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Show FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14,2011 THE SIGNPOST Depression continued from front depression that had to do with their center. For example, the Student Wellness Center was there to talk about alcohol use. "Don't use alcohol to stop depression," said Chad Myl- er from the Student Wellness Center. ". . .It depresses the central nervous system." The Community Involvement Center was also there to get people involved in the community. "There is a correlation between volunteering and depression," said Shaylee Wheeler from the Community Involvement Center. "It is a good way to help with your issues." Campus Recreation was there promoting exercise as way to help with depression. Employee Wellness discussed how what students eat is also important when it comes to mood. Students, especially those with depression, should eat healthy to improve their mood. Foods that negatively affect mood are sugar, caffeine, alcohol and chocolate. Vegetables, fruits, oil-rich fish and whole grains are better to eat. The Intermountain Therapy Dogs were also in at tendance with three therapy dogs. These dogs typically go to places like hospitals and detention centers to visit the people there. Children who have low self-esteem or have been bullied even come and read to the dogs. Another way of coping is through creativity. There was a station for card-making at the screening event, encouraging students to make cards for old friends. Reconnecting or telling someone that they love them is good for mental health. Some symptoms of depression include loss of interest in activities, feelings of hopelessness and loss of appetite. A person with depression might also have suicidal thoughts, feel excessively tired or have unexplained pain. "We want students to walk away with some increased understanding about depression and other mood disorders," Abel said, "and also some things they can do that can be helpful for themselves." Comment on this story at wsusignpost. com. Awards con tin uedfrom fron t International Fair Trade* Handcraft Sale Friday, Oct. 14, 5 - 8 p.m. & Saturday, Oct. 15,10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Congregational United Church of Christ 3350 Harrison Blvd., Ogden (above Key Realty Office Bldg.) - Hundreds of household, gift, and clothing items from Fair Trade organizations such as Ten Thousand Villages, Clonal Crafts, l.ucunia Designs, Equal Exchange, Marketplace India & Clonal Mamas. - Soup. bread, dessert, beverage available, 1/2 price with WSU ID. - Call 801.392.5012 for info or www.ogdenucc.org. *FAIR TRADE is an innovative market-based approach to sustainable development by helping farmers and artisans in developing regions gain direct access to international markets for their crafts and products. and accomplishments presented by Edward B. Freestone '67, President of the Emeriti Alumni Council. Hurst served as the Student Body President at Weber College and helped petition for Weber to become a four-year university. After graduation, he worked at several universities across the country and served as the Vice President of the University of Wyoming. He and his wife now serve on the Emeriti Alumni Council. W. Rolfe Kerr, who served as the Dean of Men at Weber College and went on to work at Utah State University, the University of Utah, and later became the president of Dixie College, received the Distinguished Service Award for exemplary service. "I went to Weber and loved every minute of it," Kerr said in his biographical video. Jeanne N. Hall '69 received the Lewis W. Shur- tliff Award for a demonstrated commitment to the advancement of education. Hall won the "Woman of the Year" award at Weber College. She and her husband joined the Peace Corps and later received their Master's degree from BYU. She then worked with at-risk students as a school counselor in the Ogden City School District. She is a past president of the Boys and Girls Club Weber-Davis and has worked with her husband to provide scholarships for countless students. PHOTO BY SPENCER GARN | THE SIGNPOST Former WSU football player and NFL athlete Ta'u Pupu'a performs opera during Thursday night's Salutes program. "I found there is a special group of people at Weber State. There was then, and there still is now," Hall said. "I would not be the person I am now if I had not come to school here." Alan C. Martin '05 received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Martin chose to buy and sell his textbooks online while attending WSU and helped create Campus- BookRentals.com. In 2009 they partnered with the WSU Bookstores provide cheaper textbooks to students. "I had been doing that for five years and I thought if I could buy and sell but rent it in between, I could turn a profit," Martin said in his biographical video. Barney B. Chapman '72 received the WSU President's Award. Chapman worked at America First in college and served in the Air Force Reserves. He retired as a colonel after 36 years of service. He has since worked on the Utah League's legislative committee. "I would like to thank you for allowing my wife and I to be apart of this great, great organization," Chapman said. Kevin M. Kemp in '80 and Ufo Eric-Atuanya '93 received the Distinguished Alumni Award for their exceptional achievements and service. Suicide Kempin was a four-time Big Sky Champion in Tennis at WSU. In 1997, he was inducted into the WSU Sports Hall of Fame. He spent a year after college in Europe in the Pro Tour. He works to continue a tradition of innovation in sports administration. Eric-Atuanya traveled from Nigeria to receive his award but did not arrive on time to attend the event. His wife Bio Atu- anya read his acceptance speech via text message. Eric-Atuanya has used his WSU degree in political science and economics to petition for peace alleviate poverty in Nigeria and all over the world. "We are very proud of our 2011-12 honorees," said Lynell Garnder, executive director of WSU Alumni Relations. "They are proof positive that the Weber State experience brings out the best in people and propels them into bright futures and public service." Gardner said students sometimes don't recognize the quality of education they receive at WSU. "When you see these accomplished individuals you know you're capable of doing great things," Gardner said. Comment on this story at wsusignpost. com. Violence cont.from front physical violence started with her son. "He used hit my son to get me to do what he wanted me to do,"she said. She said verbal abuse would happen if she said no to him. Things started to get bad enough that she filed for a divorce. She didn't want him around at all. At the same time, her children and she were trying to get out of the country and come back to the States. The father fought for custody of their daughter, Elaina. According to the officials in Argentina, the only way he could have custody of the daughter was if Thomson were dead or in jail. "After that, he tried everything to get me arrested," Thomson said. "He would have people follow me and would try to plant drugs in my house." A few days before things went really badly, they got in a fight about Elaina's birthday because the father wasn't invited. The next day, he had asked her to come help him with his Jeep, but she said no. She was ready to get out of the country, had the tickets ready and was leaving the next day. When the day came, he asked her again to come help so he could get a part ordered for his Jeep. She finally agreed to help him. When she got into the Jeep, it was filled with cans of gasoline. "He's reaching over me and buckles the seatbelt with ropes tied to it and ties me in," Thomson said. At the flick of the lighter, the whole Jeep exploded in flames. Thomson was trying to get out and was screaming. "I could feel my skin melting," she said. She was able to get out of the Jeep, but Patrick grabbed her by the hair and pulled about two thirds of her hair out, pushing her back into the Jeep. After trying to escape and being strangled, she managed to escape. Thomson suffered second-, third - and fourth-degree burns, which required skin grafts and kept her in the hospital for months. Despite her low chance of survival, Thomson lived and is currently a WSU student. Comment on this story at wsusignpost. com. continued from front said QPR, while not a formal method of counseling or treatment, is a system that can save lives. "Much like CPR, you can save a life with QPR," McLean said. QPR calls people to be involved in the lives of those that are at risk. The three-step process can be difficult, McLean explained, but it can save a life. McLean said, "QPR is intended to give hope." By working with the Browning Center, McLean intended to get at the human experience through Shakespeare's romantic tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Caril Jennings, marketing director of the Browning Center, said "Since suicide is the essential ending to this story, and it is about teenagers, I believe this is a great pairing." McLean said she also thought the play correlated well with the subject. "Shakespeare gets right at the human experience," she said. "Emotions of Romeo and Juliet are typical of the human experience." In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, both of the main characters experi ence a series of events and a wide range of emotions that are all signs and catalysts of suicidal tendencies, McLean said. Despite its prevalence, McLean repeated on several occasions that, "suicide is the most preventable cause of death." According to McLean's data, 34,000 deaths a year in the United States are due to suicide, ranking it as the 11th leading cause of death in the nation. Her data also showed that one suicide attempt is made every 38 seconds. McLean said while women are more likely to attempt suicide, men are more likely to be successful in their attempt. Additionally, the data showed that members of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community attempt suicide two to 38 times as often as their heterosexual counterparts. She said this is due to the fact that they are "less likely to tell someone why they are depressed." A survey was conducted at WSU in the spring semester of 2010 to see the effects depression has on students. Twenty-three per cent of students reported they were so depressed, that it was too difficult to function, and 25 percent of students reported that their academic performance suffered due to depression. The percentage of students attempting suicide exceeded the national average of five percent by two percentage points, putting the WSU suicide attempt rate at seven percent. Betty Gilchrist, custodial supervisor of the Browning Center, said it is numbers like these that motivated her to attend McLean's training session. "I work with a lot of different people, so it is helpful to have this information," Gilchrist said. "You never know when people need help." McLean can be contacted to set up QPR training sessions at (801) 626-6413 or at amclean@weber.edu. The university's Counseling and Psychological Services Center is located on the second floor of the Student Services Center, Suite 280 and on the second floor of the Davis Campus building. Comment on this story at wsusignpost. com. |