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—-WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2005-" w Body donors enable study of anatomy By MARK SIECKMAN FOR THE GAMECOCK Almost 1,800 people have donated their bodies to USC’s Gift of Body Program during the last 30 years for medical students to dissect. The Department of Developmental Biology and Anatomy manages the program, through which individuals may donate their remains to the School of Medicine for scientific study. The Gift of Body Program began in the 1970s and received its first donation in 1977- The program has received about 1,740 donations to date, and donations vary from year to year. “Some years, we’ve received as many as 70 donations, but we average about 50 per year,” said Lisa Buchanan, program coordinator, who has worked for the Gift of Body Program for the last 10 years and handles each donor’s case. Interested donors must meet certain requirements and complete an application. Requirements include an intact body that has not had any organs donated, is at least 18 years old and lacks any contagious diseases that might be spread post-mortem. Upon the donor’s death, immediate family members or legal representatives contact the program, which arranges to pick up all in-state cadavers at no cost to the donor. The bodies are used to teach anatomy to first-year medical students in the Gross Anatomy Lab. “Students work in teams of six and rotate from body to body in teams of two,” Buchanan said. “During the fall semester, we usually keep up to 20 bodies.” The bodies are stored, fully embalmed, in a refrigerated morgue in the lower levels of the School of Medicine. Depending on the amount of recent donations, the morgue might contain as few as three bodies or as many as 40. The cadavers are used stricdy for teaching the students anatomy, but some donors have greater hopes. “Unfortunately, we do have some ♦ DONORS, page 4 New fraternity working toward Greek approval By TAYLOR SMITH STAFF WRITER USC’s first Jewish fraternity is getting closer to becoming an official Greek life organization while planning to participate in the Relay for Life on April 22. Confirmed as an official USC Greek colony in November, the local chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu has helped with several local Jewish synagogues, but is planning to start its philanthropy this semester and student activities this fall. Chapter President Ira Klein said the colony has not received its letter of designation, but the 12 members of the group are enjoying study sessions and other group-building opportunities like intramural dodgeball and softball. Despite being a new Greek life organization, he said Sigma Alpha Mu is unlike other fraternities that participate in initiation exercises. “An education period is nothing too major. We are learning more and more about the fraternity,” Klein said. “If we were already a functioning member of the Greek community then new members would just have to learn the about the chapter, but because we are new, we are all basically new pledges.” To gain full recognition as a fraternity at the university level, the colony must gain 20 or 25 members, maintain a certain level of academic excellence, organize a philanthropic event and be able to keep a bank account. President-elect Daniel Chassen will talk as president of the chapter Friday and said JESSICA ANN NIELSEN/THE GAMECOCK Bates House representatives voice their opinion during RHA elections Tuesday night. Terrill Wilkins was elected president, the first new leader in two years. Crown Fits Greek Womens Day features former Miss America By KELLY CAVANAUGH ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR USC’s Sorority Council played host to Kate Shindle, Miss America 1998, Monday night at Greek Women’s Day in the BA Belk Auditorium. Shindle spoke on the topic of “Exploitation or Empowerment” and her perspective of the role the Miss America pageant plays in society. A self-proclaimed “Recovering Miss America,” Shindle is anything but the stereotypical pageant girl. Shindle describes herself as a “misfit” and “outsider” who was suddenly thrust into a world that she never thought she would be a part of. “The Miss America organization, it’s kind of a world full of misfits. It’s generally not the Homecoming Queens who become Miss America. It’s sort of like the geeky girls from high school, like me, who learn how to do their hair,” Shindle said. Shindle explained that “once upon a time” former Miss Americas and newly crowned Miss Americas enjoyed instant stardom But now, she said, the Miss America organization is having something of an “identity crisis.” “Miss America is kind of an ‘also-ran’ in the public consciousness because now the normal girls on TV aren’t wearing evening gowns and answering questions. They’re like, eating maggots and making out in hot tubs,” Shindle said. Shindle said the swimsuit competition is really the “lightning rod” of the pageant, even though it is worth only a small percentage of a contestant’s final score. “I never really loved spray gluing a I swimsuit on and walking around on a stage : in front of an audience full of people, but I didn’t really hate it. It wasn’t a deal- ££ breaker for me. I never felt like someone was dangling the carrot of scholarships in order to get me to take my clothes . || off,” she said. Shindle said she met many women who thought she was being exploited by the Miss America program. “I never really felt that way,” she said, “Frankly, once I got over insecurity and body image issues to walk around on stage in ♦ SHINDLE. page 8 NICK ESARES/THE GAMECOCK :ormer Miss America Kate Shindle spoke Monday at Greek Women's Day. Iri her peech, she confronted the empowerment and exploitation of the beauty pageant. Wilkins elected RHA president By TAYLOR SMITH STAFF WRITER USC’s Residence Hall Association voted Terrill Wilkins president-elect Tuesday, marking the organization’s first new leader in two years. Although the inauguration isn’t until April 19, Wilkins vows students will hear a louder sound coming from the organization, which manages all university residence halls. “We have been tweaking hall government for years now,” Wilkins said. “But RHA is going to become more involved with that process in terms of getting our name out.” Wilkins, a second-year political science and history student, became an RHA member when he became Maxcy residence hall president as a freshman. He said he knew he wanted to be involved the first day he walked on to campus, but he never thought he would become RHA president. “I wanted to keep my options open,” Wilkins said. “But when I was a Housing and Campus Concerns (committee) chairman, I kind of realized there was potential for me to take my leadership to the next level.” RHA has jurisdiction over all residence halls and residents on campus, which represents approximately 6,500 students, but RHA President Adam Hark said the pressure is only as large as one makes it. “There is not a lot of pressure,” Hark said of his two years in office. “I think that if a president is secure in his decisions then he will sleep well at night.” Wilkins said he is not intimidated by the office, but does have big shoes to fill. Although he is eager to start serving, he will miss Hark, who he said has done much for the organization. “Adam Hark has done a lot in terms of making the organization more representative,” Wilkins said. “The groundwork he has laid in terms of running ♦ RHA, page 4 USC scholars among elite award winners By JENNIFER ROBINSON FOR THE GAMECOCK Three USC students have received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for the upcoming school year. Third-year psychology student Alisha Epps, second-year biology student Rita Czako and third-year sports and entertainment management student Chris Mitchell received the award, the premier undergraduate scholarship of its kind in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering. The Barry M. Goldwater Excellence in Education Foundation, chaired by Peggy Goldwater Clay, awarded 320 scholarships for the upcoming school year. Faculty members nominated more than 1,000 mathematics, science and engineering students nationwide for the scholarship. This marks the 12th consecutive year USC students were among the award’s recipients. USC students have won 247 national awards, totaling more than $6.4 million for advanced academic study since 1994. USC nominates students, who are invited to complete an application. The nominees are narrowed down, and remaining applicants are interviewed. Based on the interviews, the students found to be most applicable become officially nominated to represent the school in this nationally competitive scholarship program. 1 m really pleased and honored by this award. I’m proud to represent our school in that way,” Epps said. For her part, Epps said she plans to pursue a doctorate with a focus on neuroscience. She hopes to concentrate her efforts on research of depression and anxiety. Czako said she is interested in public health and would like to pursue a career in epidemiology. Mitchell could not be reached for comment. The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established in 1986 to honor U.S. Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, who served for 30 years. The Foundation’s purpose is to provide a long-lasting source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by ♦ SCHOLARS, page 4 NICK ESARES/THE GAMECOCK Sigma Alpha Mu, USC’s first Jewish fraternity, is close to becoming an official Greek Life organization. The fraternity looks to meet the criteria by spring 2006. he is excited about serving as head of the colony, which is well on its way to meeting the criteria set for it. “I am ready to grab the organization by the reigns and bring it to great heights,” Chassen said of the need to grow the colony. “We have the quality members we want to have, but we don’t have quantity.” After several meetings as a colony, Chassen said the group is taking all the necessary steps toward becoming a genuine fraternity, including naming their large philanthropy the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation. “The morale is getting higher and higher as our ideas become a reality,” Klein said. “It sounds like everyone is pretty hyped to become a fraternity.” Chassen said he hopes to meet the necessary criteria for becoming a fraternity by spring 2006. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc. edu Students visit friend abroad, help remedy homesickness By MEGAN MOXIE FOR THE GAMECOCK GRENOBLE, France — One of the hardest parts of studying abroad is leaving friends and family, students say. But, they add, one of the most exciting parts is sharing their experiences with them. For second-year history and economics student Austin Ber'singer, USC’s spring break offered the chance for his friends from home to cross the Atlantic and visit him. Some of his closest friends from USC — third-year management student David Youst, first-year business student Vanessa Cuadra, third-year international business student Thad Crenshaw, first-year pharmacy student Catherine McAbee and Laura Killingsworth — flew to Paris to meet Bersinger. “How many people can say that five of ♦ FRANCE, page 7 IN THIS ISSUE ♦ VIEWPOINTS Here’s what we really need ... The Gamecock staff editorial takes you back to the days when a USC monorail seemed like a good idea. Page 9 ■■ ■■ — ♦THE MIX Inspiration from the family Read how one woman’s experiences caring for her autistic brother might result in a career. Page 10 ♦ SPORTS Basketball only one game away |f§ The Gamecocks defeated Maryland on Thursday to - ^ advance to the finals of the w 2005 NIT. ■ Page 13 P INDEX Comics & Crossword..12 Classifieds..15 Horoscopes...12 Online Poll..9 Police Report..2 ■ | - www.dailygamecock.com