitions held previously. symposium are held by the West Students from all colleges and Virginia Higher Education universities in the state were Policy Commission’s Division encouraged to submit, but only of Science and Research. 20 finalists were chosen to

Tree Workshops Held Through October West Virginia University Extension Services and the Kanawha County Public Library have come together to host a series of workshops on tree maintenance at their different branches through the month of October. “Trees are a beautiful addition to our home landscapes, especially when cared for properly,” said Brad Cochran, WVSU extension agent. “By learning the proper methods of maintenance and

pruning, trees will remain healthy and beautiful for years to come.” Topics that will be discussed include fertilization, mulching and pruning. These techniques aim to keep trees both healthy and aesthetically appealing. Trees with these qualities can add up to 10% to a property’s value, according to the USDA Forest Service. The workshops are free to attend and no registration is required.

by Bianca Prince

The schedule workshops follows:    

for

the

Oct. 2 – Main Library, noon to 1 p.m. Oct. 8 – Riverside Public Library, noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 10 – Clendenin Branch Library, 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 11 – Cross Lanes Branch Library, 11 a.m. to noon.

WVSU Celebrates Homecoming Week West Virginia State University celebrated Homecoming Week 2013 starting September 30 and culminating with the annual Homecoming football game that saw the Yellow Jacket take on the Urbana University Blue Knights on October 5. Students celebrated throughout the week with dressup days such as Pajama Day, Hat Day and Black and Gold Day. Students could also participate in different events on campus throughout the week, such as the ThinkFast Gameshow, Spintacular Entertainment’s Magazine Cover Program and SuperBingo. Thousands of alumni from across the country came in for a

three-day Homecoming Celebration that began with a Young Alumni Mixer in the Erickson Alumni Center on October 3 and continued with the William L. Lonesome Alumnus of the Year Award Ceremony and Class Reunion Dinner the following evening. Saturday morning dozens participated in the second annual Yellow Jacket 5k Run/Walk and many also at-

Michael Blackson Brings Laughs Comedian Michael Blackson entertained West Virginia State University Students on October 4 as part of Homecoming Week 2013. Blackson, also known as “The African King of Comedy,” was born in Ghana. After being inspired by the comedy of Eddie Murphy, Blackson started his own stand-up career in 1992 in Philadelphia, Penn. His luck changed in Los Angeles when rapper/actor/director Ice Cube saw him perform at the Comedy Store. Soon he had a role in the hit comedy

by Bianca Prince

tended a pig roast hosted by President Brian O. Hemphill after the football game. The celebration weekend ended on a high note with the Alumni Dinner and Dance and the Young Alumni Black and Gold Party. “Homecoming is an exciting and inspirational time when the State family comes together to celebrate the University’s rich traditions, reminisce about the past and plan for the future,” Hemphill said. “Once a year, Yellow Jackets from the local community, state and nation converge upon the Kanawha Valley in great numbers to demonstrate their connection to ‘a place we love so dear.’”

by Bianca Prince

“Next Friday.” Blackson released a comedy sketch CD in 2005, titled, “Modasucka: Welcome to America,” which has a five-star rating on iTunes. He continued making film and television appearances on shows such as “30 Rock,” and “P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys of Comedy.” Known for his mixture of African and American comedy, Blackson takes the stage wearing Dashikis from his home country. “I'm coming next Friday, Oct. 4th. Come see the funniest man alive, modafuckas,” Blackson said on Twitter in anticipation of his performance.

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Hosts Fall Convocation

Bianca Prince

The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics held its Fall Convocation on September 26. The Convocation featured keynote speakers Dr. Mary Kirchhoff and Dr. Tom Barton. Kirchhoff is the director of the Education Division for the American Chemical Society (ACS), while Barton is the president-elect of the ACS. The Convocation speeches discussed “ACS: Serving Learners and Educators.” The ACS promotes the education of both citizens and professional chemists in hopes that they will advance and develop new solutions to 21st century problems. “I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to West Virginia State University. I am very impressed by the sense of community on the part of both the students and faculty; it is clear that both groups are committed to student learning. My interactions with faculty and students in Chemistry and Education were most rewarding, as were my conversations with the Dean and Provost,” said Kirchhoff about her experience at WVSU. “This is my second visit to WVSU (the first was in 2010) at the invitation of Dr. Micheal

Fultz, whom I have known since he was an undergraduate at the University of Tennessee Martin. Dr. Fultz has had extraordinary success in revitalizing the American Chemical Society (ACS) Student Chapter at WVSU, which has just been notified that it will be receiving Outstanding and Green Chemistry Awards at the ACS National Meeting next March.” “It is important for our students to see how scientists like Drs. Kirchhoff and Barton have made a positive impact on the world. They are great role models for our students,” said Dr. Katherine Harper, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in the days leading up to the Convocation. “WVSU is very honored and fortunate to have Dr. Mary Kirchhoff and Dr. Thomas Barton as the speakers for the College on Natural Sciences and Mathematics Fall Convocation,” said Dr. Micheal Fultz, assistant professor of Chemistry. “Dr. Kirchhoff has spent years working in the area of science education and has inspired a new generation of teachers and professors across the country to give back to the next generation of students, preparing them for

their future. Dr. Barton has dedicated his life to advancing science through research and education and is a positive influence to the scientific community as the presidentelect of the ACS.” Kirchhoff also presented in Hamblin Hall on September 25, discussing the alternatives to toxic chemicals. The event was open to the public. Kirchhoff received her bachelor’s degree from Russell Sage College, her master’s degree from Duquesne University and received her Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of New Hampshire. She spent nine years as part of the Chemistry department at Washington D.C.’s Trinity College and joined the ACS Green Chemistry Institute in 2001. Barton received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Lamar University before receiving his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Florida in 1967. He served as a research scientist and chemistry professor at Iowa State University for 45 years for retiring in 2012. He has 13 patents and 180 publications to his name.

Photographer Speaks at Creators Talk Series

Bianca Prince

West Virginia State University’s Creators Talk Lecture Series began Tuesday, September 24, with a lecture from renowned photographer Steve Payne. The lecture, which took place at the WVSU Economic Development Center, discussed “The 10 Commandments for Creative Success.” Payne talked about what an individual needs in order to succeed in the creative universe, which has become increasingly competitive. He spoke of what one must do to achieve basic success and how to keep that success going long-term. “I have spent my life in the arts, providing fine photography to industry, advertising agencies and private individuals,” said Payne. “I have always loved my work, the people I work with, and the final works we produce together. I have been blessed to find my place of service in the world.” Payne has 25 years of

Photo Courtesy Steve Payne Photography

experience as a photographer and has been featured in hundreds of publications and both corporate and private collections across the globe. Before building his own photography company, he served as chief photographer for the West Virginia Department of Commerce and the

Department of Culture & History. The lecture series is an aspect of the WVSU Creators Workshop Program, which kicked off on September 7 with a free film office workshop. “The Creators Program workshops cover all aspects of creating for mass media and art,” said Danny Boyd, a WVSU communications professor and artist in residence at the WVSU EDC. “The new Creator Talks Lecture Series is a one-shot, informative and inspirational lecture, not in the traditional workshop mode, that will focus on fresh, new thoughts from cutting-edge professionals on creating in today’s quickly changing world.” The next workshop, Independent Publishing, will be on October 19. There is a $10 fee and registration is requested. To do so, go to www.digiso.org and click on “The Creators Program” tab.

New Degree to Be Offered at WVSU Starting in the spring semester of 2014, WVSU will offer a Master of Education Degree in Multicultural Instructional Leadership. According to the official press release, the program will be for teachers wanting a better understanding of the best ways to “educate multicultural and high-poverty students.” This degree will prepare education students for their

careers, particularly “in school districts with high minority and poverty demographics,” according to the release. The program will take six semesters to complete and requires 12 courses to be completed for a total of 36 semester hours. The press release states that the admission requirements for the course are as follows: “bachelor’s degree with an overall GPA of 2.75 and 370+

by Zach Cannon

on the Miller’s Analogy Test; three years of public school experience; and successful completion of the application process.” Students interested in the program beginning in the spring 2014 semester must apply by November 15. For more information, one should contact Dr. Sandra Orr at (304) 766-3253 or sorr@wvstateu.edu.

Dr. Hemphill Brings Great Change to WVSU Campus by Jason Robinson

West Virginia State University’s President Dr. Brian Hemphill has brought changes to the university through his many accomplishments since his tenure that began in August 2012. His first priority was to connect with the student body during the inaugural State Stride parade. This new tradition welcomed freshman and transfer students to the university by allowing them to march with President Hemphill, Faculty Senate Chair Tim Ruhnke,

Provost Byers and the Yellow Jacket band across campus to the plaza at James C. Wilson University Union. The returning students, faculty and staff lined up along the way, dressed in black and gold to welcome the new students. In October of 2012, President Hemphill announced that an anonymous gift of $1 million

dollars had been donated to the university and that the gift would be split to fund scholarships and the building of a new athletic complex. The donation was the largest financial gift given to the school to date. Dr. Hemphill’s philanthropic efforts continued as the American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation donated $300,000 to establish the WVSU AEP Foundation Full Steam (Science, Technology, Education, Agriculture and Mathematics) Ahead Program. The Full STEAM Ahead Program was developed to expose young students to energy, science and mathematical concepts. As an advocate of Higher Education, Dr. Hemphill collaborated with Kanawha Valley Technical College to create an agreement that would allow students to obtain bachelor’s degrees in five career fields which include criminal justice, art, history, English with a literature

option and health sciences leadership in allied health and rehabilitation. The agreement allows students to begin their education at KVCTC and then transfer to WVSU to finish and earn their bachelors degree. During June of 2013, The West Virginia Department of Administration transferred rights and ownership of the former West Virginia Rehabilitation Center to WVSU. This property sits on over 20 acres of land and contains 15 buildings totaling 430,000 square feet. The most recent accomplishment of Dr. Hemphill and WVSU was the September 2013 groundbreaking on the Judge Damon J. Keith Scholars Hall. This is the first new residence hall to be constructed since 1969 and will have its grand opening in August 2014. The dorms will feature state-of-theart housing for on campus students and various amenities such as a café, study lounges, meeting spaces and a game room President Hemphill has established a presence at West Virginia State University that commands change and his hard work has been appreciated by students, staff and faculty alike. Photo Courtesy WVSU.

Who’s Who at WVSU

by Bobbie Spry

Name: Lili Lubov Gallagher Major: Business Marketing Hometown: Kremenets, Ukraine Graduation Year: 2016 Email: lgallagher1@wvstateu.edu 1. Why did you decide to make WVSU your University? I had family here and when I came for a visit it just felt like the right place to me. It was small enough that I wouldn’t get lost but big enough to have the full college experience. It felt like home. 2. What has surprised you about your “State” experience? How much is offered here, from school help to all of the different activities to be involved in. How good the cafeteria food is, I love to eat and they really made it wonderful. 3. Are you involved in any student activities, leadership opportunities/ what are they? I am the Student Activities Director for SGA, Student Government Association. I organize the different evens that happen on campus. 4. What advice would you give to students that aren’t involved with campus life? Get involved! Fiend something that you are passionate about or something that you enjoy to do and do it. That is the most important; it will make college feel complete. Everyone should be involved, if not in a sport then clubs and activities that happen on campus. 5. Do you have a favorite class, professor, staff member? Reasons? All of the Cafeteria staff, they are the nicest most genuine people out there. They are always so nice

and caring. Always go out of their way to make everyone happy. 6. What are your goals for the next year? Receive a GPA of 4.0 and be on the dean’s list. I am hoping to involve many students in campus activities and just make college fun. 7. Where do you see yourself headed after graduation? After graduation I plan to have a career in fashion and study interior decorating. My ultimate goal is to be an interior decorator.

October Honors LGBT History, Individuals

by Tabatha

Paluso

This October marks the 19th annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) history month. It began in 1994 thanks to Rodney Wilson, a Missouri high school history teacher. His wish was to create a month of awareness to dedicate to the education of gay history to his students. At the time Rodney was teaching about the Holocaust and confided in his students that if he had been present at the concentration camps he would have been killed for being gay. He decided to choose the month of October because all public schools are in session then and because the widely recognized tradition known as Coming Out Day occurs in October. The historically controversial political rally known as the National March on Washington also occurred in October of 1979. The march had gathered over 75,000 gay men, lesbians, transgendered people and straight supporters to demand equal rights for all LGBT peoples.

Wilson received a lot of support in his endeavors to create a LGBT history month. He was heavily endorsed by GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), as well as other organizations like the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Education Association and several other organizations. To gain more insight into

LGBT history month, check out lgbthistorymonth.com. The website includes news on the LGBT community, as well as thirty-one icons recognized by the LGBT community for their life achievements and service to the community. You can even help choose next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s icons by submitting a person noted for their contributions to LGBT civil rights.

Famous LGBT Icons

Harvey Milk (Politician, Gay)

Drew Barrymore (Actress, Bisexual)

George Takei (Actor, Gay)

Wanda Sykes (Comedian, Lesbian)

What You Can Do About Breast Cancer This October by Jessica Clark

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month all over the world. This month is dedicated to showing support for early detection and treatment of the disease. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women and there are no known causes for the disease. The United States has the most instances of breast cancer in the world and more than 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year according to the American Cancer Society. If breast cancer is detected early, then there is a higher chance for a recovery. There are various types of treatment for this cancer depending on the stage and severity. The most common form of treatment is a mastectomy (removal of the entire breast) as well as radiation treatment. There are certain risk factors that have a connection to the disease that you should look out for such as age, family history, and long-term use of hormones, longer menstruation times and certain genetic conditions. Having children and breast feeding can reduce your chances of the disease. It is also suggested that leading a healthy lifestyle and getting regular

Photo Courtesy EQuoteMD.com

mammograms is the key to reducing the risk of breast cancer. Women over the age of 40 should have mammograms yearly and women who are considered high risk by their doctor’s may be advised to start having them even earlier. Early screenings are even more vital for African-American women. They are more likely to be diagnosed and die from the disease. “Part of the reason is that African-American women have faster-growing tumors so the cancer spreads more quickly,” states the American Cancer Society. There are many reasons why some women may not be able to have screenings for breast

cancer but lack of insurance does not need to be one of them. There are free screenings available through the DHHR at the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program in Charleston. Women may also be eligible for low cost or free check-ups at the Women’s Health Center in Charleston. They use a sliding scale, which bases the cost on your income. Want to help? Show your support by wearing the color pink this month! Pink or a pink ribbon has been a way of showing support since 1991. You can also donate to the Susan B. Komen foundation. Proceeds go to research to help find a cure! Log on to ww5.komen.org.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month by Tabatha Paluso

Domestic violence affects one in three women, and one in four men, in their lifetimes. Domestic abuse is not only physical, but can also be emotional, verbal and sexual. Two million injuries and 1.2 thousand deaths are reported to occur every single year due to domestic abuse. Millions of men, women and even children suffer at the hands of domestic violence every single day. In West Virginia alone, onethird of homicides are related to domestic violence and there were 12,661 domestic violent offences reported to law enforcement in 2010, according to the West Virginia Uniform Crime Report. October is noted as the national awareness month for domestic violence. Domestic Violence Awareness Month stems back to 1981 at the first Day of Unity. The National Coalition of Domestic Violence created this day to bring together advocates of abused women across the nation in an effort to end domestic abuse. Over time the event was adopted on a national level and was given its own month in 1987.

If you are suffering from domestic abuse, or know of someone who is, there is plenty of help out there. The domestic violence hotline can be contacted at 1800-799-SAFE or visit their website at www.thehotline.org. There is always someone available at all hours to give help to those in need. To learn more about the National Coalition of Domestic Violence, or to get in contact with them, call 303-839-1852 or visit www.ncadv.org. You can also visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SupportNC ADV. For local help, the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program offers a 24/7 shelter and emergency intervention for victims of domestic violent. Other services, such as counseling, court advocacy and support groups are also available. To learn more, call YWCA Resolve at 304-3403549 or e-mail resolve@ywcacharleston.com.

Photo Courtesy YWCA.

It was that same year that the domestic violence hotline began. It employs advocates to help aide in crisis intervention and safety planning. The hotline and its website provide information on domestic violence. You can also receive referrals to agencies in every state. Since the inception of Domestic Violence Awareness month important legislative acts have been created. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was passed in 1994 to improve responses to domestic violence and sexual assault on a community and judicial level. VAWA marks its fifteenth anniversary and was just recently reauthorized. It now extends to both Native Americans as well as the LGBT community.

Color Vibe 5k Turns Boulevard into Rainbow

Bianca Prince

Thousands of colorful participants pounded the pavement on Kanawha Boulevard on September 28 as part of the area’s first ever Color Vibe 5k. Over half of the 4,700 who signed up for the event picked up their swag bags—which included powdered color packets, a t-shirt and sunglasses—and took part in the run. The over three mile run started at Magic Island where runners took off in waves of approximately 500 people. The run extended to Rufner Road where participants circled back to Magic Island and crossed the finish line, where a dance and color party was located. There were multiple color stations throughout the course where runners were sprayed with pastel and neon colored powders, leaving participants

looking like a bag of Skittles by the race’s end. Registration for the event began in April and continued until the day of the race. Prices ranged from $40 to $50, depending on the time you

registered. Proceeds from the Color Vibe 5k go to local charities. For the Charleston area, Color Vibe Race Series teamed up with the Special Olympics of West Virginia. Many attributed the large turnout to the non-competitive nature of the race, which encouraged family participation and walking. “Walking is totally acceptable here at the Color Vibe. You will be one of many who will be walking. We don't time the race and it is noncompetitive, so you won't feel any pressure,” says the Color Vibe in their Frequently Asked Questions. “Everyone is welcome to come have tons of colorful fun at Color Vibe!” Many who participated said they hope they bring the event back next year.

New iOS 7 Both Pretty, Practical Apple iPhone users had waited for iOS 7 since it was announced at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10 and, after three months, they were finally able to download the software update on September 18. What users got with iOS 7 was the biggest change to the iPhone interface since the introduction of the product. Some people love it and others hate it—there are very few who are in between—but what can’t be argued is that Apple made some very smart moves with this new update. Here are my three favorite features from iOS 7: 1. The Control Center. You can get to some of the most important features of your iPhone by simply swiping up from the bottom of your screen. You can control your music, the screen’s brightness, WiFi, Do Not Disturb Mode, Bluetooth and the flashlight. The best part? You can do this from any screen, whether you are on your lock screen or in an app. 2. The new camera app. The camera, which can now be opened from the Control Center, now has eight filters that you can view all at once before taking a photo. You also have the ability to take burst shots and your iPhone will decide which shots are the best based on color and contrast. 3. The design. This is one of the most love/hate features of the new operating system. It

includes brighter colors and buttons that appear to sit flat on the screen. The look is simple. Some users argue that they would like to be able to tone down the vibrancy or have multiple color options; while this would be a good feature for Apple to integrate in the future, I think the new design is a welcome change. And now for the bad and the ugly: 1. It runs slow on older phones. While the operating system seems to run fine on the iPhone 5 and newer, those with the iPhone 4 and 4s (not to mention the 3 or 3s) find that their phones run much slower with the new upgrade—and their phones lose battery life much faster. 2. Swiping features. This might just be one of those features that will just take some getting used to. When browsing the web, you can now swipe from left to right to go back. This can cause some frustration, however,

by Bianca Prince

Photo Courtesy applenapps.com

when you are scrolling down the page and are suddenly jolted back a few pages because you hit the screen at an angle. This is also a frustration, at times, with the Control Center as you can sometimes find yourself pulling it up accidentally while scrolling. 3. White space. I am a fan of white space; really, I am. But iOS 7 has taken it to a new level in apps like Calendar and Notes. Using these apps for very long can cause the eyes to tire. Like some argue about the overall design of the operating system, these apps could use different settings that allow you to change the colors to make them easier on the eyes. Features like AirDrop and iTunes Radio make this update interesting and useful to those new and old to the Apple family.

Awe-ctober: Download These Albums Immediately by Josh Weeks

Drake Nothing Was the Same Cash Money Records, Inc. I want to start this review by stating that, historically, I've always been one of Drake's biggest detractors. There has always been something so disingenuous about his approach to not only hip-hop, but his own perception of himself, that has made me dislike him. Not only does he settle any dispute about his place in hip-hop with his new record, he puts everyone on notice. Opening track "Tuscan Leather" is a song so indulgent yet hyper-aware it begs even Kanye West's attention. His willingness to expose every vulnerability has finally paid off, and he's crafted an album that demands listening, even from his most viable haters, this reviewer included. 80% Notable tracks: "Tuscan Leather", "Too Much", and "Hold On, We're Going Home" CHVRCHES The Bones of What You Believe Glassnote On their debut, Glasgow synth-pop trio/hype-machine CHVRCHES simultaneously manage to revive the arthouse pop spirit of the 80's and create a record that is unmistakably current. Standouts "Tether" and "Under the Tide" effectively evoke the retro-melancholy of M83 without sounding too overwrought, but "Night Sky" is where the group really comes together, with one of the most soaring and infectious choruses you'll hear this year. 73% Notable tracks: "Night Sky", "Gun", "Tether", "Under the Tide", and "Recover"

The Field Cupid's Head Kompakt Axel Willner has never been one to compromise. His fourth album as The Field is as upbeat, droning, and hypnotic as his previous releases, which has been both his calling card and his stigma since From Here We Go Sublime. This time, however, there's an underlying darkness to the songs. The title track is a headrush through purgatory. "Black Sea" is a maze of arpeggiated synths set in a proverbial graveyard. The aptly named "No. Noâ&#x20AC;Ś" is as depressing as the album's black cover suggests. What's ironic is that it actually may induce more head-bobbing than any other record you will hear in 2013. Call it "up-bleak" music. 82% Notable tracks: "Cupid's Head", "They Won't See Me", "Black Sea" Forest Swords Engravings Tri Angle Not much is known about Forest Swords aside from the fact that he may have released the single most monumental and compelling electronic/instrumental album since Flying Lotus' Cosmogramma. While FlyLo's opus was heavy on manic BPMs, schizophrenic synth patterns, and (at times) unrecognizable time signatures, Engravings is almost the polar opposite. I can't decide which aspect of the album works the best: The post-dub rhythm section, the reverb-drenched vocal patterns scattered throughout (The stunted, haunting vocals on album centerpiece "The Weight of Gold" are downright chilling), or the absolutely stunning way he utilizes field recordings and samples. Still, all of these elements are balanced brilliantly, and aren't over-used: Each track has its own texture and feel, all the while maintaining a unifying sound throughout the record. From opener "Ljoss" through the gorgeous final minute of "Onward" to the breathtaking "Friend, You Will Never Learn", it's one of the most engaging and rewarding listens you'll have this year. Each track reveals a layer of sonic brilliance. Don't miss it. 94%

GTA5 Online: Crash and Burn

When Grand Theft Auto 5 Online was first announced to the public, gamers and fans alike grew excited. Playing a GTA game in a Massive Multiplayer Online world was a dream for many fans and gamers for years. When GTA5 was released on September 17th people were disappointed to find that Online was pushed back to October 1st but they patiently waited. Now that Online is out, gamers have found another problem: the game doesn’t work. Grand Theft Auto 5 servers are being swarmed by so many requests from players, they can’t keep up with demand. Many players find themselves waiting for long periods of time to even create their online avatar. Those that are lucky enough to get pass the character creation screen, which is very in-depth

by Cody Cummings

and detailed, run into another wall of problems. One of the most common is the “black screen of death” as annoyed players are now calling it. When the “black screen” appears with a small loading logo at the bottom right, people wait, thinking it will just take a moment. However, this screen is an endless pit of loading. Many gamers find themselves facing this black abyss and are forced to restart their systems just to try again. Sometimes, that works, but most of the other times the black screen appears. Another common error happens a little into the game’s beginning. It teases the player into thinking things are running smoothly by playing the cut scene and beginning the first mission. After that, many different things can and have happened. Some players

reported the game seems to suspend time, you can freely move but nothing in the world spawns nor can you start the first mission. Other players reported that they get locked into a “joining session” screen similar to the black screen. In short, reviewing GTA Online is nearly impossible without dumb luck getting into the servers. For now, many players will have to wait a little longer for Rockstar to manage its servers to keep with demands. Of course the community is crying out for a quicker fix to the Online but GTA is trying its best. Even without online, GTA5 is a wonderful and great game to play that will keep players occupied for hours on end. Hopefully, the community will have to wait just a little longer… and so we wait.

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