The Longest Ride | 6
OCD is not a joke Mary Pyper informs you about why people need to stop self diagnosing themselves with obsessive compuslive disorder
theSaint
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Wednesday, April 15, 2015 Volume 34, Issue 11
>>NEWS Tully Cross | 2
An update from our friends in Tully Cross and the adventures AQ students have gone on overseas
A Dynamic Duo | 3
Culture Editor Abigale Racine features Aquinas’ hardworking dynamic duo in Campus Life
>>CULTURE I Hate Hamlet | 5
Staff Writer Nathan Gimby previews this upcoming AQ Theater play
SaintTalks | 6
Saint Reporter Liz Ptasynski reviews the media forum and the speakers
>>SPORTS Men’s Baseball | 7 Staff Writer Simone Martens gives you an update on AQ’s Men’s Baseball Women’s Softball| 8
Staff Writer Zoe Harmon fills you in onthe Women’s Softball season so far and what to look forward to
Plymouth Whalers | 7
Is it almost summer?
Aquinas Celebrates Outstanding Women Students, staff, faculty, and alumni gather to award this year’s outstanding women in the Wege Ballroom By Natalie Przybyla Staff Writer
personal and professional c o mme nts ab o ut the o uts tanding women, explaining why they
number of different reasons, so the event is made out to be pretty diverse. The strong women of AQ
Wo m e n a r e n o m i n a t e d f o r being passionate and hardOn April 29, Aquinas will working members of the AQ present awards commun ity. to women who The passion are outstanding that exists in members of the their everyday Aquinas College job, whether that c o m m u n i t y. be student, staff These women m e m b e r, f a c u l t y o r will assemble and alumna, making a conquer in the mar k and living th e We g e B a l l r o o m t o A Q mission . congratulate those It will be who were nominated inter estin g to listen by someone also from to the heart-felt Aquinas College, letters for these whether it be staff, astounding women s t u d e n t s , f ac ulty, o r read by the people alumni. who nominated In the past, the them. One would Outstanding AQ not want to miss Wo m a n Awa r d s something as was held in the incredible as this. Donnelly Center, Women are not often where many other r ecognized f or th eir W o m e n ’s S t u d i e s achievements and events frequently this event creates p o p u p . L a s t ye a r, strides in advocating the outcome of f or gender eq uality. COURTESY ANDRIS VISOCKIS people crowded the Congratulations s m a l l ve n u e , s o the Celebrating the Women of AQ: The 13th Annual Outstanding Woman Awards will take place on April 29 in the g o o u t t o a l l t h i s Wege Ballroom and honors AQ students, faculty, staff and alumni who have impacted the community. Director of Women’s y e a r ’s n o m i n e e s Studies, Amy as well as past Du n h a m S trand, alo ngs ide o the r we re a go o d fit fo r the award. are recognized for the hard work w i n n e r s o f t h e a w a r d s . Yo u members of the Jane Hibbard N o minatio ns e nde d o n Apr il and per sever en ce. all have worked so hard for I d e m a Wo m e n ’s S t u d i e s C e n t e r, 10, b ut it hap p e ns e ve ry ye ar, so M a n y n o m i n e e s w i l l h e a r it and definitely deserve the decided it would be best to move no wo rrie s , if yo u mis s e d it th is their letter s r ead out loud to the r ecognition . u p o n t h e v e n u e l a d d e r t o t h e ye ar. crowd on April 29, and yes, there Ballroom. The Wo me n’s Studie s C e nter will be tear s. T h e n o m i n a t i o n p r o c e s s i s m a k e s a n e x c e l l e n t e f f o r t e ve r y The award ceremony will r e l a t i ve l y quic k and s imp le . ye ar fo r this e ve nt. take place f r om 11:30 a.m to 1:30 “ Yo u c o u l d g e t n o m i n a t e d T h i s y e a r , n o m i n e e s a r e p.m, with lun ch being pr ovided. on our website,” said Dunham really excited for it, especially T h e n o m i n e e s w i l l t h e n b e S t r a n d . “A l e t t e r w r i t t e n t o t h e s inc e this ye ar is the firs t w her e presented with special awards for n o m i n e e i s re quire d in o rde r fo r a d j u n c t p r o f e s s o r s c a n a l s o b e r ecogn ition of their commitmen t i t t o b e r e a d b y the w rite r b e fo re nominated for an award. Though and contr ibution to th e A q uinas t h e a wa r d is p re s e nte d.” e ve r y wo m a n i s a f f i l i a t e d w i t h community, whether on campus T h e l e t t e r w i l l i n c l u d e Aquinas , all are no minate d for a or not.
Spring Formal brings dance and fun to City Flats
AQ hosts well-known slam poet for Contemporary Writers Series By Chuck Hyde Opinion Editor
COURTESY ANDRIS VISOCKIS
Ain’t No Party Like an AQ Party: This year’s Spring Formal was held at City Flats Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids. By Liz Ptaszynski The Saint Reporter With the slow but steady increase in temperature and dreadful hovering deadlines, students are sadly reminded of what time of year it is. With just a few short weeks until the end of classes, students are encouraged to simply ignore that ever present temptation of Netflix, and focus on that “final push” to the end of the semester. However last Saturday night, Aquinas students were offered the opportunity to relieve some of that stress and create some unforgettable memories at the Annual Spring Formal put on by the Aquinas Programming Board (AQPB). The event took place at 8 p.m. and went on through the night until it concluded at midnight, at the luxurious City Flats Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids. With tasty food and bumping music the event promised to be one that would go down in AQ history. Students couldn’t help but gasp in amazement as they walked into the hotel. The hall was decorated beautifully with elegant floral center pieces sitting at every table, comfortable lounging corners where guests could relax, and a funky black light that set the tone for the entire night. The night began with gourmet appetizers that could seemed to make every student feel like royalty. With fresh bruschetta, delicious hamburger sliders, and
chocolate-covered strawberries, the food was nothing short of glamorous, and was a pleasant change from the tedious ramen noodle diet that most of us are so used to. It was shortly after the scrumptious food that the dance floor was opened up and the real party was able to begin. Spirits were high as the DJ catered to every student’s dancing needs. With a shift from latin music, to pop, to 90s hip hop, the music took students on an unforgettable journey. Some simply just jammed to the crushing beats of Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, and of course the irresistible rhythm of Backstreet Boys, while others dared to start their own dance-off circle. Good vibes seemed to transcend through all the guests and they couldn’t help but have an amazing time. “I had a great time at formal,” said sophomore Tom Sanchez. “The dance was well set up, and the music and entrees were awesome. I was able to have so much fun with my friends and date.” City Flats Hotel was the place to be for Aquinas students last Saturday. Along with a talented DJ, and mouth-watering food, the atmosphere was nothing but positive and fun. AQPB outdid themselves once again with Spring Formal. Guests seemed to have an amazing time and were able to take a much-needed moment of relaxation before the stress from weeks to come could touch them.
I firs t b e c ame aware o f Sar ah Kay through my high school p o e try c las s . As a final p ro j e c t, we we re to w rite a s lam p o e m and p e rfor m i t i n c l a s s . O u r t e a c h e r s h o we d us several poets, but Kay left an impression on much of the class. Her passionate poems were the goal, though none of them manage d to re ac h he r s kill level in the s ho rt time o f the c las s . Sarah Kay is a nationally renowned poet, and her work has made appearances in different fo rms o f me dia. K a y s t a r t e d yo u n g ; s h e wa s only 14 when she first performed h e r p o e t r y. M a n y k n o w h e r thro ugh De f Po e try Jam o n HBO . She made an ap p e aranc e o n th e s ho w that was fo llo we d b y a win at N atio nal Po e try Slam. Kay has also given TED talks, received honorary doctorates, and performed all over the world. Her poetry focuses on a va r i e t y o f i s s u e s , l a r g e l y t h o s e that s he fac e s in he r o w n life . In her poem entitled “B,” Kay describes relating the lessons she has learned to her hypothetical daughter. It is filled with emotion and s e lf-re fle c tio n, us ing c lever image ry and wo rdp lay to p ain t a p i c t u r e o f g r o w i n g u p . Pe r h a p s he r mo s t famo us p ie c e , “B” was performed at TED and other ve nue s , o nline and o the rw is e. Alo ngs ide he r p o e try, K ay is the founder of Project V.O.I.C.E., a group that uses poetry and s p o ke n wo rd to te ac h o the rs . The o rganizatio n us e p o ems to motivate and inspire students, combining performance with classroom education and traveling a r o u n d t h e c o u n t r y. K a y wo r k s
COURTESY PAUL GOR
Contemporary Writers Series: Slam Poet Sarah Kay brings poetry and a message. with f ellow poets Ph il Kaye and F r a n n y C h o i t o d e ve l o p p o e t r y an d oth er education al pr ogr ams. Pr oject V.O .I.C.E. has ach ieved a l o t o f a c c l a i m , w i n n i n g a wa r d s f r om sever al n ation al education gr oups. Kay has also released No Matter the Wreckage, a compilation of poetry from her first ten years. She has collaborated to write a musical titled Adding Up, an illustrated version of “B,” and a one woman show called Sq uar e O n e. Thr ough out, she has continued performing and helping with numerous charitable organizations in India an d other un der pr ivileged par ts of the wor ld. Sarah Kay is a well-known and well-lauded poet, and Aquinas College has had the honor of h ostin g her on - campus
on Tuesday, A pr il 14. Make sure to look into the many different projects (creative an d oth er wise) that she h as put out dur in g h er car eer.