Category Archives: Uncategorized

Uncategorized

Lyceums Series Hosted in Library Until the End of October

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By: Andrew Elliot, Staff Writer

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) is hosting a Lyceum series by the name of WU Start, that all students can attend.

“Whether you are new to college and want to make sure you have a sharp set of tools for your academic success OR If your original plan is not going the way that you intended, you can still use these resources to get the assistance you need and set a new course,”said Ms. Wharton, Director of the ARC and Student Success.

“WU Start is the second version of this Academic Series sponsored by the Academic Resource Center. Last Spring, we created WU Turn and had 50 students at every single event. The idea for both these events is similar. Using the scales of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) first developed at the University of Texas at Austin, these events are intended to strengthen the academic skill set of the attendees.”

LASSI was developed by Dr. Claire Ellen Weinstein, Dr. David R. Palmer, and Dr. Taylor W. Acee of the University of Texas at Austin.

Ms. Wharton explained, “there are 10 LASSI scales: Attitude, Motivation, Time Management, Anxiety, Concentration, Information Processing, Selecting Main Ideas, Using Academic Resources, and Self Testing.”

Using these scales, multiple departments of Wingate University worked together to create a series that built upon these different concepts to provide an interactive workshop full of resources and support for students.

WU Start events are split into eight events throughout September and October each starting at 4 p.m. in the AV room in the Ethel K. Smith Library. With Week 1 and Week 2 in the books, Week 3 is up next on Sept. 26 with the topic of ‘stress, anxiety, and homesickness’ with Dr. Terese Lund of the Psychology Department.

Week 4 is on Oct. 3 with representatives from the CVICS office speaking about the topic of ‘Do what you love and love what you do’.

Week 5 is on Oct. 10 with Dr. Patrick Young of the Psychology Department speaking about ‘Motivation, concentration, and resilience ’.

Week 6 is on Oct. 24 with Mrs. Amee Odom, Director of the Ethel K.Smith Library and Mr. Kevin Winchester, Director of the Writing Center in the ARC.

Week 7 is on Oct. 24 with Mrs. Cari King, Assistant Director of the ARC/ Tutoring and Academic Instruction, and Mr. Kevin Winchester.

Week 8 rounds out WU Start with Dr. Annette Digby, Dean of Education, and the School of Education.

“I’m proud of this series,” said Ms. Wharton, “the individuals leading each session are talented professional educators who make these topics understandable and relatable to each student. There is so much support available to Wingate students.”

Edited By: Rachael Robinson

NEWS, Uncategorized

School of Sports Sciences professor to participate in service project in Nepal for two weeks

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Brendan Shriver, News Writer

Dr. Brandy Clemmer, a School of Sports Sciences professor and the head of the school’s Leadership Academy, will be leaving the United States next week to participate in a service project in Nepal with the organization Wine to Water for two weeks.

This project is nothing new to Dr. Clemmer. As head of the Leadership Academy, she and a selected group of Sport Management majors have engaged in service projects at places like Victory Junction, School of Life in Gary, WV and many other local community service projects.

On a Saturday morning In April 2015, an earthquake devastated the country of Nepal. Wine to Water was able to respond quickly to this natural disaster by having a team on the ground within a few days to help provide clean water to tens of thousands of people. With all that has been accomplished, the work is far from over.

“In Nepal, I will have the rare opportunity to learn about redevelopment, experience water projects first-hand, such as digging wells, constructing rainwater harvesting systems, making bio-sand filters, and performing monitoring and evaluation procedures on some of these projects,” Dr. Clemmer says.

Dr. Clemmer was introduced to the organization when the book Wine to Water was a campus-wide read in 2013. By reading the book, she developed an immense interest in the organization and was also able to hear the author of the book and the founder of the organization, Doc Hendley, speak on campus.

Dr. Clemmer decided to volunteer with the organization in helping out with the Global Water Crisis. The organization gives volunteers the choice to serve in the Amazon region (Peru, Colombia or Brazil), the Dominican Republic or Nepal.

Dr. Clemmer said that her original proposal was to travel to the Amazon region but due to the lack of projects in the area, the organization had to cancel the trip. She then said that she was then given the option to provide the same service in Nepal. With that, she applied and received a Wings Grant from Wingate in the spring of 2018 to go on the trip.

“I am looking forward to immersing myself in a different culture and observe the different leadership styles present in a crisis situation,” Dr. Clemmer says.

Leadership Academy students will not join her on the trip. Dr. Clemmer leaves on the 26th and won’t return until Oct. 12.

Edited by Brendan Shriver    

Uncategorized

QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Campus lockdown, student housing and more

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The COM 220 News Writing class put together this week’s “Question of the Week” which is actually several questions, mostly related to events on campus this year.

Class members Caitlin Bailey and Zasha Barrett asked senior Marissa Vittorio of East Haven, Conn., “Do you feel safe on campus after the recent lockdown and shooting incident?”

marissavittorio

Her answer: “I felt safe because I was in the McGee Center and they have a safety plan that they went by. I heard stories from other students about how some classroom doors wouldn’t lock and some professors kept teaching class. Other professors were more nervous than the students which made the situation worse. I probably would have been scared, but because of where I was, I felt very safe.”

Class members Hunter Pearson and Mariah Anderson talked with Communication faculty member Barbara Pann about “the best thing to happen to you this school year”:

The housing signup period for students is about to begin and Shane Rich and Keyana Daye asked student Kelly Manning  about her opinion of the process. Shane and Keyana report that not many students they asked seemed to know much about it.

And one more:

Class member Tanya Crump wanted to find out what it was like for Wingate staff members over Spring Break. She talked wth Dining Hall Supervisor Shemikka Henry, who said, “We had to stay here and work on break, but the nice thing was that our lunch periods were shorter and that was my favorite thing. Usually we don’t shut down during the day but we were able to, which made cleaning much easier. It was fun!”

(Shemikka didn’t want to be photographed or appear on video, and we honored that request.)

Uncategorized, Veteran's Day

Wounded veteran runs 29th marathon in Charlotte

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Katlyn Batts, Staff Writer

A former Marine who lost his legs in combat, Rob Jones, ran his 29th marathon out of 31 in Charlotte this past Thursday as a part of his Month of Marathons journey.

“Plenty of Americans want to help veterans and that’s one thing I want to prove doing this,” said Jones.

According to Pam Jones, Rob’s wife, Charlotte was the largest crowd they have had on their journey thus far. Veterans, Queens University track and field team, military supporters, all the way to a 7-week-old baby girl were at the race to support or run beside Rob.

“We are just really inspired by this story and coming up on Veterans Day we felt it was very important to support Jones and veterans,” 14 year-old runner Jake Honeycutt said. Honeycutt has never run a marathon, but planned to run the first loop with his father.

A lot of preparation went into this journey and Jones’ wife and mother both helped him every step of the way.

“I drive the RV and coordinate with the media now, but before we started I did meal-prep and planned the month ahead… all Rob has to focus on is running, eating, sleeping, and talking to the cameras,” said Pam.

Coordinating with the media is extremely important, according to Pam. Every time Rob is seen on television there is a massive boost in donations, and raising money for wounded veterans is one of his goals on this journey and in life.

“Currently he has raised about $120,000. He has set a goal to raise $1 million in his lifetime,” said Pam.

His mother also joined him on his journey as his personal massage therapist.

“It has been a real privilege… it is important not to be negative for him. I try and let him do his thing even if I am sitting back here nervous,” said Rob’s mother, Carol Miller.

Rob has been an athlete since he was discharged from the Marines. Just two years after he lost his legs, he won a bronze medal in rowing at the Paralympics in London. He competed in the World Rowing Championship the following year, where he placed fourth. Also in that year he biked 5,180 miles across the United States. Rob also completed the Nation’s Triathlon.

Everyday 22 veterans commit suicide. Rob wants to puts a positive spin on his circumstance and be a light to other wounded veterans.

He says, “Thank God it happened to me and not to someone who could not cope with it,” said Pam.

Rob knows he can be a beacon of light to other veterans and he does not take this opportunity lightly, but every day this forces him to get up and be excited, happy and joyful about life so he can inspire others.

“Instead of seeing tragedy or hardship as something that is blocking your path or getting in your way, seeing it as an opportunity to grow stronger, something that you can use to make yourself better,” said Rob.

His journey has received national attention and he has received letters from the Department of Veterans Affairs and state representatives of support for his journey. Some mayors have even come out to his events, although no state or city representatives attended in Charlotte. Rob and his wife hope to have many people and military leaders at the run on Veterans Day in Washington, D.C.

Rob and his wife are currently building a house in Loudoun County, Va., and plan to take a few months off, but according to his wife, Rob hopes to try out for the Invictus games in the future. They are taking donations on their website. 

 

Edited by: Cierra Smith and Ryan MacKintosh 

Mental health, student, Uncategorized

Mental health problems facing college students all around

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Aleah Cady, Staff Writer

College can be an exciting, enriching experience. For most young adults, college is their first step into the world of “adulthood”- that may mean living away from home, having a job, paying bills for the first time, and taking on the responsibilities of college-level courses.

College is a different experience for each student, but unfortunately for some, the fun parts of school such as making new friends, or having more freedom, are overshadowed by situations which can be stressful, and make school feel like a burden.

It can be pretty shocking to transition from four years of high school and living at home, and suddenly adapt to a faster-paced, unfamiliar environment which may mean living in a new city, state or even country; moving away from your friends and family, taking six or seven classes at a time, being responsible for student loans or bills, struggling to decide on a major, etc.

These experiences can be especially hard for students with mental illness, or those who struggle with stress. For these students, college can be less of a fun experience, and more of a contributor to their stress and worries. Sadly, the stress of college can often lead to heightened anxiety and depression, sleeping problems, poor school performance, or more serious issues including drug or alcohol abuse.

Some students even drop out of school entirely. According to a 2011 study from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 62% of students who withdrew from college before graduation did so because of poor mental health.

With the increasing prevalence of anxiety among young adults, mental health is being discussed more than ever before on campuses across the nation. Schools are making changes to accommodate students with mental illness, and help them succeed despite their differences.

Luckily at Wingate University, there are a variety of resources available to help students cope with their problems and be successful. One resource is the counseling services. Students can email the counseling department to set up an appointment to meet with a counselor that fits their schedule.

Students are welcome to discuss a variety of concerns from school, to grades, to social life, and beyond. You are meeting with a trained professional who can listen to your concerns, and help you understand your options.

Other helpful resources include the ARC, or Academic Resource Center. ARC offers tutoring services to all Wingate students, free of charge. You can receive help with studying or doing your homework, which can help improve your grades and give you more confidence in school.

If you are a student with a disability, you can turn to Disability Support Services for accommodations in concern to housing, testing, or other specific services that can help you. There are options to make school more comfortable for you, despite what challenges you may be facing.

If you’re a student struggling with mental illness or stress, you are not alone.In addition to reaching out and talking to a professional, you can also make small lifestyle changes to better your mental state.

  • Try to get enough sleep. It’s really hard when you have classes all day, and work and assignments to do at night, but try and get a twenty or thirty minute nap into your day, or take advantage of the weekends and get some rest.
  • Eat healthy foods, drink water, and exercise. Again, this may require changing your schedule up a bit, but take a few extra minutes a day to think about foods and drinks you’re putting into your body. Also, many studies show that light exercise such as going for a walk, or biking, can reduce stress levels, and improve your grades.
  • Avoid taking on too many responsibilities at once. You are at school to learn. Between academics, clubs, sports, work, homework, studying, and a social life, you can easily become overwhelmed. Evaluate what is really important to you, and try and cut out tasks or activities that stress you out. It’s okay to be human, and have weaknesses. Everybody needs a break sometimes.
  • Avoid drugs and alcohol in excess. They may feel like a temporary way to relax, but overusing drugs and alcohol use can increase stress levels, and result in more problems to face.
  • Know when to ask for help. It can be hard in such a fast-paced society to stop and say “I need help.” However, if you are struggling with self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or any other problems which may threaten your safety, it is important to get help immediately. Listed below are the phone numbers to contact Campus Safety, or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. However, always call 911 in an emergency situation.
  • Remember that it’s okay to be stressed and worried. You aren’t alone, and it’s okay to cut yourself some slack every now and then. Take time to do things that make you happy, and try to cut out negative situations or people who may bring you down.

If you need help with a situation in which counseling services or any of the other resources mentioned above may not be able to help, here are a list of other resources you may turn to, especially if your safety is at risk:

➔ In an emergency situation, always call 911.

➔ Wingate Police (Non-emergency) (704)–233–5657

➔ Campus Safety (704)–233–8999

➔ National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800)-273-8255

Edited by: Brea Childs

 Photo from: Google Images

academics, sports, Uncategorized, Wingate University

WU Alum First to Receive MASM Award

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By Adam Riley II, Staff Writer

Wingate alum, Callie Phillips, was presented with the first Master of Arts in Sport Management Distinguished Alumni Award during an expert panel discussing Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence in College Athletics in Austin Auditorium last week.

“No one has to do everything, but everyone can do something to help stop sexual assault and domestic violence,” Phillips said.

She graduated from Wingate in 2013 with her master’s in sport administration and she is the current head volleyball coach at Johnson & Wales University.

Edited By Harrison Taylor, Dustin Kiggins, and Cierra Smith

 

monroe, NEWS, Uncategorized

Local ministry prepares community for threat of war

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Gabriela Cabrera, Staff Writer

MONROE –

The threat of war with North Korea is becoming increasingly real and a local thrift store in Monroe, NC is starting preparations to help the community by gathering clothing and farming materials needed if panic should arise.

Crystal Oliver, manager of Good Steward Ministries (GSM), sat down with her six employees at their monthly meeting, held Wednesday, Oct. 4, to discuss the possibility of North Korea invading U.S. soil and how they should plan.

“War seems almost inevitable and we want to be prepared,” she said. “We want the community to know that if something were to happen they can rely on Good Steward to help provide clothing and equipment needed to survive.”

Run mostly off of donated goods, the store is well-known for helping locals by offering an assortment of clothing, houseware items, books and shoes for an affordable price. Oliver wants to go one step further by making sure their supplies will last for the rush of people who may panic if North Korea invades the U.S.

Recently, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump have exchanged heated words, causing worry in the U.S. that a war may break out. President Trump tweeted last weekend that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was “wasting his time trying to negotiate” with Kim Jong-un.

The employees listened carefully to Oliver’s plan of slowly setting aside clothes in their storage rooms. GSM’s mission is to have clothing and farming material ready to be provided when other stores run out.

Oliver said that she knows that many people don’t want second-hand things, but when the time around she believes people will accept it.

“I think it’s great that Good Steward wants to look out for the community,” Raphaela Moore said. “We are family.”

This mindset in some of the employees sparked conversations and game plans for preparation.

Other employees, however, were more skeptical.

“There is no reason to prepare,” said employee Patrick Love. “America is completely equipped to stop any attack before it reaches our home.”

While the employees may be split on whether a war with North Korea may happen, they are still working together to prepare GSM for helping the community.

 Edited By: Cierra Smith and Harrison Taylor