Link46-15 by BCITSA BCITSA

Tiny Light Foundation: BCIT students ITCHY help bring ANSWERS smiles to sick kids I have a girlfriend • pg 8

doesn’t mean threesome! • pg 11

Life after College pg 6

April 20, 2011 • Issue 46-15

2 Editorial BCIT Link • Apr 20

Life after College

You Can Have a Great One Brenna Temple Editor

hen we embark on our post-secondary adventures we’re often told that we’re entering the real world, which is a lie. The real world doesn’t occur until you’ve earned yourself a degree and by that time the burden of growing up has hardly entered your mind. Nights of binge drinking and

evenings spent with your study/ make out partner make the real world appear as a façade but it won’t last for long. Alas, one day it hits. It’s time to graduate and guess what, there isn’t a syllabus for life. There isn’t a “I’m not a student anymore but I don’t blend in” loan. You’re armed with cliché sayings from your father including “this is the stuff of life,” and “it will all just work out,” but you’re inextricably confused. It’s time to hit the big world sister, and it’s you that has to make it happen. You could spend time sleeping in your old bedroom in your parents’ house but you’d have to leave eventually. Just deal with it: there’s no escaping reality when you graduate meaning you have to face the music and get

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a job, or move or something. Leaving college is much like a break-up; you need to get over it whether you like it or not. However, the problem with moving on after college is that no one tells you how to do it. You’ll sign up for a Monster.ca account only to find out you’re best suited to work at a truck stop. Either you or your friends will immigrate to different provinces. You might end up living thousands of postal codes away from your lover— a relationship that’s inevitably doomed via Skype arguments and the fact that your employment means you officially have no time for anybody. But take it from someone who’s living this editorial in real life right now— past all the scary stuff that leaves you shaking in your worn out converse sneakers, there is a glimmer of hope. The truth is that leaving college is your first chance to do whatever the hell you want to do. Now that

Campus Query What do you think helps students stand out to employers when hunting for a job after graduation? Chad Klassen | Assistant Editor

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your parents refuse to send you any money, it’s your first chance to self-liberate by starting fresh. Whether you move to New York on a whim or decide to be a temporary lifeguard in Prince Albert, making an impromptu decision can be the coolest thing you’ve ever done for yourself. Let’s face it, it’s better that you do it now rather than at age 30. Most of us probably try to act tough during this time but there’s nothing wrong with stuffing our suit pockets full of Kleenex to cry in the bathroom stall during our work breaks. When we graduate many of us are dealing with the quarter life crisis, an ailment that’s becoming widely recognized. Upon graduation we don’t just find jobs, but we become more aware of our own mortality. Suddenly our parents along with ourselves seem a lot older. Even though we don’t need to do it right away, starting that pen-

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copies to over 16,000 students, faculty and staff. Publications Manager: Alicia Agarrabeitia publications@bcitsa.ca 604.456.1167 Editor: Brenna Temple linkeditor@bcitsa.ca AssistantEditor: Chad Klassen linkassistanteditor @bcitsa.ca

Contributors: Amy Wilding Drake McPeake Luvia Petersen Megan Jones

Soft skills, interpersonal skills like communicating with other people.

Andrew Hallman Human Resources

Character. I think everyone works towards getting specific training. It really comes down to who you are – you’re attitude, how you’re going to handle different people.

I work very well with people. If you can be a team player, definitely you’re going to fit in easier with the companies that are upand-comers.

Jeromy Wong Sustainable Resources

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Culture Coordinator: Sarah Massah linkcultureeditor @bcitsa.ca Link Writers: Jessica Rivers

Braden Leystra Sustainable Resources

Mike Arounnothai Piping Foundation

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sion plan and a serious relationship are things you probably want to start doing within the years to come. The only difference between now and college is that important life-altering decisions feel closer than they ever did before, and that adds a lot of pressure. Like I said above, there aren’t many statistics and facts that can aid you in your life to come. However, it’s prime time for you to start living for yourself instead of for your parents, your boyfriend, your books or your professors. Do something foolishly crazy, conquer and divide and unleash the person you always saw yourself becoming. After all, if your days of the corporate job, the mortgage or even a baby are closer than you realize, you might regret not doing at least a few of these things. I will now disclose the smartest advice our parents could ever give us…live and let live!

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News

News in brief

BCIT Link • Apr 20

Brenna Temple Editor

BCIT offers new sustainable program

CIT is now offering an advanced specialty certificate in sustainable business leadership. Starting in September 2011 students will be able to study sustainable business approaches according to the BCIT website. “The program aims to develop leaders who can promote sustainable business approaches and initiatives within organizations and in new business start-ups,” it said. “It is geared to attract business, trades, and engineering students.” Applicants are required to hold a diploma from either BCIT or an alternate post-secondary institution.

Concert aims to raise awareness about water conservation

2011 Schmoozapalooza raises more than $16, 000

CIT Rivers Institute chair Mark Angelo is known for educating people about water conservation, but a concert on April 7th aimed to educate in a creative way. Taking place at the Michael J Fox theatre in Burnaby people attended a Water for Life benefit concert stated the BCIT website. “Join Mark on Thursday, April 7 at the Michael J Fox theatre in Burnaby for an evening of inspirational stories, music, and images from BC and around the world,” the website encouraged. “Proceeds will go to the Nature Trust of BC and the African water relief efforts of WaterCan.” The concert was filmed for Global TV and will be aired on June 25.

his year’s annual marketing communications event coined the Schmoozapalooza raised more than $16,000 in scholarship and bursary funds. The event, which took place at the Rocky Mountaineer Train Station on January 26th, connects students with industry professionals while earning cash for the Carroll Nelson Endowment funds. “The night was full of excitement and entertainment, including a silent auction with proceeds benefiting the Carroll Nelson Endowment, which provides scholarships and bursaries to Marketing Communication students,” said the BCIT website.

continued on page 4

Game Developer Making Name In Industry BCIT student continuing to market his game that’s made it big on Xbox and the Windows Phone. Chad Klassen Assistant Editor

anyl Bantog is fast becoming a big player in the gaming world, and he’s showcasing his new game in BCIT’s Student Innovation Challenge. It’s called Codex, which challenges users to solve puzzles by moving tiles around as few times as possible. It’s boomed in the indie game market and is now up for several industry awards. “I had this idea in my head because I came up with a game concept playing with my kids,” says Bantog, who has an 11-year-old daughter and two sons, one four years old and the other a year old. “We were playing dominoes and they didn’t get it, so I made up a game where they just made symbols with the tiles. I had a concept in mind and ended up finishing the game and got 100 per cent in the class. Then people were telling me it was good enough to submit to Xbox.” The 35-year-old Bantog pitched Codex to Microsoft last August and caught the company’s attention, releasing his game on the Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7 in October. Now he’s taking his school project to the Innovation Challenge, which ends May 6. The contest is for students who have a new product, service or business idea they want to pitch with the hope of getting some attention and recognition. You could call it BCIT’s version of the entrepreneurial reality show Dragons’ Den. “We’re trying to find someone out there

Ranyl Bantog (centre) has used his BCIT experience to launch his gaming company and first big game on Xbox.

that could possibly be the next Mark Zuckerberg, someone who has a unique, neverthought-about idea,” says School and Industry Liaison Strategist Gerald Narsico. The winner gets $5,000 cash, while the runner-up wins an iPad. “With that money, people are free to do whatever they want with it. They can reinvest in their business, pay bills or go on vacation,” Narsico says. Other ideas included a note-taking iPad app developed by Alvin Yip. While it didn’t win the contest, he’s been building on the momentum from last year. Students from any program can apply before the May 6th deadline, and it can be any idea regardless of their background. “If you’re in the construction program and you have an idea for a social networking website, that’s cool. We just want to challenge the students and get them to get involved and be

creative and start their entrepreneurial spirits,” notes Narsico. For his part, Bantog is hoping to put his name on the trophy this spring for his game and build on his early success. His next goal is to break his game into the iPhone and Android markets. “The iPhone market is 250 times the Windows Phone market, and the Android market is about 200 times bigger,” he says. “So if you add things up and look at our numbers, we could say that whatever we’re making right now we could make 400 times more on those markets.” But he says the iPhone market is saturated, so he’s trying to come up with a marketing strategy to compete with the some 1,000 apps that are published every day. Coupled with the BCIT Innovation Challenge, Bantog’s appearance at the Canadian Video Game Awards in Vancouver next month

will help grow his brand. Bantog says he’s favored to win the Best Student Game, and he’s been nominated for a couple others awards with some of the top games around, including Assassin’s Creed. Codex is the first of many releases he plans for his company Good Guy Robots, which he hopes will bring the “Saturday morning cartoon” experience to kid’s video games. Run Jump Slash, his next pilot project, is currently being developed with his Games Development classmates Jim Slemin, Brian Hume and Alex Fontaine. “The way our company is structure, we contract out to the students. There are a lot of talented people graduating from our program,” Bantog says. Bantog is actually graduating from the degree program himself this week and has goals of earning his Master’s degree. But for now, his focus is on the Innovation Challenge and building his business in educational game development. Yet, despite Bantog’s credentials as a game developer, Narsico says the contest is really anyone’s game. “At the end of the day, we could be surprised. It might be someone who’s never been involved in business or was going to be an entrepreneur and had that great idea in the back of their mind,” he says. “It’s really exciting, because at the very least it gets you thinking and just because you don’t win it doesn’t mean the end of your dream or idea.”

With files from BCIT Media Relations

4 News

BCIT Link • Apr 20

Student business offers green shipping on three wheels

URNABY, B.C. (CUP) — A new delivery service is coming to Vancouver, and it’s being run by students on tricycles. Students from Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia and the British Columbia Institute of Technology have teamed up to create the SHIFT Urban Cargo Delivery Service, which aims to provide last-minute delivery service Students from three B.C. universities developed service together in and around downtown Vancouver through sustainable means. Dan McPeake “The conce enterprise class for sustainable The Peak (Simon Fraser University) community development at SFU,” explained cofounder Loretta Laurin. She believes that Vancouver is the perfect place to start a project like this, as it moves towards its goal of becoming the greenest city in the world. Launching on May 1, the cooperative will make use of humanpowered tricycles, specially designed to be capable of carrying up to 600 pounds. “Our idea is replace delivery trucks with delivery trikes in downtown Vancouver,” said Robyn Ashwell, another co-founder and sustainable community development student at SFU. “There are many reasons for choosing trikes to make downtown deliveries. While big trucks may be efficient for carrying large loads over long distances, they cause congestion and pollution in the city, and they put pedestrians and bikers at risk.” Laurin added that “trikes are super fun to ride, and pretty darn sexy.” Ashwell said the tricycles will be pedal powered and are able to hold a diverse range of products including coffee, office supplies and catering materials. What makes SHIFT different from many other green businesses is it’s a for-profit venture that is owned and operated by its workers. The team plans to market the product by having ads placed right on the tricycles that promote green business practices as well as cyFor just $29.95, walk in with your taxes, walk out with your refund. Instantly. cling. You’ll also get a free SPC Card to save big at your favourite retailers.* In fact, the team already has interest from several companies, including Frogbox, Mills Basics and Shirtland Drycleaners. Laurin said the organization’s ** ultimate goal is to “provide a zeroemissions, cycle-based distribution free SPC Card service cycling culture in Vancouver.” In addition, the team says they are working toward providing sustainable solutions to business Follow us on Twitter and Facebook hrblock.ca clients as well as trying to facilitate the empowerment of workers © 2011 H&R Block Canada, Inc. *$29.95 valid for regular student tax preparation only. Cash back service included. To qualify for student pricing, student must present either (i) a T2202a documenting 4 or through a co-operative model. more months of full-time attendance at a college or university during 2010 or (ii) a valid high school identification card. Expires December 31, 2011. Valid only at participating H&R Block locations in Canada. SPC Card offers valid from 08/01/10 to 07/31/11 at participating locations in Canada only. For Cardholder only. Offers may vary, restrictions may apply. Usage may be restricted when used in conjunction Like many green ideas, reducwith any other offer or retailer loyalty card discounts. Cannot be used towards the purchase of gift cards or certificates. **If H&R Block makes any error in the preparation of your tax return that costs you any interest or penalties on additional taxes due, although we do not assume the liability for the additional taxes, we will reimburse you for the interest and penalties. ing pollution is also a task they plan on upholding.

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BCIT professor receives environmental award

BCIT fools student’s retro style

BCIT teacher has received an environmental leadership award. BCIT assistant instructor Bob Gunn was given the Dr. M. Wosk award for environmental leadership on March 31st. He has influenced many people throughout the years according to BCIT instructor Danny Catt. “Bob’s passion for outdoor recreation, environmental education and community stewardship has over the past 20 years impacted thousands of youth throughout the Lower Mainland and across the province,” said Catt in a BCIT press release.

continued from page 4

tudents who visited the BCIT website on April 1st experienced quite a blast from the past. Thanks to April Fool’s Day, BCIT’s web team turned the school’s home page into a 60s inspired display. Advertising Punchcard Systems and Animal Technology, the black and white website took students for a spin. “As a homage to BCIT’s rich and storied past, the web team turned the entire website black-and-white using highly secretive web magic (JavaScript),” said the BCIT website.

BCITSA Info & News

2010-2011

From all of us at BCITSA a big thank you for voting in these student elections, we doubled participation this year and here is your newly elected council: BCITSA STUDENT

ELECTIONS

WINNERS

President Nicola Gardner

Vice President Administration & Finance Vice President External Vice President Campus Life Vice President Student Affairs Chair of the School of Energy Chair of the School of Business Chair of the School of Health Sciences Chair of the School of Transportation, Construction and the Environment Chair of the School of Computing & Academic Studies Chair of Aerospace Technology Campus www.bcitsa.ca info@bcitsa.ca

Social media: BCITSA

Ricky Dasgupta

Tara Johnson Matthew Nolletti Tylan Fraser Amy Erskine Gordon Newby Laura Chow Brian Harvey Marwan Marwan Keith Miller

Executive Weigh In

Message from your President: Jordan Harris

s this is my last article I will be writing for The Link before my time as president is over I thought it would be fitting to look back on the year, say good bye to the Association and the students of BCIT. We started the year with many questions. Are we getting a U-Pass at BCIT? What’s with all this construction out front? Will we see improvements to student spaces? During my time as president, my executives and I were able to answer most of these questions but some will be left to the incoming president and their executives. I can say with great conviction we will have a U-Pass for BCIT by September. This date has changed a few times, but with a program like this, with so many people involved, there is bound to be a few set-backs. The construction for SW1 has progressed from a hole in the ground to a state of the art building, ready to welcome students back in September. As for student spaces, well you can be rest assured those will be renovated and ready for September as well. It has been a pleasure to represent all of you over the past eleven months and I’d like to thank you for the opportunity BCIT.

* The BCITSA Info & News Page is designed for the BCIT Student Association (BCITSA) to showcase the Association’s projects or events. The advertising on this page does not necessarily reflect the views of the Link or its staff.

6 Feature BCIT Link • Apr 20

Life after College It doesn’t need to feel like a death sentence Brenna Temple Editor

et’s be honest, we’re all a little nervous prior to experiencing our first real jobs. Gone are the days of part-time retail work and sipping vodka-infused 7 Up during your weekly Excel class; life is finally starting to get serious. As depressing as it is to say bye to your cushy comfort zone, there is life after college— however, you have to earn yourself one. Follow our life after college rules if you want to reap rewards in your transition from post-secondary school to real life. Rule #1: Thou shalt make an effort to make new friends If you’re moving away then you’re going to have to start making friends from scratch, which isn’t always easy. This doesn’t mean that you have to befriend the guy who picks his nose at the cubicle next to you—rather it means that you need to put yourself in situations that might make you a little uncomfortable. Find out which bars the 20-somethings flock to. Show up and when they ask you why you’re alone say you don’t know where your friend went. Buy so-and-so a drink (not right away, that’s creepy) and see if you can strike up a conversation. Force yourself into their book club or soccer league and exchange digits. Don’t make a “friends wanted” ad on Craigslist; I know someone who did that and it didn’t end well. Rule #2: Though shalt accept changes If you’re moving from Vancouver to Grande Prairie then it’s not going to be easy. Let’s face it, you’ll be dealing with different sorts of people (some oddballs, no offense Grande Prairie) and going into unknown territory means there will be lots of differences you’ll just have to accept. You’re saying bye to the beautiful ocean for flat land and social lives that revolve around the local 7-11. However, trust me, laughing at everyone probably won’t make anything better. Don’t become that person who starts every sentence with, “well, in Vancouver they had [insert something that Grande Prairie doesn’t have.]” Lots of people are proud of where they’re from. They don’t want to hear about how much it sucks. Be nice and people will be nice to you. Rule #3: Thou shalt get a job that you might not love 100 per cent There’s a reason why it’s often called “your first job.” It’s because it’s your first and there will be many more, meaning you’re going to have to do stuff you don’t want to do. This might include hunting out bottles of Perrier for your clients, suffering massive paper cuts from non-stop filing and updating all sorts of boring, crappy company lists. Generally you have to stick out a job for two years for it to look legit on your resume so you can open doors to better job opportunities. If you expected yourself to be at the top of the corporate ladder right away then think again. No one likes a Debbie Downer, suck it up princess! Rule #4: Thou shalt become more responsible Don’t be one of those people who decides a retirement savings plan is below them because then you just might end up living in a Sears cardboard box at age 60. Start thinking about talking to a bank representative about how much you should be saving per month based on in your

income. Start budgeting and if you don’t know how to then do some research. It’s an especially important time to look at your savings account since you’re probably still dealing with a massive amount of college debt. Just remember to leave some cashola around for some social time. Stop fooling yourself that choosing Monopoly on your Friday night is an efficient way to have fun the free way. It’s not. Rule #5: Thou shalt be honest with yourself Graduating from college means you’re dealing with some pretty hefty changes. Maybe you’ve come to realize your college friends aren’t the kind of people you see yourself hanging out with once you’ve started your new job. Maybe you’ve realized your college boyfriend doesn’t carry out into the real world very well. Maybe you’re ready to loosen the harness that’s tied you to your parents for the last 20-something years. Whatever it is, don’t get carried away with the mourning process. It might be time to move out of their house, to break up with your boyfriend and make some friends, but it doesn’t mean you have to feel guilty. With change comes

bigger and better things. Now that you have some freedom it’s time to start ruling your own life. Rule #6: Thou shalt take apartment hunting seriously Don’t move somewhere just to have a place to move into. Sure, the concept of having a roof over your head seems simple enough but there’s a lot of homework that comes with the great apartment hunt. After all, who wants to move into a place only to move out again in one month? First of all, don’t assume it’s going to be cheap. If you’re going out of town and you can’t find a furnished place then it’s going to take a bit of cash to score new furniture. If you’re a crazy Kijiji fan then don’t spring for the not-so-springy mattress: um, hello, have you heard of bed bugs? Some things really are worth buying as brand new. Drill the landlord with pre-scripted questions, find a place with ample parking and find out what’s in the area. You shouldn’t have to drive half an hour just to get to the grocery store. Also, ask the locals about the validity of different areas. Living in a gangster’s paradise isn’t cool outside of the Coolio song.

Sports

BCIT Link • Apr 20

Barber Excited About ‘Caps Early MLS Tenure Whitecaps CEO Paul Barber says home games at Empire Field couldn’t have played out any better Chad Klassen Assistant Editor

he expansion Vancouver Whitecaps have only recorded one win in Major League Soccer, but it’s been an exciting start for the home crowd. Three thoroughly entertaining home games – a 4-2 over Toronto FC to open the season, a comeback draw from 3-0 down against Sporting KC, and a 1-1 draw against New England with only nine players – have provided fans at Empire Field and beyond something to talk about. The Link sat down with the Whitecaps CEO and former Tottenham executive Paul Barber to discuss the state of the expansion MLS franchise.

The Link: How’s the first part of the campaign gone from your perspective? Paul Barber: We’re pleased with the performance on the pitch so far. The three home games we’ve had have been fantastic: great atmosphere, great weather, and great entertainment and excitement for the fans. I think everyone’s gone away saying Major League Soccer is actually quite special and it’s great to have it here. Off the pitch, commercially, we’re in a good place. We’ve sold a lot of season tickets; we’re around 15,000 now. We’ve secured great sponsorship deals. Bell Canada is our jersey sponsor, and BMO, Budweiser and EA Sports have also come on board as well as 30 other partners. Now the [Whitecaps] brand is well-established back in the Vancouver market and B.C. as a whole. Jersey sales have been fantastic, people carry the scarves to the games, and overall our launch period has gone as well as we could’ve hoped for and we’re delighted.

Link: What’s helped the club succeed early in its MLS tenure? Barber: We’re lucky, we’ve a great public behind us, we’ve got great media behind us, and good owners that are prepared to invest in it. All those things coming together gives us the best chance at success, and the team so far is living up to that support and that confidence. As I’ve said from the start, we may not be the best team in the league this year, we may not win things this year, but we’ll go out to compete every game. People are already seeing that. Even down to nine men, we’re prepared to go out there and compete and we won’t give up.

Link: How have ticket sales been since the first two home games especially?

Barber: If someone had allowed me to script the first three games at home, then I probably couldn’t have done a better job than the people that have written the scripts for us. To have 14 goals, three red cards, a win against Toronto, a dramatic comeback from 3-0 down, playing against New England with nine men for one-third of the game and almost holding on to win it, it’s been an incredible experience so far. And perhaps most significant for us has just been the support we’ve had from the fans. They’ve turned out with an average of 20,000 a game, the noise levels have been great, mixture of young and old, male and female, and so many people enjoying the experience. There are diehard soccer fans, but also people experience soccer for the first time, and I love the fact we’re able to put that combination together and people are going home with smiles on their faces. At the end of the day, the highest levels of sport are really part of the entertainment industry, and if people feel like they’ve been entertained they’ll go home happy and come back.

Link: Some Canadians feel soccer is a boring sport compared to hockey. Did the team want to play this kind of entertaining style for the fans? Barber: We have a football philosophy here where we want to play the game the right way and entertain people, and there are many different ways to play soccer. If people haven’t experienced it, I’d encourage them. While we can’t guarantee six goals in every game we play, the game is very technical, very athletic, it’s very tactical at times, and it’s the world’s biggest sport not by accident. As much as I love hockey and hockey is very popular here, soccer is bigger. And the fact people now have engaged in our game in the way they have, and the game’s growing so fast, it’s fantastic. There’s plenty of room for hockey, plenty of room for soccer and the Lions. It’s great to have a city that’s so into its sport, its live sport, and as the Olympics showed last year Vancouverites are really into top-level sport. Now to bring the Whitecaps into that high level of sport in North America, people are appreciating it and they’re turning out in large numbers to watch it.

Link: What have the fans and the overall atmosphere brought to the games?

Whitecaps CEO Paul Barber thinks the MLS game can only grow in Vancouver after entertaining soccer at home.

Barber: We took a view that we weren’t going to manufacture the atmosphere, we weren’t going to script it or rehearse it. It was just going to happen organically, and that’s exactly how it’s turned out. Every single thing that’s happened so far has been phenomenal. Of course, the way the games have turned out has

helped, because they’ve given that sense of drama and entertainment – perhaps over and above what we could’ve expected. But the fans have made it what it is. We want teams to come to Vancouver and enjoy the city but hate Empire and really have a terrible journey home having had a bad experience at Empire.

8 Culture

BCIT Link • Apr 20

Students Help Shine A Tiny Light On A Foundation With A Big Heart Broadcast Journalism students at BCIT are working together to bring a day of fun to sick kids on April 30. Sarah Massah Culture Editor

lose to sixty students are working collaboratively on the project dubbed The Picture Project which will take family photos of children suffering from various illnesses. Negar Mojtahedi is spearheading the project. The first-year journalism student was inspired by Melissa DePape , the creator of The Tiny Light Foundation, who has been providing free professional photography to families with sick kids since December of last year “This particular foundation brings so much joy to families through the simple act of taking pictures,” said Mojtahedi. “Making the kids feel special for a few

hours, helping them get away from the hospital and helping the families feel normal, even for just a few hours, is tremendously important.” Mojtahedi, with the help of the students, has organized a day at Science World for six kids and their families, which includes a gift card for lunch, and a gift basket from Lush, all of which has been donated. The tasks have been divvied up and the responsibilities include taking photos for the families, creating awareness on Facebook and Twitter and public relations. DePape says she started the foundation because she saw a need for this type of service. The mom of two knows first hand

BCIT Student Launches Fashion Career BCIT preps students well for the real world Patrick O’Shaughnessy The Link

ritish Columbia Institute of Technology is well known for business programs and technology. However it may come as a surprise to students that it’s also a great place to jump-start a fashion career. That is exactly how retail marketing management student Olga Dekhtyarenko began her inspiring duel-career in modeling, and managing the trendy BCBG store on Robson Street. “BCIT has really prepared me well for the

challenges I would face, especially in retail. Classes like Customer Relations and Retail Essentials pretty much make you job ready,” states Dekhtyarenko. “I came into my job with no back ground in retail, but BCIT got me up to speed fast and learning about merchandising and displays strategies gave me an advantage over the other sales associates when it came time for raises and promotions.” BCIT also helped her relaunch her career

Carter, 7 years old- Maple Ridge- Autism

how much of a sick child’s time is spent at appointments, healing from surgeries and weight check ins. “As a mom to a little girl who lost the first year of her life being so sick and healing from open heart surgery, I know nothing else matters. The only thing you’re thinking about is your baby,” said DePape. DePape’s daughter Nevaeh was her inspiration. Nevaeh was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome and eventually began to show sings of heart failure. She went in for open-heart surgery at six months old. “She was so beautiful, she was so stinkin’ cute. She had these almond shaped eyes, but what was most important, she had this will and drive to live,” said DePape. “She weighed less than 10 lbss and it’s the photos of this time in my daughter’s life I look back and think, ‘wow, look how far we have come, look how tiny she

in modeling. Dekhtyarenko had done modeling in Eastern Europe and Asia before immigrating to Canada three years ago. She also graduated from the prestigious Vladivostok Modeling Studio and earned a bachelors degree in economics from Far Eastern University in Russia. But she admits she never really saw just how important it was to learn the business side of the fashion industry. “Before I went to BCIT I didn’t have the skills or training to really understand some of the modeling contracts I was offered, or being able to assess the money side of the equation. Now I fully understand the money and finances end of things. And my sales and marketing management skills are very strong, and the result of that is I am making much better financial decisions, not just for me, but my employer too,” said Dekhtyarenko. According to the Council of Fashion Designers of America, fashion is a $400-billion dollar industry around the world. The oppor-

was.’” Nevaeh is now two going on three, but DePape hasn’t stop snapping photos. She has worked tirelessly with a team of photographers to provide photography for other families going through the same experience. DePape says she respects and admires the students for taking on The Picture Project and bringing awareness to the foundation. “The work and contacts they are making for our kids and the foundation is simply amazing,” said DePape. “When so many people come together to help, you would be surprised at the magic it can create. Both Mojtahedi and DePape agree, the most important part of this project is the kids and making sure they have one perfect day with the families.

tunities for entry level employment are good says Dekhtyarenko, but she is quick to point out that it is not enough to just love clothes and jewelry to be successful. “You need to have the business skills to help your employer, it isn’t enough to just want to work in modeling or fashion. You have to be able to contribute to the bottom line,” she said. Dekhtyarenko has her sights set on moving up the corporate ladder in fashion retail.

Culture

BCIT Link • Apr 20

RIO

Movie Review

Sonia Stirling The Link

D animated feature Rio doesn’t grab you by the tail feathers, but it does make you want to shake

them. A Movie Review by Sonia Stirling The movie begins with a beautiful jungle carnival song and dance performed by a plethora of exotic, brightly feathered species to some strong, dance-in-your-seat opening music. This is where we meet the main character, Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), a baby McCaw who gets plucked from his home by exotic bird smugglers. The rare blue bird ends up in a crate, thousands of miles from home and falling off the back of a truck in small town Minnesota. A young girl named Linda (Leslie Mann) rescues him and they end up inseparable, lifelong buddies. Fast Forward 20 years when a Brazilian ornithologist named Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) shows up in town discovering Blu, who is now one of the last of his species. Tulio convinces Linda to bring Blu to a special Bird Conservatory in Rio, Brazil to see if they can save the species by introducing it to Jewel ( Anne Hathaway), the rare female. Already feeling inferior and insecure because he can’t fly, Blu is terrified by Jewel who is wild, independent, and fearless. Things get serious when both Blue birds are kidnapped, and chained together. A notorious bird smuggler has gotten wind of the rare birds and realizes the fortune he could make by

selling them. Enter the villainous Cockatoo, Nigel ( Jemaine Clement), who keeps a watchful eye over the valuable merchandise for his owner. No doubt you can predict the rest of the story: the great escape, which is fueled by the villains being hot on their trail, along with the frantic owner, along the way getting help from various other colorful fellow exotics. Nico (Jamie Foxx), Pedro (Will.I.Am), a spirited Toucan Rafael (George Lopez), and a slobbery, dopey bulldog (Tracey Morgan) round out Rio gang. The story line has been done many times before (think 101 Dalmatians, or An American Tale), so I was a bit disappointed that director Carlos Saldanha (who also did a cameo voice) couldn’t inject it with some wittier dialogue or some more interesting drama. I can only assume that he wanted to stay true to the movie’s ‘G’ rating. So rare these days. Which brings me to my next point: I watched this movie in a theatre packed with kids and was shocked at their lack of reaction. I laughed at times with a few of the adults around me but was lost on the kids. Even in 3D, this audience was no more affected. Maybe kids are getting too savvy to the similar plotlines and characters being repeated in these animated features. Regardless, I thought the casting was great. Having Hollywood geek, Eisenberg play a timid, sheltered nerdy-bird and Hathaway as the free-spirited, spitfire was a good choice. But my favorites were in the supporting cast, especially when they can add their singing talents as well. Jamie Foxx and Will.I.Am lend some big comic to their tiny drawn birds, even singing the vocals for one of the best songs in the movie. When you have Sergio Mendes as executive music producer, you expect nothing

less than a big shiny, bouncy, but fitting Latin soundtrack. The scene stealer, by far, was bad bird Nigel, played by Jemaine Clement who is half of the brilliance of Flight of the Concords. His low creepy, New Zealand inflected voice was perfect for the old tattered and merciless cockatoo. His villain song, in true FOTC style was the most memorable and entertaining. Also worth mentioning is Luiz the bulldog, perfectly cast for Tracey Morgan’s voice. Talk about making the best out of a small role; Morgan’s delivery of a few of the best lines in the movie were spot on. Overall, the movie was very visually stimulating. Set in Rio, Brazil during Carnival, each scene was consistently illustrated with a wide spectrum of bright colors and textures. From the costumes,

and characters, to the landscape; the detail was elaborate and a feast for the eyes. The 3D was enjoyable because of the fun high flying chase scenes, but was by no means integral to its viewing potential. Not a must see in the theatre, but a mustmaybe-rent. Rio opens in theatres today.

Artist Spotlight: Fitz and the Tantrums Jessica Rivers The Link

Let’s start with the obvious – these guys have a cool name. That alone can get you far enough in the music industry. Beyond that though, this nostalgic, soul-popgood-times-all-around group is a refreshing change from the norm. In a time when everyone tries to out-weird everyone else, Michael Fitzpatrick and his band offer a throwback to 50’s soul and tried-and-true harmonies. You’ve probably heard their biggest hit “MoneyGrabber”. It sounds like something you’ve heard your whole life even the first time you listen to it. It’s that familiarity that makes them so infectious. You want to keep listening in the way you love to hear Aretha Franklin or the Supremes over and over no matter how many times you’ve heard the songs. In the 2 albums they’ve released, both 2009’s Songs For a Breakup and last year’s Pickin’ Up The Pieces, they’ve stayed true to their Motown sound, but added enough punky, indie-pop inflection to keep things fresh. They also don’t use any guitars. Sounds crazy, but it works. These guys have their fingers on the pulse of the trendy vintage soul movement, leading the pack with the likes of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and Mayer Hawthorne. If they keep reinventing old classics as well as they have been so far, they’re here to stay. They’re definitely worth checking out when they come to Vancouver at Venue on May 30th.

10Views

BCIT Link • Apr 20

ITCHY ANSWERS Answers to all your burning Sex and Relationship questions Drake Winters & Olivia Starling The Link

You tell him you have a girlfriend and he automatically envisions bedding the both of you. Fail.

I’ve started dating someone that I really like. This is huge for me because I am super picky. So here comes the “problem”… this someone has herpes. She told me before we had sex and at first I thought I could deal. But as of late it’s all I can think about and now I am having a hard time getting it up! I can only assume it’s a mental thing, I really like this girl but I also really like my health. What can I do? Ah the rub! Firstly, we would like to commend your partner on being upfront with you. It is our opinion that anyone with a S.T.I. has a moral and ethical obligation to tell their sexual partners before they engage. They have communicated with you. Now it’s time for you to communicate with them. Sit down and discuss your safe sex options. It can be perfectly safe to have a sexual relationship with someone who has a S.T.I. You must adhere to the three C’s. Be Careful, Communicative, and Creative! Some forms of sexual activity that have little to no risk are phone sex, masturbating while watching, dry humping, hand jobs, and the list goes on. Informing yourself will help ease your concerns and allow you to perform again.

At the end of the day you have a choice to make here. The ball is in your court. Either you decide you’re game and you inform yourselves as a team making sure to keep the communication lines open. Or you decide to call it quits and retire your number. Tell your partner the truth and although it may sting they will understand, probably better then anyone, why you don’t want to take the risk. Remember, there are always risks when engaging in sexual intercourse! There are many people walking around that have no idea they are infected. It is much better to be informed and active then uninformed and dangerous! I work in an office environment where one of my older clients tends to loom over my desk and say weird things like, “I just came up to see your beautiful smile”. This has been harmless enough and I have tolerated it. I recently received an email from him saying inappropriate things which he later apologized for. I want to tell him that I have a girlfriend and am not interested for all the obvious reasons. But if I say girlfriend, men’s eyes always

light up with that look that says, “Cool, two chicks at once”. How do I handle this guy? Take the onus off you and blame your ‘work policies’. Say something like, “Unless this pertains to your account I cannot discuss this with you”. And as far as guys thinking they have a chance with lesbians, until TV and film stop insinuating two girls and one guy sexytime happens all the time, you are going to get a handful of eager hopefuls thinking that those two girls are dying for some deep dicking! Yes, and they have been waiting for you, that’s right you, their whole lives! What she actually says, “No thanks, I have a girlfriend.” What he actually hears, “Finally Alice,” she said under her breath, “we have found a real man to give us the pleasure!” she gazed at him with come hither eyes that said take me now…..take me now. “Oh Janeen you are right,” as her breasts heaved with passion “this is it. You are so it, Richard. Take me.....take both of us with your man thrusts!!” That look leaves his eyes as he realizes you are staring at him . Come on people, not all girls crave your man rod... so save the one eyed puppet show for the girls that want to see it.

No time to read anymore

Students more likely to read tweets than pick up literature Megan Jones The Martlet (University of Victoria) VICTORIA (CUP) — Lately, I’ve struggled with the question of whether I read enough. Not textbooks or journals — I read plenty of those — but pleasure reading. I mean the type of reading that doesn’t require anything but a free afternoon and a cup of tea. As a kid, I would curl up with a book for hours, stopping only to grab packets of Sun-Maid raisins from the pantry or Scotch Mints from a jar in the kitchen. When I was old enough to tap into my father’s New Yorker subscription, my Saturday mornings consisted of soccer games followed by movie reviews, profiles and features. I saved fiction, my favourite homework escape method, for Sundays. Family trips to the library were weekly, and most Christmas or birthday gifts were books. Despite the push from my parents, reading was never a chore: It was pure enjoyment. When I started university, everything changed. Course syllabi overwhelmed me with their long lists of readings and assignments, and my English textbook was three times as thick as the copy of Anna Kar-

enina I was given as a going-away present. If I did happen to pick up Anna in my dorm room, instead of getting lost in the narrative, my mind jumped ahead to the next assignment and I often found myself racing to the library. I am now two years into my degree and can’t remember the last time I finished a book of my own choosing, let alone read an entire newspaper. But perhaps I’m fooling myself; a student’s lack of reading for enjoyment is not necessarily due to an increased workload. With Facebook notifications, emails and tweets now sent directly to phones, we’re likely to forget the novel buried in the bottom of our bags. Many even consider these distractions part of a daily reading quota. After all, they are brief interludes of text. A friend suggested a student’s perceived failure to read might be fabricated, that in truth we read more than we realize. “How much time do you spend reading blogs, news sites or WikiLeaks?” he asked. “A few minutes here and there, probably about two hours every day,” I answered. “Is it going to benefit you if you combine those minutes to read half a book?”

Probably not, especially if I’m worried about a paper due in a week. Online reading soothes the stressed-out student; it requires a short attention span. Even WikiLeaks, the controversial nonprofit organization dedicated to providing government information leaks to the public, has inspired a condensed version, HaikuLeaks, which summarizes the leaks into haikus. Newspapers are adapting with apps that condense stories into brief, 100-word bits for smartphones. But does this rise in short bursts of online reading denote a diminished literary public? I think not. Canadian authors and poets are more prominent on international book lists than ever before. Ebooks are making novels increasingly accessible. Admittedly, curling up with a glowing screen is not a cozy image but it produces the same result: A return to the literary novel.

photo by Margo Conner/Flickr

The quality of online text isn't always fantastic. Web publishing is often free, and therefore most forums and blogs do not go through the same rigorous editing process as print publications. But if you choose your sources wisely, online reading can be both informative and stimulating, and may even point you to print publications you may not have discovered otherwise. If you are like me and wary of the phenomena, I suggest you check out HaikuLeaks. Their poignancy and efficiency may even inspire you to pick up a book of poetry. Or, who knows, Anna Karenina.

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12 Fun

BCIT Link • Apr 20

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

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Vancouver Whitecaps vs Chivas USA

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25 Easter Monday BCIT CLOSED

26 Mike Watt @ Media Club

27 Lil’ Wayne @ Rogers Arena

29 Fiddler on the Roof @ the Centre (to May 1)

30 Chris Cornell @ Red Robinson Tiesto @ Pacific Coliseum

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23 22 Good Friday Tokyo Police Club @ Commodore BCIT CLOSED __________________________________________________________________________________________________

21 Classified @ Venue

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APRIL

20 Link 46-15 on stands!

MAY

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3 Pixies @ Orpheum

4 Mother Mother @ Commodore

5 Mother Mother @ Commodore

7 Delhi 2 Dublin @ Commodore

8 The Kills @ Commodore

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9 Student Council Meeting @530pm Council Chambers The Black Angels @ Commodore

10 James Blunt @ the Centre

11 Pete Bjorn & John @ Venue Vancouver Whitecaps vs San Jose Earthquakes

12 Hairspray @ Stanley Theatre (to July 10)

13 Yelle @ Commodore

14 Raveonettes @ Venue Bonnie Dune @ Commodore

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