=P*RT*

TIGERIf,IALIT

SmafigrySwimmer nabs Rhodes scholarshipAuburn University's swim-team captalnis headed across the pond in October tostudy as a Rhodes scholar at the Univer-sity of Orford in England.

Senior biological sciences major Jor-dan Anderson, who hails from Roanoke,Va., is one of 32 U.S' students and the

only student from a Southeastern Con-ference school to receive the prestigior-rs

Rhodes Scholarship, which was estab-

lished upon the death of 19th-centurlbusinessman Cecil Rhodes. Funded br-

Rhodes' estate, the scholarships are de-

signed to help students increase their in-tei-national understanding and advocate

Auburn Magazine

S,r m captain JordanAnderson is enrolled inAuburn s pre-dentistrYprogran'r. "The long'tef m goal is to give mea better understandingof the problems in coun'tries that I want to oneday work in." he saYs

cf his studies at theU niversity of Oxford.

for peace. Famous American Rhodesscholars inciude basketball player-cum-politician Bill Bradley, former U.S. Presi-

dent Bill Clinton, feminist social criticNaomi'Wolf, singer/songwriter l(risI(ristofferson, MSNBC political analystRachel Maddow, U.N. ambassador Su-

san Rice. former U.S. Secretary of State

Dean Rusk, former U.S. Supreme Court

Justice David Souter and former \il/hite

House communications director GeorgeStephanopoulos.-

Andeison plans to enroll in a master's

progrirm in global health science, whichproi-trnr.t :1n understanding of health con-

ditions in third-ri-orld countries. Boasting

a 3.91 grade-point a\'.rage. he is a cap-

tain of Auburn's top-ranked su'imming-and-diving team, irnd is a College Swim

Coaches Association of Airrerica Aca-

demic All-American rlnd a tu-o-time SEC

Academic Honor Roll member."It really rvasn't something I planned

on winning," Anderson savs. "I just

wanted to 6e named a finalist, so it tookthe pressure off while inten'ier'ving' It is

realiy a huge honor and an incredibleopportunity."- -

In addition to srvimming and aca-

demics, Anderson, a second-generation

24

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.t ltirari! iil I I ill

:2allir llai:,ni -.r':e -litria,

i.

-la-ollege student, worked with the interde-irominational Christian outreach organi-z.ltion Young Life and was a mentor for.tudents at Lee Scott Academy, a privateL.rep school in Auburn. He also aided inlesearch on the phototyzing effects of ul-rraviolet light on the eye and was named.rn "Unsung Hero" by the Virginia HealthCare Foundation for assisting dentists inh'r hometown with an effori ro provideJental care for low-income families.

Paul Harris '97, associate directorior national prestigious scholarships at.\uburn, says Anderson embodies what.l Rhodes scholar is supposed to be. "Heercelled in academics, eremplified lead-ership through being elected captain ofthe swim team, demonstrated athleticabilities and showed character with hisrvork at Young Life. This shows you thatthe Rhodes Scholarship committee reallyvalued who he is."

Anderson is the fourth Auburn stu-dent to be named a Rhodes scholar. ioin-ing alumni Hugh Long'4-. Ed Centle'-5ar-rd Susan Karamanian '79.

!"3+:

SHOT CLOCKRT]NSD O\XA{ ON BE,ARD -E,AVE,SBY JOE McADORY '92

The place is nearl,v en'rpty, quiet and dark.

Footsteps of a lone jogger echo along its

concrete concour\e on rhir cold Janurrr nighr ...

rv:rlls are painted in navy, rvhite and orange, deco-

rated rvith random black-and-white photographs

of basketball legends past. The sound of runningr'vater is perpetuall,v heard from the antiquated

bathrooms. Ever,v nou' and then the sound ofbasketballs bor-rncing on the rvooden arena flot>r

can be heard.

Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum is gray-

ing, cracking, shorvings its man,v rvrinkles, and

slolvl,v dving before our eyes. Nert year, AuburnUniversitv's men's and rvomen's basketball teams

n'ill move into their r.rerv multi-nrillion-dollar,multi-functional, multi-shin,r', multi-perfect facil-it1' acloss the street. Indeed, the Auburn Arena

65lure' r. he a 'hining, light-probablr the mo.radvanced basketball facility in the state.

Beard-Eaves, named after Jeff Beard,

longtime atl'rletics dir:ector, and Joel Eaves, the

most celebr:ated rnen's basketball coacb in school

lristor1., opened tn 7959. rWhat r.vill immediatel,v

become of the saucer-shaped arena remains a

question, but i believe a rvrecking ball may-be

involved eventually.

One thing's for certain: the 6nal basketball

game in the coliseum's histor.v r'vill be ,\Iarch 3

r'vhen Mississippi State visits for a men's matchup.

Auburn's 6nal r'vomen's game u'ill be Feb. 28

against I{entucky. I can't help but rvonder rvho

rvill make the final basket, r'vho rvill take the last

shot, or turn off the lights ior the final tin're.

Running up and dorvn the stajrs inside the

coliseum can be quite taring. A{terrvard, this oldman chooses to rest along the concourse, peering

outside one of its many rvindows. There is nobodv

else here ... except in my lvear:y mind, which can'r

help but go back in time. I imagine thousands

pouring through the turnstjles-some in bell-bot-toms-to see Auburn great John Mengelt battle

the incornparable "Pistol Pete" Maravich in short

shorts. Some wore tie-d,ve "make love not war"peace shirts as Vietnam raged on. Didn't matter.

I iberrls and corr'err rtir e. grrhered together l'one into this little melting pot of basketball love.

Memorial Coliseun'r (that's what it was

.llled beck rhelrr rras rhrny arrel neu. >earirtg

12,500, and replaced the vintage, rvooden AuburnSports Arena, rvhich burned to the ground in

Septernber 1996.\ornerirrres rhe coliseurn filled to capacirr.

believe it or not. Winning basketball teams and an

Elvis Presley concert made sure of that.I look into the parking lot and imagine Cor-

vairs, V'W vans, fan'ril,v wagons and old pickups.

Fans stand in line at the concession stand and

pa,v nominal charges for soft drinks and hot dogs,

then enter the arena to find the chair-back n'ood-

en seat. ] don't care if these seats are rvooden and

old-the,v've ahva,vs been comfortable.Then I grab my bag ,rnd walk out the glass

doors, back into the cold realifi.-Beard-Eaves'days are numbered. Appreciate it rvhile you can.

Reprinted with permission from the Opelika-

Auburn Nervs. ./oe McAdorT' is the paper's editorialpage editor.

Auburn Ma€lazine 25