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(09/07/11 10:25pm)
The issues of global warming, pollution and even green alternatives have become popular issues in today’s society.
What with movies like The Day After Tomorrow and An Inconvenient Truth— the film documenting Al Gore’s campaign to make the issue of global warming a world-wide problem—global warming has been skyrocketed into the spotlight, and for good reason.
Global warming is a huge environmental issue that is shaping the future of our world. People everywhere are buying Priuses, Leafs, and every other form of hybrid car available to cut down on fuel consumption and reduce emissions.
Major interest groups have popped up in an attempt to save the environment for our future generations and all that good stuff.
But recently the issue of global warming has made itself a bit of a nuisance to President Barrack Obama. It seems that the decision of whether to grant the permit for Keystone XL oil pipeline is going to be the defining environmental issue for Obama leading up to the 2012 election.
The $13 billion Keystone pipeline system will play an important role in linking a secure supply of Canadian crude oil with the largest refining markets in the United States.
So the question for Obama now becomes whether to approve this pipeline and provide America with a less foreign supply of oil and risk demoralizing the voters he needs to win reelection in 2012, or oppose the prospect and side with the nation’s environmental groups to try to secure the environmental vote coming into the election season.
What to do? What to do? Choices, choices.
I am by no means a tree hugger, but at the same time, I do not in any way, shape or form turn a blind eye to the issue of global warming. I have asthma, I fully appreciate the on-going efforts to reduce emissions and clean up the air. Thank you, environmental groups.
But at the same time, for those of us who did not know oil prices were going to go through the roof the past few years and made the mistake of purchasing a sport utility vehicle or a truck, gas prices are a bit of a concern.
More than a bit of concern; to date it takes around $50 to fill up the tank of my Xterra on a good day. As a college student, I just do not have the money to continue to pay $3.50 a gallon for gas.
Nor do many other American citizens. We are in a recession, the unemployment rate is still higher than it should be, and penny pinching has been commenced by multitudes of American families.
Would it not be more prudent for our government to try to help out a little more by granting permission for the Keystone XL oil pipeline? Not only would this lessen our dependence on foreign oil, but it would break the U.S. of some of the chains bonding us to high, monopolized prices for barrels of oil from the Middle East.
Instead of paying outrageous prices for oil from halfway around the world, the U.S. could have crude oil from our friendly neighbors to the north and use the machinery we already have to turn it into a source of petroleum.
Maybe this could help cut down the high costs of gas prices throughout the United States because as gas prices increase the hurt that Americans feel at the gas pump increases also.
Mr. President, I can understand your dilemma; the environmental vote is important. I’m sure there is another way to appease the environmental vote. We could plant some trees?
Call me selfish, or a horrible person, but how many of us will be able to afford to go on with our daily lives when gas prices jump to $5-a-gallon and minimum wage stays the same?
(08/18/11 9:43pm)
The talk of the town this summer, nay the down-right embarrassment of the United States, was by far the failure of our House, Senate and our President to resolve the overarching issue of the debt ceiling.
From my seat on E Street NW, Washington D.C., I sat ashamed that I called the nation’s capital home during this period of disagreement.
On many a night the issue of our country’s impending decline into default rattled around my brain, and my thought was how could the people the American public voted into office screw us over this badly? Not only that, but how could they be this childish, and what were they trying to prove?
Perhaps that they could go down in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not for the best played game of procrastination in our nation’s history?
It is common knowledge that Democrats and Republicans do not see eye to eye on political issues. The Republican majority in the Senate opposed any tax increases and advocated spending cuts. While the Democratic majority in the House favored tax increases along with spending cuts.
But what truly happened during those days spent in session?
I can almost hear senators debating: should we cap the debt ceiling or raise it? You know I don’t think I like Ron Paul’s proposed solution to the debt ceiling, as a matter of fact I do not like Ron Paul, let’s shut it down.
Who knows what happened during these “discussions,” but one thing is certain - our House and Senate did not seem to care much about the American people during this stressful time.
While many Americans were wondering if they were even going to be able to afford milk come August 2, it seemed as though our representatives were busier planning their upcoming vacations than making any headway in keeping the U.S. out of bankruptcy.
I remember clearly the excitement when during the week leading up to the deadline the House passed a bill. Then being filled with dread and disappointment as my Twitter informed me that the Senate did not pass it.
Thank God that the Budget Control Act of 2011 was passed and signed by President Obama on August 2. Think you could cut it any closer Congress?
The answer is clear. Our representatives fell down on the job. They let egos, pride and petty differences get in the way of matters of the utmost importance.
They let the American people down by refusing to budge even when the United States teetered on the edge of default.
How can we trust our senators and our House after this complete disgrace?
The answer is unclear, but one thing is certain - our Congress needs to take their egos down a few notches and realize that their disagreements and time-wasting almost caused the United States as we know it to collapse.
Pull your heads out of your asses and stop being childish. Do what is best for the people you represent and settle on a compromise.
As for the American people, why not start with voting out every single idiot in the House and Senate?
Comments, criticisms, or inquiries on this column can be sent to
opinions@mercercluster.com
(08/18/11 9:24pm)
by Brittany Dant
August 23 marks the beginning of Mercer’s new school year and as if buying books, getting along with a roommate, and beginning classes were not enough, Mercer freshmen have one more thing to worry about: the Freshman 15, or freshman year weight gain.
The Freshman 15 has become a dreaded thought to many college students over the years, and, unfortunately, Mercerians are no different.
But never fear new freshmen, the Freshman 15 does not have to happen to you! There are many a way to keep pounds off your first year, so here are 15 tips to help in your battle to beat the bulge.
First off, and quite possibly the most obvious, Mercer has a gym in the U.C. that is free to all Mercer students.
So instead of sitting in your dorm room, try hitting up the elliptical or working up a sweat at one of the gym weight-lifting machines.
If motivation is your key to success, try beefing up this semester’s schedule by enrolling in one of Mercer’s Physical Education classes.
From Beginning Tae Kwon Do to Golf, Ballroom Dancing and even Beginning Bowling, Mercer has a number of courses to help students shed the pounds.
Macon is known for its heat, so if sports classes aren’t in style why not go for a run, or even a walk, outside. The Macon heat will surely burn off that pizza from the cafeteria.
Try getting a few friends together in Porter Patch and starting a game of ultimate Frisbee or catch.
If you are more of a team player, Mercer offers plenty of club sports including men’s and women’s wrestling and swimming.
If club sports are too intense, Mercer has a great Intramural Sports program, so grab a few friends and sign up for any of the sports offered.
Soccer is up first this year so try lacing up those cleats and hitting the field to stay in shape, or join a team for flag football, volleyball, basketball or softball.
Can’t stand the heat? Try checking out the fitness classes offered in the U.C. gym on week nights. From ab-workouts to dance classes, it’s a great way to burn off extra calories.
But do not think that the only way to keep off the extra pounds is by exercising. There are plenty of ways to beat the bulge without working up a sweat.
For instance, it is a known fact that freshmen have an all-you-can-eat meal plan, but try not taking advantage of all the pizza and ice cream the cafeteria has to offer.
Instead try grabbing an apple or banana for dessert or have a salad for lunch three times a week.
Coke may very well be the nectar of the gods, but it is also full of empty calories. Try replacing Coke at every meal with water or Gatorade to get rid of the extra calories.
Don’t be tempted to stock your micro-fridge with junk food. Try keeping some fresh fruit handy to snack on or keep a carton of milk in the fridge if cereal is more your thing.
Swimming in Plunkett Pool is another great way to expend some energy. Luckily it also comes with the added bonus of a tan.
If you have a car, try avoiding the rock star parking closer to MEP and Plunkett, and go for one of the further spots. Even this little bit of extra walking can really help.
More importantly, stay hydrated by keeping a bottle of water handy during the day. Staying hydrated is a good source of energy to keep you going, and drinking a lot of water helps elimiate bloating.
Finally, try going shopping. Macon has a great outdoor mall and the trek between stores is a good way to walk-off some calories.
So, Mercer freshmen, don’t worry, the Freshman 15 is easy to beat. Try even just a few of these steps and you might go home lighter than you came.
(04/27/11 11:52pm)
Mercer Communications and Theater Arts professor, Scot Mann, takes pride in his students, his career and the fact that he bleeds Mercer orange.
This is Mann’s fifth year teaching at Mercer. His classes include: Acting, Directing, Playwriting, Theater History, and Stage Combat.
Raised in Griffin, Ga., Mann completed his undergraduate study right here at Mercer before attending a university in Alabama for graduate school. After that, his life becomes a blur of exciting places and experiences.
“I was a student here, then for 15 years I was a freelance actor and freelance fight coordinator. I had a strong interest in martial arts, which got me into stage combat, which really propelled my career,” said Mann.
“I got to work everywhere New York, Los Angeles, Chicago. I was based out of Atlanta but I also traveled to London, India, and Germany. It’s a wild profession and you never know what’s going to happen. You just have to go with the opportunities,” said Mann.
Mann eventually settled into a teaching career at Southern Mississippi, where he taught for three years before coming to Mercer.
“When this job opened up, I applied for it immediately. It made me feel like I was coming home. Actually coming back and taking the reins from my predecessor was very appealing to me,” said Mann.
Since returning to Mercer, Mann has married his wife Kelly -- who is also an actor and stunt performer -- and enjoys spending time with his preteen daughter, Madeline.
In his spare time Mann choreographs stage combat for theaters in the Atlanta area, teaches at professional seminars, and if he can squeeze it in he works in television or film shoots.
“I stay pretty busy outside of campus. I am the director of the majority of the plays performed at the Backdoor Theater. I love directing the shows. It drives my day knowing that I am working towards rehearsal that night,” said Mann.
During his time here Mann has tried to expand the Theater Arts program from a focus on theater to looking at the rest of the industry as well.
“I have added film and television training. I have also added stage combat to the training because of the skill set. I am trying to make a stronger bridge into the professional industry,” said Mann.
Mann tries to teach theater training from a practical angle while also trying to inspire enthusiasm for acting and behind the scenes work.
“Acting is hard work. It is actual manual labor and I also try to teach my students to have confidence in themselves. If this is what they want to do, they should do it,” said Mann.
Mann says that Mercer is by far the favorite place he has taught so far in his career.
“There are intelligent, talented, and gifted students involved in the program and this is a really strong community. At larger universities it is hard to get to know the students. With 160 theater art students there were great students, but I had no time to spend with them,” said Mann.
While Mann admits that his students are the best part of teaching he expects his students to work hard and enjoy acting.
“They have to have creative expression. They need passion for what they are doing if they want to make an acting career happen. The most important thing is to enjoy acting. If not why would you do this,” Mann said.
While Mann is proud of every play he has directed here, he admits that there is memory that holds a special place in his heart.
“My proudest moment was the first time I had one of my students graduate,” said Mann.
(04/27/11 11:45pm)
Just minutes away from Joshua Cup and Mercer’s campus sit the lovely Washington Square Apartments that are home to numerous Mercer students, including senior Creative Writing major Rebecca Aileen Reed.
Originally built in the early 1900s, the huge gray building that houses the Washington Square Apartments was once known as Navarro Flats.While historical, the apartments have been renovated over the years.
A short walk upstairs and onto a shaded porch area, Aileen’s front door opens up into a narrow entry hallway which leads back to her bedroom, bathroom and laundry room.
Right off the main hallway sits her spacious kitchen and beautifully decorated living room, made complete by an extremely comfortable plaid couch. Mirrors, artwork and candles also make the living room inviting and open.
This is Aileen’s second year living in the apartments and so far she loves it.
“The apartments are on Orange Street. It is less than a mile from campus and it takes about five minutes in the morning to get to school,” said Aileen.
“I think my favorite thing was decorating it — putting holes in the wall and hanging up heavy things. I was able to put up all the pictures I have taken and then there’s my mural that makes me feel like I’m in a village in Italy. My favorite thing was definitely decorating,” Aileen said.
The distance and creativity are not the only great things about the apartment. It is also extremely spacious.
“A lot of my friends come over and say ‘I can fit my whole apartment in yours.’ I just respond, ‘Yeah, and it’s about the same amount of rent as yours too,” Aileen said with a smirk.
“I love living off campus. It is very nice to have a king size bed instead of a twin now. The fun part is that if any of it breaks they replace it,” said Aileen.
Aileen also admitted that even though she lives off campus, she never feels disconnected from Mercer.
“I go to a lot of events on campus. I still feel connected because a lot of Mercer students live here and go to Joshua Cup. Plus it’s so close to campus,” Aileen said.
Aileen often feels as though she never left Mercer’s campus.
“It’s almost like not living off campus because of all the Mercer students who live here. There are members of the golf team two doors down and there are some Chi Omega’s that live next door. It’s really nice,” Aileen said.
While it may feel as though Aileen has not strayed too far from Mercer, there are some definite differences for her now.
“I feel like I am more free now, even though I don’t do much different here than I did when I lived on campus. It’s all my stuff so it feels more like home, even though my mom tried to make my room on campus homey too,” Aileen said.
One thing Aileen does miss about on campus living are noise violations.
“There is almost no consideration of the people around you. People have loud music and parties all the time. There are nights when I want to relax but I can’t because I can hear every word of the music playing next door,” Aileen said.
While she loves living in the apartment, Aileen also admitted that there was another drawback to off-campus living.
“Although sometimes it is scary to live by yourself, I am afraid people are going to break in. Some keys in the buildings work to other apartments. I was sitting with one of my friends watching a movie and a couple of girls opened my door before they realized it wasn’t their apartment. So sometimes it’s really scary,” Aileen said.
However, the pros outweigh the cons for this Mercer student.
For information on renting one of the Washington Square Apartments, search Facebook.
(04/13/11 10:15pm)
Jack Tarver Library will not be open 24 hours during finals week, and the library will maintain its regular exam week schedule.
In response to a request from the Student Government Association, Tarver provided 24-hour access to the library during last semester’s exam week.
“During finals last year, we opened on 2:00 on Sunday and did not close until 8:00 on that Saturday. SGA student volunteers helped from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. but only two of us provided the rest of the coverage from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m.,” said Theresa Rhodes, Associate Director for Public Services and Collections.
The pilot project concept was raised in April of 2010 and conversations were held through early December before the decision was made to proceed with the extended hours.
After looking at the data from last semester’s pilot project, the Tarver staff decided to cut back the hours and return to their normal exam week schedule.
An extensive report of data was made and Rhodes provided a narrative.
The report explained that three measurement devices were used to determine the library occupancy from midnight to 7:30 a.m. every day.
Gate counts were taken at the top of every hour between midnight and 7:30 a.m. The count registered every time a student entered and left the building and was divided by two.
A head count was also taken at the bottom of each hour until 7:30 a.m. This made for a more accurate count of students observed in the building during the night hours.
Bear Cards were also swiped and determined how many students took advantage of the extra hours. At the time the library would normally close, a Mercer Police officer was located by the entrance gates and swiped student cards. This was a security measure to prevent non-students from entering the library.
Rhodes explained that the gate count was inaccurate and counted students coming and going. It had to be divided by two, but the number was off. “Swiping was the more accurate measure of how many students came and went during the extended hours,” said Rhodes.
Students who entered the library before the extended hours began were not swiped but were still included in the head counts at the bottom of every hour.
The resulting data showed that for the entire week there was a gate count of 577 with a head count of 1,281 students. Only 315 Bear Cards were swiped and of those 174 unique Bear Cards were swiped.
Based on the total fall enrollment of 4,053 students, the library’s data showed that only eight percent of students took advantage of the extended hours and only four percent came to the library at least once during the extended period from midnight to 7:30 a.m.
The highest number of students counted – 359 – was counted at midnight, but the number of students did not increase throughout the morning. The only change occurred between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., which was attributed to the fact that Tarver is generally open by 7:30 a.m. each morning.
Based on this data and other factors, the decision was made to not continue the extended hours for the spring semester.
Other factors influencing the decision were the disruption in staff schedules, the cost and benefit during lean budget times, and the Academic Resource Center’s 24-hour services during finals.
The decision is not negotiable this semester. The data showed that few students used the extended hours but many feel as though it is needed.
“I feel like if it is for finals week, people have many exams they have to study for so they should keep the library open 24/7. It has the resources people need, especially if they need a computer, and it is a good place to meet up,” said senior Katie Wibell.
Sophomore Julie Allen said she did not usually go to Tarver, but would consider going if she knew it was open 24 hours during exam week.
“I feel that it is a real inconvenience for a lot of students,” said Allen.
Senior Johnta Tigner said he preferred to study in the library rather than his apartment.
"When I need to study the library is where I go. If you don’t have a choice but to study, it is better to study there instead of an apartment where there are so many distractions,” said Tigner.
Sophomore Kevin Moboalde said she took advantage of the 24-hour services last semester
“It was really great having it open last year. It was a bigger space and I was there so much. It was definitely a good thing to have it open,” said Moboalde.
Although there will be no extended hours this semester, another recommendation was made to secure the funds to expand the 24-hour study room by an additional 800 square feet to meet the need for overnight library spaces for students.
(04/13/11 6:00pm)
The journalism department at Mercer not only seeks to teach students essential writing skills but also the important ways in which communication and media affect our lives and culture.
According to the journalism and media studies website, central to the pursuit of understanding the complexities of communicating in the 21st century is the concept of story.
With only three faculty members, the journalism and media studies department is not the largest department on campus.
“In the department there is myself, Jay and Dr. Gottshall. Jay teaches most of the journalism classes and I teach a few as well,” said John Chalfa, head of the journalism and media studies department.
“It has been offered off and on for probably more than 30 years. It was part of the English department for a while; then, when it was still in Communication and Theatre Arts, it grew in popularity,” Chalfa said.
The small size of the faculty does not affect the number of students declaring a major in journalism.
“We have roughly between 45 and 50 majors. There are some minors. I’d say with both the majors and minors we certainly go over 50 students, but they are mostly majors,” Black said.
“Obviously you could work as a journalist in newspaper, online or television. A lot of people go into the public relations field and a surprising number of our students go on to law school. It is good prep for that because of the critical thinking and writing skills we teach,” Chalfa said.
“The time that a journalism degree trained just reporters is over. Now a journalism degree is made up of compiling information and disseminating that information. Businesses are interested in this. We have former students working in media sales but 60 percent of our students go on to get post-graduate degrees,” Black said.
The department also has a variety of internships available to students in the Macon area and through other universities.
“We have placed students at TV stations, radio stations, newspapers. Over the summer students get internships working with organizations in their hometown or community,” Chalfa said.
“We are partnered with George Washington University and through the Semester in Washington program we have students that intern with Smithsonian Magazine, ESPN, CNN, ABC News and others,” Black said.
“We strongly encourage our students to have internships because until you are out in the real world you don’t know if media is what you really want to do,” Black said.
Journalism major Emily Milone is one student who knows that media is for her.
“Being a journalism major I would really like to write for an important newspaper or magazine, mainly writing about world problems and things that really matter to people all over the world,” Milone said.
“I decided to become a journalism major because I really enjoy writing articles about the everyday situations and occurrences throughout the world. I always knew I enjoyed writing articles in high school, but when I took my first journalism class here at Mercer I immediately knew that was the field for me,” Milone said.
Milone feels that JMS offers a variety of different classes that allow students to get a true feel of the major and decide exactly what they want to do.
“Although some JMS classes I am required to take don’t have anything to do with what I want to do in the future, it still gives me great experience to know exactly what the journalism field is all about,” Milone said.
“The hardest thing about being a journalism major is definitely the amount of lengthy papers we have to do every semester. I do enjoy writing, but almost every semester that I have been at Mercer I have been given one to three 15-20 page papers, which is very difficult to handle,” Milone said.
However, there are more enjoyable aspects of journalism as well.
“The best thing about being a journalism major is the fact that we are always up to date on worldly issues and situations. We are also, for the most part, given the freedom in most JMS classes to write our own opinions and reactions to these situations, which to me is something I find very beneficial,” Milone said.
Milone would advise any students interested in being a journalism major to have an open mind.
“There are many different JMS courses you can take at Mercer, all offering different aspects of journalism. Be sure to have an open mind to all of them before you decide exactly what you want to do with your JMS degree,” Milone said.
(04/13/11 2:54pm)
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Seniors Carl Lewis and Max Youngblood share a charming yellow house located less than two miles from Mercer.
What may have once served as a townhouse for a plantation family has been renovated by their landlord, Mercer’s own Dr. Chris Grant.
“The house is old. We know it was not on the registry in 1880, but it was in 1885. So we round that it might have been built in 1883,” said Lewis.
The front door opens into a lovely foyer with red couches and hardwood floors which lead straight to the yellowkitchen made homier with the added touch of painted grape vines along the walls. The rest of the house consists of two bedrooms, a laundry room and a living room.
The quaint home also has a nice front porch that is secluded by beautiful trees.
“We are both seniors and we kind of wanted to get away from everything on campus and Dr. Grant had this place available so we decided to take him up on it,” said Lewis.
“It’s nice to have an adult feeling house when you are in college. It is cool having people over because of the foyer area when you first walk in,” added Lewis.
While the house is located closer to downtown then campus, Lewis feels as though the distance gives just enough space from the university.
“It is about a six or seven minute drive to campus. I leave about 8:53 a.m. for my 9:00 a.m. class, and Max bikes to campus most days,” said Lewis.
The distance is a benefit to Lewis.
“It is good to get away from campus so I can have a Mercer mode and a home mode. It gives freedom to do what I want. I don’t ever feel cooped up,” Lewis said.
While the house only has two bedrooms, both roommates agree it affords plenty of space.
“One roommate is better than three. Max and I are friends but not best friends so it is not a big deal,” Lewis said.
“It is nice to have a place to unwind, and we don’t intrude on each other. It is the ideal place for students to live,” said Lewis.
Lewis also explained that although the house is off campus he does not feel too disconnected from campus.
“I have felt disconnected at times but not usually because I’m on campus so much for other stuff. If I ever do feel disconnected it’s a good disconnection. It is stress relieving,” Lewis said.
“And it’s nice to feel like part of the Macon community. I feel like a resident, not just a student. It’s a good wayto finish up life in college,” said Lewis.
While Lewis loves living in the home, he found it difficult to name just one favorite aspect of the home.
“I like the living room and the porch. Well that, and my bedroom is really nice. To name just one thing is hard. The house is not the most modern but it has charm. It’s a nice little place,” said Lewis.
However, Lewis added that there are some bad aspects of the home as well.
“Because it is an old house it is not sealed the best. When it gets really hot roaches get in, and when it gets really cold we have seen a couple of mice but we called the landlord and he came,” said Lewis.
“That was probably the worst, but once you get used to it it’s ok. Now I see bugs and I kill them if I can but other than that we coexist,” Lewis said.
“There is only one bathroom. It’s a tiny bathroom down the hall but it is not that big of an inconvenience,” Lewis added.
While there are some imperfections, Lewis made it clear that the house is an ideal place to live.
“Overall it is a nice neighborhood. Mostly students, professors, and young professionals live here. It is nice and I have not ever had a single problem,” said Lewis.
(03/30/11 11:24pm)
[caption id="attachment_3017" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Miao Marone, sole professor of Chinese, believes that speaking Chinese is very important to today’s economic affairs. "]
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Mercer University recently received a grant sponsored by the United States Department of Education that will allow for the founding of a new program for an Asian Studies minor.
The program will be housed in the Interdisciplinary Studies department. A team of 12 Mercer faculty members will develop the coursework for the new minor over the next three years.
While the overall program will seek to give students a better understanding of Asian culture, the anchor of the new program will be the Chinese language program.
The grant will allow for the addition of a second year of Chinese language that will be available to students next fall.
“Traditional Western European languages are the only languages that have been predominantly taught at Mercer thus far. But last year, we had a visiting professor from China who began teaching a 100-level Chinese language course,” said Dr. Leona Kanter.
“Chinese was first taught here several years ago, but it was dropped for technical and qualification reasons. As of now, we officially had Chinese a year ago but a second year and a study abroad program have been added this year,” Kanter said.
This will provide Mercer students with both 100-level and 200-level Chinese courses. This will be the first time that Mercer will have a complete program.
“The importance of the language is to bring greater recognition to globalization. We are very oriented to the East and this will be very important to people now and in the future, because we are doing business with China and we will continue to do so,” Kanter said.
“These new Chinese language courses will support a diversified group of students. Medical students and students from the business school could benefit from the language courses,” said Miao Marone, the Chinese language professor.
“Having some experience of the language will look great on resumes. If you have these languages skills it will be beneficial in the larger business world,” Marone said.
“This will be opening up a much wider window on the world and the bits and pieces of Chinese culture that have become embedded in American culture now,” Kanter said.
There were about 20 students in Marone’s 111 Chinese class, with about 11 of those students continuing on with Chinese 112.
“But next year we will be able to teach 111 and the first 200-level class at the same time in the fall. We will also have a four-week study abroad program in China this summer, which is a great opportunity,” Marone said.
“The 200-level course will enlarge on the basics taught in the 111 and 112 courses and the students will learn many more Chinese characters,” Marone said.
In 111, students learn greetings and numbers as well as ways to describe shopping trips and traveling. They must learn not only to speak the language but must also learn how to read the characters and the tones in the language.
“The second year will focus a lot more on pronunciation. I want the students to sound polished and familiar. Students can quickly pick it up,” Marone said.
“In China people will be very accepting of you even if you know just a little Chinese. Even a little can have a huge impact on your life. It can be very important to today’s economy,” Marone added.
Marone is the only faculty member teaching Chinese currently. She was raised in China and while working in Beijing met her husband, a Mercer physics professor, Matt Marone.
The Marones came back to the states, where Mrs. Marone was hired by Mercer to teach Chinese for the first time but let go when Mercer decided to discontinue the Chinese language courses.
This fall will be Mrs. Marone’s first year restarting at Mercer.
“I taught English in China and it always came natural to me, so when the opportunity to teach Chinese at Mercer opened up I thought it would be a good place for me,” Marone said.
“In some of my classes I speak 90 percent Chinese and all of my students can follow me easily. It is very exciting for me to see the progress in my students in such a small time,” Marone said. “There is always someone following me after class with questions and that is what makes teaching worth it.”
(03/30/11 3:00pm)
[caption id="attachment_3064" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="So You Think You Can Stroll is a fundraising event hosted by Zeta Phi Beta to raise money and awareness for March of Dimes."]
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Zeta Phi Beta will be hosting their annual “So You Think You Can Stroll” event on Thursday, April 14 at 7:20 p.m. in the Bear Rock Café to support March of Dimes. This will mark the third year that Mercer’s Omega Mu chapter of Zeta Phi Beta has put on the strolling event.
So You Think You Can Stroll gives Mercer’s sorority and fraternity members an opportunity to show off their coordination, creativity and synchronization skills by creating original strolls.
“The different organizations make strolls and compete for a trophy and bragging rights,” said Zeta Phi Beta Philanthropy Chair, Deborah Ayoade.
There is a $25 entry fee for teams. Zeta Phi Beta will be selling tickets for two dollars in advance and three dollars at the door. There are a total of 250 tickets for sale for this event.
“The first year there were not as many people as we wanted, but last year a lot of people showed up. We hope a lot more people will come this year because it is on Bear Day and no one has classes, and because the more people that come to the event the more money we can raise,” Ayoade said.
The deadline for team entry is March 31. The members of Zeta Phi Beta have recently decided to open up the event to non-Greek organizations as well.
“Previously So You Think You Can Stroll was open only to Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council groups, but this year we really wanted to open it up to other people,” Ayoade said.
“The event begins with an introduction and then we invite the teams on one at a time for their first stroll. After all the teams have finished their first stroll we have intermission, and the Zetas do a stroll and other non-Panhellenic and IFC groups are allowed to stroll,” Ayoade added.
After intermission it is time for the teams’ second round of strolls. When all teams have competed it is up to the audience to choose the winner.
“Usually people only see strolls at parties, but to see Panhellenic and IFC stroll is fun and it is really fun to see what all the different organizations bring to the table,” Ayoade said.
There are usually about four or five teams that compete. “So far there are five teams signed up. We would love for all the Greek organizations to participate but we know there are time constraints and everyone has a lot of stuff going on,” Ayoade said.
The event lasts between an hour and an hour and a half depending on the number of teams and the length of the routines.
“We try not to keep people there for a long time while still trying to give them a good show,” Ayoade said.
While the stroll-off offers the Greek system a chance to strut their stuff, that is not the only reason Mercer students attend the event.
“The event is a chance to display Greek unity, but it also promotes awareness and raises funds for March of Dimes,” Ayoade said.
The mission of March of Dimes is to help mothers have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies, boasted the March of Dimes website.
The March of Dimes also acts to share the best practices in perinatal health and help improve birth outcomes where the needs are the most urgent.
While there are currently only five active members of Zeta Phi Beta, that does not limit their dedication to the March of Dimes and other charities.
Zeta Phi Beta also raises funds to support the American Cancer Society among other philanthropic organizations including Goodwill and the Food Bank, as well as tutoring at Alexander II and the Boys and Girls Club of America.
However, the March of Dimes and the American Cancer Society are the sorority’s biggest philanthropies. “Buy tickets. It is going to be a great show,” Ayoade said.
(03/30/11 2:00pm)
[caption id="attachment_3108" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Captain Jason Miller is a professor of Millitary Science. He has been deployed for four times to Iraq and Afghanistan."]
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Captain Jason Miller, a professor and chair of the Military Science department, gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “Coming Home.”
Florida born but Georgia bred, Miller considers himself a native Georgian after moving to Douglasville when he was in the second grade.
After graduating from Douglas County High School, Miller chose to attend Mercer for his undergraduate studies.
Miller graduated from Mercer in 2002 with a degree in history. He was commissioned into the Army as a Second Lieutenant after going through Mercer’s ROTC program.
Currently Miller has served in the Army for nine years and has been deployed four times.
After serving three tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan as platoon and company commander, Miller was able to have the opportunity to come back to his alma mater and teach for the Military Science Department.
“I was lucky to be in a time frame where Mercer had an opening in the Military Science Department and I got to come back and teach at the school that I graduated from,” Miller said.
“As a cadet here I found that teaching was something I wanted to do, and I did a good job at it. My favorite part was teaching my lieutenants as a captain,” Miller said.
Miller knew that after his service he had a lot to teach the cadets at Mercer. “They are going into the Army, and the best way to prepare them for Army duty is to come to a school and teach them where they start,” Miller said.
Miller teaches Military Science 401 and 402, mostly to seniors. “Up to their junior year the ROTC program focuses on tactics, but as seniors the program focuses on officership,” Miller said.
“We want them to have a mindset of ‘here is what is wrong and this is how we fix it.’ We want them to have that mindset and that is what my classes focus on and teach,” Miller said.
As the head of the department Miller tries to emphasize the importance of branching out and getting close with the other faculty and departments.
“My students only spend a small portion of their time with me. They spend most of their time with their other professors. Being a cadet is hard and we need to help them by showing them that school is the most important thing,” Miller said.
“I want to place a higher priority on academics. Our cadets need to maintain a minimum of a 2.0 GPA to keep their scholarships, but that is not enough. That is a pretty low score,” Miller added.
Miller wants to stress that the most important thing his cadets will get out of college is their degree. “That degree will open the door to other opportunities down the road like post-military opportunities or graduate school,” Miller said.
As a commanding officer, Miller wants himself and the other Military Science officers to be more of coaches and mentors to the cadets.
“At times, we present them with a lot of information that they can’t just grasp like a checklist. We are very experience-based and so we take a mentor role, not just with ROTC but with their other classes as well,” Miller said.
“We want to make sure that they go to class and have a happy home life. We like to be very involved in all aspects of their life and that is sometimes hard, but I want them to know they can come to me with anything,” Miller said.
Miller strives to implement his knowledge and experiences into his students’ experiences. “That is hard to do, but ideally they will graduate with a level of maturity that they will need for their career choice,” Miller said.
“The cadets are asked to do more than the average person. At 23, I was leading 20 people to war, so we have to get them prepared,” Miller said.
Miller tries to teach his students to be mentally and physically tough. He also emphasizes that his students need to have a winning mentality.
“In the Army you cannot accept defeat. You have to have a competitive drive to be the best,” Miller said.
Miller’s proudest moment will be when he and the other Military Science officers commission the senior students before their graduation in May.
(03/16/11 8:01pm)
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Chad Sliger, Madelyn Fuchs, Tory Johnson, Kyle Shook, Marcella Murray, Ethan Thompson in Six Characters in Search of an Author"][/caption]
The Mercer Players performed Luigi Pirandello’s “Six Characters in Search of An Author” forthe spring 2011 play. The show ran February 17 through the 27 at the Backdoor Theater.
Pirandello may have been the first playwright to capture the true essence of a dysfunctionalfamily in his work but the Players were able to hold their own in their rendition of the soapopera-esque play.
From the angsty Son who was sent away to the country by his father, to the Stepdaughter whoworks as a prostitute and may or may not have slept with her Stepfather, to the youngest childwho drowns while playing in the fountain. Throw in a suicide and the play is ripe with tragedy.
However the play was much more than the sad tale of a dysfunctional family. It was a satiricaltragicomedy that revolved around the characters of an author’s unfinished play.
Because the play had not been finished the characters have no choice but to act out the writtenparts of the play over and over again.
They are trapped in the moments of the play, unchanging, and have no reality outside their own narrative.
They roam around to try and find an author who will finish writing their play so the characterscan finally act out an ending.
It is this roaming that leads them into a modern day rehearsal for a play by the New York Acting Company.
While the play, much like Inception, is difficult to understand the first time around, the MercerPlayers did a great job in keeping up with Pirandello’s eccentric play.
“It is a difficult play to understand but that is because it is one of the first theater of the absurdpieces and it was written in 1921 in Italian and had to be translated,” said Scott Mann, the play’s director. While it was hard to figure out at times the play was anything but boring. I was surprised when the acting began before the doors of the Backdoor Theater were closed.The actors walked around through an unfinished set and gave off the impression that they weregoing about with their daily lives.
Everyone on stage froze as the House Manager Isaac Callahan took center stage to explain thatthe set was for a modern day play that was in rehearsal by the actors of the New York ActingCompany who were frozen in place around him. As the lights dimmed and Isaac left the stage, life began again as normal for the actors until sixstrange people arrived interrupting the rehearsal.
The people explained they were characters in search for an author to finish their drama, and sothe true conflict began.
The Stepdaughter, played by Tory Johnson and the Father, played by Kyle Shook, had a majorityof the characters lines and told a tragic tale of a family broken and in distress.
They pleaded for the director to finish their play while the other actors stared in disgust as theybecame bored with the charade.
Johnson commanded the stage, speaking with anger and contempt for her Stepfather as she triedto tell her tragic story.
Shook played a stoic man who seemed like he had enough patience for a madhouse while theSon, played by Chad Sliger, sat in a corner amusingly leaning against a wall with a look of halfboredom half disgust.
Marcella Murray acted a wounded helpless mother perfectly. Crying her lines with as muchstrength as she could muster before collapsing back into her chair, truly telling the audience her pain. Jim Sisson played the part of the director in such a way that the audience could not help butbecome as excited as he was about becoming the new author of the character’s drama. While the play progressed the actors had few lines but they made the audience completely awarethat they were not happy with quip one liners and outrageous faces.
As the play wound down to the final scenes it was revealed that the youngest daughter, played byMeredith Fuchs, would drown in a fountain and her brother would commit suicide after he wasunable to save her. The tragic ending played itself out to the dismay of the Director and the actors who both decidedthat the Characters belong in an asylum and not on the stage.
The Director’s final line of “I’ve wasted a whole day on these people,” fell as the lights fadedand the Characters were seen raising their arms in unison as the stage went dark. Applause resounded throughout the small space as the actors all came out together on stage. While the play was difficult to comprehend, it surely was not dull and truly made your heartbleed for the characters. Bravo Mercer Players for a job well done.
(03/16/11 4:55pm)
[caption id="attachment_2466" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mercer's chapter of Up 'til Dawn will reward those who participated in the letter writing campaign this fall with a carnival on April 8 in the Connell Student Center. "]
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Up ‘til Dawn will be hosting Carnival for a Cure on April 8, 2011, both inside and outside the Connell Student Center. Up ‘til Dawn is Mercer’s student-led, student-run, campus-wide philanthropy that benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The carnival is the philanthropy’s spring finale event that seeks to recognize both student participation and to spread awareness for the cause.
Every fall Up ‘til Dawn hosts its main fundraising event, the Letter Writing Campaign. Mercer students are invited to write letters encouraging donations for St. Jude. The 2010 fall semester Letter Writing Campaign took place on Nov. 15 from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. in Bear Rock Café.
Students were encouraged to bring addresses of friends and family to send written letters asking the individuals to support the children’s hospital with either monetary donations or awareness, said Co-Executive Director Nikki Lunceford.
Each participant is encouraged to write 50 letters for the cause. While that may seem like a lot, the organization’s Facebook page lists what these letters can accomplish for St. Jude.
Only 35 letters cover the cost of 20 platelet count tests, 50 letters cover the cost of three hours of physical therapy and 100 letters cover the cost of one full day of outpatient care.
With the total estimated daily cost to run the hospital at $1.5 million, St. Jude needs as many letters as possible. Last fall students exceeded expectations by writing 4,335 letters.
While all the letters support St. Jude in some way, students will not know how much money this year’s efforts were able to raise for the charity until the spring finale event in
April.
Although Carnival for a Cure will serve as a time to announce the total profits raised, that is not the only reason Up ‘til Dawn hosts it.
“The carnival is for awareness and reward. It is an event for the students’ work in the fall. We are trying to encourage people who wrote letters by giving them an incentive to write again,” Lunceford said.
But do not worry; students did not have to participate in the Letter Writing Campaign to attend the spring carnival.
“We are hoping a lot of people will be at the finale so that we can increase our student participation in the fall by making more students aware of the philanthropy now,” Lunceford said.
There will be carnival-themed food, like cotton candy and popcorn, and games.
“We hopefully will have a craft table set up so that students can make crafts for some of the patients at St. Jude,” Lunceford said.
Students who wrote the designated amount of letters will also receive their T-shirts at the carnival, but the T-shirt is just an added prize for participants.
The true prize is knowing that every letter written has helped a child in some way. “Even if the individual doesn’t donate they can still be a referral for someone else and can help save someone’s life,” Lunceford said.
“St. Jude is such a good cause because any child who needs special treatment gets their treatment for free, no matter their financial background. It is a really hopeful environment and it is a great research hospital,” Lunceford said.
“What we need to realize is that because it is cancer it can affect all of us, and St. Jude is really working to make a difference for no profit. They are truly dedicated to eradicating childhood cancers,” Lunceford said.
(03/16/11 12:01pm)
Brittany Dant
The Mac-Town Breakers is Mercer’s official break dance club and is open to all Mercer students, as well as the Macon community.
Mac-Town Breakers became a university-sanctioned club on Feb. 21, 2007, and they received their first Bear Grant on March 29 of the same year.
Although the Breakers are one of the newer organizations on campus, they seek to expand student knowledge and interest in the culture that surrounds break dancing.
The club’s Facebook page boasts that Mac-Town Breakers was created for “Bboys & Bgirls alike.” The student organization is for “all those interested in the art of breakdance and the culture that surrounds it.”
The Breakers study the art of break dancing in practice and in observation. Break dance is a street dance style that started as part of the hip-hop movement of the 1970s in the South Bronx, Manhattan and New York City.
Christina Nguyen, co-president of the Breakers, said there are currently a range of five to 10 students committed to the organization.
While it is one of the smaller clubs on campus, the Breakers make their presence known. In the past, they have held practice outside the Academic Resource Center so other students could see the power of break dancing.
Presently, the Breakers hold practice in the aerobics classroom located on the bottom floor of the University Center Gym across from the Intramural Courts. Nguyen said, “Practice is on Sunday from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Wednesday nights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., but you do not have to have a background in break dancing to attend the meetings.”
There are four basic elements that form the foundations of break dancing: toprock, downrock or footwork, power moves and freezes. They sound difficult, but Nguyen explained they are not.
Nguyen said, “We usually start off with the fundamentals. Then the students can experiment with those fundamentals that we give them. If they want something they have seen somewhere else we can try to teach it to them.”
“We mostly try and teach that break dancing is not as complicated as it looks. You can build on the fundamentals we give you and you can do variations of the fundamentals that help with more advanced moves,” she said.
While the club is instructional, the members are concerned with students having fun.
Although the Breakers are a break dancing club, they do not have a set crew.“We do not compete against other crews, but we do go to jams so we can check out the scenes,” Nguyen said.
One such event is Breaklanta in Atlanta, which is one of the major annual hip-hop and break dancing events in the Southeast. The Breakers have also traveled to jams in Gwinnet County.
Nguyen has been interested in break dancing for a while, but she started dancing her junior year of high school.
“I did not want to start with break dancing right off and I realized no one could teach me, so I started with hip-hop. But then I came to Mercer and found the Mac-Town Breakers,” Nguyen said.
“The Breakers really help with breaking out of your shell. I am mostly shy, but with break dance you can express yourself. It is hard but with practice you can get better at it,” she said.
Anyone interested in more information about the club can visit studentafffairs.mercer.edu/campuslife/studentorgs or visit a practice in the University Center.
(02/24/11 1:00am)
[gallery]
Sidewalk chalk drawings beckon you up the concrete pathway that leads to the pink house of Mercer students Dani Ansley, Kyle Shook and Lauren Lunsford.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” Lunsford said as she opened the door to her gorgeous home.
The fun and playful vibe of the outside of the house increases as you enter the home. The sky-blue hallway that houses the doors to the bedrooms also leads back to the family room and kitchen.
The three-bedroom house fits all three Mercer students and Martha, the house cat, quite nicely within its spacious rooms and high ceilings.
Three comfy couches adorn the living room which, combined with the antique fireplace and the huge windows, give the room an open and homey feel—a feeling that is only amplified when I notice Martha looking right at home as she takes a nap on top of the DVD player.
Although the home is 130 years old, the age barely shows throughout the house. “There were renovations done right before we moved in last year,” Lunsford explained.
The renovations are the not the only nice feature that attracted the bunch to the house. It is also less than half a mile from Mercer’s campus.
“It takes me four minutes to get to the music building, which is prime,” Lunsford said. Shook also agreed that the house was within walking distance to his classes.
While explaining the perks of the home, Lunsford and Shook did let it slip that sometimes they were graced with another roommate.
“Actually, we are pretty sure the house is haunted. There was someone murdered here about 20 years ago,” said Lunsford.
“Weird things happen and we hear weird sounds sometimes,” Shook said.
“When my brother lived here last he actually saw some figures in the house,” Lunsford said. There have been many a Mercer Players party where strange knocking has been heard on the walls, Shook said.
“Stuff just happens that we know is not normal,” Shook said.
“That is why I would never live alone, at least here anyway,” Lunsford added.
Even though the house seems to be haunted all three roommates agreed it is wonderful living off campus.
“There are no fire drills and it is nice to be able to have friends over. The kitchen is great and there is no fighting for parking unless you go on campus. At 1 a.m. you don’t have to park at MerPo and walk,” Shook said.
“There are so many good things about not living on campus,” Ansley said. “Not having to worry about R.A.s sayings I’m too loud is nice. And I can play my games and have friends stay over without having to worry about getting in trouble.”
While there was some debate about the best feature of the house, all three roommates agreed that its size was the best part.
“It is so big and spacious,” Ansley said. “Even the hallway is huge. It’s really nice.”
“The high ceilings and the windows are great. On a clear day they let in lots of light,” Shook added.
But as with any house there are some things that bother the roommates.
“The roaches and mice. That is the only problem I have with the house. I don’t see them much right now so hopefully they won’t start coming in again,” Ansley said.
The weird noises that come with the house were Shook’s only complaint. “Sometimes you will be walking down the hall and you hear a creak,” shuddered Shook.
However, the cons do not seem to outweigh the pros to Lunsford, Shook and Ansley.
(02/23/11 9:00pm)
Global Health Studies is the newest addition to Mercer’s academic curriculum. Founded in 2010, this is only the second semester that Global Health has been available to Mercer students.
Because this is the first year of the program there are fewer than five declared Global Health majors, but the small size does not deter the faculty or students.
Global Health Chair Mary Kot said, “There are multiple applications for people interested in the program for next school year, but there is also a challenge because many high school students do not know what Global Health is and might not know they are interested until they take an introductory course.”
As for upperclassmen, the program and its advisers will work with students interested in Global Health to make it possible to join the program.
“For several years there was a discussion about adding a minor or a major in Global Health. Last year we asked the curriculum committee about adding a separate degree for undergraduates in Global Health,” Kot said.
The concentration addresses the health of global populations and communities through instruction, service and community-based research. The concentration introduces students to research methods as applied to public health while defining the role of health care issues and policy as they relate to international relations. It draws on fields such as international affairs, law and the natural and social sciences.
The major also requires that students participate in a Mercer on Mission trip.
By giving students the methods and skills needed to understand issues dealing with global health, the concentration opens students up to numerous career opportunities.
“The possibilities are endless. You can work in the field, enter organizations based in cities and work with those organizations on projects to help different countries,” said Monika Sawhney, professor of GH studies. Currently, Sawhney is the only professor teaching in the concentration.
“They will have the knowledge to work with United Nations or any program under the UN umbrella. They can find jobs with the CDC, with international health divisions, and they can use their experience to work globally through a program like the Peace Corps or the Clinton Global Initiative,” Sawhney said.
Kot said, “We planned out the curriculum so that students could leave after graduating and find a job. They can find work in hospitals, the World Health Organization or other related places. They can also go on to graduate school.”
Global Health majors are prepared for graduate education in law, business, engineering and public health.
While students in the GH concentration can go the medical school, Kot explained that the program is not intended for pre-med students but as an alternative to medical school.
“It is a degree for students who do not or cannot go to medical school, but still want a health- related degree so they can still help a lot of people,” Kot said.
“Medicine is more helping people on an individual level, while Global Health seeks to help people on the population level. You work more in a group; for example, you can spend time getting a population vaccinated or starting a program for clean water,” Kot said.
“In Global Health you can see the impact of what you are doing. You can see how your work translates into saving human lives,” Sawhney said.
(02/23/11 9:00pm)
Phi Eta Sigma is Mercer’s only national honor society open to freshmen, but members gain more than just academic recognition.
“Phi Eta Sigma seeks to promote and acknowledge a higher standard of learning in freshmen,” said PES president Katie Bailey. “But it also provides community service projects, opportunities for scholarship and opportunities for leadership.”
Phi Eta Sigma is the oldest scholarship honor society for first-year students. It was established at the University of Illinois in 1925. Mercer’s chapter was founded in 1932 and is the 32nd national chapter.
Each spring, Mercer freshmen with a 3.5 grade point average or higher are offered a chance to be inducted into PES.
Membership is an honor conferred on those who, at the beginning of their college careers, give promise of continued excellence in scholarship.
“Being a member is a way of saying, ‘I have had a good first year.’ It is a way of validating and recognizing academic excellence and it is exciting to see freshmen who have come out with a 3.5,” said PES faculty adviser Tony Kemp.
Students can only be inducted based on their freshmen-year academic performance. However, this one-time chance for induction does not limit the number of students who are eligible for membership in the society.
“We look at between 250 to 300 students who will be in the club on campus at any given time,” Kemp said.
With numbers like that PES could be one of the largest clubs on campus, but not all members are active members.
“Some students just induct to be able to be able to put it on a resume and that’s it. But we understand if you can’t do it. We’re still glad to have you,” Kemp said.
Other members induct not only for the chance to put the society on a resume, but to be an active member of the group.
“We are having anywhere from 30 to 50 people come to the meetings every month, but even still there might only be 15 to 20 active members per year,” said Bailey. “That’s because you do not just have to come to the 20-minute meetings; you need to do more than that to have enough points to be an active member.”
While outside opportunities are needed for students to rack up enough points to stay active, finding enough opportunities has been a challenge in recent years.
“As president, I am trying to get more opportunities because as a member, I felt like there were not enough offered and it was frustrating when you want to be active, but cannot because there are not enough chances for points,” Bailey added.
During the 2010-2011 school year, PES has tutored at local schools as well as providing help during the SHAPE Carnival and Harvest Fest. The society has also helped the community by providing volunteers for Mercer Habitat.
But community service is not all that PES offers students. PES members are also eligible for scholarships of up to $10,000 from the national Phi Eta Sigma Founders Fund.
(02/09/11 3:36pm)
[caption id="attachment_562" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="(Brittany Dant / Cluster Staff) Mercer Wrestling ultimately fell to Marian Military Institute, but had a strong showing at the Duals in Dalton, Georgia."]
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Mercer slipped through the first round of the championships on a bye but knew that their third round match against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology would be the toughest.
“They were a good team,” said Andres. “We needed to wrestle our best.”
The Bears were able to beat the number-eight-seeded MIT 33 to 23 in their first match of the tournament. While the first two individual matches went to the Engineers, the Bears went on a winning streak to win six of their next eight individual matches and boosting their team score to 33.
There was question as to whether Mercer could pull it out in the middle of the match but Andres kept a cool head about the situation. The Bears watched as MIT’s head coach was given a technical violation for unsportsmanlike conduct, losing one team point for MIT.
“Their coach just gave up one team point and he possibly just lost the match for his team,” said junior Kyle Eastis. “The best they could hope to do is tie us at 30 but they would have had to win every match after that.”
The Engineers won only one of their last individual matches, leaving Mercer to face the 2010 National Champions, Marion Military Institute, in round four Saturday morning. Nick Wright started off the round strong for the Bears, pinning his opponent less than two minutes into the first period. Derek Wojcik and Charlie Farr both fought hard for their victories in their individual matches. Wojcik won his match by one point and Farr won five to two. A forfeit to Albert Sykes in the 285-pound weight class boosted the Bears' team score to 18. However, MMI would go on to win the match 35 to 18.
“Marion was the first team dual that we have lost this season,” Eastis said. “Our streak was broken by the national champions,” he added.
The loss against MMI kept Mercer out of the top five teams in the nation but the Bears were not distracted by the loss. They would wrestle 18th-seeded University of Cincinnati in the sixth round.
Eastis started off the match with a win for Mercer and Wesley Adams and Arturo Holmes followed suit, both pinning their opponents in the first period. Wojcik also won his match, which helped Mercer beat Cincinnati 35 to 21 and advance to round seven of the tournament.
After a brief break, Mercer took on the 11th-seeded Georgia Southern wrestling team. The Bears stayed strong in their match up against Southern with Wright and Adams again winning the first two matches by pinning their opponents early on. Holmes had a big win for Mercer with a score of 20 to five, making his match a major decision. The Bears won three out of the seven remaining individual matches which gave them the lead over Southern. The Bears finished the seventh round with a 35-to-21 victory over Southern and advanced to the finals round of the tournament.
Mercer faced a familiar opponent in the finals round where they again came up against MIT. Although the Bears had won against MIT the night before, Andres made sure that his team did not get cocky going into the finals.
“We have a chance to face MIT here again,” Andres said. “I know some of our boys want a rematch,” he added prior to the match.
Holmes won his individual match by a final score of 25 to 11 with over six takedowns, making it the highest scoring individual match for Mercer in the last round.
Michael Green and Hunter Allen both won their matches by forfeit while Wojcik pinned his opponent for another win for the Bears. Michael Myers also helped boost the Bears’ overall team score with his individual match. Myers’ win left Mercer up 28 to 14 over MIT. Approaching the last two matches of the round Mercer had a comfortable 10-point lead over MIT.
“At this point we had won,” Andres said. “Even if Farr gets pinned it will only boost MIT up to 24 points,” the head coach added.
Farr was not pinned in his individual match but went on to pin his opponent for another win for Mercer. The finals round concluded with a forfeit for MIT in the heavyweight division, leaving Bert Sykes the win.
Mercer was able to beat MIT by 12 more team points in round three, making the final score 40 to 18.
Mercer was able to finish the National Duals ninth out of the 20 schools that made it to the prestigious tournament, placing them within the top 10 wrestling teams in the nation.
(02/06/11 1:18am)
Sociology majors graduate from Mercer not only with a sociology degree, but also with a better understanding of the social world.
“Sociology is the study of human behavior and groups while providing for an understanding of how institutions and societies work,” said Fletcher Winston, professor of sociology.
The major provides the foundation for advanced study and careers in sociology and social work while offering students additional choices for a major or minor in criminal justice and anthropology, which are also housed within the sociology department.
“Sociology is not a large major in terms of credit hours,” Winston said, “so it allows students to pick up a second major if they want.”
Students who choose to major in sociology will find that they have numerous opportunities for future jobs and schooling.
“A sociology major helps with a variety of different graduate school plans and provides a good foundation for graduate schools,” Winston said.
Winston said that job opportunities are extremely branched out. The only job title that actually has “sociology” in the name is a sociologist.
“You can find jobs in social work, public health, government and nonprofit jobs. Sociology also gives you a good foundation for medical school, law school and graduate school,” Winston said.
“The degree gives you an understanding and the research skills that help with a variety of skills that employers look for,” Winston said.
The department is not the biggest at Mercer—Winston described it as “medium to medium small.”
“There are about 25 majors at the moment, but it is also a popular minor because the minor complements other coursework,” Winston said.
Elizabeth Houser, a junior sociology major, is one of the students who appreciates the major’s diversity and flexibility. “I did not know what sociology was coming into Mercer. It was really surprising,” Houser said.
“Initially, I was not interested in sociology,” said Houser. “I was pre-PA and I took a sociology class for my general education requirement and it really connected.”
“Sociology is intertwined with the world outside of what we know. It studies people’s actions and behaviors. I like analyzing things so that drove me into it too,” Houser said.
Houser hopes to attend graduate school for sociology in North Carolina and use her degree to become a sociology professor. “I like the research aspect of it so I want to help people develop their own research,” Houser said.
She said that sociology is a demanding major but she appreciates the professors’ dedication.
“The sociology department is good at challenging your strengths and weaknesses. There is never a day where you can just breeze through class,” Houser said. “People may assume that classes are easy but they test boundaries in terms of what you believe about the world and your academic capabilities.”
While sociology tests academic capabilities as well as societal world views, Houser does not believe that those facts intimidate students.“You have to be willing to put in the effort,” said Houser. “But I don’t think that it keeps people away from being a major.”
Sociology connects well with other majors. Houser said her advice to potential sociology students would be to take on another major.
“Sociology helps you to emphasize what you are already doing and it complements other majors well by giving you more structure when you go out into the real world,” Houser said.
(02/01/11 2:53am)
President William D. Underwood announced on Jan. 11 that a $1.5 million donation from an anonymous source will benefit Mercer University’s School of Medicine.
The $1.5 million gift was given to the university to fund an endowed chair in the School of Medicine to honor Dr. Rufus C. Harris, Mercer’s 16th president.
Harris started his presidency on Nov. 6, 1959. He also served as both a professor and Dean of Mercer’s Law School from 1923 to 1927.
Harris’ career as president lasted from 1960 to 1979. It was in the later years of his presidency that planning for the medical school began.
“This planning lead to the successful founding of the Mercer School of Medicine under the leadership of Mercer’s 17th president, Dr. R. Kirby Godsey,” Underwood said.
“Recognizing Harris in this way is especially appropriate given that it was during his tenure as president that planning began toward launching a medical school committed to improving rural health,” Underwood said.
Underwood also announced that the donation would be used to found the Rufus C. Harris Endowed Chair in Rural Health and Health Disparities.
This will enable the School of Medicine to recruit a national leader in rural health to direct the Center for Rural Health and Health Disparities.
“The Chair will work within the administrative structure of the School of Medicine to develop faculty member partners with interest and expertise to establish an agenda for the center’s work,” said Dr. William Bina, Dean of the School of Medicine.
The CRHHD was established in the Medical School’s Department of Community Medicine in 2008 with a mission to improve the health and well-being of rural and undeserved communities in Georgia and the Southeast through interdisciplinary research and collaboration.
“This new center will be able to study all the factors related to rural health and health disparities, including incentives for physicians and other health professionals to start up a practice and maintain it in the community over time,” Bina said.
“Beneficiaries will principally include the citizens of Georgia, students and participating faculty members,” Bina said.
“The professor will focus their efforts on improving rural health care and the disparities that many in rural and medically underserved areas of Georgia face on a daily basis,” John Patterson said, who is involved with securing charitable financial support for the university.
“Proceeds from the endowment will be used in part to pay the salary of the faculty member recruited into this new Chair position,” Bina said.
“Part of the reason given for the donation was that the responsible party had been a long-time admirer of former President Rufus Harris and has wanted to see a significant tribute to his legacy at Mercer,” Patterson said.
“Since much of the planning for the medical school occurred during his administration, it was thought that the medical school would be an appropriate location for this endowed academic position,” Patterson said.
Patterson also said that the gift was not entirely a surprise for the university and the School of Medicine.
“The source had indicated their intent to honor Dr. Harris and this was their way to fulfill that desire. It was their intent to place this gift at the Medical School,” Patterson said.
While it was not released how the donor made contact with the university, Patterson said that gifts of this magnitude were not common.
“The university has received seven-figure gifts before, but this would be one of the larger anonymous gifts received in the university’s history,” Patterson said.