the grizzly Fall 2016 | Issue One | Butler Community College
mission statement: The Grizzly staff strives to keep students up to date on issues and events that matter to them. Content is edited and reviewed to ensure factual and relevant stories that are taking place on, around and near Butler Community College campuses. The Grizzly hopes to encourage students to stay involved in local happenings by informing them through a modernized and personal publication produced by students for students.
table of contents Fun & games with SGA 4By Nadine Armstrong
The Student Government Association hosted a week of activities to kick off the school year.
Teacher of many languages 6 By Emily Beckman Professor Liana Wagle shares her love of languages through teaching at Butler.
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New year, new ladies
on the cover:
On the cover: This makeshift ballot ties into the pages about students views about the upcoming presidential election. Designed by: Allanah Taylor
staff: Emily Beckman: Editor-in-Chief Jaycie Wunder: Assistant editor Tatum Sturdivant: Design director Max McGlaun: Photo editor Allison Simon: Co-photo editor Nadine Armstrong: Co-photo editor, media developer Justice Bidwell: Staff member Allanah Taylor: Contributor Michael Swan: Adviser
By Nadine Armstrong Butler Ladies receive a major change to staff.
12Creative writing
10 The adventure begins
By Max McGlaun By Jaycie Wunder Rock climbing gives students unique Creative writing is brought back to the El opportunites. Dorado Campus. Michael Cissell teaches the class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11 a.m.
Home away from home 14 By Emily Beckman
A number of international students attend Butler, bringing aspects of their home with them.
Presidential election
By Justice Bidwell Students express their thoughts on the upcoming presidential election.
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editorial 22 Phi Theta Kappa
By Jaycie Wunder PTK is an honor organization offered at BCC and many other two-year colleges.
24 Butler ablaze with fire science
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Artist in the making
By Max McGlaun Freshman Fabian Chain expresses himself through art.
By Emily Beckman The fire science program recently gained new assets to help students thrive.
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A visit to Walter's
By Allison Simon Events happening at Walters Pumpkin Patch during the fall.
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A night of laughs
By Nadine Armstrong The first show of the year put on by the Theater Department.
30 Teamwork makes the dream work
By Emily Beckman The livestock judging team starts off the school year with a win at their first competition.
Staff vote 7-0 As election day looms, we must remember to hold our possible future leaders to something critically important: standards. Let’s start with the basics. Candidates should be professional, honest and have a background in politics. Candidates should not be crude. Our next president should care about all people, regardless of race or gender. In addition, he or she should be compassionate toward people of the entire world, not exclusively the United States. It is important that our president represents our country well and is respected by people of other countries, as well as our own. As young Americans, we must continue to think progressively. As students, we must seek a president who values education, and will strive to make it more attainable. We are the future of this country, and our opinions matter. The issues that matter to us as young people, should matter to our candidates. Our next presidential leader should strive to move our country forward. He or she should promote equality, care about the environment, the LGBT community and much more. This election can no longer be viewed as a joke, and the candidates can no longer just be internet memes. Regardless of your political views, please remember that voting is a privilege as well as a civic duty and cast your vote on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
editor's note Left: Assistant football coach Steve Braet talks to a player about what needs to happen during the next play. | Center: Linebacker Jake Seurer takes down a Dodge City player with help of teammate. | Right: Cheerleaders hype up the crowd at the football game in Garden City. Photos by Allison Simon
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At Butler, the students, staff and extracurricular activities are diverse. In the first issue of The Grizzly for the 201617 school year, we chose to explore these various aspects of the college, and will strive to do so in each issue. In addition, with election day approaching on Nov. 8, we found it timely to highlight the ideals, opinions and thoughts of students regarding the presidential election. Thanks for reading, -Emily Beckman Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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Fun
Games &
with SGA
Student Government Association helps Students get back to school and make new friends by Nadine Armstrong Sierra Cargill is the current president of Student Government at Butler Community College. There are 7 members on the SGA council. She is a freshman with past experience in government through high school and other clubs. She attended high school at Medicine Lodge. Q: What is your past experience in Student Government? A: I was president of our student council, and I was also 4-H President and FFA treasurer. Q: What made you want to do Student Government? A: I just really wanted to reach out to people that weren’t involved because I know if I wouldn’t get involved I would just sit in my room and not do anything. And I felt I can connect to so many different people from so many different walks of life being Hispanic.
G
o to the Student Government Association Facebook page, BCC SGA, look for flyers around campus or look at the campus announcements on Pipeline for student life activities. The SGA members come up with the ideas and put it all together. If you have ideas, students can talk to an SGA member or Andrea Miller, Student Life director, in the Student Union. “If you’re not in any other activities [SGA is] a good structure for transitioning into college,” freshman Brooke Toedman says. This year, SGA started off the school year with Grizzfest, Aug. 22-31. They had snacks set up on the first two days of classes. They also had basketball and volleyball tournaments on Tuesday. Wednesday was free bowling at the Grizzly Bowl, where all of the lanes were packed with students catching up with old friends and making new ones. On Thursday SGA held an ice cream social on the basketball court outside the dorms. Students were playing games of pickup basketball as well as enjoying the cold treats. They had Activities Unlimited from Monday, Aug. 29 to Wednesday, Aug. 31 for students to see all the activites and clubs Butler has to offer. “It was fun. I thought it was cool that they put together a week of things to do the first week back,” freshman Austin McNorton says after attending the Grizzly Bowl and the ice cream social.
Q: What do you think the benefits of student government are? A: We put on all the activities for the students and it just helps everyone and myself get to know each other and have more than just a few friends. If something were to happen you have so many more people to fall back on. Left: Resident Assistants spend the evening getting to know fellow student residents on Aug. 25. | Right: One view of how congested the lanes were on Wednesday night. Photos by Nadine Armstrong
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Upper left: Students catch up with one another over ice cream beside the basketball court. | Upper right: A group of students start a game of pickup basketball during the ice cream social, making for more fun and entertainment for those watching. | Lower left: Students show off their bowling skills and share techniques during free bowling night at the Grizzly Bowl. | Lower right: Making new friends and creating memories after enjoying a cold treat. Photos by Nadine Armstorng
Upcoming Events Keep an eye out for these upcoming events held by SGA:
Oct. 28- Fun Friday with SGA: the first 100 students through the door will get free tickets to Field of Screams. Nov. 1- SGA meeting at the El Dorado Student Union at 4 p.m. Nov. 9- Coping with College at the El Dorado Student Union from 12:30- 1:15 p.m. and Health and Wellness fair at Andover Student Union from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Nov. 15- SGA meeting at the Andover Student Union at 4 p.m. Nov. 22- Pie and Coffee at the Student Union from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at BOE and BOA campuses Dec. 6- SGA meeting at the El Dorado Student Union at 4 p.m.
Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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Professor Liana Wagle stands in front of a white board after teaching a French class at Butler of Andover. Photo by Emily Beckman
Left: Liana Wagle (center) sits with her mother (left) and her aunt (right) who taught her French when she was 10. | Right: Wagle and her family on her mother’s patio in Sweden. Courtesy
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Teacher of Many Languages Professor Liana Wagle shares her love of language through teaching.
by Emily Beckman iana Wagle remembers playing “school” with her three younger siblings while growing up in Balgach, Switzerland; she was always the teacher. She has now taught at Butler Community College for 19 years, and currently teaches French, German, Italian and Spanish.
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Early life For the first six years of her childhood, Wagle travelled to Cercivento, Italy often. She had family there, including her grandmother and aunts. “I was thrilled and excited and happy. And I was never homesick, because Italy is my home, too,” Wagle says. She remembers walking through the town with her grandmother, who, because she was a widow, typically wore a black dress with a colored apron over it. This was standard among elderly women there. The scents of coffee and minestrone soup would flow from houses with open windows and doors. She explained that people would leave their windows and doors open so they could greet passersby. Something that Balgach and Cercivento had in common was that the children “played outside from early morning until late night.” Wagle recalls that there were over 90 children on her street in Balgach. “That was just like being on a playground all day long; rain or shine,” she says. Life in Kansas Just after finishing her international business studies at age 20, Wagle traveled to Kansas to be an au pair. This allowed her to take care of a family’s children while living with them for free and strengthening her knowledge of the English language. After six months, she returned to her home in Switzerland. But while in Kansas, she met the man that would become her husband and decided to create a life in Wichita. Now, a portion of her family, including children and grandchildren, are here. “I like being here because the people are friendly,” Wagle says. “The Alps are not here and it's not Switzerland; but as the years [have] passed I have put down roots here.” In the last decade, she has been able to visit to her European homes almost every year. And when she does, there are certain places she goes and activities she likes to do. “In Switzerland, it’s being in the kitchen with my mom and watching her cook or helping her cook,” Wagle says. Barbecuing and hiking with her sisters are also on the list. “In Italy it's going to the graveyard to visit my family,” Wagle
says. “The graveyards in Italy are very, very beautiful; very ornate and people take care of them with fresh flowers.” She goes there with her cousins, as visiting the graveyard is a family activity. Visiting her family is a very special time for her, as she does not see them often. “When I'm homesick I go there, I visit very intensely and then I come back here,” Wagle says. Love of languages Her first language was Italian. Then Friulano, a language spoken in the northeastern part of Italy where her family is from. Next she learned Swiss German, followed by High German. “I took to languages very easily,” Wagle says. “I think it’s because I grew up in a multilingual home … it must have played a role.” At age 10, her aunt who lived in Paris at the time, decided that Wagle should learn French. “...I was so fascinated by a different language that I wanted to know more and more about the language,” Wagle says. “I just kept telling my aunt to teach me more.” She began learning English at age 14, and Spanish at age 16. While she is now fluent in all seven, Wagle still strives to better each language that she speaks. “In order to do that, you have to spend time with [the languages],” she says. “I keep myself busy reading the newspapers - Spanish, French newspapers every day.” In addition, she talks to her family in Europe daily via phone, skype, WhatsApp or whatever is available. “We send each other pictures and videos,” Wagle says. She has shared her knowledge of languages with others through translation and teaching. On occasion, she has helped families translate documents, including letters from the first world war and a book about the second world war. “It’s helping people know what’s written about the documents that they have in their hands, Wagle says. “A lot of valuable information is in those letters that is pertinent or valuable to those families.” She has a clear passion for teaching. Her favorite aspects being “the interaction with students and watching their progress.” Wagle enjoys teaching at Butler because of the atmosphere. She also notes that the teachers have high standards and that the teaching is high quality. “It has a small school atmosphere and it feels kind of like a family because people are treated nicely [and] respectfully,” Wagle says. Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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New Year, by Nadine Armstrong
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or the first year, the Butler Ladies are under the direction of Tyler Koeppe. This year is the first year that Koeppe is teaching at Butler. He is originally from Nebraska and used to sing opera. However, Koeppe isn’t the only new addition to teaching the Butler Ladies. Maddie Robinson is their new choreographer. “Last year was a good year, but this year we are focused on more than just singing,” sophomore Claudia Esparza says. “[Maddie Robinson], she is fantastic.” Not all the women have dance backgrounds so having a choreographer is different for some. “The sophomores are stepping up and being leaders and taking it seriously. Not only in Butler Ladies but the rest of the choir program as well.” Esparza says. Esparza says her favorite part of the Butler Ladies is “being close with the ladies. We have big and little sisters. We are getting close as a group and have a genuine feel.” This year, the Butler Ladies will be doing some middle and high school tours in the Wichita area, but dates are to be determined.
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Butler Ladies work on finishing their choreography for the first show for the Walnut River Festival. Photo by Nadine Armstrong
New Ladies
The Butler Ladies show choir gets new instructors.
Butler Ladies pose while singing Forget About the Boy from the show Thoroughly Modern Millie. Photo by Nadine Armstrong
Upper left: Butler Ladies work on getting choreography down when put with the music. | Lower left: Perfecting vocals before learning choreography for a new song. | Upper right: Adding character to make the show look and sound fun. | Lower right: Working on vocal parts before the rest of the Ladies join in. Photos by Nadine Armstrong
what are your thoughts on the
change?
“The transition was pretty smooth, honestly. Of course we miss our director from last year but that didn’t stop us from getting hyped for this year. All of us returning sophomores were super excited to see what this new year held, and I think it paid off. At first it was nervewracking learning the new teaching style, but it was helpful that the incoming freshmen were so experienced and willing to join us. We’ve become more of a family. Everyone has really come together to create something that we are proud to put on stage. I think we can only get even better from here. We have improved since last year and that’s all anyone can ask for.” -Savana Blandamer, sophomore
Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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Freshman Jesse Clark attempts to climb the rope net, Freshman Matthew Heideman belays him on the ground below. Photo by Max McGlaun
Left: Freshman Ethan Lee repels himself to the ground below. | Right: Sophomore Emily Pacha climbs the rock wall as freshman Samantha McGovern and sophomore Meghan Nipper belay/ anchor her below. Photos by Max McGlaun
and so...
theTheadventure begins butler challenge course provides
by Max McGlaun
students with unique opportunities.
At 30 feet in the air, your heart pounds as you make one final lunge towards the platform above. You miss, your heart skips a beat and you fall … five feet. The rope attached to your harness catches you. Your classmate belaying you on the ground below has saved your life, so you get back on the wall and attempt that final lunge once more. “We call it rock climbing class but it's really about belaying, cause that’s your lifeline, the person on the belay,” Professor Robert Carlson says. “We work quite a bit on trust and communications.” The Butler challenge course was constructed in 2003 and is located behind the Facilities Management building. “I love doing things hands on. I've never really liked school but rock climbing has really made me love school. My favorite part of the day is coming out here with my rock climbing buddies,” freshman Cameo Rector says. Professor Carlson is currently on his 27th year of teaching at Butler, and has been with Grizzly Adventures since 2003. “We've had kids out here that were wheelchair bound, and we have rigging that we set up that allows them to get to the top of the tower. That's something somebody in a wheelchair would have never thought they would be able to do, and then sending them down the zipline, that's a rush,” Carlson says. “It's exciting to know that we did something that that person never thought
they’d be able to do.” Butler also offers students who are interested in working on campus the opportunity to work for the challenge course. Starting pay is $8/hr. and can move up to $12/hr. or more when students become certified. Classes for certification are offered in the spring. “Almost all our facilitators that work here, other than me, were former students, and some have been here seven or eight years,” Carlson says. Outside of Butler, Carlson, who has a level two certification, trains at and inspects courses across the U.S. and sometimes beyond the States. “This year I went to Iowa, I went to North Dakota for about two weeks, I then went to Arkansas and Oklahoma doing trainings at about five or six different camps,” Carlson says. “They've sent me to Canada, I've been to Florida for courses, I've been to Utah. Wherever the cellphone doesn't work it's normally where they build courses.” The Butler climbing course was built on a grant. Carlson estimates it would cost approximately $200-250,000 to build out of pocket. “This is a cool thing to have out here and I wish more of the public knew about it” Carlson says. Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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“Good Writers Borrow,
Great Writers Steal.” -T.S. Eliot
New creative writing class offered to students. by Jaycie Wunder
B
ooks, short stories and poems are aspects we are all familiar with from reading in our spare time to being forced to read Lord of the Flies. English studies obviously do not strike everyone's fancy, but they keep a very loyal and devoted fan base. Creative Writing is a new course offered at Butler's El Dorado campus this fall and is taught by Professor Michael Cissell. Creative Writing is worth three credit hours and offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11-11:55 a.m. The class has been missing from El Dorado campus for the last couple of years and has only been offered at the Andover campus. The head of Cissell's department asked if he would be interested in teaching a Creative Writing class in El Dorado, and he was sure to say yes. Cissell has a Master’s in Fine Arts with an emphasis in poetry. The cornerstone of the class is students constructing their own works, then holding workshops within the classroom. Peers criticize components of each other's creative pieces and emphasize elements they enjoy. Classes also consist of reading different literary works from professionals and discussing literary elements they use that students would also like to re-create.
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Professor Michael Cissell’s class reads a story in the library. Photo by Nadine Armstrong
"Good writers borrow, great writers steal" atleast that is what T.S. Eliot says. Cissell explains this process in class regularly, and is sure to identify that it is not to be confused with literally stealing people's words, because that, my friends, is plagiarism. When he talks about stealing he is referring to taking literary elements from great pieces of work and applying them to our own works. Creative writing allows a writer to express themselves through art in a very personal form. "I think it's important because, like any art, it forces you to think beyond yourself. You are forced to think about your audience and what your audience needs from you," Cissell says. Cissell continues to say that, "Self-expression is important because it allows the creative writer to explore different alleys, different corners and different side streets of their minds." There are currently six students enrolled in creative writing on the El Dorado campus. The class is small enough to thoroughly peer review creations and make suggestions on how to further writing techniques. Cissell hopes that students who go through the class will end it with a deeper appreciation for the art of creative writing and a desire to continue their writings.
Gravy &
Biscuits
A creative non-fiction by Becca Schulte
I
t is not every Sunday morning that I get to wake up to fresh biscuits and gravy. The second my dad opens the oven the entire house is flooded by warmth and the slightly salty smell of the sausage and the buttery scent of flaky Pillsbury biscuits. Those are the best Sundays. I followed the scent from my bedroom up the thirteen stairs I climbed every morning. I counted them every time I made this trip. “1..2..3..4..5…” I counted slowly in my head still half asleep. Only my nose had really been awakened. “Don’t sit in my seat,” whined my younger sister Beth as she nagged my older Brother Zach. Warning him not to sit in her normal seat at the table. My ears were beginning to wake now. “6..7..8..9..10..11…” I continued to count in my head. The only thing motivating me to keep going was the smell that grew stronger with every heavy footstep. Those biscuits. “It’s too early for that much attitude little lady,” Zach answered back to her. I was happily surprised to hear his voice this early in the morning. He sleeps like a bear in hibernation much like any guy that had just entered his twenties. It pleased me that he was there to help me combat Beth’s morning shots. “12..13…” finally I was at the top, and I tracked the scent into the kitchen. My eyes had no choice but to wake up now. The kitchen is lined with windows, possibly my mother’s favorite quality of her home. I was greeted by the usual good mornings from both of my parents who I’m sure had been awake for hours now. Grabbing my normal pink plate I did what I came here for and began to
make my breakfast. “Will you guys come sit down with your dad and me for a minute?” My mom asked. This was odd and through a kink in my morning that was proceeding to be wonderfully normal. I had two biscuits on my plate, both opened and split in half. I looked down at them in disappointment as I could tell they were longing for the gravy just like I was. They looked prepared for whatever came next. “I have something to tell you all,” my mother murmured quietly, “I hadn’t been feeling very well and had been going to the doctor for a while now with no luck.” She paused at this point and I looked around the kitchen for confirmation that this kink was growing at an unacceptable rate. This was not like her. She wasn’t soft spoken and she never lacked confidence, but I could tell she was scared. An uneasy feeling passed between my siblings and myself like a blanket covering us all. Only this blanket wasn’t warm and comforting. “I found a lump in my breast,” she spoke as if she was physically choking on the words she was speaking. I took another look around the kitchen. My father who I had only seen cry once before this had only one tear on his whiskered cheek. I could tell he was trying to be so strong for us. Beth had lost all control of her emotions and reacted as any normal human being would. She cried helplessly. I too was crying. My face in my hands now after looking at Beth and my father. I wanted to cry hysterically like she was, but I knew I needed to be strong like my dad. I removed my curtains from my face and looked at Zach. He looked as if he felt nothing. Completely silent
I did not know how he felt, but I desperately wanted to. I took another look down at my biscuits. They had cooled by this point, and the little yellow banner on the biscuit label that read “Flaky Layers” was not a lie. Pieces had crumbled from my perfect biscuits. Pieces that would never be able to be reattached to the whole no matter how bad I wanted them too. Again I looked back at my family around me. I hoped that in the time that passed while I observed my patient breakfast someone would say something or clear up what had just happened. Like me, they had no words. I felt horrible for my mother for having to deliver that news. She is the one with a life threatening illness, why in the hell do we have a reason to cry?” I thought to myself. Instinct took over and I got up, hugged my mother as tight and long as I could, and walked to the stove top. I must’ve forgotten that my food had grown cold at this point because I grabbed the spoon in the pan and slopped down a heaping pile of the sausage gravy I came up those thirteen stairs for. I watched the thick, overbearing matter spread over the surface of my plate as the gravy slowly engulf the biscuits entirely. It stole the biscuits ability to breathe. Closing them in from the light that was still flooding the room from the windows on this beautiful Sunday. All that remained visible were the flakes that had crumbled off while I listened to my mother’s news. The small pieces of what could’ve been an amazingly normal Sunday.
Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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away
from
A number of international students attend Butler. by Emily Beckman
A
ccording to Amber Prieb, an international specialist at Butler of El Dorado, the international student population of BCC fluctuates yearly. “This year we have a little over 200 student visa holders, and that's higher than it's been for quite a few years,” Prieb says. While she says the exact numbers for the school year have not yet been determined, there are under 50 international students at the El Dorado campus, of which 20-25 are athletes. The rest of the 200 students attend classes in Andover. “Most of the students that we have in El Dorado are the ones who might be athletes or on scholarship, but the vast majority of international students attend Andover or they might commute and do both campuses,” Prieb says.
International Student Association A team leader of the International Student Association (ISA), Aboubakar Diabo, describes ISA as “the bridge between the school and international students.” Each semester, ISA holds an event. In the fall, it is an international food and music night. In the spring, it is a booth at the Spring Fling event, where students represent their country through flags, traditional clothing and more. “The main goal of all of that is always to try to share our culture,” Diabo says. The club also strives to help international students feel secure. “We try to let them know that whoever is sad, they are not alone and we are in this together,” Diabo says. “Whoever feels homesick [and] is far away from his parents, is not in that alone; we are together in that and we try to support [each other].”
After studying for a year and a half in her home country, Valeria Kostiuk, an international student from Kiuv, Ukraine, came to Butler in order to be a student-athlete more easily. “It was impossible to practice at the same time,” she says of her experience at Linguistics University. Kostiuk is now on Butler’s track team as a high jumper and is majoring in management and marketing. After Butler, she plans to transfer to a university and continue with track. Kostiuk explains that being an international student helps to build character and personality. She enjoys the opportunity to meet new people and learn more about a culture. However, she often faces challenges related to language. Valeria Kostiuk “I’m still struggling in speaking actually, because of the difference in language,” Kostiuk says. “It’s sometimes really difficult From: Ukraine to speak and make friends; it’s difficult to express your thoughts in a different language.”
Wednesdays are “Jamaica day” for Shevon Blair, who wears black, green and gold, his country’s colors, from head to toe. He says he does this to differentiate himself from other students, and remember his roots. “It serves as a reminder … to know that I came here for a purpose,” Blair says. Blair runs track for Butler, and has his eye on the Olympics. In addition, his goal is to eventually own his own electrical company in Jamaica. “That's something I want to do, to be able to give back to the community where I'm from and provide jobs,” Blair says. He likes the resources that are available at Butler, and enjoys some aspects of Kansas. However, he misses the palm trees and beaches of Jamaica and says the weather here has been the biggest challenge. Shevon Blair “When the sun is not up and it's cold, I'm miserable; I’m a sun person,” Blair says. “When the sun is up, I'm alive. That's From: Jamaica where my energy comes from.”
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Aboubakar Diabo From: Congo The first thing that caught Aboubakar Diabo’s attention when he moved to Kansas was how spread out things were, as opposed to his home of Pointe-Noire, Congo. Diabo came here in January of 2014 to get an education. He first studied at Wichita State University to learn English, before beginning his studies at Butler. “I am from a very small country,” Diabo says. “The place where I'm from, it's a very social place. I always had family and friends around me, whenever I needed help or when I was a little bit worried about something.” This, he says, is what motivated him to become a team leader of the International Student Association at Butler.
countries with the highest number of international students at butler for the fall 2016 semester
Olivier Ndikumana From: Rwanda Travel has proven to be a major part of Olivier Ndikumana’s life, allowing him to become fluent in three languages: Kinyawanda, English and French, experience different cultures and inspire him to become a pilot. Due to his family often moving from country to country in Africa with his dad’s position at Catholic Relief Services, Nkidumana has lived in Rwanda, Guinea, Benin and Haiti. “Now I can't imagine myself just living in a country for a very long time; I just want to keep moving,” Nkidumana says. “That's probably one of the reasons I want to become a pilot, and if that doesn't work out I want some job that lets me travel.” At Butler, he is taking general classes, but his intended major is computer science. Going to class, working as a tutor, doing homework and sleeping have become his routine. Nkidumana likes Butler, especially the El Dorado campus, because there are little distractions, allowing him to focus fully on school. Fittingly, his favorite aspect of the college is the Library.
Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
Jamaica (7)
Nigeria (8)
Tanzania (8)
Sri Lanka (10)
Bangladesh (10)
India (15)
Nepal (23)
Kenya (27)
Vietnam (28)
Freshman Holly Stewart of Aberdeen, Scotland came to Butler for the opportunity to play soccer at the college level. “I played at home at club level and I just wanted to see how far I could get with it,” she says. “We don’t have soccer opportunities at home so I thought college level over here would help me develop as a player.” Stewart plays center midfield and is currently a liberal arts major. She hopes to get offers from Division 1 or Division 2 schools after BCC, and finish her degree. Though she is far from home, she has her team and the International Student Association to keep her busy. In addition, since she is an international student, she had the opportunity to get a host family. “Having a host family really does help me,” Stewart says. “Because my first week here, that was the big change. It was so different for me and it was hard.” She explains that her host family provides her with a place to go anytime she wants to get out of the dorms, needs to study or is missing her family. “My host parents are great; they are so open to anything I need,” Stewart says.
Saudi Arabia (44)
Holly Stewart From: Scotland
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Let’s Talk
Politics:
What’s the big deal and why are they important? Do you plan to vote in the election?
What are your thoughts on the upcoming presidential election?
Will this be your first time voting in a presidential election?
Who do you THINK will win the election?
100 students surveyed
Why this election is important: According to The Politics and Elections Portal
• •
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The next president could potentially select up to four new Supreme Court Justices. The president could be replacing the aging Ruth Bader Ginsburg (82), Anthony Kennedy (79), Stephen Breyer (77) and recently deceased Antonin Scalia. That’s almost half of the nine people in the United States Supreme Court.
Opinion: By Justice Bidwell When you first turned 18, what were you excited to do first as you ventured into adulthood? For some, turning 18 meant they could finally do all the things their parents forbid them to do. At 18, you can finally get into certain clubs and bars, get a tattoo or a piercing without a parent’s signature and go skydiving. For others, turning 18 meant they could finally make a real difference in our country. Whether that difference meant fighting to protect our freedom overseas or even casting their vote for the first time. Most people at 18 are so excited to experience their newfound freedoms that they do not stop to think about how they got those freedoms or how they can keep them. They do not stop to think about how the United States once fought to secure our liberty or how many steps the Founding Fathers took to ensure that future generations did not have to suffer at the hands of tyranny. According to the Constitution Center Organization, at the close of the Constitutional Convention, where the Constitution was drafted, Benjamin Franklin was asked by a group of citizens what kind of government the delegates had created for the people. The people wanted to keep their newfound freedom from England and feared another monarchy. Franklin replied, “A republic ... If you can keep it.” What Franklin meant by “if you can keep it” is that a government cannot be sustained without effort from the people. For some people, your duty as a citizen of the United States is to constantly fight for your freedoms, your freedoms to do various things and your freedoms from various things. Many young people at 18 do not know that the easiest thing they can do to fight for their freedom is to register to vote. How are the people in government supposed to know what freedoms to protect, which ones matter most to you, if you do not fight to protect them?
57.5%
of voting age population voted in the election in 2012 Statistics Brain Research Institute
Designer: Allanah Taylor | The Grizzly | Issue One
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Students express how they feel about casting their for the first time “I don’t know who to vote for. I want to cast my vote because it is the first time having a say-so in society.” – Pierre Tugman and Elijah Brown
“It makes me mad that my vote doesn’t really count because Kansas only has four electoral votes but I’m still looking forward to voting for the first time.” - Taylor Allison
“I am nervous. I am going to cast my vote because every vote counts.” - Isaiah Truss
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“I’m insecure about voting because of who the candidates are.” - Luke Heisdorffer
“I feel like it is a pretty unlucky time because I don’t think we have the best choice of candidates. Although I get to take part in my country’s election and that directly affects me and my surroundings.” - Emily Vaught
“I am not voting. People do not take it seriously. Trump is not a real candidate; he is just running to run. And Hillary doesn’t make her points clear.” - Justin Nwachukwa
“I feel like for my first time being able to vote I would be a little more excited, but I am not. We don’t have the best choice of candidates running at this time.” - Nikki Kraft
“I am a major patriot. I am super excited to vote for the first time. ” - Caleb Cox
Designer: Allanah Taylor | The Grizzly | Issue One
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Freshman Fabian Chain demonstrates the multiple steps and techniques that go into forming a vase, including: heating in the oven, rolling on the table to shape, torching to heat specific points on the vase and blowing the glass to increase size. It takes Chain approximately 30 minutes to make a vase as shown. Photos by Max McGlaun
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artist
in the
making
Freshman fabian chain expresses himself through the art of glassblowing
by Max McGlaun A bead of sweat drips across his brow as he stares into a pool of liquid glass, heated to 2000 degrees, envisioning the masterpiece he will soon create. “It is a physically and mentally challenging job that is incredibly rewarding,” freshman Fabian Chain says. Chain has been glassblowing for just over a year at his grandpa’s glass shop located in Kechi. During the summer he worked full-time for the shop and made pieces for himself in his free time. “When I was working full-time in the summer I would have nine hours a week to make whatever I wanted for myself and I'd get to put that in the gallery. If it sells I get 60 percent of that money and then I get paid an hourly wage of $10,” Chain says. Not originally from the United States, Chain grew up in England with his “mum.” “I lived in England till I was 11, moved to Austin for five years, moved back to England at the end of my sophomore year summer and lived there for a year. Then I moved to London,” Chain says. After moving to London, Chain lived with his aunt and uncle and got an apprenticeship as a glassblower. His aunt and uncle were planning to move to India and he would soon have to find another place to live. “I was like ‘What am I gonna do grandpa, you're a glassblower, you're old, you know what I should do right?’ and he was like, ‘Yeah, you can come live with me and I’ll pay you to learn and give you a home and put you in a proper school,’” Chain says. Chain enrolled at Butler, with a plan to get an associate’s degree in business, and a hope to transfer to Emporia State University for glassblowing and business. He will eventually take over his grandpa’s glass shop and has opportunistic ideas for it. “...I want to franchise it. Basically, we have recipes for pieces that sell. That's the way restaurant franchises work, they have recipes for food that sell; well, we have recipes for glass that sell,” Chain says. If his plan for franchising fails, he believes that a business degree is a good fallback. But he doesn't plan to fail. “There's a lot of excellent glassblowers that don't have money, and a lot of people looking to invest that don't have anything to invest in that's going to have a proper return. Well, this could have a really good return,” Chain says. “I’ve decided I'm going to be rich … so it's gonna work out.” With a natural talent for glassblowing and optimistic plans for his family glass shop, Chain has a bright road ahead of him. “I had it rough originally, but I feel like it’s helped me grow as a person. I feel invincible now,” Chain says. Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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PTK
Showing Students the Way Phi theta Kappa recognizes students for their academic achievement by Jaycie Wunder
P
hi Theta Kappa (PTK) is an honor society organization that works through individual 2-year colleges to recognize academic strides made by students. Alpha Phi Alpha is Butler’s chapter. Becoming a member of PTK involves an invitation after a student has proved good academic standing within the campus. A student must obtain an institutional cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. Before a student can be invited they must have completed at least 12 credit hours at Butler. A GPA cannot be rounded up, it must be a true 3.5 or higher. If a student decides to join PTK once invited and is afraid of losing membership with a dip in GPA, they can still be in good standing if they bring their GPA up to a 3.5 or higher by graduation. A bad semester will not cause one to be dismissed from the organization. Currently, the fee to gain membership in PTK is a one-time fee of $90. The fee is to be paid before the end of the semester. Chrissy Baker is the adviser for Butler’s Alpha Phi Alpha chapter.
A number of students are inducted in Phi Theta Kappa. Courtesy
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Fees will be increasing next semester by $5-$10, according to Baker. There are currently around 500-1,000 members in the Alpha Phi Alpha chapter. According to Baker, there are usually around 25 active members that participate in meetings. Active members attempt to meet on the first Thursday of every month at 5 p.m. They try to alternate between El Dorado and Andover campuses. The ceremony held on Oct. 23 in the Welcome Center is to symbolize students’ passage into membership. The benefits of PTK include scholarships available to members to continue their studies after Butler. Scholarships play a major role in attracting students to become members. “It’s an organization that promotes college completion not just at the 2-year level. We try and promote going on for your bachelor’s because we do have some transfer scholarships,” Baker says. Baker says the organization works on teaching their members their four hallmarks: scholarship, service, leadership skills and fellowship.
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Theta Kappa Society Adviser, Q aPhi Jim Buchhorn Q: Why should people join PTK? A: In a word: scholarships! Most of the 4-year schools a student would want to transfer to have a transfer scholarship for PTK students that would make the cost of joining worth the one-time dues payment. Last year, K-State alone gave out over $1 million to PTK students from Kansas to entice them to come to K-State. In addition, to transfer scholarships from transfer institutions, Phi Theta Kappa also gives out scholarships directly to students and we’ve had many students here at BCC receive these. So while I can’t guarantee any specific scholarship will come to any specific person, I do see a lot of students every year who get very nice scholarship packages from their transfer institutions. And aside from that, PTK also exists to recognize each student’s scholastic achievements, so one reason to join is just for that recognition of the hard work you’ve done. Q: What kinds of events does PTK participate in? A:We do many community service projects and scholastic projects every semester. But none of our events are required, so members may come to what they want to come to and skip what they want to skip. We do a major research project, our "Honors in Action" project, every year and a lot of our efforts revolve around that. We also do a "College Project" where we give back to our school by doing a service project to help out the institution. Q: Why did you choose to become an adviser of PTK? A: I have been involved in honor societies as an undergraduate and graduate student, so when I became a full-time professor here at BCC, I started to look for ways to get involved with the honor society and eventually became an adviser. I think organizations that encourage students to engage deeply with academics are important components of any institution, so I always wanted to help out the honor society in any way I could. Q: What is your favorite part of PTK? A: I love working with a wide variety of talented and engaged students who are driven to become the best they can be. PTK gives students a place to be with other students who want to achieve great things in college and I am thrilled to be able to help students do that.
Requirements
12 credit hours · Have completed3.5at least GPA · · One time $90 fee
Students prepare to be inducted into Phi Theta Kappa. Courtesy Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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L-R: Ethan Herrick, Jalis Bullock, Bailey Joonas and Richard Hastings ready for action. Photo by Nadine Armstrong
ablazefire science
Butler
with
The fire science program provides hands on training for students. by Emily Beckman Not everyone is able to call the fire department their home away from home, but 10 fire science students can. Currently, eight men and two women make up the livein residency program at Fire Station No. 2 in El Dorado. According to Dona Larimer, administrative assistant in fire science and early college public safety academy, these students are required to work five 24-hour shifts during the month with the El Dorado Fire Department. “They are expected to do whatever they need to do; the duties of the fire department,” Larimer says. The fire science program recently gained its own firetruck, Engine 8. The City of El Dorado and the El Dorado Fire Department donated it to the college. In addition, the program gained a new training tower over the summer, which was finished at the end of July. The tower cost $180,000, according to Anita Mills, Dean of health, education and public services. This new asset will allow students to engage in live training, including live burns and working with smoke. “It will benefit all of our fire science classes,” Larimer says. Sophomore Jalis Bullock, who is in her second year of the live-in residency program, has used the new tower
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three times so far. “The first time I used it we did search and rescue,” Bullock says. She explains that students used a thermal energy camera to find a mannequin that had been hidden and filled with smoke, before getting it out of the tower. Along with being a volunteer firefighter at the El Dorado Fire Department through the program, Bullock recently accepted a position at the Sedgwick County Fire Department. She explains that she will will train for three months at their academy, before becoming a part-time firefighter for the county. “Our graduates are recruited from local and regional fire departments and other entities,” Mills says. “Butler fire science graduates are well respected and are recognized for their expertise coming in as a firefighter.” Mills believes a number of aspects set Butler’s fire science apart from other schools’ programs. “I’d say [it is] the quality of instruction from our faculty, the curriculum that’s offered and the hands-on training opportunities that we have with the fire engine and our new fire training facility,” she says.
Requirements according to butlerCc.edu Students must: •Be at least 18 years of age •Possess and maintain a valid Kansas Driver's License •Be enrolled in the Fire Science program •Maintain a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester •Maintain a 2.5 GPA per semester •Possess IFSAC-approved Firefighter I Certificate or be currently enrolled in Firefighter I (FS 100) •Pass the KFTRI Firefighter I Exam before the next consecutive semester Top: Jalis Bullock in uniform. | Middle: A decal on the side of a fire truck at the station. | Bottom left: Jalis Bullock geared up in front of the firetruck. | Bottom right: Bailey Joonas ready to go in front of the fire truck. Photos by Nadine Armstrong
Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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Cast (In order of appearance)
Philostrate, Master of Revels….........David Kelley Theseus, Duke of Athens……....…......Clay Voisin Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons....Miranda Kimble Egeus, mother to Hermia……………….Jordan Debbrecht Hermia, in love with Lysander………..Allison Pieschl Lysander, in love with Hermia………..Davyd Ledgerwood Demetrius, in love with Hermia……..José Cruz Helena, in love with Demetrius………Abigail Staats Peter Quince, a carpenter………………Nathan Wells Nick Bottom, a weaver…………………..Seth Knowles Francis Flute, a bellows-mender…...Charly Ahlstedt Tom Snout, a tinker……………………….Jacob Martinez Snug, a joiner………………………………..Bethanie Phillips Robin Starveling, a tailor……………….Elayne Rye Fairy………………………………………………Brooklyn Kane Robin Goodfellow, a puck………………Matthew Heideman Oberon, King of the Fairies…………….Chandler Moore Titania, Queen of the Fairies………….Madisyn Coats Peaseblossom, a fairy…………………….Bethany Khanu Cobweb, a fairy……………………………..Nicole Walker Moth, a fairy………………………………….Elizabeth Gillis Mustardseed, a fairy……………………..Sarah Slack
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Top: Lysander (Davyd Ledgerwood) trying to swoon Helena (Abigail Staats) because Robin Goodfellow (Matthew Heideman) uses the flower on the wrong person. | Bottom: Titania (Madisyn Coats) in love with Nick Bottom (Seth Knowles) because Oberon (Chandler Moore) used the flower on her. Photos by Nadine Armstrong
A Night of
laughs
A Midsummer Night’s Dream was performed from Sept. 20 - Oct. 1 by Nadine Armstrong
Titania (Madisyn Coats) explaining to Oberon (Chandler Moore) why she will not agree to the deal he offered her. Photo by Nadine Armstrong
The Theater Department began the school year with a play under the direction of professor Sam Sparks, and recently put a spin on William Shakespeare’s classic play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The showings took place from Sept. 29 - Oct. 1. The fairies did not look like the typical fairies in other versions of the show, giving this play its own unique twist. The audience didn’t have to understand Shakespearean to have a laugh and enjoy the show. The show is set in the forest of Athens near Fairyland around the time of Theseus, played by Clay Voisin, and Hippolyta, played by Miranda Kimble, on their wedding day. A lover’s quarrel unfolds between Hermia, played by Allison Pieschl, Lysander, played by Davyd Ledgerwood, Demetrius, played by Jose Cruz, and Helena, played by Abigail Staats. The fairy king, Oberon, played by Chandler Moore, and queen Titania, played by Madisyn Coats, have a slight disagreement. Oberon sends his servant, Robin Goodfellow, played by Matthew Heideman, to retrieve a flower that was hit by Cupid’s arrow. Oberon tells Robin to use the flower on one of the young lovers, but he puts it on the wrong person, making the audience laugh. “Sparks had a vision of what he wanted. I just went with it,” sophomore Chelsey Harber says about the costumes. The costumes were a favorite for Coats. “Especially for the fairies and for my character, Titania,” she says. Titania’s dress was an old prom dress of Harber’s that she spray painted. The fairies also had spray painted clothing. The fairies had hair that was teased and messy, and their makeup made them look like they were dirty. “I’ve never done a Shakespeare show before. It was hard to learn the language,” says Seth Knowles, who played Nick Bottom. Being in plays takes time and creates close friendships. “There were a lot of late nights so when it went well we would go get burgers at the nearest 24-hour joint,” Knowles says. Being in shows are fun and creates memories you will never forget. “It was a lot of fun. It was different, I never did a Shakespeare show before. I alway like the opportunity to work with Sparks. Working on the show was very memorable,” Coats says.
Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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A visit...
Walter’s Pumpkin Patch provides autumn activities for students.
Activities Jumping Pillows Human Gerbil Wheel Paddle Boats Farm Scene Investigation Graveyard Golf Pumpkin land Game Punkin’ Chunkin’ Walters’ Express Duck Races Hi Striker
And many more exciting games and activities Top: Scarecrows like this one can be seen scattered around Walter’s.|Bottom: Families enjoying their day at Walter’s by laughing and splashing around in the paddle boats on the pond. Paddle boats can accommodate groups of two to four people. | Right: A number of handmade items are for purchase in the gift shop. Photo by Allison Simon
Special Activities Flashlight Maze Friday & Saturday nights • $8 per person Haunted Cannery Open from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Oct. 16 & 17• Oct. 23 & 24 • Oct. 30 & 31 Admission is $20 per person • $25 for Haunted Cannery and Flashlight Maze Combo Bring a canned donation for the Salvation Army Food bank and receive $1 off Haunted Cannery Admission.
Hours Monday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sunday: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.
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toWalter’s by Allison Simon
O
ne seed brought big opportunities for the Walter family. Becky Walter, co-owner of Walter’s Pumpkin Patch, started out as a “city girl.” She then married Carroll Walter, a “simple” farmer. To fit in on the farm she started growing and selling pumpkins. The Walters got the idea to open a pumpkin patch after they had a few teachers ask if they could bring their students to see the pumpkin field. When one first pulls into Walter’s Pumpkin Patch, they are greeted by a huge welcome sign. After getting out of the car and taking in the scenery, which consists of different things for families and children to play on and participate in, you can’t help the big smile that comes to your face when thinking of all the fun to be had. There are many activities for college students to do, such as “the Haunted Cannery” and the “Flashlight Maze” which are on Friday and Saturday nights. Walter’s Pumpkin Patch sees over 30,000 families, in its seven week season, who come to hop on a wagon which takes them to the field where they pick their own pumpkins. When visiting the pumpkin patch, keep an eye out for Becky Walter. She can be caught walking around or sitting down with her camera taking pictures of people enjoying their time at her pumpkin patch. When leaving with the pumpkin you picked yourself at the end of the day, stop by Walter’s unique gift shop where most of the items are homegrown and handmade right there on the farm.
Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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Individual Results:
Haley Stark – Ormand Beach, Florida - High Individual Overall, High Individual Reasons P.D. Miller – Torrington, Wyoming - 5th High Overall, 5th High Reasons Whitney Whitaker – Templeton, California - 11th Overall, 10th High Reasons Payton Dahmer – Nevada, Missouri - 8th Reasons Hannah Frobose – Pemberville, Ohio Alyson MacLean – Nipomo, California Skylynn Flemming – Paxton, Illinois Lucas Tuck – Bowling Green, Ohio
what was your favorite part of the competition? “I think, for some of us who didn’t come from a hog background, the trip was really good and we were able to learn a lot.” -Alyson MacLean, sophomore
“The contest has this portion [called] Keep/Cull. It challenges us more from a stockman’s standpoint, and puts us in the position of a producer.” -Hannah Frobose, sophomore
“For me, my favorite part of the trip wasn’t necessarily the contest, but going to some of the breeder facilities who have built up the industry.” -PD Miller, sophomore
Top: The sophomore team practices at Cain Super Sires in Charlton, Iowa. (L-R): P.D. Miller, Payton Dahmer, Alyson MacLean, Skylynn Flemming, Whitney Whitaker, Haley Stark, Hannah Frobose, Lucas Tuck. Courtesy Bottom: The team practices in Iowa wearing biosecurity suits to prevent spread of disease. Courtesy
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“Marcus is from a cattle background … to go and win [a hog competition] on his first time shows what kind of coach he is.” -Payton Dahmer, sophomore
teamwork makes
The livestock judging team was named the Champion Team Overall and the Champion Team in Reasons at the National Barrow Show in Austin, Minnesota. Courtesy
the
the livestock judging team starts the school year off with a win. by Emily Beckman
L
ocated just south of the main campus, the 1400 building may be one of Butler Community College’s hidden gems. The agriculture building is home of the Livestock Judging Team, whose sophomores recently returned from the National Barrow Show in Austin, Minnesota. This was the team’s first time competing in this particular show in over 20 years. But they left their mark as they were named the Champion Team Overall and the Champion Team in Reasons, an oral expression defending their choices. In addition, the team had the High Individual Overall, the High Individual in Reasons and a number of other individual awards. “I think it’s important to know that our agriculture program is one of the most recognizable in the country,” sophomore Payton Dahmer says. “There’s a lot of people who have come out and become industry leaders from Butler.” Professor and Livestock Judging Coach Marcus Arnold explains that being on the team requires a lot of practice. “It's a unique competition in the fact that it's really one of a kind,” he says. “You have to make quick decisions in a time frame and have the verbal skills to defend that decision … there's a lot of life skills that are being developed.”
Being on the team Arnold speaks highly of the team, emphasising that in the four years that he has been the coach, the cumulative GPA for both teams hasn’t dropped below a 3.7. “Academically, they're really intelligent young people,” he says. There are currently 14 students on the freshman team, and eight on the sophomore team. Their season begins the week before school starts, with the last competition held at the end of March. Both teams typically workout four to five days per week. The freshmen practice on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, while the sophomores practice on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. In addition, both teams practice on Friday, Saturday and sometimes Sunday, traveling to visit farms to look at livestock. Sophomore Haley Stark explains that the team spends weekday practices strengthening their Reasons skills, and weekends practicing placing classes. “As a team, we don’t really limit ourselves to what we do in our hours of practice ... we pretty much live and breathe it every moment of every day,” Stark says. Designer: Tatum Sturdivant | The Grizzly | Issue One
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Staff
Tatum Sturdivant
Emily Beckman Emily Beckman is the editorin-chief of The Grizzly, with a primary focus on writing and social media. She graduated from Derby High School, and is currently a sophomore at Butler. She plans to attend the University of Kansas and major in journalism after earning her associate’s degree. Beckman is passionate about telling people’s stories, style and travel.
Jaycie Wunder Jaycie Wunder is the assistant editor of The Grizzly. It is her second year on staff and at Butler. She loves to laugh, enjoys the color green and is a Libra. She currently resides in Augusta with her pet cat and best friend, Matilda.
Tatum Sturdivant is from Wichita and graduated from Northwest High School. Sturdivant was co-editor-inchief, business manager and social media manager for the yearbook. Now, Sturdivant is design director for The Grizzly. After getting her associate’s in arts, Sturdivant plans on using the BEST program with Emporia State University to major in elementary education. Sturdivant spends most of her time at school, work or with her friends or younger brother, Quincent.
Max McGlaun This is Max McGlaun’s third semester on staff of The Grizzly magazine. He is the photo editor and mostly enjoys taking photos but sometimes writes stories. He graduated from Derby High School and still lives in Derby. He commutes to Butler five days a week. McGlaun recently started getting involved in the theatre program, and just got cast in his first production, Where’s Charley? which premieres November 17.
Justice Bidwell Allison Simon Allison Simon is from Eureka, and graduated from Eureka High School where she was the treasurer of her senior class, played basketball and softball and was on the powerlifting team. Simon was involved in 4-H for nine years and was president of the Racing Wrangler’s club for four years. Simon is currently a co-photo editor on The Grizzly, along with being a writer and photographer. She loves taking photos of different events around campus. After she graduates from Butler, she plans to attend Pittsburg State University and major in photojournalism.
Nadine Armstrong Nadine Armstrong graduated from Council Grove High School, where she was on staff of the online newspaper. She is now a member of The Grizzly as co-photo editor, writer, photographer and media developer. After Butler she hopes to attend either Kansas State University or Oklahoma State University, and possibly work on a campus publication.
This is Justice Bidwell’s fifth semester on staff of The Grizzly magazine. She was previously a co-editor. Bidwell is from Conway Springs. She is currently employed at the new McDonald’s as a manager.
Michael Swan Michael Swan is a former newspaper sports editor, city editor and editor. He has been a teacher for almost 30 years. Swan taught high school journalism and English in Iowa and Texas before coming to Butler. He has taught Mass Communications at Butler for 18 years, serving as the adviser of The Grizzly for all of that time, and as Student Sports Media adviser since the inception of that scholarship program 14 years ago. The magazine was named All-Kansas by the Kansas Collegiate Media (KCM) organization in 2016. His students have won numerous print and broadcast awards. Swan is also past-president of KCM.