ksu talon | august 2014

August 2014 | -1-

AUGUST 2014

Heroin Abuse on tHe rise

student stArtsrecord lAbeltHe Ksu student WHo stArted tHe Ksu FArMers MArKet

-2- | TALON MAGAZINE August 2014 | -3-

The two most powerful words are “thank you.”

I’ve been fortunate enough to learn at a relatively young age the importance of recognizing hard work, perseverance and passion.

Failing only happens when you try; when

you push yourself to a point where you don’t know if you will discover an island or lose yourself in a vast ocean. In trying to achieve anything from learning a new skill to starting a business, someone is there to teach you, inspire you as act as the oar by which you move your boat through the water. Leaders are made in the words “thank you,” and the absence of this phrase destroys companies.

As editor-in-chief of Talon, I have exactly one year to work with a talented group of students to create something meaningful. At every step of the way I want to say “thank you” to the student staff as well as the people we feature and the advisers we rely on.

We students have classes where we work in groups. I used to dread these assignments because inevitably one or two students take the lead and do the bulk of the work. I understand teamwork never ends; not after college and certainly not after marriage.

I believe an inexperienced group of people

can be successful with the words “thank you.” In thanking group members for their passions, uncovering individual strengths and weaknesses and working together for a goal, we get better. No single leader becomes so without a team.

Try it. Say “thank you” to a particularly tough professor whose strict grading pushed you to better understand a subject. Say “thank you” to the classmates who pitched in on a team project, even if you still feel like you did all the work yourself. Say “thank you” to your parents or to your government for the money you have to go to KSU. Say “thank you” and see how it moves you from sitting still to a place of inspired action. Your words will inspire others too.

To everyone who helped put this issue together and to everyone who picked it up to read it,

THANK YOU!

CONTENT

Le T Ter From The edITorANALO G REVOLUTION

FROm CITy TO SUbURbS: HEROIN AbUSE

KSU PROFESSOR OPENS ART GALLERy

STUdENT STARTS KSU FARmERS mARKET

PROFESSOR PROFILE : Jeffrey Cebulski

PROFESSOR PROFILE : dr. Howard Shealy

Focused on the social aspects of music, Analog revolution is a place for music nerds to gather and bond with similarly inclined minds.

A new art gallery in marietta provides KSU students with a chance to

show their art off campus.

how far from the campus of KSU is drug abuse? Not as far as some may

think. read about real student losses and struggles with addiction.

A business student started a KSU organization and a business, and now

he seeks to hire more KSU students and grow his vision for sustainability.

4 14 1610

22

20

16

10

14

4

KSU professor opens art gallery and features students work

The student who started the KSU farmers market is hiring

One student’s drive leads him to open a record shop.

The ‘Bluff’ is much closer to campus than students realize.

Inspiring students by opening an art gallery in Marietta.

Profile on the student leading the KSU farmers market.

English 1101 has never been more inspiring.

While some professors discourage, Shealy mentors a history

major who plans to become a history professor one day.

Ellen Eldridge, Editor In Chief

Student starts record label heroin abuse on the rise in metro Atlanta

CONTENTSABOUT TALONTalon is the feature magazine of Kennesaw State University. We publish contributions of photo essays and creative nonfiction features on anything relating to students, faculty, staff, campus or issues pertaining to them. Graduate students as well as alumni are welcome to contribute true stories, boldly told.

All comments and opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily of Talon magazine staff, its advisers or KSU and do not reflect the views of the faculty, staff, student body, KSU Student media or the board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

DISCLAIMER

EDITORIAL STAFFEditor-in-Chief Ellen Eldridge

Creative director Sheherazade draw

Photo Editor brea boutwell

Chief Copy Editor Imogen bowdler

Assistant Copy Editor Alex moore

Adviser Ed bonza

Additional contributors to this issue:

Garrett Anderson, Kristin Crofts, dail Edwards,

Christian Garcia, Jerald Goodoien, brittany maher


I remember the day I met the co-founder of Analog revolution, who is also a current Kennesaw State University senior.

Seeking refuge from the cold November day, I filed into a nearly empty room within the KSU Student Center for a makeshift poetry reading. Though there was homework to be completed, articles to be written and tedious tasks in dire need of completion, I thought attending the event had the potential to be a fun change of pace. I entered the room and took a seat near the back at an empty table.

A few moments after the event began; a disheveled young man walked in with a moleskin notebook, and immediately began chatting with everyone, treating the group as if they were all old friends. he sat down

directly in front of me, turned around and introduced himself as ryan Stoyer. When the time came for the first poet to take the stage, Stoyer enthusiastically slammed his hands on the table and volunteered, jumping up from his seat and bringing his moleskin notebook with him. Though he performed a few pieces in the span of a few moments – several of which were improvised -- the one poem that sticks out the most was a piece he wrote about his former high school colleagues. There was a sense of anger and passion in his voice that seemed almost counter-intuitive to the talkative young man who chatted up the room only moments before. The poem was frightening, sad and most of all, engaging and relatable.

Perhaps that’s the best way to summarize

By Alex moore

A N A L O G

R E V O L U T I O N

a record shop that focuses on the social aspects of music, a place for music nerds to gather and bond with

similarly inclined minds.


ryan Stoyer: an enigma with a tremendous passion for people and adventure. As we continued talking, he mentioned that he and a friend had plans to open up a record shop that focused on the social aspect of music, a place for music nerds to gather and discover great music while bonding with similarly inclined minds. he spoke with such a sense of passion that I was immediately drawn into the project. As we left the room and began to head our separate ways, he suggested I attend one of the weekly meetings he and his friends held each Tuesday evening. Never one to pass up the chance to talk music, I accepted the invitation and informed him I’d be there.

A few hours later, I shuffled into the Social Sciences building where I found ryan and fellow Analog revolution founder Andrew roach relaxing in a corner by the coffee shop. The next two hours were an exciting blur. It was in those two hours that I noticed the special dynamic between Andrew and ryan. Andrew, the more business-oriented of the duo, serves as a perfect counterpart to the boisterous, out-going personality of ryan. Several months later, the duo now run a successful record store and operate a wide-reaching magazine that focuses on everything

from current events to music.

The mere fact that Stoyer, a current senior at KSU, managed to successfully upstart a business with his friend while attending school full time, is simply astonishing. In light of the Analog revolution store’s second month of business, as well as Stoyer’s impending graduation, it seemed appropriate to talk with ryan about his lofty ambitions and what he’s learned during his time at KSU.

ryan started the conversation by confirming that opening Analog revolution while attending school full-time was no easy task, and wasn’t even part of the initial discussion. “To be honest, the original plan was to wait until I graduated,” Stoyer said. “The earliest we ever thought we would be opening a store was August 2014. however, things rarely go as planned at Analog revolution.”

The elasticity ryan mentioned is a trait he claims has served him well, both in business and academic pursuits.

“Luckily we’re pretty adept at adjusting to new information – especially early on when things were small and fluid. once we got the

first issue of the magazine out and what we were doing started to spread, we saw some opportunities we decided to take”

With he and his business partner Andrew now submerged in the business world, the opportunities afforded to ryan and Analog revolution came at an academic cost, Stoyer admitted.

“The amount of dedication required to get the store open just wasn’t compatible with my academic work load and I had to make a decision,” Stoyer said, reflecting on how difficult the past few months had been. “I dropped three classes during what was supposed to be my last semester of college.”

Though graduating may have taken ryan longer than he’d like, he claims that he just kept looking forward and that his accomplishments are only now beginning to sink in.

“I haven’t thought a lot about what I’ve accomplished, but now I’m beginning to realize that this is something to be really proud of.”

Analog revolution opened its flagship store on may 2 inside Swayze’s venue, a music club for teens and bands getting started with a career, on Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw. The venue serves as an excellent choice for the endeavor, as Analog revolution is all about musical interaction.

“People can expect to improve the way they interact with music and the arts as a whole. We are still starting off, but we will have a large impact on our community,” Stoyer said.

The store will soon act as more than a simple purchasing hub for music, however.

“We’re starting a record label and pressing small batches of records for local artists using some unique techniques no one else in the world is currently doing. We are starting weekly classes on skills like basic electronics work, soldering, film development, t shirt printing, web design, and various other skills that are useful for the grassroots-styled approach we have to things.”

Swayze’s ultimately feels like an apt choice for the Analog revolution headquarters, as Stoyer has expressed a deep passion for local music and the people that fuel it. Longing for a place where bands can gain exposure and fans can discover new and exciting acts, Stoyer has dreams that Swayze’s and Analog revolution can come together to serve as the ultimate central hub for local music. The problem, according to ryan, is that the Kennesaw and marietta music scenes have dwindled within the past few years, and that few even realize that Swayze’s exists.

“I think the answer to this question is somewhat of a Catch-22. I would love to see more diversity at music venues like Swayze’s. But there’s no point in having that if no one shows up to hear it. A simple increase in attendance wouldn’t satisfy me either. Swayze’s is the longest running independent music venue in the entire Southeast. many

Photo by Garrett Anderson of www.gandersonphoto.com.

The amount of dedication required to get the store open just wasn’t compatible

with my academic work load and I had to make a decision,

”



and having no idea about what I was to study and where I was headed. I’ve taken some incredible electives here to help figure that out. In particular, a cross-listed Peace Studies/Women Studies course my freshman year, an environmental Anthropology maymester with tons of field work, and multiple semesters in three different music ensembles.”

“Another experience I’ll always miss is the time I couch-surfed for an entire semester—sponge baths and all—and still made the dean’s list. I slept in all kinds of places I can neither disclose nor condone, but the friends—and strangers—who helped me

through that semester will always define an important part of my college career and life.”

Stoyer’s tenacity and dedication prove there are no excuses when it comes to chasing your dreams. Students can be – and are – capable of extraordinary things. As his journey has shown, there’s little reason to wait until graduation to find what you want and go after it.

So, what is it you want to achieve here at KSU?

People can expect to improve the

have a large impact on our community,

way they interact with music and the art

s aspeople at KSU don’t even know what it is and I find that pretty discouraging. Swayze’s has a reputation for only booking metal bands and that simply isn’t true. I have seen some unbelievably talented musicians, poets, and other types of performers produce art there that I know would never happen anywhere else—even places downtown like Little Five Points. “

ryan went on to discuss how Analog revolution aims to expand the types of audiences at Swayze’s.

“Part of our presence at Swayze’s includes booking shows,” he said. “We are targeting a different sort of crowd for our performances there. College students, college dropouts, adults, seniors, wombats, whatever.”

Swayze’s is an all ages music venue. They don’t

sell alcohol and alcohol isn’t allowed on the property. Swayze’s isn’t about making money that way and, unfortunately, many people aren’t drawn there because of it. I want to see a diversification in the act as well as the audience. I just really want to see a resurgence in interest in live art.”

Stoyer, an english major, emphasized that Analog revolution isn’t exclusively a music-focused endeavor. Instead, the company offers a variety of products from local art to a monthly publication. Understanding the power that seeing one’s name in print can hold, ryan made it clear that students are not only welcomed, but encouraged to join Analog revolution, in whatever capacity they feel suited.

“We welcome contributions and ideas from anyone and everyone—especially college

students,” he said. “I recommend students who want to get involved check out our website and magazine to get a feel for what we produce, and swing by the store to meet us and see what things are like there. We accept entries via email at [email protected]. We also offer resume building experience opportunities in some of the coolest dIY approaches out there.”

Though the last few semesters have proven to be quite hectic for Stoyer, he looks back fondly on his time at KSU. When asked to choose a favorite moment from his time at school, ryan found himself unable to choose just one experience. his most rewarding moments, he suggested, came from exposure to new concepts and people.

“To be honest, I miss the sense of adventure and insecurity of starting out as a freshman

a whole. We are still starting off, but

we will





by Brittany Maher

Surrounded by black lace and bright flowers, his casket sat carefully positioned as the centerpiece of a room dense with mourners. opiate abuse had claimed the life of another young college student from metro-Atlanta. But this time, the name being remembered at the funeral service was the name of a person I had

deemed a dear friend for the past 10 years. Although I knew his struggle with drugs had finally come to an end, I couldn’t help but think of the countless other young adults still battling with the forlorn grip of addiction.

Amongst the snuffles and tears that echoed throughout the silent wake - sitting in the front row of the church pews with his head bowed, another young man mourned the loss of that same friend to a drug addiction that nearly took his own life only three years before. Timothy Payne (name changed) grew up just outside of Kennesaw in the suburbs of Atlanta. KSU is conveniently located less than 30 miles away from Atlanta, a vibrant city that draws millions of people for its urban excitement, but in recent years an increase in the number of young adults from the suburbs have been drawn into Atlanta for very different reasons.

Payne first tried heroin when he was only 19 years old. having been addicted to oxyContin for a year, he heard of a way to get the same high much cheaper than the high-priced pills.

many opiate abusers who can no longer afford to buy pain medication turn to heroin to feed their addiction and avoid dreadful withdrawal symptoms which include nausea, vomiting and fever, According to the Centers for disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

“The oxyContin pills are really expensive and someone told me heroin was similar and cheaper. I just asked around where

to get it and pretty quickly some friends took me right to it,” Payne said.

The pursuit for the drug was on. This wouldn’t be the first time Payne headed south down Interstate-75 into the heart of Atlanta, but it would be the first time he entered Atlanta’s open-air heroin supermarket.

“We went into the city, into west Atlanta to a place called ‘the Bluff.’ It’s like a zoo,” Payne said. “People are yelling at you that they have heroin and at any given time there’s five to 10 people selling heroin on every corner.”

The narrow streets of the Bluff cover a 10-block stretch of Atlanta that a person wouldn’t want to accidently wander into. As if a hurricane had ripped through the town and left behind its ruins, rows upon rows of abandoned and boarded up houses sit uninvitingly along the grimy streets. Amid the mostly vacant homes, people roam the neighborhood aimlessly to engage in illegal drug activity.

It’s regularly ranked the No. 1 most dangerous neighborhood in the city of Atlanta, and as of 2010 it was ranked the No. 5 most dangerous city in the United States, according to a VICe investigative report.

Although improvement plans have been in place for the area since 2011, crime rates remain high and the neighborhood is still an infamous hotbed of heroin availability.

The dangers of the Bluff do not stand in the way of an addict. Addicts make frequent trips to the neighborhood for their drug of choice as if it were a routine trip to the grocery store, despite the constant threat of robberies and shootings.

H e ro i n A b u s e o n t h e R i s e am o n g Y o u n g A d u l t s i n M e t r o - A t l a n t a

Written By Brittany maher

The OxyCOnTin pillS are really expenSive and SOmeOne TOld me herOin waS Similar and Cheaper. i juST aSked arOund where TO geT iT and preTTy quiCkly SOme friendS TOOk me righT TO iT

From City From City to SuburbS:


even then, it isn’t difficult to find heroin making its way from the city streets to the neatly paved sidewalks of suburban neighborhoods in metro Atlanta – the drug acting as a rickety bridge between two unexpected worlds. Local law enforcement agencies in outlying metro Atlanta counties indicate that heroin is becoming an increasing problem for their jurisdiction, according to drug Trends Georgia.

If heroin is the predator, Payne was the prey. It didn’t take long for him to succumb completely to the drug. once heroin is introduced to the bloodstream there is an unrelenting need to keep fulfilling the high, a need that Payne became all too familiar with.

“I was addicted right away. Since I was already addicted to opiates, within a few weeks I was completely physically addicted to heroin,” Payne said. “one day when I didn’t use it I felt sick and it escalated from there.”

After an intravenous injection of heroin, users report feeling an immediate surge of euphoria, a rush sensation often accompanied by dry mouth, a warm flushing of the skin and clouded mental functioning. Following this initial euphoria, the user goes “on the nod,” an alternately wakeful and drowsy state, according to the National Institute of drug Abuse.

The immediate feeling of pleasure given by heroin often lures people in, but most users do not consider the long-term effects that accompany the drug.

“repeated use of heroin changes the structure of the brain. It interferes with how the brain communicates through

neurotransmitters and hormones,” said Teresa W. Johnston, director of the Center for Young Adult Addiction and recovery at KSU. “Tolerance and dependence can develop and withdrawal may occur within a short period of time between drug use. It affects the general health and wellness of the body.”

Before Payne knew it, the drug began to take its toll - not only on his body but on his entire life. his behavior and attitudes dramatically changed and he found himself turning to crime and theft to support his drug habits.

“At first it was small things; I spent all of my money and sold personal possessions that I valued and that I normally wouldn’t get rid of and sold everything I had to get more drugs,” Payne said. “Later it was more serious stuff. I started stealing a lot and losing friends; they didn’t want to talk to me anymore because everything that came out of my mouth was a lie.”

The behaviors associated with addiction, uncontrollable drug seeking behaviors, make the use of heroin unyielding.

Possible changes in behavior include neglecting responsibilities, using drugs under dangerous conditions or taking risks while high, such as driving while on drugs or using dirty needles, as well as getting into legal trouble for disorderly conduct and stealing to support a drug habit, according to helpguide.org.

heroin can also cause unexplained changes in personality or attitude, such as sudden mood swings, irritability or outbursts of anger as well as appearing anxious or paranoid without reason.

“People who become addicted act in ways that are incongruent with basic instincts; they continue to take and use the drug even when the consequences continue to increase,” Johnston said. “When people who are not addicted experience painful consequences for their actions, they usually make a change. People who are dependent continue to use despite the consequences.”

Submerged in an unhinged reality, Payne’s life began to unravel slowly as heroin took front seat in every aspect of his daily life. heroin was now a part of him. Like food to fulfill hunger, the addiction needed to be satisfied.

“I’d do pretty much anything to get my hands on it. Steal from stores; take my parents’ credit cards and steal money from my friends. even the ones who were using,” Payne said. “I did things knowing I would get caught for them but I thought, ‘well, I don’t have a choice…I have to do this.’”

heroin does not affect only the user; its victims include everyone surrounded by the addict, especially loved ones.

Addiction can impact the family in a variety of ways, including decreasing the stability of the home, creating a lack of unity in the family, decreasing mental and physical health of both the addict and family members, and creating a chaotic family dynamic, according to the Abuse and Addiction Knowledge Library on Addiction and the Family.

“I ruined every relationship I had. I lost girlfriends because I would constantly lie about using and I kept getting arrested,” Payne said. “At one point I overdosed and almost died; I was only 19 years old. I passed

out in a bathtub and my dad found me.”

Payne reflects on the toll his addiction took on the people around him, from friendships and romantic relationships to his relationship with his parents.

“The way I see it now that I didn’t realize is I thought I was only hurting myself, but really everyone close to me is going through the same thing because they’re so worried that their son or brother is going to die every time I’d leave the house,” Payne said. “They’re confused and angry but they know I had a problem and needed help; it’s got to be really frustrating to be on the other side.”

The addict version of people is like a dark cloud hovering over the person they once were. It’s a disease that takes over their entire life and begins to change almost everything about them, whether they like it or not.

“It changed me in a lot of ways. While I was on heroin I did horrible things just to get money. I knowingly hurt people I cared about just to get drugs,” Payne said. “Now having gone through all that and getting better, I feel like I can appreciate things more than I normally would.”

Fortunately, addicts have access to resources to fight addiction, and many treatment options are available - but the course of recovery can be grueling and physically painful.

“The treatment for heroin can include intensive outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment and a period of detox,” Johnston said. “detox for withdrawal is often needed because the symptoms of withdrawal are so invasive that even when young adults want to come off the drug the nausea, sweats, vomiting, and bone and muscle pain that can accompany withdrawal prevent them from doing so.”

Payne remembers his recovery process of recovery and the challenges he encountered when he finally faced his addiction.

“It took me a long time to want to get better on my own. It was a really long process. I got forced into rehab by family at 19; they told me I could either get out or get help,” he said. “When I went to rehab, I’d stay sober for a few months and go in and out of 12-step programs; then I would relapse.”

heroin users commonly experience severe cravings for the drug during withdrawal, which can precipitate continued abuse and/or relapse, according to National Institute on drug Abuse.

“eventually I got arrested while on probation and faced serious jail time, which really scared me and made me go back to rehab,” Payne said. “When I did finally go back to rehab, I stayed sober for 19 months from everything. I wanted to stay sober this time and I decided from there to go back to a 12-step program.”

“many doctors can offer help to manage withdrawal symptoms while in detox and treatment by using specific medications,” Johnston said. “Additionally, once off the drug, abstinence, a recovery lifestyle including 12-step meetings, a sponsor, individual counseling and learning healthy coping skills are paramount to a life of wellness.”

recover from heroin is possible, and Johnston recalls seeing many success stories throughout her career, even here on the KSU campus.

“I have seen college students use heroin in what they thought was a casual manner and become addicted. here at KSU, I have seen students receive medical withdrawals and go to treatment, I have seen students work hard, get healthy and work a program of recovery, come back to school and graduate with honors,” Johnston said.

Three years later, after a turbulent battle with heroin addiction, it’s been a long road to recovery for Payne. From relapsing, multiple arrests and even being on the verge of death as well as seeing many close friends killed at the hands of the drug, the lingering presence of addiction will always lurk in the shadows of his life, tapping him on the shoulder in the middle of the night, begging him to fall back into heroin’s deadly grasp.

“It’s always going to be there. I think I’ll always be a drug addict and I’ll always have to keep it in check for the rest of my life, but I have to remember it’s not what I do,” Payne said. “It’s a struggle. It’s hard being 23 and not be able to go out like a normal person my age. I feel a little left out, but it’s not the end of the world; it’s just something I have to deal with.”

Treatment is available from people who

dedicate their lives to help recovering heroin addicts come clean and move forward with their lives. At the Center for Young Adult Adadiction and recovery at KSU, non-judgmental support services are available for any student who is thinking about coming off a drug or changing an addictive behavior. The center is open for students of all ages who need help finding treatment or a greater level of care because they are addicted. The service provides a program for students in recovery from addiction— substance use as well as eating disorders and other process addictions—and can also help students or family members who have a concern about someone they care about.

When asked about life now that he’s clean, Payne smiled and proclaimed a positive attitude, attributing his healing to the unrelenting love and support of his friends and family and a strong sense of resilience. Proving that the human spirit can triumph over even the most sinister past and come out the other side victorious, Payne constantly pushes forward to continue a happy life, drug free.

“Life is awesome now. I mean its life. It’s good and bad just like everyone else,” Payne said. “But having gone so low, seeing what I’ve seen and losing people to this and dealing with its craziness, most days I wake up just being happy I’m alive and that I got to live through all of it because so many people my age didn’t. I’m thankful to be sober and to still have my family and people that love me by my side.”

Sometimes speaking truth into someone’s life about addiction and high-risk behaviors can make all the difference in the world to someone’s recovery. The KSU Center for Young Adult Addiction and recovery can be reached at (678) 797-2538 or [email protected]

iT’S alwayS gOing TO be There. i Think i’ll alwayS be a drug addiCT and i’ll alwayS have TO keep iT in CheCk fOr The reST Of my life, buT i have TO remember iT’S nOT whaT i dO


Tihree Kennesaw State University students are fea-tured in marietta’s newest art gallery and antiques shop, which opened June 20.

The owners of Art-tiques, located at 562 Wylie road Southeast in marietta, hosted an “impromptu soft-launching,” associate professor of art robert Sherer said.

“I recently secured a new gallery space within the Art-tiques Galleria in marietta,” Sherer said. “The as-of-yet-unnamed gallery will primarily feature artworks by local artists, many of them students, faculty, staff and alumni artists from the School of Art and design at Kennesaw State University.”

Adam hall, rainey rawles and Corey Singletary have many handcrafted pieces on display thanks to professors Jeff Campana and Sherer, who teaches drawing and

painting in the School of design.

“They tell us about every art show, every gallery and encourage us to get our work out there,” Singletary said.

each student’s work is unique. hall uses a technique called subtractive linoleum, which he says produces a modern style. rawles says she considers drawing and painting her specialty. Singletary says her use of a mixed proxy resin makes gorgeous landscapes.

Sherer said the gallery will host a grand opening exhibi-tion during the fall, “featuring a wide range of artworks representative of our studio disciplines,” but the gallery is now open.

Visitors can check out the artists’ work Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

E A s Y d R i v i n g d i R E c T i o n s : T A k E i - 7 5 T o E x i T 2 6 3 ( g A - 1 2 0 L o o p / s o u T H M A R i E T T A p k w Y ) . A T T o p o f R A M p , H E A d T o w A R d s o u T H E R n p o L Y / M A R i E T T A . i n 0 . 4 M i L E s T A k E A L E f T o n T o w Y L i E R d s E . T A k E T H E s E c o n d d R i v E w A Y o n T H E R i g H T i n T o T H E A n -T i q u E s M A L L p A R k i n g L o T .

i f Y o u H A v E A n Y q u E s T i o n s , p L E A s E c o n T A c TA R T - T i q u E s g A L L E R i A5 6 2 w Y L i E R d . s u i T E 2 4M A R i E T T A , g A 3 0 0 6 7i n f o @ A R T T i q u E s g A L L E R i A . c o MT E L : 6 7 8 - 5 4 0 - 7 5 1 1H T T p : / / A R T T i q u E s . w i x . c o M / A R T T i q u E s g A L L E R i A

By Kristin Crofts

by Kristin Crofts

ksu pRofEssoR RobERT sHERER opEns ART gALLERY

The GALLeRY wiLL pRimARiLY feATuRe ARTwoRks bY LocAL ARTisTs. mAnY of Them wiLL be sTudenTs,

fAcuLTY, sTAff And ALumni ARTisTs fRom The schooL of ART And desiGn AT kennesAw sTATe univeRsiTY.

ToP To BoTTomPhotos by Kristin Crofts

1. rainey rawles2. Adam hall,3. Corey Singletary4. robert Sherer , Adam hall, Jeff

Campana,Corey Singletary, Chris Powers, deb Koss, rainey rawles, Karen Tapelband

5. Adam hall, Corey Singletary, Professor robert Sherer, Professor Jeff Campana, rainey rawles.


By ellen eldridge

The student founder of the Students for environmental Sustainability, who started the Kennesaw State University farmers’ market, said the secret of his success was surrounding himself with people who knew what they were doing.

Jett hattaway, a senior majoring in business, founded SeS in June 2012. According to its LinkedIn profile, SeS is a student-led organization that works closely with local farmers, farmers’ market managers, master gardeners and students from schools where environmentally sustainable programs are emphasized and regularly practiced.

hattaway started SeS by brainstorming ideas for

starting a farmers market. he then contacted Culinary Services, which was already in the early stage of planning its own farmers market. Culinary Services put hattaway in charge of the market project.

“I showed some initiative and drew out a business proposal on how to run the market, and they were pretty impressed,” hattaway said, adding that he had a group of students help design it. “They thought it was a great idea to put students in a position of leadership and management of a project like this.”

hattaway had been involved with an organization formerly known as SIFe, which was Students In Free enterprise and is now enactus, which stands for entrepreneurs in Action, he said, explaining

Mixing business AcuMen And

environMentAl PAssion

Jett Hattaway at the NACUFS Green Student Champion Award (2013). This is a national award that recognizes leadership in culinary sustainability initiatives. One is awarded each year in the U.S.

KSU StUdent StartS farmerS marKet SeS and renewable energy bUSineSS while in School

how he knew what steps to take to propose a business plan. “They are a student organization run out of the business school here.”

dennis Loubier, the enactus team coordinator, said he met hattaway in 2010.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Jett since 2010,” Loubier said. “he had an idea to start a new student group to raise awareness of environmental sustainability. he has been an asset to our team since.

“Jett’s hard work and dedication was evident from the start,” Loubier said. “he is always ready to learn, but more importantly, share the information he learns. he is highly respected by students and faculty alike.”

dr. robert Paul, KSU director of sustainability and professor of piology, said hattaway’s presentation in 2013 on SeS activities was a “huge hit” at the Georgia Campus Sustainability Network’s farm-to- campus meeting.

hattaway said he started to tailor his education to meet his interests when he switched from majoring in biology to business in spring 2013.

Sustainability means collaboration between three key points, hattaway said, describing sustainability as a three-pronged approach without a single underlying principle.

“It’s making economic, social and environmental that are sustainable and impact the community in a positive way,” he said. “I think that everything we do revolves around people, profits and planets. So, if you don’t have all three of those you can’t really be sustainable, whether it be a business, an ideal or a movement.”

“Under Jett hattaway’s leadership, the student group SeS has exemplified sustainability’s ‘triple bottom line’ approach: planet, people and profit,” Paul said. “Their permaculture garden is earth-friendly, they’ve initiated educational gardening programs with local schools and they’ve used their business

skills to manage KSU’s Farmers’ market. Jett has been a great ambassador for KSU’s sustainability programs in the local community and statewide.”

Though hattaways’ achievements in founding and helping run the farmers’ market earned him the respect of students and faculty, hattaway became increasingly interested in the specific business idea of renewable energy. “As I started to work in the sustainability space, I got interested in renewable energy as a career path and that’s something that for whatever reason captured my interest to the nth degree,” he said. “I was working with a buddy of mine at SeS and we decided to lay out the framework to enter into that space.”

hattaway and Nick ruggiero co-founded Bright Ideas energy Solutions, a small business that focuses on energy saving solutions for both commercial and residential sectors, with a future outlook of entering the sustainable energy market.

Jett Hattaway founded the Students for Environmental Sustainability organization, started the farmers market at KSU and is now reaching out to the community with his company dedicated to renewable energy solutions. Photos by Jeff Tucker


“We believe in creating a more sustainable world by reducing our energy consumption and ultimately lessening and reversing our carbon footprint,” ruggiero said on the business’ LinkedIn profile.

“I see the way that everything is going – in this green space,” hattaway said. “We’re riding this green wave that is inevitable. It’s something that has to happen for several different reasons.”

Those reasons include not only the current generation but also future generations, including hattaway’s future children.

“There’s a large resonating effect in everything that we do at this point,” he said. “I wanted to be a part of something bigger and a part of a contribution that can improve our standard of living and our quality of life.”

Incorporating social entrepreneurship is the part that makes being productive exciting, hattaway said. The technical aspects behind the mechanics for removing carbon dioxide from the air may only excite the engineers and math majors, but hattaway lights up when he

talks about the businesses he’s built and how he feels connected to something that will sustain him financially while allowing him to be part of something genuinely helpful to society.

“There’s the environmental impact and there’s a lot to be said for that; however, that alone doesn’t make good business sense.

“I’ve found a way to mesh my passions with my business acumen,” hattaway said. “What we found is, not only is it good for the environment and the people to have these sort of technologies, it’s inevitable anyway. It’s a good business decision because these things pay themselves off.”

Coles College of Business dean Kathy S. Schwaig said hattaway is “an exceptional young man who epitomizes the entrepreneurial spirit that we cherish and nurture at KSU,” adding that he earned first place in the 2014 Coles College reAL

Awards, which recognizes students who excel in either creating a business or leading an innovative project.

“he is an energetic, confident and intelligent young man who leads a business that will positively impact the community both environmentally and economically,” Schwaig said.

hattaway also won the 2014 Start Up To Watch award from the metro

Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Atlanta Business Chronicle for Bright Idea energy Solutions.

“It was extremely competitive; there was one business from every university in Georgia and I believe there were four recognitions, one of which was our company,” hattaway said.hattaway said he wants his company to be highly innovative, and Bright Idea energy Solution can already provide solar energy

i wAnTed To be A pART

of someThinG bigger And A pART of A conTRibuTion

ThAT cAn impRove ouR sTAndARd of

LivinG And ouR quALiTY of Life.

The REAL Initiative award (2014) with Tyler Green, daniela Carvajalino and Jett Hattaway Photo by Justin Cochranfor

solutions, which wasn’t possible when they started just over a year ago.

“Now we can install solar panels and design systems,” he said, adding that Bright Idea energy Solutions partnered with an architecture firm and an engineering firm both based in Atlanta. “Through those partnerships, we’re able to broaden our scope of services.

“I plan to grow Bright Idea energy Solutions as my main objective now,” hattaway said, noting that he plans to hire three KSU professional sales students by the end of 2014.

“The idea is that I want to be able to create jobs for people and opportunities for other

students here and in the community abroad,” he said. “Since we’re merging with SPSU, I see a future where we will be interning a

lot of engineers and I want to do product development.”

Jett Hattawasy with KSU President daniel Papp. metro Atlanta Chamber and Atlanta business Chronicle’s Start Up To Watch Award (2014).

whAT we found

is, noT onLY is iT good foR The enviRonmenT And The peopLe

To hAve These soRT of TechnoLoGies,

iT’s


I’m from a working class family; I know what debt does to people.

J e f f r e y C e b u l s k i

By Imogen Bowdler

As an incoming freshman, understanding the new and sometimes confusing college lifestyle can be difficult. however,

there are many helpful people that can be found along the way. Sometimes that person is a fellow student or a staff member, and sometimes the helpful person is your professor. Caring and supportive people can be found all around campus to lend a helping hand. For a majority of current college students and incoming freshman, english courses are dreaded. many english courses require countless papers, multiple books to be read, and reading tests. Fortunately,

there are many english professors that offer encouraging advice and valuable information that will help students achieve success in the course. one of those instructors is english professor Jeffrey Cebulski.

Jeffrey Cebulski has been teaching at Kennesaw State University since 2007 and specializes in teaching first-year composition, world literature, and the occasional english education class. For Jeff, his love for english, his ease with public speaking and his hopes of being a basketball coach made his choice to become a teacher an easy one, he says.Cebulski always approaches his classroom

Inspirational professor Jeffrey Cebulski shows students how to encourage others. Photos by Jerald Goodoien

An english professor that offer encouraging advice and valuable information that will help students achieve success in the course and life

with his enthusiasm for teaching as well as seeing his students succeed. In his classroom, he tries to make his class into a collection of individuals so each student receives equal time and attention.

“Believe me, not all students appreciate that and many of them want to hide,” Cebulski says. however, he says he believes hiding is not a good position in helping students prepare for the real world. Instead, he tries to show genuine interest in what his students do and think to help them become more comfortable to open up in the classroom.

Cebulski teaches eNGL 1101, which is the traditional english course for incoming freshmen. he says freshmen should “start reading more and paying attention to detail.”

A little bit of a harsher reality exists in Cebulski’s opinion that in order to be successful, freshmen and upperclassmen need to stop being so “entitled” and accept their mistakes, he says. Incoming freshmen should also expect to build and improve upon their skills without the fear of being patronized, he says, adding students will understand the

strengths and weaknesses in their writing, and how to make corrections.

Another important skill that will help both incoming freshmen and current students is the ability to speak comfortably in public. Public speaking is very important, Cebulski says, giving his students plenty of opportunities to enhance their skills.

An important method Cebulski likes to use in his classroom is the revision method, he says. For many of his assignments, especially in the beginning of the semester, he asked for two drafts of a paper to be written.

The first draft will be submitted and returned with notes and recommended corrections. The second draft is submitted about a week later with or without changes. The second draft will be graded and returned.

“For years, english teachers taught the writing process, but it often was merely a form of wisdom rather than an expected practice within the classroom” Cebulski says, noting that about six years ago he decided “writing is revision,” and in order to help his students

learn, writing should always be revised. during Cebulski’s master’s studies, he says he was fortunate enough to work in the Writing Center, where he discovered he had the ability to mentor student writers.

during the spring 2014 semester, I was a student in Cebulski’s english 2271 class for education majors. during the semester, Cebulski took a few student volunteers to east Paulding high School to help mentor seniors on their writing.

Not only did I have the opportunity to help high school students with their writing, but I also learned a great deal about my own writing skills. After our last mentoring session, Cebulski surprised the class with a couple boxes of delicious donuts!

When Cebulski isn’t in the classroom, he can be found hosting a jazz program for owl radio on Wednesday nights this summer and throughout the school year.


inspiRATionAL pRofessoR shows sTudenT how To encouRAGe oTheRsBy dail edwards

As graduation comes closer and closer, I have been looking at my degreeWorks in owl express a lot and cannot help but reflect on the many professors I have had during this 25-year

odyssey that has been my college experience. Some of those professors have been exceptional, some have been downright unfit for educating students. Some have been truly inspirational.

A genuine standout, who has inspired me above all the rest, is dr. howard Shealy, a history professor for those of you who haven’t been fortunate enough to experience him in a classroom.

Those who have been in his classes know what I mean. he teaches the required history 1110, so many students will have had the opportunity to experience his unbelievably broad knowledge of world history and his ability to weave a story in such a way as to keep even the most

uninterested student riveted to his or her desk.

I have been lucky enough to attend five of Shealy’s classes, and I have never heard him raise his voice once. he does not have to. he commands respect by his demeanor and remarkably relaxed attitude.

Shealy holds the unique ability of never making any student feel like he or she has asked a foolish question. even if he has just addressed a topic in the lecture, he will still answer the student’s question saying, “That’s a really good point!” and continue with the lecture. he encourages; he does not humiliate.

I have taken three of Shealy’s upper-level history classes: Greek and roman history, the history of england to 1688 and the history of the renaissance and the reformation in europe, all of which required lengthy research papers.

D r . H o w a r D s H e a l y

dr. howard Shealy inspires history students to become professors. Photos by Jerald Goodoien

“his unbelievably broad knowledge of world history and his ability to weave a story in such a way as to keep even the most uninterested student riveted”

I was nervous about writing these, as I had been out of college for 15 years, but Shealy took the time to assist with research help and sorting out thesis topics. he introduced me to the joy of inter-library loan, which has been my saving grace for subsequent history classes.

Shealy also arranged multiple class visits to the Bentley rare Books room, Kennesaw’s little-known gem in the basement of our library. many of my colleagues, who otherwise may not have even known of its existence, have used the books in this room for their research papers because of Shealy. This man takes care of his students.

Last spring, I was enrolled in three upper-level history classes at the same time. That is not an easy task for anyone and I was in over my head, no doubt. I was on a serious fitness regime, had quit caffeine and was seeing the best school psychiatrist (this guy was amazing!) to deal with stress and weight issues, all while trying to maintain my 4.0 GPA.

In the middle of all of this, the powers that be thought it was a good idea to fire this incredible psychiatrist with absolutely no warning to any of his patients. I was devastated. And I was one of the lucky ones. my issues were not serious like so many of his patients, but it was still an extremely upsetting experience.

I happened to run into Shealy right after I heard from psych and social services. he insisted that we sit down and talk about my upcoming research papers and told me that if I needed more time to turn them in, I could have an extension. his first concern was for my wellbeing. The next thing he did was to make sure his other student, whom he knew had been under the same doctor’s care, was okay. To know that there are professors like him out there really make the tough times manageable.

one day, I hope to be the kind of professor that Shealy is. I have only ever had two serious career goals in my life, and being a professor of history is one of them.

Last fall, a member of the history department who is very high up in the food chain told a room full of history and history education majors that there were no jobs available for us, and that, even if there were, there was no money in teaching history. This person mentioned that if we were willing to work for

the pittance offered, we would certainly “burn out in four years’ time.”

disgusted, I made an excuse to leave the meeting early and nearly stomped out in a fit of rage. I promptly went to Shealy in tears of frustration. he immediately asked if I thought that person had been looking for teaching jobs, which, of course, this person had not been. Why would they?

This person already makes an extremely generous salary in a tenured position!

Shealy encouraged me to continue in my academic pursuits and, when I looked for history professor positions, there were plenty to be found. By the way, if we history majors were in it for the money, we would not be history majors!

Another incident occurred this past spring when one of my own history professors (yet another tenured professor who makes what I consider to be a good salary) informed an entire class of history majors that we would be stupid if we pursued a post-graduate degree in history.

Stupid? really? once again, in tears of anger and frustration, I went to Shealy, who calmed me down and encouraged me to pursue my goal. That is what a good professor does.

he did not nullify the degree that I have worked so hard for, and of which I am damn proud. he did not tell me the 14 reasons why I should not bother applying to emory University (his and my father’s alma mater), and rutgers and Princeton.

he did not tell me that I should find myself a rich husband and have 2.5 children. he told me to do whatever I want and need to do that will make me the best history professor I could possibly be. Well, the best history professor I could possibly be is to emulate dr. howard Shealy, former Chair of Kennesaw State University’s department of history and Philosophy and now Professor emeritus: kind, thoughtful, encouraging. A man who always has time for his students, and someone whom everyone should try to take for at least one class.

Thank you, Dr. Shealy!

-24- | TALON MAGAZINE

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ksu talon | august 2014

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