Articles written by Alison McGuinn

Student traveling road to recovery

wpolley — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:46:26 -0500

Welch

After three weeks in a coma, a month in a minimally conscious state and now seven months of intense physical, occupational and speech therapies, Molly Welch, a senior in journalism, is recovering one day at a time from her brain injury from a car accident on Feb. 9.

Molly’s accident happened on I-85 at exit 57 in Auburn.

“She was one exit away from the University,” said Mary Welch, Molly’s mother.

Molly had been home visiting a friend who had been out of the country, Welch said.

No one is quite sure how Molly’s accident happened, but Welch believes Molly may have been trying to work on an assignment, because her digital recorder was on during the accident.

“She hadn’t been drinking, there were no drugs,” Welch said. “The only thing we can think of is she bent down to get her recorder to listen, and then it was too late to rectify the crash.”

Gaston takes home crown

wpolley — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:08:52 -0500

Miss Homecoming 2008 Meredith Gaston, a senior in biomedical sciences: escorted by her father at halftime of Saturday’s football game after being announced the winner. JD Schein / PHOTO EDITOR

Meredith Gaston, a senior in biomedical sciences, was crowned 2008 Miss Homecoming at the football game Saturday.

“I’m still in shock,” Gaston said. “I don’t think of myself as the typical Homecoming kind of queen. I’m just in shock.”

Gaston said she was thinking how amazing that moment was to stand on the field with her dad when they took their first steps on the field together Saturday.

“You never realize how big the stadium is and how many people love Auburn until you get on that field,” Gaston said. “And to share that moment to walk out with my dad, that’s what meant most to me.”

Gaston said she was in disbelief when she was announced the winner.

Freshman Air Force ROTC member dies over weekend

wpolley — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:38:41 -0500

Brazell

The Auburn family mourns as an Auburn student, Kenneth Brazell, an 18-year-old freshman in engineering and a member of Air Force ROTC, died last weekend in Canton, Ga.

“It was a shock to everybody,” said Kenneth’s father, Rev. Banks Brazell.

According to Rev. Brazell, Kenneth had been texting his girlfriend Saturday night, and Kenneth’s mood completely shifted.

“He committed suicide on Sunday at our home,” Rev. Brazell said. “We have no idea — I’m a Methodist minister, and I know there are spirits of suicide, and I know they catch us when we are weak, and I feel like it just caught him.”

T.J. Schneider, a junior in aerospace engineering and a friend of Kenneth, said the call came as a shock to all of his friends.

“He was just home visiting his parents and friends, just saying hi. A couple of his other buddies went home, and they were all going to get together over the weekend,” Schneider said. “That’s why it was a real shock to us, because he was going home to hang out with some old friends.”

War Eagle, Tigers and Plainsmen, oh my!

wpolley — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:04:00 -0500

History experts delve into the origin or our many mascots

Auburn’s 1913 football team was the first team: take to the field and play ball under the battle cry, “War Eagle.” Auburn played its first football game in 1892. Contributed

Traditions are the definition of the Auburn Spirit and one that differentiates us from other universities is our “multiple mascots.”

War Eagle, Tigers and Plainsmen often offer a confusion to other universities, but we know they are our battle cry, mascot and sports-casting reference.

Dale Coleman, associate professor of animal sciences, said our mascot, the Tiger, was first decided in the teen years, between 1913 and 1915 when the concept of a mascot was changing.

War Eagle was introduced at a pep rally, and the Plainsman was created to differentiate between the different southern conference tigers around the same time, Coleman said.

“The War Eagle story goes back to a pep rally in the fall of 1913 at the end of the football season,” Coleman said.

Student Act plans draw in architects

wpolley — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:49:00 -0400

The Auburn University Student Government Association named two architecture firms, 360 Architecture and Infinity Architecture, for the Student Activities Center.

360 Architecture and Infinity Architecture, based in Montgomery.

Both firms have worked with the University in the past.

The SGA’s next step will be to present its choice to the Board of Trustees for its approval of the architect firms.

SGA President Lauren Hayes said SGA will present plans to the students during SGA elections.

Hayes said students can find more information on the Web sit in a month.

Annual ODK Race takes the cake

wpolley — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:43:00 -0400

Run 2.5 miles and win a freshly baked cake.

At least that’s what will happen for the top 20 runners at the 80th annual Omicron Delta Kappa Cake Race.

The ODK Cake Race will be held Nov. 5 at 3:30 p.m. beginning at the Rosen-Hutsell Track and continuing through campus to complete a 2.5 mile run.

Molly Hillyer, a co-chair, along with Whitney Dykes of the ODK Cake Race, said the race started in 1928 by Coach Hutsell to discover possible track team recruits from the freshman class.

“It used to just be freshmen males running for Coach Hutsell to look for,” Hillyer said. “But now it’s open to all Auburn students, faculty and community members to participate in a long-standing Auburn Homecoming tradition.”

Omicron Delta Kappa is a junior and senior service and leadership honor society.

ODK was chartered on May 22, 1928, and along with student leaders as members.

Some faculty, staff, community leaders, graduate students and alumni are also initiated from time to time, according to its Web site.

Fall fashion focuses on layers, scarves

wpolley — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:29:00 -0400

This season, staying warm never looked so good.

As temperatures drop, students are still wanting to look good. And that’s OK with fall’s fresh look — layers and scarves.

“This season I think it’s a lot more layered and dressy, as opposed to last year,” said Dani Rosener, associate digital merchandiser at the Old Navy in Tiger Town.

Rosener said layering pieces, such as scarves and coats, are big this fall.

Kelly Poole, store owner of Ellie on College Street in downtown Auburn, agreed with Rosener and said one of the main staples she sees this season is the scarf.

“We are also selling a lot of peacoats right now, which offers something to keep you warm, but you also can take off when you get to where you are going,” Poole said.

Poole said their peacoats range from $65-95.

Rosener also said they have been selling a lot of peacoats and agreed with Poole that blacks, browns and charcoals are always a staple for fall and winter fashion.

Downloading tunes may cause the blues

wpolley — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:32:00 -0400

P2P Crackdown

Each day students have been getting a friendly reminder at the TigerMail login screen that October is National Cyber Security month. They may not have been paying attention, but it could directly affect them.

Week number three’s topic is illegal downloading and copyright infringement.

“In the last year Auburn University received 164 legal notices of violations, and the Recording Industry Association of America, RIAA, or other agencies have filed legal action against 13 Auburn University students,” said Cathy Ramey, manager of user services in the Office of Information Technology.

Ramey said Auburn University does not monitor what a student does on the Web, but the RIAA does.

That is how a student gets caught with peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing programs such as LimeWire or Kazaa.

Camp War Eagle welcomes counselor applications

wpolley — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:24:00 -0400

2008 CWE counselors: Katie Benton, Codi Runge, Abbe Chesser, Maria Vila and Leanne Maksim prepare to welcome campers to Camp War Eagle. CONTRIBUTED

Along with football, Samford Hall and the soaring eagle, another Auburn tradition welcomes students to become a part of the Auburn family.

Camp War Eagle applications are out, and two former camp counselors said every camp counselor encourages students to try out.

“If anyone is thinking about applying to be a CWE counselor, go for it,” said Carrie MeGahee, 2008 head camp counselor. “I can’t think of a single past camp counselor who would tell you not to.”

Georgia Bennett, 2007 camp counselor, agreed with MeGahee and said for anyone who is interested, try out.

Camp War Eagle was first held in 1994 at the 4-H Center in Columbiana, Ala., said Mark Armstrong, camp director,

PINK competition donates to violence shelters

wpolley — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:57:52 -0400

The Victoria’s Secret PINK “Recycle your sweats!” receptacle: placed outside of Tiger Rags on Magnolia Avenue. Any clothes or shoes are accepted. Morgan Thacker / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

With football season rolling on, a new competition is kicking into gear: “Recycle your sweats!” by Victoria’s Secret PINK.

The competition is among 15 schools for 12 weeks, donating to local domestic violence shelters, according to Victoria’s Secret’s Web site.

“All these universities are competing against each other to see who can donate the most clothing,” said Jenna Nash, Auburn University’s Victoria’s Secret intern.

The donation receptacle is located in front of Tiger Rags on Magnolia Avenue, and Nash said it doesn’t have to be just sweats.

“Any gently worn clothing and shoes can be donated,” Nash said. “We will be taking them to the Domestic Violence Intervention Center of Alabama.”

There is a scoreboard on the PINK Web site that is keeping track of the 15 schools.