The Iron Bowl: A Primer

Disclaimer: There is no love lost between myself and Auburn. I have tried to be mostly fair in writing this post...but completely objectivity is unfortunately an impossibility.

This Friday at 1:30pm, the greatest rivalry in all of college football will kickoff right here in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I know that many of you are not from Alabama, and you may not quite understand what all of this Iron Bowl fuss is about. Allow me to explain.

Every year around the Iron Bowl, the tensions in Alabama get so high that normal, nice, everyday citizens from all over the state turn into hateful, spiteful, and downright mean citizens. I've seen sweet old ladies make derogatory gestures to opposing fans, and I've seen respectable elderly gentlemen come close to blows. Let me be clear...there is one thing that matters in the state of Alabama during this time of year: winning the Iron Bowl.



On the west side of the state, you have the University of Alabama. Its campus oozes tradition and pride. On the east side of the state, you have Auburn University. Its campus has a more pick-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps, familial feel to it. Alabama has historically had the upper hand in the rivalry (we lead the series  40-33-1). Alabama has also historically had a more successful football program in general than Auburn. We claim 13 national championships and 22 SEC championships to their 1 national championship (earned while on NCAA probation, no less) and 6 SEC championships. This dichotomy of tradition vs. family/champion vs. underdog defines the rivalry.

Warren St. John's (an Alabama fan) describes it well in Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer:

"Auburn is a land grant university--a cow college--created under an 1862 law that set aside money from government land sales to finance schools that taught "agriculture and mechanical arts." Alabama, with its antebellum aesthetic, is a society school, or so the thinking goes. [...] Up close the stereotypes don't hold...but in the context of the football rivalry between the two schools, the stereotypes are everything. [...] If the Alabama psyche is hung up on an antebellum fiction, the Auburn psyche is hung up on a postbellum reality. Auburn fans have all the bottled-up resentments and inferiority complexes of a defeated people. In other words, Auburn's relationship with Alabama is like the state of Alabama's relationship with the rest of the country."

All psychology aside, the Iron Bowl can be boiled down to one issue: everyone wants to win. One of my favorite quotes from the legendary Coach Bryant is when he said, "Nothing matters more than beating that cow college on the other side of the state." During this time of year, I agree wholeheartedly.

Monday Major Madness: A Hiatus

Due to the incredible craziness that always seems to appear out of thin air at the end of every semester, Monday Major Madness did not appear today. (This is also the reason for the lack of posts towards the end of last week). We may be able to do one more this semester...but that will again depend on craziness. Regardless of what happens for the rest of this semester, Monday Major Madness will definitely make a comeback early next spring.

Look for a post on the Iron Bowl tomorrow to wrap things up for this week. Then...Thanksgiving!

Quidditch on the Quad: A Recap

In case you missed the posters hanging around campus, the videos on Facebook, and the front page story in the CW, let me inform you that (a) you live under a rock and (b) an incredible event called Quidditch on the Quad took place on Sunday. Groups from all over campus formed teams to participate in this dream-come-true event for any semi-athletic nerd (like myself). Each team chose a country to represent in the Capstone's very own "Quidditch World Cup." The tournament began at promptly twelve noon when Denny Chimes played the Harry Potter theme song (yeah...THAT HAPPENED).

Of course, the science of flying on broomsticks hasn't been quite perfected (scientists, I'm looking at you), so the game was played a little bit differently than in the Harry Potter books. Let me try to quickly explain the basic rules of "Muggle Quidditch" to you...

• First of all, every person must keep a broom between their legs at all times or face a penatly.
• The field is set up much like a soccer field. Instead of goals, three "scoring hoops" are placed on both ends of the field.
• The basic goal of Quidditch, like most games, is to score more points than the other team. Ten points are awarded to a team every time they throw a "Quaffle" (volleyball) through one of their opponent's hoops.
• The other way to score points in Quidditch is to catch the "Snitch." In our version of Quidditch, the Snitch was a cross country runner dressed in gold with a tennis ball attached to the back of his or her shorts. Catching the Snitch awarded your team 30 points and ended the game.
• Each team was composed of seven players, each with a very specific role. Three Chasers were allowed to use the Quaffle to score points. One Seeker was allowed to chase the Snitch. One Keeper was allowed to guard the hoops. Finally, two Beaters were allowed to use "Bludgers" (dodgeballs) to attack other players and attempt to keep them from accomplishing their tasks.

I was a part of Team Uruguay, and we were unfortunately eliminated in the first round by Djibouti. That didn't stop us from playing a couple of pick-up games (which we won) on Dumbledore Memorial Field. I played the role of the Seeker in the first couple of games...and that was absolutely exhausting. I ran cross country in high school, but chasing a golden-clad runner (literally) all over campus with a broom between your legs can be a challenge. In our final game, I played the Chaser position which was absolutely a TON of fun.

I was pretty surprised by the physicality of the game. To be successful on offense, you can't ever stop running and you have to be willing to power your way through opposing defenses. On defense, you have to be willing to get physical to the point of almost tackling the opposing players. Of course, you have to play on both ends of the field if you're a Chaser or a Beater. I'll put it this way...after my only game as a Chaser, I felt like the game had probably lasted about 30 minutes. The official time was 16.

The folks over at Creative Campus deserve a big shout-out for all the work that they put into this event. It was probably was of the funnest things I have done here at UA. If an similar event is held in the future, definitely check it out!

Thanks to Honors College student Blake Basset for the photos in this post.

Documenting Justice International Screening

For those of you who haven't heard of Documenting Justice International, let me start off by telling you that it is one of the coolest opportunities available at UA. It is a three-semester experience that allows students to explore an international issue related to a justice/injustice through documentary filmmaking. The first semester of the experience is spent learning how to produce a documentary film, the second semester is spent filming at an international location, and the third semester is spent editing the film.

Four student groups have just completed their international films and will be screening them tomorrow night (Wed, Nov 17) at 7:00pm in the Bama Theater downtown. Don't know how to get there? Click here for Google Maps. Too busy to make it? No you're not...classes are canceled for Thursday because of the football game. See, just like that you're out of excuses not to go to this thing.

Seriously, though, I think that it is going to be an awesome experience. The four films were filmed in Rwanda, Uruguay, El Paso (right on the Mexican-American border) and Cuba. I can say for certain that the students who put these films together have spent hours and hours on these projects. Check it out!

For more information on Documenting Justice International, check out the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility website.

Monday Major Madness: Political Science

Each Monday, we highlight a certain major here at UA. Regardless of the particular major's sanity or lack thereof, we like to call it Monday Major Madness...

It's quite the rainy Monday in Tuscaloosa.

 In today's installment of Monday Major Madness, Honors College student Annie Ostrow talks about her experience as a political science major.

1) Why did you choose your major?
Since probably my sophomore year of high school, I have been interested in the politics of how the world works. I was very involved in Model United Nations and Youth in Government in high school, and took every history and current events class offered. Understanding and dissecting the problems of the world have been what has always piqued my interest. Political Science, in short, is a study of how the world, our nation, our state, and our towns interact with each other. In my opinion, since government touches everyone in one way or another, it is imperative that we study and understand it.

2) What are your career plans?
Upon graduation, I plan to enter a PhD program in Political Science focusing on International Relations. Upon completion of my PhD, I will either remain in academia, teaching hopefully at a large research university, or will join one of the government intelligence agencies to work as an intelligence analyst. I am still deciding my specific career path based upon my research experience and a possible summer internship in Washington D.C. this summer. Hopefully, further experiences in the field of Political Science will help to narrow my career plans further.

3) What has been your favorite class (required for your major) so far?
My favorite classes in the Political Science department have been in the area of International Relations. Both International Conflict (PSC 442) and American Foreign Policy (PSC 413) have been by far the most interesting classes that I have taken in college. Dr. Doug Gibler, the professor who teaches both of these classes, has a unique way of linking theory and real world examples that makes you look forward to each and every class. I have learned more about the realm of international relations during these two classes than I have in any other class.

4) How many hours per week do you spend working on major-related activities?
I am not going to lie to you and say that Political Science is easy. It requires a large amount of reading on sometimes very complex and specific cases that sometimes I need to read a few times to understand. It is difficult to determine exactly how much time I spend on my Political Science classes because the reading varies. Before tests, I usually spend a few nights re-reading all of the assigned articles for the test which can take hours. I do, however, still have time to be involved in many other things; I just had to learn how to manage my time well.

5) Anything else you would like to share?
If you are interested in politics or current world events, try a Political Science class. There are many different areas of the major including International Relations, Comparative Politics, American Politics, and Political Theory that could pique your interest. Our Political Science department has a wealth of faculty who are experts in their field who can help you narrow down your interests. Schedule a meeting with them; they are a great resource.

Also, get involved in research if you can. In today's graduate school environment, research is something on your application that sets you apart. Not only does it help with applications, it can also help narrow down your interests in the field. If you find a faculty member that you are really interested in, look into his or her research and determine if that might be something that you would like to be involved in. Then, don't be afraid to ask; the worst that could happen is that he or she says no. If she says yes, research could be something that defines your college experience like it has mine.

There is a place for anyone who is interested in Political Science; you just need to be willing to have an open mind and try it out. 

Epiphany Cafe Food Tasting

Wanna talk about what's for dinner? Where your food comes from? What you can do about food issues in Tuscaloosa? Join the Honors College for some apps and a generous helping of discussion, y'all!

The Honors College will be hosting a food tasting and discussion at Epiphany Cafe in Downtown Tuscaloosa on Friday, November 19th from 3-5pm. Hors d'oeuvres made from locally-sourced ingredients will be served. A discussion with local leaders in food issues will allow students to learn about the food landscape of Tuscaloosa and about opportunities for involvement in this area.

All Honors College students are invited to stop by the front desk of Nott Hall (2nd floor) to buy a $5 admission pass starting Monday, November 8th; fifty passes will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Don't miss this chance to eat local food at one of Tuscaloosa's best restaurants while talking about our relationship with one of life's most enjoyable necessities!

Express Night on Common Ground

Tonight (Thurs, Nov 11) from 6:00pm to 9:00pm in Ferg Starbucks, the Honors College Assembly is teaming up with the Black Student Union to present Express Night on Common Ground. Now a quick word from the HCA:

Honors College Assembly and the Black Student Union are proud to bring you a mouth-watering combination of HCA's Express Night and the BSU's Common Ground.

Express Night is the open mic, art expression event where visual art is displayed while live performances take place. Common Ground focuses more on hip hop, dance, ...and spoken word.

Express Night on Common Ground will be a DELICIOUS blend of these two distinct styles.

Want to COME?
Then come! We are inviting everyone that we know and more importantly everyone that you know. Bring your friends, your moms, your brothers and sisters, and anyone else that has a listening ear and/ or a beating heart.

Want to do something FUN for CHARITY?
There will be Bama Buddies table at the event. We will have little stuffed bears that you can make (Build-a-Bear style) for $10. After you're done, we will take the bears and donate them to a children's home for Christmas.

HCA and the BSU are glad to guide you through a night of sweet serenades, powerful poetry, and dazzling dance. So steel yourself and save the date because we mean business

Sounds like a good time!

HCA Holiday Tree Project

This holiday season, the Honors College Assembly is sponsoring the Holiday Tree Project. Here's the basic idea...a tree with "wish ornaments" has been placed in the reception area of Nott Hall. Each ornament has a wish from a child in Tuscaloosa County. You can drop by Nott, pick up an ornament, buy the item that was requested ($20 limit), and then return the wrapped item to Nott by Dec 3.

I know that we're all college students, but I also know that we can all probably spare $20. Even a small gift can absolutely make a child's holiday season.

This initiative really falls in line with the Honors College's goal to have a meaningful impact on the Tuscaloosa community. In fact, did you realize that 24% of Tuscaloosa County children live in poverty? I was absolutely shocked by that figure! Again, this is a great way to have a meaningful impact on a child's holiday season. The small things are often the ones that count the most.

So come on by and pick up an ornament!

Honors College Student Advisory Board

As most of you have hopefully heard by now, the Honors College Student Advisory Board is currently accepting applications for the period from Dec 2010-Dec 2011. I realize that many of you may not understand exactly what this group is all about, so let me try to explain.

The Student Advisory Board was started a few years ago to allow students to become involved in shaping the growth and direction of the Honors College. Basically, the Board meets with faculty members to develop new initiatives and strengthen current initiatives within the Honors College. This group has produced several pretty big ideas (Honors College Assembly and Freshman Year Experience being two examples). It is a very selective group of students that really does impact the day-to-day operations of the Honors College.

I say all of that so that hopefully you'll understand that being a member of the Student Advisory Board would be an incredible opportunity to become involved in Honors College. You would have the opportunity to voice your ideas...and then most likely see them turned into reality.

So...if creativity and leadership are you're thing (and that's a pretty decent probability considering you're an Honors College student), I would encourage you to apply to become a member of the Student Advisory Board. The application can be found online here. Just print it out and follow the instructions. Note that the application is due by Friday, November 19.

Monday Major Madness: Marketing

Each Monday, we highlight a certain major here at UA. Regardless of the particular major's sanity or lack thereof, we like to call it Monday Major Madness...

Monday morning in NY City.

 In today's installment of Monday Major Madness, Honors College student Jake Appelbaum talks about his experience as an marketing major.

1) Why did you choose your major?
I decided in high school that wanted to pursue something in the business field. My dad has worked in various business jobs over his career, which has had an impact on how I view the world. I was not sure what would be my major once I entered college, but I had always been fascinated with how consumers engage with the economy. The study of business marketing tends to be a blend of both economics and psychology (not advertising as some may think.) I found through taking courses and talking to professors that marketing was the best fit for me.

2) What are your career plans?
I plan on either joining AmeriCorps, instructing for Teach for America or pursing a job in the business world. If I decide to go after a job, I will look for corporations and situations that fit what I want to do. My passions involve finance, marketing and international affairs; I will consider all of these when conducting my job search. My goal is to find a fantastic, energetic company to work for, most likely based in a large city. After a few years with the company, I would plan to go back to education and receive an MBA.

3) What has been your favorite class (required for your major) so far?
My favorite class has been my Introduction to Marketing course with Dr. Reynolds. The course is insightful into the world of marketing and completely applicable to actual business. Dr. Reynolds teaches the course with passion and expertise. She demonstrates her caring for her topic and for every student she teaches. By the end of the course I was glad that I chose to be a marketing major.

4) How many hours per week do you spend working on major-related activities (homework, studying, etc.)?
On average, I spend fifteen hours a week outside of class studying or doing homework for my business courses. Most of my time is devoted to studying for tests. I also do marketing research which takes a few hours each week.

5) Anything else you would like to share?
For business majors, everyone must take introduction classes for each major. Try hard in each of these classes so you can get a good grasp on where your interests are.

Honors Freshman Exploratory Courses

Looking to pick up an Honors College course for next spring? I have an excellent recommendation for you...sign up for an Honors Freshman Exploratory Course! These one-hour courses are taught by senior Honors College students. The workload for these classes is typically pretty light (readings throughout the semester and a project at the end of the semester). These are a great way to explore a topic you otherwise might not be able to explore while gaining an hour of Honors credit. Four of these courses will be offered next semester...check out the descriptions below.

Functional Leadership: Project Planning and Implementation (UH 120-009)

• Taught by Richard Cockrum
• Tuesday 3:30pm-5:00pm

This course will focus primarily on developing practical skills in all phases of project development that is typical for campus leaders to encounter, using a service project as a class practicum. Topics covered include brainstorming and deliberative dialogue, SMART goal setting, project proposals, timeline for implementation, budgeting, volunteer recruitment and management, external communications and project evaluations. An overarching message of the course is to ask how each step in the process can contribute to making a project sustainable after student creators have left campus.

Poetry and Song (UH 120-008)

• Taught by Leslie Proctor
• Thursday 4:00pm-5:00pm

Poetry and Song are two mediums for creative expression that have existed side by side for centuries. This class addresses the connections between them by examining the importance that each has had on the other’s emergence as an art form. For the final project, students will either present the text of a song they feel a connection to as a piece of poetry and analyze the text’s musical enhancements or detractions, or they will choose a poem and create a work of art to present with it that either clarifies, obscures or challenges assumptions made about that poem.

The Creative Habit (UH 120-007)

• Taught by Shannon Lindamood
• Friday 1:00pm-2:00pm

Creativity is not a gift from the gods, says Twyla Tharp, bestowed by some divine and mystical spark. In this course, each student will seek what it means to be creative and research how creativity can benefit the work in their field of study. Students will explore how to augment creative thought and how to handle pressure of continually creating new work.  This course is suitable for artists, actors, writers, composers, businessmen, and engineers alike!

Alabama and Politics (Course information TBD)

• Taught by Ian Sams
  
• Time TBD
  

This course is not on MyBama yet (although it should be soon). Look for more information in the near future!

Honors College Fall Coffee Hours

The Honors College is proud to announce that we will be hosting two "coffee hours" this fall to help students connect with their professors. For each coffee hour, professors will mingle with students and answer questions about applying to graduate (or medical) school, undergraduate research, and professional opportunities. The atmosphere will be very laid-back...and free coffee and cookies will definitely be involved.

This semester, we are offering coffee hours geared towards business and pre-med students. (If neither of those is your cup of tea, don't worry! We will be offering others in the spring.) The information for the business and pre-med coffee hours is below:

Business Coffee Hour

• Thursday, November 11 from 5:00pm-6:00pm 
• Mary Alston Hall (in the Parlor)
• Professors attending: Jim Cashman, Gary Hoover, William Aldrige, Gorman Houston, David Hale

Pre-Med Coffee Hour

• Monday, November 15 from 5:00pm-6:00pm
• Riverside Community Center (upstairs)
• Professors from the chemistry, biology, and physics departments will attend.

These should be great opportunities for you to network with your professors and get some important questions answered. If you're interested in undergraduate research or an internship, these folks will be able to point you in the right direction. They will also be able to give incredible insight into the application process for either graduate school (for business majors) or medical school (for pre-med students). Also remember that these professors are the people who will likely be writing your rec letters...any time you can get with them outside of the classroom is valuable.

With all of that said, I hope that any of you interested in either business or medicine will consider attending. I really think this will be a great opportunity.

Dedication of Malone-Hood Plaza Tomorrow

Tomorrow (Nov 3), several historic events will be taking place on campus. As most of you are probably aware, the University recently completed renovations of Foster Auditorium, including the construction of Malone-Hood Plaza and the Autherine Lucy Clock Tower. I'm sure most of you already know this, but Foster Auditorium is where Alabama Governor George Wallace made his infamous "stand in the schoolhouse door" in an attempt to prevent the segregation of UA. The entire area around Foster Auditorium has now been transformed into a monument to the progress that both the State of Alabama and the University of Alabama have made on the race relations front. The University is holding a couple of events tomorrow to dedicate the new plaza and clock tower.

Panel Discussion on UA's Desegregation

• A panel discussion including Autherine Lucy Foster, James Hood and a family member of the late Vivian Malone Jones (Foster, Hood, and Jones were the first three African American students to attend UA) will take place tomorrow at 9 a.m. in the Ferguson Student Center Ballroom. This will be a great opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of the events that lead up to the desegregation of UA. A ticket is required to attend (FREE tickets are available at crimsonartstickets.com).

Dedication of Malone-Hood Plaza and Autherine Lucy Clock Tower

• The dedication ceremony (open to students, faculty, and staff) will take place at 1pm in Malone-Hood Plaza. The community at large is invited to a 2pm celebration at the plaza that will include musical performances by the Alabama Brass Quintet and the Afro-American Gospel Choir.

I would encourage all of you to attend these events if at all possible. As a native Alabamian, it gives me great pride to see the progress that my state has made in the past 50 years. I believe that these events epitomize that progress.

Monday Major Madness: English

Each Monday, we highlight a certain major here at UA. Regardless of the particular major's sanity or lack thereof, we like to call it Monday Major Madness. Much like Monday Night Football, we know this makes your Monday better...



In today's installment of Monday Major Madness, Honors College student Anna Foley talks about her experience as an English major. 

1) Why did you choose your major?
When I came to UA, I had declared an International Relations major and can’t exactly remember why. Like many freshmen, I had no idea what I really wanted to study, but my pot luck roommate, Beth, clarified things for me. One night we were talking in our beds before falling asleep, and I asked her if she though I should be an English major. I had begun to lean this way after talking to other English majors on campus but still wasn’t sure. She gave me an adamant yes, and then continued on to give an impassioned speech about the power of literature. Her advice made me realize that I have always loved reading and discussing books.

2) What are your career plans?
I plan to attend law school after spending one or two years working or teaching abroad. Currently, my interest is in education and education reform, but how that will play out with a law degree, I am still uncertain. After interning at a law firm for a summer, I realized how much I could enjoy practicing many different kinds of law so I am open to my career heading many different directions.

3) What has been your favorite class (required for your major) so far?
It is difficult to choose one favorite class so I’ll talk about one of my many favorites: Dr. McElroy’s 17th Century Poetry class is fascinating and covers religious poets including my all time favorite, John Donne. I definitely recommend it! To put in a shameless plug for the UA English Department, there are numerous outstanding professors who make it a major that you cannot go wrong with (Weiss, Whiting, Pionki, McElroy, McNaughton, Ulmer, McWaters...just to name a few but there are definitely more)

4) How many hours per week do you spend working on major-related activities (homework, studying, etc.)?
The amount I spend each week varies. I do think English is one of the most challenging majors especially if you take it upon yourself to really delve into the material. I never feel like I have enough time to finish my reading (depending on the course you may have 300 pages a week to read), but I’ve learned to just complete as much of it as I can. It generally takes me about 10 hours for a 4-6 page paper, but other students may have a different opinion. The difficulty with English is there is always more to discover in the text and other ways to further develop the arguments in your papers. One of my teachers, Dr. Pionki, explained one day in class how English is a subject that never gets rid of any ideas. While science may prove a formula wrong and business may develop a more efficient marketing strategy, every idea in English has an innate value that can be built upon in some way. Throughout history, authors are playing off of each other, criticizing different world views, and analyzing the societies they live in. There is little room for black and white thinking in English, and this is one of the many reasons I think it is an excellent major. No other subject could challenge me in the same way.

5) Any additional information?
People often ask what I plan on doing with my major because it is not exactly a degree that gives you a defined career path after graduation. However, English teaches you to think critically and this will make you better at whatever field you go into: law, business, education, medicine, etc. If you are thinking about being an English major and need more convincing, please email me at akfoley@crimson.ua.edu!