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REAL TEAM PLAYER

Freshmen, seniors compare college expectations to realities PAGE 5

Physically disabled fan finds passion, purpose through support of Husker volleyball PAGE 10

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wednesday, october 12, 2011

volume 111, issue 038

DAILY NEBRASKAN O

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dailynebraskan.com

courtesy photo

Crash injures 2 at Michigan fishing event nickolai hammar | Daily Nebraskan

James Ferguson is a freshman history major and, as a member of UNL’s Naval ROTC program, can participate in military classes. However, until he reaches a weight of 211 pounds, he cannot participate in the battalion.

Frannie Sprouls

Losing weight for country

Daily Nebraskan

Strict military guidelines force prospective students to evaluate lifestyle Lorena Carmona Daily nebraskan

James Ferguson has dreamed of becoming a Marine since he was a little boy. For him, it was a matter of family tradition. Two of his grandfathers had served in the military; one fought in World War II and one in the Korean War. But this summer, the 6-foot3, 260-pound freshman was told to rethink his dream. Recruiters told him he was overweight and should consider the Navy instead.

Instead, Ferguson, a freshman history major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, joined the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC).

This means he gets to go to his military and naval science classes, but he is unable to

participate in the battalion.

“Once I lose the weight, then I can join and hit the ground running,” he said.

Mission: Readiness, a nonprofit group composed of retired military members, recently released a report titled, “Too Fat to Fight: Retired Military Leaders Want Junk Food Out of America’s Schools.”

It found that 27 percent of young adults are medically ineligible for the military.

The report also cited an earlier study that included Department of Defense data stating that 75 percent of young Americans between the ages of 17 to 24 do not qualify for the military because of failures to graduate from high school, criminal records or physical problems.

“Being overweight or obese

turns out to be the leading medical reason why applicants fail to qualify for military service,” the report said.

“Today, otherwise excellent recruit prospects, some of them with generations of sterling military service in their family history, are being turned away because they are just too overweight.”

However, 1st Lt. Spencer Murdock, the enrollment and scholarship officer at UNL, said students are not turned away from the U.S. Army because they are overweight.

“We recruit students that may be overweight, but to make a contract, they have to make a height/weight standard,” Murdock said. “Then they are taped and they have to meet (the body fat) percentage.”

Allegedly drunken driver hits truck as students unloaded boat into water

After a student’s height and weight are recorded, there is a body fat check from neck to waist. Depending on those measurements, a student can pass, Murdock said.

“It’s very difficult to do so,” Murdock said. “I used to never make weight.”

Ferguson said that different branches have different standards or requirements, but no matter what branch, you must be physically fit. He has about 30 percent body fat and he must lower it to 20 percent or under.

“The weight that I need to be is 211 pounds,” Ferguson said.

The motivation was there

recruits: see page 3

A purported drunken driver in a Chevrolet Silverado crashed into a fishing boat Oct. 2 in Coldwater, Mich., injuring two University of Nebraska-Lincoln students.

Two members of the Huskers Bass Anglers — Jonathan Bash, a freshman marketing major, and Levi Carlock, a freshman fisheries and wildlife major — prepared to launch their boat into the water for the annual Big Ten Classic when the driver crashed into their boat.

“I was a few cars up, but we just heard it happen,” said Sean Mulholland, a sophomore fisheries and wildlife major. “We went over to see what was going on. We saw Jon lying on the ground, and Levi was in shock.”

It was the first day of the tournament on Coldwater

Lake. About 6:30 a.m., everyone waited to put their boats in the water, Mulholland said.

Carlock said they checked in with the tournament director just before the accident.

After getting back to their boat, Bash worked on taking the transom saver, a metal bar that keeps the motor from bouncing when driving, off of the boat. Carlock stood at the driver’s side of his truck to get his rain gear out. “(The truck) hit Jon first before it hit the boat and threw him up against the boat,” Carlock said. “He bounced 15 feet and hit the back left end of the boat.”

Bash landed in the small ditch and the boat broke from the trailer hitch and slid into the woods.

“He ended up having a fractured pelvis in five places, a broken tailbone and chipped vertebrae,” Mulholland said.

Bash could not comment on the accident outside of a lawyer’s presence.

accident: see page 2

Nebraskans Child welfare rally calls for help score low on civil rights knowledge Jordan Martin Daily Nebraskan

Dan holtmeyer daily nebraskan

Martin Luther King Jr. Rosa Parks. Malcolm X. Almost any Nebraska high school or college student could name one of these icons of the civil rights movement that began five decades ago. But surprisingly, few can do much more.

Teaching the Movement, an assessment that went through every state’s education requirements for civil rights history and assigned each state a letter grade, was recently released by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit Alabama-based civil rights organization founded in 1971.

Nebraska’s grade: F. There are no enforceable requirements in social studies education for public schools in Nebraska, only standards and recommendations that include civil rights

moser page 4

struggles. That potential lack of knowledge carries into the college level, including the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“I teach these issues, and (many students) clearly don’t know what I’m talking about,” said Jeannette Eileen Jones, an associate professor of history and ethnic studies at UNL who called Nebraska’s score “pitiful.”

“They have been taught that it’s something remote,” she said.

Jasmyn McAlister, a sophomore psychology and Spanish major with a minor in ethnic studies, said many students have a superficial understanding of the issues behind the movement.

“People think since the civil rights movement happened, it’s all good now,” she said. “A lot of the same problems are still

For a growing number of Nebraska families, the simplicity of childhood is much more complicated.

Five child welfare advocates, including athletic director Tom Osborne spoke at the “Step up for Kids Rally” on the north steps of the Nebraska Capitol Tuesday afternoon.

Osborne spoke to a group of about 50 people, including a handful of children, about TeamMates, an organization founded by Tom and Nancy Osborne with the goal of using mentoring to encourage children to graduate and pursue post-secondary education.

According to Osborne, children who receive academic help, especially through high school or adult mentoring, see their grades improve and their discipline referrals go down. Osborne also added that these children set more

civil rights: see page 3

child rally: see page 3

student life page 5

bethany schmidt | daily nebraskan

Addison Genzler, left, and her brother, Jaxon, help their mother, Jen Genzler, roll up a poster after the Step Up for Kids Rally at the capitol building on Oct. 11.

FOOTBALL page 9

Weather | rainy

Coming out as an ally

Keeping the faith

The right pick

straight people, support the LGBTQ community

baha’i group enjoys freedom of religion in lincoln

Jean-baptiste’s interception helps Huskers top OSU

@dailyneb | facebook.com/dailynebraskan

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2

wednesday, october 12, 2011

Daily Nebraskan

Australian study finds caffeine addiction may be genetic Frannie Sprouls

RESEARCH

Daily Nebraskan

Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed substances in the world and the explanation could be in a person’s genes, according to an international study.

The Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Australia released the results of its study Aug. 30, suggesting genes could play a role in how much caffeine a person consumes.

There are certain genes responsible for breaking down caffeine once it is consumed and other genetic factors affect how caffeine is broken down in the body.

“It depends on how you’re built, your food intake, your hydration, whether you’re male or female,” said Karen Miller, nutrition education and wellness coordinator at the University of NebraskaLincoln’s Campus Recreation Center. “Most people are going to feel effects in 20 minutes.”

According to the study, caffeine’s influence on chemical pathways can be passed down from generation to generation.

The easiest way to study this was to use a widely consumed caffeinated beverage: coffee.

One of the most popular beverages in the world, coffee-drinking has been associated with decreased risk

of dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and Type II diabetes.

Some studies have found that coffee is linked to certain cancers, particularly ovarian cancer, but Miller said she doesn’t think there are any real negative health consequences from coffee consumption.

“Some people are more sensitive,” Miller said. “It can cause heartburn or an upset stomach for some people. If you happen to notice that in yourself, you shouldn’t drink it.”

The study stated the genetic variant determines how a person reacts to coffee, which explains why people do or do not drink the beverage.

One of the main reasons for coffee consumption is a pick-me-up in the morning, Miller said.

“It can increase your alertness, but there’s been research some places that show the more you drink coffee, the less sensitive you become to it,” Miller said. “If you’re a chronic coffee drinker, you have less of a pick-me-up than a person who drinks less does.”

Staying awake is one

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reason why Emma Schneider, a freshman biochemistry major, drinks coffee.

She prefers to have flavored creamer instead of drinking coffee black.

Schneider said she doesn’t drink coffee often and said she’s not addicted to coffee yet.

Drinking coffee runs in the family for Schneider.

RHA brainstorms uses for $30,000 remaining budget Elias Youngquist Daily Nebraskan

On Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the East Campus Great Plains Room, a record was broken for the semester, if not the year. The Residence Hall Association of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln had its quickest meeting of the year, coming in at a total of 22 minutes.

Despite the brief amount of time, RHA filled it with numerous events for the Halloween season as well as a surprising budget update.

RHA Treasurer Ryan King presented the budget report, which featured the amount of money spent within the first half of the year. As of Oct. 11, $2,500

had been spent out of the $33,234 allotted for the first semester.

“Today is the halfway mark in the semester and quite a bit of money still remains in our budget,” King said. He then urged the RHA members to continue creating events.

Representatives brought forward numerous upcoming Halloween events in the planning process.

Thursday Oct. 13 there will be an event held in the Cather/Pound/Neihardt dining hall called Hocus Pocus Showcus. At 8 p.m. events will start with caramel apples, sugar cookies to decorate and a showing of the Disney movie “Hocus Pocus.”

“We’ll also have a few scary

She said her dad drinks a lot of coffee – about three cups every day.

“When we came to Lincoln, we’d always stop at Starbucks, which we didn’t have in our small town,” Schneider said. “It was a big deal to go to Starbucks and get a frappuccino.”

Schneider’s favorite drink is a caramel frappuccino

stephanie goodman | daily nebraskan

from Starbucks.

A caramel macchiato is Adam Britten’s favorite coffee drink.

Britten, a freshman business administration major, started drinking coffee during his sophomore year of high school when he went

with his friends to Starbucks.

“I found flavors I like and I drink (coffee) in the morning to help me wake up,” Britten said. “I like the flavor and I like the ability to wake up after I drink coffee.”

franniesprouls@ dailynebraskan.com

taking back the night

stories to tell in keeping with the Halloween mood,” said Anne Hildebrand, a senior marketing major and events committee chair.

Campus Nightlife also came forward with their plans for Husker Haunt. Oct. 28 from 7 p.m. to midnight there will be inflatable laser tag, a haunted hayrack ride, crafts and food. A shuttle will be running during the event to shuttle students back and forth from City Campus to East Campus.

“We try to plan events to reach out to all parts of campus and we thought we’d go to East Campus this time,” said Campus Nightlife representative Tyson Nickerson.

Eliasyoungquist@ dailynebraskan.com

dan holtmeyer | daily nebraskan

accident: from 1 Carlock, who had both feet on the pavement and his upper half in the truck, was hit next.

According to the traffic crash report, the Silverado hit the open driver’s door where Carlock was, dragging the truck and Carlock about 15 feet. “(The truck) missed killing me by a few inches,” Carlock said. “My life literally flashed before my eyes.”

The Silverado allegedly hit into the truck ahead of Carlock and Bash, knocking the motor off that boat.

No one else was injured, Carlock said. At that point, he said he screamed at others to call 911 as the driver got out of his truck.

“He was playing off as if it was a small deal,” Carlock said. “I screamed at

him, ‘I think you killed my friend.’”

Carlock said the driver took off running into the woods, and Carlock went to check on Bash, yelling at others to call 911.

Police found the driver, Roger Foust of Wyoming, Mich., 30 minutes later and gave Foust a breathalyzer test.

According to the traffic crash report, Foust had a blood alcohol level of .18.

“It was about 45 minutes before the tournament,” Mulholland said. “They had to push the time back because of the accident.”

Carlock did not have to be taken to the hospital with Bash, but his right ankle hurt 45 minutes later.

After a CT scan and an Xray, Carlock learned he had fractures in his foot as well

as a sprained ankle and foot.

The orthopedic surgeon in Lincoln did not find the fractures when Carlock went in for an appointment, so Carlock said he is using a walking boot instead of crutches.

Mulholland said Bash cannot walk for six to eight weeks and had to withdraw from classes for the rest of the semester.

Bash, who is in Illinois, said he will be there until November.

“It’s nothing short of a miracle they are alive,” Mulholland said.

Foust faces charges of drunken driving causing serious injury and failing to stop for identification charges. His trial is scheduled for Oct. 13. franniesprouls@ dailynebraskan.com

Lisa Tran (right) and An Nguyen crack the glow sticks that stood in for candles at Take Back the Night event on Oct. 11, part of a movement that began in the 1970s to draw attention to the danger of sexual violence that women face simply by walking alone at night. Take Back the Night has appeared sporadically in Lincoln and on UNL’s campus during the past decade; a few dozen attended Tuesday night. Tran’s sorority, Sigma Psi Zeta, organized the event and hopes to hold it annually. Kacey Barrow, Voices of Hope’s victim advocate for UNL’s campus, said, “It’s really just become about a woman’s right to safety – everyone’s right to safety.”

Nhi Dang, president of Sigma Psi Zeta, writes a message of encouragement to victims of sexual violence on a purple ribbon at Take Back the Night. This is the first year her sorority has hosted the event as part of its focus on fighting domestic violence, according to Cat Nguyen, a junior biological systems engineering major and former president of the sorority. “This year, we wanted to take another step,” she said.

“These issues need to be addressed.”

dan holtmeyer | daily nebraskan

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wednesday, october 12, 2011

Daily Nebraskan

civil rights: from 1 TEST YOUR CIVIL RIGHTS KNOWLEDGE 1. When was Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech and the March on Washington? a. Aug. 28, 1963 b. Jan. 15, 1967 c. May 4, 1960 d. Dec. 12, 1970 2. True or false: Rosa Parks was working alone when she refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Ala., a decision that led to her arrest and sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. a. True; Parks took a stand by sitting down on her own. b. False; Parks knew the importance of her decision and what she was doing, and she was part of a much larger movement in the city.

3. Which president signed the Civil Rights Act into law in 1964, banning racial discrimination in voting and the workplace? a. John F. Kennedy b. Gerald R. Ford c. Lyndon B. Johnson d. Richard M. Nixon 4. The Freedom Riders, which included white and black activists, traveled through several Southern states together in protest of racial segregation in transportation. How did they travel? a. Train b. Car c. Bus d. Plane 5. Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark Supreme Court case for civil rights, arguably one of the most significant cases of the 20th century. What was the court’s decision? a. Schools were required to teach about African American leaders in history classes. b. School districts had to let civil rights leaders come to speak to their students. c. School districts could no longer segregate schools — and resources like books and supplies — by race. d. Schools could decide on their own whether they would racially segregate.

thought many students knew only the tale of Southern segregation and prejudice that Martin Luther King Jr. fixed with a march and a speech.

“The civil rights movement happened, but it didn’t magically fix everything,” she said.

“People don’t understand that it was a process and not just an event.”

That process continues today, she and Jones said.

“America is constantly, I don’t want to say reinventing itself, but changing,” Jones said.

Without schools teaching about a movement that demonstrates that fact, “(students) don’t get to see how far the U.S. has come, but also how far it has to go.” danholtmeyer@ dailynebraskan.com

three-and-a-half pounds since the semester began, he is not discouraged. He said that it’s motivating him even more.

“I am envious of the people who are able to serve our country and that I can’t, so it makes me want to work harder” he said.

There is a falsehood that officers don’t have to be physically fit, Ferguson said.

That’s just not true, he said.

“Being in ROTC is a fulltime job aside from school,” said Lindsey Hoffman, a freshman criminal justice major and member of Naval ROTC. “I am a 5-foot-3 and 138-pound girl,” Hoffman

said. “My body mass index fits in the requirement for what I am.”

She said there are physical requirements that each person needs to achieve. A specific amount of sit-ups and push-ups in a two-minute timeframe and being able to run a mile and a half in 11 minutes are just some in the physical test, she said.

Hoffman said there is a definite need to be physically fit.

“If you are not, you won’t be looked at the same,” she said. “You won’t be given the same respect by the people below you.”

Lorenacarmona@ dailynebraskan.com

child rally: from 1 goals because they watch their mentors achieve goals and watch them graduate.

“Kids may not think they can graduate high school because they haven’t seen anyone (they know) do it,” Osborne said.

Seeing their mentors graduate inspires these children, he said.

Carolyn Rooker, executive director of Voices for Children, said that one in five kids in the state of Nebraska is currently living in poverty.

These children, according to Rooker, get worse grades due to a lack of breakfast. They miss more school because they

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don’t visit doctors as often, she said, and they don’t always know whether they’re going to have food.

Jonah Deppe of the National Alliance for Mental Illness in Nebraska spoke about the need for government to take more action in regard to the child welfare system. Deppe said there are currently people willing to help children in systems like foster care, but added that there is currently no adequate payment structure. She said the recent privatization of the industry has made it less efficient and called on Gov. Dave Heineman and the legislature to make changes.

Susan Gourley, former superintendent of Lincoln Public Schools, wrapped up the rally with a call for onlookers to both thank their public officials when they succeed in making good policy and to remind them of the need to step up as leaders.

She said she couldn’t think of any state that had a better ability to provide a quality life for children than Nebraska.

She concluded with a quote from Sitting Bull: “Let us all put our minds together and see what life we can make for all our children.” jordanmartin@ dailynebraskan.com

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recruits: from 1 to lose weight. Everyone in the battalion supported him, he said.

Every day at 4 a.m., Ferguson wakes up to go on a run. He said he goes to the Campus Recreation Center to do different workouts: swimming, biking, weight lifting and using the circuit room.

“My lieutenants gave me a diet plan and showed me this phone app that will track my daily activity,” he said.

Ferguson’s weight as of last week was 257 pounds.

“This is the lowest I have weighed in the last three years,” he said.

Ferguson said even though he has only lost

SU PER SAV INGS

6. President Kennedy called in the National Guard to protect two black college students when Gov. George Wallace, along with many of his constituents, refused to allow them to attend a public university in what state? a. Georgia b. Alabama c. North Carolina d. Arkansas Answers: 1.a. (Hundreds of thousands of marchers of all races marched down the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to the Lincoln memorial, where King gave his famous speech); 2.b.

(Parks was a member of her local NAACP chapter, and her actions were meant to test the legality of segregation in public transportation); 3.c. (Johnson also signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965, banning widespread discrimination at voting booths); 4.c. (The riders meant to travel from Washington, D.C., to New Orleans, but were unable to make it that far because of racially motivated violence by white mobs on the way); 5.c. (The decision overruled the “separate but equal” doctrine, which had consigned black children to lower quality schools); 6.b. (Wallace eventually gave in)

around.”

The report looked at state requirements for several pieces of the movement, including leaders, strategies and tactics and opposition. It did not assess students’ actual knowledge.

But what’s required and what students learn are potentially related, said Larry Starr, director of social science education in Nebraska’s Department of Education.

“People tell me that what gets assessed gets taught,” he said.

With increased emphasis on subjects like math, science and writing and the standardized tests to match, “social studies will be at the end of the day, if the teacher has time. That’s common knowledge.”

Starr emphasized that the report didn’t explore what teachers were teaching on the ground, a common criticism of the report since its release. Starr began teaching social studies in 1965, right in the thick of the civil rights movement, he said, and covered most of the topics the Southern Poverty Law Center listed as necessary.

“I know some school districts assess locally,” he said. “The majority of states are finding a similar thing.”

But there’s no way of knowing what Nebraska students do learn about social studies, a subject Starr called a “neglected child” in some school curricula, because, just as the state doesn’t require that knowledge, it largely doesn’t test it either.

When asked why that is, Starr said with a laugh, “I would like to know to know, too.”

Despite the state’s dearth of social studies requirements, there was little disagreement on the subject’s importance.

For his part, Starr said the subject is necessary for students to become educated, participating citizens.

“This is a movement that altered the fabric of the United States,” Jones said.

It changed society legally, politically, socially and economically; it changed Americans’ idea of equality and it dealt with the essential notion of who people are, she said.

“I think students need to understand all of this,” Jones said.

She pointed to Texas, where controversy brewed years ago when the state adopted history textbooks that many said gave a sugarcoated picture of a realistically imperfect nation.

“I don’t know if those forces are at work here, but that’s my hunch,” Jones said.

Knowledge of the civil rights movement, which includes women, Native American, Latinos and other immigrants and the gay rights movement can help students see through that idea, she continued.

“It shows that something’s wrong,” she said. “People aren’t equal. It was true then, and it’s still true now.”

McAlister agreed, saying she

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Opinion DAILY NEBRASKAN

dailynebraskan.com

wednesday, october 12, 2011

DAILY NEBRASKAN

page 4

editorial board members ZACH SMITH

IAN SACKS editor-in-chief ANDREW MCCLURE

opinion editor

copy chief

RHIANNON ROOT

HAILEY KONNATH

assistant opinion editor

news assignment editor

our view

bob al-greene | daily nebraskan

Coffee deserves healthier image NU facilities lag bob al-greene | daily nebraskan

behind Big Ten peer schools

Laying aside the “welcome to the Big Ten” nature of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s first two conference football games and the generally dominant nature of NU volleyball, let’s talk about academics. More specifically, let’s talk about facilities.

UNL has some top-notch academic programs, as mentioned by the Daily Nebraskan in our Sept. 21, 2011, staff editorial, and by James LeSueur in a recent letter to the editor. But our facilities are woefully inadequate to serve students as we transition into not only a more competitive athletic environment, but also a vastly more competitive academic conference.

Let’s look at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s facilities, for instance. Wisconsin’s union facilities — they have two, the Memorial Union and Union South — recently began a long-term renovation project. Hearing their union director, Mark Guthier, discuss “responsibility” and “stewardship” of the building is a far cry from the aging pair of unions at UNL. Wisconsin is constructing a new student union with dining facilities and a 60-room hotel, adding more square footage, and taking into account growing enrollment in the process. And that’s just the student union!

Compare this to Nebraska’s academic facilities.

It’s no secret that our buildings are old and probably inadequate for the increased enrollment goals announced by Chancellor Harvey Perlman in the “State of the University” address this year. They’re certainly not up to Big Ten standards. But at some level, we can’t just blame the university for this.

Nebraska’s state government, too, seems unwilling to make the necessary investments in the future of this institution.

UNL and the University of Nebraska system are seeing tuition raises without any attempt at matching funds from the state. Academic facilities — and academics are the bedrock of the university — are necessary for UNL to succeed in the Big Ten. Both the university and the State of Nebraska must take steps to ensure the continued success of UNL. And that means more funding.

opinion@dailynebraskan.com

editorial policy The editorial above contains the opinion of the fall 2011 Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, its student body or the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. A column is solely the opinion of its author; a cartoon is solely the opinion of its artist. The Board of Regents acts as publisher of the Daily Nebraskan; policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. The UNL Publications Board, established by the regents, supervises the production of the paper. According to policy set by the regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of Daily Nebraskan employees.

letters to the editor policy The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor and guest columns but does not guarantee their publication. The Daily Nebraskan retains the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Submitted material becomes property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be returned or removed from online archives. Anonymous submissions will not be published. Those who submit letters must identify themselves by name, year in school, major, and/or group affiliation, if any. Email material to opinion@ dailynebraskan.com or mail to: Daily Nebraskan, 20 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St. Lincoln, NE 68588-0448.

W

hen, or if, I finish college, there will be a list of candidates who deserve my thanks. Like most sports champions or Grammy Award winners, I will thank God and my family for always being there for me and pushing me to succeed. I will thank my friends for being positive influences on me, and I will thank my professors for putting up with me in class.

Most of all, I will thank the one I turned to most often. The one who was there for me in the dead of night or at the crack of dawn, always giving me that drive I needed to succeed. I will thank the one who never complained, and who assured me I had just enough time to finish my assignments. This thank you doesn’t go to any one individual, but the beverage that I have so often depended on: coffee.

I’m not talking about pricey macchiatos or cappuccinos. I am referring to the bitter, dark liquid that soothes the soul with its earthy tones; the kind of coffee that, even though you can mask its bold flavor with creams or sugar, maintains that status of “an acquired taste.”

Some may call it an addiction, but I like to refer to it as a symbiotic relationship.

Of course, I’m the only living of the two, and the relationship is slightly parasitic, but that’s beside the point.

Coffee has been highly regarded since its introduction into mainstream European society during the Enlightenment. It acted as a much-needed stimulant that provided great thinkers with the boost necessary to process such revolutionary ideas. Since then, it has been consumed by countless individuals to give them that extra kick they need.

However, some people often downplay the attributes of coffee and emphasize its negative qualities. They point out that caffeine is a drug, which carries a negative connotation. Many say it stunts your

ryan duggan growth and increases your blood pressure, while others add that it turns your teeth yellow, and should, therefore, be avoided.

While some of these things may be true, let’s not forget the positive qualities that greatly outweigh the negative.

Coffee — like tea, cranberries and red grapes — is a great source of antioxidants.

In fact, “Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other dietary source,” according to Professor Joe Vinson of the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania in 2005 study on the subject.

Vinson added that, “Coffee was the largest single contributor on a daily basis for the average American, contributing 31 percent of the total daily antioxidants,” which are useful in ridding the body of harmful free radicals.

In a study done by Swedish researcher Susanna Larsson of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, the health of 34,670 women, ages 49-83, was recorded for a span of 10 years. According to this study, women who drank one, or more, cups of coffee a day had a 22 to 25 percent drop in the risk of having a stroke. Though this may seem insignificant, strokes are the third-highest cause of death in the United States behind cancer and heart disease.

These results are consistent with a similar study that was conducted in the U.S. Research done by the Nurses’ Health Study in 2009 concluded among 83,076 women, the consumption of four or more cups of coffee per day decreased the risk of stroke by 20 percent.

Coffee can also be a very healthy drink for those suffering from hepatitis C, or with other liver problems. A study done by Dr. Neal Freedman of the National Cancer Institute demonstrated how those with advanced liver disease who drank an average of three cups a day had a “53 percent lower risk of liver disease progression than non-coffee drinkers.”

So not only does coffee provide antioxidants, help prevent strokes and benefit those with liver disease, it fulfills the purpose for why it is most often consumed: energy.

The caffeine in coffee actively blocks the chemical adenosine, a natural tranquilizer in the body that offsets adrenaline. The decrease in adenosine makes adrenaline more dominant, thus creating an energetic feeling.

What is done with this increase in energy is up to the consumer. If you’re a student cramming homework like me, you’re more than likely using this boost to stay up late, and to start your morning early. Or, you may simply enjoy the soothing taste and subtle energy that coffee gives while chatting with a friend.

Coffee is, after all, the second most popular social drink after alcohol. Downtown Lincoln displays this very well with the variety of coffee shops and coffee distributors within a very small area. Off the top of my head I can easily think of nine shops that stretch from the Haymarket to 14th Street.

It’s not a coincidence that coffee has such a large presence in a college town.

Many students use it to stimulate their minds, and as great thinkers of the past, to build onto old ideas in pursuit of the new.

College students like myself owe many thanks to coffee and the role it plays in our studies, as well as the multiple health benefits it can provide.

Ryan Duggan is a Junior English and Classic Languages Major. reach him at ryanduggan@ dailynebraskan.com.

Allies ease coming-out process

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f you’re a heterosexual, you’ve likely never had to “come out.” It may not seem like a big deal, but coming out can be a harrowing experience.

Many times the person coming out faces confusion, hatred and rejection from the people closest to them.

These feelings can be alleviated by the presence of a strong ally in their life. If you have a friend who is openly gay, it’s time for you to come out of the closet – as an ally.

The University of Akron’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) union defines an ally as a straight person who strives to end LGBTQ oppression by supporting and advocating for them. According to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, an ally is an extremely effective voice for the LGTBQ movement. Allies assist in the process of coming out of the closet as well as helping others understand why equality is so important.

Before I became an ally, I never thought much about gay rights. I grew up in a small town of only 800 people. Before graduation, I’d never even met an openly gay person. To me, “that’s gay” meant the same thing as “that’s stupid,” and “faggot” was just another word to insult someone.

It all changed my sophomore year.

After a night of heavy drinking, one of my friends revealed that he was gay. My reaction wasn’t the best, as I shouted “Bullshit!” After talking about it for the rest of the night, I became aware he was quite serious.

At the time, he’d only told one other person and was worried about the prospect of telling everyone else. My friend pointed out that many of his close friends often made fun of members of the LGBTQ

kevin moser community.

To make matters worse, he was very concerned about how his family would take the news. To this day, he still hasn’t told his parents, out of fear.

When the news finally settled, I realized anyone could be in the closet. I decided then that I should become an outspoken ally for LGBTQ rights. At first, I wasn’t great at it. I still said “that’s gay” and used other inappropriate slang. Still, like coming out, it’s a process.

To be an effective ally, you must be ready to do several things. First, you have to be aware of the role of language in the LGBTQ community. If you still use “gay” as a synonym for “stupid,” knock it off.

Furthermore, you have to be ready to denounce others who use derogatory slang.

Correct people when they say things like “fags,” “queers” or “dykes.” This can be difficult, but with a little practice you’ll be stopping homophobes like Hulk Hogan stomped the Iron Sheik.

Next, you have to modify how you look at the world and behave. Don’t assume everyone is heterosexual. Members of the LGBTQ community are everywhere.

When you meet someone who is LGBTQ, don’t simply assume their sexuality defines who they are. For some people, it does.

However, as a heterosexual, I can say that my sexuality is only a part of who I am. This is likely the same for the LGBTQ community.

Furthermore, you have to lose the fear of being called an LGBTQ person for defending them. If someone accuses you of being a homosexual, don’t correct him or her, as this will help you better understand the discrimination LGBTQ people must face.

Lastly, you must become active. If possible, show up to LGBTQ events in your community. Each summer, Lincoln and Omaha host their own pride festivals. You should make it a point to attend these events.

Last year, there was a day where people were asked to wear purple to show support of LGBTQ rights. The LGBTQ community is aware of these events, and seeing a strong response could be comforting to them.

If you know anyone who’s openly a member of the LGBTQ community, you need to decide what you will do with that information. If you say you’re in support of gay rights, then it’s time to get off the couch and actually do something about it.

You can talk the talk all you want, but you won’t truly understand discrimination until you walk the walk.

As an ally, you’re still a member of the dominant population. While you may face some prejudice, it pales in comparison to the discrimination LGBTQ people face.

Take this simple fact and go out into the world courageously. It may seem difficult at times, but nothing worth fighting for is easy.

kevin moser is a senior psychology major and a self-proclaimed ally. reach him at kevinmoser@ dailynebraskan.com.

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Baha’i religion strives for equality, rights to education in Iran after 150 years of struggle Story by Jacy Marmaduke | Art by Bryan Klopping

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aha’i students seeking a college education in Iran are out of luck. They have been for more than 30 years.

Because after 150 years of trial and error, the Iranian government has turned the persecution of the country’s largest religious minority into an art form. The classic methods of torture and public execution have yielded to a slower and more definitive assault on the religious community.

The Baha’i Student Association wants to do something about it – but first, people have to know.

“The government in Iran as a matter of strategy wants to eliminate this group,” said Mihdi Vahedi, a second-year law student and member of the Baha’i Student Association. “They tried killing Baha’is, and there’s too much international pressure. So you take the long-term view, and if you restrict or deny education to the future generations, effectively you eradicate the community.”

It’s been common practice since the Islamic Revolution in Iran – any student found to be of the Baha’i faith, a monotheistic religion that promotes unity of all people, may not attend a college or university. Authorities expel and sometimes take legal action on university students found to be Baha’i.

Since Baha’is feel called to pursue an education, those denied college acceptance have resorted to makeshift home schooling under the guidance of sympathetic educators, utilizing whatever instructional materials they can manage.

But in recent years, the government has systematically raided homes suspected of hosting such institutions, often arresting those involved.

“Even though things aren’t perfect here

in the U.S., there is an access to higher education that isn’t present in other countries,” said Brie Myre, a senior fisheries and wildlife major and president of the Baha’i Student Association. “Even in fighting for that, (Baha’is in Iran) are taking a huge risk. It’s easy to forget that.”

The denial of higher education is the most pressing issue for Baha’i Student Association members, but they said it’s not the only way the Iranian government is persecuting members of the Baha’i faith.

According to Brian Lepard, faculty adviser and professor of law, the government is also arresting Baha’is for conducting religious worship. It’s seizing and destroying their holy places. It’s refusing to recognize their marriages. It’s taking their assets, depriving them of their jobs and desecrating their cemeteries. Lepard said the government has made a scapegoat of the Baha’i community.

“That’s what this amounts to – the unfair targeting of a disfavored group, based on religious prejudice, to achieve other ends of the government,” he said.

“It’s hard to determine what those ends are. There’s really just no justification for that kind of oppression.”

The religion, which is considered to be second to only Christianity in the breadth of its worldwide spread, accepts religious figures like Jesus, Moses and Mohammed as prophets but follows the teachings of two more recent manifestations: the Bab and Baha’u’llah. According to Lepard and Vahedi, few people beyond the Iranian government support the persecution of Baha’is, who revere other religions. When Vahedi first told his friends about the Iranian government’s hostility toward the religious group, they didn’t believe him.

“They’re able to do this because not

many people know about it,” Vahedi said.

But references in the media and published academic letters concerning the persecution of Baha’is in Iran are proliferating. On Monday, The Daily Telegraph ran an open letter signed by about 50 respected scholars, theologians and philosophers urging the Iranian government to “cease its persecution of Baha’is … and promote education for all.” The Baha’i Student Association is organizing a public screening, hesitantly slated for February, of the documentary “Education Under Fire,” which chronicles the Iranian government’s denial of higher education to Baha’is. A series of group discussions could follow.

Meanwhile, members are waiting for good news. Lepard said he recently heard from a Baha’i student who was denied higher education in Iran but went on to earn a doctorate in physics from Princeton University.

“He’s a real success story,” Lepard said. “And that’s the hope – that there will be more stories like his. But what’s necessary is an insistence by everyone involved in higher education that the government cannot persist in this policy.”

Iran is the birthplace of the Baha’i faith, but there are more than 150,000 Baha’is in America today, according to bahai.us. Founded in 1844, the religion is one of the fastest-growing in history, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. It often serves as solace for people like Myre, who was raised a Christian but was no longer content with

baha’i: see page 7

Mentors aid communication, bridge cultures Kelsey Lee Daily Nebraskan

“We need air to live. Without air we would die.

School is like my air: I need it to live,” said Shahrzad Zahrouni with bright eyes and assertion in her voice.

She was sitting in the library of North Star High School during 8th period.

She would normally be in her English Language Learning class at this time, but like many other days, she spent this last hour of school meeting with her mentor.

Zahrouni is an immigrant student from Iran, and has only been in the United States for about two years. She is one of many immigrant and refugee students at North Star, who represent a diverse assortment of cultures and backgrounds. Like several of these students, Zahrouni came to the U.S. holding the identity she established in her home country. She didn’t know English, and was expected to assimilate into an American school.

School is one of the most important things in her life, but there are some barriers that keep her from accomplishing her goals.

Several University of Nebraska-Lincoln students have taken on roles as mentors to help immigrant and refugee high school students achieve academic success. The cross-cultural mentoring program is a collaborative effort between UNL and North Star, which works to pair students based on interests and academic needs. The UNL mentoring class is a three credit-hour course cross-listed with anthropology and women’s and gender studies, where students learn about the struggles immigrant and refugee students experience in a new country. A large portion of class time is dedicated to sharing students’ experiences with their mentee, establishing an atmosphere of peer-oriented support.

Lindsey Killeen, a senior management major, enrolled in the course last fall, becoming Zahrouni’s mentor. Killeen and Zahrouni continue to work together this year. UNL student Stephanie Robinson, a senior anthropology and international studies major, is also in her second year as a mentor, working with Antonia Jaimes Vargas, a North Star student who came to the U.S. from Mexico five years ago.

Susan Seacrest is a guidance counselor at North Star who actively heads this program. She guides ELL students in their high school studies and informs them of the cross-cultural mentoring program. A number of them take advantage of the opportunity, and several are still on the waiting list for a mentor.

“I’m very honored to have this role,” Seacrest said. “The (English Language Learners) students have a really special place in my heart.”

Seacrest reads the biographies of UNL students, and decides which ELL student would be a good match for them. Her main goals for the program are to bring new insight for both students, to form a positive relationship and to enjoy the time they spend with each other.

When Robinson and Killeen meet with their mentees, education is a primary focus. They may work on homework, check grades, discuss post-graduation plans or even sit in on their mentee’s class.

Still, schoolwork is not completely representative of Zahrouni or Vargas; each of them has a personal history that is important to recognize, and that background has shaped them into the students they are today.

“It was hard coming from a different country,” Vargas said. “I had to leave my

mentor: see page 7

Seniors teach freshmen about realities of college life Sarah Lambert Daily Nebraskan

College expectations can be based solely on movies like “Animal House” or “American Pie,” so what do college freshman really expect out of their college careers and how do those expectations change by senior year?

Most freshman expectations involve homework, classes, sleep and parties.

Jane Ngo, a freshman advertising major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, expected a lot of things out of her college experience.

Ngo expected less sleep, harder classes and a lot of socializing.

“I expected all of my classes to be harder, but I

am only a freshman, so I guess they will get harder as I get older,” Ngo said.

Ngo was most looking forward to socializing and meeting new people outside of her hometown in a bigger setting. However, her only complaint so far is about the boys.

“I expected the boys do be a lot better looking,” Ngo said. “The pretty girl to gorgeous guy ratio is not equal. There are too many pretty girls and very few gorgeous guys.”

Even though boys are a concern for some girls, others are more concerned about their roommates.

Nicole Andres, a freshman general studies major, decided to pick a random

roommate and hope for the best. She was nervous when she found out her roommate was going to be rushing at a sorority.

“I was a little worried that my roommate was going to be a snobby sorority girl who only went out and partied all of the time,” Andres said. “However, I was super lucky that we hit it off so well. We are a lot alike.

Especially since before she met me, she had a dream where her roommate was a large goth girl who tried on all of her clothes and stretched them out.”

For some students, college is expected to be a whirlwind and a new experience. Grant Isaacson, a freshman international

business major, expected college to be really fastpaced, but a blast at the same time. Even though UNL’s campus is bigger than Isaacson’s hometown, it is still starting to feel familiar to him.

“UNL has 26,000 students and that is 13 times bigger than my hometown.

Yet I will run into like six or seven people and I am starting to recognize more faces.” Isaacson said. “Even though the campus is really big, it is still really small at the same time.”

Most students expect to be away from home and

expectations: see page 7

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bryan klopping | daily nebraskan

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wednesday, october 12, 2011

Daily Nebraskan

Dealing with jerks at the bars is no fun for anyone HORIZONTAL I.D. NEBRASKA

Nate Ruleaux Shit kept getting fuzzy.

I found myself jumping through time. One moment taking a shot at the pool table and knocking the cue ball off the table and across the room. Then I was suddenly out on the patio having a smoke with Casey. On the table in front of us were four Jagerbombs, three for me, one for him.

Then I blinked and the drinks were empty. My German foreign-exchange student pal from sophomore year of high school showed up, and I pretended to speak French., which I can’t actually speak, even with two years of classes.

A couple of the girls came over to the bar I appeared at and told me they were leaving. Apparently some bro guy with tribal tattoos had sat at their table, and

was telling them how his girlfriend cheated on him, and he was drunk.

“I’ll go talk to him,” I said, going over to the awkward table. Only three of my friends were still sitting it out with this guy.

“Hi man!” I said, “Nate Ruleaux. Damn glad to meet ya.

It’s my birthday.”

He muttered something back about it not being a happy one, and then something about his cheating girlfriend.

“Hey man cheer up, you know what, have this drink.”

I tried to give him whatever I had.

“How about I just punch you in the face for a present.”

I was drunk and confused, “Uhhh … what … like … literally? Or uhh … nah … bro …?” He got out of his chair fast. That’s when my friend Will popped in. Stepping in between us.

“You know what, man,” he said to tribal tattoo guy, “You needed a ride, right?

Here, I’ll give you a ride home real quick.”

The guy sort of settled and was all mopey and bent over. Will guided him outside like a sad little kid who didn’t get his action figure.

“Feel better, man!” I said after them, and then took a drink.

I think about this birthday moment a lot nowadays. It

attaches itself to every bar experience I’ve had since then. I like being social at bars, talking in line with people trying to get into Sandy’s or just random bullshitting with smokers or a passer by. But there is always one guy who is more drunk than you and anyone you’re with, and they always suck.

At a party you can send that person home, or get them comfortable on a couch, you can ditch them somewhere or at the very least draw all over their face when they pass out. At a bar there is never an easy way to deal with this guy.

And, in my experience,

you get one asshole per night spent downtown. If you’re lucky, it happens at the end of the night. If you’re unlucky, you hop to another bar only to meet the asshole’s identical twin brother who loves rugby even more than the last guy did.

(To be clear, I like rugby, and most players. I just find that most drunk assholes at bars only talk about rugby.)

And then came the last thing I remember: a voice saying, “Hey, Nate, how you feelin’?”

Nate Ruleaux is a senior theater performance and news-editorial major.

Reach him at nateruleaux@ dailynebraskan.com.

UNL hosts variety of weekly activities, lacks on weekend events Opportunities for students drop off during weekend despite abundant facilities for student usage Brandon Perchal Daily Nebraskan

As the sun sets on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s campus on a Friday night, and as college students forget their classroom worries, a common question students ask one another is, “What’s going on tonight?”

Social nightlife on campus provides students with something to do when they are not studying for classes or tests. It also offers activities for students that are not illegal, i.e. drinking alcohol underage.

The university offers students myriad activities for safe night gatherings, though the days the events run may be limited. A majority of these events take place on Thursday and, occasionally, Friday nights.

Still, at least five days a week, the university has several well-known groups hosting social gatherings: the residence halls, Campus Nightlife (CNL) and the University Program Council (UPC).

RESIDENCE HALLS: CLOSED-FLOOR ENTERTAINMENT Life in residence halls provides students multiple opportunities for students to socialize.

“There are different tiers for students to socialize on: their floors and large events held by the dorm,” said Alan Frizzel Jr., Abel South’s resident director. “It depends on how socially comfortable a student is, if they only want to socialize with their floor or with students in the hall.”

In Abel, all-hall events are held at least once a month, and there are several events on each student’s own floor during a month. In Frizzel’s experience, the first six weeks of college are more focused on floor events

photo illustration by bethany schmidt | daily nebraskan

rather than the entire hall.

The scheduling of the allhall events during the week is due to the number of students who go home during the weekend, a number far greater than those that stay in the dorm. Although this sounds like a lot of socializing opportunities for Abel, other halls make larger efforts to connect with students.

Neihardt, for example, tries to host events every other week. They accredit their attendance success to multiple factors.

“We advertise well,” said Max Walling, resident director of Neihardt. “We are fortunate enough that our main entrance allows us to put up banners.”

Another one of these factors, Walling cites, is Neihardt’s resident assistants.

The RAs (as well as in other residence halls) are knowledgeable enough of their floor to gather residents on their floors to attend events. This allows RAs and residents to form a sense of community. The last factor is the use of social media throughout the hall. Each floor of Neihardt

has a Facebook page and Twitter to spread the word the about events going on around the hall.

The funding for resident hall events comes from budgets set by the Resident Hall Association, but Neihardt uses a variety of contributing factors to fund their multiple events.

“Collaboration is our friend, if we can find people who are willing to help,” Walling said. “We use pieces from multiple sources, so we don’t drain all of our sources. We use a piece from our own funds that are allotted for funding, a piece from Neihardt Council (Neihardt’s resident government), and we send in a request to central housing budget for extra funding.”

Neihardt, with the help of residence halls Cather and Pound, feature a gathering called “Piper in the Pit” for less than if Neihardt tried to pay for it on their own. Collaborating allows residence halls to create big events without paying a higher price for it. Neihardt staff also occasionally ask their residents to contribute a few dollars to help cover

the cost of the event.

CNL AND UPC: CAMPUSWIDE EVENTS While resident hall life provides on-campus students with a multitude of gatherings, there are also events given to those who are living off-campus. Clubs and organizations host a majority of these events, specifically through CNL and UPC. CNL coordinates events throughout the year with impressive turnouts from the student body. They present a wide range of events from a Husker Watch Party to a Midwest Acoustic Fest with the help of UPC. “We identify events and activities that are unusual, and that has never been done before,” said Reshell Ray, associate director of student involvement and adviser for CNL. “All events are interactive for students.

(CPN members) are always doing events, which help make it successful. We also add in the same elements of events, such as free food and fun.”

Ray noted that because of the uniqueness and consistency of the events, CNL is able to get a diverse group of students to show up, which is a good representation of UNL. The turnout of the social gatherings varies from the size of the event.

Generally at larger events, such as the “Midwest Acoustic Fest,” the average turnout is 1,000 students, while 200-300 students usually turnout at smaller events, like the “Husker Watch Party.”

CNL tends to schedule most of their events on Thursday and Friday nights

because it is a way for students to take a break from studying. Ray notes that CNL holds very few weekend events because they feel students need a rest from these events, and they try to create a balance between social gatherings and a student’s personal life.

VARIETY OF SHOWS, LITTLEWEEKEND REGULARITY Another organization that creates social gatherings for students is UPC. It hosts events geared toward a wide range of students.

Each year UPC brings in a hypnotist for the student body, and this year it’s bringing DJ Mac Miller to the Bourbon Theatre downtown.

“We utilize social media, Facebook and Twitter to help spread the word,” said Tim Kinoshita, UPC student public relations chair and a senior majoring in biological systems engineering. “Posting events on Facebook for whenever a student gets on Facebook is a good way we try to accomplish this. We also try to find a random crazy thing that grabs the student’s attention.”

Like CNL, UPC attempts to bring new and rare events to campus. Each member proposes an event he or she thinks will be successful in committees that each member is a part of. The committees then vote on the top-10 events they think are interesting enough to the rest of UPC and to UNL as a whole. UPC usually goes through booking agents when scheduling events because they have worked with college venues before and know what students are

looking for.

Still, while events like the “Husker Watch Party” makes use of the stadium and Mac Miller utilizes the Bourbon Theatre, UPC remains wary of moving to other locations on and off campus. The Crib at the Nebraska Union, for example, is equipped with a stage, lighting and an open area for seating. Yet it does not fill regularly on the weekends with musical acts or other nightlife. The various ballrooms inside the Nebraska Union can be, and often are be used for events as well, but rarely host on late nights or weekends.

“The key component is attendance,” Kinoshita said. “If we expect large attendance then we book a larger venue, also it is what the artist wants. We use the rooms in the union for the public speakers that we have come to campus.”

Attendance varies from event to event with how much interest is generated by the event.

“I think that the organizers would be surprised how many students show up to events if they were held on the weekends,” said Raven O’Neill, a senior family sciences major. “They should have more events over the weekends because if you are an underclassman, your resources are limited.”

O’Neill added that events on the weekend will help cut down on underage drinking. Having the university host these weekend social gatherings allows for students to both socialize and be in a safe environment.

brandonperchal@ dailynebraskan.com

Daily Nebraskan

wednesday, october 12, 2011

expectations: from 5 away from all of the rules.

College was expected to be a place where you could walk into your room at whatever time, no questions asked. However, this was not the case, since everyone living in a dorm must check in if they have been out past midnight. Claire Svec, a freshman general studies major, did not expect the strict rules.

“I did not expect to see cops all over the place all of the time and to have to check in at the front desk no matter what you have been doing,” Svec said.

But throughout college, students’ expectations can turn into life lessons and advice for future seniors.

Erin Parker, a fifth year senior English major, recalls thinking that college was going to be exactly like the movies, and she was prepared to see people passed out in the hallway.

One of Parker’s

mentor: from 5

movie moments was when she woke up in the middle of the night, her freshman year, to see another student throwing the resident assistant’s cellphone against her door. Even though Parker wasn’t a part of those “movie moments,” she still learned from them, and passed that advice onto the freshmen.

“Learn from your mistakes,” Parker said. “Everyone makes mistakes all of the time, but doing those mistakes again is stupid.”

Also, Parker has five years of undergraduate experience.

She said that helped her become who she is today.

“College is a good place to learn who you are,” Parker said. “I was able to live on my own and figure out who I really am. I am now a more grounded individual and know what my morals are.

But also, don’t be rushed to get out of college. Enjoy your time, because when else can

you take floral design? In the real world, you can’t have fun like this.”

For all college students, the taste of freedom is always available. Such was the case for Reagan Lopez, a senior theatre performance major.

“I remember my freshman and sophomore year, I would sit in the middle of the hallway in front of my RA’s room until 2 o’clock in the morning doing whatever I wanted, playing games, every night and on the weekends,” Lopez said.

Lopez had to learn how to do everything on her own, like a lot of students, from laundry to making decisions.

One of her most important realizations: “Stay on top of things,” Lopez said.

“Don’t rely on anyone to do anything for you, like your teachers. It’s not because they don’t care, it’s because you are transitioning into becoming an adult, and it’s your responsibility to make

your own decisions.”

Lopez had the same thoughts as Parker: College is a time for students to find out what they love and that this is their chance to have fun.

Even though students’ expectations may come from the movies or may concern better-looking classmates, everyone has expectations for college. These expectations may be true or they may be false, but as the seniors said, college is a time to find yourself and to have an awesome time, because the real world will not be as open to the things students may want to do.

“Do everything,” Lopez said. “Go to the away games, even if you don’t have any money, or study abroad. Do as many things as you can, that you want to do, because this is the best time for you to do it.”

to Baha’u’llah’s teachings, all major religions worship the same God, and each of his prophets has communicated the same basic messages of love, peace and tolerance to humanity. Lepard said religious strife rises from an overt focus on the social discrepancies between belief systems and the manipulation of religious texts. He said extreme forms of religion represent those who strayed from the path of original teachings.

“It’s all a corruption,” Lepard

said. “It’s not what they really stand for. We can help people discover the original message of unity in all religions and we can achieve a larger peace, but it requires constant effort.”

And they’re not deluding themselves that it will be an easy process. The Baha’is are optimistic, but they aren’t naïve.

“And how can we be, looking at the treatment of Baha’is in Iran?” Lepard said. “We’re painfully aware of the gross

disunity in the world today.

But we also find hope. Our own scriptures assure us that these ruinous wars will pass away and the most great peace will come. It may take a lot of pain to get there, but we are sure it will happen.”

The Baha’i Student Association will hold a public meeting in the Nebraska Union on Nov. 7. For more information about the Baha’i faith, visit bahai.us.

family, and I didn’t know English.”

A year ago, Robinson became a source of support for Vargas. Robinson expresses that the mentoring program is not only beneficial for Vargas, but for her as well.

“It really helps with my communication skills,” Robinson said. “It’s really cool to get to know Vargas, and to be able to share my past experiences too. The coolest thing is developing a relationship as we’ve grown in comfort.”

Both Vargas and Zahrouni endured struggles when they came to the U.S. Language was a major barrier, which acted against them feeling comfortable around their peers.

“The students here have a different culture,” Zahrouni said. “My first friend was Lindsey.”

Establishing a comfortable relationship allows both Vargas and Zahrouni to actively engage in learning English, which can be a major challenge.

Without English comprehension, doing well in an English-speaking school is extremely difficult. Both Vargas and Zahrouni are motivated to do well, and Robinson and Killeen help them work through these cultural barriers.

“If my English was better, I could be the best student in America,” Zahrouni said with a laugh. “Knowing English is so important to be a good student.”

Zahrouni plans to go to college and study art after

sarahlambert@ dailynebraskan.com

Baha’i: from 5 the belief system. Vahedi and Lepard were raised in Baha’i households, but they said the religion appealed to them because it allowed them to view other religions through the filter of Baha’u’llah’s teachings.

“I told my parents when I was 10, ‘I’ve made my choice,’” said Vahedi, who registered as a Baha’i five years before the generally accepted age of 15.

The Baha’i faith teaches that all religions are fundamentally the same. According

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Vargas also has the goal of going to college, and credits Robinson for showing her the UNL campus and telling her about college courses.

“I just want to be a good person for American people,” Zahrouni said. “I don’t want to be one of those people who doesn’t care about school.”

Vargas, Zahrouni and many other ELL students have come a long way in the mentoring program, putting emphasis on school as well as providing a positive relationship for all parties involved.

Zahrouni mentions the importance of being able to talk to Killeen about her personal life, something she feels she can’t discuss with anyone else.

The same holds true for Vargas.

“We have really developed a strong bond,” Robinson said. “You get to know your mentee from all sorts of angles.”

This is something Seacrest hopes will come out of the mentoring program: a strong relationship that each student can learn and grow from. A mentee club has also been created at North Star, in which Vargas took on an active leadership role. This allows the mentees in the program to socialize and grow comfortable at school.

“This is the human element of education,” Seacrest said. “It’s life.”

kelseylee@ dailynebraskan.com

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Daily Nebraskan

men’s golf

NU’s scores improve but don’t show in standings zach tegler daily nebraskan

file photo by patrick breen | daily nebraskan

Nebraska’s Kayla Knopik finished in a tie for 23rd at this week’s tournament in Indiana, but NU finished in 11th place as a team with a total score of 931.

Huskers underperform at Lady Northern invite Phil Scherer daily nebraskan

The Lady Northern Invitation didn’t go the way the Nebraska women’s golf team expected it to. The Huskers were in seventh after the first two rounds of the invite, but ended the final round with a total team score of 931 and a final standing of 11th place out of the 12 teams competing.

Although coach Robin Krapfl was disappointed with her team’s performance, she was hopeful that her team’s poor play was due to fatigue.

“Looking back, going from the west coast, back to the Midwest and then to the east coast all in one week was pretty difficult for our team,” Krapfl said.

“I’m just hoping fatigue caught up to us because I don’t really see any other explanation.”

Nebraska brought six members of its team to the invite in French Lick, Ind. The Huskers competed at the par-71 Donald Ross Course. Seniors Madeleine Sheils, Kayla Knopik and Katie Keiser and sophomores Steffi Neisen and Katelyn Wright competed for the Huskers team score.

Freshman Shelby Martinek competed individually.

Sheils led the way for the Huskers, finishing in a tie for 18th with a total score of 227. Knopik and Wright finished second and third for Nebraska with scores of 229 and 238, respectively.

Neisen tied for 50th with

a score of 239 and Keiser fellow Big Ten members wrapped up the Nebraska the talent the team posteam score with a score of sesses, but it appears it’ll 246 and a final standing have to prove itself at next of 64th. Martinek finished week’s Hoosier Invite.

“Obviously we wanted to fourth among the individuals competing with a final come out and show them that we are competitive,” score of 243.

Krapfl was excited with Knopik said. “We just hope that next the way her week we’ll team started My performance actually off Tuesday’s during the first prove ourthird round, selves.” but unforcouple of rounds Despite tunately the and the front the scores, coach’s excitenine today was K r a p f l ment didn’t feels that last too long. average. But I the Husk“We started really struggled ers aren’t out great, then on the back nine. any less the wheels talented just came off,” kayla knopik than the Krapfl said. nebraska senior Big Ten “Once they teams Nestarted makb r a s k a ing mistakes, it just kind of snowballed faced this week.

“I’ve always felt that from there.”

Knopik definitely knew were as good as anyone she fell apart on the sec- we play with,” Krapfl said.

“I think that we can comond round.

“My performance during pete with any of them.”

The Huskers will spend the first couple of rounds and the front nine today the next week preparing was average,” Knopik said. for another trip to Indiana, “But I really struggled on this time for the Hoosier Invite. The invite will have the back nine.”

Despite the lackluster many of the same Big Ten showing by the Huskers, teams that competed in the Krapfl was pleased with Lady Northern Invite, and one aspect of the Huskers Krapfl has complete confidence that her team will game.

“We played the par have a better showing.

“I have confidence that threes great,” Krapfl said.

“I think we were 10 shots when we see those teams better than the field on par again we will do better,” threes. The par fours and Krapfl said. “I know how fives is where we strug- much talent we have, so I know next week will be gled.”

Nebraska women’s golf better.” philScherer@ was hopeful it would be dailynebraskan.com able to show some of its

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Improvement can be a funny thing.

The Nebraska men’s golf team, for example, knows that better scores don’t necessarily translate to better results.

“You look at our scores, they’re improving,” NU junior Neil Dufford said.

For the third consecutive tournament, the Huskers earned a 12th place result. But at the Firestone Invitational in Akron, O h i o , the NU men finished with its lowest team dufford score of the season – which includes a first place finish in the Fairway Club Invitational.

NU sophomore Manuel Lavin has a good reason for this paradox.

“I think the field was a little better this week,” he said.

That tougher competition, coupled with an easier course setup at Firestone Country Club, resulted in vast improvement on the scorecard, but not on the leaderboard.

Senior Scott Willman led the

Huskers with a 1-under-par 71 in the final round Tuesday. He shot 2-under-par for the tournament, which was good enough for a tie for 12th place.

Willman said he believes better results in standing are more important than improvement in scores – it all depends on the status quo of a particular week.

“All you can do is go out there and golf your own ball,” Willman said.

Not far behind Willman was Nebraska’s No. 2 golfer, Lavin.

A third-round 72 put him 1-over-par for the invite and in a tie for 22nd place.

NU’s final-round team score of 292 was rounded out with Dufford’s 73 and freshman Ross Dickson’s 76. The No. 3 and No. 4 players finished 76th and tied for 65th, respectively. Junior Kevin Gillick did not factor in the round-three score with an 85, but his first-round 77 and second-round 73 helped the Huskers enter the final day tied for ninth place.

Dufford pointed out that while the team is getting better, it is not easy to come to an exact conclusion due to uncontrollable conditions.

“The weather was perfect,” Dufford said. That and the course’s configuration were factors in NU’s better play.

“I don’t know if that says we’re getting a lot better,” Dufford said. “It’s so hard to gauge.”

While their mark in the final round was worse than their second-round (and season-best) 285, the Huskers still improved upon their first-round score by more than 10 strokes.

Inconsistency has plagued NU this season, as it has finished tournaments with tallies of 894, 919, 913 and, now, 881. Lavin does not know quite what to think of the roller coaster trend.

“Not frustrating,” Lavin said.

“Maybe a little disappointing.”

But the team showed signs of progress in Akron. In the opening round, only two Huskers shot rounds lower than 76. That number was doubled in round two, when four NU golfers fired rounds of 73 or better. In the last round, Nebraska’s top three players came in lower than 73.

“The scores are going lower and lower,” Lavin said. “If we focus like we did in the second round, we are going to have pretty good results.”

NU’s next event, the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate, will begin Monday, October 24. Of course, the Huskers will want to improve on their previous results this season.

“We’re going to have a good tournament,” Dufford said.

It is yet to be seen whether that means a strong finish scorewise, place-wise or both.

Because improvement can be a funny thing.

zachtegler@ dailynebraskan.com

Shepard: from 10

anna reed | daily nebraskan

A photo of Stewart Shepard holding the 2000 NCAA National Championship trophy with Husker volleyball player Kim Behrends hangs above his bed. had nothing to worry about.

“When I went through all that, sports helped Stewart get through it,” she said.

Every day she calls Stewart from her job as a business application support technician for the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles at 3:45 p.m., to see how he’s doing.

That’s toward the end of his day. Every day at 5:30 a.m., Stewart gets up, and by 7:30 a.m., Community Alternatives comes and picks him up. By 2 p.m., he’s home and ready for the call. Mom gets home at 5 p.m., and Stewart eats dinner with his family.

There isn’t a chair at the far end of the table. Stewart, an only child, rolls up his wheelchair instead of sitting in one of the white kitchen chairs, but that’s the only difference between a Shepard meal and one for any other American family. The three sit around and talk about their days or passing the meatloaf. When it’s all said and done, Stewart goes to bed around 8 p.m.

The process repeats without fail unless there is a sporting event Stewart has to go to. After all, his life is “work, sports and family.”

On weekends he doesn’t work. All he does is go to the softball double-header against Colorado State at 1:30 p.m. And then it’s off to the volleyball game at 7 p.m., as Nebraska takes on Ohio State to finish off its first week of Big Ten Conference play. That is exhausting for Stewart, he’s so tired when he gets home, all he can stand to do is collapse in his bed where he can look at his picture.

All in a Picture It’s moments like the one shown in a picture hanging in Stewart’s room that show how important volleyball is to him.

It means everything.

In the photo, Shepard and Husker Kim Behrends hold the 2000 NCAA National Championship trophy. Behrends and the trophy sink into the background, Shepard’s gleaming face comes to the front. His smile stretches wide, just like when Cathy told him how proud she was. He’s 21 in the picture and it’s one of the happiest moments of his life.

That trophy belongs to the state of Nebraska. Anybody can walk into the front lobby of the NU Coliseum and soak in the glory that came with that 2000 undefeated run. Anybody could feel the excitement of the celebration that December at the Devaney Center.

But Stewart knows that nobody could appreciate that title like him.

After all, Stewart got a tattoo in honor of that Huskers national title. It’s a volleyball, simple enough. He added it to his softball tattoo and his women’s gymnastics tattoo, his first in honor of a team. When Stewart got the softball tattoo, Shepard Sr. decided to make the trip to the Iron Brush with him to get a tattoo in honor of his retirement from the Lincoln Fire Department. Of course Stewart’s tattoo didn’t hurt him.

“Man, I don’t know how you do it,” Shepard Sr. said to him. “Hell yeah it hurt, (Stewart) ain’t got no feeling in them arms.”

Stewart’s Purpose It was a Nebraska volleyball player who helped Stewart find his purpose.

Stewart has gone to volleyball games since 1995, the year he met Stacie Maser at physical therapy. She was nursing a chronic knee injury that would end her career the next season. Stewart was a high school kid with cerebral palsy trying to strengthen himself because his disability would get him caught in bus bathrooms and leave him in a wheelchair.

Stacie found strength from Stewart. But the strength Stewart found from Stacie was unmatched. She invited him to come to a volleyball game at the Coliseum because Nebraska wasn’t selling out. They weren’t a powerhouse back then. Stewart decided to give it a try.

“We started going to volleyball games after that,” Cathy said. “And they all had roommates who played, so we started going to more and more sports.”

So Stewart and someone from his family would go.

Since 1995 he hasn’t missed a single volleyball game in Lincoln. This decade he hasn’t missed any women’s sporting event except the doubleheader against Texas Tech in 2007.

Nebraska sports shouldn’t inspire a man so much that he’d get four Nebraska sportthemed tattoos. Nebraska sports shouldn’t inspire a man to obsession, to never miss a game.

Nebraska sports shouldn’t inspire a man to live his life.

But they inspired Stewart.

“We’ve been blessed,” Shepard Sr. said.

robbykorth@ dailynebraskan.com

Daily Nebraskan

wednesday, october 12, 2011

Defensive change pays off for Nebraska

9

DAn Hoppen daily Nebraskan

It’s about an hour after the Huskers’ Saturday comeback victory against Ohio State and one of the night’s biggest heroes has yet to emerge from the locker room to meet the media.

But one of his best friends has, and now Yoshi Hardrick has a contingent of about a dozen media members around him.

“You want me to go get Stanley?” Hardrick asks. Greeted by a chorus of agreement, Hardrick smiles.

“I’ll go get him.”

A few minutes later, Stanley Jean-Baptiste appears. There’s no saying no to a man with Hardick’s 6-foot-7, 320-pound figure.

Jean-Baptiste, a soft-spoken cornerback, appears uncomfortable with the attention. But after making one of the game’s biggest plays, he obliges to the group of reporters.

His play came halfway through the fourth quarter when Buckeye quarterback Joe Bauserman tried to test the sophomore on a deep ball.

Jean-Baptiste was the man in coverage and saw receiver Chris Fields put his hands up.

He turned his head and saw the ball diving toward him.

“I just had to make a play on it,” Jean-Baptiste said. “I had to turn into a receiver.”

Jean-Baptiste is used to feeling like receiver. It was his position until about three weeks ago.

He played safety at Westlake Prep High School in Miami, but played receiver during his one season at North Carolina Tech Prep school. He went to Fort Scott Community College and redshirted his freshman year before transferring to NU last year, when he struggled to get on the playing field behind a deep corps of receivers.

He started this season at wide receiver and recorded

file photo by mary-ellen kennedy | daily nebraskan

Former wide receiver Stanley Jean-Baptiste (16) celebrates with teammate Lavonte David after recording a key interception during the fourth quarter of NU’s win on Saturday. He started practicing at cornerback a few weeks ago. a 7-yard reception. But after some of the young Husker cornerbacks struggled in the first few games, the coaching staff made Jean-Baptiste a defender.

“He’s a long, physical guy,” defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. “I’ve been begging for him for two years. I thought he’d be a great cover corner. We look like we’re halfway smart sometimes.”

Jean-Baptiste said it wasn’t

easy to learn the complicated Pelini defensive system, and Pelini admitted the coaching staff was a little nervous putting him in with so little defensive experience. But the young cornerbacks were again struggling, so Jean-Baptiste got his shot.

“I feel at home. I just had to get used to it again,” JeanBaptiste said. “It was a little difficult to learn the plays.”

Safety Austin Cassidy is

among those impressed at how quickly Jean-Baptiste was to make the conversion.

“Our defense isn’t something you can just learn in a couple weeks, but he was able to pick it up,” Cassidy said.

“Obviously he stepped up and made a huge play. He locked down his guy. They couldn’t throw in his direction because he just said, ‘I’m gonna take this guy every time.’ And he shut him down.”

Jean-Baptiste is still learning the position and is far from a finished product. He gave up a reception earlier in the game and compounded it by getting a personal foul penalty.

“I just had to let him know I was there,” Jean-Baptiste reasoned.

Cassidy, the next closest defender when Jean-Baptiste snagged his game-changing interception, said he could just tell the former receiver would

come down with the ball. There are no guarantees on Jean-Baptiste’s playing time in coming games, but his playmaking ability makes him an enticing option.

“You could see it in his eyes,” Cassidy said. “When he went up to get the ball, you could tell the kid had played receiver before, and maybe that’s what we need back there.”

danhoppen@ dailynebraskan.com

Schulze improves in second year Nedu Izu Daily Nebraskan

Tennis wasn’t always Robert Schulze’s No. 1 sport.

The Frankfurt, Germany, native and Nebraska tennis player used to play soccer, as did his father.

“My dad was a professional soccer player so I got it from him,” Schulze said. “I loved it, but when I turned 13 years old, I decided to stick with tennis only.”

Schulze added that soccer in Germany is the equivalent of football in America. So why tennis?

“When I played soccer, if there was a mistake, I found myself getting mad at my teammates,” he said. “In tennis the only person you can get mad at is yourself. Tennis gives you this feeling that I’ve never had before. My dad supported my decision and was actually happy because in soccer you can get injured more than tennis.”

One tennis player Schulze looked up to was former Nebraska player Joerg Barthel.

Schulze began his Husker career last season and credits Barthel, now an assistant coach at NU, for committing to Nebraska.

“He’s a native of my region and I have a pretty good connection with him,” he said.

“When I was young I knew who he was, but we weren’t close. When I got older, I met him once in Germany and we talked about Nebraska and college tennis.”

Schulze said that is when he got the idea to come to UNL and was immediately recruited after graduating high school.

In his freshman season, Schulze had a 5-5 record in singles play and went 13-8 in doubles.

NU coach Kerry McDermott said it was a developing year for Schulze.

“I don’t think he played up to his potential last season but

came up strong with doubles play to end the year,” he said. “I think everything, singles wise, was new to him and I think he was a bit overwhelmed.”

Schulze is one of five German tennis players on the team. The sophomore said having four other teammates from the same country has helped make the adjustment to Nebraska easier.

“I was looking forward to coming here, but I struggled academically my first semester,” he said. “Now I’m used to everything and live with my friends. That’s helped me a ton.

I’m still happy that I chose here, and compared to Germany, this is definitely the better choice.”

In Nebraska’s first tournament this year, the Denver Invite, Schulze compiled three wins to start the 2011 fall campaign.

On the first day of the tournament, Schulze lost his singles match against Denver’s Fabio Biasion when he was defeated 6-0, 7-6. He later would pick up his first win of the tournament when he and fellow sophomore Tom Blackwell defeated Air Force’s Joey Brandt and Steven Young, 8-1.

Schulze said the tournament helped him gain confidence.

“I was upset with the one match I lost and it bothers me a lot,” he said. “But Denver was a good tournament for me and I’m excited to get more opportunities with this team. “ Schulze went undefeated the next day when he defeated University of New Mexico’s Samir Iftikhar, 7-5, 6-2. His second win came in the doubles match with Blackwell when the duo beat Denver’s Yannick Weihs and Othar Kordsachia, 9-8.

McDermott said he saw improvement in the sophomore’s performance.

“He’s starting to make a surge and we’ll need that from him this year,” he said. “He looked more confident in his game.

He’s an experienced player now and knows what he’s got

file photo by kyle bruggeman | daily nebraskan

Husker sophomore Robert Schulze started focusing on just tennis when he was 13 years old. to do to be better in this sport.

He’s more certain of himself now and is ready to prove his game to the coaches.”

Nebraska heads to Norman, Okla., to compete in the OU Invitational Oct. 14 and Oct. 16.

Although competitors are still to be announced, McDermott said he looks to send Schulze, Christopher Aumueller, Benedikt Lindheim and Andre Stenger.

The coach said the best players in the region will be competing and that he’s excited to see Schulze and his team play this weekend.

“I think they’ll do well and we expect good results,” McDermott said. “Robert wants

to prove how he’s playing in singles and it’ll be good to see how he plays. In doubles he’ll be playing with Andre and I think he’s excited about that.”

Last season, the pair went 1-1 as partners in the No. 3 spot for the Huskers.

Schulze agreed with his coach and added that he’s ready to get back on the court.

“I think I’m better in doubles than singles and I think Andre and I make a really good team,” he said. “I played there once last year and I really liked it. It’s a regional tournament and I just hope I can show my team and coaches that I can play.”

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Sports DAILY NEBRASKAN

page 10

dailynebraskan.com

wednesday, october 12, 2011

MOREFAN S Stewart Shepard sits in his chair at his home in Lincoln after his birthday dinner at Outback Steakhouse with his parents. He turned 33 on Tuesday.

THAN A

s t o ry b y Robby Korth

Stewart Shepard has cerebral Palsy. that doesn’t stop him from being one of NEbraska Women’s Athletics biggest supporters

tewart Shepard Jr. shouldn’t be able to understand what is going on around him. He shouldn’t be able to understand the importance of the Huskers’ volleyball program. He shouldn’t understand how much volleyball means to the state of Nebraska.

But he does understand.

He was never supposed to be able to talk as a child; he was never supposed to find a purpose.

Yet Stewart Shepard, a man confined to a wheelchair by cerebral palsy, has found a purpose. It’s as a fan for Nebraska women’s athletics.

“Every time when they’re not doing good, I’ll be there for them,” Shepard said.

And the players have noticed.

“I have five pictures of me and him in my room,” outside hitter Gina Mancuso said. “He’s a loyal fan and he just brightens up your day.”

Every time the volleyball team storms the NU Coliseum, he’s there. Every time the softball team takes the field at Bowlin Stadium, he’s there. Every time the women’s basketball team sprints onto the court or the women’s gymnastics team runs out on the floor at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, he’s there.

Except once in 2007. On April 1, Stewart missed the Husker softball team’s Big 12 Conference home opener, a doubleheader against Texas Tech. Stewart was in the hospital; acid reflux had gotten to him.

Stewart’s Second Family Shepard’s dad, Stewart Shepard Sr., tapes every game that’s on TV for him onto VCR. And that game, just like every other Husker loss, meant that the recording’s life would be short-lived. After Shepard watches the game one time, he tapes over it with something else.

Shepard Jr.’s acid reflux got the best of him one night when he and his mom were sitting in the living room just talking. His face went pale and he started dripping with sweat.

Stewart passed out and his parents took him to the hospital, learning he had a perforated esophagus.

Stewart was lying in his hospital bed on a ventilator, struggling for his life. But Stewart’s mind wasn’t on the pain or the struggle. It was on that softball game.

“He moved like this,” Shepard Sr. said, as he pantomimed throwing a softball. “And I knew that he wanted to know the score of that game.”

Then he got a visit from the women’s gymnastics team.

Those girls didn’t have to go to that hospital room. Stewart didn’t have to be happy to see them or even recognize them. He could barely talk. Whole teams don’t just go to see anybody while they’re in the hospital.

But they did. He was happy and he knew it was rare.

The gymnastics team is like his second family. He loves them, and when they came in to give Stewart a T-shirt and tell him to get better, he was better. He cried because the pain was so bad. He has the scars on his neck to prove it.

“You go to school to get an education,” gymnastics coach Dan Kendig said. “Stewart has taught the girls a lot. He’s taught them how to touch a family.”

Stewart, who turned 33 on Tuesday, cares about three things.

“Work, sports and family,” he said.

He’s a hard worker, and that’s not easy for a

photo by anna reed

man with cerebral palsy.

On a bus trip to Wisconsin with a bunch of Husker fans to watch NU play in the NCAA Tournament, Stewart got his size 14 shoes stuck in between the wall of the bathroom and the toilet on the back of the bus.

It’s not easy for him to move around.

He works at Community Alternatives in Lincoln. He makes metal wire coat hangers; on an average day he’ll make 20. But sometimes he wants to impress his mom, Cathy, so Stewart will double or even triple that.

A Family’s Decision Cathy Shepard will be impressed. She’s proud of her son and when she tells him, the smile stretches wide.

She’s the woman who taught Stewart the importance of “work, sports and family.”

She’s the woman who was faced with a tough choice. She’s the woman who had a son who was never supposed to walk. The doctors gave her two options: stick him with other disabled kids or try and raise him in a more traditional environment at home with no guarantee of success.

She chose home.

That choice isn’t the only thing Cathy struggled with. She’s beaten breast cancer twice, thyroid cancer once and suffered heart failure.

But through all that, she was most concerned with Stewart. Thanks to sports, however, she

Shepard: see page 8

MATT MASIN | DAILY NEBRASKAn

Shepard sits courtside at the NU Coliseum for the Huskers’ match against Ohio State, a four-set Nebraska win.

anna reed | daily nebraskan

Signed volleyballs sit on a shelf in a room in Shepard’s home, where he has a vast collection of Husker memorabilia.