Pyramid Scheme or a Genuine Business Opportunity?

Ever wonder what it would be like to be rich? Think about it, having fancy cars, mansions, your own private jet, going on countless vacations, having the ability to do as you please when you please and be set for life is almost everyone’s dream. That is the kind of life that the people at Vemma promise you when you work for their company. This up and coming health food company is most famous for its doctor recommended energy drink, Verve, in which they claim to be the most powerful liquid antioxidant. The drink has multiple vitamins and nutrients and, might I say, is very tasty. It is also proven to literally prevent hangovers when you use it as a chaser after an alcoholic beverage, something Frostburg Students surely can appreciate

When first hearing about this business venture, the words “pyramid scheme”, “rip off”, and “con artists” were floating around in my head. So to be further informed, I invited several of my friends to attend an information session on the business with me that was being held in the Lane center. The room was dim-lit, cramped, hot, and crowded with about 25-30 people. To be honest I think the fact that a majority of guys attended the program made the room smell like underarms. The hour and a half long presentation, led by Tyler Mackechnie, a 19-year old freshman who is currently the owner of a company owned 2013 BMW, stated that “You’re not gonna learn about how to shoot a jumps hot from a hockey player”, his point being that listening to professors who only make about $50,000-$60,000 a year is not going to make you the kind of money you want to make and get you where you want to be. John Wallop, another guy involved with the company, said “you just need to listen to the people that know how to make money." Not too long ago Jake Queen was also skeptical about the whole thing at first. Before Vemma, he was working minimum wage delivering pizzas at the time, now he’s making about $1,000 a week just by referring people to become a part of this company.  Queen then told his story about how he got introduced to Vemma and gave some words of wisdom, a lesson he has learned in which he now attributes his success to today.

The company targets young college students to work as employees because our generation is the most connected, and the only way they get information out about their product is by network marketing. You probably never heard much about Vemma before because they don’t like to waste money by spending tens of thousands of dollars on marketing and advertising efforts. Instead, they use a majority of the revenue they earn to pay employees. Because this company is heavily dependent on network marketing, like Avon or Amway, they rely on employees/customers to design a webpage and get as many people they can to sign up under their account; therefore, bringing in more money for the company and themselves for each referral. But unlike those other two companies I mentioned before, the benefits reaped by employees are much more easily attainable and reached in a short amount of time.

Other established drink companies, such as Coke, have already tried to buy the company and offered them billions of dollars to put the drink under their label, but Vemma declined despite the fact that they are currently worth only Millions of dollars.

The success of this company is obviously booming if I may say so myself. With a grade of A+ by the Better Business Bureau, which is better than Google and Starbucks, and an expansion to over 60 other countries this year, this is a business that is going to take the world by storm and strengthen the economy in a couple of years, one that I will personally be proud to become a part of.

Queen’s piece of advice to the group was to “basically pay attention to what’s going on around you…do the right thing and don’t do the popular thing because the popular thing is being poor.”  

Want to find out more about this great business opportunity? There is a Vemma information meeting every Tuesday @ 7pm in LUC 110 or 111. All students are welcome so bring a friend! 

 

We swim for Bob!

The second annual I swim for Bob day! took place on Sunday, April 21st, starting at 1:00 PM. The event had two purposes: to celebrate the memory of Robert "Bob" Norr, a former student of Frostburg State University who tragically lost his life in a Kayaking accident, and to raise money for the Robert A. Norr Presidential Merit Scholarship, a scholarship which was established for Recreation and Parks management students, those who share Robert's major.

Bob was not only an avid Kayaker, but also a member of the Frostburg swim team. He was well-known and liked throughout the school for his vitality, creativity, and energy, which he always brought with him wherever he went. He loved being in the water, and was also an avid fan of Water Polo, as well as racing in relays.

The second annual I swim for Bob day! featured both of these events, as well as music. The event started with speeches from Dr. Jonathan Gibralter, Robert's parents, and the presentation of the scholarship, to the lucky Rec and Parks management students.

After the speechs, the massive pool party began with an extremely intense game of Sharks and Minnows. There were four teams: Silver, White, Light Blue, and Blue. Silver and White were grouped together and played against Light Blue and Blue. After much swimming, the White/Silver brigade emerged victorious.

The second event was a large scale Water Polo game in the shallow end of the pool. Each team had a brigade of thirty members, possibly more, and dozens of miniature beach balls to get into the two goals at either end of the pool. It was a chaotic sight in the best way possible. The Blue Brigade emerged victorious in this one.

The final event was a series of relays, which Bob enjoyed participating in immensely. They varied from a T-Shirt relay, to a Canoe relay. The teams were evenly matched, but the Blue Brigade won in the end.

The closing ceremony involved thanking everyone for coming out and celebrating Bob's memory, as well as his life and his favorite activities, those that took place in the pool. The event ended with a big splash, literally; everyone in attendance did a group cannonball while wishing Bob a happy birthday. It was a true testament to the love that everyone who knew bob still feels for him, even if he is no longer here with us.

The event was a great one, one that should definitely stay for years to come. It not only celebrates one of Frostburg State's best and brightest, it also helps give money to other great, deserving students.

Poor Taste in Mouth After the Poetry Slam!

          Last Wednesday marked the 5th annual Poetry Slam at Dante's. The event was sponsored by the Frostburg Center for creative writing, and the Slam was MC'd by Gerry LaFemina. Dante's was packed with an amalgam of different students waiting to hear written word, including local fraternities Delta Chi, Delta Phi Omega, and a group of poetry students hailing from Keyser West Virginia. Fourteen contestants braved the crowd to deliver some excellent poetry. Self-proclaimed rapper, Andrew Wilk, was all too ready: "I mean, the judges don't like my style, but fuck it. I got this." He said as he took a sip of his Yuengling lager.

         The judges, however, seemed more interested in hearing poetry and more or less ignored the slam portion of the contest. Michelle Queen, who participated in the Slam, noted the judges lack of emphasis on stage presence: "Honestly, it really seems like the judges could care less about performance. I'd probably would've gotten a higher score if I would have read my poems straight from the paper, rather than memorizing them."

       A bigger injustice would befell Ms. Queen after she forgot her lines and walked off stage, only to be berated by MC LaFemina, in an incident that felt awkward and unnecessary when he told the crowd to "Boo her" and not himself, after he wouldn't let Ms. Queen back on stage to finish her poem, per the judges request. Brendan Taylor, a member of the Dante's sound crew, shook his head unapproved at the attack on Ms. Queen.

   After the incident though, the slam continued without any interruption or more weirdness than usual, although, contest Andrew Wilk ended up forgetting his lines in the final round and was disqualified as well. The turn out was great though, and the contestants that made it to the end deserved the generous prize money.

The Step Battle

"The Step Battle"

By: Sabrina Stone

On April 23, at 7 pm, the Frostburg student body held its annual So You Think You Can Step event. Students poured into Frostburg's Lane Center to sit back and watch the show. Tickets could be purchased at the ticket center and only cost $4. This event took place during Greek Week which is a time period for all the fraternities and sororities to come together and get to know one another. The fraternities and sororities were split into three teams: the red team, the green team, and the black team. Each team nominated certain people from their group to put on this very entertaining show. As the lights in the room went off, the music began.

            The first team on the dance floor was the red team led by Sarah Wampler who is a member of the Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority. Before beginning their performance Sarah stated how much of an impact the sorority has had on her college experience. She stated "When I first arrived here at Frostburg I only knew a handful of people, joining ASA was the best decision I've ever made. I have made so many new friendships that I know will last forever. In fact I consider the girls in my sorority more along the lines of family, they are my sisters." The bond shown between the individuals on stage was very inspiring. It is great to know that universities across the world have groups and organizations in place to assist with the transition into college. It is very challenging for college students to make this transition because it is in fact a drastic change in their life, and having a support group that is welcoming and caring makes this transition much easier. Sarah and the rest of the red team nailed their performance with dance moves and clever humor. The showed proceeded on featuring the black team, and then the green team. "Although it was a tough decision we have selected a winner" says Dr.Terrie Massie Berrell who was one of the three judges at the competition. The host collected the votes from the judges and eagerly hopped back on stage. "And the winner of So You Think You Can Step is…. the red team!" The crowd went wild whistling, hugging one another, and chanting "red team, red team, read team!" All of their hard work and time spent rehearsing finally had a purpose and they were thrilled.

            Frostburg student, Mariel Betskoff, was very enthused about the performance and talked about this experience making her want to join a sorority. "I transferred to Frostburg from Baltimore County and I had a really hard time with the transition. Simply by being in the audience at this event and seeing all the positive interactions between the different sororities and fraternities opened my eyes to exactly what I was missing out on. You are incorporated into a wonderful support group that acts as the family that I'm missing back at home. Next semester I will make joining a sorority one of my priorities."

            The groups and organizations set up at Frostburg are in place to provide support and outlets for students. So You Think You Can Step was a very successful event that brought the sororities and fraternities of Frostburg together.

The Fight Against Cancer

By:  Bonnie Beasley

 

On Friday, April 26, 2013, the fight against cancer began at Frostburg State University.  FSU Greeks, athletes, and departments gathered into Bobcat Stadium for the opening ceremony of Relay for Life at 6 in the evening.  Not only were students and faculty of FSU at the relay, many local members of the community attended.  People of all ages came together in the fight against cancer.  Many students and faculty members volunteered to assist with setting up the relay.  Relay for Life is an event that raises money for the American Cancer Society.  After the announcements of who raised the most money, the cancer survivors and caregivers were summoned to the area in front of the stage.  The survivors were told to begin their lap around the track with the caregivers following behind them.  After both the survivors and the caregivers had begun their journey around the track, everyone else was encouraged to walk behind them. 

Relay for Life wasn’t just about walking around the track; there were a lot of other activities for everyone to participate in.  There was plenty of good music as well as an opportunity to sing karaoke.  On the football field sports such as soccer and football were being played.  A Zumba class was put on later in the night to get everyone moving.  However, the activity that seemed to get a lot of attention was the bull ride.  People lined up to take a try on the bull, as many people gathered around to see who could stay on the longest. Maya Taylor said, “Staying on the bull was a lot harder than I thought it would be but it was still fun.”  A donation was required in order to ride the bull.  Not only were there plenty of activities, there were plenty of food options as well.  Free food was offered in the tent at 7 p.m. and 12 a.m.  Gianni’s supplied sandwiches and pizza during these times at the relay.  Courtney Venus said, “I loved the free sandwiches, I had to go back for seconds.”  Food was also for sale around the relay from different organizations.  Some tables offered cookies, chips, water, soda, and ice cream.  Everyone was able to hang out with their friends while standing up against cancer.  Abby Callahan said, “It was great getting to hang out with my sisters and friends while supporting the fight against cancer and having a good time.”

Relay for Life had its sad moments, but it was a fun way to help fight cancer.  Everyone knows or knew someone who has or had cancer at one point in their life.  It has had an impact on many lives but we were all able to come together at FSU to fight cancer.  Frostburg State University did its part in the fight against cancer.  We were able to raise over $60,000 which exceeded our goal.  Frostburg State University made a great contribution to the American Cancer Society in an effort to end cancer so that it doesn’t end us. 



How The Music We Listen To Affects Us.

By: Christine Parisi

Popular Culture and Concepts of Black Masculinity

                During last night’s event, Popular Culture and the Concepts of Black Masculinity, Dr. Derek Jenkins, a graduate of Cincinnati University informed the audience of his overall goal for the discussion. Highlighting an assortment of ideas, Dr. Jenkins asked the audience to please return for tomorrow night’s follow-up event, which will be starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Lane Center.

                Dr. Jenkins began his dialogue by giving a brief biography of himself. He emphasized the many struggles he encountered when he first attended college. “I did not have my priorities in order,” he stated, "considering I only attended based on my basketball scholarship.” He explained that he found himself partaking in many things other than school work and eventually decided to leave college. Sometime after leaving college, Dr. Jenkins received the news that he was going to become a father. “I knew things had to change,” he stated, “I knew I had to get serious.” He then completed college all the way through, achieving his doctorate.

                Diverging into another topic, Dr. Jenkins proposed a question to the audience: “How did the word ghetto become synonymous with black culture?” As people searched for an answer, he went on to explain that the original meaning stems from ancient Egyptian times and WWII when Jewish people were exiled. Dr. Jenkins proposed this idea because he wanted the audience to begin thinking about the roots of hip hop and how it has gotten to where it is today.

                Moving forward with new ideas as they came to him, Dr. Jenkins asked the audience if they think that hip-hop is one of the main influences on manhood, specifically influencing African American men. Most of the audience believed this idea to be accurate, while only two individuals were left to defend the other side. Those who agreed with the question argued its truth due to the media’s constant portrayal of African American people in a certain light. The opposing two argued family is the main influence.

               Dr. Jenkins continued by speaking about the initial intentions of hip-hop music compared to what it has become today. Hip-hop is constructed from music such as blues, R&B, jazz, and black expression. The five components that make up hip-hop are “breaking, dj-ing, graffiti, MC-ing, and knowledge of self." Jenkins was amazed that although almost the entire audience agreed to be avid hip-hop listeners, no one knew the founder of hip-hop. The founder, Kevin Donovan was also the leader of his gang, Black Spades. Donovan realized that if he took his gang's, as well as other gangs', energy and put it towards something constructive, it would be a monumental movement.

                As he began to tie up his speech, Dr. Jenkins explained that one of the main factors that has moved  hip-hop away from its original purpose was the switch that occurred when small independently "black-owned" record industries were bought out by larger “white-owned” record industries. The other key factor which affected the roots of hip-hop was the rapidly growing drug industry, specifically cocaine.

                 Jenkins reminds the audience of the first radio broadcast of a hip-hop song, “Rappers Delight,” airing in 1979. Surprisingly, only six years later the first Gangsta Rap song entitled “PSK,” which stands for Park Side Killers, aired on the radio. This so-called “Gangsta Rap" was part of the downward spiral moving hip-hop even further away from what the founder had intended.

                In conclusion, Dr. Jenkins explained that hip-hop is very influential. He stated, “It is internalized, and then if seen enough, it becomes normalized.” Dr. Jenkins used an example involving today’s hip-hop music, which casually speaks of date rape drugs. He noted that once we listen to enough songs with words such as “date rape,” it will eventually become normal to hear. Sadly, the audience agreed.

              With that said, Dr. Jenkins implied that listeners should be aware of the negative influences artists have on society. To hear more about this,  please join Dr. Jenkins tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. in the Lane Center for a deeper discussion on hip-hop in popular culture. A workshop will follow. 

Peter Pan… Or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up

Saturday, April. 27, 2013 on the final night of the play “Peter Pan…or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up” began at 7:30 pm with tickets costing $6 for students and $12 for general admission. The play took place in the drama theatre as seat after seat began to fill with children from the ages of three (3) to adults up to the age of 60. The crowd sat and chatted amongst themselves as the anticipation for the opening act grew more and more as the time went by. Before the play began Wendy (played by Shelby Herbert), John (played by Scott Turner) and Michael (Trevor McCabe who was also the director’s son) introduced themselves as children of Mr. & Mrs. Darling (played by Peregrine Herlinger & Maureen Groff) in the year 1904. They assured that in the time of 1904 the invention of cell phones were not thought of they requested that everyone turn off their cell phones and other electronic devices as it could interfere with the sound FX and other equipment they used in the play. Hoping we enjoy the play, they walked off the stage one by one to prepare for their opening act. As the curtain raised Wendy, John and Michael were tucked away in bed as a voice over of their parents Mr. & Mrs. Darling introduced themselves and encouraged us to take a look into their lives as a middle class barely making it family survived in the world. “I’m the only breadwinner in this house why aren’t I being cuddled… am I the master or the sheep here” stated Mr. Darling as he walked away after being pressured about money. Mrs. Darling walked over to her children to kiss them goodnight and wish them sweet dreams exited the scene shortly after her last child had fell asleep. Then as soon as they were sleep Wendy was awaken by a breeze from the window and saw a little boy sitting on the window sill. She invited him into the room and began to question him...Who are you? What’s your name? Why are you out there? Where did you come from? Before Wendy could ask another question the boy answered and said Peter Pan (played by Hayley Schott). Peter told her he had been coming there for a while now to hear stories and that he’s ran away from home because his mother wants him to go to school be smart and most importantly grow up. Wondering why he had run away from home he softly said because his mother doesn’t love him. While peter attempted to leave out the window she asked Peter where he lived “2nd star to the right and follow the sun I live in the Neverlands”. After Wendy, Michael and John begged Peter to take them to the Neverlands they had one problem, they couldn’t fly. Finally being able to fly to the Neverlands Wendy, John and Michael meet Peter Pan’s friends the lost boys, the pirates and Captain Hook (played by Peregrine Herlinger). “Do what you want with the others but I want the captain; Peter Pan” Captain Hook said as his quest for Peter Pan intensified. Hiding from Captain Hook and the pirates the lost boys and Peter Pan try to persuade Wendy and her brothers to stay in the Neverlands. Wendy and her brothers began to miss their parents and wanted to leave the Neverlands just when Captain Hook captured the lost boys Wendy and her brothers. Preparing Wendy to walk to plank the day was saved thanks to Peter Pan. After a sword fight between Hook & Pan Captain Hook was defeated and fled the scene as the lost boys and Wendy were released. Victory was won and although Pan did not want them to leave Wendy suggested that Peter and the lost boys come home with them they all fly back home with them and sooner than they thought Peter and the lost boys were adopted into the Darling Family. The play was excellent. I loved every minute of it from the costumes made by Dustin Shaffer, the accents, special effects, interaction with the crowd, comedy and well-rounded actors and actresses. The play was a lot like the book and movies but with a twist. I would most definitely go see the play again… that’s how good it was. If you're interested in auditioning for a role in a play or want to find out more, you can call the Theatre and Dance office at 301-687-7462 from 9AM to 12:30PM and 1:30PM to 4PM, Monday through Friday, or check out the Frostburg State University Events page to get more details.

Frederick Keys fall to Carolina Mudcats 10-2

     On Friday April 26^th, the Frederick Keys opened a 3 series with the Carolina Mudcats at Harry Grove Stadium in front of 6,128 people. The Keys are the Single A, High A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The Keys entered the game at 10-10, while the Mudcats came into town with a 9-11 record. Jordan Cooper of the Mudcats pitched 8 innings and held the Keys to 3 hits with 1 walk and 8 strike outs. At the plate, The Mudcats opened up the scoring in the 2^nd inning with producing 4 runs in the first four innings before putting the game out of reach for the Keys in the fifth inning. The Mudcats sent 8 batters up in the inning, Jake Lowery would drive 2 runs in with a 2 run bases loaded double. Bryson Miles would drive in a run with a sacrifice fly out and Yhoxian Medina would ground out and brought home another run. The Mudcats would add another 2 runs in the 7^th inning to make it 10-0. The Keys would prevent the shutout in the bottom of the 9^th when  Travis would hit a single to bring in Steve Bumbry to break the shutout and Zane Chavez hit a sacrifice fly to bring Mike Planeta home to make the score 10-2.   

      The Frederick Keys are celebrating their 25^th year of playing baseball in the Carolina League. Danny Charlip of Rockville was attending his first Keys game and was surprised by the atmosphere offered at a Keys home game, Mr.Charlip added “I’ve been to a-lot of minor league stadiums and this was a-lot better than I expected going in”. The Keys are usually in the top 3 of the 10 teams of the Carolina League in Attendance. Harlon Mitchell of Hagerstown explained “I’ve been once this year and I think the last time I went was about 10 years ago”. Kevin Walsh of Frederick added “I’ve actually been to more Hagerstown Suns games in the last 2 years than Keys games, but I look forward to going to more games this year”. The Keys season runs from the beginning of April and runs through September 2^nd.  It is a very worthwhile attraction in the state of Maryland. With the Orioles placing the majority of their Minor League affiliates in the State of Maryland in Aberdeen, Salisbury, Frederick, Bowie. Seeing the Keys is an excellent way to see plays that could potentially play for the Orioles.

The Art of Nature

Rebekah Phillips and her three-panel untitled painting.

The warm, afternoon breeze blows into Frostburg State University's Roper Gallery in the Fine Arts building on April 27th. Five young women, all graduating art students, present their work in a art show called Naturally. The title is fitting, as all five students explore themes and subjects of the natural world in their art. All BFA art students at FSU are required to not only display their work in a gallery setting, but also plan and setup the exhibit. For some of these artists, this is the first time their work is publicly displayed.

Raeshawnda Williams works in ink, paint, and digital media. Her inspiration to pursue art as a career came from early childhood experiences. "I would watch cartoons and think, that's what I want to do when I grow up," she says. Her compositions, of animals both real and imaginary, are highly stylized and playful. One set of a drawings features an elongated dog-like animal wearing a gas mask.

"Pastels are like a cross between oil paints and crayons. They're the best of both worlds," says Elizabeth Kirby, who works exclusively in the medium. Her main compositions are bright and energetic depictions of owls, hawks, and roosters. "I wanted to capture the strength of these birds," she says, “their power and fierceness.”

Danielle Arnold creates jewelry made of metal and glass. Several of her necklaces feature pendants that are also functional printing plates. "My wearable art creates two-dimensional art. Just ink it and press it. You can make as many prints as you what." she explains. Animals, ocean waves, and fire are common themes in her work. "I am inspired by the tribal, the primitive," she says while holding a small, fiery red, glass snake of her own creation.

"I really like this experience of displaying my work," says Cristal Beatty, a graphic artist and illustrator. "I was just at a professional gallery last week. We made this place look professional, just like that gallery. We achieved what we set out to do," she says. Cristal presents several typographical illustrations. Her compositions are made entirely from altered letterforms. One piece, an homage to her father's favorite television show, Duck Dynasty, is composed entirely of hundreds of D's.

Rebekah Phillips is a painter and printmaker. Trees, animals, landscapes and seascapes comprise most of her subject matter. Some of her pieces are quite large, measuring several feet. “I think certain things, like landscapes and trees, should be captured on the largest scale the artist can handle,” she says. Rebekah says she learned some unsuspected things by participating in the show, “You can't prepare too much. The one thing I completely overlooked was how I was dressed. I came in an hour before the opening and someone said, 'Oh my god, I can totally see your underwear through that skirt!'” Luckily, a fellow art student had a piece of white cloth that she used as an impromptu slip. “I was so relieved. The things you learn in college.”

Naturally runs through May 1st at the Roper Gallery. The Gallery is open to the public, Sundays through Wednesdays, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.. For more information, call 301-687-4797, or visit the Art department's website, www.frostburg.edu/dept/art.

Walking For A Cure

Walking For a Cure

By: Allison Meads

At approximately 6:30 p.m, cancer survivors and caregivers began the Survivor Walk around the Bobcat Stadium track to begin the Relay for Life event at Frostburg State University. During this walk, survivors are acknowledged for their victory over cancer while being cheered on. As student coordinator, Brittney Friend, asked for the survivors to come to the front of the stage, people of all ages and even a few students, gathered in front

of the stage flashing bright purple strobe lights. While the survivors made their way to the front of the stage, Friend reminded people that although the teams altogether had raised $50,000 already, their fundraising goal this year is $60,000 and to donate and walk for the cause. As the survivors emerged from the crowd and gathered on the track, the crowd lined along the field cheered wildly.

The survivors of all ages unrolled the Survivors 2013 banner and greeted one another as they exchanged smiles while doing so. When the banner was completely unrolled, each survivor held part of the banner as Friend announced that Relay for Life begins after the survivors complete the first lap around the track. As the survivors began to walk, the crowd followed them around from the sidelines and cheered them on, screaming “good job,” and “keep going!”

 After the survivors crossed the starting line again, the crowd that had been cheering from the sidelines joined them on the track. Relay for Life 2013 at Frostburg State University had begun.

Relay for Life is an organized, overnight community fundraising walk for cancer where teams of people camp out around a track. Members of each team take turns walking around the track. Food, games and activities provide entertainment for both members of the teams and those individual participants who are not required to stay the entire time. However, the cause is so big and there is so much going on, that some individual participants stay the majority if not the whole time.

For the past week, students have been advocating Relay for Life with posters posted all throughout campus and in the Lane University Center (LUC) setting up tables and asking people to donate to The American Cancer Society to help find a cure. This year’s fundraising goal was $60,000. The tables were always easy to spot as the table was always covered in purple items; purple being the color to represent all cancers and also the color choice for Relay for Life. In exchange for their donation, a donor could have a trinket from the table such as a Relay for Life pencil, cup, or bag. Next to all the donation buckets and trinkets was what looked like a life size cupcake post it and a small footprint post it. On it was a line where donors could write down the name of someone they knew who was affected by cancer. Their post it would be placed on the wall closest to the main stair case in the LUC for everyone to see.

By Friday, April 26, everyone was ready for or at least aware of Relay for Life. There were so many people gathered at the Bobcat Stadium. “I’m here because I want to walk for my mom and dad who are both survivors of cancer,” says senior Jason Baccus who had taken a short break from walking. Students from all different organizations were either set up already or still in the process of setting up their tables. There were a lot of Greek life organizations there as well, such as the Delta Zeta women and the Kappa fraternity men. All the people from organizations were wearing shirts either with the name of their organization or the letters from the sorority or fraternity they were a member of. Each table usually had some sort of incentive for a donation. In the Iota fraternity area, they offered a ride on a mechanical bull in exchange for a donation. A few tents and tables away, the Frostburg Coalition and C.H.I.L.L (Creating Healthy Informed Lasting Lifestyles) initiative table offered donors the opportunity to win a large box of assorted candy. It seemed as if each table offered something different.

Students were not the only participants. The local townspeople had come out to support the cause as well. They came with their parents or children and friends to walk and donate. They too engaged with the students and activities going on.

On the field, some participants played soccer, while others played Frisbee or just lounged around. “I just want to show my support. This is a good event and I some of my family members were affected by cancer,” Jocelyn Spriggins states as she continues to walk. As time went on, you could tell the temperature had dropped because suddenly everyone had put on their sweatshirts, jackets and grabbed blankets and hats. But a little brisk weather wasn't going to stop this cause. It seems as though Relay for Life falls on a cold day every year. Perhaps it’s because Relay for Life event is from 6 p.m to 6 a.m. As the evening progressed, more people came and the Bobcat Stadium was full of people.

People were everywhere: on the track, on the field, on the sidelines and in their tents or at their tables. With so much hustle and bustle, there’s no way that the Frostburg’s fundraising goal of $60,000 couldn't be met by 6.a.m Saturday morning. When it seemed as if the darkness had finally started to settle in, around 9 p.m, the Luminaria Ceremony had begun. During this ceremony those people who were lost during their fight against cancer and for those who are currently fighting are honored.

 Candles are lit inside of personalized bags and are placed around the Relay track as glowing tributes to those who have been affected by cancer. On the new bleachers of the Bobcat Stadium were some of these luminaries. In the darkness they glowed and demanded the attention of anyone on the field. Together the luminaria bags spelled out ‘HOPE.’

The next day, it was announced that not only did Frostburg meet their fundraising goal, but they had actually exceeded it. By 6 a.m Saturday morning, 54 teams and 827 participants had raised $61,545.83. Frostburg did it. After all that walking and fundraising, Frostburg deserves some well earned sleep.

Peter Pan Or... The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up

By: Steve Douglas ENGL 336.002

 

Design poster for FSU's Peter Pan

For the past two weekends, Frostburg State's theatre department has been putting on shows of a story that everyone has heard of. Directed by Chris McCabe, Peter Pan and his best friend, Tinker Bell, go on a lasting adventure with the wonderful Wendy Darling and her two brothers, John and Michael, off into Never Never Land with the power of magic.

The university theatre crew and cast do their best to always give the audience memorable, quality performances, and not just for the students. Parents, members of the community, and even friends of the crew all come in to watch our students perform. There's laughter, shrieks, cries of "Oh no!" and thundering applause echoing throughout the space.

But don't think you've missed the opportunity! The show still goes on tonight and tomorrow night, Friday and Saturday, at 7:00PM EST, and typically lasts for around 2 hours with one 15 minute intermission, with tickets on sale at the front door of the Performing Arts Center.

So why is it worth seeing? Well, giving just one reason is too difficult. It's a fun time with friends or family, and if you're that stereotypical binge drinking college student that everyone assumes is the norm, then it'd be some pretty good drunk entertainment. With all the great acting, clever jokes, a little bit of romance, and wonderful costume and stage design, the mere price of $6 for students and $12 for non-students is a small price to pay for the experience.

The theatre department rehearses and performs these shows for the public, so go ahead and support your fellow students. It can't hurt.

If you're interested and want to find out more, you can call the Theatre and Dance office at 301-687-7462 from 9AM to 12:30PM and 1:30PM to 4PM, Monday through Friday, or check out the Frostburg State University Events page to get more details.

 



The theatre cast rehearses Peter Pan onstage



Joan Sparks Shares Secrets to Musical Success

In this photo released by the FSU Department of Music, the poster for "Entrepreneurship in the Arts"  is seen. (AP Photo/FSU Department of Music)

By: Sarah Galvin ENGL 336.002

On Wednesday, April 24 at 3 p.m., over two dozen students gathered inside of FSU’s Performing Arts Center’s choir room to get career advice from guest speaker Joan Sparks, a professional flutist and owner of Flute Pro Shop in Wilmington, Del. The lecture, “Entrepreneurship in the Arts” sponsored by the FSU Department of Music, showcased how a music degree can be applied successfully in the music business — “which is not an oxymoron,” Sparks emphasized to hearty laughter and applause.

The image often conjured of those in the “music business” is of the stereotypical unemployed, starving artist, and in a room full of music majors, the job market can be a sensitive subject. Mikayla Young, a senior music education major, explained typical presentations from music professionals are depressing and disheartening, often focusing on a superficial list of do’s and don’ts. Imitating such a presenter, Young adopted an angry frown and raspy voice, shaking her pointed finger sternly and chanting, “Don’t do this! Do this! “ She adds, “I was expecting to come in and hear a boring lecture.”

Fortunately, Sparks was far from being grouchy and condescending. She did readily admit that finding a stable career in music is a challenge but stressed the importance of dedication and persistence, especially when coming from a music program outside of the nationally recognized "brand name"conservatories. Some of the most widely renown music schools include the Eastman School of Music, the Juilliard School, and the Curtis Institute of Music, among others; however, Sparks argues that countless quality musicians graduate from respectable programs, like FSU, that simply have less hype. For her undergraduate degree in music performance, Sparks attended the University of Delaware (UD), a school with a little-known music department that, at the time, was smaller than Frostburg’s. She noted that the department actively discouraged all students from majoring in performance, and she was the first student to ever complete the program. She reflected indignantly that the chair of the UD Department of Music told her outright that she was “foolish” for pursuing music. Sparks dramatically paused here to let the weight of that discouragement sink in.

Before she even started playing flute at age 8, Sparks recalls that she wore out her father’s copy of Claude Debussy’s "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun" on the family's turntable. The sincerity of her artistic passion was evident from her musical beginnings. As she described her lifelong commitment to music, Sparks made the DU department chair sound like the foolish one. She avidly asserted that hard work, not school name, is crucial to surviving in the music field. Bragging about her work ethic and diligence, Sparks confided, “I know what it is like to break-up with my boyfriend and play a concert that night.”

She narrated her own path to success; standing comfortably in front of the group, speaking casually and never going too long without throwing in a punch line. Sparks kept the audience engaged and chuckling. Her humor seemed natural, and her animated laughter always punctuated her own jokes. She shared her past accomplishments as a performer with various orchestras and large groups as well as in award-winning chamber ensembles and as a freelance flutist. She is also an established private flute instructor and, as of recently, a business owner.

In this photo released by The Flute Pro Shop, the store's logo can be seen. (AP Photo/Flute Pro Shop)

Sparks opened Flute Pro Shop in 2009 to accommodate life as a mother. She strives to provide individualized service for every flutist's needs and “fill the world with beautiful music one flute at a time.” Sparks confirms that most of the store’s profits are from instrument sales, but “everything flute,” including music, accessories, repair services, and lessons, can be found there.

For her visit to Frostburg, Sparks brought two large suitcases of items to share and recommend. She set up a display of sample products at the front of the room, covering the top of the choir room’s piano with a royal blue tablecloth that featured the logo for Flute Pro Shop. For those going into music education, she showcased several instruments that she recommends for beginning flutists. However, the main attraction was her demonstration of new Bluetooth technology, called AirTurn, that allows musicians to turn the pages of sheet music viewed on a tablet device with the push of a pedal.

Although AirTune grabbed the most audience attention, drawing many questions and murmurs of “awesome” and “that’s cool,” what Zach Dodge, a senior music education major, was most impressed with was Sparks’ positive attitude and funny stories. He highly enjoyed her anecdotes that revealed all the typical insecurities and struggles of a musician, from the nervousness when trying to impress a new teacher, to the panic when running late to a concert. By being relatable, Sparks was an inspiration to students like Dodge. “I liked her message that no matter where you come from, you can make it,” said Dodge, who appreciated hearing a success story from a musician who did not attend a nationally recognized conservatory and explored musical careers outside of being the traditional symphony musician. Sparks was motivational and encouraging; every listener left cheerfully, and even Young, who had reservations about the event in the beginning, left with a broad smile. “I’m leaving feeling confident about my future,” she exclaimed, looking slightly shocked but highly satisfied.

Find the Flute Pro Shop online, on Twitter or on Facebook for more information.

The Wrestling Grand Prix Hits Keyser, WV

Above: The 2013 Grand Prix Tournament prizes await the winners.

                      On April 20, 2013, the Elite Pro Wrestling Alliance presented “Night of the Elite 15” at the Keyser Fire Hall Station #2 in Keyser, WV. At this event, the company held their annual “Grand Prix Tournament,” in which wrestlers compete in several rounds of matches. After each round, the unsuccessful wrestlers are eliminated, while the victorious ones move on to the later rounds. The winner of the final round is awarded with a trophy and any additional prize that the company chooses to include. This year, the Elite Pro Wrestling Alliance decided that the tournament would feature tag-team style matches and the winners would be crowned as the first Elite Pro Wrestling Alliance Tag-Team Champions; tag-team matches consist of two person teams facing each other in the ring.

                     “It’s about time that they add the tag-team championship,” said Ryan Davis, 23, of Cresaptown, MD. “It’s my favorite kind of match, but no one seems to appreciate it anymore. Even World Wrestling Entertainment, the biggest company in the world, has been doing a terrible job at using the tag-team championship for years.”

                      As soon as the ring announcer called for the event to begin, the tournament immediately got the crowd on their feet. The first round began with Diablo and Sinister Cross facing off against Sean Hudson and Bodie Williams. While most of the match saw Hudson being overpowered by both Diablo and Sinister Cross, Hudson and Williams emerged victorious after Williams landed a flying body splash on Diablo. The next match of the night featured crowd favorites Sonjay Dutt and Robbie Paige winning a brief match against Eddie Page and Jason Radatz. The first round of the tournament then continued with Vince Vega and Jaysin Justice defeating Pittsburgh’s Project 13, which was possibly the shortest match of the night. Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the night was the final first round match, which featured Sal Sincere and Chris Cline being defeated by Jake Davis and Griffen. This match ran for nearly thirty minutes, while barely ten minutes of the match consisted of true wrestling; the other twenty minutes were filled with trash talk and bad jokes, which did little to amuse the Keyser crowd.

                      “I just wanted the match to end,” said Brandan Baasland, 21, of LaVale, MD. “I think I even dosed off once or twice. None of the jokes were funny and the only amusement I got out of the match was watching Griffen, who is always awesome, beat the daylights out of those other two clowns.”

                      Following a brief intermission, the ring announcer rang the bell for the second round of the tournament to begin. The round immediately got off to an exciting start when Sonjay Dutt and Robbie Paige faced Sean Hudson and Bodie Williams. The match consisted of an almost endless amount of high-flying action; Sonjay Dutt repeatedly jumped off of the top turnbuckle of the ring, much to the enjoyment of the crowd. The match finally came to close when Robbie Paige was able to pin Sean Hudson after a daring body splash from the top rope of the ring. The final match of round two featured Jake Davis and Griffen facing Vince Vega and Jaysin Justice. Throughout most of the match, fans screamed insults and vulgarities at Vince Vega for his mischievous actions; Vince Vega is well-known throughout local wrestling for never missing an opportunity to cheat. After several illegal moves from Vince Vega failed to gain notice from the referee, Vega was able to pin Griffen and secure his team’s place in the final round. Following the end of the round, a brief women’s wrestling match was held, which gave the two victorious teams a chance to prepare for the final round. Once Kacee Carlisle gained the victory over Brittany Force, however, the fans could barely handle their anticipation for the final battle of the night.

                      “That women’s match could have been a little shorter,” said Jim Richardson, 51, of Paw Paw, WV. “My boy and I came to see the tournament and it was killing us waiting for the last match to start. I didn’t think he’d stay in his seat for another two minutes.”

                      Once Vince Vega’s theme song filled the fire hall, fans knew the exciting conclusion was only moments away. Vince Vega and Jaysin Justice took their time reaching the ring, obviously winded and wounded from the previous matches in the night.

                      “This is it folks,” yelled Vince Vega into the crowd. “Get ready!”

                      Unlike Vince Vega and Jaysin Justice, Robbie Paige and Sonjay Dutt sprinted to the ring, ready to do battle with their opponents. Once the match began though, it seemed as if the four men wasted their time getting in the ring at all, as they immediately left the ring and began fighting amongst the crowd. Vega violently tossed Dutt into a row of chairs, causing fans to move away from the action. On the opposite side of the fire hall, Justice repeatedly slammed Paige’s head into anything that he could find. Eventually, the action returned to the ring, as Justice and Vega continued to dominate the match. This dominance changed in a split second, however, as Paige managed to hit Justice with a flying kick. Paige and Dutt spent several minutes in control of the match, but were eventually overpowered by Justice and Vega. Fans looked on, visibly uncomfortable, as Vega relentlessly assaulted Dutt; however, Dutt’s resilience eventually allowed him to break away from the beating. Following an exchange of blows, Dutt grabbed Vega with one arm and Justice with the other, slammed their heads into the ring mat. Following a diving body splash from Paige, he and Dutt gained the victory over Vega and Justice. Following this, Dutt and Paige were crowned as the winners of the 2013 "Grand Prix Tournament" and the first Elite Pro Wrestling Alliance Tag-Team Champions.

                      For more information on the Elite Pro Wrestling Alliance and their future events, visit their official Facebook page.

Around campus pictures

 Students, Derek (left) and Lee (right) playing a game of pool.

Students rehearsing for the up-coming ASA showcase, which is on May 4th.

Trying to get their bodies right for the summer.

Phi Beta Sigma's "Chicken & Kool-Aid Stereotype Forum"

Before the forum started

On Tuesday, April 16, 2013, at 7 p.m., the brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., hosted their third event of “Sigma Week,” called, “The Chicken & Kool-Aid Forum." This forum was located in room 111 on the first floor of Frostburg State University’s Lane Center. The purpose of this forum was to identify and address the negative stereotypes about different races.

        As the doors opened at 6:50 p.m., students filed in. There were members of Alpha Phi Alpha, the African Student Association, Iota Phi Theta, and the students of FSU. As you walked into the room, your mouth instantly watered because of the delicious smell of fried chicken
. There was a white table sitting in the back with two aluminum pans of fried chicken along with plenty of jugs of fruit punch. A few hip-hop tunes played as the people walking in found a seat.

Students who came to the  forum, patiently waiting for it to begin.

While people were coming in, a member of Phi Beta Sigma handed out a small piece of paper (the size of a sticky note) and asked each member of the audience to write a stereotype on it and then place it inside a royal blue and white Phi Beta Sigma bucket hat. These stereotypes were to be read at the end of the forum. The "Chicken & Kool-Aid" forum began promptly at 7 p.m. and all of the Sigmas were wearing their royal blue paraphernalia.

First, they started off with a slide show on the stereotypes of African Americans. Some these stereotypes included, for men: “ain’t shit,” always in jail, can play basketball; for women: are ratchet, can cook, have a lot of baby daddies, and can dance really well (twerking). The audience discussed their views on those stereotypes and did not agree with them. The Sigmas then played YouTube clips on how African Americans are portrayed negatively through media. The audience was engaged throughout this first half of the forum. There were a lot of opinionated individuals present. As you looked around, students were still coming in and were flowing out the room, standing in the door way, trying to get a hint of the discussion.

At that point in the forum, it was time for the chicken and Kool-Aid to be served. Each member of Phi Beta Sigma helped serve one piece of fried chicken to each person  in the audience. While the audience was being served, more tunes were played and the students conversated amongst each other.

Now that everyone had a piece of chicken, the Sigmas continued the second half of the forum with a discussion on the stereotypes of Caucasians, Africans, and Asians. Some of the Asian stereotypes included were that they cannot drive, they all look the same, they eat cats and dogs, can do nails and give massages, are great at math, and can do karate. A student in the audience agreed with one the stereotypes saying, “They are smart.” Some of the stereotypes of Caucasians were that they are scared of African Americans, are rich, have nice cars, racist, and are dumb blondes. Some stereotypes of Africans included that they are good at throwing spears, demanding, aggressive, unforgiving, great at cooking rice, can do my hair, loud, submissive, and materialistic.

The audience debated about all of these stereotypes and some of them explained why people perceive those certain races that way.  You could tell that this was a very interesting topic to cover based on how engaged the audience was throughout the entire forum.

(left to right) Sigmas, Osirus, David, and Steven reading a few stereotypes.

It was 8:20 p.m. and the Sigmas closed out by reading a few of the stereotypes out of the royal blue and white bucket hat. No one looked bored and based on their body language and facial expressions, they appeared to enjoy themselves. Sophomore Art major, Mathew Woods 19, said, “It was funny and had me laughing the whole time. Also, I think this forum was a great way to approach the topic.” Sophomore Business Administration major, Noah Majinnasola 19, said, “I really liked the forum because it was very interesting and debating.”

This forum helped bring awareness to the negative stereotypes society places on a variety of races. Junior Liberal Arts major, Essence Mosely 20, said, “I feel like more Caucasian people should have came because it would help reshape their ideas and the stereotypes that they form about African Americans.”

Well, there you have it! Phi Beta Sigma’s “Chicken & Kool-Aid Forum" was an event worth attending so if you were not in attendance, then you most definitely missed out. It is Sigma Week so be sure to attend their other events.

For more information, please visit:

·         http://www.phibetasigma1914.org/