Arches Fall 2015
Discover
Your Authentic Self Adult Coloring Books 16 | $20 Fashions 10 | Creative Works 18
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
STAFF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brittany Seemuth
ART DIRECTOR Sophie Beck
WEBSITE MANAGER Shannon Molter
G
et ready to be the best version of yourself. The unifying theme in this issue is just that – become the best you possible. Our cover story, “Discovering Your Authentic Self ” on page 12, gives guidance on this theme. Reporter Megan Ivanyos interviewed campus experts in philosophy, theology and anthropology and crafted a set of tips. Some of the tips are easier said than done, such as “learn to accept the apology that was never given” and “allow pain to make you stronger”— but practice makes progress. Being the best version of yourself not only requires you to look inside of yourself, but also to consider how your outer style is reflected. On-staff fashionistas Samantha Mandich and Nhung Nguyen journeyed to the fashion goldmine, Value Village, to score the latest trends in fall fashion. Each look was put together for less than $20. We cannot forget to be our best selves at school and at home. In her column “Horsin’ Around,” Shannon Venegas reflects on our busy lives and the pressure to constantly work. Venegas writes, “It’s almost become a sort of competition. If you aren’t busy, you’ve become lazy. You’re not working hard enough.” Isn’t there so much truth in that sentiment? If I were honest with myself, while my general stress level is always pretty high because I work two jobs, attend school full-time and am preparing to graduate, I am proud to be busy. I often think I would not want it any other way – this crazy life where I go weeks without seeing my family and without sleeping properly has become so normal to me, that I now accept it as a state of happiness. Now is the time to change that perception.
Editor-In-Chief seemuthb@mtmary.edu
BUSINESS MANAGER Nhung Nguyen
SECTION EDITORS Christina Samantha Carayannopoulos Mandich Shannon Molter Samantha Mandich Nhung Nguyen WRITERS Christina Carayannopoulos Shannon Molter Emily Chapman Nhung Nguyen Megan Ivanyos Brittany Seemuth Hayley Hove Shannon Venegas Samantha Mandich CONTRIBUTING WRITER Victoria Ostergaard DESIGNERS Sophie Beck Brigit Kreienkamp Emily Chapman Sheila Suda Natalie Guyette Dalas Xiong Denisse Hernandez PHOTOGRAPHERS
Sophie Beck Samantha Mandich
Nhung Nguyen Brittany Seemuth
FACULTY ADVISERS Linda Barrington Laura Otto Arches is written and edited by the students of Mount Mary University, who are solely responsible for its editorial content. Arches is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press.
Contact Arches at Arches, Mount Mary University 2900 N. Menomonee River Pkwy. Milwaukee, WI 53222 414-930-3027 Email: mmu-arches@mtmary.edu Stay updated at www.archesnews.com
COVER DESIGN BY SOPHIE BECK
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CONTENTS | FALL 2015
3 LIVING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
10
FALL FASHION TREND’S FOR LESS THAN $20
22
BLUE ANGELS TAKE THE FAIRWAY
WHY WE’RE NOSTALGIC
CREATIVE WORKS
8 18 27
LIFE IN AN INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE
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The Women Behind the Magazine
Brittany Seemuth
Sophie Beck
Editor-in-Chief English / Communication May 2016
Art Director Graphic Design May 2016
Christina Carayannopoulos
Natalie Guyette
Creative Works Editor English December 2015
Writer / Designer English / Spanish May 2017
Shannon Molter Website Manager Communication / English December 2015
Nhung Nguyen
Samantha Mandich
Business Manager Fashion Journalism / Communication May 2017
Art, Review Editor Fashion Merchandise / Business May 2017
Brigit Kreienkamp
Dalas Xiong
Designer Art Therapy December 2015
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Designer Graphic Design May 2016
Megan Ivanyos
Hayley Hove
Shannon Venegas
Writer English May 2016
Writer Fashion Merchandise / English / Business May 2017
Writer Writing / English Education May 2017
Archesnews.com
Denisse Hernandez
Emily Chapman
Designer Art Therapy / Fine Art May 2017
Designer / Writer English / Art / Spanish May 2017
“Vive la révolution!”
Living the French Revolution Words Denisse Hernandez | Design Sophie Beck “We currently live in poverty; people are dying from starvation. The best days are only made of bread.” This is not the description of a third world country. This is life in France in 1790, as lived by 10 students and two professors in the French Revolution/Literary Romanticism class. Students dress to represent the characters from that period. The class incorporates both lecture and role play to educate students on the causes and outcomes of the French Revolution. History professor Julie Tatlock and English professor Paula Reiter collaborated to create and team teach this course. “It’s a class where you can participate and even change the course of history,” Amanda Fahrendorf said. She plays the character of Barere, a Feuillant who attempts to please both the royalists and the Jacobins who want revolution. The reenactment resembles a game. It begins as a normal recreation of history; however, there is a catch. The class’s revolution does not follow the exact historical timeline. Each group must compete to reach the goals of its own personal agenda. Students must create speeches, overcome situations and form alliances to win the game. “The most challenging part of this class is being able to respond to speeches or writings in the voice of your character,” student Virginia Mull said. “You don’t always have preparation time because you are immediately responding to a topic that was just addressed.” Each class requires preparation and planning to achieve the goals of the group to which each character belongs. “In this class, the French Revolution comes to life,” Fahrendorf said. “Plus we get to dress in costume and have accents, so it’s really fun!” The professors have provided some of the accessories and costume pieces; however, some students take this opportunity to a whole new level, bringing their own attire that matches the characters they are playing and creating mannerisms or accents that contribute to the immersion experience. Some students have created their own accessories and one student, Courtney Lehmann, has even sewn her own costume. [Reporter Denisse Hernandez is a member of this class. ]
For every class students come dressed as historical characters from the French Revolution, ready to role play events and situations. Virginia Mull plays the character of Bailly, Amanda Fahrendorf plays Barere and Selene Brown plays Abby Sieyes. All three characters are from a politically moderate group called the Feuillants.
Carrying a cross and pointing to a picture of Jesus, Maury is played by Courtney Lehmann. Although the professors provided most of the costumes, Lehmann made her own. Elissa Paulkner, on the right, plays Cazalès, a Royalist. At left, Kathryn Davis plays the part of Hérault, one of the Jacobins, a group who supports the Revolution. Davis provided her own wig and other costume details. Photos provided by Julie Tatlock
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CAMPUS
and Leadership the Law
Professionals give advice to Mount Mary students Words Christina Carayannopoulos | Design Denisse Hernandez If you’ve seen a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice wandering the halls of Mount Mary University, it isn’t because she’s conducting research for her latest court case. She’s part of a lineup of high-profile guest speakers for the University’s new Leadership and the Law class. Instructor and Milwaukee litigator Michael Gonring has secured speakers such as Dawn Caldart, director of pro bono services at the national law firm Quarles & Brady; Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler; and Milwaukee County board supervisor Pat Jursik, to name a few. The majority of Gonring’s career has been spent practicing product liability and counseling clients in order to reduce legal action. His goal for the course is to expose students to the different facets of the justice profession.
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“We’re trying to inspire them [students],” Gonring said. “The hope is that they get a lesson from each one of the people that they hear live and read about that they can apply somewhere down the road.” His position as an instructor is a career first for him. “I came to the faculty meeting before the first week of class and it was neat to look around and be in the minority for the first time in my life,” Gonring said. “It might’ve been one of the nuns that came up to me afterwards and said, ‘Are you our new police officer?’” Gonring is no stranger to Mount Mary, as he supports the university’s LOTUS Legal clinic, which offers free legal services and is “the first clinic in Wisconsin that focuses on victims of crimes, broadly, and trafficking victims in particular,” according to the Mount Mary website.
Gonring has also had the opportunity to work with Mount Mary alumnae within the law profession. During his career as a litigator, he did everything from being a trial lawyer to conducting liability counseling. “I knew that Mike [Gonring] had created, really, and run for many, many years, the most successful pro bono legal services operation located in a law firm [Quarles & Brady], in the city of Milwaukee and probably in the whole state of Wisconsin,” said Dr. Rachel Monaco-Wilcox, justice department chair. Although Gonring has retired from the Quarles & Brady firm, he will continue his service to the community by giving seminars and teaching, among other things. Leadership and the Law is a three-credit hybrid course, split between guest speakers and the students working on their own, studying and writing about professionals within the law. “I wanted them to be able to study other woman leaders, not local, who have made a strong impact on the legal profession,” Gonring said. The course is similar to a mentor program, where the students can see the different career paths that
legal professionals have taken as well as help them develop the confidence needed to enter the workforce. “Because justice is still, to this day, a fairly maledominated field, I know that they need strong male mentors that understand women,” Monaco-Wilcox said. Although Leadership and the Law is a course geared toward students seeking a career in the justice system, there are still pointers that can be taken away for all professions. “Listen first and really authentically,” MonacoWilcox said. “Know how to set your agenda aside in favor of simply appreciating who it is that’s giving you their time and attention.” Listening before answering isn’t the only tip that is intended for students to take away from this course. “I think about when I would interview law students … just like with a male interviewee, it was, ’Did they look you in the eye when they talked to you and did they have a firm handshake?” Gonring said. “You’d be surprised at how far a woman can go with a firm handshake.”
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The Second Sex on Campus
Men share why they enrolled at Mount Mary Words Nhung Nguyen | Design Denisse Hernandez Have you ever spotted a guy in the bookstore and assumed he must be your new professor? Guess again, this could be one of the 64 male grad students on campus this semester. Of those 64, I sat down with five to discuss their interests and what inspired them
Jereme Wade started at Mount Mary after his friends pressured him to go back to graduate school for a Masters of Business Administration. Wade is an insurance underwriting consultant, working at Northwestern Mutual. He noticed parallels between the culture shift within his line of work and concepts explained in his class. He has been in the industry for 17 years and wanted to keep himself current in a changing field.
to attend Mount Mary University. Each of these five represent a segment of male students in the graduate programs on campus, and they all have non-traditional backgrounds.
“People I talk to complain about change in the industry,” Wade said. “We’re not the only ones; everyone is doing it. If you don’t do it [evolve], then you’re irrelevant. You don’t want to be like Blockbuster. Netflix put them out of business. You have to be innovative and react to the market.” “I think it is beneficial for students to have a Catholic education,” Kim said. “I would encourage my daughter to go to Mount Mary. I would also encourage men to go, specifically for the English program.”
Brian Lathrop commutes to Mount Mary from Madison. While in the military, he was encouraged to go back to graduate school for occupational therapy. He works in a hospital psychiatric unit and is certified in nursing. He likes Mount Mary’s personalized application process which serves as a way to make sure everyone is here for the right reason. He did not know that the undergraduate student population was all female until he was accepted into the program.
“It [the demographics] didn’t change my opinion of the school at all,” Lathrop said. “Regardless of gender, we are all here with the same goal of obtaining a higher education.”
“While walking through Notre Dame Hall and seeing all the artwork, I felt immediately inspired,” Parrish said. “It was a place I could come and create.”
Corwin Holzman-Crass takes a creative writing class on Saturdays in the English graduate program. He teaches at Blackbelt Leadership Academy, a martial arts school down the street from Mount Mary. The proximity of the campus encouraged him to attend. He hopes to publish a novel and was encouraged when he found out many professors on campus were publishing.
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Daniel Kim is working on his Master of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing. With a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration already completed, he returned to school to learn how to write and ultimately publish a novel. His short story, “Whisper in a Bubble,” was published on a creative site, “Faith, Hope, and Fiction.”
“It’s a really nice campus and I like the setup,” Holzman-Crass said. “It was one of the things that drew me in. I tell people that it looks like Hogwarts, so they get pretty excited.”
Rob Parrish is originally from Illinois and works in finance at GE. He fell in love with Mount Mary almost immediately while visiting campus. Parrish expresses a strong desire for Mount Mary to create a Master of Fine Arts degree; his goal is to become a professor, teaching creative writing. He has future plans to start an online literature magazine.
Laundry Unloaded Students Say Coins Are a Wash Words Emily Chapman | Design Emily Chapman
Mount Mary University provides six coin-operated washers and six coin-operated dryers to residents of Caroline Hall. Other colleges and universities in the Milwaukee area have moved away from coin-operated laundry and are using a card system or making it free. According to Erich Zeminetz, director of residence life, Mount Mary is currently under a contract with a thirdparty company that services the machines. This does not mean that Mount Mary has not been considering other options.
Marc Belanger, director of information technology, said that Mount Mary has evaluated one-card systems. Within the next six to twelve months, they will evaluate them again. A one card system provides a central database for managing the users and accounts that permit student I.D. cards to be used in multiple locations. An anonymous survey was emailed to residents to gather their opinions on laundry services provided to them: 50 residents responded.
Paying With Student I.D. Cards
School
Type of Payment
UW Milwaukee
card
Marquette University
coins, dollar bills or card
Alverno College
coins
Cardinal Stritch University
coins
Wisconsin Lutheran College
free
Milwaukee School of Engineering
card
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
card
Concordia University
free
Paying a Laundry Services Fee
Prefer It (66%)
Prefer It (22%)
Do Not Prefer It (20%)
Do Not Prefer It (54%)
Neutral (14%)
Neutral (22%)
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Why We’re Nostalgic Words Victoria Ostergaard | Design Emily Chapman
Over the past few years, old treasures are reemerging again. Cartoons from the ’80s, such as “Jem and the Holograms” and “G.I. Joe,” are now being remade into cinematic movies. Popular characters such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Indiana Jones and the Star Wars heroes are being reincarnated as Legos, while television shows such as “Full House” and “Boy Meets World” from the ’90s are getting sequel series a whole decade later.
jack’
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The trend has made its way to fashion, too. Styles such as the hippiestyle boho dresses or Converse shoes are in shopping malls everywhere. Michael Spoden, a collector of retro ’90s items, sees the concept of nostalgia as a way to respect art, especially in television shows, movies and video games. “With these remakes of old shows and movies, sometimes you can look and see that it was only made to be a cash cow,” Spoden said. “But then
there are those movies that you know the director respected the art and the original content.” Spoden said the director just wants to share his vision with others and hopes the new generation will like the same thing he once did. “This can be applied to not just movies, but other things that we see that are coming back now,” he said. Dr. Laurel End, psychology professor and chair of the psychology department at Mount Mary University, said people have a cognitive bias to reminisce. “From a cognitive perspective, we do tend to remember more positive events because we have a positivity bias in our memories,” End said. “In some cases with reminiscing, because we focus on the positive, it makes the world seem like it’s a better place and allows us to escape a little bit from our immediate situation.” Dr. Mary Lonergan-Cullum, a psychology professor at Mount Mary, said present-day television show creators try to remind us of the past to reinforce the idea that we are not so different today. “Even when they reinvent television shows ... they also try to modernize it and make a bridge between the past and the future,” LonerganCullum said. “I think that is creative in terms of
making those connections and seeing how we’re not so different from our historical counterparts.” End said being nostalgic can provide you with new perspectives on the past and the present, giving you ideas about how to inspire change. “Bridging the past with the present can result in some really creative things,” End said. Spoden said nostalgia is a neverending cycle. “People are always going to bring back old things,” Spoden said. “We get attached because it’s just like procreation. It gives us a sense of continuity and immortality. So when you see something that is old and related to you, you have a sense that a part of yourself will always continue.”
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FASHION
Fa l l Fa s h i o n Tre n d s f o r Words Samanda Mandich | Photos Samantha Mandich, Nhung Nguyen | Design Sheila Suda
Grunge Garden This look unifies the trends of the ’70s bohemian and the ’90s grunge! Add the over-sized, men’s button-up in a beautiful shade of purple with a floral skirt and you have the perfect outfit for a relaxing fall day.
T
he leaves are changing, the air is brisk and most fashioncrazed people have sweater fever! Fall fashion is a favorite among many because it is the epitome of comfy and cute. Sweaters, leggings, boots, scarves and tights are some pieces that can reflect the season’s traditional warm hue and earth tone looks. The best part about planning fall fashion is finding key pieces on a college student’s budget. The following outfits were styled at Value Village on 3100 E. Layton Ave. in St. Francis for less than $20 and are perfect for this season. Value Village, a chain of secondhand thrift stores, features a gold mine of unique items. The best part? Each day of the week has different specials, such as half off all clothing items!
The Falling Leaves A popular feature of fall is the changing leaves from green to beautiful warm hues of red, orange and yellow. Who knew that leaves look just as beautiful on a blazer as they do on the trees? Layered with a laced silk slip and fitted maroon skirt, this look will make you even more obsessed with fall.
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Less than $20 Not-So-Ugly Sweater Who says “ugly” sweaters are just for Christmas? This sweater is comfortable, casual and fun. With its leaves and pumpkin graphics, it will immediately put you in the fall spirit!
A Little Twist on the Little Black Dress Every girl needs a little black dress. For fall, we wanted to layer up this classic item. Add accessories to this look, such as scarves, statement necklaces, bright clutches or dangling earrings.
A Modern Day Detective Trench coats are not just for detectives or men This outfit takes a normally masculine trench coat and gracefully turns it feminine with its soft tan color and puckered shoulders. It’s the perfect amount of warmth for the brisk fall air.
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IN-DEPTH SELF
Discovering Y
Words Megan Ivanyos | Design Sophie Beck
“What doesn’t kill you, CAN make you stronger, it’s a choice.” - Sister Joan Penzenstadler 12
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Your Authentic
It
happens when you least expect it. You might be driving home from class, looking over at your friend or reading a book, when you suddenly realize that a small part of you has changed. You are no longer the same person you were a moment ago — you have a better understanding of yourself, the world around you or the people you care about.
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IN-DEPTH SELF
These moments of clarity will happen throughout your life, and while you might not immediately realize it, they shape and mold you into your authentic self. Personal growth is a process, however, that comes with experience and time. You have to be open to change. Four Mount Mary University professors, an administrator and a student share stories about their own journeys to self-awareness, and in the process, offer tips and advice for discovering the true “you.” Allow Pain to Make You Stronger Sister Joan Penzenstadler, vice president for mission and identity, covers her face with her hands, then peaks over the top of her fingers. She recalls a quote that had a profound effect on her: “I love the thing I wish had not happened.” It is from an interview with Stephen Colbert in August 2015’s GQ magazine. He is referring to the tragic car accident that killed his father and two brothers. The idea of acceptance and meaning in the worst situations had a profound impact on Penzenstadler. “What doesn’t kill you, CAN make you stronger,” Penzenstadler said. “It’s a choice.” Penzenstadler said years may pass before something viewed as negative can be seen as positive. For example, she had always felt her brother was her mother’s “favorite.” In adulthood, she realized the benefit it was to her. With less attention, she wasn’t under as much pressure from her mother as her brother was. “I had a freedom that he never had,” Penzenstadler said. Penzenstadler said much can be learned from the darker times of life. “I feel like the spiritual journey I have been on is wild and uncharted territory,” Penzenstadler said. “Find out how much happens in the complexities and muddiness of life where the sacred is found.” Share Ideas, Experiences with Others Every time Dr. Jennifer Hockenberry-Dragseth teaches Search for Meaning, a class that every Mount Mary student is required to take, she learns something new and different about herself. Hockenberry-Dragseth, philosophy professor and chair of the department, described Mount Mary’s mission and core curriculum as unique and holistic. “In every wheel of the curriculum you will be growing and
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deepening your understanding of who you are and of your world,” Hockenberry-Dragseth said. Hockenberry-Dragseth said after taking Search for Meaning, students are more open to sharing ideas and experiences related to texts in all of their classes. “That constantly changes the way I see the text and the idea, and even the lenses that I look at the world,” Hockenberry-Dragseth said. Learn to Accept the Apology That Was Never Given Celsy Powers-King, philosophy club president, recalls a time of personal growth before coming to Mount Mary. One night, her best friend shared a Robert Brault quote: “Life gets easier when you accept an apology you never got.” “What haven’t I apologized for that maybe hurt somebody that they didn’t bring to my attention?” PowersKing asked. “What does it mean to be able to move on from something that you never got closure from or an apology from?” She continues to get a deeper understanding of what the quote means as the years pass. “[It] changed my outlook on people and their interactions with one another,” she said. “It also made me look at myself.” Don’t Fear Time Dr. Jennifer Laske, professor of theology, said her view on life changed after a long stretch in college. “I spent many years dreading getting older,” Laske said. Eventually she was freed of this worry. Laske said time has helped her learn from experience and deepen relationships that she wouldn’t trade for fewer wrinkles. “Everybody has some self-esteem issues,” Laske said. “In your ’20s, I think you deal with the baggage from growing up and you just have to transcend it. Hear me, everybody who’s listening. It’s much better when you get older.” Be Open to New Experiences, Ideas Sister Joan Poehlman, associate professor of anthropology, wonders how anyone can be bored when there is so much to learn about the world. She recalled a time when the School Sisters of Notre Dame offered her a graduate
opportunity when she was a young teacher in a field she was unfamiliar with. “I had no idea what anthropology was,” Poehlman said. “I couldn’t think of a good reason for saying no.” She accepted the offer and her life changed forever. “One time saying ‘yes’ was a gift for the rest of my life,” Poehlman said. Pay Attention to the World Around You Dr. Joan Braune, assistant professor of philosophy, has been an activist for social justice since she was young. One year, she took an alternative spring break to Mexico, where she experienced the harsh realities of third world poverty. “[There is] something about seeing real third world poverty and talking to people that just gives a certain reality to world poverty that you don’t experience if you only see it on television,” Braune said. She described her reaction as “more than just pity.” “There’s a really huge world out there and people that just endure things that I can’t possibly understand,” Braune said. “It should trouble you a bit, but it’s more than just ‘I feel sorry for you.’” Be In the Moment According to Poehlman, curiosity is a gift. Allowing yourself to be curious and explore new opportunities for growth will enable you to be more self-aware and true to yourself. “There’s so much to think about and learn,” Poehlman said. “It’s a wonderful gift to wonder.” Poehlman recalled a moment in graduate school when she was walking home after a biology lesson about evolution. She took a moment to pay attention to the rustle of the trees, the delicate song of the birds and the cacophony of nature. “Just paying attention to nature helped me to say, ‘But I’m part of that too, everything living,’” Poehlman said. “I had a sense of connection to everything that I had never had before.” Take time to ask “why” or “why not,” she advised. “It opens a door for believing that there is something to learn,” Poehlman said.
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ART
Be a Kid Again: Color your Stress Away Words Shannon Molter | Photo Brigit Kreienkamp | Design Brigit Kreienkamp
Children may need to start hiding their crayons from their parents. More and more adults are picking up coloring in their free time, but they aren’t coloring in your average coloring book – they are coloring in books made specifically for adults. Adult coloring books are a new phenomenon, filling best-seller lists across the world. Most feature intricate drawings or geometric shapes, which when colored can cause a relaxing effect for the artist. Laurel End, Ph.D., chair of the psychology department at Mount Mary University, has purchased an adult coloring book, and believes it is a great tool for busy adults to de-stress. “From a therapeutic perspective, it is a meditative technique by taking the artist’s focus away from their troubles,” End said. “It is also a great way to get people to detach from technology.” Ellie Rose, a 2007 graduate from the Mount Mary fine art program, is now the CEO of GeroStart Inc., a company that hires art therapists to work with older adults with cognitive disabilities. Rose believes adult coloring books can be a resource for a form of art therapy, but they are not the only option for people. “Adult coloring books are a great tool to get us to a place of creativity, but they aren’t a cure,” Rose said. Rose said a student may find some benefits by coloring in an adult coloring book. “Coloring could be nothing but helpful for a stressed student,”
These coloring books can be found at Barnes and Noble. Prices range from $3.99 to $12.99.
Rose said. “After completing a coloring book a student could find a sense of accomplishment, which would help set them up to succeed.” You can even find an adult coloring book in Mount Mary’s Barnes and Noble bookstore. “The Mindfulness Coloring Book” by Emma Farrarons is less than $10, and contains “anti-stress art therapy for busy people.”
a
Let your creative juices flow! Color the opposite page, write your name and email address on a separate piece of paper and staple it to the colored page and submit it to the Arches mailbox by Friday, Nov. 6. The most creative entry will win an adult coloring book!
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Illustration by Brigit Kreienkamp
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e v i t a e Cr s k r o W
ART
Dalas Design
g
C. Xion
Fiction
The Check Out By Suzanne Bell
“I’m not the kind of person who starts a conversation in a grocery store, but I couldn’t help but comment on how this old man was handling the melons in the produce section,” said the woman in front of me with eighteen items in the “Ten Items or Less” lane. She had turned to talk to me about what she’d just said to the checker, ”Did you see him?” I had seen him, but being hungry and a bit miffed about those eight extra items I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk to her about it. “I saw him,” said the woman behind me whom no one had asked. “He totally creeped me out the way he lingered on each melon, my kids just stared at him, I had to let them go to the candy aisle to get them away from that pervert.” A bag of Red Vines featured prominently in her nine items. I was picking out a container of blueberries when I noticed him feeling the skin of the honeydew melons. His hands, palms down flush against the melons, smoothed over every inch of the fruit, when he came to the end of one melon he just rolled over onto the next. And he didn’t stop when he got to the end of
SUZANNE BELL
is a graduate student in Mount Mary’s Creative Writing program. In addition to the business writing she does in her role as a utility process analyst, she’s been published in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Suzanne lives in Waukesha with her husband and dog, and has two grown children.
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This section is where we feature your work. We accept artwork, photography, poetry and short prose. We are giving a voice to the student body of Mount Mary University.
the honeydews, he kept going over the cantaloupes. I headed to the dairy section before he reached the grapes. There was a small commotion near the exit, we all looked up to see a flustered young woman leading the old man out of the store, “I don’t know how you even got in here without your cane!” she said as he felt along the floor with his red-tipped, white cane. “Oh my god he’s blind,” said Red Vines, “I feel so bad for what I said about him.” I was glad I hadn’t joined in their conversation, people can be so judgmental.
Acrylic Paintings
ANGELA MAE PARKER
was born in Park Ridge, Illinois. Parker has always used art as a self-expression and a meditation ever since she could hold a colored marker. She works with concepts that she believes can build a better world and a deeper realization of life. Parker is currently studying art and art therapy.
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ART
Fashion Design
JESSIKA J.
has been sewing since high school. She describes her work as whimsical. She calls herself a daydreamer and has been inspired by the fairytales that have been told to me since she was young.
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DUYEN NGUYEN
3-D Art
I major in fashion design, but I have a lot of passion in art. I took fine art as a minor to satisfy my crave of making art.
IRELAND Winter 2017
FRANCE Paris, Fashion Winter 2017
SPAIN Summer 2016
email Nan Metzger at metzgern@mtmary.edu for more information
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SPORTS Golf Becomes Seventh Sport on Campus
BLUE ANGELS TAKE THE FAIRWAY Words Hayley Hove | Design Natalie Guyette
“Once I get into my back swing, I forget everything – all
that matters is my driver hitting the ball. I power through my swing, and the ball goes soaring through the air and when it lands in the middle of the fairway, I feel very accomplished and proud.” -Michelle Argenzio
M
ichelle Argenzio’s mind races as she faces two possibilities: it will be a terrible shot or a great shot. She aims straight for the fairway to achieve the best results. Argenzio tees off with the feeling of hopefulness, forgetting all else except golf. Argenzio is one of eight Mount Mary students who participate in the University’s very first golf team, which is led by head coach Marc Heidorf, who also serves as the campus athletic director and basketball coach. Mount Mary has had an athletic department since the early 1920s, but up until this past year, only six sports were offered: soccer, tennis, cross country, softball, volleyball and basketball. This semester, golf became the seventh sport. Business on the Golf Course Because business meetings often occur on golf courses, Heidorf believes our student athletes will be more prepared to “woo” a client or talk sales. This is part of the reasoning behind the birth of this brand new golf team. “First and foremost it’s a lifetime sport,”
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Heidorf said. Mount Mary offers majors and minors that specifically cater to business. Now the university can also cater to the business world through the sports it offers, according to Heidorf. “Philanthropically speaking, there are a lot of golf outings,” Heidorf said. “It seemed like a natural fit at a women’s college.” Mount Mary’s mission is centered on philanthropy and how students can help others through their experiences. Golf is now one of those experiences for our student athletes. NCAA Conference Benefits The athletic department also realized that starting a golf team might help it enter a conference. A conference within any sport means the team competes against the same teams under an agreement, and most teams under the NCAA conference agreement have a conference tournament at the end of the season. The big reward after winning the conference tournament is to move to the national tournament, where the team has the possibility to be
Sydney Dahlstrom completes her swing.
Mark Heidorf, Michelle Argenzio, Sydney Dahlstrom, Peyton Davis, Taylor Yordt, Madison Ledda
“The more we can show we are conference-ready with our sports, the closer in theory we are to get all of our teams and programs into a conference.” -Marc Heidorf
ranked within the conference. Heidorf explained an additional benefit in playing golf is some of the practicing can be done individually. The team then demonstrates its improvements on the actual day of the meet. “The kids have really taken to this aspect of it,” Heidorf said. “[Students think] ‘This is something I can do that will help me out; I can get outside and fit it into my schedule.’ Those three things really came together and it made sense to try it this year.” The golf season consists of only six meets in the fall semester and two planned for spring, so the time commitment isn’t as high as other sports and there is less stress, Heidorf said. Mentally Challenging Heidorf said there is mental difficulty behind golf; if one shot goes bad, it is all on the player to get the ball where it needs to be. “Take a breath, take a practice swing, eye it up and forget about that shot, otherwise the same thing is going to happen,” Heidorf said. Photos provided by Ryan Larson
Michelle Argenzio, Mount Mary senior majoring in merchandise management, has played four years of golf prior to this season on campus. Argenzio has played a strong season so far with the rest of her seven teammates. She finished with a score of 100 on one of her meets when she chipped in for par. “Everyone is improving at every meet,” Argenzio said. Argenzio said golf is a mental game. “You could be having the worst day golfing and then one shot could bring you back and then you could have a beautiful rest of your game,” Argenzio said. Argenzio shared the utter excitement she had when she chipped in for par during one of her meets. “I may have screamed a little bit on the course,” Argenzio said. “I chipped in on my fourth stroke, and all the girls I was playing with said, ‘Oh she was very high pitched.’ I didn’t expect that.’” Heidorf said golf is the perfect sport to encourage women to take on leadership roles. “It’s one sport that really fits in with the Mount Mary mission of empowering women,” Heidorf said.
Taylor Yordt takes a strong swing.
Michelle Argenzio takes a moment to focus.
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SPORTS
Source: golfgurls.com
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PERSPECTIVES
Everything I Never Told You THE STRUGGLES OF GROWING UP ASIAN-AMERICAN Words Nhung Nguyen | Design Brigit Kreienkamp
It was difficult growing up as a half-Vietnamese, halfChinese woman in America. I felt like a puzzle with irregular pieces that never seemed to match up. Upon reading the novel, “Everything I Never Told You”, many of these feelings flooded back and reminded me of the struggles I faced. “Everything I Never Told You” is a novel written by Chinese-American author Celeste Ng and published by the Penguin Group in June 2014. Ng tells the story using an omniscient point of view, swirling back and forth in time as she opens you up to a whirlwind of emotions while exploring each character. The novel takes place in the ’70s and depicts cultural barriers and conflicts within interracial relationships. Some conflicts stem from the main characters’ struggles with self-identity, like the character James, a ChineseAmerican who completely disregards his heritage because he is ashamed of his parents. He never mentions his parents until he meets Marilyn, a Caucasian woman with whom he falls in love for all the wrong reasons. To Marilyn, James’ parents are nonexistent. When in fact, James is embarrassed of his culture and removes them from his life. The struggles that James encounters is a direct reflection of the way I felt at a young age. Being the only Asian-American among the white majority made me question my identity. I was embarrassed that my parents spoke to me in a different language. I did not accept my culture and this created turmoil among my family. As the characters developed in the novel, I grew along with them. I gained a sense of acceptance that made me appreciate what I had learned and the path I was on. Whether you are struggling to find common ground with your family, or having issues in your own relationships, reading this story puts everything into perspective. By placing yourself in other characters’ shoes, you are able to understand where they are coming from and resolve these issues. The novel was a reminder that parents want what’s best for their children. When there are conflicts, the sole solution is communication.
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“Being the only Asian-American
among the white majority made me question my identity. I was embarrassed that my parents spoke to me in a different ~Nhung Nguyen language.”
Life
IN AN INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE:
WOMEN ON CAMPUS SHARE OBSTACLES, JOYS
Bride Trinae Schneider with her husband and their parents
“Everything I Never Told You” by Celeste Ng presents family conflicts due to perceptions about interracial relationships. Interracial relationships are more common today than they were 40 years ago. Even with this commonality, there may still be conflicts when people are from different backgrounds. Trinae Schneider, senior, is an African-American woman in the fashion merchandise management program at Mount Mary University. She has been with her Caucasian-American husband for almost five years. In Schneider’s culture, she said it was strange that her husband’s family started asking her intimate questions in the first few moments of meeting. After spending time with his family, she was able to feel comfortable and share different parts of herself. This enabled her to build connections and become closer to her husband’s side. “Everybody in the world doesn’t operate the way you feel they should,” Schneider said. “It’s about communicating, being open and honest about things. People appreciate that and they feel as if they can trust you. I think that it brings peace to the situation.” Schneider said the way to make an interracial relationship work is no different than any relationship. It takes communication, honesty and acceptance to build connections and work towards a common goal.
Professor Tanya Keenan, her husband and their daughters
Tanya Keenan is an African-American woman who teaches English at Mount Mary. She has been married to her Caucasian-American husband for 16 years. While dating, outsiders viewed their relationship as unusual since there were not many couples who looked like them. At first, Keenan’s husband’s family was surprised that they ended up together. Her husband’s grandmother was uncomfortable about the relationship because it wasn’t what she had envisioned for her grandson. “She and I talked and she’s very open and honest about her issues of race,” Keenan said. “As much as she loved her parents, her dad was wielded up, had a lot of power in the family. He struggled with being racist and bigoted and that’s how she was raised. She is now in her 70s trying to unlearn and undo all that.” After Keenan and her husband married, his grandmother became more accepting of their union. Keenan has three daughters and she makes it a priority to educate them about their culture. The couple wanted to enrich them in experiences where they are exposed to people from all walks of life. “We tried to create experiences where we have them be part of diverse experiences, like our church is extremely diverse,” Keenan said. “Where they go to school was really important to us. We wanted them to be exposed to a lot of different kids.” Photos provided by the families
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$
tudents pay the price of unpaid internships Words Brittany Seemuth | Design Dalas C. Xiong
The majority of majors at Mount Mary University require a minimum of one completed internship during the college career. As an English major, I found nearly all of the internships that were posted online were unpaid. As someone who has to pay her own way through college by working multiple jobs, this reality was frustrating and stressful. I needed to find a paid internship, but my options were limited. I was fortunate to secure a full-time internship that was paid as part of a scholarship through the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, but I know many students who were forced to take unpaid internships. According to the April 2015 “2015 State of College Hiring Report” released by Looksharp, the largest marketplace dedicated to internship and entry-level jobs, “Internships increase a student’s odds of finding full-time employment upon graduation, but only if they are paid.” Looksharp surveyed more than 50,000 people, making it “the largest student job seeker survey of all time,” according to its website. It found that “students with paid internship experience are three times more likely to receive a job offer than those with unpaid internship experience — a student
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with only unpaid experience is just as likely to have a job offer as a student with no internship experience at all.” The report does not explain why this may be. It could be due to a company’s existing resources; if the company has the means to hire on a paid intern, it might be more likely to have the means to move that intern to full-time standing than a company that does not have the means to hire an intern at all. Regardless, finding skilled employees is a time-consuming and expensive process, so it is to the company’s benefit to hire people who have already proven themselves. My experience as a paid intern points to another possibility: as a paid intern, I felt more valued and less focused on the stresses of not being able to pay my bills; overall, I was better able to focus on performing well. If the study is right, my paid internship also increased my chances of securing full-time employment. While one could speculate the various factors behind this finding, the bottom line still stands: for post-collegiate employment, paid internships are preferred. They are not only good for the student, but employer as well.
Horsin' Around Being Busy ≠ Being Happy For anyone who hasn’t read my column yet, my husband and I own a small equine care company known as Merry Muckers, and in my line of work, I see a lot of barns. Dirty ones, clean ones, small ones and big ones. The one thing I’ve seen change, though, is the added levels of complication. It used to be that you could just walk into a barn and immediately know the routine: clean the stalls, give hay and grain, check the water, bring horses in or turn out and sweep the aisle. Now, even in some of the backyard barns, we have to mix about eight different supplements together, cover the horses from head to toe in fly gear, alter the hay or start putting on blankets as soon as it drops below 65 degrees. It’s made me uncomfortable to even have the responsibility of taking care of some of these barns. I’m so afraid I’m going to forget something on the long to-do list. Are we helping the horses with all of these petty extra tasks? I can’t really answer that. Many of these owners claim their horses live in heaven, but most of my vets say living outside full-time is the best thing for them. My mom has had her
horses live outside most of her life, and her horses have probably the least amount of health problems of any horses I know. With all of this complication, though, isn’t the equine world just following suit with the human world? My life has become so complicated that getting everything done each day has become a symphony orchestra: go to work, leave at lunch for class, edit stories for work in between classes, pick up daughter, let dog out, go feed horses at another barn, get dinner on the table, take showers, do homework. And it’s not just me. This is the typical conversation with most people I know. “How are you?” “Oh, I’ve been good, just really busy.” I even have friends who don’t work very much but still want to claim they are busy to keep on par with everyone else. It’s almost become a sort of competition. If you aren’t busy, you’ve become lazy. You’re not working hard enough. My mother has inspired me to reflect on this attitude, though. She has been busy her whole life, raising kids, caring for pets, going to school and working. Now,
she would love nothing more than to just stay at home, make squash, bake cookies and work with her new dog. However, she still works and gets sick of the constant pressure to keep up with everything. She constantly reminds me I need to slow down in life. While my mother will admit that I am just at a busier point in my life, she points to the entire world around her as evidence of our crazy lifestyles. Why do you think we have stove-ready and microwave meals? Few of us even have time to prepare a healthy meal anymore. I am guilty of that at least three nights a week. While it is nice to have modern-day amenities, such as heat and air conditioning, I can’t help but wish that I was living in a different time period some days, where we didn’t have to keep up with the technology and responsibilities the 21st century has brought us. So next time we get a snowstorm and can’t leave our houses, don’t complain. Instead, say a silent prayer of thanks. It’s simply God’s way of saying, “Stay home. Spend time together.”
Words Shannon Venegas | Design Dalas C. Xiong
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