With the arrival of iPhone 5 and its record-breaking sales, experts are saying it could be a sign of recovery for the economy. Before lines to purchase the phone had even formed, pre-orders topped two million within the first 24 hours, according to Apple. It was projected that 10 million phones could be sold by Monday, September 24.

Families joined their students on campus for Catawba's Family Weekend, Sept. 21-23. Saturday activities coincided with an Admissions Open House at the college and swelled the number of family members on campus with students, either enrolled or prospective.

Eighteen new members were inducted into Catawba College's Omicron Chapter of Alpha Chi, the national college honor society, during an initiation ceremony held September 21 in Omwake-Dearborn Chapel on campus. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the college's annual Family Weekend.

Catawba College Assistant Professor of English, Forrest Anderson, is teaming up with other Southern writers to participate in "The Great Write Off" October 3-5. The Great Write Off fundraiser will support six non-profit organizations based in Michigan. According to its website (http://thegreatwriteoff.com), donations of any amount can be made to support the participating writer(s). The event aims to encourage writers by showing them how much their work is valued.

By Kara Procell '13, Bel Air, Md. - A student-directed Italian farce, "We Won't Pay! We Won't Pay!" by Dario Fo, is Catawba College's second theatre production of the fall 2012 season. The show runs in Catawba's black box Florence Busby Corriher Theatre at 7:30 p.m. from October 2-6, and because it contains mild strong language, would be most suitable for young adults.

by Leanna Hicks '16 - Theatre this and theatre that, that's all you've read in my blogs so far but this one is not going to be about that. "What?! But Leanna, that's all you talk about! What else is there in life but theatre??" Family Weekend! The time has come for the folks to come check up on us and I am so ecstatic!

Check out who has been on the Catawba College campus in recent months...

For the seventh consecutive year, area high school marching bands will converge on the Catawba College campus in October for a marching band competition. The Catawba Pride Marching Band Classic, formerly the Lord Salisbury Marching Band Classic, begins at 1 p.m. and runs until 10 p.m. on Saturday, October 13 in Catawba's Shuford Stadium.

Catawba's Blue Masque Theatre Hall of Fame will honor four new inductees on Friday, October 26, during the college's Homecoming Weekend. Those being honored for their meritorious lives in the theatre arts includetheatre administrator and preservationist John Bell, class of 1976; dance administrator, choreographer, and teacher Richard Steinert, class of 1981; composer, song writer and sound designer Mike Yionoulis, class of 1988; and longtime Catawba theatre arts professor, Dayna Anderson.

An original play about the Dorothea Dix Hospital by Dr. Janice Fuller, Catawba's Writer-in-Residence and Professor of English; Directed by 2008 Catawba Alumna Brianna Smith - Dix, a Story of the Back-Ward Women is a new show by local Salisbury playwright and poet Janice Fuller. The play will be offered at Lee Street Theatre in collaboration with TapRoot Ensemble in its East Coast Premiere.

by Leanna Hicks '16 - "Hey Leanna, want to have a movie night and just hang out?" "Oh no sorry I can't, I have rehearsal." Oh how I have missed saying those words! The fact that saying this means that I basically have no life outside of the show, but I absolutely love it! This week was the first week of rehearsals for Charlotte's Web which means scarfing down your dinner because you know by the time rehearsal's done, all you have to look forward to in your room is...

Many students wonder what it would be like to meet their college president or even if they would ever have the chance to meet him/her. This year on our campus, for the first time, many students got the chance to meet Catawba College's new president, Brien Lewis.

Dr. F. Eugene Hester, a scientist and government administrator who shaped federal wildlife policy at the highest levels for 25 years, will talk about his experiences with wildlife photography and illustrate memorable photographic events with a slide presentation Thursday, September 27, at the Center for the Environment facility on the Catawba College campus.

A group of volunteers from Catawba College, including President Brien Lewis, participated in the 2012 Rowan County United Way Day of Caring on Thursday, September 13th. On this annual event, hundreds of volunteers from across Rowan County travel to various schools and other non-profit organizations to paint, carpet, landscape, and/or do whatever the organization needs.

Pat McCrory, the N.C. Republican gubernatorial candidate, seven-term mayor of Charlotte and a 1978 Catawba College alumnus, stumped for votes at his alma mater on Thursday, Sept. 13. McCrory, accompanied by New Jersey's Republican Governor Chris Christie, and other state Republican candidates and officials, spoke during a rally held in Kirkland Lobby of the Abernethy Physical Education Center on campus.

For the fifth consecutive year, Catawba College is named one of the nation's Best Music Schools by In Tune magazine. Catawba was one of only 51 institutions included in the magazine's listing of The Best Music Schools of 2013.

Again this year, Catawba College is included among the nation's Best Regional Colleges, according to the 2013 edition of "Best Colleges," published by U.S.News & World Report and released today. Catawba is ranked 17th among 107 of these Best Regional Colleges in the South.

Mollie Landers, a 2008 Catawba College graduate, will be ordained into the ministry of the United Church of Christ at 3 p.m. on Sept. 15 at New Covenant United Church of Christ.

Catawba College professor of politics and political expert Dr. J. Michael Bitzer recently commented on the impact of young voters, whose enthusiasm helped propel President Obama's win four years ago. Although a recent poll revealed waning excitement among younger voters following dismal job growth, N.C. Democratic Party leaders and DNC youth delegates maintain a strong, positive outlook.

by Katlyn Shaw '15 Hello there. My name is Katlyn, I am a sophomore at Catawba College, and I am your stereotypical musical theatre major. Just one look at my computer or the way I carry myself, and you will quickly see just how passionate I am about it. I listen unapologetically to mainly showtunes. I tap dance in the hallway. I sing on the way to class. I monologue in line at the cafeteria. There is this feeling of bliss that just consumes me when I step onstage.

Catawba College professor of politics and political expert Dr. J. Michael Bitzer recently commented on last week's DNC. Read the articles below...

Catawba College's first theatrical production of the new academic year, "The Life of Galileo," runs at 6:55 p.m. on September 18 and 19, and at 7:30 p.m. September 20 through 22 in Hedrick Little Theatre on campus. Written by Bertolt Brecht in 1938 during the rise of Nazi Germany, the play is set in 1610 and follows the meteoric rise to world recognition of Italian astronomer and the "father of science," Galileo.

Fifteen Catawba College music students performed at the 2012 Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, September 5th as part of a choir backing up American Idol finalist and singing sensation Jessica Sanchez.

Are you looking at Catawba's Theatre program and wondering what a day in the life of a theatre student might be? If so, then the "Day in the Life of Theatre Students" blog might just be the one for you. Catawba Theatre Arts students will be giving an account of their daily life, which includes classes, meetings, working in the shops, lunch, rehearsals, dinner, more rehearsals, and eventually ... getting some sleep!

In an effort to "Go Green," the theatre department has converted to online ticket sales for individual tickets, which will make the process more streamlined and efficient. The initiative will also double as a learning tool for students, who will not only learn about the process, but will take an active part in managing, selling, and processing tickets for theatre productions using an online system.

Fifteen Catawba music students will perform as part of the gospel choir accompanying American Idol finalist and vocal phoneme Jessica Sanchez at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, September 5th at 7:50pm.

Catawba College professor of politics and political expert Dr. J. Michael Bitzer will be commenting on this week's DNC and other topics during this week in politics.