Etownian Issue 8 - 11/11/2010

the

Images: coolest-gadgets.com, southernplate.com, wordpress.com

The Science of Aging

Class of 2011 Gift Announced!

Is Etown Being Shortchanged?

Etownian Features, page 4

Campus Life, page 6

Opinion, page 12

How Far Can $1 Take You?

elizabethtown college

November 11, 2010• Volume 107, No. 8

One Alpha Drive • Elizabethtown, PA 17022-2298

on campus

academics

Centerfold, pages 8-9 On the Web: www.facebook.com/etownian

Condom found at Cameras prevent academic dishonesty Halloween dance B Kalie M. Desimone Staff Writer

Robert E. Koehler Staff Writer

After the Halloween dance in the early hours of Oct. 31, Campus Security was alerted to a used condom on the dance floor. Security immediately notified Environmental Services, who disposed of the condom.

This issue brings up many health and sanitation issues: at these events, some girls prefer to dance barefoot; bodily fluids from the condoms could get into cuts or wounds on someone’s body and spread infection. With events that require a lot of moving and physical activity, the chance of slipping is also very likely. The floor in the KÁV is tiled, and a fall could certainly cause a substantial injury.

While dances are certainly not the most “innocent” of events on campus, it is unusual for problems like this to occur. SWEET was the sponsor of this specific dance.

Junior Katie Gantz, SWEET coordinator, noted that the group would be addressing this incident at their upcoming meeting, so no comment would be given at this time.

Students have very strong opinions about this recent discovery as well. Sophomore Eric Fritzges is just one of many students who look forward to attending the dance with friends each weekend. “I think it is disgusting because I go to dances to dance with people,” Fritzges said. “[I don’t go] to see or hear about other people’s intimate choices.”

Sophomore Devon Geduldig said, “If you’re going to have sex, the dance is not the place to do it. We have rooms for a reason.”

Colleges around the nation have been trying to educate students about sex and promote safe sexual habits.

Recent national statistics show that 69 percent of males and 77 percent of females have experienced intercourse by age 19. Most college sex is correlated with alcohol abuse; as many as 70 percent of college students admit to having engaged in sexual activity as a result of being inebriated. Etown does its best to educate students on the dangers of unsafe sex, and Health Services is always available if a troubling situation arises.

The general consensus among students concerning this recent incident is disgust. Many accept the fact that sex is happening around campus but never would have thought it would occur at a public event such as the dance.

Junior Samantha Wingrove finds it gross that students have to be exposed to these activities in a place where hundreds of people go to have a good time with their peers. “I can’t even imagine people are doing this kind of stuff at dances in front of all those people,” Wingrove said. “I go to have fun with my friends and dance with people. If people are going to be doing stuff like that, at least bring it back to your room.”

First-year Chris Farmer also feels very strongly about this recent discovery. “Why in the world would you do it at the dance?” Farmer asks. “Go find a bed and do it there. That is just wrong, it is not the place to do that; it is a place for drunken people to dance, that’s all. It could have been a prank, but I’m going to assume it wasn’t.”

Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks to see if any changes are in store for school dances after this recent incident.

allowed to bring cell phones, backpacks or purses into the testing site. While students take their exams, they are monitored by video surveillance; the cameras are ig Brother is always watching. It is important for set up in every testing room and all video is fed to the students to understand that no matter what you do Assistant Director of Learning Services, Tamera Longsin public nowadays, it is almost always being recorded derff ’s, computer. If Longsderff sees anything suspicious, in some way. Elizabethtown College is no exception to she takes note and may even go into the testing room to this rule. There are several cameras spread all over the check on the student.

It is currently not the protocol for Disability Services campus: one at Mail Services, one outside the BSC and to inform the student several that monitor the Photo: Matthew P. Butera that he or she was seen parking lots. All of these cheating. Rather, when cameras were installed the student turns the test in order to help protect in, a note is made for the students and promote professor, and then the safety, but the cameras teacher can make a deciin Disability Services? sion as to how to handle Well, they serve a differthe situation. ent purpose.

Lynne Davies, diThe cameras were rector of Learning and installed a little over Disability Services, said a year ago after some that it has been about a students were caught year since anyone has cheating while taking a been caught cheating test. Disability Services offers special testing The cameras in Disability Services have been helping while taking a test. “We rooms to students with to discourage cheating on tests. Students who are installed these cameras documented disabilities, given more time because of a documented disability because it is the most are now monitored through video surveillance. effective way to monitor where they can easily students when they are have the accommodations they need. Some examples of accommodations taking tests,” Davies said. “Most students have the offered to students are distraction-free testing sites, as distraction-free accommodation, so rather than havwell as extra time for testing. Students may receive these ing someone sitting in there watching them take the accommodations for reasons including professionally test, thus defeating the purpose of the distractiondiagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder, dyslexia or other free environment, we feel the cameras are the most learning disabilities. When a student comes into Disabil- unobtrusive method of observing.” ity Services to take a test, he or she must sign a version of the Pledge of Integrity. In addition, students are not See CAMERAS, Page 2

in the nation

Mexican narcotic conflicts intensify Kara J. Burkholder Staff Writer

and El Paso, Texas. These cities contain the primary routes for smuggling illegal drugs into the U.S. and are at the n the past two weeks, at least three forefront of a massive war between two Americans have been killed across drug cartels: the Juarez cartel and the the United States-Mexico border, Sinaloa cartel.

In April, U.S. intelligence reported once again bringing the conflict at the border to the nation’s attention. Only that the Sinaloa cartel had won the this time, the focus is not on illegal two-year battle for control of Ciudad Juarez with a death toll of over 5,000. immigration.

In this case, the deaths were near the But the violence seems to have only border cities of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, escalated since then. According to Dr. Wayne Selcher, professor of international studies at Elizabethtown College, this conflict is a “turf war” that is “continual and dynamic,” and isn’t going to be easily resolved, possibly continuing for years to come as each cartel vies for control of territory.

According to Selcher, drugs and immigration are only part of the complex relationship that Ciudad Juarez, located across the border we have with Mexico. “Mexico from El Paso,Texas, has proven deadly since is a major developing country the battle between the Juarez and Sinaloa cartels began. More than 6,500 people and an important trade and have been killed since the start of 2008. investment partner for the U.S.,”

I

Images: independent.co.uk

Selcher said. It is one of the longest borders in the world between a developed country and a developing country.

With that kind of proximity, there is bound to be tension.

The Mexican government is doing what it can to try to clean up the cities that are dominated by drug lords, but the going is tough. Mexico has even had to recruit its military in the fight.

See DRUG WAR, Page 3

2

news

the Etownian

The

Jaydededge

Rachel A. Marsteller Staff Writer Grandmother of the year A Florida woman, along with her boyfriend, has been charged with trying to sell her infant grandson for $30,000.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents arrested the 45-year-old grandmother and her 42-year-old boyfriend in Daytona Beach after they met with an agent posing as a buyer. Both were charged with illegal sale or surrender of a child.

An FDLE agent said the investigation began last month after an informant told authorities the woman was trying to sell the baby. Authorities say the woman originally wanted $75,000 but was talked down to $30,000.

The child’s mother is currently incarcerated on unrelated charges.

The infant has been turned over to child welfare officials.

Trick or condom?

Having a safe Halloween took on a different meaning in one Oregon neighborhood, where trick-or-treating teenagers received condoms in their goodie bags. Daniel and Kathleen Harris told the local newspaper that the free condoms were part of their effort to promote health. They also handed out toothbrushes in addition to candy bars.

The father of one 14-year-old girl who received the condoms was offended and said it was inappropriate to give them to children without parents’ consent.

Kathleen Harris said giving the condoms to the 14-year-old was a mistake. She said their usual practice is to ask teens if they’re 16 or older and to give them a speech on safe sex.

True love for your dog A Florida man shot at an alligator to free his dog from its jaws. The man said he and his Jack Russell terrier, Lizabeth, were walking along the Hillsborough River in Tampa when the alligator wrestled the 15-pound dog into the water.

Martino started shooting into the water around the alligator to scare it into releasing the nine-year-old dog.

After retrieving his pet, he performed CPR on the dog until it coughed up water and started breathing again.

Lizabeth was treated for alligator bites and lung injuries from being underwater.

Later, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission trapper captured the five- to six-foot alligator.

Priest with behavioral issues Reverend Keith LeBlanc of St. John the Baptist Church in Haverhill, Mass., stole more than $83,000 and used it to pay off $25,000 in pornography-related credit card debts.

“Because this is an ongoing legal proceeding, it would be inappropriate for me to comment. That said, we continue to pray for Fr. LeBlanc, for the parish of St. John the Baptist and for all those impacted by these events,” Terrence Donilon, communications director for the Archdiocese of Boston, said.

LeBlanc resigned in June after six years as pastor of St. John’s. He was arraigned last week on larceny and forgery charges and released on personal recognizance.

A police report obtained by a local newspaper said LeBlanc had a credit card he used for online pornography and that he needed help for a pornography addiction.

The report said LeBlanc had gone to a recovery center in Pennsylvania for priests with behavioral issues.

Compiled from myway.com and cbsnews.com.

November 11, 2010

campus media

WWEC undertakes new project Mike L. Reintjes Staff Writer

W

Jay’s Nest employees. However, the music choice is up to the radio staff, who work hard to ensure certain playlists can be heard during peak times.

Currently, the station is in the early stages of the remodel, and the radio staff is trying hard to get all the kinks out of the whole operation. It is a time-consuming project that could eventually turn into a premier college radio station in the Lancaster area.

The station has been renovated not only because it was in need of a makeover but also to cater to recent Federal Communications Commission regulations. The FCC adds and changes regulations often, and radio stations need to keep up with these guidelines.

“Every song needs to be screened so that there is no illegally downloaded music playing,” Helb said. “All music that comes into the station needs to be on the original CD and not on a burned CD.” Sophomore Brett Antosh is in charge of screening the music. He listens to every CD he receives to check the lyrics and to make sure every song is clean and complies with FCC regulations. Antosh has been on top of the music in order to please everyone. “I want to cover any genre people want. I don’t like getting calls and not being able to play some requested songs; we are here to please the community,” Antosh said.

“People need to be proactive in this effort for the station,” Helb said.

In an age of new technology, WWEC 88.3 is working to keep the influence of radio alive and well, while striving to be a positive force in the Etown community.

hat takes a lot of work, tons of time and brings lots of criticism? Revamping a radio station! The WWEC staff has been working hard to cater to all comments from students to make the Elizabethtown College station perfect.

“WWEC is ‘the sound of Elizabethtown;’ it belongs to the students, faculty and community.

I want so many people to get involved that the schedule is packed,” assistant professor of communications Dr. Colin Helb said. The radio staff has worked extremely hard on the renovations.

Junior Chris Tjaden, station manager, has been impressed with the station’s new look.

“I’m real excited about the whole station, especially with all the new music coming in from record labels,” Tjaden said. The station has had to rebuild its whole playlist, since DJs are no longer able to bring in iPods or computers to play their music.

One of the big changes is that the station now plays all the time in the Jay’s Nest and will eventually be aired in the Blue Bean Café and the Marketplace as well. There has been some frustration from a few Jay’s Nest employees.

“The variety of music changes too fast, and the station needs more DJs during the day,” said Dan Henricks, Jay’s Nest student manager.

There have been many complaints concerning WWEC’s playlist, but Helb and his staff have recently rearranged the playlist to make it more organized. Students have mixed opinions about the variety of songs, and many who frequent the Photo: Jacqueline E. Quidort Jay’s share complaints.

“I don’t think the music is student-friendly,” said senior Angela Coffey. “No one I’ve spoken to really knows the music.” Nonetheless, the radio station has been working hard to cater to all the requests of the students.

Junior Lauren Hamilton’s concerns center around on-air commentary. “I’m totally in favor of playing the Etown station, but I think there needs to be more intelligent talk,” she said.

Other complaints have centered around the sound Sophomore Micah Aumen has his radio show from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. every level of the music, which Sunday night.WWEC offers great opportunities for students to get involved, falls into the hands of the whether you are anything from a communications major to a biology major.

continued from page one

Surveillance dissuades cheating It is important for students to know that these cameras are only on when a student is in a room for test-taking purposes. Since Disability Services is used for several other learning initiatives like tutoring or writing consultation, some students wondered whether they were being recorded during these sessions; Davies denies this practice.

Erin Johnson, a junior and member of the Integrity Committee, thinks that the cameras are a great idea. “I think that students need to understand that the cameras are there to maintain a level playing field for all students and to maintain the integrity of a degree from Elizabethtown College,” she said.

It is important to understand that the Integrity Committee is not a judicial committee and does not handle academic dishonesty cases when they occur. According to Kristin Mance, a senior member of the Integrity Committee, the group acts as a prevention, providing presentations in first-year seminars and writing and research intensive (WRI) courses. “We help professors and encourage students not to cheat, plagiarize or become involved in anything that would be considered a breach of social integrity. We also inform professors of ways to help support students in their classrooms with understanding plagiarism,” Mance explained.

Technology, although very beneficial, has actually paved an easier way for students to cheat; students can program equations and facts into their calculators, text during exams and store information on their formula sheets. The truth is, as technology improves and allows for cheating to be effortless for students, so must the ways to combat cheating. As Etown keeps up with new technology, video surveillance just seems to be a simple way to instill the Pledge of Integrity to a higher degree.

November 11, 2010

news

continued from page one

on campus

Ironically, one of the major problems the Mexican government is dealing with is attempting to weed out corruption in the police and military forces in the first place. Figuring out who in the military and law enforcement agencies is connected to the drug lords and cartels is difficult. Cleaning up the cities is difficult too; when the government sends people to areas with problems, it often is not long until the officials or others involved are assassinated.

Obviously, Mexico’s narcotics corruption is problem for the U.S., too, as millions of illegal drugs are smuggled into the country. What is the U.S. government doing to help the situation? In the past, meetings were held every year between the governors of the provinces in Mexico and the governors of the bordering states, but these meetings have not been held for several years. Selcher thinks it would be highly beneficial for the meetings to take place again, but given the current situation, it might be too dangerous.

The violence has not stopped the U.S. from helping the Mexican government in other ways. “There is exchange of law enforcement intelligence, U.S. training programs for Mexican officials, and provision of crime-fighting equipment [and] technology,” Selcher said. “Our border control forces have also been increased, with occasional use of National Guard troops on U.S. soil in a surveillance and capture capacity.”

In the past, the drug cartels have mostly targeted other Mexicans, but the demographics of their victims have varied lately. Selcher does not think the drug lords are in any way purposely seeking out Americans. “It is not in the business or stability interests of the drug lords to target Americans specifically, thus engaging the U.S. more seriously,” Selcher said.

No matter the outcome, one of the main components of this drug war is the immense demand created by U.S. consumers. Until this demand can be controlled and lowered, the war will probably continue. Selcher concluded, “Like numerous international scrapes we get into, the U.S. has brought this one onto ourselves partially by our own actions, through our society’s massive illegal drug consumption.”

Jim R. Panacio Staff Writer

the Etownian

3

Drug war deaths escalate New land acquired to rent

Image: time.com

R

ecently, there has been concern among students over the way Elizabethtown College spends its money. Previous articles in the Etownian criticized the College’s purchase of new high-definition TV screens and a sushi bar for the Jay’s Nest. Students are worried that their tuition money is being used for unnecessary purchases. It is this same fear that led students to question the College’s decision to purchase an acre of land last week.

On Saturday, Oct. 23., Etown’s Board of Trustees approved acquirement of an acre of land across from the Schreiber Quadrangle. This piece of land has actually been leased by the College, and the process will not be finalized until Nov. 15.

According to Joe Metro, director of facilities management and construction at the College, this acre is part of a continuous land plan. Other features of the plan include possible construction projects and extensions or renovations of existing buildings.

“The property will be leased for future use,” Metro explained, adding that “we acquired this piece of land to enhance its property value.” Currently, there are no plans for this spot. To ease some of the fears that students may have about the cost of this acre, it only costs a very small amount.

“It was very reasonable … the land will be maintained and mowed by whoever rents the property. It was virtually cost neutral to the College,” Metro said.

The plot of land had been obtained by a corn and soybean farmer who formerly maintained much of the land across from the College. The acre is situated mostly in Mount Joy Township, bordering both the Borough and the College.

The continuous land plan for the College involves numerous possible land purchases in and around the campus.

There are also numerous extension plans for existing buildings such as the Wenger Center and the Thompson Gymnasium.

Several plans for new buildings, including an intended humanities building, are in the works as well. However, there are no dates or ongoing plans for these new buildings or extensions. The land plan merely shows possibilities for future development and construction.

On the acre of land that was recently leased, there was some speculation that before the land was to be purchased, Etown College had to construct a dam in part of Lake Placida. However, these two issues are completely unrelated.

The College Facilities and Management Office has, in fact, made plans to construct a dam. The office will first need to gain approval from the Borough of Elizabethtown before making any of these constructions.

In addition to the dam, there are also plans to create an emergency access roadway near the Quadrangle and the Founders dormitories for emergency vehicles to enter in the event of a crisis.

Both the dam and the roadway require the approval of the Borough. Both plans, however, do not affect the land plan. The lease will not need the approval of the Borough because it is not related.

Etown College, like any institute of higher learning, has a continual expansion plan to expand the grounds if its leaders see fit. This recent acre acquirement is very small in the grand scheme of things, but it is beneficial both to the College and to the property itself. By leasing this land, the College is enhancing its property value, and the effect on the school’s budget was essentially neutral.

revamp, renew

Ober bathrooms to see new renovations this summer Kristen N. Lacaillade Staff Writer

I

t’s been a long time coming, but the decision is final: Ober Residence Hall is getting some long-overdue renovations. These improvements are meant to affect all 202 students who reside in Ober in a positive way.

The first item on the agenda? The much needed and anticipated bathroom replacements. According to sophomore Colin Sheridan, “The bathrooms were the only thing I hated about living in Ober last year. They were really disgusting, especially on the weekends.”

Sophomore Becky Porter agreed, saying that she felt the school needed to do something about the state that the bathrooms are in on a consistent basis. “The weekends, and even during the week, people trash the bathrooms.

There are times you walk in and there is a huge mess,” Porter said. Over the course of the summer, beginning just days after the Class of 2011 graduates from Elizabethown College, crews will be brought in to begin the process of re-doing every bathroom in Ober. This project is one of three that will take place in phases. The bathroom renovations will be done over the course of this summer and will be completed by the time everyone returns to campus for classes next fall. The school is shelling out approximately $8.6 million for these renovations and has made sure that each and every aspect of the initiative was carefully considered and planned.

This project has been in the works for a while now, but needed to go through numerous steps before it could be

finalized. “We began this process by putting together a Residential Renewal committee, who would oversee any and all planning when it came to this project,” Dean of Students Marianne Calenda explained. Architects, planning boards and feasibility specialists were all hired by the College to come onto campus and make note of which areas are in need of the most work.

College officials also felt that it was important to listen to student opinions about what they would like to see improved to better their college living experience. Founders, Royer, Myer and Schlosser Halls all received lounge improvements in the past few years, and the committee decided it was finally Ober’s turn to get a much-needed update. The building, which was constructed in 1960, has not seen a renovation like this in its 50 years of existence.

“I’m really excited and interested to see how the renovations will turn out. I’m glad that the school decided to focus on the bathrooms first because they need it the most,” sophomore Ian Heist said.

For the first phase of this project, all existing bathrooms in the dorm will be gutted completely and redone. The new colors will be neutral, which was decided largely by President Long’s wife, Betty Long, who plays a large part in helping with the interior design aspect of many of the projects on campus. Individual showers with changing rooms attached will be installed; all toilets, mirrors, sinks and fixtures will be replaced as well. First-year Travis Gerstacker feels that when the College looks into the sinks, a different choice in knobs should be considered. “The knobs on the sinks now are really hard to use when you’re

brushing your teeth or shaving. I think they should get ones that you twist and the water stays on,” he explained.

The second phase of the renovation will focus on the heating and air conditioning units in the building. All windows in the building will be replaced, along with the lights in each room and in the hallways. New closets and dressers will be put into each room. There are two rooms in Ober this year that have prototypes for these closets and dressers so that students can use them now and give the school feedback regarding the furniture’s functionality.

“We are also planning to put an elevator in Ober so that students with disabilities are given convenience,” Calenda explained.

The third and final phase of this project is to redo the lounge and basement areas of the building. The existing lounge will be updated, and the basement hallway that connects one side to the other will be opened up. Another lounge will be built for the residents, and the laundry room will be moved to that area as well. This additional lounge will give students a space outside of their rooms or the library to get work done or unwind after a long day.

“Overall, I am really excited about the project, and the students will benefit greatly. We keep our students in mind when we take on projects such as these and want to make sure their on-campus living experience is a positive one,” Calenda said.

Anyone who wishes to speak with Dean Calenda about this project or who has any other questions, comments or concerns, is encouraged to come to her open office hour every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. in the BSC in room 208.

Photos: Jacqueline E. Quidort

4

features

the Etownian

profiles • monthly series • campus events

November 11, 2010 town events • facts & figures• business

on campus

Aspirant program leaders seeking inspiration, ideas Patricia A. Cangelosi Copy Editor

M

ost people can identify role models in their lives — folks who have inspired them to strive for something greater. Similarly, leaders from most colleges can name at least a few other institutions which motivate them to challenge themselves and to achieve more than they already have.

Elizabethtown College is no exception.

In the spring of 2007, President Theodore Long and other administrators spearheaded an initiative to develop a list of aspirant institutions from which, for various reasons, Etown could learn something. The list consists of the University of Redlands in California, Drake University in Iowa, Elon University in North Carolina, Calvin College in Michigan, Valparaiso University in Indiana, John Carroll University in Ohio and Stonehill College in Massachusetts.

According to Dean of Students Marianne Calenda, these institutions were selected mainly by indicators such as size, endowment, financial health and overall reputation for academic excellence. Provost Susan Traverso,

who often consults with provosts and other leaders from the aspirants, revealed that people often wonder why Etown is looking at schools two to three times its size. “We’re not trying to be bigger,” she said. “We just see in these schools features of their programs that we would like to aspire to.”

For instance, Elon has a strong program of travel courses that enables students to spend more time outside of their comfort zones. Valparaiso boasts a great honors college that is more robust and comprehensive than Etown’s. Whether or not Etown decides to implement similar projects is a separate issue; “There’s value in studying how they’ve succeeded,” Traverso said.

Dr. Jane Cavender, professor of biology and head of the resources and planning committee that advises the President, is a strong advocate for the aspirant program.

“I’m a scientist, so it’s important to me to go out and collect data,” she explained. For her, trying to invent ideas from the College out of nowhere, or reinvent the wheel, would be pointless. Other institutions exist that are achieving wonderful things, and it would serve us well to research how

they are doing it. Cavender compared the exercise to a student meeting with a tutor to master his or her coursework.

Senior Mike Behounek, the only student on the resources and planning committee, shares his unique perspective as a student and an insider. “I think the program is a great idea. If you’re just sitting there saying, ‘Oh, we’re fine,’ you won’t get anywhere. But if you go look at what other schools are doing, you can learn a lot,” Behounek said.

“It’s what we teach students to do [at Etown]: ask questions and be curious,” Calenda said. She described the aspirant schools’ response to our interest in a positive light. “I think in general, they’re flattered,” she said. “There’s a commitment to that kind of dialogue and sharing of ideas in higher education. There’s an openness to it. People want to share their success stories.”

President Long agreed. “We need to be a more active player in the collegiate conversation,” he said. Long emphasized that Etown does not always need to look to other institutions to find excellence. After visiting many of the schools on the list, he said, “We’ve come away with several things we don’t want to change because we’re doing things

as well as, or better than, our peers.”

Some people have criticized the idea, saying that Etown should not aspire to emulate other schools or try to become them, but President Long denies the allegation. “We’re not trying to imitate them; we’re trying to learn from them and to do things our own way,” he said.

Another list of peer institutions is consulted at times. These include Susquehanna University, Lebanon Valley College, Lycoming College, Juniata College and other schools that compete with Etown directly. The peer list is used mainly for comparison, according to Dean Calenda.

“It’s important to see where you are among your peers because it’s a competitive business. It helps to know your advantages and disadvantages,” she said. “If we’re doing something better than our peers (such as having a higher freshmen retention rate), we can market that. We go to the aspirants for a bigger context.”

President Long points out in his column in the fall 2010 edition of Elizabethtown Magazine, “As we progress on this path, soon we too will become an ‘aspirant’ for others seeking to build their own excellence and distinction.”

on campus

Professor awarded big bucks to study science of aging Kit B. Lai Staff Writer

D

r. Diane Bridge, associate professor of the department of biology, brings the school exciting news this year. The National Institutes of Health awarded Bridge and her research team a $1.1 million grant to study the biology of human aging.

The grant will be used at both Elizabethtown College and Pomona College for the next five years for summer student research stipends, student travel to scientific meetings, laboratory supplies and new equipment. Not only does the grant benefit the biology department, but it is also good publicity for the College and is a good way to recruit new students.

Junior and research team member Stephanie Gingrich said, “Whenever new biological research leads to a scientific breakthrough, it's always nice to know where it came from. If it came from a small collaboration of students and instructors it shows high school students that you can help further scientific knowledge, even if you go to a small private school like Elizabethtown.”

Three years ago, Bridge began this research with Daniel Martinez, chair of the department of biology at Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., and the help of students and alumni from both Pomona and Etown.

According to Bridge, Etown students helped her receive this grant as they were involved in the whole research process from performing experiments to collecting data.

Students that are now helping Bridge conduct research as part of this project are junior Stephanie Ellwood , Gingrich, and junior Gregory Shedlock. While applying for the grant, the research team had to send in a detailed plan with supporting data of the research they intended to do. Two Etown alumni, Alexander Theofiles and Rebecca Holler, helped Bridge with

preliminary data for the application process during their college career. “[This] will let students experience doing research and give them bigger opportunities. If students are going to grad school, the school will like their research experience. Anyway, our main goal is for students to learn from the research,” Bridge said.

Students can start helping with the research even as first-years, but Bridge said it would be good to start as sophomores because first-years have a lot of challenges to confront, such as the transition of entering college. Gingrich was looking for an opportunity to explore biological research at the end of her sophomore year and found Bridge’s research interesting after talking to her about it. She eventually joined the team.

“It takes time out of my busy schedule to be able to do research, but when things work out and we get closer to our goals, it is exciting. It's a nice re-

ward when something go es well and you get the results that you'd like — you know you're making progress,

and there's definitely a sense of satisfaction in that,” Gingrich said.

“Also, humans are always looking for ways to ‘stay young,’ and the fact that there is a species of Hydra out there that doesn't age is mind boggling.”

First-year, Owen Howson, after finding out about the research, is already showing interest in joining the team. “I like how [Dr. Bridge] is looking at it from a cellular level because your body is made up from so many different cells, and to look at the aging process of a specific group of cells is really cool. You get to see the effect and the causes within that specific area.”

Students will have a chance to participate in summer research on campus for ten weeks and get paid for it. Moreover, students from both colleges will get a chance to meet up and exchange their research experience. Howson said, “Two completely different cultures coming together and working towards one specific thing is very fascinating. Because we live in a very diverse country and to be able to do that, it says a lot about us.”

Photo Credit: www.wastednews.com

November 11, 2010

features

study abroad

the Etownian

5

Visiting equator, ancient ruins, land untouched by time Melissa A. Cangialosi Guest Writer

visit some of the most famous landmarks in the world. We began our trip in historic Lima before boating among the islands in Lake Titicaca. Then we arrived in Machu Picchu, one of the most famous sites for Incan remains. We were lucky enough to visit Machu Picchu ow many people can say that they’ve visited the Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, on one of the first days after it re-opened, which meant there were not many tourists. We Lake Titicaca, the Amazon and the equator, all in the span of four and a half months? also got to climb Huiana Picchu, the huge mountain behind the remains.

After one day of rest and relaxation, we headed out again, this time to the I can. Studying abroad in Amazon. Here, we took walks in the jungle, ate some grub, swam in the river, Quito, Ecuador, last semester threw spears and shot blow darts, went rafting and hiked in caves. We also visited was the experience that ala school for students from all over the jungle, where they learned traditional lowed me to travel throughsubjects, as well as agriculture and other useful trades. out South America.

One of the final trips we took was to Baños, a tourist city a short distance from where During my first weekend I stayed. Baños was by far my favorite place throughout my travels because it’s where I trip in Ecuador, I visited what did some of the craziest things. We rented bicycles and rode around the town and up to was, at the time, the most see an amazing waterfall one afternoon. My group also rented quads to see some breathamazing place ever – the taking views. The following day, we equator. I straddled the two got up very early to go puenting – an hemispheres of the world and activity not for the faint of heart. Putook the customary pictures enting is like bungee jumping off of a with my friends of us jumpbridge, but a harness is used around ing, sitting, doing handstands your upper body, and the rope atand making a pyramid on tached doesn’t bungee. Instead there the line dividing the world. is a regular rope that stops you from Courtesy Photo Corny as it may sound, there falling when it reaches its end. The actually is a two-inch wide Surprise yourself! Studying abroad allows you to go final activity was canyoning, where line marking the equator to on adventures that bring out your wild side. you propel down waterfalls like you which tourists flock in order to snap a photo or two. would propel down a mountain!

During a five-day weekend to celebrate Carnival, a celebration similar to Mardi Gras, Since returning to the U.S. and I hopped on a plane with my closest friends to a place untouched by time: the Galapagos Elizabethtown College, things have Islands. Upon landing at the airport, it was obvious that we had been transported to a been different. I still make an effort place easily equatable to Jurassic Park. We were surrounded by iguanas, crabs, turtles, to travel and see new things as often sharks, penguins, sea horses and seals. The experience was surreal; swimming alongside as possible, but it’s not the same. sea turtles and sharks, and even seeing an octopus, became common for me.

Public transportation in Ecuador is Another activity that would become a staple for every BCA-sponsored trip was a hike. much more affordable than it is in The hike we took in the Galapagos Islands was up Volcan Chico, an active volcano on the U.S., making long trips feasible.

Isabella Island. Thankfully this trek was on an overcast day, limiting our level of exhaustion For example, a nine-hour bus trip and thirst; however, the rains eventually set in, making the descent muddy and treacherous.

Courtesy Photo A few days later, my host sister, two mutual friends and I headed off to Mindo to Take the opportunity to see world wonders in Ecuador would only cost about experience zip lining for the first time! Zip lining is an activity that is becoming more while you are abroad. Seeing it with your $9. Another hindering factor is the workload here at school. In Ecuapopular in the U.S., but zip lining in Ecuador was an experience completely unlike friends makes it even better! dor, it is common for students to any other. For the small fee of $10, we were geared up and began our trek to the first of 12 lines that we would whiz down, while taking in the breathtaking landscapes. miss classes without any repercussions. On the other hand, missing classes in the After several normal runs down these lines, we were given the opportunity to spice majority of colleges and universities in the U.S. will warrant you a failing grade.

However, my experiences traveling have had an amazingly positive impact on things up, which of course we did. The most memorable zip-line course was Superman, where you lie on your stomach and put your arms out in front of you while me. They have allowed me to meet a great variety of people and made understanding others a much easier task. The trips I have taken have opened my eyes to other flying above the treetops, and it honestly does feel like you’re flying!

During Semana Santa, the wonderful one week off for Easter, I traveled south to Peru to cultures around the world, while allowing me to appreciate my own with more gusto.

H

in the area

Mega church expands all throughout local counties Tara B. Hayes Assistant Copy Editor

own as well, which is a factor Zeswitz feels is responsible for its effectiveness. “As for helping the community, many times a year they may have speakers or a representative come to talk about an organization that is raising money, such as n 1986, Daryl Hershey suffered from a brain tumor. the Hoops for Hope campaign or World Vision,” Summers Hershey and his family were religious people but had said. “They are constantly telling us about ways to get a difficult time getting to church. involved and help and show God’s love to others.”

So the family and other members LCBC has many groups for its parishioners to get of the community gathered in a involved in, including Intervarsity Christian Fellowgarage to pray. These gatherings ship, for which Lehman is a leader. led to a different kind of church, “I coordinate the Tuesday night ministry called Lancaster County Bible Church, Revive. It is a time for believers to fellowship with now LCBC — Lives Changed by each [other]… seeking unbelievers to find answers,” Christ, which was recently recogshe said. “It is an awesome time of encouragement nized by www.Churchrelevance. for Christians on campus, and I would love to see the com as one of the “top churches group grow – not just in numbers but in faith!” to watch in America.”

“Something I do weekly at LCBC is work with LCBC is a nondenominational Photo: Matthew P. Butera church with three campuses: Man- LCBC has over 9,000 attendees on an average weekend, and has two new the Buddy program where I am paired with a child who has a disability,” senior Kaitlyn Bridgeman said. heim, Lancaster City and Harris- campuses, each with about 2,000 churchgoers attending every week.

“This allows the parents to have an opportunity to go burg. Services are taped live at the Manheim campus, then broadcast at the Lancaster and Har- Summers said. “This is one reason why they’re expanding to church and know their child’s needs will be met, and it gives my buddy a chance to go to Sunday school with all risburg campuses. To build this unique system, the ministry the number of campuses: to try to reach more people.”

Services are held in a large auditorium of 2,300 seats built of his or her peers.” team visited churches in Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago to use While David Ashcraft became the pastor in February as models. By 2011, LCBC plans to add two campuses to its in 2004. “When you walk in the building, there is excitement and anticipation for what God is doing in the lives 1991, Hershey is still remembered with a field in his community, one in Ephrata and the other in York.

“It is one of the largest growing churches in that make up the church body,” Lehman said. “It is a church name behind the Manheim campus.

LCBC Manheim holds services every Saturday at 4:30 America because the atmosphere makes people want where everyone is welcome, and no one feels insecure.”

The church encourages its parishioners to help others in and 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m. For more to come to church on Sunday mornings,” sophomore the community not only through the church, but on their information visit www.LCBCChurch.com.

LCBC attendant Emily Lehman said.

I

“Our goal is to produce fully devoted followers of Jesus from unconnected seekers,” Executive Director of Ministries John Zeswitz said.

“Their main focus is to reach out to those who don’t know the love of God,” sophomore LCBC attendant Cassy

6

the Etownian

campus life

movies • music • television • humor • travel

senior donation

lifestyles • arts • advice • college issues

2011 Scholarship: gift of continuing education 2010

2005

Joelle E. Atkinson Assistant Campus Life Editor

L

egacies are important. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines the word as “a gift by will, especially of money or other personal property,” or “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.” There are several types of legacies in life, and many suggest that an important way to leave a legacy is to your alma mater.

Whether it be college or even high school, alumni across the country every year contribute funds to continue the success of institutions.

The senior class gift has been a way for previous Elizabethtown College students to leave a small piece of themselves behind.

If you look around the campus, several things that we may pass by everyday could have been a former class gift from a previous graduating class.

Last year, the class of 2010 donated the benches in the newly opened academic quad. The class of 2009 worked to build an outdoor classroom, and the class of 2007 provided an investment fund to the College. The clock outside of Brossman Commons near Zug Memorial Hall was brought to the school by the class of 2005. The international clocks, located in the concourse in the BSC, were a gift from the class of 2003. The metal arch located on the outskirts of campus by Schlosser Hall was a generous and iconic gift from the class of 1952.

Many have speculated what the newest graduating seniors, the class of 2011, plan to give to their school. Would it be another monetary gift?

Something iconic and noteworthy that could be showed off for years to come? Or would it be a useful tool for future students? The class of 2011 sought to uncover the answers to these questions as they began the inquiry process of their contribution to the Etown campus.

The 2011 class representatives got together and decided that a survey, sent out to the senior class, would be the best way to decide what the class should give. Once they received the results of the survey, the class gift was discussed within the class senate meetings and the gift was then decided.

2003

Photos : Matthew P. Butera

November 11, 2010

Senior class Vice President Caitlin Taylor said that the survey was designed to see if students wanted to give either a capital project, such as building a fountain or a statue, or a scholarship, to help a future Blue Jay attend the College.

Overwhelmingly, the senior class decided that a scholarship was the best idea, and Senate agreed.

“The reason we geared toward a scholarship was because we looked at other class gifts and unfortunately, they didn’t raise enough money, and we wanted something that could be implemented and used and that we could see the effects of within the next year,” Taylor said.

Though they do not yet know how much should be raised or how much the scholarship would be, Taylor said that the scholarship would be provided for the full length of the students’ term at Etown.

“Our plan is to wait and see how much we raise [as a class], and based on that, see if we could do it for at least one student over four years and if we are able to continue that for additional students thereafter,” she said. Ultimately, however, it depends on how much money is pooled together within the senior class.

Assistant Director of the Annual Fund, David Edinger, said that successful class gifts depend on several factors. He said class bonding is one and he believes that class of 2011 has done that well. He also said, “It depends on how much the students believe in the gift [that they are giving].”

Though he is not sure the average price of senior gifts in the past, he did explain how class giving has changed over the past years.

“Class gifts used to use the money that the class account had left over, and it would just go back to the College. Now, it is used toward reunions, which would help bond the class further, so there isn’t any extra,” Edinger said. He did add that the most successful gift in recent history was the senior class of 2009, who have donated nearly $4,000 to its outdoor classroom.

Edinger is encouraged by the idea of scholarships as a gift for the class of 2011 for future and upcoming classes. “If you think in terms of giving, for me, I like to be able to see something that would be able to affect a student directly. Scholarships or something that helps them experience Etown.” He added that another way for previous seniors to give back would be using their talent for service as alumni.

For information on how to donate toward the class gift, graduating seniors can go to www.

EtownAlumni.com/2011.

1952

campus life

November 11, 2010

the Etownian

causes

November brings Diabetes Awareness Shawn P. Corcoran Staff Writer

N

ovember is when the fall season gradually changes into winter, and families across the country come together to celebrate the national holiday of Thanksgiving. November is also the month that was chosen by the American Diabetes Association to commemorate National Diabetes Awareness.

It is imperative that the nation becomes properly educated on the causes of diabetes and means of prevention against the disease. It is particularly important to properly educate students and young adults in order to reduce diabetic health concerns in their future.

Type II diabetes is developing in the bodies of adolescents and young adults at an earlier age than ever before and may soon constitute an epidemic. Addressing diabetic concerns on campus can impact students’ health for the rest of their lives; diabetes is a silent killer.

There are two types of diabetes: Type I diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, typically occurs in younger children or those in their early teens. Type I is primarily hereditary and caused by a lack of production of insulin

in the body. The second is Type II. According to the American Diabetes Association, Type II diabetes occurs when either the body does not produce sufficient amounts of insulin, or the cells do not properly acknowledge the function of the insulin. Type II diabetes can also result from a poor diet or from being overweight.

It is the goal of the American Diabetes Association to raise awareness for both types of diabetes.

With Type I diabetes, the autoimmune system attacks the cells of the pancreas and the body has no way of producing insulin to control blood sugar. Usually this occurs in an acute episode which brings the individual to the hospital with very dangerous and high levels of blood sugar. If the blood sugar level is not controlled, it can lead to several complications that can result in blindness, loss of limbs or even lead to a coma.

Funding for Type I research is very important in order to not only find a cure, but to find better and improved ways to treat the condition on a daily basis. Recently there has been research and procedures to remove, incubate and implant cells that can grow anywhere in the body to start producing insulin.

The lives of young people with diabetes have improved due to progressive medical knowledge and technology. However, there is still a

lot that needs to be done to improve the quality of life for those who suffer from Type I diabetes. On a college campus it is very important that sugar-free foods are available and menus are varied to accommodate these individuals. This is clearly an issue that needs to be addressed.

While it is not always the case, being overweight is a primary cause of Type II diabetes. Insulin is needed in order to take the sugar from the blood into the cells. However, body fat competes for insulin.

When there is a lack of insulin to perform its job because body fat is consuming it, the sugar remains in the blood. If the level of sugar in the blood is consistently elevated, it can cause various neuropathy issues similar to Type I diabetes. This type can be controlled with medication.

If treatment alone does not work, sometimes a combination of an oral agent with insulin is used. Prevention of Type II diabetes primarily focuses on diet and incorporating exercise into one’s daily routine.

On Monday, Nov. 15, The Well and SPARC will be sponsoring a diabetes awareness information table located in front of the Jay’s Nest. “The table will offer information about diabetes awareness and prevention from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” senior marketing assistant for the Well, Rachel Marsteller said. Additional information on diabetes can also be found anytime in the Student Wellness center. If you would like to find out how to contribute to the fight against diabetes, please visit www.Diabetes.org.

7

Compiled by Campus Security and Melanie R. Giardina Campus Life Editor • An athletic official called Campus Security on Nov. 2 to remove a group of high school students from the turf field. Officials kindly asked them to vacate the area, which they did with no argument.

•

That same day, residents of a Schlosser dorm room requested that their heater be serviced since they could not get the room temperature above 64 degrees.

Heating concerns are a common occurrence when the College is transitioning into the winter months.

•

A student flagged down Campus Security when their car battery died on Nov. 2., and the officers were able to jump the automobile. Though not a well-known service, Campus Security is equipped to jump vehicles.

•

Nov. 3, officers responded to a student’s concern about another student’s mental welfare.

•

The next day, two students reported that they had to clean up broken beer bottles in the parking lot of the quads. Apparently, the night before, a group decided to throw beer bottles out of their quad into the parking lot.

•

Nov. 6, Environmental Services was called to the first floor of Brinser. There was a soapy substance found on the floor of the bathroom. It is possible that it was simply shampoo, but the liquid has yet to be identified.

•

That same day, a resident of Orange Street notified Campus Security that they had chased six college students off their lawn. The students had been smashing pumpkins on properties along the street.

•

Dale’s parking tip of the week: 15 and 30 minute parking spaces are not to be parked in while in class, unless you want to lose $25 to pay the ticket.

movie review

“Due Date” amuses some but fails to deliver hilarity Katherine G. Pebley Staff Writer Emily M. Reigart Editor-in-Chief

R

eleased on November 5, “Due Date” is yet another road trip comedy about male bonding. The film stars Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis, and while it comes from the director of “The Hangover,” it never seems to reach that caliber.

Downey Jr. portrays Peter, a shorttempered architect on his way to Los Angeles from Atlanta to see the birth of his first child. He runs into Galifianakis’ character Ethan, who has decided to become an actor and is on his way to Hollywood, and all hell breaks loose.

The two men are placed on the no-fly list in a completely unrealistic manner, and Peter believes he left his wallet on the plane, from which they are forcibly removed. They end up traveling across the country together, bonding; ridiculousness and mild hilarity ensues.

“Galifianakis, as aspiring actor Ethan, plays his usual man-child …

Peter is childish and mean — slug-akid, spit-on-a-dog, ditch-a-dude-at-a-

rest-stop mean. So whom are we supposed to root for, exactly? They have their moments, bonding at the Grand Canyon or firing up a bong to put the ‘high’ in highway (cheap but funny), but both actors could be even more hilarious playing actual grown-ups,” declared the Nov. 15 issue of People Magazine, which gave the movie two out of four stars.

There are subplots that don’t help the movie in any manner, such as Peter’s fear that his wife may have cheated on him with his friend and Ethan’s devoted love of the show “Two and a Half Men.” Many things in the film are touched upon and then abruptly left, rendering them unnecessary.

DenofGeek.com, a website which discusses and appreciates cult television, movies, games and comics, recently ran Paul Martinovic’s review of “Due Date.” In it, Martinovic simplified the plot. “As for the structure of the film, it goes something like this: Galifianakis’ character causes chaos, then Downey Jr. gets frustrated, then Galifianakis causes some more chaos, then Downey Jr. gets frustrated again. Lather, rinse, repeat for 100 minutes,” Martinovic wrote.

Some students already have plans to go see “Due Date” because of the hype it’s receiving as the supposed male-bonding comedy filler until the release of “The Hangover 2.”

Sophomore Al Gorton plans to go see the movie once he has time.

“It looks pretty funny, and I like Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis,” he said.

Howe ver, some students don’t think it’s worth 8 dollars.

Sophomore Tom Kalafsky said he prefers movies that are more action oriented than this film. “I will not go see this movie. I blatantly refuse,” he stated.

Whatever your current opinion on the movie, you’ve already seen the good highlights if you’ve seen a preview for “Due Date.” There’s Ethan holding the coffee can filled with his father’s ashes, at least what’s left of them after they make coffee earlier in the flick, and he sincerely said, “Dad … you were

like a father to me,” a statement that is mildly funny coming from the stupidity of Galifianakis’ character.

Senior and assistant Opinion editor Janelle DeAngelo recently viewed “Due Date” and appreciated the flick, despite some predictable flaws. “I enjoyed it a lot,” DeAngelo said. “The only bad thing is that 75 percent of the funny parts were in the previews.”

However, the m o s t re l e v a nt quote from the movie, also appearing in trailers, is when Ethan and Peter argue about whether a day that gets better from a bad start means it went uphill or downhill. Ethan states, “But nobody wants to be down, everybody wants to be up. It’s all uphill from here.”

“But it’s easier to go downhill,” Peter responds.

Once you’ve seen “Due Date,” make sure to ask yourself, does the movie go downhill or uphill?

Images: www.stickershoppe.com, www.herdaily.com

8

the Etownian

campus life

November 11, 2010

Michelle L. Hare Staff Writer The almighty dollar is only as strong as the country in which it is being used. However, the dollar’s strength is tough enough to significantly affect faculty members’ decisions when planning May term trips for this spring.

Depending on countries’ situations in terms of depreciation of the dollar, a poor economy or increase in prices for necessities such as fuel, currency conversion rates frequently fluctuate and create a challenge for Elizabethtown College faculty in charge of leading the two-to-three week May term trips. The current programs include China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Thailand and Vietnam. The cost and duration of each trip varies from country to country, but the price is generally in the range of $3,200-$3,500. However, because of the increase of the currency conversion rate, the May term trip to Ireland has become too expensive to take place this year.

After leading the May term trip to Ireland seven times, Dr. Peggy McFarland, professor of social work and experienced traveler, admitted sadly that she will not be organizing the trip again until the dollar regains its strength.

“It really impacts what you can buy,” McFarland stated about the inflation of the euro; she also added that Dublin is considered the eighth most expensive city in the world. McFarland said that during the pricing process, it was discovered that the cost was becoming too high to be reasonable for the trip.

As listed on www.xe.com, a world currency site, the current exchange rate for USD to euro is 1.40 USD per euro. Just this past May, the conversion was 1.29 USD per euro. So, to apply the increase in the currency conversion along with increased prices in fuel, the cost of the trip would have been around $3,400 for a 14-day expedition, which would include roundtrip airfare to and from Ireland, transportation in Ireland and a few meals and lodging. The price did not include all the meals, and food in Ireland, especially Dublin, can be very expensive. McFarland considered food and fuel to be the most expensive commodities.

Despite the discontinuance of the Ireland trip this May, McFarland will continue the May term trip to Vietnam in conjunction with Dr. Jodi Yorty, associate professor of molecular biology, and Brittany’s Hope Foundation.

In contrast to the expensive nature of Ireland, McFarland described the affordability of Vietnam and the acceptance of the USD within the country.

According to www.xe.com, one USD converts to 19,490 Vietnam Dong. The total cost for the Vietnam trip is $3,200 for a 17-day all-inclusive trip. McFarland stated that students spend extra money buying souvenirs and custom-made clothing because everything is very inexpensive, and many vendors accept USD. Also, dissimilar to Ireland, the food in Vietnam is very cheap, and one could spend only two USD on an entire dinner.

In relation to the financial status of Vietnam, Dr. David Kenley, associate professor of history and organizer of the May term trip to China, described how the trip to China is one of the most affordable programs offered.

“Everything there is relatively cheap compared to the United States,” Kenley stated. However, Kenley also described the altering currency rates of China over the years and how many people anticipate that China will appreciate significantly over the next few months by as much as 25 percent, which would directly affect the cost of travel to China.

“Another consideration is inflation rapidly growing in China,” Kenley explained, “so then there is the double whammy of prices going up in China and the U.S. dollar depreciating.”

Within the five years since Kenley began organizing the May term trip to China, he has witnessed the increased inflation rates of Chinese prices as well as the decline of the strength of the USD. Kenley recounted how four to five years ago, he could get a haircut in China for 10 Chinese dollars, and at that time the currency conversion was about 8 Chinese dollars per USD. Now, the haircut would cost between 15-20 Chinese dollars, and the conversion rate is 6.65 Chinese dollars per USD. Apart from some of these financial changes, Kenley stated that China still remains very affordable.

The May term trip to China costs $3,500. This price is all-inclusive for the 14-day trip. Kenley stated that many of the students are interested in spending extra money on knock-off brand merchandise. He explained that everything is cheap compared to the United States; however, some merchandise that would be expensive includes authentic name brand products because the Chinese are very brand-oriented and status-conscious consumers.

Regardless of the positive financial affordability of any of the programs offered, McFarland illustrated how studying abroad or getting involved in a humanitarian, hands-on experience in any way is an invaluable opportunity. “You’ll never have an opportunity like it again,” McFarland said.

“You can’t put a price tag on that.”

campus life

November 11, 2010

the Etownian

9

Amy L. Baugher Staff Writer These days we have all learned the importance of stretching the dollar. We have heard the phrase time and time again: “money doesn’t grow on trees.” We know how to look for the best deals and the lowest prices, and how to get the most bang for our buck. But what about the people who want to travel? How far can one dollar get you in a different country? The Lonely Planet, a travel guide known for finding great deals abroad, addressed this issue by asking people who have traveled around the world what they found in other countries for one U.S. dollar. Since Elizabethtown College also has had many students go abroad, I decided to ask our students this question and see what they could buy for one USD in the countries where they studied.

So what can you get for a dollar in England? “Something very important,” junior Greg Shedlock said. “A dollar (63 pence) can buy you a local bus ticket, but only if you had your student ID!” In Florence, one USD (70 euro cents) can’t even get you that far, according, to senior Katie Alleman. “I’d say you could probably buy one apple for that amount, although they can even be around 90 euro cents,” Alleman said.

The list goes on. In Belgium they also use the euro, and you can get a plain waffle with no toppings for one USD, according to senior Alexandra Conte. In Ecuador, the exchange rate is an even one-to-one since their currency is the U.S. dollar, and you can get two days’ worth of bus ride tickets to school or an hour-long bus ride. In Spain, a dollar would get you nowhere, but one euro could get you something on the Saver Menu at McDonald’s, senior Allan Craven pointed out.

What does this tell us? The U.S. dollar doesn’t really go as far as we want it to go when it comes to traveling to popular tourist destinations, especially those in Europe. But just like our parents taught us, we can learn to stretch that dollar by traveling to less popular destinations that are just as exciting.

India, Poland, Honduras and Morocco are a few examples that The Lonely Planet travel guide suggests. These are places that you can watch that dollar take you farther.

In Honduras you can tan on the beach all day, engage in snorkeling and kayaking and then spend a night at a local hotel for 10 USD. Not in the mood for warm weather? Poland is a European country that is still affordable. For just about 25 USD a day, you can make your way around Poland through all of its picturesque villages and rural towns. India also offers an array of exciting activities. You can ride an elephant, climb a mountain in Ladakh, or do some surfing, according to The Lonely Planet.

Don’t feel stuck if you are on a budget. There are ways to travel without breaking the bank. Get out and experience the world for yourself. Go shop in the street markets and ride a camel in Morocco. Travel to Honduras and soak in the sun. Take an elephant ride and experience Bollywood in India.

As Dr. Seuss reminds us:“So, be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting. So, get on your way!”

Alexa L. Masano Staff Writer

A dollar is defined as paper money, silver or cupronickel coin, and monetary unit of the United States equal to 100 cents, according to dictionary.com. A dollar bill is known worldwide, and some people would do anything for a buck. In the 1930’s a dollar might mean you can see a movie, while today a movie costs $10 or more to see. So what can you buy for a dollar in the year 2010? Sure, there are Dollar Trees and Family Dollar stores that are handy, but a dollar does not go as far as it once did.

There are many different currencies around the world, but not all countries accept the U.S. dollar. Elizabethtown College is known as a good institution for international students to study. All the students have to adjust to the American culture in many different ways. One way is getting used to the currency and how foreigners and international students apply it.

“With one dollar I can buy many different things. For example I can buy a hamburger in McDonald’s or a coffee in a bar,” nondegree student Oriol Pou Marti said. “The newspaper usually costs one dollar as well. There are also some stores called ‘todo a cien’ that sell all kinds of stuff for one dollar such as school things, kitchen accessories or other varieties of items. I think it is really similar to the U.S., the kind of things that you can buy,” he said. A “todo a cien” is equivalent to our dollar stores here,where we can get the items that Oriol described but they are cheaply made.

Most European countries, such as France, use euros. “Since the euro is more valuable than the dollar, things are less expensive here,” junior Thomas Offe said. “Comparatively, the College is less expensive for me than for you.”

“You can barely buy something in Holland with one dollar because it’s something like 70 euro cents,” non-degree student Wijnand Bekker said.

Most countries in Europe do not accept the U.S. dollar. “In Spain, it is very unusual to see dollars,” Marti said. “Maybe if you go to a tourist place, they will allow to pay in dollars, but it is not the common thing.” In some countries, though, the US dollar is worth much more. “I have been to countries, such as Egypt, where one dollar is a lot compared to what it is in Europe or America,” Offe said.

“Things from America are more expensive in Europe, whereas things from Europe are more expensive in the U.S.” “I would love to see a decrease in the dollar compared to the euro; therefore, life will be much less expensive here than in Europe, which is good for me and the money I transfer from France,” Offe said. “I would be able to buy more things here than in Europe with the same amount of euros.”

Buying items for only one dollar is increasingly becoming more difficult to do. There are things like dollar stores, but items from there break easily and it might just be better to splurge on the better-crafted, more expensive product.

images from www.deviantart.com

10

campus life

the Etownian

November 11, 2010

tech specs

Social networking expands beyond Facebook,Twitter Tara B. Hayes Asst. Copy Editor

T

he infamous water cooler conversation is dying out with the expansion of social networking sites. Many communities around the world are using sites such as Facebook and Twitter to find out what others are doing instead of phone calls or face-to-face conversations.

“I think these sites have become so popular because of their convenience and their wide-spread coverage,” senior Stephanie Couch said. “Social media sites like these make reaching a wide variety of people quickly, very easy. Their ease of use is also very attractive to users of all generations.”

Social networking sites have taken over the daily lives of Americans and have found their way into businesses as well, including Elizabethtown College. New jobs have been created at the College to help the Office of Admissions use these sites to their advantage. Dan Yabut was recently hired as the digital design manager, and Donna Talarico was hired as the website content editor.

Talarico and Yabut credit their careers to these sites, both because of the nature of their jobs and the makeup of the sites. Some social networking sites, such as Ning and LinkedIn, also offer a way for employers to connect with potential employees.

“I especially used [LinkedIn] when I relocated here to find other professionals,” Talarico said.

“Although more in line with professional jobs, [LinkedIn] really is appropriate for pretty much anyone,” LinkedIn spokesman Ken Nussbaum said. “Unlike sites like Facebook, LinkedIn is business-related, which means that people use

it to discuss business ideas rather than some of the more using Facebook as a primary means of communications personal things that tend to show up on Facebook.” … at least that’s what we’ve found in my office.”

Yabut uses Ning “because you can create your own social When Multiply started in early 2004, its purpose networking site and lock it down to only the people you can was solely to allow users to share pictures and videos, invite and still have your traditional tools.” as well as other content, “with more of the people you Admissions Counselor Kait McCaffrey, care about class of 2010, believes the popularity of than was pos“I am being interviewed by a these sites can be attributed to people’s need sible on othstudent about social media and to be known. “We all want to feel like we’re er websites,” Facebook...what do you have to add the most important person in the world, Multiply and these sites tell us that we are,” she said. to the conversation?”said Professor C E O P e t e r Assistant professor of communications Colin Helb, via his Facebook status. Pezaris said.

Dr. Colin Helb conducted an experiment on Multiply has his Facebook to prove how connected, and addicted, the now developed to allow users to post reviews, links, world is to social networking sites. He posted a status that events, blogs and notes. said, “I am being interviewed by a student about social The general purpose of the site has also changed slightly since 2004. “Because Multiply offered a free web presence along with unlimited content storage and social networking features, business owners began to see it as an easy, low-cost way to feature their products online and communicate with customers,” Pezaris said. “Today, Multiply has evolved into a vibrant social shopping destination that connects online merchants with shoppers interested in all kinds of products and services, from clothing and jewelry to electronics and appliances.”

As for the future of social networking media and Facebook … what do you have to add to the sites, anything is possible. Senior Caitlin Koller believes conversation?” Within a nine-minute time span, six dif- the technology will get more advanced and more readily ferent people posted 11 comments. One of those who available. Koller said, “Everything might become more commented shared, “Students are turning away from intertwined, especially television and social media sites.”

celebrity dish

Bilson, Christenson romantic again; Smart stands trial Joelle E. Atkinson Assistant Campus Life Editor

veryone knew this day would come: the day when one of Disney’s real life princesses grew up, maturing from an innocent tween sensation to the queen of the party scene. Miley Cyrus, daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, became known in her own right after her show, “Hannah Montana,” turned her into an overnight sensation and brought her to the top of the Hollywood ladder. The 17-year-old star received heavy criticism after wearing a see-through dress on a German talk show performance and was then shown partying at a club in Europe with a Corona in her hand this past week. The pop star may have an excuse for her inappropriate behavior, as she is dealing with the split of her parents (country star Billy Ray and mother Trish, who have been married for over 17 years), all coming just shy of her 18th birthday, when she will finally become a legal adult.

Speaking of pop princesses.

Dakota Fanning was recently crowned Homecoming Queen. The 16-yearold Twilight star was given the honor for

E

the second year in a row at North Hollywood’s Campbell Hall Episcopal High School. The actress proves that young stars can deliver Oscar-winning performances (2001’s “I Am Sam”) and gain the respect of peers at the same time.

On again, off again … The tumultuous relationship between Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christenson is back on, according to People Magazine. The pair, who met on the set of the 2007 movie, “Jumper,” became engaged in December of 2008. They called off their engagement last August and have since decided to give romance another shot.

Is young love one love? After splitting with husband Jordan Bratman after allegations of cheating surfaced, Christina Aguilera stepped out with a new man. It has been reported that she is currently seeing production assistant Matthew Rutler

from t he s e t of her movie “Burlesque.” A source close to the singer reported to People Magazine that Aguilera and Bratman have had long-term problems, and Rutler was there as a shoulder to lean on. Despite her new appearance on

the dating scene, her first priority in life is still her three-year-old son, whom she had with Bratman.

Bills, bills, bills … Heidi Montag’s mother has reported that she can no longer afford to pay her bills. Darlene Egelhoff, who has been publicly estranged from her daughter since February, is having a hard time paying for the necessities in life, since her popular Colorado restaurant closed after 21 years in business. Egelhoff has gone from owning a restaurant and making appearances on the popular reality show “The Hills,” to cleaning houses to help ease the financial burden.

She who stands … Famous kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart took to the witness stand Monday against the man who was charged with kidnapping her for nine months when she was only 14-years-old. The now-23-year-old described exactly how the man put a knife to her throat and stole her from her Salt Lake City bedroom, and she continued to detail every aspect of her ordeal from spotting the police to the sexual assault that occurred. She said that she was mad at herself because she didn’t say anything when a detective approached her in a Salt Lake City library.

Royal interview … Oprah sat down with Michael Jackson’s children, Paris and Prince Michael Jackson. The daughter and son gave their thoughts on their father and said that he tried to raise them in a world where he wasn’t famous and his

kids weren’t supposed to know who he was. Though it didn’t necessarily go over so well, each of the young children has their own entertainment ambitions. Paris wants to be an actress, while Prince Michael hopes to become a movie producer.

To infinity and … television?

The famous voice of Buzz Lightyear and former “Home Improvement” star Tim Allen is hoping to make a return to television. According to Deadline.com, the famous comedian has teamed up with ABC to produce a family-sitcom pilot entitled “Man Up!” This half-hour family show would have Allen playing “a guy fighting for his manhood in a world for women,” according to Deadline.com.

He has starred in the Toy Story franchise, “The Shaggy Dog” and “Wild Hogs,” but it has been more than 10 years since “Home Improvement” went off of the air.

He’s baaaaack! Following last week’s article, “Conan again legally funny on small screen,” Conan O’Brien laced up his shoes, shined his bright red hair and took to his televised stage once again. Throughout his first cable standup routine, he took several jabs at NBC; in the end, the cable network TBS may have won out. In his first night, O’Brien beat the ratings of David Letterman, Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon and went ahead to give a great lead-in to co-TBS late-night host George Lopez. Let’s hope the two TBS funnymen can continue this trend.

And that’s your Celebrity Dish!

Images: www.personalizeasash.com, ww1.prweb.com

opinion

November 11, 2010

campus controversies • letters to the editor

the Etownian

11

national debate • our take • guest columns

on campus

Power of persuasive marketing, unity in individualism Amber N. Petruccy Volunteer Writer

W

e all know the store with the blue porch, leafy fake trees, wicker chairs and the orange-looking mannequins that stand outside of it, half-dressed and advertising the latest clothing. Most people, especially parents, know this store not only for its beachy setting, but also for the music and perfume that radiate from inside.

If you really had no clue which store it was, the little rustic red letters on the top beam of the porch will tell you: Hollister Co. Hollister is one of the most-worn brands by teens and young adults today. This is surprising, considering that their prices start at $30 and work their way up. However, psychologists find that there may be reasons beyond just the clothing itself that entice teens to buy overly-priced merchandise at Hollister.

In an article from Psychology Today, research shows that stores use music to influence customers’ behaviors. When consumers are assaulted with music so loud they cannot think straight, they are more likely to buy merchandise they do not necessarily need or want, and at higher prices.

Perhaps what attracts teens to Hollister and similar brands is not the

clothing style but the atmosphere. Are the music that blares from inside and the perfume smell that wafts from every piece of clothing the real reasons why we buy Hollister clothing? Do we even choose to shop at these stores, or is it the atmosphere that we choose?

“Of course how you frame it makes a difference in choices, and people do not give it a lot of thought, but just act on it,” Dr. John Teske, professor of psychology, said. “We give fewer things a lot of thought and act on impulse or emotion to what is in front of us.”

The federal government seems to agree with Teske about our laziness in making choices and is using this theory as a foundation for a new initiative to get children to eat healthy. USA Today published an article discussing the new movement and the belief that if children do not see the poor nutrition choices, they will not opt for them.

In an effort to prove this, schools are encouraged to make small changes in their lunch line setup, such as putting the milk in the front of the cold case, placing fruit in appealing containers or putting the healthier choices closest to the cash registers for impulse buying.

Even simple changes in the names of the foods, such as “super squash” instead of squash, are thought to increase consumption significantly.

The color and size of the plates we

are given may also influence our decisions about what we eat, as well as portion size. Perhaps Dining Services was not only trying to brighten up the café, but also control our eating habits.

The new plates and bowls in the Market Place are much prettier to look at, but also noticeably smaller. Does this change stop students from eating such big portions and encourage them to settle for what fits on their plate? Or do students still eat just as much, but use more plates? Does the color of the plates have any influence on what we eat? Most of the colors of the plates are colors of vegetables.

Not only do we have music and perfume affecting our shopping preferences, but we also have many factors including plate size, food location and the names of the food influencing our food choices.

“We worship choice in this culture, [it is] part of how we are socialized todefine our identities in terms of what makes us different from everyone else,” Teske pointed out.

It is true, America is the land of the free: freedom of speech, freedom of opinions, freedom of choice — but are our choices really our own?

We all want the freedom of choice, but how much do we exercise it? Teens, especially girls, go shopping with their friends, at the same store, at the same mall. When groups go out to eat, they go out to a restaurant everyone will enjoy. We perceive ourselves as being unique and individualistic, but all of the choices we do make are usually made in groups. If the decisions are not made in groups, there are external factors that pressure or weaken our judgments.

Teske explained this phenomenon very simply. “The huge range of our choices…makes us all feel like less of a unitary group, less of a community; … fewer choices might make us all feel better connected with each other, and a lot happier,” he said.

While we want to be unique, our choices or lack thereof show that no one wants to be different.

entertainment

Racial slurs: why do we love celebrities who shock us?

Brett A. Antosh Staff Writer

W

hat do Ron Howard, ABC’s “Modern Family” and Charlie Sheen all have in common? In the month of October, all three made headlines by offending someone with comments that were seen as either bigoted, stereotyping or racist.

In the trailer for his new movie, “The Dilemma,” esteemed director Ron Howard kept an improvised joke by actor Vince Vaughn in which he called an electric car “gay.”

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has asked Howard to edit the line out of the film and the trailer, but Howard is only willing to remove the line from the trailer.

“Vaughn always improvises his lines to make his character more believable and realistic,” junior Sean Duetsch said.

“I’m really not surprised that Ron Howard fought for this because if he didn’t, then what else would we have to take out of films?” Duetsch went on to say that “if someone or some-

thing is stupid, call it stupid These comments sent Peru- casting at ECTV Andy Wiland not gay.” vian cyberspace into an uproar liams said. “I’m sure these “Words are always evolv- that included multiple attacks comments were all in fun and ing and changing, so you have on Vergara’s Twitter page; not serious at all, but ABC to make sure you use them however, she brushed them all might have had to reword that correctly. Context is as comment because important as content,” it could have been junior Chris Tjaden said. a lot worse. It’s all “A joke is an observation, shock factor, one someone has a message. and done.”

But at the same time “There is always a speech is a privilege, and place for edgy comyou have to make sure edy, and people usuthat you do not put yourally know what they self into a bad situation.” are getting when The ABC sitcom they tune in,” Wil“Modern Family” is in liams said. “I guess the news, but in a place ABC did not think that you would not northat they had a big mally expect. In an epifollowing in Peru, sode at the end of Octobut they certainly ber, Jay (Ed O’Neill) and have created a big his wife Gloria (Sofia buzz about the show Vergara), who is Co- Celebrities like CNN news anchor Anderson there.” lombian, got into an ar- Cooper find Vince Vaughn’s improvised “gay” Duetsch added, “I gument. O’Neill’s char- joke from “The Dilemma” offensive. do not know much acter said, “Now, maybe about Peru or Coin Columbia...” but Vergara’s off. These comments pose the lumbia, but it seems like the character interrupted and said, question: what can and can’t writer is trying to show either “Ah, here we go. Because in you say in comedy? how ignorant the character is or Colombia, we trip over goats, “Any show can make ethnic make the character more realistic and we kill people in the street. background or belief com- by utilizing existing opinions.”

Do you know how offensive ments because it’s in the name Actor Charlie Sheen is up that is? Like we’re Peruvians!” of comedy,” Director of Broad- to his normal antics yet again.

At the end of October, Sheen went out to dinner with adult film star Capri Anderson. According to the Huffington Post, the “Two and a Half Men” star convinced Anderson to go to the restaurant’s bathroom with him, where he began snorting cocaine and took his pants off.

“This is nothing new for Charlie Sheen; he has been connected with this behavior his whole life,” said Williams, who met Sheen in Harrisburg during the filming of “Major League.” “Sheen has to realize, like Mel Gibson, that what he says and does will affect his life sooner or later, despite the fact that he has always been like this.”

Sheen is one of the most controversial actors in Hollywood, and his role in CBS’s “Two and a Half Men” is probably as close to the real Sheen as possible.“This is a completely different scenario than ‘ The Dilemma’ because it involves a real person and real life,” Duetsch said, who speculates that Sheen “isn’t a full man,” as the show’s title suggests.

Images: osuokc.edu, smithfieldselma.com, localwin.com, justjared.buzznet.com

12

opinion

the Etownian

d n u

S o Off

What do you think of WWEC in the Jay’s nest?

by Matthew P. Butera

Krystal Talley Class of 2012

“I like promoting our own radio station.”

Andrew Mariani Class of 2013

“Needs more dance music.”

on campus

Endowment: are we being shortchanged?

Michael A. McGraw Staff Writer

H

ow does our school stack up with its peers in terms of endowments? Most students were not shocked by the answer.

The endowment at Elizabethtown College, as of June 30, was $52 million, which seems like a lot of money until it’s compared with schools like Juniata College ($57 million), Lycoming University ($104 million), Moravian College ($74 million) and Susquehanna University ($110 million), with whom the College contends for faculty and students. According to President Ted Long, Etown’s is “twenty percent lower than the average of those peers.”

With an ever-growing student population, why doesn’t the College’s endowment also increase? Long explained that an endowment comes from donor gifts and investment gains and has absolutely nothing to do with tuition or class size, other than the possibility that bigger class sizes might mean more donations in the future.

Also, Long explained that investments do not always yield positive gains. “Of course, investments can sometimes decline in value as well, as in 2008–09 especially, so good investment management is important,” he said. Although our endowment is smaller than the competition’s, Long also wants it to

“It’s nice to give the radio station publicity, but some of the music is not my taste.”

Chi Dao Class of 2013

“I tune it out.”

Make sure to check out the Sound Off poll and the latest issue on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/etownian

be known that the investment gains made in the past decade have been greater than endowments of similar sizes at other institutions. Also, in the recent financial decline, our school’s return decreased later than others and has since rebounded far better.

“It doesn’t surprise me that our endowment is so small,” sophomore Eric Maranga said. “It seems like they don’t have money for a lot of things. I’ve heard a lot of people complain about what other schools get that we don’t.”

Other students had similar sentiments regarding the endowment’s size: “Obviously we don’t have the money to renovate our turf field, which is in a horrible state,” senior Hunter Malick commented. Other athletes had similar statements to make about not only the turf field, but also the other facilities available to athletes. Specifically, the school could use a more efficient weight room.

So if Etown’s endowment is on the lower side of things when ranked against peers, what exactly does a high endowment look like? “My high school had a bigger endowment than Etown,” junior Amanda Kowalsky exclaimed upon hearing how much ours is worth. She ex-

plained that the George School, a private Quaker school in Bucks County, Pa. has an almost $200 million endowment. Then again, $128 million of that came from a single donation. While the George School is only a high school, other colleges have much higher endowments as well.

According to their websites, certain colleges have endowments not only in the high millions, but the billions as well, though most of these have larger student bodies than Etown. Now it may be unfair to compare our college against schools like Yale University, Princeton University and Johns Hopkins University, but the fact that their endowments outweigh Etown’s by so much simply illuminates the idea that the school is not doing as well as it could be. Perhaps when the economy picks up the endowment will increase and Etown will take its place among its peers.

So what does it all come down to? The fact is that Etown’s endowment just does not measure up when compared to other schools in the area. Whether it is because of a stingy alumni organization, poor investment planning, the financial situation of the country or some other factor, Etown is not receiving more than simply adequate funding, making certain endeavors by the College not feasible.

international

Dialect studies interesting, unrealistic Julia M. Escudero Ponce Staff Writer

T

Tony Pacella Class of 2011

November 11, 2010

he array of languages that Elizabethtown College offers is vast. Students can major or minor in languages such as Spanish, German, French or Japanese; and adjunct (part-time) faculty members even teach elementary and intermediate Chinese. In this country, the knowledge of a language other than English is highly valued and encouraged. Therefore, there are many students who, after graduating from high school, decide to study a language. Learning a new language involves gaining an understanding about a culture in another country or region.

For example, the study of Spanish includes studying the traits and traditions of many Spanish-speaking countries, such as Central America, South America and Spain.

However, in some universities like the University of California, authorities are pushing aside language studies like French, Spanish and Chinese in favor of more exotic tongues from Latin America, such as Quechua, Mixtec or Nahuatl. What they state is that by teaching students these exotic languages, those students can get involved with many more people. Students as well as the faculty and staff of Etown may have thought about this issue, but it is difficult to know what to do. Should Etown broaden its language base? Should it increase the learning of native Latin American languages?

The answer is not that simple. First, the native languages spoken in most of the regions of Latin America are too difficult to learn, even for a native Spanish speaker. These languages had their foundations rooted thousands of years ago, and they have been well preserved by cultural groups. Latin American Spanish uses many words in everyday situations which are not taught to students majoring in Spanish. Therefore, English speakers should be totally fluent in Spanish in order to start learning a native language. Fluency is achieved not only by having a complete knowledge of Spanish, but also by pronouncing perfectly (especially the Ts, Rs, Trs and Chs). Native speakers of Quechua or Nahuatl, for example, focus their pronunciation in the sounds of the pervious letters and of vowels, so it's hard to understand them when they are speaking Spanish (which is not their native language).

Second, although culture studies are on the rise, learning an indigenous language will be useful for a person studying

medicine or journalism, but not for an international business or a modern language major. In some Latin American countries, people live in poor communities and extremely bad conditions.

Most of these people only speak their native languages. Most of the time, doctors and journalists are the only ones who get involved with these people. They are the ones who must learn their native languages.

The Elizabethtown College International Program encourages students who major in a language or international business to study abroad for one year so that they can learn more about the culture they are studying. This is very useful because international business students learn how to conduct business with the people of that specific culture. For language majors, studying one year abroad allows them to practice the language in which they are majoring.

The experience of studying abroad is very practical for these kinds of majors because it permits the students to get involved with a new culture. As a result, the department of modern languages is constantly focused on encouraging the students go abroad during their time at Etown.

For people who study a language, it would be interesting to learn these native and exotic languages, but it wouldn’t be useful. For international business students it wouldn’t be useful at all because people who are involved in the worldwide market or in any business usually speak a popular language such as English or Spanish.

Third, some students, as well as faculty and staff at Etown, find it very hard to start a native languages program in college. For Dr. Amy Simes, director of the International Programs and professor of religious studies, right now it’s not realistic to increase the language offerings at the College. She stated that Etown doesn’t have available faculty or funding to increase language offerings.

For her, it would be very interesting to see this happen, but right now it seems impossible. Also, she explained that there aren’t any students taking part in indigenous studies programs but, as her classes involve the study of shamanism, she would like students to grow an interest in indigenous peoples and languages.

Although learning an exotic language is very interesting and helps students get to know more about a specific culture, it’s hard to start a native languages program. Nowadays, especially for international business or modern language students, it is not so practical to learn these languages. For students, it’s better to focus on the major world languages and try to become real masters of them.

Images: flickr.com, successwithmyvideotalk.com

opinion

November 11, 2010

the Etownian

entertainment

Media glorifies unrealistic relationships Johanna H. Goslin Staff Writer

L

ately, many college students seem to have been bitten by the love bug, or more accurately, the love vampire. This obsession is fostered by the abundance of vampire shows on television, such as “True Blood” and “The Vampire Diaries.” These shows allow young adults to fantasize about unrealistic relationships between humans and supernatural beings rather than focusing on building relationships with peers.

The vampire obsession has been apparent not only with college students, but throughout America as well. Why is our nation so obsessed with them?

Tory Burch, a journalist with The Huffington Post, investigates the compelling aspects of these unrealistic creatures. “They’re scary, but also charming, sexy and sophisticated,” Burch said. People seem to be fascinated with the mystery of vampires. The unrealistic and supernatural relationship is unhealthy, though; real life is not

similar to the vampire world at all.

Viewers may start to think that real people should have the characteristics of fictional vampires, allowing them to create images in their heads about what is normal in regard to personal interactions.

Sophomore Kelly Flicker is an avid vampire fan. “I think the reason people are so infatuated with the vampire love stories is because in a society where 50 percent of marriages end in divorce and the surviving marriages are typically unhappy ones, it’s nice to imagine a world where someone really can love a person forever. The idea of finding an everlasting love, especially at the ages of 17 to 18 years old, is unrealistic,” Flicker said.

Reality shows such as “Teen Mom” and “16 & Pregnant” also create unrealistic views of relationships that are glorified by the characters who get paid to have certain interactions staged between them.

This unhealthy obsession is difficult to overcome because these shows are so entertaining; however, it may be time to start having real-life interactions with one an-

other rather than living vicariously through our television sets.

While the show is an excellent form of birth control, many of the on-camera relationships tend to be edited to show only the dramatic parts, which is not how the cast wants to be portrayed. According to The Huffington Post, the characters get an estimated $60,000 per episode to play the people that MTV wants them to be. An unnamed character backed out of the show at the last minute because she did not want to follow the angle that MTV was telling her to depict. “The show mostly shows the hardships in my opinion, the moments all mothers reach at some point when they are sleep deprived, frustrated, and just need a break,” the mother said.

The way these shows are edited is very addicting and dramatic to watch, but they are unhealthy at the same time. Many people may now believe that they can treat their partner in such a way because the mothers did as well.

One episode focuses on the domestic violence apparent in one

of the character’s homes. Amber, a 20-year-old from season two, hit the father of her child due to an argument. Amber’s abusive relationship seemed glorified, which could potentially cause viewers to think that such behavior is acceptable.

Sophomore Emily Whiteside disagrees with the notion that these types of clips are okay to show to an audience. “I don’t like that they made Amber seem heroic for standing up for herself, because it’s still considered domestic violence. If people are in the same situation as Amber, seeing that on TV is going to make them feel like they have the power to act the way she did,” Whiteside said.

These shows tend to glorify values that are unhealthy for reallife situations. Social interactions should not be based on what is seen on television, but what happens in real life. While these shows do not need to be cut out of television altogether, they should come with an advisory: WARNING: These shows are unrealistic and should not be emulated in real life, so go interact with real people.

Images: horrorguy.com

U.S. government

Political billionaires shall inherit the earth Dr. Sanjay Paul Department of Business Chair

N

ovember has turned out to be the cruelest month for Democrats. They have lost the House, they have lost a bunch of governorships, and they have been shellacked in state legislatures around the country.

The elections were not kind to Elizabethtown College’s department of business, either. As the election results poured in, the mood in the department grew increasingly grim, ’til by the end, a pall of acrid despair hung over Hoover Center. The business faculty tottered around numbly, barely even glancing at the gyrations of the stock market on the flat panel screens in Hoover.

Even Chunski [Dr. Chung], normally given to exuberant assaults on his colleagues, appeared listless. He did kick the department chair once or twice, but you could tell his heart wasn’t in it. He was just going through the motions. So why this gloom in the normally optimistic, money-grubbing, capitalism-oozing environs of Hoover?

A little bit of history might be helpful. In 1992, when Ross Perot, a Texas billionaire, ran for President, the business faculty were elated.

Here was a man who had founded and run a hugely successful business. Who better, we said to anyone who would listen (usually a passing historian or a mathematician), to govern the country? The politicians were all inept, forever trying to raise money, concerned only with their re-election prospects. They were driving the country into the ground. What the country needed, surely, was the firm hand of a billionaire businessman at the helm.

But alas, our dreams were shattered on that November night in 1992. Despite his obvious charms, and the millions he had spent of his own money, Perot failed to convince a skeptical public that he was the man for the job.

How, we said to each other in anguish, could the American public be so ignorant?

How could they not see that Perot promised to bring managerial expertise, technical efficiency, and yes dammit!, a charming personality, to the White House? Instead, the American public chose to go with a certain governor from Arkansas.

And they paid the price. With Clinton as President, the economy had to endure eight years of robust economic growth, falling unemployment and budget deficits that had turned into a surplus by the end of his second term. This, said the business faculty, was a lesson that the country would not forget. Never again would the country turn its back on a billionaire businessman.

But in 2010, that lesson appears to have been forgotten. The business faculty rejoiced when Meg Whitman took on Jerry Brown for the governorship of California.

Ms. Whitman had made a fortune running eBay and fashioning it into an e-commerce juggernaut. And now here she was, spending $140 million of her own money, running for governor against an old-school 1970svintage politician. Surely, Mr. Brown had no chance. The voters of California would be impressed by the managerial expertise, the technical efficiency, and yes dammit! the Silicon Valley cool that Ms. Whitman promised to bring to Sacramento. But if Ms. Whitman’s entry into politics was a godsend to the business faculty, there was more!

Also in California, Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, was giving longtime U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer a run for her money. Ms. Fiorina had left HP in some disgrace (in large part due to the unwieldy acquisition of Compaq under her leadership), but she overcame that blip when John McCain picked her to be his economic advisor

during his presidential campaign. Clearly relishing politics, Ms. Fiorina decided to run for the Senate. She stressed her business cred, and with the Tea Party standing behind her, started to move up in the polls.

In the meantime, over in Connecticut, another dynamic businesswoman, Linda McMahon, was spending gobs of her money to contend for the governorship. And it was paying off. As the weeks went by, Mrs. McMahon, who used to run the wrestling empire WWE, started to look increasingly like a contendah!

And in Hoover, the business faculty celebrated. They could see a revolution in the making. Simple-minded career politicians would be swept aside. CEOs would rule! The principles of marketing and management and finance, so assiduously practiced in the business world, would be unleashed on the operations of the government. And that old, clumsy, lumbering leviathan would finally be transformed into an efficient, productive, and perhaps even profitable, enterprise.The voters had so much to gain by electing the ex-CEOs. But instead, the voters in California and Connecticut went with the career politicians. They said no to Whitman, Fiorina and McMahon. The government would remain in the grimy hands of the politicians. The promise of gleaming efficiency would have to wait for another day.

But there is a ray of hope for the downcast denizens of Hoover. Donald Trump, a self-acclaimed businessman and perennial favorite of the business faculty, has hinted that he will run for the presidency in 2012. We can but wait anxiously for the day that Mr. Trump throws his hat into the ring — and hope that America will finally treat its billionaires with the respect they deserve.

13

the Etownian the board

Editor-in-Chief Emily M. Reigart Managing Editor Ross M. Benincasa Assistant Editor Peter S. Northrop News Editor Huntley C. McGowan Features Editor Khouri E. McGrann Campus Life Editor Melanie R. Giardina Opinion Editor Vanessa L. Andrew Sports Editor T. Gavin Nevill Photography Editor Matthew P. Butera Copy Editor Patricia A. Cangelosi Managing Copy Editor Nancy C. Briscoe Online Editor Zachary T. Johnson Layout Editor Allison A. Gower Assistant News Editor Jamie L. Bartolino Assistant Features Editor Erika C. Surock Asst. Campus Life Editor Joelle E. Atkinson Assistant Opinion Editor Janelle K. DeAngelo Assistant Sports Editor Janna M. Richards Asst. Photography Editor Jacqueline E. Quidort Assistant Online Editor Andrew R. Sides Assistant Copy Editors Samantha M. Alleman Danielle B. Cantor Elizabeth A. Enwright Tara B. Hayes Craig H. Meaney Brianna E. Wiest Assistant Layout Editor Agnetha C. Serrame Business Manager Marc E. Weber Asst. Business Manager Benjamin L. Frey Advertising Manager Katie L. Bornholdt Assistant Ad. Manager Brooke S. Wachtel Faculty Adviser Kirsten A. Johnson

The Etownian is the student newspaper of Elizabethtown College. All editorial decisions are made by the student editors. With the exception of editorials, opinions presented here are those of quoted sources or signed authors, not of the Etownian or the College.

The Etownian is published most Thursdays during the academic year

by Susquehanna Printing.

Submissions to the Etownian are always welcomed. We will make every effort to print submissions, but we do not promise publication. Submit letters to OPINIONEDITOR@etown.edu.

14

the Etownian

sports

cross country

November 11, 2010

soccer commentary

Blue Jays set sights on regional crown Team deserves bid Joelle E. Atkinson Asst. Campus Life Editor

earning a 1-2 finish at the MAC championships held at Delaware Valley Oct. s fall sports season 30. Junior Charlie Larsen draws to a close, there ran to a first-place finish are still several athletes with junior Eric Reichert who are waiting for their close behind. The Etown shot at the NCAA Mideast Blue Jay runners captured Regional championships. the win and placed six The Elizabethtown out of the top seven in College men’s and the 8,000-meter w o m e n’s c r o s s race. Senior Adam countr y teams, Derkacz said that who have both put the closeness of together impresthe team is what sive seasons, are has helped propel set to compete Satthem all individuurday, Nov. 13 in ally and as a strong this monumental group. “We are all a race. Though not very close bunch, all of the runners from our first runwill be partaking in ner all the way back the event, the top to our last runner: seven athletes for a band of brothboth teams will be ers,” he said. He competing against emphasized that it several nationallyhas not only benranked teams. efited himself, but Women’s Head Photo: Tom “Drac” Williams also everyone else Coach Brian Falk Elizabethtown College’s men’s cross country team placed eight individually. has great expecta- runners in the top ten at MACs on Oct. 30 to finish first in a field of “ The guys at tions of this up- 15 teams. the back have recoming meet. “We ally stepped up expect a brawl for those a MAC championship win, performance compared this year and pushed the NCAA bids,” Falk said. He Falk said, “Our teams are to other teams already guys in front of them to explained that the regional close-knit and that is fortu- through to nationals and do better, and it has sent championship is the focal nate, because we had to as- the standing of the team a wave of confidence point of the season and similate an incoming class after the race itself. “Our and improvement all the is the race that is used to of 15 first-year women into goal all season has been to way up to our best runchoose the schools for the our roster of 24 athletes.” run a stronger, smarter and ners,” he added. Derkacz NCAAs. “It’s about all I’ve He credits captains, junior overall better race than the shared that although the been planning for the past Kristen O’Brien, senior race before,” Howser said. team is looking for a five months.”

Teresa Beshore and junior “We have been doing that third place finish, they He added that in his Kathryn Howser with pro- all season, so we hope to definitely wouldn’t rule 13 years of coaching, this viding the strong leader- continue the trend.” out getting one of the could easily be the deepest ship needed to transition The men’s cross coun- top automatic spots. “It’s regional women’s com- the noticeably young team. try team has also had a going to be a competipetition he has ever seen.

Howser said that her ex- strong showing throughout tive meet,” Derkacz said, “Realistically, we’re battling pectations are a third-place the season, with the men “without a doubt.”

A

Haverford, Swarthmore, Grove City and Carnegie Mellon for the final one or two bids to nationals, and there is very little separating our teams,” he said.

When he spoke of the strength of the team that has propelled them to two top-five MAC finishes and

finish. This would mean that the top two teams would immediately go on to nationals, while the next three to five finishers are considered for an at-large bid. This consideration is based on the team’s performance in the past three regular season meets, their

T. Gavin Nevill Sports Editor

T

he NCAA selection committee got it wrong. Monday, Nov. 8, the field for the 2010 Division III men’s soccer tournament was unveiled, and the Elizabethtown College Blue Jays were not included.

Etown put together a nice 13-3-2 record, but fell short in the Commonwealth Conference championship game to the defending national champs Messiah by a score of 1-0. It was only the third time that the Falcons had been held to one goal all season. A win would have guaranteed the Blue Jays an automatic bid, but the close game proved that they deserved an at-large bid to the tournament.

Two out of the team’s three losses were to Messiah, who earned a first-round bye in the NCAA tournament as one of the top four ranked teams in the country. The first time the Blue Jays took on the Falcons, the game was 2-1 in favor of Messiah until a goal in the last three minutes gave Messiah the 3-1 victory.

When it came down to it, there were probably three games that hurt the Blue Jays’ chances besides the two Messiah games. The first was an ugly 2-1 loss on Sept.

15 at McDaniel. Also, twice the Blue Jays had chances to score statement wins against Drew University on Sept. 22 and Franklin and Marshall College on Oct. 6, but both were canceled due to the weather. For the first 30 minutes that Drew and Etown played, the Blue Jays dominated, pushing the Rangers around and firing a number of shots before lightning ended the game.

In all, there were 17 at-large bids up for grabs for teams who did not win their conference tournament. It doesn’t make sense that a squad like Etown - that went toe-to-toe with the defending national champion twice in consecutive weekends - is on the outside looking in, while five-loss Richard Stockton College and Macalester College, who lost four times this season, are still playing.

Sports by the Numbers

48

The margin of victory for Etown’s women’s swim team at the first meet on Nov. 6 at Arcadia.

volleyball

Conference finals defeat ends season in heartbreak Thomas D. Hagerty Staff Writer

T

he 2010 women’s Volley ball C ommonwealth Conference Championship was a rematch of last year’s finals, as the Elizabethtown Blue Jays played host to a familiar foe: the Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen. The teams went head to head for the second time in ten days, as the Blue Jays took care of the Dutchmen 3-1 in the last meeting Oct. 27.

The first game of the Championship match went back and forth, with the Dutchmen breaking a 2424 tie to win 26-24. The Blue Jays did not play the

same after that, arguably because a bold and boisterous student section from LVC made sure that everyone knew they were there.

The Dutchmen won the next two games 25-13 and 25-16 to earn their third straight Commonwealth Conference title. Senior Joelle Snyder was nearly flawless for the Flying Dutchmen in the match with 15 kills and a hitting percentage of .600. Junior libero Angela Kuperavage was named tournament MVP, with 52 digs in the playoffs.

The disappointing end to the season does not take away the great body of work that the Blue Jays put

together all season long.

Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year, sophomore Holly Bubb, ended the season with 332 kills, while fellow sophomore Lindsay Palm racked up 313. Juniors Kelsey Hayes and Andrea Weaver provided the defense this season. Weaver finished with 507 digs, and Hayes tallied 149 blocks. Senior setter Crystal Agnew dished out 1,101 assists, propelling her to third all-time in her career as a Blue Jay. All of these players, except Agnew, who is graduating, Photo: EtownBlueJays.com will be instrumental next year if the Blue Jays intend Sophomore Holly Bubb (left) was named Commonwealth Conference on disrupting the dynasty Player of the Year for the Blue Jays, who finished with a record of 23-10. that is forming in Annville. Bubb led the team in kills with 332.

sports

November 11, 2010

wrestling

the Etownian

men’s basketball

15

Jays claim third at Messiah B-ball ready to dominate Rachel E. Barr Staff Writer

T

he Elizabethtown College wrestling team is ranked 29th in the Brute-Adidas NWCA Division III Poll as they begin their season, and there are high hopes that the squad will do even better than last year’s 8-5 record.

On Nov. 6, the team competed at the Messiah College Invitational. Etown placed third out of nine teams with 90 points. Messiah and Waynesburg tied for first place with 105 points each. Individually, junior Will Bentley and graduate student Tim Katzaman were undefeated, claiming the 125- and 285-weight class crowns, respectively. Junior Quint Eno (165) and sophomores Julian Meaney (184) and Tye Boyer (149) also had strong showings, each finishing second place in his weight class.

The squad ended last season with their first winning dual-meet record in a decade, and the Jays aim to continue to do better than they have in years. Thanks to veteran Head Coach Eric Walker, the squad has been winning more meets. He has led the team to 25 dual-meet wins in the past four years.

Another asset to the team is senior Bill Meaney, who has been captain for three years and is ranked eighth in the country in Division III. As the team prepares for its next competition, the Ursinus Fall Brawl on Nov. 13, Bill Meaney said the team will get to face strong competition. “I feel we have to approach this tournament like we do every other match,” Meaney said. “Big teams will be there, which means big opportunities.” The team is looking to be ranked nationally in Division III for the 2010-2011 season.

The Blue Jays’ following match will be Nov. 16 against Johns Hopkins University. Johns Hopkins’ wrestling team opened its season at the Terrapin duals against Division I teams Maryland, West Virginia and Liberty, and won only one match.

It is still early in the season, so the team is still trying to get used to the hard work, practices and meets. Although everyone is placed into their weight class, there are still other obstacles to overcome. “It’s a matter of getting people healthy now,” Bill Meaney said. “The first tournament is always the toughest. We’re still trying to get into the flow of the season.”

The team is hoping for positive showings early this year. There are two upcoming meets where they can show off how hard they’ve been working. “It lets people know we’re a real threat and helps us get ranked higher earlier,” Bill Meaney said.

The 2010-2011 season for the Etown wrestling team has started strong. Although the first meet was not a first-place finish, the team still did well, and the season has only just begun.

There are many chances for the Blue Jays to build up momentum and place well in Division III. This is the year for the team to continue to break records and to compete nationally.

swimming

Men, women win first meet Kelly J. Clayton Staff Writer

C

oming off the 20092010 season with a 6-5 record, the Elizabethtown College women’s swim team has hard work ahead of them.

“This season is going to be a good one for the team,” senior Stephanie Hellman said. “We are coming into the season with a clean slate with the hopes of rising to the top to be stronger competitors.”

“What I think I owe to the team as a captain is to really spread a good attitude throughout the team,” junior captain Julie Strulson said. “If we go into meets thinking positively, then we will be setting ourselves up for success.”

The team has been training for two months and opened with their first meet against Arcadia Nov. 6.

The Blue Jays came out with a victory against the Knights, winning 8 of 11 events. Senior Courtney Kelly, juniors Autumn Phillips and Amanda Martin, and sophomore Jennifer Malik opened the meet

with a win in the 200-yard medley relay. First-year Kim Cosgrove helped the Jays add to their team lead with a win in the 1,000-yard freestyle. Individual race wins were first-year Megan Leppo (200-yard freestyle), Malik (50-yard freestyle), first-year Abby Mitchell (200-yard IM, 100-yard butterfly), Kelly (100-yard backstroke) and Cosgrove (500-yard freestyle).

This season, the team has a different training strategy.

Head Coach Dan DeHass has been focusing on training the team for a better Middle Atlantic Conference performance. Last year the team placed in a disappointing fifth overall in the MAC and this year they are looking for redemption.

DeHass has incorporated a new weight-lifting regimen, morning practices for distance swimmers, and he increased the pool practices. “We have been practicing for nearly two months now, and it has been incomparable to the past two years I’ve been on the team,” Strulson said.

“I really like our new practice schedule because

[it] puts more emphasis on gaining muscle through the dry land weight lifting sessions,” first-year Kelly Frace said. “If we have better muscle and power, then we will perform better in the pool.”

The men and women’s team bond together, eat meals together and cheer for each other.

“My expectations for this season include improving my times and for us to bond,” Martin said. “I want to see us bond to the point where we are a family, and I definitely think we can get there.”

Coming off a 124-76 win for their opening meet, the Blue Jays have a big season ahead of them. With their minds set toward positivity and improvement, they are not going to let anything stand in their way.

Through the hard work and determination that they have showed through the past two months, they will persevere and continue to strive for their rightful place at MACs.

Men’s team

“No excuses, no regrets.”

That is the 2010-2011 men’s

Christian V. Sammartino Staff Writer

E

lizabethtown College’s men’s basketball team is ready to take to the hardwood with fire and grit this winter. The team has already established a dedicated work ethic and teamwork. Those traits tie into Head Coach Bob Schlosser’s clear and consistent approach.

“I, as a coach, have always had two major goals every year,” Schlosser said.

“That is for our guys to play really hard, and second of all to play together. I have always felt that if we did those two things we would be successful.”

The team’s captains, seniors Keith Fogel and Joe Flanagan, as well as junior Kyle McConnell, have helped to instill these traits in their team. As a result, the 2010-2011 Jays have developed a unique personality. “I think last Saturday in our scrimmage this team showed that it can play with a lot of fire, enthusiasm and intensity,” Schlosser said. “I think this year our leaders are a little more vocal, and I am pleased with where they are at this stage.”

Currently, the team is working to fill the post presences of forwards Josh Houseal and Andrew Corrigan, as well as center Mike Church, who all graduated last year. The Jays will turn to players such as senior center Bryan Harrity, junior center Brian Allport, and junior forward Dan Silver to stand tall on defense. While the Jays develop down low, their experienced perimeter players will balance the team. Guards Fogel and McConnell, along with forward Flanagan, each bring at least two years of starting experience to the floor.

With their leadership and team work, the squad will play a hard-nose brand of basketball. The 2010-2011 Blue Jays expect to play an up-tempo game and look to score buckets in transition with their speed. On defense, the squad will establish presses to limit the ball movement of their opponents.

In addition, Schlosser will play 10-11 players per game to keep his team fresh.

This will keep the players energized and allow them to churn toward success.

In order to obtain success and go far in the playoffs, Schlosser knows that all of his players need to contribswim team motto. Sophomore captain Ryan Hannon said this year the team is striving for a solid record so they can go to the MAC Championship meet and be a viable contender. With a number of quality swimmers new to the team this year, Hannon said, “It is exciting to see what the new team dynamics are.”

Hannon said the team wants to get into the pool everyday and work hard so at the end of the season, they can look back and say, “we did everything we set out to do.” Coming off the 2009-

Photo: Matthew P. Butera

Senior Joe Flanagan started all 25 games last year for the Blue Jays, averaging 12 points per game.

ute. “It’s not just your captains, it comes from younger guys, underclassmen who exhibit that leadership, and we have seen it from a number of guys,” Schlosser said.

While he is pleased with how his team is looking, it is too early to determine the depth of the team. “At this point we know we can go eight, maybe nine deep, but I would like that to be 10 or 11, but I am not sure of that yet,” Schlosser said. “I think we will know more in a couple weeks.”

Matchups against schools such as Albright and Lycoming will be indicators of the depth of the team. Those squads were ranked number one and two, respectively, in the pre-season coaching pole. “The one thing about men’s basketball in this conference is there is a lot of parity,” Schlosser said. This means that six of the eight Commonwealth conference teams will be in the playoff picture. “It’s a matter of the survival of the fittest. At the end of February, you have to be playing good basketball, and you have to be healthy,” Schlosser added.

The team has made the conference playoffs in 15 of the last 20 seasons. For the coach and his players, it is still important to play within their system and do things their way. “We set the bar high,” Schlosser said. “We expect to be one of the better teams in the conference and push for that conference championship.”

2010 season with a concluding record of 3-8, the men are looking for a winning season and redemption at the MAC championships.

Much like the women’s team, the men’s team practices have changed drastically. Dry land practices in the weight room have intensified as well as the inpool practices. “This year, coach is really pushing the team to get at a level where we can be contenders for the MAC Championship,” Hannon said.

The men’s swim team started the year off with a

splash last Saturday against Arcadia, claiming a victory over the Knights with a close 86-82 score. The meet started off with the men’s relay team of Hannon, sophomore Shaun Martin, and first-years Chris Nelson and Mike Rentschler, beating Arcadia in the 200-yard medley by five-hundredths of a second. First-year Andrew Malik claimed nine points for the Blue Jays in the 1,000-yard freestyle.

The Blue Jays are prepared for a competitive season, and they are determined to come out on top.

16

sports

the Etownian

November 11, 2010

etown athletics • pro sports • ncaa coverage

athlete profiles • commentary • analysis

women’s basketball

Two seniors look to lead in early schedule Ashley N. Kufera Staff Writer

T

he Elizabethtown College women’s basketball team is rounding up its squad to begin a new journey this season. With the closure of most of the fall sports, the Blue Jays now have their fall athletes back and ready for action.

Ending last year with an 8-16 record, the Blue Jays have begun practices in hopes of improving on that record for the 2010-2011 campaign.

First, the Blue Jays are going to have to replace three seniors from last year. Courtney Kofeldt, who averaged ten points per game, Ali Jury, the team’s fourth leading scorer and third leading rebounder and Jen Schiefer, another strong player, all graduated. However, the Blue Jays took away a lot of valuable lessons from last season that will be helpful in optimizing their play. Senior captain Kaity Snyder said that one of the team’s problems last year was its small size. “We lost a few games last year due to our lack of numbers, so we learned that it is necessary to come into this season conditioned and ready to work,” Snyder said.

The Blue Jays took note of this and are already off to a positive start. Each player has come back with a higher fitness level. “I think one of our biggest talents this season is the great shape all of our girls [are] in,” Snyder said.

Photo: Matthew P. Butera

Senior Kaity Snyder, who is entering her second season as team captain for the Blue Jays, averaged 10.8 points per game last season.

“Everyone worked very hard in pre-season, and we are ready to push other teams and win.”

The Blue Jays aren’t just physically ready for the season, they are mentally prepared as well. Games have not even started yet, and the Jays have meshed well and are pushing each other to succeed.

Senior captain Megan Strohman stated that the new additions to the team are fitting in just fine.

“We only have two incoming first-

years and a sophomore, and we all got the chance to play together in our summer league,” Strohman said. “The rest of us have been together for a while now, making for a nice transition.”

It is pertinent for the Blue Jays to continue this accelerated start to the season, especially with upcoming games right around the corner. Etown will face off in its first game against Marywood College on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.,

and the team will host Ursinus College and travel to Franklin & Marshall College later that week.

Despite these games, Strohman said they will remain focused on their upcoming scrimmages. The team wants to pay attention to offensive and defensive tactics first, and then move their attention to the Marywood game.

Head Coach Yvonne Kauffman has this same outlook. “We are taking this season one game at a time,” said Kauffman, now in her 41st season at the helm. “We have had expectations in the past, but this year we are going to try making them as we go. We don’t want to set our sights too high or too low.” Of course, at Etown, there exists a natural goal of handing it to the Messiah Falcons. “I think our big games this year are definitely going to be Messiah and Lebanon Valley, but there isn’t really one team that won’t be a challenge.

There aren’t any weak teams in our conference, and each one is going to be our own individual battle,” Strohman said.

All of these goals are completely feasible, especially with key players Strohman and Snyder.

“Both Strohman and Snyder have great senior leadership. They are both former starters so they really know the system,” Kauffman said. As long as the Blue Jays remain strong in team camaraderie and overcome issues involving small numbers, they are in for a great ride this season.

Volleyball

Page 14 Soccer Commentary Page 14 Cross Country Page 14 Wrestling Page 15 Men’s Basketball Page 15 Swimming Page 15

Sports Recap Men’s Soccer Messiah 1, Etown 0 Men’s Swimming Etown 86, Arcadia 82 Etown 83, Messiah 112 Women’s Swimming Etown 124, Arcadia 76 Etown 107, Messiah 98 Women’s Volleyball Leb. Valley 3, Etown 0 Wrestling Messiah Invitational

3rd of 9

Schedule

of Sports

Men’s Basketball November 15:

the etownian’s

Athlete of the Week Eric Carr

Q&A

T. Gavin Nevill Sports Editor

W

hen Elizabethtown College’s men’s soccer team faced the top-seeded Messiah Falcons in the Commonwealth Conference finals Nov. 6, Messiah fired 20 shots. Nine of those shots were on target, and Etown’s goalkeeper Eric Carr made a season-high eight saves.

The sophomore from Phoenixville, Pa. kept his team in the game, allowing just one goal to the defending national champions.

Since taking over the full-time starting duties in goal on Oct. 9, Carr posted six shutouts in nine starts, including one in the conference semifinal match Nov. 2 against Arcadia.

He finished the season with a record of 8-3.

InsideSports

Photo: EtownBlueJays.com

Sophomore Eric Carr has registered nine shutouts in 21 starts in his first two seasons for the Blue Jays.

Major: International Business Favorite Jay’s Nest item: Chicken ranch cheesesteak on a pretzel roll Favorite sports team: Paris St. Germain Favorite musician: Wiz Khalifa Favorite TV show: “Burn Notice” Favorite movie: “Fight Club” Song currently playing on my iPod: “Reality Check” by Binary Star Biggest Fear: Sharks

In 10 years, I want to be ... sitting on the end of a dock in the Carribean.

Hardly anyone knows that ...

I am color blind.

I’m a sucker for: confidence.

I started playing my sport... when I was 6 years old.

Greatest athletic achievement: National Team Tour in Germany Childhood hero: My dad

@ Penn StateHarrisburg

Women’s Basketball November 15: @ Mar ywood

November 17: Ursinus Men’s Cross Countr y November 13: NCAA Mideast Regional Championships Women’s XC November 13: NCAA Mideast Regional Championships Men’s Swimming November 13: Lycoming Women’s Swimming November 13: Lycoming Wrestling November 13: Ursinus Fall Brawl November 16: Johns Hopkins EtownBlueJays .com