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M O N T H L Y
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Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication
LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS
VOL. 113 — ISSUE 1
3
AUGUST 2018
WELCOME TO LENOIR-RHYNE UNIVERSITY!
HERE'S AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO GETTING THE MOST OF LR: From Staff Reports
Think of it as a roadmap. Think of it as a guidebook. Either way, this newspaper in your hand was custom built for brand-new LR students – but there’s plenty in here for those of us who have been around a while too. Take a look through these pages
and get to know your new home just a little bit better. This issue is packed with the stuff that makes this school special, the stuff you’re going to remember for the rest of your life. We’ve got a little bit of everything in here, from
the Top 5 things to do on campus to some back-to-school fashion tips to a preview of this semester’s sports action. Maybe you’ve heard about convos, but you’re not quite sure what that’s all about – turn to Page 2. You might be wondering if you have
what it takes to study abroad in a place like London or Paris – that’s on Page 6. And these photos on the front page – they’re just a taste of the college experience waiting for you here at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Warren Harlow longboards across LR's campus after class with speed thanks to all the hills. PHOTO BY WALTER HERNANDEZ
Bertrand Awana and Sophia Chung face off in a friendly game of oneon-one in LR's Shuford Gymnasium. PHOTO BY CINDY TREHKOPF
Lyric Flood, Michael Brown and their teammates compete against each other on LR's sand volleyball court across from the university's softball field. PHOTO BY CINDY TREHKOPF
CONNECT WITH US
Amelia Dowling makes the best of some of Hickory's rainy spring weather by jumping into a puddle at LR's track and soccer field. PHOTO BY CINDY TREHKOPF
ONLINE NEWS & ARCHIVES AT ISSUU.COM/ THERHYNEAN
FIND US ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK FOR LIVE NEWS UPDATES AND POSTS. @LRNONLINE AND FACEBOOK.COM/LRNONLINE
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NEWS
LRN MONTHLY | AUGUST 2018
MEET THIS YEAR'S VISITING WRITERS SOME OF THE WORLD'S TOP AUTHORS COMING TO LR By Emily Kiziah | LRN Monthly Contributor
LR is celebrating its 30th year of bringing some of the world’s best authors to campus in our Visiting Writers Series. Through the years nearly 300 writers have come to Hickory to share their creations with the students of LR and audiences who travel from up and down the east coast for a chance to see their favorites up close. Whether our VWS authors have won a Nobel or a Pulitzer, whether they’re beloved children’s authors or the cutting edge of fresh poetry there’s something for just about everybody at LR’s VWS. With some 8,000-10,000 people coming out to the series every year it’s no secret that the Visiting Writers series is one of the most exciting things happening at LR. This year’s series has a decidedly international flavor – here’s who’s coming to town this school year: Laila Lalami | Belk Centrum, Aug. 27 Laila Lalami is a MoroccanAmerican novelist and essayist who has written three books: “Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits,” “Secret Son” and “The Moor’s Account.” Her essays have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and the Los Angeles Times. Li-Young Lee | Belk Centrum, Oct. 4 Li-Young Lee began writing poetry when he was a student at the University of Pittsburgh. He has since written five collections of poetry, a memoir and a collection of interviews about his artistic development. Ken Liu | PE Monroe, Oct. 25 Ken Liu is the author of three novels and one collection of short stories, as well as a translator of several Chinese works. His debut book, “The Grace of Kings,” was released in 2015. His translation of “The Three-Body Problem” by Liu Cixin won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2015. Liu was also the editor of “Invisible Planets,” which was the first collection of contemporary Chinese science fiction that was translated to English.
Matthias Göritz and Aaron Coleman | Belk Centrum, Nov. 8 Matthias Göritz is the author of three collections of poetry, two novellas and two novels. He has been the writer-in-residence at Bard College and a guest author at the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program. Aaron Coleman is a PhD student at Washington University in St. Louis, where he is on the Comparative Literature Program’s International Writers’ Track. He is the author of two collections of poetry and has been published in journals such as Boston Review, FENCE and New York Times Magazine.
Anne-Marie Fyfe and Cahal Dallat | Belk Centrum, Feb. 21 Anne-Marie Fyfe is the author of five collections of poetry and former chair of the National Poetry Society. Fyfe is the founder of the Troubadour International Poetry Prize and established Coffee-House Poetry at the Troubadour, a program that organizes poetry readings, seminars and workshops. Cahal Dallat is a poet and musician whose works Juan Felipe Herrera | Belk Centrum, Nov. 15 have been published in Juan Felipe Herrera was the numerous journals and United States Poet Laureate magazines, including from 2015 to 2017. He has Oxford Poetry, Poetry published more than 30 London, Cimarron Review books and was awarded and Ocean State Review. the Robert Kirsch Award Dallat is married to Anne-Marie for lifetime achievement. Fyfe, and the couple lives in London. While serving as California’s Poet Laureate, he started the Louise Penny | PE Monroe, March 7 anti-bullying poetry project called the i-Promise Louise Penny is a Canadian Joanna Project, which asks students both to take mystery novel author action against bullying and to send in poems about whose works have been bullying. translated into more than 25 languages. Before Joshua Bennett | Belk Centrum, Jan. 21 Penny began writing full Joshua Bennett is a time, she worked as a performance poet who has journalist for the Canadian been featured on HBO’s Broadcasting Corporation. Russell Simmons Presents Penny currently lives and writes in a small village Brave New Voices. south of Montreal. Bennett has recently received his PhD in English Kao Kalia Yang | Belk Centrum, March 21 from Princeton University. Kao Kalia Yang is a Hmong He published his first book, American author of “The Sobbing School,” in 2016. two memoirs and one forthcoming Armistead Maupin | Belk Centrum, Feb. 7 children’s book. Both Armistead Maupin grew up of Yang’s books, “The in Raleigh and attended Latehomecomer: A Hmong UNC Chapel Hill. He has Family Memoir” and “The served as a naval officer Song Poet,” are award-winning. and worked as a reporter in South Carolina and Naomi Shihab Nye | PE Monroe, April 3-6 California. He started Naomi Shihab Nye is the author of this year’s publishing his serial “Tales Little Read, “The Turtle of Oman.” The novel of the City” in 1976, which follows the story of Aref Al-Amri, a boy who grew into a six-volume series. In addition to the doesn’t want to move with his family to Ann Arbor, series, Maupin is the author of several other Mich., from his hometown of Muscat, Oman. He books, including “Maybe the Moon,” “The Night refuses to pack and instead goes on a series of Listener” and “Michael Tolliver Lives.” adventures with his grandfather that help Aref build up memories of home.
WHAT THE HECK ARE CONVOCATIONS? OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND TRADITIONAL CLASSROOMS By Brookelyn Redmond | LRN Monthly Contributor
Lohr Learning Commons in LR’s library. She explained some of the thinking behind the program. “The full purpose of exposing students to different learning opportunities outside of the classroom is to allow students to learn in a more creative way,” Fowler said. That’s the thinking behind convos, but there’s another side too. At LR, they’re required for all full-time day students. If you want to graduate, you have to get all your convos done. Period. To meet these requirements for the 2018-2019 school year you’ll need a total of 10. Here’s how it breaks down: In the fall you’re required to go to the President’s Convo. In the spring you’ll be required to attend Honors Convo. That leaves eight of your choice. You’ll be able to pick and choose from the convos being offered all year long, but you will need to get one from each of the following categories: 1. Intellectual Development 2. Creative Development/Expression
3. Cultural Development 4. Professional Development 5. Health and Wellness 6. Spiritual Development 7. Community Service and Awareness 8. Vocation Discernment LR’s Symposium on University Research and Creative Expression (better known as SOURCE Day) provides a great opportunity to get plenty of convocations. It is when all the undergrad students conducting research at LR get the opportunity to share their work with current LR students. “During this day I attended many presentations about topics regarding bacteria, math creativity and engineering,” President of Student Government Association at LR, Santiago Ambroggio said. “Personally, I enjoyed the Ballooning, Engineering, and Rocketry Team USLI Experience, presented by the Rocket Team.” Convocations enable plenty of opportunities for creative learning. “I was delighted by their initiative and enthusiasm,” Ambroggio said.
“Their explanation regarding how they built and launch a rocket in a NASA program really made me more curious about what that program has to offer.” Keep an eye on upcoming convos by checking the schedule on the home page on LR’s portal website.
Rules and regulations for LR’s convocations
Convo Rules
If you want to learn about special topics that you wouldn’t normally receive in your traditional undergraduate classes, it’s a good thing LR requires convos. The convocation program provides diverse experiences for Lenoir-Rhyne students to help expand and liberate their minds. “Convocations help expand the students’ learning outside of the classroom and allow them to learn in a unique atmosphere to hear more of what is happening in the world on current social events,” Graduate Assistant for the Lohr Learning Commons, Emily Steele said. Since Lenoir-Rhyne is a Liberal Arts University, the mission statement focuses on understanding cultural, social and gender-diversity situations in hopes of helping create a wellrounded person. Each convocation program focuses on exposing students to different opportunities they wouldn’t normally receive in a classroom setting. The woman in charge of LR’s convos is Carla Fowler – and she’s also the Director of the
• If a student misses the opening President's convocation, three additional convocation requirements will be added to the current year's requirement. • If a student misses the closing Honor's convocation, three additional convocation requirements will be added to the following year's requirements. • If the student intends to graduate during the academic year/semester in which she/he misses either of these convocations, the accrued requirements must be completed during the same year. • Convocation dates required and by choice are provided to students at the beginning of each semester and updated regularly throughout the term on the University website. Source: LR.edu
OPINION
LRN MONTHLY | AUGUST 2018
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BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASICS HOW TO COMPILE A FLAWLESS LOOK FOR THE NEW SEMESTER
a vogueish workout outfit while maintaining comfort. Athleisure consists of an outfit as artless as a pair of 2.5-inch black running shorts, a fairly large charcoal grey v-neck tee and a light wash denim jacket paired with a black and white Adidas logo baseball hat and all-white Nike Air Force Ones. “Getting up and going to class can be hard enough as it is,” LR sophomore Jackie Rossetti said. “So there’s no point in making it harder for yourself. Workout clothes and a pair of Vans can pretty much do the trick.” By Ashley MacIntyre | LRN Monthly Contributor Leggings or running shorts are always part of a great go-to for your everyday basic appearance. Everyone knows that the start to a new school Whether you actually run in these running shorts year means a new closet, right? or go to yoga in these leggings is another story, but Steve Madden heels, vintage Levis overalls, it’s the look that counts. Urban Outfitters wide leg jumpsuit, Brandy “I live in leggings,” sophomore Caroline Rowand Melville plain white tube top and Free People said. “Even though I have like a million different bodysuits in every color of the rainbow. pairs, they are still all black because they go with They may seem like a starter pack for a freshman everything and make everything so much easier.” college girl, but it turns out to be a lot easier than Another quick and easy way to pull off an that. athleisure outfit for your 8 a.m. is a pair of joggers Back to school fashion comes in a variety of with a plain white tee, black and white Adidas styles – preppy, chic, professional, sporty or just original sneakers and a messy bun hairstyle. out right didn’t try at all. For the college girl who is feeling slightly more Comfort is everything and athleisure is the move ambitious than average, you can upgrade your for 2018. athleisure look by swapping out the denim jacket Athleisure is a simple way of putting together with a black leather jacket and the Nike Air Force
Ones with a pair of Steve Madden platform snakeskin slip-on sneakers. The start of a new school year can already be stressful enough, so there’s no need to add to it by worrying about your back-to-school style. When in doubt, always remember that lululemon running shorts, slightly oversized T-shirts and white Nike Air Force Ones are the way of the world.
HOW TO BECOME A TRUE AMERICAN AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT’S GUIDE
LRN
always take it. Just going to the first floor? Doesn’t matter because the staircase is lava. If you follow all these instructions, you’ll soon be a real American. You might gain some weight from eating out all the time, but you’ll also make a lot of new friends by starting random small talk. Adopting the American lifestyle can be really convenient. Americans like to keep things simple and why should you do it the hard way when you can have it the easy way. Hanging out with Americans can also help you. Living with them is even more helpful if you want to become an authentic American. I might have adopted some of my roommate’s slang words and habits. So, peace out y’all!
'merica
anyway. And have you ever seen a student riding on a bike? Yes? That’s for sure one of our international students! So if you don’t want to stick out, you better get yourself an enormous truck or any other vehicle that’s way too massive and never ask yourself again whether you should walk or drive, because the answer to this is obvious. Another thing Americans do that seems weird to me is small talk. Even strangers behind you in line will just randomly start talking to you, which is nice, but it’s also something that Europeans don’t By Cindy Trehkopf | LRN Monthly Staff Writer do. So if you want to be a true American work out some non-controversial topics you could talk about The United States of America. Already the name with strangers like the weather or sports, then go sounds mighty and formidable. A country where out there and make some small talk. history was written, and everything is possible, as Last but not least, another small step on how long as you work hard enough for it - at least that’s to become American - or maybe step is the wrong what people say. word- because you should definitely avoid the As an international student (from Germany) I staircase if you want to get the whole American always considered the US the country of unlimited experience. If there’s an elevator you should possibilities, freedom and fast food. Of course, everyone wants to know what it’s like to live the American dream. Even if you go bankrupt after one semester, the US has the world’s largest international student population with more than one million students from all over the world. And of course, once you’re here, you want the whole American experience and sometimes you even adopt some of the habits and all of the sudden, you find yourself driving in a truck listening to “Uncle Sam” and eating anything that’s fried. So, to make your stay better, here’s some advice on how to integrate and become a true American. Even your parents won’t recognize you anymore when you return home. First of all: the food. Americans love to eat out all the time. The American “cuisine” consists of burger, fries and everything that was put in the deep fryer. Even in smaller towns like Hickory you find loads of fast food restaurants – I don’t think you’ll be able to try them all out. But there is always a variety of food options – from Chinese, to Mexican or Japanese. Sometimes I even ask myself if American kitchens are just for decoration, that’s how often Americans eat out. To look like a real American, it is also important to always have a togo cup in your hand. One thing I also found out was that Americans like to drive everywhere, and sometimes there’s no other option because there are no sidewalks
STAFF WRITERS: Richard Hall Cindy Trehkopf
FACULTY ADVISORS:
M O N T H L Y
Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Dr. Lisa Harris Prof. Richard Gould
CONTRIBUTORS:
Dylan Bedell Ethan Benfield Elijah Moon Blackwell Walter Hernandez Emily Kiziah
Ashley MacIntyre Rachel Paquin Kelsy Pitts Dana Popp Brooke Redmond
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PHOTOJOURNALISM
LRN MONTHLY | AUGUST 2018
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
LR PHOTOJOURNALISTS’ IMAGES CHRONICLED THE SPRING 2018 SEMESTER Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Photojournalism students spent the spring semester telling visual stories about LR and beyond. Whether they were prowling the lacrosse sidelines or going front row at the Bear Fit Games, our photojournalists were
in the heart of the action. And they got around too – from Asheville to Memphis, Tenn. and from New York City to Miami’s South Beach, they snapped photos all along the way. They captured action, beauty and joy. They
captured LR. And this semester they’ll be doing the same because LR’s Photojournalism class will be back in action later this year.
Playing a hammer dulcimer he made by hand, Derek Graziano performs an original song during this year's "Earth Day Jamboree," at Green Mother Goods in Asheville. Photo by KELSY PITTS
Jan Juretschke skips rope to warm up for the Bear Fit Games held last semester. Photo by CINDY TREHKOPF
Two girls enjoy their time in the Sprinkles Pool at the Museum of Ice Cream in Miami. Photo by ASHLEY MACINTYRE
Nathan Paquin fine tunes his lacrosse skills at Neil Clark Park on a spring afternoon. Photo by RACHEL PAQUIN
PHOTOJOURNALISM
LRN MONTHLY | AUGUST 2018
Rose T. Snow plays the banjo on an April afternoon in Asheville's downtown. Photo by DANA POPP
Dawson Rivers gets in a workout before the sun goes down outside his home. Photo by KELSY PITTS
Jeromiah Mcrae plays the guitar at a Street Market in Asheville. Photo by DANA POPP
Trombonist Suavo J performs on Memphis, Tenn.'s Beale Street one evening last semester. Photo by CINDY TREHKOPF
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NEWS
LRN MONTHLY | AUGUST 2018
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ABROAD INTERNATIONAL OFFICE RECEIVES $5 MILLION TO SUPPORT LR STUDENTS STUDYING AROUND THE WORLD By Dylan Bedell | LRN Monthly Contributor
While studying abroad in Milan, Italy, Lenoir-Rhyne student Nathaniel Corsey found a stone wall imbedded with actual chairs on a street corner. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Last year Lenoir-Rhyne’s International Office gave out some $100,000 in scholarships – and they’re ready to give out more. The money is coming from a $5 million endowment. LR’s Director of International Education Dr. Laura Dobson explained that the endowment is being used to help give more students the option to experience the world by studying abroad. Some will go for a week, perhaps during Spring Break. Others will go for a month between the semesters while many will choose to study abroad for an entire semester or even a whole year. “Our goal is to increase the breadth of who goes,” Dobson said. “A typical study abroad student from LR is a middle class white female, so we are developing campaigns to gear toward underrepresented students and increase more diverse educational experiences.” LR students can choose to travel abroad to around 60 countries in
various programs. It works like this: by working alongside the International Student Exchange Program, LR teams up with universities to meet students’ needs. Each program has specific requirements, courses and location that correlate with the student’s major. A lot of American students aren’t fluent in a foreign language and they’re nervous about whether they’ll be able to be successful in a study abroad program in a foreign country. But that’s not really a problem because so many of the schools partnering with LR offer classes and instruction in English. One of the most common challenges for students who want to study abroad is scheduling. It can be tough for an athlete or for certain majors to find the time to leave the country. For example, the nursing curriculum requires licenses and clinicals that must be taught in the United States, which makes it harder for students to find a break to go abroad, Dobson said. She explained that her office is working with the nursing
department to create other options for nursing students, such as the 2018 Spring Break Study Abroad in England. A couple years ago former LR men’s soccer player Nathaniel Corsey chose to end his soccer career early and study abroad for his junior year in Paris, France. From Aug. 11 -May 14, he traveled to nine countries covering most of Western Europe from Germany to Spain to Portugal along with Israel and the Middle East. Corsey described his favorite memories from his year of travel by reflecting on how he and his friends would sit by the Seine River in Paris at a small café just laughing and telling stories. He said muffled chatter of the city along with the gentle rush of the river gave him a taste of what it was like to be a Parisian. “It’s easy to get caught up and only see the world through a certain lens, especially in college,” Corsey said. “But going abroad and experiencing new places helps break that down and you
start to look at everything differently. It changes your outlook on life.” But Corsey readily admits that this experience probably wouldn’t have been possible had he not quit the soccer team. Student-athletes are expected to report for training sessions even in their off season, so finding a time for them to go abroad depends on the discretion of each athletic program. “As an athlete, I think you can study abroad if your coach lets you, but even if they do let you go, there’s still that fear that you’ll fall behind,” Alberti said. “You’re missing out on a whole season.” Dobson is currently working on developing study abroad programs that will last just one or two weeks and rotate through various sports. She is adapting to the NCAA rules and concerns of coaches by finding ways to incorporate trainings at workout facilities and engaging the health and exercise science department as well.
LLC BECOMES A “GLOBAL VILLAGE” By Cindy Trehkopf | LRN Monthly Staff Writer
LR has about 65 international students. Most of them are from Spain, England and Germany but there are also some students from South America and even Africa. They all bring different cultures with them and make our university a more diverse place – a melting pot. But the reality is that international students can tend to stick with other internationals and the same applies to American students. You’ll see it when you go to The Caf. To break this habit the Office of International Education came up with the idea of the “Global Village.” “It’s a Living Learning Community where we will mix international students, whether they’ll be our exchange students or our fouryear degree seeking international students, with other American students,” Brittany Marinelli of LR’s Office for International Education said. “This community will be reserved for students passionate about further educating themselves about the world in all its diversity, and for students seeking to expand their knowledge of world affairs, foreign languages and cultures.” The global village will be located on LLC’s first floor. “It’s the only dorm that has kitchens and we want our
international students to be able to cook meals from their home countries for our American students,” Marinelli said. The global village will take half of the hall, which means six dorms and room for 24 students. “We’re starting kind of small but hopefully we’ll be able to expand that in the future.” The University chose the LLC for the program because the building also has a classroom and common spaces. “We would like to host convos and other events in those areas, such as our weekly Global Ambassador meetings and Cultural Workshops,” Marinelli said. Students in the Global Village will be engaged in cross-cultural activities such as cooking, learning about global issues and going on trips and excursions to different places. “The reason why I want to stay in the Global Village is because I can branch out to people from other countries and learn more about their traditions and values,” Hannah Yoxall, one of the American students that will live in the Global Village, said. “I feel like at the end of this experience this will allow me to be a better global citizen and be able to make friends that will last a lifetime. And maybe one day I’ll get to visit them.”
LR's international students presenting the flags of their home countries and showing the cultural diversity the university has to offer. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Even though the application deadline for getting a room in the Village has passed, there are still opportunities for students who are interested in the program to participate. “If students are interested in doing activities with us, they could let me know and then I can invite them even if they don’t live in the Global Village,” Marinelli said. “And students could be an IPal, which is by default integrated in our Global Village. So then they’re invited to do all the activities with us.” The Global Village is for all American students to learn more about their own culture as well as other cultures without leaving the
country. It will connect a diverse range of students from the U.S. and students from across the world. It will be a community that helps each other transition to university life and share different cultures and values. It’s a community that is open to everyone who is interested, welcoming everyone with open arms and it’s just around the corner in the LLC. For further information contact: Brittany Marinelli, Assistant Director, Shuford Center for International Education, brittany.marinelli@lr.edu, 828.328.7375 or Laura Dobson, Director of International Education, Laura.Dobson@lr.edu, 828.328.7028.
NEWS
LRN MONTHLY | AUGUST 2018
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TOP 5 THINGS TO DO ON CAMPUS A FEW ACTIVITIES RIGHT HERE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO CAR (OR ARE JUST TOO LAZY TO DRIVE) By Elijah Moon Blackwell | LRN Monthly Contributor
His aim has to be perfect. If he misses this shot everything he worked for goes down the toilet. He pulls back the stick, hits the cue ball and it misses the target completely. Pool can be pretty intense sometimes. Don’t believe me? Go check out a game in the Cave one of these nights, but more about that later. Lenoir-Rhyne’s Hickory campus is home to some student activities to keep us from going too crazy, especially during exam weeks. Here are the Top Five things to do while you’re waiting for your next class or when you’re just that bored.
Tonia Mielke enjoys the last day of Spring Break by playing Volleyball on LR's Hickory Campus. CINDY TREHKOPF | LRN MONTHLY
Fritz-Conrad Dorm Movie Theatre It’s easy – all you have to do is schedule your visit with the Resident Assistant. Just visit the front desk in the lobby and ask the RA on duty for more details. You can even hook up your game system to the projector which makes
for an intense experience. The Lenoir-Rhyne Esports Super Smash Bros. Team held practice in there one time. It has enough room for a couple dozen people. Volleyball Court If the weather is right, take your pals to the sand. “It’s a fun way to exercise without it feeling like work,” Sean Bryant, LR alum said. It is also open to the public, so you can bring some family members or outside friends. Sometimes the net might get tangled or stormy weather may remove it all together. If this happens, visit Student Life’s Administrative Assistant Becky Sharpe on the second floor of the Cromer Center to report it so it can be fixed. McCrorie Weight Room If you like to work when you exercise, then go pump some iron in McCrorie. Hours vary by semester. Visit the desk outside the room for more details. Bring a friend to be your spotter. There isn’t much in the way of support and you could hurt yourself if you are an amateur. Be safe and progress slowly. For non-weight lifters, there are alternatives. Exercise balls and yoga mats are available. Radio Station Want your voice heard over the air? Contact Dr. Jeff Delbert at Jeffrey. delbert@lr.edu for details. You can create your own talk show or just play your favorite tunes. Tune in to 99.3 FM to hear the other studentrun shows.
The Cave This is the student lounge. It’s easy to find – just go to the Cromer Center, head for The Bear’s Lair then take a quick right and go downstairs. The LR Esports Team holds practice in a room in the Cave so if you’re interested, that’s where to find the members. For casuals, two Xbox Ones are hooked up to wall mounted flat screen TVs. A ping pong table also occupies the space. You won’t need to buy your own gear – just go up to the second floor to check out a couple paddles and balls. Next to the ping pong table is a pool table where you could hustle your friends for bragging rights. Just don’t play someone taking geometry courses – trust me. It’s the only venue open 24/7 on the list. There are more options for you to discover. Make sure you understand what you as a student have access to. It’s important to note that you can go into Fritz-Conrad even if you don’t live in that dorm. Just go to the front door and wave for the on-duty RA to
Laura Jane Brendle creates a morning playlist for 99.3 WLRZ, which is LenoirRhyne University's campus radio station. EMILY KIZIAH | LRN MONTHLY
let you in. There’s something on campus for everybody. Check your email inbox and go to student organization fairs to find ways to get involved on campus to keep yourself occupied during your down time.
LR senior Tyson Stevenson relaxes with a game of pool in LR's Fritz-Conrad dorm. ELIJAH MOON BLACKWELL| LRN MONTHLY
WHO’S COMPETING THIS SEMESTER? LR FALL SPORTS PREVIEW By Richard Hall | LRN Monthly Staff Writer
We all know that getting out there and supporting The Bears is a huge part of the LR experience. You’ll have plenty of chances to get involved because it’s the fall, and that means it’s football, soccer and volleyball season. Football It’s no secret that we’ve had a couple tough years on the football field, but this year’s the perfect time for a turnaround. With the team under the direction of new head coach Drew Cronic, hopes are high. Cronic came to LR after serving as Furman University’s offensive coordinator and he’s spent the last few months laying the groundwork for what promises to be an exciting season. The football team only graduated a few seniors from last year’s team and has a lot of youth on the team that has played plenty of football on the college level. One key loss for the Bears was Nelson Brown. After a season as the Bear’s leading rusher with more than 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns, Brown has transferred to another school. Losing a guy who contributed more than a third of the team’s offense means the Bears must find players that can make up for his absence. This year’s Bears are expected to move away from the spread offense in order to go with a new offense similar to the Wing Tee. Defensively, the Bears are expected to streamline some of the looks we’ve seen in the past few years. The goal: quick decisions and fast reactions. Cronic’s focus is speed. Offensively the Bears want to be no huddle, hurry-up style play while defensively they want to fly around and be a great tackling team. For LR Football it’s a brand new day. Men’s Soccer The Lenoir-Rhyne men’s soccer team is coming off of a successful season finishing second in the conference and having a bid into the playoffs.
Head Coach Jack Winter will be heading into his third season of being the Bears’ head coach following two straight appearances in the NCAA playoffs. With nine players leaving the program, Winter is confident in a good group of seniors to lead the team this fall. “We have 15 new players coming in this fall,” Winter said. “I think our returning players will help the newcomers deal with that transition onto the team.” “We have a talented class coming in and mixing them with a great group of remaining players,” he added. The team looks to repeat their success from the previous couple of years. Their main priority is winning a conference championship. Playing a tough out-of-conference schedule with plans to win a few of the games, they feel like that can propel them into the playoffs once again this fall. Women’s Soccer The Lenoir-Rhyne women’s soccer team is coming off of a fifth place finish in the SAC last season. Even though they wound up No. 5, the
Bears were only two games behind the first-place team. The team lost eight seniors, but returns 18 players who saw a lot of time last year. The team is also bringing in 12 incoming players; five freshmen, and the rest being transfers or walkons. It will be a 30-person team which will be the biggest team under fourth year head coach Gary Higgins. “Our big roster size gives us added depth that we need in case of injuries,” Higgins said. “It will also allow us to practice more game like situations with 11 versus 11.” The team also plays a tough out-of-conference schedule, and if they can win the majority of those games and finish top two or three in the conference, they can get an NCAA playoff bid. “We want to control the things that we can control, such as energy and effort, we of course want to win a conference championship,” Higgins said. He says the team has the talent to reach every one of their goals. Women’s Volleyball The LR women’s volleyball team will be going into their 16th season under head coach Dave Markland. Last year the team finished ninth in the conference, but looks to improve on their rankings this year. The team lost five seniors from last year, but it has six new incomers coming in. Those six new players include freshman and transfers making the team 19 players strong. The Bears are returning the SAC’s freshman player of the year in Taylor Pratt as well as 12 other players who all saw playing time last year. “I expect us to be a very good team next year,” junior Jackie Denny said. “The only way we can accomplish that is by connecting with one another and holding everybody accountable to do their job.”
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SPORTS
LRN MONTHLY | AUGUST 2018
FROM HOME TO HICKORY WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHANGE FROM YOUR HOME COUNTRY TO AMERICA? By Dylan Bedell | LRN Monthly Contributor
Lenoir-Rhyne brings a wide range of diverse students to campus, many of whom are members of the university’s successful athletic programs. We asked these athletes about the biggest changes and differences between their home countries and the USA. Their answers covered a wide range of topics from food to sport to transport, but they may surprise you.
get at all back home. But being 19 years old is frustrating in the US, because I feel like a child again. – Gabriella Dalton, of Gold Coast, Australia
It’s really been easy to adjust to living in the US, because of all the friendly people here. Here everyone says hello or will make eye contact and smile even to strangers. Just having a conversation with someone in line isn’t uncommon. That doesn’t really happen back in England; nobody speaks to you unless they know you, so that’s been a huge difference seeing how friendly and interested people are here. – Brad Robinson, of Newcastle, England
In America, all the towns here are super spread out with everything In England, we really interesting to do being don’t have a high level really far away. Back university sports. If you home in Spain, you can go to university, it’s walk everywhere and it’s just for school, which is all within a small radius, massive considering the which makes it easy to cost and intake sports do fun things and get bring to university. So around. coming here to the US, it – Marta Escanero Funes, of Guardamar del Segura, was really an adjustment Spain Public transportation to the role of sport at is such a huge factor in university and how fit the American players are England. People use the here. Back home in Scotland, tram, train and buses – Aleisha Cruwys, of Bournemouth, England there’s really only one so frequently, because type of weather: cold of how efficient and and rain. It’s been nice easy it is to get around. One of the biggest to have a range of But here in the US, changes was just the weather and changes especially in small towns eating in the US. In in seasons here, unlike like Hickory, there’s Australia, the portion back home. no way to get around sizes are so much – Livi Murphy, of without a car, which makes it much harder not smaller. Here you get Edinburgh, Scotland being from here. mountains of food and – Emil Tansinda, of Sale, England free refills on most drinks, which we don’t
COMING TO THE STATES TO PLAY LENOIR-RHYNE SOCCER PLAYER ADJUSTS TO LIFE AND PLAYING STYLE OF A FOREIGN LAND By Ethan Benfield | LRN Monthly Contributor
Emil Tansinda aggressivley takes the ball down the opponent’s side of the field as he works to help his team dominate the competition. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Back home they called it football, but when Emil Tansinda got to LR it was clear he’d be playing soccer. Things were a little different on this side of the pond for the native Englishman. Tansinda, a 20-year-old LR junior, stands 5-feet 8-inches tall. Originally from Sale, England, Tansinda has been an LR Bear since 2015. In that time, Tansinda has scored three goals. He has also registered an assist and nine shots on goal in 1,961 minutes played. Tansinda has played soccer all his life. “Before coming here to LR, I was at an academy in England called Oldham Athletic, and I didn't get a professional contract there,” Tansinda said. “I needed to find a different route to play soccer and to get my degree as well. This was the best option for me.” Other schools made offers, but LR was the best for him. “I spoke with an agency back
home, and they said LR was interested in me. They gave me a good offer, and I spoke with my parents, and they also felt like it was the best option for me,” Tansinda said. “Other schools made offers but none were as concrete as LR, so this was my best bet.” Tansinda plans on playing soccer professionally after his time at Lenoir-Rhyne, realizing that the opportunities might be difficult and hard to come by since Lenoir-Rhyne is a smaller school in an area without many chances for soccer players. “Since I was a kid I’ve always wanted to play professionally,” Tansinda said. “It's difficult out here, being a Division II school, and preferably I would like to be at a D-1. I still want to find a way to go pro.” Tansinda grew up supporting Liverpool in the Premier League, and says if he could chose a team to play professional soccer for, it would be them. Tansinda’s teammates have
recognized the improvement they have seen in him over the past two years. “Emil is one of the most well improved players I have played with here at LR,” says LR junior Ignacio De Goya. “His game has come incredibly far in the short time that he has been playing in the states.” A big challenge for Tansinda was
adjusting to life in the United States, and the differences between North Carolina and his British homeland. “The speed of the way we live here, especially being in college,” Tansinda said. “It's hard to balance sports and studies, because both are important and take up a lot of your time.”
LR's Emil Tansinda came form England to play soccer for LR his ultimate goal: to go pro. SUBMITTED PHOTO