Students, faculty present varied seminars;

Cabrini Day Mass

The Cabrini Day mass focused mainly on having concern and compassion for those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Cabrini College was founded on the principles that Saint Frances Cabrini set forth through her work with the homeless, the ill and the poor.

"Today is a day set aside to celebrate our namesake, Saint Frances Cabrini, without whom none of us would be here today," college president Antoinette Iadarola said.

The congregation was told that they should all love one another with the affection of brothers and that compassion is something that enables them to share deeply in the suffering of others.

Sister Mary Louise Sullivan, a former president of the college, showed this through stories about Mother Cabrini bringing love and hope to immigrants and those in need. She also told of how Mother Cabrini brought a legacy and a heritage to the college that we have now received and must keep going "at an institution of higher learning where education of the heart is not just written in a book."

-Shannon King

Success Without Selling Out

In a recording industry centered around profit-and image-making, independent artist Ani DiFranco battles to have her message heard, explained Caroline Cinquino, a first-year student, and Shannon Broadhurst, a sophomore, in the session "Music With a Message: Ani DiFranco Speaks Out."

Cinquino believes that DiFranco 's music is "her art form" in which "she bares her soul."

DiFranco's controversial music deals with such issues as abortion, sexuality, abuse and racism.

Pieces of DiFranco's music were played and discussed during the session. DiFranco has managed to remain outside of the mainstream while selling millions of records. She started out with nothing and created her own record label, Righteous Babe, at the age of 19.

DiFranco doesn't make music videos or expensive promotional appearances. She wants her fans to "listen to her lyrics," according to Broadhurst.

DiFranco has found success, but has not deserted her true followers. Her music has always remained pure and true to her beliefs.

-Stacey Sweeney

Searching for Asylum

Refugees search for asylum in the United States because their homelands have become a "foreign country" to them, Jody Lantz of Catholic Social Services stated at Refugee Resettlement.

Lantz and Catholic Social Services aid refugees in their adaptation to the United States. Even though the refugees are seeking safety, their sole desire is to go back to their homeland.

Lantz spoke of a case where a refugee got off the airplane and his first words were, "I want to go home." Catholic Social Services, along with four other regional refugee centers, file paperwork to reunite refugees with their families. Catholic Social Services also assist in orienting refugees to their new lives, including assisting them in gaining access to health care and adequate schooling.

Lantz encouraged all those who are interested to volunteer in helping with refugee resettlement.

Faculty member Sr. Mary Louise Sullivan, MSC, expressed an interest in having Seminar 300 students volunteer with refugee resettlement as part of their community service requirement

-Diana Sucher

Behind Bars: Paying the Price for Your Beliefs

A person must be willing to pay the price for what he or she believes in. Sr. Rita Steinhagen has been involved in protesting the School of Americas at Fort Benning, Ga., for a number of years. Steinhagen has certainly been willing to pay the price for her beliefs.

"We were asking our government to quit funding this school," Steinhagen said. Steinhagen and 24 others were sentenced to six months in federal prison and had to pay a $3,000 fine.

While Steinhagen was imprisoned, she discovered the poor treatment existing in the United States' prison system. She realized that prisons do not rehabilitate; instead they serve as "warehouses."

"Anybody coming out of prison isn't going to make it without someone to help them on the outside," Steinhagen said. Steinhagen feels it is the responsibility of citizens to improve these situations. She continues to lead by example, fighting for what she believes in. Steinhagen will take part in another nonviolent protest of the School of the Americas, in Fort Benning, Ga., from Nov. 19-21.

-Matt Coughlin

Genderlects: How Men and Women Communi-

cate

Recent popular books have made it pretty much a given that men and women communicate differently. Men and women experience this stress throughout every day of their lives, but still some question if there is a difference.

In "Genderlects: Differences in How Men and Women Communicate," given by Dr. Bobbi Jacquet, library director, she showed the differences in communication between men and women, mainly through linguistic behaviors. For example, Jacquet talked about how men and women say the word walking differently. Women pronounce walking with the "-ing" ending. Men pronounce walking with the "-in" ending, so they would say "walkin' ." She believes that women say it the correct way because of their roles as mothers and teachers of their children. The mother is teaching her child the normal standard of language. The students attending the workshop reacted well to their new understanding of the opposite sex.

-Bethany R. Crede

Environmental Ethics: Critical Issues for Our Generation

There are critical issues facing the world today and the people who exist within it. Such issues are things relating to the environment and the ethical issues that accompany them.

Three main issues were covered by the students in the environmental ethics class, including vegetarianism. the possible end of nature and human overpopulation.