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(04/06/14 4:45pm)
Allie Reid can remember the moment she became best friends with Shanae Heard.
"She said, 'Hey, do you want to go to Atlanta,'" Reid said. "I thought, 'Why not go on this trip and see what comes of it,' and wham-bam--we were best friends."
Reid said she was struck by Heard's independent spirit and wanted to help her, even though Heard's wheelchair wouldn't easily fit in the car.
"She took tires off because it would not fit in her car," Heard, Auburn resident and psychology major at Troy University, said. "We laugh about it now."
Heard's determination developed early and carried her through the challenges that came with her cerebral palsy diagnosis at age 3.
Part of her education included physical therapy during school.
"I felt like I was being singled out because I was always being pulled out of class," Heard said. "At that point, when I got in the school system, people thought, 'Oh, she'll just get a certificate. She won't really get a diploma,' and I wanted to prove people wrong."
Heard graduated from Auburn High School in 2007 and will graduate from Southern Union in May.
She has continued to challenge the odds and picked up CrossFit training in September.
"I just try to do things that most people wouldn't dream that most people with disabilities would do," Heard said.
Reid nominated Heard in the National Mobility Equipment Dealership Association Local Hero Contest in March. Winning contestants are awarded with a handicap accessible van in May.
"I'm taking for granted the fact that I can hop in my car and go wherever I want," Reid said.
Heard's friends and family have started a social media campaign to drum up votes for the contest. Auburn football players Philip Lutzenkirchen and Wes Byrum have supported the effort by voting and tweeting.
"What we see as a 30 second walk outside is a ten to 15-minute process for her," said Chris Horn, junior in psychology. "We really need to work together as a community to give her that opportunity because otherwise she might not get it."
Heard takes public transportation on the LRPT (Lee-Russell Public Transit) bus system, but said the bus is frequently late and bus drivers are not properly trained to secure wheelchairs. Also, according to Heard, public transportation is also expensive, at $15 for 10 round-trip rides or $2 per one-way ticket.
Ultimately, Heard's goal is to give back to Auburn.
"If I don't have transportation, it's kind of hard to get out in the community and volunteer," Heard said. "If I win the van, it will be a life-changer because I'll be able to help other people in the process. That's always been my life goal. At the end of the day, I just want to help someone else."
In addition to volunteering, Heard said she would be able to go to college on Troy's campus and get a job.
Heard's mother, Tonja Holmes, said finding transportation for her daughter has been difficult.
"You have to know that the Lord's not going to put you through no more than you can bear," Holmes said. "This would be a blessing. It would change her world."
Votes can be cast daily at http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/shanae-heard-auburn-al/ through May 9, and a voting tutorial can be found at https://www.facebook.com/VoteForShanaeHeard .
(04/04/14 6:30pm)
Instead of drawing self-portraits, today's teens pull out their cell phone, pout their lips and flaunt their most obnoxious peace sign before snapping a picture.
They laugh and shout selfie at the top of their lungs before snapping dozens more.
A selfie is Millennials' way of taking a picture of themselves and posting it online for the entire world to see.
However, Michael Fuhlhage, associate professor in Auburn's department of communication and journalism, said the phenomenon isn't limited to young people.
"Millennials are not the only ones who get in trouble with selfies," Fuhlhage said. "New York Congressman Chris Lee had to resign after his shirtless selfie surfaced. He'd sent it to a woman he ran across on Craigslist... He's married."
Often featuring pastimes such as bar hopping or revealing skin, selfies can cause trouble for those who take them.
"Our digital identities on the Web are starting to overshadow our physical identities," said Lori Andrews, author of "I Know Who You Are and Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy."
"We are creating digital profiles of ourselves that redefine us and could come back to haunt us," Andrews said.
While selfies have shown middle-aged adults such as Lee even personal pictures can easily become public, most problems come from teens and young adults about to enter the "real world."
"Once anybody, regardless of age, releases an image into the wild, it's almost impossible to control who uses it," Fuhlhage said.
Fuhlhage said the question of whether the behavior in the photo is appropriate should always be considered first.
A general rule of thumb is if you have to ask yourself "Is this appropriate?" before posting it, it probably isn't.
To drive this point home to millions of selfie-obsessed Millenials, Andrews put her advice in a relatable way for adolescents.
"Unlike Vegas, what happens on Facebook doesn't always stay on Facebook," Andrews warned.
Cell phones don't come with a warning label, and even with sound advice like this, many young people have made selfie mistakes without realizing it.
Kelsey Tucker, freshman in public relations, is already a successful fashion blogger. Though she's only been active for a year or two, her blog and Instagram, monogrammedprep, have more than 11,000 followers that enjoy her frequent fashion tutorials and, of course, selfies.
"I just did it [this blog] for fun," Tucker said. "I wasn't thinking, 'Oh, maybe I'll get a bunch of followers.' I was just bored. Followers just kept coming in."
As a thriving web presence, Tucker's pictures have already landed her a job as a fashion associate at Society South magazine.
"It's kind of cool, but it's frustrating sometimes because people will look at me and think, 'You're really stuck up. All you care about is fashion,' but that's just what I do," Tucker said. "I'm really down-to-earth, I love people and am a strong Christian, but people have this one-track mind about the person I am just based off my pictures."
Tucker learned this the painful way.
Though her fashion pictures have changed her professional life for the better, Tucker opened up regarding some revealing selfies that circulated around her high school and compromised her reputation.
"I was vulnerable," Tucker recalled. "My family had just moved to Huntsville, and my dad started having an affair. After he left, I sought out attention I wasn't getting from him."
Tucker is in college now, but the pictures have followed her and continued to haunt her for three years.
"I went through [sorority] rush, and I was dropped because the mistakes I made got out," Tucker said. "Even though I was a new person when I went through rush, people were still looking back on the mistakes I made three years ago."
"I've heard girls tell people not to be friends with me, and that's really difficult," Tucker said. "It's definitely been tough going around campus and having these girls know who I am--well, who I was--and give me looks like I'm still that person. But then I found my faith [in Jesus], and I completely changed."
While the beloved selfie has caused Tucker a lot of pain and hardship, she doesn't feel it should be avoided completely.
"I don't think the selfie is a negative thing itself," Tucker said. "Mine are for a professional reason, but someone who posts a good clean selfie every now and then is fine. After all, that's our generation, and is what it is. It just depends on what's in the picture because that's what sends the message."
(04/02/14 1:00pm)
Each spring, Auburn University art students are presented with the opportunity to be recognized and awarded for their artwork through the Student Juried Art Show, an annual event presented by Biggin Gallery and the College of Liberal Arts.
Cassidy Kulhanek, participant in this year's show and junior in art and German, said any art student can submit work that was made within the last year.
"The entire art faculty comes and acts as a jury to the items," Kulhanek said. "They go through and select the items, and whatever items get chosen ultimately end up in the show."
Kulhanek said she was honored to be part of this year's show with her piece "Henrik Ibsen and Family Matters," an image showing the traditional roles of a family represented in a dollhouse. She said being one of the artists chosen made her feel hopeful for her future work.
"It's a good opportunity for us to get our work out there and get acknowledged," Kulhanek said. "If you're a fine arts student and you get in the show, it becomes part of your resume. Whenever you're submitting work to galleries in the future, that's already one show that you've had work into. It's almost like having an extra job on your resume."
Selected artists also received awards for their work, which included cash prizes and scholarships for art supplies. Some of the awards presented were the Dean's Choice Purchase Award, the James E. Furr Award for Creative Excellence and the Department of Art Merit Award.
"The dean of Liberal Arts chooses a couple of pieces of artwork to be put into his office, and it's a cash prize of $1,000," said Jake Patrick, senior in art and winner of the Department of Art Merit Award. "Smaller merit awards are given from the department, and the [guest] juror picks three works, and those are cash prizes as well."
Guest juror Susannah Darrow, executive director and co-founder of burnaway.org, chose the winners of the Joyce and Roger Lethander Merit Award. Justin Cordova, senior in art, was one of the students to receive this award with his piece, "The Looking Well."
For his piece, Cordova used a screen print rope attached to a mirror to give the illusion of looking down into a well.
"I was just studying looking into perception and how we perceive reality versus how we virtualize reality in a way," Cordova said. "With (my) piece, it was an invitation for the viewer to perceive the world in a different manner."
All of the artwork and awards were displayed in an exhibit for the public to view in the Biggin Hall gallery from March 24 to April 4.
"I thought overall all the work was really great and deserving," Kulhanek said. "I know almost everyone that was in it personally, so I know how much work goes into these things. To see them all displayed together was neat because it's not a lot of [artwork] that you would normally see together."
(04/03/14 7:30pm)
As the weather gets warmer, apartment complexes open their pools, baggy sweaters are traded out for mini skirts, and the need to lose weight is looming over some student's heads. Diet pills and programs are an alternative some students are using. "Just through like, the media and magazines and celebrities that young women, even young men, get so obsessed with like, looking perfect that they'll do anything, including going to extreme measures such as taking diet pills to have the perfect image," said Patricia Perlitz, senior in nutrition dietetics. "Even more so in the South and where we are, there's this push to look a certain way and to be tiny and be little and cute, and I think people are willing to go to so many extreme measures." Perlitz said she has never felt the need to take diet pills, but after she heard a story of a high school girl who overdosed on diet pills and had a heart attack, she has been sure to steer clear of them. P. David Brackett, coordinator for clinical services at the Auburn University Pharmaceutical Care Center, said he suspects some students are using medications such as Adderall and Vyvanse to lose weight. Brackett also said the most dangerous types of pills are the ones that contain amphetamines. "They can cause tachycardia and other types of changes in heart rhythm," Brackett said. Brackett also said different types of diet pills can have different side effects. According to Brackett, Alli, a diet pill that can be bought over the counter, decreases the body's ability to absorb fat. "The primary side effects of that drug would be . . . gastrointestinal," Brackett said. "If you were to take that drug and then eat a high fat meal, you'd have things like diarrhea." Brackett said Alli is probably less effective and less dangerous than Adderall, but Adderall is more effective and more dangerous for weight-loss purposes. Kathryn Davis, senior in interior design, did a 24-day challenge using AdvoCare. According to Davis, the first ten days of the challenge are the cleanse phase, where participants take an herbal cleanse, omega plex, and energy drink mix called AdvoCare Spark. The next phase is called the max phase. Users take a variety of pills and meal replacement shakes. "I've never done well with pills, so my body did not like those, and I got really sick feeling off of them, and it was just too much," Davis said. "I couldn't finish the whole max phase because I just got way too sick off of them. I ended up starting taking halves of the pills, which helped a little bit." Davis said she believes the program is a healthier option compared to other diet pills because she could still eat regular healthy meals. She said she thought it would be more successful for people who are overweight and have the ability to lose more weight. "None of these ways that you take pills for weight loss are 100 percent safe or effective," Brackett said. "They all have their problems." Perlitz said she thinks making small changes in one's lifestyle and not just in one's diet could be more effective than taking a pill once or twice a day. Brackett said regardless of the diet pill, most still require the user to be cognizant of their diet and exercise habits. "Some of these [pills] may be effective for limited term, and they may be effective in combination, [but] many of them come with side effects and potential dangers and they all still require you to change your lifestyle," Brackett said. FACTS:
Diet pills can increase your risk for heart attack
Some diet pills contain amphetamines, anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants that can be addictive (http://www.myfooddiary.com/blog/7-dangers-of-diet-pills)
Diet pills work differently.
Some reduce fat absorption, others decrease appetite and some reduce the amount of glucose produced by the liver.
Diet pills, if abused, can cause chest pain, insomnia, headaches, blurred vision and tremors (http://www.addictionhope.com/diet-pills#Diet-Pill-Abuse-Statistics)
According to eatingforlife.org, 5 percent of college women and 2 percent of college men are taking diet pills to lose weight.
(04/02/14 2:15pm)
Auburn students signing up for healthcare this year have the option to choose Auburn's injury and sickness plan supported by UnitedHealthcare.
The plan has undergone major revisions in the past two years and will be updated in the coming years. In 2012, the plan was catastrophic and did not recognize preexisting conditions. Because of the Affordable Care Act, graduate, international and undergraduate students now have the opportunity to search for the best plan that fits their needs.
"You're required to have the insurance if you're an international student or a graduate student with an assistantship," said Sarah Razavi, UnitedHealthcare liaison. "You're automatically enrolled, but you can opt out if you have insurance that is equal to or better than what we offer."
According to Razavi, the UnitedHealthcare plan is optimal for unmarried students without children who are working as graduate teaching assistants.
"There are a lot of options for plans where the deductible is like, $6,000 or higher," said Razavi. "We don't want you to go and buy a plan like that. And honestly, you are doing yourself a disservice because the plan we offer is so much better if you have an assistantship. If you have a wife and three children, ours is not as good. You could probably find a much cheaper plan."
The deductible for UnitedHealthcare's plan is $200 for in-network, or preferred providers, and $500 for out-of-network providers. Preferred providers include East Alabama Medical Center and United HealthCare Choice Plus, according to the plan. Lists of preferred providers can be found on United HealthCare's website.
An individual plan is $884 for six months with a $250 subsidy, which means students will pay a total of $634 for their insurance for six months. The plan does not include vision or dental.
The bill may be paid online from the student's eBill and can be covered with surplus financial aid or scholarship money.
"There are a few little quirks, like if you are injured or ill in a way that's not an emergency, the primary care place is the Auburn University Medical Clinic," Razavi said. "So, if they're open then you have to go there. If they happen to be closed, there are other places."
If a student only ever visited the Auburn University Medical Clinic for doctor's appointments, the $200 in-network deductible would not apply and they would never have to pay a deductible, Razavi explained. However, if a student is 50 miles away or more, or if it's an emergency, they are not required to go to the Auburn University Medical Clinic.
The Auburn student insurance plan does not have an open-enrollment plan. As soon as a student turns 26, they may opt in for the insurance rather than wait for a specified period and risk being uninsured after coming off their parents' plan. Students may also terminate their plan at any time.
Dr. George Flowers, dean of Auburn's graduate school, was instrumental in developing the student healthcare plan.
"Certainly those of us that are involved in the student insurance are interested in feedback from the students both on the cost and the benefits that they receive on the plan," Flowers said.
He explained that one downside to the plan was the spike in the price of healthcare premiums, the amount paid, often on a monthly basis, for health insurance.
"The cost keeps increasing," Flowers said. "The premiums have gone up substantially since we started the program. We've tried to keep the coverage as consistent as possible, and with the escalation in the healthcare cost, it's gone up significantly. It's gone up from approximately $1,200 a year total cost to now about $1,800 a year."
According to Flowers, part of the premium cost increase last year was tied to concerns across the board of the health insurance industry over what would happen when the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was finally implemented.
Frank Sturm, president of the graduate student council and Ph. D student in mathematics, said it would be interesting to see which plans students would choose with the options provided by the new healthcare reform.
"Students have more competitive options with ObamaCare," Sturm said. "The premiums do continue to increase. It's going to be interesting to see if students decide to remain on the University's healthcare plan."
The graduate student council will be meeting to discuss contract options in the coming months to implement changes to the student healthcare plan, Sturm said.
"There are some other issues that are kind of hard to address, like making sure the UnitedHealthcare Network is large enough," Flowers said. "There are some doctors here that are not in the network and we have been working with UnitedHealthcare to try and expand their network and try to bring some of these doctors in."
Flowers and Sturm said they wanted students to be aware that the healthcare plan is open to critique with the aim of providing more effective coverage to a greater number of students.
Modifications to the plan have already been implemented, such as a $250,000 increase in maximum coverage per injury or sickness. Clauses in the plan have been removed, including the condition that beneficiaries may only see one doctor per day.
"We're doing our best, but feedback from the students helps us identify problems with the system that hopefully we can correct at some point," Flowers said.
(03/29/14 9:30pm)
Highlights from Auburn's Apparel Merchandising and Design Association's 4th annual fashion show and design gallery event.
(03/28/14 6:30pm)
The 13-year-old flicked on his grandmother's gas stove. He held a piece of a straightened wire clothes hanger over the flame. He waited with an ice pack on his bicep until the piece of metal glowed red.
Then, he touched the hot wire to his skin, branding his arm with his initials, a peace sign and a heart.
"I thought it was awesome," said Mark Horton, tattoo artist at Shenanigan's. "And you know, when you're in junior high school on the way to high school--all that peer pressure--trend-setters are, like, the 'shiznit.'"
Horton said he was involved in an after-school outreach project with Auburn University's chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha when he saw fraternity letters branded on a brother's arm and decided to try branding himself.
"It could've been bad," Horton said laughing. "Yeah, that's one of the stupidest things I ever did."
Fraternity branding is a trend received with mixed emotions.
For brothers who participate in branding, it is an honor to have the Greek letters permanently emblazoned on their bodies, but the decision is left up to fraternity members whether they receive a brand or not.
"As a kid, growing up, my father always had them on his body and I'd touch them and I always wanted to get one myself," said Cameron Gray, 2013 Auburn graduate and Omega Psi Phi brother. "After I joined the same fraternity he was in, I was granted the opportunity to get one. I did it. There was no question about what I wanted and where I wanted to get it."
Gray sports three brands, all representing his fraternity.
Branding is a choice for any brother after initiation and shouldn't be considered hazing, according to Gray. He explained he was one of few fraternity brothers to receive the brand.
"I'm very proud of my letters and have a lifelong bond with my brothers and my fraternity," Gray said. "It's like a coat of arms that I can forever wear on my body."
Gray compared scarification, the technical term for branding, to self-inflicted wounds performed by African tribes.
"It's almost like a shift back to Africa where people would scar themselves to show their manhood and, in that kind of sense, it's kind of in the same realm," said Gray. "Branding and tattoos and all of that stuff is just like expressing yourself through body art and body modification."
Devante Brown, junior in mechanical engineering, president of Auburn's National Pan-Hellenic Council and member of Auburn's chapter of Omega Psi Phi, said branding isn't directly connected to fraternity functions nor is it a practice that prevents a fraternity brother from moving up in rank.
"I actually don't have brands myself, and I'm still an Omega," Brown said. "It's just a way of expressing yourself. It's the same exact principle as getting a tattoo."
Branding has been common among fraternities for decades, but the growth of fraternities like Omega Psi Phi has brought the practice of branding into the public eye, according to Brown.
Jeremy Wiley, senior in chemical engineering and president of the Omicron Kappa Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, said branding has become rarer in his fraternity since Horton's experience in the early '90s.
"It's up to the member's discretion to do it, but we don't really do branding at all," Wiley said. "It's not recommended, nor is it discouraged. If you want to get one, you can get one, but it's not forced upon you."
Wiley said branding was popular among Omega Psi Phi brothers.
"A lot of their members usually get brands," said Wiley. "But for my fraternity, it's not common at all."
Branding among fraternities is not limited to Auburn University.
Curtis Harris, 2005 graduate of Stillman College in Tuscaloosa also received a brand on each arm from his Phi Beta Sigma brothers.
"Don't ever let anybody tell you it's required," Harris said. "You don't have to get it."
Harris said a fraternity brand unites the initiated members and is representative of what they've experienced as a group.
"It means something to you," Harris said. "It's a special moment and a special time in your life. You really earned it. You don't have to get it, but they look at is as a symbol of loyalty, [like,] 'He's in it for life, and he'll represent our fraternity with honor for life.'"
Other fraternities on Auburn's campus discourage branding.
"A brand just seems crude and not tasteful to me," said Collin Carnahan, fifth-year senior in professional flight management and a member of Delta Tau Delta. "I'd don't think I'd let a pledge get a brand or a tattoo because, as a freshman, I didn't know what fraternity I wanted to commit to or drop. Even now, I wouldn't get one."
Voodoo Neetle is one of a few Auburn tattoo shops that brands professionally.
"It's like a controlled third degree burn," said tattoo artist and branding specialist, Henry Key. "It's pretty gnarly when it comes out."
Key said he uses a cauterizing tool to seal the skin and create a scarring effect.
"I've done a couple fraternity brands," Key said. "It's still the same, but they usually do it in chapter, and they do strike branding instead of cauterizing."
A shaped coat hanger heated over a stove or an open flame only reaches 700-800 degrees, which causes large keloid scaring, Key explained.
"It's not hot enough to cook the skin thoroughly," Key said. "That's when you get the big, bubbled up brands."
During professional scarification, there is little risk for infection, according to Key.
"It burns and kills the bacteria when it touches. It completely seals the wound immediately," said Key. "No more danger than just extreme pain."
(03/28/14 7:45pm)
A typical college student's concerns mostly involve having to juggle schoolwork, finances and a social life. For most, it's difficult to imagine what life would be like if a small child was added to the mix.
According to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, in the United States, about 25 percent of college students pursuing higher education have dependent children.
Among these students is Kendal Brooks, sophomore in education, who sees providing for her 2-year-old daughter as motivation for striving toward her degree.
Brooks said while most people take one day at a time, she seems to take each minute at a time.
"It's definitely a full-time job that I'm trying to complete," Brooks said. "It's more than that actually; it's meant for two people. I'm trying my best to make it possible with one."
Times can be tough, as most of her days are filled with working and going to school full-time while meeting the needs of Lilah, her daughter.
Despite her demanding schedule and feeling as though she is missing out on a normal college experience, she prays for strength everyday and sees it all as a learning experience.
"I really appreciate what she does," said Brooks' boyfriend, Tyler Kelly, junior in pre-journalism. "I just try to help out by watching Lilah when I can and try to give Kendal a break."
The need for more time and money can't be expressed enough by the majority of college students.
It goes without saying that single parents who are attending school have to work even harder to manage these, as well as a multitude of other challenges, while caring for a child at the same time.
However, students such as Brooks prove the task isn't impossible, and experts say these students may even be ahead of their peers in some aspects.
"Students who are raising children typically improve their time management and learn to be more well-organized," said Jamie Sailors, Ph. D., director of internships in human development and family studies. "There is much less free time when taking care of a child. The limited time to get things done, such as study, is usually not wasted."
Childcare, baby clothes and baby food are all added expenses for students taking care of small children.
Not to mention, there are no breaks of being a parent.
For students who are single parents, the use of financial aid, coordinating a functional day-to-day schedule and having a caring support system are all factors that can help contribute to earning a degree.
It's not an easy role to take on being both a single parent and a student, but there are those who manage to do it everyday.
"I had to make a choice at a very young age to grow up and take care of another human being," Brooks said. "You are no longer the only one in your life that is depending on you. You give up everything you have for them. It's not something that I've done easily. I've made mistakes, but every day I'm given a chance to show the world that I may have been a statistic when I was 18 and pregnant, but watch me beat it."
(03/30/14 3:30pm)
I'm an adventurous chef, but I like to stick to a recipe. I'm not great at just throwing things together from memory or imagination. That's why I love Pinterest. I spend the majority of my free time browsing the "Food and Drinks" category for anything that catches my eye, whether it's homemade sushi, frozen Greek yogurt or a variety of desserts that utilize the phenomenon that is dark chocolate. However, I recently found a recipe that blew my taste buds out of the water. Its name intimidated me at first, but I decided to brave the task and try it out for my boyfriend's birthday dinner. This Cajun Conecuh Sausage, shrimp and quinoa casserole was dynamite and easy to make, and I can't wait to make it again. I got it from a blog called This Gal Cooks, and the original recipe doesn't call for Conecuh sausage, but, hey, what's a Cajun meal without Conecuh sausage? Plus, it's one of my boyfriend's favorite foods, and it transformed the flavors of this dish. Anyone with an appreciation for Cajun cuisine and healthy-spins on meals will love this recipe as much as I do. Also, if you're not fan of quinoa, you can sub the quinoa with brown rice. Nutritional content: Calorie content for 4 large (approximately 1.5 C) servings is around 410 calories per serving. For 6 (approximately 1 C) small servings, the calorie count is about 270 calories per serving.
Ingredients:
(03/28/14 1:30pm)
"Venus in Fur" is a bold choice for a student director. The play wrestles with the complex power struggle between the sexes. It challenges the audience with sadomasochistic themes and strong language.
"It's a sexy, scary, thrilling game of cat and mouse, where you never know who's calling the shots," said Keary Watts, director and senior in history.
In the 90-minute, two-person play, Thomas is in the process of casting a show based on the novel "Venus in Furs" by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch when he meets Vanda, an unforgettable beauty who is gunning for the lead role. Vanda defies Thomas's intellectual pride and physical boundaries while vying for her dream role.
Watts, a member of Auburn's Mosaic Theatre Company, has also directed productions of Suzan-Lori Parks's "F***ing A-" and Marie Jones's "Stones in his Pockets." He said he wants audiences to focus on the message of the "Venus in Fur" rather than the S&M implications.
"I want people to think about their apathy," Watts said. "People tend to be mired in their apathy. [The play] forces you to confront what you find funny, or what you find sexy or kinky, or what turns you on and it really makes you confront how you treat other people as well."
Theater faculty advisers supported Watts's choice in material, despite its complicated subject. Watts said rehearsal began with research and cast discussions on how imagery is used in the media to portray power.
The actors cast as Thomas and Vanda spent two months preparing for their roles.
"We did a lot of personal work with each other before we could really delve into more than that," said Chelsea Allen, senior in business management and theatre, who plays Vanda. "I don't think two strangers could do this play."
Allen and her co-star Michael Sanders, freshman in theatre, said they were able to define their characters in the midst of the suggestive content throughout the play.
"I'm more willing to kind of listen, where Thomas is very aware that he is a very smart person and that can be a dangerous thing," Sanders said.
"Vanda stands up for women in a way," said Allen. "She does all these things to make him realize and to change him from this chauvinistic guy."
Allen explained that the discomfort some audience members may feel was an important feature to the performance.
"I think it's important for them to feel uncomfortable at some points," Allen said. "I want them to find the comedic aspects in it but also the serious aspects. I feel like they need that so they can grow just like Thomas does."
(03/26/14 1:00pm)
The club formerly known as the Super Smash Brothers Club has reinvented itself into the more inclusive Button Mashers Anonymous. The video-game club meets every Friday from 6-11 p.m.in the Student Center game room to show off expertise and hone new moves on console, online and handheld video games.
"Last year, we decided to no longer just focus on Super Smash Brothers and try to expand into other games," said Button Mashers President Ben Stewart, senior in business administration. "That way we don't get bored of Smash all the time and just do other stuff and get more people in the club."
Button Mashers meetings begin with hanging out over Chick-fil-a and Papa John's. Brief announcements are made and then the real fun begins.
Gamers grab their controllers for multiplayer or solo action. Laptops flip open for online gaming. The game room becomes a pool of tip-swapping and game-based socialization.
"It's literally couch-gaming the way it used to be," said Button Mashers Treasurer Jay Whaley, sophomore in software engineering. "It's not the online stuff where you're in your house all alone on a headset. You're actually beside somebody playing games, the way it used to be."
Members are encouraged to bring their own consoles and games to meetings. Fans of classic Nintendo games such as Mario Kart, Pokemon and The Legend of Zelda, as well as popular online RPGs such as League of Legends and Dark Souls, have flocked to join the club.
"If you play video games, come," Whaley said. "You will make friends."
Lauren Moore, freshman in professional flight management, hopes Button Mashers' expansion will encourage more female gamers to join in.
"It's really fun to play games you've never played before," Moore said. "I know a lot of people on campus play games, but I don't think they know club is happening or maybe they'd come by here, but if they were to know this club was happening, maybe they'd come by here there'd be more females."
Moore is one of the Button Mashers competing Saturday in AUSOM 10: The Banishment of Ganondorf. The gaming tournament has been presented every semester for the past five years by the video-game aficionados of Auburn University.
This semester, gamers from across the southeast will contend in a variety of multiplayer games including Super Smash Brothers: Melee, Brawl and the popular fan-made hack, Super Smash Brothers: Project M.
"[Project M] is basically taking Brawl and making it more like Melee, taking the cast of Brawl but a lot of the little nuances of the game have been changed," said Whaley. "It's more technical."
Intra-club tournaments have helped prepare the Button Mashers for the upcoming AUSOM 10.
Other main events at AUSOM 10 are Pokemon X and Y, Street Fighter IV, and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom. The competition begins at 10 a.m. and is open to nonstudents as well as students. There is a $10 fee per event. Inquiries about AUSOM 10 and Button Mashers Anonymous may be directed to Ben Stewart at bes0012@tigermail.auburn.edu.
(03/26/14 4:45pm)
Auburn University's annual fashion event, Soiree, will be making a fashion statement on Thursday, March 27, at the Auburn Arena. The show is a product of the Department of Consumer and Design Sciences, Apparel Merchandising and Design Association and the students in the fashion show management course.
The show will have a gallery and a runway portion.
"[The gallery] is basically a gallery that displays experimental designs, which [are] designs that aren't supposed to be worn," said Alexandra Gilreath, junior in apparel merchandising and co-coordinator of the fashion show. "They're just more of like, an art piece, and they are made out of unconventional materials. Then there will be merchandising and design portfolios that will be displayed around the gallery."
According to Gilreath, the runway portion will be split into four different sections. They will include pieces from an alumni designer with Southern Fashion House, designs from a Korean university Auburn has partnered with, Auburn student designs and designs from International Textile and Apparel Association.
Katherine Knell, sophomore in apparel merchandising and budget committee chair, said there's a benefit to having a wide variety of designs.
"We have current students, we have students that have graduated and made a name for themselves and are showing some of their works in the show, as well as international students [. . .] kind of just drawing on creativity from all different angles," Knell said.
The show will also feature videos explaining the purpose of the show and introducing some of the designers.
Chance Nowell, junior in apparel design and marketing chair and media co-chair for the fashion show, helped with the videos.
"There's going to be some designer spotlight videos which will just talk about what it means to designers to have to be able to show their garments on the runway and how they've grown as a group together [. . .] under the pressures of our program," Nowell said.
The Korean students will also have a video shown, as will Southern Fashion House, explaining their brand.
The Korean students will not be present at the show with their garments, but Auburn students will soon have a chance to send their pieces to Korea to be featured in the fashion show at the university in Korea.
Nowell said while most fashion shows have six to 12 months to be planned, they have been able to plan this fashion show in approximately two and a half months.
"The show is, of course, for entertainment for people who don't know what we do," Nowell said. "The biggest thing that we do is try to show off the things that we've created throughout the year [. . .] we do a lot of hard work that people don't see and this show is really a chance for people to see how much hard work and dedication we do put into our craft."
Some of the proceeds from the show will go to an AMDA Peer Giving Scholarship that is presented to multiple students of the faculty's choice, Nowell said.
The gallery will open at 6 p.m., and the runway show starts at 7:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $15, and premier seating is $50, which includes VIP seating in the front row. To purchase tickets go online at www.humsci.auburn.edu/fashion.
(03/21/14 6:15pm)
It can be hard to keep up with a social life in addition to trying to work a job or do well in school. Some people might not want to have to take the time to search for their favorite bands or interesting things to do in the area.
It can be nice to switch it up every once in a while and try something new. eventseeker can be the app to use to help you find events or activities in your surrounding area that may not always be advertised or easy to find in other places.
eventseeker, available on Android, iOS and Windows 8, is an event planner you can keep with you at all times.
The app uses different social network outlets to recommend events based on your location, interests and mutual interests of your friends.
When you first open the app, it asks you to link the app to your device library, Twitter, Spotify, Pandora, Facebook and other social media platforms.
The app uses this information to recommend events or places it thinks you would enjoy.
The discover page begins with five general recommendations for your area.
You can check the discover page at the beginning of the week and see what the app recommends, including a variety of events from sports, music, festivals or theater that it thinks are the best picks of the week.
If you want to see more options in a certain category, you have a range of options, such as concerts, theater, sports, festivals, nightlife, arts and museums, family, educational, community, business and tech, tours and dance.
It will show you a variety of options from speakers that are coming up, or a rodeo that may be coming to town.
You can keep track of groups you follow and find out the location, time, price and where to buy the tickets all in one place.
Some artists have a description of the event or band.
Under an artist news category, you can scroll through articles, pictures and posts from different artists you like.
It can be a way to stay updated on things you would normally "like" on Facebook, but without the clutter of anything else besides those artists.
You can invite your friends to join eventseeker.
This allows you to coordinate different events to go to together, and expand the array of events you can hear about.
If you want to look up a city you are not currently in, you can change your location and plan to go to events ahead of time in a place you may be visiting in the future.
Under the logo, the app is described, "eventseeker makes artist and event discovery easy and social. We give you the tools you need so you'll never miss an event again."
It is easy to discover new artists by the personalized recommendations the app gives you based on what you like and what you listen to.
eventseeker is the type of app that could be used on a daily basis, or just whenever you go to a new city, but it can be useful in a variety of different situations.
(03/23/14 2:15pm)
Chloe Covin clearly remembers the moments after she woke up from her brain surgery.
"It was a 9-hour procedure, and, as soon as the anesthesia wore off, I woke up and was trying to sit up," Chloe said. "I kept trying to get up and tell them I had to go to the bathroom. They had to put restraints on me because I was trying to get out of the bed."
At 10 years old, Chloe was diagnosed with a golf ball-sized tumor located in her frontal lobe, right next to her brain stem. The malignant tumor was successfully removed, but 12 years later she was still suffering from its after effects.
"A few years ago, I started having extreme migraines and occasionally had seizures," Chloe said. "When I went to the doctor for that, they put me on muscle relaxers and anti-convulsants, which I took every day for about a month. I became such a zombie and (was) so miserable."
The medication Chloe took for her seizure compromised overwhelming parts of her life. She couldn't drive. She couldn't even be alone with the children she was hired to nanny.
"I think [the seizures] were the last straw for her to go try something completely new and different," said Becca Covin, Chloe's older sister.
To Chloe, something new and different meant enrolling in a raw food nutrition school--a 10-day intensive course that would teach her the ins and outs of healthy living. But the education wasn't just about learning better eating habits. It was designed to heal. Part of that process was ridding the body of everything it didn't need.
"I detoxed like crazy for like the first five days I was there," Chloe said. "I was very addicted to caffeine. It was like coming off hardcore drugs. I felt crappy. That's the best way I can describe it. I just felt like crap all over for like the first five days, and then, on day six, I woke up, and I was glowing. Best I ever felt."
The release Chloe experienced, however, was not purely a physical process.
"It's almost more emotional than it is physical," Chloe said. "There were a lot of things I had to let go of. For instance, being frustrated with the doctor who put me on medicine that didn't make me feel good and being told that the brain tumor that I had was malignant and then it wasn't, and just how tough it was to be in fifth grade and not have hair."
Before undergoing her dietary transformation, Chloe had begun using only all natural methods to treat her seizures and migraines. After attending the raw food school, she revised the way she ate and how she viewed health completely. After making these transitions, Chloe's symptoms have nearly disappeared.
"I've seen a drastic change in her [health,]" Becca said. "Her seizures that she was having were the last straw to get her to go to [the raw foods] school. She changed her diet completely and changed all her habits. I don't think that I have heard of her being sick or any of the things that she used to deal with since then."
One of the all-natural treatments she used to treat herself was a homemade combination of herbs and bath salts.
After experiencing some success packaging and selling all-natural dog treats, Chloe realized she could do the same with her bath salt treatment. Her line of products has grown from there, encompassing chapsticks, lotions, body scrubs and more that she creates with usually no more than six ingredients.
"She kind of uses me and my roommate as testers of things," said Megan Crowe, a friend of Chloe's. "We'll tell her what we really want out of products, and she'll just make it the next day."
However, Chloe's products only form part of a grander plan she wants to pursue. While the raw foods school she attended taught her about healthy living, it came at a hefty price. The high enrollment fee allowed her to realize the information could be distributed to those in need at a lower cost.
Because of this, Chloe hopes to start a website where she can distribute information about different healthy living topics, such as super foods and toxicity issues.
"My greatest desire is to spread information and empower people to decide what they want to do and just let people know there are other options [than traditional drugs,]" Chloe said. "I'd love to be able to travel and speak and give classes or just whatever it may be, but I just see these products as a launching pad for that."
Chloe's products will be on sale Monday, March 24, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Mama's Market in the Mama Mocha location of The Hound. The market will also feature other local vendors.
(03/22/14 4:45pm)
In Bytha Faye Allen Bein's apartment at Morningside Assisted Living, you will find a crowd of birdhouses atop the refrigerator, a herd of elephant figurines stampeding across a table, photographs fanned out on the coffee table and shelves of cookbooks.
A small oval portrait of her parents hangs next to her bed.
"If any man ever did have his head on straight, it was my father," Bein said.
Bein, 87, grew up in Apache, Okla., in the midst of the Dust Bowl.
"I knew there was a lot of dust," Bein said laughing. "I didn't know that's what it was at the time I was living there, but I've since learned that it's called the Dust Bowl."
While much of the country was suffering through the Great Depression and Okies were fleeing their barren state, the Allens were successfully making ends meet. Bein's father, a teacher and principal, handled the family's finances and her mother tended a garden.
Bein ran her hands over a quilt at the end of her bed. Her fingers traced the yellow thread, spelling out "Florence." She explained that her mother stitched the bright autumn trees and sewed the names of Bein's 17 aunts into the trunks.
Bein said she inherited a yen for cooking from her mother. The cookbooks in her kitchen were prizes for winning cooking competitions in Brookhaven, Miss.
A Bible propped open on an ornate bookstand belonged to her husband, Theodore Joseph Bein.
"Many folks said it would never last because we were so totally different and from two different worlds," Bein said. "But I believed in the very depths of my heart that you take these vows before God: ''Til death do us part.'"
Bein met Ted while both were freshmen at the University of Oklahoma.
Being said she was a country girl from Oklahoma raised as a Baptist and Ted Bein was a city boy from New Orleans raised in Reformed Judaism.The couple surmounted their differences and began traveling the country for Ted's military career after World War II.
A framed American flag above the kitchen cabinets is a reminder of Bein's employment in the Air Force as a secretary, but she said her most important job was as a mother to three sons.
"Those children took first place in my life, I have to admit," Bein said. "Well, I did a good job of it. They're three fine men now."
After Ted's death in 2009, Bein moved into Morningside. She said the staff is attentive and compassionate.
The staff, in turn, said they have enjoyed Bein's personable presence at the assisted living facility.
"She's so sweet, and she loves to talk about her past," said Ryan McFerrin, interim director of Morningside.
Leighanne Temple, marketing director of Morningside, said Bein loves meeting newcomers and loves to be involved.
"She's a joy," Temple said. "I wish I had 40 more just like her."
(03/20/14 6:00pm)
Students added international members to the Auburn family this spring break with service trips through Alternative Student Breaks. Two locations the group visited were Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
Approximately a week before the trip, Rohith Vadlamudi, senior in biomedical sciences; Patty Maxham, junior in special education; and Nic Ellison, senior in biomedical science, described what the groups would be doing during their trips.
According to Vadlamudi, the Costa Rica group went to San Jose and La Fortuna, Costa Rica, where they worked at an orphanage the group has also worked with in previous years. The orphanage houses approximately 25 children up to the age of 11.
"We're starting off our trip at an orphanage in La Fortuna, and we'll be spending the first three days there doing renovation projects, playing with the kids, [and] fixing up the place," Maxham said. "Then we'll be traveling to the capital, San Jose, and we'll be aiding a Nicaraguan refugee center. We'll be doing construction, painting, fixing up whatever they need done, as well as working in an after school program for the kids there."
The group had 11 students going, and they stayed in hotels. Vadlamudi said in the future, they would like to stay with a family that could house them in one location.
Maxham said they would also have a guide to help translate. Maxham said she was most excited about going to the orphanage.
"That's what really hit home for me last year on the trip - getting to see all the kids and interacting with them and just seeing their pure joy regardless of their circumstances," Maxham said.
A second group of 15 students went to to San Cristoval, Dominican Republic. Vadlamudi said they would be staying with a host family they know closely from previous years.
"[The students] will be going to some of the poorest parts in the entire world really," Vadlamudi said. "They'll fly into Santa Domingo. [Then] they'll immediately drive out to this tiny little town - run down, so poor - it's called San Cristoval."
Vadlamudi said this group would be working with orphanages, housing and on a small project.
"The best part definitely (is) it gets people out of their comfort zone," Ellison said. "You meet people and experience cultures that you're not accustomed to."
Vadlamudi said when the students have free time on their trips, they play games and do activities that help them get to know each other better.
"We intend ASB to be a wholly immersive type of alternative break," Vadlamudi said. "Service is such a big part of it, but it's also about teamwork. It's about building relationships with other people."
(03/21/14 1:15pm)
Step into the actors' dressing room in the Telfair Peet Theatre on a Monday morning and you'll find blood, gore and latex--just some of the tools used by costume designer Tracy Oleinick's advanced stage makeup class.
Oleinick said since the success of competition shows such as FX's "Face Off" and gnarly dramas like "CSI," interest in working in makeup has grown.
"Several students have been able to go on to Hollywood and have been able to audition with other makeup artists and get to be either into the advanced makeup schools or in with effects artists because there's a lot of [gore] in 'CSI'--they have that need for accident victims and body parts," Oleinick said. "That's really big right now--and zombies."
Oleinick pointed out that Atlanta--the location on AMC's "The Walking Dead"--is a nearby market for talent in makeup arts.
As part of the advanced stage makeup class, students learn how transform themselves into zombies using latex molds for gruesome wounds and rotting flesh.
"We start with sculpting masks," Oleinick said. "A lot of kids have never had a chance to take an advanced art class where they even got to sculpt in clay...Then we begin casting their own faces. The plaster cast of your face is a wonderful surface to sculpt on so everything fits exactly."
After the face cast has been set, more clay is sculpted on top to exaggerate features, such as a nose or chin. Oleinick explained that the new mold is next cast in plaster, then in latex fortified with cheesecloth. The latex nose can be removed and fit perfectly to the wearer.
"All of that blood and gore and guts stuff is very popular right now, so it's gotten a lot of people through the door," Oleinick said. "They have the skills, now they just need to meet the people that will give them the job. It's very marketable right now."
After graduation, a student interested in pursuing a makeup career may go to graduate school or enter the job market in theater or film, according to Oleinick.
"You have to have a cosmetology license to work on movie sets," said Alison Hora, junior in theater. "It's going to allow me to be head of hair and wig department. Very soon, I'll be going to cosmetology school because that license is really going to push me forward and give me that extra experience and just open up a whole new spectrum of opportunities for me."
Hora, who took advanced stage makeup as a freshman, has lent her talents to Auburn theater productions, including "9 to 5: The Musical." She said her desire to work in makeup started when she was a child.
"I would spend hours in my room doing the craziest makeup on my face that I could possibly do and my hair and take pictures of myself acting like a diva," Hora said.
Meghan McCarthy, senior in theater, said she enjoys the practical approach of Oleinick's course.
"I feel like I'm actually learning skills that I want to use outside of class," McCarthy said.
The course is open to all majors and artistic expertise is not a requirement.
"I'd recommend it to anyone, even if they're not theater majors," McCarthy said. "Mrs. Tracy teaches you step by step how to do the different techniques."
Oleinick pointed out that with technological advances, the world of makeup artists is more accessible than ever before, whether or not someone is naturally artistic.
Advanced stage makeup students work actively behind the scenes of Auburn University theater productions by applying old-age makeup, mustaches or more grotesque scars and wounds.
McCarthy and her peers also work to educate actors in applying their own makeup--a valuable skill for a newly graduated acting student, according to Oleinick.
For both actors and makeup artists, the world of theater and film is always about collaboration, Hora said.
"Everyone respects each other and we all work together to make everyone else look good," Hora said.
Whether they're creating zombies or ingenues, the makeup crew's job is to bring the audience into the fantasy.
"Most people don't stay and watch the credits," Oleinick said. "There are about 10 actors, and then there's a list of 100 people. Behind the scenes--that's where the jobs are."
(03/17/14 7:09pm)
Today, the majority of our social interaction happens online through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs and even online dating websites.
So, why should shopping be any exception? In a time where we seclude ourselves with our smartphones and computer screens, online shopping is a rising trend.
Clothing and fashion stores around Auburn aren't naive to this modern shopping style. Many shops in the downtown area direct most of their consumers' attention to their respective websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds and Instagram accounts.
And even though most of these stores and boutiques are in walking distance of campus, students and Auburn residents still choose to shop from the comfort of their own homes.
Gwen Baer, senior in public relations and marketing and public relations intern at Ellie clothing boutique, said Ellie customers choose to shop online because of the personable relationship she and her coworkers have instituted through their store's Internet persona.
Since the store's re-launching of its website last fall, Baer said they have added their own personal touch to their customers' online shopping experience.
"When we ship out clothes on the website, we include a personal handwritten note and wrap it (ourselves)," Baer said. "The whole point about it being Ellie is that we're all friends, and we want to treat people that way, on the website like we do in the store."
Almost all of the smaller boutiques around the main campus, including Therapy and Private Gallery, have various social media accounts to try to build a similarly personal relationship with their followers like they do with their in-store customers.
Although it stems from a larger, worldwide company, the Gap store is no exception from this style of business.
Dee Darden, assistant store manager at Gap, said most people come into this store to shop, but that she and her coworkers encourage people to visit their Facebook page and Twitter feed.
"We try to post our daily deals so that people know what's going on in the store from wherever they are," Darden said. "We use social media mostly to get those [in-store deals and promotions] out to the public."
Others stores, such as Behind the Glass, don't have a website, but that doesn't keep people from shopping their wide selection of clothing and accessories in the store.
We live in an age where social media is a key tool for communication. We follow, share, re-tweet, favorite, like, poke and direct message, and the stores around downtown Auburn are jumping on the bandwagon.
With strong, personal online interactions that mirror their equally personal in-store experience, it's no surprise that online shopping is on the rise on the Plains.
(03/17/14 6:51pm)
Three of Auburn’s most fashion-savvy gentlemen shared their distinct style, tips and tricks with The Plainsman.1. Find Your Signature Style:“Your clothes define you at first glance,” said Alex Lazzari, senior in fine arts. Lazzari has gauges and an inclination toward laid-back, West Coast fashion.“I get called hipster and artsy a lot because I’m hip and I understand what’s modern, trending and fashionable because I’m an artist,” Lazzari said.An internship with Alexander Wang in New York City honed fashion design grad Telvin Florence’s cosmopolitan punk look. “It’s so deeply ingrained in people to conform,” Florence, who is unabashed about his love for the color black and clean lines in design, said.2. Fit is Everything:Charlie Scott, senior industrial design, has learned that fit is crucial. He said he buys most of his wardrobe online at Gap and Urban Outfitters for his 6’5” frame. “I went through some awkward periods in high school,” Scott said. “I guess that’s pretty typical.”Scott navigated the world of style and discovered a love for modern European fashion: tailored jackets and slim-fitting pants.For Lazzari, a slimmer cut is all about showing off the human form and is another way of revealing who you are. He suggested choosing pieces that fit closer to the body and aren’t so baggy and loose.3. Footwear for Dummies:It’s all about boots, guys. Florence, Lazzari and Scott gravitate toward boots of every variety. Whether they are Timberlands, moto boots or dressier lace-up boots, this acceptable trend takes a pair of jeans to the next level. Find the right pair, and you have comfort and quality for years.4. Find Your Style Icons:“Use James Dean as a template,” Florence said. Noting Dean’s effortless cool factor, Florence suggested implementing black jeans or a leather jacket. Other influences for Florence include Lenny Kravitz, Kurt Cobain and Pharrell Williams.Lazzari said he uses Instagram to follow models Luke Ditella and Joel Alexander, both of whom sport beards and piercings.Observing menswear on a trip to France inspired Scott to keep up with fashion and urban design.5. Budget-Friendly Shopping:Smart shopping is a must on a college budget.For Florence, this means shopping online at reasonably-priced retailers, such as Zara, Oak, ASOS and H&M. Lazzari’s closet is comprised of thrift store finds plus outfits from Target, TJ-Maxx and Ross.Scott’s philosophy is all about quality over quantity.“My take on it is [that] I’m going to buy selective things, and they may cost a little extra, but I’ll be happy with them, and I’ll feel confident in myself, but I may not have as many clothes,” Scott said. 6. Staple Pieces Every Guy Should Own:Levi’s are huge right now, according to Scott and Lazzari. Scott’s said his favorite jeans are Levi’s 511 or 510. Florence is a motorcycle jacket advocate, while Scott leans more toward a classic pea coat. Lazzari said some of his favorite pieces are flannel shirts and solid t-shirts.7. Remember: Style Always Beats Trendy:“Trends are very sporadic,” Florence said. “They don’t last long at all. There’s nothing substantial about them. Whereas style is you. It’s your individual take on who you are as a person.”Invest in classic pieces that fit well to highlight your individuality and to reinvent into different outfits.
(03/17/14 6:36pm)
New York City - one of the most well known places for fashion, design and creativity.
This spring and summer, three students from Auburn's apparel production and design management program will be interning at this global fashion capital.
Senior Caitlyn Doyle is spending this spring semester interning at Oscar de la Renta. Doyle works in the trends department, which she said allows her to do and see many different aspects of the company, from putting together packages to send to factories to sourcing trends.
"I'm there for anyone in the office, doing anything and everything," Doyle said. "I guess the best part is just the spontaneity of everything and getting to do different jobs."
Doyle said it took her some time to adjust to living in the city and a 9 a.m.-6 p.m. workday, but said her biggest challenge has been learning along the way.
"The most challenging part is getting your feet wet and learning everything," Doyle said. "Most of the time they're so busy they don't have time to sit there and tell you, 'This is exactly how everything's supposed to go.' You're learning as you go."
As far as advice for other apparel design majors, Doyle said she thinks networking and location are essential.
"I've heard from so many people that they toss your resume out if it doesn't have a New York address," Doyle said. "Definitely use your resources at Auburn because that's how I got my internship. Networking is essential."
Seniors Carolyn Candler and Lilly Woodruff both have summer internships at Nicole Miller and Theory, respectively.
Candler has always been passionate about fashion, and previously interned with Anne Barge, a bridal designer based in Atlanta.
"When I was there interning, day to day there were only seven or eight people there, so she does everything herself," Candler said. "I did the boring things like sending out packages and I also got to be physically sewing things on dresses. Anything they did, I was doing too."
Candler said her classes at Auburn and her internship with Anne Barge have made her knowledgeable about the industry and given her confidence going into her internship at Nicole Miller.
"Auburn is really unique within our department because at larger schools, all they do day in and day out is garment production, but from what we've heard, a lot of them don't have as well-rounded of an education about the actual industry," Candler said. "A creative job is hard to get, so they want us to be able to get all the other jobs that not as many people want, but that are needed."
Woodruff said she also believes Auburn's program has given her the skills to do well in the industry.
"I think the broad base I've gotten in the program at Auburn just makes me feel comfortable going into the industry because I feel I have a better understanding of a lot of different things," Woodruff said. "I'm not afraid to go into the internship, even though it's intimidating because it's a strong company. I feel like I have a good enough understanding of what I need to do that I can develop skills and continue to learn while I'm there."
Woodruff previously interned with a small designer in Atlanta, where she said she was able to see every side of the industry and will be working on a design team while at Theory.
Woodruff also said she was excited about working for Theory and could see herself there in the future if her internship goes well.
"There was just something about the company and the people that made me feel comfortable," Woodruff said. "The founder and CEO, Andrew Rosen, actually sat down on the couch with me while I was waiting for somebody else to come talk to me. He started flipping through my portfolio and he was like, 'So, what are you doing here?' It was a great experience."
Candler will be interning in the design department for Nicole Miller and said the internship is her dream job.
"Last year, there was an Instagram of her in the studio for a day with the interns, and she was showing them how their prints were created," Candler said. "I think it was really cool for the head of the company to be sitting in the design room with the interns, teaching them how she does it."
Candler stressed the importance of being unafraid and confident when applying for internships.
"I think the biggest challenge, just in general, is being ready and being able and confident to put your head on the line and try for a great internship," Candler said.
