By Darnesha Cotton

The University of Memphis African Student Association will be making the world their runways. The student organization is using cultural fashions to unite students of different backgrounds and heritage.

Senior film student Lawrence Shaw and Justin Brookes, a sophomore health and human performance major, are co-directors of the first Multicultural Fashion Show on campus. 

 “We are trying to show the diversity of the world," Shaw said. "The best way to learn about a different culture is through their food or through their clothing."

 The show is set to occur in April during the University’s Multicultural Week, an annual
celebration done by the University to honor the diversity of the students. 
 
“The vision is just to show everybody that although we are all from a different culture, we all
of one body, we are all the same. We can celebrate each other’s diversity,” said Shaw, the creative half of the duo.

By Kirstin "Kirby" Cheers

As children, especially those who were raised in religious homes, Sunday school taught stories of Biblical heroines such as Esther, a young girl crowned queen in her youth who rescued her people, the Jews, from a brutal genocide planned and signed into law by her husband, King Ahasuerus (Xerses).  

Esther did not know that one day she would be queen, let alone know that she would have to preside and persuade the people who had cast her family into exile to spare her race from a massive killing. One can even assume, before becoming queen, Esther hated the place she lived and awaited the day that God would move her somewhere else--sharing a characteristic of many native Memphians. 

Memphis. A seemingly unpopular place to live that wrestles against crime, poverty and for many, a lack of opportunities. Such hindrances have been the bane of the city’s existence, especially during a period where recruiting young talent into Memphis is a tedious feat. 

 In 2013, the Memphis Business Journal noted that Memphis is not a strong competitor when it comes to recruiting new talent against cities such as Houston, Atlanta and Charlotte.  Some Memphians cannot go a full day without hearing another Memphian grumbling their loathe for living in the Bluff City, and how they are looking, hoping, wishing and/or praying to move.  

Such attitudes have influenced strategic organizations to strengthen their recruiting efforts to attract new talent to the city. The New Memphis Institute and the social media recruitment campaign, Choose 901, have been strong influences throughout the city, partnering with government officials, professionals and entrepreneurs in organizing to increase attracting and retaining new talent in Memphis.  

However, the talent born and bred in Memphis should not go unnoticed.  

London Lamar, 23, left Memphis for Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Ind., after graduating from Central High School in 2009. After graduating from college with internships from Washington, D.C., to New York under her belt, she did not intend to return to Memphis.

By Jasmine Deener 

During the holidays, many people sit at a long table and have a big dinner with their family. But there are some people who do not have that option. The owners of Bossman's Pit Stop take this into consideration and every year on Thanksgiving they open their doors to the less fortunate members of the community.

The life of a student athlete can sometimes be a difficult one. Whether it's the pressure to perform on the playing field or in the class room or to simply enjoying all the things that college has to offer.

John Luke Tyner is a member of the University of Memphis golf team. As a Memphis native, Tyner talks about being a student athlete at the U of M, his love for the game of golf, and the lessons it has taught him. The slide show pictures contain shots of Tyner while playing at various golf courses throughout the Memphis area.

By Meagan Nichols

The University of Memphis Department of Journalism is home to several faculty that have worked or currently work in the world of media, one of those people is Pamela Denney. In addition to teaching full-time at the U of M, Denney is the food editor for Memphis Magazine. Denney is also the author of the recently released book, "Food Lover's Guide to Memphis."

In the following audio slideshow, Denney discusses the powerful role food holds in society, how her interest for food writing came to fruition and the importance of equipping the next generation of journalist with the proper tools.

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 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 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

A bright, brisk autumn morning provided visitors to the Let’s Grow Garden Expo with a perfect day for a stroll through the TIGUrS Urban Garden on the east side of the University of Memphis campus.

The Nov. 2 event cosponsored by the Memphis Area Master Gardeners and the U of M promised gardening enthusiasts a day filled with informative lectures, demonstrations, exhibits, music, food, art and more.

Plenty of Master Gardeners were on hand to offer advice and answer questions about their organization.

Student Garden Coordinator Art Johnson revealed that Dina Martin, wife of interim University President Brad Martin, is a Master Gardener and provided impetus for organizing the event.

“She came and saw our garden and got some crazy ideas about how we could really get this thing in the public eye,” Johnson explained. “She talked to the rest of the Master Gardeners and they all got on board and agreed to partner with us to pull this Let’s Grow event together.”

He said that although the garden had been there for almost four years, the TIGUrS (Tigers Initiative for Gardens in Urban Settings) had never undertaken anything of this magnitude.

“We do an earth day every year in April, but we’ve always wanted to do something much broader and bigger than that,” said Johnson, who also served as emcee for the event. “They helped steer us so we could do this as effectively as possible, because they know how to do this kind of thing.”