The following was originally published on and exclusively owned by www.HerCampus.com, an online magazine for college women. View the article on HerCampus.com by clicking here.

By Rachel Cieri

February 2, 2010

When it comes to fraternity boyfriends, you don’t just date the guy; you date the entire fraternity.

Her Campus took a look into the experiences of fraternity girlfriends to dish out the struggles and successes of dating a guy who’s gone Greek.

Pro: Guy-friends galore

Elon University senior Katie Hatcher learned early on that being a fraternity girlfriend meant more than dealing with her beau’s penchant for bowties. She met her former boyfriend of two-and-a-half years during freshman orientation, and when he accepted a bid from a fraternity the next fall, Hatcher quickly realized her boyfriend’s brotherhood would become hers as well.

As her boyfriend earned his letters, embraced traditions and introduced Hatcher to the fraternity social scene, the relationships he developed paralleled on her end, leaving her with a slew of male friends.

“One brother said to me, ‘[The fraternity] protects its own, and you’re one of our own,’” Hatcher says.

Even after she and her fraternity beau split, she remained close friends with the boys to whom she often gave advice, baked cookies for and turned to in tough times.

“[The fraternity] got me through that breakup,” Hatcher says. “They babysat me every step of the way.”

Elon junior Cece Fitzgerald says her year-long relationship with her boyfriend extended her friendships with his brothers. Many of her sorority sisters are their mutual friends, completing her Greek-esque social circle.

“[Hanging out with them] is something I’d be doing regardless,” Fitzgerald says. “It just makes it easier that I’m dating him.”

Con: It’s almost a job

With the benefits comes the burden of social responsibility. A fraternity girlfriend is often expected to devote the same loyalty that her boyfriend pledged to the brotherhood, even though she’s not the one wearing the letters.

“I went through pledging with him,” Hatcher says of her former fraternity boyfriend. “It was really hard because he wasn’t available. It was emotionally taxing, and he was exhausted all the time.”

Pledging meant that Hatcher’s then-boyfriend missed events that were important to her, but the blame was often dumped on her when he missed out on a fraternity social event.

“If it was a Friday night and he wasn’t going out, his brothers would call me to ask why,” Hatcher says.

“I think when you date someone in a fraternity, you have to be willing to date their friends, too,” says Kate Hopkins, an Elon senior who dated a fraternity guy at Georgia State University.

Pro: The girlfriends’ club

Fraternity girlfriends are like cheerleaders at a football game – they’re not the main event, but they’re a team nonetheless. After showing up to the same date parties and dinners week after week, the girlfriends can’t help but get to know one another.

“For a full year, every other Monday, a bunch of the girlfriends would get together to have lunch, and we’d either double- or triple-date every Wednesday,” Hatcher says of her experience with “the girlfriends’ club.”

Hopkins, who dated her former fraternity boyfriend for two years, says she experienced the same sense of community with the other girlfriends.

“The girls took me into their inner circle and were like, ‘this is how it works,’” Hopkins says. “It was nice to have girls to hang out with [when I was visiting].”

Con: Competing with guys for his attention

Any organization can be a big commitment, but some fraternities are as needy as Sammi and Ronnie on Jersey Shore, demanding a brother’s attention every waking moment. And that can leave a girlfriend feeling like an afterthought rather than the center of attention.

“There were times when I was in the frat house until three in the morning before he would come back and take me home,” Hopkins says.

Even when she was visiting, her former boyfriend would often disappear for hours. There were points when she wanted to tell him “I’m here, too. You have to like me more than them.”

Hopkins’s former beau went right from his pledge period to a leadership position that left him always planning the next big event and Hopkins feeling like they couldn’t escape from the fraternity culture.

“Because they have tons of secrets that they can’t tell anyone, I felt like I was on the outside looking in,” Hopkins says.

Fitzgerald, though, advises that all a girlfriend needs to do is leave some room for guy time.

“Let him do his own thing with his fraternity,” she says. “Of course he’ll want to be with you, too, so let him be with his brothers, then join in later.”

Pro: A better boyfriend

Greek Life might tell you that joining a fraternity doesn’t change you, but that’s not always the case.

Hatcher, who met her former boyfriend long before he entered the bonds of brotherhood, says she thought the experience made him a better, more social person.

“I liked it because he was always so shy,” she says. “It taught him backbone. He was asserting himself more, and it made him more ambitious and taught him how to balance a schedule.”

Fitzgerald says after serving his term as president of the fraternity, her boyfriend became much more mature, having dealt with the responsibilities of his position. She says she thinks fraternity men gain a strong set of values from the core principles upon which the fraternity is founded.

“I think guys strongly tied with their fraternity try to live by their ritual every day, and that helped us connect on a deeper level,” she said.

Con: The mob mentality

For as smart and mature as he may seem one-on-one, the fraternity boy suffers from the occasional bout of idiocy and less-than-classy behavior.

Hopkins says she saw her former boyfriend do “a lot more stupid stuff” once he joined a fraternity.

“I think he set a tree on fire one time,” she says. “The old [him] never would have done that.”

Four Habits of Highly Effective Fraternity Girlfriends

Thinking about starting up a fraternity romance? Her Campus came up with a few tips for dealing with the brotherhood bromance.

1. Give him guy time – Even if you think your boyfriend’s brothers are the greatest guys on earth, chances are, they want some time to themselves. You might not mind seeing them play COD, belch and watch the game, but some guys would rather you not.
2. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em – Embrace your boyfriend’s brothers. Unlike typical friends, there’s no chance they’re going away after they’ve taken their pledges. Time with the fraternity will be infinitely easier if you learn to love them.
3. Date the man, not the letters – Make sure to spend time away from fraternity life. Your boyfriend might love his brothers (in the most heterosexual way possible, of course), but he should love you enough to tear himself away for a few hours a week.
4. Pick him well – Remember that you can’t date more than one guy in the same fraternity, so you’ve got one chance to make the right choice. To fraternity guys, dating a brother’s sloppy seconds is like incest.

The following was originally published on and exclusively owned by www.HerCampus.com, an online magazine for college women. View the article on HerCampus.com by clicking here.

By Rachel Cieri

Jan. 10, 2010

Feeling down? Put down the Ben & Jerry’s. According to college students, one of the best ways to make yourself feel better is to log onto the Internet and read a few posts on FMyLife.com, TextsFromLastNight.com, PostSecret.com or MyLifeIsAverage.com

With millions of visitors each day, these blogs allow any user to share his or her thoughts with the masses in the form of a few lines of text, or, in the case of PostSecret, a single post card.

Hood College junior Rachel Morgan is just one of the many who turn to anonymous microblogging sites like these when they need a quick pick-me-up.

“When I have bad days, those stories make me feel better because they’re so much more ridiculous [than my own],” Morgan says.

It started with PostSecret.com in 2005, a community art project and blog that allows people to anonymously mail postcards with their secrets written on them. Some are sad and serious, but others are silly and lighthearted, evoking a mix of emotions some students say is just right.

To date, PostSecret.com logs more than 200 million visits, and a 2008 Youth Trends report called the site the tenth most popular among female students. But its popularity seems to have been replaced by more recent, less meaningful (though possibly more entertaining) projects.

In 2008, Web entrepreneurs Maxime Valette, Guillaume Passaglia and Didier Guedj launched the English version of one of the most popular French Web sites to hit cyberspace. Viedemerde.fr, which translates to “life of sh–,” spawned its English language equivalent FMyLife.com, a blog that serves as a “recollection of everyday anecdotes likely to happen to anyone,” according to its Web site.

Whether it’s a middle school teacher who got fired from his job for telling an eighth grader that Santa wasn’t real or a woman whose boss gave her a workout video for Christmas, the people who share their stories invite laughter, not sympathy.

“It’s really entertaining to read stories about random hilarious things that happen to other people,” Elon University junior Jordan McNeill says. “It makes you realize that things that happen to you really aren’t that bad.”

College students are particularly fascinated with the terrible tales, and the site collegefml.com serves as a portal to more than two dozen sites devoted exclusively to “FML” stories from a particular college.

In the spirit of making the negative funny, the site TextsFromLastNight.com was created in February to provide a forum for regrettable drunk text messages. Users can anonymously post text messages sent either to or from their phones with the area code as the only form of identification.

Roanoke College senior Susanna Bonig admits that the site is a good “pick-me-up” after a particularly rough night.

“As bad as it sounds, it makes you think, ‘At least my night wasn’t that bad,’” said Bonig.

Bonig’s school, like hundreds of others, has its very own version of the site, a Facebook group that takes the anonymity out of the posts but remains popular nonetheless. The problem with TFLN, students say, is that their posts are never chosen for publication.

However, University of Maryland senior Kelly MacBride-Gill said she does not subscribe to this fascination with the macabre that TFLN and FML promote. Instead, her latest obsession is with an FML spin-off, MyLifeIsAverage.com.

We believe that for every fail story, or good story, there are about a million normal stories,” the Web site proclaims.

People like MacBride-Gill take the sentiment to heart.

“TFLN makes me feel skeezy, and FML makes me feel bad for people, but MLIA just makes me laugh,” said MacBride-Gill. “Whereas the other ones complain about things that happen, this one just has funny stories. Like, ‘Today, I saw a man in a banana suit chasing a man in a gorilla suit.’”

Whether students enjoy positive or pessimistic posts, they still find themselves on these Web sites for the same reason—procrastination.

“It’s one of those things like Facebook, that, whenever you’re in a time crunch, you suddenly find yourself on it,” MacBride-Gill said.

Bonig said these sites’ big draw comes from the fact that people can relate to them. Who wants to read about the unrest in the Middle East when you can read about the girl whose sister covered everything in her room with ketchup?

These sites can fall just short of an obsession, with iPhone applications that allow instant updates and access from anywhere.

But MacBride-Gill, like millions of others, will spout the famous last words of addicts everywhere: “I can quit anytime I want.”

Whether the reason for visiting is procrastination or the need for a good laugh, this craze will keep college students coming back.

Think you might have a problem?

This handy checklist can help determine if you’ve become addicted to anonymous microblogging sites. If you agree with three or more statements, a procrastination intervention is in order.

• I’ve downloaded an iPhone app for one of these sites.
• I frequently form thoughts beginning with “Today…” or an area code.
• I refresh the page more than once an hour.
• I suffer from anxiety if new PostSecrets are not up on Sunday by noon.
• I regularly scan my text messages for TFLN material.
• FML or MLIA comes at the end of more than half of my Facebook statuses.

The following was originally published on and exclusively owned by www.HerCampus.com, an online magazine for college women. View the article on HerCampus.com by clicking here.

Dec. 31, 2009

By Rachel Cieri

It’s 8 p.m. and already pitch-black when you get back from the library on a Sunday night. You flip on the lights in your room and reach for the cord to lower your window blinds. THUNK. Either you tugged the stubborn thing a little too hard or, more likely, the college maintenance staff hasn’t replaced the blinds since 1970. Whatever the case, the blinds are laying at your feet, and the screws that held them in place are rolling across the floor.

In times like these, calling your boyfriend makes you look helpless, whining to Dad will only reinforce his belief that you can’t survive on your own, and waiting around for maintenance to arrive three days later is just not an option. So what do you do? Fix it yourself! Here are ten reasons why a toolkit is as much a girl’s best friend as her jewelry box:

1. IT’S AN INSTANT FIX

Rather than having every passerby stare into your first-floor dorm room, just have a screwdriver on hand. They come in several varieties, the two most common being flathead and Philip’s head. Instead of waiting for maintenance crews to make it to your dorm sometime in the next 72 hours, just match the appropriate screwdriver to the screws that fell out, align the holes in the bracket to the holes in your window frame and turn the screw to right to put the blinds back in. Just remember: “Righty tighty, lefty loosey.”

2. IT’S A MAN MAGNET

Try as you might to lure them with flirting and sexy outfits, guys tend to respond best to the unusual. When you volunteer the missing tools to help build his next beer pong table, you can bet he’ll take notice. And that guy friend who is always making fun of your inability to unscrew the cap to your soda? He’ll be floored when you tighten the loose door handle he’s been ignoring for months.

3. IT WILL MAKE YOUR ROOM THE ENVY OF THE ENTIRE CAMPUS

Say goodbye to that awful blue sticky tack that stains the walls and gets everywhere. Make your room look a little less “Animal House” and a bit more “Greek” by buying some picture frames to nail into the wall. The standard household tool kit comes with a set of small nails and fasteners that might include brackets for hanging picture frames.

And of course you can’t have guests over when your picture frames are crooked. Buy a tool kit with a level, and you’ll never again have to wonder if the frames are hanging straight.

4. IT MEANS SAYING GOODBYE TO END-OF-THE-YEAR FINES

Forget toothpaste and whiteout. Those holes in the walls from hanging pictures might rack up some hefty damage fines by the end of the year, but instead of wasting your money paying the college to pay a handyman, just spend a few dollars on a tube of caulk.

An easy-to-use sealant, this stuff is what the professionals use to cover the holes you left, and it takes about five seconds to dab on the hole and wipe off excess with a damp finger. If your walls are white, the RA will never know the difference.

5. IT MAKES THE WORDS “SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED” A CHALLENGE, NOT A CHORE

Ever realize that bookcase you bought for a little extra storage space came in a flat box? Chances are that you’ll need to do a little work to put it together – work that probably requires an Allen wrench or a screwdriver.
But don’t call Daddy just yet. Just sit down with the instructions and the appropriate tools, and you’ll have it together in no time. It’s nowhere near as tough as your last history test, and you’ll have the satisfaction of building it yourself. These instruction manuals are made for the average person…and don’t you think you’re at least as smart as the average person?

6. IT PROVIDES THAT EXTRA CONFIDENCE BOOST

If you grew up in a house where Dad would never dream of letting you touch the lawn mower or your big brother would swoop in for so much as changing a light bulb, living on your own can be scary. But when you at least try to do something on your own, that slight sense of accomplishment can give you the confidence boost you need. Even if you find out the problem needs professional attention, you’ve still learned from your attempt, and won’t be left flabbergasted the next time something minor goes awry.

7. IT KEEPS THE SIMPLE THINGS FROM BECOMING A HASSLE

What is a wrench good for, anyway? Whether it’s a stubborn dial that won’t turn or a part of the heater that has come loose, little things always make it worth keeping a wrench around. The inconveniences are typically minor, but they’ll only stay that way when you have the right hardware.

8. IT MIGHT JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE

When you’ve used the blow dryer so much that the cord is just as frayed as your split ends, it’s not just annoying – it’s dangerous. Goodness knows you can’t just go around with wet hair until you have time to find the perfect replacement, so just turn to your trusty tool kit.

Many kits will come with electrical tape, which can be used to wrap frayed or damaged wires for the time being – after the appliance has been unplugged, of course. It’s also great for taming the octopus of cords your computer, cell phone charger, desk lamp and television have created. Tape together cords that are almost never unplugged, like the lamp and television cords.

9. IT WILL BE USEFUL WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT

Because you never know when your artsy professors will have their crazy whims, you should always be armed for academic battle. When a research paper is replaced by an assignment to build a scale model of the campus dining hall, you’ll already have your measuring tape in hand. And the box-cutter for the cardboard? You’ve got it covered.

10. TOOLS CAN BE PRETTY, TOO.

Fix-it jobs might typically go to a man, but buying a tool kit doesn’t have to make you look like one. Several varieties of starter tool sets come in pink, lavender, purple and even floral prints, like this girly one from Grip.
Why do something if you can’t look good doing it?

You bought the tool kit – now what?

For those without much handywoman experience, Her Campus takes you inside the basic tool kit to get you started with the tools that might be unfamiliar.

Hammer

Anyone who has so much as watched a cartoon should know the basic purpose of this tool – hammering a nail. But the curved prongs on the back might not be so easy to figure out. First-time users, especially, might have a hard time picking exactly the right spot for the nail or hammering perpendicular to the surface—if you goof up and a nail needs to be removed, slide the head of the nail between the prongs and use the curved surface as a lever to yank it out.

Hammers come in different weights, from he-man heavy to light as air. When selecting your tool kit, take the hammer weight into consideration. Unless you plan on constructing railroad tracks in the near future, stick with the lighter variety.

Perfect for: hanging picture frames and wall ornaments.

Screwdriver

You’ll find screws in almost everything, from your desk chair to the light switch cover, so when something comes loose, having a screwdriver on hand makes all the difference. These tools come in two main varieties – Philip’s head and flathead. A Philip’s head screwdriver has four divots surrounding the point, while a flathead screwdriver ends in a single straight line.
To cover all your bases, invest in a screwdriver with changeable bits. This sort of screwdriver allows the user to remove the head and either flip it upside down (on a double-ended bit) or change the bit altogether to fit a larger or smaller screw.

Perfect for: Tightening parts on almost anything, assembling new furniture and replacing laptop parts.

Wrench

Used for securing nuts and bolts, the common wrench won’t typically get much use unless you plan to disassemble something large and metal. It is, however, handy to have around if an odd bolt comes loose or a dial refuses to turn. Since all nuts and bolts are different sizes, make sure to purchase an adjustable wrench, which will grip a range of sizes.

The Allen wrench is slightly less common but often required for furniture assembly. Sometimes one comes with the assembly kit, but when it doesn’t just look to your tool kit for an L-shaped piece of metal with a hexagonal end. Just slide one end into the appropriate slot and turn it like a crank to tighten or loosen the bolt.

Perfect for: Assembling furniture, turning stubborn dials and tightening loose bolts.

Level

Both amazingly simple and wondrously useful, a level is typically a six-inch plastic rectangle with two tubes of water in it, one horizontal and one vertical. Each tube will have a “bubble” in the water and two lines exactly the length of the bubble. To determine if a surface is “level,” or completely parallel to the ground, place the level tool on top of the surface and adjust it until the bubble is perfectly centered between to two lines on each tube.

Perfect for: Hanging photo frames and wall ornaments.

Pliers

Although they sometimes come with a basic tool kit, pliers won’t be the most useful tool for the average college student. They are most often used for cutting or bending cables and wires, so someone crafty might find creative uses for their pointed nose and metal teeth.

Perfect for: Crafts involving wires and snipping tags off new purchases when you can’t find the scissors

By Rachel Cieri

Dec. 2, 2009

The administration building, or “Old Main” as it was later called, was located adjacent to West Hall, where Alamance Building sits today. It housed all the college’s classrooms, offices, the library and even a museum. Photo courtesy of Belk Library Archives.

In a quiet room on Belk Library’s second floor lies the Elon archives, a virtual time machine through the school’s history.

It goes without saying that Elon has changed throughout the years. Just nine years ago, the college became a university and the Fighting Christian was replaced by the Phoenix.

Looking back even further, there is not much the modern student would recognize, aside from the signature railroad tracks and oak groves. In 1909, the campus was comprised of three main buildings and offered only three majors.

But some of the intangible aspects of an Elon education haven’t changed a bit.

The Pendulum took a look through the Belk Archives to give students a glimpse of life at Elon 100 years ago.

Campus

The administration building, or “Old Main” as it was later called, was located adjacent to West Hall, where Alamance Building sits today. It housed all the college’s classrooms, offices, the library and even a museum. Photo courtesy of Belk Library Archives.

Today, Elon has an entire building devoted to almost every department and major, but 100 years ago, one building housed it all. The Administration Building, or “Old Main” as it was later called, stood on the spot where Alamance is now located and set the precedent for Elon’s signature three-story brick look.

Its front featured a four-story octagonal tower and housed everything from classrooms and offices to the library and college museum. Before the adjacent residence halls were built, it even housed ladies’ dormitories.

A 24-hour, three-story library probably would have been unthinkable in 1909. That year, Old Main housed Elon’s one-room library and its corresponding “reading room,” which provided the latest magazines and journals. Both were open between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Most studying took place in the students’ dorm rooms, located in two buildings — East and West Dormitories. West, the oldest building on Elon’s campus, is still used for its original purpose — a women’s dorm. In its earliest days, the second and third floors contained the dorm rooms, while the first featured the college dining hall, ladies’ gymnasium, living quarters for female professors and reception halls.

East Dormitory, which stood close to the site of Duke Hall today, was the men’s dorm.

Dorm life

Today’s students clean their own rooms, wash their own laundry and, in some cases, scrub their own toilets. But 100 years ago, dormitories were fully equipped with servants who cooked, cleaned and fetched water for the students.

The typical Elon dorm room in 1909 contained a mattress, a box spring, a rocking chair, oak suits and toilet sets all for the yearly price of $120 for women (about $2,800 today). Men were charged $10 per month and an extra $90 for the turn-of-the-century equivalent of a meal plan — meals in the college dining hall.

Student life

A group of students, likely the class of 1910, poses on the steps of an original building. Photo courtesy of Belk Library Archives.

Before the era of fraternities and sororities, Elon social life was dominated by three literary societies. The women joined the Psiphelian society, which met weekly for “improvement in composition, oratory, reading and debate and acquiring knowledge of parliamentary law” and various social gatherings like an “ice cream supper.”

The men had a choice between the Philogian or Clio societies. Before Old Main burned in 1923, each society had its own “hall” in Old Main in which to hold its meetings. Any second-year student not a member of one of the societies was required to submit a bi-weekly essay of 1,000 words to a professor.

A testament to the societies’ importance to the college, Elon’s yearbook Phi Psi Cli got its name from these literary societies. All three were disbanded before World War II.

Other clubs centered on religious life, like the Society of Christian Endeavor and a fledgling Ministerial Association. Just a few years later, the college would form chapters of the YMCA and YWCA.

Academics

Forget SATs and GPAs. In Elon’s early years, admittance was determined by an entrance exam encompassing English, history, science, Latin, Greek, modern languages (French and German) and mathematics. A passing score in those days was a 70 percent.

For students who did not pass the entrance exam, the college had a separate “preparatory department” that provided remedial education.

Today, Elon boasts more than 50 undergraduate majors and five colleges, but in 1909 students had a choice of three majors with corresponding degrees —the Classical Course (AB), the Bachelor of Philosophy (Ph.B) or the Bachelor of Literature (Lit.B).

Departments of study in 1909 were similar to the departments which still exist in the College of Arts and Sciences, but with a few additions — Biblical literature and doctrine, Old Testament, pedagogy and commercial.

Gender roles

With so many girls gallivanting around in sundresses today, it might seem like Elon has a dress code for women.

But in 1909, there really was a uniform. Women were expected to wear black or navy blue dresses of inexpensive material on a daily basis. They wore similar plain white dresses on Sundays and for special occasions and were expected to wear Oxford caps year round.

Male students had no specified uniform. Other than the honor code, the male students had no written restrictions to their lifestyles.

Elon’s female students, in contrast, were kept under a watchful eye. Any “physical training of young ladies” was under strict supervision, the female students’ mail was reviewed by the president and they were allowed no correspondence with men without parental permission.

While the college was on the cutting edge by allowing women to enroll, the women in the class of 1909 still fell into the traditional roles of homemakers and teachers once they graduated.

Elon values

As a college founded on Christian ideals, Elon has always valued character development as a key part of a student’s experience and its moral lessons have not changed much during the years.

At the turn of the century, Elon emphasized values like “neatness, politeness, purity of speech, correct morals and studious habits,” a list not far from today’s “honesty, integrity, responsibility and respect.”

The 1909 Honor Code: “I hereby certify that during this examination, I have neither given nor received aid.”

The 2009 Honor Code: “On my honor, I will uphold the values of Elon University: honesty, integrity, responsibility and respect.”

Town of Elon

The “village,” as the Town of Elon was then called, was a much more rural locale. Spanning both sides of the railroad tracks, the village encompassed about 30 families on four-acre lots. The college was advertised as an escape from the “disturbing temptations and excitements” of the outside world.

Even so, students stayed connected to the rest of civilization through the post office, the single telephone in each dorm and the 14 trains that passed by campus daily.

Leo and Laurie Lambert to participate in Elon’s South Africa study abroad program

Elon University President Leo Lambert and his wife, Laurie, will accompany a group of students and professors on the South Africa Winter Term study abroad program this January. File photo courtesy of The Pendulum.

By Rachel Cieri

Dec. 2, 2009

This spring, 30 students applied to Elon’s South Africa Winter Term study abroad program expecting the typical experience from years past. But it wasn’t until the class’ pre-trip meeting on Nov. 10 that the students got an unexpected surprise.

“I told them I had a surprise for them,” said English professor and South Africa program leader Prudence Layne. “When they came to class, the students didn’t believe us.”

When Elon University President Leo Lambert and his wife, Laurie, walked in the door, Layne said she asked the students if they knew why the pair was visiting.

“They said ‘Are you coming with us?’ They went crazy,” Layne said.

This Winter Term, the couple will  accompany Layne, human services professor Sandra Reid and the students on the trip.

“I hope there are still students enrolled,” Lambert joked.

Lambert said he and his wife decided to take part in the program after an invitation from Layne.

“I was talking with Professor Layne one day about her course, and she said, ‘Well, you should come,’” he said. “And I thought, ‘Wow, what a great idea.’”

The Lamberts said they hope to enjoy something similar to a student experience, complete with coach class flights and long bus rides.

Though they will not partake in the written class work, they have been reading the same texts assigned to students to prepare for their journey and Lambert will even write a post for the class blog.

“We are on the same flight as the students,” Lambert said. “We’ll be doing all the same things the students are doing, staying in the same hotels, and I think the only thing that will be different is that Laurie and I will be roommates.”

Because of board meetings scheduled later in the month, Lambert will only accompany the program through its first 10 days in Cape Town, South Africa, but Laurie will stay for the full length of the trip.

The South Africa program is a service-oriented experience that allows students to interact with community partners while studying issues the region faces. The students participate in short internships with programs like Adopt-a-Student and The Global Links Library and Literacy Campaign during their visit.

“When the students are doing their internship experiences, (Laurie) is arranging some opportunities for the students to visit hospitals and schools, and she’s really looking forward to that,” Lambert said.

Lambert will be the first Elon president to visit Africa in an official capacity, but he is not the first administrator to participate in a Winter Term study abroad program. Executive Vice President Gerry Francis still maintains relationships with many of the students from the programs in which he participated.

“You have an opportunity to get to know people when you’re eating breakfast, lunch and dinner and sitting on the bus next to them and so forth,” Lambert said. “We are excited to travel. We love being with students and I think it’s going to be a great experience.”
Layne said the students are just as excited as the Lamberts.

“I think it will certainly raise expectations and what’s appropriate (for the trip),” Layne said. “I think they’re all excited to get to know (the Lamberts) on a personal level.”

Lambert said his decision to participate in the program was twofold. First, he wanted to have a student’s experience on a Winter Term study abroad trip, and second, he was interested in visiting Africa for his own personal education.

“One of the most important experiences, not only of my presidency at Elon but of my entire life, is having the opportunity to meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu when he was our Convocation for Honors speaker here several years ago, and I just have always admired the man,” he said. “He was a guest in our home for two days and I came to really respect him. I think the story of South Africa is such an interesting and compelling story of our times, and I’m just anxious to see that first-hand.”

The Elon community should not be concerned about Lambert’s absence, though. He said he is often off campus for extended periods of time and the President’s Office has a long-established system to determine who is in charge.

“Provost (Steven) House is usually the person that backs me up,” Lambert said. “If I’m gone and the provost is gone, I’m designated as the administrator on call. I have an international cell phone and I’m a phone call away.”

The cover of the October issue of Washington SmartCEO teased the article "When disaster strikes: How to handle an emergency before it happens."

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Washington SmartCEO, October 2009

 

Baltimore Smart100

Paul Centenari, Atlas Container
Page 13

Mike Peart, I4DM
Page 68

Tom Iacoboni, Iacoboni Site Specialists
Page 69

Terry Neimeyer, KCI Technologies
Page 74

Philip Maffei, Multicorp
Page 82

Ken Wingate, North Point Builders
Page 89

Paul Fearis, Sagentia
Page 98

William Yerman, The Strata Group
Page 104

Tim Rhode, The MAC
Page 111

Dwayne Robinson, Vision Systems & Technologies
Page 116

 

Sophomore club president Stephen Rusterholz competes individually in the triathlon, but trains with the rest of the club to make it a team effort. Photo submitted.

November 3, 2009

By Rachel Cieri

Triathlons may be primarily an individual sport, but the members of Elon’s triathlon club function as a team.

“When we run, we try to stick together, and when we spread out, we always group back up again,” said sophomore club president Stephen Rusterholz. “One of the officers and I will drop back to run with the slower members.”

Team members meet four times a week for practice, two days running or cycling and two days swimming, although much of their training is done on their own time. Because the triathlon is so physically intensive, members must make sure to train correctly and maintain healthy diets before any race.

Sophomore member Annie Huth said she had no experience with running or swimming when she joined the team, and the camaraderie and support from other club members was, at one point, the only thing that kept her going.

“I almost quit a few times at the beginning because I hated running and was so slow, but everyone was so nice and encouraging, and sticking it out has been one of the best decisions of my college experience,” she said.

Sophomore Annie Huth nears the finish line at the Emerald Isle Triathlon. Photo submitted

It helped that Huth’s roommate, sophomore Haley Pope, joined as well. A veteran triathlon competitor, Pope completed her fourth race during fall break on the club’s trip to Emerald Isle, N.C.

Junior member Leah Darkes calls the trip one of her favorite club memories. The group stayed at Rusterholz’s beach house and relaxed together after the race, having an impromptu cookout and listening to a club member play guitar.

“We go every year, but this year was especially fun,” Darkes said. “It was freezing during the race, 50 degrees and nothing but a bathing suit, but almost everyone got a medal. It was great to finish an individual race with such a team-oriented mindset.”

The triathlon club has seen quite a bit of success. The races, which are scored according to age group and gender, typically give awards to the fastest three competitors in each group.

Rusterholz estimates about three-fourths of the club regularly finishes in the top three of their respective groups.

The triathlon club has become a haven for former high school athletes ready to try something new.

Freshman Thomas Berry is a member of a junior bike racing team in Maryland, his home state, and he said the triathlon club has given him the chance to compete at Elon.

Rusterholz has been running for years, but he joined the club as a way to connect with his father, who has been competing in triathlons all his life.

“It’s a way to do what they love and take it to another level,” Rusterholz said.

For now, the club’s race schedule is based on where it will realistically be able to travel and when multiple club members will have the time to commit to a race, but the club hopes to compete in larger, national races in the near future.

“The races we’ve done have really loved having a big group of college kids there to compete, and it would be great to get other schools involved in that, as well,” Huth said.

Rusterholz and several other club members echoed Huth’s ambitions. They said with more funding they could fly to more distant races or even hold a   collegiate race at Elon. The possibilities are limitless, Rusterholz said.

Despite its unappealing outside appearance, Prego’s intimate indoor atmosphere and “Old World” style service make it a prime choice for Italian dining. Photo by Lindsay Fendt.

September 30, 2009

By Rachel Cieri

Near the corner of Huffman Mill Road and Church Street sits an aging, unassuming and grayish building.

From the outside, it doesn’t look very promising. With the drive-thru from its previous owner still intact, the restaurant’s appearance sends most Italian-seeking patrons back down the road to Olive Garden. But one step inside changes everything.

Welcome to Prego’s Trattoria, Burlington’s best-kept secret and the closest thing to real Italian food for miles.

Once inside the odd little building’s fast food-style double doors, the atmosphere completely changes. Evening low-lighting, fine dining décor, Italian opera ambiance and servers in black-and-white tuxedos greet patrons in an intimately sized, but not overcrowded, dining room.

Even on a weekend night, there is seldom a wait for seating, making this off-the-beaten-path restaurant worth the venture off the interstate.  As diners soon find, the chain restaurants have nothing on this place.

Sure, Olive Garden might have its breadsticks, but Prego’s offers not one, but two choices of free appetizers. Along with a delectable bread and olive oil combination, each table is set with a dish of fried polenta cubes, a boiled cornmeal dish that is a staple in Northern Italy.

The “Old World” style service is a refreshing change to the rushed speeches of most wait staffs. In excellent English, the servers can assist in describing any menu item in detail and will offer a list of tempting daily specials. Here, no water glass will ever be empty, yet you’ll never be rushed into leaving if you’re looking for a leisurely meal.

A salad at Prego’s is certainly a must. The restaurant has its own house dressing, a mustard vinaigrette of the perfect potency, and one salad is enough to feed four.

Splitting orders is the way to go here, as the prices for dinner entrees can be on the expensive side.

For a college student, Prego’s provides a nice night out that won’t quite break the bank. A nook in one corner of the restaurant is home to a generously stocked wine bar that can be affordable even for those with part-time jobs and student loans. Prego’s house white is well worth the extra buck, even in a time when cheap $4 bottles are the norm.

No matter the craving, Prego’s menu won’t disappoint. More than 20 pasta dishes and a full page of entrees that range from veal to seafood to chicken to steak provide patrons with more than enough options. And these dishes live up to their peculiar, foreign names.

It’s obvious every dish is homemade, as the taste and texture is distinctive. Even Italian food snobs will love it.

To a restaurant whose name means “You’re welcome” in Italian, there is only one word: Grazie.

October 28, 2009

By Rachel Cieri

Elon volunteers help some of the Avalon children complete their homework during a tutoring session. Photo by David Wells.

Tucked away on the back roads of suburban Greensboro, Avalon Trace Apartments is only a 30-minute drive from Elon, but it might as well be a different world.

Loitering is a favorite hobby of the residents, many of whom can only find part-time work or have been left unemployed in an unstable economy. A few hang around outside the one-story gray brick buildings, but the real center of this community is where the children go after school.

The apartments set aside for the Avalon Community Center’s tutoring program are like caves, mostly windowless and poorly lit. The hodgepodge of furniture has seen better days, but the walls make an effort to be youngster-friendly with brightly-colored artwork.

“The program has about 30 to 35 children,” said Jack Tyler, the tutoring center’s volunteer coordinator. “It’s for anyone who’s in school. But all of them don’t always come every day.”

Tyler, an employee of UNC Greensboro’s Center for New North Carolinians, said the tutoring program started in January as a partnership of the Americorp Community Collaborative and the African Services Coalition, groups that assist local immigrant and refugee communities with their adjustment to life in the states.

A Reidsville native, Tyler got involved with Americorp and the CNNC after graduating from UNCG with a degree in international and global studies.

“I’ve always wanted to help people,” he said. “Refugees are Americans, too, and they want to be here like everyone else. They just need help because they’re starting from scratch.”

The funding for the program came from a grant to the ACC from the Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the tutoring center grew out of an existing initiative to help adult refugees find employment and further their education.

According to the CNNC, there are likely more than 15,000 people from Africa living in Guilford County, although there are no official numbers because the census categorizes them as “black” or “African American.” About 1,500 of these residents are refugees. The Southeast Asian immigrant population in Greensboro is also sizable, estimated at more than 10,000 people.

Tyler said most of the refugees who come to Avalon hail from the Democratic Republic of Congo or Myanmar, escaping oppressive military regimes and ethnic conflict.

Volunteer Brant Miller, a senior at UNCG, said even in reflection papers for his service learning class, he never used the names of any refugees at Avalon.

“Some of them escaped illegally, so we don’t use their names to keep someone from coming after them,” he said.

Miller is one of dozens of university student volunteers who go to Avalon every weekday evening to help refugee children, from kindergarten to high school, get through their homework and overcome the language barrier.

Elon students have volunteered at the tutoring center since the spring, alongside students from other colleges like UNCG, Guilford College, North Carolina A&T and Bennett College. This fall, it became an official Elon Volunteers! organization, headed by senior Grace Helms and sophomore Katie Kenney.

Anyone is welcome to volunteer, but as a French major, Miller has an advantage over some of the other tutors. Many of the children and their parents come from French-speaking nations like Ethiopia, allowing Miller to communicate with them in their native tongue when necessary.

But the language barrier the children have with other tutors and their teachers at school does not prevent them from doing their best.

Guilford College freshman and Avalon volunteer Andrew Glass said he thinks the children at Avalon work harder than the typical student. Glass has been giving up his Friday nights to come to the tutoring center since September.

“I just enjoy being around the kids and building relationships with them,” he said.

Some of the volunteers admit to having a “favorite” — a child with whom they share a special bond and come back to see week after week. For Miller, it’s 7-year-old Bubba. For first-time volunteer Arthur Wood, it might be Papi, a friendly 5-year-old Congolese child.

“I came because my girlfriend tutors here, but I can’t see myself stopping,” he said, holding Papi in his arms. He motioned to the boy. “I mean, how could I not?”

Papi hopped down to chase after another child with a soccer ball and joined in the continuous pickup game on the dusty lawn behind the tutoring center. The three apartments that comprise the community center are in constant motion, with children running in and out of the doors and adults lingering to speak with program coordinators.

One room with computers is set aside as a place for residents to fill out job applications and children to type up their school assignments, and it is always in high demand. Here, closing the door is not a sufficient way to say “keep out.” Intermittent banging on the apartment doors is considered normal, rather than cause for alarm.

“For me, the best part is when parents stop —” Tyler started. He stopped short when the locked door burst open and three men crossed the threshold, asking for the computer. After sternly sending them away, relocking the door and shooing a few small children back outside, he sat down again to finish.

“The best part is when parents stop coming up to me because it means things are going well,” he said. “(The refugees) have had everything given to them for such a long time, and now they have to start over with no help. When they stop coming to me asking for things, I know they’re doing OK.”

October 13, 2009

By Rachel Cieri

Let’s face it — fall break is that awkward time  when students are never sure what to do. For out-of-state students, it’s not always worth the hassle of the day-long drive home and back, but sticking around a deserted campus isn’t the most fun way to spend a few days off.

Instead, try one of these quick, fun roadtrips to get just far enough away.

Blue Ridge Parkway (Photo courtesy of wikimedia.com)

Blue Ridge Parkway
Western North Carolina
Distance from Elon: 160 miles
Approximate drive time: 3 hours

Called America’s original scenic drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a winding road along the edge of North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains. The stunning mountain views are dotted with points of interest like Linville Falls, a craggy, multi-tiered waterfall, and Chimney Rock, a unique rock formation that overlooks a gorge and lake.

For an extra treat, head to Boone, N.C., and take the parkway South to Asheville. On the trip back, stop by Black Mountain, a popular historic and resort community.

 

The Outer Banks (Photo courtesy of wikivisual.com)

The Outer Banks
Kill Devil Hills and Cape Hatteras, N.C.
Distance from Elon: 265 miles
Approximate drive time: 5 hours

It might not be 80 degrees and sunny, but North Carolina’s Outer Banks can be just as fun in the offseason as they are in the summer. Start with a visit to Kill Devil Hills (near Kitty Hawk) and see the Wright Brothers National Memorial where the first airplane was flown in 1903. Then move down the coast to Cape Hatteras to see a classic black-and-white striped lighthouse, and be sure to make a stop at Ocracoke Island, a historic coastal town connected to Blackbeard the pirate.

Sunbathing might not be on the agenda for an October trip to the coast, but kite-flying, boat rides and scenic views are still in full swing.

W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir (Photo courtesy U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

 

W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir
Wilkesboro, N.C.
Distance from Elon: 105 miles
Approximate drive time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

This U.S. Army-managed park has the right combination of activities for the active student who wants to get away from the daily hustle and bustle. With 14 different facilities and three campgrounds, the lakeside parks offer hiking and biking trails, beaches, boating, hunting and fishing. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the area is the old stomping ground of the Cherokee tribe and explorers like Daniel Boone.

Not a fan of camping? Visitors can stay in the historic town of Wilkesboro, located just a few minutes east.

NASCAR Banking 500 (Photo courtesy of lowesmotorspeedway.com)

NASCAR Banking 500
Concord, N.C.
Distance from Elon: 95 miles
Approximate drive time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Just in time for Fall Break, Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte will host the NASCAR Banking 500 race Saturday. Experience a Southern tradition complete with country music, hot dogs and screaming fans in cowboy hats while watching a pivotal race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. Entertainment at the race will include Eric Church, MercyMe and TobyMac, as well as local high school bands and cheerleaders.

This race is home to Carolina CollegeFest, where participating students can play cornhole, listen to live music and watch college football from a special viewing area.

Colonial Williamsburg (Photo courtesy of history.org)

Colonial Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Va.
Distance from Elon: 230 miles
Approximate drive time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Tri-cornered hats and petticoats bring the 18th century off the pages of a textbook and into reality with Colonial Williamsburg’s historical reenactments. With more than 30 historic buildings and sites open to tourists, visitors will be busy for days learning how the wealthy elite, common tradesmen and poor slaves once lived. Whether interested in politics, religion, nature or military, there is something for everyone.

Done with history and ready for a little modern fun? Visit Busch Gardens theme park just a few minutes down the road.

The Biltmore Estate (Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org)

The Biltmore Estate
Asheville, N.C.
Distance from Elon: 195 miles
Approximate drive time: 3 hours

Students don’t have to wait for their Winter Term trips to Europe to see a castle. As America’s largest home, the Biltmore Estate features 250 rooms, a banquet hall with 70-foot high ceilings, a 10,000-volume library and original masterpiece art. When done exploring the luxurious home, visitors can spend the day in the 8,000-acre “backyard” with carriage rides, horseback riding, river float trips and even Land Rover driving. Students of age can visit the estate’s winery.

This time of year is perfect for college students short on cash to visit. Biltmore is currently offering a $10 discount for tickets purchased online for any day except Saturday.