chronicle volume 43 issue 10

ChronicleThe

at WVU Parkersburg

March 13, 2013 Volume #43 No. 10

Inside this Issue

by Sam Berg Autumn Henthorn and Ben Amos are two of the WVU Parkersburg S tuden t Suc-cess Center ’s newest peer tutors. Henthorn, a graduate of Parkersburg High School, is a sophomore with a pre-med concentration. Amos graduated from Williamstown High School, and is a freshman spending a year at the college to earn transfer credits. Henthorn said she became a peer tutor on the recommenda-tion of one of her professors. “My math teacher suggested me to do it; he said I could really help people.” Amos’ original reason for coming in to the Student Success Center was to find a tutor for himself. “I came down here last semester for chemistry tutoring to try and improve my chemistry grade,” he said, “and they asked me if I wanted to come in and

tutor math.” Both of these students find the experience of helping people to be very rewarding. Henthorn said that she feels especially grat-ified “…when somebody comes back and tells me they got a good grade on a quiz or exam. That is the best.” Amos sees benefits not only to the students who he helps, but also for himself, “… when you tutor in a subject, you have to really know it, so it improves on you. You’re teach-ing yourself at the same time as you’re teaching someone else.” While being a tutor has its rewards, it also comes with chal-lenges. Amos and Henthorn agree on the biggest challenge that they face in teaching other students; adapting to different learning styles. “Each person has a different learning pattern or style, and you have to adapt to that,” Amos said. “You can tell one person something, and

they’re like ‘Oh, yeah, I see that,’ but when you show another per-son the same thing, they’re going ‘What?’” “You’re always trying to think of ways to help people,” Hen-thorn said. “Sometimes it’s kind of hard to think outside the box. My getting on the white board isn’t going to do much for some-one who’s not a visual learner.” Being peer tutors has improved the college experience for these students. Henthorn believes that being a tutor has taught her better study habits, and has improved her performance in chemistry classes. “I feel like I compre-hend chemistry on a whole other level, just from teaching lower level classes.” Amos has found the Student Success Center to be a source of contacts and friendships. “I’ve made a lot of friends down here,” he said. “I’ve become close with people being tutored, and with

the other tutors.” The tutoring experience is something that Amos and Hen-thorn both think will benefit them even after graduating from col-lege. Henthorn believes that this experience is not just personally rewarding, it will also look good on her resume when she trans-fers to a graduate program: “I hope that tutoring here will help me get into better colleges,” she said. Amos thinks that tutoring others has taught him how to get his point across more effectively. “You’re not just teaching some-body,” he said. “You’re also gaining better communication skills.” These peer tutors are not just helping others and benefiting themselves, they are among a group of people whose time and efforts result in making WVU Parkersburg a better college by creating better stu-dents.

Students Helping Students

Dr. Walker : 1

Movie Review: Page 4

Student Q&A: Page 9

Another Higher One Story: Page 3

Autumn Henthorn enjoys helping people.

Ben Amos looking studious.

Job Placement: Page 8

The Chronicle at WVU Parkersburg March 14, 2013

ChronicleThe

at WVU Parkersburg

News Editor: Jeremy HarrisonNews Reporting/Photography Staff: Alex Casto Jason RossAllison HilberMelissa Lough Macie Lynch

Layout Editor: Rachel TerzoLayout Staff: Jacob AdkinsJeremy Harrison Jessica ThompsonMacie LynchKimberly MaloneJustina Morris

[email protected]

and find us on Facebook & Twitter@wvupchronicle

Advisor: Torie Jackson

Alex CastoAllison HilberKristiana HuntMelissa LoughAustin WeifordKatelyn White

Justina MorrisJessica ThompsonKatelyn White

Volume 43Produced by students of WVU Parkersburg

by Jeremy Harrison Did you know that American Families waste over 13 Billion dollars worth of energy annually and this adds up to about $150 per family? Also, energy expended for heating and cooling of homes accounts for 50-70% of all energy use. These numbers are pretty outrageous but they can be changed for the better. I am sure that most of you reading this do not ever think about the importance of energy upgrades to your home. Have you ever considered the potential money that you could earn through these upgrades? Well, the potential is there and the Wood County Commission is spearheading a plan to help homeowners achieve this. The commission is collaborating with the West Virginia University Parkersburg Energy Management program to launch and partially fund an energy audit for target areas in Wood County. The Wood County Com-mission will pay 50% of the cost of these audits, which will leave the customer to pay only $200. This is a small price to pay for an audit that

could not only save you money but also make your home safer in the process. The initial purpose of the program is to raise awareness and provide education to homeowners who could possibly be in need of energy upgrades.With this education and awareness, homeowners will be able to make informed and accurate decisions that will enable them to make their home more energy efficient. These assessments will involve a myriad of different diagnostic tests to check the energy efficiency of the home. Some of these tests include: a blower door test, duct blaster test, which calculates leakage in heating/cooling ducts, carbon monoxide test, a thermal imaging test that detects heat loss zones and levels of insulation, among others. The homeowners will also receive a written report that details all of the home’s systems’ conditions and a priority list of energy upgrades that will be prioritized by return on investment. At the end of the day, these audits are a great opportunity for homeowners to be educated on the pos-sible money leaks that their house is producing while at the same time helping them become more socially responsible. The decision to become more aware of energy efficiency is a social responsibility that should be taken more seriously in this area. For more information on the audits, contact Gary Thompson at (304) 210-1528 or via e-mail at [email protected].

IN HIS OPINION

Kurt KlettnerCounseling/Student Assistance Services

The first step to healing, whether that is facing an emotional or physical illness or condition, is often found in one’s ability to accept the condition for what it is. Alcoholics & addicts, persons diagnosed with physical conditions such as cancer, individuals facing mental health conditions, relationship concerns, etc., have to first honestly accept their condition before they can begin the journey towards healing. Students

who find themselves with a “D” or “F” grade at mid-term must first accept the fact that, up to this point, their academic actions (or sometimes lack thereof) are not working out well for them in this subject or college in general. Once you accept a situation, you are then faced with the next challenge. (If you are thinking “change” you are on the right track; however there is an intermediate issue that must be addressed before effective change will occur.) You must first make the decision whether you are going to travel down the path of hopelessness or if you are going to choose the path of hope. The path of hopelessness is the easier of the two choices and usually results in

giving up or giving in. The alcoholic quits trying to focus on sobriety, the depressed person or those in a troubled relationship stop going to counseling, the student with the low grade decides to drop the class or drop out of college altogether, and the list goes on.

Your willingness to do that which is necessary to make positive changes in your life is fueled by hope. Holding on to hope is what motivates a person to seek help; whether that be going to counseling, accepting medical treatment for a physical condition, going to a 12 Step meeting or seeking tutoring assis-tance at the Student Success Center. If you choose the path of hope then you have the best opportunity to experience healing and peace. PEACE! Kurt

Correction to Feb. 28 Chronicle Issue: Student Q&A quote from Rebecca Love,“I do not approve of Higher One! No one came and asked the students how we felt about it. They took it upon themselves to do it. We are paying students, it should be our choice, and we should of been asked before it was done.”

Hope Leads to Healing and Peace

The Chronicle at WVU ParkersburgMarch 14, 2013

by Sam Berg WVU Parkersburg encourages all students to strive for greatness. Students who attain that goal can further benefit from a campus of-fering that fosters excellence in academics and personal achieve-ment: the Honors College. The Honors College has a sim-ple and direct mission statement: “The West Virginia University at Parkersburg Honors College will provide enhanced learning op-portunities for talented students in both academic and career pro-grams in an effort to enable them to develop to their fullest poten-tial.” Students who achieve a 3.5 or higher GPA are automatically eligible for enrollment in this ad-vanced study program, and stu-dents with a 3.2 GPA or higher can apply for provisional accep-

tance by contacting the program’s director Dianne Davis. Eligible students must ask for these additional honors credits from a professor or instructor who is part of the honors faculty during the first week of the fall and spring semesters. Honors College members are given the opportunity to approach various subjects within their hon-ors projects in more in-depth and creative ways than are usually of-fered through the regular WVU Parkersburg curriculum. Intellec-tual curiosity and critical thinking are encouraged, as are discipline and self-directed study. Enrollees are given the ben-efit of active learning methods in leadership, research, and hands-on experience in their honors projects; according to the Guid-ing Principles of the program, “...

honorshome.htm or by contacting [email protected].

students can explore connections between theory and practice” that extends far beyond the classroom. Honors College students are re-quired to take a minimum of 15 credit hours over the span of their education, but they are permitted to enroll in as many honors cred-its as they can successfully com-plete. Of these credits, at least three must be connected to a field that is outside of a student’s ma-jor. While enrolled in the Honors College, a student must complete a special honors research project that has been approved by his or her program instructor. This proj-ect can be concerned with either community service or that is re-lated in some way with the stu-dent’s declared major. In addition to these conditions, the Honors College students must

complete and submit honors port-folios to be approved by the Hon-ors Council. Program students are also often given the opportunity to work in the field with mentors who are employed in the disciplines and industries that the students plan to enter upon graduation. There are also side benefits to being an Honors College stu-dent. Successful candidates will receive special honors at gradua-tion that will be reflected in their individual academic transcripts. Program students are also en-couraged to attend special semi-nars that are held at WVU Park-ersburg and elsewhere as part of the Honors College Capstone Ex-perience. They are also given a private room for study, networking and active interaction. The leadership

room at the rear of WVU Parkers-burg’s library gives these students the opportunity to escape the hus-tle and bustle of college life and focus all of their attention on their special topics in a quiet space. It is open during the library’s regu-lar hours of 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The program is one that is con-stantly evolving. According to Davis, the Honors College “... is a work in progress right now. We want to invigorate it, renew it, and bring focus on what the students need and want in a program like this.” More information about the program can be found at http://www.wvup.edu/honors_college/

by Jessica Thompson Many students at Jackson County Center were unaware of what Higher One actually was, according to JCC Student Goverment President Saunyell Atkinson. At the time that most students had received their cards in the mail, many had just assumed that it was just another company try-ing to give them a credit card, so most students threw them away, not thinking twice about it. The ones that did keep them were confused as to what it was. Students received the card well before anyone had explained t h a t t h e college was n o w g o i n g to use Higher One for finan-cial aid options, Atkinson said. After having the cards for some time, JCC students were f ina l ly made aware of what the cards actually were, and by then it was too late.

When the semester began, most of the students believed that they could continue on as normal and still receive a paper check, whether they had went with Higher One or not. Many students were emailed and flyers were sent around, but many students were still confused and voiced their con-cerns to Atkinson, who then received the correct information for students to clear up the confusion. In order

to get all of the informa-tion out to s t u d e n t s i n t h e f a s t e s t w a y p o s -sible.

A t k i n s o n

asked all of her fel-low JCC SGA members

to post the correct information on their Facebook walls. Although everything became clear and students became more informed, many students had already chose the option of re-

Program Looks to Help Students Develop

JCC Students prefer simplicityceiving a paper check over the other options available to them. To many it seemed to be one big mess of confusion, Atkinson said. The student body at JCC is a smaller one than the main cam-pus, so talking to everyone about Higher One in the lobby of the campus seemed to help a great deal as well, answering any ques-tions that students had. At JCC there is not a Higher One ATM machine available for students to use, so in order to avoid the fees of the ATM, students have to commute to the main campus, or another bank-ing location, just to avoid the outrageous ATM fees. With the rising cost of gas prices this can be quite frustrating for many. Although not an issue now, next semester may be a different story now that more students will be using the Higher One option. In Atkinson’s opinion, JCC students would prefer the old way of doing things. Atkinson thinks though that now that students are more aware and informed that they will grow to like this way much better as time passes.

by Jason Terrell The Riverhawks mens’ bas-ketball finished second in the invitational tournament after a heated game. The team made it to the cham-pionship game but what one player called “the biggest melt-down of the season” prevented a win. The game was rather close with minutes left, and then a player for the Riverhawks re-ceived a technical foul from the bench. After the players and the coach exchanged words, two players walked off the floor. Southern State then blew the game open and didn’t look back. Overall, the season started out great with the team charging out to a 7-4 record. “The season had it’s good times and had it’s bad times,” said starting point guard Josh Jones. “A lack of practice was the main problem” Jones added, noting he is weighing his options with other schools before making a commitment to comeback to the team next year. During the fall semester, the

team started having off-court problems. Some of the players had academic issues, as well as difficulty getting along. Head Coach Josh Derry, who finished his first year, is still optimistic about the future. Af-ter all, the win total basically doubled this year. Other coach-ing staff who assisted this year are Romel “Boo” Henderson and Alan Carroll. This coming season, two start-ers are expected to return to the team. With a tough schedule, the team never had the big win. Un-fortunately, moral victories don’t count in the win/loss column. The Riverhawks ended the sea-son 13-15 which, compared to past years, is an tremendous im-provement. So, using facts, the Riverhawks stock is going up. A lot of credit that goes un-mentioned should be given to Tom Yencha (A.D.). Yencha gives the Riverhawks his total support and has gone above and beyond to make the basketball team, and all other athletic teams, at this school prominent.

Riverhawk Basketball Season Ends with Championship Game


by Macie Lynch An expected conspiracy theory thriller comes to the big screen with a unexpected surprise emotional twist in the recently-released movie, Dark Skies. The film is based on a 1996 sci-fi television series where a four-member suburban family gets rocked by the invasion of an extra-terrestrial anomaly. As cookouts and company turn into nightmares and confusion, the Barrett’s come to find that a way of escaping the plights of their unidentified destiny is nowhere to be found. It all started when the mother

by Justina Morris She sat down beside me and blew her blonde bangs back from her smiling face with a puff of her breath. She laid down her ticket book, straightened out her clothes and relaxed comfortably, if only for the moment. She pro-ceeded with warm conversation and total patience while waiting for us to order. Indeed the wood makes it good, but it is obvious much more is cooking at the Polo Club in Parkersburg, located at 1023 Depot Street.When it boils down to an all around quality dining experience, the Polo Club goes above and beyond normal expec-tations. First things first, the employ-ees are excellent in providing impressive, personable customer service and food. Employees at the Polo Club are not putting on a front; those are real smiles on their faces and sincere service and true love for the job. Mi-chelle, the waitress I described above, warmed my heart that day she took care of my table.

It was not just any normal day at the Polo Club. It was a particu-larly engaging day with a new cook whom she explained was not yet fully prepared to work the kitchen alone. Someone had called off, and it was busy that afternoon as people piled in for lunch. We ordered from the small but efficient menu of traditional American food, and then passed some time admiring the antique memorabilia covering every nook and cranny before Michelle plopped back down in the booth beside me.

We had a problem. It was the cook. He was “related to Moses” she said. And she was honest; we were not going to receive our meals in what is considered to be a reasonable amount of time. I was hungry but smiling and chuckling all the same- certainly enjoying myself. I even found myself compas-sionate about the whole situation as I glanced around at the ladies working hard and the diligent, new cook engaged in the kitchen. It was lively at the restaurant. That day, I waited an hour for my food. During that hour, Mi-

chelle rotated to my table a total of seven times or more with up-dates and to check on us. Other waitresses did as well. I could not be mad at what surely would have been a rotten experience at most restaurants. I could not be anything but appre-ciative at how hard they were all working and how intent, sincere and down to earth the people and service were at the Polo Club. When I received my food, it was delectable as always. Ev-erything was fresh and seasoned to perfection. The sandwich was topped decorously with gooey,

melted cheese, and steaming, simmering, hearty toppings, and no matter how you ask your meat cooked, it is juicy and cooked to perfection every time. Heck, it even smelled per-fect. And with that first bite, if only for a second, I wondered if it might be dangerous to eat the sandwich while drooling so much. It was totally worth it. If I had to wait an hour every time I went, it would still be worth it with these personable, hard working people and the fantastic food and service they provide. Another cook came in to help, and things were settling down as people migrated back to work and their lives after lunch. As we left, almost every em-ployee provided a genuine smile and goodbye, and Michelle sincerely thanked us for our patience during our dining expe-rience, which turned out to be a pleasure for me. When it was all said and done, I almost didn’t want to leave- that’s quality right there.

“Lacey,” played by Keri Russell, discovered their food stacked ceiling high in an intricate museum-credible design in their modernized kitchen. From there, the weird events became weirder, and unraveled at a rapid rate. No member of the fam-ily went untouched by the out-of-atmosphere appearances. The character list holds jobless, unsteady father “Daniel” (Josh Hamilton), rebellious older son “Jesse” (Dakota Goyo), and in-nocent, vulnerable youngest son “Sammy” (Kadan Rockett.) These actors portrayed with Rus-sell a close-knit, loving group

of four battling the mysterious entity that they referred to as the “Sandman.” Undoubted ly, the PG-13 97-minute traditionally-filmed movie, will make one jump out of their seat. Bass-ridden back-ground music sets up many of the film’s climatic scenes, giving it the ability to make the viewer squirm and want to peek through their fingers, (which is what many enjoy achieving when see-ing a thriller.) Although the well-rounded film has a significant amount of valuable features, most of the scenes have been witnessed be-

fore in other movies, whether the villian is paranormal, unidentifi-able, or serial. From the typical camera angles, creepy child cray-on drawings and the frightened clue-seeking Internet search, one can almost guess what happens next in the film's plot sequence. Ultimately, Dark Skies leaves the viewer thinking and talking about its contents well after the credits have rolled. It not only touches on something greater than an unhappy cliche ending, but implants natural questioning thoughts about true alien exis-tence, and maybe even a Dark Skies sequal, as well.

Polo Club Offers Exceptional Service And Quality Food

The Polo Club is located on Depot Street in Parkersburg

'Dark Skies' Takes Over The Big Screen


Name: Torie Jackson

Occupation: Faculty member at WVU Parkersburg

Height: 5’3’’

Last played basketball: 17 years ago

Position: Guard (too short for anything else)

Special move: Dunking the ball in a 2 foot Little Tykes goal

Nickname: $$ TJacks $$

Name: Vijay Shah


Height: 8’8’’

Last played basketball: Lost track

Position: Any

Special move: Passing ball at first opportunity

Hobby: Walking, listening to music

Name: Bob Newell

Occupation: Mayor of Parkers-burg

Height: 6’

Last played basketball: Last year, same game

Position: Forward

Hobby: Tennis, racketball, bicycling

Name: Jennifer Demyer

Occupation: West Virginia State Trooper

Height: 6’1’’

Last played basketball: A league 2 weeks ago

Position: Forward post

Hobby: Running, working out

Nickname: Jenn

Anything additional: Ex-cited about raising money and for the kids to have fun

Name: Mary Beth Held


Height: 5’5’’

Last played basketball: I never played on a formal team. I have only ever casually shot hoops with friends and family. I pole vaulted for WVU for 4 years which means that I have some athletic talent

Special move: The air ball

Hobby: Running, hiking, backpacking, gardening

Name: Jessica Trippett

Occupation: Juvenile Probation Officer

Height: 5’7’’

Last played basketball: When Noah stepped off of the Arc

Position: Guard

Special move: Passing the ball

Hobby: Softball

Name: Andrew Rochus


Last played basketball: Intramural at B-W

Position: SG, SF, coach

Nickname: Rochstar

Parkersburg Community Members VS.

Not Pictured:Corey Six

Shawn GrahamBryon MolarJoe MartinJohn Casto

Justin Stewart


Name: James “Speedy” Williams

Fun facts: •The Crown Prince of Laughs fea-tured in the movie “Above the Rim”

•Preformed live at MTV Music Awards while Jay Zee was perform-ing

•Featured on the Playstation Street-Hoops Game

Name: Jay Bryant

Fun facts: •Graduated from Long Island Univer-sity at Southampton

•Earned Masters Degree from Adelphi University in Sports Management

Name: Lloyd “Loon-a-tic” Clinton

Fun facts: •Member of NIKE Pro-Am Champi-onship team

Special Move: •An explosive and exciting dunker

Name: Devin “Mr. Biz” Thompson

Fun facts: •Played at St. Peters College

•Toured with the World Famous Harlem Globetrotter

•Featured on ESPN City Slam Dunk Contest

Special Move: •Explosive and exciting dunker

Name: Clarence “Mugsy” Leggett

Fun facts: •Attended St. Augustine’s

•Former Harlem Globetrotter

•One of the world’s top dribblers

Other works: •Devotes time to coaching AAU Youth Teams in the Bronx

•Conducts basketball camps and clinics

Name: Greg “The Finisher” Wells

Fun facts: •Attended Rockford University

•Played in the Legendary Rucker Tournament in New York

Special Move: •Assortment of breath-taking dunks

Name: Kenny Rodriquez

Title: MC/Announcer

Fun fact: •From Englewood, NJ

•Enjoys the game of basketball, like no other

•Has wealth of basketball knowledge

•Keeps the crowd dancing with his style of musical mixes

WVU Parkersburg will be hosting some very special guests on Saturday, March 30, at 6 p.m. The Harlem Rockets, a talented group of basketball entrainers who combine incredible show time basketball skills and family-friendly comedy, will face the Park-ersburg Community members in a game benefiting the Criminal Justice Organization at Parkersburg High School’s Field House. Having played over 2,500 games in 16 years without a single defeat, the Harlem Rockets offer something for everyone to enjoy. Sports enthusiasts will be intrigued by the athleticism and size of the Rockets including. Basketball aficionados will be dazzled by the ball-handling wiz-ardry of Clarence “Mugsy” Leggett, satiated by the game of Devon “The People’s Choice” Curry and left awestruck by high-flying dunks of Cliff “Jet Blue” Malone, who was featured in the Nike commercial released on Super Bowl Day. And since this is comedy basketball, the Harlem Rockets pres-ent to you the All Time Funny Man and one of Show Basketball’s Greats....James “Speedy” Williams, who was featured in the movie, “Above the Rim” starring Tupac Shakur and Duane Martin. Speedy was also one of the Original Nike Free-Style Ballers in Nike Com-mercial. And, Speedy performed live at the MTV Music Awards while Jay Z did his thing, better known as the “Crowned Prince of Laughs.” The Harlem Rockets incorporate the audience, especially chil-dren, into the show and are always available to meet the fans and give autographs at halftime and after the game. Tickets for what promises to be a fun-filled evening for the community are available at the WVU Parkersburg Business Office, located next to the bookstore. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Children 5 and under get in free.

The Harlem Rockets


by Allison Hilber Worrying about passing a test, getting an assignment in on time and graduating are on the top of the list for many students. What about after graduation? With a ‘rebounding’ economy students may not be able to ob-tain a job in their chosen field of study. Students Matt Bunner and Christian Collins are both gradu-ating at the end of the semester from WVU Parkersburg. Bunner is a general education major, while Collins is a criminal justice major. Both are worried about finding a job after graduation. Bunner’s worries come from the fact that “there are not that many jobs right now,” and he is unsure of what he wants to do. He does have a possible back-up plan for summer employment which could potentially be a year-round job. Collins would like a job in law enforcement, but is unsure if that

will be a reality soon after gradu-ating. “It’s not a great economy right now,” said Collins. Other students are not as wor-ried as Bunner and Collins. Students Christopher Fish and Bryan Riddle are confident in the fact they will be able to find a job after graduation. Fish is working on an associate

by Justina Morris Do not be confused by the sports bike in the hallway, the pool table behind the counter, or even the lack of books one will see upon entering. If students are looking to buy or sell a textbook and save or make some cash, this IS the place to be. Started by owner Mark Hock-man and his wife over ten years ago, Textbooks_Cheap is a small family business that concentrates on buying and selling affordable textbooks for college students across the nation. While the business operates mainly online through Amazon, the store’s physical location is in Parkersburg, WV at 2609 21st Ave. where employee William Bova said that local college stu-dents have some advantages. Also, if a student is looking for a book not in stock at Text-

books_Cheap, they are happy to search for and order that book for a reasonable fee (that fluctu-ates with the individual prices of books). “If students have a copy of their schedule, we can help them figure out what books they need,” Bova gave as one ex-ample. The convenient location in town also allows students to save on shipping cost that would be associated with buying a book online. Bova, also a longtime friend of Hockman, explained that as a buyer and seller of textbooks online, Textbooks_Cheap is fre-quently able to get better deals on prices, shipping, and services than students can themselves. This results in students hav-ing direct access to some of the cheapest textbooks around. Not only can they find just

about any book for a decent price, they buy almost every col-lege textbook out there as well. “If it has resale value, we will buy it,” Bova said. This includes old editions that are unable to be sold back to WVU Parkersburg when textbooks are updated.

in science with plans of going into dental hygiene. Riddle is working on an associate of arts working towards becoming pre-med. While both plan on transfer-ring to pursue their degrees, they feel jobs in the medical field are always in demand. Students like Donna Mc-Williams, who is obtaining a bachelor of business administra-tion, is attending college for the job she already holds. McWil-liams only takes night classes due to her current job, allowing her not to worry about finding a job. According to Jeremy Starkey, director of institutional research and assessment, the college does not currently have in place a system to track students’ job placement in the workforce, although it is something the col-lege is looking into. Retail stores like TJMaxx have seen an increase of employees

that have a college degree or are pursuing a college degree. Dave Matter, store manager, and Michelle Neihart, operations assistant manager, of the Park-ersburg TJMaxx are seeing an increase of applications including college-level education. In the past it was more com-mon to see applications with a high school or GED level of education, 75% of applications currently are seen with a degree or pursuing a degree on them. Currently, the Parkersburg TJ-Maxx has 47 associates including managers. Of those 47, ten are pursuing a degree and nine have obtained a degree. Of those who have a degree is Matter, making him the only manager, department head, called coordinator, or full-time associ-ate to have one. According to Neihart, those who have furthered their educa-tion are “dependable, but don’t always stay for a long time. They

“We buy books back for half as much as they go for online,” Bova adds. ”If it’s a more expen-sive book, then sometimes we can give back a little more than half. But generally we buy books back for half the price they cur-rently sell for.”

As a flourishing business, sell-ing over 300 textbooks a day, Textbooks_Cheap strives to offer valuable service and prices to customers in the community and beyond. Word of mouth among WVU Parkersburg students has contributed more local business for the store than initially ex-pected, since little promotion has been done in the area. Those interested in what Textbooks_Cheap has to offer may stop by their Parkersburg location Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m, or inquire information via phone at (904)-865-4275 during business hours. With its knowledge, resources, low prices and continually rotat-ing stock, Textbooks_Cheap is worth a visit and the few extra dollars dollars that it might save students.

end up leaving for a job in their field.” Some associates who have degrees use TJMaxx as a second job to keep up with the cost of living in the current economy. Neihart feels that part of the reason for higher educated peo-ple to seek a job outside of their field is the area of the country. She has worked at stores in Texas and Tennessee near military bas-es since the economy took a turn downward and didn’t see a huge struggle in those areas. Before that she worked in Oklahoma where many employ-ees had basic education, but that was “back when the buffalos were booming.” Whether it is the location or the type of career path a student is pursuing, being able to find a degree-related job is not always a given. Even so, students like Collins remain positive, “I’m determined to get a good job.”

Textbooks_Cheap Provides Students A Financial Advantage

Students/Graduates Struggle With Job Placement


by Allison Hilber A hit and run took place in the WVU Parkersburg parking lot Friday, March 8. A car hit an-other car's bumper in the process of leaving the lot. Two witnesses reported the incident. The sighting was also caught on a campus camera. The suspect was seen stopping to check his own bumper just a little way down the parking lot from the point of contact. Had the violator stopped they would not be in as much trouble. Now the violator, who was caught, faces paying for the damages, as well as serious con-sequences from the college. Allen Collins, campus police officer lead, said he “wished the student would have done the right thing, but he didn’t.” Monday of the same week had a report of vandalism in the

parking lot. A car was reported having hub caps taken off and left next to the car. The cars gas cap was also opened, yet no damage was done. It was suspected to just be a joke played on a student by a friend. The following day a female student reported a lost wallet in the basement. It was later found with money missing. Monday, March 11, the Bogen Alarm was set off in a class-room. The alarm was triggered by mistake; nothing happened. Pa rk ing has become an increasing issue at WVU Park-ersburg. Students should be aware they have 10 days to dispute a parking ticket. After the 10-day limit tickets can no longer be disputed. Collins wants students to be aware that they should try to

dispute tickets. Students should also be aware the first two tick-ets will be switched to warnings with one major exception. Some common parking viola-tions that occur are handicapped parking, visitor parking and mo-torcycle parking. Anybody who parks in a handicapped parking spot will face a fine. This includes a per-son without a handicapped tag in their car, or a person who uses a handicapped tag without the person who the tag was issued to present on campus. Students should be aware that W.Va. state troopers do random patrols in the parking lots and, if caught, a student can face up to a $500 fine. According to Col-lins, it has happened before. Also visitor parking is off lim-its to students; it is reserved for visitors. If campus security sees

a car in a visitor spot for a long enough period of time, they will be ticketed. Motorcycle parking is strictly for motorcycles. Bad weather does not permit students to park in a motorcycle spot. Parking on the grass is also not permitted. Students may also receive a ticket for blocked parking pass of having the four digit number on the pass blocked according to Collins. The reason for this is parking passes are stolen or switched between cars. Security needs to make sure every parking pass is with the correct vehicle. Collins also added that the money from parking passes and tickets goes towards the parking lots. The college hopes to have the upper section of the lower lot paved at the beginning of August before the fall semester starts.

This depends if enough money comes through from fall parking passes, which won't be sold until July. If it does not get done be-fore the fall semester starts it will either be done during fall break or before the Spring semester 2014 when students are off cam-pus. When the lot is repaved, the parking spaces will no longer be vertical to the main building. In-stead they will run horizontally. This will be done to reduce the risk of an accident occurring. Presently, students have to walk in front of traffic in the parking lot. With the new layout students would be walking with traffic. The new layout would also help slow down car speed in the lots. Questions can be addressed at the campus police office located in the student lounge.

Jeff Bozemen: "I think they’re both [texting or talking] long overdue and hopefully it will save the lives of many people on our roads."

Kayla Koban: "I really agree with it. I don’t think you should be on your phone and driving at the same time because obviously

you’re not paying complete attention. I think it might cut down on accidents."Ben Houghton: "I think anything

that requires two hands should probably require your brain, too, and your full attention. Texting and driving, working with heavy machinery, when you’re caring for small children or infants, you prob-ably shouldn’t be on the phone."

Steven Hogue: "I think it would be fine as long as you have a

Bluetooth or a headset because talking on the phone doesn’t

distract you as much as texting does because you gotta focus

on it."Joseph Foresta: "It can be dis-tracting. However, I think the government takes liberties in its power. It think, fundamentally, it’s our choice. I can see the other side of the issue, though, in that if you’re distracted while driving you could possibly injure someone else, but uh, it comes down to a personal responsibil-ity, is where we need to head back to."

Campus Police Respond to Myriad of Violations, Address Parking Concerns

Q&A: How do you feel about cell phone use while driving becoming a primary offense this July?


by Katelyn White T h e E d u c a t i o n D i v i s i o n a t W V U P a r k e r s b u rg h a s welcomed Jeremy Metz as a new faculty member. Metz is currently teaching EDUC 200, coordinating the LiveText program, and supervising student teachers and helping with the student teaching seminar. “My goal for this semester is to learn the ropes of the education division and fully understand how our programs work.” Metz said. Metz also hopes to prepare students to be able to meet the challenge of teaching to the diverse needs of students in today’s classrooms. Although Metz normally works with students who are in the beginning stages of the education program, he had the opportunity to help teach a seminar for students who are completing their student teaching placements this semester. Metz enjoyed talking and working with students who

are at the final step of becoming a classroom teacher. “My advice to students in the education department would be to soak in and learn as much as you can in your courses and field placements,” said Metz. He believes the information given to students and experiences that are provided can be helpful when entering a classroom and teaching. Metz l ikes to encourage discussions in his classes for students to share their own experiences. He also believes in using classroom scenarios to help provide context for the information being covered. “It is one thing to know the material and being able to answer a question on an exam, but it is even more important to be able to relate the information to classroom situations and teaching actual students,” said Metz. Metz said that he has enjoyed his time at WVU Parkersburg so

far. He enjoys sharing his own experiences and teaching about education. “It is exciting to see potential teachers learning about education and gaining experience through their field experiences,” Metz said. Metz was previously employed at WVU Parkersburg as an adjunct faculty member. Metz said, “I decided to apply for the position because I felt like I had the background knowledge and real-world experience to help students become better classroom teachers.” Another deciding factor for applying for the position at the college was the faculty members already working the in Education Division. Metz mentioned, “They are all so knowledgeable and hard working.” M e t z c u r r e n t l y r e s i d e s in Elizabeth, W.Va., and he graduated from Wirt County High School in 2003. He attended Glenville State College

and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in English Education grades 5-12 in 2006. Metz also attended Ohio Valley University where he received his special education certification. Metz also earned a Master’s Degree in Educat ional Leadership from WVU. Metz earned his credential to be a Technology Integration Specialist from the West Virginia Department of Education. Upon graduating college, Metz immediately began working as a special education and English teacher at Wirt County High School. Two years later, he began working at Wirt County Middle School as a Technology Integration Specialist for three years. Later, he was employed at Ravenswood High School as an assistant principal. Before accepting the position at WVU Parkersburg, Metz worked as an assistant principal for a year and

a half. B e i n g a h i g h s c h o o l administrator was an extremely time consuming position for Metz. Dealing with all of the extracurricular duties along with the regular duties of the job often made balancing his personal life and professional life difficult. Metz’ current position allows more f lex ib i l i ty and does not involve as many evening activities. Metz said, “The biggest thing that I have learned is to just try to set time aside for family and friends regardless of how busy you are.” Metz’ hobbies include fishing, working with technology and computers and golf. He played golf at Glenville State College and said, “Golf has and always will be something I enjoy.” For the Fall 2013 semester, Metz will be teaching EDUC 200 as well as CS 108. Metz can be reached through extension 301, office 1306.

by Jessica Thompson It’s that time ... time for Stu-dent Government Association elections. Elections will be held March 18-22 and will be on-line in students' OLSIS account. Candidates are: President: Tyler Ohrn Vice President of Commu-nications: Brandon Cooper and Nichole Milliren (elect one.) Vice President of Finance: Joshua Campbell Vice President of Jackson County Center: Saunyell “Nik-ki” Atkinson Student Services Director: Kayla Copen Community Service Director: Michael Caplinger Senator: Matt Roberts, Lyn-zee Springston and Kodi Sells. The ballot will also include nominees for faculty, staff and adjunct awards for both the main campus and JCC. Any other questions or concerns can be answered by visiting the SGA office. Every vote counts so make sure to log into the OLSIS account between March

18-22 and vote. Since there is a contested race for Vice President of Com-munications, the SGA will be hosting a debate next week in the cafeteria between the two running contenders. Tyler Ohrn, who is running unopposed for president, will be moderating the debate. Any questions that stu-dents would like answered at the debate should be submitted to the SGA office. The Student Government is still collecting can tabs for the Ronald McDonald Charity House. The tabs will be collected until March 20. Bring your tabs in and drop them off in the jugs in front of the Student Govern-ment office in the student lounge. Also in front of the Student Government office there is a drop off box for clothes to be donated to the Latrobe Street Mission. According to the mission, the demand for men's clothes is high. Stop by and visit the SGA Facebook page at: WVU Park-ersburg SGA for upcoming fundraisers and events.

SGA Elections Start Next Week

Education Division Welcomes Professor Jeremy Metz

"Challenges Facing Today's Youth Subculture in Arab/Muslim Societies"West Virginia University at Parkersburg

The Office for Global Initiativesis hosting a talk by

Dr. Aleya SaidTuesday, April 9, 2013

12:30 -1:45 p.m.The College Theatre Room

(Room 1305)This program is free and open to the public

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Dr. Nancy Nanney at (304) 424-8361 or [email protected]

Originally from Alexandria, Egypt, Dr. Aleya Said holds a permanent position in the Faculty of Education at Alexandria University. She received her BA in English and Translation from Al Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, and her MA in English and a PhD in Drama from the University of Georgia. In 2003 she was a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at Georgia State University; that same year she spoke at our campus on "Media and Cultural Representation: An Egyptian Perspective." She previously taught at International Islamic University Malaysia and currently teaches at Abu Dhabi University in the United Arab Emirates. Her special academic focus is comparative East-

West literature and culture.

Dr. Aleya Said Egyptian Youth


by Katelyn White Minimum wage in West Vir-ginia is currently set at $7.25 an hour, as of 2009. However, in industries where employees re-ceive tips, minimum tipped wage is a scrawny $2.13 an hour. Tipped wage has been at $2.13 an hour since 1991. M a n y o f t h o s e who work for tipped wages, receive $0.00 paychecks due to the low wage and the taxes taken out of the paycheck. Tipped workers generally live off of tips alone. Surprisingly, many people do not understand the concept of tipping properly. The average going rate to tip is 15%, but it is becoming more popular to tip 20% due to the higher costs of living. Higher percentages should be given for outstanding service. As a customer, you should NEVER ‘forget’ to tip or use an excuse. Many articles circulate the web, such as the pas-tor who said “I only give G o d 1 0 % , why do you get 18%?” I have also seen where people have written v u l g a r a n d d e r o g a t o r y comments on a credit card tip line. Or the popular, “sorry, single mom” line. I have seen and heard so many excuses for not tipping it's absurd. If you cannot afford to leave at the very least a 15% tip, don't go out to a restaurant. Although I feel that it is the employer’s job to pay the employee, tips are necessary for workers to survive on. The t ip you leave for a

server is normally split between other servers, busboys, chefs, etc. Different restaurants have different policies. Applebee’s servers have to ‘tip out’ 3% of their sales. So, if they get stiffed

on a tip they are essentially losing money. Other restau-rants like Outback and Ruby Tuesday also do tip outs. At Fusion, hibachi servers only get to keep 44% of the tip given to them. Another group of people that should always be tipped are delivery drivers. Although a deliver charge is commonly added, drivers generally don't receive that money. Most

pizza delivery businesses make the employee pay for their own gas and use their personal car. It is very common for drivers to LOSE money on deliveries because customers live far away and it uses a decent amount of gas to get there and back to the store. When drivers are ‘clocked out’ on deliveries they are also earning a tip wage rather than

regular minimum wage. To figure out what you should tip your server/bartender/deliv-ery driver, etc., take the total bill and multiply by .15 for 15%, .2 for 20%, and so on. I person-ally would never leave a delivery driver anything less than what a gallon of gas costs at the time. I

also generally tip $1 per drink at a bar. I understand that sometimes service is not always the best and you can have bad experiences. Leaving a low tip is understand-able in certain circumstances, but please never stiff a server, deliv-ery driver or bartender. Two words: automatic gratuity. Party size requirements vary by restaurant, but normally 18% is automatically added to checks of large parties (even if the people in the group pay separately.) The reason behind this is that large parties take a long time from when they sit down to the time they leave. This prevents the server from getting a fast turnover, which in return would allow that person to make more money. Sometime large parties do not tip anything or only leave a couple dollars for compensa-tion. If your service was fantastic, it is always acceptable to tip addi-tionally to the automatic gratuity. (Where I work, I get 44% of tips I earn. However, if a party

leaves a tip on top of the gratuity, I get to keep the entire additional tip.) Try to re-member that these people do not make your food, so any issue with the way the food is cooked is not their fault. Expect to wait longer on Fridays and Saturdays for these are the busiest days for restaurants. (Don’t take it out on restaurant employees because it took 20 minutes to be seated, an hour delivery or it just sim-ply took a while for your meal to come out.) Please be

courteous to your service indus-try workers. The jobs are tough and every day and every hour is a new experience. An employee could go from having a person cuss them out because their steak was medium instead of medium rare to someone who leaves a 35% tip and gives them praise.

Service Industry Workers Thrive on Tips

by Jessica Thompson March is Women’s History Month. WVU Parkersburg will be holding a special presentation showing a portrayal of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker (1832-1919). Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was the only female assistant surgeon in the Union Army dur-ing the Civil War. Dr. Walker was also an advocate for wom-en’s rights and dress reform. She frequently wore men’s trousers, a frock coat and a top hat. She was the only woman to ever receive the Congressio-nal Medal of Honor. President Andrew Johnson presented the award to Dr. Walker in 1865 for her devotion to tending to sick and wounded soldiers. In 1917, Congress made the harsh decision to take the award from Dr. Walker. Congress re-voked her award due to a new ruling that stated the award must be given only to those who ac-tively engaged in combat with the enemy. President Jimmy Carter did not approve of this ruling, and made the decision to give the award back to back to Dr.Walker. She is still the only woman to ever receive this honor. Dr. Walker will be portrayed by Debra Conner. Conner does enactments of various well- known women. Dr. Nancy Nanney mentioned Conner has presented at WVU Parkersburg before and was very well-re-ceived. At the end of the enactment, Conner will do a Q&A with

the audience while staying in character. She will also answer questions as herself. The presentation is being sponsored by the Social Justice Committee, the Humanities Speakers Series and the Social Sciences and Languages Divi-sion. The presentation is free and open to the public. The event will be held on Monday, March 18, 11:00 a.m. at the main cam-pus in the college theatre, room 1305, and on Tuesday, March 19, 11:00 a.m. at the Jackson County Center. For questions about the event, contact Dr. Nancy Nanney at (304) 424-8361 or [email protected]

Debra Connor in the role of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker.

Women's History Legend Portrayed on Campus


by Jason Ross Public speaking is one of the most feared activities for many students. “Glossophobia” is the term given to this fear, which plagues roughly 75% of the American population. For some individuals, public speaking just comes natural, while for oth-ers, overcoming this fear takes a great deal effort. However, no matter what one’s comfort level may be, nerves are natural. The members of West Vir-ginia University of Parkersburg’s Union for Speech and Debate overcame their fears this year and brought home some remark-able awards. For the past three weeks the team wrapped up their season by competing in three tournaments back-to-back. The first of these tournaments was the West Virginia Intercol-legiate Forensic Association State Tournament, which, for the second year in a row, was held at WVU Parkersburg Feb. 22, 23. “The tournament was a pleasure to be involved with,” said Kim Korcsmaros (director of forensics at WVU Parkersburg). “The tour-nament itself was very smoothly run … we had wonderful, com-petent judges.” The Union for Speech and De-bate brought home 20 trophies. The team itself won second place in team sweepstakes following Marshall. The team also boasts first place team sweepstakes in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.

Ohrn is the new state debate champion. He won first place in Lincoln Douglas Debate as well as first place in overall debate speaker points. Tyler also placed second in extemporaneous speak-ing, third in rhetorical criticism, fifth in after dinner speaking, and fifth in pentathlon. Alicia Ford placed fifth in dra-matic interpretation, as well as placing fifth in duo with Nichole Milliren. Nichole also placed third in programmed oral interpretation, fifth in persuasive speaking, and fifth in informative speaking. Scott Richardson got sixth place with his informative speech on Disk Golf. Jason Ross received second place in impromptu, third place in informative, fourth place in after dinner speaking and fifth place in prose. Matt Roberts tied for third place in Lincoln Douglas debate, received fourth in debate speaker points, and placed fifth in extem-poraneous speaking. For his first tournament Matt Renta did an outstanding job. He won two of his four debate rounds and placed fifth in overall debate speaker points. Theresa Overby competed in prose and poetry, and Morgan Bryant competed in poetry. “The competition was really intense,” said Overby “which made us bring our A-game.” Next, the team headed to

Ocean City, Md. from Feb. 28 through March 3 for the CFA at the beach tournament. For many on the team, the CFA at the beach was the tournament to remember for the 2012-13 season. Not only was it the year-long award ceremony for the Col-legiate Forensic Association, but also the team had a chance to bond with members of other teams. “It was a fun experience. We got to truly bond as a team and have a lot of fun while compet-ing,” said Milliren. “We also got to see our teammates be recog-nized for their hard work this year.” Three of the team members brought home yearlong awards. Ohrn received the 2012-2013 Lincoln-Douglas Debater of the Year trophy with a nearly perfect record (Tyler only lost one round the entire year). Alicia Ford re-ceived the Novice of the Year award in Poetry, and Jason Ross received the Novice of the Year Award in Prose. The Union for Speech and

Debate earned third place (out of 13 schools) in Team Sweepstakes for the event. The “Raging Rhe-torical Riverhawks” accrued 10 other tournament awards. Ohrn placed first in Lin-coln-Douglas Debate, first in Debate Speaker Points, third in Extemporaneous Speaking, fifth in Communication Analysis, sixth in After Dinner Speaking, and fifth in Pentathlon. Jason Ross was ranked third in Prose Interpretation. Nichole Milliren received second place in Persuasive Speaking. Morgan Bryant placed fifth in Prose. Alicia Ford won first place in Po-etry. Matt Roberts placed second in Lincoln-Douglas Debate and third in Debate Speaker Points. Finally, the team wrapped up the season this weekend in Rome, Georgia. The team sent five of its members to compete in the 31st Novice Nationals Tour-nament at Berry College. None of the team members went to finals in the national tournament, but walked away

feeling better prepared for next season. “I really learned a lot,” said Ross, “Seeing the delivery styles of schools that compete in different leagues was very stretching. It was a humbling ex-perience for sure.” For the team, overcoming the fear of speaking in public has been a rewarding experience, both monetarily and internally. They won over 50 awards for the year, which are overflowing the trophy case near the cafeteria. Aside from the trophies, plaques, and certificates, those who participated in the competi-tions found within themselves qualities that will follow them throughout their careers, lives, and relationships. For this writer, participating in the Union for Speech and De-bate has caused him to discover a great deal of what lies within him. Next to Marine Corps boot camp, nothing has stretched him further. For information about joining the Union for Speech and Debate contact Coach Kim Korcsmaros.

The WVU Parkersburg Union for Speech and Debate show their multiple awards at a recent conference.

Leaving a Mark, Signature, Declaring a Contribution

“Each warrior wants to leave the mark of his will, his signature, on important acts he touches. This is not the voice of ego but of the human spirit, rising up and declaring that it has something to contribute to the solution of the hardest problems, no matter how vexing!”

-Pat Riley

Union for Speech, Debate Garner Multiple Awards at State, National Competitions

chronicle volume 43 issue 10

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