On Feb. 20, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) announced that they had selected Roslyn M. Brock as the new chair of the Board of Directors. Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization.

Brock, aged 44, will be the youngest female ever to be Chair and also only the fourth woman. The NAACP is looking forward to Brock’s more youthful outlook that she will be able to bring to the organization.

Brock said in her press release, “We have a 48-year old President in the White House, an NAACP President who was 35 at the time of his election, and a 44 year old Board Chair. The wisdom of those who stood the test of time got us to this point, and the youth will lead the future success of our movement.”

Currently, the NAACP is primarily interested in the youth. Their goal is to prioritize their most important issues to create a solid agenda for the next few years. Brock claims that “passing the baton” to the next generation is one of her top priorities as Chair.

At the College, students are actively taking an interest in receiving that baton. On Wednesday night, the Black Student Association (B.S.A.) held their final dinner discussion to exchange views on the relevance of Black History Month.

Although the general consensus of the group was in favor of promoting Black History Month, many members suggested that updates need to be made. Part of the discussion centered on the idea that what we are learning during the month of February does not encompass many important time periods that have been influenced by African Americans. Every year, people are hearing about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks during the Civil Rights era. However, there is never any information provided on the time period post-civil rights, making it seem as though racial equality had been achieved, which it clearly had not. The group discussed the fact that in order to make black history more relevant, it should be integrated into the rest of history, meaning it would be proportionally discussed in the 70s, 80s, 90s, etc.

What does the group propose to help address the racial incidents that still exist in society and at our school? Marcel Baugh ’13 says we need “race transcendent prophets.” In other words, “people who look at racial injustices as a prevelent issue and are active in doing something about it.”  He continues in advocating the idea that people need to be advocates for their race and diversity.

The B.S.A. is holding an alumni award event on Saturday from 3-5 p.m. in the alumni center and are extending an invitation to all people, group members or not.

Black History Month remains an important part of the year because as B.S.A. President Carmen Guess ’12 puts it, “This is the only time we are able to hear about things from people who look like us.”

For most of the students, the two-week vacation is a much-needed break. As some students jet off to exotic locations, others, especially the seniors, may still be on campus putting the final touches on their I.S. The bookstore, copy center and registrar’s office (the three most important stops en route to independence) will all have extended hours over spring break to accommodate the seniors.

The copy center, which is located in Lowry, is hoping to assist more seniors this year in making copies of their I.S. “I’m just hoping we get more students in here,” said Joyce Heitger, the Supervisor of Office Services, “I think students need to know we are available for them.” During spring break and up until 5 p.m. on I.S. Monday, seniors can come to the copy center and either download their I.S. from their email, flash drive, CD or even bring a hard copy and those working at the center can make copies for students before they go upstairs to the bookstore to get their projects bound. The copy center also has coil binding for students if they prefer different bindings for all the copies of their projects.

Heitger, along with Rogera Flack, the Assistant Director and Book Department Manager of the Bookstore, also stressed that, for students, coming to the copy center can be beneficial for a number of reasons. Compared to prices at larger industrial copy centers, the 5 cents a copy and .39 cents for full color copies that the center charges are quite a steal and students are able to use their copy account to pay for their cost. Also, the high speed of the copiers at 110 pages a minute and the convenience of being on-campus are more incentives for seniors looking to make more than two copies of their I.S. Last year, only 41 seniors utilized their services during I.S. Sunday and Monday, and this year they’re hoping for more. Over break, the center will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on March 21 and 22.

The Bookstore, where seniors can have their I.S. bound, also has a number of suggestions for those already thinking about this process. One tip Kathy Jerisek, the Assistant Director and General Merchandise Manager of the Bookstore, has for seniors is to remind them that they are always able to come to the bookstore, drop off their I.S. to get bound, leave their name and pick them up later. Since March 21 and  22 are dedicated to binding, there are times when the process becomes backed up because there is only one machine available for binding. Jerisek emphasizes that it does depend on time and day, but sometimes students could be waiting in the bookstore for up to 15 or 20 minutes, so with this option, she’s hoping to lessen the stress for seniors.

Vinyl binding, the most popular choice for students will cost $2.95 or for $1.95 students can get a heavier stock binding with a different cover. Over break, the bookstore will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. Saturday, March 20 they will be open 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., March 21 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and I.S. Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Registrar’s Office is the final stop for seniors, where they turn in two copies of their bound I.S., receive their button, Tootsie Roll and have the chance for a photo-op with the giant, inflated tootsie roll hanging over the registrar’s desk. “It’s important for faculty to know as well about the logistics of getting I.S. done,” said Registrar Suzanne Bates. The Registrar’s office hours over break are the same as their regular business hours – 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, March 21 the office will be open 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and until the deadline of 5 p.m. on I.S. Monday.

In keeping with this 60 year tradition of I.S., Bates will be dressed in a tootsie-roll costume, as she has done every year while she congratulates the students. “The students come first,” said Heitger.

Though the focal point of the talk was the Viking longships, it touched upon a variety of aspects of Viking life and history, as well as the archeological history of the discovery of Viking ships.  The Norse tribes collectively referred to as Vikings were active as a civilization from about 800 C.E. until about 1100 C.E.  During this time, Hale argued, it was their unique and formidable sailing craft, more than anything else, that accounted for their fearsomeness and effectiveness at raiding, looting, and pillaging as well as exploration and commerce.

Unlike traditional European sailing vessels, Viking ships were open, like scaled up canoes.

“There was no ‘below decks,’” said Hale. “There were no decks. This was a different kind of ship.”

Because Vikings were either burned or buried with their ships, the vessels disappeared from service rather quickly after the Vikings fell, victims of a changing political climate and deforestation of their own lands.  As a result, by the late 19th century, no one remembered what a Viking ship looked like depictions from that time showing  European-style ships with square sails.

This is part of what makes Viking ships so interesting for archeologists.  Because of the great care Vikings in Norway took with the burial of their dead in ships, especially royalty, some of the ships have been found incredibly well-preserved. In particular, Hale discussed a royal yacht found at Oseberg, the beginning of Viking ship archeology.

Another huge find discussed by Hale was a collection of sunken ships found in a fjord at Roskilde.  The site contained each of the four major types of Viking vessel, all of them well-preserved, making it a veritable “Sears-Roebuck catalogue of Viking ships,” in Hale’s words.

The Oseberg ship, the Roskilde ships and other finds revealed Viking ships to be remarkable unique vessels.  While European wooden ships depended on their ribbed planks for strength and support, the strength of Viking ships is in their skin —the planks that go down the length of the ship.

This was accomplished by cutting trees radially to ensure the uniformity of planks and by overlapping the planks, making the space between them, a strong point rather than  a weak one.

Much of the controversy about Viking longships has been related to the discovery of America — could a Viking ship have crossed the Atlantic to North America?  Ancient sagas describe Leif Erikson discovering a land called Vinland, likely the coast of Canada, around 1000 C.E — nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus.  Hale described several cases of “experimental archeology,” wherein scholars reconstructed or restored Viking longships using period tools and attempted, successfully, to sail them across the ocean.  Finally the matter was put to rest when a Norwegian couple discovered a Viking ship in Newfoundland after a voyage to trace Erikson’s original route from the Saga.

Hale’s particular work, which he discussed towards the end of the talk, traces the evolutionary roots of the canoe-like design of the longship.  Although the design had formerly been traced back to the Inuits, Hale said that he noticed similar designs used by peoples from the Pacific islands to central Africa, which he described as “a worldwide tradition that had been completely forgotten.”

Why “Dragons of the North?” Hale explained that the Viking poets described their longships as dragons, the sail as their wing and that the long tall keel was often crafted to resemble a dragon head.

“Studies show that as many as 10 million females and one million males in the U.S. suffer from an eating disorder,” Michelle Togliatti, co-founder of EDAO said. “EDAO and the community need to raise awareness, provide resources and improve education to help fight this epidemic.”

EDAO is a charitable organization formed to provide assistance to individuals and families dealing with eating disorders throughout the state of Ohio. Its primary purpose is to educate and create community awareness of eating disorders, while striving to eliminate insurance discrimination for treatment. EDAO is the only organization of its kind in the state of Ohio, receiving calls daily throughout the state about the treatment options for adults and children who are affected by eating disorders.

Every year the EDAO volunteers look for new ways to raise awareness. According to Togliatti, the most exciting event planned for NEDAW will be the screening of the live documentary that has been in development since April 2009, titled, “Behind the Mask of Perception,” which will be used to raise awareness and education in schools.

The various organizations involved with NEDAW will be hosting a variety of free seminars throughout Northeast Ohio, including, “What to Say to Students about Eating Disorders— a talk for educators, professionals and parents” in Westlake, “A Day of Breaking Barriers … Getting Real about Eating Disorders on a College Campus” in Akron and  “Identifying and Treating Eating Disorders in the Primary Care Setting — a Talk for Professionals, Families and Patients” in Beachwood.

The week will conclude with an exclusive showing of, “The Mask of Perception:  Real People … Real Stories…Real Recovery … Dare to look behind the mask of an eating disorder into a world where Perception becomes Reality” in Akron.

In addition to these seminars and screenings the EDAO is asking residents of Northeast Ohio to “get real” and donate any jeans that no longer fit to the various bin locations throughout the region. All jeans will be donated to The Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties.

The College is also joining in with efforts to spread awareness about eating disorders during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

One way students can find out information is to look for posts in The Pot from the campus organization Students Helping Students. Amelia Burris ’11, a member of the group, talked about its positive influence. “The members of Students Helping Students are trained to counsel fellow Wooster students in all aspects of physical and mental health, including eating disorders.  While we do not have all the answers, we are here to listen and know of professionals who can help.”

Shaya presented his findings of studying sensationalist newspapers in France at the turn of the 20th century.  His work centered around the ideas of German philosopher Jurgen Habermas, who believed the “public sphere” operated as a place for public discourse and critical and rational debate.

Shaya argued that as French newspapers became more widespread, they contributed to the development of French culture in the public sphere.  He said that the press shapes the public conceptions, and those ideals “shape politics, social experience and every day life.”

According to Shaya, the rapid increase in newspapers printed daily to demonstrate the power of the French press.  In 1860, 150,000 newspapers were printed per day in Paris, and that number increased to 1 million in 10 years and by 1910 stood at 5 million.

Shaya used examples of four dominant newspapers of the time period, all which used sensational news stories to attract readers.  Violence, animal attacks, murders and child abuse were all common themes that caught the attention of readers.  Graphic illustrations usually accompanied the most gruesome stories.  Publications usually printed novels in every edition, giving its readers entertainment as well as sensationalized news.

Newspapers appealed to emotions, said Shaya, which in turn impacted society by integrating separate social groups and creating a sense of belonging, as well as support for republicanism.

“The fantasy of solidarity in the late 19th century press promised to bring people together in new ways, to create a new community,” said Shaya.

Even the newspapers themselves used this mindset to appeal to a broad spectrum of readers.  “Le Petit Journal,” one of the four prominent newspapers of the time, used the slogan, “all classes rub shoulders in reading Le Petit Journal.”  Similarly, “Le Petit Parisian” gave its readers the sense that their newspaper would bring people together in “sublime communication,” said Shaya.

The widespread appeal not only marketed the newspapers to the most amount of people, but it brought the French people together and created an emotionally responsive culture.

According to Habermas, the press produces a certain kind of people, and Shaya concluded that the French press of the late 19th and early 20th centuries created a culture of empathetic and emotional people who value an emotional response to suffering.

Shaya earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michican after studying in Paris and at the University of California, Berkeley.  He is an associate professor in the history department and is currently completing a manuscript, tentatively titled “Mayham for Moderns: The Sensationalism of Violence in Modern France.”  Although his previous work has focused on French history, Shaya recently began work on the history of the Wayne County Fair.

With the wins over Wabash and Hiram, the team extended its winning streak to 12 and 13 games, respectivey. With each win, the Scots steadily continue to climb in the national polls. The team is now ranked No. 19, the highest ranked team in Ohio. Wabash was arguably the most formidable team the Scots had played in a month. Moreover, playing Wabash on the road is a consistent challenge. Aside from the seven-hour bus ride to Crawfordsville, Ind., the Little Giants boast one of the most spirited fan bases in the conference. While Chadwick Court holds a capacity of just over 1,000, the small arena maximizes crowd noise — of which there was plenty last Sunday.

The game was close from the opening tip to the final horn — the Scots’ largest lead of the game came in the opening minutes when it built a 9-2 lead. Wabash immediately used a 15-2 run to open a 17-11 lead in the first half. From there, both teams played each other closely. The largest lead the Scots held the rest of the game was 34-27.

One of the game’s biggest storylines was that the Scots did not rely on the three-point shot — making 5-of-15 from downtown. Their 15 attempts from behind the arc were tied for the fewest all season. Statistically, the Scots and Giants were equal in most categories. The Scots were able to win the game because they held on to the ball —committing only nine turnovers to Wabash’s 17.

Guard Nathan Balch ’11, who has caught fire over the last four games, led all Wooster scorers with 17. Ian Franks ’11 pitched in 13, but the unsung hero of the game may have been team captain and point guard Brandon Johnson ’10.

The fifth-year senior came back this season after sitting out last year with an ACL tear. Before the injury, Johnson was typically a jack-of-all-trades point guard, with the ability to penetrate, shoot from long-range, distribute the ball, play lock-down perimeter defense and even rebound. Since coming back from the injury, Johnson has had a more specified role.

As the lone senior on the team, Johnson’s main role has been to provide leadership and play defense on the perimeter. Johnson has not scored as much and has also split time with the emerging Matt Fegan ’12, who leads the team in three-point-field-goal percentage. On Sunday, Johnson turned in his finest performance of the year, displaying the quickness and athleticism that had made him such a match-up problem from 2005-2008.

For much of the game, Johnson had one of the toughest assignments a perimeter defender can ask for — guarding Wabash forward Wes Smith. Smith came in as the top scorer in the NCAC.  Johnson was assigned to guard the most explosive player in the conference on his surgically repaired knee. It was only a slightly less difficult task than asking Stevie Wonder to officiate the Super Bowl. Johnson, who has always been a lockdown defender, held his own against the decorated forward who was a high school teammate of Greg Oden and Mike Conley. Johnson notched season-highs in points (11) and steals (six) on the game. While Smith scored 18 points, he was held to just 4-for-13 shooting from the field and committed five turnovers.

While Johnson may not display the explosiveness that he showed before his ACL injury, he used his experience and knowledge on the court, rather than relying on superior athleticism. “With the knee injury, he’s not going to be able to be as fast and quick — he’s not going to be able to jump up and slam a dunk like he always could. However, [Johnson] is gaining confidence on the court in doing things that he couldn’t earlier in the season. Brandon is learning how to be effective without that former athletic ability,” said head coach Steve Moore.

With the conference title now in hand, the Scots turn their attention to arguably the biggest game of the season — the home showdown with Wittenberg University. The rivalry is one of the fiercest in Div. III. It has become a fierce rivalry because of the continued dominance of both programs. Since the 1988-89 season, either Wooster or Wittenberg has won at least a share of the NCAC title. In that span, Allegheny College is the only school to win at least a share of the conference title along with either of the two schools, doing so during the 1988-89 season and during the 1993-94 season. Over the past 15 seasons, the NCAC has been won only by Wooster or Wittenberg.

More recently, Wooster has gained the upper hand in the series, winning the regular season title seven of the past eight years. Since winning the NCAC Tournament title in 2006 and making a run to the NCAA national title, Wittenberg has failed to make the NCAA Tournament. Wittenberg (17-5, 9-4 NCAC) is enjoying its best season since 2007 and led the Scots for a majority of the first half when the two teams played in Springfield, Ohio.

While the Scots are looking to complete their first 16-0 conference season since 1999-2000 and with the Tigers already eliminated from the regular season title chase, they will come into this game looking to blemish the Scots’ perfect conference record.

Franks claims that tomorrow night, it’s Wooster versus Wittenberg — the records are irrelevant. “With a rivalry game, you know that anything can happen. So despite everything, you have to throw records off the table,” he said.

The atmosphere tomorrow night will be electric. The Wooster-Wittenberg rivalry was one of the reasons Justin Hallowell ’12 came to Wooster. “I went to the Witt game when it was here at Wooster my senior year in high school and it was amazing to me that at the Div. III level there could be a game like that with such an intense, but at the same time fun, atmosphere,” said Hallowell.

Hallowell said that nothing can compare with the experience of playing in the game for the first time. “It’s such a fun game to play in that you have to tell yourself not to get so jacked up in warm-ups’ — cause its easy to wear yourself out,” said Hallowell.

Wooster’s home crowds typically average about 1,500 per game. Tomorrow night, the crowd will likely double that. Playing in front of 3,000 people is a rare experience for most Div. III players. “It’s such a great feeling knowing that all those fans out there came to watch your team play,” said Hallowell. “And there’s nothing like hearing the roar of the crowd after a big basket or the crowd getting into it when your team is on defense.  It’s like they give you a little boost of energy,” he said.

This is Johnson’s fifth year as part of the rivalry, and there have been many games that have come down to the wire. While the Scots will host the Tigers tomorrow, it is the road games that stick out for Johnson. “Having so much success in their gym has been really special to me. It is extremely difficult to go on the road and win in such a tough environment, but we have been able to do it time and again throughout my four years,” said Johnson.

While Moore, who is a 1974 Wittenberg alumnus and was a point guard for the Tigers, remains even-keeled, he stresses the energy the team must play with. “I don’t think Coach [Moore] approaches any games more intensely than the Witt game. He makes it very clear how much it means to them to beat us and how hard we have to play to win,” said Johnson.

That intensity is frequently demonstrated on the court. Last year when the Tigers visited Timken, team captain Marty Bidwell ’09 and Wittenberg forward David Nowicki nearly got into a tussle after Bidwell tried to dunk on Nowicki at the end of the game. Emotions have always run high in this game, and tomorrow night will likely be no different.

With the comeback of Johnson, the re-emergence of Wooster’s perimeter shooters, as well as increased depth in the post with the improvement of Josh Claytor ’13 and Jake Mays ’13, the Scots may finally have all the pieces in place to run the table and be ranked in the top-12 by the end of the regular season.

Wittenberg would like nothing better than to rattle the Scots’ newfound consistency. In this rivalry, it’s not necessarily the most talented team that wins — it’s the team with the most intensity and energy. Moore will make sure the team has plenty of both tomorrow night.

Before she relocated,   Smith taught at UCLA from 1994 until 2001, when she took up her present position at Princeton University in New Jersey.  She has been the fortunate recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship in 2005-2006 and the Alphonse G. Fletcher, Sr. Fellowship in 2006-2007.

Smith, who lectured to a full house in Severance 009, discussed popular media’s re-interpretations of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s.  Using the television show “Cold Case’’ as well as the 2004 documentary “Home of the Brave,’’ Smith explored a dichotomy existing in popular perceptions of the Civil Rights Movement.  Smith argued, through her presentation of a recently authored paper, that American contemporary society has “a preoccupation with the movement,” stating there exists a “widespread assertion that we are in a post-racial era.”  However, according to Smith, “our national consciousness is still bound in that moment.”  Smith cites several works produced during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as more contemporary works, to provide evidence for her assertions.

By examining several “cold cases” of Civil Rights-era violence, Smith explained that American society, while asserting its post-racial present, uses re-interpretations of the era to bring about justice in a modern sense.  Smith states, “Civil Rights Era cold cases [serve] as practice of remembering and memorializing.” In essence, new media re-examines the movement in the context of contemporary America’s challenges with race.  According to Smith, these new works “expose the limitations of previous narratives of the Civil Rights Movement.”

To illustrate these points, Smith drew on a variety of popular media references, including the Spike Lee documentary ‘’4 Little Girls’’ (1997).  Smith specifically focused on the 2005 ‘’Cold Case’’ episode “Strange Fruit.”  Smith argued that the television show’s flashback and character development model allowed her to explore the episode’s treatment of a fictional 1963 lynching in Philadelphia as a way to reassert justice in the contemporary sense.  Smith also showed a clip of the documentary “Home of the Brave,’’ emphasizing that events from the past cannot be isolated to the past, but continue to influence the reality of the present.  Says Smith, these media re-interpretations from the 1980s to the present “require us to remember and confront episodes from our history” society would rather forget.

Smith also co-presented a question-and-answer panel with Assistant Professors of English Leslie Wingard, Travis Foster and Mazen Naous on Tuesday, Feb. 9 from 4-5 p.m. In Kauke 237.  The panel discussed the application and preparation process required for graduate studies, specifically focusing on programs in English, Africana, American, Ethnic and Women’s Studies.

Smith’s visit was sponsored by the Departments of English, History, and Africana Studies, the Donaldson Fund and the Center for Diversity and Global Engagement.

TFD is not just unique to Wooster but in fact has been hosted at numerous colleges throughout the country. Many schools have taken particular measures on campus to show which things, however small, were made possible not from tuition, but from alumni donations. One school removed all their forks in the dining hall and another shut the power off for 10 minutes in an effort to promote the importance and recognition of TFD. Carolyn Ciriegio, the development assistant for the office of alumni relations, said “Although tuition is high and seems to be rising every year, it still doesn’t come close to reflecting the true cost of education.”

On Monday, Feb. 15, students will have a number of opportunities available to help get involved with the efforts promoted by TFD.

In Lowry, students can come and write thank-you notes to alumni who donated to the College in the last year. Ribbons will also be placed around campus attached with the names of donors and many of the names will be familiar to many students. Alongside all of this, statistics will be provided that highlight the importance of alumni support and general facts about the alumni as a whole. For example, there are currently 1,934 Wooster alumni are married to other Wooster alumni.                                The College’s alumni relations are of great importance and Ciriegio urges all students to consider TFD in this light. “Think about it in terms of what might be missing from your Wooster experience — if so many alumni (young and old) didn’t choose to support the College, you might not have all the resources available to make your Wooster experience a great one. On a more serious note, think about how many of your close friends not might be here to share those experiences with you,” she said. Every year, there are thousands of gifts donated to the College from alumni ranging from five dollars to $50 ,000 that have significantly impacted our college experience.

Again this year, seniors especially are being urged to contribute to their Senior Wooster Fund. Katie Harvuot ’10 said, “It’s important for students to know about Tuition Freedom Day so they realize how many and how much alumni really give back. We rely on their generosity and continued support. I know I am going to give this year to the Senior Wooster Fund and after I graduate. Someone I didn’t know donated and helped me and I want to be able to do the same.”

Students will be able to “express themselves as people as opposed to as a specific gender, and will be able to live without a gender label,” said Professor Karen Taylor, a faculty member in support of this housing alternative.

Many people questioning their gender identity struggle to understand the confines of the two culturally determined genders.  Our society attempts to separate people distinctly into two specific groups, male or female, with no variation, when for some, gender is not a one-sided issue.  “All institutions want us to choose a side as either one identity or the other, so it’s nice to have the opportunity to have a space where we aren’t required to identify either way,” commented Taylor.

Gender-Neutral Housing opportunities are common throughout the country at other Colleges and Universities, and have been successful at creating safe living environments for GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered) and Ally students.

One aspect of potential misunderstanding regarding this housing option is that the goal of this alternative is not to provide a housing option in which couples could feasibly room together.  “The notion of gender neutral living has nothing to do with sex or sexuality, it simply has to do with a desire to not recognize labels,” noted Taylor.

The specific location of this housing option has yet to be established.  Currently, the College is interested in determining the amount of interest in this housing alternative.  Once the demand for Gender-Neutral Housing has been established and accounted for,  Residence Life will be able to appropriately accommodate those interested.  All of the logistical details regarding this housing option will be taken care of before housing decisions need to be made by the students, and again, the amount of interest  is the focus currently.  If students are interested in finding out more information regarding this housing alternative, you can email Erin Leonardi, Associate Director of Residence Life at eleonardi@wooster.edu.

Emma Zieske ’12 and Sarah Hunt ‘12, two of the student initiators of this new housing option, emphasized that the primary aim of creating this housing project “is that it will function as a safe space for GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered) and ally students.”

The live stream opportunity was presented to the E Group during one of their weekly “popcorn sessions” by Dr. John Jewell, Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology at the College, who specializes in entrepreneurship.  TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference is an invite-only conference held in Palm Springs by the TED non-profit organization for ideas worth spreading.  The purpose of TED2010 is to gather the world’s brightest and most innovative thinkers and doers in technology, entertainment, and design to hopefully create connections, gain insight and inspiration to motivate people to change the world.

The E group had to pay $1000.00 for the rights to the live steam. “It’s a really big deal to have the live stream here,” said E group’s president and marketing director, Patryk Tenorio ’11. “The reason its so exclusive is because the leaders of TED find the most influential people in the world to speak about how to make an impact on the world.”

Jewell handed over the advertisements and information to Tenorio and vice president and graphic designer, Liz Sakach ’11 who came up with the idea of initial viral advertising.  “We put the advertisements everywhere that just said ‘TED is coming’ so people would ask questions and wonder who TED is, just to get the word out there” said Tenorio.  The actual details of the events were posted on Monday — which resulted in a packed E Center for the kickoff on Wednesday.