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The office of student life will host the annual student talent show from noon to 1 p.m. today in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center. Students will once again show off their talents, ranging from singing to dancing and more, for the chance to win one of four iPod Nanos.
The question has been raised again and again by The Ranger – what do iPods have to do with education? They are given away as prizes for seemingly every event on campus these days.
Did an Apple truck drive by campus and lose a box? Are we getting them at a discount since we apparently buy so many? Who decided iPods were the end-all solution for prizes across campus, and more valuable to the average student than financial assistance?
With my love of music, I often say I’d be lost without my iPod, but does it really help me navigate through the years of school? The answer, quite simply, is no.
Sure, it’s nice to be able to walk across campus lost in my own thoughts with any number of my favorite musicians providing the soundtrack. It helps me mentally organize my day and even relax before or after classes.
Last year, as in many years prior, the prizes for winning the student talent show were scholarships. Last year’s winner, former communications major Jon Coker, was awarded a $500 scholarship. Who made the decision that iPods were more worthwhile to a student than money?
An 8-GB iPod Nano retails for $149, according to the Apple Store Web site. Four cost about $600. Why not use the $600 toward scholarships for the winners?
Who can’t use a little help with tuition? Considering that many students attend community colleges such as this one to save money on basic courses, the availability of scholarships for performing well in the talent show should be an obvious choice.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a division of the U.S. Department of Education, 66 percent of all undergraduates received some type of financial aid in the 2007-08 school year, including grants, student loans, veterans benefits and work-study jobs.
While an iPod is a nice prize, it is a luxury item. Basic economics states luxury items are purchased once all other needs — food, shelter, bills, etc. — are satisfied. Education is not a luxury; in this day and age, it is almost a necessity for success.
Awarding scholarships instead of iPods would help students toward furthering their education instead of just providing background noise.
Student life’s Web page says its mission is “to foster student learning and student development.”
Providing scholarships instead of iPods would be the first step, by hopefully, taking some of the mental strain away from paying for college. Every little bit helps, right?
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