The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 15, 2006, Page 10, Image 10
did • conTinueD rRomg
has information on
departmental scholarships
and lists numerous
scholarship sites. Wright
said students should
contact their specific
college directly to find out
more about scholarships
being offered.
The third type of
financial aid is student
employment, and the
fourth type is loans.
“These last two are
called self-help aid. You’re
either working now to
earn the money or will pay
it back later,” Miller said.
Students hired for work
study jobs must apply
for financial aid and be
awarded federal work
study. Miller said students
should call the financial
aid office to see if they
are eligible for work
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career center to investigate
other student employment
opportunities.
There are several
different types of loans
available for students.
Miller recommends federal
student loans over other
types of loans because they
offer lower interest rates
than the private sector.
The federal government
offers two forms of student
loans, subsidized and
unsubsidized. Subsidized
loans bear no interest
expense until repayment
begins after the student
stops their education.
Unsubsidized loans are
less attractive because
once the loan is made the
interest expense begins
immediately.
Miller said banks do
offqr private student loans,
but they are unsubsidized
with generally higher
interest rates. Also
available to some students
is a federal program that
allows a student’s parents
to borrow money to pay
for their son or daughter’s
education.
Students who have
more than one loan
may want to consider a
federal consolidation loan
program that allows a
student to combine various
federal loans they have
accrued. Miller explained
some students qualify
for certain subsidized
and unsubsidized loans,
as well as other federal
loans available, and
could potentially face
having to repay all loans
simultaneously.
With the consolidation
program, the student is
able to make one payment
by lumping the loans
together.
Students should
understand the differences
in the types of financial
aid to help them make
the right decisions in
paying for their college
education.
“Apply early and get it
out of the way,” advised
Casey Wiley, graduate
assistant for the financial
aid office loan unit. “If
you have any problems, go
to the financial aid office.”
Contact the USC
financial aid office at
777-8134 or USCFAID@
sc.edu.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edu
Graduate student mixes easels,
earthy flair in City Art exhibit
flathan Rouse
THE GAMECOCK
Most South Carolinians
are familiar with the
experience of driving
through the rural portions
of our state. The forests
and hills will often give way
to open fields, with sunlight
and shadows playing across
them. Such country scenes
are often awe-inspiring and
thoroughly breathtaking.
These scenes are the
specialty of Blake Morgan, a
graduate art student at USC.
Morgan spends many of his
days driving down the back
roads near Columbia in his
truck, looking for something
that catches his eye. Upon
spotting something that
interests him, he pulls over
to the side of the road, gets
out his lawn chair and easel,
and paints.
The products of his
activities will be featured in
an upcoming exhibit at City
Art, a local art gallery and
art supply store in the Vista,
beginning on Thursday.
The exhibition consists
exclusively of Morgan’s
landscapes.
After the exhibit opens, a
reception will follow from
5:30 to 8 p.m., and is open
to the public. The pieces
in the event range from 3
inches by 5 inches to 5 feet
by 7 feet. All of the art in
the exhibit will be for sale,
and although the prices
might be a bit high for the
average student budget,
Morgan expressed a desire
to see some students at the
event.
“Altogether I’m pleased
with the show,” Morgan
said. “There is an infinite
variety in nature.”
Morgan does not limit
his paintings to strictly
what he sees, however; most
of his paintings include
interpretive elements. He
paints not only the way
a scene appears, but also
incorporates a theme or
feeling into each of his
works.
“They vary in realism,”
Morgan said. “If you
consider the landscape as
an outlet for your ideas, it
becomes more than just a
picture.”
Morgan does indeed
view art as much more
than a picture; he considers
it to be a way of sharing
human experience. He sees
his landscapes as a way of
communicating a scene to
his audience, and also as a
way of sharing the unique
mood and tone of the
piece.
“Painting is similar to
other art forms,” Morgan
said. “Sometimes it can be
like poetry.”
Although Morgan stands
by his ideals of the use of art
as language, he attempts to
stop the idea from getting
out of control and to avoid
pretense in his work. He
describes his landscapes as
traditional, straightforward,
and honest.
“I’m not trying to do
anything different,” Morgan
said.
Morgan is a 2 5-year-old
graduate student working
on his Masters degree in
fine arts. He was born near
Beaumont, Texas, and spent
time in Louisiana before
moving to Oklahoma for
most of his high school and
college career. He attended
East Central University
in Oklahoma, where he
received a BA in studio art.
He then decided to attend
USC for his graduate studies
and is currently studying
and teaching.
“I chose USC because
it has a painting program
that appeals to me,” said
Morgan. “It’s appropriately
considerate of tradition.”
Morgan plans to attempt
to make a living from selling
his artwork after graduation,
but is unsure of his chances,
acknowledging the difficulty
of making a living solely
from selling art.
“It depends on whether
or not I can get lucky,” he
said.
Morgan sees Thursday’s
exhibition as an important
event in his career as a
studio artist, and hopes
that the event will be
successful. If he finds that
he cannot make a living in
the competitive world of
studio art, he plans to make
a living teaching the craft to
others.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecockfeatures@givm.sc. edu
Solutions
Nobody covers USC better. Nobody. TH^^^rAMEGOGK
Ryan Holt
Vice President
UT ^vnjffvSa3ainjhpP
Hy night shuttle to transport Greek student^^^
is to their chapter meetings, and a Game
ball Games.
lg Services and the City of Columbia
on Blossom Street to add turning
ge and Coliseum Parking Lots.
r the purchase of two new shuttles to
on campus.
leras in the Blossom Street Garage, which
dark, and has one of the campus’s highest
a. rut greater empnasis on protecting the environment by
Eurcnasing more recycling bins on campus, sponsoring
lean Carolina, and encouraging the university to establish
a campus bike rental program.
r6. Created the Congressional Advisory Board as an avenue for
students to address their concerns to members of Congress,
such as student loans, expensive textbook prices, etc.
*z~\ 2 7. Implemented the first-ever Carolina Convoy tnp to taKe
students to an away football game.
K i 8. Co-Sponsored a bus trip that transported 106 students to ##
Biloxi during their Fall Break to assist with Katrina Relief efforts.
P®" 9. Improved communication with the students through a new
Blackboard site, Student Government Television, publications,
and an Open Door policy giving student full access to the officers.
10. Lobbied for the elimination of the 16 Hr. credit limit and the
implementation of a grade forgiveness program, to give students
a second chance to improve course grades.
aft ——— — .—.— - i
^WRean Carolina hits Greene
Street on February 22nd from
p, 10am-2pm. Take part with
your student organization and
p | clean up litter in your desig
nated area. Visit the Student
Government table on Greene St. I
to pick up clean-up supplies.
1 Return to the table with a bag
p of litter and recieve a meal.