the spectator print edition, 2-14-13
DESCRIPTION
The print edition of the Spectator, February 14, 2013. Includes the Valentine's Day Tab.TRANSCRIPT
February 14, 2013 W W W . V S U S P E C T A T O R . C O M VOLUME 84 ISSUE 18
Inside This Issue- OPINIONS: “society defines meaning of love”
- FEATURES: “go the cheap route with your V-day date”
- SPORTS: “VsU softball catching fire early”
On the Webwww.vsuspectator.com
OnE BIllIOn RISInG - Front
lawn, noon - 5 p.m.
Women’s and gender studies
invites the VsU community
to “walk out, dance, rise up
and demand an end to
violence against women.
there will be a dJ, raffle and
refreshments.
ISEP InFORMATIOn -
Center for International
Programs, 10 - 11 a.m. and
3 - 4 p.m.
Faculty and advisrs are
welcome to isEP for study
abroad opportunities.
SURPRISE yOUR VAlEnTInE -Pedestrian Mall, noon -
4 p.m.
society for international stu-
dents are selling cookies,
flowers, cupcakes and cards.
REAl TAlk -Powell Hall
Auditorium, 8:15 p.m.study the Bible with Xchange
Ministries. the topic of
conversation: relationships.
MOVIE nIGHT - Odum
library Auditorium, 8 p.m.Movie: “the Five Year Engag-
ment.” snacks provided.
sponsored by natural High.
VAlEnTInE’S COnCERT -
Whitehead Auditorium,
7:30 p.m.dr. Kristen Johns performs. For
more information, contact dr.
Johns at [email protected]
or by calling 293-6195.
Today at VSU
Download the Spectator app andvote for your favorite couple inour “Show your Love” contest!
Blaze speaksBlaze speaks
See page 4 for a letter from
your mascot to the entire
Blazernation.
Weather
63 H 38 L
Cloudy
Today
69 H 42 L
Friday
33 L59 H
Partly
Cloudy
Saturday
How do you feelabout Valentine’s
Day?
A. My favorite holiday!
B. You mean Singles
Awareness Day?
C. I hate it
D. It’s too commercial.
E. It’s so romantic!
Vote online at www.vsuspectator.com!
Question ofthe week
Last Week’sPoll Results
Sunny
What Black Historyfigure do you feel is
most influential?
50%MLK Jr.
18%
18%
Jackie Robinson
Others
Who’s next?
What is the Provost and VP for
Academic Affairs, anyway?
Half of the finalists
have made their
vists.
Dr. Jeffrey Di Leo
will present Feb. 26
and Dr. Karla Hull
will present Feb. 28.
55things to know
from Obama’s
SOTU address
Four finalists fight tooth and nailto be YOUR next provost and VPfor Academic Affairs.
- Oversees all five of
VSU’s colleges as well
as Auxilliary
Services and other
divisionsAll decisions the provost
makes directly affect all
students as well as most
faculty and staff.
- Chairs Univeristy
Planning and Budget
Councilthe provost has a hand in
all University spending
decisions.
- Actively involved in
development of VSU’s
new Strategic and
Master PlansFuture developments and
programs will be created
under the new provost’s
guidance.
- Chairs VSU’s
Complete College Ga.
implementation
committeethe new provost will be
responsible for the way
gov. nathan deal’s CCg
plan works on our campus.
Dr. Jeffrey Di Leo, University
of Houston-Victoria
Dr. Bradford Sims,
Indiana State UniversityDr. Nat Frazer,
Utah State University
Dr. Karla Hull, VSU
Scan this code to see each
candidate’s visit schedule
and qualifications.
On minimum wage
On energyOn education
On jobs On gun reform
President Obama recommended raising the
federal minimum wage to $9 per hour.
He also suggested that the minimum wage
be tied to cost of living, and thus become “a
wage you can actually live on.”
More oil is being produced in the US now than
in the past 15 years, and more natural gas is
being produced here than ever.
If Congress doesn’t pass legislation on climate
change, Obama says he will use executive action.
Obama said that making America “a magnet
for new jobs and manufacturing” is a priority.
Many companies that have outsourced jobs
are bringing them back to the US this year.
Obama wants to see Congress vote on
gun reform and he wants to see it soon,
even if the vote is against new legislation.
Obama asked Congress to modify the Higher
Education Act and factors that dictate which
colleges receive federal aid.
The White House also released a College
Scorecard to show how much “bang for your
buck” you get from your education.
compiled by Amber Smith/THE SPECTATOR
Contributed by Valdosta Planning and Zoning Committee
Eleven houses on the corner block of Brookwood Drive and Oak Street will be demolished to
make room for this multilevel development that will include residential and commercial facilities.
Residential corner block
approved for demolition
the final countdown has be-
gun for the demolition of 11
houses located across the street
from the Fine Arts Building to
make room for a four-story
apartment with retail space.
south Carolina developer
McAlister proposed the plan
last year for the residential and
commercial facility that will be
aimed at students.
the Valdosta City Council
approved the immediate demo-
lition of six of the houses on
the corner of Brookwood drive
and oak street in a meeting on
Feb. 4.
the destruction of the re-
maining five homes has been
postponed until March 15 after
the City Council decided that
the homes held enough histori-
cal merit to warrant their
preservation.
in the Feb. 4 meeting min-
utes, Emily Foster, Valdosta
historical preservation planner,
said that the five remaining
houses were architecturally
unique and should be pre-
served, and their demolition
would adversely affect the his-
torical district in Valdosta.
McAlister only owns five of
the 11 houses, although all the
properties are under contract.
dr. saeger asked if any home
owners were declining to sell
their property to McAlister. Bill
nijem, Langdale Vallotton,
LLP and McAlister representa-
tive declined, saying that
McAlister would prefer to have
bought all of the properties at
once but was unable to do so.
dr. richard saeger, vice
chairman of the Historical
Preservation Committee and
political science professor, said
that McAlister development
must continue the good faith
efforts specified in the previous
meeting regarding the 11 hous-
es with the remaining five
properties.
in order to maintain good
faith efforts, McAlister must
continue to advertise the relo-
cation of the five remaining
historic properties.
McAlister is also prohibited
from clear cutting on the prop-
erties until the beginning of
construction, unless it is neces-
sary in order to remove the
houses.
nijem said that the major
concern for McAlister was
timeliness. the complex is set
to be aimed at student resi-
dents, although it will be open
to other demographics.
Construction would need to
start in March or early April of
this year in order to open the
complex by fall 2014.
McAlister development ap-
plied for the residential/com-
mercial complex to be listed as
a project of special merit. this
listing would allow the imme-
diate demolition of all 11 hous-
es on the block.
A project of special merit
must significantly benefit the
city through its aesthetic pres-
ence, or provide significant so-
cial benefits for Valdosta.
nijem said that the complex
will have an immense econom-
ic impact on the community by
creating hundreds of jobs and
aiding VsU—by providing
housing and retail services
within walking distance of the
university—according to the
minutes from city council
meeting on Feb. 4.
Celine gladwin, Valdosta
historic preservation member,
denied the request saying that it
did not meet the Project of spe-
cial Merit provision.
Will LewisA s s t. M A n A g i n g
E d i t o r
9%Medgar Evers
5%Frederick Douglas
0%Rosa Parks
FeBruarY 14, 2013Page 2 | vsusPectator.com N e w s
The Spectator prints free clas-sifieds for stu dents of Val dos -ta State Uni ver si ty only.These must be no more than 40words, or a $8.00 charge willapply. Clas si fieds for fac ul ty,staff, stu dent or ga ni za -tions,stu dent-owned busi -ness es and the gen er al pub liccost $8.00 for up to 40 words.Ads should be sent to The
Spectator or de liv ered to ourof fice in 1238 Hopper Hall.The dead line is Mon day at 5p.m. If payment ap plies, it
should be sub mit ted in a sealeden ve lope at the time the ad isplaced. Ads must be ac com pa -nied by the name and phonenum ber of the per son sub mit -ting the ad. Ads must be re sub -mit ted each week, as nec es sary.The Spec ta tor ad dress is: 1500N. Patterson St.,Valdosta, GA31698 [email protected].
The Spec ta tor re serves theright to reject any clas si fied ad.All ads are sub ject to stan darded it ing pro ce dures.The Spec ta -
tor is not re spon si ble for ads
For Sale
Services
Brand new in box, never out of
the box! HTC REZOUND forVerizon. Comes with wall charg-er, USB cord, holster, memorycard, instructions, Dr. Dre earbuds. $300
PPrreeggnnaannccyyWWaassnn’’tt PPaarrtt ooff tthhee PPllaann
�������������������� ������ � ����������������� ����������� ��
��������������������������������� ��������������������������� �������������������� ����
ServicesFor Rent
MEA Federal Credit Union
cashes Pell Grant, Financial Aidand Scholarship Checks for allVSU Students with ID. 308 EastAnn Street…229-333-5751...Join MEA online at meafcu.org
Like us on Facebook
sub mit ted un der false pre tens esor for mis takes due to a sub mit -ted er ror. The cat e go ries for clas-sifieds in clude: For Sale, Want -ed, Room mates and Help Want-ed.
The Classifieds
�� ������������������������� �������� ����� ��������� ������ �������������� ��� ���������� ������� ������ ���������������������� �� �� ���� ������� ��������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������������� ���� ����������������������������������������������� ��������������
���� �������� ��
��
� � �
��
� �
�
� �
�� �
�
Feb. 15, 3 p.m.
Banner will be down for an upgrade. During the downtime,Banner and Degree Works willnot be available. Banner will be available againMonday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 a.m.BlazeView, email, Active Direc-tory and the website will not beaffected.
Feb. 15, 7 p.m.
Ani-Romance Night with Ani-me@VSUCentennial Hall, Room 138
Shows to be watched: SailorMoon, Cardcaptor Sakura, Wed-ding Peach, Kimagure Orange
Road and Romeo x Juliet.
Feb. 15; 7, 8 and 9 p.m.
VSU Planetarium presents ‘In1913: A Procession of Meteors.’Nevins Hall, room 3004
Feb. 15, 10 p.m.
“Late Night Bowling: Each 1Reach 1” is part of Xchangeweek with Xchange Ministries.The first 25 students bowl forfree all night, all students have todo is pay for shoes. Jac’s Bowling Lanes
Feb. 16, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
“Club Elevate: The Light Club”
is part of Xchange week withXchange Ministries.Student Union Ballrooms B & C
Free dancing, refreshments andmusic.
Feb. 17, 3 p.m.
“The Place” is part of Xchangeweek with Xchange Ministries.Powell Hall Auditorium
Come for a worship service.
Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m.
“The Particle that ChangedEverything”Bailey Science Auditorium
College of Arts and SciencesSpring Lecture Series presents
Harrison Prosper, professor ofphysics at FSU. Prosper will dis-cuss the Higgs boson, alsoknown as “the God particle.”
Feb. 19, 7 p.m.
Blazin’ Beauties Dance Teampresents “The Good, the Bad andThe Ugly” fashion show. Student Union Ballrooms A & B
Blazin’ Beauties is currentlylooking for couples for the be-ginning of the show. For more information, [email protected].
Feb. 12
A bicycle was stolen from infront Reade Hall.
Feb. 9
A bicycle was stolen from infront Centennial Hall.
Drugs were found in a silverSaturn on level 6 of the Sustellaparking deck.
Feb. 8
A cell phone was stolen fromthe Recreation Center.
Feb. 7
An iPhone 5 was stolen fromthe front desk of Georgia Hall.
An UC Chick-Fil-A was har-rassed while on the clock.
A bicycle was stolen from theeast side of Bailey Science Cen-ter.
Feb. 6
A Centennial Hall resident re-ported that a note was left on thedoor inside her room, from herroommates, saying they were go-ing to kill her.
A cell phone was stolen fromHopper Dining.
Upcoming Events Police Briefs
Scientists, geeks, and averageJoes of all kinds have alwaysbeen intrigued by the idea of lifeon other planets. Science fictionmovies present possibilities ga-lore. Perhaps there is a massiveseries of terraformed galaxies inour post-apocalyptic future, aspresented by Joss Whedon’s“Firefly,” or an evil Empire anda mystical Force a la Star Wars.Perhaps the aliens that do existjust want to ‘phone home’ likeE.T. and leave us alone.
The search for extraterrestriallife isn’t all nerds in basementswith conspiracy theories. Just re-cently, meteorites supposedlyfeaturing living microorganismsfrom beyond Earth’s atmospherehave been discovered in both SriLanka and Canada. As usual, ru-mors abound that these discover-ies might join the endless ranksof failed hoaxes and fakes fromyears gone by, but we can atleast retain some hope.
VSU students certainly seemto agree. “Oh they’re out there,alright,” Lewis Ritenour , seniorand former physics/astronomymajor, said. “We just haven’t
found them yet.” Surprisingly, stu-dents are muchmore willing to be-lieve in intelligentlife beyond our at-mosphere from alogical perspectivethan from a fantas-tic one.
“The mathemati-cal chances are waytoo high to not be-lieve that there’slife out there. It’sjust logic; there aretoo many galaxiesand star systems forthere not to be anyother planet capableof sustaining life,”Will English, graduate historymajor, said. English’s reasoningwas echoed and approved by a
number of surrounding students,and not a single conspiracy theo-ry was heard.
This attachment to logic maybe the result of the informativeteaching here on campus. An en-lightening interview with astron-omy professor Dr. Martha Leake
revealed just how right thesestudents are. “They’ve found27,000 planets that might possi-bly have life-sustaining condi-tions, and over 800 of them havebeen confirmed,” She said. “It’sextremely likely that there’s lifeout there. I’d love to think thatthere is, but we haven’t foundany proof yet.”
She also went into surprisingdetail on exactly how much in-terest there is in the field of theextraterrestrial search. “Search-ing for other planets with the
ability to sustain life is a verybusy field right now. Right nowthe Kepler telescope is usingviews of planets’ atmospheres inthe light of eclipses to determinemore about whether our sur-rounding planets can host life.We’re also looking into themoons of Jupiter and Saturn likeEuropa, Enceladus, and maybeTitan.”
Students who are interested inthe hunt for life should look intothe Kepler telescope and its mis-sion at kepler.nasa.gov.
february 14, 2013 vsuspecTaTor.com | page 3OpiniOns
People Poll:
What are yourplans for Valentines Day?
De’miah Greene
Junior
psychology major
“I’m not sure but I hope I getsurprised.”
Chelsea Belcher
sophomore
undeclared major
“I have a test, but if I don’twork that night, I’m going out.”
Jasmine Wikerson
junior
exercise physiology major
“I don’t have any plans, butmaybe someone else has plans
for me.”
Walker Gallman
senior
marking major
“I’m buying wine and cookinga steak dinner for me and myincredibly hot girlfriend who
doesn’t exist.”
Marcus Hill
sophomore
mass media major
“Working, that’s about it.”
Society defines meaning of loveV
alentine’s Day is typi-cally associated with redcarnations, multi-col-
ored candies, sappy cards,stuffed animals and caramelchocolates. But all of this isonly for one day.
Valentine’s Day is essentiallyabout love, right? So, what hap-pens to love the other 364 daysa year? Does it leave and waittill the next Feb. 14? It’s notsupposed to.
Genuine and true love provesitself every day, not just onValentine’s Day when societysays it is. Two people who aredeeply in love don’t need oneholiday to celebrate somethingthat should be year round.
The buzz circling aroundValentine’s Day stems from theexcitement of gifts and expen-sive date nights. Here’s thething that many people don’tunderstand: gifts can be givenevery day and date nights canbe had every night.
A recent article in the Orlan-do Sentinel estimates that 60percent of Americans will not
celebrate Valentine’s Day thisyear because they feel it has be-come overrated. Being singleand a lack of money are alsoimportant factors for those whochoose to abstain from Valen-tine’s Day.
An important thing to re-member is that Valentine’s Dayis highly commercialized.Stores have begun capitalizingbased on the idea that peopleexpect lavish gifts. That’s whyWal-Mart is foolishly selling$55 gift baskets and $17 teddybears on their website.
If someone really wants togive the person that they admirea gift, they should extend a “justbecause” present to that person,just because it’s Monday or justbecause he or she is great, notbecause it’s Valentine’s Day andsociety says that it’s time togive one.
There’s one gift that’s freeand can be given every day:love.
It can be shown when peopleopen their eyes every morningand see the one that they can’t
live without. It can be dis-played through that sweet “Imiss you” text message that aman sends his girlfriend.
The problem with commer-cializing Valentine’s Day is thatit heightens feelings of loneli-ness and depression. Thosewho have no one to spend itwith may wonder why this hol-iday exists to begin with.
What would this nation doevery year on Feb. 14 if therewas no Valentine’s Day? Wouldthey still go to the stores andbuy candy and chocolates thatthey can buy any other day?
They should, not because theValentine’s Day “book of eti-quette” says so, but becauselove’s “book of Etiquette” does.
Society has helped to con-tribute to people feeling moral-ly obligated to do somethingdrastic and special for someoneelse. It shouldn’t be that way.
While it’s nice to feel specialand get a gift, there should beno obligation. Every day is theday for love.
This editorial was written by Amanda Usher ([email protected]) and it expresses the general opinion of the editorial staff.
Our point of view...
Students seek life beyond earth
France occupies Mali
The French have recently be-come involved in the African na-tion of Mali.
They appear to be respondingto an insurgence of religious ex-tremists who, with the help ofgun-running Tuaregs, seek to ac-complish the very original goalof killing people and breakingthings, a goal both sides seem tobe accomplishing remarkablywell.
In the Malian city of Gao,Malian forces spent their week-end exchanging fire with the in-surgents.
Fighting became so intensethat the French were compelledto call in air support. PromptingFrance to consider initiating theproverbial tap-out, withdrawingas 60,000 UN peacekeepers pre-pare to enter the country.
The argument for this massresponse to the upswing in vio-lent behavior comes from the,not entirely illegitimate, fear thatif Mali were to fall into thehands of the deadly Tuareg/al-
Qaeda combo, it would provideextremists with a solid footholdin the area.
It is true that establishment ofanother state ruled by overlyzealous religious despots wouldprove detrimental to the well-be-ing of global affairs, but it israre that nations are spurred tocross oceans into strange landswithout some form of economicbenefit.
France is easy to explain. The European power has in-
terests in Niger, the CentralAfrican Republic, Guinea, Mau-ritania, Burkina Faso and Chad.If you were to pull out a mapand look at these countries youmight notice the gap named“Mali” between them.
The French firm Areva is oneof these interests. Areva is cur-rently working on a site in Faleaat the southwestern border ofMali, near Guinea.
According to an article pub-lished by the Carnegie Endow-ment for International Peace,this area may have up to 10,000tons of Uranium resources.
The French company also hasheavy interest in the Sahel re-gion of Africa, a strip of aridland that stretches from east-to-
west across the continent. Areva has been active in
neighboring Niger for decades,mining oil and uranium. TheGerman broadcaster DW evenhinted that Areva is staring at re-
sources in Mali like Sanduskyat, well, you know.
Areva has been the target ofinsurgent attacks that focusmainly on kidnapping its em-ployees. Four of the employeeshave been taken hostage since
2010. In a decade wherehostages are remarkably com-mon and publicized, we mightsimply write it off as not too ter-ribly bad, but take your com-mute and day at work and thenadd desert bandits. It might helpwith the perspective on anotherreason why the country has de-cided to throw caution to thewind and engage in what Cana-dian officials are calling a sec-ond Afghanistan.
Speaking of America’s fa-vorite middle-eastern news fix-ture, France’s president FrancoisHollande has recently decidedthat it would do well to take theAmerican lead, and slowly inchhis way out of the internationalblock party also known as theWar on Terror.
For the ironically named Hol-lande to decide to risk chancesat reelection in favor of anotherwar with insurgents reads asmore than simply protecting theallies.
A keen reader may exclaim,“Aha! But, this is just anotherexample of France’s fondnessFrancafrique, a post-cold war ef-fort at neo-colonialism.”
Perhaps, but I am leaning to-ward Areva.
Will LewisA S S I S TA N T- M A N A G I N G
E D I T O R
Rebecka McAleerW E B D E S I G N E R
Issue of the
Week
Opinions expressed in the Spectator other than editorials are the opinions of the writers of signed columns and not necessarily thoseof the Spectator and its staff. All rights reserved. Reprints by permission of the editors. Views in this newspaper are not necessarily
those of the Valdosta State University administration, faculty and staff.
Contacting Us
Newsroom (229) 333-5688
Advertising (229) 333-5686
Business (229) 333-5686
Fax (229) 249-2618
E-mail [email protected]
VSU Spectator
1500 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31698Letters must include name, year in school, major, job title or other appro-
priate identification and phone number for verification.Letters should be no longer than 300 words in length. Letters are subject toediting for style, length, grammar, and libelous material. Not all letters arepublished. Letters should be typed and turned in with a disk, or e-mailed as
an attachment by Tuesdays before 5 p.m.
Online at www.vsuspectator.com
Spectator StaffEditor-in-Chief: Amber Smith Managing Editor:Jennifer GleasonBusiness Manager: Brandon MainerAdvertising Manager:Aimee NapierCirculation Manager: Sarah TurnerOpinions Editor: Stephen CavallaroFeatures Editor: Amanda Usher
Sports Editor: Eric JacksonPhoto Editor: Cody HicksMultimedia Editor: Von Kennedy Web Designer: Rebecka McAleerCopy Editor: Shambree WartelCartoonist: Garrison MuelhausenSocial Media Editor: Joe Adgie Faculty Advisers: Dr. PatMiller, Dr. Ted Geltner, KeithWarburg
Reporters/Photographers:Derrick Davis, Veronica Dominicis, Allison Ericson, AceEspenshied, Neil Frawley, BrianHickey Jr., Ivey Ingalls-Rubin,Jessica Ingram, Chris Kessler,Will Lewis, Olivia McLean,Ritsuki Miyazaki, Ray Pack Jr.Anthony Pope, John Preer,Quasha Ross, Isaiah Smart,Taylor Stone, Shane ThomasAlex Tostado, Jamal TullSarah Turner, James Washington, Steven Setser
NASA
With the help of
gun-running
Tuaregs, seek to
accomplish the
very original goal
of killing people
and breaking
things, a goal both
sides seem to be
accomplishing
remarkably well
Jennifer Gleason / THE SPECTATOR
Page 4 | vsusPectator.com February 14, 2013SPOrTS
VSU softball catching fire early
Only a two-hour rain delay was
able to slow the Blazers’ bats as
they ran up 20 runs and earned two
gutsy wins in Valdosta State’s
home-opening doubleheader against
Georgia Southwestern on Tuesday,
8-2, 12-6.
On a day where the Blazers
homefield was officially christened
as Steel’s diamond at Blazer Park,
the constant ping off of Valdosta
State’s bats kept them ahead on the
scoreboard at a time where their de-
fense was inconsistent bringing the
Blazers to 6-0 this season.
Valdosta State head coach
Thomas Macera wasn’t concerned
about his team’s ability to keep up
the scoring.
“They can hit,” Macera said.
“Are they going to hit like that
every single game? No. They’re al-
ways going to hit more in some
games than others, but they can hit.
They have a hitter’s chance, there
are several girls on this team that
every time they get into the box
they have a chance to hit the ball
out, you just gotta hope that carries
you.”
The Blazers certainly showed
that power early on in the day. Shel-
by Attman poked the ball over the
fence in the bottom of the first in-
ning with a runner on to put VSU
up 2-0. Valdosta State didn’t let up
either, scoring in five out of the sev-
en innings, including a mammoth
homerun by Courtney Albritton to
lead off the sixth inning.
Albritton shook off three errors in
the second game to jack another
shot over the fence, giving her four
homeruns in just six games this sea-
son (28 homeruns is the division 2
record) and Valdosta State four
homeruns on the day.
While some of the Blazers strug-
gled on defense in the home opener,
Hannah Strickland made some eye-
popping plays at third base to keep
some runs off the board.
“In my opinion, she is the best
third baseman in the country,” Mac-
era said. “She is a phenomenal third
baseman. She is just a great infield-
er. She’ll wear it before she lets it
go by her, there is no fear there.
That position is very, very difficult
to play because you’re so close to
home plate, but she just had a great
outing. The thing is with Hannah,
that was routine for her, she makes
those plays all the time. She’s just
an exceptional player.”
Possibly the most impressive part
of VSU’s victories are that not one
of the 20 runs were driven in by
Morgan Johnson.
Johnson was awarded the Gulf
South Conference’s player of the
week last week after going 6 for 12
with three homeruns and five runs
batted in, however, Johnson will be
crucial to Valdosta State’s success
as they face a tough slate ahead
with five games in four days.
The Blazers will play four tough
games in the Charger Chill Out this
weekend in decatur, Ala. perhaps
the toughest of them against the
University of Indianapolis, who
went 50-9 last season. Valdosta
State will then travel to Albany, Ga.
on Tuesday to make up a rained-
postponed game against the Albany
State rams.
Keeping the team rested, yet
ready to go is essential throughout a
long season.
“You just gotta play,” Macera
said. “Softball is in season now un-
til May. You’re playing 60 games
over three months. You have to stay
focused, you have to make sure you
get the rest when you can and take
advantage of those down periods
and just make sure we’re in shape.”
Valdosta State returns to Steel’s
diamond at Blazer’s Park for the
Holiday Inn Classic Tournament
hosted by VSU.
Follow @BlazerSports on
Twitter!
D.J. DavisS P O r T S W r I T E r
Upcoming Games *vs. Indianaplis (2/16)
*vs. Lander (2/16)
*vs. Palm Beach Atlantic (2/17)
*vs. Wayne State (2/17)
*Charger Chill Out Tourney
in Decatur, Ala.
-at Albany State (makeup) (2/19)
^Northwood (2/23) 11 a.m.
^Lander (2/23) 5 p.m.
^Lander (2/24) 1 p.m.
^Northwood (2/24) 3 p.m.
^Union (3/2) 1 p.m.
^North Alabama (3/3) 1 p.m.
^Holiday Inn Classic in
Valdosta,Ga.
The Valdosta State men’s
club soccer team is gear-
ing up for their spring
tournament schedule,
which begins on March 1.
Though their official
season ended in the fall,
the team will be participat-
ing in various tournaments
during the spring.
“[March 1] we’re going
down to Florida State to
play a tournament,” Alec
Kronitz, vice president of
Valdosta State men’s club
soccer, said. “And, later,
Florida State will probably
come here for a scrim-
mage.”
To keep themselves
sharp, the team will be
holding scrimmages
against the Blazers’
women’s soccer team as
well as many other schools
in the region.
“We’re trying to get a
scrimmage along with
Berry College,” center
back Kyle Stewart said.
See Soccer on Page 5
VSU club soccer team update
Ladies, make your way
to the starting line!
The next VSU sport is
about four or five years
away, and it is likely to be
a women’s sport. Part of
the reason for that is title 9
which was created to pro-
vide equal opportunity and
equality of experience for
men and women athletes.
“Because of the fact that
we have football we are
constantly reviewing our ti-
tle 9 compliance,” VSU
athletic direct Herb rein-
hart said. “With that in
mind there would be a
good chance that our next
sport would be a women’s
sport.”
Since VSU has a foot-
ball team, it skews the total
number of scholarships in
favor of male athletes. Title
9 mandates that the total
amount of scholarships
must be considerably pro-
portionate to the ratio of
male and female athletes.
Therefore if another fe-
male sport is added the ra-
tio between male and fe-
male athletes would go
down and there would be
more funding towards
women athletes.
Track and field, in my
opinion, should be the next
varsity sport added to Title
Town over golf or possibly
swimming.
The decision on the next
sport would likely have to
come sooner than later, es-
pecially if track was cho-
sen. right now there is no
VSU facility available for
track unless Valdosta High
School was willing to pro-
vide a facility much like
football.
Currently there are five
GSC schools that have a
women’s outdoor track
team and six schools if you
include Lee University be-
ing added to the conference
in the 2014-15 season.
Hopefully GSC schools
can find success in track
persuading reinhart to
consider track even more
so.
“We watch what other
schools might add and if a
sport becomes a champi-
onship sport, that’s some-
thing we take note of,”
reinhart said.
In the GSC there must
be six schools participating
in a sport for there to be a
conference championship.
right now the GSC only
has women’s golf and
men’s soccer champi-
onships that VSU doesn’t
have a team to compete in.
“Once a championship is
offered in the conference it
makes the sport more at-
tractive to us,” reinhart
said.
In state conference rival
West Georgia has both a
women’s track team and a
women’s golf team. Cur-
rently UWG has 20 girls
participating in track while
they have only 5 compet-
ing in golf.
Track is a much more di-
verse sport than golf. Ath-
letes in track don’t have to
be good at one certain
thing like they do in golf.
There are sprinters,
jumpers, hurdlers, throw-
ers, and distance runners.
That makes track more ap-
pealing to a variety of ath-
letes and more appealing to
VSU.
“I’ve seen schools do it
different ways, survey the
students to see what their
interest would be in,” assis-
tant women’s basketball
coach Jennifer Grubbs said.
“Also paying attention to
what is going on around us
in local high schools and
around the state.”
Through a petition, a
survey, or the creation of a
club sport, the next VSU
sport can be influenced by
the student body more than
they think.
The never-ending battlesurrounding Title IX
Ace Espenshied A S S T. S P O r T S E d I T O r
Shane Thomas
S P O r T S W r I T E r
Blazer Nation,
How bout dem Blazers?!?!
Last semester was an in-
credible time to be a Blaz-
er. The soccer team made
the playoffs in only their
second season. The volley-
ball team kicked around
the rest of the conference.
The cross-country teams,
once again, were players in
the south regionals. Not to
mention that the football
team won its third national
championship in only eight
years. Needless to say I
was quite the happy flame.
Spring semester is no
exception. The softball
team has started the de-
fense of their national
championship. The base-
ball team already has
pitched a perfect game.
The tennis teams are
stacked once again and are
favorites to be in the na-
tional championship hunt.
The golf team is getting all
the balls in the holes. Our
Blazerball (basketball)
teams are in full swing and
approaching the end of the
conference schedule.
In my current persona,
I’ve seen three national
championships and two na-
tional runner ups. Some of
the most electric atmos-
pheres I’ve been a part of
were back in the ’09-’10
basketball season.
The men’s team advanced
all the way to the Elite
Eight in Massachusetts.
The journey to get there
was something special. I
will never forget the night
the No.1 ranked Augusta
State came to the Complex
and was sent home with
their tails between their
legs. Everyone in the
stands was wearing red,
the Complex Crazies sec-
tion was in full swing and
overflowing from their sec-
tion. The entire BlazerNa-
tion was on their feet for
the entire game, and when
the clock struck zero, we
rushed the floor in victory.
Tonight our in-state ri-
vals, the Wolves of West
Georgia, come to the Com-
plex to take on our beloved
Blazers. Earlier this year
when we traveled to Car-
rolton, West Georgia set a
new attendance record for
the Gulf South Conference
in a hard fought game that
came down to the final
seconds.
I challenge you to come
to the game tonight as we
White Out the Wolves.
Whether you paint your
entire body white or just
wear a white t-shirt, I chal-
lenge you to be there. Join
the Complex Crazies be-
hind the western goal to
taunt the Wolves or sit in
the upper bowl for a better
view. Just be there wearing
white and cheering on your
Blazers.
This challenge isn’t
limited to the game tonight
against West Georgia, but
to all sporting events for
the remainder of your time
at Valdosta State. Enjoy a
double header at the ball-
parks, go out to Kinderlou
and cheer the boys on.
Just. Be. There.
I hope to see you all
tonight and at all the other
Blazer games. Never for-
get, it’s always a great day
to be a Blazer!!! (And yes,
this was very hard to type
with only eight oversized
fingers.)
Sincerely your mascot,
Blaze
P.S. Follow me on Twitter!
@BlazeVSU
A message from Blaze
Commentary
CYAN
MAGENTAYELLOW
BLACKOddEven
UU
newnew
vsUspEctAtoR.com | pAgE 5FEBRUARY 14, 2013 S p o r t S
When dreams finally turn to realities VSU offensive lineman Edmund Kugbila prepares for NFL scouting combine
Growing up in the tropical
climate of Ghana in West Africa,
he always was fond of soccer;
his eventual love for football
seemed unfathomable at the
time.
This adoration for the game
now is only obvious as his life-
long dream is finally becoming a
reality.
Edmund Kugbila everyday re-
ceives praise from his supporters
all over including family mem-
bers overseas to hometown fans
in Valdosta as he gears up for a
very substantial business-trip.
Still high from a national
championship victory, he makes
no bones that he must dwindle
these emotions to be ready not
only physically but emotionally
to be compeletely prepared for
his upcoming job interview.
This interview is the NFL
scouting combine held at Lucas
Oil Stadium Indianapolis, Ind.
“I really didn’t think things
would pan out like this but at the
same time I’ve wanted to go to
the NFL since I was fifth grade.
I’ve said I wanted to be a pro
football player since I was a little
kid. It’s a dream coming true
right now. I got one shot and I
got to take full advantage of it,”
he said.
The annual event gives stand-
out college football players the
opportunity to showcase their
skills in front of coaches, general
managers, personnel directors
and scouts.
Though the official combine
invite list came out last week,
Kugbila was expected to be on it
after he pulled in the first invita-
tion on Nov. 28.
He told the exciting news to
his agent prior to informing his
mother and the rest of the family
face-to-face. He admits the bliss-
ful feelings that day were similar
to winning the national champi-
onship in the remark that he
“couldn’t believe it’s true.”
“It was emotional, so surreal.
It was a great feeling, a lot of ex-
citement. My mom knows how
much I want to do this so she
was very happy for me. Dream
come true, God just answering
my prayers.”
Kugbila hopes to be the next
Blazer in the NFL since undraft-
ed Minnesota Viking linebacker
Larry Dean in 2011.
“Larry Dean is like my big
brother,” he said. “If I need any
questions answers, I can call
him. I look up to Larry a lot; his
mentality and how he works it’s
crazy. Larry is Larry. He’s a
great guy to look up to. I want to
be able to represent Valdosta in
the NFL one day.”
The right guard’s football
dreams didn’t begin developing
till Edmund and his family
moved from The Motherland to
the metro-Atlanta city,
Lawrenceville when he was 10
years old.
The prospect admits he had a
few discouraging moments on
the gridiron when he started
playing organized football in
middle school, nevertheless sup-
port from close ones helped him
refrain from quitting.
Soon he enrolled into nearby
Central Gwinnett High to begin
his trek to the NFL.
Largely due to his bulldogged
work ethic, Kugbila was a model
player during his four years as a
Black Knight.
Former Central Gwinnett
Head Coach and current Athletic
Director & Head Football Coach
at Dade County Bradley Warren
is less than surprised that Ed-
mund is in contention to play at
the next level.
“I always enjoyed coaching
him and he was pleasant to
coach,” Warren said. “He was
huge and had good size. He was
real young and worked hard, just
a great offensive lineman. He
seemed to enjoy his work too.
I’m excited for him, proud of
him.”
The storied tradition that VSU
garners grabbed Kugbila’s atten-
tion coming out of high school,
then following an official visit to
the Azalea city, it was a done
deal from there. He was going to
be Blazer.
He credits magnetic connec-
tions with then current Blazers
and comforting vibes is a main
component to his final decision.
His commitment would soon
help reel in fellow Central Gwin-
nett grads defensive end Trokon
Gaye and safety Lance Holder to
join the “Black Swarm”.
Kugbila, a three-year starter,
was able to make an impact as
early as his freshman season as a
reserve until his final game that
ended in triumph and coined him
a champion.
This past season, Kugbila was
one of the five starting seniors
on the offensive line who have
moved on.
One of those five were NFL
prospect ryan Schraeder who
failed to get inked on the official
combine list but good friend Ed-
mund believes that it won’t hin-
der him on his same pursuit to
pros.
“I think he should have been
on the list,” Kugbila said. “I
don’t know what happen[ed]
with the invite process in all that
but ryan is up here working.
We’re both getting after it, trying
to put VSU on the map. ryan is
a great athlete. He is probably
one of the top in college football.
I know ryan is going to get a
fair shot.”
Greg reid, along with Schraeder
and Kugbila, are forgoing this
spring semester to solely focus
their attention to their craft.
reid still recovering from a
torn ACL that happened during
the final preseason scrimmage,
will link up with his former
teammate during combine week-
end on Feb. 20-23.
“It’s great just to see him
overcome from his injury he had.
When Greg came we just took
him into our family so I’m hap-
py to see what he’s doing. I can’t
wait to see him at the combine
so I can’t talk to him again,”
Kugbila said. “I know he’s going
to do great, it’s Greg reid.”
reid is listed under Florida
State on the invite list; The 2010
Chick-Fil-A defensive MVp has
been stationed in North Miami
getting ready for the combine
with his management group,
Worldwide Career Management.
Kugbila is currently in Atlanta
honing his skills six days-a-week
with his management group,
Goldin Athletics Training Asso-
ciation.
He also has been training with
other offensive linemen prospect
University of Alabama’s D.J.
Fluker.
“I was nervous at first,” he said.
“I’m not really nervous, just anx-
ious to get over there to show
these guys what I can do.”
Kugbila will make his way
back to Titletown for VSU’s pro
Day on March 18.
Eric Jackson
S p O r T S E D I T O r
ANSWERS
Sudoku
Kugbila celebrates his final game in a Blazer uniform with a national
championship victory Dec. 15 in Florence,Ala.
VSU Athletics
SOCCER“Their club team has contacted
us and wants to work out a
scrimmage for the semester.
We’re trying to work up a couple
more games for us to play in for
our spring season.”
In addition to club soccer, the
intramural soccer season is set to
kick off on Sunday. Many of the
players on the men’s club team
will be participating in the sev-
en-on-seven intramural season as
well.
“The club team is so diverse,”
Alec Kronitz, vice president of
Valdosta State men’s club soccer
said. “Everyone kind of has their
own different teams. One [intra-
mural] team may have five or six
club players on it.”
Kronitz, who also plays center
mid-fielder for the team, and
Stewart are looking for their
team to be strong in the Spring
season after failing to make the
regional tournament in the fall.
“Spring is an opportunity to
work on some things that we
didn’t feel we did well in our
[fall] season,” Stewart said.
“Getting these spring games in
helps us decide positions, forma-
tions, and what we need to work
on in practice.”
“These games against [Divi-
sion I] college players give us a
chance to play against really
competitive teams with lots of
skilled players,” Stewart added.
“It brings experience to the other
kids, so that’s where we think we
can get better.”
Currently, Valdosta State does
not have an official men’s soccer
team, in accordance with the Ti-
tle IX rule, which keeps the
number of men’s and women’s
sports equal.
Kronitz understands that he
and Stewart will likely be gone
by the time Valdosta State fea-
tures a men’s soccer team.
“We’ll probably be graduated
before they get a real men’s
team,” Kronitz said. “It’s hard to
get a team—you can’t just push
for it and get it. It definitely
takes a few years and a lot of
working out to do it.”
While the men’s club soccer
team would welcome being an
official program for VSU athlet-
ics, that does not stop them from
cheering on their female counter-
parts, who will be entering their
third season of competition on
Feb 24.
“Coach [Mel] Heinz is a very
good coach,” Stewart said.
“They made it to the NCAA
tournament. They’re gonna be
strong—they had a few players
that were All-Americans so it
should be a good game when we
play them.”
Valdosta State men’s club soc-
cer travels to Tallahassee, Fla.,
as they kick off their spring tour-
nament schedule at Florida State
University on March 1. Starting
times for the tournament have
not yet been announced.
AP Photo/Dave Martin
Up Your Mobility
Click Here
To Get This:
Page 6 | vsusPectator.com february 14, 2013
ADMITONE
NEWS MENUS BLAZEVIEW
SPORTS HEALTH&FITNESS BLAZER BARGAINS
TODAY’S TO-DO CAMPUS DIRECTORY
ENTERTAINMENT SOCIAL MEDIA SPEED DIAL
TODAY
Short URL:
http://qr2.it/Go/1933543
iTunes
Short URL:
http://qr2.it/Go/1870394
Google Play
The Spectator launches its MOBILE APP for Apple and
Android devices today! We’relooking for ways to give you Your
News, Your Views, Your Way!
Happy Valentine’s Day
Fashion Do’s, Don’ts
of Valentine’s Day
Page 1The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.comFebruary 14, 2013
the most romantic day
of the year is here
again.
Whether you’ve got a hot
date or you’re just kicking
back with your sweetheart, the
right outfit can make the
memory last much longer than
chocolate and roses.
Ladies, today is one of the
rare occasions when a themed
outfit can work. So go ahead!
Nothing says Valentine’s Day
more than a flirty little red
frock or, if you prefer a more
feminine look—go with pink.
Keep it light and whimsical
and you’ll be sure to make
hearts flutter everywhere you
go. Here are just a few ideas.
for you handsome boys,
tonight is the night to step it
up with your wardrobe! i
promise that your lady friend
will be impressed with the
extra effort.
No, you don’t have to wear
pink and heart boxers (but, if
that’s your thing then go for
it), but trying out a more
festive look won’t hurt for just
one night!
Planning a great outfit may
seem more complex than
calculus, but trust me, with
just a few pointers you will be
in runway mode in no time!
polyvore.com shoptrendshoes.com
Ladies, for a more formal look, try a red bandage dress with
nude patent leather pumps. if the whole “red and pink theme”
isn’t your cup of tea try a loose white blouse tucked into a high-
waist black skirt, black booties and pink accessories!
if you have a more casual evening planned, try the black and
white androgynous tuxedo look—it’s foolproof. Go with dark
wash skinny jeans, black heels or flats, a pink or red blazer and a
leopard print clutch-- there’s nothing wrong with showing a little
animal instinct on your date.
Gentlemen, venture a tiny bit out of your comfort zone and try
a pair of dark wash jeans, white buttoned-down shirt with a beige
or black sports coat and (in a perfect world) a pink striped bow
tie.
if that’s too much of a stretch you can make it simpler with
jeans and a casual buttoned-down shirt – try a gingham or paisley
print.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Here,
Taylor Stone is introducing her
brand new column, “Taylor’s
Take,” which she will keep up
on her online blog
vsutaylorstake.blogspot.com.
shop.nordstrom.com shop.nordstrom.com
Picnic
there is nothing like a
picnic that screams romance
on Valentine’s Day. a perfect
candlelight picnic can be
created with a few food items
and supplies from Wal-Mart
and a book on astronomy.
eating dinner by candlelight
and gazing off into the
heavens is the perfect way to
spend tonight.
McDonalds
Can you say dollar menu?
the food is very affordable
for anyone whose pockets are
looking slim this Valentine’s
Day. also, some McDonalds
locations are offering a
candlelight dinner with table
service and flowers. if you’re
budget conscious, this might
come in handy.
Planetarium
the Valdosta State
Planetarium will bring the
romance of stars to you this
Valentine’s Day. the
planetarium offers a
wonderful ride across our
galaxy for a cheap price. it is
located on the third floor of
Nevins Hall and will feature a
show tomorrow.
Basketball Game
today VSU is having a
white out at the P.e Complex
to show school spirit. Come
support our fellow Blazers
against top rivals, the West
Georgia Wolves. Bringing
your valentine to the game
can not only take a load off
your wallet, but can actually
be enjoyable.
Ashley Cinemas
the good ole-fashioned
movie date is never a misfire,
especially when all movie
tickets are $2 per ticket. With
cheap popcorn, drinks and
candy, dates can be kept $10
and under.
Netflix/Redbox
this date is popular with
stay-at-home couples.
Couples can rent DVDs for
$1 plus tax a night from
redbox kiosks located in
most grocery stores, or go on
Netflix on their computer
from the comfort of their
home and make a romantic
night out of it.
Walk in the Park
there’s nothing more
romantic than taking a long
walk and spending time with
your loved one. Scenic walks
in a park or by the lake allow
you and your valentine to get
more acquainted or re-
acquainted. the park always
seems to bring a sense of
closeness.
Home Cooked Meal
Get quality ingredients
from any supermarket and
make a romantic home-
cooked meal for your mate.
Whoever does the cooking
normally should be able to sit
back and enjoy a gourmet
dinner. if you both tend to
cook an equal amount, you
can spend time cooking
together.
Explore Valdosta
a lot of college students
have lived in Valdosta for
years and never take the time
out to explore it. Leave the
comfort of campus. You
might discover something
new to do at an affordable
price.
T.V Marathons
as holidays usually have
tV specials dedicated to the
particular celebration,
Valentine’s Day is the perfect
opportunity to cuddle up and
watch marathons with a loved
one.
Go the cheap routewith your V-Day date
Jamal TullS ta f f W r i t e r
Rebecka McAleer/THE SPECTATOR Rebecka McAleer/THE SPECTATOR
Opening in 1955, McDonalds serves its
community with hamburgers, nuggets,
chicken sandwiches and more.
Here at the Spectator, we would like to send our love to all of VSU. We
hope that everyone enjoys their Valentine’s Day and end it with lots of
smiles and joy.
Ashley Cinemas is located on 2812 N.
Ashley Street, and gives Valdosta a place
to go when they have nothing to do.
Page 2 February 14, 2013The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
“Love & War”- Tamar Braxton
“I Believe In A Thing called Love”- The Darkness
“Wanted” - Hunter Hayes
“Ho Hey”- The Lumineers
“Love You Like A Love Song”- Selena Gomez & the
Scene
“The Way I Am”- Ingrid Michaelson
“Our Song”- Taylor Swift
“My Love”- We came As Romans
“Sometimes”- Britney Spears
“I Like It”- Sevyn Streeter
Dance to topten love songs
Warm Bodies
Warm Bodies is the perfect blend of
horror and romance. A zombie undergoes a
huge transformation after meeting Julie (a
human survivor) during a zombie epidemic.
Beautiful Creatures
Beautiful creatures tells the story of a
young woman’s fight for love and the power to
decide her destiny.
Identity Thief
Identity theft is only funny in Identity Thief.
Mama
Mama is a horror movie that shows how a mother’s
love is forever. This movie will scare couples into each
other’s arms.
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters presents a great twist
to an old tale.
Les Misérables
Les Misérables is full of great acting and amazing
singing. It is a must see.
Silver Linings Playbook
Silver Linings Playbook tells the story of how an
unexpected bond forms between Pat (Bradley cooper)
and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) that leads to silver
linings appearing in both of their lives.
Pitch Perfect
Pitch Perfect is a comedy filled with
amazing a cappella renditions of popular songs.
Wreck-It Ralph
Wreck-it Ralph is a great movie for
those that love animations.
Safe Haven
Safe Haven tells the story
of a young woman’s fight to
overcome her troubled past in
order to find love again.
Erin Ellis
S P e c TAT O R
c O R R e S P O n D e n T
Watch top ten
love movies
of all-time
Erin Ellis
S P e c TAT O R
c O R R e S P O n D e n T
1. If you were a booger, I’d pick you first.
2.If I told you that you have a great body, would
you hold it against me?
3. If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and I
together.
4. Are you from Tennessee, because you’re the only ten I
see.
5. Your name must be campbell’s ‘because you’re mmm
mm good.
6. I lost my phone number, may I borrow yours?
7. Do you have a map? Because I’m lost in your eyes.
8. Is it hot in here or is it just you?
9. If I received a nickel for every time I saw
someone as hot as you, I’d have five cents.
10. Do you believe in love at first
sight or should I walk by again?
Don’t use
clichés for dates
Erin Ellis
S P e c TAT O R
c O R R e S P O n D e n TMCT Campus
Tonight, the Women’s and Gender’s
Studies Program will host “One Billion
Rising” from 12-5 p.m.
According to a press release, this event
will be held to promote awareness for
violence against women. There will be a
D.J., raffles and refreshments.
Come Monday, VSU willbe chanting “all Pinkeverything” as they attendthe events the ladies of alphaKappa alpha Sorority, inc.have planned. With it beingtheir Greek week, the VSUchapter of Kappa Upsilonplans to host a different eventfor students every day fromSunday through Saturday.
they will begin their weekon Sunday with a day ofworship as they attend serviceat Crossing Jordan BaptistChurch. following that, theywill be hosting a “Soul food”social on Monday in the UCBallrooms. the entry fee willbe three canned goods.
“it’s like a family reunion,”said Stacy Brewer, currentmember and seniorcommunication sciences anddisorders major.
On tuesday, KappaUpsilon will host “On thetLC tip,” a sexual awarenessforum which will take placein Odum Library room 1160,followed by “Clueless,” their
trivia game night, onWednesday in Jeanette Hallroom 1111. Students will beable to come out andparticipate while interactingwith each other.
thursday will be “LivingSingle,” an auction wherestudents will get to place bidsfor dates with people beingauctioned off.
“Some [sisters] will begetting auctioned off,”Brewer explained. “therewill also be males from otherGreeks.”
Upon winning their bid, onfriday night students and theperson they won in theauction will be treated to amovie night, which is anotherKappa Upsilon event locatedin the UC theater. this eventwill also be open to the restof the student body.
“Love Jones is beingshown, and there will berefreshments after.” Brewersaid.
“[the auction] is a reallyfun event that we do everyyear, and it goes to greatcause,” ariane Griffin,current member and seniormass media major, said. “themoney goes to relay for Life
and LaMP.”their week will finally
conclude on Saturday withtheir “Sister Sister: Big Hattea Social” in the UCCypress room which will beopened only to girls oncampus. there will be a $10fee to attend, but all proceedswill go toward a scholarshipfund.
“the Big Hat tea Social isa fundraiser for ourscholarship,” Kelsey Garner,president of Kappa Upsilon,said. the scholarship isdedicated to Deidra Miller,one of their sisters whopassed away due to domesticviolence. “You can purchaseyour ticket from any of thewomen of aKa on campus,”Garner said.
the scholarship will go totwo deserving females whoattend schools in LowndesCounty.
the sisters of the sororityare greatly looking forward tothe week as well as thesupport and attendance byVSU students.
for more information, findthe ladies of Kappa Upsilonon twitterat@19KU_aKaS08.
Page 3The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.comFebruary 14, 2013
NOTE :
Devin Crudup
has discontinued
his “Be Healthy”
column. We
apologize for the
inconvenience.
TIRED OF VALENTINE’S DAY?Here’s some features!
Brian Hickey, Jr.S ta f f W r i t e r
AKA is Pretty in Pink
Photo courtesy of Alpha Phi Alpha
Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha pose for a group photo in the Student Union. The AKA sorority will be
planning a series of events as part of “Greek Week” from Sunday through Saturday.
WE WANT
YOU!
Team Spectator
is always
looking for new
talent!
No matter where your
interests lie, we can
use you!
Contact Amber at:
Page 4 February 14, 2013The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
This week, the VSU campus
has been seeing a bit more
navy blue and gold than usual.
Sigma Gamma rho Sorority,
inc. was chartered at VSU on
Oct. 22, 1988 and since then,
the organization has been
making an impact in the
Valdosta community.
“Our aim is to enhance the
quality of life within the
community with public
service, leadership
development and education to
the youth,” Priscilla Peay,
president of the Lambda Beta
chapter, said.
According to their website,
sgrho1922.org, Sigma Gamma
rho also aims to address
concerns that impact society
educationally, civically, and
economically.
“On campus, we do
community service and we
have done different
philanthropic events,” Peay
said. “for example, we've had
a brother and sister stroll-off
and whoever won [received]
$100.”
The $100 prize was for the
winning team to donate to a
philanthropic organization of
their choosing. Alpha Phi
Alpha fraternity, inc. won, and
they donated their prize to
relay for Life.
“We do a lot of community
service, and we host different
events,” Peay said. “We've
done Habitat for Humanity,
The Haven, Second Harvest
food Bank and [volunteered
at] different nursing homes.”
The dedication and service
isn't only given to the city of
Valdosta. it is given to the
VSU campus also. Sigma
Gamma rho also participates
in the annual relay for Life
event that is held campus.
“We also have joined forces
with VSU HerOS for AiDS
awareness, and we've also
raised money for St. Judes
Children's research Hospital,
which is one of the national
programs that we partner
with,” Peay said.
This week, Sigma Gamma
rho is hosting SGrho Spring
Week 2k13. “[The purpose of
our week is to] keep our name
out there [throughout] the VSU
campus,” vice president Maria
Phelps said. “So that greeks
can come together and we can
be Greek-unified.”
Monday, they held “Nacho
Average Cookout” in the
Student Union and had free
nachos for anyone who
stopped by. “it's for people to
interact,” Peay said. “Greeks
will be strolling and freshmen
can get the campus feel and
interact with us.”
Wednesday was the
“Creative expressions” talent
showcase. Students were able
to recite poetry/spoken word,
sing or play an instrument.
Today, they will be handing
out their Valentines Day
cupcake-grams which helped
raise money for their
organization so they can
continue to hold events.
On friday, they are hosting
the “rHOllin' Through The
Decades” stroll-off in Student
Union Ballrooms B&C at 6
p.m. NPHC organizations will
be teaming up and strolling to
songs from the 70s, 80s and
90s. Admission is $2 and all
proceeds will be given to St.
Jude Children's research
Hospital.
Saturday, the members of
the Lambda Beta chapter will
be staying true to the spirit of
their organization and
participating in a community
service project.
Olivia McLeanS TA f f W r i T e r
Poodles to continue
hosting Greek Week
Dance with your heart
and feel the music at
Motion Dance Studios
in Valdosta.
Motion Dance Studios offers
a wide variety of dances
including Latin, ballroom,
fitness, and hip hop.
Alvaro Leyva, studio owner
and instructor, and Hannah
Moore, instructor, have more
than five years of experience
as professional dancers.
According to Moore,
Motion Dance Studios was
named after their expression of
dance. Moore believes that
everyone likes to express
themselves through motion
and movement.
“Dance is the way for me to
put my feeling into
movement,” Moore said.
Motion Dance Studios was
originally opened in 2010 as a
Latin dance studio.
The studio has given
internship programs to VSU
students for the past three
years.
The program is offered to
anyone, and even provides free
training for those who want to
become dance instructors. The
program usually takes about
two to three years depends on
students’ pace.
There are hundreds of
members from all ages on the
roster. As the studio operates
on a pay-as-you-go system,
students can easily participate
in classes without breaking
their bank.
Amanda Crossley, an
employee at Medical
equipment Company, has been
a student at the studio for a
year. She started without any
dance experience and made her
way up to an advanced class in
Latin dancing.
“i really love the interns,”
Crossley said. “i would have
given up my first month of
dancing if it wouldn’t have
been for how encouraging they
were.”
There is no qualification to
become a dance instructor, but
the studio is willing to intern
someone who is teachable, has
a good personality and able to
stay in Valdosta for at least two
years.
Gloriana rivera, a VSU
student, has been in the
internship program for two
years. rivera is not a dance
major, but her passion for
dancing inspired her to sign up
for the program.
“Teaching is what i enjoy
the most,” rivera said.
information about their class
schedules and fees can be
found on
motiondancestudios.com
Valdosta new home to
Dance Motion StudioRitsuki Miyazaki
S TA f f W r i T e r
Isaiah Smart/THE SPECTATOR
Monday, the members of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. holds the “Nacho Average Cookout”
at 6:22 p.m. in Student Union Ballrooms B and C as part of their Greek Week. The event is open
to the public, and features the Blazing Beauties.
Saturday “Lights for
Leukemia,” a car and
fundraiser, is happening from
10AM-6PM in the rock N
rodeo parking lot to help pay
for a little girl’s leukemia
treatment.
The people who are hosting
this event are The Street
Sweepers of Valdosta, a car
club that donates all the money
from its shows to a charity of
their choice or a community
member in need.
Sterling Shiver, VSU student
and member of the car club
says, “The little girl’s name is
Addie and she is five years
old. She actually came to one
of our events earlier this year.”
The event he mentioned was
held at Basic Audio, a car
modification and speaker shop,
which is owned by Wally
Moore Jr. the president of the
Street Sweepers club.
When talkin about the event
he said, “When Addie came
into the shop she really
reached out to everyone and
we felt she was special. She
was happy, smiling, and acting
like every day might not be her
last. When it came to figuring
out what the proceeds from our
next event would go to she
immediately came into mind.”
rock N rodeo says that
whenever the Street Sweepers
hold a fundraiser they are
happy to lend them their lot.
They are also hosting the
after party, which they are
waving the night’s cover
charge to people who have
entered into the show.
for car fanatics this is a
definite event of choice to go
to, as well as enter into if you
think your wheels are nice
enough.
The charge to enter a
vehicle into the show is $20
and the show will be
displaying cars of all shapes
and sizes from SUVs to
antiques, imports to trucks and
many other categories.
So come out this weekend
and help make a little girl feel
loved and help donate to the
fight against cancer.
Ben SkenderS TA f f W r i T e r
Car show to raise moneyfor leukemia treatment
Check out the Web Spectator at vsuspectator.com to read Anthony
Pope’s “Pop Addict,” Steven Setser’s “Spec Tech” and more.
Dance is the way
for me to put my
feeling into
movement.- HannaH moore
“
”