Grandparents Day 2013

Why Grandparents?

Today students had the privilege of hosting their grandparents on campus, and with a very full schedule of events.

            “The goal of doing this is to get grandparents involved on campus to see what their students do on a regular basis,” says Emily Stringer. Stringer was the head coordinator for this event. She thinks that by getting grandparents involved on campus, OC can continue to grow its Community.

The second annual Legacy Grandparents Day invited grandparents to spend the day on campus and ended the day with an Oklahoma City Philharmonic concert.

On Campus Events

On-campus events included breakfast and coffee in the conservatory after registration.

 Grandparents, along with their OC students, attended a traditional chapel service and then were escorted to the Gaylord University Center for lunch. U-Dining catering services hosted lunch. During lunch Steven Eck and President John deSteiguer spoke with grandparents about the legacy OC will provide for their grandchildren and how even if they did not attend OC, they too are part of this legacy. 

After lunch Bob Rowley and Steven Eck led two tour busses around campus to allow grandparents to see where their student attends regular classes and the student residence halls. The tour also taught about the history of some of the programs and buildings at OC, as well as current opportunities the students have, such as intramurals and sports teams.

After the campus tours, grandparents and their grandchildren enjoyed some time in the Gotcher room playing cards.

“It was cool spending time with some of the grandparents and just hanging out and playing card games. They are all really nice and some of them have great stories to tell,” says Jonathan Johnson, a freshman at OC and a student worker who helped with the event.

After free time, grandparents gathered in Scott chapel for a keynote speech given by Willie Steele.

Dinner was served at 5 p.m. by U-Dining staff. During dinner, Dr. Scott LaMascus gave a keynote about the connections and relationships that will grow from OC. LaMascus gave reference to the community and network that the church gives and that OC is a continuation of this network.

A short time after dinner a charter bus left to take grandparents, and some students to the Philharmonic in downtown Oklahoma City.

“There isn’t anything happening on campus in the afternoon so we decided to do something in the city. Last year they went and saw an on-campus play, but there isn’t one playing this weekend,” Stringer notes. 

Plans for next year

The staff at the office of advancement will put on next year’s grandparent’s day, and they hope to increase even more in number.  This years turn out was effected strongly by weather. Oklahoma experienced a cold front Thursday night that caused chilling winds to blow around campus all day.

The weather caused some cancellations due to snow in the northern parts of the state, Stringer said in an interview. Most people traveling from anywhere north of Oklahoma experienced rough road conditions. Some had to cancel their trip altogether.

The team putting together next years event hopes that a walking tour, or tour via golf carts to accommodate for those with disabilities. 

“We were going to do a walking tour this year like in years past, but weather was just not permitting,” Stringer says.

Arrow on the Doorpost

I really love following along with the TVEquals blogposts, but I think it is because they just seem to wonderfully sum-up exactly what I am saying while I am watching the episode. I watch the episodes, get really frustrated or excited because of whats going on...or not going on, in each episode. Then when I come back a few days later and read the reviews by Gelineau all the frustration or excitement is re-hashed.
I of course felt that today when Gelineau talked about how lame this episode was compared to last. I was not even close to satisfied after watching this because last week was so great. I don't agree with his post on the matter of character development. The scene where Daryl and Caesar are sitting out front talking was kind of a time killer. I understand that the Walking Dead may have wanted to show the time lapse during Rick and The Governer's little showdown (and yes it was little), but that was a pathetic way to do it. The showdown that took place really was nerve wracking because they showed the Governor's gun under the table beforehand, but when it was all over it was very anti-climactic. Like Gelineau stated at the end, I really do hope these last three episodes make up for what these past episodes have been lacking: action, gore, suspense, and maybe some zombies would be good too.

Clear

FINALLY. This episode was awesome. I watched this one a little late but I was sure to steer clear of facebook, twitter, and all of my friends who watch TWD. 

The only post that leaked a little info that I read on facebook was "Skateboards and mice... You're a genius Michonne." I was obviously quite confused as to what this meant so after seeing that I hurried to watch the episode. Like the TV Equals writer, Gelineau, wrote this episode was definitely better than the first eight of the season and, in my own opinion, had much redeeming value. We finally got to see the man from season one again, which was awesome. I spent all of season one and part of season two wondering when we would get to see him again, and I eventually gave up on that thought. It was a bold move to bring him back so late into the course of the show, and also sad to see him only be featured in this one episode, but the closure was good. 

Gelineau also talks about how this was a "bottle episode" we only saw four characters the whole episode, no jail, and no Woodberry. None of that was disappointing. It was a very refreshing episode because we got a break from the characters that we wanted to reach inside the screen and kill ourselves and we were satisfied with the amount of action that had been lacking in previous episodes.

I ain't a Judas

This week’s review is back to writer Luke Gelineau who discusses how yet another episode has gone slowly. It’s all understandable, but things are expected to happen, it is just taking awhile to happen. This episode covers the groups thoughts and feelings as they recuperate after the attack on the prison. I agree with Gelineau about how rare and somewhat awesome it was to hear Hershel raise his voice at Rick. But I did disagree with the fact that he dislikes Carl.

         Carl and Rick’s conversation foreshadows Carl growing up. It also makes Rick look weak, which he is…he is crazy. This conversation also foreshadows what will come in the 4th season of the walking dead. It was announced that Rick’s character will no longer lead the group and that the show will revolve less around him. After watching this episode, we can all agree with Gelineau, that the only person the show could stop revolving around completely, is Andrea.

         Andrea has very good indentions and you can tell she really wants to help both sides and that she is fighting for humanity, but she is doing a very bad job. After leaving the prison this episode, she immediately gets back and spills everything to the governor. This just kind of irritates everyone.