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(02/06/14 9:25pm)
In 1833, Jesse Mercer founded Mercer University. In addition to Jesse Mercer, there are many founders who helped to establish the reputation and establishment that is now Mercer University.
Founders’ Day celebrates the work of Jesse Mercer as well as the other founders who helped bring Mercer to its success.
“This celebration is important because it gives us the opportunity to reflect on our progress as an institution in moving towards a more just and tolerant society. It allows us to think about how things were and how things are. Finally, it gives us a chance to celebrate the ideals and principles by which we live as Mercerian’s,” said Student Government Association president, Raymond Partolan.
“[Founders’ Day] is a day that all of Mercer University comes together to celebrate the existence of the glue that truly unites all of us--the Mercerian Spirit,” said sophomore senator Victoria Conley, chair of SGA’s Heritage Life Committee.
Each of the keynote speakers invited to present at Founders’ Day offers insight into their time at Mercer and how Mercer has influence them in their lives after graduation.
“The tradition first began in 1891, as a celebration centered [around] Jesse Mercer’s Birthday. It continued on as a significant annual event at Mercer for the next 50 years, ranging from political rallies attended by state governors to all-day historic celebrations,” said Conely.
The tradition of Founders’ Day began to fade out in the 1960s and it was not until the 1990s that SGA took over the event where it became what it is today.
“By the end of the 1960s, though, the tradition waned. SGA revived Founders’ Day in the mid-1990s, after realizing, once again, the significant impact Mercer has upon each student,” said Conley.
SGA sponsors Founders’ Day.
This year’s keynote speaker is Robert Hurt, who at his time at Mercer was “The Cluster’s” editor-in-chief. Hurt is now a principal at a prominent government marketing and lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.
Hurt’s speech is titled “Desegregation: The Campus Radicals who Saved Mercer’s Soul.” Hurt’s speech relates to Mercer’s 50th anniversary of desegregation.
With the help of Mercer president William Underwood, SGA and the Heritage Life Committee chose Robert Hurt because of his work with The Cluster and his work covering Mercer’s voluntary integration in 1963.
“Bob Hurt was here when Mercer was integrated, so he witnessed all the changes and responses to this decision. In fact, he wrote about many of the reactions as editor of The Cluster,” said Conley. “He took time to meet with me and other senators last semester to discuss how campus has changed over the years and whether or not race is still an issue on Mercer’s campus.”
Hurt has worked as a staff member in both the the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. Hurt helped to establish Hurt, Norton and Associates Inc. in Washington D.C. where the company works with legislative affairs, government marketing and defense community representation.
“As someone who was physically there at the time such a vital piece of Mercer’s history was occurring, we believed he would provide valuable input into how far we’ve come as an institution and how far we have left to go,” said Partolan.
“They have walked the paths and sat in the same classrooms where we sit today,” said Conely.
After serving as The Cluster’s editor while at Mercer, Hurt was a reporter for The Atlanta Constitution. During the Vietnam War, Hurt was called to service for two years as a Green Beret.
Founders’ Day presents an opportunity for Mercer students to learn from prominent alumni from the previous years.
“One day, we will be alumni ourselves. To reflect on the achievements of Mercer alumni during and after their time at Mercer allows us to explore what is possible after graduating with a Mercer degree,” said Partolan.
(01/22/14 9:00pm)
Senior Rob Kelly represented Mercer University’s intramural program when he was chosen to officiate the National Flag Football Championship.
NIRSA (National Intramural Recreational Sports Association) organized the championship tournament where Kelly was named an All-American official for flag football.
“Being an All-American official means that Rob was selected as one of the top 16 flag football officials in the country in the 2013-14 season. It’s the highest honor an undergraduate flag football official can receive,” said Mercer’s Assistant Director of Recreational Sports & Wellness, Todd Thomas.
Choosing to officiate a game rather than taking part as a player allows Kelly to gain a sense of control over the game. “You’re always in charge of the game. I enjoy preparing for the games and getting ready to be prepared for various crazy plays and situations that come up,” said Kelly.
The role of a sports official is to dictate the game and manage any chaos or confusion going on within the game.
“We’re ultimately out there serving the players, but at the same time it’s a personal challenge, and it’s rewarding personally to know that you’ve gotten a certain play right or a certain rule right,” said Kelly.
Kelly got his start as an official with his local youth soccer team. “A lot of kids who grow up playing soccer find that there’s opportunities to earn a little money by working for the local youth soccer organizations,” said Kelly.
Kelly began officiating at Mercer during his freshman year. “At Mercer, for intramurals, I have officiated all five of our major sports, which are soccer, flag football, volleyball, basketball and softball,” said Kelly.
Kelly experienced difficulty in gaining the respect that is needed to be a successful official due to his young age and small stature as a freshman.
“You come in, especially when you’re a freshman, and all the players are either your age or older, which is the first time you’ve had to deal with that. You’ve almost exclusively worked with younger players so they’ve been relatively easy to control,” said Kelly.
Kelly now works with training other young officials for Mercer’s intramurals. He shared that he understands the challenges in the beginning and enjoys helping new officials work through them.
“When you start off, it’s hard,” said Kelly. “You’re not familiar with the rules, you’re not familiar with the players, and players in general are just difficult to work with.”
“I think there’s two ways to go from that initial start- ing point of ‘Man, this is hard,’” said Kelly. “You can either say ‘Well, I want to figure out why I’m getting things wrong, why I’m confused, why this is difficult for me’ or you can just say ‘This is really hard, I’ll just get through it and be done.’”
Achievements, such as being named an All-American official, are some of the goals and benefits in the field of officiating, but are not the only way success can be measured.
“That’s nice, but obviously those [achievements] are rare. To maintain a successful intramural pro- gram, you have to have a good solid crop of people that know how to handle themselves professionally.”
When someone such as Kelly goes to National tournaments, he represents Mercer among bigger name schools, many of which have never heard of Mercer University.
“It’s a big deal for Mercer, because it puts our pro- gram on a national stage. If you look at the schools that the All-American officials came from, they were overwhelmingly from large public institutions,” said Thomas. “For a school like Mercer, this helps show that our officiating programs are just as strong.”
Kelly is happy with his achievements in flag football officiating, but he would like to see himself develop in other areas such as in officiating basketball on the national level.
“It’s great to have achieved success in flag football. That doesn’t really matter when trying to go forward in basketball,” said Kelly. “The next goal for me is to just get to the National tournament [for basketball]. Who knows? You can’t say it won’t happen.”
Kelly believes himself to have been successful in his officiating work at Mercer and hopes to continue his career into graduate school and possibly remain in the field of intramurals after he completes college.
“A lot of schools, including Mercer, will hire somebody who has achieved pretty good success as an undergraduate. [The school] will pay for their schooling, give them some type of stipend, and you’ll work almost as a young professional within an intramural program,” said Kelly.
After finishing his senior year, Kelly hopes to go on and continue his career in intramurals. “I’d like to become a graduate assistant in the field of intramural sports,” said Kelly.
(11/10/13 3:35am)
On Saturday, Oct. 26, students from all the Great Books classes were able to come together in the spirit of competition in Mercer University’s second annual Great Books Games. Classes became teams that competed in competitions that included a chariot race, a foot race, a rock throw, a banner contest and an “Epic Minute” where teams had one minute to reenact either “The Iliad” or “The Odyssey” by Homer.
Each team chose a Greek god or goddess to represent their team while they competed. “My group was represented by the Goddess Persephone. We selected her because our team was comprised of mostly girls and we thought a strong wom[a]n would represent us well in the games,” shares participant Caroline Hardison.
Dr. Kevin Drace and Dr. Kathryn Kloepper are the professors who organized the Games, and based the event around a series of competitive games featured in “The Iliad”. “Dr. Kevin Drace and I took our initial inspiration from ‘The Iliad’. In the text, there is a detailed description of funeral games. In the book, warriors took part in such events as a foot race and a chariot race. For the Great Books Games, these became a three-legged race and a ‘chair’-iot race—where one student sat in a chair and was carried in the chair by two other teammates. As part of the course, they had to complete certain obstacles like arrow shooting and balloon popping. In ‘The Iliad’, there are many descriptions of warrior smashing things—and often one another—with rocks, so of course we had ‘Rock Throwing’ as an event (with a bean bag chair in place of actual rocks),” explains Kloepper.
Hardison shares that “The [G]ames provide a good creative outlet that not many other programs have… I think students should participate because [the Great Book Games] [are] a great way to learn even more about Greek Mythology and actually put what you are learning about in class to good use. Each time I have attended the games I have had a great time. Plus, the Great Books teachers always provide super yummy food after the competition is over.” Students who participated in the games were able to indulge in traditional Greek style cuisine after the conclusions of the competitions.
“Students should participate in the Games because it gives them a chance to meet other students and faculty in the program, and it is a fun way to celebrate the material from the course readings and classroom discussions,” says Drace. All Great Books students are invited to participate; in future years, the Games hope to add an alumni team composed of former Great Books students.
The event serves as a way for students to connect with other students who are part of the Great Books curriculum as well as serving as an opportunity to meet and connect with Great Books professors. “Faculty teaching GBK courses this fall helped open the Games with an invocation of the Muse, in keeping with the tradition of epics like ‘The Iliad’ and ‘The Odyssey’. These same faculty also helped cheer on their students. Other Great Books faculty were on hand to support our teams and judge events like ‘Team Spirit’, ‘Team Banner’, and ‘Epic Minute.’ Dean Lake Lambert, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, helped open the Games and served as a judge,” says Kloepper.
The Great Books Games is a program that will be continued for years to come and serve as an academic event that allows for friendly interaction among professors and students.
(11/09/13 4:17pm)
Roasted Café and Lounge and the club The Crazy Bull will be hosting the first annual Turnip Festival on Nov. 8. According to the music blog The Blue Indian, Mid-East Peace Productions (Macon’s newest promotions and talent-buying group) has announced the complete lineup for the music festival. The festival will feature two stages and 16 bands.
(10/26/13 3:56am)
The United States was resting on pins and needles while we rode out the government shutdown. We all anxiously waited as America’s massive economy inched ever closer to its first debt default.
The first government shutdown in 17 years seemed to be nothing more than a last ditch effort by the Republicans to go against President Obama’s health care initiative. The shutdown began the night before Obamacare was supposed to become active.
House GOP leaders had been pushing a new approach to put an end to the stalemate. They had been offering to fund a few select parts of the government such as the national parks, veteran’s benefits and our capitol’s government. While this may have seemed beneficial, it unfairly put the Democrats in the hot seat by trying to force them into voting against programs that are most important to Democratic Americans.
Many Americans are, and have been, receiving government subsidies such Pell Grants, unemployment benefits, veteran’s benefits, food stamps, Medicare or Social Security. However, many of these individuals are not aware that they are reaping the benefits of government programs.
Americans are becoming less and less aware of the other key roles that government is constantly playing in our lives. The government controls and manages many aspects of our day-to-day life from anything such as the weather being communicated to us, to networking through our cell phones.
For those who are not in favor of heavy government control, it has been too easy to quickly form fantasies that we finally had a life and country with minimal government. However, in reality too many Americans are unaware of the enormous role the government has in our lives. These overlooked roles are ones that often benefit rather than just applying limitations.
Rather than focusing on the true purpose of the shutdown, to keep our country from hitting the debt ceiling, we diverted our attention to the seemingly excessive amount of money that was being deducted from our paychecks.
The government shutdown allowed Americans to have an opportunity to see what our country would be like if the government just backed out of our lives like we want. Is that what we really want though? What about all of the good our “overinvolved” government does?
The argument arose that the shutdown did not emulate the fantasy of a state without any government because of the limited time that the shutdown lasted. The government shutdown only lasted a little over two weeks, and did not give Americans a true view of how lesser interference will affect us. There was no time for an alternative to emerge and take over roles that the government plays such as welfare and Social Security.
Once we stop seething over our paycheck and look at the services that were stopped, we were able to find that an alternative does not exist. American people rely on the government for survival and for the upkeep of their everyday lives.
In this fast-paced world, where Americans are creatures of habit, it becomes too easy for us to forget why these government agencies originally came into existence. Because Americans need their government. Now that the government shutdown has come to an end, it is time that we take a step back and appreciate all that the government does for us.
(10/26/13 3:53am)
Mercer’s study abroad program is an important opportunity to enhance your college experience. The program can meet the academic and social needs for any type of student including liberal arts, education and music students.
On Oct. 10 students had the opportunity to attend a study abroad fair that allowed them to gain more insight into what their possible experiences could be like. Students that have already completed their study abroad programs had a chance to speak about their experiences and offer advice to interested students.
Mary Ireland, a student who completed the Spanish Studies Abroad program in Spain, shares “that studying abroad is something that should be a requirement for every student because not only does it expands your view of the global world but expands how you think and feel about yourself and how you approach things.”
Ireland emphasizes that she thinks taking the chance to study abroad is going to help students because “You grow in yourself and you grow in your knowledge of other cultures and wherever you go you bring that back with you and you incorporate that into your life no matter where you go.”
Prospective abroad student Sarah Ugan shares that what she finds most appealing is “the opportunity to see the beauty of other countries, to be immersed in another culture, and to learn in a new setting.”
The Study Abroad Fair was a chance for students to learn about, and gain an interest in, the programs Mercer University offers and sponsors for students in a casual setting. “I didn't have an interest in study abroad until the study abroad fair, and what piqued my interest was the beautiful pictures and exciting adventures advertised,” says Ugan.
Ugan shares that what stood out to her the most in the Study Abroad Fair was that she learned about how willing and helpful Mercer will be to help a student to study abroad. Ugan shares that she was impressed that “there were no conditions [with the program], but simply a desire that everyone should have that experience if possible.”
Cost is often a factor that could deter students from studying abroad, but freshman Aaron Scherf shares that he learned about “how streamlined Mercer has made the process of studying abroad: all foreign tuition is paid for by your normal Mercer tuition. The only extra fees associated with the trip are transportation and entertainment, which can be easily managed with a little bit of extra planning.”
Scherf shares that he is interested in studying abroad because he hopes to make a career in international business and finance. “The global economy is quickly dissolving national boundaries, and businessmen that know how to take advantage of these blending cultures have a lot to gain if they have enough experience in dealing with a variety of people. My dream job is to consult for international corporations in Europe and America, so any opportunities to add a foreign school to my résumé would be incredibly helpful, not to mention the experiences to be had spending so much time in another culture.”
“The study abroad presentation was particularly interesting to me because of the personal nature of the stories the alumni gave. Each one of them remembered their trips in the terms of the people they met, and the experiences they had with them. While they all enjoyed their classes and learned a great deal being immersed in another culture, it was the human connections that stood out the most to them,” shares Scherf.
Students wishing to learn more about study abroad programs are able to make an appointment with an advisor in the Office of International Programs located in Ryals Hall.
(10/26/13 3:43am)
According to Riverside Cemetery’s website, the function of cemeteries are constantly changing, and part of the role of a cemetery is to preserve history. During October, Riverside Cemetery is brought to life through reenactments during Spirits in October, where the lives of individuals who are buried or have ties to the cemetery are depicted through monologues.
Spirits in October is put on as a fundraiser by the Historic Riverside Cemetery Conservancy to raise money to aid in the preservation and beautification of the grounds, and upkeep of the cemetery. This year is the sixth annual tour, and the theme presented is "Lucky or Unlucky Thirteen," since this year is 2013. Each of the spirits will share a special significance they have with the number 13. During the guided tour, guests are visited by seven different groups of “spirits” that share their life stories and teach about the connection they and their families share with Macon. Spirits were chosen this year based off their connection with the number 13.
“[Choosing spirits] really is a very serendipitous process [because] things will just come out of the woodwork so to speak… We had chosen the theme ‘lucky or unlucky 13’ and I was hoping I was going to be able to find people with a 13 connection. There’s the obvious things like the 13th person buried here, and then somebody who was either born or died in 1913,” said the director of Riverside’s conservancy, Suzanne Doonan.
Doonan shares that when the nonprofit sector was started, they began to look towards other historic cemeteries for ideas to fundraise and share the history of the cemetery. Many of the cemeteries they looked at had October tours that were guided, both with and without costumed actors. Because of her theater background, Doonan decided to start a tour that included costumed actors that would share the stories of some of those buried in the cemetery.
“I knew how to playwright and be a director and actor, [so] it was easy for me to kind of put that component together. The people working in the office here [all] asked ‘Who are some people who would be interesting?’ [and] ‘Who are the people we know a lot about and could get enough information to write theatrical monologues and scenes for?’” explains Doonan.
“It’s been my goal to try and have a gender balance, an equal number of men and women, and to always have at least one African American story… There are very few African Americans buried in the cemetery because it was founded during emancipation, but I want to represent those stories for that part of our community,” says Doonan.
“I think [Spirits in October] gives [people] a sense of history and some respect for things. People are very caught up in the here and now nowadays, and I think you need to know more about what lead to where we are [today],” said Margret Anne Coswell, and actress portraying the spirit of Mary Nelson Butler.
Spirits in October is a fundraiser that plays a dual role in the community. The tour allows for money to be raised for the nonprofit sector of the cemetery, and it provides entertainment by bringing stories and genealogies back to life so that they may be remembered.
(10/14/13 12:01am)
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) affects all parts of the country both as a disease and as a stigma. AIDS became more noticeable around the time of the sexual revolution and became a full blown epidemic around the ‘80s.
According to Medical News Today, AIDS is a disease caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). The AIDS virus acts as a “Trojan Horse” by taking over a cell. Once this cell has been overcome with the virus it fuses and connects with other cells, which in turn spread the virus to other cells, explains Dr. Harold Katner.
The illness affects only humans and does so by altering the immune system. This makes people more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. Susceptibility worsens with the progression of the disease.
The virus is passed from one person to the next through bodily fluids. HIV and AIDS are incurable. There are medications that can help individuals suffering from the disease but medication is unable to completely eliminate the virus from their system and can cost up to $36,000 a year.
As the last lecture in a series of Mercer University’s First Year Friday lectures, Katner delivered the lecture “The Many Faces of AIDS.” His lecture included graphic images and true stories of AIDS patients he has treated in the Macon area.
Student Sam Strickland attended the lecture and commented that “[AIDS] is prevalent everywhere, but according to the lecture especially in the Macon community. It is a very real threat that demands our attention.”
“Bibb County has some of the highest rates in Georgia. Dublin has the highest rate in Georgia outside of Atlanta. So this is a not an uncommon infection,” shares Katner during the lecture he gave Sept. 27.
Freshman student, Sam Tarleton, explains that the “Fact is, people are having sex. We all need to be safe when we make the decision to have sex to prevent getting or spreading the disease.” Katner is helping the Macon area as well as Mercer students by helping treat the disease as well as by providing education.
Katner spoke of the stigma that is associated with HIV and AIDS. The stigma causes coping with the illness to be more difficult for people as they come to terms and manage living with HIV. The stigma also interferes with their attempts to fight HIV and AIDS. Katner described when he worked as an AIDS doctor in a hospital, and how the hospital did not like having him because of the reputation and association the hospital had for employing a doctor that dealt with such a stigmatic disease.
“Though it is a horrible disease, just because someone has it doesn't make them less than a person. So many people [create] the stigma that people infected with AIDS are dirty and gross. So many normal people have it and live with it on a daily basis,” says Tarleton.
AIDS is not just a distant threat; it is a threat that impacts the area in and around Macon.
As Katner concluded his speech, he reminded listeners “we can stop this… stop it [by] protect[ing] yourself, educate your family and friends.” Education and awareness are able to help with prevention and treatment of the disease.
(10/13/13 11:40pm)
Students in select sections of Integrative Program 101 classes engaged in the Alternative Weekend Program. The weekend lasted from a Friday night to the next Sunday morning. The Alternative Weekend Program allowed for students to engage in team building exercises with their class members, experience a poverty simulation, and take part in community service activities. The weekend was largely about community service but also focused on the bonding of the Integrative Program classes.
“Alternative weekend to me is being able to do something different and be with people I would not normally be with. It was about taking time off from the real world and just relaxing,” shares participant Huyen Bui.
Nicole Gentile shares that she thinks it is important to participate in activities such as the Alternative Weekend because it gives you the opportunity to learn more about yourself and see how much you take for granted. “I think it’s important [be]cause you learn more about the people around you. I can honestly say that I feel closer to each person in my class. You don't really know someone until you take the time to talk to them and see them as a person and this weekend really did that for me. You get to see people’s passions and dislikes. You get to see them open up to new experiences and excel at things they love to do,” says Gentile.
Maeve Dineen shared that her Integrative Program group went to a nursing home where they were able to talk and spend time with many of the residents. “It was amazing how welcoming these residents were and how eager they were to talk to us,” shares Dineen.
“We also went to Southwest High School to help them with their celebration party to honor the completion of their SAT prep course. Talking to these kids made me realize how much they valued going to college. All of the students there had large dreams and many of them could tell me with certainty what job they were going to have as an adult,” says Dineen.
The Alternative Weekend Program is a mandatory part of the Integrative Program class curriculum. “I would gladly volunteer to do it again. Alternative weekend gave me a better insight to poverty not only within the Macon community but [also] throughout the country. The poverty simulation definitely gave me a different perspective on what it was like to live below middle class. Although it may have seemed like a game initially, everyone in the room quickly realized how difficult it was to keep their family afloat. We also learned that every ‘family’ that we role-played was the real life living situation of many people within Macon,” shares Dineen.
Rebekah Coon shares that the event that stood out to her the most was sleeping under the stars with just a sleeping bag. “Homeless people or those living in poverty more than likely do not have the luxury of having mattresses and mattress toppers. We slept on the ground in a sleeping bag, which was miserable. It was also very cold [and] our sleeping bags were soaked from the dew,” says Coon.
The weekend allowed for students to learn about how poverty affects those in Macon, teaching them to fully understand the gravity of the situation. “People always go and judge things without even taking the time to educate themselves about the situation. I think now that we are all more aware, we will look at things differently and not take so many things for granted,” says Gentile.
(10/13/13 11:08pm)
Charlotte French is a freshman journalism major with a creative visual arts background. She began pursuing art when she was younger, and was influenced by her father, who graduated with a degree in art. Together, they began doing art projects, and he served as her first art teacher before she ever took a formal lesson.
French took her first art classes in elementary school. In middle school, she pursued her interests further by joining an art club. Instead of going to a regular public or private high school, French went to a specialty-programs high school, Savannah Arts Academy, dedicated to the performing and visual arts.
The school offers specialized programs including high school majors in communication arts, dance, theatre, visual arts, piano, chorus, band and orchestra.
While at Savannah Arts Academy, French chose to pursue a high school major in visual arts. When asked why she chose to pursue a degree in journalism at Mercer, French said, “My two passions are art and writing. The art school I was interested in attending was very expensive and I was able to get better scholarships for writing. I also felt that I would be happier in the long run if I pursued a career in writing.”
In addition to sketches and paintings, French has a passion for fashion and design such as seen in magazines. French believes that her inspiration comes from nature as well as fashion illustrations. Her goal is to eventually take her writing to a level where she will be able to write for a fashion magazine.
Seeing her creative thoughts come to life on paper is what French enjoys most about art and its creation. “I really enjoy seeing my ideas on paper and art is a great creative outlet. I guess I am a perfectionist, so I like being able to work on a piece over and over until I get it right, unlike performing arts where you have to produce the best version immediately,” says French.
French’s preferred medium is watercolor and acrylic paint. “I actually love the way the watercolors are much more transparent and run together and I love the vibrancy of acrylic paints,” she explains.
French’s favorite artists and role models are all individuals who value art or fashion as much as she does. “Monet is one of my favorite painters, mostly because I really admire the impressionist style. My favorite fashion designer is Alexander McQueen, because I think his designs were some of the most unique I have ever seen,” states French.
To French, illustrating and painting serve not only as passions to her, but also as forms of coping and relaxation. “Art definitely helps me cope with stress. When I draw, paint, or make dresses, I concentrate solely on my art and it is easy to forget about the stressful things in my life,” says French.
Right now, French’s current goal with art is to keep herself on track and to maintain her skill level despite the fact that she is not currently enrolled in any art classes.
(10/01/13 8:38pm)
Several new boutiques in downtown Macon are providing college students with a variety of other shopping options that extend beyond just the mall.
Mechel McKinley, Main Street Macon Manager, said, “We are excited to see more and more entrepreneurs looking at downtown to open their retail enterprises. Retail shopping is an important part of the business mix that makes downtown revitalization possible.”
Pink Chief Boutique opened on 3rd Street in August 2012 and caters to the free-spirited person who is young at heart. Store owner, Anissa Jones, said, “the whole premise of (the) store is trying to make sure we have clothes that are for everybody, fun clothes, and so we say it’s for the person that’s young at heart. So, whether or not you’re a person that’s actually young or if you’re older like myself and you still feel very youthful, our clothes are for you.”
The boutique offers a variety of clothing that appeals to all ages and genders. Dresses, jewelry and shirts are the store’s most popular sales, but many people go to Pink Chief for the unique, custom cowboy boots. The cowboy boots are made from a variety of exotic skins ranging anywhere from ostrich to stingray.
Jones said that the mantra of the store is “go forth and conquer your events” because, “every day is an event so you can use any and every day to dress up and feel good about (yourself).”
Bridal’s by Jonathon offers a variety of formal wear, not just wedding dresses. They offer attire for proms, homecoming, pageants and of course weddings.
“The store is unique because it is one stop shopping. You can get your full dress attire, which includes accessories and shoes,” said Sabrina Wilder-Jackson, store owner.
Dysfunctional Tees-n-Things is a downtown location that opened in July 2013. The store offers a variety of unique and novelty items including custom t-shirts, shoes, jewelry and original artworks. The owners, Tylina Swinger and Synja Turner, are involved in the community and hope to make a name for themselves and their business in the downtown shopping scene.
Posh Boutique is on Second St. and carries women’s clothing, handbags and accessories. Owner Nicole Talton started Posh at the Macon Indoor Flea Market and expanded to a storefront location.
Posh Boutique’s goal is to make women feel beautiful and comfortable in their clothing. The store does this by assisting shoppers and providing fashionable clothing at reasonable prices.
Love Jones Couture recently opened on Mulberry Street and wants to give individuals the opportunity to elevate their personal style so that they feel confident with themselves and their fashion choices. Love Jones Couture offers a variety of clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories.
Many new stores are opening downtown because of the future plans for revitalization in the Second Street corridor.
(09/13/13 3:59am)
Why should we care about school traditions? They don’t even make sense half of the time. But traditions do not always have to make sense. Traditions give us the opportunity to link ourselves back to where we came from and move forward to what we are developing into.
Mercer University is an institution of higher learning that has been built upon traditions over the last 180 years. Dr. MaryAnne Drake has been a professor at Mercer for 32 years and has seen traditions come and go, but many of the most important have stuck with the school, she said.
Drake explained that traditions are important in life because she views them as “Glue. Bonding. [They] allow for common experiences - common ways to celebrate. [They] affirm who we are and what we do.”
Some of the most celebrated traditions, both social and academic, include Pilgrimage to Penfield, touching the Jesse Mercer statue, the Great Books program and climbing the Administration Tower.
Mercer University was originally established, not in Macon, but in Penfield, Ga. in 1833. The university relocated in 1871 to its current location. Every year, freshmen return to Mercer’s roots by journeying into the rural Greene County where Mercer’s original campus sat. The students join together to celebrate in the birthplace of our beloved school and share in activities including a fireworks show, a reenactment and a picnic.
Pilgrimage to Penfield has been a tradition at Mercer for many years, except when it was stopped for a brief period of time “until the students – SGA – decided that [the pilgrimage] was something we needed to do,” said Dr. Jay Black of the Center For Collaborative Journalism. The yearly pilgrimage is, as Black says, “organic” because it is not something faculty attempted to force on students but something that students valued and thought important enough to reestablish.
Every freshman also has the opportunity to rub the head of our beloved founder’s statue during Convocation to signify the beginning of
their academic careers at Mercer. Supposedly, rubbing the head of the statue of Jesse Mercer will bring good luck to students' endeavors at Mercer. As students conclude their time at Mercer, they are again given the opportunity to rub our founder’s head on the eve of their graduation, so that they might gain good luck with their ambitions after leaving Mercer.
This tradition is another that was created and popularized by students. “The touching of Jesse Mercer’s head, the statue - it wasn’t a tradition until someone saw that this was a regular thing that students did,” said Black.
Another tradition involves the spires atop the Administration Building, which have become one of the most recognizable emblems of the University. Drake said that the tradition of climbing the tower and letting students sign their names has been at Mercer probably as long as she has. “I can’t remember not doing that actually,” said Drake.
Many of the most popular traditions are related to the more social aspects of our lives. However, Mercer also has academic traditions and traditional values which set it apart from other universities.
The Great Books program is an academic tradition and opportunity for students to experience “great” books from different periods throughout history.
Professor Charlotte Thomas speaks of the program as both a former student and a professor, “[Great Books] blew my mind as an 18 year old... to be liberated to develop my own interpretations of some of the oldest and most important thoughts that human beings have ever put down on paper. It blew my mind again in 1994 to have the chance to come back to Mercer to lead Great Books seminars as a faculty member.”
Great Books serves as a tradition and an opportunity to students that would not be offered in many other colleges.
One of Drake’s favorite characteristics of Mercer is “the tradition of small classes - the tradition of having close communications and close relationships with faculty and students."
Accordingto Drake, “it’s important to have the official traditions, convocations and those things... they give the whole campus sort of a bonding experience. But probably the most important thing, for me, is small class sizes and the ability to be particularly close with students."
At Mercer University students are not numbers. Students are individuals with names and faces and relationships with their professors that students at larger schools could only dream of having. Mercer provides students with a variety of learning opportunities that go hand in hand with appreciating the “official” traditions we have.
The best traditions are not the ones that are created for us but the ones that develop out of what matters to us. Traditions will not always last forever and new ones can be born. With the start of the new football program, there are sure to be new traditions for students to fall in love with for years to come.
(08/28/13 7:00pm)
On August 31st a brigade of Orange and Black will march onto Anderson Field and arch up on the 50-yard line to blow the faces off the crowd at Mercer University’s first football game in 72 years. As a proud member of the inaugural Marching Band Color Guard, I will be standing on the shiny new AstroTurf that glorious first Saturday night where the marching band will perform.
We have chosen to theme this season’s performance as “Resurrection.” Resurrection describes not only the band making a comeback but the entire football program and the atmosphere surrounding the college football experience.
Thanks to hours of hard work band members have contributed to the program, Saturday nights will be silent no more. During half time the band will briefly stand at attention until our drum majors give us the cue to blast the ever known and loved Fight Song. But before we let the notes and flag-work fly we will be in our own silent world for a short moment.
In that brief moment we have, the opportunity to pan the faces of an enthusiastic audience and think back to the baby steps that brought us to this point. We have given up two weeks of our summer for the infamous band camp, slaving into the hot hours of the day carrying heavy instruments, blasting notes, tossing flags, and getting prepared to enthrall a screaming audience.
We have given up our nights to join together for practice to become nothing less than the best. We have hauled ourselves to the football stadium and back through thunderstorms, lightening, and vicious rain.
We have stopped at nothing to become the best there is. The band continues to take in enthusiastic and dedicated new members, whether they have previous experience or not, causing the band to become an ever-growing family.
I have personally worked with several of the most recent color guard members and have helped them learn a new routine. Even though they’d never picked up a flag before, it was easy to teach them. However, I have faced many more times when teaching the same routine can be difficult and frustrating.
The frustration becomes worth it as the new members begin to match their flag work with the current members and the color guard’s flag work becomes in sync.
The different instrument sections face a similar process to the color guard, teaching music to members who have never seen music so difficult and even a few who have never played an instrument before. Lack of experience does not go hand in hand with lack of dedication.
The entire band has pushed through difficult times and has learned how to play a new instrument or spin a flag - all while marching and exciting the crowd that cheers before us. It is up to us to go out and perform to the very best of our ability and leave it all out on field.