Relay for Life

By Samuel Ogunyoye

It is very hard to get something out of such a devastating disease such as cancer. There are few things that have a more chilling effect than hearing that one has been diagnosed with any form of cancer. 

However, with events such as Relay for Life, it makes the process a little bit easier to go through. It also gives people living with this disease a sense of hope that they can overcome it if they would just have some support from people that organize events such as Relay for Life.

Relay for Life started on Frostburg State University’s campus 12 years ago for the American Cancer Society to serve as a fundraiser for people battling cancer and the people taking care of them. According to Frostburg State University’s website, Relay for Life has raised a total of $400,000 since the marathon came to the school.

While driving on University Drive of FSU’s campus, one could not help but notice the crowd of people gathered on the university’s football field.  The smell of burgers and hotdogs overtook the air as the multitude of people began to file in.“It was like a festival” Kerry Anyikude described the event as. He continued by saying that “I love it when students are gathering around for a beneficial cause, especially since you know that you are having an impact on someone’s life”. About 800 people registered to walk before the event started. When the event was into fruition, more than a thousand people in all came out to support. An FSU student described Relay for Life as being “chilling”, and also said it was “very emotional” for her because her uncle is a prostate cancer survivor. 

As the event went into the night and it began to get chilly, blankets started to come out being pulled out as a lot of the students were working at the different vendors. People were still walking around the track while people were getting in line for some hot chocolate and cookies to get comfortable from the cold air. People were also getting entertained by a local artist named Dunson as he was performing with his band that consisted of a drummer and keyboardist. While instrumentals of today’s most popular songs such as “Started from the Bottom” by drake and “Birthday Song” by 2 Chainz was playing, Dunson was freestyling. At the same time, his drummer and keyboardist were playing along with the instrumentals. People seemed very attentive with the performance. As he was still performing, copies of his mix tape were being handed out to everyone in attendance.

It was getting late, and the number of people started to dwindle down. Some of the students had to work into the night. One of the students who worked it last year said it was not easy to be up all night working. However, he said “it was worth it because you don’t really get a chance to impact people’s lives like this”. 

Indeed, the Relay for Life will have an impact on many people’s lives, especially if it is going to continue the increasing pattern that the event has been on for the past few years. According to the University’s website, Relay for life reached another record of the amount of approximately sixty-thousand dollars.

For more information on Relay for Life, please visit http://www.relayforlife.org/

Leadership in the Frostburg Community

By Sabrina Stone

On Thursday, February 21st, Dr. Terrance Roberts spoke at the Lane Manicur Assembly Hall located on Main Street in Frostburg, Maryland. This meeting focused on building relationships in the community, discovering more about Western Maryland, race relations, and off campus student housing. This meeting is annually; they provide snacks and live music, it is free of charge, and open to the public.

             

Dr. Terrance believes that by having people step up into leadership roles and getting the community involved with students will help form a much happier and healthier area to live in. Concerns from the community included the obscene partying, and the very recent stabbing and shooting. Dr. Terrance quoted "We have to evaluate where we are and where we want to be. You are not going to be able to see an immediate change."  

            

During the meeting Dr. Terrance asked questions to each of the groups being discussed. He started with the off campus student housing group, which is the newest addition to the community and leadership project. The objective of this group is to provide students whom live off campus a place to go when they're having problems and need advice. This could include problems with a roommate, disliking a class, or even just simply adjusting to college life. This group would serve as a counseling unit for people who cannot just report their problems to and RA. The second group was called discovering Western Maryland. They are working on broadcasting Frostburg State University and showing support throughout the community by painting paw prints on the street at intersections and hanging FSU flags throughout the town. The third group was focusing on race relations in Western Maryland. This group specifically is interested in learning about different cultures and racial backgrounds. The group members recently attended and African American history speech and had a lot of wonderful interactions with African American students that attend Frostburg. They spoke about any problems or racial tensions that were present or felt. The final group was about building relationships. This group was geared towards planning more meetings and events that the public could attend and become interested in. Dr. Terrance made a point in the presentation he stated, "There are expectations that students here at Frostburg State University have for the community, as there are expectations the community has for the students here at Frostburg State University. By learning and interacting with one another we can determine a happy medium so everyone can be prosperous and content." Attendees of this presentation were able to walk around to these different groups and not only learn more about them but also offer suggestions. There will be another meeting held sometime next year to recollect on the improvements made in each group over a year.

         

Elesha Ruminski, a professor at Frostburg State University, was another main advocate in this meeting. She is involved with the leadership program offered at the University. After the group meetings took place and everyone had a chance to walk around Professor Ruminski gave serious insight for students and people in the community. She briefly discussed leadership roles and responsibility and what it meant to be a leader. She ended the night by saying, "Being a leader does not necessarily mean you are a president of the SGA or the CEO of a company. A leader is simply an individual that has a positive impact and can provide useful information or aid to another individual. We are all leaders in our own ways."

April Event- Ice Cold

 Ice Cold Men
By: Elisia Daniels

By: Elisia A Daniels

On March 1^st, 2013, the Ice Cold Men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity graciously invited the students and community of Frostburg to their initiation ceremony. Around this time last year, three young men were just being initiated and celebrated their huge accomplishment with the students of Frostburg State University. Now a year after, men of Alpha Phi Alpha welcomes six new members to this prestigious fraternity.

Formally known as a probate show, this event was specialized to have newly initiated members of an National Pan-Hellenic Council group perform step routines and reveal themselves to the public after their intake period. Most of the time, what is recited at these events is the history of the organization. How well these individuals remember information and reciting it fast always amazes the crowds.

Roughly around 9:06 in the evening, six young men marched in the Lane University’s Center Alice R. Manicur Assembly Hall. To the right shows the order in which the men marched in to the audience. First we have Donovan A. Daniel, Chimaobidike D. Iweh, Ronnie K. Hammond, and Kenny C. Anyikude as the “tale” of the line. These young individuals were dressed very professional. They wore black dress pants, black dress shirts, and a black tie to compliment their attire; however, their true identity was hidden behind masks.

To the left is a close up picture of what their masks looked like. Throughout their performance and their “coming out ceremony,” there was a lot of unity. The routines that were practiced were sharp and in synced. Each time these men performed a new routine; the crowd would rave and cheer on their favorite person. Much of what was expected of these young men seemed to satisfy the audience.  Not only was history recited, but also these men put on a little twist to their show. They imitated beats to popular songs and eventually added their own lyrics to it in relevance to their initiation process. Despite the overwhelming of vulgar and inappropriate language that was present, these men still came out strong. Their dedication and commitment to their organization was present and enjoyed by the audience.

These new members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity ended their show by exposing who they are. Each person, one by one, eagerly took off their masks and humbled the audience with an interesting fact about themselves. Once introductions were complete, the men then huddled and truly showed their brotherly compassion to the audience.

There is always an interest meeting at the end of each spring semester and beginning of the fall semester for those truly dedicated men, willing to work. If interested, get to know the organization to see if it is a perfect fit for you.

“Peter Pan… Or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up” Debuted at Frostburg State University

“Peter Pan… Or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up” debuted at Frostburg State University’s Performance Arts Center in the Drama Theatre.  Performances were on Friday and Saturday, April 19 and 20, and Thursday through Saturday, April 25 to 27, at 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. showing on April 20.  The play was adapted by Mathew Earnest from J.M. Barrie’s play “Peter Pan” and his novel “Peter and Wendy” and directed by Chris McCabe.

"Peter Pan" begins with the Darling family in London.  Wendy, her parents and two brothers are in Wendy’s room talking.  Wendy's parents are on their way to a social event and she and her two brothers are on their way to bed.  In the middle of the night, Peter Pan sneaks into the siblings's room, looking for his shadow.  He finds it in a container.  In the midst of trying to attach it to himself, Wendy wakes up, talks to Peter Pan and sews his shadow on him.  She later wakes up her brothers to introduce them to Peter Pan.

Peter Pan tells the siblings about Never Never Land, a place where "children never have to grow up".  They are intrigued with Never Never Land and the Lost Boys, Peter's orphan friends.  The siblings also are intrigured by Peter's ability to fly and they desperately want to go with Peter Pan.  After thinking about theeir parents, they decide to come back home at a later date. 

Peter helps them fly by sprinkling faire dust on them. One-one-one the siblings began to rise in the air, flipping, somersaulting and soaring side-to-side. 

“I really enjoyed all of the artistic decisions that went into the show. There were a lot of different elements that they incorporated and I really enjoyed all of the choices that the directors took,” said Katie McCartney, a mass communications major.

Captain Hook and his pirates are on Never Never Land, wreaking havoc and fighting Indians, who conquered him.  He also is angry with Peter Pan and wants to see him because Peter chopped off his hand and has to wear a hook. 

Another fight scene ended with the Lost Boys being forced off the island and Wendy being kidnapped.  Peter is aware of want happened and vows to save everyone.  Wendy is tied to a pole at the top of the ship.

Peter Pan arrives on the ship, kills a few of the Captain’s pirates and crows like a rooster.  The Captain and the remaining pirates come up with a plan to send one of the pirates and then the Lost Boys out.  The reasoning is that it is better that they be killed than the Captain.  The pirate dies and The Lost Boys go in and the "rooster crows".  The Captain and his pirates let their guard down.  While they celebrate, the Lost Boys come out with Peter Pan, the rooster, and the fight ensues.  Peter Pan and Captain Hook draw their swords and the pirates and the Lost Boys battle.  Peter Pan and the Lost Boys beat the Captain and his pirates.

The Captain poisons Peter Pan's medicine while he sleeps.  When he awakes, Tinkerbell tells him when he is about to take it but he does not believe her at first; but, later realizes she is telling the truth.  Tinkerbell took the medicine first to save Peter Pan and is loses strength, she is dying.  Peter Pan asked the audience to help Tinkerbell get stronger by clapping if they believed it fairies.  There was thunderous applause.

After everyone is safe, Wendy decides to go back home.  Her brother and the Lost Boys agree to go with her, after Wendy promises the Lost Boys that her parents would adopt them.  Peter decided to stay behind.  After a tearful goodbye, everyone left.  Peter said he would see Wendy after his Spring Cleaning.

The siblings reunited with their parents years later.  Her parents agreed to adopt the Lost Boys.

Peter came back to Wendy several years later.  Peter Pan is upset when he sees Wendy is an adult with a daughter.  He asks Wendy why she grew up.  Wendy told him she could not help it.  He talked to Wendy’s daughter and she decides to fly away with Peter Pan.  Wendy tries to stop her and says she wishes she could go with them.  The play ends with Wendy’s daughter telling her mother that can't go because she does not know how to fly.

The play was not all dramatic and adventurous.  There were some humor.  For example, Wendy hoped Tinkerbell said something nice about her, but she did not.  She was jealous of Wendy and Peter’s relationship.  Wendy wanted to know what she meant to Peter and what their relationship was.  At one point in the play, Peter was confused and said Wendy was his mother.  Shawn Strivers, a voice major, liked the humor.  He said, “I really enjoyed the show in that it was hilarious.  It’s the way they incorporated it.  It wasn’t very Disney-fied.  They made it their own.  I really appreciated it.”

Tyler Parks, a theater major, agreed.  He said, “I really liked all of the different sort of aspects that went along with the show.  They didn’t really go for the Disney part.  They sort of made it their own."

FSU’s Undergraduates Make Waves in Research

Victoria Martin

On Friday, May 3 2013, Frostburg State University played host to its annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. The event, which was held in the University’s ARMAH located in the Lane Center, featured the research of numerous undergraduate students and their professors. Held from ten am to two pm, guests were allowed to come at any point within the time frame to view the work that the students had spent the entire year working on.

            Upon entering the ARMAH, one could see the various research poster aligned throughout the entire room. While refreshments were provided by the school’s food company Aramark were located in the back of the room, the posters took over the majority of the space, allowing for the showcase of just how many students were participating. Given nametags, each student stood proudly in front of their poster as guests made of faculty and students alike, roamed throughout the room, stopping at posters that they found interesting.

            Some students could be seen presenting their work to those who stopped before them, gesturing proudly to the posters on display featuring all kinds of images in graphs.  Senior chemistry major Elizabeth Nelson, successfully presented her project to many different faculty members including the chair of the chemistry department: Dr. Robert Larivee.  Nelson’s research was on determining the amount of benzoic acid and caffeine in common beverages and comparing them to the listed amounts found on the drink’s can or bottle. The drinks she tested included Pepsi and Red Bull energy drinks.

Elizabeth Nelson stands next to her poster at the symposium.

            In her explanation, she

explained that “some of the drinks did not match the amount of caffeine listed on the can.” Dr. Larivee’s questions revolved around chemistry as he asked her “what could [she] use to extract the caffeine from the drinks.” After a moment of though, Nelson confidently answered “hexane.” Larivee confirmed that she was correct.

            Other posters focused on things other than science research. Dr. Sydney Duncan’s English 402 class, Editing and Production, showcased a poster on the experience that the students have in the class.  The class spends an entire semester working on a magazine that will be printed at the end of the year. The magazine is entirely done by the students including everything from layout to the actual articles themselves. The poster featured pages from past magazine done by students.

            Along with the poster, the showcase also featured a video which showed students explaining reasons why they enjoyed the class. The interactive presentation attracted many students to the table as they would stand and watch the video in its entirety.

            Overall, the symposium seemed to be enjoyed by all who attended. Presenter Edwin Holandez, junior IT major, was pleased with his experience as a first time attendee.  “It felt good to show off all the hard work that we’ve been doing all year.” Based on the atmosphere and attitude of the other student presenters, Holandez’s opinion of the symposium was shared by all.