2012 SCPA Collegiate Contest Winners

2013
S.C. Press Association
Collegiate Meeting & Awards
April 12 | cLAFLIN uNIVERSITY

Election/Political
Coverage
Open Division
Third Place
The Panther
Claflin University
Collegiate Meeting & Awards | Claflin UNiversity
Election/Political Coverage -- Third Place -- 2012 S.C. Press Association Collegiate Contest
c l a f l i n U n i v e r s i t y, O r a n G e B U r G , s . c .
PANTHERThe
mOnDay, nOvemBer 5, 2012
Fatimah Gadson takes part in a non-partisan political rally hosted by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity on Oct. 3 at Claflin. For more
on the Tuesday, Nov. 6, national election, see Pages 4, 5 and 6. (Panther photo by Kemet Alston)

Election/Political
Coverage
Open Division
Second Place
The Johnsonian
Winthrop University

Election/Political
Coverage
Open Division
First Place
The Daily Gamecock
University of
South Carolina

News Story
Monthly/Bi-Monthly or Under 5,000
Honorable Mention
Melissa Rollings
The Patriot
Francis Marion University
FMU Animal Rights Advocates
meet Ringling Bros. Circus with protests

News Story
Third Place
Jessica L. Taylor
The Panther
Claflin University
PANTHERThe
tUesDay, feBrUary 21, 2012
Jessica Taylor -- Third Place -- News Story -- 2012 S.C. Press Association Collegiate Contest
By JESSICA L.TAYLOR
During the Christmas break, inboxes saw
an influx in messages concerning a new park-
ing policy the university said it intended to
enforce.
Themessagesdidlittlebutserveasmoreemail
considering that the changes were made when
thepeopletheyaffectedmost,thestudents,were
away.
Even upon students’ arrival back on campus
forthespringsemester,thereweremanystillnot
phasedtheleastbitbytherecentchanges.They
werecuriousastohowClaflinwouldensurethat
thesenewlawswouldbefollowed.
The university had never been known to ac-
tually tow cars, so that seemed like a very far-
fetchedidea.
Itwasatnightabouttwoweeksintothesemes-
terwhenstudentsbecameirateaftertowtrucks
pulled into West parking lot and proceeded to
towcarsthatwereparkedonthecurb.Itseemed
thisdidnotserveasamajorissueinthepast,and
students were curious as to why it was an issue
now.
Furthermorethereweresomeindividuals’cars
that were towed even though the vehicles were
parkedinaparkingspace.Theviolationwasthat
theyhadnoparkingdecal.
“Itmadenosenseforthemtohaveallofthose
tow trucks outside. I feel like this was an inter-
rogationmethodtoforceustopurchasedecals,”
seniorJessicaSimonsaid.
Theideaofstudentspurchasingaparkingde-
calraisesyetanotherissue.Thenewpolicystates
thatifyouintendtoparkanywhereontheClaflin
campus,youneedtopurchaseadecal.Beforethe
newpolicy,itwasunderstoodthatthoseindivid-
ualswhointendedtoparkoncampuswouldneed
adecal,butifthelotwaslocatedinthevicinityof
thegym,itwasconsideredoff-campus.
Thenewpolicystatesthatallpartsofthecam-
pusrequireadecal.
“I feel like I will be buying a decal to never
haveaparkingspaceandtoinvitemyselftotick-
ets.Thosethatdohavedecalsarealwaysgetting
tickets for violations that we are not aware of,”
seniorKelshaWashingtonsaid.
Studentssaytheparkingpolicyisanotherway
thatClaflinisabletoensureitwillmakemoney.
Studentssaytheyareunawareofwhytheyshould
pay to park all the way at the gym when it is the
mostinconvenientlocation.
Theyarealsoconcernedwiththefactthatthey
arerequiredtopayforaparkingdecal,butthede-
caldoesnotensurethattheywillhaveaplaceto
park.Theideaisthattheypurchasethedecalwith
intentions of parking in the gravel lot, but once
theyfindthattherearenotanyspacesavailable,
they are forced to park at the gym and walk all
thewayback.
“Iwouldn’thaveanissuewithpurchasinga
decalifIwasensuredaparkingspaceoncam-
pus. The fact that I always have to search high
andlowforaspaceforcesmetothinkthatthis
isonlyanothermethodtogeneratemoney,”se-
niorKantiaBrawleysaid.
Students also see the parking policy as a
safetyissue.Duetothefactthatthereisalimit
to where people can park either with or with-
outparkingdecals,femalesfeelthreatenedthat
they may have to walk either from the gym or
upGoffStreetaloneatnight.
“If I buy a decal and I am unable to find a
parking space on campus, I feel like security
shouldassistmeinfindingoneaswellasmake
sure I get back to my dorm safe if it is far away
from my dorm. Where is the concern for the
safety of the students?” senior Dana Bloome
said.
Newparkingpolicydrivesstudentanger

News Story
Second Place
Sarah Sheafer
Cistern Yard News
College of Charleston
SGA passes resolution in support
of CAA transition

News Story
First Place
Kayla Bethea
Old Gold & Black
Wofford College
Wofford’s Charles Smith, assistant
professor of biology, shook up the sci-
ence world with his discovery of the
first virgin birth found in the wild. Re-
searchers have found virgin births to
be an occurrence while in captivity, but
never had there been a case of it in the
wild. After snake hunting for 40 years,
Smith said that this discovery was a sign
of pure luck.
Smith was out in the field in Con-
necticut doing a behavioral study about
cross fostering on copperheads when he
found the breakthrough. Smith and his
colleagues collected samples from their
previous long-term studies of snakes
and gathered specimens from 22 litters
of copperheads.
Smith and colleagues realized that
there was something strange about one
of the litters; all of the eggs from it had
not fully developed except one. They
then decided to analyze the genetic ma-
terial of the surviving snake to discover
that the offspring was solely the product
of the mother, with no genetic contribu-
tions from a father.
From another study they were con-
ducting concerning cottonmouths, they
found a similar finding. Out of 37 lit-
ters, only one litter had produced one
offspring that was also comprised of ge-
netic material from the mother.
The significance of this finding not
only answered the question, “Does this
happen in the wild?” It also leads to a
whole new set of questions.
“The most exciting part of this whole
experience is the questions that will be
asked. This discovery leads scientists
into a whole new realm of curiosity,”
says Smith.
“There are many theories as to why
this process happens. Perhaps it is out
of the desperation of a female to pre-
serve her genetic material and start a
new colony,” says Smith.
The most shocking part of this dis-
covery is that the virgin-birthed snake
is male. This means that a female snake,
theoretically, could produce a male
snake, mate with it, and start a whole
new colony. This prompts Smith to con-
sider more complex questions.
“The questions I really want to an-
swer are if this snake is fertile and if this
process be done again.”
As exciting as these questions are,
only time and patience will reveal truth.
“There is a lot of pressure surround-
ing this study. I have to make sure to
take care of this snake in order for it
to develop properly and mature before
we can answer any of these questions,”
says Smith. “It’s exciting but definitely
nerve-wracking”
Kayla Bethea Contributing Writer
Snakes need
no daddy Resident assista
will host a program
RAs hope to prov
day. The event, tit
provide hot apple
sex and Halloween
“The event will
until 7:30 p.m. on
assistant Kayla B
while they’re walk
time.”
Resident assista
for their residents
information in a f
“The motivatin
event is having an
the residents and
not have to put a
nior resident assis
good, and we wan
while events.”
According to Te
sistants sponsored
the world. They d
and shared facts a
countries.
“We have a qu
semesters,” says B
the summer that
incorporate them
decided to come u
loween.”
Specifically, the
“We thought th
help people stay
“We’re also trying
cialize. It’s nice to
and have an oppo
laid-back setting.”
The RAs wante
name, so they ca
Facts.
“Halloween is a
the attitude that i
play taboo for a w
to see how differen
of Halloween sinc
Bethea says tha
safe sex on Hallow
costumes often wo
“I’m impressed
tumes that can be
saw a sexy Big Bi
people are really c
“I honestly wou
Cochran. “I don’t
“We figure thin
Teague.
Cochran finds t
keep their residen
According to Te
“I’m going to be
a burrito for $2,” s
Costumes are o
is free.
“Every cup of ci
Hot
RAs mak
Kat Kilpatri
newspaper, 30 percent of employers
are looking for “liberal arts types” to
hire – nearly as many as are looking
for people trained in engineering
and computer information systems
– 34 percent. That’s good news,
but for Wofford students, there’s
even better news. Nintey-one per-
cent of these employers think that
you should have had an internship
while in college. And, that’s where
Interim comes in. With Interim,
you have four excellent chances to
build your résumé with experiences
that enhance your liberal arts edu-
cation and focus on what you want
to do after college – including one
or more internships.
When she was a junior at Metropol-
itan State College in Denver, Carol
Jin Evans wrote a poem entitled “I
Tell Them I’m a Liberal Arts Ma-
jor.” In part, she said: “And then,
of course, they say: how quaint;
and what are you going to do with
it?” Her answer: “You don’t under-
stand – I’m using every breath to
tread water in all-night swimming
competitions with Hegel, Marx and
Wittgenstein; I am a reckless diver
fondling the bottom of civilization
for ropes of pearls; I am whispering
late into the night on a river bank
with Zola; I am stopping often,
soaking wet and exhausted, to weep
at the Bastille.”
a host organization that choose
collaborate with you. And t
when the time comes, you l
Wofford confident in knowing
one-third of those companies
there are looking for “liberal
types,” and nine out of ten of th
want just what you have – a succ
fully completed internship that
companies your fine liberal arts
ucation. Isn’t that just exactly w
you want to be on graduation da
Dr. Charles Smith’s ground-breaking discovery
Kayla Bethea Photo

News Story
Weekly/Daily or Over 5,000
Third Place
Brittani Coleman
The Carolina Reporter
University of
South Carolina
which lives on door-to-door so Binstock worked for Direct one else would hire me.”
Paul Pickens’ Original
Five Points Wild Irish Band has
a problem, and so do those who
might want to donate to its mis-
sion of promoting “Irish music
free to the public.” Like more
than 4,000 other South Caro-
lina charities, it has lost its fed-
eral tax exemption.
But unlike many of them,
the band is trying to get its ex-
emption back. It’s been caught
up in the federal government’s
new efforts to clear the dead
underbrush from the thicket
of nonprofit groups that spring
up, only to be neglected or
abandoned. Despite feel-good
names like Helping Hands
International of South Caro-
lina, Loving Assistance Adult
Day Care and South Carolina
Children’s Emergency Shelter,
many have been dead or dor-
mant for years.
The 2006 federal law
prompting the cleanup was
designed to promote financial
transparency and weed out
dead nonprofits for the sake of
potential donors. For the first
time, small nonprofits with less
than $25,000 in annual revenue
had to file electronic returns,
known as Form 990s, each year.
Jennifer Chandler, vice
president of the National Coun-
cil of Nonprofits, said her orga-
nization supports the new rules.
Though the revocations initially
caused anxiety among charity
advocates, Chandler said they
would shed more light on the
fast-growing nonprofits sector.
“We’re going to have a
much better idea of how many
charities are out there oper-
ating,” Chandler said. Many
groups die out because people
By Ryan Quinn
Staff Writer
EDITED BY JOSH DAWSEY
dozen feeders in his backyard.
“I don’t do it for attention,” he said,
reflecting on the bird community he’s
helped create by keeping the feeders full.
“I know myself what I’ve done, and that
means a lot to me.”
But he isn’t just talking about feeding
the birds. Price, a former CEO of Budweiser
distribution from Columbia to Asheville,
N.C., is one of the most prolific philanthro-
pists in the Midlands, a group Mike Gray,
vice president of resource development at
United Way of the Midlands, says can make
the biggest impact because of their effect
on other donors.
way to give peo-
ple a more tan-
gible goal to work
toward.”
Now 91,
Price has contrib-
uted to dozens of
organizations, in-
cluding Columbia
College, Gilbert
High School, North Central High School
and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.
Price was also the first chairman of Mid-
lands Crime Stoppers, hosted a fundrais-
er on his plantation for Meals on Wheels
But Price says he never just gives
money away. He expects organizations to
meet him halfway. For instance after Price
agreed to donate new cleats to North Cen-
tral’s football team, the players agreed to
send their old cleats to Africa.
“If there is a situation that the districts
are unable to help with, and if we show we
are willing to help with the fundraising,
he’s always willing to help,” said Louis Cly-
burn, North Central’s athletics director.
Price said he likes to challenge people
because a challenge is a good way to create
IRS wipes away
thousands of S.C.
nonprofits from
its records
College students find success in door-to-door sales
Direct selling offers an alternative for the unemployed in the slow job market
By Chelsey Seidel
Hop in most Columbia cabs
and you might get a mini-tour
from a friendly, well-dressed driv-
er. Jump in Alan Douglas’ taxi,
and you’ll get a show.
Douglas, with 24 years be-
hind the wheel, is the kind of am-
bassador city leaders hope other
drivers will become as he offers
riders visitor information while
singing songs he’s composed.
Underneath the banter, how-
ever, is tension over the city’s new
rules, which drivers say put them
at a disadvantage with the compa-
nies that own their cabs.
Douglas and other drivers
say making them get a new chauf-
feur’s license every time they
switch cab companies hurts their
ability to negotiate over vehicle
quality and leasing rates
A chauffeur’s license is
about $120 and requires a crimi-
nal background investigation,
medical exam and drug and tu-
berculosis tests. Drivers say they
do not understand why they must
reapply for a new license when
they already have one. Columbia
By Brittani Coleman
Staff Writer
EDITED BY CAM POWELL
Mallory Cage / The Carolina Reporter
Leonard Price enjoys
bird watching when he
isnt donating locally.
Corbin Ensminger / The Carolina Reporter
The Richland Co. Sheriff’s Department
received its first dog donation in 1965.
Brittani Coleman / The Carolina Reporter
Alan Douglas says his 24 years as a cab driver in Columbia have helped him promote the city. He views him-
self as a city ambassador, singing songs to visitors and taking people all over the city.
Ryan Quinn / The Carolina Reporter
Karen Smith works with the dairy
goat association, one of the
nonprofits targeted by the IRS.
Cabbies say new rules
put them in back seat
Please see NONPROFITS page 6 Please see CABBIES page 7
Please see PRICE page 6

News Story
Second Place
Ryan Quinn
University of
South Carolina
Novelist, former po-
litical operative and pro-
fessor Ben Greer will tell
you he is star-crossed and
doomed for obscurity.
But Greer mostly
laughs at what he sees as
the unfairness of the al-
most 40 years he’s spent
climbing, and then falling
off, the precipice of suc-
cess.
Now, the publisher of
ingly hilarious person.
Greer sat down with The
Carolina Reporter to talk
about his life and plans.
The interview has been
heavily edited for length
and clarity.
Can you describe to
me the peaks and troughs
of your life up to the pub-
lication of your first novel
and how they influenced
your writing?
Hemingway said that
the basis of a writer’s life
is an unhappy childhood,
WEEK OF MARCH 22, 2012PAGE 6
Carolina Reporter
Carolina Reporter
The
The
‘Dancing on
the golden rim
of success’
Retiring USC professor can’t
seem to catch a break
By Ryan Quinn
Staff Writer
Price
From page 1
motivation, even if it is a
simple goal.
“I told the North
Central High School
football team that if they
won their game I would
give them a barbecue.
And they won their next
game,” he said, laugh-
ing.
Matthew Nelson,
vice president of the
Council on Founda-
tions, said that while
these challenges aren’t
typical, organizations
appreciate them just as
much as a gift.
“It often encourag-
es smaller donors to give
more because they feel
as though their gift has
been doubled because of
the match,” he said.
In December, Far-
go, a dog on Richland
County’s K-9 Unit, was
shot and killed, the first
South Carolina police
dog in to die in the line
of duty. When Price
heard the news, he do-
nated $7,500 for a new
dog.
“Having given one
and knowing the bond
you develop with those
dogs triggered the feel-
ing that I had to do
something,” Price said.
Price says if he
could he would spend
another 100 years on his
plantation in Kershaw
giving back to friends
and the community. He
recalls a conversation
he had with his second
wife, Jewell, before she
died of a heart attack in
April 1992.
“One day I said,
‘Life has been so good
to me and all my friends
have been so good to
me’ and she said, ‘Yes,
but you have been good
to them as well.’”
underestimate the work
needed to run a nonprofit,
she said, but the likelihood
that most on the list are
gone is promising, meaning
few are stuck “trying to fix
a very big oops.”
More than 275,000
nonprofits nationwide lost
their tax exemptions last
year for not filing returns
for the previous three years.
But while the IRS thinks
most were defunct, some,
like Pickens’ group, which
used donations for T-shirts
and sheet music, want to re-
gain their exemptions.
Until the end of this
year, The IRS will let small
nonprofits pay $100 to have
their tax exemption rein-
stated retroactively instead
of the typical fee up to $800.
Pickens acknowledg-
es dragging his feet on the
Wild Irish Band’s Form 990
because at age 88 he wasn’t
sure he wanted to continue
the band.
But when fans said,
as Pickens puts it, “hell
no,” he decided to pass the
group down to two fellow
players. Until they get the
exemption back, state law
requires they tell donors
any gifts cannot be written
off income taxes.
Pickens said they
were working on it, but he
did not have a contact num-
ber.
At least the band is
still registered with the
state. The South Carolina
Dairy Goat Association, in
Greenville, lost its federal
exemption last year and its
state registration in 2009.
Without state reg-
istration, the association
could be fined up to $2,000
for asking South Carolina
residents for money. Of
the more than 3,000 S.C.
nonprofits that lost their
tax-exempt status last year,
only about 4 percent were
registered with the state,
Secretary of State Mark
Hammond said.
Karen Smith, the dairy
goat association’s secretary,
said the person who was
president of the nonprofit
five years ago handed her
the IRS revocation letter
and that it was addressed to
an even earlier president.
Confused, she handed it off
to the current president.
She was surprised
when told her group was
also no longer among the
8,174 nonprofits registered
with the state. Calls to the
current president, Michael
Casdorph, were unre-
turned.
The organization
needs gifts to hold its 23rd
Annual South Carolina
Dairy Goat Classic in Clem-
son because the $15 annual
member dues will not cover
the show’s approximate
$5,000 cost, Smith said.
Membership, once as high
as 50, has dropped to about
a half-dozen.
With some exceptions
for chambers of commerce
and religious organiza-
tions, most nonprofits must
file paperwork each year
to stay registered with the
state. Kim Wickersham, the
secretary of state’s public
charities director, said non-
profits can re-register in
10 minutes online at scsos.
com and pay the $50 with a
credit card.
Donors who want to
check a charity can find the
list of revoked exemptions
at irs.gov, though some
organizations may have
since recovered their tax-
exempt status. Calling the
IRS at 877-829-5500 is the
only sure way to find out if
a group is tax-exempt, but
groups not in the state’s
charity database at scsos.
com also should raise ques-
tions.
More than 4,000 South
Carolina nonprofits, includ-
ing 720 in Columbia, are
now on the IRS list. Most
of their last-listed numbers
are disconnected, and what
little paperwork remains
often ends in the 1990s.
Some do still operate,
however, but are not regis-
tered with the state, such
as USC’s chapter of the So-
ciety of Professional Jour-
nalists. Ernest Wiggins, an
associate professor of jour-
nalism and the group’s ad-
viser, said it stopped filing
returns for two years be-
fore becoming active again
in fall 2010. The chapter is
working on renewing its
state registration, he said.
Nonprofits
From page 1
Ryan Quinn/ The Carolina Reporter
A friendly greeting from a dairy goat on Karen Smith’s Bel-
ton farm. The S.C. Dairy Goat Association needs $5,000 in
donations to fund its annual competition in Clemson.
A 2010 American
Enterprise Institute study
found the six-year col-
lege completion rate for
Hispanics was 51 percent,
compared with 59 percent
for non-Hispanic whites.
In South Carolina’s largest
universities, the rate was
57 percent for Hispanics
and 62 percent for whites.
Numbers for previous years
weren’t available.
Ayala said learn-
ing English is a big hurdle
for Hispanics seeking an
American education. She
said she learned English
young and actually had to
teach herself Spanish.
“I still don’t know the
accent marks and all that,”
Ayala said.
Moder said many
Hispanic students can’t
get help filing financial
aid forms from parents
who don’t speak English
and don’t have money to
hire help. South Carolina’s
Higher Education Com-
mission has no programs
targeted specifically at
Hispanics but uses federal
money to help high school
students fill out college ap-
plication and aid forms,
said Julie Carullo, head of
the organization. Green-
ville and Saluda county
school districts, which have
the highest number of His-
panic students, didn’t re-
turn calls.
Guillermo Omar Ran-
gel Rivera, a second-year
USC biology student who
aims to be the first in his
Mexican-American fam-
ily to graduate with a U.S.
bachelor’s degree, filled out
the complicated forms him-
self. His mother still works
in Mexico, and his father is
often busy doing mainte-
nance at a golf course.
“I personally went
through their taxes,” said
Rangel Rivera, who wants
to become a cardiologist,
radiologist or medical re-
searcher. “That was me,
and it was a headache.”
Rangel Rivera said he
came to the U.S at 15 and
took three years to learn
and build up the courage to
speak English. He said he
had no choice but to com-
plete his own forms.
“Otherwise, what am I
going to do, cut grass all my
life?” he said.
Michael Marroquin, a
second-year USC informa-
tion technology student,
is studying to be the first
person on his father’s side
to get a bachelor’s degree.
Unlike Rangel Rivera, his
Phi Iota Alpha Latino fra-
ternity brother, Marroquin
was born in the U.S.
His El Salvadorian
immigrant parents have
technical college degrees.
His mother is a registered
nurse assistant, and his fa-
ther is a utility specialist at
Lockheed-Martin in Green-
ville. He thinks college can
help him get a better job.
“I could provide ev-
erything that they couldn’t
when I was growing up,” he
said.
Ayala said she wants
to use her success to repay
her mother – hopefully with
a house in Miami where her
mango trees can thrive.
“I want her not to
work,” she said. “I want
her to live somewhere and
not have to worry about
things.”
Hispanics
From page 3
This season the University of South Carolina baseball team has a chance to accomplish what only one team in
the history of the College World Series has ever done – win three consecutive championships. After
finishing last season ranked No. 1, the Gamecocks began this season ranked No. 2 in the nation.
Once... twice... three times a maybe
Preseason All-Americans
Paul Pickens’ Original
Five Points Wild Irish Band has
a problem, and so do those who
might want to donate to its mis-
sion of promoting “Irish music
free to the public.” Like more
than 4,000 other South Caro-
lina charities, it has lost its fed-
eral tax exemption.
But unlike many of them,
the band is trying to get its ex-
emption back. It’s been caught
up in the federal government’s
new efforts to clear the dead
underbrush from the thicket
of nonprofit groups that spring
up, only to be neglected or
abandoned. Despite feel-good
names like Helping Hands
International of South Caro-
lina, Loving Assistance Adult
Day Care and South Carolina
Children’s Emergency Shelter,
many have been dead or dor-
mant for years.
The 2006 federal law
prompting the cleanup was
designed to promote financial
transparency and weed out
dead nonprofits for the sake of
potential donors. For the first
time, small nonprofits with less
than $25,000 in annual revenue
had to file electronic returns,
known as Form 990s, each year.
Jennifer Chandler, vice
president of the National Coun-
cil of Nonprofits, said her orga-
nization supports the new rules.
Though the revocations initially
caused anxiety among charity
advocates, Chandler said they
would shed more light on the
fast-growing nonprofits sector.
“We’re going to have a
much better idea of how many
charities are out there oper-
ating,” Chandler said. Many
groups die out because people
By Ryan Quinn
Staff Writer
Almost every afterno
Leonard Price settles into h
at the back of his house,
windows, to watch the bird
dozen feeders in his backy
“I don’t do it for att
reflecting on the bird c
helped create by keeping
“I know myself what I’ve
means a lot to me.”
But he isn’t just talkin
the birds. Price, a former C
distribution from Columb
N.C., is one of the most pr
pists in the Midlands, a g
vice president of resource
United Way of the Midland
the biggest impact becaus
on other donors.
IRS wipes away
thousands of S.C.
nonprofits from
its records
By Mallory Cage
Staff Writer
EDITED BY CORBIN ENSMINGER
College stu
Direct selling offe
By Chelsey Seidel
Staff Writer
EDITED BY FRANKIE MANSFIELD
Corbin Ensminger / The Carolina Reporter
The Richland Co. Sheriff’s Department
received its first dog donation in 1965.
Ryan Quinn / The Carolina Reporter
Karen Smith works with the dairy
goat association, one of the
nonprofits targeted by the IRS.
Please see NONPROFITS page 6

News Story
First Place
Colin Campbell
The Daily Gamecock
University of South Carolina
USC faculty bonuses total $4.1 million

Feature Story
Honorable Mention
Veronica Stark
The Patriot
Professor finds herself teaching after
study abroad experience

Feature Story
Third Place - TIE
Katra Cunningham
Roddey McMillan Record
Winthrop University
The Uniform Project

Feature Story
Third Place - TIE
Chopper Johnson
Cistern Yard News
C of C London Olympic Duo

Feature Story
Second Place
Kat Kilpatrick
Old Gold & Black
Wofford College
September 11, 2012
OG&B 3
Located in the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate
New York, Watkins Glen is home to Farm Sanctuary,
a non-profit organization that rescues farm animals
who have been mistreated by the modern factory
so lucky and don’t get rescued.”
For those meat eaters out there, the event is still
recommended by the professor.
“It’s a wonderful way to learn about the multifacet-
Six Wofford students, accompanied by Albert
Outler Professor of Relgion Dr. Byron McCane,
traveled to Israel for one month this summer to
search for religious artifacts. Their findings included
features from a Byzantine period synagogue. The
trip, led by McCane, other scholars and professors
from other colleges allowed students to experience
first hand archaeology and relive history.
For junior Tyrell Jemison, McCane’s description
of the trip and stories from students who had par-
ticipated in previous years was all he needed in order
to decide to go on the trip.
“Dr. McCane had approached me about going on
the dig in Israel. I had never done anything of the
sort, but it sounded awesome,” says Jemison. “The
closest I’d ever been to the field of archeology was
digging a hole in the back yard.”
Sophomore Erin Simmonds didn’t let being the
youngest and the only girl in the Wofford group
keep her from traveling across the world.
“I was in Dr. McCane’s New Testament class and
James Ballard came to our class to talk about his
experience last year and it sounded really interest-
ing and exciting. I didn’t have any experience with
archaeology or religion; I just knew that it sounded
like something I really wanted to do,” she says.
The six Wofford students and McCane met nearly
20 students and 10 supervisors from all over Europe,
as well as some volunteers from around the world.
The other students were from Romania, the United
Kingdom, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ger-
many, Israel and Switzerland. The group stayed busy
waking up early each morning to begin excavating.
“We would get to the dig site by 5:00 a.m. and
work until 8:30. We took a break for breakfast and
then continued working until around 11:30”, says
Simmonds. “The reason it starts so early is because it
gets incredibly hot — by 11:30 a.m. it’s ridiculously
hot.”
The group went to the same spot each day, Horvat
Kur, which is located on the top of a hill overlooking
the Sea of Galilee.
“Digging is hard work, but we had such great
people on our international dig team that every day
was a lot of fun and filled with entertainment,” says
Simmonds. “Israel is obviously very far away, but
experiencing new cultures and learning more about
that side of the world was exciting and eye-opening.”
“Once I got to Israel, the most intimidating aspect
was that I was in a totally new place for a month.
Everything there was different; the food, the cul-
tural and the social norms,” says Jemison. “I enjoyed
meeting so many new people. I’m definitely a people
person, and I love the opportunity to meet someone
new and discover their stories and experiences.”
The tremendous work and efforts put forth by the
international group paid off.
“We didn’t expect to find as much as we did, and
most of our more important finds came within the
last few days of being on the dig site, “ says Jemison.
“There’s a theory in the field of archeology that the
most important finds always come at the end of the
dig season.”
“The team found a lot of interesting things like an
oil lamp and a skull of a sheep,” says Simmonds. “I
found pieces of a glass bracelet. James Ballard exca-
vated a cistern and found many nearly intact pottery
vessels, which was very exciting.”
The largest find of the dig, which attracted nearby
archaeologists, was a basalt stone that has carvings
on four sides and the top.
According to Simmonds, “It is a unique find; only
one similar stone has ever been found in the region.”
McCane took the students to Jerusalem two week-
ends during the month. For Simmonds, those trips
were what she enjoyed most.
“Jerusalem is an amazing city with many ancient
and interesting things to see,” says Simmonds. “Vis-
iting the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock
were very moving. Walking the Via Dolorosa was
also incredible.”
For Jemison, the month was extremely well spent.
“Not many people can say that they’ve been to Is-
rael, spent a month and became close friends with
Europeans, toured ancient holy sites, and have liter-
ally helped solidify an aspect of history,” says Jemi-
son. “Israel has my heart.”
Lessons on veganismDr. Nancy Williams gives insight into Vegan Festival
Jennifer Sellers Staff Writer
Photos courtesy of Kinneret Regional Project and Erin Simmonds
Wofford students experience archaeology
Dr. Byron McCane leads students in a dig near Jerusalem; group makes major find
Kat Kilpatrick Staff Writer
Features

Feature Story
First Place
Carlie Maldonado
The Collegian
Bob Jones University

Feature Story
Honorable Mention
Shamira McCray
The Johnsonian
Winthrop University
Iraqi student shares stories from home

Feature Story
Third Place
Isabelle Khurshudyan
The Daily Gamecock
Westmoreland: ‘Everything happens
for a reason’

Feature Story
Second Place
Andy Brown
The Tiger
Clemson University
David Saville

Feature Story
First Place
Chelsey Seidel
University of
South Carolina
The crowd roars, rap
music blasts, and the Co-
lumbia QuadSquad Allstars
burst onto Jamil Temple’s
roller derby track in true
bad-girl fashion. Fans at
the track’s edge hope for a
high-five from their favorite
skater.
But forget the fishnets,
tattoos and leopard span-
dex. It’s Sunday afternoon,
and these women have
come to play physical, raw
roller derby as they prepare
to face Virginia’s Dominion
Roller Girls.
Outside the arena,
they are teachers, aquatic
biologists, lawyers, moth-
ers, But when their wheels
hit the track, they morph
into hard-hitting, adrena-
line-pumping competitors.
‘Mel A-Noma’
A co-captain of the
Columbia QuadSquad All-
stars, Melissa Engle’s black
fishnets and red spandex
booty shorts are far differ-
ent from her wardrobe as
an aquatic biologist.
“I was one of those
girls who didn’t have a lot of
female friends growing up –
you know girls are kind of
catty, but it’s amazing how
we all get along and how we
have each other’s backs,”
says Engle, who has been
competing since 2007.
One of the smaller
skaters on the team, her pe-
tite frame is outlined with
muscle. The bright stars on
her helmet’s sides say she’s
the jammer, the one who
scores by pushing through
the pack with the help of
her teammates and passing
the other team’s skaters.
‘Suicide seats’
The QuadSquad began
in March 2007 with seven
women. Now there are 55,
including the 20-member
Allstars that are the highest
skill level and a 20-member
“B” team called the Miss
B-Havers. Dues are $30
a month. New prospects
are evaluated during open
skates at the Skate Station
USA rink in Lexington. One
of the requirements: Be
able to skate 25 laps in five
minutes.
“Sit along the track at
your own risk! Skaters have
been known to land in a few
laps,” the announcer shouts
as people sit in the “suicide
seats,” where skaters fly-
ing off the track can land in
your lap.
As the Allstars warm
up for the bout, fans wear-
ing T-shirts with their favor-
ite skater’s name, children
with painted faces, parents
and grandparents fill three
rows of folding chairs along
the track and high bleach-
ers along the Jamil Temple
walls.
It’s Steve Crabbs’ first
time at a bout. He says his
friends persuaded him to
come.
“They said hot wom-
en, hitting each other, skat-
ing in circles and lots of
collisions. And I’m like ‘I’m
there!’” Crabbs says.
Less theatrics,
more athletics
This isn’t the roller
derby of the 1960s and
‘70s with its staged fights
and planned victories. The
current version that re-
emerged a decade ago in
Austin, Texas, is less about
theatrics and more about
athletics, although some of
the flamboyant costumes
look like they came straight
from an old-time, smoke-
filled arena.
It’s also about tal-
ent and empowerment,
like giving girls 10 to 17 a
way to channel aggression
through the QuadSquad’s
Mini Derby League.
“I think a lot of times
when you hit puberty a lot
of that gets pushed out of
girls,” Engle says. “All of a
sudden you go from being a
tomboy to having to be very
polite and proper. I think
it’s a great outlet to keep
tomboyishness alive.”
‘A dysfunctional
family’
Two days after beat-
ing Virginia, the derby
girls practice as Beyonce
bumps the speakers dur-
ing warm-ups. Knee and el-
bow pads slam the ground
as they practice blocking
and jamming. But they all
smile through their mouth
guards.
Co-captain “Holly
Hunter” Stacey Russell-
Franklin, has been roller
figure skating competitive-
ly since she was 12. Now,
at 30, she balances roller
derby with her job at a law
office.
“It’s a really nice
thing, and we’re all like a
family, a dysfunctional fam-
ily at times at that,” Russell-
Franklin says. “I was shy
before I started roller derby,
and now I’ll pretty much
talk to anybody because I’m
so used to dealing with peo-
ple with different attitudes
and backgrounds.”
She says the bond is
sister-like, but stronger.
“We spend so much
time together, we have to
like each other. There will
be helmets flying, and you
might get mad in practice if
you get hit. But we handle
it like athletes instead of 60
girls,” she says. “We love
the sport so much, we don’t
have a choice.”
It’s a bond on the
track that remains a mys-
tery even to them.
“It’s strange,” Engle
says, “you just look out for
each other more. People
I wouldn’t talk to off the
track are my best friends
here.”
By Chelsey Seidel
Staff Writer
EDITED BY Frankie Mansfield
WEEK OF MARCH 22, 2012PAGE 4
Carolina Reporter
Carolina Reporter
The
The
education. I think this is because he is man,” Zarvos said. “They just have to dealBy Jenna Kepley
Staff Writer
Chelsey Seidel/ The Carolina Reporter
Co-captian “Mel-A-Noma” laces up her skates as her team gears up for a bout. The
QuadSquad Allstars have won the roller derby state championship the past three years.
QuadSquad
delivers
athleticismColumbia roller derby team shows
they’re proud to play like girls
Blind man teaches life’s unseen lessons
Columbia businessman George Zarvos is succeeding while helping others
The game of Roller Derby
evolved from late 1800s skating
endurance marathons. Today’s contact
sport features two teams racing around an
oval track battling to score points.
Long forgotten are the days of staged fights and predetermined winners. Today’s
regulated bouts are about real athleticism and passionate competition. Interested
in checking out the ladies of the Columbia QuadSquad? This crash course on roller
derby will help bring you up to speed.
How these real derby girls roll
Source: Women’s Flat Track Derby Association,
Bill Rhodes
Frankie Mansfield / The Carolina Reporter
Players: Each team
has five players on the
floor consisting of one
jammer (point scorer
with star on helmet)
and a pack of four
blockers. One of the
blockers is known as
the pivot (stripe on
helmet) and has the
power to swap roles
with the jammer.
Penalties: Body contact from the front or
side is allowed, but any contact from behind,
above the chest or below the thigh is illegal.
Grabbing onto a player, punching, tripping or
using elbows is also illegal. Penalties result in
one minute in the penalty box.
Both jammers
start out behind
the pack and try
to catch up and
break through to
score points.
Blockers in the pack
play both offense and
defense helping their
jammer through
while blocking the
opposing jammer.
Scoring: Derby matches,
or bouts, consist of two 30-minute
periods. Each period is divided into two-minute
jams. The pack skates around the track with
jammers starting behind them. Once a jammer
passes through the opposing team’s pack, one
point is scored for each blocker she passes
from then on.
Pivots are blockers who
establish the team’s game
strategy during play and
can take over the jammer’s
scoring responsibilities.

Sports Story
Honorable Mention
Samuel Northrop
Old Gold & Black
Wofford College
December 4, 2012 OG&B2
America has chosen to re-elect President Barack
Obama. Of South Carolina voters, 54.6 percent
voted for Romney, 44.0 percent chose Obama and
1.3 percent supported a different candidate. But how
did Wofford vote? And what influences the way that
we vote? The Sociology department’s social research
class set out to answer these questions before the re-
cent election.
The pre-election results: 59.7 percent of surveyed
students said that if the election were held today they
would vote for Mitt Romney, 31.7 percent would
reelect Obama, 6.5 percent supported a candidate
from another party and the remaining 2.1 percent
chose not to answer. Thus, if Wofford students were
responsible for the election, Romney would have
won with almost twice as much support as Obama.
Interestingly, a higher percentage of women sup-
ported Romney (61.7 percent) than men (57.3 per-
cent). This comes as a surprise, considering the po-
larity of the candidates on issues such as abortion
and whether or not the government should require
insurance companies to cover contraception.
Race was an important determinant of voting
preference — as was Greek affiliation. Of the stu-
dents who identified themselves as black, 84.8 per-
cent supported Obama, 6.1 percent would vote for
Romney and 9.1 percent would elect a different can-
didate. Of the students who identified themselves
as white, 68.8 percent supported Romney, 23.4 per-
cent would vote for Obama, and 5.6 percent would
elect a different candidate. Our survey was roughly
even, with 138 students who are in a Greek organi-
zation and 140 who are not. Among Greek students,
76.1 percent would vote for Romney, 19.6 percent
would vote for Obama and 2.2 percent supported a
different candidate. In addition, 2.2 percent did not
answer the question. Contrasting these numbers,
non-Greek students were equally supportive of both
candidates as each of them received 43.6 percent of
the respondents’ votes. As for non-Greeks, 10.7 per-
cent supported an unlisted candidate and 2.1 per-
cent did not answer the question.
Where do Wofford students stand on the issues of
abortion and same-sex marriage? When it comes to
same-sex marriage, the majority of survey respon-
dents (57.9 percent) were in favor of same-sex mar-
riage. To break the number down, 25.5 percent of
students strongly support same-sex marriage, 32.4
percent support it, 24.1 percent are opposed, and
14.7 percent are strongly opposed. The majority of
both sexes support same sex marriages, but a higher-
percentage of women support it (63.7 percent) than
do men (50.8 percent). When it comes to abortion,
the majority of men and women identify themselves
as pro-choice at 52.4 percent and 58.5 percent, re-
spectively. It’s quite interesting that although the
majority of students claim to have socially liberal
viewpoints, the majority of both sexes clearly favor
the conservative candidate, Romney.
The survey sample consisted of 278 students rep-
resenting a range of ages, races and religions. The
populations surveyed was chosen by randomly se-
lecting rooms within each residence hall on campus
and requesting that one resident from each room
complete a survey. The surveys were optional and all
results were kept anonymous.
During election season, tensions run high. We all
have opinions and politics inherently leads others
to challenge those. During this time of debates, dis-
cussions and arguments, there is a bright lining in
this dark, often thunderous cloud. Of our surveyed
students, 84.9 percent reported that they were likely
to vote, and 74.1 percent said that they were either
somewhat or very interested in politics. No matter
where a person stands on the issues, it is important
that each and every one of us is informed about the
issues facing our country and goes to the polls to
vote in support of our values in every election year.
Ross Hill
Survey reflects
Wofford’s diverse
political climate
Contributing Writer
Kayla Bethea Photo
Wofford
Vote

Students
Obama
(%)
Romney
(%)
Other
(%)

Total
31.7
59.7
6.5

Men
29.0
57.3
10.5

Women
33.8
61.7
3.2

Wofford
Vote

Students
Obama
(%)
Romney
(%)
Other
(%)

Greek
19.6
76.1
2.2

Non-‐Greek
43.6
43.6
70.7

Wofford
Vote

Students
Obama
(%)
Romney
(%)
Other
(%)

Black
84.8
6.1
9.1

White
23.4
68.8
5.6

Presidential
Vote

Population
Obama
(%)
Romney
(%)
Other
(%)

Nation
50.5
48.0
1.5

South
Carolina
44.0
54.6
1.3

Wofford
31.7
59.7
6.5

Downtown Spartanburg is sporting a new attrac-
tion: Skating on the Square, so on a brisk Sunday
afternoon in November, I tugged on my fuzzy hat,
warm gloves and decorative winter socks to go see
a half of free time on the second day, they counted
126 people.
“We’re hoping to keep coming every winter for
three years — it’s a great way to bring people down-
Ice rink opens downtown Spartanburg
Jennifer Sellers Senior Staff Writer
Jennifer Sellers Photo
Nestor Jaramillo selected
socoN FreshmaN oF the Year
Topping off an outstanding season
ContributingWriterSamuel Northrop
Wofford’s own Nestor Jaramillo
was named as the Southern Con-
ference’s Freshman of the Year,
becoming the first member of
the men’s soccer team to earn the
honor in college history. Jaramil-
lo scored two goals and tallied six
assists in his inaugural season for
the Terrier soccer team.
Jaramillo attended Cardinal
Newman High School in Colum-
bia, S.C., and played for the Co-
lumbia United Football Club be-
fore coming to Wofford this fall.
Jaramillo plays midfield for the
Terriers and says that Barcelona’s
midfielder, Andrés Iniesta, is his
biggest influence.
“He is a very good dribbler and
very skillful on the ball. He is a
smart player that makes good de-
cisions and scores goals as well,
and I think that I have some of
those traits,” says Jaramillo.
Jaramillo came to Wofford
knowing he would be an integral
part of the team.
“During the recruiting process
the coaches told me that there
would be high expectations, and
that I would probably get to start
as long as I came in and worked
very hard. Being a major influ-
ence on the team was one of my
goals for the season and there was
a lot of pressure on me to use my
talents effectively,” says Jaramillo.
“I think the key to my success
this season was that I was sur-
rounded by other great players
that challenged me and helped
me to improve,” says Jaramillo.
“The team did very well, and I was
able to adjust my style to them
very well.”
Jaramillo proved that he was
not only a talented all-around
player with this award, but that
he was also prepared to step up in
high pressure situations when the
game was on the line. Jaramillo
scored a game-winning overtime
goal during the regular season
against Elon in the 94th minute.
“It was overtime, tied and
there was a lot of pressure on
who would score first because
it’s sudden death in college,” says
Jaramillo. “The cross came over
everyone, and Carlos picked it
up backside. I was right behind
him and called for it because I saw
that I had space, and once I got it,
I just took a touch out and shot it.
It was like a reflex. It was definite-
ly the best moment of my career.”
Despite being named the top
freshman in the conference, Jara-
millo does not think of himself as
a superior to his teammates.
“I actually found out on my
twitter that I was chosen,” says
Jaramillo. “I was eating at the
time and got very excited for a
minute, but then I just kept eating
and went on with my day. It did
boost my confidence on the field
though, but more importantly, I
realized that I would have to keep
working even harder to stay at
that high level.”
Jaramillo doesn’t plan on slow-
ing down in the coming seasons
either. He has high expectations
for himself in the next year.
“I want to score more goals
than this year for sure and just
improve in every single way. I
want to only help my team win
a game, but also win the confer-
ence,” says Jaramillo. “Going to
the finals of the SoCon tourna-
ment gave us a lot of confidence,
and I want to make sure that it
carries into next year. We have a
very talented freshman class, and
there are plenty of players that are
capable of filling the spots of this
year’s seniors. They are very anx-
ious to get their shot to play, and I
think that we are all ready to have
another great season.”
Mark Olencki Photo of Nestor Jaramillo
News

Sports Story
Third Place
India Hill
The Panther
Claflin University
PANTHERThe
WeDnesDay, sePteMBer 26, 2012
‘New’coach:Woodard says less weight means more life
By INDIA HILL
C
laflinmen’sbas-
ketballcoachof
nineyearsisstrik-
ingabuzzaround
campus,andithasnothing
todowithsports.
RonWoodardisturning
headswithhisweightloss.
“Thedoctortoldmepeople
weregoingtothinkI’msick,”
Woodardsaid.“Peoplehave
beencominguptome,‘Areyou
OK,coach?Yousick?’”
Onthecontrary,Woodard
saysheisdoingbetterthanhe
hasbeeninalongtime.Hehas
shed50orsopoundstoim-
provehishealth.
Whenthecoach’sdoctor
toldhimthathewasinagray
areawithcholesterol,Woodard
knewhehadtomakeachange.
Previouslyweighingataround
250,heisnowaround205
pounds.
“Ididn’twanttogettoa
pointwhereIhadtotakemedi-
cationdaily,”Woodardsaid.“I
knewIhadtomakeachange.”
Woodardcreditshisweight
losstocuttingbackonfoodin-
takeandchangingeatinghab-
its.Hechooseswholewheat
breadoverwhite,grilledmeats
insteadoffriedandsmaller
portions.Andheexercises.
“TheYMCAisthebestthing
tohappentoOrangeburg,”Wo-
odardsays.Hegoestothegym
foratleast15minutesdaily,
doingfast-pacedworksuchas
ahighinclineonatreadmillto
bringaheavysweat.
Woodardalsoadmitstocut-
tingoutlate-nightsnacking.
Hisadviceistoeatfruitbe-
foredinnerinsteadofafterand
todrinkwatertofillyouup
faster.Asforsmallsnacksdaily,
hesuggestsfruitsaswell.
Apartfrombeinghealthy,
Woodardsaystheweightgain
costhimmoney. “Onceyou
getoutofXLandXXL,clothes
startgettingmoreexpensive.”
Ashethinksabouthisold
suits,hesaysheneverwantsto
getbacktothat.“I’mthesame
sizenowasIwaswhenIfirst
gottoClaflin.”
Overtheyears,Woodard
admitstogivingawayatleast
30suitsbecausetheyweretoo
small. “Now,IwishIhadthose
back,”helaughs.
Woodardsaidtheinterest-
ingpartwillbemaintaining
hisnewlook,especiallywhen
theseasonstartsandthetime
comesforroadtrips.
Woodardsaidthebasket-
ballteamrarelyeatsfastfood.
HewillbeOK,hesaid,sincea
lotofrestaurantsofferhealthy
choices.
AnotherreasonWoodard
wantedtomakeachange:tobe
anexampletotheteam.
Butwheredidhefindthede-
terminationtotakeaction?In
himself,hesaid.
“Thehardestpartisthe
startingpoint,”Woodardsaid.
“Ihadtomakeupmymindthat
thisissomethingthatIwanted
todoformyself.Idon’tneeda
workoutpartner.IfIwastodie
fromthis,Iwoulddiebymy-
self.Myworkoutpartnerwould
bespeakingatmyfuneral.I
don’tneednobodyspeaking
overmejustyet.”
Woodardsaidseeingapic-
tureofhimselfconvincedhim
heneededtoloseweight.“I
didn’tevenrecognizetheguy
inthepicture.”
Helaughsasheremembers
hisgrandfatherusinganold
quote:“Youdon’tknowhow
youlookuntilyourpicturegets
took.”
Asidefromhavingclosets
fullofclothesthatnolongerfit,
Woodardlovesthechange.
Coach Woodard before
and after losing weight.
“Iwakeupinthemorn-
ingfeelinggood,fullof
energy.”
Youcanjusthearhim
whisperingashelooks
atanotheroldpictureof
himself:
“Whoisthatguy?”
India Hill -- Third Place -- Best Sports Story -- 2012 S.C. Press Association Collegiate Contest

Sports Story
Second Place
T.J. Lundeen
Pacer Times
University of South Carolina Aiken
Carmon selected in 10th round of MLB Draft

Sports Story
First Place
Armand Broady
The Patriot
Patriots Beat Cocks: Team christens new
stadium with win over Division One Champions

Sports Story
Third Place
Colin Campbell
The Daily Gamecock
For Lattimore and Spurrier,
a night of milestones

Sports Story
Second Place
Robbie Tinsley
The Tiger
Clemson Univerity
Let’s Talk About Six, Baby

Sports Story
First Place
Isabelle Khurshudyan
The Daily Gamecock
Staying Home

Arts &
Entertainment Story
Honorable Mention
Jordan Wellin
The Collegian

Arts &
Entertainment Story
Third Place
Rachel Baggett
The Patriot
Charity Concert raises money

Arts &
Entertainment Story
Second Place
Samuel Fulmore
The Panther
Claflin University
Spiff Kidz about more than music
By SAMUEL FULMORE
Theroadtosuccessisn’tan
easyride.Therewillbehaters,
non-supporters and tough
competition.
The Spiff Kidz from Dar-
lingtoncanrelate.
One of Claflin’s very own,
Donnie James, is a creator/
memberoftheSpiffKidz.The
groupconsistsofsixmembers,
ranginginagefrom18-21.
It’s not just about the mu-
sic or fame when it comes to
theseguys.Gettinganeduca-
tionisamajorpriority.
All of the group members
eitherattendschoolorworka
job.SpiffKidzbelievesingiv-
ingbacktothecommunityas
wellasgivingtothosewhoare
lessfortunate.
Thegrouphashostedsemi-
narsattheBillieHardeeHome
forboysinDarlington,talking
totheyoungmenthereabout
smartchoicesinlifeaswellas
beingsuccessful.
The Spiff Kidz also hosts
food drives and car washes
every quarter of the year to
provide nursing homes in the
communitywithtoiletriesand
otherthingsneeded.
The members have started
The “Ice Cream Tour,” which
standsfor“IncorporatingEx-
cellence through Confidence
Respect Education Accep-
tance and Motivation.” The
Spiffzalsomentortoelemen-
tary school students with a
goal of getting and keeping
themontherightpath.
Approaching this school
year, the Spiff Kidz hosted a
back-to-school drive during
which they gave away school
supplies, book bags and toi-
letries, and also had a raffle
at which a few college fresh-
men were chosen to receive a
comforter set for their room
upon arriving on campus for
theveryfirsttime.
The Spiffz have also been
touring at colleges and uni-
versities, including Coastal
Carolina, Winthrop and
neighboring South Caro-
lina State, performing live at
their homecoming shows.
They performed at Claflin’s
Homecoming for “Midnight
Madness.”
TheSpiffzhavebeennom-
inated and chosen for the
“Independent Artist Biggest
Song” for the single “Twerk
That,” which is played on
103.9 three to four times a
day. It is also being played
in Spartanburg, Greenville,
Charleston and Columbia,
and in the Pee Dee as well as
NorthCarolina.
The Spiffz also recorded a
videoto“TwerkThat,”which
showed during Bike Week
2012inMyrtleBeach.
The video has almost
90,000 views. The “Twerk
That Commercial Ft. Twerk
Team” has almost 535,000
views.
TheSpiffKidzmembersre-
alize the road to success isn’t
easy, so that’s why they “De-
mandRespect”notonlyfrom
other artists but also from
fans.
They titled their mix tape
“DemandingRespect.”
They took the initiative to
grind hard and be recognized
nationallyaswellaslocally.A
new mix tape is coming soon
with hot music for the fans to
enjoy.
DEMANDin’RESPECT
The Spiff Kidz can relate to what it takes to find success.
They are the Panthers of the Month for December. The
group performed at the Nov. 10 concert that followed
Midnight Madness. (Photo special to The Panther)
PANTHERThe
WeDnesDay, sePteMBer 26, 2012
Samuel Fulmore -- Second Place -- Arts/Entertainment Story -- 2012 SCPA Collegiate Contest

Arts &
Entertainment Story
First Place
Danielle Nifenecker
The Collegian

Arts &
Entertainment Story
Third Place
Zoe Irizarry
The Johnsonian
Winthrop University
Students gain world appreciation

Arts &
Entertainment Story
Second Place
Kevin Walker
The Daily Gamecock
Body Worlds brings dead to life

Arts &
Entertainment Story
First Place
Tyler Simpson
The Daily Gamecock
‘Lorax’ is lame, it’s a shame

Editorial Writing
Honorable Mention
Rachel Peed
The Collegian

Editorial Writing
Third Place
Jerilyn Gamble
The Panther
Claflin University
c l a f l i n U n i v e r s i t y, O
PANThe
n Edito
n Asst.
n Photo
n Advis
n Dept
Dr. Don
n Vice
n Scho
STUDEN
Fostering ties between
Claflin, S.C. State is priority
C
laflinStudentGovernmentAssocia-
tion President Marcus Howard says
therelationshipbetweenClaflinand
South Carolina State University is
not what it should be. He advocates an initia-
tive to bring the students of the two universi-
tiestogether.
Itappearstobeneeded.
ThehistoriesofClaflinandS.C.Statearein-
tertwined and the HBCUs are practically in-
separableinthemindsofmanywhocannottell
where one campus begins and the next starts.
Asmallfenceseparatesthetwo,butthedivide
maybewiderthanmanythink.
HowardproposesthatClaflinandS.C.State
cooperate on reduced ticket prices for events
such as S.C. State football games. By exten-
sion,thatwouldmeanthatS.C.Statestudents
would be afforded similar courtesies at any
Claflinevent.
Recent events leave one wondering about
Howard’sinitiativeandthefuture.
At the Travis Porter concert outside on S.C.
State’s campus, Claflin students were booed
whenaspeakernotedtheirattendance.Itmay
be little more than the natural rivalry between
neighbors, but a number of Claflin students
didn’tseemtothinkso.
AtalaterGreekStroll-OffatDukesGymna-
siumatS.C.State,someClaflinstudentswere
turnedawayordelayedinentering.Theywere
toldS.C.Stateeventsarefirstandforemostfor
S.C. State students because the students pay
activity fees at the school. Claflin students do
not.
Nodoubt,S.C.Statestudentsshouldgetpri-
ority at events on their campus. And parking,
as at Claflin, is certainly an issue for any big
event. But let’s not forget that S.C. State stu-
dents are not strangers at Claflin events and
generally have been welcomed without ques-
tion.Itshouldremainthatway.
We agree with SGA’s Howard that a con-
scious effort should be made to build cooper-
ation between Claflin and S.C. State. We are
too close in too many ways to be anything but
allies.
–ThePanther

Editorial Writing
Second Place
John Chambers
Pacer Times
University of South Carolina Aiken
ASU battles over name change

Editorial Writing
First Place
Staff
Cistern Yard News
Fixing a top-heavy administration

Editorial Writing
Third Place - TIE
Alice Chang
The Daily Gamecock
The Next Big Thing -- Cocky, cast in bronze

Editorial Writing
Third Place - TIE
Karl Lykken
The Tiger
Clemson University
Social Media Isn’t Just Media

Editorial Writing
Second Place
Colin Campbell
The Daily Gamecock
Fraternity response reveals racial tension

Editorial Writing
First Place
Colin Campbell and Michael Lambert
The Daily Gamecock
Recent student deaths forgotten by trustees

Column
Third Place
Sarah Sheafer
Cistern Yard News

Column
Second Place
Leigh Ann Miller
Old Gold & Black
Wofford College
September 11, 2012
OG&B8
I never realized when I graduated in 2010 and started working in the
Admission Office, I would have to tell my “Wofford story” so often. Why
did I choose Wofford? What other schools did I look at? Did I debate
between Furman and Wofford? I have a standard answer when I get ques-
tions about comparing colleges, but if you want to know the real reason
I eliminated Furman from my college list, you might be ashamed. I’m
embarrassed for myself.
I was a reluctant high school junior, cruising through my college tours.
UNC-Chapel Hill- check. Wake Forest- check. Wofford was next on the
list. After the standard information session and tour, my mom suggested
we drive through Furman because it was so close. I was game- I’d heard
Furman was a good school, and I didn’t know much about it. As we blast-
ed the Best of the 80’s TimeLife CD for the 36 miles to Furman’s campus
and finally pulled up to the front gate, I couldn’t help but notice the neon
glare from a distance. Blinded by…were those rhinestones? Wait, was that
an electric yellow dress with cutouts? Did they even still make powder
blue ruffled tuxedos (note: not worn ironically)? It was high school prom,
and some local students decided to take their pictures on Furman’s cam-
pus. After evaluating (read: judging) the tragic dresses and suits, I decided
I could never go to a school that supported that kind of fashion trauma.
Did it matter to me that the students actually had ZERO affiliation with
Furman? Or that my basis for judgment was the shallowest ever? Obvi-
ously not, because Furman had instantly become “that school with the
heinous prom dresses.”
That’s what first impressions can do. Think about what you remember
from your campus visits at Wofford. Odds are it’s not hearing the average
SAT scores from your admission counselor. It’s probably something com-
pletely random your tour guide said that you identified with or the fact
that people were smiling at you when you were walking across campus.
First impressions in the college search process are incredibly powerful.
And most often, student ambassadors are the first impressions.
Wofford Ambassadors are the people you see giving tours, hosting stu-
dents overnight, walking people to class, and occasionally rocking the
coveted gold Wofford nametag. But being an ambassador is not just about
giving tours. You’re Wofford’s voice to prospective students. I’m most
proud of our program because we simply let our students speak for them-
selves. We don’t have scripts you have to memorize or facts you have to
recite. You just tell your Wofford story.
Sound like something you would be interested in? Become a Wofford
Ambassador! Stop by the Admission office or email me (hurdak@wof-
ford.edu) to join. Follow @whywofford on Twitter and Instagram and
check out our brand new admission blog (blogs.wofford.edu/admission).
Students in the ambassador program typically join because they had a
great experience with their visit or tour of Wofford and want to share
Wofford with prospective students. As an ambassador, you know that you
will be the difference in whether someone decides to attend Wofford.
So why did I choose Wofford? It had all of the ticks on my checklist:
small classes, accessible and amazing professors, a residential campus,
strong study abroad, and some extras that I didn’t even know I wanted
(hello Interim!), but what made me ultimately decide to attend Wofford
was the people I met. It was the place I could see myself becoming a better
thinker, writer, scholar, and person. And I did.
With the new academic year already in full swing, the ques-
tion of academic etiquette is beginning to arise for many stu-
dents. Whether you are asking for an extension, missing a class,
or walking into class late, there is a proper and courteous way to
address these issues.
However, each professor has his or her own expectations and
preferences. Take them into consideration before you take any
action. Students are given a syllabus at on the first day, and
those few sheets of paper outline the expectations for the class.
Don’t stick it in the back of your binder or throw it away; it may
make or break the class for you.
Because all professors have different ideas on classroom eti-
quette, I spoke with three professors, Dr. Sally Hitchmough of
the English Department, Dr. John Lefebvre of the Psychology
Department and Professor Ryan Johnson of the Accounting
Department, to get their opinions on these issues.
Asking for an extension can be a sticky situation for the both
the student and professor involved. In the end, the professor
makes the decision based on different factors.
According to Lefebvre, “the only time to ask for an extension
is when there are significant, mitigating, unexpected circum-
stances that will prevent the student from completing the as-
signment.”
He does say that most students, however, ask for extensions
for less urgent reasons. He sees students who are given an as-
signment weeks in advance but avoid doing it until the last min-
ute. At this point, they panic and ask for an extension. Many
times, the extension is not granted and sub-standard work is
submitted. Lefebvre suggests, in this type of situation, to avoid
denial and get to work early. However, if you do find yourself
needing more time, ask your professor early and be straightfor-
ward about the situation.
Hitchmough’s advice is similar. She urges students to be po-
lite and to not assume an extension is available.
“My advice is to plan ahead, speak to your professor as soon
as possible, and be polite. If a student comes to me and explains
(in checkable detail) that my paper deadline is particularly
fraught, I’ll give an extension.”
Johnson adds to the discussion saying, “Extensions are not
always a bad thing! Handled responsibly, they show a student is
engaged and cares about the learning process.”
He is open to grant requests if they are legitimate and in-
volve unforeseeable circumstances, but he does add that early
requests are better.
Entering a class late is another situation students commonly
face. The circumstances vary, but at some point, you may be
faced with the decision of whether or not to even enter a class
because of your tardiness.
For Hitchmough, she would rather a student come to class
late than not at all.
“Again, it is not okay to assume it is okay to be late. I think
you should expect to enter quietly and apologize personally af-
ter class is over,” she explains.
When it comes to missing class, she directs students to that
incredibly important syllabus. It states her absence policy, and
she believes college students can make their own decisions.
Johnson sees timeliness as being incredibly important.
“It contributes to the collective perceptions of the student as
a capable professional. This perception impacts how professors
and mentors receive your work. It may impact them giving you
an extension or writing a strong recommendation for you.”
He agrees that showing up late is better than not showing up
at all. However, if a student makes it a habit, Johnson will speak
to them about it.
Finally, he says that sending an email after a missed class is a
good idea; not only because he is concerned for their academic
wellbeing, but also because he is most immediately concerned
with their personal wellbeing.
Lefebvre differs from Johnson and Hitchmough in his opin-
ion on this issue. For him, anything beyond 10 minutes is too
late.
“Students entering late disrupt class, focus attention on them-
selves and miss important information. It also shows a level of
disrespect for the professor and other students. Thus, it should
be frowned upon.”
He does, however, agree that an email with an explanation is
due. It does not forgive the student, and it should not become a
habit as a means to excuse excessive late or missed classes.
Many of us will encounter one of these situations during this
school year, and it is important for us to remember to conduct
ourselves in an adult and respectful manner. Professors may
have different policies, but by knowing ahead of time what is
expected of us and communicating with our professors, we can
work towards having a smooth and successful academic year.
My fellow terriers —
On behalf of the Campus Union, we are pleased to welcome everyone back to school after, what I hope,
was a great summer. I would also like to welcome our newest additions to the Wofford Community, the
class of 2016. We are glad to have you all!
The Campus Union is excited to begin another year conscientiously working and striving to provide the
best college experience for the Wofford students. We have and we will continue to serve you! The Assem-
bly members are passionate and determined to make a positive impact.
On behalf of the Assembly, I ask for your thoughts and ideas about what can be done to improve student
life. We would also like to know what you would like your student government to do for the college and
the Spartanburg Community. We have made significant improvements as an Assembly, but we can do
more with your involvement.
One of the initiatives that I’m passionate about is to increase transparency about Campus Union. We
meet every Monday evening from 6:00 – 7:00 pm in Olin 101. Our meetings are open to all enrolled Wof-
ford students. Please join us and voice your concerns or learn about what we are currently working on.
I look forward to working alongside you! If I could be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to let me
know!
God Bless and God Bless Wofford College!
Respectfully,
Ron
Campus Union Corner
Photo courtesy of Kayla Bethea
The Old Gold & Black Staff
Editor
Design Editors Staff Photographers ColumnistsContributing Writers
Assitant Editor Senior Staff Writers Staff Writers
Leigh Ann Miller Margaret Godowns
Kayla Bethea
Carlin Connelly
Adam Christenson
David Moore
Tyrell Jemison
Sam Northrop
Kat Kilpatrick
Evie Kytan
Jennifer Sellers
Peter Elbaum
Sari Imber
Jenna Kessler
Erin Simmonds
Travis Trojan
The Old Gold & Black is published by Wofford students for Wofford students, continuing a tradition dating back to 1915. Unsigned edi-
torials reflect the opinions of the editorial board, unless otherwise noted. Opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the administra-
tion, the faculty, or the students of Wofford College. Letters to the editor should be emailed to Leigh Ann Miller (millerla@email.wofford.
edu) and should not exceed 250 words. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. If you feel the newspaper has been
inaccurate or unfair, please contact the editor.
Editorials
STAFF STORIES
Why Wofford?
Etiquette
with the
Editor
Handling the
classroom
with class
Leigh Ann Miller Editor
Anna Hurd Wofford Staff Contributer
September 25, 2012
OG&B8
What did we do before cells phones? That was the question
many people asked circa 2000. Now, the real question is, “What
did we do before smart phones?” Although it may be hard to
believe, mankind lived a quite fulfilling life for the many years
prior to the invention of smart phones. However, if you look at
people today who are basically glued to their smart phones, you
would think that these phones are the key to survival.
While cell phones can be time-saving, boredom slaying, safe-
ty linked devices, they can also be downright bothersome. How
many times have you been with a group of friends where every-
one is looking down at their phone all night? Or even worse,
how often have you gone out to dinner while the other person
is constantly texting someone else? What is so important that it
cannot wait one hour until dinner is finished? There are some
situations that do require a person to be “on-call” for a period
of time, but talking to your boyfriend or girlfriend or discuss-
ing last night’s events at the row do not qualify. Put the phone
down. It’s okay, I promise. Life will go on, and the text mes-
sage will not disappear even if you do not answer it within 30
seconds. Talk to the people around you; that is the purpose of
getting together with your friends.
Another time when cell phones can pose a problem is in the
classroom. The same principle applies to this situation; unless
you are expecting an urgent call or text and need to respond,
turn the phone off or put it on vibrate, and keep it away for 80
minutes. Texting during class is disrespectful to the professor
and your fellow classmates. In addition, you may miss impor-
tant material. I doubt the excuse, “I’m sorry, professor, I was
texting and missed those notes,” will be taken as a valid excuse
for missing answers on a test.
Trying to hide texting in class is another story in itself. Per-
sonally, I find it amusing to watch students trying so hard to
hide their texting from the professor. You’ve been staring down
between your legs for five minutes and sporadically smiling –
what else are you doing? Unless you wrote the notes on your
thigh and inserted comical notations, I doubt you are paying at-
tention to class related material. I have a feeling professors have
mastered the art of spotting rogue texters. They may not call
you out for it, but they notice.
In my experience, if you are expecting an important phone
call or text, professors will allow you to have your phone out if
you talk to them about it before class. There are situations where
we do need to be able to be reached immediately, and in those
cases cell phones are helpful.
Cell phones are a huge part of our culture and an added con-
venience in our busy lives, but they can also be detrimental. Go
ahead, use your cell phone when you need it, but try not to keep
it glued to your hand all day. Try this — instead of looking at
your phone as you walk across campus, look up; smile at people
and say hello!
Even a good thing in excess can turn into a problem, so just
be mindful of where and when you use your phone.
Campus Union Corner
Editorials
A Student’s Perspective
The GOP’s
war on women
Etiquette
with the
Editor
Attack of
the cells
Leigh Ann Miller Editor
Taylor Brown
My Fellow Terriers--
On behalf of the Campus Union, I am excited to offer you all updates on what we have been working on!
To date, we have had two student government meetings. We have challenged ourselves to approve financial
guidelines in which to manage our budget. In addition, your delegates are working on operational guidelines
through which to focus our fiscal and human resources to support events that are creative, inclusive and ex-
citing. When operational guidelines are approved, we plan to hold individuals and organizations that receive
Campus Union funding to a higher standard.
I would also like to take the time to thank the Director of Greek Life Brian Joyce for his efforts to chal-
lenging our Greek-letter organizations to actively work with his office to create a campus environment that
allows for both fun and safety.
As always, our Campus Union meetings are open to the campus community. We hope that you will come
join us!
If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to let me know!
God Bless!
Respectfully,
Ron Norman
You know, it really is a scary time to be a
woman and would thus like to address the issue
of the so-called “War on Women.” According to
Obama’s ad, “Mitt Romney opposes requiring in-
surance coverage for contraception. And Rom-
ney supports overturning Roe v. Wade. Romney
backed a bill that outlaws all abortion, even in
case of rape and incest.” And then, “There’s just
so much we need to do. We need to attack our
problems. Not a woman’s choice.”
Firstly: there are no issues that singularly af-
fect women, and there are no issues that singu-
larly affect men. In the spirit of true feminism—
equality—both sexes should be concerned over
all things in the platform and not be duped by
a hypocritical OFA campaign who is preaching
sexism by trying to highlight supposed differenc-
es—the very things they claim to fight against.
Roe v. Wade, insurance coverage for contracep-
tion (and sterilization, or ella® also known as the
Abortion Pill), and more are not just applied
to women—I’m not sure if many people know
this, but sex can’t happen with just one person,
and as far as I’m aware, the only woman in his-
tory to get pregnant without a man’s help is the
Blessed Virgin Mary. Men have a stake in what
happens to the woman, and if there was an ad
that was run to show how Romney is trying to
stifle issues that are just related to men, groups
like NOW would be up in arms over the lack
of equality and sexism. There has to be a point
where we stop looking at things from only one
point of view.
Secondly the ad in and of itself is mislead-
ing and categorically false as Romney said that
he believes abortion is wrong except in cases of
rape, incest, or to protect the mother’s health.
strong stance against the wrong, offen-
sive, insensitive, and blatantly inaccu-
rate statement by Todd Akin—proving
this very point.
Thirdly, the woman’s choice is not be-
ing attacked by Romney. The woman
still has the choice whether or not to
have sex, and Romney has no prob-
lem with an insurance company offer-
ing contraception coverage as part of
its plan. He does have a problem when
it is required. The federal government
should have no say in mandating what
is or isn’t in an insurance plan. A wom-
an’s boss or school, etc. should not be
required to finance the woman’s choice
to have sex. She should be responsible
for financing her own sexual activity.
Two of the many problems that need
to be attacked are: the complete lack
of truthfulness coming from Obama’s
campaign and Super PACs (with the
recent ad featuring Joe Soptic), and the
sexism that is being used to dupe peo-
ple who have no time to research these
issues into believing that their “rights”
are being trampled on. Furthermore,
Obama is openly supporting his daugh-
ter’s “right” to have birth control and,
consequently because of the HHS man-
date, abortions. Is it really Romney who is “just
so out of touch [with women]” or is it Obama
who is using his daughters to further his cause to
squelch religious freedom and capitalism?
Come November, I plan to support someone
who won’t use race, gender, and socio-economic
class to divide; someone who won’t step in the
pregnancy-ending policies damning freedom of
religion in the process. I plan to vote for some-
one who stands for what is important in Ameri-
ca—jobs and economic growth, smaller govern-
ment, deficit reduction, returning America to
its former splendor, and moral values. We need
to be clear that the era of Big Government has
Letters to the Editor
Kayla Bethea photo
Photos of
the week
October 9, 2012
OG&B8
After every birthday party I
had as child, I spent quite a bit
of time writing hand-written
thank- you notes for the gifts
I received. The same regime
was, and still is, repeated after
every major holiday or event
where I receive gifts. When I
was younger, my mother in-
sisted I get into the habit of
sending hand-written thank-
you notes — complete with
personal and creative mes-
sages, delivered within a rea-
sonable amount of time. The
habit stuck.
I’m sure all of us can agree
that hand-written notes can
be tedious to complete and
can sometimes feel unneces-
sary. However, I also believe
most of us have the same
opinion on receiving hand-
written notes – we love it!
Opening your CPO and find-
ing a hand-written note – not
a flyer, a newspaper, or even a
yellow package slip is such an
exciting feeling. Personally, I
do not get that great feeling
when I receive an email or a
text message. Knowing that
someone took the time and
effort to write to me means
something, and I appreciate it.
Many college students for-
get the importance of thank-
you notes, but they are a ne-
cessity in our world. At some
point while at Wofford, we
will all likely have to ask a
faculty member to write a
recommendation for us. This
gracious service requires a
thank-you note as soon as the
recommendation has been
submitted. Please do not try
to get out of writing a note
by starting an email with the
common phrase “Thank you
in advance for writing the rec-
ommendation for me.” To put
it frankly, that is cheating.
Another time when it is ap-
propriate to send a thank-you
note is after an academic de-
partment party. A quick note
to the professor who opened
his or her home to the de-
partment or who planned
the event is a proper gesture.
Hosting a party, even for easy-
going college students, is a
commitment, and the host
should be thanked for his or
her effort. Just write a simple
note when you return from
the party and drop it by the
professor’s office the next day.
It takes less than 15 minutes
out of your day and displays
good manners.
Despite dreading the week
after my childhood birthday
parties because of those re-
quired thank- you notes, I
have now come to enjoy writ-
ing them. After I receive a gift
or go to someone’s home for
a special event, I always send
a thank-you note in the mail.
Yes, it may be old fashioned.
Yes, it may be slow. But, I be-
lieve it is a wonderful way to
express one’s gratitude.
Sometimes, sending hand-
written notes is not possible,
and that is okay, but some sort
of effort should still be made
to thank the person. Whether
it is a phone call, an email, or
in a dire situation, a text mes-
sage, I recommend always
saying thank you.
Not everyone may enjoy
sending hand-written thank-
you notes, and some people
may not even see the point of
them, but I believe they are
an exceptional gesture that
should be considered more
often as a means of commu-
nication. You can truly make
someone’s day with a few sim-
ple words on a card, and at the
same time, you make a lasting
impression that you took the
time and effort to recognize
their efforts.
Next time you are at home,
pack a few note cards to bring
back to school. They will come
in handy more often than you
think!
Campus Union Corner
Editorial
A Student’s Perspective
Response to “the GOP’s
War on Women”
Etiquette
with the
Editor
The art and
importance of the
handwritten note
Leigh Ann Miller
Alex Hubbard
Editor
My Fellow Terriers--
On behalf of the Campus Union, I would like to congratulate the newly elected
Campus Union delegates.
Freshmen Class delegates: Billy Moody, Isaiah Addison, Jonathan Franklin, Lind-
say Uhlinger, McKensie Rogers, and Ryan Carter
Sophomore Class delegate: Lacey Jones
At-Large delegate: Keller Pitts
All students are invited to Campus Union meetings which are held every Monday
at 6:00 pm in Olin Theatre. Please contact one of the representatives if you have
ideas about improvements that student government can make at Wofford.
God Bless and God Bless Wofford College!
Respectfully,
Ron Norman, Campus Union President
Everyone knows the image of the child with
its fingers in its ears. Yelling, “Na-na-na, I can’t
hear you!” This youngster thinks its personal
ignorance alters the reality that there is actually
someone there. It’s a cute scene for a while, and
then it becomes annoying, perhaps even dan-
gerous, like when an adult tries to tell the child
playing in the road a truck is coming and it’s
about to be hit.
What I mean to say, Taylor, is take your fin-
gers out of your ears, because you’re about to be
run over by the Grand Ole Pickup truck.
To begin, what constitutes feminism is a con-
tested issue. As you note, feminists do want
gender equality, but they want to achieve it by
celebrating differences, not ignoring them, as
you argue. Acknowledging and celebrating dif-
ferences, then, is far from sexist, and it allows us
to address the fact that men and women do lead
different lives and thus are affected differently
by issues like employment and sexual health.
To argue, “there are no issues that singularly
affect women…[or] men,” is simply incorrect.
For example, how many men do you know get
pregnant? Yes, men are involved in impregnat-
ing women, but they are not the ones who must
carry a child to term, whose health is directly
affected by a fetus, and whose careers are often
affected by pregnancy and parenthood.
The “War on Women” is over these very is-
sues. It’s also about acknowledging that Repub-
licans are the ones making it increasingly dif-
ficult for women to exercise control over their
sexual lives, their health, and their jobs. It was
not only Republicans like Governors Brewer
(AZ) and Perry (TX), but also the Republican-
controlled House that tried to defund Planned
Parenthood, an organization that helps women
take charge of their health and the size of their
families by screening for and treating STDs,
screening for cancer, providing contraception,
and, in rare cases, abortion. It is Republicans
who fail to allow for abortions, even in cases
of rape and incest; despite Romney’s claims
that he would make exceptions for abortions,
his party’s actual platform – the platform he
endorses – makes no such concessions. And
it was Republicans who continued to support
wage inequality; when the Lilly Ledbetter Fair
Pay Act – an act that would strengthen the gov-
ernment’s ability to combat sex-based wage dis-
crimination – was up for vote, all 36 dissenting
votes were Republicans.
To pretend this election isn’t about social is-
sues, then, is completely ignorant. This election
is about a woman’s right to earn equal wages to
men who hold the same job, to not be called
a “slut” by Rush Limbaugh for seeking medical
services, and to use family planning methods
– including contraception and abortion – to al-
low her to manage both a career and a family.
Or to use them during an accidental pregnan-
cy when she realizes she can’t afford to have a
child. Or to use them after she is forcibly raped.
So, just because the GOP has mud on its face
when it comes to social policies doesn’t mean
it gets to pretend that mud’s not there now that
they’re being called on it.
In closing, I invite you and other women to
vote for someone who recognizes the struggles
that women face. Who wants to guarantee that
women receive the health services they need.
Who signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to
help close the wage gap. Someone who wants
a more socially just world because it’s what we
all deserve.
In November, get out of the street and into
the voting booth and vote for Barack Obama,
because if you don’t, there’s a Grand Ole Pickup
coming down the road, and it will hit you hard.
Letters to the Editor
Photo
of the
week “One woman hugged a volunteer because she was so
happy we were finally doing this recycling program,” says
Patton. “The fans are very happy. There are people coming
up to the booth, asking about the program and taking a
Recycling continued
from page 1
Kayla Bethea Photo

Column
First Place
Jordan Wellin
The Collegian

Column
Third Place
Jacob Wingard
The Johnsonian
Winthrop University

Column
Second Place
Nick Roth
The Tiger
Clemson University

Column
First Place
Robbie Tinsley
The Tiger
Clemson University

Page One Design
Third Place
Hannah Stanley
The Collegian

Page One Design
Second Place
Darby Sauls
The Patriot

Page One Design
First Place
Luke Cleland
The Collegian

Page One Design
Third Place
Jonathan Battaglia
University of
South Carolina

Page One Design
Second Place
Austin Price
The Daily Gamecock
University of
South Carolina

Page One Design
First Place
Chris Brown
The Daily Gamecock
University of
South Carolina

Specialty Page Design
Third Place
Ryan Thompson
The Collegian

Second Place
Zach Johnson
The Collegian

First Place
Josh Frederick
The Collegian

Third Place
David Thackham
The Johnsonian
Winthrop University

Second Place
Kristmar Muldrow
The Daily Gamecock
University of
South Carolina

First Place
Austin Price
The Daily Gamecock
University of
South Carolina

Humorous
Illustration or Cartoon
Third Place
David Doughty
The Patriot

Humorous
Second Place
Brooke Rogers
The Patriot

Humorous
First Place
Loren Crisp
The Collegian

Humorous
Third Place
Riley Schott
The Johnsonian
Winthrop University

Humorous
Second Place
Amanda Phipps
The Johnsonian
Winthrop University

Humorous
First Place
Zach Greenway
The Johnsonian
Winthrop University

Illustration or
Info Graphic
Third Place
Abdul Shabazz
Roddey McMillan Record
Winthrop University

Illustration or
Info Graphic
Second Place
Degan Cheek
Pacer Times
University of
South Carolina Aiken

Illustration or
Info Graphic
First Place
Josh Frederick
The Collegian

Illustration or
Info Graphic
Third Place
Amanda Phipps
The Johnsonian
Winthrop University

Illustration or
Info Graphic
Second Place
Caleb Bailey & Jacob Webb
The Tiger
Clemson University

Illustration or
Info Graphic
First Place
Austin Price
The Daily Gamecock
University of
South Carolina

Photograph
Third Place
Stephanie Greenwood
The Collegian
SimMan

Photograph
Second Place
Kemet Alston
The Panther
Claflin University
Going for a ride
at Spirit Fest
Antoinette Montgomery “enjoys” Spirt Fest on Thursday, Nov. 15, of Homecoming. (Panther photos by Kemet Alston)
PANTHERThe
MOnDay, DeceMBer 3, 2012
Kemet Alston -- Second Place -- Photograph -- 2012 S.C. Press Association Collegiate Contest

2012 SCPA Collegiate Contest Winners

2012 SCPA Collegiate Contest Winners

Recomendados

Recomendados

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Semelhante a 2012 SCPA Collegiate Contest Winners

Semelhante a 2012 SCPA Collegiate Contest Winners (10)

Mais de S.C. Press Association

Mais de S.C. Press Association (20)

Último

Último (20)

2012 SCPA Collegiate Contest Winners