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(12/23/14 7:00pm)
Yedurag "Yedu" Babu of Kerala, India, has developed an enjoyment for bluegrass music thanks to his international buddy.
In summer 2013, the Office of International Programs started the International Buddy Program, a way for international and local students to form meaningful friendships.
Babu, graduate student in industrial engineering, said he and his buddy, Trent Miller, senior in international business, have formed a deep friendship.
"It's cool because we are both guitarists and are really into similar things," Babu said. "We have the same interests even though we're from different cultures. I'm more than happy with the way it's turned out."
Babu and Miller have started jamming to different genres of music as a study break every Saturday.
"We started making music together and showing each other different things about the music where we come from," Babu said. "I'm in a metal band, and Trent's in a folk one, and playing all types of our favorite music has given us a better understanding of each other."
Buddies are asked to spend time together at least once per month, but now that Babu and Miller have gotten to know each other well, they hang out as often as possible.
A few months ago, Miller took Babu to his first metal concert in Birmingham.
"I wasn't the only one to show and teach him things," Miller said. "It's been really special to hear the kind of music he likes, try to play it and try some Indian food he's prepared for me and my friends. We have more in common than two people from different cultures ever would have realized."
Katherine Williams, the program adviser for the International Buddy Program, said she saw the need for international students and American students connecting.
"When people arrive here from another country, there's a basic cultural adjustment," Williams said, "but we can't do that by ourselves. We need a team."
Over the past year and a half, Williams said the International Buddy Program has taken off and became the team international students need.
"The world is becoming globalized, and Auburn is too, even if students don't realize it," Williams said. "It enriches your life so much to know someone from another culture, and it changes your perspective. It can be challenging, but it's so rewarding to see your differences and your friendship grow."
Williams, who paired Miller and Babu together, said she's been overjoyed at how successful the program has worked for them.
"We interview the applicants, and noticed that both of them said they had a strong interest in music," Williams said. "It was a perfect friendship match, and I want their success to encourage other students to find one for themselves with our program."
Williams said the best part about the pair is that they likely wouldn't have met without the buddy program.
"Just think about it," Williams said. "How often do you see an Indian guy and a student in a fraternity hanging out together? Their paths likely wouldn't have crossed, and when they did, they turned out to have a great time together."
Babu said moving to the United States was easier because of his friendship with Miller.
"The culture shock was a lot easier to handle because of Trent," Babu said. "It's a completely different world than India, and Trent really helped me get to know it."
Babu and Miller agreed that they plan to remain friends long after graduation.
"Our friendship has impacted me so much because he's made me appreciate where we come from and what we have," Miller said. "These days, it's easy to stay in contact through the social media, and after making all these music together, I really hope we never stop."
Miller said Babu has taught him a lot about the Indian culture, but he's showed him a lot about different cultures as a whole.
"We have similar interests, but it was cool to realize that we think the same way, too," Miller said. "We're both really laid back people, and this experience has shown me that, no matter where we come from, we're not all so different after all."
To apply to the International Buddy Program, contact Katherine Williams at kgw0005@auburn.edu, or (334) 740-6103.
(12/03/14 2:30pm)
After three years of hard work, Diane Barnard sees a light at the end of the tunnel.
Barnard, a Ph.D student in clothing and textiles, became a doctoral student when she was 58. Now 61, the doctoral student rides a scooter to class every day to save money for textbooks and other school expenses and said she loves every minute of it.
"I did things backwards," Barnard said. "I got married young, raised kids, homeschooled them and then went back to school."
Barnard said she waited to attend school until after her children left the nest for a reason.
"I never wanted someone to meet my child and say, 'Where are their parents?'" Barnard said. "I was there for them, and now they're successfully on their own. Now, it's my turn -- it's mama's time."
Ever since she was a child, Barnard said she loved fabric. When something frustrated her, there were two places she would go to let off steam: the library or the fabric store.
"I would just walk and run my hands over those beautiful fabrics," Barnard recalled with her eyes closed and a smile playing across her lips. "I can't explain to you what it is about them, but they're just apart of me."
After working with her master's for a few years as a historic costume and textile consultant, Barnard realized that research wasn't what she wanted. When the opportunity arose to return to school and get her doctorate, Barnard decided to go for it.
"You should always be examining your life," said Karla Teel, associate professor of apparel design. "If you have a dream or there's a job you want and you have the opportunity to do it, go for it. It sounds cliche, but it's never too late."
Teel, who has guided Barnard through the doctoral program, said she wants her student to be an encouragement to other mature adults.
"Diane is a great student and teacher, and she's someone many people can look up to," Teel said. "She realized her passion and did something about it. Often, that's harder to do than it sounds, especially when you're older than most students in the program."
Pamela Ulrich, graduate program officer and professor in the department of consumer and design sciences, said she is proud of Barnard for her dedication to the program despite her personal struggles over the years.
"Diane's been through a lot, but she hasn't given up," Ulrich said. "Her experiences have helped her be more engaged in learning and conversation with faculty and students."
Barnard's life experiences before Auburn have added to her effectiveness as a teacher, Ulrich said.
After raising her children while her husband served overseas and battling health issues, Barnard said she found ways to give back before going after her dreams.
In 2003, Barnard traveled to Iraq on a mission trip to build a medical clinic in Baghdad while Saddam Hussein was still in hiding.
"We never drove the same way twice," Barnard said. "I had to write a letter in case I didn't come back home, but those three weeks changed my life."
Barnard said she'd never forget an old woman who came up to the gate in her hijab and held out her hand to her on her last day in Baghdad.
"She said, 'Please help us,'" Barnard said. "I can still see her face, and the deep sorrow in her eyes. She was the face of the Iraqi people. She was the face of the lesson I brought home."
Barnard said if anything, she feels her age has helped instead of hindered her as a doctoral student.
"Seeing things like the woman in Iraq makes you not so timid anymore," Barnard said. "These experiences were brought to me for a reason, and I've learned that life's too short to waste it."
Teel said Barnard is going to be successful because of the way she listens and teaches with the heart -- a trait she's developed for 61 years.
"It's great to get your degree early on because you have your whole life ahead of you, but there's something really special about getting it after living a few more decades," Teel said. "When you come back as a mature adult, you know that each day is a gift and that you can't waste it doing something you don't like doing. That knowledge and wisdom has changed how I talk to my students, and I'm certain it's made Diane a better teacher to her students."
Barnard said she appreciates encouragement from faculty and fellow students, but feels her life experiences and decisions aren't anything to brag about.
"It is what it is," Barnard said. "I was going to be this age anyway, so I might as well do something with it because I'm still breathing. You don't stop contributing to this world until you're dead, so keep on contributing. You never know where it could lead you, or what that light is at the end of it all."
(11/28/14 1:00pm)
When Kyungmin Park, professor of art, asked her students to do a human form ceramics piece, she told them to pay special attention to the eyes.
It was a small detail of the form the students were creating, but Park said the smallest details are what make art come to life.
"We spent an entire day on making the eye look realistic and studying how to carve the details around it," said Lesley Foote, sophomore in graphic design. "Park directed us how each part of a face has specific details -- the ear, the nose, the lips. They turned out looking real."
Park, who grew up in South Korea before coming to the United States, first took ceramics classes in high school.
She developed a passion for art and ceramics at a young age, but her background in the Korean education system taught her that the details were just as important as the big picture.
"Art classes in Korea were all about your skills and technique," Park said. "It was fine, but everyone used the same clay and strict technique. It got incredibly boring."
After attending college for a year in Korea, Park transferred to Alfred University, a small liberal arts college in upstate New York known for its ceramics program.
"I love making art because I want to make things that I can see," Park said. "When you play music, it disappears into the air, but when you make art, there's something to show for it. There's a final result that you put your time into, and I've always been fascinated by that."
Now, Park is trying to instill that fascination and love for detail into her students.
Kelsey Gainer, senior in fine arts, said having Park as a professor has shaped the level of dedication she puts into her work.
"She pushes hard and expects everyone's best," Gainer said. "Yet she understand each person's ability in the subject she's teaching."
Park assigns her Ceramics I and II students to make dozens of the same cup to get the basics down.
"You have to make 20 cups to have 10 good ones," Park said. "You have to make 100 to 200 cups to make one perfect one."
Foote said Park wants her students to do their best work even if it takes extra time.
"We might not appreciate how hard she pushes us at first, but all that work leads us to appreciate it more in the end," Foote said. "It's like she incorporated the best of both worlds into her teaching style -- the drive and dedication from the Korean culture and the creativity and understanding of here."
Park said she enjoys learning and teaching in the United States because it's easier to share her ideas.
"Here in America, my teachers were my mentors, but at the same time, I knew I could do what they did," Park said. "There was no distance between us. That's the kind of teacher I want to be, and I couldn't be that kind of teacher in Korea."
Park said she enjoys instructing her students and working hard with them, but that she loves getting to know them personally.
"With art, you need to break down that barrier to teach your skills and knowledge," Park said. "It's so hands-on that you can't have a wall up. My experiences with different cultures have helped me break this wall down."
Park said she wants every student to expand their knowledge by experiencing other ways of life.
"Going somewhere new was one of the best things I ever did," Park said. "It taught me so much about my work and about life."
Park said traveling and experiencing culture shock shaped her as a person and as an artist.
"It may seem intimidating at first, but trust in yourself and just go," Park said. "Find out who you are by finding out who other people are. You'll find a little piece of home where you go, just like I did here in Auburn."
(11/20/14 5:30pm)
One day, Barry Fleming, associate professor of art, was doing raku, a Korean technique in firing ceramics, and nothing was going to stop him.
In the middle of working, Fleming accidentally pushed through the thin window in the studio and cut his wrist.
The cut was so deep he would need a dozen stitches, but even so, he pressed on.
The artist took several brown paper towels and made a makeshift cast with masking tape, and did firings for several hours before stopping at the emergency room on his way home.
"I knew I needed to be sewn up, but the pottery was hot in the kiln," Fleming said. "I was going to need to get those 15 stitches anyway, but to interrupt my raku when I was having such a good time? I didn't see the need."
After teaching for 27 years, Fleming holds a similar attitude in the classroom.
"I enjoy creating somewhat of an uncomfortable atmosphere in my classes, and keeping students on their toes," Fleming said. "Keeping people a bit uncomfortable is ideal because comfort is the enemy of art."
While he's changed his teaching style since the 80s, Fleming said he enjoys remembering how he used to keep his students uncomfortable.
Once, Fleming assigned his students to create a drawing to depict an intense image without being cliche.
"This one student drew a lighter by itself, which is the exact opposite of what I asked," Fleming said. "So I had a lighter in my pocket and took advantage of it."
Fleming ignited the bottom of the drawing, unpinned it from the wall and stamped it out -- the ashes creating tone and shape variation.
"I hung it back on the wall and said, 'Now that's intense,'" Fleming said. "I wanted to improve it, so I did."
Fleming said he enjoys incorporating what he calls a Zen shock moment into his lessons, such as the experience with the lighter.
"There are certain times to explore the possibilities of what the student might choose for expressive means," Fleming said. "All I want is to help them see things a different way, and shed light on order that doesn't have to be there."
Carol Hartsell, former senior comedy editor at the Huffington Post, is a former student of Fleming's.
Hartsell said she was greatly inspired by Fleming's attitude toward art.
"He quickly became one of my favorite professors because he let art be important without being precious," Hartsell said. "To this day, he is the most unpretentious serious artist I've ever met."
Hartsell said one of the greatest ways Fleming influenced her as a person was the way he dealt with losing a finger.Back in the mid-90s when Hartsell was a student, Fleming almost sliced his finger off during at a shop accident.
"He later told me he had a choice and that he could have had his finger reattached, but he wouldn't be able to move it," Hartsell said. "His attitude was, 'Well, if I can't move it, it'll just be in the way, so take it off.' That blew my mind. I want to be that unfazed by troubles and stay focused on what I have to do."
Fleming said he's enjoyed teaching because he's learned as much as his students.
"I love giving students a different perspective from what they already have," Fleming said. "I've learned tremendous amounts from students in return including how to communicate the most effectively and create the most excitement."
Jessica Sabo, another former student of Fleming's, had similar experiences with him.
"He openly appreciates equally the sacred and the bizarre," Sabo said. "He taught me to find inspiration and wisdom in the places I might least expect to find them -- both within myself and in the world."
Five years after graduation, Sabo said she's still telling heartwarming stories about her former professor.
"Fleming's the kind of person that sticks with you like cat head biscuits and gravy," Sabo said. "His authenticity as a person and heart as an artist continue to impact and inspire me in my own life journey."
Fleming has developed his talent as an artist over several decades and said he realized his passion for art when he was a freshman at Western Kentucky University.
"My first art professor, Fae Hardy, asked us, 'Why do you [want to] be an artist?'" Fleming said with a smile. "After a series of wrong answers from 'to become famous,' or 'make money,' she said, 'You make art because you have to make art!'"
In that moment, Fleming said a transformation took place inside of him.
"A part of me acknowledged that I didn't have to make art, but then a voice inside said, 'No, I think you do,'" Fleming said. "I surely had to, and I want to pass that 'had to' on to as many students as I can."
Hartsell said more than anything, Fleming showed her how to have a critical eye and remain true to herself at the same time.
"As an artist, you get so caught up in proving yourself that you forget who you are, but Barry makes you remember," Hartsell said. "Frankly, if I had college to do over again, I'd spend as much time hanging out with professor Fleming as I could because it would make me a better and more informed person overall."
(11/14/14 7:00pm)
A summary of this week's stories in The Auburn Plainsman.
(11/13/14 4:00pm)
Using a fake ID is a way for younger students to party like upperclassmen, but the Auburn Police Division and local businesses are cracking down on people using fake IDs.
An employee of Z&Z Tobacco and Spirits on North College Street, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he knows many students possess and use a fake, and he and his fellow employees won't put up with it.
"We just don't allow underage drinking," said the employee. "There are signs up everywhere in our store telling you that 'We ID everyone, every time.'"
The signs posted in Z&Z tell customers they'll be carded when they walk in the door, but the employee said they are still surprised when they get up to the register and their identification is scanned.
"Even if we get a customer who's a regular, we'll look at his ID and scan it for verification," the employee said. "If we run it and it comes back fake, there's no sale and you lose possession of that ID."
The employee said it may sound harsh, but in a college town, the precautions are critical.
"We scan them for our safety and yours," the employee said. "We don't mess around with that, and neither should anyone else. Using a fake ID isn't something that should be taken lightly."
Community Services Capt. Will Mathews said APD has never taken underage drinking lightly, and APD is cracking down harder than ever with the help of new grant funding.
Recently, the division partnered with the East Alabama Mental Health Center. The partnership required funding to provide education about underage drinking and enforce laws preventing the illegal consumption of alcohol.
The funds allowed APD to place more officers downtown to look for underage drinking violations.
The extra officers patrol the downtown bar scene Wednesday through Saturday nights, and have been active since mid-October. Mathews said APD plans to extend the support as long as the grant funds are available.
Mathews said officers were eager to increase presence downtown on heavier partying nights.
"Underage drinking violations aren't more important to us now than (they were) six months or a year ago," Mathews said. "We've just been given the opportunity to work more and have the slots for officers to do it."
Mathews said the Auburn officers perform foot patrols on downtown sidewalks and the bars or businesses selling alcohol.
Mathews said this extra presence is to ensure the safety of students around Auburn.
"Officers will go in different bars from time to time to walk through and see if something gives them reasonable suspicion a crime is being committed," Mathews said. "If a student is visibly intoxicated and is causing a disruption, it's procedure to check his or her ID."
Mathews said an officer needs probable cause to check identification, but wants to remind students simply possessing a fake ID is illegal.
"You can be charged with a misdemeanor offense for having that fake in your possession and not even using it," Mathews said. "If you take it to the next step and present yourself as someone or an age you're not, you're looking at even bigger fines and a court date."
Mathews said he wants to remind students the legal drinking age is set at 21 for a scientific purpose.
"We realize this is a college town and students want to experiment, but it often turns into a tragedy," Mathews said. "We want to prevent that, and part of the way we can do it is being present downtown on the nights those tragedies tend to happen."
Ben McNeese, bouncer at The Bank Vault on South College Street, said Auburn police officers have definitely increased their presence.
"It's not a bad thing like students may think it is," McNeese said. "They're trying to take care of people. I can see it from both sides, obviously, but they congregate right here and I've talked to them. They mean well, and when they say that, they're telling the truth."
McNeese said while other businesses might turn a blind eye to using fake IDs, The Bank Vault does not.
"We follow the rules," McNeese said. "We have nothing to hide."
McNeese said he didn't go out and drink at bars until he was 21 because it's better that way.
"Taking that risk just wasn't worth it to me," McNeese said. "There's no point in wanting to have a good time, but having to be worried the whole time. I didn't want to be paranoid. I know it's unlikely for them to listen, but I advise students to do the same. Taking the chance of having a charge on your record isn't worth one night."
Mathews said he wants students to know the police aren't downtown to ruin students' nights.
"We realize most students are on their own for the first time amd they're testing the boundaries," Mathews said. "We're sensitive to that, but at the same time, we have an obligation to the community to protect people who might not be thinking with the clearest mind. You hear about the dangers of consuming too much alcohol or driving under the influence, but using a fake ID has the same consequences. We have to protect them from themselves and protect them from hurting someone else."
(11/14/14 1:00pm)
When Laura Mitchell was 2 years old, she couldn't write her name, but she could color inside the lines. Even as a toddler, art came naturally to her.
Now a senior in studio arts, Mitchell said she is using her talent to pursue a career in the arts, and her hard work is paying off.
In April, Mitchell submitted her self-portrait to Auburn's research exhibition. It was accepted, and during a Research Week event, Aaron Alford, managing editor of Southern Humanities Review, spotted the piece and chose it for the magazine's cover.
"Laura's been so excited about it, which is so refreshing," Alford said. "A student's work has never been on the cover since the journal was founded in 1967. We usually went for the work of professional artists, but this was a homegrown artist who's still in school. It's with great pride that we get to showcase her work and developing talent."
Last fall, Mitchell read "Heartbreak Hotel" by Auburn alumna Anne Rivers Siddons for an advanced drawing class.
After reading the novel, professor of art Barb Bondy asked her students to find something in the novel to use as an analogy for their artistic voices and create a piece.
"I saw myself in Maggie, the main character," Mitchell said. "She was bound by expectations from her parents, friends and society, and she experienced this inner struggle of who she was supposed to be."
Mitchell said she identified with Maggie's struggle and used it to create "To Be Good: Self Portrait," a self-portrait done in a paint-by-number style with a legend at the bottom. The legend contains each color used in the drawing and a characteristic to accompany each shade.
"The characteristics I chose were ones I felt would make me a good person," Mitchell said. "In the piece, I break away from what's expected of me and become who I want to be. As a college student, I could relate to the anxiety of change and expectation. I'm not a child or a full-fledged adult. This composition helped me grow as an artist and a person."
Alford attended the Research Week events to see students' work from the College of Liberal Arts.
"I didn't go there looking for a new cover," Alford said. "It was immediate. Laura's piece was there, and it was such a striking image that hit me like lightning. When I got closer to it and saw the concept of it, I just had to know more about it."
Alford said while he wasn't looking for a cover for the newest edition of Southern Humanities Review, it was exactly what the journal needed.
Mitchell's self-portrait was featured on the most recent issue of the quarterly journal with the legend explaining her characteristics on the back cover.
Bondy, the professor who worked with Mitchell as she created her piece, said she is excited for her talented student.
"This would even be major for a professional, so this is an extremely big deal for a student," Bondy said. "She worked hard and used a technique she wasn't familiar with. She pushed herself and now here she is."
Mitchell said Bondy has been her biggest encouragement and greatest influence while studying at Auburn.
"Dr. Bondy was able to challenge my ideas and refine them in a way I've never experienced before," Mitchell said. "She pushed me to think deeper and more uniquely, and even when I create great, she's taught me that it all can't be good."
Bondy said Mitchell's determination reminds her why she loves her job.
"As a professor, you hope a student will latch onto your advice or teachings, and that's what Laura did," Bondy said. "She put herself out there."
Mitchell said she loves being an artist, but is eager to teach others about her passion.
"Art has given me the greatest view of the world and the greatest joy," Mitchell said. "I want to spread that joy and I hope my artwork speaks to people."
The most recent issue of Southern Humanities Review with Mitchell's cover can be picked up for $5 per copy in room 9088 of the Haley Center.
(11/10/14 4:30pm)
It was 3 a.m., and like most college professors, Paul Harris, associate director for national prestigious scholarships and associate professor in political science, was asleep.
When his phone rang, he woke with a start and rubbed his eyes as he turned on the light.
The name Ashton Richardson flashed across the screen as the phone rang loudly.
It was the middle of the night, but one of his students needed him, and he wasn't going to let him down.
"Harris was always able to calm me down and get me to believe in myself again," said Richardson, 2012 graduate summa cum laude in veterinary medicine. "He's not just your average teacher; he's more like a parent. It was the little things like that that are a testimony to the type of person and teacher he is."
Harris helps dozens of students apply for prestigious awards each year.
Harris mentors students applying for scholarships, such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, Truman, Mitchell, Goldwater and Gates-Cambridge.
As an Auburn alumnus and recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship, Harris said he feels fortunate to help students see their potential.
"I had such a positive experience as a Fulbright Scholar," Harris said. "I want everyone at Auburn to have that chance."
Harris was a doctoral student at Auburn when he was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship in 1994. When he applied, Harris said Kathie Mattox, now his colleague, was one of his mentors.
Mattox, associate director for the Honors College, said she has loved seeing Harris grow.
"Dr. Harris has this incredible passion for living," Mattox said. "I saw him as a great student, and now he's a great friend."
Richardson said Auburn's prestigious scholarship success can be attributed to Harris.
"I know it sounds like a crazy thing to say someone has changed your life, but Dr. Harris has changed mine beyond the shadow of a doubt," Richardson said. "I thought I was just going to be a football player and maybe a large animal vet down the road until he showed me all I can do."
Richardson was a finalist for the Muenster Scholarship and the Rhodes Scholarship twice while he was enrolled at Auburn. Now, the graduate has been chosen as a finalist for the Marshall Scholarship.
If awarded, Richardson will pursue a doctorate of philosophy in international development at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.
When applying for these prestigious opportunities, Richardson said he recalls the time he spent with Harris.
"I think back to when he would talk with me about fighting the world's fight," Richardson said. "He's helped me realize that you're not just on this earth to live for yourself."
Since Harris became the associate director for national prestigious scholarships in 2008, the number of Auburn students who have become finalists or recipients of the awards have skyrocketed.
Four Auburn students were selected to receive a Fulbright scholarship from 1994 to 2009. Since 2009, Auburn has had 10 Fulbright scholars.
"I knew Auburn students could do it, and they can do it," Harris said. "Auburn students can compete with the top students in the country. How do you know if you don't try? Believe in yourself."
Harris received a Fulbright, but said he wasn't always a stellar student.
When Harris graduated high school, he attended Georgia Southern and failed his junior year with a 1.9 GPA.
"All I cared about was hunting and fishing," Harris said. "I just didn't give a damn."
Harris said though he was a terrible student, he wasn't a bad person - just lazy.
Once he grew up a few years later, Harris received his bachelor's degree, went on to get his master's and was accepted to Auburn's doctoral program.
"Auburn University took a chance on me, and I'm so grateful for that," Harris said. "I'm going to do everything I can to give back to this University and the wonderful students that go here."
Harris said he wants students to speak with him and find out what scholarships are right for them.
"Just come talk to me no matter where you are in your academic walk," Harris said. "I'm proof that you can turn yourself around and achieve things you never thought possible if you put your mind to it."
Harris said while he works in the Honors College, he's not limited to honors students.
"I'm here to serve all Auburn students," Harris said. "The Auburn Family is a real thing, and I'm here to help anyone in it."
Mattox said students shouldn't feel nervous about meeting with Harris.
"Dr. Harris is very approachable," Mattox said. "He wants to know your story, he's that kind of guy. Different scholarships are better for different students, and he wants to help you figure which one is right for you."
To contact Harris about scholarship opportunities or to get academic advice, send him a message at paul.harris@auburn.edu.
Harris said his job can be emotionally draining, but he knows it's what he's called to do.
"My wife and I were never able to have children," Harris said. "When I work with my students, they're the kids I never had. I celebrate when they win, and I'm sad for them when they don't. No matter what happens."
(11/06/14 8:30pm)
The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest international fellowship award in the world. Each year, 32 people are selected as Rhodes Scholars, according to its website. Richmond Gunter * Richmond Gunter, senior in finance, is set to graduate in May. Gunter said he hopes to attend law school and dreams of serving others through public service. * "The Lord opened this door for me and has allowed me to walk through it," Gunter said. "The Rhodes Scholarship could be a great stepping stone for me to develop my skills to the fullest so I can best serve others." Azeem Ahmed * Azeem Ahmed, is a recent alumnus in finance with a minor in sustainability. He said he aspires to go to medical school. * "I'm very interested in making sure every child has the nutrients they need," Ahmed said. "If I could help feed 14 million people before I even had a college degree, I'm excited and thankful for this opportunity, and I can't imagine how many more people I could feed when I have an even better education." Tofey Leon * Tofey Leon, senior in biomedical science, said he has a concentration in pre-medicine. * "You just never know what could happen," Leon said. "This process has taught me a lot about myself and what my future goals are. It will greatly influence my ability to have an impact as a physician, no matter what the outcome." Tekisha Rice * Tekisha Rice, senior in human development and family studies, said she was excited when she was sought out to apply to be a Rhodes Scholar. * "Even if I don't receive a scholarship, this has been the best opportunity," Rice said. "It's made me a better writer and has helped me self-reflect on what I want to do with my life." David Shuckerow * David Shuckerow, senior in computer science, said he dreams of producing technology that solves real problems. * "I want to create technology that changes the way people do things for the better," Shuckerow said. "I've always been a people person, and I'm very focused on trying to create the most value for the people I know." Alyssa White * Alyssa White is an alumna in anthropology and Spanish with a minor in Asian studies. White currently resides in the United Kingdom. * "This is a once in a lifetime experience," White said. "There's a professor of archaeology at Oxford who could expand my education farther than I've ever imagined." Peter Lund * Peter Lund, senior in finance, said he hopes to work with start-up companies and help them become successful businesses when he graduates in May. * "It's been a blessing that I was able to apply for this opportunity," Lund said. "Even if I don't get accepted for this, that's not the end, I'll just have to find a different way to get there." Patrick Young * Patrick Young, senior in biomedical science, is expected to graduate in May. Young said applying for the scholarship was one of the best things he ever did. * "My dream is to do a medical administration to better international and developing countries," Young said. "That is the vision I have, and I hope this opportunity will help me pursue it."
(11/05/14 5:00pm)
Danielle Tadych has broken every bone in her body at least once, excluding her fingers and toes.
When she was born, she wailed like most babies, but hers was in pain from a broken arm she sustained in the womb.
When she was 6, playing on a trampoline quickly became agonizing. Weighing 20 pounds, Danielle bounced a foot in the air, causing her left arm to snap.
Danielle, junior in environmental science, was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta type III (OI) or brittle bone disease -- a genetic birth defect that prevents bones from producing enough collagen, which makes them weak and easily breakable.
OI is an extremely rare disorder which affects one in 20,000 people.
"My situation could be better, but it could be a lot worse," Danielle said. "When I was younger, I used to think about what I wanted to do and would think, 'I can't,' but then I'd find a way to say, 'I can.' That's what I plan to keep on doing. If there's a will for me to do something, there's a way."
Danielle and her brother, Chris, senior in animal science, commute to Auburn from their home in Opelika every day. Both homeschooled and only one year apart, Chris and Danielle grew up spending most of their time together and share an extremely close bond.
"Danielle has an electric wheelchair now, but for most of our lives, she had one that you push," Chris said. "I spent most of my childhood pushing her in that chair to the point where it felt strange for me to walk without it. That kind of lifestyle seems different to everyone else, but it's the norm for us."
Danielle's physical disability has caused her bones to grow curved and her stature to remain small, which makes her the butt of jokes among her family and friends.
"We harass each other pretty well," Danielle said of her older brothers. "Short jokes always ensue when they're around. If you can't joke about it, what can you do?"
Danielle said she wishes people wouldn't worry so much about being politically correct around her.
"Nowadays you hear people say, 'You can't say handicapped,' because that's politically incorrect," Danielle said. "But it is handicapped. Call it what it is. It's not about what you say, it's how you say it and your intent behind it."
Weighing only 45 pounds at 20 years old, Danielle said she's sure people stare as she rides by, but she said she doesn't notice.
"I'm very comfortable with my disability," Danielle said. "A lot of people aren't, but I'm fine talking about it and answering questions anytime. It's not the elephant in the room that people need to tiptoe around."
Chris said every person defines his or her normal, and Danielle's disability is part of his.
"It's just reality," Chris said. "A lot of our outlook comes from the way our parents raised us and our faith. We know that God made me the way I am and Danielle the way she is for a reason. It's the way it is, and we've embraced it and made the best of it."
Chris and Danielle both plan to get their doctorates and go far with their careers. Because of that, Chris said he's realized he can't drive his sister around forever.
Though she's never stood on her feet, Danielle is learning to drive at Alabama Vocational Rehabilitation.
To meet her transportation needs, Danielle needs to learn to drive, but she also needs a wheelchair-accessible van that will cost approximately $40,000.
"The first time I drove, I was terrified, but it's really exciting," Danielle said. "I can't imagine what it will be like to be behind the wheel of a car that's made specifically for me. I feel blessed beyond measure in every sense of the phrase."
Over the past several months, Danielle has been a part of several fundraisers and a contest to purchase the special equipment she needs, but still needs to raise most of the funds.
Hope, Danielle's mother, said they didn't solicit any of the help or attention they've received to help her daughter.
"We just found ourselves in the middle of it," Hope said. "Because of that, we didn't have to wonder if it was what God wanted us to do -- it was clear. We're supposed to embrace the help and go forward with our fundraising efforts."
Chris said he's enjoyed being his sister's chauffeur over the years, but that it will be great for her to be able to go somewhere by herself in a handicap-accessible van.
"We're working really hard to get one of these vehicles for her," Chris said. "It will change her life."
Danielle and her family have created a Facebook page and fundraiser on GiveForward for the cause
Hope said while she is excited for the opportunity for Danielle to drive, the thought terrifies her like it would any mom.
"I admit I have mixed emotions and often take pause," Hope said "But we're in this for the long haul and we'll do whatever it takes to make sure she can do anything she puts her mind to."
Hope said she's been more than pleased with how kind and accommodating Auburn has been to Danielle, but she wants people to know they aren't waiting for handouts.
"We don't expect people to know about Danielle's disability," Hope said. "That's why we want to educate them that we're okay with it, so they can be, too."
Hope said she hopes people can talk to Danielle and see the person she is when they look at her -- not just the fact she's in a wheelchair.
"If you just talk to Danielle, you'll realize there's a big person inside that little bitty body," Hope said. "Danielle is just like you and the only thing different about her is that her bones grow differently."
Danielle said she has something to overcome everyday, but she's blessed because she has the support she needs to do it.
"Everyone has their own struggles to deal with," Danielle said. "This is mine. It's been mine for my entire life, and from driving to my career, I'm not going to let it stop me from going for the things I want to do."
To donate to Danielle's cause, visit giveforward.com/changedanielleslife and like her Facebook page, Change Danielle's Life.
(10/26/14 12:00pm)
A child races through his front yard, trips and falls.
He pauses and begins to cry from the minor pain and shock of the earth beneath his knees.
His mother races to soothe her child, brushing him off saying, "It's just dirt."
Soil is never just dirt, and the Soil Judging Team will be the first to vouch for that.
Last week, the team sent seven students to the regional soil judging competition in Clemson, South Carolina.
After three days of practice judging and a day of serious competing, Auburn was declared the regional champion out of 12 universities Oct. 9.
Jenna Platt, senior in crop, soil and environmental sciences, placed sixth out of 76 students competing in the region.
"Soil judging is exciting," Platt said. "It's made my college experience infinitely better, and the field work is really fun. I spend time with my professors and classmates actually doing field science and get to apply what I've learned in the books."
While judging soil sounds tedious or unnecessary to most, Platt said learning to classify soil can change your life - even if it doesn't play a role in your future career plans.
"Everything interacts with the soil, from the building you're in to the road you're driving on," Platt said. "Some is better for farming and other for building. Soil affects everyone in some way, and soils are an integral part of understanding nature and the environment."
Platt said she and her teammates meet as a class once per week, and spent several hours studying different soil concepts to prepare for regionals.
A different university hosts the regional contest each year, which gives the team new soil to classify at each competition - most of which they've never seen before.
"We get three days to practice judging the soil at regionals," Platt said. "All of a sudden, there's added concepts you have to learn because you're in a foreign place handling foreign soil. It can be nerve wracking, but that's what those three days are for. You practice to understand what you're dealing with."
This year, the team won its second regional championship in the last four years. The top five teams in the region head to nationals.
Nationals will be held at the University of Arkansas in the spring.
Platt said as a senior, she's excited to compete in her last nationals contest and give it her all alongside her friends on the team.
Kristen Pegues, senior in crop soil and environmental sciences, placed third out of 76 participants at the regional competition.
Pegues said she was beyond ecstatic to place in the top 10, but even with the success, there's nothing like the relationships she's made through the soil judging team.
"We're with each other throughout the week and then at competitions we're with each other all day long for almost a week," Pegues said. "When you're working together like that, you form this special bond. It's great how we're able to have our time to focus and our time to joke around and have fun."
Pegues said she knows the relationships strengthen how the team performs in the field.
"Soil judging with teammates that are also my close friends allows for less stress," Pegues said. "We're out there to represent Auburn University, and this year I'm proud to have represented the University so well."
Pegues said being part of the team has made her confident she's in the right field.
"The team has allowed me to be out in the field, see it firsthand, touch it and feel it," Pegues said. "Most of the time we have our nose in a textbook, but this has been a great way to be out doing it - not just reading about it in theory."
The team is taking a break for the remainder of the semester, but will reconvene in January to prepare for nationals in the spring.
"I still can't believe we're champions, and while we feel good about our success, our work is far from over," Pegues said. "We beat the other four schools in our region that are going to nationals once, but now there's a clean slate. They'll step it up, and that's extra pressure on us and Dr. Shaw, our coach, to do the same."
Joey Shaw, professor of soil science, has been leading the soil judging team for 17 years.
Shaw said while he's been there to guide them, the students worked hard on their own merit.
"I wasn't surprised when we got champions because the students worked for it," Shaw said. "They're very smart and extremely intelligent, and they've developed the confidence in the calls they make on the field. I'm proud of them, and want others to know what soil judging entails."
Shaw said Auburn has a long tradition of soil judging, and has been a leader in the science for more than 50 years. Most participants are crop soil majors, but the team is open to all students.
"We welcome any student that wants to be involved," Shaw said. "While it's not common to get students from other departments, we'll teach them everything they need to know because soil is critical to every facet of life."
Platt and Pegues are among a group of graduating seniors who will leave the team in May.
"We'll be leaving the team in good hands," Platt said without hesitating. "We have some younger people, but they're extremely smart. Next year, it will be an entirely new team, but I'm confident they'll do great without us upperclassmen."
Shaw said teaching soil judging to students of all ages is vital for the future of the environment.
"Soil is our most precious natural resource, and we need to be stewards of the land," Shaw said. "Soils transcend all land uses, and I believe as a team, we understand that. This success is a testament to the students and I can't say enough about them. They earned absolutely everything they achieved."
(10/22/14 12:00pm)
From the time she was a little girl, Savannah Goldsmith loved to sing.
She would ride in the car with her mother singing "Amazing Grace," and let the lyrics play across her lips with a smile.
Years later, the lyrics hold a deeper meaning as she sings and acts her heart out on stage.
The words have become an encouragement as Goldsmith, former sophomore in musical theatre, arrived at Auburn and took the theatre department by storm.
As a freshman, she snagged the lead role in the fall production of the literary classic "Hedda Gabler" - her first show with the University.
Goldsmith took her final bow as Hedda Gabler on Friday Oct. 3, and one week later, packed up her dorm room and walked as a student on Auburn's campus for the last time.
Oct. 10 was Goldsmith's last day enrolled as a musical theatre major. With the support of her family, friends and talent agent, she left to pursue her acting career - but not in musical theatre.
"I love theatre and I've done it for many years, but now that I've majored in it, I realize that film acting is where I want to be," Goldsmith said. "I'd also like to record a music album, but being in films is what I'd love to do."
At 19 years old, Goldsmith already has her foot in the door of the film industry.
In the past few years, she was an extra in TV shows such as "Devious Maids" and "Necessary Roughness" and films such as "The Watch," but this summer, her career took a promising step forward.
In June, Goldsmith starred as the female lead in "Cobragator," a horror, sci-fi flick set to air on the Syfy channel in January.
In "Cobragator," Goldsmith plays Aubrey, a member of a punk rock band who goes to a swamp to film a music video and encounters a genetically mutated reptile - the cobragator.
"Reservoir Dogs" star Michael Madsen was also part of the sci-fi action, and worked with Goldsmith throughout the film.
After "Cobragator" was complete, several talent agencies reached out to Goldsmith and asked her to participate in several movies and film projects.
"Once these agencies began contacting me, I figured this would be a good time for me to go to Atlanta for a few years and see what can become of it," Goldsmith explained. "I want to try and build my resume, and see if I can move to L.A. from there."
After "Cobragator," Goldsmith said she really caught the fever to be on screen.
"It was the best experience of my life," Goldsmith said. "I know without a doubt it's what I want to do."
Within the next few weeks, Goldsmith will film commercials to be aired in the tri-state area and audition for roles in many different films.
Goldsmith said she's happy to finally be doing what she loves.
"I've always struggled being happy with myself from a really young age," Goldsmith said. "Acting gives me a way to be somebody else for a little while and not have to think about me and my life. It's a personal escape that gives me the chance to become someone else for a little while."
Goldsmith said her talent agent, Donna Hovey, owner of Rare Quality Models and Talent, has opened many doors for her career and has helped it take off.
Hovey said she only submits Goldsmith's resume, and the actresses' hard work and talent does the rest.
"I expect her to be well on her way to a successful acting career in three years because she works for it," Hovey said. "She has this star quality - this rare talent you just can't teach. After 25 years in the business, you just know it when you see it, and Savannah's got it."
Hovey said she felt Goldsmith's talent when she met her when she was14. Hovey has represented Goldsmith ever since.
"I love Donna because her agency is smaller, and she's very personable," Goldsmith said. "She came on set when I was filming 'Cobragator,' and even talked to the director. The best part is, she shares my Christian faith and understands my morals."
Goldsmith said that, while she'd be part of a non-Christian agency, she plans to hold strong to her conservative beliefs in a liberal industry.
"It's getting harder and harder to keep the bad out," Hovey said. "But even so, there's enough out there that we'll be able to skip the projects that wouldn't work for us, and still make it work."
When Hovey heard her client was dropping out of school, she said she thought it was for the best.
"It will make her more available for auditions, and at this point, that's what matters," Hovey said. "She's going with her gut, and that's what's important. Ultimately, this was Savannah's decision, and because it's in her heart, that's what's going to make it work."
A few days after dropping out, Goldsmith said there's not a doubt in her mind she made the right choice.
"I'm so relieved to be gone," Goldsmith said. "I definitely made the right decision because I'm ready to go head first into my dream."
While many parents would balk at their child dropping out to follow an acting career, Goldsmith's mother, Kelli Hunt, has been nothing but supportive.
"I support her decision 100 percent," Hunt said without pause. "You have to get out there while you're in your prime. You have your whole life to go back to school if you need to. I just want her to get out there and make a go of it."
Like Hovey, Hunt said her daughter has the drive and talent to make a living from her passions of acting and singing.
'Savannah played the Wicked Witch in a fifth grade play called 'The Road to Oz,' and I knew it was her calling ever since," Hunt said. "When she hits the stage, she just becomes someone else, and I know it's what she's meant to do. That's why I want her to be happy and follow her heart."
Like most parents, Hunt said she's proud of the success Goldsmith had with "Hedda Gabler" and "Cobragator," but wants others to know it wasn't easy getting there.
"Savannah doesn't get anything handed to her," Hunt said. "If she is successful, it's because she's earned it. She has natural talent, but she's earned that, too."
Hunt said she hopes her daughter's strong morals and work ethic will be a good influence on the Hollywood scene if Goldsmith is meant to make it that far.
"I'm a mother, so of course I worry," Hunt said. "No matter what, I'm going to be there for her and make sure things are all right, but I've done my part. She's God's child, and she's in his care now."
Hovey said she's confident Goldsmith has the support and talent she needs to make it, and advises those who share her dreams to follow a similar path.
"You just have to go for it," Hovey said. "This is Savannah's gift. You have to find out if this is yours. You have to follow your dreams no matter how crazy or angry it makes your parents. Even if it doesn't work out, at least you'll know."
Goldsmith said she's overjoyed with how far things are looking up for her future.
"I'm so excited about this new chapter in my life," Goldsmith said. "I can't wait to see where it's going to take me. Fame would be great, but as long as I'm happy and doing what I love, that's all I can ask for."
(10/21/14 12:00pm)
Nuns are coming to this part of the Bible Belt, and this time, it's not to scold you - it's to make you laugh.
On Oct. 23, the comedic musical "Nunsense" will open at Telfair Peet Theatre at 7:30 p.m.
"Nunsense," directed by professor Dan LaRocque, features a cast of five students who portray the Little Sisters of Hoboken. When 52 nuns in their convent are poisoned with botulism in potato soup prepared by their cook, the sisters need money to cover the burials. To raise the funds, they put on a variety show.
"What ensues is a funny and very entertaining evening of comedy, song, and dance," LaRocque said. "It's made the show a popular hit around the country for the last 30 years."
LaRocque, a big fan of the show, said it's impossible to pick out a scene that's funnier or more entertaining than the rest.
"It's sort of like being asked as a parent who your favorite child is - they're all favorites, but for different reasons," LaRocque said. "There are so many funny scenes and songs in the show, and I know our audiences will agree."
"Nunsense" will be the first production performed in the new black box theater - part of the newly constructed addition to Telfair Peet Theatre.
LaRocque said "Nunsense" is the perfect show to inaugurate the more intimate theatrical experience for the audience.
"The show itself is vastly entertaining," LaRocque said. "But the energy and enthusiasm our students exhibit is what makes this production so much fun to come and see."
Kathleen O'Hara, senior in musical theatre, plays the Reverend Mother.
O'Hara said it's been fun to play a character who's in her 60s and wear a fat suit while doing it.
"This past summer, I got to play Elle Woods in 'Legally Blonde,' so this character has been a big change from that," O'Hara said. "She's this crazy, funny nun and she's become a big part of me."
O'Hara said the Reverend Mother isn't the type of role she's used to playing.
"It's a whole new experience for me," O'Hara said. "It'll be new for students too, but I think they'll really enjoy it. There's a scene where the Reverend Mother picks up a bottle of 'Rush,' an inhalant, and gets high after a few sniffs. It's hilarious and students will love it."
While it will be the first show in the new theatre, O'Hara and other actors agree "Nunsense" will be memorable for its hilarious element of improvisation.
"It's a very audience-oriented show," O'Hara said. "Many of the lines we say are improvised, and depend on how the audience reacts. You'll never see the same show twice."
Hannah Rae Faulk, junior in musical theatre, plays Sister Hubert, the Reverend Mother's right-hand woman.
"She's this sassy nun who works hard, but never gets recognized for it," Faulk said. "She really enjoys the variety show the sisters put on. Throughout the show, you really see the heart of Hubert."
Faulk said students will enjoy "Nunsense" because it's different from other shows the theatre department has put on before - and not because it's about a group of comedic nuns.
"Here in the Bible Belt, many people grew up religious," Faulk said. "They'll enjoy it purely because it pokes fun at that. They'll laugh along with humor they've grown up with."
The hours of rehearsal have been tiring, but Faulk said strong relationships with the other cast members have made all the difference.
"We're like a family," Faulk said. "We were already friends, but this show has pushed us out of our comfort zones and bonded us in ways I could never have imagined."
O'Hara said the small cast of five women has made it a special experience.
"Since there's only five of us, we're all on the same playing field," O'Hara said. "Everyone has lots of lines and dance numbers, so there's no competition. Even when we're exhausted and strung out, we cut up all the time because we just love each other."
Faulk said whether you're religious or not, the show is relatable for everyone.
"'Nunsense' shows the heart of so many different types of people and each nun can relate to some person in the audience," Faulk said. "Nuns celebrate everyone. They talk about different people's religions and celebrate it with them. It's very celebratory of people having hope in something bigger than themselves."
"Nunsense" will be performed most weeknights at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. until Nov. 2.
Tickets are free to students, and can be reserved through the theater department. Visit http://cla.auburn.edu/theatre/student-tickets/ to reserve a ticket.
(10/07/14 12:00pm)
It all started with a summer spent playing Mario Kart.
At first, it was just a hobby; three months gathered around a television, mashing buttons and directing the joystick of a Nintendo 64 controller while screaming in laughter with friends.
Several years later, while shooting aliens on an Xbox 360, that hobby turned into a passion.
Chris Boling, senior in software engineering, grew up playing video games and now aspires to design them for a living.
"One day when I was playing Halo 3, I just sat there with my friends wondering how it was made," Boling said. "I wanted to know what it took, so I just decided to look into it. I thought it sounded like a lot of fun, and it is."
During his past four years at Auburn, Boling said he's taken advantage of the game design opportunities available to him.
As a member of the Association for Computing Machinery and the Auburn University Computer Gaming Club, Boling has met fellow gamers and programmers who helped him design two games over the past four years.
One game Boling designed, "Hectics," is available on Windows for download through the Windows Store.
"If you love gaming and have an idea, then you have the potential to create anything," Boling said. "Anyone can download the free programming software, Unity, and see for themselves."
Boling said his training through Auburn's software engineering program has been invaluable, but the hands-on experience is what has taught him the most.
"You can only get so much about the programming world from sitting inside a classroom," Boling said. "The best thing to do is just to Google things, research and do it for yourself, but more than anything, just go for it."
Daniel Justice, senior in physical activity and health, is president of the Auburn University Computer Gaming Club.
Justice grew up playing video games and still enjoys the hobby as an adult.
"It starts as a passion, and it turns into a hobby," Justice said. "After years of practice and time, it turns back into a passion, and that's where members of these gaming organizations are."
Justice said some of his favorite gaming experiences came from being a game tester.
"Game testing is really casual now," Justice said. "It used to be formal about 10 to 15 years ago, where designers would pay people to test out every little thing, but now everything is digital. Anyone can be a tester. You just sign up and get randomly selected to try out the game."
While becoming a tester isn't as selective as it used to be, Justice said it's a great way to contribute to the gaming world without being a designer.
"It's great to feel like you made an impact," Justice said. "Even so, it's important to make your suggestions constructive and not discouraging. Developers receive a lot of flak, and I wish fellow gamers understood the time and trouble they go through."
Though his major isn't related to gaming, Justice said it's still a passion of his, and he encourages other students to embrace their passions, too.
Justice said he wants to change people's misconceptions of gamers as a whole.
"When most people hear 'game designer,' they automatically stereotype them when they shouldn't," Justice said. "We're not antisocial nerds. We work hard, and our organizations revolve around that. Sure, we play games, but chances are, we socialize even more than you do. You go out to bars for a good time while we stay home and game with our friends."
Charles Palmer, associate professor of interactive media at Harrisburg University who said he has helped students find jobs as game developers, said the gaming industry has evolved in positive ways over the last decade.
"When you told someone you were going into making games 15 years ago, it evoked visions of living in mom's garage for the rest of your life," Palmer said. "In 2013, mobile, console and PC games made $15.4 billion in sales. There's more money made in gaming than in film, and that means there are jobs for just about anyone in the industry. That's nothing to judge."
Palmer said gaming's social stigma persists, but with time, he hopes people's eyes will be opened to the possibilities of the industry.
"Like Facebook, game play is a social activity," Palmer said. "It's a different way to form relationships, but they're still meaningful."
To get involved in game design, Palmer advised students to discover what they're good at.
"Find your passion, and then combine it with your passion for gaming," Palmer said. "Find out what you're interested in, and then become the best at it. That's how you'll get the job you've always wanted."
Boling said he aspires to work for Valve, a video game development company. In order to do that, Boling said he needs to expand his knowledge as a designer and push his boundaries as a programmer.
"When I look at a game and say, 'I made this,' it makes me keep going," Boling said. "When you make something yourself, it just ignites something inside you. It's the greatest feeling knowing that I grew up gaming, but now I'm contributing to the industry I know and love."
(09/27/14 12:00pm)
For her talent, Kira Kanzantsev sang Pharrell Williams' "Happy" barefoot while sitting with her legs crossed on stage. As the contestant sang, she tapped a red plastic cup against the floor to the rhythm of her tune with a smile.
According to CBSnews.com, Kanzantsev said her performance was inspired by a scene from the film "Pitch Perfect," where the movie's protagonist, played by Anna Kendrick, auditions for an a capella group by banging a plastic cup in similar rhythmic fashion.
Kanzantsev's win marked the third consecutive year a contestant from New York took home the Miss America crown.
Since her win, Kanzantsev and the Miss America program have received criticism from thousands of viewers and fans.
"That's right, girls, wanna become Miss America?" wrote reader Marc Weissman on HuffingtonPost.com. "Forget those challenging classical piano lessons, throw out those opera CDs and blow off those modern dance classes because all you need to do is swipe a Slurpee cup from 7/11 and sing along to the latest ear-worm."
Another reader, Angela Watson, said Kanzantsev won because of her state title.
"Obviously you just have to win Miss New York to be a shoe-in," Watson said.
Jessica Dyk, junior in mechanical engineering, has competed in pageants for most of her life. Like the many naysayers online, the fellow pageant contestant also has strong feelings about this year's Miss America winner.
"Talent is a large part of your score, but it isn't everything," Dyk said. "It's about who will represent the program best. Miss New York stood out. She didn't have a talent that knocked you off your feet, but she did something different that was relatable to girls across the nation. That's just as important as the talent itself, if not more so."
Dyk has taken lessons to be a classical dancer for nearly two decades. Her talents helped her win Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen in 2009.
Dyk said she stands behind the judges' choice for Kazantsev winning Miss America 2015.
"A lot of people view the Miss America pageant as nothing but a superficial competition about beauty, but it's not," Dyk said. "So many mock it, and this was the program's way of re-branding what they're about -- to show the country what's most important."
Katie Willoughby, sophomore in communication disorders, is the director of the Miss Auburn University program.
Willoughby said she admires the way the New York native dared to be different.
"The talent portion of the pageant is about making it your own," Willoughby said. "Every girl is an individual and you should show that while you're on stage."
Willoughby said she thinks the plastic cup routine deserved its high marks, as well as the crown.
"There so much more to the competition that we don't get to see," Willoughby said. "What we do see is five minutes of the hours of preparation these women have done. I hope Americans know that the woman who won is an amazing person who deserved it. She's so versatile. She speaks three languages, is poised, intelligent and down-to-earth. What more could we want as a Miss America winner?"
While Willoughby said she has never judged a pageant, she said this year's outcome was a good representation of what all pageants should focus on.
"The fact that the girl who got up on stage and was herself and won is great," Willoughby said. "It was a great opportunity for the Miss America pageant to show what they want in a representative as a person, not just looks and abilities."
Alumna Emily Jordan, who was crowned Miss Auburn University in 2012, said she sees positive reinforcement behind the success of the plastic cup routine.
"It's less about what you can do, and more about how you do it," Jordan said.
While pageants such as the Miss America program receive a lot of flak for being materialistic and degrading, Jordan said the judges sent an important message with the woman they crowned this year.
"Our culture often tells us we have to be perfect in everything we do," Jordan said. "With this win, they're saying, 'You don't have to be perfect.'"
(09/20/14 12:00pm)
When Fernando Cruz was finishing high school in Ponce, Puerto Rico, he was assigned a final project. While other students struggled with ideas for weeks, Cruz said he knew what he was doing in a heartbeat.
On the day of his presentation, Cruz walked to his senior classroom with a smile on his face -- portable gas stove in tow.
Cruz said his peers watched in awe as he effortlessly seared a skirt steak, mixed an Argentine chimichurri sauce and whipped mashed potatoes.
Ten years later, Cruz is the executive chef at the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center and a recent competitor on season 13 of FOX's hit show "Hell's Kitchen."
"I didn't just wake up one day and say, 'I'm going to cook,'" Cruz said. "It just grew into me and became a part of me. From there, I set my goals high."
In 2003, Cruz left Puerto Rico to attend the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in hospitality and hotel and restaurant management in 2007.
The 29-year-old chef said his accomplishments are the product of hard work.
"My family didn't have any money, and the CIA was incredibly expensive," Cruz said. "But I went, and I told myself, 'I'll pay for it later.' I'm a very independent person and I've paid for everything myself. Even with all the loans, I could never regret my education."
Roy Khoo, culinary director at the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Newnan, Georgia, hired Cruz fresh out of culinary school.
"Fernando was young and he was green, but I hired him because he had an indescribable drive for success," Khoo said. "As I talked to him, I saw this passion in his eye and knew he had a keen dedication for what he does, and that he'd make it in this business."
After working with Cruz for five years, Khoo drove more than an hour to attend the "Hell's Kitchen" premiere watch party at the Hotel at Auburn University Sept. 10.
"The trip was worth it because I got to see Cruz's great performance on the show while being there with him," Khoo said. "This will give his career a boost, and he deserves it. People will know his name, and people will see the same passion I've seen in him for years."
Cruz said Khoo has been a mentor throughout his career, and Cruz wouldn't be as successful without him.
"Roy's the person who taught me how to be a leader," Cruz said. "When he hired me, I knew how to cook, but he was a mentor to me for so much more. He taught me something very special. I won't stop for someone in the kitchen, but I will always slow down for them and teach them like Roy did for me. I have so much respect for Roy and his teachings."
After cooking in different regions around the country with Khoo, Cruz said his experience made him an ideal contestant for "Hell's Kitchen," but that's not what led him to apply.
"I remember watching the show while I was at the CIA and thinking, 'These people are crazy, I would never,'" Cruz said. "I don't know what came over me. I wanted to see how I compared to other cooks across the nation and when the opportunity knocked at my door, I answered it."
While Cruz finished his culinary training years ago, the executive chef said "Hell's Kitchen" was an extension of his schooling.
"Gordon Ramsay is one of the greatest chefs I've ever met," Cruz said. "What you see on TV is what you get. The audience usually sees him stressed and angry, but his mentoring side is the side you don't see. He truly wants to help you grow and become a better chef. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher."
Maria Gomez, Cruz's wife, said she was concerned about his decision to participate in a reality television show, even with the opportunity he would receive if he won the competition.
"I rarely watched the show to begin with because it stressed me out," Gomez said with a laugh. "I just don't care for reality TV. Sometimes people are portrayed how they're not. From the Kardashians to 'Hell's Kitchen,' the producers can make something out of nothing, and I was worried about how Fernando would be portrayed."
To keep her husband grounded, she gave him a piece of advice before he left for filming.
"'Don't lose yourself,' I told him," Gomez said. "We have three kids under the age of 5, and he has an entire professional career at stake, but he never lost himself or his values. He didn't change, and I'm so proud of him."
Gomez, who also attended the CIA, met Cruz while pursuing her bachelor's degree in culinary arts.
"We've been successful, but we're not making filet mignon at home," Gomez said. "We are very simple, and we aren't food snobs. We'll feed anything to our family if it's fresh, good and done right. Simplicity is what it's all about."
Now, seeing her husband's success, Gomez said she's been able to put her concerns aside and enjoy the "Hell's Kitchen" experience with her children.
"We're all so happy and proud of him," Gomez said. "We're so young, and he's going to have such a long and successful career. We have a lot to look forward to."
Cruz said he's glad "Hell's Kitchen" shaped his culinary abilities and not his personality.
"I got a part on 'Hell's Kitchen' by being who I am," Cruz said. "The show didn't change that, and I couldn't be more proud of the way I handled everything."
The Hotel at Auburn University is hosting watch parties every Wednesday throughout Cruz's run on "Hell's Kitchen." The parties are free and open to the public.
"On TV or not, I'm still a part of this community," Cruz said. "I want everyone to come and enjoy this experience with me, young and old. I'll prepare the dishes on that night's show, and it will create great memories."
Cruz said he's grateful he set his sights high, and advises other young people to do the same.
"Don't let anything stop you," Cruz said. "Set your goals as high as you can. You won't be able to achieve them tomorrow, but that's why you work on them. If you have a goal and fight for it, but are able to remember who you are, someday you'll achieve more than you ever thought possible."
(09/17/14 1:30pm)
Young people go to college for many reasons, but most go in hope of finding themselves.
Even after graduation, some are still unsure about their calling in this chaotic world.
Fortunately for me, I knew my reason for living at the age of 4.
When I was little, I was often asked the timeless question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Smiling brightly, I'd hoist a baby doll up in the air like Simba, and chirp, "A mommy!"
Whoever asked would nod and smile about how cute I was.
Now, just 17 years later, I can no longer give a similar answer and receive a positive response.
My dream is to be a homemaker, and when people hear this, they ask, "Then why did you even go to college?"
To that, my answer is simple: everyone needs a way to support themselves if ever need be. I needed to see, after getting a taste of the workplace, if I'd have the same domestic desires.
I needed to see if this dream of mine was something I'd grow out of.
Three and a half years later, I've given academics my all. I snagged an internship at the fifth largest paper in New York this summer and was on the front page eight times. My work was distributed to more than 120,000 readers daily, but even so, I never caught the career bug that everyone else seems to possess.
After all this time, my heart is still the same.
Like any senior, I am frequently posed with questions about my future after I walk across the stage Dec. 13.
It's easy to rattle off companies I could work for in my hometown of Albany, New York, but I can never give my real answer.
When asked, "What do you want to do with your life?" an answer like "be a mother" used to be adorable, but now it's considered weird, childish and even stupid.
I quickly learned to bite my tongue after people raised their eyebrows in judgment and asked what was wrong with me.
My response to that? Absolutely nothing.
I know what I want to do with my life, but I've been made to feel like my dreams are socially unacceptable.
That is so, so wrong.
When I was in high school, peers would ridicule me for my stay at home desire.
"Hopefully you won't be a disgrace to the female gender forever," they'd jeer, or, "Just wait until you get to college. You'll change."
In just a few months, I'll graduate with a degree in journalism, and I'm eager because I'd be content as a journalist.
I could have a successful career in the field, but even so, I know it's not my passion.
My passion is to be a dedicated wife, mother and caretaker to my loved ones - and that's OK.
All our lives, we're told to go for our dreams. We're told to "shoot for the moon because if you miss, you'll land among the stars."
But if we don't have a "normal" moon to shoot for, we're made to feel like there is something wrong with us.
To the men or women out there who feel their sole purpose is to take care of their family, know this: Being a homemaker is definitely something admirable to shoot for.
Sure, many can balance a high-powered career and a family, but I just don't want to juggle them.
I might be alone here, and that's fine with me. I just hope you won't judge others if you hear them say, "I want to stay home with my children."
It isn't lazy, and it isn't wasting your talents. If it's what you want to do, you should do it.
It's what I want more than anything, and after 21 years of thinking it over, there isn't a doubt in my mind.
After all, since when is what society says the best thing for everyone?
(09/16/14 6:00pm)
After last year's miracles in Jordan-Hare, it seems impossible the Auburn Tigers could play a better season.
But it's time for a new year, new members of the Auburn Family and a new team to make memories with.
It's time for football season, and though they go head to head on the field, it's a tradition many Southeastern schools share.
Stephen Reynolds, senior in political science, said his favorite Auburn tradition is gathering in Jordan-Hare.
"I couldn't wait to get back into the stadium where we experienced those miracle catches," Reynolds said. "The unpredictability of Auburn football is what makes it so great."
Game day in Auburn is special because Auburn fans have a sense of community when they gather to cheer their team on, Reynolds said.
"Thousands of people getting together for the same cause and supporting the same people is an amazing experience," Reynolds said. "You couldn't start the semester off on a better note."
Reynolds, a senior, cheered at his last first football game Saturday. Even so, he said it isn't something to grieve.
"I don't feel like I have much left on the table during my final year here," Reynolds said. "No matter what happens, I've already ended on a good note because of the great memories I've made in Jordan-Hare."
While fans enjoy tailgating, rolling Toomer's and other Auburn traditions, some feel the fellowship of Auburn fans is what sets the Tigers' game day apart from the rest.
"I love to see the city of Auburn busy with alumni, fans and other members of the Auburn Family excited about the game," said Chance Nowell, junior in apparel merchandising, design and production management.
Jordan Jemison, junior in apparel merchandising, design and production management, said the best part of game day wasn't the Auburn spirit itself, but what it does for the Tigers.
"It's seeing the underdog story played out time and time again, and realizing that anything is possible," Jemison said. "There's nothing like proving the predictions wrong, and showing what we're really made of. We did it once, and we can do it again."
Students were more than eager to return to Jordan-Hare on Saturday, but it was the determination of the alumni who watched from afar that made the Tigers roar.
Alumna Hannah Jimmerson, who graduated in May with a degree in physics, said while she couldn't attend the game in person, she was there in spirit.
"It hurts to not be at the game in person, but I was so excited to see my boys play," Jimmerson said. "It was great to return home to cheer my team on with my family. I wasn't with thousands of members of the Auburn Family, but I was with them just the same."
Jimmerson said she hopes to attend at least one home game this season, and witness the traditions in person.
"I can't wait to watch the eagle fly as we shout our battle cry," Jimmerson said. "I fell in love with Auburn because I knew it was where I was meant to start my career, and where I was meant to be. On game day and on any day, it's home."
(09/15/14 4:00pm)
Dozens of flags line the inside of the student center to represent students from around the globe, and now for the first time, Tiger Dining is representing them too.
Tiger Dining has introduced a new food truck, Ceci, which excited students across the cultural spectrum when it opened Monday.
The newest campus dining option features Middle Eastern cuisine with a menu that's "From the Near East to Far East," but that's not all that makes it distinctive.
The food truck introduced Halal meat to campus to accommodate Muslim students. It also does not serve beef, which makes it Hindu-friendly.
A Halal diet is a religious requirement for Muslims, and is comparable to Jews consuming Kosher foods, said Naved Siddiqui, fifth-year doctoral student in materials engineering.
"In the Halal belief, animals are bled to death during slaughter so the blood does not coagulate and contaminate the meat," Siddiqui said. "Like Jews, we also don't eat pork."
Ellexia Taylor, senior in interdisciplinary studies and president of the Muslim Students' Association, brought the need for Halal meat to Tiger Dining's attention.
"The Muslim students on campus didn't have access to Halal meat and, until now, only had the option of being vegetarian," Taylor said. "Auburn's Muslim population is steadily growing, and Ceci gives them the best options to stay healthy and well nourished."
Taylor presented the issue to Tiger Dining in the spring, and was impressed with how quickly the solution came about.
"It shows that Auburn University takes pride in ensuring that no group is left out," Taylor said.
Director of Campus Dining Glenn Loughridge said he made Ceci a priority throughout the summer.
"The Auburn Family is known for being 'All In,' so we wanted to be all inclusive," Loughridge said. "We want to serve all students regardless of how much or how little they make up Auburn's population."
Bill Sallustro, resident district manager for Chartwells, Auburn's food contractor, said he wants students to know that if there's a need for a particular food on campus, Chartwells and Auburn will work together to meet it.
"Ceci will not only appeal to Muslim students, but Hindu, Jewish and vegan students as well," Sallustro said. "It's exciting."
Ceci's menu features an array of Middle Eastern dishes including lamb, chicken, salads, desserts and other vegan options.
Entrees include hummus, grilled vegetable falafel, curried lentil patties, spice roasted chicken and lamb and mushroom kofta, a dish that Siddiqui grew up with in Saudi Arabia.
"I can't wait to feel at home," Siddiqui said.
Siddiqui said he's very excited to enjoy Ceci's food.
Loughridge said that the truck will help expose students to new food.
"It will open Auburn students to a different culture and diet, but it's not so far off that Alabama folks won't find something to enjoy there," Loughridge said. "Ceci is for everyone."
The food truck will first be located near the engineering buildings, but will move toward central campus as it gains popularity, Taylor said.
Siddiqui and Taylor said they are grateful to Tiger Dining for listening to their request.
"Offering this kind of meat is certainly not common, even in other parts of the U.S.," Siddiqui said. "Tiger Dining Services was so forthcoming, and serving such a small group on campus isn't a sustainable thing to do from an economic standpoint. The fact they did it anyway says a lot. I can't say thank you enough."
Loughridge said in the Auburn Family, everyone gets a seat at the dinner table.
"We need to be able to feed everybody, Loughridge said. "We were happy to take a step toward accomplishing that."
Loughridge advised students to check the Auburn App, or the dining services' Twitter @tigerdining where locations will be posted weekly.
(09/11/14 9:00pm)
Scalping is a gruesome act of war, but the slang term for reselling sports tickets can be equally gruesome to students' wallets.
On game day, dozens of students and fans adorn the outside of Jordan-Hare and are sprinkled throughout the streets of Auburn.
They hoist homemade cardboard signs in the air that read "Tickets" scrawled in permanent marker and shout, "I've got two together!" to draw ticketless fans to their offers.
Some fans scalp because plans change, but many sell to make a profit.
Auburn students expressed complaints over the inflated price of football tickets on the Unofficial Official Auburn Student Ticket Exchange Facebook page Aug. 23-24.
The angry posts sparked debate throughout the week.
"Stop inflating the price for those of us who aren't relying on mommy and daddy to get us through the semester," said Taylor Shelton, senior at Auburn.
Nick Melvin, senior in social science, had problems looking for an Arkansas ticket.
"We are the Auburn Family, and I'm not looking to put a down payment on a ticket," Melvin said. "Remember, this is a family, not a business."
Scalpers disagreed that they were trying to rip fellow students off.
Crystal Cafiero, junior in communication, has been selling her student football tickets for the past three years.
"I can't stand when people condemn me for selling my ticket and say, 'You must hate Auburn football,'" Cafiero said. "That's not true. I'm a huge Auburn fan, but sometimes making the money is more important than having a good time."
Cafiero said she doesn't buy tickets to make a profit like other students, but said she doesn't understand why people get upset about those who do.
"It's supply and demand, and it's common sense," Cafiero said. "If we shouldn't rip off the Auburn Family, why is it OK to rip off yourself? I'm a part of the Auburn Family too."
Kevin Koziol, junior in anthropology, has sold his football tickets in the past, but he's done it for more than a fair price.
"I gave my Georgia ticket to a friend last year for nothing," Koziol said. "I didn't know how amazing of a game it'd be, but in the end it didn't matter. She was my friend and she wanted to go, and I'm glad I could give her that opportunity."
Koziol said it's one thing to give a ticket away or sell it cheaply to a friend, but it's another to do that for a stranger.
"I don't sell my tickets most of the time, but when I do, I'm not going to sell it for less than it's worth," Koziol said. "You're giving someone the experience of an Auburn game, and no matter what, that's priceless."
Cassie Arner, associate athletics director for strategic communications, claimed while it sparks controversy, ticket scalping is inevitable.
Most know football tickets are sold by students' experience in school, which means season tickets for freshmen are limited, Arner explained.
"Most freshmen don't get a season ticket, which means there are hundreds of students without access to the games," Arner said. "The freshmen want to go most of all because it's their first season, so they'll always be willing to pay more than the $140, or roughly $20 per game, that you paid for."
Cafiero said when selecting a price for a ticket, she just looks at the student ticket exchange Facebook page to see what the going rate is.
"Contrary to what people believe, most of us don't inflate the price to make a huge profit," Cafiero said. "We see what others are selling for and choose our price based on that, and that's it. There's no scheme to get your money."
Ticket reselling prices are always a hot issue, but there's a bright side to all the scalping, Arner claimed.
"There are plenty of people students can sell to who would be more than excited to go to the game," Arner said. "We have a very passionate student fan base and we're grateful for that. We want the stadium to be full of Auburn students because you guys change the atmosphere in a great way."