The Saint :: Issue 1

ISIS, Ebola & Canadians, Oh My! Staff Writer Nate Gimby discusses the possibility of threats we didn’t even know about

theSaint

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Wednesday, September 17, 2014 Volume 34, Issue 1

>>NEWS Trendy Foods | 2

Are your favorite super-foods really running short, or is it just another healthy-eating related rumor?

The Loss of Saints | 3

After the passing of three of the most influential members of AQ, we remember what they stood for and why we will never forget them

>>CULTURE Grande-Sized Career | 5

Staff Writer Veronica Burns reviews this show-stopper’s sophomore album

In Review: Rock the Block | 6

Saint Reporter Alex Merlotti reviews what was rockin’ at this signature Residence Life event

>>SPORTS Here Me Roar | 7 The start of the NFL season brings hopeful Lions fans to their feet with their first win.

Women’s Soccer | 8

Saint Reporter Anna Musiyenko fills you in to what AQ’s ladies on the field are up to this season

We’re all about that bass.

Here Comes Homecoming Aquinas College prepares to kickoff homecoming celebrations during the week of September 22-27

By Carlos Hernandez The Saint Reporter T h e a t h l e t e s a r e wa i t i n g o n the field with anticipation, the H o m e co m i ng Ro yalty N o mine e s are campaigning, and the campus is flooded with Aquinas students, both past and present. All throughout next week, there are dozens of on-campus activities that turn Aquinas into a cornucopia of food, fun and community.

Parts of the Homecoming festivities are being organized by the Aquinas Programing Board (AQPB.) “A Q P B i s s t r i v i n g t o m a k e homecoming bigger and better than ever before,” says senior MacKenzie Glaros, leader of t h e c l u b ’s C a m p u s Tr a d i t i o n s committee.

On Monday in the Moose from 9-10:30P.M., is an evening of music from Austin Renfroe, an acoustic pop-rock artist who posses a uniqueness in telling traditional stories through his music.

On Tuesday, also at the Moose from 8:30-10 P.M., is the Pinterest Party, a night of arts and crafts with a “Back-to-School” theme.

Here you can show off your inner artist and decorate paper bags for the Kids Food Basket lunch drive.

We d n e s d a y, a t H o l m d e n e Lawn at 10:15, is the ever-popular drive-in movie. Feel free to bring your blankets and find a spot in the Homecoming tent to view 22 Jump Street. Refreshments will be provided.

O n T h u r s d a y yo u c a n e n j o y Hypnotist Tom Deluca, who will

put on a show even skeptics can enjoy.

And if you wear your homecoming shirt, you have a chance to win fabulous prizes.

Friday night the party is in Regina Bowl for a barbecue-themed social gathering starring singer Adam Day. O n S a t u r d a y, which is a day full of excitement, including the many booths all over campus to the crowning of this year ’s homecoming royalty, ending with the homecoming dance that features DJ Ricky in the We g e B a l l r o o m a t 9.

These events, COURTESY ANDRIS VISOCKIS of course are #Homecoming2014: Students will have a lot to choose from during the week of September 22-27. not the only things happening o n c a m p u s . “ I ’ m e x c i t e d f o r all everyone. She has her sights h o m e c o m i n g b e c a u s e o f t h e focused on bringing the event Whether it be networking with program that Residence Life puts further into the community, like a l u m n i , e n j o y i n g g o o d f o o d o r on for students. Last year it was to Eastown in the future. enjoying a good game, this year ’s called AQ Crushed it and this year Until then, Avery discusses the h o m e c o m i n g i s l o o k i n g t o b e a it’s going to be even better,” says idea by saying “I would encourage refreshing fall event at Aquinas! junior Allison Garstecki. students to talk to alumni and ask Students can look at upcoming Also looking forward to the them questions: What is the biggest e v e n t s o n t h e A q u i n a s E v e n t c e l e b r a t i o n i s t h e D i r e c t o r o f d i f f e r e n c e f r o m w h e n yo u we r e Calendar or check out the signs Alumni Engagement, Brigid Avery. a s t u d e n t a t A q u i n a s c o m p a r e d posted all over campus!

She is looking forward to seeing t o n o w ? W h a t wa s i t l i k e b a c k a l l t h e o l d f a c e s c o m i n g b a c k then? Remember, you can always Happy Homecoming! t o c a m p u s a n d w o r k s t o m a k e network, even at Homecoming!” sure homecoming is a blast for

#saveGaiaCafe

By Nathan Gimby Staff Writer Gaia Café closed its doors August 31st, leaving regular patrons of the vegan and vegetarian hotspot both saddened and a bit baffled. The vegetarian breakfast and lunch restaurant has been a staple in the East Hills community for over three decades and Gaia manager Andrea Bumstead told M L i ve t h a t t h e c a f é h a s a l wa y s been profitable. However Rick Van Dam, the owner of 26 years, is now retiring and selling the restaurant to pursue other ventures.

Va n D a m w a s r e p o r t e d l y willing to sell the restaurant to its employees but they were not able to raise sufficient funds between t h e o w n e r ’s a n n o u n c e m e n t o n August 22 and the closing on the 31st. A Kickstarter campaign was considered with #savegaiacafe a p p e a r i n g o n F a c e b o o k , Tw i t t e r and signs on the street but the campaign was dropped due to unexpected complications.

M e s s a g e s f r o m we l l - w i s h e r s and distraught regulars poured o n t o G a i a ’s F a c e b o o k p a g e a n d curious former patrons were still posting hopeful questions about the restaurant’s status over a week after its closing.

And there is reason to be hopeful. Bumstead told MLive that she was due to meet with potential investors to discuss continuation of the restaurant’s legacy. The hope of Gaia’s employees is that they can find an investor who will stay true to the spirit of the restaurant that has occupied East Hills since the 80’s.

In an area that is now a bustling center for foodies, shoppers and b e e r l o ve r s , G a i a C a f é wa s j u s t one among a number of unique restaurants along Cherry Street for the last few years. But when the vegetarian café opened in 1982,

it was considered a pioneer in the neighborhood.

Gaia has also long been a favorite among students, staff, and faculty here at Aquinas.

“When I first moved to GR, it was hard to get a salad without bacon bits let alone a balanced ve g e t a r i a n m e a l , ” s a i d A q u i n a s professor and Associate Dean o f S t u d e n t A f f a i r s , D r. J e n n i f e r Dawson.

“Gaia was a treasure because there were so many items. I think that everyone who went to Gaia had a favorite from the Hash to t h e E d W h i t e o r t h e B u i l d yo u r Own Burrito, you could never go wrong. The biggest loss, however?

The cookies. To die for.”

Aquinas alumni from all over the country still remember Gaia fondly.

“Even though I have been living in California for over two years, Gaia has not been replaced a s m y f a vo r i t e r e s t a u r a n t a n d I highly doubt it will ever be.” said AQ alum Sara Sanders, “The place was authentic and a treasure to the community.”

Other AQ students are just disappointed that they may have missed their chance at dining at this local legend.

“As a vegetarian, hearing that Gaia Cafe closed was shocking,” said AQ senior Kane McLoughlin. “ N o t t o s a y t h a t t h e r e a r e n ’t any other vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurant in Grand Rapids, but man, that veggie hash sounded pretty good.”

Whether Gaia Café remains c l o s e d o r a n i n ve s t o r d o e s p u l l through and save the beloved East Hills establishment, it is clear that Gaia is already sorely missed.

By Charles Hyde Opinion Editor

World News

Iraq The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has executed another prisoner. BBC reports that David Haines, a British aid worker in Syria, was executed last Thursday, September 13.

A statement was released by the organization noting that it was a message to Allies of America. United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron has condemned the attack, and promised that the UK will take “whatever steps are necessary” to destroy the organization in a “calm, deliberate” manner. Arab states in the area have offered to help with strikes from the air, if the Iraqi government will allow COURTESY BLUE-NEWS.ORG it. Alan Henning, another British aid volunteer, has Fighting for The Right: Ukrainian Protesters line the street to fight for a democracy been named as the next target. He is currently being held captive, Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels. Most of the country. Sanctions largely concern but still alive at press time. recently, Ukrainians repelled the rebels oil trade from Russia, restricting it and Liberia The Ebola outbreak in Western when they attacked an airport in Donetsk. aiming to hurt their economy. Retaliatory Africa is still not under control, reports Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy measures have been discussed, including the Washington Post. Liberian clinics Yatsenyuk has declared that the country forbidding Western airlines from using are full, with people being turned away is in a state of war, with Russia being their Russian air space.

Vatican City if they are not far enough along in the primary opponent. Yatsenyuk has also Pope Francis has married 40 people progression of the disease. This outbreak accused Russia of attempting to eliminate is the worst in recorded history, with the entirety of Ukraine. Meanwhile, in the first papally-presided marriage more than 2200 casualties thus far. The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov since 2000, reports TIME. The marriage centers are not large enough, and Doctors accused the United States of manipulating ceremony took place at St. Peter’s Basilica Without Borders staff are worried that the situation for their economic benefit on Sunday, September 14, with the they can’t catch up to the rate the disease while denying Russia’s involvement in the couples representing more modern is affecting the community. Many people conflict. Aljazeera America reports that married couples. Some had already lived aren’t working, and societal infrastructure Yatsenyuk has accused Russia of wanting together, considered sinful by the church.

One bride was already a mother; her is failing. Almost all medical care facilities to restore the Soviet Union.

A Russian aid convoy was seen spouse-to-be had his previous marriage are being devoted to the treatment of the virus, so there is little other care to be had. entering the country on Saturday morning, annulled by the church. Pope Francis The US has contributed over $100 million September 13. This news comes after stressed that the church should become in aid, and is attempting to raise that American and European trade sanctions accepting of the way modern marriages number to $250 million, but the estimated against Russia were delivered days are changing. He also stressed that cost of fighting the disease will be $600 before, reports Reuters. These sanctions the church should be a forgiving one. million according to the United Nations. have increased in magnitude since things BBC reports that many Catholics are have escalated in Ukraine, with Russia hoping this will bring about discussions Ukraine Despite a ceasefire, BBC reports annexing Crimea and purportedly aiding of allowing divorced and remarried that the fighting still continues between pro-Russian rebels in the Eastern portion Catholics to take communion.

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Aquinas: President Olivarez to make State of the College Address

Michigan: Grand Rapids Schools recognized by Catholic Education Honor Roll

National: Former Miss New York is

World: Australia reveals plan to aid Great Barrier Reef

On Wednesday, September 17, President Olivarez is set to make the State of the College Address. Olivarez will update faculty, staff and students who attend on the current state of the College and any important information that students should know.

The Address will take place at 10:30 A.M in Wege Ballroom located above the cafeteria.

Grand Rapids’ Catholic Central and West Catholic high schools were among six Michigan schools to be recognized by the Catholic Education Honor Roll as 2014 Schools of Excellence. .The Cardinal Newman Society released the list Monday, Sept. 15, of 71 schools from 26 states.

That’s less than 5 percent of the Catholic high schools in the United States.

The new Miss America, Kira Kazantsev, is crowned at the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Sunday, September 14. Kazantsev is originally from California but resides in New York.

Kazanstev showed talent and awareness as she pushed for the awareness of domestic violence.

Australia develops a 35-year plan to keep risks that threaten the Great Barrier Reef, under control. They want to avoid the United Nations’ classification of the Reef as “in danger.” It has been under extreme danger from climate change, poor water quality and the impact of coastal development.

Lecture Series Feature: Michael Cushion

By Haley Brink The Saint Reporter

COURTESY BRIAN KELLY

On September 9th, 2014, Aquinas’s Associate Professor of Sociology, Michael Cushion, led a lecture on Affirmative Action and the NFL. Specializing in conflict and social change, Cushion had a lot to share on the matter. Professor Cushion began by explaining what exactly Affirmative Action is and how it is directly linked i n t o s o c i e t y. H e e x p l a i n e d how important the concept is when it comes to topics such as employment and higher education.

Cushion elaborated on the purpose of Affirmative Action: “to ensure opportunity” and “redress past discrimination”.

T h e l e ve l o f b i a s e d t h i n k i n g when it comes to hiring is over the top. Cushion claims that there is discrimination in every type of work. Every wo r k p l a c e h a s i t s f a i r s h a r e of biased hiring. So how can the best candidate for the job be chosen without any kind of discrimination? Professor Cushion believes that the NFL is the best example in the world of choosing the best candidate possible for the job. Through drafting college football players, extensive drills, thorough psychological tests, carefully measuring each player ’s physical abilities, and collecting honest references, the NFL has one of the most comprehensive hiring strategies known to man. But what is the problem then? Even the NFL fails to pick the perfect players.

For instance, players who end up in the Hall of Fame generally were not the top picks for the NFL. Henceforth, other – less e x t e n s i ve – h i r i n g p r o c e s s e s are going to remain faulty, and there is virtually no way to pick the perfect candidate every single time.

C u s h i o n ’s e n t i r e l e c t u r e highlights the importance of d i ve r s i t y. B i a s e d h i r i n g w i l l more than likely never stop, but Affirmative Action will help.

By diversifying the workforce, more voices will be heard. More voices being heard, means more ideas that flow and more variety in every aspect of society. By favoring those in d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , d i ve r s i f y i n g t h e wo r k p l a c e w i l l b e m a d e easier. Through opening one’s mind, and choosing candidates for their skills – not their status - or any other biased factors – society will see a definite change in the level of diversity in more places than just the work force.

crowned Miss America is crowned in NJ

The trendy food takeover lives on

By Tom Deotsch The Saint Reporter Everyone has their favorite foods, maybe it’s pizza, or a particular burger, but are there some healthier foods that have been trending.

Foods like sweet potato, kale, acai, flax/chia seeds have become more popular over the past couple years due to their supposed health benefit. Since this is a fairly new topic in the scientific community, most of the information is pure speculation but none the less, the fact about these supposed “super foods” are hard to argue with.

Assistant Professor of Biology, Larry Peters, says “Quinoa is very nutritious and has a great nutrient base. It has all essential amino acids.”

This is rare for a plant to have all essential amino acids, and this is why quinoa has become so trendy because it is a great alternative to animal proteins, but what’s wrong with animal proteins? In recent studies scientists have found that eating a lot of animal proteins may be just as bad as smoking.

Steve Williams, author of the article “Is Eating High Amounts of Animal Protein Really as Bad as Smoking?” states “The study, published this month in the jour-

COURTESY FLICKR

Here to Stay: Trendy foods were rumored to be scarce but research shows that these trendy foods will not be going anywhere soon. nal Cell Metabolism, is making headlines for purporting to show that people who consume a lot of protein between the ages of 5065 are almost 74% more likely to die as a result of cancer, diabetes and other such health problems.

However, the risk was significantly less if study participants consumed plant protein rather than animal protein.”

74% is a large increase. This is why people are racing to stock up

quinoa, kale and sweet potato, not only are they healthy but they decrease the chance of disease.

Surely quinoa can’t have all the spotlight on itself. Other foods like chia/flax seeds could be the modern “Popeye super food” for the amount of health benefits that are packed inside of them.

Another popular food choice is non-dairy milks, soy and almond milks are gaining followers by the day. However are these re-

ally that much better than the traditional milk?

Peters thinks not, he speculates “I don’t see almond milk having much nutritional benefit other than a way to avoid animal protein.”

Even though avoiding animal protein has its benefits, they’re probably not all they are talked up to be.

Other foods that seem to be more hip in today’s world are blackberries, chia/flax seeds, acai, black soybean, coconuts, cocoa, raw and dark chocolate; these are coveted for their taste and gift of antioxidants and amino acids.

For all the oenophiles out there, red wine is skyrocketing in terms of popularity. There’s a compound in it called, resveratrol that supposedly increases intestinal health. Despite this, people are encouraged to keep in mind that too much of anything is bad.

The recent obesity epidemic and an overall move towards environmental improvement may be the cause of this dramatic increase in consumption of health foods.

Either way, it appears that these so called trendy foods are here to stay.

Israel-Palestine Peace felt across the oceans update Conflict continues as Israel and Palestine cannot come to agreement

By Tyler Clark The Saint Reporter

Near the end of this s u m m e r, a ye a r s - o l d c o n f l i c t began again. Fighting erupted this past July between Israel and Hamas only coming to an end recently, leaving 73 Israelis and 2,104 Gazans dead. It’s easy to dismiss the fighting as just another instance of the Palestinians and Israelis coming to blows over their disagreements- the Israeli blockade of Gaza, occupation of t h e We s t B a n k , a n d t h e f a i l u r e o f n e g o t i a t i o n s o n Pa l e s t i n i a n statehood especially- but to do so is to miss a much larger picture.

Starting in 1967, after Israel emerged victorious from the Arab-Israeli War, Israel occupied the Gaza strip, a tiny parcel of land sandwiched between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea, and would continue to do so until 2005. Shortly thereafter the Islamist group, Hamas, seized control of Gaza, and tensions b e t we e n t h e g r o u p - w h i c h c a l l s for the utter destruction of Israel in its charter- and Israel have been h i g h e ve r s i n c e . T h e s e t e n s i o n s rose to a boil in late June with the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas, and the retaliatory murder of a Pa l e s t i n i a n yo u t h b y I s r a e l i s i n early July. on July 7th, rockets fired

by Hamas began to fall on cities in southern Israel, and the very next day Israel responded with “Operation Protective Edge.”

First limited to airstrikes on Hamas’ rocket-launching sites, Protective Edge expanded to include the Israeli bombing of thousands of targets they claimed had affiliations with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and eventually Israeli ground troops were deployed as well. The results speak for t h e m s e l ve s : 1 0 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e we r e injured, nearly half a million displaced from their homes -17,000 of which were destroyed- and 58 hospitals clinics were also destroyed, according to a UN report on the conflict. After the implementation and failure of

several cease-fires, a final truce was reached on August 26th, and appears to have held since then.

The costs of this fighting have been tremendous, with damage to the already poor infrastructure of the Gaza Strip said to be severe.

In conjunction with the Israeli blockade of Gaza -which prevents building materials from enteringthere is a real chance that much of the destruction inflicted on the Strip will be a long time in the repairing. In terms of the casualties of the fighting, of the 2,104 dead Gazans the UN estimates roughly 69% of the dead were civilians.

While Israel experienced far fewer casualties from the fighting - 66 soldiers and 7 civilians- the threat from rockets fired by Hamas a t s o u t h e r n I s r a e l wa s a n e ve rpresent one, with Hamas having fired at the conflicts conclusions 4,591 rockets and mortars at Israeli targets.

Key to a discussion and understanding of the conflict are two concepts: state sovereignty and proportionality, both in relation to war. Sovereignty, or a state’s role as the highest authority within its borders, is important because Israel by definition as a sovereign state has a right and a responsibility to protect its people from attacks both internal and external.

Launching rockets at large civilian populations undoubtedly qualifies as an external threat, and Israel has a right to respond as such.

However, one must also consider the concept of proportionality in war here as well -just as it is not right to respond to being punched by a two-year-old by knocking them out, responding to acts of aggression in ways which are blatantly out of proportion to the o r i g i n a l a c t s i s n o t j u s t e i t h e r.

While this particular conflict appears to have ended, only time will tell if peace will prevail.

News Editor Yasmeen Ahmed E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

Peace is celebrated at the Eastown Streetfair in Grand Rapids and around the world on September 21st

By Mackenzie Murphy The Saint Reporter On September 21st, from Oslo, Norway to Grand Rapids, Michigan, celebrations will be held in honor of the International Day of Peace.

Established in 1981 by the United Nations, the International D a y o f Pe a c e a l l o w s c i t i z e n s t o reflect on the toll of war, violence and terrorism—not just globally, but within our local communities. “ We a l s o h a ve v i o l e n c e a n d c o n f l i c t i n o u r c o m m u n i t y, a n d hope that by having a presence of peace, we can alleviate some of these tensions and encourage community members to seek out available resources for peaceful resolution.” said Whitney Ehresman, the coordinator f o r t h e I n s t i t u t e for Global Education.

T h e I n s t i t u t e for Global Education is a local organization concerned with human rights, peace and social j u s t i c e . Wi t h a presence in the Grand

Rapids community for more than 30 years, they advocate for the peaceful resolution of conflict through education and community discussion. IGE holds events regularly throughout the year, but sees the International Day of Peace as a special opportunity to celebrate.

The Institute kicked off their celebration last week at the Eastown Annual Street Fair. Festivities for the event extend throughout this week, with a special curriculum to promote peace in the Grand Rapids Public Schools system (September 15th-19th) and an Interfaith Peace Service that will be held at the Dominican Chapel at Marywood on

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

September 21st from 2-3pm. Seven different faiths will be represented at the service, and discussion will include topics of violence, peace and forgiveness. Mayor Heartwell will officially declare the day as I n t e r n a t i o n a l D a y o f Pe a c e f o r Grand Rapids during the service.

This year celebrates the 30th anniversary of the UN’s General Assembly Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace. The theme of the International Day of Peace this year, “Right of Peoples to Peace” reflects the theme of this document by recognizing that peace is essential to the preservation of fundamental human rights. After witnessing the atrocities of history’s old conflict, and experiencing the new violence of today, it is important to devote time to peace. The purpose of the International D a y o f Pe a c e is just that: “ T h e International D a y o f Pe a c e has so many f a c e t s — w h e t h e r we look at peace in our community, or i n t h e wo r l d , there are always ways to recognize this UN declared d a y. E v e r y COURTESY PAUL J. HART y e a r , the International Day of Peace presents a reminder that it is never too late to act, get involved and pursue our passions,” Ehresman said. “Even though we live in the United States and some even in peaceful communities, we believe in the connectivity of all of humanity. We want to challenge others to become engaged and recognize the injustices in the world, and emphasize for action.

No one is free when others are oppressed.”

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

AQ Remembers

“Do all the good you can, for as many people as your can, for as long as you can, for all the right reasons.”

-The Wege Foundation

The Everlasting Legacy

By Veronica Burns Peter Wege passed away this past summer on July 7th, at the age of 94. His legacy and donations are still benefiting Grand Rapids. He, his foundation, and Steelcase have done a lot for Aquinas as well as the community.

On campus we have the “Wege Student Center”, but many don’t know the story of the remarkable man named after it. Peter Wege ‘s father was a co-founder of Steelcase and when his father passed away he became vice president of the company. In 2006, Mr. Wege, who was a long time board member of the College, frequently offered his aspiration that Aquinas “be the best Catholic liberal arts college in the country.”

He cared a tremendous amount about education, and attended San Diego Army and Navy Academy, and later the University of Michigan. He put his education on hold while at U of M to enlist in the Army Air Corps. During World War II, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he became a transport pilot.

Mlive.com reported that, “In 1967, Wege created The Wege Foundation and built its mission on five pillars: education, environment, arts and culture, health care, and human services. He gave its first gift

to Aquinas College and remained closely tied to the Catholic college until his death. In 1969, he founded the Center for Environmental Study in Grand Rapids.” They also included the causes that he supported including, “The Grand Rapids Symphony, the Grand Rapids Ballet Company, the American Cancer Society, Saint Mary’s Health Care and countless schools, elementary through college.”

The Grand Rapids Ballet was included in Wege’s will and was appointed $1 million.

U of M, MSU, GVSU, AQ and other colleges’ environmental programs received funding thanks to Mr. Wege. History professor and AQ former provost Dr. Gunnoe recalls that “Wege Believed in investing in high quality people; his mentorship and confidence did much to empower many of today’s leaders in West Michigan and in the national environmental movement.”

He strived to make Steelcase and other places more environmentally friendly, including Aquinas.

As Gunnoe reminisces about Peter Wege he says, “He possessed a compelling and foresighted vision of coexistence of “profit” and “planet” in Economicology. The Aquinas community has found his expansive vision of Economicology as expressed in the Six E’s (Economics, Ecology, Environment, Education, Ethics and

Empathy) a useful enhancement of the conventional understanding of sustainability.”

Gunnoe also commented on Mr. Wege’s impact on the region, “West Michigan does not have the schism between environmental concerns and business interests that typifies some other regions; a good deal of that is attributable to Mr. Wege and the other visionary business leaders that followed him,” adding that, “Mr. Wege believed in the power of education, and educational institutions as catalysts of change.”

Aquinas President Juan Olivarez was especially close to Mr. Wege, and was honored by serving as a pallbearer at his funeral. When asked of Mr. Wege, Dr. Olivarez said, "Peter Wege was a true friend to Aquinas College. He served the College for over 50 years, volunteering his time on our board of trustees and giving his resources to help grow and develop our programs and facilities. We are extremely grateful to Mr. Wege and the Wege Foundation for their generous financial support of AQ."

He was not only an impact on Aquinas, Grand Rapids, Michigan and just the United States; his work was influential internationally as well, and his legacy is one that will be remembered for generations to come.

that and aware of her position.”

Once he started working with Sr. Amata, however, Marko enjoyed being her colleague. He describes her as a trusted confidante, not a plastic saint, but a woman of deep religious faith, who was in touch with the human condition, and who was “hot-blooded for good.”

One quality of Sr. Amata that Marko singles out for special comment is wisdom, as distinct from—and greater than—both knowledge and intelligence.

Sr. Ann Mason, a former student of Sr. Amata, agrees about her wisdom, as does another former student, Professor Michael McDaniel. McDaniel points out the paradox that Sr. Amata, even though she was physically a frail person, always appeared to be strong, by virtue of her vast wisdom.

McDaniel adds that Sr. Amata was also an intensely focused person, to whom every topic except her own discipline was small talk; that she was, nevertheless, willing to fight both for her

own department as well as for the college.

Marko recounts that, in 2004, Sr. Amata was forced to retire, even though she was still mentally sharp as ever, because of health problems that she had after a car accident, and Sr. Ann speaks of how she remained very interested in the college—and remained a regular reader of The Saint—even after she retired.

Sr. Amata was born in Grand Rapids in 1928 to parents of Italian heritage; she attended high school at Marywood Academy, entered the Congregation at Marywood in 1946, and graduated with a B.A. in Theology from Aquinas College in 1961. She joined the faculty after finishing her doctorate degree in 1967, and she taught here until her retirement in 2004. Aquinas College awarded her an honorary degree of Doctor of Theology in 2006. She survived heart surgery in Fall 2012, and passed away June 29, 2014. Her funeral mass was held at the Dominican Chapel in Marywood on July 7.

1912 Peter Wege’s father cofounds Steelcase

1920 Peter Wege is born in Toledo, Ohio 1928 Sister Amata Fabbro is born in Grand Rapids

AQ’s Very Own Angel

By Yashowanto Ghosh

When Professor Robert Marko first came to Aquinas College for his interview to join the faculty, the provost, Sr. Lenora Carmody, suggested that he should teach three class preparations instead of four in the beginning.

Late that night, Marko received a telephone call at his hotel room. It was Sr. Amata Fabbro, his future department chair in the Department of Religious Studies (now the Department of Theology), who had picked him up at the airport when he had arrived in town the day before.

“We do not need any prima donnas here. We need someone to teach four courses,” Sr. Armata said on the phone.

When delivering Sr. Amata’s eulogy this summer, Marko said, among other things, “She functioned more like the pope of Rome than as an ecumenical patriarch. She was very much aware of

On June 25, 2014, a horrific tragedy took Aquinas College student Kassie Keyzer away from her friends and family. The untimely death left the community in mourning. Keyzer, who was happily engaged at the time of her death, was set to be married in July and had a beloved three-year-old son named Reese.

While the area in which she grew up is heavily grieving with the young mother’s death, the Grand Rapids community holds a special place for her, particularly in the hearts of Aquinas staff, faculty and students.

As a student studying Computer Information Systems, Keyzer often worked as a field technician in the ITS department, resolving technological problems campus wide.

“We collaborated ideas to gather intelligence,” said Tom Ferratt, Network Systems Administrator, “but most of the time, Kassie jumped into computer malfunctions feet first.”

Keyzer’s spontaneous problem solving made her a great asset to the tight-knit ITS family. She often conversed with coworkers outside of her work environment, something very indicative of Aquinas College.

Friends and coworkers shared many fond memories and the impact that Keyzer left on their lives. She instantly lit up when seeing others she knew. Even when it came to meeting a person for the first time, rather than viewing them as a complete stranger, she would see them as a newfound friend.

“Her willingness to cheer you up after a rough day will not be forgotten,” said Senior Jon Rosemond, a coworker and close friend to Keyzer. Rosemond recalled his freshman year when he and Keyzer first worked together, fixing a broken computer in the library. “We must have spent hours trying to fix that device.”

Her bubbly personality and

fun-loving sense of humor made the task enjoyable for Rosemond.

Keyzer was, quite literally, a bright spot around campus and in the office.

“She wore these bright neon colors—every day-glow color you could think of,” said Ferratt. “It was her way of saying ‘I’m here and this is who I am.’”

Senior Rose VanDenBrink recalled an experience when Keyzer’s vibrancy permeated throughout the walls of the Academic Building.

“Kassie and I went down to the basement to take silly photos with friends,” said VanDenBrink. “We used the self-timer on our camera, and by the time it went off, Kassie managed to squeeze almost every inch of her body into the top half of a rolling cart. I held up her legs because her bottom wouldn’t fit.”

In addition to being a CIS student, Keyzer was also the president of the Technology Club at Aquinas and an active member of the Calvary Church of Wayland. She integrated her lively personality with her important academic life.

“I will miss her lightheartedness…the child inside of her,” said VanDenBrink.

On Wednesday, September 10, a memorial service for Keyzer took place in Bukowski Chapel. Family and friends banded together to share their memories of Keyzer.

“The best thing we can do is tell her story,” said Father Stan Drongowski.

“Keep the memories alive with stories.”

Later in the evening, a campus memorial mass was presented, commemorating the lives of fallen Aquinas members—Keyzer was also mentioned.

Quite recently, the ITS department has gotten on board with the creation of a memorial bench for Keyzer. With the generous help from the Alumni Association, Grounds, and the Foundation of Aquinas College, friends and family hope to break ground on the monument as soon as enough funds have News Editor Yasmeen Ahmed

been raised. The plan is to have the bench placed in the heart of campus, near the Academic Building, a heavily-visited area where people can gather and talk.

The memorial spot will be decorated with flame azaleas in the spring, which are flowers that are vibrant in color, very representative of Keyzer’s personality.

“Even though she’s no longer with us, a part of her can still remain and live on,” said Ferratt.

The memorial fund’s goal is to raise $2,000 for the bench, engraving, and landscaping. Family and friends are highly encouraged to make donations at aquinas.aqsaintsnetwork.org. Upon visiting the website, click ‘Make a Gift’ and specify that you’d like to donate to the ‘Kassandra Keyzer’ cause.

Humorous memories of Keyzer are instilled in the minds and hearts of many. In fact, her confidence and determination has led to wander about the window well of AB to indulge in a cuddle session with Professor McDaniels’ ferrets.

Senior Aliecia LaVictor recalled the excursion:

“Kassie had this brilliant idea to jump down into the window well to visit McDaniels’ ferrets,” said LaVictor. “In no time she was petting and holding them like it was a part of her everyday routine.”

The Aquinas community continues to grieve at the loss of Kassie Keyzer, a woman who possessed compassion for everyone who surrounded her. She was cared for by many friends and family who will continue to carry on the everlasting memories.

“She has really left an irreplaceable mark on the Aquinas community,” said Ferratt. “It’s easy to believe she’s still here.”

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

Phone (616) 632-2975

1946 Peter Wege begins working for Steelcase

1961 Sr. Amata graduates from Aquinas College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1967 Sr. Amata joins the faculty of Aquinas College

1987 Sr. Amata becomes a full time professor and chairperson of the Department of Religious Studies at Aquinas College 1992 Kassandra Rose Keyzer is born in Wayland, Michigan

2004 Sr. Amata retires from Aquinas College

The Shining Star

By Chucky Blackmore

1946 Sr. Amata enters the Congregation at Marywood

1967 The Wege Foundation is created by Peter Wege 1969 Peter Wege founds the Center for Environmental Study in Grand Rapids

1998 Peter Wege publishes the first version of his book, ECONOMICOLOGY 2000 Peter Wege retires as the Vice President of Steelcase

2006 Sr. Amata recieves an honorary Doctor of Theology Degree by 2010 Kassie graduates from Wayland-Union High School

2010 Peter Wege publishes the second version of his book, ECONOMICOLOGY

2011 Kassie’s son, Reese, is born

June 25, 2014 Kassandra Keyzer passes away at the age of 21

July 7, 2014 The Funeral mass for Sr. Amata was held at the Domnican Chapel Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

June 29, 2014 Sister Amata Fabbro passes away at the age of 85 after dedicating 67 years of her life to the church July 7, 2014 Peter Wege passes away at the age of 94

opinion >>

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

ISIS, Ebola, and other reasons to never leave your house

FROM THE CROWD

APPLAUSE TO...

By Nathan Gimby Staff Writer

Student Senate, for giving out free discount cards; Circle Theatre, for pulling off a horror show on stage with Carrie the Musical; Honey, for being proved to help treat wounds as well as being delicious; Pope Francis, for marrying 20 couples in St. Peter’s Basilica; The Fall, for allowing all white girls to enjoy Pumpkin Spice everything; Residence Life, for giving us free music, food, and swing dancing at Rock the Block; Our new staff members Aaron Campbell and Emily Higham, for jumping on midissue.

HECKLES TO...

You may have seen a video making rounds of a journalist named James O’Keefe who stages a terrorist infiltration of the United States over the Canadian border. O’Keefe is attempting to prove that an ISIS terrorist with British citizenship could fly into Canada without a visa and make their way over Lake Erie into the US. In his mock infiltration, the ISIS “terrorist” is carrying “Ebola” and “ricin” in a duffle bag (presumably snuck through Canadian customs in a balled up sock) and once he is in the bustling metropolis of Cleveland, Ohio he waltzes into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame without even being shot at once. O’Keefe’s conclusions seem to be that the US-Canada border should be heavily policed day and night (at least that’s the only option that will sate his seemingly insatiable lust for security) and you should

Kanye West; The Miss America Pageant, for misspelling Jane Austen as “Jane Austin;” Russia, for pretending it didn’t invade Ukraine; The movie Boyhood, for being a waste of a 12 year production; Abecrombie & Fitch, for still being tasteless and losing sales (and their logo) for it; The Corner Cafe, for still not bringing back the turkey burger; Urban Outfitters, for the most offensive clothing designs ever.

theSaint

Islam is one of the three Abrahamic religions, along with Judaism and Christianity. With all the talk buzzing around about problems in the Middle East, it’s very easy to get confused about what’s true and what’s not true; time to expose the truth. The most common misconception about Islam is that it’s a violent religion. This could not be any farther from the truth; Islam, next to Hinduism and Buddhism, is actually one of the world’s most peace religions. Islam has five basic teaching that are essential to religious life. First, the declaration of the one true God, and his prophet Muhammad. Second praying five times, while facing towards Mecca. Third, giving charity to the needy, also known as alms giving. Fourth, fasting and practicing self control during the holy month of Ramadan. Fifth, making a pilgrimage to their holy city, Mecca. None of this is violent.

In fact, it’s really about avoiding violence.

In Daniel L. Smith-Christo-

Adviser

Sports Editor Managing Editor Opinion Editor Marketing Editor

Taylor Hodges Iesha Robinson Chuck Hyde Aaron Campbell

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 31 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.

been killed in the US by Muslim terror plots while lightning strikes almost that many people every year. There’s a reason you hear about mass shootings on the news way more often than domestic Islamic terror attacks, but of course since we can’t vilify lightning, or cars, or God forbid, white people. Muslim terrorism will just have to do.

Our government has implemented a lot of anti-terrorism policy since 9/11, some of it prudent and some of it outlandishly wasteful and destructive to civil liberties, not to mention destructive to other countries and their civilians. People have been critiquing these policies and the attitudes that spawned them for years more eloquently and in more detail than I have space for here. However, with shameless yellow journalism like O’Keefe’s Canadian border Ebola stunt still getting people legitimately worried about such ridiculous hypothetical security issues, it’s hard not to be a bit exasperated.

pher ’s book Battleground Religion he says “The Qur ’an instructed believers (Muslims) to submit wholly to God and behave in an ethical manner toward one another.” Unless the definition of ethical has changed in the past century, then Islam is to this day a peaceful non-violent religion.

Muslims as a whole are not violent people. Another misconception about Muslims is that they are terrorists. This is false. Even though there are terrorists in the world who are Islamic, this does not mean that all of them extreme radicals. The Purple gang, which was a drug gang that dominated Detroit in the ‘20s, was mostly Jewish, yet not all Jews in the ‘20s were gangsters. During the Crusades, Christian warriors pillaged, slaughtered, and destroyed many towns and villages, yet not every single Christian during that time was a thief and a murderer.

Every religion has their extremists, those people that cross the line and go to far. This doesn’t mean that the entire religion and its culture should be persecuted.

Islam and Judaism share this idea of kosher, except Islam takes

it a step further. It believes that dogs are unclean animals and that when someone comes in contact with one they need to wash themselves. This is another example of their devout attitude toward faith.

The Qur ’an, the Islamic holy book, preaches self-control. In the fifth chapter, eighth verse it says “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.” Nowhere does it say to be violent or even hateful. This erroneous idea has single handedly made the word Islam synonymous with violence. The world thinks that they’re such a violent people, however their holy book tells them to be just and fair people. Hopefully sometime in the near future society would see the facts and accept Islam as what it is, a nonviolent religion.

The Fall in Preview: Pumpkin Spice and Politics

2014-2015 E D I T O R I A L B O A R D Mayra Monroy Yasmeen Ahmed Abbi Racine Emily Higham

be scared of speedboats carrying Ebola across Lake Erie (notice how Mr. O’Keefe references ISIS and Ebola in a classic bit of hot button fear mongering).

A couple months earlier, O’Keefe pulled the same little experiment, but the actor had an Osama Bin Laden mask on and was crossing the US-Mexico border unimpeded by the authorities. Not sure if O’Keefe did any experiments on how exposure to the elements or lack of food and water affects terrorists like it does so many others who die to make the same crossing, but I would certainly be interested to see him make the attempt himself.

Does this scare you? Because if it does you must not get out much, considering that you’re more likely to get hit by a car, struck by lightning or shot by a white American citizen with arms purchased within our borders than you are to be a victim of Muslim terrorism. No seriously, since September 12, 2001 only 33 people have actually

Misconceptions about Islam

By Tom Doetsch The Saint Reporter

Internet rumors, for making us think Betty White had died;

Editor-in-Chief News Editor Culture Editor Creative Director

4

chuck hyde | opinion editor Fall is here.

We come back on campus at a time that Aquinas is at its most beautiful.

The air is crisp, the campus bustles with activity, and the Moose finally serves coffee again after being closed all summer. Orientation and Get AQuainted Days are over, with people settling into another semester of classes and obligations. New students wander the campus, still lost but getting more adjusted every day.

The leaves will begin to turn colors shortly, marking the transition from the heat of summer to the harsh cold of winter. Another transition is happening, as well.

Tuesday, November 4 marks election day. Midterms are com-

ing up with contested elections for many different positions. State and National Senators and House Representatives, Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Governor, among others, are all up for contention. Though there may not be a presidential election this year, the election is still an important one. As all of us (or most of us) are eligible voters, we need to go out and make an appearance at the polls the first Tuesday in November.

As we participate in democracy, the very minimum we can do is go to the polls and vote. Many people sit around and complain about the government, but they take no action to fix it. If you truly want to see change, you have to get involved.

Besides voting, you can canvas, put signs up, volunteer for a campaign, or a number of other things.

It doesn’t matter whom you support, just that you do your research and develop your own opinions. Everyone of us at Aquinas,

especially the first-years, need to remember that we are not our parents.

It’s okay to learn about the issues and the candidates and vote in line with your beliefs. Go out and get involved, and make sure to register by October 6 to meet the deadline.

On a more lighthearted note, the fall brings a lot of things to Grand Rapids that make it my favorite season. Pumpkin and apple flavorings reign supreme, which are two of my favorite. Orchards, cider mills, and haunted houses all come out in earnest, providing entertainment on chilly fall nights, which have a much more tolerable temperature than the sticky nights of summer.

The leaves will turn, and road trips through the forests of Michigan will become even better. I can finally wear my wide array of sweaters and boots without sweating more than I care to. Thunderstorms, full moons, and clear night skies are coming.

Autumn is upon us, and I for one could not be happier.

Like theSaint on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @TheSaintAQ.

>>write us a letter!

e-mail — saint.editors@aquinas.edu, or use the form on our website.

physical copies – AB, Room 20

Opinion Editor: Chuck Hyde

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

culture

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<<

THE SAINT |WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Movies: ‘Fifty Shades of Grey ‘ movie set to be released in February

Television: Former ‘Hills’ star Lauren Conrad ties the knot

Music: U2 stuns with free ‘Songs of Innocence’ album release on iTunes

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Housewives across the nation will be thrilled to know that their favorite erotic novel will be premiering on the silver screen in February. Rumors of the film adaptation of the controversial novel written by E.L. James have been circulating for some time. The film will be rated R, and there are talks of a NC-17 version being later-released.

Reality star, and fashion maven L a u r e n C o n r a d m a r r i e s f i a n c e Wi l l i a m Tell in an intimate ceremony, surrounded by family and close friends, including c o - s t a r L o B o s wo r t h o n C a l i f o r n i a c o a s t o n S e p t e m b e r 1 3 . T h e l o ve b i r d s m e t o n a b l i n d d a t e o n Va l e n t i n e ’s D a y 2 0 1 2 .

iTunes users, notice the new U2 album ‘Songs of Innocence’ that popped up in your library? The Irish rock band made a reported 7 figure deal with Apple, having their latest record distributed directly for free. Apple, after collecting backlash, responded with a web removal tool for the poorly-received marketing strategy. Sorry, Bono.

As per usual, controversy surrounds everyone’s favorite self-righteous rapper. West, at a recent concert in Sydney, Australia, insisted that everyone stand, forgetting his handicapped fans in the crowd.

>>Kayne west

COURTESY ASSOCIATED PRESS

As Above So Below promises horror... and fails

Dear Abbi

abigale racine | culture editor

I don’t know how you feel, dear reader, about being back on-campus, but I can honestly state that there is no place I would rather be.

Okay, maybe my mind occasionally drifts back to the picturesque shores of Lake Michigan while I am day-dreaming in the classroom. Regardless of the now distance memories of the sand and the surf, I am astatic to be back.

For one, I have returned to The Saint office, my home away from home. There have been serious conversations of placing hammocks in the office for the editorial staff during production week. If we could only invest in a cat for the office, then this place could truly be called home.

I recognize that a cat is unrealistic, but I still want a hammock at least.

In all seriousness, we as a staff are beyond thrilled to refill our positions and see what this year will bring us.

We sit in the office into the wee hours of the night, typing till our fingertips burn, binge-eating Nestle Crunch bars, and complaining of sleep deprivation.

Secretly, we love it. Or maybe we are sick individuals and we like to subject ourselves to torture, one explanation or the other.

Also, I am proud of the 2 new additions we have added to our staff, Creative Director, Emily Higham, and Marketing Editor, Aaron Campbell. They are stellar people and I am looking forward to working with them this year.

As the Culture Editor of this publication, I often joke that, “I get to be in charge of all of the fun articles.”

Only, I am not joking. In Grand Rapids, we are ridiculously spoiled with culture.

In this area, we are exposed to great art, musical talents, entertaining theatrics, and delicious food.

Oh, and for those 21 years and older, they can appreciate Beer City U.S.A. for what it’s worth.

With ArtPrize right around the corner, Grand Rapids will be bustling with activity, and Aquinas College is not too far from the center of all the action.

This 19 day event is uniquely its own and inspires so many people to think in a different way. Having 3 miles of a variety of artistic creations influences people to stop and appreciate beauty, something I believe is difficult to practice at times.

I can’t encourage people enough to get out and explore the great city that we reside in.

There are so many incredible opportunities at our fingertips, it would be an absolute shame to let them go to waste.

Grab a group of friends and spend an evening enjoying a painting lesson at Brush Studio, located in Gaslight Village. This experience is one of my most treasured college memories spent with friends.

Catch a performance at Civic Theatre, the Dog Story Theatre, or at Aquinas College’s very own Circle Theatre. As the great Bard once stated, “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and woman merely players.”

Explore different coffee shops and evaluate which establishment provides the best coffee. My bet is on the sweetened latte at Rowster Coffee in Wealthy District.

Hit up a concert at the Van Andel Arena, the Intersection, the Orbit Room, or many other venues that host events. If you are feeling ambitious, check out the Grand Rapids Opera House.

Take in some history at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, or appreciate the art exhibits at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

After all, culture is the pulse of society. Get out there and explore.

COURTESY: UNIVERSAL PICTURES

WTH: In As Above So Below, an anthropologist and her team crawl into hell, but not deep enough to scare the viewer.

By Darcy Vines The Saint Reporter The newly-released As Above So Below starring Welsh actressPerdita Weeks, is the first preHalloween horror flick to hit theaters this fall season, but the it lacks enough development to be actually scary.

The premise of the film, albeit unoriginal, is an interesting one.

A female anthropologist named Scarlett is played by Weeks, of The Tudors fame. Scarlett and a ragtag team of amateur explorers

dive deep into the catacombs under Paris. The adventurers are in search of the philosopher ’s stone, a mystical piece of long-forgotten treasure with unfathomable power.

From the beginning, the film takes on a grown-up National Treasure feel, and it might have been more successful if that’s the route on which it stayed.

Instead, As Above So Below pulls out all the cliche horror movie stops and crams as possible into the remaining 45 minutes of the movie.

The setting of the film promises haunting images from the start. Piles of human skulls and other miscellaneous bones are stacked on either side of the already cramped tunnels that the ill-advised adventurers are set to wander through, for endless miles.

What might be the most disturbing part of As Above So Below is the blatant disregard toward these remains. The team shows irreverence towards these bones, missing the fact that these remains that they toss around and step on

once belonged to real people.

When Benji, the documentarian said to be filming their exploration, is almost trapped in a pseudo-avalanche of bones, the viewer is struck with a mixture of “that’s what you get” and “told ya so” feelings.

Of course, when the team realizes, that they are trapped and lost in the catacombs, out come the sad ploys to attempt to scare the audience. There’s the disembodied religious chanting, the sudden loud noises, the frantic exclamations of “oh my God, something’s biting me” and, miraculously enough, even a mysterious ringing telephone with a demon-like voice on the other end.

Yes. A ringing telephone that the group stumbles upon. Hundreds of feet underground. I know what you are thinking; they must have a fantastic service provider.

Added onto these sad tactics are the unnecessary gore and the repeated refrain of “we have to keep going!”, even as the group’s numbers are dwindling.

If you’ve read Dante’s Inferno for your Humanities class or otherwise, As Above So Below is worth the watch. This cinematic interpretation of hell in comparison to Dante’s and the Bible’s, as well as the history behind the setting, is enough to get anyone thinking.

However, if you’re looking for something really terrifying to watch to get you in the spirit for the Halloween season, skip this one.

Grande offers everything on sophomore album

By Veronica Burns Staff Writer With four songs in the Billboard Hot 100 and her second album in less than a year debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, its safe to say Ariana Grande is having a great

year.

Her rising success sadly includes losses as well, as her grandfather passed away in July. She sang “My Everything”, the title song off her new album, at the Stand Up To Cancer event recently in dedication to him. Grande ended a relationship around the same time her grandfather passed away, but she has found (rumored) new love with Big Sean.

He is featured on three of her songs, including the catchy, “Best Mistake”, off her new album.

The “Problem” singer has quite the platform already with almost 22 million Facebook likes and 18.5 million Twitter followers. She gained popularity from hit Nickelodeon TV shows and could have been seen as just another teen star trying to get into the music business. What sets her apart from the rest is her perfect powerhouse of a voice, combined

with a strong work ethic.

She opened the show at the VMAs and will hit the iHeartRadio Music Festival the weekend of September 12. On September 27, the singer will perform on SNL, alongside the man of the moment and comedy funny man, Chris Pratt. The duo is anticipated to bring in strong numbers for the infamous series 40 season debut.

Events company Live Nation is promoting her first headlining North American tour, which will start in Kansas City on February 25.

Among the 25 cities included in the “Honeymoon Tour ” is Detroit, with Grande performing in the Motor City on March 7, 2015. Tickets for the show at Joe Louis Arena go on sale to the general public on September 20, with the pre-sale currently open for Citi credit card members.

“My Everything” deluxe edition already has three major hits, and “Best Mistake” is making its way up the Hot 100 right now. The slow ballad, “Just A Little Bit Of My Heart”, written for Grande by the flippyhaired, One Direction sensation Harry Styles is one of my favorites.

The emotional song includes lyrics, “I don’t ever ask you where you’ve been/ And I don’t feel the need to know who you’re with/ I can’t even think straight, but I can tell/ That you were just with her/ And I’ll still be a fool/ I’m a fool for you.”

COURTESY MELISSA ROSE

One less problem: New chapters but the same hairstyle for the pop performer.

An intro is included on the album and the serene song that has a small paragraph of lyrics, “I’ll give you all I have/ And nothing less I promise/ Love me and don’t look back.” Then later in the album, “Hands On Me” may surprise those that are listening to her singing, “Don’t let these eyes fool ya/ I can take it, hold nothing back, give it to me.” A$AP Ferg is featured on that track, while The Weeknd, Childish Gambino, and Cashmere Cat are in-

Writer Spotlight:

Meet Your Editor:

Tom Doetsch

Abigale Racine

Darkness The stars were beautiful that night. They made diamonds look dull. The sunset looked like strokes of paint on an infinite canvas. The trees were more majestic than an eagle in flight.

Their crimson leaves dancing in the midnight breeze; then there was me with my dirt brown hair and azure eyes. I watched as the sun was running away, with the light it brings; as was the darkness inside my eyes, racing away to join its kin.

Culture Editor Abigale Racine

Culture editor extraordinare Tom Doetsch is a freshman at Aquinas. He is an English major, as well as a competitive table tennis player.

He enjoys writing for the newspaper but also writes short stories and long fiction.

KELLI GULLEN/THESAINT

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

volved in the album as well.

One Republic frontman Ryan Tedder wrote the third track on the album entitled, “Why Try”. Love being complicated a complicated thing is a repeated theme in the album with lyrics in this track including, “I’m loving the pain/ I never wanna live without it/ So why do I try/ You drive me insane/ Now we’re screaming just to see who’s louder.”

I would recommend to check out the album on Spotify, and set a

To submit creative writing pieces, email saint.editors@ aquinas.edu.

Even as a youngvalidated when ster, Abigale Racine she landed her first possessed a theatrical writing gig at her flair. hometown newspaper, Wether it was beand expanded her hoing the only one to rizons with other publisport a full-on leopard cations as well, includcostume to elementary ing The Saint. school on Halloween, Racine loves to or, to be the only one to read Russian literature, dress for the holiday in sit in coffee shops all fact, Racine has never day to enable her cafshied from expressing feine addiction, and her crazy, creative side. watch terrible reality Intuitively, she television with her cat, knew that she was desHamlet.

COURTESY ABBI’S MOM tined to be a writer, particularly And, still, to this very a non-fiction writer. This sentiment was day, she loves leopard print.

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

6

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

CULTURE

Rockin’ Ryan The ArtPrize Takeover

AQ’s campus buzzes with an AQ signature program

free food, Pei shared that they are continuously trying to be innovative While walking to the Cook Car- and offer more activities this year.

As I made my way over to The riage House the chilly night of September 13, I wasn’t sure what to ex- Moose that night, I could hear the sounds of rock trio, Velcrofibs, feapect of Rock the Block.

Approaching Aquinas’ campus, turing two Aquinas juniors, Chucky the sound of live music grew louder Blackmore and Graham Lince.

Both Blackmore and Lince agreed and louder while delicious whiffs of that the audience’s reception to their savory donuts spread through the air. music was very motivational in their The crowd was alive and enjoying playing that themselves night. and their L i n c e energy was eagerly exreciprocatpressed, “I ed by the felt the crowd musicians was very reon stage. sponsive to Campus the music and radiated it seemed to positive be reflected vibes and in our playa shared ing tonight,” sense of with Blackcommunimore chiming ty among in, “I thought attendees the crowd reand particception was ipants was unbelievfelt.

ABIGALE RACINE/THE SAINT able. Rock the The agenda for Rock the Block 2014 included live music from a num- Block 2014 was one of my favorite ber of Aquinas-based bands, trivia events that I’ve played.”

Simion Guenther, an Aquinas juand games with a chance to win gift cards, a raffle with the chance to win nior who filled in on bass for Like a an iPad Mini, free food including Bossa, excitedly shared his feelings Jets Pizza, Jimmy Johns, and a donut on being a part of Rock the Block truck from GoNuts, a henna tattoo 2014.

“Playing at Rock the Block tickbooth and swing dancing lessons at led my fancy; the environment was the end of the night. friendly, the people were digging the Paulina Pei, a Rock the Block organizer this year, was more than will- music and every band there played a ing to offer a little information about great set,” Guenther said.

Upon departure from campus, the history of Rock the Block.

Pei, a sophomore at Aquinas, ex- sophomore Isabel Bailey summarized plained that, “The purpose [of Rock her thoughts on Rock the Block, saythe Block] is to bring students togeth- ing, “Rock the block was great this er in a fun environment while show- year. Hearing the music that student casing student bands. In the past, bands are making was awesome. It we’ve had student and outside per- was also cool to see alumni doing formers every year, and with those what they loved on stage, free pizza performers we truly want to rock the and donuts were definitely a plus.”

All in all, Rock the Block was to Cook Carriage House.” be a smashing success this year.

While the event has maintained a

By Alex Merlotti The Saint Reporter

successful formula of live music and

The festival city-takeover kickstarts Sept. 24th

By Hannah Broderick & Abigale Racine The Saint Reporter, Culture Editor It all started in April 2009, when businessman Rick DeVos proposed the idea that would evolve into what is known as ArtPrize.

DeVos announced that he was going to give away the world’s largest art prize, based solely on a public vote. This experimental event took over downtown Grand Rapids that fall.

Now, 5 years later, Grand Rapids can’t be pictured without ArtPrize, which attracts people internationally and draws in crowds of at least 130,000 annually.

For the span of 19 days, the annual art festival covers 3 miles of the Grand Rapids metropolis area.

This is an opportunity for people of varying ages and backgrounds to experience art at its finest.

What makes this festival so unique? Well, it is an open call for artists and venues. Any artists over the age of 18 can apply and any space within the ArtPrize 3-mile radius can be a venue.

It is independently organized by artists and venues, through artprize.org.

The top two prizes are worth $400,000 and eight category awards worth $160,000 are granted to participants.

Half of the votes are selected by public vote, while the other half are selected through a jury of art experts.

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend ArtPrize for the first time last year and I was amazed by some of the thing I saw. At times, my breath was absolutely taken away by the various painting, sculptors, and others crafts that the artists placed an immense amount of time and effort into.

Previously, I had never been to an art festival as large as ArtPrize before, and it was shocking to see how creative artists can be.

I was impressed how they can take the smallest idea and turn it into something so big and beautiful.

Unfortunately, I was only able to spend one evening there so I didn’t get remotely close to seeing everything displayed, but most of the things I did have the opportu-

COURTESY MLIVE

Get your art on: Pictured above is Aquinas art professor Chris LaPorte’s 2012 ArtPrize piece “City Band.” nity to see were jaw-dropping. I will let ArtPrize itself to astound you and demonstrate what it has in store for people from all around the world to see.

ArtPrize 2014 consists of a total 1,537 entries and will be seen in 174 venues, proving itself to be a larger event than last year. 42 American artists and 51 international will partake in the exhibition.

Each year, controversial art submissions get the whole town talking. An example of this is Kalamazoo stunt artist Gurmej Singh.

Singh is notorious for pursuing world records and fame through his shocking artwork.

He has since been banned from the competition since his 2012 submission, “Captivity”, which was featured in The B.O.B. parking lot.

“Captivity” was a birdcage

Good Eats

Carrie the Musical oozes talent

Kangaroo Kitchen provides a different take on lunch

Circle Theatre brings suspense and fake blood center stage Jager, and Rachel Varley in the cast.

Alum Rob Karel directs the show.

Stellar performances from leads McElroy (Carrie White) and Maggie Nye (Sue Snell) are sure to wow. McElroy’s powerful singing voice demands your attention , as her vibratto is right-on pitch and projects beautifully through the theatre. Purcey as bully Chris Hargensen, Cash Maciel as the dreamy Tommy Ross, Robbie Ellis as the re-

The members of the ensemble shine in their own right as well, and it is evident that the actors enjoy the physicality of the show, as Catchy songs? Check. Strong they fling themselves all over the leading ladies with an incredible stage. Masterfully, the performers supporting cast? Absolutely. Shiftcontort their bodies as the plot of ing skateboards, floating crosses, Carrie unfolds. flying cards, and lots of pig’s blood?

The choreography and staging What else would you expect from a takes advantage of all four sides of musical based off of a Stephen King the audience, and the effects are novel? creative and as realistic as you can Circle expect T h e a t r e ’s f r o m production a live of ‘Carrie perforthe Musical’ mance. has all of the W h i l e above and this parmore. ticular T h e producshow retion rev o l v e s volves around the m o r e curious case around of Carrie the reWhite, an lationoppressed s h i p s girl with between telekinetic characabilities ters than who is torthe hormented by ror asthe kids at pect of school as a the movresult of her ies, fans fanatically of the religious b l o o d mother. Carand gore rie is teased will not COURTESY CIRCLE THEATRE relentlessly at school until one girl, leave disapBloody good time: Catch one of the last performances of the Stephen King novel Sue Snell, pointed. has a change adaptation at Aquinas’s Circle Theatre. Many Saints are involved in the production.

The lack of of heart. Sue bellious Billy Nolan, and Maureen props leaves much to the audiconvinces her boyfriend Tommy to Kirkwood as the fanatic Margaret ence’s imagination, a clever directtake Carrie to Prom and give her White all deliver solidly as well. ing trick. one good night to remember, as a Kirkwood’s performance of Remaining showings include way of apologizing for all of the the overly-protective mother is September 17-20 at 7:30 p.m. and a horrible things she and her classchilling. While she is abusive to- “midnight” showing at 11:59 p.m. mates have put Carrie through. ward her daughter, she shows her September 19. Tickets are available Unfortunately, there are other vulnerability and this encourages for a reduced student rate of $10 forces at work trying to destroy viewers to see things from her per- with AQ ID at the box office. TickCarrie’s happiness for good. ception. Through her solos, it is ex- ets are sold up to 30 minutes before Aquinas students may recogplained that she wants the best for showtime. nize junior Marisa Purcey, as well her daughter, and she is terrified of It’s a night you’ll never forget. as sophomore Ben Avery and alumbeing abandoned by her evolving ni Mackenzie McElroy, Jason Dedaughter.

By Justina Oulliete & Abigale Racine The Saint Reporter, Culture Editor

that was 16 feet in diameter and stood 25 feet tall. Inside the cage featured a dummy hung by a noose, the doll barring a startling resemblance to late dictator Saddam Hussen.

His artwork was torn down by the owner of The B.O.B., but Singn entered ArtPrize the year after regardless, with his piece “Transcendental.”

“Transcendental” broke the Guinness World Record for World’s Largest Painting, standing 2.14 miles long, and was disqualified from ArtPrize, the judges citing that the painting was a shameless self-promotion tactic.

So, who knows what this year will bring? The magic (and the contention) of ArtPrize begins Wednesday, September 24.

Culture Editor Abigale Racine

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

COURTESY THE RAPIDIAN

Hoppy dining: The Kangaroo Kitchen & Catering may have a small menu, but its gourmet cuisine offers a kick at its location on the corner of Fulton and Diamond St.

By Nate Gimby Staff Writer

Some may remember a little record store on the corner of Fulton and Diamond. The lime green and purple establishment was in a perpetual state of closing for a couple years and when it finally did, a little restaurant called Kangaroo Kitchen hopped in and took its place.

The building is still adorned with a shade of lime green, but with a new set of nice big windows and a crisp updated look, the Kangaroo is a bit more inviting than its predecessor. The 50’s crooner and indie singer-songwriter playlist playing when I walked inside didn’t hurt the chill vibe either.

As an outlet for a catering company, this dine-in and take-out restaurant doesn’t have a huge menu. In fact, it’s only a single page, but the items do change from time to time. Don’t let the name of the establishment fool you, Outback Steakhouse this is not.

Fresh salads and healthy entrees are Kangaroo’s focus, and vegan or vegetarian items are labeled on the menu. Also, my server was friendly and more than willing to answer questions, so if the more exotic items on the menu seem intimidating, don’t hesitate to get some clarification.

I started with a curried potato soup and I’m very glad I did. It was a bit spicy and the curry flavor was present but not overpowering, balancing very well with the sweetness of the other ingredients. The cup of soup came

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

with a small wheat bun, which was too small in my opinion, but the quality and amount of the soup was more than satisfying.

I was somewhat less impressed with the main course, although I recognize my bias. I decided to try their Vietnamese pulled pork dish. Growing up with my grandmother’s Vietnamese cuisine I was expecting something savory, even a bit greasy, paired with an equal amount of refreshing, neutral veggies to balance the dish. What I got was basically American-style pulled pork on a thin bed of lettuce with some Vietnamese spices and a side of rice. It wasn’t bad but it had an almost overpowering sweetness to it, not unlike traditional American barbecue sauce.

It probably would have been fine on a sandwich, but with a meager helping of rice and a few pickled carrot slivers, I was basically just eating a helping of pulled pork on its own.

A lot of the other entrees sounded excellent though, so I would definitely be willing to give Kangaroo another shot. The prices aren’t outrageous either, considering the quality of the ingredients. Just be aware, if you decide to go with friends, the place is pretty small and the only drink option is water, so you may want to just try takeout.

At least there are lemon pieces in the water. However if you’re on your own, or with one or two others, Kangaroo can be a cool little place to have lunch.

sports

page

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Grand Rapids Drive: Looking for a standout inaugural season

NFL in shambles: Why the NFL is having a rough time.

Grand Rapids won’t have to wait long for competitive basketball as this past summer the Detroit Pistons announced the Grand Rapids Drive as their primary affiliate. The Drive will play at The DeltaPlex Arena and begin their season November 15 with the first home game on November 26.

The NFL is becoming a hotbed for suspensions. As of late, 20 players have been suspended for the 2014 season including stars Wes Welker, Josh Gordon, Aldon Smith, and Ray Rice. Adrian Peterson could be added to the list shortly after allegations of child abuse.

Stanley Cup taylor hodges | sports editor

As many of you know, college football has begun and what a season so far. While Sam Houston State and Eastern Washington played August 23, the bulk of games didn’t start until August 28. Kicking things off were SEC teams Texas A&M and South Carolina. With the departure of Johnny Manziel to the Cleveland Browns, many were unsure who would take the reigns.

Sophomore Kenny Hill proved to be sensational in the Aggies opener as he broke Manziels passing record with 511 yards. That wasn’t the only record Hill broke however. Hill also helped break South Carolina’s 18 game home win streak. To sum things up, the sophomore broke Ryan Tannehill’s record for most passing yards in a first career start and Jerrod Johnson’s record of most completions in a game. In what was suppose to be an even game quickly turned into a slaughter with Texas A&M winning by a score of 52-28. While Manziel was the talk of the town during his time with the Aggies, there’s no doubt “Kenny Trill” has come to create his own legacy.

Texas A&M’s next game is September 20 against the SMU Mustangs.

Another hot topic on the college football scene is the return of Everett Golson to the Notre Dame lineup. After sitting out in 2013 due to academics, Golson has returned as the starting quarterback. Many were anxious to see whether a year off of games would impact the Myrtle Beach native. Golson proved all the naysayers wrong by throwing for 295 yards and two touchdowns in the 48-17 win over Rice. Golson continued that momentum into the next game against Michigan in which the Irish dominated with by winning 310. Golson threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns. Look for Notre Dame to come out flying in their next game against Syracuse on September 27.

Now that we’ve covered some out of town teams, lets get to how our local favorites are faring. The Michigan Wolverines had an impressive opener against Appalachian State winning by a score of 52-14. Quarterback Devin Gardner was outstanding at The Big House, throwing for 173 yards and three touchdowns. Also contributing to the teams win was wide receiver Devin Funchess who had seven receptions for 95 yards and three touchdowns. As mentioned above, the Wolverines suffered somewhat of a setback against the Irish being shutout for the first time since 1984.

In an online interview with Fox News, Gardner had this to say after the game.

“It’s the last game in the rivalry, and we wanted to come out on top and obviously that didn’t happen. Our goal is to win this Big Ten championship. We are still on course to do that, and that’s what we are working toward.” The Wolverines next game is against Utah which will be televised on ESPN 2 on September 20.

Michigan State had a fantastic opener against Jacksonville State winning by a score of 45-7. States quarterback Connor Cook threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns. Also contributing to the offense was tailback Nick Hill who had 11 carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Tony Lippett had four receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Michigan States next game is against Eastern Michigan on September 20 and will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

One of the most surprising teams in Michigan is the Central Michigan Chippewas. After having a close homeopener against Chattanooga, in which they won 20-16, the Chippewas routed Purdue 38-17 who belong to the Big Ten. Central’s quarterback Cooper Rush threw for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Also contributing to the win was running back Thomas Rawls who had an impressive 31 carries for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Centrals next game is against Kansas on September 20 at home.

With the new playoff system in place it is sure to be exciting up until the finish. So get your face paint out and pull your teams jersey on and enjoy the ride.

7

WHAT TO WATCH

Detroit Tigers Baseball Playoff Bound

By Zoe Harmon Staff Writer As October, the ultimate month for baseball competition, approaches, the Detroit Tigers must focus on their upcoming games.

Currently the Tigers are holding the second place position in the American League Central Division with 80 wins and 66 losses. In their most recent three game series versus the Kansas City Royals (first place in ALCD), the Tigers won two games and lost one. This sets them on a good path as they head into the last month of regular games before playoffs begin.

Looking at the next month of games, the Detroit clan has 10 home and just six on the road. Their next series will be at home before they go on a six game road trip. This road trip includes an extremely crucial series against the Royals, since both teams will likely be fighting for the number one spot. It will take both a quality pitching performance and offensive lineup to work to the top.

Recently, Tigers pitchers have been proving to be effective on the mound. Left-handed starter, Max Scherzer, is 16-5 with his most recent win against the Royals. During the game on September 9 he allowed only one run in six and two-thirds innings, leading the Tigers to a victory.

Another pitcher in recent news is righthanded reliever Joakim Soria. Soria returned to the mound on September 10 after being out for a month due to a left oblique injury.

Although he allowed a triple in the ninth in-

ning, Soria commented that he felt good and was satisfied by his outing. He was hitting his spots and able to throw all of his pitches. Having a deep bullpen allows the Tigers to trust that their relievers and closers will contribute to wins as the pressure to win rises.

Even though young players such as J.D. Martinez have little experience with high pressure situations, they are more than ready for the pressure of the upcoming weeks. As he watches his more experienced team members such as Ian Kinsler and Torii Hunter at the plate, Martinez becomes a sponge, learning from both their victories and failures. In the past 10 games Martinez has hit three home runs and has a .364 on-base percentage. Andrew Romine is in the same boat, and he is not letting the pressure get to him either. For the past five games Romine is hitting .375, proving that he can keep calm at the plate. Not only is the pressure exciting for the newbies, but it also creates a whole new energy that they are growing to love. This energy is shared throughout the entire team and will prove to be important as they fight to the finish. The next few weeks are sure to be exciting for the Detroit Tigers and their fans. October is right around the corner and every team is fighting to the finish. Be sure to tune in to Fox Sports Detroit and continue to read The Saint to catch the excitement and cheer on the team as they finish out their season.

The Detroit Lions

COURTESY RYAN BROLES

By Hannah Broderick The Saint Reporter The Detroit Lions kicked off their first season game on Monday, September 8 with a win against the New York Giants. According to ESPN, Stafford threw two early touchdown passes to Calvin Johnson, creating a bright start for the Lions and their quarterback. The final score was 35-14.

ESPN quoted Matthew Stafford saying “I don’t work on my moves a lot during practice, but I know I have to be better with my feet this year so that we can keep plays alive.

On both of the touchdown passes to Calvin, the offensive line got me a lot of time, and he was able to uncover himself and find somewhere open.”

The Lions intercepted Eli Manning twice in their first Monday night opener since 1971. Stafford went 22 of 32 for 346 yards, and Johnson had seven catches for 164 yards. Manning was 18 of 33 for 163 yards and a touchdown for the Giants, who started 0-6 last season.

ESPN quoted Giants head coach Tom Coughlin saying “No excuses. We played very poorly. We don’t have a lot to be proud of here.

Couldn’t move the ball, couldn’t stop them, turned the ball over, got into that business again. Got a punt blocked, so you name it. It was a nightmare performance.”

Stafford scrambled to his right and threw deep to Johnson on the game’s first drive, and defensive backs Dominique RodgersCromartie and Stevie Brown appeared to collide. Nobody else on the Giants was anywhere near DeSports Editor Taylor Hodges

troit’s star receiver, who was able to jog into the end zone for a 67yard touchdown. Later in the first, Stafford scrambled to his left, and then threw back to his right. Johnson made a diving catch in the back of the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead. Lions offensive tackle LaAdrian Waddle went down with a calf injury in the first half, and cornerback Bill Bentley hurt his knee. Giants linebacker Devon Kennard hurt his hamstring.

The Lions took on the Carolina Panthers on September 14 and didn’t fare well. After a scorless first quarter, the Panthers capitalized and scored a touchdown leading after the first half. The Lions got back to business and scored in the third quarter to lead. However, the Panthers regained momentum and scored to lead 13-7 after the third quarter. The fourth quarter was heavily dominated by the Panthers who put up 11 points. The Lions offense was shutout and the Panthers won the game 24-7. Lions Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 291 yards and one touchdown with one interception. Also contributing was wide receiver Calvin Johnson who had six receptions for 83 yards. Leading the Panthers was running back Jonathan Stewart with 15 carries for 37 yards and one touchdown.

The Lions next game is against rival Green Bay Packers at Ford field on September 21. The game will be televised on Fox at 1pm.

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

prcgr.com Call: 616-456-6873 Text: 616-284-1545

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

8

SPORTS

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Nothing but Net

By Aaron Campbell Marketing Director It was another action packed day in the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center as Aquinas hosted a non-conference triangular tournament this past Saturday, September 6th.

Aquinas (3-2) welcomed Lincoln Christian (4-2) and Indiana- South Bend (4-2) and had a series of intense play between the three teams.

T h e opener at 10 a.m. was Aquinas versus Lincoln Christian where the Saints smashed through the Red Lions in three sets 25-14, 25-15, and 25-12 to capture the match win.

Exceptional play came from sophomore middle hitter Michaela Ryan with 7 kills, 1 error, and 1 block. Freshman outside hitter Camille Means contributed with 6 kills, 2 errors, 2 aces, and 13 digs.

Aquinas took a breather as Lincoln Christian and Indiana-SB faced off. What appeared to be an equal match up, ended up with IUSB coming out on top after three sets: 21-25, 21-25, and 13-25.

The final faceoff was between the Saints and the Titans which was going to determine the overall winner after both defeated Lincoln Christian. To start off, Aquinas clenched the first set 25-21, only to have IUSB retaliate

in the second set for a Titan 25-21 win. The third set was a nail biter which went into extra points. The Titans sealed it 27-25 after an illegal rotation lost them their momentum, serve, and point. As the fourth set went underway, adjustments were made to the Saints; Aquinas was able to dominate the set 25-12.

The fifth and final set was close, but the Saints pulled away and were able to end the match 15-11.

“I think the most crucial part of our wins today was coming back to win our second match in 5 sets and using all 12 players to get the job done,” said co-head coach Katie Vander Meer. “Key players for SHELBY SCHUMACHER/THE SAINT the Saints included contributions from Means 12 kills, 6 errors, and 9 digs, and Ryan with 10 kills, 2 errors, and 2 blocks. Also, key help from standout setter and Captain Brooke Wieland with 4 kills, 2 aces, 38 assists, and 9 digs, as well as, senior captain Rachel Sprenger with 1 kill, 1 ace, and 20 digs.

The Saints grew to a 5-2 record as opponents Lincoln Christian and Indiana South Bend fell to 4-4 and 5-3, respectively. The women’s next match is home against Madonna in what should be a heated conference bout.

Leading AQWG to Victory

Keen Focus: Junior Valerie Muyskens tently.

By Sam Delamarter The Saint Reporter Is there more to golf than Tiger Woods? Sadly, for most people it doesn’t even go that far. However, there are seven very talented Saints that would beg to differ.

The Aquinas Women’s Golf team has been making long strides this season.

The golf team has been in action the past few weeks competing in four of their ten scheduled events with more coming this week. It has been apparent from the beginning that

direction they would like to go. Embracing her natural leadership role, Muyskens loves to share some of the experience she has gained over the years.

“I spend a lot of time encouraging the players on our team and helping them by suggesting drills that I myself have been doing for quite some time,” said Muyskens.

These drills have already been effective and the team hopes to continue to improve as the season progresses.

Expectations for the season are high despite the bit of a rough start they have had as a team. Coach Taylour Giesen is returning for her third season as head coach of the women’s team.

“Our coach is very encouraging and understanding when it comes to having a rough day out on the course considering not too long COURTESY ANDRIS VISOCKIS ago she herself was out there,” said holds form while watching her shot in- Muyskens.

Coach Giesen was a tough competitor for the Saints before she gradthere would be two strong leaders uated in ‘12. The type of environment emerging out of this season. Return- Coach Giesen creates is leading to ing juniors, Valerie Muyskens and growth of the program and hopefully Alicia Flood, have filled the leader- many successful seasons.

The Aquinas College Invitational ship roles created by a lack of any seniors on the team. Both have played a is happening today, Wednesday the major part on the team in the past two 17th. This tournament is being played seasons. This dynamic duo has al- at our home course, located at the ready combined for more than twenty gorgeous Scott Lake Country Club. So top ten finishes in their college career. come out, enjoy an Arnold Palmer or Contributing more than just two and, cheer on our Women’s Golf numbers, Muyskens and Flood do team as they climb their way to the their best to help develop their team- top of the WHAC. mates. They are constantly discussing ways they can steer the team in the

Women’s Soccer

Men’s Soccer brings the heat

By Anna Musiyenko The Saint Reporter Is there anything better than the feeling of being proud and happy when you see your favorite team achieving success and fulfilling its dreams? Many would say no however, behind each success-story there are endless hours of painstaking and almost impossible work.

Aquinas men’s soccer team started a new season in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with four strong victories in a row.The Saints opened the men’s soccer season on August 27th by defeating Cleary University 5-0. Aquinas showed excellent preparation, team communication, and strategy from the start of the game. The team displayed chemistry which gave opportunities to junior midfielder Justin Reamon, senior defender Jon Malecke, and junior forward Aldony Mendez to score goals and put a tremendous pressure on their opponents.

“Our realistic team expectations for this year is to win everything,” said Mendez. “We have a strong and solid team this year which has chances to win tournaments and the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC).

It is not hard to believe that the Aquinas men’s soccer team will achieve its goals for this season. Head coach Joe Veal created new and unique methods on how to lead, organize, and motivate the Saints. Practicing every day for two hours, the men’s soccer team concentrates on different drills, intense conditioning, and specific attack strategies.

The secret to their victories is the use of new approaches to each game.

Focused on the field

By Aaron Campbell Marketing Director

COURTESY ANDRIS VISOCKIS

Eye on the ball: Junior Aldony Mendez keeps his focus on the ball while fending off an opponent.

The last game the Saints played Goshen College and again demonstrated the use of those strategies. United by one common goal, the men’s soccer team won by scoring three goals. Mendez scored the crucial goal in the last couple minutes depriving the hope of Goshen fans. The goal was assisted by junior Peter Brandenburg.

“I am a team player,” said Brandenburg. “Aquinas men’s soccer team gives me motivation and enhance the energy to perform on the best level. It is so much fun to score goals, however, I love assisting people and giving them chances to show all their skills and abilities.”

A Fresh Start

Men’s Golf sees some fresh faces

By Haley Brink The Saint Reporter The Aquinas Men’s Golf team is in the midst of a rebuild. With a brand new coach, and three incoming freshmen, the team is nearly starting from scratch.

Mitch Kimball, the new coach and former student of Aquinas College, is optimistic about the remainder of the season. Being his first year as a college golf coach, he brings a lot of new ideas to the table. As a golfer himself, he is able to connect with the team and get to know each player individually. With new workouts and new practice routines, the team hopes to see positive results in the near future. The team is small, but very tight knit. What they lack in numbers, they make up for in spirit.

“It is nice to have a group of guys that have each other ’s back, especially in such an individualized sport” said Kimball.

“We mesh well together, and it’s obvious that we love what we do. It’s still early on in the season, and we have a lot of time to improve and get to know our own talents,” said freshmen Matt Takach. “We’re a young team,

with a lot of untapped talent; we just need to get settled in.”

With only two returning players, seniors Jason Turner and Charlie Routzan, there is a lot of settling in to do. With over half the team as incoming freshmen, there will be a lot to do in terms of training.

The new players, Eric Ruff, Jackson Bushway, and Takach, are fitting in well with the rest of the returning players of the team. In the two tournaments they have taken part in, they fared well. The first tournament was the Lou Collins Memorial Tournament at Bedford Valley Golf Club, where they placed 16th. The second tournament was the WHAC Jamboree #1 hosted by Madonna at Eagle Crest Golf Club, where they placed 9th.

Despite the team’s rough start, they are looking forward to catching their grip, figuratively and literally. The Saints next tournament is the Bill Bockwitz Invitational at Cascades Golf Course on September 19 and 20.

The team has a long way till the end of the season. There are 15 more games which will decide the destiny of the team in the WHAC league. The most anticipated game for all the students at Aquinas is going to be during Homecoming Week. Aquinas College will compete against rival Cornerstone University on September 27th at 3 pm.

All the hard-work, sleepless nights, and strong team-building has this team poised to go far. They are a family, they are teammates, and they are Saints.

As the injuries pile up, does the Aquinas Women’s Soccer team break down? Not a chance.

The Saints fought well, considering all of the injuries causing a mixed starting lineup. One would think that all of the injuries would put the girl’s behind in their gameplay but they did well against nationally ranked Spring Arbor.

Aquinas knew the match up would be tough from the start, but overall they were pleased with the results.

“Injuries are a part of the game, we are very lucky that we have a deep squad and we expect no dropoff in play when others step in and play,” said head coach Rodger Gardner. “What we are sorry about is the effort and time the injured players have put in this off-season will not be seen on the field.”

That holds true after a well fought battle on Saturday between the Saints and the Cougars of Spring Arbor. The Saints did fall, 2-1, to a very good Spring Arbor squad in overtime. The first 45 minutes were dominated by the Cougars who scored in the 45th minute. Aquinas kept them to one goal leading into the second half.

The second half proved to be beneficial to the Saints as they came back swinging. Persistent challeng-

es for the ball and determination eventually led to a goal in the 85th minute from junior forward/midfielder Allison VanPatten leaving the game tied. The game was then sent to overtime. After a rough battle, Spring Arbor scored the game winning goal.

The stand out players continue to be the seniors who provided a very strong backbone for their team. The three seniors Maggie Keiffer, Jackie Gipe, and Melissa Hogan are thought of highly by the team and their coaches.

“We are blessed to have three great seniors… Three great players, but girls who are even better people and leaders than soccer players,” said Gardner. “That obviously says a lot considering these players are all dominant forces on the field, as well.

The Saints’ record fell to 2-1, as the Cougars rose to 4-1. With conference play looking to startup in the coming weeks, look for the Saints to be more poised than ever.

The Saints next match will be at Grace Bible College on September 18th.

Behind The Saint Scenes, Vol. 1 Mayra Monroy Editor-in-Chief

Mayra Monroy is a junior at Aquinas College, studying communication with a concentration in interpersonal conflict and mass media and a minor in journalism.

Hailing from Holland, Michigan, Mayra brought her experiences and knowledge of media and her passion for reporting with her to Aquinas. Within two years, Mayra worked her way up to the Editorin-Chief position. While her new job is a little less reporting, Mayra oversees the editors and formats the entire newspaper. Outside of The Saint, Mayra is a resident assistant in Regina Hall. She enjoys reading fiction, news and watching movies. Mayra is also a freelance writer for Revue Holding Company, that owns several Grand Rapids entertainment publications.

After her internship at Wood TV 8 over the summer, Mayra is excited to implement new reporting and

Sports Editor Taylor Hodges E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

Emily Higham is in her 2nd year here at Aquinas College.

She is an Education major. From Grand Blanc, Michigan where she graduated from Grand Blanc High School in 2013, Higham was a CoEditor-In-Chief of the Bobcat Banner, the GBHS student newspaper. Her experience is heavily in design and advertisements.

After taking a year break from working with newspapers, she recently took a position on the Saint newspaper staff as the Creative Director. In this position, her job is to design advertisements for prospective advertisers, a design consultant, and to design pages and graphics for the Saint.

Aside from being a student and working for the Saint, Emily is a Resident Assistant in Hruby Hall, she is in her second year as a member on the Aquinas dance team, and she has a part time job as a daycare assistant. Her hobbies include trying new things, working out, doing outdoor activities, and spending time with her loved ones. A few facts about Emily are that she is a fish person, she loves antiques, and she collects type writers and cameras.

Phone (616) 632-2975

Emily Higham

Creative Director Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

Aaron Campbell Marketing Director

Aaron Campbell is a sophomore at Aquinas and studying communication with a concentration in advertising and a journalism minor. When he’s not in the Saint office, Aaron loves spending time with his family and friends.

Aaron’s other interests include traveling, playing sports, and being outdoors. Aaron joined the Saint staff in September as the Marketing Director. His social media, communication and marketing ideas landed him a desk in The Saint office. His job entails developing, organizing, and executing the marketing campaign for the newspaper, collaborating with the Creative Director for advertisement materials, maintaining client relationships, and implementing and sustaining community outreach. Aaron is also a peer mentor and an active member of the Aquinas Programming Board.