Spring 2013 (Vol. 6 Issue 3) by Backdrop Magazine

SPRING 2013

A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE

30 MILE MEALS

SPORTS

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH

JAY MARIOTTI & TIM BURKE

ESSENTIAL

ST. PATTY’S DAY RECIPES

University Life: Watch for fest safety programs and a landlord survey coming your way!

Black Affairs:

The Black Affairs Commission will be holding a panel on Feb. 28th at 7 in the Multi-Cultural Center. They will be discussing whether Black History Month is still relevant.

Message From The Execs: The Execs have been busy and are currently working on: -“A Night of Comedy” to make up for the lack of Convo Concert this year. -The creation of a combined student org space in Baker -An emergency system that requires students to register their addresses and phone numbers

2012-2013 Student Senate Updates Want to be on a poster for a great cause? The Diversity Affairs Commission is accepting participants to be on their “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” posters. If interested, email oufeminist@gmail.com by February 19th. Also look forward to Women’s Week March 11-15

Contact Alecia Moquin 740.592.5262 or 740.591.6498 alecia@diversifiedproperties.net

18 Blick Ave.

21 Herrold Ave.

80 Mill St. Apts. 1, 2 & 3

4 bedrooms, central air, onsite parking for all residents, private back patio, close to everything. Like new! 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath townhouses featuring spacious open 30 Blick Ave. & bright floor plan, onsite parking with garage, deck and much more. Close to everything… bike path, OU, O’Bleness Hospital, easy access to all major highways.

375 Richland Ave. Apts. A & B

3 bedrooms, central air, large open kitchen/ dining/living area, onsite parking for all residents.

16 Blick Ave.

22 Blick Ave.

Diversity Affairs 28 N. College St.

Incredible central uptown Athens location! 15 person occupancy, parking included, perfect for Greek organization.

Women’s Affairs: Be sure to check out Take Back the Night on April 1st -5th

Off Campus: Love to volunteer? Athens Beautification Day will be held on April 14th at noon in Scripps Amphitheater. This is a great way to give back!

77 N. Congress St.

4 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath house. Great uptown location, large front porch, central air, washer/dryer, onsite parking for all residents.

Providing quality residential rental properties to the Athens Community for over 25 years!

Like new! 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 19 Herrold Ave. bath townhouses featuring spacious open & bright floor plan, onsite parking with garage, deck and much more. Close to everything… bike path, OU, O’Bleness Hospital, easy access to all major highways.

5 Atlantic Ave.

3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath house located at the end of a quiet southside street, central air, washer/dryer, plenty of off-street parking.

Floor plans, photos and more information at

www.diversifiedproperties.net

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

SEE THE PHOTO STORY

PAGE 38

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome to Spring, Well, I guess not technically…Spring actually starts in about a month—on March 20. Either way, I think all of us Bobcats, especially the seniors, can agree on being excited about a few things: warm days in Athens, fest season and graduation. Personally, all of these things sound great, but I am kind of worried about how many times I will cry this semester. I wonder how many “lasts” I will experience this spring. On a brighter note, I know I’ll carry all of the aspects of this town that make it memorable with me into my life as a college graduate. This issue of Backdrop spotlights stories that emphasize what makes Athens, Athens. For myself and many others, the food culture of this town is unforgettable and often incomparable. Check out Kerry Crump and Kelsi Bowes’ 30 Mile Meal feature (pg. 24) that includes your guide to the locavore movement in uptown Athens. In addition, we wanted to officially kick off spring the right way by giving you the perfect pairings of St. Patty’s Day food and drinks (pg. 28). Although food is first and foremost on the minds of most college students, there are many other hidden gems in Athens worth noticing: the Athena Cinema with its Film Festival (pg. 14) and Haffa’s Records (pg. 45), this issue’s “On the Web” feature. We are also particularly excited about Chris Longo and Chris Manning’s exclusive interview with Jay Mariotti, former OU student and previous ESPN personality, in regards to OU alumnus Tim Burke’s breaking of the Manti Te’o story. As we wrap up the second half of spring semester, I encourage you to discover something in Athens that you haven’t stumbled upon before. Personally, I wish I had begun shopping for all of my groceries at the Farmers Market starting freshman year instead of now. In these last few months, I’ll be looking to find even more aspects of Athens to fall in love with, while I still have time.

Investigation

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Shannon Miranda

Tim Burke and Jay Marriotti weigh in on the future of sports media.

MANAGING EDITOR

Melissa Thompson

24 Keepin’ it

ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

Sara Portwood

Local

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Kelsi Bowes & Nick Harley ASSISTANT EDITOR

Athens restaurants make the pledge to buy locally.

Stephanie Fisk

CONTRIBUTORS Kerry Crump, Nick Harley, Kaitlyn Richert, Denny McCarthy, Shantel Wolfe, Dillon Stewart, Chris Longo, Chris Manning, Kelsi Bowes, Tim Howard, Jacob Betzner, Sara Portwood, Anna Lippincott, Melissa Thompson, Grace Hermanns, Alyssa Pasicznyk

An in-depth look at local eateries involved in 30 Mile Meal on page 26.

COPY EDITOR

Margaret McGinley

ON THE COVER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Cassandra Sharpe DESIGN DIRECTOR

Emilee Kraus Happy Spring,

FEATURES » 20 Pardon the

ART DIRECTOR

Olivia Reaney MARKETING DESIGN

Morgan Decker

Editor-in-Chief backdropmag@gmail.com

DESIGN TEAM Lindsey Brenkus, Cassandra Fait, Tasha Gardone, April Laissle, Emily Pignatiello, Karlee Proctor, Jessie Shokler

PHOTO EDITOR

Amanda Puckett CONTRIBUTORS Karissa Conrad, James Conkle, Daniel Rader, Isaac Hale, Kyra Willner, Julia Leiby, Brice Nihiser

backdrop | Spring 2013

SPRING 2013 » VOLUME 6 ISSUE 3

Cover photo by Amanda Puckett Cover design by Emilee Kraus

b THE DROP » 12

PUBLISHER

Katie Mefferd ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Adrienne Krueger

Ohio Summer Session

Angela Ignasky

ASSISTANT MARKETING DIRECTOR

Jared Looman

Jacob Betzner Kerry Crump

“The only thing common is our name.”

Now leasing for the 2013-2014 school year Quality Student Housing

Studio, 2 bedroom and 4 bedroom

15 S. Shafer St. 593-7571 oucommons.com Follow us on Facebook

ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR

The renovated Athena looks forward to fostering the arts in Athens.

ENTERTAINMENT »

Colin Brown

Want an advertisement in Backdrop? Simply send an email to backdropadvertising@ gmail.com to get started.

Interested in working with us?

Stop by one of our weekly meetings, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. in Scripps Hall 111.

SPRING 2013 » VOLUME 6 ISSUE 3

Sounds Like » Friends in Distraction Get friendly with folk-punk outfit Friends in Distraction.

Photo Story » The Cupcake Lady

Show Me the Money

On The Web » Yesterday’s Vinyls, Today’s Hits

Follow one alumna’s journey from theater major to romance author.

Two Bromley businessmen aim to make a fortune off of hungry investors.

RECIPE » 28

For Fun » Photo Hunt

Exhibit A

RR&R » iHell

St. Patty’s Pairings

Irish eyes are smiling and mouths are watering over these Gaelic inspired combos.

Class of the Titans

Balancing the Budget

These Bobcats excel on and off the field. For OU’s club sports, paying to play isn’t always easy.

SEX & HEALTH » 34

Addicted

Culture Chakra

Follow the flour trail to this Chauncey bakery.

Backdrop blogger Alyssa unveils the hidden treasures of Athens.

SPORTS »

DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR

Rose Troyer

From potato soup to hearty Montana women, these Teachers’ Assistants answer all of the questions you’d never think to ask.

Love at First Write

VIDEO EDITOR

VIDEO ASSISTANT

H4T » Easy on the A’s, Easier on the Eyes

James Conkle Chris Longo

Reel Change

WEB EDITOR

ASSISTANT WEB EDITOR

University Commons

Meet four couples whose relationships blossomed on the bricks.

MARKETING DIRECTOR

MARKETING TEAM Kelsi Bowes, Jess Carnprobst, Kerry Crump, Morgan Decker, Virginia Ewen, Alyssa Keefe, Jacob McCarty, Marc Robisch, Rose Troyer, Hannah Wheeless, Rebecca Zook

@OHIOSummer

Happily Ever Athens

TABLE OF CONTENTS

How well do you know Baker Center? Can you spot all of the differences between these two photos?

Take a peek inside Backdrop’s very own art gallery.

The constant buzz of an iPhone is a necessity for some, but this Backdrop writer is Team Nokia. There is nothing wrong with simplicity.

With the pressure to succeed intensifying in the classroom, more students are turning to a chemical aid. One Backdropper stretched her limits in the world of Yoga.

www.backdropmag.com

HOT4TEACH

EASY ON THE A’S

EASIER ON THE EYES

What is the perfect first date?

I don’t know that there is such a thing. I think a good first date would entail not having major disaster-type things happen, like getting rained on at a football game or having, the movie theater shut down on you, or getting food poisoning from the restaurant—things like that. Probably every first date will be kind of unique.

In the Valentine’s Day spirit, we tracked down two TAs who are making students’ hearts skip a beat.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

BY KERRY CRUMP I PHOTOS BY KARISSA CONRAD

No, because I think there is a lot more to love than what is involved in visual perception. But I do believe in attraction at first sight.

What is your make out advice to an inexperienced kisser?

Where did you grow up?

In Cleveland, on the East Side. It’s called Willoughby Hills.

If you could be any flavor of ice cream, what would it be and why? Red velvet, and I know that’s not a very common kind, but I really like cream cheese and I really like red velvet cake. Anything you eat with cream cheese is good.

What is the perfect first date?

If a guy took me to a kitten store or a puppy store and let me play with little animals.

What inanimate object do you love the most?

My stuffed elephant Richard, he’s a one-of-a-kind kind of person. I call him a person because he’s been there for me through thick and thin—me and Richard.

Coming from experience from someone with a prominent nose, they should make sure to tilt their head to the side because that makes things easier. And also, not get too “handsy.”

If you could be any flavor of ice cream, what would it be and why? I would say Baileys Irish Cream, because Häagen-Dazs actually makes a flavor of Baileys Ice Cream and it’s amazing.

What is a hasty generalization you could make about girls? That they don’t know how to turn off the lights and that is the reason why we got these light sensors.

What are the ladies in Montana like?

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is potato soup. I could eat it if it were 100 degrees outside.

What would be your ideal marriage proposal?

If a guy got down on one knee and he gave me a ring that was out of a vending machine, and was like, “Oh, I tried so many times to get the perfect one!”

They’re pretty hard women. There are some ranching wives that are not afraid of hard work, and frequently look like they’ve been subjected to a lot of toil through their time. We have a larger preponderance of the farm girl.

Which Ryan, Reynolds or Lochte?

Oh God, Lochte. I could watch him for days. I like him.

Cat person or dog person?

Cat person, all the way. I tell myself, “Who needs a boyfriend when you can just have five cats?”

Stephanie Shunk: Teaching Assistant in the Biological Sciences Department

backdrop | Spring 2013

Refried beans are only fried once.

Know an attractive TA or professor? Let us know at backdropmag@gmail.com Shad Bauer: Teaching Assistant in the Philosophy Department

The popsicle was invented by an 11-year-old who kept it a secret for 18 years.

www.backdropmag.com

SOUNDS LIKE don’t know, I felt more at home, but less comfortable. It wasn’t where I had been working.

Friends in Distraction

No Matter What Happens, was recorded almost entirely acoustic but your most recent song recording on your site, “Nester,” has some electric guitar and different instrumentation. Are you guys moving more toward a full band sound, or was that just an experimental thing? Dan: Most definitely moving toward [a] full band. Dylan: Yeah, we have kind of evolved from a folk-punk kind of idea, where it was just [Dan] and acoustic guitar.

BY NICK HARLEY PHOTOS BY JAMES CONKLE

In Athens, many different styles of music blend and bleed together to produce creative subgenres and new twists on tried and true formats. Take for instance Friends in Distraction, who meld high-energy, heart-on-your-sleeve, DIY punk music with acoustic, earnest folk styling. Backdrop had the chance to sit down with Friends in Distraction mastermind, vocalist and guitarist, Dan Baker, and percussionist, Dylan Sams, on a blustery January afternoon to talk about just where the friends are heading.

SOUNDS LIKE ›› Andrew Jackson Jihad, Violent Femmes, Bomb the Music Industry! Who were the first artists you guys remember making an impact on you when you were young and beginning to listen to music? Dylan: The very first probably would have been The Who. The first album that I bought by myself was Tommy. I’m realizing it more now, but I liked how absurd it was and how over the top and big it sounds. That was really kind of fascinating when I first started getting into music. Dan: It’s really hard to say who the first artist is that influenced me, but one of my earliest memories as a child was sitting in my living room and watching the music video for the Backstreet Boys’ “As Long As You Love Me.” I won’t go as far to say it was a moment of catharsis or anything, but for some reason that was the first thing I thought of when you asked the question.

backdrop | Spring 2013

For your first full-length album you recorded mostly in Athens but it was also recorded partly in New Jersey, according to your Bandcamp page. Did the change of scenery impact the record at all? Dan: Well, it’s interesting, because the album that you’re talking about, I recorded actually on my own. It was an album called No Matter What Happens, [it was] a bunch of songs I wrote my freshman year here. I recorded them with my friend in his dorm room and we finished nine of the 10 tracks I wanted to do. I’m originally from New Jersey, so when summer break came, I still had one song left to record. It was really interesting just working in a completely different environment. I had done so much of it in one environment and just to move to another, it was more, I Dynamite is made with peanuts.

Dan: Yeah, that’s what Friends in Distraction originally was; it was just me writing and recording songs. “Nester” is actually the first recording to feature musicians besides me.

We wondered whether Friends in Distraction was used as a name to release your music with whomever you felt like working with at the time, like the band Bright Eyes, for instance. Dan: That’s pretty much exactly how it started. It started with me listening to a lot of Bright Eyes and Bomb the Music Industry!, where it’s the same thing, one guy who writes all these songs, some of them completely ridiculous, and he calls up his friends and says, “hey, come over and record a trumpet solo for me.” We’re at an

interesting point because we’re finally starting to solidify a consistent lineup of people, rather than me plus whoever happens to be around that day.

Dylan: I’m from Columbus, and there it’s a little bit different from here. [The Columbus music scene] is just so large that it’s kind of hard to find a way to get into it.

Some of your songs have a political charge to them. Is that something that just comes out of your songwriting, or do you consciously make the choice to insert a message into your music?

Dan: There’s this very clear, folky, acoustic driven, singer-songwriter styled music. Then you have some really dirty, gritty punk music all over the place. Then you have the kids who come here and fall in love with bluegrass, start playing the banjo and start learning songs from the 1920s, and then you have something inbetween all of those little pockets. The diversity is something that appeals to me more than anything else.

Dan: As a songwriter, well, beyond as a songwriter, as someone who just enjoys music, I think the number one responsibility of a songwriter should be to be honest. That’s why a lot of my songs will sometimes sound political and a lot of my songs will sometimes sound very personal, because I just try to be honest to how I am feeling. If I have a feeling I need to express, whether it be about how much I hate this jackass who did this thing on the news, or whether it be about how I can’t sleep and need pills or something, I just try to be honest. I feel like it’s just what we do in general, even beyond songwriting. Dylan: Yeah, I’m just a drummer; I’m the guy who sits in the back, but still my function is to feed off of whatever he puts out. So if he writes a quicker song, something more intense, that’s going to come across in what I do too, cause I want it to be that too. You want to rope that idea as it’s coming out.

Do you guys have a favorite aspect of the Athens music scene?

Dylan: Everything is really diverse; yet there’s still a very tight-knit feel to it, which is very cool. We’ve had this happen a few times, where we’ve met a person in a band [and] he’s just said, “Hey you guys want to play a show sometime?” Which I feel like is more common here than it is in other places.

What are your plans for future recording? We know you guys had plans to record over winter break that didn’t pan out, so what comes next? Dan: Right now me, our other guitar player who writes songs and couldn’t be here, Garrett [Hood], the two of us have written a lot of material in the past couple months. We’re starting to sort through what we like, what we don’t like, what we can expand, and try and solidify a set of new songs, like four or five songs. We’re going to try to record an EP sometime soon as the full band.

WHO PLAYS WHAT? DAN BAKER

VOCALS

GUITAR

GARRET HOOD

GUITAR

VOCALS

DYLAN SAMS

Check out Friends in Distraction’s website.

DRUMS

Coconut water can be used, in emergencies, as a substitute for blood plasma.

www.backdropmag.com

THE DROP

HAPPILY

Ever

ATHENS

BY KAITLYN RICHERT | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY FEATURED COUPLES

n one fall day in 2012, Strouds Run was host to a special moment; a segregated pathway along the water held a picnic blanket and a slew of mason jars, scented candles and soft rose petals. A cozy canoe was inching closer. Greg Bodwell rowed his girlfriend, Kelley McArthur, to the other side of the property– a place she would always remember. “In the canoe, he told me all the things he loved about me,” Kelley says. “Once we got off, he read me a passage from the Bible. Before I knew it, he was down on one knee.” Kelley said “yes” to Greg’s proposal. Although the two Ohio University seniors met in Athens, they plan to marry in Kirtland, Ohio, this year on June 8. “We both knew the reason we were dating was to get married,” Kelley, a devout Christian and member of

OU’s Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) says. “But it’s been such a blessing to our relationship to be able to grow in the same place.” Although Kelley and Greg’s wedding is still in the works, the college sweethearts aren’t alone in their quest to tie the knot. At OU, several sets of wedding bells have rung beyond the bricks. Three married couples that are past and present students of OU share their love stories.

THE ONE WITH WHOM YOU WORK Similar interests can lead the way for a strong relationship, that was the case for Bruce and Susan Zake, 1982 and 1988 Visual Communication alumni respectively. The lovebirds met in The Post’s newsroom in former Baker University Center. They went on their first date on Valentine’s Day in 1982. “It’s simple,” Bruce says. “We met [at The Post], we fell in love there. Two years later, we got married in Upperpike, Ohio, in June 1984.” Although the two only spent February through June as a collegiate couple, Bruce and Susan were engaged within a year and a half of dating. Their memories consist of Post parties, Susan’s softball games and endless nights in the newsroom. At The Post, Susan worked as a photographer and Bruce was the graphics editor. The media connoisseurs are now professors at Kent State University and currently reside in Akron. They have two kids, Aaron, 21, a senior at OU, and Bryan, 18. The pair’s similar career paths and focus on building a family jumpstarted their future.

backdrop | Spring 2013

“We have common ties that make our lives rich. We can speak the same language and we’re both media people,” Susan says. “And we kind of proposed to each other. It was like we both knew.”

Ketchup was invented to treat liver disease.

THE ONE THAT ALMOST GOT AWAY For 1995 alumni Sona and Steve Stroud, a connection can be traced back to the front steps of Alden Library. Because they both had last names beginning with ‘S,’ the couple was grouped together for a class presentation. “The class was Philosophy of Sex and Love, which was ironic,” Sona says. “We had to discuss monogamy vs. polygamy. I argued monogamy and of course, he picked polygamy.” After the project was over, Sona found herself wanting to see Steve on the weekends. He worked as a bartender at The Junction (now The J Bar) and the two dated on-and-off throughout their senior year. “We parted ways after we both graduated. But for some reason, he never left my head,” Sona remembers. After completing graduate school,

Sona traveled through Europe with Steve still on her mind. She sent him a postcard from Spain and the two soon reconnected as friends before she returned to America. By 1999, Sona had moved from Washington D.C. to Oregon, where Steve lived. Their romantic relationship picked up again around Thanksgiving. The couple moved to the Pittsburgh area after they married there in October 2003. They have three kids now: Griffin, eight, Kash, five and Gia, three. “It’s funny, because people say that when you meet someone, you know they are the one. But we can’t say we felt that way,” Sona says. “If I wasn’t with Steve, he would have been the one that got away.” The couple plans to visit Athens with their kids soon.

“When I walk on that campus with him, I get butterflies. That’s where it started,” Sona recalls. “We see our children and the life we created and we say, ‘Thank God we met in front of that library.’”

THE ONE WITH WHOM YOU GREW UP One OU couple, which met as naïve adolescents in 2005, wedded before moving to Athens. In June 2010, Tatiana and Ben Fox got married in Bowling Green, Ohio. At the time, Tatiana had just graduated from high school, and Ben had finished up two years of college: one at Manchester College and the other at Owens Community College. The pair planned to live together in Athens and attend OU in fall 2010. “Why wait?” Tatiana says. “There’s no point to not [get married] in college if you know that’s the person you’re going to spend your life with. As long as you’re putting the other person ahead of yourself, you can have a great marriage right now.” Tatiana and Ben were high school sweethearts who met at Trinity United Methodist Church in Bowling Green. They’ve been together over seven years, aside from a rough patch in 2008. In fall 2009, the couple was shopping in Toledo when Ben asked,

“Want to look at rings?” He proposed that day. “I always felt like I kind of knew,” Ben says. “We thought it was going to happen when we got back together, but we didn’t openly discuss marriage.” The two have come a long way since convincing their parents that marriage was a timely decision. Both Tatiana and Ben’s parents told them that they were rushing their relationship, and even wondered if there was a baby on the way, which there wasn’t. “It was one of those live-or-die, crazy love stories where you’re 15 and you think you know what’s going on,” Tatiana says. “My parents and I have a clean slate now and after we talked, they were supportive of [us] getting married.”

Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family.

Now, Tatiana is a junior studying psychology and classical civilization, while Ben is a 2012 alumnus working at Abrio’s. The couple lives with their two cats on North May Avenue while Tatiana finishes up her last three semesters. Tatiana and Ben credit their successful marriage to collaboration and paying attention to the little things in their relationship.

www.backdropmag.com

REEL CHANGE BY DENNY McCARTHY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL RADER

Often overshadowed by larger, mainstream theaters, the Athena is finally getting a Hollywood makeover. As the Court Street staple finishes its renovations, the theater looks to increase the profile of the Athens Film and Video Festival.

estled in the middle of Athens’ uptown, an illuminated theater marquee sports the names of independent releases and old school aesthetics. It’s this unique mix of new and nostalgic that sets the Athena Cinema apart from the more box office oriented theaters of the Athena Grand or Movies 10 in Nelsonville, Ohio. The theater, located at 20 S. Court St., opened in 1915 and was bought and restored by Ohio University in 2001. The Athena shows movies that are alternatives to the big movies that are shown at theaters like the Athena Grand. The theater has been going through various updates and is currently about halfway through its $300,000 budgeted renovation project that will keep moviegoers coming back for years to come. The completed renovations are mainly under-the-hood safety features and preparations for future classroom use. The completed repairs to the building include improved fire safety, a rewired electrical system and enhanced handicap accessibility. Renovations, set to be completed next year, will include a digital projector to run alongside the theater’s current projectors. The Athena’s current projectors use 16 mm and 35 mm film that may be phased out by the film industry in the years to come. The digital projectors may also include 3-D viewing capability. “With these renovations, the really important thing about them is that 35 mm film, which we still primarily use around

backdrop | Spring 2013

here, is going away within about a year so we have no choice. We need to get these projectors in but they will be a definite improvement to our picture and sound, and let us play a wider variety of film formats,” Executive Director of the Athena Cinema, Chris Iacofano, says. “These projectors will run alongside our older 35 mm and 16 mm film machines at the Athena, giving us the capability to exhibit nearly every major film and video format developed in the past 100 years. After these renovations are complete, we will be one of just three locations in Ohio with this capability.” Iacofano has a say in just about all of the theater’s operations and he hopes that the new renovations will enhance the moviegoer’s experience as well as the theater’s well being. “Keep on coming to the movies,” he advises. “We listen to what folks suggest. We get movies that people ask for.” Iacofano stepped in this summer as the executive director, taking the place of recently retired Ruth Bradley, Ph.D. Before becoming the executive director, Iacofano was the general manager of the Athena and has been involved with the theater for about eight years. “It’s really important for us to be accessible and be able to talk to the people coming in and seeing what they want,” Iacofano says. “If anyone ever has a question, just get ahold of us and we’ll do what we can to make it happen.” Amongst the new changes the Athena has undergone, Iacofano also plans to continue one of Athens’ most notable It takes about 250 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

traditions and cultural staples: the Athens International Film and Video Festival. The festival is entirely different from those infamous block parties teeming with boozefueled insanity that one might typically imagine. The Film Festival, taking place April 12–18, will be celebrating its 40year anniversary this year—making it one of the oldest in the country. “I feel like the film festival is the closest thing to a cultural institution in this town as we have,” Iacofano says. “It’s become engrained as part of the culture of the town.” The film festival provides an opportunity for aspiring filmmakers, Athens community members and OU students alike. It has shown films by students in a variety of majors, including but not limited to film, media arts and journalism. Josh Gelber, a senior film major, feels inspired by the Athens Film Festival and hopes to have one of his films shown in it. “Most of the films that are shown there are made by more independent or lesser known names, and sometimes even kids here at the school itself,” Josh says. “It’s just a really great showcase for showing some atypical visions when it comes to film. It’s really inspiring because instead of the regular theater where you see the same type of movies throughout the year, you get to see some really different, independent, out-of-the-box ideas come through.” Josh, who has worked on more projects than he can remember at this point, has been an assistant director for a full-length science-fiction feature, produced a 30-minute short and held nearly every position imaginable in the making of a film. As a filmmaker and patron of the Athena Cinema, he hopes the theater is around forever. “I feel like smaller theaters tend to show more of the Oscar contenders and a lot of the well-crafted movies that you wouldn’t typically get to see [in larger theaters],” Josh adds. “I think it’s important that you always have that al-

The apple is a member of the rose family.

ternative outlet to see those other films that you might not see otherwise.” The annual festival draws national attention and receives over 1,000 entries a year. Although Iacofano is in charge of the Athena’s operations, he gives a great amount of credit to Bradley. She has been involved with the theater for over 25 years and, despite being retired from her roles as executive director of the Athena and OU film professor, she remains involved as the director of the film festival. “It’s difficult to keep an arts organization running this long because funding comes and goes ... it really speaks something [to] what Dr. Bradley has done to keep it going for this long,” Iacofano says. Although the festival receives over 1,000 entries each year, various OU students, faculty, staff and Athens community members work to cut that number down to about 200; those chosen are shown within a week. A second group of judges composed of arts professionals then award cash prizes of up to $500 for a variety of film genres including documentary, experimental, narrative and animation. The elimination process combined with cash prizes makes the festival highly competitive for everyone involved. Some films are exclusively shown at the Athena and occasionally the films’ directors will make the trip to Athens if only to receive some feedback from the viewers. Overall, it doesn’t necessarily seem to be the fierce competition of the film festival or the various renovations undergone that have continued to keep the small but mighty theater in the limelight. Instead, it’s the wonderful and incomparable experience the Athena Cinema and its audience provide. Iacofano smiles, “It’s always nice to have that sort of engaged audience.”

www.backdropmag.com

ENTERTAINMENT

LOVE

at First Write

An Alumna turns to pen and paper for love to take flight and fights for old-fashioned romance in literature. BY SHANTEL WOLFE | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MEG LACEY

f you looked back through the records of past Ohio University undergraduates, you would not find any evidence of a person named Meg Lacey in the books. But Meg was there; walking among the other students on College Green, coming and going from class to class. She was there, just under a different name. Lynn Miller, accomplished romance writer, spent most of her time in the theater at OU and admits she only made it to one football game during her undergraduate career. Her interests were broad and were not just limited to theater. She Meg Lacey enjoyed directing, copywriting and even being a mime. Author After college, Miller pursued acting and directing. However, she always had a passion for writing; Miller remembers getting up in the middle of the night as a little girl and writing what she calls “bad poetry.” She wrote her first novel in sixth grade, later realizing that it was merely a rewritten version of Gone With The Wind. In the 1980s, Miller decided to write a book and no-

“

ticed the romance field becoming increasingly more popular. Ironically, she never read romance novels before she started to write them. “It was the only field that a new writer could access without an agent,” she remembers. She wrote her first book and sent it to Harlequin in London. Miller didn’t think twice about it until they contacted her and said they liked it. She rewrote it for them but Harlequin eventually decided not to buy it. “[The submission] had some really good comments and feedback about it,” Miller says. Miller moved on to another editor with another publishing house she was interested in. “I rewrote the same book probably four times. I wrote the life out of it. My editor said it had no life and I thought, ‘duh,’” Miller laughs. Miller doesn’t write erotica and doesn’t quite understand the hype of the 50 Shades of Grey series.

It depends on how you feel about erotica. I’ve read some that have made me gag.”

backdrop | Spring 2013

Pumpkins are 90 percent water.

“It depends on how you feel about erotica. I’ve read some that have made me gag. I tried to read one and ended up reading about a man peeing on a woman. I don’t get that,” she admits. Miller recalls a conversation she had with romance writer and friend, Lori Foster. Foster observed two “very large” people in passing and expressed to Miller her thoughts about how they had sex. “All I could think about was how the girl did it without being crushed! I’m more realistic about things I guess,” Miller states. She admits that E.L. James, author of the 50 Shades of Grey series, found a really great market and people are jumping on the bandwagon of erotic literature as they always do. “Eventually, it’s going to burn itself out,” Miller says. Miller prefers to focus more on the romance. In 1990, she got out all of her books and started writing and editing. She wrote three more books and sold her fifth book to Silhouette, part of Simon and Schuster Inc. Debbie Macomber, a New York Times bestselling author, was heading a new line of books that was part of Silhouette called, Yours Truly. Miller had a light, comedic voice that matched exactly what Yours Truly wanted. Daringly, Miller sent in her material but didn’t hear anything for a long time. She even left her agent because she wasn’t getting any contact back from anyone. Finally, Yours Truly contacted Miller to write for them. Additionally she sold five books to Harlequin, then based in Canada. In addition to working with Yours Truly and selling her books to Harlequin, Miller also started her own advertising and marketing business. But being the extremely involved person she is, Miller still was not satisfied. She decided to start a second marketing company, learning the hard way to, as she puts it, “never start two careers at once.” Her writing turned into a part time gig that she knew needed to be a fulltime commitment. She wrote her first paranormal romance full of humor, adventure and mystery. That book was called Sparrow and the Hawk and came out in September 2012. The book follows main character Jillie Harte (otherwise known as the Sparrow) as she fights to save the world. Her first two novels were written under her real name, Lynn Miller. When she started writing for Harlequin and Silhouette, they asked her to choose a pen name. Although Miller came up with hundreds of names for herself, her supervisors eventually chose the name, “Meg Lacey.” Lacey is currently working on the second book to accompany Sparrow and the Hawk in the “Tales of the Sparrow” series. As sort of a Jill of all trades, it only seems fitting that Lynn Miller lives her life with an alias; an alias named Meg Lacey.

BOOKS BY MEG LACEY

The United States provides about 25 percent of the world’s total supply of fresh peaches.

Million Dollar Mistake A fake relationship turns into a real one, and it sure is steamy.

The Sparrow and the Hawk A filmmaker has to find a unique necklace before it falls into the wrong hands.

The Fireman’s Christmas A single father raising four kids in a hectic household falls for the nanny.

Million Dollar Stud A millionaire trades in his fortune and identity to begin a new life managing a horse farm. A Noble Pursuit An undercover cop shares a night of passion with a woman who may or may not be involved with the mafia.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Show Me the

MONEY

ason Estep is all business. It is obvious from his demeanor. He is articulate, concise and knowledgeable. Mason gives off a sense of urgency and purpose, as if he is constantly moving from one thing to another, treating each task with equal importance. His work ethic is paying off. As a sophomore, Mason is the founder and president of his own company, Stand Offer. Yes, Mason Estep is all business—and business is good. Since he was a kid growing up in

backdrop | Spring 2013

As undergrad students at OU, Mason and Shea have created a fresh angle on crowdfunding, the newest, most effective way for startups to find wealthy backers. BY KERRY CRUMP AND DILLON STEWART PHOTOS BY ISAAC HALE

Columbus, Mason has always been an innovator. He was constantly trying to come up with the next big idea and even carried a folder filled with hovercraft designs and video phones through the halls of his elementary school. “I’ve been trying to start a business since the third grade,” Mason says. “That’s a personal endeavor. It’s something I’ve grown up with.” He is now the founder and president of Stand Offer, a website in one of the fastest growing industries in the

world, crowdfunding. Along with his friend and vice president, Shea Wilson, the two strive to break the mold of the traditional crowdfunding sites by offering a way for potential investors to navigate between many different startups simultaneously. Crowdfunding, in the case of a startup company, allows multiple contributors to fund the startup directly through the Internet instead of going through a stock market or bank. The contributors would then own a percentage of the company based on their donation, and the risk of investing in a new company is spread thinner between more people. Crowdfunding is also used to raise funds for upcoming musicians, political candidates and disaster relief. There are hundreds of crowdfunding sites, just like Mason and Shea’s prototype, but no way to navigate between the vast number, making it overwhelming to run efficiently. They realized that they would have to think outside of the box to make profits, and the idea for standoffer.com was born. “We’re like the hotels.com of the crowdfunding industry,” Mason explains. “You know if you’re looking for a hotel, you don’t go to Marriott or Hilton, you go to hotels.com. So investors can search for the startups that they want to invest in on our site.“ What made crowdfunding an increasingly attractive technique was the passing of the JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act in 2012. Prior to the JOBS Act, in order to in-

We are eating 900 percent more broccoli than we did 20 years ago.

vest in a start up company one would need to be an accredited investor. With the JOBS Act, anybody can invest in a startup, opening up the industry to Mason. “We’re going to see increased competition and more innovation in a lot more ways than sometimes are possible with larger corporations, “ Mason says. Crowdfunding is the catalyst that can take these startups from failure to success and throws the old saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” out the window. By pulling together a group of investors to contribute their share of money in the company, the technique provides funds to idea-driven people by connecting the “idea man” to the money they need to get started. The number of shares that an investor has in the startup is determined by the amount that the investor contributes. One person may not be able to afford a huge contribution, but various small contributions can add up to the monumental sum that is required for a startup. Mason discovered crowdfunding in early 2012 and submerged himself in the business. After creating a unique business plan and proposing it to crownfunding executives, he found himself in the rapidly growing industry. Plus, it was right in his backyard. Growing up in Columbus, Mason was already in a hotbed for the crowdfunding industry. “There are so many crowdfunding companies sprouting up in Columbus, so we’ve connected with them and we’re very close,” Shea says. “We can meet up, we can chat and just work with them.” Around the time of the company’s conception, Shea began lending a hand to his extremely busy friend. The two met during their freshmen year at OU while living in the “Dirty South,” and became good friends after bonding over their shared entrepreneurial dreams. At first, Shea was nothing more than a chauffeur, driving Mason to various meetings and conferences. Soon, he realized he could provide Mason with more than a ride. “I picked him up and drove him over

to meet Will Schroder [a businessman in the crowdfunding industry] in Columbus and I realized, ‘Wow, this is serious.’” Shea says. “I wanted to join up and see what we could do together.” That was when Mason brought Shea onto his team to help him with the business development aspect. “I live by the slogan ‘relentless passion, fearless ambition’ and Shea lives more along the lines of ‘realistic expectations.’ So, we kind of balance each other out really well,” Mason says. Together, they realized the sheer magnitude of the industry. Shea now specializes in business development and business-to-business connections for Stand Offer. When it comes to the future of the company, much of it is a waiting game. Crowdfunding websites are currently in limbo as exact details of future crowdfunding laws are considered and determined. Of course, the ambitious Mason and Shea continue to work on other endeavors as they wait. The duo have released another website in the meantime, justcrowdfunding.com. The site reviews recent updates in the industry, while also discussing the future benefits of crowdfunding, such as disaster relief. The two also have plans to film a commercial at Shea’s estate in Austin, Texas, during spring break. “It’s actually going to be a little racy. We’ll just say that the University of Texas cheerleading squad is going to be involved,” Mason explains. Lofty inspirational figures, such as Steve Jobs and John D. Rockefeller, some of the richest businessman in history, have kept Mason motivated. The 20-year-old feels that he is making the right move to follow in their footsteps. For Mason, it’s not all about the money, but a sense of personal accomplishment as well. One of the next steps in Mason’s journey is to set up a charity that would support hard-working, successful students. As a student, he wants to see other students that exhibit the same passion for their future that Mason has for his business. Mason feels there is a stigma that

Approximately 3 billion pizzas are sold in the U.S. each year.

Crowdfunding

EXPLAINED

An idea is thought up and presented to the public.

Individuals donate money to the idea to help with start-up costs.

$ When an idea gathers enough support, it is produced and profits can be shared among funders.

many students believe they need to fit a mold to be attractive to employers and he is devoting his time and energy to prove that is not the case. As the head of his own company at such a young age, he wants to be the inspiration students need to think outside the box and overcome the conventional way of thinking, just as he always has. “It’s society that hinders innovation,” Mason says. “But it comes to a personal level of how you’re able to react to how society tries to fit you into a mold.”

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FEATURES

PARDON THE

INVESTIGATION BY CHRIS LONGO AND CHRIS MANNING ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY PIGNATIELLO

When one of sports’ most elaborate hoaxes became a career-changing story for an OU alumnus, it left traditional and alternative sports media looking for answers. Backdrop gives you a look at the wild state of sports journalism.

DE A DSPI

N ESPN

A Google search is intended to come up because it is whimsical, controversial plenty of enemies by often using unruly with hundreds of thousands of respons- or simply because we hear of an intel- tactics to access a story. He constantly es in an instant. But when Tim Burke ligent take on something that no one toed the line of journalistic integrity by typed the name “Lennay Kekua” in the else knows.” paying for scoops and being a general search bar, he only found questions. Burke’s investigative work is the lat- thorn in ESPN’s side. Burke, an editor for the popular est in the long line of shocking sports “I took things too far on purpose,” sports blog Deadspin.com and E.W. discoveries by Deadspin. The web- Daulerio admits. Scripps School of Journalism graduate, site and its writers have become the In a commentary on Daulerio’s dereceived an anonymous tip question- outlaws of the wildest era in sports parture from Deadspin, ESPN anchor ing the legitimacy of the stories Notre journalism– one that has played out Scott Van Pelt called him a “little Dame linebacker Manti Te’o weasel with a mustache,” told of his girlfriend, the late after Daulerio was seen wanLennay Kekua, who by all dering around the Super In the grand scheme of things, the story Bowl trying to dig up dirt accounts died of leukemia in September 2012, a day after on players hitting the party itself isn’t that important; the story is the death of Te’o’s grandFormer ESPN personreally the failure of the media to check scene. mother. Investigative work ality Sean Salisbury filed a by Burke and co-writer Jack lawsuit against Deadspin for into whether this woman existed.” Dickey led to a shocking “malicious attacks.” Tim Burke truth that would soon grab Most famously, Daulerio the attention of the sports put $12,000 in an envelope Editor at Deadspin.com world and beyond. in exchange for what alleg“I never expected it to capture the between new media sites and tradi- edly were photos of then New York Jet front pages of newspapers,” Burke says. tional heavyweights. In the digital age, Brett Favre’s private parts, as well as “I didn’t think people cared that much. a story like Te’o’s is the latest example voicemails that the quarterback sent to In the grand scheme of things, the story of the shift from print media to more a female Jets employee. The news made itself isn’t that important; the story is contemporary sports coverage that has headlines all over the sports world and really the failure of the media to check made the industry yet another area of whether readers viewed Deadspin as the into whether this woman existed.” news coverage that necessitates a me- good guys or bad, it was the story that On Jan. 16, Deadspin dropped the dia literate audience. made the website a player in the field. bombshell story detailing the elaboWill Leitch created Deadspin, backed “Without Daulerio boosting the site’s rate hoax surrounding Te’o and his by Gawker Media, to correct a mistake national profile, it never would have non-existent girlfriend. Millions of in mainstream sports coverage. He gained the permanent foothold it has eyes scanned the website in a matter of wanted an outlet that talked sports in on the sports world now,” Deadspin hours. The story of Notre Dame’s most a way that average sports fans would columnist Drew Magary says. prominent player, the one whose emo- understand. Given six months to make Under Daulerio’s leadership, Deadtional roller coaster of a season helped it work by Gawker CEO Nick Denton, spin’s no holds-barred style of compropel the team to its best record in Leitch set out to cover sports by the mentary and reporting led to a boom in nearly 30 years, was nothing more website’s motto: “sports news without readership. The website currently averthan a national farce. Deadspin’s report access, favor and discretion.” In 2006, ages 2.3 million monthly readers. picked apart stories from major me- Time called the site “one of the 50 cool“Blogs, in their own way, have become dia outlets including Sports Illustrated, est websites,” making it a hit only a year more powerful and mainstream than ESPN and The Associated Press. As the into its existence. By the time Leitch left anyone anticipated,” Daulerio says. legend of Manti Te’o’s resilience grew, in 2008 for New York Magazine, DeadMore traditional journalists like the media remained complacent, failing spin had gone from Gawker side project former “Around the Horn” panelist to look into the red flags that could have to a strong publication in its own right. and Chicago Sun Times columnist Jay unearthed the hoax earlier. After Leitch moved on, AJ Daulerio, Mariotti, are hesitant to buy what new “At Deadspin we try to publish what a younger Deadspin writer, took on the media websites are selling. nobody else is reporting,” Burke says. role as editor-in-chief. In his three-year “It can’t have much staying power be“Whether people aren’t reporting it reign, Daulerio made few friends and cause it lacks the basic tenets of profes-

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FEATURES

sional journalism,” Mariotti writes in and the only reason the site saved face Since its launch in 1979, ESPN has an email conversation with Backdrop. was because Notre Dame acknowl- gone from a small cable network to “The public still wants breaking news edged that the woman and her death one of the world’s most valuable media that matters, accountability and robust was a hoax.” properties. Owned by Disney, ESPN is commentary supported in fact.” Sites like Deadspin have grown by the media giant’s most profitable arm Mariotti studied journalism at OU taking risks and publishing stories according to Forbes – valued at a whopbefore leaving Athens in 1980, three without 100 percent confirmation of ping $40 billion – making it 31 times credits short of a degree. He more valuable than the was one of ESPN’s biggest New York Times. personalities in the midWith multi-million dolI wonder a bit about ESPN down the lar TV deals with the Na2000s, alongside the likes of Woody Paige, Kevin Blacktional Football League, road as it enters long-term relationistone and Michael Wilbon Major League Baseball, ships with leagues, franchises, confer- National Basketball Asto name a few. Up until his arrest in 2010 on a suspicion and numerous ences and universities. But my hope is sociation, of domestic abuse, Mariotti college athletic conferencthat journalism always prevails over the es, ESPN controls a large was a mainstay on ESPN, but legal trouble and a comshare of the sports televibusiness people there.” pany no-tolerance policy sion and Internet markets. marked the end of his days The journalistic responsiJay Mariotti working at the worldwide bility that comes with teleleader in sports. vising such a broad range Former ESPN Personality Daulerio offered the of sports content has left ousted personality freelance work at information from secondary sources. critics of ESPN questioning the netDeadspin in September 2011, despite That style of journalism has opened work’s programming goals. Deadspin publishing a series of articles doors for Deadspin, even if it deters “I don’t know that [ESPN’s] had its that Mariotti claims “lied about his from the norm. journalistic integrity for quite some case.” Ultimately Mariotti didn’t take According to Sports Illustrated, ESPN time,” Molly Yanity, a Scripps graduate the job at Deadspin, leading Daulerio, received a tip about Te’o one day before assistant, who also worked at the Seatin a long, scathing editorial, to outline Deadspin. ESPN’s reporters worked off tle Post-Intelligencer for 12 years, says. their differences in ideals that embody the lead but were unable to come up “ESPN is the biggest syndicate of colthe divide in sports journalism today– a story they felt comfortable releasing. lege sports in the world. How do you from how the stories are reported to the The network wanted an exclusive inter- have that monopoly over college sports role new and social media websites play view with Te’o but failed to get it un- and bring a critical eye to anything?” in publishing. der the conditions they initially asked ESPN dominates TV ratings, conWhen the Te’o story broke, countless for, whereas Deadspin’s only concern sistently winning the coveted 18-49 media outlets were forced to admit that was going from the tip to breaking the male demographic in primetime, they had failed to accurately check facts story as accurately, or close to as accu- outdrawing networks like USA Netin their original stories, which included rately, as possible. ESPN’s chief focus work and FX. The network’s flagESPN’s Gene Wojciechowski who in- has heavily shifted to broadcast enter- ship stations, ESPN and ESPN 2, terviewed Te’o for a midseason video tainment, and Deadspin, living up to are broadcast in more than 100 milpackage. Deadspin’s report exposed its motto of not having access or discre- lion homes, securing ESPN’s national key errors, yet Mariotti questions the tion, can explore areas that ESPN will foothold. More and more Americans transparency of the article. shy away from. are watching TV on delay, but view“They ran the story prematurely and “I think that for the most part [ES- ers are still watching 99.4 percent of left too many unanswered questions,” PN’s] talent and producers are doing sporting events live, leading Forbes to Mariotti says. “Why quote a primary a fantastic job,” Burke says. “The suits predict that ESPN will continue to source, a key component of the story, upstairs are concerned about the bot- grow in the coming year. Advertisers who is ‘80 percent’ sure that Te’o was tom line and they are the ones who are favor networks that people watch live complicit? That left doubt in my mind putting all the pressure on the talent – making ESPN a property appealing that the site hadn’t dug deeply enough, and producers.” to potential business partners.

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“I wonder a bit about ESPN down the road as it enters long-term relationships with leagues, franchises, conferences and universities,” Mariotti says. “But my hope is that journalism always prevails over the business people there.” “SportsCenter” is still the network’s breadwinner, but in the last decade ESPN has introduced a number of debate shows like “Pardon The Interruption,” and “Around The Horn.” Those shows have done well in the early evening time slot, which is where “Jim Rome is Burning” aired on ESPN. Before Rome left for the CBS Sports Network, the show averaged 442,000 viewers for ESPN in 2011. Hosting what is essentially the same show at CBS, Rome now gets 1/10 of the viewers. In particular, “First Take,” featuring Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith, brings in substantial ratings for ESPN. The show has seen a viewership increase of 33 percent in the last year. The large spike may be a reason why former columnists, like Bayless and Smith, have gone from reporters to TV personalities. “I think you saw a lot of national sports columnists at local papers who became talking heads on ESPN or became television personalities that absolutely became intoxicated by that,” Daulerio says. Mariotti, however, still sees the network as a strong journalistic enterprise, even if the content is veering in the opposite direction. “Stop thinking of ESPN as some terrorist group,” Mariotti says. “The network covers sports extraordinarily well, and I hope that strong competition from Fox’s new sports network and others will ward off potential complacency in ESPN’s programming.” That competition will come from three major networks with similar influence. Fox Sports, which will debut two all-sports channels this year, will reach 118 million homes.

CBS Sports Network, which reaches 100 million homes, airs 35 different NCAA sports and the NBC Sports Network, with its $2 billion NHL contract, reaches more than 75 million homes. Those networks will directly compete with ESPN, entering into an already aggressive race to break news first. With more players crowded into the field, there will likely be an increased scrutiny on any potential mistake a mainstream outlet could make. “Nobody enjoys it but when you have this massive force in broadcasting and reporting on sports it’s the obligation of someone to be the watchdog of [a major] outlet,” Burke says. Deadspin has long acted as a watchdog for sports media, at times in good taste, but more often than not they’ve dug up the dirty laundry that the sports world tries to hide. More in-depth reporting can bring a sense of legitimacy to outlets like Deadspin, as new media sites try to find their way in a field crowded by giants. The Te’o scoop landed Gawker Media its highest trafficked week ever, with 10 million site views across its collection of blogs. As for Burke, he appeared on a number of television and radio shows throughout the country to talk about the Te’o story, including CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” and CBS Radio’s “Doug Gottlieb Show.” His story, combined with all of the mainstream media exposure, has made journalism’s outlaws more credible than ever. “I don’t think it’s any secret that Deadspin’s notoriety and its previous big story dealt with Brett Favre’s private parts,” Burke concludes. “Now our biggest story is an investigative journalism piece. I can already tell you that it has opened up the doors for other investigative pieces. We’re investigating several stories right now that we would not have been tipped off to before this.”

Scan to view Backdrop’s exclusive Q&A with Jay Mariotti.

A S S O C IA T E D

PR ES S

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KEEPIN’ IT LOCAL

The locavore movement has taken Athens by storm. Local businesses are making the decision to purchase products within a 30-mile radius of the city limits. BY KELSI BOWES | PHOTOS BY AMANDA PUCKETT

he sky is gray and the trees bare— Farmers Market has many benefits for as we can,” Thom Hirbe, food optheir leaves long gone. Despite the the local community. erations coordinator for Casa Nueva, warm sun, the air has a bite that cuts “It means that farmers are able to make says. “We always try to source locally through even the warmest coat. Har- a living, customers are able to get good before anything else.” vest season may be over, but vendors at food, there’s less fuel involved in the To promote sustainability, Casa Nueva the Athens Farmers Market will pro- whole process, the dollars stay local,” is an advocate of the Slow Food movevide the community with fresh, local Parker explains. ment, the “locavore” movement and products year-round, in any weather, He also says it allows customers to get participates in the 30 Mile Meal Project. bringing color and life onto the other- to know and trust the local farmers, and The idea of the locavore movement is wise dreary landscape. know where their food is coming from. simply eating local, as herbivore is to On the first day that the Farmers To make sure the fun event benefits eating plants. And the 30 Mile Meal Market started in 1972, Project, which started in 2010, is there were three or four initiative that promotes buying I think that the local restaurants are an vendors, Kip Parker, site food products within a 30-mile ramanager and treasurer of dius of Athens. Its goal, according the only ones that add anything the Market, says. This past to its blog, is to “assist residents and summer, the Farmers Mar- interesting to the food selection.” visitors in finding local foods and ket celebrated its 40th anniplaces where they can savor the reCorinne Zachry versary and now boasts over gion’s flavors while supporting food 100 vendors. producers and sellers, all within a Ohio University Senior Parker estimates that it 30-mile radius of Athens, Ohio.” brings $2 to 3 million in revenue each the community, members must be from Its blog also states that they currently year for the vendors. The market itself within 150 miles of Athens city. But the have “over 125 farmers, local foods maris a nonprofit with a yearly budget of Farmers Market isn’t the only group kets and businesses, and related nonprof$30,000. It runs Wednesdays and Sat- trying to boost Athens’ economy. Up- its,” and it continues to push its radius urdays year-round from 10 a.m. until 1 town eateries Casa Nueva and Jackie out further, hoping to become a 100 p.m. And when the weather turns win- O’s Pub & Brewery both pride them- Mile Meal Project. try, part of the Market moves indoors. selves on the use of local food products As for the Slow Food movement, With the growing move to create a in their menus. Hirbe says, “It’s the idea of buying raw sustainable economy in Athens, the “We’re doing as much local buying ingredients as opposed to [already]

“

backdrop | Spring 2013

In Singapore, it is illegal to chew gum in public and has been since the 1980s.

prepared ingredients.” Hand-in-hand with buying local, Casa Nueva incorporates seasonality into its menu selection. Rather than buying produce out of season, and outside the community, Casa Nueva focuses on the produce available during the individual seasons. For instance, Hirbe says the restaurant will run specials that focus on squash, sweet potatoes and beets—more roots—during late autumn. And when something, like tomatoes, is not in season, they will have none or next to none in their foods. Like Casa Nueva, Jackie O’s also participates in the 30 Mile Meal Project. Justin Berry, kitchen manager at Jackie O’s, says that sustainability has always been a personal goal of the owner, Art Oestrike, and that he has applied that to the pub and brewery ever since. “We just try to source as much stuff as we can locally as far as food products and employees,” Berry says. “And right now we don’t source a whole lot of things locally as far as the beer goes, but we’re getting more and more involved in that as well.” Jackie O’s uses the grain from the brewery to make its pizza dough. They also sell food items from other local businesses—all of their desserts are provided by Fluff Bakery and maple syrup from Sticky Pete’s is used in their beer. Corinne Zachry, OU senior, says she appreciates Athens’ restaurants incorporating locally grown foods into their menus. “I think the only [restaurants] that I really, really enjoy are the local ones,” Corinne says. “I think that the local restaurants are the only ones that add anything interesting to the food selection.” For many OU students, food sustainability can be a hard thing to define. Despite its prominence around campus, there are few people who truly understand the concept and know how to apply it to their lives. For those interested in helping to promote sustainability, there are a few easy things to start doing. The easiest and most important? Buy local foods. By doing so, people are keeping the money in the community: the essence of sustainability. Also, support the restaurants that buy local products so that money can go to farmers to help them expand the food they are able to provide. In other words, the key to sustainability is local, local, local.

One thing that makes food sustainability difficult, however, is that it isn’t always possible for vendors to buy products from within the community. Sometimes farmers aren’t able to provide enough meat, vegetables, cheese, milk, etc., for the restaurants that need it. Hirbe says Casa Nueva goes through so much sour cream that it would be too big an endeavor for any local company to make it for them. Hirbe says the biggest challenge is finding that balance between what Casa Nueva can buy locally and what it is forced to buy from outside vendors. “What can we still put on the menu and say ‘I’m okay with having that even though it does come from one of those services,’ while still trying to help the local producers ramp up their production so that they can one day in time provide that service for us,” Hirbe explains. He further explained that challenge by providing an example of Casa Nueva’s business relationship with King Family Farms in Albany, Ohio. When Hirbe first started working with J.B. King, owner of King Family Farms, King could only sell bacon to Casa Nueva. But after Casa Nueva continued to provide him with business and money, King was able to build up his poultry supply. Now, Casa Nueva also buys all its chicken from King Family Farms. Overall, the Athens community puts a huge effort into creating a sustainable economy. Between the Athens Farmers Market and the local restaurants, farms and businesses, a person would be hard pressed to find produce from Wal-Mart or Kroger that they couldn’t find locally. “I think that it’s a good example of a community trying [its] hardest to be

Eggplants are considered a type of fruit.

sustainable,” Berry says. “I don’t think we could be considered totally self-sustainable. But I think the community as a whole is doing everything that we possibly can to be self-sustainable.” Even in the cold, that passion for quality and community that drives the vendors is apparent. And it’s obvious the people they serve share this passion. Despite the chilling wind, customers still frequent the Farmers Market, exchanging their money for the assurance that the food they will be eating helps support not only their bodies, but the community body as well.

CHECK OUT YOUR NEAREST 30 MILE MEAL EATERY WITH BACKDROP’S LOCAVORE MAP.

www.backdropmag.com

MEAL

The Cuban fusion restaurant gets ingredients from Shagbark Seed & Mill Co., Snow ville Creamery, Sticky Pete’s and Cantrell Honey. They also purchase produce and products from Integration Acres and King Family Farms.

BY KERRY CRUMP | INFOGRAPHIC BY EMILEE KRAUS S WA HIN

MIL

EE DONKE Y COFF & E SPR E S S O ngton 17 1/2 W. Washi ffee fair trade co

d Donkey’s ’s Beans, an is from Dean ds are from o its baked go py Valley, The ap H s, b m ru C e, Shadbark Bread Garag store. in and baked

SALAAM 21 W. Washington

The global cuisine restaurant uses pastry flour from Keynes Brothers Mill in Logan and products from Snowville Creamery, the Chesterhill Produce Auction and Hanesworth Farm.

ce includes The fine dining experien mily Fa g ingredients from Kin ery, eam Cr e vill ow Farms, Sn e River Starline Organics, Shad ion Acres, Organic Farm, Integrat re. mo Cowdery Farms and

THE PIGSKIN 38 N. Court

FLUFF BAKERY & CATERING 8 N. Cour t COURT

ON GT

Athens’ Court Street scene has more going on than bricks and bars. Check out the local products and ingredients traveling through just a small portion of the 30 Mile Meal web.

ZOË FINE DINING 24 E. State

“We have a re ally stro food economy, ng local an to be a membe d for us r the city by show of it helps of the different casing all fa we work with.” rmers that --Michelle Was se the co-owners rman, one of of Casa

CONGRESS

MILE

CASA NUEVA 4 W. State

SOL RESTAUR ANT 33 Court

“Every thing is from scratch and fresh and homemade, that’s what sets us aside. Some of that freshness comes nic from Shade River Orga s.” ble eta veg ’s Farm r --Chris Roach, co-owne n ski Pig e of Th

It’s obvious the majority of the bake ries are local from the first bite. “We have products that are just so much better because they’re grown within a few miles.” --Jessica Kopelwitz, owner of Fluf f

BAGEL STREET DELI 27 S. Court

es The deli obtains its cooki from ls ge ba d ee ds bir ff, from Flu ens gre ed mix Crumbs Baker y and s. rm Fa n Ru r xte from De

O’BE TTY’S RED HOT 15 W. State & 30 W. Union

BRENEN’S COFFEE CAFÉ 38 S. Court Brenen’s Coffee Café bakes most of its menu options in its store and incorporates local products such as barbecue sauce and salsa from Vino de Milo into its original items.

O’Betty’s serves sausages from King Family Farms which is located 12 miles away from Court Street. WEST UNION

JACKIEO’S 24 W. Union The Pub’s pizzas are topped with ingredients from King Family Farm, Shade River Organic Farm and Laurel Valley Creamery; they have previously collaborated with Fluff Bakery, the Village Bakery, Casa Nueva and Bagel Stree t Deli.

backdrop | Spring 2013

The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley’s gum.

NOT GUILTY FOOD CART Corner of E. Union and S. Court The food cart buys produce from Integration Acres and the Chesterhill Produce Auction, meat from King Family Farms and bread from Crumbs Bakery. Every time you lick a stamp, you’re consuming one-tenth of a calorie.

Scan to read about other 30 Mile Meal participants.

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RECIPE

St. Patty’s Pairings BY TIM HOWARD | PHOTOS BY AMANDA PUCKETT

As trees start budding and the weather turns warm, Ohio University students start trickling out of their homes and onto Mill and Court Street. While fest season garners attention from students across the state, two spring days, St. Patrick’s Day and Green Beer Day, (a tradition borrowed from arch-rival Miami University) consist, mostly, of OU residents. Without drunkards from other universities to blame the holiday debauchery on, Athenians are forced to accept responsibilities for their own actions. In order to lessen the inebriation during the two holidays, Backdrop has decided to give students excellent meal options to help soak up the artificially green liquid. Of course, Backdrop couldn’t give meal options without a twist; each traditional Irish meal is paired with a not-so-traditional Irish drink.

Breakfast: Apple Potato Pancakes Servings: 5 Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

3 Russet potatoes peeled and shredded 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored 2 eggs 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 green onions, diced Salt to taste Vegetable oil for frying 5 tablespoons sour cream

Directions:

Lunch: Potato Bread Serves: 6 Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pounds unpeeled potato 1 egg, beaten ½ stick of butter 3 tablespoons flour 1 ½ tablespoons chopped parsley 1 ½ tablespoons chopped chives 1 ½ tablespoons chopped lemon thyme Half-and-half Salt Freshly ground pepper Seasoned flour Bacon fat or butter for frying

Directions:

Boil the potatoes in their jackets, pull off the skins and mash straight away. Add the egg, butter, flour and herbs (if using) and mix well. Season with plenty of salt and pepper, adding a few drops of half-and-half if the mixture is too stiff. Shape into a 1 inch round and then cut into eight pieces. Dip in seasoned flour. Fry in bacon fat or melted butter on a gentle heat. Cook the bread until crusty and golden on one side, then flip over and cook on the other side (about four to five minutes on each side.) Serve by itself on hot plates with a pat of butter melting on top. —irishabroad.com

Pair with: Black and Tan

Dinner: Corned Beef and Cabbage

For sanitary reasons, place shredded potatoes and apple in a clean kitchen towel, before adding them to the mixture. Combine potatoes, apple, eggs, flour and green onion in a bowl. Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy sauce pan over medium-high heat. Form mixture into palm-sized patties; fry in hot oil, working in batches, until golden brown, 2-4 minutes on each side. More oil may be needed with each batch. Remove pancakes from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt. Serve pancakes topped with sour cream. —allrecipes.com

Serves: 6 Cook time: 8 hours

Ingredients:

1 onion, cut into wedges 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 pound carrots cut into large chunks 3 cups water 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 bay leaf 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons cider vinegar ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet, cut in half 1 small head of cabbage, cut into wedges

PAIR THESE RECIPES WITH A DRINK: Breakfast:

Lunch: Black & Tan

Dinner: Irish Car Bombs

Ingredients: -Coffee -Baileys Irish Cream -or-Jameson Irish Whiskey -Orange juice -Butterscotch Schapps

Ingredients: -1 bottle of Harp Lager -1 bottle of Guinness Stout

Ingredients: -¾ ounce of Baileys Irish Cream -¾ ounce Jameson Irish Whiskey -1 bottle of Guinness Irish Stout -1 beer glass -1 shot glass

Directions: Coffee mixed with 1.5 oz shot of Baileys. Or 1 ½ ounces of Jameson mixed in a shot glass with 1 ½ ounces of Schnapps chased by 1 shot of orange juice.

Directions: Pour in half of the Guinness and then slowly pour the Lager over the dome of a tablespoon. Let sit and watch two distinct layers of beer form.

backdrop | Spring 2013

Directions: Mix Baileys Irish Cream with Jameson Irish Whiskey into one shot glass. Pour half of a bottle of Guinness Irish Stout into beer glass. Drop the shot of Jameson and Baileys into the glass of Guinness and drink quickly, before it curdles.

Directions:

Place onion, potatoes and carrots in a 5-quart slow cooker. Combine water, garlic, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar and contents of spice packet in a small bowl; pour over vegetables. Top with brisket and cabbage. Cover and cook on low heat until meat and vegetables are tender, eight to nine hours. Remove bay leaf before serving.—Allrecipes.com

Pair with: Irish Car Bombs Fortune cookies were actually invented in America, in 1918, by Charles Jung.

Two-thirds of the world’s eggplant is grown in New Jersey.

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SPORTS

CLASS OF THE

BY JACOB BETZNER | INFOGRAPHIC BY MORGAN DECKER

For most student-athletes, most accomplishments come from numbers. Take a look at some of OU’s all-stars in the classroom, holding true to the idiom “student first, athlete second.”

aven King tensed at the plate, waiting for the next pitch. The innate ability to hit a softball, the instinct to adjust timing, bat speed and velocity, existed in her brain the first time she picked up a bat. Now, the junior studying engineering at Ohio University, sees the game in formulas she calculates in her head. She grips the bat tighter, calculates the ball’s velocity, adjusts her bat speed, and times it perfectly: home run. Raven attracted the attention of OU Softball Head Coach, Jodi Hermanek, after a dominant performance in a tournament game in Las Vegas in 2009. Hermanek went to the game to scout a player on the other team, but saw so much potential in Raven that she approached the Utah native. Raven wanted to get out of Utah, ideally somewhere along the West Coast, near Los Angeles, her birthplace, but she never really considered Ohio or the Midwest. “I thought, ‘Ohio? What’s in Ohio?’” Raven asks. “My dad kept pushing me to check it out, so I set up a visit. I loved the campus. It was beautiful. I liked the small collegetown atmosphere and fell in love.” She knew she wanted to study engineering in college after hearing of the high demand for engineers across the nation and was aware of the financial security offered by a career in engineering. Utah State told the high school senior to choose between playing softball and studying engineering, explaining that

TITANS

backdrop | Spring 2013

the young student-athlete wouldn’t be able to balance the demanding schedules of both. Raven considered a community college, but decided more than four years of school sounded unappealing. OU ultimately offered her the best of both worlds. Raven represents a small percentage of student-athletes at OU who take on a major most students consider more challenging. A statistical analysis of approximately 198 student-athletes in major sports at OU, including football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball and softball, shows only 4.6 percent of student-athletes belong to the Russ College of Engineering and Technology. Many student-athletes incorporate sports or physical activities into their studies. The College of Business has the highest number of student-athletes, with 21.5 percent, nearly half majoring in Sport Management, hoping to remain involved in athletics professionally. Another 16 percent of studentathletes are in the College of Health Sciences and Professions, many of whom concentrate in health service administration or exercise physiology. The minority of student-athletes major in soft sciences or other areas typically considered less demanding by college students. Declaring a demanding major keeps Raven strained for time. Every weekday during softball season, she wakes up at 6 a.m. and goes to Peden Stadium for weight training, fits in classes between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., and practices with the team until

5 p.m., leaving time for one more evening class or a night of studying. The second team All-MAC infielder usually makes it to bed around 1 a.m. To help with busy schedules, the OU Athletic Department offers plenty of resources to student-athletes. Jordan Thompson, a redshirt senior tight end and two-time captain of the OU football team, says the extra help is extremely beneficial, and raved about a professional networking website developed exclusively for studentathletes. The website, CareerAthletes. com, similar to LinkedIn.com, connects student-athletes across the country to current and former student-athletes in a professional setting. “I guess student-athletes like to hire student-athletes,” Jordan says, who also studies engineering. “We have the same motivation, the same drive and can relate to one another based on past experiences.” The athletic department also helps student-athletes develop vital career and life skills to supplement the studentathletes’ education in the classroom. Recently, the athletic department brought in a former OU linebacker who spoke to the graduating senior football players. The former Bobcat talked about transitioning values learned on the field into a career. “Football is going to come to an end. Whether it be at the end of our four years here, or you’re fortunate enough to get a shot at the NFL or CFL, but that’s two or three years maybe, max,” Jordan explains. “To get guys to think

The world’s largest wine cask is in Heidelberg, Germany.

ahead, and plan out what they’re doing down the road, I think that’s valuable.” To make sure every student-athlete stays on track, he or she meets with an academic adviser assigned by his or her respective college, like every OU student. Additionally, student-athletes meet with an academic athletic adviser to ensure they are following NCAA academic rules and regulations. The NCAA requires each athlete to maintain a minimum GPA to participate in athletics. OU studentathletes near the minimum GPA spend a set number of hours in a mandatory study hall at the athletic department in Peden every week. “We have so many people watching over us,” Jordan says. “Our coaches, the athletic academic advisers, and our teammates who are counting on us to get it done in the classroom, so we can stay on the field.” Another group of advisers dedicated to helping the student-athletes are learning specialists such as Hope Howell and Brittany Tyree, both former NCAA student-athletes who help studentathletes off the field. They work under Associate Athletic Director Randee

Duffy, who keeps track of NCAA eligibility and student-athlete success. Additionally, tutors, offered free of charge to student-athletes, take on the responsibility of helping many studentathletes succeed in the classroom. Raven says the tutors help with some classes, but she started figuring things out on her own after her freshman year. With student-athletes coming from all different educational backgrounds and different levels of proficiency in time management and technology, the learning specialist attempts to quickly acclimate the student-athletes. “We mostly help with time management, especially early in the semester,” Tyree says, a former runner for the OU Track and Field team. “We help them realize they have to start to do things on their own.” Duffy and the other learning specialists help student-athletes stay ahead in the classroom by helping them plan accordingly. The NCAA requires student-athletes to complete a minimum number of credit hours and coursework within a major. Combined with OU’s requirements, scheduling around practices and games demands a

lot of planning. The athletic academic support team never encourages student-athletes to take less demanding courses, rather the support team suggests student-athletes take a more difficult or time consuming class during his or her offseason. “Our purpose is mostly to accommodate for travel,” Duffy explains. “If a class has a strict attendance policy, we usually have the athlete take that when [he or she] won’t be traveling, but as for more difficult classes, if they’re strong in [a certain subject] they can take it whenever.” The NCAA Eligibility and StudentAthlete Success Center also encourage a post-collegiate focus: helping develop life skills and hosting résumé and portfolio workshops, resources to help prepare student-athletes for life after the final snap, shot or swing. So far, the athletic department has been successful; OU’s graduation rates for student-athletes were well above national averages last year, including 74 percent of football players compared to a national average of 63 percent, and 100 percent of softball players, compared to a national average of 74 percent, according to data from the NCAA. Raven sees a bright future after softball. She has learned teamwork, drive, determination and the right amount of competitiveness College of Business on the softball diamond, time management and College of Health productivity from the Services and athletic department, and Administration other practical skills from Patton College of OU. With all this, she Education hopes to find success as a transportation civil engineer. College of Arts and Sciences “In almost all cases engineers work together as Scripps College teams,” Raven says. “By beof Communication ing in a team environment Russ College of already, especially one that Engineering is organized by a univerand Technology sity, I have shown that I can University College work with others, manage (Undecided) my time and be efficient, and think clearly and work *Not Listed – 16.9% of athletes, under pressure to achieve a 1 Graduate Student, 1 Fine Arts Major common goal.”

ATHLETES MAJORING AMONG SCHOOLS OF ALL ATHLETES IN THE 45% COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

MAJOR IN SPORTS MANAGEMENT

21.5%

16%

14.8% 9.7% 7.6% 4.6%

The only food that does not spoil is honey.

5.5%

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SPORTS

BALANCING THE BUDGET

These gymnasts are flexible in more ways than one, sacrificing their time to finance a chance at attending Nationals. BY SARA PORTWOOD | PHOTOS BY KYRA WILLNER

fter paying $160 for the electric bill, $450 for rent and $200 for the textbooks that will only be opened once, it is often expected that whatever is left in an Ohio University student’s wallet will go straight to the bars. But for student-athletes involved with the club gymnastics team, they need to make what little money they have left go a long way. OU senior and president of the team, Heather Blair, admits that club gymnastics can be a financial burden. “All of the expenses: to pay for practice fees, to pay for the gym— are out of your own pocket,” Heather says. “It’s important that we do everything possible. Our sport requires so much funding.”

backdrop | Spring 2013

Costs really add up when gas for travel, general Club Sports’ fees and competition entry fees are accounted for. New members have the hardest time taking the costly initial leap. “It is quite expensive, especially for the freshmen coming in who have to pay for warm ups, leotards, all of those things,” Heather explains. Sometimes, teammates rely on OU’s athletic services for help. “Club Sports does give us money to try and help us out; it’s just that there is only so much they can do,” Heather explains. Because of that, team fundraising is crucial, and with a team of 28 this semester, Heather is not too worried about coming up short.

“We usually win the fundraising award every year through Club Sports,” she says. Although recognition for their efforts is appreciated, it does not stop the costs from piling up. “Fundraising is mandatory. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be able to attend many of the meets we go to.” Each year, the team attends three major meets before they head to nationals. They compete at Virginia Tech, The Ohio State University and Miami University of Ohio. They will be flying to Minneapolis for the national competition April 10–14. Athletes are prepared to throw down hundreds of dollars to pay for food, airfare and competition entry fees for the four-day trip. The team prepares

Cream does not weigh as much as milk.

to cover those costs through different forms of fundraising. Sponsor letters are written by teammates and sent out to friends, families and businesses asking for money to fund their progress. But when the costs increase for the trip to nationals, the team doubles its effort. Every year, they go to Cedar Point to work the concession stands for HalloWeekends. Heather sees this as their most valuable fundraising opportunity. “They’ll pay you by the hour and give you a bonus if you do well and are on time to everything. That’s where most of our money comes from,” she says. Gymnasts pour as much time as money into their sport; members are expected to manage full class and work schedules while leaving time between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. open for travel and practice. Heather explains that the distance of their practice facility has made time management a challenge. Last year, the team practiced in a gym in Nelsonville, but this year, they have decided to make a change and utilize a larger facility in Lancaster to accommodate their increase in members. The Hocking Valley Gym Center is about 45 minutes from Athens, but the team believes that this change is for the best. Along with a new gym, they

have gained the perspective of new coach, Dick Huntwork. “When Heather asked if their team could come up and work out at our facility and have a coach work with them, I said yes,” Huntwork recalls. “Anytime someone is interested or asks me to help them in gymnastics, or getting in shape, I’m always ready and willing to lend a hand.” Huntwork took interest in OU’s team after seeing their intense commitment. “I see a lot of dedication and desire in [them]. The fact they drive one hour, both ways each week to practice for two hours, says a lot about them,” Huntwork says. And teammates that go the extra mile do not go unnoticed. Huntwork mentions that some of the team members will attend the open-gym hours the facility offers on Friday nights to improve their skills. “They want to be better and they want to learn, which is all a coach could ever ask for in a gymnast,” Huntwork says. Wanting to return the same zeal he sees from the team every week, Huntwork promises to do everything he can. “Hopefully, I can give them the coaching, advice, knowledge and skills to be as successful as possible this year in their competitions and

Smelling bananas or green apples (smelling, not eating) can help you lose weight.

at their nationals,” Huntwork says. Heather sees her participation in club sports as a long-term investment. Majoring in management and information systems and retail merchandising, Heather has developed the organization and leadership skills she will need for a promising career. Huntwork, a graduate of OSU, has worked in gymnastics all of his life and shares similar values. “Gymnastics can teach a lot of great habits and traits that carry on for the rest of the gymnast’s life,” Huntwork explains. “Hard work ethic, punctuality, focus, goal setting, desire, discipline, dedication, time management, honor, leaderships skills and an awareness for fitness are all traits and habits gymnastics provides to its gymnasts.” When asked if always, money and stress are worth it, Heather doesn’t hesitate with her answer. “Yes. It’s something that we love to do,” she states. Huntwork believes that the team will go far with the skills and commitment they have. “It is admirable that a group of women and men enjoy the sport of

“

They want to be better and they want to learn, which is all a coach could ever ask for in a gymnast.” Dick Huntwork Hocking Valley Gym Center Coach

gymnastics so much they make time out of their school schedules and social life to practice and compete in the sport they love,” Huntwork says. “On top of which, they pay to do it.”

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“

SEX & HEALTH

I find the use of Adderall for weight loss particularly troubling.” June Stevens, Chair at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

ADDICTED

Students have long abused Adderall to cut corners academically. With demand for the drug at an all-time high, Adderall is becoming a dangerous cocktail for party-goers looking to keep a buzz late into the night. BY ANNA LIPPINCOTT | PHOTOS BY JULIA LEIBY

vidly playing “World of Warcraft,” Brian Brown* sits on the edge of his seat. His fingers fly across the keyboard and his character on the screen jumps and turns with every click. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die,” he murmurs quickly and keeps tapping away. Some may attribute his restlessness to the intensity of the game, others to his competitive nature; but the real reason lies within a single pill. That little orange pill demands the complete focus and attention of its users. It helps even the most unorganized and scatterbrained students stay on task. That little pill is Adderall. It’s the size of a pinky nail and the color of a ripe tangerine. It’s quickly swapped in dorm halls with a price tag of only five dollars— the cost of a movie rental on iTunes. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Adderall is

backdrop | Spring 2013

only one step in the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and is designed to keep users alert and focused. Adderall triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, which counteracts the effects of ADD. The little pill, commonly used to help ADD patients focus, and narcolepsy patients stay awake, has become very prevalent on OU’s campus. Many students choose to the National Institute of Health’s disclaimer stating that the drug itself is addictive and taking large amounts may “no longer control your symptoms, [and] you may feel the need to take large amounts of the medication.” Just like drinking alcohol over a period of time builds up tolerance, constantly overdosing on Adderall simply causes the body to crave more and more. For non-ADD students like Brian, the path to addiction has already begun. After only taking Adderall once in high

Feeling dizzy? Drink ginger tea.

school to focus better on the ACT, he would hardly be considered a drug abuser. But now, after starting his freshman year, he’s increased his usage; a lot. Brian is consuming Adderall four times a week and takes multiple doses to amp up its effects. A normal dose for him is two 20mg tablets of Adderall with an additional 40mg tablet of Vyvanse, Adderall’s sister drug. Vyvanse is the newer version of Adderall and is typically more expensive than the original ADD drug. The draw for Brian is that it gives him a little edge when he is studying. He says it helps him grasp concepts more easily and that he’s able to study for 12 hours straight when on the pill. In a recent article from The New York Times, “Attention Disorder or Not, Pills to Help in School,” one Georgia doctor claims that the prescription of pills such as Adderall is simply “an excuse” to treat poor academic performance. Despite doctors’ criticisms, Brian continues to use the drug and has even found unconventional ways of taking it to get quicker results. “If you’re looking for a more intense, short burst of focus, then you’re going to want to crush it up and snort it,” he explains. The immediate effects will last you two hours, sometimes a bit more. Vyvanse, on the other hand, can hurt to sniff, “but if you crush it up the right way, it doesn’t really hurt to snort,” Brian suggests. Taking Adderall without food in one’s system leads to a quicker attention grab. Unlike marijuana, taking Adderall on an empty stomach means you keep an empty stomach. Users never reported getting a case of the munchies on the pill, and girls sometimes take it as a way to lose weight because it fights off hunger urges. According to an ABC News story, this is a troubling revelation. “I find the use of Adderall for weight

loss particularly troubling,” Chair of the Department of Nutrition at Chapel Hill, June Stevens, says. “So many of our youth take Adderall for attention deficit disorder. I fear it may lead to eating disorders and dependency on the drug as a weight loss aid.” For Clark Green*, taking the drug for a study-buzz is not his number one priority. In fact, he says he has yet to use the drug for school purposes. He snorts Adderall on a regular basis because of the “amazing pump in the gym” it gives him and his incredible ability to focus on a single task while working out. The wonder-drug seems to do it all: promote a study high for a Dean’s Lister, encourage weight loss for a body-conscious girl and help an athlete focus on his workout. But the pill-popping habit comes at a cost—a high one at that, especially for students on a college budget. Although the “under the table” prices of the pill may vary, Brian and Clark say they pay about five dollars for each 20mg pill and anywhere from eight to 10 dollars for a 40mg pill. Having a prescription, on the other hand, is significantly cheaper. Freshman Julia Justice, a prescribed Adderall user, says she refuses to sell her 10mg pills, which would go on the market for around three dollars. Students like Brian and Clark crave the luxury of legal, parent-paid medication and plan to ask their doctors for a prescription. According to Julia, she got her Adderall just by telling her doctor she planned to study Pre-Med. Her doctor told her Adderall helped her get through medical school and was quick to write Julia a prescription. Brian echoes the idea of easy prescription access and says there are five kids on his floor who are prescribed the pill because their parents know doctors who got it for them. In addition to its monetary cost, Adderall does take a toll on one’s body, whether you are a prescribed user or not. The drug makes it harder to sleep

because of its ingredients, which keep users alert and awake. Users oftentimes forget to eat, and the drug dehydrates the body. In fact, Brian’s brother spent some time in the hospital as a result of an Adderall overdose. After taking 120mg of Adderall recreationally at Palmer Fest in 2010, he mixed the pills with alcohol and became severely dehydrated. That should be a good enough excuse to quit, but for Brian, the idea of detox is a hard one to grasp. He claims he always has so much going on and there is never a good time to quit. Quitting may prove to be beneficial, in the long run, but short-term effects are painful and damaging. According to The New York Times, doctors have stated some of the negatives of the drug include, but are not limited to, stunted growth, high blood pressure, and in severe circumstances, psychotic breakdowns. “So overall, yeah, I do think Adderall is a good drug, but don’t religiously take it if you don’t need to. Don’t depend on it,” Brian says, hopeful that his words of wisdom will maybe save just one naive student who could be sucked into the prescription drug world. Julia agrees, saying Adderall abuse is a problem and something unique to the college scene. About two weeks after being interviewed, Brian received a text message from Clark. “No more drugs, no more selling. Brian … we are better than the shit we do ... this shit is ruining us man. Maybe not now, but it will.” Two weeks and only one relapse later, those students are changing their ways after seeing the potential dangers of one tiny orange pill. *Names have been changed to protect identity.

SEX & HEALTH

Culture

Check out Inhale Yoga Studio $5 Donation Classes: • Sat. – 2pm • Sun. – 10am & 2pm

CHAKRA

Entire class schedule: www.inhaleyoga.org

BY MELISSA THOMPSON | PHOTOS BY AMANDA PUCKETT

Follow one Backdropper’s spiritual journey as she navigates the mystical world of Yoga, stretching her limits and broadening her horizons. I sit crisscross style, hands together at my heart. My head is slightly bent toward my hands. I have never been to a yoga class nor have I watched a yoga instruction video. The fitness guru has to know, why is yoga so popular? The room is mostly dark, except for the few light strands that illuminate the studio. “Don’t smile. Focus. Be in the moment.” I recite to myself as I attempt to act like an experienced yogi. When the room vibrates with “Om,” I let my voice harmonize with the others. When Inhale Yoga moved its location to Court Street, I decided to experience the yoga hype myself. How hard could it be?

Culture Shock Yoga has its own language: Sanskrit. Inhale Yoga Studio instructors utilize the language throughout their classes. Usually, they will say the name of the pose in Sanskrit then translate it into English, which is undoubtedly a lifesaver. That is one way that Inhale stays in touch with the philosophy of yoga. It seems to me that a true understanding of the yoga philosophy comes with time; a one-time session does not suffice. To understand, learn and grow within the philosophy, Inhale emphasizes meditation. I was attending the Wednesday, 6 p.m. beginner yoga class instructed by Michelle. She greeted me as I entered the door. She politely did not mention Inhale’s request that you arrive five minutes before class starts. Instead, she showed me to the lounge where I could store my belongings. I sighed with relief when she informed me that socks were typically not worn, helping me escape from making my first rookie mistake. (I learned later, that some do not

backdrop | Spring 2013

wear socks to improve their grip on the mat, while others refrain to become closer with the earth.) Stepping into the darkness of the big studio where class was conducted, I was awestruck. I spread my yoga mat out along the back row, sat cross-legged and waited. The beginning meditation started after a few announcements. She spoke to us about staying in the moment and encouraged us to fully participate in the class. From what I could gather, to achieve that level of attention, I needed to focus on Michelle “with intention.” Although I tried, it was easier said than done. Michelle would tell me afterward, “A yoga class does not start at 6 p.m. A yoga class starts when you make the decision to make yoga a part of your day.” For me, the moment of full intention came when we first started to move into yoga positions. I was leaning back on my feet, my head was turned toward my left, my right arm was coming through the space between my head and upper body and I was stretching my arm away from my mat. When Michelle instructed us to leave that position, she emphasized feeling our bodies “unravel,” noting that we may be unraveling from the stresses or disappointments from the day. I was in culture shock, but I decided to save my questions and embrace the next pose.

Battles & Triumphs I made some classic beginner mistakes; I struggled to open my hips in the warrior pose, my lunges were not in proper alignment, awareness of my body position was not my strong suit, and inhalation and exhalation did not always release my tension. To say the least, I was not a natural and it was frustrating. The first time Michelle walked over to correct my stance, the competitor in me flushed with embarrassment. She whispered in quiet, subtle ways how to change my

The term “pound cake” originated from the pound of butter needed to make it.

body position. The soft instruction did not break my meditation and my mind corrected my body as quickly as it was instructed. But from the back of the classroom, the interaction went unnoticed; no one else in the class knew I was messing up. The best moments were when Michelle would walk-by without having to correct me. Those small triumphs came throughout the session, especially when positions required forward bends or essential chest opening. My most successful experience was when we moved into a position that required a yoga block. The block was placed under the lower part of my back so that my body was elevated from the floor. With our legs straightened toward the ceiling, we were to lower them toward the ground, focusing intensely on our breathing. When Michelle asked if anyone could not feel the burn, no one’s hand shot up, but I should have raised mine—it was easy.

I beamed and my doubts dissolved.

Language Barrier Throughout the class, I did not always understand the terms Michelle would use. For example, when she referred to “the sitting bones,” I was unaware that Anatomy 101 would be necessary for the class, so I looked around at other classmates to identify my “sitting bones.” After class, Michelle told me “sitting bones” refers anatomically to a part of the pelvis called your ischial tuberosity. The “sitting bones” are quite literally the bones under the flesh of the butt that you sit on. And what was the meaning behind the syllable “Om?” As I discovered, there is no exact definition. Instead, it is a primordial vibration in which yogis send their intention into the universe. I was aware beforehand that “namaste” is the common way to end a yoga class but did not know what it meant. The small head bow combined with the proclamation “namaste”

LEARN YOGA

Mountain pose

Reach up

Forward fold

Half lift

Freeze grapes to chill wine without watering it down.

Chatyranga

means the goodness and light in you is reflected in the goodness and light in me.

Be In Joy Yoga truly is a culture defined by its own language and lifestyle philosophy. You will not go into your first yoga class capable of doing every position correctly or to the most challenging extent. The language during meditation may be a bit odd. You may not understand every term. However, all of those challenges represent what yoga hopes to invoke within its participants: inner strength and peace. It teaches you to let go of all the things you cannot do perfectly and focus on the building blocks that you do well. Yoga is about positive thoughts. It is about pushing aside your questions, doubts and selfconsciousness. You can ask questions later— they encourage it. Come into your first yoga class with an open mind and an intention to embrace the moment. If you do that, you will experience ananda; you will experience bliss.

Upward dog

Downward dog

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PHOTO ESSAY

Eskey turns her kitchen into an office by baking all of her sweet treats in her own home. “I love what I do, it’s both work and play,” Eskey gushes.

COUNTER-CLOCKWISE On the porch, Eskey (center), Trent Eskey (left) and Kathie Scott (right), enjoy their ice cream from the local ice cream truck while standing outside the one-of-a-kind cupcake bakery in Chauncey, Ohio. Flour Power owner, Eskey, uses a spiral college ruled notebook to organize her delivery cupcake orders. Eskey’s husband and loyal supporter, Trent, lies on the couch after folding individual pink boxes for his wife’s deliveries. Each batch of Flour Power Cupcakes is made with Snowville Creamery milk.

THE

Cupcake Lady STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY SONYA PACLOB

A blue pastel colored one-story house sits on the main historical street of Chauncey, Ohio, where it is home to Flour Power Cupcakes. Natalie Eskey, known as “The Cupcake Lady” to her customers, started her small business over a year ago and has seen an increase in sales in a short amount of time. She bakes treats in her small kitchen and drives her personal car around on Mondays and Wednesdays, stopping at at least 15 businesses in Athens. Her signature pink boxes alert people on the streets of her presence. “Sometimes people follow me to my car to see what I have left,” she says.

LEFT “Natalie’s cupcakes are delicious; that is the only way to describe them,” Graphic Designer, Heather Shultz, says after biting into a gingerbread cupcake. BELOW Allie Purcell, Athens native, peers into the basket to see what types of cupcakes are available for purchase. The majority of Eskey’s cupcakes can be pre-ordered online or by phone.

TOP In the kitchen, the Eskey’s dog, Isabelle, walks past Flour Power’s chalkboard from the Pawpaw Festival.

Scan to view Sonya’s Vimeo video on The Cupcake Lady.

BOTTOM After a late night baking in the kitchen, pink vanilla cupcakes are stacked and stored into pink boxes. “When people see these pink boxes, they know they are sweets,” Eskey says.

bbONNAME THE WEB OF SECTION

PHOTO HUNT Think you know Baker Center? Take another look and try to find the differences between these two pictures.

YESTERDAY’S VINYLS, Today’s Hits An excerpt of our newest on the web, Backdrop profiles Haffa’s Record store and Athens’ growing vinyl trend. BY ALYSSA PASICZNYK | PHOTOS BY BRICE NIHISER

lthough many prefer an easy click of a track pad to acquire new music, others opt for a different hunt. These old-school music lovers prefer to flip through stacks of CDs and vinyl records in search of the perfect album. In a world where iPods are a norm and music travels around in the palm of your hand, Haffa’s Records has survived the test of time. Haffa’s 70s aura gives the feeling that the building has not changed much since its creation. Lined with rows of vinyl records and CDs, the store thrives in organized chaos. For many, it may appear as a jumble of albums, but to others, it is a quest for the perfect musical find. Haffa’s original owner Greg Lucko started the record store in 1975. It has since gone through four different owners and is currently owned by two Ohio University alums. Located on Union Street next to the Uptown Grill, Haffa’s Records has outlived numerous other record stores including Schoolkids and Outer Limits. Today, it remains the only record store in Athens. Current co-owner Eric Gunn bought Haffa’s Records in 1995 before graduating from OU with a degree in philosophy. “The previous owner was ready to go. I had worked in record stores throughout high school and college and the opportunity came up,” Gunn says. “Like a lot of people who come to Athens, you fall in love with it, but if you want to stay you need to have a reason to stay. It’s not the easiest place to find a job.” In addition to owning Haffa’s, Gunn also owns the Union Bar & Grill across the street.

backdrop | Spring 2013

“Believe me, I did not expect to still be living in Athens in 2013, but that’s just sort of the way that life went,” he says. Blessed with good location and interested locals, Haffa’s has persevered in an online world. “We’re kind of in the middle of no where, so that helps,” Andrew Lampela, the store’s other co-owner, says. “Obviously being right next to a college campus [makes us have] a lot more college students.” Lampela majored in english and became co-owner of Haffa’s shortly after graduating in 2005. “Just putting off getting a real job I guess,” Lampela claims after 12 years of working at the store. Haffa’s Records has managed to stay alive purely through the contributions of dedicated collectors. “I think [it] has to do with the hipster student population,” Alfred Lent, a philosophy professor at OU explains. “When I quote a Beatles tune or a Pink Floyd tune, most of the class knows what I’m talking about!” Sophomore vinyl collector Brian Lenox proves that OU’s vinyl community is resilient and thriving. “Listening to a record is a process. You have to put it on and flip it over,” Brian passionately explains. “I think it’s nostalgic.” To learn more about Haffa’s Records, its loyal following and the growing vinyl market visit backdropmag.com or scan the QR code on this page.

When cranberries are ripe, they bounce like a rubber ball.

Write the differences next to the squares.

The first person to submit the correct answers to backdropmag@gmail.com will win a prize! The fear of vegetables is called lachanophobia.

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EXHIBIT A JANE’S CAROUSEL BY EMILY NEWMAN

iHell BY GRACE HERMANNS | PHOTO BY AMANDA PUCKETT

RUTHLESS RANT & RAGE

The shift to the era of smartphones asks the question: when did we sacrifice the human connection for a touch screen?

FIJIAN SUNSET BY ADRIENNE KRUEGER

DOCKED IN SICILY BY JACOB BETZNER

backdrop | Spring 2013

UNTITLED

BY BRICE NIHISER

Submit your entries for the next issue’s Exhibit A to backdropmag@gmail.com

To easily cut off fat from chicken or steak, slice them while they are partially frozen.

or the love of God, how many texts did you get in the past two minutes? Did I count 17? I think I counted 17. I guess I should’ve kept that iPhone I found in the hallway outside my dorm room. Maybe then I would understand this insanity. Being a Nokia girl in an iPhone world isn’t easy. I’m constantly checking my dreadful contraption just to make it look like I have friends, while all my classmates’ phones have been buzzing nonstop on their wooden desks for the past two and a half hours. I honestly didn’t understand the iPhone revolution until I started my first semester at Ohio University. Suddenly it was “I have to Instagram this,” and “what’s your Snapchat name?” In every class, there is an endless scrolling of index fingers down Tumblrs and Pinterests, Twitters and Reddits. What’s the point of going to class anymore if no one is paying attention? I’ve had a Nokia cellphone for a couple of years now, and it gets the job done. It makes calls and sends texts—which, if I remember correctly, was the basis of a cellphone in the first place. You give someone a call, talk your talk, flip the phone closed and bada bing! . . . That was it. I think the iPhone is overrated. When your phone has a feature that’s sole function is for you to send nude pictures of yourself to your friends, with the knowledge that it will disappear in 10 seconds, I think we’ve hit rock bottom. When the kid with the beer-stained sweatshirt is taking pictures of his coffee cup next to Beats Headphones and calling it a quality photo, I have to call “bullshit.” Everywhere you look, there’s another person taking “selfies” or There are approximately 61,269 pizzerias in the United States.

tweeting about how boring his or her lecture class is. Half of the time spent when we go out is spent taking ridiculous pictures, and then retaking those pictures because everyone looks like shit. When did it start being about documenting the fun instead of just having fun? Talking to iPhone users makes me think they are not all they’re cracked up to be. They break easily, have terrible battery life, are dependent on Wi-Fi, and are expensive as hell. Don’t get me wrong I think the advancement of technology is a great advantage for our society. It’s obvious that Twitter and Facebook have united the younger generation on a different level. However, more often than not, people spend more time on their phones than listening to someone who is speaking directly to them. Everyone is too jazzed up about the new iPhone 5, or upgrading to the new version, rather than actually having a human conversation. Maybe I’m generalizing iPhone users too much. There are those who put their phones aside and get down to business, and I respect that. It’s the usage among college students that I find laughable. Maybe when I enter the professional world—when I need to pay bills, transfer files or check my credit report—I’ll hop on the iPhone bandwagon. But for now, I’m quite satisfied with my Nokia cellphone. Yes, it only sends messages and makes calls, but that’s okay with me because when your iPhone grows arms and legs and starts its world domination, my immortal Nokia will keep me safe from your phone’s nuclear warfare. And it won’t break in half if I drop it on the sidewalk.

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. D N U F u . t I d un F e W . t I am e r D You

The Campus Involvement Center Presents:

SPRING

semester

2013

SEVEN Sundae’s on Monday Monday, Feb. 25 || 11am-1pm Baker 3rd Floor UPC X-Factor (UPC) Monday, Feb. 25 || TBA TBA POWER Hour – Safe Spring Break Tuesday, Feb. 26 || 7pm Baker 231

your newest way to fund campus events

Applications are due every Tuesday at 5pm in the Dean of Students Office (Baker 345) & will be reviewed every Wednesday at 4pm

Comedy Night Tuesday, Feb. 26 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

Special Café Conversations – Environmental Sciences Wednesday, Feb. 27 || 5pm Front Room

Singer/Songwriter Circle Tuesday, Feb. 26 || 8pm 1804 Lounge

Open Stage Wednesday, Feb. 27 || 8pm Front Room

Mar 30-Apr 6

Emerging Artist Series Thursday, Feb. 28 || 8pm Front Room

Sundae’s on Monday Monday, April 1 || 11am-1pm Baker 3rd Floor

Comedy Night Tuesday, April 2 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

OU Improv Comedy Show Thursday, April 4 || 9pm Baker Theater

OU Improv Comedy Show Thursday, Feb. 28 || 9pm Baker Theater

OU Baseball vs. Xavier Tuesday, April 2 || 6pm Bob Wren Stadium

Singer/Songwriter Circle Tuesday, April 2 || 8pm 1804 Lounge

Mom's Weekend April 5-7

Spring Break Begins Friday, March 1

The Addams Family (PAS) ($) Tuesday, April 2 || 7:30 pm Memorial Auditorium

Special Café Conversations – Geography Wednesday, April 3 || 5pm Front Room

OU Softball vs. Wright State Tuesday, April 2 2pm & 4:30pm Ohio Softball Field

Open Stage Wednesday, April 3 || 8pm Front Room

SPRING BREAK

Mar 10-16

POWER Hour - TRL Tuesday, April 2 || 7pm Baker 231

Emerging Artist Series Thursday, April 4 || 8pm Front Room

OU Baseball vs. Oakland Sunday, March 10 || 1pm Bob Wren Stadium

Game Show Mania (UPC) Wednesday, March 13 || 3-5pm 3rd Floor Lounge

OU Improv Comedy Show Thursday, March 14 || 9pm Baker Theater

Open Stage Friday, March 15 || 9pm Front Room

THIRTEEN

POWER Hour – STI’s Tuesday, March 12 || 7pm Baker 231

Open Stage Wednesday, March 13 || 8pm Front Room

OU Baseball vs. Canisius Friday, March 15 || 4pm Bob Wren Stadium

OU Baseball vs. Canisius Saturday, March 16 || 1pm Bob Wren Stadium

Comedy Night Tuesday, March 12 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

Women of Ireland (PAS) ($) Wednesday, March 13 || 7:30pm Memorial Auditorium

Baker Bash Friday, March 15 || 6-10pm Baker Center

Blue Pencil Comedy Saturday, March 16 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

POWER Hour – Because I got High Tuesday, April 9 || 7pm Baker 231

OU Baseball vs. Eastern Kentucky Wednesday, April 10 || 6pm Bob Wren Stadium

Singer/Songwriter Circle Tuesday, March 12 || 8pm 1804 Lounge

Emerging Artist Series Thursday, March 14 || 8pm Front Room

OU Softball vs. Ohio State Tuesday, April 9 || 5pm & 7:30pm Ohio Softball Field

Open Stage Wednesday, April 10 || 8pm Front Room

TEN

Mar 17-23

OU Baseball vs. Canisius Sunday, March 17 || 1pm Bob Wren Stadium

Singer/Songwriter Circle Tuesday, March 19 || 8pm 1804 Lounge

OU Baseball vs. Youngstown State Tuesday, March 19 || 6pm Bob Wren Stadium

Special Café Conversations – Biological Sciences Wednesday, March 20 || 5pm Front Room

POWER Hour – Generation Rx Tuesday, March 19 || 7pm Baker 231

Casino Night Wednesday, March 20 || 6-10pm Baker Ballroom

Comedy Night Tuesday, March 19 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

Open Stage Wednesday, March 20 || 8pm Front Room Taste of Athens (UPC)

ELEVEN OU Softball vs. Canisius Sunday, March 24 1pm & 3:30pm Ohio Softball Field OU Baseball vs. Toledo Sunday, March 24 || 1pm Bob Wren Stadium Breakfast on the Green (UPC) Monday, March 25 || 9am-12pm West Portico

Go to http://www.oustudentsenate.com/funding to learn more and find applications

OU Men’s Basketball vs. Akron Wednesday, Feb. 27 || 7pm Convocation Center

EIGHT Mar 3-9

NINE

TWELVE

Feb 24-Mar 2 RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles (PAS) ($) Tuesday, Feb. 26 || 7:30 pm Memorial Auditorium

Thursday, March 21 || TBA TBA Emerging Artist Series Thursday, March 21 || 8pm Front Room OU Improv Comedy Show Thursday, March 21 || 9pm Baker Theater OU Baseball vs. Toledo Friday, March 22 || 6pm Bob Wren Stadium Colbie Caillat (PAS) ($) Friday, March 22 || 7:30pm Memorial Auditorium

Comedy Night Tuesday, March 26 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

Open Stage Wednesday, March 27 || 8pm Front Room

Singer/Songwriter Circle Tuesday, March 26 || 8pm 1804 Lounge OU Baseball vs. Ohio State Wednesday, March 27 || 6pm Bob Wren Stadium

Rodney Atkins with Josh Thompson (PAS) ($) Thursday, March 28 || 7:30pm Memorial Auditorium

OU Track & Field Team Challenge & Distance Open Saturday, April 6 || 12pm Goldsberry Track

OU Softball vs. Canisius Saturday, March 23 1pm & 3:30pm Ohio Softball Field

Holocaust Survivor – Fay Malkin (BSCPB) Thursday, April 11 || 7pm Baker Ballroom

Singer/Songwriter Circle Tuesday, April 9 || 8pm 1804 Lounge

Emerging Artist Series Thursday, April 11 || 8pm Front Room

OU Baseball vs. Toledo Saturday, March 23 || 3pm Bob Wren Stadium Blue Pencil Comedy Saturday, March 23 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

FOURTEEN

Blue Pencil Comedy Saturday, April 6 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

Open Stage Friday, April 12 || 9pm Front Room

OU Track & Field All-Ohio Outdoor Championship Friday, April 12 || TBA Goldsberry Track

OU Track & Field All-Ohio Outdoor Championship Saturday, April 13 || TBA Goldsberry Field

OU Baseball vs. Akron Friday, April 12 || 6pm Bob Wren Stadium

Blue Pencil Comedy Saturday, April 13 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

OU Softball vs. Miami Friday, April 12 1pm & 3:30pm Ohio Softball Field

OU Softball vs. Ball State Saturday, April 13 || 2pm Ohio Softball Field OU Baseball vs. Akron Saturday, April 13 || 3pm Bob Wren Stadium

April 14-20

OU Softball vs. Ball State Sunday, April 14 || 2pm Ohio Softball Field

Singer/Songwriter Circle Tuesday, April 16 || 8pm 1804 Lounge

Emerging Artist Series Thursday, April 18 || 8pm Front Room

Open Stage Friday, April 19 || 9pm Front Room

OU Baseball vs. Akron Sunday, April 14 || 1pm Bob Wren Stadium

OU Softball vs. Marshall Wednesday, April 17 2pm & 4:30pm Ohio Softball Field

OU Improv Comedy Show Thursday, April 18 || 9pm Baker Theater

OU Baseball vs. Northern Illinois Saturday, April 20 || 3pm Bob Wren Stadium

OU Baseball vs. Marshall Tuesday, April 16 || 6pm Bob Wren Stadium

Phillip Phillips (PAS) ($) Wednesday, April 17 || 7:30pm Memorial Auditorium

OU Baseball vs. Northern Illinois Friday, April 19 || 6pm Bob Wren Stadium

Open Stage Wednesday, April 17 || 8pm Front Room

Cool off with UPC (UPC) Sunday, April 19 || TBA Aquatic Center

FIFTEEN April 21-27

OU Improv Comedy Show Thursday, March 28 || 9pm Baker Theater

OU Baseball vs. Northern Illinois Sunday, April 21 || 1pm Bob Wren Stadium

OU Baseball vs. Morehead State Tuesday, April 23 || 4pm Bob Wren Stadium

Earth Day Event (UPC) Monday, April 22 || TBA TBA

POWER Hour – Tattoos, Tans & Piercings Tuesday, April 23 || 7pm Baker 231

Blue Pencil Comedy Saturday, March 30 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

Upright Citizen Brigade (PAS) ($) Saturday, April 6 || 8pm Memorial Auditorium

OU Improv Comedy Show Thursday, April 11 || 9pm Baker Theater

Emerging Artist Series Thursday, March 28 || 8pm Front Room

Open Stage Friday, March 29 || 9pm Front Room

Take the Cake (UPC) Saturday, April 6 || TBA Ping Center

April 7-13

Comedy Night Tuesday, April 9 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

Comedy Night Tuesday, April 16 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

Special Café Conversations – Journalism Wednesday, March 27 || 5pm Front Room

Open Stage Friday, April 5 || 9pm Front Room

Open Stage Friday, March 22 || 9pm Front Room

Mar 24-30 POWER Hour – Club Drugs Tuesday, March 26 || 7pm Baker 231

Dinner Theater Friday, April 5 || 7pm Baker Ballroom

Mom’s Walk for a Cure (UPC) Saturday, April 6 || TBA Ping Center

Amazing Race (UPC) Saturday, April 20 || TBA TBA Blue Pencil Comedy Saturday, April 20 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

SENIOR WEEK

Comedy Night Tuesday, April 23 || 8pm Bobcat Student Lounge

Emerging Artist Series Thursday, April 25 || 8pm Front Room

Singer/Songwriter Circle Tuesday, April 23 || 8pm 1804 Lounge

OU Improv Comedy Show Thursday, April 25 || 9pm Baker Theater

Open Stage Wednesday, April 24 || 8pm Front Room

Open Stage Friday, April 26 || 9pm Front Room

FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION AND EVEN MORE EVENTS: CLICK ohio.edu/involvement

VISIT 355 OR 339 BAKER

FOLLOW @OU_INVOLVEMENT

Mississippi receives the most food stamps in the U.S. at 20.8 percent.

CALL 740-593-4025

EMAIL INVOLVEMENT@OHIO.EDU

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backdrop | Spring 2013