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A WORLD IN NEED M O N T H L Y
Lenoir-Rhyne University University School Journalism and Mass and Communication Program Lenoir-Rhyne of Journalism Mass Communication
LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS
VOL. 115 — ISSUE 4
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February 2021
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY
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Get Ready foR hickoRy’s fiRs
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Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS
VOL. 110 — ISSUE 2
SEPTEMBER 2015
fESTIVA LR pResident
Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication
LENOIR-RHYNE TO RETIRE SPORTS ARE BACK LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS
VOL. 110 — ISSUE 2
SEPTEMBER 2015
TO RETIRE LR pResident
LR PREPARES FOR THEIR UPCOMING SEASONS DURING COVID-19 Matthew Durhamn | LRN Monthly Staff Writer
LR's swim team swimming laps during their practice warmups on Feb. 3. SARAH C. JOHNSON | LRN MONTHLY
The wait is over. Lenoir-Rhyne sports will compete in the upcoming 2021 spring semester. Very few LR teams have been competing since the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020. With more information on the COVID-19 virus, LR’s sports teams and staff feel confident with the plan put in place for the bears to compete safely. Kim Pate, Vice President of Athletics for LR, and her team of trainers and staff have been hard at work trying to resume sports activities as safely as they can. “(This pandemic) is an opportunity for us to provide a sense of healthy, meaningful engagement for our student athletes with the campus of LR,” Pate said. “Competition is our ultimate goal, but we have to learn how to walk before we learn how to run.” One of the main improvements since last year is testing. Lenoir-Rhyne now offers rapid testing for all student athletes. Student athletes are required to be tested before and after competition as well as before and after team travel. Along with wearing masks and socially distancing, rapid testing has made the athletic staff of LR more comfortable to be able to produce a healthy atmosphere for our student athletes. Head Athletic Trainer Michael Flicker believes in the process and plan that his staff has put forward for all student athletes. “My job as a healthcare professional on this campus is to provide a safe environment for our student
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athletes,” Flicker said. “I feel super comfortable that we, as a program, are headed in the safest and best direction possible.” As for most LR athletic teams, they haven't competed in more than a year, so a transition from normal competition to COVID-19 will ask a lot of each student athlete. A few teams already have their season off and running. Swimming and Basketball began their season during winter break and they’ve been very careful as they returned to competition. Each athlete has been tested and remained without contact with people off of the team to provide a healthy environment for everyone involved. Asst. Men's Basketball coach Zach Corliss explained more on the process of athletes tested positive during competition “If a player tests positive from a rapid test, then the team will stop meeting or practicing and quarantine. However, that athlete will also receive a PCR test to inform a more confident result from the test,” he said.” If the PCR test comes back positive, then we will be shut down and quarantined for 14 days.” Lenoir-Rhyne will continue following all NCAA and Heath organization guidelines to continue a safe environment for competition.
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NEWS
LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2021
LR’S CONVOS ON HOLD FOR NOW COVID-19 WIPES THE SLATE CLEAN Sarah C. Johnson | LRN Monthly Editor-in-Chief
The 2020-2021 school year has been a roller coaster of unknowns. One silver lining for many LR students this year has been the lack of convocations, but not having any convos to attend has also caused some anxiety for graduating seniors that had planned to complete their roll-over requirements from previous years. Many seniors have wondered. “Will we still have to make them up later? And if so, will we not receive our diplomas?” In years past, students at LR were required to complete 10 convocations. The convocations were split into eight categories: Intellectual Development, Creative Development, Cultural Development, Professional Development, Health and Wellness Development, Community Service and Awareness, Spiritual Development and Vocation Discernment. If these requirements were not completed by the end of the year, the number of incompletes would be added to the next. If convocation requirements were not completed by graduation, students would not receive their diploma until the requirements were completed. However, due to the current global pandemic, convocation requirements have been put on hold and all past incompletes have been removed for everyone, including students who have graduated. “Before COVID, students with left over requirements after graduation could either come back and go to convocations or do community service,” LR’s Dean of Student Life Dr. Katie Fisher said. “Due to COVID, we aren’t having convos and most places that usually need community service workers can’t have them right now either.” Since the school has a unique opportunity to step back and review the program, the Core-Curriculum Committee, which is comprised of professors and administrative staff, has been dedicated to improving the convocation program. This committee is using this time to review and revamp ways to make the convocation program more engaging and efficient. “There have been a lot of things about this year that have been really challenging and not so great. But in some ways when you're forced to do things
differently, you start going, ‘Oh, you know, maybe there's a better way to do this,’” Director of General Education Dr. Julie Voss said. “And so hopefully, we can learn some things from this year and move forward with a better program.” Not only does the school want to improve the types of content provided for students, but they want to improve the systems they use to give students credit as well. “One thing we are wanting to improve is ways to keep track of who attended what.” Fisher said. “We were thinking maybe something electronic, like something that scans your phone or ID card, instead of the convo cards that students fill out now.”
The program was created with the intention of helping students further their education outside of the classroom and become well-rounded adults that are prepared for life after college. The committee is working on ways to make convocations more appealing to students, so that they actually pay attention during these events instead of being on their phones because they feel forced to be there. “I've been to really fabulous events where half the students are doing their homework or playing on their phones because they don't actually want to be there and that defeats the purpose of it.” Voss said. “We want to have a way for students to continue their education beyond the classroom and to have
Joe Bear announces that convocation requirements have been removed for the 2020-2021 school year due to COVID-19. ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH C. JOHNSON | LRN MONTHLY
the opportunity to hear from amazing speakers.” The program offers many different events to help students discover their interests and expand their learning experiences outside of the classroom. The program tries to have something interesting for everyone. “One that I really enjoyed was about the differences between scientific and religious beliefs and experiences and how they worked together,” LR senior Hannah Wright said. “They had professors on the panel from all different backgrounds like Atheists, Jews, and of course they had Christians, but they had people from different denominations like Lutheran and Pentecostals.” Wright wishes the school would bring back some of these events virtually now, but not make them mandatory. She feels students, especially freshmen should still have access to the resources if they wish to use them. She believes they are beneficial, especially in a time that is way more stressful and harder to navigate than usual. The virtual resources being used now can also make things more accessible than they have been in the past. “For people that would have wanted to attend, but didn’t get to because of sports, or work, or class, they can be recorded and be posted on a forum.” Wright said. “Like make a new page of the LR website called ‘Convos.’” Overall, the school is working hard to improve the experience for everyone. They hear the complaints from students and are working to fix them. They want these experiences to be enjoyable and engaging, but also leave students with new information and hopefully get them discussing these subjects long after an event has been attended. The committee hopes to have some changes in place by next year, but with COVID-19, things are still up in the air. “I doubt we'll have something next year fully rolled out as a brand-new thing because there's just so much that's unknown,” Voss said. “It takes time to really develop great programs, but I see us within a few years, having something significantly different.”
THE SHOW MUST GO ON EVEN THROUGH COVID LR THEATER IS ABLE TO CARRY ON Jason Whitehead | LRN Monthly Staff Writer
Break a leg, but don’t break COVID protocol – that’s the LR playmakers’ goal this semester. The theater department here at Lenoir-Rhyne University is working around the clock to put on shows for the fellow student body. With COVID taking a toll on existing plans it’s not going to be possible to put on a regular show. The norm has changed. In years past auditions, rehearsals, gatherings and the like would have been expected of the department. Now due to the new pandemic-related rules, these tasks have been moved fully online. Auditions are taking place over Zoom rather than onstage for others to see. This could be seen as a setback in the eyes of the public, but LR theater major Avery Williams-Milne said, “Last semester was more of a guinea pig play.” Williams-Milne explained that the theater department has worked around all possible issues that can come from a fully virtual play. “We know what to expect,” he said. “I feel like it can go a lot more smoothly.” Things are different now. For one thing set
LRN
Before the global pandemic LR's Playmakers filled the stage in LR's P.E. Monroe auditorium with light, art and action. Now the stage stands bare. JASON WHITEHEAD | LRN MONTHLY
EDITORS:
Sarah C. Johnson | Editor-in-Chief Savannah Lee | Sports Editor
STAFF:
M O N T H L Y
Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Kennedy Conner | Staff Writer Matthew Durham | Staff Writer Ajah Harold | Staff Writer Tate Levin | Staff Writer Jason Whitehead | Staff Writer
CONTRIBUTORS: Sarah Bradley Grayson Breedlove Maty Mbye Jay Sowers Scotlyn Silvey Mckayla Watts Rosie Weaver Lauren Wilson
FACULTY ADVISORS: Dr. Lisa Harris Prof. Richard Gould
designers are able to use green screens instead of having to build each set. “Switching to smaller scale shows, smaller prop lists, costumes and not really focusing on set (rather focusing on making everything look) visually beautiful as well as like beautifully active,” LR theater major Hailey Pearce said. All of these steps have been taken to make sure that the show will go on here at LR and that it’s as smooth as possible. “I do believe we made the right decision here,” LR theater professor Dr. Lindsay Weitkamp said. “The safety of our students, faculty, staff and our audience is a top priority.” The theater department has put in many hours to make sure that the shows in fact do go on. The three plays that will be occurring in this semester are: “Big Work” by Melissa Bergstrom and Kate Marple, and “A Map into The World” by Kao Kalia Yang, as well “The Tempest,” which was produced last semester and is now being released.
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BEARS
CULTURAL
LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2021
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THE ERUPTION OF COLOR AND CULTURE STUDENTS CONNECT WITH BLACK CULTURE DURING EVENTS Ajah Harold| LRN Monthly Staff Writer
Students from Catawba Valley Community College danced and marched in Selma, Ala. in February 2020. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Catawba Valley Community College students danced, stepped, and snapped their way through the streets of Selma, Ala., in Feb. 2020, celebrating the beauty of black history. Students wore yellow, bright pink, vibrant red, and deep blue to show their love of the culture. They were jubilant and eager to learn more about the African-American culture and why dancing made them feel more connected to the culture. Erika Tiscanero Velasco, a petite and rosy young woman who spoke at a high pitch and fast manner, is the Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory. Tiscanero discussed upcoming events that the Hickory community would host this month. “The Office of Multicultural Affairs has a committee – It’s a two-part multicultural series and usually we have events on campus, but it’s different this year," Tiscanero Velasco said. "Our students went to Selma, Ala., and marched with Senator John Lewis a couple of years ago.” Senator John Lewis was a leader and Civil Rights Activist who passed away in July of 2020. Students at CVCC spoke with people who directly dealt with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and Velasco emphasized how it is still a bill and not a law. “Former President Bush was the last person to sign this Act,” Tiscanero Velasco said. “Your body shivers when you think about this. I always say, talk to your commissioners, vote for the right ones and educate yourselves.” This year at CVCC, events will be different considering that COVID-19 has changed the dynamics of everything. Nevertheless, black history events will still be held this year, but with a different twist. “This year, our first project at CVCC will be highlighting hidden historical figures,” Tiscanero Velasco said. “The white owner usually gets the recognition and credit instead of African-Americans. We will also show the film ‘How Racism harms White Americans’ to provoke critical thinking from our students.” Saidah Hardwick, a 21-year-old senior and marketing major at LenoirRhyne University, expressed her thoughts on Black History month. “As Tina Knowles said,” Hardwick said. “We were kings and queens before we were forced into slavery. All we’ve ever been taught is white history and we deserve a month to celebrate black people. Let’s change America’s old habits.” Tiscanero Velasco and Emma Sellers, Director of Multicultural Affairs at Lenoir-Rhyne University, would agree that the plight of AfricanAmericans has history that is just as important as white history.
“There are so many reasons that black history should be taught and celebrated,” Sellers said. “Mainly, we gain a holistic understanding of our circumstances in this country, not just Black folks, but all Americans.” Tiscanero Velasco hopes that we can create unity in our community and spread the love, as hippies would in the 1960s. For more
Ajah Harold and Dontel Mills in the play "A Raisin in the Sun." SUBMITTED PHOTO
information on the upcoming Black History events at CVCC, contact her at 828-327-7000 or through email at evelasco@cvcc.edu.
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LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2021
BLASTS FROM THE PAST
PHOTOJOURNALISM
LR PHOTOJOURNALISM’S VERY BEST From Staff Reports | LRN Monthly
To celebrate the achievements in visual storytelling LRN Monthly would like to present to you the very best from last year’s photojournalism course. From playing Spider-Man to shooting hoops, we hope you enjoy these photos just as much as we do. For those interested in trying their hand at capturing stories in less than a split second Photojournalism (COM 212) will be offered again in the fall and it’s open to one and all.
Annabella Bernhardt and her father Alex Bernhardt came in second place at Carolina Broadway Theatre Company’s Dancing For the Stars last semester. This dance competition is held every year to raise money for the nonprofit. Photo by LAUREN CAZELL
Za’Hier Pierson-Mace, of WinstonSalem, who stands 6-feet tall clears his 6-feet 2-inch attempt in preparation for an expected county championship this spring. Photo by SCOTLYN SILVEY
Melissa Craemer enjoying the R&B N Paint welcome back activity on the Russel Lawn. Photo by KENNEDY CONNER
Robert Smith does his best to hit a few golf balls over the net on the driving range at Catawba Country Club. Photo by JAY SOWERS
PHOTOJOURNALISM
LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2021
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LR’s Trent Davis of Douglassville, Ga., and Marlin Davis of Indian Land, S.C. train in hopes of winning the conference championship this upcoming indoor track season. Photo by SCOTLYN SILVEY
Connor Matthews enjoying a round of golf on the Jackson course at Rock Barn Country Club. Matthews sinking a twelve foot putt to take birdie on the sixth hole. Photo by JAY SOWERS
While exploring Lenoir- Rhyne University back in January, Jaxon Patton played "Spiderman" outside of the McCorie Center. Photo by SARAH C. JOHNSON Local filmmaker Jack Cazell shoots a Batman figure in his home studio for a stop-motion video. Photo by LAUREN CAZELL
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FRESH VOICES: BETTER WORLD
LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2021
MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE LR FRESHMEN TELL HOW THEY ARE BETTERING THE WORLD
Every month the LRN Monthly presents a new installment of our “Fresh Voices” series, where LR freshmen give their opinions on various topics. This time they’re discussing the fact that we live on a world that needs saving. Our neighbors need help, people need kindness, and the planet is struggling to cope with the load. How can YOU help? What is YOUR role? Take a step back and let these stories help you discover your answers.
WE ARE KILLING THE PLANET DO YOUR PART TO MAKE THE
GIVING BACK WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR YOUR COMMUNITY
WORLD A CLEANER PLACE
YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU LR STUDENTS HAVE MULTIPLE
MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVERYONE CAN DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE
As the earth is growing older, it is becoming more and more destroyed. Climate change, extinction and the destruction of ecosystems, to name a few, are all direct outcomes of human activity. We are responsible for the obliteration of our earth. Although we have caused a lot of irreversible effects, it is not too late to make a difference and prevent further damage. Experts say overpopulation is causing the most damage. World population data shows that in the last 120 years, the population has increased by roughly 6 billion people. This exponential growth is unsustainable. We are destroying habitats and wildlife to industrialize and expand. Overpopulation has led to increased CO2 levels due to an ever-increasing demand for electricity to power our homes, our phones and our computers – and that burns more coal or natural gas. You may ask, “What can I possibly do to reduce the harm we’re causing our planet when the main contributing factor is overpopulation?” Plenty. The first thing that you can do is recycle. I was shocked when I arrived in the U.S. at the lack of effective recycling. At home in the UK we recycle nearly everything, from milk cartons and batteries to cardboard and metal cans. I am not saying that all Americans barely recycle, but that the recycling system here at LR is ineffective. There are three recycling bins for the whole of Fourth Street and all the recycling is mixed together. There’s no separation between the cardboard and the glass, or the cans and the plastic. This makes me doubt whether what we are putting into the bin actually gets recycled. And I often see students throwing pizza boxes or takeout boxes in the garbage when that stuff is perfectly recyclable. The second thing you can do is to turn the lights off when you’re not in a room and turn the TV off when you’re not watching it. This makes me particularly mad, as there is just no reason for them to be left on. I get that we’re not paying directly for the electricity we’re using, but just turn them off for the sake of the planet! The final slight change to your day that you can make as a student here at LR is for those of us who live on campus to actually walk to class or to the caf. The number of people I see driving from the Ike parking lot to the football parking lot is insane. It’s a three-minute walk, but they drive instead?!? There are several small things that everybody can do to make a change. Turn off the electricity when you’re not using it. Walk when you can. Recycle. It’s a small thing for each of us but if we work together we can help to rectify some of the issues.
AMERICA’S YOUTH CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP
Rosie Weaver | LRN Monthly Contributor
HOW TO MAKE A BETTER WORLD
Mckayla Watts | LRN Monthly Contributor
How many times has someone helped you when you were in need? Whether your answer was all the time or not at all, you have a reason to want to help others. There are thousands of people in need and there are tons of opportunities for you to help. You can get started by donating money to domestic violence homes, soup kitchens or emergency relief for children. Donating money can provide these places the materials needed to keep women and children safe, comfortable and fed. A few years ago, I went on a mission trip to a domestic violence home for women and children in Kentucky. I met so many amazing women and little kids who needed a lot of help. More people need to volunteer to help cook, clean and take care of the kids while the moms are looking for work. When I went, I had so much fun preparing meals for the families and seeing the smiles on their faces when they got the food. I even got to babysit for a while and they were the sweetest kids I’ve ever met. My church held a soup kitchen one year and that was a ton of fun too. I always enjoy making people happy, so I was thrilled to see their happy faces when I served them some food. We even put a movie on for them so they could enjoy a movie while they ate. Everyone was so thankful. If you haven’t tried helping out then I would really recommend it. I was left feeling accomplished and happy, I feel as if I have made a difference in the world and honestly even the slightest bit of generosity makes a difference. Have you ever been in a drive through line and the person in front of you pays for your order? Most of the time when this happens, you then will, what is known as, pay it forward, and pay for the next person in line. This is how we can make a difference in the world. We can start a chain of good. If we go out of our way to make someone else's day a little bit better, then maybe they will want to pay it forward and make another person's day a little better. Keep circulating good in the world and let others know that there are still some good people out there. Even if you’ve never gotten help you can still start a new chain. Be there for others. No one likes to feel alone. Let's try to make a point of proving that no one is alone, and people do care.
Maty Mbye | LRN Monthly Contributor
In today’s world, media outlets have exposed young people to the horrors of the world, including natural and manmade disasters. We see people, animals and even our own planet in need of our attention. Through this all we are left feeling useless and hopeless. Most of us do want to make the world a better place, however we do not know how or where to begin. Despite our limitations and uncertainty, I still believe young people should be making the world better. Living in The Gambia for four years inspired me and taught me the value of giving back. I witnessed and experienced the many hardships people have to face including going days without electricity or running water, lack of adequate healthcare and so on. I lived alongside the people and going through those experiences changes and inspires you. Despite my newfound inspiration, at the time I felt just as uncertain and hopeless as many young people do today as to how I could help my community. I discovered along the way that even helping in the smallest of ways can make an impact. I began donating to the needy and volunteering. The Gambia is one of many places in need of our attention. While it is facing its own poverty predicament, countries like England and even the United States are also facing their own homeless outbreak as well as civil rights issues. As a college student I definitely have more power to make a change than I did when I was 14 years old. I plan on using that power. Each college student has their own area of expertise which they could use to help. One person could use their writing skills to spread awareness while another person could their cooking skills to cook for the homeless. My expertise area is mostly health related therefore I do my part through medicine. There are also a lot of clubs and activities available at LR that provide a means of helping others such as Circle K, Hearing and Deaf Signers club, Suicide Abuse and Rape Awareness club, and even the LRN Monthly are a means of spreading awareness and giving back. I’ve used the opportunities LenoirRhyne University has to offer by joining the Seeds of LRU, where we spread awareness of environmental rollbacks, and by joining the Pre-Health club which provides me with volunteering and community service resources. By participating in volunteer service activities over the years I’ve learned the answer to the question of why young people should be making the world better: The fate of the world is our future; therefore, it is also our responsibility to ensure it.
Grayson Breedlove | LRN Monthly Contributor Sarah Bradley | LRN Monthly Contributor
Have you ever watched those “cheesy” Hallmark movies that are based in a small town filled with character, warm and inviting people and an abundance of charm? My mother can’t get enough of them. She says it’s because things always work out okay in the end. The plot is usually to save a tree or save a small street from large department store or to save a family farm from “big” development. The characters are usually young people who are filled with good intentions of keeping their community strong and preserving their way of life. They aid of an older generation with hopes to save the day. I believe the people in the age group of 15-25 can make a huge difference in our community. This age group is the future of the world. I am 18 and used to think the choices I made and the path I chose didn’t impact anyone but me. I now realize my career choice can make a difference, the lifestyle I choose to live can make a difference and the role I play in my college and community can make a difference. Our age group is learning more and more and have technological access like never before. We have tools we can use to help our world be a better place. College aged individuals are smart and innovative. Here are a few examples of how I plan to continue to help with needs in my world. I volunteer for things and serve in philanthropy through my sorority at college and through my family at home. My mom served in a Women’s Service League which volunteered and served at the homeless shelter and the Boys & Girls Club and our entire family helped too. And during the summer I teach swim lessons to children. This is not just a world for older generations. This is the world we will continue to grow in, learn in and raise our families in someday. Along with innovation and technology my generation seeks sustainable, clean, diverse and green communities to live in. We love the outdoors and we love fresh air, trees and green space. I want young people to volunteer, be smart about their environment and dream about what their future living will look like outside of college. I believe we should continue working towards, not only having an aesthetically pleasing community, but having a sustainable clean environment for the future.
There is a lot going on in the world. We’re faced with a bunch of problems. Some we can fix, others we can’t. If we do our best in fixing the problems we can, we can make this world a better place. One problem we are faced with is Coronavirus. Some people aren’t doing their part to prevent and stop the spreading of it. People refuse to wear masks, social distance and wash their hands. I understand times are tough, but this isn’t going to go away on its own. The numbers and cases just keep increasing and people are just sitting around wondering why. If people can’t do something as simple as wearing a mask and washing their hands, how can we solve other problems? The youth are the key to major change. We have the will and the power. We can make our communities better by volunteering and we can do our part for the environment. There’s no doubt that the ecosystem is polluted. Anywhere you go, you can see trash along the side of the road where people have tossed garbage out their car windows. We can try to get people to stop tossing trash out. We can on our own out and pick up the trash. That is what I did in my little town in Tuxedo. My three brothers and I walked along the side of the streets, for a week, and picked up trash off the side of the road. We got about 40 bags of trash in all. It wasn’t very hard to do. We can also volunteer in our communities by helping senior citizens. Some of them don’t have any family members or anyone to help them out. Many are on their own. When school let out because of the coronavirus a lot of the senior citizens I know were scared to go anywhere. I volunteered to go pick up their groceries for them. I wore the proper personal protective equipment, such as a mask and gloves. They gave me their grocery lists and I went and picked them up for them. I am in perfect health so why not use that to do some good for somebody? These are just a few things that we can do to help our community. Imagine people doing more than that. Our world would be in great shape. Young people nowadays have a lot of time on our hands. We can put that time to good use by making our world a better place.
NEWS
FREE FOOD FOR YOU
LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2021
THE CORNERSTONE STUDENT HEALTH CENTER OFFERS A STUDENT PANTRY COMPLEMENTARY FOR ALL STUDENTS EVEN THROUGH THE PANDEMIC Savannah Lee | LRN Monthly Sports Editor
ITEMS AVAILABLE AT
Being a college student is difficult, but the LR Health Services wants you to know that they are still open and are providing all of their normal services – including the Student Food Pantry – even during this pandemic. “We want to make sure that any student, regardless if you are part time, full time, undergrad or grad, that you are able to use this service,” Jenny Smith, LR’s Director of Counseling said. “We know that people go through difficult times and we have been going through a really difficult time in the last year, it has definitely impacted people financially. Oftentimes this is a really temporary thing and there is absolutely no shame in asking for help. Every single one of us no matter who we are, no matter what age we are, we all need help from time to time.” The Cornerstone House staff realized there was an issue across campus three years ago; many students were lacking nutrition in between meals. Students would come into Cornerstone and discuss how they didn’t have the extra money to spend on snacks and they were often hungry. The staff collectively came together and came up with the idea to start a food pantry that faculty, staff and anyone in the LR community could donate any nonperishable items for the students to come and get with no charge. “We know that if you just get a few things that that’s going to help you be even more successful academically,” Smith said. “We want you to take advantage of that resource.” The pantry soon became a big hit. Students loved coming in after their visit with the nurse or their counselor, and would gladly grab a snack on their way out. “When I lived on campus and didn’t have time to work and make extra money, I would use the pantry to grab a few things I needed for the week,” LR senior Mollie Clohesy said. “They had food that was easy to heat up in the microwave that was a great option if you didn’t want to or didn’t have the time to go into the cafeteria.” After a few months, the staff realized there was something else that was in demand in the pantry. Many students were asking about personal care products being a much needed necessity that many couldn’t afford. Smith and Monique Peoples, Cornerstone Student Support and Wellness Center office manager, were quick to respond and right away made orders for personal hygiene products. “We have plenty of toiletries, hygiene items, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, toilet paper and even more,” Peoples said. “The students can come down here and let us know what they need and we can try our best to meet those needs.” This year things have taken a turn, one that no one could have expected. Due to COVID-19 and the restrictions put into place, students are not allowed to come into the office unless absolutely necessary. This has caused many students to forget that the pantry is available and for items to even go out of date and have to be thrown out. “Students don’t know about it because they haven’t been able to come in person due to all of our services being virtual, a lot of our students find out about the pantry when they come here in person,” Peoples said. “We have had a huge decrease in students coming to get things from the pantry since COVID.” The staff at Cornerstone are available to help students for any reason and want you to know that the pantry is still accessible for any student to use at any time and will be welcomed with open arms. If you would like to take full advantage of the Student Pantry, please contact Monique Peoples at Monique.peoples@ lr.edu or call the Cornerstone off (828) 328-7959 with a list of items you would like. They will be put together for you in advance to be picked up when it is convenient for you. If you would like to donate any items, you may send an email to Monique.peoples@lr.edu.
LR'S PANTRY
Monique Peoples, Cornerstone Office Manager, showing off the larger pantry located on the second floor of Cornerstone House while displaying several bags full of various products students can come get at the Student Food Pantry. SAVANNAH LEE | LRN MONTHLY
● Canned soup ● Canned beans ● Canned Vegetables ● Ramen ● Microwaveable meals ● Mac & Cheese ● Oatmeal ● Canned meat & tuna ● Snack foods ● Baked good snacks ● Feminine hygiene products ● Deodorant ● Shampoo ● Bodywash ● Razors ● Toilet paper ● Laundry detergent ● Hand soap ● Hand sanitizer
A closer look at inside the Student Food Pantry located on the second floor of the Cornerstone House. SAVANNAH LEE | LRN MONTHLY
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