LRN October 2015

LRN

NOT A DOCTOR’S STETHOSCOPE LR grad embraces nursing at Duke University Hospital

M O N T H L Y

4

Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication VOL. 110 — ISSUE 3

LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS

OCTOBER 2015

7

ON THE COURT

NEW FACES LOOK TO LEAD MEN’S BASKETBALL TO SUCCESS

LR HOMECOMING 2015

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE

HOME

LR to face Wingate Oct. 17 STORIES BY BAILEY LEONARD – LRN EDITOR

O

nce the leaves begin to fall and the temperature drops, LR students know it’s football season — ­ and time for Homecoming. This year, the Bears will take on Wingate University at noon October 17 between the bricks.

“Homecoming is always a fun game because we have more seats filled in the stands and everyone’s really pumped up for the game,” said Senior Football Captain, Chris Shaffer. “It’s also nice because we get a longer halftime.”

Last year, the team beat Wingate 51-14.

“Wingate has an extremely good program with a lot of talent,” said slotbacks coach Arketa Banks.

“We came out very focused and locked in on the game plan.”

However this is a new year, and despite last year’s win, the team knows they can’t take the game lightly.

“We know we have to go into every game prepared and ready to play,” Shaffer said. “Every time we play Wingate it’s a very tough, physical match up.

Not only is Homecoming a big day for the football team, it’s also a big day for

the other sports teams on campus.

During halftime of the football game, every sports team will grace the field to be recognized for their sport. Additionally, teams are recognized for any awards received in the previous season.

“Homecoming is always my favorite game of the season,” said women’s basketball senior captain Jordan Hiatt. “Going out on the field with my teammates is always fun, and it’s great when all the alumni come back to visit.”

Despite mass excitement

by many members of the student body, to the football team, it’s like any other week.

“The student body is definitely more excited, but for us it’s a normal work week,” Banks said. “Our players know that and they are very good at remaining focused on the task at hand.”

LR has won the South Atlantic Conference the past four years and strives to continue the winning streak.

“We just have to continue to play the LR way,” Banks said. “We play with a lot of passion and that’s a big key in our success.”

HOMECOMING

How the biggest week of the year comes together

L

enoir-Rhyne knows what October means: Homecoming. This is the time of year to get fired up and Bear proud for the big football game against Wingate.

This year’s theme: There’s No Place Like Home.

“The theme was a surprise to us,” said Homecoming President, Cameron Robinson. “The university wanted to tie in Homecoming with orientation.”

The Homecoming Committee is a group of ten students charged with the organization of the week’s events. What most people do not know about this week full of events is how much planning and preparation goes into making the week a success.

“Our committee is very proactive and they do the majority of their planning during the spring semester,” said LR’s Homecoming Advisor, Jodi Jabs.

The group meets every other week to brainstorm ideas and to finalize events.

This year the committee focused on events that the students would really enjoy in hopes to get a lot of student participation.

“This is my first time on the committee and I felt that as a football player I could

CONNECT WITH US

help get more of my teammates to get involved throughout the week,” said Organization Relations specialist, Victor Brannan.

“This year we tried to plan the events around football practice, in the past that has always been an issue.”

SEE HOW, PAGE 2

VISIT US FOR DAILY NEWS & EXCLUSIVES AT LRNEWSONLINE.COM

FIND US ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK FOR LIVE NEWS UPDATES AND POSTS. @LRNOLINE AND FACEBOOK.COM/LRNOLINE

2

NEWS

LRN MONTHLY | OCTOBER 2015

CHANGING CULTURE | POLICIES Student activists prompt new sexual assault procedures

T

BY GIO RIVERA

his policy is different than the rest. It’s the first ever policy that has been pushed by students to affect faculty, staff, administration and students alike and it will be inserted into each of their respective handbooks in due time.

It’s an updated, rewritten and clarified explanation of LenoirRhyne University’s sexual assault policies.

LR has taken a stand in confronting a serious issue because students believe it is something worth paying attention to and improving.

It began in February when a group of LR’s student leaders were invited to Elon University for a conference discussing how various universities handle the issue of sexual assault.

During the presentations, the group noticed that, compared to other universities, LR’s policies on sexual assault were just “not up to par,” said LR student and founder of SARA (Suicide,

Abuse, Rape and Awareness) Jenna Fisher.

Following the conference, the students researched how LR structured their policies on sexual assault.

In early April, the group attended an LR faculty assembly where they presented their research.

During their research, Fisher’s group discovered: • LR’s policies were hard to find on the school’s website • The term ‘sexual assault’ was not defined or explained • What information was available was vague Soon after, a task force was created to continue studying sexual assault and the need for LR to address the behavior in its university policies and guidelines. Fisher explained that the task force was composed of a small group of students who were dedicated to making a positive change on LR’s campus.

Her goal from the onset was to create a policy that would protect the students, which is why she created SARA. Additionally,

it was Fisher who suggested LR’s faculty and staff should undergo some type of training.

The university agreed, and a consultant from the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management was commissioned to present training to all faculty and staff on sexual assault and LR’s responsibilities to its students when cases are reported, according to LR’s Dean of Students Katie Fisher.

Awareness is vital, but compliance is key when changing a policy of this magnitude.

The difficulty is “making a cultural shift,” explained LR Student Body President Micah Rufsvold.

This “cultural shift” has happened throughout the month of September with a series of convocations. In addition to the convocations, Dean Fisher and Jenny Smith, director of the Alex Lee Career & Personal Development Center, have gone to all of the FYE classes to talk about sexual assault, present the new policy and answer any questions freshmen may have.

The school website is a power-

INSIDE THE CRIMINAL MIND

COUNTING THE MILES U.S. a temporary stop for Malaka Metwaly

New major offers multiple career options

BY ELIJAH MOON BLACKWELL

If you want to be a police officer, or if you’re just interested in how the criminal mind works, you’re in luck.

For the first time in LR’s 125-year history this university is offering a criminal justice major, tailored to suit students with an interest in crime and the justice system.

Differing from Basic Law Enforcement Training available in North Carolina’s community colleges, LR’s program is academic, while BLET is laser-focused on creating trained and sworn police officers as a vocation.

“I am so happy that LenoirRhyne got this program,” said freshman and Catawba County native Amanda Revetta. “I want to study the minds of criminals. This major allows to me to pursue that goal.”

Lenoir-Rhyne’s new major educates in a way that prepares students for a wide range of careers.

“It’s not just about police work,” said Hickory Police Department detective Robert Burwell, who has taught sociology and criminology classes at LR for five years.

“We want to appeal to people who want to go into specific areas – from law enforcement to nonprofit work.”

Non-profit organizations like Hickory’s Crisis Intervention Services can benefit by hiring employees who have studied the inner workings of criminal justice.

“Sometimes the victims get neglected,” said LR’s Criminal Justice Coordinator Dr. Robert Stallings.

“We want to make sure our students understand and know how to help the victims through their time of turmoil.”

Criminal Justice is cross-listed with sociology as a major, due to the crossover of the topics taught.

“There are many similarities be-

HOW, from page 1 Another job the committee is responsible for is Homecoming Court, which is made up of five

DR. STALLINGS tween the two fields,” Burwell said.

“So we want to hit some aspects of both in each program.”

The program is not meant to be solely for criminal justice majors.

Students majoring in a variety of other disciplines can also benefit from courses in criminal justice.

One major that came to mind for Burwell was communication.

“It helps when doing stories on law enforcement,” Burwell said.

“Instead of the basics about the process of an arrest more unique questions can be asked and answered.”

It’s not unusual for a counselor to assist a client who is or was mired in the justice system. A background in the field could allow them to fully grasp the situations that could come into their office.

“Preparation plays a big role in our program,” Stallings said. “We want to make sure our students are ready to deal with the unpredictable.”

His goal is to provide classes and a major that appeals to a broad range of students.

“I want to keep it diverse in age and experience,” Stallings said.

“This will create more of an environment where discussion can come from all different kinds of perspectives.”

men and five women.

Students must apply to be on homecoming court.

Once the applications are reviewed, Robin-

ful tool for future students and current students to be informed and to search for information. In the near future, the website will have the new policy and a Q&A section.

The policy is currently in the final stages of revision.

“As new regulations and recommendations for policy updates come from The Office of Civil Rights and the Department of Education, we will make revisions as needed,” Dean Fisher said.

Lawyers are reviewing the final draft of the policy to ensure that it is properly phrased and presented. Additionally, LR is working on improvements that go beyond the cosmetic. “(Working on the policy) is not something (student leaders and faculty) are doing behind closed doors to make sure that LR looks good — ­ we are doing this to actually help and change the way that our campus culture has been and will be and we actually want to follow up our words with action,” Dean Fisher said.

From growing up in Egypt and attending college in Germany to studying at Lenoir-Rhyne University, Malaka Metwaly doesn’t stay put for long.

“My next destination is France,” Metwaly said.

“I will only be at LenoirRhyne for a semester.”

Metwaly is originally from Alexandria, Egypt, but has been travelling for years.

“I have been to Germany many times before college,” she said. “Growing up with Disney movies and TV shows exposed me to a world beyond Egypt.”

Metwaly did not come to LR alone. Her friend from her university in Germany, Saskia Roerig, tagged along.

“We both wanted to come to the States,” Roerig said. “But we didn’t want to be by ourselves.”

The goal was to visit New York. In the end, they wound up at Lenoir-Rhyne.

“I’ve never seen friends come together,” said one of LR’s liaisons to foreign student Tucker O’Leary.

Metwaly is doing more than having a good time by studying abroad – she’s fulfilling her graduation requirements.

Her university requires at least one year of foreign study. Metwaly will spend half the year here and finish the year in France.

“I’ve got to make sure my French is sufficient,” she said. “I am studying International Communica-

son, Jabs and another member will set up interviews with the candidates.

“The interview consists of just a few ques-

tions so we can get to know the person a little better,” Robinson said. “ We like to make it wellrounded individuals, and not just a popularity

MALAKA METWALY tion. French will be her fourth language.

After France, Metwaly will return to her university in Germany.

Before college, Metwaly attended an all-girls’ Christian school in Alexandria where she was on the diving team. While Christianbased, the school respects traditional Egyptian values. Teachers there focus on international affairs and Metwaly developed an international perspective on the world.

Now in the United States, she is reminded of home.

“Everyone is so helpful just like Alexandria,” Metwaly said. “Even if someone doesn’t know you they’ll aid you.”

But the realities of American university life don’t always match up with the movies she grew up watching.

“It is a bit different than I was expecting,” Metwaly said. “The fraternities and sororities do not act the same.” contest.”

After the committee chooses the 10 candidates, LR’s student body will crown the 2015 King and Queen.

OPINION

LRN MONTHLY | OCTOBER 2015

COLUMN

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO

IN OCTOBER

BY HUNTER HAIRE – LRN STAFF WRITER

Fly Fishing Unleash your inner hunter and try one of the oldest means of acquiring food: fly fishing. Fly fishing is a great way to get in touch with the great outdoors and also good exercise. It can be frustrating to get the motions at first, but with a little practice you will find it to be a great hobby. North Carolina offers several spots where even the most inexperienced fisher can catch a trophy rainbow trout.

Ole Still Golf Course Has work pushed you too your limits? Are you one assignment away from having a mental breakdown? The Ole Still Golf Course is the place to unwind and enjoy 18 holes. The scenic views and wonderful employee staff are enough to calm any individual. 1157 Players Ridge Rd, Hickory, NC. (828) 598-0327.

Disc Golf

It’s a beautiful day and your friends want you to go hiking with them; you on the other hand want to get competitive and let them know who is better at life.

Disc Golf is a great way to achieve both. The views of the forest and mountains combined with one of the world’s most relaxing sports can prove to be extremely beneficial to your brain and body. 2000 6th St NW, Hickory, NC.

Scuba Diving in the Quarry The world below is just as impressive as the one above.

There’s a nearby quarry that has many great scuba experiences that you will take with you throughout life. The depth can reach a staggering 95 feet and the temperatures can drop low enough to make a polar bear shiver. If you’re not built for the cold I suggest exploring one of the shallower courses that stay on the warm side of the spectrum. Port Village Shopping Center, 482 River Hwy., Mooresville, NC.

Oktoberfest

Editorial Staff Editor: Bailey Leonard Designer: Sara Jones

Come experience Hickory’s big fall bash: Oktoberfest! This exciting festival not only offers some of the best treats the state has to offer but also a great lineup of live music.

The dates are: October 9-11. Hours: Friday from 5-11 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. and Sunday from noon-5 p.m. Get out there and give fall a proper welcome.

Staff Reporters Greg Baker Hunter Haire Elijah Blackwell Kelsey Harris Jordan Forney Gio Rivera

3

VIDEO GAME REVIEW

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Developer Konami has fired their lead writer Hideo Kojima, the father of the Metal Gear franchise, before the initial release of Metal Gear Solid V. Despite his termination, Kojima is still given credit in the opening credits. It is very obvious that Kojima lead the team to create the best Metal Gear Solid. From the first dialogue, players are introduced to a deep story line.

The game takes place nine years after the events of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. Big Boss, the main character, wakes up from a coma in an unfamiliar hospital. A doctor explains that the world thinks he is dead and that it’s best to keep it that way.

The secret was not kept.

The hospital gets attacked by various military groups along with a character we first spotted in pre-release trailers. It’s up to the player to escape without any way of defending himself.

The rest is impossible to discuss without spoiling.

At every turn Kojima does a good job of surprising players while leaving more questions to be answered later. While it is not required to play the previous games to enjoy Metal Gear Solid V, many references are made to them. Kojima makes the player question things he thought to be true before and make decisions based off the answer.

The story line quickly becomes deep while remaining easy to follow. Another incredible job of writing by Kojima.

STEALTH REIMAGINED AND PERFECTED The Metal Gear Solid series has been known as a stealth game. A variety of missions can be done without harming one person.

Before, the controls were clunky. Managing the camera in the first few games tended to be frustrating.

Sometimes AI’s actions didn’t make sense. Throwing an empty magazine to distract enemies sometimes made them investigate the wrong direction.

Konami entered a whole new territory with the start of the series. The early mistakes were excusable because it was something players never seen before.

Konami gave players the same feeling to perfection this time. Stealth is no longer about clear sight and distraction noises. Now, every element of the environment plays into going undetected into an enemy base. Time of day, weather, terrain and what camouflage you are wearing all make a difference between being noticed and not.

While moving through a building, if a player bumps into furniture it makes noise. Any enemy in the area will investigate. This can help as well as hurt the player. Using it to distract a guard from his post has proven effective. SomeContributors Kendall Field DeChane Grinton Julia Ponomareva

BY ELIJAH MOON BLACKWELL times though, a player may accidentally cause noise resulting in being cornered and having to engage the enemy.

Every object in the world makes noise from shovels to trashcans.

If the player shoots a suppressed weapon and misses his target the noise of the bullet whizzing by will alert the target. Precision becomes important if the goal is to stay hidden.

Sandstorms and rain help conceal player and enemy alike. I have found that heavy weather provides the perfect opportunity for a hasty escape.

There’s no more blaming the game this time around.

If you get spotted it’s your fault.

MANAGING MOTHER BASE IS A SECOND JOB Mother Base is the home to Big Boss. His team runs it when he is away on missions. In the previous game, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for Play Station Portable, Mother Base management made its debut.

Phantom Pain expands the Mother Base aspect of the game. I love it but I can see how it was take away the immersion of the experience. From staff management, research and platform extensions, the player controls almost all the production of Mother Base. Some things can be left to the AI to automate, everything else requires your attention.

Constantly gathering resources to expand can become a grind. Having to search locations for processed material takes time.

There’s always need for expansion and staff recruitment. If ignored, the player won’t have access to new technology or special help like air support and intel gathering. Certain recruitments of battle buddies require frequent visiting to the base.

A MASTERPIECE Konami doesn’t disappoint. The newest addition to the franchise is undoubtedly the best. The graphics have reached an all-time high for series. The open world is home to various events to be witnessed and intel to read or hear to further expand the story line for the player.

With Mother Base being the only potential let down, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a top contender for Game of the Year.

Faculty Advisors: Prof. Richard Gould Dr. Lisa Harris

NEWS 4 WALKING ON SUNSHINE LRN MONTHLY | OCTOBER 2015

LR’s football field has brand new artificial turf

BY HUNTER HAIRE LRN STAFF WRITER

U

pon arriving onto LenoirRhyne’s campus from a long (but still too short) summer break, you might have noticed that a new turf football field has transformed LR’s Helen and Leonard Moretz Stadium.

It’s a perfectly crafted playing surface. In other words it’s the perfect playing surface to increase your skills with the rock, or that’s what most will say.

There have been questions surrounding the turf field.

People want to know if it’s safe and how it will be different than playing on natural grass.

“The field turf is great for the athletes,” said Head Athletic Trainer Michael Flicker. “I see less serious injuries than I did

on the grass fields. It’s more of joint and smaller muscles that players seek help with.”

The completely flat surface eliminates the awkward falls that usually hinder athletes cutting abilities.

The football players themselves are really the best sources when it comes to the difference between grass and turf.

“I like kicking off a turf field because it’s a much cleaner surface in regards to making contact with the ball,” said Walker Harrison.

“It’s a lot better than grass because we are able to plant and take off in a quicker and smoother motion. This allows us to truly test the defensive back’s agility,” said LR wide receiver Edward Blackburn.

The coaches are happy, too.

“The days of ground error are

HUNTER HAIRE | LRN MONTHLY

Grounds crews spent the summer installing fresh new artificial turf in LR's Moretz Stadium.

in the past. This new surface really allows the athletes to get back to the one on one combat

situations which is what the sport is all about,” said LR coach Greg Baker.

LR grad embraces nursing at Duke University Hospital

BY KENDALL FIELD – LRN STAFF WRITER In the Cardiothoracic Step Down Unit of Duke University Hospital, registered nurse Tarryn Cornejo monitors the hearth rhythm of a patient who recently received a double lung transplant. This is standard protocol for the patients in this unit, which treats recipients of major operations like open-heart surgeries, double bypasses and organ transplants.

Cornejo graduated from the Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Nursing in 2015 – an accomplishment that took her just three years. Growing up in Panama City, Fla., Cornejo graduated high school in 2012, as a dual enrollment student.

“I found Lenoir-Rhyne through the College Board website,” Cornejo said. “I just entered the criteria of Division II Track and Field and a nursing school with a high pass rate that was out of state.”

Cornejo was on track to graduate from Lenoir-Rhyne in two years, but was unable to pass one of her nursing classes in the first semester of college in the fall of 2012, which set her back a year.

“It ended up working out really well,” she said. “I was able to take the time to complete all of the school’s core requirements with some nursing classes so I wasn’t overwhelmed with having to do it all at once.”

Nursing school is known to be rigorous and challenging, and it is almost unheard of for nursing students to also participate in athletics. For Cornejo, the double-duty was temporary.

During her first season of track and field, Cornejo ruptured a disc in her back, ending her college athletic career, and preventing her from sitting down.

“I remember her standing up in the back of the room or kneeling during class,” said nursing professor and veteran critical care nurse, Barb Rauscher. “She was a real trooper.”

“Tarryn was very dedicated,” said Rauscher. “To do any sport at any point with the nursing curriculum being so content heavy is extremely difficult, but Tarryn never made any excuses, not even when she couldn’t sit down.”

Cornejo was also known for her calm demeanor.

“While everyone would always

freak and talk about the nursing tests like they were the end of the world, Tarryn never did,” recalls Lenoir-Rhyne graduate student and former nursing student Zorica Djuric. “In the nursing school, most of the instructors heavily encourage group study, but Tarryn didn’t do that. When I lived with her and she would study at home, she would do a lot of repetition and write and rewrite whatever she was studying but would shorten it in every rewrite in order to emphasize the most important part of the concept.”

When Cornejo began applying for jobs last February, it was apparent that her easygoing attitude and dedication paid off.

“It really wasn’t very hard to find a job,” said Cornejo. “I started applying and got two interviews in North Carolina, and one was at Duke.”

She interviewed on a Friday.

The following Monday, Duke offered her the job.

“In order to work in the Cardiothoracic Step-Down Unit, we had to take an EKG (electrocardiogram) class because we read heart test results daily,” Cornejo said. “(The test) was a breeze thanks to my MedSurg class that I took with Professor Rauscher because we learned so much about the heart.”

When she learned of Cornejo’s success, Rauscher wasn’t surprised.

“My favorite thing to teach was the heart, so when my students go into heart-related nursing, I love it,” said Rauscher. “I hope it influenced her in that way.”

Mirroring Rauscher’s happiness, Cornejo says she’s right where she wants to be.

“I picked Duke because it’s a pretty well-known and prestigious institution and I don’t regret the decision,” she said.

Mauney Schaffer

BACK IN BUSINESS

MAUNEY SCHAFFER RETURNS TO ITS ROOTS AS A RESIDENCE HALL

BY SARA JONES – LRN GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mauney Schaffer is taking a trip down memory lane, reopening it’s doors to the realm of student housing.

While many students know the building as the home to the Charles M. Snipes School of Business & Economics, the space’s original purpose, beginning at its opening in 1928, was as a women’s dormitory. In 2004, however, Mauney Schaffer underwent massive renovations, losing the majority of the residential space to offices and classrooms. A handful of suite-style rooms remained, serving as temporary housing for guests of the university, such as authors participating in the Visiting Writers Series.

This year, however, those rooms are back in service for students.

This decision was made when housing director Jonathan Rink discovered 2015 would welcome the largest freshman class in university history and Isenhour and Morgan Hall couldn’t hold them all. “ We currently have 450 freshman,” Rink said. “Twohundred and fifty males and 200 females.”

The 35 students chosen to stay in Mauney Schaffer are non-freshman students who were previously assigned to stay on Conrad Hall’s first and second floor. “(The rooms) are really nice,” said resident Stephen Bryant. “ I was told late July I was going to be moving and I was unsure about it because I didn’t know what it looked like. But I’m OK now.”

Four years ago, LR was planning to build a new dormitory, but those plans have since been delayed.

“As of right now we won’t know if we will be using the building again during our next school year,” Rink said.

“It all depends on how big our enrollment will be.”

NEWS/OPINION

LRN MONTHLY | OCTOBER 2015

5

COLUMN

WHAT IS HOMECOMING ALL ABOUT?

Until recently, I thought Homecoming was all about a football game and tailgating, just like any other home game.

Just recently (a couple minutes before I began to write this column to be exact), I decided to research the true definition of the term “homecoming.”

You see, I am a sophomore this year. While some may believe I simply didn’t pay attention last year, the truth is that I was sick in bed during all the homecoming merrymaking.

So, I didn’t have a clue of what really happened, and I didn’t think I missed much. It turns out I was wrong.

While I was sick in my bed, I stared out at the rain and wondered where everyone was

emony where LR athletes who won their conference championships last year received their rings.

For those who were getting their rings, the event was likely more important to them than for the others.

Football players might weigh this event as more important than those who aren’t because the football team gets a much bigger crowd than usual at its homecoming game because alumni come out in droves.

Seniors who ran for homecoming court might deem this event important because they

want to know if they won.

Alumni likely care more about homecoming than the average student because the event is specifically geared to allow them to return to the place where they made lifelong memories and friends. And it’s a chance to see how far their old school has come.

Now, thinking about it, I can see that homecoming is a way for all of us, alumni and current students alike, to see how vast our family has grown. No matter our graduation year, we are all Bears. Hopefully this year I can actually attend!

“No matter our graduation year, we are all Bears.”

BY GIO RIVERA LRN STAFF WRITER going under such watery misfortune. How important was this game to them? Turns out, very.

I learned that there was a cer-

WINNING THE FIGHT

MESSAGE FROM THE FIRST LADY

WORKING TO ELIMINATE AIDS FOR GOOD SPECIAL TO LRN MONTHLY

For decades, all we knew about the HIV disease was the devastation it inflicted on millions across the globe.

Too often, those suffering from the disease were forced to fight not only for their lives, but for the dignity and compassion they deserved.

Today, the United States is a global leader in treating this terrible disease and is dedicated to making an AIDS-free generation a reality.

We’ve made significant progress in the last decades, bending the curve of the epidemic overall — but our fight is far from over.

Right now, more than 30 million people in the world are suffering with the disease. More than 95% of HIV infections are in developing countries, with two-thirds of them in sub-Saharan Africa.

An epidemic like this requires an equally comprehensive strategy to quell it. That is why President Obama is committed to supporting the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) – the largest investment by any nation to combat a single disease across the globe.

Under President Obama, the U.S. has committed nearly $50 billion to PEPFAR, allowing for coordinated, strategic, and focused action with one overarching objective: Control the spread of HIV. To date, we have worked with countries across the globe to: • Provide life-saving antiretroviral treatment for 7.7 million people worldwide • Offer HIV testing and counseling for more than 56.7 million people, including 14.2 million pregnant women, which has led to more than 1 million

Submitted photo

Source: Whitehouse.gov Take a look at this chart to see where people are suffering under the burden of this disease the most.

babies born HIV-free • Ensure over 140,000 new health care workers are trained and ready in PEPFAR-supported countries to deliver HIV and other health services That has taken collaboration among countries, the private sector, civil society, faith-based organizations, and more, to make PEPFAR a success and bring an AIDS-free generation within our reach.

But there’s more we can do. Today, President Obama is announcing ambitious new PEPFAR targets for the next two years on treatment and prevention.

Treatment Access to treatment is essential to save lives but also to prevent transmission to others.

So, by the end of 2016, the U.S. will support a total of 11.4 million children and pregnant women receiving Option B+ — an approach to treatment that prevents mother to child transmission of HIV – and adults on life saving treatment.

By the end of 2017, we will support a total of 12.9 million children and pregnant women receiving this treatment.

Prevention But we can’t just rely on treatment to curb this epidemic, prevention interventions are necessary too – methods like voluntary medical male circumcisions.

So, by the end of 2016, we will provide 11 million voluntary procedures.

By the end of 2017, we will have provided 13 million procedures, cumulatively.

But any focus on preventing HIV transmission must expand well beyond men. After all, Girls and young women are specifically and especially at risk for HIV. That’s why, for the first time ever, the President is creating a deliberative and definitive focus on preventing new HIV/ AIDS infections in adolescent girls and young women.

By the end of 2016, we aim to achieve a 25-percent decrease in HIV incidence among women aged 15-24 within the highest burden geographic areas of 10 sub-Saharan African countries. By the end of 2017, we will decrease that incidence among young women by 40 percent.

Learn more about PEPFAR at: www.pepfar.gov

First Lady, Michelle Obama is promoting a new campaign called 62 Million Girls on her Instagram account to support education for all and to get people around the world to share what they learned in school through social media outlets.

Using social media to inspire girls to get an education SPECIAL TO LRN MONTHLY Hi everyone. Right now, more than 62 million girls worldwide are out of school.

Many of them simply can’t afford the school fees, or the nearest school is miles away and they don’t have safe transportation to get there – or maybe there’s a school nearby, but it doesn’t have adequate bathroom facilities for girls. And for many girls, the obstacles they face aren’t just about resources, but about cultural norms and traditions that deem girls unworthy of an education.

That’s why, along with Girl Rising, we announced a new education campaign called 62 Million Girls – and we need you to join right now: Share a photo of yourself on Twitter or Instagram, and tell the world what you learned in school using #62MillionGirls.

Those photos will be posted to Girl Rising›s yearbook at 62MillionGirls.com, and you›ll help us raise awareness about all the girls who aren’t in school and show the power of education to transform their lives.

That›s why earlier this year, the President and I launched an initiative called Let Girls Learn.

Working with the Peace Corps, businesses and organizations, and countries across the globe, we›re helping adolescent girls worldwide go to school. Now, the 62 Million Girls campaign is working to raise awareness for this cause and for these girls.

As I›ve traveled the world, I have met so many of these girls – and they are so bright, so determined and so eager to learn.

I see myself in these girls. I see my daughters in these girls. These girls are our girls, and I simply cannot walk away from them.

So I›m looking forward to seeing what you learned in school to help us make sure 62 million girls get that chance.

Thanks.

First Lady Michelle Obama

6

LRN MONTHLY | OCTOBER 2015

CROSSWORD See next month’s issue for the answer to this month’s crossword.

TAKING THE FIELD

Lenoir Rhyne Football Facebook The Bears will face Wingate Oct. 17. It’s the Homecoming game for the University and kickoff will be at noon.

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

LRN MONTHLY | OCTOBER 2015

7

BASKETBALL

ON THE COURT

New faces look to lead LR to success

BY DECHANE GRINTON – LRN CONTRIBUTOR The coaching staff of the Bears Although he said there’s still men’s basketball team is eager work to be done, Crawford is confiwith anticipation. dent in the team’s abilities.

After an 8-18 over“I have seen how all record last year, hard that they have the Bears are deterworked this summer, mined to improve and I know that sucthose statistics. cess will come beSeeing that goal cause of the effort that through to complethey’re putting forth tion is head coach every day,” He said.

Ryan Odom, who Senior forward Tyler took over the team Crouch said he’s happy following the deparwith the new coaching ture of former coach staff.

John Lentz in April.

“My impression of RYAN ODOM Odom and assistant the new coaching staff coach Nate Dixon has been phenomenal are UNC Charlotte transplants, so far,” Crouch said. “They bring where they served as assistant newfound energy and experience coach and scouting assistant for that we have not had in a long the past 5 and 4 years, respectively. time. They are testing us to our Bryce Crawford comes to LR from limits and bringing out the best in the University of Texas, where he every one of us.” served as a video assistant.

Crouch also said that for the Odom said he and his new team to be successful this year, suscoaching staff will need time to tained effort will be a major factor gain the team’s trust. in the outcome of the upcoming “The transition won’t be easy,” he season. said. “Both sides will have to adjust “The No. 1 factor that will most to each other, but I believe we are determine the outcome of the on the right track.” upcoming season would have to Despite the obstacles, Odom be our drive,” Crouch said. “If we said the character of the team has have to drive and motor to finish him very optimistic. out games and to prove the doubt“My team works well with each ers wrong.” other, and they are very passionThe coaching staff hopes to rely ate,” he said. on seniors Crouch, Keenan PalCrawford said he expects the more, Will Perry, Lawrence Miller, basketball team to improve on last and Rob Noyes to lead the team on year’s record. the court.

“We are much more talented “I feel as if the new coaching than the record from last year staff meshes well with the team this showed,” Crawford said. “Our year, because they are very young coaching staff knows that we have and energetic,” Crouch said. “We to instill in them a standard of exhope to see as many students as cellence in order to have a success- possible at the games. We need all ful season.” the support we can get.”

MATCHUPS

ON THE CALENDAR

BY GREG BAKER – LRN SPORTS WRITER

Athletics at Lenoir-Rhyne University are a huge draw for students, staff and the community.

The Bears are competitive, and many of the athletic teams are nationally ranked. Men and women student athletes dedicate many hours to year-round practice to ensure success, and it shows.

FOOTBALL Football season has already kicked off with four consecutive away games; coming away with two wins against West Chester and North Greenville.

“I am keeping a level head and starting each week with a mind set to win,” said pre-season All SAC senior Mike Patrick.

Patrick said he’s excited to get onto the new turf to protect his field in front of the home crowd.

This year’s first home game will be against Carson-Newman on Oct.3.

SOCCER Both men and women’s soccer teams are off to an exciting start of their seasons. The women have played several games, winning more than half of them.

Senior Leah Mullins told LRN Monthly that she’s ready to start playing more conference games, including the Mars Hill game on Oct. 7 at 5 p.m.

“Every conference game will be tough this year,” she said.

The women are coming back this year to defend their five-year SAC Conference Championship run. With new coach Gary Higgins taking over the Lady Bears earlier this year, the women are excited for the change and they say they like how supportive he is.

Men’s soccer is already in full swing as well.

“The guys have all come back this year in great shape and we are all on the same page ready to win,” said junior Josh Alderson The men take on defending SAC champion Tusculum at home on Oct. 14.

VOLLEYBALL Volleyball is just getting into regular season play. The women have six new freshmen and one junior transfer on the team.

“Our focal point going into the season is playing hard, smart and together,” said senior Ashley Wells.

The women are looking to improve on last season’s impressive 22-10 record.

“We have all been working very hard in pre-season to work together to be the best we can be everyday at practice and games,” said returning junior Brandi Thomas.

The women prepare to take on rival Carson-Newman on Oct. 16 at home where they intend to repeat last year’s victory.

Submitted Photo Ashley Well, 21, of Lovingstone, Va., is a senior exercise science major. On the court, she divides her time between outside hitter and right side hitter.

OVER THE NET

ASHLEY WELLS

BY JULIA PONOMAREVA – LRN CONTRIBUTOR

Q: What brought you to Lenoir-Rhyne?

A: I’m a volleyball player and LR’s coaches saw me play in a tournament when I was 16. He sent an email and ask me if I wanted to visit the campus and meet the team. I said yes.

Q: Where are you from?

A: I came from Nelson Country. It is a small place in the middle of Virginia and it’s about four hours from here by car.

Q: Are you happy with your decision?

A: I like it here. I get a high-quality education, but my favorite part is our team. They are like a second family to me. We spend lots of time together, even after practices. Most of us live together, eat together, study together at the library, and even shop together. Yes, I guess we are pretty much like a family.

Q: That’s great! Can you tell me more about your volleyball career?

A: Well, I started to play volleyball when I was 12, but when I turned 14 I decided to get serious about the future. During my school years I was traveling a lot, taking part in competitions in many states such as Maryland, Georgia Washington D.C. etc. Then, when I was about 16, I started to seriously think about my future and how I could connect it with volleyball. So, that’s how I ended up with college as an option.

Q: That means that volleyball is a large part of your life, right?

A: Yes, it is huge. It feels like I have been playing volleyball for my whole life. Can’t even remember when I didn’t have a ball in my hand Q: That’s awesome. Is it hard to maintain a balance between academics and athletics?

A: It is hard, but you get used to it. For example, I don’t like studying before matches, I just want to have a clear mind for the game, so I study later in the evening, or, if I’m too exhausted, I can study right before classes. If we have matches away from LR I can just read something on a bus or in our hotel.

So, as you can see, there are a lot of ways to blend sports and studying. Moreover, it disciplines you, it teaches you how to manage your time.

Q: Are you involved with any other organizations beside volleyball?

A: Yes, I am. I attend BSA (Black Student Alliance), track and field and I’m working in the McCrorie Fitness Center. Also I volunteer with Solmaz Institute as an internship.

Q: That a lot! How do you make the time?

A: I’m not! (laughing) Q: You a have a tough schedule, but how do you spend your free time – if you have any?

A: We usually spend our free time together as a team. We go shopping, to the café or movies. I like movies the most. Not only in the theater, but I can watch them in the room, just to relax.

Q: Do you have any plans for the future? Are you going to relate it with volleyball?

A: Not only with volleyball, but sports in general. I want to attend grad school for massage therapy and physical therapy. Hopefully I can be a grad-assistant volleyball coach at an institution that has my program.

Q: Any funny stories that happed to you during your trips with the team?

A: Once we went to a tournament in Tennessee and there was a mountain where you can find yourself in four different states – Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia – just by walking the trails, and we decided to take a team picture. Three, two, one – look at the Birdie – but a real one flipped right over our heads. The picture was awesome. Maybe it’s not so funny but still it’s a great memory.

8

PROFILES

LRN MONTHLY | OCTOBER 2015

SCHOOL. SOCCER. Theodore.

How a collegiate athlete does it all

BY BAILEY LEONARD LRN EDITOR Goodbyes are never easy, but the one Kendall Smith said this fall before heading back to school was her most difficult to date.

“I had to say goodbye to my son,” said Smith, a junior on the women’s soccer team.

“That was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

Last summer, Smith learned that she was pregnant and therefor would not be able to compete that fall.

“Soccer was my life and I was only bummed that I wasn’t going to be able to play,” Smith said.

Even though she had to sit out, Smith remained on the team. She said her teammates gave her unbelievable support.

“I was very happy for Kendall when she told me the news,” said senior defender Amber Madriaga. “Having a baby is a special thing and we were all very excited for her, and to have a new member in the family. We all knew she was going to go through a few hardships through the process and we made sure that we were there for her at all times.”

After the fall semester ended, Smith moved back home for the spring and streamed her classes online, ensuring she could be at home when her son was born while still remaining in school.

On February 18, she gave birth to Theodore Michael Smith. Not only was family there to meet him — many of the soccer teammates and the team’s new head coach visited Smith in the hospital as well.

Bailey Leonard | LRN Monthly

Junior Forward Kendall Smith has been a starter for the team since her freshman year and has held on to her starting role as a new mom.

“All those hard days I had that fall didn’t matter anymore when I saw Theo for the first time,” Smith said. “I was very happy when my teammates and coach drove all the way to Asheville to meet Theo.”

Smith’s time away from soccer made her miss it even more, and she was determined to come back better than ever.

“Right when the doctor cleared me to work out again I started doing P90X and I played pick up (non-league, casual soccer matches) three times a week,” Smith said.

Smith had always been a starter for the team, but with a new coach and just having a baby, she had to prove herself

all over again.

“I had to prove myself to the new coaching staff and being a starter in the past didn’t guarantee anything,” Smith said. “I came back with a new mindset and more motivation.”

Head Coach, Gary Higgins, was very understanding about the situation and knew that Smith would be an asset to the team.

“I was open minded about the situation, and I talked to previous coaches about Kendall and trusted their judgment,” Higgins said. “She’s a natural athlete.”

Once the season started, Smith took the field as a starter and has been a vital part of their successful so far.

“If I went to another school I don’t think any of this would have been possible.

I’ve received so much support from everyone.”

“I knew Kendall was going to kill it on the field this year. After having Theo, she had people to prove wrong and she definitely did. She has gotten faster and stronger.”

Madriaga said. “With Kendall being back, she has greatly impacted the team with her positive attitude and by beating people down the line.”

Due to Smith’s busy soccer schedule and class schedule, Theodore stays with his grandparents in Asheville for a few days each week then comes to stay with his mom.

“I try not to go more than three days without seeing him,” Smith said. “It’s really hard being away from him, but I FaceTime him every night so that helps.”

When Theodore comes to town, Smith makes sure she gets all her assignments done so she can spend as much time with her son as possible.

Without the LR community, it wouldn’t be possible for Smith to continue playing the sport she loves while being the mother she wants to be.

“During classes, my teammates will watch him for me, and during practices, I have had my advisor or another friend watch him,” Smith said.

“If I went to another school I don’t think any of this would have been possible. I’ve received so much support from everyone.”

Smith, 21 juggles a baby, school, and a collegiate sport — something not everyone could do.

“She is definitely Super Mom,” Madriaga said. “She’s doing well in school and on the field, and is an amazing mom to Theo, he’s a lucky boy.”

BONJOUR! LR BEAR TAKES ON FRANCE Former standout QB finds pro football career overseas

BY JORDAN FORNEY LRN SPORTS WRITER Miles Freeman was a great quarterback for the Lenoir-Rhyne football team, and the skills he honed here helped prepare him for a career in professional football.

During his two years as the starting quarterback for the Bears in 2013 and 2014, Freeman tallied 1,297 passing yards with 11 passing touchdowns.

He also racked up 1,700 rushing yards with 23 rushing touchdowns, so it’s safe to say that he was a big part of the team.

“It was easy playing with a guy like Miles,” said Michael Patrick a senior fullback for the Bears who played on the team while Miles was still on the team. “Not only is he a vocal leader, but he’s one of those guys that backs it up on the field as well.”

Freeman continues to make the Lenoir-Rhyne community proud having just finished up his first season as a professional football player in France as a member of the Touraine Pionniers team.

Freeman made the most out of his time in France.

During his time at Lenoir-Rhyne, Freeman was strictly a quarterback.

However, during his time in with the Pionniers, he has seen playing time at quarterback, running back, fullback, and even some time on defense.

“There were only two Americans including myself on the team and the crazy thing was that the two Americans were the only ones to score all season,” Freeman said.

He said his French teammates were very supportive of the American football players during his time on the team.

Freeman got a lot of praise from fans throughout his time at LenoirRhyne and has continued to receive a good amount of admiration during his time in France.

“We were treated like superstars out there,” he said. “Football is more common in America, but in France football players are a big deal. People are all over you, little kids are coming to you before and after the game. The attention is overwhelming.”

Photo Courtesy of William Greene

Miles Freeman was a key leader on the Bears' offense during his time as a Lenoir-Rhyne football player.

Freeman, a Sacramento, Calif. native, had actually never been out of the country prior to going to France to play football.

“It’s great out there, and most of my teammates

speak English so that definitely made things easier,” he said.

It’s a good situation, but there are downsides.

“I miss my friends on the (LR) team and going

through the everyday grind,” he said.

Freeman hasn’t completely decided on how the rest of his football career in France will end up.

“I could be done next year,” he said. “I’m ready to move on to the next stage of my life.”

Freeman is scheduled to graduate in May of 2016 with his MBA in Business Analytics. Looking into his career, he hopes to at some point work his way up into being an executive of some type of firm. Right now though, there is a lot of unknown, which Freeman says is exciting.

“I’m proud of him,” said Tanner Robinson, a junior linebacker for the Bears.

“He’s another example for guys that play here that football doesn’t have to end in college just because we’re at LenoirRhyne.”

Freeman may not exactly know what is next for him, but he definitely seems to be ready for whatever it might be.

“Looking back man, I’ve come a long way,” Freeman said.