The Saint :: Issue 11

Meet POHI | 2

One-on-one with Coach Bo The Saint’s Sports Editor, Dan Meloy, sat down with Aquinas Athletic Director Terry Bocian to discuss the state of AQ athletics.

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theSaint

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 Volume 31, Issue 11

Happy belated birthday, Mr. Wege!

>>NEWS Even more 125th!

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Aquinas’ anniversary year isn’t over yet. Check out what’s planned for March and April.

AQ in the DR

Arab-Israeli Cookbook at AQ | 5

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This year’s service learning trip to the Dominican Republic will be different for participating Aquinas students.

Election season hits AQ With Student Senate positions open, the Aquinas community gets ready to pick new leaders

>>A&E Food for Thought

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The sibling team of local artists Madeline and Darlene Kaczmarczyk bring their love of food and talent to AQ.

Scars and Stories

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The Fray’s latest album is here, and getting stuck in Saint Reporter Paris Close’s head.

Check out the full review, inside.

>>SPORTS Red Wings sweep wins | 7 Reporter Brendan Hoffman checks out Hockeytown highlights.

At the finish

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It’s been a bumpy road to the WHAC tournament for Aquinas men’s basketball.

HHS contraception mandate controversy continues

By Matt Kuczynski Editor-In-Chief

The Obama Administration is facing continued resistance from U.S. religious organizations, especially the Catholic Church, after announcing a compromise on the Health and Human Services mandate for universal contraceptive coverage by insurers.

President Obama announced the amendment during a press conference on Feb. 10.

“Under the rule, women will still have access to preventative care that includes contraceptive services, no matter where they work,” he said.

According to the President, religious organizations will not have to purchase health insurance policies with contraceptive coverage for their employees, but the insurance providers will be required to provide contraceptive care to women “without co-pays and without hassles.”

This solution did not sit well with Catholic leaders. In a Feb. 10 statement posted on the Diocese of Grand Rapids website, Bishop Walter Hurley stated: “There is a need for a broader religious exemption than the provision that was announced today. Shifting responsibility from the employer to the insurance company does little to resolve the situation.”

“The Catholic bishops of the United States continue to be willing to dialogue to insure that rights of conscience and freedom of religion are maintained,” the statement continued.

As of Feb. 16, all 180 U.S. Catholic Bishops have voiced opposition to the mandate.

The current controversy began late last month, when Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius reaffirmed that all employers will be required to provide contraceptive care under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the major Health Care Reform bill that passed last year. Although the legislation specifically exempted religious employers, such as churches and synagogues, from the requirement, branches of religious organizations including hospitals and schools that serve and employ the general community were not exempt.

Employers have until August of 2013 to conform to the new regulations.

A CNN poll released Feb. 16 found that 50% of U.S. citizens oppose the mandate. According to the same poll, 44% are in favor of the birth control mandate.

COURTESY MARAH KLOSE

Future leaders?: Student Senate candidates Kaela Bouwkamp, Chuck Hyde, Nick Grady, Cody Ingram, Brayden Scott and Brandon Heritier (L to R) participate in a panel discussion at the Moose last Wednesday. Scott has since retired from the race.

By Laura Farrell Current Student Senate Chair the message of AQ amongst the campus. race. He is placing his support behind Staff Writer Joshua Theil wants students to carefully We are all Saints. Aquinas gave us the Sarah Bouwkamp’s senate bid.

As the months continue to fly by, it tools, I want to lead us to make all the Nick Grady and Chuck Hyde are consider the candidates they vote for. is that time of year again: Student Senate difference in the world,” he said.

“Students should think about both running for vice-chair. election season.

G r a d y, a s o p h o m o r e s p o r t s what candidate will best represent Sophomore Cody Ingram, a “proud In midst of debating changes in Saint” would like to “see a [Student management major, said, “I want to their interests as students. Who is best restructuring Student Senate, these Senate] whose sole goal is to gather the make sure the student’s voices are heard, fit to represent you and voice student elections will surely be vital for next opinion of the student body as it relates and deal with their problems directly.” concerns and issues to administration?” year. This year ’s candidates bring to important matters.”

Freshman Hyde’s goals include he said. “These people will have regular diverse points of view for the Aquinas Vice-Chair Bouwkamp would love tweaking Senate’s operations to better meetings with the president, provost student body to choose from. to increase communication between the serve the student body. “I plan to push and the dean of students of the college, Brandon Heritier and Cody Ingram faculty and staff assemblies and increase a restructure of the Senate that will help so you want to make sure you are are running for the position of chair. the influence of the Student Senate on represent the wants of all the students,” making the best informed decision.

Current Student Senate Vice-Chair Sara campus. “The Senate has been able to he said.

This may mean not voting for your best Bouwkamp is also running for chair as get a lot done this year, but there is still Sophomore Kaela Bouwkamp is friend,” Theil continued. a write-in candidate.

Senate elections will start February so much we can do to improve life for running for secretary. Bouwkamp is a Heritier, a freshman political the Aquinas student,” she said. sociology major and wants to “refocus 23, on Aquinas’ Moose web page. science, Spanish, and math triple Sophomore Brayden Scott, who was our attention back to the most important major intends to bolster Aquinas’ core running for chair, has retired from the part of Senate, the students.” messages if elected. “I intend to promote

World news update

Syrian crackdowns continue, Sudanese governments struggle for development, tensions between Israel and Iran heat up

By Rachel Luehm Staff Writer

Syria:

Although the Arab Spring is nearing its one year anniversary, its repercussions are far from over. In Syria, public efforts for democracy have been strong, although the government crackdown may be stronger.

On February 16, the UN voted on a resolution that condemned President Assad for the brutality that he has shown his own citizens. This resolution was not binding. However, it did call international attention to injustices that are being committed by the Assad regime against Syrian people.

The Assad regime has been accused of many shellings of the city of Homs, the killing of an estimated 5,000-6,000 citizens and the detainment of 14,000 Syrian citizens, as well as general violation of human freedoms.

This past week, in lieu of the international crackdown on the Syrian government, Syria has been demanding the expulsion of foreigners from the state. The government has especially been targeting journalists and embassies.

This has caused some alarm in the international community, and many people fear that this could lead to more bloodshed by the Syrian government.

U.S. Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham have both begun to speak out against the crackdowns by Syrian government. They believe that the U.S. should get involved in supporting the rebels, not only because of the

human rights infringements but also because it would serve to weaken Iran, one of Syria’s allies.

Sudan:

Sudan has been through two civil wars in its short existence and after the end of the second civil war in 2005, which had started in 1983, the country was still in disarray.

Sudan has taken some initiative to become stable, b u t t h i s d e ve l o p m e n t does not come completely peacefully.

In the beginning of February, Sudan launched initiatives to repair Darfur, an area of Sudan that has received the brunt of violence from the 1983-2005 COURTESY FLICKR.COM Sudanese civil war. This Damascus under fire: Syrian protesters carry what appears to be the body of a fellow protester area has produced around through a crowd. The Assad regime’s violent crackdown on Syrian protesters continues.

2 million refugees and IAEA inspectors are currently Compared to North Sudan, seen an estimated 300,000 deaths since violence began. Although the Sudanese South Sudan still lacks a much of the in Iran performing another check on government has claimed to set Darfur basic development and infrastructure nuclear activity.

Israel has accused Iran for recent right once more, the international necessary to produce a healthy country. attacks on Israeli officials in India and community should still keep a close eye Israel / Iran: on the region as many rebel groups in Recent heated rhetoric between Iran Georgia. Iran denies these claims.

Although Israel has considered the area oppose the government’s claims. and Israel is no closer to cooling down. a unilateral attack on Iran, no active While South Sudan was allowed Iran recently released images of its first to establish itself as an independent enriched uranium fuel rods, which conflict has been reported at press state in July 2011, stability is not on can be used in the making of nuclear time. U.S. leaders have been in talks the forefront for this fledgling country. weapons, and has moved warships into with Israeli leaders to find diplomatic There are at least seven active rebel the Mediterranean Sea. Iran has stated solutions to the current conflict. groups currently fighting for power over that this military maneuver is intended the new government. only to protect Iranian nuclear sites.

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2012

Aquinas: Deadline to stay on campus over break is Feb. 24

Grand Rapids: Nation of Islam leader speaking downtown

Michigan: Flint gaining recognition as final Occupy location in MI

World: Swedish man survives snowed-in car for 2 months

All those interested in staying on campus over spring break need to fill out a request form which can be found on the Residence Life homepage through www.aquinas.edu. All oncampus housing will officially close on Friday, March 2 at 6 p.m. and re-open on Sunday, March 11 at 1 p.m.

Louis Farrakhan, Nation of Islam leader, will speak at Fountain Street Church on March 1 at 7 p.m., presenting his speech titled, “Duty, Responsibility, and the Necessity of Self-Sufficiency.” The Nation of Islam is an African American Islamic activist group, best known for spurring the career of Malcolm X.

With the national Occupy movement beginning to lose steam, the group of demonstrators in Flint is currently the final Occupy group in Michigan still protesting. In addition to raising concerns at neighborhood meetings, demonstrators have also helped scrub down graffiti and picked up litter at parks.

A 44 year old Swedish man was found alive in north east Sweden, completely snowed into his car.

He had been there for 2 months, having survived with no food, only his clothes and a sleeping bag in -30 C temperatures . Reports say he had only snow to consume and was primarily kept warm from the igloo effect.

Grappling with reality in a skirt monica rischiotto |news editor Freshman year, sitting in my first Dr. Dawson class, exploring the minds and works of American transcendentalists, I remember establishing one of my first college goals: grow up to be like Dr. Dawson.

After reading some Margaret Fuller, Dr. Dawson addressed the class and said, based on our own individual ideas of what it means to be a “feminist,’’ stand up if you consider yourself to be one. To my surprise, over half of my roughly 20 classmates stood up.

Nervously, I sat in my chair. All the negative connotations of this “f” word were flying around in my head as I sat there confused, not understanding why so many people stood up. When I heard the word “feminist,” I automatically thought liberal man haters who despise skirts and razors.

Luckily, however, following this short exercise, Dr. Dawson gave the first accurate definition of the word I had ever heard. It was something along the lines of someone who believes in protecting human rights for both women and men. One quote I do remember word for word is she said, “I would argue that each and every one of you in this room is a feminist.”

Fast forwarding to this year, this past semester has been a challenge for me to understand how feminism falls into the realities specifically of religion and politics. Last semester I had one professor ask, “Why are you studying a religion when as a woman you have no opportunities to become a leader?”

He knew I was Catholic and pursuing a theology minor at the time.

A couple weeks ago in my Superhero and Myth class, we read a comic about a mass killing of the male species. Our class discussed what would happen if this male wipeout took place in our own present day world. We learned that only 17% of Congress is represented by women and only 6 states have a female governor. It was pretty safe to say that our country’s political culture would be significantly changed.

Then the class was presented with this question, “How would the Church with a capitol ‘C’ be affected if all men were wiped out?” I felt a queasy stomach turning feeling. Like reality pounding me in the face that a faith I grew up in, one that I consider the core of my very being, my guide to living a virtuous life, was essentially steered by men, without even the opportunity for women to participate at any kind of higher level.

Finally, last semester I took a Women and Spirituality class, taught by Dr. Mary Vaccaro, a devout Catholic and a director at Marywood. I asked her how she as a woman handled what I considered a failure of the Catholic Church to embrace feminism. She explained that it is a struggle for her, but that instead of letting it get between her and her relationship with God, she chose to take leadership roles in other ways, specifically through teaching and sharing the significance of both females in the history of the church as well as influential women across the world, cultures, and religions as a whole.

While I deeply admire and appreciate her faith, I was still unsatisfied, and still find myself grappling with this idea of male dominance specifically in religion, and now with the presidential debates I am feeling it even more.

There seems to be a drastic juxtaposition between the feminist ruling community of Aquinas College and the real world entities of which it serves and is served by. It has led to me to ask questions such as, at what point does it become hypocritical to say, “I am a Catholic…but I don’t agree with a, b, and c of Catholic teachings.” Where do you draw the line?

A s we b e g i n c e l e b r a t i n g a n d preparing for Easter, this should be a time of not only thoughtfully identifying things to give up or perhaps new goals to take on, but also a time of reflection.

What does it mean to be Catholic? What does it mean to be a student at a Catholic school? What does it mean to serve as a man or a woman within the Catholic Church?

In commemorating Christ’s humility and sacrifice, may today’s ashes be a remembrance of the role humility and sacrifice in His life, as well as our own, and that we are invigorated with hope and inspiration to seek change.,

Meet POHI

VIBE Panel sparks student Aquinas education program for students wanting to work with physically and otherwise health discussion impaired students honored this month

By Molly Pelak Many of the people involved in noticeable. Some of the time put into The Saint Reporter making the POHI major more well- this major seem to have a strong POHI is a major offered at Aquinas known among the student body of sense of a “calling” for this major.

College which stands for “physically Aquinas includes fund-raising during Sophomore Victoria Jones, POHI or otherwise health impaired.” This homecoming, and making posters major, said, “When you are a part of major is not known by most at Aquinas which have been hung around the city this program, you feel like you are a part of something bigger. I feel like being that it includes all of 5 students I ’m m a k i n g a who are in difference in the program, these children’s with the POHI lives while p r o g r a m helping them finding many become more of its roots at physically and the Conductive emotionally L e a r n i n g independent.”

Center.

Along with Originating supporting the i n H u n g a r y, Conductive the Conductive Learning Center Education by running or philosophy has walking in the been around 5K coming up since the i n M a y, t h e r e beginning of is also an onWorld War II. campus POHI This program event coming is based in the up. This day is Education called “National department at Conductive Aquinas, but COURTESY GYORGY BENYOVSZKY it deals with Faces of POHI: (left to right) Aquinas College students Lindsey Stahley, Victoria Jones, Kelli Education Day.” The event will students who Springer, Carolyn Tuski, and Alana Curtain are current POHI majors at Aquinas. be taking place have physical in The Moose on February 23 from 5 or health impairments like cerebral and campus. palsy, spina bifida or a traumatic brain Not only have the POHI majors p.m. -7p.m. and will include free food injury. been interviewed on multiple news along with a brief information session Hoping to gain some popularity casts, but they are also planning on how to become a part of this lifeand interest, the POHI majors have on organizing a 5K run this May in changing program. put in many hours of hard work in order to help support interest of the order to have their major become more program.

125th Anniversary continues with charism of “study” The months of March and April will offer lectures from prominent theologians and religious speakers who will specifically address the role of Catholic college

By Laura Rico Staff Writer The 125th Anniversary celebration continues as the Aquinas College community prepares to celebrate the charism of study, beginning in March and continuing throughout April.

When asked to define the charism of study, Aquinas Professor of English and Master of Revels for the 125 th Anniversary events, Gary Eberle, said, “A ‘charism’ is a gift of the spirit given to people for the benefit of others. Our study, guided by faith, and in conversation with our faith, is intended to serve the world through enlightening ourselves and others.”

Among other speakers, Eberle will be speaking about the charism of study and his own personal experiences in the Catholic academic tradition throughout his life, both as a student and an instructor, on March 13 in Wege Ballroom from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“I will be addressing the problems

and tensions that exist when one tries to hold a view of ‘faith and reason’ instead of ‘faith or reason,’” added Eberle.

Scott Turow, best-selling author and lawyer, will talk about his life as writer on March 14 at 12:30 p.m. in the Wege Ballroom as the final installment of this year’s Contemporary Writers Series.

That same day, Turow will also host a writing workshop as part of the Contemporary Writers Series. The

will speak on her vision of the future of the Dominican tradition. The lecture will be held on March 19 in the Wege Ballroom from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

To conclude the study charism lecture series, nationally known Catholic scholar George Weigel will present his understanding of Ex corde Ecclesiae, the papal document from 1991 that addresses the relationship between the Catholic Church and Catholic universities and colleges on April 11, in the Wege Ballroom at 7 p.m.

There will also be a student panel on Tuesday, April 17 at 9:30 p.m. in the Ballroom. Students will get the opportunity to discuss the charism, what it means to them as Aquinas students, and ultimately discuss the issue of what it means for Aquinas to be Catholic college.

“Study” T-shirts will be available for participants who attend the three main lectures.

>> “ Study” T-shirts will be available for participants who attend the three main lectures. << program will start at 6:30 p.m. There will be a reception, followed by a dinner and the program at the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center. Contact Ellen Harburn at (616) 632-2805 for tickets. This program does have a $100 fee. However, the 12:30 p.m. session will be free to all students.

In addition, Sr. Barbara Reid O.P., an Aquinas alumna, feminist scripture scholar, and current academic vicepresident of Chicago Theological Union,

Former Aquinas student arrested on campus after breaking into Knape Hall The Saint Editorial Staff On Monday, February 20 at roughly 2 p.m., a former male student of Aquinas College was arrested on the campus grounds after being accused of breaking into Knape Hall, an on-campus allfemale house located on Woodward Lane.

The intrusion took place at roughly 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning. No one was harmed in the event and nothing was taken from the house. Reports say that the man, whose name has not officially

been released, was able to open the front door of Knape without the use of a student ID card.

It was confirmed that he was intoxicated, had circled the building trying to find a way in, and ultimately was able to get in through the front door.

There has been no identified reason as to why he specifically targeted Knape.

The arrest was made by the Grand Rapids Police Department after Campus Safety was able to identify the intruder from the surveillance cameras.

The college has issued a PNG on the perpetrator. According to Director of

News Editor Monica Rischiotto E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

Campus Safety Kevin Kwiatkowski, a PNG is essentially a “no trespass letter to the suspect.” The suspect therefore will no longer be allowed on campus.

The door to Knape Hall has been secured, with new parts being added on to prevent the situation from happening again. Dean of Students Brian Matzke, Director of Campus Safety Kevin Kwiatkowski, and Woodward Area Supervisor Matt Delaney have met with the residents of Knape to answer their questions and concerns.

Phone (616) 632-2975

By Alyssa Frese Staff Writer On Wednesday, February 15, 2012, students and faculty were invited to participate in the 2012 VIBE Panel Discussion, which took place in the Cook Carriage House from 1-3 p.m.

The issues discussed included topics such as racial stereotyping, interracial relationships and other race-related issues.

Instead of creating a more formal event with tables and microphones on the stages, this new event offered a more relaxed setting, with panelists sitting in chairs and couches. The panel discussion was led by professor of Communication Sr. Rosemary O’Donnell. There were only a few students and faculty present but the discussion was still intense and meaningful.

“I thought the discussion was very insightful. Sister Rosemary has a lot of knowledge on the subject area so she was a great resource to have. I would love to see this discussion done next year on a larger scale,” said VIBE advisor and Director of Diversity Initiatives Marnika Brown.

The discussion consisted specifically of positive and negative stereotypes.

Racial stereotypes were compared to being right or left -handed. Since the majority of people are right handed, most things are made for right -handed people, such as doorknobs and how even handshakes are done with the right hand.

The panel discussion was just as meaningful to the students as it was to the adult members present. “I felt like a great contributor to the discussion of stereotypes. I think myself and the other participants imparted some great insight on how harmful yet common they are to experience. But I also felt like a learner in the discussion too. I became aware of many different facets of stereotyping and prejudice of which I was unaware. It was profoundly eyeopening,” said AQ student and VIBE secretary Kelli Dokes.

Jarrod Irwin wins Philosophy Club challenge

By Colleen Schmidt The Saint Reporter The winner of the Philosophy Club’s Essay Contest is Jarrod Irwin. He wrote a refutation of the Argument against Free Will and Moral Responsibility.

According to the Program Director for the Institute for Philosophical Research and Co-Chair of the Philosophy Club, junior Jacob VandenHombergh, “He presented the most logically rigorous, well written, succinct, and elegant refutation of our proposal.”

Irwin ultimately stated that, “people can be held morally responsible for their actions even in the absence of free will.” VandenHombergh added, “He attacked specific propositions of the original argument, and excellently described the implications of those attacks. Ultimately, he showed that a lack of free will did not necessarily imply a lack of moral responsibility, thus refuting the conclusion of our argument.”

The entirety of the refutation can be viewed on the Philosophy Club’s homepage on Facebook.

Recently, the Philosophy Club started the “Philosophy of Time Series.” The club has hosted speaker and Aquinas professor Dr. Beverly Kilcrease on the subject. She spoke on the history of time from a historical point-of-view. In addition to speakers, there will be informal discussions and philosophical films viewed pertaining to time.

Once the “Philosophy of Time Series” is completed, there is a series incorporating various disciplines on the topic of death in the works. There is no attendance requirement for members.

Philosophy Club meets every Thursday at 9:30 p.m. in Knape Hall.

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2012

NEWS

Learning to live with the basics from those who live without

Seniors Chelsey Ashcroft, Adrianna Facundo, and Andrew Libs will lead a group of 10 peers on a service learning trip to the Dominican Republic unlike any other Reflecting on her experiences with the DR trip overall, Facundo said, “It is hard knowing that at the end of the This spring break, thirteen Aquinas week you get to go home. It’s hard not College students, along with Director feeling guilty about the privileges we of Campus Ministry Mary Clark-Kaiser, live with and the small things we take for will be travelling to the Dominican granted, things like getting prescription Republic (DR) where they will be medication even as simple as ibuprofen, staying in a newly founded home having health insurance and running for malnourished children in the water.” mountains of Palo As difficult Seco. All fourteen as it is, however, AQ travellers Facundo added, wil l be st a yi n g “It empowers in the home, you to do even which currently more for their is housing 12 community or children, along your own. It with 2 directors makes you sick of the nonprofit to your stomach Marian Foundation to think about the of St. Isidore the things we stress Laborer (FUMSIL). about when there This is an annual are families that trip, now in its literally are letting 6 t h y e a r, a n d their own health wa s s t a r t e d i n slide if it means collaboration with keeping their kids Jessica Coffelt, alive or giving Aquinas alumna, them up because and Coordinator it will be best for of International the children to be Relations with taken care of by FUMSIL. The someone else.” primary focus of The group the volunteer work meets every week consists of working COURTESY JESSICA COFFELT and discusses the in medical clinics, impact of seeing a n d u l t i m a t e l y Swinging into new life: Malnourished children staying in nutrition rehabilitation home and experiencing a t t e n d i n g t o in the Dominican Republic, the same home where Aquinas students will be volunteering third world issues m a l n o u r i s h e d over spring break through FUMSIL. that are not part children as well as out its surroundings to prepare for of our own everyday American lives. their parents. construction for a new nutrition medical In trying to sum up how to take in Senior Adrianna Facundo, one of clinic. That clinic is now built, and will these issues, Facundo explained the the student leaders this year, says reality seems to be that once students be a new volunteer site this year. this upcoming trip will be unlike any The experience is one that traditionally can embrace those around them as real other. Not only will they be staying in leaves students itching to do more, human beings and put aside the guilt a different location and participating in whether it is continuing to support the that comes from having so much, “You different work, but the Aquinas students Dominican Republic in any way they realize that they only need the basic, making up this year’s group are what can or being inspired to contribute to there are things they don’t miss because Facundo describes as, “phenomenal.” their own communities back home. This they have never had it,” she said.

During the interview selection And while the group is not there to will be Facundo’s second trip to the DR. process, Facundo along with her fellow She also participated in the Haiti trip solve their needs, they are hoping to co-student leaders, Chelsea Ashcraft through Aquinas this past summer. make a difference and find ways for and Andrew Libbs, emphasized that Ashcroft went on the DR trip last spring people of the DR to live in a world where fund-raising would be a top priority for break as well, and returned to the DR they can expect more. all students going on the trip. Students The group’s final fund-raiser will be this past summer for 3 more weeks. were selected in January and told the This will also be Libbs’ second time. this Saturday, Feb. 25, at Applebee’s on trip’s up front cost would be just under Aquinas alum Ian Meldrum, who the Beltline from 8-10 a.m. For $5 you can $1400 for each participant. graduated in December and was a 2011 get all you can eat pancakes and sausage, Less than two months later, and DR spring break service-learning trip and $3 of every $5 will go towards the having sent over 400 letters of donation participant, is now teaching English in group. requests, organizing a spaghetti dinner the DR. and relentlessly collecting pop cans at Wake-Up People, along with other fundraisers, the group has knocked the cost down to $320.26 per student, as of this past weekend.

In addition to staying in a different location, the group this year will also be participating in some new projects.

Last year’s group worked on gutting an abandoned building and cleaning

By Monica Rischiotto News Editor

Daughter’s death leads MI mom fighting for new cell phone bill

By Yasmeen Ahmed The Saint Reporter Bonnie Raffaele, the mother of a 17 year old who was killed in a car crash while talking on her cell phone, is working with State Senator Howard Walker on a bill that will ban phone use by new drivers. The bill forbids cellphone use by drivers with a level 2 graduated license.

A fine has not yet been set for the defiance of this law. This plan would make phone use a secondary offense, which means officers can only implement it if the driver is pulled over for another violation, or is in a crash. There are already thirty states that ban cell phone use by novice drivers, and only five out of the thirty make it a secondary offense.

Raffaele’s goal is to make cell phone

use with beginner drivers a primary offense, but she is happy to start somewhere, she claimed in an Mlive. com article.

On Jan. 25, the bill was moved from the Senate Transportation Committee to the Energy and Technology Committee to increase the chances of getting the bill out of committee to the full senate.

Although right now the bill says cell phone use by novice drivers would be a secondary offense, bills rarely make it through both chambers without changes. Raffaele claimed in the same Mlive article that she will be persistent and even if the bill does not go through this time she will not give up.

According to Dr. Ian Borton, Aquinas College professor of Communication, said, “I think that using a cell phone, and texting, specifically, is one of the

most dangerous things you can do while driving. Texting is as risky as drunk driving and I’d advocate vowing to never do it, no exceptions.”

Sister Rosemary O’Donnell, fellow Aquinas professor of Communication, also had something to say about the law: “I know that the proposed bill banning the use of cell phones while driving relates primarily to novice drivers but I would like to see it extended to all drivers.

“However, if the bill relating to novice drivers does pass, at least this might make young people who are just learning to drive more aware of the dangers involved and perhaps reduce the number of accidents and fatalities related to the use of cell phones in the future,” she continued.

GOP Primaries candidates preparing for Super Tuesday

By Laura Farrell Staff Writer Just as the GOP presidential primary race seemed to be locked into place, Rick Santorum surprised everyone, taking Colorado, Minnesota, and Maine by storm, leaving Mitt Romney in an unfamiliar second place.

Yet Romney remained confident regarding his position, stating to Fox News, “I stand ready to lead this party and to lead our nation. My leadership will end the Obama era and begin a new era of American prosperity.”

The quick turnaround to loss seemed to be a total shock. After being pushed to the background, with the heat between Romney and Gingrich in the Florida primaries, Santorum snuck

back into the spotlight, taking slightly over forty percent of the votes.

The recent wins put the candidates in an interesting line, open for anyone to take the top spot with Super Tuesday and many more primaries in the next weeks. So far, Romney has won 123 delegates, Santorum 72, and Gingrich 32. With many states to go, all eyes are now on Michigan and Arizona before Super Tuesday.

Romney, Michigan native and son of former Michigan governor George Romney, seems to struggle with his native state. After opposing the auto bailout in 2008, Romney’s campaign has been doing damage control, spending over one million dollars in advertisements in Michigan alone.

News Editor Monica Rischiotto

Santorum remains focused on his beliefs and advocacy of religious tolerance and freedom, especially in light of the heat with birth control and contraceptives in the past weeks.

President Obama continues to campaign in numerous states, including Michigan, California and Wisconsin.

With a collection of celebrities like the Foo fighters, Jack Black, and George Clooney attending fund-raisers, Obama’s campaign to a second term in the White House might prove to be just as interesting as his first.

The Arizona and Michigan primaries will be held on Feb. 28 followed by Washington on Mar. 3 and Super Tuesday, which includes ten states, on Mar. 6.

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

Going for the green

RecycleMania, the national intercollegiate sustainability competition, is in full swing

By Laura Rico Staff Writer For the fourth year in a row, Aquinas College is competing in RecycleMania 2012. This is a friendly competition and benchmark tool that allows colleges and universities across the nation to encourage waste reduction activities in their campus communities.

Over an eight week period, beginning on Feb. 5 through the end of March, Aquinas and over 600 other participating schools around the nation will be ranked based on reports of their recycling (rate), composting, and trash amounts per capita.

Last year, Kalamazoo placed first in the state, with Aquinas finishing second, and taking 36 in the nation in the Grand Champion Category.

Aquinas’ recycling rates have climbed in the past year. In 2009 there was a 48 percent cumulative recycling rate, and in 2010, 53 percent. Last year the college had a 46 percent recycling rate.

This percentage was lower for the year just because food waste was not included, but rather reported in a separate targeted material competition.

When asked about this year’s goal, Director of the Center for Sustainability, Jessica Eimer said, “As a part of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), the college has set a goal

of zero landfill by 2020. Because this competition helps elevate the issue of recycling, composting, and waste reduction, we hope to get one step closer to that goal.”

Students can easily participate by simply recycling (blue bins) or composting (green bins) on campus by putting their waste in the appropriate bins.

Electronic waste (any material with a battery or cord) can be taken to the media center to be recycled with Comprenew Environmental, and ink cartridges can be recycled in the dorms.

“One Saint’s Junk is Another Saint’s Treasure” is an online program that members of the Aquinas community can utilize to reuse unwanted items as opposed to throwing them away.

Individuals can donate or sell items they wish to get rid of.

Student worker at the Center for Sustainability Alina Dhassaleer said, “I think the Aquinas community has started some awesome initiatives to get on the road to being a truly sustainable campus; now, the challenge is implementing and following through with those initiatives.”

For further information on RecycleMania 2012 and other sustainability programs, visit the website: http://www.aquinas.edu/ sustainability/recycle.html.

Human trafficking exhibit offers eye opening experience

By Laura Rico The Saint Reporter As part of the Social Justice Series this February, Aquinas College, the Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center, and Students for Life are partnering together to sponsor Hope for the Voiceless’ Trafficking exhibit.

The exhibition will consists of a 10 by 10 foot tent that will display statistics about human trafficking in the U.S. and also show visual representation of the conditions victims of human trafficking have to live through their ordeal in order to raise awareness.

The exhibit will be on display in the lobby of the Grace Hauenstein library beginning Monday, February 20 and run through February 24.

Program Coordinator at the Women’s Studies Center and senior Sarah Allen said, “I hope students are able to learn some of the startling facts about human trafficking in the United States.

Oftentimes, human trafficking is viewed as a problem that occurs outside the U.S., but in reality, about 293,000 children are currently at risk of being victimized by human trafficking, that is, domestically,

within the U.S.” In conjunction with the Trafficking exhibit, the Women Studies Center, the Social Action Committee, Students for Life, and the Residence Hall Association will have Theresa Flores, a survivor of human trafficking share her experience from the ages 15 to 17, on Thursday, February 23 from 7 to 8 p.m. in Wege Ballroom.

Flores is the Director of Education and Training for Gracehaven House, and founder of the S.O.A.P. (Save Our Adolescents Against Prostitution).

Gracehaven is a long-term based rehabilitative home for girls under 18 who have been victims of human trafficking. S.O.A.P. is a program that distributes bars of soap with the national human trafficking hotline number on them to hotels.

Allen adds, “While it may be disturbing to learn the statistics and living conditions of victims of human trafficking in the U.S., I hope that the message will inspire people to want to do something about it. Maybe we can even do something as a student body here at AQ.”

Peter Wege celebrates 92nd birthday

By George Van Den Driessche The Saint Reporter P e t e r We g e , p h i l a n t h r o p i s t , environmentalist, and loyal Aquinas College patron celebrated his 92nd birthday this past week.

Wege was born on February 19, 1920 to Peter Martin and Sophia Louis Wege in Grand Rapids. His father is the original founder of the Metal Office Furniture Company, which Wege established as Steelcase after serving in World War II and attending the University of Michigan.

The influence of Peter Wege can be seen throughout the world, but it really comes home for each and every Aquinas student.

A s s o c i a t e Vi c e P r e s i d e n t f o r Advancement Greg Meyer cannot emphasize enough the importance of Peter Wege. Meyer said, “He did not go here, but he adopted us. Thank God for that.”

The Wege Student Center may be the most obvious sign of Peter Wege’s impact at Aquinas, but there are countless unnoticed symbols of Peter’s love for Aquinas. Wege funds multiple scholarships under various names. The Bishop Joseph M. Breitenbeck Memorial Scholarship is one example.

However, one of the most important contributions from Peter Wege deals directly with the identity of Aquinas: the trees. Peter Wege funds the maintenance of all the trees on campus (every species native to Michigan).

That is not the only part of Aquinas’s identity that has been affected by Peter, he is also responsible (in part) for the creation of the Sustainable Business Major. Meyer said, “Then-President Henry Knopki and Provost Ed Balog implemented [the Sustainable Business program], but it was Peter Wege’s vision for Sustainability that got it started.”

Meyer elaborated on how Peter became involved as an environmentalist.

It started when Wege was a pilot in World War II. He tried to land an airplane in Pittsburgh and could not find the landing strip because the air pollution blocked his vision. After that, he became an advocate for the environment.

In Meyer’s notes, he has written that Wege once stated the following quote, “My dream is for Aquinas to become the number one small Catholic college in the nation.” Mr. Wege has been a dedicated force making in the a reality.

Black and white tie Oscar event

By Becky Lathka The Saint Reporter On Sunday, February 26, Residence Life and AQBP will be hosting an evening celebration to view the 84th annual Academy Awards. The event will take place at St. Joe’s, opening at 7:00 p.m. to watch the stars enter the enter the Kodak Theatre, with the actual awards beginning at 8 p.m.

This year’s Academy Awards will be hosted by Billy Crystal. However, Aquinas junior Chris Skurka will be serving as emcee for the night, handing out prizes during commercial breaks.

Raffle prizes will include Celebration Cinema popcorn buckets with movie gift cards inside, DVDs of nominated films

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(some accompanied with the book it was adapted from), as well as a grand prize of a Bistro Bella Vita gift card for $60 along with movie tickets and a Celebration popcorn bucket. The night will also be complete with chocolate fondue, popcorn, and other free snacks.

The event is being advertised as a black and white party, all are encouraged to come dressed in their Sunday best.

Also, every day this week in St. Joe’s at 10:30 p.m., there will be a viewing of an Oscar nominated film in hopes of giving students a chance to become more familiar with movies that are for nominations this year.

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

opinion >> FROM THE CROWD

APPLAUSE TO...

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2012

Possible side effects of Wake Up People include, but are not limited to: restlessness, insomnia, and alertness.

Pączki; The Red Wings, for 23 straight home victories; Spring sports, for reminding us that warmer weather is around the corner; The GRPD and Campus Safety, for quickly identifying and arresting the guy who broke in to Knape Hall; Anyone who votes in the Student Senate elections; Lenten Friday fish fries everywhere; Wake Up People. Copious amounts of Rockstar really did wake us up.

HECKLES TO...

Wake Up People, for somehow creating a multi-hour long line for Yesterdog; Bashar al-Assad; Res Life, for not publicizing housing application due dates enough and leaving students scrambling; Internet memes about everything: Y U NO STOP?; The Saint, for not mentioning Taelor Sanders’ history making triple double in our last issue; The guy who broke into Knape Hall. Knock next time.

>>

from our view

Unlike Chicago, however, Detroit lost their public transportation with the rise of the automobile. Recent bids for a new, federally supported train service in the metro area have stalled. Like in many cities, public transportation in Detroit has become a mess of slow and sporadic busing and legislative red tape.

Grand Rapids is no exception to this rule. As anyone who has tried to ride the Rapid before knows, our city’s inefficient “out-and-back” routes become difficult to use once Downtown isn’t the destination or the starting point for a bus trip. Although improvements are made occasionally, like the recent addition of hybrid busses, the system does not keep up with the city’s needs.

For city residents, and especially for students, this is a tragedy.

An efficient public transportation system has been proven to be ecologically friendly, especially when mass transit vehicles use sustainable sources of energy.

It can make navigating the city easier, and reduces the need for expensive, inconvenient and aesthetically empty parking lots.

Perhaps more importantly, especially with wages falling and high unemployment, a more efficient system can give those of us who can’t afford cars a way to get to and from work, school and home. It can open new opportunities around town–the sorts of opportunities so many people have historically moved to cities to find.

It is time for city leaders, planners, and citizens to get on board with a bigger, stronger public transportation system. The age of the urban automobile is over. The time for a better-connected Grand Rapids community is here.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS •

In the Feb. 8 issue, pg. 3, the Aquinas College Chemistry Society was incorrectly referred to as the “Chemistry Club.”

In the Feb. 8 issue, pg. 1, the map with the new designated smoking areas was incorrect. The smoking area nearest Wege has been removed.

We apologize for these mistakes and any inconvenience they caused.

theSaint 2011-2012 E D I T O R I A L B O A R D Editor-in-Chief News Editor A & E Editor

Matt Kuczynski Monica Rischiotto Stephanie Giluk

Dan Meloy Sports Editor Miriam Pranschke Photo Editor Nick Signore Managing Editor

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

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

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

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

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

>> write us a letter!

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

physical copies – AB, Room 2

Managing Editor Nick Signore

Teach my brain, please!

By Rachel Luehm Staff Writer

The idea of the Motor City connected by light rail seems unbelievable to anyone who has been there recently. And yet, in the first half of the twentieth century, Detroit had a tram system on par with Chicago’s light rail that developed to this day.

•

LIZ MAXIAN / THE SAINT

When I wake up in the morning, I do not usually expect the way in which I think to be challenged too often. Sure, my ideas and WHAT I think are challenged, but not what part of my brain I am using to think those thoughts. However, I have begun to feel as though the side of my brain from which I think is not seen by others as “the right” way, despite its position in my skull. Sometimes I feel like there is no room in the world for right-brained people.

For example: the other day I got up and went to two classes. In the first class the teacher told us that it is easy to deduce whether or not something is written well by simply figuring out the mathematical component of writing. “Wow,” I thought “that would be great if I didn’t hate math and love writing.” For some reason the idea of turning letters and words into numbers is not very appealing to me, but I then began to wonder if my writing was very good according to these standards. My

right-brained intuition was being put to the test by the logic lovers.

After that, I went to my next class, which was a science class.

We had a quiz. “Oh joy,” I thought.

Although I took calculus and physics in high school (and struggled through them), that was four years ago, and I am more than a little rusty in the math and science department.

On the quiz, there were many math problems that I knew were simple, but for some reason I struggled with them and ended up not even finishing one because my brain could not seem to figure out how it should solve the problem. I am not bad at problem solving for the most part, but when it comes to these types of problems I get stuck. Trying to solve them feels like my left brain is a car wheel stuck in a mud hole, constantly working but getting nowhere. A part of me feels frustrated because I have always heard that there are other ways to work a problem, but unfortunately that other way is rarely taught in typical left-brained subjects. All the while, in subjects that are typically right-brained, there is

still a lot of talk about how students can go about the subject using their left-brains.

Similarly, languages are said to be easily understood if approached from a mathematical perspective and even in an innovations class on campus students are expected to follow a step-by-step process on how to be creative. To many rightbrainers, this concept may seem over-complicated, unnecessary, and a bit stifling.

Now, it must be noted that I understand it is important to try and develop the entire brain and not just depend on one side for everything.

Just like strength training for the rest of the body, every side must be worked in order to become stronger as a whole. To me, however, it seems as though education itself is lopsided and is geared more toward the left-brained people than right.

That is, many educators will take the arts and transform them into logic while refusing to do the same for the right-brainers.

It’s time to restructure senate

By Monica Rischiotto News Editor There is one organization on this campus in which the word “meeting” seems to have developed a particularity negative connotation, often leaving members on meeting days expounding external groans.

This organization is none other than Student Senate. That’s right— an organization that you would think to be lively, full of energy and vision is instead feels like a large body of students that fills up Wege Ballroom every few weeks and creates what seems to be an overwhelming sense of apathy. While I do not think that this is a reflection of the individual leaders of Senate, I would argue that it is in fact a reflection of a faulty structure that creates a body of Senators who, more likely than not, are primarily only present in order for their club to not lose their funding.

This seems to be the harsh truth.

Anyone who is in a club or organization is likely to have experienced the difficulty of conjuring up a willing soul to volunteer as a Senator. Don’t get me wrong, some clubs and organizations are lucky enough to have worthy, qualified, genuine spirited volunteers who are excited to step up to the plate. However, let’s be honest, typically this is not the case.

Maybe there are people in your club or org who would love to be in Senate, but they simply do not have the time to add another “meeting” to their schedule and furthermore, do not have time to be added to a

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new committee, which will have additional meetings.

I served as a Senator my freshman and sophomore year, and it is to this day one of my most memorable experiences as a student. I had the opportunity to hear information straight from the administration and to take on leadership roles. Ultimately, I feel like I was involved with the most pressing needs, concerns, as well as on campus events of the college. I admired those who served as Cabinet members and respected them as role models and leaders.

I am no longer a senator, but still do enjoy going to meetings when I can. Yet, every time I go I am baffled by the lack of energy, the lack of response, and ultimately the lethargic feel to the room.

I gave a presentation in front of Senate last year about upcoming 125th Anniversary events at the college. People’s faces looked dead (which I admit could be a reflection perhaps of my poor presentation skills). Earlier this year, however, Director of Campus Life Heather Hall gave a Power Point presentation highlighting the newly established details of this year ’s Wake-Up People. The response was the same: it felt as though no one in the room even cared.

In addition, there have been little things that just seem to reflect a group whose energy could be rejuvenated. For example, our new college president, Juan Olivarez, has consistently taken time out of his own schedule to attend as many

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of Senate meetings as he can, something past presidents did not do.

When he goes up to speak, people are slouched in their chairs, their faces are blank, they seem completely disinterested.

In response to some of these concerns, a Student Senate Ad-Hoc Exploration Committee on Restructuring was established this past fall.

It consists of current Senators as well as non-Senators who noticed problems that needed to be fixed.

All fall, they researched the structure of senate bodies at other colleges across the country and came to find that our policy of all clubs and orgs being required to have a senate representative is not the norm.

Instead, it is the norm for students to apply willingly for their positions and therefore represent not one particular group, but the student body as a whole.

These senators are not there just to secure money for a club. Rather, they are interested in the needs and concerns of their peers.

For those interested in learning more, attend the next Senate meeting which is today, Feb. 22, at 3 p.m. in the Wege Ballroom. There will be more discussion of what the proposal entails, with a vote scheduled for March 21. Senate meetings no longer need to be something that are dreaded by so many people. If this is the voice of our student body, let’s work to create a structure where it is a room full of people who actually want to be there.

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

arts & entertainment Television: Lindsey Lohan to host Saturday Night Live

Movies: HBO is going rogue with Game Change

Books: Some people shouldn’t get book deals

Saturday Night Live has been promising lately, with the previous two episodes, hosted by Zooey Deschanel and Maya Rudolph, earning some genuine laughs. That’s why it came a surprise when Lohan, who is best known for being a walking train wreck,was announced as the host for March 3.

HBO is releasing Game Change on March 10.

The movie is based on John Heilemann and Mark Halperin’s account of Sarah Palin’s and John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign. Julianne Moore is playing Palin, Ed Harris is playing McCain, and Woody Harrelson is Steve Schmidt, their campaign strategist.

Amanda Knox, who was in an Italian prison for four years on murder charges, signed a book deal with Harper Collins for close to $4 million. Knox was recently acquitted and released from prison.

She was charged with killing her roommate and now plans to tell her side of the story.

Keeping hope undead

stephanie giluk | a&e editor

I’ve already written a column about The Walking Dead early into the show’s second season. I was enthusiastic and hopeful about the show’s future, riding the high off the thoughtful and sometimes disgusting first season.

How things have changed.

As the season progressed, I still held out hope that TWD would prove it’s possible to make a realistic and emotional show about a zombie apocalypse without sacrificing any of the gore that is a staple of the genre. When the midseason finale rolled around, however, and things picked up about where the episode ended, I threw up my hands.

I’d been watching for weeks and was lucky if I got a few good moments out of an entire episode. I’m not the only one that’s been getting fed up-it seems to be universal that many people don’t watch TWD because they like it. Fans watch because of the potential inherent in such a premise (and because of Daryl Dixon, of course). I’ve come to realize I watch and will keep watching, now that the show is back from hiatus, because TWD could be good. Not because it is good now, but because it is always about three shambles away from being a truly fantastic show.

I’ve come to feel more strongly about the state of the show after I decided to read the comics. I’ve read up to volume six so far, and wow. It’s really, really good. Reading the series (penned by Robert Kirkman, who also writes for the show) has made me realize how much better the show actually could be. The characters and story arcs that I have encountered so far are already so much more interesting and thought-provoking than anything the show has managed to do (yet). I’ll try not to spoil anything for those that have yet to discover the comics, but the Governor is probably one of the most disturbing characters I’ve come across lately. That’s saying something.

But I also want to continue watching this season because it seems that the show has hit a turning point. Frank Darabont, developer and showrunner for the first season, played a big role in terms of pace and tone in the first half of the second season. He left the show before the second season premiered, however, and the half of the second season that’s airing now is helmed by new showrunner Glen Mazzara.

No one really knows for sure why Darabont left, and this season’s painfully slow pace may be due to his vision for the show and/or budget cuts.

All I know is that our favorite group of apocalypse survivors spent a long, long time on Hershel Greene’s farm.

I can only hope that Mazzara has a faster-paced, smarter, and more rewarding show in store for all us hopeful fans. Adding fuel to the hope-fire are several comments Mazzara has made in interviews recently, basically saying he’s kicking everything up a notch and aiming to make the show more awesome.

Sadly, I was incredibly disappointed by most of the mid-season premiere episode. I’ve had about enough of Sophia-talk (that sounds cold, I know, but let’s all move on) and there was a lot of talking. A lot.

The last fifteen minutes or so of the episode were promising, however, with the awesome Michael RaymonJames (True Blood) sidling on up to Rick, Glenn, and Hershel in an old bar and being threatening and mysterious. It served as a good reminder that the real bad guys on the show aren’t the zombies-they’re the other survivors. This was the first time in a while I felt the show was doing something right.

This past Sunday’s episode kept up the pace admirably. There was plenty of action and tension, but my favorite part (besides seeing Daryl in a nice jacket) was the chilling speech Lori gave right at the end of the episode. The tension between Shane and Rick seems to be coming to a head, with Lori, who hasn’t been all that interesting as a character so far, basically urging Rick to take care of Shane. And by take care of Shane, I mean blow his brains out.

So as of right now, I might just keep watching the show because I actually like it. What a crazy idea.

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2012

<<

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

>> MIRANDA LAMBERT

The country singer, angered by Chris Brown’s win at the Grammys, spoke out. At a concert last Thursday, she held up a sign saying, “Take Notes Chris Brown,” before singing a tune about a women shooting her abusive husband.

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Everyone’s invited to take a page out of The Arab-Israeli Cookbook at AQ

By Chuck Hyde The Saint Reporter The situation in the Middle East for the past decade or more has been complicated, to say the least. With so many groups all struggling to get along, outsiders tend to forget that among the bullets and explosions in Jerusalem there are normal people, too. That is what Aquinas’ theater department’s new play is about. The stories of so many unique characters are told through a free-flowing and documentary-like style that really sets The Arab-Israeli Cookbook apart.

What makes the performance even more compelling is that the script originated from interviews with real people. One ingredient drives the entire production, though: the on-stage cooking throughout.

“Taste buds are the glue,” says director Jeralyn Pinsky. A guest director brought in for this production, Pinsky seeks to make this a unique and educating experience. “Theater is meant to entertain, and if we entertain, we can instruct and enlighten.”

Working together with Pinsky is Selene Rezmer, a senior here at Aquinas. Rezmer is the show’s stage manager, and handles all of the technical portions of the show. From her perspective, she thinks that the show is “very eye-opening.” It shows what it is like living in the Middle East amidst the political turmoil.

Many of the actors agree. The

entire show is performed by only eight actors that play multiple parts each. The show has been a new experience for the cast. Rachel Varley, a sophomore, says that the show is “different from anything else done this year.”

S e n i o r Cordello Jordan tends to agree. He describes the experience as a journey for every actor MIRIAM PRANSCHKE/THE SAINT that will hit home with the audience. A mixed plate: The Arab-Israeli Cookbook will open at the AMC this Thursday, February 28.

He thought it best to describe it as a “disguised through. Each one has its own tone, real and genuine that it is certain to intervention” concerning matters in varying from tragic to light-hearted draw in the audience.”

This claim will be tested when to outright comical, but yet they flow other parts of the world.

The play itself is set up in a very into each other so that a fluid depic- the play runs from Thursday, Februsimple but effective structure. It is a tion of life in the area is created. This ary 23 through Saturday, February 25, series of vignettes based around vari- isn’t just a play; it’s a story of people, a at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, February 26 ous characters. Most appear at first story of food, and a story of the com- at 2 p.m. in the Performing Arts Cenappear to be about the traditional mon desire for acceptance that we all ter. food of the area, but then tales of share.

Junior Robert Bennett may have romance, faith, war, and hope break described it best: “the emotion is so

The Vow fails to capture hearts forgettable performances. Their characters are relatable and lovable to the audiences. In addition to their performances, actress Jessica Lange (American Horror Story) and actors Sam Neill (Jurassic Park) and Scott Speedman (Underworld) provide warmth. Lange and Neill, Paige’s parents, become the support Paige needs during her recovery and rediscovery of her past.

Speedman, relatively unknown, brings the required antagonistic role that keeps the audiences surprised and a little frustrated.

However, there were moments where the film became insanely frustrating.

Unlike the promising COURTESY SCREEN GEMS INC. trailers, a good portion Love story: This unremarkable romance doesn’t impress. of the film shifts focus away from Paige and Leo’s struggle. Instead, the focus was

By Katherine Mata on family issues and mistrust. Instead Staff Writer of watching Leo try to win back Paige’s love, family spats and arguments took As this year’s most promising ro- up too much screen time. While some mantic film, The Vow brings an inspi- of these scenes may be essential to the rational story to life on the big screen. plot of the film, in regards to Paige’s Filled with emotion, perseverance and recovery, The Vow ended up lacking in simple love, audiences will find The romantic scenes that would tug on the Vow enjoyable but perhaps not a mas- heart strings of the audiences. terpiece of romantic drama.

The director, Michael Sucsy (Grey The film follows a couple from the Gardens), may be the reason for any moment they met to the accident that disappointment felt. His inexperience changed their lives. The wife, Paige, with delivering a romantic film reflects played by Rachel McAdams (The Note- in many of the scenes of The Vow. The book) falls head over heels for her de- sequence of the plot is a little awkward voted husband, Leo, played by Chan- which throws off the feel of the movie. ning Tatum (She’s the Man). When the With more, and actual, direction for accident occurs, Paige suffers brain the actors, every scene would have damage that impairs her memory, flowed together. leaving Leo desperate to help her reMoviegoers are encouraged to member their love. Although the situa- save their money. The trailer proves to tion appears hopeless, Leo does what- be better than the film itself. Instead of ever it takes to bring her closer to him. handing over more money for the big With persistence, support and hope, screen, wait for the DVD release. There Paige finds her way back into the life are plenty of other good and classic roshe knew. mantic films that are worth the time It is no secret that McAdams and and money.

Tatum can deliver incredible and un-

A & E Editor Stephanie Giluk

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

Sleigh Bells conquer with Reign of Terror

COURTESY MAGNUS BLIKENG

Good noise: Sleigh Bells hit the stage at The Deaf Institute in the UK last January.

By Brendan Hoffman The Saint Reporter The long awaited sophomore album from the genre bending duo Sleigh Bells was released on February 21. Entitled Reign of Terror, the New-York based pair do their best to create just as many surprises as their debut album Treats. What made Sleigh Bells so popular the first time around was their fresh, unfamiliar sound that featured dance beats paired with a visceral onslaught of arena rock guitar work by guitarist Derek Miller and the insinuatingly sassy vocals of Alexis Krauss.

Reign of Terror delivers in the department of staying to true to what made Sleigh Bells famous. The album opens with the aptly titled “True Shred Guitar.” To say an intro featuring Krauss addressing an imaginary crowd yelling, “NEW ORLEANS!” is ridiculous is an understatement, but for some reason this makes complete and total sense as the album progresses. The duo then transitions into one of the more enjoyable tracks on the album, a waltzy yet still eardrum assaulting track entitled “Born to Lose.” Miller chugs out a power chord melody as the drum machine creates the groove and Krauss dials in a provokingly simple vocal performance.

The next track, “Crush,” features a beat with bleacher stomps

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and claps, which are as enjoyable as they are appropriate for the innovative duo.

From here the album seems to plateau, as the following tracks feel somewhat on the bland side. But things pick up again with the first released single from the album, “Comeback Kid.” Miller delivers the largely distorted guitar sound he’s so good at and Krauss remains as unapologetic as she is on every other track. Fans will find comfort in the song, since it is a reminder that Sleigh Bells haven’t changed too much with a new album.

If Reign of Terror has a flaw, it can be found in the way the album ends. What started as a highly energetic, almost pessimistically hopeful record, changes noticeably as the tracks slow down and things get serious. The music is nice and “You Lost Me” is almost incredible musically, but it just isn’t what fans of the band are looking for or used to.

Sleigh Bells will always create music that is surprising and a treat to the listener. A little more organizational work could have been helpful on Reign of Terror, but not a single fan of the band will be disappointed with the musical abilities of their favorite hip-hop/rock/shoegaze/genre-hopping duo.

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

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A&E

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2012

The Fray triumphs with Scars & Stories

Student Honors Recital showcases AQ’s talent

By Kay Borst The Saint Reporter

COURTESY EPIC RECORDS

Harmony: The Fray’s new album is worth picking up.

By Paris Close The Saint Reporter There is nothing like hearing great music from great artists and The Fray seems to have learned the secret behind producing consistently great records.

Their latest album Scars & Stories is no exception as they prove, once again, that they can keep the hits rolling.

With the success of their earlier albums How to Save a Life (2005) and The Fray (2009), the band has given listeners some incredible tunes over the decade.

“How to Save a Life” and “You Found Me” are just a few tracks of theirs that simply refuse to get out of our heads and off our iPods.

Their lead single off their new album, “Heartbeat,” appears to be the most emotionally driven track on the record. Lead vocalist Isaac Slade sings “I know the memories are rushing into mind/I wanna kiss your scars tonight.”

Slade has such an inviting voice that it is difficult for someone not to be entranced by this beautiful record.

If there was ever a song on the album that could contest the beauty of “Heartbeat” it would most definitely be “Munich.” Not only are the lyrics in sync, Slade’s voice is stunning. Speak-

ing of vocal talent, backing vocalist Joe King makes an interesting solo appearance in “Rainy Zurich,” proving that the group is not opposed to showcasing everyone’s talent. King’s extraordinary voice radiates sweet melodies and could certainly hold a candle to Slade’s.

Of course, with any album, there are tracks listeners may not be too enthused to hear. “Turn Me On” actually might turn listeners off. Although this style is not completely unfamiliar, the track appears to have inherited a jazzy sound that does not fit in with the rest of the album.

Besides this interlude, The Fray really knows how to create outstanding anthems that get our spirits rising.

“The Wind” and “Run for Your Life” will appeal to listeners who need that pick-me-up, because the lyrics embody the idea of starting over and being renewed. Nonetheless, the band is notorious for their piano rooted melodies so if you are seeking subtlety, “I Can Barely Say” is the song for you.

All in all, this is a great album to add to any collection of music. Admirers of great alternative rock are likely to respond positively to this record and it has a ton of great songs that are sure to satisfy fans.

Wake Up People a fun-filled success

By Alyssa Frese Staff Writer On Friday, Feb. 17, huge crowds of Aquinas students and staff gathered at the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center for a night filled with food, fun and entertainment. The night started with a short welcome from Heather Hall and Tim Ramsey from Campus Life. The Second City, a comedic improv-based acting troupe from Chicago, Illinois then took the stage. The gym rang with laughter at every skit performed.

At the end of The Second City’s performance, Aquinas’ own improvisation troupe In Case of EmerALYSSA FRESE/THE SAINT gency joined them Final countdown: Taylor Nefcy was the AQ Idol champ. on the stage. “It was a dream of tinued. mine to get to perform with The SecAlong with the stage performancond City. It was incredible and I think es, there was free food and drinks. Yesit went very well. My troupe held their terdog, Quaker Steak and Lube and Jet’s own. It was amazing to chat with The Pizza were available for the students to Second City afterwards and learn about snack on throughout the evening. their experiences,” said ICE president “I thought the food selection was Chris Skurka. good, however, the long lines that you After The Second City and ICE had to stand in in order to get the food were done performing the stage was set took away from the experience because for the final round of AQ Idol. The three I ended up having to miss some of the remaining contestants were junior Jes- performances,” said freshman Steven sica Bredeweg, sophomore Chris van Hartford.

Der Ark, and freshman Taylor Nefcy.

There were prizes given away The performers all did a phenomenal throughout the night, varying from gift job, however, there could only be one cards to coffee makers to fitness props.

AQ Idol.

A photo booth and caricature artists Taylor Nefcy was chosen as the were present throughout the evening. winner. “Participating in AQ Idol was For many, it was a night to be rea really fun experience and I was hon- membered. “The attendance was overored to be in the final round with Jessi- whelming. There were around 1900 ca and Chris, they both were absolutely people, which was really incredible. phenomenal and gorgeous. The whole There was a lot of AQ spirit present AQ Idol competition was fun for me, and a strong sense of community. It and it was a great way to challenge my- was very exciting,” said Aquinas senior self with new songs,” said Nefcy. “My and Campus Life staff member Adriana friends were especially great - they Facundo. made signs and t-shirts and came to every round to cheer me on,”she conA & E Editor Stephanie Giluk

The 2012 Student Honors Recital was held on Saturday, February 18, in the AMC’s Kretschmer Recital Hall. Barbara McCargar, the Music Department Chairperson, introduced the event. “These students were chosen by three outside professionals and had to earn their place today [in the recital],” McCargar said. The students all have honors standing and receive scholarship funds. McCargar continued, “We have scholarKAY BORST/THE SAINT ships that will be announced in April and we are very excited for Listen close: The Student Honors recital didn’t have one low note. that.”

The event featured musicians Plews, sophomore soprano vocalist, was our first time we used an organ in with talents ranging from jazz vocal to said, “Getting the chance to have all this recital.” liturgical organ and even original gui- the support from your friends and Michael Adams was the first mutar composition performances. There family and have them see what you do sician to perform on the organ during were nine musicians total: five sopho- on a daily basis is nice.” the Honors Recital. Since organs are mores, two juniors, and two graduatRobin Brown, junior jazz vocalist fixed instruments, for Adams’ perforing seniors. performed “One Note Samba,” wow- mance the audience actually got up The Student Honors Recital is an ing everyone with her dynamics and and moved to the musician’s practice annual event for the Music Depart- stage presence. In responding to what room where the organ is located. His ment at Aquinas. John Telfer, senior it is like to be an honors student mu- performance was exceptional, leaving guitarist, said, “It’s exciting. It’s a re- sician, she said, “It’s an adventure. I one woman crying at the end. All of ally nice concert, and everyone who think the most interesting aspect is the performers were phenomenal. plays always does a really nice job.” finding a way to fit it all in, but in the The Music Department’s next Telfer is double majoring in theology end you make it work.” event is “Broadway Revenue” on and music and may go on to graduate These musicians certainly keep Tuesday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m. in school for guitar performance. busy, and McCargar was proud. She the Moose Café. McCargar promises it There was a surprising turnout of said, “[The recital] went very nicely. I will be “lots of fun.” students, family and friends. Alayna am pleased with the turnout, and this

Some food for thought New exhibit at AMC ties food, life, and art together mate on top of it. Titled “Memento Mori,” Madeline explains that the piece is meant to be similar to more traditional still life paintings with hidden reminders of mortality contained within.

Here, the monkey represents that mortality.

Darlene’s work takes a different approach to the food aspect, focusing more directly on the dishes themselves. In most cases, she prepared the food herself and then took pictures of it. Then she merged the pictures she took with advertisements and magazines from the era she grew up in, the 1950s. Together they create a surreal appearance, both nostalgic KATHERINE MATA/THE SAINT and contemporary at once. It is reminiscent Tea time: The new art exhibit at the AMC will get your tastebuds tingling. of Andy Warhol and his pieces using advertisement as a starting creating it, enjoying it, and the visual point.

By Chuck Hyde appeal of it. The pottery represents a The Saint Reporter Other pieces forgo the magaseries of pieces used in cooking and eat- zine take and are created wholly from For the next month, the Art and ing, ranging from a tea set to pots and scratch using many different objects Music Center gallery at Aquinas will pitchers. The Kaczmarczyk’s mother merged together digitally. Several are be home to a new exhibit, “Food for used to make all sorts of crafts, and the even more light-hearted homages to Thought,” by sisters Madeline and Dar- influence of such activities as cake dec- older pieces, such as W.H. Beard’s orating and cold ceramics is evident. “Dancing Bears.” lene Kaczmarczyk.

Darlene is a photography teacher One piece in particular that stands out Madeline’s own words describe at Kendall College of Art and Design, is the aforementioned tea set. Known the exhibit best: “Our interest in food whereas Madeline is a pottery instruc- simply as “Silver Tea Service,” it is a is not merely driven by hunger. Some tor here at Aquinas. The sisters brought tea pot and cup fired out of clay and look for an aesthetic experience that their respective talents to the show, made to be functional initially, but then combines the senses.” This exhibit does with a series of pottery and sculpture affixed with glass to become “hyper- exactly that. It combines the imagery of from Madeline and a variety of photog- glamorous,” as Madeline put it. food with memories of childhood and A rather different piece among the the experiences of the past. raphy projects from Darlene.

The show centers around food: group was a birthday cake with a pri-

Safe House punches its way into theaters

By Sam Swartout Staff Writer Starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, Safe House was definitely loaded with A-list celebrities, and it paid off. Grossing over $40 million in its first week, it came in second only to Valentine’s Day romance The Vow. Safe House is the best thriller that has been out in a very long time.

The suspense throughout the movie keeps building and building, upping the dramatic tension. Will Ryan Reynolds’s character Matt Weston be able to fulfill his job and keep track of his house guest? Or will Denzel Washington’s Tobin Frost elude Weston and fulfill his mission? Is Frost really the bad guy?

So many questions to be answered in a short 115 minutes.

The movie was explosive through and through, from its neverending action to the extreme violence to the hidden messages conveyed by Frost. There is even a little romance going on for those softies at heart.

The film begins by giving view-

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

ers a peek into Weston’s life, his hobbies and his relationship with girlfriend Ana Moreau. The film then cuts to Frost and his latest antics, making sure everyone sees just how dangerous he really is.

Frost, an American spy, seems to have great fun staying about six steps ahead of everyone else. The supersay, however, is a rogue agent (or is he?) and for reasons unknown, turns himself in. Frost is kept in a safe house, hence the title, until the CIA can figure out what to do with him. Weston is named as Frost’s caretaker, and bloody hijinks ensue.

Throughout the film, there is always the tension of identifying who exactly is COURTESYUNIVERSAL PICTURES the bad guy and who has the jump on who. Safe House Unsafe: Denzel Washington goes rogue in this delivers action galore and high-action spy thriller, out now. is must-see for any spy or action movie fan.

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Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

sports

page

WHAC: Aquinas tied for second in the All-Sports Trophy race

Big XII: West Virginia leaves the Big East for the Big XII

College Hockey: Ferris State number one in Division I men’s hockey

After the completion of the winter sports season, Aquinas College is in second place in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference All-Sports Trophy competition. The Saints have accumulated 53 points to date and are tied with arch rival Cornerstone University. Crosstown rival Davenport University is in first with 56.5 points.

Another shift in the tectonic plates that make up the alignment of major college football. Last week, West Virginia announced their plans to leave the crumbling Big East for the Big XII in the 2012-13 academic year. The Mountaineers will join conference newcomer Texas Christian University as the Big XII once more lists 12 schools.

In what has been the surprise of the college hockey season, Ferris State is the top ranked team in Division I college hockey. The Big Rapids school that receives little national recognition has garnered 27 first-place votes in the most recent USCHO.com poll. The Bulldogs lead the CCHA with a 16-6-4 league record.

Linsanity takes over Gotham

dan meloy | sports editor

Linsanity – Noun: the phenomenon of being obsessed with Jeremy Lin and all of his accomplishments. Origin: Madison Square Garden. Dialect: Whatever they pass off as language in New York City these days.

In these past couple of weeks, there has been a growing sensation around the recently unknown New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin. Lin is a rookie for the Knicks who never really saw any playing time and was the definition of a bench warmer.

However, due to a plague of injuries that have hampered the Knicks starting lineup, Lin finally got to take center stage in the tough media crowd that is Gotham City.

And to everyone’s surprise, the Harvard man did not disappoint, averaging 22.1 points in February and leading the once dismal Knicks to an impressive run, winning an impressive seven out of their last eight games (even though a Red Wings fan will tell you that is child’s play).

However, besides the winning, it is the style of play and the personality that draws fans so passionately to Lin, making officials diagnose them as being Linsane. With his savvy guard play with passes, driving to the bucket and excusing the excessive amounts of turnovers, Lin takes us back to the days of nostalgia when fundamentals were preached and nobody worried about playing with “swagger.”

But even more so than that, Lin is an outsider to the NBA world. After signing with the Knicks, undrafted Lin became only the third Harvard alum to play in the NBA. To put that in perspective, eight United States Presidents have gone to Harvard in the school’s history.

If you go to Harvard, you are twice as likely to become President than play in the NBA. Also, in the era of globalization and sporting leagues trying to reach out to different diverse markets, it does not hurt that Lin is an Asian-American doing well in a sport that for the most part has been dominated by African-Americans, and before that, Whites.

However, the real draw to Lin, the real romance in the story, is that he is the underdog. Lin is us and we are Lin. Deep down we all like to think or have at least once thought that we could cut it in professional sports, but for whatever reason, we just did not win the genetic lottery on that one.

Now, along comes a guy who is not the stereotypical NBA player, and with his educational background and soft spoken manner, he does not stand out as someone who would play professional basketball. And here he is succeeding in leading an underachieving Knicks team to wins and national recognition. Creating a stir that resembles the even larger phenomenon that was Tebowmania.

Yes, Tebowmania and the borderline sacrilegious practice of “Tebowing” was all the rage during the NFL season.

Like Lin, a guy who was not a stereotypical athlete for his sport was leading his beleaguered club to victory on the field while winning over the hearts and minds of many fans, while gaining a few enemies along the way. The cult phenomenon that encircled Tim Tebow went beyond the Denver Broncos and spread to the world and our collective conscience–mostly because ESPN told us he was important and we follow ESPN like sheep. From Saturday Night Live to Aquinas College Intramural basketball teams, the Tebow craze was everywhere, bordering on the point of annoyance.

Now it is Lin’s turn, and the question of just how long the Linsanity will last is yet to be seen.

One thing is for sure, as long as people continue to associate with this underdog, he makes a humble $762,195 in the world of the NBA. He is the 99 percent, and the Linsanity will continue.

Society will need to cope with the surging Linsanity and all the Lin-based puns. And IM teams are sure to figure Lin somewhere in their team name. For the record, I’m calling dibs on “All We Do is Lin” for IM Soccer.

As for the rest of society, I would suggest taking refuge in the asylum, because the Linsane are calling the shots.

7

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2012

<<

WHAT TO WATCH

>> MEN’S TENNIS

The Aquinas College men’s tennis team hosts Wheaton College this Saturday at 4 p.m. at MVP Sportsplex, located at 4035 Burton Street SE. The Saints come into the season ranked 14th in the country and are 2-1 this season.

Crunch time for men’s basketball

AQ men’s basketball faces Indiana Tech in WHAC Tournament Quarterfinals

By Annakarina Driskell The Saint Reporter

The Aquinas College men’s basketball team has completed the regular season with a 15-15 record and an 11-7 mark in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.

The Saints finished in fifth place in the WHAC and will face Indiana Tech tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

“We are going to screen a lot because they are bad with screens,” said junior forward Zach Eddy on what the team will do to beat Indiana Tech. “[We are] going to play zone because they are good in the post, so we will have the guards come help in the post. Their guards aren’t that good, so why cover them?”

Two weeks ago, the Saints were in contention for second place in the WHAC or at least a chance to host a first round tournament game.

In their game on Feb. 8 against Siena Heights University, Aquinas came out on top 82-51. Eddy led the Saints with 25 points and nine rebounds.

On Feb. 11 Aquinas hosted Concordia University. Eddy, along with sophomore guard Brett Pfahler and senior wing Joe Powers, led the Saints to a 54-51 victory over the Cardinals. Eddy led the team with 14 points, Powers and Pfahler had

11 points to give the Saints the win and the sweep on the week.

In their penultimate game of the season against city rival Davenport University, Aquinas fell 64-45. The Saints shot for 50 percent in the first half and only trailed by four at halftime to the national powerhouse. However an uncanny 16 turnovers proved to be the Achilles heel for the Saints as Davenport pulled away in the second half.

With the loss the Saints needed to defeat Madonna University in the regular season finale in order to secure a home game in the first round of the WHAC Tournament.

“We knew going into that it was a really big game for both of us,” said Pfahler.

“It would determine if we would have a home game. So both us and Madonna were motivated coming in.”

The game against Madonna started out smoothly as the Saints cruised to a 24-10 lead to start the game. The Crusaders rallied at the end of the half but the Saints still held a three point lead heading into the locker rooms. In the second half the game would remain neck and neck with Aquinas holding a slim lead with just over three minutes remaining in the game.

However after Madonna took the lead off a layup Aquinas would go on to miss

ANNAKARINA DRISKELL / THE SAINT

Boxing out: Junior forward Zach Eddy boxes out a Concordia player for a rebound. The Saint begin WHAC Tournament play tonight. two consecutive jump shots. After two Madonna free throws the Saints had the ball trailing by three points. With 13 seconds remaining Eddy, who led the Saints on the night with 22 points, attempted a

three pointer that bounced off the rim.

The Saints would go on to lose 52-48 in a barnburner.

Pistons show signs of life Home cooking in Detroit

By Nick Signore Managing Editor The Detroit Pistons have won seven of their last nine games, including Sunday night’s 96-81 victory against the Boston Celtics.

Despite shooting just 37.8 percent from the field and only making 29 of 46 free throw attempts, the Pistons were able to come out victorious, thanks to a balanced offensive attack that featured five players scoring in double figures.

Center Greg Monroe finished the game with 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

“I think we’ve found our effort, focus and intensity,” Monroe told reporters. “Everyone on this team understands their role now, and we’re all working.”

This was the Pistons’ second win against the Celtics in a week.

Detroit still lingers as the bottom feeder of the Central Division with an 11-22 record, 14 games behind the Chicago Bulls.

Although four of the Pistons’ recent wins have come against Sacramento, Charlotte and New Jersey, some of the league’s other bottom dwellers, there is still reason for Pistons fans to get excited. Monroe, a second year player from Georgetown, now has 16

double-doubles on the season. Meanwhile, point guard Rodney Stuckey’s improved play has helped lead the team and driven the offense when it has otherwise sputtered.

On the team’s February 17 match up against the Sacramento Kings, Stuckey scored in a season high 36 points on 12 of 20 shooting. Three days prior, on February 14, the Pistons played against San Antonio saw much of the same, as Stuckey scored 28 points while adding eight assists in a losing effort.

Upcoming, the Pistons head north of the border on February 22 to take on the struggling Toronto Raptors who has currently lost four in a row. If the Pistons can make winning a habit and not a fluke, they would have a shot at possibly snatching up the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, with the season nearing the halfway point, there is just as likely a chance of regression and slip back to mediocrity.

As of right now, the Pistons are five and a half games behind the New York Knicks for the final playoff position.

However, there is still plenty of basketball left to be played and the Pistons still have a ways to go.

Spartans lead the Big Ten while Ohio State and Michigan trail by a game

By Brian Kalchik The Saint Reporter The Big Ten Conference is shaping up to be a race that will come down to the final game of the regular season.

Currently, Michigan State leads the conference with an 11-3 record. Michigan and Ohio State are a game behind the Spartans with 10-4 records.

Rounding out the top five in the conference are Wisconsin at 9-5 and Indiana at 8-7.

Purdue is sixth in the league. They are facing many questions with the permanent suspension of guard Kelsey Barlow and the temporary suspension of guard D.J. Byrd for an off-campus altercation.

The Spartans are the hot team in the conference, with back to back wins against Ohio State in Columbus and an impressive home win versus the Wisconsin Badgers. On Feb. 19, the Spartans took down Purdue to maintain their lead in the conference.

On the flip side, Illinois is spiraling downwards. After an impressive early season win against the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Illini have lost four in a row. Speculation is swirling that Illinois Sports Editor Dan Meloy

Head Coach Bruce Weber is in the hot seat.

The top five teams in the conference have pretty much secured bids in the tournament. The teams that are sitting on the bubble are Purdue, Minnesota, Illinois and Northwestern. Purdue is trying to get their season back under control, while Minnesota is trying to get back to the tournament for the third year in a row. The Illini are trying to calm the speculation around their current coach and Northwestern is competing to make it to the Big Dance for the first time in school history.

Iowa, Penn State and Nebraska are the cellar dwellers of the Big Ten and are trying to not be the worst team in the conference. Do not expect any of these teams to quit, as they are an upset away from shaking up the conference race.

Northwestern forward John Shurna of Northwestern leads the conference in scoring with 20.3 points per game while Michigan State forward Draymond Green leads the conference in rebounding with 10.5 rebounds per game. Penn State guard Tim Frazier leads the conference in assists with 6.3 APG.

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

The Red Wings have rattled off a record 23 consecutive home wins

By Brendan Hoffman The Saint Reporter The current NHL season is appearing to be the year of the Detroit Red Wings.

The Wings currently lead the league with 84 points, edging out Eastern Conference leaders the New York Rangers, who have 81 points.

For the first time in NHL history, the Red Wings have won an astonishing 23 straight home games, defeating the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on February 19.

Center Henrik Zetterburg scored the first goal for the Wings in the first period. Defenseman Drew Miller struck in the second period and center Darren Helm scored the game winner for Detroit in the third period. Detroit is currently on a six game winning streak.

Center Pavel Datsyuk has proved his dominance as a play maker on the

ice, leading the team with 43 assists.

Goalie Jimmy Howard is enjoying a phenomenal season leading the league with 32 wins.

The most pleasing surprise on the ice has been the addition of defenseman Ian White. White is currently tied for in the league in plus/minus ratio with Boston’s Tyler Seguin with a ratio of plus 29. White’s defensive efforts have been a large factor in the dominance of the Red Wings.

“Well, they just won 21 straight home games,” said Aquinas College hockey player Joe Carlton following Detroit’s 3-1 win over the Dallas Starts on February 14. “I don’t see why they shouldn’t win the Cup. It would be good to see Lidstrom go out with a cup.”

The Red Wings play the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m.

Aquinas athletes prove to be All-American

By Sam Swartout Staff Writer Among the many student-athletes honored by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics as All-Americans for the Fall 2011 sports, four were Aquinas College’s very own. Cross country runner Devin Lea, women’s soccer goalkeeper Kelsey Duley and forward Jaime Tomaszewski, and volleyball middle blocker Chelsea Phillips were all honored.

Lea was honored with his AllAmerican award after finishing in 27th place at nationals, recording a personal best time of 24 minutes 47 seconds.

On the soccer pitch both Duley and Tomaszewski made all the difference. Tomaszewski led the team in goals with 16, while Duley held down

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the defense with a 0.94 goals per game average. Throughout the season, she also had nine shutouts.

Phillips earned her honor on the volleyball court. Beating the previous record held by Mollie Lounds, Phillips ended her career at Aquinas with 1,402 kills. In her senior year alone she had 402 kills and 100 blocks.

“I had to work hard every practice regardless of what I felt like that day,” said Phillips on her award. “Not only was it important for me to be successful in volleyball for my team, but also in the classroom for myself and my future. I would not be honored with this award without such an amazing team.”

In addition to these fine athletes ,42 student-athletes were named NAIA Academic All-American.

Senior Devin Lea Men’s cross country

All-American, Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference champion.

Senior Kelsey Duley Women’s soccer

All-American Honorable Mention, First Team All-WHAC.

Senior Jamie Tomaszewski Women’s soccer

All-American Honorable Mention, First Team All-WHAC.

Senior Chelsea Phillips Volleyball

All-American Honorable Mention, First Team All-WHAC.

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

8

SPORTS

THE SAINT |WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2012

Tournament time Women’s basketball faces Concordia in Ann

The state of Aquinas College athletics

Arbor for first round of WHAC Tournament

The Saint sits down with long-standing Aquinas College Athletic Director Terry Bocian

By Dan Meloy Sports Editor Terry Bocian has seen it all: from added sports, to new facilities and massive expansion of the student-athlete population of Aquinas.

When Bocian took over as Athletic Director in 1978 Aquinas featured eight sports. Now the program is set to have 22 teams for the 2012-13 academic year.

With recent additions such as hockey and men’s and women’s bowling, more and more student-athletes from diverse backgrounds are coming to Aquinas. This raises the question of whether or not there are any plans for future expansion on the horizon.

Bocian noted that they are several reasons Aquinas adds a new sport to its stable. Firstly, it is an opportunity to drive up enrollment at the school by offering sports other colleges may not have.

“I think it is an opportunity to enhance the college community,” said Bocian. “The more activities you have the more people feel a part of the school.”

“I think the other thing that is important is keeping up what is happening at the high school levels. Because if kids are used to having a bowling team at the high school level, maybe they are looking for a school that has bowling.”

Besides having interest at the high school level, another factor that is put into play before adding sport is whether or not other area college offer the sport to provide balanced competition.

“We started women’s lacrosse, but they were a lot of schools within 75-100 miles of that have those programs. So that allows us to put together a schedule in terms of distance and competition.”

Bocian said that one of the key factors in adding a sport was its growth rate at schools at Aquinas’ level of play and whether or not it could create a practical schedule.

“I don’t know when this will come to pass, it may come to pass after I am gone in men’s volleyball, it is growing rate at the small college level. It isn’t a

possibility until phase two is finished.”

It is also the hope of Coach Bocian that one the second phase of the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center is complete Aquinas will be able to host indoor track and field events. Also with the recent disbanding of the Grand Rapids Community College football team Houseman Field, already home to the outdoor track and field team, has become a more viable option as an athletic venue.

“We have a working agreement with Houseman Field, they did the major renovation and the Grand Rapids Public Schools had no money for track equipment . So Aquinas College along with one of our donors purchased all of the equipment for track and field. So we have been able to host all the outdoor meets we have wanted there.

“But with one of the main users dropping out, that gives us an opportunity to use it on a much more consistent basis. And down the road who knows what will happen, there has been minor talk about a football feasibility study.”

In addition to monitoring the state of potential athletic facilities and the possibility of expanding the amount of sports Aquinas offers, Bocian also has to monitor the conference landscape surround Aquinas and what works best for the school.

“In the past we have looked around for a couple of changes, one was joining the MIAA which is the Hope-Calvin conference. With one aspect is that they get no money whatsoever for athletic grants. Our schools give out a little bit of money.”

Schools in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association do not give athletic scholarships directly to student-athletes but do offer academic grants to those interested in playing sports at their schools.

However, for now, Bocian said that Aquinas is comfortable in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, of which Aquinas was a founding member in 1992-93.

“The NAIA and our league re-

mains large, and we added another school by next year-Rochester College.

You never know, at this point we are right where we should be.”

No one can argue the success of Aquinas athletics during Bocian’s tenure as Athletic Director–the Saints have won 11 of 18 WHAC All-Sports Trophies. Bocian attributes this success to steadfast dedication to all areas of the athletic program.

“The reason why we are successful is, I am just as happy to see the women’s soccer team win the championship as I am the baseball team to win the championship. We are excited about our women’s programs. Where at other schools that isn’t the case.”

One of the thing Bocian is most proud of during his time at Aquinas is his commitment to all sports Aquinas has to offer and how Aquinas was one of the first schools in the area to be committed to women’s athletics.

“We were one of the first schools at the small college level to do things like run a summer sports camp for girls.

We added women’s sports long before some of our opponents.”

Bocian attributes Aquinas’ commitment to gender equality in athletics to Aquinas’ heritage and roots with the Dominican sisters.

Above all else Bocian believes that the key to Aquinas’ success in sports stems from the department’s commitment to academics and creating model student-athletes. In addition, Bocian credits the school’s success on the playing field to Aquinas’ dedicated coaches, most of whom have been at Aquinas for a long time and believe in the school’s mission.

Aquinas’ success on the playing field has led to other Athletic Directors call Bocian and asking for his keys to success.

“When Davenport started, their AD called me and said ‘You know your program is what we are trying to mirror,’ that is a compliment.”

Men’s indoor track and field place second at WHAC championships, women place fourth

By George Van Den Driessche Staff Writer

Men’s

The Aquinas College men’s indoor track and field team finished in second place at the Wolverine Hoosier-Athletic Conference championships with a team score of 147.5 points. Sienna Heights University won the league title with a score of 152.5 points.

The WHAC track and field championships were hosted last weekend in Angola, IN, and serve as a last chance qualifier for the national meet.

Senior sprinter Rumeal McKinney claimed two conference titles that day.

McKinney would also win the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.88 seconds

and the 200 with a time of 22.27. Seniors Dustin Heiler, Nick Thelen and Devin Lea also won their events. Heiler would finish first in the mile with a time of 4 minutes and 20 seconds, Thelen would place first in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:57 and Lea would win the 5,000 with a time of 15:10.

Women’s

The Aquinas College women’s indoor track and field finished in fourth place at the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference championships, scoring a total of 89 points. Indiana Tech won the conference championships with a total of 183 points.

Aquinas would place runners first

and second in the 3,000-meter run.

Sophomore Carly Plank would finish in first with a time of 10 minutes and 38 seconds and would be followed by sophomore teammate Rachel Steil, finishing with a time of 10:50.

Plank would also place first in the mile, with a time of 5:19.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will be competing at the Michigan Indiana Championships at Calvin College this Saturday in the final tune-up race before that national meet.

Then, from March 1-3, both the men’s and women’s team will compete at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championships in Geneva, Ohio.

MIRIAM PRANSCHKE / THE SAINT Looking ahead: Freshman guard Allison Heberlein takes the ball up the court in the game against Davenport. The Saints will take part in the WHAC Tournament tomorrow night.

By Rachel Luehm Staff Writer The Aquinas College women’s basketball team had a tough end to their season this past week. After dropping their last three games of the season, the Saints finished the regular season with a 15-14 record and an 8-10 in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.

Aquinas hosted Siena Heights University on February 8 and defeated Siena Heights 76-69. Sophomore guard Marissa Marx led the Saints with 16 points and sophomore guard Jenna Brower had 14 points for the Saints.

On February 11, the Saints were defeated by Concordia 77-56. Junior guard Taelor Sanders led Aquinas 14 points and sophomore forward Carly Bardwell scored 11 points for the Saints.

The following Wednesday, Aquinas fell to crosstown rival and sixth ranked Davenport 64-44. It was a rough game for Aquinas against the overwhelming firepower of Davenport, as freshman guard Chelsea Matley was the only Saint in double digits with 12 points Then on Feb. 18 Aquinas finished the regular season schedule with another tough loss to Madonna 69-53. Aquinas kept it close in the first half only trailing 43-40 at halftime. However, the Saints only shot for 16 percent in the second half and were outscored by 13 after the halftime break.

Although the ending was in no way ideal, the Saints knew they had to play hard against these teams

Spring Madness designed to have Aquinas catch the spring sports fever

Through adversity, junior Emily Smith found her strength in throwing

ANRIS VISOCKIS / AQUINAS

Record setter: Junior Emily Smith holds the school record in the weight throw and is in the top five in the shot put and discus

By Sam Swartout Staff Writer “Goofball,” “passionate” and “inspirational” were all words used by coaches, teammates and even herself to describe junior thrower Emily Smith.

From the time she was in the sixth grade and all the way through her senior year of high school at Port Huron Northern, Smith had always been a runner. However, two weeks into her senior season she broke her leg, disabling her from running. Determined to still make it to States, she convinced

her coach that she could be a thrower.

Proving herself in throwing during the season, she qualified for States.

After high school, Smith had plans to attend community college or to enlist in the Navy. However, her high school coach had other plans for her and sent out her information to six different colleges, including Aquinas College.

Track and field head coach Dave Wood was the only coach to reply to Smith’s information and contacted her immediately. “Emily really caught my interest, she seemed to have a tremendous amount of potential and she was a good student,” said Wood. “Even though she hadn’t had a lot of throwing experience, I could see she would be a good fit.”

“I’m happy that I ended up coming here,” said Smith. “I like my coaches and my teammates, they’re a blast to be around. We get to goof off and everyone gets along really well. We also have a long standing competition with the guys’ team with pranks. There was one time we walked into the gym and all of our weights were zip-tied together.”

While being at Aquinas, Smith shattered the school record for the weight throw and is currently in the top five for both the shot put and discus. She hopes to move into the number one spot for both the shot put and discus by the end of this outdoor track and field season, if not by the end of her senior year.

“So far for the season I have Sports Editor Dan Meloy

reached my goals. I’m currently fourth in the nation for weight throwing, with my personal record being 56 feet,” said Smith. “This was my favorite memory at AQ, it was just a lot of hard work paying off. It felt really great to achieve that.” This year at nationals she would like to make it into the top ten for shot put and into the top three in the weight throw.

“Emily’s nature is what makes her an excellent athlete. You have to tie her to a chair to get her to stop moving,” said teammate and roommate junior Rachel Bartels. “She loves to be active, to be outside and to push herself to the limit. Along with her adventurousness, she is incredibly good at naming a goal and then just doing whatever she has to do to get there. Her dedication is pretty inspiring.”

At the Calvin College Invitational January 27, Smith earned two of her personal best scores in the weight throw and shot put. Her performance at Calvin earned her the NAIA National Field Athlete of the Week award over 23 other nominees.

“It’s really cool and huge honor to receive this award,” said Smith, “and honestly, I didn’t even know until I got to practice and everyone was congratulating me, so it was kind of funny.”

Smith will be competing in the shot put, discus and weight throw at the NAIA Indoor National Championships being held from March 1-3 in Geneva, Ohio.

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

as Davenport and Concordia are ranked very high nationally and Madonna is a tough team, as well.

Not all was lost, however. As senior guard Anne-Marie Shumaker explained, these games “were good for us to better prepare us for the conference tournament.”

Aquinas finished the season in seventh place in the WHAC and will travel to Ann Arbor to face Concordia tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m.

In the regular season the Saints lost both of their games to Concordia. Aquinas will need to win the conference tournament or finish as runner-up to league champion Davenport in order to qualify for the national tournament.

With the season wrapping up, it is important not only for the team to reflect on their success during the season, but also to see the amount of progress they made from last year.

Shumaker believes there has been a good amount of progress.

She said that they “are just a more well rounded athletic team, our team chemistry is better, we have a better understanding of the game and each other, and we are playing harder than we did last year.”

This new dynamic has led to great improvement for the Saints, who went 9-22 last year.

Shumaker attributes this year ’s improvement to experience as well as better understanding of one another.

“Last year it was a pretty young team and with good leadership this year the team was able to expound upon its previous season and show a lot of improvement,” she said.

By Dan Meloy Sports Editor The Aquinas College Sports Management Club will be hosting Spring Madness this Friday, February 24, from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center.

The goal of the event is to introduce the spring sports teams of Aquinas and kick off the spring sports season with some enthusiasm.

Spring Madness is the second event put on by the Sports Management Club, following their AQ Madness event this winter at the beginning of the basketball season.

“Spring Madness is a continuation of the original AQ Madness we did in October,” said Brian Kalchik, event organizer. “While it is a new concept as far as spring sports is concerned, our goal is for each of these teams this spring to get some recognition and to encourage the AQ community to attend their events.”

The teams that will be featured at the event include men’s baseball, lacrosse, tennis and track and field.

Also the women’s softball, lacrosse, tennis, track and field, cheer and dance teams will also be participating at the event.

The event is free to all Aquinas students, staff and faculty and their

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

will be door prizes for those who attend.

The athletes are expected to perform routines and demonstrations to entertain the crowd.

“This event not only provides students the opportunity to see their favorite spring sports teams perform entertaining routines, but they will have the opportunity to win various raffle prizes,” said Mike Malloy, Sports Management Club president.

“We’re proud to be able to give our athletes the recognition they deserve as well as provide an entertaining atmosphere for the teams as well as the fans of Aquinas athletics.”

Aquinas athletes will be on hand to entertain the crowd and get them pumped up for the coming spring sporting season.

It is the hope of the Sports Management club that this event will be a new tradition for Aquinas College athletics and be a catalyst for future events and an increased support of Aquinas College athletics.

Spring Madness is designed to afflict Aquinas College with sporting fever and make them want to get out and support their Saints.

According the event’s Facebook page, doors will open at 8 p.m. and door prizes will be given to those who attend.