UA is going green with Student Green Fund
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Jan. 15
The University of Alabama is going green with its student green fund. Student groups at Auburn, UAB and UAH are also part of what’s being called the Sustainable Investment Project.” The goal is to generate $350,000 each year for green infrastructure projects on campus. Students, faculty and staff will be able to submit proposals throughout the year. Also part of all of this is the “Green Revolving Fund.” It deals with projects guaranteed to have a return on investment within two years.
UA reaches out to student veterans
Crimson White – Jan. 16
As some U.S. veterans struggle with the logistics of paying for school with the GI Bill, The University of Alabama is offers a safe haven by guaranteeing to cover the tuition costs of in- and out-of-state veterans. According to the Chapter 33 9/11 GI Bill, the U.S. government will cover the full, in-state cost of a public college or university for honorably discharged service men and women. Some veterans, however, are facing issues with residency laws, which is leading to the GI Bill not covering their full tuition, leaving veterans to pay for school themselves. David Blair, The University of Alabama’s director of veteran and military affairs, said that UA veteran students will never have to worry about this problem. “[The GI Bill issue] does not come into play with our students here at UA. The University has elected to be an unlimited Yellow Ribbon school,” Blair said. As such, The University of Alabama provides veteran students with scholarships to cover the full cost of tuition for both in-state and out-of-state students, regardless of how much tuition the GI Bill covers.
UA mentoring program seeks volunteers
Crimson White – Jan. 16
Al’s Pals Mentoring Program is searching for UA student volunteers to mentor elementary school children for the spring semester. Star Bloom, the program director for Al’s Pals, said the after-school program has limited the number of mentees to assure each child is accommodated but still needs at least 80 new volunteers. Bloom said those seriously interested should be willing to commit every Wednesday or Thursday afternoon of the semester to spending time with the at-risk youth. UA students will serve at McKenzie Court Community Center or Oakdale Primary School, helping kids with homework, improving their reading and math skills with hands-on activities and games and practicing recreational activities. “The children become attached to university students they are working with,” Bloom said. “They are extremely disappointed when they don’t come.” Carey Wood, a sophomore majoring in marketing, started as a mentor his freshmen year and is now a student leader at Oakland. “When you walk in the door, every kid you smile at smiles back. They adore you,” Wood said.
Blackburn accepting nominations for 2013 class
Crimson White – Jan. 16
The Blackburn Institute, an organization that develops a network of leaders that work to understand and solve issues in the state of Alabama, is accepting nominations for its 2013 class until the end of the month. Mary Lee Caldwell, coordinator for the Blackburn Institute, said they are looking for 25-30 students who are passionate about improving the quality of life for Alabamians. The Blackburn Institute accepts students at all stages of their academic career, including graduate and doctoral students, as long as they have one full year left at the University. Students are not required to be from the state of Alabama, but rather must have an interest in making Alabama a better place for its citizens. “Whether they’re from a small town or a big city, we hope they will go back to their home and make a difference in the state,” said Philip Westbrook, director of the Blackburn Institute. Westbrook said members enter a learning curriculum and have a first-hand understanding with issues like education, health care, workforce development and criminal justice in Alabama. “Solving issues can sometimes create a negative environment,” Westbrook said. “We want students to experience the issues from multiple perspectives in order to avoid that negativity.” John L. Blackburn, founder of the Blackburn Institute, served The University of Alabama for 30 years, filling several roles including dean of students. Blackburn was hired by The University of Alabama in 1956 and was eventually an integral part of the racial integration of students on campus.
Alabama Greek Missions serve abroad
Crimson White – Jan. 16
During the holiday break, Alabama Greek Missions took 13 UA students on a mission trip to Leon, Nicaragua, to volunteer in Trapichito, an isolated village with a population of about 200. Margaret Coats, former vice president of Alabama Greek Missions, said each morning the group had a day camp program for the 100 kids in the neighborhood; in the afternoons the team would work on a construction project for a family. “We built a home for a family of six,” Coats said. “The maternal grandparents took care of their daughter’s three kids while the daughter worked in the city to provide for the family.” Coats said the group of 13 bonded more than any other mission team she’s been on. “This trip was the best mission trip I’ve ever participated in,” Coats said. “We enjoyed working in the village and playing with the kids, but we also enjoyed getting to visit the nearby volcano and taking a day trip to the beach.”
Creative Campus sees success with new ‘zine’
Crimson White – Jan. 16
Creative Campus’s new zine, “Art-let,” designed to showcase student artwork and creativity, generated conversations around campus following its first publication during finals week last semester, according to one of the project’s designers. Ally Mabry, a junior majoring in digital media and printmaking, designed the logo for the zine. She said she realized the magazine was a success when a barista at Java City began talking about “Art-let.” “I was really stunned by the amount of excitement I saw in response to the first issue,” Mabry said. Katharine Buckley, a sophomore majoring in studio art, said the idea of “Art-let” came from a Creative Campus intern who was studying abroad in Italy over the summer. “She found these wonderful little booklets in the subway that showcased art,” Buckley said. “We went from there, trying to translate that to the University’s campus and how we could make it work. We really wanted our main goal to make accessibility to student creativity effortless.” Zines began as a way of self-publication for very specific ideas or topics that were out of the mainstream culture. They are often small books containing photocopies of drawings, handwritten texts and are intended for limited circulation.
UA entrepreneurs balance class, business
Crimson White – Jan. 16
The regular stresses of life at The University of Alabama don’t seem to be enough for at least one group of students. For the student entrepreneurs who turn their passions and hobbies into profitable businesses, their ideas simply can’t wait. Kaitlyn Trimmer, a senior majoring in nursing, began “The Whole Yarn Thing,” a business where she crochets beanies, Kindle and tablet covers, head warmers and scarves and sells them through Facebook and friends. Although her business started in Tuscaloosa, her clientele now includes customers from Texas, Colorado and Florida…John Pounders, a sophomore majoring in economics and biology on the pre-med track, and his fiancee Natalee Briscoe, a junior majoring in public relations, started a photography business called “The Classic Photography Company” last February after Briscoe’s mom bought a digital camera. Now, the couple is photographing weddings, senior pictures and other events. Calvin Ross, a sophomore majoring in telecommunication and film, is in the process of starting a photography and video business called InvadersFromNowhere with his brother Kevin.
Campus MovieFest returns for 6th year at UA
Crimson White – Jan. 16
Campus MovieFest, the world’s largest student film festival, is returning for its 6th year at The University of Alabama. The University’s aspiring filmmakers will get the chance to prove themselves with a five-minute film that they will shoot and edit in one week. Registration for CMF began Monday and will last until Tuesday, Jan. 22. After being equipped with a Panasonic HD camcorder and a laptop with Adobe Creative Suite 6, participants will have a week to shoot and edit their movie. Once the films are completed and turned in by Monday, Jan. 28, they will be judged by a panel of University students, staff and faculty in the categories of Best Picture, Best Drama, Best Comedy and the CMF Elfenworks Social Justice Category. The top films will be showcased Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ferguson Center Ballroom. Both veteran filmmakers and novices can get in on the filmmaking action with access to necessary equipment.
Around Town: 1/16
Tuscaloosa News – Jan. 16
Wednesday … Faculty recital featuring Tim Feeney, percussion: 7:30 p.m. at Moody Music Building on the University of Alabama campus. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for seniors and $3 for students. Tickets can be purchased online at http://uamusic.tix.com or call 205-348-7111 … Thursday … Strike, a piano and percussion duo: 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall at Moody Music Building on the UA campus. Free. Call 205-348-7111 or visit music.ua.edu.
Million Dollar Band co-director talks move from Atlanta, the value of a good ‘Roll Tide’ (Trending Tuscaloosa)
Al.com – Jan. 16
(Our series “Trending Tuscaloosa” takes a look at what public figures and other notable residents in the Druid City find fun and interesting about the city’s sights and sounds.) This week, we talk to Randall Coleman who keeps himself busy at the University of Alabama with his roles as associate director of bands and co-director of the Million Dollar Band. Coleman discusses what it was like to move to a smaller city from Atlanta, why “Roll Tide” is always the right answer and eating meat and three.