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(05/20/21 4:01pm)
The Cluster has appointed Mary Helene Hall as its Editor-in-Chief and Micah Johnston as its Managing Editor for the 2021-2022 school year.Mercer University’s faculty-led Media Board appoints The Cluster’s Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor each year, as well as literary magazine The Dulcimer’s Editor-in-Chief. These students receive stipends from the university each semester to support their work.Hall, a rising junior majoring in journalism, has worked for The Cluster as a staff writer and served as its Managing Editor for the 2020-2021 year.Hall’s work has been honored by National Public Radio, Discord and more. She took home the most individual awards of any member of The Cluster’s staff at the 2021 Georgia College Press Association Better Newspaper Contest, where she won second place in the Best Photo – Editorial/Feature category, third place in the Best Photo – Sports category and third place in the Best News Article – Objective category.“I feel so thrilled and honored to be chosen as the next Editor-in-Chief of The Cluster. I’ve been involved with student journalism for so much of my life, and it is a privilege to lead a staff of a newspaper as great as The Cluster. Our previous editors have gone on to do such wonderful things, so I am excited to now be among them,” Hall said.This summer, Hall is a John M. Couric Media Fellow at AL.com, the largest news and information site in the state of Alabama.Johnston is a rising senior double-majoring in journalism and media studies. He worked for The Cluster as a staff writer and served as its 2020-2021 Sports Editor.Johnston has interned with Georgia Public Broadcasting and The Macon Telegraph, and he won third place in the Best Sports Article category at the 2021 GCPA Better Newspaper Contest. He will continue his work with The Telegraph this summer as a reporter.“I was so excited when I learned that I was the new Managing Editor of The Cluster,” Johnston said. “The Cluster has been a huge reason for my growth as a journalist while I've been at Mercer, so to be named a key member of next year's staff was an amazing feeling. I had a great time being Sports Editor last year and am really looking forward to helping The Cluster grow and working with a new team of editors and writers during the next year.”Hall is already planning for The Cluster’s future. She said she wants to grow the newspaper’s presence on campus and in the Mercer community.“I want students to know and trust their campus newspaper and feel like they can rely on us to get important news to them as quickly and accurately as possible,” Hall said.
(04/22/21 4:00am)
Due to the attached Mercer School of Medicine and the outstanding reputation of the engineering department, it is unsurprising that a large percentage of the undergraduate student body at Mercer University studies in STEM fields.What may come as more of a surprise is that there is another powerful major gaining traction on Mercer’s campus — creative writing.Out of the over 4,000 colleges and universities that populate the U.S.’s education landscape, only approximately 125 offer creative writing as a degree option.Not only is Mercer one of the few institutions to teach creative writing, but it also does quite well for itself: though a small department, it has been home to such acclaimed instructors as Chelsea Rathburn, Poet Laureate of Georgia; James May, recent National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant recipient and Anya Silver, 2018 Guggenheim Fellow.The creative writing major falls within the English department. The most critical difference between English and creative writing is that the former heavily concentrates on the study of literature, like “African American Poetry: Harlem Renaissance to the Present” or “Contemporary Drama,” whereas the latter balances those studies with writing application through workshop-style courses including “Writing the Long Story” or “Writing Lyric Poetry.”Workshops give creative writing students like alum Ranha Beak to receive consistent and constructive criticism on their work from their peers and professors so that they are constantly evolving as writers over the course of their years at Mercer.“I could ask someone for a piece of honest feedback, and we'd sit for hours in Willingham just to talk about a specific character or plot holes,” Beak said. “I appreciate the people I've had classes with for opening my world up to see the good in the mistakes and to embrace the growing pains.”Beak participated in the fiction track, but Mercer’s creative writing students can also choose to pursue comprehensive tracks in poetry and drama.Alum Elizabeth Tammi, like Beak, also found herself drawn to fiction because, she said, “Whether it's a standalone novel or a book series, I think long-form fiction really allows readers to experience and connect with different perspectives for an extended period of time. It's honestly magic to me!”On the other end, alum Charlie Marrs-Mier studied poetry, and she continues to carve space for poetry in her life beyond Mercer.“I write poetry every morning before everybody else wakes up (thanks to Dr. Johnston for that habit!) and it really serves as a therapeutic outlet,” said Marrs-Miers.In fact, in spite of the longstanding claim that majoring in English is fruitless outside of college, all three alumni find themselves actively applying their creative writing degrees in their lives now: Beak is a digital content writer at an edu-tech startup company, and Tammi has published two novels (“Outrun the Wind” and “The Weight of a Soul”) and works in astrophysics communications with NASA.“If you're considering this major, know that you'll be in wildly capable hands, but that writing – like with any creative field – still requires a healthy degree of self-starter energy,” Tammi said. “Be willing to ask questions and ask for feedback, and seek out the opportunities you want.”Fortunately, such opportunities are plentiful.To get a taste of what writing-related career students may be interested in pursuing in the future, Mercer lends several opportunities for exploration, including positions with The Dulcimer, Mercer’s literary arts magazine, and The Cluster, Mercer’s student-run newspaper; writing tutoring at the ARC or within Macon-Bibb county schools; writing precepting within INT and Great Books courses; interning at Mercer University Press or other local Macon publications; Point B.L.A.N.K., the spoken word club; and membership in Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society.Built into the degree plan is the Ferrol Sams, Jr. Distinguished Chair of English Seminar, where students are taught by accomplished visiting writers in poetry, fiction or drama. Mercer is also a member of the Georgia Poetry Circuit, so Mercer students have gotten to meet with writers as distinguished as Victoria Chang and Joy Harjo.There is also much flexibility with the creative writing degree, so many students choose to double-major and dive just as deeply into their other passions, like Tammi, who also studied journalism and served as The Cluster's Arts & Entertainment and News Editor during her time as a student.Needless to say, Mercer boasts a multitude of ways to get involved with creative writing within and beyond the classroom.“For someone afraid to dip their toes into Creative Writing, I would say jump. Do it,” said Beak. “There are only a few precious chances in the world, much less in college academia, that will make you realize so many multitudes within yourself.”However, perhaps the most important aspect of the creative writing program that each alum vouched for was the personal growth afforded.“A lot of the skills I learned were more wide life-type skills like listening and mindfulness,” Marrs-Miers said. “I use those skills every day to better myself as a person.”With the stigma surrounding creative career fields, it is understandable that a student who is interested — even gifted — in writing may be afraid to follow it as a serious career path. But, as these alumni and the Mercer creative writing department overall demonstrate, the risk might just prove to be worth it.
(04/22/21 4:00am)
Mercer’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives has started a weekly podcast to foster “powerful conversations about diversity at Mercer University.”
The podcast airs every Monday with new episodes covering different topics related to diversity and inclusion. Emma Kraft, a senior and intern for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, said the podcast is a collaborative effort between the entire intern team. Kraft has been editing, producing and hosting the podcast since its inception.
“Diversity and inclusion is hard,” Kraft said. “Typically what we’ve seen is that the people who really need to hear these things are not the ones coming to the events. We were trying to think of a way to incorporate more people, and spread awareness of the office in general.”
The office released their first episode March 2. Their repertoire ranges from conversations about women in STEM and the hypersexualization of Black women in the media to conversations about life as Asian Americans.
“The purpose of the project was to provide a voice and space for the campus community to discuss current events and hot button issues in America and around the globe,” said Ansley Booker, director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives. “We also wanted to use the podcast as a vehicle to educate the student body from a peer perspective.”
The podcast is student-driven, featuring students and student organizations.
“This is really about giving more people a platform than anything else,” Kraft said. “It’s not about production quality. It’s to provide a space for people to have these conversations and hope that anyone who is interested but doesn't know where to start when learning about these topics could just spend 30 minutes of their day listening to their peers talking about something that’s important to them.”
Junior mechanical engineering major Dorcelle Lotemo was featured on the ‘Women’s HIstory Month: Women in STEM’ episode.
“I really enjoyed being featured on the podcast,” Lotemo said. “I think it was a great opportunity to sit around a table with other women in different STEM majors and fields speaking on our experiences.”
Lotemo said she appreciates the work the office is doing to create a new outlet for learning.
“I believe the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives is doing a phenomenal job with their podcast. It’s a job that needs to be done because the only way one can grow is by being receptive to learning. They are tackling major issues, “ she said.
Booker said the podcast is a long-term project that they hope will inspire long-term change.
“I do see the podcast as a long-term project that could open the door for many more opportunities to not only discuss but for us to collectively seek tangible solutions on how to approach justice, equity, diversity and inclusion topics in higher education,” Booker said. “We have our slate ready to go for the fall and will work to close out the spring with a bang featuring some cool Mercer Memories and recaps of the semester.”
You can listen to new episodes every Monday on Spotify.
(04/21/21 8:37pm)
Mercer University will be hosting its own set of TED Talks this spring in order to showcase student research and education in all colleges and fields through the TEDx program.
Shruti Jha, executive director of TEDx Mercer, is a senior majoring in public health. Jha spearheaded the efforts that made the organization a reality. She said she wanted to give Mercer students an opportunity to participate in an event they grew up watching and learning from.
“I feel like all of us have been watching TED Talks since forever now. I can’t even remember the first time I watched it. We’re supposed to take away these meaningful messages from these TED Talks, and I always looked up to them,” Jha said.
Jha’s first step was finding out how to engage with TED Talks on a deeper level than just watching them.
“I knew that there was a way for universities to also have their own platform, to have their own TEDx, to show off their own talent that they have at the university. I thought that it would be a great idea to bring it here to Mercer,” Jha said.
Jha received her license to utilize TED branding in July 2020, which gave her a year to partner Mercer and TEDx.
“It was the first step of believing we were finally getting somewhere,” Jha said.
She quickly moved on to setting up her team and developing the event. This year’s speaker topic is “Embark.”
“When we were really talking about it, it was during quarantine 2020. A lot of things were changing, a lot of things were moving around and a lot of people were going through challenges,” Jha said. “We really wanted to see how people are embarking on those challenges that they’ve got through, not just in quarantine but in general, in their life.”
Jha said her team wants to encourage people to tell their stories through their research. However, the event is not limited to STEM or research-based majors; TED as a brand is not restricted to presentation of scientific research, and neither is TEDx Mercer.
“It doesn’t have to be STEM. The other day I watched this TED Talk about how this guy’s life was saved because of tea,” Jha said. “He had done an ample amount of research for him to give a TED Talk, but it wasn’t like he went to Mars, it wasn’t anything super sciency, it was a small experience he made a TEDx from.”
According to the TED website, the program is a “grassroots initiative” to show off “ideas worth spreading.” The TEDx movement hopes to initiate conversation in local communities about research, led and organized independently by a licensed TED organizer.
“These events are organized by passionate individuals who seek to uncover new ideas and to share the latest research in their local areas that spark conversations in their communities,” according to a statement on the TEDx website.
The application process requires a proposal, asks for past examples and provides a space for you to present yourself as a speaker.
“We’ve also asked them why are you the best person to talk about this topic,” Jha said. “Because when you hear TED Talks, you think, this person knows a lot about what they’re talking about.”
TEDxMercer's first event is slated for Friday, April 23 in Willingham Hall from 6 - 9 p.m.
"For our inaugural event, we will explore the word 'Embark' with our speakers presenting their diverse perspectives and what 'Embark' means to them," the organization's website reads.
Speakers will include Bonzo Reddick, associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion and professor at Mercer University School of Medicine in Savannah, as well as Ha Van Vo, distinguished university professor of biomedical engineering and head of Mercer on Mission Vietnam. Audiences will also hear from current medical student Stormy Orlin as well as Caleb Brown, an artist, speaker and former athlete who graduated from Mercer in 2016.
(04/21/21 3:11pm)
Law enforcement is investigating "a threatening email" sent to Mercer University Athletic Department staff, according to an email from Senior Assistant Vice President for Marketing Communications Rick Cameron sent Wednesday around 11:00 a.m.
“At this time all athletic facilities are locked down while the threat is being investigated by law enforcement. Report any suspicious activity to Mercer Police. Updates will follow as more information becomes available,” Cameron's email said.
Mercer Police can be reached at (478) 301-2911.
The Cluster will update this page with additional information as it becomes available.
UPDATE 4:14 P.M.:
Law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation have concluded that there is not an ongoing threat to the Mercer community, and the lockdown of athletic facilities has ended, according to an email from Cameron sent around 3:40 p.m.
"Athletic facilities on the Macon campus have been re-opened while law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the suspicious e-mail that was sent to Athletic Department staff earlier today. Law enforcement is at a point in their investigation that they do not believe there is a credible threat to Mercer students, faculty and staff," the email said.
(04/21/21 4:00am)
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted several different areas of Mercer’s campus life, and social distancing has changed the way many of Mercer’s arts, sports and clubs function. Also affected are Mercer’s dance teams, which have had to make major adjustments in their returns to practicing and performing.
When everything shut down in March 2020, Mercer Rangreli, Mercer’s competitive Bollywood Fusion dance team, was in the middle of competition season.
Angel Shah is a senior at Mercer who has been a part of Rangreli since her freshman year and currently serves as a manager for the team.
The group was started in 2015 and, according to Shah, has grown from performing strictly on campus to placing in competitions.
“It was definitely really sad because we were definitely at an uphill progression,” Shah said. “Last year was definitely our highest point competitively.”
Mercer’s Ballroom Dance Team had also just finished a competition at Georgia Tech and was preparing to attend more when the lockdowns began.
”We weren’t able to go to any other competitions that semester, and we had to cancel club altogether because nobody knew what to do,” Noah De Mers, a junior at Mercer the president of Mercer Ballroom Dance, said.
In returning to campus for the 2020-2021 school year, social distancing requirements have been particularly difficult for these dancers.
“It’s definitely been incredibly hard considering the fact that dance is so active, and a huge part of social distancing is having to be able to be apart and wearing masks,” Vidya Ganapathy, a senior at Mercer and a manager of Rangreli, said.
Rangreli used to meet and practice very frequently, so the team had to make major adjustments to their schedule this year.
“A lot of the times we used to practice almost seven to eight hours a week, and not being able to meet for that time really limits the ability that we’re able to come together and work on things,” Ganapathy said.
Not being able to dance with his team members has been the hardest part for De Mers.
“I think the most challenging thing is the fact that we aren’t able to have contact with each other, which prevents us from being able to utilize the dance floor,” De Mers said.
The Ballroom Dance Club consists of around 15 members who meet once a week.
There is also the Ballroom Dance Team, which is made up of five members within the club who, according to De Mers, are “interested in wanting to pursue dance a little bit more than just on a weekly basis and wants to be involved in collegiate competitions throughout the year.”
De Mers has been involved with both the club and the team since his freshman year.
The Ballroom Dance Club was formerly restricted to Zoom meetings, but it has since received approval from the university to hold in-person, socially-distanced meetings.
De Mers said that the virtual Bear Fair made it difficult to recruit new members and that the contactless dance has caused some challenges for the club and the team.
“I think because of the fact that we aren’t having contact dancing, that did dwindle our numbers,” De Mers said.
Rangreli has been holding practices over Zoom and offering in-person workshops with under five people to ensure safety. The team is also not participating in competitions as of now.
Both teams are beginning to get back into their groove and are even starting to perform again.
“We have definitely started slowly integrating things back up and doing things online through Zoom practices, meeting up in really small groups (...) and wearing our masks while performing,” Ganapathy said.
In March, the Ballroom Dance Team participated in a competition, and Rangreli performed at MU Miracle’s Bearthon event.
Both De Mers and Shah think that, despite everything, they are now closer to their teammates and are able to focus more on what they all love: dancing.
“Instead of just practicing to compete, we started practicing more for enjoyment and bettering our own personal technique and bonding with the team as a whole,” Shah said.
De Mers said that there’s some advantages to having a smaller team.
“With the smaller numbers, we’ve been able to hone (our skills) a little bit better and allow that one-on-one operation than if we were to have a full team,” De Mers said.
De Mers and Ganapathy hope that their teams will be able to return to normal practice and competition soon.
“I’m hoping with vaccines and all, that next year — I won’t be here — but that it will be a brighter future for the rest of the team and that we can get back out there again,” Ganapathy said.
“I do hope that in the future, with the vaccines coming out and everything, that hopefully we will get back to normal and that we will be able to actually have clubs like we were able to in the past,” De Mers said.
To learn more about or get in contact with these teams, visit MU Rangreli and Mercer Ballroom Dance on Instagram.
(04/21/21 4:00am)
As the spring semester comes to an end, prospective and returning Mercer students have already started to think about the costs for the upcoming term. One major expense some Mercerians have begun to consider is the cost of their textbooks and learning resources.
According to the College Board, some students can spend on average $1,200 on textbooks and learning resources each year, or $600 a semester, and prices for textbooks and learning resources are likely to increase each year.
Blessed Jordan, senior neuroscience pre-med student, spent around $300-$400 on textbooks each semester her freshman and sophomore years and only recently adjusted her budget to $100-$200 each semester in her junior and senior years. Jordan said the budget didn’t decrease because her textbooks were less expensive; she used different sources to purchase her learning materials.
“Freshman year was the worst because the books were so expensive, and I didn’t know of other resources I could use to get textbooks,” Jordan said. “I remember I had just paid tuition, which was already hefty, and the STEM textbook prices are ridiculously high, so it was a lot of money coming out of pocket at one time.”
Jordan wasn’t the only student struggling to buy textbooks for classes their first year. Elijah Moore, a senior law and public policy student, said he also had trouble budgeting for his textbooks.
“Last year my car broke down and I was doing my best to budget, but textbooks are unpredictable from semester to semester,” Moore said. “While $300 might not seem like much, independent students like me see that as two months’ worth of food bills.”
Before each upcoming semester, many students find the textbooks they need from the Barnes and Noble website on the MyMercer page, yet still find the process of figuring out which textbooks to use somewhat confusing.
Jordan has had her own problems in the past figuring out which learning resources she needs to get the best grades possible for her classes.
“Some courses will tell me to buy the access code and the textbook, but when I go to class, the professor will tell me I don’t need the access code or the book in some circumstances,” Jordan said. “Generally, it’s a tough time getting my money back after I’ve already purchased something from the bookstore or online, so over the years I decided to start waiting for classes to begin before I started purchasing books.”
Moore also said he found it confusing.
“What’s frustrating is that some teachers list a required textbook but then never use it or use only a few pages of it during the semester,” Moore said. “And you can’t wait until a few weeks into the class to see the syllabus or get a feel of whether or not you will use it because not all teachers hand out a class schedule with their syllabi and some teachers want to use the textbook the first week of school. “
Sanaa Yusuf, junior neuroscience pre-med student, said they felt like some of their professors were helpful with their learning material issues, but there were times where they over-purchased textbooks.
“In my experience, professors who believe knowledge should be free or at least accessible work well with students and provide a copy or will somehow provide access to a book,” Yusuf said. “For online programs, there is no remorse, and professors expect that we are willing and able to pay for these resources even when we barely use them.”
Mercer has taken action to improve prices with the new Bear Book Bundle to reduce costs for students by 35-50% and deliver materials by the first day of class, hoping to ease some students' stress in purchasing their textbooks in the upcoming semester.
(04/20/21 7:34pm)
Ever since grade school, junior Ebonye Smith knew she wanted to pursue engineering. Now, Smith is a 2021 Recipient of the Goldwater Scholarship.
Smith was one of 410 college students in the country and three Mercer students to receive this year’s scholarship. The scholarship program was “designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the fields of the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics,” according to the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation’s website.
Her interest in engineering started young, but it wasn’t until college where she understood the field.
“I didn’t really know what engineering was until I got here to Mercer,” Smith said. “But after taking my first couple of classes and doing research, I was like ‘okay, I hit the nail on the head. I didn’t know what it was but I’m glad I’m here because I enjoy it,’” she said.
Smith was first introduced to the Goldwater Scholarship at a student presentation during a high school visit to Mercer. She said she knew then that it was an accomplishment she wanted to achieve.
According to the Goldwater website, in order to qualify for eligibility, students must intend to work in research.
Smith has worked with Makhin Thitsa, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, on research she said played a big part in making her application stand out.
“In just a couple of years in training, Ebonye has proven to be a very productive researcher,” Thitsa said. “When I found out that Ebonye had won the Goldwater scholarship, I was overjoyed because I knew how much she deserves it.”
As a student researcher in Thitsa’s lab, Smith has investigated data-driven control methodologies for transportation networks. Her work has been presented at three conferences and compiled as a journal article, which is currently under review.
“She is truly an asset in my research group,” Thitsa said.
Smith is the first Black student from Mercer University to be named as a Goldwater Scholar.
“In one of my essays, I talked about how there’s a lack of women of color and Black women in STEM,” she said. “A lot of younger Black girls don’t have a lot of role models to look up to or a lot of role models encouraging them to pursue STEM. It’s kind of nice to win something like this because now I can be a role model to little Black girls and be like, ‘hey, I’m doing this, you can do it too.’”
In the future, Smith plans to do research within the industry through a company or laboratory.
“I think there’s a difference between practicing engineering and practicing what you find in your textbook versus discovering things you would put in a textbook,” she said.
(04/20/21 7:32pm)
National Poetry Month was established in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets. Each year, the month seeks to encourage the reading, writing, education and support of poetry. People of any skill level — whether you write poetry yourself, enjoy reading the art form or don’t know the difference between assonance and alliteration — can celebrate poetry this month and all year by participating in the myriad of virtual events described below.
All of the events are free and open to the public via Zoom, though a donation from viewers is recommended in order to continue the livelihood of poetry.
Cave Canem Poets
Proudly self-described as “a home for Black poetry,” Cave Canem was founded in 1996 by Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady “to remedy the under-representation and isolation of African American poets in the literary landscape,” according to its mission and history.
They have grown exponentially from a grassroots organization into a nationally recognized force that hosts, educates and inspires hundreds of poets every year. They host monthly, wide-ranging events, including workshops, roundtable talks, readings and festivals.
Events for April included the All that You Touch / You Change Poetry Festival April 7 and a birthday reading celebrating Toi Derricotte April 10.
COUPLET Reading Series
Hosted by poet Leah Umansky, the COUPLET Reading Series is a quarterly event that features readings by both up-and-coming and renowned poets.
This month’s edition will be live on April 24 and is in celebration of National Poetry Month. It includes work by Martha Collins, Laura Cronk, Rebecca Morgan Frank, Nathan McClain, Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers.
Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance
While MWPA primarily serves the literary scene of Maine, the online events are open so that anyone can join — and in terms of events, there are many to choose between, from readings and talks to writer workshops.
April’s events included ARTWORD, an exploration of the relationship between visual and literary arts, on April 13 and 21 and a conversation between poets Naomi Shihab Nye and Stuart Kestenbaum on April 15.
Nuyorican Poets Cafe
Based in New York City, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe “champions the use of poetry, jazz, theater, hip-hop and spoken word as means of social empowerment for minority and underprivileged artists,” according to its website. It is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and has been endorsed by Beats poet Allen Ginsberg.
Its calendar boasts frequent open mics and poetry slams in addition to activities related to hip hop, theater and education.
The Poetry Center at San Francisco State University
SFSU’s Poetry Center shows about 30 poetry-centered performances, readings and conversations each year, going back to 1954. They have carefully archived these events so that thousands of hours of past poetry are still accessible today.
Recent readings included the Mazda Writer in Residence April 7 and 8 and about the intersection of the environment and poetry on April 17.
The Poetry Center at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona’s Poetry Center serves to enrich the literary scene in Tucson, but it has also become a prominent center for Southwestern American poetry overall with its expansive collection of contemporary poetry.
Exhibitions, readings and lectures are all available for online viewing. Poet Leslie Marmon Silko performed a reading on April 13, and The Book Objects exhibition will take place through June.
Poets in Pajamas
A bi-monthly event where a poet is selected to read and engage with the audience every other Sunday, PiP showcases a diverse range of writers, most of whom are fresh, new voices to the literary field.
Poet S. Brook Corfman gave a reading on April 11, and Brody Parrish Craig will read on April 25.
The Poetry Project
Since the 1960s, the Poetry Project has strongly believed in poetry as a force for change and “has expanded access to literature, education, and opportunities for sharing one's creative work in a counter-hierarchical, radically open space and community,” according to its website. It achieves its mission through readings, lectures, workshops and other events.
Readings in early April included Martha King and Margaret Randall April 7 and Trevor Ketner and Justin Phillip Reed April 8.
Segue Reading Series
The Segue Reading Series is supported by the Segue Foundation, which “has been serving the community as a multi-service arts organization since 1977,” so written on its home page. It played a critical role in the Language poetry movement of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Now, it hosts weekly readings in the fall, winter and spring months.
April poets included Will Alexander and Mei-mei Berssenbrugge on the 10th and Brenda Iijima and Simone White on the 17th.
BONUS: For more specific poetry events you should support this April, check out the 22nd Annual NYC Teen Poetry Slam, which streamed on April 10; the NOLA Poetry Festival, which has an activity planned every day this month; the O, Miami Poetry Festival, which is full of workshops and readings you can attend and the Hugh C. Hyde Living Writers' Series, hosted by San Diego State University, which has two remaining readings scheduled through April.
(04/19/21 4:19pm)
Mercer University's annual Bearstock took place April 17 on Cruz Plaza. The outdoor event, which was free and open to all Mercer students, featured headliner Jesse McCartney.
(04/19/21 4:01pm)
For Mercer sophomore Kennedy Rayford, “art is something that comes from you that you’re proud of,” and, in Rayford’s case, she’s creating a lot of art.
On top of majoring in psychology on the pre-med track, Rayford is multitalented: she dances, acts, plays multiple instruments and writes poetry.
Dancing was Rayford’s first love. She took ballet, tap and jazz classes when she was younger, but since the age of seven, she has been mostly self-taught, with some ballet techniques sprinkled in.
Though Rayford has always loved dancing, she said she has struggled in the past to be so open about her passion.
“When people would kind of make jokes about me dancing all the time, it would really make me want to suppress it. It would make me feel insecure about my art to the point where actually I almost stopped dancing,” said Rayford, recalling her middle and high school days. “And so, also, I’m already an outcast in my family because everyone sings, and I don’t sing.”
Coming to college made Rayford into a blank slate. Mercer was a place where no one knew who she was or what she could do, and she found that she could define herself instead of being defined by others holding onto preconceived notions of her—and she is grateful for the fresh start.
“If I didn’t dance, I don’t know who I would be because I was a dancer and actress before I was a musician. I was a dancer and actress before I would necessarily call myself a poet. Like, this is who I’ve been forever,” said Rayford.
Rayford credits much of her inspiration for dance to Michael Jackson, and she frequently creates choreography to his songs, such as she did during the spring 2021 Z-Beats.
She also cites James Brown, the Les Twins and Chris Brown as her muses for dance. In fact, much of Rayford’s joy for dancing sprouts from the music she listens to, which is wide-ranging and compiled onto playlists that are rarely under ten hours long.
Rayford’s love of dance has grown even beyond herself. In addition to progressing her own style, she teaches choreography to a hip hop group at Mercer. They hope to begin performing for audiences next year, should COVID-19 conditions improve.
In addition to dancing, Rayford plays the piano and drums. She played percussion in the marching band; specifically, she learned the timpani.
She also became familiarized with the key placements on the marimba and xylophone and the rhythm of the snare, all of which she found to be similar to the piano.
“I think I was meant to play the piano,” said Rayford. “I didn’t need to look up where to put my fingers or how, because there are certain placements that you have to have for the piano in order to make it look right. I just knew where to put my hands.”
So, in the past two years, Rayford has smoothly translated her knowledge of percussion into playing the piano.
“The reason I picked up piano is because I was like, ‘I want to be able to play the piano for my wife one day,’” said Rayford.
Rayford’s tendency towards romance is likewise reflected in her start in poetry. She said she has been writing creatively since she first learned how to wield a pencil, but the first written work she remembers making was when she was five or six years old.
She described a leather journal her mother gifted her that was leather-bound with roses carved into the cover and gold-edged pages.
“I remember when she got it, I was writing, like, love songs about my first grade crush,” said Rayford. “Always relates back to love. Always.”
Since then, Rayford has written song lyrics, performed in poetry slams and been recognized by Mercer University for a poem she wrote for Black History Month.
Subjects that Rayford finds herself returning to in her poetry are her dreams and her emotions. While the dominating feeling Rayford explores is love, she also enjoys writing about “whatever intense emotion I’m feeling, so maybe, like, being angry, being upset, being misunderstood.”
As emotional as it is for Rayford to write poetry, she expects it to be read with the same intensity.
“You should leave that poem being scarred,” said Rayford.
Love is the thread that connects Rayford’s diverse artistic interests: love of others, love of craft and love of the power held within her own two hands.
(04/15/21 12:39am)
Amy McCullough has been an artist for over two decades, specializing in large-scale ceramic sculpture. She sculpted the magnolia pod finials that crown the brick columns at the entrance of Tattnall Square Park. She has also instructed Mercer students in her craft and owns Macon Clay downtown, where she hosts classes and workshops as well as has her own studio.
Now, you can view McCullough’s work for yourself at the Plunkett Gallery in Hardman Hall in an exhibit called “UnEarthed,” which is on display through Apr. 16.
The bulk of the work featured in “UnEarthed” was created during the COVID-19 pandemic. In their abstractness, the pieces reflect the collision of negative feelings like anxiety and fear with the glimmers of light that have risen from community bonding and renewed appreciation for life.
Even the creation of the clay pieces parallels the events of the pandemic, for McCullough incorporated elements of control and chaos.
“Pieces were created and then manipulated and reassembled into a new form, always surpassing the original intention,” McCullough said in her artist’s statement. “This is our responsibility as humans, now and moving forward.”
As the viewer moves through the gallery, they take in the range of McCullough’s artistic skill and vision.
To the immediate left of the door are small, round, stoneware sculptures, concave in the middle and filled with slick, dark glass. There’s a large stone bowl, bulging with protruding spheres, and a couple of long, slim stone pieces that resemble the skulls of some long-nosed creature. In the back of the gallery is an alternating order of mask-like sculptures hung on the wall and between them, pedestals hoisting heavy, intricately carved ceramic works. Surrounding these highlights are several other pieces McCullough has included for this exhibit.
All of these works are organic in color and in shape, and to walk amongst them is to wander into a version of Earth that is handmade.
Take a trip through McCullough’s world before the exhibit closes Friday.
(04/15/21 12:30am)
This is an opinion article. Any views expressed belong solely to the author and are not representative of The Cluster.
Right now, a group of Mercer students is trying to charter a chapter of a Christian fraternity called Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX) on our campus. Mercer cannot allow this to happen.
On the surface, there seems to be nothing wrong with allowing BYX into Mercer’s Interfraternity Council (IFC). According to their purpose, BYX exists to “establis[h] brotherhood and unity among college men based on the common bond of Jesus Christ.”
As our long Baptist heritage indicates, Mercer has a large Christian presence on campus. We also have a robust IFC program consisting of eight fraternities that exist to “promot[e] scholastic achievement” and “provid[e] for social, recreational and civic activities” among their members. BYX therefore seems to comply with the goals of both Mercer as a whole and IFC specifically.
However, a cursory Google search of the organization quickly reveals the reason Mercer cannot allow BYX to charter a chapter on our campus: the fraternity has a long history of openly discriminating against the LGBTQ+ community.
For example, before a member can join the fraternity, he must sign a statement agreeing to the organization’s Honor Code. As recently as 2014, this agreement stated that “the organizational position of BYX is that we believe sex is a gift of God to be enjoyed only inside the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman. Therefore, we forbid such activity as fornication, adultery, and homosexual conduct.”
Furthermore, not only does this overt homophobia exist at the organizational level, but individual chapters also perpetuate this hatred against their own members. For example, current and former members have allegedly had their membership revoked at BYX’s Vanderbilt chapter simply for being gay. And this behavior is not unique to Vanderbilt - similar accusations have been made against chapters at other schools, such as the University of Oklahoma.
As part of Mercer’s student life, fraternities and sororities are expected to contribute to Mercer’s “community of respect.” Their role on Mercer’s campus is unique. In my experience as a member of a Panhellenic sorority, fraternities and sororities at Mercer are generally less elitist and more welcoming than their state school counterparts. Mercer’s Fraternity and Sorority Programs (FSP) consists of a large number of students of color, as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Indeed, Mercer Campus Life has clearly made a concerted effort to distance itself from the negative associations people often have with fraternities and sororities. For example, if you go on any Admissions tour, you will learn that Mercer has FSP, not Greek Life. If someone is interested in joining the FSP community, they don’t rush, they go through recruitment.
These small changes highlight a larger trend in the Mercer administration’s overall attitude towards fraternities and sororities. They are eager to show how our school’s FSP community is different from the toxic organizations that are leading some to call for universities to “abolish Greek Life.” By rebranding our Fraternity and Sorority Programs, Mercer’s Campus Life draws a line between our university’s “community of respect” and other schools’ communities of elitism, racism, homophobia, sexual assault and substance abuse.
Since this is the case, how can BYX contribute to this “community of respect” when they openly discriminate against fellow students and members of other sororities and fraternities on campus? How can Mercer allow an organization to join IFC, a council that includes members of all sexualities, when this same organization promotes hatred of gay men?
Mercer must not allow BYX to join our campus. It is not important whether or not the individuals who hope to charter this chapter are openly homophobic. What matters is that they are supporting an organization that fundamentally opposes members of our Mercer community as a whole and FSP members specifically.
If Mercer wants to justify the continued existence of FSP in a time when universities across the country are answering the call to abolish Greek Life, they must take a hard stance against the toxic traits associated with fraternities and sororities. If Mercer’s administration allows BYX to charter a chapter on campus, they are essentially admitting that they only care about FSP’s image, not its actual behavior.
Hate has no place in our university or our Fraternity and Sorority Programs, and neither does BYX.
(04/03/21 4:00am)
Well over half -- 65% -- of Americans have their first sexual encounter by the age of 18, according to reproductive rights group Guttmacher Institute. But in a country where high school sexual education classes usually fail to include key issues such as consent, contraception, general sexual wellness and the spectrum of gender and sexuality, many of those young people’s sexual experiences are confusing, unhealthy or even dangerous.
I asked Mercer students on social media what they wish they learned about sexual health earlier or what they still don’t know to clear up some of the confusion that our sex-ed classes may have left us with. Here are your questions, answered.
What is lubricant? Should I use it?
Lubricant can be made from oil, water or silicone. The different types come with different pros and cons, according to Healthline, but they’re all considered safe to use. (Just beware: while lube can and should be used with condoms, oil-based types increase the risk of ripping.)
A major benefit of lube for people with vaginas is its ability to mitigate vaginal dryness. Vaginas are typically self-lubricating, but anything from stress to hormones to menstruation can cause dryness. Dryness can increase friction, cause pain and lead to vaginal tearing, which can increase risks for sexually transmitted infections. Applying lube to a penis or sex toy prior to penetration can make sex safer and more pleasurable for those experiencing dryness.
But that’s far from its only use: in an Indiana University study in 2009, 70% of folks with vaginas reported that lube just made sex more pleasurable, whether they experienced dryness of not. Some types of lubricant that are formulated to prompt different sensations that can be exciting for both the receiving or giving partners, and lube may prolong the amount of time someone with a penis can engage in sex. So if you’re into any of that, lube away!
While lube is fairly optional for P-in-V sex, health experts recommend it unequivocally for all anal sex. The anus does not self-lubricate, so penetration by a penis or sex toy can cause pain or even damage the sensitive tissues there. Definitely use plenty of lube for anal play.
What is douching, and is it safe?
Douching is the practice of “washing” out one’s vagina using a store-bought product. Typically, a douche comes in a bottle and is sprayed into the vagina. However, according to WebMD, there is no scientific evidence that douching provides any benefit, but there is plenty of data indicating that it’s unsafe. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also warns against it.
Douching increases your risk of contracting vaginal infections as well as pelvic inflammatory disease, which “is an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries,” according to WedMD. Douching may increase your risk of contracting PID by 73%. It’s also been linked to difficulty conceiving, heightened risk of ectopic pregnancy and heightened risk of cervical cancer.
Vaginas are self-cleaning, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. They clean themselves by making mucus, which washes away blood, semen and discharge (more on discharge in a second), so douching is unnecessary as well as harmful.
Remember, the vagina is the canal inside of the body; the vulva is outside of the body and should be cleaned with warm water and unscented soap. The vagina will take care of itself!
Is vaginal discharge normal?
In a word: yes. It’s super common and can be influenced by your menstrual cycle, your hormones and other factors. It’s different from arousal fluid, which the vagina can produce during sexual activity. Consistency, color and smell can vary, but as long as nothing seems different than it usually has been for your body, you should be good to go, according to Clue.
However, Clue says that changes in consistency, color, volume and smell may indicate yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis. Douching, hormonal birth control, irregular bleeding patterns, some medicines, hormonal changes, diabetes and other environmental factors can also contribute to the disruption of your vaginal PH and microbial makeup.
If anything has changed in your sexual health or activity and you start to notice some changes in discharge, that’s a sign to talk to a healthcare provider, but discharge itself is normal and nothing to worry about.
How often should I be tested for sexually-transmitted infections?
The answer to this question varies depending on lots of factors: your age, your sex, your sexual orientation, the frequency with which you have sex and more. But the standard guidance from the Mayo Clinic is to get tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea annually if:
you’re a heterosexual, cisgender woman under 25 who is sexually active
you’re a heterosexual, cisgender woman over 25 who is having sex with a new partner or multiple partners
you have a penis and have sex with other people who have penises
you have HIV
Guidance changes for other STIs. When it comes to HIV, syphilis and hepatitis, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the following:
HIV test at least once between the ages of 13-64, or yearly if you belong to a group with increased risk
hepatitis tests if you haven't been vaccinated (but if you born after 1965, you very likely were)
tests for all three if you have tested positive for another STI
tests for all three if you have had more than one partner since your last test or used IV drugs
tests for all three if you used intravenous drugs
tests for all three if you have a penis and have sex with other people with penises
tests for all three if you are planning to become pregnant or are pregnant
You should also get tested if you’ve been subjected to non-consensual sexual activity.
Tests for genital herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV) aren’t super reliable, Mayo Clinic says. If you have a vagina, you should get a Pap test every three years between the ages of 21-65, which can indicate the presence of HPV to a doctor.
It’s important to get tested for STIs because you may have them without displaying symptoms, meaning you may spread them to partners without knowing, according to Men’s Health. But you shouldn’t feel ashamed if you end up testing positive, and you shouldn’t be afraid that you can’t have a “normal” love life and sex life. Just talk to your doctor and consult other resources they recommend for taking care of yourself and disclosing your status to a partner or partners, and it’ll be okay.
What types of contraceptives are available, and how do I know if I should use one?
Birth control, birth control -- there are plenty of types with plenty of effects and, yes, plenty of side effects. You may not want to use birth control for personal, religious or health reasons. You may not know which type you are comfortable with. That’s okay! There is no one-size-fits-all contraceptive, and you might want to try some trial and error to find one that works for you. You may ultimately decide that there isn’t one that you like, and that’s perfectly fine, too. You may prefer a natural method such as fertility tracking.
Here’s a quick rundown of common medical birth control options:
Condoms: Condoms are latex or plastic pouches that go over a penis or shared sex toy to prevent pregnancy and STIs by blocking contact with semen and vaginal fluids. They are inexpensive, ubiquitous and, when used properly, incredibly effective. They should be used every time a person has vaginal or anal sex with a new partner, especially if either partner’s STI status is positive or unknown. They can also be used during oral sex involving penises. People with uteruses who do not wish to become pregnant should also use them every time they have sex with someone who has a penis.
You can also choose an internal condom, which can be placed inside the vagina or anus to create a barrier. They are just as effective as external condoms at preventing STIs and pregnancy, but slightly more likely to be used improperly, according to Planned Parenthood. For oral sex involving anuses or vaginas, dental dams -- a type of condom -- can be effective.
Implant: If you have a uterus and vagina, you may opt for an implant. This matchstick-sized rod is inserted under the skin of your upper arm and can remain there for three years. It is considered one of the most effective types of birth control but cannot protect against STIs, so it is recommended that you also use a barrier method (i.e. condom) during partnered sex.
IUD: An IUD, or intrauterine device, is a tiny T-shaped device inserted into a person’s uterus. There is a copper type and a type that releases hormones to prevent pregnancy. Like the implant, it is long-lasting (five to 12 years depending on the brand) but can be removed at any time. It does not prevent STIs. It can also be used as emergency contraception.
Shots: People with uteruses can also get birth control shots to prevent pregnancy. Shots are required every three months. The shot is slightly less effective than the implant and IUD because it can be difficult to stick to the precise schedule. Shots cannot prevent STIs.
Rings and patches: Rings and patches are equally effective at preventing pregnancy, slightly less so than the shot, and must also be maintained on a schedule. Rings are inserted into the vagina, where they release pregnancy-blocking hormones that are absorbed through the vaginal lining. Patches are worn externally, where they release pregnancy-blocking hormones that are absorbed through the skin. Neither can prevent STIs.
Pills: Pills are the most common birth control method. Taken daily, they release hormones into the body that prevent pregnancy. They do not prevent STIs and are considered just as effective as rings and patches at preventing pregnancy.
This is far from an exhaustive list of contraception options, but they are the most common and generally the most accessible choices. All are associated with some side effects, but the exact effects and their severity varies hugely by type, brand and your individual body. Be sure to talk to a doctor about side effects, natural methods or less common birth control options if you’re interested in contraceptives.
What do LGBTQIA+ partners need to know?
This question was one of the most common ones that I received. It makes sense: sex ed is lacking for all genders and sexualities in schools, but LGBTQIA+ sex ed is nearly non-existent.
The truth is that this question isn’t something I can answer as asked. LGBTQIA+ sexual education is extremely broad because the spectrum of queerness itself is so wide; sexual health looks totally different for people in the community according to their sex assigned at birth, their gender expression, their sexual orientation, their personal preferences, their medical history and more.
This article offers a wonderfully thorough jumping-off point for people on the queer spectrum, and the CDC maintains a list of resources for all bodies and identities. Queer folks may need to be tested for STIs more frequently, may face barriers to accessing sexual health care, may not be informed on how gender-affirming treatments affect their reproductive systems or may be uncertain whether to use contraceptives for certain sexual acts, so be sure to find the information that’s most relevant to you.
(04/02/21 5:28am)
Lidya Dereje is a junior double-majoring in Global Development and Media Studies and minoring in Art. She has done writing, graphic design, and photography with The Cluster. She is currently in the works of becoming published in The Dulcimer and expanding her skills in the visual arts.
(04/02/21 5:26am)
Since the start of 2021, multiple stock markets have seen rapid increases. The NASDAQ went up 43.64% from 2020, according to the NASDAQ composite index, which compiles almost all stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock market.
With this increase, a plethora of stocks have witnessed great volatility over the new year, such as GameStop, AMC, Palantir, BlackBerry, Nokia and more.
Some Mercer students have taken advantage of this boom by investing in the stock market during the recent volatile exchanges, hoping to cash in on the capital opportunities. Many of them used Robinhood, a stock trading app marketed to young people.
John Pittman, junior accounting major, started investing in the stock market over winter break and has invested in GameStop, AMC and BlackBerry since the beginning of January. Pittman said he started investing as a means to make some extra money, and his investments are seeing great returns.
“I just wanted to have a way to make my money grow when I don’t really have time for an hourly job,” Pittman said. “I wanted to be able to take some trips in the future when I don’t have a lot of money to work with after I graduate.”
Pittman, an avid user of the social news site Reddit, uses the subreddit page Wallstreetbets, where users have posted various trading strategies. One such strategy led to the recent GameStop short squeeze. Many users — and non-users — took notice, cashing in and receiving promising short-term returns.
John Bonner, junior history major and stock enthusiast, said he took note of Wallstreetbets’ previous trends, noting that it has often made bizarre investment suggestions, such as Lumber Liquidators, as well as exceptional suggestions such as Tesla. Because of this, Bonner said he invested in GameStop early in November and saw great returns in a two-month period.
However, by the time the GameStop stock rose 680% at the end of January, many hedge funds began to suffer, including Melvin Capital, which lost 53% of its capital betting against GameStop.
“Hedge funds like Melvin Capital would do massive short bets on GameStop and would bet that the stock is gonna decline, so they would sell off shares they don't own at a lower price, meaning they make money as the stock decreases,” Bonner said.
Because of this, Melvin Capital’s partner company, Citadel, delivered a $2 billion cash infusion to the company while allegedly telling another partner, the trading app Robinhood, to halt trades in multiple volatile stocks such as AMC and GameStop.
Bonner said he was not a fan of Robinhood’s business strategy and is opting to use the Webull app instead to trade stocks in the future. Other students have also deviated from Robinhood because of the recent stock intervention.
Senior business major and stock analyst Ryan Long said he will stop using the Robinhood app entirely and instead use the Thinkorswim app.
“The app [Thinkorswim] has an overall stronger and faster trading system than Robinhood. Robinhood also only updates its stock every 30 seconds, and Thinkorswim hasn’t halted trading in GameStop or AMC,” Long said.
Ryan has also taken a greater interest in cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin and Dogecoin.
“Bitcoin’s a bit expensive, but will likely see an extensive rise in the future. Now Dogecoin is an interesting [cryptocurrency]. I saw Elon Musk tweeted out a picture and it soon rose up a great deal. It’s such a cheap coin, but percentage-wise, it increased quite a bit,” Long said.
All three investors said that it’s always a good time to start investing in the stock market. Whether you put in a couple of bucks or thousands of dollars, one can likely expect to see a profit with time.
“Time in the market beats timing the market. You can never make any money if you don’t put anything in,” Long said.
(03/30/21 10:12pm)
Rylan Allen and Natalie Yaeger have won the SGA President and Vice President election with over 60% of the student vote.SGA announced the result in the Connell Student Center lobby Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. Election Marshall Jake McCarthy and current SGA President Savannah Lackey rolled out a banner with the results: 623 votes for Allen/Yeager and 411 for Bearden/Mills.“It took me a second to react,” Allen said. “It hasn’t hit me yet, it still hasn’t. It’s overwhelming.”
(03/30/21 2:05am)
Mercer University’s Macon campus received its first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a Monday night email from the Provost’s office.
The university received the Pfizer vaccine, and appointments can be made by Mercer students and employees as well as members of the Macon community who are at least 16 years old. Appointments are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Vaccinations will be administered in Penfield Hall Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We encourage you to get vaccinated and continue to wear your mask, as provided in our policy, to protect yourself and others,” the email from the Provost’s office said.
Mercer will likely continue to administer vaccines as they receive shipments. According to Medical Director for the Student Health Center Dr. Lynn Denny, Mercer has approval from the Georgia Department of Public Health to administer both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine.
Mercer was approved by the Georgia Department of Public Health to distribute vaccinations Feb. 25, according to an email from President Bill Underwood sent out that day.
The university remained in a state of uncertainty as to when it would offer the vaccine for over a month while awaiting its vaccine order.
The Atlanta campus received its shipment of vaccines March 25, according to an email from the Provost.
Before scheduling an appointment, be sure that you are able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Impacting factors include but are not limited to recently testing positive for COVID-19, allergies to any of the ingredients or having an autoimmune disorder. If you are unsure, check with your doctor before scheduling your appointment.
Members of the Mercer community are directed to call Mercer Medicine at (478) 301-4111 or the Student Health Center 24/7 hotline at (478) 301-7425 if they begin displaying symptoms. Students who are enrolled in a course in which a student or instructor has tested positive will receive an email notifying them of their risk.
(03/29/21 4:29am)
The Mercer chapter of the American Marketing Association has started a marketing agency called Ember Marketing, which is working with Macon businesses to give students real-world experience.
Tammy Crutchfield, senior associate dean and professor for marketing, inspired the club to start their own agency after telling them that the University of Georgia chapter did the same. The agency provided UGA students the opportunity to work with businesses in Athens, according to Hailie Poppell and Olivia Korta.
Poppell, a senior marketing and managing major, served as AMA president in the 2019-2020 school year. Korta, a junior, now serves as the president of the club.
The club, composed of marketing, finance, accounting, management and journalism majors, started their marketing agency last spring, but their momentum was cut short after COVID-19 sent everyone home.
“We actually met with our first client on the Thursday before school was canceled, and then schools cancelled and we all disbanded,” Poppell said.
Now, the marketing agency is in full swing, working with their first client.
“We are working with Steven Brewer, CPA, which is an accounting firm in Macon,” Poppell said. “We’re doing his entire marketing rebrand from name, brand and color scheme to social media plan and website redesign.”
The club and marketing agency currently holds meetings on Wednesdays where they go over different proposals for the accounting firm they are consulting.
Mercer AMA also partnered with the agency management class, said Korta, who is also in the class.
“We’re implementing marketing proposals that were created by the agency management class last semester, so we were given these proposals and we’re going to implement them for our CPA client,” Korta said.
Korta said meetings have been focused around taking one step at a time.Ember Marketing is looking to expand and to grow in the coming semesters, with each member having their own role in the agency, Poppell said.
Another goal of the agency is to work in the Macon community.
“[Ember Marketing wants] to reach more potential businesses in the Macon community because a lot of them are hit hard from COVID, so right now is a great time for us to persevere through this because people in need, they don’t have the money to pay for a marketing firm, so we do their work for free or for really discounted rates,” she said.
In addition to networking and building connections in the Macon community, Poppell said that Mercer AMA helped her with her future: Poppell recently accepted a position as a marketing strategist and boutique coordinator for a business in Macon.
“In AMA I was really able to perfect my resume, perfect my sales pitch of myself and learn how to pitch my ideas to someone properly,” Poppell said.
The club is looking to expand their reach as they grow, Korta said.
“We’re really excited to see what happens with this and the great work we’ll do in the future,” she said.
(03/29/21 4:22am)
Note: SGA Vice Presidential Candidate Natalie Yaeger is employed by The Cluster as the Lead Lifestyle & Opinion Writer. This does not contribute to or impact our coverage of her relating to the race.
As the SGA Presidential election approaches, the organization’s debate Wednesday allowed candidates to answer questions about their ideas and policies. The debate also let students submit questions to the candidates. Here are the highlights from the debate.
The debate format
The debate featured the candidates taking turns answering questions from the moderator, The Cluster’s Managing Editor Mary Helene Hall. The candidates were typically given three minutes to respond, with the opposing candidate answering afterwards. The candidate that went first was decided by a coin flip prior to the debate.
All candidates were able to answer questions within the time limit. Here are their answers to some of the more important questions and issues of the evening.
What are your campaign platforms?
Rylan Allen and Natalie Yaeger talked about their three main campaign platforms: diversity, mental health and communication and transparency. These three points for Allen and Yaeger led to discussions on having more diverse texts in the Mercer Integrative Studies and Great Books programs and helping students obtain better counseling from Counseling and Psychological Services.
The four platform ideas for Ashton Bearden and Caleb Mills are transparency, sustainability, accountability and health and wellness. The duo addressed the problems with Mercer’s lack of recycling as well as creating a way to spread awareness about mental, physical and sexual health by creating a committee to work with Mercer facilities and administration on those areas.
What is the job of an SGA officer?
Both campaigns answered this question swiftly and passionately, largely agreeing on the role of an SGA officer. Bearden and Mills emphasized the importance of communication and advocating for the student body. Allen and Yaeger reiterated this point in their own response.
“That is our job: to help all of you and to represent all of you,” Yaeger said. “We are only good if we work together (...) That’s the only way we are going to make a stronger Mercer and stronger community as a whole.”
Both campaigns aligned on this issue, stating that the job of SGA members is to represent the student body and fix issues within the university.
How will you communicate with administration? What if you disagree?
A key part of being an SGA president or vice president is addressing student needs and problems in discussions with the Mercer administration. In response to this question, Bearden and Mills made their dedication to persistence clear on the topic of discussion with administration.
“Something that’s very important is not just telling someone, ‘Oh, I want you to do that,’ but actually following up,” Mills said. “If they don’t really want to do something that we’re proposing, just asking, ‘Hey, do you have a solution,’ just wearing them down to make sure we’re getting some response and getting something done."
Allen and Yaeger leaned more towards addressing the communication part of the question, emphasizing keeping students informed. Allen mentioned the mural that was removed from Mercer Village last year as a clear example of administration not communicating with students, as many students did not know why it was removed. Allen says that acting as a link between students and administration will lead to better communication between the two.
“A lot of students didn’t know anything about (the mural), but the administration told us that it was a contracted mural and it was not supposed to stay,” Allen said. “But it would have been nice for students to know about that so they could have expressed their disliking for the removal of that. What we want to do is create clear communication channels between administration and ourselves to you so that way you feel that SGA actually represents you all.”
How do we know you aren’t running just to build your resume?
Both candidates acknowledged that the office might be a resume booster, but said that being president is not about the title.
“My intention for this position is not my resume. I was vice president last year,” Bearden said. “When I was thinking about running for this position, I didn’t want to do it this year (…) but I had already spent three years on SGA. I felt that I should use that experience to bring up new leaders and advocate for the students.”
Allen had a similar response, citing his status as class president for the prior two years and his use of that position to connect with students in the past.
“If you are sophomores in here, you’ve probably gotten dozens of emails from me, and I’m sorry, but hey, the reason why I’m doing that is to make sure you know what’s going on around campus and what’s going on with administration,” Allen said. “I also make sure that under my email signature is my phone number, and I use social media a lot.”
What can you do that your opponent cannot or is not willing to do?
This question gave the candidates an opportunity to explain why they are unique, and both campaign teams took advantage of that.Allen stressed the importance of his campaign team’s diversity, specifically citing his ability to connect with students of color and LGBTQIA+ students at Mercer.
“There's only been two Black SGA presidents on campus,” Allen said. “I believe that when students elect the president, they want to make sure that they elect the presidential and vice presidential candidate that they feel will be able to advocate for them, go through the same life experiences as they do so they understand what students want.”
Allen backed this point by highlighting his ability to represent those groups.
“Being a Black man, I'm also a gay man. I believe that students on this campus that come from the LGBTQ and minority community are able to resonate with the wider view of the person, which means that they think I can actually advocate for one as well,” Allen said.
Bearden and Mills emphasized their goal of representing everyone, particularly women, by creating a more diverse staff of SGA members.
“You look at us, and you see two men. And you wonder, where is the representation for women,” Bearden said. “That’s why we want to implement the executive board to the president and vice president to be predominantly women, as well as create a student cabinet that would have 24 different backgrounds around campus that would communicate directly with us.”
Bearden says that the diverse student cabinet would meet once a month and talk to the president and vice president directly before they meet with University President Bill Underwood and Dean of Students Doug Pearson.
Conclusions
After the debate, it is clear that both campaign teams place a large emphasis on the topics of mental health and diversity. The candidates also acknowledged the importance of communication and transparency, being sure to promise students that their concerns would be made clear to university administration.
As the March 29-30 election date draws near, students will decide which of these two campaign teams to vote for. Students can vote online through their MyMercer and CourseEval accounts.
