Stated Summer 2014

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Neko Da Roll-N-Stone

Summer 2014

The Fearless IssueThe time has come to take chances. In this issue; we will take aim, shoot straight and be FEARLESS

Long Live The Queen

The final Interview with the 76th Miss SC STATE

Sadia M. Robinson

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The PressIt’s a world of letters and being published is the goal.

Meet the Bulldog who uses the power of her pen.

Getting The Bulldog Nation On Track

Limited Edition

With a game plan that expresses more change than the ‘08 Obama campaign, hear how Kelsey D. Butler

Miss SC State 2014-2015 plans take on the year

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STATED EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

Eric J. Smith [Creative Director]

N. Iman Gordon[Editor -At- Large]

Kwandra ‘Kay’ Johnson [Editor Emerita]

Shatina Owens [Copy Editor]

STATED WRITERS

Ashley NashAshley BurkesJarvis DavidDana BrooksIssis Massaro

Jason Patterson

STATED PHOTOGRAPHERS

Eric J. SmithRicky FieldsDana Brooks

Lauren Cummings

SC STATE UNIVERSITY

Thomas J. Elzey President

Sonja A. Bennett - Bellamy Vice President

External Affairs & Communications

Elizabeth Mosley-Hawkins Director

Public Relations

Rolondo Davis Adviser

Editor-in-Chief Eric J. Smith

http://issuu.com/statedmagwww.statedmag.co

SEditor's Emerita Note

Editor's Note

The Press

Long Live THe Queen

Miss Communications

Napping & What You Should Know

Niko Da Rollin-N-Stone

Getting the Bulldog Nation On Track

Procrastinate Effectively: Create a Tumblr

Artist to Know

Stated is a student produced magazine under the direction of External Affairs and Communications at South Carolina State University. The magazine is distributed free to all students, faculty and staff members at various locations on campus.

Editorial views and letters submitted to the editor express the opinions of the respective writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of South Carolina State University nor those of the Stated staff.

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As I sit and think about my time at SC State all I can do is smile about all the wonderful things and even the bad because those moments made me the person I am today. Even though I am not where I want to be personally, I just want to thank SC State for helping me through my journey. When I first entered Bulldog Country, I never realized how much being on this campus would affect me and how this university would become a part of my family. The people I met along the way is one of the most rewarding aspects I gained during my time. I’m so excited about my future, but at the same time, it is only normal for me to feel sadness about the home I am about to leave. As these last few weeks passed, I said my good byes and realized that all of the people I grew to love, and the memories I made will forever

be in my heart. From my freshmen days in Truth Hall room 801/802 with Alanah Grant, Talina Tang and Brittany Elliott to now, I realize God placed all these people in my life for a reason. I don’t know where to start, I could never truly express how each person has touched my life and made a difference, even if you were one of the people who tried to knock me down. I always dreamed of the day I would walk across that stage to receive my diploma and how I couldn’t wait, but now that time has come. It is a bittersweet moment because it is hard to let go of something that has been a part of me for so many years. I am so appreciative for the organizations that brought me together with so many individuals who made each day on this campus worthwhile. Honors College, Alpha Kappa Psi Inc., and Student Media helped me express myself and grow into a proud Bulldog. The family I gained through each one could never be replaced. Student Media became that “family” I really didn’t want, but now I would not change that for the world. Each and every member of Student Media became the people I could laugh and cry with and rant about how horrible my day was. They were the ones I could truly be myself around, and I owe so much to them because they opened my heart in ways that many couldn’t. I thank God I found a part of my family. Thank you, Rolondo Davis for being the person who saw something in me to keep pushing forward even when I didn’t want to. To I’ssis, Dana, Ricky, Ciara, Lauren, Dieanna, Princess, Iman, Stephanie, Bri, Angela, Raven (still trying to figure out what do you do exactly) and my right hand person

Eric, I never said this but I love you guys and I truly mean that. I consider each one of you the brothers and sisters I never had. The childish moments will never be forgotten and, I pray many more will be made. When I came to college, I never realized when people said that you would meet your true best friends and family in college that statement would hold true. To Shayla, Brittany, Alanah, Talina, Desiree, Britiny, Leah, Courtney, my Student Media family, Infinite M.I.N.D.S and the whole AKPsi crew, Honors College and the Mass Communications department thank you for making that statement true for me. (If I forgot someone I am truly sorry). To my parents and my grandma, I love you with everything inside of me. Thank you for not letting me give up and pushing me to greatness even when I didn’t see it myself. You guys were my backbone when I didn’t have one. I am truly blessed to have the support and love of each one of you. To the next editor-in-chief, Eric Smith and editor-at-large Iman Gordon, I just want to say congratulations on something that you wanted for so long. I want to tell you thank you for working with me these last couple of months. I know that this last semester was difficult but you did it and I saw every one of your visions come to life. I know Stated will be in great hands. I wish you the best and that you transform the magazine into your biggest inspiration.

Congrats& Good byes

Letter From Editor Emerita

We Made It, Next....

Kwandra Jahnson Editor Emerita


Patience is the key to success, but drive the fuel that it consumes. I say this from real life experience; I have worked for Stated as a creative designer and dynamic photographer for our great publication. I have worked with just about every editor and chief Stated has ever had and I have seen the voice of the magazine grow and change in my years at our beloved alma mater. Now in it’s seventh year of publishing my talented team of editors, writers, photographers, stylist and contributors will look to bring the very best in journalism, fashion, entertainment and campus life into the hands of the readership. Inspiring is the mission of Stated and we will hold this as the goal as we speak to dynamic entrepreneurs,

vanguards in various fields and taste makers defining style. I say with the highest respect for every person looking to improve this publication. It is our highest honor to have feedback from our readers. When it comes to Stated I like to compare it to one of the great magazines of the 20th century, Life magazine and its motto.

“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” – Motto of Life Magazine

In this year my staff and I will work to expand the positive vision of our alma mater. We will seek out the obscured and tarnished and make it shine again like new. We will remove the walls and limitation, draw closer to scholarship and community, find our true selves and feel the embrace of bulldog country. So in this lucky seventh year, Stated takes on its own motto and vision that I’m sure we all can embrace and come to take with us when we someday leave the hallowed halls and classic groves of SC State.

“Every Hour, Every Minute, Every Second Makes Up the Statements of Our Lives, Live in the Moment, Be Inspired by it, Make Life your Statement.” – Motto of Stated Magazine

TheStarting Gun

Letter From The Editor In Chief

The Next Move....

Eric J. Smith Editor-In-Chief


Terms such as “new beginning” or “revamp” are of no justice for what the seventh year of South Carolina State University’s very own Stated Magazine has in store for you. I joined the Stated staff during its sixth year of publication as a staff writer and absolutely fell in love. Working with Stated’s staff writers and creative designers has been one learning experience I will forever be grateful for and cherish. Now, it is with great pleasure and honor that I take on the role of

editor-at-large in its seventh year of publication. With an immensely talented staff and feedback from our beloved readers, my colleagues and I plan to move this magazine to unforeseen and unimaginable heights. This year Stated will not only raise the bar, but exceed any and all expectations and peer into the student and campus life and love of our beloved South Carolina State University. Now with much elation, I give to you our very first step in a new direction of Stated. Every component of this issue is put in place to inspire, inform, entertain, and flat out make for a wonderfully enjoyable reading experience for the students, faculty and staff of South Carolina State University as well as all other Stated readers and supporters. The bar has been raised with every issue of the magazine in its previous six years of publication, and this seventh year will be no different. The Stated team would like to welcome you to its seventh year of publication and advise you to sit back and embrace all that it has to offer. One of which is Stated’s motto:

“Every Hour, Every Minute, Every Second Makes Up the Statements of Our Lives, Live in the Moment, Be Inspired by it, Make Life your Statement.” – Motto of Stated Magazine

N. Iman GordonEditor-At-Large

NewEnterprise

The Next Move....




Relationship

I was reading an article on Thoughtcatalog.com about college friendships and how they become your worst breakup and the hardest to get over, I started thinking about the friends I made and the people I have crossed paths with during my time at South Carolina State University. While we are in college most of us find that one person or even that group of individuals who seem like they make your life complete. They are a step above your high school best friend, if you two are still even friends by this time. Let’s face it, many of us have gone our separate ways because life changes and people move on, but your college friends become your number one ace, the person who got to know you on a totally different level. Your college friends are those who are there when you are about to cuss your professor out, up with you late at night helping you study for a test that they don’t even have to take, have seen you at your best and worst who will talk you out of doing something stupid just to turn around and still do it with you because they realize that if you don’t, this might be your only chance, and when you got drunk, they’re there to tell you about everything that you did. You start to realize these are the people who know your every move and when something happens both of you can just look at each other and know exactly what the other is thinking. These are the ones when you turn your phone off because you want to go M.I.A., they know exactly where you are because they are right there curled up beside you on the couch watching Netflix and talking about any and everything. When I think about it, nothing can compare to the experiences I have had on this campus. Honestly, all of them have not been good and most of them were heartaches but the experiences that were good were when I was truly happy with someone I knew had my best interest and I had. We were the “Set it off” crew, the “Living Single” crew, Destiny’s Child, TLC and at times, even the “Martin” crew. When you went somewhere everybody already knew that the others were right behind. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t always prefect, but when I look back on it I wouldn’t change it for the world no matter how many times I try to make myself think I would. In college you will realize when you come in as a freshman everyone is your friend, but as time goes on you realize when they told us at summer orientation “look to your left and look to your right because these same people might not be with you when you walk across that stage,” it was true, you realize how lucky you are when you look and that special person still is there. No matter how many times you changed on them and tried to act brand new when you thought you had a new set of friends, they stood right by your side until you came back to your senses. Sometimes it hurts when I walk right pass someone I use to be so close with and we can both act like we never knew each other or even had one conversation, but then I realize maybe its for the best because it opened room for the people who really need to fill that spot. I’m starting to realize once we graduate, no matter how much heartache we have gone through, the break up of your college friendship is going to hurt the worst. As our time comes near to walk across that stage, we realize we are going to go our separate ways. No matter how many times we say we’ll keep in touch, we will soon start to realize that is going to be hard to do and even harder when we get our dream jobs, get married and eventually have children. At first it will be easy for a couple of years or even the first few months after graduation because we are all still living the same lifestyle. Many of us will not be married, have children or even move across the country

for our dream job just yet. As time goes on, those friends you once talked with everyday are going to slowly but surely get replaced by everything else in your life at that point. The calls, text, visits and the “still trying go to spring break because you still feel 21” will start to come few and far between. No matter how much you try you realize everyone before ended up in the same position and said the same things that we are saying now; “we will still do everything together.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you can’t still be in that person’s wedding, the godparent to their children, or think you are Why Did I Get Married or The Best Man. Things will change just like it did for them in those movies and that will be your biggest heartbreak you will have to deal with. Trust me, it will hurt more than

breaking up with your boyfriend or girlfriend in college. So cherish these people while you have the time. You never know where life might take you. Stay the closest of friends as possible, but keep in mind both of you will move on and that person curled up beside you on the couch watching Netflix or playing Call of Duty might be different the next time you look. Don’t get mad, those college friends can never be replaced. Focus on remenbering the times you had laughing and talking in the café until it closed, sitting in the plaza after class, sitting outside at the basketball courts, playing around on your floor in Truth Hall, the water balloon fights in Battiste Hall, playing manhunt and the list goes on.

The College Friendship

By Kwandra Johnson


Stated: Tell us your full name, classification, major and expected graduation dateNash: Ashley Nicole Nash. Senior. Psychology. May 9th, 2014

Stated: Do your Have a pen name or pseudo name?Nash: It’s not really a pseudo name, but I published only under my last name.

Stated Whats the title of book and when was it published?Nash: Words of Warning, April 27th, 2013

Stated: What is the book about?Nash: It’s about a spoken word artist that commits suicide.

Stated: What inspired you to write it?Nash: Learning that other people have been through what I’ve been through and had no one to talk to about it. I wanted to give abuse a voice.

Stated: How long have you been writing?Nash: Since I was around two or three, but professionally since I was 11.

Stated: Do you plan to make a career in writing?Nash: I would love to make a career out of this.

Stated: Tell us about your journey to publication any trials and tribulations?Nash: I self published as a college student, so a big challenge was financial. No one helped, so I saved and saved until I had enough money to do it myself, also time. I am involved in a lot on campus, so it left little time to finish the book.

Stated: Where can we find this book?Nash: Any major book company, AuthorHouse.com, Barnes and

Noble, Books-a-Million, Amazon, Google, Sony E-books, etc.Stated: Do you have plans to write anymore?Nash: Yes, I want to write more and plan to.

Stated What goals did you wanted to accomplish with this book? Your writing? My ultimate goal is to change the way the world sees reality. I want to shed light on taboo topics, so the individuals going through them have a voice. They have someone who has been where they are and can say ‘it gets better.”

Stated: What are your future goals?Nash: My future goals are to become a child psychiatrist or guidance counselor, become a best-selling author and a motivational speaker and to open up an art studio for the troubled souls.

Stated: Who’s your favorite author or one that inspires you?Nash: No favorite author, but my great aunt is my inspiration. She went from being homeless at one point and illness to obtaining multiple PhDs.

Stated: Any history of writing in your family? Nash: My father used to write poetry and my mother used to write songs. Neither one professionally, however.

This 21 year old, Spartanburg, SC native is very much versatile and full of wisdom. Nash has five siblings, three sisters and two brothers. She is a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., SC State’s Honors College and also served as a past president to the Gay Straight Alliance. Nash was awarded Bulldog of the Year for the 2012-2013 school year and served on SCSU’s Senate for two years. Her favorite quote is “There is no comfort in growth and no growth in comfort.”

The Press

By N. Iman Gordon

Feature


During my matriculation at South Carolina State University, I’ve learned various things. One thing I‘ve learned is to remain focused and continue to persevere no matter what the university throws at you; and that they will try you. SC State presented so many struggles from my own personal experience that it’s hard to believe I made it through as calmly as I did. I learned that when struggles present themselves, the university will not back you as they should and sometimes you have to come out of character in order to not only get things done, but in order for the university to take you seriously. I’ve learned to keep all paperwork; always leave a paper trail because too frequently, I’ve had to track down or replace lost or misplaced paperwork. During my time within SC State Student Media, I learned my skills of communications, and I gained certain ethics and instincts as a journalist. I learned to always get things in writing to keep record of everything that is said or done and to always double check my facts before restating them. It is also where I learned the ups and downs of the university and what students don’t bother to question. I learned how to target my audience and to get my point across, to be seen and heard whether it was wanted or not. During my four-year position as a work-study/P13-S, for External Affairs and Communications, I learned the basis and often times, deeper roles of public relations and marketing. I learned what was going on in the university, who was responsible, who to talk to about it and how our news is often covered up by lies, betrayal and protection. Through the SC State Student Media organization, I can say I learned most of my skills and experiences. I was given several opportunities to travel to media conferences and conventions where I learned all about media. I learned the laws, procedures, policies, formats, etc. I had the chance to visit sessions of my liking including those for university officials

and advisors and for those who have

been credited for their work at universities and in the field. I had the opportunity to attend the 2012 Democratic National Convention where I met politicians, protestors, committee members and caucus members. I was able to interview several individuals in downtown Charlotte, NC about the DNC attention and the effects it had on Charlotte. Student Media gave me the opportunity to visit places I’ve only dreamed of. It gave me room to build myself in the communications field by writing articles, assisting with videos and photography and to improve my leadership skills. I held several positions within the organization beginning with editor-in-chief of The Collegian; this is where I was introduced to the AP Style Handbook and how to edit. This was something I had no knowledge of before. I learned layout using InDesign as I put the paper together; I even distributed the papers. I’m not exactly proficient but I’m able to navigate, for the most

part, through Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Premiere and Publisher. The most important thing I can say I learned at SC State was to never rely on the university. Too many times, I found myself in various situations I should never have been in. Coming into the university as a first-generation college student, I was unaware of certain procedures as I entered. I relied on the university and its faculty and staff to guide me when necessary to ensure a steady matriculation and it never happened. Instead, as time passed, the worse my situations got, I found myself running around often filling the holes in the responsibilities of the university. I learned no matter how far ahead of the game you are and no matter how prepared you may be, you will never be prepared for what SC State has in store for you. Overall, as far as using what I gained from SC State University, I learned that someone else, even

a university, can’t promise you anything, they sometimes will not help you and you have to do things on your own because you will sometimes be the only one on your team. Overall, I learned to cover my ass and that’s one of the most important things you can learn and apply to a life just beginning. The internship program can be improved by bettering the leadership and communication between the instructors but more specifically between the students and the chair/internship coordinator, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, would be a start. Too many times have other students and myself have not been satisfied with exchanged conversations. I’ve had conversations in regards to my internship where Dr. Rahman was even unaware of my position, often mistaking me for other students. This at times gave me false hope he was not concerned about me graduating. Personally I have been quite frustrated and irritable when trying to locate

him and he is often not available. When we’re paying a university thousands of dollars, our instructors should be at our disposal. The last two years I’ve see him less. Too many times have communications students, including myself, refrained from going to class because we already knew Dr. Rahman would not be present. Also, when a student, such as myself comes to Dr. Rahman for guidance, I, and I’m pretty sure other students, are confused when we’re sent to someone else for something he should be doing. During my time at SC State, my advisor has

Miss-Communications

-- I often believe that Dr. Rahman’s responsibilities outside of South Carolina State University interfere with his academic duties.

Feature


been Dr. Rahman, but Mr. Mozie and especially Mr. Mims have been of more assistance in the last year and a half. Another thing that can be done as a part of the internship program is to provide more assistance in achieving an internship. I began looking for an internship my junior year at SC State, and upon my second semester of my senior year, I had yet to find an internship. I contacted many, people in the state of South Carolina were of reasonable distance. In result of my search, I was denied from some for various reasons such as they weren’t accepting anymore interns or they no longer offer intern positions. One mentioned that their office didn’t have space for an intern and for the remaining, they didn’t respond at all. I emailed and called these

locations leaving voicemails and simply had no response. For the internships I was offered, they didn’t qualify for my requirements as a journalism major. What disappointed me in this situation was in the course of my struggle to find an internship, when I turned to the department for some sort of compromise, I was denied as well. I received my current internship by anonymously reaching out to a past employer, the YMCA of Greenville. Through them, a begging favor was asked from a friend, of a friend, of a friend. To this day, I’m not sure who all my information went through in order to receive my internship and I was blessed to have received it being that they were not looking for interns. I had not received it until about a month or so into the semester and being aware of the travel expectations, I accepted it because it was my only opportunity was presented and my main goal was to receive the credit so I would graduate. So, I would say that the communications program needs more outlets. I felt when a student’s honest attempts fail, the department should either be more helpful in achieving one or be more willing to compromise after becoming aware of that students attempts. I feel the communications department is comprised of instructors who should have something more to bring to the table. The communications department is still fairly new and it is understandable, but within these past couple of years, whether through Dr. Rahman, the department or the university,

there should be more networks for students to turn to when all else fails. After all, we are a “communications” department and one thing that is essential in the field of communications is we network so people like me have some sort of connection and opportunity even if it’s not to our liking. To be clear, NO, I am not saying the department needs to find the students internships; I’m saying when we look for help and our attempts fail, the department should be more helpful. One way I believe this may help is all internships should be kept track of by someone in the department. A continuous list should be drawn up of where students are receiving their training and credit. If this is done, the list can be provided to future students and will know an internship opportunity is available in that location and it will meet their requirements. Also, one thing I was disappointed with in regards to the communications department is the lack of concern. Sometimes, I feel more concerned about the current status and future of the communications department than those who should be. With the university making as many changes as they have already due to various reasons, I feel the communications department is at risk. Often times, I don’t believe the communications department will continue at SC State. My reasons consist of my personal experiences, the feedback from other students and the concerns of the university. If I have to be advised by someone who is not my advisor, what is the point of having

assigned advisors? And is that not the reason why our advisors are posted at the beginning of the semester so we are guided by those assigned to us, not by whoever is randomly available at that time? Also, when I am in the office of said instructor(s) trying to repair my issues but I do not appreciate to hear said instructor(s) being spoken to inappropriately for something that’s not his responsibility and being told to do something the chair can’t simply do himself. My last point, as far as improvements that could be made to the communications department, is the curriculum issues and course material. Honestly, the students are

tired of being held up for curriculum issues that they can’t detect. Granted, there are better improvements being made to the curriculum requirements but stop advising students to take things they do not have to take. I, as well as some of my classmates, have been advised to take courses that not only were way off from our major, but we didn’t need. Students should be able to trust their advisors to guide them in not only completing the necessary and correct courses on the curriculum sheet but according to the degree audit. Our advisors are those Dr. Greene tells us to speak with but often times, our advisors are the issue. Some students feel they’re wasting money due to poor advisement. Students are tired of seeing the same PowerPoint’s and receiving the same handouts in different classes semester after semester. Nobody shows up for class because they feel they already have the material that’s being conducted in some form from a past class. Recycling lessons and agendas has to stop. Students want more hands-on classes and assignments. If they’re not talking back they’re probably not paying attention. A great number of students in the department don’t even know how to properly conduct an interview. I rarely see interactive class discussions since I’ve been at SC State in the communications department; minimum discussion, yes, but nothing much helps stay engaged. In my experiences with other schools and communications programs and publications, I’ve never seen such a quite boring, non-interactive communications program. Many of my actions were responses based on the reactions of the department as well as with my personal life throughout my last four years and I appreciate what help I have received. I don’t hate the communications department, it has its perks. I only believe as a part of the bigger picture, students and the communications department continue to have a lot of things to work on in order to ensure a better outcome and well prepared students.

-- I met and spoke with both Mr. Mims and Mr. Mozie several times about seeking help when my attempts failed. I thank them for their assistance although their suggestions failed as well; I received that same response.

-- And I don’t appreciate the conversations held between instructors in front of students, especially when some instructors are covering the ass of their co-workers/superiors doing something that’s not their responsibility.

By Issis Massaro


Feature

Long Live The Queen


In my time here at SC State, I have had the opportunity to know the queens well before they became the face of the university. So when it came time to do the final interview of Queen Sadia, I found myself at a disadvantage but found no loss of words to capture what her reign meant to her. We start in the late spring sun. The diminishing sunlight has a lasting effect on the campus, like pride gleams off every blade of grass. On time means being early, so naturally Sadia is early, bags in hand and crown neatly place in a shatter proof box. I’m discussing the concept of the cover shoot with Queen Elect Kelsey “I just brought everything.” Sadia said with a light smile and her eyes giving the expression of luck favors the prepared.

I quickly give her the concept of the shoot and she is off to change into her first look. Time is not wasted with Sadia, I have taken no more than 15 shots with Kelsey and she is crossing the street in a black dress and white sash, all the while giving small waves to passing cars. Words of encouragement are all she gives to the next holder of the crown. She discards her Luis

Vuitton black bottoms and gets to work, doing what every Miss South Carolina State has done the last 75 times before and that is to encourage her fellow students. “I am the one the world sees” she would later say. “Every student who calls this campus home should feel like the world is looking to them, I’m only one chapter in the never ending story that is SC State.” In a time of uncertainty and cloudy skies, the 76th Miss SC State has no doubt that her beloved Alma Mater will be here long after she leaves. “I know STATE will be here for a long time to come,” she said “it has a lasting legacy that is more than just what’s happening right now in the news, we just have to remind the world of what SC State has done and show them what we will continue to do in the future.” In a time when the public light on the university is to the point of setting the picture on fire, Queen Sadia has made a point to not only involve the community, but to involve herself in the community. On the day of the very interview and photo shoot she was to appear at the Relay for Life in Orangeburg. “ Miss SC State is an elected title, so you have to remember that the people voted you in, the people put there, you’re here to serve the people.” We move on to her shoot, as the frames progressed on I can see the conflict in her face. SC State has done much to gain the admiration and love of its outgoing queen and as with many graduates, you are both ready to leave, but not wanting to go. ”I’ve made lasting friends here. Ones I will never forget,” she says, big smile

lighting up the office. I asked how it will feel to leave her fellow sisters, the devastating divas of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. “They will always be my sisters. and I know I will forever have their love and support in everything that I do. It’s an extra bond that only makes me love my school more. I got to share something so special with a wonder group of women.” The sun has gone down over the tree line just outside the old gate of camp. A SC State police department car pulls up to close the gates for the night. It none other than officer Bell. He walks by placing a few chosen words in the Queen’s ear on how beautiful she looks in the evening sun, how proud he is of her and how well she has represented the school this the past year. He asks to take a picture for his Instagram for what may be the last time she can fully proclaim the title of reigning Miss SC State University, The Ebony Campus Queen title is in her sights but not yet promised. It is safe to say the impact of a person is never really known until that presence is no longer a factor. In college this is ever true. Every year the impact changes from old to new, each waxing and waning like the phases of the moon. It may diminish with time and the present moves out of sight, but for the people who first made contact it will always mean more. The impact of SC State’s queen will always last because it’s a ripple that goes forward. As the 76th one moves away, the stone drops to 77th. What a year that will be.

Long Live The QueenBy Eric J. Smith


After interviwing South Carolina State University’s next Queen, Miss Kelsey Dominique Butler, a look into the mind of this young lady revealed a woman not only qualified, but very much deserving of the title. Miss Butler is a Memphis, TN native whose family later moved to Powder Springs, Ga. She is now a rising senior in matriculation in the undergraduate program of SC State as an english education major, expecting to graduate in May of 2015. Miss Butler comes from a loving home and close family comprised of her parents and younger sister. She expressed her family to be one that is very big on charity and faith. One of Kelsey’s mottos is “My life is not my own.” This caters to her faith and spirituality in a sense that her life serves a greater purpose that only God knows. With His guidance, she plans to do all in her power to fulfill this purpose. As it relates to charity, her father is a diagnosed diabetic, so they constantly give back to organizations catering to this disease and related diseases and illnesses. Her mother has made it a tradition to give gently used clothing and household items to the nearest Goodwill, Salvation Army or nearby shelters. Kelsey and her family are extremely active in their church serving in many capacities. She has also always watched her parents give liberally of their time in her and her sister’s schools, often serving as room parents and on the Parent Teacher Association board. They are truly very active in the community. Besides enforcing academic excellence, the Butler household is one that loves athletics and has been very supportive of their children’s activities. Kelsey actually came to South Carolina State University as a volleyball recruit before switching to a full academic scholarship, which she expressed to be a very big decision on her part. In addition to volleyball, Miss Butler also

participated in basketball, gymnastics, and even ice skating at a young age. In order to keep in touch with her athletic side, Kelsey participates in intramural sports here on campus, plays volleyball at the Orangeburg YMCA facility and coaches volleyball in the Atlanta Metropolitan area. After getting a little background on Kelsey, I implored on her personal side, peeking into the woman she is today. Kelsey enjoys writing poetry, watching movies, and playing games. Miss Butler says that she is easily amused and has a “very proactive imagination.” When I asked Miss Butler about her biggest failure and greatest success, she gave an answer that blew my mind. Kelsey responded, “This is not to sound cocky or anything, but I believe failure is a mindset. It is choosing to not get back up when you’ve tried something. Therefore, I don’t believe I’ve ever failed because I always continue in the fight for victory.” Miss Butler also expressed that one of her biggest success stories thus far would be her being the first undergraduate to ever get a program approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) here at SC State. That program was called the Yeslek project (her first name spelled backwards). It was a social group and a preparatory class blended together for the sole purpose of helping students to cope with real life issues, and allowing them to express themselves, find outlets, as well as prepare them for their future after high school. Kelsey worked with ninth graders in this program. This was a great success. Miss Butler created the entire eight-week curriculum of the spring semester, in addition to formulating all documents and forms needed to ensure compliance. Kelsey expressed the fulfillment she received while working with this group of students’, watching their characters develop through social and emotional learning techniques. Along with this, Kelsey has served as Miss Honors College; chief of

operations, logistics, and hospitality as well as Parliamentarian for the Campus Activities Board. She has also spoken at a national conference on poverty and continues to be a Student Orientation Leader all while maintaining a 3.97 GPA. Getting to the focal point of this interview and article was finding out why this young lady decided to run for such a powerful position and what she planned to do with the title. When the time came to talk about why Miss Butler decided to run, the room became a bit smaller and tension rose, because her demeanor changed and she shared a heartfelt moment with me. Kelsey voiced a period of doubt before filing to run, in the sense that the amount of money going into just the campaign aspect instead of charitable reasons discouraged her. However, after speaking with a friend on discouragement, a quote that she heard that stuck with her and may be one of the sole reasons why she pushed through. That quote was “The same reasons why you don’t want to run, are the exact reasons why you should”,thus, re-emphasizing her idea of service. Miss Butler used this as a turnaround in her thinking process and her campaign as a whole. Kelsey is passionate about Bulldog Pride and enhancing the relationships among students, faculty, staff and the greater Orangeburg community. As opposed to her old ways of doing things, mainly independently, she will use the title to help in her endeavors to impact her university and the community. She plans to bridge all of these gaps on a bigger spectrum with the help and support of those around her and the amazing students that voted her into office. She expresses that she is doing this to serve. Miss Butler articulated that she will use the title to “show everyone the positive things that South Carolina State University has done, is doing and will continue to do.”


By N. Iman Gordon

Getting The Bulldog Nation

On Track


1. It makes you smarterAccording to Dr. Matthew Walker of the University of California, napping for as little as one hour resets your short-term memory and helps you learn facts more easily after you wake up.

2. Abandon all-nightersForegoing sleep by cramming all night reduces your ability to retain information by up to 40%. If you can, mix in a nap somewhere to refresh your hippocampus.

3. It doesn’t mean what you thinkIf you know you have to pull an all-nighter, try a “prophylactic nap.” It’s a short nap in advance of expected sleep deprivation that will help you stay alert for up to 10 hours afterwards.

4. You can’t avoid that down period after lunch by not eatingHuman bodies naturally go through two phases of deep tiredness, one between 2-4 a.m. and between 1-3 p.m. Skipping lunch won’t help this period of diminished alertness and coordination.

5. Pick the right timeAfter lunch in the early afternoon your body naturally gets tired. This is the best time to take a brief nap, as it’s early enough to not mess with your nighttime sleep.

6. Hour naps are greatA 60-minute nap improves alertness for 10 hours, although with naps over 45 minutes you risk what’s known as “sleep inertia,” that groggy feeling that may last for half an hour or more.

7. But short naps are bestFor healthy young adults, naps as short as 20, 10, or even 2 minutes can be all you need to get the mental benefits of sleep, without risking grogginess.

8. Drink coffee firstThe way this works is you drink a cup of coffee right before taking your 20-minute or half-hour nap, which is precisely how long caffeine takes to kick in. That way when you wake up, you’re not only refreshed, but ready to go.

9. The NASA napA little group called NASA discovered that just a 26-minute nap increases performance by 34% and alertness by 54%. Pilots take advantage of NASA naps while planes are on autopilot.

10. Can’t sleep? Don’t stressEven if you can’t fall asleep for a nap, just laying down and resting has benefits. Studies have found resting results in lowered

blood pressure, which even some college kids have to worry about if they are genetically predisposed to high blood pressure.

11. Napping may save your lifeA multi-year Greek study found napping at least three times per week for at least 30 minutes resulted in a 37% lower death rate due to heart problems.

12. More nap benefits for the brainNot only will napping improve your alertness, it will also help your decision-making, creativity, and sensory perception.

13. But wait, there’s moreStudies have found napping raises your stamina 11%, increases ability to stay asleep all night by 12%, and lowers the time required to fall asleep by 14%.

14. The ultimate napAccording to Dr. Sara Mednick, the best nap occurs when REM sleep is in proportion to slow-wave sleep. Use her patented Take A Nap Nap Wheel to calculate what time of day you can nap to the max.

15. Fight the Freshman 15Research shows that women who sleep five hours at night are 32% more likely to experience major weight gain than those sleeping seven hours. A two-hour nap isn’t feasible for many, but napping is a good way to make up for at least some lost night sleep.

16. If it was good enough for them…Presidents JFK and Bill Clinton used to nap every day to help ease the heavy burden of ruling the free world. Of course, they also had other relaxation methods, but we won’t get into those.


17. Do like the Romans doIn ancient Rome, everyone, including children, retreated for a 2 or 3-hour nap after lunch. No doubt this is the reason the Roman empire lasted over 1,000 years

18. Don’t wait too longThe latest you want to wake up from a nap is five hours before bedtime, otherwise you risk not being able to fall asleep at night.

19. Sugar is not a good substitute for a napWhen we are tired, we instinctively reach for foods with a high glycemic index, but after the initial energy wears off, we’re left more tired than we were before.

20. It’s a good way to catch upIf it takes you less than five minutes to fall asleep at night, you are sleep deprived. If you never can seem to get to bed earlier

at night, a mid-day nap is a great way to catch up on sleep.

21. Underclassmen need more sleep

Freshmen and sophomores who are still in your teens: you need up to 10 hours of sleep to feel rested. So

odds are, you are sleep-deprived.

22. You’ll have to leave the party sooner

After one school-week of not getting enough sleep, three alcoholic drinks will affect you the same way six would when you are fully rested.

23. Don’t drive drowsyDon’t be afraid to take advantage of an “emergency nap” on the side of the road in your car. Every year, as many as 100,000 traffic fatalities are caused by sleepy people behind the wheel.

24. The Einstein MethodIf you are concerned about sleeping too long, do what Albert Einstein regularly did: hold a pencil while you’re drifting off, so when you fall asleep, the pencil dropping will wake you up. (We do not guarantee you will wake up with a 180 IQ.)

25. Missing sleep is worse at your ageFor people ages 18 to 24, sleep deprivation impairs performance more significantly than in other age brackets

25 Napping Facts Every College Student Should KnowProvided by

Dr. Matthew Walker of the University of California


Tumblr has come a long way since its humble beginnings back in 2007. Six years down the road, the short-form blogging and social networking site boasts more than 87 million different blogs and remains one of the most popular microblogging platforms of our time. Users can quickly and easily share text, photos, audio and pretty much any other kind of multimedia you can imagine with a simple click of the mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen device. Plus, the site is completely free to use and features some of the most visually appealing layouts and designs of any blogging platform out there right now. However, it does take a little while to get a handle on.Here’s our how-to guide for getting started with Tumblr. Try to ignore the recent Tumblr outages, Twitter abandonment, and the site’s big leap into the “sponsored products” market (aka advertising) — it’s a small price to pay for broadcasting your precious content into the blogosphere.

How To Procrastinate Effectively; Create a Tumblr

Spruce it up The best part about a blog is making it your own. To get started, choose the “Customize” option in the upper right-hand corner of the blog you want to customize. You will then be given options to name your blog, choose its theme from a list of premade options on the left-hand side, and a plethora of advanced options such as using an optimized mobile layout and descriptive links. Keep in mind some of the premium themes will cost you anywhere between $10 and $50, but there are plenty of free alternatives for the casual Tumblr. Unfortunately, there is no way to directly edit the code like you can on many other blogging platforms so customization is rather limited.

Give Birth to Your New Social Life Tumblr will create a default “Untitled” blog automatically when you first create your account. It’s nothing fancy, but you can rename and customize it all you want. To create a new blog, click the down arrow in the upper right-hand corner of the Tumblr dashboard and choose Create a new blog. You will be asked to title your blog, and choose an appropriate URL. You will also be given an option to password protect your blog so it can only be view by people who enter your chosen password.

Check yo email addressYou will need to verify your email account before you can fully access all Tumblr has to offer. Log in to the email account you registered with, open the email aptly titled “Tumblr verification email,” and click the Verify email address button to complete the sign-up process. You’re now ready to roll.

Sign up Creating an account is the first step to getting started with Tumblr. Go to the homepage and click the Sign Up button in the upper-right hand corner to begin the process. The site will ask you for a valid email address as well as your desired password and username (you can change these later). Afterward you will have to input your age, test your wits in a captcha test, and fill out a brief questionnaire describing what you’re into (e.g. art, fitness, education, etc.).After the initial sign-up questions, Tumblr will recommend a list of blogs for you to follow based on your interests. For example, if you’re a political nut, Tumblr may recommend for you to follow Politico or the always-enthralling U.S. Department of State blog. Luckily, you can skip the recommendations for the time being. If you want, you can also find people you know using your Facebook or Gmail accounts. Click Next when you finished with the sign-up process.

Reprinted fromw

ww.digitaltrends.com


Post away, Post Always!!!! Once you’ve settled on your desired layout design, it’s time to start hammering out content to make your Tumblr blog worthwhile. At the top of your dashboard, you can find a banner housing seven different content icons: text, photo, quote, link, chat, audio, and video. These represent the different types of content you can post to your blog. Although each option posts a different type of media, all seven choices will provide you with options for scheduling posts, adding tags, saving them as drafts, adding them to your queue, and making them private. Tumblr makes it incredibly easy to post whatever type of content you want. If you want to a post a particular song for example, click the headphones icon at the top of the dashboard to upload, link, or even search for a specific song using Soundcloud or Spotify. Click the dropdown menu to the right of Create post to schedule a specific publishing time, save it as a draft for later editing, make it private, or even add it to your queue so you can stagger your blog posts over a period of hours or days.Keep in mind Tumblr does have some limitations when it comes to content. For example, you can only upload five minutes of video a day and post 10 photos at any one time. The limitations shouldn’t restrict you too much, but it is something to think about if your trying to post a photo album or high-definition video.

Follow a blog or two or mine (the-kool-kidds.tumblr.com) Tumblr is a social networking blog — meaning you probably want to broadcast your content to more than just yourself. It aggregates content by following other users, looking at liked posts, as well as a number of other factors. Simply go to the Tumblr dashboard, click on the Find blogs button on the right-hand side, and sort through the list of blog categories. You can also search tags and contacts for specific people and friends. To follow a particular blog, hover over its profile image and click the Follow option. Other users can find you in a similar fashion and Tumblr will notify you whenever you gain a new follower.

Tapping into tags Tags on Tumblr are a great way for users to find posts about a specific topics, similar to hashtags on Twitter. When you create a post, regardless of the content type, you can insert tags in box with the tag icon above Create post. Make sure to separate tags by a comma if you want to include more than one. Note: You don’t need to put a tag in quotes or start with hashtag. Tags are efficient way of categorizing and organizing posts, but they only show up using certain themes. However, you can always search tags at the top right-hand corner of the Tumblr dashboard.

Like and reblogging Liking and reblogging posts on Tumblr is one of the easiest things to do — and one of the best ways to make a name for yourself in the vast Tumblr community. Click the heart icon in the upper right-hand corner of a post to like it or click the double arrows beside the heart to automatically import a post into your own blog. Once you click the reblog feature, you will be given the usual posting options so you can add commentary, set a publish time or save it as a draft, among other things. Like new followers, Tumblr will notify you whenever anyone likes or reblogs one of your posts.


Trials, tribulations, the desire to succeed — a rapper’s motivation is vital to their work, yet there’s seemingly little driving Iggy Azalea‘s “Fancy.” A breezy single featuring Charli XCX which charted as Azalea’s biggest hit yet, “Fancy” drops only a solitary hint in its Clueless-inspired video that the Aussie rapper gives a damn about street cred – a whiteboard listing candidates for GOAT emcee (Eminem, Andre 3000, Jay Z). And that’s fine. After the past few years of lackluster, unhelpful guest verses from male rappers (Rick Ross, Big Sean and, actually, Jay Z), Azalea’s “Fancy” reminds instead that, yes, rap can get along with BFF pop.

Unfortunately, the rest of Azalea’s major label debut The New Classic (out today, April 22) doesn’t have that spark.

The debut single “Work” comes closest to how Azalea described The New Classic‘s sound: “fairly electronic, like moombahton mixed with hip-hop.” This trendy sonic palette picks up where 2012 mixtape TrapGold (executive-produced by Diplo and FKi‘s 1stDown) left off, and even allows for a well-intentioned dancehall tribute (“Lady Patra”), but most of the album simply sounds stale.

“Work” stands out because it offers still-rare autobiographical details for curious critics: three jobs, years of saving, “No money, no family / 16 in the middle of Miami.” It’s an effective riposte to questions about her credibility sparked by her XXL Freshmen nod (Azalea was the first woman to be included), far more than the canned lyrical responses that crowd the rest of The New Classic: the Wyclef Jean-inspired “100,” the career-as-wedding-ceremony (“Walk the Line”), the rap game “busy” trap (“Don’t Need Y’all”). The tepid “Impossible Is Nothing” hints at “storms” and “goals” like posters in a school guidance counselor’s office.

Many Hot 100 rappers get away with just as little effort, though The New Classic disappoints because it has none of the personality seen in Azalea’s interview responses.

In those chats, critics usually point to the disconnect between real-world Iggy and her music, and how her Aussie accent and candor clash with her in-studio flow and braggadocio (cultivated by mentor T.I.). The New Classic shows that the trouble with Azalea’s adopted accent isn’t the thing itself, but that it leaves no room for variety. Whether she’s being encouraging (“Impossible”) or catty (“New Bitch”), detailing her breakup with A$AP Rocky (bonus track “Rolex”) or straight-up bragging (“Change Your Life”), Azalea has her perma-scowl on autopilot.

Azalea’s raps used to point out that she was white, beating detractors to the punch. She doesn’t go there on The New Classic, as if the album was a crowning achievement – proof of how she beat the odds as a seemingly unlikely Tupac fan who moved to the country where hip hop was born, and became a rapper desired by the biggest magazines in the worlds of rap and fashion. As off-the-wall as that sounds, The New Classic makes Azalea’s Cinderella story seem rather ordinary.

The New ClassicIggy Azalea Contributor — Christina Lee


Spotlight

The 2014 summer “Fearless” issue would like to shine a spotlight on one of South Carolina State University’s most talented rap artist, sound engineer, and fearless entrepreneur, Mr. Garrick Jhemel Wilson, better known by his stage name, Neko Da Roll-N-Stone; quite a unique name for such a unique individual.

Mr. Wilson is a senior Music Industry Major, expecting to graduate in May 2015. This Jamaica Queens, NY native moved to the Eastside of Atlanta, Ga. at the age of 10. His only musical influence is Michael Jackson. However, he was just recently informed that he has music in his blood. Garrick’s grandfather was a reggae legend in Jamaica, winning the Jamaican Festival three times in a row with a song entitled “Dreaming of a New Jamaica.”Garrick’s stage name came out of research of the name Neko meaning an all-around singer, songwriter, and artist, and he felt he embodied this meaning. The ‘Roll-N-Stone’ part of the name was inspired by the band The Rolling Stones and also the Temptation’s song “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” and he feels that way about his personal love life and as far as his music. As of now, Neko has a venture entitled “12 mixtapes and EPs (extended plays) in 12 months.” This came about when he was “on the fence about [his] next move, musically.” A few of his friends and companions told him he wasn’t in the studio enough and putting out enough music. Neko took these words as a challenge and decided to release a musical project each month during the year of 2014. All of his music can be found on his Bandcamp page at

nekodarollnstone.bandcamp.com.Neko is also one of many artists in a music group called Yuck Fou Ordinary and all of their music can be accessed through their YouTube page of ‘YuckFou Ordinary.’

NEKO DA ROLL-N-STONE

By N. Iman Gordon



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