WED 03.05.14
VOLUME 97
ISSUE 18
Substance Abuse at Andrews: Part II— p. 3 “I don’t know if tabooing it lessens its effects, or just makes it more underground...”
STOCK IMAGE
SUE VANDERWAAL “She was the most generous helpful person to wish for… she was strong and brave.”
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#SELFIE
THE END OF AN ERA
QUEST FOR COOLNESS
AN EARNEST PREVIEW
“let’s talk about how you need to fix that horrible and bothersome speck in your eye ASAP.”
Senior Interviews along with preview of their final tournament.
“I was part of a cool crowd. But I still wasn’t the coolest. And I wanted to be the coolest.”
“Smart and satirical, Earnest probes the issues of Victorian society in nineteenthcentury England...”
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MOMENTS “Savannah, the oldest city in Georgia, is a city of the past.”
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THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
2
News
Pavlov’s Cats Take AUIQ By Timothy Hucks | This past Sat-
urday, AUIQ was held in the Johnson Gym. AUIQ is an annual game show type event, where students pit their wits against each other and test their knowledge of varying subjects, including theology, math, and social sciences. The show was Timothy Hucks News Editor
PROVIDED BY THE VANDERWAAL FAMILY
Remembering Sue VanderWaal Aliz Jimenez | On Thursday, Febru-
ary 27, 2014 many friends, relatives and students gathered together at PMC to celebrate the life of Susan Denise Copin VanderWaal. She passed away on Saturday, February 22, 2014, after losing her battle to breast cancer. Susan Denise Copin VanderWaal was born on October 27, 1964 in Kalamazoo, Mich. Born as the youngest sibling of John and Edith Copin, she joined siblings Jon, Jeanne, and Teresa. She had grown up in the Battle Creek area and throughout her life she enjoyed the outdoors and enjoyed time traveling as well as being involved at home. Even at a young age, Sue showed great care toward other people. Although she would say, “I really only know about taking care of babies,” Sue touched the lives of everyone she met. Her responsibilities as a nurse never ended at work. Her compassion for what she did was evident to all of her colleagues and friends. She was always considerate, always smiling and always willing to get involved and help. Sue met Curtis Jon VanderWaal in elementary school and both would continue on together to complete school, work at camp, and
eventually marry in Urbandale, Mich., on June 16, 1985. Sue and Curt loved traveling, a joy which was also shared with their three children, Michael, Ben, and Emma. Sue was very involved with their school activities and was always on the go with them. She enjoyed keeping up with them and the rest of the children in her family. It was early 2012 when Sue and her family found out that she had breast cancer. Throughout her battle with breast cancer, Sue never skipped a beat nor failed to spend time with her family. She was strong, even as the disease progressed to her brain and spine. She passed away Saturday, February 22, 2014, but as many of her relatives mentioned at the funeral, she will not be forgotten. Her dry sense of humor and her sweet smile that shown through her will always be remembered by her friends, family, and everyone she touched. Dr. Jones Gray, Professor of English and family friend of the VanderWaal’s says, “She was the most generous helpful person to wish for…she was strong and brave. It was truly touching to see all the pews of the church filled at the funeral, to be able to see how many lives were touched by her.” PHOTOS BY CHRISTA McCONNELL
hosted by Duane Covrig, director of the MA leadership program. Despite technological difficulties in the past, the show was underway without any complaints. The winning team, Pavlov’s Cats, was comprised of Dakota Hall, Mercedes McLean, Isabel Stafford, Satoshi
Thiele, Sumiko Weir, and Chris Wheeler. The winning team even went so far as to wear cat ears to go along with their name, and decided to split their winnings equally. More information about AUIQ for the past and future can be requested in the Student Life Office.
WED 03.05.14
VOLUME 97
ISSUE 18
3
News
Substance Abuse at Andrews University: Part II—Partying
Melodie Roschman | The aban-
PHOTO PROVIDED BY TIMOTHY HUCKS
Nu Sigma Goes to Savannah Timothy Hucks | A small cohort of
English students visited Savannah, Georgia for the annual Sigma Tau Delta academic conference this past week, from February 26 to March 2. Sigma Tau Delta is the international English honor society, consisting of over 850 chapters in the US and abroad with more frequently being added. The annual conference is an opportunity for students to connect with other chapters, adopt practices from other chapters for management or fundraising, connect with other students in their nearby region, and network with professionals in the fields that they may want to move into in the future. The conference is also useful for stimulating and robust thought generation and a social atmosphere that allows students to feel at home even among those who are not of their school, chapter, or even region. Most importantly, the conference is an opportunity for students to become more comfortable and confident presenting and speaking about their work – original fiction, poetry, or critical essays – to an audience of peers and professors. Nu Sigma, the Andrews chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, along with the Andrews English Department, was able to send 5 students to present their work at the conference – Elkid Alvarez, Charles Lee, Timothy Hucks, Matthew Chacko, and Mel-
odie Roschman. They were accompanied by two professors of English, Drs. Jones and Corredera. They presented on a range of topics, from Alvarez’s original fiction “All the things she never said” to Roschman’s detailed critical analysis of costuming and selfhood in Gregory Doran’s Hamlet. Over the course of the week, Roschman ended up winning several accolades, including Best Critical Essay in the British and World Literature category, and the Sigma Tau Delta Junior Scholarship of $3,000. Even though the conference was mainly for academic purposes, it featured many events that were solely for enjoyment, including the dry T-shirt and the bad poetry competitions. Winners were decided based on the “best” bad poetry, and the “worst”. Bad poem topics ranged from parodies of performance art to allegorical epics of cats and mice. The crowning achievement of the night was a poem delivered that consisted of nothing more than a girl blowing on an ice cube for three minutes until it melted. The jokes continued well on into the night and over the weekend. The conference also featured many well-known speakers and professionals, including Daniel Mendelsohn, Justin Torres, and Micah Dean Hicks. Q&A sessions of an informal nature were created
so that these authors and professionals could simply talk to an audience of students who wanted to ask them questions like “Why did you leave academia?” or “What is the way that you got published?” The conference’s theme this year was 1924, paying homage to the period of history known as the Roaring 20’s, an age marked by excess, exorbitance, and a strong sense of upward mobility, especially among the rise of the nouveau riche. Big literary personalities of that time included Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Gertrude Stein. The week was topped off with a banquet that celebrated 1924 especially, because it marks the birth of Sigma Tau Delta, which turns 90 this year. The evening was full of flapper dresses and swanky suspenders as students, faculty, and presenters shuffled into the dining hall of the riverfront Marriott. The dinner concluded with convention awards and recognition given to the many people that worked tirelessly on making the conference possible, including Sidney Watson this year’s convention chair; William C. Johnson, Sigma Tau Delta Executive Director; and Elfi Gabriel, Sr. Web Facilitator. The 2015 Sigma Tau Delta conference is to be held in Albuquerque, NM.
doned campfire cools slowly in the early morning breeze. The spot, nestled in a ravine and surrounded by trees, is hidden from the casual passerby. Strewn about the heap of ash are the remnants of a party the night before: broken beer bottles, cigarette butts, discarded joints— and an empty can of Worthington’s Veja-Links. While this particular scene is from the “Valley,” a popular party spot a stone’s throw from Kingsway College, an Adventist academy in Ontario, Canada, it is indicative of a much larger problem. Adventist teens and young adults are partying—and they don’t think it’s a big deal. “Probably half of the peers I hang out with party,” says Demetri Kirchberg. The freshman psychology major shrugs. “I haven’t run into any people who are struggling with hard drugs, but marijuana and alcohol? Definitely.” Dr. Duane McBride, Director of the Institute for the Prevention of Addictions, confirms that Adventists drink at a rate approximately one-third of the national average. As previously discussed, this means that we can safely assume that 27% of Andrews students drink—a little over 1 in 4. Why, on a campus where prohibition is policy and the health message is emphasized, is this the case? One of the biggest factors is that of rebellion—especially among underclassmen. “Freshmen everywhere are at risk,” McBride explains, “because for the first time, they’re independent. No one’s watching you as much.” At Andrews, however, the risk regarding responsible alcohol use is often higher than on secular campuses. “Conservatives who come from non-drinking homes—” McBride says, “if they start drinking they can get in trouble faster, because they have no sense of inappropriate use.”
Kirchberg confirms this: “I think there’s a lot of rebellion from a lot of the kids who have been sheltered…until now, and now they’re really going after their freedom in not very responsible ways.” Another possible contributing factor to a party culture developing at Andrews is a phenomenon called “cultural leveling.” Cultural leveling, Dr. McBride explains, describes the tendency of a minority group to gradually conform or change to reflect the attitudes of the majority group. For example, in the 1980s, wearing jewelry was strictly taboo on campus; now, a significant proportion of students wear jewelry without comment. Whether or not cultural leveling is considered a positive thing, the indisputable fact is that it does occur. Thankfully, Dr. McBride notes, it has not occurred at Andrews to the level he expected. “I actually thought cultural leveling would increase our alcohol and marijuana use, but it doesn’t seem to have happened…we seem to have maintained that distance [from the national average].” Unsurprisingly, students who internalize cultural leveling are more likely to drink. “One of the best predictors of your use,” Dr. McBride says, “is if you don’t see the substance as harmful.” For former student Kimberly Schwirzer (part of last week’s “Addiction” article), this meant she started drinking as soon as she got to campus—a habit that led gradually to serious addictions. “I had this little thing in my mind that I would still drink, you know,” she recollects, “cause drinking’s not bad, it’s socially acceptable, it’s legal—stuff like that.” In light of the dominant social attitude in secular society that drinking is perfectly acceptable, Andrews—and by extension, Adventist universities in general—is one of the last remaining prohibitionist Christian campus. Many similar campuses, such as Whea-
ton College and Moody Bible Institute, have recently lifted their bans on alcohol. Does making rules against drinking work preventatively, though? Kirchberg would say “No.” “The taboo of it is a lot higher,” he explains. “But I don’t know if tabooing it lessens its effects, or just makes it more underground.” This is particularly true of students who are legal drinking age. While Andrews policy forbids drinking both on and off campus for students regardless of its legality, anyone 21 or over can easily purchase alcohol at a local bar, grocery story, or gas station without question or punishment. All of these factors—the thrill of the forbidden within Adventism, outside cultural normalization, and ease of access—increase of the attractiveness of drinking, especially in light of the fact that many people party seemingly without consequences. Kimberly’s smoking and drinking led her to addiction to hard drugs, but that, she explains, isn’t always the case: “People leave Adventist schools, and some of them they go on with their life—and this is [true] for the world in general— they have their party years and they have fun and they don’t get in trouble. It doesn’t turn into a problem for them, and they go on, they live responsibly, and they have a good life.” On the other hand, she maintains, for many people partying casually can be dangerous. “I never would have thought,” she says, “that drinking on the weekends, and smoking weed, would lead to rehabs, and getting arrested, and having drug charges.” Partying has different effects on different people, she says. “Not everyone is going to be an alcoholic, not everyone is going to be a drug addict. Just be responsible. I can’t say don’t do it, but I can’t say do it.” Dr. McBride is more dubious. “Responsible alcohol use? I’m not sure how much ‘responsible’ there is,” he says. “The clarity and quality of our relationship with God depends on, essentially, sobriety and a mind that functions…Interfering with physical health and mental clarity affects us spiritually.” Ultimately, Kimberly concludes, you determine whether or not you party when you come to Andrews. “I’d say it really depends on what you’re looking for, “she says. “If you’re looking for a spiritual experience, you’re going to find it. If you’re looking for party and ‘fun,’ you can also find that…People kind of come to you.”
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
4
Ideas
Reflections on the Self Zack Babb | It’s a question that
Jaime Vargas Ideas Editor
I’ve thought about in some form at least once before: if it were possible to encounter myself like I encounter any other person, just a duplicate me, would we be friends? What would I think of me? Would I like me? In relation to those questions, I don’t know if I’m exactly qualified to answer. For the record, I think I would like me, or at least we would get along. There is certainly the potential that we could be friends. I would understand me, and there is something to be said for people understanding you on a personal level, but perhaps this is a situation in which one is so close that the forest can’t be seen for all the trees. Some of us have probably en-
Paris Rollins | I cannot believe my
countered that person who simply doesn’t realize that they are rude, annoying, or a jerk (or some combination of other unfortunate traits); they just keep living their lives, offending or off-putting people left and right, never understanding that people don’t like the things they do. They might even mean well, but they do it in a manner that rubs the wrong way. Perhaps this situation applies here, perhaps not. If so, the question could become, “What character traits do people see in me that I might not see in myself?”, and by extension, “Are these things favorable attributes of character?” The examination of these questions could potentially provide us with illuminating insights into ourselves.
Trying to see things through other people’s eyes sounds great as we say it, but it may prove harder than anticipated when put into practice.
People see things through biases of culture, language, and experience. All of these things play into how we interact with the world. These things bend us in a specific way, and it may sometimes be difficult to put an L-shaped wire into
who are on the receiving end of our actions, and that is why they are offended by them. Maybe our character traits are favorable, and we aren’t extremely annoying, rude, or jerk-ish. That’s certainly a possibility. However, I would posit that
pening, and we have big plans. We have to share my twin-sized bed in Lamson, but we make it work. Besides, there’s enough room once she gets up to go to our 8:30 class. It’s my day to sleep in. Paris is still in class when I get
done in record time. This doppelgänger thing is better than we could have imagined! We take turns attending classes and work, splitting the homework load and sharing the information we learn. Our grades are great, and for the first time since starting college we always get enough sleep. We rock out to the same songs, share the same interests, and laugh at the same awkward moments. Our friends think we’re a bit mental, but we don’t care. We share everything. There’s no other choice, really. There may be two of us, but it’s still a one-Paris world. We’re always short on cash and clothes, and we share a cafe account. We have to make do with one cell phone, one laptop, and
one car. We breathe a sigh of relief that we’re not dating anyone. That would have gotten messy quickly. Despite everything we share, she gets on my nerves sometimes. She can trip over nothing and runs into everything. She sings constantly, even when I’m trying to concentrate. Her glasses are always smudged, and her clothes are often wrinkled. She gets a little too excited about food, she’s way too forgetful, and she won’t stop talking about Doctor Who! At first I thought I couldn’t actually keep her around for the rest of my life, but I realized I was being too hard on myself…err…her. She’s not perfect, but neither am I. I somehow think we can be friends.
end trip to Canada or an afternoon excursion to a toy store just to play (despite being over twenty), but more than that, I have friends who I
wouldn’t trade any of the friends I have, not even for a hundred clones of myself—and that is what makes my life what it is.
“What character traits do people see in me that I might not see in myself?”
I—we—laugh. We’ve had the same thought, of course. It doesn’t matter that this is impossible. It’s hap-
up at 10:30, but there’s plenty to do: statistics homework and a research paper due tomorrow, plus
a calculus test to study for. I start working on the stats assignment. I’m almost done when Paris gets back. She fills me in on the day’s lectures. I didn’t miss much. She decides to tackle the paper while I study for calculus. We settle down to do homework and are happily surprised to find that we are actually less distractible than normal. I talk to myself as I work. She talks back. Soon, there is only one subject left to study: organic chemistry. Neither Paris nor I are very enthused, but we dutifully get to work. She studies one section while I study another. After a while, we talk about what we’ve learned. Surprisingly, I immediately understand everything that she learned and vice-versa. We’re
Cera Gardner | If I were to meet
probably be best friends with myself. I would have someone who would always be up for adventures: backpacking in the middle of winter or a weekend trip up to Canada; someone who would love to bake just as much as me (my figure probably wouldn’t survive the friendship, but oh well); someone I could exchange books with (and between us we would probably succeed in possessing close to every book ever written by the time we’re old and gray); and someone to exchange sewing/crocheting/knitting/crafting tips with. We would be the ultimate party planners, and the ultimate Pathfinder staff. Even with all this said, I will admit there would be things I don’t like about myself. I can get irritated with other people about habits that I sometimes exhibit myself, and I can see myself getting into
arguments about any number of things with someone who had the same personality as me. I can be very stubborn, so if we disagreed about anything, especially what to do some evening, there would be high potential for a serious argument. And as for arguments, I do have a tendency to play the devil’s advocate at random times just for the sake of debate. I can be loud and obnoxious, and I have a tendency not to care too much what other people think on things that don’t matter. (I will still go to people for advice, but I have learned to know whose opinion matters the most—and it isn’t a very long list). But looking back at what I have just written, I realize I don’t need to meet myself to have the best of friends. I have an amazing group of friends who share similar interests with me, who will be up for a week-
eyes. But there she is, in the flesh. Me. She looks just as confused as I am. She mirrors my actions as I reach out to touch her—or do I mirror her? I can’t tell. This can’t be real. How could this happen?
“There may be two of us, but it’s still a one-Paris world.”
myself on the street, could I be my own friend? Honestly, I’m not sure. My first response is, “Psh, indubitably, yes.” But the world would likely not survive it; it would be in too much danger from my natural clumsiness (I’m not joking. As my sister says, I have a serious tendency towards minor destruction— or major, depending on how you count the kitchen fire incident…). I come up with too many plans that have potential for backfire. Although presently my plan for world domination can still be quickly achieved. (doubt me? Come ask me who are on my council, who I would place in charge of the military, education, and world finances. My army of rodents is almost fully trained). But seriously, though. I would
an M-shaped slot—that’s not to say we shouldn’t try, though. Having said that, maybe there is something wrong with the people
perhaps it’s more than a little arrogant to think of ourselves as the ones who have it all together and that other people are the ones that are flawed. This might seem obvious, but it’s never a bad idea to try and walk in somebody else’s shoes for a little bit—as long as you come back to your own and move on constructively. Instead of only one of us being the perfect person, I propose a compromise: you are wrong sometimes, and so am I. So, would I be friends with myself? Probably, yes. Would I find that maybe there is something that I don’t like? Perhaps I would. We can all benefit from a little bit of introspection and examination in relation to our characters. Let’s take a look at ourselves and see.
“I will admit there would be things I didn’t like about myself.” can be completely myself with. And the best part? I don’t always understand them, and they know it. This makes life more interesting, less predictable, and all the more fun. I
Note: To any CIA or FBI agents who take an interest in small town university newspapers, I am not really planning world domination. At least, not at this point in time…
WED 03.05.14
VOLUME 97
ISSUE 18
5
Ideas
If you could, would you be friends with yourself?
Satoshi Thiele
Year: Senior Major: Chemistry
“I would say yes. Coming from an only child perspective, I’ve never had that person to play with at my house, so yes, I would definitely be my own self’s friend because I know what I like and I don’t have to argue with myself. But it would be hard to see who would talk the most because I talk a lot…I don’t know who would have the pants…[or] the microphone in the relationship.”
“Yes, I would be friends with myself, because I like the persona I put up. Everyone has the image that we present to other people, and so when you’re asked the question ‘Would you want to be friends with yourself?’ you don’t just think about how you present yourself to other people, but all of your personal defects and the kinds of things that you know about yourself but that other people don’t know about you. If you think about it, if you like the persona you present to other people, then you probably want to be friends with yourself because you wouldn’t know your own dirty, dark secrets…because they would be another person.”
cant things in the lives of others. I’ve found that this “vindication” by pride is a rather simple thing to do: concoct a nasty enough picture of your friends and neighbors and pretty soon you’ll start thinking that your junk is quite the masterpiece. Nevermind the rotting log impaled in my eye, let’s talk about how you need to fix that horrible and bothersome speck in your eye ASAP. What a sorry situation. So where exactly does hope fit into all of this? Perhaps it’s found when I come to the realization that the
specks I’ve been so fond of pointing out in others and even in God are most of the time aren’t really the issue. Maybe when I look at God and dare to accuse Him of being selfish, egotistical, or capricious, I’m really imposing on Him the qualities that I so frequently exhibit. Perhaps the God that I’m sometimes reluctant to follow and worship isn’t the real God, but a simulated, false god that was born out of the malicious egoism and pride that I forget is in my character. Hope comes when I realize that the world and God Himself aren’t
Carla Veizaga
Year: Graduate Major: Clinical Mental Health Rodolfo Paredes
Gerald Bedney
Year: Senior Major: Business Administration “Honestly, I do believe that I would be a friend with myself, and that’s mainly because of the belief that I have that people are good. When you have good people, people can also be friends. When you’re friends with people, people are friends and friends are good.”
Timothy Girod
Year: Graduate Major: Physical Therapy “Yes, I would be friends with myself because I love all of the things that I do, so if I got to hang out with myself, I would love doing all the things that I love to do. Yeah… Also, I think I’m pretty cool.”
“I think I could be friends with myself because…if I’m able to be somebody’s friend, why can’t I be my own friend? In order to be somebody else’s friend, you need to have some qualities, and basically, the most important quality is to be reciprocal with each other. It’s a bilateral relationship. It’s a relationship where you two agree to be friends…and if I’m able to be a friend for somebody else… I think…it would not be the most ideal, but I think I could.”
Year: Freshman Major: Theology
Tiffany Bailey
Year: Junior Major: Psychology “Because I know that I’m a very picky individual and I’m very specific, I don’t think I could be my own friend, which is why I surround myself with people who are more laid-back, more passive, and not as assertive as I am. It’s not that I don’t like who I am, it’s the fact that because I know who I am and know how much I need to grow, I’ve realized and I’ve come to understand through many experiences in my life that I might not necessarily be my best friend.”
The Finger Points Back Jaime Vargas | “Why do you see the
speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” – Matt. 7:3 If I could, would I be friends with myself? I began asking myself this question not too long ago, and the answer wasn’t all too promising. It came to me quite quickly: no, I wouldn’t. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if I didn’t enjoy being around myself. I’d probably find myself to be rather annoying and bothersome. Talks too much, and usually about things relating to himself. Hyper-critical of oth-
ers. Always thinks he knows how to fix a problem. Can’t empathize with the issues and qualms of others, but thinks his own problems should demand everyone’s attention. Rather aggressive and overtly defensive about everything. Can’t take a joke. Too argumentative. What a sorry list. And as I was musing over why I would probably dislike myself as a person, it occurred to me that most of the things I had just described were qualities that I strongly disliked seeing in other people. In a weird twist of mental events, I came to
a realization that was both sobering and hope-giving—the annoyances and grievances that I love to call out in others are just tiny spots and specks of the truly dark stains that are in me. Sobering, because I realize how deep egocentrism has spun itself into my worldview, to the point that my measuring stick for others has become an extension of my blind selfishness and pride. Blind because it’s merely me fooling myself into forgetting my nasty arrogance and my selfish habits by focusing on relatively insignifi-
my biggest obstacles—I am. Our measuring sticks come back to haunt us, and it’s not exactly pleasant when we discover ourselves to be the worst villains in our stories, but if admitting the problem is the first step in fixing it, then take hope when you see that log in the mirror. You and I can certainly be fixed.
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
6
Sports
Tim McGuire Sports Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTHEW LITTLE
Name: Matthew Little
Number: #10 Position Small Forward Height: 6’3 Weight: 195 Hometown Berrien Springs, MI What emotions do you have now that your season is coming to a close?
I’m a little sad that the season is almost over. It will definitely be weird never playing college basketball again, but I’m sure it will really hit once the season is officially over and [it is] next year around basketball time. Looking back at your career, do you think that you accomplished your goals, both as a team and personally?
I believe we accomplished a lot as a program, team, and individually over my four years. We won our school’s first two national championships, so obviously that was our main goal and accomplishment. But also just watching the program and fan base grow over the last four years feels like a big accomplishment as well. As far as individual awards go, I believe I accomplished my overall goal, which was to play basketball at a high level, while also getting into Physical Therapy school. I received academic All-American for the three years I was eligible...along with some on-the-court awards. Sometimes, people may think that, since we play basketball, we don’t
really care about school all that much, but all the guys on the team work extremely hard both on the court and in the classroom, and the academic award[s] shows how hard we work on and off the court.
Name: Junior Orelus
What goals do you still have for the remainder of the season?
What emotions do you have now that your season is coming to a close?
The day one goal and only remaining goal for the year is to win a third national championship. What do you want Andrews to remember you by?
I want Andrews to remember me [as] a player that worked hard on and off the court and was willing to do whatever I needed to do for us to win. Hopefully my actions have shown this over the last four years. What does the future hold for you; with basketball and life?
Well the plan is in three years to graduate from PT school. I know I have a long road ahead, but I believe basketball has taught me if I put my mind to something and work hard, I can accomplish it. As far as my future for basketball, this is probably the end of the road as far as competitive basketball goes. I will continue to play basketball for as long as my body allows it, but I’m not looking to play overseas or anything. I will always love basketball, so hopefully, you guys will take it easy on me in a couple of years in open gym and intramurals when I’m rusty and out of shape.
Number: #1 Position: Shooting Guard Height: 5’7 Weight: 163 Hometown: Delray Beach, FL
The emotions that I have right now are excitement for going to the national tournament for the fourth straight [year], gratefulness for being on this team for my college career, and last but not least, sadness because it is my last year. I love the game of basketball very much and I will miss playing it at this level. Looking back at your career, do you think that you accomplished your goals, both as a team and personally?
Looking back, I believe as a team we have accomplished what most college players cannot claim, and that is winning back-to-back national titles. Just knowing I was able to be on a team with not one, but two championships is amazing, [and] I am sure we accomplished what we set out to do as a team. For myself, I still have a few things to accomplish
before my career comes to an end, and winning a third championship is one of the things. What goals do you still have for the remainder of the season?
We accomplished two thing this year so far: we have the best record that any Andrews’ team has had and also [we made] it to the tournament once again. Now we need to stay focused so that we will be able to bring our school one more title before [we] seniors finish our careers. What do you want Andrews to remember you by?
I want Andrews to remember me as a person that would always hustle, encourage my teammates, and bring excitement for the fans that come to our games. Last but not least, I want to be remembered as a champion. What does the future hold for you; with basketball and life?
My future is hopefully to become an administrator of a...top national company. As for basketball, I will want to be an assistant coach and work my way up to [head] coaching a team.
WED 03.05.14
VOLUME 97
Sports
PHOTO COURTESY OF TYLER WOOLDRIDGE
Name: Clifford Allen
Number: #25 Position: Center Height: 6’5 Weight: 205 Hometown: Saint Joseph, MI What emotions do you have now that your season is coming to a close?
It’s kind of bittersweet because I’m happy that our hard work has brought us to a close of a successful season, but I’m also bummed that my career is over. Looking back at your career, do you think that you accomplished your goals, both as a team and personally?
Over the years I’ve played, I’m happy with how it’s gone. We got two championships and have had a winning record every year. My goals won’t be complete until we
win this year though. Personally, I’m content because I played better offensively this year than before. What goals do you still have for the remainder of the season?
Again, I want to win the championship this year. What do you want Andrews to remember you by?
I want to be remembered for my defense, and that I gave my all when I played. What does the future hold for you; with basketball and life?
Future for basketball will probably involve open gyms, or maybe a city league, but I have no professional plans. Academically, I’m trying to go to graduate school for history and hopefully one day become a professor.
Name: Tyler Wooldridge
Number: #13 Position: Point Guard Height: 5’10 Weight: 170 Hometown: Bakersfield, CA What emotions do you have now that your season is coming to a close?
a third. Obviously, you want to win them all, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. What goals do you still have for the remainder of the season?
I only have one goal for the rest of the season, and that’s to win a championship with these guys.
I have mixed emotions about the end of this season. It’s gonna be nice to get a break from the daily grind, but at the same time, it will be something I miss a lot. Basketball is a big part of me, and the guys on the team are my brothers, so it will definitely be a little different.
What do you want Andrews to remember you by?
Looking back at your career, do you think that you accomplished your goals, both as a team and personally?
The future is a little uncertain of course, but I plan on working next year and applying to some grad programs. As far as basketball, I’ll probably be the guy trying to play open gym whenever he can; unless I get opportunities elsewhere, that’s about it.
Looking back on my career, I would say I’m happy with the accomplishments I’ve achieved. As a team, for sure, by winning two championships and in the mix for
I would hope Andrews remembered me as someone who was genuine and who gave his all with everything he did, no matter what it was. What does the future hold for you; with basketball and life?
The Quest for Banner Number Three Justin Walker | After an impres-
sive 21-4 season, the AU Cardinals will be heading off to the USCAA National Championships for the fourth-consecutive time with hopes that they can cap off this era with a third title in four years. Led by their four seniors: Tyler Wooldridge, Ju-
nior Orelus, Matt Little and Cliff Allen, the Cardinals will begin tournament play as the sixth seed on Thursday at noon against third seed Central Penn College. The Central Penn College Knights come into this tournament with a 18-9 record, which includes
a win over Penn State York, the second-ranked team in the tournament. After falling in the round of eight last year, the Knights will be looking to make another step forward this time around and maybe even win the whole thing. The key matchup in this game
will be the play of CPC’s sophomore Devon Dorsey, who led the league in scoring, against Tyler Wooldridge, who finished the regular season ranked third in scoring. Whichever one can best help his team will certainly be a huge factor in who wins this first-round game.
ISSUE 18
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THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
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Humans
Kickin’ It Name: Joshua Sanabria
Age: 24 Master in Architecture and the Founder of Rurban Interview by Ryan Logan What is Rurban?
Rurban is a company that I started here in Berrien Springs. The idea is to bring together entrepreneurs and give them a driven environment where they can collaborate, work with consultants, and seek out funding. We want to put these in locations...that have the talent, but don’t have the ability to take that talent and start companies and create jobs. So, we’re crowdfunding on Kickstarter to raise money for the development of a project [and] to do a feasibility study of where it should be, and really, to raise awareness for the project.
Dakota Hall Humans Editor
Recommended listening: “Venus in Furs” by The Velvet Underground & “Popular” by Kristin Chenoweth
PHOTO BY JOELLE ARNER
The Quest for Coolness Mercedes McLean | Jessica Felicio,
a second-year Architecture student, is the sort of person who immediately puts others at ease. Her bubbly personality and friendly demeanor make her easy to talk to, and her willingness to share her personal story of trials and successes makes Jessica a great partner for conversation. Jessica grew up in Portugal, though her family is from Angola, a country in southern Africa. When she started school in Portugal, she was overweight and of a different race than the other children, and her classmates made fun of her because of her build and different skin color. Her low self-esteem further damaged her relationship with her peers, and throughout her elementary and middle school years she found it difficult to make friends. These early struggles contributed to a mindset that continues to affect her life today. She says, “I remember just wanting to fit in, to be liked, to be cool.” In her eighth grade year she decided that because she viewed her weight as the main issue that kept her from being accepted into the more popular crowd, she would lose the extra weight, using unhealthy methods to shed the pounds. “I became bulimic,” she says “and once I lost the weight, more people liked me. I was part of a cool crowd. But I still wasn’t the coolest. And I wanted to be the coolest.” Jessica explains that going to America elevated one’s status, so her quest for popularity led her to attend high school in America. When she arrived in America, it seemed that her plan backfired. As an ESL student, she spoke im-
perfect English, which made communicating and making friends difficult. To make things worse, she did not realize the religious affiliation of her American school until she began attending. She says, “When I was choosing what American school to go to, I basically just picked a school off of a list of possibilities. It turns out that the school I chose was a Seventhday Adventist academy.” Beyond the normal language and culture barriers that most ESL students face, Jessica found herself under fire for her lack of faith. “People would say to me, ‘Why do you believe in the Big Bang? That’s so dumb,’” she recalls. She explains that in her search for coolness, she felt more alone than ever. As time went on, her experience in America improved, and her view of the school and its religious affiliation did too. She describes how she finally came to believe in God’s existence by saying, “One day I decided to pray to God and ask Him to help me believe in Him. At the time I did not have a phone, and so I was unable to talk to my mom very often. I hadn’t talked to her in about a month, so when I prayed, I asked God to let me talk to my mom. As I finished praying, a message came over the intercom system asking me to come to the school office because I had a phone call. When I got there, it was my mom.” Jessica recounts that, after that incident, her relationship with God grew until she knew she wanted to be baptized. However, “After my baptism, my faith grew weak again” she says. This is the spiritual state
that she was in when she ended up coming to Andrews. She explains that she didn’t want to attend an Adventist college, but because she was lax in applying to other colleges, she ended up deciding on Andrews at the very last minute. “Last year [my freshman year] was not very good for me,” Jessica says. She describes how it brought back many of the old urges to be the coolest. She remembers spending far too much time hanging out with friends, and far too little time working on her school work. Stress and depression pushed her to overeat and gain back the weight that she had lost, and self-esteem issues pushed her to lose the weight by reverting back to bulimia. By the end of the year, her advisor told her that, because of her academic issues, she might not be able to return to Andrews. After a time of self-evaluation, Jessica decided to do her best to come back this year—and she did. “I strengthened my relationship with God and with others, and that has helped me to recover from last year. My grades are much better this year, and I’m working hard to keep them up while still maintaining my friendships. I’ve realized how important it is to take good care of my body, and I started exercising and eating better and am now maintaining a healthy weight.” Jessica’s story of desire for acceptance is a familiar one to many people, and her story of growth is a message of hope to those who struggle with similar harmful mindsets.
What inspired you to create this company?
I’ve always read technology blogs, and I’ve been really motivated by Silicon Valley in general. That whole atmosphere where you can create something and really make a difference is inspiring. I’ve had the opportunity to visit a lot of cultures and to see the different approaches taken to solve problems and overcome obstacles. The goal is to bring these together. What has the company accomplished so far?
Well, we have done a lot of research into how it would work. Specifically, how companies would come in and how we would charge rent— things like that. I have done a design idea of what it might look like, and we have been speaking
to companies in [the] industry of technology development to better understand the field. We have been trying to get on as many venues as possible, with blogs and social media to see where the first location should be. One example is Loma Linda. It already has this reputation for health and wellness, but if we put one of these in that area, we could bring together the people [who] want to create companies like FitBit or other fitness-related startups. It’s about bringing opportunity to new places that aren’t necessarily on the map. How will Kickstarter help Rurban reach its goals?
Well, it does two things. First, it will help us develop the idea, the design and the feasibility study. Second is that it’s kind of the proving ground for the idea, as well as a method to gain awareness for our partners. Your first project is the construction of a “Data Studio.” Do you mind explaining what that is?
Of course. That’s just what we’ve been calling it right now. A data studio is a combination of a “tech hub” with a data center. A data center is needed for everything, such as smart phones, so if we’re in these developing areas that need these internet exchange points, we’re giving a boost to the community by strengthening their connection and we’re also giving entrepreneurs the ability to put their ideas into action. It’s a development on the technical side, as well on the talent side. Interested in learning more? Check out the website at www.rurban.com
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VOLUME 97
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Humans
Research Matters Paola Caceres
Senior, Psychology: Behavioral Neuroscience The Role of Sabbath Keeping Internalization, Need Satisfaction, and Parental Environment in Well-Being Advisor: Karl Bailey We have your title (above). What is the essence of your research project?
Recent research has shown that there is a relationship between Sabbath keeping and well being, but what remains unclear is what makes the Sabbath special? One investigation hypothesized that it’s exposure to religious coping, religious support, and messages of health, diet and exercise. But the results showed these were only partial factors. So I hypothesized that Sabbath keeping meets three basic psychological needs, based on self-determination theory: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. And I’m testing that through various surveys and a “memory recall”—where we ask subjects to write about a recent memory of the
Sabbath. Then we code the memory that they write, based on need satisfaction. The data has all been collected, and we have about 180 subjects whose responses we will be analyzing. So in the context of Sabbath keeping, what is “autonomy”?
If, in the narrative, the subject shows feelings of choice, self-determination, self-concordance (acting in accordance to your views, or best self), self-initiative, self-expressiveness, feelings of self-control, or feelings of freedom. If autonomy was thwarted then you feel stress, pressure, being controlled by others, a context where the person feels like they’re being evaluated or they “have” to do something. What kind of Sabbath experience would demonstrate autonomy?
The person would say things like “I enjoy getting up on the Sabbath and getting ready for church.” Basically, they enjoy doing these things on their own initiative. They never say anything like “my
Scott Moncrieff Faculty Advisor
parents woke me up so I had to go to church,” or “it was required that I attend vespers.” And “competence”?
That would be experiences that produce feelings of intrinsic achievement, doing something for its own sake, or where the person is taking on challenges, such as giving a Bible study to a person in prison, where the person really felt like they made a difference. Or going to church and it really helps you overcome the stress of the week and you feel encouraged. And “relatedness”?
Having feelings of connection, like someone saying “I love the Sabbath because I get to spend time with my family and friends. I get to reconnect with people I love that I don’t see during the week.” Or “when I’m singing in church I feel like I’m a part of something.” What have you learned about the research process from doing this project?
There’s a lot of reading. It’s important to have a strong theoretical background and to know the previous research, and for an undergrad it’s important to have someone guide you with the statistical analysis, and to have someone help you recognize what you can say and what you can’t say in terms of results and causes. Has this research changed your perspective on the Sabbath?
It makes me think more about why I do what I do. What do you especially enjoy doing on Sabbath?
Going out in nature. I like walking a lot. Anything that helps me shut out the busyness of the week. Note: the Honors Scholars and Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium is this Friday afternoon, March 7, 2:30-4:00 p.m. in the Buller Hall Lobby.
PHOTO BY DAKOTA HALL
Naps Perhaps? Chris Wheeler | If you frequent
Nethery Hall, chances are that you’ve seen me curled up in the lobby. Though not preferable to sleeping in my own bed, I do find it somewhat pleasant to take short naps elsewhere on campus. When I asked other Andrews students, most seemed to share similar views on sleeping in public places. Junior architecture major Cesar Eduardo said, “I used to nap a lot freshman year due to lack of sleep.” He sees it as being out of necessity. “If someone’s tired, they should just sleep,” answered senior biology major Lucyna Krzywon. Others agreed that keeping up with classes often results in a deficiency of sleep. Senior visual communication student Arielle Pickett expressed her opinion, saying, “It’s college. You crash where you crash.” Sophomore engineering student Rufaro Musvosvi added that it’s even more understandable if “the day has been stressful.” One argument given for why public sleeping should be accepted was offered by seminary student Mavis Parra: “Our school should be a place where we feel [at] home: safe and comfortable.” Sometimes it is embarrassing to fall asleep in public; it can certainly make one feel vulnerable. I asked my interviewees if they had either seen or experienced anyone use that opportunity to prank a sleeper. Lucyna said that hiding
people’s stuff has occurred before. Cesar and Mavis both personally have had friends take pictures of them. Mavis said her friends even posted them on Facebook. Andrews University has many great places for students to catch a few winks. Nethery is where I usually find myself, though I have managed to doze off in the James White library, the Campus Center, and other buildings. Arielle has napped in classrooms in Buller. Cesar enjoys the Architecture library. He explains that it’s convenient for him, and “has amazing couches: perfect for a midday siesta.” Several locations are preferred by Mavis, including “the seminary lobby, the Rose Chapel, and the Student Center by the fire.” When comfy options are not immediately available, college students can find a way to sleep anywhere. Rufaro has seen someone nap in one of the booths by the Gazebo, “lying down and everything.” Lucyna knows of people who have slept in Chemistry rooms, despite being “in the way of someone else.” Cesar’s weirdest place was Lamson’s east lobby, before the building was remodeled. Sleeping in public may be awkward for both sleepers and bystanders, but it happens nonetheless. If a student is tired enough, they will find a way to nap. It’s always a better alternative to sleeping in class. Sweet dreams, Andrews.
“It’s college. You crash where you crash.”
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
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Arts & Entertainment
The 2014 Academy Awards Tanner Compton | On Sunday
Matthew Chacko Arts & Entertainment Editor
March 2, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the best films of the year at the Oscars. The big winner was Gravity, winning seven Oscars including Best Director for Alfonso Cuaron (who also shared an Editing Oscar). However, the night’s biggest honor went to 12 Years a Slave, winning Best Picture (including awards for producers Steve McQueen and Brad Pitt), Best Adapted Screenplay (John Ridley), and Best Supporting Actress for newcomer Lupita Nyong’o. As expected, Cate Blanchett brought home her second Oscar for her leading role in Blue Jasmine, bringing the audience to their feet. Indie darling Dallas Buyers Club walked away with three awards, with Jared Leto
and Matthew McConaughey winning Supporting Actor and Lead Actor, respectively; it also won the award for Makeup and Hairstyling, an impressive feat considering that the entire makeup/hair budget for the film was $250. Frozen won the two categories for which it was nominated, Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for the oft-quoted expression of winter woe “Let It Go.” Host Ellen Degeneres easily maintained a calm and candid atmosphere. In what was easily the highlight of the night, she took what is dubbed an “epic selfie” with a barrage of megastars, including Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Kevin Spacey, and new winners Jared Leto and Lupita Nyong’o. The photo was
then tweeted by Degeneres, and within the hour became the most retweeted photo of all time (at the time of writing, it was retweeted 2.7 million times). The night featured musical performances by best original song nominees Pharrell Williams, Karen O., U2, and Idina Menzel, and was easily the best lineup of song nominees in a decade. There were touching musical tributes by Bette Midler and P!nk in commemoration of recently deceased members of the industry and to celebrate the 75th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz. The night was also historic in terms of cultural and social diversity. Alfonso Cuaron became the first Hispanic director to ever win Best Director and 12 Years a Slave became the first film directed and
produced by a black British individual to win Best Picture. Jared Leto became the first actor to win an Oscar for playing a transgender character, and Lupita Nyong’o became the seventh actress of African descent to win an Oscar. This year’s Oscars certainly celebrated diversity in cinema and proved to
be an important evening both cinematically and socially. Perhaps these major awards will open the door to new movies willing to push socio-cultural bounds in smart and intelligent ways.
The Fray’s Helios: Autotuned Underwhelm Demetri Kirchberg | Many Ameri-
PHOTO BY L. MONIQUE PITTMAN
The Phantom Comes To Chicago Kathleen Wilson | The Phantom of
the Opera was indeed inside all of the audience members’ minds last Sunday on February 23. Honors students and other Andrews guests filed into the Cadillac Palace, home of Broadway in Chicago, and settled into their seats for Andrew Lloyd’s The Phantom of the Opera. Directed by the very same director who gave audiences his re-imagined version of “Les Miserables,” Laurence Connor’s adaptation of the beloved musical gave his Chicagoan audience a reason for their standing ovation that night, with Cooper Grodin and Julia Odine giving stellar
performances as The Phantom and Christine Daaé. Though some found this particular production to be a bit darker than some they had previously enjoyed, all found this adaptation’s music, acting, and overall execution extraordinary. Many found themselves repeatedly astounded by the smaller set design, which involved a large, revolving chamber within which almost all of the scenes took place. The set wasn’t the only thing that wowed Phantom lovers as live gunshots and the crashing chandelier — two examples of some of the more modern technology used in this produc-
tion — startled the entire theater, even emitting some screams from the more easily alarmed viewers. Of course, as any fan of The Phantom of the Opera would understandably ask, what about the music? Grodin and Odine undoubtedly brought their respective characters to life, with Odine’s pure, angelic soprano striking a lovely contrast to Grodin’s sometimes gritty, otherwise seductive baritone. While certainly a fresh take on an older musical, this sleek, engaging, modern production did not disappoint even the most avid fans or general theater lovers.
cans between the ages of 10 and 40 immediately recognize the lyrics “Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend somewhere along in the bitterness” from The Fray’s debut album. Bursting onto the scene and the charts in 2005, this pop rock quartet consistently produces hits on radio stations and the soundtracks of many romantic comedies. The Fray has shaped their reputation and style with acoustic instrumentation, soulful vocals, and emotional lyrics. On February 25, The Fray released Helios, their fourth studio album which offers their usual musical flair, including the signature sound of frontman Isaac Slade. His unique style lends itself to emotive phrasing and convincing feeling, but always sounds whimpering. On Helios we hear Slade’s whine in a new way: autotuned. On tracks like “Shadow and a Dancer” and “Same as You,” electronic vocals and instrumentals replace the organic sound fans are accustomed to. Perhaps the influence of their new producer, Stuart Price, has
brought The Fray into the synthesized world. The band has always written catchy hooks and turned them into anthems through nearly excessive repetition. The more inspired moments of Helios have mostly been drowned in overproduction, like synthesizers, gospel choirs, and in-your-face clapping. It is apparent that The Fray is attempting to diversify and grab some of the fans from groups like The Killers and Maroon 5, offering disco tracks like “Give it Away,” but somewhere in their search for variety, they’ve lost much of what made them unique. The only tracks that stays true to proper, passionate Fray form is the album opener “Hold My Hand” and “Keep on Wanting.” These songs give fans exactly what they want from The Fray: clean piano riffs, minimal production, and Slade whaling in earnest choruses with repetitive hooks. It’s too bad that just a few songs after such a strong start, listeners will already be confused and double checking the band name on the cover. It was a bold move choosing an album title from Greek mythology. Helios is the Greek god of the sun, but it is hard to understand why they would assign such an epic title to an honestly underwhelming album. I would rate Helios a 5.5 out of 10. This attempt to broaden their audience might scare away old fans--like me.
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VOLUME 97
ISSUE 18
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Arts & Entertainment
The Importance of Being Earnest—A Preview Tanner Compton and Zipporah Gaines | The Department of Eng-
PHOTOS BY NINA MARIE RAMBO
Peace: In Prose and Poetry Tirza Rideout | On February 28,
Andrews University’s Recreation Center played host to another installment of Prose and Poetry, a monthly event. This venue allows university students to express their creativity and devotion through means such as spoken word and music. February’s theme was “Peace.” Religion professor Rahel Shafer opened the event with verses found in Isaiah 52-55, meditating on these profound words with reverence. She was followed by Persephanie Chiddick, who mixed music with spoken word by singing two sacred songs cherished by her family members in times of turmoil. After her came Caleb Ortiz, who passionately wove observations on life with variations of the repeated line “I’ve got peace in my heart like you don’t understand.” Roshan Abbadasari came next, reciting Walt Whitman’s classic “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer.” Vimbo Zvandasara followed, performing an original piece entitled “Sweet,” which was rich in imagery that resonated with her listeners. Then Robert Machado meditated on Jesus’ last words and the peace they imparted, which he termed “illogical, explicit, and illusionary.” Jonathan Jacobs pondered current issues of faith and peace within the Adventist church, highlighting experiences abroad. Aimee-Joy Cork came next; her poem exposed personal woes and asked, “How can there be peace in this world?”
Anna Christine Brown used an extended metaphor to reflect on the lives we are directed to live, the music we are told to play, by the darker and lighter elements of our world. Tiffany Evering gave an embellished performance contemplating the last moments of a friend. Richard Ulangca then shared a narrative poem describing his childhood bereft of snow, and how he came to see the “divine dust” for the first time. Adam Sawyer, a student from Southern, gave his spoken rendition of “In the Words of Satan,” by The Arrows. Sacha Kravig recited her poem entitled “Here” in a conversational tone. Then, Stephen Erich shared a poem in which he declared “waiting for inner peace is like waiting for Godot.” Rounding out the night came Riana Mitchell, whose poem “Pieces” bared the experience of searching for all the lost pieces of yourself that scatter in the face of life’s trials. The gathered people then read the words of Numbers 6:22-27 together, a reminder of God’s promise of peace. Sharing distilled abstract ideas that flow through the human psyche is always a phenomenal experience. When paired with spiritual concepts, this experience becomes greater still. This is true of the Prose and Poetry series, coordinated by Olivia Knott, which takes place the last Friday of every month. Students may volunteer to present a piece of prose on the month’s theme. Next month’s theme is “Truth” on March 28.
lish will soon perform Oscar Wilde’s comedy The Importance of Being Earnest. Smart and satirical, Earnest probes the issues of Victorian society in nineteenth-century England, such as marriage, social etiquette, and morality. Directed by Bruce Closser, Associate Professor of English, and graphic design major Simone Weithers, the cast began preparations for the play last semester. The performances will be held on Saturday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 30 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are being sold now at $5 for students/staff and $7 for community members. For more information, check out the Facebook page at Andrews University: The Importance of Being Earnest. Meet some of the cast below:
routines of college life. I have never found myself happier while at school than when returning from a productive play practice. It is truly a freeing experience for me.
arriving at Andrews. I have not acted since my first year of college, and I miss being on the stage. This experience reminded me of my first love: to act.
Gerald Bedney as Merriman (the Butler) and Lane (the Manservant) Previous roles: quartet member in The Music Man; Who is your favorite actor or director on stage or screen? Favorite actor is probably either Will Smith or Denzel Washington. Both great guys who fill all of their roles really well. What is your favorite line from Earnest? “I speak horticulturally…” In one word summarize your experience with Earnest so far. Interesting.
Cheryl Simpson as Gwendolen Fairfax Previous roles: This is her theatrical debut; Why should AU students come to this production and what should they expect? If you appreciate sarcastic, dry, or British humor you will love this play. It is an intelligent script. What is your character like? Gwendolen knows what she wants. She is very fickle, though unconsciously so. While she is certain of her long-term desires, her short-term sentiments fluctuate by the moment and often contradict each other.
Alex Gaytan as Jack Worthing Previous roles: Howard in Onions In The Stew; Dr. Gibbs in Our Town; What is your character like? Jack Worthing is quite the sophisticated character. At times, it seems he is a different person with every different encounter. He is a lover, an uncle, an upper-class man, and a parcel (you will understand). Ultimately, Jack is a man who tries to live a life of respectability and deception all at the same time. Do you relate at all to your character? At one point in my life, I probably did. I think many of us can relate to the pressures of society. Many of us uphold a high moral tone on the surface, but once that surface is scratched you will find the secrets of a life of pleasure. Jack Worthing does just that. Who is your favorite actor or director on either stage or screen? Benedict Cumberbatch.
Ryan Comeau as Rev. Canon Chasuble Previous roles: police officer and ensemble in Annie; Friedrich Von Trapp in The Sound of Music; Lon Smith in Meet Me in St. Louis; Mr. Frank Gilbreth in Cheaper by the Dozen; What has been the most rewarding part of this experience? I love acting and haven’t been able to do so for a while, but more importantly, being in the play gave me the opportunity to meet some awesome people that I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise. What method do you use to get into character, if any? I basically see acting as an excuse for adults to play make-believe, like when we were little. So I suppose I just “make-believe” I am Dr. Chasuble. What is your character like? Awkward. It is almost as if he tries too hard for attention. This can be seen in certain lines where he tends to go off on long rants that don’t even seem to be relevant.
Stephen Batchelor as Algernon Moncrieff Previous roles: Cat in the Hat in Seussical the Musical; John Lawless the Butler in The Happiest Millionaire; If you could act in any play or musical, what would be your dream role? I feel as if I am already privileged to be playing one of those roles now in The Importance of Being Earnest. Why should AU students come to this production and what should they expect? They should come to take the opportunity to support a production that has been almost entirely peer organized and directed. What has been the most rewarding part of this experience? It has provided me with a positive social outlet, as well as an artistic escape from the mundane
Tiffany Evering as Lady Bracknell Previous roles: Pepper in Annie; The Wolf in Into the Woods; Lorraine Flemming in 42nd Street; Darla in The Other Sister; What is your character like? Lady Bracknell is contradictory, sassy, and terrifying. I love her! Why should AU students come to this production and what should they expect? Being that the play is The Importance of Being Earnest, that should be enough to attend. However, what should be a greater incentive is that we have some of the best and intriguing actors of AU in this production. We also have English accents. Done. What has been the most rewarding part of this experience? The entire experience has been a desire for me since
Givan Hinds as Miss Prism (Governess) Previous roles: This is her theatrical debut; If you could act in any play or musical, what would be your dream role? My dream role in a play or musical would most likely be Eliza in My Fair Lady. Audrey Hepburn, petite and delicate as she seems, has the most commanding presence in the musical, almost to the point where she is allowed to do anything she wants. I think that kind of freedom could be exciting to experience as an actress. Do you relate at all to your character? I relate to my character’s [concern] for manners, deco-
PHOTOS BY TANNER COMPTON
rum, and integrity. I believe that Miss Prism is a stickler for doing things “the proper way” and makes sure that Cecily knows how to conduct herself like a true lady of society. Even in acting, it is refreshing to return to the old-school manners and traditions of decorum that are no longer used today. Simone Weithers as Cecily Cardew Previous roles: Anne MacDonald in Onions in the Stew; What is your favorite play or musical? My favorite play is The Importance of Being Earnest (of course). My favorite musical is Phantom of the Opera. What method do you use to get into character, if any? Studying the script in its entirety and understanding the motives for why the character would respond to situations like they do. It’s a lot of trial and error and standing in front of the mirror. Do you relate at all to your character? At first I didn’t think so. I thought that I had a lot more in common with Gwendolen Fairfax and originally wanted to audition for her part. I decided to challenge myself with Cecily instead and have quickly fallen in love with her character.
THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
The Last Word THE STUDENT MOVEMENT STAFF
Moments Melodie Roschman Editor-in-Chief
Melodie Roschman | “I don’t un-
derstand,” said Charlie, looking down at his empty plate sadly. “You were in my life, and now you aren’t anymore.” Everyone at the table laughed. He was talking about the breakfast of duck and waffles that had been placed in front of him approximately 7.5 minutes before. “Now you’re a part of me, but it’s not the same.” We were on the last morning of a five day trip to Savannah, Georgia for the annual conference of Sigma Tau Delta, the national honors society for English majors. We had spent our time presenting and listening to papers, basking in the sunny eighty degree weather, eating incredible food, and strolling along cobblestone streets admiring magnificent Spanish mosshung trees, ornate century-old houses, and statuesque monuments for the dead. As beautiful as the city was, however, I could not help but feel like it was permeated with a feeling of longing and loss—one that was encapsulated, amusingly enough, by Charlie’s
sad farewell to his breakfast. Savannah, the oldest city in Georgia, is a city of the past. You can take trolley rides where interpreters that are dressed up like historical figures deliver monologues about their lives. It’s not uncommon to eat dinner in a restaurant that used to be a pirate hideout, or sit in the shade of a tree that’s older than the Declaration of Independence. Our conference itself was a tribute to the passing of time—the theme was “1924,” celebrating the 90th anniversary of Sigma Tau Delta. On Sabbath afternoon, after eating a picnic at the foot of a monument to Methodist founder John Wesley, who worked as a pastor in Savannah in 1736, we walked to the famous Forsyth Park, home of the Confederate Memorial. As I looked at this monument to the 260,000 dead in the Civil War, a giggle drew my attention away. A grinning dad was shaking the branches of a flowering tree, making the vibrant pink petals fall on his two laughing daughters who laughed in the
unexpected shower. I was struck immediately by this juxtaposition of life and death, of this marker to the tragedy of 150 years ago and this fleeting, unrecorded moment of pure joy. Savannah is a city of plaques, antiques, heritage, and cemeteries, and yet on this vibrant afternoon on the first day of March, what mattered was the little girls dancing, the young man playing his guitar for his girlfriend as they sat on the grass, and the seven frozen Andrews students and faculty escaping briefly to this place of warmth and light and spring. A place like that is hard to leave, of course, and as we repacked our suitcases and boarded the plane taking us back home to Michigan, the sentiment was unanimous: “I don’t want to go.” Now that I have returned to the bitter cold and daily struggle of ordinary life, Savannah has taken on another level of history. It has become nothing but a warm memory to hold inside of me on bone-chilling days. Living in time as we do, it can be hard to accept that the perfect
meals and breezy mornings and pink flowers outlined against blue skies disappear as quickly as they appear, and all that remains are buildings and monuments, gates and gravestones. This week saw a much greater loss—that of Sue VanderWaal, the wife of social work chair Dr. Curt VanderWaal and mother of Andrews students Michael, Ben, and Emma. Reflecting on a loss like this can often make one question the value of the fleeting moments of beauty that make up our lives before we fall asleep. What is the point of living, of joy and love and friendship, if it all turns to memory and then to dust? What we forget, however, is that—no matter how it may appear when walking down the ageold streets of Savannah—death is not permanent either. Soon it, too, shall pass away, in exchange for everlasting morning. “Death, be not proud…” John Donne wrote, “One short sleep past, we wake eternally, / And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.”
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