| Summary: | The Reporter is a publication produced by Western Carolina University featuring news, events, and campus community updates for faculty and staff. The publication began in August of 1970 and continues digitally today. Click on the link in the “Related Materials” field to access recent issues. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 23, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS Angel Wings program under way Long-standing programs at Western Carolina University, Angel Wings and the Jackson County Christmas Store o????????er community members in need an affordable opportunity to acquire holiday gifts for their families. The Department of Residential Living is coordinating participation in several ways. Financial donations and unwrapped, new toys and clothing to be donated to the Jackson County Christmas Store will be accepted at the residential living office in Scott Hall. For details about the program, click on the “Angel Wings” information link on the right side of the Web site for the Department of Residential Living. Call (828) 227-7303 for more information about how to get involved. Click here to read about a Toy Run Parade that WCU communication students assisted with to benefit the Jackson County Christmas Store. Click here to read a previous story in The Reporter about Angel Wings. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 16, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | A WCU athletic training group prepares for the second annual Mountain Jug Run for Research from Western Carolina University to Appalachian State University. TOP STORIES Athletic training group completes fundraising run from WCU to ASU Catamounts could be seen running along the Blue Ridge Parkway this past weekend, but these weren’t of the four-legged variety. It was a contingent from Western Carolina University’s athletic training program completing the second annual Mountain Jug Run for Research. Nine WCU runners – including students, faculty and sta???????? – began the 174-mile continuous relay at the WCU football stadium in Cullowhee early Saturday morning, Nov. 14, and completed it 30 hours, 14 minutes and 33 seconds later when the group reached the football stadium at Appalachian State University in Boone. Named in honor of the annual football rivalry between WCU and ASU, the Jug Run was organized to raise funds for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s Research and Education Foundation, a nonpro????????t corporation that awards research grants and academic scholarships in the field of sports medicine. The inaugural Jug Run in 2008 o????????ered up single-digit temperatures and snow for much of the ????????rst 100 miles of the event, but the mild weather this year created perfect conditions for the participants as they took turns running ????????ve-mile segments, said Jay Scifers, director of WCU’s athletic training program. Last year’s run was completed following roads that mostly run through valleys, but this year the group ran along the Blue Ridge Parkway for 150 miles, which meant the runners faced extremely long uphill and downhill sections. “Although the parkway was much more di????????cult to traverse than last year’s course, it provided a wonderful location for the event,” Scifers said. The six student participants – Heather Brown, Emily Whittington, Aleesa Lennon, Jeremiah Nichols, Kris Leamon and Britton Harper – “did an excellent job handling the run and the fatigue factor,” Scifers said. When they weren’t running, participants rode in the support van. “It was di????????cult getting much sleep during the event because we were stuck in a vehicle for 30 hours when not running. Some participants slept as little as one hour during the trek, and trying to stay hydrated and maintain adequate nutrition was a challenge,” he said. Scifers said the students’ performances were especially impressive considering the fact that they were anything but seasoned runners when they signed on to participate. Most had never run more than one or two miles at a time prior to beginning training in August. Harper, a sophomore from Waxhaw, completed what was considered to be the toughest segment of the event, a 1,200-foot climb on the parkway north from Balsam. He ran a total of 25 miles over the 30-hour span and reported that he was “completely worn out” when the group arrived on ASU’s campus. Harper said the run was exhausting but satisfying. The Jug Run participants ran through the night on the parkway, and Harper had one of the group’s more interesting encounters with wildlife around 9 p.m. Saturday, when he came upon an aggressive possum standing in the road. “The possum was about 10 feet away,” Harper said. “I looked at him, and he looked at me, and then he started coming toward me.” Harper scooted to the side of the road to avoid the animal and continued his journey. In addition to the “attack possum,” other wildlife encounters included fox, deer, owls, bobcat and one small bear that refused to get o???????? the road for the van to pass. Scifers said the group encountered no other human tra????????c on the parkway from 10 p.m. Saturday until 5:15 a.m. Sunday. “During that time, our group ran about 40 miles. It is incredible how dark it is on the parkway at night, and also how peaceful and quiet it is,” he said. “Everyone enjoyed the evening running due to the wonderful temperatures and the peacefulness of the surroundings.” The logistical challenges of the Jug Run included a parkway closure in the Mount Pisgah area, where the scenic road is blocked o???????? for one mile because of the possibility of landslides. The runners proceeded to the closure gate, and then had to turn around and take a 30-mile detour by van to get to the other side of the closed section and resume their journey. In addition to Scifers and the six students, the running group also included Associate Professor Jill Manners and staff member Emily Martin. Jug Run participants have collected about $1,000 in donations so far to present to the NATA’s Research and Education Foundation. Their goal is $2,000, and donations are still being accepted. Donations may be made in the form of checks payable to NATA-REF and sent to Jill Manners at 134 Moore Hall, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee N.C. 28723. All donations to the foundation are tax deductible. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT By Randall Holcombe Tags: athletic training program, Emily Martin, Jay Scifers, Jill Manners © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 16, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Tommy Wildcat performed at WCU on Nov. 4 during Native American Heritage Month. Logo for Fight for Equal Rights Week TOP STORIES Awareness weeks coincide on campus to highlight topics from homelessness to heritage Campus groups will dedicate this week – Nov. 15-21 – to highlighting a range of issues – the struggle for equal rights, the reality of hunger and homelessness, the importance of international education to address global needs, and the value and diversity of Native American heritage. Click here to read more about: Fight for Equal Rights Week Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week International Education Week Native American Expo in celebration of Native American Heritage Month Fight for Equal Rights Week What began as a UNITY student’s idea for a music festival grew into Fight for Equal Rights Week, which will feature movies, discussions, speakers, a drag show and training designed to explore the struggles of different groups for equal rights. “This is not a national program around the country on college campuses but grew out of the desire of our students to educate the campus about the different eras of human rights movements,” said Michelle Clonch, director of the Women’s Center, which is an event host and sponsor. “We hope students are able to critically think about and understand that these parallel human rights movements –civil rights, disabilities rights, gay rights and women’s rights – have historical and institutionalized roots but are still fresh, relevant and being fought for today by underrepresented and disenfranchised populations and allies.” “We want our students to understand that as individuals pursuing the privilege of higher education, they have a responsibility as members of the global community to not only be aware of social injustices happening around the globe, but to also be aware of what is happening here in the United States and to affirm that they can contribute to the solution,” Clonch said. Fight for Equal Rights Week features an exhibit on the second floor of the University Center and a range of events: Screening of “Hairspray” followed by civil rights discussion at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, in Multipurpose Room A of A.K. Hinds University Center; Screening of “Iron Jawed Angels” and panel discussion about the women’s suffrage movement at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, in the University Center theater; Discussion titled “A Look Into the Funhouse Mirror” led by Lance Alexis, director of disability services at WCU, at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the Rogers Room in the University Center; “Women Who Dare” speaker series event about Zora Neale Hurston and highlighting the women’s and civil rights movement at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in a University Center multipurpose room. Discussion titled “Sex & Religion” with Dan Boyd and highlighting the gay rights movement at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, in the Catamount Room of the University Center. Annual drag show at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, in the University Center Grandroom. Tear-down ceremony of the “Wall of Oppression” at 4 pm. Friday, Nov. 20, on the lawn of the University Center. Safe Zone Training to provide training, support, resources and a network of allies committed to enhancing gender, sexuality and orientation issues reflected in the campus and local community at 10 a.m. in the Catamount Room of the University Center. In addition to the Women’s Center, sponsors and participating groups include the UNITY Student Organization, the Office of Multicultural CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Affairs, the Organization of Ebony Students, Di-Ga-Li-I Native American Student Organization, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Philosophy and Religion Department, Residential Student Association, Disability Services and International Programs and Services. For more information, check out the Women’s Center Web site. Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week The Center for Service Learning is coordinating two community service projects, a film presentation, guest speakers and discussions, and a potluck dinner as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. “Our participation in the week’s events will help us face the stark reality of hunger and homelessness across the nation and right here in our own communities,” said Glenn Bowen, director of service learning. “Furthermore, it should serve as a catalyst for concerted action to assist our neighbors who are experiencing these poverty-related conditions.” More than 70 percent of Western North Carolina households with children among clients served by Manna FoodBank and documented by Hunger in America 2006 were “food insecure,” while 53 percent of households facing hunger must choose between paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel. Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week events include: WCU staff members of administrative support units under the Office for Undergraduate Studies will volunteer at the Community Table in Sylva on Monday, Nov. 16. The Community Table, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in August, serves dinner free of charge four evenings a week to Jackson County residents. “The Pursuit of Happyness” will be screened at 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, in the University Center theater. During an intermission, Amy Grimes McClure, executive director of the Community Table, will discuss hunger-related issues with the audience. A Haywood County Meals on Wheels representative will speak to faculty member Jeanne Dulworth’s social work class at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, in the University Center theater. The presentation is open to the campus and community, and will be followed by a discussion. A 15-member group of service-learning faculty, administrators and students will visit MANNA FoodBank in Asheville on Thursday, Nov. 19, to spend two hours sorting and packing food items for distribution to a network of community-based nonprofit partner agencies that serves individuals and families in need throughout the 16-county Western North Carolina region. The Wesley Foundation will host a potluck dinner Friday, Nov. 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Cullowhee Methodist Church on the WCU campus. This event is free and open to the public. The event will have live entertainment featuring a WCU student brass quintet as well as speakers, testimonials and educational information. For more information, contact Brendan Braaten, project coordinator, in the WCU Center for Service Learning, at servicelearning@wcu.edu or (828) 227-2592. International Education Week With the theme “Tearing Down Walls: Overcoming Barriers to Freedom,” International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. departments of State and Education. WCU has participated since the event began in 2000 and aims to highlight the importance of internationalizing the campus through the presence of international students, international research by faculty and students, and an awareness of news events and cultures worldwide, said Lois Petrovich-Mwaniki, director of International Programs and Services at WCU. “We chose the topic this year, ‘Tearing Down Walls: Overcoming Barriers to Freedom,’ to mark the 20th anniversary of the tearing down of the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989,” said Petrovich-Mwaniki. “In addition, we hope to highlight various other types of physical and mental walls that people build to prevent freedom of expression, like the trench built near Mt. Kenya during the Mau Mau rebellion in the 1950s, the community suppression of freedom in Bulgaria and the status of women in the world.” The week began with a presentation by Antoinette Sithole, museum educator and curator at the Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday, Nov. 16. Sithole is the sister of the late Hector Pieterson, who died on June 16, 1976, during the Soweto uprisings. At 12 years of age, Pieterson was the first and youngest child to be killed by the apartheid regime, and Sithole witnessed the incident. International Education Week events also include: “Trench as a Wall”in Kenya by Nyaga Mwaniki at noon Tuesday, Nov. 17, in the University Center Cardinal Room. “Life and Culture in Madrid as Presented by Pio Baroja” by Nancy Norris at noon Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the University Center Cardinal Room. “Intensive Language Program in Southern Spain” by Josie Bewsey, 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the University Center Cardinal Room. “Never Saw Another Butterfly” by Ian Jeffress and Mary Kay Bauer, at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the University Center Cardinal Room. “Religious Tyranny Against Modern-Day Earth Pagans” by Lianna Costantino, 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the University Center Cardinal Room. “End of Communism in Bulgaria and the Impact on its Society,” by Teodora Krasteva, 2:30 p.m., University Center Cardinal Room. “The Fall of the Wall and the End of the Great War” by David Dorondo at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the University Center Cardinal Room. “Women’s Status in the Quest for Freedom” by Claudia Bryant at 3:30 p.m. in the University Center Cardinal Room. “Zora Neale Hurston – Provocateur” presentation in Women Who Dare Speaker Series at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the University Center Multipurpose Room. Presentation about the Catamount Pilgrims to Japan during summer 2009 at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, in Illusions at Hinds University Center “Tear Down the Wall” moment of silence at noon Friday, Nov. 20, on the lawn of Hinds University Center. In addition, study abroad information tables will be set up at Hinds University Center throughout the week and glass cases at Hunter Library will display related literature and materials. For more information about International Education Week events at WCU, call the International Programs and Services office at (828) 227-7494. Native American Expo Western Carolina University will host a gallery of exhibits and series of presentations that explore social issues, traditions, images and values of Native American communities as part of the Native American Heritage Expo on campus Nov. 16-19. The event will be held in the Grandroom on the third floor of A.K. Hinds University Center from 1 to 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, and 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. A reception will be held at the close of the expo Thursday. “We want to foster an appreciation of Native American culture and continuously make an effort to create an inclusive community on campus,” said Yolany Gonell, assistant director of multicultural affairs at WCU. “Although our campus lies on the ancestral homeland of the Cherokee, many are unaware of the historical sites located on our campus. We hope expo participants gain a better understanding of what it means to identify as Native American and recognize that Native American culture is vast and diverse.” Participants from Western Carolina University, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and the University of North Carolina at Asheville will host presentations at the expo: “Native American Women in Society” by Sheena Bark, Morgan Davis and Lee Griffin at 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16; “Chiefing: Past and Present” by Meghann Locklear, Patience Owl and Lashaunda Ryan at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16; “History of the Lumbee Tribe” by Mary Ann Jacobs, chair of the American Indian Studies Department at UNC Pembroke, and Rosa Winfree at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17; “Native American Images in Advertisements” by Kyle Bielan, Brittany Young and Keshia Young at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17; “Indian in the Cupboard: Native Americans in Children’s Books” by Susan Cloer and Kristin McRorie at 1 p.m. Wednesday, “The Impact of Diabetes among the Pima” by UNC-Asheville students Emily Jones, Mike Small, Chris Roberts and Michelle de Ondarza at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18; “Native American Mascots in Sports” by Scott Allen, Caleb Chandler and Chason Stevens at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18; “Promoting Travel to the Qualla Boundary – Homeland of the Cherokees” by Elizabeth Hall, Eriko Ishibiki and Zara Sadler at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19; “Barriers to Nursing Education for Native American High School Students” by Sheila Chapman, coordinator of the ABSN option at Western Carolina, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19; Reception at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, featuring performance by flutist Hawk Brown. The expo is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Di-Ga-Li-I Native American Student Organization, the Cherokee Center and Cherokee Studies. Sky Kanott, president of Di-Ga-Li-I, said she hopes attendees find the expo to be an educational experience. “This expo gives people near us a chance to see our Native American community here at WCU,” said Kanott. For a full schedule of events, check out http://multicultural.wcu.edu or contact Gonell in the Office of Multicultural Affairs at (828) 227- 2615. Compiled by Teresa Killian Tate © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 9, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Don Connelly REHEARSAL AUDIO CLIPS Army Theme Chattanooga Clarinet God Bless America A photo from the personal war-time scrapbook of Lt. Vern Carstensen, 5th Army Mobile Radio Station, depicts a GI operating a homemade field radio built to listen to broadcasts like the one being re-created at WCU. (Photo courtesy of James Carstensen ) TOP STORIES Behind the scenes with Don Connelly and the writing of ‘On the Home Front’ Don Connelly, head of the communication department at Western Carolina University, spent nearly two years researching the original Armed Forces Radio shows to write the production “On the Home Front: Nov. ’44,” which will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Veterans Day – Wednesday, Nov. 11 – in the Fine and Performing Arts Center. Admission is $5 to a one-time-only re-creation of a live recording of “Command Performance, USA!” – the most popular Armed Forces Radio show among GIs during World War II. The weekly variety-style radio show featured music, comedy and the most popular radio and movie stars in Hollywood, and often fulfilled the requests of a GI to hear sounds from home. Connelly spent more than 25 years in managerial and on-air roles before coming to WCU from Clear Channel of Orlando. The Reporter: What sparked your interest in the original Armed Forces Radio shows? Connelly: While working in Florida for 17 years, I met many veterans. I got to interview people such as Chaplain Bill Downey, who was on the flight line and asked a blessing for the crew of the Enola Gay before their takeoff on the atomic mission to Hiroshima, and the fire control officer on the USS Tennessee at Pearl Harbor. What I noticed was that they were more than happy to share the good times and very rarely talked about the war itself, and one of the things that came up several times was Armed Forces Radio. I’ve been addicted to radio since I was 12, and the more I learned about Armed Forces Radio, the more impressed I was with the men and women based in Hollywood who didn’t get medals or a whole lot of recognition, yet were responsible for boosting morale of our men and women overseas. So the idea for “On the Home Front” was, “Let’s do something for veterans that’s not just about the rough and the bad times. Let’s look back at the good times.” The Reporter: When did you hear Armed Forces Radio for the first time? Connelly: I’ve listened to so many “Command Performance” shows that I don’t remember the first one. They turned out hundreds – basically once a week with only three to four days to write and score the show and then rehearse. They did it on the fly. Some are just off-the-charts, stellar – good. I only heard a few clunkers. The Reporter: Where did you find old recordings for your research for “On the Home Front?” Connelly: They are scattered all over the place – the Department of Defense and national archives records. You can go online and search and find MP3s of them. The Reporter: What were some of the most humorous moments you encountered while listening to the old recordings? Connelly: Some are times when, say, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope were doing a bit, and the joke didn’t work. It was their reaction to it not working that was hysterical. And, there were a lot of jokes they got away with on “Command Performance” that they could not do on regular radio. In one, Bob Hope joked about Jane Russell, the most popular pin-up girl in World War II. He said soldiers would think as she was getting out of the airplane in Algiers that they were in for more training – learning how to handle those “booby traps.” They could never have done it at the time on commercial radio. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Cast members of “On The Home Front, Nov. ‘44” practice lines and music cues with Bruce H. Frazier (seated) the conductor of and arranger for the Home Front Radio Orchestra. Standing, from left, is Don Connelly, the show's producer; Steve Carlisle, the show’s director; Melody Huddleston, who is playing the role of G.I. Jill; and Terry Nienhuis, who is playing the role of Private Jimmy “Sad-Sack” Walters, the show’s comic relief character. The Reporter: What were some of the most poignant moments? Connelly: GIs would make requests, and some were very simple. They wanted to hear the hot dog vendors at Yankee Stadium or the street sounds from their hometown. One guy said the biggest thing was the dinner his wife fixed him before he shipped out and asked GI Jill, the most popular woman on all of Armed Forces Radio, because she sounded like his wife, “Would you please call me to dinner?” The Reporter: Did she call out “Dinner’s ready?”” Connelly: I think it was, “Honey, the mashed potatoes are ready. It’s time to come to dinner.” You have to keep in mind the idea was to boost morale, and so there were some touching moments but it never got deep or maudlin. The Reporter: Did you have any family who served in the war? Connelly: Yes, my grandfather was a typesetter and printer and photographer. He was drafted when he was 37. His ship was the USS Yorktown, and he served in the South Pacific from late 1943 to the end of the war. I was 13 years old when he passed away. Interestingly, I have obtained his service records, and he was stationed at New Caledonia when the first Armed Forces Radio station went on the air in the South Pacific. That was one of those, “Ooh, wow,” moments. The Reporter: The show is on Wednesday. What do you hope those who attend take home from the experience? Connelly: Respect and honor for the veterans – all veterans from all wars. The truly incredible thing about it is we have people from all different departments coming together and students engaging with faculty to do this for our veterans. The scary part for the audience may be that I’m singing in one of the songs. The Reporter: Are you already working on another radio show? Connelly: My wife (Debra Connelly, visiting assistant professor of communication at WCU) says that under no circumstances am I permitted to discuss the next project. There is one, but I’m not allowed to discuss it until this one’s finished. Interview by Teresa Killian Tate and printed in edited and condensed form Tags: Don Connelly, Q&A © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 2, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | TOP STORIES Capacity problems prompt decision to hold three commencement ceremonies in May 2010 Record enrollments at Western Carolina University in recent years have produced corresponding increases in graduating students, and now university o????????cials have set a strategy of holding three spring commencement ceremonies as a way to address crowd capacity issues at Ramsey Regional Activity Center. WCU’s spring graduating class is the focus of concern because that group is historically much larger than the classes that ????????nish their degree requirements at the end of the summer sessions or at the end of fall semester, said Fred Hinson, senior vice chancellor for academic a????????airs and chairman of the university’s commencement committee. The spring classes have pushed the commencement venue, the Ramsey Center, to its absolute limits in recent years – in terms of numbers of students participating in commencement, and the audience of families and friends who show up to watch them walk across the stage, Hinson said. To deal with the numbers, university o????????cials decided to hold two ceremonies in May 2008 – one for graduate students on Friday night, and another for undergraduates on Saturday afternoon. The same strategy was followed this past May, but concerns about the potential size of the May 2010 undergraduate class prompted the decision to go with three ceremonies, Hinson said. Plans are now set to hold a ceremony for Graduate School students at 7 p.m. Friday, May 7, and two undergraduate ceremonies on Saturday, May 8 – at 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The start time of the Saturday afternoon ceremony is being delayed from the typical 2 p.m. start to allow adequate cleanup and turnaround time for the Ramsey Center staff, and holding a later ceremony also will help with traffic, Hinson said. The May 8 morning commencement will include graduating students from the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education and Allied Professions, and Fine and Performing Arts. The day’s afternoon ceremony will include students from the colleges of Business, and Health and Human Sciences, and the Kimmel School of Construction Management and Technology. Honors College students will walk in either undergraduate ceremony, according to their degree affiliation, Hinson said. Plans for spring commencements are being put in place now to provide adequate noti????????cation for students, so that they and their families can make plans, Hinson said. All of WCU’s commencement ceremonies will continue to be non-ticketed events that are open to everyone, he said. WCU’s fall commencement is not a????????ected by capacity problems and will go on as planned, with one ceremony set for 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19. With the university’s summer commencement eliminated due to budgetary concerns, students who complete degree requirements at the end of the summer sessions have the option of participating in the December ceremony, Hinson said. By Randall Holcombe CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 16, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS David Strahan asked to evaluate teacher innovation program The Asheville City Schools Foundation awarded $4,669 to David Strahan, the Taft B. Botner Distinguished Professor in Elementary and Middle Grade Education at Western Carolina University, to evaluate the Inspired to Innovate program. The program, supported by funding from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, was designed to provide a comprehensive approach to retaining early-and mid-career educators by inviting teachers to design and implement innovative approaches to addressing the achievement gap in their classrooms. Inspired to Innovate program participants meet in seminar sessions to get the professional development necessary to implement their ideas and guidance for assessing student responses. As project evaluator, Strahan will help teachers study the results of their work and prepare a final report about the impact of the program. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 30, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS Dillsboro leaders to tour WCU campus to explore possible partnerships on Monday, Nov. 30 As part of Western Carolina University’s ongoing e????????ort to apply the talents of its faculty, sta???????? and students to help the neighboring town of Dillsboro, a group of merchants and leaders from the Jackson County municipality were scheduled to tour the campus Monday, Nov. 30. The group planned to visit WCU’s Center for Applied Technology, Fine and Performing Arts Center, Balsam Residence Hall, Honors College, Campus Recreation Center, A.K. Hinds University Center and the Center for Service Learning. After the afternoon tour, town leaders and merchants were to meet faculty and sta???????? from several university departments for a bu????????et dinner in the Courtyard Dining Hall. The meeting was designed to allow town and university representatives to continue to explore needs, interests and potential partnerships. Click here to read “Chancellor, WCU representatives go to Dillsboro to hear needs, requests.” CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 30, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS Donations accepted through Dec. 11 for Angel Wings program Financial donations and unwrapped, new toys for the nonprofit Jackson County Christmas Store, which helps families acquire holiday gifts, are being accepted in the Scott Hall office of the Department of Residential Living as part of its annual Angel Wings program. The Christmas store aims to make sure each child in the families served receives an outfit, a package of socks and underwear, a stuffed animal, an age-appropriate toy, a game and, depending on their needs, shoes and a book. The store’s wares come from gifts and donations made by programs such as Angel Wings and area merchants, churches and community members. To find out what items are needed, check out the “Angel Wings” information posted online. Last year, Western Carolina University’s Angel Wings program helped the Jackson County Christmas Store make holiday wishes come true for more than 780 children from 338 families. For details about the program, click on the link on the right side of the Web site for the Department of Residential Living. Call (828) 227- 7303 for more information. Read a feature (below) that appeared in the Dec. 1, 2008, issue of The Reporter about the Angel Wings program and its history: CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Feature story about the Angel Wings program at WCU published in the Dec. 1, 2008, issue of The Reporter newsletter for Western Carolina Unviersity faculty and staff. © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 2, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS Faculty and staff invited to join sustainability council The energy management office at Western Carolina University is seeking students, faculty and staff to be members of a campus sustainability council. The council will assist the staff of the energy management office with developing smart energy solutions at WCU and a comprehensive plan for leading the WCU community toward a sustainable future. Meetings will be held once a month starting in November. For more information, contact Lauren Bishop, energy manager, at lbishop@wcu.edu or (828) 227-3562. Tags: carbon paw print, energy management, green energy CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 9, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS Flutist honored for lifetime achievements to perform Tuesday at WCU Flutist William Bennett will perform at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, with Lillian Pearson on piano and assisted by Eldred Spell, professor, on flute. Bennett has received the American National Flute Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award and recently was awarded the Chicago Flute Club’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He serves on the faculty of the Royal Academy of Music in London and teaches around the world. He has been principal ????????ute with the London Symphony, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the English Chamber Orchestra. In addition, Bennett has helped make acoustical improvements to the design of the modern ????????ute, which have been adopted by virtually every ????????ute maker on the planet, said Spell. “The result is that modern students and professionals have a much easier time playing the flute, particularly as regards intonation,” said Spell. Tags: Eldred Spell CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 16, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Kyle Lickteig, a junior emergency medical care student, gives a ????????u shot to Scott Hall freshman resident Jennifer Mitchell. Whitney Shoaf, a junior majoring in emergency medical care, administers the flu vaccine. TOP STORIES Flu vaccine arrives at WCU More than 275 students were vaccinated against the 2009 H1N1 in????????uenza virus at the ????????rst four clinics held on campus after the arrival of the ????????rst shipment of vaccine in early November. “Most of our students ????????t into one of the priority groups to receive the vaccine, so we tried to take the shots to them where they were by hosting clinics in residence halls and Hinds University Center,” said Pam Buchanan, director of health services. “We will have ????????u vaccines available in the Health Center this week and expect toward the end of the week to be able to open that up to faculty and staff.” WCU initially received 500 doses of vaccine – 300 nasal-spray ????????u vaccines and 200 ????????u shots. A second shipment arrived soon thereafter with 400 nasal-spray flu vaccines. “We are on the list to get more (vaccine), but we are not sure when it will arrive,” said Buchanan. Priority groups to receive the vaccine include young adults ages 19 through 24 as well as pregnant women, health care and emergency medical services personnel, children from 6 months through 18 years of age, infant caregivers and people ages 25 though 64 who have health conditions that put them at higher risk of medical complications from influenza. Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the H1N1 ????????u had killed an estimated 3,900 Americans from April to October, including more than 500 children, and that an estimated 22 million Americans had been infected and 98,000 hospitalized. As of Wednesday, Nov. 11, the WCU Health Center had treated 417 patients for ????????u or ????????ulike illness – a combination of fever, aching, congestion and cough – since the start of the fall semester. That’s about 411 more patients with ????????ulike illness than usual by this time in a typical fall semester, said Buchanan. “We probably see on average about three people a day,” said Buchanan. “At the peak at the beginning of the semester, we were seeing between 15 and 25 patients a day.” Most recover quickly – within three to four days, and Buchanan was not aware of any students who required hospitalization because of the flu. For Will Huddleston, a designer in WCU’s publications o????????ce, what began as an allergy-like scratchy throat and cough developed into full-blown ????????u within 48 hours. “I felt pretty rough,” said Huddleston. “On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being death, I was maybe an eight. I told my wife I felt as if I had been in a bad wreck.” For him, the worst part of the weeklong illness was muscle aches and sinus pressure. Buchanan said Health Center sta???????? members typically, at a minimum, recommend ????????u patients get plenty of rest, drink plenty of ????????uids, and use over-the-counter medications to control fever. When the H1N1 ????????u surfaced, university leaders reviewed WCU’s pandemic ????????u plan, which was developed to respond to a virulent illness with a high mortality rate, and implemented appropriate measures. A ????????u prevention and treatment education campaign was launched, and the WCU community was encouraged to take action: CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Wash hands frequently and for 15 seconds with soap or anti-bacterial sanitizer. Sneeze into a tissue or napkin, carefully covering the mouth to prevent the spread of germs, and disposing of the tissue or napkin properly. Avoid contact with people who are ill. Stay home if experiencing flulike symptoms, including fever, cough, chills, aching muscles or respiratory issues, and calling health care providers for guidance. “I think the key really is communication,” said Buchanan. “We’ve done a good job of providing updates and information, and helping campus community members become aware of the importance of such small things as coughing in their elbow or frequently washing their hands to prevent the spread of the flu.” Buchanan said the team will continue to post updates and information about upcoming vaccine clinics on the university’s H1N1 Flu Update Web site and through e-mail. By Teresa Killian Tate Tags: flu, H1N1, Pam Buchanan © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 30, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Vicki Szabo, associate professor of history at Western Carolina Univeristy, studies whale bones. TOP STORIES Fulbright awards take two WCU scholars abroad About 1,100 faculty and professionals from across the United States are traveling abroad this year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, and two hail from Western Carolina University. “Having two Fulbright Scholars is an accomplishment,” said Meghan Jones, program associate for outreach and publications with the Council for International Exchange of Scholars that administers the Fulbright program. “While Fulbright Scholars come from institutions of all sizes, having multiple scholars is more common from large research institutions.” This fall, Vicki Szabo, associate professor of history at WCU, is in Cardi????????, Wales, helping create a database to identify whale species from artifacts and to examine historical whale-hunting patterns. Meanwhile, Paul Dezendorf, an instructor in WCU’s master’s degree program in public a????????airs, is in Moscow conducting research and teaching courses at the State University-Higher School of Economics. A two-time Fulbright winner and Fulbright application consultant with WCU’s Coulter Faculty Center, John LeBaron said having two faculty members overseas at the same time on Fulbright Scholar grants is impressive for WCU and an extraordinary opportunity for the faculty members. LeBaron, the Jay M. Robinson Distinguished Professor of Educational Technologies at WCU, said his experience 10 years ago at the University of Oulu in Finland, which was made possible with a Fulbright grant, was among his most rewarding career opportunities. “In addition to academic development and cultural growth, the experience launched continuing scholarly collaboration and close, lifelong friendships,” said LeBaron. “On many di????????erent fronts, a Fulbright offers the not-to-be-missed opening of a lifetime.” Vicki Szabo Szabo’s Fulbright grant enabled her to continue research she began nearly 15 years ago into medieval whaling and that led her to author the book “Monstrous Fishes and the Mead-Dark Sea: Whaling in the Medieval North Atlantic,” which was published in 2008. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Sperm whale skulls are part of the collection being studied as part of Project ORCA. This fall at Cardi???????? University in Wales, Szabo worked on “Project ORCA – Online Resource for Cetacean Archaeology: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Whale Bone Identi????????cation and Premodern Whale Demographics.” One of the goals of the collaborative, interdisciplinary e????????ort is to use the study of whale bones and DNA to help develop a virtual whale bone database. “We also will complete the design of our prototype Web site, to be launched in 2010, in consultation with Cardi???????? University’s Advanced Research Computing Centre, which also has agreed to host and construct our virtual skeleton database,” said Szabo. In addition, she and research partner Jacqui Mulville began constructing an international consortium of historians, archaeologists, biologists and technical specialists. They met or arranged meetings with representatives from an array of institutions, including the United Kingdom’s National Physics Laboratory, National Museums of Scotland, British Museum of Natural History, International Whaling Commission, Max Planck Institute, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, New Bedford Whaling Museum and the Smithsonian Institution. Also, Szabo has been making presentations about their research. She was invited during the fall to present at four institutions: New Bedford Whaling Museum, where she received the L. Byrne Waterman Award; Cardi???????? University; Institute of Archaeology at University College, London; and Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Meanwhile, Szabo and Mulville are completing two articles about the project for submission to The International Journal of Zooarchaeology and The Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. “Fulbright has given me the opportunity to work closely with other faculty at Cardi???????? University’s School of History and Archaeology, and to work closely with their students,” said Szabo. “I’ve participated in numerous conferences and forged close connections with other faculty, both at Cardi???????? and across the United Kingdom. Being part of an institution like Cardi???????? has opened more research doors for me than were I to have come over on my own without Fulbright sponsorship.” Paul Dezendorf Dezendorf is spending the 2009-2010 year as a Fulbright Scholar in Russia, where he is teaching at one of the country’s top universities, conducting research and traveling. His Fulbright focus on government public relations expands on his work in WCU’s political science and public a????????airs department, where he teaches courses in government public relations, e-government and grant writing. Paul Dezendorf, at right in front row, participates with, from left, France's Cultural A????????airs Attache to Russia, French Consul - Ekaterinburg, and London Metropolitan University representative, in an international conference. (Urals Academy of Public Administration Staff Photo) Paul Dezendorf, WCU faculty member, visits one of the monuments found in cities and villages to honor Russia’s struggle in World War II. "A Russian custom is that after the wedding ceremony, the wedding party and guests go to these monuments for photos,” said Dezendorf. WCU faculty member Paul Dezendorf keeps the cost of lunch to under $3 by eating at university cafeterias in Russia. "The staffs are friendly and the food is well done," said Dezendorf. His host is the State University-Higher School of Economics, where he has presented papers annually for the past three years. HSE was created in the early 1990s as a Western-style research university to provide a think tank and consulting service for the post-Communist Russian government as well as train a new generation of government leaders. HSE this year became the ????????rst social science university to be raised to the rank of National Research University in Russia. His workplace is in the center of Moscow at the School of Public Administration, within walking distance of the Kremlin and a short distance from several dozen museums, theaters and other cultural attractions. “For lunch, I can walk and sit near the base of the Kremlin walls or go to a cafe at one of Russia’s top museums and be back in time for class,” said Dezendorf. At the start of the year, he developed a symposium method for bringing his teaching to a wider audience in Russia. His idea was taken up by the National Democratic Institute, a nonpro????????t based in Washington, that carries out programs to improve democracy in more than 100 countries. NDI is now sponsoring one-day symposiums in four major cities. These closed-door events bring 35 to 50 people representing government, media nonpro????????t organizations and the academic world together for a discussion of the state of government public relations in that region. “My goal was to expand my impact as a teacher by taking the government public relations model we teach at WCU to in????????uential persons in important cities throughout Russia,” said Dezendorf. “For example, in Yaraslovl, our symposium was the ????????rst time such a frank and broadly representative discussion had been held in this historic city. The high degree of success led the host university to schedule similar symposiums as an annual event. This regional attention to expanding the quantity and quality of two-way dialogues between the government and the public signi????????cantly contributes to improving public administration and public policy in local government, a goal of my Fulbright.” His symposium work caught the attention of sta???????? at the U.S. Embassy. He was asked for his ideas about government public relations on the agenda of the new Russian-U.S. Bilateral Presidential Commission, co-chaired by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “They asked some very thoughtful questions and then requested a written proposal,” said Dezendorf. “It was immensely gratifying to see the high-level recognition of this topic’s importance for Russia.” Read more about his experience at www.dezendorf.wordpress.com. © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 16, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Georgia Hambrecht and communication sciences students to present at national conference Professor Georgia Hambrecht and seven communication sciences and disorders graduate students will present “Examples of Service Learning Imbedded within a Professional Preparation E????????ort” at a National Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association poster session. The convention will be held in New Orleans, and the presentation by Hambrecht and WCU students Nicole McRight, Tyra Minton, Lauren Rhein, Jordan Simmons, Michael Taylor, Rhian Vanderburg and Caroline Workman will take place Friday, Nov. 20. The poster is a product of a grant-funded project “Improving Speech-Language Pathology Services to Children with Severe Disabilities through Preprofessional and Professional Training,” sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s O????????ce of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Hambrecht and Bill Ogletree and David Shapiro, professors of communication sciences and disorders, co-authored the grant proposal and are in the second year of implementing the four-year grant. Click here to read more about the “Improving Speech-Language Pathology Services to Children with Severe Disabilities through Preprofessional and Professional Training” grant. Tags: Bill Ogletree, Communication Sciences and Disorders, David Shapiro, Georgia Hambrecht CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 23, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS H1N1 vaccine now available to employees Western Carolina University Health Services has made doses of the H1N1 vaccine nasal spray available now not only to students but also to faculty and staff. Restrictions that prohibit someone from qualifying to receive the nasal spray include: People younger than 2 years of age Pregnant women People 50 years of age and older People with a medical condition that places them at higher risk for complications from influenza, including those with chronic heart or lung disease, such as asthma or reactive airways disease; people with medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney failure; or people with illnesses that weaken the immune system, or who take medications that can weaken the immune system Children younger than 5 years old with a history of recurrent wheezing Children or adolescents receiving aspirin therapy People who have had Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disorder of the nervous system, within six weeks of getting a flu vaccine People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs or who are allergic to any of the nasal spray vaccine components Call health services at (828) 227-7640 to schedule an appointment. There is no charge to receive the vaccine. To ????????nd out when more doses of the injectable form of the vaccine arrive, or for more ????????u information at WCU, check out the regularly updated WCU H1N1 Flu Information Web site. Tags: flu CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 2, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | From left, students Cody Ashe and Justin Hinson study the architecture of Al Farooq-Mosque in Atlanta. Students, from left, Jimmy Leithauser, Samantha Matott and Leia Hays watch the rolling of long dough strips at Jerusalem Bakery in Marietta, Ga. TOP STORIES History students visit mosque To help students see past common stereotypes and hostility toward Muslims, Andrew Kurt, visiting assistant professor of history, partnered with a University of North Carolina at Asheville professor to take students to Atlanta for a one-day Middle Eastern experience. Kurt and 10 WCU students, primarily from his “Middle East since Mohammed” course, UNCA professor Samer Traboulsi and 10 UNCA students visited a mosque, a Muslim-run bakery, a restaurant with a Persian bu????????et, and grocery stores o????????ering Middle Eastern products. “The trip to Atlanta was a wonderful opportunity to get a taste of the Middle East, short of going there,” said Kurt. “We literally ate the food and walked past the grocery aisles of Middle Easterners, then got to hear from Muslims themselves some of the key elements of their belief and practice. Going to a mosque and seeing people praying there is to break through some basic barriers of separation and ignorance. You could tell the students were gathering in a whole new experience.” The experience began when students left campus in the darkness of early morning Saturday, Oct. 23, in time to watch the sta???????? at the Muslim-run Jerusalem Bakery in Marietta, Ga., roll out date- ????????lled pastries and sample breads hot from the oven. They visited both Nazareth Grocery Store, which is operated by Christians from the northern part of Israel, and a grocery store featuring Iranian goods. They ate lunch at a Persian bu????????et and spent the afternoon at Al-Farooq Mosque, the largest mosque serving Atlanta’s approximately 75,000 Muslims. “Its name refers to the second Caliph, or successor of the Islamic prophet Muhammad,” said Kurt. “That Caliph’s actual name was Omar, but he is sometimes known as al-Farooq, the Divider, for his strong distinctions between what is good and what is evil.” The group not only toured the building, including the prayer hall, but also asked their guide, a cardiologist and leader of the mosque, questions about his beliefs. After an afternoon prayer, younger members of the mosque also stopped to welcome and talk with students. Alecia Page, a freshman in “World Cultures in Historical Perspective” at WCU who went on the trip, said she came away more open-minded and with a deeper understanding that cultural di????????erences are not right or wrong, just di????????erent. “Often, news reports ????????ll my mind with concerns that the Islamic religion is full of followers who harbor hatred and malice for those with di????????erent beliefs,” said Page, an English education major and history minor at WCU from Shelby. “When we traveled to the mosque, I found the worshipers to CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT WCU students and Professor Andrew Kurt stand in front of the mihrab, a prayer niche indicating the direction toward Mecca, at Al-Farooq Mosque in Atlanta. be welcoming, kind and sincere.” For Ariel Rocchio, a WCU junior in Kurt’s course, the trip was fun and fascinating. Rocchio enjoyed sampling the fresh pita, baguette-type bread and the date-????????lled cookies – so much that he brought a package of cookies home. The trip to the mosque also was a ????????rst. “The architecture resembled what I had seen in photographs from around the world, but there was a sense of grace and open space that a photo can’t capture,” Rocchio said. “The interior seemed much larger than the outside. I felt immersed in a sense of ancient culture and was intrigued by the social rules I was subject to while inside the mosque. No textbook can adequately show the relationship between architecture, decorative design and Arabic script that I observed while I was there.” By Teresa Killian Tate Tags: Andrew Kurt © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 20, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Brian Railsback (center), dean of the Honors College, greets visitors to the college's new o????????ce space in Balsam Hall. NOTEWORTHY NEWS Honors College office open in Balsam Hall The Honors College o????????ce has moved from Reynolds to Balsam Hall, which opened this fall. The WCU community was invited to check out the news space at an open house held Friday, Nov. 20. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 9, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS Human resources prepares for transition to new payroll system The O????????ce of Human Resources at Western Carolina University is preparing to transition to a new payroll system and has issued an announcement about some of the changes and how they affect employees. Training will be provided to prepare employees for the changes, which will a????????ect some pay schedules, deadlines and methods for submitting paperwork. E????????ective Jan. 4, students or temporary employees paid on an hourly basis will move from a monthly payroll to a bi-weekly payroll and receive paychecks every other Friday. Permanent employees will continue to be paid monthly and will receive their first paychecks via the new system on April 30, 2010. Students or temporary employees paid a flat monthly amount will continue to be paid monthly, with the date of payment shifting in June from mid-month to the end of the month. When the transition is complete, employees will be able to utilize the self-service portal in MYCAT to view their pay stubs, W-2’s, bene????????ts and deductions online. Click here to read the full announcement. For more information, e-mail Diana Catley at dcatley@wcu.edu. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 16, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Jane Nichols to help lead international design organization Jane Nichols, assistant professor of art and design, has been named a regional chair of the Interior Design Educators Council international organization. Nichols will represent Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia on the council for two years. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home November 16, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Jerry Miller to plan U.S. participation in collaborative study of contamination in Chile river basin Jerry Miller, the Whitmire Professor of Environmental Science at Western Carolina University, won an $11,106 grant to develop a partnership between U.S. and Chilean researchers to study contamination in the Rio Loa basin in northern Chile. The National Science Foundation grant will fund a planning trip to Chile to develop an integrated, multidisciplinary investigation that effectively tracks the movement of trace metals from source areas, including several mine sites, through the river basin. Previously collected data show that water and sediments within the Rio Loa are contaminated by toxic trace metals and metalloids including arsenic, copper, lithium and lead. The headwaters of the Rio Loa are located along the western part of the Andes Mountains, where they receive considerable water from intense rains and snow, said Miller. From there, the river ????????ows downstream across the Atacama Desert, often considered among the driest places on the planet, to the Pacific Ocean. “The Loa essentially represents the only signi????????cant source of water in this part of the Atacama, and is therefore used for industrial, agricultural and domestic purposes,” said Miller. “Its contamination, particularly with regards to drinking water, is a significant concern.” The projects to be planned will include a training and educational initiative focused on research experiences for undergraduate and graduate students, and the development of a multi-institutional student and faculty exchange program. Tags: grants, Jerry Miller CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWa
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