UA honors students take part in Alabama Action
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Aug. 14
Freshman students from the University of Alabama got an early start on helping out in their community. More than 80 UA freshmen teamed up for the Alabama Action Program, a community service project happening in several areas. We caught up with one group at Matthews Elementary school in Northport. Work there included landscaping, painting and building an outdoor classroom. “They get to do an awesome community service project for a bunch of little kids who will appreciate it. And they really get to know a lot about giving back to the community.” Organizers say Alabama Action also lets them bond with other students while working on these projects.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 14
Letters from President Lincoln on display at UA
WERC-FM (Birmingham) – Aug. 14
And letters from President Lincoln are on display at the University of Alabama. The letters reveal what was on Lincoln’s mind during the civil war. The university’s Louis Pitschmann comments on the letters. “The scholarly community describes the letters as pointing out not just Lincoln as president, but also Lincoln the attorney, Lincoln the man.” … In one letter Lincoln discusses the treatment of people charged with treason.
University of Alabama students offer advice to help freshmen thrive
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 14
More than 6,000 freshmen will move into their dorm rooms and residence halls at the University of Alabama beginning Friday and continuing through Sunday. Classes at UA begin Wednesday, and more seasoned students have some tips on how freshmen can thrive in their first year on campus. Jazymine Latham, a senior, said that freshmen need to get acquainted with their teachers as well as fellow students. “Get to know your teachers. If you need that one more point to get a B or an A, they can definitely help you. Also, get to know your classmates. They are good for when you need help with an assignment or a study buddy. Go to class,” said Latham, a human development and family studies major. Whitney Watson, a junior accounting major, stressed the need to become an expert in time management. … Steven Hood, interim vice president of student affairs, offers a few pointers for incoming freshmen on move-in day and the upcoming semester: — Dress comfortably for move-in and wear closed-toed shoes. — If you failed to register for a move-in time, call UA housing at 205-348-6676 to make sure you have a time slot. Don’t arrive too early, or you will be directed to a holding area until your scheduled time. — Browse the housing website at housing.ua.edu/movein for directions to your dorm, move-in schedules, packing tips and information on Week of Welcome. — Correspond with your roommate before move-in to discuss expectations of cleanliness, visitors, noise, etc. — Introduce yourself to other residents in your hall including your resident adviser, who will be the go-to source for campus information. — Explore campus and find your classes before the first day of class. — Rent a mailbox at the Ferguson Student Center. — Attend Week of Welcome to learn about more than 500 student organizations including intramural sports teams, academic, religious and social organizations and more.
Expert: Factors that led to Robin Williams’ suicide fit a common pattern
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 14
The news from comedian Robin Williams’ wife Thursday that the Oscar-winning actor was in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease in addition to recent struggles with anxiety and depression fits with a series of common factors that can lead a person to suicide, according to a University of Alabama researcher. Like many, Forrest Scogin, a professor of psychology at UA who studies depression in older adults, was shocked and saddened by the news of Williams’ death on Monday. The researcher saw Thursday’s revelation as another sign of a common story of a struggle with depression. “In most cases, there are going to be signs that most people can detect but not always,” Scogin said, noting some people are intensely private about the details of their lives. While it’s difficult to speculate about the reasons behind someone committing suicide without a detailed psychological autopsy, depression is often a key risk factor, according to Scogin. Factors may range from severe depression, substance abuse, a lowered sense of self-worth, disease or other health issues, and interpersonal problems. “You are usually going to find that things are going on,” Scogin said.
Tuscaloosa County Chapter of Alabama National Alumni Association Holds Kick-off Party; Scholarship Named for Sarah & David Patterson
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 14
Football was in the air tonight at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The Tuscaloosa County chapter of the Alabama National Alumni Association held its kickoff party inside the zone. The guest speaker was Alabama director of athletics, Bill Battle. The UA cheerleaders and Big Al were also on hand for the event which was jammed packed with UA supporters. Yes, the event was about having fun, but the primary focus was on raising money for scholarships. And how about this, the Alumni Association announced the Sarah and David Patterson endowed scholarship. The former University of Alabama gymnastics coaches are long-time supporters of the alumni association. The announcement came as a surprise to the Pattersons and Sarah told the crowd that they were honored by the scholarship.