LOS ANGELES -- Leaving Wingate is not what I thought it would be.
On the other side of the country my heart is breaking thinking about the friends I leave behind. I was always told that the grass is greener on the other side and now I am beginning to think that my grass at Wingate was pretty green, at times. That is why I want to write about the "Pros and Cons " of my experience at Wingate University.
I did everything in my power to graduate a year early because of what I felt was my uncomfortable situation at Wingate. When I first arrived I didn’t know that what a small school entailed in regards to a social life. Due to the lack of social diversity my freshman year I found it difficult to appreciate Wingate’s student body. I also found that if you didn’t belong to a fraternity or a sorority it was even more difficult to make friends. My biggest impression of Wingate’s social life was that it was an extension of high school social life. However, as the first few semesters went by I began to find myself amongst Wingate’s growing diverse society and found life-long friends.
In regards to academics, I think that Wingate’s faculty is very helpful and unique. If it were not for a few professors that were always concerned with my well-being I don’t think I could have made it out of there. The one-on-one attention from the professors is one of the biggest advantages that Wingate has to offer, because most professors will be approachable.
Wingate's small size is an advantage and disadvantage depending on how you look at it. I did njoy waking up five to ten minutes before class and making it on time -- or not. The disadvantage is that most professors will know you by name and will hold it against you if you do not show up or if you roll in late. Also the constant urge to see new faces was never satisfied because everyone knows everyone.
I remember saying that I would never return to Wingate after I leave, but the truth is that I find it hard to leave. I will miss all my friends and although I learned a lot from my classes, I also learned how to take care of myself and how to form long life friendships. I do not regret choosing Wingate because of all of the cons as well as the pros.
-- Zulema Vera completed her graduation requirements at the end of Summer Session II.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Sports Column: Confederations Cup showing has U.S. soccer fans hopeful
USA had an amazing run in the recent Confederations Cup, making it to the finals to play Brazil. The underdog US team lost to the Brazilian team 3-2 but showed the world that the US has their foot in the door in a late blossoming sport for our country.
The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football for national teams, currently held every year by FIFA. Six teams compete from the six different divisions from the FIFA qualifications including last year’s FIFA winners and the host country for the cup. The teams that competed in 2009 cup were South Africa, Iraq, New Zealand, USA, Spain, Brazil, Italy, and Egypt.
USA has had some experience competing in the Confederations Cup, having played in the past three and placing third in two. Although the Americans are not none to be a dominant threat in the world wide sport of football, they have placed in the teens and high twenties in the previous years in the FIFA cup.
USA first games were against Italy and Brazil losing 3-1 and 3-0. At this time USA had a very slim shot to not only make it to the semi-finals but to not be eliminated from the Confederations Cup. The US had one shot to keep their team going, needed to have a six-goal turnaround to keep from being eliminated. The US needed to beat Egypt 3-0, and have Italy loose to Brazil 0-3. With a little luck and a lot of talent against the Egypt team the United States got exactly what they wanted with a victory over Egypt.
In Bloemfontein, South Africa, the world was shocked yet again to see the talented team beat Spain after their huge win against Egypt. USA beat the mighty and fearful Spain which dominated in the 2008 Euro Cup, 2-0. With the victory over Spain the United States made it to the Finals or the first time since they started playing in 1916.
Final game in the Confederations Cup was the United States versus Brazil. The US showed a tremendous amount of effort keeping the score 2-0 in the first half. The first goal was by Clint Dempsey with a cross. Second goal was scored by US loved Landon Donovan with a left foot shot. In the second half Brazil comes back to make two goals, and scores the final goal with a header over US goalie Tim Howard in the 85th minute to beat the US 3-2.
This is the closest the United States has ever gotten to win the Confederations Cup in the history of the sport in the US. Hopefully after the almost victory over Brazil the US will finally be respected as a top nation in football, and still with the FIFA World Cup coming next year I am more than positive the US team will be turning more heads.
-- Patrick Murray
The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football for national teams, currently held every year by FIFA. Six teams compete from the six different divisions from the FIFA qualifications including last year’s FIFA winners and the host country for the cup. The teams that competed in 2009 cup were South Africa, Iraq, New Zealand, USA, Spain, Brazil, Italy, and Egypt.
USA has had some experience competing in the Confederations Cup, having played in the past three and placing third in two. Although the Americans are not none to be a dominant threat in the world wide sport of football, they have placed in the teens and high twenties in the previous years in the FIFA cup.
USA first games were against Italy and Brazil losing 3-1 and 3-0. At this time USA had a very slim shot to not only make it to the semi-finals but to not be eliminated from the Confederations Cup. The US had one shot to keep their team going, needed to have a six-goal turnaround to keep from being eliminated. The US needed to beat Egypt 3-0, and have Italy loose to Brazil 0-3. With a little luck and a lot of talent against the Egypt team the United States got exactly what they wanted with a victory over Egypt.
In Bloemfontein, South Africa, the world was shocked yet again to see the talented team beat Spain after their huge win against Egypt. USA beat the mighty and fearful Spain which dominated in the 2008 Euro Cup, 2-0. With the victory over Spain the United States made it to the Finals or the first time since they started playing in 1916.
Final game in the Confederations Cup was the United States versus Brazil. The US showed a tremendous amount of effort keeping the score 2-0 in the first half. The first goal was by Clint Dempsey with a cross. Second goal was scored by US loved Landon Donovan with a left foot shot. In the second half Brazil comes back to make two goals, and scores the final goal with a header over US goalie Tim Howard in the 85th minute to beat the US 3-2.
This is the closest the United States has ever gotten to win the Confederations Cup in the history of the sport in the US. Hopefully after the almost victory over Brazil the US will finally be respected as a top nation in football, and still with the FIFA World Cup coming next year I am more than positive the US team will be turning more heads.
-- Patrick Murray
Sports: New trainer has big-time background
Wingate University has added class of 2004 graduate Tim Singleton to the athletic training staff. Tim will be the trainer for the football team this fall. Tim's last athletic training stop was at University of West Georgia, ironically the Wingate Bulldogs’ first opponent of the 2009 season.
Tim has a great pedigree of athletic training background. Tim became a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech for two years, and while there he helped rehab now one of the top receivers in the NFL, Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions. Tim also won two ACC championship rings with Georgia Tech’s women’s tennis team. Tim helped the ladies rehab and manage their injuries quickly so they could make it back on the courts to compete for those ACC titles.
While at Tech, Tim said he was also was exposed to people with great character. He said Tech’s head football coach Chan Gailey was an always polished professional and great leader and teacher.
Tim later on did athletic training for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons for two years.
Tim was introduced to the most modern technology in medicine and met more great character building people like former Falcons coach Jim Mora and former Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator and motivational speaker Monte Kiffin.
Tim said his reason for choosing to come to work at Wingate University was “to continue my career in the right direction, and the University athletic training is headed in that direction."
Tim said his background as a former football player at Wingate will help him in his new job. "It helps me relate to the athlete," he said.
Tim has already started work at Wingate rehabbing player’s injuries and preparing for training camp when an athletic training staff is literally a football player's life line. Look for Tim on the football sideline real soon.
-- Jeremiah Covington
Tim has a great pedigree of athletic training background. Tim became a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech for two years, and while there he helped rehab now one of the top receivers in the NFL, Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions. Tim also won two ACC championship rings with Georgia Tech’s women’s tennis team. Tim helped the ladies rehab and manage their injuries quickly so they could make it back on the courts to compete for those ACC titles.
While at Tech, Tim said he was also was exposed to people with great character. He said Tech’s head football coach Chan Gailey was an always polished professional and great leader and teacher.
Tim later on did athletic training for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons for two years.
Tim was introduced to the most modern technology in medicine and met more great character building people like former Falcons coach Jim Mora and former Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator and motivational speaker Monte Kiffin.
Tim said his reason for choosing to come to work at Wingate University was “to continue my career in the right direction, and the University athletic training is headed in that direction."
Tim said his background as a former football player at Wingate will help him in his new job. "It helps me relate to the athlete," he said.
Tim has already started work at Wingate rehabbing player’s injuries and preparing for training camp when an athletic training staff is literally a football player's life line. Look for Tim on the football sideline real soon.
-- Jeremiah Covington
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Commentary: Students should be aware of Offender Registry
How safe do you feel at Wingate? How well do you know the area where you spend most of your year? Wingate’s quiet small town demeanor misleads many students to take fewer precautions than they should. After reviewing the North Carolina Offender Registry many students might want to change their habitual routines.
Around Wingate’s campus there are more than 10 sex offenders living in a 3-mile radius and in a 1-mile radius there are four on record sex offenders. The criminals mainly live on the back roads near Wingate Elementary, on Funderburk Road there are two on record sexual predators living. Although these facts might be treated as a lenient matter, the truth is that Wingate is a small town and the number of on record sexual predators in vicinity is worrisome.
Some female student were asked if they knew about the North Carolina Offender Registry website and if they had ever made use of it and both said no. After telling them the information that it provided and the amount of charged and convicted sex offenders around the campus they were very shocked.
One of the female students, Jenna Hill said that she had taken some safety precautions before. “I always locked my car the moment I got in and I never wandered alone," she said.
The other female student says that she also has taken precautions when it came to walking around campus. “ I always walk in numbers and check my surroundings. I also make sure that I have something in my hand, like my keys and before going out I always let someone know where I was going,” says Daniel Perry.
Then they said that although they know this information that they didn’t think that they needed to change their safety precautions or habitual routines on campus. Although they felt that the school could make some changes. “The school should take more precautions and take more security measures in different forms. I think that there are some areas that are not well lit and they should put security cameras up,” says Perry.
When Campus Security was asked about the issue they said that they were not aware of the website and the information that it offered, but that they have done everything in there power to keep the campus as safe as possible. They said that they were aware of some sexual predators that had been charged and convicted and that if they ever came on campus they kept an eye on them from the moment they stepped on to the premises until they left.
This information is unsettling and should serve as a sort of awareness within the Wingate community, on and off of campus. The truth of the matter is that Wingate University is an open campus and down the road is an Elementary school with a park right next to it.
The North Carolina Sex Offender registry is a tool that was set up by our state government to help the public sector be more aware of their surroundings; therefore, it should be put to use.
-- Zulema Vera
Around Wingate’s campus there are more than 10 sex offenders living in a 3-mile radius and in a 1-mile radius there are four on record sex offenders. The criminals mainly live on the back roads near Wingate Elementary, on Funderburk Road there are two on record sexual predators living. Although these facts might be treated as a lenient matter, the truth is that Wingate is a small town and the number of on record sexual predators in vicinity is worrisome.
Some female student were asked if they knew about the North Carolina Offender Registry website and if they had ever made use of it and both said no. After telling them the information that it provided and the amount of charged and convicted sex offenders around the campus they were very shocked.
One of the female students, Jenna Hill said that she had taken some safety precautions before. “I always locked my car the moment I got in and I never wandered alone," she said.
The other female student says that she also has taken precautions when it came to walking around campus. “ I always walk in numbers and check my surroundings. I also make sure that I have something in my hand, like my keys and before going out I always let someone know where I was going,” says Daniel Perry.
Then they said that although they know this information that they didn’t think that they needed to change their safety precautions or habitual routines on campus. Although they felt that the school could make some changes. “The school should take more precautions and take more security measures in different forms. I think that there are some areas that are not well lit and they should put security cameras up,” says Perry.
When Campus Security was asked about the issue they said that they were not aware of the website and the information that it offered, but that they have done everything in there power to keep the campus as safe as possible. They said that they were aware of some sexual predators that had been charged and convicted and that if they ever came on campus they kept an eye on them from the moment they stepped on to the premises until they left.
This information is unsettling and should serve as a sort of awareness within the Wingate community, on and off of campus. The truth of the matter is that Wingate University is an open campus and down the road is an Elementary school with a park right next to it.
The North Carolina Sex Offender registry is a tool that was set up by our state government to help the public sector be more aware of their surroundings; therefore, it should be put to use.
-- Zulema Vera
News: Council divided over skateboard park
MARSHVILLE -- At the Marshville Town Council meeting last week, the topic of reopening the town’s skateboard park emerged from the agenda’s liability insurance update issue.
The question was supposed to ask whether or not the council wanted to implement insurance for the unsupervised area for $377 per year. However, it turned into a question of reopening the park or keeping it closed. When put to a vote, the decision to keep the park closed remained with a 3-2 vote.
The park only opened last year, under the condition that skater patrons follow the rules and regulations set by the Town Council. One reason it was opened was to get the skaters out of the streets. Skateboarders and their parents petitioned to construct a park especially for them. Mayor Franklin Deese said, "We’ll do this for you but you must follow the rules because you’re really putting us at risk."
A sign with these rules is posted at the park. Deese said, "We leave it to whomever who goes over there to follow those rules and regulations." According to some council members, the skaters had not been following the rules—namely the one requiring skaters to wear a helmet and protective gear. It is an unsupervised park, however, there are still liability issues. Though no one has been injured in the park, there is still a danger factor that is put into account.
"My concern more than anything is just the liability. I love for the children to have somewhere to go, but we have to be frugal," explained Deese.
Now that the park is closed, skaters have returned to the streets. Deese said, "It is a misdemeanor to skate downtown at all. So, in that instance, they’re breaking the law. We’re not liable if the person is breaking the law." This is because the council passed a special ordinance prohibiting skating in downtown Marshville.
Alan Thifault, parks and recreation director, was concerned about the limits put on these skaters. He said, "Stop putting the magnifying glass on these kids."
-- Kelsey Trabue
The question was supposed to ask whether or not the council wanted to implement insurance for the unsupervised area for $377 per year. However, it turned into a question of reopening the park or keeping it closed. When put to a vote, the decision to keep the park closed remained with a 3-2 vote.
The park only opened last year, under the condition that skater patrons follow the rules and regulations set by the Town Council. One reason it was opened was to get the skaters out of the streets. Skateboarders and their parents petitioned to construct a park especially for them. Mayor Franklin Deese said, "We’ll do this for you but you must follow the rules because you’re really putting us at risk."
A sign with these rules is posted at the park. Deese said, "We leave it to whomever who goes over there to follow those rules and regulations." According to some council members, the skaters had not been following the rules—namely the one requiring skaters to wear a helmet and protective gear. It is an unsupervised park, however, there are still liability issues. Though no one has been injured in the park, there is still a danger factor that is put into account.
"My concern more than anything is just the liability. I love for the children to have somewhere to go, but we have to be frugal," explained Deese.
Now that the park is closed, skaters have returned to the streets. Deese said, "It is a misdemeanor to skate downtown at all. So, in that instance, they’re breaking the law. We’re not liable if the person is breaking the law." This is because the council passed a special ordinance prohibiting skating in downtown Marshville.
Alan Thifault, parks and recreation director, was concerned about the limits put on these skaters. He said, "Stop putting the magnifying glass on these kids."
-- Kelsey Trabue
News: Marshville council discusses parks director's schedule
MARSHVILLE -- Maintenance of the town's park shelter was a hot topic at the recent town council meeting. Council members discussed the job description of Parks Director Alan Thifault.
The park covers approximately 13 acres. Featuring walking trails, benches, picnic tables and grills, it's the first new park in Marshville since 1978.
Thifault told council members he was having a hard time knowing what to clock in as his hours. Thifault is a resident of Monroe, so he has to drive 30 minutes every time he visits the park and leaves. He is in charge of the park, which includes cleaning and doing maintenance in the public restrooms.
Thifault said on some weekends would take close to five hours cleaning just one restroom. When he is finished he would go back home, until someone contacts him about renting the park and then he would have to travel back to Marshville.
Mayor Franklin Deese and council members told him that he should clock in anytime that he is having to travel to the park, clean the park and travel home.
The park is located on Park Drive, north of downtown, off Olive Branch Street. For more information about Park and Recreation activities, contact Thifault at 704-624-6808 or via e mail at marshvilleparks@windstream.net.
The park covers approximately 13 acres. Featuring walking trails, benches, picnic tables and grills, it's the first new park in Marshville since 1978.
Thifault told council members he was having a hard time knowing what to clock in as his hours. Thifault is a resident of Monroe, so he has to drive 30 minutes every time he visits the park and leaves. He is in charge of the park, which includes cleaning and doing maintenance in the public restrooms.
Thifault said on some weekends would take close to five hours cleaning just one restroom. When he is finished he would go back home, until someone contacts him about renting the park and then he would have to travel back to Marshville.
Mayor Franklin Deese and council members told him that he should clock in anytime that he is having to travel to the park, clean the park and travel home.
The park is located on Park Drive, north of downtown, off Olive Branch Street. For more information about Park and Recreation activities, contact Thifault at 704-624-6808 or via e mail at marshvilleparks@windstream.net.
--Kayla Walker
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