By Kelsey Gilliam

Here is a list of all the places that will be open and serving meals in the University District this Thanksgiving. If you're not up to making a Thanksgiving dinner yourself, pick one of these places to do it for you.

By Erica Horton

As she sat answering questions for her citizenship test, Scovia Wilson was nervous.

“Lord knows I didn’t know anything,” she said. “He only asked me like, 10 questions. My whole interview was more so just talking to him. What does this mean to you? Why do you want to be a citizen?”

She told him how passionate she was about seeing her parents in Belgium.

“I’ve always wanted to spend Christmas with my mom and dad,” she said. “Now, I get to do that.”

Scovia experienced receiving her Green Card, getting her citizenship, and is currently waiting for her citizenship ceremony and on Nov. 13, she received her passport.

Now she, her grandparents and her brother are all U.S. citizens.

By Natalie Cole

Soft background music, pleasant conversation drifting and mingling amidst huddled groups, people lingering, some fluttering from display to display; this atmosphere was the setting of the BFA student exhibition, Interlude, on opening night Friday, Nov. 8, 2013.

For many students, graduation is the defining moment of accomplishment with minute checkpoints along the way. While that truth remains, for 11 students their big moment arrived a tad premature of the pomp and circumstance of the graduation march set to take place in December.

The fine arts discipline, as with many disciplines, requires students in their final semester to compose a body of work in their focus area to display their artistry acquired while pursuing the undergrad degree.

By Hassan Allawi

No tickets are required to watch the games; just make yourself comfortable  on the curb and enjoy.

The students from Bangladesh said they prefer playing cricket over any other sport, and the asphalt surface of the parking lot is perfect.

"We need a hard surface and a lot of space," said Kamal Mustafa, one of the players.

The courts at the university are not good for the game, he said. So long its not raining, they are likely playing.

By Melissa Wray

For visiting assistant theatre/dance professor Tracey Bonner, the meaning behind New Voices, the University of Memphis' yearly fall dance concert, is an opportunity to showcase theatre and dance students at their best.

"Right now, our dance program is split somewhat between the University College and the dance department," she said. "One of the reasons behind this concert is not only about giving students a platform to perform, but also to choreograph and support their artistic abilities so we can come together."

U of M freshman dance student Rachael Arnwine, who is one of the performing students, said that she tried out for the concert because of her longtime love of dancing.

"I have danced all my life," she said. "When I heard about New Voices, I immediately knew I wanted to do it."

The concert, which will take place in the Michael D. Rose Theatre Friday, Nov. 15, and Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m., will consist of 11 performances, most of them including genres of the contemporary, jazz and hip-hop variety. One particular type of dancing will be absent from the lineup, according to Bonner.

By Jasmine Deener

With Thanksgiving around the corner, student organizations at the University of Memphis are diving into the holiday spirit of giving back.  

The campus chapter of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) plans to not only give back to the less fortunate but to also recognize leaders that go the extra mile.  

"We are gearing up for our annual feed the homeless and clothing drive," said NAACP chapter President Corey Tomlin.

During the month of November, boxes and containers will be set up at the residents halls. Students are being asked to donate all gently used clothing. The clothing collected will be given out at Gaston Park in South Memphis around the same time the NAACP is feeding the homeless. 

Tomlin describes this as a very "humbling experience" and something that many of the members look forward to.

By Grant Milner

Most kids grow up watching the NFL or college football, dreaming of one day wearing the jersey of their favorite team. But for Tom Hornsey, who grew up in Australia playing rugby, college football or the NFL for that matter, never even entered his mind.

“I didn’t even know this existed to be honest,” he said. “It has been a good thing. I would have never thought that I would be here, and I am grateful for it.”

Hornsey was named Monday as the Ray Guy Award Player of the Week for his performance against UT Martin on Saturday. He punted six times, three of which were downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, including a 70-yard rocket that completely flipped the field.

By Matthew Schwartz

 Just down the street from the University of Memphis' south campus,located on 1264 Getwell Road, Ching’s Hot Wings is a popular place for students and residents alike to enjoy some good home cooked wings.

The restaurant, founded in 2003, has been a constant for U of M students, both past and present.

Open seven days a week, Ching’s features many different style of wings and tenders. Along with their flavorful wings, they are also known for their famous seasoned fries.

Flavors of wings vary from mild hot, extreme hot and suicide seasoned down to honey hot and honey gold.

Ching’s even goes the extra mile and serves hot dogs, smoked sausage, onion rings, jalapeño poppers and fried okra to go along with their main dishes.

“It’s messy, but at the same time, very worth the mess,” said Mark West, a freshman civil engineering major at the U of M.

By Paul Crum

“It’s actually the most fun you’ll have in two hours of picking up trash,” says Colton Cockrum, advisor to the Memphis River Warriors, a local group whose mission is to clean up along the Mississippi River and the waterways that flow through the city.

“It’s very laid back and we have a great group that leads everyone,” said Cockrum, Assistant Director of the Center for Academic Retention and Enrichment Services at the University of Memphis.

He noted that the group has been keeping track of the amount of trash it has collected, and that the next clean-up scheduled for Nov. 16 will mark 50,000 pounds of trash bagged by the Memphis River Warriors.

“What’s really cool is that we’ve recycled over 30,000 pounds of that trash,” Cockrum said.  “All of this trash comes off the streets of Memphis, goes into Nonconnah Creek and then flows into McKellar Lake. So essentially, we are picking up our own trash.”