Author: Lewis Bruce

A handful of sign-wielding evangelists were at the center of a commotion outside the Hill Center on Friday. The demonstration was led by Daniel Rusk, who was arrested in 2021 for engaging in an altercation with a UAB student at a similar demonstration. The group set up at the same spot on the same sidewalk that saw Rusk’s arrest nearly two years ago, this time waving signs bearing phrases like “Love is not lust” and “Young women: You don’t need college, you need faith, a Bible, and a good cookbook.” They called to counter-protesters and unwitting passersby alike, shouting about…

I sat down with two of UAB’s up-and-coming art students to learn more about this year’s juried student exhibition at AEIVA and develop a broader understanding of Birmingham’s storied art scene in the present day. The exhibition’s sole juror, or curator, is award-winning ceramics artist Donté K. Hayes. Em Slawson is a graphic design major with two selected pieces, 3.5 Million and Untitled. Lawrence Schultz is an art studio major whose painting, Leaving Marks, was also selected for the exhibition. Was it difficult or vulnerable submitting to the Juried Exhibition? Em: It definitely felt vulnerable, but the process was very…

This week is the first full calendar week of fall, and it’s obvious to anyone who’s stepped outside. The cool northern breeze has finally graced campus, Starbucks is once again offering its iconic pumpkin products and the trees on the Green have started their yearly transition from green to yellow to orange. To honor this long-awaited departure from another brutal Alabama summer, we at Kaleidoscope thought it best to recommend some of the best fall-themed music, movies, TV shows and more centered around the penultimate season of the year. Music RaeAnne Alexander: “Red (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift Taylor Swift’s…

Five Ukrainian athletes spoke at an emotional press conference on Sunday about their experiences competing at The World Games, staying in Birmingham and suffering in the wake of the war taking place in their home country. The conference started with a solemn address from Mayor Randall Woodfin. “I stand before you in solidarity and support for Ukraine,” Woodfin said to the athletes and their teams. The mayor, who was sporting a Ukrainian shirt to match those that the athletes were wearing, congratulated the athletes on their success on the field and made note of the exceptional ovation they received at…

Dr. Selwyn Vickers, senior vice president of medicine and dean of the School of Medicine at UAB, announced Monday that he will be leaving his current position to become president and CEO of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). Since being appointed dean in 2013, Vickers has become a leading figure in Alabama’s medical community. He was at the forefront of UAB’s COVID-19 response and has led the hospital to unprecedented levels of success. “Dr. Vickers is an extraordinary surgeon-scientist with a proven track record of success in leading complex academic medical centers, building innovative academic and research programs,  and…

In a heartfelt message posted to Twitter on the morning of June 24, UAB’s legendary head football coach Bill Clark announced that he will be retiring on August 1. Describing the choice as “the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Clark named increasingly debilitating back issues as the primary cause for this development. “Having undergone a previous back surgery, extensive physical therapy, shots and chiropractic therapy, I have exhausted all of my options. Due to the extreme physical demands placed on a head coach, it is clear to me. It’s time to pass the torch and try and get…

It’s been one week since a shooter took the lives of three attendants of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church’s “Boomers Potluck” in Vestavia Hills. Funeral services for Bart Rainey, Sarah Yeager and Jane Pounds took place Wednesday and Thursday, and in the days since their passing, a renewed conversation has been sparked in Birmingham concerning gun violence and the dramatic effects it’s having on communities around the country. UAB students are among the many Birmingham residents asking for answers, including how this could have been prevented. “I feel like it was a preventable accident,” said Caleb Hill, a junior at UAB.…

UAB Director of Athletics Mark Ingram and President Ray L. Watts announced Wednesday that UAB will officially join the American Athletic Conference on July 1, 2023. This follows an October announcement from Watts of UAB’s intention to join the AAC following the university’s departure from Conference USA. “We have made the most of every opportunity in recent years to propel UAB Athletics to new heights, and joining the AAC is an incredible opportunity to build on all we have accomplished in a big way,” said Ingram. “We’ve worked hard to make great progress that put us in this position, and…

In a relatively short meeting this Tuesday, the Birmingham City Council approved a change to citywide zoning regulations that will incentivize the reuse of historic buildings throughout the city in the interest of preserving Birmingham’s historic architectural character. The change, referred to as an Adaptive Reuse Incentive Overlay (ARI), will create incentives for landowners to reuse Birmingham’s historic buildings rather than demolish them and build new ones in their place. “The intent of this ARI is to implement the framework plans by facilitating the conversion of older, economically distressed, historically significant buildings to apartments, live-work units or mixed-use developments,” said…

UAB has countless incredible Black alumni. Here are some Blazer grads from each of our schools to show that there is no shortage of talent in any discipline at our school. College of Arts and Sciences Ashley M. Jones graduated from UAB in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in English. Jones currently holds the prestigious position of Poet Laureate of Alabama, a role she has occupied since 2021 and will continue to occupy until her term expires in 2026. She has also earned numerous awards, including the Lena-Miles Wever Todd Prize for Poetry, the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award and…