ENTERTAINMENT
SPORTS
Need a break from studying for finals? See page 6 for details on the 10 short films by students being shown on campus.
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It was senior day for the Lady Eagles softball team. See page 8 for details.
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Serving Southern Miss since 1927
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Volume 93, Issue 60
Graduates ready, excited for commencement Correction: A story that ran in Wednesday’s Graduation edition of The Student Printz about the 2009 graduation ceremonies contained incorrect information. The article below contains correct information. The Student Printz regrets the error.
From staff, special reports The Student Printz
USM 2009 graduates may be ready for the real world or scared to death. But whatever the emotion, spring 2009 graduation ceremonies are scheduled for May 8 and 9.
“I’m glad I’m graduating and that the last four years are about to pay off,” said Richard Franks, a sports Phalen management major. “I wouldn’t want to be graduating from any other college.” USM will confer more than 1,700 undergraduate and graduate degrees in Hattiesburg and Biloxi during three commencement ceremonies concluding the 200809 academic year. Approximately 1,471 students are candidates for
graduation on the Hattiesburg campus in two ceremonies Friday, May 8 in Reed Green Coliseum, Capasso according to information in a USM news release. The Colleges of Business, Science and Technology, and Education and Psychology will participate in a 10 a.m. ceremony, while the Colleges of Arts and Letters and Health will participate in a 3 p.m. ceremony. Students from University Libraries and
the Honors College will graduate in both ceremonies. “I am looking forward to graduating,” St. Pe said Michael Felter, a construction major, adding he’s ready to “just get out into the real world, conquer new challenges and start making money.” Graduation exercises for approximately 256 students at Southern Miss Gulf Coast are slated for 10 a.m., Saturday, May 9 in the Mississippi
Coast Coliseum in Biloxi. Southern Miss Gulf Coast will award an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to coast businessman and community leader Jerry St. Pé. St. Pé joins a short list of honorees, becoming only the fifth individual to receive such recognition from the university. “Mr. St. Pé has been a vital force in developing, building and rebuilding his community on the Gulf Coast,” said Southern Miss President Martha Saunders. “He continues to inspire and drive success in himself and others, building a legacy of generosity
and goodwill through civic work and simple kindness.” St. Pé, a resident of Pascagoula, is former president of Ingalls Shipbuilding and retired executive vice president of Litton Industries. Southern Miss has awarded only four other honorary degrees: Healthcare executive David Fine in 2007, Mississippi politician Evelyn Gandy in 2001, the Rev. Will Davis Campbell in 1999, and benefactress Oseola McCarty in 1998. See GRADUATION page 3
Students plan for travel, work this summer Roger Walker Printz Writer
As summer approaches, most Southern Miss students are looking forward to the break from school, but some are looking even farther ahead to what comes after college. According to associatedcontent. com, out of the top 10 things to do this summer, swimming in number one on the list, followed by going to parties, the mall, movies, gyms, amusement parks, concerts, community parks and, finally, work. Many of these things can be accomplished on a frugal budget, but some students are still gearing up to enjoy the summer despite the economy. Ashley Hall, a junior therapeutic recreation major with a minor in Lesley Walters/Printz psychology, said she is taking time Nursing majors Derek Smith and Phoenix McKissack take a break from their busy week on the Kennard Washington off from work to travel and relieve lawn Wednesday afternoon to enjoy the pleasant, summer-like weather. herself from the harsh realities of
Diverse futures ahead for grads Cory Taylor Printz Writer
For graduating senior Kayla Rutledge, a lifelong dream will come true when she receives her undergraduate degree next Saturday. “I was contacted by National Geographic and told that I would be able to start an internship studying wolves in the Midwest,” the photojournalism major said. “I have never wanted anything more!” As the final days of this spring semester pass by, many graduating seniors like Rutledge are ready to break away and dive into their spe-
cific fields of interest. Zack Cooper, majoring in biology with an emphasis in oral health, already has potential jobs lined up. “I have interviews set up at a few orthodontic centers around Hattiesburg and am just hopeful I hear some good news soon,” Cooper said. Anna Dufour, a senior sports medicine major, is looking forward to continuing her education. “This fall I hope to work at Forrest General [Hospital] and then start the nursing program in Jackson,” she said. Fellow senior LeeAnna Callon
also intends to continue schooling. “In the fall, I am planning to start at the University of Colorado to get my master’s in English,” she said. “My dream goal is to become a freelance writer for an independent music magazine.” John Wesley Leek, a senior religion major, is looking forward to moving to Kentucky for more school. “In August, I begin theological seminary at Kentucky Seminary School,” he said, “and could not be more excited.” Some 2009 graduates intend to use their education to teach others.
Hope Stanford, a speech pathology major, has always wanted to be a teacher. “Growing up, teaching for deaf or blind students has always been on my heart,” she said, “and I am excited at the possibility of finally beginning that journey.” Brandon Knight, a speech communication major, hopes the demand for some kinds of teachers will increase to better his chances at securing employment. “I’ve heard lately that special-
the student parking lots near the Hillcrest dormitory and the Thad Cochran center, some Sothern Miss students are praising the security and convenience the new shuttles provide.
“At first, I thought it was stupid, but it is really convenient when I am running late for class,” said Arielle Bateman, a sophomore English major from Marianna, Fla. “I’m very lazy so this helps me out a lot.” Every weekday since just before spring break, from about 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., the shuttles have been running between the open parking zone on the north side of Hillcrest to the north-side parking lot of the Thad Cochran Center, often stopping along the way to pick up students. “I love the shuttle buses,” said Laula Smith, a senior office administration major from Natchez who rides the buses two to three times daily. “Hillcrest is a good walking distance from campus, especially since I carry a lot of books and a lap top.”
The shuttle system was established in March to alleviate the long walks students have been enduring since some construction projects like the livinglearning community Century Park, across from campus on Fourth Street by Rails to Trails, have displaced hundreds of parking spaces. “I really enjoy the shuttle buses because it takes away from the long walks, especially when my classes are at 8 and 9 a.m.,” said Sarah Wambari, a sophomore entertainment industry major from Jackson. “It is also safer and beneficial for people that live in Hillcrest.” Robert Herron, 54, from Hattiesburg, is one of the drivers who man the shuttles. More
See FUTURE page 3
school. “Me and my boyfriend are going on a cruise to Hawaii, and then going to Waco, Texas for his family’s reunion,” Hall said. “I am really excited to get away, because I am tired of Hattiesburg.” Joseph Reiling, a senior forensic science major who is graduating May 8, said he plans to find a job this summer, but will not let the lounging chairs pass him by. “My parents are paying for me to go on a cruise to Mexico for my grandparent’s 50th anniversary,” he said, “and I am looking forward to seeing them.” Christy Gleber, another graduating senior and political science major, said she is also planning to spend time with family. “Family is very important to me,” Gleber said. “I am going on vacation to North Carolina, and planning to help my brother start college this
fall.” Gleber added that some of her summer break will be interrupted by hunting for and working at a job. Other Southern Miss students are also taking time out from their summer breaks to get a proverbial foot in the door to a successful career path. Chandra Jones, a senior broadcast journalism major who is graduating next Saturday, said she is applying to graduate schools and sending out resumes to local television stations, but has yet to receive a positive outcome. “It’s very hard for me personally because … a lot of local TV stations are on a hiring freeze, and with economy being so bad, it’s really forcing me to apply for grad school” Jones said. “Hopefully I will get accepted to one of the schools I have applied to and go from there.”
Sebe Dale IV/Printz SGA President J.R. Robinson outlines the proposed SGA budget for Jessica Hughes, SGA treasurer at Tuesday’s senate meeting. Tuesday’s meeting marked the end of the 2009 session.
Campus shuttles a welcome parking solution SGA’s first 30 days Marquise Slator Printz Writer
Even though the newly established campus transportation system only runs between
David N. Jackson/Printz Hattiesburg resident Rita White parks and waits while students board the shuttle as it prepares to leave the Thad Cochran Center.
See SHUTTLES page 3
Christopher Bostick Printz Writer
In the month since the 20092010 USM Student Government Association officers were elected, the Robinson administration has already taken steps to implement policies that will positively affect the student body and battle the speculation that SGA elections are little more than popularity contests. To make those changes, Robinson said the SGA is trying to build a better relationship with the student body, show they care and serve students’ needs. “We would like to think that people pick the leadership of our campus because they re-
ally care about our campus, and pick the people that they think will truly serve the needs of the student body,” said SGA President J.R. Robinson in an email response. The student government is the legislative voice of the student body, and is the means by which student-related policies are carried out and implemented. SGA accomplishes this through an organized structure of five executive offices. These offices are governed by the recently inaugurated SGA executive members: J.R. Robinson, president; Jayson Newell, vicepresident; Zoe Beckham, attorney general; Chris Arguedas, See SGA page 3
THIS IS THE LAST ISSUE OF THE STUDENT PRINTZ FOR THE YEAR. UPDATES ON CAMPUS NEWS CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM INDEX
CALENDAR............................2 DIRTY BIRDS.........................2 OPINIONS...............................4 CONTACT INFO.....................5
ENTERTAINMENT.................6 ENT. CALENDAR...................7 SPORTS....................................8 SPORTS CALENDAR.............8
POLICY
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GRADUATION continued from page one currently director of Com- sdale, Ariz. Founded in 1997 mand, Control, Communica- by Mr. Phalen, the company tions and Computer Systems, produces shelter and city U.S. Africa Command in magazines and directories Stuttgart, Germany. A 1985 for the Southwestern United graduate of Southern Miss, States. Capasso holds a master of sci- He received his bachelor’s ence degree in teleprocessing degree in journalism from science. He received a bach- Southern Miss and is a memelor of science degree in be- ber of the Hall of Fame havioral science in 1978 from for both the Southern Miss the U.S. Air Force Academy. Alumni Association and the In Hattiesburg, publish- School of Mass Communicaing company executive and tion and Journalism. He also Southern Miss alumnus Wil- is a member of the School’s liam R. Phalen will speak at advisory board. both ceremonies. Phalen is All Southern Miss graduaCEO and chairman of Cities tion ceremonies are open to West Publishing Inc. of Scott- the public, and doors will be
open approximately one hour before exercises are scheduled to begin. All university and Coast Coliseum parking lots will be open to the public. Families and guests are urged to arrive in time to be seated at least 15 minutes in advance for the start of the program. A live-streaming webcast of the Hattiesburg ceremonies will be available via the university’s Web site at www. usm.edu. Click on the “Commencement” link for more information. -John Adam Hackney contributed to this report
SHUTTLES continued from page one service, Herron said the shuttles is the company that currently provide safer passage across provides the two kinds of shutFourth Street for students, espe- tles operating on campus. cially those living in the wom- The white shuttles carry a maxien’s dorm. mum of 14 passengers, and the “I feel this is a great thing for blue shuttles handle up to nine the university to do for people passengers. The blue shuttle is across campus from Fourth completely enclosed to cover Street because it is a dangerous riders in bad weather and runs street to cross,” he said. “It is in- for three to four hours, Herron tended for the safety of young said. The white shuttle is more ladies.” open but surrounded in plasHerron said the last campus tic siding, which helps in poor transportation service ran in weather and to keep warmth in2007, but was discontinued for side, and can run for up to eight “economic and maintenance” hours, he said. reasons. LeFleur Transportation The shuttles are electronic, SHUTTLES continued from page one
which means they do not operate on gas and require a charged battery for performance, keeping in line with the university’s goal of going green. Most are charged overnight. Kemo White, 27, a shuttle driver from Pascagoula, said all of the shuttles must carry a first aid kit and fire extinguisher for safety reasons, and each shuttle bus travels no faster than 30 mph. He added that none of the shuttles have wheelchair-accessible ramps yet, but they will be installed by August.
Jessica Hughes, treasurer. “The first month in office has been a learning experience more than anything,” Robinson said, “We have broken ground on most of my platform points to ensure to the student body that I deliver the things I said was going to do.” “The Senate has actually gotten off to a pretty fast pace,” said SGA Vice President Jayson Newell. “In our
increase available bicycle parking, and encourage campus uniformity. Newell said the Flood Zone Parking Proclamation was passed because of flooding complaints that usually follow a heavy rainstorm. Attorney General Zoe Beckham has begun her version of spring-cleaning the judicial branch of SGA by reinstating a long-absent Supreme Court. Beckham
first meeting we’ve passed five pieces of legislation.” Most notable of those are arrangements with the Physical Plant and Parking Management to mark areas on campus prone to flooding with signs and highly visible paint, and to change all the light bulbs on campus to compact fluorescents. The remaining three arrangements were to place more trashcans around campus,
FUTURE continued from page one “I’ve heard lately that specialized teachers, like speech, are not in high demand right now, but maybe that will change by the fall,” he said. But some soon-to-be graduates still don’t have a clear next step to follow when the semester ends. John Bianchini, a senior
majoring in political science, has not set any short-term goals. “I actually haven’t decided what I will do when I graduate,” he said, ‘but I’m hoping my parents don’t mind if I move back in for a bit while I figure it out.”
Rachel Hall/Printz Morgan Brand, a freshman elementary education major from Biloxi, writes a speech due for class in the courtyard outside the Powerhouse restaurant because “it’s too pretty” to be stuck in the library studying. “I think it’s ironic that teachers try to be nice in giving finals the week before exam week,” Brand said, “but all the teachers do that, so it’s basically exam week two weeks in a row.”
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Calendar
TODAY 10am to 4pm – Bone Marrow Donor Registry Drive, R.C. Cook Union Lobby 10am – Annual Senior Art Show: Graphic Design and Sculpture, Museum of Art 3pm to 6pm – Farmers and Artisans’ Market, Town Square Park Downtown 4:30pm – Crime Victims’ Rights Fun, Food & Games, Kamper Park Pavillion 6pm – Guitar Gala/Guitar Studio Recital – Marsh Auditorium 6:30pm – Crime Victims’ Rights Vigil, Kamper Park Pavillion 7:30pm – Concert Band Concert, Mannoni Auditorium 7:30pm – Studio 115 Dance Concert, Theatre and Dance Bldg.
TOMORROW 10am - Annual Senior Art Show: Graphic Design and Sculpture, Museum of Art 11am - Biological Sciences Seminar, Polymer Science Auditorium 12pm to 6pm – Spring Pottery and Art Sale, 3D Arts Building on West 4th St. 4pm – David Whitman Percussion Recital, Mannoni Auditorium 6pm – Byron Johnson Voice Recital, Marsh Auditorium 7:30pm – Benjamin Grave Trumpet – Marsh Auditorium 7:30pm – Studio 115 Dance Concert, Theatre and Dance Bldg. SATURDAY 9am to 1pm – Spring Pottery and Art Sale, 3D Arts Building on West 4th St. 10am – Annual Senior Art Show: Graphic Design and Sculpture, Museum of Art
said there has not been a Supreme Court on campus since the 2006-2007 school year. The courts consist of four justices and one chief justice whose powers allow them to issue injunctions, provide subpoenas for SGA’s public records, and they can also hear and try impeachment cases. Beckham said only three of the five members have been selected so far,
10:30am – Blair Norman Voice Recital, Marsh Auditorium 12pm – David Whitman Percussion Recital, Mannoni Auditorium 1pm – Jose Roberto Vianna Double Bass Recital, Marsh Auditorium 2:30pm – Kyle Wood and Gavin McAdams Percussion Recital, Mannoni Auditorium 4pm – Matthew Taylor Horn Recital, Marsh Auditorium 6pm – Nathaniel James and Nathanael Minor Horn Recital, Marsh Auditorium 6pm – Brandt Parks Percussion Recital, Jazz Station 7:30pm – Chris Maddoc Percussion Recital, Jazz Station 7:30pm – Astrid Jerez Viola Recital, Marsh Auditorium 7:30pm – Studio 115 Dance Concert, Theatre and Dance Bldg. SUNDAY 7am – Begin 24 hour Exam Week, Java Werks 2pm – Josh Ard Percussion, Mannoni Auditorium 2:30pm – Chad Mundt Bass/Jazz Chamber Recital, Jazz Station 4pm – Steven Ross Percussion Recital, Mannoni Auditorium 6pm – Andrew James Glose Jazz/electric bass Recital, Jazz Station 6pm – Jessica West Voice Recital, Marsh Auditorium 7:30pm – Juliana Gaviria Violin Recital, Marsh Auditorium 7:30pm – Joshua Ard Percussion Recital, Mannoni Auditorium
but the final two should be instated by October. Parking education is also a concern for Beckham because many freshmen come to this campus unaware of the parking situation. She plans to educate incoming students on parking rules and policies in a video to be shown during Golden Eagle Welcome Week. Next semester, students can expect to see an electronic
campus map and an “escort” transportation program for students traversing campus late at night. “Being elected is only half the battle,” Robinson said. “Now we as an SGA have to consistently work hard and accomplish some of the things that we have set out to do. This year SGA will really work hard to make sure that we are serving and leading.”
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Opinions
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Philosophy toward gays more imortant than policy The battle for and against same-sex marriage is an issue heavily attended to by the media and most frequently argued between religious figureheads and politicians. But for most, unless you are on the front lines fighting for your respective side, it is an issue that, although we are all familiar with, we still find ourselves estranged from. While many claims can be made for and against the legalization of same-sex marriage, the biggest problem associated with society’s attitude towards gays is homophobia and the way the gay community is viewed, addressed, and treated overall. The association of gays with negative imagery, much of which can be traced back to religious opposition, has nurtured hate, fear, resentment and distance between gays and straights. As a nation which boasts its tolerance and openness to accept all people, we have, like so many times before, stuck our self-righteous foot in our dowdy, frowning mouth. Throughout the history of the United States, discrimination has been faced and overcome by years of perseverance but at a great cost. Our present day struggles with the gay com-
disorders onset by the pressure, abuse, and alienation that comes with disclosing homosexuality. But sometimes, the violence and cruelty of a middle school student can surpass anything thought possible. In February of 2008, fifteenyear-old Lawrence King, who was openly and flamboyantly gay, was shot and killed at school by a fellow student, whom King had asked to be his Valentine. While hate crimes have always occurred, for homophobia to endanger the lives of 15-year-olds is absurd. But it doesn’t end there. Even straight youths are targets of anti-gay speech and violence. The connotation of the word “gay” has morphed into something beyond a term for sexual orientation—it has become the weapon of choice for adolescents to degrade and torment their classmates barely old enough to comprehend the concept of sexuality, much less to choose an alternative one. The power contained within this simple word (and its slang derivatives: “homo,” “fag,” “queer,” etc.) has, in recent weeks, resulted in terrible tragedies.
munity are no different. However, the unchecked negativity broadcast to the population has made life very difficult Madeline for gays and even Livingston some straights. The age at Printz Writer which individuals are “coming out” is getting younger. Middle and high schools, already bursting at the seams with overly active hormones, now must include openly gay pre-teens and teenagers. While the sexuality of the students is not the concern of the schools (by law they are not permitted to ask), bullying and violence towards gay students has become a serious problem, occasionally having drastic and dire effects on the victims. The suicide rate in gay and lesbian youth, as well as adults, is much higher, as is their proneness to develop harmful habits like drug abuse and alcoholism to combat their elevated susceptibility to depression and other psychological
This month, two young boys, Jaheem Herrera, 11 of Georgia and Carl WalkerHoover, 11 of Massachusetts hanged themselves only days apart after suffering relentless bullying from their classmates, including being called gay when neither were. While the bullying of the boys was not exclusive to anti-gay name calling, not much tops a homosexual branding in the derogation of fifth-grade boys. In comparison to being labled a “fag,” being ugly or stupid doesn’t seem so bad. While the mothers of both boys implore the school to take action against the bullying that tormented their sons, schools’ power is limited. Rather than attempting to punish “gay-bashing” and hate crimes, the focus of society should be teaching rising generations to view sexual orientation as a difference no worse than race. Without the negative emphasis on gays and lesbians, the power behind the words used to bully fifth graders to suicide would cease to exist. In some circles, there is a mounting awareness for the need to change our societal perceptions. In Chicago, approval-pending plans for The School
for Social Justice Pride Campus — a “gay-friendly” high school — will provide a safe haven for gay and lesbian, as well as straight students, who have been victims of the persecution Lawrence, Jaheem and Carl suffered. According to a study done by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, the harassment endured by gay students affects their performance in school, resulting in lower grades, higher truancy and more dropouts. For gays and lesbians called to higher education, the Point Foundation awards hefty scholarships to gay students. Typically, various scholarships are awarded to students who have overcome hardships—what could be harder than growing up in a society which has taught that your feelings are wrong and should be ignored at the risk of losing your family, your friends, or even your life? Critics argue that the solution to homophobia is not special schools and scholarships; that this only widens the gap between gays and straights. They say the way to deal with negative perceptions is to treat everyone exactly the same.
When gays and lesbians are singled out, harassed, victimized, and denied heterosexual rights, the method of “equal treatment” is far from plausible. Society tells us homosexuality is dirty, wrong, and sinful—an ideal that festers in intolerant minds eventually forming a universal, combative position towards gays – seeking to “cure” and “prevent” alternative lifestyles by shunning professed gays and teaching children about the “evils” of homosexuality. Our obsession over same-sex marriage needs to be refocused and aimed toward correcting the problem of antigay violence and discrimination. An inscription on the Statue of Liberty reads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” Funny. The word “except” doesn’t appear there... Madeline Livingston is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu
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Thousands of people in Mississippi and all over the area affected by Hurricane Katrina are still living in Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers and continuing to use the government’s money. FEMA’s field coordinator in Mississippi, Mike Miller, said 1,961 Mississippians are living in trailers, mobile homes or cottages on the government’s tab. In counties along the Gulf Coast – Harrison, Hancock and Jackson – 1,104 people remain in FEMA housing. Another 851 are scattered throughout the rest of the state. After three years and nine months, I think people have had enough time to rebuild their homes or find new places to live. My own family lost their home in Biloxi, and they lived in a FEMA trailer until this past December. They knew the deadline was approaching, so the rebuild was completed. Have the people still living in FEMA trailers not saved money for housing or made any kind of arrangements for a new place to live? It is not fair for the government to pay for people to sit in trailers for the rest of their lives. With that in mind, do people not know about the faults of FEMA? In Texas, more than 35,000 trailers were recalled because of high levels of formaldehyde contamination. Formaldehyde can cause respiratory problems and has taken the blame for much disease amongst FEMA trailer inhabitants. Miller said FEMA will stop paying bills on May 1. Since Katrina,
FEMA has spent more than $7.8 billion on temporary housing. The misconception about FEMA is that they are kickLizz ing people from McKean their trailers and Printz Writer leaving them on the side of the road. But in fact, the agents have given options for permanent housing and several warnings leading up to today. What are people expecting to do with their lives? It is not logical to think that every Hurricane Katrina victim who received a trailer would be able to stay in that “temporary” housing forever. The official Web site – www. femaanswers.org – explains the policies of FEMA and the regulations the organization must follow. Under section 403 of the rental assistance code, FEMA has a 6-month and 12-month contract through the government to disaster survivors. This means FEMA has allowed an abundant amount of time for people to find a permanent home and move on with their lives – nearly four years. I personally believe there would be a lot less drama and controversy surrounding FEMA if the people using only government funding understood the rules of usage and did not rely on free or assisted accommodations. Lizz McKean is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu
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www.studentprintz.com |Thursday, April 30, 2009
As the seasons change, so do lives. I always hold on too long. Call it procrastination, but it’s not just laziness that has kept me from putting away my winter clothes. Packing away my jackets, sweaters and scarves I am hit with the loss and melancholy I had been trying to escape by avoiding the task. Winter, again, is gone and with it goes the fun of layering up against the cold, the excitement of the holiday rush and wrapping up under piles of blankets -- all the things that make winter my favorite time of year. I’m never satisfied by the thought of next winter because there’s a magic of the
Brad Poore Printz Writer
bygone that enables you to gloss over the bad and make the past twinkle like Christmas lights. Spring brings new beginnings; everything is in bloom and the freedom of summer is a few warm days away. Graduation is here for many, and with it comes the realization of 4 years of exams and papers embodied in a single diploma. You worked for it and you’re now officially a functioning member of society. For me,
however, it’s a bittersweet accomplishment. It’s the winters of hard study and 8 a.m. classes which have dominated life for 4 years, and even though they may have seemed cold and unforgiving times, they’re all over and are now just memories. That simple piece of paper represents all the those late nights slaving over papers you could swear would never get done, the times that one last shot at a party seemed like such a good idea until you found yourself at your morning class with the hangover demons looming over your throbbing head, or even the loves
you found and lost over the years. One piece of paper with just a few words printed on it contains the epic of your first steps into adulthood. As I tape up and label the boxes “winter”, I know there are others who are packing up their dorms and apartments ready to leave behind this early season of youth and head into the summer of life. Seasons come and go, sometimes their effects are felt earlier and sometimes later, but it’s inevitable. In this age of texting, Facebook, Twitter and all things instantaneous we tend to forget to unplug
and take time to reflect of the past. Think about not just the seasons to come, but about the seasons that you’ve left behind. It’s those seasons that have led up to your walk across the stage and that simple piece of paper with your name on it. If that’s not enough to compel you to reflect, think of all those student loans that are soon to come knocking at your door with their greedy hands outstretched. That will definitely make you long for the simpler times. Brad Poore is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu
Even kids in Afghanistan aren’t safe FARAH, Afghanistan Abdullah Jan and Abdul Khaleq are both from the Pushtrod district of Farah province in western Afghanistan. Both are young, unemployed and earn about $4 a day when they can find work. But that’s where the similarity ends. Abdul Khaleq spends his day digging ditches or painting houses. Abdullah Jan’s job entails attacking police checkpoints. Abdullah Jan works for the Taliban. “I am the only breadwinner in our family of eight,” the 22-yearold said. “I went to Iran three times to try to find work, but I was expelled. Then two of my friends then suggested that I go to the local Taliban.” “My first assignment was to attack the police checkpoint in Guakhan district,” he said. “We killed four policemen and we lost two of our own. The fight lasted for two hours. The real Taliban stayed behind the lines, shouting
Fetrat Zerak MCT Campus
words of encouragement to us. “When the fighting was over, a local commander paid me $8, “Abdullah Jan said. “Since then, I have participated in five more attacks, and I make about $20 per week.” Abdullah Jan does not consider himself a member of the Taliban. There’s nothing about the young man that would mark him as an insurgent. “I am just fighting for the money,” he said. “If I find another job, I’ll leave this one as soon as possible.” Some estimate that up to 70 percent of those fighting with the Taliban are unemployed young men looking for a way to make a living. Many say that they have no other employment opportunities. Of course, it’s the very unrest they help to foster
that prevents the local economy from developing. Mohammad Omar Rassouli, the chief of police of Pushtrod district, said that Abdullah Jan’s story is a familiar one. “Farah is now dominated by unemployment and poor living conditions,” he said. “This is what makes young men join the opposition. “The number of attacks on checkpoints has risen lately, and the only reason I see for this is that young men are joining the opposition for very small amounts of money,” the police chief said. “The opposition is getting stronger, and we can do nothing. These young men are only armed while they are fighting. Other than that, they are just normal people in their homes, which makes it very difficult for us to identify them.” Some, like the day laborer Abdul Khaleq, say they’d rather dig ditches than risk getting
killed. But Abdullah Jan disagrees. “There is no other job except stealing or kidnapping,” he said. “I think this is better than stealing. If we are killed, we are martyrs. This is what the mullahs say. They tell us we are doing jihad.” Mullah Sadeq, the Taliban chief for Pushtrod and Khak Safed districts, defends the insurgent’s recruitment of unemployed youths. “All young men should participate in the jihad and defend their country,” he said. “We will use any tool in our fight against the government and the foreign forces.” According to Mullah Sadeq, there is a sliding scale of remuneration for Taliban fighters, but he declined to be more specific. Local law enforcement officials estimate that more than 500 young men are working with the
Taliban. One village elder, who asked that his name not be used out of concern for his security, said he believed the Taliban were using these unemployed youths as cannon fodder. “The Taliban do not want to lose their veteran fighters in these small skirmishes,” he said. The insurgents tend to deploy these gunmen-for-hire areas outside their home villages or districts, this elder said, to avoid the possibility that they might be recognized by those they are fighting, or that they might be asked to attack friends or relatives. The more important Taliban activities, like laying mines or burning schools, are usually left to the more experienced and reliable Taliban regulars.
Fetrat Zerak is a MCT writer. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu
100 days for Obama
Nancy Stone/MCT Campus
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As President Barack Obama hits the 100-day mark on Wednesday, it’s time to take stock. Many of Obama’s words have been inspiring. His rhetoric represents a relief to those who watched with horror as the Bush administration systematically dismantled the U.S. Constitution and ignored international human rights standards. Yet in many areas of critical importance -- like human rights, torture, rendition, secrecy and surveillance -- his words have been loftier than his actions. On Obama’s very first day in office, his administration ordered a 120-day suspension of the military commissions for Guantanamo detainees. The commissions were widely assailed for allowing evidence obtained through coercion and torture, secret evidence and hearsay evidence, all in violation of the U.S. Constitution. But Obama did not abolish the military commissions; he only hit the “pause” button. The new president’s most dramatic moment came on day three when he issued executive orders to close Guantanamo’s prison camp within one year. But Guantanamo isn’t yet closed. The hundreds of men held there still haven’t won their freedom, nor
Vince Warren MCT Campus
will they necessarily have their day in fair court. Another year for men who have been held in abusive and inhuman conditions for seven years already is simply too long. Secrecy was the hallmark of the Bush administration. It classified more documents than any administration in history, restricted Freedom of Information Act requests and tried to protect government officials and military contractors from being held liable for illegal actions, such as torture and wrongful death. It invoked the state secrets privilege to avoid scrutiny in court and responsibility for government action more times than any other administration. Obama has come down on both sides of this issue, ordering far more transparency through cooperation with Freedom of Information Act requests, while at the same time invoking state secrets in a case charging an aviation corporation with complicity in rendering a detainee to torture. The U.S. government used to need a warrant before it could spy on its own people. In 2002, President George W. Bush issued a secret executive order
illegally authorizing the National Security Agency to wiretap Americans without a warrant. When the program was exposed, the administration secured immunity from Congress for the telecommunications companies that participated in the program. Obama still has not repudiated the executive orders supporting warrantless wiretapping and the legal opinions used to support them. Most recently, in the wake of his welcome release of the infamous torture memos prepared by Bush administration lawyers, Obama has indicated he will not prosecute former officials who broke the law and committed crimes, saying he would rather look forward than back. For there to be no consequences for creating a torture program not only calls our system of justice into question, but it also could allow the nightmare to happen all over again. After the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush quickly squandered the world’s enormous goodwill toward the United States. The goodwill Obama has inspired can evaporate if the rest of the world begins to see his administration continuing too many of Bush’s policies Vince Warren is a MCT writer. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu
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Entertainment
Page 6 entertainment@studentprintz.com
Student films to be showcased Friday
Bradley Glasco Printz Writer
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Courtesy of Southern Miss Film Department Above: The News Isn’t Always Black and White, a film by student Laura Bullock, will be shown at the showcase. To the right: Dual for the Day, a film by senior Karen Ballinger, concerns a heated Uno game between two brides-to-be.
Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is all the rage in ‘X-Men Origins’ Frank Lovece Newsday
He may come from the Great White North, but the Marvel Comics character Wolverine isn’t what you’d call “way Canadian.” The national character of Canada, after all, includes a live-and-let-live reasonableness and humility you don’t generally find in a guy who growls, “I’m the best there is at what I do” before gutting you. There are other reasons, of course, why Wolverine — the feral, cigar-chomping tough guy of the heroic-mutant X-Men — is as angry and conflicted as producer-star Hugh Jackman portrays him in “XMen Origins: Wolverine,” opening Friday. The character has suffered untold trauma and loss since his birth in the 19th century — his aging is slowed by his mutant “healing factor” — and an animalistic antagonist has been dogging him for decades. It’s no wonder he flies into the occasional berserk rage. “Hugh told me this character is filled with a certain degree of self-loathing, and yet the audience felt a great deal of empathy for him and connected with him” in the “X-Men” movies, says Gavin Hood, the new film’s director and a veteran of such character-driven dramas as “Rendition” (2007) and the South African “Tsotsi,” which won the Academy Award for foreign-language film in 2006. “He felt,” Hood says, “that the character didn’t necessarily like his own nature.” That may be “well, duh” to comic-book fans, who are long accustomed to such conflicted characters as DC Comics’ Batman, Image Comics’ Spawn or even Marvel’s monstrous Thing in his earliest Fantastic Four days. But moviegoers saw little of Wolverine’s angst
Courtesy of MCT
Logan (Hugh Jackman, left) and Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) face off for the ultimate battle against each other in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”
in the three “X-Men” films (20002006) in which he was more a jaded cynic than an existential agonizer. That’s one reason this movie is set, according to 20th Century Fox’s press notes, in the 1970s, long before Wolverine, aka Logan, aka birth name James Howlett, found a haven teaching young mutants at Prof. Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. In this prequel, he’s a war-weary soldier, fighting in conflicts from the Civil War to Vietnam. By the time he and half-brother-in-arms Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber), later known as Sabretooth, are recruited for the black-ops cadre Team X, Logan’s great love, Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins), has been murdered. Now, Logan has become a hollow man, and when the government bonds his bones to indestructible adamantium, there’s as much metaphor as there is metal. “As human beings, we do things
we often regret,” Hood says. “We lash out and then wish we could withdraw the claws. This resonated with me, the idea that his claws are a kind of physical manifestation of this inner psychological angst, this desire to lash out at an unjust world, and at the same time his desire not to lash out — to withdraw, to find peace.” Yet despite the successes of the similarly brooding “Batman Begins” (2005) and “The Dark Knight” (2008), the tone fans call grim ‘n’ gritty doesn’t guarantee great guns box office — witness the poor results of the ambitious and estimable “Watchmen” (2009). Hood — who worked with screenwriter Skip Woods after early-draft scripter David Benioff “had already done his thing and developed the script as far as he wanted to develop it” — says one difference between that film and this is: “I wasn’t trying in any way to re-create the comics in
the movie. I hope that we’ve been true to the ideas that underpin the success of that character rather than to exactly what he wears.” This includes re-imagining Sabretooth as Wolverine’s half-brother, a relationship not stated in the comics but the subject of fan speculation. “Why did I ask the studio if we can go that way? Because you want the antagonist and the protagonist to be as emotionally connected and involved as possible,” Hood explains. “Human emotion is at its most emotional when it’s family that you’re in dispute with.” Or the studio that you’re in dispute with: Variety reported in September that Hood was “nearly fired because of squabbles with the studio” and that “two backup directors were in place.” Then came the much-recounted arrival of director Richard Donner (1978’s “Superman,” the “Lethal Weapon” movies), husband of “Wolverine” producer Lauren Shuler Donner, onto the Sydney, Australia, set. Because Hood had never directed a big action movie, the blogosphere was abuzz over whether he was being replaced, as Donner himself had been on 1980s “Superman II.” The studio and the filmmakers have since said Donner — later credited as an executive producer — was simply lending a hand. And Hood, indeed, remained on the reins all the way through postproduction reshoots in Vancouver earlier this year. Between all that and the movie’s widely written about pirating onto the Internet for a day or two on March 31, “Wolverine” has suffered almost as much angst as Wolverine. But ultimately, none of that matters if what’s on-screen clicks — or perhaps “snickt!s” — to use the signature sound effect of Wolverine’s emerging blades.
he Student Film Festival is this Friday at the Gonzales Auditorium in Liberal Arts Building room 108. The festival will showcase more then ten short films directed and filmed by Southern Miss students. The film festival gives film students a chance to showcase what they worked on during the last school year and show their movies to a public audience. “Most of us [students] have been working on these films since the fall semester. We shot all of the footage last semester and we have been editing them this semester,” Michael Williams, president of Southern Cinema at USM, said. “So, at least seven to eight months of work has gone into each of these short films.” There will be a diverse spectrum of genres represented at the Student Film Festival, displaying the range of talent in Southern Miss’ film department. Greg Thomas, 22, a senior film major from Madison, will show his short film “Moral Bond” at the film festival. The short film is the story of two friends who are rival hired killers. One of them kills the other’s boss’ son, leaving them forced to kill each other in order to survive. Thomas shot the movie with 16mm film and has invested a lot of time
and effort into the production, but his real dream is to act. Thomas has been interested in acting since high school and he spent his first two years at Southern Miss as a Theatre major. “I love the creative control I get while directing, but what most people seem to forget is the collaboration between the director, camera operators, and actors to make one creative vision,” Thomas said. “Whatever I am doing, all I really want to do is entertain the audience.” Karen Ballinger, 34, a senior film major from Pascagoula, will show her film “Dual for the Day”, which documents an epic game of Uno between two brides-to-be who want schedule their weddings on the same day. Whoever wins the game gets the special day. Ballinger says that directing a movie is a way for her to escape into another world where anything is possible. “I actually wrote a script while in high school and tried to film it with my friends, but we never finished. I’ve always loved acting and creating, so I got excited when I saw that USM offered a film program,” Ballinger said. “So, seventeen years later I am back at school and getting to direct.” The festival will begin at 7 p.m. and run until 9 p.m. Admission is free.
Entertainment Calendar Thursday Cowboy Mouth - Bottling Company Red Hill City w/ Charmed I’m Sure Thirsty Hippo Shane & Frasier - Alumni House
Friday Alcus Hudson - Alumni House Hurt - Bottling Company John Wooton & KAISO - Walnut Circle Grill Paul Johnson and the About Last Nights w/ Mark Mann - Boom Boom Room
Saturday Big Daddy Blue - Walnut Circle Grill Dark Knights of Camelot w/ Jesse Copenbarger of Colour RevoltThirsty Hippo Natalie Kirk & Company - Alumni House Usual Suspects - Boom Boom Room For more listings, listen to That College Music Show on WUSM 88.5 from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.
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Page 7|Entertainment
www.studentprintz.com | Thursday, April 30, 2009
Hattiesburg summer is not just for couch surfing Eric Nagurney Entertainment Editor
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hen finals week draws to a close, the vast majority of the Southern Miss population will be packing up and heading back to their respective hometowns. But what about those who are staying in Hattiesburg for one reason or another? While Hattiesburg summers are usually slow, there is enough going on to avoid spending a whole summer in front of the television. With the hectic workload of the school year, students do not have much time to spend on outdoor activities. Though the hot Mississippi weather may make stepping outside unattractive, the laid-back nature of Hattiesburg summer makes it the perfect time to head out of the house. Take advantage of the great outdoors by going canoeing on the Okatoma Creek in Seminary. With a one-day canoe rental fee of $30 and a thirty-minute drive from Hattiesburg, the Okatoma provides a wallet-friendly option. If you find yourself wanting to make a camping trip out of it, fees to do so are $5. More information about the creek and its various activities can be found at www.okatoma.com. In the situation that the fees at Okatoma are too much for you, Red Bluff in Marion County provides an even cheaper option, albeit one a little further off the beaten path. To get there, take Hardy Street west, continuing on the street as it turns into Highway 98. When Highway 98 splits into Broad Street and Highway 98 Bypass, take a left onto the Bypass. After remaining on the Bypass, turn right onto Highway 586 and then take another right onto Highway 587. Eventually, the road will run by Red Bluff and you will have reached your destination. After the trouble of getting there, the natural beauty and striking red color that gives the bluff its name will make the hassle worthwhile. If you are planning on taking a day to picnic there, make sure to bring your materials before leaving, as the site is fairly remote.
If you’re not really the outdoorsy type, there is still plenty of entertainment to enjoy in the comfort of the air conditioned indoors. Though most venues have not finished their live schedules for the majority of the summer, there are a few major concerts on the horizon. Popular modern rock group Hoobastank will make its way to the Bottling Company on May 12, kicking off the summer for rock fans. Latin-funk group Grupo Fantasma, one of the most popular bands to play The Thirsty Hippo, will be returning to the venue on May 20 for an early 8 p.m. show. Grupo shows at the Hippo tend to be sell-out affairs, so buy your tickets as soon as you can. Another group returning to the Hippo is The Paper Chase, a group of noisemakers signed to Olympia, Wash. indierock label Kill Rock Stars. The Dallas band will be playing a show with locals Malamute on June 19. As throughout the rest of the year, the movie theater proves a reliable entertainment option. Summer provides the theater with two particular advantages. First, the more flexible schedule most have in summer allows access to earlier matinee showings, making the concept of going to the movies much more economically-viable than usual. Second, like every year, the studios are rolling out their blockbusters for the season. This year, the big movies are the reboot of the Star Trek franchise, simply called Star Trek (opening May 8), the latest adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s popular book series, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (opening July 17), and the newest, now Arnold-less installment in the Terminator series, Terminator Salvation (opening May 22). Like all summers, there are surprises to be had. Things don’t always go as planned, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. If nothing exciting pans out for you this summer, don’t worry, nobody will judge you harshly for spending it on your couch.
Urinetown addresses current economy concerns Robin Ray
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David Jackson/ Student Printz
Crawford Morgan
Top: Okatoma Creek is one of the many outdoor locations available to students in the summer. Above: Prince-produced funk group Grupo Fantasma will return to the Thirsty Hippo on May 20.
Printz Writer
he theater department at USM recognizes that today’s economy has many people left with worries and concerns, which is why they have brought a musical, “Urinetown,” to the stage that uses humor to address important issues that many people are faced with. In “Urinetown” the characters are suffering from a water shortage. The shortage becomes so bad that water is no longer free. It goes so far that they even have to pay to urinate. This overly exaggerated and comical issue makes a person think about his or her own society. Robin Carr, an associate professor and the director of “Urinetow n,” said that the musical contains several messages that relate to society. “First, we need to take care of our environment so we are never in this position to begin with,” she said. “People need to listen and not ignore the signs that are being given.” She said that the second is to realize that the forms of government that exist today in their extremities do not work. “We need to look at other options and find a balance,” she said. Carr said that humor is needed when addressing the issues that the musical’s message contains. “If not, it can become preachy and people stop listening,” she said. Ashlee Campbell, a junior who played Little Becky Two Shoes in “Urinetown,” agreed that delivering the messages with humor is important. “The audience is entertained and still gets the point,” she said. “We
also don’t have to beat them over the head with a lecture; it’s up to them to determine which parts of the play mostly directly affect them.” Campbell is confident that the audience will be able to find the message in the musical because it has very obvious moments. “However, there are little subtle things that are sort of thrown in there that the whole cast waits each night to see if the audience will get,” Campbell said. The program lists different musicals that are referenced throughout “Urinetown.” Carr encourages the audience to try and find them all. While Campbell finds the usage of humor to be helpful in delivering the message, she still said the message itself is important to her and relevant to current events. “Water conservation is always a good thing,” she said. “We only have so many natural resources, and as populations grow, there are less and less for us to use. We need to take care of what we have.” Sara Nelson, a senior psychology major, attended the musical and was pleased with the message. “It begs our government, and our society as a whole, to take a good look at the state of things,” she said. “We have allowed for greed and competition to absorb us and, without reform, we could very well find ourselves in trouble down the road.” Nelson said that it was not hard to find the message in the musical. Like Carr and Campbell, she said the message is important and she enjoyed the humor. “I found the humor to be clever and loaded with meaning,” she said. “It worked very well for me.”
Sports
Page 8 sports@studentprintz.com
Softball
Seniors come through for Lady Eagles Tyler Cleveland Sports Editor
The Southern Miss Lady Eagle softball team pulled its record back above .500 Wednesday night, defeating Southeastern Louisiana 6-3 on senior day at the USM Softball Complex. Seniors Samantha Davis, Kristin Pilgrim and Brittney Jones won their final game at the USM Softball Complex, and were honored afterwards with a senior day ceremony with family, fans and teammates. Davis made the most of her final home game, allowing just four hits in a complete game and tallying a season-high eight strikeouts. “It was big to go out like that,” the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. native said. “To be honest, I had butterflies like it was my first game again, but I settled down and got on a roll and it felt pretty good.” Lady Lion hitters jumped on Davis early, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning when Heather Sher-
rill hit a home run over the centerfield fence. Davis was dominant from that point on. “Coach (Howard Dobson) told us to put our emotions aside and go out there and play hard,” fellow senior Kristin Pilgrim said. “It was tough, but Sam was pitching great and we ended up getting a good win.” Southern Miss grabbed the lead in the third inning when first-baseman Ashley Razey blasted a three-run homer over the left field fence, driving in Pilgrim and Logan James. The Lady Eagles poured it on in the fourth with Brandy Alonzo started off a three-run rally with a double off the right field wall. Leslie Lejune knocked in a pair of runs with a double, and Logan James knocked in another with a third double. “It was big for us after that Houston series,” USM head coach Howard Dobson said. “It seemed like all their hits were dropping in right in front of us, and none of ours were dropping.
“We needed this one going into the Tulsa series and then the conference tournament; we need to be playing our best ball right now.” Southern Miss advanced to 25-242 with the win, and got some muchneeded momentum heading into their final Conference USA series in Tulsa, Okla. this weekend against the Golden Hurricanes. For Davis and Pilgrim, Wednesday’s game gave them one last chance to play on the field that saw them become the best of friends and grow as players and as people. “I wouldn’t have wanted go through the last four years with anyone else,” Pilgrim said. “She’s as close to me as anyone, and she’ll be someone I’ll call for help for the rest of my life.” Davis had similar sentiments. “It’s meant so much to me to play with these girls,” Davis said. “Kristin and I were friends from day one, and to have her catch this game was a big deal for me.”
David N. Jackson/Printz
Southern Miss third baseman Lauren Castellvi tags out SE Lousiana centerfielder Jordan Logan Wednesday night at the USM Softball Complex. The Lady Eagles won 6-3 on an emotional Senior Night.
Baseball
Eagles topple No. 7 Rebels From staff reports PEARL, Miss. - The Southern Miss baseball team won their second consecutive game over a ranked team with a 6-4 win over No. 7 Ole Miss at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss. “I though our team played very hard and deserved this win tonight over a very good Ole Miss team,” head coach Corky Palmer said. “(Jeff) Stanley gave us a great start and (Collin) Cargill was electric to finish off the game. The win couldn’t have come at a better time for Southern Miss, which improved its record to 27-17 overall. The victory over the No. 7-
ranked Rebels moved the Eagles from No. 80 in RPI to 66 in both major polls, bringing the Eagles back into the post-season conversation. With 10 games left against less-than-stellar opponents, the path to a seventh straight regional is clear. Southern Miss (27-17) used a four run fourth inning to take the lead and held off a late Ole Miss surge to win their fourth consecutive game and improve to 7-1 all time at Trustmark Park. Six of those victories have come over schools from the Southeastern Conference, two each against Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Alabama since the stadium opened in 2006.
Jeff Stanley picked up his second win of the season in his second start, scattering nine hits while allowing four runs. Collin Cargill was nearly perfect for the final three innings to pick up his eighth save of the season. He faced the minimum nine hitters though he walked two batters, he also rolled two double play balls. Five different Golden Eagles had a RBI with Kameron Brunty picking up two RBI in the game. Seven different players had at least one hit with Brunty and James Ewing each collecting a pair of hits. Ole Miss had their best opportunity of the game in the sev-
enth after pulling within a run of tying the game, the Rebels had runners at first and second with no one out before Golden Eagle closer Collin Cargill educed a strikeout from Matt Smith and coaxed Henson into hitting a ground ball double play to end the Rebel threat. Southern Miss was able to add to their lead in the top of the eighth inning when Corey Stevens reached on a two-out single to left field and came around from first to score on BA Vollmuth’s RBI double to make the score 6-4. The Eagles return to action Friday, when they face Tulane for a three-game series.
Eagle great Ferlise dies Special to the Printz The University of Southern Mississippi lost a great friend Wednesday morning with the passing of Pat Ferlise at his Sarasota, Fla., home after a lengthy illness. “Pat Ferlise was the true `rock’ and giant of Southern Miss athletics,” said Southern Miss Director of Athletics Richard Giannini. “He was the first Southern Miss athlete to make a major gift to our athletic program as he had an incredible love for the University and to this athletics program. He will truly be missed and our thoughts and prayers go out to Rosalie, his three sons and their families.” Ferlise, a football letterwinner from 1951-52 as a two-way guard, was an outstanding athlete who earned allstate honors at Phillips High School
in Birmingham, Ala. In 1994, he donated $100,000 to the USM Eagle Club to fully fund a football scholarship annually for a defensive lineman. The gift was the largest ever, fully funded contribution to the Eagle Club for an athletic scholarship and the first established by a Southern Miss letterman. Ferlise and his family then gave a gift of $250,000 in 1995 to build a new athletic ticket complex, which now bears his name, The Pat Ferlise Center. The new facility houses the Eagle Club fund raising arm of the athletic department, along with the complete athletic ticket operation. Ferlise is survived by his wife, Rosalie, and three sons, Felix, Milton and Steve, along with several grandchildren. Ferlise was 80.