Matthew ClaiborneStaff Writer

On April 14 at 9:00am, the annu-al Symposium in the Liberal Arts andSciences commenced with the Meeting ofthe Majors, a pre-session designed toencourage students to meet with theirpeers and faculty in their respective majorin twenty classrooms all over campus. TheMeeting allowed students to voice theirconcerns and address questions regardingtheir major. Students also made sugges-tions for future classes and filled out inter-est surveys.

The Symposium was a day-longexperience that praised the diagnostic andimaginative works produced byOglethorpe students during the 2008-2009academic school year. Four one hour andten minute sessions comprised the event,highlighting all fields of study offered atOglethorpe University. The sessions wereset up as forum-style panels led only bystudents, who presented their best person-al works that were selected by facultymembers.

Dr. Simon Sparks, AssistantProfessor or Philosophy, coordinated theentire Symposium. He was in charge ofputting the Symposium program togetherand confirming student panelists.

"Our students are really good,and no one seems to recognize it some-times. If a student's work is praiseworthy,it is important to celebrate that," saidSparks. "It is always good for students tosee the type of work produced here[Oglethorpe]. Some of the work is pub-

lished and overall very impressive." Following the Meeting of the

Majors was Session I, which met from10:00am-11:10am. Six panels from differ-ent disciplines met at this time. FreshmenCORE students read their very bestNarratives of the Self papers; biology stu-dents reviewed their independent researchand interesting internships. Some of thehighlights were senior Jessica Daniel'spresentation on developing environmentalpolicies while interning with the Center forDisease Control. Other highlights fromSession I were from fellow senior UdaraSoysa's exposition entitled "Terrorism andCounter-insurgency in Sri Lanka", whichis a published work. The Department ofPhilosophy also presented during SessionI. The philosophy panel, called "God,Determinism and Freedom," led to inter-esting group discussions and debates thatengaged the entire audience.

Assistant Professor ofPhilosophy, Dr. Devon Belcher, comment-ed on Determinism saying, "If you believewhat you believe because you can't help it,how do you know if your beliefs are true?"This question sparked a great debateamong the spectators, student panelists aswell as faculty.

Session II included notablepapers from CORE II, III and IV. ArtHistory and Communications and RhetoricStudies Departments also presented equal-ly fascinating material including seniorCallie Crabb's "The Cosmology of thePawnee" and senior Marc Von Mandel's"Queering the Rhetorical Situation:Harvey Milk and the Rhetoric of Social

Mobilization." A poster session beginshortly after Session II, where studentspresented on topics ranging from psychol-ogy, Atlanta traffic, statistics, chemistry,physics and biology. Student presentersdiscussed topics ranging from anxiety,MARTA, Metro-Atlanta water quality andthe effects of climate change on polarbears.

Session III looked at the fields ofphilosophy, film aesthetics, theatre andleadership. Students discussed papers andcanvassed modern films as well as gave anInside the Actor's Studio look at what

exactly goes into the proper functioning ofa play from the perspective of the director,the actor and the audience. Everythingfrom monologues to rehearsals to lightingtechniques was discussed.

The Rich Foundation UrbanLeadership Program also presented duringSession III under the direction of Dr.Kendra King, Associate Professor ofPolitics, where students presented on sev-eral leadership topics ranging from "ThecharACTer of Leadership" to "TheLeadership of Jesus."

SEE SYMPOSIUM, P. 3

The Stormy PetrelVolume LXXXIV, Issue XIII April 20, 2009 Oglethorpe University

Art DepartmentArt DepartmentTea, p. 2Tea, p. 2

Green movementGreen movementfads, p. 5fads, p. 5

American VioletAmerican Violet ,,p. 7p. 7In this

issue...LLiibbeerraall AArrttss && SScciieenncceess SSyymmppoossiiuumm sshhoowwccaasseess ssttuuddeenntt wwoorrkk

Photo Courtesy of OU Public RelationsSenior Cliff Moore presents his thesis during the Honors panel.

AAccccllaaiimmeedd ppooeett LLiinnddaa BBiieerrddss vviissiittss OOgglleetthhoorrppeeOlivia RocamoraContributing Writer

Highly acclaimed American poet Linda Bierdsvisited Oglethorpe University on Thursday, March 26. Sheread a selection of poems and held discussions during“Autobiography and Biography” and “Women Poets,” andmet with students at lunch and at a reception following theformal reading.

Students were not only able to literally hear thewriter’s voice in these poems—the inflections and theemphases on particular phrasing and images—but theywere able to engage with and ask questions about writingand interpretation with a teacher; aside from her work as apoet, Bierds teaches writing and English at the Universityof Washington, and her experience with helping studentsshined through in her time here, making the visit personaland unique.

Talia Witherspoon ’09, a student in “Biographyand Autobiography,” greatly learned from Bierds. “Having

Linda Bierds as a guest was an incredibly positive andinspiring experience. We were able to ask her questionsabout her life as a writer, even about her experience pub-lishing. She advised us to set a time, even if its just once aweek, when we could sit and write no matter the circum-stances. She warned us that during this time people some-times ask her to run errands, as she is ‘doing nothing.’ Sheencouraged firm resistance of this attitude and said thatwriting time in a quiet room is something, somethinginvaluable to a writer,” Witherspoon said.

Bierds’ poetry, unlike most contemporary poetry,is not personal or confessional in its nature, but ratherfocuses on great leaders from history, science, and art.What makes these poems masterful is Bierds’ ability tocapture the intimacy of confessional poetry through indi-viduals she has only read about. The poetry is based onresearch of both the individuals’ life and the time period inwhich they lived, as well as a mixture of captivating per-sonal images in her own life.

Linda Taylor, also both a professor and poet,

commented on her impressions of Bierds:“Bierds’ poems are radiant glimpses…she does

extensive and careful research and dramatizes these char-acters in an arresting yet accessible way,” said Taylor. It isperhaps this dramatization of characters that makes Bierdsthe unique, weaving ideas that have personally “arrested”her with characters to make them come alive.

Bierds skillfully incorporates “orphan images,”or ideas that initially seem irrelevant to the subject of thepoem, yet actually enhance the understanding of the sub-ject. For example, in her poem "The Suicide of CloverAdams: 1885," she narrates the death of the wife of HenryAdams, a talented photographer. Rather than focusing onthe actual suicide, Bierds muses on how Clover Adams'war photography probably captured "a blasted meadow,"a powerful image that describes the arresting images ofwar photography and gives the reader a glimpse of thepersonal life of Adams.

During her visit, Bierds not only shared her workbut also exhorted Oglethorpe’s student writers.

2 News The Stormy Petrel April 20, 2009

Amanda SerfozoNews Editor

With the exit of Tanya Crump lastmonth from the Oglethorpe UniversityRegistrar’s Office, the administration hasbegun its search for a new person to takethe post.

While the position waits to befilled, Interim Registrar William Hamrickhas temporarily taken over, and will offi-cially serve the OU student body until thespot is no longer vacant.

Hamrick has held the Registrarposition at other regional universitiesbefore arriving at OU, such as TridentTechnical College in South Carolina,Shephard University in West Virginia, andKennesaw State University here inGeorgia. He boasts a considerable amountof experience, as well. Hamrick startedworking as the Registrar in 1974, immedi-ately following his previous job as a math-ematics teacher.

Although most students onlycome in contact with the Registrar’s officeon registration day, Hamrick explains thatthe job entails far more than meets the eye.The office, he explains, is typically busywith recordkeeping and other administra-tive duties that aid Oglethorpe students.

“Registrars are typically knownfor registering students for their classes,but there’s a lot more to it than that,” hesaid. “For instance, my responsibilitiesinclude keeping transcripts in order andacademic records together, verification ofenrollment certificates, and building thesemester schedules.”

In addition to the administrativeduties he will oversee during his brief timehere, Hamrick cites the social bonds

involved. Given the amount of time spentin the office and the teamwork involved,Hamrick feels a sense of camaraderie eachtime he enters a new Registrar position.

“I love what I do when there’s apositive feeling that emerges,” he said.“There’s nothing better than helping out astudent, or pointing them in the right direc-tion with their academics. There is some-thing to be said for the relationships youmake with the people that work alongsideyou every day, and I hope to take that feel-ing with me when I leave.”

Although Hamrick will only behere until July 15 at the latest (a newRegistrar is expected to be in place bythen) he hopes to contribute to theOglethorpe community in several ways.

“I want to make people’s lives abit easier by my being here,” he said.“When you work in a university office fora period of time, you get attached to thosewho work with you, the environment, thestudents. That’s definitely something youhave to evaluate at the end, and I’m look-ing forward to taking that positive experi-ence away.”

When Hamrick’s post is up thissummer, he’ll be taking off for a destina-tion far from both his Cartersville home,and the Oglethorpe campus: YellowstoneNational Park has offered him a six weekterm to sell tickets for park mainstays likebus tours, boat rides, and fishing.

“The mountains were my greateststress reliever during my time working asthe Registrar at these universities,” he said.“I’m looking forward to the mountains, theanimals, the thermal areas. It’s a sereneplace which will also be a new adventurefor me.”

OOUU’’ss IInntteerriimm RReeggiissttrraarrKara LewisContributing Writer

The 2009 Greek Week was defi-nitely one to be remembered. The compe-tition was furthered by intense weatherconditions, causing girls to brave the coldand cloudy skies,. The extra three days ofpreparation made events such as “Sing”and “Skit” better practiced and moreenjoyable for not only the audience, butfor those performing as well.

Laura Braddick, a senior fromSigma Sigma Sigma, found the Thursdaynight “Sing” to be one of her favorite partsof the week, saying, “It was nice to seehow all the students in Greek life wereable to use their creativity to the fullest.”

That evening, Sigma SigmaSigma came in first with their MichaelJackson performance, followed by ChiOmega and Alpha Sigma Tau. The follow-ing week’s main event, “Skit,” proved tobe equally creative and entertaining.

One of Alpha Sigma Tau’s fresh-men, Lexi Vassell, got to participate in herfirst Greek Week. Vassell said that not onlydid she enjoy the competition, but had themost fun performing.

“My favorite thing about GreekWeek was probably Skit. I had the mostfun with portraying the stereotypes of ourand every other sorority and fraternity.”

Fun is the overall goal to beaccomplished during this famous tradition,and the bonding that occurs between soror-ities and within individual sororities is oneof the most cherished parts of the wholeweek.

Laura Braddick, from SigmaSigma Sigma, found the elements of sister-hood and the enthusiasm her fellow mem-bers displayed brought her pride and pro-vided what she believes to be the reward inthe end. However satisfying the fun nightsand the growth of relationships may havebeen, some found the more competitiveevents to be their favorite nights.

Chi Omega newbie LaurenHeusel enjoyed “Game Night” overall dueto the bonding that occurred, stating, “Ireally enjoyed that we all got together in asmall room and played games together.Even though it was competition, it wasstill fun hanging out with friends in othersororities and fraternities.”

Similarly, Julie Comer, a junior inAlpha Sigma Tau, found one of herfavorite days to be one reconnecting herwith her youth: “Field Day”.

“Field day makes me feel like I'mback in middle school when we got toactually have field day during classes andeveryone had so much fun,” Comer said.

The balance provided by thecompetitive event days, creative nights,and the infamous “Penny Wars” competi-tion for charity gave everyone the abilityto find something they were able to con-nect with and form memories to alwayslook back on.

Although it was fun, chaotic, andcontroversial at times, the week came to athrilling end. Chi Omega took first place,leading by only a narrow margin withAlpha Sigma Tau and Sigma Sigma Sigmafollowing right behind.

Liz WeberNews Editor

A new opportunity for OU stu-dents starts next year with the re-openingof the Alumni housing. The co-ed housingwill be offered to students who want tolive on campus but may not be able toafford the cost of the other upperclassmendorms, or want to live with the oppositesex.

“Co-ed housing option is morepopular up north than it is in the southeastbut we are trying to reach studentdemand,” said Dean Doyle. “We want tooffer cost efficient options to students whootherwise would decide to commute tocampus.” Doyle notes that students wholive on campus “tend to be more commu-nity engaged, get involved, have bettergrades, and the more students on campushelps not only individuals for social net-working, but helps make the campus lifemore interesting.”

Among other things, more stu-dents on campus also helps with the finan-cial status of the school. “This helpsbecause then students are not paying rentfor off-campus housing,” said Doyle.“And to a mild extent, helps with the foodservice.”

The Residence Life office cameto the conclusion of opening up theAlumni housing after surveying studentsand discovering the reasons why studentswould live off campus. “The most impor-tant issue we came across was price and sowe are offering a lower price, for doubleoccupancy,” said Doyle. “This givesupperclassmen a chance to have a realroommate again, and it is significantlycheaper than living in the other dorms. “

The other common issue studentshad about living on-campus was that they

couldn’t live in a suite with the oppositesex. Doyle added that, “For the most partthe students who wanted the co-ed dormswere ones who had close friends of theopposite sex rather than couples request-ing rooms together.” Doyle noted laterthat if couples do decide to move intogether to make sure to think about itbecause it is just as important as making adecision about living with anyone else.

The Alumni housing is set up insuite-style with two bedrooms, a commonroom, and a bathroom in each suite; eachsuite can house up to four residents.Groups of eight or more students whowant to live in theme housing in AlumniHall may submit a petition to theResidence Life office. An additional suitewill be provided as a meeting space for thetheme group.

“Of course there are some thingsthat we can’t add in,” said Doyle. “We arenot configured for full kitchens or to allowpets. We decided to attack the two mostimportant issues, cost and heterosexualsuites.”

The option for themed co-edhousing would be for students in politicalmissions, similar majors, art students, for-eign language, or other groupings. “Wecould give them several suites together inAlumni,” said Doyle. “It would be morecost effective and more space and thenthey would have space for meetings andsuch.”

As with all housing Dean Doylewarns to make sure you choose your room-mates wisely, take into consideration eachother’s schedules and habits to ensure stu-dents have the best Residence Life experi-ence. And of course, if there are any ques-tions or concerns, make sure to drop by theResidence Life Office for more informa-tion.

HHoouussiinngg ooppttiioonnss rreenneewweeddAArrtt DDeeppaarrttmmeenntt TTeeaa

Photo byProfessors Collins and Loehle survey newly acquired books in the OU library.

Photo Coutresy of the Philip Weltner LibraryBooks were introduced to students and faculty at a co-sponsored tea reception.

April 20, 2009 The Stormy Petrel News 3

FROM SYMPOSIUM, P. 1

Fifteen student interns also presented dur-ing Session III, representing companiessuch as the Cable News Network, Ernestand Young, the Fernbank Museum ofNatural History and many more.

Session IV was the final sessionof the Liberal Arts Symposium, where acultural emphasis posed as a commontheme among panels. Japanese studentsdelved into Japanese culture, looking atthe how Japanese culture has developedand changed. Students who studied abroadalso presented, sharing their personal nar-ratives of their experiences in foreigncountries for a semester or mini-semester.Under the supervision of Dr. MarioChandler and Dr. Jay Lutz, studentsexplored Cuba and Martinique and sharedabout their class trip to Miami. Three stu-dents, Sarah Bucey, Cliff Moore andAndrea Walsh presented their HonorsTheses from a philosophical and psycho-logical perspective. Also featured inSession IV were non-fiction creative writ-ing assignments that were read to an eageraudience. Student panelists created pictur-esque images that at times left a bad tastesimilar to that of dog's saliva in one'smouth.

The 2009 Symposium in theLiberal Arts and Sciences concluded withthe Honors and Awards Convocationwhich began at 4:30pm in the ConantPerforming Arts Center. The OglethorpeWinds made their debut under the direc-tion of Dr. Chris Chang, a new addition tothe Oglethorpe family. The Winds provid-ed all of the music at the ceremony.

"It was really exciting to be a partof something new because everyone doing

it was passionate about it. No one wasforced to do it," said sophomore andFrench horn player Jay Locke. "Our con-ductor, Dr. Chang, has contributed at leastten times as much as anyone in the band.She always gives 110 percent."

Several deserving students werehonored for their hard work during theacademic school year. Students receivedawards from peers and faculty membersfor excelling in their field of study.Students were also awarded for excellencein leadership, citizenship and PetrelPower.

Some of the students awardedwere freshman Amanda Serfozo byOmicron Delta Kappa as the EmergingLeader Award. Sophomore AlexandriaDucksworth received the first ever PetrelPower Award, given to the student withmost Petrel Points. Ducksworth receivedfifty-nine Petrel Points as a freshman.Dean of Students and Vice President ofStudent Affairs, Timothy Doyle, presentedthe Dean's Award for OutstandingAchievement by a Student Organization toRehearsal Room C, a student-run theatretroupe. Lastly, President Dr. Lawrence M.Schall presented the President'sCitizenship Award to Ember Melcher andthe Pattillo Leadership Prize to JessicaDaniel.

The Honors and AwardConvocation concluded the 2009Symposium in the Liberal Arts andSciences with the closing processional ofthe Oglethorpe University Alma Materplayed by the Oglethorpe Winds and con-ducted by Dr. Irwin Ray, Director ofMusical Activities.

M e e t t h e 2 0 0 9 - 2 0 1 0 O S A P r e s i d e n t a n d V P o f P r o g r a m m i n g B o a r d !Matt ClaiborneStaff Writer

During the 2008-2009 academic school year, it seems as though many Oglethorpe stu-dents expressed concern regarding the Oglethorpe Student Association: its proceedings,procedures and constitution. The results of the OSA elections were made availableMonday, April 13 at approximately 9:00 a.m. The winners of the elections participatedin a short Q&A, addressing some student concerns.

Name: Zachary Nichols ‘10Officer Position: OSA President Home away from Oglethorpe: Houston, Texas Major: Communications and Rhetoric Studies

What are the duties of your office? According to the OSA Constitution, the Office ofthe OSA President “shall have the power to preside over all meetings of the ExecutiveCouncil, remaining impartial when presiding. The OSA President shall conduct meetingswith fairness and decorum, ensuring representation for all points of view…shall be ChiefExecutive of the O.S.A. and its formal representative…[and] shall assume whateverother duties the events of a particular year prevail upon the President to assume.”

Why did you run for office? I believe that a person should not do something justbecause he or she can. I believe that a person should do something because he thinks heis the best for the job, otherwise we are just being selfish. I did not run for office becauseI know all of the answers to all of the school’s problems. I ran for office because I’m notscared to ask for help, and I’m not ashamed when I don’t know the right answer. I’mwilling to find the right answer. Last but not least, I love Oglethorpe.

What are your immediate and long-term goals and intentions while in office? I’mfirst and foremost looking forward to making the fall freshmen orientation fantastic andfocusing immediately on one of Oglethorpe’s biggest issues, which is retention. It isimperative that we instill a strong commitment to the university the moment a studentsteps on campus. My long-term goal is to make OSA and Oglethorpe a better place. Ithink that if OSA does a few things better, we will go from being a mediocre student gov-ernment to one of the best in the country.

How do you feel you can better the current state of OSA? If OSA started doing all ofthe things we said we were going to do for the last ten years we would be in great shape,but we have not. We are going to start with the little things such as office hours and stu-dent support. We have a great system. We just have never followed it. We don’t needto re-write every document and re-argue every point. For the first time ever, we are goingto do something truly crazy: we are going to follow the rules we set in place long ago andreally see how far we can push this organization. I have this crazy feeling it might work.

What changes are you looking forward to seeing made? Doing the things we are sup-posed to do and re-supporting student programming.

How do you plan to help make those changes within a single school year? I’m goingto get to work right away, and I’m going to listen to students and other OSA Members.I’m going to work with the university staff and not against them. I’m very lucky tohave—so far in my opinion—the best OSA line up of all time, and I’m really excited fornext year. Mr. Goldman has excellent leadership abilities, and his personality balanceswith mine very well. He is extremely calm and he is a great organizer, and I haveabsolute faith that he is going to do a great job. With the rest of OSA in hand, we aregoing to make the year great.

Name: Amanda Rowell ‘10Officer Position: VP of Programming BoardHome away from Oglethorpe: Atlanta, Georgia Major: Journalism

What are the duties of your office? It falls upon the Vice President of ProgrammingBoard to coordinate and plan campus events like Homecoming, Stomp the Lawn,Quadfest and others. I oversee a board of twelve members comprised of three represen-tatives from each class. With their assistance, I hope to deliver to the students fun eventsthat will enhance their college experience.

Why did you run for office? I have a lot of ideas about ways to improve the function-ing of Programming Board and the Executive Council in general, and the best way tomake those happen is operate within the organization and to lead by example.

What are your immediate and long term goals and intentions while in office? Iwould like to organize the Board, motivate its members and make events reflect thedesires of the student body. This past year was a great start, but there's a lot of work thatneeds to be done to make campus programming the best that it could possibly be.

How do you feel you can better the current state of OSA? OSA's main problems arecoordination, communication and organization. I have several ideas concerning all ofthose areas. Most importantly, I would like to make programming reflect the wants andneeds of Oglethorpe's students. This would involve, among other things, polling studentsabout past events, keeping accurate records of event attendance and making sure thatProgramming Board members are motivated to improve the state of campus program-ming. I would also like to bring back OSA office hours to address student concerns, andto limit the number of mediocre events to be replaced by more fun and interactive eventsthat would encourage community on campus.

What changes are you looking forward to seeing made? I plan to implement a sys-tem of greater organization and involvement in the board by allocating responsibilitiesand appointing a Board Treasurer, Secretary, and Vice President. I feel that these indi-vidual responsibilities will ensure the presence of members at meetings and events. Ialso plan to seek greater involvement from OSA Executive Council and Senate members.Programming Board is basically the public relations arm of OSA, and people tend to for-get that we're even a part of it. We should operate as one cohesive unit and take some ofthe pressure off individual board members.

Life in the BubbleEditors: Blaik Paris & Amanda Rowell

4 Bubble The Stormy Petrel April 20, 2009

Zach RossmanStaff Writer

As part of a series of lectures occurring everyWednesday during the “Dachau before Dachau” exhibit atthe museum, Rose Cunningham gave a lecture entitled“My Childhood Memories Under Fascism.” Cunninghamwas born in Romania, and she discussed her family’s con-stant moves from one country to another in order toescape the rising Nazi regime.

After Dr. Lutz introduced her, Cunningham tookthe podium. She introduced herself, and then her husbandand daughter, both of whom were in the audience. Shesaid that her other daughter is currently living in France.She then began her story.

Rose’s story begins in Romania. Her mother wasRomanian, and her father was French. She was bornJewish, and raised Catholic, wanting to be a nun. One day,when she came home from the nunnery, she found her par-ents packing. “We have to leave,” said her father. WhenRose asked why, he responded, “Because we are Jewish.”Being raised Catholic, this was a shock to her. This pointof the story, however, works to remind those listening to itthat, according to the Nazis, it did not matter how oneborn Jewish was raised.: if they were born Jewish, thenthey, in the eyes of the Nazis, were Jewish without excep-tion.

Rose described her and her family’s leaving as“the beginning of a nightmare.” They took the OrientExpress to France, Rose referring to the train ride as “thelast vestige of wealth they saw.” Living in Paris, she said

that her father became stingy. She further explained thisby discussing the importance of money and gold in war.She said that gold is more important than money in such asituation, as her father used it to get people to help themhide and escape during their time under Nazism. Shewears a piece of her father’s gold on a necklace to this day,as a reminder of that.

Rose’s parents decided to send her and her broth-er to a summer camp in Brittany, while her parents tried toget visas in order to leave Europe. She recounted hermemories at the camp, saying that she and her brother hada wonderful time there. Unfortunately, on September 3,1939, the woman who owned the camp eventually told thechildren to pack, because World War II was declared inEurope. While the other children left, Rose’s familydecided to stay in the area tin which the camp was locat-ed, for when they went to pick up Rose and her brother,they found the area to be worth staying in. “For sixmonths, we had a wonderful life.” Unfortunately, afterthose six months, they all packed and went back to Paris.

In Paris, she and her brother had to go back toschool, even having to wear gas masks there. Eventually,the Nazis came across the Maginot Line on June 13, 1940.Rose’s family took a train out of Paris, headed forMarseilles. Sadly, the train stopped at Bordeaux, due tothe complications presented by the war. They eventuallymade their way to a farmer, who hid them for a short timein return for some of Rose’s father’s gold. A week later,they had to leave. The farmer did, however, allow them touse a car in order to get to Marseilles. The car broke down,and so they walked the rest of the way. After two years,

the family finally received their visas, escaping to Cuba,where Rose spent the rest of her childhood and teenageyears, able to live a normal life again.

After detailing some of the later parts of her lifein Cuba, and then afterward moving to the U.S., the lec-ture concluded following a short question and answer ses-sion. Overall, it was a very intimate and detailed look intothe life of Rose’s childhood under the threat of the Nazis.

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Full Name: Stephen C. Oliver

Position at Oglethorpe: First Shift Supervisor forCampus Safety

How you came to Oglethorpe: A Friend told me therewas a job opening at the school. I applied and the rest is his-tory.

Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Queens,New York. In a neighborhood called Far Rockaway (FarRock) to be exact.

What is your favorite thing about yourself? My Wit. Itkeeps me sharp.

What was the first CD/tape/record you bought withyour own money? The first cassette tape I bought with myown money was LL Cool J’s “Radio.” I know you rememberthe songs “Bristol Hotel,” “Dear Yvette,” and countless clas-sics.

If you won $1,000,000, what would you do with it? Iwould pay off my debt, take care of immediate family, andthen travel the world until it was finished.

What was the last movie you saw that made you cry?Norbit. It was horrible. Eddie Murphy really used to be afunny guy. I still feel he has a “blockbuster” in him.

What’s the best thing you ever bought, stole, or bor-rowed? I borrowed the book “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu,from the Library. It changed my way of thinking.

If you could live during any historical event/era, whichwould you choose and why? Well, I have lived throughone. The 2008 Presidential Election. I’m proud that I wasable to be alive and participate in such a historical moment

in American history. To witness the first President of colorshows how far we’ve come as a country, especially with thehistory that America has. Although there’s still more toaccomplish, the possibilities are endless.

What would you like to be remembered for? I would liketo be remembered for changing lives one graduating class ata time.

What is one item that you couldn’t live without? My2005 Honda. You definitely need transportation to get toall points, East, North, South, and West, in Atlanta.

Name four things that you would take with you to adesserted island. My bible, so I’ll have reading material.My wind-up flashlight, so I can read at night. My girlfriend,so she could read to me, (would she be considered athing?). A Swiss army knife, so I could build a hut to place

my girlfriend, my bible, and my wind-up flashlight.

What is the best advice you ever received? An oldJamaican saying, that my grandmother told me, “See andBlind, Hear and Deaf”. It basically means, mind your ownbusiness.

What is your most prized possession? Again that wouldbe my car.

What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?Read the Stormy Petrel and think about answers I wouldgive for the “20 questions” section.

Whose face would you put on the $100 bill? I wouldkeep Benjamin’s face on it, I’m so used to seeing it on my100’s anyway.

What was the first part-time job you ever had? My fresh-man year in high school, I had an after school job sellingcandy door-to-door. It’s how I learned my gift of gab.

What’s your dream job? To be the first President of colorfor Oglethorpe University.

When you pick up the latest edition of The StormyPetrel, which section do you turn to first? The Sectionwhere they have the drink of the moment and how to mix it.

For your “one answer”, you can make a single statementabout anything you wish. It can be as long or as short asyou want it to be and can address anything you havesomething to say about advice, politics, Oglethorpe,students, etc.

Seize the moment, but don’t forget to laugh.

Photo By Kristina DevegaCunningham spoke about a childhood under Nazism.

OpinionsEditor: Ramika Gourdine & Carly Stewart

April 20, 2009 The Stormy Petrel Opinions 5

Daniel SuddesA&E Editor

There is a fad sweeping thenation. It is known only as the “greenmovement” and has much taken much ofthe campus by storm. It has turned peopleinto civically minded citizens, who goaround campus to pick up recycling andwork in the new community garden. Ournewspaper has even devoted a section tothe discussion of environmental issues.Known as the “Green Piece,” this columnwritten by distinguished Oglethorpe stu-dent Jessica Daniel and has raised manyprovocative issues, becoming popularamongst the campus environmentalists. Iwould like to submit that, for as muchresearch as people like Ms. Daniel havedone, the people involved in the greenmovement are ignoring some very largepieces of evidence indicating that theirefforts are in vain and have essentiallyturned their scientific ideas into politicalbeliefs. Debate is not tolerated; anyonewho disagrees must have their messagesstifled. I would like to address some of theother side of the issue that has so far beenabsent in the hopes that debate on thesematters is at least partially reignited.

There are two main issues I hopeto discuss during this work. The first Iwould like to discuss is climate change. Inher column dated March 13, Jessica Danielwrote the following: “There are still a lotof people who refuse to believe climatechange exists, and others who believe cli-mate change may be happening, but does-n’t pose any real threat to us. To these peo-ple, I say ‘wrong.’ Climate change is hap-

pening, it does pose some threat to us all,and it has started to affect our daily lives.”

These are exceptionally strongwords. But more interesting is the fact thatMs. Daniel, normally a very wellresearched writer, stated this as though cli-mate change had been proven beyond allreasonable doubt: climate change has not.The evidence against it, and the evidencethat humans are not the cause of it, can fillvolumes and volumes. Some of the mostnotable criticism comes from lifelongenvironmentalist and Greenpeace founderPatrick Moore. He is now one of their most

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Photo Courtesy of www.pcrecycle.netDespite their “green” reputation, recycling trucks emit many of the same pollutants people are so eager to eliminate.

vocal critics, claiming them to be “anti-civilization.” The book You Are Being LiedTo, edited by Russ Kick, republishes anessay of Moore’s dealing with many mythsabout the current environmental move-ment. Moore addresses how to prove cli-mate change, but it is not a simple experi-ment. Basically, we would have to take asample of planets exactly like Earth,increase the carbon dioxide levels on halfof them, and then observe the average tem-peratures over the course of a few millen-nia. Obviously, this is impossible. We onlyhave a sample of one. Therefore, we can-not claim it to be proven. But what aboutwhat is happening to the planet? Again,we can turn to Patrick Moore’s essay, inwhich he states: “1. Carbon dioxide levelsare increasing, and human activity is like-ly the cause, and 2) the average tempera-ture of the Earth is increasing.” Prettysimple, right? Wrong. These two itemsare not mutually exclusive. It is like sayingthat because I am wearing a watch, there isnot a volcano erupting in Atlanta. Some ofthe current data does not support the modelof carbon dioxide causing climate change.For example, the atmosphere of the earth isnot warming as fast as the surface. Some(including the British documentary TheGreat Global Warming Swindle) have evensuggested water vapor, not carbon dioxide,is the cause for most of the temperaturechanges.

I am not saying it is not happen-ing. What I am saying is that we are stillcollecting data and trying to determine ifclimate change is occurring and, if it is,what is causing it. In short, no one is trulysure. However, the expression of anyskepticism regarding this has been thecause of much scorn and ridicule. This isnot how science or any form of debate iscarried out. It is necessary to look at bothsides of an issue to form a well reasonedargument. More and more, the idea of cli-mate change resembles a political mani-festo rather than a scientific theory. Thosewho agree with it are lauded, those who donot are scorned and labeled fools.

I would also like to addressanother concept: the concept of recycling.This topic has not been discussed by Ms.Daniel, however, Oglethorpe does have avery large recycling program run by the

students. Supporters of recycling state thatit is the only way to prevent us from beingburied alive by our trash and keep theforests full of trees. Well, sorry everyone.We are not about to be buried nor are treesabout to go extinct. In fact, recycling mayend up doing more damage to the environ-ment due to the sheer number of extragarbage trucks needed to handle all of therecycling. As stated by Daniel Benjaminin his “Eight Recycling Myths” article:“Los Angeles has 800 rubbish trucks ratherthan 400, because of its curb-side recy-cling. This means more iron ore and coalmining, steel and rubber manufacturing,petroleum extraction and refining--and ofcourse extra air pollution in the LosAngeles basin.” That same article address-es the problem of landfill shortage:“Indeed, the total land area needed to holdall of America’s garbage for the next cen-tury would be only about 10 miles square.”In fact, today, the U.S. has more landfillcapacity then ever. The world of WALL-Ewill no more be a reality in the future thanit is now. In addition, the idea of recyclingpaper is solely misguided. Here is an idea:using paper makes trees, because we growtrees to make paper. It works exactly thesame way as any other crop. Once again,as pointed out by Patrick Moore, so long asthere is a demand for paper, people willcontinue to plant trees. My point is thatthere are multiple viewpoints on the con-cept of recycling, in the same way thereare on climate change. Recycling, in itscurrent form, is not as effective as it couldbe.

Many will disagree with me uponreading this. I can already hear theresponse: “You just don’t care about theEarth. You are some heartless monster!”This is not true. I do not want to condonethose who want to hurt the environment.There are real environmental issues thatmust be addressed. But to eliminatedebate is not how science works. Sciencemust be open. Evidence must be collected.In many ways, the green movement isguilty of what Creationists are guilty of:that is, they keep their ideas rigid and shutout anyone who even speaks up in protest.I will end by stressing the need to keep sci-ence non-political. Politicizing sciencecan only lead to harm.

The Stormy Petrel hasThe Stormy Petrel hasopen business andopen business and

journalism positions!journalism positions!

Interested in being our Ad Manageror Business Manager? Asst. BubbleEditor or Asst. Hindsight Editor?Asst. Opinions Editor or Asst.

Sports Editor?

Let us know! No experience isnecessary, and Asst. Editors have

the opportunity to advance toSection Editor after one semester on

staff.

Applications are available in theblack box outside the Stormy Petreloffice. Please attach a non-fictionwriting sample when you submit yourapplication. Email the Editor-in-

Chief at stormypetrel@oglethorpe.eduwith any questions.

Editors: Adam Bailey & Daniel Suddes

Arts & Entertainment6 A&E The Stormy Petrel April 20, 2009

DDaacchhaauu sshhoowwss tthhee bbeesstt aanndd wwoorrsstt ooff hhuummaann nnaattuurreeGregory WallaceStaff Writer

The name “Dachau” is inextricably linked to the horrors ofthe Holocaust. For many, the mere mention of the name evokes theabsolute worst atrocities that people are capable of inflicting upontheir fellow human beings. Although not the first concentrationcamp, as is commonly believed, the Dachau Concentration Campnevertheless became a “model camp,” a place that journalist andwriter Hans-Günter Richardi dubbed the “School of Terror” thatinstructed all other camps that followed.

Yet, there is another side to the infamous city’s past. Duringthe 19th century Dachau, due in part to its proximity to Munich,became one of the most important European artists’ colonies. Artists’colonies were highly informal associations of artists who desired toget away from the stress and complexity of city life. Artists such asLudwig Dill, Adolf Hoelzel, and Arthur Langhammer were enchant-ed by the ever-changing natural light of the Dachau Moss andenjoyed a greater level of artistic freedom than would not have beenpossible under the artist academies of the major cities. With natureas their muse and teacher, they created beautiful pastoral works ofthe surrounding landscapes.

Dachau Before Dachau had its origins in the 2003 annualmeeting of EuroArt, the Federation of European Artists’ Colonies.Lloyd Nick, Director of the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art(OUMA), was asked to address the delegates and discuss Atlanta’splans for the first major EuroArt exhibit in the U.S. Peter Bürgel andElisabeth Boser, Dachau’s Mayor and the Director of the CityMuseum of Dachau, respectively, presented Nick with a book ofmore than 1000 images of paintings outlining the history of theDachau Artist Colony. They asked Nick to consider Dachau’s inclu-sion in the OUMA’s 2005 exhibit Masterpieces from European Artist

Photo by Betsy AyersLeft to right: Oglethorpe President Lawrence Schall, Deputy German Consul Sönke Lorenz, IsraeliConsul General Reda Mansour, Museum Director Lloyd Nick, and Dachau Mayor Peter Bürgel com-memorate the opening of the historic exhibit.

Colonies, 1830–1930. Nick agreed not only toinclude the Dachau’s artists’ colony in the exhibition,but suggested that they plan an exhibition focusedsolely on this mostly unknown colony.

Over the next six years, Nick worked tobring the exhibit to fruition. He personally wentthrough 4000 images. From this enormous collec-tion, Nick selected 100 potential candidates for theexhibit. Of these, 47 paintings, 4 woodblock prints,and 1 pallet made the final cut. “I wanted to give abroad scope and also the best of the collection,” Nicksaid, recounting the selection process.

From the beginning, Nick and Bürgel care-fully considered how best to approach an artists’colony whose existence had been largely overshad-owed by the concentration camp that shares its name.They were determined not to hide or attempt to min-imize the existence of the Dachau ConcentrationCamp. On the contrary, Nick and Bürgel decided thatDachau Before Dachau would actually comprise twoseparate exhibits. Dachau Before Dachau: EuropeanArtist Colony 1860–1914, celebrates the work of theartists before World War I and II. ConcentrationCamp: Years of Destruction 1933–1945, organizedby Hans-Günter Richardi, respectfully fulfills whatMayor Bürgel calls “the noblest task…Dachau inher-its from its history…to be a place of learning andremembrance for the youth of the world.”

Originally, the exhibits were intended to bepresented at entirely separate museums. While theartists’ colony exhibit was always intended forOglethorpe, the original intention had been for theconcentration camp exhibit to be presented at amuseum dedicated to the preservation of the historyof the Holocaust. However, finding a museum will-ing to host Concentration Camp as a standaloneexhibit proved problematic. Several museums, theAnne Frank Museum among them, initially agreed tohost the exhibit, only to back out later. Nick believesmuseums approached felt that the DachauConcentration Camp had a stigma attached to itself.Others felt that the concentration camp exhibit’sassociation with the artists’ colony exhibit somehowtrivialized or diminished the horrors of Dachau.Finally, there was the concern that people might mis-takenly assume that the paintings were done by pris-oners of the concentration camp.

The decision to present both parts of theexhibit at Oglethorpe, originally born out of necessi-ty, ultimately proved serendipitous. The space in theMuseum that had been, at times, both the Rubengallery and a second gift shop was sacrificed forConcentration Camp. In retrospect, Mayor Bürgel

said, this was “the best” solution. Because of theMuseum’s layout, the concentration camp exhibitcannot be seen from Dachau Before Dachau. Yet,Concentration Camp is impossible to miss on theway to the other part of the exhibit. Exiting the ele-vators, one must walk past it in order to reach thepaintings.

Beyond politics, the exhibit presented morepractical challenges. One of the biggest hurdles wasmaking sure that the works were attributed to the cor-rect artists. As Nick explains, the Dachau painters didnot consider themselves part of any formal organiza-tion. It was common for artists not to date paintings;some did not even sign their names. The colony’sobscurity and the severe stigma of Dachau compli-cated even this aspect of the exhibit’s preparation.Books or other printed works (in any language) aboutthe artists’ colony were nearly non-existent.(According to Nick, the Museum’s catalog of theexhibit is the first book on Dachau outside ofDachau.)

The Museum had to resort to unorthodoxmethods to fill in the gaps. Oglethorpe Universityalumnus Stephen Germany pulled a great deal of theinformation off the German language version ofWikipedia, taking the extra step of translating whathe found into English so that it could be used in theexhibit. The assistance of the German and IsraeliConsul Generals were also invaluable in makingabsolutely sure that none of the artists whose workswere exhibited supported the Nazis later in life.

Despite the long and difficult road taken tobring the works of the Dachau painters toOglethorpe, Lloyd Nick is extremely pleased withhow both of the exhibits turned out. “The exhibitsfrom Dachau are a macrocosm of ourselves,” saidNick, “The good side can create incredible beautyand the bad side incredible destruction.” The DachauConcentration Camp was “even more terriblebecause what happened happened in a center of beau-ty.” Because of the ongoing stigma associated withDachau, the works of the Dachau Artist Colony havebeen only been exhibited in other parts of Europe ona handful of occasions. Dachau Before Dachau rep-resents the first time any of the works have beenexhibited in North America.

Dachau Before Dachau: European ArtistColony 1860–1914 and Concentration Camp: Yearsof Destruction 1933–1945 will be on display at theOglethorpe University Museum of Art until August30, 2009. Admission is $5 for adults, free for OUMAMembers and children under 12. For more informa-tion visit museum.oglethorpe.edu.

One final item: the Xzibit por-tions are unnecessary. They really addnothing. We already know that DeeRoberts is a dedicated mother. There is noneed to truly drive this point on. However,the scenes involving him are remarkablywell done, but it is the equivalent of aRenaissance painter spending five years topaint a circle. Sure, there is effort, but it isultimately just a simple geometric shape.

There are, as I have shown, manyproblems with the film. There are alsomany things that go right. For every scenethat goes wrong, there is a scene that playsout wonderfully. The last third of the filmis incredibly powerful, and the directorseems to have finally found the tone hewants. And the performances throughoutthe film are wonderful. Nicole Beharieand Tim Blake Nelson both steal the show,while Will Patton has a tremendous mono-logue in the second act that really is thehighlight of the film. And Charles S.Dutton places a lot of energy into his priestcharacter. Too bad he is in less than tenminutes of the film. And the interrogation

scenes in the movie are among the bestsince A Few Good Men. They are verywell-timed and the characters play off eachother beautifully. It is not merely an argu-ment of good versus evil. It is (finally) anargument between ideologies.

The film does say what needs tobe said. I am just not sure how serious itis. There are times it comes dangerouslyclose to telling the audience exactly howthey should think. The greatest films sparkdebate, giving people something to thinkabout. This film introduces a topic thatneeds to be addressed, but it does not real-ly give the audience time to think. This isstill a good film, but it could have been agreat one.

April 20, 2009 The Stormy Petrel A&E 7

JJuurriieedd aarrtt sshhooww ffeeaattuurreess ssttuuddeenntt ppaaiinnttiinngg,, pphhoottooggrraapphhyyDaniel SuddesA&E Editor

The Oglethorpe University ArtDepartment has gone without its due cred-it for many years.

There has been some real talent inthe Art Department for many years, pro-ducing gifted students and the wonderfulwork they have produced. However, muchof this work goes ignored throughout theyear. These attitudes change for one night.In April of every year, the students ofOglethorpe showcase their work for theentire student body.

There are many different types ofmedia showcased throughout the show,including paintings, photographs, andetchings. The subjects are as varied as themedium in which they are portrayed.Among the works include still lifes, selfportraits, and even photographs of scenesfrom around Atlanta.

“It is about opening your eyes tothe talent that is out there,” stated HilaryCurtis, and Oglethorpe sophomore whohad several of her photographs showcased.“It’s really good to see it when you nor-mally wouldn’t have an opportunity to.”

The show is held in the Great Hall

of Hearst. Displays are set up all over thehall with artists’ works usually groupedtogether. Guests are free to look aroundthe room or enjoy the refreshments provid-ed while talking to the artists who createdthe works

“My piece was inspired by adream,” said Alex Clark, an OglethorpeJunior whose work “Musablines” was fea-tured in the show. His piece is an unusualbut captivating one. It shows a strangemachine rising up from a hilled landscape.“It’s a machine for licking popsicles,”laughed Clark.

Clark also has reacted positivelyto the idea of the art show. “Anyone whotakes the time to stop and look will beimpressed by what they see.”

Curtis shared Clark’s feelingsabout the show. “It really is about peopleopening their eyes to the talent that is outthere. It’s really good to have it all outthere when you normally wouldn’t get theopportunity to see it.”

Two of Curtis’ photographs wereon display in the show. It was the first timeany of her work had been showcased.

“One of the photographs is of anold mannequin I found in an antique store.It was very worn down and I was surprisedthat they were literally selling garbage,”

said Curtis of one of her untitled photo-graphs: “the other was taken at a cemeterynear Roswell Road. There was a sign therethat said ‘Garden of Devotion.’ I was par-ticularly inspired by the American Flagthat was right behind the sign.”

Some of the photographs weredone in the digital format. However, alarge majority of the photography wasdone in a more traditional style, includingthose by Curtis. “I really don’t think tech-nology should be used in art,” explainedCurtis, on her stylistic choices. “I muchprefer the hands-on experience of the darkroom.” The viewers also felt captivatedby the work.

Mallory Davis, an OglethorpeUniversity alumna, visited this year’s artshow. “I’ve actually been to a lot. It’sgreat to see the variety,” explained Davis,.“Plus a lot of family members showed upthis year. It’s always great to see the sup-port. For the students, though, it’s alwaysgreat to have young alumni come back andsupport you. It’s important that we haveshows like these. It showcases the stu-dents, and students really do make theschool.”

When asked about some of herfavorite pieces, Davis stated she was par-ticularly drawn to a piece known as

“Tattooed Lady.” “It’s just so different”said Davis. The figured is a paintingshowing a hunched over woman who hasnumerous tattoos. The background of thework resembles a tattoo that could be onthe woman’s body.

Professor Perret-Gentil is thephotography professor at Oglethorpe andone of the organizers of the show. “We askfor submissions and then showcase thebest. There are no individual awards.Being in the show is a great accomplish-ment.”

Perret-Gentil explained the basicconcept of the show. “There are two mainitems that describe a piece of good art:interesting concept and good execution.Each piece also shows something aboutthe artist.”

When asked about the large vari-ety of photography, Perret-Gentil statedthe photographs depend just as much onthe artists’ perspective as any painting. “Ican send many people out to photographthe same thing and would get back a vari-ety of different photos.”

The art show really does demon-strate the large variety of talent throughoutOglethorpe. The show is held annually,and submissions from all majors are wel-come.

AAmmeerriiccaann VViioolleett ssttrroonngg,, mmaayybbee ttoooo ssttrroonngg ffoorr ssoommeeDaniel SuddesA&E Editor

The best thing a film can do ismake us think; there are many great filmsout there that engage their audiences.They can express items from the meaningof life to the meaning of love. They caneven discuss important social issues of theday. Many talented directors have usedfilm as an outlet to discuss such socialissues. Indeed, Citizen Kane is largelyconsidered one of the best films for man-aging to accomplish both.

The worst thing a movie can do istell the audience what to think. Thesemovies, such as Blood Diamond, havebeen criticized for being preachy, overtlydramatic, and not subtle. And these filmsdeserve each and every last bit of criticism.I have found that people do not like to betold what to think. People especially donot enjoy the experience of paying ten dol-lars to be told what to think.

American Violet frustratinglycrosses each of the two extremes through-out its running time. There were times Iwas deeply moved, and there were times Iwas simply rolling my eyes at the screen.

American Violet, based on theactual drug case of Regina Kelly, followsthe story of Dee Roberts (played by new-comer Nicole Beharie) a twenty-four yearold single mother living in a governmenthousing project in Texas. One day, inNovember 2000 (because they were wor-ried audiences would not understand thetime frame, constant reminders of the pres-idential election are shown), the local dis-trict attorney (played by Michael O’Keefe)orders a drug raid. Dee is arrested at herdiner and is accused of selling narcotics ina school zone. She has never had any priordrug convictions and, it is revealed, wasarrested based on the testimony of onementally unbalanced informant. Roberts isoffered a choice: Take a plea bargain andbe sent home, or risk a long prison sen-tence. She chooses neither and gets helpfrom an ACLU lawyer (Tim Blake Nelson)and a former drug officer (Will Patton) tohelp her change the Texas justice system.Meanwhile, she attempts to fight her ex-husband (played by the frustratingly mis-spelled Xzibit) who wants to take custodyof her children.

First off, let me say that I agreewith the fundamental thesis of the film.The War on Drugs has caused far moreharm than good. As pointed out in thefilm, the U.S. currently has more of its

population in prison than any other nation.Innocent people have their lives destroyedby the hearsay of a single informant. It isa waste of money, a waste of prison space,and has done nothing to solve the drugproblems in the nation.

However, I will still greatly dis-turbed by the approach of the film. Forone, it spends the entire time playing therace card. In the third act of the film, thisis the correct approach and is used to awonderful effect that I would not darereveal here. Before then, however, thefilm seems to imply that the reason the rea-son for the drug raids is to deny the peoplein the projects their “right” to governmentbenefits. Well, that is opening up a wholenew premise. The central item (the DrugWar) is strong enough, and can be used tofill a movie. Normally, such items can beused as icing on a delicious cake. Here, itis like adding horseradish sauce. It is notmerely a bad idea, but a aggressively hos-tile one.

Another item: our friend subtletyis nowhere to be found. The entire filmresembles a Michael Bay action film. Nota good choice, considering this is supposedto be a film to instigate social change. Thesymbolism in the movie is obvious: one ofthe law enforcement characters is intro-duced by literally “missing the mark.”

Photo courtesy of wordpress.comDee roberts and her mother attempt to find strength in unity.

Photo courtesy of impawards.com

American Violet--a film that crosses thethoughtful with the preachy.

There were times Iwas deeply moved,

and there were timesI was simply rolling

my eyes at the screen.

Editors: Laura BraddickHindsight

8 Hindsight The Stormy Petrel April 20, 2009

Black VelvetBlack Velvet

1 part Guinness1 part WoodchuckPear Cider

Fill pint glasshalfway with cider.Slowly pourGuinness over theback of a spoon overthe glass to allowthe lager to float ontop.

(A personal favoriteof Editor-In-ChiefChelcie Rowell)

Stephanie LaubscherCopy Editor

I’ll start with honesty: I’ve beenputting off writing this article. Now I amstressed. I suppose this is proof thatHindsight is not in fact 20/20 as whoevercame up with that phrase has led us tobelieve. If you don’t do your work, it sim-ply won’t get done. But really, I supposeI’ve been delaying my writing of this arti-cle because, until I’ve already collectedmy diploma and am sitting alone in myroom back at my parents’ house with mycat on my lap helping me figure out what Iam going to do next with my life, I don’treally feel I’m yet capable of offering anymusings of real worth. It’s usually not tillI’ve moved on to the next stage of life thatI have any real perspective on what hashappened, as much as I like to think ofmyself as a contemplative person.

But, in thinking of what I wantedto say here, I realized that there is onething that I actually feel is worth passingon. It is something that has been unfoldingin me for a long time, but it’s only been inthis, my last semester, that I’ve reallycome into the discovery, which is: learningto speak up when I see important things atOglethorpe that deserve to be addressedbut which usually go unspoken, or evenunnoticed.

This discovery has branched intotwo tracks—one actually sprang from theother—and I will attend to the first onefirst. Oglethorpe is not meaningfulbecause of the buildings, the history, oranything else (though, of course, I enjoythose things and they were a large part ofwhat made me choose this school): Ibelieve that the value of Oglethorpe is

found in its professors. My education as anintellectual and, more importantly, as aburgeoning adult has been the collectivework of so many different professors, eachof whom contributed to a different facet ofmy learning.

Dr. Hornback was my first Coreprofessor, and he taught me how to write a“real” paper. His enthusiasm for learning iscontagious, as is his laughter: I’m stilldelighted he came and sat in the front rowof The Importance of Being Earnest whenI put that on a few years ago.

While I have never had a classwith Dr. Weiss, she took me to coffee myfirst semester to see how I was adjusting toOglethorpe and that one gesture stillspeaks volumes to me of the care she takes

with every student here; I firmly believethat her interest in me—and the fact thatshe remembered my name after only meet-ing me once over the summer—helpedsolidify my decision to stay at Oglethorpefor all four years. On the other hand, I’vebeen in Dr. Ray’s University Singers everysemester, which works out to about onehundred songs with him over the course offour years. He is a stickler for excellence,which as a result has made me a much bet-ter singer by forcing me to actively engagewith each piece of music, whether I initial-ly relate to it or not.

I have had the pleasure of work-ing for Dr. McCarthy for three years in theWriting Center, and the main thing I appre-ciate about her—beyond my esteem forher dedication to her students and to ustutors—is that she is a class act. ProfessorCatherine McFarland has influenced me somuch not only by modeling expert visualanalysis but even more by the way shemodels an appreciation of the commonali-ty of human experience: this has changednot only the way I engage with artwork butthe way I engage with those I encounter.Last, but certainly not least, is Dr. DouglasMcFarland. I have taken eight classes withhim (he’s also my advisor) ranging fromancient subjects to modern film and everytime I find myself embracing and under-standing literature I never thought I wouldlike, let alone come to love. I really admirehis tenacity, which expresses itself in adesire to be always, always learning. Truly,I have had too many influential professorsto even name them all here.

As I said, the second branch ofmy discovery comes from the first, andhere my newfound penchant for speakingmy heart takes on a more urgent tone.Ultimately, it is the relationship between

the professors and students that makesOglethorpe worthy of preservation; how-ever, I feel that this relationship is beingthreatened by an administration that doesnot realize that it is the students and theprofessors that make the school: not itsexploits, and especially not its administra-tion. The administration should exist tofacilitate the student/faculty relationshipand not hinder it. Professors should not beeffectively forced out by the administra-tion but this is, in fact, what is happening:Oglethorpe will not be the same for losingvaluable professors, and I believe that wewill continue to lose professors at a break-neck rate unless something changes imme-diately.

The only way we can preserve thetrue heart of the school is by refusing toremain silent…silence really does denoteapproval. Instead, go knock on Dr. Schall’soffice. If enough of us speak our minds,my hope is that perhaps the faculty-studentcore of the school can be re-emphasized. Iwant to be proud of my alma mater and notembarrassed to say I graduated fromOglethorpe University, which is why I’mnot holding my tongue anymore; may youdo the same.

SStteepphhaanniiee tteellllss wwhhaatt sshhee rreeaallllyy tthhiinnkkss ooff OOgglleetthhoorrppee

It is the studentsand the professors

that make theschool: not itsexploits, and

especially not itsadministration.

This year, The Stormy Petrel is accepting Hindsight submissions from all seniors. Submissions should be between 700-800words and should be emailed to stormypetrel@oglethorpe.edu or mailed to Campus Mailbox 450.

Photo courtesy of Olivia RocamoraStephanie registers for classes duringher last semester.