Multicultural programs really do make a difference......

Organizations such as the NAACP and Black Action Society (BAS), were established to help the black community feel as if they are accepted and also connect with one another. Individuals in the minority have the chance to take part in these organizations in order to fit into a predominantly white campus.

Michelle Quinn, 20-year-old senior, took part in another organization that helped the minority. Jump Start is a program established to allow incoming freshman who are considered a minority, not just black students, to come to SRU a few days early and connect with other individuals like themselves, she said.



“I came with two very close friends from back home,” she said. “But each of us were able to get to know other individuals who will still communicate with now.”

` Quinn said it always feels nice to not feel like an outcast, especially when she planned on being at SRU for four years. It is hard meeting new people and putting yourself out there, she said.



“I’m glad for organizations the give the minority a fighting chance on a campus such as this one,” she said. “It’s not to make us feel separate but more of an equal.”

Over-incarcerated, Under-educated in the Black Community....

Slippery Rock University's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), hosted an event, Wednesday, about the over incarceration and under education of the black community. Over-incarcerated, Under-educated, had a very enlightening message. There are more women in college than men. In the black community the ratio from women to men in school is much higher. There are more black men in jail than seeking a degree.

SRU’s own Dr. Matambanadzo was the speaker for the evening.

From May 6, 2012

Dr. Matambanadzo, African American history professor, spoke for the NAACP event, explaining how he's visited jails, but also why African Americans, especially males, seem to find themselves there.
He teaches African American history among other things at SRU. He said he’s visited jails on many occasions and will be going again soon and offered for students to visit with him as well. Matambanadzo gave a lesson on what he believed was the root cause of mass incarceration of African Americans and how, if at all, it might change.

“The incarceration of African Americas all started with slavery,” he said.

According to the Bureau of Prisons, as of March 24, there are about 217,000 inmates currently incarcerated. Around 81,000 of those inmates are African Americans. The incarceration rates of African Americans is nearly three times that of Hispanic men and seven times that of white men.

Tierney Smithson, senior political science major and vice president of NAACP, believes this is a very important topic that we should be educated on. The turn out could have been better, but she appreciated those who did show up and felt it wasn’t a bad turn out, she said.


When individuals entered into the room, Terrell Foster, NAACP executive member =, directed them to either the right side or left side of the room. Those who were on the right side of the room were incarcerated. Those on the left were free and were able to pick out a lollipop to show their freedom. The exercise was supposed to show how those who are not in jail are free to make their own choices, whereas those who are not are able to reap benefits of being free.

Malik Harrison, a SRU senior, attended the event and happen to be one of the individuals incarcerated during the activity.

“I enjoyed it,” he said. “As a young black man I know the odds of my peers going to college or going to jail, it’s a wake up call.”

Black Arts Festival in Slippery Rock University Quad...

Slippery Rock University is a predominantly white campus. Minority students only make up about 5 percent of the population. Because the minority students are at such a low percentage different organizations were implemented on campus to make them feel more comfortable as well as be able to open up better to other students.

Black Action Society (BAS) mission statement is, “to promote the African American experience at a predominantly white institution, while serving as a support system for African American students.”

BAS hosted a Black Arts Festival Friday, in the University quad. The event was for, but not limited to the black students on campus. A lot of the black students showed their support for the event, but students of all ethnicities and backgrounds were enjoying the festival. It included making waxed hands, caricatures, henna tattoos, bouncy obstacle course, decorating flip flops, and photo booth for activities. The food included cotton candy, funnel cakes, hotdogs, snow cones, and caramel apples.

The fun didn’t stop there. BAS also had a rapper, a live band, and a port to finish off the festivities.



Shatona Hollingsworth, 20, put off an online quiz just so she could stay out and support and enjoy the festival. She took photos in the photo booth with each of her roommates and a few other friends. Her only disappointment was the caramel apple station ran out of apples before she could get one.

“The lines were very long for the activities,” she said. “But it was worth the wait and being out in the cold.”

Hollingsworth didn’t like the way her wax hand turned out, but she did like the process of making it. She said the iced cold water was good for sticking her hand in the wax, but even after a few dips in the wax she could feel the heat.

“The overall event was nice and a lot of people turned out,” Hollingsworth said. “I would say BAS did a good job for getting the black students involved beyond partying.”

Jason Kush

From April 16, 2012

From April 16, 2012

Listening to his dad’s 1970’s records had Dr. Jason Kush falling in love with the sounds of horns, especially the saxophone.

Kush, saxophonist and professor at Slippery Rock University, has loved the saxophone as far as he could remember. To him, it was all about the look of a saxophone, the sound, and watching other’s perform.

“I used to watch the Tonight Show when Branford Marsalis was the musical director,” he said. “I just loved anything that was saxophone.”

Kush began taking saxophone lessons around the age of 11 he said. He thought saxophones were so cool and his life was all about them. He kept on playing right through college where he graduated from SRU in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. Following his education at SRU, Kush went on to get a Masters in Music at the University of Miami, he said.

“I received my Masters in jazz saxophone,” Kush said. “While being a teaching assistant at the University of Miami I received my Doctorate in classical saxophone.”

In addition to being a professor, Kush said he’s also a performer outside of the University.
The Jason Kush Quartet is a jazz group of his own which consists of saxophone, bass, piano and drums, he said. He’s also had the pleasure of playing with the Pittsburgh Symphony which occurs five to six times out of the year. Kush said he’ll be performing with the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra all week with a feature from Benny Golson, a jazz tenor saxophonist, who he said is one of the greatest of all time.

“I also do some traveling,” he said. “I just completed a mid-west tour with the Nathan Douds Ensemble where I played the saxophone as well as the clarinet.”

Kush’s works extended beyond teaching and performing in various groups. He’s written an article about his former teacher, Agnes McConaughy, from Johnstown, Pa., for the International Musician and a recent article for the Saxophone Journal, he said.

Another high note for Kush was the project for the Henry Mancini Institute. He said he participated in the four week long professional summer workshop in 2006. During that time he and others did a recording with jazz clarinet player, Eddie Daniels and jazz saxophonist, Tom Scott. Two of those track arrangements were nominated for the Grammy’s.

He said he feels like he has no choice because the saxophone picked him and he certainly loves his career. Not only does it make him happy, he likes to teach others and share his passion through his performances he said.

Kush said he loves everything about teaching, playing the saxophone, and his performing career, but the most important and exciting thing going on in he and his wife’s life, is the birth of their first son in July.

From April 16, 2012

From April 16, 2012

Gas on the Rise.....

Country Fair is a chain convenience store and gas station with 75 locations located in Northwestern Pennsylvania, Western New York, and Eastern Ohio. they are also in connection with Kwik Fill which has nearly 300 locations in the same areas. both companies are owned by United Refining oil company.In Eire, Pa there's almost always a Kwik Fill and Country Fair in close proximity to one another.


In the past few months the gas prices have been on a rise. Just a week ago gas prices were only $3.89 at the 38th and McClellan Street location. The price of regular unleaded gas is now $3.99. In New York regular unleaded has already reached over four dollars at $4.06. In Ohio is it only $3.79 a gallon.

Country Fair offers customers a way to save money on every gallon. Gas Cards, also known as Cash Cards, used at the pump or prepaid in the store save a customer five cents on every gallon of gas. These cards are also good for in store purchases. There are signs located on the building and at each pump. The employees offer the card as well to make sure customers can save every penny they can.

Markel Hubbart, a 23-year-old sales associate for Country Fair, believes even as little as five cents off goes a long way. He said working for the company for six years has shown him just how valuable and popular gas cards have become. With the rise in gas prices, gas card sales have increased as well.



"Some people become upset when they come in to prepay and realize you didn't give them a gas card," he said.



"About one out of every three customers gets a gas card," Hubbart said. "But some customers don't think five cents off a gallon is much, so they just use their credit cards."

April 6, 2012
3:10p.pm.

Pennsylvania Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (PIRSA), held its west basketball championship games for the third year at Slippery Rock University arc, Saturday, March 24. It consisted of seven surrounding schools. The girls only had two teams, Slippery Rock and Clarion. It's low cost and the teams are fed. The championship teams are made up of the winners of the playoff intramural teams.

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