Augusta State University’s

Vol xvi i issue i i i

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Phoenix

Summer 2011

S a turday ’s A

Rugby Day

Meth : Not Even

Once

Campus Couture

WANTEDPhoenix Magazine Staff

Fall 2011

Assistant Editor

Advertising Manager

and

If found, please apply immediately for a PAID POSITION to be a part of the

magazine! Phoenix Magazine OfficeAllgood Hall E159

for more info contact: ajohns55@aug.edu

PHOENIX MAGAZINE is a student publication of the Office of Student Activities and the Department of Communications and Professional Writing at Augusta State University. PHOENIX MAGAZINE is a designated public forum and has been recognized as such by Augusta State University. The publication is funded by advertising sales and student activity fees. The opinions expressed in the Phoenix do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University System of Georgia, the administration or faculty of ASU, the editorial staff or the adviser of the Phoenix.

Co Editors-in-ChiefAimee Johnson

Stephanie Lammers

Assistant EditorAdrienne Thomas

Business ManagerDavid Silver

Advertising ManagerGordon Jackson

Faculty AdviserDr. Debra van Tuyll

Staff WritersAimee Johnson, Ashley Panter,

Taryn Law, Christina Rodriguez, Jasmine Housey, Jeannen Hobbs, Jessica Warren,

Kelley Girardin, Melissa Clark, Patricia Johnson, Wesley Meno

ContributorsMaitri Desai, Latoya Holloman,

Katherine Prewett, Loreley Layfield, Jacki Mayo

Web DesignHal Gauldin

Cover Photo by Summer Bennett taken at the Larry Bray Memorial Pitch in

Augusta, Ga.

Phoenix Magazine is published three times per academic year with a press run of 2500 copies. It is created on

Macintosh OSX computers using Adobe Creative Suite 4.0. The cover is printed

on 80# white offset paper; the text is printed on 70# white offset coated paper.

The body copy is Georgia, cutlines are Century Gothic and the nameplat is

Desdemona and Archaelogicaps. This issue of Phoenix Magazine was printed

by K-B Offset Printing, Inc. in State College, PA.

AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY’S

PHOENIXMAGAZINE

Phoenix 1

Hello all, For the past two years, I have been a part of the Phoenix staff. During this time, I have constantly learned and grown as a person. These years have been a life changing experience. I have met so many incredible people, I have learned more about design and editing, and I have achieved goals that I thought would never be possible. This is my last editor’s note, and as I walk away from the staff, I feel positive about my knowledge and thankful for all of the many opportunities that have come my way since becoming a part of the Phoenix family. I want to give a special thanks to Dr. van Tuyll, Leza, Adrienne, the department of communication and everyone who gave me a chance. I also want to thank Aimee Johnson, the new editor of the Phoenix. She has put her heart into this issue, and I am happy to know that the magazine is in good hands. Lastly, thank you to the readers. You keep the Phoenix alive.

S. Lammers

Hi! When I was asked to be the new Phoenix editor, a mix of excitement and panic ran through my mind. Could I do this? You want me to edit and design a magazine?! Well, it looks like it has happened. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I enjoyed putting it together. After many hours and hours of staring into a Mac screen, the issue has come together. I think you will enjoy this eclectic mix of sto-ries. As you look through these pages you can find fashion tips, the truth about those intense Chemistry and Physics students, and how you can get that summer tan, along with much more. I am looking forward to the upcoming semester and working with the staff to create yet another amazing issue. I want to thank Stephanie and Adrienne for believing in me and not throwing me to the wolves. You will never know how much I appreciate you both taking the time to show me step-by-step the ins and outs of running the Phoenix, while answering my millions of question. THANK YOU! Have a great Summer!

DEPARTMENTS

04 CalendarSpotlight: Augusta Southern Nationals Jessica Warren catches us up to speed on the drag boat rac-es at the the Savannah River.

11 FashionCampus CoutureJeannen Hobbs asks students about their personal styles and preferences while finding out how to get custom-made snake skin shoes.

16 SportsSaturday’s A Rugby DayAshley Panter gets rough with the Augusta Rugby Football Club.

24 Student LifeInto the Upper Sanctum of the Science HallChristina Rodriguez climbs new heights as she learns the truth about the students and faculty that live and work in the De-partment of Chemistry and Physics.

30 WingspanFeaturing artistic works by: Loreley Layfield, Katherine Prewett, Latoya Holloman & Jacki Mayo

DEPARTMENTS FE

ATURE

STO

RIE

S

Life After War 27

Meth: Not Even Once 08Kelley Girardin closely examines the Georgia Meth

Project.

Fakin’ Bakin’ 20Aimee Johnson explores the safest way to acquire a tan.

The Wilson Connection 22Patricia Johnson portrays our 28th president’s young life in

Augusta through pictures of his childhood home.

Melissa Clark delves into the many resources available forreturning service members

and their families.

June

1First Friday

Downtown Augusta

noon - ???

4Mudbugabeaux N Brew

Festival Augusta Commons

noon - 8 p.m.

10“Amadeus”

Le Chat Loir8 p.m.

23Sugarland ConcertJames Brown Arena

7:30 p.m.

25Augusta Pride

FestivalAugusta Commons

All Day 4 Summer 2011

July1

First FridayDowntown Augusta

noon - ???

7Art Exhibit:Jane PopielSacred Heart

7:30 p.m.

5Augusta Striders

Nacho Mama’s RunNacho Mama’s

7:05 p.m.

15Southern Nationals“Night of Fire”Augusta Commons

7 pm

4Fourth of July CelebrationAugusta Canal

8 p.m.

15-17Southern NationalsDrag Boat RacesAugusta Commons

8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Phoenix 5

August5

First FridayDowntown Augusta

noon - ???

9-12ASU

Fall registration

8 a.m. - Midnight

13Keith Urban ConcertJames Brown Arena

7:30 p.m. 15Classes Begin

Augusta State University26Sandra Trujillo“Churros Locos”

Mary S. Byrd Art Gallery

5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

6 Summer 2011Layout by Aimee Johnson

There is not much that can top off a beautiful day filled with drag boat rac-ing. The smell of engine exhaust and hot dogs fills the air. The roar of jet boats can be heard for miles down the road. The sun beats down as you file through the massive amounts of people that have come to watch. These sounds are referring to the Augusta Southern National Boat races that are held on the Savannah River from July 15-17. According to Mack McNorrill, Department Chair of Mar-keting and Promotions of the Augusta Southern Nationals, this will be the 25th annual held in Augusta. The race is part of a three-day event consisting of Friday’s “Test and Tune Day” and “Night of Fire.” During the afternoon, spectators can purchase a $5 admission ticket that allows them to talk to the crew drivers and walk any-where on the race site. The “Night of Fire” is held on Friday night at the Augusta Commons. There, patrons can talk with the pit crews and look at the boats. According to McNor-rill, they will actually crank the boats

allowing the fire coming out of the heaters on the boats to be seen. In order to participate in the race, a drag boat must meet a certain race time in order to qualify on Saturday. McNor-rill says that the qualification process is similar to land drag racing where two boats compete to get their qualifying position time. According to McNorrill, that time is determined from the time it takes the boat to cover the quarter-mile race, from start to finish. Each boat class has a different quali-fication time. “The slowest class must record a time of 12 to 12.99 seconds in a quarter mile. At seven seconds you start a pro class, and if they go under 7 sec they’re out of the race,” said McNorrill. The boat that scores the closest time to seven seconds will be the top quali-fier. Sunday is elimination day, and typi-cally consists of about 88-100 boats. “Every time two boats go on the wa-ter, one boat goes home and the other boat goes on to the next level,” said Mc-Norrill.

According to McNorrill, the boats can reach top speeds of 240-250 mph, with the slowest boat running about 80 or 90 mph. This exciting event is brought to Au-gusta by the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Rac-ing Series, which is an eight race na-tional circuit sponsored by Lucas Oil. According to McNorrill, there are drag boat races all over the United States. “The closest race to us this year will probably be St. Loius. As far as the Lucas Oil Series, there are also races in Marble Falls, Texas, Phoenix, Ariz., Lake Irvine, Cali., and all over the west coast,” said McNorrill. The Board of Directors are the sole promoters of the race and are a part of a nonprofit corporation. All the pro-ceeds from the event goes to support the Area 9 Special Olympics.

Jessica Warren is junior communications major on the public relations track.

Jessica Warren catches us up to speed on the drag boat races at the the Savannah River.

Layout by Jessica Warren

Augusta Southern NationalsJo

e M

ars

ing

ill

Phoenix 7Layout by Aimee Johnson

Not Even OnceKelley Girardin closely examines the Georgia Meth Project.

Photos provided by MethProject.orgLayout by Kelley Girardin

METH :

Not Even OnceKelley Girardin closely examines the Georgia Meth Project.

Photos provided by MethProject.orgLayout by Aimee Johnson

METH :

8 Summer 2011

mine levels by a whopping 1200 percent! The website also states that the dopamine takes two to 10 days to fully replenish (that is if the user stops using complete-ly during this time frame) which means the crash after the high is this long as well.  Rogers’s  first  time  doing meth was with her boss and co-work-ers. “We were all hanging out when my boss pulled something out and asked if anyone wanted to do a line. ‘A line of what?’ I asked. Af-ter doing it, my face felt like it was on fire. In a sick way, it felt amaz-ing. I didn’t go to bed til noon the next day. I felt invincible, like I could do anything.”   After  first  time  use,  the  toler-ance already starts to build, mak-ing users crave more meth at more frequent intervals. Accord-ing to The Meth Project research, the dopamine release peaks after the initial use, making it an un-matched feeling in comparison to future uses. Smith, who used for one year, remembers  her  first  time  using as, “The best thing I had ever tried. I stayed up for two days, and it was so intense it made me feel in-vincible. I thought it would make all my problems go away.” Smith and Rogers both report-ed that the drug made them feel invincible, and Rogers says at first it gave her a big, false confi-dence boost. “It made me skinny. I wasn’t the fat chick anymore. It was nice to be noticed. I made bigger tips at work,” Rogers says. “At the end of the day though, I was disgusted with myself. I became crazy.” Long-term meth abuse may re-sult in many damaging effects, including, anxiety, confusion, in-somnia, paranoia, auditory hal-lucinations, mood disturbances, delusions and violent behavior,

Insomnia. Weight loss. Hallu-cinations. Scratches and scabs all over my face. Paranoia. Tooth decay. How is this happening to me? I was only going to try meth once. These types of confessions, often bound with graphic illus-trations, are appearing all over Georgia through TV, radio, bill-boards and the internet as a re-sult of the Georgia Meth Project. The Georgia Meth Project’s target audience is 12-17 year olds who have never tried Methamphet-amine before. “It is a research based mes-saging campaign that strives to understand attitudes and behav-ior towards methamphetamine through state wide surveys” ac-cording to the Georgia Meth Proj-ect’s website. Laura Smith*, who began us-ing meth when she was 18, says, “The Georgia Meth Project was not around [eight years ago], and before I used, I had never heard of meth before.” According to their website, the Georgia Meth Project is part of a larger program simply titled The Meth Project which was founded by Thomas Siebel. The Meth Proj-ect website states the project is being conducted in Arizona, Col-orado, Hawaii, Idaho, Wyoming and Illinois but originated in Montana. Montana ranked num-ber  five  for meth  abuse  in  2005 when the program first launched. Five years and 277,100 advertise-ments later, the program is prov-ing a success with Montana rank-ing in at number 39 in the nation for meth use. The advertisements portray the effects of meth through bone-chilling quotes and disturbingly gruesome pictures. “My girl-friend would do anything for me, so I made her sell her body” and “Picking for bugs under you’re skin isn’t normal, but on meth

it is,” are phrases seen on bill-boards  and  magazine  ads.  The radio ads are told in first person and recall the users’ terrifying ex-periences and downward spirals on meth. Sally Rogers*, who began doing meth in the fall of 2002, calls the advertisements “extremely ac-curate.” One ad that stands out for Rogers states, “Before meth, I had a best friend. Now I have an addict.” Rogers says that once she start-ed doing meth, there was a domi-no effect among her friends. Be-fore meth they all cared deeply for one another, but once they started using their main concern was the addictive drug. “If your friends are really your friends, they won’t make you do it,” Rogers says through clenched teeth. “I didn’t realize that until I got all my friends doing it.” According to The Meth Project Foundation, methamphetamine, also known as meth, speed, ice, crystal, crank, and tina, is an ex-tremely addictive drug that af-fects the nervous system and over stimulates the brain. Meth can be snorted, smoked, inhaled and swallowed.  “When  I  first  started  doing meth, I would snort it. Over time I prefered to do hotrails,” says Rogers, who was spending as much as $300 a week on the nar-cotic. Hotrailing is a combination of smoking and snorting it. The Meth Project reports when methamphetamine enters the blood stream it travels to the brain and unnaturally releases dopa-mine, which is the brain chemi-cal that allows the feeling of plea-sure. Food raises dopamine levels by 50 percent while  sex  raises  it 100 percent. The powerfully ad-dictive drug cocaine raises levels by 300 percent, but that is noth-ing compared to the toxic meth-amphetamine which raises dopa-

1200 percent! The website also states that the dopamine takes two to ten days to fully replen-ish (that is if the user stops us-ing completely during this time frame) which means the crash after the high is this long as well.  Rogers’s  first  time  doing meth was with her boss and co-work-ers. “We were all hanging out when my boss pulled something out and asked if anyone wanted to do a line. ‘A line of what?’ I asked. Af-ter doing it, my face felt like it was on fire. In a sick way, it felt amaz-ing. I didn’t go to bed until noon the next day. I felt invincible, like I could do anything.”   After  first  time  use,  the  toler-ance already starts to build, mak-ing users crave more meth at more frequent intervals. Accord-ing to The Meth Project research, the dopamine release peaks after the initial use, making it an un-matched feeling in comparison to future uses. Smith, who used for one year, remembers  her  first  time  using as, “The best thing I had ever tried. I stayed up for two days, and it was so intense it made me feel in-vincible. I thought it would make all my problems go away.” Smith and Rogers both report-ed that the drug made them feel invincible, and Rogers says at first it gave her a big, false confi-dence boost. “It made me skinny. I wasn’t the fat chick anymore. It was nice to be noticed. I made bigger tips at work,” says Rogers. “At the end of the day though, I was disgusted with myself. I be-came crazy.” According to the Georgia Meth website long-term meth abuse may result in many damaging effects including anxiety, confu-sion, insomnia, paranoia, audi-tory hallucinations, mood

Insomnia. Weight loss. Hallu-cinations. Scratches and scabs all over my face. Paranoia. Tooth decay. How is this happening to me? I was only going to try meth once. These types of confessions, often bound with graphic illus-trations, are appearing all over Georgia through TV, radio, bill-boards and the internet as a re-sult of the Georgia Meth Project. The Georgia Meth Project’s target audience is 12-17 year olds who have never tried methamphet-amine before. According to the Georgia Meth Project’s website, “It is a research based mes-saging campaign that strives to understand attitudes and behav-iors toward methamphetamine through state wide surveys.” Laura Smith*, who began using meth when she was 18, says, “The Georgia Meth Project was not around [eight years ago], and before I used, I had never heard of meth before.” According to their website, the Georgia Meth Project is part of a larger program simply titled The Meth Project which was found-ed by Thomas Siebel. The Meth Project website states it is being conducted  in  Arizona,  Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Wyoming and Il-linois but originated in Montana. Montana ranked number five for meth abuse in 2005 when the pro-gram  first  launched.  Five  years and 277,100 advertisements later, the program is proving a success. Montana is ranking in at number 39 in the nation for meth use. The advertisements portray the effects of meth through bone-chilling quotes and disturbingly gruesome pictures. “My girl-friend would do anything for me, so I made her sell her body” and “Picking for bugs under you’re skin isn’t normal, but on meth it is,” are both phrases seen on bill-

boards  and  magazine  ads.  The radio ads are told in first person and recall the users’ terrifying ex-periences and downward spirals on meth. Sally Rogers*, who began doing meth in the fall of 2002, calls the advertisements “extremely ac-curate.” One ad that stands out for Rogers states, “Before meth, I had a best friend. Now I have an addict.” Rogers says that once she start-ed doing meth, there was a domi-no effect among her friends. Be-fore meth they all cared deeply for one another, but once they started using their main concern was the addictive drug. “If your friends are really your friends, they won’t make you do it,” Rogers says through clenched teeth. “I didn’t realize that until I got all my friends doing it.” According to The Meth Project Foundation, methamphetamine, also known as meth, speed, ice, crystal, crank and tina, is an ex-tremely addictive drug that af-fects the nervous system and over stimulates the brain. Meth can be snorted, smoked, inhaled and swallowed.Hotrailing is a combi-nation of smoking and snorting it.   “When  I  first  started  doing meth, I would snort it. Over time I prefered to do hotrails,” says Rog-ers, who was spending as much as $300 a week on the narcotic. The Meth Project reports when methamphetamine enters the blood stream it travels to the brain and unnaturally releases dopamine, which is the brain chemical that allows the feeling of pleasure. Food raises dopamine levels  by  50  percent  while  sex raises it 100 percent. The pow-erfully addictive drug, cocaine, raises levels by 300 percent. That is nothing compared to the toxic methamphetamine which raises dopamine levels by a whopping

METH :

Phoenix 9

ing to the Georgia Meth Poject website,  35  percent  of  Georgia teens do not perceive a risk to using meth, 23 percent of Geor-gia  teens  think  there  is  a benefit of using meth, and 23 percent of Georgia teens think there is no harm in using meth on a regular basis. When asked what she would say to a teenager contemplating using meth, Rogers paused for a long second before saying, “JUST SAY NO! Reevaluate yourself and what you want. Do you like yourself, your family, your friends? It’s not okay and I wouldn’t recommend it to my worst enemy. Meth is hell. It’s the fucking devil.” The Georgia Meth project launched on March 8, 2010 and initial results will be released mid-2011.

*Names have been changed.

Kelley Girardin is a senior communications major on the public relations track.

proximatly 60 people have been arrested for methamphetamine. “People arrested for metham-phetamine receive one to 10 years in prison, and those arrested for manufacturing can receive one to 20 years,” says Huggins. Sometimes jail is not the worst thing that can happen to users. The Meth Project tries to stress how much meth will ruin every aspect of a users life. “I was no longer close to my family. I chose the drug over the people I loved most in my life. I lost my friends, dropped out of school and almost lost my job. I had nothing and hit rock bottom in less than a year,” Smith, who has been sober for seven years, recalls. Rogers, who has also been so-ber for seven years now has a very similar outlook on her expe-rience, “I lost my job, I lost my car, I was getting beaten on an every-day basis, I got kicked out of my house and I hated my family. If it weren’t for my mother’s uncondi-tional love, I would be dead.” A huge issue that Georgia is fac-ing is that Georgia teens do not seem to think that there is any-thing wrong with meth. Accord-

disturbances, delusions and vio-lent behavior. Rogers was a vic-tim of the violent behavior on a daily basis because of her meth-dealing boyfriend.  “He had stolen a bottle of Crown from my parents’ house, and then he went and hung out and drank it with a girl I didn’t like,” says Rogers. “We began arguing, and then he started beating me. He beat me the whole way home. People driving by saw him and called the cops. When we got to our apart-ment the police were waiting for him. They arrested him right away. Five people wrote state-ments. I looked and felt like a rag doll.” So how does this affect Geor-gia? According to Jim Langford, executive director of the Geor-gia Meth Project, Georgia ranks number three in the country for meth abuse. Langford also stated that meth is costing Georgia $1.3 billion annually. This is a combi-nation of law enforcement, fam-ily and social services, treatment and lost productivity. Wanda Huggins, an adminis-trative secretary for Richmond County’s  Narcotics  department recalls that in the past year ap-

CAMPUSCOUTURE

Jeannen Hobbs asks students about their personal styles and preferences while finding out how to get custom-made snake skin shoes.

Photos by Jeannen Hobbs Layout by Adrienne Thomas

Phoenix 11

As the weather continues to heat up and summer makes its entrance, cam-pus fashion begins to make a change as well. The layers are starting to peel off. The thick sweaters have been traded in for chic cardigans. The heavy denim jeans traded for cool shorts. Airy dress-es are making their appearance, while

thick tights are being put back in the closet for next winter. Every season trends evolve. Cam-pus is full of students displaying their own unique take on fashion trends. The halls are filled with every style and craze out there.

After scouting out the campus, I dis-covered it was not easy tracking down these individuals for an interview. Luckily, I had the chance to catch up with five fashion-forward students to get their perspective and philosophy on style. Here is what they had to say.

<<< Erin Armstrong, 20.  Creative Writing MajorTell me a little bit about your personal style. I don’t know; it’s weird to say. I’m that person that my friends are like, ‘It’s cute on you, but I wouldn’t wear it, but it looks good on you.’ I just wear so many different things that it’s hard to say exactly what my style is. Since your style has no mold, so to speak, how do you choose what to wear? I have pieces that I really like and kind of work around them. For example, right now I’m really into boots and men’s pants, so I start with the pieces I like and add a shirt, earrings and so on. So  you  like  to  wear  men’s  pants;  where  do  you  find  ones  that  fit? Anywhere, I just find them. I found my latest pair in my closet at home. I guess they were a pair of my brother’s old pants or my dad’s pants; I just saw them and thought to myself, “I think I’ll wear these today.” I did and it was awesome. They were a light blue-ish color and a little big on me, so I paired them with a plain white t-shirt (tucked in), a coral high-waist belt to keep them in place and black slippers. What are some of your other favorite places to shop? I like Forever 21, Walmart, American Eagle, Urban Outfitter and generally anywhere. I have a peculiarly shaped body so I shop at different places for different parts. Most of the time I get clothes that my friends just don’t want any more or take them and just don’t tell them. But when I’m actually out shopping, the only place I can get jeans is American Eagle or Urban Outfitters because I have a curvy waist. I can get tops from anywhere. If I possessed the ability to do so competently, I would make my own shirts because I like really different tops.

Joyce Garcia, 24. History Major >>>What would you say is your style or type of fashion? I would say I’m a hodge-podge casual dresser. I’ll wear pretty much whatever I can find in my sister or mom’s closet that I can mix and match with things I have already.So you, your mom and your sister are the same size? Yes and no, my sister and I are the same size but not my mom. I can pull off some of my mom’s things like sweaters and t-shirts that are a little bigger.Are there any celebrities that influence your style? I wouldn’t say that I look to celebrities as a guide for what to wear, but I do find some of their outfits appealing. I like Kate Moss, Rachel Bilson and Keira Knightley because they have casual styles similar to mine. What are some of your favorite places to shop for casual clothes? Well, I’m not originally from Georgia, I’m from Washington, D.C., but for the shops they don’t have here I just go online. I shop at H&M, Zara, Urban Outfitters and Target a lot. Actually, I got these boots from there too. I really just pick up whatever catches my eye. Being that you are from Washington, D.C. do you see any striking differences in the fashion atmosphere? Yes, definitely. People are a lot more casual and simplistic in the way they dress here in Georgia. It seems like people in D.C. spend a lot more time trying to have a “look,” whereas people here want to look nice and be comfortable. Where do you feel like you fit in that mix? I’m kind of in the middle. I don’t like to spend a lot of time getting ready in the morning, but I do like to look nice. I want to feel like I’m myself in an outfit, not just dressing like everyone else.

12 Summer 2011

<<< Melody Davis, 22. Journalism MajorDescribe your sense of fashion in one word. Variety –I don’t like to match. I really hate matching. I’m more about mixing up patterns. What inspires you to mix and match eclectic patterns? Magazines like Vogue, Elle and Seventeen keep me up-to-date on what’s hot. I take certain pieces and from there, kind of form my own style. I look for and pay a lot of attention to European fashion shows like Paris Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week, along with following some celebrities like Kanye West and Rihanna.Is there a certain era to which you find yourself drawn? There are a couple like the 30s, 40s, 50s, the 60s (Mod). I’m drawn to celebrities like Lucile Ball, Dorothy Dandridge, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn who were known for not only their acting but fashion statements as well. Do you look to different eras for different things? Yeah, definitely. For example, I like Marilyn Monroe because of her hairstyles and she has a mole, and so do I. It helped me to see my mole as beautiful because she had one and everybody liked her. Another is Audrey Hepburn; she wore a lot of black because she said that black never goes out of style and it’s conservative. So I love black. I think it’s very beautiful, fashionable and easy to accessorize.So do the clothes or the accessories make the outfit for you? I think it’s the clothes that stand out the most. I love my clothes. For me, I can pull off an outfit, and I don’t have to wear too many accessories to make the outfit stand out. I believe if you’re really into fashion you should be able to pull the outfit off with just a few accessories. Do you consider yourself a bargain shopper? Yes, I always go for the biggest deals and sales, at vintage stores, thrift stores, Wal-Mart, or wherever. It doesn’t matter to me where I find my clothes, but about how I interpret the outfit. I don’t have to have a lot of money to dress nice, I tell people that all the time. You can tell a lot about a person from the way they dress, so just let your fashion be who you are.

Hannah Wigington, 20. Dietetics Major >>>Tell me a little about what you have on today. Did you just throw on what was comfortable? Yes, actually I put on this hat to hide my hair, but it turned out to be a good choice. I’m wearing things that are comfortable and not too dressy because I’m only going to class. These cowboy boots are my favorite. I think it makes my style, not unique because everybody wears them I guess, but says I like to be comfortable without me having to say it. I put on a cardigan over a white shirt to kind of dress it up a bit because white t-shirts go with everything.What would you say is your style?I don’t know what my particular style is called, but I think it’s more of the J-Crewcasual chic look. I love J-Crew, they are my inspiration.Do you have any other source for inspiration like celebrities or maga-zines? I don’t really look to celebrities because most of their styles are so high fashion and that’s not me. Sometimes if I’m waiting in the checkout line I’ll skim throughto see what people are wearing, but I don’t subscribe to any fashion magazine. Where do you shop to achieve the causal chic look besides J-Crew? I love to shop at Gap and Forever 21 just because they are less expensive than most stores. If I can get a deal that’s usually what I go for. Sometimes, if I have the money to splurge then I’ll do it, but for the most part I go for the sales.

Phoenix 13

Joseph Anderson, 19. Biology Major >>>Tell me a little bit about what you have on today.Well, I just have on a regular yellow button-up shirt, a black vest, some denim jeans and my favorite black and white snake-skin dress shoes. But I don’t really wear them with dress clothes all the time.Wow, those are some really nice shoes. Where did you find them? Actually, I got them in Italy. My high school graduation present was a trip to Eu-rope for the summer. One day my group was walking past a shoe store that had just opened, and the man was like, ‘I’m looking to make something different,’ and he told me he could make any kind of shoe I wanted. I went in the store picked out the pattern, got measured, and he told me he was going to surprise me. When I went back a few days later, there they were --my black and white snake-skin shoes. He remembered that I was wearing black and white the day before and made them in that color. That is so cool, but were they expensive? Yes! They were 400 euro, so that’s a little over $560 U.S., but my mom bought them for me because my birthday was like two days away, so I didn’t have to pay for them. I was very thankful, and they were custom made so I know nobody else has them. Do you believe that you are influenced a lot by European fashion? I like European fashion because I like all my clothes fitted and the majority of men wear their clothes fitted over there. About two years ago, my style changed from preppy to a dressy casual style, so I would say I can appreciate the European fashion influence in that sense. In Europe everybody is smaller and the men dress to a T; it doesn’t matter where they go, just like to walk down the street they are dressed nice. What caused you to change up your style two years ago? I realized that people look at you differently when you are dressed up as opposed to a t-shirt and some jeans. Plus it makes me feel good. When I get ready for my day and I have on a tie or a suit or some nice shoes, it feels like my day is just perfect. Being that your style is dressy casual, do you have any “must have” items you are dying to get your hands on? I have an obsession with cardi-gans and vests, even though you can’t really wear them in the summer. Watches are another “must have” for me. I love to accessorize with like watches and rings. Oh, and ties too. Which weighs more with you --the outfit or the accessories? The acces-sories definitely weigh more with me because you can do so much with them. I really like accessorizing with ties, because they come in so many colors and pat-terns. It may seem funny but a tie can really express you.

Jeannen Hobbs graduated May 2011 with a B.A. in

Communications

Let your Voice Be HeardContribute to the Phoenix Magazine

Artists | Photographers | Writers We are always seeking new and interesting works of art, photography, fiction,

non-fiction, poetry & good ideas to feature in our Wingspan section!

if interested in submitting, contact Aimee Johnson at: ajohns55@aug.edu Phoenix Magazine Office, Allgood Hall E159 | 706-737-1614

Phoenix 15

www.thesaturatedsimplicity.com

Capturing your moments

Saturday’sA Rugby Day!

Ashley Panter gets rough with the Augusta Rugby Football Club.

Layout by Ashley PanterPhotos by Summer Bennett, Garrett Phillips & Shannon Green

Phoenix 17

Rugby is a perfect combination of soccer and football. One may not think rugby is very popular because it is not often played in the United States. However, rugby’s popularity is equivalent to American football in other parts of the world. According to a rugby blog, www.artofmanliness.com, there is even a Rugby World Cup, which happens to be the third most watched sporting event in the world. The sport originated from Rugby School in the United Kingdom during the 19th century and has since spread worldwide and addicted millions of people everywhere. Luckily, rugby’s popularity has made its way to Augusta and is available to anyone who wants to play. Augusta is home to its very own rugby club, the Augusta Rugby Football Club, also known as ARFC. The ARFC consists of three different teams, a men’s team, Augusta Maddogs, a women’s team, Augusta Furies, and a high school team, Augusta High School Barbarians. The Augusta Rugby Football Club even has its very own field to play on, the Larry Bray Memorial Pitch. This

allows first hand access to a practice facility at all times, while providing a place to play without having to reserve a field. The field gives ARFC a place to call home. A former member of the Augusta Maddogs, Larry Douglas Bray, was tragically killed in an automobile accident. After the tragedy, Bray’s family made a monetary donation to fund the pitch in his name, which now provides a permanent field for the ARFC to play and practice on. “His family donated a large amount of money to help us finish the pitch,” says Allen Raborn. Raborn is a member of the Maddogs. He did not know Bray personally, but says, “It’s been a long ride for us and a long time coming.” According to Raborn, the club does not have to borrow places to play anymore. Thanks to the Bray family, each and every home match is free and the ARFC now has land leased near Lake Olmstead Stadium. All of the members of the ARFC work hard to keep the field in shape. Members of both teams do the upkeep to ensure the

field is ready before each match. The whole club is proud of it, the hard work they have put into it and the growth of the organization. “We welcome new players and fans,” says Raborn. “All of our games are free. There is never a charge to come watch.” The organization is player and alumni run, according to Chris McCarthy. McCarthy is a current player for the Maddogs and plays the position of a back. He has been playing for almost a year. According to McCarthy, the team plays against other city teams within the Southeast while also competing in rugby tournaments. The Maddogs originated in 1973. Jim Macmillan, who played scrum half for Clemson University, along with former Princeton University rugger, Danny Ferguson, decided to start a Rugby Football Club. Both were also students at the Medical College of Georgia and they wanted to provide a stress relieving activity for studious athletes who needed a break, according to Matt Keck, secretary of the ARFC and webmaster of the Maddogs’ site. Through the years, the Maddogs have recruited players, experienced or

18 Summer 2011

not, and built their team to be as skilled and tough as possible. The Maddogs are a very united team and have great camaraderie with the women’s team, The Furies, says member Shannon Green. The Furies are a women’s team that has been around since 2000. The team was competitive for a few years but eventually needed new, fresh players. In 2010, Green revamped the team with more players, some with experience and some without. “I recruited girls at the Pride festival, put flyers up, by word of mouth and Facebook,” says Green. The most challenging obstacle about having a club team is trying to find time to practice. “We have many athletic girls and have a lot of potential as a team. We just need to get everyone in the same place at the same time,” she says. The Furies can field a full 15’s team, which is the number of players required

to play in a regular game of rugby. They are always looking for more females who want to play. If you are a woman, athletic, not afraid to get a few scrapes and bruises, then you should check it out. The Furies have lost some games and won some games, but is still competitive within the southeast, according to Green. They are a young team with a lot of potential. Due to the quickness and agility of most of the players, they are planning to enter 7’s tournaments. Seven is the minimum number of players required to play in a special format of rugby match, in the summer. Usually, these games tend to be a faster paced match. In December, the Furies competed in the annual Grunks 7’s tournament in Columbia, S.C.. They beat several college teams and held their ground against an “all-star” traveling team. Even though it was a cold day, the girls did not give up.

I have only been playing rugby for about eight months. I will admit that I was hesitant at first because it sounds slightly intimidating, but after only one practice, I fell in love with the sport as well as the coach and team. The team consists mostly of military veterans or currently enlisted soldiers, but there are also several civilians. All of the ladies on the team are a lot of fun, but they all have very different personalities. However, even with their different interests, all of the girls are like family. We eat together, party together, cry together, and some of us even live together. The love and respect that we all have for one another adds fuel to the team and makes us even stronger on the pitch. Not only are the girls a family, but the Augusta Rugby Football Club acts as a whole family. Both the women’s and men’s team hang out outside of practice as well as support each other during matches. The Furies combine

Team Huddle

Quick Rugby Facts:

Equipment: In rugby, the players don’t wear much equipment. Often times they just have a mouth piece. There is an op-tion for soft-padded head gear known to “ruggers” as a scrum cap. Usually only the forward’s wear caps to protect their ears from getting ripped off. One might compare a scrum cap to the old leather helmets that American football players used to wear.

Field: Ruggers play their match-es on a playing field that is com-monly known as the pitch. The pitch is a large grassy field that is equivalent to 120 yards long and 50 yards wide.

Terms: A ruck is when pack play-ers from both teams go into a locking position in hopes to ei-ther defend the ball or gain possession by kicking it to their teammates. Then the play con-tinues when a back, usually a scrum half, receives the ball. An-other important term to know is a scrum. Most penalties result in a scrum, which is comparable to a huge ruck between teams. If a player is near the try zone and is stopped by defenders, a maul will usually take place. What this means is that, a stand-ing mobile version of a ruck is taking place.

For more information, visit:www.augustarugby.org

orwww.augustafuries.org

Ashley Panter is a junior com-munications major on the

public relations track.

Phoenix 19

many of their events with the Maddogs, which inevitably creates one big party after each home match. After a rugby match, the home team hosts a social, at an Irish themed bar. Both the men’s and women’s home and away teams all come together for beer, pizza and sing chants about rugby. They celebrate the bond they share because of the passion and addiction for this game called, rugby. During the social, a “Man of the Match” and “Bitch of the Pitch” is awarded to the male and female MVP of the match. Traditionally, the MVPs are given an Irish Car Bomb, which is an Irish drink that consists of a glass of Guinness beer with a shot glass filled, equal parts, with Jameson’s Irish whisky and Bailey’s Irish Cream. The MVP’s are expected to drop the shot into the beer and chug it all in front of their teammates and opponents. Another tradition is any player who has scored for the first time is expected to streak to the end of the bar and then back to the front. This is called a Zulu. Lucky for me, the first time I scored in a rugby match, I not only scored once, but four times. Therefore, it was expected of me to do a Landshark Zulu.

This is a rare Zulu that only a handful of ruggers get the honor to perform. I stripped down to my sports bra and spandex and was carried with a shark fin attached to my sports bra, which was lit on fire, from one end of the bar to the other. I had to chant, “Landshark, landshark!” Then I was allowed to grab as many boobies as I wanted. It was an unforgettable experience to say the least. All of this is great fun, but keep in mind this is only half of what rugby is about and only happens after a match is played. If you have never experienced a rugby match, you are missing out. There is no other sport like it. It sounds cliché, but it’s true. Never will one find another sport based upon respect, sportsmanship, and honor. While they are also getting to include hard hits, quick speeds, movements and the camaraderie between opposing teams after a brutal match.

Team Huddle

Preparing to pass ball off to the scrum half

is burned because it is an attack against it. In response to this trauma, the immune system increases blood flow to the affected areas. Blood rushes to the skins surface and tries to rejuvenate the damage done. The increased blood flow is what give sunburns its characteristic redness and makes the skin feel warm to the touch.” When no protection is put on the skin this, “lobster effect” will occur. Sunburns are not only unattractive, but they are also extremely uncomfortable. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, continued UV radiation exposure, whether from natural or artificial sources, can cause: wrinkles, brown age spots, leathery skin and worst of

have been developed to achieve a tan without the risks of skin damage. The sun emits ultraviolet rays, commonly known as UV radiation. Sunburns are a common consequence of being out in the sun’s rays unprotected. Lauren Redlund, registered nurse (RN), explains what happens to your skin. “A sunburn is where your skin reacts to UV radiation that is transmitted through either the sun or tanning bed bulbs. Skin is damaged at a cellular level,” says Redlund. A tan may be fashionable, but it is also visible proof that your skin has cellular damage. According to Redlund, “The immune system automatically kicks in when skin

Want to banish your pale skin in favor of a deep, dark tan? Join the club. Having a glowing bronze tan reminds many of summer, the beach and carefree times. The characteristic brown skin was traditionally achieved by bathing beauties oiling their skin and “baking” in the sun for hours. In the 1970s, tanning beds spawned the whole industry of indoor tanning and chains of tanning salons. People can even have their own personal tanning beds in their homes. Concerns about the sun’s intensity and harmful effects have created the awareness of the health risks involved with the popular summer activity. There are now many safer options that

Aimee Johnson explores the safest way to acquire a tan.

Layout and photos by Aimee Johnson

Fakin’ Bakin’

20 Summer 2011

orange,” says Kupitz. There are also several products available in stores for do-it-yourself use. Prominent name brands such as, Neutrogena, Jergens, L’Oreal and Banana Boat offer a wide range of sunless options that are convenient and user friendly. There are gradual tan building lotions, micro-mists, towelettes, foams and gel solutions. The many products claim to give, “a splash of sun in a bottle.” They advertise a natural, streak free formula that shows up within hours. Tans are now available without the adverse health effects of UV radiation and can be used no matter what the weather is like. In the dead of winter, a glowing sunless tan is still achievable. A week full of rain in the springtime cannot deter your skin from maintaining its color. It is important to remember that with all types of sunless tanning, sunscreen should still be worn when going outdoors to protect skin from the sun’s rays. According to the FDA website, sunscreens provide a chemical barrier that absorbs or reflects UV radiation and prevents the passage to the skin. Fake tans do not generate melanin production, so you can still get a nasty sunburn. No longer is it necessary to “bake” in the sun for the bronzed beauty look this summer. These options are safe and popular choices for obtaining the coveted “glow,” without the harmful effects of UV rays. Of course, the undeniable off-season convenience factor is a nice incentive. There are several ways to stay away from UV radiation and get to “fakin bakin”. You can get the warm glow of a tan while keeping your skin beautiful and healthy for years to come.

Aimee Johnson is a senior communications major on the public relations track.

all, cancer. Katie Holloway, 21, loved to sunbathe and began using tanning beds at the age of 15. She craved the deep beautiful, brown skin and went at least three times a week. As a senior in high school, Holloway noticed a strange spot under her breast that she had never seen before. “At first it was a little dot, like a freckle. Then it got bigger and darker and it was growing. I knew something was happening,” says Holloway. She went to the dermatologist, and he did a biopsy of the unusual spot. The biopsy results came back, it was the beginning stages of melanoma. According to the FDA website, melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. It is the leading cause of death from skin disease. Holloway was only 18 years old at the time. “They told me if they did not cut it [cancer] all out I would have to go through chemotherapy,” she says. Holloway has to return to the dermatologist for a check-up every six months to look for new blemishes. She had another melanoma spot removed in February. The shocking news and diagnosis have changed Holloway’s views on tanning. “Tanning is so dangerous, it really is. I do not want to risk it again. I have to get spray tans now,” says Holloway. She has now opted to stop sunbathing and tanning completely. She still however achieves her bronze color, safely. Holloway gets a spray tan every other week and uses gradual tanning lotions. According to the FDA website, these sunless “tans in a bottle” deliver a faux glow by coating your skin with the chemical, dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA gradually stains the dead cells in your skin’s outer layer. The brown color effect is the same, just without the harmful problems of UV rays. Self-tanners can darken skin and simulate a tan for up to a week. “I really do like them a lot better. It is fast; it literally takes two minutes, and

then I’m done. It is a lot safer,” says Holloway. If you’re ready to skip laying out but do not want to give up on glowing skin, there are other alternatives. Sunless tanning products have improved formulas that won’t give you that “orange oompa-loompa” look if applied correctly. Katelynn Kupitz, 21, has worked in a tanning bed salon for three years and has seen an increase in the use of their spray or sometimes called, mystic tan treatments, by both men and women. “It is becoming a lot more popular because it is starting to look a lot more natural than it used to,” says Kupitz. Before getting a spray tan there are a few simple steps to take. Kupitz assures that preparing before getting a spray tan is quick and easy. “Exfoliate and bathe skin before coming to get your tan. You can also wear as much or as little as you like. A walk in booth sprays your body evenly with a solution that contains a certain percentage of DHA,” she says. The solution reacts with the dead layers of skin and over a period of around 12 hours turns brown, like an apple turns brown after being bitten. “I have never had someone turn

Fakin’ Bakin’

Katie shows off her tan

Phoenix 21

Woodrow WilsonWo

od

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Wils

on

Ho

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, Wa

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.C.

In downtown Augusta, Ga., one old attractive home is located on Seventh Street. It houses beautiful architecture, and appears to have been built around the Civil War era. Local expert historian and execu-tive director of Historic Augusta, Inc., Erick D. Montgomery describes Augus-ta during 1858 to 1870. “This house was modern in those days, gas lights, running water and toi-let in the back of the house. The brick home has nine rooms including ser-vant’s quarters and a carriage house on the property,” says Montgomery. Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born Dec. 28, 1856 in Stanton, Va. Mont-gomery describes that one week after his birth, his family migrated to Augus-ta. Wilson lived in the home from 1860 to 1870. From Wilson’s first memory to his education, Augusta maintained a prominent role in his early life. Accord-ing to Montgomery, Wilson attended an all-boy school, located on the pres-ent-day Riverwalk. Although Wilson’s presidential speeches are renowned, few are aware that Wilson had a learn-ing disability as a child. “He didn’t learn how to read until he was 11. He is the only president to this date who had a Ph.D. He had dyslexia, and he didn’t know the alphabet until he was 8-years-old. This little boy who struggled with the alphabet and strug-gled to read became one of the most

Patricia Johnson is a junior communications major on the public relations track.

learned presidents we ever had,” Julia N. Jackson, programs and marketing director of Historic Augusta, Inc. de-scribes. Known as “Tommy” to boyhood friends, Wilson’s childhood is evident throughout the house. The downstairs room contains a window inscribed with the short phrase “Tom”. These experi-ences in Augusta formed the founda-tion for Wilson’s progression to the White House. Wilson served as president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. John Milton Cooper, Jr., an Emeritus Pro-fessor of history at the University of Wisconsin,states that Wilson generat-ed a renewed sense of national purpose and freedom. “He supported stronger government intervention and regulation in the economy to promote opportunity,”says Cooper Wilson aimed to ensure that the little guy starting a business could have a fair chance. It is clear that Augusta has a strong historical connection to this past presi-dent. Wilson was a little boy who grew up in this community, just like children who visit the home.

Chandelier

The W i l s o n Connection

Patricia Johnson portrays our 28th president’s young life in Augusta through pictures of his childhood home.

Photos by Saturated Simplicity Layout by Aimee Johnson

The boyhood home of woodrow

wilson

419 Seventh St.augusta, ga.

Parlor Victorian Staircase

Mantlepiece Outside View Wilson’s Room

Original Furniture

Wilson’s Fathers Secretary Upstairs WashroomParlor Decor

Wilson’s Rocking HorsePainting Set

The W i l s o n Connection

Patricia Johnson portrays our 28th president’s young life in Augusta through pictures of his childhood home.

Photos by Saturated Simplicity Layout by Aimee Johnson

Into the Upper Sanctumof the Science Hall

Christina Rodriguez climbs new heights as she learns the truth about the students and faculty that live and work in the Department of Chemistry and Physics.

Art by Maitri DesaiPhotos & Layout by Christina Rodriguez

You begin your long ascent up the two lengthy flights of steep stairs. The cylindrical room and the circular walkways disorient you as you make your way closer to the third floor. As you trudge your heavy feet up the last step, you turn left along the curved wall and see a small niche of a room in the corner packed to capacity with students hammering away at their mountain of complex problems and assignments. These hard-as-nails souls are the citizens of the cavern floor known as the Department of Chemistry and Physics.

Besides science majors, not many ASU students know much about the Science Hall that stands beside Allgood Hall. The extent of such knowledge usually doesn’t go beyond the required core classes on the first floor. Yet, a whole other world exists high above the non-science students’ heads. The quiet and still brick façade of the Science building deceives the average onlooker of the intense activity contained within its walls. While there isn’t a lot of activity outside of the Science Hall doors compared to nearby Allgood, the

work and research happening inside the doors is putting Augusta State University’s name on the map. The Department of Chemistry and Physics is a madhouse of research and achievements among both the faculty and the students. A perfect example of this intense work can be seen in Maitri Desai, who is a senior double major in physics and chemistry and president of the Chemistry Club. According to the department’s ASU webpage, Desai has conducted numerous research projects. She has presented them in past Phi Kappa

24 Summer 2011

Phi student research conferences and in multiple universities across the region including Georgia Institute of Technology and Louisiana State University among others. In addition to her achievements off the campus and her double major studies, Desai plays multiple roles within the department itself. According to Desai, she fills her time volunteering as the Physics Club treasurer, a chemistry and physics tutor, a teaching assistant and a supplemental instructor. Desai’s work inside and outside of the classroom resembles the daily routine for many others within the department as well. In addition to students, faculty of the department have also helped spread national recognition of ASU’s talented professors. According to the department’s annual “Chemistry & Physics News” newsletter, Dr. Trinanjan Datta, assistant professor of physics, was one of only seven theoretical physicists in the nation to be named a Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics Scholar at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The award recognizes professors that are engaged in research at undergraduate universities that are not major research institutions. Datta says that the award encourages faculty at such institutions to conduct research. As a result of earning this award Datta will be able to attend the University of Santa Barbara for two weeks at a time over the course of three years with all

expenses paid. Datta was excited to be recognized and given this opportunity “I was delighted,” he says. “It’s a pretty prestigious award to get.” Datta says that the theoretical physics institute is basically a place where researchers from different fields come to talk. He describes how the institute provides a breeding ground for engaging ideas and collaborations in the future. Professors like Dr. Christian Poppeliers, assistant professor of physics, have also experienced what it’s like to take scientific research to the great outdoors. Poppeliers has made multiple research visits to Big Bend National

Park in Texas to study the formation of Dagger Mountain, a mountain summit that measures 4,170 feet above sea level. Poppeliers says that his student research team was trying to figure out if that particular mountain was formed by volcanic activity, which they found that it was not. During the trip, the team faced 120 degree heat, water shortages and traditional camping accommodations. Poppeliers explains with a laugh that the team slept in tents on top of a hill and showered with milk jugs filled with water. In spite of the harsh working conditions, the team was able to answer the two parts of the research question over the course of two trips in two years. While the achievements of the department are impressive, the sacrifice, sleepless nights and energy drinks required to earn these accolades are a world of their own. Daniel Rodriguez, an alumni physics major, describes his many overnight stays in what he calls “the dungeon,” a room with no windows located on the third floor of the Science Hall in which he and his classmates would study. “We considered bringing in a mattress and couch,” says Rodriguez, “When people started catching on to the fact that we were getting better grades by sleeping and drooling over

The three levels of the Science Hall

Students studying in one of the department’s study rooms

Phoenix 25

our homework, they all started to do it.” Rodriguez says the overnight stays turned into brainstorming sessions and debates. “Once desperation and hunger kicked in near 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. the local Taco Bell manager came in with some goodies to

revive us and started working on his homework,” he adds. Rodriguez says at one point he spent two days studying in the Science Hall and going to classes before he came back home. However, he adds that the end result was a tighter group of classmates, better grades and some fun times. Desai echoes this statement as she describes the department, “We are like a family and we support one another personally and academically.” Stories like these are common to many students in the chemistry and physics department. It is also for these reasons that science students are usually entrenched within the classroom and laboratory walls, instead

of outside the Science Hall. That is not to say that they never venture outside of the academic world. In fact, students of the Department of Chemistry and Physics have made themselves known in the community with more than just their academic endeavors. The department participates in annual community service projects involving area schools. According to the department’s annual “Chemistry & Physics News” newsletter, members of the Chemistry Club engaged with students from Tutt Middle School, Hornsby EAMS, South Columbia Middle School and St. Mary’s Catholic School this past year. Besides judging science fairs for the schools, club members also provided a chemistry magic show and a Tour de Chem where young students could see the exciting aspects of science and chemistry. All of these various studies and activities provide students of the Department of Chemistry and Physics with a well-rounded experience that Desai describes as a tremendous benefit. “Students benefit greatly from being

involved in the chemistry and physics department,” says Desai. “Skills such as leadership, critical thinking, planning and decision making and experience gained through this program serve as an asset to students’ academic and professional development. In addition to individual development, we also cultivate relationships with faculty and peers.” Books and homework are not the only focus of students in the chemistry and physics department. Although it may seem like these students are locked away in the upper echelons of the Science Hall their research and work in the community are making an impact both near and far. If you’re willing to climb

Christina Rodriguez graduated May 2011 with a

B.A. in Communications.

One student’s complex homework problem

26 Summer 2011

Every day that a service member is deployed, a military spouse wonders if their husband or wife will return in a body bag. When the service member returns home to their families, what should be a jubilant time shortly fades and the realities of what occurred while they were abroad comes to the surface. The reality being, that families have grown apart and due to the dangers service members face while deployed, they have to deal with mental and physical frustrations. The Central Savannah River Area Wounded Warrior Care Project (WWCP) in Augusta, Georgia is com-bating this disconnect between service members and their families upon re-turning home, with a model that is now gaining praise throughout the nation. According to, Laurie Ott, the ex-ecutive director of WWCP, prominent members of the Augusta community came together to identify what makes Augusta’s warrior care resources unique. They have developed a plat-

form for harnessing all these resources to coordinate Augusta’s unique offer-ings for service members and their fam-ilies. They devised a community based model to help alleviate the frustrations service members and their families deal with when they return home. “We have three parts to our model, and they’re simple, but they’re not sexy,” Ott states. The first component of the model, Ott explains, is ensuring service mem-bers, veterans and their families re-ceive coordinated care. WWCP accomplishes this by making sure service members and their fami-lies receive the benefits and assistance they have earned in a timely fashion. This component aligns with the Dole/Shalala Commission (the President’s Commission that studied wounded warrior care in 2007) and its recom-mendation that wounded warriors and their families receive the right care in the right place at the right time. Augusta is an ideal community to implement this type of care because

our community houses the nation’s only Active Duty Rehabilitation Unit located within a VA facility. The Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center is also significant to the area ac-cording to WWCP’s site. It is home to a 71 bed Spinal Cord Injury Unit, the largest within the VA system. The Augusta area is also important because of the Eisenhower Army Medi-cal Center at Fort Gordon. According to the WWCP website, Eisenhower was ranked the number two recipient of medical evacuees from Iraq and Af-ghanistan in the 2007 Dole/Shalala re-port. They consistently rank in the top five among military facilities receiving air evacuees. Due to this plethora of medical fa-cilities offering services in the area, the WWCP strives to connect service members with the community and en-sure troops and their families thrive af-ter combat deployments. The WWCP launched several initiatives to increase information flow and coordination within the various federal, state and

Melissa Clark delves into the many resources available for returning service members and their families.

Photos & Image by Melissa ClarkLayout by Aimee Johnson

Phoenix 27

CSR

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Jeffery and Cheryl Snover

Wounded Warriors in the Active Duty Rehabilitation Unit

community agencies to better assist veterans. One such initiative is the Transition Round Table. This collaborative meet-ing strives to connect efforts between the Army, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the Department of Labor and other organizations and agencies with-in the community that benefit service members. Another collaborative initiative ac-cording to project’s website is the WWCP’s Medical Research Consor-tium. Here partners such as the Charlie Norwood VAMC, Eisenhower AMC, the Medical College of Georgia, Telemedi-cine and Advance Technology Research Center-South and Savannah River Na-tional Laboratory meet on a regular ba-sis to network and submit collaborative research proposals. Scientists, researchers and care pro-viders meet on a regular basis to dis-cuss with each other ways to better care for these heros. How to access research funding for collaborative proposals in the areas of traumatic brain injury, behavioral health and coordination of care among other areas affecting tran-sitioning troops and their families is also discussed. The last collaborative WWCP initia-tive listed on the website is a partner-ship with Georgia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmen-

tal Disabilities. This led to a statewide two-day summit targeting the care for wounded warriors. The summit was held in January 2010 and the goal was to develop connectivity or unity be-tween state and agencies. A second component of the model for the project addresses the challenge of helping their families reconnect. Ac-cording to Albert Steele, the veteran’s education coordinator for WWCP, many service members returning home are injured. “A few are returning home with trau-matic brain injuries and some are suf-fering from post-traumatic stress dis-order,” Steele states. “This is extremely challenging for family members be-cause they have never seen their love ones in a situation like that before.” In order to ease the stress on fami-lies, specifically couples, Ott, Chaplain Ronald Craddock and Chaplain Ed-ward Waldrop from the Charlie Nor-wood Veterans Affairs Medical Center, came together to form a couple’s re-treat to help couples reconnect. According to Chaplain Waldrop, in November of 2008, he, along with Ott and Craddock, hosted a three-hour din-ner workshop with couples, and asked them what they needed to help support their families. What emerged after the dinner and a collaborative effort be-tween the WWCP and the chaplains

was a couples’ retreat with a Practical Application of Intimate Relationships Skills (PAIRS) curriculum. One couple, that attended the re-treat and workshops, attests to how the PAIRS curriculum impacted their lives. Jeffrey Snover, 44, and his wife, Cheryl, 45, are a typical military couple that struggles to deal with life after war. Jeff was in the army for more than 18 years, and during his last deployment in Iraq (March 2003), his unit was am-bushed, and a lot of his comrades were lost. When he returned from Iraq, he was physically fit, but mentally he was struggling to deal with what he experi-enced while deployed. Three months after returning home, he was cutting trees down with his father when a tree fell on him and crushed his lower half. The accident injured his spinal cord and left him in a wheelchair. Due to Snover’s physical and mental state, he and his wife were having difficulties communicating. Snover then heard about the workshop through Ott at WWCP, so they attended. Snover and his wife described the communication between them as dis-connected and silent before the retreat. They explained this was due to them both not saying how they felt because they did not want the other to worry about how they were dealing with what

28 Summer 2011

happened. Before joining the retreat they had become very unhappy. “We were talking about separating lives, living in separate rooms, sepa-rate houses, separate states or separate countries,” recalls Cheryl. “But the one thing that kept coming back to us was, we still loved each other.” After attending the retreat, they de-scribed their relationship as stronger, and they now feel empowered and re-lieved. They stated it was because of the communication tools they learned from the retreat. The final piece of the project, is get-ting veterans the education and train-ing they need to gain employment. WWCP helps service members real-ize the benefits they earned for serving our country. For instance, Steele, the education coordinator, was brought in to help veterans navigate the GI Bill website and understand the different programs. The important aspect of the GI Bill is to assist returning service members with training and education in an ef-fort to gain the necessary skills to tran-sition back into the civilian workforce. A major component of this bill is the fund that will pay for tuition and fees at a college or university based on how long the service member served. There is confusion with the GI Bill because when the post 9-11 GI Bill was enacted in August 2009, there were a number of changes in benefits. It al-lows service members who are eligible to receive benefits under the old Mont-gomery GI Bill the option to convert to the post 9-11 bill. Steele’s task is to assist service members with selecting the option based on their own unique situation and one that best serves their needs. The Veterans Curation Project (VCP), program launched and is first in the nation of its kind to help veter-ans with education and employment. According to Steele, this program is a collaborative effort between WWCP, US Army Corps of Engineers, Center of Expertise for Curation and Manage-ment of Archeological Collections and St. Louis District.

This project was created because there was a backlog of artifacts that needed to be cleaned, photographed and catalogued. Yet there were not enough people that could perform the task. The program began initially with stimulus money. The WWCP worked with the Corps of Engineers and created a job site where boxes of artifacts are shipped in. Wounded veterans are then given the opportunity to learn how to store the artifacts, clean, photograph and cata-logue them in the computer. The evidence photography training they learn at VCP is the same training a forensic photographer would learn. Steele states that by offering this proj-ect it opens opportunities for veterans to be certified as forensic photogra-phers and qualifies them to be hired by law enforcement. One wounded veteran who partici-pated in this VCP program is, Lester Lane. Lane was in the Army for over 23 years and went on three combat tours. He was transferred to the Warrior Transition Battalion after injuring his spinal cord while he was deployed. Due to the nerve damage, he had to retire from the Army. Following his service, Lane had dif-ficulty transitioning back into the ci-vilian life. However, he was given the opportunity to be a part of the VCP program, which did not lead to a foren-sics career. It did help him get his cur-rent job at the U.S. Army Signal Corps Museum as a museum specialist. “The VCP program allowed me the opportunity to get back on track of how to be a civilian again,” Lane explains. “The VCP program gave me the oppor-tunity to work with other veterans, and it allowed me to have a much smoother transition back into regular life.” A smoother transition is a suitable statement of what WWCP is making happen for many service members and their families. WWCP may not be able to take away the fear of service mem-bers returning home in body bags, but they are making life after war easier to deal with.

Laurie Ott

Melissa Clark is a junior com-munications major on the

public relations track.

Laurie Ott stepped down as executive director of the Central Savannah River Area Wounded Warrior Care Project (WWCP) on March 14, 2011. She is now a board member and is still a huge supporter of the project. Co-workers and members of the community describe Ott as the beauty and brains behind the success of the organization. “She has the finest heart and brain know to man,” says Don Little, assistant to the executive director. Ott’s dedication and resolve to ensure veterans and service members receive the gold standard of care will forever be remembered and praised. She definitely left big shoes to fill for Jim Corrine, who will be stepping into the role of executive director on May 2, 2011.

Phoenix 29

wingspanis a section of The phoenix magazinedevoted to CREATIVE works produced by students,faculty, staff and alumni of augusta state university.

30 Summer 2011

Conquered

Lau

ren

Re

dlu

nd

Loreley Layfieldfreshman, English major

 I dangled the four-leaf clover necklace from my fingers and watched the sun sink behind the trees. It pulled the memories down with it. The sun took it’s retinue down and hid them from the world - hid them from me. I was utterly alone thinking what god existed for the lack of monophobia in my mind. Rain drops dripped from the leaves as it drizzled from the sky. It unleashed the scents of the moist earth which tickled my nose as I took it in. The smell of rain, fighting against my will to forget, brought a memory, an indelible memory the sun had forgotten to steal. Suddenly, my lungs became hermetic and, in my attempt to breathe, I felt the tears stream down my face. The tears I had become fond of. They were filled with fear and uncertainty, pain and guilt. Four emotions I memorized but they are completely invictus, unconquerable. When the breath finally came, it struck me with a paroxysm and I clutched the clover amulet to my chest as if to ease the pain. But I wanted the pain. I craved the pain; I deserved the malediction of guilt. I had fooled the world with my guise of an innocent being, but in reality, I was the sole purpose of a death; the death of a child. In honesty, the victim was too credulous at the illusion of the world. The illusion the world was good and loving. I allowed her to love a lie so credible it almost fooled me. But all good things come to an end. She found heartbreak, she discovered lies, and she found the fractious truth of it all - that nothing was truly good; nothing apart from her innocent soul. Her gently excited spirit was broken and she found herself in total submission - no longer knowing how to refute the wrong that was thrown onto her. I realized that I had been the one to murder her soul with a simple faux pas in a ridiculous lie that should never have been born to my lips. My tongue was too prolific with lies. I let my mind wander and dance around the guilt, the responsibility of the death of a child. The sun had been gone for hours, a thousand nights it seemed. The pastel colors the sun had painted across the sky were gone. Only the bombastic moon gave light. I lay my head in my hands, I was laconic and pensive. My mind was lost in the saturnine night. I lie down and felt of the earth beneath me. I lay there in silence and allowed our Mother to punish me in which way she saw fit - me and her heartbroken child within.

Katherine Prewett Sophomore, Bachelors in Fine Art/ General Track

combination of charcoal and chalk pasteltwo-dimensional design“Untitled Works”

Katherine Prewett Sophomore, Bachelors in Fine Art/ General Track

Latoya Holloman

graduated from ASU in 2006 with a Bachelors in Art

“Lip Bouquet”

“Cry”

“Lollipop Head”

Jacki MayoJunior, Bachelor Fine Arts

“Untitled Works”mixed medium

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