Towson University’s Family Art Day
Towson University’s Art department has a showcase every semester where specific cultures are on display for families and students to enjoy.
Road to Super Bowl 50
In 2007, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End was the number one grossing film and Irreplaceable by Beyoncé was the years number one song. That same year a 13-year-old Courtney decided to be a Carolina Panthers fan.
13-year-old Me when I got my first jersey. WR Steve Smith
At that time Jake Delhomme was the starting quarterback, Steve Smith Sr. was our star wide receiver, and Julius Peppers was dominating the defensive side of the ball. In 2007, who would become our star line backer Luke Kuechly was 14, and the soon to become NFL MVP Cam Newton was 16.
At 13, I will admit I didn’t know much about the sport of football. My parents raised me a Dallas Cowboys fan, but at 13 I knew that was not the life for me. I saw the Carolina Panthers in their baby blue and white (my favorite colors) and said that is my new team.
From that moment the Carolina Panthers sent me on an emotional roller coaster. In 2010 we went 2-14 and it didn’t look good for us. 2011, we drafted Cam Newton as our quarterback but the change wasn’t immediate. In 2008, they lost in the divisional round of the playoffs to the Cardinals, same thing happened in 2013 to the 49’ers, and 2014 to the Seahawks. Throughout this time filled with disappointment my friends, family and random strangers often asked me why am I sticking with this team.
I stuck with this team because they have heart. Year after year this team, this organization, and these players have gotten better and shown me what a good group of men can do. From 2014 Man of the year, Thomas Davis giving back to his community by providing college scholarships to high school students, to Greg Olsen and his
charity for children for with congenital heart disease, these are men who care about more than just football.
The Panthers continued to prove as an organization that they care about all of their fans, including the kids. This season the Panthers have had another secret weapon they found in 6-year-old Braylon Beam. Braylon suffers from a brain tumor that has affected his eyesight. The team named Beam their coach after he appeared on the show “Ellen” and told the Make-A-Wish foundation that his wish was to be the coach of the Panthers. That’s not the only act Carolina has done to show their love for the fans. Last year a 12-year-old boy named Cade wrote all 32 NFL teams a letter
asking him to help decide which team he should support. The Carolina Panthers were the only team to write him back. The love the Panthers have for
After the Carolina Panthers became NFC Champs
their fans makes it so easy to become and stay a fan.
Now in two weeks my team, The Carolina Panthers goes to the Super Bowl, a place they haven’t been since 2003 and I could not be happier. Cam Newton’s incredible athletic ability, and brilliant knowledge helped take this team from 2-14 to 17-1. It wasn’t fast, it wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t pretty but the Panthers are in a position to win it all. They were constantly doubted and always seen as underdogs, fluke, and not worthy. I just have one thing to say to them.
To my Carolina Panthers: you did it. This Panthers fan is not going anywhere. You have proved to me on and off the field just how worthy you are of this. You all are ready and win, lose or draw I am a fan for life.
De-stress fest at Towson
It’s finals week at Towson. Watch to learn how Towson is helping it’s students de-stress.
Q&A: Musical Theatre Instructor
Towson professor Carolyn Black-Sotir (Photo by: Courtney Smith/TU student)
With Towson Celebrating it’s 150th year, one current Towson Professor remembers how Towson has changed from when she first taught here 20 years ago.
Andrea McDaniel
Andrea McDaniel is no stranger to the journalism world. After being in this business for 18 years McDaniel had lots of tips to share with our journalism class. You would think that after working in a career for almost 20 years it would get easier but McDaniel said that is not the case. “Journalism never gets easier,” said McDaniel. One of the biggest challenges McDaniel faces when trying to write a story is getting her subjects trust. “There is a lot of distrust in Baltimore because of violence,” said McDaniel. She said in order to get most of her stories she had to start with social workers and gain their trust in order to ever get into the school systems. McDaniel said that parents are the hardest to interview because they don’t trust at all. As a class we asked if it is hard to separate her from the sad stories she writes. “As a reporter you are still a person, its not bad to show compassion.” McDaniel also doesn’t let her gender slow her down. She says that being a women has never deterred her from a story or held her back because she wont allow it to. McDaniel gives me hope to become a journalist like her one day.
Baynard Woods
Baynard Woods as the managing editor of the City Paper constantly has a lot on his plate but yet gets it done and doesn’t compromise the eccentric person he is to do so. His column in City Paper Conflicts of Interests touch on problems going on around the are but he also includes his personal opinion and is not scared to speak his mind about things he doesn’t agree with even if the subject may be taboo.
Baynard has many talents and passions. One of which is philosophy. Woods was a philosophy teacher at Towson University from 2003-2004. He feels that feature writing is the only way to live a Socratic life and that all the philosophers after Socrates punked out on what philosophy really is. Although he taught at a University Baynard doesn’t necessarily agree with the way these institutions do certain things.
“College has ruined writing. Writing with thesis statements is not real writing.” Baynard said.
He fears that feature writing will disappear in the future because of big business.
“You wont be able to write features in the future because it doesn’t serve the commercial,” Baynard said.
Although he fears features will be going away he gave our class some great advice on how to write features and profile stories. Not only did he help us with profiles and features, but also he gave us hints on how to be objective but not compromise our integrity and how to have a hard news story unravel right in front of us.
“You don’t have to do anything to make someone look bad. Just let them talk and they will do it themselves,” Baynard said.
Baynard related to our class sharing things that have been difficult in his career that he was able to overcome and that provided solace for our class.
Catonsville
By: Courtney Smith
In the hustle and bustle of Baltimore, Maryland you can find a small quiet town with a personality all its own. Relatively small compared to the other neighborhoods of Baltimore, Catonsville has found a way to hold its own.
Just down the street from University Of Maryland Baltimore County, lies the well-known Frederick Road. On Frederick Road you can pretty much find the best the town has to offer. From restaurants like Catonsville Gourmet and Duesenberg’s American Cafe and Grill, to little locally owned shops like Objects Found, an antique shop, Frederick Road is the heart of Catonsville.
Summer in Catonsville is a big tourist draw in Maryland redundant Known for it’s top-notch 4th of July Celebration, in the morning you can find children’s games and other children attractions. In the afternoon there is a parade, which features floats from some local businesses, and the Baltimore Marching Ravens.
UMBC students 22-year-old Daniel Kristner and 22-year-old Erica Matifas love coming to Catonsville during the spring and summer months as a couple.
“Once the weather gets warm we come here and walk around the strip and visit all the shops. We come visit Patapsco State Park, and we go too to almost all of the events held in the summer time,” said Matifas. “The big summer draw of Catonsville for us is the awesome 4th of July celebration. It’s so fun,” said Kristner.
Catonsville has many other attractions in case you’re not looking for restaurants. The city has many historical attractions that may peak your interest. For example the Benjamin Banneker Museum is an historical landmark dedicated to the Benjamin Banneker who was an African-American scientist, astronomer, mathematician, abolitionist, and farmer. The museum is on the land of his former farm, and includes many different educational exhibits.
The many parks and trails and Catonsville are another big tourist attraction. The Patapsco Valley State Park has been noted as one of the best state parks in Maryland. There are many hiking trails, swinging bridges, picnic areas, and playgrounds. The park has many older tunnels and dams, and even a waterfall, Cascade Falls. Local businesses have been a driving factor in the Catonsville economy. Throughout the neighborhood, you will find small mom-and-pop businesses, and even some small businesses that have been around for more than 20 years.
Bill’s Music is one of those small businesses that have been around for many years. 25-year-old Lindsay Young an employee of Bills Music knows just how historical and influential the shop has been to Catonsville.
“This is actually the 50th anniversary of Bill’s Music, and in it’s 50 years this shop has seen some interesting people. We get your everyday elementary school kid that wants to learn an instrument, and we get some interesting musicians,” said Young.
The shop sells instruments and music, repairs instruments, and teaches lessons. The shop has eleven studios with twenty teachers. The lessons are not just for little kids either.
“We have a 90-year-old guitar student,” said Young
Bills Music has also seen its fair share of artists who come to the shop to teach clinics.
Prominent musicians, including Pink’s drummer, and country singers Gary Granger, and George Lynch have taught clinics at the shop.
Catonsville has so many family-friendly stores and activities around the neighborhood. Off of Frederick Road, in a little shopping center you will find a spa called Sweet Pea, a day spa for kids. When you walk in you’ll see bright colored rooms, little chairs shaped like manicured hands, little girls in ballerina tutus and facials and manicures and pedicures being done.
Sweet Pea Day Spa opened in 2009 and gives children the spa experience. They host birthday parties, but they also treat little girls and their parents and to massages and facials.
Much like Sweet across the street there is another shop that takes the idea of something normally for adults, and putting a little kid spin on it.
Peace a Pizza is a regular pizza shop, but with a little kid twist. At Peace A Pizza you can come in and just enjoy a pizza, or you can come with a party and make your own pizza. They sit down with the children and give them each some dough, cheese, and other toppings and allow them to be the pizza maker.
Catonsville has a little something for everyone that comes to visit. Objects Found is another locally owned shop with a niche. Objects Found is not just an ordinary antique shop. With its 11 show rooms, the shop also sells art, consignment and collectables. There is just about anything you could want in this shop from vintage furs to porcelain dolls, but this shop is not just for hardcore collectors, they have things for the everyday shopper too.
Objects Found employees 25-year-old Zachary Lingeman and 23-year-old Sydney McCormick love working for the small shop because everyday is something new.
“We get a range of people that come into the shop, from the hard-core antique shoppers that come looking to furnish their homes with our items. We get people from 20-years-old to 70-years-old coming into the shop,” said Lingeman.
The shop’s best selling collection at the moment is a collection of Roseville pottery. The entire pottery collection was made by the Porter family and originates from Ohio.
“The collection is from the 19th and 20th centuries and is the big draw to the shop. Some pieces range for one $100-$3,000. Some collectors come in here and drop thousands on one piece,” said Lingeman.
The overwhelming theme that runs through Catonsville is the feeling of home. Even just walking around the streets every shop is very welcoming and has a very down home feel.
“Catonsville is a very tight-knit community, and everyone knows each other,” said Lingeman
Even people that move away from Catonsville find themselves missing parts of the neighborhood and find their way back for certain reasons.
Kristin Lefeber, a 34-year-old project coordinator, knows the draw that Catonsville has because although she lives in Baltimore City with her family she finds herself coming back to Catonsville multiple times a week.
“My daughters take dance classes here, we go to the library, hair salon, and we do everything here. We love our city, but Catonsville gives us the hometown feel that we need sometimes,” said Kristin Lefeber.
Exploring Uptown
Ricky the owner of Towson’s Fresh Fresh Seafood has had a hard time adjusting to the ever growing downtown Towson. “The growing of the Towson area is having a great impact on the local community in a negative way,” said Ricky. Business may not be particularly booming anymore but Fresh Fresh Seafood still delivers a down home feel to this fast paced growing area.
The smell of the brand new doughnut shop on York Road fills the sidewalk. Fresh dough, chocolate chips, and a hint of cinnamon sugar engulf the street. It’s very subtle because on this street there are food places everywhere, but once you open the door to Fractured Prune you immediately can smell the baking of the donuts.
The Towson Tobacco Market has been a convenience store in Downtown Towson for a while, but it’s been pretty overlooked because of the 7-11 right across the street. Overlooked yes but the workers in the stores have been looking and observing every weekend. Cashier Rajesh Kumar has worked at the market for eight months and he’s seen the very best that a weekend uptown has to offer. “Lots of drunk people dancing. That’s what they do they dance,” said Rajesh.
All around Uptown you could find fliers for the Charm City Roller Girls. This is a competition of some of the best roller derby teams around hosted by the Charm City Roller girls. The sign is from five years ago, so why it’s still hanging up is a good question but it is.
Scott Calvert
Having Scott Calvert come speak to our class was very inspiring for me. My favorite part was when he told us about some of his favorite feature and news stories. It was cool to have him tell us about all of his travels, and the stories he’s written around the world. The story he spoke to us about with the teenagers in Africa really touched me because the way he spoke about it made the teenagers seem so relatable. When he talked to us about how usually reporting and interviewing are pretty easy for him I kind of disagreed because when I try to get people to talk about themselves they always seem very hesitant and usually decide to avoid being the center of attention. Scott said when he’s trying to find story ideas he reads other publications, and looks around to see what is going on in the world that could be interesting. He said he doesn’t mind writing profile stories but that those aren’t his favorites. I really enjoyed having him come to class because I feel I learned a lot from his experiences.
Inside my Court 