Spring 2013
April Issue
Updated -- 4 / 25 / 13
Loudoun Closes Successful Spring Term, Plans for Summer
Plan some local sightseeing when you finally finish finals! (Photo by Chistopher Samp)
STERLING, Va.-- While finals are still lingering in our (very near) future, across the Loudoun Campus, students, faculty and staff are closing another successful spring semester and making plans for the upcoming summer. But even as one term comes to an end, the campus is still buzzing with activity.
For instance, Rafael tells us the story of one student whose paintings keep him bustling in the studio, while David writes about the efforts an aspiring actor puts into each play. And Kala shows us how one professor turned her passion into a book.
Also, the campus raised more than $600 for scholarships with its 4th annual 5K race in honor of the late Dr. Jim Tiffany, Jr.
Finally, for those that hope to use the upcoming summer season for travels, the journalism students have some ideas for you with their special travel articles. Close to home, Sydedah shows us how we can experience the posh D.C. neighborhood of Georgetown on our slim budgets, while Christopher unravels Masonic mysteries in Alexandria. If you really want an escape, though, follow Shayne to entrancing New Orleans.
We're almost there!
Featured Articles
TRAVEL: Discover Secrets of Majestic George Washington Masonic Memorial
- TRAVEL: Bad Rap Refuted, New Orleans Treats Newbie Like Family
- Filling Gravity with Color: Student Paints His Way Through NOVA
- 'GPS for Success Leaders Encourage Students to Open the Map
- Show Us Some Love: JOIN THE LANTERN STAFF!
NOVA Student Actor Has Faith He Will Stage His Future
Within the big, dark, echoing auditorium at Northern Virginia Community College's Loudoun Campus, various theatre classes can be found learning what many of the students call their "trade" and among these theatre students, Kofi Agyen, 19, is a young and aspiring theatre student who has dreams of pursuing theatre as a lifelong career. When Agyen steps onto the stage, he remembers his drive to be an actor.
"I like not being myself… it's always been cool to me to not be myself sometimes," he said.
Filling Gravity with Color: Student Paints His Way Through NOVA
Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" ricochets out of an old black boom box, through the near vacant third floor room of the Waddell Building at Northern Virginia Community College's Loudoun Campus. While the five hour Painting class ended 30 minutes ago, Devon Raines continues to paint his latest piece, "Population," an ensnared montage of naked humans, hoarded together on canvas.
Before painting, it's not unusual for him to go through more than 30 sketches in a single sitting. A few feet away is his upbeat and cheerful classmate Cesar Liendo, a 4th semester graphic designs major, working on a different abstract assignment.
"He's a quiet, artist extraordinaire" says Liendo, in a vivacious tone. "He's always in the back, intensely working on something, and more times than not, he's covered in paint.
TRAVEL: Bad Rap Refuted, New Orleans Treats Newbie Like Family
Growing up on the coast of Mississippi, just miles outside of the infamous city of New Orleans, Louisiana, I always heard of the negatives that the city had to offer. I remember my eighteenth birthday, when I told my mother that my friends and I planned to rent a hotel room in New Orleans for the weekend. Her eyes got wide and she gasped in freight. She lectured me for an hour about the dangers of the city, and how the crime rate had risen since Hurricane Katrina.
Taking her advice, we decided a Florida trip would be much safer. Upon my return home to Mississippi for Spring Break this year, however, I decided that it was finally time to explore the city. My friends and I packed our bags, and set out for a weekend of fun
TRAVEL: Discover Secrets of Majestic George Washington Masonic Memorial
One night, I was navigating my way through Alexandria to meet with a friend at a restaurant on King Street. At that time I was not familiar with the roads because I had just moved to the District from upstate New York. Even though I had a GPS with me, I was lost on my way to my destination.
I accidently drove up the path to this majestic tower that resembles like a lighthouse, but it was situated on a hill near King Street metro station, a few miles west of the Potomac River. I slammed the brakes as soon I saw the signs stating that it was a private property and no trespassers were allowed. I muttered to myself wondering what kind of trouble I could have gotten myself into.
Before backing out to the main road, I saw another sign that said "George Washington Masonic Memorial" and that's when the mystery of the building began to unravel for me.
C'mon. Be a pal.
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