THE
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2013
Maroon
PAGE 7
Loyola musicians host charity concert
By RAQUEL DERGANZ BAKER Assistant Life & Times Editor As a Jesuit institution, Loyola promotes giving back to the New Orleans community and using our talents to help others. Two Loyola musicians took these ideals to heart and founded an organization called the New Orleans Volunteer Orchestra. The organization was started by music education senior Chris Bergeron and music education sophomore Joseph Cieslak. The group is made up of Loyola students and community members. “Every group is represented, from high school students to senior citizens,” Bergeron said. Music performance senior Casey Wilkes is also a part of the New Orleans Volunteer Orchestra, serving as its principle clarinetist. “It’s a great chance for Loyola students to integrate into the community,” Wilkes said. The organization will perform a charity concert on May 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Roussel Hall in support of the Youth Orchestra of the Lower
9th Ward. The youth organization is an after-school program that provides free music lessons, dinner and academic tutoring for underprivileged youths in the Lower 9th Ward. The charity concert will feature a raffle, silent auction and free food. Donations for the concert are appreciated and 100 percent will be given to the youth orchestra. The concert should last around an hour and 30 minutes with a reception afterwards. “Most of the music is catered for a younger audience, but we are also going to play stuff that will be fun for everyone else, too,” Cieslak said. The New Orleans Volunteer Orchestra will be performing pieces by Beethoven and SaintsSaens along with soundtracks from the TV series “Doctor Who” and from the movie “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” Music performance sophomore Madeline Hill is excited about this. “I am hoping that a lot of Whovians in New Orleans will come to our concert,” Hill said. Putting on this production
was a real team effort. The group as a whole decides what pieces to perform. The New Orleans Volunteer Orchestra started practicing back in January and gets together every Sunday afternoon for rehearsal. “I’m really excited about the music. It’s really coming along nicely and we’re going to be able to raise quite a bit of money,” Cieslak said. Along with being co-creator of the organization, Bergeron is also the music director. “I couldn’t be more proud of these amazing musicians. I am honored to conduct them every week,” Bergeron said. The group is enthusiastic about performing these musical pieces and thrilled to be helping out such a worthy cause. “I hope that the orchestra can build up a big audience for this concert, specifically to help benefit the Youth Orchestra of the Lower 9th Ward,” Hill said. “We’d also like to gain awareness of what a neat organization we are in the city. I hope to draw in, not only people from the classical world, but
Senior SUCCESS story By LAUREN HINOJOSA Contributing Writer One member of the class of 2014 has risen to the top of her graduating class with quite a lengthy and competitive resume. Margaret Vienne, English writing senior, has had many responsibilities over her years at Loyola; among those are president of UPB, president of Delta Gamma sorority and president of Margaret Vienne the Jesuit English writing senior H o n o r Society. Vienne’s friends and her mentor said she is intelligent, driven and a dynamic woman. Vienne said her years at Loyola have been rewarding and memorable. She said being recognized as one of the most successful students is overwhelming in a good way, and she hopes that motivates others to give back and get involved. “I have learned to balance so many commitments by saying ‘no’ sometimes,” Vienne said. “There is always time to do everything you want, just not at the same time.” Courtney Williams, assistant director of campus activities and Vienne’s mentor, said she is in the top one percent of students he has worked with. “She is a phenomenal student who performs very well in the classroom,” Williams said. “She is diligent and meticulous with all assignments.” Williams said Vienne’s responsibilities with UPB and New Student Orientation has improved the programs and is a superb student leader. “Her teams saw her as a confidant and also someone who would challenge them to take initiatives to new heights,” Williams said. “I knew whenever a task was assigned to her it would be done effectively and efficiently, and she would work to make sure all members of the team were involved.”
According to Williams, Vienne has increased the number of members of UPB and has helped double the amount of programs as well as increasing coverage of events like Sneaux, Williams said. Vienne said that seeing her successful work on university events is rewarding. “My favorite memory at Loyola is when we sold out Loup Garou,” Vienne said. “This was the first year in Loup Garou history we had a sold out show. To see such large student attendance at an event was a very rewarding feeling.” Leah Whitlock, a mass communication junior, is a friend of Vienne. Whitlock describes her as a leader in everything she does. “Margaret is one of the most well-respected people I know because of her constant kindness and dedication,” Whitlock said. “She goes above and beyond with everything she does and continues to exceed everyone’s expectations.” Whitlock said Vienne’s success is not what defines her, but is a part of who she is. In addition, Whitlock said Vienne is self-motivated and wants to be the best version of herself.
“
She is a constant motivator in our sorority because she sets the standard so high.
Leah Whitlock mass communication junior “She is a constant motivator in our sorority because she sets the standard so high,” Whitlock said. “Margaret encourages members to get involved, not because she wants others to build their resumes, but because she knows how much they will personally benefit from these experiences.” Maria Solis, an accounting senior, said Vienne knows what it takes to succeed. Solis said she thinks of her as a passionate individual and devotes herself to
any task at hand. “Her success, especially in her involvement with student organizations at Loyola, has benefitted her in that it have given her valuable leadership, team and organizational skills that she will take along to the professional world,” Solis said. Kate Gremillion, A’12, was a former president of Delta Gamma. Vienne will follow in her footsteps as she takes the job of collegiate development consultant for Delta Gamma sorority. “Every Delta Gamma should strive to foster the high ideals of friendship, promote educational and cultural interests, create a true sense of social responsibility and develop the best qualities of character,” Gremillion said. “I think Margaret was chosen to serve as CDC for Delta Gamma because she brings a unique perspective to the position.” Gremillion said Vienne will be successful as CDC because she has experience with a wide variety of people and will be able to adapt well. “My advice to her would be to stick to your values and beliefs no matter what situation or challenge you are presented with on the road,” Gremillion said. “The opportunities for growth far outweigh the tough times.” Williams said he has seen tremendous growth in Vienne since meeting her. “My advice to Margaret would be to continue living her dream and being a woman with and for others,” Williams said. “I am certain that she will chart a successful path for herself.” Vienne encourages students to get involved around campus. A Jesuit education is more than learning in the classroom, she said. “Loyola will bless you with many gifts,” Vienne said. “You decide your legacy when you decide how you will use your gifts. Choose wisely and you will graduate feeling fulfilled.” Lauren Hinojosa can be reached at lmhinojo@loyno.edu
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSEPH CIESLAK
Loyola students play alongside members of the New Orleans community in their volunteer orchestra. Pictured closest to the camera is music industry sophomore Nicholas Mitzian along with Loyola alumnus Devon Vance on the farthest right.
people who appreciate the music in the movies and television.” The organization is a great musical group full of talented musicians sharing their gift of music with the New Orleans community.
“Nobody asked these guys to do this, but their passions brought them together,” Wilkes said. Raquel Derganz Baker can be reached at rsdergan@loyno.edu
Senior class gives back with scholarship By OLIVIA LUECKEMEYER Contributing Writer This year’s senior class gift is the gift that keeps on giving. Departing from the tradition of installing a structural addition on campus, this year’s seniors have been asked to contribute $20.13 to a scholarship for an incoming freshman. The Senior Class Gift Committee, led by Assistant Director of Annual Giving Allison Hotard, chose a scholarship as the class gift due to the rising cost of tuition. “This year we wanted to do something different,” Hotard said. “We wanted something that could impact a student greatly so that no matter how much money we raised, it would be able to help the student.” In the past, senior class gifts have included physical on-campus additions such as the bicycle racks, the streetcar statue in the Peace Quad and the clock by Monroe Library. “While the clock is beautiful and a great thing to have, and it will most likely always be there, it won’t really serve a purpose if there aren’t any students to see that clock because they couldn’t afford to come here,” Margaret Vienne, English writing senior and member of the Senior Class Gift Committee, said. The scholarship will be given by Sal Liberto, vice president for enrollment management and associate provost, through the office of admissions. It will be for one-time use and given to an incoming freshman. A criterion has been established to determine which student will receive the scholarship. Once chosen, that student is free to use the money however they see fit, whether that be for books, room and board or to cover part of their tuition. With tuition increasing, Hotard said the scholarship should help soften the blow. “I think with people concerned over the cost of tuition rising, it
is a good way to cushion that,” Hotard said. Seniors have mixed feelings about the decision to give a scholarship rather than a material gift. Sociology senior Camille Fiess said she was pleasantly surprised by the change. “Although past gifts are still present on campus and will technically leave a longer lasting memory of the graduating classes, I ultimately feel that the best way to honor the school is by helping another student join the community,” Fiess said. Although the recommended donation is $20.13, students are encouraged to give any amount, big or small. Students who donated by April 5 were also given the opportunity to name their gift in honor of someone who has made their education at Loyola possible. Fiess said her biggest incentive to donate was the chance to show her parents her gratitude. “My parents have supported me throughout my entire education at Loyola, and I feel it is important for me to convey my appreciation to them,” Fiess explained. “Plus, I think they will get a kick out of having their names in the graduation program.” Other students prefer to pay respects to their parents in different ways. “I would rather do something more personal for those people who helped shape my educational career than donate to the class gift,” Ally Hodapp, mass communication senior, said. As of April 11, the donation amount was $1,353.00, with 56 out of 888 graduating seniors having given to the scholarship. “The amount of donors is up from last year, and I think that has something to do with the type of gift we are doing. More people are willing to donate when they know it is going towards a scholarship,” Vienne said.
see SCHOLARSHIP, page 13