Tests on quarry provide good learning experience
An October water test on the Berry College quarry showed unexpected results.
The purpose of the test was to show how pumping water out of the inactive quarry would affect the geology and hydrology of the campus. The test was expected to reflect overall imbalances in the level of the water table on campus. The water table did not fluctuate as much as anticipated, however.
A water table is the surface of the water stored underground which fluctuates based on the amount of water in surrounding lakes, streams, rivers and water sources.
Why Pump?
The Floyd County Water Department initially contacted the school in September due to the extreme drought conditions and the resulting water shortage for the citizens of Rome.
Because of its central location by the Etowah, Coosa and Oostanaula Rivers, Rome city water is plentiful. But county water is running low.
Berry and the FCWD began working alongside contracting firm Peoples and Quigley to pump water out of the Berry quarry and into the Oostanaula River.
Project Details
After nearly 2,000 feet of piping was laid to direct water from the quarry to the surrounding watershed, pumping began on Sept. 30.
At the beginning of the project, Dr. Tamie Jovanelly, assistant professor of geology, expected the water table to drop as much as 50 feet.
“During the pump test, my biggest concern was the overall effect the pumping would have on the water table,” Jovanelly said. “Fortunately, we saw relatively little change to the water table. From the monitoring wells, we only saw a decrease of, on average, one-half-foot.”
Over the course of nine days, water was pumped at an average rate of 1,200 gallons per minute from the quarry.
Because pumping started and stopped at unpredictable intervals, Jovanelly’s research students had to conduct an analysis to determine that a total of 9 million gallons were pumped out of the quarry.
Reason for Concern?
The research team, comprised of students in Jovanelly’s environmental geology class, expected more drastic results from pumping such large amounts of water.
After the Krannert Center partially collapsed into a sinkhole in 1998, many people involved in this project were concerned about similar adverse effects happening again.
“I was most worried about sinkholes forming around campus because so much water was being drawn out,” senior Roy Srymanske said.
This was a legitimate concern as Berry’s topography is prone to the formation of sinkholes, which form when the water table is altered.
“If they pumped down below the danger level, 565 feet in elevation, that would cause collapses on campus,” said Hillary Sparks, GIS technician for the Berry College land resources department. “At this point, the Cage Center would definitely be at risk for partial collapse or weakening due to sinkholes.”
Because this pump test had no effect on the campus, researchers are worried that future tests will employ much higher pumping rates, similar to when the quarry was in use by the materials company, Florida Rock in the 1990s.
According to Sparks, Florida Rock was pumping nearly 100 million gallons per day out of the quarry, and this is what caused Krannert to collapse.
“Fortunately we saw little change on campus from the test, but if it were increased to a scale similar to Florida Rock, we would see much different results,” Jovanelly said.
{E. J. D.}
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Clear Skies for Rome Band
Sky Green Manifesto's big break could be around corner
For one local band, the word “manifesto” means far more than a mere written statement declaring motives or intentions.
“I had a vision, an epiphany,” said Berry College junior Andrew Coleman, the band’s lead vocalist. “If you put any two words in front of manifesto, it will be a great band name.”
And thus, Sky Green Manifesto was born.
The Big Break
Sky Green Manifesto is one of the many Rome bands that has Berry College students as members. While they might not be well known now, all that will change after their first show on Nov. 30.
With the show coming up, Coleman and the members of the band are already making preparations for their first album.
“We have been working really hard trying to record,” Coleman said. “Our first album will be called ‘Aaron Blevins Presents’.”
Aaron Blevins, a good friend of the band, finds it a great honor for Sky Green Manifesto to name their future album after him.
Genres Aplenty
Blevins claims that the band’s unusual name and their music share one thing in common.
“The name Sky Green Manifesto is so random, just like their music,” Blevins said.
Sky Green Manifesto performs and records mostly rock music however they are not limited to one genre. The band also plays country, gangster rap, punk and even some children’s music.
As well as “random,” Blevins also states that “loud is a good term” when describing the band’s music.
More Than Gigs
Besides their upcoming show the band members keep themselves busy with small gigs, such as playing at the “Thursdays at 8” program at The Church at Northside.
However, being in a band is more then getting gigs to Coleman. He and guitarist Justin Adams claim that being members of Sky Green Manifesto is about having fun and loving the music.
Most importantly, Coleman’s main mission for the band is “to get crunk.”
The Future is Bright
Sky Green Manifesto may be able to do just that. With over 3,600 MySpace page views and a soon-to-be-debuted personal page on the Internet, people can be looking forward to the band’s album.
“The cover of our first album will have me covered in gold, holding chocolate,” said Adams.
That sounds delicious.
[A.D.]
For one local band, the word “manifesto” means far more than a mere written statement declaring motives or intentions.
“I had a vision, an epiphany,” said Berry College junior Andrew Coleman, the band’s lead vocalist. “If you put any two words in front of manifesto, it will be a great band name.”
And thus, Sky Green Manifesto was born.
The Big Break
Sky Green Manifesto is one of the many Rome bands that has Berry College students as members. While they might not be well known now, all that will change after their first show on Nov. 30.
With the show coming up, Coleman and the members of the band are already making preparations for their first album.
“We have been working really hard trying to record,” Coleman said. “Our first album will be called ‘Aaron Blevins Presents’.”
Aaron Blevins, a good friend of the band, finds it a great honor for Sky Green Manifesto to name their future album after him.
Genres Aplenty
Blevins claims that the band’s unusual name and their music share one thing in common.
“The name Sky Green Manifesto is so random, just like their music,” Blevins said.
Sky Green Manifesto performs and records mostly rock music however they are not limited to one genre. The band also plays country, gangster rap, punk and even some children’s music.
As well as “random,” Blevins also states that “loud is a good term” when describing the band’s music.
More Than Gigs
Besides their upcoming show the band members keep themselves busy with small gigs, such as playing at the “Thursdays at 8” program at The Church at Northside.
However, being in a band is more then getting gigs to Coleman. He and guitarist Justin Adams claim that being members of Sky Green Manifesto is about having fun and loving the music.
Most importantly, Coleman’s main mission for the band is “to get crunk.”
The Future is Bright
Sky Green Manifesto may be able to do just that. With over 3,600 MySpace page views and a soon-to-be-debuted personal page on the Internet, people can be looking forward to the band’s album.
“The cover of our first album will have me covered in gold, holding chocolate,” said Adams.
That sounds delicious.
[A.D.]
Minimalism raises eyebrows at Berry
Class places minimalist art around campus
Many college students are involved in the arts, but in November, Berry College students were given the chance to look at an art that is not really talked about.
Thomas Mew, professor of art at Berry College for the past 37 years, teaches a modern art class every Monday. He recentely split his class up into two groups and had them each do a project on minimalism.
For the project, the groups had to create a piece of minimalist art and present it to the Berry community by putting it in or outside of the Krannert Student Center. They also had to write a report about minimalism and take pictures of people’s reactions.
Rebekah Larisey, a student in Mew’s class, worked on one of the projects. Her group decided to make a black, hanging box that was hollow on the inside. They placed it in the hallway near the Berry Bean’ry.
Hannah Marshall was involved in the other project—a tall, orange frame made out of paper pipes that straddled one of the main sidewalks outside of Krannert. The idea was taken from minimalist artist Sol LeWitt.
"X with Columns" is a piece by American conceptual and minimal artist Sol LeWitt, whose geometric forms in outdoor spaces helped to give Marshall's group inspiration for their piece.
“Minimalism is basically what some people consider one of the more important art movements of the 20th century,” said Mew. “It is about trying to create something great with as little as possible, using very simple objects.”
The History
The history behind minimalism is simple, as well.
Beginning in the 1960s, minimalist artists desired to produce works that did not look familiar. They desired to allow the audience to view a composition more intensely and closely by removing the distractions of a central theme. Self-expression, symbolism and imagery were rejected and simplistic, abstract design became the focus.
“The purpose of minimalism is to create art using the least amount of material. It progressed from cold indoors to a movement called earthworks—using the environment to create artwork,” Marshall said. “Ours is in the middle. We used earthy colors and it even looks like it is coming out of the sidewalk. People create their own artwork when they walk through it. They are the art.”
Eyebrows raised
The response the Berry community gave to the projects differed, but for the most part people were interested in what was going on.
“Minimalism is not really talked about,” said Larisey. “Some people were interested, but I could tell most people had never heard of it before.”
Marshall said other students had their own opinions. “I was talking with someone later in Krannert about it and another student, not knowing that I was involved in the projects, overheard us and said, ‘Oh yeah, that was really ugly!’”
For Mew, a bad reaction is not what matters.“I wanted to get other people on campus to be curious about ‘what in the world is this?’ and ‘why is it here?’ If they thought that, then it served its purpose,” said Mew.
Although the projects did make people on campus curious, the history behind minimalism gives it meaning that is hard to find otherwise and that might have helped many to form their own opinion.
“Some people were afraid to walk through [the frame],” said Larisey. “Minimalism is one of the first times where people are invited to be a part of the art. It is important to know where art had been up to that point to understand it.”
Marshall agrees that knowing the history behind the art is vital to understanding the creativity and beauty.
{C. A. H.}
Many college students are involved in the arts, but in November, Berry College students were given the chance to look at an art that is not really talked about.
Thomas Mew, professor of art at Berry College for the past 37 years, teaches a modern art class every Monday. He recentely split his class up into two groups and had them each do a project on minimalism.
For the project, the groups had to create a piece of minimalist art and present it to the Berry community by putting it in or outside of the Krannert Student Center. They also had to write a report about minimalism and take pictures of people’s reactions.
Rebekah Larisey, a student in Mew’s class, worked on one of the projects. Her group decided to make a black, hanging box that was hollow on the inside. They placed it in the hallway near the Berry Bean’ry.
Hannah Marshall was involved in the other project—a tall, orange frame made out of paper pipes that straddled one of the main sidewalks outside of Krannert. The idea was taken from minimalist artist Sol LeWitt.
"X with Columns" is a piece by American conceptual and minimal artist Sol LeWitt, whose geometric forms in outdoor spaces helped to give Marshall's group inspiration for their piece.Photo Courtesy of Walker Art Center
“Minimalism is basically what some people consider one of the more important art movements of the 20th century,” said Mew. “It is about trying to create something great with as little as possible, using very simple objects.”
The History
The history behind minimalism is simple, as well.
Beginning in the 1960s, minimalist artists desired to produce works that did not look familiar. They desired to allow the audience to view a composition more intensely and closely by removing the distractions of a central theme. Self-expression, symbolism and imagery were rejected and simplistic, abstract design became the focus.
“The purpose of minimalism is to create art using the least amount of material. It progressed from cold indoors to a movement called earthworks—using the environment to create artwork,” Marshall said. “Ours is in the middle. We used earthy colors and it even looks like it is coming out of the sidewalk. People create their own artwork when they walk through it. They are the art.”
Eyebrows raised
The response the Berry community gave to the projects differed, but for the most part people were interested in what was going on.
“Minimalism is not really talked about,” said Larisey. “Some people were interested, but I could tell most people had never heard of it before.”
Marshall said other students had their own opinions. “I was talking with someone later in Krannert about it and another student, not knowing that I was involved in the projects, overheard us and said, ‘Oh yeah, that was really ugly!’”
For Mew, a bad reaction is not what matters.“I wanted to get other people on campus to be curious about ‘what in the world is this?’ and ‘why is it here?’ If they thought that, then it served its purpose,” said Mew.
Although the projects did make people on campus curious, the history behind minimalism gives it meaning that is hard to find otherwise and that might have helped many to form their own opinion.
“Some people were afraid to walk through [the frame],” said Larisey. “Minimalism is one of the first times where people are invited to be a part of the art. It is important to know where art had been up to that point to understand it.”
Marshall agrees that knowing the history behind the art is vital to understanding the creativity and beauty.
{C. A. H.}
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Berry mega-complex could be in works
Students add touches of their own
Future site of the proposed student center scheduled
to break ground in 2009.
Photo courtesy Berry College
Berry College students will soon have more to look forward to than attending classes on the 26,000-acre campus.
A class in the Business School at Berry College is in the pre-planning stages of a student mega-complex located at the Emery Barns, which could break ground in 2009. The mega-complex plans call for two dormitory buildings and the refurbishing of the Emery Barns, which could be turned into a student hangout and recreation center.
Under the direction of Debbie Heida, vice president of student affairs and enrollment, and Paula Englis, who instructs the small business management class at Berry, students took the planning project to heart.
Leaving the dorm’s style and capacity to the builders, the class formed a group known as “Pimp My Barn” this past Spring to create an atmosphere that would be more conducive to recreation in the refurbishing of the barns, which were donated to the college by Mrs. Thomas Emery in 1915.
Future site of the proposed student center scheduledto break ground in 2009.
Photo courtesy Berry College
The plans include billiard and ping pong tables, televisions, a café, a sports bar and a stage complete with light and sound accompanied by comfortable furnishings. A 20-seat movie theater is planned for the upper level of the barn, while the outdoor landscape is slated for a barbecue grill and patio area.
Heida said she developed this idea with a mission in mind: she wants to create spaces that draw students together with the atmosphere of late night ambiance.
“I would like to see a place on campus that has a stage, lights and good sound for the students,” said Heida.
The Pimp My Barn group, headed by Hal McCool, Samantha Watkins, Helen Preston and Eric Cone, not only want to leave a legacy behind when they graduate in the spring of 2008, but their main concern is to incorporate the ideas and opinions of Berry students in accordance with their planning.
“The most recent survey has the students voting for the barns to first be a coffee house and sports bar and secondly be a stage or nightclub,” said McCool.
Legacy
According to surveys and information gathered at a recent forum, a main concern of the student body is to keep the barn as natural as possible. In agreement with this idea, the Pimp My Barn group discussed making the café out of the old wood in the barn.
Although the majority of the financial planning has yet to be nailed down, that will not stop the dreams and aspirations of Berry College students. With the same fortitude on which Martha Berry stood, her students now march along the same path that leads through the “Gate of Opportunity.”
{L. L. M.}
Berry brings football talent to state competition
Koalas, Shorts-N-All competed against top flag football teams for the state title
Flag football has become an outlet for competition for many Berry College students, and for two teams, the Koalas and Shorts-N-All, it also earned them a spot in Georgia's Collegiate Flag Football Championship.
Berry's top silver-division flag football teams, the Koalas (men) and Shorts-N-All (women) got an added bonus this football season. Their journey to the state championship began when they were asked to play in the first annual flag football tournament on Nov. 1 against Shorter College to help benefit Toys for Tots.
The Shorter boys put up a fight, but lost to the Koalas 27-10. Shorts-N-All dominated the Shorter girls with a final score of 32-7.
Flag football has become an outlet for competition for many Berry College students, and for two teams, the Koalas and Shorts-N-All, it also earned them a spot in Georgia's Collegiate Flag Football Championship.
Berry's top silver-division flag football teams, the Koalas (men) and Shorts-N-All (women) got an added bonus this football season. Their journey to the state championship began when they were asked to play in the first annual flag football tournament on Nov. 1 against Shorter College to help benefit Toys for Tots.
The Shorter boys put up a fight, but lost to the Koalas 27-10. Shorts-N-All dominated the Shorter girls with a final score of 32-7.
“This is my second time going to state, and this year my team is more cohesive which will give us a better advantage,” said Rachel White, the defensive corner for Shorts-N-All.
The Koalas and Shorts-N-All attended the 24th Annual Flag Football Tournament held at Georgia Southern University on Nov. 16-18.
The Koalas began by defeating Georgia Institute of Technology’s number one team, Backfield in Motion, 20-12. They then beat Georgia Tech’s number two team, Bluetick Hounds, 26-13. The Koalas advanced to join the final 16 teams in the tournament, only to be defeated by the University of Georgia’s DSGB 0-30.
“It was a long, hard day, but the team is pleased with how well we played,” Pierce said.
Shorts-N-All started against the University of West Georgia’s Fast Break and lost 0-20. Still, they continued and defeated Dem Gurlz from Armstrong Atlantic State University 12-6. Fast Break met up with Shorts-N-All again in the quarterfinals to end Shorts-N-All’s flag football season 0-19. Although they did not win, Shorts-N-All was voted by all the teams in the women’s league to receive the Team Sportsmanship award for the tournament.
Both the Koalas and Shorts-N-All said their teams performed the best they had ever performed at state.
Flag football at Berry
With more than 200 students participating in intramural flag football during the fall 2007 season, one student out of 10 is reaching to pull the opposite teams flags.
According to Ricky Williams, Berry’s director of intramurals and outdoor recreation, students’ main reasons for joining a flag football team is their desire to have fun, be competitive and to win the championship T-shirt. Still, every student has a unique reason for playing.
“I didn’t get to play football in high school, my parents wouldn’t let me, so now I can bring my competitive nature to the football field,” Pierce said.
“Flag football is a great way to exercise without going to the gym,” White said.
Breakdown of the flag football season
- Berry's 2007 flag football season was from Oct. 1 to Nov. 16
- Flag football has a preseason, a regular season and a day-long tournament
- The preseason determines what bracket the team will play in during the season
- Berry has two divisions of flag-football teams: the upper silver division and the lower blue division that are divided into men and women
- The winner of the upper and lower brackets is determined at the end of the tournament
- The two teams that win the Berry-Shorter tournament advance to play in the state tournament
Flag football is the biggest intramural sport at Berry College in the number of people who play, but other intramurals such as softball and soccer bring in a big crowd of participants according to Berry College’s intramural website. According to Williams, out of all of the students on campus about 80 percent participate in intramurals.
{W.J.K.}
Professor Loves to Belly Dance
Professors at Berry perform together in dance troupe
Her hips don’t lie.
English professor Lara Whelan both performs and teaches belly dancing, saying she's always been interested in dance.
“I was a dance minor in college,” Whelan said.
At first, the costumes attracted her attention, and belly dancing seemed like a less strenuous dance than jazz or ballet.
“It turns out, it is very demanding technically and physically. The costumes are the least part of it,” she said, laughing. “I still love it. There is something soothing about it.”
Lara Whelan performs at the
Irish Cellar in downtown Rome.
Photo by Brittany Hannah
Understanding and teaching the art of belly dance
Whelan said she took classes in New York in the early '90s, and when she came to Berry, she took classes until about 2004.
The students from her class put together a performance group, which continues to perform. They named their group Sundari, which is Sanskrit for "beautiful woman."
Whelan wanted to reengage Rome's community so she began teaching belly dance classes at Club Fitness and The Dance Centre in 2006. She currently teaches a class at Georgia Highlands but does not teach any at Berry.
Sophomore Leigh-Ann McKenzie was a student in one of Whelan’s belly dancing classes last year.
“Coming from a dance background, I had always wanted to try it. It is a unique type of dance that I’ve never experienced before.”
Background of belly dancing
Whelan said that she enjoys being a part of a bigger picture.
“I’m tapped into tradition that goes back thousands of years,” she said.
This tradition began in the Middle East where the term belly dancing is not used. Whelan said that the term belly dancing is most likely a mistranslation of "beladi," which means “dance of the people.” Traditionally, belly dancing was a folk dance by women, for women. When its popularity spread from Egypt to America, it became more performance based.
There are two major styles: Cabaret and American Tribal. The Cabaret style is distinguished by the beads and more exposed skin. The American Tribal style has more of a folk dance feel to it; dancers wear heavier cloth and turbans while dancing in a group.
Sundari performs with other musically talented professors
Sundari often performs with Devidasa, a band made up of mainly Berry professors who play Middle Eastern music. English professor James Watkins is the guitarist in the band.
Watkins admires the grace and attractiveness of the dance and enjoys it when they perform together. A fellow band member told Watkins that watching the dancers can help the band remember the changes in the song. However, Watkins said he gets distracted when he plays, so he keeps his eyes shut.
He said he enjoys having the privilege of working with Whelan in the two different settings.
“She is a wonderful colleague," he said. "I am proud to work in the same department. But it’s really fun to see the other side of her and to get to know her in that way."
Watkins is pleased that Whelan has taken the responsibility of teaching belly dancing.
“It’s nice to see she’s kept the classes going and that she can combine her love of dancing with her talents as a teacher,” Watkins said.
Students interested in exploring the possibility of starting a belly dancing group at Berry should contact Whelan via e-mail at lwhelan@berry.edu.
To register online for her belly dance class, visit Georgia Highlands Continuing Education.
{M. F.}
Her hips don’t lie.
English professor Lara Whelan both performs and teaches belly dancing, saying she's always been interested in dance.
“I was a dance minor in college,” Whelan said.
At first, the costumes attracted her attention, and belly dancing seemed like a less strenuous dance than jazz or ballet.
“It turns out, it is very demanding technically and physically. The costumes are the least part of it,” she said, laughing. “I still love it. There is something soothing about it.”
Lara Whelan performs at theIrish Cellar in downtown Rome.
Photo by Brittany Hannah
Understanding and teaching the art of belly dance
Whelan said she took classes in New York in the early '90s, and when she came to Berry, she took classes until about 2004.
The students from her class put together a performance group, which continues to perform. They named their group Sundari, which is Sanskrit for "beautiful woman."
Whelan wanted to reengage Rome's community so she began teaching belly dance classes at Club Fitness and The Dance Centre in 2006. She currently teaches a class at Georgia Highlands but does not teach any at Berry.
Sophomore Leigh-Ann McKenzie was a student in one of Whelan’s belly dancing classes last year.
“Coming from a dance background, I had always wanted to try it. It is a unique type of dance that I’ve never experienced before.”
Background of belly dancing
Whelan said that she enjoys being a part of a bigger picture.
“I’m tapped into tradition that goes back thousands of years,” she said.
This tradition began in the Middle East where the term belly dancing is not used. Whelan said that the term belly dancing is most likely a mistranslation of "beladi," which means “dance of the people.” Traditionally, belly dancing was a folk dance by women, for women. When its popularity spread from Egypt to America, it became more performance based.
There are two major styles: Cabaret and American Tribal. The Cabaret style is distinguished by the beads and more exposed skin. The American Tribal style has more of a folk dance feel to it; dancers wear heavier cloth and turbans while dancing in a group.
Sundari performs with other musically talented professors
Sundari often performs with Devidasa, a band made up of mainly Berry professors who play Middle Eastern music. English professor James Watkins is the guitarist in the band.
Watkins admires the grace and attractiveness of the dance and enjoys it when they perform together. A fellow band member told Watkins that watching the dancers can help the band remember the changes in the song. However, Watkins said he gets distracted when he plays, so he keeps his eyes shut.
He said he enjoys having the privilege of working with Whelan in the two different settings.
“She is a wonderful colleague," he said. "I am proud to work in the same department. But it’s really fun to see the other side of her and to get to know her in that way."
Watkins is pleased that Whelan has taken the responsibility of teaching belly dancing.
“It’s nice to see she’s kept the classes going and that she can combine her love of dancing with her talents as a teacher,” Watkins said.
Students interested in exploring the possibility of starting a belly dancing group at Berry should contact Whelan via e-mail at lwhelan@berry.edu.
To register online for her belly dance class, visit Georgia Highlands Continuing Education.
{M. F.}
Monday, December 3, 2007
Photo contest at Berry asks, 'What is Culture?'
Contest helps students expand cultural horizons
A Spanish matador preparing to face his opponent. A Brazilian boy flying his homemade paper kite. A Peruvian woman washing her clothes in the Amazon River.
These images are all portraits of culture captured by Berry students and entered in the annual “What is Culture?” photo contest held by Berry College International Programs. The awards ceremony for the contest was held on Nov. 12.
First place winner, Sagar Mody, is a sophomore international student from Mumbai, India. Mody’s photograph of an Indian family and their pet cow showed the importance of the animal to the culture.
Sagar Mody's picture won first place
“In India, we worship the cow,” said the caption for Mody's picture. “The cow represents the giving nature of life to every Hindu. The cow is so generous, taking nothing but water, grass and grain. More often than not, India is associated with cows roaming the roads of India, sitting idly in the middle of a traffic jam, chewing waste.”
Sarah Egerer, Berry College International Programs director, learned about photo competitions through international programs at other schools and decided to bring a similar competition to Berry. The “What is Culture?” photo contest was introduced in Fall 2003, and has since become an annual event during International Education Week.
“The purpose of the exhibit is to increase awareness of education abroad in general and the opportunities at Berry specifically,” said Egerer. “This is a way for our students, faculty and staff to share their international study and travel experiences with the rest of the Berry community.”
From Europe to South America
The "What is Culture?" participants each brought their own experiences of culture to the exhibit. Senior Nicole Williams studied in Florence, Italy for the 2007 Spring Semester. Her entry in the contest captured the reflection of Italian buildings in a puddle on the cobblestone street.
“When you study abroad, you’re basically thrown into a culture that you can’t understand until you’re there,” said Williams. “It’s scary and overwhelming, but great because it allows you to realize you can live beyond anyone’s expectations, including your own.”
Taken during the 2007 Spring Semester in Ireland, senior Jocelyn Bee’s photograph showed two Irish girls playing folk music near the town square.
“Music is very pervasive in the Irish culture,” said Bee. “We have music in the U.S., but it’s more in a cubby hole. In Ireland, it’s very involved in their nation. Each town, each street even, has their own music.”
Varied jury pool
The judges of the photo contest have varied over the years, including poets, writers, editors, photographers and previous winners. This year, the judges were professors at Berry: Dr. Julee A. Tate of the Foreign Language department, Professor Mike F. Mejia and Dr. Thomas E. Dasher of the English department. The winner is chosen each year based on how captivating the image is and how well the caption enhances the photograph, said Egerer.
The "What is culture?" exhibit can be viewed in the Berry College Memorial Library during normal library hours. The exhibit will be up through Dec. 7.
[K. H. T.]
A Spanish matador preparing to face his opponent. A Brazilian boy flying his homemade paper kite. A Peruvian woman washing her clothes in the Amazon River.
These images are all portraits of culture captured by Berry students and entered in the annual “What is Culture?” photo contest held by Berry College International Programs. The awards ceremony for the contest was held on Nov. 12.
First place winner, Sagar Mody, is a sophomore international student from Mumbai, India. Mody’s photograph of an Indian family and their pet cow showed the importance of the animal to the culture.
Sagar Mody's picture won first place in Berry's "What's Culture?" contest
this past month.
Photograph by Sagar Moody
Photograph by Sagar Moody
“In India, we worship the cow,” said the caption for Mody's picture. “The cow represents the giving nature of life to every Hindu. The cow is so generous, taking nothing but water, grass and grain. More often than not, India is associated with cows roaming the roads of India, sitting idly in the middle of a traffic jam, chewing waste.”
Sarah Egerer, Berry College International Programs director, learned about photo competitions through international programs at other schools and decided to bring a similar competition to Berry. The “What is Culture?” photo contest was introduced in Fall 2003, and has since become an annual event during International Education Week.
“The purpose of the exhibit is to increase awareness of education abroad in general and the opportunities at Berry specifically,” said Egerer. “This is a way for our students, faculty and staff to share their international study and travel experiences with the rest of the Berry community.”
From Europe to South America
The "What is Culture?" participants each brought their own experiences of culture to the exhibit. Senior Nicole Williams studied in Florence, Italy for the 2007 Spring Semester. Her entry in the contest captured the reflection of Italian buildings in a puddle on the cobblestone street.
“When you study abroad, you’re basically thrown into a culture that you can’t understand until you’re there,” said Williams. “It’s scary and overwhelming, but great because it allows you to realize you can live beyond anyone’s expectations, including your own.”
Taken during the 2007 Spring Semester in Ireland, senior Jocelyn Bee’s photograph showed two Irish girls playing folk music near the town square.
“Music is very pervasive in the Irish culture,” said Bee. “We have music in the U.S., but it’s more in a cubby hole. In Ireland, it’s very involved in their nation. Each town, each street even, has their own music.”
Varied jury pool
The judges of the photo contest have varied over the years, including poets, writers, editors, photographers and previous winners. This year, the judges were professors at Berry: Dr. Julee A. Tate of the Foreign Language department, Professor Mike F. Mejia and Dr. Thomas E. Dasher of the English department. The winner is chosen each year based on how captivating the image is and how well the caption enhances the photograph, said Egerer.
The "What is culture?" exhibit can be viewed in the Berry College Memorial Library during normal library hours. The exhibit will be up through Dec. 7.
[K. H. T.]
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