Throughout the show, Peterson stayed true to Williams’ vision, and audiences experienced the original story in its purest form.

Set in the 1930s, the story revolves around the Wingfields, a family desperately holding out for a miracle. The underlying message throughout the play was that it isn’t right to judge people for their decisions when you have not walked in their shoes.

Peterson believes the story easily relates to today. Though the characters in “The Glass Menagerie” experience heartbreak, Williams’ text is filled with the ideas of hope and perseverance.

Ultimately, Peterson wanted the audience to walk away with the themes the story offers – fantasy versus reality, family and self-discovery.

“The Glass Menagerie” is also unique because the narrator breaks the fourth wall, which wasn’t the norm when Williams wrote the play in 1944.

Several students embraced the play’s three-dimensional characters.

Senior Daniel Farias played Tom Wingfield.

“Daniel is mature beyond his years; he identifies with the characters’ craving for adventure and is a joy to work with,” Peterson said.

Chelsie Burks, who recently starred in SU’s production of “Big Fish”, played the legendary role of Amanda Wingfield, Tom’s mother who longs to retreat to the days of Southern gentility. This was Burks’ first time playing a role in this production, but she is familiar with the story and Amanda’s character.

“The role is a challenge. From playing a significantly older character to following the emotional rollercoaster of Amanda, I have had to devote a lot of time and attention to my character development,” Burks said.

Peterson picked Burks for the role because she thought Burks could handle Amanda’s motherly nature.

“She has a maternal essence and embodies the humor and comedy that Amanda has,” Peterson said about Burks.

Much like Peterson, Burks also believes this is a relatable story that brings the real-life issues of past and present to the stage.

“I hope the audience can take away both the hurt and love that this family experiences with one another. Each character has a dream and sometimes the desire to achieve their goals overtakes their lives, creating tension and turmoil,” Burks said.

Freshman Genna Williams plays Tom’s sister, Laura Wingfield. Peterson praised both the character and Genna’s ability to personify the “embodiment of hopefulness and vulnerability” in Laura’s character. To complete the small cast, Freshman Blaise Phillips played The Gentleman Caller.

“Blaise brings a certain swag to this role; he is a charming introvert,” Peterson said.

The cast had been rehearsing for six weeks before audiences witnessed the tragic, yet honest portrayal of life during performances.

Once showtime rolled around, Peterson wanted to communicate the realism in poetry that Williams achieved.

One of Peterson’s favorite quotes from the play is, “But here there was only hot swing music and liquor, dance halls, bars, and movies, and sex that hung in the gloom like a chandelier and flooded the world with brief, deceptive rainbows.” To Peterson, the quote presents rainbows as the metaphor for quickly fading illusions that the characters live in.

Erica Ray
Staff Writer
erica.ray@hawks.shorter.edu

Antonino and Adal will both be participating in the May 5, 2017, graduation ceremony at SU. Antonio is receiving his master’s degree in business administration, and Adal is receiving a bachelor’s degree in human services. The two say the accomplishments is something they’ve worked hard for and anticipate.

Both Adal and Antonio are currently full-time, online students. They both found the online classes to fit perfectly around their schedules, which pushed them to stay on top of their work. Though they’ve been students together, they chose different degree paths to suit their callings.

“The reason I chose MBA was because I want to graduate with a degree that could lead to quick employment. The demands for business graduates are high,” Antonio said.

Adal had originally enrolled in classes for social work when she was younger, but she delayed her education so that she could raise her son.

After Antonio started college courses and began his bachelor’s degree, Adal said God told her that it was time for her to return to school and finish what she had started years earlier. She enrolled in the Georgia Military School online program and received her associate degree in social work in 2014. That same year Antonio graduated from Georgia Southern University with a general education degree and began work right away.

Not long after, both Antonio and Adal decided they wanted more education and needed to secure their future.

Adal started looking for programs, and with her advisor’s help, she came across Shorter University.

After reviewing what Shorter had to offer, Adal knew she found the Christian values, professors and classes she had been looking for.

Shorter’s human services degree caught her attention, and it was the perfect fit for her interests.

Adal thought the option to study online would work best for Antonio as well.

Though Antonio started school one year prior to his mother, they will still graduate and walk together.

With Adal’s degree, she hopes to run her own transitional house to help those in need. She feels God has called her to do this work, and she will most likely pursue her master’s in social work/human services.

The Bells believe they can achieve anything when they work together.

Their family has completely supported each other every step of the way.

“I do believe that attending the same college together has indeed brought us closer together. When classes got a little intense, we could draw support from one another by saying hang on in there, you can do it, it will pay off in the end,” Adal said.

Antonio is Adal’s only child and she is honored to share this experience of walking with him at graduation. The May 5 graduation will be the Bells’ first time being near Shorter’s campus.

“It has been a challenging but fun experience for us. The classes and professors are amazing and we both love Shorter,” Adal said.

Erica Ray
Staff Writer
erica.ray@hawks.shorter.edu

The recent ticketing campaign leaves concerns for students who feel it is still a long walk to the main buildings, especially when they need to use the library or computer labs. Bass residents are making the argument that on afternoons when school has ended, there are numerous available spots in commuter lots.

In response, sophomore music major Becky Fowler created an online petition in hopes of solving the parking problem. Fowler is not a resident in Bass, but she has many friends that reside there and she has heard their complaints.

“I have never done anything like this and I have always been a rule follower, but this particular problem needed to be addressed and needed someone to address it,” Fowler said.

The petition was created near the end of January, and many Shorter alumni, current students and students from other schools have signed their names. The petition is currently at 89 signatures, 11 shy of the 100 required to reach administration.

On the petition’s website, change.org, students are allowed to offer reasons for signing the petition. Several current and former Bass residents chimed in with their perspective.

“It is dangerous for Bass residents to walk from the apartment dorms to the school, given the fact that there is no sidewalk, (there are) hazardous weather conditions, and (there is) the physical strain that carrying an up to 30 lb. backpack/school supplies can create,” student Anna Wilfong said.

An anonymous student, who signed the petition as A.H., decided to move from Bass to another dorm next year because of the parking difficulties.

“I used to live in Bass, but it was such an inconvenient dorm based on transportation. Please help make Shorter transportation better for the sake of your students,” A.H. said.

Campus safety has already received several complaints from Bass residents, but as of right now they are not changing the designated parking spots for students.

Campus Safety Director Paula Penson is aware of the petition, which is why the email was sent that Bass residents could park in the gravel lot. People parking in the gravel lot this semester, however, is a trial run. Campus safety is monitoring parking in the area.

“At the beginning of the school year, cars must park in the color-coded lots,” Penson said.

Fowler, who is concerned that she will most likely live in Bass as an upperclassman, a does not want to undergo the same issues students are having now.

Though campus safety’s email states the residents can now park in the gravel lot, Fowler pointed out that if there are events at Shorter and the gravel lot is full, Bass residents would then have nowhere to park.

The shuttles have been used to combat the parking issue. The shuttles run from 6 a.m. to the late afternoon, and one shuttle runs until 9:30 p.m.

Fowler also said the shuttles do not run early enough or late enough to help these students. Athletes must be at practice early in the morning while theatre students don’t leave rehearsal until late at night. She believes the shuttles could run more often, aiding those students.

Penson also shared that campus safety cannot give Bass residents the commuter lots since the adult night program needs them. The night classes recently moved from the business school to the hill, and they use the lots in the evenings.

The commuter lots also need to stay open for events. If Bass residents occupy the commuter space, then families and friends will have no place to park.

With these concerns, Penson said she cannot favor one petition over the other. As of right now, if anyone parks in a spot that is not designated to them they will receive a ticket. Parking tickets can cost anywhere from $25 to $75.

Penson urges anyone who has suggestions or concerns to come speak with her.

Erica Ray
Staff Writer
erica.ray@hawks.shorter.edu

Transferring schools is not uncommon. Many times, the decision occurs because of money, family, jobs, change of major or, in my case, to come home.

A student may be completely happy at one school, not wanting to leave. Yet, circumstances may arise where you must transfer.

I know what’s its like to transfer. I have attended three universities. I started at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, then Reinhardt University, and now Shorter.

I’ve learned a lot about myself at all three places. Reinhardt helped me start my college career, but the benefits of being at Shorter are so much greater. Shorter offers improved equipment and technology. Not to mention the professors are also much more helpful. Because of that, I feel more at home.

But there are some pros and cons that someone considering transferring should consider. Transferring can often set a student back, especially if you do not foresee yourself transferring in the first place. Transfer students need to be prepared to attend school longer because of extra classes that may be needed at their new school. Sometimes students get lucky and have already taken many of the classes needed and they graduate early.

When you find that you are behind, there are grueling steps that must be taken each time you transfer. The registrar will become your best friend. Go ahead and purchase several transcripts because schools will most likely not receive it the first time or they may need copies.

However, if you are a student who knows transferring is in your future, it’s vital to take the classes that will count at both institutions. If this is not done, you will look back and be angry you took three classes for no reason.

On the other hand, there are pros to being a transfer. You have a wide variety of experiences with different classes, labs and professors. Your skills have started to develop, and the new school will help polish them. Your resume is also most likely longer.

Additionally, there are new social opportunities, and there may be clubs or activities to join that were not offered at the previous school. Another pro is that professors and classes may offer more academic growth than your last school.

Transferring is not always easy but entering it with a positive attitude makes the transition much easier and fun.

Erica Ray
Staff Writer
erica.ray@hawks.shorter.edu