This story would be a hot button topic among people at Ohio University. Most people have experienced the affluence Campus Crusaders, recently renamed "Cru," has on students. They will go to any ends to recruit a person and once that person is recruited, there are control issues within the relationship. It is known that members date within the group, get married at the same time, and have children at the same time. Most people within the group say it is hard to make friends outside of the Cru without being dropped. Is this a campus group centered around Christ or a cult? Is it fair to pray on unknowing college freshmen?
An interesting perspective from a person who would be willing to participate:
They were receiving phone calls from Cru almost every day. Cru was leaving voice mails telling the female college freshmen to join their organization. The girl had previously signed up for CREW (rowing club) and had thought it was the coaches. She had called back and had talked for a good amount of time to a person who she thought was from the rowing team. She had set up a meeting to talk because that is what the CRU had asked. They never once revealed that they were not affiliated with the rowing team. This is an example of the extent they go to for recruitment.
Even some within JFresh would be willing to vouch for this.
This is not a credible source as it is a forum but to get a better idea as to what people are talking about on campus...http://forum.rickross.com/read.php?14,7233
2. Mommy on campus. Single moms or even married parents experience newlywed life on a college campus.
This story details a day in the life of a student mom. The dorm that just got torn down and is being remodeled used to be called "Ma's Den." Student mothers were known to populate it. Some mothers attend school and work while still enrolled at Ohio University. The Post just did a story on this but the visual makes all the difference.
Visually: The mother attending classes, at work, her daily life/routine, the baby.
3. Freshmen hazing reaches a whole new level with signs literally advertising freshmen abuse. Playful or hurtful?
Sorority and frat houses anticipated move-in weekend, decorating their houses to haze incoming freshmen. Spray painted sheets were displayed proudly on front porches saying, "Don't worry mommy, we'll take care of your babies for you" or "lanyard fetish, come on in." Yells and chants could be heard on a walk down Court Street. Cars targeted freshmen, rolling down their windows and asking, "hey, which way is Court Street?" One fraternity house on Mill Street even went so far as to hook up a microphone to a speaker and publicly yell/haze passerby based on appearance. Not a very welcoming first weekend at OU.
Visual displays: Any footage or pictures of move in weekend. Maybe even how the hazing continues today.
Interactive: Students tweeting their hazing experiences with a certain hashtag. Popular opinion says that upperclassmen are just "jealous" of freshmen because graduation day is upon them and they will soon have to leave Athens. So maybe there could be surveys for upperclassmen detailing/explaining this. Campaign to stop the hazing.
KYLE WIGGERS:
ReplyDeleteInteresting pitches. I liked them all, but the "student mother" pitch seemed a bit underdeveloped. I think you should find a unique angle to approach the story from. Otherwise, you're good.
Shantel,
ReplyDeleteI really like the first pitch. I think it would be a very controversial topic, but something which probably needs to be talked about. The only worry I would have about that pitch is going into the story with preconceived notions of the group. Other than that, I think its a fantastic idea and the pitch was well described.
Jaelynn