Archives for November 2015
Tolerance is not enough, speaker tells Hood community
Ash Beckham presents her talk “Give Voice to Your Truth.”
By Shannon Jones//
Students, staff, and faculty gathered to see Tedx speaker Ash Beckham present her talk “Give Voice to Your Truth” on Wednesday, Oct. 27 in the Brodbeck Music Hall.
In this talk, Beckham, who considered herself an “accidental advocate” for the LGBTQ community, addressed the importance of empathy and acceptance and shared her own experiences to engage the audience. The main idea of this talk was “creating a more empathetic community on campus,” she said, and bringing that empathy into other communities as well.
“The first step is to embrace the diversity that we all bring,” Beckham said. “To embrace our own differences, and be willing to share our own stories so people better understand us.”
Safe Harvest provides a Halloween treat for Frederick kids
Frederick kids dress as Mario and Lluigi. Photo courtesy of Katie Stout.
By Katie Stout//
Each year, Hood College hosts Safe Harvest, an annual autumnal celebration that occurs around Halloween, providing local children in Fredrick, with a safe haven to trick or treat.
Hosted by Hood’s Mortar Board Society, Safe Harvest “provides children ages 12 and under the opportunity to enjoy a safe and fun-filled evening of games, arts and crafts, and trick or treating on Hood’s campus,” according to the society’s public relations chairwoman, Sienna Bronson.
This year’s annual Safe Harvest was on Oct. 28th. The Mortar Board Society organizes the event, but the whole Hood College community comes together to make it happen. Students are encouraged to buy candy to either donate or hand out to kids when they walk around the college’s five dorms.
Student athletes challenged to find balance
By James Brown\\
Colleges want their students to be well rounded. In addition to academics, schools like their students tobe engaged in extracurricular activities, such as community service, playing an instrument, or playingsports.Students who choose to participate in collegiate athletics face different challenges than narps (non-athletic regular people).
Athletics forces students to use their time wisely. Between practice and travel it is not uncommon for student athletes to fall behind. Freshman athletes often struggle the most because they have not beenthrough a collegiate athletic season. They aren’t aware of the time commitment that comes with being a student athlete.
There are a number of ways for freshman athletes to ensure they do not fall behind. All freshman arerequired to attend at least 4 hours of study hall a week. Freshman athletes who don’t achieve a cumulative 2.3 GPA must continue going to study hall until they have met the requirements. Students believe that study hall helps give them a way to stay organized.
Career center helps students find their way in the job world
By Gabrielle Cavalier//
Hundreds of students entering their first year of college have absolutely no idea what they want to do as a career path. Some think they do, but then change it three years in. What if there was a place a student could go to for career path advice, right on campus? Well, that’s where the Hood College Career Center comes in.
The Career Center, which can be found on the second floor of the Apple building connected to Whitaker, is the place to go to when a student needs an internship, resume critiquing, career help, volunteering opportunities, etc. The Career Center has plenty of options for students to engage in networking and finding a job after college that is suitable for them.
Students talk about sex and consent
By Destani Jameson//
On Thursday October 10, the Hood College Health Center and the Coordinator of Diversity inclusion cosponsored an uncensored series conversation about sex and consent. The Coblentz game den was the perfect atmosphere for the drop in conversation for “real people with real issues to have a real conversation.”
Although staff members of the Hood College community sponsored this event, it was a conversation for students and led by students. Travis Eichelberger, Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Diversity Initiatives Coordinator, and Dede Trapp, Staff Nurse from the Health Center, facilitated the conversation.
Free pizza, drinks, candy, condoms and sex education gathered about 15 students. The Coblentz game den was set up in a cozy comfortable setting with couches set up in a circle. The group was instructed to write a topic that connected to sex or consent and place it in the bowl. This is how topics were picked for the discussion.
Students find release from stress and comfort in a furry friend
By Ashley Trovato//
An Emotional Support Animal is, according to the writers at anxiety.org, and The National Animal Registry, “an animal that, by its very presence, mitigates the emotional or psychological symptoms associated with a handler’s condition or disorder.”
At Hood College, students are allowed to have a hermit crab or goldfish. They are also permitted other animals, but have to go through the CAAR Center first.
Megan Poole, a senior at Hood College, recounts her experience in obtaining permission to bring a service animal on campus. “It was awful.” Megan said, “The process should not have been as hard as it was.”
Poole is diagnosed with PTSD, severe clinical depression/anxiety, and ADHD. She was permitted to have an animal last year, which was a guinea pig named Angel, and it took over a month to obtain permission. Since she stopped seeing a psychiatrist, residence life and CAAR took that privilege away.
College students grow accustomed to using iPads for work and play
By Becca DeLauter//
In 2014, Hood College was recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for its plan to use iPad technology as a teaching tool. The program, initially aided by an anonymous alumni donor, caused controversy on whether giving students iPads would really enhance their education. Hood initially geared the pilot program toward moving away from physical textbooks to e-books.
The school began this process in 2011. Four years later, student and faculty opinions still vary on whether Hood’s mission to further education through the iPads is successful.
Many students agree that the root of the controversy lies in the faculty. They say some of their professors don’t allow the iPads, while others encourage use of them, as well as make them a part of lesson plans.
“About half of my teachers allow them, and half of them forbid them, “Ariana LeBlanc, a junior, said. “I never know what to expect.”
LeBlanc, a biology major, also said that she mainly uses her iPad for social media and entertainment purposes. She said that the iPad does help her escape from the stresses of school. When she needs to take a break from school work, she watches Netflix and plays on the iPad.
English class witch trials point out present-day oppression
https://youtube.com/watch?v=di45ZoDe1ic
By Cameron Rogers//
As part of the Halloween season, Hood College’s English 259 course held a reenactment of a Medieval European witch trial on Oct. 27.
The course, which is entitled “Medieval Magic and Mysticism,” studies literature involving witchcraft and the growing fear of it between the years 400-1800 C.E. The class prepared for the reenactment throughout the month of October.
The reenactment lasted from 1 to 2 p.m. in room 131 of Hodson Science and Technology Center.
Guest lecturer finds meaning of life in a positive attitude
By Breann Harwood//
The meaning of life is something that almost anyone, but especially college students, tends to struggle with. Between making major life choices, deciding on a major and where they will go after graduation, college students face many pressing questions about what to do with their lives.
Around 100 students, faculty, and community members joined Hood College on Tuesday, Oct. 20, as they welcomed social psychologist Laura King. King’s lecture was about “what science can tell us about the meaning of life.” This lecture was in conjunction with the inauguration festivities of Hood’s new president, President Andrea Chapdelaine.