http://issuu.com/holyfamilyuniversitytrilite
February 2015
Vol. 61, Issue 2
The student voice of Holy Family University since 1954
Flip To... Page 3
The Real Mr.(W)Right
Page 4
The History of St.Joseph’s Hall
Page 5
Get to Know Holy Family University’s B.L.A.
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The Hearty Truth
Celebrate Love
By: Gabrielle Fabioneri The second you pull into Holy Family University, you are immediately able to feel the sense of community and love that the university has to give. Tom Brill, a security guard, waves to you with a smile as you drive through the entrance like he does almost every single day, no matter what the weather looks like. As you walk through the hallways of any building on campus, both faculty and students will often greet you with a smile, or hold the door open for you as you walk through. Holy Family University is more than just a school. It is a place where many students call home amongst their peers, faculty and friends. In a February survey that asked the question “What is the main point of Valentine’s Day?” out of the 160 students who responded, 51% replied with the answer that it is a celebration of love. Amongst the other strong responses were “to spend time with loved ones” and “to make my partner happy.” The least chosen responses were the ones that are generally associated with Valentine’s Day such as giving/receiving gifts and going on dates. Overall, the results are not surprising to anyone that goes to Holy Family, because Holy Family University knows how to spread the love unlike any other university.
Valentine’s Day is a holiday normally associated with commercial icons such as a flying baby sporting nothing more than a cloth and a bow and arrow, chocolates, roses, jewelry and other sweet memorabilia. Movies tend to blow the importance of romance out of proportion, putting tremendous pressure on both people in relationships as well as the single folks. It can be a stressful time for some as the need for sappy love and romance becomes so popular in culture. What people need to realize is that Valentine’s Day is more than a dozen roses. It is truly a celebration of love, and spending time with loved ones and expressing your gratitude for their love is much more important than heart shaped chocolates. The Holy Family community understands that, and it doesn’t just take a holiday for students and faculty to show their love for one another. Love flows freely here on a daily basis. Holy Family University is known for being a small school, where everyone knows each other and the classrooms become more like workshops where everyone gets a chance to learn and explore their academic abilities together in a supportive environment. Julie Brylinski, 20, a sophomore, reflects on her definition of “love” on campus and in her classrooms
by saying, “The small classroom size makes it a great opportunity for stronger relationships between your peers and the professor. Since everyone is familiar with each other, it is easier to open yourself up and learn without judgment” It is incredibly important for students to feel accepted and supported in their learning, by both the teacher and their peers. Holy Family University’s tight knit academic community is incredible. In addition to academics, another prime example of how Holy Family likes to celebrate love is this past week’s “Random Acts of Kindness” promoted by the Counseling Center and Disability Services. The area out by the gazebo in the center of campus was filled with “Buds of Hope” which had feel good and motivational sayings for students and faculty to read as they walk by. This is an effort to raise awareness about suicide prevention. Tara Gutgesell, director of Counseling Center and Disability Services stresses this by saying in an email sent to all students in promotion of Random Acts of Kindness Week, “It’s important for individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts to know they are not alone. As a campus we are a part of a community, one in which our core values reflect a sense of responsibility and hope for one another.” Throughout the week, students were encouraged to perform random acts of kindness in honor of the cause. Angel Lawrynkiewicz, a junior and recent transfer who is new to the Holy “Family,” loves the idea that Holy Family is supporting such an important cause. “I can really feel the love, especially since I know that everyone around here seems to genuinely care about you so much. I felt welcomed when I was the new kid in class. I’m so happy that I switched schools when I did.” “The Value of Family,” which is the new tagline for the university, fits perfectly with the message we want to send about our school. We are truly one unified family here to support each other through all life throws at us. The simple warm smile or the thoughtful “how are you today?” is what could make someone’s day. We are family. We are Holy Family.
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The Meaning of Valentine’s Day
The Tri-Lite
A Variety of Perspectives....
According to Holy Family University! According to survey results, 51% of the 160 students who participated believe that V-Day is a celebration of love. Some may say that the hype around Valentine’s day is fueled by sappy love movies that place serious emphasis on the idea of romance. Even if you don’t have a date this Valentine’s Day, the important thing to remember is that it is a holiday dedicated to the celebration of love among not only the ones you love, but love for yourself. Survey Credit: Gabrielle Fabioneri
According to the Rachel(s) By: Rachel Helkowski
Valentines Day can evoke feelings of love, excitement, or even sheer panic, if you don't know what to get your significant other that is. Gentleman, you might feel as if "chick flicks" and Hallmark have set you up for failure. These impossible standards have to be met in order to impress your significant other on the big day, right? Three female students at Holy Family University helped weigh in on the misconception that girls are impossible to please in terms of Valentine's Day gestures. These three "Rachels" shared their expectations for the day and it turns out, girls want you to keep it sweet and simple, really. Flowers and chocolate, although maybe cliche, are classics symbols of the holiday for a reason. Rachel McAnany, Junior, says if you're going this direction, it's best to make it personal. "I would say at the very least, get flowers. It doesn't have to be roses. Find out her favorite flower and get her that." Rachel Everman, Junior, makes it clear to her boyfriend what she wants to make her day. "All girls expect roses, including me; however, chocolate covered strawberries are an absolute must and my boyfriend knows it." Rachel Johnson, Junior, and avid Disney lover, says incorporating her favorite hobbies into the evening makes it special. For Rachel J., "a nice dinner on the table with flowers is good, watching a Disney movie with me after is better." This tip applies to every type of girl no matter what
their interests. Making it personal in even the littlest ways shows you put effort into it. Still feel as if you have to get a gift in addition to these gestures? If you do, invest in something that creates memories. Make it an experience. Go Ice Skating at the Penn's Landing River Rink, go hiking in Tyler State Park, or even take her on the Spirit of Philadelphia Valentine's Day Cruise. It lasts a few hours and there are different packages depending on your price range. Valentine's Day often gets a bad reputation for being a materialistic day when people have to bend over backwards to show they care. That doesn't have to be the case. Think of it as an opportunity to step back, and appreciate your time with each other.
From a Guy’s Point of View By: Ricky Haldis
In response to the article from Rachel (and Rachel, Rachel, and Rachel), it seems that there’s a really important focus on keeping things traditional when it comes to Valentine’s Day. I am personally plagued with the talent of overthinking EVERYTHING, so for guys like me, Valentine’s Day is nothing short of a nightmare when it comes to planning. There are so many variables that come into play when trying to make the holiday special - How long have you been dating? How much is TOO much? Does she REALLY want to keep it simple? You ladies can never make things too easy. Well, for me, it starts with the very basics; roses and chocolates, and if possible, breakfast in bed. Purely traditional, and is the simplest gesture we, as guys, can make towards our significant others for the holiday. This is, at the bare minimum, is a ten minute endeavor to a Rite Aid. However, this is where the overthinking part comes in. “Should I get her roses? What DID she say was her favorite flower? Hmm, maybe I should get one of those sets of fruit/chocolate roses. Girls love things covered in chocolate!” Personally, I believe Valentine’s Day is the one day a year where it is appropriate to go above and beyond the call of everyday duty (if the situation is appropriate, of course - no marriage proposals after only three weeks of dating, guys). I like to think that I am, as corny as it sounds, a hopeless romantic. This is your day to pamper your significant other, and be as extravagant as possible (again, if the situation is appropriate). You know your partner best, and every girl is different, so just be creative, and she’ll always appreciate it. Anything that is personal, heartfelt or creative (or chocolate-covered) will go over well, and will be sure to score you plenty of brownie points.
So, strictly speaking from a guy’s perspective, I don’t go into Valentine’s Day expecting anything in return (and, no, this is not some convoluted attempt at sounding super humble and modest). Think about it: our generation generally sees Valentine’s Day as a female-centered holiday. Call it materialistic or corporate, but it’s tradition! It’s a classic cultural stereotype, in fact - I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard of a group of guys gathering in the men’s room to chatter about whether or not their girls will treat them right on Valentine’s Day. Guys: if you wind up getting something in return for this holiday, consider yourself genuinely lucky; she’s a keeper. Put it this way: I can’t reasonably write this article and try to convey the 100% right answer to secure your partner’s heart. I can only share my own opinion, which I’m confident many of the guys around campus can agree with (or may make them want to beat me up and take my lunch money). Regardless, I stand by what I said, and there’s no doubt that every single situation is different. The right answer is to do what feels right, and to do what comes from the heart. It’s the holiday of love, so as long as you both get past the details, and make your significant other feel loved, and act out of love, then there’s no way you can go wrong.
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The Real Mr. (W)Right By: Ricky Haldis
He’s suave, and the way he presents himself seems effortlessly slick, like some sort of classroom James Bond. He’s a sharp dresser, who is always dressed to convey a sense of professionalism, without coming close to seeming like a stiff. When he speaks, there’s a sense of cool confidence that captures the attention of every person in the room, and doesn’t let go. No, I’m not talking about the guy from the Dos Equis commercials, but about one of Holy Family’s newest Professors of Communication: Marcus T. Wright. Professor Wright, or Marcus, as he would insist that you call him, has single-handedly changed my perspective of how a class can be taught. When I enrolled for his class, I can’t truthfully say that I was necessarily excited to take it. Communication Research Methods (‘hmm, might be interesting...’), on Wednesday nights, (3 hours is a long time), taught by an adjunct (‘I mean, he’s an adjunct, so he probably won’t even care if I try to tunnel my way out of this classroom’). However, from the second Marcus walked into the classroom, my predictions were shattered.
education in some form, primarily on the administrative and student life side. I currently work at Penn in the Sociology department, assisting with communications outreach, consulting Ph.D students on their online visibility strategies, and collaborating with faculty, students and staff with departmental tasks. I’ve been blessed to have some unique work experiences through my career. One example includes recently serving as administrative coordinator for an award-winning documentary film, African Independence, and for two museum exhibits (one at the Independence Seaport Museum and the other at the Penn Museum). I’ve been fortunate enough to have many great professional experiences. This includes volunteering and even some entrepreneurial ventures. And I just want to keep it going; I feel like I’m just getting started!
Tell us about your experience in education. (Where did you go to school? )
I graduated high school from Girard College, a 1st-12th grade private boarding school in North Philadelphia. After that I received my undergraduate degree in 2006 from Rutgersn University, and recently I received my Master’s in Education from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. I’ve had teaching, instructing, and mentoring experience of various types over the past 8 years. Currently I only teach at Holy Family, yet I get opportunities to do training, single-session seminars, and mentoring at my other job at Penn.
You have a very impressive resume of work experience. Can you give us a rundown of your career up to this point? What are some of your best memories thus far? Most of my career has been in
What makes your experiences at Holy Family unique? Does Holy Family stand out from any of your other experiences in education? I have had an outstanding time at Holy Family. I hate to sound cheesy, but I love my students. I put in the effort and energy I do into my teaching because I want them to have an exceptional experience. Seriously. I feel that I have a responsibility to not only teach them the course material, but to also challenge them to think critically about the world and their place in it. My interactions with the University have been primarily through my students, and they most certainly stand out. They are very smart and they’ve really taken ownership of helping to create an exciting, engaging learning environment.
There was no whiteboard, or mind-numbing lecture that left anyone counting every second of the class period. Instead, Marcus made our classes like more of a discussion-centered conversation, where there was no awkwardness in expressing an opinion, and no feelings of embarrassment when he responded. At the end of last semester, I had the opportunity to interview Professor Wright, who was more than happy to take part. Here’s how the interaction went:
is a fascinating individual and it shows in the unique manner that he answered my interview questions. The second was with Entertainment Weekly correspondent Nina Terrero. Her story of how she has made it to where she is today is very inspiring, and several people have told me they were inspired by the interview.
Anyone that has spent a class period with you would agree that you have a very unique method of teaching. Can you describe your style of teaching? You’ve been writing for the Huffington Post for nearly two years now. How do you feel about working for such a high profile organization? It’s really a blessing to be able to put ideas and stories out into the world for people to read, regardless of the platform. I’m thankful that the Huffington Post decided to bring me on as a contributor. I just hope that the thoughts I put out there, the stories I tell, and the questions I raise connect with and inspire readers.
Who have you had the chance to interview with the Post? Who turned out to be the most interesting interviewee? What was the most interesting piece that you wrote? I’ve been able to interview some really cool people, such as NFL Super Bowlwinning former head coach Tony Dungy, violinist Lindsey Stirling, musical ensemble The Piano Guys, and a few academic researchers. I have 2 favorite interviews. The first one was with social change agent Kevin Carroll. He
I believe that, as the teacher/instructor/professor, my job is to empower the students. Not only should I teach them the course material, but I need to give them the tools necessary to successfully use whatever they learn out in the “real world.” The experience in my classroom has to mean something; I want my students to remember the impact that the class had on them for many years. I like to use a variety of pedagogies to keep the class exciting and engaging. It’s kind of complicated how I figure out exactly which pedagogy to use – it depends on a lot of factors such as the lesson, the flow of the course, what I “sense” from the students, and more. I like for the students to get time for individual reflection as well as time to critically think together in small groups and build new ideas with each other (and me). Sometimes, I am more of a facilitator and moderator, and at these times it is incredibly important for me to know my students and pay attention to them so I can put them in the right situations to excel. Continued on pg. 4
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What inspires you to break away from the classic “blackboard-and-textbook” style of education, and to teach the way that you do? There are many ways to teach, and we have to determine the best strategy according to the learning goal we hope to reach, who the learners are and what their situation is, and what resources we have at our disposal in the learning environment. It is important to note that the “Blackboard and textbook” method can work. I think it’s just important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each pedagogy you plan to use, make a strategic determination of the best time to use each pedagogy, and mix things up in order to keep the learner engaged.
Do you have a fondest memory of Holy Family from the short time you’ve been here? In our “Communication Research Methods” course, we recently did an ethnomethodological study on the population in the Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie. For an ethnomethodological study, you are attempting to understand how the people of a population or group make sense of their everyday world. We needed to do this through the filter of communication. I thought that the best way to do this (since we couldn’t travel anywhere or anything like that) was for the students to watch a film set in a universe unlike our own. I thought that the world in the Hunger Games film was a perfect fit.
After watching the film (closely observing and taking notes on the interactions and communications), the students had to use different forms of multimedia to put together an advertising campaign that would make sense within this Hunger Games universe. I was a bit nervous whether taking this approach would work, but I think it went over splendidly. The students really enjoyed making the campaigns. Further, I hope taking this approach helped the students view pop culture in a different lens; as not just forms of entertainment, but as portals into cultures and subcultures where people and characters are trying to make sense of their everyday worlds.
Do you plan to continue teaching here next year? I would love to!
“The biggest thing I’ve realized over the past year or so is that you do not need anyone’s permission to be great…just be great! All of the students at Holy Family have the tools to do great things.”
If you could offer the students of Holy Family one piece of advice that they would carry with them for the rest of their lives (either professionally, educationally, or generally), what would you tell them? The biggest thing I’ve realized over the past year or so is that you do not need anyone’s permission to be great…just be great! All of the students at Holy Family have the tools to do great things. Sometimes it just comes down to truly believing in yourself that you are here to accomplish those things. All the while, you must, and I stress must, remain humble. It does not mean anything if you accomplish great things but do so in an arrogant manner. The big challenge in life is to be confident you can accomplish great things, but remaining humble as you make those great things happen. And I feel every HF student can achieve this. Evidently, just through how he presents himself, Marcus Wright is nothing short of one of the most humble, genuine, and caring professors that one can be considered privileged enough to take a class with (who also happens to be a jack-of-all-trades in his industry). This semester, Marcus is still at Holy Family as the Faculty Supervisor for Cooperative Education (and still on the roster as an Adjunct). While he is not currently teaching a class, that is certainly not to say that he will not be in the future. If given the opportunity, whether for a core class or an elective, I cannot recommend any better professor, whose class will not fail to leave a lasting impression.
The History of St. Joseph’s Hall
By: Matthew Fullerton Heavy heads lay to rest nightly on the campus of Holy Family University. Students from far and wide exhausted from the rigors of academic study rest and relax in St. Joseph’s Hall. But why is it named St. Joseph’s Hall? Why did the University change the name from Lourdes Hall? The building originally named Lourdes Hall was constructed during the early years of the college. It was dedicated on February 11th 1960. February 11th being the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes the University named it in remembrance of the miracle apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Saint Bernadette Soubirous in 19th century France. Holy Family University was created as a woman’s training school. As the school expanded the need for more housing for students became apparent. This need spawned the development of property and building of then named Lourdes Hall. Soon, a change in culture would sweep the nation as the late 1960’s arrived and students countrywide refused to live on dorms. Freedom from the rules of campus living drove the resident numbers down. Students instead opted to live in housing just off campus. Due to this Lourdes Hall was closed as a student living facility around 1973. Also around this time the University was planning to renovate the first St. Joseph’s Hall. That building was part of the property dating back to the purchase of the lot in the early 1950’s. The administration of the school quickly realized that renovating the original building was not feasible due to the high cost. The decision was made to renovate Lourdes Hall and the original St. Joseph’s Hall was demolished. The teacher’s parking lot between Holy Family Hall and the library marks the spot of the demolished residence. Renovations on Lourdes Hall began in the later part of 1978 and were completed by 1980. It was then that the Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth moved from the original St. Joseph Hall into Lourdes Hall. The administration then made the decision to change the name from Lourdes to St. Joseph’s Hall. The decision to rename was purely based on administrative needs. The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who made up the majority of the faculty at the time, had always lived in St. Joseph’s hall. Keeping the name made it easier for the school to retain it files without massive updates and allowed for easy transition with other everyday items such as mail delivery. The current St Joseph’s Hall housed the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth from 1980 until 2004. As enrollment in the University began to increase and conversely the numbers of nuns decreased, the college decided to make St. Joseph Hall a student residence building. In 2005 the hall was opened to freshman students, male and female, who would be living on campus. Lourdes Hall once held woman who dared to forsake the commonplace compliance of the 19050’s and sought to define themselves as individual thinkers capable of more than just homemaking. Their spirit of progress and transformation continues today through the new freshman excited for most likely their first experiences away from home. Heads heavy with Credit: HFU Marketing & Comm Dept new knowledge as they progress to fulfill their majors and pursue their goals and dreams in the wide world.
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Get to Know Holy Family University’s B.L.A. By: Christine Runowski NEP Circulation Coordinator/LRC Library Assistant BLA Moderator
The Holy Family University’s B.L.A. (Believe Lead Achieve) is known for it’s incredible work and the imapct it has on campus and in the community. Chrisinte Runowski, BLA Moderator, kindly took the time to go in depth about who they are and what their mission and dedication to the work of God is like.
Holy Family students anymore. We’re alumni! It truly is a testament to our group members and Christine Runowski—who is the heart and soul of our group. Many joined BLA while graduate students, and stayed with us after graduation because they truly embody the spirit of volunteerism and love working with Christine Runowski. We all have a need to give back to our community—the community that “gave” to us. BLA gives us a “voice” and means to do so—and we have fun with one another!
1. Our goal is to continue Holy Family University’s mission of cultivating responsible, lifelong learners and leaders who are socially intuitive and aware of one’s responsibilities towards God, society and self. We do God’s work through 3. All of our events are successful: We always service to others. We live our mission on a daily meet our goal of servicing, helping others. Our basis, and we breathe life into our mission through our charitable work. We have three different areas of focus: community service learning, campus ministry and special events. However, our main service—which happened naturally—is community outreach. There’s always a need for a helping hand within your community, and people are unbelievably grateful and appreciative of any assistance that you can offer. We have the willingness, tenacity and resources to help others; and we have the compassionate hearts to do so. We work with local non-profits—Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Bucks County, Aid for Friends, Habitat for Humanity, etc—that need our assistance for either volunteer needs, hosting events, fundraising purposes or a mixture of both. If a non-profit reaches out to us, we will do our best to meet their needs. BLA members also have the auton- Photo Credit: Christine Runowski omy to work with a non-profit of their choice— event, “Stone Soup” is a service learning event whatever cause they’re passionate about—and to that we created in response to a local non-proforganize and oversee their respective volunteer it’s, Aid For Friends’, need for packaged meals. activity. When you organize and execute an “Stone Soup” is based on a folklore where event, you refine and develop your managerial, members of the community each bring an item interpersonal skills—those “essential” skills that that, when combined together, creates a meal are necessary to be productive, contributing that feeds the entire community. BLA puts the members of society. folklore into action! We invite local children and family to bring a canned good to our event. We 2. BLA is a mixture of undergraduate, graduate read the story of Stone Soup, we “act out” the students and alumni! Most of our BLA memstory, we talk about sharing and “giving back” bers already graduated from Holy Family with and—the best part—we get to make and try our their graduate degree and are working fullsoup. The soup is then be packaged and delivtime. People think that we are a typical student ered to those in need through Aid for Friends. organization; however, some of us aren’t even
4. Some of our future projects include a Flea Market at the Newtown campus, which raises funds for BLA so we can continue to help others; and, a Sports Clinic with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Bucks County. The Sports Clinic is for “littles” from Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Bucks County that are upper elementary, middle school aged. The “littles” are taught how to play different sports. 5. Our goal is to become more known around campus and to generate more student involvement. We already have community connections and wonderful relationships with local non-profits and organizations. We always have upcoming events, and we always have open arms to new volunteers/group members. We also hope to get our word out to the main campus—since all of our events have been held at the Newtown campus. We started at the Newtown campus—it’s our “home,” but we do hope to establish some roots on the Philadelphia campus. 6. People always underestimate themselves and what they’re capable of achieving. All you need to do is ask four simple words, “How can I help?” and then put your words into action. Everyone has the power to help someone—even if it’s offering a simple, warm smile. BLA was merely a thought—nothing else, until Christine Runowski brought us all together. We all asked ourselves, “How can I help?” and BLA became the means to put our words into action. We only have five “core,” main members in our group, including Cris, and yet we’ve built remarkable community connections and have been providing our charitable services since 2011.
B. L. A.
BELIEVE that your efforts make a difference LEAD your life through God’s direction ACHIEVE your goals and aspirations
“People always underestimate themselves and what they’re capable of achieving. All you need to do is ask four simple words, ‘How can I help?’ and then put your words into action. Everyone has the power to help someone—even if it’s offering a simple, warm smile.”
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By Julie Brylinski
American Sniper “I’m willing to meet my Creator and answer for every shot that I took. The thing that haunts me are all the guys that I couldn’t save” said Chris Kyle, portrayed by actor Bradley Cooper in the movie American Sniper, directed by Clint Eastwood. American Sniper tells the story of Chris Kyle, a United States Navy SEAL from Texas and the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. In his career as Navy Seal, Chris Kyle was credited with 160 confirmed kills. Although there is plenty of war related action, American Sniper is not your average war movie. While it definitely portrays Chris Kyle as the hero he was, it also gives us all a look into the effects war has on our nation’s bravest.
The hardships that he endured and the effects of war on not only his family, but his mental health as well are portrayed. At the end of the movie, Chris regains himself through helping wounded veterans by spending time with them and hanging out at the shooting range. It is definitely amazing to see Chris Kyle learn to live again after all that he endured, even if only to see it through Bradley Cooper. Once again, Clint Eastwood has outdone himself by directing a movie that is an absolute must see, and Bradley Cooper has put forth the best acting of his entire career. Of course, the ending is enough to bring anyone to tears and is something that isn’t just seen, but felt. American Sniper is a must see movie.
Throughout the movie, Kyle constantly struggles between love of country, and love of family.
The Interview Like many others, I was fortunate enough to see The Interview for free online (thanks watchmovies123.com !). Of course, how could you not have heard about the movie whose release caused so much controversy? In case you haven’t, I’ll fill you in. For anyone that doesn’t know, The Interview stars Seth Rogen and James Franco. As usual, Rogen and Franco have managed to put an absolutely hilarious perspective on an otherwise dark and touchy subject. There’s even an awesome explosion scene! They star as Dave Skylark (Franco), the interviewer, and Aaron Rapoport (Rogen) his producer. They run the most popular tabloidTV show in the country “Skylark Tonight.”
their invitation for an interview, they of course proudly announce it. The CIA hears about their plans and contacts both of them and asks Skylark to assassinate the Supreme Leader while conducting the interview. Of course, there are plenty of outrageous and just downright ridiculous scenarios in the movie that, while highly humorous, make parts of it seem way over the top. It was directed by Seth Rogen himself and Evan Goldberg, so that should you something about how insanely hilarious it is. All in all, it is a pretty bad a** movie that is definitely worth seeing if you haven’t already.
They come up with a plan to make interview history: interview the Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un. Once Kim Jong-un accepts
Photos Credited: Google.com
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The Interview: A Close-Call to World War III, or the Best Marketing Stunt Our Generation has Ever Seen? By: Ricky Haldis America: the land of the free, in which is customary to charge significantly less for a fast food feast than a reasonably healthy meal, and then wonder why the obesity rate is staggeringly higher than anywhere else in the world; the home of the brave, where a man can barely make ends meet in a career that saves lives on a daily basis, but can retire at age 25 for playing a game that thrives in most grade-school playgrounds. No one ever said America is the most practical and modest in it’s collective ideals and actions, but when a third World War nearly breaks out over the screening of a film, it is not hard to imagine why the rest of the planet doesn’t see The United States as judicious in its moral values. The Interview is the brainchild of comedic mastermind Seth Rogen, whose catalog of prior work leaves us not to be surprised with what to expect from the new, controversial film. Filled to the brim with all of the crude, sophomoric humor that Rogen’s brain could have spewed, The Interview is the bold prodding of the angry dog that is North Korea. The movie’s plot is simple: Rogen, and his partner, James Franco, play two journalists who are enlisted to kill North Korea’s Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un, after landing an interview with him. Sparing no laugh at the Korean leader’s expense, The Interview plays with fire, portraying him as a margarita-drinking, Katy Perry-listening coward, who happens to harbor a wealth of daddy issues. Needless to say, the Supreme Leader was not pleased with the concept, and immediately promised “merciless retaliation” of this “wanton act of war.” Almost exactly one month before the release of the film in theaters, Sony Pictures Entertainment was hacked by a group who referred to themselves as the “Guardians of Peace,” who leaked massive amounts of confidential data from the company. It was alleged that the Guardians of Peace were directly associated with North Korea, but any association was denied. A chain reaction of counter-actions then ensued when The United States shut down the Internet within North Korea, but faced backlash when the Guardians of Peace issued terroristic threats if the movies was screened. By the time all of this controversy reached a climax, Sony Pictures had pulled the movie from any planned screenings. The nation was divided with a conflict of opinion on the matter; many believed that pulling the movie was an infringement upon our rights as Americans, while the rest plugged their ears with the fingertips and waited for retaliation. The day after it was pulled, the story was the most searched item on the Internet, with over 124 million news-related articles flooding the Internet. Any publicity is good publicity, right? After a few days of heated controversy, President Obama reinforced the idea that America does not negotiate with terrorists, and that The Interview would be released for digital download only. It was at this point that the focus became “watch the movie, or the terrorists win.” With that exact outcome in mind, who is to say that this was not the result of an incredibly developed and over-exaggerated marketing plan that would totally change the game when it comes to mass promotion. It had exploded worldwide, and The Interview grossed about $18 million via digital downloads. Within days, Sony’s number of YouTube subscribers had tripled in size. Sounds like a perfect point to scream “conspiracy theory!” at every one of those corporate masterminds, right? Well, by looking at the facts, it might not be as plausible as everyone had thought. Realistically, we would be accusing Sony, a company who makes billions in revenue, of faking a hack of their own system, then leaking their own precious information for sites all throughout the Internet, then pointed the blame at a government who everyone knows is a ticking time bomb, in order to promote one single film. A film with this much publicity, it’s reasonable to say that, even prior to the alleged hack, The Interview would have pulled much more revenue from a traditional release in theaters, rather than limiting it to downloads only. The real answer to the mystery seems a little more straightforward when an objective stance is taken: Sony was hacked, whether North Korea was responsible or not, and their information was leaked, and subsequently spread by any less-than-ethical media person who had the chance. The concept of the movie itself was a bold move, but blaming North Korea with no legitimate evidence was simply throwing a match into the gasoline. Everyone’s got an opinion, but the true facts and logic make it seem less than likely. At the end of the day, the Interview Controversy will go down in the history books and the truth may never be revealed. Was North Korea really capable of a hack of that magnitude? Would our government be willing to fabricate a lie that could result in a nuclear war for a few million dollars?
You be the judge.
Photo Credit: http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/12/21/is-the-interview-controversy-a-publicity-stunt-2531927?lt_source=external,manual
The Tri-Lite
Page 8
The Hearty Truth By: Lauren Hutchins
This month celebrates American heart health. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease in the number one killer in women beating out all of the deadliest forms of cancer. 1 in 3 women will die from heart disease this year. In order to prevent heart disease, it is important to take care of your heart now. The American Heart Association recommends a variety of ways to prevent heart disease. The first step is eating cleaner. High levels of sugar, fat, and sodium are what slow down your heart, even in your 20s. It’s essential to eliminate processed foods and additives from your diet. Keep in mind; by cutting back you are not only doing a service for your heart, but also your liver, bloodstream, and weight. It is believed that smoking is a major cause of heart disease, yet according to Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 42.1 million Americans still smoke. Even though you might only smoke on occasion, it’s important to break the habit as soon as possible. Years of tar build-up in your arteries will just put you more at risk. This also goes the same for drinking alcohol. Exercising is the best way to kick the habit of binge drinking and cigarette smoking. A rise of adrenaline and momentum to get the blood pumping through your blood stream is the best way to keep your heart strong. AHA recommends a minimum of 30-45 minutes of intense cardio. Holy Family Univer- Photo Credit: parriscardio.theangelheartcenter.com sity offers Zumba classes in the lower lobby of the campus center. Holy Family University alum, Jenna Spadaccino is a trained instructor and believes Zumba is a fun and healthy way to workout. For more information on Zumba classes at HFU, please visit HFU’s Twitter or Facebook pages. Keep your heart healthy not just this month, but every month by exercising, eating clean, managing stress levels, and stopping bad habits such as smoking. These changes are good investments for your body. For more information about heart disease, please visit The American Heart Association at www.heart.org.
Photos credit: Office of Student Activites
CALLING ALL HOLY FAMILY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS!
Do you have creative ideas?
Then join our team and write for the Tri-Lite! There are no requirements and absolutely no experience necessary! Please contact Gabrielle Fabioneri or Richard Haldis at hfutrilite@gmail.com
Want a place to display your work or get your message out to the campus community?
The Tri-Lite Editor-in-Chief
Richard Haldis ‘16 Gabrielle Fabioneri ‘15
Layout Editor
Kayla Cummons ‘15
Staff Writers Lauren Hutchins
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Amanda McClain
Julie Brylinski Rachel Helkowski Matthew Fullerton Christine Runowski