chronicle volume 43, issue 12

ChronicleThe

at WVU Parkersburg

April 25, 2013 Volume #43 No. 12

Inside this Issue

Johnny Staats: 1

Google Migration Update: Page 6

Criminal Justice: Page 9

Professor Anderson: Page 5

Firehouse Subs: Page 8

SGA: Here To Serve YOU“I’m extremely excited to be elected SGA President at WVU Parkersburg. My cabinet and I look forward to the upcoming term and will push through an agenda that focuses on the needs and concerns of our student body. At a time when the college is experiencing rapid change, my goal is to ensure that we are moving in the right direction as an institution.”

Tyler OhrnPresident

Davisville, WV

Michael Caplinger- Director of Community Service

Jorge Meneses- Director of Student Activities

Kayla Copen- Academic Services Director

Jason Ross- Senator Kodi Sells- Senator

Lynzee Springston- Senator Matt Roberts- Senator Brandon Cooper- Vice President of Communications

Joshua Campbell- Vice President of Finance

Nikki Atkinson- Vice President of JCC

From left to right: Joshua Campbell, Brandon Cooper, Nikki Atkinson, Tyler Ohrn

The Chronicle at WVU Parkersburg April 25, 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 Once again, it’s that time. Time to say goodbye to the campus for a few months, except for those attending summer classes, sorry. The reporting/layout staff for this past issue has been awesome, given the difficult circumstances. Our team took a really hard hit losing around six people, which in turn put an extra workload on our already small col-lective of journalists and graphic designers. So thanks to this great crew of misfits that have carried the weight of a serious workload we have encoun-tered this semester. I also cannot get away with writing this editorial without thanking YOU, the reader. Without the great support from readers, faculty, and staff alike, this publication would not make it through any semester. It has been quite the experience working with the staff this semester. The really sad part about all of this is the fact that not one of the reporters from this semester is coming back. Everybody is leaving. I have hope, though, that the new crew we get in the fall will be ready to be molded into

extraordinary reporters and graphic designers. In hindsight, it has been a long, strange trip. I have no regrets and have grown as a writer and editor, well maybe. I owe everybody involved with the Chronicle a big Thank You and I am humbled to be a part of this publication. With all that being said, I hope everybody has a great, safe summer and do not forget to have some fun and enjoy life, even if you do have summer classes. Oh yeah, on the next page you will see a great synopsis of this past semester written by Sam Berg. It is a phenomenal piece. If you don’t read it, you are missing out, and if you read it and do not like it, there is something dead inside of you. Enjoy!!!

IN HIS OPINION

Kurt KlettnerCounseling/Student Assistance Services

Helping others is generally considered to be a desirable action; however are there times when “helping” a person can actually result in one’s doing more harm than good? The fact is that in some circumstances the answer is definitely “yes”! This situation occurs when another person’s undesirable, unhealthy or even harmful behavior is permitted to continue as a result of someone else’s intervening actions, commonly known as “enabling”. Enabling occurs when you help too much and/or too often. How can you tell when you have

crossed over the line from being helpful to being an enabler? One of the most prevalent ways involves the feeling of resentment. Resentment is a feeling that often results from the realization that your “help” is no longer a generous gift based upon your decision, but rather the individual now expects it of you. When your actions circumvent another’s need to take responsibility for their actions, you enable them. It is not always easy to say “no”. You may find it dif-ficult to resist the urge to try to fix the problem for someone that you care about; however there are times when the best way to help a person is to say or do nothing other than encourage them and hold them accountable. Those who enable often recognize the need to change, however they may not

know how. It takes courage, and sometimes support, to stop being an enabler. If you have found yourself feeling conflicted about your own behavior (wanting to help an-other and yet knowing that you need to stop making it too easy for them) I encourage

you to take advantage of the counseling support services that are available for you on campus. PEACE! Kurt

Enablers Are Not Really Helping

New Class Offered for Fall 2013 Semester Rebecca Phillips, professor of English, is offering a new class this coming up Fall semester. The class is called ENGL 420, a single-author focus on William Butler Yeats. It is an upperdivision course that meets RBA requirements and will examine the political and cultural contexts in which Yeats wrote and trace his development as a poet, dramatist, and critic over his fifty-year writing career. The class will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:30 p.m. until 1:45 p.m.

The Chronicle at WVU ParkersburgApril 25, 2013

by Sam Berg Well, here we are at the end of another semester; how did that happen? It was January just a couple of weeks ago! No wait, it only felt like January a couple of weeks ago. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I was getting mighty tired of scraping ice from my windshield every morning. However, at long last spring has sprung, the grass has “riz”, and if you want to know where all the little birdies is, they’re pooping all over my car. We some dramatic changes on campus this time around, one of which affected a large number of WVU Parkersburg students. An outside financial services com-pany, Higher One, took over the disbursement of our financial aid funds. This company’s service was met with very mixed re-views. Some students, including my editor, questioned Higher One’s checkered track record with unreasonable fees and “gotcha” charges connected with the debit card that was issued to students who chose this convenient option. Other students were not at all impressed with the snail’s-pace processing of their traditional paper checks. Personally, I had no problems with the new system; I simply had Higher One direct deposit the funds into my existing checking account. It was done in a reason-ably timely manner, there were no errors made, and I had the money sitting where I needed it

to be for ongoing bill payments. Of course, by selecting this op-tion, I left Higher One with little opportunity to screw it up. It was a little slower than it would have been had I opened one of Higher One’s bank accounts, but the idea of creating a new bank account that they could control made me break out in hives. I am also not a big fan of debit cards, so I had no worries about being charged money in order to use my money. I’m an impulse buyer. Impulse buyers and debit cards don’t mix well. Impulse buyers get to admire their new designer handbags by candlelight because the electricity has been shut off for non-payment. Another sweeping change that is washing over our campus is in the new student orientation process. In the past new students had to come to the campus where staff, faculty and existing students of WVU Parkersburg tried to convince them to not run from us screaming in terror. How did we do this? We lied. Last year the IT department of WVU Parkersburg took on the herculean task of designing an in-teractive new student orientation software program. I was lucky enough to see a sample of what the computer center people have accomplished, and it is impres-sive. A previous issue with on-cam-pus orientation was attendance. There really wasn’t any way to ensure that all new students would attend the two-day event. Consequently, the beginning of every semester brought a deafen-ing roar of “I didn’t know that!” echoing through our hallowed halls. The new system requires that prospective students complete the

orientation before their college registration process is complete. No orientation, no classes. Another feature that tries to so away with the terminally un-informed is a quiz at the end of every section. New students must pass each quiz before advancing on to the next section. I wish that this tool had been available to me in 2010 when I was a new student. I started classes at the beginning of the summer semester; there was no orientation for the summer semes-ter, or if there was I didn’t know about it. I spent most of those three terrifying months wondering what the hell I had been thinking when I signed up. What was a “syllabus?” For that matter, dear God, what was a “thumb drive?” I am now a seasoned veteran, but I still have moments when I wonder what the hell I was think-ing when I enrolled. Some things never leave us, and self-doubt is one thing that latches on with barbed talons and refuses to let go. The interactive orientation program will attempt to loosen those talons a little for the green kids (and not-so-green old ones like me). From now on perhaps there won’t be as many sad little creatures scurrying about with their heads down and looking per-petually lost. At least that’s the concept. We’ll see. I’ll miss serving on the student volunteer Q & A panel. It was fun to watch the newbies’ eyes widen in abject alarm when I told them about our instructors who administer frequent and severe beatings. Hee-hee. Some things have not changed, even though we all might like them to do so. This is the end of semester, and we all feel as if our

brains have been sucked out of our heads. With straws. Through our ears. In spite of the consen-sus between most of us students, our professors and instructors will again insist on final exams. How is that fair? We have spent the past forever with our heads buried in dry and dull textbooks that cost way too much and will be sold for way too little. In and of itself, this should count for something towards our grades, don’t you think? We have sweated over reports, essays, research papers, and pre-sentations that glazed over our eyes and infested our dreams. We have lost sleep and hope, we have missed out on a lot of fun, and we have sort of kept our sanity intact through it all. At least, I think I’ve kept my sanity more or less intact since January. My family thinks not, but I tell them that I truly do still have all of my original marbles. They’re just arranged in new and interesting patterns now. I say final exams are cruel and unusual punishment. The only final exam I ever enjoyed was given by a cherished favorite pro-fessor at the end of my first full semester. Not wanting to deny future students the same experi-ence, I will refrain from using his or her name here. The whole class spent two hours making pinecone turkeys. I sat beside my favorite study-buddy, Kim Griffey – who is now happily employed by Parkersburg High School – and we serenaded the class with our duet version of the Bee Gee’s disco hit, Tragedy, which cracked up the professor and most of the other students. Good times. Instead of insisting on final exams, how about our leaders and mentors hold a “Student Ap-

preciation Day”? We have all tried hard to make our profes-sors look good, so why not give us dedicated scholars a big old thank-you? Think of the legacy you’ll leave in our impressionable little minds! It’s just a thought. This is the semester that will also bring with it the end of cer-tain long-standing experiences. Some of us will graduate and leave this campus forever. Some of us will be transferring to an-other higher education institute. I will be taking a full course-load this summer, and this will be the last summer I spend at WVU Parkersburg. God willing, and the creek don’t rise, I plan on the joining the illustrious list of grad-uated alumni who have passed through this college before me. This will also be my last ap-pearance in the pages of this newspaper. It’s time for me to get serious about my required psychology courses, which leaves very little room for fun electives like Torie Jackson’s Journalism classes. I’d like to thank both Torie and my fellow news hounds for allowing me to be part of their group. We’ve had some amazing conversations in the Chronicle classroom, and I have learned so much from all of you. If I were a fair whack of years younger, I might have decided to follow the path of news reporting or features writing, but that is not to be. Good-bye all, at least for the summer. Have a safe and produc-tive season, and come back in the fall with renewed hope and reor-ganized brains. Rest assured that your instructors are again going to be sucking all of the little grey cells out of your head. Through your ears. With straws. Some things will never change.

“Nothing happens without first a dream...”

-Carl Sandberg

“...and a buttload of hard work.”

-Sam Berg

Student Looks Back As Spring Semester Ends


by Justina Morris When time came for choos-ing a career path, student Sean Clark remained indecisive, only knowing that he wanted to fol-low his interest in the medical field. In Fall 2007, Clark pursued that interest when he started classes at WVU Parkersburg and eventually found his home in the pharmaceutical area. “The medical field seemed to have limitless opportunities with its ever expanding job market and technological innovations,” said Clark. “I originally became interested in the field of radiol-ogy and began working towards my prerequisites for that particu-lar area.” However, radiology was not the right fit for Clark. Following the advice of a family member, he looked into pharmacy soon after radiology fell through. “It seemed to meet all of my ex-pectations in a future career so I

quickly began working towards finishing all required courses and gaining experience in the field in order to apply to a doctor of pharmacy program,” he recalled. All around persistence and dedication have proven to pay off for the 23 year old thus far. “I have been accepted into the Doctor of Pharmacy program at WVU starting the fall semester of 2013,” he said. “It is a four year program so I expect to grad-uate in 2017.” Clark has been working dili-gently on his pursuit for the last five years, attending a year at Washington State Community College for pharmacy tech class-es and close to four years total at WVU Parkersburg. “I am cur-rently in the process of finishing up my last year here at WVUP,” he explained. “I originally started by taking all of my general education courses and have since then been working on finishing

the prerequisites for pharmacy school.” Since the beginning of his college career, Clark has taken over 100 hours in classes and has maintained an above aver-age G.P.A. He continues to push forward academically and is sat-isfied with his accomplishments so far. “I have had some straight ‘A’ semesters, but not all,” he re-counted. “I was not as diligent in my studies when I first began but have since then improved quite a bit. I have also gained a national and state pharmacy technician certification by taking classes and passing the National Certifi-cation Board exam.” In addition to his responsi-bilities at school, Clark maintains employment at Kmart in Vienna, W.Va. “I currently work as a nationally and state certified pharmacy technician…” he said “I have been employed at the store since March of 2009 and

have worked in the pharmacy since February of 2011. I have gained a lot of valuable first-hand experience since working there and I feel that it will greatly help my efforts in pharmacy school.” Clark credits WVU Parkers-burg professors for much of the valuable knowledge he has gained thus far. “I have had sev-eral professors and some of them are quite exceptional... When the

professors are so eager to help their students it makes for a good learning environment, so I have gained a lot from my experience here,” he said. He also credits his professors for their positive influence on his academic career. “Most of them have been supportive and they genuinely want their students to do well. I would also say that Al Edwards and Paul Cheng stood out among my other professors. They were extremely encour-aging and they made sure that whatever grade you received in the class was one that you earned,” he added. Clark is unsure of specific goals for his future after gradu-ating with his doctorate. “Right now my goals are focused on pharmacy school and making it through the next four years. It’s definitely going to be a challenge but that is something to look for-ward to in itself,” he voiced. Sean Clark

Persistence Pays Off for Aspiring Pharmacy Student

by Jeremy Harrison Hard work plus dedication equals success. While it is easier said than done, one student at WVU Parkersburg has put this mantra to use. Kelsea Fickiesen was just accepted into West Virginia Uni-versity’s School of Pharmacy (Pharm. D. program) and will be attending there next fall as a first-year pharmacy student. Fickiesen is one of a handful of students from WVU Parkersburg that has been accepted by WVU’s School of Pharmacy. “The jour-ney was stressful, I must admit. But yes, it has also been very interesting as well,” recalled Fickiesen. “I have always been inter-ested in helping people, and I really think it’s important to be healthy. Therefore the medical field seemed like the perfect fit.

Growing up, I thought I wanted to be a million different things, but it seems like they were all re-lated to healthcare in some way,” Fickiesen recollected. Fickiesen started her pur-suit of become a pharmacist at Youngstown State Univer-sity where she had received a full scholarship from playing basket-ball in high school. She quickly

decided that the pre-pharmacy program they created for her was not going to work out. She started looking at other schools that could be a stepping-stone for her future career and found that WVU Parkersburg offered the best price and location that suited her needs. “I transferred to WVU-P because it made sense and it was also the most afford-able option.” WVU’s pharmacy program has a two-year outline of pre-pharmacy requirements before a student can be eligible to even apply. WVU Parkersburg hap-pens to offer these classes that are outlined and also has staff that are knowledgeable of the program to guide students inter-ested in choosing this particular career field. Holly Martin, Fickiesen’s ad-visor, helped her get all of her

requirements met and guided Fickiesen down the right path. Fickiesen will graduate in May of this year from WVU Parkersburg with an associate’s in science in the pre-professional field. Fickiesen mentioned that Martin was very helpful to her and gave her ‘great advice’ for her future endeavors. Another helping hand in Fickiesen’s pursuit was Dr. Paul Cheng, instuctor of chemistry at WVU Parkersburg. “Paul Cheng, my organic chemistry professor, also told our class dur-ing the first week of fall semester that he wanted to help anyone who needed it in getting to the next level. He realized most of our class had plans of furthering our education after WVU-P, and he wanted to be a part in getting us there.” Cheng also wrote a letter of recommendation for

Fickiesen, which is just another one of the requirements to be accepted into the Pharm. D. Pro-gram at WVU. WVU Parkersburg created the learning environment that helped Fickiesen achieve her goals and continue on to the next step while at the same time keeping it affordable. “My goal was to get the education necessary for me to meet my goal of getting into the pharmacy program at WVU, and I didn’t want a huge price tag along with it. I also didn’t want to go away to a new city for only a year. Attending WVU-P allowed me to live at home while completing only the classes nec-essary. It honestly worked out better than I ever imagined, and I would recommend WVU-P for others wanting to finish pre-requisites for WVU School of Pharmacy,” declared Fickiesen.Kelsea Fickiesen

Student's Dedication Brings Success


understand more about where he lived. “I am glad I did the book, because Parkersburg has a pretty neat history.” He also has a couple more writing projects in the works. Right now he is in the process of revising his dissertation so that he can get it published as a book. Another project Anderson is working on is the history of the woman behind the Mid-Ohio Valley Ballet and Fine Arts Academy. “She started it all in an era when women were secondary characters and she went through a lot to get there. It would cover many dif-ferent aspects of history, such as: women’s studies, fine arts, business and history,” claimed Anderson. When not teaching or writ-ing, Anderson enjoys taking walks, and watching the Steel-

by Melissa Lough College is not about being trained for a job, but about an experience. That’s the belief of history professor Dr. Robert An-derson. Anderson was born and raised in western Pennsylvania. He and his wife, who is from Fairmont W.Va., have twin daughters in the third grade. Anderson and his family like to travel, but the one place they love to travel to most is Virginia. Washington, D.C., is another close favorite. This year the family is planning a trip to Florida. Anderson received his B.A. at Mercyhurst University, his Master’s at Slippery Rock Uni-versity, and his Ph.D. at West Virginia University. His B.A. was in Computer Management Information Systems; which lead him to become a computer programmer for four years. He

realized during that time that this was not the life he envisioned for himself over the next 40 years. “I saw there was need for un-derstanding history. It became my goal to teach history at the college level,” Anderson said. Anderson did not want to teach at the elementary or secondary levels, he felt by teaching at the college level he would have more leeway to teach what he wanted to teach. He recalled being in a history class that barely made it to the 20th century. He also remembers one of his college professors giving him a lecture about the failure of our education system when the professor who taught about one war could not relate it to previous ones because the stu-dents lacked that knowledge. The one thing he hopes his students take away from his class is a deeper appreciation of our

collective history. “I think there are still too many people who do not appreciate that our lives are not occurring in a vacuum. There has been a whole series of events leading up to where we are today. We need to appreciate who we are today by appreciat-ing who we were. We need to try to fully understand who those people were; ultimately they were people who were making decisions on a daily basis like us today,” Anderson explained. Anderson i s not jus t an assistant professor at WVU Park-ersburg, he is also a published author. He has co-authored a book with Professor Aaron Crites on the history of Parkersburg. “The reason I decided to do this book with Aaron, was because I really didn’t know much about the history of Parkersburg,” An-derson said. After he was done with his research it helped him

ers’ and Penguins’ games on TV. Imparting a final piece of wisdom, Anderson said, “When I think about students, whether here or other places I have taught, the one thing I would say to them is to educate yourself. You can be trained to do a lot of things if you are an educated per-son.” “Appreciate the education, grab it, and say this is my opportunity. First of all, you’re paying for it; so you should learn from it as much as you can. Also, as part of that education, broaden your mind. Do not change your core values, but understand that you are just part of a much greater world, and apply your education. I think too many people think, this is college, I am going to be trained for a job. This is a great opportunity to understand things, to understand the world, to un-derstand yourself.”

College is an Opportunity to Understand the World

Q&A: How “Boring” Are You Going To Be This Summer?

“I plan to go to Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati, and sit around and go to work whenever I

have to.”

-Jonathan Henson

“I’m doing the Student Ambassadors for the College

again and taking summer classes. That’s my summer.”

- Brandon Cooper

Lift weights, work, and get ready for school summer classes, and that about

consumes it.

–Justin Harwell

“I’m spending a lot of time with my son, and I’m going to attempt to go to Cedar Point, and I don’t know, I’m just go-ing to try to do anything that isn’t sitting around my house

like last summer.”

-Chelsea Smith

“Practically nothing until I go on vacation. I’m going to

Tennessee and one of the beaches there, and also

Dollywood. “

-Julia Ritchey


by Allison Hilber Students voiced their opin-ion about the Informat ion Technology department at WVU Parkersburg. A campus wide IT satisfaction survey was con-ducted at the end of March 2013, using three separate surveys for current faculty, staff and stu-dents. Some of the same questions were asked in all three surveys such as satisfaction with the new campus e-mail system, emergen-cy alert system satisfaction and IT communication effectiveness. Varying questions were asked for each particular group. For students, demographic data was requested regarding age group, how many credit hours currently completed, and full-time vs. part-time student status. Other questions asked of students were regarding satisfac-tion with the help desk, learning management systems, campus computers and rating what is im-portant to students. Students gave the IT service performance an overall ranking of 3.96 out of 5. Staff members were given ques t ions wh ich inc luded desktop/laptop support, admin-istrative system and multimedia equipment. A total of 68.5% of staff members completed the sur-vey. Staff members gave an overall IT satisfaction survey rating of 4.08 out of 5. Faculty members were asked questions about lab and class-room support, internet access, what technology tools could

help fulfill job requirements and learning management systems. A total of 34 full-time and 24 part-time faculty members com-pleted the survey. Faculty rated the overall sat-isfaction with IT performance a total of 4.02 out of 5. Chief Information Officer Dr. Valarie Mead feels like the survey was a success with high overall ratings and participation. “We want to create a more posi-tive and productive environment and input from the community we serve assists in that forward motion,” Mead added. After each section on the surveys was a place to leave comments. IT received a total of 276 comments. Comments were broken down into categories based on response. Of the comments 11 people were happy with the new e-mail system, while 19 found the new e-mail difficult to use. It is ex-pected that initial dissatisfaction will occur as users move to a new technology, according to Mead. For the emergency alert sys-

tem, 18 comments were left regarding the system working quickly and efficiently, while six complained calls were incon-venient or too early and three people were confused about two hour delays. Comments regarding desktop and laptop support included 21 who found the IT staff to be friendly and helpful, three people said they received varying levels of expertise and one said student workers were not professional. Learning management sys-tems received six posi t ive comments about eCampus and 12 comments on eCampus being difficult to use. In response to these comments, IT has set up a list of action items to help correct issues that re-ceived negative reviews from the survey. Corrective action is already in motion. Mead also mentioned that results from the survey will help with the college’s reaccredi-tation process. IT welcomes comments and suggestions from the community. A Help Desk Ticket can be cre-ated with the suggestion (using the link on the website) or call 304-424-8215. All of the results from the sur-veys, as well as the list of action items, can be found at the WVU Parkersburg Office of Informa-tion Technology home page (http://it.wvup.edu/).

by Allison Hilber WVU Parkersburg has tran-sitioned all e-mail accounts to Gmail. Having Gmail will allow for students and instructors to be able to better communicate with one another according to Dr. Valarie Mead, Chief Information Officer. Students were originally us-ing Microsoft Exchange and faculty and staff used GroupWise by Novell. GroupWise was a “stagnant” program according to Mead, with no upgrades to its programs for several years. Cost was also involved with these other e-mail providers. With Gmail, cost is nonexis-tent to the school and additional features are provided beyond ba-sic e-mail such as Google drive, groups, site, calendar and more (see Technology Resource page for detailed documentation). Goggle Apps is a “vibrant tool that is expanding functional-ity continuously,” according to Mead. Some classes have already started to use Google sites and groups. One hope is for instruc-tors to take advantage of being able to easily communicate with students and share documents and facilitate collaboration. Another overall hope for this migration is to benefit students. IT is “trying to improve the learning experience and student success,” said Mead. “Technol-ogy should be invisible so focus is on learning and success.” One of the other reasons for WVU Parkersburg to migrate over to Gmail was the fact that WVU is no longer supporting Novell GroupWise. Now that the

two institutions have separate e-mail services, WVU Parkersburg IT can fully support and manage e-mail and associated applica-tions for our community. Prior to the e-mail migration, WVU handled problems that oc-curred with e-mail. This meant that if WVU servers went down, e-mail at WVU Parkersburg went down as well. If a group needed an e-mail account, WVU Parkersburg was not allowed to create an e-mail account for that particular group. Instead a formal request had to be sent through IT at WVU. One-hundred percent of full-time faculty and staff and 81% of students have migrated over to the new system. Even though students have not migrated over 100%, this is still a “pretty good number,” said Mead. Not every student will migrate over for different reasons. Some students do not use their e-mail as a result of only taking a few classes of enrollment in online classes. Other students may have stopped going to classes without dropping them and as a result have not switched accounts. IT has set up new documenta-tion to help students migrate their accounts over to Gmail, access Google Apps via mobile phones and forward all e-mail to a single account. This could be forward-ing a personal e-mail account to their Gmail account or vise versa. If students experience any difficulties with their new e-mail accounts, they can access docu-mentation on the WVUP website (Technology Resources page: http://it.wvup.edu/) or contact the IT Help Desk by opening a ticket or calling 304-424-8215 to cor-rect the error. Mead wants s tuden t s to let IT know when support is needed. Look for more applica-tion options with associated documentation as IT continues to inform the community of new Google Apps features.

Information Technology:Are Your Needs Being Met?

New E-mail System ProvidesPossibilities


by Jessica Thompson Recently, WVU Parkersburg adopted the “Tobacco and Smoke Free Environment” policy. Under this policy WVU Parkersburg is a tobacco and smoke free environ-ment in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for all that come to WVU Parkersburg. This policy is as follows: The use of all tobacco and smoking products, including e-cigarettes, is prohibited in all facilities of WVU Parkersburg. This applies to all of the buildings of WVU

Parkersburg in all locations and all state vehicles owned by WVU Parkersburg. “Tobacco-Free Envi-ronment” and No Smoking” signs shall be displayed in appropri-ate locations. Smoking may be permitted outdoors in designated areas only. The goal is to main-tain a smoke-free environment at all main entrances. Designated smoking areas shall be identified by the institution and signs shall be posted to identify those loca-tions. Smoking in these areas must be 15 feet or more from any

entrance, window or ventilation/HVAC system. Educational pro-grams on health issues related to tobacco use and smoking cessa-tion workshops will be provided to employees and students. Viola-tors of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action. Fines may also be imposed by the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department. Being a “smoke free” campus means absolutely no smoking inside and smoking is only per-mitted in the designated smoking areas that are clearly marked.

by Macie Lynch Students interested in ap-plying to programs within the Health Sciences Division must first complete an application for admission to WVU Parkersburg From there, students can proceed to complete a separate applica-tion and meet admission criteria selective to the program of study in which they are interested. Along with the admission requirements for each program, (which can also be found in the college catalog) applications can be found on the Health Sci-ences website at www.wvup.edu/healthsciences or picked up in the Health Sciences office lo-cated in Room 2331. With the application, a tran-

script from any colleges that a student has attended must be provided if they are not already on file in the institution’s records office, and if required for the program of interest, a copy of the ACT score must be on file, as well. Programs within the Health Sciences Division have a se-lective review process; with a limited number of seats available in each program. The admission process is competitive. Appli-cants are ranked in different, yet similar ways, all depending on the specific requirements for the program for which they are ap-plying to. Some of the requirements for the different programs consist

of a certain grade point aver-age, general foundation courses, ACT scores, and pre-admission exam scores. Hopeful applicants should know, though, that be-cause all admission requirements are met, that does not guarantee entrance into the program. Each student admitted into the Nursing Program must then meet certain requirements to partici-pate in the clinical experiences weaved into the courses. They are required to have a physical examination and complete re-quired immunizations. Students must also submit to random drug testing, have no past felonies on a background check, maintain current CPR certification, and other rules which can be viewed

more thoroughly on the divi-sion’s website www.wvup.edu/healthsciences. Requirements such as this are mandated after entering the pro-gram because a student cannot, in any form, jeopardize patient safety. Students within the Health Sciences programs are held to a higher level of professional-ism and are wholly expected to practice academic honesty and integrity because their actions affect the well-being and health of others. According to Beebe, “In nursing, we are bound by the scope of practice and profession-al standards of the Registered Professional Nurse.” As laid out by the Board of

Examiners for Registered Pro-fessional Nurses, all nursing students must learn how to re-spect the client’s right to privacy, dignity, property, and practice without discrimination. The Health Sciences Division accepts applications from poten-tial students year round, but the date in which an application is turned in determines what cycle for which they will be chosen. They are currently accepting ap-plications for fall admission to the Associate in Applied Science Degree in Surgical Technology and the Pharmacy Technician Certificate Degree and students can apply to the nursing program for the 2014 spring semester until Sept. 15.

Veterans LOoking For New Spaceby Allison Hilber

The Student Veterans Corps is helping veterans. Kurt Klettner, director of stu-dent counseling services, was a key part in getting the group started about two years ago. However, few returning veterans know about or utilize its services. The idea for the corps started after Klettner talked with other campus officials and decided that WVU Parkersburg “needed a stronger presence with our veter-ans.” The group goes beyond vet-erans, including currently active students who may be in the guard

or in the reserves. The main idea behind the group is the fact that many indi-viduals have served their country. In order to help enhance vet-erans education it is important, according to Klettner, that they help support each other, as well as the college supporting them. Shawn Healy with Veterans Services hopes to unite the col-leges veterans. Healy’s hope for the future is to establish a strong group. Having a place the corps can spend time and call their own is key part in making this happen. Currently, no designated space

When it comes to “E-ciga-rettes” the same rules apply. E-cigarettes have become a very controversial problem. Many will argue that since they do not put off smoke, then they must be ok to smoke inside. Others just do not wish to see them around and still feel as though they are pollut-ing the air. E-cigarettes also pose a problem because sometimes it is hard to distinguish the differ-ence between a cigarette and an e-cigarette. The only thing that could pos-

sibly take away the privilege of having designated smoking areas is students not obeying the rules. I for one do not wish to lose this privilege, so please remember that not following the rules could ruin it for all of us. Often when it is rainy out, many can be seen huddling by the doorways or under canopies; this is absolutely unacceptable. Smoking is a privilege. Remem-ber it is a smoker’s right to smoke and it is a non-smoker’s right to a smoke-free environment.

for the corps exists, but plans for one are underway. With the new child develop-ment center being built behind the lower lot, the old child de-velopment center next to the cafeteria will become a vacant space. Nothing is official yet, but the idea is for the corps to have that space to call their own. When they are able to have their own space, the lounge will be furnished with TVs, couches and computers. Having a space to gather, talk and work together will allow for the corps to keep motivated. Other ways Healy hopes to

motivate the group are through community outreach and tak-ing trips. Becoming involved in programs such as the veterans museum and the disabled chil-dren’s foundation will help create a larger bond between veterans. The corps also hopes to take a white water rafting trip and host a group breakfast in May. “By all of us working together, it will motivate us to get a de-gree,” said Healy. This includes his part as an advisor as he as-sists students take the correct classes and follow through with their degrees. The future goal of the program

is to sit down with every single veteran and create a plan for college completion. Aside from course assistance, the corps also offers counseling to students. It is important for veterans or active members to be aware that the veterans corps does exist, according to Klettner. Veterans are welcomed and encouraged to become active members and help support each other. If anyone has questions on the corps or other veterans-related topics, Healy’s office is located in the same space as the financial aid office and Klettner’s is lo-cated in the banana wing.

Clearing The Air On New Policies

Selective Review Limits Number Of Seats In Health Sciences


Editor’s note: a student reviewof a local restaurant

by Justina Morris I am all about trying new places to eat. In fact, not a lot of restaurants remain in the Parkers-burg area that I have yet to try. So of course, when the new Fire-house Subs, located in Vienna West Virginia near the Grand Central Mall, opened its doors to the public, I was there soon after. Upon walking into the joint, I was surprised by the décor. As a franchise, I expected the restau-rant to follow certain protocol, even in regards to decorating. Paintings of local fire trucks and houses were all over the walls, as were pictures of our local fire-men and brigades. Indeed, I was impressed at the personal touches rendered on the place. After admiring the lovely décor, I walked up to the stain-less steel counter and looked at

the scrumptious options on the menu. I was overwhelmed a bit, trying to choose an item from their large menu while the ca-shier behind the counter stared me down the entire time. Due to the staring, I made my choice rather quickly, ordering the classic Steak & Cheese. My companion ordered the New Yorker Steamer and both of us decided to put our sandwiches in combos. Our order was complete. Twenty dollars and some change worth of complete, that is. My hopes were that the food would indeed be worth the pricey price we paid. We filled our drinks and sat down at a booth facing out to-ward the road. While the view was nice, watching traffic drive by, much of the reason for choos-ing that seat came from the fact that most of the 8-10 employees

were standing behind the coun-ter with their arms crossed and blank, grouchy stares on their faces as they zoned out at the televisions in the restaurant. The atmosphere was slightly uncomfortable, I must say. Mostly, the employees weirded me out with their staring and lack of personality, and even after of-fering the employees warm, kind smiles and words, the coldness remained. O n e t h i n g t h a t Firehouse Subs does have going for it is the seemingly good quality of their food. While my Steak $ Cheese offered noth-ing special to excite my taste palette, it was juicy, fresh and del icious. On the other hand, my com-panion’s New York

Steamer was amazingly tantaliz-ing. The pastrami and corned beef brisket was cooked perfect-ly, piled scrumptiously on top of the bun and flavored impeccably with Italian dressing. However, both of us were saddened upon realizing the combo meals came with chips, not fries, especially because of the price paid for the combo meals.

Overall, the stone-coldness of the employees, mixed with expensive menu prices, has left me with a cold, negative opinion of what could potentially be a cool, happening place to stop for lunch. For me, quality involves far more than the taste of food, leav-ing Firehouse Subs below par on my restaurant totem pole.

Humane Society Combating Pet Overpopulationby Katelyn White

Upon walking into the Hu-mane Society of Parkersburg the sounds of cats meowing, dogs barking and panting, and the pitter-patter of paws may be shocking to a first-time visitor. Walking into either side of the shelter's kennel areas will create an array of sounds. Some dogs are barking and jumping against their cages to grab the attention of possible owners while others may be napping and ignoring what is happening around them. Cats and kittens paw at their doors and circle around their cages. This is a normal experi-ence for any of the HSOP’s volunteers and shelter workers. The HSOP has a dedicated staff and group of volunteers that provide the area's animals with an overwhelming amount of love and care. These people

spend numerous hours nurturing each animal as it waits to find it's ‘fur-ever’ home. The staff and volunteers also deal with the hardships that come along with caring for animals. In 2008, Wood County dealt with one of the nation's larg-est puppy mill busts, removing nearly 1,000 animals from Whispering Oaks Kennels. Many times puppy mill dogs have never seen daylight or allowed the opportunity to walk in grass. Purebred dogs are merely used to breed and make money, with no regard to the animal’s health or safety. Stacked wire cages, unsanitary living conditions such as feces and urine on all surfaces, and paws with wounds from unlined cages are all things that are dealt with when it comes to irrespon-sible commercial breeding, often

called puppy mills. This month, SB 437 and SB 202 passed through the W.Va. Senate and House and are currently awaiting Governor Tomblin’s approval. SB 437 will provide regula-tions for commercial breeding to help prevent neglect and cruelty to animals. The bill will allow facilities to be inspected to help prevent another rescue like in 2008 from occurring. Extreme pet overpopulation is an issue across the entire state of West Virginia. Low cost spay/neuter is the most realistic way of regulating overpopulation. In-nocent lives can be saved, along with taxpayer money, by not having to provide nearly as much sheltering or animal control. SB 202 focuses on funding for spay/neuter assistance and could effect the local shelters.

The Humane Society of Park-ersburg is working with pet overpopulation first-hand by building a lost cost spay/neuter clinic, called S.P.O.T. (Stopping Pet Overpopulation Together). The clinic will provide reduced prices and allow a high volume of treatment to help Wood Coun-ty and the surrounding areas in West Virginia and Ohio. Maryann Hollis, executive di-rector of the HSOP, expects the clinic to be finished by the end of July and operational by late-Sep-tember or early October. After years of planning, the clinic is in the final stages. Funding is still needed for start-up costs. Hollis said the main goal for the clinic is “to reduce intake for not only our shelter, but the shel-ters in the immediate area.” The clinic is meant to help shelters, rescues and members of the com-

munity within a 90-mile area, even going to Morgantown. One of the biggest fundraisers for the HSOP is coming up on June 1 at the City Park. Walk Your Paws will have a “Cops and Slobbers” theme, with the lo-cal K-9 unit in attendance. Hollis said the shelter is always in need of money. Dona-tions accepted include bleach, Purina brand puppy, dog, kitten and cat chow, non-clumping cat litter, towels, toys, newspaper, etc. The Humane Society of Park-ersburg is located at 530 29th Street in Parkersburg. To contact the HSOP call 304-422-5541 or visit www.hsop.org. Hours of operation are: Monday - Friday - 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday - 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday - CLOSED

Hot Subs, Cold Service


by Macie Lynch Making it the largest program on campus, as well as the largest Criminal Justice Program in the state of West Virginia, the Crimi-nal Justice Program at WVU Parkersburg has expanded from 42 students in 2009 to more than 400 in 2013. With top of the line equip-ment, two prestigous clubs, and affiliations with local police departments, the program has blossomed into a reputable one. Program Coordinator Louis Roy said that for next semester, three to four new full-time in-structors will be added to the existing administration of Social Sciences and Languages Division Chair Denise McClung, Linda Dotson for support staff, and Vice President of Academic Af-fairs Dr. Rhonda Tracy, solely to make up for the increase in stu-dents. Roy mentioned as well that plans are in place to add more technology to the already devel-oped collection. The program is also receiving 3-dimensional crime scene software that is only used by the local police. Local law enforcement is constantly working with the program at WVU Parkersburg as Criminal Justice Partner Agen-cies for training and betterment

of all of the programs within the area. West Virginia State Police, Parkersburg Police Department, Wood County Sheriff’s Office and West Virginia Corrections are to name a few of those part-ners. “In some cases, we are us-ing equipment and techniques that local and state law en-forcement has not got or is just getting trained on... We are teaching a new software program this semester that local law en-

by Katelyn White In the Fall of 2012, Our Com-munity’s Foundation and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation awarded the educa-tion department with a grant to integrate arts into the curriculum areas of science, technology and mathematics. The Education Division re-ceived $10,500 to sponsor a training day for WVU Parkers-burg's pre-service teachers and the student teachers' cooperating teachers. This event took place on March 8 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in classrooms at the college.

forcement is sending officers to so they can get trained...” “We are the only one in the state offering this training college wise and law enforcement wise,” claimed Roy. The Criminal Justice clubs have become just as highly rec-ognized as the program itself. The Criminal Justice Honor So-ciety (Delta Lota Omega) and the Criminal Justice Organization are both very different, but just as important as the other.

Having over 80 members, the Criminal Justice Organization is the largest and most active club on campus. The club is a com-munity service organization and they have donated over 4,000 hours of their time to community service. Some of the events they do each year are the Thanksgiving dinner at the Salvation Army, where members help serve and cook dinner at the shelter; the Clothesline Project, which is

where shirts are displayed by domestic violence victims for a week to bring topic awareness; and the Fall Festival, where members host the event with games and educational subjects for children. The National Honor Society club, Delta Lota Omega, con-sists of a small group of students that are required to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. They travel all over the country to compete against other schools in regional, state and national competitions in events such as shooting, physical agility, CSI and knowledge test-ing, where they always finish in the top 10 percent. Roy claims that the program is “more than just classes.” It is a “student-oriented program” that has been able to develop with credibility and produces students ready for the criminal justice field. All students entering into the Criminal Justice Bachelor’s pro-gram at WVU Parkersburg must pass a fingerprint background check before granted admission; it is the only program in the state that requires it. With access to advanced tech-nology and affiliations with local law enforcement, the Criminal Justice program at WVU Park-ersburg is making itself known.

The event was called “Integrat-ing Arts In the Curriculum.” Events from this day were reenacted by members of Kappa Delta Pi on March 23. Kappa Delta Pi will conduct the work-shops with students at the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg as part of the Literacy Alive grant that Kappa Delta Pi received. Participants of “Integrating Arts In the Curriculum” attended hands-on presentations based on the children's book, “Tar Beach” by Faith Ringgold. Workshop sessions included how to teach tessellations (geo-metric shapes in a repetitive

pattern), puppetry, poetry, quilt making and art history. Faculty members from the education, humanities, and math-ematics departments collaborated for several months to plan the workshop for education majors. Students taking ED 330, ED 401, SCI 301, and student teach-ers along with their cooperating teachers were part of the work-shop. Faculty presenters were as-sisted by members of Kappa Delta Pi. Faculty presenters were Chris Cunningham, Jeff Byrd, David Lancaster, Amy Wolfe, Beth Cox, Megan Roy

and Patricia Gaston. Jeremy Metz served at the technology consultant. Melissa Spivy and Cindy Gissy were grant coordinators and Debbie McGinnis provided administrative assistance. Spivy said, “It was a pleasure to work with faculty from so many diverse areas as they used their talents to increase our stu-dents’ knowledge of curriculum integration. The collegiality, not only amongst the faculty but also with our pre-service teachers and pub-lic school teachers, was uplifting and refreshing!”

Criminal Justice Program "More Than Just Classes"

Criminal Justice students take advantage of the hands-on experience working with quality equipment, currently offered by the growing Criminal Justice Department.

Education Department Receives Grant to Integrate Arts

Faculty and students participate in a workshop to integrate arts with education.


?Do You Value Your

Sustainabil ity Cornerustainability

Corner

by Alex Casto Improve, save, earn. It’s the message being marketed by Smart Energy Solutions as they encourage Wood County residents to participate in energy assessments. Students in the Energy Assessment program at WVU Parkersburg and in the public rela-tions program are working with the Wood County Commission to market, perform and fund the assessments. The program first took shape in the fall of 2011 under the direction of Wood County Com-mission President Dr. Wayne Dunn and Gary Thompson, a Building Performance Institute certified building analyst and coordinator for Solar, EAMT, HVAC/R and Residential and Commercial Electricity programs at WVU Parkersburg. Their goal was to find a way to save people in the local community money on energy-re-lated expenses. Just an idea at the time, the two men began collaborating during community meetings, where they gathered input from community members like realtors, banks, home builder associations, energy contractors, and even consulting help from Energy Efficient West Virginia. According to Thompson, this useful information from a wide array of expe-rienced individuals led to the program gaining traction over the next nine months as a plan of action took form. As of early 2013, enough funding has been achieved in order to begin doing good things for the community including the implementation of highly informed smart energy assessments. The overall goal of the program is to provide qualifying middle income homeowners of Wood County with the knowledge and awareness of the importance of energy upgrades, and of the many possible money earning advantages upgrading brings. The Wood County Com-mission secured grants to assist Smart Energy Solutions in their endeavor. The grants will be used to subsidize 50% of the appraised $400 cost of each assessment, meaning homeowners need only pay $200 for the service. Many of the homes in Wood County are historic, and though nice to look at, deterioration is likely a very high probability and the answer to unexplained climate issues and astronom-ically-high energy bills. Home energy assessors are trained to examine a home for energy usage patterns in order to find areas of excess energy use, inefficient energy use, and energy waste. They are versed in the use of special equipment to test the air sealing of buildings, ventilation system leaks, and to determine effectiveness of wall insulation of homes, among other things. Thompson said the most common residential energy problems are air leaks, heat loss and inadequate insulation. Tests will include: a blower door test that checks for air infiltration, duct blasting to determine if any leaks exist in heating and cooling ducts, carbon monoxide measurements, the Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ) test, thermal imaging to highlight heat loss zones and levels in insulation, moisture and mold detections. Anyone who participates in the assessment will be given a detailed report consisting of all their home’s system conditions as well as a list of energy upgrades prioritized in order of best return on investments. As energy management student Cody Showalter described, “We are basically like an investment firm telling you where to put your money.” WVU Parkersburg public relations students, under the supervision of Torie Jackson, are marketing the program to raise community awareness and increase education about energy efficiency. They have created a logo, brochures, billboards, press releases, public service announcements; helped with a WTAP special segment; designed advertisements for printed publications and more. Information can be found on Facebook at Wood County Smart Energy Solutions, by e-mailing [email protected] by calling (304) 210-1528 or by visiting the website www.woodcountywv.com and choosing Smart Energy Solutions on the left side. “This is a wonderful opportunity for public relations students to study campaigns and practice writing materials, a requirement for the course in which they are enrolled. They are meeting course objectives while doing work that will improve their community,” Jackson said. “As instructors, we can’t ask for any better learning environment.”

by Jessica Thompson Johnny Staats, born, raised and currently living in West Virginia, has always had a love for music. Coming from a family of musicians, his mother played piano, his father played guitar and his sister played the banjo. Being from a family full of musical talents, Johnny started his love of music at an early age. Staats received his first mandolin when he was just seven years old. When he was nine years old he joined his first band “Bluegrass Heritage.” Staats is also talented at playing the guitar and fiddle. All through junior high and high school Staats joined many competitions, and this became his passion. After graduating high school in 1988 Staats became a delivery driver for UPS. He never gave up his dream of music and continued to play at bluegrass festivals all over the state. In 2000 Johnny had a big break, as he was signed to Giant Records and released his debut album “Wires and Wood.” Since then, he has appeared on such shows as the Today Show, CBS Nightly News with Dan Rather, and CNN. People Magazine and Country Music Magazine have both featured articles on Staats. He has also appeared at the Grand Olé Opry five different times. Staats is a very proud West Virginia Native and enjoys just about everything West Virginia has to offer. West Virginia is, and always will be, his home. All of his family resides in WV as well. Some of his fondest memories are growing up as a chid in West Virginia and being able to go outside and play in the woods and see all of the nature that surrounded him. He also loved the feeling of being able to go hunting and fishing anytime he wanted to. Although he has traveled to many places in West Virginia and loves them all, his favorite

place is the Canaan Valley area, because of the scenery. One of Staats’s favorite past times of living in West Virginia is playing music. He also enjoys the outdoors and some likes turkey hunting, racoon hunting and bear hunting. Something that Staats thinks that people should know about West Virginia is that it is a beautiful state, and the people are nice, and fun to be around. A song that Staats wrote about West Virginia is an instrumental song called Legend of the Ghost Coon. This is a song that is about Staats when he was younger, hunting in the hills of West Virginia with his coon dogs. Staats now plays in a band called Johnny and the Delivery Boys. Johnny and the Delivery Boys have recently released their new CD “Time Moves On” that is available for purchase on their website. “Time Moves On” is contemporary bluegrass combined with country and blues. Members of the band include Staats; Roger Bissell, bass; Ray Cossin, fiddle; Dave Vaughn, guitar; Butch Osborne, banjo. Today Staats is a normal down-to-earth guy who currently resides in Jackson County, W.Va. with his wife and two daughters, and continues to drive for UPS. He says that he could never see himself living anywhere else than his home state of West Virginia. Staats and his band will be playing at WVU Parkersburg on Friday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. Some upcoming performances are: Saturday, May 11, North Bend Bluegrass Festival, Cairo, WV; Saturday, June 1, 1-3 p.m., S&P Harley Davidson, Williamstown, WV; Sunday, June 16, 10:30 am, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Parkersburg, WV; Friday. July 4, Mountain State Art & Craft Fair, Ripley, WV; Friday, July 19, Sweet Corn Festival, Muskingham Park, Marietta, OH; Thursday, August 8, 9 p.m. Tyler County Fair, Middlebourne, WV; Sunday, August 18, 1 p.m., Parkersburg Homecoming, Parkersburg, WV.

Staats to Perform on Campusphoto by Rich Schaffer


by Allison Hilber A castle, a concentration camp - even a palace. They were all on the itinerary as community mem-bers traveled to Europe. During spring break a group of 13, from WVU Parkersburg, Washington State University and Ohio Valley University, took a 10-day trip through Germany, Austria, Northern Italy and Swit-zerland. The group was headed by Jeff Byrd, instructor of theatre at WVU Parkersburg. The trip was arranged with EF College Tours. The group of 13 met up with other colleges from around the country to create a group of 45. The other colleges included the University of Idaho and a Catholic college in St. Louis. S t a r t i n g i n M u n i c h f o r the f i rs t three days , t rav-e l e r s h a d t h e c h a n c e t o witness Neuschwanstein Castle, Dochowel concentration camp, various museums, churches and palaces. The group also visited Italy and Switzerland. A guide accompanied the group throughout the t r ip. Through the guide, students were able to learn about the history of the areas they visited. One of the many places they learned about was the Neuschwanstein Castle. The castle itself was commis-sioned by Mad King Ludwig to create a retreat from the rest of the world. Ludwig himself was

bizarre and was even found dead, along with his doctor, in a lake outside of the castle. The castles design itself was an inspiration when Walt Disney was designing Cinderella’s castle. “People need to go see Venice. It’s terrible that it’s sinking. Soon it will be gone,” said student Kelsey Weekley. While in Venice

the group learned how tourism is actually causing the city to disap-pear. When the cruise ships came into Venice, the companies dug out lagoons for the ships. This has caused the sea level to rise four to five feet, resulting in logs to rot and lime stone lay-ers of buildings to deteriorate. It is expected that in two to three generations Venice will actually crumble into the lagoon. Byrd recalled when walk-ing through buildings in Venice that the floors actually vibrated when walked across and were wavy and buckled. It was an ex-perience that was marked with beauty and destruction at the same time. In Lucerne Switzerland the group was taken to see the Lion of Lucerne. The statue lion is dy-ing with wounds to its body and is carved into the side of a cliff. It represents the Swiss Guards that were killed protecting the

Area College Students Experience Culture Abroad

royal family. According to Weekley, seeing the picture of the lion is sad, but to see it in person is a moving experience that touches the heart. Another experience that took place during the trip was in Murren, Switzerland. Murren is known for its mountains. From his hotel room, Byrd could see

Group photo from the most recent trip.

off into the distance on one of the mountains a light. He decided to take a picture of it even though he could not tell what the light was. Overall, students seemed to enjoy the experience. “If I could go back again next year I would go. It was a great experience,” said Weekley. Byrd also shared a similar view point, “We explored lot of new things and met lots of nice new people. It is important to spend time out of your own country to appreciate where you live.” The next trip planned will be to Ireland, Wales and England. The trip generally ranges from $2,500-$3,200. The price is also based on when one decides to go. The earlier one signs up, the cheaper the trip costs. Students can start signing up a year in advance. The trip is also offered to alumni or family of WVU Parkersburg community members. Byrd would like to see enough people go on the next trip that the college can have a group by themselves. For those who are interested in taking the trip and wish to receive college credit for going, they can take English 260. The class deals with taking tours to Europe. Students write a paper before they leave on a particular topic and then another paper when they return after actually visiting it.

Venice view from the Rialto Bridge at night looking onto the Grand CanalThe Renaissance Antiquarium of the Residenz Palace.

chronicle volume 43, issue 12

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