TrevEchoes | DEC | 2016 | 1

December 2016 | Trevecca Nazarene Universitys Ocial Student Newspaper Since 1944 |TrevEchoesOnline.com
NEWS

More parking coming

soon to campus

Trevecca delegation named best in Middle Tenn.

Treveccas 1,400 parking spaces are

to grow by nearly 200 by the start of
the spring semester.
Page 4
SPORTS

Womens soccer coach named

G-MAC coach of the year
Mark Foster named G-MAC head
coach of the year for the second time
in Trevecca career.
Page 7
FEATURE

A man and his dog:

Tim and Franklin
Tim Shean and dog Franklin
offer advice and encouragement to
students on campus.
Thirteen Trevecca students won the title of best delegation in Middle Tennessee at the Tennessee State Intercollegiate Legistlature. Photo provided by Erica Hayden.
BY Bailey Basham
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Page 8
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INSIDE
NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

A delegation of 13 Trevecca
students spent the week before
Thansgiving break winning the
title of Tennessee Intercollegiate
State Legislature best delegation
in Middle Tennessee.
For the second year in a row,
Bronwyn Kircher sat in the
same seat as legislators for the
Tennessee General Assembly,
hearing bill proposals from
other students from Tennessee
universities.
She and 12 other Trevecca
students were there for the
Tennessee Intercollegiate State
Legislature (TISL), a four-day
convention for college students
to learn how the government
works by participating in an
intercollegiate supreme court and
an appellate mock court session.
Kircher, senior history and
political science double major and

UPDATE

Dawson named director of security

head delegate for Treveccas TISL

delegation, said none of them
expected to win anythingmuch
less the title of best delegation in
Middle Tennessee.
We went into the weekend
not really expecting to win much.
Being a small school, we often
get overlooked by schools like
Vanderbilt and the University
of Tennessee Knoxville when it
comes to winning things, said
Kircher.
Not only did Treveccas group
win best delegation in Middle
Tennessee, freshman community
development major Chuck Layne
won best lobbyist for his firm on
business and private interests and
was nominated for a Tennessee
Student Assistance Corporation
board position.
For the most part, lobbying
really rubs me the wrong way;
one could argue that it is legalized
corruption. Lobbying is basically
playing the devils advocate. It
NEWS

Greg Dawson, class of 2004, to replace Norm Robinson as security director

BY Brooklyn
ONLINE EDITOR

Dance

Trevecca security will be led by

a familiar face starting in January.
Greg Dawson, who currently
serves as captain of university security, was recently named director of security. He replaces Norm
Robinson, who is retiring this
month.
[Steve] Harris called me up
to his office, and we talked about

a variety of different things as far

as the department goes, how its
running now, where we see things
going as far as hiring, Dawson
said. We talked a lot about my
credentials, my background, the
certifications Ive acquired, my
educationthings like that.
Dawson began working fulltime for campus security after
graduating from Trevecca in 2004.
Dawson was promoted to serCONTINUED PAGE 4

doesnt consider the welfare of

the people, just private interests.
It interests me mostly from a
know thy enemy perspective,
said Layne. Next semester, I
will be working in government
relations, lobbying with the
American Heart Association, so
this whole experience provided a
really good opportunity to feel out
what legislation up on the capitol
is like.
Treveccas
delegation
consisted of two senators, two
representatives, three lobbyists,
five AMC3 lawyers and one
assistant clerk of the house.
[There are] positions at TISL
for [students interested in] the
house of representatives; lobbyists
who try to persuade senators and
representatives to vote for their
lobbies bills. TISL even has media
who cover things going on in the
house and the senate by making
a newspaper, said Kircher. I
CONTINUED PAGE 3

Behind the
scenes of Trojan
Idol 2016

BY Bailey Basham
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Olivia Calderwood, winner of Trojan Idol.

Trojan Idol doesnt happen

on campus until the beginning
of December, but for Laura Beth
Winchester, putting the event
together means getting started
months earlier.
Winchester, social life direc-

CONTINUED PAGE 5

2 | 2016 | DEC | TrevEchoes

NEWS| Campus Updates

Six months in: Update on Trevecca missionaries in Serbia

Megan and Curtis Rich, Tori Stone and Christina Corzine continue work with refugee crisis

Megan and Curtis Rich. Photo provided by Megan Rich.

BY Rebekah Warren

Staff writer

our
Trevecca
graduates
have
been serving as
missionaries
in
Serbia for six months. Tori
Stone, Christina Corzine,
Curtis Rich and Megan Rich
left the United States in June
to work with the refugee
population flooding into
Europe from war-torn areas
of the Middle East.
The mission team set off
in June to serve in Europe
for a year or more, working
on the front lines of the
crisis and ministering and
offering assistance to those
who are in need. The group
was
sent through the
Church of the Nazarene to
partner with missionaries
Jay and Teanna Sunberg, the
Church of the Nazarenes

field strategy coordinator

team for Central Europe.
Curtis Rich, class of 2016,
said it can be tough to see
the crisis firsthand.
Theyve fled their home
countries for a variety of
reasons, looking for a better,
more secure life, and yet
they still find themselves in
a place of uncertainty, said
Curtis. Fleeing one terrible
situation has not allowed
them to escape hopelessness
and uncertaintyit just
happens to be in a different
country.
The teams work changes
week by week, depending on
the need of the people. They
spend a lot of their time
distributing food and nonfood items such as clothing
and hygiene products.
Before and after these
distribution
times,
we

may find ourselves doing a

number of things from basic
survival English classes,
to helping new arrivals
find all of the different
organizations that offer
different kinds of assistance,
such as registering to be
able to stay in the camps
scattered throughout the
country or receiving medical
attention if needed, said
Curtis.
In
addition
to
the
refugees, they have worked
with many other volunteers
from over 20 countries.
Tori Stone, class of 2016,
said the relationships built
with the other volunteers
have been uplifting during
difficult moments.
I think that the best
part of my experience is the
opportunity that we have
had to work alongside other
organizations and amazing
people, said Stone. We
have worked alongside some
great people that are just
trying to make a difference
in the world. They have been
supporting,
encouraging
and inspiring.
The team has encountered
challenges, both logistically
and emotionally, as they
come in contact with the
trauma of a displaced
population.
Its
very
raw
and
unfiltered and it is a lot
more emotional than seeing
it on the news or on your
computer, said Megan Rich,
class of 2015. Hundreds
of people are still arriving
in Serbia everyday, and the
camps are full. [There are] a

thousand people sleeping in

abandoned buildings behind
Belgrades bus station.
According
to
Stone,
working in Serbia has been
an opportunity to learn
what it means to trust God
in the face of crisis.
I like to be given
a situation to find the
underlying problem so that
I can fix it and help people.
I cannot do that here, said
Stone. I have had to rely
on God and His grace more
than ever before. I have
had to trust that He is a
God of justice [even though
what] all I see around me is
anything but that.
Ultimately, the group said
it has been a transformative
experience to work among
vulnerable people in an
unfamiliar culture and try to
the role of the church in that

environment.
Its
challenged
me
in ways that I am still
wrestling with todayways
that I will likely continue
to wrestle with for years
to come, said Curtis Rich.
The church is called to be
a voice for the voiceless and
there are thousands upon
thousands of voices going
unheard both here and all
over the globe. We can and
must do better.
Isaac
Petty,
who
graduated in Dec. 2015 and
went to Poland to work
on developing a church,
returned to the U.S. in Aug.
2016. He has since enrolled
at Nazarene Theological
Seminary. The rest of the
group has plans to stay in
Europe for at least another
six months.

Tori Stone. Photo provided by Megan Rich.

Students volunteer with local church to feed homeless

Room in the Inn is a winter shelter program that runs Nov. 1March 31 every year

Sophomore education major Paige Wyatt. Photo courtesy of Paige Wyatt.

BY Brooklyn

Dance
Online Editor

very
other
Thursday a handful
of
Trevecca
students
welcome
homeless guests to a local
church for the night.
Room In the Inn, a
Nashville-based
nonprofit
that
partners
with churches to house
homeless guests during
the
winter
months,

started
again
in
November and Trevecca
students can help out.
Students meet at Bethel
Church of the Nazarene
to prepare dinner for
around
14
homeless
guests.They then join
them for the meal.
Paige
Wyatt,
a
sophomore
education
major, has been involved
with Room in the Inn for
one year. This year, she is

the student leader for the

organization.
After dinner students
often chat or play games
with the guests.
After the guests go
to bed, the students
continue to serve.
They go to bed and
then we make lunches for
them and in the morning
we prepare a breakfast
and send them off to
Nashville, Wyatt said.
Wyatt fell in love with
Room in the Inn after
a friend invited her to
attend one Thursday last
year, and has been going
ever since.
Wyatt enjoys seeing the
relationships carry over
from week to week.
My favorite part is
watching the students
build community with
the men, Wyatt said.
Even though it can be
stressful to plan and take
up several hours of time,
Wyatt does not mind.
The men are always so
gracious and respectful

and it makes doing what I

do worth all the stress of
planning it out, Wyatt
said.
Room in the Inn is

always looking for more

student volunteers.
This
story
first
appeared on TrevEchoes
Online.

Room in the Inn serves locals in need of a place to stay and a meal.
Photo provided by the Micah Mandate.

For more information

contact Wyatt at 615-788-9217
or spwyatt@trevecca.edu

TrevEchoes | DEC | 2016 | 3

Students and advocates

at Trevecca say no need
for anonymous letter
BY Bailey Basham
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Thirteen Trevecca students won the title of best delegation in Middle Tennessee at the Tennessee State Intercollegiate
Legistlature. Photo provided by Erica Hayden.

Trevecca delegation named

best in Middle Tenn.
Trevecca students took title of best delegation at state
competition in November
CONTINUED FROM COVER

was in the senate this year legislating

bills that could eventually, if passed by
both the senate, the house and signed
by the Governor of TISL, end up on the
floor of the actual state house or senate
in the coming year, possibly becoming
future law in the state of Tennessee.
Erica Hayden, assistant professor
of history, taught the one-credit hour
TISL class at Trevecca and served as
the delegations advisor. As part of
the class, the delegation team went
over the basics of TISL, parliamentary
procedure and Roberts Rules of Order.
They also wrote bills and prepared
briefs on freedom of religion and civil
rights for the moot court session.
We also had a day where we asked
students to bring in famous speeches,
and we broke them down. We created
a list of our analysis to come up with
ideas they could use if they had to
speak on the house or senate floor or
in trying a case with the AMC3 team.
The speeches ranged from things
like Emma Watsons speech on the
UN floor to Martin Luther King Jr.s
I Have a Dream to Patrick Henrys
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death.
We thought about how to apply those
things to issues they were passionate
about in case they had to speak.
The bill the delegation proposed
was written by Tishara Davis about
naming rights for historical buildings.
This topic came about in response to
Vanderbilt Universitys Confederate
Memorial Hall.
Tishara was saying we should be
very careful about changing names
that erase historywe should learn
from the pastand by taking names
away, are we actually forgetting what
it stood for? Are we going to whitewash
the Civil War? Its an interesting
approach because a lot of people are
say we shouldnt memorialize and
honor a group of people who owned
slaves and wanted to keep slavery
intact. She raises a really good point

that if you take it away, what about

younger generations that might not
realize the import of all of that, said
Hayden.
Hayden was not at the capitol to
celebrate with the students, but she
said she got a phone call as soon as the
win was announced.
I got a phone call from Bronwyn
the day it happened. They were really
pleased they were recognized as a
small school. They embodied the spirit
of what TISL was about, and the fact
that a smaller school like Trevecca
could go in and make their name
known was a really big deal. It made
them feel like their time and effort
were recognized, said Hayden.
Hayden said TISL is great for
students who are interested in making
a difference at the community, state
or federal level.
Getting
involved
and
understanding how your government
is really important, and this is a lowstake way to see how government
works, get involved with lobbying
and see how decisions are made. For
people who think they might want to
go into politics, law, or advocacy, its a
great way to see what those worlds are
like. These students really are making
a difference and they are thinking very
seriously about issues that they see in
their state, said Hayden.
Layne said more people should
get involved with local and state
government. He encouraged others
interested in TISL to consider
participating next year.
Everything
is
a
learning
opportunity, and we need more people
taking an interest and getting involved
with local and state government.
People are entitled to an informed
opinionyou cant have an informed
opinion if you dont develop your
convictions. Dont just be consumed by
the echo chamber that is so prevalent
today, said Layne.

ndocumented
students
and
e m p l o y e e
advocates
on
campus were left feeling
blindsided after a letter
signed by a group of
students, faculty, staff,
alumni
and
concerned
members of the Trevecca
community
was
distributed last month on
campus.
The letter was addressed
to Trevecca administration
and faculty and detailed
the needs of a group of
undocumented students on
campus.
Trevecca
Nazarene
Universitys social justice
values demand that the
administration implement
concrete
actions
that
protect
all
Trevecca
studentsespecially those
members of our community
who have been targets of
discrimination during a
hate-filled and anxietyinducing election cycle,
according to the letter.
The letter continued.
There is a responsibility
to maintain our safety,
healthy development and
intellectual freedom, as
well as for safety from
threats
of
violence,
family
separation
and
deportation, according to
the letter.
The letter outlined the
need for transparency from
administration, a public
statement from university
officials regarding a recent
hateful social media post,
mandatory
diversity
inclusion
training
for
faculty and specialist in
the counseling center to
work with marginalized
students.
According to Rebecca
Merrick,
international
student
advisor
and
assistant coordinator of
disability services, issue
was taken with the way the
letter seemed to speak for
all undocumented students
and its under-the-radar
distribution.
I talked to several
undocumented
students
who said they didnt know
about it, and they dont
have the same expectations
that were in the letter. I
asked a few people what
they thought about it, and
a couple said they felt it
did not represent their
thoughts, said Merrick.
Maybe its imagined or
maybe its because its the
end of the semester, but I
think that the way it went
down and was distributed
was a little divisive.
Brodrick
Thomas,
coordinator of diversity
and student engagement,
said he can see both sides
and that he understands
why the letter was written.
Ive talked to some

of
our
undocumented
students about the letter,
and they were a little hurt
because it made it seem
like it included them all.
We have our blemishes and
faults at Trevecca, but when
you compare us to what
everyone else in Nashville
is doing in terms of our
undocumented
students,
we are trailblazing in this
area, said Thomas. I just
want to make sure people
understand
that
those
students are very grateful
for what Trevecca is doing
for them.
Merrick
said
she
felt
the
letter
was
counterproductive to the
mission of the university.
My response to every
student is that you have
advocates here, and we
want to help you. When you
have something you feel
needs to be heard, we want
to help you invoke positive
change, said Merrick. The
way our university is versus
other universities, we have
more of a community
feel. Thats not going to
change any time soon, so
when something comes
out that is impersonal,
its not taken well because
employees of any kind
want to have relationships
with students and we want
to hear you face-to-face to
work it out. Nobody knows
who to respond to help.
According to Thomas,
the group of students who
wrote the letter met with
Dan
Boone,
university
president, and discussed
the letter, paragraph-byparagraph. The meeting
was to communicate to the
students who wrote the
letter that the university
had either already done
the things they requested
or that plans were in the
works.
Boone
communicated
to the students that the
university
had
already
made a statement following
the hateful social media
post and that plans were
being formed for a faculty
diversity training. There is
also already a professional
in
the
counseling
center who works with
politically
marginalized
communities and traumarelated issues of familial
separation and the chronic
threat of deportation, as
the authors of the letter
requested.
For Thomas, the biggest
goal right now is to
make sure all students at
Trevecca understand they
are welcome here and
that they will be offered
support.
A Christian is supposed
to represent a God that is
bigger than your status,
skin color or who you voted
for. I dont care what you
believe. I want you to feel
loved, included and safe
here, said Thomas.

4 | 2016 | DEC | TrevEchoes

NEWS| Campus Updates

UPDATE

Dawson to be
head of security

New parking spaces coming soon to campus

Greg Dawson, class of 2004, to replace

Norm Robinson as security director
CONTINUED FROM COVER
geant in 2006,
and became the
assistant director of security
and
emergency management
and captain in
July 2010. He
completed a MS
Greg Dawson. Photo
provided by Trevecca. in Safety, Security and Emergency Management
in May 2012 from Eastern Kentucky University.
Dawson said he enjoys his job
in security, and keeping the campus safe.
Im a very service oriented
person, so I like serving the campus community and providing the
safety and security for the campus, he said If youre in a jam,
you can call on us and we will do
our best to get things right.
During his tenure as captain,
Dawson has helped Trevecca
achieve and maintain storm preparedness certification from the
National Weather Service, updated the vehicle registration system
and served as the committee chair
for identity theft prevention.
Dawson said one of his goals as
director will be to keep the university up to date with best practices for safety.
Were going to stay up to date
on the best technologies and best
practices and keep the campus
community safe as possible, we
are constantly reevaluating those
things and making changes and
adjustments in order to provide
the best service to the campus,
Dawson said.
There will be some personnel
changes through the transition,
Dawson said.
Right before Norm announced
his retirement I had proposed a
restructuring for the department
which will add two officers, giving
us some overlap on some shifts
where we need extra help, Dawson said.
Dawson is excited about the
challenge.
Norm has been one of the
better bosses Ive ever had, and
I know maintaining that level of
safety and security and service to
the campus community is not an
easy task, but its something that
Im willing to step up and do,
Dawson said. They are definitely
big shoes to fill.
He has the support of campus
though.
I am so happy for Greg in being promoted to director of security, said Norm Robinson. His
knowledge of campus policies and
procedures, along with his dedication to attention and detail,
will insure a smooth transition,
and not interrupt the continuity
of security responsibilities across
the campus community. Greg is
an excellent choice and I wish him
the best.
This story rst appeared on TrevEchoes Online

Trevecca parking lots reach capacity nearly every day. Photo provided by Jessy Anne Walters.
BY Bailey Basham
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

An additional 170 parking spaces will be

ready for students to use on campus at the
beginning of the spring semester.
Trevecca currently has about 1,400 parking
spots on campus. The new lot is being
constructed behind the new Music and Worship
Arts building, which is situated on the 4.8-acre
lot Trevecca purchased from Volunteer Express
trucking company last year. The lot will consist
of 210 new parking spaces170 new spaces
total when considering the loss of some parking
behind Tennessee Hall and Wise Apartments.
Enrollment has increased by roughly 9
percent, so adding additional parking to the
1,457 spaces already available on campus was a
must.
Growth has its challenges. Parking is one
of those for us. With the significant growth
in residential and commuter students, we
just need more parking, said Dan Boone,

university president.
According to Treveccas commuters, they
feel the brunt of the universitys growth when
it comes to being unable to find a parking space
on campus.
Jonas Litton has been a commuter since he
started studying music business at Trevecca
a little more than a year ago. As a commuter,
Litton said parking is not ideal.
It is not uncommon to find yourself
frantically prowling the commuter lot next to
the health care center before class, desperate to
find a parking spot, said Litton. Ive been late
to class several times due to a packed parking
lot. On occasion, Ive had to park in spots with
sinkholes, back into bushes, and make up my
own parking spot to get where I need to be on
time.
Sophomore Katja Baumgartner agreed.
It is even harder when Trevecca has special
events, and visitors take up all the commuter
lots. We have no choice but to park somewhere

else, and the cherry on top is that we get

parking tickets even though there is nowhere
else to park, said Baumgartner. I dont have
the time to run all over campus to find a spot
or go back later to move my car to a different
spot.
Litton suggested that in addition to the new
parking spaces, assigning lots might help keep
things more organized. Caldwell said it was
something to look into, though it could have
its cons.
We have not looked at that but perhaps
we could. I will follow up on it and discuss,
said Caldwell. Of course the classic problem
with parking lot assignments is to police them.
We arent looking to write more fines but I
agree that looking at optionseven if only
suggestions as to where to park.
Boone said the addition of parking will be of
significant help but the university is looking
to expand current parking in other places on
campus as well.
I am working on revisiting our current
parking plan, the assigned lots and trying to
consider the total number of spaces, their
location on the campus and how to best
maximize our available parking, said Steve
Harris, associate provost and dean of student
development. At this time, residents of
Tennessee and Georgia are able to use this lot,
as well as employees, commuters and visitors
who come to the campus.
Harris said there are also plans to repair the
commuter parking lot north of the Greathouse
Science building. This will add 28 more parking
spaces to the campus total.
Regardless, commuters struggling to find
parking, this is a much needed change.
[The addition of another parking lot] thrills
me, said Litton. Im thankful to know that
progress is being made.
Litton and senior Morgan McCranie are on
the same page.
Im really glad they are finally adding more
parking, said McCranie. Parking has been an
issue for year with our growing campus so its
nice that parking is catching up with our size.

Board approves 2 percent tuition hike for next year

Cost of tuition increased from $23,724 to $24,200 for the 201718 school year
BY Bailey Basham
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

niversity officials
approved a 2 percent
increase in tuition next
year, which will bring
the cost of tuition at Trevecca up to
$24,200.
The Board of Trustees voted
unanimously in November to
approve the recommendation of
the administration that tuition be
increased 2 percent.
Last year, the tuition increase
was 2 percent, but we had the
fee restructure so depending on
what you had been spending on
books, [some students] had about
a 1 percent increase if they lived
on campus. If they werent on
campus or spent more or less on
books [before the restructure], the
cost would have been different,
said David Caldwell, executive
vice president of finance and
administration.
There will not be an increase
in the $900 student resource fee,
which covers the cost of textbooks
and the technology fee.
The tuition increase will cover
the overall cost of running the
university, according to Caldwell.
As we grow, there are expenses
that come along with it. We
continue to try to update the
campus. At homecoming, you
always run into people who havent
been back to campus and they just
cant believe all the changes, said
Caldwell.

We always give payroll

increases, and there are some
schools, especially colleges in
some rural areas, that havent
given increases in years. Thats
because theyre in tight financial
situations, but they cant afford
to give any kind of increase. If we
did that here, wed lose some of
our best professors, and wed have
trouble bringing in others because
Nashville is getting to be a place
that is more and more expensive to
live in, said Caldwell.
Caldwell said Trevecca is able to
keep the increase down by finding
more efficient ways to run the
university.
In this building for example,
Ive been here seven years, and
weve grown by about a thousand
students on campus. Weve only

gone up one in this building

student accounts, financial aid, the
accounting department. Were just
finding ways to do things better,
said Calwell.
The tuition increase is not
expected to hinder Treveccas
growth in enrollment for next year.
I believe the tuition increase
is very reasonable and in line with
what most schools like Trevecca
are doing. Treveccas leadership
continues to invest in our campus
increasing the satisfaction of our
students, said Holly Whitby,
associate provost and dean
of enrollment management.
Freshman applications for fall
2017 are currently up 15 percent
over this same time last year, so
I anticipate a freshman class the
same size or larger than fall 2016.

Annual Charges for 201718

Tuition

$24,200

Room

$4,404

Meal Plan

$4,404

Student Resource Fee

$900

Total $33,908
Information pulled from Treveccas official website.

TrevEchoes | DEC | 2016 | 5

Trojan Idol takes many people, months of work to put on

The Top Ten Trojan Idol contestants joined forces for a group performance. Photo provided by Uy Nguyen.

Tojan Idol
Top 10 Finalists
Olivia Calderwood
Taylor Cardiff
Teal Davis
Samuel Nichol
Alison Vance
Lucas Hobbs
Shelby Morrison
Alexia Orona
Andrew Raney
Ashley Vance
tor of SGA, started working on the event in September.
The beginning stages
of planninggetting together the house band
take a while because
youre spending time
waiting for peoples responses. It took almost
a month to get the entire band together. Once
I have the band, I begin
the process of scheduling auditions, meeting
with the production and
AV team, booking judges
and then actually holding auditions and deter-

mining who will be the

top 10 performers to go
on to the live show, said
Winchester. After that
I schedule all the contestants for filming videos, rehearsals with the
band and rehearsals for
the show. My main job is
making sure everyone is
where theyre supposed
to be.
Last year, Winchester
helped with auditions,
but for her freshman
year, her role in Trojan
Idol was on stage.
I was a contestant
my freshman year, and I
had so much fun. It was
the neatest experience.
And now seeing it from a
different point of view it
is really cool, said Winchester. This year, my
role requires me to [do
a lot more]. It is such a
privilege.
Abi Larimore, senior
media arts major and
president of Treveccas
Improv Club, was the
host of Trojan Idol this
year.
I have been to Trojan
Idol so many times, and
its always such a fun
event. I was really honored to be asked because
I just love being a positive presence on stage. It
was kind of nerve wracking because I am mostly
an improviser, so having
to communicate a very
specific set of information just in order for the
event to to flow smoothly, I was geeking out. I
had little notecards and
everything. I was nervous.

The Trojan Idol house

band put in around 20
hours per week rehearsing for the show. Judges
for the event were Clark
Beckham, American Idol
runner-up on season 14,
Joe Kirk, former contestant on The Voice,
Abby Burke, professor
in the School of Music
and Worship Arts, and
Maisen Arner, Trevecca
class of 2016.

I think they were all

kind of shocked at how
much they loved it, and
I was just like, Thats
Trevecca, baby.
The first Trojan Idol
was held in 2004, and
according to Michael
Johnson,
director
of
alumni and church engagement, things have
only kept getting better
since then.
Our inaugural Trojan

Olivia Caldwerwood, junior worship arts major and NPWI graduate, won
Trojan Idol 2016. Calderwood sang Titanium by David Guetta, featuring.
Sia and Demi Lovatos Stone Cold. She was one of 10 contestants that performed over two nights. Calderwood was up against junior Taylor Cardiff in
the finals.

I wanted to audition for Trojan Idol since freshman year, but I

was too busy and a little intimidated by the idea of the competition. This year, I knew what to expect and had a few songs in
mind just in case, so I felt like I was ready to give it a shot... There
were so many phenomenal voices in this competition this year,
and it was honestly a huge surprise [that I won].

CONTINUED FROM COVER

- Olivia Caldwerwood, Trojan Idol 2016 Winner

Larimore
said
the
judges were all a perfect
fit for Trojan Idol.
It was really cool to
see these amazing [artists] having so much fun
at this random Nazarene
school, said Larimore.

Idol was held in Spring

semester of 2004, and
weve had great fun ever
since. Its been so cool
to see it grow in terms
of production values.
Weve always had some
terrific individual performances, but our deci-

sion to move to a format

that featured a live band
for everyone to sing with
made a huge impact,
said Johnson.
For Winchester, the
best part of Trojan Idol
is seeing the SGA staffs
hard work pay off.
My favorite part about
Trojan Idol is watching
Trevecca students being
so excited about it. The
amount of people who
show up, watching them
run through the doors to
get a good seat and the
hundreds of tweets that
come throughits so
rewarding, said Winchester. Seeing students so excited about
something Ive worked
extremely hard on is
such a gratifying feeling.
It makes me feel so incredibly blessed to have
the job and the group of
SGA helpers that I do.
According to Winchester, the goal of Trojan Idol is to allow all
the students on campus
to see the talent of their
peers.
What I hope to see
Trevecca students getting out of Trojan Idol is
just an appreciation for
how talented and blessed
this school is. This event
is our way of showcasing
the absolute best of the
best here at Trevecca,
said Winchester. The
Lord has blessed our top
ten
contestants
with
ridiculous voices, and
were so blessed to get
to celebrate that through
something so big and exciting as Trojan Idol.

6 | 2016 | DEC | TrevEchoes

OPINION| Columns and Editorials

Editorial: making Trevecca

safe for all students

Finals Schedule
In case youre feeling a bit \_()_/

Tuesday, Dec. 13
Class Regularly Meets

9-9:50 a.m. MWF

10:45 a.m.-12:10 p.m. TR
12-12:50 p.m. MWF

Wednesday, Dec. 14

Finals Time

8-10 a.m.
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
12-2 p.m.

Class Regularly Meets

8-8:50 a.m. MWF

8-10 a.m.

12:10 a.m.-1:25 p.m. TR

1-1:50 p.m. MWF

Finals Time

10 a.m.-12 p.m.
12-2 p.m.

BY Bailey Basham
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Thursday, Dec. 15
Class Regularly Meets

Finals Time

8-9:15 a.m. TR

8-10 a.m.

11-11:50 a.m. MWF

10 a.m.-12 p.m.

1:35-2:50 p.m. TR

12-2 p.m.

2-2:50 p.m. MWF

2-4 p.m.

3 p.m. MWF

2-4 p.m.

3 p.m. TR

2-4 p.m.

4 p.m. MWF

4-6 p.m.

5 p.m. or later TR

6-8 p.m.

4 p.m. or later TR

4-6 p.m.

6 p.m. or later TR

6-8 p.m.

Waggoner Library Extended Hours for Dec. 10 - Dec. 15

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

10 a.m.-10 p.m.

3 p.m.-2 a.m.

8 a.m.-2 a.m.

8 a.m.-2 a.m.

8 a.m.-2 a.m.

8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Waggoner Library Stress Relief Hours

Sunday, Dec 11

Monday, Dec 12

Tuesday, Dec 13

Wednesday, Dec 14

3-4:30 p.m.

Free Nineteen|01 coee

3:30-4:30 p.m.

3-4:30 p.m.

Jack the Wallaby

Puppy Visits

Puppy Visits

Free Nineteen|01 coee

Free Nineteen|01 coee

Free postage for

postcards home

Free postage for

postcards home

Free postage for

postcards home

This code is redemable for free ride credits anywhere if code is entered before your rst ride.

Column: How
to be a great
house guest
this Christmas
Nicole Hubbs
Nicole Hubbs. Photo by Annalizia Cordova

he holidays are the perfect time

to visit with friends and family,
and it is so nice when loved ones
open up their homes to others to celebrate and give thanks. It can be a little
awkward to visit someones home, even
when they are family, so before you flop
yourself down on the couch and toss
your shoes in the corner, take a look at
these tips.
1. Do your own dishes. If you use a dish
or cup, wash it or place it in the dishwasher. Unless otherwise instructed
by your host, dont expect your host
wash dishes you have used.
2. Keep your belongings in the guest
room. Dont leave your shoes, phone,
keys, etc. laying around someone
elses house. They will appreciate that
you keep your things corralled in the
room they have prepared for you. This
is especially true if you are not the
only guest.
3. Be Helpful. If your host is preparing
meals or doing housework, ask if you
can help. When you offer, it shows
your host you are appreciative of them
letting you stay in their home and that
you dont expect them to serve you.
4. Respect their space. Dont go snoop-

 (615) - 248 - 7725

 NHubbs@trevecca.edu
ing around and opening cabinets in
places that are clearly not for public
viewing (e.g., the master bedroom).
Generally, if doors are shut, the hosts
want to keep those areas away from
public view.
5. Dress the part. Its Saturday morning, and everyone in the house seems
to have showered and gotten dressed
before breakfast. You should follow
suit. On the flip side, if everyone is in
lounge pants after dinner, you should
feel welcome to be comfortable too.
When staying in someone elses
home, its understood that when you
leave your bedroom in the morning,
you should be presentable.
6. Say thank you. Your host has most
likely gone out of his or her way to
clean and prepare a space for you in
their home. Thank them when you
are leaving and, if you really want to
wow them, send a follow up thank
you card.
We all make mistakes and make ourselves too comfortable sometimes. Give
yourself some grace, and be appreciative of your host. This is my last entry
for 2016, so be safe and Happy Holidays!

his election has been

divisive.
Theres
no way around it.
It has brought out
the worst in people and
caused rifts in families and
friendships. It has solidified
the
us
versus
them
mentality. It has gotten us
all caught up in rhetoric that
likely none of us want to be a
part of.
Following such a divisive
post-election
season,
a
little bit of clashing could be
expectedeven at a place like
Trevecca. Trevecca, like any
other university, workplace,
church or neighborhood, is a
microcosm of the great, big
worldthe people who voted
blue are borrowing pencils
and notes in classes from the
people who voted red. And
the people who voted blue
and red are sitting in chapel
next to the people who
werent able to vote at all
because of their legal status.
Different understandings
of the world exist, and it
is our responsibilities as
members of this community
and as students learning to
be critical thinkers here to
do our best not to blindly
discredit
someone
elses
understanding.
At
the
same time, it is also our
responsibility to make sure
we dont disrespect someone
elses
existence
in
the
world because of their legal
status, skin color, sexuality

or religious beliefs. Failure

to do these things only
strengthens the dividethe
us versus them mentality.
It is so easy to get caught
up in the rhetoric that has
saturated this election season
that we allow that same
divisive rhetoric to affect our
own speech and the way we
treat our neighbors.
Can safe spaces and diverse
ways of thinking coexist
at
Trevecca?
Absolutely.
Creating a safe space on
Treveccas
campus
for
students who feel fear is just
as important as fostering a
campus culture that makes
room for viewpoints from all
across the board.
Should
we
allow
a
difference in our ballots, our
legal status or anything else
keep us from respecting each
others rights, freedoms and
feeling of safety? Not at all.
We have the incredible
opportunity here to engage in
discussions with people from
all different backgrounds.
Trevecca gives us a learning
opportunity not only to
perfect our crafts before
we graduate and enter the
workforce, but to learn to
really listen to, understand
and respect people who look,
sound and think completely
differently than we do.
This community can be
one of understanding and
compassion and its our job
to make it this way by loving
our neighbors as ourselves.

EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-In-Chief
Bailey Basham

BFBasham@trevecca.edu

Design Editor
Cydney-Nichole Marsh
CSMarsh@trevecca.edu

Sports Editor
Andrew Preston

AMPreston@trevecca.edu

Assistant Editor & Online Manager

Brooklyn Dance
BEDance@trevecca.edu

PHOTOGRAPHERS
Annalizia Cordova

AMCordova@trevecca.edu

Uy Nguyen

UTNguyen@trevecca.edu

STAFF WRITERS
Rebekah Warren

RMWarren@trevecca.edu

Hannah Pollok

HRPollok@trevecca.edu

Blake Stewart

SBStewart@trevecca.edu

Ashley Walling

AMWalling@trevecca.edu

Alexis Garcia

AGarcia@trevecca.edu

Mary Eaton

MCEaton@trevecca.edu

TrevEchoes is published by and for the students of Trevecca Nazarene University. The views expressed in TrevEchoes are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reect the views of Trevecca. Contributors may be edited for grammar, spelling, content, or space consideration. Our oce is located in Jernigan.

TrevEchoes | DEC | 2016 | 7

SPORTS| TNU Trojan Athletic News

Volleyball season ends with

Baseball coach at World Series G-MAC tournament loss
BY Andrew Preston
SPORTS EDITOR

Ryan Schmalz and Ben Zobrist at the World Series in November. Photo provided by Ryan Schmalz.
BY Andrew Preston
SPORTS EDITOR

When it comes to attending the World

Series, Trevecca baseball coach Ryan
Schmalz has something most baseball fans
dont: experience and a friend.
Schmalz, now entering his fifth season
with the Trojans, was on the field with
his friend and former college baseball
teammate, Ben Zobrist, celebrating after
the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.
I was allowed on the field for the
celebration. It was really chaotic. There
was an incredible amount of media, said
Schmalz. Ben was pulled in a thousand
different directions for interviews and
such, I didnt get to talk to him a whole
lot. I had my chance to see him, say a few
words, hug and pray with him, but that was
it.
Being on the field after the Cubs won the
2016 pennant was Schmalzs third time to
be a world series to support his friend.
In 2008 when the Rays played the
Phillies I got a chance to go to a game when
Ben (Zobrist) was in Tampa. Last year I
went to New York to see the Royals play the
Mets, he said.
Watching his friend play in Game 7 of
the World Series, which went into extra
innings, was nerve racking for Schmalz.
It was incredible. It was an electric
environment. It was really hard to watch
when you know somebody out there. I was
on the edge of my seat the whole time, he
said.
Zobrist drove in the eventual gamewinning run for the Cubs in the top of the
10th inning. The Cubs won the game 8-7,
giving the franchise its first World Series
in 108 years and earning Zobrist the MVP

award for the series.

Schmalz and Zobrist played together
at Olivet Nazarene University for three
seasons and were in each others weddings
after graduation.
Ben has always been a very intense
competitor, he was one of our best players
(at Olivet), I thought he had a chance to
play professionally, but it never crossed my
mind that one day he would be the World
Series MVP, said Schmalz.
After each others weddings, Schmalz
and Zobrists lives went in different
directions, but they reconnected when they
both moved back to middle Tennessee.
During the MLB offseason, Zobrist makes
his home in the Nashville area and has on
occasion used Treveccas athletic facilities.
He doesnt use them on a regular basis,
more of a handful of days over the past
several years. There have been times when
he comes and hangs out with the guys and
will get a workout in, said Schmalz.
The one aspect that Schmalz admires
most of his friend is his faith.
He sees the platform of being a
professional baseball player as an
opportunity to share his faith. To share the
Gospel with people is his priority. People
like that are rare, said Schmalz.
The gruesome six-month baseball season
wears down most players. Zobrist gains
strength from his family and his faith,
Schmalz said.
Its easy to look at what Ben has
accomplished on the field, but he is one of
the humblest, down-to-earth people youll
ever meet. He cares far more about his faith
and his family than he does for baseball,
he said. Hes a great friend.

The 2016-17 Lady Trojans Volleyball season

ended with a four set loss against the Ursuline
Lady Arrows in the Great Midwest Athletic
Conference (G-MAC) on Nov. 17.
The end of the season not only marks the
end competition, but also the end of lone senior
Katelyn Atkinsons career.
Shes always been a great competitor. Shes
improved each year in many ways. She improved
this year, but the players around her were better,
so we didnt depend on her quite so much, said
Jamie Crowley, head coach.
Atkinson matured during her junior to
become the player she is, Crowley said. She
developed better relationships with coaches and
teammates.
You dont replace someone like her, its a big
hole to fill, said Crowley, Id like to see other
players step up and see this as an opportunity
for them to takeover. Its not going to be one
player; its got to be every single player to hide
that kind of offensive production.
Atkinson served as team captain for the
previous three seasons.
She did it all. She passed, she set, she hit,
she blocked, she played multiple positions, said
Crowley, We dont have a player that can do
that many things. We cant replace her.
As captain I tried to lead by example more
than anything, hoping the team would follow,
said Katelyn Atkinson, As captain I was
proudest probably when we played Cedarville
at home and won. They are always a tough
opponent and the team went out and played very
well together.
Atkinson finished her career as the Trevecca
all-time kills leader with 1,705, second most in
G-MAC history. She had 150 assists, 118 service
aces, 1294 digs, and 217 blocks as a four-year
player for the Lady Trojans.
It is exciting to get to break a record held
for so long, but I couldnt have done any of it
without the help of my teammates over the
years. I have enjoyed getting to play with all
the teammates I have had, and hope that the
team next season will continue that legacy, said
Atkinson.
The Lady Trojans 16-13 (8-2 G-MAC) enjoyed
several bouts of success during the regular
season including a seven game winning streak.
We ran the gamut with wins at home, said
Crowley.
The Lady Trojans went 10-2 at home this
season, something Crowley credits to the home
crowd.
Your blood, sweat and tears are ingrained
in that wood floor. You have a little more pride
at home, less distractions, more support,
and especially with the support of the Moore
Maniacs and Jared Caperton, said Crowley.
The Lady Trojans havent completed their
freshman signing class for next season, but
Crowley is hopeful she can bring in some top
talent.
Weve signed two early in the signing
period, theres still some more work to be done,

Katelyn Atkinson spiking the ball at the G-MAC

tournament. Photo provided by TNU Trojans.

time will tell with that, said Crowley.

The Lady Trojans were defeated (24-26,
25-23, 16-25, 18-25) in the quarterfinals of the
G-MAC tournament.
We werent at our best, and (Ursuline)
played like a team, they played hungry.
They were better than us that day. We had
more talent than that team, but they were
hungrier, said Crowley.
Ursuline just played better than us. I think
if we had come in really focused on that game
instead of thinking ahead, we could have
won, added Atkinson.
Last season the Lady Trojans won the
G-MAC tournament and competed in the
NCAA D-II tournament as an automatic
qualifier.
Coach Crowley defined her team losing this
season as a bullseye on your back.
When youre the underdog you have to
give your best performance. Youre hungrier,
you more passionate, you have to be, said
Crowley.
Crowley believes her team came into
the G-MAC tournament expecting to win,
allowing them to be vulnerable.
They (Ursuline) didnt take it for granted.
Whereas wed been there done that and
maybe we thought we had the easy path, and
that thought caused us to underperform,
said Crowley.
Cedarville University went on to defeat
Davis & Elkins in the G-MAC championship,
earning their way into the NCAA D-II
tournament for the first time.
Its easier to be on top and its even harder
to stay there because everyone is gunning for
you, said Crowley, One little misstep when
youre at the top and youre going down.
Although Atkinson and the Lady Trojans
season ended early, Crowley believes her team
can be competitive next season.
We may have peaked a little bit early,
but I am proud of our team this year, said
Crowley, The last game doesnt define us, we
are already looking forward to next season.

Womens soccer coach named G-MAC coach of the year for second time

(l-r)Hannah Barney, Sophie Callis, Diane Corzine, Mark Foster, Liz Denton and Chelsea Russom at the
G-MAC awards brunch. Photo provided by Trevecca Trojans.
BY Andrew Preston
SPORTS EDITOR

For the second time in four seasons, Mark

Foster, head womens soccer coach, is Great
Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC)
Coach of the Year.
Obviously I take a lot of pride in winning
the award, but its not about me, said the
coach from Newcastle, Ireland. What I hate
is Calvin and Kaitlyn (our assistant coaches)
dont get the credit. I stand up there and get
handed the trophy, but I really wouldnt win
any award if it wasnt for them.
Foster coached the Lady Trojans to a
13-5-1 (11-3 G-MAC) record before falling
to the eventual G-MAC champions, Davis &
Elkins, 2-0 in the Trevecca hosted G-MAC
tournament in early November.

We dont win awards if the girls dont

perform and dont buy into our ideas, its
about the girls, said Foster, The reason
the spotlight was on me (at the end of the
year) was because the girls were amazing
(all season).
The girls did it themselves. They wanted
to make history this year and they did. They
bought into what coach was saying and it
really showed on the pitch, added Calvin
Da Cunha, assistant coach.
Foster, an 08 Trevecca graduate, played
four seasons for the mens soccer team,
finishing as the programs all-time leading
scorer with 41 career goals.
Although the Lady Trojans hopes of
winning the G-MAC tournament were cut
short, Foster said his team has a good shot
at winning next season.

Youre either moving forward or youre

moving backwards. The difficulty when
youve had an amazing year is to get your
players to realize they need to be better
again, that they need to work hard again,
said Foster, Although we won the league,
we didnt achieve our dream of winning the
tournament, which gets the bid to go to the
national tournament.
Foster thinks next season his team can
improve on this years success, but they
have to start working hard now.
We have to protect against
complacency, the minute you get
complacent, people overtake you. Thats
when you get surprising results: you lost,
but you were the better team, said Foster.
In 2014, the Lady Trojans helped Foster
win his first G-MAC Coach of the Year
award.
That team had a big senior class and
we had brought in 14 Freshman. It was
the perfect combination of youth and
experience. The perfect storm, said Foster.
Foster stressed that his 2016 team
differed in their approach and style than in
2014.
This year was a really small senior
class, we were reliant more on our younger
players stepping up and doing more, said
Foster.
Foster along with five Lady Trojans were
recognized with end-of-the-year awards.
Juniors, Hannah Barney and Sophie
Callis earned a spot on the first team
all-conference team. Second team all-

conference awards went to juniors, Diana

Corzine, Chelsey Russom and Liz Denton.
Its a tremendous honor for me (to
be first team all-conference), but all the
thanks goes to my teammates and coaches.
We had a really strong defensive unit and
any one of us could have made the first
team. I consider this a team award for sure,
said junior, Sophie Callis.
The Lady Trojans success in 2016 has
allowed coach Foster to recruit at a higher
level, although the incoming Freshman
class has yet to be finalized.
Were a good school. Were in a great
location (Nashville). We had a good season.
Girls want to play for a winning team. We
still are looking for our right fit in players.
We recruit the whole person, not just the
soccer player, said Foster.
The 2017-18 Lady Trojans will feature 10
seniors, along with a team aiming to win the
G-MAC post-season title.
We had one goal when we came here,
and that was to win the G-MAC conference
title. We had a really good chance this year,
but came up short. Our determination will
drive us next season, well be ready, said
Callis.
While Foster is pleased with the award,
want he wants most of all is for his girls to
keep winning.
The girls are the ones who won the
league. They are the league champions,
said Foster, We have to remember what
made us successful this year, and build off
that.

8 | 2016 | DEC | TrevEchoes

FEATURES| People of Trevecca

Tim Shean and Franklin hang out at the library, playing fetch and
talking with Trevecca students. Photos provided by Tim Shean.

A man and his dog: Tim and Franklin

Tim and Franklin offer advice and encouragement to students

BY Princess Jones
CONTRIBUTOR

Most days Tim Shean is sitting on the bench outside of

Waggoner Library. His dog, Franklin, makes the rounds
between students who are happy to see him.
Shean, who has lived in the Trevecca Towers on campus
for more than two years, spends his days visiting with
students and getting to know the details of their lives.
Its interesting to see what the students are learning
and how they are viewing the world, he said. You
really dont know where your life is going to lead. Some
people come here and want to be a physician assistant,
psychologist, or pastor. But it remains to be seen what
doors are going to open for you but if you learn how to
learn than you can do pretty much whatever you want.
Before Shean moved here, he lived with an exgirlfriend. After realizing that wasnt the best idea, Shean
and Franklin jumped to move in when an opportunity at
the Towers opened up. Shean is mostly retired, but still

works in music engineering at Herringbone Records,

which he runs. He can also be found playing around town
at times.
He started his time sitting on the bench because he
was curious about what college students learn these days.
Now, the students have become part of his daily life and
he enjoys their company. He also likes to give advice.
He said hes noticed some differences being at a
Christian versus a public institution.
Last Halloween the lady came out and put some
pumpkins over here in front of the library with some
little plants. I think on another campus you know some
drunk frat kid may take that and throw them against the
wall or something, whereas they were there for the entire
season. So that was kind of interesting, Shean said.
Students said they love playing with Franklin hearing
the many interesting stories Shean has to tell.
Tim is like a blessing to people and their lives
because he pours into them, and he pours into everyone

individually, said Alana Grimaud, a junior at Trevecca.

He is also great recruiter he is for the school, she said.
He loves this school just as much as I do. Another
great thing about Tim is whenever I am giving a tour, he
also talks to the people on the tour. He stops them and
talks good about the school towards incoming students,
which is another thing that adds to the campus
environment, Grimaud said.
While Shean is popular on campus, his dog Franklin
might be even better known.
Everybody knows Franklin. Im kind of the guy who
hangs out with the superstar guy. He is a joyous soul and
happy to be alive. If he can get you to play catch with
him than he is happy, said Shean.
Franklin helps some students fight homesickness.
Its good for the students to see a dog and interact
with one because a lot of them have left their pets at
home. I think the students who like Franklin would
miss him if they werent here, says Ruth Kinnersley,
director of the library.
Shean is glad he can bring a little cheer to students
and doesnt plan on going anywhere else.
Were pretty much here everyday rain or shine,
said Shean.

Trevecca missionary
graduate returns to Greece
BY Jess Plyler
CONTRIBUTOR

Jessica Govern, class of 2016, in Greece with friends

she met on the trip. Photos provided by Govern.

Jess Govern left her heart in Greece, and

this fall, she went to go find it.
The Trevecca class of 2016 alumnus was
one of the few students selected to aid in the
Syrian refugee crisis this past summer.
She returned at the end of July and began
working like any other college graduate, but
by October, she was back on a plane to Greece.
Last summer, her team, made up of 10
students, left three days after graduation.
Although the trip had unexpected turns at
nearly every corner, Govern fell in love with
the place. More importantly, she fell in love
with the people she met.

Govern says that her team was originally

assigned to serve in Serbia, but things didnt
go as planned. The team was told that they
were being redirected to Greece when they
arrived at the airport for departure.
The team worked in several different camps
throughout the summer, teaching English
and helping with whatever needed to be done
at the time.
It was a lot of willingness, said Govern.
We would show up and say, Hey, we speak
English and have two hands. What can we
do?
Govern said the refugees she encountered
in her three months overseas had a life
changing impact on her.
Upon returning to the States near the end
of July, Govern said she had a difficult time
getting back into the swing of American life.
Its really hard to do refugee relief work
from America. Im still grieving with them,
just 5,500 miles away, Govern said. Im
trying not to be super disheartened by
Americas response to the crisis, but to be
informational and speak light into those
things [instead].
She said she wishes that others around her
better understood the weight and importance
of what is happening.
Govern described the current situation as
the largest humanitarian crisis of our time.
Journalists are describing it as a death
camp. They are using descriptions to make
it seem like the Holocaust on purpose, said
Govern. We hear the numbers a lot and we
are quick to generalize, but thats dangerous

Jessica Govern, class of 2016, in Greece with friends she met on the trip. Photos provided by Govern.

because it dehumanizes and devalues people.

Mercy Corps is a global organization with
programs in over 40 countries [focused]
on influencing governments, multi-lateral
institutions and foundations and the private
sector to improve relevant policies, practices
and decisions in order to better help vulnerable
communities lift themselves out of poverty,
according to the organizations website.
According to Mercy Corps senior team
leader Javier Alvarez, the refugees bring a
sense of hope to their newfound lands.
We see many middle-class Syrians,
especially youth, who want to contribute.
They want to finish their studies, pursue

further education, or start working as they did

back in Syria, said Alvarez. We see a lot of
professional dentists, teachers, and doctors
these refugees are trained and they can
contribute.
Govern echoed Alvarez, urging her peers to
see refugees as people before labeling them as
anything other.
All they are asking for is their literal
human right for safety, but they are being met
with hostility and violence. Remember people
as people, said Govern. They are fathers
and mothers and sons and daughters, and
they each have a story to tell you.