If you think that you are too busy and stressed out with school, think again. You have not met Asma Uddin.
Now a senior, Uddin proves that determination can lead to great accomplishments in anything you do.
She has recently won a statewide competition for her essay entitled “Dismantling Boundaries: A Defense of Max Black’s “Metaphor”” and was invited to speak on her essay at the Florida Collegiate Honors Conference on Feb. 26th.
On campus she is frequently on the President’s Honor Roll, has three majors, and is involved in numerous student organizations, several of which she started on her own.
“UM is what you make of it. You cannot rely on a school to determine your future. You must take the initiative,” said Uddin.
Involved in the Privileged Studies Program in the College of Arts and Science, Uddin will graduate summa cum laude in the Spring with a Bachelor of Arts and majors in Biology, English, and Religious Studies. After graduation, she will attend law school at the University of Chicago. Uddin aspires to go into patent law or become an academic.
Her leadership roles include: Vice President of Phi Beta Kappa, founder of Solutions, the umbrella organization of UM’s Book Club that concentrates on bringing together students and faculty to discuss various books, Newsletter Editor of the Islamic Society, founder and editor-in-chief of Cornerstone Islamic Literary Magazine and Literary Editor of the student-run INPRINT Literary and Entertainment Magazine.
Outside of school Uddin volunteers as a guardian ad litem for abused children through the Department of Children and Families.
She serves as a neutral third party advocate in court to help determine the best interest of children suffering from abuse or neglect.
“I am the mouthpiece for these children,” said Uddin.
She has also done an extensive two-year independent study on classical/qur’anic Arabic, interned at a law office, and has spent 133 hours studying Islamic texts through the Islamic Studies Program.
How does Uddin handle such a full platter?
“I was trained to be very statified,”she says.
Her days start at 8:30 am and end around 2:30 am. Uddin says she spends about 70% of her time doing school-related functions.
The remainder of her time goes to her family and fiance.
Fridays are Uddin’s “no homework” nights where she forces herself to do anything but work.
Since Uddin does not like to waste time, she keeps herself busy; but, she also knows when enough is enough.
Her advice to other students is to know your limits, and keep in mind your goals.
“Whatever your goals may be, be passionate about them. Be sincere in what you are doing. Do not do something just for the prestige,” said Uddin.
Uddin originally came to UM on a full scholarship after her parents told her she could not go to the University of Chicago.
She had ivy league dreams of going away for college, but decided to create her own ivy league here at UM when she was told she could not leave Miami.
“I have created my own ivy league here at UM by taking the best professors and more difficult classes,” said Uddin. “I have not limited myself to my major. I have taken classes in French, and Philosophy.”
Most importantly, Uddin lives to show that it does not matter where you are, but what you do with your time while you are there.
Uddin, 21, is of Pakistan decent and has lived in Miami her entire life.
She is the eldest of four children and comes from a strong religious background. Uddin says that her motivation is greatly attributed to her foundation in faith.
On an average semester she takes anywhere from 15 to 19 credits. Though, this semester Uddin is trying to take it easy, she says, considering that she is writing her honors thesis.
Student’s hard work, dedication pays off
COSO Challenges students
While the University of Miami has set a goal of $1 million for this year’s philanthropic contribution to the American Red Cross of Greater Miami and the Keys, many student organizations have taken the initiative to try to meet and beat this target amount.
COSO, the Committee on Student Organizations, launched the first COSO Challenge last October. Created as a competition between all the student organizations on campus to see which could raise the highest amount of money to give the most back to the community, the COSO Challenge made a promising start.
“The winner of this year’s COSO Challenge gets the privilege of selecting a charity to be the beneficiary of next year’s COSO Challenge,” said Andy Hooper, COSO Ombudsperson.
In addition, the highest contributing student organization of each month will receive a prize of $40 from SAFAC, the Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee, given with the intention of being used toward a pizza party, or similar celebration. SAFAC has also agreed to match the amount raised by the largest contributing organization, up to $1000.
The goal for the Challenge is $5000, though to date, only about $1000 has been raised. Hooper informed the Miami Hurricane of the waning support for the challenge in the past couple months.
Competition was hard-fought between the different clubs at the Challenge’s inception in October, Hooper said. November met with similar results, the Graduate Student Association having contributed the highest amount during both initial months.
But the competitions during the months of December and January have sadly shown a marked loss of interest by contributing student organizations, according to Hooper.
Even so, there will more than likely be another COSO Challenge next year, and hopefully many more to come in subsequent years, organizers said.
The final date to be eligible for the COSO Challenge is fast approaching. For those interested in getting involved, collection cups,may be picked up in the Student Activities Office during office hours. Collection cups may be turned in at any time, with no limit to frequency.
Although the money will be donated sometime in mid-March, COSO has set its deadline for the challenge at Jan. 31st.
RUNOVER!!!!
Enrollment to increase as a result of championship?
With the recent Diamond Anniversary, Presidential Inauguration, and an increasingly competitive student body, can the University of Miami hope to reach a new plateau in applications and enrollment, as a result of the freshly gained Rose Bowl National Football Championship?
“I don’t think it is going to impact it,” asserted Vice Provost and Dean of Enrollments, Paul Orehovec.
“Winning a National Championship is great for name-recognition-a great value added to the University. Everyone likes to be associated with a winner. And it’s terrific press with respect to the character of the student athletes.”
But Orehovec emphasized his dedication to the academic core of the University, which he believes is the major attraction here in Coral Gables:
“None of our top 5 or 6 years [with respect to enrollment] was a National Championship year. The University’s just hot!” Orehovec said.
Dean Orehovec lauded the academic virtues of the UM. He expressed his deep esteem for the school’s escalating scholastic accomplishments and standards.
“Last year, more than half of our enrolled students were in the top ten percent of their high school classes, and it’s getting higher. That’s exactly who we’re marketing to,” said Orehovec. “The last few years, we’ve been on a roll.”
“Top scholars don’t only look at a competitive sports program for encouragement when applying. They compare the combination of qualities like academics, community, student life, athletics, and more,” stressed Orehovec.
Orehovec sees the National Championship as a “rallying point,”-just like the additions of the Wellness Center and the upcoming Ryder Center-“which will help build a stronger sense of community at the University, another reason to come together.”
Orehovec also noted that, as a consequence of surprisingly high enrollment last year which also caused problems with housing. It is possible that the University may reduce acceptance levels to readjust student body size in the coming semesters.
City parade honors football champions
The busy metropolitan streets of Miami came together in honor of the undefeated Miami Hurricanes football team.
Beginning promptly at noon on Friday, over 10,000 fans took time off from work or school to enjoy a tickertape parade on a day proclaimed by local Miami politicians as “University of Miami Hurricanes Football Day.”
From buildings’ rooftops over six tons of shredded paper fell onto the streets packed with cheering fans.
The celebration started at Bayfront Park, and traveled down Flagler. The procession continued until it reached the county courthouse.
The parade caravan consisted of convertibles, pick-up trucks, and fire trucks. Each vehicle was heavily covered with mounds of shredded paper and filled with massive football players, their coaches, and their families.
Head Coach Larry Coker and his wife Dianna rode in a 1959 canary-yellow Dodge Custom Royal, providing one of many highlights of the day’s festivities.
“[The parade] was like a movie. I thought I was a gladiator coming back from Rome,” said offensive lineman Joel Rodriguez. Awestruck players like Rodriguez took in the excitement and waved to their fans.
Meanwhile, other players went one step further, dancing in the streets and hurling piles of the tickertape paper at one another, and any fans willing to participate in the melee.
Riding together, team leaders quarterback, Ken Dorsey, and safety, Ed Reed, took turns displaying the national-championship trophy to the crowd.
When the parade came to its final destination, the players hopped out of their vehicles and made their way to the main stage which was set up on the steps of the county courthouse. While walking the short distance from the cars to the stage many players stopped occasionally to sign autographs and take pictures for fans.
Once everyone from the parade was properly seated on stage, the next event of the UM Football Day began.
Speakers at the courthouse rally included Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas, Miami commissioners, Joe Sanchez and Johnny Winton, University of Miami President Donna Shalala, Athletic Director Paul Dee, Head Coach Larry Coker, and trophy bearers, Dorsey and Reed.
Although city politics came into the picture at one point when the crowd booed Alex Penelas. The attention was mostly focused on the team.
The crowd gave their loyalty and complete support for rookie coach, Larry Coker. Coker had to wait until the cries or “Larry! Larry!” died down, just to be heard. In his speech Coker had nothing but good things to say about the City of Miami and his team. Coker praised his team, commenting that they had won with “class, dignity, and respect.” The perfect ending to the perfect season.
The day’s events ran smoothly and the parade was a tremendous success according to all those in attendance.
Unfortunately, since classes at UM went on as scheduled, few students were on hand to attend the occasion.
While news helicopters hovered above from a distance, covering the event for their respective television networks, students were allowed to watch the parade on television with what little time they had in between classes.
When asked what he thought of the decision to maintain the class schedule and not participate in a Dade-wide school holiday, linebacker Jonathan Vilma commented that he “would have liked to see students given the day off from school; but that’s beyond my control. It’s [President Shalala’s] school; she does what she wants with it.”
Now that the football season is officially over, fans and players look to the future for what is to come of the team.
Next season, the Hurricanes will lose several key players such as Clinton Portis, Ed Reed, Jeremy Shockey and Phillip Buchanon. The Hurricanes hectic 2002 season will include face offs against top teams and rivals Florida and Tennessee.
While fans are already excited over Sportsline.com’s prediction of another championship season next year, players look forward to some time off from football.
Vilma plans to catch up on the sleep he missed out on during the fall. Meanwhile offensive linemen Brett Romberg looks forward to working out and spending quality time with his new puppy.
Party continues on UM Green
Rounding off a full day of parading through the streets of Miami for the Hurricanes Rosebowl Championship was the official University of Miami celebration. The festivities were held at the University Green located between the University Center and the Richter Library, Friday night.
The celebration included food, a fireworks display, and a live music performance from Libido.
According to local news reports, an estimated 1500 hardcore fans were present to cheer on the hometown heroes.
“The ticker-tape parade just wasn’t enough for me,” said Jose Davila, a fan from Florida International University. “This [championship] is too big a deal to celebrate with just one party.”
In honor of the event, a stage and television screen were set up to introduce the players and show video clips of the football season’s greatest plays.
A special message from President George W. Bush was also presented to the audience.
In his message, President Bush commended the Miami Hurricanes football team for being a positive influence on the youth of America and for pulling off a perfect season.
He also acknowledged the difficulties they must have endured as a result of having to balance athletics with academics.
“I agree with the President,” said sophomore Lacey Hickle. “It takes a lot of self control and discipline to accomplish what these players have attained”.
“I was very surprised at the President Bush’s speech,” said Maria Gonzalez. “I didn’t expect him to take the time out of his busy schedule to congratulate our school-wait! Now that I think about it, we deserved that!
“Hell, this team deserves to run the whole country themselves!” Gonzalez said.
Among the guest speakers at the event were the mayors of South Miami and Coral Gables, UM alumnus Roy Firestone of ESPN, The Voice of the Hurricanes, Mark Vandermeer, and President Donna E. Shalala.
President Shalala thanked the fans for putting up with the heat of September, the rain of October, and for showing their support in the stands.
“Not only is our team the greatest football team in America,” said President Shalala. “They are the greatest looking”.
“It’s important to remember that this was Coker’s rookie year,” said Jason Kaulffman. “He is only the second coach in history to go undefeated during his rookie season”.
Throughout the celebration, local television stations had live broadcasts, including NBC 6, WSVN 7, CBS 4, Noticiero 51, Telemundo, Eyewitness News 10, and Univision.
Power96 and WQAM News Radio also covered the event.
“I think this is fabulous,” said Tony Segreto of NBC 6. “I’m a proud alumnus of UM and this is great.”
“I’ve been on TV twice,” said Leo Wilson, a 10-year-old Hurricanes’ fan who came to the event with his older sister.
“I feel like a movie star…now I know how the football players feel,” Wilson said. “I’m going to be a ‘Cane when I grow up!”
Most of the fans enjoyed the festivities and were happy to bask in the glory of their team.
“I’ve been following the ‘Canes for 32 years,” said Mary Graulick, a fan at the event. “I’ve gone through all of the coaches along with the team.”
“I was the first person to shake hands with Larry when he stepped off the bus after they arrived from their triumph at the Rose Bowl,” Graulick said.
Coach Coker has thanked the media and community for the support they have given to the team. He said he is looking forward to opening the door on
yet another victorious season.
‘I Am Sam’
I Am Sam shows audiences that love, not intelligence, is what determines if one is a good parent. The movie is a powerful and moving story with true performances from Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer that will have you reaching for the box of Kleenex right in the first scene. The validity of the plot and the cast’s realistic portrayal of the characters make the movie superb.
Judging from the trailer, the movie looks like your typical dramatic film with a happy ending. It was not until I read magnificent reviews and talks of Oscar nominations, that I decided to see the movie. I was totally blown away by the caliber of acting.
The movie tells the story of Sam Dawson, played by Sean Penn, a single, mentally challenged Starbucks employee, who raises his daughter Lucy (Dakota Fanning) with the help of his mentally challenged friends. At the age of seven, Lucy is taken away from her father by a social worker, who wants to place her in foster care.
Dawson struggles to find a lawyer that he can afford to help him get his daughter back. But with an hourly wage of $8.00, Dawson cannot hire a good lawyer. He luckily finds a woman by the name of Rita Harrison, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, who takes his case pro bono to prove to her co-workers that she is not as cruel and insensitive as they portray her to be.
Unfortunately, Harrison is everything her co-workers think of her-a high-powered, self-absorbed attorney without a heart. She takes the case for all of the wrong reasons, but ends up gaining more from the relationship with Dawson than she suspected.
By the end of the movie, Harrison’s prissy attitude alters for the better, ultimately winning the audiences’ liking. Throughout the trial they develop a great bond of friendship that teaches her how to love.
I Am Sam deals with the controversy of parenting by disabled persons. Harrison and Dawson fight to get Lucy back in a legal battle that is very familiar to many mentally challenged persons today. Dawson’s intelligence is that of a seven-year-old.
Once his daughter turns seven, however, she deliberately tries to prevent further education for fear of being smarter than her father. It is the court’s job to evaluate Dawson’s ability to raise his daughter. In this particular case, the ending is appropriate and will leave both sides in agreement over the fate of the child.
Richard Schiff (The West Wing) plays the opposing lawyer. Another famous actor in this strong cast is two-time Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest of Law and Order. Both characters add new conflicts and angles to the plot, while giving very strong performances.
Penn’s performance as a disabled single parent is magnificent. Penn’s portrayal is natural, and believable without being offensive or stereotypical. In the movie there are people with actual disabilities that play themselves along side Penn. The viewer will not be able to tell the difference.
Penn’s performance is comparable, if not superior to Russell’s Crowe’s performance in A Beautiful Mind. Even though Crowe took home the Golden Globe for best actor, my bet is on Penn for the Oscar.
I Am Sam: rated PG-13, now in theaters.
Starsailor is Here
With the release of The Bends and OK Computer, Radiohead inspired a surge of British bands that have become almost like a trend. Travis and Coldplay lead the pack of sensitive musicians, who with high pitched vocals, pained lyrics and slow guitar strums, have taken over the U.K. charts and, to a certain extent, the U.S. charts.
The new artist to emerge and be most talked about in recent months is Starsailor, a Northwest Britain quartet, who more than any of the other groups, gives the most average music fan an intense experience of quality, passion and hope.
Named after a Tim Buckley LP, Starsailor formed in the beginning of 2000. With influences that range from Neil Young, Van Morrison, and both Tim and Jeff Buckley, the band released their first full album Love is Here the second week of 2002. Backed by much critical acclaim, a stunning performance in David Letterman, and a long string of magazines and newspapers’ features, there is little doubt Starsailor is on the way to becoming the next big thing, not only in U.K., but also in America.
Love is Here has made a jump in the Top 200 charts to number 145, up number 3 in the Heatseekers chart and has remained number 1 in the Alternative New Artist chart since its release. The album has also just received Platinum status in the U.K. and is currently number 12 in the album charts.
Starsailor’s front man is 21-year-old guitarist James Walsh, whose ardent voice closely resembles the late, great Jeff Buckley. His lyrics contain a baggage of pain, anticipation and drama. The indie rock foursome is also composed of James Stelfox on bass, Ben Byrne on the drums, and the last to join and complete the sound Barry Westhead on the keyboards.
Although the whole album is solid from start to end, the stand-out tracks are the first single Fever, their latest radio airplay gainer Good Souls, and the beautiful anthem Lullaby. Most of the album keeps a slow to medium tempo, except some faster and heavier tunes.
Starsailor has taken a common sound and by complementing it with other styles, has found an identity all its own.
Entertainment News
Country music’s savior, Alan Jackson, ended Creed’s eight-week hold on top of the album charts with his new album Drive, debuting with sales of 423,000. Jackson is riding on the success of his hit single Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning), which gives a Southern perspective on the Sept. 11 tragedies.
Martin Lawrence and Will Smith are readying to star in a sequel to their hit action film Bad Boys. The movie will boast a much larger budget than its predecessor, while the primary story line will remain in Miami.
And the sequels continue…Rumors are abound that Boogie Nights 2 is nearing a reality, with Rollergirl, played by actress Heather Graham, making it big in the 1980s porn business. Actress Juilanne Moore is also scheduled to return, while Mark Wahlberg and his d*** will apparently not.
Music critics and 18 elite photographers from around the world have voted a picture of Clash bassist Paul Simonon destroying his guitar as the top rock ‘n’ roll photo of all time. The photo (above) was taken in 1979 by photographer Pennie Smith and graces the cover of the group’s album London Calling.
Fans of That 70s Show tuned in identical numbers for the debut of the retro sitcom’s younger sibling That 80s Show. The show attracted more teen and adult viewers than any program in its time slot last Wednesday, giving Fox its second hit new comedy of the season after Bernie Mac.
Actress Kim Delaney, formerly of NYPD Blue and now the star of ABC’s Philly was arrested by the LAPD last Saturday night for suspicion of drunk driving and refusing to take a blood alcohol test.
Seize the bike
Bicycling around Miami-Dade County may seem tantamount to suicide, but it shouldn’t stop anyone from braving the streets and exploring the county’s scenic neighborhoods and waterfront parks.
Break the routine. Get off the Stairmaster and monotonous conveyor belt. If you don’t have a bike, buy one, rent one, borrow one or steal one. Do whatever you have to do to get out there. Seize the beautiful weather.
Matheson Hammock Park is one of the closest waterside parks to the University of Miami. The tropical enclave on Old Cutler Road offers one of the county’s best views of Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami. At the northeastern end of the park, slim and chunky pineapple-like palm trees encircle a man-made beach and salt-water wading pool deep enough to for adults to swim.
Wooden benches along the cement path look out toward Key Biscayne and the gleaming skyscrapers of Brickell Avenue. A patch of green grass just off the side of the pool is ideal for picnicking and enjoying soft orange sunsets on weekend afternoons. Matheson lacks shady areas, but the afternoon heat is not bothersome.
The ride to Matheson is relatively quiet and very pleasant. The safest routes to get there are through Maynada Street (a.k.a. Stanford Drive on this side of U.S. 1) or Alhambra Circle. Traffic is light on the roads to the park, a measly 3.5 miles away from campus, at 9601 Old Cutler Road.
Coconut Grove’s David T. Kennedy Park is another ideal riding destination. It has several large, grassy plots and volleyball courts. Although it doesn’t have much of a shoreline, it too boasts soothing sunsets and stunning sunrises. The park, on 2400 Bayshore Dr., is about four miles away from UM. To get there, take Ponce de Leon North to Le Jeune, crossing U.S. 1 and going through the Grove’s side streets until one reaches South Bayshore Drive.
Those who thrive on adventure should brave the trek to South Beach or Key Biscayne. The flux of traffic is much heavier, and while the human road hazards can be as deadly as you think, the adrenaline rush and ocean-side vistas are worth the risk.
Key Biscayne has two major beachside parks, Crandon Park and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. The former is just past the bridge one crosses after the Miami Seaquarium and the latter is at the southern end of the key. Crandon Park and Bill Baggs have plenty of palm trees and picnic areas.
Crandon also has a soccer field, a baseball diamond and a carousel. Both have many shady areas. Key Biscayne is about 11 miles away from UM. To get there, take South Bayshore Drive and make a right at the intersection of Brickell Avenue and Southwest Twenty-sixth Road.
SoBe is not much farther than Key Biscayne and the ride can be much more interesting. Take South Bayshore Drive and head north on Brickell Avenue, which will eventually become Biscayne Boulevard. Before you go to the beach, however, take a detour to downtown Miami. It has a handful of small restaurants, trinket shops and art galleries waiting to be explored. Once you’re back on Biscayne going toward the Beach, continue north and make a right on Northeast Fourteenth Street. Don’t take McArthur Causeway. The shoulders along the bridges are cluttered with fishermen and littered with glass. Instead, take the Venetian Causeway. It’s much lovelier, much cleaner and the views of the bay are just as breathtaking.
For information on the parks, call 305-755-7800 or visit www.miamidade.gov.
Smoothie Solutions Where to go for a smoothie fix
Since Miami’s a hotbed, both a tourist trap and an actual hot region, trendy smoothie joints have been popping up in the past few years, cramming for diet-crazed, health-conscious, skinny girl/boy dollars. How does one chose among the various, similar chained smoothie stops, though? Well, here’s a list and a review of each.
Jamba Juice
Probably most close to home, Jamba Juice has become in the past year a campus staple. The waiting is long, the crowds huge, and the smoothies well, smooth. This is definitely one of the better smoothie joints in Miami, with many excellent flavors to chose from. I’d speculate it’s the addition of sherbet to many of the flavors that gives Jamba Juice that extra zing. Also included on Jamba’s menu are health conscious foods such as pretzels, power-bars, and soup – all excellent.
Sun Juice
Very similar to Jamba Juice, Sun Juice is located just past Sunset Place on Sunset Drive. Not exactly as health conscious as Jamba Juice (there’s less “Muscle Power Punch” drinks) yet still as tasty. It’s a worthy competitor, with drinks that taste almost identical to Jamba Juice. Sort of tucked away, Sun Juice is definitely worth a drive.
South Beach Smoothie
A smoothie place as overrated as its moniker, many people have raved about the deliciousness of South Beach Smoothie, yet I beg to disagree. What I tasted was pure, powdery, muscle-driven film. With so much “muscle” powder put into each smoothie, strawberry banana begins tasting like red chalk. Add unoriginal flavors to the mix, and you’ve got one of the worst smoothie joints in the biz.
Smoothie King
Here’s a place somewhere in between-boring and repetitive, yet not as filmy as South Beach Smoothie. While no Jamba Juice, Smoothie King has become a chain across the country. Recently I found out one opened in Providence (of all places). Its “Citrus Squeeze” and “Strawberry Banana” are hard to top (an extra dose of honey completes the flavors). Stay far away from the “specialties” that become muddled, varied, flavor messes.
Dunkin’ Donuts
Well, it’s a doughnut stop, but in the past few years it’s added so many coolatas to its menu to become a smoothie joint as well. The coffee coolata is the best (a frappuccino rip-off, for sure), yet even the fruit flavored ones hold up. Add grade-A doughnuts to wash down each smoothie (I’d recommend the classic jelly), and you’re set.
Weber’s ‘Chop Suey ‘ a tasty dish
Bruce Weber’s documentary Chop Suey was on the menu last Wednesday at the Cosford Cinema as audiences were served up this intricate medley of sight and sound that offers an intimate view into the renowned photographer’s soul.
“There are two ways to go through life,” said Weber, sporting a navy blue bandana around his graying head. “You can live your life or you can see it through the lens of a camera. I chose the second.”
There really is no way to sum up Chop Suey but to say that it is truly an experience of the senses. Where a typical autobiographical approach would be to tell a story, Weber chooses instead to weave a tapestry of his artistic, childhood, and emotional experiences using his photos and videos as the key elements. Accompanying the visuals are Weber’s narration, relevant quotations from books and people, and vibrant music, mostly the work of legendary singer/songwriter Frances Faye.
One of the main threads used to weave this story together is Peter Johnson, whom Weber plucked out of a crowd of high school wrestlers and took to New York to become a highly paid model. The camera, along with Johnson’s and Weber’s voiceover narrations, tracks the life of Johnson from his high school days to fatherhood, and from the shy, insecure rookie model he once was, to the professional muse he becomes to Weber.
As Weber acknowledged, the main theme of Chop Suey is that of the journey. Johnson’s journey from innocence mirrors Weber’s, as do all aspects of the film.
Another dominant thread was that of Faye, an influential performer whose characteristic high-strung, wild style led her to success throughout most of the twentieth century. Weber grew up listening to Faye’s music, and he presents her music almost as if it were the soundtrack to his life. Weber gives it a prominent role in his autobiographical work, so much so that he lists Faye as the star of the film in the credits.
“Chop Suey is a celebration of life, but there is also a sad quality to it all,” said freshman Tarah Rogowski as she was walking out of Cosford. “He captures so much beauty in his work, but he knows he will never be like the muses in his photographs, so he’s always on the outside, looking in.”
Weber has been a leader in the world of photography and film for decades. Along with Chop Suey, Weber has produced seven short and feature-length documentaries, two of which were named Best Documentary at the International Documentary Association, and his Let’s Get Lost was nominated for an academy award. His work has been published in 16 books and almost every magazine, and he has even directed music videos for Chris Issac and the Pet Shop Boys.
With a documentary featuring the late Robert Mitchum still in production, Chop Suey will be a hard act to follow, leaving high expectations for those who tasted the delight, the sorrow, and the wonder of Weber’s latest dish.
Sports Briefs
WOMEN’S GOLF
University of Miami head women’s golf coach Lela Cannon was inducted into the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet on Wednesday, January 23 at the Sheridan World Resort in Orlando, FL. Cannon, entering her 19th season, has led the Hurricanes to 15 NCAA Tournament berths, six NCAA top-10 finishes and the 1984 National Championship. She has coached eight NCAA All-Americans including Tracy Kerdyk, the 1988 NCAA Player of the Year, and sent eight players onto the LPGA tour. Cannon’s student-athletes have been just as successful in the classroom. In 1986, Jill Briles became the first Academic All-American in women’s golf at UM. Joye McAvoy earned Academic All-America honors in 1988, and Shannon Hammel became the first Hurricane to earn Academic All-American honors two consecutive seasons in 1991 and 1992. Shayne Wild would better Hammel’s mark being named to the Academic All-America team in three consecutive seasons (1997, 1998, 1999). Cannon, a two-time South Region Coach of the Year, was featured in the book, Celebrating Women’s Coaches, A Biographical Dictionary. The book, which was released in 2001, profiles 42 of the world’s top female coaches.
WOMEN’S TRACK
The University of Miami women’s track and field team moved up to No. 16 in the Trackwire Online Top 25 rankings released Tuesday. The Hurricanes, who debuted at No. 25 in last week’s preseason poll, jumped nine spots after a strong showing at the Carolina Elite Invitational in Chapel Hill, NC. Freshman Lauryn Williams won for the second straight week posting the fastest time in the nation in the 60-meters (7.35). Williams set a UM record in winning the 55-meters at last weekend’s Florida Intercollegiate. She is currently the NCAA’s No. 1 ranked sprinter in the 60-meter dash. Senior All-American Kareen Clarke was also impressive in winning the triple jump with a leap of 12.91 meters (42-04.25). Clarke is undefeated in the triple jump this season. The defending Big East Champion, Clarke ranks No. 1 in the NCAA in the event. Miami’s 4×400-meter relay of senior Wylleseia Myrick, junior Saraque Whittaker, Jenise Winston and Jamillah Wade were also victorious at the Carolina Invitational winning with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 3:43.30
WOMEN’S
BASKETBALL
Sophomore Shaquana Wilkins won her first Big East honor after averaging 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in a pair of conference wins for the Miami women’s basketball team. Wilkins earned Big East Player of the Week after scoring a career-high 26 points on 11-of-17 field goals and added 10 rebounds off of the bench in a 75-71 overtime victory against Syracuse. In a 56-54 win over Seton Hall, Wilkins netted 15 points to go along with 11 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Wilkins averages 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for the Hurricanes.