Los Angeles Loyolan April 6th 2016

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A student film goes beyond the crosswalk with the Straw Hat Man

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Shannon Kent plays a balancing act between the women’s soccer and softball teams

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No Human Being is Illegal wall defaced “I am hurt.

I am angry.”

- Ruben Martinez, English Professor Caroline Burt | Loyolan

The wall, put up as part of No Human Being is Illegal Week, was vandalized in several areas. Before (left) and after (right) images of the wall can be seen above.

Debates over immigration have been ignited as a result of vandalism to wall.

Amanda Lopez, Ali Swenson, Sarah Litz Asst. Managing Editor, Senior Editors @LALoyolan

This week’s No Human Being is Illegal Week was created to foster a dialogue on immigration — but the conversation has taken a turn. A wall set up in Lawton Plaza on Sunday night advocating for the rights of undocumented immigrants has since been vandalized.

A Facebook post from a page belonging to senior modern languages major Diana Delgado, one of the students who helped organize the week in her role as secretary of LMU’s RESILIENCE, shared the belief that the defacement occurred Monday night.

“I came up with the idea for the wall for a reason. You leave it up, our message is there.

You tear it down [or] vandalize it, our message is stronger,” said Delgado in the post.

The Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) met Tuesday afternoon regarding the incident, according to Lane Bove, senior vice president for student affairs. A Community Update sent

by BIRT said, “BIRT encourages everyone to be mindful of our core values of inclusion, respect and diversity of thought.”

BIRT is a team of faculty and staff that manages “institutional communication and university-wide responses to incidents where bias may be a factor,” according to its website.

Following this update, President Timothy Law Snyder addressed the community.

“Both incidents are under investigation, and I join BIRT in observing and assuring that Student Affairs and Public Safety administrators are collaborating to ensure that the University’s values of diversity and inclusion continue to be observed during these active investigations,” said Snyder.

He added that the biases are representative of a need to maintain an open dialogue about issues related to diversity or injustice.

“When these incidents occur in our community, they shock us because they are so out of character for LMU; we therefore must confront them swiftly and decisively because they do not represent who we are and who we profess to be,” he said.

RESILIENCE is a student organization devoted to promoting rights and providing resources for undocumented immigrants on campus.

RESILIENCE, along with MEChA de LMU, Harambee and Black Student Union helped organized No Human Being is Illegal Week,

which is meant to support immigration.

Delgado noted that the Tucson, Ariz.

Alternative Breaks group also helped plan the week’s events.

“My immediate reaction as an optimist was like ‘Yes! Ammo! Now we can use this.’ They could not have given us better advertisement for these events, honestly,” Delgado said.

“Everyone was talking about it because everyone walks by Lawton Plaza, but when they defaced it, everyone started sharing the pictures. On all the pictures was our message.”

According to Department of Public Safety (DPS) Chief Hampton Cantrell, “DPS has launched an investigation and is reviewing security camera footage and trying to find witnesses.”

Chicana/o studies Professor Karen Mary Davalos initially reported the incident to DPS after students expressed concern for their safety because of the vandalism and messages on social media.

“These messages are threatening. No student should be made to feel uncomfortable in his or her home,” Davalos said.

Freshman film and television production major Nicole Bryant shared how the defacement was discussed in her Chicano studies class.

“We talked about why this is such a relevant issue, especially with it being here on our campus,” said Bryant. “It really shows why that wall is so symbolic and why students on our campus are fighting to have awareness like that on our campus.”

ASLMU president and senior finance and economics double major David Tassone explained ASLMU’s stance on the issue.

“ASLMU’s role is to advocate for student organizations on campus, expressing their ideas or positions as well as encouraging all students to be informed and proactive,” said Tassone. “Each student is protected by their First Amendment right to freedom of speech, religion, assembly, petition and the press.

ASLMU denounces acts of vandalism, expects more from peers and believes in the dignity of each human being.”

To provide a forum for the LMU community to express their concerns, ASLMU will be holding a “Hearing of the Public” in Malone 112 Wednesday at 12:40 p.m.

Sophomore communication studies and theatre double major Bella Asali is a member of MEChA de LMU who helped put up the wall.

“The wall was supposed to provoke people, but not in a way that made them violent,” she said. “It was supposed to incite this call to action to do something, not to cause anger within people and cause fighting. [The vandalism] is disregarding the purpose of the wall.”

English Professor Ruben Martinez took one of his classes out to the wall to discuss its relation to LMU’s Jesuit ideals.

“LMU needs to ask itself several questions. Is there intolerance lurking beneath our identity as a social justice school? Do people who hold contrarian opinions feel there is no space to speak out, leading to these kinds of hateful outbursts?” Martinez asked.

A solidarity vigil called “Remembering, Recognizing, and Valuing the Dignity of all

Migrants” was held Tuesday night at Sacred Heart Chapel, where LMU took a stand in the face of intolerance.

Senior political science major Mauro Gomez, president of MEChA de LMU, contacted Spanish language broadcast network Univision, and was able to secure a news team to cover the story and Vigil for a televised broadcast.

Delgado shared that there will be a solidarity rally and demonstration on Friday at 1 p.m. starting at Sacred Heart Chapel.

Caroline Burt | Loyolan

LMU came together in solidarity with immigrants at a candlelight vigil Tuesday night.

LMU's thoughts on wall defacement “... I feel like just the fact that someone can come through with ignorant views and just mess up or deface something that means something to a lot of people and symbolizes something so strong, it's just upsetting. I don't know why people do it."

–Edward Santiago, freshman sociology major "The people who put up the wall ... were very public about their beliefs and what they stand for. But, the people who graffitied it with the 'Trump stuff' were doing it in the middle of the night. How good and valid is their argument if they can't even be more public about it? It's a cowardly way to argue against the people who made the wall."

–Sarah Leeper, freshman film and television production major

“I think we really need to have a deep conversation about the graffiti. My hope is that we all acknowledge that one of the core missions of LMU is social justice and that debates and discussions of social justice [are] not an easy conversation."

–Professor Edward Park, Asian Pacific American Studies

“We are all immigrants, and we cannot forget that. The fact that this wall was vandalized just shows that some people on LMU's campus are opinionated, which I don't necessarily see as a bad thing.

However, I think the way they voiced their opinion is egregiously inappropriate."

–Gabe Blake, junior entrepreneurship major Graphic by Xian Wong | Loyolan

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Sodexo employees’ Chavez Day celebrations fall short Policy change leaves some Sodexo employees out of celebration.

Karis Addo-Quaye Editor-in-Chief @LALoyolan

The annual Cesar Chavez Interfaith Service and Worker’s Appreciation Luncheon was meant to recognize the everyday contributions that LMU workers bring to the community, according to the EIS NewsByte e-mail. On March 30, students and faculty served meals to employees from Sodexo and the Facilities Management Department at Sacred Heart Chapel, a symbolic role reversal intended to be a show of appreciation. The luncheon was also an opportunity for students and staff to build relationships with one another. However, concerns were raised about some Sodexo employees’ compensation for their time spent at the event after clocking out of their shifts early.

Prior to the event, which was scheduled to last for two hours, employees were told that they would get 45 minutes of paid time off to attend, according to two anonymous Sodexo employees. This presented a financial concern for staff, since going to the prayer service and luncheon could mean losing an hour and 15 minutes of paid work.

Senior English major and SLEJ President Daniela Ramirez coordinated and organized the luncheon along with ASLMU,

who also helped fund the event. According to Ramirez, conversations with a friend of hers who works for Sodexo revealed to her that employees were told that they would not be compensated the full two hours to attend the event.

A sign saying “you must clock out” in English and in Spanish reiterated this fact to the dismay of Ramirez’s friend and other employees that had signed up and planned to attend.

Ramirez expressed frustration at the pay situation. “[It’s as if they said] we’re honoring you, but you can’t attend, you still have to lose two hours of work. … Not every worker has that privilege [to lose two hours of work].”

According to Wassim Boustani, Sodexo’s general manager at LMU, this conflict occurred because of an unusually delayed verification process that occurs every year for Sodexo’s hourly employees.

Specifically, the process is meant to ensure that the time and date of the event is the same as previous years.

Boustani, who made the decision to begin the verification process so close to the time of the event, pointed out that this was a one time incident.

“We rectified it, and this [event] is something we want our employees to enjoy,” he said, referring to the retroactive compensation given the next day to employees for the full two hours. “We appreciate them like everyone else. They’re the ones who do all the work. We depend on them to run our operations.” Boustani added.

Although the former Director of

Operations for Sodexo considered the process to be a straightforward one requiring little more than simple verification, Boustani also said that “it takes time to verify so many units. ... The verification process started on the same day, almost.

After we verified everything, and the employees went to the luncheon, the next morning, I went out and verified everything with every employee.”

Boustani explained that he never had to deal with hourly employees in his previous position. “I’ve been here at LMU for almost four years, but I was Director of Operations [before]. I never really handled hourly employees or their pay or anything like that,” Boustani said.

However, on the day of the event itself, he explained that “some people want to go and some people don’t. It’s up to the person what they want to do.”

Boustani believed employees were satisfied with the event. “I didn’t hear anything. Employees were very happy and they were excited about it. They clapped and they had smiles and everything was resolved. … We moved forward with it.”

He suggested that as a preventative measure, the invitations will be delivered earlier next time, pointing out that employees had not received their invitations until March 28, two days prior to the luncheon.According to Boustani, the communication from the event organizers did not go through Human Resources Manager Gina Davis, but rather through catering. “What we probably need to do and establish in the future

is that the organizing department Communicates with Human Resources — that’s the best so they can organize it and get it going, just to avoid anything that might come up in the future,” he said.

The event, which commemorates the legacy of the civil rights activist and labor leader Cesar Chavez, has traditionally been hosted by members of the Students for Labor and Economic Justice (SLEJ) along with ASLMU, Ethnic and Intercultural Services (EIS) and Campus Ministry.

Ramirez described a longestablished tradition of personalizing employees’ invitations to be delivered in person prior to the event each year. This year, however, SLEJ and EIS encountered difficulty when contacting the Sodexo office for a full list of employee names to make those invitations, which

they had requested several weeks in advance, according to Ramirez.

Facilities management responded quickly with their employees’ names, but Sodexo proved more difficult to reach.

The conflicting messages between Sodexo and student organizers resulted in a significant drop in employee participation for the event.

In the past, the event has usually reached 400 to 500 attendees, Ramirez said. She was surprised by the small turnout from this year. “As the event progressed, … I walked into the chapel and I [saw] how empty it [was]. In the past, we’ve always planned for over 500 people to attend. … It was heartbreaking to see because you have such hardworking people who show up at the break of dawn,” said Ramirez.

tirelessly advocates for those who do not have a voice and encourages the global community to stand in solidarity with the poorest and most compromised members of the human family. In the true Ignatian spirit of the magis, SecretaryGeneral Ki-Moon has continually sought to do more. He has spent his life respecting the integrity of the individual and pursuing the common good,” Kiralla added.

This relationship was initiated

by LMU Professor Tom Plate, whose published book from 2012, “Conversations with Ban Ki-moon: What the United Nations is Really Like - The View from the Top” opened up a dialogue first between Plate and the Secretary-General, and eventually led to his personal congratulatory remarks for President Snyder at last semester’s inaugural event.

Now, almost a full school year later, the thematic and historical significance of this event, Kiralla pointed out, indicates LMU’s increasing international awareness and presence in alignment with the globally imaginative agenda President Snyder has spearheaded for the University. “Our associations with honorable public servants and heads of state heralds a new era for LMU as we publicly advocate our values [and] as we seek to inspire meaningful, consequential dialogue,” said Kiralla.

Following the honoring ceremony LMU held for Philippine

President Benigno Aquino III, the establishment of the World Policy Institute at LMU, the incorporation of an international relations major and minor program for the upcoming fall semester and an overall increased focus on study abroad programs for students, LMU is certainly demonstrating a newfound commitment to expanding its reach beyond the Bluff, and even L.A.’s city limits.

“Wednesday’s degree conferral ceremony will provide the Secretary-General with an opportunity to speak directly to the LMU community about the state of world affairs, conflicts, crises and possible solutions. Given the current political climate unfolding in the U.S. presidential race, it is often easy to lose sight of society’s need for civil discourse, creative solutions to complex problems and

the need for civic engagement,” said Kiralla, adding that the SecretaryGeneral’s diverse perspectives on political and humanitarian issues can challenge all those in attendance from the community, especially as members of a Jesuit institution, to consider “How do we create a better world for those here, for those to come and for the Earth itself?”

Dustin Tan | Loyolan

During the Cesar Chavez Day employee activities, students serve the employees to show appreciation for the effort they put into their work.

U.N. Secretary-General to be awarded honorary degree LMU will honor UNSG Ban Ki-moon with a degree on Humane Letters Karis Addo-Quaye Editor-in-Chief @LALoyolan

After his cameo appearance during President Timothy Law Snyder’s Inauguration last October, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will be returning to the Bluff once again — and this time in person — to receive an honorary degree in Humane Letters on Wednesday, April 6.

His long career of humanitarian work and his “dedication to the United Nations, his country and the citizens of the world,” according to the LMU Newsroom, aligns with many of the principles of social justice for which the University stands. “As a world-leader, he has advanced numerous issues benefiting millions of persons globally, including addressing and/ or confronting: global climate change, discrimination against women, human rights violations, peaceful dialogue in the Middle East, humanitarian efforts in Darfur and Myanmar, international LGBT rights, extremism and terrorism and the Syrian refugee crises and conflict,” said Marketing Executive Director of Marketing and Communications John Kiralla.

“Secretary-General Ki-Moon

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BURNING QUESTIONS

This issue, Senior

This issue, Managing Editor Michael Editor Dan Raffety Busse sat with down sits down with cellist Head Coach Max Yoshika Masuda.

Good, head coach of the LMU’s men’s basketball team to talk about the

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Sexual Assault Awareness Month continues on campus LMU CARES is continuing to expand sexual assault awareness Sami Leung News Intern @LALoyolan

1

How long have you been playing the cello?

I started playing when I was five years old. Contrary to what one might suspect of Asian parents, I wasn’t forced into it. My dad is actually an amateur jazz bass player, and he would often take me to his jam sessions at a local jazz club when I was about 3 or 4 years old. I guess I began showing a keen interest in music then, as I was often trying to pluck the strings on my dad’s bass and always wanting to make some sound on it. My dad took this as a sign and decided to give me an instrument that was one size smaller to try out, and that was the cello.

Where have you studied?

2

I began my formal studies in Japan as a young child, but started taking lessons at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music when we migrated to Australia when I was about 12. At 18, I won an extremely generous scholarship to study at the Royal Northern College of Music in the UK, where I completed both my bachelor’s and masters. I’m currently finishing up my doctorate at USC, where I’m in my last semester.

3

What is your favorite type of music to perform, and what draws you to it?

Talking strictly about classical music, I feel very fortunate to say that I enjoy playing music from all periods, everything from Baroque to contemporary 20th and 21st century music. But I do enjoy playing other genres of music, too. For example, I have played with people and bands like Ben Folds and Pink Martini, and I still get a good kick out of it, just a slightly different kind. In the end, whatever type of music I play, I feel the final aim is the same: to translate the intention of the music to the audience and hopefully they go away having gone through a certain kind of emotional journey.

4

What will you be performing in your recital, and how did you choose those pieces?

Firstly, I do have a faculty recital coming up this Friday, April 8 at 8 p.m. in Murphy Recital Hall. I have chosen some fantastic pieces written for cello and piano, and since I’m repeating the same program a few days later at USC, I’ve chosen pieces that I absolutely love to play. I tried to incorporate a range of styles, from the youthfulness of the Beethoven to the soaring melodies in the Prokofiev to the jazzy harmonies in the Rakov. It’s a program jam-packed with absolutely brilliant pieces. It’s a free concert, so do come and bring your friends. I would love to see lots of beautiful faces on those empty seats — preferably with bodies attached, though.

5

What do you think about Los Angeles?

I love it here. The diversity this city offers is really quite incredible.

And with diversity comes great food from literally all four corners of the world, and that’s something I’m totally into! I do miss the four seasons sometimes, though; but, having lived in gloomy England for 5 years, the weather we get here is a nice change.

MORE QUESTIONS

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Want to read more questions with Masuda? Check them out at laloyolan.com

In light of April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), LMU CARES is providing a variety of events for students to learn more about preventing sexual assault and bringing attention to the effects of sexual assault incidents on college campuses.

This is the third year LMU CARES has made a concerted effort to create a specific calendar of events to highlight SAAM. “The theme for this year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month is ‘Prevention is Possible.’ The goal is not only to continue raising awareness, but to empower our students, our staff, our faculty, to continue the dialogue on how we can shift culture,” said Briana Maturi, special assistant to the office of the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) helps provide materials for campuses to further educate students. Title IX, as part of the 1972 Education

Amendments, states that “[no] person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Over the course of the month, the following events are being held to promote justice for sexual assault victims and arm LMU’s campus with the tools of prevention: On Tuesday, April 5, Jennifer Cassetta, a self defense fitness expert, as seen on E!, “The Today Show” and “My Diet is Better than Yours,” was at the Living Room from 7:30-9 p.m. She conducted a lively and interactive empowerment and self-defense workshop, promoting selfconfidence and self-defense.

Throughout the week of April 11, on the Palm Walk, there will be a display of shirts created by members of the LMU community hung to raise awareness as part of The Clothesline Project, a national program which aims to address the issue of violence against women by providing them with a way to express their emotions. Students can decorate their t-shirts and hang them up for others to see as a form of testimony and outreach to those affected by sexual violence.

SAAM Slam will be held in The Living Room on April 19 at 8 p.m. for participants to share creative pieces related to sexual and relationship violence, healing and recovery and empowerment and activism.

On April 27, participants will be wearing denim to protest the myths surrounding sexual assault. Denim Day originated when a student in Europe was accused of goading her attacker by wearing tight jeans.

LMU CARES aims to rally the community against the myths and stigmas surrounding sexual violence incidents and accusations directed towards the victim. Those who donate via LMU CARES, can receive a Denim Day T-shirt to wear with their jeans that day. All proceeds go to the Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center.

Additionally, students can at any time donate toiletries and personal care items to University Hall 1900, Malone 201 or Foley Annex 100. All donations will be used to benefit the Good Shepherd Shelter, a domestic violence shelter which aims to end perpetual partner violence and empower women. Donations can include toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, lotion, razors, feminine products and diapers/wipes.

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Gryphon Circle takes a stance for education Gryphon Circle events advocate the importance of education for all ages.

Julia Campion

Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan

You may have seen the triangleshaped stickers stuck to the floors during your trek to University Hall or on your walk to the library, stickers with statistics and facts about the importance of education.

LMU’s Gryphon Circle Service Organization will be hosting their first ever Education Week. Its aim is to open up discussions about education and its importance in the lives of students in our LMU community, country and world. This week of social justice awareness began on Monday, April 4 and will last until this Thursday, April 7.

“I believe that the Gryphon Circle’s goal, by the end of this week, is to bring about awareness on issues within our education system and to get others to think about whether or not they have been given a fair opportunity to receive an education,” said Veronica Yepiz, a member of Gryphon Circle’s education committee and a sophomore liberal arts major.

On Monday night at Regent’s Terrace, there was a hygiene kit packing party. The students set a goal to pack at least 100-200 kits for St. Margaret’s Center, a local

nonprofit private social services center in Inglewood, CA, which would supply the kids with 1-2 months worth of kits.

Following that, on Tuesday, April 5, from 5-7 p.m., Open Mic Night in the Living Room focused on the importance of arts in a child’s education. This allowed students to celebrate the power of the arts by creating a space for creativity.

“Anybody can perform, and it will be a night to advocate for the arts as well as learn about the current state of arts in education,” said junior English major Torrey Veloz, who is also on the education committee.

The third event will take place on Wednesday, April 6 from 5-7 p.m. in the Ahmanson Auditorium.

There will be a showing of the movie “Matilda,” and everyone that attends is encouraged to bring a children’s book to donate, which will be given directly to the kids coming out to Gryphon Games on Saturday.

“Education Week leads up to Gryphon Games, which is a fun day of play for the kids at our placement sites to deepen our relationships with the kids we serve,” Yepiz said.

On Thursday, April 7, there will be a “Women in Education” panel. This will include a discussion from 5-7 p.m. among students and professors about gender stereotypes, the link between poverty and education, empowerment of women and additional barriers that women of color face.

via Veronica Yepiz

The women of Gryphon Circle are hosting events designed to raise awarness for issues within the United States educational system and working on behalf of St. Margaret’s Center and other social justice partners.

Along with the weeklong education awareness events, Gryphon Circle will also be touching base on topics such as bullying, immigration, autism spectrum disorder and the foster care system.

“I believe everyone’s aware of

the existence of education. The real importance of this week is to bring to light the people who don’t have what we do here at LMU, [which is] the opportunity to do whatever we dream because we can learn whatever we want to know,” said Morgan Tompkins, junior

elementary education major and president of Gryphon Circle.

All students in the LMU community are encouraged to participate in each event and help donate to the children that Gryphon Circle will be collaborating with throughout this week.

Cultural orgs form coalition to discuss demands Freedom School fostered student dialogue about racism and solidarity.

mandate more Latino/a enrollment and increase federal funding to aid first generation Hispanic students.

According to the LMU website, students who identify as Hispanic or Latino/a currently make up 21.2 percent of the student body. De Jackie Galvez Loera-Brust said MEChA, along Asst. News Editor with other Chicano/a groups on @LALoyolan campus, would like to see this percentage rise to at least 25 percent, LMU is home to students of all which would designate LMU as ethnicities and racial backgrounds, an HSI. MEChA also called for an many of whom are involved in increase in ethnic diversity within culturally based organizations the School of Film and Television, the and activist groups. In light of No College of Business Administration Human Being Is Illegal Week, which and the College of Science and seeks to raise awareness surrounding Engineering, in addition to an undocumented individuals and upper division ethnic studies core the obstacles they face, a number requirement for all LMU students. of students from Black Student Members of Black Student Union (BSU), RESILIENCE, Union were also represented at the MEChA de LMU and other cultural event. Kiana Gums, sophomore organizations met on Saturday, April economics and political science 2 for Freedom School: The Radical double major and member of BSU, Student Tradition. spoke on her personal The discussion “LMU is not upholding its desire for more was facilitated mission statement of social black faculty and by students who justice, and the education of enrollment within attended the the whole person is being LMU as well as more AB Chicago trip resources for black during spring completely ignored for this students on campus. marginalized community.” break, which Brittany Green, focused on racism a graduate film and and multiculturalism in institutions. television production student, At the event, each student group addressed the concerns of black presented their demands of LMU graduate students at LMU. Green executive officers and ASLMU explained her view that there is a members, encouraging solidarity vast disconnect between graduate among all ethnic groups on campus. and undergraduate students on Antonio De Loera-Brust, a junior campus and a lack of resources film and television production for LMU graduate students. major, spoke as a member of Green, along with other graduate MEChA, LMU’s coalition of students, would like to see more students interested in Chicano/a interaction between ASLMU culture and activism. De Loera- and GSLMU — LMU’s graduate Brust spoke on MEChA’s desire to student government — as well as have LMU recognized as a Hispanic social mixers and collaborations Serving Institution (HSI) by the with undergraduate students. federal government, which would Greater ethnic diversity among

staff members, scholarship funding designated for graduate students of color and a graduate student research symposium — much like the undergraduate research symposium already held on campus each year — were other concerns of the group.

Diana Delgado, a senior modern languages and literature major, spoke on behalf of Resilience, LMU’s activist group for undocumented students.

Delgado explained RESILIENCE’s demands for more LMU scholarships for undocumented students, as these individuals do not receive federal financial aid and often come from low-income areas. She also voiced RESILIENCE’s need for an undocumented student resource center, preferably held in Malone or the Academic Resource Center as well as an official LMU declaration of solidarity with undocumented students on campus.

The demands discussed at Freedom School extended to programs for students off the Bluff, too. Freshman health and human sciences major Makeen Yasar represented Harambee, a program that provides mentorship and support for underprivileged students at Westchester High School. Yasar explained Harambee’s request for an LMU-funded, culturally-based mentorship program for incoming freshman modeled after ACCESS, a three-week immersion program for minority students in the sciences.

He also called for a scholarship granted to high school seniors involved in the Harambee program to help with the costs of college application fees and other expenses.

Senior English major Dani Ramirez delivered the demands of the Students for Labor and Economic Justice (SLEJ), calling for fair labor among Sodexo and

Facilities Management workers.

Ramirez explained these workers’ need for a safe space to express the injustices they have faced, as they are often threatened with losing their jobs, should they bring their concerns to the public eye.

She also explained SLEJ’s efforts to provide proper computer and English literacy training for these

LMU workers, as many are lacking in these basic skills needed to access myTime and perform other tasks related to their jobs.

“LMU is not upholding its mission statement of social justice, and the education of the whole person is being completely ignored for this marginalized community,” Ramirez said.

via Jessica Langlois

Students discussed their demands of LMU administrators and student government at Saturday’s Freedom School.

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Theology professors appointed to Vatican academy

Kaczor and Dell’Oro represent LMU in Pontifical Academy.

Kellie Chudzinski Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan

Philosophy and theology professors Christopher Kaczor and Roberto Dell’Oro, who is also the director of the Bioethics Institute, were both appointed to the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life. They were notified of their appointments in September 2015 as corresponding members. Their terms last for five years and can be renewed. Both professors were invited to the general assembly of the Academy in March 2016; it was Kaczor’s first trip and would have been Dell’Oro’s third, if he had been able to attend.

The Pontifical Academy for Life was established in 1994 by Pope John Paul II to promote and defend human life on bioethical and moral grounds by establishing the Catholic Church’s stances. There are

ten Pontifical academies; each are honorary societies housed at the Vatican in Rome, consisting of members from around the world.

Dell’Oro and Kaczor shared their feelings on being appointed to a Pontifical academy: “There are various bodies that are instituted by the Vatican …

They are understood as opportunities for reflection, open to scholars on different [quests] with the purpose of ultimately creating a dialogue, and we want a synergy of reflection between the sciences and the Church’s positions on various issues,” Dell’Oro said. “Being appointed [to] such an academy is not just an honor, but also something extremely valuable if you want a purely intellectual point of view.”

“I was very honored — delighted!

As a Catholic, I love the Church.

And, if I can help the Church in any way, that is a real delight,” Kaczor said.

Following the appointment, both were invited to the meeting at the Vatican in March. Kaczor arrived in Rome on March 2 and

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attended Academy meetings on March 3-5. It would be during this trip that he would have the opportunity to shake hands with Pope Francis.

“For me, Pope Francis has been very inspiring. … It’s not so much that he is teaching anything new or that it’s something I’ve never heard of,” Kaczor said, “but he is kind of emphasizing the call to Christians to reach out to people that are vulnerable and really in need of help in a very practical and everyday sort of way.”

Though Dell’Oro could not attend the meetings in March, he had previously been invited by the Pontifical Academy for Life in 2014 to share papers he had written. It was during one of the two meetings that he was invited to meet with Pope Francis; this was a year before his appointment to the Academy.

“Perhaps there was some kind of plan by those responsible for the Academy; they invited me to give a paper first and then another paper,” Dell’Oro said. “Perhaps they wanted to see if I could make

via Christopher Kaczor

Kaczor, pictured above, met with Pope Francis during a trip to the Vatican to share a paper he had written. a valuable contribution. … I know that other recently appointed members did the same — they were invited to present a paper first.”

Within the Academy, there are multiple tiers of leadership, the highest being the Governing Council, which nominates, vets and confirms members for corresponding member positions.

“We at LMU are indeed hon-

Senior Festival April 29 at 3 p.m. in the Bird's Nest

Jewish Senior Reception & Blessing May 6 at 4:30 p.m. in Malone 112

Lavender Graduation Celebration April 30 at 11 a.m. in Murphy Recital Hall

Dia de Reconocimiento May 1 at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Chapel International Graduate Celebration May 6 at 10 a.m. at the Bird's Nest

Kente Graduation Celebration May 6 at 3 p.m. at Sacred Heart Chapel

from canal and beach and bike, walk, play beach volley ball, ocean swim, sail, surf or jog in the sand for exercise/stress reduction and go to local fun pubs on off hours/ weekends. Laundry in unit. Cleaning lady included. This is for one or two foreign exchange upperclassmen or registered grad students or associate prof. Preferably female but not necessarily- fairly quiet, clean and responsible. No smokers.

1 bedroom $1200 and other 1 bedroom includes garage/storage $1500 Both furnished - bed, desk and book shelves and art(if preferred).

Call P B at (310)429 3993 Stay is month to month best in 3 month sets.

First, last and half for security.

LEAVING FOR THE SUMMER? ñ Sublease your apartment/room to an intern.

University research center in Playa Vista is looking to connect our summer interns with housing op-

ored that Professors Dell’Oro and Kaczor have been appointed to the Pontifical Academy for Life,” said Vice President for Mission and Ministry, Robert Caro, S.J.” Their appointments are a tribute to their scholarly accomplishments and service of the Church and are a further reflection of the distinction of our faculty.”

Commencement Mass May 6 at 7:30 p.m. at Gersten Pavilion Commencement May 7 at 9 a.m. in Sunken Gardens

Softball Senior Game May 13 at 12 p.m. at Smith Field Baseball Senior Game May 17 at 6 p.m. at Pride Park

Information compiled by Sydney Majd, News Intern, from LMU Student Affairs; Graphic by Kevin Chan | Loyolan

Classifieds

portunities in the area.

If you are interested please contact Jann Manaka in Human Resources manaka@ict.usc.edu

On Campus CHECK YOUR PRIVILEGE “The Bluff is a bubble”, is unequivocally the most frustrating phrase on the tip of student’s tongues here on campus. I often hear it used as a rebuttal to a call to examine how a spectrum of issues from problems in the greater Los Angeles area to social injustices can manifest themselves here at LMU. The phrase implies that by forces unbeknownst to me our lovely Westchester campus is somehow exempt from xenophobia, racism, hypermasculinity and a spectrum of other issues pertaining to systemic inequity.

Don’t get me wrongóI love the Bluff dearly; I wouldn’t trade my time here for anything in the world.

But, our campus, like everywhere else in the world, is no stranger to

inequity. To say that the “Bluff is a bubble” is not only untrue, it denies the lived experiences of many students on the bluff who regularly faced with inequity in their personal, professional, and perhaps even academic lives.

I define privilege as the exemption from inequity. So, with that understanding of the word, “the Bluff is a bubble” is a statement made from a place of privilege. As college students, this is the time in our lives that we must get comfortable with being uncomfortable, open our minds to see how the issues and news headlines that showed in our Facebook feeds happen right under our noses.

ASLMU’s Check Your Privilege homes to jumpstart these dialogues on inequity and ingrain them into our campus culture. Privilege isn’t monolithic nor are the inequities endured. So, to make strides in having thoughtful, holistic dialogues on systemic inequity, here are some of the events: Why Black Lives Matter: Monday

April 4th 7 pm in SLD Islamophobia in contemporary society: Tuesday April 5th 7pm in SLD Women of Color in STEM: Wednesday April 6th 7pm in SLD In addition, keep your eyes peeled for info graphics on issues such as the Syrian Refugee crisis, Trans Brutality and Migrant worker’s Rights. I encourage students to come out and participate. With proactive stances, critical thinkers, open hearts and willing ears, the Bluff doesn’t have to be a bubble anymore.

THE STUDENT WORKER PROGRAM will be hosting an All You Can Eat Enchilada Dinner. The dinner will be at the Lair on April 06,2016 from 5:00-7:00pm and you can pay with Flexi/S-Dollars. Cash, or Debit/Credit Card. Everyone attending the event will receive one free raffle ticket and could win an LMU Sweater, LMU Water Bottle, or Student Worker Gear. Come Support the Student Workers!

NEWS

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ME .

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News outlet faces criticism over unfair coverage Protests at CNN arise over unbalanced candidate coverage.

Austin Gay

Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan

Both protestors and LMU students have taken issue with major media outlets’ coverage of this year’s race for the White House.

CNN and parent company Time Warner’s Los Angeles offices were met with voters protesting the coverage — or lack thereof — regarding certain presidential candidates.

Even candidates from both major parties have claimed to be victims of disproportionate media coverage.

According to a Washington Post article titled, “Candidates agree: News media have done them wrong,” presidential hopefuls Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders and earlier candidates have expressed their perceived victim status.

On Sunday an estimated 2,000 Bernie Sanders supporters congregated at the CNN building on Sunset Boulevard to protest the major news corporation’s lack of coverage on Sanders.

Protest participants helped to organize the event over social media using the hashtags #OccupyCNN and #BernieBlackout.

Actor and comedian Jonathan Daniel Brown (known primarily for his role in teen party movie

Project X) tweeted this message in the midst of the protest.

“There are hundreds of us protesting outside CNN now. Use the hashtag #OccupyCNN and demand that corporate media ends the #BernieBlackout.”

Students have also taken notice of the differential treatment some candidates receive.

“I don’t think coverage has been divided equally between the candidates in the news. I think there is too much focus on both Trump and Clinton, and before dropping out there was not enough coverage on O’Malley, and there is currently not enough coverage on Kasich,” said Drew Gibson, a sophomore screenwriting major.

Gibson also explained how he assembles his news, saying, “I get most of my political news online.

I tend to read a variety of outlets, because all outlets have bias, so by reading through many of them I can sort out what is or isn’t exaggerated.”

Junior marketing major Jackson DeFreest had a possible reason for the perceived extra attention some candidates are receiving.

“I feel that Trump is getting more of the media’s attention due to his being a celebrity. Also, I feel like I have seen way too much of Hillary Clinton. Yeah, she is the statement of diversity in this political race because she is a woman, but it doesn’t mean we should listen to what she has to say more than any other candidate.”

Sophomore management major

Ida Mae Astute via Flickr Creative Commons

CNN, along with a number of other news outlets, dealt with protestors who were unhappy over the lack of coverage and treatment between the presidential cadidates as a form of misrepresentation through the media.

Joshua Lee felt that there is another issue not being addressed.

“Honestly, you have to expect these kinds of tactics from major news outlets. What I would like to see more of is campaign coverage on the LMU campus.”

CNN has not responded to the protest or to the accusations made against their coverage during the campaign.

OPINION

Board Editorial Karis Addo-Quaye Editor-in-Chief

Gracie McManus Executive Editor

Christie Calucchia Managing Editor

Elliot Britt

Managing Editor

Amanda Lopez

Asst. Managing Editor

Xian Wong

Visual Director

Janine Leano Digital Director

Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.

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Sexual assault awareness is needed

A

pril is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. In light of our special issue on feminism, sexual assault is an important issue to grasp fully, especially since it permeates our society on an extensive level for both men and women, though women are disproportionately affected.

Sexual assault affects one in five women and one in 16 men over the course of a college career, according to the 2007 Campus Sexual Assault Study. Yet, 90 percent of these crimes on college campuses go unreported, according to the 2000 study “The Sexual Victimization of College Women.”

As a media outlet, we at the Loyolan aim to provide information that will dissect the stigmas behind sexual assault and simultaneously work to further prevent sexual assaults while finding justice for victims.

Determining the role that media plays in sexual assault prevention and justice is not a simple task. One thing we do know is that it is the job of journalists to report the truth and to do so in an accurate and factual way with as little bias as possible. Through this process, we can help affect change by way of educating and informing the public through the stories we tell and the way we tell them. An informed society is the first step in combating any social issue, including sexual assault, because a community that understands the issues and their root causes can create meaningful resources and seek justice for victims and establish preventative strategies for the society as a whole.

One strategy that is recently being widely taught and encouraged is bystander intervention, which calls upon witnesses to act in the interest of prevention when sexual assault, harassment or misconduct are likely to occur. In a similar way that a bystander would step in to help someone in need,

it is the role of the journalist, and everyone here at the Loyolan, to step in and speak up when abuse occurs. By telling the stories of victims in a respectful and informative way, we too can intervene and prevent future abuse from occurring by educating the public, specifically our LMU community.

We can improve this effort by continuing to investigate the causes and underlying factors of sexual assault in our community and by telling the stories that need to be told. Sexual assault should not be shied away from, especially by a newspaper that aims to represent the interests of the student body. In April 2015, we published a special report on sexual assault that included stories from a victim of sexual assault, the parents of a victim and a sexual assault perpetrator. Continuing to tell these stories and raising awareness of sexual assault on college campuses is the first step to becoming a more educated community where abuse is less likely to occur.

While we at the Loyolan will strive to report on the issues that affect our community in a responsible and accurate manner, we urge everyone on campus to get involved.

This month in particular there are events, such as the Clothesline Project the week of April 11 and the Denim Day fundraiser on Wednesday, April 27, happening throughout campus to provide resources for students to increase their awareness and learn how to give support to their fellow Lions who may need it.

As a part of the LMU community, it’s important to take a stand against issues like sexual assault. Whether it be by participating in events offered through Sexual Assault Awareness Month or continuing to educate oneself on the subject, we can all work to prevent sexual assault among not only our campus, but on a greater scale.

Check next week’s issue for a board editorial on the defacement of the No Human Being is Illegal Week wall.

CONVOS ON C AMPUS LISTENING TO THE BEAT OF THE STREET There are so many things to hear on campus if you take the time to stop and listen: the wind blowing through the palm trees, the sweet songs of birds, the peaceful sound of the jackhammer working on apartments in Playa Vista and finally, the meaningful conversations shared between students.

4:00 P.M.

4:15 P.M. Boy staring at phone outside of a freshman dorm: “Ugh they’re out petting dogs again. Why can’t I be there?”

I understand these feels. Although to be honest being in my bed sounds better.

4:21 P.M.

Girl with long blonde hair, white teeth and perfect skin:

A group of friends are talking excitedly outside, with one boy a little taller than all the rest. He says, “It’s dropping tonight,” with a slight raise of the eyebrows.

“It’s just that if the class is going to be a joke, you can’t grade too hard.”

One of the girls in the group replies, “How do you know?” We can call her Nancy Drew.

“Exactly,” replies a girl with short brown hair, but her back is to me so I can’t see her white teeth or perfect skin.

He shoots back, “Tidal tweeted it.”

“I mean, like, just give us all A’s.”

A weighty argument for sure, ma’am.

So, folks, we’ve got some hot gossip on our hands. I would be willing to bet it’s worth a quick Twitter investigation.

4:30 P.M.

Girl in a striped dress and two Kardashian-worthy braids:

“I had to meet with my professor because I’ve had so many absences,” shares a girl with a backpack that does in fact seem to be a little emptier than most.

“The C-Store has no milk. I’m so upset.

What am I supposed to do?”

“Ouch. What’d he say?” Asks her friend who’s eating a bag of M&Ms.

Friend in maroon sweats and curled hair:

“I think he forgot why we were meeting.

He told me I’m a smart girl and I can figure it out.”

4:10 P.M.

“I don’t know. I just wanted hot chocolate so bad.”

I think a formal lawsuit could be at hand, and maybe even the Kardashians could back you up.

The friend replies with a slightly-forced giggle as she tosses back a few chocolate candies.

This is the opinion of Vinkya Hunter,

a freshman communication studies major from Oakland, California. Tweet Information compiled by Olivia Round; Graphic: Kevin Chan | Loyolan or email comments to @LALwoyolan, mgaydos@theloyolan.com.

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The Loyolan accepts unsolicited letters from students, faculty, staff and alumni, and press releases from on-campus and off-campus organizations, but cannot guarantee publication. The Loyolan reserves the right to edit or reject all submissions, including advertisements, articles or other contributions it deems objectionable. The Loyolan does not print consecutive articles by the same author that repeat/ refute the initial arguments.

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OPINION

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Switching majors can be a major deal Clay By Clay Clay Sontag Opinion Intern @LALoyolan

C

ollege is where you find yourself — or at least that’s what everyone says. In the anticipatory high school years that preceded my college experience, the adults in my life assured me that college would be the place for me to discover my true interests and study them in academia. But why can actually making that happen be so hard?

I came to LMU as a communication studies major.

After one semester, I knew that the major was not the best option for me. My passion for the entertainment industry was not a topic of interest in my classes, and I felt as though I misunderstood what the major entailed when I initially signed up for it. As a student with a clear idea of what I wanted to study, I decided to make a change.

Here is where the story gets complicated. While it became very clear to me that I wanted to study screenwriting, a tidal wave of work loomed in front of me that halted me from making my academic aspirations an immediate reality.

It was time for me to do some serious legwork. The first thing that I had to do was collect my high school and first-semester college transcripts. After that, I needed to collect two letters of recommendation, which would preferably be witten

by LMU faculty members — even though I had only been on campus for one semester.

Additionally, I had to fill out a change of major form from the film school that required signatures from several school officials for validation. And on top of all that, I had to write an extensive personal statement that explained why I belonged in n the major and why declaring the major would bring me closer toward my current and future ambitions.

“...a tidal wave of work loomed in front of me that halted me from making my academic aspirations an immediate reality.”

After all of this, there is still no guarantee that I will get in. The film school here is incredibly competitive, and I am just another applicant in the stack.

In the midst of this complex process, how do the ideas of “finding yourself” and

“exploring your interests” seem appealing?

By the time I was done completing my hefty application, I had lost sight of why I was even attempting to switch majors in the first place. Busy work should not be a byproduct of my attempts to improve my academic experience — but it certainly ended up that way.

I am not alone in this situation.

LMU freshman political science major Katrina Crosby also experienced the unpleasant process when trying to switch her major to marketing, which required an external transfer from Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts to the College of Business Administration.

“I was told that switching majors could be done but the school was full so I would have to wait. I was also told that even if I did wait, being approved would be unlikely because the school is ‘very competitive,’” Crosby said.

“Busy work should not be a byproduct of my trying to improve my academic experience.”

After this response, Crosby took a trip to the Academic Resource Center and spoke to an adviser there, who told her that the switch would be “near to impossible.” Deterred from her original plans by an unforgiving process, Crosby declared English as her new major instead. Completing an internal switch within Bellarmine was a much more tangible feat, as she did not want to fall behind in her studies while pursuing a major that might not ever come to fruition.

Though Crosby ultimately discovered that she has a true passion for English, she also feels that the system must be reassessed.

“I think LMU makes the whole process of switching majors incredibly difficult to freshman and other undergraduates without providing resources to help them through that change.”

I completely agree with Crosby. The motto of the LMU class of 2019 is: “The choices we make dictate the lives we lead.” If I make the definitive choice of switching my major to better align with my passions, then I am actively setting up a better life for myself.

By implementing a tedious process to make the switch happen, however, the school itself is standing in the way of my aspirations, undercutting

Emily Noriega | Loyolan

The process of switching majors can be unnecessarily complicated and LMU should reassess their policies.

the motto that supposedly defines our class.

I understand that LMU must oversee the process of switching majors to protect the reputation and order of our campus. I understand that being selective has its benefits, and that permitting kids to change their majors at will has its disadvantages. But that does not mean that the process should be so daunting and

“By implementing a tedious process to make the switch happen, however, the school is standing in the way of my aspirations.” time-consuming — especially when students have a clear course of action for themselves.

We are all trying to figure ourselves out. Declaring a major is a crucial part of that, and LMU should revisit its policies to better acknowledge this reality. If college really is a haven for self-discovery, then students must be given the room they need to freely grow, adapt and flourish.

“The process is frustrating and students are therefore less likely to pursue what they love.

That type of philosophy is not something that LMU should promote,” Crosby said.

Let us declare our passions without so much complication standing in our way.

This is the opinion of Clay Sontag, a freshman communication studies major from Smithtown, New York. Tweet comments to @ LALoyolan, or email mgaydos@theloyolan.

Column by Daralyn Kee Chong, Graphic: Ashley Ma | Loyolan

OPINION

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Body shaming targets every body Feel My Rath

Nikki Rathbone

Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan

W

hen I was a freshman in high school I would walk down the hall in spandex on my way to volleyball practice — quiet but aware. I could hear other students, even parents, whispering under their breath. “Oh my gosh, she’s so skinny,” and “Does she even eat?” I was definitely thin for my age and height, but I was built that way.

It was never something I had wished for.

For years of my childhood, I tried so hard to put on weight in order to fit in. I refused to wear tight dresses to homecoming because I thought they made me look too thin, and my mom had to take in my skinny jeans so they would be tight around my legs. It always occurred to me that calling someone overweight was insulting and unacceptable, but it didn’t seem to occur to most people that pointing out my weight also felt like an attack on my body.

There is a phrase from performance artist Glenn Marla that I wish my 14-year-old self had believed: “There is no wrong way to have a body.” I’m going to repeat that because it’s important: There is no wrong way to have a body.

Writer Hanne Blank wrote, “Real women are fat. And thin. And both, and neither, and otherwise. Doesn’t make them any less real.” You cannot

Charlotte Astrid via Flickr Creative Commons

Although society might tell us otherwise, every woman should be allowed to love her body—no matter the size, shape or color. consider yourself “body positive” if you only celebrate one body type.

Skinny women can be healthy.

Curvy women can be healthy.

Women can be feminine, and they can also be masculine. A real woman is not one thing, she is anything and everything she wants to be.

Last June, celebrity Lauren Conrad took a very positive step on her website, laurenconrad.com, writing, “Starting this month, we’ll be banning any body shaming terms from the site, and shifting

the focus to words like ‘fit,’ ‘toned,’ and ‘healthy’… Every body is created differently — and healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes.” Conrad is taking an important first step by not using labels that inherently shame a woman for her body type, and isntead using terms that celebrate women’s bodies.

As a college female, I see a lot of young women dealing with body image issues. Writer Chloe Angyal explained, “We all experience this self-loathing on a spectrum, and

where we sit on the spectrum has as much to do with what we think about ourselves as it does to do with what the dominant culture tells us — and other people — about us.”

We have been trained by our culture to believe that a certain type of body is beautiful and we grow up believing something is wrong with us if we don’t fit that mold. Angyal adds, “we all—thanks to the royally f----- up culture in which we live — know what it feels like to hate the bodies we live in.”

Every woman at one point in her life has been dissatisfied with the way her body looks, whether she is curvy or skinny, white or a woman of color. So the next time you start hating on your body or criticizing someone else for theirs, remember that everybody is different and everybody deserves to love their body.

This is the opinion of Nikki Rathbone, a sophomore marketing major from Sacramento, California. Email comments to mgaydos@theloyolan.com.

Financial aid process needs to change On the Hunt Vinkya Hunter Opinion Intern @LALoyolan

F

inancial aid is confusing territory, especially when you have to take care of financing your education on your own. From applying for loans to daily budget management, there is a sizable number of our students who are uninformed about financial aid. This needs to change.

Many students are solely responsible for their financial aid information and deciding on whether or not LMU is a financially wise option, as their parents may not have the means to help them.

“Many students are solely responsible for their financial aid information and deciding on whether or not LMU is a financially wise decision.”

“My parents didn’t have that much experience with things like FAFSA, so it was a long and exhausting process … when it came to receiving financial aid, I wasn’t always sure of how the packages worked, especially loans,” said undeclared freshman Stephanie Smith.

More than a few students at LMU have had to work on their own to get where they are

today and independently make the most financially intelligent decisions for themselves and their families. Teaching yourself about personal finance is hard enough, but without the correct information or adequate support, applying for financial aid is even more difficult.

Sophomore political science major Dayana Martinez, a transfer and AB 540 student — students who were not born in the U.S. but are given the opportunity to pay in-state tuition — has been left in an extremely difficult situation due to the confusing nature of the financial aid process.

Although it is stated that AB 540 students are eligible to apply for Cal Grants, institutional aid is not guaranteed.

Martinez was led to believe that there was a promising chance of receiving aid from an LMU financial aid representative before her transfer. Unfortunately, she only received a Cal Grant which covers a very small portion of her tuition. Martinez further explained, “The school made me feel like I could afford it and turns out I owe the school more than half of my tuition, and there’s a 90 percent chance I won’t be able to come back in the fall.”

Once students get into the institution, the situation does not improve. The stress that comes from financial confusion is an unfortunate addition to the mental and emotional strain experienced through our academic and extracurricular lives. Many students complain that their financial packages are difficult to understand and changes are made without any

sort of alert.

LMU is making an effort to increase financial competence through two financial literacy workshops being held next week in the William H. Hannon Library by instructor Ron Rishagen. These workshops are meant to teach students how to make wise financial decisions and budget their money properly. Although this may inform students on what to do with the money they are earning, there needs to be more assistance in how to effectively receive and handle

“The stress that comes from financial confusion is an unfortunate addition to the mental and emotional strain exerienced through our academic...lives.” governmental and institutional money that helps us pay their tuition.

Not everyone is at an equal opportunity when it comes to financial aid literacy. LMU needs to lay out the facts in the simplest terms possible to avoid the possibility of confusing and, in turn, losing its students.

This is the opinion of Vinkya Hunter, a freshman communication studies major from Oakland, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email mgaydos@theloyolan.com.

via Flickr Creative Commons

The assistance of campus instructors should help students better understand how to handle their individual financial situations.

OPINION

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LMU’s annoying golf carts should go green I Think I Cam Cameron De Boer Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan

P

icture this: You’re about to fall asleep, when all of a sudden, you hear a loud engine driving arund outside your window. At 12:30 p.m. there’s no way it could be a lawnmower. I look out the window to see what was preventing me from falling alseep — a gas powered golf cart.

And this was not the first time.

The fact that LMU allows people to drive these gas powered golf carts at night is a huge disturbance — especially to students in Rains and McCarthy. Most dorms have a number of rules and policies that each resident must adhere to. According to Loyola Marymount’s Housing Policies and Health and Safety regulations, there is a specific section that addresses quiet hours in the dorms. According to these policies, “Specific Quiet Hours are in effect from 10:00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. on days preceding classes and from 12:30 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. on days not preceding classes.”

Why is it that these policies only apply to students while in the dorms? I have no idea who is working on campus and driving these carts, but if I have to be respectful of my fellow students trying to sleep, so should they.

Sophomore Rains resident and computer science major Allen Vartanian has also been affected by these noisy carts saying, “I can confidently say there have been multiple occasions where I have finished a long night of homework, gotten into bed ...and as I’m about to fall asleep ... I have been woken right back up by the rumble of a golf cart roaring by.” If students must observe quiet hours after 10:00 p.m., gas powered carts should not be allowed to be used after 10:00 p.m.

Another major reason these golf carts have begun to get on my nerves is because recently, LMU has been taking steps to become a more environmentally friendly campus. This effort is apparent in the change of our showerheads to be more water efficient as well as in the solar panels on the rooftop of the Life Sciences building. Here’s the kicker: LMU has a ton of electric powered golf carts. I see them driving around campus everyday — as I’m sure many other students do as well. There are usually about three or four of them parked near the Lair everyday.

If LMU has an abundance of electric golf carts, why are there still gas powered carts puttering around campus? Especially at night when we’re trying to sleep.

I understand it might be costly to replace these gas powered golf carts; however, you don’t even really need to replace them. Just limit their use. If LMU truly wants to become environmentally friendly, gas powered golf carts aren’t the way to go.

While I’m sure our university is already aware of the advantages that electric golf carts pose over gas powered carts, I’m going to

Dustin Tan | Loyolan

LMU has plenty of electric golf carts around campus, students are still bothered by the noisy gas powered carts that interrupt our sleep schedule.

give a few reasons regardless.

For one, electric golf carts emit very little air pollution — that sounds appealing already.

Second, electric carts are cheaper than their gas powered counterparts. Third, electric golf carts are quiet. Most gas powered golf carts employ what is called “stop-and-start” technology. For those who aren’t car enthusiasts, this technology allows an engine to turn off when the car is stopped and start up again when you press on the gas. Essentially, this technology is used to make the vehicle more fuel-efficient. However, this process actually causes a lot of added stress on the engine.

Overall, an electric golf cart is better than a gas powered one — and quieter.

College is a stressful time and sleep is precious. The last thing any tired student wants — or needs — is an

obnoxious engine to keep him or her from sleeping. Alex Lee, a sophomore mechanical engineering major is constantly staying up late working on homework. “Although the carts are necessary, I find them very distracting when trying to focus on my schoolwork,” said Lee/ Where is the consideration?

If there are going to be rules stating that students must be particularly quiet for a period of time, then that should apply to the people driving these golf carts as well. Lastly, if LMU really wants to show they care about the environment, it would be in our favor to work on switching out their gas powered carts to the electric alternative.

ana’s ambition: To transform lives.

Her strategy: A Master of Science in Behavioral Psychology from Pepperdine.

This is the opinion of Cameron De Boer a sophomore economics major from Irvine, California. Email comments to mgaydos@ theloyolan.com.

Designed for working professionals, this program prepares students for careers in applied behavioral analysis (ABA).

Having gained the knowledge and experience necessary to treat children and adults with autism spectrum disorders, graduates are highly competent practitioners in a high-growth field.

(213) 260-0144

To start your transformation, get in touch today.

310.568.5600 or 866.503.5467 gsep-recruitment@pepperdine.edu • gsep.pepperdine.edu

LMU / The Los Angeles Loyolan SE1602043 MS BehSci Ads.indd 5

3.75”W x 8”H 2/17/16 4:42 PM

Congratulations, Class of 2016!

AFTER LMU: Cap & Gown Pick Up Tuesday, April 5 – Friday, April 8, 2016 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

St. Robert’s Auditorium

Celebrate your accomplishments as an LMU student before Commencement 2016. Pick up your cap and gown and learn about ways to stay involved as you transition from students to alumni.

Allow 30 minutes to take care of the following: Complete a survey on post-graduation plans Pick up your pre-ordered cap and gown Get information about Commencement Pledge your gift to Senior Legacy Cap and gown required for Commencement

Questions? For more information, contact Career and Professional Development careers@lmu.edu | 310.338.2871 | careers.lmu.edu/AfterLMU

One University Drive Orange, CA 92866

Come see what the buzz is about. Schedule a visit today!

1-877-242-7529 • lawadmission@chapman.edu • www.chapman.edu/law Recently given a prestigious “A” grade by PreLaw Magazine for “Best Law School Facilities,” the law school is located just one block from a variety of restaurants, shops and taverns in the historic district of Orange, California. It is just a short drive to world-class beaches in Newport, Laguna and Huntington Beach. Students take advantage of externships and job opportunities throughout the region and are within minutes from Anaheim Stadium, the Honda Center, Disneyland, and the federal and state court complex.

preparation program that has resulted in excellent pass rates for our graduates.

The three-year JD program is capped with a comprehensive in-house Bar with a broad understanding of the law and a consistent focus on professionalism.

School of Law provides a personalized legal education, blending real world skills Boasting one of the nation’s lowest student-faculty ratios (10 to 1), the Fowler faculty, collaborative student body, friendly staff and amazing location. favorite for Best Quality of Life, the law school is well-known for its accessible reputation as one of the nation’s best locations to study law. A perennial top 10 thriving legal and business hub, the Dale E. Fowler School of Law has earned a Located on the stunning Chapman University campus in the heart of Orange County’s

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A fantastic law school environment with one of the nation’s best student-faculty ratios.

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Philosophy professor apologizes for really crappy stick f igure draw ings After using segmented lines as human arms, Wilmer admitted defeat.

Jordan Sernia Buff Editor @lmubluff

During her lecture on Plato’s theory of forms, philosophy professor Lilith Wilmer sketched a shoddy stick figure interpretation of The Allegory of the Cave. She quickly apologized for how crappy her drawing was, claiming she was no artist.

“I knew my sketch wasn’t necessarily up to snuff with some of what

the other professors can throw on the white board,” said Wilmer in playful spirits. “So I felt it necessary to acknowledge my artistic inadequacy, but follow with a sardonic quip about how I’m just a philosopher.”

Students were excited to see an instructor take responsibility for diminishing their quality of education which, according to those signs hung up on lamp posts around campus, is one of the best in the country.

“An apology is the first step to rebuilding the demolished student-educator bridge,” said junior health and human sciences major Ella Blund. “It’s an act of narcissism

to think coloring outside the lines of an Expo pen illustration of the liver is okay. It’s nice to see at least one professor acknowledging that they’re can be mistakes in art.”

Professor Wilmer made good on her apology and by enrolling herself as a studio arts major, hoping to improve the quality of her visual aids from that of an “unruly twoyear-old” to “unnecessarily complicated.”

Until then, students in classes whose instructors can’t draw if their lives depended on it are encouraged to chuckle along with a horribly inaccurately drawn map of South America.

Professor Wilmer seen here failing at drawing.

Page 12

Graphic by Kevin Chan | Loyolan

One hour yoga class rewards students w ith needed stress-free 35 seconds It was only 35 seconds?

Tucker

Just Tucker @lmubluff

After partaking in a yoga class on Tuesday morning, sophomore civil engineering major Denise Mello smiled with relief for approximately 35 seconds before becoming completely consumed by

stress once again.

“It was a really, really nice 35 seconds during which I thought all could once more be good in the world,” said Mello. “Then I remembered that I still had two midterms and a lab report due within 48 hours, so I basically broke down in tears again.”

Students are reaching the time of the semester when all

of the wheels fall off the wagon, and there is often little respite. Many find relief in yoga sessions during which participants are briefly reminded of what being stress-free is like.

“Last week the feeling lasted for only 30 seconds or so.

I’d say I’m really making progress,” said Mello.

Denise Mello elimnates 1/79 of her stress in her class.

Amanda Mills via Google Images

The Bluff is a humorous and satirical section published in the Loyolan. All quotes attributed to real figures are completely fabricated; persons otherwise mentioned are completely fictional.

laloyolan.com Page 13

PIXELLANEOUS

By Hannah Kim, Staff Cartoonist

FOREVER FAIL

By Emily Noriega, Staff Cartoonist

Joseph B. Hellige Executive Vice President and Provost Cordially invites the LMU Community to join him in honoring the Class of 2016 for their academic achievements, leadership, and service to the university and community at the

Academic Awards Convocation Thursday, April 14, 2016 Ceremony at 3:00pm Sacred Heart Chapel

A reception celebrating our students will follow in the Sculpture Garden.

life+arts

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Sophie Broide | Loyolan

Students soak up the sun during LMU’s first-ever Sunken Garden Festival Mane Entertainment and LMU Resident Hall Association (RHA) collaborated to bring students the first Sunken Garden Festival. Students enjoyed food trucks, a zipline and performances throughout the day. Student performers -- including DJ Hartstopper, Arms Akimbo, Radix, IB Modern and The One Night Stanzas (all pictured above) -- opened for headliner Kat Dahlia.

- Nicole Muldoon, Life+Arts Editor Project2:Layout 1 3/17/16 5:17 PM Page 1

PREVIEW DAY 2016 presents...

CLUB CARNIVAL A showcase of LMU’s clubs and organizations

Sunday, April 17, 2:30 - 5 p.m.

Show incoming students what Lion pride is all about!

Register your club at PreviewDay@lmu.edu Questions? Call x86087 *Sponsored by Undergraduate Admission, please RSVP by April 13.

life+arts

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Beloved crossing guard subject of student film Asma Attack Garrison Asma Life+Arts Intern @laloyolan

W

hile he was notably absent from campus until just recently, the collective LMU student body can breathe easy knowing that the iconic Straw Hat Man has returned. One aspiring documentarian, junior film and television production major Chelsea Renner, asked Andrew Brumfield — aka Straw Hat Man — to be the subject of her short documentary film done last year. Recently the film was chosen to screen as part of ROAR Studios’ first film festival. I had a chance to ask her a few questions about the film and get to know more about Andrew beyond the crosswalk: Garrison Asma (GA): How did you go about choosing the legendary Andrew Brumfield — aka Straw Hat Man — as the subject of your short documentary?

Chelsea Renner (CR): It was such a spur of the moment decision. My mother was visiting me on campus. We walked past Andrew and I told her about how popular he was on campus, and that was when the idea about making a documentary about him came to me. My mom made me go back right then and ask him if he would be open to it, and luckily, he was! I got coffee with him a few days later and I knew instantly that his story had to be told.

GA: Was Andrew receptive to the idea of you making a short documentary about him?

CR: Yes, Andrew was extremely receptive. He was a little camera shy at first but he really opened up the more I filmed him. Some of the best moments of the film were when Andrew was just goofing off and being his normal self.

GA: What was it like getting to know Straw Hat Man beyond the surface level that most students know from simply crossing the crosswalk by the library?

CR: Honestly, getting to know Andrew outside of LMU was an honor. I got to visit his home, meet his family and go to his church. It was like getting to spend a day with a celebrity, all my friends were so jealous. I was a complete stranger to him, but Andrew was more than willing to be welcoming of me and my camera, and I think that speaks highly of his character and how genuine of a person he is.

GA: What was it like visiting Andrew’s church and his spiritual community? What was their reaction to you shooting this documentary?

CR: Visiting Andrew’s church was by far one of the most life changing experiences of my life.

I never grew up religious and I felt so much love from everyone there. They are the most welcoming people I have ever met.

They don’t just preach their beliefs, but they actually live out what they believe. Homeless people were welcomed in the church and fed food afterwards, and every single person in the church individually went up to the homeless people in attendance and blessed them; it was beautiful.

The church was extremely excited about the documentary.

Everyone in the church is very close and they were thrilled Andrew was having a documentary made about him, especially his pastor. Andrew told his pastor about the film being accepted into the festival and now they are both going to come to the screening!

GA: It seems that the LMU community has definitely been receptive to your short — it was shared pretty heavily on social media and was just selected to screen as part of the first ROAR Studios film

via Chelsea Renner

Renner’s short documentary, “Straw Hat Man,” explores the life and legacy of titular campus icon Andrew Brumfield (left)— and it provided her with an opportunity to become friends with the man behind the straw hat. festival. What have the general reactions to the short been like?

CR: I always thought the film was going to get pretty good reviews, but I never expected it to blow up like it did. I remember sitting in class and walking around campus and I would overhear people talking about it like, “Have you seen that video on Straw Hat Man? You gotta watch it,” so that was really cool to hear as a filmmaker. I just think everyone loves him so much and was excited to get to know him better.

GA: Have you received any reactions that surprised you?

CR: I think being accepted into

the festival surprised me. Technically speaking the film isn’t great — I was and still am an inexperienced filmmaker — but the story and the passion behind the film was so strong that the technical mistakes I made were overlooked, which is great, because Andrew deserves to have his story told to as many people as possible.

GA: Do you have any future documentary plans?

CR: I am currently in pre-production for a documentary I want to film in the fall about Syrian refugees living in the United States. I feel very passionate about making sure America continues to accept refugees. I

want to make a film about them so people can better understand what it is like to be a refugee and how important it is for us to be there for them the same was we would want any other human being to be there for us.

Students can see Chelsea’s film “Straw Hat Man” when it screens at the ROAR Film Festival beginning April 16 in Mayer Theater.

If you want to learn more about LMU’s popular crossing guard, check out the Loyolan’s “Burning Questions with ‘Straw Hat Man’ Andrew Brumfield” online.

This is the opinion of Garrison Asma, a sophomore film and television production major from Salem, Wisconsin. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email nmuldoon@theloyolan.com.

via Chelsea Renner

Renner’s short film is an example of how documentary filmmaking can change public perception of a popular figure — “Straw Hat Man” documents several different facets of Brumfield’s life, including his role as a pastor within his church and spiritual community. The insightful short has since gone viral, having been shared by many LMU students on different social media platforms.

life+arts

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“Dogfight” production takes audiences back in time Rick Rack Eric Lee

Asst. Life+Arts Editor @LALoyolan

L

ike the Venus flytrap, the Del Rey Players know how to capture — emotions, that is. This weekend, the Del Rey Players (DRP) will be running their first showing of “Dogfight the Musical!” based on the 1991 Warner Brothers film of the same name. Directed by senior marketing and theatre arts double major Brianna Ellis-Mitchell, this heart-warming intertwining of romance and the human condition “will take you back to what good theatre is” according to Ellis-Mitchell.

Set in the ,idst of the 1960s ,the day before President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, “Dogfight” follows a group of five marines and their last night in San Francisco before being shipped off to the Vietnam War. As a last hurrah, the marines hold a “dogfight” where the man with the ugliest date wins the grand prize —a lot of cash. When one marine by the name of Eddie Birdlace starts to have feelings for his so-called ugly date, Rose Senny, things take a 180 degree turn.

As the director of “Dogfight,” Ellis-Mitchell’s vision of the production led her to create an atmosphere immersed in the time period of the 1960s.

via Josh La Cour

Del Rey Players’ latest production, “Dogfight,” is based on Warner Brothers’ 1991 film of the same name, which takes place in the 1960s on the day before the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The musical features an enthusiastic leading male ensemble playing the role of five marines.

“My vision for the show was really to pay homage to the time period and really make it fun …

I wanted the audience to feel engaged and feel a part of the story and also feel the bright-

ness and colors that come from the 60s and the good spirit of the time,” Ellis-Mitchell said.

Both light-hearted and dra-

“‘Dogfight’ follows a group of five marines and their last night in San Francisco before being shipped off to the Vietnam War.” matic, this play dabbles with the wide range of human emotions dealing with friendship and love.

Combining this compelling narrative with the styling of a musical has brought this play into a league of its own — particularly for some of the cast members.

Lead actor Kevin Dwyer, a junior theatre arts major who plays the role of Eddie Birdlace, recognizes the unique nature of this DRP production.

“I’ve been in quite a few musicals since I started at LMU, and I think this is the first one with a specific leading male ensemble.

It’s really rare for musicals to have a main male ensemble, so I would say that’s the biggest differentiation between any other show you would do,” Dwyer said.

With such a rare occurrence in the world of theatre, it befits any theatre goer to see a play that pushes the envelope. What ‘s particularly interesting is how the story will be told in the intimate black box setting of Del Rey Theater.

Freshman psychology major and ensemble cast member Charlie Lawver is adamant about working in a black box theatre.

As a first time member of a DRP production, Lawver’s involvement lends a fresh perspective.

“I did a little theatre in high school. What makes this play special in comparison would be the size of it. I’m used to a little bigger theatre and cast, and the

fact that we can make this kind of magic in a smaller space with fewer people is pretty awesome,” Lawver said.

No matter the size, it’s the story that connects audiences to the characters. The DRP productions put on during this 2015-2016 school year have left audiences with a different emotional experience each time. In comparison to previous DRP productions from this year that have dealt with specific themes such as fear in “Dracula” or primal human nature in “Lord of the Flies,” “Dogfight” attempts to connect with every part of the human condition.

Ellis-Mitchell, chose this play as a way of returning to the roots of what makes good theatre.

“This play is about reminding us what theatre is all about and how it’s supposed to make us feel good while taking us through all the emotions. You’re going to

“The fact that we can make this kind of magic in a smaller space with fewer people is pretty awesome.”

cry, you’re going to laugh, you’re going to get angry, and that is what good theatre is all about,” she said.

“Dogfight” will run from Saturday, April 7 to Saturday, April 16 in the Del Rey Theater. Tickets are $5 for members and $10 for general admission. Reserve tickets in advance online at lmucfa. com.

This is the opinion of Eric Lee, a sophomore film/television production major from Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email nmuldoon@theloyolan.com.

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Go travel — but don’t throw caution to the wind Syd’s Tidbits Sydney Majd News Intern

M

@LoyolanArts

any people are attracted to the romance of travel — from picnics under the Eiffel Tower to late nights at Spanish bars and long swims in the south of France. For some, traveling can be a fun getaway in hopes of gaining more life experience and culture while still being able to come back to the comfort of home. What many people don’t consider is that these dreams often come with harsh realities. I experienced these realities firsthand and it taught me more about the world and myself than I could’ve ever hoped to learn.

During the winter of 2014, my father and I set out on a long-awaited trip to India. It was a two-week stretch that would allow us to experience a world that we had only seen in pictures. Exhilaration mixed

“Many people are

attracted to the romance of travel...” with anxiety as we prepared for the trip, but neither of us were ready for what we were about to experience.

We arrived in Delhi just before midnight and walked through the clammy night air. We worked our way through the crowds, found a taxi and eventually made it to our hotel.

The following morning, we left for the city of Agra to see the Taj Mahal. But upon arriving at the train station, we became lost in the overwhelming crowds. Fortunately, two men asked if we needed help and informed us that the train was several hours late. They wanted to take us to a different location where we could make other arrangements for our travels, but we declined and continued rolling our carry-ons through the crowd. We also asked a uniformed police officer where the Agra train was located, and we were again informed that the train was several hours late. However, the police officer insisted that we head back downstairs and obtain help from the men who had asked to help us.

Downstairs, the team was waiting for us. The men, who we knew nothing about, stuffed our bags into a rickshaw. While my instinct was telling me this was the wrong thing to do, I let it happen. As a result, we climbed into the back of the rickshaw while the two men jumped onto a single seat up front and began driving. Five minutes later, the crowds thinned. Another five minutes after that, we had completely left the busy streets and were driving through a deserted neighborhood. Thoughts began to form in my mind. Why were we driving away from the train station? What would I do if the situation rapidly deteriorated?

A few minutes later, the rickshaw

stopped in an alley next to another group of men. The first two men stepped off of the rickshaw, unloaded our bags and pointed to an abandoned building. Nothing felt right.

All that I could think of was my black belt training and the three elements to consider when in danger: target, distance and environment.

Who were the targets? How far was safety? What could I use in the surrounding environment to help us?

As my father refused the man’s instructions to enter the building, three other men walked over to us.

With five suspicious men now surrounding us, the situation quickly escalated. The strangers began simultaneously arguing with my father, shouting over his words and insisting that we go into the building, but he refused. I then grabbed my father’s hand and pulled him toward street traffic as quickly as possible. As we hurried away, the targets were very much on my mind.

The men began to follow, harassing us from very close behind. What would happen if they blocked our way? What would happen if one of them pulled out a knife? The end of the alley was nearly one hundred yards away, but I could see the cross traffic. If we stopped they were certain to catch us, so we kept moving, ignoring their taunts.

As we approached the end of the street, I quickly flagged a taxi. We threw our bags inside and jumped into the back seat. However, the men who were following us were not finished just yet. They surrounded the cab and began arguing with the driver. Twice he tried to drive off and both times they blocked his way. It was only after my father shouted to the driver to move and push his way through the men that we finally left.

Shaken to the core, we asked the driver what had just happened. He told us that we were victims of an organized gang and that the local police worked with these gangs. We quickly realized that we were lucky to walk away unharmed.

While this incident may not be the same for all world travelers, any experience in a foreign land can teach someone more about himself

“We quickly realized we were lucky to walk away unharmed.” or herself. Danger will always be an aspect of traveling and it’s important to take precautions, but I believe that all students should take any chance they get to study abroad and travel as soon as possible. Traveling tests your ability to communicate properly, try new things and, most importantly, trust your instincts about where your comfort level lies and when to not cross it. The earlier these lessons can be learned and these cultures experienced, the faster your personal growth will flourish.

This is the opinion of Sydney Majd, a junior English major from Malibu, California.

Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email nmuldoon@theloyolan.com.

via Sydney Majd

Traveling across the world has many pros, but also many cons. Surrounded by a group of gang members in an alleyway, Majd and her father narrowly escaped with their belongings and their lives.

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Activism week shows ‘No Human Being is Illegal’ Doon It Right Nicole Muldoon Life+Arts. Editor @nmuldoon

D

riving through a red stoplight: illegal. Selling drugs: definitely illegal.

Jaywalking: yep, that’s illegal too.

But is it fair to go so far as to label a person illegal?

Monday marked the beginning of No Human Being is Illegal Week, an activism week aiming to encourage action in response to issues surrounding immigration, including the continuing insensitivity toward undocumented immigrants in our society. The wall installation that was constructed on Lawton Plaza to advocate for immigrant rights was vandalized on Monday night, but events are still happening according to plan. Various groups on LMU’s campus coordinated events for this week, including RESILIENCE, MEChA de LMU, Harambee, Black Student Union and the Alternative Breaks Program for Tucson, Arizona.

Diana Sofia Delgado Cornejo, a senior modern languages and literatures major, is one of the students involved in the coordination of the event. She hopes that the events provide more than just awareness. “[No Human Being is Illegal Week’s events] are about coalition building and activism,”

18172_9_755x8 OL.indd 1

via Diana Sofia Delgado Cornejo

This week marks LMU’s first No Human Being is Illegal Week, which supports immigrants and immigration reform. said Delgado. “We already had an Immigration Awareness Week last semester, so we wanted something beyond awareness this semester.

Only one event — Tuesday’s Get the Facts — is strictly about awareness this week.”

The issue of immigration is especially prominent now after being discussed extensively by presidential candidates during the current national election season.

“We thought it was necessary now more than ever to engage the campus in a healthy conversation about immigration, especially when we’re surrounded by so much harmful media,” said Delgado.

The week’s events include the Black and Brown Solidarity event on April 6 at 8:30 p.m., a We Are Not Illegals panel featuring undocumented LMU students and immigrant allies on Thursday, April 7, at 7 p.m. and a final demonstration against injustice on April 8 at noon.

“The Friday demonstration is an outlet for the building frustration that immigrant and immigrant allies have been feeling, especially this past year as the political conversation around immigration became more toxic than most of us have observed in our lifetimes,” said Delgado. “[The negativity toward immigration] is already having

effects. Our families are becoming targets of hate, and xenophobes and white supremacists are emboldened to hurt us.”

Delgado hopes that next week’s events prompt LMU students to stop ignoring the issues surrounding immigration and to join the fight against insensitivity toward immigrants.

“I imagine it’s easy to ignore if you are not directly affected by it, [but] we want to make it difficult to keep ignoring us,” said Delgado.

“We want the rest of LMU to hear exactly how loud we are, how mad we are [and] how many we are.

We want the rest of LMU to know without a shadow of a doubt that we’re not going anywhere. But

most of all, we want the rest of LMU to know we need their help.”

Those involved in No Human Being is Illegal Week want students to realize that the issue of immigration is relatable to anyone — especially now that immigration is a hot topic.

“If you are planning on moving to Canada if Trump is elected, you are exercising your right to free movement in response to a political situation you do not like — we are just asking to be afforded that same right,” said Delgado.

“How would you feel if it took you years, in some cases decades, to flee from Trump’s first term?

If you were not allowed to bring your family with you? If you were judged on how well you spoke French, or how quickly you could learn it? If you were relegated to menial jobs and blamed for problems the country had had long before you arrived there?”

Delgado, above all, emphasizes the need to treat immigrants with empathy.

“Protect the immigrants who are right here in front of you, because they are exactly in [that] situation,” said Delgado. “Actions can be illegal, but never people. A human being can’t be illegal.”

This is the opinion of Nicole Muldoon, a sophomore psychology major from Highland, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email nmuldoon@ theloyolan.com.

12/14/2015 4:12:08 PM

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Veterans rock ‘n’ roll on Hannon Field Rick Rack Eric Lee

Asst. Life+Arts Editor @LALoyolan

P

rior to attending the LMU Veterans’ Rock the Bluff concert on Saturday, the fable of “The Three Little Pigs” and the thrashing sounds of hardcore rock seemed like water and oil to me — au contraire.

Somehow, against the backdrop of thundering drums and high voltage guitar licks, I found myself whipping my head and throwing up the hand-horns while “not by the hair on my chinny chin chin”

echoed throughout Hannon Field.

I must say, I never thought I could get so amped about a bedtime fairytale.

When you rock as hard as rock band American Hitmen, anything is possible. The Salt Lake Citybased band — comprised of four military veterans — visited campus this past Saturday to perform on behalf of the LMU Student Veterans Organization.

As the sun was beating down on Hannon Field and the late-night partygoers were just getting out of bed, American Hitmen cranked their amps for what would be a hell of a show.

The band unleashed a heavy set of original compositions along with covers of classic hits from

legends like Elvis and The Rolling Stones.The sheer rawness and power of the band’s performance put me in a trance-like state where I could have sworn I was at a 1980s Van Halen concert.

From the face-melting solos of lead guitarist Daniel Cord to the energized melodies of lead vocalist Tim Cord, his brother and fellow ex-marine. It didn’t take long to realize that these veterans knew how to rock ‘n’ roll.

American Hitmen formed after meeting during a deployment in Iraq in 2005. They went on to open for acts such as the Charlie Daniels band in 2006, while also making the quarterfinals of “America’s Got Talent” in 2013.

Since then, the band has released

three full albums in addition to currently touring in America and Europe.

Evan Jost, president of LMU Veterans and senior psychology and communication studies double major, put on this concert as a way of reminding the LMU community that our veterans are among us.

“We wanted to raise awareness that veterans are on campus,” said Jost. The veteran clubs on campus are small and can often be overlooked. This is a way we can play music and have a good time.”

The best part of the concert for me was seeing the camaraderie of veterans in action. Only being reimbursed for their expenses, American Hitmen practically

played this show for free as a way of contributing to the LMU Student Veterans Organization.

It wasn’t about money — it was about community.

With 20 student veterans currently on LMU’s campus, some of whom are graduates, it’s easy to see how a small yet integral part of the community can often go unnoticed. Hopefully the powerful sound waves of English rock band Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades” was a good enough wake-up call.

This is the opinion of Eric Lee, a sophomore film/television production major from Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email nmuldoon@theloyolan.com.

Talia Baugnon | Loyolan

Salt Lake City-based rock band American Hitmen performed at the LMU Veterans Rock the Bluff concert this past Saturday on behalf of the LMU Student Veterans Orgnization. The group formed after they met during deployment in Iraq back in 2005, and have opened for Charlie Daniels in addition to making it to the quarterfinals of “America’s Got Talent” in 2013.

Graduate Assistantships Graduate Assistantships are available now for the 2016-2017 academic year!

Preparation for a career.

Education for life.

For a list of available positions and to fill out an application, please visit the Graduate Division office in University Hall, suite 1840 or online at http://graduate.lmu. edu/resources/graduateassistantships/ Graduate Division 310.338.2721 graduate.lmu.edu

SPORTS

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Offense picks up as WCC play begins Action Jackson Jackson Tave

Asst. Sports Editor @LoyolanSports

B

aseball earns a B- for its balance between the ball club’s mediocre overall record (1315) and its impressive performances against top tier programs. The Lions wrapped up their third series of conference play over the weekend, taking two out of three from the University of San Diego (USD) to improve their conference record to 5-4. That record places LMU fourth in the West Coast Conference (WCC), behind first-place Brigham Young University (BYU) (23-3; 7-2), followed by Gonzaga University (1610; 6-3) and Saint Mary’s College (15-10; 6-3), tied for second.

When looking at this team, you have to acknowledge its strength of schedule. The Lions’ season opened up against No. 10 Texas Christian University (TCU), winning one game in a three-game series. LMU also split season series with the impressive programs of USC and UC Irvine. While the team lost all four games in a four-game series against Nebraska, the Lions were competitive in two of them, and that further established that they could compete with high profile talent. While Head Coach Jason Gill claimed that the Nebraska series left the team “battle-tested,” the Lions had dug themselves into a 6-11 hole entering

conference play.

LMU would bounce back after opening conference play with a win at the University of Portland, defeating the Pilots in the final two games of the series starting conference play with a winning record.

With a win at UC Irvine in between, the Lions would have back-to-back weekend series away versus WCC teams. They first traveled to Utah to take on the first-place BYU Cougars, where the Cougars would take two out of three. The team then returned to L.A., where they would blow out the USC Trojans on their home field 8-0.

The Lions have affirmed their pitching as an invaluable asset, as their earned run average (ERA) of 3.48 is good for second-best in the WCC, just behind BYU (3.35). Additionally, the Lions’ pitching staff has given up the least amount of walks in the conference (66). LMU’s top starters have been junior righthanders Blake Redman (2.84 ERA) and J.D. Busfield (3.04 ERA) whose ERAs rank eighth and ninth in the WCC, respectively. Sophomore righty Cory Abbott, junior righty Tyler Cohen and junior lefty Brenton Arriaga have also each made starts this season for LMU. Sophomore right-hander Sean Watkins has been the primary closer for the Lions, recording two out of three saves for the team with an ERA of 0.90 in eight appearances, proving his freshman year 1.89 ERA (thirdbest in LMU history) was not a fluke.

Offensively, LMU ranks second in

the conference with 23 home runs, behind BYU’s 29. Despite their success with the long ball, the Lions rank last in the conference with 37 doubles, which may provide insight on a talented, yet inconsistent team that ranks seventh in the WCC in runs scored (124). Throughout most of the season, it has seemed as though sporadic offensive bursts dictate LMU’s record. The Lions are have a lot of potential, but they struggle to hit doubles. Home runs come sporadically, no matter how powerful the offense, so if a team is unable to drive in runs via doubles, there are very limited sources of runs, which will be reflected in the run production. Once the Lions start driving the ball toward the gaps more, their offense could become lethal. It may also be worth noting that 40 stolen bases in 61 attempts is the second most in the WCC, behind Portland (54-68).

One Lion in the lineup has been consistently reliable, however: Junior catcher Cassidy Brown leads the team in most major offensive categories, including batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, with a triple-slash line of .345/.407/.564. He leads the team with 38 hits and 20 RBIs, and his five home runs lead the team and have him tied with five other players for third in the WCC. Brown and junior outfielder Austin Miller lead the team in runs scored, with 16 apiece. Freshman second baseman Niko Decolati has also made some noise in the lineup, as his 16 RBIs are

team’s confidence but also for Coach Moreno, who is in his first season as the Lions head coach.

Since that win, there has been a back and forth trend of winning a game and then losing the next.

The team lacks consistency when it comes to winning back to back, but has improvemed in the team play.

Freshman Elvira Juravliova has been the biggest surprise this season for the team. Juravliova arrived at LMU from Moldova, where she played professionally for the national team.

“I like it here at LMU, and I have really been enjoying tennis because I have been winning and doing so well,” said Juravliova. “When I arrived here, I was scared because I thought the girls would be so tough. But, since [I have] been winning, it has just been unbelievable.”

She has compiled a record of 13-2 this season, and on Saturday against Saint Mary’s she won the final match to get the win for LMU and clinched her ninth straight victory. If she keeps up this pace, she might be up for some All-Freshman honors at the end of the season.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, the Lions seem to have been hitting their stride with winning these last two games. But they must try to keep their play consistent throughout the season to be successful into the playoffs. With seniors Andrea Crespo and Kristine Kouyoumjian leading the team, you know they will be trying to play the best they can because this is their last shot. Even though they earned a C+, there is a lot of promise here for the

team. It will be exciting to see how these next few weeks go.

Caroline Burt | Loyolan

Baseball is just now starting to hit their stride offensively, but their pitching has been stellar from the start of the season and look to continue this.

the second highest on the team.

Ahead of the Lions is a second half of the season that will be much more favorable than the first. LMU has only had five home games compared to 23 on the road. Out of LMU’s 25 remaining games, 16 of them are to be played at home. There are six threegame series remaining against WCC teams, and four of those series are at home. The toughest game remaining on the schedule will probably be at UCLA on Tuesday, April 12. Aside from that, the remaining schedule is

in the Lions’ favor. This B- may very well turn into an A by the end of the season; the team has the talent, they are “battle-tested” and they are poised to make another run at the conference title. Look for the team to continue to improve its record over these next couple months and move up the ranks in the WCC. This is the opinion of Jackson Tave, a sophomore finance major from Wall, New Jersey. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email rhartnett@theloyolan.com.

Despite injuries, tennis has not backed down Classic Dan Daniel Palladini

Asst.Sports Editor @LoyolanSports

T

ennis this season for both the men’s and women’s teams has struggled with injuries which hurt them at the beginning of the season. However, up to this point in the season they have both been trying to turn things around as the season comes to a close.

Women’s tennis So far, the women’s tennis team has had an up and down season, but, recently, they have been improving their play, earning them a C+ for their season thus far. To be fair, head coach Agustín Moreno and his team have gone through a lot.

At the beginning of the season, the team barely had enough players to fill their roster because of the number of injuries keeping players off the court.

“We are a little more healthy now; we have everybody back.

Obviously, I hope that if there are no more injuries we are going to continue to play better as the season goes on. Yes, the injuries hurt us at the beginning, but we are fine now. So, I am happy and this is when it is more important,” said Moreno.

The team struggled in their first two games of the season, losing to Cal State Northridge and Cal State Fullerton — not a great way to start off a season.

Then, the team finally got a victory against Sacramento State, which was not only big for the

Men’s tennis Men’s Tennis deserves a Bfor the season thus far. Men’s tennis has had a similar up-anddown season in comparision to women’s tennis, but they have recently been playing very well.

They even made made history at LMU, as they were just ranked No. 68 in the nation. The team started off the season with four tough losses at home seemingly unable to find their stride when going up against teams like No. 9 USC and Oregon. The Lions then went on a trip to Las Vegas.

This was a team trip where the Lions played well and claimed victories against Hawaii and UNLV. This was a turning point for the team because they went on to win the next three games in a row and if the game against UC Riverside hadn’t been rained out, they could have extended that winning streak.

The Lions then took down No. 51 UC Santa Barbara. Because of this, the Lions jumped to No. 68 for the first time in program history. Closing out their nonconference games, they finished with a record of 7-6 and had great momentum going into conference play.

Moving into conference play, the Lions are currently 2-2, coming off of a loss this past Monday against UC Irvine. Junior Charles Boyce, who has been playing well this season and who regularly plays number one for singles, was unavailable due to injuries, but he did compete in his doubles match.

Doubles partners Joat Farah and

Megan Karbowski | Loyolan

The Men’s Tennis team is ranked No. 58 in the nation for the first time in history. They now are looking to continue this great play into the postseason.

Errol Smith have also been competing very well this season.

“It has been an interesting season so far,” said Farah. “We have been on the road for most of the season, and all of our wins have been outside of LMU. We definitely want to change that and start winning at home. We are looking forward to the two upcoming matches we have on Friday and Saturday so we can get our first win at home.

The new rankings came today (Tuesday, April 5), and for the first time in history, LMU is ranked No. 58 in the nation.”

Now sitting at No. 58 in the nation, the Lions’ next home games are against Gonzaga and the University of Portland, and then back on the road to take on the University of San Diego. Their final games will be at

home against San Francisco and Santa Clara to close out their season.

“First of all, [we need to] win the two home matches we have this weekend and also [we need to] keep on improving our ranking so we can put LMU in the best position possible at the end of the year,” said Farah.

Head coach Tom Lloyd is in his third season at LMU and is looking to get his team far into the WCC Championship. If the Lions can stay injury free throughout the rest of the season, I feel that they will have a good chance of going far.

This is the opinion of Daniel Palladini, a sophomore marketing major from Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email rhartnett@theloyolan.com.

SPORTS

laloyolan.com Page 21

Water Polo has talent, but needs to put it all together Tim Time Tim De Vries

Asst. Sports Editor

I

@LoyolanSports

t’s quite possible that the 18th-ranked LMU Women’s Water Polo team had the toughest task in front of them of any of LMU’s spring sports this year. When put in perspective, their 9-16 (2-2 Gold Coast Conference) record is nothing to be ashamed of, earning them a B for their midseason grade.

The Good: Despite many of the school’s sports programs facing grueling schedules this spring, not one of them has played a higher concentration of ranked opponents than water polo has.

Twenty of the team’s 25 games have been against Top-25 teams — a whopping 80 percent. The team has not lost in the five games against unranked opponents.

“The thought was to increase

the toughness of our schedule based on the talent of our team,” said head coach Kyle Witt. “We easily could have had a team that went out and won 25 games, but I wanted to challenge us with a good, tough schedule.”

Witt also emphasized playing good teams on the road, because the end of season tournaments are away from home.

By playing such a tough schedule, the Lions prepared months in advance for the postseason play. Witt and the Lions have established themselves as contenders nationally and expect to compete amongst the best teams in the country.

As a team, the Lions have managed to remain focused and motivated on their goals. Much of this can be attributed to the upperclassmen, namely the team’s five seniors. As of March 19, the seniors had scored 92 of the team’s 199 goals, and junior driver Caitlin Schafer has added 21 of her own. Senior driver Kingsley Hill led the team with

34 assists.

Despite the scoring from the upperclassmen, their experience is really where dividends have been paying off in the pool.

Players who have been on the roster for the last couple of years have been a part of two Golden Coast Conference (GCC) Championships. Winning a championship at any level requires a balancing act of team chemistry, hard work and talent.

A little luck never hurts either.

Winning one championship is an accomplishment. Doing it twice, even more so. However, winning three in a row is next to impossible.

“The pressure that other teams put on you, that referees put on you, that other people put on you — everything that happens in every other sport, and our sport included — we weren’t fully prepared for that as a coaching staff, and as athletes, and that’s something we’ve learned to deal with this year,” said Witt.

With every team guaranteed to give the Lions their best shot, the

The Bad: Given their difficult schedule and the conference championsized target painted on their back, it’s easy to admire the success this team has had in the face of adversity. However, a few slow starts and poor fourth quarters against the stiff competition has led to a few extra tallies in the loss column.

Frankly, the team had the chance to win these games and came up short for one reason or another. Last Saturday’s loss against Pacific is an example of this. The game was close throughout, and a showdown between the two keepers. LMU held a two-goal lead heading into the fourth quarter but were held scoreless in the final period while

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Lions will have to remain more focused than ever. Sunday’s Santa Clara game was physical, to say the least, and both that game and the previous one against University of the Pacific were decided in the final period.

Thus far, the Lions are 2-2 in the GCC, but expect to finish at the top of the conference once again on the shoulders of their seniors.

Joining the upperclassmen for the Lions are two freshman weapons. There is no debating the contributions of two freshman standouts: driver Hana Vilanova and goalkeeper Sky Flores. Vilanova leads the Lions in points and total points and is second on the team in steals behind Schafer with 29. Flores has started every game in goal for LMU this season. She has recorded a 47.5 save percentage, allowing less than nine goals per game. What doesn’t show up in the stat book is the peace of mind that Flores brings to the team.

Even when the opposition can get a clean look, Flores has come up with clutch saves at key times.

With a reliable keeper, the other players in the pool are freed up to push forward and be aggressive on offense.

With five games remaining on the regular season schedule, including three more GCC games, the team has a chance to finish 5-2 in conference, right in the mix for a regular season title and a good seed in the GCC tournament. The team can finish just shy of .500 with an impressive tournament resume as a whole.

allowing three goals, ultimately falling 9-8.

“We played a really good game for two and a half quarters,” said Witt of the matchup against Pacific. “Then stuff started happening that we let affect us.”

After winning two tune-up games to begin the season, the team lost its first four games against ranked teams. They broke the streak by winning against San Diego State in a tournament opener on February 13 before falling to then No. 1 UCLA the same day. A day later, the Lions split two games, losing to UC Irvine and beating UC Santa Barbara.

In the 20 games against ranked teams, the Lions have won just four. However, the team could just as easily be 16-9 as they are 9-16.

Fortunately enough for the Lions, their biggest problem this season isn’t some great puzzle. It can be boiled down and identified pretty simply. The Lions have struggled this year when they don’t play a complete game. Whether it be a half, or a quarter, or even a short stretch of possessions, untimely droughts have proved lethal this season.

These lapses have occurred for the Lions when they allow one mistake or call that doesn’t go their way to turn into two, and two into three. From there, it has snowballed for the Lions.

Three goals or less have decided 10 of the team’s 16 losses. There are two ways to view this. The first way is to say “Hey, they’ve been in almost every game they’ve played, they’re right there.” I agree with this way of thinking; the Lions certainly could have won all those games. The second way is to say, “Well, another good quarter here or a three goal run there, and this team would be top five.” I also agree with this way of thinking. In fact, I think it’s a combination of both. The Lions’ shoddy performance at times has led to a less than satisfying record. That being said, Coach Witt’s bunch has all the talent and upperclassmen experience to contend for a third straight GCC title and a run in the NCAA tournament.

This is the opinion of Tim De Vries, a freshman undeclared engineering major from Lake Oswego, Oregon. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email rhartnett@theloyolan.com.

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The Lions feature a mixture of upperclassmen leadership and young talent, highlighted by freshman driver Hana Vilanova (pictured) and freshman goalkeeper Sky Flores.

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SPORTS

laloyolan.com Page 22

Redefining the expectations of a D1 athlete Kent from Page 24

“Shannon was the type of kid at practice that if you were going up against her in a tackle, she was not going to back down against you,” said Myers. “She’s trying to make everyone on the team harder.

Always going full force during practice and staying after practice, putting in the extra work.”

Kent was awarded the “Salmon Award” for her performance during the 2014 season. The award was created in honor of Jessica Hanson, a former LMU soccer player who died in a car accident in 2005. It is awarded to a player that is a “student of the game and is a good teammate on and off the field,” as Myers described.

“She’s a player that definitely made a difference in our program in more ways than one,” said Myers. “Those are the players you look back on, and you smile.

You’re happy for them, and you’re happy for the program because they definitely made an impact.

You hope that’s what happens in their four years, that they make a positive impact. Some of them do it on the field, some of them do it off the field, and some of them do it both. Shannon was a player that did both.”

After helping to carry the women’s soccer team to the Sweet Sixteen this past season, Kent expressed her interest in playing softball during the spring.

“This is my senior year. I didn’t want to feel like I was missing out on softball, so I tried out for the team,” Kent said.

First-year softball head coach Sami Strinz-Ward and the rest of

the team welcomed Kent with open arms. Coach added her to the team group chat, and Kent could not say enough nice things about how her new teammates treated her.

“One of the reasons I was interested in having her join the team was just the run that they made in soccer and knowing that a big part of that was the senior unit they had there,” said Strinz-Ward.

“We’re trying to build and cultivate our new culture here, and I thought that [her addition to the team] would be really helpful because she had just gone through that with soccer.”

To maximize her athleticism and speed, Kent’s primary role on the team is a pinch runner. She has played in 30 of the team’s 38 games thus far. She has scored eight runs and stolen two bases on two attempts. She has also had the opportunity to play in the outfield — her favorite position, because she loves making diving catches.

“Shannon is the type of person that I think lives for challenges.

She’s the type of kid when you tell her that ‘I don’t think you can do that,’ she says she’ll prove you wrong.”

In the midst of balancing two D1 sports and a biochemistry major, Kent has had a busy senior year.

She took a trip to Seattle earlier this semester when Strinz-Ward gave her some time off of practice to

Josh Kuroda | Loyolan

Kent’s coaches described her as the athlete that was always staying after practice and putting in extra practice time. Her work ethic extended to the classroom, where she invests the same amount of effort into biochemistry. try out for Washington’s women’s professional soccer team, Seattle Reign. She was offered a position on the reserve squad right then and there at the tryout. Kent turned down the offer so she could finish the softball season at LMU as well as finish her degree in biochemistry that she has been working on for four years.

“It’s definitely hard. You miss a lot of class but the teachers are super understanding,” Kent said.

“Honestly, the teachers here are great. They always work with me and they are flexible with their schedules so that helps out a lot.”

As a kid, Kent was fascinated by the show NCIS and decided that she wanted to pursue crime scene investigation work as a career.

Kent struggled with some science classes here and there over her four years, but she always told Myers that she wanted to stick with it, because she was determined

to excel in the subject and had decided that it was the career she wanted to pursue.

After making it to the Sweet Sixteen, playing two D1 sports, majoring in biochemistry, receiving an offer to play for a professional soccer team and surviving a potentially fatal car accident, there’s not much that can stop Shannon Kent from doing anything she puts her mind to.

ATHLETE Athlete SPOTLIGHT NICOLE FONG

Sport: Rowing

Class: Sophomore

Major: Entrepreneurship

Hometown: Honolulu, HI

Q: Describe your role as a coxswain A: Rowing incorporates eight people going backwards, so a coxswain’s role is to keep all eight people on the same page in a competitive manner in order to achieve the goal of winning the race. This is done by keeping the boat straight, giving commands in-line with a race plan, and being like a brain for the rowers.

Q: What was it that initially drew you to rowing and becoming a coxswain?

A: I originally came to LMU to row because I raced outrigger canoes and flatwater sprint kayaks basically my whole life and then transitioned that into rowing. Since I was the smallest on the team, I switched over to coxing last year when we did not have enough coxswains, and now I love it.

Q: What is your favorite time of the day?

A: My favorite time of day is 6 p.m. because I can eat dinner at Japanese restaurants and often get a happy hour discount.

Q: What is the worst gift you have ever received?

A: It was the night before Christmas and mischievous little me went on a search for my hidden Christmas presents, for I had to see what my mom got me. It was a super sick Easy-Bake Oven.

The next day on Christmas, I saw the Easy-Bake Oven in my stocking from Santa. I accused my mom of stealing from him and trying to take credit for his hard work. Though the oven was the coolest thing ever, it was a sad gift of destroyed innocence and a rough day in the Fong household.

Q: What is your go-to off-campus eatery?

A: Golden Dragon Dim Sum restaurant.

Q: If you could escape to anywhere in the world for one day, where would you go?

A: Canada.

Q: What is your favorite part of your sport?

A: I enjoy the intensity during races.

Q: Cake or ice cream?

A: The sundae at Sprinkles, which is half cupcake, half ice cream.

Q: Do you think Pluto deserves to be called a planet?

A: I believe in equality for all ---- even planets.

Q: Which of the final four teams (UNC, Oklahoma, Syracuse and Villanova) did you think would win the NCAA Tournament?

A: Syracuse.

Information compiled by Jackson Tave, Asst. Sports Editor; Graphic by Ashley Ma | Loyolan

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SPORTS

SCORES UPDATE W. TENNIS

LION

4-3 W

M. TENNIS

4-2 L

8-5 W

W. WPOLO

vs. Saint Mary’s

SPORTS

BASEBALL

at USD

vs. UC Irivine

10-7 W

vs. Santa Clara

Follow us on Twitter @loyolansports for up-to-date scores.

Page 24

LOS ANGELES LOYOLAN | April 6, 2016 | laloyolan.com

What Kent she do?

After four years of D1 soccer, Shannon Kent decided to play D1 softball her senior year.

Ryan Hartnett Sports Editor

@LoyolanSports

On the eve of a non-conference matchup during her junior soccer season, there were only two things on Shannon Kent’s mind.

First, how to get out of a burning car and second, whether or not she would be able to play against UC Santa Barbara the next day.

Senior soccer and softball player Kent was involved in a severe and traumatizing car accident on Sept. 6, 2014, which was described by women’s soccer head coach Michelle Myers. A man pulled over to the side of the road and saved Kent from her burning car. After the accident calmed down, Kent called Myers and asked whether or not she could play in the game the next day. The crash destroyed her belongings and she suffered some bruised ribs, but Kent could not resist showing her competitiveness as she insisted that she was okay and ready to play the next day.

That game was one of only two matches Kent missed her junior year. One week after the accident, she recorded 63 minutes of playing time against CSU Fullerton. Kent also led the team in scoring that season with six goals.

Playing soccer at LMU was not on Kent’s radar during the spring of her senior year in high school four years ago. She had signed to play softball under former softball head coach Gary Ferrin. Ferrin would pop his head into the soccer coach’s offices multiple times throughout Kent’s senior year, letting the soccer staff know that he was recruiting Kent and that she was a two-sport athlete. Ferrin suggested multiple times that they should look into Kent, as he had watched some of her soccer highlights and believed she had

the potential to be an asset to the soccer team as recounted by Myers, who was an assistant coach at the time.

After balancing both soccer and softball since the age of four, Kent had the opportunity to choose which sport she wanted to pursue during her college career.

She spent her childhood balancing both sports and the effort that came along with playing two sports. “I would go to a soccer game and then switch jerseys in the car to head to my softball game, and then go back to soccer,” Kent said. “Sometimes I had to miss one for the other, but usually I could make both in a weekend. ... I got used to it.

I never really questioned it. Looking back on it, it’s crazy.”

The LMU women’s soccer staff was interested in Kent after they saw footage of her playing in a soccer tournament. They were able to convince her to play soccer pretty quickly, as Kent was open to the idea of switching from softball to soccer.

“I always feel lucky that Gary [Ferrin] found her for us,” said Myers.

Myers took over as head coach of the women’s team in the fall of 2012, and Kent began her four-year soccer career at LMU. She had limited appearances her freshman year, as Myers fielded some older players in the same forward position she was looking to play Kent. The soccer staff focused on teaching Kent how to utilize her speed to go at defenders and get behind them so she could be more of a productive forward. As she matured and developed her confidence with extra practice, Kent became the star player that the LMU community has witnessed these past two years.

“Shannon is the type of person that I think lives for challenges,” Myers said.

“She’s the type of kid when you tell her that ‘I don’t think you can do that,’ she says she’ll prove you wrong.”

Kent consistently went the extra mile to work on her game and improve her teammates.

See Kent | Page 22

Cartoon by Hannah Kim | Loyolan

Senior soccer and softball player Shannon Kent is balancing two Division I sports while majoring in biochemistry. She was originally recruited to play softball at LMU, but made a decision to play soccer. She now is a part of the softball and has the opportunity to play soccer professionally.

LMUTA: List welcomes new face to the top Sully Speaks Jack Sullivan Senior Editor

L

@LoyolanSports

ast week was an average one for LMU athletics, as the sports programs went for a combined 8-6 record. While some teams were able to win all of their matches, such as the women’s tennis team, others hit multiple roadblocks along the way. Despite how the teams did, there were plenty of great performances throughout the week to choose from for this week’s LMUTA. 5. Hannah Bandimere, freshman pitcher & Amanda Dirks, junior outfielder, softball: This duo earned their spots on the list for their efforts against UC Santa Barbara. The game was a tight one, and it came down to one run as the Lions wound up with the victory 1-0. Dirks hit a solo home run in the second inning and also picked up a second hit in the fourth.

While Dirks was providing the offense, Bandimere was mostly responsible for the defensive part of the win. Bandimere pitched all seven innings and struck two out while only allowing six hits. No runners scored, earning Bandimere her first career shutout and her 11th win of the season.

4.

Spencer Erdman, junior shortstop, baseball: The baseball team went 3-1 this past

week, winning a series against the University of San Diego and picking up another win against the University of Southern California. One of the standout players from these four games was Spencer Erdman. He had six hits in the four games and scored four runs. He also was able to notch an RBI in the team’s final game against the Toreros. Erdman’s .429 batting average this weekend towers over his season average of .264.

3. The entire LMU track team: It’s not often that so many different members of a program have stellar performances in a single weekend, but the track team managed to pull it off.

Two of the runners competed in the Stanford Invitational on Saturday. Junior Danielle Shanahan placed 15th overall in the 5,000m, and senior Brandon Vientos ran the second-fastest 10,000m time in school history with a time of 30:03.09.

Not to be left out, the rest of the team competed in the Legends Distance Carnival at UCLA. Twelve runners, including seniors Ryan Vargas and Chloe Curtis, set personal bests in a multitude of events, including the 800m, the 3,000m steeplechase and the 1,500m. This was an impressive weekend for both the men’s and women’s side, showing how they have, so far, improved this season.

2. Cassidy Brown, junior catcher, baseball: While several baseball players performed well last week, Brown was particularly impressive. His standout game of the week came against the Trojans last

Tuesday. Brown had five at-bats in the game and came away with two hits and one run. He also was bringing in the runs, earning four RBIs against USC. The rest of the week also went well for Brown; he added six hits, two runs and an RBI to his weekly total and finished batting .400 in the four games.

1. Andrea Crespo, senior, women’s tennis: The women’s tennis team took care of business this past week. They faced two opponents at home and sent both of them off the Bluff with losses. One member of the team who definitely did her part, and then some, was Crespo, who swept all her games this past week. She played two singles matches and two doubles matches, winning all four. Both of her doubles matches with her partner junior Julia Norlin ended in 6-3 wins. Crespo had an easy win in her first match of the week, taking the first set 6-0 before her opponent retired in the second set. Her second match of the week was a bit more competitive, where she came back from an opening set loss to win 6-7 (3-7), 7-5, 6-2. There is nothing more that Crespo’s teammates could have asked from her, and that is why she is this week’s top athlete.

This is the opinion of Jack Sullivan, a senior communication studies major from Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Graphic by Ashley Ma | Loyolan