The woods are about to get a lot more crowded because hunting season is back in full swing in Alabama. October 15th marked the opening day for the 2015-2016 bow season and gun season is expected to start November 17th.
Even though hunting is a sport, there are many rules and regulations a hunter must consider in order to guarantee the safety of himself and other hunters. Sport hunter Stone Pritchett has been hunting for almost 14 years and during those years, he has found ways to ensure his safety in the woods.
Stone Shooting His Bow
"With firearms make sure the gun is unloaded at all times up until you’re
in the tree stand or shooting house," says Pritchett. "Make sure the gun is unloaded when you’re leaving the stand or the
shooting house." Firearms and bows aren't the only dangerous aspects of hunting...climbing up a tree stand and shooting from the stand is also a risky choice. "It’s easy to fall out of the stand, to slip, and if you have that safety
harness on there it’ll catch you and keep you from falling 15, 20, 30 feet," says Pritchett.
Stone Securing Himself to Tree
In addition to being aware of your own safety, a hunter must know if he has peers out in the woods with him. This can be solved by communicating and wearing orange clothing or hats. Safety is clearly a main concern when hunting, but bringing personal necessities is a must too. Sport hunter David Pritchett suggests bringing handkerchiefs, snacks and layers of clothing when heading out to the woods for the day.
Layers of Clothing
"I always like to wear plenty of warm clothes and I always bring plenty
of warm socks. If your feet ever get cold, you’re miserable," says David Pritchett. For more information on hunting safety click here.
In the start of any college career designs have to be made. For art majors a big decision is whether or not to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA).
“If you want to get the most studio exposure,
and learn the most about studio art, you want to do the BFA anyways," said graduating senior Amy George.
"It took much longer than the BA’s and BS’s. I
found that out the hard way but I feel like it was worth it to keep going."
Amy George works on one of her paintings for her BFA show.
Chair of the art department, professor Scott Stephens says the BFA is more specify and is good for students who want true studio experience.
“The BFA, its all art, all the time," Stephens said.
The BFA track begins in Freshman year and is made up of three different reviews. The foundation review which test basic art concepts. the concentration review which test students in their chosen concentration and the BFA exhibition review. A review on their final product, the BFA show.
“I like the review process its actually pretty
fun," George said. “Its scary but I enjoy it.
Rebecca White said her show is the first to open and it will be dedicated to her mother who recently passed away.
All BFA exhibitions are held in the gallery on the first floor of Bloch Hall on Sundays.
More information about the BFA exhibitions can be found here.
College campus shootings have become very rampant this year with the total reaching as high as 24 this year with 5 in this last month. These recent string of violence has left many student here afraid of what could happen at Montevallo.
From the University of South Carolina were 1 person was killed to Nothern Arizona University where 1 person was killed and 3 were injured to Umpqua Community College where 9 died and 9 were injured. 2015 has been the year of school shootings.
Robin White/ Student (It's hard to tell who's going to be next .You don't know when someone is going to lash out and do something, it may not involve you but you couls be involved in an incident that takes place.
There have been 5 shooting this past month with the most recent being last Thursday at Tennessee State University where one person was killed and two injured.
Chief of Police Chadd Adams says that University Campuses are still the safest place to be. He also said in case of an active shooter use the three steps run, hide, fight!
The students were deeply sadden by the tragic incidents that have occurred on these college campuses. Two of the student offered a special message for the victims and there family.
For more information on what to do in case of an active shooter Chief Adams say to check out their website click here. Also if you would like to know moe about the school shooting here!
With the spring semester quickly
approaching, it’s time for students to start meeting with their advisors for
spring registration.
I spoke with Dr.TyAnn
Lindell, Executive Director of the Academic Success Center, and Mass
Communication Professor Dr. Randall K. Scott, and they both gave tips on how
students should prepare before meeting with their advisors.
Dr. Lindell says students should already have
an idea of classes they want to take when they meet with their advisor. This small
tip could save advisors, who are very busy this time of the year, lots of time.
Dr. Lindell also advises students who want to change their major to go ahead
and do so, and not wait unit they meet with their current advisors. She says
the classes for majors with lots of students tend to fill up quickly, and if
you wait you might not get the classes you want.
Another tip is to not wait
until the last minute to register for classes. Dr. Scott says it’s best to meet
with your advisor as soon as possible so that you are ready register on the
first day you are able to.
For those who have a senior status not graduating in
December, Dr. Lindell says you shouldn’t assume anything about how your courses
have been applied by the Registrar. She says assumption is a common reason some
seniors do not graduate.
To check which requirements you have met and which you
have remaining you can use the degree evaluation tool in banner which is also
referred to as CAPP (curriculum, advising and program planning). For more
information on CAPP and how to use it click here
Pre-registration Dates
-Nov. 4, 5—Seniors (90+ earned hours.)
-Nov. 6, 9—Juniors (60-89 earned hours) and Seniors.
-Nov. 10, 11—Sophomores (30-59 earned hours), Juniors, and Seniors.
They came, they swam, they conquered. Montevallo's fraternities and sororities flooded into the Student Activity Center pool on October 22 for the annual Delta Gamma Anchor Splash.
Teams competed in a wide variety of relays that tested both their endurance and patience. The "wet t-shirt" relay required swimmers to put on a giant t-shirt before hitting the water, and at the end quickly give the shirt to their partner before the race could continue.
Teams compete in "Save the Mermaid"
"Save the mermaid" is a definite crowd favorite in relays. Greek teams band together to pull a sorority sister on an inflatable dolphin, while trying desperately to avoid her falling into the pool's depths.
The largest part of the night's competition didn't focus on speed or stamina though. Synchronized swimming was a huge part of the evening and gave teams an outlet to show their flair for dramatics.
The types of performances were as varied as the Greeks performing them. While pairing costumes, music and moves the teams did their best to impress the judges while also showing their love for Delta Gamma.
Fiji performs their synchronized swim act
The winners of the synchronized swimming portion were Lambda Chi, with an animal themed show, and Chi Omega, with a patriotic performance.
The overall winners of the 2015 Anchor Splash, through a combination of relay and synchronized swimming points, were Alpha Kappa Lambda (AKL) and Phi Mu.
While teams were out for a fun evening, there was also an even more important reason behind for the event. "Anchor Splash is Delta Gamma's philanthropy event benefitting Service for Sight" said Kacy Sanders, the event director.
Service for Sight is Delta Gamma's nonprofit philanthropy that helps blind or visually impaired children learn the skills they need to succeed.
Anchor Splash raised $917 for the nonprofit through this year's ticket sales.
On October 15th, students were given the chance to learn more about organizations on campus by attending the first International Walk. The event was hosted by the Amnesty International Club and took place on Main Quad. A replica of Art Walk, the event consisted of many clubs setting up tables and selling various items such as baked goods, crafts, and popular henna tattoos.
Students at the International Walk
Each organization was also asked to create a tri-fold poster board display containing information about the club and how it relates to culture diversity.
The event allowed for participating groups such as the Trio Program, Harry Potter Club, and Anime Club, to raise money for themselves and obtain more awareness on campus. "It allows clubs to get more members and more publicity," said KanJella Dancer, a member of the Trio program. " We got to meet interesting club members here and you find interesting things."
A student learns more about the TRIO Program
Happy with the amount of participants, members of Amnesty were elated with how the event turned out and would like to see another International Walk next year. "I would love to do it again," said Vice President of Amnesty, Kristin Mize. " And I heard a few other people say they enjoyed it and that they would enjoy to participate again." Thinking positive, Amnesty hopes that the next one will be bigger and better.
If you would like to learn more about the Amnesty International Club, click here .
To learn more about the organizations on campus in general, click here .
While exams may be stressful to students, the University of Montevallo counseling center offers a myriad of ways for students to make it through midterms and finals.
At the end of each semester for the last few years, the counseling center has invited Hand in Paw to visit and let students play and pet their problems away. This year, the pups paid a surprise visit for midterms.
Dogs Cody and Molly travel to different college and hospital campuses all over the state of Alabama to provide animal assisted therapy to those in need. Molly's owner, Barbara Blair, says she sees a notable difference in the effect of the pups. "It's so nice just to watch some of the students sit and relax with dogs, maybe for the first time in weeks," Blair said.
Hand in Paw's Molly visits UM
The pups bring their own handouts and business cards for students to keep on their fridges as a reminder that everything will be alright.
To learn more about the Montevallo counseling services, clock here.
And to learn more about Hand in Paw, check out their website here.
With the 2016 election in full swing, students have made an effort to show support for their favorite presidential candidates. College Democrats member and University of Montevallo student Daniel Deriso has taken it upon himself to bring candidate Bernie Sanders' campaign one step closer to Montevallo.
Students gather for a picture with the 'Bern Machine'
So why is Senator Sanders receiving such a large following in college students? "For one, one of his plans is free public college tuition," Daniel says.
Others, like student Lily Elmore, say Bernie is obviously not a "political puppet" like other presidential candidates.
Daniel first started his group 'Montevallo Students for Bernie' in May with the help of Alabama for Sanders, based in Birmingham.
Daniel has also organized several events in support of Senator Sanders' campaign, including a voter registration sign-up and the largest debate watching party in support of Bernie sanders in the state.
Students wish Senator Sanders luck at a debate watching party.
On October fourth, the University of Montevallo welcomed Paul Sasso, the owner of the 'Bern Machine,' a Telsa driven around by Sasso in support of Sanders' campaign.
Lily Elmore says Montevallo was one of Sasso's favorite stops in the country because of how quickly the event was planned and how passionate the attendees were.
However, with Hillary Clinton neck-in-neck with Senator Sanders, College Democrats president Quincy Hall says they will support whomever wins the Democratic primary.
For more information on Montevallo Students for Bernie, click here. For more information on Bernie Sander's presidential campaign, click here.
It is important to not only keep a healthy mind, but a healthy body as well. The students and faculty at the University of Montevallo are privileged to have a large variety of foods to choose from on a daily basis.
Lunch time in the Anna Ervin Dining Hall, UM.
When a full time student is cramming for midterms, or finals, they sometimes do not think
about what their diet is consisting of. It is very easy to grab a couple of slices of cheese pizza
and a soda for lunch every single day, but constantly maintaining a diet that is full of sugar,
fat and carbohydrates will eventually catch up to you physically and mentally.Oliver Head, a UM
student, even stated, "It's a lot harder to eat healthier while I'm at college". Since students are sometimes deprived of room in there day to make wise dietary decisions, the university tries to help where they can by offering healthy options.
UM's dining facilities have continued to make improvements on what they are serving to the customers.When it comes to the quality of UM's cafeteria food quality, Executive Chef of UM's Anna
Ervin Dining Hall, Jason Quarles, had this to say, " Most of our vegetables we cook are steamed or roasted; we don't do very much fried food; you will see a lot more baked or braised, and a lot more uses of vegetables like kale and fresh brussel sprouts".
Anna Ervin Dining Hall offers a healthy salad bar.
The Anna Ervin Dining Hall gives the customer the choice to either eat healthy or not. So what should
students pick for their lunch time snack when they do not have time to sit down for a full course meal? Maybe grab a delicious apple, or a cup full of shelled nuts instead of those fattening foods and candy bars.
Fresh fruit is always served at UM's dining hall.
UM not only offers a spacious and plentiful cafeteria, but if you're looking for a tasty bagel,or if you have a hankering for a a stuffed burrito then swing by the Student Life Center
where you will find Moe's Southwest Grill and Einstein Bagels. UM wants their students to be prepared for the
Students relaxing at UM's Student Life Center
challenges that the world brings when graduation day is in the rear view mirror,and in order to do
that, they must provide not only the best essentials for a high
quality education, but the best essentials for a high quality diet as well.
If you wish to learn more about UM's dining facilities click here
Want to learn more about maintaining a healthy diet in college? click here
The Men's Baseball Team here at the University of Montevallo uses the fall to get in shape and form chemistry and Identity before the real season begins in the Spring.
However, with being allowed one month out of the fall to get on the field and practice its apparent that they get as much done as possible to prepare his team for what it will be like when spring practice starts in January.
The Baseball team uses this one month of practice to make it as "in-season" as possible, especially for the younger guys to get that experience. Head Coach Chandler Rose says the season is still far away and they can't lose focus because of that:
"Its getting to that point point where practice is boring and kind of mondane and is this is where as a team we've got a do a good job of keeping our intensity and focus."
As a collective group Coach Rose loves what he sees so far from his team and can see the team chemistry forming before his eyes.
Its a positive fall so far for the falcons as they hope to end on a solid note next week for the Fall World Series which is a 3-game split squad series between the team for bragging rights to end the fall.
The Falcons begin their season on January 29, as they travel down to the panhandle to take on St. Leo in a 3 game Series.
For more information on the falcons visit their team page here
The
Life Raft Debate is a highly anticipated annual event for the
University of Montevallo, and its popularity only grows with each
passing year. The eighteenth year of the debate brought the highest
turnout in its history, and that was not the only record set. This
year’s winner, Devil’s Advocate Dr. Scott Varagona was crowned the victor
for the second time in the debate’s history. This marks the second time
in the debate’s eighteen years that a Devil’s Advocate has won.
Filled with witty barbs and scholarly insights about life itself, this year’s debate was one of a kind. One of the more popular insights came from Varagona himself stating the importance of independence and self-reliance when it comes to surviving in this world. His words struck home with more than a few members of the hypothetical life raft society, ensuring his historic second victory.
If you're interested in seeing the full debate, watch on youtube here. Also, don't forget to like the UM Life Raft Facebook page.
The newest construction project going on at the University of Montevallo is that of a outdoor amphitheater. This is actually not a brand new construction but a continuation of one started a long time ago.
The amphitheater has, for all intended purposes, has been a project in the works. The original design was thought of in the 1930's and construction didn't start until 1937 and 1938.
The outline of the amphitheater has been around for a long time, but over that time a lot of the brick outline was buried under ground.
It took some time and a lot of research but Directory of the Physical Plant at UM, Billy Hughes, found those bricks with the help of blueprints of the original layout.
Still under construction but they have currently installed around 50,000 bricks. Hughes says they would need about another 30,000 bricks to finish up the walk ways leading to college drive.
The outdoor amphitheater will be able to hold many different events in its current location.
Events such as; plays, bands, weddings, and even possibly the graduation ceremony for UM. The finished product should be done within the next few months.
If you would like to make a donation to the building of the amphitheater click here.
College can be a hard transition for new students. Even transitioning from a junior college to a four year university can be tough.
For young women who go through recruitment this transition is sometimes easier. Recruitment allows women to meet other new students with the similar interests and hobbies.
Chi Omega Bid Day 2015
After recruitment is over new members of Chi Omega are given "owl pals". The active member owl pal gives her new member things such as the Chi Omega Symphony and owls to express the love the active has for Chi O.
This process goes on for about four weeks and over that time the owl pals change each week. the week before big little reveal the active and new members write down who they want as their big or little.
This usually happens on a Friday and the active finds out who her little is later that evening. The Monday of reveal week begins with clues that actives give their little until the Friday night when reveal happens.
This year for reveal bigs got matching socks for them and their littles and held up blankets then dropped them to reveal who they were.
Chi Omega Big Little Reveal 2015
The big little process isn't just about gifts and Chi Omega goodies. It's about being a role model and helping a new member through her college years. It's about creating memories and a long lasting friendship that will never die.
Click here for more information on the Tau Kappa Chapter of Chi Omega at Montevallo
If you're struggling in some of your classes or need help developing better study habits there is a place on campus that might interest you. Located on the bottom floor of the library the learning enrichment center has been helping students improve their grades since 2009. The learning enrichment center offers free tutoring to current University of Montevallo students. The center offers individual tutoring,small group tutoring, and they also offer assessments to better determine what services may be best for you. To apply for services students can apply on the enrichment center's website or they can visit the center and apply at the kiosk located near the information by desk. The center is open Monday through Thursday from eight a.m through six p.m. and on Friday from eight a.m. to four p.m. There are some special sessions that start as late as eight p.m. According to the centers director Randi Tubbs there are 35 peer tutors available to assist students. For more information you can click here
The cast of "The Rocky Horror Show" is preparing for their upcoming production by working out and getting into shape.
The show is vocally and physically demanding, and director Marcus Lane hopes implanting the workout plan will help the cast stay in shape and build stamina.
"It's all about stamina," Lane said. "Particularly for my chorus who's on stage about 90 percent of the time. They're singing, they're moving, they're really active and they need to be as strong at the ending as they are in the beginning." The cast is seeing their stamina building and the changes the workouts are already making. Tahauny Cleghorn, Phantom/ chorus, says she she not only sees the changes in herself but her fellow cast members as well.
Michael Cleary who plays Brad Majors holds his pose
“My stamina is up a lot
more from where it was and I can see that across the cast," Cleghorn said. "We’re not breathing
as heavy after going through a whole song." Jen Lane, Marcus' wife is a fitness coach and leads the cast in a daily 30 minute workout at the beginning of rehearsals every night. She says they're intense but create results fast. "You don't have to spend two hours in the gym to be healthy and make progress," Jen said “In just 30 minutes, or even
20 minutes sometimes, you can really get a great workout." Marcus said he likes doing the workouts during rehearsal to know that the cast is still working and trying to reach their physical goals.
Jared Wright, Riff Raff, says it helps him stay accountable and gives the cast another bonding opportunity that has been unlike other casts he has been a part of. "Your not doing it by yourself. I feel like when you're by yourself you just make yourself give up," Wright said. "When you're with your cast and friends everyones pushing hard and you go for it."
Marcus says he hopes to continue doing a workout with other casts and other shows. Not only will it help them within the shows but in their professional lives as well. He said being fit is a large part of being a working actor in today's society.
"I'm not in to changing body types," he said. "But, I am in to being as fit as you can be in your personal body type."
"The Rocky Horror Show" opens Nov. 11 and runs until Nov. 15. Tickets will go on sale a week before the shows begin.
For more information on "The Rocky Horror" show and the UM theatre department click here for their website or like their Facebook page here.
October is National Fire Prevention Month. This month is dedicated to teaching individuals about the importance of fire prevention and safety. During the month, fire fighters nation-wide will chose to inform individuals about this in different ways.
On Saturday, October 3. The City of Montevallo held their annual Fire Prevention Parade. This event is the kickoff to Fire Prevention Week.
"Fire prevention week is established the second week of October to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire," said Fire Marshall Brandon Broadhead.
Smokey the Bear during the Parade
The parade included the Montevallo High School Marching Band, local officials, various citizens, and youth organizations.
Many citizens enjoy the parade and the message it is portraying. Local barbershop owner Edward Patrick has witnessed the parade for years.
"The thing i like most is seeing the kids have fun and learn about fire safety. It's something everyone needs to be aware of and they need to now how to take precautions if one does happen," he said.
At the conclusion of the parade, citizens gathered at Orr Park for Fire Safety Day. There they learned about how dangerous fires can be, and steps they can take to prevent fires from occurring.
Firefighters putting out display fire.
At the end of the day display was shown, that signified the difference a fire detector and sprinklers can make opposed to having none.
Due to the state of Alabama having the most deaths due to fire last year. Fire officials really want to inform as many as possible about the importance of fire prevention.
To learn more about fire prevention week please click here..
Montevallo game room is a place were the students can go to escape the pressures of classes and relax and play a few games. Its a wondrous place full of Wii's, X-Boxes and a PS4.
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A popular game among the students is Smash Bros a lot of students love the game and there is always a group in their playing. The students that call the game room home say its a place were you can meet finds and just be your self .
The game room is located on the bottom floor of Farmer Hall, which is the central hub for all student activities. It hours are Monday through Saturday 2PM TO 12AM and Sunday 5pm to 10 pm.
The game room also comes with a Dance Revolution machine, Pool Table and a Air Hockey table
Click here for more information on Montevallo's Game Room.
Games aren't something one would normally associate with a thriving career. The Game Study and Design program at the University of Montevallo wants to change that though.
The GSD program is a minor that focuses on the history, creation, and testing of games. These range from classic board games to the latest and greatest of video games. Students are taught the origins of games, how to create their own games, and how to go about creating a career in the gaming field.
One student who took the program's advice to heart is Garrett Roth, an English major. Roth never expected to be making games as a profession. "I'd always wanted to make games, but that was kind of a tertiary thing for me," he said, "Like I was just going to do that as a hobby. That all changed when Amy George, a GSD student, convinced Roth to join the minor.
Garrett Roth and Amy George playtesting Ollie's Game
Soon after, the duo began working on an important game at the request of University's President Dr. John Stewart.
A faculty member, Dr. Meredith Tetloff, had a son, John Oliver (also known as Ollie), who was fighting cancer and enjoyed games. Dr. Stewart asked the GSD program to create him something to help his hospital stays a little better.
"We did a sumer dedicated to creating Ollie's Game, just for him," said Dr. Cathlena Martin, assistant professor of Game Study and Design. The game was made to be quick, cooperative, and small enough to fit on a hospital tray.
With the guidance of Dr. Martin, Roth and George worked throughout a summer semester to complete a card game for Ollie, who was now being called "Ollie the Brave" because of his positive attitude throughout the ordeal. The game focused on two of Ollie's passions, deep sea and space, and featured art by George that was bright and playful.
Although the team was nearing completion of Ollie's Game, it wasn't finished fast enough. John Oliver Tetloff passed away in July 2014 at the age of 7.
John Oliver "Ollie" Tetloff during a hospital visit
George and Roth are now in talks with a gaming company interested in producing a mass market version of their game.
The company in question wants to keep Ollie's Game's origin story alive. They also plan to donate a percentage of the sales to cancer research charities.
The Game Study and Design program plans to continue to grow, and hopes to have a major option in the future. They currently use Ollie's Game as an example of successfully implemented game design.
