Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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_ __ University of South Carolina MflNnAY APRII R OOflA * Vob.97,No.83 www.dailygamecock.com IVIVJIV Ur\ I f nri\IL J, 4UUH Since 1908 PHOTO BY MICHAEL LAFORGIA/THE GAMECOCK A crowd gathers at Finlay Park Saturday to enjoy oysters, music and great weather. Oyster Fest hits the spot Finlay Park welcomes spring %vith hot sauce and a cracker BY KEVIN FELLNER THE HAMECOCK Bryan Swetnam had a crucial job at the ninth annual S.C. Oyster Festival at Finlay Park Saturday. Sitting in front of large signs that read “No Oysters Beyond This Point,” he was in charge of ensuring that no one was taking oysters — with their sharp shells — out of the eating area and into the rest of the park, where some people walked barefoot and sat on blankets. “An oyster bouncer, if you will,” he said. Although Swetnam, a Medicare customer service rep resentative, didn’t catch anyone trying to smuggle oysters past him, there were plenty of steamed oysters, beer and other refresh ments to be had as Mother’s Finest, Tokyo Joe, Lundy and Simple provided entertainment through the afternoon and early evening to a swarm of people en joying one of the spring’s first weekends. Local oyster experts were set ting up as early as 9 a.m. for the afternoon event, preparing for a day of steaming dozens of oysters at a time in a mixture of water, salt and beer then serving them ’ in pans with saltines, cocktail and hot sauces. Former restaurateur Bryan Cole from Blythewood got in volved with cooking oysters for the festival through his brother, who has cooked at several local restaurants. “We’re working things out perfectly,” he said of supplying the biggest crowd for which he had ever cooked. "By the time they’re ready for them, we’re ready to serve them.” ♦ OYSTERS, SEE PAGE 5 USC has 5 national scholars BY JACOB DAVIS THE GAMECOCK Five Honors College students dedicated to scientific research have been rewarded for their hard work with prestigious national scholarships. Four students — the most al lowed for a university — were named Goldwater Scholars, and one student, of only 77 nation wide, was named a Truman Scholar. Fourth-year Russian and math student Jeremy Wolfe, who is studying abroad in Prague, Czech Republic, was named USC’s Truman scholar. Second-year computer science and mathemat ics student Matt Elder; third-year science student Jae Jun Kim; third-year Baccalaureus Artium et Scientiae student Matthew Wilkinson; and fourth-year chem ical engineering student Derek Jason Owens won Goldwater scholarships. The Truman Scholarship is awarded to promising juniors who plan to pursue public service and who exhibit strong leadership qualities. USC has had five Truman Scholars previously. The 310 annual Goldwater Scholarship winners are chosen from a nationwide pool of over 1,100 applicants from the fields of science, mathematics and engi neering. Since 1990, 25 USC students have received the scholarship hon oring the late U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, and USC has had at least one recipient every year since 1993. After spending up to 50 hours on his application, Goldwater scholar Matt Elder said he doesn’t expect to receive any money from the award. That’s because the scholarship, while technically $7,500 a year for an undergradu ate, is given out based on the cost of attendance. Since Elder’s other scholarships cover his tuition, the Goldwater award is good in name only. ♦ SCHOLARSHIPS, SEE PAGE 4 Surf Yourself Sick FWw.ii :j f > wvMiyttmKSMi For more information on scholarships, Mslt http://www.sc.edu/ofsp French students visit Carolina for week with American class BY ALLYSON BIRD rilEOAMECOCK Nine French students spent last week at USC as a part of the Honors College version of French 210. This is Lara Lomicka's third year teaching the class, which she taught for three years at Penn State previously. USC, Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and a high school in St. Jean, France, participate in the program. “That way they get one school from the North and one from the ^^outh,” Lomicka said. uo^ :> it siuaents communi cated with the nine French stu dents in the yearlong class by sending weekly e-mails, chatting via Web cam and maintaining a collaborative Web site. Lomicka’s class spent spring break visiting their key pals before they came to USC for 10 days, ending Saturday. The class for USC stu dents was heavily subsidized by the Honors College and will be of fered again next year. “We discuss a lot of cultural is sues and make the trip together to make the experience very real. They realize how alike they are and also how different,” she said. The French students experi enced shagging, a nature walk with Professor Rudy Mancke, dinner at Maurice's Piggy Park tnd other uniquely USC experi nces. While in France, USC students F-i—:--— “You expect someone wearing a beret and a striped shirt standing under the Eiffel Tower being rude and smoking.” ben heck SECOND-YEAR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, ECONOMICS AND SPANISH STUDENT spent time in St. Jean de Maurienne with their key pals where they toured historical sites and went skiing. “They live in tiny villages. It was an hour drive to school each day,” second-year international business student Megan Moxie said of the rural area where her key pal lived. Before heading back to the States, the group spent a few nights in Paris where they were free to choose their own activities, including touring the Louvre, visiting the Eiffel Tower and checking out the cat acombs. Lomicka said her fondest memory of the experience is eas ily her own engagement, which happened on the group's last night in St. Jean when a small box under a teacup in her dessert proved to be more than just a show of French hospitality. “One student said, 'From each trip we take from now on, there must be at least one engagement,'” she said. Her fiancee, Andy Anderson, had gone on the trip for his own film project. ♦ FRANCE, SEE PAGE 4 PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK Lara Lomicka’s French class gathers at a theater In St. Jean, France. PHOTO BY MORGAN FORD/THE GAMECOCK The Carolina Hip-Hop Ensemble performs at the USC Showcase Saturday. Showcase kicks off 'Fever’ BY KALYN PALMER THE (iAMECOCK “Carolina Fever” was an nounced as the theme for Homecoming 2004 at the 17th an nual USC Showcase on the Horseshoe. The Horseshoe was trans formed into a carnival when hun dreds of people wandered among more than 50 tents and booths. The Showcase, USC’s open house, is meant to attract and en tertain prospective students and the public. Colleges and campus organizations set up informa tional tables and provided an swers to questions about what they had to offer. Numerous USC music and dance ensembles, in cluding Carolina Alive, the USC Band, Carolina Hip-Hop Ensemble, Left Bank Big Band and Higher Harmony performed on the main stage. Interactive activities made sure USC’s youngest visitors were not forgotten. Children could participate in the Army ROTC’s “Army Ranger Challenge” and make sand art at the.Visitor Center’s display, and College of Education faculty members and students enter tained them with stories. Children also flocked to a robot demonstration. Second-year criminal justice student Nikki Nauss said she thinks Showcase is a great event. “The event really lives up to its name because it showcases the many interest groups, clubs, ac tivities and programs that USC has to offer,” she said. ♦SHOWCASE, SEE PAGE 4 i FOR MORE SEE PAGE 6 haunting look at the life of writer Sylvia »e. ♦ A HAIRY SITUATION Students turn to Plath. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 7 trusted stylists to score their ideal 'dos. ♦ VICTORY AT SEA Baseball wins two of a FOR MORE SEE PAGE 7 three-game series with the Vanderbilt ♦ POETRY IN MOTION “Sylvia" takes Commodores. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 10 Index Trie Gamecock Is printed on Comics and Crossword 9 Online Poll_6 recycled paper. 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