The Saint :: Issue 3

State of the Saint recap | 2

Homecoming sports Four Aquinas teams hit the turf last weekend. We have all the details.

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theSaint

Wednesday, October 3, 2012 Volume 32, Issue 3 www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

We’re still recovering from homecoming festivities

>>NEWS The final countdown | 3 With barely a month left before the elections, reporter Nathan Gimby takes a look at how the candidates stand.

A night of honor

ArtPrize update | 6

AQ Homecoming 2012 a hit

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Aquinas’ Hall of Fame Gala saw some of Aquinas’ most significant alums recognized by their peers for their achievements.

>>CULTURE Amadeus at AQ

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Aquinas’ theater department brings the raunchy tale of master composer Mozart to the stage.

Speaking in tongues

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Mumford and Sons’ latest album has been generating plenty of buzz. News Editor Laura Farrell gives it a spin.

>>SPORTS Men’s Soccer

MIRIAM PRANSCHKE / THE SAINT

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Aquinas’ men’s soccer team has played relentlessly holding an impressive record of 7-3-1.

Grant Gunneson

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Junior Grant Gunneson continues to boost the cross country team at Aquinas

Fulton Street construction set to continue until mid-October

By Matt Kuczynski Editor-In-Chief Pedestrians and motorists headed west down Fulton Street from Baynton Avenue may continue to encounter some difficulty getting around because of a multiple-week gas main replacement project.

One lane of Fulton has been closed from the Aquinas College campus to the Fulton Street Family Fare since the project began three weeks ago. In addition, work crews have torn out sidewalks to facilitate installing the new mains.

Ernie Hileman, DTE Energy construction coordinator, stated that the lane closures will remain in place until the project is completed on October 12.

“The crew installing the new gas main is filling the sidewalk with temporary gravel, so it’s safe for pedestrians,” Hileman said.

Although Fulton has remained open during the construction, the different flow of pedestrian and automobile traffic has been a minor nuisance for some.

“It was kind of a pain when it first started,” said Aquinas student Chuck Hyde. “I have [gotten used to it], though I’ve had a few close calls with cars driving too close to my lane. It also makes leaving the Family Fare parking lot difficult.

“Well, other than some really annoying moments when I realized I prematurely crossed the street and had to cross back to get around it, [the construction has] not really [affected me],” said Erin Sprague-Rice, an Aquinas senior who lives off-campus in the area.

According to Hileman, sidewalk reconstruction may take up to a week after the project is completed.

Local Royalty: Homecoming Queen Stephanie Beld hugs King Chris Skurka after the announcement of their selection Saturday as the rest of the nominees look on.

By George VanDenDreissche Staff Writer and Matt Kuczynski Editor-In-Chief Whether you were attracted to the athletic events, the Aquinas Run Thru, the main stage tent, or any of the countless other Homecoming events from this weekend, one fact remains: Aquinas was alive with the excitement of reuniting with old and new friends.

The Homecoming 2012 events on campus started off with students enjoying s’mores by the Cook Carriage House on Sept. 25. Attendance to the event was boosted by the State of the Saint event taking place at the same time.

Hypnotist Tom DeLuca also performed his feats on students Thursday night in the Wege Ballroom. According to Aquinas College Programming Board Campus Traditions Coordinator Kay Borst, turnout for this new tradition has always been exceptional. This year was no exception. “The entire Ballroom was filled up and people were even standing on the sides. I cannot wait to have him back next year!” she said.

Events for Aquinas students and alumni continued throughout the weekend, featuring attractions of all kinds from bean bag toss contests, sightseeing tours, and carnival games to an inflatable village for Saints young and old, the fourth annual AQ Run Thru 5k and 2k races through campus, and of course the Main Stage Tent which featured acts from Aquinas and beyond.

Although the Volley Rock and Foam Dance Party events planned for homecoming were postponed due to less-than-desireable weather last week, students can expect these events to still take place before summer break, according to Borst.

For senior Lauren Cichon, learning about the history of Aquinas from alumni on Saturday was a fascinating experience. Chichon said that one of the best moments at homecoming was “Seeing alumni and talking with people that graduated over 50 years ago and learning about all the changes AQ has gone through—the first two years there was no men’s dorm so they all lived off campus and the gym used to be in the chapel!”

The lacrosse and soccer games throughout the day were a great rush for sports fans, with multiple wins for the Aquinas teams that participated.

While the games were thrilling and heartbreaking, the experience of being on the Homecoming Court was the real rush for several Aquinas students last weekend. Nominees included senior Chris Skurka, senior Jake Bergman, and junior Sean Briggs for king. Seniors Stephanie Beld, Robin Brown, Brianna Scott, and Kristen Heinrich competed for queen. Sturr said, “It was exciting, being nominated for Homecoming Court and campaigning against everyone else for king.” Sturr would not win the crown— Skurka and Beld were voted this year’s Homecoming King and Queen.

Others were attracted to the legendary main stage tent, whether by the allure of the bands’ multiple performances throughout the day, the beer or the crowds of alumni and students celebrating together. Performers included the Aquinas College Jazz Band (with guest performer and Aquinas alum Justin Dore), violinist Natalie Stoval, and classic cover band Three’s

a Crowd.

Aquinas alumni are drawn to homecoming for a greater reason than just the week’s festivities. Aquinas alum Paul Wizniuk said, “My favorite part of homecoming was being in a place where people I knew and loved came together from many different places just to be together, reconnect with old friends and continue to foster our Aquinas community and share an appreciation of drinking beer while doing it.”

For Borst, her involvement in the planning and organization of Homecoming 2012 provides a different angle for appreciation. “Homecoming events take quite a bit of time and planning. There are a lot of parts that have to come together to make a great event,” she said. “It is an intense but rewarding process.”

“On the day of the event, committee members spend a great deal of time helping during event set-up, execution, and take-down. Events would be impossible without their dedication and support,” Borst continued.

World News Update:

China ousts top official, Senaku unrest continues

By Nathan Gimby The Saint Reporter Sudan – Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and President of South Sudan Salva Kiir reached security and oil agreements on Sept. 26. The breakthrough deal included $3 billion in compensation to Sudan for lost oil fields and set up a demilitarized buffer zone on the border. Both countries are also able to resume economically vital oil exports. No agreements were reached on some contested border areas but officials worldwide see the deal as a vital first step toward lasting peace in the region.

Iran – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Iran’s nuclear program at the United Nations General Assembly on Sept.

27. Netanyahu called for the UN to establish a “clear red line” where Iran’s nuclear program would be cut off, theatrically demonstrating this line with a cartoonish drawing of a bomb with a lit fuse. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Eshagh al-Habib, dismissed claims that Iran was using its nuclear program for anything other than peaceful means.

China – China’s Communist Party ousted formerly powerful Party chief Bo Xilai, charging him on Sept.

28 with a number of transgressions including accepting bribes, “improper relationships with a number of women”, and involvement in his wife, Gu Kailai’s, murder of British businessman Neil Heywood in Jan. 2007. The Chinese

government released a statement that said, “Bo Xilai’s actions created grave repercussions and did massive harm to the reputation of the party and state, producing an extremely malign effect at home and abroad.”

Somalia – Somalian Islamists abandoned the port city of Kismayo after an African Union attack by Kenyan and Somali forces on Sept. 28. As Somalia’s second largest port, Kismayo was an important source of revenue and arms for the Islamist regime. While militant Islamist activity is still present in the countryside around the city, the AU sees this as an important victory for progovernment forces of the fragmented state of Somalia.

Japan – Japan’s recent purchase of the Senkaku Islands have sparked a heated dispute with China over claims of territorial sovereignty over the islands.

Anti-Japanese protests erupted in China as a result of the acquisition. At the UN General Assembly on Sept. 27, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said, “China strongly urges Japan to immediately stop all activities that violate China’s territorial sovereignty.” Japan’s Deputy Ambassador Kazuo Kodama responded saying, “There is no doubt that the Senakaku islands are clearly an inherent territory of Japan based on historical facts and international law.” While Japan’s constitution prohibits aggressive war, officials in Tokyo are poised to defend the islands by force if necessary and commentators fear the dispute could lead to a Sino-Japanese war.

COURTESY WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Bomberman: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu found himself at the center of controversy after illustrating his ideas about Iranian threats with a cartoon drawing of a bomb at a recent United Nations General Assembly meeting.

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Aquinas: The Clothesline Project promotes on-campus awareness

Grand Rapids: GRPS school board looks to adopt strict attendance rules

World: Debate over Libya attacks continues weeks after

Business: Mark Zuckerburg meets with Russian Prime Minister

The Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Center is presenting the Clothesline Project again this year, coinciding with National Domestic Violence Awareness month. The display includes T-shirts created by survivors of domestic violence and loved ones of victims. It will be on display in lower Wege all next week.

The Grand Rapids Public Schools school board discussed a new attendance policy on October 1.

The new policy would put a limit on the number of absences a student can have in a semester. The limit would make an exceeding number of absences affect the student’s grades. The final vote will be taken on October 15.

Ever since the devastating Libya attacks in early September, there has been mixed opinions over what sparked these attacks. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently suggested that the attacks were linked to Al Qaeda organizations.

This issue has brought criticism on the White House for their reactions to it.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg traveled to Russia this past week to meet with Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev. Russia is trying to use media outlets like Facebook to play a role in political campaigns. Russia is home to two of Facebook’s biggest investors and an important area for Facebook to try and balance censorship and media.

Stay informed laura farrell |news editor It is the topic that you dread from your crazy aunt at awkward family parties or you run away from in close encounters with strangers on the phone: politics.

I started off college at Michigan State University at James Madison College, a public policy school.

Throughout high school, I had learned to loved the world of politics: its competitiveness, intelligence, and opportunities to make a difference.

After a couple years of tuition paying, and living in the “real world,” I guess I have become a bit cynical about it all. Typical, I know, but it seems to just lead to never-ending arguments and disappointments.

With the endless parade of hidden videos and revealed secrets, every candidate reportedly always has eight mistresses, billions of dollars, celebrity friends, hidden agendas, or a lack of decent vocabulary. No matter what your political affiliation, it is impossible to deny that low blows and incident behavior overshadow what really matters.

Although I stand firm in my political beliefs, I tend to not partake in conversations of politics with anybody, if I can help it. In my experience, talking politics always ends in ridiculous frustration because usually, there is no one right answer.

S o , I c h o o s e t o n o t b i c k e r, p o s t Facebook statuses just asking for some angry feedback, or cover my car in bumper stickers.

It is my right in a democracy to be able to vote for someone without being persecuted for it. I think that everyone has their own opinions for specific reasons and it is our diversity that makes us unique.

With the 2012 presidential race coming to an end, however, I could not help but think about where I was the last time this all happened. It seems like just yesterday I watched the Inauguration of President Obama and was so proud of the fact that we finally had a first lady who was finally going to bring fashion back into the White House.

It then hit me that I was only sixteen when the last election took place. Not that I know anything now, but I really didn’t know anything at the age of sixteen. If I did, I would have paid more attention the candidates’ positions on things that affect me every day now: student loans, women’s health, income taxes, and the job market.... the list could undoubtedly go on forever.

So where do we find ourselves with this election? When this next term is up, we expect we will be “adults” in the real world, trying to make our carefully planned major and minor combinations translate into a paycheck. The next four years, for most of us, might be the most crucial four years of our careers and with the current situation, the outlook can be scary.

The truth is that it is too easy and comfortable to watch the government f r o m t h e s i d e l i n e s . We a r e n o t forced to vote, watch those horrid commercials, or not hang up on those pesky campaign callers. But I really do believe that we are the generation to speak out, the generation to actually tell the government not only what we want but what we need.

This is why it is crucial to be present and vote on we hold to be best for everyone. Sure, you are one of many but if every one of us had that attitude, maybe it would not be nearly impossible to pay off loans and get a “real” job.

I am not going to tell you who to vote for or what stance is right, but I will tell you that you can not complain for the next four years if you do not vote in November. So, watch the debates, read up on the candidates, and become aware of what these politicians are trying to do for this country.

It is your right and it is your duty as an American citizen, especially n o w, t o g e t t o t h e p o l l s . M a k e an informed vote and try to be a proactive member of society. And, as always, if you need any opinions, Saturday Night Live is always the best place for political gaffes on display, reminding us to not take everything too seriously.

A night of honor Hall of Fame Gala reminds the Aquinas community about true Saint spirit A q u i n a s c a t c h e r. Pa g a n e l l i a n d Borowicz were the first softball pitcher and catcher to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Dino Paganelli, The Sturrus Sports and Fitness Christy’s husband, added, “I think Center was host to an extravagant that her [Jaklinski] memories of her a n n u a l A q u i n a s e ve n t , t h e H a l l four years at Aquinas, of her coaches, o f F a m e G a l a , t h i s h o me co mi n g teammates, were truly special. They weekend. This event brought together were everything a important to Christy.”

Aquinas alumni Following in celebration of Pa g a n e l l i ’s honoring new acceptance, inductees. The members of the Sturrus Center, 1971 Aquinas filled with M e n ’s C r o s s e l e g a n t d é c o r, Country team, held a friendly under their Coach atmosphere as John Flaminio, old classmates took to the stage. and lifelong “I’m overcome f r i e n d s with the feelings reconvened.

I get from “Throughout the Aquinas its rich history, c o m m u n i t y, ” Aquinas has Flaminio said. g r a d u a t e d “People can many notable gather strength alumni,” said from each other.

Aquinas College The people here President Juan at Aquinas, if O l i va r e z , “ a n d COURTESY AQUINAS COLLEGE you can’t feel the [Aquinas] has b e e n b l e s s e d Athletic excellence: The 1971 Men’s Cross Country team was admitted into the Aquinas family love, love of each other, I with friends and Athletic Hall of Fame for their record-breaking season. don’t know if you faculty.”

Aquinas as a record setting basketball ever will.”

T h e n i g h t w a s f i l l e d w i t h player.

The Hall of Fame Gala ran conversation and stories. Among the Jodi Borowicz, notorious for her inductees and honorees were Bonnie strong presence in Aquinas softball, s m o o t h l y, w i t h m a n y i m p o r t a n t We s o r i c k , J a n e H i b b a r d I d e m a , then took the stage to accept her members of the Aquinas College Lee E. Jacokes, Andrew Jefchak, award. Borowicz reminisced on her community present and in support of B r a n d o n L o w e , J o d i B o r o w i c z , softball years, leading to stories one another. The friendly atmosphere Christy Jaklinski Paganelli, and the about her best friend, and fellow Hall brought the sense of community out 1971 Men’s Cross Country Team. of Fame inductee, the late Christy in everyone. Everyone present had one thing in common: the amazing “Impact players are those who Jaklinski Paganelli. make the outstanding moves “We were two teammates that feeling of being a Saint. throughout the game and motivate couldn’t be the best without each the team to success,” said Sister Alice other.” Borowicz added, “That’s a lot Wittenbach, as she presented Bonnie of trust, teamwork, and love that will Wesorick, receiver of the Outstanding never be forgotten and I will cherish Alumna Award. those gifts for a lifetime.”

Heartfelt speeches from the Christy Jaklinski-Paganelli was inductees moved the audience as the h o n o r e d f o r h e r s t r e n g t h a s a n

By Mayra Monroy The Saint Reporter

night went on. “To be mentioned in the same program as Jane Idema and Lee Jacokes is itself an honor,” said Andrew Jefchak, the third inductee.

Alongside the Hall of Fame Inductees, the Athletic Hall of Fame added new members as well. Brandon Lowe was honored for his time at

Into the Streets week

By Rachael Steil The Saint Reporter Do you plan to promote the charism of Service for Aquinas? CAVA’s “Into the Streets” is the group to join. CAVA, which stands for Community Action Volunteers, is a club at Aquinas that promotes student volunteer work in many different areas.

Every year, CAVA sponsors a week of Aquinas-filled volunteerism that spreads good morale throughout the Grand Rapids area. This week provides services with organizations like Kids’ Food Basket, the Cook Library Center for Arts and Crafts, the West Michigan Humane Society, Rays’ of Hope for Haiti, the Dominican Center at Marywood and Dégagé Ministries.

Junior Megan Blaschka participated in “Into the Streets” as a team leader and felt the positive effects of the experience.

Blaschka said, “Into the Streets was a really rewarding experience because I got the chance to get together with classmates who shared a similar goal with me. It was inspiring to see how many Aquinas students truly care about making a difference.”

This year, sophomore Blake Bensman serves as the CAVA coordinator. “This club is a great way for students to make a difference in our community,” Bensman said. “I think that students gain a sense of social responsibility through their participation in CAVA events. After I participated at the Kids’ Food Basket, I realized how lucky I am to have three meals a day.”

CAVA connects students to the community, providing a great way to learn more about the city of Grand Rapids and broaden horizons outside of campus.

Working with CAVA also fulfill many of community service requirements for students. Students can volunteer at locations that match or are similar to their interests to make for a more enjoyable, rewarding experience.

For Bensman, CAVA was lifechanging. “It really made me appreciate the things that God has given me in life.

In turn, this has increased my sense of social responsibility to community. I have realized that it’s our responsibility as good Samaritans of CAVA to give back to our community,” he said.

Look for the student groups volunteering this week, and if you are interested in joining CAVA or learning more about volunteer opportunities, email Blake Bensman at volunteeraq@ gmail.com.

State of the Saint

Aquinas College administrators gathered to take in the thoughts and concerns of the student body

By Brendan Hoffman happening at Aquinas.

The Saint Reporter Wi t h a t t e n d a n c e o f e a c h The annual State of the event put on by programming Saint address given by board, a student is entered Dean of Student Services into a raffle. At the end of the Brian Matzke, the Associate season, a raffle will determine Dean of Student Affairs a winner of a $1000 scholarship Jennifer Dawson, the college prize.

Provost Charles Gunnoe, The final speaker, Olivarez, and the college president came to the stage front and gave Juan Olivarez was given a call for study of the future on September 24. A good at Aquinas. He announced a number of students flocked “strategic plan” to keep Aquinas to the Moose to listen to bustling as a truly emerging the plans that are being college of the Midwest. The made for the coming years plan is highlighted by five at Aquinas College. points: 1) Student focus, 2) Gunnoe came to the Service quality, 3) How to “Be podium first and addressed at our best,” 4) Community the coming idea of Aquinas engagement, and 5) financial hosting the schooling for vitality. A lot of emphasis was those interested in obtaining given to the advancement of their Master ’s degree after Aquinas and making it the best their earning of a Bachelor ’s it can be. In big news, Olivarez Strategizing Success: President Oliveraz explains the five point plan at the State of the Saint address announced an evaluation of Degree.

He also mentioned that in the Cook Carriage House. technology on campus in order 10 faculty members are retiring in Dawson remarked that the ones be surveys given to faculty members to “keep up” with the development of asking for areas in which they need the coming year and spoke about in charge of student affairs need education tools. the need to find replacements for to be “beyond reactive and more help to be their best.

Overall, the address gave much to M a t z k e s p o k e n e x t a n d g a ve the open positions. When asked by a proactive.” She went on to go through be excited for and put a lot of hope into testimony of how students can have student during the Q and A portion the plans for this current year of a those in attendance that Aquinas can of the address, Gunnoe expressed Health Expo in January and flu shots the best experience possible here at further grow as a college. Sophomore Aquinas. He mentioned the boosted an interest in finding out “how they being made available to students. amount of Campus Safety patrols due Derek McAllister said, “I am in great connect with Aquinas Students.”

A big emphasis was given to the to the recent problems on and around anticipation to see how these plans Next to speak was Dawson, who development of the Writing Center in unfold in the coming years and if all expressed great interest in making the lower wing of the Wege Building. campus. Twice as many escorts are of this can truly happen.” currently available to make students things happen in the coming year. In In the hunt for better service to the perhaps the best quote of the night, students, she stated that there will feel safe.

He also spoke of the events News Editor Laura Farrell

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

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NEWS

The final countdown

In the midst of the first debates, the election race heats up for the home stretch of the campaigns

COURTESY FLICKR

Debate time: The start of the debates could be a deciding factor in swing state votes.

By Nathan Gimby Staff Writer With election day looming, President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney are campaigning fiercely to sway the American people before November 6.

In an election centered on the economy, it is no surprise that Romney’s campaign continues to focus on the poor state of the economy throughout Obama’s first term in office. Besides general criticism for slow economic recovery, Obama’s trade policies with China have recently come under fire in Romney’s television ads and on the campaign trail, especially in Ohio, where manufacturing jobs have been in decline.

While the oft repeated slogan of Romney’s attack ads is that “we cannot afford another four years of President Obama,” non-partisan polls released September 25 conducted by Quinnipiac University, CBS News, and the New York Times in the swing states of Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania, show Obama leading by a significant margin. Polls in the other battleground states like North Carolina, Nevada, and Virginia are much closer, with Obama leading by only two points in each state.

A CNN average of multiple polls placed the president at 51 percent with Romney trailing at 44 percent. In Ohio, a state vital to taking the White House, polls put Obama a full ten points ahead, with 53 percent to Romney’s 43 percent.

In particular, it is likely that Ohio voters

feel that Obama is more dependable when it comes to handling the economy.

S o m e h a ve b l a m e d R o m n e y ’s controversial “47 percent” comment, painting Obama’s supporters as dependent on the government, for his dip in the polls. The Obama campaign has made the comment a centerpiece of new campaign ads along with Romney’s recently revealed 14 percent income tax rate and his regressive trickle down tax philosophy. This theory is widely debated however. Analysts like Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, see the economy as the issue that has given Obama his recent edge.

“If voters don’t think they are worse off, it is difficult to see them throwing out an incumbent whose personal ratings with voters remains quite high,” Brown was quoted as saying in a USA Today article last week.

Skeptical of Obama’s sudden increase in popularity, the Romney campaign claims that their polls reveal a closer race than recent non-partisan findings.

“I kind of hope the Obama campaign is basing their campaign on what the public polls say. We don’t. We have confidence in our data and our metrics,” Romney’s national political director Richard Beeson said to reporters according to a CNN article.

THE SAINT WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

AQ students take part in ArtPrize

By Chuck Hyde The Saint Reporter

Crowley. Her piece is entitled “Daddy’s Little Girl” and is found at City Church on Alpine. The medium is oil paint and beads on canvas. Crowley stretched the beads herself to display a father

Chip VanderWier. His piece is a bit more three dimensional than Martinez’s and Crowley’s. Titled Artprize is now in its fourth “Bell on Wheels,” it is an interacyear in Grand Rapids and Aquinas tive sculpture made of repurposed has representation in the event yet steel and found objects. The piece again this year. Three students, Tais meant to be struck with tiana Martinez, Serita Crowa mallet so that it creates a ley and Chip VanderWier, sound. It is found outside are entrants in the festivities of St. Mark’s Episcopal this year. Their pieces are Church on North Division. all quite unique and are disVanderWier ’s sculpplayed throughout various ture is one of five pieces venues downtown. to make the Juror ’s Short Martinez’s piece is enList for best use of urban titled “Silent Language” and space. He says that he has is found in City Art Gallery had a positive Artprize at 1168 Ionia. This year is experience all around. her first entry in Artprize, When asked about his though she plans to submit style, VanderWier said that more pieces in the future “much of my work deals as well. It is a series of four with play, curiosity and etchings, all representing discovery. ‘Bell on Wheels’ different words in sign MIRIAM PRANSCHKE / THE SAINT language being formed by AQ Artprize: Art professor Madeline Kaczmarczyk piece, is no exception.”

Artprize this year is hands. She used her friends “The Nature of Glamour” is shown at Cathedral Square. filled with artists from and family as models for and daughter together. She said both near and far. With three AQ the different pieces. She chose to that it is inspired by her own father students, some faculty, and several represent the words “Freedom,” who passed away from lung cancer alumni all participating in Art“Fire,” “Soul,” and “Light.” Marin 2006. Her style is a unique blend prize this year, Aquinas College tinez said that sometimes she likes of older styles with contemporary is becoming even more present in to sit near her pieces anonymously, subject matter.

On her piece, Crowwhat is quickly becoming the main “listening to their comments, ley said that she created it “as an annual event here in Grand Rapwatching their hands mimic the homage to single dads and… dads ids. Artprize continues downtown movement in the pieces.” that take care of their children.” through October 7.

The second AQ artist is conThe final Aquinas student tinuing education student Serita entered in Artprize this year is

A new Student Senate Outlook

By Bridget Berns The Saint Reporter Barely past the first month into a new school year, each member of the executive committee in Senate has many changes to adjust to.

“This year we’ve divided into two groups, one is the Senate with the executive committee and senators and the other group is the Registered Student Organization assembly,” said Co-Budget Director Madeleine Burns. This new structure is formed for a more free flow of communication between clubs and the Senate.

In the next few weeks, Senate will focus on how this new structure will affect student organizations.

Vice Chair Chuck Hyde said, “This committee can be extremely vital in figuring out the role clubs would like

in the college, such as collaborating with other clubs to form a group event.”

Collaboration with fellow Aquinas services is another vital step for the RSO committee. The RSO committee is looking to make it easier for clubs and organizations to achieve their goals and hold events. Club interaction and easy communication is key in this new system.

As for the executive committee members, they too have their own goals they hope to see this year within Senate.

Secretary Kaela Bouwkamp said, “I am in charge of the newly formed Commuter Committee. I myself am a commuter for the first time this year so I’m excited to see how we can help address commuter issues.”

T O G E V WE’

E G E L L CO

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D E R E V O C Who are we, you ask?

We’re Aquinas College Bookstore and we provide everything students need to get more college for their money. From college gear and school supplies to food and beverages and everything in between, we’re the complete college outfitter.

OH! We almost forgot–thanks to our Best Price Promise*, you always get the best prices. In fact, if you find a lower textbook price locally or online, we’ll beat it by 10%. No questions asked!

AquinAs COLLEGE BOOksTORE 1607 Robinson Road SE | 616-632-2962 |

neebo.com/AC

News Editor Laura Farrell E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu Phone (616) 632-2975 Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint *Restrictions apply. See store for details.Excludes peer-to-peer marketplace offers.

Student Senate is also promoting new ideas from every student with the Senate Research Program. “The Student Senate Research Program is a great way for students to go out and attend conferences or participate in a research program, if the student needs funding all they would need to do is place a request in to this program and it’s a great way to gain new opportunities,” said Hyde.

One of the biggest goals for the Senate is for both committees, the RSO and the Senate, to move into a smooth transition from the old setup of the Senate and become as synchronized as possible into the new state of the Senate. With the hopes of an effective transformation, students are at the center of every Senate decision.

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 3, 2012

Islam and secularism

FROM THE CROWD

APPLAUSE TO...

Homecoming 2012, for a fantastic celebration of Aquinas spirit; Art Prize, Saturday Night Live, for making politicians, especially Mitt Romney, bearable; The Detroit Tigers, for taking home the AL Central title.

HECKLES TO...

The empty lot that should be the second phase of Sturrus Center; The MSU professor who streaked his way out of class (let’s hope he did not start a trend); Benjamin Netanyahu, for using bad clip art in a U.N. presentation (and provoking a potential nuclear power); Mitt Romney exploiting infants for political purposes.

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from our view

Art Prize deserves applause for the economic and cultural boost it brings to Grand Rapids. The entire city rarely ever finds a reason to hit the streets downtown for celebration in such a unified way.

The views are incredible, much of the art is phenomenal, and the way people join together through one another’s creativity is something to behold.

The broad spectrum of art allowed for submission in ArtPrize guarantees that each following iteration of the event keeps getting bigger and more diverse. This is good.

Because it is so easy to enter art in the competition, however, Art Prize has a habit of filling its viewers up with the kitschy, bizarre, and big. While giant kaleidoscopes and automobile-sized neon-squiggle painted fishing lures have some artistic merit on their own, a walk through downtown during this time of year often feels like a whirlwind tour of roadside tourist traps.

This is not to discount those that make such pieces. Often, a little bit of brightly-colored strangeness can be great fun and catch us by surprise.

But when a half-dozen found metal sculptures of animals that are actually well executed find themselves next to stacks of cute carved penguins in a fountain, and a giant scrap metal trout sits a few streets from a jumbo-sized motorcycle, a block or two away from a man crawling around in an earthworm suit in the name of art, while pedestrians ponder hurriedly-painted gates on bridges placed there in the name of “bridging humanity,” the redeeming qualities that these pieces might have had in isolation are quickly lost. Future ArtPrize venue organizers may want to take note: even the least experienced art afficionado quickly tires from an overload of odd works.

theSaint FALL 2012 E D I T O R I A L B O A R D Editor-in-Chief News Editor Culture Editor

Matt Kuczynski Laura Farrell Stephanie Giluk

Alyssa Frese Sports Editor Miriam Pranschke Photo Editor Katherine Mata Managing Editor

Adviser Dr. Dan Brooks *** Please note that the views expressed on this page are those of their respective author(s), and do not necessarily represent the views of The Saint as a whole.

MISSION The Saint has worked diligently for the past 30 years to produce an informative, entertaining and journalistically-correct student publication. The Saint is distributed by students at Aquinas College and in the surrounding community.

Our goal is to continue to provide an open forum for the ideas, views and concerns of the Aquinas community.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR All letters must include a signature, typed or handwritten, and include a phone number for the sole purpose of verification. The Saint reserves the right to edit letters to the editor based on content, punctuation, length and libel issues.

Letters should not exceed 300 words. We will not print anonymous letters to the editor and will not accept letters to the editor over the phone.

>> write us a letter! e-mail — saint.editors@aquinas.edu, or use the form on our website. physical copies – AB, Room 2

Managing Editor Katherine Mata

4

By Jacob VandenHombergh The Saint Reporter One of the trickiest things for a government to balance – cue the tired cliché – is the disparity between freedom and security. It is brought up by politicians and filmmakers, in the classroom and at the bars, and in nearly every medium available. It refuses to fall away, and this resilience is, I think, a good thing. The question is almost always relevant, and perhaps indefinitely necessary; but this is – so the common wisdom goes – one of the prices of living in a (classically) liberal society. Thomas Jefferson claimed to prefer the “tempestuous sea of liberty” to the calmness of despotism, and I find this analogy both precise and particularly moving. However – and perhaps it goes without saying – sometimes the seas get too rough.

This has become particularly evident lately, due to a contemporary cancer known as “Islamic extremism.”

The recent deadly protests over an anti-Islamic film prove (as if we needed more proof) that violence is a category within which these extremists think. We thus find ourselves at the turn of the 21st century facing a new iteration of the same old problem: do we acquiesce to religious bul-

By Chuck Hyde Staff Writer

lying, for the sake of safety – or do we stay committed to the civil liberty of free speech? This may be too general, as ideological questions usually are.

So maybe we could pose a more specific version: should we censor even the most caricatured criticisms of Islam for the sake of extremist sensibilities, or should anti-Islamic speech acts be permitted?

I wrestled with this question for a period of time, writing and rewriting this piece as my opinions changed. I began under the pretense that everything should be amenable to criticism, and that Islam was no exception. I found it embarrassing that any outlet for legitimate criticism had been hijacked by right-wing conspiracy theorists and bigots, while at the same time I opposed the burgeoning notion that Islam was a thing best left untouched. And, at the end of the day, I had to face the brute fact of the matter: lofty rights-based theories and civil liberties aside, there were still people dying. I certainly don’t want to die, and I probably lack the courage to face violence for something as abstract as a “right.” How could I blame those in favor of censorship?

I conclude, then, not with any

sort of solution, but with a reminder: violent behavior, directed against free speech and the other core tenets of democracy, is unfair. It is unfair to the thousands of statesmen, activists, soldiers, philosophers, scientists, and revolutionaries who strived – knowingly or not – to uphold a rational principle which bravely sought to undermine the baser tendencies of mankind. That principle, broadly conceived, is that civil discourse could replace physical violence; that a marketplace of ideas is a better judge of truth than force. The cultures may differ, but I’d wager that freedom is a culture-transcending thing. And though there may be legitimate reasons to violently protest (American imperialism, poverty, 80’s music, etc.), this is not one of them. To all the extremists who read the Saint (all zero of them), please consider the fragility of human freedom. Without any selfimposed responsibility, this problem will remain unsolved.

Two-party troubles

This year is an election year.

That should be exciting, but I find myself merely disappointed instead.

While the entire country is preoccupied with the forthcoming competition between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, I am contemplating not voting in this election. This is not due to apathy, however. It is due instead to the impossibility of choosing either candidate. I see no difference between the two. Both Obama and Romney are classic politicians, only out to win the presidency for their own selfish gains.

Of course, I don’t really have anything against either of the candidates specifically. Rather, the system is inherently flawed. Politicians play games with the public, pandering to the masses endlessly. Their campaigns are filled with non-specific platforms, vague economic plans and empty promises. It’s difficult to ascer-

tain what a leader’s viewpoints actually are in most cases; they prefer to dance around the point rather than take a stance that may alienate potential voters within their party or, more importantly, the undecided. Politics has become rife with corruption, and this drives away most decent people, the individuals that would actually be excellent leaders.

Even if there was a truly suitable candidate, they would have to run for either the Republican or Democratic Party. Any third party candidate would be extraordinarily lucky to get any votes in the Electoral College, let alone a majority. The two party system has been in place for 150 years with little change and or opposition. Though several prominent third parties do exist (Libertarian Party, Green Party, Freedom Party), it is unlikely that any will get any true attention. Most Americans likely do not even know the names of candidates like Gary Johnson and Jill Stein,

the two most prominent third party candidates in the coming election.

They both bring different views than Obama or Romney, possibly views that line up better with voters. Unfortunately, society in America basically says that a vote for a non-Republican or non-Democrat candidate is a worthless vote.

Personally, I hope that the system will change. I want everyone to have a chance, regardless of their political affiliation. The two party system seems inefficient, but with no one speaking against it, nothing will change.

This year, voting will be a difficult choice. I may end up casting a ballot, but I will still hope that someday things will change for the better.

Until then, I’ll resign myself to choosing the lesser of evils.

The death of integrity

By George VanDenDreissche Staff Writer

The NFL recently reached a contract agreement with their officiating crews. It only took four weeks to make one decision that can only be called the WORST ruling in an NFL game (every Packers fan knows what I am referring to). And as a fan, I must confess that the beginning of the season has been appalling. A sport when played correctly becomes more than just an athletic event, a place for two forces to contest the power of their physique against one another.

No, it becomes a grand symphony orchestrated to enthrall the emotions of every fan present at the game. We scream in frustration, we cheer in celebration, and taunt our friends relentlessly! This is when the game transitions from being an ordinary event to an artful masterpiece. However, when the game loses the rules, as the orchestra that loses its conductor, the

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former masterpiece becomes an arena of foul play.

Yes, the replacement officials have made mistakes, but so have the normal officials (Bears vs. Lions, now every Lions fan knows the reference).

Yes, the coaches and players may be more vocal and excessive in their attempts to bully the replacement refs, but every coach and player on that field would attempt to persuade any ref to make a ruling that is more favorable to their team. One is left asking the question: What is the real problem at hand?

It is a loss of integrity—the DEATH of integrity. It is the lack of caring on the NFL’s behalf to deliver an undiminished product, not product but the masterpiece every NFL fan deserves. The game is less whole as a result of poor calls, slow ball placement, and a loss of order. Instead of fan frustration being vented as a result of a Brian Urlacher sack against

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Stafford, or fan celebration resulting in a Jason Hanson ridiculously long game winning field goal, fans are left screaming alongside their coaches, players, and teams yelling at the refs.

The NFL may have delivered a diminished product, but they have done something much worse. In the past few years the strengths of unions have been waning as companies elect to disregard the power of collective bargaining and state governors (i.e. Wisconsin) create wars against unions. The NFL has laid its support to these parties by initially hiring the replacement refs.

Yes, the normal NFL refs have returned to the game, but is it too little too late? The season is four weeks old already, and as any sports fan knows, those four games can change an entire season.

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

culture

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THE SAINT |WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Television: Tyler Perry and Oprah are teaming up

Music: Say goodbye to the Foo Fighters...again

Books: J.K. Rowling has good news (maybe) for all Potter fans

Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network announced that it has landed a multi-year deal with Tyler Perry. Perry, who has been successful with multiple sitcoms airing on TBS, already has two new shows in the works that he will produce, write, and direct himself. Both shows will premiere in 2013 on OWN.

At the Global Citizen Festival in New York this past Saturday, the Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl announced that the band may be on hiatus for an idefinite amount of time. Though Grohl bid audiences farewell for the time being, he was quoted as saying, “I don’t know when, but we’ll see you again.”

J.K. Rowling is considering releasing a director’s cut version of the Harry Potter books, possibly exploring other characters’ stories. Until that happens, however, Rowling is currently at work on a book for children younger than her Potter readers and has just released her new novel, The Casual Vacancy.

<<

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

>>SETH MACFARLANE

Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane will be hosting the academy awards on February 24.

After hosting Saturday Night Live, executives must have found him worthy of the job, and he’ll no doubt bring all his voices along.

COURTESY EW.COM

My dear Watson

Looper takes time travel to another dimension

stephanie giluk | culture editor Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

I certainly thought it would be impossible to like the new CBS show Elementary with so many enjoyable and impressive portrayals of Sherlock Holmes out in the pop culture stratosphere at the moment, but I was wrong. Even though it is improbable that I have enough Holmes fangirl love to cover several Holmes incarnations, it is the truth.

Elementary follows a present-day Holmes, played by Johnny Lee Miller (who actually worked with BBC’s Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch, on a production of Frankenstein not too long ago. Miller and Cumberbatch alternated playing the monster and Victor Frankenstein). Miller plays Holmes as a brilliant and jumpy recovering addict, with a knack for observing and deducing uncannily accurate bits of information about those around him.

Escaping London for reasons he refuses to share and recovering from drug addiction, Holmes has decided to become a consultant for the NYPD. Holmes’s father has assigned him a live-in sober companion, Joan Watson, played by Lucy Liu, to make sure he doesn’t fall back into old habits.

At first, I was suspicious of a female Watson, but Liu plays her as sharp, no-nonsense and intelligent, an intellectual match and good partner for Holmes. The show’s network has said they aren’t going to pair Watson and Holmes off as a romantic couple, which is a relief. Liu’s Watson is complex enough that she deserves a storyline above and beyond love interest.

Watching the pilot episode, I couldn’t help but compare BBC’s Sherlock to Elementary. I was fully expecting to watch the first episode, decide Sherlock was better, and ignore Elementary. But I was sucked in against my better judgment. While both Sherlock Holmeses are excellent at deduction, quick with a witty quip, and emotionally closed off, Miller brings some humanity to Holmes that Cumberbatch doesn’t always have. Miller’s Holmes knows when he’s said and done things that are hurtful in their painful honesty and can apologize without prompt, and his issues with rage are quite impressive. Seeing the great Sherlock Holmes lose his cool and smash a suspect’s car with Watson’s car out of frustrated fury was oddly touching. Though I do think Cumberbatch’s Holmes is more compelling and more intense (not to mention blessed with glorious cheekbones), I can see Miller, given the time, developing his Holmes enough to rival Cumberbatch’s portrayal.

As much as I enjoy Robert Downey Jr.’s steampunk/action hero take on Holmes, the movie Holmes and the TV Holmeses exist in such different universes they don’t merit much comparison. I don’t think either Miller or Cumberbatch need to worry about a threat from the silver screen Holmes and vice versa. The versions of Sherlock Holmes we have now each has its own unique appeal, and I just happen to find something to like in all of them.

Ultimately, I think Elementary is going to hold its own as a show. Its appeal lies in its blending of Holmes’s trademark style and cleverness with a case-of-the-week procedural, almost watering down (in a good way) the typical Holmes experience. It’s like Law and Order: Holmes and Watson.

Show creator and executive producer Rob Doherty has decided not to go with using updated versions of the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories, and it’s a good move. Doing so would have made all the harder to compete with Sherlock, and Miller and Liu have big enough shoes to fill as it is. It also allows the series to focus on Holmes solving crime week after week in the big apple, allowing little hints at overall show mythology and character secrets trickle out just fast enough to keep viewers interested.

For fans of Sherlock or the recent movies, take it from a mega-fan of both. Watch Elementary. You won’t be disappointed. Improbable, I know, but true.

words to help their audiences suspend disbelief and immerse themselves in the film’s sci-fi journey. Looper’s title and concept are so well linked to the plot that it is easy for an audience to be swept away in the storyline instead of distracted by time travel semantics and futuristic lingo.

The screenplay (also by Johnson) is beautifully written. Joe is a flawed but endearCOURTESY FILMDISTRICT ing character. His I come from the future: Just a couple of average Joes, one from the past and one from the future, hav- voiced-over naring a nice breakfast together. ration is precise, begins when he fails to complete a hit woven through the plot’s movement,

By Lianne Crouthers on his older self (Willis). Now both providing backstory and world-buildThe Saint Reporter versions of Joe are on the run, trying to ing without bogging down the plot.

Looper, the new Rian Johnson film survive and unravel the events that led Science fiction movies can easily be starring Emily Blunt, Joseph Gordon- to their death warrant. caught up in explaining their own setLike many sci-fi movies before ting and social structure (Remember Levitt, and Bruce Willis, breathes fresh air into an old science fiction conven- it, Looper uses an initially awkward The Running Man?). But Looper artfully tion: time travel. Gordon-Levitt plays sounding word to encapsulate a mem- avoids this trap and strikes a gorgeous a hit man, or looper, named Joe who orable concept. Words such as “flux balance between showing and telling works for the mafia of the future. His capacitor,” “replicant,” and “Skynet” the audience its intricate world. job is to kill and dispose of targets that have a distinct effect on audiences.

Looper is also able to grow and are sent to him in the past. His trouble Back to the Future, Blade Runner and evolve its characters. It can be diffiThe Terminator have used these created

cult for film characters to believably mature emotionally during the two or three hour stretch a movie has an audience’s attention. Looper does this seamlessly. Joe’s character is able to think deeply and make conscientious choices by the film’s conclusion. Even though Willis and Gordon-Levitt are playing the same character the film does an excellent job of showcasing the effects different life choices have on an individual’s subsequent personality. Instead of distracting the audience from the storyline this character evolution adds significance and depth to the plot.

In order for Gordon-Levitt to play a younger version of Willis the production staff used some noticeable makeup. Gordon-Levitt’s nose, eyebrows, and chin are noticeably altered.

Because Gordon-Levitt’s makeup is so distinct there is some inconsistency in his appearance between scenes. There is one particular moment, in which the camera is focused closely on GordonLevitt’s face and the scene itself is signifcant, where instead of paying attention to what is occuring on the screen, a viewer may easily ask themselves: why the Dick Tracy eyebrows? If you are an ultra-observant viewer this could easily be the most notable distraction in the whole film. Other than lusciously-lined eyebrows, however, Looper is an engaging success.

Bonnie Jo Campbell shared her talent and imparted wisdom during her visit to AQ

By Cait Hilton The Saint Reporter

On Thursday, September 20, Aquinas College’s Contemporary Writers Series welcomed author Bonnie Jo Campbell to campus. Thursday evening, Campbell gave an exceptional reading of some of her work. Earlier in the day, she made herself available for an open-question session specifically for Aquinas staff and students.

During the student session, Campbell was open to answering questions in an elaborate way. She was very involved with the audience and just as interested in what they had to say as they were for her to be there. She was positive about her own literary career and encouraging to the students – especially ones pursuing an English or writing-related major.

Campbell described writing, while laughing, as a “mental illness,” because a writer always wants to write even when they have nothing to say or don’t know exactly what they are trying to communicate. She encouraged the young writers in the room to power through the writer’s block and to get something down on paper often, emphasizing, “You have to keep on writ-

ing to get better.” She stressed that the students write about things that they are passionate about in order to achieve satisfactory results. Also, if writing a nonfiction story about a real-life event, authors better have their facts right, according to Campbell.

The advice she gave to the audience related to her own writing style.

Campbell writes a lot of material focused on highlighting people often neglected by upper class society, as in her short story collection American Salvage. She pointed out “very real problems of very real people” to MIRIAM PRANSCHKE/THE SAINT an audience that might be unaware of the situaAmerican Salvage: Bonnie Jo Campbell talked with students about writing and read some of tions others have to sufher work when she visited AQ. fer. In many of her fiction works, she created characters that can prove to become some- extraordinary presentation and being niejocampbell.com. Look for the next segment of the Contemporary Writers thing more than the bad environments willing to bring her talent to campus!

Find more information on Camp- Series coming in November with writer they live in.

Aquinas thanks Campbell for her bell on her official website: www.bon- Robin Hemley.

Mumford and Sons speaks in tongues

a folk rock band all the way from the West London is here to exceed everyone’s expectations.

Mumford and Sons released their second album, Babel, on September 25. Piloted by guitarist and lead singer Marcus Mumford, the band released their first album, Sigh No More, in 2009. The band gained an AmeriCOURTESY ISLAND RECORDS can following after Sigh No More was Of the son: Mumford and Sons latest album is a winner. nominated for two Grammy awards in 2010. After tourBy Laura Farrell News Editor ing for three years, Mumford and Sons fans have been itching for another alIn this day and age, it is rare to find bum and expecting nothing less than a musician or band that is not on Jay- spectacular. On the road, Mumford and Z’s label, does not kill a song with auto Sons kept little about their new album tune, can write lyrics containing more secret, trying out songs from the album than ten words, and can actually carry to countless crowds. a tune outside the studio. Thankfully, The band released the single “I

Culture Editor Stephanie Giluk

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

Will Wait” a few weeks before the album, and the upbeat, head banging crowd pleaser might have been the best publicity for the CD release. The band knows how to make a first impression, as shown with the first track on the album, “Babel.” The guitar and banjo plucking song strums the overarching tones of love, death, sin, and redemption for the entirety of the album. Songs that are not so new to fans like “Lover of the Light” and “Lovers’ Eyes” provide listeners with carefully crafted lyrics that nothing less than poetic. This album also displays the voices of all the band members, creating stunning four part harmonies like in “Below My Feet.”

Perhaps the biggest critique of this album is the gentle, unhurried rhyme of a song getting smashed by a thunderous, fast beat. Songs like “Whispers in the Dark,” “Holland Road,” and “Hopeless Wanderer” all have this interrupted tone. Although a powerful tactic, it seems a bit overused.

One of the best parts of the album is watching the live versions of the songs.

Mumford and Sons released a music video for “I Will Wait” about a week before the album dropped. Unlike most

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musicians, this music video captured the live recording of the band’s performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. In a rare instance where a band sounds better live than in studio, the music video displays Mumford and Son’s sweaty, head banging musical explosion.

Because of the specific sound and beat of Mumford and Sons, a few critics have labeled Babel as no different than Sigh No More. Although fans will surely find the same energy in Babel, I would disagree with the statement that the band has not grown from its beginnings. They have a specific style and sound and are not going to change just to be more marketable. I think that this album showcases their serious improvements in singing and overall instrumentation. Their lyrics still remain as powerful and elegant as they were the first time around.

I would be remiss if I did not admit that I believe Babel serves as a reminder to us, amidst auto tune and boring and offensive lyrics, what the real purpose of music is. Mumford and Sons impresses with this new album and will most likely gain popularity as time goes on.

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

6

CULTURE

THE SAINT |WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Head down to ArtPrize before time runs out

MIRIAM PRANSCHKE/THE SAINT

New art at the GRAM: Norwood Viviano’s exhibit, “Cities: Departure and Deviation,” draws a crowd.

By Laura Rico Staff Writer Ladies and gentlemen, do not be alarmed if you are in the downtown Grand Rapids area and happen to see elephants, mermaids, and dinosaurs.

They are merely signs that ArtPrize is in town until October 7.

This year marks the fourth annual competition that has attracted 1,517 entries from artists all over the world who bring forth their art of various sizes, mediums, and statements.

Simply taking a walk downtown will bring you into contact with various art pieces that jump out and demand your attention or, at the very least, a raised eyebrow.

The Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (UICA) and Kendall College of Art and Design are just two art institutes that are open to the public.

Inside one can find extraordinary installations that are made of both traditional and unique materials that convey conceptual ideas.

For example, Martijn van Wagten-

donk’s piece “Song of Lift” is truly a delight for young and old to behold.

Viewers are treated to a spectacular visual and auditory performance by 144 mechanical powered winged objects (resembling snitches from Harry Potter) as they take flight at UICA. The DeVos Place Convention Center and Amway Grand Plaza Hotel have also transformed themselves into art exhibits. Inside one can find a multitude of paintings in many mediums and installations.

Located in the Amway, one of the more popular and humorous pieces, “Moose Bath II,” by LeAnne Sowa, features a moose sitting in a bathtub.

Just another case of a moose taking up residence where he (or she) does not belong.

In recent media, the competition has been accused of being just about who can make the biggest and boldest statement in order win the big cash prize. While there may definitely be individual artists with such an agenda, there are others who truly want to

share their love of art with the public.

Sophomore Molly Robertson said, “I love Art Prize! It embraces the creativity in every person and brings art to everyone of all ages in a real and personal way. The art displayed makes every person open their eyes and look at things in ways they never would have before.”

After taking first place in 2010, Aquinas Art professor Chris LaPorte has once again made it into the top 10 and is in the running for the grand prize of $200,000. LaPorte’s entry, “City Band,” is currently on display at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

In order to vote, one has to sign up for an account at artprize.org. This can also be done using Facebook. Then the account must be activated in person at any of the Voter Registration Sites where a photo ID must be shown, or by using the Geo-Location mobile app on an iPhone or Android. Once your account has been activated you can vote online, text message, or use the ArtPrize mobile app.

Harmony Brewery has a pizza ready just for you

By Catie Berg The Saint Reporter Harmony Brewery is a small, cozy restaurant and brewpub in Eastown, noted for its specialty pizzas and beers. Noticeable upon entrance is the laid-back, friendly atmosphere complemented by an eclectic blend of music playing softly throughout. It is a place that is equally appropriate for a study date or a fun night out with friends.

I started out by ordering the breadsticks, priced at $3.50. To my surprise, they turned out to be some of the best breadsticks I have ever had. They were served with red tomato dipping sauce, but their real signature was the balsamic oregano drizzled on top. For an appetizer, it’s relatively large, with six decent-sized pieces of bread that are probably best split between two people.

Along with my appetizer, I ordered the specialty beer of the month: Autumn Joy. The extremely nice waitress recommended this from the selection of 15 specialty beers, all local.

Autumn Joy had a sweet tickle, but as someone who is not much of a beer drinker, I would have to recommend that people try it for themselves (if you are over 21, of course).

I ordered a pizza that was not on the menu, called The Boot, which had red sauce, mozzarella cheese, radicchio, calamada olives, fennel seeds, and sausage. The most memorable ingredient in the pizza, for me, had to be the sweetly delicious red sauce. The pizza, like the appetizer, is best shared between two people, but was excellent enough to warrant an attempt to eat the whole thing alone.

Harmony Brewery had a selection

of 10 pizzas listed on the menu and a number of specialty pies listed above the bar. The pizzas generally have interesting names which manage to catch the eye without being too cheeky, like “The Good Earth,” “Hey Goat!” and “Eastown Folk Funk.” The next time I go in, I know, “The Crispy Pig” will be calling my name. The prices are reasonable, given that you are generally getting enough food for two.

Harmony Brewery is located at 1551 Lake Drive in Eastown, right across from CVS pharmacy. Its hours of operation are noon to midnight every day, although food is only served until 10 P.M. I definitely recommend this if you are looking for comfortable and fairly affordable dining in Eastown.

A small dispute: Amadeus promises to be deliver excitement and lavish drama.

By Chris vanDer Ark The Saint Reporter In its 2011-2012 season, the Aquinas Theatre Department kicked off its season with the classically styled play Goodnight, Desdemona (Good morning, Juliet). This season, the AQ Theatre Department is once again starting off with the classically styled play Amadeus. Peter Shaffer’s thrilling drama is sure to jump start Aquinas’ theater season with a bang.

Inspired by Alexander Pushkin’s short 1830 play, Amadeus details the gregariously fictionalized lives of composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (senior Aaron Guest) and Antonio Salieri

(senior Duncan McCarger). Throughout the play, the rivalry between the two composers becomes more and more heated. It reaches boiling point when Mozart’s wife Constanze (freshman Marisa Purceý) begins to meddle her way into her husband’s affairs. Add a pinch of politics, corsets, and adultery and Amadeus becomes quite the production.

“It’s a joy to work with such amazing material,” Guest said. “Shaffer’s use of language, monologue, and music [tells] an intense story … [the show] is extremely satisfying and fun!”

Audience members will have plenty to keep them aesthetically sati-

Culture Editor Stephanie Giluk

By Carly Plank The Saint Reporter ¡Uno!, Green Day’s first album in three years, marks a return to their roots in a slice of glittery punk heaven. Billy Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool, and Jason White are still churning out condensed pockets of bright, powerful rock and partying like it is 1999. From the opening call to arms of “Nuclear Family” to the wistful longing of “Oh Love,” vigorous guitar and percussion, along with Armstrong’s relentless vocal energy, contribute to the perfect end-ofsummer album that merges the adventure of new relationships with the passion of longing and uncertainty.

The album begins with the aptly named “Nuclear Family,” an explosion of pent up creative energy that must have been brewing since the release of Dookie in 1994. A spoken countdown of “five, four, three, two one” transitions into the strident guitar opening of “Stay the Night,” which showcases Armstrong’s knack for clever hooks and California coast imagery. Hopeful desperation soars above the guitars as he sings “I gotta know if you’re the one that got away.” The lyrics of the opening portion of the album exemplify classic Green Day, with choruses shouted as youthful declarations of freedom by these kings of catharsis.

The middle songs welcome a more purposeful pop swagger, spotlighted in hasty conglomerations of madness and disorder with little space for instrumental bridges or varying dynamics. “Fell for You” is a diamond in the rough, featuring honest lyrics that race

ated throughout the show. Every detail - from the set designed by Don Wilson to the stunning costumes crafted by Bill Dunckel – will take viewers directly to eighteenth century Austria. Mozart’s posh and pastel yellow garbs are as eye-catching as Constanze’s dress is wide. Special mention should also be given to the hair and make-up designer Braden Bacon, who designed nearly forty wigs for the production alone.

Wilson’s set is a particularly stunning detail of the production. The stage is impeccably painted to appear as checkered marble. The proscenium arch in the rear of the stage is a lovely addendum with a large red curtain which lowers and raises. The stage looks eerily similar to an old fashioned theatre, which is only suitable to the themes of the play.

When addressing particularly exciting moments of the play, Purceý said, “look out for scenes between Mozart and Constanze. There is a vibrancy and spark in their chemistry that’s – well – scintillating!”

Amadeus will be playing at the Aquinas Performing Arts Center from October 4-7. The show starts at 8:00 p.m. with the exception of Sunday, which starts at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students, $6 for faculty/staff, and $10 for the general public. Seating is general admission. The show is recommended for mature audiences due to language and sexual situations.

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

over growling guitar accompaniments.

The subsequent “Kill the DJ” edges as dangerously close to dance-punk as Green Day will hopefully ever venture.

As the album progresses, the tempo continues to accelerate and confusion ensues as the gas pedal sticks to the floor.

Balance is reestablished in the nick of time with a trifecta of stripped down rockers. “Sweet Sixteen” reveals a rare display of restraint that is simple and refreshingly melodic, like an offspring of the Goo Goo Dolls and the All American Rejects. “Rusty James” comments on Green Day’s longevity in the swiftly changing popular music scene as they declare their new status as “anything but the mainstream.” The closing track “Oh Love” opens with a James Gangstyle guitar riff and Billy Joe’s solitary vocal, begging love to “rain on me tonight” in this prelude to romance.

Even at its most uninspired, Green Day’s latest effort is a danceable, guilty pleasure begging to be blasted on a car stereo. While Armstrong’s mental state remains uncertain following his guitarsmashing tantrum at the Las Vegas iHeartRadio Festival on September 21 and his entrance into substance abuse treatment, fans will not be left in the dark for long. ¡Uno! is the first of an unprecedented trilogy of albums to be released by the band over the course of four months, with ¡Dos! and ¡Tré! hitting shelves on November 13 and January 15, respectively. By paying homage to their origins, Green Day shines with the resiliency of a band audacious enough to remain true to itself.

Trouble is a home run

and no-nonsense, an attorney who is struggling to get closer to her father after years and years of awkward silences between them. Adams is America’s sweetheart and her acting performance is one of the highlights of the film.

Surprisingly, Timberlake does well COURTESY WARNER BROS. also. Johnny enOut of the park: Trouble with the Curve will entertain basecourages Mickey to ball fans. let go and live life

By Joe Foldenauer instead of being a workaholic.

The Saint Reporter Eastwood is the same character he’s been in many of his movies: the One thing is certain: Clint Eaststereotypical old man who has never wood can act better with Amy Adams than he can with a chair. In Trouble used a cell phone and believes in good with the Curve, a film about America’s old-fashioned American values. He has pastime, Clint Eastwood plays Gus Lo- struggled and succeeded but was never bel, an aging baseball scout who goes good at reaching out to others and is against new scouting strategies using paying the price for that stoic silence.

Other cast members include John computers and instead sticks with his Goodman as Gus’s best friend and old school style, even though he’s goMatt hew Lillard, who plays the young ing blind.

As Lobel goes on what could be computer-using scout Tom Silver who his last scouting trip of his career, he is is trying to fire Gus. Overall, the movie was very enterfollowed by his daughter Mickey (Amy taining and a great date night film. For Adams) and a former scouted player of his, Johnny (Justin Timberlake). As baseball fans, it reminds you of what it time goes on the relationship between was like in high school, dealing with the father and daughter brings up past the possibilities of being drafted. This memories that can be chilling at times movie is definitely four out of five stars and a hit out of the park. and heart-warming at others.

Adams plays Mickey as smart

Moonrise Kingdom is magical

By Chris vanDer Ark The Saint Reporter

Amadeus is a masterfully composed drama

MIRIAM PRANSCHKE/THE SAINT

Green Day brings the crazy

The fairy-tale forest and pseudoheroic children that illustrate the movie poster advertising Moonrise Kingdom certainly does not sum up the feat that is the film itself. Director and screenwriter Wes Anderson has accomplished a piece that transcends the average comedy and revisions the “coming-of-age” story.

Moonrise Kingdom exceeds expectations, delivers, and is nothing short of excellent.

The film takes place on a vaguely familiar island coasting New England.

It begins with an ominous (and blunt) warning from the even more vaguely familiar sailor/teacher/cop/fisherman (Bob Balaban) who narrates the short interludes that litter Moonrise Kingdom.

Following his warning of the destruction of the entire island due to an impending hurricane, we are introduced to the less-than-successful boy scout Sam (Jared Gilman). Being ostracized by his fellow “Camp Lebanonians,” Sam makes the executive decision to run away from camp and into the wilderness. Joining him in his valiant escape is Suzy (Kara Hayward), a maniacally depressed thirteen year old whom Sam fell in love with after seeing her in a church pageant of Noah’s Ark – she played Raven #2. When the adults realize the children have disappeared, the entire town rallies together to become a giant search party.

The film succeeds on many levels but primarily excels in its writing and cinematography. Anderson masters the art of quick quips and dry humor.

The screenplay supports its out-of-this-

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world characters with witty dialogue that may be reminiscent of Juno, Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist, and Little Miss Sunshine. Where Anderson’s writing exceeds the latter examples is in his subtext; the dangerous crevice dwelling between adulthood tedium and savage childhood curiosity is danced, tread, and canoed upon frequently. Anderson’s writing dives into tender topics – and he artfully, tastefully, and entertainingly succeeds. After all, what thirteen year old girl isn’t a little manic depressive?

Notable performances include Tilda Swinton’s portrayal of the nameless, and “Hitler-esque” social services woman, who is goose-pimple worthy as well as tender and touching. Kara Hayward soared as maniacally depressed, pinkbloused, and stone-faced Suzy. Her ability to express so much subtext with as much as a lip twitch is mesmerizing.

Frances McDormand’s performance as Laura Bishop, Suzy’s distracted mother, eerily illustrates the darker side of Anderson’s screenplay. Viewers will find it difficult to decide whether to hate, pity, or love her – which is a definite sign of a more than accomplished actress.

Anderson effortlessly delivers a satiating movie experience with Moonrise Kingdom. Top-notch writing in addition to superb cinematography, performances, and plot offer nothing short of an amazing production that is simple enough to placate your lackadaisical fancy – but also complex enough to jab the intellectual side, too.

Moonrise Kingdom is currently playing at Celebration Cinema’s Woodland Mall location. Tickets are $3.99. The film will be released to DVD on October 12.

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

sports Football: Lions on a losing streak after winning their first game After triumphing over the St. Louis Rams in week one, the Lions have been in somewhat of a slump, losing the last three games against the San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings. This next week of season play is a bye for Detroit so the team can hopefully recover and regroup to be victorious as the season progresses.

Detroit Lions caught in a slump

By Paul McKeeby The Saint Reporter The Detroit Lions started their season with a win against the St. Louis Rams, however, they’ve been going downhill since then, standing with a record of 1-3. Their play the past two weeks leaves much to be desired. The past two losses came against two teams that did not make the playoffs last season, the Tennessee Titans and their division rivals, The Minnesota Vikings.

The lineup is having trouble living up to the success of last season.

Matt Stafford, who some consider the next elite quarterback, has struggled to regain his elite status from last year and has thrown more interceptions than touch downs. Stafford cannot seem to pass to anyone on the offense with the exception of wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Many analysts around the league believe that lack of work in the off-season is what is contributing to this downfall.

The Lions are lacking in their defense this year as well. Their special teams have allowed four kick and punt returns for touchdowns, which does not count the two defensive touchdowns against the Lions. The Lion’s superstar kicker Jason Hanson is about the only player the Lions can applaud on their special teams.

Negative comments are swirling around Lions fans and the phrase “Same old Lions” can be seen on many Facebook posts. For the hopeful Lions fans out there, there is still time to get back in the game. The Lions still have the best quarterback and wide receiver combination in the league. They have Jason Hanson as well as one of the best defensive lines in the league. They just need to know how to work these strengths for their success as a team.

The Lions have bye this week and that will give the team time to regroup, refocus, and get healthier. The Lions have a challenging two weeks ahead.

After their bye week they will play the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears. These two games will show if the Lions have what it takes to shake off this terrible start and get their heads in the game. The Lions are certainly not dead, but they are very close to being outcast in the eyes of NFL fans once again. Do the Lions have what it takes to get themselves out of this slump?

Cross Country teams are staying ahead

By Brian Kalchik The Saint Reporter The women’s and men’s cross country teams have not had a meet since we last came out, but they have stayed busy nonetheless, preparing to attain the success they have achieved this far in the season. In their first meets at the Knight Invitational, the men’s team finished fourth out of 19, while the women’s team finished fourth out of 22.

The next meet, The National Catholic Invitational, saw the men’s team finish third out of 34 teams, and first out of 21 non-Division one teams. The women’s team finished 13th out of 34 teams, and fifth out of 21 non Division One teams.

The women’s team is now ranked ninth in the NAIA coaches’ poll, while the men’s team is also ranked ninth in the NAIA coaches’ poll. Ken Foley from the men’s team and Rachael Steil from the women’s team have earned the WHAC runner of the week awards.

Head Coach Mike Wojciakowski is extremely pleased with the efforts of both teams at this point in the season, “We are in the middle of a down stretch as far as racing goes but a new phase of our training cycle has started. The women are at the highest they have been ever ranked and the men have now been in the poll for 119 consecutive weeks,” said Wojciakowski.

The upcoming meets for both teams includes the Michigan Intercollegiate Championships on October 5 and the Bethel College Invitational on October 12.

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7

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Grand Rapids: Griffins pre-season starts Saturday, October 6

Baseball: Tigers named Division Champs on Monday night

Hockey fans are getting excited as the Griffins play their first pre-season game against the Lake Erie Monsters on October 6. The Griffins had a rough 2011-2012 season, ending with a record 33-32. They unfortunately did not qualify for the playoffs. Stay tuned to see if they have what it takes to rise above and win this season.

The Detroit Tigers have had one heck of a season but after playing hard against the Kansas City Royals, Detroit won the final game of the series 6-3 on Monday night. This brought their overall record this season to 87-73. Look for the Tigers in the playoffs as they compete for a spot in the 2013 World Series.

<<

WHAT TO WATCH

>>CROSS COUNTRY

The Aquinas College men’s and women’s cross country teams are both off to fabulous starts in their seasons. Both teams have had individual runners ranked in the top ten at both meets this far. Runners to watch are junior Grant Gunneson and Rachael Steil and senior Alina Dhaseleer.

Aquinas Ultimate Team plays top ranked schools at Purdue

Men’s soccer continues to tear down the competition

COURTESY SAM VAN DEN DRIESSCHE

SARAH BRANZ / THE SAINT

Heads up: Senior midfielder Billy Cremeans jumps and pushes off his opponent for possession of the ball while senior forward Casey Higgason looks on.

By John Sainz The Saint Reporter As homecoming festivities wind down and the beer tent is disassembled, no one is more satisfied with the weekend than the men’s soccer team.

On Saturday, amidst the homecoming crowd, the men’s squad triumphed to victory in a 2-1 match over the Madonna University Crusaders. Junior midfielders Michael Gagnon and Tyler Fischer put up points for the Saints in Saturday’s game.

“Well, I thought we played good defensively most of the game, which is always our first priority in every game we go into, and I definitely think if we posses the ball, take the chances given to us and put the goals away, and play to our full potential, we shouldn’t lose another game this season,” said senior midfielder Heath Somers.

Head Coach Joe Veal explained, “It is always good for our guys to win on homecoming, especially against Madonna, who beat us last year, so it was good to win this time. The second half could have gone better, but we got the result we wanted.”

Last week the guys dominated Northwestern Ohio in a 3-0 win, and suffered a loss to Cornerstone University in double overtime. “Cornerstone

was a good game that could have gone both ways, we played hard, and it’s just a shame we couldn’t put it away earlier. Both team’s keepers, including our keeper (sophomore) Mike Sweers, played exceptionally well, and are fit to be nominated for players of the week,” said Coach Veal. The team is currently 7-3-1 overall and hold a conference record of 2-1-0 in the WHAC. The boys are confident and optimistic while understanding the challenges that lie ahead. The Saints will travel to Southfield, Michigan, later today to take on the Blue Devils of Lawrence Tech University, who are currently 1-9 overall at 3 p.m.

There is a lot of speculation about the Aquinas Men’s soccer team this year, and the Saints are working diligently to strive in the weeks to come.

With two out of three conference games in the bag for the Saints, expectations are high for the season, but the guys are staying focused and still practicing their one-game-at-a-time philosophy.

With September wrapped up and out of the way, the Saints have roughly one more month of regular season play, with a good chance of extending their season into November.

Women’s golf team holds steady as the end of the season draws near

By Laura Rico Staff Writer The Aquinas women’s golf team is getting ready to wrap up their season. This past week included a few bad strokes and unfortunate weather conditions, however, in their third match they brought their game up as the team is currently second out of eight teams.

On Friday, Sept. 21, the girls played the first of a two part match in the second Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference Jamboree against Madonna and placed second out of eight with a 327 score.

Senior Abby Hagan led the team and tied for second place with a personal score of 80, while freshman Alicia Flood and junior Kristin Raiz both tied for seventh place and had a score of 82.

Flood said, “I think that the match went well. We all played very well and came in with good scores. We did lose by a few strokes, but we still have a few tournaments left in the fall season, and I am positive that we can make up for the few lost strokes from Friday.”

On Saturday, Sept. 22, the Saints played against Concordia in the second part of the Jamboree and placed third out of eight with a score of 337, combined with the pervious day’s score for a total of 664.

Hagan led the team again with a personal score of 83 and a total score Sports Editor Alyssa Frese

of 163. She tied for second once more.

Freshmen Morgan Leep had a score of 83 and a total score of 166, Raiz had a score of 84 and a total score of 166, both girls tied for eighth place.

Raiz said, “The course was in horrible condition. It was really cold and we experienced an hour of down pour (almost hail). It was a good experience though, as a team we all made some good shots, and we can always do better.”

On Thursday, Sept. 27, the Saints hosted the third WHAC Jamboree and placed second out of eight with a score of 320.

Hagan led the Saints and ranked in first place with a score of 77. Raiz followed with a score of 80 and came in third in a three way tie. Flood came in with a score of 81 and tied in sixth place.

Raiz added, “We are doing great this season thus far…golf being an individual sport, there is always areas to improve on, and we have a solid team.”

The women will participate in the fourth and last WHAC Jamboree hosted by Indiana Tech at Coyote Creek Golf Club, today, Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m.

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

COURTESY SAM VAN DEN DRIESSCHE

Striking a pose: The Aquinas Ultimate team pauses for a photo during the Purdue tournament.

By Alyssa Frese Sports Editor The Aquinas College Ultimate club team is looking to step up their game this academic year. After playing top teams at Purdue two weekends ago, the team knows what they are capable of and what they need to do to be successful as they compete in more tournaments and games this year. “The weekend was a terrific learning experience for the entire team. We have a really young team and one of the best ways to gain experience is by attending tournaments hosted at Division I schools such as Purdue,” said senior George Van Den Driessche. “As a team we will need to work on our offense maintaining possession of the disc and defensively that we are able to stand toe to toe with these larger institutions. This will be great for preparing us for other tournaments this season when we travel to Kettering Thunderstorm where we will see teams from Hope, GVSU, CMU, and Northern Michigan.”

The experience alone of playing top ranked schools such as Purdue is just as valuable as winning in the eyes of senior Mitch Spelde. “I think just the experience of a tournament was even

more valuable than anything else.

Something I like to think about is as hard as losing is, you learn more from it than winning, and we are in a rebuilding mode so we need to learn a lot. However, we are quickly progressing and coming together as a team.”

Though the Ultimate team is a club team rather than an official Aquinas team, the level of competition and hunger for success is still desirable. “I think it’s important to remember that we are a club team. The most important thing to everyone on the team is to have fun. That being said we are all competitors who want to win every game we play but more importantly let’s hope we don’t forget to have fun and honor the spirit of the game,” said sophomore Gus Wasinski.

The Aquinas Ultimate team‘s final competition will be the local Grand Rapids event called Huckfest.

It will be hosted at Douglas Walker Park in Byron Center. The date is yet to be announced. “We would love to see the AQ community show up and cheer us on to victory,” said Van Den Driessche.

Women’s volleyball sets new tone

By John Sainz The Saint Reporter With the regular season roughly halfway over with, the Aquinas Women’s volleyball team holds an undesirable record of 4-10. With a losing weekend at the Indiana Wesleyan/Indiana Tech challenge, the Saints put up great competition against Indiana Wesleyan, Indiana Tech, Grace College, as well as Marion University. Though unable to come out on top, the girls played tough, and have made valuable progress, providing good reason for optimism in the coming weeks. The squad has only one returning senior this year, and is led by three captains: senior Jessica Bredeweg, sophomore MacKenzie Kolstad, and junior Amy VonKronenberger.

Two head coaches are running the volleyball team for their first year. Betsy Vander Meer and Katie Vander Meer, who both played and studied here at Aquinas, are heading the team. Betsy Vander Meer spent two years as an assistant coach for the Saints. Her daughter Katie Vander Meer is as qualified as they come, turning down a full-ride scholarship to Michigan State University to play for Aquinas, and become the WHAC player of the year in 2010, and has returned as head coach.

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Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

Coach Katie Vander Meer said, “We were able to play more consistent, and I think this weekend has been a turning point for us to come together as a team and truly understand what we’re capable of.” Vander Meer attributes the teams newfound rhythm to the leadership of the upperclassmen and captains, raving that, “They all do such a great job.” She made mention of Bredeweg’s unprecedented example of leadership that she brings to the team, and considers her a key player in the squad’s ability to work together.

The Saints are focused, determined, and are working harder than ever to turn their season around. Today, the team will travel to Cornerstone University to play the Golden Eagles, a well-coached, tough team who currently holds a 12-4 record. The match will begin at 7 p.m.

The team is currently 1-3 in the WHAC, but still has seven more conference games on the regular season schedule, meaning that if the girls can pull together, they still have a good shot in competing for the league title.

8

SPORTS

THE SAINT |WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 3, 2012

Aquinas Homecoming games prove to be successful

SARAH BRANZ/THE SAINT

On the run: Senior defender Conner Sutton gets into stance as does sophomore goalkeeper Jimmy Watt and sophomore long stick midfielder Austin Ensing. The Saints were victorious in both games on September 29.

By Brian Kalchik The Saint Reporter Aquinas Homecoming was a definite success this year with four of the Aquinas sport teams represented: women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, men’s soccer and men’s lacrosse. Three of the four teams were victorious.

The Aquinas women’s lacrosse opened the day with a match against the Grand Valley State club team and won 13-8. Freshmen midfielder Lindsay Barrett, in her first game as a Saint, notched four goals to lead the attack.

Senior attacker Kati Rogers said about the game, “It was a great start to our

season, our first time playing together with short practice time and despite a second half slump, we broke through when it mattered most.”

The men’s lacrosse team played a day-night doubleheader on Homecoming Saturday; starting with a victory over Northwood 11-3 at Calvin College, then coming home defeating Calvin 8-3. Freshmen midfielder Kyle Foley led the Saints attack with two goals and sophomore midfielder Tim Hansen scored the first goal for the Saints.

Sophomore captain Hunter Perry said, “It was good to win both of our games, especially in front of our fans, this gets us off to a good start to our season.”

Both soccer teams also competed during homecoming and the women’s team took an early 1-0 lead off a goal scored by freshman midfielder Allison VanPatten, however, Indiana Tech scored three unanswered goals to take the win. The men’s team competed against Madonna University, who knocked the Saints out of a tournament berth in the Conference Championship game last year. The Saints jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals by junior midfielder Michael Gagnon and junior midfielder Tyler Fischer, and then held off a furious rally by the Crusaders to take the contest 2-1.

Notre Dame and Grand Valley remain undefeated

By Joe Foldenauer The Saint Reporter The undefeated Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-0) had a great victory over the University of Michigan Wolverines (2-2), winning 13-6.

Notre Dame led the entire game starting with a field goal and touchdown in the second quarter. Michigan wasn’t able to score a touchdown all night and relied on two field goals to put a score on the board for them. Junior quarterback Tommy Rees had a nice game, taking over for Goulson in the second quarter. Rees, who has only played one game prior to this game, threw for 115 yards, and scored the Fighting Irish’s sole touchdown on a two yard run. The senior quarterback for the Wolverines, Denard Robinson, was kept under control all night by the Fighting Irish defense; throwing for 138 yards and 90 yards running with no touchdown. The Wolverines had week five off to re-energize and get amped to travel to Indiana this coming weekend to play Purdue. The Fighting Irish also had a bye this last weekend and will be playing at Soldiers Field in Chicago on Saturday against University of Miami.

Michigan State had a solid 23-7 win against Eastern Michigan during week four. Coming off a disappointing lost to Notre Dame in week three, the

Spartans had to pick up the slack and improve if they wanted to get another win this season. Junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell had shown little improvement in this game only throwing for 159 yards and one touchdown, while junior running back Le’veon Bell rushed for 253 yards and scored a touchdown.

The Spartans had a hard fought loss in week four against Ohio State , losing 17-16. Bell had a rough day only being able to run 45 yards off of 17 carries. Maxwell was able to throw for 269 yards and had a 29 yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Keith Mumphery. The Spartans will be playing the Indiana Hoosiers this Saturday.

Grand Valley State University is having an astounding undefeated season. In week four, the Lakers won 46-41 against the Ohio Dominican Panthers.

The highlight of the game was in the last minute when sophomore wide receiver Daryl Pitts caught a 25 yard pass from Isaiah Grimes to win the game.

In week five, the Lakers played the Michigan Tech Huskies and had an impressive 51-43 victory, making their record 5-0. Sophomore quarterback Isiah Grimes had a great night throwing for 411 yards and four touchdowns. The Lakers will be playing the Ferris State Bulldogs in the Anchor Bone Classic this Saturday.

Junior Grant Gunneson motivates himself and others

Tigers Women’s named soccer looking to division progress champions

By Brendan Hoffman The Saint Reporter

SARAH BRANZ/THE SAINT

Stepping ahead: Freshman midfielder Alison VanPatten pushes in front of her opponent to gain control of the ball for the Saints.

By Brian Kalchik The Saint Reporter Aquinas Women’s soccer had a rough stretch since their previous match against Holy Cross. On Wednesday, September 19, the Saints faced off against Davenport and were shut out 6-0. The Saints trailed 4-0 after halftime and couldn’t get on the scoreboard. Davenport is a solid team and the Saints gave it their best effort.

According to sophomore midfielder Kelly Petzold, “We played too anxious and lost our concentration. We couldn’t recover in time to mount a comeback.”

The Saints bounced back with a tough and impressive road victory over North Park 3-2 on September 26.

The nighttime start didn’t affect the Saints as sophomore forward Melissa Hogan notched a hat trick to give the

Saints a road win. According to junior midfielder Elizabeth Vaughan, “We worked all week on our weaknesses from the Davenport game and it paid off in our win against North Park.”

Aquinas then played Indiana Tech during homecoming on September 29 and got off to a 1-0 lead with a goal by freshman midfielder Allison VanPatten, but the Warriors scored three unanswered goals to take the match 3-1. This was the first conference game for the Saints.

The Saints are in action next against Concordia on October 3 and Madonna on October 6. The Saints have three remaining home games left in the regular season.

Sports Editor Alyssa Frese

With the MLB post-season quickly approaching, the Detroit Tigers are playing with visions of a new pennant in the clubhouse in their heads.

A theme of this season for the team has been without doubt the procurement of runs. The Tigers are currently ranked first overall in on-base percentage with a measure of .337. Run support will definitely be the key to going far in the playoffs. Victories against the Chicago White Sox have ensures the Tigers a spot in the Playoffs. Detroit beat the Kansas City Royals last Thursday in series play to put them two games in front of Chicago. The White Sox are struggling as of late due to their drop out of the top spot in the American League Central for the first time in two months. Last Wednesday, they walked twelve batters against the Cleveland Indians.

Heavy hitter Adam Dunn has hit 41 home runs and looks to use his bat to edge out the Tigers in their offensive productivity as the season runs out.

The prevailing bat behind the Tigers success’ behind the plate has been in the hands of third baseman Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera is leading the American League in batting average at .326 and RBIs with 133. He is one home run away from tying the Texas Ranger’s center fielder Josh Hamilton leading the league in home runs. Cabrera has truly had a spectacular season and helped to push the Tigers past the White Sox. On the defensive side for Detroit, right-hander Doug Fister has put his name in the history books as he struck out an American League record breaking nine batters in a row last Thursday.

In other pitching news, Justin Verlander is currently ranked second in the American League with an amazing ERA of 2.72. He also holds the distinction of coming out of the slump he found earlier in the season by attaining an amazing 17 wins as of Monday.

The Tigers have played at the top of their game and were named Division Champions, guaranteeing them a spot in the playoffs. Keep an eye out for Miguel Cabrera as the Tigers ease into playoff ball.

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COURTESY GRANT GUNNESON Determined to excel: Junior Grant Gunneson pushes limits and always finishes strong. a few more years - we still have many

By Tyler Fleser more battles to fight.”

The Saint Reporter Wojciakowski is not the only one With all the hype of soccer and la- who is proud of Gunneson. His teamcrosse during the excitement of home- mates share the enthusiasm as well. coming, cross country can be a sport “He believes in everyone on the team that is easily overlooked. However, sometimes more than even they do.” solid runners with great persistence stated sophomore teammate Geoffrey make this team stand out at Aquinas Albaugh.

Gunneson’s improvement as a especially one individual in particular. This individual is one-year AQ runner has been so significant that All-American track and cross country even his teammates have taken notice.

“Through his running, Grant has seen veteran, junior Grant Gunneson.

Gunneson, an already well-estab- a great amount of improvement here lished runner here at Aquinas, began at Aquinas,” said sophomore Blake running on a competitive cross coun- Bitner. “He never really saw himself try team with his friends for Rockford as a track runner until his freshman in seventh grade when he realized year when he was on the Distance that he had potential through soccer Medley Relay team that took fourth experience and after he ran the fastest at the 2011 NAIA Indoor Nationals.” time during the one-mile in gym class. Another one of his teammates, seOn the topic of why Gunneson chose nior James Lanciaux, explained that Aquinas, he responded by saying, Gunneson had been out his freshman “My assistant coach in high school year due to a broken toe, “He really went to Aquinas and he was really proved us all right from the get-go by fast, so I just talked to him and looked leading the AQ’s pack with his ninth more into the cross country program place finish at the Knights Invite,” here which is why I ended up choos- said Lanciaux.

Gunneson is genuinely passioning Aquinas over other schools I was looking into. I am a Sustainable Busi- ate about track and cross country. ness major as well so that also swayed “I think you have to like racing and hanging out with all the guys. The my decision to choose Aquinas.”

Gunneson’s coach here at Aqui- team is so supportive of each other nas is very excited to have him in which is awesome,” said Gunneson. the program. “Grant’s maturation as He also feels that cross country is “all a runner has been very exciting to about the team” and made a point to watch.” stated the Men’s Cross Coun- say the really wants the team to do try Coach Michael Wojciakowski. “He well at nationals.

Gunneson admitted, laughing, had great role models when he entered the program and I believe that that he didn’t have many plans after helped him initially. Grant is now tak- getting out of college save getting ing that role with our younger guys. a job, but that he does want to keep He is a tireless worker and follows running in local Grand Rapids after through on direction. Gunneson is a graduation at Aquinas. “I definitely competitor and strives to be the best do plan on continuing to run,” he that he can be and tries to make the said. “I couldn’t see myself not runpeople around him better. I am equal- ning.” ly excited to get to work with him for

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