Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer - The Auburn Plainsman

News

Dance Group Displays 'Man'

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | July 23

Auburn's new performance dance group called the Layman Group performed its first exhibition, "Man," Thursday night at the Jule Collins-Smith Museum.Through a correlation of music, dialogue, audience response and improvisational dance, the one-night performance "Man" addressed the stereotypes and ideals of the meaning of manhood at home and within the larger society, according to the JCSM Web site."The purpose of 'Man' is not to make statements about masculinity, but to let people watch and listen and form their own opinions," said Doc Waller, executive artistic director of the Layman Group.

News

Overdraft Expenses Weigh on Students

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | July 23

Everyone with a bank account dreads those two words that pop up because of a forgotten or miscalculated transaction: non-sufficient funds.As a result of the hectic lives many people lead, some lose track of their spending habits or make a deposit after depleting an account instead of making the deposit before."People must realize that checks written do not appear immediately on their telephone banking or Web banking transaction logs," said an executive of RBC Bank.

News

Making Sure Fun in the Sun Stays That Way

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | July 20

Summer seems an opportune time to dust off that old boat, grab coolers and snacks and head to a favorite spot on the lake, river or beach. Whatever the destination, remember to pack sunscreen because protection from prolonged sun exposure can provide many more years of fun in the sun. Failing to protect the skin from the sun significantly increases the risk of getting melanoma, which kills one person - most of whom are only in their 20s or 30s - every hour of every day, said Steven Mackey, a dermatologist who owns his own practice. Mackey suggests wearing sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, even when outside only a short amount of time. "The most important thing about sunscreen is using it," Mackey said.

Sports

Scott Carr Joins Auburn Athletic Staff as Senior Associate Athletic Director

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | July 20

Scott Carr, recently named Auburn University's senior associate AD, external affairs, will leave his eight-year stint at Southern Miss and move to Auburn July 2.As senior associate AD, Carr must demonstrate experience with marketing, media relations, game atmosphere, contracts and sponsorships."At Southern Miss, I oversaw the marketing department and served as the main liaison with ISP Sports," Carr said.

Anthony Hall

Sports

Courtside Talk with Head Coach Tim Gray

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | July 9

Since 2005, the women's tennis team has been improving steadily, claiming a share of the SEC title and breaking into national rankings.This growing success can be attributed to head coach Tim Gray, with his 20 years of experience."One of the crowning moments was beating Georgia when they were ranked No.

Campus

Meal Program Needs Support

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | July 9

Homebound. Alone. Hungry.Many do not know about the hundreds of people in Lee and Russell counties who struggle through each day and wonder when, or if, they will have a next meal.That is why the Area Agency on Aging recently extended an urgent request for donations to its unique Home Delivered Meals Program."As of May 1st, there's a waiting list for 191 people who asked for food," said Peggy Todd, AAA board member.

News

Students Speak About Smoking

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | June 27

In these times of "going green" and counting calories, some people have embraced healthier ways of living. Many students hit the ground running - literally - around campus, despite the intense Southeast Alabama temperatures. Why, then, do some students continue to smoke? "Pretty much all of my friends smoke," said Benjamin Coker, a junior in social science education.

Community

Auburn Community Gathers for Art Walk

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | June 25

Hula hooping, face painting, dough tossing, scavenger hunting - a mere glimpse of the array of activities and attractions at the 2009 SummerNight downtown art walk held Friday, June 19 on College Street and Magnolia Avenue.Started by the Auburn Arts Association, SummerNight features artists from Auburn and surrounding areas gathered downtown to display and sell paintings, pottery, quilts, jewelry and other artistic wares to students and families of the Auburn community."This is an opportunity for the entire community to support the arts," said Sarah Hand, art specialist and cultural director of the Auburn Parks and Recreation Department.

News

Warhol Exhibit Opens at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | June 24

Most people associate the word "portrait" with a framed painting or photograph of someone standing or sitting in front of a background.Pop artist Andy Warhol, on the other hand, developed a different kind of portrait in his "13 Most Beautiful...Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests" shown at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art Thursday night."Warhol was interested in the tension between the image of the person and the actual person," said Scott Bishop-Wagoner, curator of education at JCSM.He produced about 500 screen tests on 100-foot silent film reels between 1964 and 1966, she said.He then arranged them in sets of 13 depending on subject matter and slowed the film speed."Andy Warhol was exploring the repetition of the image and how it, in a sense, loses its identity," Bishop-Wagoner said, "and his screen tests were the opposite -- they helped to show the person's true identity."Warhol invited friends, famous people and strangers to sit in front of the camera for each of the reels in hopes to reveal their true personalities, Bishop-Wagoner said."He believed their real personalities would emerge after being in front of the camera for this period of time," she said.A testament to Warhol's theory, his tests reveal personality traits and mannerisms that could be lost in still photographs.Consider Ann Buchanan, Californian Beat poet: sitting incredibly still, the young brunette with large, brown eyes looks without blinking into the camera.Just before the four-minute film runs out, a tear rolls down her right cheek, then her left.Notice Lou Reed, a radio host and musician: with short, wavy hair and sunglasses, the young man drinks a Coca Cola out of a glass bottle throughout the entire length of film.Watch Jane Hoolzer, an art collector and socialite: while the camera zooms in closely on her face, the blonde with light eyes brushes her teeth and laughs intermittently until the film reel stops rolling.Because the footage has no sound, musicians Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips decided to create unique pieces of music - inspired by the character of the individual on Warhol's films - to accompany each portrait."His work was set to music to contextualize how he used the screen tests for himself," Bishop-Wagoner said.

Sports

Dan Mazzaferro Earns Invitation ESPN Academic All-District IV

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | June 18

Walk to the edge, take a deep breath and jump.Although this scenario seems uncommon for many people, Dan Mazzaferro faces it almost every day.A member of Auburn's swimming and diving team, Mazzaferro accepted his second invitation to join ESPN The Magazine's 2009 Academic All-District IV at Large First Team on Thursday."The recipients of this award must excel in both academics and athletics," Mazzaferro said.Mazzaferro, a junior majoring in chemistry with a concentration in pre-medicine, said he maintains a 3.94 GPA while dedicating 20 hours a week to practice and conditioning."Time management is key in student athletics," Mazzaferro said.