Berry Considers Change from NAIA to NCAA

By Jimmy Story, COM 301
Edited and posted by David Reeves, COM 303

Berry College and its athletic programs are considering a possible change of membership into the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Discussion of the change was initiated in the fall of 2002, when the Berry College Board of Trustees created a committee whose purpose was to examine any benefits and drawbacks the move might yield. The plans were soon halted, though, to better assess the situation upon approval and construction of the Stephen J. Cage Center, Berry College’s new athletic and recreation complex.

In the spring of 2007, with the opening of the Cage Center less than a year away, the committee met to once again examine if a move into the NCAA would be beneficial to Berry College as a whole. The committee’s findings were sent to the Berry College Board of Trustees in February 2008.

“The committee could not come to a decision, so they could not give a recommendation,” said Berry’s Cross Country coach Paul Deaton.

“I have always been associated with the NAIA and see the merit in our association with them, but also understand that the NCAA would offer us some new opportunities and challenges,” said Berry College’s director of athletics Todd Brooks.

Students and staff alike are also examining all possibilities. Dean of Students Debbie Heida said it will take time to most effectively decide on a result that will provide for even greater success for Berry College athletics.

“We are right now in the beginning of a process. Now, we must figure out in which direction we want to go,” Heida said.

The Board of Trustees turned over the recommendation process to Berry College President Stephen Briggs after the committee failed to give a recommendation. Briggs will give a final proposal to the Berry College Board of Trustees in May, wrapping up an exploratory year to decide the future of Berry College athletics with any decision taking place as early as June.

Cage Center director at top of his game

Randall Goble

photo courtesy of Kennesaw State University
By Luis Salazar, COM 301
Edited and posted by Brittany Hannah, COM 303

For Randall Goble, running a new 131,982-square-foot facility, estimated at $32.5 million, was a task well within his grasp.

As Berry College’s Steven J. Cage Athletic and Recreation Center was set to open in 2008, it needed a hard-working, easy going personality to pilot it in the right direction.

Goble was chosen for the job and has not disappointed.

As the director of the Cage Center, Goble deals with the overall operation and supervision of the new athletic/recreation compound. His job includes overseeing maintenance and scheduling, as well as making sure all the kinks that any new building would have gets worked out.

After graduating from Berry in 1988 and serving as an assistant basketball coach for three years, Goble spent the next 17 years at Kennesaw State University, where he served primarily as the facilities coordinator for department of health, physical education and sport science. He was also the women’s basketball coach for the first three years at KSU, but then decided to just stick to administration.

“He is a Berry alumnus who understands the institution and the students,” said athletic director Todd Brooks. “We are still learning as we go in regards to the Cage, but having Randall who is experienced is a plus. He is a good person to have.”

Not only does his extensive experience in facility management make him successful, his relaxing demeanor helps him cope with all of the pressure his job puts on him, said intramurals director Ricky Williams.

“He is successful because he is very laid back but not lazy,” said Williams. “This is a strength for him because with all of the hectic scheduling involved with the Cage, he doesn’t get stressed out. And if he does, he doesn’t show it.”

Goble agreed that his cool under pressure personality is a bonus quality to have.

“I’ve been doing this for long enough that I know emergencies will come up,” he said. “After a while you kind of develop a checklist to make sure it all gets worked out without overly panicking about a situation. Not being uptight helps a lot.”

Williams has known Goble for over 20 years. After being hired together last summer, their friendship has grown into much more than the usual co-worker relationship.

“As good as he is at his job, he is a better person,” Williams said. “He cares about people, the Berry community and most importantly his family. He is a good all-around person and friend.”

His family oriented character is apparent when it comes to his relationship with the students. Being able to have a close connection with them is a fundamental reason for his return to his alma mater.

“I got into education because I love interacting with students,” Goble explained. “At Kennesaw, there are a lot more students which makes it hard to get to know them. Berry is so special because it is a completely different atmosphere. I enjoy experiencing the diversity here.

His outgoing charisma has made him a popular man for students looking for on campus positions. When asked about their boss, Cage Center student workers usually have nothing but compliments in regards to their boss.

“I love him. He is an awesome guy who really works around your schedule and understands if you can’t make it to work sometimes,” said junior Laura Phyfer. “My last two years I’ve worked for people I didn’t like, but Randall is totally different. He is my favorite by far.”

As for Goble, he’s just happy to be back.

“It’s an exciting time to be here,” he said with a grin. “This new building, the new dorms and the increasing enrollment will only improve our school. It is neat to be a part of it.”

Goble and his wife Theresa have three children; Joseph, Nicholas and John, ages 14, 11 and 7. Though his job can be exhausting at times, Goble always finds time to bond with his family.

“Randall is a great husband and father because he is actively involved in our
lives,” Theresa Goble said. “Whether they are outside throwing the baseball, football or shooting hoops, he always spends a great deal of time with the boys.”

With Theresa also being a Berry graduate, the Gobles hope their boys will follow in their footsteps and one day attend Berry College.

Safe at Home

Berry College kicks off intramural softball season

Junior Courtney Warner stands ready at home plate.

Picture courtesy of Courtney Warner.

By Whitney Kazragis, COM 301
Edited and posted by Adam Caldwell, COM 303

With the change in temperature, comes the time honored tradition of intramural softball at Berry College

With 21 teams participating, many students have been able to share the fun of this highly anticipated sports season.

One such softball team, the Ballin’ Bears, is comprised of the Lady Viking basketball team. Teammates Laura Moore and Brittany Howes agree that playing softball with their basketball team is a great way to end their basketball season by staying connected and having some fun.

“After the basketball season ends, we don’t get to see each other as much, so it’s a good chance to catch up on what’s been going on,” Howes said. “We are pretty much involved with basketball from the first day of school to March, so when the season ends [softball] is a fun break for us,” Moore added.

However, Mitch Mulheim of the Dozen Six loves to win.

“We love to win and hate to lose, but we’re always joking no matter what is going on,” Muhlheim said.

Muhlheim also mentioned a close call with the ball when he was playing catcher.

It occurred when the opposing team’s batter tried to swing at several foul balls flying within inches of the batter’s face. To avoid injury, Muhlheim ducked for the next at-bat and the ball headed straight toward the umpire, who let out a string of curses heard from the outfield.

“I thought it was funny because the umpire jokingly told me that I was going to get struck out for every at bat since I let the ball hit her instead of hitting me,” Muhlheim included.

When asked what he liked most about being involved with the softball season, intramural softball umpire Paul Krueger talked about his joy of watching students compete, have fun and even get better over the season.

“I love how loose the atmosphere is. Everybody wants to win, but they enjoy having fun with their friends even more and it makes for a very enjoyable game umpiring,” Krueger admitted. “The skill levels are generally the same, but we get some close games sometimes.”

Krueger recalls good memories from the intramural field.

“I have seen my fair share of at-bats,” Krueger said. “The worst I ever saw was last year when a girl swung so hard that she spun her body around and landed on her butt right on home plate. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen!”

The Viking Intramural Program Web site states, “This program provides students, faculty and staff with the opportunity for competition and fun in a variety of team and individual sports activities.”

With the final men and women’s blue and silver championship softball games being held Monday, many teams are winding down for their last hurrah. These games will be held on all intramural fields at 5 and 6 p.m.

Students Question Tuition Increase

By Joseph Palmer, COM 301
Edited and posted by Issac Jessup, COM 303

With the announcement of the new tuition for the 2008-2009 school year, Berry College students have mixed feelings about having to pay $2000 more for their education.

“Go farther into debt...essentially,” was one student’s quick-witted answer when asked how the tuition increases would affect him.

Berry College students are now faced with reality of a tuition increase for the upcoming school year. With the recent letter President Stephen Briggs addressed to students and their parents, a lot of students have been left feeling as though they’re in the dark as to what exactly the tuition increase will be used for.

“In the letter I sent out to students earlier, I mentioned the chief reason: our costs go up due to modest salary increases for faculty and staff salaries as well as increased costs for energy and gasoline, building maintenance, IT equipment, library books and so on,” said Briggs.

The majority of Berry students, however, sees this as insufficient and would like a more thorough breakdown of where the money will be going; some, like Michael Wise, a sophomore biochemistry major, even find the lack there of somewhat disconcerting.

“Seems slightly suspicions,” said Wise. “They all sound like good reasons; I would like to know what percentages are going to what.”

However, for students like Amanda Griswell, a sophomore public relations major, there was a basic understanding that Berry's tuition was bound to go up sometime.

“As long as they’re going to account for [the tuition increases]. I understand that the professors need raises,” said Griswell. “It's just that they have to think about the student to.”

Assistant Vice President for Finance Scott Shank said he believes Berry is doing its best to keep the students financial situations in mind. Shank added that Berry was taking big steps to insure that student’s financial needs were being attended to.

“Please be mindful that almost no student pays the full cost of tuition and fees at Berry,” said Shank. “Berry is very generous with its financial aid awards to students. In fact, we are more generous than most of our peer and aspirant institutions.

Operating costs for Berry are expected to go up approximately $2 million this year from last year, said Shank.

“This year, we are expecting the operating costs to end the year at approximately $60.75 million of which only approximately $18.90 million will be funded by net tuition and fees,” said Shank. “Hopefully, as students understand that Berry is already using its endowment to offset the cost of tuition and fees before financial aid by $9,000 to $10,000 per student, they will understand how fair Berry is trying to be”

Since there is going to be an increase in tuition, many students would like to have a better understanding of where their money will be going.

“Even though I'm not happy about the tuition increases, I understand,” said Griswell. “It would be nice if they would tell us exactly what our money is going for and a breakdown of what our tuition is covering.”

Jesse Milby, the SGA vice president of student services, said that he was troubled with the tuition increase.

“I'm not real thrilled with it, because frankly I feel a lot of it is going to stuff we don't need; we don't care about,” said Milby.

Many students said that they were not very surprised at all about the increase. In fact, students like Tim Martin, a junior middle-grades education major, said that the new tuition increase would have little or no affect on him personally.

“I mean, I guess it’s just the cost of going to Berry; going to a private school,” said Martin. “You’re going to be paying some money. You make the choice...”

With the help of scholarship programs like that of The Bonner Scholar's program, Griswell said she believes she will come through unscathed. The Bonner Scholar’s program is a financial aid program at Berry which provides students with scholarships that cover an individually set portion of their tuition—no matter what—as long as they work a certain amount of time during a given semester.

“I don't think it will actually affect me all that much 'cause with Bonner; I mean the same stuff is going to be covered,” said Griswell.

Students have the hopes that, even though tuition is going up, Berry will still be able to provide them the means of some type of financial assistance to make up for the increase.

“In terms of Berry, just as we done in the past, we award aid based [on] a student's demonstrated need as a results of filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),” said Ron Elmore, director of financial aid at Berry. “So whether the tuition goes up a dollar or $1,800, our procedure remains the same. We do the best we can do with the limited dollars that we have to meet the demonstrated need of those students [who] file for need-based aid.”

Briggs said that the process that developed the new tuition started with a budget committee, chaired by Brian Erb, the vice president of finance, and made up of senior college leaders, faculty, staff and two students. They looked over all the college's costs, needs and the different sources of income that Berry has. They then decide on a budget to which they recommend to the college cabinet and then Briggs recommended that to the Board of Trustees. They then had the final say on whether or not a tuition increase was necessary.

New Addition to Campus Fall 2009

By Lauren Fenner, COM 301
Edited and posted by Jenny Mischler, COM 303

Berry College will break new ground on two new residence halls in the fall of 2008, with an expected opening date of fall 2009.

The residence halls, which will be located behind the Ladd Center in the Emery Barns Complex and will house 350 people, are part of a concerted effort to build community and increase the percentage of residential students to 85 percent.

The buildings, which have been designed to serve mostly sophomores and juniors, are part of a plan that will eventually add almost 1000 new beds to Berry College over the next six to eight years. During the first three years of occupancy, they will also serve to house displaced male students as renovations are being made to Dana Hall.

Photo courtesy of Berry College

The Emery Barns are now used for storing supplies and

equipment used by the animal science and horticultural areas.

Debbie Heida, vice president of student affairs and dean of students, is on the committee that is organizing and planning the construction of the buildings. She stressed that the biggest purpose of the new buildings is to build a feeling of unity.

"I do have one very important request," she said. "And that is that they [the buildings] be called residence halls and not dorms. Because that is what we are trying to create here--a sense of community."

What will this look like?

To accomplish this, the designers have incorporated a variety of unifying elements into the buildings. The number of people on each hall will be much smaller--approximately 20 students on each floor, as opposed to the average of 50 students in other dorms on campus. In addition, there will be large lobbies on the ground floor of every hall, as well as recreational rooms that will have games such as ping-pong and pool tables.

Also, the structures will have community-style, not individual, bathrooms. The bathrooms will also feature more amenities, like electrical outlets, storage areas for personal items and changing areas adjacent to the showers.

Although nothing has been finalized yet, the committee is considering building outdoor features such as fireplaces, hammocks and patios.

The residence halls--which will have wireless Internet throughout--will be a mix of about 70 percent double-occupancy rooms and 30 percent single-occupancy rooms. They have been designed as "swing space"; that is, any hall can potentially be male or female. However, Heida stressed that they will not really be coed dorms; like in New Residence Hall, there will be key card swipes at the entrance to every floor.

"It's not like we're just putting everyone together," Heida said.

Estimated Cost

Although the projected cost is millions of dollars, both Heida and Brian Erb, the vice president of finance, emphasized that the extra cost should not affect the price of attending Berry College.

"The projected cost is approximately $28 million to $29 million, to be funded by the college issuing tax exempt bonds, which will be repaid over 30 years from the room revenues of the building occupants," said Erb. "This will not impact tuition rates."

The price of the new rooms are expected to be closer to that of traditional residence halls, such as Dana and Morton Halls, than that of alternative housing. Although the rooms will probably be a little more expensive--especially the singles--the fact that the buildings will not have individual bathrooms or kitchens will keep the prices lower.

Lindsey Taylor, coordinator of residence life, is also on the committee that is overseeing the new facilities. She said that, although the final aesthetic details have not yet been decided yet, they are sure of the sort of feel that they are going for.

"We're not sure yet about the facade and things like that--you know it's the finishes that really make a building," said Taylor. "But it will be warm and welcoming. I'm really excited about the buildings--it'll give students another option."

Student Reactions

Jennifer Parr, a junior resident assistant in Lemley Hall, said that she has high hopes for the new residence halls.

"I think the new dorms will be great," said Parr. "It's a burst of energy that will give upperclassmen more choices. A lot of the RAs are really excited about working there. It's a good layout, and it's something new and different from the other dorms."

Other students' reactions to the plans for the new buildings were varied.

"That sounds really cool," said Chris Crichton, a freshmen at Berry College. "Especially since dorms like the Townhouses are kinda musty."

However, not all reactions were quite as enthusiastic.

"It sounds like a church camp to me," said Carlos Sanchez, also a freshmen, in reference to the description of the possible outside amenities.

The new buildings are the beginning of many new upcoming plans for residence halls. Heida said that changes are also being considered for the Ford complex, Mountain Campus and Townhouse area. However, none of these plans are in the pipeline yet; currently, only the plans for the buildings behind the Ladd Center are concrete.

Hits, Home Runs and Hairdos

By David Nuckolls, COM 301
Edited and posted by Rebekah Larisey, COM 303

Some sports teams are willing to change anything to turn their season around, including their hair.

In an effort to unify the team, members of the Berry College baseball team and head coach David Beasley dyed their hair blond.

Berry College pitcher Chris Minney said the whole idea started while the team was on a road trip during Spring Break.

“We were looking for something that would bring us together as a team,” Minney said.

The baseball team's new platinum appearance coincided with a six game winning streak where they defeated Faulkner University once, Thomas University twice, Belhaven College once and Auburn University-Montgomery twice. The Viking's offense exploded, scored more runs in these games than in any game this season.

The players asked the assistant coaches what it would take for them to dye their hair. The coaches’ response was that they would need to win two more games. Despite the additional motivation, the Berry College baseball team could only muster a single victory.

However, the short-lived winning streak had an impact on the team instantly, which remained with them for the rest of the season.

Photo contributed by Courtney Hiddleson
The Berry College baseball team shows off their
new hairstyles during Berry's Spring Break.

The Turning Point

Beasley said that the unique hairdos came at a pivotal point of the season as the team struggled with inconsistency and that he was happy with anything that would unify the team.

“The hair brought the guys closer together,” Beasley said.

Minney said the change in hairstyle emphasized the team's commitment and support to one other.

“It was the concept of I got your back, you got mine,” Minney said.

Shawn Kimberley, also a pitcher for the baseball team, said that the hairstyle change brought back some personal love for the game and had a tremendous impact on the team’s unity.

“We started playing as a team instead of a bunch of individuals,” Kimberley said. “It was both a unity thing and a bonding thing.”

Beasley said that the team needed to unify and, in particular, focus as a team. He later added that he felt that the team had some walls to tear down over personal appearance making it easier for the team to work together as a whole.

“We were able to put our appearance aside and do something for each other,” Beasley said.

After the team put their appearance aside, they became very successful by going 16-5 in their games following the hairstyle change. The team is currently 31-14 overall with a 13-11 record in conference games going into their final four games.

Beasley said he felt this motivation would not last as the players would have to find another way, besides appearance, to respect each other. Beasley said that he was not sure if this would teach future teams a lesson, but that he hopes this experience will be an example for all sports teams at Berry College.

Janna Johnson: More Than Just a Teacher

By Pamela Harris, COM 301
Edited and posted by Drew Whelchel, COM 303

Combining a variety of interests is not uncommon for this Berry College professor.

Dr. Janna Johnson, lecturer in mathematics and computer science and associate athletic director, was awarded of Faculty Member of the Year by students at Honors Convocation on April 29. In addition to teaching math, she is also an advisor for Athletes Bettering the Community (ABC), a First-Year Seminar professor and a yoga teacher.

“I enjoy each of the things I’m involved in,” said Johnson. “Every time someone asks me what I would drop, I can’t think of any of those things that I do that I would give up.”

Johnson is from Snellville, Ga, and received her Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Berry in 1981 and went on to get her master’s of applied mathematical sciences from University of Georgia. She received her Ph.D. in math education from Georgia State University and joined the Berry faculty in 1983.

Janna Johnson, 2008 faculty Member of the Year
recipient at the Honors Convocation
Photo from Berry College

Johnson’s Role in ABC
In addition to her faculty positions, Johnson is also the advisor for ABC.

“She’s incredibly helpful,” said senior Emily Bender, president of ABC, “but she guides it [ABC] with a loose hand.”

Bender said that Johnson keeps them “on the right track” as far as planning and executing activities, but that Johnson prefers to let the athletes take a more hands-on approach.

“She wants us to do well; for us to succeed,” Bender said.

Johnson said she loves all the events they put on, but her favorite is the most charitable.

“I love the service days; just knowing that the athletes are all over the Rome community helping others, I love being a part of that,” said Johnson.


Yoga is Relaxing
Johnson’s interest in yoga began 10 years ago when Jeanne Schul, lecturer of health and physical education, allowed her to join the yoga class. Johnson then took advanced classes in Rome and went on to get her instructor’s certification in Atlanta. She now teaches a free yoga class at Berry and recently taught a section of the HPE class.

“She keeps us moving, if that’s possible in yoga,” said junior Stephanie Butterworth, one of Johnson’s former yoga students.


Freshman Involvement
Johnson has also taught a BCC 100 course every year since the program began. Johnson said she keeps her students involved throughout their college experience by throwing Christmas and year-end parties every year, and all her former freshman seminar students are invited.

Johnson’s past advisees value her involvement and dedication to them after their freshman year.

“Janna is there for me even now,” said junior Dnika Joseph, one of Johnson’s former advisees. “I still run to her when I have good news about my life.”

Johnson said she has enjoyed working with freshman so much that it has led her to volunteer to teach BCC 100 every year.

“I love working with the freshmen and helping them make the transition to college,” Johnson said.

Berry Students Combat Sexual Assault

By Candace Houghton, COM 301
Edited and posted by Chad Rowell, COM 303

The comfort level of the “Berry Bubble” should be challenged during April 13-18 as campus organizations collaborate for Sexual Assault Awareness Week.

Sexual Assault Awareness Week is a student initiative with an aim to educate the campus through the events sponsored by various organizations on campus.

“The overall goal for the week is to make the campus more conducive to survivors feeling comfortable and supported and to combat ignorance at Berry,” said Erin Oakley, who has helped lead the week’s events.

Oakley, who has worked as an advocate for the Sexual Assault Center of Northwest Georgia in Floyd County for two years, was involved in working with events associated with Sexual Assault Awareness Month last April. However, this year she wants to get more student involvement at Berry to bring greater awareness of the issue to the campus.

“Being aware of any issue challenges you to speak out about it,” said Miss Berry 2008 Caroline Gettis, who is also a volunteer at the Sexual Assault Center.

The events will begin Sunday night as Lambda Sigma sets up a pinwheel project in front of Krannert Student Center. The pinwheels will remain on display during the week.

Photo contributed by Lydia Fields
The pinwheels in front of Krannert Center recognize
survivors that the Sexual Assault Center has aided in
the past year.

The events of the week
·Monday - The women’s studies department and the Black Student Alliance are sponsoring a documentary about rape and race titled, “No!”

·Tuesday - A “Voices Ignored” panel, sponsored by Empower, will present survivor stories, statistics and the activist’s voice.

·Wednesday will include an interactive experiential program called “Walkin’ the Walk.” This program will put participants in groups and give them an identity, such as a survivor of sexual assault. From there, participants will make decisions in order to work through the scenario. It is an opportunity for survivors of sexual assault to feel understood and to provide resources, such as advocates from the Sexual Assault Center and counselors from Berry, to be available for debrief and questions.

·There will be a community wide event on Friday called “Speak Out in Rome.” It will be a chance to rally together to show support and learn even more about the topics from the week.

Gettis and Oakley said their hope is that the events earlier in the week will spark an interest and encourage people to come, as they said it will be a very powerful time. It will be held at the outdoor pavilion of the Rome Forum.

More Student Involvement
Sophomore Stephanie Carson is also getting involved with Sexual Assault Awareness Week, as she has put together an art exhibit that will be on display throughout the week.

“I always try to make strong statements with my art,” said Carson, adding that Oakley told her to be as bold and controversial as she wanted.

Carson put together a series with two viewpoints. The first portrays the painful side of sexual assault and incorporates real quotes from victims within the piece. The second, which she called a "resurrection series," counteracts the aspects of the first, with a more uplifting message.

Oakley and Gettis encourage students who want to make an impact to challenge attitudes in today's culture that often makes light of rape.

Gettis also stresses the importance of educating yourself and having a better understanding helps make the campus a better environment for survivors.

"You just can't go back to your ignorance. It snowballs," said Gettis.

Senior Capstone Project Sheds Light on Immigration

By Stephanie Carson, COM 301
Edited and posted by Anna Littlefield, COM 303

He arrived from England seven years ago with a desire to make a fresh start in America at Berry College. But it was not an easy transition.

Aside from dealing with culture differences, he was bombarded with the responsibility of keeping up with a string of paperwork to maintain his eligibility to stay in the U.S. At one point, upon ending a visit home during his time as a student, he found himself unable to re-enter the U.S. and his stay turned into a two month leave, all because he was missing one form.

Liam Shannon was one of four panelists at an immigration panel held in Berry College's science auditorium Tuesday, April 8, 2008, as part of Berry student Hannah Carswell's senior capstone project. The other panelists included Lila Guerra, a Rome resident, Clarice Ford, associate dean of students and Xiaojing Zu, Berry College librarian.

Carswell's intent for the panel, called "Speak Out," was to put faces to the stories of immigration and the hardships they endured. Carswell explained that when people hear the word "immigration," they automatically assume the issue is of illegal immigration, thus giving the word a negative connotation. She wanted to show what people go through when trying to legally enter the country to live.

"You don't just decide to come to the U.S. and you write a letter and they say 'yes, you've got citizenship, please come over'," said Shannon. It's a very difficult and expensive process for those who attempt to immigrate to the U.S. for better opportunities, said Guerra, who emigrated from Colombia.

Ford, advisor of the International Student Association at Berry, explained that the process has even become increasingly harder since 2001 and it will continue to.

Dr. Clarice Ford
photo courtesy of Berry College Office of First Year Experience

Both she and Zu explained that the student visa is probably the easiest visa to obtain, but it only lasts for the length of study. Zu, who emigrated from China six years ago, received such a visa and later moved to a working visa, which then only lasts six years. Unfortunately for Zu, if she wanted to visit home for more than two weeks with such a visa, she would have to re-apply, pay $100 and spend a day in an office for processing.

Aside from the paperwork, each panelist described their memories of culture shock when entering the country for the first time.

Zu said she was expecting "New York City" when she arrived and was surprised to find something very different. She had a hard time adjusting to the differences in personal space in the U.S. She even found herself in a mild confrontation when she placed her hand on an individual's back on a crowded street, thinking little of it.

Guerra described the hardships of being considered well-off financially in one country and a "nobody" in another.

"It's a tremendous struggle," Guerra said. "It takes years to adjust to American life."

Shannon found it difficult to adjust to Berry College's rules on curfew and on-campus drinking. Though this received audience laughter and smiles, it does reflect the trials immigrants go through to acclimate themselves to a new environment.

After the event, Guerra explained her reason for wanting to participate in the panel.

"I think people are poorly informed. In some cases, they don't know or they don't care to know," said Guerra. "So if you speak, others may hear and be more receptive to people's needs. If people were informed more, we'd be able to help the community more and be more sensitive."

Carswell explained afterward that she had not expected as much audience interaction as the panel received. The audience was very diverse and included faculty members and students, as well as a good mix of males and females.

There are currently 43 international students enrolled at Berry College representing 17 countries, according to the Berry College Office of Admissions' Web page. The topic was also brought up April 1 at a screening of "Made in L.A." as well as a discussion following the film. These events were part of "Immigration Week" on campus.

"Dungeons and Dragons": Starring Tom Baldvins

By Jared Colvin, COM 301
Edited and posted by Leigh Harris, COM 303

It's after midnight, and Tom Baldvins is still cloning dinosaurs to be the main attraction in his theme park.

"He kind of obsesses over it a little bit," said Nathan Schwartz, Baldvins' roommate and freshman environmental science major. "He's very into it and likes to talk about it."

Baldvins, 18, is a freshman biology major at Berry College who may obsess over some games, but his 43 credit hours prove he's no slacker. He aspires to become a vertebrate paleontologist, but in the meantime, he's content to play alternate reality games like "Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis" to experience strange and unusual circumstances. Gaming for more than half his life, Baldvins believes games, especially those involving role play, add a much needed zest to the mundane aspects of everyday life.

"They allow you to explore a totally different world without actually being there," he said, "because they engross you in the story. School gets really stressful, and it's fun to play video games for 30 minutes or an hour. It refreshes me so I can get back to work."

When asked why he consistently chooses to pick up game controllers to experience new worlds rather than reading books or watching videos, Baldvins explained that movies and novels aren't quite the same as alternate reality games; although he's an avid fiction reader, Baldvins prefers how the games place him in the leading role.

"Video games take you in," he said. "Movies and books don't capture the fun of it because you're watching in third person. That movie they based off of 'Dungeons and Dragons' wasn't too good, but a person playing the same adventure would find it totally amazing."

"Dungeons and Dragons" also known as D&D, is a 34-year-old type of board game which requires players to adopt a fictional persona in order to complete imaginary adventures in a fantasy setting. Baldvins and a group of his friends dedicate upwards of seven hours every Friday night to play the game. When asked why he often prefers D&D to modern video games, Baldvins was adamant.

"I can do whatever I want in D&D, but in video games I can't," he explained. "New video games cost $60. D&D is keeping up, bringing out new stuff and it's a lot less expensive to play— you just need three books and your dice."

The leader of Baldvins’ D&D group, Anne Callaway, confessed that she doesn't play the same computer and video games as Baldvins, but she admires his imagination and sense of organization.

"I met him through D&D," she said. "Over the year he really impressed me. Although he doesn't speak out a lot, everything he says is thoughtful and to the point. He's down to earth and organized. In fact, he was nominated to become treasurer of our club and won."

The Alternate Realities Club of Berry College, of which Callaway is president, dedicates itself to entertainment through fantasy and science fiction. Even as the treasurer, Baldvins is still able to make time for his classes, friends, and games.

"I think when someone is able to keep up with their real life, and keep up with what so many people would consider a fantasy life, it really shows a strength of character," said Callaway. "It may seem easy to do since it's fiction, but when you have so many classes and a social life to look after, it can be challenging."

Baldvins may have his hands full as a biology student and club treasurer, but there's no doubt he'll leave plenty of time available to clone more dinosaurs.

Berry's New Provost: Dr. Kathryn Whatley

By Lindsey Banks, COM 301
Edited and posted by Kate Fitchett, COM 303

The search is over for Berry College.

Dr. Kathryn Whatley now holds the title of provost and chief academic officer, and the challenging task of managing all of the academics of the institution.

Whatley, the newest addition to the staff at Berry, began work in her office in Hermann Hall on March 17, 2008, and is still trying to learn all of the responsibilities of the provost at Berry. The provost is in charge of everything that composes the academics of the college, including the faculty, the academic programs and, in the absence of the president, serves as the acting president.

Dr. Kathryn Whatley
Photo courtesy of Berry College

The Search
In order to ensure that the best candidate for Berry’s provost was selected, students and faculty came together to form the provost search committee.

“We were looking for someone who was willing to work with President [Stephen] Briggs, work with his plans and was passionate about making that plan reality,” said Laura Sutton, a student on the provost search committee and the president of the student government association.

Whatley discovered Berry’s search for a provost in an online advertisement, and some of her friends and colleagues encouraged her to apply. She said she immediately found Berry to be at the center of an appealing environment.

“I was attracted to the whole culture and the head, the heart and the hands theme. The academic reputation of Berry is impressive, too,” said Whatley.

Sutton said she was an immediate fan of Whatley and wanted her to get to know the students as soon as possible.

“One of the reasons Dr. Whatley was the best candidate is because she is open and approachable for students. She understands the mission of Berry and is passionate about students,” said Sutton.

The Transition
Whatley said that she is prepared to take on all of the responsibilities of provost at Berry. She has been actively involved in higher education since her graduation from Wake Forest University with an undergraduate degree in physics. Whatley went on to complete her graduate and doctorate degree in experimental nuclear physics from Duke University.

Whatley was involved in the administration at her previous institution, The University of North Carolina at Asheville, for more than 20 years. Her strong background in academic administration is a result of her time spent in the position equivalent to the interim provost at UNC Asheville.

“I learned so much from her about leadership and about the work of academic affairs. And we had great fun, too!” said Edward Katz, the former Dean of University Programs at UNC Asheville and Whatley’s co-worker for five years.

Katz did not want to see her leave UNC Asheville, but admitted that it was a good chance for her.

“I think that she will bring a wealth of experience to Berry College, along with a deep commitment to students and faculty,” said Katz.

Whatley said that leaving her position as interim provost at UNC Asheville was wrenching, but she believes that Berry is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“It was a good time for my family to make the transition. I felt like we needed to
take advantage of a new opportunity,” said Whatley.

Whatley is married to Jac Whatley and they have two children, Katie, 21, and Michael, 18. Whatley said that having two children in college will help her to relate to parents who are bringing their children to college for the first time. Dr. Kathy McKee, interim provost prior to Whatley, said that Whatley will bring a different, parent-like perspective to the provost position and is glad that she came to Berry.

The Learning
McKee said that Whatley is still getting acclimated with the college and is going to learn more about Berry this summer. McKee is still working closely with Whatley and doing everything that she can to help the new provost.

“She is delightful. Her immediate focus is getting to know the institution and coming to understand how we are organized. This summer she is going to gain a deeper knowledge in the academic programs and their strengths,” said McKee.

Whatley has always wanted to be in higher education. When she was a student at Wake Forest, the provost Edwin Wilson had a strong impact on her life. One of her professors once asked her what she wanted to be when she grows up and she said, “I want to be Provost Wilson when I grow up.”

New York Times Columnist Speaks on Campus

By Susanna Sisco, COM 310
Edited and posted by Kate Slusser, COM 303

David Brooks, conservative New York Times columnist, said in an on-campus lecture Thursday night that, although he is a Sen. John McCain fan, Sen. Barack Obama is sure to win the election this year.

Brooks, 46, spoke on politics as part of the Gloria Shatto Lecture Series in the Mount Berry Chapel from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. Following the speech, he spent 25 minutes answering questions from the audience, which consisted of a wide age group: students, faculty, alumni and community members.

David Brooks
Photo courtesy of thinkprogress.org

Besides his columnist position, Brooks has been a senior editor at the Weekly Standard , a contributing editor at Newsweek and the Atlantic Monthly , and an Opinion-Editorials editor for the Wall Street Journal. He is currently a commentator on “The News Hour with Jim Lehner” and a recurrent analyst on NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

Brooks gave his audience an insider’s perspective on politicians, including some challenges they face and the strengths and weaknesses of all three major presidential candidates.

• John McCain- Brooks said he thinks McCain has an incredibly high energy level, like a fighter pilot. He knows a lot about foreign policy but very little about domestic policy. McCain is a social butterfly who can’t sit still and whose office is in the middle of the suite so everyone must walk through it. He has a great moral sense, but he resists organization. Brooks said he believes McCain is a Republican that a lot of Democrats can get behind.

• Hillary Clinton - She is very intelligent and disciplined, Brooks said. Clinton was a very good senator, and she works incredibly hard. She does not trust; however, and she thinks of running for office as war. She hasn’t run a particularly good campaign and has an awfully low chance of winning the election, according to Brooks.

• Barack Obama- Brooks said Obama is very perceptive and eloquent. He places a tremendous emphasis on unity, and he has an extraordinarily supple mind. His weaknesses are his lack of confidence and his lack of involvement in House actions. Although he wants to bring people together, this could prove hard for him because he is not in the center on issues. Also, he is so good at seeing both sides of an issue that, Brooks said, this could lead to trouble in making decisions.

Brooks said that it would be foolish to vote against the Democrats this year. He explained that, when polled, 80 percent of Americans said they are currently dissatisfied with where this country is going. Since Republicans are presently in control and have been for eight years, Brooks said, citizens will want a new party in charge. He said it is probable that Obama will win the election.

Even though Brooks said Obama is the likeliest winner, Brooks said he favors McCain. Contrary to the reputation of most politicians, Brooks said that McCain, his closest friend out of the candidates, is a good man.

“He is perfectly honest with me, unfailingly and sometimes self-destructively honest,” Brooks said.

After Brooks’ speech, many audience members said that they enjoyed the lecture and had different positive feedback.

“I thought he was really impressive,” Dan Lipscomb, a 1969 Berry grad, said. “He was really funny- especially when he said being a conservative at the New York Times is like being a chief rabbi in Mecca.”

Both faculty and students had good things to say about Brooks’ lecture.

“I think it was very informative and comical,” sophomore history major Scott Alan Hill said. “I really liked the insight into the private life of politicians- how they communicate or don’t communicate with each other was interesting.”

Berry College President Dr. Stephen R. Briggs also attended and said he was impressed with Brooks.

“I thought he was exactly the kind of speaker we needed,” Briggs said. “He was funny, smart, thoughtful, balanced. He helped us think. It really restores your faith in journalism.”

Brooks kept his audience laughing with frequent jokes. He commented that senators have big heads.

“What senators have are not heads, they are containers for heads,” Brooks said. Brooks also said that although politicians are people’s people, they have very few true friends.

“They are so used to climbing that they don’t develop relationships side by side,” he said. “They feel this incredible loneliness and sometimes they lurch out in the cruelest ways for human contact.”

Brooks commented that politicians, besides being lonelier than expected, are also usually a lot different in person than on television, especially President George Bush.

“Well, the biggest difference is that he’s about 80 IQ points smarter in person,” Brooks said. “It’s funny, when you’ll talk about Russian history with him in person, he’ll talk about books he’s read or about Peter the Great. Stuff he would never talk about in public. His manner is also very different. He’s much more Texas in person. He slouches, he sort of snorts, he sits crooked, he has an imaginary chaw on the side of his mouth, he’s actually quite profane.”

Brooks not only offered a journalist’s insight on politicians, but he also offered advice to students hoping to break into the journalism business.

“The first thing I would say is learn at lot about the world, not just about journalism. So I was a history major, philosophy, English, economics,” Brooks said. “The second thing is you’ve got to bring something to the table, some body of knowledge. For somebody who wanted to go into print journalism, be aware that you have to think of how it’s going to change. Television journalism seems like it’s going to survive. I’d say it’s doing quite well.”

Brooks, a former traveling professor of public policy, said that he enjoys speaking to college students and that Berry treated him well.

The Gloria Shatto Lecture Series honors Dr. Gloria M. Shatto, the president of Berry College from 1980 to 1998 and the first woman to be president of a college or university in Georgia. She helped create the WinShape program and increased Berry’s recognition as one of the best comprehensive colleges in the southeast. Shatto believed that learning can take place not only in the classroom or in textbooks but also in the world, and her lecture series was created to give Berry students the opportunity to learn from worldly speakers.

Emotions Abound During Senior Art Show

New art pieces in Moon Gallery reflect student insight.

By Kimberly Harbrecht
Edited and Posted by Rachel Miller

After years of hard work and creativity, seniors Shannon Douglas and Stephanie Kipfer combined efforts for their first official gallery showings with the exhibition of their senior art theses.

The themes of the exhibit focus on life and their experiences. “Tiny Dreams” is a tangible representation of Kipfer’s thoughts and dreams, while “Remember This” is a collection of significant moments in Douglas’ life.

Inspiration Through Her Eyes
“There are moments in which one is aware of its significance as it transpires,” Douglas said. “I catalogued a particular image to remember that moment and showed the significance of it with the medium.”

Whether the inspiration came from a book, family member or event, Douglas compiled every painful and tender emotion she experienced and transcribed them onto the blank canvases. The result was a combination of both realistic and abstract images constructed of bold colors.

“Conceived in Autumn” exemplifies this new approach to art through the use of mixed mediums. Douglas added entirely new dimensions and emotions to the paintings through the combination of paint, charcoal and acrylic.

“It’s about playing with the boundaries of drawing and painting, creating a hybrid,” Douglas said.

“‘Conceived in Autumn’ combines both drawing and painting to enable both internal and external realities to co-exist in the picture plane,” Douglas said in her artist statement.

"They Were Here First " painted by Shannon Douglas
Photo courtesy of Shannon Douglas

“They Were Here First” also plays with the complexity of reality and its boundaries, depicting a couple embracing yet invisible in each other’s arms.

At the student symposium, Douglas presented “Standing in the Ashes at the End of the World” to show how the use of specific colors is essential to bring to mind the same feelings and emotions Douglas experienced at the time.

By showing the scene of a woman surrounded by abstract buildings, the sensations depicted by the painting are drastically changed, leaving behind a heinous color that evokes anxiety and even nausea. The addition of the green shades is essential to the purpose and message of this piece of art. These approaches and techniques Douglas utilized lead her pieces to appear radiant to all viewers.

Through the display and implementation of Douglas’ art, she allowed viewers to experience moments of her life from her perspective, achieving the intent and purpose of her art.

“The way she presents her work allows for art to be more than just art and beauty,” said senior Lyndsey Johnson. “The art has a purpose.”

What truly sets this gallery apart is the addition of Kipfer’s art and the interaction between bold colors and life experiences.

Left to right: Seniors Shannon Douglas and Stephanie Kipfer with their collaborative piece

Photo Courtsey of Shannon Douglas

“I think the shows are strong; both created very different bodies of work with very different concerns that hold together well as a single body of work individually,” said Dr. Brad Adams, art professor and advisor to both Douglas and Kipfer.

Dreams Create Art
Kipfer approached her art by first looking inside her mind and exploring its depths. What she found were “Tiny Dreams,” the title of her show.

“When I make a painting, I have an image in my mind, like a tiny dream,” Kipfer said. “It is a cross section of the artists’ mind – a manifestation.”

This theme transpires in each painting, but stems from one in particular. “Homage to ‘Grey,’” a tribute to the song by Ani DiFranco, combines the technique of paneling, dividing the entire work into smaller sections, and the addition of text to create a tangible image of the song.

“I smoke and I drink and every time I blink, I have a tiny dream,” DiFranco sings on “Grey”; which was written on the painting and stands as the basis for Kipfer’s inspiration. The slight haze that covers the canvas contributes to the emotion of dreaming; making it clear that it is not actual reality.

Kipfer’s “Procrastinating” piece creates a depth unmatched by the other paintings achieved through the use of spray paint. Within the painting, time is being eaten away as the distance looms on in the background.

“I wanted to create an image of what procrastination looks like in my head,” Kipfer said. “It took forever to finish it.”

Hanging the 14 original pieces for the opening on Friday, April 11 was one of the most exciting aspects of the exhibit for the artists.

“Both artists were very enthusiastic about creating a clear representation of their work through the installation and lighting of their shows,” said Adams.

“I wasn’t sure how everything would turn out, but once it went in the gallery with the lighting, it really came together,” said Kipfer.

With Kipfer’s eagerness to discuss each painting and the story behind them, it is apparent that a true passion exists.

“I wouldn’t be in school for anything else,” she said.

Future Plans
After graduation in the spring, both Kipfer and Douglas plan to continue their careers in art. Douglas plans to explore the New York City art scene in the fall and Kipfer hopes to intern with Cartoon Network in Atlanta and continue painting.

The exhibition was displayed in the Moon Gallery through April 11-19 as part of a series of senior art shows.

Out of the Garage

Berry Motor Works rolls forward with new leadership, emphasis

Scott Richards ( middle), former member of Berry Motor Works

Photos: Thanks to Scott Richards

By Caitlyn Barron, COM 301
Edited and posted by Laura Price, COM 303

Nothing beats a classic BMW.

Berry Motor Works, BMW, is a 12-person, on-campus organization that specializes in the promotion of lifelong skills in basic automobile knowledge. Founded four years ago, the group emphasizes the enjoyment and safety awareness of motor vehicles.

“It’s an everyday escape from the college experience,” said Scott Richards, former member of Berry Motor Works

After the club’s first year, founder Andy Johns graduated, leaving the club without a president. BMW became nonexistent until 2007 when brothers, David and Scott Richards, former members of BMW, asked Isaac Jessup to reorganize the club.

Completely transformed, BMW focuses largely around the current expressed interest by its members in motorcycles more then automobiles. The club also holds events that include car and motorcycle shows.

When not riding a motorcycle, you can often find members gathering in the Krannert Center lobby on Monday nights before heading to dinner or to practice behind the Cage Center. There, the group is learning how to ride motorcycles. The riding lessons start out gradually around campus, but are frequently taken off campus so that it does not disturb students and faculty that may disprove of motorcycles.

Surprisingly, being a mechanically geared group, there is an equal amount of men and women. All three men agreed that they enjoyed working with women. The women in the club are very interested in learning about how to ride motorcycles as well as work on different projects and sometimes pay even more attention then the men.

“You see guys have this little ego thing going on, it kind of prevents them from listening to what we actually tell them to do,” said David Richards. “It’s really funny watching them get on the motorcycle for the first time and letting them have it; they listen better after that.”

Besides showing members the fun of riding motorcycles or teaching self achievement lessons like changing one’s own spark plugs or oil they share personal experiences. Scott Richards recently was involved in a motorcycle accident, of which he has almost completely recovered.

Picture of Scott Richards wreck

He shared his personal experience with BMW, making them aware that when something does go wrong the motorcyclist is either going less than 12 mph or they are a victim to someone else’s fault.

Not only does BMW want to instill vehicle knowledge to all of its members, but basic communication skills that they know Berry students will need when they graduate. The members feel a real sense of achievement sharing their knowledge with others that want to learn and have fun. BMW feels a sense of accomplishment seeing its members learning other life long skills besides, what they have learned from classes.

Students learn new dance steps

By Jessica Hoover, COM 301
Edited and posted by Amanda Griswell, COM 303

Ballroom dance classes will be off rotation next fall, but students at Berry College will still have the opportunity to dance.

With the ballroom dance class, Health and Physical Education 123, not being offered again until Spring 2009, the student-led Ballroom Dance Club is learning dance moves in preparation for offering campus-wide dance workshops in the fall.

Group members are also learning dance steps now in order to help with the “Dancing with the Staff” event next year. The club members hope to offer more ballroom dance workshop lessons for students who may not be able to take the class in the spring, said junior Ashley Roberts, club president.

The Student Life Council approved the club in February after Roberts, disappointed in not being able to get into the quickly-filled HPE 123 class, started teaching herself ballroom dance in order to offer lessons to Berry students.

“We’re not really trying to be ‘Dancing with the Stars’ material,” Roberts said. “Even if all the moves aren’t necessarily perfect, we’re mainly here to have fun, and we certainly have a lot of that.”

The club consists of 10 or 12 regular members who meet every Monday night in the Cage Center multi-purpose room. Each week, they choose a different dance to work on, such as the popular waltz, foxtrot, tango, cha-cha, rumba, samba, swing or Viennese waltz.

Roberts said about four males come out of the regular attendees, so many women have to take turns dancing the lead role to make up for the lack of male partners.

“I tried to recruit some male members by posting some signs around campus showing what a great work-out ballroom dancing is,” Roberts said. “I even included a chart showing how many calories you burn, in hopes of getting more guys to come if they know it’s good exercise.”

Teaching the steps
Roberts said she learns the dance moves from some friends at a studio near her home and then teaches her boyfriend, junior Michael Ballew, on Sunday nights. On Monday nights, they both teach the club members.

Junior Ashley Roberts and her boyfriend, junior Michael Ballew, dancing with the other club members.
Photo courtesy of Ashley Roberts.

Despite Roberts’ challenge of having to learn both the lead and follower roles in order to teach the club members, junior Kathleen Higgins-Thomas, vice president of the club, said Roberts is a good teacher.

“Ashley is really great because she teaches the dances systematically and step-by-step,” Higgins-Thomas said. “I would really love to be able to dance like Fred Astaire, but Ashley and I aren’t quite there yet.”

A new place to dance
The women may not be professional yet, but senior Jocelyn Bee said practicing in the Cage Center has enabled them to try more daring and complex dance moves. Bee said one of the more memorable moments of the ballroom dance club was practicing aerials, which are a type of dance move involving twirling the female partner in the air.

Roberts said the group should stay later and practice them one night after the club session was over, but she said Ballew did not think the moves were safe to do without mats.

“But we turned around and there was a pile of mats in one of the Cage rooms, so we had an impromptu aerials practice,” Roberts said.

The floors in the new dance rooms in the Cage Center are more ideal for practicing aerials and dancing in general. When she practiced with the Swing Club last semester, they had to dance in the Morton-Lemley basement, Bee said.

“We used to practice in the Morton-Lemley basement, but the floors were horrible,” Bee said. “The dance rooms in the Cage have floors that give and are actually made especially for dancing, which makes dancing a lot more comfortable.” Positives of ballroom dancing
The women gave reasons for why ballroom dancing develops social skills.

Roberts said weddings are the type of events where ballroom dancing is good to know, especially when it comes time for your own wedding.

“Whenever I get married, my husband better know how to waltz,” Roberts said. “We will not be doing the stiff middle school dance during our first dance at the reception. I also intend to teach my dad how to waltz, so we can actually dance during the father-daughter dance.”

If weddings are not in the near future for some students, Higgins-Thomas said there is still a benefit in knowing how to dance at school functions. She said that the ballroom dance club, in addition to the swing club, had a good showing of people who knew the right dance moves at Spring Formal 2008.

“Dancing to rap music just doesn’t cut it for us,” Higgins-Thomas said. “We had a good group of us who were actually dancing at formal, but hopefully we’ll see more ballroom dancers at school dances in the future.”

Roberts said the club will be more publicized in the future. She said she hopes that the club will be able to offer more opportunities for dance workshops and larger scale activities open to all students next semester.

Catholic Association Channels Faith and Understanding

By Alicia Blackwell, COM 301
Edited and posted by Megan Gilker, COM 303

A small gathering of about 15 people sit in the old wooden pews of Berry College’s Barnwell Chapel. Sunlight shines through the windows as students sing the first Psalm, marking the beginning of Roman Catholic mass.

The Catholic Student Association (CSA) is a religious group that allows Catholic students at Berry to practice their beliefs and educate other students on the nature of the Catholic faith. The CSA sponsored an Explanatory Mass this year for non-Catholic students and holds services throughout the school year for Catholic students.

“We provide experiences for Catholic students to participate in. We educate the Berry community about Catholicism… We are a pretty small group, so we can’t handle a lot,” said Angela Obloy, the music minister for the CSA.

Father Paul A. Burke comes to Berry twice a week to preach and offer confession of sins for Catholic students. During his silent retreat in April, Father Todd Belardi stepped in.

Photo courtesy of Pope John Paul II Catholic Center at Kennesaw University
Father Paul Burke, regular priest for the CSA.

The Background of Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church is the oldest branch of Christianity and it is headed by the pope.

“Historically, the Catholic church traces its history back to the New Testament. It has a strong sense of centralized authority,” said Dr. Edwin Dale McConkey, the Berry College chaplain.

Photo courtesy of chaplainchat.blogware.com

Dr. Dale McConkey, Berry College chaplain.

Even though Catholicism has a long history, it continues to call and welcome people to convert.

Clearing Misconceptions
Belardi said non-Catholics may not know the inner workings of the Catholic faith and be misled by their lack of knowledge.

“A lot of people think that we worship statues or something like that,” said Belardi.

Catholics actually view the Virgin Mary and the saints as models for a good life. Mary and the saints had the same relationship with God that Catholics aspire to have, explained Timothy Nadolski, a Berry student who plans to transfer to seminary school next semester.

“We venerate them. We think of them as examples for life,” said Nadolski.

Members of the CSA seemed to agree that the biggest difference between Catholicism and Protestant denominations is the Eucharist, also known as The Lord’s Supper. The Eucharist is the sacrament of Holy Communion where Christians eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Jesus’ last supper with his disciples.

“As Catholics we believe that Christ is fully present in the Eucharist, whereas Protestants see it as symbolic,” said Nadolski.

In the past, Berry’s students showed lack of understanding towards Catholics because of ceremonial differences in Catholic and Protestant services.

“10 to 15 years ago, there was a lot of mistrust and suspicion about Catholicism on campus,” said McConkey.

The good news is that, thanks to CSA and events like the Explanatory Mass, students can better understand Catholicism.

“There is still a lot of misunderstanding on campus about Catholics, but CSA has helped clarify a lot of that,” said McConkey.

The CSA meets in Barnwell Chapel on Sundays at 7 p.m. for mass and meets in Krannert on Thursdays at 6 p.m. for Bible study.


Related Links and Articles:
Religion-in-Life at Berry College: Forever Christian, Always Welcoming
The Atlanta Journal Constitution: Pope: Catholic colleges should be in line with church
The Atlanta Journal Constitution: Benedict connects with American youth
Catholic News Service: College educators say they're encouraged, challenged by pope's words Catholic News Service: College students at conference urged to 'set the world on fire'
Catholic News Service: Pope urges U.S. Catholic educators to lead students to deeper faith

BCTC gives modern twist to Shakespeare

By Taylor Studdard, COM 301
Edited and Posted by Briona Arradondo

The glamour of 1930s old Hollywood and a blissful Monte Carlo coastline set the mood of this year's production of William Shakespeare's comedy, "Twelfth Night." The Berry College Theatre Company approached the comedy with unique flair, giving the stage a modest set and elaborate 1930s costumes in contrast to the original Shakespearean era.

“We placed it in the 1930s to bring it to a more modern audience," said Stephanie Carter, an assistant stage manager. "It’s a little less distracting to see people in clothes from the 1930s than Shakespearean style with wigs and all.”

Junior Lyndsay Ricketson plays, Feste the jester, in "Twelfth Night."
Photo courtesy of Lyndsay Ricketson

Dr. John Countryman, director of "Twelfth Night" and an associate professor of theatre, said he enjoys and appreciates the different kinds of love and foolishness in the show. He said he gave the actors the option to develop their characters differently from the original play. Some actors gave their characters accents to emphasize the international feel of Monte Carlo. They also used animated characterization and body language to communicate the comedic elements of the show.

“Altogether we have made this piece of Shakespeare accessible to everyone. It’s not just for an English major. It has comedy on all levels,” said Carter.

To aid in the situational comedy present in "Twelfth Night," the theater is constructed as a thrust stage, placing the audience on three sides of the action. The actors entered different scenes from the side hallways of the audience, inviting the viewers to experience the play firsthand.

“It requires a lot from the audience because they can’t just sit back and expect it to wash over them,” said Countryman.



The show is about twins, Viola, played by Heather Bucsh, and Sebastian, played by Ian Alexander. While at sea, Viola and Sebastian get into shipwreck and both survive, but Viola thinks her brother is dead. Coming ashore to Illyria, she dresses like her brother Sebastian and gives herself the name Cesario. She then begins to work for Duke Orsino of Illyria who is in love with Olivia. Orsino sends Viola to express his love for Olivia on his behalf, but Olivia falls in love with Viola instead. Confusion and mistaken identity attribute to the play's comedic elements, driving the climatic conclusion.

Countryman said he was very proud of how easily his students picked up the Shakespearean language.

“Learning how to express Shakespeare’s words in what seems to be very convoluted sentences was by far the biggest hurdle I had to face,” said Alexander.

The 20 cast members ran the production from April 17 to April 20 and April 24 to April 27. Some actors included: Joseph Thornton as Orsino, Emma Harr as Olivia, Robert Armstrong as Sir Toby Belch, Keith Brooks as Malvolio, Lyndsay Ricketson as Feste, Jordan Bowman as Fabian and Jordan Coleman as Sir Andrew Aguecheek.

"Twelfth Night" is a classic and still enjoyable today because the world is still "topsy-turvy" and people can still be in love with love, said Countryman.