WSOE show The Focal Point sheds light on global issues
Wedged between a segment on French music and billboard hits, junior Oly Zayac strives to spark conversations surrounding global issues one Sunday night at a time.
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Wedged between a segment on French music and billboard hits, junior Oly Zayac strives to spark conversations surrounding global issues one Sunday night at a time.
A report released earlier today by the Elon University Presidential Task Force on Black Student, Faculty, and Staff Experience highlights the disconcerting emphasis black and non-black survey respondents placed on lack of diversity, inclusiveness and support for black students, faculty and staff at Elon.
From academics to social life, Elon University’s commitment to inclusivity manifests itself in many ways throughout campus. To this end, for the past two years, administration has cracked down on restroom inclusivity.
With a renewed emphasis on recruitment, SGA in this week’s Class of 2016 election turned around a recent track record of uncontested races and lackluster voter turnout.
Virgin Bloody Marys, grilled salmon and ice cream for brunch? As the popular saying goes, “Only at Elon.”
Standing in front of more than 40 students gathered outside Danieley K, Jim Stetler recalled the day he dropped off his bright and bubbly son Trent as a freshman student three years ago.
The first assignment I had to complete for one of my classes this year almost gave me a panic attack. The demands for the piece — worth 15 percent of my final grade — were frighteningly minimal. They simply asked, “Tell me more about yourself.”
From Drag Queen bingo at the church to Alamance County’s first Pride Parade, Alamance Pride, the area’s newly created nonprofit organization supporting the LGBTQIA communities, guarantees no silence this year.
Snug in the corner of second floor Moseley, a three-roomed, brightly colored office bedecked with rainbows celebrates its second birthday this year.
Plans by Elon University to bring a Starbucks to campus next fall have been met with fierce grassroots opposition, saying the corporate coffee giant will disrupt local business and impede the growing artisan vibe of downtown Elon.
The past few days have broken those in the Nepali diaspora in ways that I can’t quite articulate.
With a bundle of orange yarn, some popsicle sticks and a whiteboard, a group of Elon University students are vying for attention amidst the hustle and bustle of Moseley to unify campus in support of diversity.
Elon University students trickled in from all corners of the campus clad in old white shirts and gathered in packs around a large blue tarp in Speaker’s Corner. At first, the differences were stark: friends with friends, sisters with sisters, brothers with brothers. But once they all counted down, yelled, “Holi!,” and threw cups of paint in the air, a cloud of color covered them and the divisions began to fade fast.
When senior Drew Forte and his classmates visited the Rudy Ramirez Little League during their Winter Term Study Abroad program in the Dominican Republic, three things happened immediately. They noticed the pizza boxes and bottle caps that served as makeshift bases and balls, the players’ relentless passion for baseball and how their hearts were immediately stolen by the warm environment the little leaguers created. Realizing that new equipment could enhance the students’ ability to play baseball, they decided to take immediate action when they returned to Elon. And sometime next week, precious cargo carrying 200 individual items of baseball gear is scheduled to reach Rudy Ramirez Little League and Bartolo Colon Baseball Camp in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. “Through our broken Spanish and their broken English, we created a connection,” Forte said. “We knew we had the ability to do something — so we made sure we did.” The cargo represents the students’ fundraising — an effort they began within a week from returning to Elon. The team launched a GoFundMe page, collected personal donations of baseball goods and sought a way to transport the shipment. It was during this time when Dr. Mark Cryan, assistant professor of sport and event management, informed Forte of Donald Henry, ‘04 who works at CaribEx, a Caribbean Shipping Company. Forte approached Henry, who admired the students’ efforts to create a direct impact out of their meaningful study abroad experience, and he announced the company would cover the payment required for the shipment. Henry said Forte’s decision to approach him is an example of the boundless opportunities and possibilities created by alumnus-student collaboration. “There is such a large network of alumni who are so willing to help students with their projects,” he said. “Never hesitate to reach out.” With support from CaribEx, the $400 they raised through their GoFundMe campaign could be directed towards buying more equipment. The Winter Term program, GBL 298 Dominican Republic: Tourism & Baseball, delved into issues of social justice, globalization and U.S. neo-colonialism in the context of specific local practices in baseball and tourism industry and the effect of these practices on the culture, people and international relations. Sophomore Katie Soraghan, who was also enrolled in the program, said the students’ passion for baseball especially resonated with her. “If they could play baseball 24/7, they would,” she said. “The hospitality of the culture, the passion they shared with us and how they jump through obstacles just to play baseball — we took all that back with us.” Forte said something as simple as a base could extend and enhance the students’ playing time significantly. “They would use their bats and balls until they withered away,” he said. “By having a supply of basic baseball sporting equipment, they can play for a much longer period of time — something we know they are determined to do.” Forte noted that a common problem in the Dominican Republic is that a love for baseball has been hindering youths’ academic pursuits. The Rudy Ramirez Little League allows students to pursue their passion for baseball while committing to academic requirements and schedules. The students on the league are taught to balance their love for the sport and their academic pursuits. Forte who plays on Elon’s club baseball team, said he learned much more about the sport through the few weeks he spent with the students. “To these kids, baseball is life and represents so much hope and that really hit home for me,” he said. “It made me and I’m sure it made everybody else, appreciate what we have. Of course, I’ll be thinking about them when I play the sport myself.”
Elon’s commitment to diversity manifests itself across campus — one of the most popular platforms being food. In addition to Lakeside Dining Hall’s “country of the week” program, which features an international station that serves dishes form a designated area of the world every week, Elon Dining hopes to continue hosting “special events,” throughout the year. These events, which are scheduled to occur three times every school year, celebrate cuisine from a region of the world by enticing all senses: sight, sound, taste and touch. Last week, Lakeside hosted “Bollywood Night,” an elaborate celebration of Indian food and movie culture. Students were greeted with a decorated entrance, adorned with colorful fabrics, lanterns and artifacts. Loud Bollywood music blasted throughout the hall as people ate under fabric tents and a cloth painting of Shah Rukh Khan, a famous Bollywood actor. The dining hall offered six food stations to try from, each offering a themed aspect of Indian cuisine and ranging from beverages, deserts, street foods and main course meals. Partnering with Sterling Events, a Raleigh-based special events decorating organization, the event was planned in early January. It took a total of three hours to bring the “portal to Bombay” to life. To Pulkit Vigg, resident district manager of Elon Dining, the event — especially in the Elon context — is a necessary part of his job working at a university that places emphasis on global citizenship. “It’s our duty as dining services leaders on campus to educate students so that when they leave campus and go around the world they can say, ‘I’ve had Indian food,’” he said. “Hopefully, they feel comfortable eating with other nationalities and other cultures.” Vigg, who intentionally places himself next to the dishwasher during dining events, said the number of empty plates that returned at the end of the night reflected the event’s success. “The best part of the day was seeing how clean plates were being returned,” he said. “Let’s just say there was very little composting going on that night.” Sophomore Taylor Douglas, who was waiting in an ever-growing line to get a Henna tattoo, which are temporary and used commonly in South Asia, said the event represents Elon’s collective commitment to emphasizing the value of studying abroad, even while at Elon. “I was initially overwhelmed. It’s a lot to take in,” she said. “But Elon does this a lot, in that they try to promote opportunities to engage with culture.” To Vigg, food is at the focus of culture. “All of us as humans, we eat food and in all cultures, food is the center of everything,” he said. The event was also intentionally not heavily advertised. “If you know something is coming, then you’ll be expecting something,” he said. “I think people still like being surprised in a good way.” But still, there were criticisms. Junior Allie Barteldt noted the existence of an upside down “om” sign, an important religious symbol for Hindus. “It’s clearly the most sacred symbol in many Eastern religions and in a way, they defaced it by keeping it upside down,” she said. “I thought everything else about it was great except that one slip-up.” Vigg said the upside down sign was an honest mistake. “Obviously, we weren’t paying attention, that’s it,” he said. “The staff are highly trained about what food their serving and what cultural significance it holds.” This was indicative in the staff’s heavy involvement in explaining the food being served. Francine Light, a server at the international station, made a point to stand in front of the beverage selection and explain the health benefits of each Indian drink to students, encouraging the students to try. “Our main hope is to get people thinking about different cultural foods,” he said. “It takes time to adjust your taste buds to food from different cultures. The point we emphasize is that we get you to try.”
Like any freshman, Maddy Gross began her school year in the fall filled with flurries of nervous, eager anticipation. The only difference was that her heart beat three times faster than everyone else — literally.
Indian government officials may have attempted to silence Leslee Udwin’s “India’s Daughter,” but since their ban on its distribution in India, it has stirred conversations across the globe and its message continues to speak volumes. And on April 13, it will be making ripples at Elon. The controversial BBC Storyville documentary, which recounts the brutal December 2012 ‘bus gang rape’ that resulted in the death of 23-year-old medical student Jyoti Singh and ultimately fueled national uproar, will be screened at 7 p.m. April 13 in the Global Commons Media Room. The 62-minute film, which was released in 2014, will be followed by a discussion on its underlying themes and messages. The work, which includes footage from some of the rapists involved with the incident, examines society’s response to rape as a global phenomena. Amy Allocco, assistant professor of religious studies, sought the opportunity to bring the documentary to campus after numerous students who were on her study abroad program in India asked about the possibility of a screening. Once she found a copy of the film with screening rights available, she reached out to the students and they responded with enthusiasm. Allocco, a scholar of gender in South Asian religions with 20 years of research experience in India, said she has been closely following the international news coverage on India’s daughter with real interest. “It is a complicated and difficult film on several levels, but I see a number of ways in which the film’s focus on gender, sexuality, violence, feminism, and globalization resonates with issues that many of us teach and care deeply about,” she said. Allocco added that the film also intersects with conversations surrounding sexual assault and rape culture on our own campus and on college campuses throughout the United States. Ameya Benegal, an Elon junior from India and Singapore, said he encourages students planning on attending to conduct research to contextualize the documentary in order to form a more holistic opinion about it. “It’s not an easy film to watch but it is important,” he said. “Personally, I think it takes a very Western stance on the issue.” The film purchase was funded by Belk Library and Joan Ruelle, university librarian. The screening is open to the public.
Through the tears and the heavy air, thick with the loss of a beloved wife, mother and friend, there was laughter, joy and love. Even in death, Robin Russell’s ceaseless spouts of warmth and kindness, captured through memories shared by Elon University community members, permeated the room. Robin Russell worked at the Elon University Bookstore and was heavily involved in activities related to the Colonnades Neighborhood. She died in her sleep March 28, the night of her 47th birthday. In a “Gathering of Friends,” held Monday, staff, faculty and students gathered in the Numen Lumen Pavilion’s Sacred Space and united through sharing memories, moments and thoughts of her. Her husband, Alan Russell, associate professor of mathematics, lived in the faculty apartment in Colonnades E – Harper Hall as part of Alan Russell’s service as faculty director of the Colonnades Neighborhood. “I went home and asked her [if she would be willing to move to Elon], and her entire face just lit up,” Alan Russell recalled. “Since we moved that Fourth of July weekend until now, she began breathing life through the students.” But, it became clear that so many community members breathed life through her contagious joviality. There were memories of her singing along to Bon Jovi and Boys II Men on the sales floor at the bookstore, teaching love languages, cheering for Elon during basketball games and decorating a co-worker’s office with “Lordy, Lordy, look who’s 40!” Her daughter, Michelle Russell, was also in attendance and noted how her mother was always filled with joy and never failed to decorate anything and everything. To her co-workers at the bookstore, Robin Russell’s legacy will be one of humor, warmth and kindness. “Robin had a wonderfully bubbly laugh that seemed to fill the room, and she made sure to laugh often,” they wrote in her honor. “When she wasn’t laughing, Robin was singing.” Sophomore Katie Soraghan, a resident assistant in Colonnades Neighborhood, said Robin Russell was one of the nicest people she knew. “Everyday when I walked to Acorn, she waved to me from the bookstore window,” she said. “I got the opportunity to get to know her throughout the year as she lived in Colonnades — she invited us to dinner and made us feel so much at home.” Soraghan shared how Robin Russell would consistently call her “cookies-n-creme” after she asked specifically for the flavor during one of their ice cream parties. “I’ll always have that with her,” she said. Other members of the Colonnades Neighborhood staff shared how they always felt like they had been gifted with two faculty directors and how she worked tirelessly to organize events and support the students in as many as ways possible. Her tendency to work above and beyond to make everyone feel at home was apparent in all that she did. “Robin was very much a part of the campus and was proud to represent and serve Elon,” Carly Mayer, Store Manager said. “She was a loyal employee, a lovely woman and a great friend who will forever be missed.”
A utility tower, bedecked with get-well soon cards from members of the community, stands near the site of the accident. Hundreds of well-wishing emails, letters and social media posts have been written and shared. Numerous hospital visits and generous donations to cover medical bills have been made. And the love, thought and prayer for Gabriela Rosales keeps pouring in. Two weeks after Rosales was struck by a car while crossing N. Williamson Avenue, the Elon community continues to send outpouring support for recovery from her critical injuries. In response to the community’s assistance and care for Rosales and her family, Chaplain Fuller announced Monday the creation of a CaringBridge account, a forum that will provide updates on her condition. The Chaplain’s Discretionary Fund, a designated Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life account that provides assistance to members of the Elon community experiencing difficulties, will also direct funds toward some of Rosales’ medical bills. Members of the community have been invited to donate to the account in honor of Rosales. With the support of her family, who traveled from her hometown in Nicaragua, and Elon faculty and staff, Rosales continues to receive care at UNC Hospital. As of Monday night, the CaringBridge account reported that Rosales remains stable with CAT scans yielding positive results and doctors slowly working to take her off the ventilator machine. According to a representative from UNC Hospital, Rosales is still in critical condition. As the community continues to monitor her progress, strangers, classmates and professors have united in support of Rosales during this difficult time. But the news hit Elon alumnus, Toorialey Fazly ‘14, especially hard. In the news of Rosales’ accident, he was reminded of an ordeal he faced four years ago. Only 15 days after arriving on campus in 2010, Fazly was struck by a car near the intersection of Haggard and Williamson. Thrown off his bike, he collided with the car’s windshield and fell to the ground, sustaining several critical injuries including a broken neck and a broken leg. “At first, I could not speak, but I could see,” Fazly recalled. “The woman [who hit me] came out of the car, asked if I was okay and then drove off.” As an international student from Afghanistan, Fazly said despite having no family members in the continent and only a few established friends at Elon, the extensive support from strangers and peers alike helped bridge the distance from home. Receiving more than 250 cards on the first day of the accident, he quickly realized he was far from alone. During his four month recovery period, hundreds more letters, emails and text messages from friends and strangers came pouring in. Classmates took notes on lectures he missed, countless people visited him during his recovery, and friends and strangers alike sent him homemade baked goods. “I had to deal with the pain, that was something else,” he said. “But knowing I had the support made this environment home for me.” Fazly said he wanted the community to know that as a victim of a similar incident, he truly and cordially appreciated the help and support he received during his recovery. “More than anything else, the support was what helped me most in the process of getting better and healed,” he said. “It mattered to me back then and it will continue to matter to me for the rest of my life.” As it did for Fazly, the support for Rosales from the community was immediate. Only three days after her accident, the community came together to raise funds for Rosales’ medical expenses through a series of profit shares held on March 19. Vivian Splawn, a worker at All That JAS, said the support was heartwarming. “We were getting Internet orders from schools all around the country,” she said. “We had a broad-range of people coming together to support Gabriela.” The store, which specializes in Greek merchandise and customizable gifts, raised a total of $1,200 for Rosales’ recovery. “It could have happened to anyone and it could have happened anywhere,” Splawn said. The Oak House also participated in the profit share, making an exception for their rule to avoid profit shares for their first year. “We initially started this year ruling out profit shares because we felt we are new and still learning the business,” said co-owner Phil Smith. “But because of the situation and the support her family needed, we did not hesitate to make an exception for Gabriela.” The coffee shop directed 10 percent of every order on March 19 to Rosales’ family, raising a total of $250. “A lot of people came and said, ‘This is for Gabi,’” Smith said. “I thought that all the support was really indiciative of the kind of community we have at Elon.”
Sometime in elementary school, I was “diagnosed” with “acute awkwardness.” I was told I was too quiet to be considered a “ray of sunshine,” too shy to be a team leader and too anti-social to earn an “A” in participation. I was surrounded by people who tried to “cure” me — best friends faultlessly gave me social queues, professors put me on the spot in class and counselors gave me tips on how to make more friends. The truth is, preferring solitude as a source of stimulation has nothing to do with social awkwardness or shyness. It just makes you an introvert, and that makes you completely normal. At some point, we were taught introverts are glitches in a system that celebrates extroverts as the natural state of being. Being outgoing was the preferred social state, and institutions emulate these values. It’s the reason we sit at roundtables in classrooms, why office spaces have become noise-vacuums where everybody sits a few inches away from each other and why “creativity” is associated with teamwork and group thinking. It starts in elementary school when teachers subscribe to this way of thinking by publicly praising the most animated, expressive and vocal students in class. Quieter students are those who “need extra help” and who are penalized for asking if they can work by themselves. It continues in high school when teachers label necessary moments of silence as signs of depression, and when classmates confuse self-drawn states with unfriendliness. It appears again in college when friends, proscribing to the social expectation to “go wild,” don’t understand why some prefer some quieter weekends with only a couple of friends. Where you are constantly told reserved people can’t be “the life of the party.” Where you forcefully “put yourself out there,” because your mentors tell you it’s the only respected way to network. Finally, it follows you to your career where you are forced into groupthink situations and asked to perform in an environment where you have to constantly strive to function in a way that doesn’t allow you to perform at your highest capacity. Research also shows that introverts are constantly denied leadership positions over extroverted candidates, despite having more creative ideas. We remain shackled and chained to a system that forces us to try and behave in ways that make us feel inferior, uncomfortable, apologetic and — more importantly — not ourselves. It isn’t fair. It doesn’t do justice to the countless thinkers, leaders and innovators —including Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci — who gifted the world with their creativity when they were given the freedom to be their introverted selves. It’s time to reveal the fact that introverts have been running the world — just a little more quietly. Contrary to popular belief, introverts cannot and will not be “cured.” Stop treating them like they have a disease. It’s a state of being, an aspect of identity, and it is absolutely normal. To my introverted friends, in a world that forces us to try and change ourselves to fit a certain mold — don’t listen. If society continues to connote silence with “awkwardness,” then so be it. Go forth and be proud, “awkward” rays of sunshine.