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SLAM Kicks off New Hill Tradition
by Hilltop Staff*
Tricia Rose - Passion & Reflection
World War I on stage
Full House in Belk
Followup with the speaker
Characters out of time
Mike Costello presents a Cuban revolutioinary
Interaction with faculty
SLAM Coordinating Committee
The Booty Band to Celebrate After
| * Editor Elizabeth Head
and the following Hilltop staff members
contributed to this story:
Sable Adams, Kenyari Addison, Matt Allen, Lauren Cecere, Brandon Johnson, Shane Johnson, Danielle Kamffer, Andrea Powell, Alex Turner, Jessie Young |
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Mars Hill College hosted its first annual Spring SLAM event on Wednesday, April 18. All classes were suspended for the day so the entire campus could participate.
"Today we celebrate the best of a Mars Hill education," said Vice President Nina Pollard, addressing the hundreds of students who had streamed into Moore Auditorium at 8:45 a.m. to jump-start the day. Above the speaker's podium a large banner spelled out SLAM --- Student Liberal Arts Mosaic.
"We are here to see students demonstrate that they have learned how to acquire knowledge…
I welcome you all to the celebration. Let the dance begin!"
Students during the day visited various locations throughout the campus for a wide variety of oral presentations and arts performances, all given by their fellow students. They reconvened in Moore Auditorium at noon to hear keynote speaker Tricia Rose, who drew standing ovations.
Rose, a professor and nationally recognized author of a book on the emergence of hip-hop culture, gave a packed house a sample of Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice" while discussing the culture of hip hop. She gave students two main ingredients for success in their chosen field: passion and critical reflection.
"Be passionate about what interests you," said Rose, who began her own research in an environment that did not encourage the study of hip-hop or see the necessity in it. "Be willing to put things out there that might get you in some trouble, or might make people uncomfortable, or might make people challenge you and force you into really expressing what it is you are talking about."
But, she warned, if you're only passionate, "you will follow blindly anything around you. …" Critical reflection --a willingness to step back and ask hard questions, is equally important, she said.
She dared students to "Broaden your scope. Have the courage to be different, to be the richest, fullest, most authentic, contradictory person you can be."
Rose pursued her passion, wrote a book about it, Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America, and is in demand nationally as a speaker on the subject. She is now a Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University.
"If you believe in who you are and are true to that, "she said, "then people will find you."
During the opening ceremony in Moore Auditorium, students received a schedule of events and a "passport." Because many students were required by their professors to attend a certain number of SLAM presentations, the "passports" were stamped at each location as proof of attendance.
Senior Mary Margaret Fulk, student representative for the SLAM committee, encouraged students to involve themselves in subjects that they were not usually interested in. "My hope for today is that you will not leave here unaffected," said Fulk.
Students attended the various presentations during the morning and afternoon. Altogether, there were 40 different oral presentations ranging from "Women in Christianity: Eve to Sojourner Truth" to "Raptor Interspecies Communication with Human Benefits." In addition there were poster displays and arts performances.
Hundreds of students emerged with smiles and laughter from two showings of "The War to End All Wars," a humorous play written by Anne G'Fellers about the onset of World War I. She said she combined in her play three things: her love of English, history, and theatre.
Other favorites included "Arjuna and the D-Pole: Lacrosse as an Analogy for Hinduism and the Four Yogas," by Lance Renes, and "Animated Shorts" by Justin Atkins, Tiffany Bussey, Maranda Dellinger, and Dustin Whitlow.
John Allen and Drew Belton explained their mathematical formula for predicting which Major League baseball teams will be successful. Casey English described software she has developed for "Custom Campus Event Reminders."
One could hear presentations from all disciplines, from the "Characterization of Avocado Catalase" by Chemistry Major Abby DeBusk, to "How Metaphors Shape Life" by Religion Major Emma Mackey.
An April mist kept activities and meals indoors. At lunch and at supper the cafeteria was filled to capacity, and there was much laughter and cheering after the Gumbo dinner as door prizes were announced. Prizes included an iPod. iShuffles, $100 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble, tote bag/water bottle combo, tee-shirts.
The day concluded in Chambers gym with music by Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band.
At the end of the day, many students commented on the sense of community they felt as biology majors and religion majors and English majors and art majors enjoyed each other's achievements.
I liked seeing people present on what they are passionate about," said Christa Gaffer. "I also liked being exposed to things I am not usually presented with in class. If I could change something, I would make the presentations more engaging and less report-like."
One student enjoyed the feeling of community produced by bringing together both on and off-campus residents, slong with faculty, staff, and Adult ACCESS students.
Mary Kate Christian recommended that "if it could be a little earlier in the year, it would be better because there's not the pressure of having it so close to exams…and in the program, maybe include a short synopsis of each little sub-session in the sessions and tell what they're about to be able to better judge what would interest people more."
Some reported that the sessions were uneven in quality; not all presenters seemed passionate about their subjects. "I was bored to exhaustion," said one critic. Some said the day was too long, and that the sessions were organized so that they could not move easily from one to another and see everything they wanted to see.
"The planning and preparation were amazing," said Trey Winchester, "but the sessions were a little long and they needed to have more opportunities for food."
Aaron Pressley felt good at the end of the day. "SLAM is great. It helps us understand what our fellow students are studying."
Nick Sigona said, "I felt like I came away with something, both knowledge, and respect for my classmates."
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