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Show V 0 October 11, 1994 Vr,v. J,, ,,. " (7 r .v'' 5 the forum t Aspiring medical students' benefit from support group by John Wells Forum Staff Writer In past years, students at Westminster were anonymous faces on campus. It was likely that several people sitting through the same class never realized their shared interest in attendpre-medic- al schedules guest speakers from the medical field to address the group. Social activities are also slated periodically which allows students to get acquainted and unwind from the rigors of scientific study. This year the d Society is enacting a buddy system as part of their student support program. The system is designed to place freshmen and newly declared majors with senior classmates who can help structure class schedules and give advice on what to expect from the required course work. Several specialized positions within the society provide members with a wide range of information. Included are a team which researches entrance exams and supplemental study aids and an application specialist who compiles information regarding the application process and entrance requirements for various medical Pre-Me- ing medical school. Noting this lack of support and fellowship among students interested in the medical field, students Jennie Irvine and Olivia Walton cod founded the Society of Westminster College last year. Irvine has retained her leadership role as current president of the Pre-Me- society. three-memb- Regarding the limited visibiliand representation of ty students, Irvine said, No one werc....I knew who the thought I was a minority. Less than a year later, the society has seen a 400 percent increase in membership propelling students from an obscure group of biology students to a major campus organization; Faculty advisors Dr. Barry Quinn and Dr. Thomas Sernka lend support and information to the newly formed society. Quinn has d advisor for 30 been the he concedes the however, years; d added benefits of the Society. The students themselves are quite industrious, Quinn said. They have become more organized and receive more publicity. Quinns previous advisory position was listed in the student catalogue, but rarely promoted elsewhere. Irvine attributes the organiza- tions success to the diverse bene- -' fits offered to the members. Aside from filling an advisory role, the society also sponsors volunteer pro- -. jects, provides career planning and pre-medic- al pre-me- ds pre-medic- al pre-me- Pre-Me- schools. The d Society, or PMS as they call themselves, is not only designed for aspiring physicians. It supports students interested in the Pre-Me- study of veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, psychiatry or any other field of medicine. d According to Irvine, the ColWestminster of Society lege anticipates acceptance into the Honors SociNational ety , also known as Alpha Epsilon Delta. Acceptance into this organization would have wide benefits for the students at Westminster as well as added prestige to the college itself. d The next meeting of the 17 will Oct. be at hed Society 7 p.m. In'Mafoiif 20irThe guest speaker will be a student from the University o'f Utah Medical School. All students are welcome to attend regardless of their major. Pre-Me- Pre-Medic- pre-medic- al al Pre-Me- Understanding Haiti by Johna Devey Brems Forum Staff Writer It is on the TV and makes the front page every day, Its Haiti. Do we really understand what is going on? Westminster - Professor" of International studies, Bob Ford, held his first in a series of Brown Bag lectures, Oct.5. The lecture was about Haitis background and what is currently happening there. Haiti occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic comprises the other it was the first nation in Latin America to win independence from its mother-countrwhich was France. Ford said It is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere and the least developed in the world. We should be ashamed that such poverty is taking place in our back yard. Ford will show slides of the country, but not the worst ones. According to Ford, the slides which depict the degradation that 90 percent of Haitians suffer daily, would make two-thirds- ); y, you sick. Although slavery was quote abolished, social discrimination is still there. said Ford, Racial politics parallel Haitis economic structure. A persistent theme in Haitis history has been a bitter rivalry between a small mulatto elite, consisting of people .pf, mixed African and European blood, roughly 3 to 4 percent of the population, and the black creole majority. According to Ford, it is this small elite that controls Haiti economically and politically. The elite arc culturally refined, speak French and have lighter skin, while the black majority cannot read or write and speak er A Members of Vie Westminster Pre-Medic- Society (PMS) join each other for brunch in Millcreek Canyon. al vji by Jennie Irvine and Olivia Walton, has seen a dramatic increase in member formed last year e The club, . i said. A devoted voodoo practitioner, Duvalier ruled Haiti by a combination of superstition and brutality. He created an incredibly cruel and imaginative force known as the Tontons Macoutes (uncles boogy-mewhich had the capability of appearing out of nowhere to dispense instant justice, Ford said. Before his death in 1971, Duvalier named his son, n) Jean-Clau- de (Baby Doc) as Haitis next president for life. According to Ford, the youthful ruler immediately proceeded to reshape Haitis horror-fille- d image with a semblance of political stability. lived a lavish lifestyle while others lived in squalor and ate garbage. It all caught up to him, Ford said, and in February 1986 amid demonstrations, Duvalier and his wife were flown out of Haiti in a U.S. plane bound for France. It has been rumored he was last seen working as a gardener, Ford said. The Roman Catholic Church is partly responsible for Haitis Jean-Clau- dc i i ship this year. PMS has become one of the most active clubs on campus. look to the future from the past only Creole. The Haitian governments refusal to recognize Creole as the official language has added to the determination of the Mulatto elite and the middle class to exclude the rest of the population from effectively participating in political life, Ford said. For most of its history Haiti has experienced a series of harsh authoritarian regimes according to Ford. Starting 'in 1957 with the election of Dr. Francois Papa Duvalier was a Doc Duvalier. black country doctor whose avowed aim was to create a new equilibrium in the country, which meant a major power shift from the established, predominately mulatto elite to a new, black middle class, Ford i t struggle; they are opposed to radical change. However, there are grass-ropriests, who preach liberation theology. Ford said The mass of the people down here say we want part of the action now, and the priests at the bottom say we will help you. Aristide represents that movement. Ford also said. ot The hierarchy sees that as a threat to the relationships which exist among the church, the landed elite, and the army, the three of which But keep the lid on everything. something has to give, Ford added, either everything will explode or there will be controlled change. That is what the U.S. and Haiti are Westminster Alumni celebrate the work of Jay W. Lees by Alan Blain Forum Staff Writer Westminster Alumni from several decades will commemorate the work of the late Jay VV. Lees. Lees, a professor of theater and speech at Westminster, will be honored Saturday, Oct. 15 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3:00 p.m. with performances of the Alumni Courage Theater Revue. The performances will be held in the Jay W. Lees Courage Theater which is located in the Jewett Center. Lees, who retired from Westminster in 1983 after a teaching career that spanned 40 years, died July 6, 1991, following a brief battle with cancer. Lees arrived at Westminster in the fall of 1946 and began teaching theater and speech. It was in this role that he touched many lives. Many former students of Lees felt he tried to bring out the best in them. He wasnt there just to teach but to give his students an experience that would last a lifetime. Upon his retirement, Westminster College awarded him a Doctor of Humane Letters Degree. The tribute to Lees will feaof his favorite ture a collection works, including What Wilbur melodrama written by Wrought, Lees and performed on campus since the 1940s. Also, they will perform the British comedy Habeas Corpus. Shaun McCarthey, from the class of 1985, plays the part of Purdue in the play. He said, It is a great honor to have known Jay Lees and to be able to perform in this play. Jay was like a second father to me. Also, included in the performances will be some of Lees favorite exercises from his speech classes including The Jabbcr-wockWhos on First and Esau Wood. Finally the production of Dracula, who will be played by Stan Finn from the class of 1977, will be brought back to life. Lees was more than just a dramatics teacher, he was a friend and a confidant Finn said. In many ways he was Mr. Westminster himself. The public is encouraged to attend the celebration. Tickets can be purchased through the Westminster College Alumni office for $10 or can be purchased at the door prior to each performance. a trying to accomplish. Some think Haiti is dominated by a dishonest, predominantly mulatto class and the remaining population is without hope. It remains to be seen if Aristide is capable of giving hope or if he will misinterpret his popularity and use manipulation and threat to remain in power. All we can do is wait and see. Flu Shots Wedf Oct. 13 and Thu, Oct. 14 from 10 to 12 in ASWC office there will be flu shots given by United Health Care & Valley Home Medical. The shots are free to United Health Care members and $8 for non-UH- C members more information, contact Leslie Freeman at extension 117. For y, Blood D rive Wed., Oct. 26 in Syme Lounge from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To participate in the drive you must sign up. Do so be calling Leslie Freeman at extension 117. |
