LRN November 2018

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Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communi LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS

Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication

LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS

VOL. 113 — ISSUE 3

NOVEMBER 2018

VOL. 110 — ISSUE 2

SEPTEMB

Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS

VOL. 110 — ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 2015

fEST TO RETIRE LR pResident WELRANDARE LR, TOUS RETIRE pResident THIS IS TO RETIRE Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS

VOL. 110 — ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 2015

By London Griffin | LRN Monthly Staff Writer

We are athletes. We are North Carolinians.

We are internationals. We are the future nurses, scientists, writers, heroes and more. We are the LR Bears, and the experiences and memories we create here are worth sharing through photos: whether they be in color or black and white.

That’s why this issue’s cover story is a photo essay produced by LR’s Photojournalism class.

They’ll be spending the rest of the semester

exploring LR and beyond, and telling the stories they find with images. Keep an eye out for issues to come for even more images taken from your lives. Real photos of real students doing real things on our campus.

As for what you’ll find inside these pages, we’ve got the stories – from our moments in Cromer Dining Hall to all those Thanksgiving traditions, and of course our sports updates.

Take a look and read what grabs your attention.

You are LR. You deserve to know what’s happening between these walls, the good and what some may consider the bad. We built this paper from the ground up to supply you with fresh and hot information.

This paper belongs to you, and we hope you have a good read.

Hoodie Allen crowd surfing at Breakaway Music Festival in Charlottle, North Carolina.

PHOTO BY KATHERINE DIAMONTI

Lenoir-Rhyne University Junior, Anthony Brown, preapres the radio studio equiment for his upcoming sports talk show, Bear Time. PHOTO BY HARRISON ELAM

Lenoir-Rhyne's Shortstop Corbin Watson does his skill work indoors on campus Friday Oct. 12 at the hand of Hurricane Michael preventing many outdoor practices to take place.

PHOTO BY MIKE MCHUGH Yawen Zhang waits for the traffic light as she skateboards to class on Oct. 12.

PHOTO BY DIANA XIONG

CONNECT WITH US

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 SHAKESPEARE, ULLOLA AND NYE, OH MY!

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LRN MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2018

LR PLAYMAKERS 2018-2019 SEASON

By Kelsy Pitts | LRN Monthly Contributor

While the weather starts to cool as we approach Belk Centrum. the later months of the year, rush and anticipation To close out the 2018-2019 season, the fills the air as the Lenoir-Rhyne Playmakers prepare Playmakers will do a production of “The Turtle of for their upcoming season.

Oman” written by Naomi Shihab Nye. “The Turtle The Playmakers begin their season with William of Oman” is LR’s Little Read. The show will run April Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors,” which will 3-6, 2019. There will be daytime performances for run Nov. 14-18 and be performed in Belk Centrum. the Catawba county students who will come to P.E “It is a play about two sets of twins who get Monroe, as well as two community performances mixed up at birth and they end up at the same on April 3 and April 6. place a number of years later,” LR senior Taylor Thomas said. “It’s just a big confusion of finding out who is who because they were both named the same.”

Taylor has been with the Playmakers for three of her four years at Lenoir-Rhyne.

She will be playing the role of Antipholus of Syracuse. Antipholus of Ephesus, the twin of Antipholus of Syracuse, will be played by Chase Fowler, Lenoir-Rhyne junior and three-year Playmaker member.

To finish out the fall semester before we head to Christmas break, the Playmakers will present Student Showcase: a festival of 10-minute plays.

The classes taking the lead on the showcase will be THR 450 (Directing I) and THR 270 (Script Writing) however, all students are welcome to participate. The showcase will be held in Belk Centrum and will run Nov. 30 through Dec. 2.

“It is all student-directed, studentacted, and designed,” Fowler said. “I will be a director for it.”

As we ditch our holiday hats and head back to campus, the Playmakers will be preparing for their next production, “26 Pebbles” written by Eric Ulloa, special arrangement by Samuel French, Inc. “26 Pebbles” is about a small town that gets Taylor Thomas and Corey Smith rehearsing their scene for the shaken by gun violence. The play will run upcoming production of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors in Belk Feb. 20-24, 2019 and will be performed in Centrum on Oct. 3. KELSY PITTS | LRN MONTHLY

WHO ARE THE

“PLAYMAKERS?”

The Playmakers have been a part of the Lenoir-Rhyne community since 1926 when Professor Pearl Setzer Deal created them. Dr. Lindsay Weitkamp, LR’s assistant professor of theatre and theatre program coordinator speaks, on behalf of the theatre program: “This program provides both onstage and offstage training to nurture well-rounded theatre artists,” Weitkamp said. “Every day is a unique adventure of shared experiences.”

The Playmakers perform a wide variety of productions from small plays to large musicals.

“I definitely have a list going of productions I would love to do here,” Weitkamp said. “The other theatre faculty members and I get together each spring and talk about what we will do for the next season.”

You do not have to be a theatre major to join. It is open to all students and the surrounding community.

“We are privileged to serve both the campus community and the Catawba County community at large,” Weitkamp said. “We embrace this opportunity and plan to provide production experiences that both celebrate and innovate creative works, to use our art to spark dialogue about issues we care about, and to provide students with a strong foundation for their future as theatre makers.”

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SEEING THE PLAYMAKERS THIS SEASON, SHOWTIMES ARE: The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare Nov. 14 - 17, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. • Nov. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

Belk Centrum Student Showcase Nov. 30 - Dec. 1, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. • Dec. 2 at 2:30 p.m.

Belk Centrum 26 Pebbles by Eric Ulloa Feb. 20 - 23, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. • Feb. 24 at 2:30 p.m.

Belk Centrum The Little Read: The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye April 3, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. • April 6, TBD PE Monroe Auditorium For more information check out the Lenoir-Rhyne website at lr.edu/public-events/playmakers, 828-328-7206 or visit the P.E. Monroe box office.

GIVING FOR CHANGE MAKES CENTS FUNDING AND PHILANTHROPY AT LENOIR-RHYNE UNIVERSITY

By London Griffin | LRN Monthly Staff Writer

Scholarship funding; Financial Aid; Philanthropy. If you are a past, current or future LR student then you likely have or will benefit from all of the above. In fact, 99 percent of all undergraduate students at LRU receive some kind of financial aid – a four percent jump from the 20172018 fiscal year.

B.E.A.R. Rep Hannah Evans, accounting sophomore, laughs at a joke her colleague made during a shift working the phones to build The Fund for LR. LONDON GRIFFIN | LRN MONTHLY

The total cost for the average undergrad per year at LR is nearly $50,000. This five-figure bundle includes the $37,000 for tuition and almost $13,000 for room and board.

Types of aid offered include but are not limited to federal, state, tuition and specially offered academic, merit, talent and need based scholarships to LR’s most qualified students.

Many of us are aware of the role scholarships and financial aid play in our bills, but philanthropy is out there playing the field too.

A whopping 12.25 percent of LR’s operating budget comes from philanthropy.

In the name of philanthropy, LR’s very own “Phonathon” program is a unit of the department of Annual Giving. Student B.E.A.R representatives are hired to contact friends and alumni of the University and collect donations for scholarship funding as a work-study position.

B.E.A.R. stands for Bears Enhancing Advancement Relations.

Parents, alumni, staff and other general supporters of our community make donations annually to The Fund for Lenoir-Rhyne. Every penny that goes into the Fund goes directly toward bringing new students to LR or keeping a current student enrolled.

“You have actual students reaching

LRN STAFF WRITERS: Dorien Dickey London Griffin Ana Romero

CONTRIBUTORS:

M O N T H L Y

Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication

out to actual alumni, donors and friends of LR,” Xzavier HolmesCopeland, Graduate Assistant and Phonathon manager, said. “They are updating them and building connections with them. At the same time those people are giving back to LR.” Copeland stressed the necessity of Phonathon when it comes to the amount of financial aid LR has available to students. He considers it the backbone of the Advancement Department.

“As a student at Lenoir-Rhyne University, it’s amazing to see how many alumni and friends of the University care about education and are willing to donate to that cause,” second year B.E.A.R Representative Hannah Evans said.

LR proves to be successful when it comes to receiving aid from alumni and other larger sponsors. Consider the University’s lengthy history of donors, which dates all the way back to the beginning of Lenoir-Rhyne in 1891.

The property for what was then Lenoir-Rhyne College was donated by being left in the will of Walter W. Lenoir – a lawyer and judge from Wilkes County.

Just recently, in November of 2017, LR received a $5.5 million dollar endowment for the William and Robert Shuford Center of

Katherine Diamonte Harrison Elam Ricky Hardison

Savannah Lee Mike McHugh Jack Williams Diana Xiong Mallory Baker Autumn Drayton Preston Goforth Kaynmon Maddox Kelsy Pitts

International Education. This gift has allowed an abundance of scholarship opportunities for LR students to travel abroad.

Staff, students and alumni constantly give back to LR and it pays off by providing extra help financially to our current and future students.

“As someone receiving scholarship funding myself, it sparks positive interactions when I’m calling and connecting with members of our community,” Evans said. “They want to give back because people did the same for them.”

People are willing to give, the B.E.A.R.s just have an obligation to reach out to them. Every year, more people graduate and more people enter Lenoir-Rhyne either as freshmen, transfers or internationals.

No matter where you came from, the funding obtained through philanthropy at LR will benefit you.

“At the end of the day, I know I wouldn't be at this University if it weren't for the generosity of those who came before me,” third year B.E.A.R. Representative Florence Best said.

For more information on the variety of funding, scholarships and grants that may be at your disposal, go to lr.edu/admission/ undergraduate/financial-aid

Kandace Pennell Jon Jean

FACULTY ADVISORS: Dr. Lisa Harris Prof. Richard Gould

OPINION

LRN MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2018

THANKSGIVING 101

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TURKEY-DAY THROUGH THE EYES OF A FOREIGN STUDENT

By Ana Romero | LRN Monthly Staff Writer

It´s that time of the year again when everybody goes back home to be with their families for a couple of days and have a nice dinner with all the relatives and, of course, enjoy an NFL game together.

But have you ever stopped and thought about the history of Thanksgiving?

We know the basics: Indians + pilgrims = having

a nice dinner together and being thankful, but what else is in there?

Here’s some history about this lovely holiday called Thanksgiving: • The origins of Thanksgiving date back to 1621 when a group of English pilgrims in present day Massachusetts shared a feast with a tribe of Native Americans.

• The “First Thanksgiving” took place in October and lasted about three days.

• There is also evidence to suggest similar ceremonies were held two years earlier in Virginia.

• Thanksgiving used to be celebrated on different days depending on the state you were in.

• In 1863 Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear “Thanksgiving” is the turkey. For years that big loud bird has been this holiday’s symbol, but the truth is that Thanksgiving wasn’t originally with

celebrated with turkey on the table. Instead they used to have other fowl (geese, swans, and carrier pigeons) and beef. No one knows exactly why turkey became a must have for his holiday dinner, although it is likely to be because this bird is native to the North Americans.

Did you knew that approximately 50 million turkeys are devoured in the U.S.A. every Thanksgiving, according to research by the University of Illinois?

In Mexico, where I am from, I don’t celebrate this holiday but I’m excited about this new experience especially because I will get to live it with my friends.

Now let’s talk about one of the most important things of the day the NFL schedule.

There are three games to watch this Thanksgiving: • Bears vs Lions at 12.30 p.m. on CBS • Redskins vs Cowboys at 4:30 p.m. on Fox • Falcons vs Saints at 8:20 p.m. on NBC Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

GOLDFISH BANDIT VS. THE CAF I REALLY CAN’T TAKE THIS TO GO?

By London Griffin | LRN Monthly Staff Writer

Class just got out, your professor went a little over-time so its 12:08 p.m. It’s a Tuesday, and you have back-to-back classes with the next one starting 12:15. And, you’re hungry. You know your next class won’t get out until 1:30, right when LR’s cafeteria staff is putting away the hot foods and leaving you with nothing but a choice of salad or soup.

All you need is a coffee cup full of something to go to hold you over until you have time to use a meal exchange. And you really aren't asking for much.

Well, you had better think again. I might sound like I'm on a rant, but bear with my grizzly attitude for a moment as I take you back in time to my sophomore year – when I was first denied a snack on-the-go.

It was another busy day of the week and my stomach was roaring, I probably had three to four minutes to spare before my stats exam. Knowing my brain needed a little food to kick-start some cognitive magic, I ran by the “Caf” to get a snack for the walk back.

Now, I fully understand and admire the two (or three if we’re lucky) fruit options that are available to grab on-the-go, but not all of us like fruit 24/7.

Me, I like Goldfish crackers.

I grab a coffee cup, and jog over to the end of the salad bar where the pretty little steel pan of Goldfish awaited me. I start to fill up my cup, mind you only half way, and I was bombarded by a cafeteria staff worker.

I mean, she snatched that pan of goldfish along with the serving spoon away from me, looked me dead in the eye, and said “NO.” If that wasn't enough, she proceeded to place the pan and spoon all the way behind the glass serving shield out of not only my but every other innocent LR student’s reach.

Have you ever been publically stripped of your freedom?

Knowing I had about a minute and a half left until I had to be sitting firmly in my seat for my exam, I kind of thought, “Well, okay. Whatever, at least I have half a cup full still,” and politely jogged away.

Back to present: I still lose sleep over it. I mean it’s Goldfish. Are we supposed to sit down in the cafeteria and eat a bowl full? It’s an on-thego snack if I’ve ever seen one. It’s like they are manufactured to be carried around in a Ziplock baggie.

I’ve spoken with multiple different Caf staffers in my three years as an LR student. Many of them don’t mind. (I’ve even had a few bring me a cup full of Goldfish when they just saw me sitting down eating with some friends) We even joke around about my unofficial nickname: “Goldfish Bandit.”

One of the management staff, when I confronted her about the issue, told me that they prefer students do not take cups of food out of the cafeteria because they are, and I quote, “Losing money by it.”

Problem No. 1: Students pay either with their tuition to have endless meal swipes to Cromer Dining Hall, or if they commute, they pay upon

entrance. Either way, wherever that food is eaten, it has been paid for. If I walk out with a cup full of Goldfish, exactly what difference does it make where I eat it? Here, there or anywhere? It’s my food – I already paid for it. Right?

Problem No. 2: Students pay a pretty penny to eat in the cafeteria. Speaking for myself as an on-campus student with a traditional meal plan – my room and board costs more than $12,000.

Let’s say that half of that’s my bill for sleeping in my dormroom and the other half is for food. At Amazon’s going rates $6,000 could buy me about 1,630 pounds Goldfish crackers. I suppose storing a ton of Goldfish might be problematic, but that’s not really the point.

Here’s my point: I don't even have enough time to eat in the cafeteria often enough to get the amount of food I’m already paying top dollar for… do you?

Problem No. 3: These “rules” are UNWRITTEN. I researched LR’s website as well as CampusDish, and have yet to find any regulations stating whether you can or cannot take food to go.

Students deserve to know where our freedom ends. The coffee is okay to drink on the way out, but a cup of Goldfish crackers to go – that’s forbidden … apparently. Is the fruit even okay to exit with?

Help us. Educate us. Stop arbitrarily enforcing non-existent rules. It’s not fair. It’s not right. It’s rude.

I owe it to myself and all of you to challenge unjust systems.

I promise to stay on top of working on this issue, fighting for our right to grab a snack on-the-go when we are crunched for time. After all, we’re all just trying to make it through this big crazy world with a degree.

Rant over. Grizzly out.

SOS: THANKSGIVING BREAK

By Ana Romero | LRN Monthly Staff Writer

It´s November, which means Turkey Day, is just around the corner.

Most of LR’s Bears will be going back to their families to celebrate one of America´s most beloved holidays. It´s a chance to be back home

for a couple of days, have a nice dinner, enjoy a trip together or even enjoy the Black Friday deals together.

I spoke with American and exchange/ international students to discover their plans for

this big holiday. Their answers to the question, “What are you going to do for Thanksgiving?” varied, but their enthusiasm was universal.

“Go back to South Carolina, with my family, watch some movies, read some comics and write poetry. Probably film some things. I will be filming everyday stuff. It takes me a couple of hours depending on what I film.” – Caleb LaBord, of Irmo, South Carolina

“I’ll work at Maple Leaf Health Care as a certified nursing assistant and then have Thanksgiving at my house, Thanksgiving at Paul’s (her boyfriend) house and Black Friday shopping. I’m hoping to find Christmas gifts for my family and friends” – Jessica Poindexter, of Statesville

“I would like to go to Nashville; I heard it’s a nice place to go and have fun. Authentic America country music, whiskey (she’s 29 years old) and museums. I want to go to Black Friday; I can’t eat meat because I’m a vegetarian so I will have to try something else for Thanksgiving.” – MarieChristin Redlich, of Magdeburg, Germany

“So far I have two options: New York to spend time with my family that is flying from all over the US, also Hong Kong and Dubai and we are going to eat a lot of food like turkey. And the second option is go to Raleigh and spend time with my teammate’s family and eat a lot of food.” - Aryaan Kumar, of Dubai, United Arab Emirates

“Go to London, (Ontario) Canada to visit my relative, my father’s uncle and probably will travel to Toronto.” – Zhang Yawen from Shijiazhuang, Hebei Provence, China

“I’ll have an amazing dinner at home with my family of 10-plus and this year I get to make the baked mac and cheese!” – Fatou Sall, of Raleigh

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NEWS

LRN MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2018

ENTREPRENEUR BEARS GETTING TO KNOW LR´S START-UPS

By Ana Romero | LRN Monthly Staff Writer

If you’re like most students you came to college so you can graduate, get a job and make money. Some LR students are taking the fast track and earning cash right now by starting their own businesses.

Two notable LR start-ups are Buddy Case and Cracks Are Wack Campus Repairs.

Patricio Gonzalez created Campus Repairs. Right now he specializes in repairing iPhone screens and batteries but he said, “We plan to expand our services to not only repairing screens and batteries.”

The prices vary depending on your phone. iPhone 5 screens are $55. iPhone 6s are $65 and 7s are $75.

Campus Repairs may have started officially this semester but Gonzalez didn’t hesitate to demonstrate his skills by breaking his own phone open. Sure, it’s a little nerve-wracking to watch someone pop the hood on such a delicate machine, but Gozalez has a steady hand and a wicked sense of humor about being inside a device so many find so intimidating and mysterious.

For an appointment and more information about Campus Repairs visit cracksarewack.com As for Buddy Case – it is a concept born from something his creator went through.

“When I was younger back in Argentina I used to feel ashamed of my inhaler,” Buddy Case’s founder Santiago Ambroggio said. “I needed my inhaler, but because I was so ashamed of it I’d rather wait until I went to the bathroom or went home to take my medicine.”

Designed for kids, Buddy Case is an inhaler cover made of soft foam.

It’s designed to look like a toy and Ambroggio’s top seller is shaped like a panda bear. The idea is that no one knows it’s medicine and the other kids think it’s a toy.

Buddy Case costs $11.99, but if you show your LR ID you’ll get a 20 percent discount.

For more information about Buddy

Case go to mybuddycase.com.

If you have an idea for starting your own business and you’d like some support, reach out to LR’s Professor of Entrepreneurship, Dr. Ralph Griffith.

“Get to the course, Introduction to Entrepreneurship (ENT 210),” Griffith said. “In that class you’ll get an in introduction of what entrepreneurship is and get the opportunity to work on a team and build a company, at least the idea behind it.”

Serious students with great ideas can become eligible for grant money.

“Those that want to commercialize get invited into the incubator,” Griffith said. “It takes 15 weeks in the incubator and then they will get access to funding where we give away about $10,000 to those who want to start businesses on campus.”

For more information, talk with Griffith, he will be happy to help you out and be there with you through the whole process, just like he has been with Ambroggio, Gozalez and some other start-ups that are working to make LR’s students’ lives easier.

LR student Santiago Ambroggio shows off one of his “Buddy Cases” a business he created with the guidance of LR’s Entrepreneurship department.

ANA ROMERO | LRN MONTHLY

Lenoir-Rhyne student businessman Patricio Gonzalez demonstrates changing a battery in his cell phone – a skill that comes in handy in the company he created called Campus Repairs. ANA ROMERO | LRN MONTHLY

GOT NEXT

LENIOR-RHYNE UNIVERSITY’S VERY OWN BEAT PRODUCERS AND ARTISTS MAKING A COME UP

By Kaynmon Maddox | LRN Monthly Contributor

Music changes. It goes through different eras of development. Some changes spark age old arguments. For many the debate boils down to Old School vs. New School.

The next up and coming artist may just be your classmate or living in the dorm next to you. Emanuel Jackson, Nicholas Nock and Jwan Underwood are three LR students who became friends just doing what they love.

Music runs deep for each of them for their own reasons but all three have started to do something with their respective talents.

Each budding artist does most of his music in his own room with his own setup. They do however meet up and do a lot of collaborations.

Not only do the three artists say they complement and need each other but others that listen to their music think the same thing.

All three men respect each other and values the others’ styles.

“Nick is a fabulous producer,” Jackson said. “His beats are soulful and trendy. Jwan is classical like Biggie and Tupac. I would say I’m like a mix of everything like Future.”

It’s about mutual admiration and support for the three young men.

“We are like ASAP Mob,” Nock said.

“Eman and Jwan are incredible, they have a lot of talent.”

It all starts with the mindset of each artist.

“Stay true to yourself,” Jackson said. “You got to feel the music when making a beat, writing a song, or freestyling.”

This is the mindset they all have.

They all want to affect the world and if it can be through music, they will happily do it.

“We are trying to conquer whatever we do whether we make it mainstream or just underground,” Nock said.

They wouldn’t say if they themselves think that they are next up, but Jackson was open about his music future, saying he would continue making more music, both beats and songs. No word on any current projects though but LR’s up and comers can be heard on Sound Cloud at Emanuel Jackson 3. Underwood mentioned he was working on an eight-song project called “Fill Me, Fear Me.” “It’s about growing up and growing out of things,” he said.

He already has two songs out:

“Lights Freestyle” and “Still Writing” that can be listened to on Sound Cloud at Young Sun. Then there is Nock, known on Sound Cloud as ExoticSwisha. He has upcoming songs but would not give any hints to any solo projects or group projects. Even with no indication he did say he hopes music leads him to do this on a bigger level like screenplays or recording music videos for artists.

Emanuel Jackson (above), Nicholus Nock (bottom right) and Jwan Underwood (top right), are working to express themselves through the music they're making while students at LR. KAYNMON MADDOX | LRN MONTHLY

NEWS

LRN MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2018

THE NEW MOTOWN

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ATLANTA’S AGI ENTERTAINMENT REVAMPS CLASSES TO LAUNCH EVEN MORE CAREERS

By Mallory Baker | LRN Monthly Contributor

AGI Entertainment is a performing arts and entertainment company located just outside of Atlanta. With their artist development programs, training classes, summer and winter bootcamp, and other services, AGI Entertainment works hard to launch the next stars into the entertainment industry whether it be in singing, acting, dancing, or all three.

Boasting alumni such as Navia Robinson, who plays Nia on Disney Channel’s “Raven’s Home,” Jordan Julian, who plays Tasha on NBC’s “Will and Grace,” and Brandon Arreaga, member of the boy band PrettyMuch, AGI Entertainment has had a lot of success in the industry and only plans to increase this in the future.

“We make stars up in here. If you want to be a star, you come on to AGI Entertainment,” father of AGI client Marcus Townsend said. “AGI is a great facility. I think it’s a great place for anybody to get some skills. If they want to be an artist, I think AGI is the place they need to come to get that buffed, to get that shined up.”

AGI Entertainment just concluded an eight week intensive program known as Industry Bootcamp. This concluded with a showcase, an event where each client has the opportunity to share their talents

on stage. After this showcase, eight clients were signed to BMG Talent in Atlanta.

Now AGI is revamping its classes to allow its clients to gain more exposure and make them more marketable in the entertainment industry. AGI Entertainment believes in helping every client reach their full potential which a lot of times comes through tough love, or honest criticism. Nothing is sugar coated, not even for children.

“I appreciate honesty. I don’t think people understand that. People sugar coat a lot,” acting coach Breana Cymone said. “I’m not about that sugar coating. I’m not at all.”

This can get to some of the students but for the most part, they understand it is out of love.

“It really gets to me and she gives us tough love because she wants us to be better and better every day,” 9-year-old singer and actor Ayla Easterling said. “She wants us to progress and get jobs. She wants us to be the future. That’s why she give us all the tough love. She just wants us to be great.”

The entertainment industry can be cutthroat. The coaches at AGI Entertainment are all actively working in the industry and want to set each student up for the highest level of

success.

“I’m very passionate about what I do. So I just want that to read more through my tough love,” acting coach Breana Cymone said. “I want you to get there. You have the capability of getting there. You have to believe it.”

With the implementation of more rigorous training and additional VIP days throughout the year, AGI seeks to launch more clients into the entertainment industry. However, there is no recipe for success in this industry. For some, it may take a while but it is not an impossible achievement.

“Nothing’s like pop-popped yet for me and it’s like I’m growing slowly but surely,” 17-year-old singer, dancer, and actor JonAvery Worrell, better known as King Avery, said. “It’s like you really want the next step and it just seems like it’s never really coming.”

All the clients at AGI are like family to each other. They rejoice in each other’s success but it can be hard to continually celebrate with others when you haven’t had your chance yet.

“You’re watching others progress and grow and be great, which I rejoice with them at all times. These are like my brothers and sisters and I love them,” Worrell said. “But always

in the back of your mind it’s like okay, I’m growing. I know I’m growing.

I’m getting better so where’s my opportunity.”

But opportunity is not out of anyone’s reach at AGI Entertainment.

Just this summer, client A’Jana Davis booked a role on “Little,” a feature film with Sean Bankhead, and signed with Evolution Talent Agency, all because of exposure from the Industry Bootcamp. When clients have a break in the industry, AGI Entertainment is usually one of the top on their list of who to thank.

“The best thing you can do to offer up thank you is beyond just stuff.

You make it and get past AGI and blow up” CEO of AGI Entertainment Natarsha Garcia said. “And when you do blow up you reach your hand back. You don’t blow up and say oh I made it, it’s all me. No, you reach your hand back and say, ‘Who can I help?’”

Garcia offers some advice to those with a dream of being in the entertainment industry: “Be great.

Greatness can never be denied. Ever,” Garcia said. “Talent will never be denied so do the work.”

For more information and to sign up for classes, visit agientertainment. com.

ROADTRIP JOURNAL: FALLIN' WITH THE INTERNATIONALS

By Ana Romero | LRN Staff Writer

Fall Break was a much needed breath for everyone, and in my opinion it came around just in time. I needed to forget about school and just have fun with my friends.

As you may know by now I’m an international student from Mexico specifically from the driest place. It’s dry now anyway. Waterfalls and greenery

existed more than 50 years ago, but these days everything is really dry.

I guess that’s why I decided to spend Fall Break getting to know the beautiful waterfalls and landscapes in Georgia and North and South Carolina.

An international coalition made of students from

Germany, Spain and Mexico decided to take the trek together. It was worth it. It was a beautiful experience, except for my clumsiness while hiking.

Take my advice: Take a break. Take a drive. And take in the beauty all around you.

Rainbow Falls in Gorges State Park just north of the South Carolina state line. ANA ROMERO | LRN MONTHLY

Bust Your Butt Falls in the Nantahala National Forest just north of the Georgia state line. ANA ROMERO | LRN MONTHLY

A view of The Devil’s Courthouse from Balsam Grove in Transylvania County just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Pisgah National Forest. ANA ROMERO | LRN MONTHLY

6

SPORTS

LRN MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2018

OFFSEASON FITNESS = FEWER INJURIES LR’S ATHLETIC TRAINERS WORK TO KEEP PLAYERS HEALTHY

By Mike McHugh | LRN Monthly Contributor

At LR fall is upon us and we have seen the return of all the student athletes. The Bears have been back in action on all fall sports fields since the latter weeks of August.

The key to success for many athletes boils down to preseason conditioning.

“A lot of the times with the fall sports it depends on the student athletes’ fitness,” LR Assistant Athletic Trainer Steven Rosier said. “If guys come in and they’ve been working out over the summer I’ve seen less injury because their bodies are in shape and the muscles are ready.”

Almost all sports teams have some level of fitness testing upon returning to campus to try and find out which of the athletes stayed in shape over the summer compared to those who did not.

Fifth-year Senior soccer player and international student Florian Simon has nothing but praise for LR’s training staff and facilities. He says it compares well to the services provided to athletes in his native Germany. He says the level of competition matches up well also. His time at LR may be over soon, but he’s not

quite ready to leave. “(This is) for me, the best life I could ever live and I’m sad that I don’t have a lot of time left here,” Simon said.

Fall sport athletes arrive on campus a little earlier than average students and student athletes whose sports are out of season. This means most of their preseason training is done in the closing months of the spring semester and into the summer where training is done on a much more individual basis. However, spring sports preseason takes place in the fall and winter which plays a major role when keeping muscles loose and strong from the warmer months into the colder months in order to perform at a high level in rise of the May flowers.

Bears junior first baseman Jordan Mann found his way into the training room early in September with a minor hamstring injury but felt highly about the road to recovery.

“This training staff wants the best for you and watch you perform at a high level,” Mann said. “They all help keep our bodies healthy throughout the preseason,

which is key when coming out of the winter into a spring sport.”

Assistant Athletic Trainer Steven Rosier leads student athlete through stretching to relieve shoulder pain. MIKE MCHUGH | LRN MONTHLY

BIG EXPECTATIONS FOR THE BEARS LR MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM PREPARES FOR ITS UPCOMING SEASON

By Jonathan Jean | LRN Monthly Contributor

The Lenoir-Rhyne Bears’ men’s basketball team finished last season with an overall record of 1116 and 9-11 in conference play. We didn’t always play to our potential in away games but when we played at home we played at a greater advantage because of the home crowd and fans. In fact, the Bears opened up our season last year against a Division 1 opponent, The Citadel. It was a home game for a hurricane relief game and LR beat the Bulldogs 97-83.

This year we’ll start the season with an exhibition game against the Tennessee Volunteers on Nov 6. The Vols are entering the 2018-2019 season ranked No. 4 in the nation. They lost to Cinderella story Loyola-Chicago in the third round of the NCAA tournament last year.

The Head coach of the Bears, Everick Sullivan, added three transfers to the team this year: Deontae Weaver, Khaileel Dailey and myself.

Weaver came from Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Fla. Dailey came from Brunswick Community College in Bolivia, N.C. I came from Furman University in Greenville, S.C. Our team is approaching this year’s preseason differently.

“We have gotten off to a great start,” Sullivan said. “Last year we had nine new guys. We had to put a lot of effort into chemistry because sometimes it takes longer for guys to get familiar with each other, so with all of those guys returning

this year with an addition to a few more new guys, it was less stress on the chemistry part and just more on the mental part.”

Sullivan is a confident coach who is all about winning and will do anything to make sure his team is ready to compete at any level. As for my teammates, they’re focused on preseason and the

Senior Guard Djbril Diallo shooting free throws before practice. JON JEAN | LRN MONTHLY

upcoming game against Tennessee.

“Workouts have been pretty good,” freshman point guard Jalen Johnson said. “It’s been a learning experience and I’m trying to learn everything from the seniors.”

Johnson’s first game as a Bear will be played against a high ranked team but that doesn’t stop him from believing in what our team can possibly accomplish.

“We have to stay poised,” he said. “We have to play hard and everybody has to come together and play as a team and have fun.”

Djibril Diallo is a 6’3 Guard from Conakry, Guinea who is entering his senior season. Before transferring to Lenoir-Rhyne in his junior year, Diallo attended Mineral Area College, a twoyear community college in eastern Missouri. In his junior season, he averaged 15.1 points and earned the 2017-2018 South Atlantic Conference honorable mention player.

Diallo is a captain on our team this year, and he’s coming into the season with some specific goals in mind.

“This season I want to be an All-American,” he said. “My goals are to win a championship and make it to nationals and be an all-conference player.”

Our first big test will be against the Volunteers on Nov 6 where Diallo has the chance to lead us to a great start of the season.

BEAR NATION STUDENT SECTION SUPPORTING OUR ATHLETIC TEAMS FROM WITHIN THE STUDENT SECTION

By Kandace Pennell | LRN Monthly Contributor

The LR’s fall athletic teams are showing great success this season so far with a good amount of wins on their records, especially our football team.

Our football team’s record is currently 3 wins and 1 loss.

The loss we had was to a non-conference team, West Alabama. The score was very close, but the Bears fell to West Alabama with the final score being 36-32 in favor of the opposing team.

The Bears are currently No. 1 in our conference, being the only team to remain unbeaten in conference play. This has been a successful start to this season coming out of last season with the Bears’ overall record being only three wins and seven losses.

Last year our football team was not as successful, and neither was the involvement in our student section.

“If you would’ve asked this last year, I would’ve said yes because it was new,” Aaron Bessey, associate athletics director for marketing and promotions said. “Because people are used to sitting behind the team.”

The involvement from students in the student section has indeed increased this season.

“The student section was packed,” Bessey said.

“That’s what we envisioned.”

During the last two games played at LR, incentives were given out to the first 100 students or so to be in the student section. At the Mars Hill game the first students to be in the student section were given free pizza for being there; and at the game against Tusculum the first students were given free burritos from Chipotle.

“Yes, it is definitely going to stay a thing. A goal is to get students in the stadium by kickoff,” Bessey said. “If we give away items then they will want to be in there for the beginning. We can’t make them stay, but we noticed they would actually go sit in the student section.”

“I think the school is doing a great job with incentives to increase interest,” Ashlyn Glass, LR University cheerleader said. “Overall encouragement to come support our team is great.”

Interest could still be increased among other students though.

“I go to all the football games already. I don't sit in the student section because I sit behind the 50 (yard line).” Amy Perez, LR University sophomore said. “Because it's closer interaction to the football team. If they (the student section) had closer

interaction I would gladly sit there more.”

LR’s cheer and spirit teams appreciate the energy students are bringing to the games.

“I definitely think they give us a new element of energy,” Glass said. “Like when we were on 3rd down and they’re chanting ‘Defense’ with us I feel like it’s really good. It makes my job easier.”

A common theme found was the want for more chants, traditions and noise makers.

“I never went to a football game in high school, and one thing that drew my attention was that no one has cowbells or noisemakers at LR,” Perez said.

“I think we should give out cowbells to get people excited and proud of their school. LR is actually doing good in their season.”

“I think just being creative and coming up with more chants” Glass said. “Or reaching out to the cheer team and work with us to change it up, and form new ideas for each game.”

“The first thing is thank you, big time. The student section has grown so much because of the students utilizing it.” Bessey said. “Stand up and be loud. We have a great team and we need that home field advantage. Have fun, thank you and stand up. Go Bears.”

SPORTS SWIMMING THROUGH LIFE

LRN MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2018

7

LR COACH HAS GUIDED GENERATIONS THROUGH THEIR LIVES IN THE POOL AND BEYOND

By Preston Goforth | LRN Monthly Contributor

Not many people can say they have been an influence on an entire generation’s upbringing. Even fewer can say they have been an influence in two.

Paul Schiffel has been coaching swimming ever since his junior year in college. Since the year 1970, he has been a role model for children and teens across the region.

Schiffel started his career of swimming at the age of 10 in Charlotte with legendary swim coach Frankie Bell. Bell, famous for her coaching of countless Olympic swimmers, was one of the biggest influences in Schiffel’s life.

Coach Paul, as he’s known to his swimmers, has been a beacon for swimming from the age of 3 all the way to the college level over the past 50 years. Schiffel has changed their lives.

“Paul is one of the greatest men I have ever known. He was so much more than just a coach to me. He was a second father,” former LenoirRhyne swimmer Alec Reitzel said.

“He basically stepped in as a father for me when mine wasn’t around much during a period of time in my life. He gave me a second chance at swimming by bringing me to LenoirRhyne.”

Reitzel swam for Schiffel well before he ever considered coming to Lenoir-Rhyne. Reitzel had all but given up on swimming until 2010 when the Men’s Lenoir-Rhyne swimming team was formed. While Reitzel had a difficult life up to that point, Schiffel gave him an escape to swimming which drastically changed Reitzel’s life for the better.

Schiffel does not simply coach his kids, he invests his life, as well as his family life, into his coaching. The teams Schiffel coaches aren’t only a team – we’re also a family. That goes for his club team as well as the LR team I’m on.

“He taught me a lot about swimming and even more about life. He has stood up for me, had my back and fought for me so much throughout my life,” Reitzel said. “I hope he’s still coaching when I have children of my own because I’d gladly

travel back home to have him teach them how to swim.”

This is one of the many legacies that Schiffel will leave behind. The amount of love Schiffel shows for each of his swimmers is unmatched.

Like Reitzel, many of Schiffel’s former swimmers had the idea to bring their kids back for Schiffel to coach. When Schiffel coaches the children of his former swimmers, he calls them “grandswimmers.”

One such family is the McRea family from Hickory. Ashely McRea,

Paul Schiffel gives encouraging words after Senior Alyx Koert's 1650 freestyle.

PRESTON GOFORTH| LRN MONTHLY

the mother of the family, swam for Schiffel when she was young. Each of her four children have since then swum for Paul including the two eldest children swimming for LenoirRhyne.

The eldest child, Abigail McRea, swam for Schiffel first and was one of the first “grandswimmers” that Coach Schiffel ever had.

“For 14 years I swam for Paul. Paul taught me, ‘Hard work means fast swimming,’ a concept that may seem simple, but I’ve been able to apply that to my whole life,” Mcrea said.

“Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy and my time swimming for Paul taught me that.”

One of the main lessons Schiffel always stresses is that nothing will be handed to you in life and everything that is good requires hard work and dedication.

“Because of the years I spent swimming for Paul, I am a better, more hardworking individual and I will forever be grateful for the work ethic he helped instill in me,” McRea said.

Very few people can leave Schiffel’s team without saying they did not learn something new or become a better person.

Jacob Queen, who has swum with Paul since the age of 4, was adamant on how outstanding of a coach and person Schiffel actually is.

“As soon as you join one of his teams you are instantly taken in and treated as his own. He is continuously progressing his ideas which makes him so successful and easy to get along with as a coach and person,” Queen said.

BASEBALL GIVES BACK LR PRESENTS FREE YOUTH CLINIC FOR THE COMMUNITY

By Mike McHugh | LRN Monthly Contributor

The LR baseball team gave back to the kids in its community this fall with a series of free youth clinics in September and October.

LRU’s Head Baseball Coach Tom Fleenor led off the clinic with the introductions of the players to the gathered participants and their families.

“It gives a chance for the kids to come out and play baseball,” Fleenor said. “It’s a proud moment for me to kind of show off my players.”

The clinic saw mostly 8- to 12-yearold kids and was broken up into four 12-minute instructional stations that the kids participated in. Pitching, base running, fielding and hitting made up the respective areas of focus and consumed the majority of the hour and a half.

“I was immediately impressed that the players took over and I was impressed with the leadership and maturity of the guys,” Gina Carr, a local mother said. “I told him how much of a privilege it was that we were being offered these free clinics; a lot of times you’re going to pay $100 or more for something like this.”

The clinic is something players feel goes further than baseball.

“For the kids it means a lot,” catcher and Senior Captain Zack Shoemaker said. “Once you’re out here, you get to see the kids having a great time, it makes you feel good; it’s always better to give than receive.”

The baseball team is wrapping up its fall preseason, which is made up

of weekday practices and weekend scrimmages. The team finishes practice and switches its focus to the clinic on the respective Mondays that it takes place.

The initiative by the Bears’ baseball team is one to give back in a positive way.

“I think it effects the community in a good way,” Shoemaker said. “I think all the sports teams should do it as well; it is good to get out in the community and have a good time with little kids.”

The youth clinic is a chance to give back and help teach young athletes a way to play the game. It also spreads the word about the baseball team and carries a positive message along the way.

“For our guys, hopefully they get

a little glimpse of what it was like when they started playing baseball,” Fleenor said. “Hopefully it puts us in a good light and it’ll motivate the kids to ask their parents to bring them out because it’s the kids that bring the parents to the games in the spring.”

The LRU baseball clinic is a yearly effort provided by the coaches and players. The effort is to teach the kids about the game and remind LR’s players of where it all started.

The message at this year’s clinic was one that engaged both the families involved and the players who worked it.

“I was very impressed with the guys and their intuition with such a young age group and ability to organize and motivate the kids,” Carr said.

Lenoir-Rhyne University baseball players lead kids through an active warm-up on Oct. 1. MIKE MCHUGH| LRN MONTHLY

8

SPORTS NEW ADDITION FOR BEAR’S ATHLETES

LRN MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2018

SPORTS PERFORMANCE COMPLEX HONORING NEILL MCGEACHY COMING SOON

By Autumn Drayton | LRN Monthly Contributor

Lenoir-Rhyne University is building a new sports performance center on campus. This 14,000-square foot facility will consist of new and enhanced space and it’ll be constructed directly behind the McCrorie center.

The Neill McGeachy Sports Performance Center will include many features such as a state-ofthe-art weight room with brand new weight stations and equipment, a nutrition bar and an indoor turf training area. The current weight room located in McCrorie will be transformed into team meeting spaces.

The plan is to have the funds for this project raised by the end of this year. Once the funds are raised the construction will begin. Assuming the money’s raised in time for construction to start building the new center in Jan. 2019 the plan is

to have it finished by fall 2019 when students are returning to campus.

The current weight room is a tight fit for the 22 collegiate athletic programs we have here at LR, whereas the new facility will be more than double the size.

Other features the new facility will include is a Bears Club Pavilion with an outdoor courtyard and an indoor patio. More offices will be provided to our coaches as well as team meeting rooms.

LR will be naming the new Sports Performance Complex after Neill McGeachy and it’s worth knowing something about the legacy of the building’s namesake. McGeachy was a three-sport standout studentathlete for Lenoir-Rhyne in football, basketball, track and was an AllAmerican in 1965. He wore No. 46 on his football jersey for LR, which is why the University is establishing

Lenoir-Rhyne is working to raise the money to build The Neill McGeachy Sports Performance Center. As shown in artists renderings the new weightroom will be more than twice the size of LR's existing facility. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Club 46.

McGeachy was also a LR’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and an Executive Director for the Bear’s Club for 14 years. In September 1973, McGeachy was named the Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball head coach. Due to his accomplishments at LR, the university, in collaboration with the Bears Club, will recognize his achievements with a project named in his honor. This project will celebrate McGeachy’s work and his impact he had on LR’s athletics, while embracing his legacy for upcoming generations.

“I’m actually really excited about the project, because it gives us more opportunities as athletics to enhance our performances through aspects around the school that we may have not had before,” LR Student Government, Secretary Paiton Fair said. “This will give us a better

chance to prove and perform a lot more for our school.”

The project will not just focus on one sport, it will support all 22 NCAA Division II sports at LR. Providing the teams with multi-use training space since there are so many studentathletes at the university. The covered pavilion area will seat 200 people. It will have seven TVs and will serve as an engagement space for the entire campus to use. The covered pavilion will also be available for the use of LR affiliated groups such as Greek life and FCA host meetings as well.

“I think this a good idea for LR because they can now join some of the top Division II institutions, with modernizing the campus atmosphere and offering more opportunities for student life,” LR’s Track and Field Assistant Coach, Keyua McElveen said.

The signs touting Lenoir-Rhyne's newest addition to campus, The Neill McGeachy Sports Performance Center, show architects' renderings of ameneties LR's athletes can look forward to when the project is completed. SUBMITTED PHOTO

THE NFL CAME KNOCKING LENOIR-RHYNE WIDE RECEIVER HOPES TO GO PRO ON HIS QUEST TO THE NFL

By Dorien Dickey | LRN Monthly Staff Writer

Smith fits the mold of receivers the Lions have. Golden Tate is their leading receiver and he is 5-feet 10-inches tall and weighs 197.

Smith stands at an even 6-feet and weighs 180. The Lions throw the ball an average of 40 times a game so getting the ball wouldn’t necessarily be a problem for Smith.

In the 2018 NFL draft only four players were selected from division II schools. By the numbers, it’s not often NFL scouts come by Division II programs, let alone LR. The special attention comes from Smith’s skill set, which goes beyond the ordinary.

“Speed is a good attribute to have, but also leverage and route running.

Route running is like an art and that’s one thing a lot of people really don’t know,” Smith said. “Getting the defender to flip a certain way or think that you’re going one way and you cut another way – it’s all about deception.”

A native of Charleston, S.C., Smith transferred to LR from Concord

T.J. Smith doing what he does best – getting open against coverage for another LR touchdown. SUBMITTED PHOTO

T.J. Smith has earned enough buzz during his LR career to draw NFL scouts to Hickory to see if he might just have what it takes to play at the highest level in the land.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

University in 2016. There he was the MEC Freshman Player of the Year and 2015 BSN All-American, and a Don Hansen All-American.

His first college transfer was to the University of South Carolina.

Smith said he wanted to broaden his horizons. He started practicing with the team, but his Gamecock career came to a quick halt one day; he was notified that all of his credits from Concord did not transfer to USC and that he had to withdraw from school.

From there it was on to LR where Smith became one of the Bears.

With perseverance the success Smith was seeing in his early college experience is starting to come back around.

“The coaches are teaching us to care for each other, love each other and trust each other,” Smith said.

That accountability the players have for each other is giving the LR football team much success during this season.

“This is a great place with great people,” LR’s Head Coach Drew Cronic said.

Many know Hickory as a great place to get great food, but it might just become a permanent stop for NFL teams looking for the kind of talent LR is producing. Right now the man to get the big league’s attention is T.J. Smith with the performance he’s putting on this season.

Games Played - 5 NO - 22 (3rd in SAC) Yards - 530 (2nd in SAC)

turning heads

The success senior receiver T.J. Smith has had so far this season is a day and night difference from last year. So far this year Smith has seven touchdowns compared to the two he had last season.

His coaches have taken notice and he is getting attention from NFL scouts. The Detroit Lions came by to speak to Smith and watch him practice.

“The production you see from T.J. is all about T.J.,” LR’s Wide Receivers and Tight Ends Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Tim Foster said. “He puts in the work after practice. He’s busting his butt on the field every day. If he’s not on the field after practice, then something is wrong.”

Even with the NFL taking notice, Smith is staying grounded.

“It’s a blessing that these scouts came,” Smith said. “I wasn’t able to have this success without my coaches and teammates. Honestly, I’m just trying to stay focused game by game, play by play and watch what happens,” Smith said.

Average - 24.09 (1st in SAC) Touchdowns - 7 (2nd in SAC) Long - 78 (2nd in SAC) Average per Game 106.00 (2nd in SAC)