Los Angeles LOYOLAN The
Pokémon Go regains popularity on campus as students find fellow players through club. Page 9
September 11, 2019
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College-aged vapers at risk of illness
Health officials warn about e-cigarette usage as number of vaping-caused incidents rise. Grace McCauley News Intern @LALoyolan
With mounting concern over the mysterious vaping illness and six confirmed deaths, health officials warn about e-cigarette usage. The use of vaping and e-cigarettes among young adults and teens has skyrocketed in the past years. An Illinois adult became the first person to die of a new emergence of lung disease related to vaping on Aug. 23, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Since then, five more people across the country have died from this lung illness related to vaping as of Sept. 10, according to CNN. With over 450 cases across 33 states and one territory, health officials are taking a closer look. Much of the worry surrounding this illness initially came from marijuana-based vaping. Vitamin E acetate, an ingredient in some of the cannabis-based vaping cartridges, has a molecular structure that could possibly prove harmful, according to The Washington Post. Currently, the CDC does not have enough evidence to conclude that Vitamin E acetate is indefinitely the culprit, but it warns people
to stay away from all e-cigarette products, according to a Sept. 6 CDC press release. “I see it everywhere. I see it around campus, I see it at the airport. It's crazy to hear that it's deadly and that it could turn out really, really horribly,” said Bella Hartman, a sophomore theatre arts major. “I certainly know a lot of friends, actually, who have had this transformative summer and they have stopped using those products and that makes me really happy.” The patients who are being hospitalized have reported using nicotine, marijuana or both in vaping devices within the past 90 days, according to The New York Times. While one of the patients who died bought the marijuana-based vaping cartridge from a legal dispensary, other patients have reported buying theirs “off the street," according to The Washington Post. It was found that most of the patients were male with a median age of 19, in a study conducted by the states of Wisconsin and Illinois and published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Since college-aged males are most at risk, LMU's Student Health Services (SHS) is working on a project to educate students according to Cindy Nakasuji, a nurse practitioner at SHS. Nakasuji weighed in on the issue as it relates to LMU students. “We are currently planning a learning assessment project to educate our students with the latest information on the
use of e-cigarettes,” she said. On Sept. 10, LMU put out a health advisory on behalf of Student Health Services titled, "Health Advisory: Severe Pulmonary Disease Associated with Using E-Cigarette Products," which was sent to all students through the University Bulletin. “This inflated perceived use of e-cigarettes
could be contributing to the normalization of vaping. And normalization is not what we want to happen," said Nakasuji. "‘Everyone is not vaping and it is not harmless. The CDC and the Surgeon General agree that the use of c-cigarettes by kids, teens and young adults is unsafe.”
Mass of the Holy Spirit
Photo: Gülen Çelik | Loyolan
LMU's annual Mass of the Holy Spirit was held on Tuesday, Sept.- 10, at 12 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Chapel. Lunch followed in the Sculpture Garden. The mass is a tradition among Jesuit academic institutions in which attendees gather to give thanks for God's gifts and ask for guidance for the upcoming year. See page 10 for more pictures.
NEWS
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BURNING QUESTIONS
This week, news intern Grace McCauley sat down with ASLMU president Ken Cavanaugh and vice president Emily Sinsky to talk about T-Pain, free period products and mental health resources on campus.
Professors remember the life of “thoughtful” student Jerry Huang. News Editor @LALoyolan
Ken Cavanaugh (KC): I was sitting in my Women and Religion class and elections were coming up but I didn’t know when. For some reason, I was just thinking about who was going to be the next ASLMU president and vice president, and I whipped out my phone, and I sent Emily a text and said, “I think you would be a really good ASLMU president. You should run!”
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Emily Sinsky (ES): I was on the U-Hall bridge walking to class and I remember getting this text. At first I was like, “Oh! Ken probably wants to run!” because I feel like if you want to run for something you’ll put out feelers that way ... So, I thought Ken wanted to run and I was like, “I will if you do!” ... I thought Ken would be the only other person I could picture myself doing this with. So then we decided that we should run together.
What issue are you guys planning to tackle first?
K.C.: So many things. We’re ... in the final stages of getting free period products in some of the bathrooms across campus. We’re doing a pilot program, so that’s an issue that we’re tackling now and tackling in a strategic way where ... we’re hoping that we are going to be able to get them everywhere by the end of the year.
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E.S.: I actually just got an email that the first farmers market on campus is going to from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25. We have an awesome list of vendors. We’re partnering with the [LMU] Wellness Initiative that’s happening — that’s kind of the big launch. So, we’re going to have a bi-weekly farmers market starting on Sept. 25. That was one of our big initiatives ... so that’s really exciting seeing it come to fruition.
Ken, you are a women’s and gender studies major, and [Emily], you are an international relations major. How does that impact your leadership style? K.C.: Emily and I are both school people. We’re not really student government type kids, but I think the things that we’re studying have pretty fundamentally shaped how we’ve approached being in these positions. Definitely from a gender studies perspective, learning about student movements and student activism and the kinds of change and power that students hold on college campuses has informed me even wanting to run in the first place.
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E.S.: I didn’t really realize how much I’ve learned about diplomacy in my classes until I had to put diplomacy in action in this job ... I kind of went into this thinking, “Oh I don’t have management skills” or things like that, but there’s definitely a lot that you learn in school that I think you don’t realize until you’re in the moment.
If there’s one thing you want the student population to know, what would it be? E.S.: You have more power than you think you do. That’s something that we’ve learned in this job. People will give you the respect that you command with different things.
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K.C.: Quit things! Like, quit clubs that you don’t like ... but definitely my advice would be to take back your time and think about how you want to be living your life ... Sometimes that means quitting things and that should be more normal and acceptable than it is.
Want to read even more questions with Cavanaugh and Sinsky? Check them out at laloyolan.com.
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In Memoriam: Jerry Huang Isabella Murillo
What made you guys decide to run for ASLMU president and vice president?
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Jerry Huang, a 22-year-old math major at LMU, died from heart failure on Aug. 28, 2019, according to an email sent out to students on Sept. 6 by Terri Mangione, dean of students and vice president for student affairs. “We are all saddened by the loss. Jerry was a thoughtful and polite young man with the ability
to view things from multiple perspectives. As a math major, he was excited to discover ways in which math connects with many other disciplines,” said Suzanne Larson, professor of mathematics and associate dean. “Our entire community mourns his loss and will miss his wit and positive outlook.” Josh Hallam, an assistant professor of mathematics, remembers Jerry fondly in his class. His favorite memory of Jerry was when he wrote a short story for an assignment about the future of robotics in medicine. He described the story
as “creative, thought-provoking and touching.” “I was fortunate to have been able to meet and interact with Jerry last year during my first year at LMU,” said Hallam. “He was a hard worker and had a great way of asking interesting questions.” In the email sent to students, Mangione announced that a celebration of life for Jerry will take place on Sept. 14, 2019 at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary at noon. Attendees are encouraged by Jerry’s family to wear his favorite color, yellow.
OPINION
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We must continue to respect the tragedy of 9/11 This Wednesday marks the 18th anniversary of 9/11, a national tragedy in which almost 3,000 people were killed, according to CNN. For those of you who might not know the details of this atrocity, here are the facts: four planes headed for the West Coast were hijacked by 19 men linked to Al Qaeda. Two of these planes crashed into the World Trade Center buildings in New York City, one crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, DC and the last plane crashed in Pennsylvania; it is believed the passengers tried to take control of the plane back from the hijackers, causing the crash, according to CNN. Of the 2,977 people who died, 2,753 were killed when American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the World Trade Center buildings, according to CNN. The live footage of everything unfolding that day, especially the twin towers getting hit and collapsing, is shocking and heart-wrenching. So many people in the country were affected by this catastrophe. So many lost family members and friends. 9/11 is one of the worst days of the year for many people because it is a reminder of when their lives changed forever. Most students at our University do not remember the events of 9/11 because they were too young, or not even born yet. For some in our generation, it seems that 9/11 has turned into a joke or a side thought. Most people who were not directly affected see Sept. 11 as just another terrorist attack. However, for those who were deeply impacted by these tragic events, it can be a very somber and sensitive day. The last thing they want to hear is a joke about how 9/11
was an inside job, or other such conspiracy theories. While it is great to be inquisitive in finding the truth and having your own opinions, there are ways to respectfully convey your opinions that do not involve making fun of a national tragedy. Before you make that joke about 9/11, think about who might hear you. Ask yourself if this is the best way to approach what is a very uncomfortable topic for many. Rather than dismiss or joke about 9/11, be respectful to the victims and their families. Remember 9/11 in the same way you would remember the death of a loved one or recent mass shootings that have affected our own community at LMU. The Tribute in Light ceremony will take place this Sept. 11 at 8:40 a.m. EST, at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza at the World Trade Center site in Manhattan. The commemorative public art installation was first presented six months after 9/11, and continues to take place annually on the night of 9/11. The loss of so many people is unfathomable. We must remember to be considerate and aware of the horrific events that took place 18 years ago today. Our hearts go out to those whose families or friends were taken by 9/11 and we hope that you can get through today with peace, remembering and honoring the memories of those you lost. We at the Loyolan stand with you in paying tribute to those who lost their lives, as well as the firefighters, journalists, civilians and others who dropped everything in 2001 to help in any way they could.
“For those who were deeply impacted by its tragic events, it can be a very somber and sensitive day.”
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Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.
Psych services needs more funding Speck and Spielmann
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Cristobal Spielmann Opinion Intern @LALoyolan
A
s we approach the halfway point of National Suicide Prevention Week (Sept. 8–12), it’s necessary to look at one of the major health crises plaguing college students: mental illness. Across college campuses, the number of students seeking treatment for mental illnesses like anxiety disorders and depression has risen, as reported by ABC News in 2019. Students entering college with a mental illness will have their problems exacerbated in such a stressful environment. Much of this stress comes from the unique challenges of our generation, as detailed by former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell in Foreign Affairs. We’ve only known a post-9/11 world of hyper-security, mass shootings and the Great Recession. And on top of other stressors like climate change and the most recent presidential election, it’s no wonder why we’re in this crisis. With all of this information in mind, it’s downright irresponsible
that LMU’s Student Psychological Services (SPS) hasn’t been given more attention, funding and resources. SPS is LMU’s on-campus support system for mental health, led by an invaluable team of psychologists and therapists ready to help LMU students. They provide services
like individual therapy sessions, information about suicide prevention and the Wellness Educator program to raise awareness about mental health topics like depression, body image issues, PTSD, etc. See Mental Health | Page 4
Ellen Na | Loyolan
Many vulnerable students need SPS to treat depression, anxiety or stress. Unfortunately, SPS needs more funding to accomodate all of these students.
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Funding for mental health must be increased Mental Health from Page 3
U n f o r t u n a te l y, many students aren’t able to receive the help SPS tries to provide for them, mostly because of the high demand for said help. “I’ve heard last semester there was a super [long] waiting list,” said Dean Jackman, a sophomore screenwriting major. “I heard people [who] said they couldn’t get in because there [were] too many people there who were at risk.” Many other students I spoke to brought up horror stories of being unable to connect with SPS because of a backlog of at-risk students. It isn’t as if the University doesn’t have the money to fix these issues. Not to beat a dead horse, but what was the benefit of the logo redesign from almost a year ago? Unless a majority of incoming freshmen thought that a cool logo was the reason they came here, then there is no reason why that money couldn’t
have gone toward something that actually attracts people to this community. Any future student who might be privately struggling with depression, anxiety or another mental illness is going to be looking for support on campus that could guide them through what may be one of the most challenging periods of their lives. Whether a school does or doesn’t provide aboveaverage mental help might be the deciding factor. “Maybe [they could make it] a bigger part of the school because I know there are a lot of people who need help mentally,” suggested Kyra Westerberg, a senior animation major. Students aren’t asking for anything much; this is about our community’s health. We’re asking that a vital resource for hundreds of our classmates be treated with the same attention and respect that any other issue would be, or even more.
This is the opinion of Cristobal Spielmann, a sophomore environmental science major from
Brentwood, Tennessee. Tweet comments @LALoyolan, or email editor@theloyolan.com.
To read the full article by Spielmann, go to LALoyolan.com/opinion.
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Make the most of a college Unique clubs to join budget: Ross-style You know what they say: stay woke, not broke. Here are some tips. Jordan Boaz Budgeteer
We all know LMU isn’t exactly the most affordable place. But, luckily, there are several ways to get the most out of every penny you’re spending. All credits to Ross Geller, who taught us everything we need to know. During all four years at LMU, avoid purchasing salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, sugar, honey, milk, creamer, napkins or silverware. It’s all offered for free at the Lair or at the various coffee shops, and therefore an expense you don’t need in your checkbook. Did you know LMU has a food pantry? Don’t buy a meal plan — just hit them up three times a day. Not that a meal plan would be necessary, anyway. Follow @freefoodlmu on Instagram and you’ll be well fed in no time. Textbooks are not needed. Just head to the bookstore, snap some photos of the pages you need and voila. No need to purchase house supplies. By borrowing cleaning supplies from the Student Housing Area Offices, you can get free vacuum bags (taken out of the vacuum) and free surface cleaner Ceiling and micro-fridge light bulbs are for your personal use. So are the batteries inside the fire alarm. Ever in need of screws, nails, nuts, washers or bolts? There are plenty hidden inside dorm desks, chairs, beds and
Ellen Na | Loyolan
LMU student Sav Errr has mastered the art of Rossing. She saves thousands a year by putting her LMU spending to clever work. bookshelves. Why buy them student if they can harness when they’re already there? some for you to save for later. Take a trip to the library and L.A. is crawling with models load up on scratch paper, sticky and so is LMU. Rumor has it notes, paper clips and staples. that they leave piles of hand(Yes, you can empty the stapler). me-downs in their residence If you’re handy enough, you hall lounges, if you ever want can get lead for pencils and some trendy new clothes. enough paper to amount to Plants can really brighten an entire notebook. Back-to- up dorm rooms and, luckily, school shopping is no more. they are all over LMU. Dig Don’t want to pay for printing? up as many as you want and Hit up an honors student to replant them inside for a cheap print for you — they get it free. alternative to succulents. A fun trick: people always Therapy also comes with the drop change near vending cost of tuition. To make sure you machines. Take a peek under get the most out of it, sign up for the machine if you’re ever seven to eight hours per week. looking for a free snack. While this is by no means an If you’re a caffeine junkie, exhaustive list, it should get you try not to let the habit break started. Learning to take what your budget. In fact, most you’re paying for is an important resident directors have first step to becoming more coffee in their offices that like Ross. Happy budgeting! are available for student use. Take advantage of the free electricity. Ask an engineering
If you haven’t found your group, take a peek here for the clubs less-advertised. Jordan Boaz
Highly Involved
The Napping Club. Meets daily Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in various comfy sections of the library. Napping experience is recommended. Republican Club. While they don’t have meeting times yet, they will as soon as they have someone join. Currently their membership status is 0. Org. Y Club. This dynamic and collaborative club meets
on Fridays and Saturdays at midnight in the chapel. All equipment will be provided. Cool Kids Club. They meet when the outside temperature reaches 80 degrees or above and participate in various cool activities such as ice baths and locking one another in walk-in freezers. Rainbow club. This is an LGBTQIADCG+ club that also accepts dogs, cats and goats of any gender or sexual orientation. They meet during rainstorms. Prisms required. If none of these are your cup of tea, consider making your own club! It’s always great to get involved.
Important class relocation update
Ellen Na | Loyolan
Last week, University Hall’s escalators stopped working, leaving dozens of students trapped until help could arrive. Due to a lack of knowledge on how to navigate broken escalators, until the escalators are up and working again, all classes on the lower floors have been relocated. Check posting on 4th floor for specific classroom information.
An interview with the LMU library’s disciplinary visionary After seeing how tight a ship Dr. Lee-Brary runs, being bad never sounded so good. Andrew Dazé
Writes Fanfiction
Dr. Deanna Lee-Brary reigns as library dean in LMU’s Hannon Library, a job she has held for over a decade. This comes as a surprise to many and begs the question: what on Earth is a library dean? The Bluff’s exclusive interview tells all. It was a rather hot Friday afternoon in Hannon. The stacks seemed fuller than usual, which can be attributed to Hannon being an AC oasis in the northwest part of campus. Dr. LeeBrary sat on her throne of books, consisting of novels, textbooks and that Shakespeare folio we have all heard of but never seen. Dr. LeeBrary held a horse whip and wore a crown that read “headmaster” on it. “Don’t be put off by the whip,” she reassured me with a wink. “I haven’t used it on a human before ... yet.” Dr. Lee-Brary, a woman whose career in the stacks is longer than most students’ lives, gave the timeline of how she
Jacob Johanson | Loyolan
Dr. Deanna Lee-Brary is known to put the spines into books. Her children say they learned a lot from bedtime stories. became the literary lioness of LMU. why just feel those books when “I have always loved reading books, you can make the books feel you?” but I wanted to experience them with “The dean of the library’s job is to more than just my sense of sight.” make sure these books stay on their Why just read the books, when you best behavior,” said Dr. Lee-Brary. She can feel the books? And, furthermore, showed me video evidence of the harm
books can do to young people. Paper cuts, hypnosis and perversion of the mind are a few of the offenses the dean of library has to deal with on a regular basis. She pointed to the Theology section. “Not a single reference to Lucifer over there. They’ve all been redacted,” she said with pleasure. She uses a technique referred as “beating the devil out of it” to take the offensive ideas out of books. “Tom Sawyer,” “Hop on Pop” and “The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things” were taken off the banned books list after Dr. Lee-Brary implemented her disciplinary technique. When Dr. Lee-Brary isn’t disciplining books for their content, she is making them safer for readers. According to her, “an unhappy book is likelier to give you a paper cut than others. To prevent books from lashing out, we provide a therapist for the books, which is where most of the SPS funding goes. And if all else fails, we turn to the book equivalent of a straitjacket — taping and laminating around the corners of pages.” “All in all, I love my job. It’s often a thankless job, but I don’t do it for the thanks,” said Dr. Lee-Brary. “I do it for the money, obviously.”
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.
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By Ellen Na, staff cartoonist
Darn Things Kids SAy
GALLOWS
By Harrison Klein, staff cartoonist
ALL-LIFE CRISIS
By Jacob Johanson, staff cartoonist
Check out more Loyolan cartoons online now! Visit LALoyolan.com/cartoons and catch up on your favorites!
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Secrets of the Lion’s Den Jordan from Bluff Jordan Boaz
O
Asst. Bluff Editor @LAloyolan
f the three on campus coffee shops, the Lion’s Den is consistently voted number one. It isn’t hard to see why, with its cozy atmosphere, creative drinks and cheap pastries, the Den has a lot to offer. But it gets even better — while students may like the Den for its poppin’ playlists and comfy couches, the shop gets even cooler the deeper you dig. Noah Wall, a sophomore marketing major who has worked at the Den since last year, said it’s a great place for relieving stress. “You can be having a crazy week and you can come in here and it’s just like, peace … everyone’s pretty courteous and pretty nice.” Zoie Stanton, a junior psychology major who has been at the Den for over a year, agreed. “Come to the Den,” she said. “We love making coffee, and it’s a good little community. It’s a good vibe.” “It’s a big family; everyone’s super close,” Wall said of his coworkers. “I got to know everyone, even people I never would have expected myself to be friends with. Everyone’s friends with everyone [at the Den].” Stanton said that she gets to know regulars and what they get. For some people, she begins making their drinks before they even order. She finds certain orders so odd that she questions how they could possibly drink it, but typically people stick to the menu on the board.
Wall likes the unique orders. “I would recommend you go outside your comfort zone,” he said. “Maybe try the drink of the week.” Stanton said she believes customers are typically more kind to student workers than other customer service workers. “People know this is a student-run coffee shop ... obviously people are gonna be way nicer,” she said. While she’s noticed people tend to be more impatient with the Den during midterms and finals, people are usually more friendly here than they were at her previous job at Foot Locker. When asked what drinks they were, each student had very specific Den drinks that they could identify with. If Stanton was a drink, she said she’d be a vanilla latte freeze with caramel drizzle, two espresso shots and whipped cream. She chose a blended drink, because she’s “blended with so many different things … I do so many things around campus.” She chose caramel because she “feel[s] like [she’s] smooth and cool.” And two shots because “you have to spice it up here and there … and [she] tend[s] to be energized.” Wall would be a mocha. “It’s like a blend of coffee and chocolate, so it’s a little bitter, like the truth (or being too brutally honest)… But you also have the chocolate, like I could be a nice guy,” he said. Wall’s advice for LMU students? “I would say get in here before it’s too popular. In the last few years it’s really taken off.” Stop by and enjoy a Sig Freeze, a latte freeze with chocolate bars and coffee beans recommended by Wall, or an Odwalla Freeze and heated morning bun pastry, recommended by Stanton. They’d love to see you come in and try something new.
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dear loyolan... Dear Loyolan, I recently came to LMU from pretty far away, and the transition hasn’t been great. I
Written by Jordan Boaz, asst. bluff editor; Graphic: Jessica Glassberg | Loyolan
don’t have a car or much to do or even really friends yet. What should I do? Love, Lonely Lily
Hey Lily, We get it. Out-of-state students, transfer students, international students and even just those living away from home for the first time all share a similar experience. It sounds like you’re looking to get more involved. Consider joining a club, finding a job or showing up to the events your residence hall puts on. There are also all sorts of things to do on campus: Mane Entertainment events, shows or plays are all great options. Try not to do all your work in your dorm room. Sit in a public place where you will be more visible and more likely to make friends. That said, be friendly with lots of people, but also don’t be afraid to show up to anything by yourself. It’s courageous and admirable and a great way to get out of your comfort zone to meet new people. You mentioned you don’t have a car. Try utilizing the Playa Vista shuttle, the Lion Express or even L.A. public transport. A couple quarters will get you farther than you might think. If not, a bike will get you to Playa del Rey if you’re looking for some more beach time. It’s normal to feel stressed with adjustment, but, as one of my mentors told me last year, college is the best place to fail. So get out there and try new things. Sincerely, Jordan
Send anonymous questions on life, love and more to tinyurl.com/loyadvice for a response from yours truly.
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Curbside hits the stage at Fallapalooza The rap group discusses their musical journey and their future dreams. Molly Jean Box
Assistant News Editor @LALoyolan
S
inger-Songwriter Showdown cochampion Curbside and Yo Yo Nosa are set to open Fallapalooza this year, sharing the stage with popular rapper and singer T-Pain. After the competition, we sat down with both winning groups to reflect briefly on their journey. We will feature
each group individually, and this week we have the band Curbside. The group is made up of five juniors: Bobby Sutton, a film and television production major, Jacob Johanson, a studio arts major, Luke Gresback, also a studio arts major, Jack Palen, an international relations major and Jack Alving, a studio arts major. Molly Box (MB): How did you all meet, and when did Curbside form? Jack Palen (JP): Jacob and I met at First Year Retreat, and he was just a goon. We would just goon out together, and through Jacob I met Bobby. And through Bobby I met Luke, and through Luke I met [Alving].
via Jacob Johanson and Carly Agopian
Curbside and Yo Yo Nosa (pictured center in off-shoulder outfit) stand together after the final results were announced. The two groups will be the opening acts for LMU’s 2019 Fallapalooza.
Jacob Johanson (JJ): The name Curbside came from a nickname when I was like “call me JoWill,” which is just my first name and my middle name put together. And then I would tell the people “that’s my curbside name.” MB: This year you played your song “Fool” at the competition. Can you tell me about the process of writing the song and why you chose it? JJ: This one was a longer process. All of freshman year I was just making beats in Huesman. I found this random sample on YouTube. I just let it sit for I don’t know how long. We just had that, and we thought it was perfect to perform. Coming back this year, we had the perfect intro and we just got in my room one day and ended up recording that song. It didn’t take that long after that, maybe a week where we were just recording and getting it right. MB: Who writes the lyrics? JJ: It comes out best when we write the lyrics together. Even if it’s just one word we’re changing, everyone has an input on every single word. MB: What’s the end goal? JP: It’s really just to make things that will make people happy. I always describe it as a creative collective. JJ: Me, Jack and Bobby ... have an art gallery coming up under the name Curbside. It’s more than just music. It’s not just music; it’s not just art; it’s not just T-shirts. Jack Alving (JA): We’re not just,
like, a music group. That’s not what this is. It’s a creative sort of platform. MB: What do you hope people get out of your art or music? LG: For me, it’s like they want to be a part of it. It’s very inclusionary. Everyone who comes to the Curbside events sees us do stuff, and they are sort of part of it too. MB: How does it feel when you’re making the music? JP: It borders on performance art. Painting this picture and taking on this character that’s not really normal for me, you can step out of your normal self. And it’s so much fun. After a while when you’re in the studio with everyone your energies just get in sync and it just seems like you can never stop writing and never stop creating new stuff. MB: You’re going to be sharing the stage with T-Pain; how does that feel? JJ: He created Auto-Tune. He’s the one that pioneered that sound. LG: It’s ironic that we’re opening for T-Pain, because without his work ... we wouldn’t have been able to make it. MB: What did you guys think of Yo Yo Nosa’s performance? JA: She’s got a nice sound and we’ve talked about collaborating with her for a song or two. Stay tuned for our interview with Yo Yo Nosa next week.
Pokémon GO dashes back onto the scene Sammi Side Up Sammi Su
Life+Arts Editor @sammi_susu
A
s the new semester begins, clubs begin recruiting for new members, drawing in new students to join them in their passion projects. One particular club caught my attention as I wandered through the countless booths at EXP Fest two weeks ago. It was the official LMU Pokémon GO Club. Released on July 6, 2016, this game took the world by storm, forcing people to leave their rooms and interact with other players in public spaces such as malls, parks and of course, school campuses. Today, the game has dwindled in terms of Internet hype and presence, but the community remains just as connected. Recently, I sat down with club president Manuel Perez, a junior civil engineering major, and club vice president Kevin Chang, a junior biochemistry major. They met in freshman year at a Pokémon gym by Huesman Hall, along with a handful of other members. Kevin mentioned that the wildest thing that has happened while playing on campus was when a Department of Public Safety officer approached the group and asked if they were playing Pokémon GO, and if the officer could join. Surprised, Perez and the others invited the officer to play and the officer proceeded
to pull out two phones, each with a separate Pokémon GO account. According to Perez, the club began with five people who met at a raid (a challenge with a rare Pokémon that requires multiple members to defeat) around a year ago. Their initial goal was to defeat raids and complete quests. As the club grew, the direction of the club shifted to focus more on community-building. Today, the club numbers around 70 members (and growing). Chang said that their goal is to “bring people together. We encourage players to come outside of their rooms, meeting and talking face-toface.” Perez added that the interesting thing about this game is that you meet people from all walks of life, from a staff member in the Admission Office to a librarian to studentathletes or students of all majors. Club publicist and sophomore mechanical engineering major Jonnathan Zurita commented, “I’m one of the few STEM majors, but I like meeting people from other majors.” One of his most bizarre memories includes going to a raid with a dozen other players at Gersten Pavilion, right before a baseball game, and getting questioned by the people at the ticket concierge since they didn’t come for the game itself. The members of e-board aim to actively engage with the community, bringing out
Harrison Klein | Loyolan
Detective Pikachu embarks on his next adventure, catching them all, starting at the Sacred Heart Chapel. Pokemon GO members often gather in front of LMU landmarks to engage in battles, raids and quests.
the members who are typically shyer and creating a safe and exciting place for all players to enjoy the game. Chang added, “One goal is to make contact with Niantic, which is the company that produces Pokémon GO. So one thing we plan to do is have a Q&A with them and ask what
future plans they have for the game. Our dream is to have an LMU event and to have three Unknown Pokémon spell out LMU.” They added that their main goal is to create a group within LMU that can influence the community beyond. The Pokémon GO club meets
in St. Robert’s Hall 239 on Thursdays at 10:15 p.m. Their second general meeting will be on Thursday, Sept. 19. You can join them through their Discord link available on the digital version of this article. Join a team and head on out to “catch ‘em all!”
editor’s pick Mass celebrates new academic year EDQ
Page 10
Find us @LALoyolan
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Photos: Gülen Çelik | Loyolan
The Mass of the Holy Spirit, an annual event in Sacred Heart Chapel, is one of the most celebratory events of the year for many members of the LMU community. It offers students, faculty, alumn, and more a chance to reflect on the past academic year and set goals for the new one. This year’s Mass took place on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
EDQ Find us @LALoyolan
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SPORTS
Page 11
Head to head: college football vs. the NFL Hut Hut Hutton
their schools. It’s beautiful. No other kind of football comes close.
Alex Hutton Asst. Sports Editor
This is the opinion of Alex Hutton, a junior journalism major from Oakland, CA. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to mthomas@theloyolan.com.
A
lmost nothing in sports can rival what college football offers. Fans are treated to innovative offenses, aggressive play-calling and thrilling finishes. Instantclassic shootouts are far more common than defensive slogs, and those games get a boost thanks to the passion in the stadium. It’s a far cry from the NFL, which is sometimes overstuffed with punting. It’s also nice to see high-quality football where someone has to win no matter how many overtimes it takes. The players in the college game are students, which helps connect them to the fanbase. By contrast, NFL players can feel separate from society, too important to be dealt with normally. College players want to win for their university. Rivalry games filled with history and passion ratchet up the intensity, but every game features players playing to win. NFL players tend to play to not lose.
Miles Per Hour Miles Thomas
Sports Editor
T Harrison Klein | Loyolan
This week, members of Loyolan’s sports section go head to head on the debate of whether college football or the NFL is a better product.
It is worth taking a look at what happens in both pro and college ball off the field. The NFL is defined by what it does wrong. The league is marred by greedy owners, concussion issues that took too long to address and mishandled responses to the national anthem controversy. It costs an ungodly amount to attend a game, especially considering how much cheaper and more accessible college games tend to be. It’s impossible to shake the problems the NFL has and separate them from the
product on the field. College football is far from perfect. Players are not fairly compensated for their work. Recruiting scandals emerge frequently. People are taking steps to fix these issues, but work is needed to clean them up. But on Saturdays, when the teams take the field, the marching band is playing, the student section is hyped and tens of thousands of fans are roaring — the troubles go away. College football becomes two teams playing to bring glory to
here is just something about Sundays. Nothing in sports compares to waking up on a Sunday and having nearly every team in the league playing while nothing else is happening that day. The NFL is the easiest professional sports league to follow as a fan, with each team playing only 16 games during the regular season. Each team also has a fair shot to make the playoffs, unlike in college football. In college, some teams do not get a chance at all to make the playoffs, regardless of their record. This is because some schools play in a smaller, less competitive sports conference and are basically punished for it. This is unlike the NFL, where regardless of schedule, each team has a fair chance to make
the playoffs. The college game might be high scoring at times, but it can be more pleasant to watch a game with a balance of both elite offense and defense, which is seen more commonly in the NFL. There is also more parity in the NFL than in college football. In three of the last four years, the University of Alabama has played Clemson University in the College Football Playoff Championship Game. In the NFL, however, a different Super Bowl matchup has happened every season for the past 25 years. Professional football also has more athletic, stronger, faster, and more talented players than college football, which results in a much higher level of play and competition. Following players is also easier. Fantasy football is a widely popular and great way for fans to connect even further and invest more in the game. College does not have the same type of additional fan content, which can enhance the football experience for many.
This is the opinion of Miles Thomas, a junior communications major from Hermosa Beach, CA. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to mthomas@theloyolan. com.
SCORES UPDATE M. Water Polo
W W W. L A L O Y O L A N . C O M
14-13 L
LION
vs. UC Davis
M. Soccer
SPORTS
1-0 W
vs. Loyola Chicago
M Water Polo M. Water Polo
19-14 L
SPORTS
vs. Pepperdine 12-10 W vs. Whittier
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September 11, 2019
Student broadcaster looks to leave impact Senior reflects on journey in sports broadcasting from four years ago to now. Miles Thomas Sports Editor @LALoyolan
He may not be a familiar face, but he is a familiar voice to those who watch LMU sports from home. Raihan Bal, a senior marketing major, serves as the primary broadcaster for LMU’s soccer and baseball teams on the West Coast Conference TV network. In addition, he works on the FM Radio doing the pregame, halftime and postgame show for the men’s basketball team. Bal found his initial interest for broadcasting from his time in high school, where he was a basketball player and longtime sports viewer at home. In addition to his sports background, he was also a member of his high school’s speech team. This skill, along with his deep knowledge and fandom of sports, led him to combine the two. “I decided not to play college basketball; I wanted to go to a better school [academically],” said Bal. “So this was my way
of mixing the two, staying involved in speaking and staying involved in high level sports. The middle ground is to do broadcasting.” Bal began his broadcasting career at LMU as a freshman, where he was immediately thrown into the spotlight from the moment he got the job. His early responsibilities as a primary sports broadcaster for the Lions allowed him to see behind the scenes of what broadcasting was like. Through trial and error, he eventually found his groove and is now broadcasting for what will soon be his fourth year in the job. “When I first came in, I thought it would be really informative — just read off the stats and just tell people by the numbers what is happening,” said Bal. “But as I grew into it, it’s more about being [part of the game experience] ... I found a good middle ground of being informative while also being entertaining too.” Bal said that an important aspect to his current broadcasting career has been putting his own mark on it. He started injecting his personality into his
via Raihan Bal
Senior Raihan Bal broadcasts the LMU men's soccer, men's basketball and baseball teams. He has been broadcasting since he was a freshman.
broadcasting style by making each game, whether it be on television or the radio, as accessible as possible. One strategy he uses is comparing a current play in the sport he is covering, such as soccer, to one that people who may not be familiar with the sport can
relate to, such as football. Bal has always been involved in sports. He describes covering them on television, as well as radio, as something that comes to him automatically. He allows the flow of the game and what is happening in the game to take over, allowing
him to stay comfortable and perform with his own style each game. “When I’m broadcasting, you’re just kind of on autopilot, you’re just naturally taking it in what is happening and talking about it just without even realizing what you’re saying,” said Bal. Bal is big on inclusion and he believes that it is one of the most important things about sports. Although he is unsure if he wants to do broadcasting after he graduates from LMU, he greatly enjoys working for the Lions and using sports to bring people together. Bal wants to use his broadcasting platform to unite rather than divide people when watching and discussing sports in general. “I’m not a fan of people who know a lot about something and try to isolate other people and that’s a big thing I try to do [differently], whether it’s in the broadcast or in life ... the whole point is that it should be inclusive and that it brings people together,” said Bal. “That’s the best part about sports— it brings people together. It’s like a universal language.”
Cross country places high in first invitational Both cross country teams show prowess and hope to improve despite losing key seniors. Jameson O'Neil Asst. Sports Editor @LALoyolan
The LMU men’s and women’s cross country teams began their respective fall campaigns with a pair of impressive performances at the Mark Covert Classic Invitational in Brea, California on Aug. 31. The men finished third overall out of 19 teams and second overall among collegiate teams, while the women finished in fifth place out of 21 teams and third for collegiate squads. In the men’s race, the Lions scored 111 points to earn runner-up among collegiate programs. Cal State Fullerton finished in first place, notching a tight 60 points. LMU’s strong performance was led by junior Simeon Paul, who finished in 13th place overall out of 221 total runners. Paul tackled the 8,000 meter course in 25 minutes and 21.5 seconds. Not far behind the Lions’ front-runner was sophomore Max Smith, the Lions' second finisher, who crossed the line in 25:36.3 for 18th place overall. On the women’s side, the LMU squad scored a total of 166 points to earn their third place among college teams, behind San Diego’s 144 points and Cal State Fullerton’s 41. Redshirt senior Kyla Danforth recorded
via LMU Athletics
Simeon Paul (7833) finished in thirteenth place overall in the Lions' first meet of the season. The junior notched a time of 25:21.5 in the 8,000 meter course.
a dominant performance, crossing the line in fifth place out of 200 total runners. The Southern California native ran the 5,000 meter course in a time of 18:05.3. She was followed by freshman Gabriela Hernandez, who ran 19:06.5 for 32nd place. The Lions will look to continue this initial success as they compete at a number of other invitationals, the next of which is the Cougar Classic this Friday in Colfax, Washington. The men and women will then enter postseason competition on Nov. 1, when they compete at the West Coast Conference (WCC) Championships, followed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) West Regional meet on Nov. 15.
Last year, the men finished in sixth place among the nine teams in the conference, and at the NCAA West Regionals, registered a 13th place performance among the 29 teams. This year, the men are looking to make significant improvements on those results. “I think we just want to build off where we were last year,” said Paul. “I look forward to seeing how everybody does. I expect a lot, because I’ve been in everybody’s position for [...] two years,” said the junior. The team lost a number of key seniors due to graduation, notably Jack Polerecky and Koby Pederson, the latter of whom became the first
male in school history to qualify and compete in the NCAA National Championships. Despite this, Paul was excited with how the group performed in their first competition. “I think the team ran very well. It was really nice to see everybody coming into the season ready versus having to get ready.” The women’s team, too, looks to build something special after their 2018 season. Last year, they finished in fourth place out of the 10 teams at the conference meet, and they finished 17th of 36 at the regional meet. In 2019, the team hopes to make major strides. But, like the men, this will be difficult with the losses of key runners, Maddi Vorgitch and Giselle Masedo, due to graduation. “Every year, it’s challenging because you always lose a few good people,” said Danforth. “I think this team has a lot of promise ... we have a good group of girls that are really willing to put in the work and mileage. So even though our front runners aren’t as fast as Maddi and Giselle, the will to work hard is still there.” Danforth identified injuries as the most significant roadblock to the team's success, but said she knows from personal experience that with full health and strong training, eventually, they will make the necessary steps up. “That's my advice for all [my team members]: don’t give up, especially this season,” said Danforth. “It’s just a matter of time.”