YHC students go Greek at Pref Parties

By Ashleigh Scarpinato, Staff Writer

Rush Week not only marks the days for the Greek organizations on campus to meet and get to know interested students, but it is also the week where new students have the chance to see where they fit in on campus.

During Rush Week, the organizations have different Greek life activities taking place throughout the week. On Tues., Sept. 20, local Greek organizations held Preference Parties, better known as “Pref Parties,” in Goolsby Lecture Hall. Preference Parties are an opportunity for students interested in Greek Life to sit down and learn more about each sorority or fraternity. The Pref Parties held staggered meeting times throughout Tuesday night, so that students interested in more than one organization could attend each presentation.

When questioned about the reasoning behind wanting to join a sorority, one interested student explained she “want[s] to make new friends outside [her] group.”

At these interest parties, the interested students were able to talk to the sorority and fraternity members and learn about what each organization has to offer.

Greek organizations share common bonds but also have qualities that are unique to each fraternity or sorority. When asked about being in a sorority, senior Jenni Mathis, a member of local sorority Alpha Iota, said, “we are a random group of girls who fit together. We’re not cookie cutter. We’re all different.”

Greek life is not just about having fun.  Before any student can rush a sorority or fraternity, they must have completed 12 credit hours at Young Harris College and have a GPA of at least 2.0 to be considered eligible to rush.

Alpha Sigma Phi held interest meeting, no students attended

By Ashleigh Scarpinato, Staff Writer

National fraternity Alpha Sigma Phi visited Young Harris College in the Wilson Lecture Hall of Goolsby Center on Wed., Sept. 7. This interest meeting was the first national fraternity interest meeting of the year and was a way to gauge the level of student interest in the organization.

Matt Mumberger, a former member of Alpha Sigma Phi, was scheduled to present the fraternity to the YHC community, but not a single student attended the presentation.

Alpha Sigma Phi, founded on Dec. 6, 1845 at Yale University, came to speak to the local Greek organizations and other YHC students who have an interest in becoming a part of a national fraternity.

Mumberger was hoping to share with the YHC community the ways that Alpha Sigma Phi had impacted his life.  He remains involved with the fraternity in order to help future brothers have the experience that he had.

Sigma Gamma Rho hosts interest meeting at YHC

By Hailey Silvey, Staff Writer

Sigma Gamma Rho, a national sorority interested in coming to the Young Harris College campus, gave an open presentation to all interested females on Mon., Sept. 12, at 6:30 p.m. in Goolsby Center for Humanities.

The meeting was attended by seven females. All of the attendants said they will be attending meetings for other sororities as well.

The sorority representative began the presentation by doing a traditional step that all members of Sigma Gamma Rho are required to know after they join the sorority. She then went on to tell the history of Sigma Gamma Rho, the facts about the sorority and what the organization stands for.

Sigma Gamma Rho was founded in 1922 by seven teachers. Since then, the sorority has gone on to have more than 500 chapters and 95,000 plus members. The slogan of Gamma Sigma Rho is “Greater Service, Greater Progress.”  Their motto is “sisterhood, scholarship, service.”

The sorority places great emphasis on community service. The organization is involved with multiple community service projects throughout the year. Some of the projects include “Operation Book Bag,” where the sorority takes up donations of school supplies for children in need, and “Project Wee Savers,” which collects baby supplies which are distributed to needy infants.

The sorority mascot is the poodle. The flower of the organization is the yellow tea rose. The colors are royal blue and antique gold.

Sigma Gamma Rho membership is by invitation only. If a student were to receive an invite, she would go through an interview process.  If both parties are still interested after the interview, the student would begin the process of joining the sorority.

The organization has a minimum GPA requirement for all of the members. All members have to maintain a 2.5 GPA average or higher. If a member’s GPA were to drop lower, she would be suspended.

Diary of a freshman’s first week

Graphic by Kelly Lyness

By Katie Richarson, Staff Writer

As some of you might know, two weeks ago was my first year of college at Young Harris. During the first week I was really nervous about what could happen. For days I had nightmares about living in a dorm with a psychotic girl that would kill me in my sleep, or giant bugs that would come into my room and hurt me if I did not make friends quickly.

It was the craziest anticipation period I have ever experienced. However, now I have not only adventured through my crazy case of anxiety, but I have made it through my first week.

When it came time for me to move into my dorm room, I had no idea what to expect. In my mind I pictured some terrible girl with fiery breath and a rancid flatulence problem. I was so scared that I had my mom go in before me and survey the premises so I could ready myself for anything terrible that may happen.

Graphic by Chance Alexander

However, when I walked into my new room, I was happy to learn everything was better than I could have ever dreamed. My roommate is a wonderful person and I get along with her magically. Did I mention she lets me eat her mac and cheese and even shares her toilet paper? This is awesome!

Once I was over my living situation worries, there were other worries still on the horizon. I wondered whether or not my teachers would hate me, or if I would ever find anything in the dining hall that actually tasted as good as it looked. My main source of caution, however, was when people, even professors, said to watch out for wild animals, specifically a raccoon.

One night I began to head to my car and I stopped suddenly. About ten or so feet away I had spotted a raccoon sitting in the shadows. My first thought was, “how am I going to protect myself when it attacks me and tries to eat me?” Fortunately, once I took a step forward, it scattered away and my life had been spared.

I thought my worries had finally come to a halt, but little did I know there was another terror coming my way. Each day when I go to walk into the Goolsby building I always walk down the wrong hall.  I walk in, smile and make eye contact with people sitting in couches and walk down the hall like I know what I am doing. Once I look up at the room numbers, however, I realize that I have to turn around and go down the perpendicular hall to reach the correct room.

I have now personally deemed this turn-around process “The Walk of Shame” because I have to walk past the same people again. This has happened to me countless times in the first week. Diary, what should I do?

Now that I have survived my first week of college I feel like I can do anything. I try to walk around with my head held high and my schedule in hand. Yes, Diary, I still haven’t memorized my schedule, but I think by the end of the semester I may have it down.

Though some parts of my week have been unnerving I think I am going to like it here. The people are great, and I have had a lot of fun so far. Every time I turn around there is another activity to participate in and new friends with which to spend time.

Please cross your fingers for me Diary as I enter into the coming weeks at Young Harris, because after the last couple days, I do not even know what to expect.

Abraham scores in athletics, academics

By Ashleigh Scarpinato, Staff Writer

By Ashleigh Scarpinato

Rebecca Abraham, a freshman from Cumming, began her college experience not only as a hard-working student, but also as a hard-working athlete.

Following playing four years of high school soccer at Forsyth Central High School, Abraham decided to follow her passion for soccer by attending Young Harris College where she plans to receive her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies.

Abraham’s older sister attended YHC, and from that moment she knew that YHC was the college for her. Abraham’s family supports her and her decision to be a student athlete. Rhonda Abraham, her mother, attended both of her YHC scrimmage games to help cheer her daughter and the rest of the women’s team to victory.

Being a student athlete may come as a challenge to some people, but not Abraham. Abraham is one of only two freshmen on the Mountain Lions soccer team, which brings a whole new level of competition and challenge to be the best every day.

“It all comes pretty easy and is a lot of fun,” said Abraham. “Being a student athlete can teach a person how to truly manage their time between their sport, their classwork, and their friends.”

Abraham explained that the athletes on the YHC women’s soccer team are friendly and welcoming, but still have the desire to compete against anyone.

Abraham hopes to learn from her first year experience and help future freshmen soccer players balance studies and athletics.  This helpful spirit also extends to her goals post-graduation, when Abraham hopes to use her degree to help other people by possibly becoming a behavioral therapist.

Abraham also hopes to continue playing soccer in an adult league. Abraham enjoys the adrenaline of playing a good game and having confidence.  Playing a sport not only teaches a person what it means to be competitive— it also fosters a sense of togetherness, teaching players new life lessons as they work together to achieve a common goal, she said.

CAB hosts Welcome Week

By Hailey Silvey, Staff Writer

Young Harris College freshmen and new students were introduced to the college experience through this year’s “Florescent Fury”-themed Welcome Week by the Campus Activities Board, CAB.

Welcome Week began Aug. 13, when students began moving in the residence halls. Students were welcomed with a sugar snack attack, which served ice cream, cotton candy and other sweet treats on the plaza. The night ended with the trivia game “Think Fast,” where students had the opportunity to win $200.

The week continued with various events including a mechanical bull, airbrush tattoos, a concert by Trevis Prince, a Florida-based performer who considers his work to be a blending of pop, rock, and soul, and a magic show and a dance hosted by the Gamma Psi sorority. There were also various meetings, including Academic Convocation, and a mandatory residence hall meeting for all campus residents.  The annual poster sale on the plaza, the blood drive, held in Meyers Student Center, and Saturday’s community service rounded out Welcome Week on Aug. 20.

“Welcome Week helped me meet new people. It also gave me my first taste of college life,” said Freshman Paige Sexton from Canton.

The CAB events ended the following Saturday with a community service project in the morning and video gaming stations set up on the lawn that evening. Students were invited to come challenge other students to video games.

“The point of Welcome Week is to help new students transition easier to college life and help relieve the stress that comes with the first week of classes,” said Calle Wallace, a senior who helped coordinate the events for Welcome Week.

Wallace feels Welcome Week was very well attended. Once the freshmen realized the events being hosted on campus were for them, more and more of them started attending.

SGA holds first meeting

By Shannon Weaver, Staff Writer

The Student Government Association (SGA), held its first meeting of the year on Aug. 17. During the meeting, SGA discussed several upcoming events including two Georgia Senators participating in a town hall meeting and the return of the Last Lecture series. The agenda also included a proposal on behalf of the outdoor leadership majors and plans for freshman SGA elections.

SGA President Emalyn Cork announced that two United States senators, Johnny Isakson (R-Ga) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga), are coming to YHC on August 30. They will be appearing for one hour at the Recreation Center to answer questions.  All YHC faculty, staff and students are welcome to attend the event, which begins at 2 p.m.

In other event-related news, the first of the “Last Lecture” series of the year will be hosted by the recently retired Chair of Music at YHC, Benny Ferguson. The date and time of the lecture are still undetermined. “Last Lectures” are given by a YHC faculty member to the campus community as an opportunity to give the speaker a chance to speak about what he or she would say if it were the last time speaking to a student audience.

Also during the meeting, Zach Lathan, a member of the senior senate, proposed the SGA sponsor the mandatory conference fee for the senior outdoor leadership majors. Senior outdoor leadership majors are given this conference fee, which is not included in tuition costs, to help pay for travel accommodations and equipment for their excursions. Lathan’s proposal was turned down, but there is discussion among SGA members about starting a scholarship fund for similar conferences.

On September 20, the SGA will be having elections for the Freshman Senate. Other open positions include slots on the sophomore, junior and senior senates. Please see SGA officers about where and when to sign up.

Academic Convocation kicks off year

By Ali Neese, Staff Writer

New and returning Young Harris College students filled the Hilda D. Glenn Auditorium in the Clegg Fine Arts Building on Aug.16 at 7 p.m. for the annual Academic Convocation.

Ruth Looper, dean of the Division of Humanities, welcomed the students and faculty to the event that “mark[ed] the beginning of our academic year.” All students had the opportunity to attend the event, where YHC faculty and staff challenged students to make the most of their college experience.

To open the ceremony, Reverend Tim Moore, YHC campus minister, led the invocation. Following the invocation, Jeff Bauman, professor of Music, led the audience in singing YHC’s alma mater.

President Cathy Cox welcomed both faculty and students to what she called the “new” Young Harris College.  Describing the large number of changes that have occurred on the college’s campus in the last four years, including the addition of new buildings, students, and faculty members, Cox said she believes these changes make the campus feel like a fresh college every year.

Cox also stressed to the incoming freshmen they have “entered a whole new realm of learning” where students who put forth the required time and effort will reach formerly unrecognized levels of potential.

Following Cox’s speech, SGA President Emalyn Cork led the student address and encouraged students to let service “saturate their lives” and to make this year “a year to not only get involved but to pour into the lives of others.”

Dr. Ron Roach, vice president for Academic Affairs, gave the academic charge where he both challenged and encouraged students to make the most of their time here at YHC.

Roach asked students what they would do with the unique opportunity given to them by attending YHC and stated that “small learning communities can inspire great learning and teaching.”

Roach emphasized that students will be pushed and challenged while attending YHC, but the key ingredient to their success here is found in their attitude. He then outlined what he believes is an excellent guide for active learning, modeled after Benton Mackaye’s purpose for hiking the Appalachian Trail, which states, “To walk, to see, to see what you see.”

Roach stated that “being an active learner is like walking, being an observant learner is like seeing, and that being a reflective learner coincides with “seeing what you can see.”

Following Roach’s academic charge, student Chair of the Honor Council, Courtney Moore, presented Cox with the Honor Code signatures from the entering freshman and new students. Cox then pronounced the opening of the academic year.

The benediction was given by Moore and was followed by the recession of the faculty and then the students.

When asked to comment on the night’s events, incoming freshman Madison Perdue, a biology major from Loganville, Ga., said while she did not expect the formality of the ceremony, she found it “inspiring and amazing.”

Returning student Megan Powell, a junior human communication major from Cleveland, Ga., said she found Roach’s speech to be “captivating because he challenged you to want to learn.”

Grace Rollins Dining Hall works with Georgia Department of Labor

By Holly Meyer, Staff Writer

Sodexo food provider at Young Harris College is being honored for their involvement and success in a program hosted by the Georgia Department of Labor.

The program Georgia Works solicits those that have become unemployed, and are in search of new jobs. The program is available to anyone seeking employment through the Georgia Department of Labor. The person’s name is added to a list, along with resumes and work background and is provided to participating employers.

So far, Sodexo has taken eight individuals off of that list and added them to the workforce at YHC’s Grace Rollins Dining Hall.

When a person is hired through this program, the Georgia Department of Labor pays for the first six weeks of work. After the six week period, the employer will have the choice to keep that person in that job permanently.

“We have hired people from all walks of life,” said Teresa Hall, front of house supervisor, as she expressed concern over the recent statistics that have shown that the chances of a person finding a job after six months of unemployment go down to 25 percent.

Hall is pleased with the performance and effort they have demonstrated in the six weeks that they have worked in the dining hall, and they have all been offered permanent jobs, one in particular that has had no experience in the food industry and has proven to be a valuable employee.

“They have turned into some of our best employees,” Hall commented.

Even during the summer when most students have gone home, there are positions open for these employees, such as providing food services for the sports camps and activities that go on over summer break. If there are no positions available, unemployment compensation will be provided until the school year begins.

Who do you rep?

By Stephanie Sexton, Staff Writer

Allison Burnham models her jersey for Sigma Delta Chi or Dorcas. Photo by Ashton Jones

The Greek system is a large part of Young Harris College. Some young women and men that walk on to campus will, at some point, become a part of a Greek society, sorority, fraternity or perhaps, all three.

Greeks are special in their own way; however, something that sets each one apart are their jerseys.

Each fraternity, sorority, and organization has their own special set of colors and letters that is put on a jersey for each person to wear once they are finished with their education period. The jersey is the final piece of the puzzle to make someone a true Greek.

There are 12 different Greek systems on campus ranging from sororities and fraternities to organizations and honor societies. Each has their own jersey and all wear them differently.

Gamma Psi is one sorority that has an interesting way of wearing their jerseys. Their colors are navy, burgundy and white; their jerseys display these colors, but some are embellished with little butterflies. “Some lines do the butterfly thing, others don’t. It just runs in the lines,” said Monica Phelps, sophomore psychology major.

It is tradition for these ladies, but they are also known for wearing their jerseys over skirts, which Phelps mentioned was just a fashion statement.

Delta Gamma is one organization that members have interesting ways of wearing their jerseys. Their colors are black and white, and according to Delta Gamma President, Cheyenne Teeple, members are allowed to do whatever they want with their jerseys. Considering all members are somehow related to the dramatics, it makes sense why their jerseys always seem to be torn and tied in interesting ways.

Zeta Pi has the colors of pride, ambition and devotion, which are orange and blue. Their fashion statement is one that is supposed to send a message out to people. “We like to wear our old, tattered jerseys the most because the wear and tear shows that our jerseys are more than just a piece of formal clothing,” said senior biology major Levi Gentle.

Some other organizations, such as Dorcas and Sigma Beta, or SPAT, feel just the opposite. Both are honor societies and are not allowed to cut their jerseys at all. Furthermore, SPAT brothers must tuck in their jerseys while wearing them.

Another sorority that stands out from the rest is Phi Alpha Phi, or PAPs. With their white jerseys, one might notice that sometimes they are tie-dyed, instead of just white and orange. “I don’t think there’s any particular reason for it. We just like tie-dye,” said junior media communication major Ali Neese.

Whatever the trend or reason for each Greek, their colors shine proudly each time they wear their jerseys around campus.
This post copyedited on April 18, 2011.