Greensboro, N.C. – At a time where the focus was on representing your hometown, the host of the Battle of the Hometowns fashion show Mr. A&T Austin James, made several deliberate attempts to defame VERGE Modeling Troupe.

The Battle of the Hometowns is an annual week where student hometown organizations are allowed to compete in various events to see who will “reign supreme”.  Participants are expected to show good sportsmanship while competing against one another. Chantel Smith, junior accounting major and a VA participant in the fashions show, believe it’s fair to say that Mr. A&T didn’t get the memo. “I think it was very inappropriate. Despite his affiliation with Couture, he is Mr. A&T and that was neither the time nor the place for those comments. What happened to good sportsmanship?”

Asking members of VERGE to be quiet so the members of Couture could represent their organization and making remarks such as “We need a cleaning crew…VERGE, come clean up. Where are you?” upset not only administration and staff that put on the show but also the crowd that came to support their hometowns. 

Jamel Daniels, senior consumer science major and former Director of Publicity for VERGE Modeling Troupe, was disappointed at the behavior that Mr. A&T displayed; “As an upperclassman, I have come to expect more from Aggies, especially official student ambassadors of the University. The character Austin displayed the other night was offensive to my former organization in particular and also to the university.”

After the show James’ issued an apology to the member of VERGE Modeling Troupe via text message and twitter after being informed that he offended several audience members and also members of Verge.

When asked how he felt about Mr. A&T’s behavior during the Battle of the Hometowns fashion SGA Treasurer Mason Jones said, “Although our term is basically over, I felt that his behavior and comments were inappropriate and added to the negative light that we as SGA have been placed under.  His job was to be a host and I understand that sometimes that means entertaining the audience, but when you are representing more than just yourself then there is a level of professionalism that should be followed at all times so the image isn’t weakened.”

• Arista Ratchford