Volume 59, Issue 13 march 19 - april 1, 2018 Lansing Community College’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1959
www.lcc.edu/lookout
LCC Gets Googled LCC sets deadline for better handicap access to college materials Page >>> 2
Bracket Madness: LCC students and staff make their NCAA selections Pages >>> 8 - 9
Unique new comedy, ‘Movin’ On Up’ set to illuminate Black Box Page >>> 11 The multi-colored Google sign stands between two rolling hills hailing passersby in front of the Gannon Building on LCC's main campus. Google took over GB for the “Grow with Google: Lansing” event on Friday and Saturday, March 9 and 10. For the full story, check out page 3 of this issue. To see more visuals, go to page 16.
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LCC seeks better accessibility IN BRIEF By Ashlee Buhler Associate Editor By the fall of 2019, LCC officials hope to have the college completely accessible. In order to better accommodate the community, faculty and students with disabilities, changes are expected to be made in the classroom and online. For LCC’s course management system Desire2Learn (D2L), this means a site redesign in order to provide audio descriptions for students with impaired vision. For those with impaired hearing, there will be closed captions on all videos. When it comes to reading documents online, LCC wants to make sure everybody — including people in the community, have equal access to information, according to Provost Elaine Pogoncheff. Pogoncheff said LCC has many documents that need to be recreated to ensure they can be interpreted by a reader software. “There is a reader software that can read documents online for people who are sight impaired,” Pogoncheff said. “But the PDF has to be formatted in a certain way so that the software can interpret it and read it back to the person. I had no idea — I thought a
PDF was a PDF!” Changes will also be made in classes so all students can access assignments online. “Normally in a face-to-face class you just have paper handouts,” Pogoncheff said. “But (now) they would have to put them online so somebody who needed help with interpreting it, either sight or hearing, would be able to access it electronically.” In the past, students would have to fill out paperwork in the Center for Student Access to receive special accommodations in the classroom. However, Pogoncheff said, providing accessibility for everyone at all times is an important change in culture. “Now what we’re looking at is what we call universal design,” she said. “Kind of like how our buildings are now — you don’t need a special paper to hit that button and open the door. It would be the same thing. Let’s make everything accessible so
nobody has to ask.” Introducing a universal design to the college could be beneficial to all students — even those without a disability, Pogoncheff explained. “What we find is students who don’t need an accommodation for a disability would also benefit from having the information available in multiple formats,” she said. “For example, I’m a visual learner, so if somebody gives me an essay to read I could probably make it out. But if somebody gave me some pictures that demonstrated the processes, that would help even more because I remember the picture more than I remember the words. “Some people are the other way,” Pogoncheff continued. “I had a boss once who couldn’t make any sense out of a picture — he wanted it all written out. He liked to read and that’s how his brain worked. Neither one of us has a disability, but to present the information in multiple formats can help students who prefer this kind of learning over that kind of learning.” Pogoncheff said faculty is beginning the process to provide equal accessibility now. However, the expected completion date is not until July 30, 2019.
NEWS
Board meeting slated for March 19 The next Lansing Community College Board of Trustees Meeting will be held Monday, March 19 at 6 p.m. in the Administration Building Board Room. A copy of the meeting materials can be obtained from Benita Duncan at the Board of Trustees office by calling (517) 483-5252 or emailing to duncanb@lcc.star.edu
‘Raising of America’ movie free to all The Racial Equity and Reconciliation Workgroup of the Power of We is partnering with Action of Greater Lansing to host a film screening of the documentary “The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation.” The screening will be on Saturday, March 24 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Allen Neighborhood Center, 1611 E. Kalamazoo St. It is free and open to everyone. The episode asks: Why are so many children in the richest country on the planet fairing so poorly? What are the consequences for the nation’s future? How might we do better?
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LCC, community ‘Grow with Google’ By Aaron Wilton Editor in Chief LCC’s Gannon Building became the site of the third major Grow with Google event on Friday and Saturday, March 9 and 10. “Grow with Google: Lansing” was a free two-day demonstration and workshop event featuring one-on-one coaching, tech-related lectures and skill-developing, hands-on exhibitions. The first two large-scale training events were in Indianapolis and Oklahoma City. “Grow with Google is a new initiative to help people prepare for work, find jobs and grow their career,” said Erica Swanson, the Grow with Google head of community engagement. “It’s an economic opportunity initiative that Google launched in October (of 2017) that helps people really hone their skills; especially their digital skills.” The various demo booths included Google Cardboard, Primer and a chance to make a custom emoji. Swanson said the first day of the conference was focused on business-related technology skills, while the second day was tailored for educators, showing ways technology can be used in the classroom. “Our goal is to train 1,000 people over the course of (two days),” Swanson said. The workshops on Friday were packed full with standing room only. Topics included computer coding, using data to grow, online safety and online marketing. Each destination of the Grow with Goo-
Photo by Aaron Wilton
Erica Swanson (left), director of community engagement for Grow with Google, looks on as Googler Deon Howard shows her something on his laptop in the Gannon Highway March 9.
gle tour gets a uniquely sculpted event to best provide information most desired by the area. Partnering with LCC was a big boon to the “Grow with Google: Lansing” event, according to Swanson. “Early in our conversations with leaders in and across Lansing we heard that we should come and partner closely with Lansing Community College,” she said. “We learned that you have a great space here. “We reached out and from the very be-
ginning this partnership has been extraordinary. We just think it’s the beginning of something really good.” Swanson said about 70 Googlers (Google employees) worked at “Grow with Google: Lansing.” More than half of those Googlers have Michigan roots, she added. Melvin Renfrow, a St. Johns native who works for the Michigan Supreme Court, attended the event. “(My favorite part was) finding out a lot of the resources Google has available that
are free, that I didn’t know about,” Renfrow said. “Really just learning about the availability of things that you didn’t know existed … I think that was cool.” Another event-goer, Darcie Jacobson, shared her perspective. Jacobson is originally from Massachusetts, but now lives near Novi and works as an engineer for General Motors. “So far, I really like this VR decorating thing because I’m really arts and crafts oriented,” Jacobson said. “I’m not really familiar with a lot of coding. This just kind of pulled me in.” Swanson offered a few staggering statistics about Google’s impact in Michigan. “Google is proud to call Michigan home,” she said. “We have two offices here, one in Ann Arbor and one in Birmingham-Detroit. We employ more than 600 Michiganders and we have customers everywhere throughout the state. “When we calculate the economic impact of the work of those businesses using Google tools, we see that more than $1.5 billion was generated in economic activity last year for businesses, website publishers, and non-profits. That’s in Michigan!” If community members missed the in-person event but want the chance to learn from a behemoth of the online space, there is good news: Grow with Google lives on the Internet at google.com/grow. The next Grow with Google conference is in Louisville, Ky. on Thursday, March 29.
CASE Credit Union receives numerous awards By Ashlee Buhler Associate Editor The Michigan Credit Union League has recognized CASE Credit Union for its ongoing commitment to innovation. This month, the organization was the recipient of three prestigious awards. Board Chairperson William Brewer was awarded the Credit Union Community Volunteer award; Olivia McCormick was named Youth Advocate of the Year; and the credit union as a whole was recognized with an Innovation Award. “Receiving these awards is important to CASE because it supports and furthers our mission to help people right here in our community,” said Community Development Specialist Norma McGarry. “CASE isn’t willing to accept the status quo. We want to identify needs in our community and then work to find creative and out-of-
Photo by Ashlee Buhler
Branch Manager Chatum Taylor welcomes students and staff into CASE Credit Union, located on the second floor of the Gannon Building on LCC’s main campus.
the-box solutions to meet them. “We strive to be the place where our members can achieve their financial success. We want people to know that when they walk through our doors that we will listen to their story, and that we are here to help and be a partner in their financial journey.” A CASE Credit Union branch is conveniently located on the second floor of the Gannon Building on LCC’s main campus. CASE offers a variety of services, including free checking accounts for students, saving accounts and mobile banking. The latter allows students to transfer funds and deposit checks from their cell phones. Students can also get credit cards to begin establishing credit. For students or staff who bank at a credit union other than CASE, basic transactions can still be done in the branch.
“We’re co-op, which means if they come in and they have an account at a different credit union, we have a system where we can pull up their account and do deposits and withdrawals for them,” said Branch Manager Chatum Taylor. Taylor further explained how CASE can help students with their financial needs. “We are here to help them on the right financial path to success,” she said. “We engage with the students a lot. We do STAR orientation when they first start their journey here at LCC (and we’re with them) all the way until they buy their first car or their first home. “We’re the campus credit union for them so they can get their deposits from financial aid or student loans. We want them to have a face on campus (so) if they do have those financial questions we’re here for them.”
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Reilly Gay gives nursing her best shot By Shauna Stocken Staff Writer For many students, attending LCC after high school is a way to complete general education courses while figuring out a major. LCC student Reilly Gay, 20, has known she was going to pursue a career in nursing since her senior year in high school. “Originally, I liked the health field, but I didn’t know what area of nursing I wanted to go into,” Gay said. “Then I went into a program in high school that helped expose students to a lot of different health occupations and then I just really fell in love with nursing.” According to Gay, her love for people and her compassionate nature is what motivates her to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Gay said she hopes to earn her degree from Michigan State University after completing her LCC nursing program.
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REILLY GAY Educ
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“I feel drawn to working with babies, young kids or in a career as a neonatal ICU (intensive care unit) nurse,” Gay said. “I work at a daycare right now and I just really love kids.” While this is Gay’s first year in the nursing program, she has spent the past two and a half years at LCC completing prerequisite courses to be accepted into the program. “There’s a lot of material to learn in my courses all at once, and you’re here every day,” Gay said. “My pharmacology course is especially difficult because there are lots of drugs to study.” Lori Con, nursing teaching clinician at LCC, is currently Gay’s professor in Nursing Fundamentals. Con explained that Gay is one of 64 students who was accepted into the two-year traditional track program for nursing this year. “I think that we have been an accredited program for a long time,” Con said. “I think that we really pre-
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pare students well to be a nurse with a lot of preparation.” Gay’s classmate, LCC student Ruben Shaffer, is not only in Nursing Fundamentals with Gay, but also weekly hands-on skills labs. Shaffer said being in the program allows students who want to work with one another the opportunity to find support throughout the nursing program. “Skills labs is where we’re assigned three or four different skills each week and then we go to the lab and practice them,” Shaffer said. “Our simulation labs are where we group up in a room and we basically have to work as a team in that given scenario.” Gay shared that her favorite simulation group activity thus far has been practicing injections. For more information on LCC’s nursing program and the admission process, visit the website, lcc.edu/hhs/ programs/nursing/
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Environmentalist Club offers effective change By Haneen Hammad Staff Writer The LCC Environmentalist Club, a new club at LCC, is thinking both locally and nationally by providing students an opportunity to improve themselves, as well as their environment. “The purpose of the Environmentalist Club is to provide a space for the discussion of environmental issues (especially local issues), educate ourselves and others on living sustainably, and find ways to improve our community’s environmental outlook,” said the Club President Raina Zwolinski. “In addition to meetings, where we discuss sustainability in our own lives and in the community, we have some exciting trips and volunteer opportunities in the works.” The club will meet every other Wednesday starting March 28 in A&S room 111 from 9 to 10 a.m. Field trips and volunteer opportunities take place on Friday mornings or early afternoons. “One of our main goals as an organization will be to grow and carry on years into the future,” Zwo-
Graphic by Nicole Cade
linski said. Kelsey Carey, the secretary of the Environmentalist Club, commented on the wide variety of topics
that are covered during meetings. “We're still a new club, so a lot of our meetings consist of brainstorming,” Carey said. “Every student gets to speak. “Environmentalism is such a big topic, so we discuss ideas on all levels; from minimal changes in our daily lives to governmental actions. We also cover different fields: the politics, the financial aspects, the scientific concepts, etc.” Carey said the club teaches students to be involved in their local community. “Considering recent political setbacks, American environmentalists are discouraged,” she said. “By participating in this club, we can have our concerns heard and then applied to our local government. “Our changes may start small, but recognizing the power of our voices will help us shape the future. This club has the potential to become a large platform for students to create change.” Students can contact the club president, Raina Zwolinski, at zwolinsr@mail.lcc.edu for more information.
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Submissions sought for ‘Women in Art’
Campus Commentary
By Danielle Hook Freelance Writer The Women in Art Series competition is looking for submissions from LCC students who have taken an art or photography class in the 2017-2018 fall to spring terms. Students are encouraged to participate. Participants must enter four pieces focused on women in art or having a woman’s viewpoint, as well as a short artist statement. Artist statements should be about 300 to 500 words and tell the student’s program, goals, inspiration and art medium choice. The selection committee, comprised of art faculty, community artists and Women’s History Collective members will decide two winners.
Courtesy photo
Irina Balyan’s “The Birth” silk textile drawing is displayed in the LCC Library in the TLC building.
These winners will receive $500 for their work. All mediums of artwork from drawings to textiles to photographs are eligible. Ana Mari Woehr, the Women in Art Series coordinator, explained the competition. “They (Women’s History Collective) want to support students who are committed to taking art and photography at LCC,” Woehr said. “We wanted to be supportive of our art and photography students.” The competition has been running for about three years. About 20 submissions per year is average and Woehr said she expects about the same this year. One of the 2017 winners, Irina Baly-
an, said she appreciated the competition for showing artists what they can achieve. “It is a good way to realize that your work can be noticed and valued,” Balyan said. “Your hard work is not thrown away.” Balyan still attends LCC and said she used the prize money to continue her education. Balyan said her inspiration for her piece was the Bible. Her piece, “The Birth” is a textile drawing using silk. It portrays the birth of Jesus. Woehr encourages art and photography students to submit their women-centered art and artist statement to her at woehra@lcc.edu. The deadline is Friday, March 30.
Editor in Chief Aaron Wilton and Advisor Larry Hook recently asked LCC students and staff:
What did you do during Spring Break 2018?
Eric Bennett LCC Academic Adviser
Ashley Maag Sophomore, Kinesiology
Tenaya Henderson TEC, Transfer Studies
William Sturdevant Sophomore, Sign Language
“I worked over spring break. We did some in-service training and we were open for a few hours to see students.”
“I woke (my roommates) all up and I was like ‘We’re going to go on a road trip to Detroit.’ We kind of just hung out. We were looking for the pawn shop (American Jewelry and Loan).”
“During spring break, I went to Eastern Michigan University and entered a k-pop dance competition. My group, Obsidian, consisting of me and my friend Linda, won the competition.”
“I went to Kentucky from Thursday until Sunday. I went to Cincinnati and then I went to (the) Red River Gorge and did some hiking and stuff.”
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march 19- April 1, 2018 www.lcc.edu/lookout
Success drives softball squad
File Photo
LCC sophomore Hannah Horvath makes contact with a pitch against Kellogg CC at Ranney Park last season.
Of the five sophomores mentioned, take charge as leaders once games come one that is critical to the success of LCC around and step up in situations (where) is Proctor. After we need someone winning 22 games to produce,” ProcI think we have the best last year, Proctor tor said. “I think we is poised to be the are going to come pitching staff I have had ace of aces for the out with a fire every here at LCC. pitching staff. game.” COACH MARC KIBBY Proctor said the As pivotal as the sophomores have returning sophto face the adversity head on and lead omores are, Kibby expects just as by example in critical positions. much out of his freshmen and trans“I expect the group of sophomores to fer student-athletes. A few of those
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By Brodee Gillam Sports Editor 42-15-1 overall record. 28-4 in the MCCAA West. MCCAA Western Conference Champions. MCCAA State Champions. NJCAA District I Champions. A seventh-place finish in the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series. LCC’s softball Stars checked all of those boxes last season. Heading into 2018 with only four sophomores lost from that squad, fans of LCC should be expecting much of the same success this year. Stars Head Coach Marc Kibby, who won the 2017 MCCAA Coach of the Year among other awards last season, said he is confident in his team because of how much star power LCC has on the mound. “With our pitching staff, that is one of our strong points,” said Kibby, who is entering his seventh season. “I think we have the best pitching staff I have had here at LCC. We’re going basically four deep with (starting) pitching … I basically have four number one pitchers right now.” Kibby named five sophomores who he thinks need to play well for LCC to flourish this season: pitcher Taylor VanZytveld, pitcher Connor Proctor, second basemen Hannah Horvath, outfielder Brooklyn Dolloff and outfielder Ashley Cross.
players Kibby mentioned include transfer sophomore pitcher Gabby Hoaglund, freshman third baseman Rebecca Curtis and freshman catcher/DH Sara Reinhardt. According to Kibby, Reinhardt is a great leadoff hitter for the Stars and Curtis is a ball hawk at third base. Hoaglund said she was thrilled heading into the stretch of spring break games, and said the experience should improve the Stars tremendously. “We are excited to see how well we can compete against the strong teams we have on our schedule in Florida,” Hoaglund said. “As a team we have put in a lot of hours indoors this winter, so getting outside is exciting in itself, and then we get to go play some very competitive teams. “It’s exciting that we can see everything that we have been working on, (come) together and see how well we (do) against these good teams to better prepare us when we come back and play (in the conference).” The team began action in Florida on March 3. The first scheduled home game is Saturday, March 24; a doubleheader against Muskegon Community College. The action starts at 1 p.m. at Ranney Park, near the Frandor Shopping Center.
LCC baseball team forming confident culture By Brodee Gillam Sports Editor Entering last season, the LCC baseball program was hard to take seriously. In 2016, the LCC had its first postseason appearance in over 15 years but lost in regionals. Before the 2017 season, the Stars hired Grand Ledge graduate Drew Huard to lead LCC into a bright future. Hiring Huard looks to be the turning point in this baseball program. In his first season Huard coached his way into the LCC record books. He led the Stars to the first championship of any kind last year and an overall record of 41-17. That successful momentum pushed LCC to a ninth-place finish in the NJCAA Division II World Series. And the Stars are not slowing down. This year’s freshman class is as decorated as any in the state. A few Huard mentioned by name
were starting shortstop Connor McCarron, infielder Aiden Magsig and utility player Michael Stygles. Huard said that ProBaseballReport.com ranked this year’s recruiting class num-
LCC HEAD COACH DREW HUARD
ber one in Michigan. Huard continued to explain just how impressive these freshman are. “We brought in a really strong recruiting class. Out of the freshman group that we have, we had six kids that were on the All-State Dream Team (in high school),” Huard said. “Even kids that were going to (University of) Michigan and Michigan State, we had the most representatives on our team that were in the dream team.” The two returning captain starters are sophomores center fielder Hunter Ruhstorfer and third baseman Drew Cantrell. Cantrell, who earned Region XII All-Tournament Team honors last season, said he believes each player can contribute when their number is called. “Compared to last year’s team, we are much deeper than we were,” Cantrell said. “Anyone at anytime could step in and succeed.”
Those returners know exactly what it takes to succeed at this level and have bought into Huard’s mentality and ideology. Huard said he knows how important it is to get the whole team to continue to buy into that. “What made last year so special and what I learned from last year is when (kids) come to junior college, (they) want to play right away,” Huard said. “This year we have 31 kids that could arguably start for any, especially, junior college program in the state of Michigan. Maybe we didn’t have as much talent last year, we had all 32 guys on our team that bought into our philosophy; bought into what we were preaching. “We have a philosophy in our program that: ‘It’s not me, it’s we.’ We can say that but it’s another thing for the guys to actually believe in it.”
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Stars’ men derailed, optimistic for ‘18-19 By Brodee Gillam Sports Editor Heading into the district tournament, the LCC men’s basketball team had high expectations. The Stars had won six of their last seven games and were playing their best basketball of the season. But in the first round of the district tournament on March 6, the Stars lost to Muskegon CC 93-69 in Muskegon. Even though LCC was playing great heading into the tournament, when the format is single-elimination anything can happen. And it did. LCC Head Coach Mike Ingram said even though his faith in the team was high, the odds were stacked against the Stars. “I was really confident going to the game against Muskegon,” Ingram said. “Road games are tough. Teams really get up to play Lansing Community College. I remember talking to the coach after the game and he said, ‘If we could get our team to get up for everybody the way they get up to play (LCC), they’d be unbeatable’ and it’s like that all the time. “I thought we had a shot at it.” LCC freshman Max Walz was good on both ends of the court in the loss. Walz finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Walz said he knows how LCC can improve for next year. “The way we approach the game,” Walz said. “We need to be mentally ready and prepared for every opponent, and not just go through the motions and think we can turn it on come game time.” Sophomore Josh Horford was held to five points, but affected the game in other ways. Horford outlined some expectations the Stars should have next season. “Everyone on the team likes each other and there’s no beef, so I’d say holding each other accountable, knowing their roles and trying to be the best defensive team in the state,” Horford said. Ingram said the Stars should be optimistic, but the players still need to work.
Photo by Brodee Gillam
Freshman Cameron Houston fights for a rebound on Sophomore Night, Feb. 26 in the Gannon Gym against Kellogg CC.
“These guys (are) playing together another year, so they’ll get to know each other and hopefully it’ll work out for us,” Ingram said. “We’ve got a couple
guys (who need to improve). … We got (good) guys coming back, but who’s going to mature over the spring? Who’s going to mature over the summer?”
After district loss, LCC’s women want more By Brodee Gillam Sports Editor The Stars’ women’s basketball team ended its season on a sour note. Lake Michigan College ended LCC’s hopes of a district title on March 6, beating the Stars 82-62 in Benton Harbor. LCC Head Coach Layne Ingram gave his thoughts on the loss. “I think Lake Michigan was a little more fired up and ready than we were,” Ingram said. “The one good thing (about the game) is the kids didn’t quit and they fought really hard. They
Photo by Brodee Gillam
Freshman Lexi Curtis fights for a rebound Jan. 17.
fought really hard the whole game. “It’s really hard (to win) when a team shoots 70 percent in the first half … and every shot they were throwing up was going in. On our end, that wasn’t the case.” The Stars’ leading scorers were sophomores Sarah Schultz and Kelsey Finch, with 15 and 13 points, respectively. In Ingram’s first season as head coach, the Stars tended to be inconsistent. LCC could come out of the gates firing, like sophomore Kelsey Finch did against Glen Oaks with 21 points in the first quarter, and keep it rolling.
In the blink of an eye, however, the Stars could lose that lead and force fans to put their head in their hands. Heading into next season, Ingram said the team needs the upcoming sophomores to lead the team. “I hope that the people that are going to be sophomores really lead the way with how we do things,” Ingram said. “We work hard. We’re serious. … It’s about business. You have fun when you win and you get better. “Certainly, we’ll need some height. I’m looking (to recruit) some killers out there.”
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Andrew Gasparovich, student Computer Science
“Michigan. That’s who I like and they’re doing well.”
BRACKETs are breaking!
Bukhari Sheika-Moar, student Undecided
“I have Michigan. They can shoot the ball and they got pretty good defense.”
Zackary McComber, staff Professor of Economics
“Purdue. … I’ve grown up in a Michigan State-Purdue house. It’s my mom’s turn, so the logic in my mind is Purdue.”
“I got Kentucky … I like the point guards they got coming in and shooting guards. Plus, I like the way the team organization is right now; the chemistry.”
the lookout asks: who will win?
Milus Hollingsworth, returning student Hospitality Service/Management
“Michigan State. They have a little something more to prove with all the controversy that’s gone on with Nassar. Everybody’s gunning for them.”
Molly Cummins-Freud, sophomore Business and Marketing
Dylan Terry, freshman General Education
“Villanova, because that was the school (I was planning on going to).”
"MSU. They have a great team and young guys determined to win it all."
Marc Kibby, staff LCC Softball Coach
“I’m thinking Villanova is going to win it all. I just think they have seniors, they have seniors (that have) pretty good experience; pretty good defense.”
Dalton Hilliker, third-year student General Associate Degree
“I picked Michigan State because … they are already a really good team and they have a bunch of star talent.”
“I picked MSU because that’s what (former President Barack) Obama put as his winner.”
Becky Larose, sophomore Hospitality
Marice Allen, sophomore Sports Broadcasting
"I think I'm on the Virginia bandwagon. They've been on a tear lately and I think that it's going to continue ... They're a pretty stellar team."
Tessa MacDonald, sophomore Film
www.lcc.edu/lookout
David Nadorozny, sophomore Nursing
“Michigan. They’re really hot in tournament season. Obviously, they weren’t very good in the regular season but they’ve won the Big Ten tournament two years in a row.”
Isaac Pratt, early college History
“I picked ‘Nova because they are in an easier part of the bracket, so they have an easier way to get to the finals. And then they have to play someone (good). I think they can beat either Duke or MSU or Kansas.”
The Lookout staff members recently journeyed around LCC’s main campus, asking students who they think will win the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament this spring. Designed by Nicole Cade
Austin Scaccia, sophomore Economics
“I picked Villanova because I read up on the (Las) Vegas unders-overs.”
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Holocaust center educates IN BRIEF By Sarah Barney A&E Editor On the last day before spring break, Friday, March 2, five sociology students and instructor Lori Hale traveled to the outer suburbs of Detroit to attend a performance of “The Diary of Anne Frank” and tour the Holocaust Memorial Center. The play, which was put on by the Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company in West Bloomfield, told the story of the Jewish diarist and her experience with the holocaust. Adrianna Bozzo attended the field trip, which lasted from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., for extra credit. “(The play) helped you empathize with Anne and her family to see their story brought to life,” Bozzo said. “It’s crazy how things were back then.” After the play, the group traveled to nearby Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills. There, the group was able to listen to Rene Lichtman, a survivor, tell his story of hiding with a French family to avoid detection. Afterwards, the group toured the center with museum docent Deborah Tyner. The museum covers the story of before, during and after Hitler’s rise to power. “This hatred didn’t start from the top, it started from the bottom,” Tyner explained.
Arts and Entertainment
La Batterie drums it up at Dart For the 32nd annual La Batterie event at LCC, Col. Mike Daniels and the Bash Battalion will be drumming up a storm. The event, which in the past has included up to 30 drum sets on one stage, will take place Sunday, March 25 at 3 p.m. in Dart Auditorium. Admission is free. For more information, visit https:// www.facebook.com/thebashbattalion/
‘Pentecost’ debuts at LCC March 25 Photo by Sarah Barney
Museum docent Deborah Tyner explains the use of railroad carts in transporting Jews to concentration camps to Sociology students during the field trip Friday, March 2.
“They indoctrinated people.” Bozzo talked about what she thought of the museum. “It’s hard to think that so many people just accepted what the Nazis told them,” Bozzo said. The museum tells the story of how the Third Reich sought to eliminate the Jewish people and others that were deemed unde-
sirable. “Just by surviving, the Jewish people resisted,” Tyner said. Hale will be teaching a Sociology 120 course during the summer semester that is open for enrollment. For more information on the museum and how to visit it, go to https://www.holocaustcenter.org/home
‘Movin’ On Up’ a comedy for thought By Sarah Barney A&E Editor For the first time at LCC, a student will be directing a show at the Black Box Theatre. Theatre major Heath Sartorius will be directing “Movin’ On Up” by Jeremy Kehoe starting Friday, March 30. While Sartorius is technically a theatre program alumni, he has not yet graduated from LCC. “It’s not really done; students just showing up to the Black Box and directing,” Sartorius said. “I really liked the script, so I messaged Melissa Kaplan, who produces a lot of stuff here.” Sartorius originally read the script while considering it for a different project. “When I read this script, one of the reasons I liked it was because I could imagine two of the roles immediately as people I’ve gotten to act with before,” Sartorius said. The play centers around three characters conversing in a graveyard. The char-
Photo by Sarah Barney
Director Heath Sartorious watches as Nicole Yabs, Jesse Frawley and Michael Boxleitner rehearse a scene from the upcoming “Movin’ On Up,” which will debut Friday, March 30.
acters are: a Watchman, played by Jesse Frawley; Lewis Boone, played by Michael Boxleitner; and a woman named Joan, played by Nicole Yabs. “The three characters have a very different way of thinking about life or souls or an afterlife,” Sartorius explained. Boxleitner’s character lands some-
where in the middle of the two extremes that Frawley and Yabs portray. “The thing he wants the most is freedom, to be free from his own life in a sense, having to make his own decisions,” Boxleitner said. “He gets pushed around a lot. He talks a big game, but when it comes to confrontation he runs.” While the play tackles serious topics, it also has an element of humor to it. “(The play has) very educated humor,” Boxleitner said. “I wish I could adequately describe what audiences are going to hear because it’s really funny, and it’s so intellectual it’s kind of hard to understand at first. It takes you a second to realize it.” There will be showings on Friday, March 30 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, March 31 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Black Box Theatre in the Gannon Building. Admission to the play is free but donations are welcome. For more info, go to https://www.facebook.com/LCCPerformingArts/events/
“Pentecost,” which centers on the unearthing of a fresco in an abandoned Eastern European church, will be opening with a weekend of three shows at Dart Auditorium on March 25. Directed by Chad Badgero, there will be a show at 8 p.m. on both Friday, March 25, and Saturday, March 26. Following that, there will be a show on Sunday, March 27 at 2 p.m. For more information, call (517) 483-1488 or go to https://www.lcc.edu/ ssh/events/index.aspx LCC holds ‘Global Fest’ March 21-22 LCC will hold a “Global Fest” on Wednesday and Thursday, March 21 and 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Gannon Building second floor highway. The theme of the event is “Becoming a Global Citizen.” There will be display tables that represent the topic, Global Café tables selling food from international cuisine, and presentations related to the theme. All are welcome.
Robin Theatre hosts open mic With the theme “#My Inspiration,” the Poetry Room continues its open mic nights at the Robin Theatre in REO Town every Wednesday through April 11. The doors open at 7:30 p.m. and admission is free, although donations are suggested. Online sign-up is already capped. However, individuals interested in signing up can do so after doors open the night of the event. For more information, visit https:// www.facebook.com/The517PoetryRoom/
12|a & E
march 19- April 1, 2018 www.lcc.edu/lookout
reviews
‘Fortnite’ free alternative to ‘PUBG’ By Sarah Barney A&E Editor While “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” (PUBG) popularized the battle royale style of games, “Fortnite: Battle Royale” made it accessible. “Fortnite” offers a free alternative to “PUBG.” This is its biggest selling point. The fact that the game is free means that anyone with a computer, Xbox or PlayStation 4 can play. The crafting element that “PUBG” lacks also makes “Fortnite” stand out. Some people enjoy that feature. However for others it might distract too much. “Fortnite” has a more childish appearance, with neon green grass and more cartoonish characters. However, I personally try not to judge a game solely on aesthetics.
The things that bugged me the most while playing the game were the third-person perspective and lack of
Photo from flickr.com
character customization. The lack of character customization is a small issue, but that also makes it feel
ridiculous that developers wouldn’t just add it in. I wish they would allow players to choose a base character without having to purchase skins. While I think with more practice I could figure out how to use the third-person perspective to my advantage, entering a building without being able to see anything until I’m inside frustrates me. I prefer the first person perspective and wish that, like with some other games, I could switch between first-person and third-person perspective. I think ultimately, for those seeking a more casual game to play with their friends, “Fortnite” is the right game. However, for players seeking a more realistic and longer game, “PUBG” is still a better, albeit more expensive, option.
‘Murder on the Orient Express’ re-envisioned By Aaron Wilton Editor in Chief “Murder on the Orient Express” was originally an Agatha Christie novel about the “Holmes-with-a-heart” detective Hercule Poirot. The novel was adapted for the silver screen in the 1974 film starring Albert Finney. The new “Murder on the Orient Express” hit theaters Nov. 10, 2017. It became available for purchase and Redbox rental on Feb. 27. “Murder on the Orient Express” features several big names: Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp are among them. The film is directed
by and stars Kenneth Branagh as Poirot. Branagh’s Poirot is convincing and seemingly effortless. Depp and the others fill their more minor roles very well.
The problem I had with the film was not with storyline or script, but the forced misdirection that the movie relies on. In a detective movie, viewers are always try-
Photo from nerdreactor.com
ing to think ahead of the on-screen gumshoe to guess “who done it.” “Murder on the Orient Express” purposefully leaves viewers proverbially in the dark. Other films in the genre have done a better job with misdirection techniques. Overall, the movie kept me engrossed in the characters. The storyline slowly changed from a murder mystery to an introspective investigation of the psyche. Poirot repeatedly refers to the role psychology plays in the art of crime solving. I recommend spending the $1.50 per day charge to rent “Murder on the Orient Express” from Redbox.
Olympic Broil jumps the burger bar of success By Brodee Gillam Sports Editor If you have lived in the capital area for a while, you have probably ended up at Olympic Broil at some point in your life. If not, dart over to 1320 N. Grand River Ave. in north Lansing after reading this to get one of the best burgers in town at a bargain price. As a Lansing native, I have been visiting Olympic Broil since I was old enough to put a burger in my mouth. I have never
Photo from iloveoldtown.org
been disappointed. Going across the menu, there is not a
single thing that I have tried and disliked. The crinkle-cut fries are always perfectly salted and the ketchup seals the deal. Another side that my mom and I love to get is the fried mushrooms with ranch. The fries only cost $1.29 for a small and $2.49 for a large, while the fried mushrooms are $2.49. But the bargain is in the main items. A single hamurger is only 89 cents and, if you want cheese, it is only an extra 20 cents.
My personal favorites are the gyro meal (medium fries and drink), quarter-pound bacon cheeseburger meal and the six-piece chicken strip meal with the buffalo sauce. The meals are usually only 50 cents to a dollar more than just the sandwich, making it hard to pass up. If you’re taking yourself or you are taking your family of four, you will not be disappointed by this local eatery, which has been in business since 1974.
13|distractions
MARCH 19 - April 1, 2018 www.lcc.edu/lookout
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14|opinion
march 19 - APRIL 1, 2018 www.lcc.edu/lookout — if you wil—
Family cat lives to fluff another day Two issues ago I filled readers in on the current situation for my cat Fluffy. In short, he has lost weight due to a heightened metabolism caused by an imbalance of hormones from the thyroid gland. I am happy to report that Fluffy has definitely gained some weight back and is acting more like his old self. Fluffy’s weight was down to about 7.8 pounds. He is now at 8.4 pounds. That’s a significant gain of nearly a pound. He has also been more playful. Fluffy is a rather unique cat in some of the things he does. For instance, he has been known to play fetch and he won’t pass up the op-
Aaron wilton editor in chief
wiltona@lcc.edu
portunity to eat an olive slice if you offer it. My mom and dad each played fetch with him during the last week on the same day. Fluffy has a favorite peach-colored foam ball which (1) he will pick up and carry around while meowing repeatedly.
He will do that until (2) somebody says “Come ‘ere!” Then he will happily trot over and drop the ball about 10 feet in front of them. After the ball is thrown, Fluffy will (3) chase it and start batting it around before getting ahold of it again and repeating steps one and two. All of that goes to say Fluffy is a bit less focused on food and a little more playful like he used to be. Our hope is that our 17-year-old cat can live comfortably for as long as he wants to stay. We’re pretty sure he likes us almost as much as we like him.
FLUFFY THE CAT
— through ashlee’s eyes —
General education classes seem pointless
I can’t be the only college student who has thought about how pointless general education classes are. This semester, I’m taking three classes, none of which relate to my major, and I’m feeling more stressed than ever trying to maintain a good grade in each class. The stress would be justifiable if I needed the information in these classes again at some point in my life, but I’m pretty confident that I won’t. I’m majoring in journalism and I think I will be able to do my job just fine without knowing the Pythagorean Theorem or the layers of the ocean. In my opinion, students should not be re-
quired to take classes in college that cover material they have already learned in high school unless it pertains to their major. For example, Composition I and II are required classes that make sense for me to take as a writer. Even though I already learned a lot of the information in high school, it doesn’t totally pain me to have to do it again in college because it relates to my chosen career path. A person who plans on majoring in engineering could probably survive in their field merely with the knowledge they acquired in their composition classes from high school.
ashlee Buhler Associate editor
buhlera@lcc.edu
What is the point of a high school diploma if you are required to essentially relearn everything you learned in high school the second you get to college? More importantly, why do students have to pay money
to learn these things again (or learn them more in-depth) when they will not be useful for their careers? I think it is good to be diverse and have knowledge in a variety of subjects, but most students come to college already knowing the basics. They learned in high school how to write an essay, how to give a presentation or how to do basic math. I can’t help but feel it would be more beneficial to spend those first two years of college studying more thoroughly for my major. Instead, I’m just cramming information into my brain and stressing over grades for classes I will never use again in my life.
— STOCKEN SPEAKS —
Violence in our schools: where is the love? Terror hit close to home for me with the recent school shooting at Central Michigan University and bomb threats at Bath Middle School and my kid’s school, Bath Elementary. With school shootings across America increasing and students protesting for gun control, I wonder, where is the love? How did the discontent start? For some students, fake bomb threats are a way for foolish students to avoid school. School shootings have become a solution to personal issues for students who are disturbed and or mentally ill. In my Ferris State University course, “Business Ethics and Social Responsibili-
SHAUNA STOCKEN STAFF WRITER
stockens@lcc.edu
ty,” our class was asked to pick from two topics on which to write opinion pieces. One of these is a New York (NY) law designed to punish parents of bullying children. In October of 2017, a law was established holding parents accountable for their child’s repetitive offensives at school. The
NY law punishes parents with fines, or even jail time, for escalated bullying situations. Some of my classmates stated how they don’t believe the law is fair. They said children who bully should solely be held accountable. But when in-school punishments and suspensions don’t correct negative behavior, could a looming jail sentence for parents right these wrongs? Could parents being held accountable for their children’s actions help reverse the hatred in schools that generates bullied classmates who come to school with weapons? Gun control laws are only one aspect of why in-school violence is occurring. Which
begs my question again: where is the love? Children who bully students in schools are at risk for future criminal and antisocial behavior. This is not to mention, the United States doesn’t deserve to lose even one more child to gun violence. This is a situation too serious to ignore; one that I believe can be improved by troubled students and their parents both being equal in punishment. Schools are designed to educate students, not raise them. Parents, take responseabilty for the way you do, or do not, raise your children. Remember, being a parent comes first over being a friend.
15|opinion
march 19- April 1, 2018 www.lcc.edu/lookout — staff editorial —
Teachers need supplies, not guns Every time there is a school shooting, the idea to either post armed guards or arm school faculty enters the debate. The Lookout staff sternly opposes the concept of arming schoolteachers and expecting them to defend students in a hostile threat situation. We know that many teachers work in underfunded schools with barely enough paper to print assignments, or in schools that can’t provide tissues during cold and flu season. Twitter was alight with various retweets and comments on the $67 million budget proposal that came out of the Republican-controlled Florida Senate Appropriations Committee. The proposal was designed to establish a program for teachers to get weapons training and be supplied with guns. Meanwhile, Kyle Parrow, a senior from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High
PRIORITIZING THE BUDGET
Cartoon by Sarah Barney
School (MSD), tweeted about MSD’s lack of regular supplies. MSD is where 17 students were killed in the recent school shooting. “At one point in the school year, Douglas ran out of paper for more than a week,” Parrow tweeted. “Teacher’s couldn’t print tests, worksheets or homework. But, they can throw down 67 million to arm teachers.”
If the budget is as bad at MSD as this tweet makes it sound, the state should be approving bigger budgets for everyday functions of schools, not arming them to the teeth. In yet another bumbling attempt to create effective gun-control legislature, New York passed the “assault weapons ban,” which, according to Florida Senator Marco Rubio, is leaving massive
—
Who is your Biggest role model? ashlee buhler
editor in chief
Associate editor buhlera@lcc.edu
gillamb@lcc.edu
barneys2@lcc.edu
stockens@lcc.edu
hammadh@lcc.edu
“David Draiman, Disturbed”
“Aly Raisman, Olympic Gymnast”
“Bill Simmons, The Ringer”
“Bob Ross, Iconic Painter”
“Nora Ephron, Writer”
sports editor
sarah barney
A&E editor
shauna stocken
the lookout staff —
Aaron wilton
wiltona@lcc.edu
brodee gillam
staff writer
loopholes. Rubio was featured heavily on CNN with video clips from a Florida town hall meeting where the father of a dead student read him the riot act. Rubio stumbled again in his replies to the man’s questions and lost the favor of the entire room. All of this goes to illustrate that pleasing grieving parents who want drastic steps taken is not easy. Being a politician responsible for answering all of these concerns is not easy. Establishing effective gun-control in a nation full of gun users and wounded families is not easy. Arming teachers will not reduce violence in schools. Banning “assault weapons” will not reduce violence in schools. The Lookout staff feels that the fires of debate must be quenched and the fresh wounds must be healed before productive discussion can occur.
haneen hammad
nicole cade
larry hook
staff writer
lead paginator caden@lcc.edu
hookl@lcc.edu
“Linda Sarsour, Women’s Activist”
“Halsey, Pop Artist”
“Alan Trammell, Detroit Tigers”
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16|LAST LOOK
march 19 - april 1, 2018 www.lcc.edu/lookout
The Gannon Commons are almost unrecognizable after being transformed into an exhibition area for “Grow with Google: Lansing,� held March 9 and 10. Dozens of visitors from across the state check out the various information booths, including Primer and Google Cardboard.
Photos by Aaron Wilton
Google spreads the wealth
Googler Marti Clark provides information about IT support to Grow with Google visitor and Capital Area District Library Employee Courtney T. in the Gannon Commons.
More than 100 people attend the "Get Started with Code" workshop in the Michigan Room, the largest room in the newly finished Conference Services area in the Gannon Building.
Grow with Google attendees Isabella (left) and her mother Tiffany Carpenter work to decorate a free Google Cardboard. The event provided unique stickers, markers, colorful tape and stencils for visitors to create a custom design.