Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / April 7, 1983, edition 1 / Page 7
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i Thursday, April 7, 1983 The Pendulum Page 7 Seniors consider futures, reminisce over school days Kathy Spelman by Loukis Louka News Editor On May 22, less than two months, some 500 students will be graduated from the ivy covered brick walls of Elon. Many of these stu dents have spent four years completing courses in their majors for a slip of paper that declares them college graduates. Two Elon students that will be graduating in May are Kathy Spelman and Gary Parker. Each student voyag ed to great, but different lengths since they ventured from their homes, slightly under four years ago. Spelman, of Washington, D.C., chose to attend Elon because its size is small, like that of her high school. Spelman explained that Barry Bradberry, who is now associate (Urector of sdniissions, had visited her high school several times during her senior year, recruiting students to attend Elon. Not A Number “I went to a small high school with only about 400 students. I knew all the students and I Uked that a lot. It made me feel like I *'as somebody instead of a number,” said Spelman, her blue eyes filled with memory. She remembers her fresh man sophomore year as “the toughest emotionally” because of the separation from her family and getting used to dorm life. Spelman declared herself a human services major at the end of her sophomore year. “I wanted to get into a field that had to do with people,” said Spelman. For the past three sum mers she has worked in a savings and loan as a teller. “That’s been a good experi ence. I enjoyed it, but it let me know that I don’t want to work a nine-to-five job in an office building. “I want to be outside working with people. I want to take what I’ve learned and go to graduate school and get a masters in resi dence life work, counseling or guidance, and work in a student affairs office. I like that type of atmosphere and being around college students.” As part of her human services major, Spelman completed an internship in the Office of Student Affairs. Of the experience she said, “It was fantastic, and I think that’s what made me decide that that was the field I wanted to go ■ into.” Grad Schoob Although she won’t be attending graduate school this fall, Spelman has been looking at various schools, including Appalachian State, University of North Carolina - Greensboro, and North Texas State University. Also, as part of her career interest, Spelman has been a resident assistant (RA) for two years. Last year, Spelman was an RA in West to nine women, and presently she is an RA to 38 women in Maynard Hall. Of working on a larger hall, Spelman said, “It’s harder to get them to do things together because they are in different suites and have different groups in each one so its like having five different halls. “I think it’s difficult at times to enforce the rules, but that’s the job that I’ve taken and it’s something I knew I was going to have to do if I took the position. “So far as enforcing them, I explained the rules to the hall and told them about the penalties if they didn’t abide by them, but I also let them know I was going to be their friend and someone they could come and talk to.” Besides being a resident assistant, Spelman also works in the cafeteria and is a member of Phi Mu soror ity. All these duties take up a great deal of her time. “I’m happy that I’m working and I’m busy. I’m glad I’m not just sitting around doing nothing, but sometimes I wish I had more time to spend with my friends. I don’t think there’s anything I’ve been involved in that I regret. I’ve learned a lot from the things I’ve done.” In retrospect, Spelman feels that if she hadn’t attended college, “I would have missed out on a whole lot.” Best Experience “Going to college is the best experience anyone could have. It’s a time when you’re away from your par ents but you still have people looking out for you, helping you along. If I had gone to work, I don’t know if I would have been able to leam so many things.” On getting out of college, Spelman said she is “nerv ous” but “confident” about graduating. “Half of me doesn’t want to leave and half of me is anxious to get out there and start working. I haven’t really been to any interviews, but I have the rest of my life to worry about whether I’m going to find a job or not.” Senior Gary Parker heard about Elon through a high school teacher and from several friends who went here and played baseball. Born in Southern Pines, Parker now lives in Rich mond, Va., and is a business major here. “At first, I didn’t like Elon because I thought it was too small and that there wasn’t much to do. After I found things to do, it was alright.” “I think there are things at Elon to do. It’s prevalent at a big college the things to do. Around here, people just have to go out and find them, whereas at a big school things come to them. Here they don’t; you have to go get them whether it’s the Greek system or anything else. “Since you’re here there’s no use in complaining about it unless you’re going to Gary Parker transfer. You just have to go out and find things to do.” Things To Do At the end of his fresh man year, Parker became a member of Sigma Phi Epsi lon fraternity. “People will be bored if they don’t get involved somehow in some thing. The fraternity gave me something to do; there’s always something going on; not just within the fratern ity, but you come in contact with everyone involved in the Greek system becaused we’re always doing things together or competing. Parker has applied to Georgia State, UNC-Greens- boro, and the University of Richmond for graduate study in business. “If I don’t get into graduate school, somehow I’m going back to school. I’m not through, and this isn’t my last swing. I’d either pick up an extra major or some thing, but right now I’m planning on graduate school. “I’m glad I’m planning on going back to school; I don’t have to get out and work right now. I’m kind of sorry to be leaving here because you wonder how it all went by so fast.” Dorm RA Kastings governs men and women % Carol Nix Suff Writer Co-ed Dorms at Elon? Not really, but there is one situation on campus that compares to it. Gretchen Kasting, a senior from Long Island, N.Y., is a resident assistant (RA) in the dorm, Colclough wing. Just like another other RA, ?ne is responsible for keep- her hall in order, mana- ®ng hall projects, issuing toUet paper, and fulfilling other duties for her hall students. But Gretchen’s hall I? „ from other dorm h«ls at Elon. Not only does >t contain a girls’ suite, it “SO contains several boys’ suites. . have one suite with suites “I,. 8uys,” Kasting said, •t s a lot of funi” As a student trainer for •ootball and soccer, Gret- said she enjoys being around “all the guys.” “They’re just like my big brothers,” she said. “If they need advice, (about dates, classes, etc.) they’ll ask us giris, and the same goes for us.” Kasting said that living next door to a suite full of guys makes it “easier to meet people of the opposite sex.” She said that it is convenient to have them there to party with, to study with, and just to talk to. This type of co-ed living seems to agree with the guys as well. “It made my fresh man year more enjoyable, said Tony Miller. “I think it’ll work if Elon continues it.” “She (Gretchen) treats us right!” Freshman Scott Howard exclaimed. “It’d be more fun if they were living in the suite!” Gretchen said that she especially enjoyed freshman guys “because they’re new to the area and the people. She sees the unique living situation onher hall as a means of helping thiem “break out of their shell.” Hall projects and events, such as intramurals, have been helpful in bringing them closer together. “It’s really a big-brother and little-sister type of relation ship,” Kasting said. “In January, we played intra mural water polo, and that really helped us to get to know each other.” How does a girl handle problems in a boy’s suite? “If a crisis arises, I’ll go in the suite if I have to,” Gretchen explained. “It’s really not much different from having an all-grils hall.” Kasting said that her hall generally works together well so there “aren’t very many problems.” As an RA, Gretchen is required to plan hall projects and programs that are both social and educational. With “diverse interests” between the two sexes, plannmg can sometimes be a problem she said. “It’s hard to get a program together to fit all interests and time sched ules.” Kasting took the job as a resident assistant in an attempt to “change some of the residential atmosphere. I felt like I could add some thing to residential life here at Elon,” she said. In addition to her duties as an RA and an athletic trainer, Gretchen works in McEwen cafeteria at break fast. She said she does not mind getting up early to go to work. “It’s reaUy nice because I get to see the sun coming up.” Kasting said that she likes working with athletes as a trainer, but she also likes to participate in athletics her self. Since Elon does not have a women’s track team, she continued her track career by running for the Elon men’s team. Gretchen said that the guys “helped her out,” but some “gave her a hard time at first.” “Some of them thought I wouldn’t make it,” she said. “But you’re not racing against them, you’re racing against time.” Kasting did run against some women, but she competed mostly against men. “I ran track in high school, and I wanted to continue running in col lege,” she said. Gretchen visited Elon after she heard about it from some friends. “It was a dreary, rainy day when I came here to visit,” she said, “but I loved it.” Kasting, a history major, said that this year’s living situation has made her last year even better. “We’ve really formed a community that I think no one else on campus has,” she said. “The way I see it, our hall is just like anybody else’s, only ours is just a little more unique!”
Elon University Student Newspaper
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April 7, 1983, edition 1
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