Volume LXXXIV, Issue IX February 16, 2009 Oglethorpe University

The Stormy PetrelOOgglleetthhoorrppee DDaayy ssaalluutteess aa ““cciivviiccaallllyy eennggaaggeedd”” ssppiirriitt

Amanda SerfozoNews Editor

As tensions clench and repose ina cyclical fashion between Israelis andPalestinians overseas, it is becoming moreapparent that the Arab-Israeli conflict isone of a volatile and unruly fate. Withrecent confrontations and subsequent mis-sile attacks between Hamas, a renownedterrorist organization based out ofPalestine, and the Israeli military, there islittle prospect for ultimate and resolvedpeace in the near future.

However, on OglethorpeUniversity’s campus, the prospects forpeace are a dominant and sole forcebetween the Jewish Student Union andMuslim Student Alliance.

Student members of both organi-zations highlight the fact that, althoughconflict is inevitable overseas, peace is atransformative and absolutely possible onOglethorpe’s campus.

Chloe Edwards, an active mem-ber and Vice President of the OU JewishStudent Union, is outspoken about therelationship between Israel and Palestine.She said that while she hopes for resolve,she supports Israel’s defense.

“In this particular instance I sup-port Israel’s actions. I find it incompre-

hensible that Israel should be expected toallow rocket after rocket to be shot by ter-rorists into Israel from Gaza with norecourse to action, be it military or other-wise,” Edwards said.

The conflict between Israel andPalestine is one that regresses back cen-turies when Judea, a Jewish territory, wasconquered by Romans and renamedPalestine. The land was later usurped byArabs, and met with Jewish forces throughthe Zionist movement. Through a series ofmandates, like the Balfour Mandate, UNsanctions, and the League of Nationsagreements, the transfer of power has leftownership up for question.

The land dispute, however, hassparked intense controversy and violence,sometimes in the form of extremist terror-ism by groups such as Hamas. Israel,which has occupied the West Bank andGaza Strip since 1967, as a result of the 6Day War, owns settlements there.Palestinians however, who demand thatthe land is theirs, refuse to accept Israel asthe legitimate tenant. Although Israel hasmade several attempts to give up land inexchange for peace, Palestine has refused.Likewise, when Palestine has offered tocease violence, Israel has made attacksinstead.

Hamas, a vengeful terrorist

organization backed by the Palestinians,cites nationalism and a uniform, Palestinestate in place of Israel’s West Bank/Gazaoccupation. As a means to their ends, thegroup has taken up constant missile firingsinto civilian territory, causing Israel toreact with its strong and state-charteredmilitia.

Edwards also states that the stylesof conflict between Israel and Hamas aretwo entirely separate entities. While therehas been criticism about the civilian casu-alties that have resulted, Edwards isadamant that the Israeli militia does notattack in the same fashion as Hamas.

“Israel has been condemned for ahigh civilian death toll in its offensive,”she said. “The [Israeli Defense Force] doeseverything it can to minimize casualties. Itdrops leaflets warning of air raids, and tellscitizens to get out of areas targeted forbombing. Hamas seems to prefer to doeverything it can to provoke Israeli ire, andif it results in Gaza’s destruction, so be it.”

Another OU student, who wishesto remain anonymous, claims that whiletheir passion and empathy for Israel isstrong, it doesn’t get in the way of theirrelations with Muslim students. While it ishard to look past offences and conflictoverseas, they say that respect plays a keyrole in relationships.

“As in any diplomatic relations, itdepends on mutual respect,” they said. “Ihave nothing against Muslim students andI can only hope that I will be treated withthe same kindness.”

In traveling to Israel in the past,this student also says that the conflictsaffect daily life for many Israelis.

“Mostly everyone in Israel knowssomeone serving in the [Israeli DefenseForce] since it is a requirement for all citi-zens, so everyone is anxious when tensionsrise,” they said. “It’s subdued fear, like theelephant in the room.”

This student also claims that mis-leading websites and unfiltered propagan-da featured on sites like Facebook orMySpace, has led to frustration and agitat-ed perceptions of both parties involved.

“Sometimes I read posts onlineand it just makes me ill,” they said. “I’veread things comparing the conflictbetween Israel and Palestine to September11th and how the casualties are ‘only’ halfthe size. We don’t need hate-filled state-ments like these making unfair biasacceptable.”

However, the Oglethorpe studentalso looks toward the future and hopes thatwounds will be mended for both Israleisand Palestinians.

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SEE PEACE, P. 3

Matt ClaiborneStaff Writer

On February 12th at 11:50, bagpiper Winter Taylor summoned faculty,staff, alumni, current students and prospec-tive high school seniors to the academicquadrangle for the “Petrels of Fire,” anannual footrace that began the OglethorpeDay festivities.

The race was open to anyOglethorpe student who thinks he or shecould circumnavigate the 270 yard aca-demic quad in 30.9 seconds. The racebegan when the first stroke of 12:00 noonchimed from the Carillon Bell Tower inLupton Hall. The runners, junior T.C. vonGault II and sophomores Louis Zimbron,Que Newbill and Marcus Edwards werethe four eager contenders hoping to com-plete the race before the final chime.

OU track team member LouisZimbron had an obvious lead when therunners first took off, but he was quicklylosing ground with fellow track memberQue Newbill close behind. Almost neckand neck, Zimbron and Newbill made thefirst sharp turn around the quad nearestTraer Hall. As they began to make theirfinal turn near Philip Weltner Library,Newbill accidentally stepped onZimbron’s left heel, causing Zimbron tofall to the ground.

“The crowd started cheering ‘Get Photo by Jen RileyLouis Zimbron, Que Newbill, Marcus Edwards, and T.C. von Gault II dash off as the bell chimes noon.See Oglethorpe Day, P. 2

Amanda SerfozoNews Editor

As college students nationwideare applying, interviewing, and finalizingplans for summer internships, OglethorpeUniversity students themselves are search-ing for Atlanta-based opportunities andhoping to experience a broad range of pos-sible career fields.

Oglethorpe’s Career ServicesOffice has been recently supplying stu-dents with informational internship pack-ets – thorough supplements describinghow college credits may be translated fromsummer internship experience, and theprocess for applying to and gaining accept-ance from an internship offer. The packet,which describes the process for gainingcredit, typically four credits for every 120hours on-site, specifies such requirementsas academic advisement, pre and post-evaluations, and an internship journal.Forms to petition for upwards of four cred-it hours are included, should the internshipexperience prove lengthier or moredetailed than originally planned.

Lisa Littlefield, Associate Deanand Director of Oglethorpe University’sCareer Services, stresses the importance ofholding at least two internships throughoutcollege, and gaining unique resume acco-lades.

“Now is the time to apply forsummer internships, and even fall intern-ships,” Littlefield said. “While summerinternships are the most competitive, weare helping students finalize their plansand apply to a mixed range of opportuni-ties so they may secure an opportunity forthe summer and get a taste of what theyhope to pursue after graduating.”

Littlefield also said that it issometimes helpful for college students toapply for internships taking place in thefall and spring, which are less competitivethan the summer months, when most stu-dents flock to cities nationwide to partici-pate in on-demand opportunities. Summersessions are typically seen as most promis-ing, since many feel that they aren’t injeopardy of losing focus during the year.

“Holding an internship during theschool semester is very practical,”Littlefield said. “The key to holding aninternship during the year, the fall andspring terms, is proper time management,”she said. “Most students will put in morehours into their internship, allowing them

to let go of a part-time retail job, takeevening courses to free up their daytimehours, or seek a strategy that allows themto get paid and gain course credit – essen-tially hitting two birds with one stone.”

Oglethorpe has consistently host-ed several career and internship fairs forundergraduates and alumni, including sev-eral upcoming events. A networking eventwill be held March 5 from 11 AM – 2 PMin both the Grenwald and Talmage roomon campus. In addition, since OU is amember of the Georgia Association ofColleges and Employers (GACE), studentsare invited to an event on April 14 at theCobb Galleria, which will feature over100+ prospective employers looking forupcoming graduates.

Littlefield stresses the face timethat students gain, and says that those whotake part in events like these may have theupper hand when it comes to an internshipoffer.

“Intern hopefuls should utilizeevents like these to not only inquire aboutinternships, but network – exchange busi-ness cards and resumes, put names tofaces, and talk about internship expecta-tions.”

Other on-campus opportunitieshave been emerging, with invitations viaFacebook and OU e-mails. For example,Environmentally Concerned OglethorpeStudents (ECOS) recently organized anevent entitled “Pizza, Movie, andInternship Night” featuring guest speakers,

and recent biology and environmental sci-ence graduates. Information on possibleopportunities at the Atlanta-headquarteredCenter for Disease Control (CDC),National Park Service, Fish and WildlifeService, and Chattahoochee Riverkeeperswas also discussed.

Littlefield notes that OU studentshave held impressive internships in thepast, at such locations like CNN, the HighMuseum of Art, the New York Times(Southeast Bureau), the WashingtonCenter, and the Sierra Club.

“We have an amazing resourcethat students can use here in the CareerServices Center,” she said. “When studentsor alumni complete an internship, they fillout an evaluation which we add to ourdatabase. That way, students can networkamongst themselves, which is a positiveexperience so both can discuss evenminute details about the work involved.”

The database, which can beaccessed by visiting the OglethorpeUniversity Career Services office, featuresover 300+ previous internship sessions, sothat students may access former internsand exchange contact information.

Shanelle Ebanks, an Oglethorpejunior, is currently in the process ofresearching and applying to several sum-mer internships. While she understandstheir competitive nature, she is armed witha clear backup plan.

“I hope to apply to a counseling-based internship where I can gain experi-

ence in children’s ‘play therapy’,” shesaid. “I’ll probably be applying to aboutthree or four internships for this summer,but if I don’t get accepted to any of them,I plan on working and getting my financesin order for post-graduate plans.”

Several other services are offeredto students through OglethorpeUniversity’s Career Services website, suchas e-Recruiting, a service that is created formore selective schools. For the non-profitsect, Littlefield encourages students tovisit a website called Idealist.org to gainaccess to even more Atlanta based oppor-tunities.

“Many people overlook the non-profit sector because it gets a reputation forfeaturing a low pay or salary,” she said.“While some companies don’t participatein staggering incomes, students shouldlook for internship opportunities that mayboost their resume and give them stand-outexperience that they wouldn’t get else-where.”

In light of the current economicsituation, where national unemploymentrates are on the verge of 7.6% andGeorgia in particular, whose unemploy-ment rate has surged to 8.1%, Littlefieldstresses that internships are actually onthe upswing given the circumstances.

Previously successful Atlanta-based employers like AT&T, the City ofAtlanta workforce, and the AtlantaPolice Department, are beginning theirsecond or third round of layoffs.Internships are on the rise, however,meaning that while employers are slash-ing jobs and cutting overhead expenses,they’re actively searching for internswho are willing to fill in some of the jobduties for those empty spaces inexchange for pseudo-career experience.

“Because there are frequent joblosses, companies are looking for col-lege students who are looking for animpressive resume boost, and are active-ly seeking a position that will let themwork hard,” she said. “This is the timeto take those internships because, notonly does it give you credibility, but itwill really make that student look pol-ished when it comes time to start adver-tising yourself to prospective employersor job searches. You’ll want impressiveexperience to show you can help in atime of crisis.”

OOUU ssttuuddeennttss ffooccuuss oonn AAttllaannttaa aarreeaa iinntteerrnnsshhiippss

up and finish! Get up and finish!’” said Newbill. “I wasgoing to finish the race but not without my friend.”

Newbill stopped running immediately after theaccident, and he was not sure if he had actually trippedZimbron.

“I wasn’t quite sure what had happened at thatmoment. I didn’t know if I had tripped him or what. I justkept apologizing over and over again. I felt awful,” saidNewbill.

Marcus Edwards had caught up to Newbill andZimbron, and he too stopped running immediately afterrealizing what had happened. He extended his hand toZimbron, and all four runners completed the race.

“I think Que and I would have finished beforethe bells were done if I had not fallen. I was really happyMarcus and Que helped me out though. I’ll do it againnext year. I have two more years to try”, said Zimbron.

Following the “Petrels of Fire” footrace, the bagpipe summoned those on the quad to the ConantPerforming Arts Center for the Oglethorpe Day Assembly.The guest speaker was OU alumni Dr. Paul Hudson, anoted author, historian and time capsule extraordinaire.Hudson’s elocution, “An Oglethorpe Odyssey”, was adetailed account of Georgia founder James EdwardOglethorpe’s life and causes as well as his involvementwith the fascinatingly intricate history of OU.

Hudson referred to James Edward Oglethorpe as“civically engaged,” a man who was generous and self-less, and a man who lived by the motto, “Not for self but

others”. Hudson stressed the importance of this humbleattitude and how it can carry one very far in his or herjourney through life.

Hudson grew up in the Brookhaven neighbor-hood, and played tennis on OU’s campus as a young boy.

“I was always fond of the campus, but I neverreally understood it. It was like falling in love,” saidHudson.

In 1970, as an OU student, Hudson was lurkingthe basement of Hearst Hall with a flashlight, which wasa restricted area at the time and found a sealed metal doorcovered in cobwebs with a plaque stating that it was not tobe opened until the year 8113. This was his firstencounter with the Crypt of Civilization, and thus his fer-vor for time capsules began. In 1990, Hudson establishedthe International Society of Time Capsules, an organiza-tion that strives to promote the study of and documenttime capsules around the world.

“I wanted to bring the Crypt of Civilization to theworld,” said Hudson.

Dr. Hudson shared several humorous stories,from OU’s football team defeating Georgia Tech in the1920s to references about the use of cocaine in the origi-nal Coca-Cola formula. He became overwhelmed withemotion while expressing his love for OU, and his eyesswelled with tears.

Following Dr. Hudson’s confluence of storiesand reminiscence, singer Perri Montane and pianist BenLeaptropp from Capitol City Opera performed “Georgia

on My Mind,” concluding the assembly. Bag piper WinterTaylor then summoned all who were in attendance to theEmerson Student Center for a Georgia-themed lunch.

Continued from ‘Oglethorpe Day, p. 1

Photo by Jen RileyBag piper Winter Taylor summoned faculty, staff,alumni, and students to the academic quadrangle forthe annual “Petrels of Fire” footrace.

2 News The Stormy Petrel February 16, 2009

February 16, 2009 The Stormy Petrel News 3

Liz WeberNews Editor

Remember the site that you couldlook up to see what the menu for lunch wasand check when the admissions office wasclosed? PetrelNet Version 4.0 is now upand running, and its new look and featurespromise more use from students and facul-ty.

Originally PetrelNet was to be theinternet for Oglethorpe. But after pollingstudents, there was a want for a moresocial networking aspect.

Al Fuller, who headed the projectsaid, “We heard from students that theywant something with more social network-ing features like Facebook and Myspace.So we started thinking about what sort oftool we could use and take PetrelNet fromsomething flat and turn it something moreof a community and place where studentscould get together and have student organ-izations.”

“This is just a start of what PNhas the ability to do,” said William Morse“This is a work in progress; we are con-stantly updating and upgrading.”

Students can log onto PetrelNet

and notice a whole new look to the site.There are now department sections for fac-ulty and staff, as well as student and cluborganizational sections.

Student organizations have pri-vate and public access so they can postboth classified material to their membersbut also announcements to other students.The sidebars include web links for enter-tainment purposes.

The most interesting aspect of thenew PetrelNet is the MySite profile.MySite allows students to create profiles,like they would on Facebook, upload pho-tos and soon a MySite directory will be upso students can find one another.However, as a word of caution, do remem-ber that faculty, staff and other students oncampus can see your page, so be carefulabout what you post!

If you have issues logging intoPetrelNet, type in Oglethorpe\youruser-name and this should correct the problem.IT hopes to have this glitch fixed soon.

“There’s a lot of potential inPetrelNet, but we can only make PetrelNetbetter if students use it,” said Fuller, “andif anything - now it’s pretty.”

PPeettrreellNNeett VVeerrssiioonn 44..00

“Peace is definitely possible, andit’s great to see the first steps being takenon college campuses – that’s where toler-ance starts.”

Mustafa Abdullah, a formerOglethorpe University student and recenttransfer to Wake Forest University inWinston-Salem, North Carolina, foundedthe first Muslim Student Alliance at OU inpartnership with the Jewish Student Union.The united groups both feature PresidentLawrence Schall, a practicing Jewishmember of the community. His leadershipof the Muslim Students Association wasunprecedented and featured through inter-views with local and national media.

Abdullah explained his inspira-tion for starting a grassroots interfaithcouncil, and emphasizes his hopes forunderstanding on Oglethorpe’s campus.

“Initially, my motivations forstarting the [Muslim Student Alliance] atOU were to create an environment inwhich Muslims and non-Muslims couldcome together to participate in Islamic rit-ual and practice. It was a space in whichMuslims could practice and continue tolearn from their religion and where non-Muslims could observe and learn.”

He also notes that there is noplace for religious rigidity on college cam-puses, which are some of the most diversehavens in the country.

“It is sad that we should let reli-gion define and divide us in such a rigidway…no one should allow himself to bedefined by religion, nor should he allowanyone else to view him as being definedby religion,” he said. “Throughout life,especially in college, we are on a constantjourney of discovering who we are andwhere we belong.”

The interfaith organizations thatAbdullah is a member of have contributedto his overall outlook of shared religiousexperiences, and inspire his relationshipwith other religious groups.

“As we have shed light on ourrespective religious traditions for each

other, we all have grown together by illu-minating each other’s path. By givingtruthful, accurate information to each otherabout our various faiths, we have allarrived at the essence of faith,” he said.“We come together, not to exalt one faithover another, or to point out errors orinconsistencies in another’s faith, but topromote a dialogue among ourselves. Ourrespect for each other is developed througha learned understanding of who we reallyare, and this, in turn, gives birth to a lovefor humanity as a whole.”

Abdullah also sites inaccurateand distorted propaganda as a major down-fall in the Muslim faith. He is adamant thatinterfaith councils provide accountabilityand accuracy in faith-based student leader-ship.

“For all of us—Muslims and non-Muslims alike—it is important to engagein Interfaith as a means of combating theunnecessary polarization that is takingplace in the world today as a result of theun-Islamic and inhuman acts that are beingcommitted by a small minority of Muslimswho are guided by a twisted view of theirreligion.”

Chloe Edwards also mentionsthat, while the conflict stems from a heat-ed dispute over land and ownership rights,mistakes have been made from bothnations.

“The conflict has become reli-

gious only insofar as Israel regained con-trol of East Jerusalem and the West Bankin 1967—both of which areas have enor-mous significance for Orthodox Jews,” shesaid. “There have been mistakes on bothsides; there have been numerous opportu-nities missed and numerous crimes com-mitted, and both Israeli and Palestinianleaders have done their parts to exacerbatethe conflict at different times.”

Abdullah mirrors Edwards’expressions, by citing a politically moti-vated government and inferior leadershipfrom both Israel and Palestine to reach aharmonious end.

“Both sides, in my opinion, havehad terrible leadership. Both sides havecommitted many wrongs,” he said.“Progress has not been made because ofpolitical ambitions.”

He also says that several otherfactors have contributed to the failure ofthe Palestinian government to rectify thesituations at hand, including foreign policyand underlying political tones found with-in the current religious leaders.

“The first problem lies within apoliticized religion. At what point is reli-gion used as a vehicle toward more[destructive] means? The second problemrevolves around the U.S. foreign policy inthe Middle East,” he said. Many Arabcountries are becoming increasingly angryat how the United States is treating Israelin favor of other nations.”

However, given all the conflictand rehashed ill-regard, Edwards is hope-ful that President Obama will be able togarner peace and move toward resolution.

“All I can hope is that the Obamaadministration and the international com-munity, together with the leadership inIsrael and the two Palestinian factions,Fattah and Hamas, will seize this opportu-nity to make concrete strides towardspeace for the region.”

Abdullah also expresses hope forpeace between nations and college stu-dents alike. He reminisced about his expe-rience at a Youth Interfaith Core

Conference in Chicago, Illinois last year.After viewing a documentary, one of thePalestinian men who led a grassrootspeace movement with an Israeli womananswered questions, one of which asked ifhe were “Pro-Israeli” or “Pro-Palestinian.”He answered that, “the relevant question toask is whether I am pro-conflict or pro-res-olution.”

“That is the most beautiful andimportant thing I have ever heard in refer-ence to the conflict. That is the attitude thatthe leaders involved in the [conflict] musttake-up,” Abdullah said.

While peace seems to be an ambi-tious goal, college students nationwide arestressing the importance of tolerance andmutual realization. According to collegeinterfaith leaders like these, the service-oriented projects, interactive dialogue, andrespect that organizations like the OUJewish Student Union and Muslim StudentAssociation foster, harmony on campus isbecoming an increasingly reachable aspi-ration.

Photo Courtesy of Mark DelongNathaniel Goldman and MustafaAbdullah foster interfaith peace withJSU and MSA cooperation.

Photo Courtesy of Mark DelongPresident Schall takes part in discus-sion with interfaith campus leaders.

FROM PEACE, P. 1

Abdullah notes that thereis no place for religious

rigidity on college campus-es, which are some of the

most diverse havens in thecountry.

Life in the BubbleEditors: Blaik Paris & Amanda Rowell

4 Bubble The Stormy Petrel February 16, 2009

Carly StewartOpinions Editor

When I first moved here fromNashville (where their idea of a vegetableinvolves cooking everything remotelygood out of it and replacing that with but-ter), I had no idea I was moving into one ofthe top rated vegetarian/vegan friendlycities in the country. Atlanta has lots moreto offer than the small list here, includingSevananda (an all vegetarian grocerystores), all-veggie Indian and Chineseplaces, and a host of others. Here are someof my favorites in the immediate area.

Nuts and Berries/Brookhaven BistroWithin easy walking distance of

Oglethorpe, Nuts and Berries is a smallgrocery and supplement store with anattached cafe, the Brookhaven Bistro.Although a little pricey, Nuts and Berriesoffers some exotic items you won’t findeven at Whole Foods. Specifically, Nutsand Berries provides raw dinners, desserts,and drinks—ever eaten raw lasagna? Theirvegan dessert selection is respectable aswell, offering Liz Lovely cookies and,interestingly, carob chunks with nuts andspirulina. They also carry more conven-tional items, like soy and almond cheeses,kombucha, veggie “meat”, non dairy milk,and frozen dinners. But that’s just the gro-cery store—the bistro offers everythingfrom chicken salad to sundried tomatohummus to veggie wraps, and Nuts andBerries’s vitamin selection is endless, withsome rare items you definitely won’t findat Kroger.

Café SunflowerA sure bet when your pockets are

a little heavier and you’re looking for aplace to impress your vegan or vegetariandate, Cafe Sunflower has some of the bestveggie food in the Atlanta area. All of theirfood is vegetarian, most of it can be madevegan (they even offer soy cheese) andevery single dessert is vegan. The waitstaff is extremely friendly and they playthe Paste sampler CD—what’s not to love?

They offer different menus based on loca-tion (the original one is in Buckhead; theyjust opened another in Sandy Springs lastyear), but I’ve yet to have something sub-par there. They are squarely on the mockmeat wagon—it’s included on about halfthe menu—so keep that in mind. However,they offer everything from fajitas to veggieburgers to orzo eggpant lasagna, so no oneshould leave hungry.

Buckhead: 2140 Peachtree Road. Open M-Th (11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.-9:30p.m.), F (11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. & 5:00p.m.-10:00 p.m.), Sat (12:00 p.m.-2:30p.m. & 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.), closedSunday

Sandy Springs: 5975 Roswell Road. OpenM-Th (11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.), F (11:30-2:30 p.m. & 5:00p.m.-9:30 p.m.), Sat (12:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.& 5:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.), closed Sunday

Veggieland Located on Pharr Road,

Veggieland is easy to miss if, like me, youhave a problem with the fish smell waftingfrom the Atlanta Fish Market located justbeside it. If you can put the fish head out ofyour mind, though, Veggieland is wellworth checking out. The atmosphere isn’tfancy, and their prices thankfully reflectthat. They offer a little of everything, andwhile I have yet to order an entree that isradically outstanding, I’ve never been dis-appointed. Try their sandwiches; it’s some-times hard for vegans to find a decent onein this city, but Veggieland has plenty ofoptions. They also have a decent Asian andMexican food selection, and lots ofdesserts. Perhaps because of its location,it’s also a place that draws quite a varietyof people, so if you’re not a hardcorevegan straight edge hippie, you can restassured that the Buckhead Betty orderingfrom the counter isn’t either.

211 Pharr Road. Open M-F (11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.), Sat(11:30-8:00 p.m.), closed Sunday

World Peace CaféRun mostly by volunteers and

Buddhist monks, the World Peace Cafe isone of many around the world, includinglocations in Hong Kong, Spain,Switzerland, Itlay, and Northern Ireland.Some of the staff from those locations flewin to help decorate the Atlanta cafe, and itshows. Just walking into the cafe is akin toentering a peaceful meditation room. Theyuse organic ingredients whenever possibleand make their food from scratch—as aformer volunteer, I can attest to this.Unlike other food service places, the peo-ple are there entirely by choice, and theirattitudes reflect that. Shying away frommost faux meat, the World Peace Cafeoffers amazing dishes like CranberryOrange pancakes, salads loaded with avo-cados and sprouts, a ridiculously good tast-ing veggie burger made without soy,scones, cakes, and a stirfry with the tofushaped into hearts. They also have a verylarge selection of well-priced loose-leafteas and a small corner selling jewelry andteapots. I highly recommend this cafe, par-ticularly if you need a quiet place in theafternoon to write a paper or just get away.

220 Hammond Drive, Suite 302. OpenTues-F (9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.) Sat & Sun(10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.)

The GritIf you are ever in Athens, don’t

leave without eating at The Grit, a locallyowned restaurant close to UGA. In vege-tarian and vegan circles, it’s famous—inaddition to be featured in Veg News, it hasits own cookbook available there and inbookstores. (Athens in general was namedone of the best small town cities for vege-tarians and vegans.) I went with part of theStormy Petrel staff last weekend andcouldn’t believe I’d never been therebefore. I had the Golden Bowl, and eventhough I’d heard it was a dish to make thesoy-intolerant eat tofu, I couldn’t see theappeal of vegetables, rice, and brownedtofu with nutritional yeast flakes. I had noidea that food that simple could taste thatincredible, but I am now a believer.Among the other dishes we ordered werethe grilled cheese, the veggie burger, afalafel platter, and nachos—all of whichwere rated highly by my fellow omnivores.They had a selection of both vegan andnon-vegan desserts, and we took what lit-tle we didn’t finish home in paper plateswrapped with tin foil.

199 Prince Avenue, Athens, GA. M-F(11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.), Sat & Sun (10:00a.m.-3:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

AAttllaannttaa rreessttaauurraannttss ccaatteerr ttoo vveeggaannss aanndd ssooyy lloovveerrss

Photo by Carly StewartThe Brookhaven Bistro offers amazing fare and the ultimate location for OUgoers less than a mile down Peachtree Road.

Photo by Carly StewartThe World Peace Café offers both vegan food and a beautiful atmosphere, perfectboth for nutrition and meditation on the meaning of life.

February 16, 2009 The Stormy Petrel Bubble 5

DDrr.. ZZiinnnneerr ddiisshheess oonn ccoolllleeggee ccaarreeeerr,, gguuiillttyy pplleeaassuurreessChris LucasContributing Writer

If you were to find yourself ridingMarta, on the way to Hartsfield-Jacksonfrom Oglethorpe, and happened to sityourself down next to a young, northernwoman with an infectious smile and acheerful glow about her, you would most-likely find yourself in the presence of aprofessor new to the Oglethorpe communi-ty; Dr. Leah Zinner. The rest of this storydepicts what it might be like if you foundyourself spending that 40-minute ride inconversation with Dr. Zinner.

As people shuffled into the trainat the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe Station, Isearched for a seat among the travelers,and moved toward the back of the car.With iPod in ear, jamming to the newKillers album, I plopped down into theonly empty seat left. Right in the middleof the chorus to "Human," my iPod batteryicon flickered, winked at me, and went out.I muttered a small curse and slouched backinto my seat.

"What was that?" the woman inthe seat next to me asked.

"Oh…uh…nothing," I say back,embarrassed that I spoke so loud.

After a small laugh, the womanasked if I played baseball at Oglethorpe. Alittle freaked out by the question, Ianswered yes, that I did. It didn't dawn onme that I was wearing my Petrels Baseballshirt for another few minutes.

"I ask because I'm a new profes-sor there and thought you looked familiar,"she said. "I'm Dr. Leah Zinner, the newPsych professor".

"Chris Lucas. I'm on my last legof my OU experience, done nextDecember. Where you headed?" I asked.

“Back home. Columbia,Maryland. What about you?"

"Same place, different location:

Full Name: Christopher Robert Summers

Position at Oglethorpe: Student AR Manager

How you came to Oglethorpe: The recruitment efforts ofCoach Owen.

Where did you grow up? Peachtree City, GA

What is your favorite thing about yourself? My sense ofdiplomacy, although I feel conceited answering this question.

What was the first CD/tape/record you bought with yourown money? I think it was Doubt by Jesus Jones.

If you won $1,000,000, what would you do with it? Pay offmy debt, and then help my family do the same thing. After that,I'd put as much as possible in high-yield accounts and hope tolive off the earnings for the rest of my life.

What was the last movie you saw that made you cry? I wason the verge of losing it completely during the last 20 minutes ofMarley and Me.

What's the best thing you ever bought, stole, or borrowed?Bought - my wife's engagement ring, mainly because it took anentire summer and a lot of discipline to attain. Stole - a 3-wood,which I "borrowed" back in 2000, but I still have it, so it's defi-nitely stolen. Borrowed - while the last one is good, it's not asgood as borrowing a Special Edition Monte Carlo Mini Cooperfrom my brother-in-law for a weekend. I did return that one,reluctantly.

If you could live during any historical event/era, whichwould you choose and why? I'd be curious to live a year inRome during the Roman Empire. There are several parallelsbetween our United States and Ancient Rome; I'd love to draw

comparisons for myself….and promptly return to 2009.

What would you like to be remembered for? Giving everyonea fair chance.

What is one item that you couldn't life without? Speakers /headphones - there are a lot of important items in my life, butmusic transcends everything I do.

Name four things that you would take with you to a desertedisland. Flint, a hatchet, a cast-iron pot, and clean bandages.

What is the best advice you ever received? I'm not sure, butthe advice I remember most often came from Dr. Tucker: "If youdon't know, say 'I don't know.' If you keep trying to 'wing' it, a

guy like me will eventually bust you." Those may not be hisexact words, but you get the gist of it.

What is your most prized possession? Probably my Boseheadphones.

What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time? It's atie - during the day, play golf. At night, play, listen to, or watchmusic.

Who's face would you put on the $100 bill? Now, BenFranklin was pretty important, but if a change must be made, I'dlobby for John Adams. He was integral in the birth of the US. aswell as our second president, but he's nowhere to be found on ourcurrency.

What was the first part-time job you ever had? Picking thedriving range at Planterra Ridge Golf Club. Yes, I was the guyin the caged golf cart, but Bud Light did a Real American Heroessong about the "Golf Ball Picker Upper Guy," so my efforts feelvalidated.

What's your dream job? Working for the USGA on setting thesanctioned specifications for golf equipment.

When you pick up the latest edition of The Stormy Petrel,which section do you turn to first? I start where you've sug-gested I start - the front page.

For your "one answer", you can make a single statementabout anything you wish. It can be as long or as short as youwant it to be and can address anything you have somethingto say about: advice, politics, Oglethorpe, students, etc.

For what it's worth, I think it's an amazing time to be a student.As President Obama's platform suggests, the future is needednow, and I think it's going to come from today's graduates.

Photo By Jen Riley

El Paso, Texas. What brought you downfrom Maryland?"

"Well, I did my undergraduatework at Emory, kinda fell in love with thecity, came back down here to teach after Igot my Masters at the University ofWisconsin-Madison. I wanted a placewhere I could make a difference, smallcommunity, face-to-face relationships withmy students. It's not much fun teaching aclass full of students whose names youdon't know."

"That's pretty cool," I replied."That sounds like the reasons why I choseOU - didn't want to be a scantron. I start-ed out as a Psych major. What made youchoose it as your career field?"

She leaned back in her seat,thinking. "Honestly, I like to people watch,I'm fascinated by what people do in every-day life situations. For me, it wasn't theabnormal psych, or the mental diseases; itwas people's everyday decisions. Why dopeople eat what they do, or why does oneperson help someone in a certain situationbut not in another. Stuff like that."

"Teaching is something I couldn'tdo, and that's a fact," I laughed. "There isno way you could get me in front of kidsday in and day out, teaching them whenthey are hungover, half asleep…texting."

She let out a small chuckle andsaid, "There is more to it than just talkingat a class; you have to actually want themto learn. I do it because I want those thathave an interest in psychology to gain abetter understanding of it. To be able to

possible answer. They shouldn't accept theresearch on psychologists' word alone.They should learn to be curious enough towant to know for themselves."

It was refreshing to find a profes-sor so enthusiastic about having her stu-dents learn and genuinely wanting them tosucceed.

"Coming from a school as big asEmory and Wisconsin-Madison, whatwere your first thoughts when you sawwhere you'd be doing your teaching? Thisis always one of my favorite questions toask people that are new to campus." I said.

She let out a laugh and said,"Honestly…honestly my first thought was'How cute!'"

Gradually, the topic of conversa-tion turned from Oglethorpe and my story

to off-campus things. I learned that Dr.Zinner would have liked to live the luxuri-ous life of a food critic if she didn't teach.That she is an avid runner, reader of fic-tion, non-fiction and the New York Times.She preformed ballet and can even still dothe splits, something I said I had given uptrying to do in the fourth grade.

Dr.Zinner is somewhat of an out-doors woman - loves to camp, plays a littleultimate Frisbee here and there. She wasreluctant to reveal her weakness of being acloset Reality TV watcher, "can't help butwatch The Real [House]wives", but sherevealed it none the less, laughing at whather students would think if they found out.

She spoke of how she combinedher love of psychology and food in a classcalled "Psychology of Food and Eating"that she took as an undergrad. To me, thatsounded fascinating and we talked aboutwhat she learned for a few minutes.

One of the funnier stories sherelated to me was how she was born abreach baby: feet first. This caused a com-motion in the hospital: the doctors had alltheir nurses and students file into the deliv-ery room to watch the rare occurrence. She couldn't help but laugh when she saidshe was embarrassing her mother beforeshe was out of the womb.

As the Marta train was pullinginto the airport station, I asked my last ran-dom question. "If you were stranded on adeserted island, what would you want tohave with you?"

"That's a tough one", she said. Aswe gathered our things, she called over hershoulder, "good food, a friend to share itwith, books I haven't yet read, and my lap-top so I could YouTube and always havesomeone to talk to."

This is a work of fiction, but the informa-tion included in the dialogue is real, takenfrom an interview on February 5, 2009.

think critically, and think forthemselves. Just becausesome scientist told you thatX is the way itis, doesn't meanthat it's the only

OpinionsEditor: Ramika Gourdine & Carly Stewart

6 Opinions The Stormy Petrel February 16, 2009

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AAddvveerrttiisseemmeennttss mmeerreellyy mmaasskk ccoorrnn ssyyrruupp’’ss ddoowwnnssiiddeessCarly StewartOpinions Editor

I am aware that marketing cam-paigns lie. They stretch, curve, rearrange,and otherwise make funhouse mirrors ofthe truth. If it sounds remotely plausible—eating chocolate is totally awesome foryou—they'll hype it up. If it's a drug withtwelve million side effects, they will regalethe audience with a list of horrible possi-bilities in falsely chipper voices. I under-stand that people need to market theirproducts, and sometimes, you have to callV8 juice healthy to get people to drink it. Iget it. But the high fructose corn syrupcommercials drive me crazy. When theyfirst came out, I had to Wikipedia to makesure that the ad execs and I were thinkingof the same product. High fructose cornsyrup is terrible for human bodies. And yetthere they were, on television, smilingskinny people dismissing in three lines ofdialogue all of the bad things about HFCS.If Yaz had to come out with a ridiculouslycheerful clarification ad after the FDAslapped them on the wrist, then surely Iwas not being directly lied to on nation tel-evision.

Yep, I was. Me, you, and everyother American who's turned on a televi-sion in the past few months. For those ofyou out of the loop or with fuzzy recollec-tions, allow me to refresh your memory.Person A offers Person B some food, andPerson B is righteously shocked, citingHFCS as one of the ingredients and accus-ing the other of not loving him or her.However, when prompted to explain whyHFCS is bad, every single one of them isunable to. Person A jumps in, saying,"What? Because it's made from corn, has

the same nutritional value as sugar and isfine for you in small quantities?" And,without requesting a single source, theother person happily ingests the freezy-pop/cereal/juice.

Luckily, I have had some basicnutritional training and will now explaintheir treacherous spin on the subject. Yes,

HFCS is made from corn—kinda the sameway Pringles are made from potatoes. (Or,as they will explain to you if you call themon the phone and ask about their ingredi-ents, "potato product.") Basically, glucoseis extracted from the corn and is modifiedthrough chemical treatment to contain highlevels of fructose, or a type of sugar that

happens to be horrible for you. Unlike glu-cose, which can be processed in all cells ofthe body, fructose can only be processed inthe liver. In studies with rats given highlevels of fructose, the ones with copperdeficiencies (a common problem inAmerica) had extreme heart problems,including having their hearts grow toolarge and burst. So HFCS does technicallyhave similar nutritional value of beetsugar, for example, but it is much moreprocessed and much worse for overallhealth. I will leave it you to decide howfine you will be with "small quantities" ofit. (Hint: start reading your food labels.)

That green grass the two loversare sitting on in one of the commercials isalso telling a sideways lie. Since corn ischeaper to grow and process into HFCS(imported sugar comes with comparativelyhigh tariffs), companies have farmed thefertility out of topsoil by planting onlycorn. Typically, crops are rotated forhealthier soil, but profit margins outweighthe environmental impact. Plus, convertingcorn into HFSC is energy-intensive.Overall, HFCS is not environmentallyfriendly.

In conclusion, the Association ofCorn Refiners is attempting to sell a nutri-tionally void product because it meansmore money for them. By mirroring theposition a lot of people find themselvesin—they have an idea that HFCS is proba-bly not good for them but are unable toarticulate why—the Corn Refiners cozy upand tell us it's like chocolate. Or coffee.Nutritionally fine and perfectly natural.Perhaps you will now be able to tell yourloved one when he or she attempts to feedyou HFCS why exactly your lips are tight-ly compressed.

Image courtesy of current.com

Lauretta WilliamsContributing Writer

Josh Means’ recent hindsight prompted a lot ofdiscussion amongst my friends and I, both contemplativeand derisive. So, I decided to set down my own account ofmy faith and how it has been affected by my Oglethorpeexperience. Rather than encouraging you to “stick withit”, I can only feel comfortable challenging you to doubt.It’s a healthy experiment after all, for wouldn’t you wantany belief at all to be based on the greatest evidence youcan find? If you must believe, be right.

It may surprise some of you, even my closestfriends, to know that until my freshman year, I enjoyed adeeply-grounded Catholic faith. I grew up in Mobile,Alabama, one of the most Catholic cities in the South. Togive you some idea, in the archdiocese* based in Atlanta,about 9% of the population is Catholic. In my hometown,also a base for another archdiocese, 25% of the populationis Catholic. I remember being told as a small child that ournext-door neighbor wasn’t Catholic, and the utter shock Ifelt. I was dumbfounded that I knew someone who didn’tbelieve the same things I did.

Attending Catholic schools until Oglethorpe, youcan imagine the amount of knowledge that 12 years ofreligion classes, including Apologetics and Ethics, gaveme. I knew and loved so much about my faith that goingto a secular university didn’t worry me in the slightest.And besides, there was a Catholic church just around thecorner. To give you another idea of what I’m talking abouthere, I started coming out as a lesbian to my friends andfamily when I was 16. By the time I graduated, I was com-pletely happy with my campus ministry leadership,

retreats, religion classes, praise and worship, youth groupand daily Mass. My faith was fully integrated into my life,despite the fact I wasn’t ever considered a conservative ortraditional Catholic because of my sexual orientation.

So what changed? I did. I went to my classeshere freshman year ready to learn and excited to be in suchan academic environment. I listened, and listened careful-ly. The more I read, the more questions I asked ofothers and myself; themore confused I was.Here were peoplewho had beliefs aliento me, authors whoproclaimed the deathof God, and profes-sors who kept askingme, “Why?” Nolonger could thesimple answers basedon my religiousbeliefs slide in class-rooms full of peoplewho didn’t alwaysagree with me.Reasons based onScripture or doctrinefell on deaf ears. And Ifound, despite my bestefforts, that I ran out ofanswers.

I am not aim-ing to criticize JoshMeans or others who

have “stuck with it”. If you have figured out a way toremain strong in your faith, I congratulate you. I just wantto share a different perspective and ask that everyone

allow himself or herself to be challenged fortheir beliefs and to question them often. I did,and my religious beliefs have changed dramati-

cally. To me, that is part of the mission of anyliberal arts education: to expose students todifferent ideas, challenge their own ideas,

and find some middle ground in the process.Carl Sagan once wrote: “Extraordinary claimsrequire extraordinary evidence.” I’d like tothink of Sagan’s words as a charge to find the

outstanding vision in yourself so that unrea-soned faith doesn’t limit you. Rather, if youbelieve anything extraordinary, it should be

accompanied by sufficient evidence throughany means necessary.

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Photo Courtesy ofAmerica Magazine

Left: Pope Benedict XVI is boththe leader and a symbol of theCathoic Faith.

Editors: Adam Bailey & Daniel Suddes

Arts & EntertainmentFebruary 16, 2009 The Stormy Petrel A&E 7

RReehheeaarrssaall RRoooomm CC pprreesseennttss BBaatt BBooyy:: TThhee MMuussiiccaallDaniel SuddesA&E Editor

Rehearsal Room C has been avery popular theater group since its incep-tion. They have provided masterful pro-ductions of The Underpants and Closer, inaddition to an evening of one-act plays thatwere largely student-written.

Their next major productionwill be something new, even for RehearsalRoom C: a rock musical. In fact, it will bean adaptation of the Broadway play BatBoy: The Musical, based on a characterthat appeared in the now cancelled WeeklyWorld News magazine.

“This has been on my list of todo’s,” said Dusty Brown, the director ofthe play and one of the founders ofRehearsal Room C. “Bat Boy is written forcollege theater; it’s dirty, sexy and fun.”

Bat Boy: The Musical followsthe story of the discovery of the mythicalBat Boy. After three teenagers find him ina cave, the wife of the local vet decides totry to teach him how to be civilized. Atfirst, he is met with resistance and many ofthe townspeople even want to kill him.However, Bat Boy is determined to fit intosociety, yet still struggles to tame “thebeast inside.”

Staging any play is no smalltask. Staging a musical is even more diffi-cult. As Max Flick, an Oglethorpe junior,stated, “Musicals are much more expen-sive than regular plays.” The cast of BatBoy is also a fairly large one, with 18actors, compared to the four required forlast fall’s Closer.

In addition, the musicalrequires a musical director and a choreog-rapher to make it all come together.However, all the members of RehearsalRoom C believe that this production haseverything it needs to be a success.

“Me, Dusty, and Max have abackground in musical theater. The ingre-dients were all there,” said Adam Bailey,an Oglethorpe senior and member ofRehearsal Room C, on the decision to doBat Boy. He is also playing the titular char-acter. “We went through all the hypotheti-cal situations. This play was the perfectfit.”

Of course, strong material isnot enough to guarantee success. Other

student plays have not nearly had the suc-cess of Rehearsal Room C, even with morewell-known material than Bat Boy.Nevertheless, Rehearsal Room C hasalready inspired confidence among the stu-dents and faculty with its work. As Brownstated, “We set out to do student theater.We were actually originally met with a lotof opposition. Other students’ plays havebeen sloppy. We have carefully plannedeverything and can get the money thatother student organizations cannot.”

Max Flick agreed withBrown’s sentiments: “Through Bat Boy,Rehearsal Room C is attempting toachieve a new level of theatrical excel-lence. And Bat Boy is balls to the wallincredible. It has everything.”

Two of the most importantaspects of theater are the music and thechoreography. Interestingly, the two ful-filling these duties are both freshman atOglethorpe University. However, bothremain confident and have already com-manded a level of respect with the rest ofthe cast and crew.

“It was hard to take on a lead-ership position, but the cast has been veryrespectful,” said Elizabeth Lanier, the cho-reographer of the show. “In fact, the wholeproduction has been very professional,

whitch I think speaks a lot about RehearsalRoom C.”

Despite this being her firstassignment at Oglethorpe as a choreogra-pher, she has choreographed many othershows even larger than this. “I’ve workedwith casts of 70 people. I’ve loved work-ing on this though. It’s more intimate witha smaller cast. Plus I get to explore moregenres and themes that I have been unableto work on in the past.”

The musical director sharesLanier’s confidence. Kyle Brumley, anOglethorpe freshman who has acted inmany productions since his arrival. Thisplay marks his first time as musical direc-tor at an Oglethorpe production.

“I approached them and askedif I could fill this role. Surprisingly, theylet me do it.”

Brumley also shared hisinsight on the music within the play “It’s ina rock and roll style, but it’s not straightrock and roll. It goes through a lot of dif-

ferent styles; we have a stereotypicalBroadway jazz hands number and even acountry song.” Despite the wide range ofstyles, the cast has had little difficultieswith the music or Brumley’s direction: “Iwas serious about my job, and no one hada problem with me in rehearsals.”

Even the stage manager,Ashley Wrigley, admits that the crew hasbeen able to overcome any obstacles.

Wrigley states she was excitedto become a part of the production. “Allmy close friends had been singing thesesongs and I felt so left out. But then I final-ly got to do it.”

However, Wrigley has alsohad to deal with many of the frustrationsinvolved in the production; including con-stant location changes and assembling thecast for rehearsal that night. “Some days,I’m on my phone calling every single castmember, letting them know about a lastminute change. There have been a lot ofcomplications. Yet everyone has done aremarkable job, even the freshmen.”

The actual rehearsals appear toaccomplish what the cast and crew is striv-ing to achieve. The actors were still quiteloose, sometimes just standing on the stagewhile Lanier ran over choreography forone section. Yet they were constantly dis-cussing changes to be made to their roles.

Every actor is toiling to do thebest job they possibly can. “I have to giveit my all,” explained Aaron Cross, who hasa small role in the production as a travel-ling preacher.

The rest of the cast matchesCross’ determination. Adam Bailey isalready disappearing into the role of BatBoy. It was easy to see how much fun theactors were having will affect the audi-ences.

As Wrigley explained,“Audiences are going to be a littleshocked, a little stunned, but they’ll alsohave a lot fun.”

Bat Boy looks to be a promis-ing musical on the level with many ofOglethorpe’s recent productions. It willopen Friday the 13th at 8:00 with two moreshows on the 14th at 4:00 and 10:00, and afree student preview on Thursday the 12that 8:00. If you are looking for something alittle out of the ordinary, then Bat Boy willmore than satisfy your needs.

DDaann ggeettss aa lliittttllee iinnttoo HHee’’ss JJuusstt NNoott TThhaatt IInnttoo YYoouuDaniel SuddesA&E Editor

When I was assigned this review,my editor specifically told me not to bescathing. Well, that is ultimately not up tome, but up to the film. I suppose the state-ment mostly had to do with my review ofSex & the City and my supposed derisionof “chick flicks.”

I certainly have favorite genres,but that does not mean all the movies inone particular genre will be either good orbad. Each genre must be entered with anopen mind. Even “chick flicks” whichappear at first glance to be nothing butclichéd, hackneyed stories filled with hotA-list stars mulling over never finding truelove, while true love is staring them rightin the face. Certainly, He’s Just Not That

Into You at first appears to follow this for-mula with the same determination thatroller coasters follow their paths.

The film, based upon the self helpbook of the same title by Greg Behrendtand Liz Tuccillo, is an ensemble pieceabout several people in their twenties andthirties who seem to be having problemsfinding “the one.”

I went into He’s Just Not ThatInto You with an open mind. After all,maybe, just maybe, the film would dosomething a little differently. And I dohave some good news: This review willnot be scathing.

Parts of it (particularly the inter-ludes with people explaining their own tipson how to interpret the signs of the sexes)are wonderfully charming. I also particu-larly enjoyed Gigi’s stories and foundmyself actually caring about whether she

would find “the one” at the end of the film.So there. The film does succeed

in some parts and overall is better than theaverage “chick flick” out there.

For those of you who didn’t wantme to be scathing or even critical, you canstop reading right here. The film is stillflawed and I, as a critic, feel the need toaddress the flaws. The first problem is thegiant ensemble cast and how the actors failto disappear into their characters. A major-ity of the stars simply go through themotions, putting no effort into their char-acters. Few of them even appear to be try-ing as hard as they could.

As stated, I did enjoy Gigi’s storymostly because the actress gives a believ-able performance. I have known peoplelike her; constantly worried about doingthe right thing to attract the opposite sex.

The overabundance of plots

demonstrates the other big problem. Thisfilm really shouldn’t have been an ensem-ble movie. Ensemble movies are aboutcommunication and how people relate toeach other rather than just interlocking sto-ries.

In conclusion, while the film ischarming and I recommended it for thosewho need a date movie, I am deeply disap-pointed by its lack of depth. I am not ask-ing that every single film give me a greatlife lesson - that’s almost too much to ask -but I always appreciate suggestions. Thisfilm is ultimately like a conversation withan old friend about, say, the Braves. Theperson may be well informed and I enjoythe discussion, but I will ultimately leavenone the wiser with the feeling that manythings were left unsaid.

Photo by Dusty BrownThe residents of Hope Falls welcome you to their quaint town.

“Bat Boy is balls to thewall incredible. It has

everything.”

8 A&E The Stormy Petrel February 16, 2009

OOgglleetthhoorrppee bbrriinnggss bbaacckk aann oolldd ffaavvoorriittee:: TTaakkee TTiiuuLiz WeberNews Editor

Even if you have not heard AlbertTiu play, he is certainly well-knownaround the world and the Oglethorpe com-munity. Tiu last played at Oglethorpe in1997, and gave those who attended a verymemorable performance, and surprisedmany in that he is the brother of our veryown mathematics professor Dr. Philip Tiu.

“I jumped at the chance that whenI found out Dr. Philip Tiu had a wellknown concert pianist for a brother,” saidDr. Ray Irwin, Director of MusicalActivities at Oglethorpe. “The reactionwas extremely positive, Albert is very per-sonable, and people just enjoyed getting toknow him. He presented a marvelous con-cert, and the audience response was verywarm.”

After almost 35 years of playingand performing, Albert Tiu can stillremember back to when he started learningpiano at the age of 5, and according to Tiu,who grew up in the Philippines, pianoswere in abundance. “Almost every house-hold had a piano,” said Tiu. “In fact, Ithink it was much easier for anyone to takepiano lessons more than any other instru-ment. The difference is that I took it seri-ously and decided to pursue the piano asmy life-long vocation.”

Dr. Ray also commented on Tiu’smusical effect on others. “In one person’sopinion, I think part of Albert’s impactcomes from the way his personality comesthrough in his playing,” said Irwin.“People can be technically excellent andstill be devoid of humanity and emotioneven with a lot of expression. Albert’s per-

sonality and humanity come through in hisplaying.”

For Tiu, music is more than just acareer. “Music is such an important part ofmy life, I don’t think I can go through aweek without it, whether it’s listening torecordings, or practicing the piano

myself,” said Tiu. “I must say that I can’tlet go totally of music even when I’mdoing routine activities, like driving, read-ing, or working on the computer.

As far as his favorite piece, Tiucannot pick just one. “I go through phas-es. I generally like the music of Chopin,

Rachmaninov and Skryabin, because ofthe lyrical approach to the piano,” said Tiu.“I also like to play Bach every now andthen, because his music is the equivalent ofShakespeare - it projects almost everyfacet of human emotion, and this musicwas written about 300 years ago. Rightnow, I’m into Beethoven, because hismusic requires a lot of discipline, bothmentally and physically.”

As far as how Tiu hopes his musiceffects others, “I would like to think thatmy playing touches people both emotion-ally and intellectually.”

Tiu will perform on February20th at 8:00 PM in the Conant PerformingArts Center, he will be performingBeethoven’s Sonata in B-flat Major, Op. 2and Sonata in B-flat Major, Op. 106(“Hammerklavier”).

“Those who go to hear him willhave much the same reaction as I did andothers the last time he was here,” said Dr.Irwin. “They will be emotionally connect-ed with the experience. They will not onlybe moved by Beethoven’s ideas butBeethoven’s humanity because the inter-preter and the performer in this case issuch a humanist himself. A lot of goodmusicians don’t inspire you, but those whoevoke emotions, they stick with you.Albert Tiu is one of those musicians.”

In closing, Albert Tiu would liketo thank some of the people who helpedhim get to this point in his life. “Firstly,my parents, for supporting me through myups and downs. My sister Kathryn, forexposing me to music and guiding methrough my early years at the piano. Now,my wife and two kids, who wonderfullyand unconditionally appreciate what I do.”

Photo courtesy of Dr. Ray Irwin

AAnnddrreeww BBiirrdd ddeelliivveerrss aa fflliigghhttyy aallbbeeiitt lliivveellyy sshhoowwAmanda SerfozoNews Editor

Native Chicagoan and latest indie-rock darling,Andrew Bird, stretched his wings for a crowd of in-the-know Atlantans last week. The bitter cold outside didn’tdissuade the mostly twenty-something, hipster attendeesfrom coming to the sold out February 4 show at VarietyPlayhouse in Atlanta’s Little Five Points district.Swaddled in scarves and leather bomber jackets, thecluster of concertgoers filed into the venue and discreetlytook their seats in both the standing room and balconies.

Upon taking the stage later that night with hisband-mates, Bird shared the same zipped up excitement,telling the crowd he’d been excited to perform in the cityfor some time.

“I’m always excited to play for Atlanta audi-ences and I’ve looked forward to this show in particularfor quite awhile,” Bird said. “Last time we were in thecity we played at The Drunken Unicorn, and my experi-ence is that Atlanta and its audiences are unhinged in thebest way possible.”

Bird, whose fifth and most recent album NobleBeast hit iTunes January 20 to a highly enthused niche—his earliest followers have been tracking him since theearly 1990’s—has already gained several nods from theindependent music underground. Famous for their in-depth record reviews, both Paste Magazine and web-based Pitchfork gave Noble Beast positive, albeitreserved, reviews. Billboard has also reported that Birdmanaged to secure the respectable #12 spot on its recordsales charts, with over 25,000 albums sold its first week,and a prediction for a few thousand more to follow.

The success Bird has had within the past monthhas, seemingly, erupted from an overnight and dizziedfascination. Starting out as something reminiscent of anEastern European, gypsy-like folk band in 1992 with hisfirst album Music of Hair, Bird has managed to classifyhimself under several varied genres in the iTunes store,including folk, alternative, jazz, and rock. His music hasalways been, and continues to be, rich with piccicato vio-lin solos, plucky Les Paul moments and scholastic lyrics,perhaps rightly so: Bird graduated from NorthwesternUniversity in Evanston, Illinois with a degree in violinperformance. While the album’s unruly zoo of instru-

ments is certainly a treat to those with an appreciationfor classical-turned-contemporary instruments like fid-dles, timpani drums, and glockenspiels, the fun onlybegins when they come to life onstage with Bird’s book-ish demeanor.

The energetic crowd at Variety Playhouse thisevening, all of which seemed to have stepped out of anAmerican Apparel photo shoot, clutched mysterious bot-tles and smuggled flasks in the darkened music hall,often sharing amongst themselves. Variety Playhouse,which only seats 1,000 at most, is famous for garneringindie hopefuls and legends alike: The Hold Steadyplayed a few autumns ago and Neko Case is visiting thiscoming April. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder is nothingout of the ordinary; in fact the come-and-go, mellow atti-tude here is refreshing compared to larger venues, andmuch more manageable.

Alas, the audience seemed tepid at best uponfirst note. The Stockholm-based opening band for theevening, Lonely, Dear, could hardly shake them awake;in fact, several attempts were made to enliven the groupwith lukewarm, skittish sing-a-longs and awkward paus-es, none of which seemed to work in their favor. Theydid, however, receive a fairly warm applause once thehall filled to its capacity later in the evening.

It was not until Andrew Bird took the stage thatthe flighty audience awoke to what looked like a rotatingphonograph and his lanky, wool-vested physique. The setfeatured some of his most heralded tracks in a samplerfrom several of his records, such as “Plasticities,”“Simple X,” and “Darkmatter” off of ArmchairApocrypha (2007) and “Fake Palindromes” from TheMysterious Production of Eggs (2005). However, it wasthe latest tracks from Noble Beast that seemed to haveinspired the crowd to begin pseudo-singing along,although few knew the intricate lyrics word-for-word.

From this electricity, Bird launched into several

tracks including the looming, stringy, escalating“Nonanimal,” the sweet and hum-worthy “NaturalDisaster,” and the Radiohead-esque “Not a Robot, but aGhost.” By far though, Andrew Bird and his four-manbackup band made the vertigo-inducing “Fitz and theDizzyspells” come to life, and led the audience into awhistling trance. Bird, famous for his superior whistlingskills, satiated the audience’s hunger for such high-pitched melodies.

As Lonely, Dear and Andrew Bird finished theirset together onstage with a flurry of musical prowess andan instrumental game of tag, the crowd received bothbands in a frenzied ovation. Bird and company bid theiradieu as the audience filed out of the two exits and intothe velveteen lobby; they were far more rabid than theyhad entered, and some who came on a whim were over-heard vowing to download his albums at first chance. Asthe violins rested in their cases and the whistling stoppedswirling in its trapped echo, Variety Playhouse turnedeerily quiet, finally ready to nest for the night.

Photo Courtesy of Cameron WittigIt was the latest tracks from Noble Beast that inspiredthe crowd to being pseudo-singing along.

“My experience is that Atlantaand its audiences are unhinged

in the best way possible.”

February 16, 2009 The Stormy Petrel A&E 9

FFiillmmss ffooccuuss oonn tthhee ttoollll ooff CChhiinnaa’’ss iinndduussttrriiaalliizzaattiioonnGregory WallaceStaff Writer

In January the High Museum ofArt presented two particularly noteworthyChinese films as part of their “China onScreen” series. Both films give a voice tothose displaced by the construction of theThree Gorges Dam, a massive hydro-elec-tric power station that spans China’sYangtze River.

Chinese-Canadian director YungChang’s award-winning 2007 documen-tary Up the Yangtze follows Yu Shui, apeasant girl attempting to support her fam-ily, and Chen Bo Yo, a slightly older,somewhat spoiled young man who wishesfor more than his parents can give him, asthe two work on a cruise ship that caters towealthy western tourists.

Chang supplements their experi-ences with interviews with Yu Shui’s fam-ily and residents whose villages will soonbe swept away by the rising waters. JiaZhang-ke approaches his acclaimed 2006drama

Still Life in much the same man-ner, follows two unrelated individuals, acoal miner (Han Sanming) and a nurse(Zhao Tao), as they search the decayingFengjie province for loved ones whosetrail has long since been eroded by theriver.

These films, each powerful in itsown right, prove even more poignant andmoving when viewed together.

The great strength of both filmslies in their refusal to actively champion aparticular point of view, as Yung Changand Jia Zhang-ke each allow the subjectmatter of their respective works to speakfor itself.

In addition to dramati-cally increasing the likelihood of their dis-tribution in China itself (Still Life debuteduncensored), this approach ironically pro-vides a far more effective criticism of theThree Gorges Project than any amount ofeditorializing could accomplish.

An interview with a shopkeeperin Yangtze begins with a rant about thedegeneration of youth, only to concludewith him breaking down and admitting hefeels more scared now than he can everremember being.

Other moments inYangtze are unsettling in their sheerabsurdity. Western tourists, dressed in sup-posedly “authentic” Chinese Imperialgarb, expound on the poverty, unequal dis-tribution of wealth, and exploitation of theworking class that they see around them,seemingly oblivious to their ownhypocrisy or even how ridiculous theylook.

Toward the end of thefilm, Yu Shui’s mother notes that their

relocation has moved the family from a lifeof subsistence farming to a more urbanenvironment where they struggle daily justto earn enough money to buy food. Eventhe economic realities that Yu Shui andChen Bo Yu face, that their best opportuni-ty for employment is to participate in anindustry that exploits their vanishinghomeland, comes across as simultaneouslyfarcical and infuriating.

The aptly-named Still Life pres-ents a world where the very act of living

has come to a nearly complete stop. Fengjie looks as if the construc-

tion of the dam has sapped whatever vital-ity the city once had, as buildings and peo-ple alike slowly crumble and collapse. Awoman told that her apartment has beencondemned replies sardonically that itsdemolition would be redundant, as thestructure is on the verge of falling down onits own. A day laborer’s absence is noticedonly when his cell phone rings from under-neath a pile of rubble.

Jia Zhang-ke juxtaposed thesedepressingly-banal images of a freeze-framed existence with surrealisticmoments such as a UFO skipping acrossthe tops of mountains. These seem jarring-ly out of place until a subsequent exampleof real world decadence renders the notionof a flying saucer quaint by comparison.

The most important “character”in both films is the Yangtze River itself. Itsslow, inevitable rise serves an idealmetaphor not only for an uncaring govern-ment bureaucracy but all number of life’schanges that can make the individual feelincredibly insignificant and utterly power-less.

In addition, the peculiarities ofthe regions chosen for Yangtze and StillLife create a sky where the Sun neverseems to rise to its peak, with the horizonpermanently darkened and overcast as aresult.

Yangtze in particular puts thesetwo elements to stunning use, concludingwith a time lapse that simultaneously visu-alizes the perpetually bleak sky and theriver’s relentless rise over the few remain-ing geographical features.

Up the Yangtze is available onDVD from Zeitgeist Films. Still Life isavailable from New Yorker Video. Up theYangtze has received a nomination forBest Documentary for the 2009 SpiritAwards. The awards will be broadcastFebruary 21 on IFC and AMC. Moreinformation is available atspiritawards.com.

photo courtesy of New Yorker Films

Top: A family poses in Up the Yangtze. Bottom: Still Life features a sky in whichthe sun never seems to rise to its peak.

HHiigghh MMuusseeuumm ssppoottlliigghhttss ffoollkk aarrttiisstt UUllyysssseess DDaavviissChelcie Juliet RowellEditor-in-Chief

While crowds flock to the Highfor China’s Terracotta Army and LouvreAtlanta, an unassuming trove of folksculpture native to Georgia awaits visitorsin the basement of the Stent Wing. “TheTreasure of Ulysses Davis,” on view at theHigh through April 5, 2009, features theplayful work of a Savannah barber andself-taught woodcarver.

Davis created a highly refinedbody of work that spanned all sorts ofsculptural genres. The exhibit includesportraits of U.S. and African leaders, reli-gious images, patriotic works, carvingsinfluenced by African forms, fantasy, floraand fauna, abstract decorative objects, andfurniture.

As different in form as the piecescan be, what unites the exhibit is the feel-ing for Ulysses Davis himself as a man ofhumor, faith, and rich imagination. “Inmany ways, Ulysses Davis’s artwork is aparadox,” says Susan Crawley, the High’sCurator of Folk Art. “Its sources couldrange from prosaic advertising images tothe artist’s extravagant imagination, itsmoods from whimsical fantasy to solemndignity, its forms from lavishly ornamental

to radically simplified. Yet despite theseextremes, it is always recognizable as his.”

Part of his gentle and humorousartistic sensibility comes across in friendand fello-sculptor Jimmy Allen’s descrip-tion of his sculptural process. “He wouldlook at the cane, and he would dig out a lit-tle bit more here and there, and then hewould look again, and…he would justchuckle to himself,” Allen said. “He was inanother space in that kitchen. It was sowonderful.”

The first thing to catch your eyein the gallery will probably be his series of40 carved busts of all the U.S. Presidentsthrough Georgia H.W. Bush (every presi-dent until the time of Davis’s death). Eachhead is about the size of two fists, and theyrange in color from Chai tea to dark coffee.The figures are slightly Africanized, thefaces somewhat reduced to angular planes,but individuals can still be picked out rightoff the bat, and not just if you know theorder of the presidents. I knew Tricky Dickby his garish smile, Lincoln by his gauntcheeks and sad eyes, and FDR by hisglasses and smile lines. Pay close attentionto their hair: Davis used his barber’s scis-sors to shape and pattern their coiffures.According to the security guard on dutywhen I visited, Davis used to joke, “I’ve

cut all the Presidents’ hair.”Around the corner are a selection

of Davis’s “Created Beasts’ and “Creaturesfrom another Planet.” Though Davisenjoyed a freedom of configuration evenwith the Presidents, here is where his 3-Dimagination really takes flight. “Beast withWings” is a snakelike creature with negli-gible hind legs who chomps the head ofanother snake in his alligator mouth. Hehas the horn of a unicorn, stiff dragonflywings, and red eyes that stare upwardinstead of forward. The golden beads thatline the crest of the creatures spine aresome of Davis’s beloved “twinklets,”beads taken from his wife’s cast-off dress-es that he used for decoration. Another oneof Davis’s creatures, a “Beast that DanielSaw,” looks coyly over her shoulder,breathing fire through jewel-encrustednostrils, and “flashes her dragon-ladynails,” as Curator Susan Crawley put it,smiling at the piece with fresh delight.

I finished my visit with anabstract piece called “Moses Going to theMountaintop.” Simply a column of gradu-ated golden spheres set atop a woodencube carved with flowers, the piece evokesa striving toward salvation through the cre-ation of something beautiful. Jimmy Allensays that, for Davis, the piece represented

the artist’s ascent to the heavenly sphere.The figure of Moses has been a favorite ofself-taught African-American artists for along time, and Davis is no exception.

Atlanta is lucky to have thechance to see so much of his body of work.Davis sold his pieces reluctantly—hewanted to teach his children history,mythology, and what a black man couldaccomplish. The exhibition at the Highbrings together 75 carvings from the King-Tisdell Cottage Foundation in Savannahwith a selection of pieces owned by othermuseums and private collectors. “Thesethings are very dear to me,” Davis said.“They’re a part of me…They’re my treas-ure.”

Photo Courtesy of the High MuseumUlysses Davis, Beast with Wings, c. 1988

Photo courtesy of the NFBC

Editors: Stephanie JefcoatSports

10 Sports The Stormy Petrel February 16, 2009

Stephanie JefcoatSports Editor

Dear Readers,Have you ever wondered what all

the terms and numbers mean in the sportsgames you watch? Do you have questionsabout how a certain sport works? Well theStormy Petrel Sports section is here toanswer your questions.

As a new column on the Sportspage, I would like to answer any questionsyou have about any sport out there. I real-ize we don’t all have a spectacular knowl-edge of the inner workings of the sports wewatch every day. So I would like you to

email me your sports inquiries to be a partof a question and answer session in eachnew issue.

You can send your questions tosjefcoat@oglethorpe.edu. Please emailyour questions no matter how simple orcomplicated. All questions published willremain anonymous. Together we can fig-ure out the sometimes confusing world ofsports and learn to love them even more.

UpcomingHomeGames

Baseball vs. Atlanta Christian

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 4:00 & 7:00 p.m.

Baseball vs. Emory

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 5:00 p.m.

Baseball vs. Ferrum

Friday, Feb. 20, 2:00 p.m.

Baseball vs. York CollegeSaturday, Feb. 21,

4:00 p.m.

Baseball vs. Franklin College

Saturday, Feb. 21, 7:00 p.m.

Men/Women’s Tennis vs. USC-Lancaster

Sunday, Feb. 22, 10:00 a.m.

Baseball vs. N.C. WesleyanSunday, Feb. 22,

11:00 a.m.

Baseball vs. LaGrange

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 3:00 p.m.

NNeeww CCoolluummnn:: QQuueessttiioonnss && AAnnsswweerrss

Score BoxSEASON RECORDS

Men’s Basketball: 14-7

Women’s Basketball: 19-2

Men’s Tennis: 1-1

Listen Live online

to your favorite OU athletic events! Brought to you by The Petrel Sports Network.

wwwwww.oglethorpe.edu/athletics/listen_live.asp .oglethorpe.edu/athletics/listen_live.asp

Email your sportsquestions to

sjefcoat@oglethorpe.edu

LLaaddyy PPeettrreellss ddoommiinnaattee tthhee ccoouurrttss

Photos by Jen Riley

Editors: Laura Braddick & Mary Claire GillisHindsight

February 16, 2009 The Stormy Petrel Hindsight 11

Marian JamesContributing Senior

Dear Oglethorpe,I guess it’s about that time again.

Most of us seniors have started to sweatvisibly at the thought of (a) getting a job,and (b) getting a job that will actually payus enough money to live. Fear no longer!I’ve prepared a list detailing the remainingavailable jobs for each major. Also includ-ed is a snapshot of a typical day on the job,because The Stormy Petrel is thoughtfullike that. Underclassmen, please considerthe following a guide to choosing yourperfect major, based on your desired careertrajectory.

Fifth years:This is your perfect opportunity to writeanother Hindsight. “Aha! The perfectexcuse to pull some more shenanigans!”

English majors: Starbucks, baby. “I wonder how many dif-ferent ways I can spell Bob.”

Theater majors:Batman at Six Flags over Georgia. “I wishI could have a role like the Joker.”

Math majors: Cashiers at the Gap. “Why do we needthese stupid registers anyway? It’s fasterto do 7% sales tax in my head.”

Communications majors:Telemarketing. “Good-afternoon-ma’am-my-name-is-Suzy-and-I’d-like-to-talk-to-you-about-your-credit-card-debt.”

Art majors: Photo developing technician at CVS.“These nudes are totally over-exposed, andthey should have used the wide-anglelens.”

Chemistry majors: Welcome to the wonderful world of ‘urbanchemical engineering’, for fun and profit.“I wish I could buy bigger packs ofSudafed.”

Biology majors:Road-kill scrapers on the 75/85 Connector.“I’m pretty sure I dissected this same cat inanatomy...”

Physics majors:Baggage handlers at Hartsfield-Jackson.“If the volume of the blue bag is 25 liters,then it will fit right here. It’s just likeTetris!”

Business major:Managers at QuikTrip. “All right! Firstdibs on the two-for-one cigarettes!”

Environmental Studies majors (and allyou recycling kids):Waste management specialist. That meansgarbage collectors. “Why can’t I work atthe CDC like Jessica?”

Philosophy majors:That Guy™ on the MARTA. “God isdead, man. Got some change? God blessyou, man.”

Psychology majors:Sympathetic Bartender. “My wife leftme... can I get another double?”

Biopsychology majors:Research subjects. “Wait, what do youwant to cut off of me?”

History majors:Medieval Times wench. “Dammit, Dr.Maher made history so sexy.”

Economics majors:No hope for you kids, sorry. The economycalled in sick. “The closest I can get toeconomy these days is the Costco pack oftoilet paper.”

American Studies majors: Reenaactor at Colonial Williamsburg.“Tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1775.”

Accounting majors: Accountants, duh. You lucky rich bas-tards. “Waiter, bring me the magnum ofCristal, please.”

Art History majors:Let’s be real for a second. The only wayout of this one is to do more school. “Dearall of the saints in this painting, please helpme get in! Amen.”

Sociology majors:Professional mall rat and people watcher.“I’m fascinated by the social rituals sur-rounding fry consumption across varyingsocioeconomic strata in this food court.”

Language majors:Voulez vous manger des escargots,madame?

International Studies majors:Trying to pick up foreign hotties by hatin’on America. “Atlanta’s so blasé. Wait, Ithink I left all my euros in my other moneybelt. Can you cover these drinks, miamor?”

Education majors:YMCA camp counselor. “Jimmy! I toldyou to stop eating the acorns!”

I’d love to go on, but unfortunate-ly I have to finish a job search of my own.(HELP!) The point is, you’re probably notgoing to land your dream job on the firstgo around, but at least you’ll be able toavoid living under a sketchy overpass.Whatever your specialty, there’s a job outthere for you, even if it’s scraping cats offthe interstate. Work hard, bust your a-star-star, and do the best you can. You’ll learnsomething, you’ll pay your bills (hi SallieMae!), and your mom will be proud ofyou.

DDrreeaamm jjoobbss ccrruusshheedd iinn ppoooorr eeccoonnoommyy?? FFeeaarr nnoott..

Meetings are Mondays at 8:00 p.m. in the Tower officeacross from the mailboxes in Emerson.

No experience is necessary. Applications are available inthe black box outside the Stormy Petrel Office. Please

attach a non-fiction writing sample when you submit yourapplication. Email the Editor-in-Chief, Chelcie Rowell, at

stormypetrel@oglethorpe.edu with any questions.

The Stormy Petrel isin search of

a few good writers,and we want

YOU!

12 Hindsight The Stormy Petrel February 16, 2009

Love Potion # 9Love Potion # 9

1 oz vanilla vodka1/2 oz white crèmede cacao1/2 cup frozenstrawberries1 scoop of vanilla icecream1/2 cup icestrawberry for garnish

Pour all ingredientsinto blender and mixuntil smooth.

Enjoy with yoursweetheart or bitterfriends.

LLeetttteerr ffrroomm tthhee EEddiittoorr:: ggiivviinngg ttoo tthhee SSeenniioorr CCaammppaaiiggnnHave you have ever attended a

class taught here at Oglethorpe by a pro-fessor you love? Have you have everchecked out books from the library oraccessed articles from online databases?Have you have ever used one of the com-puter labs on campus? Have you everreceived an Oglethorpe need-based grantor an annual or endowed scholarship?

If you can answer yes to any ofthese questions, then you have benefitedfrom the Oglethorpe Fund and the dona-tions of Oglethorpe alumni, although youprobably didn’t realize it. Needless to say,I think this applies to all of us. Now is yourchance to give something back before yougraduate, so that current and future stu-dents receive the same opportunities thatwe did, and hopefully even more.

’09 for OU is a campaign askingseniors to make small gifts to the universi-ty before we burst out of the OglethorpeBubble. Tuition does not nearly cover allthe expenses of running our school, andOglethorpe relies on donors like us to helpmake it happen. Contributions to theSenior Campaign will support manyaspects of university life, from scholar-ships and student programs to facultydevelopment and new facilities. Our giftswill help to fund some of the school’s mostimmediate needs, including financial aidfor students and faculty compensation.

Traditionally, graduating seniorshave made monetary gifts that match theirclass year—$20.08 for the Class of 2008,for example. If only 50 seniors out of ourclass gave $20.09 to the Senior Campaign,we would raise $1,004.50 to contribute tothe Oglethorpe Fund. If 75 seniors gave$20.09, we would raise $1,506.75.

If you are not able to give $20.09this year, your gift will still make a differ-ence. When Oglethorpe approaches foun-dations and corporation to ask for grantsfor our schools, one of the first questionspotential donors ask is, “What percentageof alumni give?” To use the same exam-ples as above, if 50 students out of ourclass of 141 gave something, 35% of ourclass would have made a contribution. If

75 students gave even as little as $5 each,that percentage would be up to 53%. Bymaking a gift, however small, you willdemonstrate to potential donors that you

care enough about your experience atOglethorpe to help support the experienceof other students, and your gift will helpthe university to secure even larger dona-

tions. Giving begets giving in a very liter-al sense.

If you want to know where yourgift is going, there is a place on the dona-tion envelope to specify greatest need,scholarship support, faculty initiatives, orbuildings and grounds. In addition, youcan give in honor or memory of someonespecial to you, such as a classmate, a pro-fessor, or a family member.

We came to Oglethorpe, and notto Davidson or Rhodes or Oberlin or wher-ever else, for a reason. Oglethorpe is work-ing to bring its endowment to the samelevel as that of other liberal arts schools wecompete with for students, faculty, andfoundation funding. But in the meantime,the Annual Fund functions as a “livingendowment,” covering expenses that sup-port all facets of an Oglethorpe education.It’s time to remember why we came toOglethorpe and to give what we can so thatother students can share the same experi-ence.

’09 for OU is not just about ask-ing the senior class to give—it’s also aboutgiving back to you! We’re planning someawesome senior class events before gradu-ation. Many of you attended the Wine andCheese Kick-off Party in the Museum onOglethorpe Day or saw us at theHomecoming games giving out freekoozies. Go ahead and mark your calen-dars for a Senior Roast on March 11. Notonly will there be a bonfire, beer, and burg-ers, but we’ll invite professors to “roast”the Class of 2009. Senior Week (the weekbefore graduation) will include theCarillon Ceremony (each graduating sen-ior gets to ring one of the bells in the towerof Lupton!) and a reception for seniors atthe President’s house. Be there!

To suggest more ideas for seniorevents or to make a contribution, just con-tact one of your gorgeous SeniorCampaign Agents, pictured here. Let’swork to make our last semester rock and toleave a legacy of giving.

Chelcie RowellEditor-in-Chief & Senior Campaign Agent

Photo by Jen RileyYour gorgeous Senior Campaign Agents gather together at the Class of 2009 Wine& Cheese Party. From left: Stephanie Laubscher, Chelcie Rowell, Sandhya Joshi,Ember Melcher, Lauretta Williams, Laura Braddick, Jessica Daniel, and John“Pete” Martin III.

If only 50 seniors out of our class gave $20.09 tothe Senior Campaign, we would raise $1,004 tocontribute to the Oglethorpe Fund. If 75 seniors

gave $20.09, we would raise $1,506.