The All State

Money is running tight for many students at APSU these days. Jobs are scarce, and students are getting creative when it comes to quick cash. Some are even selling their plasma, and we’re not talking televisions.

Plasma is the fundamental material that medicines can be produced from. By donating, students are not only making money but they are also contributing to a good cause.

“I stumbled across an ad in some local newspaper for new plasma donors, so I called them,” said Ryan Crouch, a sophomore pre-pharmacy major.

“The next day I waited in a room full of people. Some were soldiers, and then most of the rest looked like they needed the money a lot more than I did.”

At Biomet USA, Inc. at 1596c Fort Campbell Blvd. in Clarksville, qualifying volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65 can donate plasma. According to Biomet, participants must weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. After showing a Social Security card, proof of address and a photo ID, a medical screening process and physical are required for first timers.

The big question about this process for most students is, does it hurt?

“The needle is pretty big,” said Justin Harris, freshman and former plasma donator. “It’s probably about the size of a pen tip, but it doesn’t hurt that much.”

The second biggest question is, how much does it pay?

According to a Biomet employee, a first time plasma donator would receive $20. A person may donate up to twice a week, and the second donation increases in amount to $35. Theoretically, a student could make $55 per week in two sittings.

According to Biomet, the first donation takes about two and a half hours. After that, the process takes less time. There is not a set schedule for students who donate plasma, so it is something they may do on their own time and fit into their busy schedules.

However, some students have their own reasons for deciding to donate plasma.

“It appeals to me because you earn money without doing any actual work,” said Maria Lones, sophomore English major.
For more information about donating plasma, visit Biomet USA, Inc. Plasma Center on Fort Campbell Boulevard, or call (931)647-5555.

“A healthy person of 41 with no family history couldn’t possibly have breast cancer.”

That’s what Sherryl Byrd, associate vice president of Student Affairs, thought when she went for her annual check-up in 1999. Byrd was wrong. Her doctor found a lump.

“At first I wasn’t very concerned,” Byrd said. “I had already had a baseline mammogram the previous year that showed nothing.”

After a second mammogram, an ultrasound and an examination of a misshapen tumor-like lump, Byrd began to get scared. The doctors told her they were fairly certain she had breast cancer. Byrd was stunned. “I thought it only happened to older women,” she said.

She drove to see her husband at work, feeling she should tell him in person rather than over the phone. She hadn’t cried, yet.

“He knew something was wrong by the look on my face,” Byrd said. “The tears just began to flow. I was crying so hard that it was difficult to get the words out.”

Life for Sherryl Byrd changed in an instant. She describes the moment she was told she had breast cancer as “a line in the sand.” All other events in her life are now before the cancer line or after the cancer line.

A plan of action was soon developed for Byrd. A “cancer team” — a surgeon, radiologist and oncologist — worked together to decide the best route to tackle Byrd’s threatening tumor.

She was diagnosed in March of 1999 and had surgery in early April. A then fairly new procedure called a two weeks biopsy was performed on Byrd, which involved having a dye injected into a lymph node under her arm.

Fingers were crossed, prayers were said and victory was won after Byrd’s tumor was removed.

“One big hurdle done,” Byrd said. “Unfortunately I learned from the pathology report that my type of cancer was particularly aggressive and fast growing.” The possibility of her cancer spreading was high.

Against professional advice, Byrd researched her condition on the Internet. She was encouraged by the implications that many Stage I cancers like hers did not require chemotherapy.

“I wasn’t convinced that I needed it. But my team recommended chemotherapy followed by radiation.”

After getting a second opinion at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, Byrd finally came to terms with the fact she might have to face being sick and losing her hair.

“I had never had anyone close to me go through cancer treatment,” Byrd said. “I didn’t know what to expect.”

Byrd leaned on her husband, her faith and her positive attitude during that stage of her life. Instead of adopting the ever-popular “Why me?” perspective, she chose to say “Why not me?”

“I’m not so special or important that bad things can’t happen [to me],” Byrd said. “I believe that God has a plan for my life and would be with me through it all.”

Byrd and her husband decided after learning of the cancer they should do something they had always wanted to do. So after her surgery and before her chemotherapy, they took a long awaited trip to Hawaii. They didn’t know if they would have another such opportunity.

On the trip, Byrd received three signs that everything was going to be alright.

“On the plane, an older man sitting behind me tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a little book. He said ‘I thought you might want to read this.’ It was a book about angels and caring for and protecting people.”

The second sign came when they were driving to the north shore.

“It had been raining,” Byrd said. “A beautiful, large rainbow appeared in front of us.”

The third sign came the next morning at the hotel. Byrd and her husband observed another couple walking into the complimentary breakfast. Byrd’s face lit up as she realized the perfectly healthy-looking woman had no hair.

“She was going through chemotherapy and was doing just fine.”

In facing her first cancer treatment, Byrd hoped for the best and prepared for the worst. She was pleasantly surprised.

“I thought, ‘Is this all there is to it?’” said Byrd. “I have really small veins so I had a port placed in my chest. It turned out to be a wonderful decision. They didn’t have to stick me.”

Byrd endured four treatments once every three weeks followed by 12 weekly treatments of a different drug, a total of six months of chemotherapy.

Two weeks into the treatment, her hair began to fall out.

“My husband and I went on the back porch of our home and he cut my hair really close to my head.”

Byrd had purchased a wig in preparation for this event. It was similar in color and style to her natural hair.

“At first I felt like I had a dead animal on my head,” Byrd said.

She also worried about it falling off and exposing her bald head to others. However, she quickly adjusted to wearing it and was even thankful for it as she became more fatigued and didn’t feel up to fixing her hair anyway.

Byrd’s second treatment proved to be not much worse than her first, and she was thankful she was not experiencing the kind of reaction typical to chemotherapy.

Her third treatment was not so easy.

“I had the treatments on Fridays. I felt so bad I stayed in bed the entire weekend.”

During this treatment, John F. Kennedy Jr.’s plane went missing. The non-stop coverage is the main thing Byrd remembers about those particular days in bed.

The fourth and final treatment tested Byrd’s strength.

“I was weak and sick for about four days,” Byrd said. “The weekly injection minimized the side effects.”

However, Byrd continued to be weak and experienced numbness in her fingers and toes. On top of that, she then had radiation five days a week for seven weeks. Byrd’s treatment continued through January of 2000.

Almost an entire year of Byrd’s life was devoted to killing the tumor.

“My husband was my biggest supporter,” she said.

During this part of her life, Byrd and her husband were living in Alabama while their entire family was in Tennessee. Thanks to friends and church family, she never went to a treatment alone.

“It is a very humbling experience to realize that so many people care about you.”

One thing worked to Byrd’s advantage: She was tough.

“I continued to work as best I could,” she said. “I don’t view my experience as a fight but rather a determination.”

Opposing breast cancer is still a part of Byrd’s day-to-day life. She has taken medication for almost 10 years, and she is due to stop taking it in February of next year.

“That is a little scary because I have felt that I was still doing something to actively combat the disease,” she said.

Byrd vowed during her battle with cancer if she was still alive in 10 years, she and her husband would go back to Hawaii. That is exactly what they did this  summer.

“The first trip was to Honolulu and Oahu. The second trip was to Maui. Both were fabulous.”

Byrd lives her life differently now that she is on the other side of the line in the sand.

She and her husband have full passports from traveling. They have visited Israel with a group from their church.

They have also been to Galilee, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, Masada and they have seen the Dead Sea. They have also traveled to Egypt.

“Our passports will expire in November,” Byrd said. “We need to renew them soon.”

Along with traveling, Byrd has learned to appreciate the little things in life. “I get excited about small things,” she said. “I am not a zealous cancer crusader, but I admire those who are.”

Byrd knows she is tough.

“I found that I am a stronger person than I thought I could be. I think more practically about dying and being ready.”

Cancer doesn’t just happen to older people. It doesn’t just happen to everyone else. It happened to Sherryl Byrd. It can happen to anyone.

“We have to do our part,” Byrd said. “Take advantage of recommended screenings and seeing a doctor immediately at the onset of warning signs. Don’t be scared that the news might be bad. The good news is that there are cancer survivors everywhere.”

It has been said that college is not about the classes but about the experience. This is true for most students, but even truer for those who plan to study abroad.

Each year, select groups of students at APSU mark their calendars during the winter and summer breaks for weeks upon weeks of travel and study all rolled into one unique opportunity.

“The biggest advantage of studying abroad is the experience,” said Julia Dittrich, a senior history major. “The opportunity may never come around again.”

Dittrich helped to generate interest in the trip to Germany during the Study Abroad Fair held on campus on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
She along with many other students who have spent time in classrooms overseas gathered to show students who are considering these trips what all the hype is about.

Germany is not the only option. APSU takes students everywhere from Greece to Australia and back again. Some of these trips consist of three to four weeks over Christmas break, and others are one or two months in the summer.

There are also two exchange programs offered at APSU that last from one semester to a full academic year.

“I’m going on the two week London winter program,” said Megan Garrett, a junior English education major. “It was actually a spur of the moment thing. I’ve always wanted to go and I thought it would be a really good and fun experience.”

Some students will only take on the responsibility of one or two classes while out of the country, while others have more binding obligations.

“I’m thinking about Québec,” said Jessica Axley, a senior foreign language major. “It’s a French immersion program, and for three weeks you have to sign a contract where you will speak only French the whole time you’re there.”

Most students said their reasons for studying abroad were for the unique opportunities that are not available in a classroom in the U.S. This is what Dittrich emphasizes to those interested in going to Germany.

“You get to explore some places, you get to live there and speak the language, and at the same time you get to study the history,” she said. “It’s a great trip.”

Axley’s biggest reason for traveling to Québec is to improve her French skills more efficiently than in a traditional American classroom.

“You will learn a language so much faster than you ever could in the United States,” she said. “I’ve been to Mexico, and I picked up more Spanish there in just three weeks than I ever would have in the States.”

Financial aid is available to almost everyone who would like to study abroad.

Along with several scholarships offered from the Office of International Education, there are also options available through the financial aid office.

“The first thing we need is the FAFSA form,” said Rakida Sims, financial aid counselor. “There’s always some hope. We will sit down and make an appointment. We’re not going to rule anything out.”

Along with the excitement of travel, students also face some common concerns.
“My biggest fear [in London] will be money,” Garrett said. “Hopefully I won’t judge it wrong.”

By Jackie Mosley | Assistant Features Editor

Dawn Danielson has one semester left of her senior year. She was due to graduate with a degree in biology this December. However, Danielson chose to postpone her graduation until May because of an opportunity she heard about from a professor during an in-class lecture.

“I was sitting in animal physiology one day and Dr. Pitts read an announcement that had been forwarded to him about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers co-op program for Ranger Trainees,” Danielson said. “I thought it was worth a shot.”

After a series of applications and interviews, Danielson was awarded a coveted co-op through the Army Corps of Engineers this fall.

According to APSU Office of Public Relations this co-op is very similar to an internship, and requires Danielson to do hands-on work as a park ranger at Cheatham Lake.

The only catch to Danielson’s unique opportunity was that she had to take this semester off.

“It was one of the requirements of being in the co-op program,” Danielson said. “The whole reason I began going to college was to have a career doing something that I love.” Postponing graduation was a sacrifice Danielson was willing to make, considering she accepted a full time position within the Corps Nashville District after she graduates.

“My original plans after graduation were actually to go into either some kind of wildlife based job or research,” Danielson said. “With this job, I get a little of both.”

Danielson’s co-op experience consists of a very different work environment each day. She does daily patrols of the recreation areas around Cheatham Lake and helps promote water safety. She conducts plant and animal surveys and assesses the condition of different habitats around the lake area. Her work day is anything but typical.

“One day we may be patrolling or talking to campers, and the next day we may be out in the field surveying, tying trees or preparing for an event,” Danielson said. “This job has so many different aspects to it. Which is one of the things that I love about it so much.”

Danielson feels that her experiences at APSU have successfully prepared her for this co-op and her future job.

“I feel that the education that I received at APSU has prepared me for the nature of work that I am doing as a park ranger,” Danielson said. “I attribute this to the high standards of the professors in the biology department.”

A number of students each semester have the opportunity to participate in internships and introductory programs in their field of study.

Danielson is one of the grateful students who has an opportunity to make a career from her co-op. She encourages other students to search for programs like this. “A lot of opportunities can lead to full time employment in the end,” Danielson said.

If Danielson could stress one thing to other college seniors who are not quite sure what they will do with their degrees, it would be to take advantage of the opportunities presented frequently on campus.

“If I had not paid attention to the announcement that day, I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing now,” Danielson said. “I am truly blessed that this has turned out the way it has for me. “

By Jackie Mosley | Assistant Features Editor

It has been said there is something for everyone here at APSU. There is Greek life, multiple sports, academic organizations and more. In September, APSU was recognized for also providing a place in the college world for those in the military and their families.

G.I. Jobs magazine has named APSU as a Military Friendly School for 2010. This designation places APSU in the top 15 percent of all colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide, according to G.I. Job’s publisher.

APSU was chosen as a Military Friendly School based on its policies, efforts and results used to recruit and retain military and veteran students.

“We just live so close to Fort Campbell,” said Chelsea Simpson, a senior psychology major and member of the ROTC program. “We are already military friendly. It’s assumed.”

Location is not the only plus for students looking at APSU from a soldier’s standpoint. According to Simpson, APSU’s ROTC program is an extremely high-ranking program and has been since at least 2001.

The Memorial Health building is home to the ROTC program and provides students with the tools and training to become officers in the Army. ROTC has been affiliated with APSU since 1971 and has been providing a home away from home for students interested in the military ever since.

“My whole purpose for being here was for ROTC,” Simpson said. “I turned down MTSU because of Austin Peay’s [ROTC] program.”

Now that APSU has been recognized for being such a military friendly environment, students feel it is important to continue catering to military students and reaching those who are seeking a military related education.

“We should have events on campus and have organizations doing something together,” Simpson said. “We (ROTC) have links in every organization. It is important to keep the relationships alive.”

Considering APSU’s military reputation, it is no surprise the institution has taken education a step further by hosting classes overseas. Bob Moore, an adjunct professor at APSU, is teaching three classes from the Paktya Province of Afghanistan.

“I will actually teach it as a hybrid class, with complete notes posted in the online environment, and a flexible class schedule of one or two classes a week in the mess hall,” Moore said via e-mail. “Should be fun.”

G.I. Magazine will feature APSU in an unranked list of Military Friendly Schools to be printed this month.

By Jackie Mosley | Assistant Features Editor

The chance of the average college student being able to visit three countries in three months are very slim, but not at APSU. A program is now available to take students across multiple borders for free. Thanks to Global Govs Passport Series, students can hypothetically visit three foreign countries this semester on campus.

Student Life and Leadership and the Office of International Affairs are sponsoring the Global Govs Passport Series. These two departments are working together to host a semester long program that supports international affairs as well as student participation on campus. The object of this program is to give students a chance to learn about other countries and their cultures under convenient and inexpensive circumstances.

During September, the featured country is Rwanda in honor of Paul Rusesabagina’s novel, “An Ordinary Man,” which was assigned to be read in all APSU 1000 classes. October will feature Puerto Ricco and November will feature Russia. December will not feature a country, but the winner of the Global Govs Passport Series instead.

A list of events will be held on campus each month in honor of these countries. Along with a visit from Rusesabagina, September events include a speaker from Rwandan parliament, and a showing of the film Hotel Rwanda, all preceded by the Global Govs Passport Series Kick-Off that was held on Sept. 10.

Students who attended the kick-off received a “passport” to bring to all Global Govs events. Each event attended is worth one stamp on the passports.

“Attendance at these events makes students eligible to win prizes at the end of the semester,” said Brie Vogt, coordinator of international education.

Students that acquire at least one stamp per month will be eligible to enter the grand prize drawing in December. The winner will receive $600 towards a domestic roundtrip flight. Students can consider this prize as an incentive to attend the cultural events on campus and get involved with organizations.

The Global Govs Passport Series gives students a motivator to attend international events. For more information on this program, visit the Office of Student Life and Leadership in UC Room 211 or the Office of International Education in Browning 109.

– Jackie Mosley, Staff Writer