Banner | Vol. 71 Issue 6

Students spring into action for WooFest

later, it is now in full motion.

“At first we had nobody [join],” Rehard said. “But then over the year it grew to 15 people. This year, we grew it to about 25 really solid people.”

However, two years

As described by Rehard, the club involves building robots that will be able to compete in the yearly game. This year, the game is similar to soccer. “We built two robots to play

on the 12-by-12 foot field, and they compete against two other robots from an opposing team, so there are four robots in total playing at a time. There’s a 45-second period where the robots run with preprogrammed instructions, then we have a one-minute remotecontrolled driver period,” Rehard said.

During this time, the robots perform di erent tasks, such as grabbing, pushing and dropping small balls into the soccer net. For these tasks, the teams are awarded points.

“We’ve competed three times this year so far. We are currently ranked third in the state. We will find out soon if we make it to world competition and if we do, which I think we will, we will do our best. But we have just been really, really focused on getting to worlds alone,” Renhard said.

Jason Asariah, freshman electrical and computer engineering major and vice president of the club, is also optimistic about the club’s future.

Anna Lawrukajtis, junior mechanical engineering major and a group leader on the team, attributes their success thus far to planning improvements.

“Since we have more people involved this year, we can do more things and prepare more for the season. We started planning our strategy earlier and had more time overall,” Lawrukajtis said.

“We started with the strategy and the robots we’ve been working on since the beginning of last semester,” Rehard added.

Although the team was able to get ahead of the curve, it was not all smooth sailing. “There have been a lot of challenges, specifically with electronics,” Asariah said. “One of the things we were working on is a power system. We were just spending a lot of time working on this circuit to provide adequate power to a test board we were using. We were losing a good amount of current in one circuit so that we something di cult we worked through.” Lawrukajtis found the challenge to be shifting between this year and last.

“We’ve been getting better and better, which is really exciting to see,” Asariah said. “We’ve been able to make little improvements to our designs. We’re really excited, we should be moving to worlds.”

“The game is di erent than last year so we have to redesign everything and rethink our strategy,” Lawrukajtis said. “People are leaving and coming.” Overall, the team members agreed that the challenges were worth it, though.

“I love being able to integrate what I learned in the classroom into some hands-on experience. Like the physics you learn, you actually get to see how it looks like in the real world and not just do the calculations on the whiteboard,” Rehard said. Asariah thinks the team itself is a large part of the positive experience, too. “I’ve learned a lot about leadership and then a lot about robotics and engineering. There’s a huge community aspect to it. It has been a lot of fun,” Asariah said. “People around me are the best part,” Lawrukajtis added. “It’s a very nice environment, very friendly.”

For the remainder of the semester, the Robotics team will be preparing for the world championship. Then, the team will finalize their robotic system so they are ready for early implementation of the robots next season.

Career center prepares graduating students

BY CONNOR RYAN MANAGING EDITOR

Graduation is around the corner and seniors across campus are biting their nails in anticipation of taking the next step in their careers.

As students prepare to walk across the stage, there are some things they should be aware of as they get ready to jump into the workforce.

Bethany Anich, career counselor at the Career Center, shared her expertise on how students tend not to prepare for interviews.

After conducting more than 250 mock interviews, there was something that stuck out in most student’s interviews that didn’t go so well.

Most students got stuck on the first question of almost every interview, which is the tell us about yourself question.

She shared that this vague question was something nearly every student saw coming but didn’t spend the time rehearsing their answers. “I think the number one thing is that students don’t actually realize that you can actually prepare for

Besides preparation, students must constantly be aware of current resume expectations, as employers are constantly changing their standards for what they want to see on new applications. “Resumes used to be really verbose. Super wordy paragraphs and a lot of recruiters and employers don’t like that,” Anich said. “There’s a tendency in the past where people put everything they’d ever done, from my high school job at Wendy’s to my college rec center job and now my internship. So we’ve seen in the last several years a shift to put what’s relevant. Not that your experience is not important, but it is irrelevant to what you’re applying for now. You want to tailor your resume.” There is also merit to creating several di erent resumes for di erent types of jobs, especially for students who are open to multiple industries of work.

Certain buzzwords and phrases will work better for one field as opposed to another,

which is why one resume often isn’t enough.

Megan Madrigal, senior English major, shared her anxieties about graduating and what she was worried about as she went o on her own.

“Of course, just like anywhere else, I’m worried about finding a good, secure job as quickly as I can because I want to be able to be independent as much as I can after graduation because I’ve been set up to believe that after college I will be more directed towards stability and independence,” Madrigal said.

Other students, such as Audrey Smith, creative writing major, have committed themselves to higher education, and are taking steps necessary to ensure that they will be accepted into the grad school they want.

“I’ve been preparing by applying for grad school and even thinking about what schools to attend for a potential PhD,” Smith said. “I’ve also been pouring even more time into my academics because I want to finish strong.”

Regardless of how students are preparing for the next step in their career, if students are unable to get internships for their expected job field, there are ways to beef up their resume without them.

“Use the organizations that

you’re a part of. Use your outside jobs. I’m a big proponent for students who think that their fast-food experience or their retail experience helps them in their future jobs. It really does,” Anich said. “You’re growing those interpersonal skills; you’re growing those problemsolving skills that you’re pretty much going to need in every job. Can you communicate that on your resume? ”

One of the most important aspects of applying for a job is having a robust LinkedIn page. A recurring theme among employers is the interest in transferrable skills that could be used across di erent fields. Anich mentioned that solid writing skills were one of the top three skills that employers liked to see.

The job searching process doesn’t need to be perceived as a stressful ordeal; students should enjoy the process and come into each interview with an open mind and a smile on their faces.

“Entering every single experience that you have with humility and knowing there’s something for me to learn here, whether this interview works out or not, we trust that God has a plan for each of us,” Anich said. “I’m going to go and see what I can learn and how I can serve this organization if this is where God wants me to be.”

Arbor Day event sprouts biodiversity

BY CONNOR RYAN MANAGING EDITOR

After 10 years, CBU continues to give back to the environment with its annual Arbor Day event, where students come together to improve the scenery and cleanliness of their campus. The two-day experience provided opportunities for students to enhance their environment.

Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science, explained the goals for each day and how students worked together to make a di erence in their community.

“On March 1, students focused on planting fruit trees and installing drip lines at Lancer Farm and Gardens, also known as LFG. LFG is a place where students can go and pick their produce, look at flowers and honor God’s creation,” Koo said. “On March 2, the students and environmental science leaders met in Stamps courtyard and split into three teams for a trash clean up. Monroe Street, Diana Street and the Colony at CBU were the areas where the cleanups occurred.”

Across the two days, 90 students volunteered their

time to improve CBU’s garden or pick up trash along the three separate streets. Three trees were planted on Friday, while students collected seven full bags of trash across all cleanup teams. Natalie Cruz, senior biology major and president of the Botany Club, shared how Arbor Day is an opportunity for the school to improve its biodiversity. She emphasized the agricultural issue of monocropping, where large fields only contain a single crop, and stated that this technique leaves fields highly susceptible to widespread disease.

“If we start to diversify what we plant, we can plant something next to another plant that can prevent other pests coming near it so that they kind of coexist and help each other out,” Cruz said. “For example, out here, some of the plants that we have are pretty susceptible to the raccoons, so we’ll plant the aloe around it and the aloe will naturally keep out any raccoons or other kinds of animals from getting into our plants. These garden beds a couple of years ago would always get taken over and there would be a bunch of holes and once we started adding in the

aloe, it happened a lot less.”

Besides establishing a better ecosystem and fostering biodiversity, Kelsey Bechler, senior environmental science major and vice president of the Botany Club, pointed out that the event was a great way to educate students on how they can better serve their community.

“It’s super important just having these people here just so that they can even see what it’s like to be planting trees and look at the labor of their fruits and what’s happening with this garden and things that,” Bechler said. “They can take home oranges from o the trees and learn what compost is and how to water trees. It’s just so important to see how basic things start to live and grow and how they can even implement this in their own lives and their own homes and have food for themselves that they’ll feel proud of when they grow. I think it’s important that we’re educating people like this just so that they’re aware for their future.”

Dr. Jacob Lanphere touched upon this subject, stating that nurturing plants and spending time in God’s creation is essential to one’s quality of life.

“God made us to be happy when we help other people,” Lanphere said. “When we help other people or take care of this environment, we take care of God’s

CBU displays art at Honor Exhibit ceremony

BY YASNA PETROVA ASST. FAITH & LIFESTYLE EDITOR

The Rose Garden art gallery at CBU hosted the elegant opening reception for the Honor Exhibit ceremony on Feb. 27, which presented the works of students studying visual arts.

The honors exhibit displayed between 75 and 100 works of art whose materials vary from clay, found objects, thread, cardboard in di erent media of painting, collage, ceramics, printmaking and toy design in a variety of genres.

“I am very happy to have the opportunity to organize the event for an 11th consecutive year,” said Kristine Lippire, professor of fine arts, in an interview with CBU Marketing and Communication. “The purpose of the exhibition is to help students see their work in a more professional setting.”

“One of the goals was to elevate the work that students have made to a status that is to be reflected upon and seen by people outside of the class,” Lippire said. “The whole exhibition is meant to be an honor.”

“The students have responded very humbly about the experience,” Lippire said. “Some students really try to make work to be accepted into this exhibition, and we are just

thrilled at how dedicated our students are in our courses.”

Lippire and Duncan Simcoe, who are both professors of visual arts, along with the ceramic professor Rachel Jorgensen, picked what they considered to be the strongest works from their class projects. They selected assignments that went beyond what was expected and demonstrated exemplary craftsmanship and design.

“It’s a big surprise that I won the award. I did not expect it. It’s a big honor. Really, really awesome to be recognized by these professors.

I admire them so much,” said Malea Valdez, junior fine arts major, to CBU Marketing and Communication. Valdez won overall best prize, with six pieces in the show, which were all di erent mixed media, among which were embroidery, oil pastel, chalk pastel, image transfers and acrylic.

“I think you should continue putting in an e ort even when you don’t feel like trying, knowing that your e orts are seen and that there’s always a season for everything, even if it’s not what you expect it to be,” she said. Lauryn Hall, freshman art education major, had a selling booth at the event and three pieces of artwork included in

the exhibition.

She shared that her main inspiration was nature.

“It’s definitely humbling to have your art displayed,” Hall said to CBU Marketing and Communication. “It gives me a sense of belonging on campus. I feel like a lot of the arts kind of have what it feels like to have an event like this, which is really helpful.”

She had a selling booth at the event and three pieces of artwork included in the exhibition.

Her main inspiration was the nature.

“I wanted to display something imperfect in his art that was really di erent from the other pieces, and that is why I chose this unconventional model,” said Micah Badgett, freshman illustrator major. Badgett had an extraordinary exhibit at the event, which was a stippling ink portrait of a homeless person. It was presented on a wall full of other stippling portraits. Pagdilao’s work was influenced by the Bible, philosophy, history and took elements from Roman mythology.

Those interests are reflected in his artwork. He received the award for best sculpture. He won with his piece, “The Man Who Dared to Look Into the Face of Sun,” and briefly

described the roots of his inspiration.

The story behind the piece consists of philosophy and Roman mythology and was preceded by another piece of art, The Sycilian Who Never Looked at the Sun.

“I think art for a lot of people is something mysterious and di cult and aspirational,” Lippire said. “There’s just so much appreciation o ered by the people who see the show to these individual students who get to participate in it.”

“It’s just a great professional development experience for students, and they seem to really rise the occasion more and more every year,” Lippire said to CBU Marketing and Communication. “Some students try to make work to be accepted into this exhibition, and we are just thrilled at how dedicated our students are in our courses.”

Anyone can enjoy the pieces displayed at the Rose Gallery on CBU’s campus, as the Fine Arts Gallery is available to all students.

It is located near Brisco’s sandwich shop on campus, which makes it convenient for students to appreciate the artwork of their peers while it is on display.

The Fine Arts Gallery is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except Tuesday.

WooFest going to do it, but one of our friends mentioned we should just do it and make the most of it,” Araujo said. The talent show provided a platform for students to showcase their passion and dedication to their craft.

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of a popular hit song, “You Belong with Me,” by Taylor Swift, performed by Angel Araujo, junior Psychology major, and her friend Malia Lizama, senior health science major, whose harmonious vocals and dynamic stage presence left a lasting impression on the audience.

“We auditioned at the very last minute; we were not even

Whether belting out a showstopping hit like “You Know How I Feel” by Nina Simone or an original song that tugged at all our heartstrings, the talent show served as a celebration of the talent and creativity in the college community.

Alexis Lim, senior

psychology major, shared how the performances brought so much passion and energy to the event.

“While everyone displayed such immense talent and courage during their performances, my favorite part of the show had to have been ‘Lovely Eyes’ because they brought such an unexpected sense of humor and excitement to the crowd,” Lim said.

The audience’s reactions

ranged from loud applause to laughter as they witnessed the remarkable skill and ingenuity

showcased. “It is also sweet to see the CBU students come together to support their fellow students, and seeing audience reactions is so wholesome,” Fomichenko said. “I also love getting to see the hidden talents within our students. It is also an added plus to get dressed up.”

Overall, the audience left the talent show feeling grateful for the opportunity to witness the extraordinary capability of their peers and looking forward to next year’s showcase. As the final notes faded

WRITTEN BY KHAYLEE ENNABI

TIKTOK BAN PROGRESSES

The TikTok ban is still being considered. The New York posts reported that former Vice President Mike Pence is launching a $2 million ad buy to pressure Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to get behind a House bill that would force China to sell TikTok. Last month, the House voted 35265 to pass the bill, which would force Chinese state-owned ByteDance to sell the app within 180 days. Many on the app fear losing their careers with this ban.

$20 MINIMUM WAGE IS ENACTED

Minimum wage for fast food workers in California has jumped up as of Monday April 1st, by 25% going from $16 to $20. According to Los Angeles times, the state has more than 540,000 fast food workers, about 195,000 of them in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Some fast food places such as McDonalds, Starbucks and Jack in the Box, have announced raising prices to compensate for the new minimum wage, Los Angeles Times explains. With this new pay raise came a Fast Food Council that has the authority to set future pay increases and develop standards on working conditions.

TIKTOK BAN THREATENS CAREERS

TikTok influencers, whose jobs have reached thousands on the popular platform, are now voicing concerns to lawmakers about potential Congressional actions to ban the app in the United States. The House recently passed bipartisan legislation requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell it or face a ban. According to ABC News. influencers fear the ban could harm their businesses and disrupt the community of over 170 million American users. They’ve rallied on Capitol Hill and urged users to contact Congress leading up to the vote. TikTok estimates that five million businesses rely on the platform, and many influencers fear the impact of a U.S. ban.

LEAD FOUND IN FOODS

Lead keeps being found in the place we do not want it most. Vox explains that for the second time in six months, lead contamination in food products has put public health authorities on high alert in the wealthiest nation in the world. Lead is considered one of the most potent neurotoxins known to humanity persists all over the world as a public health threat Vox concludes. The US food supply relies on imports from countries with high levels of lead exposure,the environmental group Pure Earth examined. Experts say the world must keep working to reduce lead use and thereby exposure.

SOCIAL MEDIA IN SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court displayed caution on March 18 regarding limitations on the Biden administration’s interactions with social media platforms. The dispute, known as Murthy v. Missouri, originated from efforts by the early Biden administration to urge platforms to remove posts spreading misinformation about the pandemic and the 2020 presidential election. A U.S. district court judge previously ruled that White House officials and federal agencies violated the First Amendment by exerting undue influence on content moderation decisions. CBS News states that the Supreme Court is set to consider when the government should step in to protect against misinformation on social media.

and the last dancers exited the stage, the resounding applause echoed throughout the auditorium, a testament to the success of the evening. WooFest had not only entertained but also inspired, leaving attendees with a renewed appreciation for the power of music and dance.

As they departed, audience members carried memories of the exceptional performances they had witnessed with them.

Beyond the performances, the talent show highlighted the importance of community

and camaraderie within CBU. WooFest served as a reminder of the rich talent within the CBU community.

Students, faculty, and sta came together to support their classmates and celebrate their achievements, creating a sense of unity.

“WooFest is a very fun and unique event that is a great time to spend with friends and the CBU community,” Fomichenko said. “It is awesome to see the talents of your fellow students, get dressed up, and watch the show.”

Shared meals can provide gospel-centered symbolism

BY OLIVIA COX F&L EDITOR

With Holy Week and the Easter season having recently ended, many families, friends and church congregations gathered together to celebrate. Egg hunts, Easter baskets and family meals often characterize Resurrection Sunday. Not only are shared meals during Holy Week significant to the modern-day Christian family, but also to the ancient Passover story, the life and ministry of Jesus and his final days.

The History Channel’s Easter 2024 article shared some of the history and background of Easter from a secular and religious perspective. Easter is closely tied to the Jewish Passover celebration, a celebration dating back to Exodus when the Jews fled slavery in Egypt. God executed his wrath on all of Egypt, sparing the Jewish families who had covered their doorposts with the blood of a lamb. This event is celebrated today, thousands of years later with a Passover feast.

According to the History Channel, “These links are clearly seen in the Last Supper, which occurred the night before Jesus’ arrest and the sufferings Jesus endured following his arrest. The Last Supper was essentially a Passover feast. However, the New Testament describes it as being given new significance by Jesus: He identified the matzah (or bread) he shared with his 12 apostles as his ‘body’ and the cup of wine they drank as his ‘blood.’”

The Last Supper began the communion ordinances celebrated by Christians of all backgrounds and denominations.

According to the History Channel, “Easter foods are steeped in symbolism. An Easter lamb dinner also has historical roots since a lamb was often used as a sacrificial animal in Jewish traditions, and lamb is frequently served during Passover. The phrase ‘lamb of God’ is sometimes used to refer to Jesus and the sacrificial nature of his death.”

Mackenzie Peters, CBU

alumna in graphic design and visual experience, and Bella Ponce, CBU alumna in photography, are the founders of The Art of Hospitality Co, a platform dedicated to educating young adults on biblical hospitality.

While the Easter season is typically an opportunity for Christians to practice hospitality in the context of meals shared together, Peters and Ponce argue that hospitality and gathering together can happen year-round. The unity and fellowship we receive through the gospel and the Easter story are why we gather and celebrate Jesus' resurrection.

“The idea of hospitality is historically rooted in Christianity, when believers in Christ would come together in the act of koinonia; a deeper form of fellowship than an informal social gathering,” Peters said. “The early church broke bread together and shared all they possessed with one another. Hospitality was a habit of service in daily life, not limited to extraordinary occasions or hol-

idays.” Peters shared that food is significant within Christian culture simply because it is a gift from God, symbolizing an act of grace toward the human race.

“Since the fall of man, the arc of the Bible and history has been a story of God redeeming his people, bringing them back to himself and inviting them to dine at his table,” Peters said. Meals shared is one of the tools God uses to bring believers into community with one another, according to Peters and Ponce.

“Fellowship reaches its full potential when the Creator is involved, pointing us to the ultimate bread of life: Jesus himself, who is the only one who can meet our deepest needs,” Ponce said.

Christians remember the Easter story through communion, a ritual involving bread and wine. God gives us food as physical nourishment and uses food as symbolism in reflecting our need for spiritual nourishment in him.

“Communion is reflecting, confessing and choosing to abide in Christ. Jesus says he is the bread of life, meaning our deepest needs are met by him alone,” Ponce said. “He is sufficient and sustaining and will never leave us spiritually hungry. We must understand the depth of the great invitation we have been given by Christ. What we bring to Christ’s dining table is a hunger for him and his word.”

Peters explained that food has played a significant role in all cultures. Specifically, she discussed how it was significant in the lives of the Jewish people.

“In the first-century Jewish culture, meals were in such a way boundary markers of society, as it was shamed upon to share a meal of a di erent race, religion or socioeconomic status,” Peters said. "But Jesus dined in a di erent fashion, as he ate with sinners and tax collectors, both Jew and Gentile."

Jesus practiced hospitality in the context of food since his first miracle - turning water to

wine - until his final meal with his disciples before his ascension. Ponce admires and looks to Jesus’ example in practicing hospitality in a variety of environments and situations over the course of his ministry.

“Jesus was the walking manifestation of God’s heart, displaying the gospel one meal at a time,” Peters said. “As Christians, we are called to show hospitality just as Christ did, dining with and serving the appetites of friends, strangers, widows and sinners. Jesus dined with sinners throughout his whole ministry, using physical hunger as an invitation to satisfy their spiritual hunger.”

Ponce encouraged students to practice hospitality during the Easter season and yearround.

"I would encourage believers during this time to pray for a proper heart posture, one that sits in deep gratitude over the most critical invitation humanity has ever received, to dine with Christ at his table,” Ponce said.

Athletics uses biblical principals to empower athletes

BY GRACE BOUREAU ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Amber French, a member of the CBU swim and dive team, shed light on integrating faith into athletic training.

"We incorporate faith through all of our practices," she explained. "From Monday meetings with guest speakers or coaches leading devotions to pray before every practice and meet, faith is woven into our journey as athletes."

French further emphasized the indispensable role of her coach, Jim Bossert, in her personal and athletic growth.

"I love that I can come to Coach Jim with everything," she shared. "Whether it's personal, family, or swimming-related issues, he provides technical

guidance and godly advice that helps me navigate challenges confidently."

She also highlighted Bossert’s feedback during practice sessions. "He also gives me feedback about my swims and at practice that encourages me to change what to do well and what I can do better. It makes me more confident going into a meet with a coach who watches my technique at practice and helps me for my races," French said. French's reflections illustrate the universal approach embraced by the team, where spiritual grounding, expert mentorship and technical guidance empower the resilience and confidence among its members.

Anaiyah Tu'ua, a standout basketball player at CBU, echoed French's sentiments about integrating faith into athletic aims.

"Our team values spell out Christ—Commitment, Humility, Resilience, Integrity, Selflessness and Trust," Tu'ua explained.

"These values shape us not only as athletes but as individuals striving to match Christ-like behavior on and o the court." Jarrod Olsen, head women's basketball coach, emphasized

the impact of faith-based principles on athlete development.

"Coaching goes beyond the court; it's about shaping individuals," Olsen stated. "At CBU, we strive to instill values that endure beyond sports, focusing a lot on personal growth and character development."

Olsen highlighted the importance of weekly devotionals and the role of assistant coaches in nurturing student-athletes, especially within his team.

"We're intentional about our devotionals and values," Olsen said. "But the relationships built by our coaching sta , including great female role models, truly make an impact. We aim to create an environment where growth is natural and organic, rooted in faith and mentorship."

The commitment of CBU coaches and trainers to universal athlete development continues to inspire and empower students to realize their potential. As athletes like French and Tu'ua thrive under their guidance, CBU's dedication to cultivating excellence in all aspects of student-athlete life stands as a testament to the transformative power of sports charged with faith-based principles.

Courtesy of Athletics | Banner

Jonah Bourbinay, athletic trainer for CBU wrestling, checks Brady Hoshino, junior business administration major, for a concussion at one of the wrestling matches.

FAITH & LIFESTYLE

IChapel breaks culture and language barriers with Gospel message

BY OLIVIA COX F&L EDITOR

International Chapel (IChapel) is a program specifically designed for students who are not proficient in English, most of whom are in the International English program. Students play a game, listen to a message, view slides related to Bible stories and then break up into groups and discuss what they have seen. It takes place in the Staples Room on campus every Thursday from 10:45 - 11:45 a.m. Grace Whipple, student adviser in the International Center, explained that her role is to oversee Chapel interns in charge of creating slideshows, developing games related to Bible stories and organizing the speakers who come to teach the story.

"The traditional Chapel would be a little too extreme in terms of language and knowledge, and you have to get anything from it. Since those students are not yet proficient in English, we still want them to learn about the Bible and the Christian faith," Whipple said. She shared that the reason they simplify Chapel and teach famous Bible stories is so that students can be exposed to what Christians believe without being overwhelmed by what is considered advanced in the traditional Chapel.

This was my first time learning about God, and this is new for me," Acuna said. "We are all international students here--all we need is a sense of family. In IChapel, I feel so comfortable.""

Laura Acuna, freshman IEP student

Vance Brown, senior international studies major and the spiritual growth intern at the International Center said that his role is to facilitate the International Chapel and he is in charge of creating the slides, choosing the games and keeping in contaCT with the guest speakers. "My favorite part in IChapel is meeting with the students that you would not typically meet. It is really fun to interact with students who do not speak English because you get creative," Brown said.

Brown explained that many

of the international students come from countries where Christianity is a minority religion. Brown shared how he enjoys learning their perspective and level of knowledge regarding Christianity. "IChapel has definitely helped me grow in my faith as I have just been challenged to contextualize the gospel in a manner that the students here can understand it," Brown shared.

He explained that oftentimes, there is a vast disconnect between an Easternized and Westernized Bible story. Coming up with illustrations and scenarios to make the story more relevant to the students in IChapel is fun for him.

Bret Vowell, director of Chapel, shared, "International Chapel in this format has existed

for more than 15 years."

Vowell said that IChapel is one of the highlights of his week. He shared that what makes it so special is the students that he has gotten to know and the conversations that he has had.

"It is one of the best little-known things about CBU. Not a lot of people know about it, but it is so good," Vowell said.

Laura Acuna, a freshman in the Intensive English Program, shared how much she appreciates IChapel. She described IChapel as being a Bible introduction.

"This was my first time learning about God, and this is new for me," Acuna said. "We are all international students here - all we need is a sense of family. In IChapel, I feel so comfortable."

Acuna shared that she found many people with the same

goals here who also used to be far from the US. International Chapel and, specifically, the games there, her favorite parts, help her connect with others.

Tam Nguyen, MBA graduate student, shared, "I feel good because I have a di erent culture and did not know about Jesus before; I have learned a lot."

"My favorite part of IChapel is to learn about the story of Jesus," Nguyen said.

Nguyen explained that IChapel had sparked her interest in learning more about Jesus.

International Chapel gives students who are not proficient in English to learn more about Christian faith in a comfortable environment. There they not only hear the gospel but also have fun, make friendships, and improve their language skills.

Various prayer methods embolden believers' relationship with God

BY OLIVIA COX F&L EDITOR

Prayer is arguably the most significant and vulnerable of the spiritual disciplines. Believers are commanded to pray to God daily and at any time, however, many Christians struggle to focus their minds and hearts long enough to spend quality time with the Lord.

Dr. Brian Tung, professor of theology, explained that the significance of prayer can be seen all throughout Scripture. God is constantly commanding and drawing his people into intimate, prayer-driven relationships with him.

For example, Philippians 4:6 reads, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (ESV).

Dr. Tung said he believes in the significance of prayer because of how it is discussed in scripture and because he has seen and felt its power in his personal life. He claimed that his life entirely depends on his relationship and communion with God through prayer.

“Prayer is where I wrestle with God in the midst of my struggles," Tung said. "Prayer is where I grapple with my sinfulness and move toward repentance. Prayer is where I surrender myself to God’s will and learn to walk in His ways. If we all agree that relationships are built on communication, then prayer is the foundation of the

Christian’s walk with God.”

There are various prayer methods, such as silent, aloud, personal and corporate. Each of these methods of prayer can be used as a tool in believers’ lives.

“Having a variety of prayers in our tool belt equips us to commune with God in a variety of ways. Not only are there many ways of praying, there are many di erent prayers to pray [such as] thanksgiving, adoration, confession and lament,” Tung said.

Dr. Tung encouraged students to focus on developing robust prayer lives through continued practice.

“Just like children learn to make sounds, then form words, then string those words into sentences, we must also learn and develop in our prayer lives,” Tung said.

Dr. Tung identifies several principles he uses in his prayer life: to pray honestly, through scripture, ceaselessly and repentantly.

Praying honestly is the first

“Prayer is where I wrestle with God in the midst of my struggles. Prayer is where I grapple with my sinfulness and move toward repentance."

Dr. Brian Tung, professor of theology

step in a genuine and fulfilling prayer life. Tung emphasized the importance of being truthful when spending time in prayer.

“Do you ever feel like you’re putting up a façade when you’re praying, especially when you’re praying with other people? This kind of prayer can easily seep into our personal lives, where we’re trying to make ourselves sound more righteous than we truly are,” Tung said. “Prayer is a place to turn our hearts toward God and allow his spirit to transform us into the likeness of Christ.”

Using Scripture in prayer is a way to digest and respond to God’s word intentionally.

“Instead of mindlessly reading through our Bibles, what if we thoughtfully and intentionally prayed our way through Scripture? Pay attention to your emotions and responses as you read the Bible,” Tung said. “What is it stirring up within you? Bring that to God in the moment and ask him for wisdom. As I have prayed my way through Scripture, I’ve not only seen my prayer life come alive but my Bible reading as well.”

Praying ceaselessly may seem impossible to some believers, but Tung argues that we can all pray without ceasing as scripture calls.

"Prayer doesn’t have to be reserved for a specific moment of the day. My favorite prayers are often the running conversations I have with God, where I process through whatever he’s

placed on my mind. Sometimes it’s a struggle I’m going through that I need to keep surrendering to Him,” Tung shared. “Sometimes it’s a Bible verse that I’m thinking about and seeing in a new light. The beauty of prayer is that it can take place anywhere at any time because God is always ready to meet with us.”

Repentance allows God to lift the burdens of sin from our lives and continue walking in his sanctifying work for us.

“Sometimes we don’t want to pray. And in those times, that’s when I need it the most. My turn back to God often begins with a simple line: ‘God, I don’t feel like coming to You right now. Help me to see why.’ From there, I find that my heart often moves quickly toward repentance as God brings to light the burdens I have been carrying,” Tung said.

Jade Adams, CBU alumna in biomedical sciences, finds that she can spend time alone with God best when using prayer journaling. However, she considers it fruitful to pray in groups and out loud when alone.

“I’ve found praying through journaling has been found to help me personally to focus my thoughts and remember to pray for specific people and their needs,” Adams shared. “Prayer walks and speaking aloud is also a method I’ve used alone but also with people.” Adams explained that prayer is the means by which we can

recognize that God is truly all we need and depend on in this life.

“Prayer is important in the life of a believer because it’s the means to be in communication with God,” Adams said. “Calling on him in prayer throughout the day also shows me that he is in control, supplying every need and helps me to remember that I am not in control of my own life.”

For those who feel they are struggling in their prayer life, Adams explained that they ought not to put too much pleasure on themselves. She shared that prayer is meant to simply be quality time spent with God rather than a performance we must perfect.

Tung explained that the significance of prayer can be seen all throughout Scripture. God is constantly commanding and drawing his people into intimate, prayer-driven relationships with him.

Alyssa Wyman, freshman pre-nursing major, said that prayer is how she connects her heart with God, communicates with him and shares all the inner workings of her mind with him.

“I can talk about my hopes, my concerns, my praises, my regrets, and the most amazing part of it all is that he listens,” Wyman said. “When we pray, we are actively going to God and showing him that we want to spend time with him. God knows our hearts better than anyone, and spending time with

him in prayer is such a great way to check our own hearts and reset.”

Wyman tends to prefer praying out loud during her time alone with God.

“One of the things I like to do is talk to God in my car out loud," Wyman said. "At first, it definitely felt pretty silly but as I continued, I discovered how cool it is. Speaking my prayers out loud helped me articulate what I was feeling and keep focused. It made it feel so much more like a conversation with a friend. It felt natural.”

Wyman stressed the importance of a quiet, distraction-free prayer space - especially if praying can often be a struggle.

“If you’re having trouble from where to start, I love prayer Scripture. Just taking a verse and thanking God through it or praising him,” Wyman explained. “Or even look back to the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6 as a template to help you pray. Journaling your prayers is also a great way to focus and to look back on.”

Group prayer has proved a unifying experience that Wyman shares with other believers.

“When a group of people come together to pray, it is so powerful. God works through their hearts and realigns them with him,” Wyman said. “Other believers’ prayers provide new insight for us as well. We are meant to do all of this together.”

PERSPECTIVES

CBU women’s basketball makes history

1. The women’s basketball team celebrates on March 16 after winning the WAC tournament in Las Vegas by one point, 75-74, sending them to March Madness.

2. Chloe Webb, senior communication studies major, takes selfie with the team after winning the WAC championship in the regular season on March 7.

3. The team takes a photo with the WAC regular season trophy and the basketball net cut from the hoop after their win.

4. Anaiyah Tu’ua, junior public health major, takes video of Kinsley Barrington, senior digital media communications major, as she cuts part of the basketball net.

5. The women’s basketball team celebrates after winning the WAC championship and making it to March Madness.

Photos Courtesy of CBU Athletics

SPORTS

March Madness changes on the horizon

BY MICHAEL MARKS SPORTS EDITOR

March Madness is one of the biggest American sporting events of the year. Millions of spectators tune in to watch the tournament unfold every year. The tournament itself has grown into not only a major sporting event but a cultural event as well, with March Madness Brackets taking a life of their own during this event. However, the NCAA has recently been considering expanding the number of teams in the tournament even more than before.

March Madness began in 1939 and originally consisted of eight teams until 1950, with the final number of teams settling on the current 68 teams in 2010.

Even so, this is not the first time the collegiate tournament has discussed adding more teams, with the NCAA discussing adding 96 teams in 2010, with some suggesting a number as high as 128 teams.

Legendary former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski stated his thoughts on the potential tournament team number changes in an interview with ESPN, saying, “Before you start messing around with [the tournament], understand what

it is. It’s a treasure. It’s not something where you flippantly say, ‘Let’s go to 96 [teams].’ Everyone, just keep quiet and recognize the treasure we have.”

While many longtime coaches and pillars of the sport have mixed feelings regarding the potential changes, students wonder how increased teams would a ect the tournament.

Some believe that even the current number now may be too much.

“There are already 68 teams in the March Madness tournament,” said Aiden Holmgren, sophomore applied theology major. “You could make a debate that even some of the teams that made it didn’t deserve to get in, just based on how their season went. I don’t think it would necessarily be a bad thing; I think it would pull in more fan interest if those lower schools do well and bring the colleges more money. I think from my perspective, it could be good because, just as a fan, I would love more basketball.”

How this a ects bracket building is just as important, especially since it is a significant reason people tune in to watch in the first place. One question is on everyone’s mind every

Young players injured more than ever due to specialization

BY MICHAEL MARKS SPORTS EDITOR

The NBA has had a major problem brewing on its courts. The number of injuries in recent years has skyrocketed and is a far cry from the noncontact sport it used to be in the early 20th century. Players can run faster, jump higher and are much larger physically than their predecessors, which has thus opened the door for a broader range and increased the possibility of injuries.

In 1982, researchers for the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine reported that 71 athletes sustained 576 injuries over the course of 7 years. A similar study conducted by the same company in 2010 looked at league injuries from 1988–1989 all the way to the 2004–2005 NBA seasons, which showed 12,549 injuries occurring in 1,366 players over the course of 17 years. That is an 800% increase per year in injuries between the study conducted in 1982 and 2010. Some argue that this uptick is due to the increased number of players in the league, but it still does not explain why many of these injuries are a ecting players at younger and younger ages. Many of these injuries used to be explained by age and wear and tear, which may still be the answer to explaining why it is a ecting younger athletes. The missing factor in wear and tear is the increase in specialization. Specialization happens an athlete focuses on one sport and trains that sport for over eight months out of the year. A study from 2016 found that 36% of high school athletes are specialized athletes. Those same athletes were also two to three times more likely to su er a knee or hip injury as a result of specialization, according to David Bell, a professor at the University of Wisconsin’s department of Kinesiology’s

year: How to avoid the bracket buster?

Shadon Boswell, freshman marketing major, shares his approach to bracket building, and how there is no way to fully predict all possible outcomes.

“It’s inevitable. Brackets are going to get busted no matter what. I don’t think it’s possible to get a perfect bracket. You can tell anyone ‘oh, pick this team or this team,’ you can make 50 brackets; it’s not happening. Maybe you can get through the first round of 68, but it’s going to be a bust at some point,” Boswell said.

Regardless of the changes

the NCAA decides to make to the March Madness tournament in the future, it is clear that it has cemented itself as a cultural hallmark of collegiate basketball sports and American sports culture in general.

Even the energy that comes with the collegiate games isn’t always matched by the professionals, and this is reflected in fan sentiments.

“It’s just a month for basketball fans to all come together and watch a lot of young guys playing their hearts out,” Boswell said. “If you watch professional basketball, you don’t get that level of

upsets, energy and love for the game the way you do in March Madness. It’s just a di erent level of play.”

Holmgren reflected on this feeling, mentioning that

the stakes are way higher for collegiate players, many of whom are still looking to jump to the pro leagues.

“For those lower-seeded schools, they have a lot more grit, more willing to jump for a loose ball or play harder because they never know when they’ll get the chance to be on such a big stage again,” Holmgren said.

Athletic Training Program. This is because repeated use of the same muscles, bones, ligaments and joints can break down the body over time.

By the time many of these younger players reach the NBA, many of them have had years of repeated use and abuse on their bodies that their bodies simply break down. If an athlete trains purely for basketball at the age of 12, by the time he is 22, he will have had a decade of repeated wear and tear on the specific joints and ligaments that go into playing the sport of basketball.

It is also inconveniently right around the time many of these young athletes are starting o their collegiate or professional careers.

This happened to Julius Randle in his inaugural season with the Lakers in 2014. Not even 20 minutes into the game, Randle’s leg gave out. X-rays determined it was a “stress reaction,” as repetitive impacts to the bone had caused it to give out, according to a Lakers spokesman familiar with the incident. This is part of a broader trend that athletic trainers see in the NBA.

The trainer’s response?

Vary the workouts and allow more rest for athletes. The Orlando Magic conditioning coach from 2006-2012, Joe Rogowski, had his players do other workouts and exercises like boxing, swimming and volleyball to combat the years of hyperfocused training in basketball that many of these athletes grew up doing. More time between practice and games has also helped athletes stave o injury, which has become the NBA’s controversial load management program.

It is a program designed to determine how often a player should work out, practice, travel and play. While these methods are a good start, the league and basketball, as a whole, still have a long way to go in combating specialization and keeping players healthy.

Courtesy of CBU Athletics Nhug Bosch Duran, junior biomedical sciences major, throws the ball to Kinsley Barrington, senior digital media communications major, while playing against UCLA at March Madness.

CBU hosts 16th Annual NMS Symposium

BY ALEXZA BAHNMILLER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On March 23, CBU’s Division of Natural and Mathematical Sciences presented its 16th Annual Research Symposium. This year, the guest speaker was Mark Fuentes, Chief of the California Air Resources Board Mobile Source Laboratory Division. Following his keynote address “Cleaning Up Along the Transition to Zero,” the student sessions began, in which students explained their research for their capstone projects.

Dr. Jones Tsai, associate professor of biochemistry, organized the chemistry students’ presentations.

“The symposium is an opportunity for our students to showcase all the hard work they’ve put in. Some of them have been doing research for a semester, but most of these students have been doing research for a year and some over a year,” Tsai said. “Some of the students come back after having graduated to be able to showcase the fruits of their labor. Also, it gives them experience presenting in front of an audience and to add onto that resume and to help them stand out if they are applying to medical schools, graduate programs and whatnot.”

Though the projects pertain to their major, students work on them outside of the classroom.

“All of these are done in addition to the classes they are taking. Some of them put in upwards of hundreds of hours

outside of class to get this done. My students put in no less than 50 or 60 hours a semester alone just to collect all of the data,” Tsai said. “All of them are doing it because they have that passion and the desire.” Tsai explained that the projects shown are not always finished products and students can choose to continue working on them. “I’ve had students come back because they just want to see

their contributions of previous aspects of the project draw to a close, preferably in a publication. Most of these students hopefully will be able to produce a publication by the time they graduate. My group, we are working on finishing a final draft to send out for review. All of these things are to help our students stand out in a sea of other applications - they will be a lot stronger to the admission commit-

Campus offers a wide range of options for student jobs

BY NATALIE TANAKA STAFF WRITER

Going to college is expensive and for many students, having a part-time job is necessary. But, having a job can serve more purposes than simply paying the bills. Whether students are seeking to make extra cash, build their professional skills or just looking for friends, an on-campus job is an accessible way for students to enrich their lives and jumpstart their careers.

“Working on campus gives students the opportunity to strengthen their soft skills, which are needed in professional roles. These skills take time to grow, so starting early is a great idea,” said Bethany Anich, career counselor at the Career Center. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) conducted a survey to see what employers seek on a college graduate’s resume and the top three skills were found to be problem-solving, the ability to work in a team and written communication skills.

“ Working on campus gives students the opportunity to strengthen their soft skills, which are needed in professional roles.”

Bethany Anich, Career Counselor

“From a professional perspective, an on-campus job gives students the chance to practice and develop these desirable skills,” Anich said. Besides professional en-

richment, an on-campus job is practical due to its convenience. Whether students live on campus or commute, having a job at the same location as their classes makes it easier and more attractive than o -campus jobs. Student worker positions are also more flexible, respecting class times and personal schedules.

“An on-campus job can build you up socially as well. As you work with your team, you’ll have to learn interpersonal communication and collaboration skills to produce results. While doing this, you are growing your relationships and network,” Anich added. “The unique side of working on-campus is that you are often working with some faculty or sta you already know. Growing these relationships can help you to increase your knowledge of the future industry you want to pursue while giving you the opportunity to seek mentorship.”

CBU is home to various on-campus positions that can provide these benefits. From the library to Chick-fil-A to Athletics, virtually every area of campus offers positions to students.

“The best way to locate all of them is to log in to your Handshake account and search the on-campus job page,” Anich said.

Ava Cameron, a sophomore graphic design major, works for Conferences and Events as an events assistant. Her favorite part of her job is the community and physical activity involved.

“I like the community and getting to work with people. I also really like being able to move and not be sitting in one place the whole time,” Cameron said. “There are also many benefits to working on campus, like getting to work and having class the same day seamlessly, CBU departments working around your class schedule, and getting to work with friends. I have made tons of friends and grown so much as a person since I started this job. It’s been so much fun.” Cameron advocated for the

role.

“I would definitely recommend students to apply for this job. It’s flexible, team-driven, and cool to get to see just how much work and e ort it takes for an event to happen.”

Besides Conferences and Events, other departments and services hiring are the Recreation Center, ITS, Community Life, Disability Services and Provider.

Jonah Baima, sophomore pre-radiologic sciences major, is the director of teams for fan engagement with the CBU CRAZIES.

“My favorite part about the job is creating an exciting environment for students by bringing energy and maintaining traditions,” Baima said. “Being on campus, work is a short distance from classes and dorms, so it’s easy to build a work schedule that fits into your day. It also means you get to work with other students and build relationships with your peers.

I have made so many friends through my job. I would highly recommend applying for the CRAZIE crew if you’ve got the energy and aren’t afraid of embarrassing yourself a little bit.”

Anich advises students looking for on-campus jobs to seek help at the Career Center.

“If you need help on your resume or aren’t sure how to start, we’re happy to guide you,” Anich said. “We can also coach you through popular interview questions through our mock interview appointment, so you feel confident going into the real thing. Regardless of whether you’re seeking an on-campus job or not, connecting with the Career Center early can jumpstart your career and minimize the stress that can come with searching for a job.”

tees,” Tsai said. Melissa Tapia, CBU alumna and Valeria Luna, senior forensic chemistry major, paired together for the project about contaminated water bottles. Their hypothesis was inspired by the viral social media videos claiming that Stanley water bottles contain toxic lead.

“We wanted to analyze the hazardous metals within stainless steel water bottles and see if there are any hazardous metals on the surface of the bottles leeching into the beverages,” Luna said.

BY ARIANNA BULTSMA ASST. BUSINESS & TECH EDITOR

has been serving in downtown Riverside since 1983. Here, they serve breakfast, sandwiches and baked goods. Simple Simon’s has been a go-to spot for my family for years and is a gem for the Riverside community. They are open Monday-Friday from 8 to 5 p.m., Saturday from 11:30-5 p.m. and from 12:30-4 p.m. on Sundays.

Each time you enter the brick-walled building, you are greeted with the kindest hospitality. For me, I have never experienced a place that compares to Simple Simon’s. Inside it is darker wood paneling and lighting - giving o a very homey and warm atmosphere. The workers at Simple Simon’s acknowledge your presence as soon as you walk in and are quick to answer any of your questions regarding their menu.

Tapi and Luna tested a few di erent water bottles, including a Stanley, a water bottle from Marshall’s, a swap meet Stanley “dupe” and a Hydroflask.

But yes, Tapia concluded, a Stanley is indeed safe to drink from lead-wise.

“Don’t believe everything the internet says,” Tapia said.

“We found arsenic, mercury, aluminum, and magnesium on the bottles but nothing big enough to cause concern,” Tapia said. “However, the bottle from the swap meet was overall the most contaminated.” When questioned after the presentation about which water bottle the duo would recommend, Tapia answered that in the team’s personal opinion, the Hydroflask would be the winner of the project.

After ordering your food, it doesn’t take too long to receive it, even during rush hours. Depending on the time of day it could be a bit crowded inside. Outside there are a handful of tables you could sit at to escape from the more crowded inside dining.

Simple Simon’s could be considered both a restaurant and a grab-and-go, with options to eat there or get something to go and eat it is elsewhere. On the menu, there is a handful of di erent flavors of cookies and other sweets, like a lemon cheesecake square. Prices range from $3 to $15. During breakfast hours, you can order anything from French toast, crepes and omelets to homemade granola. Once it comes to lunchtime, the menu looks a little di erent. There, you will see a few of their classic sandwiches, which include Italian dry salami, curry chicken, ham and more. Besides the classic sandwiches, there is a section called specialty sandwiches and one of their featured items is grilled pastrami and Swiss. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, don’t fret.

Simple Simons also o ers sandwiches that follow these diets. They also sell wonderful salads, warm soup and chills. I love to order an Italian sandwich and a pastry almost every time I go. My go-to pastry is normally their bread pudding. The veggies on their Italian sandwich is one of my favorite parts about it and I am a big fan of anything with salami. Something that I find to be very special about Simple Simon’s is their consistency. Out of all the times I have stopped by Simple Simon’s, I never had a bad experience, whether with their food or the customer service. As a Corona native, I have gone to Simple Simon’s more times than I can count, so I’d say that says a lot about this cafe and the rating they deserve.

On Yelp, with over 1,000 reviews, Simple Simon’s Bakery and Bistro has a 4.1star rating. When reading the lower-rating reviews, it seems like many write about how finding parking could be very hard, which is typical for the area. The love I hold for Simple Simon’s may be a little biased as I hold many memories with my family at Simple Simon’s. Besides my family members who have helped make these memories, the location and environment of Simple Simon’s play a key part in why I love this spot so much. I truly believe this is a location that everyone should visit at least once, and there is no better time than during their studies at CBU. With CBU’s location so close, stopping by this cafe for a bite to eat could be a nice little break from campus while not going too far away. Whether Simple Simon’s becomes your new favorite spot or not, everyone should at least take a chance and try it out.

Josselyn Guillen | Banner

Heaven Stoudenmire, sophomore biological sciences major, shows her presentation, The Effects of Intense Exercise on the Long-term Memory, at the 16th Annual NMS Research Symposium.

BUSINESS &TECH

are trying to change the wheels on the plane as it’s flying.”

BY ARIANNA BULTSMA ASST. BUSINESS & TECH EDITOR

Riverside community together at 9910 Magnolia Ave. George and Zaharoula Alexiou started George’s Drive-In in 1974, and today, their son Taso runs the hamburger stand. George’s Drive-In holds many memories for so many people, especially Taso. With the big 50 anniversary, Taso spoke about the background of his father’s business, hitting the 50-year stet, the future of George’s Drive-In, and his own memories growing up with the drivein.

In the ‘50s, George Alexiou came to the United States from Greece, and his first job was as a busboy at the Mission Inn. Alexiou has a long history serving the public, as his son explained when asked about the background of the Drive-In.

Taso is only four years older than George’s Drive-In, making the hamburger joint a big part of his life, both growing up and now. Which has given him many memories throughout the years.

“There are a lot of little things. The thing that stands out to me is remembering playing with my brother when we were little kids there. Every police chief in Riverside at that time would eat at the restaurant, too. I remember playing soccer in the parking lot with a lot of them. It was kind of like our second home. The stu that makes me smile is stu like that,” said Alexiou. George’s Drive-In is extremely family-oriented and

big on the community aspect of Riverside. He also talked highly of his mother, explaining how she has given 53 years of service to Riverside. To have something that keeps going for that long, it has to be special, and he explained that’s his mom, Taso said. When celebrating the 50th anniversary, it wasn’t about the money or bringing in more customers, Taso said it was about celebrating his mother and the hard work she put into keeping Geogre’s Drive-In alive throughout the many years.

Many people from the Riverside community came to celebrate with the Alexious and give their support to the restaurant. Some of the people who came down included the manor, the assembly women, Senator Richard Roth’s o ce, the city council and the county supervisor’s o ce. Many of these important people of the city of Riverside shared with Taso how they ate there when they were younger. Workers who worked for George’s Drive-In during the 70s stopped by during the anniversary to visit Zaharoula.

The turnout and support that was shown at the anniversary surprised Taso.

“It was a beautiful day. It was better than I could have ever imagined. I was really touched,” said Alexiou. California Baptist University is only about a 5-minute drive from George’s Drive-In. When asking students around campus for their thoughts on the spot, many loved the food there and shared the same feeling of amazement that the location had been running for so long.

and said she finds it very special that the restuarant has been open for so long.

to George’s when they were at CBU. I think it’s really special that they’re still around.” Jillian Jarboe, first-year graduate

“I think it is a really sweet and rich thing. My parents used to go to George’s when they were at CBU. I think it’s really special that they’re still around,” said Jarboe.

Saeaí Ruiz, freshman, behavioral science major, spoke about how George’s Drive-In, after all these years, is a part of the city of Riverside’s community.

“It is so nostalgic and I am amazed it was able to hit that age. This shows it is a staple of the community in Riverside,” said Ruiz.

The future of the restaurant is bright. In the next five to 10 years, there is hope to have a second location and fix up the current location building, Taso said. The current building dates back to the 50s and keeping it up is not an easy thing to do. Taso is hoping to remodel but keep the same retro look. George’s Drive-In is a true gem in the city of Riverside. Through the years of business and the care and love owner Taso gives to the restaurant and the customers, there is something unique about this old-

In 2020, large employee cuts occurred as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, resulting in roughly 37,000 workers at news organizations being laid o , according to The New York Times. These layo s only continue to occur as the news industry attempts to adapt to the ever-evolving world of media and technology. For example, in 2022, major companies such as Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney made headlines when they announced their employee cuts. Addition-

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication and leadership Print journalism isn’t as valued as it used to be.”

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication and leadership

Laura Walewska, junior journalism major, said she thinks social media is the primary place the younger generation goes to find the news.

“At

Are you tired of being called short all the time, but you can’t commit enough time to learn how to walk in heels? The most recent trend in footwear has your back.

Starting just a few years ago, big shoe companies like Converse, Crocs, Vans and Doc Martens have begun putting out new shoe designs varying greatly from their current flagship platform soles.

Just a decade ago, thin Uggs were the big thing, but jump to nowadays, even Uggs have a platform to them. Where did this trend come from? Who knows! But what is clear to see is the noticeable impact it has made on the heights of the youthful and trendy. For generations, platform shoes have been a statement and are meant to be taken as such. They were made to draw attention and dazzle an audience. Think of the early ‘70s, when glam rock artists like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury took to the stage. That is what platforms used to be. Of

TREND REVIEW:

course, platforms have popped up a few times since then, most noticeably in the early 2000s with platform sandals with a block heel. This trend was built upon the notion of attracting attention, like alternative subcultures with black boots or the eye-striking proportions of Bratz dolls with their heel-to-shoe joints. Performance and clear fashion statements held those trends together, so what makes the modern version di erent? These new Crocs, Vans and Converse don’t have an invisible platform, but a casual platform. While walking around campus, no one will notice every single time someone clomps by in a pair of new platforms because they blend in. It seamlessly adds a few inches to its wearer’s height without attracting the attention that comes with most other types of platforms. This is new territory for height di erences. Writers at CNN Style observed

Platform Shoes

BY ZIPPORAH MARSE I STAFF WRITER

that platform shoes have tended to rise in popularity around times of economic unrest, like the 1930s, 1970s, and late 1990s. They theorize that since platform shoes are resilient and can give their wearer a flashy style, but still have the ability to be worn many times, they are perfect for times when a luxurious wardrobe isn’t a priority.

As to why platforms are becoming more prevalent in the 2020s, some obvious lines can be drawn with the economy, but writers have also connected it with the shoe choices of lockdown.

In 2020, everyone was dressed comfortably, so it made sense when lockdown rose, people wouldn’t jump back to wearing stilettos immediately. Platforms were an easy middle ground of dressing up, but not being uncomfortable.

Still, it’s fun to think that the trend is just a big prank on height-conscious men of the world as many women seem to be growing a few inches overnight. des

Faculty artists bond over music performance

BY SARAH MURPHY ASST. A&E EDITOR

The harmonious sounds of the saxophone and piano blended together in a small room inside the Collinsworth School of Performing Arts. A crowd of music lovers gathered to hear the spectacular performance. Dan St. Marseille was featured in this month’s Faculty Artist Series playing the saxophone, accompanied by Dr. Andrés Jaramillo on the piano.

Marseille, director for the Music Education/Performance Division and director of Jazz Studies, is a renowned jazz saxophonist and clarinetist whose recordings have been heard internationally and featured in publications. He has performed in other countries, such as Europe and Canada, and nu-

merous jazz clubs and festivals. The recital consisted of various music, including from the Baroque era, contemporary classical music, and jazz-oriented music. Some featured composers were Bach, Alen and Bozza.

Jacob Valadez, senior music education major, has attended recitals by both professors in the past and anticipated hearing them play again.

“I respect how both Professor Dan St. Marseille and Dr. Jaramillo act as performers and people, and I feel like I am transported by their music whenever they perform,” stated Valadez. “There is already strong non-verbal communication that naturally occurs between a soloist and their accompanist, but this communication was di erent because

these two performers were friends.”

This hour-long recital required much preparation up to a year in advance especially because of how challenging the repertoire was. For the musicians, this performance not only required individual practice but also meeting weekly to get accustomed to playing with each other.

“It’s just an experiential thing,” explained Marseille. “You have to agree on tempo changes. You have to agree on certain stylistic choices. That all happens organically in the process of rehearsing together. It’s the actual process of playing together that creates the relationship musically.”

There is skill involved in playing an instrument with another musician, and some chal-

lenging aspects are not present in solo performances. When playing alongside another person, there is a musical conversation that occurs between the two.

“About halfway through the performance, there was a moment when I finally made very serious eye contact with Dr. Jaramillo, and there was a very strong human connection to what we were doing. It just explained why we were doing it,” Marseille stated. “And so the part that’s well above the music itself is the human connection.”

Natalie Shaw, senior music education major, decided to attend the Faculty Artist Series since Marseille is her private lesson professor. “He’s amazing in my lessons, so I wanted to hear him

play,” said Shaw. “I loved how it wasn’t super uptight. It felt very free, like a conversation they were having with themselves and the audience.”

There is a lot of communication involved in performing alongside other musicians not only between each other but also with the audience. For Marseille, the audience consisted of some of his students.

“To be e ective as a teacher, the very things that you’re asking of your students should be reflected in how you do things yourself,” Marseille explained. “If I’m asking them to play at a high artistic level, but I can’t demonstrate that, then I won’t have any credibility. So to be able to perform and demonstrate that to students is very edifying for me. I enjoy playing for them as much as I think

they enjoy hearing it.”

A defining moment of performing as a professor is being able to play for their students. It is an opportunity to share the musical beauty that an instrument creates.

“I think CBU students can show better support to their professors for these types of events by not just attending, but grabbing as many of their friends as they can and bringing them too to these events,” Valadez said.

Musical performances bring together musicians and music lovers alike. This performance by Marseille and Jaramillo concluded the Faculty Artist Series for this school year, but there will be many more opportunities for students to continue showing their support for CBU’s music professors.

Orchestra enchants students with their closing show

BY GABI RIGGIN A&E EDITOR

In a captivating display of musical talent, California Baptist University’s Symphony Orchestra mesmerized audiences with a rendition of Borodin’s Symphony 2 and Kodaly’s Dances of Galanta.

Adding to the evening was a performance by CBU’s Concerto competition winner, Lillian Bostrom, senior music for Viola instrumental performance and music education major.

Held at the nearby Northpoint Church on Friday, March 22, the event drew friends and family together, creating an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement as attendees eagerly awaited the students’ enchanting melodies to fill the air.

In the lead-up to the Symphony Orchestra’s eagerly awaited performance, anticipation was high as they prepared for their final semester showcase.

Amid the preparations, the victorious soloist of CBU’s Concerto competition awaited her moment to shine alongside the orchestra.

Bostrom has been preparing for her solo since last semester and is hoping for the audience to have a real connection to her playing.

Bostrom got the piece a year ago and began preparing for the competition at the beginning of last semester. Now, she has the opportunity to debut her solo piece.

“So my piece is the Bruch romance for Viola and orchestra. And a romance should be lovely. But I’m really trying to take like a more sad, longing and almost desperate view of love in this piece. And I really hope that my listeners will be able to maybe relate it to something that they’ve experienced, like losing. Losing contact, losing love or something like that,” Bostrom said.

Not only was Bostrom a soloist for the performance, but she played the rest of the music with the symphony orchestra.

Bostrom explained the help that she received from professors that she looked up to and the overwhelming support that she has received from them.

“Professor [Aristides] Rivas has been instrumental in guiding me. He sat with me and listened to me play this piece a lot. And to be able to take now where he sat, or I guess I’ll be standing and play with the orchestra. Also, with the man, Dr. [Gene] Moon, who gave me an opportunity to play viola in the first place, professionally as a career. It’s just overwhelming,

“So the symphony orchestra has been preparing for this entire semester to put on our final hurrah,” Bostrom said, “The third piece of the program, I get to premiere as a soloist. It’s a viola Concerto for Orchestra. Last semester, there was a competition that took place where six to seven people all played in front of a panel, and whoever won got to play with the orchestra the following semester, which I got to win.”

with the gratitude I have,” Bostrom said.

The symphony orchestra puts on a musically gifted performance, and students flock to the stands in support of their friends and classmates to hear their art. Amberly Bulkley, senior communication studies major, is always there to support her friends in the music department.

“I’m a little biased. So Evan Judson plays one of the French horns, and he has a solo. And so that was my favorite, because he was really good. I just really enjoyed that the most, especially the last piece that they

played. It was the longest, but it was definitely worth sitting through,” Bulkley said.

Despite their mesmerizing concerts, not many students attend the concerts that CBU performing arts students work so hard to put on. While livestreams o er a glimpse, nothing compares to the immersive experience of attending a live performance, where the talent and passion of the musicians truly shine.

“I feel like they’re very underrated. The School of Performing Arts concerts are beautiful to experience in person; you can livestream them,

but just experience live music,” Bulkley said, “They have a variety of music that they play, so I definitely recommend.”

Dr. Gene Moon, director of orchestras and the director of this symphony orchestra, interacted with the audience and spoke highly of each individual who was a part of the ensemble. “This orchestra performed the best,” Moon said, “They should be very proud of themselves. And they really took it to a level that transcends the notes and meets the psyche and the emotion.” Moon praised the orches-

tra’s performance, noting its ability to evoke deep emotions beyond mere notes. Bostrom echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of enjoying music and overcoming nerves to immerse oneself fully in its beauty. Together, their remarks captured the orchestra’s journey from technical skill to emotional resonance.

“I think there’s a point where the music should stand for itself. And if you work hard enough, it shouldn’t be about nerves anymore. It should be just about enjoying the music and living through it,” Bostrom said.

Courtesy of Professor Aristides Rivas | Banner

The CBU Symphony Orchestra performs at Northpoint Church on March 22.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CBU play explores the rift between true beauty and darkness

Wallace Theatre at California Baptist University is presenting the all-time classic “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” from April 5-14. The story, co-directed by Lisa Lyons and Rebekah Bortot, is based on the Victor Hugo Novel and includes songs from Disney’s animated feature. Peter Parnell’s new book embraces story theatre and features verbatim passages from Hugo’s gothic novel.

The well-known story of the deformed Quasimodo falling in love with a beautiful girl, Esmeralda, tackles the bigger question of what makes a man, and what makes a monster? After exploring this last semester with “Frankenstein” they are rounding out the year with this final musical that grapples with that question at its heart.

Quasimodo played by Drake Lyons, freshman vocal performance major, explained his understanding of the character.

“He has a hard life. He basically lives in the tower,” Lyons said. “And he’s so lonely that he just becomes friends with these gargoyles that are up in the tower. And in his mind, they’re very real people. But I guess that’s kind of up to the viewers’ interpretation as to whether they’re real.”

The theme of searching for the answer to what makes a monster and what makes a man encapsulates every aspect of the play. The characters must see the darkness in Quasimodo and come to terms with their own internal darkness.

“But the theme is basically what makes a monster and what makes a man, right? So first semester we had Frankenstein, teacher, Maria, which is dealing with some very real and dark themes that are close to a lot of people,” Lyons said. “We wrestle with that throughout

the entirety of the show. Because Quasimodo, physically, is not a pretty sight. And so it’s really interesting because we go through the show with [him as] the monster. And then towards the end, we’re looking at, ‘Oh, no, it’s not that at all.’ That’s not the qualities of a monster.”

While this story has been fleshed out before by Disney themselves, the take of the Wallace Theatre mainly focuses on the bigger ideas and the meaningful themes of the story and what the big takeaway is.

The play’s co-director is Rebekah Bortot, who is also choreographer, she states, “The main idea that I was going with was lifting up the vulnerable and embracing di erences, which leads to community, understanding and love,” said Bortot. “Others bring people out of fear, lead to isolation and shame, and ultimately, violence is what we’ll see.”

This thought-provoking question that the theater highlights is the intriguing contrast between hidden darkness and outward beauty, suggesting that monsters may dwell beneath seemingly pleasant facades. It prompts reflection on the complexities of perception and the mysterious nature of hidden truths.

Bortot reflected on how beauty can be found in horrible things, and how the things some would perceive as monsters may also contain an element of truth beneath the horror.

“Just how monsters can be so hidden and almost beautiful, like, in some sense, or they’re hiding under something beautiful,” Bortot said, “it’s sort of embracing something that we’re supposed to fear.”

The perspective of the question shifts for the

“Hunchback of Notre Dame” when Charles Martinez, theater and music double major, sees the story from the perspective of his character Frollo, and how his perception the narrative is di erent from other characters.

“I try not to judge my characters, even though morally I know. He’s actually really, really bad. And it’s all based on decisions,” Martinez said. “It’s all about choices that we make. And he chooses to kill her, basically instead of choosing a different path.”

With the season of discovering what makes a man and what makes a monster, the question all comes down to the final

Film scores help shape how viewers perceive movies

BY SARAH MURPHY ASST. A&E EDITOR

If you were to put on a horror movie and click the mute button, it would be much less scary. Without the eerie music to build the tension, audiences would not feel the anxiety of waiting for a jumpscare or feel the creepy atmosphere of a dark house.

Music is used in film to influence the emotions of the viewers. But how exactly is this e ect achieved? There are a few techniques that go into crafting a scorethat creates a particular feel to the movie.

Dr. Glenn Pickett, professor of music composition, appreciates the genius of movie soundtracks, mainly because the music often goes unnoticed. “Film scores is an abstract art,” Pickett said. “There’s no meaning behind the music because there’s no lyrics. We read all the meaning into it. It’s this amazing phenomenon that God has created.”

One way music a ects movies is by determining the pace of the film whether that be by intensifying it or relaxing it for the audience. “Fast tempos make us feel excited,” Pickett said. “If you see the “Star Wars” throne room scene without the music, it’s torture. Without sound, you can’t hear where the music is going, and you don’t know where you are going. You’re wondering, ‘What the heck is going on? What are we going to see next?’ Whereas the phrasing of the music gives you this

sense that, ‘Oh, yeah, I know where this is going to end.’”

Alexandra Stoner, senior psychology major, particularly enjoys the score behind Black Panther because of how well it intensifies the movie.

“What actually a ects people’s emotions?” Stoner said. “They can do that through specific tones. With classical music, like a really fast violin, it’s building up to a climax and it may make you feel empowered.”

Another technique used to impact viewers is leitmotif, which is a specific musical theme that appears throughout a film and is associated with a particular person. For example, “The Imperial March” is heard every time Darth Vader appears on screen in Star Wars. This is also seen with the other characters.

“Star Wars” is so unbelievable because each character in the movie has their own theme. It’s called the leitmotif. So every time you see Luke, the music says, ‘That’s him,’” Pickett said. “The song connects with the character that we hear the theme, even if they’re not on the screen. It brings unity to a film through the leitmotif.”

Even TV comedy shows use music to emotionally tie the audience to the show, creating a sense of comfort and familiarity within each episode. “Have you ever seen a TV show where all of a sudden they’ll play a pop tune at the end of the show? It wraps up the episode, so you’re connected emotionally. This is called a song score,” Pickett said.

Overall, music gives the film an emotional depth that it would not have otherwise. Creating this e ect is so intricate that the quality and sound vary greatly based on the instruments used.

“Trumpets are triumphant.

The strings are melancholy and romantic. Certain types of instruments move people emotionally in certain ways. It’s music that’s there, and it tells us how to feel,” Pickett said.

Lauren Stevens, junior interior design major, said she appreciates the “Interstellar” soundtrack because of how emotionally moving it is.

“Music a ects our perception of things because it targets our emotions specifically,” Stevens said. “One of our senses is hearing, and a lot of what we observe around us is through what we hear, although oftentimes it hits us subconsciously.”

The hidden genius of soundtracks is that their impact on viewers is not an obvious e ect. It is easy to overlook the music that is playing in the background and to be consumed by what is on-screen.

“It’s not like you’re watching a movie and you go, ‘Oh, here’s where they play the sad music.’ It just draws and plays on your emotions to make you feel with the characters. That’s what makes a movie good–when you really resonate with it and feel it,” Stoner explained.

Music plays with our emotions. It is a crucial aspect of the art that goes into making cinema that is impactful and moving.

musical of the semester with “Hunchback of Notre Dame” and dives into the root of who a person truly is regardless of their appearance, and that is a lesson that can be learned from watching the show.

“I think that’s something interesting throughout this whole season, because we did Frankenstein where it was like a creature and a human and like, really is actually the actual monster,” Martinez said. “But he’s such a kind-hearted soul and all of that he doesn’t really become a monster the monster really is Frollo in a sense.”

In any production, the spotlight often shines brightest on the performers onstage, but

this insightful reflection sheds light on the invaluable contributions of the entire production team. It emphasizes the collaborative nature of theater where each individual, from the cast to the student designers and workers, plays an integral role in bringing the production to life.

This perspective highlights the beauty of collective creativity and underscores the importance of recognizing and celebrating every contributor’s e orts.

“The wonderful people involved in the production, not just cast, our creative team, which is student designers that have been putting in work, and our student workers who work in the shop and are building the sets and for both shows. Their work is just as important as our work on stage,” Martinez said, “I’m excited to like, see their work displayed just as much as I’m excited for people to see our work. This huge collaboration of student and faculty creation.”

Through the collaborative e orts of the entire production team, the play delves into themes of acceptance, love and the true essence of being. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” at Wallace Theatre exemplifies the profound exploration of humanity and the dichotomy between beauty and darkness.

Charissa Graves | Banner

Quasimodo, played by freshman vocal performance major Drake Lyons, sings a duet with Esmeralda, played by Danielle Vargas, junior theater major, in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” The play runs from April 5-14 at the Wallace Theatre.

SPORTS

Volleyball braces for controversial new rule

BY GRACE BOUDREAU ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the collegiate volleyball community, the NCAA has introduced a controversial rule change that directly a ects setters and liberos, leaving players and coaches scrambling to make sense of its implications. The decision to alter the game’s dynamics has sparked intense debate and concern among teams nationwide.

The new rule, which allows players to come into contact with the ball more than once in a single attempt, has left teams scrambling to adapt their tactics and formations. Committee members argue that eliminating this judgment call will bring more fluidity to the game and will undo the constraints on key positions crucial to a team’s success.

Eliana Posada, sophomore majoring in public relations and member of the women’s volleyball team, expressed her reservations about the rule change. “I am personally against this rule,” she stated. “To say that double contact

is acceptable now feels like discrediting the work and talent it takes to set a clean ball consistently.”

“

Posada emphasized the pivotal role of setters in the game, describing them as the “quarterbacks of the volleyball court.” She expressed concern that the rule change could diminish the artistry and precision required of setters, potentially impacting the team’s performance.

To say that double contact is acceptable now feels like discrediting the work and talent it takes to set a clean ball.”

rule change for college-level play but expressed sympathy for setters aiming to pursue professional careers postcollege. She noted that the rule could instill confidence in setters by eliminating the risk of double contacts being called.

Women’s volleyball

Eliana

Posada, sophomore majoring in public relations

On the other hand, Laura Walewska, junior journalism major and member of the women’s volleyball team, o ered a contrasting perspective. “At first, I was very against it, but now, for college volleyball, I think it’s actually a great rule because it makes the rallies more entertaining and longer.”

Walewska acknowledged the potential benefits of the

Head Coach Branden Higa weighed in on the issue, highlighting the broader implications of the rule change for the sport. “Volleyball is in a critical phase of its development. The visibility of women’s sports has never been higher, and there’s an opportunity here to elevate volleyball to a major women’s sport.”

Higa acknowledged the potential impact of the rule change on the game’s accessibility and viewership, noting the NCAA’s emphasis on enhancing the sport’s appeal for television audiences. However, he expressed reservations about the rule’s e ects on gameplay and player development. “It has an e ect because we will tell all of our players to hand set, and hand setting is superior to bump setting,” Higa explained. “I worry that it will cut shorter players out of the game because taller, less skilled players can just chuck the ball all over the place until they learn how to set.”

As collegiate volleyball teams adjust with the repercussions of the NCAA’s decision, the debate surrounding the rule change will likely persist, highlighting the complex relationship between tradition and innovation in sports. While some view the rule as necessary evolution to enhance the sport’s appeal and competition, others raise concerns about its potential impact on game play and player development.

LANCER OF THE ISSUE

Farewell...

JENNA DICKSTEIN, SENIOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATION MAJOR, WOMEN’S WATER POLO PLAYER AND CENTER DEFENDER

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER YOU GRADUATE?

“I plan on going to grad school and getting my master’s so I can become one step closer to becoming a speech-language pathologist.”

Q: WHAT WILL YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME HERE AT CBU?

“I will miss all my amazing teammates and mentors who have helped me get to where I am today! And Foodology.”

Q: WHAT IS SOME ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING COLLEGE?

“Savor every moment! Some of my best memories would happen just by going to day-to-day events with roommates and teammates and putting yourself out there. It truly goes by so fast.”

Q: WHO OR WHAT HAS HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU DURING YOUR TIME HERE?

“Being a Division I athlete here has been such an incredible experience, and it has taught me so many lessons and brought me some amazing friends.”

Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY WHILE BEING AT CBU?

“I can’t pinpoint just one because all of them will be cherished, but before every home game, my team and I would just dance and listen to music all together, and I loved having these moments with them before going into games.”

NOLAN PREMACK, SENIOR BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES MAJOR, MEN’S SOCCER TEAM PLAYER AND GOALKEEPER

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER YOU GRADUATE?

“My plans are to continue playing soccer and furthering my education at another institution.”

Q: WHAT WILL YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME HERE AT CBU?

“The thing I will miss the most about CBU is the people. The people that I was surrounded by throughout my time at CBU in the soccer program and my academic program made my experience so memorable.”

Q: WHAT IS SOME ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING COLLEGE?

“One piece of advice I would give to someone just starting college would be to enjoy the process of being a college athlete, lean on the people throughout the soccer program and soak up as much information as possible.”

Q: WHO OR WHAT HAS HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU DURING YOUR TIME HERE?

“The people who had the most significant impact on me during my time at CBU were my roommates, coaches and our athletic trainer Michele. This group of people did so much for me throughout my time at CBU, and it really shaped my experience.”

Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY WHILE BEING AT CBU?

“My favorite memory at CBU is winning the WAC Tournament at home in 2022, surrounded by friends and family.”

MERISSA BORKOWSKI, SENIOR KINESIOLOGY MAJOR, WOMEN’S SOFTBALL PLAYER AND OUTFIELDER.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER YOU GRADUATE?

“[I’m] planning to attend nursing school when I graduate.”

Q: WHAT WILL YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME HERE AT CBU?

“I will miss the school environment and being around my teammates, who are like family. I will also miss our amazing coaching staff, who are a huge support system on and off the field.”

Q: WHAT IS SOME ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING COLLEGE?

“Some advice I would give someone starting college would be to enjoy every moment of college. Even when things get hard and stressful, everything is going to work out the way it is supposed to. Make sure you take care of yourself and take time to have fun while still working hard.”

Q: WHO OR WHAT HAS HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU DURING YOUR TIME HERE?

“Growing my faith in God has definitely been the biggest impact on my life that I have appreciated from CBU. Having God incorporated into each class and attending chapel has been a blessing and a beneficial experience in making my faith stronger.”

Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY WHILE BEING AT CBU?

“Going to the WAC tournament for the first time in the D1 era for CBU last year.”

Madison Sardana | Banner

Reese Reed, sophomore nutrition and food sciences major, waits to serve the ball.

"

And yet, it worked out. Somehow I figured out the writing style I needed to know. Somehow I found sources. My section editor, Jasmine Severi, pushed me to be better. Every time I wrote something that wasn’t my best and hoped would slide, I’d get a message that I didn’t even need to open to know that it, in fact, did not slide. I slowly began to improve. Before the end of the year, a friend suggested I should try to apply for managing editor, a leadership role. Not knowing what on earth compelled them to think I could do that, I debated it until the 13-year-old inside me said, “YOLO.” I wrote up my interview essay and practiced answering any possible question that could get thrown my way. As I headed to the interview, I still thought to myself, “I’m taking on way more than I’m capable of.” And yet, I got it. I was the new managing editor the following year. I had no idea what

I was doing but I was trying to learn as quickly as possible. Write, edit, design, repeat. There was something di erent about seeing a product I helped bring to life, something so personal. No longer detached, it was now impossible to look at the paper without seeing the satisfaction that, yes, that shade of yellow was the perfect choice as the lighter one would not have matched the photo underneath and the darker one would have clashed with the text. Or, without the question of, "Is this graphic objectively cute or did I spend too many hours adjusting the size of it to actually consider that factor?" I would look at the paper and only see the thought that went behind every little detail. It made me proud. But that year came to an end, and soon it was time for the interview again. I felt like I had put everything I had into that year. This time there was really, legitimately, no way that I could move up the ladder. Sure,

Throughout my life, I’ve heard people speak about the power of words. Every now and again I’d hear the same speech about how the things you say can make someone feel better or worse about themselves. I never truly believed it until I came to work at Lancer Media Group. That wasn’t to say that I didn’t know the power of words on a page. Even before I committed to majoring in journalism halfway through my freshman year, I had a passion for cultivating stories. Throughout my life I had studied the craft of writing, written countless papers, a dozen short stories and even half of a novel. Even so, it took me two years to muster the courage to join Lancer Media Group. At the time, I told myself it was because I was too busy with school and work. The reality was that I was afraid of change, of trying something new. When I finally gained the courage to join the newspaper, I spent hours writing my first assignment, studying every word over and over. Once I submitted it, I sat and waited, filled with anxious

to managing editor, I understood the value of words even more. I realized that one of the most important parts of managing people was fostering connections with them.

If I wasn’t encouraging and interacting with the writers and section editors, there would be no trust between us.

Ever since I received that initial encouragement, I made it my mission to pass on what had been provided for me and give back those powerful words to others.

Without that reassurace, I may not have had the confidence to strive for greater things. Without it, I may have still been an assistant editor today. Realizing how much words spurred me to reach for greatness, I wanted to give my peers the same epiphany. If I could make someone realize that they had the potential for greatness, I would have fulfilled Emily’s legacy.

What makes LMG a great organization is not just the skilled sta , but the tightknit community that thrives on positivity. It wasn’t just Emily who encouraged me, but my peers and professors as well. People like our adviser Sonya Singh, and my fellow editors Michael Marks, Gabi Riggin, Zerenity Lopez and others provided me with words of a rmation and support that helped me to stay motivated and held me to a higher standard. Just as Emily saw potential in me, I see the potential for the Banner to grow and become better with time, just as I am excited to uncover the potential for my own future.

"Once

I had something to show for my progress, but I still had so many questions. How could I become the edditor-in-chief when I knew I still had a long way to go to reach the level of perfection that the girl who wore the Bleachers tee must definitely have had reached by this point? I was scared. I felt like a poser. I had learned things but there was still so much I didn’t know. I debated quitting before people discovered me for the fraud that I was. I held out for as long as possible. On one of the last days to interview, I tricked myself into getting over my nerves. "I’ll do the interview," I told myself, "and make up my mind later."

When I discovered I got the position, I had the same thought on my mind that I had the previous years: “I’m taking on way more than I’m capable of."

And yet, here I am. Six beautiful (if I do say so myself) issues of the Banner later.

Yet, it wasn’t because I was

able to take everything on. I was right about that - it was too much.

The thing I had forgotten while I psyched myself out with this type of thinking? I didn’t need to.

I wasn’t alone.

The only reason I was able to meet the challenges of being an assistant writer was because I had a great mentor who believed in my potential. The only reason I made it through being managing Editor was because people around me had knowledge that I didn’t and I could follow in their footsteps. This year, I succeeded in putting out a newspaper and leading a sta thanks to the people who are so tired of me asking them questions that they probably think there is not a single question I don’t know the answer to anymore. I succeeded especially because of my friends, the girls who made me laugh so hard that I felt like I could get through another day and who made me feel

an increasingly relevant phenomenon in the working world, is when someone works di erent types of jobs, being employed for less than 18 months at a time with each job. While employers typically look down on this, it represents a wider shift in thinking in the job marketplace.

Forbes magazine writer

Cameron Keng pointed out in an article that employees who stay with a company for two years or longer, on average, will lose out on 50% or more of their potential earnings over the course of a lifetime.

Job hopping is a response to this desire to maximize one's potential earnings in fear of missing out. This shift in how employees approach the workforce has trickled down to the college student, who is more focused than ever on potential earnings.

If corporations can have their Cost-Profit-Volume charts to maximize potential earnings, why shouldn't you? We are all our own CEOs trying to develop and build our own “personal brand,” and I believe this is where most undergraduates should start. This is easier than ever with the plethora of job sites that exist now, such as LinkedIn or Indeed. The major itself may not always matter as much as what you can do for a company, the skills you bring, and how you can help push your company forward.

After all, I remember my eighth-grade math teacher telling our class how his fa-

let other people believe in me, too. Overcoming the feelings of inadequacy and allowing ourselves to be appreciated for everything we have to offer as ourselves in the present moment is when we really soar.

ther had majored in agriculture and ended up working for the oil industry in Alaska. Clearly, they were interested in something beyond his knowledge of agriculture, or else they would have hired someone other than an agronomist in the oil business, an industry infamous for being at odds with nature. As long as you know how to market yourself and continually develop new skills, opportunities will come regardless of your chosen field of study.

While job hopping is generally discouraged, most students should aim for what's called "steady employment'" with a company between two and four years. This is the desirable time frame because it gives you enough time to learn and develop new skills at that job, allows you to make meaningful contributions that you can demonstrate at interviews for your next job opportunity, and gives you time to search for new job opportunities as the process can be lengthy even with job search sites to help.

While the job market is more volatile than ever, there are many strategies that individuals can take to succeed in whatever field they wish to work in. There will always be companies looking to hire new talent with fresh ideas, something more and more professionals are catching onto, and leaving from one company to another is a way to be that fresh face with fresh ideas in the company. Who you know matters but sometimes what you can do for someone matters even more.