The Saint :: Issue 7

Mightier than the Sword The Saint Editorial Staff weighs in on the horrors that took place in Paris

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015 Volume 34, Issue 7

>>NEWS While You Were Gone | 2 S aint R epor ter G abr iel Nothnagel fills you in on the breaking news you might have missed over break Tunnel Art at AQ | 3

Saint Reporter Natalie Pryzbyla reveals the story behind the mural in AQ’s tunnel connecting the Academic Building and Wege Cafeteria

>>CULTURE Surf Disco | 5

News Intern Chucky Blackmore interviewed rising Grand Rapids band, The Outer Vibe and previews their upcoming show

Beer Brewing at AQ | 5

Saint Reporter Mariah Cowsert reveals what to expect with the new class at AQ that teaches you how to brew your beer

>>SPORTS Super Bowl Previews | 7 Saint Reporter Mitch Ringer fills you in on who to root for this Sunday DCP | 8

Sports Staff Writer Zoe Harmon has been filling you in about Michigan sports from her warm home in Florida; here’s what it was like

St. Tommy’s biggest fans since 1886.

AQ Awarded Community Service Honor Aquinas recognized for their commitment to the community,

by President Obama and the American Government

Obama to Make Two Years Community College Free

By Jess Coffman Staff Writer Should community college be free for students to attend? President Obama, in his recent State of the Union address, outlined his proposal to give students two free years of community college, provided that they keep their grades up above a 2.5 GPA and graduate on time. According to Collegeboard.org, the average yearly costs for a student to attend a two-year college is $3,131. While this is far less than the average yearly costs for four year public universities - $8,655, and an even more staggering sum of $29,056 for a year at a private institution, three thousand dollars is still a large financial burden for many families in the United States. These figures are only the fees and tuition, not including the additional money spent on books, food, housing, and supplies.

Some cities and states in the United States are already giving their students two free years of community college.

Tennessee has been the first state to do so, under a program called the Tennessee Promise, that requires those who want to take advantage of it to fulfill eight hours of community service and maintain a GPA of 2.0. According to WSMV.com, 56,000 students signed up for the program before its November 1 deadline. They also have to attend a mandatory training for the Federal Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) but they are provided mentors to help them with the process.

President Obama stated, in his State of the Union address , “Tennessee, a state with Republican leadership, and Chicago, a city with Democratic leadership, are showing that free community college is possible. I want to spread that idea all across America, so that two years of college becomes as free and universal in American as high school is today.”

Chicago’s free tuition program is called the Chicago Star Promise; it pays for books, fees, and tuition at City of

life for students and faculty.

The campus ministry is proud to admit that there are more than 1,000 active partnerships with more than 700 community p artne rs. Serv ice -Le arning tr ips

eye-opening. We are just the small portion of the world and it is amazing to think about the idea of learning the rest billions of people.

I wa n t t o b e c o m e a d o c t o r a n d work in the emergency room. It

social responsibilities.

Juan Olivarez, the President of Aquinas College, said that Aquinas College recently this award would not be possible received a prestigious award, The without a enormous effort and President’s 2014 Higher Education contribution by all the students, Community Service f a c u l t y, a n d s t a f f o n a Honor Roll the second regular daily basis. t i m e i n a r o w, p r o v i n g One of the main that community service, missions of Aquinas College civic engagement, and is to cultivate individuals volunteering are high to join unique journeys and priorities and dedication volunteering opportunities. for the Saints.

Through these channels The award, which students have an excess to is the highest honor an stabilize and enhance their institution can receive relationships with God, b ased on i ts commitment humanity, and themselves. to volunteering, service Even though Aquinas learning and civic College has already brought engagement, has been a variety of benefits to given to colleges all over different communities and the country since 2006. organizations, the college The honor highlights the is ready to announce roles that colleges and its plan for upcoming universities play in solving service learning trips and community problems and volunteering opportunities. helping to guide students There are five stunning in a direction to do the journeys to Nicaragua, the same. The honoree must Dominican Republic, New be a college that measures Orleans,LA, Jerusalem COURTESY ANDRIS VISOCKIS F a r m , a n d C h r i s t i a n meaningful outcomes in their communities. The Appalachian Project Volunteering and Civic Life #LoveWhereYouLive: Apartment E was built last year to make space available for students. t h i s s p r i n g s e m e s t e r. I n in America reports that in a n d vo l u n t e e r i n g e ve n t s d o n o t was such an enchaining experience addition, service-learning trips to 2013 3.1 million students engaged o n l y h e l p t h e c o m m u n i t y b u t to see how other people live and Peru and the Dominican Republic in community service, 118 million also make a huge impression on a d a p t t o t h e i r s u r r o u n d i n g , ” would be also available during the hours of community service was p a r t i c i p a n t s , s h o w i n g t h e m t h e Eccelston said. summer semester. by students and it came to a $2.5 s o c i a l j u s t i c e a n d t h e p r a c t i c a l T h e P r e s i d e n t ’s 2 0 1 4 H i g h e r “It is an invaluable experience b i l l i o n v a l u e . H o w e v e r b e f o r e application of knowledge in real E d u c a t i o n C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e for people with different majors a n y o f t h e s e h o n o r s , a wa r d s o r life.

Honor Roll manages the program t o l e a ve t h e c o u n t r y o r a t l e a s t statistics that we are apart of, Jake Eccleston, a full-time in collaboration with the U.S. the state and just see another Aquinas College has always long b i o l o g y m a j o r / c o m m u n i c a t i o n Department of Education and the s i d e o f t h e w o r l d v i e w. I a m s u r p a s s e d t h e i r c o m m i t m e n t t o m i n o r s t u d e n t i s a n a c t i v e U.S. Department of Housing and looking forward to my trip to Peru t h e c h a r i s m s o f c o m m u n i t y a n d member of service-learning trips Urban Development, as well as the this summer and want to engage service. program,went to the Dominican American Council on Education everybody to join,” Eccelston said.

A q u i n a s C o l l e g e c o n s t a n t l y R e p u b l i c h i s f r e s h m e n y e a r a t and Campus Compact since 2006. demonstrates a unique balance college to gain knowledge and The award demonstrated that b e t w e e n i m p r e s s i v e a c a d e m i c observe how different the medicine A q u i n a s p r e p a r e s s t u d e n t s f o r programs and diverse perspectives is in foreign countries.“It was very b o t h t h e p e r s o n a l g r o w t h a n d on cultural, social, and spiritual

By Anna Musiyenko News Intern

Chicago Colleges. This program requires graduates to hold a 3.0 GPA and be ready for college level math and English courses.

President Obama’s proposal already has some critics; Georgi Boorman, a writer for The Federalist, stated that the proposal “is essentially a scheme to have taxpayers foot the bill for two extra years of high school,” in her article titled, “‘Free’ Community College Will Just Make High School Six Years Long.” She went on to ask why the thirteen years of school already given to students shouldn’t be a sufficient education for them to enter the workforce. Boorman suggests that the money for this program should be instead spent on reforming the K-12 education system.

Some have presented questions about how this would affect four-year colleges and the ability for community colleges to meet the demand of students they would have; also questioning whether they should be more focused on K-12 education.

College students and recent graduates in Grand Rapids think that this proposal is a great idea. Aquinas College junior Chucky Blackmore said,“Obama’s decision is a good incentive for those that are looking to transfer to a 4-year college after attending two years at a community college... free access to college would allow high school students to engage themselves directly after graduation.”

Jaime Wise, a 2006 North Central Michigan College graduate with an Associates degree in English, also likes this proposal saying, “I went to community college for two years, and I couldn’t have afforded a college education otherwise.” When asked if the funding should be put towards improving K-12 education instead of community college, she answered, “I don’t see why only one should be improved, both have huge impacts for people, but college is usually a much heavier financial burden.”

Trayvon Martin’s Mom speaks on MLK Day

“Don’t get comfortable with burying our children.”

By Mackenzie Murphy Opinion Intern Sybrina Fulton, the mother o f Tr a y vo n M a r t i n , s p o k e a t Grand Rapids Community College and at Grand Valley State University on January 19 for the 29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

The event was held in collaboration with GRCC, GVSU, and Davenport U n i v e r s i t y. F u l t o n g a v e a follow-up speech on January 20 at the Sneden Center Auditorium at Davenport University.

The celebration included performances by the MLK Adult Choir and the MLK COURTESY MLIVE C o m m u n i t y Yo u t h C h o i r .

GRCC: Trayvon Martin’s mom speaks at GRCC in honor of her son and for inspiration Multiple community leaders on Martin Luther King JR Day spoke at the event and awarded special recognition t o s t u d e n t s a n d l o c a l s o c i a l was found not guilty in February Other celebrations around justice advocates. Rev. Dr. Clifton 2 0 1 3 o n t h e g r o u n d s o f s e l f - Grand Rapids included a viewing Rhodes Jr., the pastor at Messiah defense. of “Martin Luther King Jr. – The Mis s io nary Bap tis t C hurc h, was F u l t o n , n o w a n a d v o c a t e Man and the Dream” hosted by awarded for his work as a social against violence, uses her platform We s t e r n M i c h i g a n U n i v e r s i t y advocate in the Grand Rapids area. t o p r o m o t e s a f e r a n d b e t t e r C o o l e y L a w S c h o o l a n d t h e F u l t o n , t h e k e y n o t e communities for all: “It’s a bitter B l a c k L a w S t u d e n t A s s o c i a t i o n . s p e a k e r, d e l i v e r e d h e r a d d r e s s t i m e i n t h i s c o u n t r y, ” s h e s a i d . Celebration! Cinema provided free “Encouraging our Youth”, speaking “That our ch ildr en, n ot just my admission for students to see the about community violence and the son, but some of your sons as well, movie “Selma”. death of her son Trayvon Martin. and daughters, are not free to walk The Center for Diversity and “ W h e n I wa s i n v i t e d h e r e , ” down the street, to listen to music, I n c l u s i o n a t A q u i n a s C o l l e g e Fulton said at GRCC, “I did not to wear a hoodie—to do things that h e l d a s o c i a l j u s t i c e m a r c h a t hesitant to say I’ll go.” every United States citizen should the Wege Mall and a blood drive T r a y v o n ’s d e a t h i n 2 0 1 2 be afforded the opportunity to do.” was held at in the Wege Ballroom launched national and international She noted the racial discrimination i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h M i c h i g a n d e b a t e . T h e 1 7 - y e a r - o l d w a s many African-Americans face in Blood. walking through a neighborhood everyday life. when he was approached and Fulton urged her audience fatally shot by George Zimmerman, to not get comfortable with this a neighborhood watch volunteer. situation saying that “I want to Z i m m e r m a n s u f f e r e d m u l t i p l e make sure we’re not taking this injuries from the altercation and lightly.”

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2015

Aquinas: AQ Idol final round to be held February 6, in the Wege Ballroom

Grand Rapids: Local resident sentenced to prison for bomb threat

National: McDonald’s being sued over racial discrimination in Virginia

International: Prince Salman to take over as King of Saudi Arabia

Six remaining contestants of the 9th annual AQ Idol will participate in the second round on Friday, January 30 in the AMC. Seniors Miranda Downing and Michael Starbuck, junior Conrad Schaak, sophomore Nicholas Tarsa, and freshmen Olivia Vargas and Hannah Davis will take the stage to see who will advance to the third and final round.

625-pound Grand Rapids man, Jeffrey Klein, was sentenced to prison on Friday, January 23, for a bomb threat that he initiated. He has already been in jail since the beginning of January and his family fears how he will cope in prison with his current health issues. The bomb threat was made at the Cedar Springs Mobile Estates on August 25, 2012.

One of the most famous franchise in the world McDonald’s was sued over claims that workers were fired from the restaurant in Virginia with “too many dark people” on January 22nd. Ten workers complained and filed a federal rights lawsuit against McDonald’s, claiming that supervisors were using racial and sexual harassments at work.

The King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdulaziz died at age 90 in January 2015, after a long time he had been suffering from the lung infection.

It was quickly announced by government officials that the new king of Saudi Arabia would be the Crown Prince Salman, 79, who was Minister of Defense since 2011.

Sustainability Update

By Simone Martens The Saint Reporter The Sustainability Initiative of Aquinas went a step further this past fall as Aquinas faculty attended a conference focused on bringing fresh sustainability ideas to campuses across the country.

On Friday January 16, these fortunate faculty members gathered to share their experience with the Aquinas community. The Center for Sustainability organized another installment in their Friday Economicology Forum Series to enable this reflection. The event was entitled: New and Fresh Sustainability Ideas. Throughout the hour long event in the Donnelly Center, the audience listened attentively as Dave Weinandy, Rebecca Coogan, Dan Brooks, Duane Ambrose, and Jessica Eimers reflected on the conference.

The Association for the A d va n c e m e n t o f S u s t a i n a b i l i t y in Higher Education (AASHE) Conference was in Portland, Oregon l a s t O c t o b e r. T h e A A S H E h a s a mission of empowering higher education to lead the sustainability transformation of the nation. The conference consisted of 20 minute sessions where institutions would discuss ideas they have explored on their campuses. In addition to the brief “show and tell” sessions, as presenter Dan Brooks called them, there were also hour long academic p r e s e n t a t i o n s . To p i c s d i s c u s s e d included the United Nations U n i ve r s i t y R e g i o n a l C e n t e r s o f Expertise, water conservation, green spaces, bicycle friendly universities, community gardens, green revolving funds, energy monitoring, and sustainability in the curriculum.

The United Nations declared 2005-2014 the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development which established 127 Regional Centers for Expertise. There are three in the United States; Grand Rapids, Portland, and North Texas. In Grand Rapids the RCE program is within the Community Sustainability Pa r t n e r s h i p w h i c h i n c l u d e s G R Public Schools, Grand Valley State University, Aquinas College, GR Community College, and is led by the City of Grand Rapids.

This partnership is one of the ways Aquinas addresses sustainability in addition to our Zero Waste initiative.

Other institutions, such as University of California, work to reduce water usage by 20% with low flow piping, encourage people to plant more trees, and even student nightclubs use the dancefloor to generate energy. While the ideas at the conference were all interesting, the Aquinas faculty sought examples closer to home.

Professor Brooks went to presentations that had ideas similar to ours in search of fresh perspectives o r wa y s t o i m p r o ve u p o n w h a t we already have. He discovered a gardening technique that involves making raised beds filled with rotten wood to provide more nutrients, called hugelkultur. Mr. Ambrose was fascinated by arenas entirely powered

by LED lighting. Professor Weinandy wa s i m p r e s s e d b y t h e i d e a o f a sustainability pledge at graduation.

Graduates should pledge to try to live gently on the Earth and not use their education to do anything that further harms the planet.

Apart from the innovative ideas, a major takeaway was that t h e m e m b e r s m a t t e r. E n g l i s h , Communications, and Athletics faculty─quite the unconventional audience for a sustainability conference.Yet, the conference is supposed to spread the practice of sustainability to all disciplines to immerse in all curriculums. This can only be accomplished by exposing all educational departments to this information. When knowledge is acquired, it is essential to spread the word so that everyone can begin to think green.

Pope Francis travels to Asia

World News From financial crises to political unrest, countries all over the world attempt to make amends

By Yashowanto Ghosh Staff Writer NIGERIA — Boko Haram attacked the town of Baga in northeast Nigeria on January 3, killing an estimated 2000 people in their “deadliest massacre” according to Amnesty International, looting the town, setting it on fire, and razing it. The Islamist terrorist group had attacked the town earlier in April 2013 and killed 185 people. The town was the site of a base for a multinational military COURTESY LA TIMES force set up by Nigeria, Niger, and Chad to fight UKRAINE: Citizens mourn the loss of the 30 people Boko Haram. Along with killed in the missile attack. the town, the military base was seized by the terrorists in the January the spectrum, including those belonging to his own party, are critical of Gabriel’s step.

3 attack.

UKRAINE — A rebel missile attack GREECE — Legislative elections were held on January 25, following the in the city of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine dissolution of the parliament after its killed 30 people and injured 97 on January failure to elect a new president at the end 24. The pro-Russian rebel leader Alexander of December 2014. The Coalition of the Zakharchenko announced that he had Radical Left, Syriza, led by the 40-year- withdrawn from all talks with Kiev and old Alexis Tsipras, has been surging in launched “an offensive against Mariupol.” the opinion polls immediately preceding The city is strategically located between the elections. Mr Tsipras is running on a regions controlled by the rebels and platform of opposing austerity measures Crimea, which was annexed from Ukraine and opposing a third bailout in five years. by Russia in 2014.

The European Union said that the The bailout has been under consideration due to the escalating depression, with the attack “would inevitably lead to a further Greek government’s debt approaching 200 grave deterioration of relations between the EU and Russia;” the secretary general percent of the country’s GDP. In his 2012 campaign, Mr. Tsipras had of NATO said that the attack was “in utter argued for Greece discarding the Euro; disregard of the ceasefire” and urged this year, he has promised to remain in Russia to “stop its military, political, and financial support for the separatists.” the Eurozone.

YEMEN — President Mansour Hadi GERMANY — Vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, chairman of the Social and his entire cabinet resigned on January Democratic Party, which is part of the 22, a day after reaching a tentative peace ruling coalition, attended a meeting agreement with Shiite Houthi rebels. with the islamophobic group PEGIDA The government had been an ally to the in Dresden on January 23. The group, USA in combating Al Qaeda in the gulf. whose name translates to “patriotic In response, the USA reduced embassy Europeans against the islamization of the personnel in the country due to security occident”, has been organizing weekly concerns. Thousands marched to protest demonstrations aimed at the German the rebellion on January 25, reports the government since October 2014 and BBC. The parliament is scheduled to meet on January 25 to decide whether to accept appears to be gaining momentum.

Currently, German politicians across the resignations.

By Simone Martens The Saint Reporter During the week of January 11th Pope Francis embarked on a six day journey to the Far East, reports CBS. The tour commenced in Sri Lanka, which was followed by four days in the Philippines- the largest Catholic nation in the region. While in the Philippines the Pope received a warm welcome as massive

COURTESY CNN crowds greeted him ASIA: Pope Francis travels throughout Asia to talk of peace i n Ta c l o b a n a n d and faith and help recover from past disasters.

Manila.

The Philippines, which is home to 80 million Catholics, was tragically devastated by Typhoon to remain a fixture in families and modern Haiyan on the eighth of November 2013. society as a whole, he also seeks an end This storm, which remains the strongest to society inequality across the world. storm ever recorded on land, had a The Pope solidified this belief by saying, debilitating impact on Tacloban. On “It is now, more than ever, necessary Saturday, an outdoor mass was held of that political leaders be outstanding for about 150,000 worshippers. Pope Francis honesty, integrity and commitment to offered his prayers and wise words to the common good, and for everyone at the over 14.5 million people who were all levels of society to reject every form affected by the typhoon, reports BBC. of corruption, which diverts resources He told the faithful, “So many of you in from the poor.” This tour of Asia shows Tacloban have lost everything. I don’t that Pope Francis is keeping the poor, know what to say - but the Lord does… the planet, and all people in his prayers; He underwent so many of the trials that and is encouraging the rest of the world you do.” In the wake of such a powerful to do the same.

Some, like 12-year-old Glyzelle natural disaster, the Pope reflected on his views about the state of the environment. Palomar, wonder why the suffering of During his papal press conference, many continues without the concern of he responded that he did believe the masses around the world. Palomar mankind was primarily responsible for asked Pope Francis, “why is God allowing it [climate change], and that he hoped something like this to happen, even to this year ’s Paris conference would innocent children, and why are there so take a courageous stand to protect the few who are helping us?”

CBS reports that Francis said he had environment, reports BBC. He also said “I think man has gone too far. Thank no answer. His reply was “only when God that now there are voices speaking we are able to cry are we able to come out about this.” Aside from the planet, close to responding to your question.” the Pope also has taken a stance against He continued by saying, “those on the poverty, which is shown by his desire to margins cry. Those who have fallen by the wayside cry. Those who are discarded cry. travel to this region of the world.

The message of solidarity with But those who are living a life that is more the impoverished given by the Pope is or less without need, we don’t know how powerful and poignant, especially in the to cry.” He then added: “There are some Philippines. BBC reports that 25 million realities that you can only see through Filipinos, or a quarter of the population, eyes that have been cleansed by tears.” live on the equivalent of 60 cents a day Once all of humanity is able to cry the or less. Pope Francis has a clear mission. Asian Agenda will become the Global Aside from wanting the Catholic Church Agenda.

While You Were Gone:

National and International Breaking Stories

By Gabriel Nothnagel The Saint Reporter During the holidays international news got extremely interesting and the events continue to unravel as we enter the new semester.The most heated and well covered topic was the terrorist attack that left twelve French people dead. Death also befell 162 passengers on an AirAsia plane flying from Surabaya to Singapore. Another development to be noted is that President Obama has declared that relations with Cuba will be normalized and that travel as well as business will be conducted in a smoother fashion. Obama also met with congress to discuss the Islamic terrorist organization ISIS, and possible military plans.

On January 7, 2015, a satirical magazine by the name of Charlie Hebdo, was attacked by religious extremists; 12 people were killed. The two assailants were the brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi. Their motive for attack was ideological. Charlie Hebdo, had made a cartoon depicting the prophet Muhammad, which is considered blasphemous to Muslims. The attackers were religious extremists and responded to the cartoon with violence. Witnesses say that they heard the men declare their allegiance to Al-Qaeda in Yemen. Despite their Islamic extremism, they are not related to ISIS. The attack committed has led to controversy, moral debate and reaction.

Concern for public safety and freedom of speech has brought together leaders who are often at odds. On January 11th, over 1.6

million people gathered in solidarity with, Charlie Hebdo.

The root of the problem, according to some is the social and economic divide that causes alienation of the Muslim community.

Joblessness among youth is twice as high in French Muslim communities, and high school graduation rates are twice as low.

The inability to find work combined with alienation is thought to lead some young men to find Islamic Extremism appealing.

Another major news event that you may have missed was the loss of an AirAsia plane and 162 of its passengers that occurred on December 28. The plane was flying from Surabaya to Singapore, then was denied the ability to fly over a storm due to air traffic.

The pilot got caught in the storm, which he later attempted to fly over at the last minute.

After a brief period of rapid acceleration skyward, the plane stalled because it was at such a straight angle that the wings could not function aerodynamically like they should have. The plane landed in the Java Sea and there were no survivors. It has been confirmed that it was not part of any terrorist activity.

The crash of the Airasia airbus A320-200 had to do with issues of communication and organization of air traffic and safety.

The Indonesian transport minister, Ignatius Jonan, declared that safety standards would be improved. Ticket sales of flights would no longer be sold unless the route of the flight was planned months in advance. The ministry said that pay raises for maintenance crews and safety inspection officials would

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

also aid in safer flights.

Over break, Obama also changed long standing U.S. policy related to air travel and diplomacy with Cuba. Relations with Cuba are being normalized, something that has not happened since 1961. It will now be much easier to travel to Cuba for research, business, and family, but tourism for it’s own sake is still unlikely.

Telecommunications providers, financial institutions, and agricultural companies will be able to conduct business. United airlines wants to have regular flights offered from Cuba, Newark, Houston, and Miami.

Visitors will still need Visas, and when they get to Cuba, restaurants will be limited due to the nature of Cuba’s economy. Despite these changes, the embargo imposed by president Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1960 after Castro’s rise to power will still be in place.

Florida Senator, Marco Rubio, fears that Obama’s decision will bring profit to Cuba that they will use against their own citizens as well as the U.S. Despite Rubio’s concern, experts agree that the move to normalize relations with Cuba will help Cubans and their family’s as well

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

as the U.S. Aside from the normalization of relations with Cuba, Obama dealt with the issue of ISIS/ISIL. He met with republican congress to discuss forceful military action in Syria.

John Boehner, Speaker of the House, is insistent that if President Obama makes a concrete plan that he will do his best to defend it in order to gain bipartisan support.

There are issues with the problem of ISIS that both parties agree on, but Republicans still feel slightly intimidated by Obama’s veto threats on immigration law. What started as a few air strikes aimed at saving the Yazidi (a minority group in Syria) from their dire situation of starvation on Mt. Sinjar, as well as the lives of Americans in Erbil has become a larger issue that could last years and involve ground troops.

COURTESY WICKIMEDIA

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NEWS

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2015

Professor Spotlight: Madeline Kaczmarczyk

By Natalie Przybyla The Saint Reporter P r o fessor M a d e l i n e She took on the role and has been it’s great for everyone.”

K a c z m a r c z y k i s a we l l r o u n d e d here ever since.

The passion Kaczmarczyk holds A f t e r K a c z m a r c z y k w a s a t for all of ceramics, women’s rights individual. Kaczmarczyk grew up in D e t ro i t a n d a l wa y s h a d a Aquinas for some time, she and and art history is outstanding. In p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t i n t h e a r t s . Susan Haworth-Hoeppner began her class, Ceramics in Style, not She teaches both art and women’s talking about a class that would only will students learn how women studies here at AQ. It of different cultures wasn’t until later when and backgrounds made she visited her first p o t t e r y, b u t t h e y w i l l gallery as a young girl also create pieces in that she realized she style of whomever the could make something focus of the class is out of her art. Little did studying. Anywhere she know she would from Native American end up doing what she to Japanese to African loves and more. ceramic styles will be From her childhood, studied and made. It is her love for the arts a great class for anyone expanded and she interested in ceramics, pursued a degree in c u l t u r e s , h i s t o r y, a n d ceramics from Michigan gender issues!

S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y.

Kaczmarczyk left Kaczmarczyk also some great advice for obtained more us students. educational experience “Someone once told from Aquinas College me that most people and Pewabic Pottery. go for days without Her educational touching something career expands further natural. I’m glad I get than the classroom. to do it everyday with Kaczmarczyk also ceramics.” throws her own So, if one ever feels fabulous and famous the need to get their ceramics styled with h a n d s a b i t d i r t y, t r y beautiful glaze and NATALIE PRZYBYLA/THE SAINT stopping in at the AMC some with beading. to see what all the Passion in Ceramics: Kaczmarczyk brings her passion for different Anyone who watches fuss is about. While background and cultures into her classroom. her is completely you’re at it, consider mesmerized by her technique and c o m b i n e w o m e n ’s s t u d i e s a n d t a k i n g C e r a m i c s i n S t y l e . Yo u her particular attention to detail. ceramics. The duo began to plan m i g h t j u s t g e t m o r e t h a n y o u Some of her work made it across out ways they could approach such bargained for. the country and even the world, a class and eventually they came but nothing beats seeing her work up with Ceramics in Style of 20th Century Women. in person. “ C e r a m i c s wa s l i m i t e d t o t h e She came to Aquinas after talking with her now retired friend, m e n w h e n I wa s g r o w i n g u p . ” Ron Pederson, about starting up a Kaczmarczyk said, “The closest we new ceramics class in 1999. She did came to doing ceramics is buying a not think of herself as a potential mold from the store and painting professor until her husband told it at home, but now it is so simple her he could see her in the position. for women to learn the craft and

The Man Behind the Mural aspects of color pop and contrast to create the illusion of order w ithin dis o rde r. The mural ta kes Many have seen and wondered ho ld o f the tunne l, flo w ing fr om about t h e sp l a sh of c o l o r i n t h e either side to create an aspect underground tunnel connecting of full immersion. Guenther AB and Wege . M a n y h a ve g a z e d e x p l a i n e d t h a t “ I n a r t , yo u j u s t upon it, vandalized it, seen it have to dive into it.” in t he ma ki n g, won d e r e d w h e r e Many will it could have encourage one possib l y c ome to v is it the site from. Most hidden from c o m m o n l y, the eye of many p e o p l e unknowing have asked individuals. questions: I t i s n o t W h y d o e s n ’t something one the artist wear would expect shoes? W h y i s and that is one he painting of the many that anyway? b e autie s it has.

And why in The colorful t his p a rt i c ul a r mural brightens spot? The up the gloomy continuously hall and b rin gs c h a n g i n g s o m e t h i n g mural in the new into a tunnel has a monotonous story behind day of class. it and the Next time you artist himself venture into describes his We g e , t a k e a inspiration MAYRA MONROY/ THE SAINT fe w e xtra s teps behind this piece down into the of art . slim hall that A Splash of Color: Student Simion Guenther bears his creativity for the AQ community Business c o nne c ts to AB. M u s i c m a j o r in tunnel mural.

Always look and junior, r e a s o n w h y t e a c h e r s d i d n ’ t twice. Something new is bound to Simio n Gue n t h er be g a n p a i n t i n g l i k e m y w o r k . ” G u e n t h e r a l s o p o p up the s e c o nd time aro und. the mural after asking Dean of mentioned that in school he Students, Brian Matzke if he a l wa y s l o ve d mus ic , p artic ularly could. Having a mural in the f u n k . N o w, h e i s c u r r e n t l y i n a tunnel is just what Aquinas band called Upset Pinocchio. needed to prove its artistic In fact, he plans on continuing apprec i a t i o n a n d a b i l i t i e s . on in the music industry after “The whole theme of the g r a d u a t i o n ne xt ye ar. m ural i s mu si c a n d n a t u r e , ” s a y s Even the paints he uses are Guenther. “It’s nice to be painting va r i o u s i n that the y range fro m the things I love in a place where oils to spray paint. The work it will last for as long as the water could be described as a mix damage l et s i t . ” b e t we e n s t r e e t art and a me dle y Alt h ou gh h e d i d n o t p u r s u e i t o f p i e ce s t hat hap hazardly b le nd as a major, Guenther always had a t o g e t h e r s e a m l e s s l y. I t t a k e s p u l l t o t h e fine arts , p artic ularly p a i n t i n g , altho ugh he faile d two of the three art classes in high s ch o o l . “ T h e y d i d n ’t l i k e i t t o o much when you did anything controversial,” Guenther l a u g h e d . “ That’s re ally the o nly

News Editor Yasmeen Ahmed

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

Campus events draw in crowds with free food, good times and music

By Abigale Racine Culture Editor Each February, just when all hope is about to be lost by Aquinas students concerned with looming deadlines and dodgy weather conditions, the annual Refresh Yourself event allows campus the chance to be entertained and to have their faces stuffed with free food.

The event, hosted by the Campus Life department and sponsored by CocaCola, as well as other numerous local venues, discourage the winter blues in Wege Center.

The event is to be hosted Friday, February 6, from 7 p.m. to midnight, and it will overtake the entire Wege building.

“Students should attend because it’s a great event for community,” said Tim Ramsay, assistant director of Campus Life. “It’s to get together and celebrate what it means to be a Saint.”

Upstairs in the ballroom, there will be a live performance from pop rock musicians The Well Reds, as well as a visit from the AQ ICE Improv group.

In the cafeteria there will be a variety of food offered- including Yesterdog, The Pita House, Jet’s Pizza, as well as AQ’s

own dining services.

Refresh Yourself is not only a chance to eat your way into hibernation, but it is a chance to see who is voted the ninth AQ Idol!

MC-ed by comedian and musician Jason LeVessur, the top 6 finalists will be narrowed down to three. The three will then compete for the title of AQ Idol.

Speaking of AQ Idol, here’s a rehash of the first event.

13 contestants performed an arrangement of songs, from Disney to Top 40 hits, to a full-crowd in the AMC. Judges include St. Joe’s area coordinator Liz Williams, assistant to the Provost, Lauri Orlowski, and Todd Avery, who has an extensive background in musical theatre. The 13 prospects were narrowed down to 6.

The remaining contestants include senior Miranda Downing; sophomore Nicholas Tarsa; senior Michael Starbuck; sophomore Hannah Davis; sophomore Olivia Vargas; and sophomore John Conrad Schaak.

The next AQ Idol event will be Friday, January 30, in the AMC at 7 p.m. and will be MC-ed by current-reigning Idol, junior Nate Schall.

Venture out to Refresh Yourself for good times, good friends, and good food, to celebrate your Sainthood.

ABIGALE RACINE/THE SAINT

Treat ‘yo self: Refresh Yourself remains a campus event staple, with the AQ Idol finale and free food guaranteed to draw in students.

Student Senate Connects with Students

By Mackenzie Murphy Opinion Intern

The mysterious tunnel mural and it’s origins

By Natalie Przybyla The Saint Reporter

Refresh Yourself & AQ Idol Rock the Campus

Expect to see more suits, ties, and business casual wandering around campus this semester.

For the 2015 spring semester, Student Senate plans on reaching out to the Aquinas community.

“This semester, Student Senate is placing an emphasis on connecting with the student body,” said Senate Chair Madeline Burns. “Senators are working hard at being available to students in new ways than previous semesters.” The Senate recently expanded their reach into various social media platforms, creating Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Aside from expanding their online reach, the Senate is offering even more ways to connect: “We have already began to be more active. We are hosting our constituent hours in AB, Wege, Albertus, and other common places,” said first-year Senator Aiden Anderson. The Senate has increased the number of locations across campus where constituent hours are held in order to make it easier for students to have their concerns and comments heard.

“We are doing this to reach out to more students and get the chance to talk to more people on campus” said Anderson.

The Senate will also be bringing a few special topics to the forefront of campus discussion. Recently, the decision to increase the residency requirement for the incoming Class of 2019 stirred controversy around campus. Senior Senator Brandon

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Heritier welcomes the controversy as chance to promote discourse between the Senate, students, and staff: “Students’ concerns are a big part of student senate and the more input students give provides the most projects and responses,” said Heritier. “The residence life discussion is in response to the newly mentioned three year housing requirement. I am the chair of an ad hoc committee aimed specifically at researching problems, procedures, and resources between students, facilities, and the res life office to ensure the new three year policy is initiated as with as little blowback as possible.”

As well as tackling new projects for the semester, the Senate will bring back a number of recurring events, such as Declaration day, Student in Action Awards, Student Elections, and Leadership Plunge.

“There has been a lot of planning and collaboration involved throughout campus on [Leadership Plunge],” said Burns. “Last year we had over 80 students participate in its first year, and we are hoping for even more this year. I particularly love this event because I am able to see my peers immerse themselves in serving others and bettering themselves and their communities through leadership, something that I am really passionate about.”

Students are always welcome to attend the Senate’s General Assembly meetings.

Locations and times for the meetings can be found at www.aquinas.edu/students/ senate/. For more information, follow the Student Senate on Twitter @AqSenate and on Instagram @aqstudentsenate, or email your senators at senate@aquinas.edu

COURTESY LANE HOKANSON

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2015

Is freedom of the press worth dying for?

FROM THE CROWD

APPLAUSE TO...

The Contestants of AQ Idol, for strutting their stuff and flexing their pipes; Pizza Rolls, for being a microwavable cure for despair; Bill Nye, for putting Patriots coach Bill Belichick in his place with science; AQ Students, for being dilligent with the Stanley Security Safer Schools voting; Microsoft, for free upgrades to Windows 10 to apologize for Windows 8; Disney, for casting Emma Watson as Belle in Beauty and the Beast.

HECKLES TO...

Parks and Rec, for making us feel all the feelings during its last season; Winter Storm Juno, for the forthcoming fury that it will wreak on the East Coast; Fat-shamers, for mocking people trying to get in shape at Sturrus; The Anti-Vaccination Movement, for ruining Disneyland with Measles; The Academy, for whitewashing the Oscar nominations this year; Will Ferrell, for weaponizing sporting goods against innocent cheerleaders.

Classifieds...

The Grand Rapids Friends Meeting (“Quakers”) meets for silent worship at Aquinas Campus in the Browne Center, Sundays, from 10:30am to 11:30am. All are welcome. Meet us February 24 at 12:30pm, in the Wege Center Loutit Room. www.grandrapidsfriends.org

theSaint

By Liz Ptaszynski The Saint Reporter Freedom of the press. It’s one of our most basic freedoms that we are given. But what does it mean exactly? To me, it’s the absolute right of the people to print any opinion they might have free of censorship or intervention. It’s what allows magazines and newspapers to print what they do and it encourages us to get involved with the world because we know what’s going on. But is this very freedom one worth dying for?

Recently, freedom of speech has become a big topic across the world due to the terrorist attack that took place January 7th, in Paris, France.

It was a typical day at the publication building of the infamous Charlie Hebdo magazine when it all turned into a nightmare. Two men walked in and murdered twelve people in cold blood. Their reason?

Vengeance for their religion. According to CNN, it was reported that as Charlie Hebdo was being attacked the gunmen yelled “Allahu Akbar ” known to be a sacred phrase of Islam that roughly translates to “God is great” in English.

Charlie Hebdo has never been a magazine that shies away from any controversial topic. They are a satirical magazine that targets anybody and everybody no matter their religion or identity group, minority or majority. The actions on January 7th weren’t the first time that the maga-

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Sports Editor Opinion Editor Managing Editor Adviser Opinion Intern

Taylor Hodges Chuck Hyde Aaron Campbell Dr. Dan Brooks Mackenzie Murphy

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

MISSION The Saint has worked diligently for the past 31 years to produce an informative, entertaining and journalistically-correct student publication. The Saint is distributed by students at Aquinas College and in the surrounding community.

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

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

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

>>write us a letter!

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

physical copies – AB, Room 20

Opinion Editor Chuck Hyde

zine had been targeted because of what it had published. The staff at Charlie Hebdo were well aware of the danger that was in store for them. In fact, in 2011, their office in Paris was firebombed due to a cartoon depiction of the Prophet Muhammad that was published. Some people would look at that as a warning, that maybe they had went too far and that they should apologize or at the very least not continue to print things about Islam. However, the brave men and women at Charlie Hebdo continued on. Some believe it’s ridiculous that after such an incident the publication went on to print cartoons and articles about Islam, despite the danger that was clear in sight. I believe that it is vital to understand that writing is a passion. It’s not just something that you can pick up and set down; writing is no different than music or painting. It’s not just simply a hobby. It’s a lifestyle, and to have to stop seems unfathomable. Free speech is our right, it’s one that we have fought for in the past. We have earned the right to publish what we wish and to not be penalized for it.

As a nation we should stand with the position of the magazine.

They didn’t bring this on themselves, nor did they even provoke this attack. Charlie Hebdo is a satirical magazine, it is their job to take cultural events and present them in a comedic way to entertain the community. It’s no different than watch-

ing an episode of Saturday Night Live. All these people are guilty of is doing their job. a job it’s their passion. It’s what they do best. It’s what they stand behind. No one can point fingers at them for standing up for what they believe in. The blame should be placed on those who committed the heinous actions. It was the two individuals and only those two individuals that thought it was a fitting retaliation to murder those twelve people. It should also be noted that this is not just an attack on Charlie Hebdo but on the Muslim faith. These sickening actions were done in the name of religion, but this isn’t an act of the Islam. After the 2011 bombing of Charlie Hebdo, the Associated Press quoted French Council of Muslim Faith Mohammed Moussaoui as saying that he “deplores the treatment that the Islamic religion was given but reassures its absolute opposition to all acts in the form of violence.”

We must ask ourselves if the freedom of press a freedom worth dying for-- if not, how far is it worth taking? As a journalist myself, this issue tugs particularly at my heart.

I believe that freedom of press is a right that we have earned and we should continue to fight for it. It’s our civic duty to do so.

For the sacrifices that Charlie Hebdo made to make their point clear the only thing we can respond with is Je Suis Charlie— I am Charlie.

Stop the Crusade:

The Problem with Bill Maher

By Mackenzie Murphy Opinion Intern On January 7, hours after the Charlie Hebdo shootings, Bill Maher appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live. There, he asked his fellow liberals to “turn toward the truth”: that terrorism and extremism is “mainstream in the Muslim world.”

Aside from the fact that Maher states these ideas—on national TV, in front of millions of viewers— without the mention a source or statistic, his statements are particularly harmful and destructive. We have the right and the responsibility to denounce violence and injustice wherever we see it, but Maher replaces one evil with another. His language is ethnocentric and evaluates Islam from a confined point of view. Although Maher denounces terror and oppression against women, he fails to take into account the complexity of the Islamic world.

In May of last summer, the De-

2014-2015 E D I T O R I A L B O A R D Editor-in-Chief News Editor Culture Editor Creative Director News Intern News Intern

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troit Free Press reported that local Muslim leaders in Dearborn gathered to rally against ISIS, calling the group “the enemies of humanity,” and saying that “[ISIS doesn’t] speak in the name of Islam, in the name of Muslims, in the name of humanity.” This picture of the Muslim community is drastically different than the one that is usually produced. Instead of portraying Muslims in a brash, violent way, it shows Muslims uniting to speak out against violence—using free speech to fight what they disagree with.

I am not all denying the attacks of terror that have occurred since 9/11—Islamic extremism exists and is thriving in some parts of the world. Instead, I’m attempting to perceive Islam as a complex faith, choosing to believe that it brings peace into the world as well as terror.

Bill Maher ’s secularism is as dangerous as Islam’s extremism.

His discourse only adds fuel to a flame. Karen Armstrong, a member of the Royal Society of Literature and internationally known for

her work in comparative religion, has found that when fundamentalist groups are attacked, they will invariably become more extreme.

Armstrong’s research reveals a harsh truth: we need to stop with the Islamophobia.

The Collective Against Islamophobia, a French organization, reports that in less than a week after the Charlie Hebdo shooting, more than 50 anti-Muslim incidents have occurred, including violent threats, insults, shootings, and bombings.

These attacks were on innocent people who belong to a faith estranged from the Western world.

It is ridiculous to believe that terror and hatred can put out terror and hatred. The best we can do is to reject ideas and principles and learn to accept humans. Starting with our own perceptions, we can learn to take into account the complexity of every faith, and learn to understand the worlds that extend beyond our own.

Je Suis Charlie

By The Saint Editorial Staff Written language has the capacity to share thoughts and ideas.

Unfortunately, these thoughts and ideas can come at a price.

Heroes don’t come a dime a dozen. The few that make a substantial difference for the rest of the world should be limitless, indestructible, invincible…unfortunately that isn’t always the case. Charlie Hebdo has reminded the world that there are human lives responsible for the print we read in papers and magazines. Eleven of those lives were lost earlier this month.

The terrorist attacks in Paris put many in a contradictory position. It is clear that we oppose terrorism and support free speech, but now it is unclear as to how to support our positions. Do we stand for free speech in spite of death, or do we fight death in spite of free speech?

“The Pen is Mightier than the

E-mail saint.editors@aquinas.edu

Sword.” This saying rang in the ears of millions as they walked in solidarity in the wake of the horrors that took place in Paris. Even in death, words bring the world together.

There is no easy way to deal with tragedy. With pain comes change; that is an unfortunate reality of our society. There are talks of limiting speech, and many have blamed the writers at Charlie Hebdo for bring this on themselves.

The ability to speak on any issue freely is one that allows for debate, agreement, and understanding. While some see free-speech as a way to induce conflict, we must also remember that it also can resolve conflict. Without free-

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Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

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speech, the very principles we stand on would cease to exist. No matter what, no matter who tries to hurt us, we should stand for our words, because in the end our own beliefs and freedom to express ourselves is what no one should be able to take away from us.

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THE SAINT |WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2015

Movies: “Batkid Begins” documentary to be produced by Julia Roberts

Television: The Big Bang Theory experiments with big changes

Music: AQ alternative-Indie rock band Velcofibs to release single in February

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

YouTube sensation Miles Scott, aka Batkid, will be the center of a Julia Roberts -produced documentary to be entitled “Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around The World.” Batkid, a 5 year old diagnosed with leukemia, captured hearts when he lived as a real-life superhero for a day when the Make-A-Wish Foundation turned San Francisco into Gotham City in his honor.

Co-creator and executive producer Chuck Lorre plans to make some major adjustments to the popular sitcom, especially in the regards of the character Penny, played by Kaley Cuoco. After being a struggling actress waiting tables for 7 seasons, Penny pursues a new career path, giving her newly-found confidence and causing a power shift in her romantic relationship.

Local alternative band Velcofibs fronted by Aquinas juniors Graham Lince, Joey Francovich, and Chucky Blackmore. is scheduled to release a new EP. Former AQ student Maggie Wissman is featured on backup vocals on the single to be released in February. “{Recording} has been rewarding and I can’t wait for our art form to be released,” said guitarist Chucky Blackmore.

Country music superstar Blake Shelton has sunk to a new low.

It didn’t stop at those Pizza Hut ads. Shelton recently referred to himself as the “Justin Bieber of country music.”

>>Blake shelton

COURTESY PEOPLE MAGAZINE

Let’s see how far we’ve come abigale racine | culture editor #OscarsSoWhite has pointed out a recurring theme of lacking diversity not only in the Academy Awards history, but in Hollywood and the media in general.

The 20 Academy Awards acting nomination spots went to a group made up entirely of white actors and actresses.

It has been jokingly referred as to the “whitest Oscars ever.”

Only, it’s really not humorous at all.

The hashtag that trended on Twitter in mid-January has sparked controversy and has inspired long overdue conversations within the Hollywood community and amongst the consumers themselves.

According to an LA Times article, 93% of all Oscar nominations EVER (!) have been white.

Now, who’s to blame? Is this even a problem? Let’s reassess and stop blaming the blonde-haired, blue-eyed performers that were acknowledged for their hard work this season at the Oscars.

Their talent and dedication is unmistakable. Anyone who disagrees should view the movies for which the candidates were nominated and judge from there. We shouldn’t question Rosamund Pike, Reese Witherspoon, or Bradley Cooper for their nominations, they are not to blame.

It would be a shame to let any sort of privilege water down anyone’s successes or accomplishments. Realize that we all start from different backgrounds and we all have to overcome adversity through trials and errors. Unfortunately, some people’s ladder to the top is a lot shorter, but, regardless, acceptance of one’s self and openness to others is crucial for a healthy lifestyle.

Now, were other talents overlooked, in regards to the 2015 nominations? Absolutely. This happens every single year at the Oscars.

Don’t tell you are still aren’t upset over Leonardo Dicaprio getting snubbed.

This year’s disappointment was the overlooking of Selma, the film following Martin Luther Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.

I’m not asking for there to be a set number of nomination spots to be designated for people of different races; I am just pointing out the overwhelming bias that is present in the Academy.

Is this snub a concidence?

Instead of shaming the faces we know and recognize from the tabolids we see in the grocery store line, we should be questioning those making the executive decisions.

As stated by the publication NewsOne, “Specifically, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is 94% white and 76% male. This is the body that decides who gets nominated and who wins, so it’s no wonder why the nominees lack the diversity we want to see reflected.”

Now, I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves.

All races deserve equal representation in all facets of the media. It is an uncomfortable topic of conversation and it addresses the topic of privilege.

When people don’t like the topic of conversation, a natural reaction is to resort to extreme examples for the sake of argument, and this could discourage people not to delve deeper into the problem at hand.

I believe that the hostile tweets that appeared demonstrate this.

The topic of privilege is one that often leads toward denial. This discouragement is base and counteractive. By choosing to dismiss an argument, it rejects the opportunity for critical analysis and denies that there is problem.

The most important factor in fighting against oppression is taking the time to listen and understand when to shut up.

It is especially important to step back and assess criticism when someone questions your logic, for this is the true way to fight against oppression. Wait for the opportune time to speak up.

For instance, according to Business Insider, the Rev. Al Sharpton arranged an emergency Hollywood diversity commitee meeting .

“The lack of diversity in today’s Oscar nominations is appalling.,” said Sharpton.

“It is hard to believe that we have less diversity in the nominations today than in recent history.”

Hopefully the incident at the Oscars has been a learning experience for the AMPAS executives, seeing that more and more people are challenging and speaking out against their choices.

More importantly, I hope the incidenthas taught consumers how to be wiser..

It is important to remember that the Oscars are not the source of the problem, but they are a reflection of the problem.

Unique and Endearing: “Surf Disco” Why you should see The Rising Grand Rapids band prepare for tour with Melancholy Play new EP

By Liz Ptaszynski The Saint Reporter

Sadness, drama, and... almonds?

The Melancholy Play introduces all of these concepts while wrapping them up in a strange, humorous bow tie.

In a contemporary manner, this dark comedy follows the lives of four simple Americans as they find themselves interacting with a strange and offbeat girl named Tilly. Though Tilly is beautiful, she suffers from extreme melancholy.

While struggling with overcoming her obstacles, the audience sees how this intense sadness passes to each person she intermingles with in an almost contagious style. Through her beautiful sense of sorrow and somewhat confusing behavior, they see who she is and are instantly drawn to her. Without hesitation they trade in the daily responsibilities of their everyday life for the intoxicating melodramatics of Tilly and succumb to their addiction of her.

Throughout the play the audience will see how melancholy effects each of the characters in the most sweet and powerful way. The Melancholy Play explores type of sadness that can only be explained in a humorous and endearing approach.

The tale unravels as a cello plays simple symphonies in the background.

The play stars sophomore Zoe Col-

lenburg, sophomore Caleb Jenkins, senior Luke Wilcox, senior Katie Glossop, and senior Dara Kammerand.

“This play has been so much fun and so crazy,” said Zoe Collenburg. “I love working with such a diverse, talented cast, and the best part is having all these surprises and special effects we have in store for the audience.,” This is a production that will simply grab you from your seat and make your emotions go on a whirlwind of an adventure.

When Caleb Jenkins was asked why it was so vital for people to come and see Melancholy, he responded by saying, “It’s so easy to just go out and enjoy a movie at the cinema. But the theater provides an alternate world for audiences to physically exist in and be physically stimulated in.”

And that’s just what this play will do to anyone who goes to see it. It will play off your emotions with such relatable characters and make you see sadness as not always tradgic but sometimes beautiful in the strangest ways.

You can see it on February 26-28 at 8 p.m. or catch at 2 p.m. on March 1.

Tickets are just $5 for students, $6 for faculty and $10 for general admission.

The Melancholy Play is a show that should not be missed, it’s unique and one that will leave you feeling grateful for what and who you have in your life.

By Chucky Blackmore News Intern

The West Michigan area is home to an abundance of local talent, and Grand Rapids is surely the epicenter of this creativity.

One prime example belongs to the upbeat radiation that is The Outer Vibe.

The band, who likes to refer to themselves as “surf disco,” will be playing at the Intersection on Friday, January 30 in celebration of the release of their new EP, Pass It On. The Outer Vibe’s lineup consists of members including Sean Zee, Nick Hosford, Lisa Kacos, Andrew Dornoff, and Noah Snyder. Because each musician contributes their own style, it is impossible to classify the The Outer Vibe’s genre--but alternative pop rock suffices.

The Grand Rapids-native band breathed its first breath of fresh air in 2001.

Music making started with vocalist Sean Zee and guitarist Nick Hosford, who were close friends at the time. They met the other members through college and traveling around the globe. The most recent chapter of the band’s career started when drummer Noah Snyder joined the group.

“Unanimously, we can all agree that there are different sounds and feels that we all love,” said Zee. With that in mind, band members cultivate these influences into a sound they call their own.

“We call [it] surf disco,” said Hosford.

“That pretty much looks like Clint Eastwood drinking a pina colada.”

Artist Spotlight:

Brewing in Beer City: Home brewing incorporated into classroom beer city, you can find a variety of breweries, brewpubs, and local craft beers made in Michigan that give a taste of Grand Rapids beer culture. Founder ’s Brewing Co has been named the third best brewery in the world, Hopcat is the number one brewpub in the nation, and Brewery Vivant was named Midwest Living’s top 25 new places which shows the impact of local brewing and makes Grand Rapids a fantastic place to explore the diversity of handcrafted beer.

Insignis senior Chuck Hyde, said

Bittersweet

COURTESY BITTERSWEET

Big sound: Bittersweet brings a new outlook on what makes music universal.

By Natalie Jo Przybyla Staff Writer Artist: Bittersweet Genre: Post alternative, indie experimental rock Comparisons: Citizen & Band of Horses

COURTESY VEGAS MAGAZINE

Not your poppy’s Miller Lite: Insignis students study the theory and performance of beer.

By Mariah Cowsert The Saint Reporter The newest cultural- enriching class offered for Insignis students is Beer: Theory and Performance led

by Professor Chihak.

This course does not only enable students to explore all that the local breweries in beer city can offer with their craft but also teaches the beginning of ancient fermentation practices dating back to 5000. B.C. in Mesopotamia. The class will also explore the relationships between beer and brewers and how beer is made through the lens of biology, statistics, chemistry, and psychology.

The roots of Grand Rapids brewing started with the arrival of an Englishman named John Pannell, the earliest West Michigan brewer.

Pannell established a quant singlebarrel brewery, now known as the Grand Rapids Brewing Company, in 1836 at the bottom of Prospect Hill, where the Waters Building now resides at Pearl Street and Ottawa Avenue Northwest.

Living in the award winning

Culture Editor Abigale Racine

describes that “The class offers an interesting opportunity to explore something that our city is very well known for.” and “W with so many microbreweries and so much craft beer, the drink is really part of our culture.”

The class is about more than sampling the brews, it’s learning the science behind the bottle and expanding knowledge of a passion.

“I’ve never been able to drink beer in class before, that’s for sure,” said senior Annamarie Pavlock.

“The class is a nice break from the rigor of required classes and is a chance to engage in learning about something that’s purely out of interest and for honors credit.”

The course offers a new taste of learning as the class will learn the process of brewing beer to the level that will enable them to brew at home, write a 20 page paper that envelops the brewing industry’s interactions with the world which looks at beer from a business and cultural aspect, and even using their newly formed brewing skill to create a recipe for beer that fits into a specific brew style guide.

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Pass It On is an expression gratitude towards the fans that have continually supported their artistry since the beginning. Since 2013, the band members have put countless hours into the songwriting and production. Bandmates recall creating a board that allowed them to post photographs, lyrics, and art pieces to influence them during the album-making process.

Like the title suggests, Pass It On is a Pay-ItForward method from the band to the fans: “We’re encouraging our friends and fans--believers--to send our EP to someone else they might know,” said Zee. “We worked so hard on the art of our music, and we want West Michigan to help us kick it off.”

One of the songs on Pass It On, “Big Bad Machine,” is a theatrical explosion of upbeat simplicity, resembling a musical number from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The drums introduce a dance-worthy beat with the bass thumping alongside, building into a soulful howl. The guitar and keyboard recognizably make their mark, and the song is instantaneously a fan favorite.

A U.S. tour is set to take place later this year, along with song and music video releases. The next big event in store for the band includes the Pass It On EP giveaway on January 30 at the Intersection. Doors will open at 6:30p.m. This batch of homegrown talent will be a show to not miss.

“The show is going to be a ray of sunshine on a dreary day,” said Snyder.

With a sound like Citizen and Band of Horses, Bittersweet is not a band to put on the backburner. Former Aquinas College student Derek McAllister and AQ senior, Brendan Hoffman are making their way to the top in the music industry along with their mod podge super-group of Midwest musicians and bringing a new outlook on what makes music both personal and relatable.

“It sounds… big.” Hoffman said, “There is always two guitars going [he and McAllister], each song sounds intense and what we write is incredibly honest.”

Both have been in bands in the past and know of the downward spiral of writing a song that they knew would be liked by the crowds, but unfortunately, lacked personality.

They decided they would change that with their new band Bittersweet.

Their up-and-coming album is going to be a reflection on the experiences the band members have had within the past year. The focus of Bittersweet is something that one doesn’t see too often anymore--not what has gotten others famously re-

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petitive, but what is actually powerful and open. McAllister said , “I’ll be on my way to work, ya know, listening to our demo, and a certain song about Brendan’s dad will come on...

I’ll just start crying. It’s got a lot to it.”

Inspired by bands like Mumford and Sons, The Offspring, Blink-182 and The Eagles, Hoffman and McAllister have been in bands in many diverse genres, from ska to christian metalcore and pop-punk. The guys of Bittersweet feel this only improves them as a unique band by making them appeal to all listeners.

“With a lot of good music, it’s more of a feeling than anything else.”

McAllister explained. “I feel like our mix of what we like in music really helps us connect in a way that’s unlike anything else.”

No doubt about it, Bittersweet is nothing less than excited about their new music. Their first show was on Friday, January 23 in Muskegon which went great and the audience seemed to truly love the tunes performed. For someone who goes to concerts, it’s easy to tell which bands love the feeling of the stage. Bittersweet is one of them.

Bittersweet’s next show is being played on Thursday, February 12 at Take Hold Church on Division Street.

It will be a pop-punk show with Midwest Skies, Ship Captain Crew, and It’s A Secret. Doors are at 7 p.m. and admission is $5.

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7

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2015

NFL Suspensions: Josh Gordon

Cubs Legend Dies: Remembering Ernie Banks

Australian Open: The rise of Nick Kyrgios

WHAT TO WATCH: Women’s Tennis warming up

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has failed another drug test.

While the drug test didn’t reveal any use of marijuana, there were traces of alcohol in Gordon’s system. Due to the new NFL policy, Gordon will be subject to a one-year suspension.

Hall of Famer Ernie Banks died late Friday after suffering a heart attack earlier in the day. Banks hit 512 home runs in his 19-year career and was known for saying “Let’s play two.” Banks passed away just days before his 84th birthday.

Professional tennis player Nick Kyrgios is having a memorable Australian Open. The 19 year-old Australian native came from two sets down to stun opponent Andreas Seppi in five sets. Kyrgios is set to face-off against Great Britain native Andy Murray in the quarterfinals.

The Aquinas Women’s tennis team is getting ready to start their season after a long winter. After numerous practices, the team is looking forward to play its first match since September. With only one freshman, the team is looking to make strides this season. Their first match is set for February 7 against St. Mary’s.

Super Bowl Preview mitch ringer | the saint reporter Two NFL teams punched their tickets to Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, January 18. The Seattle Seahawks won the NFC championship in dramatic fashion, coming back from a 16-0 deficit to defeat the Green Bay Packers 22-28. In the AFC, The New England Patriots paved their road to Super Bowl XLIX by outplaying the Colts 45-7.

This is an exciting matchup, but first, let’s flashback toward the beginning of the regular season. Weeks one through seven filled football fans with doubt that the defending champion Seahawks could make a return to the Super Bowl. In week two, the “Legion of Boom” allowed tight end Antonio Gates to snag three touchdown catches en route to a loss against San Diego. After this game, many believed that Philip Rivers and the Chargers had exposed the defending champ’s weaknesses on defense, setting the stage for future upsets against the Cowboys and Rams in weeks six and seven For as many doubters the Seahawks had in the first half of the season, the Patriots probably had twice as many. They started shaky in week one with a 20-33 loss to the Dolphins on the road. That was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the Pats early season struggles.

In week five they were trounced by the Chiefs, 14-41. Critics were calling Tom Brady “washed up” and saying that he should soon retire.

Fast forward to now and the Seahawks are flying high after an immaculate come-from-behind win to steal the NFC championship from the clutches of defeat. The game seemed over when Morgan Burnett caught Russell Wilson’s fourth interception with 5:04 left in the game. The Hawks were down 7-19, but a bad punt, an explosive Marshawn Lynch touchdown run, a ridiculous twopoint conversion play, an onside kick recovery, and a never-say-never attitude lifted the team to an exciting overtime win.

The Patriots are feeling unstoppable after making the 2014 leader in pass yards look below average in their championship game. Andrew Luck only completed about one-third of his passing attempts for a measly 126 yards, two interceptions, and no touchdowns.

The Pats were in control the entire, running for almost 100 yards more than the Colts. It wasn’t just the Patriots who were responsible for this blow out. The Colts made many early mistakes, giving the Patriots full momentum from start to finish. The Colt’s return man, Josh Cribbs, a muffed a punt in the first three minutes of the game, leading to a LeGarrette Blount touchdown for the first Patriots points of the day. The punches kept rolling until the final whistle blew on the 45-7 victory.

The outcome of Super Bowl XLIX will be determined by how well New England will be able to deflate the game balls. Just kidding, what will really make a difference in this game is which team can run and stop the run better than the other. According to ESPN, during the regular season, Seattle rushed for 2,762 yards with an average 5.3 yards per carry. Their opponents only ran for 1,304 yards with a weak 3.4 yards per carry. That is an equation that always equals success; it shows that teams are able to be in control of the game.

But how did the Patriots fair in this category? According to ESPN, they ran for 1,727 yards with a 3.9 average, while their opponents ran for 1,669 yards with a 4.0 average. Using these stats as measurement, it looks like Seattle will beat the Pats. Not so fast. The Patriot’s current starting running back, LeGarrette Blount, was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers for most of the season. Blount is a big, powerful back (much like Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch) that ran for 148 yards and three scores against the Colts in the AFC championship win. The Patriots are just now hitting their stride running the football.

So who wins? Both teams will run the ball well, but what it really comes down to is the X factor himself, Tom Brady. He knows how to win big games. He will do so by forcing the defense to commit to stopping the run, and then using play action to find Gronk in the end zone multiple times. I predict the Patriots win their fourth Super Bowl Championship 31-24.

A New Type of Resolution Red Wings Wheelin’

By Charlie Crowley The Saint Reporter As the New Year falls upon, many of us look to make resolutions to better ourselves, such as working out more or cutting back on the sweets. For the past few years, the Detroit Red Wings seem to make a resolution to scare their fans in the second half of the season with one or two notable injuries and a few key losses. So far this calendar year, however, that is not the case.

The Wings have been on a hot streak as of late, with a 7-2 record in the month of January. The string of victories has put them second in the Atlantic Division and sixth overall in the NHL. Four of those wins came on a two week road trip that spanned from the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast.

Even more impressive, five of those wins came in regulation time. They will take a week break for the NHL’s All Star Game festivities in Columbus, Ohio, and continue the second half of the season on January 27. Five of their next six games will be played on the road.

The team continues to be paced by the play of their captain, Henrik Zetterberg, who leads the Wings with 44 points in 47 games. Seven of those points have come in the last two games alone, with a hat trick and an assist against Buffalo and three assists

against Minnesota. Also helping commandeer the offense is former Grand Rapids Griffin Tomas Tatar, who was named the NHL’s second star of the week for January 11. Tatar’s seven points in four games helped the Wings take off on a four game win streak.

Also helping chip in are ‘The Magic Man’ Pavel Datsyuk with 35 points, and Gustav Nyquist - who like Tatar started his professional career in Grand Rapids – with 36.

The Red Wings blue line has remained a steady constant for the Wings this year, having allowed only 115 goals, which is good for eighth in the NHL. Niklas Kronwall leads the way offensively for the defensive corps with 27 points, while supporting players such as Michigan native Danny DeKeyser chip in when needed while also helping to shut down the opposing team.

Despite the untimely injury to goaltender Jimmy Howard, getting hurt just hours after his All Star selection, former Griffin Petr Mrazek has stepped up for the Wings with four wins in his last five starts.

With the All Star break this past weekend the Wings have been quiet, as the injured Howard was their only scheduled participant. As the Wings depart on a high note, the Motown faithful are hoping that the Red Wings keep wheeling next week.

Struggling To Win Grand Rapids Griffins need defense

By Zoe Harmon Staff Writer The Grand Rapids Griffins, who are currently fourth in the Midwest Division with a record just above .500 (19-16-3-1), need to focus on their upcoming games if they want a chance to make it to the post-season. Their current standing is much thanks to their rough start earlier in the season, at one point having a winless streak of six games.

On January 17, the Griffins played game number 38, marking the halfway point in their 76-game slate. With the right mentality and hard work, the team still has a chance to clinch a spot in the post-season.

Currently, the Griffins have two players within the top 20 scorers in the American Hockey League (AHL). Teemu Pulkkinen (fourth place), a right-winger hailing from Finland, has played in 33 games, scoring 20 goals and posting 19 assists. While he has helped the Griffins thus far, Pulkkinen has recently been called up to the Red Wings. He has struggled to score at that level, but that comes as no surprise to the organization as he is still young.

According to The Detroit News Teemu Pulkkinen commented, “The players here are better, they have a long stick, and they know where to go on the ice.” Pulkkinen does not seem to be con-

Finishing Strong

COURTESY ANDRIS VISOCKIS

Taking Shots: Sophomore Kelsey Spitzley eyes the basket as she drives through some U-M Dearborn players.

By Crysta Paganelli The Saint Reporter Round two of conference play has begun and the Lady Saints are hungry for some victories. Last Wednesday they proved that with a huge victory of 56-48 against Lourdes. After only defeating Lourdes by two points in their first meeting, the Saints getting a second win was crucial.

“We’ve definitely come a long way since the beginning of the season. We’ve made huge strides and are constantly improving. I’m excited for the rest of the season,” said freshman center Mary Vojtko.

Coach Linda Nash had some great words to say about the freshman newcomer Mary Vojtko and what she has brought to the team this year.

“Mary Vojtko has been a pleasant surprise with her progress on the season. We are working with her to be more assertive, but she is making strides every game and practice,” said Nash. “She has a nice shooting touch around the basket.”

With a season record of 7-14, and eight conference games left in the season, the Saints are looking to end the season strong.

“We have been in every game since the start of the new year with a chance to win them. We came up short on a few of them, but we are starting to believe that we can play with the best teams in the WHAC Conference,” said Nash “We also Sports Editor Taylor Hodges

made a few offensive adjustments and I feel our team is moving with more assertiveness and that they have better spacing.”

The squad has two seniors in guard Allison Heberlein and point guard Chelsea Matley. As the season comes to a close, sending these seniors out with a great season to look back on will make their college career one to remember.

Currently, the ladies are tied with Lawrence Tech for seventh place in the conference standings.

With the top eight teams advancing on to the conference tournament, they have high hopes to maintain one of those spots in order to advance on.

As the Saints look to advance, the coaches believe rebounding is key to their improvement.

“Rebounding is an area that we need to continue to get stronger on. Many games we are undersized, but we need to make up for it with constant hustle on the boards,” said Nash.

Tonight, at 5:30pm, the ladies have an away game against the Davenport Panthers. Last time they faced the Panthers the game resulted in a loss for the Saints, so these girls are ready for some revenge.

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cerned and knows that the time will come.

The other player on the top-20 list is center Andy Miele who is thirteenth in the scoring race. Miele has 13 goals and 20 assists.

According to mLive, when he was signed Miele was considered an “offensive upgrade,” and based on his stats, he has not disappointed.

The defensive side has been more of a struggle for the team. Unfortunately, due to the injuries of two Red Wings’ goalies, the Griffins have had to give up their their starter, Petr Mrazek. Mrazek has played in multiple games with the Red Wings stemming all the way back to the 2012-13 season and has been performing quite well. Luckily, goalie Jared Coreau has stepped up to the plate after a rough 2013-2014 season. He has officially secured more wins than he did last season with the Griffins.

In a recent three-game road trip, the Griffins struggled, going winless versus the Utica Comets and Hamilton Bulldogs. This three-game losing streak did come right after a six game winning streak, making it not seem so brutal. With that, the team and coaches seem to be on the up, turning the losses from the first half of the season into wins. Ensuring wins in their upcoming games is very crucial. The Grand Rapids Griffins still have an open door to the playoffs, but they will need to continue to work hard to push through it.

8

SPORTS

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2015

Young and Strong

By Mitch Ringer The Saint Reporter The Aquinas Men’s Tennis team is coming off a strong 2014 season.

That 2014 team saw a conference championship, multiple All-Americans, and the 2014 NAIA Senior Player of the Year. The team was riddled with leadership; bursting with the experience of six seniors.

Those six are graduated now, including the Senior Player of the Year. This year ’s Saints are hungry to prove that they still have what it takes to repeat as WHAC champions. They are young with four freshmen, but that won’t deter them from striving for greatness.

Some people might be concerned about a squad having only three returning players and four freshmen, but Kristoff Saari, returning junior All-American, is confident in his team.

“We have four freshmen on this team that are all good tennis players and are all ready to step up and prove that they can fill in and win matches at this level,” said Saari.

“We also have three returning players that know that more will be expected from them this year.”

The three upperclassmen have seen success in past seasons, and they know what it takes to regain that success.

“In order to repeat as WHAC champs and earn a trip to the National Tournament in Alabama, we will need to come together as a

team and improve every individual strength and weakness,” said Saari.

They are also looking forward to taking on rivals: GVSU, Davenport, UNOH, and Ferris State.

A pivotal stretch in the season will be when the Saints showcase their talent in Orlando, Florida again this year.

“Not only is the trip beneficial in the sense of taking on other talented schools, but it also a great way of building the team’s flow,” said Saari. “The Florida trip is always one of the highlights of the season and is a great way for the team to improve it’s chemistry and come closer together.”

This trip takes place relatively early in the season, so it is a great time for the freshmen to learn from the upperclassman, and to bond closer with them as well.

The team will be opening their season against Ferris State at MVP Sports on February 7 at 3:00 PM. This will be a great opportunity for us fans to check out the exciting and new 2015 edition of the Aquinas men’s tennis team . This is more than just a “rebuilding year ” for the Saints. Ask Kristoff Saari and he’ll tell you, “Even though this team has a lot to replace from the last few years, this is still a team that can do great things… the future is bright for AQ Tennis.”

Saari is excited, as will the rest of us be when we cheer he and his team on this season. Go Saints!

AQMBB: Eyeing Nationals

COURTESY ANDRIS VISOCKIS

Unmatched Focus: Junior Luke Sorenson eyes the basket as he prepares to take a free-throw.

By Crysta Paganelli The Saint Reporter Making it to the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championships is the ultimate goal for the Aquinas Men’s Basketball team, but in order to get there, focusing on winning one game at a time is vital.

With the second half of conference play underway, the men’s squad is looking to further improve their winning record of 13-8.

Last Wednesday they took on Lourdes at home in a much needed win situation. The last time they met,

Lourdes squeezed passed the Saints with a victory of 68-65. Tonight they came out looking for revenge and walked away with a victory of 57-50.

“Our big focus lately has been on our defense. Tonight we came in and showed we can produce on both ends of the floor,” said junior center Kail Venema after the big win. Venema had a spectacular dunk that highlighted the game.

As the Saints look to finish their season strong, they will have to rise to the occasion.

“The team has taken on the next

Fresh Faces

Alksnis Helping Chemistry

Meet The Saint’s Interns

By Veronica Burns Staff Writer Students have been able to cheer on their fellow Saints more, with the opening of the Alksnis Athletic and Recreation Building.

In the past month, the team has already had four meets here on campus.

The meet on January 16 was against Siena Heights, Davenport, and Bethel College. The AQ women’s team placed second with 137 points, after Siena Heights. The AQ men’s team placed first with 147.5 points, with Siena Heights at a close second of 142 points.

Hope College, Spring Arbor, Ferris State, and AQ all competed against each other on Friday, January 23. The men’s team ranked up the points and easily won first place with 194 points, with Spring Arbor far behind with 116.

Sophomore Jimmy Birney, talked about some goals the team has this season.

“Coach Wood and Woj and our team are always looking to win our WHAC Conference, both indoor and outdoor,” said Birney. “And to be able to bring numerous studentathletes to Nationals is a goal that is held by all members of the track team.”

Sophomore Andy Houser also chimed in.

“We have three men and 5 women who all compete well against the other teams. As for goals, we want

step of challenges to compete for post season tournaments. We still have several levels to improve defensively as a team, individually as well, said Head Coach Dave Hammer. “Offensively, we need to be more consistent and develop a post presence.”

In order for the Saints to advance to the conference postseason tournament, they must finish among the top eight out of thirteen conference teams. They are currently in fifth place with a league record of 9-4 closely trailing behind the fourth place team, Concordia.

The squad’s big focus now is to keep their winning record and maintain their spot in the conference tournament.

“We are looking to improve so that we will be at the top of our game by the tournament. We need to clean up our defensive rotations and allow minimal offensive rebounds,” said junior guard Jake Bullock. “On the offensive end we need to create good spacing and get our timing down with rolling off screens.”

Tonight the team will travel to Davenport University, as they look for a victory after a tough loss the last time they faced the Panthers.

The Davenport Panthers, along with the Cornerstone Eagles, were the two teams from the conference that advanced on to Nationals last year.

A win over both competitors in the second half of conference play will show them that there is a target on their backs. The Aquinas Saints have been let out of their cages and they are ready to fight.

Anna Musiyenko News Intern Class: Junior Major/Minor: Communication/Journalism I Love Journalism because...

“To make some changes in the world and develop the society- cause I believe that journalism is the 4th power(after government, laws etc.”

Hometown: Kharkiv, Ukraine

Chucky Blackmore News Intern Class: Junior Major/Minor: English, Education/ESL I Love AQ Because...

“Relationships are tight-knit and event and resources are accessible to all students.”

Hometown: Spring Lake, Michigan

COURTESY ANDRIS VISOCKIS

Eyes on the prize: The Aquinas Women’s Track & Field team eyes the finish line as they eek out their last bits of energy. to compete with Indiana Tech,” said Houser.

Houser also noted how Alksnis has benefited the team, saying, “The new facility has allowed us to have more efficient and beneficial practices. These practices have allowed us to compete better than we have in previous years.”

Sophomore, Nicholas Tarsa, talked about the new facility and goals of the teams as well.

“Previous to this year, each part of the track team (distance, sprints, throwers, etc.) met and practiced in separate places at different times.

The middle distance runners would have to go to Calvin’s indoor track late in the evening to get a workout in,” said Tarsa. “This year, the team finally is able to come together as one and work together to be the best athletes we can be. As a team, our goal is to compete. We have some great track teams in our conference and we feel that if we can compete with them, we can compete with anyone in the nation.”

Next weekend Aquinas competes in Saginaw, MI. The team’s next home meet is Friday, February 6 at 5pm.

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“It combines everything I love into one:writing, connecting with people, and caring for others.”

Hometown: Wayland, Michigan

A Fairy Tale in the Making:

The Saint’s Sports Correspondent Zoe Harmon & Her Adventures at Disney World Do dreams really come true?

They do if you have the courage to pursue them, according to Mr. Walt Disney. Disney created an empire based on the dream he had to create a place of fantasy that the public could escape the real world and create lifelong memories with their fami-lies.

He has influenced more people’s lives than he could have imagined, and my life is lucky enough to be one of those. For years I had the dream to be an intern on the Disney College Pro-gram (DCP) at the Walt Disney World Resort (WDW) in Florida. In June 2014, I was finally given that opportunity.

The process started in February 2014 with an application, a webbased interview, and a phone interview. Then I patiently waited three weeks for my acceptance email. I happened to receive this email in Columbus, Ohio while my mom and I were touring the “Christmas Story” House. I can imagine the tour guide had some insane thoughts about our random hugging and crying, but there was no holding back the excitement. From there I filled out paperwork and se-lected my arrival date, June 7. I could not wait. The months pressed on and finally June 7 arrived. As I stepped into my “home”

for seven months, I had no Idea what I had gotten myself in-to.

For the first few days I attended classes with other fellow DCP members, and then it was finally time to get to work. I was placed in Full Service Food and Beverage (a fancy name for restaurant hostess) at ‘Ohana at the Polynesian Village Resort.

For those of you who are familiar with ‘Ohana you know it is pretty awesome and for those of you who are not, it is pretty awe-some. ‘Ohana serves both breakfast and dinner “family style” with the characters, Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch, visiting with guests for breakfast and a ukulele player entertaining the guests at night. Not only do I think ‘Ohana is awesome, but apparently so do others as it is the second busiest restaurant on property. The word “‘Ohana” is Hawaiian and it means “family,” which accord-ing to Lilo from Lilo & Stich means “nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”

This is exactly the way I felt during my time at ‘Ohana.

Guests from all over the world visit WDW, making it an interesting place to work. I can now say that I have been yelled at by gypsies demanding they had a reservation, that I saw a young Hispanic child

get stuck in a highchair, and that a Russian doctor yelled at me about allergies.

Even though not every guest seemed to be enjoying their experience, there were some amazing guests as well. I met one couple that had both graduated from Aquinas, which was pret-ty cool considering most people did not even know how to pronounce it. I also met a man that, in full detail, described to me how amazing being at WDW with his three year-old was. He went on and on about watching her eyes light up each time she met a new character, and how she could not stop talking about her ride on Splash Mountain. It constantly amazes me how meaningful a trip to WDW can be.

Another opportunity I had while working at WDW was working at various locations. I picked up extra shifts at ESPN Wide World of Sports for athletic competitions, and at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios for a parade audience control. I was also deployed for one week each at 1900 Park Fare, a character buffet at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa and at Liberty Tree Tavern (LTT), a restaurant at Magic Kingdom. The deployment at LTT happened to fall over Thanksgiving, meaning I would be working in the busiest parks on one of the busiest days of the year. What I thought was going to be

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

miserable due to the fact that I was not with my real family or ‘Ohana family on the holiday, turned out to be one of my best memories. On Thanksgiving I literally stood at the doorway to the restaurant for nine hours, greeting guests and handing out Mickey stickers. It was then that I learned how amazing it is that a Mickey sticker can make both a three year-old princess and a 50 yearold man smile in the same way. That day I came in contact with thousands of guests that I hope I was able to make at least half of the im-pact on them that they had on me.

The incredible thing about the DCP was the ability to not only have my life impacted by tens of thousands of people, but having the opportunity to impact their lives as well. It was an amazing feeling when I saw the look on a child’s face when they spotted Stitch, or heard the sto-ries that each child had about their ride on Space Mountain, or even the genuine smiles I re-ceived when I welcomed a guest with a friendly “Aloha.” It is these little moments, which really are not so little, that I will always miss.

As cliché as it may sound, I truly had a magical time at the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Not only did I make amazing memories while my dream of working at WDW came true, but I also

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learned a tremendous number of lessons that could not have been learned anywhere else. Among these lessons are patience, customer service, communication, what true happiness looks like, and so many more that I continue to realize every day. I would not trade the seven months I spent in Florida for anything. I used my courage (as Walt would deem necessary) to make my dream come true, and I encourage anyone with a dream to do the same. Never let anyone or anything hold you back.