Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / March 20, 2003, edition 1 / Page 4
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‘l^^e 4'*li TKiil-^day, 2003 ■0)ifhfons n I f''t'h'e'‘Pehdulum mailbox Letters criticize those who fail to appreciate scholarship donors and their gifts I am writing in response to the editorial written by Steve Storch in the March 13, 2003 edition of the Pendulum. Upon reading the article, 1 am disgusted by the ingratitude of a fellow student. Both my roommate and I received scholarships from Elon and we are proud of our accomplishments. In no way is accepting a scholarship or attending a dinner degrading to us. I see the scholarship I have received as something I have earned and worked hard to obtain. Like Mr. Storch, I was invited to a dinner honoring those who had given gifts to the university in the form of scholarships. I was eager to accept the invitation because I feel proud that we were selected to receive our donor’s scholarship. In addition, thanking some one in person does more than any letter ever could. If you do not feel honored or grateful for your scholarship you should give it to someone who would be. These contributors should be viewed as investors into our education not “boasting donors.” We should not put down the donors because we do not know their circumstances and the sacrifice they might have made to donate to a university they love. So instead of whining and complaining about meeting a new person you might actually come to like, hold your head up high and be proud of who you arc and what you have achieved. ■ Kelly Smith Senior The goal of prison reform is unclear and is not a solution What is the ultimate goal of a prison-reform system? Many peo ple would say the rehabilitation of the criminals that are placed through it. Unfortunately, however, our system cannot do these things with the way it is setup. Scientific research shows that the human body may behave violently or aggressively, the typical qualities of a criminal, due to certain chemistries. To build upon that, these chcmical imbalances may only be enhanced in a prison setting. Research shows that low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin (found in the brain and associated with mood) leads to irritability and aggression. By increasing levels of sero tonin you can decrease aggression and even depression, which is often done with prescriptions like Prozac. More evidence proves that low serotonin levels are found in vio lent offenders, such as arsonists, individuals susceptible to impul sive violence, and even those who are suicidal. Now this is where the prison- reform argument is tied in. Isolation, which is what a prison typically is, often leads to the lowering of serotonin levels. Why take aggressive offend ers, who most likely already have low levels of the neurotransmitter, and put them in isolation as pun ishment to make them behave when this has a likelihood of escalating the problem? - Michael Orr Sophomore As a student who is attend ing Elon mostly due to scholar ships and other means of finan cial aid, I was extremely angered and upset when I read the letter written by Steve Storch in last week’s issue. When I received the email a few weeks ago to attend the scholarship dinner after Spring Convocation, I replied immedi ately with a “Yes!” I am delighted to attend such an event where I can personally thank my generous donor for their contribution to Elon. The dinner is NOT degrad ing, humiliating and should be held. The people who have donat ed money to Elon could have done anything else with it; bought a bigger house, a nicer car, a trip around the world. But because they know the value of a good and sound educa tion, they donated to Elon University so people like me can reap the rewards of an excellent education. I do not feel like “less of a per son” because I need financial aid. 1 actually feel the opposite - proud that I am able to attend the school that I want to without having money determine my course. The money that I have received from Elon and outside sources over the past three years has given me so many opportuni ties that I would not have been able to get if I had to have made my college decision based on financial reasons. Elon benefits greatly from past graduates and other generous peo ple within the community. The buildings that we attend class in, the landscaping, the resources we have access to and the thousands of other liberties that we have as Elon students that go unseen everyday are available to us because of charitable dona tions. The scholarship dinner is something that I am very pleased to attend because I will be able to express my gratitude to my donor with a genuine smile on my face of happiness and appreciation. -Lindsey Parker Junior Donors make a difference in student’s lives and deserve to be honored by the university A letter to the editor in last week’s Pendulum provides me an opportunity to write concerning the upcoming dinner for scholar ship donors and recipients. The generosity of Elon’s hun dreds of scholarship donors, past and present, provides over $1.5 million annually for students who arc outstanding scholars, leaders, musicians and athletes, as well as those who could not attend Elon without some financial assistance. The motivation of these donors is simple: the desire to make a dif ference in the lives of young peo ple. Many of them received a scholarship during their college years and now enjoy repaying that debt by helping others. This year’s scholarship dinner revives a long-standing Elon tra dition of uniting scholarship donors and recipients for a meal together. The donors come excited about getting to know the students and hearing about their experi ences, plans and dreams. They come to see their gifts in action, and this is reward enough. For the students, it is an opportunity to get to know someone who has their own Elon story to tell and who has life experiences worth sharing. At Elon we arc very intention al about building and maintaining a caring community. This community includes not only the students, faculty and staff on campus but also the alumni, parents and friends who live externally and who love and believe in Elon as we do. Our hope is that the scholar ship dinner will be a time of fel lowship with members of this larger Elon community, bringing together those who hold common beliefs about the value and the joys of an Elon education. To all of you who have been invited, donors and students, we hope you will come and enjoy it! • Nan Perkins Vice President for Institutional Advancement Want your voice to be lieard? Send your letter to the editor. Call x7247 or e-mail at pendulum@elon.edu
Elon University Student Newspaper
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March 20, 2003, edition 1
4
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