Nursing scholarship available for majors with financial need

Two scholarships are currently available for nursing and health care majors.

The Mary Marguerite Merritt scholarship is available to nursing majors with financial need only. It requires that applicants have a 2.8 grade point average and a list of general career plans. Applications are available in the George T. Madison Hall, Room 139.

The M. T. Green Foundation scholarship is available to junior and senior health care majors who will be under 110 semester hours at the end of this year with a 3.3 GPA. Nursing applicants must have at least 33 semester hours of the nursing curriculum at the end of this year to receive consideration. Applications are available in GTM Rooms 138 and 139 for nursing and health information management majors, Room 314 in Robinson Hall for liberal arts majors, and Rooms 215 and 251 in Carson Taylor Hall for biology and human ecology majors.

Applications must be submitted in Prescott Memorial Library, Room 913. The deadline for both scholarships is April 29.

For more information contact Pamela Moore, an associate professor of nursing, at 257-3101.

Hip-hop comedians to perform free show in Student Center

The Union Board will present stand-up comedians Alfred & Seymor at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Student Center, Main Floor.

Alfred & Seymor combine hip-hop dancing and comedy for their shows. These comedians have performed on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Jenny Jones." Their dancing has landed them in Pepsi, Sprite and American Express commercials.

This special event is free to all students with a valid Tech ID.

For more information, contact Stephen Bell, the Union Board president and a senior biology major, at 257-4237, or visit the Union Board Web site at http://www.unionboard.com.

Tryouts for mascot 'Champ' April 30 in intramural center

Champ, the mascot, tryouts will be held at 9 a.m. April 30 in the Maxie Lambright Intramural Sports Center, located on Tech Drive.

Any full-time Tech student wishing to apply should pick up an application in Tolliver or in the intramural center. Submitted applications should include a copy of the applicant's transcript, a recent picture, a $25 application fee and a copy of his or her insurance card.

Applications are due April 29.

Students trying out should bring a one-minute skit that depicts school spirit and creativity. Students are welcome to use props in their tryout. Applicants can practice in Champ's costume from 5 to 8 p.m. April 28-29.

Tryouts are open to the public.

For more information, contact Jennifer Canterbury, the coordinator of spirit groups, at 257-3479 or jennifer@latech.edu.

Black and White Affair tickets on sale for $1 now, $2 at door

The Society of Distinguished Black Women will present the Black and White Affair, an event for all students and non-students to attend.

This dance will be held from 8 p.m. to midnight Tuesday in the Student Center, Rooms 222-224.

The attire for this event is black and white or just white. These colors must be worn in order to enter.

Tickets will be on sale this week from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Center.

Prices for tickets are $1 in advance and $2 at the door the day of the event.

For more information, contact Taneesha Galloway, the president of DBW and a senior health information administration major, at 243-6218.

April 29 last day to withdraw; advising to begin Monday

The last day for students to drop individual classes with a "W" grade or to resign from the university with a "W" grade is April 29.

Drop forms are available in the Office of the Registrar and must be signed by an adviser.

Students in the following courses must obtain additional signatures before the courses can be dropped: Academic Counseling 150, Math 099/100, English 099, University Seminar 100/101 and all student atheletes.

Advising begins Monday. Early registration for summer/fall classes begins May 2. The racing form is available on the Bulldog Online Student System, and printed copies will be available Tuesday, April 26.

The first purge date for summer classes is May 23.

For more information contact Bob Vento, university registrar, at 257-2176.

Catholic Student Center to offer credit hour for lecture series

The Catholic Student Center will teach "Catholic Thinkers" at 7 p.m. every Tuesday at the Catholic Student Center, located at 810 Carey Ave.

The class is presented by Jim McGill, an instructor of theology and sacred scripture from the Diocese of Shreveport.

One credit hour is available through the course.

The class is a lecture-type series and involves faith sharing and the history of Catholicism.

For more information, contact Ethel Papillion, secretary, at 251-0793.

First 50 attendants to receive free T-shirt at SGA Earth Day

The Student Government Association will sponsor an Earth Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday in the Student Center, Main Floor.

There is no admission charge, but any donations will be accepted. Proceeds from the donations will go to the Ruston Humane Society.

The first 50 people will receive a free T-shirt.

Free food will be served, and music and entertainment will be provided by Brian Hauser, a junior speech major, Amber Grafton, a sophomore developmental liberal arts major, Shannin Watkins, a junior medical technology major, Sara Sullivan, a freshman journalism major, and guests Swifty Band featuring Brandt Cooley, Nick Harrison, Chris Loggins and Monty Russell.

For more information, contact Kitty Jameson, the environmental affairs chairperson for the SGA and a senior psychology major, at 257-4565.

Student recruiter applications due April 29 in Hale Hall

Student recruiter applications are available. Those interested can pick one up at the Admissions office in Hale Hall.

For more information, contact Vince Miller, director of orientation and special programs, at 257-3036.

Applications are due back April 29.

This item originally appeared in the April 21, 2005 issue of The Tech Talk.

Joseph Ratzinger of Germany becomes Pope Benedict XVI

Joseph Ratzinger of Germany was elected as the new pope Tuesday, with the College of Cardinals taking only two days to choose, according to CNN.com. Ratzinger will now be known as Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope John Paul II died April 2, and before his death, asked that the news that his successor was picked be proclaimed by white smoke and bells rung from the Sistine Chapel. Crowds outside of the chapel cheered and waved flags when these signs appeared, according to CNN.com.

Pope Benedict XVI's inaugural Mass will be Sunday. According to CNN, his age, 78, signals the possibility that cardinals hope for a shorter papacy than Pope John Paul II's duration of 26 years.

New study shows overweight people have lower death rate

A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that people who are slightly overweight have a lower death rate than those of average weight, according to Fox News.

Obesity was found to be the No. 7 ranking cause of death in the U.S., instead of previously being rated No. 2.

According to Fox, the Center reported in 2004 over 400,000 deaths a year were due to "weight-related causes," and that obesity was not far behind tobacco as a U.S. killer.

In January, the Center admitted to an over-calculation, and the approximation was reduced to 365,000.

South Korean officials worrying that North may make plutonium

Officials in South Korea spoke of worries Wednesday that North Korea may be moving towards making more weapons-grade plutonium.

"The government is closely watching activities at the North's Yongbyon nuclear reactor, and we cannot but express serious concern should the North move toward reprocessing," Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday, according to Fox News.

"Such activity is not in the interest of the North or the international community."

According to Fox, no international talks have been held with North Korea since June concerning discussions about North Korea deserting its nuclear plans.

Congress investigating NFL steroid use after probe on MLB

Six weeks after Congress investigated Major League Baseball's steroids problem, the committee is turning its focus to the National Football League.

According to www.wbir.com, the Web site for the NBC affiliate in Knoxville, Tenn., the House Government Reform Committee scheduled a hearing with NFL representatives for Wednesday.

The committee has asked the NFL to provide a response outlining the substances the league tests for, the number of tests administered each year and the number of positive results.

Both NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, have been asked to testify before the assembly.

1,600 gather for 10th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing

Tuesday marked the 10th anniversary of the bombing of Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, and 1,600 people gathered for mourning and remembrance.

According to ABC News, First United Methodist Church served as the gathering place for the mourners of the 168 people who perished in 1995. A moment of silence was observed at 9:02 a.m., the exact time of the explosion.

Four children who were injured in the blast recited the creed of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, and served as a symbol of life and hope. Survivors and rescuers were also recognized. One empty chair for each victim was placed in a grassy field across from the church where the building once stood.

Nineteen of the chairs were smaller than the others and had teddy bears placed on them to represent the 19 children who died in the building's daycare center.

Timothy McVeigh was convicted of federal conspiracy and murder charges, and was executed June 11, 2001. Terry Nichols, a conspirator with McVeigh, was convicted in federal and state court and is serving multiple life sentences.

Chicago underpass becomes attraction; sports image of Mary

A Kennedy Expressway underpass on Chicago's northwest side has become a tourist attraction.

According to ABC News, the concrete bridge sports a yellow and white stain that some say is an image of the Virgin Mary.

Hundreds of witnesses have visited the site since Monday, and many brought flowers and candles with which to honor the figure.

Next to the image is an artist's rendering of the Virgin Mary embracing Pope John Paul II, and some see the pose reflected in the stain. The Illinois Department of Transportation said the stain is most likely the result of salt run-off and currently has no plans to clean it because of its unique appeal as a memorial.

No requests have been submitted to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago to authenticate the site.

California man given 20 years for stealing human body parts

A 47-year-old California man accused of stealing body parts from the medical center at the University of California at Davis in Davis, Calif., and possession of methamphetamines was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday.

According to CNN.com, the morgue assistant was arrested in 2003 after 150 pounds of decomposing body parts, among which were two human heads, were found in his home.

Police officials initially believed there was a homicide when a tip led them to human remains in the garbage outside of the trailer park where the man lived.

The man allegedly told police officials that he had been stealing remains from the medical center for more than a decade and was using the body parts to practice dissection in his own home.

Judge convicts 36-year-old man on first degree murder charges

A Florida judge ordered a 36-year-old convicted sex offender held without bond Monday on first-degree murder charges in the death of 13-year-old Sarah Lunde.

According to CNN.com, Lunde's body was found partially clothed Saturday in an abandoned fish pond after the girl had been missing for a week.

The man, who was allegedly intimately involved with Lunde's mother, told police that the girl invited him inside, the two got into an argument and he put her in a choke hold which eventually caused her death.