Video made by: Caleb Britt

Technical Theatre Director Ted Thomas has orchestrated set and light design for SU’s theatre division since 2012, and he has attended numerous SETC gatherings.

Thomas believes both theatre technicians and actors should attend the conference because SETC offers students tons of exposure to working professionals who are seeking summer employees and graduate students.

“Undergraduates have the chance to audition for hundreds of different graduate schools. For technicians, there is a design competition: for lighting design, set, and stage management,” Thomas said.

For actors, the audition process begins at the state level at the Georgia Theatre Conference (GTC) and proceeds to the regional level at SETC. If a student passes the GTC competition, he or she is welcomed to audition at SETC in front of an even larger panel of theatre professionals.

Freshman musical theatre major Lizzie Drake is attending the conference for the first time. Entering an audition process that has an approximate 45 percent pass rate could be terrifying for Drake. But, she maintains a positive outlook.

“So I guess I’m just going to go with it and see if I get a job because that would be great,” Drake said.

Like any interview, a job is not guaranteed, but Shorter’s professors consistently develop talented actors. An example of this development is senior musical theatre major and Smyrna, Ga., native Tanyah Anderson. During her first year of attendance, she was offered a job.

Her opportunity is an example of how one connection can jumpstart a career.

“I went in for a callback, and the guy asked me to sing something from Hairspray because their season was Hairspray and Big River, and turns out I had a connection because he used to work at Shorter and he used to work at my old high school,” Anderson said. After making the connection, Anderson was hired for a job in Carbondale, Ill., for that summer.

However, students are not the only ones who benefit from competitions like GTC and SETC.

“I always get something out of the auto cad workshops. There is always a different way to skin a cat, so I learn a lot from other technical directors who use this program and others,” Thomas said.

Stella Parker
Staff Writer
stella.Parker@hawks.shorter.edu

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

According to the Circle of Sisterhood website, the organizations aims to “break the cycle of poverty and oppression” for young girls in impoverished countries. Each year Panhellenic does a fundraiser to raise money for this cause. This is the third year that they have put on a lip sync competition.

All three sororities on campus participated in the decades themed night by creating two different teams. Each team came up with a dance routine to songs from the era that they were given.

Alpha Delta Pi members rocked to songs from the 80s and a few modern day hits, while the Zeta Tau Alpha ladies gave each college student a time-hop back as they recreated some iconic dance moves from songs of the 90s. Phi Mu offered a unique spin on the classic 2000s hits and showed the audience how 80s songs can still be fun today.

Cecil Robinson and Caleb Britt were the emcees of the event and provided entertainment for the crowd as they watched each group perform their dances. Robinson and Britt added a special touch to the night as they told jokes, carried on conversations with the audience and introduced the performers.

Each group performed well and created audience response; however, there had to be a winning team.

Taking third place were the ladies of Phi Mu’s early 2000s group who created lots of nostalgia within the room.

Zeta Tau Alpha’s early 2000s group took home second place for their unique throwback dance.

First place was taken by Phi Mu’s 80s group for their routine that showcased hits from the decade.

Emily Cheek, a freshman Phi Mu, was elated to be a part of the 80s group that won.

“I did lip sync because it was another opportunity for me to get closer to my sisters,” Cheek said. “I really enjoyed learning dance moves from my big [sister] and helping her. Winning was just the cherry on top of a great night!”

LauraBeth Dawson
Staff Writer
laurabeth.dawson@hawks.shorter.edu

A Brigham Young University study found that college students are more stressed than ever in the midst of their fight to be the greatest they can be in their academics.

At times, the stress students put on themselves to perform well during finals week can only lead to more and more stress.

According to a New York University study, stress is the No. 1 reported impediment to academic performance, and 6 in 10 college students reported having felt so stressed they couldn’t get their school work done.

Cassie Thomas, Shorter’s director of student life and recent Shorter graduate, found that setting goals for herself as a student during studying was beneficial to getting through finals.

“I would read over two chapters worth of notes, and then I would give myself a five or 10-minute break,” Thomas said. “You have to take time to rest your brain.”

Much like Thomas, Anthony Chatmon, Shorter’s director of residence life and student conduct, believes taking study breaks during finals week is crucial.

“When I was a student, we would make it a point during the week to take a few hours to enjoy doing something fun and give our minds a rest for a few hours,” Chatmon said, “and after our activity, we would go back to work on studying for our next final or continue to work on our paper.”

Chatmon added that it’s important to exercise time management during finals week, which leads to the next bit of advice: sleep.

Despite the urge college students may have to pull all-nighters, Thomas believes sleep is important for finals week.

“The extra couple of hours studying seems like it will be beneficial, but in reality if you do not get enough sleep, you will have a hard time recalling all of the information you were studying,” Thomas said.

Junior sports management major Kelsi Jones has first-hand knowledge of how vital sleep can be during finals week.

“As a natural crammer, I know it gets tough because you want to study the whole night, but you must spread your studying out, manage your time well and give yourself plenty of time for good rest.”

But even beyond incorporating natural habits like stress breaks and sleeping, there are other steps students should take to prepare for finals.

Psychology professor Andrea Stiles pointed out the importance of making studying a habit from the start of the semester to combat the possibility of cramming studies during the week of finals.

“Don’t get behind. Read and study as assigned in syllabus from the beginning of the semester,” Stiles said. “Make and keep notes. Read back through notes weekly and condense them as you more fully grasp them from week to week.”

The key to success for any student to get the grades he or she wants depends somewhat on the teacher. From the professor’s perspective, preparing students with the information they need is just as important as students reviewing the material.

“I review with students and typically give a study guide, either in written form or through a class lecture so that there are no surprises at test time,” Stiles said. “I also offer to have them come visit me during office hours to discuss anything they are unsure about.”

Finals week can cause sheer panic in freshmen students, and more and more freshmen are finding themselves struggling to stay on top of their personal health when finals week comes.

The UCLA Higher Education Research Institute found that nationwide first-year-college students’ sense of emotional well-being is at its lowest since 1985.

Freshman biology major Alli Bell, having just completed her first finals week, has learned that its crucial to take care of yourself at finals.

“It’s so easy to get stressed out, so make sure to stay away from distractions.”

Bell also suggests doing one non-academic related activity each day.

“Take 30 minutes or an hour out of the day to do something fun,” Bell said. “Plus, that gives you a study break to look forward to, and it keeps you calm.”

Jones said her reliever during finals week is the community of people in which she surrounds herself.

The Shorter University Office of Student Life offers students a break through its finals week events at the end of each semester.

Shorter’s “Late Night Breakfast” is always held the first day of finals and is an activity to go to for a study break and an abundance of breakfast food. It is also a chance for faculty and staff to “serve” students in ways they don’t normally do … with a ladle in hand or an offer to pour their beverage of choice.

Organization administrators further the initial connection between mentor and mentee along with the relationship between fellow members of each learning community (LC).

The LC members are placed together in learning communities based on their majors and classes they share. This decision allows freshmen to automatically have one more thing in common with those around them: at least two classes at the beginning of the semester in which they are surrounded by people they know.

As a peer mentor, the goal is to be involved in the area of academics that you are assigned in your LC. While there are not community groups for every major, the science, education, communication, music and theatre majors along with a few others, have designated LCs.

The groups are organized by major because students within the same classes can push each other to reach similar goals.

Developing relationships is vital for peer mentors to be successful. Junior Cecil Robinson knows firsthand the importance of building friendships with those in his LC.

“I got to establish meaningful relationships and share personal testimonies with students who were facing similar struggles,” Robinson said.

Mentors use different techniques to connect with their LC, and more experience at the position allows for greater comfort.

Junior Madalene Brackett, a former peer mentor, believes the job begins when peer mentors first meet the incoming class of freshman students.

“As a peer mentor, you are one of the first people the freshman meet, and you help make their first year a year to remember,” Brackett said.

As a recent first year mentor, I struggled with being only one year older than the freshmen in my LC and being expected to have my life together enough to show them the right path. My intention was to never act like I was better than them or that I hadn’t had the same questions, fears and excitement they were experiencing.

I may never know if I succeeded in my goal as a peer mentor, but the freshmen in my LC still talk to me. Throughout the week of training, move-in day, weekly classes and a service day, I learned more about myself than I ever imagined.

Looking back, I can’t pinpoint a favorite moment or event, but I’ll always treasure the joy of seeing those individuals grow from inexperienced teenagers fresh out of high school to the mature college students they have become.

Stella Parker
Staff Writer
stella.parker.@hawks.shorter.edu

As a senior, I have been to Chapel numerous times, whether it was to attend with my soccer team or just to hear an interesting speaker. But I wish there was more variety in the type of speakers invited to come.

Many of the speakers who minister at Chapel seem to have a difficult time connecting with college students. Though the theology may be spot-on, old-fashioned style messages and dry, uninspired preaching leaves a disconnect between the speakers’ messages and the students.

I remember two Chapel speakers who inspired me with their messages.

Nicole Bromley came to speak at Chapel about human trafficking and her organization One Voice. I remember feeling overwhelmed by her message of hope and healing through Jesus Christ. Her experiences with human trafficking in foreign countries kept the students engaged through the entire message.

I left that service inspired to help those who have been affected by human trafficking and to bring positivity to every encounter I have with others because you never know what people are going through.

In my junior year, Trudy Cathy White, Truett Cathy’s daughter, also came to speak at Chapel. Her message was genuine and related to things college students were going through – entering the work force, managing school and the importance of relying on God’s plan.

“I liked her message. She talked about her dad and how the business started. It was interesting and different,” junior economics major Fiorella Gamarra said.

Having a variety of speakers, including a variety in gender, would help bring students to the service regularly.

The Jason Lovins Band, a Christian band, came to perform this year at Chapel, which is exactly the service college students are looking for – something that connects to them and breeds excitement in them to worship. I wish we had more services like the ones mentioned, with variety, excitement and a spiritually challenging message.

Maggie Pruitt
Sports Editor
maggie.pruitt@hawks.shorter.edu

Unfortunately, the majority of Shorter’s student population doesn’t see it that way. If you haven’t noticed, parking lots on campus are normally barren on the weekends. Most students would rather go home and see their family (what’s at home, anyway?) than enjoy the complete college experience.

Yet, the idea of going home every weekend in college baffles me because one of the main reasons why students leave home is exactly for that purpose – to get out on their own, meet new people and engage in new experiences apart from their family.

Being on your own is an essential part of growing up, and the weekend life in college can be filled with wonderful memories.

Take, for example, the opportunities afforded to a student on the weekend. The chance to see a baseball game, a game of two-hand touch football in the front circle or a night on the town with friends are all fun activities that can help students balance their social life with their hectic academic schedule.

Some may think there is nothing fun to do in Rome, but I beg to differ. Broad Street in Rome is lined with plenty of restaurants that have good food and occasionally decent music. Here’s a few of them: Mellow Mushroom, Johnny’s New York Style Pizza, El Zarape, Jefferson’s, Honeymoon Bakery and Swift and Finch.

The Rome Braves are just 10 minutes down the road (for the late spring and early fall months); there’s even a movie theater at Mount Berry Square. Plus, you can always play a harmless prank on one of your friends in the dorms (notice I included the word, “harmless”).

So, next time the weekend rolls around, stick around and smell the roses (Nope, it’s not a figure of speech. Get out of the house or wherever you live on campus and become one with nature.)

Daniel Farias
Editor-in-Chief
daniel.farias@hawks.shorter.edu

The degree was previously only offered to College of Adult and Professional Program (CAPP) students.

Dr. Aisha Williams, program director, and Dr. Elaine Barclay, human services professor, are the sole human services professors for CAPP and now traditional. Both Williams and Barclay have advanced degrees in human services as well as counseling.

Williams’ goal is to get 30 to 40 students to declare majors in the program. Within three weeks after the announcement of the degree, the two professors had one major declaration and one minor declaration. The interest students are already showing is making Williams’ goal appear more feasible.

“I have extremely high hopes for traditional student involvement in the program. I fully envision the program thriving under the traditional side,” Williams said.

Senior natural sciences major Madelyn Anderson thinks the new major may be the answer to some students’ career needs.

“The degree being offered to traditional students is beneficial to those that are looking to help people on the emotional side rather than the strictly medical side of healthcare,” Anderson said. “I’ve heard students talk about wanting to help people through life, but have no interest in the medical field.”

The human services industry itself is on the rise.

Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the human services field will grow by 11 percent between 2014 and 2024.

With more jobs becoming available in the field, more students who choose to claim human services as their degree will have an easier time finding a job out of college.

Williams and Barclay have promised to help their traditional students adapt to the differences in this type of degree, in addition to adapting themselves as there will be some differences between the traditional program and CAPP.

Because traditional students will take the course in 16 weeks, they will get more time to stretch the same curriculum and content that CAPP students squish into eight weeks. Barclay and Williams believe the traditional students will most likely benefit more from the program due to the extra time they get to understand and practice the material, especially with the guidance from their professors.

Barclay especially wants to focus on guiding the new students through the seriousness of the field as she has already done with CAPP students through providing counseling as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

She believes strongly that a career in human services is more than just a career. She said the degree can give students something to leave the university with besides a piece of paper.

“I want the students to leave with confidence in their calling and purpose, not just a degree. They will be confident in how to use their God-given gifts to help others,” Barclay said.

Rachael Minard
Staff Writer
rachael.minard@hawks.shorter.edu