TrevEchoes

TrevEchoes | May
| May | w|
| 2019
| 2019

May 2019 | Trevecca Nazarene University’s Official Student Newspaper Since 1944 | TrevEchoesOnline.com

NEWS
Introducing next
Tom Middendorf named next provost
By Matthew Parris

year’s ASB presi- staff writer

In the mid-90s, Tom Middendorf was
dent and Chaplain studying psychology at Trevecca. He was
heavily involved with everything from being
Page 2 an RA to intramurals to working at the
cafeteria and plant operations. He dreamed
TREND of one day returning to work at Trevecca.
He is currently the associate provost and
Students spent dean of academic affairs. On July 1, he will
take over as the university’s chief academic
lent social media officer when Provost Stephen Pusey retires.
free “I’ll be honest, it’s intimidating, and I
wouldn’t be honest if I said it didn’t scare
Page 5
me,” he said. “It’s a huge responsibility, and it
comes with a lot of trust to lead the university
COLUMN in this way. I feel affirmed and encouraged
Dealing with body by the trust given to me, but also a little
intimidated by the magnitude of that.”
image issues Middendorf graduated from Trevecca in
Page 6 1999, and has worked for the university since
2008. Photo provided by Trevecca Marketing.

SPORTS “There was always a dream, I think, of
coming back to work for Trevecca, because I
SAAC president do think that my life was shaped deeply by
the people that work here at this institution,”
works overtime he said.
Since returning as a professional, he has
developed the freshman seminar course, Life
Page 7 Calling and Purpose, he has been the director
for the Center for Leadership, Calling, and
Service, and has served as both the associate
vice president for academic services and
associate provost and dean for academic
affairs.
“In my 24-year career he’s probably one
of the most talented folks that I’ve worked
alongside,” said Holly Whitby, associate
provost and dean of enrollment management,
and a friend and colleague of Middendorf.
“I’m excited for him, and I’m excited for
Trevecca. I think the school would be hard
pressed to find anybody more qualified and
ready for that role.”
Middendorf ’s near 11-year career has
CONTINUED PAGE5

CONNECT Civil Rights Activist Diane Nash recipient of Social Justice award
/TrevEchoesOnline BY MIRIAM KIRK
ONLINE EDITOR
Desegregated public transportation,
@TrevEchoes
lunch counters, schools and the passage of
the civil rights act of 1964 are just a few of
@TrevEchoes the things Diane Nash helped accomplish
in her extensive career as a civil rights
TrevEchoesOnline.com activist.
Diane Nash is an acclaimed American
TrevEchoes@gmail.com civil rights activist. She was prominently
involved with integrating lunch counters
through sit-ins, the Freedom Riders,
TNU Events App the Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee (SNCC), the Selma Right-to-
vote movement and Dr. Martin Luther
INSIDE King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership
NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Conference. She was also a part of a
committee that promoted the passage of
OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Nash, on April 11 was in chapel to
FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 receive the 2019 J.V. Morsch Center for Social
Justice Award, an award given annually
to a person who has made a significant
contribution to the advancement of social
justice.
Nash also led a discussion at the
Woolworths Counter downtown for
visiting students for the Nazarene Student
Leadership Conference hosted by Trevecca
this year.
Jamie Casler, director of the J.V.
Morsch Center for Social Justice, said the
role Diane Nash played in the movement is
largely unknown.
“When we think of Civil Rights History,
we often think of MLK Jr. or Rosa Parks as
the leaders of the movement. Diane Nash
also played a significant role in leading the
movement from behind closed doors. She
organized the Nashville Sit-in movement
and mobilized students to participate in the
CONTINUED PAGE 4

Adjustments to post-college JV recruitment will require new facilities

life normal for Trevecca grads
BY NAOMI OVERBY
STAFF WRITER
Almost a year after graduating from
Trevecca with an English degree, Amanda
Johnson works at a coffee shop, has been able
to write a little, lives with her parents and still
sees some friends from school.
Johnson originally thought by now she
would be working full-time at a job that was
heavily writing based, but since graduation,
she’s faced the reality of adjusting to life after
college.
“It felt really isolating. My whole envi-
ronment had been so Trevecca focused,” said
Johnson. “I had been involved in SGA, FNL—
anything I could do. The people who were left
there, I know it’s not true, but it kind of felt
like I didn’t matter because they’re all still in
this community, but I didn’t have it anymore,
[so] I was no longer a part of their world.”
The adjustment to leaving Trevecca is
often joked about on campus, dubbed as “Post
Trevecca Stress Disorder,” and was even the
topic of a skit this year in Friday Night Live,
but life after college is a reality that comes
around every spring for seniors.
“I wasn’t really aware of how hard that
transition was until I started working here
CONTINUED PAGE 3
BY KALLIE SOHM
STAFF WRITER
Recruiting an additional 100-150 more
athletes to campus for junior varsity teams
will require overcoming a few hurdles.
One question athletic officials are asking
is how to recruit player with no athletic
scholarship money.
“You really have to look for that person
who just simply loves competing at the sport,
and it really doesn’t matter to them whether
they’re playing varsity or jv. They just want,
during college, to continue to play ball,” said
Dan Boone, university president.
There are many challenges to recruiting
more non-varsity athletes, officials said.
Boone said the school’s current facilities
are one hindrance to recruiting those 100-
150 athletes within the next four years.
Danny Leavy, head men’s soccer coach, said
creating a junior varsity team has increased
his recruiting workload. And Mark Elliott,
athletic director, said the men’s basketball
team hired an additional coach this year as a
result of their new junior varsity team.
But so far approximately 36 junior
varsity recruits are coming to play next year.
Men’s basketball junior varsity, women’s
basketball junior varsity and men’s soccer
junior varsity have all be confirmed to play in
the 2019-2020 academic year.
Contrary to a previous report, women’s
soccer will not have a junior varsity team
next year. Kelsey Fenix, head women’s soccer
CONTINUED PAGE 7
2019 | May | TrevEchoes
Marina Yousef to serve as 2019-2020 ASB President
BY KAYLA WILLIAMSON
STAFF WRITER
After starting two groups on campus, being
a peer mentor and a member of Diversity council,
Marina Yousef, a junior and history major, became
the first commuter ASB (All Student Body) president.
On March 26, it was announced that Yousef
was the president. She said it still feels like a dream,
and that someone is going to reveal that it was just a
joke. While Yousef was not very involved in clubs in
high school, everything changed when she started
at Trevecca. Her freshman year, she started OCCM
(Orthodox Coptic Christian Ministries), in her
sophomore year she became a peer mentor and a
member of diversity council, and this year she started
a new club called Pre- Law society.
Yousef has always been drawn to justice. She
said it started when her parents migrated to the Unit-
ed States. Originally from Egypt, her parents moved
when she was 7-years-old. They were financially
stable in her home country. They made enough
money for her mother to not have to work. However,
they moved to give their family a better future.
After settling in the United states, Yousef said
things began to change for the worse. She remem-
bers her mother coming home crying, humiliated,
after cleaning the homes of her employers. Even
though she was only paid minimum wage, people
would steal her tips. Her father was also shot and had
to heal from a bullet wound on the living room sofa.
“Knowing that my situation is not unique, and
that my whole community is going though the same
thing, shaped me at a young age,” Yousef said.
She made a vow to become an attorney so that
she could help her people: People who have long
been forgotten, people who have been discriminated
against, and people who are defenseless.
Her love for government is evident in her plans
for SGA (Student Government Association). She
wants to change it from a “party planning club” to
something that is helpful for students and advocates
change. As a founder of two clubs on campus, she
said she felt as if SGA was competing against her,
instead of them working together. She plans on
helping other groups like Futuro and Walden, so
they don’t have to struggle to host events for their
Introducing the new ASB Chaplain: Stephany Hansen
BY Joshua Michel
STAFF WRITER
Stephanie Hansen can usually be
seen serving coffee as a barista at the 1901
coffee shop. In August, she will be serving
students in a slightly different way.
At the start of the 2019-2020 school
year, Trevecca will have a new ASB chap-
lain. Hansen, a sophomore religion major
with a focus on children’s ministry from
Spring Hill, Tennessee, was elected to suc-
ceed Jacob Beard as ASB chaplain in the
most recent SGA elections.
“Jake has told me how much of a
blessing this position has and how much
I will continue to see growth on this cam-
pus. He reminded me that it is whatever
I want to make it to be. He had so much
joy when he talked about the position and
it has obviously done a number of things
to his heart this year. I was told that it is
work, but it is so worth it. He really loves
people so well and did a more than amaz-
ing job this year at Trevecca.” said Hansen.
Beard came to Hansen and told her he
thought she would be a good candidate for
the position.
Hansen has led youth groups, created
bible studies for peers, mentored young
girls, and was the Assistant Site Leader at
a daycare.
“God brought His people to me time
Photo provided by Marina Yousef.
members.
“This isn’t about me,” Yousef said. “It’s a group
effort. This is my council, but beyond us, this is the
Trevecca body.”
Yousef said she was very close to not running
for president. It was first suggested to her by Brodrick
Thomas, director of community engagement and
reconciliation. She said SGA seemed more like
a club for “cool people” instead of a government.
She said she has more of a “grass roots” approach
to things, which means starting at the bottom and
working her way up with everyone else. She said she
called Thomas crazy and dropped the discussion,
but the idea lingered in her mind.
Thomas said Yousef’s potential was evident
in her work with Diversity Council. After just two
terms, she restructured the entire program by
creating graphics, key performance indicators,
measurements of effectiveness, and accountability
for members. He likened Yousef to Diane Nash,
prominent civil rights activist and organizer of lunch
counter sit ins. He said that while what Yousef is
doing not as extreme, she is setting a standard for
the next generation of students, while preparing the
ones who already attend.
“It’s important for kids like Marina -- who’s bril-
and time again until I applied. I have a
passion for people to see who they are in
Christ, even before they see it in them-
selves or know who Christ can be for
them,” said Hansen.
One of Hansen’s fellow SGA executive
council members will be ASB president
elect, Marina Yousef, a junior history ma-
jor. Yousef and Hansen did not know each
other before the recent ASB elections.
“I have recently received the privilege
to meet Stephanie this semester. From the
short time I’ve gotten to work with her, I
have come to admire her drive to be real,
vulnerable, and intentional with everyone.
She has a deep passion for serving the
Trevecca body and has many plans to con-
nect the students so we can be one body,”
said Yousef.
Hansen has plans to encourage small
groups, activities and more class gather-
ings and events. She will also be tasked to
“coordinate at least one all-school service
project per semester” according to the
Constitution of the Associated Student
Body of Trevecca Nazarene University.
“I want the overused word, “communi-
ty” to take a whole new meaning next year
when we focus on one another and not
just a crowd in Boone. I am going to be col-
lecting ideas before school ends for some
stuff to start next year, this way it will be
liant, who can facilitate meetings, who is structured,
who can have passion and heart to represent and
help develop you -- to step into a leadership role,”
said Thomas. “I have no doubt that’s given the ability
to do so in SGA. She’ll restructure the entire thing.”
He said it’s rare to find someone who can be
both human oriented and task oriented. According
to him, it takes a lot to do one of the other, but Yousef
manages to do both. Her initial fears were that peo-
ple wouldn’t like her, but Thomas reiterated that peo-
ple love her. The fact she’s a minority student shows
that people who are on the edge can participate and
get involved on campus too.
After deciding that she would run for president,
the support she received was overwhelming. After
her speech on her plans and her love for service, she
said people she didn’t know came up to her and told
her they believed what she was saying. Because she
was passionate about what she was talking about, no
one cared that she was a commuter, or the color of
her skin.
During NSLC (Nazarene Student Leadership
Conference), Yousef said all Nazarene schools in the
nation agreed to focus on diversity. This includes
religion, race, sexual orientation, political affiliation,
and social standing. She said she fears that when
white students hear the word diversity, they think
it will exclude them. But her version of diversity
including everyone’s voices, not just my
thoughts. I am such an advocate for those
who are struggling to know what true fel-
lowship is and I know The Lord will bless
this prayer,” said Hansen.
As ASB chaplain, Hansen will be
chaplain to all members of the student
body, both Christian and non-Christian.
“I have a feeling the first thing we
need to work on with all of Trevecca is
genuine friendships with all people. I
want to see Trevecca become reconciled in
any areas that have been torn down while
growing together whether in Christ or in
Photo provided by Stephany Hansen.
includes everyone and putting everyone on the same
level. She said it’s “full picture, everyone included,
and everyone loved.”
Diversity is one of the most important things to
Yousef. She was on Diversity Council during the 2016
election and she said she saw the campus become
divided. The next election is in 2020, and she said she
will do whatever it takes to not let that happen again.
While Yousef is proud that she is the first commuter
president, she said it’s more special because she is the
first “brown woman” president.
“It’s hard, first, for women to get to power,
especially minority women to get to power, and I find
that that’s my achievement,” Yousef said.
While Yousef enjoys being involved in the
community, she said it can be overwhelming at
times. She expressed the importance of using the
counseling center and asking for help when she
needs it. Even though her list of things continues to
pile up, she still continues to help others when she
can. She recently went to Trevecca’s president cabinet
to advocate for a fellow student who feared they
would have to return to their home country because
they couldn’t afford tuition.
She has also had a positive impact on her close
friend, Tervina Ibrahim, a junior and exercise science
major. Ibrahim met Yousef in Sunday school after
moving to the United States from Egypt. She soon
realized that they went to the same high school as
well. After figuring out they were going to the same
college, Ibrahim said their friendship became even
stronger.
“I was not the same person before I met Mari-
na. I’m a lot stronger now and more confident,” Ibra-
him said. “She was there every time I needed her.”
Yousef remembers in past years, letting as-
signments and work get the best of her. She said she
when something would come up, she would say “I
can’t wait until this week is done” or “I can’t wait until
this day is done.” But as her time at Trevecca speeds
by, she’s reluctant to think about the end. As a result,
she came up with a slogan for this semester and her
senior year: Don’t wish the minutes away.
love,” said Hansen.
“Stephanie’s vision aligns so well with
mine and the whole council. We are all
seeking to bring the body together so the
Student Government can work on serving
each member well. For next year, I see the
president-chaplain relationship to be a
close one,” said Yousef.

Students and faculty work to combat life after graduation
CONTINUED FROM COVER
with people post-graduation,” said Sara Hop-
kins, director of counseling services. “You’re
losing your identity, structure... in some ways
you’re losing close friendships; it takes an ex-
tra amount of work to engage with someone
off campus. It’s a very difficult time.”
Being intentional about staying con-
International students prepare for life after graduation
BY ALEXIS GARCIA
FEATURE EDITOR
Most international students have to
head back to their home country after
graduation as finding a job in the US
that they can take is difficult.
This year 12 international students
are graduating from Trevecca. Students
are given a 60-day grace period after
their program is completed. Within
the 60 days, international students are
able to sell their belongings and make
adjustments to head out of the country.
If students would like to stay and
work in the United States, they have
to apply for optional practical training
(OPT) which can take up to five months.
International students have two options,
they can apply 90 days before their
completion of their program end date
or 60 days after the completion of their
program.
Applying with the 60 days after the
completion of their program might not
be a good idea according to Maria Petty,
coordinator of international students
and iwork. Students have a 12 month
authorization to work in the US.
“If they apply on the graduation
date, they can but it’s going to take
them basically up to five months later,
which means they’re going to lose three
months of work,” said Petty. “Many of
our students are applying late because
they don’t have the money to apply for it
because it cost $410.”
International students cannot get
a job anywhere they want because they
are required to have a job related to
the field the student studied. The only
way for a student to get any job is to get
citizenship.
nected to places where students have found
community and identity can help with the
transition, said Hopkins.
“I think [what scares me most] is mainly
that I don’t really know what I’m doing,” said
senior Bailee Hastings. “I feel like I received
a good education, but there’s this fear in me
For most international students, it
is hard to find jobs in the United States,
but for Nara Somboon, a senior religion
major, said she already knew what job
she wanted before coming to Trevecca.
Somboon’s parents run a ministry in
Payao, Thailand where they have an
orphanage and a school. Somboon wants
to help her parents grow their ministry
because she said there is a need to help.
“At first, I never wanted to be a
missionary or do anything like that, but
like growing to love the kids and just
seeing how much need there is Thailand
and for being one of the number one of
the top countries of human trafficking”
said Somboon. “I feel like for me being
from there and knowing the culture,
there is a need for an insider perspective
of how to better help the issue.”
She also wants go to graduate school
at Trevecca. While studying, Somboon
is going to work part-time in her parents
ministry which is based in the United
States to help coordinate mission trips
and later teach back at home.
Somboon hopes to get her
citizenship soon. Because she is married
she said it will be much easier for her to
travel back and forth to her jobs.
Gabriela Dias Nascimento, a recent
Trevecca graduate who graduated in
December in sports management, is
currently in graduate school at Trevecca
to get her MBA.
Nascimento currently has a job at
Trevecca being the assistant coach and
said hopes to get a job in the U.S. to
become a head coach.
Although Nascimento said there
might be issues she might face, she said
that I won’t be good enough to find a job that I
want to do. That I won’t know how to do it.”
Hopkins said that’s a normal fear of grad-
uating seniors.
“People place a lot of pressure on them-
selves to have it figured out, but knowing that
it’s hard for everyone and talking about how
hard it is is important,” said Hopkins.
For Johnson, particularly challenging
was the first semester when others returned
to Trevecca, but opening up about the expe-
rience with fellow graduate Maddie Clark
made it easier.
“I’m in a much better place now,” said
Johnson. “I think it helped just learning to
let go of this ideal life that I had imagined I
would have and realizing that I have time. I’m
only 23.”
Not taught in a class or group is adjust-
ing to life off campus specifically without the
rules Trevecca has in place. Clark, who was
an RA at Trevecca before graduating, still re-
tained some of them in the back of her mind
for a while.
“I was so nervous around people drink-
ing, I was like ‘This is wrong’ but everyone
was of age,” said Clark. “When I had my place
off campus my boyfriend would come over
and for the first couple of times it just was
really weird. I didn’t have to have permission
or it be a certain time.”
But life without rules and regulations
comes with the new challenges; careers, living
situations, student loans.
she is not scared.
“Coming overseas I had to deal
with a lot of stuff that I didn’t really
expect, but I overcame all obstacles,”
said Nascimento. “So I believe if there’s
anything that will come my way. I’ll for
sure make it.”
If Nascimento cannot get a job in
the states, she said she will head back
home in Belo Horizonte, Brazil to find a
head coach position and most likely get
the job.
“I will be ahead of people when it
comes to get a job just because I came
to the states and got a degree,” said
Nascimento. “ So I believe it’s extremely
Somboon with her family. Photo provided by Nara Somboon
TrevEchoes | May | 2019 |
Katelyn Sharpes, director of career ser-
vices and professional development, has been
running a group that meets at the counseling
center called “Life Beyond the Hill.” Targeted
towards upperclassmen to help them learn to
navigate life after college, they’ve covered top-
ics such as understanding job benefits, what
employers want besides basic job skills, and
preparing for your community to change.
“The students that come really find it
valuable,” said Sharpes. “But we don’t have
great attendance.”
Senior Gabby Smith knows about the
group, but hasn’t been able to attend since
the group meets at 10 a.m. on Fridays, and it
conflicts with her schedule.
“I wish Trevecca would host a senior
class strictly for those about to graduate,
because I think financially it would help
people,” said Smith, who recently has been
stressed over living situations after gradua-
tion.
Sharpes’ passion for the Life Beyond the
Hill is fueled by her experience graduating
and getting a job, but also that she wants
students to know more about career services
and professional development, and what
resources they offer students both before and
after graduation.
“We’re trying to rebrand career services
so students know what it is and what we can
offer,” said Sharpes. “I don’t know that many
people realize that it’s out there.”
important that I came here and got my
degree.”
For international students and
regular traditional undergraduate
seniors who are planning to get a job
after graduation Petty suggests some
tips.
“I would recommend applying for
one or two jobs a day,” said Petty. “It’s
easier to believe in yourself to when
you’re not like this is all or nothing
if you just apply for one job. If you
apply for multiple jobs then, you’re
spreading that risk too and it won’t feel
so overwhelming.”
2019 | May | TrevEchoes

NEWS
Civil Rights Activist Diane Nash recipient of Social Justice award
CONTINUED FROM COVER
Freedom Rides when the movement came
to a standstill in Birmingham, Alabama due
to violence,” Casler said.
In chapel Nash shared the meaning of
the phrase Agapic Energy a term she coined
during the movement.
“Agapic energy is energy produced by
the love of humankind,” Nash said.
Olivia Travis, a freshman majoring
in marketing, said that it was exciting to
have such an influential leader of the Civil
Rights Movement at Trevecca.
“We learn about the Civil Rights
Movement in history classes and hear
about the important work of people like
MLK, Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks but it
sounds like it was so far in the past. This
movement happened less than 60 years ago,
my grandparents experienced this, and to
have someone like Mrs. Nash who played
such a pivotal role, at the age of 18 my age,
is inspiring,” Travis said.
Nash said she wanted student to gain a
better understanding of the philosophy of
the Civil Rights Movement.
“People are never your enemy.
Unjust political systems are your enemy,
unjust economic systems, racism, sexism,
attitudes, ignorance, emotional and mental
illness are enemies. If you recognize that
people are not your enemy, you can love
and respect the person at the same time you
attack the attitude of that person,” Nash
Photo provided by Trevecca Marketing.
said. Oppression is a partnership between the her contribution to the civil rights. Nash
Nash offered a statement that
Casler hopes that student learn that no oppressed and the oppressor,” Nash said. was named recipient of the Distinguished
summarized how and why segregation
matter their age they can make a change. “Very often we give away our power and we American Award from the John F. Kennedy
was so successful up until the civil rights
“I’m hoping Trevecca students will waste a lot of time trying to change other Library and Foundation. She also Received
movement.
learn, you can make a difference in the people.” the LBJ Award of Leadership in Civil Rights
“Oppression always requires the from the Lyndon B. Johnson Library and
world. Whether that is on campus, in their Nash has received numerous awards
cooperation of the oppressed. If the Museum.
communities or globally. Diane was an and honors for her work.
oppressed withdraw their cooperation from
18-year-old at Fisk University when she In 1965 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
the oppressive system that system will fall.
began organizing these movements.” awarded Nash the Rosa Parks award for

DACA recipients in limbo as future of the program remains unclear

BY KAYLA WILLIAMSON
STAFF WRITER
Olivia Gonzalez, a freshman and
biology major, often runs on less than five
hours of sleep. Along with the pressures of
working and being a college student, she
also worries about her status as a DACA
recipient.
DACA stands for Deferred Action
for Childhood Arrivals, a program
administered by the Obama administration
that protects people brought to the U.S.
illegally as children from being deported. It
also gives them a chance to achieve higher
education, receive work permits, and attain
a driver’s license. In order to receive DACA
status, they have to submit an application
and complete a biometrics exam in order
to confirm their identity. DACA recipients
must complete the process every two years,
which costs about $500.
On Sept. 5, 2017, former U.S. Attorney
General Jeff sessions announced that the
government was ending the DACA program.
The Department of Homeland Security was
also instructed to reject all initial DACA
applications, work permits, and renewal
applications from current DACA recipients.
The decision was fought with multiple
lawsuits, and the plans to end the program
have been halted. While new applications
are not being accepted for DACA, recipients
can continue to renew their status.
“It’s really hard, especially with the
president we have now,” said Gonzalez.
“Now we’re kind of just playing it by ear. It’s
really hard to tell if anything’s going to be
implemented soon.”
Gonzalez said when the results came
in for the 2016 election, she remembers
one of her best friends crying. One of
President Donald Trump’s promises during
the presidential campaign was to build a
wall between the Mexico and United States
border. Gonzalez has overheard comments
from peers, saying they agree that a wall
needs to be built.
Maria Petty, coordinator of
international students, said the current
political landscape can be hard for DACA
students. She said many DACA students
feel like they can’t open up to their peers.
“I think they feel unseen, with the
political landscape and people’s opinions,”
Petty said. “I think they feel scared, like
they can’t really say what’s going on with
them, even in their personal lives.”David
Velasquez, a senior and criminal justice
major, is not a DACA student, but he is the
president of Futuro, a group that focuses on
empowerment and career development. He
said the majority of the group are DACA
students, but it’s not something that they
focus on. However, he said he considers his
group as family, and they feel comfortable
opening up to each other. He said some of
the issues that DACA students deal with
are the financial strains of attending higher
education, and essentially being a person
of color when they leave the campus.
“A really big issue is profiling. It kind of see others as their citizenship status. That
encompasses everything,” said Velasquez. means DACA students, non-documented
“If they look undocumented, ICE students, and international students as
(Immigration and Customs Enforcement) well.
or the police can inquire about them.” Petty said she hopes students will start
Velasquez said attending higher to reach out to each other, and to learn
education can be unrealistic for some about one other even if they look different
DACA recipients. They don’t qualify from them. That doesn’t mean starting out
for federal aid or student loans. Public asking where they are from, but to get to
institutions and state schools often require know each other as peers.
DACA students to pay out-of-state tuition, “We all have some form of implicit
which is usually much higher than in state bias,” said Petty. “Just because a Hispanic
tuition. According to Velasquez, that’s person is on our campus doesn’t mean they
why many DACA students attend private are whatever you think they are. They are
institutions; there is usually one flat rate. students just like every other student.”
Housing costs and meal plans are the
reason most DACA students are commuters,
according to Petty. She also said most DACA
students already live in Nashville, so the
best option for them is to commute.
Gonzalez is a commuter. On top
of tuition, she has to pay for gas, rent,
and other necessary bills. Gonzalez said
attending school, working, and dealing
with the stress of being a DACA recipient
can be a lot to handle.
After leaving school at about 3p.m., she
usually works from 4 p.m. to 12a.m. There’s
a 20 minute drive between work and home,
then she does homework for about three to
four hours. With only a few hours of sleep,
the cycle continues for the majority of the
week.
Gonzalez, Velasquez and Petty David Velasquez. Photo provided by Velasquez.
expressed their desires for students to not

NEWS
Middendorf to take over as provost on July 1
CONTINUED FROM COVER
now culminated in his next role as provost,
the chief academic officer directly under the
president. He is charged with the creation
and implementation of academic priorities.
He said that these priorities he will focus on
as Provost will include mission, mentorship
and student learning.
Middendorf explained each point,
starting with his passion for Trevecca’s
mission.
“We are a Christian university” he said.
“Our focus on leadership and service is
something that we are very rooted in, and
wanting to maintain mission focus of this
university is really important to me.”
Jessica Dykes, associate vice president
and dean of student development who
has worked closely alongside Middendorf,
described his vision as being rooted in the
gospel, care for people, and a commitment
to excellence. She has also seen firsthand
his commitment to his second priority,
Social media impacts mental health of college students
BY AUDREY YAWN
STAFF WRITER
Jacinda Johnson gave up social media for
Lent this year. For six weeks she didn’t check
her Instagram or Twitter.
Johnson, who said she was having trouble
being present with her friends and found
herself wasting time on her phone instead
of being productive, found the break to be
a relief from comparing herself to the other
girls on social media.
“Sometimes a friend and I would be
hanging out and we’d be on our phones
together,” said Johnson. “I would be on my
phone and just waste time… just comparing
myself [to others]”
Johnson said it was difficult at first because
of her habitual checking of social media, but
it got easier as time went on.
“At first it was weird because I would
go to check an app and then was like ‘Oh I
can’t check that app because it isn’t there
anymore,” said Johnson. “[After the first few
days] it wasn’t that bad.”
According to Common Sense Media study,
young adults spend an average of nine to 10
hours on social media a day, and it has led to
people becoming overly dependent on their
apps for connection, a negative impact on
self-image, anxiety and depression.
Amanda Grieme-Bradley, assistant
Trevecca to host first board gaming day on campus
BY ETHAN CAMPBELL
STAFF WRITER
Trevecca will host Nashville Tabletop Day-
-a day of board game playing--for students
and visitors on April 27.
Nashville Tabletop Day is an annual event
hosted by Meeple Mountain, a board gaming
website and blog. This will be the event’s
fourth year, with a projected attendance
more than 400. This year the event will take
place at Trevecca for the first time, since it has
outgrown its previous location.
“I thought it would be a really fun thing
to be a part of this international movement.
Everyone in the world getting together on
a specific day to honor board games, to
play board games,” said Andy Matthews,
organizer of the event and founder of Meeple
Mountain.
The event will take place in the Boone
Convocation Center from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The event is completely free, but Meeple
Mountain asks that attendees register online
before arriving. Meeple Mountain will be
providing some games to play, but welcome
mentorship.
“He helped me get my first job after
being a resident director,” she said. “He
helped mentor me, for my very first job
after leaving here, to go to the University of
Texas at Tyler, and he helped prep me for
my interview, and really gave me some great
professional insight.”
Middendorf himself has experienced
the benefits of mentorship, both as a student
and an employee of the school.
“I certainly had mentors while I was
a student,” he said, citing Steve Harris, Rob
North, and Terry Pruitt as examples. “Some
of the professors I had that I really looked up
to, those are people who just served as great
models and were really strong relationally for
me. Since being back as a professional I’ve
had people investing in me as well.”
Middendorf said at the heart of
mentorship is strong relationships.
“I really think that Trevecca’s mission
professor of psychology, said this is true on
campus.
Students struggle with the dependency on
social media just sitting in class, she said.
“There’s a difficulty of people sitting
through class and not checking their social
media,” said Grieme Bradley. “I get concerned
with that.”
Emily Kratzert, a counselor at the Trevecca
Counseling Center, said identifying the
problems with social media can help make
managing it easier.
“Naming [the problem] is so important,”
said Kratzert. “For example, what do you
get from interacting with this influencer’s
Instagram page? Just talking through what’s
happening for you like, ‘Oh when I’m doing
this I’m feeling this.’ It brings it down to this
tangible level.”
Grieme-Bradley said the reason validation
from social media exists is because of the
young age kids are exposed to it.
“We’re all looking for that acceptance and
recognition,” said Grieme-Bradley. “The
younger we start the more it primes us to
want it.”
Validation through social media, or that
“feel good” emotion, we get when someone
interacts with us can create a false sense of
connection, said Kratzert
“People experience this good feeling after
the attendees to bring their own as well. Door
prize board games will be given out at 1 p.m.
and 5 p.m. with over 50 other games available
to be won through a “play to win” system set
up by Meeple Mountain. T-shirts and food
will be sold during the event.
Matthews started looking for a new venue
for the event after the success of last year’s
event. He was eventually led to Trevecca
by his brother-in-law, Jonathan Bartling,
associate vice president for academic services
and accreditation at the Trevecca.
Zack Church, resident director of
Benson Hall and coordinator of commuter
programming, was brought in to help
facilitate, and connect Matthews with
Trevecca’s All Aboard Game Club.
“Through a couple of different channels,
his request got forwarded to me. Because
people around campus knew that I’m really
into board games… I knew that [Meeple
Mountain] were very family friendly, they are
great to be around, and they put on amazing
events,” said Church.
is best served in its relationships between
the people employed by the university and
the students,” he said. “If we are to share in
Christian community, that doesn’t happen
without good relationships.”
According to Middendorf, student
learning is of utmost importance to him.
“Student learning has to be one of
the thing that drives us,” he said. “The
mentorship, even the mission, doesn’t really
mean much if we’re not in tune with the
students of our campus. That’s not just our
traditional students, that’s our nontraditional
students as well.”
Middendorf has two children: 7-year-old
daughter Marley, and 4-year-old son Asher.
According to his colleagues, he is a dedicated
family man who makes time to take his wife
out to lunch and watch his children’s soccer
games. His family also motivates his work.
“I want to treat Trevecca as if my kids will
one day be here,” he said. “I think there’s a
[interacting on social media] then this drop
like, ‘This didn’t give me what I needed,’ ”
said Kratzert.“ We all want connection.We all
want to respond and be responded to. It’s the
replacement of actual connection.”
Johnson said one struggle with not being
on social media is being unaware of things
going on.
“My friends will ask me if I saw something
on Instagram,” said Johnson. “It’s hard
because some resident halls sometimes post
information on social media so I won’t know
what’s going on.”
Grieme-Bradley has a list of questions to
be mindful of when evaluating if one may
be struggling with a dependency on social
media.
“Is it interfering with their relationships?
Are they not leaving their room? Are they
connecting with other people?” said Grieme-
Bradley.
Kratzert said she helps students who
struggle with social media or find it is
affecting some part of their lives and
encourages anyone who has problems with it
to seek them out as well.
“So far I’ve helped two clients who came
to me with social media as a problem, but
usually I find that it is a factor for other
problems. What other demographic has had
to deal with social media and technology?
It just makes sense to me that this is an
Trevecca is centrally located in Nashville,
providing easy access to all of Nashville’s
residents that wish to come to the event.
“What I essentially worked out was, if
Trevecca sort of is co-hosting this event, and if
we establish this as an event for our students,
then we could do it for free,” said Church.
Nashville Tabletop Day started in 2016
as part of International Tabletop Day, a
day celebrating board games with 160
participating countries. By 2017, it had grown
into the largest International Tabletop Day
event in the North America, and in 2018 the
largest in the world, according to Matthews.
“The problem was, probably about two
or three years ago Geek & Sundry, who
is the umbrella organization that started
International Tabletop Day, was purchased
by another company. And since then they
have changed their focus for Tabletop Day,
somewhat… They wanted to focus on the
brick and mortar stores. Go into your local
store, play board games, maybe buy some
board games there in person. And so it’s
been increasing more difficult to associate
TrevEchoes | May | 2019 |
certain care and perspective that you take in
looking at the institution in a way that you
want your own family to intend. There’s a
certain way of looking at the institution, that,
you want to care for it deeply in that way,
because it becomes even more personal along
those lines.”
As a former student, an employee with
a wide variety of experience, and a hopeful
father, Middendorf and his colleagues believe
he offers a unique perspective to the position.
“I think that’s one of his great assets, is
that Tom loves Trevecca,” said Whitby. “It’s
not just another job for him.”
issue.” said Kratzert. “A lot of what we do
is being curious about what they’re feeling
and articulating those emotions and just
exploring that. There could be work setting
boundaries around social media and not just
compulsively getting on it.
According to Common
Sense Media study,
young adults spend an
average of nine to 10
hours on social media
a day, and it has led to
people becoming overly
dependent on their apps
for connection, a negative
impact on self-image,
anxiety and depression.
with that. Not because I have any problem
with that, but because they are very tight
lipped about the dates… But in the case of my
event, because we have such a high number
of attendees, we really have to find out well
in advance… to find a suitable venue,” said
Matthews.
“If it is something that goes really well,
and if it is something that our students really
enjoy… I would like to try to do it again next
year, because I think it’s a good service to
Nashville. I think it’s good, free advertising for
Trevecca. I think that there are a lot of high
school students who will come to an event
like this... To see a college hosting something
of this magnitude and of interests that they
really share. I think that’s nothing but good
publicity to our university,” said Church.
To register in advance, see the full list of
play to win games and find further details
on the event visit www.nashvilletabletopday.
com.
2019 | May | TrevEchoes
EDITORIAL & OPINION
From the counseling center: How to combat body image is-
sues as summer approaches
BY SHAYE PENNINGTON
COLUMNIST
I daily see the struggles that young
men and women face in regards to sum-
mer and their bodies. And quite honestly,
despite the jokes of this Nashville weather,
swimsuit season and summer are quickly
approaching.
Along with this season and the New
Year, come the great declarations of get-
ting swimsuit ready. The declarers posting,
sharing, and claiming - “This is the year of
me!” “This year I will “eat-clean!” “This
year I will lose weight.”
And one-by-one we see these resolu-
tions fall to wayside of unimportance as
the year dwindles into next. However, those
negative thoughts we tell ourselves each
days get louder and louder.
Jump on Facebook and see ads for how
to lose weight fast. Or try this new pick-
le-juice only cleanse - lose 5 pounds this
week!
It’s nearly impossible to quiet those
voices when we constantly are fighting
Editorial: Introducing next
year’s editor-in-chief
BY MARIA MONTEROS
There are two essential details about
me. First, my name is Maria Monteros.
And second, I’m the new editor-in-chief
of The TrevEchoes.
Beginning next school year, I’ll be
taking on the responsibility of writing
the voice of the student body in print. As
a journalist, I live by a simple rule: you
talk, I’ll listen and write.
First and foremost, I have an obses-
sion with the news. I start the day going
through newsletters, commute with a
news podcast playing over the radio
and go about the day always vigilant for
news alerts.
As a junior in the multimedia jour-
nalism program, I know I have a lot
to learn. But I believe I understand
journalism well enough to know that
for every new issue, is a team of student
writers who work hard to fill tables and
newsstands in the library, 1901 and every
lobby on campus with stories.
I want to emphasize the word “team”
because it’s exactly what I want to build.
In the newsroom, our goal is to work
together in reporting issues and events
that matter for the student body.
At the TrevEchoes newsroom, I en-
courage staff members and the student
body to bring their experiences to the
table. Offer ideas you’d like to write, it’s
what makes a good journalist.
News happens constantly. And while
the staff can always work towards releas-
ing stories, it’s also our responsibility
to engage with readers. We write the
news and you, the reader, can choose to
ignore it or start a conversation.
When I start my role, I’d like to bring
my love for writing stories about people
to the table. I believe it is our duty as
journalists to find the human element of
an issue.
And since we’re talking about human-
izing stories, let me tell you something
against the newest fad or quick fixes to
“make our lives better.”
But the truth is … you are not a mis-
take. When we can stop trapping ourselves
in the chains of shame and self-hatred is
when we can become exactly who we are
meant to be. When we strip away our bad
experiences, the things we soaked into our
core because of an unhealthy relationship,
or stop identifying ourselves as a problem
we are left alone with our very own essence.
And in that brokenness we reteach
ourselves our own loveliness. Isn’t it inter-
esting how we constantly are putting our-
selves in a cage of wanting to be somewhere
we are not or something different than
what we are? We allow ourselves to be con-
stantly agitated or non-accepting.
For example, we grant ourselves per-
mission to be in a relationship with some-
one, but refuse to love because we know
when we surrender we could lose. That’s
what it means to put yourself in a cage. You
are constantly struggling and fighting to
make the endgame different.
about me.
Here’s what I’ve done so far.
As I’m writing this, I’m in New York
City writing breaking news entertain-
ment stories as an intern at Newsweek
Magazine. I write a variety of stories
from celebrities to pop culture.
I, like many others, started as a staff
member at The TrevEchoes the first
semester I arrived on campus with no
clue what I was doing. I became the
online editor and assistant news editor
a year later before joining a journalism
semester program in New York City.
In one way or another, my life moves
as quickly as news. Becoming the next
editor-in-chief certainly wasn’t what I
was expecting when I came to Trevecca
as a transfer student, but here I am writ-
ing my introduction.
Stay tuned and pick up a copy, it’s
free.
It’s almost as if there is a part of you health.
that knows it must shatter itself first before Find a body-image activity you do en-
allowing it to be shattered by someone or joy. Hate running? Sure! That would not
something else – and we do this every day be on my top list. How about walking or
with our relationship with our bodies. reading a good book? Instead, choose an
Let this summer not just be about activity that actually brings you joy. Lastly,
changing who we are, but leaning into your make a daily habit to stop self-objectifying.
true self with love and acceptance - em- Do not think of yourself as an object to-be-
bracing each and every inch of yourself. We changed first, but rather you are a person
lean in first by thanking our bodies. We say first - a whole human-beautiful-being be-
thank you for “the heart you kept beating cause, “You cannot love your body for what
even when it was broken, for every answer you hope it turns into without actively lov-
you gave me in my gut, for loving me back ing it for what it is today.”
even when I didn’t know how to love you,
and for every time you recovered when I This column is a rerun. The Counseling
pushed you past our limits. I thank you for Center will be back next issue.
today, for waking up” (Wade, 2018).
The next step to self-acceptance is to
stop engaging yourself in negative body-im-
age activities. You know those activities that
spin you into a whirlwind of self-hatred?
Instead, surround yourself with positive
people who will uplift you and encourage
you on a pathway to physical and mental
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-In-Chief
Brooklyn Dance
BEDance@trevecca.edu
Sports Editor Feature & Events Editor
Maddux Reid Alexis Garcia
mkreid@trevecca.edu AGarcia@trevecca.edu
Online media Manager online editor
Ethan campbell miriam kirk
etcampbell@trevecca.edu mskirk@trevecca.edu
STAFF WRITERS
Matthew Parris
MWParris@trevecca.edu
Bailee Ford
BDFord@trevecca.edu
Kallie Sohm
KESohm@trevecca.edu
Naomi Overby
KNOverby@trevecca.edu
Kayla Williamson
KMWilliamson@trevecca.edu
Joshua Michel
JCMichel@trevecca.edu
Audrey Yawn
AAYawn@trevecca.edu
TrevEchoes is published by and for the students of Trevecca Nazarene University. The views expressed in Trev-
Echoes are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Trevecca. Contrib-
utors may be edited for grammar, spelling, content, or space consideration. Our office is located in Jernigan.
 SPORTS TrevEchoes | May | 2019 |

More facilities needed to accommodate more athletes on campus

CONTINUED FROM COVER
coach, said that she will be expanding the
roaster of her team from 23 to approximately
28 to 30 women.
Leavy said the chance to develop as
players is a draw for recruits to join their
junior varsity team. He said previously it has
been hard for men who are not in the top 15
of the team to gain experience at Trevecca,
but junior varsity play helps provide that
experience.
“So far, the guys [recruits] that I have
talked to about it [being on the junior varsity
team] have been really grateful,” said Leavy,
“Most of them have been very thankful for
any kind of opportunity.”
One of those grateful men is Guillermo
Pacheco, current Trevecca junior. Pacheco
was offered the 15th spot on the junior varsity
soccer team. Leavy and Nicolas Reinhard,
future junior varsity coach, saw him play at
their futsal tournament fundraiser in January.
Boone said junior varsity sports and club
sports are an opportunity to recruit students
through Top Nazarene Talent (TNT), which
happened last month.
“We’ve got kids out of our own church
who, their dream coming to TNT is that
one day they’re going to be able to play at
Trevecca,” said Boone, “A jv team gives us the
opportunity to say yes to more of those kids
for whom their founding denomination has
established the college.”
Neither soccer coaches said they were
watching TNT very closely for players.
“We don’t have a history of signing
anyone from TNT,” said Leavy, “That’s not
been on purpose by any means; we’ve just
never found a player who was on the level
capable of playing in our conference [at
TNT].”
Ben Tyree, head softball coach, said
he recruited Ansley Brantley, former Lady
Trojan from 2012-2016, at TNT. Tyree said
Brantley led the nation in runs scored and
was on the All-Region Team her senior year.
Elliott said he is concerned about junior
varsity recruiting becoming a Title IX issue.
He said this is because male athletes are more
likely to agree to play on a junior varsity team.
Elliott said female athletes are more likely to
pass up the offer if they can play varsity at a “The old movie Field
lower division or to not play at all and focus
more on academics.
of Dreams, ‘If you build
“It’s easier to get guys [to play junior it, they will come,’ well
varsity]. We’re working really hard to get
females [to join junior varsity],” said Elliott, you [Trevecca] have to
“So, if the guys just come then all of the
sudden we are out of proportion for where we figure out are you going
need to be for Title IX gender equity.”
to build it and then they
Elliott is still figuring out which step in
the recruitment process should come first.
come or do you make
“The old movie Field of Dreams, ‘If you
build it, they will come,’ well you [Trevecca] them come and then
have to figure out are you going to build it and
then they come or do you make them come build it?” said Elliott,
and then build it?” said Elliott, “That’s where
we are.” “That’s where we are.”

International student walks onto track and junior varsity soccer teams
Photo provided by Trojan Athletics.
BY KALLIE SOHM
STAFF WRITER
Guillermo Pacheco did not come to
Trevecca as an athlete, but during his
upcoming junior year will be a multi-
sport athlete running track and play junior
varsity (JV) soccer for Trevecca.
Pacheco, a sophomore from
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, said he reached
out to Austin Shelby, head track and cross-
country coach, in the spring of his freshman
year and was offered a spot on the team.
“I like competing; I missed competing,”
said Pacheco. “That’s one of the main
reasons I’m running track.”
Pacheco competed in both track and
soccer at his high school, Academia los
Pinares. He said he learned about Trevecca
his sophomore year of high school. He
chose Trevecca because it offered the upperclassman will help the young JV
highest amount of scholarship money and team. Leavy said Elijah Ridley, senior, will
a few upperclassmen from his high school be returning to soccer as an upperclassman
already attended school here. on JV team as well.
Pacheco said the first person to reach “I see how excited he [Pacheco] is and
out to him about playing junior varsity his passion for the game,” he said “I’m
soccer was Nicolas Reinhard, JV men’s excited to see him get to play soccer again.”
soccer coach.
Reinhard and Danny Leavy, head men’s
soccer coach, said they first saw Pacheco
play at a futsol (indoor soccer) tournament
they organized to raise money for a mission
trip.
“I knew who he was just because he
was already in the athletic department and
I know he’s a really good guy,” said Leavy.
“Personality-wise he’s a really great fit for
what we’re trying to do.”
Leavy said Pacheco being an

Adi Hale will focus on getting athletes involved as new SAAC president
BY MIRIAM KIRK
ONLINE EDITOR
Adi Hale, a senior majoring in social work, came
to Trevecca because she had the opportunity to play
basketball and be the first in her family to earn a
college degree. She didn’t think she would become the
president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee
and the first African American president at that.
“I’m honored to be the first African American
president of SAAC. With Trevecca making this push
to be inclusive of all ethnicities I feel that it’s accurate
that we have an African American leading the SAAC
committee,” Hale said.
SAAC stands for Student Athlete Advisory
Committee and it serves as the voice for student
athlete’s needs on their individual campus and to the
NCAA. The responsibilities of the president include
setting the agenda for each meeting, coming up with
fundraising ideas, organizing events and represent the
university at the fall and spring conference meetings.
One of the primary goals for SAAC is to raise money
for Make-A-Wish a non-profit organization that
creates life-changing wishes for children with a critical
illness.
Mark Elliott, director of athletics, said committee
members are to represent a positive student athlete
image and make sure that it is communicated within
each program.
“Each of our SAAC members are nominated by
the committee, because they are leaders on and off the
court and can communicate to each of their individual
teams what our expectations are. Last spring Adi and
Gracie Pierce, a former volleyball player, went to the
Great Midwest Athletic Conference SAAC meeting in
Ohio and Trevecca had raised zero dollars for Make-a-
wish. That experience was the one that really pushed
us to put more infuses on the importance of SAAC,”
Elliott said.
Brodrick Thomas, director of community
engagement and reconciliation and the faculty
representative for the committee, said the SAAC
elected Adi president because she challenged them to
do better.
“A more literal definition of SAAC president
would be chief fundraiser, because that is our number
one goal to help fund raise for Make-a-wish and give
back to our community. Adi was elected president
because she came in that first meeting and was
like ‘This is unacceptable. We sacrifice so much to
wear this name on our jerseys and to be there and
experience that embarrassment and being the only
program who didn’t do something as simple as raise
money for children is unacceptable,’ ” Thomas said.
Student-athletes have a voice in the NCAA
through advisory committees at the campus,
conference and national level. Each committee is
made up of student-athletes assembled to provide
insight on the student-athlete experience and offer
input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect
student-athletes’ lives on campus.
The purpose of the campus SAAC committee
is to promote communication between athletic
administration and student-athletes, provide feedback
and insight into athletic department issues, build a
sense of community within the athletics program
involving all athletic teams, organize community
service efforts, and promote a positive student-athlete
image on campus.
Hale says it hasn’t been easy organizing.
“It’s been tough trying to show how important
fundraising for Make-A-Wish or Acts Initiative,
which is where we donate all of our hotel toiletries
to the homeless shelter is. No one was there at the
conference meeting to experience our name being up
there not having raised a single dollar,” Hale said.
“We’ve actually made it into a competition. The
Photo provided by Trojan Athletics.
team that raises the most money at the end of the
year is awarded the Trojan Cup. Being athletes we’re
competitive by nature and we just saw it as a good way
to motivate teams to want to get involved in helping a
great cause,” Hale said.
Thomas said SAAC is giving students the
opportunity to get involved in a huge way and really
do something that’s impactful.
“There’s the stereotype that athletes don’t want
to get involved in certain things, but our athletes have
done thing after thing to help our community. They
were able to raise $2,000 to give shoes to the kids
in the Napier community. They created a mini golf
tournament, had coffee fundraisers, and If we were
to stop fundraising right now, we would have $1,200
to give to Make-A-Wish, but they want to keep doing
more,” Thomas said.
When asked her responsibilities, Hale said with
a laugh.
“I just work with Brodrick and do whatever he
needs me to.”
“Adi is doing an incredible job. She has been
a key member in organizing all the teams to work
concessions where all the proceeds will go to Make-
A-Wish. For a while the position had shifted, because
the basketball season is from October to March, so
Adi had kind of taken a back seat because of her
responsibilities to school and basketball. Now that
season is over, she’s able to do a lot more,” Thomas
said.
“It’s definitely been time consuming because
our committee has not been where it’s needed to be
in previous years. But Mitchell Hockman, Broooke
Eakes, Sydney Burdge and all the others have been
really helpful in coming up with fundraising ideas,
making this important to other athletes and we are
doing way better than we did last year,” Hale said.
Athletes are creating a place to be involved.
“We want people to know that we are more
than just our sport, we want to be proactive in our
community just like everyone else,” Hale said.
“Our athletes are doing incredible things and
that stereotype that student athletes aren’t trying to
get involved is no longer applicable, because they are
creating a place where they can be,” Thomas said.
2019 | May | TrevEchoes
Spring finals schedule
Boonearoo lite: what to expect from this year’s end of school bash
BY AUDREY YAWN
STAFF WRITER
For this year’s end of school event, the social life committee
is changing Boonearoo to Boonearoo Lite due to budgeting
needs.
In past years, Boonearoo, named after university president
Dan Boone, has encompassed bigger performers like Colton
Dixon, Family Force 5, Derek Minor and others as well as
having different activities brought in like massage tables and
food vendors. This year a scaled back version of the event has
been planned.
“This is not a permanent change,” said director of social life,
Shelby Morrison. “It’s just a toned down version.”
The main cause of scaling the event back was budgeting
issues according to social life committee member, Hannah
Polston.
“With different events that have gone on this year, bud-
get-wise we’ve had to rearrange it,” said Polston. “Also certain
sponsors weren’t able to donate this year.”
Morrison’s team has a full day of activities and vendors
planned like Blue Monkey shaved ice, a dunk tank, with stu-
dent bands, alumni and local Nashville artists as the perform-
ers.
“It’s good to celebrate the end of the year and it’s a stress
reliever,” said Polston. “Come out and support your peers and
student bands.”
Morrison is still expecting positivity from the student body
because the event is still happening.
“We just wanted to make sure it happened,” said Morri-
son. “I think people just like that we care [enough] to make it
happen.”
Boonearoo will be taking place on April 27 in the quad and
will start at 3 p.m. with dinner being served at 5 p.m.