Elon University - Phi Psi Cli Yearbook (Elon, NC)

Page 33 text:

Clockwise from left: PLAYING TOURIST . . . Holly Sniffen, Tara Dosier and Kristie Hottinger watch the changing of the guard. HERE’STOTHEGOOLOLDU.S. OF A. . . . Members of the study abroad group celebrate their homecoming. CALLING IT A DAY . . . Pat Ryan relaxes after a day of hard work along the Texas-Mexico border. EARNING THEIR GRADES . . . Hope Conner, Steph- anie Cass, Jennifer Shrewsbury and Lara Greene build a plat- form as part of their project in Mexico. THE LINK TO THE STATES. . . Jay Dunbar watches the Super Bowl from the lobby of London’s Kennedy Hotel. Academics and the Arts 29

Page 32 text:

THE ULTIMATE TRIP Winter Team Travels Winter Team is typically a semester marked by unusual weather conditions, long hours of class, and a great deal of tree time. But for some students, The month-long period meant travel and adventure in London, Mexico or Costa Rica. For the twenty-first year, a group of Elon students descended upon London. This year’s group consisted of more that 180 students and six professors. Each participant earned three credit hours for taking a class in England. In addition to taking day trips to historical points of interest such as Stonehenge and Strat- ford-upon-Avon, students were involved in in- teresting and often entertaining “class projects. ” Additionally, the entire group attended various cultural events. The month-long trip overseas included a weekend stay in Edinburgh, Scotland, and a stay-over in Amsterdam. Students also were LIFE'S A BEACH . . . Janie Rucker and Tracy Drea find fun in the Latin American sun at “Playas Manuel Antonio. TAKING A BREATHER . . . Ben Draper, Gary Myrick and Michael Cozart take it easy after a heavy day of touring Costa Rica. given a “free week” during which time they could either travel the continent or remain at their London base. For the second year, a group of students trav- elled to Mexico in order to work on the “Puentes De Cristo” project. The program is sponsored by the Presbyterian Church and was developed as a means of helping the underprivileged popula- tion of the Texas Mexico border. Faculty members Dr. Gerardo Rodriquez and Ms. Kathryn Larson escorted the band of good Samaritans. Students earned three semester hours of credit in a General Studies course en- titled “Society of Civilization.” Participants gained a strong awareness of the social and eco- nomic ideals of the border community and addi- tionally developed basic skills in conversational Spanish. For the first year ever, a group from Elon spent the three-week semester in Costa Rica. “Home base” for these students was the capital city of San Jose, but weekend trips were sched- uled to provide a glimpse of life in Latin America. Dr. Chalmers Brumbaugh and Dr. Earnest J. Lunsford hosted and organized the trip, which included daily class meetings and lectures concerning the economic, social, and political status of the country and region as a whole. While studying in a foreign country means extra expenses and a tew traveling hassles (de- layed flights, missing luggage, endless bus trips, and so on), most participants agree that is one of the best learning experiences offered by the col- lege. Any problems that arise generally seem in- significant when compared to the thrill of the overall trip. And while the travellers may have had to scrimp to save up enough money for their journey, the budgeting almost always paid off. 28 Academics and the Arts

Page 34 text:

CHANGING THE TUNE Fine Arts Improvements Abound Day in, day out, hundreds of students trek around the southern portion of campus — going to classes, talking to professors, working on various projects and so on. But there is another end of campus. An end that frequently gets ignored. Amidst the gyms and residence halls, there looms an almost over-powering building. In this structure, students attend classes, speak to professors and complete projects — just as they do up campus.” This is the Fine Arts Building, an area where students can turn their creative talents loose. Since its opening in the fall of 1987, the building has continued to grow and develop. This year, the college welcomed a new director for the Fine Arts program. According to Dr. Clair Myers, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for Fine Arts Communications, 1988-89 was a year of great changes in the Fine Arts Building. Physical changes touched every department housed in the building — music, drama, art, and communications. Two video and two audio editing rooms were added for the benefit of the communications majors. The Black Box theater was converted into a television studio complete with lights, sound system and cyclorama. The drama department began furnishing a scene shop with various power and hand tools, a paint area and storage cabinets. Futhermore, the entire look of the front office changed, becoming what Dr. Myers labelled “more efficient, more professional.” There was also the addition of faculty and staff members, including Fred Rubeck, drama professor and director of campus dramatic productions, and John Drtina, technical director of the Fine Arts Building. The art department welcomed Mike Sanford, and Gerald Gibson and Pat Kinney rounded out the Joumalism Communications staff. Partly due to the expanded facilities, partly ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME . . . Senior Kathy Meadows, above at right, impatiently waits the grand opening of the revamped Black Box Theater, which has become a TV production studio. AN EVEN EXCHANGE . . . Angela Meadows, right, shows Sharon Walters-Bower her student ID to receive tickets to an on-campus theater production. Regular box office hours are just one of many improvements in the building’s main office. because of the additional staff, and partly thanks to an increased awareness of the importance of the arts, the Fine Arts Building became the facility in which new classes were taught. According to Dr. Myers, the number of arts courses offered was “substantially increased. More courses were offered in drama, music and art, new directing and stagecraft classes were established, and additional selections became available for non-majors and honors students. One of the most impressive changes to occur in the center was a renewed feeling of cooperation amongst the various departments. Communications staff and students made videotapes of drama, dance and music productions, and drama and music students cooperated during the presentation of the annual Madrigal Dinner. On the whole, the Fine Arts Building server as a center for students who are interested in displaying and improving their creative talents. And thanks to the great changes in the facilities, scheduling, and staff, the building served its purpose better than ever. “There isn’t a part of the program that hasn’t taken a step forward,” Dr. Myers said. 30 Academics and the Arts