What newsworthy stories spark the interest of FSU students

Newsworthiness: What sparks interest and what needs to be heard?

ENGL 336.002 by Jenny Toke

            At Frostburg State University, a student’s major, gender, or age does not determine the impact the outside world influences, and therefore interests, their lives. If you stop and talk to ten different students, you will get various answers on their take on news stories; some are interested in what is going on near the parameters of the campus, some have no interest in news whatsoever, and some talk about global issues off the bat.

Something that involves all Americans but truly offers insight to those who make an effort to be educated by it is the government. English major and senior of FSU, originally from Wisconsin, Lindsay Schmeling believes that the Republican primary interests her most. “It interests me because it scares me. Because I think they’re all crazy.” These are the men whom we intend to elect as presidental candidates of our country but the things their actions and speeches as of late have not been comforting to most. Lindsay goes on to say the birth control debate will do nothing but cause “more unwanted births,” if birth control is fought against and overall she believes that “it’s the women’s voices that need to be heard” because men simply cannot speak of shoes they’ve never worn.

Invisible Children's Kony 2012 film has gained attention all over the world pertaining to African warlord Joseph Kony and his misuse of children as soldiers. Christine DelloStritto, a senior and Psychology major from Greencastle, PA, said that “it’s something that isn’t being heard about but should be recognized.” Sophomore Psychology major, Bailey Kershner from Towson, MD, shares this vibe saying, “One guy thought it was a problem…this shows that one person can make a difference,” both good and bad. More information can be found at the following two websites: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2012/0313/Kony-2012-75-million-viewers-later-some-Ugandans-get-first-glimpse-of-film and http://www.kony2012.com/.

There are so many issues going on in the world and in our own country alone; it is a comfort to know that FSU students are paying attention to a variety of them. Freshman, Josh Merriman of Fredrick, MD brought up a dusty subject stating his belief that the American debt to China deserves more attention. News comes and goes because as soon as a fresh story comes along, it demands front page attention and other stories get buried deeper and deeper until they’re nearly forgotten or deemed irrelevant. FSU senior Vincent Morton Jr., English Literature major from Clinton, MD, deems that “the farce that is Americanism and the US government” needs to be brought to the public eye, but “will never get the attention of the media.” He gives the example of college becoming a societal norm promoted by capitalism so that society feels the need to become educated if they want nice things; not to learn and expand.

These news stories are just a few gathered by random inquiries to students around the FSU campus; imagine if even more students and faculty were asked about newsworthy stories that are important to them because they're currently relevant or because they deserve more attention. More news would probably be brought to attention than is published daily in the Cumberland Times. News will never be a passing fad because it is renewed every single day; and although there are the few that do not have anything to say because they do not keep up with the news, this could be your incentive to go out and either learn more or share your ideas with another person who just might just be enlightened thanks to you.