Author: uabblazermedia

When Andy Kennedy first arrived in Birmingham, he made clear he had one goal: to reestablish the Gene Bartow standard. After defeating Louisiana Tech and claiming the Conference USA tournament championship, it certainly seems like he’s done just that. Now UAB (27-7, 14-4) is headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time in seven years, but if they want to advance, they’ll have to beat the toughest team they’ve faced this year: the Houston Cougars. Houston (29-5, 15-3), a Final Four team a year ago, is again one of the nation’s winningest teams. With a NET ranking of 3…

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by Zac Fuller Nore Hodge is a California native who, until he met his high school chemistry teacher, had never in his life met a Black man with a successful career. Now, he is the leader of the Blazer Male Excellence Network (BMEN), a group at UAB aimed at offering social support and academic guidance for incoming Black male students at UAB. Good role models, as Hodge says, play a big part in that success story.  “Mentors, I feel deeply, are an important part in how young people — or just people in general — develop,” said Hodge, a senior…

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By Karim Mikhail Ritika Samant is a neuroscience major and fast-track MPH candidate and draws on her experience to share her visions for UAB if she is elected USGA president.  “The main changes that I’m hoping to make in this position are the only changes that I believe can be done in this position. Within the role of president, I want to facilitate creative ability through solid internal restructuring,” said Samant. For Samant, the role of the president is not that of a one-man team. Rather, her years in USGA have accustomed her to multi-disciplinary approach that defines the organization. For her,…

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Black sitcoms have been an institution on television since Diahann Carroll first appeared in “Julia” in 1968. From the genre’s golden-age hits like “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Living Single” to recent premieres like “Abbott Elementary” and “Grand Crew,” these sitcoms have provided some of Hollywood’s most prominent and honest representation. Members of the Kaleidoscope staff picked a few classics below to add to your watch list.   The Proud Family  I loved watching the show when I was younger and even now because it was a funny positive show that I could relate to. The show was inclusive…

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Hannah Richey, editor-in-chief My current comfort album is Trixie Mattel’s “One Stone.” I’m a fan of folk/country music and this is easily one of my favorite albums. Most songs take on a very folksy storytelling element with a few “radio” songs interspersed that keep the album interesting and giving you a break from some of the more emotional moments in it. This album is great for singing in the car or for studying and stays mellow enough to get you through the longer days before the end of the semester. Campbell Bryan, Reporter “Ruldoph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is perfect to…

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Every day, students use the internet for anything from homework to social media, and they aren’t always mindful of how their data could be in danger. Curt Carver, vice president and chief information officer of information technology at UAB, said there are several ways that students can ensure their data is secure with apps and software offered by the university. “The university offers several that are free. Keeper, which is a password management software, I would definitely recommend because it allows you to keep track of and generate passwords,” Carver said. “The second one is an endpoint protection software, SentinelOne. Even if you’re playing games, don’t turn that off. Leave it on. It does a great job at…

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