University of Alabama library program continues book donations to Black Belt schools
Al.com – Jan. 21
The University of Alabama’s School of Library and Information Studies is seeking applicants for its book donation program, which gives thousands of dollars worth of new books to Black Belt schools annually. The SLIS Book Bonanza for the Black Belt, which began in 2009, seeks applications from school librarians in the state’s Black Belt region and will select five winning schools in February. “To succeed in life, all children need equal opportunities to excel,” Jamie C. Naidoo, an associate professor who founded the program, said in a release. “The Book Bonanza provides children in Black Belt schools with new books that promote reading literacy and provide updated information to scaffold rich learning experiences.”
UA Professor discusses President’s proposal to make community college free
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Jan. 21
“These proposals will put greater spotlight on Pell as a training program in Alabama, and that is nothing but good for us here.” University of Alabama professor of Higher Education, Dr. Steve Katsinas, studies Pell Grants and the effect they have on education and employment. “The first certificates and associate degrees in automotive technology and industrial maintenance getting good jobs in the $40,000 to $70,000 range are often getting them through the Pell Grant aid.” Katsinas says with free tuition would come more Pell Grant money and more chances for those in Alabama to advance. “It would allow the aid that Pell is already delivering to Alabama, which is in the $230,000,000 range for community colleges statewide to go farther, and possibly lead to higher degree completions.”
UA Business professor discusses 5 ways that companies influence you
WBIQ-PBS (Alabama Public Television) – Jan. 21
This time Joe Calumuso from The University of Alabama Business School is back for more! He lays out all of the ways that companies can outsmart you.
Good Grief: A message from Charlie Brown to Charlie Hebdo: opinion
Al.com – Jan. 21
The words have become a global solidarity statement, rallying the free world around a common faith in freedom of the press. The day after the Charlie Hebdo attack millions marched through Paris to show their support. And dotting the crowd were screenprinted t-shirts of one well-known, round headed American loser: Charlie Brown. The unassuming image circulated on Twitter within hours of the attack. It depicted Charlie Brown weeping into his palms under the caption, “Je Suis Charlie.” British writer Magnus Shaw, the mind behind the creation, first turned to Charles Schulz’s Peanuts character because “it was just the best-known Charlie that popped into my head.” Shaw’s spontaneous image was more serendipitous than he realized. As it turns out, Charlie Hebdo was named, in part, after Charlie Brown, an homage that was a bit strange considering each cartoons creative inspiration. After all Charles Schulz and Charlie Hebdo had fundamentally different philosophical and stylistic approaches to their work. (Blake Scott Ball is an Alabama native and PhD student in History at the University of Alabama. His dissertation studies the Peanuts comic strip and the rise of conservatism between 1950 and 1980.)
UA students react to President Obama’s State of the Union Address
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Jan. 21
Republicans and Democrats had varying opinions when it came to the President’s State of the Union Address. Maverick Flowers of the UA College Republicans says, “President Obama delivered another grand speech. He offered a lot of ideas to move the country forward, but with very little substance on how he plans to accomplish some of these goals and ideas that he has.”
Sen. Del Marsh takes part in student Q&A session
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Jan. 21
President Pro Tem of the Alabama Senate, Senator Del Marsh took part in a student led Q&A at Carmichael Hall. The lecture series, “Policy in Action” was created by graduate students in higher education and public administration to give the students insight into how public policy is made.
Birmingham Art Music Alliance Concert
Tuscaloosa News – Jan. 21
University of Alabama School of Music faculty member, Wendy Richman plays viola on the piece “Last Year’s Valentine” by Joseph Landers, with colleagues Osiris Molina on clarinet and Tim Feeney on miramba, during a concert compiled of works by Alabama composers presented by the Birmingham Art Music Alliance held at Moody Music Hall in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Wednesday Jan. 21, 2015.
Spanish student moved to US for better education
Crimson White – Jan. 21
Pablo Ramos Ferrer moved to Tennessee by himself when he was 18 years old and knew no one. He finished his senior year in Sewanee but Pablo’s home is Ibiza, Spain, a major port city in the country. He decided to make the move in order to expand his education and to see what the United States was all about. He learned English as a sophomore in high school and then made the move to America. He is now pursuing a chemical engineering degree and is planning on using his degree to work in Northern Europe someday. 3. Why did you come to America and choose to attend the University? I got really tired of the type of life in Ibiza and wanted a better education. In Ibiza there are no colleges. You have to go to Barcelona or Madrid, but even then college in Spain is very different from what it’s like here. In Spain it is just one building with some classrooms in it. There’s nothing like the big campuses you have here. I chose UA because I had applied to several Southern schools and I liked this one the best.
Students tutor peers in math, science
Crimson White – Jan. 22
The University of Alabama’s Center for Academic Success allows students in any kind of math or science course to receive free tutoring. Anthony Winston, the manager of Tutorial Services and Supplemental Instruction, said his main goal is to see students succeed in college. “When you go to college, its a completely different situation verses back in high school,” Winston said. “You see a lot of great students fail or make mistakes because they take college like they took high school and that’s not the case.” Winston said one of the main goals for the CAS is to have a place where students feel comfortable to come in with any questions. “I want to clarify to any student out there that you aren’t dumb if you are coming in for help, you are actually just the opposite,” he said. Richard Livingston, the assistant director for the CAS said the center has transformed over the years he has worked there. “The Center started off as a place for teachers to come get assistance themselves and has transformed over the years to what is today,” Livingston said.