March 23, 2017

The

Minnesota State University Mankato

www.msureporter.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Dress for success and land your first job Ivan Martinez uses fashion as a platform for future success.

RACHAEL JAEGER Staff Writer Ivan Martinez, who graduated with a degree in International Affairs in May 2015 and will acquire his Masters in Public Administration, helped host a seminar Tuesday night for MNSU students. The purpose was to offer professional development tips to students who are preparing for their job interviews or internship opportunities.

Martinez made it clear that attire plays a more important role in being successful than what most may think. He advised students to treat their interviews like they would a first date.

“Would you actually show up to your first date in sweatpants in a t-shirt?”

Martinez asked, posing a hypothetical question. “It’s not a professional setting, but the person who you are

going to meet is somebody that you care [about] or that you really want to impress.”

Martinez has seen too many situations where students often feel intimidated by their interviews when instead they should make it fun. This changes their perspective and may result in a different outcome than what they may expect.

Martinez saw a need for students to improve their wardrobe options. This need is what got him started in hosting these types of events. Martinez and his brother, Jerry, enjoyed dressing up, so together they started a blog a year and a half ago. His image consulting has really taken off within the last several months, from a wardrobe analysis to a complete look at an individual’s overall style.

As emphasized then and in the workshop later, while a person should dress with

(CC BY-NC 2.0) by marcosthethird a professional sense, they should also be comfortable.

After Martinez helps his clients cleanse their wardrobe and donate their clothes, he will take them shopping.

“We’re in an era where

Resumes, interviews, and more Adam Alvardo, another graduate student, shared common resume mistakes all students should look for, such as: - Typos and grammatical errors - Lack of specifics - Falling into the “one size fits all” mentality; for some resumes, you may want include more than one page, depending on past work experiences relating to the job - Save showcasing your capability for the interview, not the resume - Keep the descriptions to one line for professionalism - Ensure you update your contact information Alvardo also provided tips on how to craft a wellequipped resume:

TODAY’S FEATURED STORIES

- Format your resume wisely; - Cater your resume for the industry; - Replace your “objective” with a career summary; - Avoid abbreviations; - Have a master resume.

Alvardo also gave quick tips for a cover letter: - Limit to one page; - Use same font/format as resume; -Don’t repeat or summarize your resume in the interview; -Address it to a specific person; - In the body paragraphs, introduce yourself and why you are interested in the position; - When closing, reinstate how your skills make you a strong fit and use statements

such as “best regards” or “sincerely.”

Finally, Alvardo had some insights for the interview itself: - Arrive at least 15 minutes early; - Thank the interviewer, before and after (the boss will be asking about their impression!); - Introduce yourself; - Shake hands with a firm grip without crushing the other person’s hand; - Only sit when instructed; - Pay attention to your body language and never slouch; - Always ask questions to get to know employer/ company more, which shows sincere interest in the job.

image means a lot to people in the way they are perceived,” Martinez said. “I believe that people who are looking to be more professional want to look more professional. They will take that opportunity to spend a little bit of money to have someone help them, especially if they don’t have the knowledge.”

Another reason why Mar tinez became a professional wardrobe consultant is because he felt he could add something to the Career Development Center services that would enhance students’ opportunities for a professional appearance.

His expertise lies within men’s clothes, since he has also seen they do not often have the same online resources that women do.

Carina Aguilar, a junior who is studying human resources management and works with Maverick Software Consulting for her internship, added her touch at the event on the female side of dressing professionally.

She encouraged women in the audience to look sharp with no crazy makeup, wear what they are most comfortable in since it shows a presence of confidence,

Why are millennials so stressed?

Bethany Lutheran hosts Speechless Film Festival

A Maverick spotlight of Coley Ries

Page 4

Page 9

Page 13

and if they wear flats, ensure that their pants are hemmed so they do not drag. She also said to exercise caution on low-cut shirts and to wear them just below the neckline, as well as dress for the season.

In the resume section of the workshop, Aguilar also recommended not going over a page. Since she interns at Maverick Software Consulting, she said she takes no more than three minutes for each resume.

Aguilar added not to include references in the resume because if your future employer is interested, they will ask. What they are more interested in at that point are what classes you have taken and your perception in how they will play a part in your job.

As a side note, Mai Xee Vang from the Multicultural Center informed students in attendance about an opportunity for a free professional photo shoot on Saturday from 3:30 to 7:30

JOBS page 3

Have a story idea or a comment?

EMAIL

News Editor Nicole Schmidt nicole.schmidt-3@mnsu.edu

2 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Maverick Profile: Meet BIG President Mustapha Sanneh Sanneh helps provide students with tools for success in higher education.

MARJAN HUSSEIN Staff Writer Blac k I ntellig e nt Gentlemen is a recognized student organization that is gradually becoming a household name on campus.

The president of the RSO, Mustapha Sanneh, stated that BIG’s main agenda focuses on black males, but that there are no restrictions whatsoever about anyone who would like to be part of the organization.

“BIG tries to increase the retention rate of African American males on campus and ensure that they graduate in a timely fashion,” said Sanneh, a senior pursuing a

recognition of its name. He seeks to make it a welcoming beacon for anyone seeking additional information about the university or who just requires support as they navigate their college experience. The volunteer work done by the organization over the past two years has been one of its major achievements, from collecting donations at local downtown markets to hosting policing events on campus to educate and inform students.

The BIG also works hand in hand with Echo Food Shelf.

“Amongst the major benefits of joining the BIG brotherhood would be a crucial one, as the numbers of African American males on campus are still low,” Sanneh said. “Brotherhood makes people connect, form lifelong friendships and learn more about the University from someone else’s perspective.”

Like most recognized

“BIG tries to increase the retention rate of African American males on campus and ensure that they graduate in a timely fashion.” major in Sport Management and a minor in Marketing.

He explained that the name provides a strong essence to the organization but is not intended to instill distress in anyone. “The name may seem intimidating but the organization is actually very welcoming, respectful to every individual that chooses to join, and all inclusive.”

Black Intelligent Gentlemen was initially established about half a decade ago, with Matt Williamson as its main founder. Sanneh said, “One of the original members of BIG was actually of Asian origin and we also currently have two ladies on the executive board, showing that the group is without a doubt diverse and open to all,” adding that last year the group was truly rekindled before he took over as president. He now delegates various tasks to his executive team while also supervising all of the organization’s activities, seeing that it runs smoothly and efficiently.

Sanneh’s main aspiration as president of the Black Intelligent Gentlemen organization is to spread

student organizations, however, the BIG faces the issue of member consistency.

The BIG tables on a regular basis and consistently posts

www.MankatoSynthetics.com

Photo courtesy of Mustapha Sanneh on social media platforms to get as many people as it can to attend their weekly meetings, which are usually held every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Centennial Student Union’s room 238. Sanneh strongly commended the organization’s recruitment officer for her valiant efforts and for having truly shown passion for her job.

“This semester we hosted a top MCs countdown event, which had free food, and the faces that were present during that event resurfaced in later meetings,” Sanneh said. “This tells us that

hosting lively events that encompass the interests of students is a good way to increase numbers.”

Sanneh said that the presidential role can be a bit overwhelming at times, which is why he sometimes prefers to allocate responsibilities to other people in the organization and supervise from afar.

BIG hopes to continue increasing its numbers and to generate buzz both on and off campus. “My goal is to ensure that the name ‘Black Intelligent Men’ is recognized by the majority of students

at MNSU, Mankato and known for what it provides to students, which is all around support during the college span of mainly African American male students,” Sanneh said.

The Black Intelligent Gentlemen supplies its members with the tools to thrive in institutions of higher learning, while not only radiating an ultramodern atmosphere but also providing a brilliant avenue to network.

$1 SUIT SALE GOING ON NOW!

FOR A FREE CATALOG

Buy One Suit, Get the 2nd for only $1

428 N. 5th St.

AVAILABLE AUGUST 1, 2017 4 bedroom, 1 bath house.

Washer, dryer, 2-stall detached garage. Small pets o.k. $1400 plus utilities per month.

CONTACT JIM AT 507-345-2049

1817 Adams St., Mankato

(next to Liv Aveda & Planet Fitness)

345-8885 WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SPECIAL OFFERS ALL YEAR LONG? s r

r

TM

Sign Up at jlongs.com and LIKE US on Facebook!

Thursday, March 23, 2017

MSU Reporter • 3

News

Wells Fargo continues to struggle after fraud scandal Bank’s PR still fighting to regain credibility in the eyes of its customers.

COLTON MOLESKY Staff Writer As it did following the mortgage crisis in the 2000s, incentive-based banking is proving to be a broken method and one that is still hurting Wells Fargo.

The circumstances surrounding the most recent case of fraud committed by Wells Fargo began with the setting of unrealistic sales goals for neighborhood bankers, which effectively demanded employees reach quotas for credit card applications, loans, and checking accounts that could

of the PR nightmare as its investors abandoned ship.

The issue was referred to in November as a “terrible mistake” by those who were still on board.

New York Federal Reserve President Bill Dudley stated that, “Like the mortgage brokers in the 2000s, it appears that job security depended almost exclusively on meeting targets, regardless of how those targets were met,” during a speech delivered in London on Tuesday.

The pressure was on for lower-level workers, and instances of fraud grew

“When the scandal broke, Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf suddenly resigned, leaving the 165-year-old bank to clean up in the wake of the PR nightmare as its investors abandoned ship.” not be met. Throughout multiple branches, the San Francisco-based company was later discovered to have created over two million fake accounts in customers’ names without their knowledge.

When the scandal broke, Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf suddenly resigned, leaving the 165-year-old bank to clean up in the wake

rapidly and unimpeded.

“I had managers in my face yelling at me,” Sabrina Bertrand, a teller in a Houston Wells Fargo branch told CNN. “They wanted me to open up dual checking accounts for people that couldn’t even manage their original checking account. The sales pressure from management was unbearable.”

JOBS

Continued from page 1 p.m. in CSU 253/4. Because of the lighting, she advised wearing neutral colors and against any bright colors, like yellow or orange, which might tinge the skin tone.

The 15-minute session will include an edited photo and five to ten originals. If interested, you can sign up by calling her at (507)3892799 or email her at maixee.vang@mnsu.edu.

In closing, Martinez advised students to get a haircut a week before their interview, as well as shaving or shaping your beard. He also said you should buy your attire at least three

weeks in advance so if it needs any tailoring, it will be done in time and you will feel confident in what you’re wearing.

“There’s a lot of preparation that some might not think about,” Martinez said. “Always lay out your stuff beforehand.”

If anyone has any questions for him, he invites them to contact him on his Instagram at @andjstyle or through his Facebook page, “I & J Style & Advice”.

Photo courtesy of The Associated Press Wells Fargo CEO and President Timothy Sloan Since then Wells Fargo has tried to improve its track record. It paid its $185 million dollar fine for breaking federal and California regulations as well as issued a top-to-bottom review of the company. Despite this, the company still experienced

a 53 percent drop in credit card applications, according to the Washington Post.

Customers opened 40 percent fewer checking accounts and in February credit card applications were down by 55 percent despite slightly increased walk-ins.

However, Wells Fargo has upped their ad exposure and reportedly have a new campaign scheduled for next month.

The Baha’i Faith

“The Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.”

For more information contact 507-420-5228 or 1-800-22-UNITE (1-800-228-6483) www.bahai.us

Now Accepting Nominations for:

MSSA Teacher of the Year Award

FACU LTY

and FACU L & STA TY FF

MSSA Student Friendly Award

If you know a professor or staff member who deserves to be recognized for his or her service to the university submit nomination at: www.mnsu.edu/mssa/awards or stop by CSU 280.

Nomination Deadline: April 7th, 2017

4 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, March 23, 2017 EMAIL THE EMAIL THE EDITOR CHIEF: EDITOR IN IN CHIEF:

Why are millennials so stressed?

Opinion

RAE MATTHEW FRAME EBERLINE alyssa.frame

matthew.eberline @mnsu.edu @mnsu.edu OR AT reporter-editor OR AT @mnsu.edu reporter-editor@mnsu.edu

COLTON MOLESKY Staff Writer In 2015, Business Insider conducted a series of stress measuring tests across dif ferent generations.

On their six-point scale, they found that millennials averaged a stress level of 5.5 while others tested rounded out at only three or four.

Why is our generation so much more stressed than any other, despite the fact that things in this country are so much better than they were for previous generations?

I believe there are two primary reasons for which millennials are stressed more than other generations.

First, we are by far the most distracted people

SPRING FALL 2015 2017 EDITOR IN IN CHIEF: CHIEF: EDITOR Matthew Eberline..................389-5454 Rae Frame.............................389-5454 NEWS EDITOR: NEWS EDITOR: Nicole Schmidt......................389-5450 Nicole Schmidt.......................389-5450 SPORTS EDITOR: SPORTS EDITOR: Tommy Wiita. .......................................

Luke Lonien............................389-5227 A&E EDITOR: Gabe Hewitt........................................

VARIETY EDITOR: Matthew Eberline................... 389-5157 ADVERTISING SALES: 389-1079 Mark Mitchell........................

ADVERTISING SALES: TravisBoehmer........................389-5097 Meyer.........................389-5097 Mac Brandon Poliszuk....................389-5453 389-1063 Mitchell Favor.......................

Josh Crew..............................389-5451 Carter Olson.........................389-5453 Jacob Wyffels........................ 389-6765 Connor Daly......................... 389-6765 BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGER: MANAGER: Jane Tastad.

389-1926 Jane Tastad............................. ......................... 389-1926

(CC BY 2.0) by topgold percent of respondents from other generations.

These people, for the most part, buckle down and get

“Why is our generation so much more stressed than any other, despite the fact that things in this country are so much better than they were for previous generations?” you will meet. The Business Insider survey reported that use of coping mechanisms like watching TV, surfing the web, and eating or drinking occurred across all categories in under 30

to it, while millennials tend to procrastinate. While our social networking and technological savvy is far higher than that of any other generation, we also cause a lot of self-induced stress with

Pulse

that same technology.

Don’t believe me? Go look around at a library, coffee shop, or anywhere that students gather to “study” or “work on projects.” Not much actual work is getting done. Snapchat stories, Twitter feeds, and Facebook posts are where all the action actually happens.

Stress builds as deadlines creep closer because of how distracted our generation is, and this isn’t just at school.

Problems are also caused at work by the constant use of social media and other nonproductive websites.

The distractions are endless, and millennials are the generation that welcomes them more so than any other.

Second—and this is the big one—millennials, in general, have little to no perspective.

We have not had war actually affect our lives, nor have we lost an entire generation to a war and had to send everyone left to factories to contribute to the war effort, or fought through crippling economic depression. We are stressed because when Becky throws shade on Twitter, it is genuinely the worst part of our day.

While living in a country that provides the comforts

STRESS page 5

“How do you relieve stress?”

AD. DESIGN/PROD. DESIGN/PROD. MGR.: MGR.: AD. Dana Clark............................

Clark........................... 389-2793 Dana

POLICIES & INFO • If you have a complaint, suggestion or would or would likelike to point to point outout an an error error made made in the in the Reporter, Reporter, callcall Editor Editor in Chief in Chief Matthew Rae Eberline Frame atat 507-389-5454.

507-389-5454.

The The Reporter Reporter will will correct correct any any errors errors of fact of fact or misspelled or misspelled names in this space. Formal grievances against the Reporter are handled by the Newspaper Board.

• The Minnesota State University Mankato Reporter is a student-run newspaper published twice a week, coming out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Reporter generates 78 percent of its own income through advertising and receives approximately 22 percent from Student Activities fees. The Reporter is free to all students and faculty, but to start a subscription, please call us at 507-389-1776.

Subscriptions for the academic school year are $55.00 and subscribers will receive the paper within three to five days after publishing.

• Letters exceeding 400 words may not be accepted. The Reporter reserves the right to edit letters to fit space or correct punctuation. The Reporter reserves the right to publish, or not publish, at its discretion. Letters must contain year, major or affiliation with the university, or lack thereof. All letters must contain phone numbers for verification purposes.

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE MSU REPORTER ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OR STUDENT BODY.

Compiled by Nicole Schmidt

LEO ZACHMAN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

MOHAMED ABDUM MANAGEMENT

ANDRIA MARTIN SOCIOLOGY

FADUMO MOHAMED FINANCE

AMINUR RACHMAN ACCOUNTING

“Travel.”

“Play sports.”

“Study or listen to music.”

“Netflix.”

“Watch movies.”

Thursday, March 23, 2017

MSU Reporter • 5

News

Study Abroad Office helps Mavericks see the world STEPHANIE VOGEL Staff Writer The Center for Education Abroad and Away, also known as the Study Abroad Office, held an open house on Wednesday, March 22 in the Morris Hall basement.

Jake Fee, a study abroad peer advisor at the Study Abroad Office, explained that the open house was “to show more people how easy it was to study abroad and how important it is.”

They also wanted to show students their new location in the lower level of Morris Hall, in room three.

The Study Abroad Office used to be located in the same place as the International Office, which is on the second floor of the Centennial Student Union above Barnes and Noble.

Fee says that the two offices

(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by USF SLE with other universities.

Fee’s job as a peer advisor is to help students fill out their applications for going abroad

“There are many, many opportunities for studying abroad, but the Study Abroad Office will help students narrow down their choices.” split because the Study Abroad Office focuses more on outgoing students, while the International Office focuses on international students coming to MNSU and manages relationships

and give them information about going abroad. He addressed the fears of those considering studying abroad, saying, “People think that they’ll get behind on credit if they study abroad, but you

you talk to your advisor and connect those two columns to each other. Before you even leave to go on your trip, you have already submitted a form that has the exact equivalences of the courses you’re going to take. Your academic advisor has signed that when you come back to MNSU, all of those courses will transfer back as MNSU courses, like transfer credits.”

There are many, many opportunities for studying abroad, but the Study Abroad Office will help students narrow down their choices.

“A lot of times we look at people’s majors or where they want to study,” Fee said.

The options are then further

GEORGE ORWELL'S "1984"

STRESS

Continued from page 4 that the U.S. does is an amazing gift, the millennial generation is poorly equipped to handle “crunch time” situations. Compared to the rest of the world, our lives are pretty easy. We just don’t know it, which is why medical complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression have spiked over the last four years.

I’m not saying that no millennial has ever had a real problem or that things like depression are not real. What I am saying is that when I have people in my age group tell me what stresses them, the answer is usually a project that needs to get done today after having spent a weekend drinking and partying, or a day fouled

can do a full semester of credit while studying abroad.

People think it’s going to be more expensive, but it’s pretty much the same as MSU tuition except you have to pay for your plane ticket.”

Fee explains the process of matching the classes you take abroad with MNSU credits.

“There’s this super easy sheet that solves all the problems that everyone’s scared about,” he said.

“Everyone is scared that they’ll fall behind academically. One half of the sheet is the classes you need to take at MNSU, and the other half is classes you’re going to take abroad. Then,

narrowed down depending on how much the student wants to spend and what they think of the campuses.

There is much to be gained from an experience studying abroad, one of the benefits being that your world is expanded and you feel a greater connection to all the citizens of the world.

Your awareness of what is going on in the world will be increased, as well as your awareness of the problems that people face in different locations.

Fee, who has gone to multiple countries to study abroad, said, “There is so much power in going into a situation that’s frightening and alien, and then making friends, and having adventures in this alien world, and then coming back to your normal life. You come back as like, a superhuman who has experienced everything from the food of somewhere else, to the language of somewhere else, to the bacteria of somewhere else, to the weird way they make out in other countries. It’s an entire life experience of becoming more of a human being.”

For more information on study abroad programs, visit the Study Abroad and Away Office in their new location, Morris Hall room three.

up by one interaction with a passive-aggressive friend.

So—what to do? How do you broaden your narrow, first-world perspective?

Go and read a paper after you read this one—and not the New York Times or the Washington Post. Go read the Asharq Al-Awsat, a Saudi newspaper, or one from India or Pakistan. Translations are available for most of these papers, and reading a few stories from a third-world country will shed some light on how good we really have it here in the states. Using a “third-world perspective” when we have a bad 30 minutes in a 24-hour day may just help us keep our problems from defining our day (or the whole of our lives).

BOOK DISCUSSION WEDNESDAY MARCH 29, 2017 2:00-3:00 PM MEMORIAL LIBRARY FIRST FLOOR

(Left of Circulation Desk, S.W. corner)

FREE EVENT

LIGHT REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR CHECKOUT SPONSORS: Library Services & Kessel Peace Institute

6 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, March 23, 2017

4 dead in vehicle, knife attack at British Parliament LONDON (AP) — A knifewielding man went on a deadly rampage in the heart of Britain’s seat of power Wednesday, plowing a car into pedestrians on London’s Westminster Bridge before stabbing a police officer to death inside the gates of Parliament. Four people were killed, including the assailant, and about 20 others were injured in what Prime Minister Theresa May condemned as a “sick and depraved terrorist attack.”

Lawmakers, lords, staff and visitors were locked down after the man was shot by police within the perimeter of Parliament, just yards (meters) from entrances to the building itself and in the shadow of the iconic Big Ben clock tower. He died, as did two pedestrians on the bridge, and the police officer.

A doctor who treated the wounded from the bridge said some had “catastrophic” injuries. Three police officers, several French teenagers on a school trip and two Romanian tourists were among the casualties.

Police said they were treating the attack as terrorism.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Metropolitan Police counterterrorism chief Mark Rowley said police believed there was only one attacker, “but it would be foolish to be overconfident early on.”

The threat level for international terrorism in the U.K. was already listed at severe, meaning an attack was “highly likely.”

Speaking outside 10

Downing St. after chairing a meeting of government’s emergency committee, COBRA, May said that level would not change. She said attempts to defeat British values of democracy and freedom through terrorism would fail.

“Tomorrow morning, Parliament will meet as normal,” she said. Londoners and visitors “will all move forward together, never giving in to terror and never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart.”

U.S. President Donald Trump was among world leaders offering condolences, and in Paris, the lights of the Eiffel Tower were to be dimmed in solidarity with London.

London has been a target for terrorism many times over past decades. Just this weekend, hundreds of armed police took part in an exercise simulating a “marauding” terrorist attack on the River Thames.

Wednesday was the anniversary of suicide bombings in the Brussels airport and subway that killed 32 people last year, and the latest events echoed recent vehicle attacks in Berlin and Nice, France.

In the House of Commons, legislators were holding a series of votes on pensions when deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle announced that the sitting was being suspended and told lawmakers not to leave.

Parliament was locked down for several hours, and the adjoining Westminster subway station was shuttered.

Conservative lawmaker

Tobias Ellwood, whose brother was killed in the Bali terror attack in 2002, performed first aid on the wounded police officer, who later died. About 10 yards away lay the assailant.

“I tried to stem the flow

of blood and give mouth to mouth while waiting for the medics to arrive but I think he had lost too much blood,” Ellwood said. “He had multiple wounds, under the arm and in the back.”

The attack began early Wednesday afternoon as a

ATTACK page 7

RESERVE YOUR APARTMENT TODAY!!

• Fast, FREE application processing • Roommate Listing available • Located on the MSU bus route • On-site laundry and parking • 1-5 bedroom apartments • Friendly staff with on-call maintenance • FREE wireless internet and cable TV

LOOK US UP ON:

Find us online at: www.collegestationmankato.com MARCH MADNESS DRAWING FOR $100 LAUNDRY CARD

College Station Apartments @CStationMankato

Set up a tour and find out how you can earn a $125 VISA GIFT CARD!!!

CALL TODAY: 507-345-3342 • HOURS: M-F, 10am-5pm; Sat. 12-3pm WALK-INS ALSO WELCOME ANYTIME!

Rent is $335-375 per person • Fast, FREE application process!

1341 Pohl Road, Mankato • Email: collegestation@temillerdevelopment.com

Thursday, March 23, 2017

MSU Reporter • 7

News

ATTACK

Continued from page 6 driver in a gray SUV slammed into pedestrians on the bridge linking Parliament to the south bank of the River Thames.

Former Polish foreign minister Radek Sikorski was in a car crossing the bridge when he heard “something like a car hitting metal sheet” and then saw people lying on the pavement.

“I saw one person who gave no signs of life. One man was bleeding from his head. I saw five people who were at least seriously injured,” Sikorski told Poland’s TVN24.

Ambulances arrived within minutes to treat people who lay scattered along the length of the bridge. One bloodied woman lay surrounded by a scattering of postcards.

Police said one injured woman was pulled from the river.

The car crashed into railings on the north side of the bridge, less than 200 yards (meters) from the entrance to Parliament. As people scattered in panic, witnesses saw a man holding a knife run toward the

building.

“The whole crowd just surged around the corner by the gates just opposite Big Ben,” said witness Rick Longley. “A guy came past my right shoulder with a big knife and just started plunging it into the policeman. I have never seen anything like that.

I just can’t believe what I just saw.”

The attacker managed to get past a gate into Parliament’s fenced-in New Palace Yard, a cobbled courtyard in the shadow of the Big Ben clock tower.

Daily Mail journalist Quentin Letts said a man in black attacked the police officer before being shot two or three times as he tried to storm into the building.

“As this attacker was running towards the entrance two plain-clothed guys with guns shouted at him what sounded like a warning, he ignored it and they shot two or three times and he fell,” Letts told the BBC. The attacker fell to the cobbles just yards from the entrance to 1,000-year-old

Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the parliamentary complex, busy with visitors and school groups. Beyond that, a corridor leads to the building’s Central Lobby, flanked by House of Commons and House of Lords chambers.

The prime minister was among lawmakers near the Commons at the time of the attack, and was quickly ushered away by security officers and driven back to Downing Street.

To get that far, the attacker would have had to evade the armed officers who patrol the Parliament complex in pairs, as well as Parliament’s own security staff, who don’t carry guns.

The attack unfolded near some of the city’s most famous tourist sites, including the London Eye, a large Ferris wheel with pods that overlook the capital. It was halted after the attack, stranding visitors in the pods, with an aerial view of the attack scene.

London Ambulance Service said medics treated

12 people for serious injuries and eight who were less seriously hurt.

Dr. Colleen Anderson of St. Thomas’ Hospital said some of the wounded had “catastrophic” injuries.

The French Foreign Ministry said that three students on a school trip from Saint-Joseph in the Brittany town of Concarneau were among the injured. Two Romanians were also among the injured, the country’s Foreign Ministry said.

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with May by telephone and applauded “the quick response of British police and first responders,” spokesman Sean Spicer said.

London has often been the target of terrorist attacks, from IRA campaigns in the 1970s and 80s to more recent Islamist plots.

On July 7, 2005, four al-Qaida-inspired British bombers blew themselves up on three subway trains and a bus in London, killing 52 people.

British security forces say they have thwarted some 13

terror plots over the past four years, but in recent years the U.K. has largely been spared major international terror attacks such as the ones seen in Belgium and France.

Last year, a far-right supporter shot and killed British lawmaker Jo Cox, who had campaigned for the U.K. to remain in the European Union. Prior to that, an attacker claiming to be motivated by Syria stabbed three people at a London subway station.

The most gruesome recent attack occurred in 2013 when two Muslim converts of Nigerian descent attacked Lee Rigby, a British soldier who was walking down the street. The men ran Rigby down with their vehicle and then used a cleaver to hack him to death as bystanders watched in horror.

8 • MSU Reporter

Where to Worship

Thursday, March 23, 2017 Sunday Morning Services 8:30 & 11:00 Contemporary 9:45 College Fellowship during traditional service

Connecting. Equipping. Engaging.

Come Join Us! 1250 Monks Avenue

507-345-4011 Bethel Baptist Mankato www.bethelbaptistmankato.com

Hope Interfaith Center All Sacred Pathways Honored Whatever the problem? Love is the solution!

Whatever the question? Love is the answer!

A metaphysical Spiritual Center for personal growth and Spiritual Community For classes, events, and more information: www.hopeinterfaithcenter.com Spiritual Service is on the Second Sunday of each month at 10am.

Hope Interfaith Center 114 Phol Road • Mankato, MN • 507-386-1242

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Mankato We are a welcoming people of diverse beliefs who commit to nourish the spirit, broaden the mind, nurture the earth and build community.

Sunday Services at 10:30am

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Sunday Worship 9:30 a.m.

150 Stadium Court Mankato, MN

507-387-6592 A PROGRESSIVE OPEN AND AFFIRMING CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION

937 Charles Ave. • 507-388-5022 www.uumankato.org

Love Beyond Belief

WORSHIP AT 9 A.M. Followed by THE GAP at 10:30 a.m.

www.mankatoucc.org

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL 354 Carol Court North Mankato, MN

507-345-7451

www.riverridgekato.org

! ing us uild in Jo PA b d

hin Be

S D PU AR M O CA UPB D Y C OO TR 11-3 F AN ays P sd e Tu

su m s_

ad s t ee sro ad tes Tw cros ro ss da @ ro Up :C & FB ws Ne

hip s w llo ts!! e F en ev

.

s ue T 1 r$ n fo m o h p nc -1 Lu am 11

Worship on Wednesday Nights at 8pm!

Bible Studies and Events are being planned! Check Facebook for times!

Bible Study - Thursdays at 3:30pm

331 DILLON (ACROSS FROM TRAFTON EAST)

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Minnesota State University, Mankato

A&E

MSU Reporter • 9 Have a story idea or a comment?

EMAIL

A&E Editor Gabe Hewitt

gabriel.hewitt@mnsu.edu

Bethany Lutheran hosts Speechless Film Festival Fifth annual local festival showcases over ninety films.

MATTHEW EBERLINE Editor in Chief Bethany Lutheran College hosted their fifth annual Speechless Film Festival this past weekend from March 16-18 at the Verizon Wireless Center. This year was the festival’s biggest one yet, playing host to over 90 films from across the globe, including a handful made right here in Minnesota, and kicking off with a concert by Minnesota band, The Last Revel, at the Kato Ballroom.

When I first walked into the Verizon Center on Friday night, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect—this being the first real film festival I’ve ever attended. After attending my first couple of showcases, however, I soon realized that Speechless is all about the craft and artistry of filmmaking. It’s a place where

Graphic courtesy of Bethany Lutheran College’s Twitter page filmmakers and enthusiasts of all genres can come together to share and discuss their passion for film (both making and viewing) and visual storytelling as a whole.

The films were grouped together into showcases that were themselves organized into a broad range of categories, including Animation, Art, Experimental, Features, Fantasy, Mind Games, Minnesota Loud, and Minnesota Quiet, among many others.

Here are just a few of the many wonderful films that stood out to me at the 2017 Speechless Film Festival.

La Vie This charming film from Spain made its debut in the Lost category, which featured films that have something missing in them, whether that is a loved one, a possession, or some kind of control, among other things. This particular film follows an elderly married couple as they relive

old memories during a road trip. This short film was both funny and sweet and finished strong with a hilarious ending that served as a nice break from some of the heavier themes featured in this category.

George As part of the Mind Games category (for films that invoke a sense of intrigue and mystery), this short film from France starts off innocently enough, but quickly de-

scends into something much more tense and sinister. An unsuspecting woman named Marion opens her door to find a strange man asking for someone named George.

The man abruptly enters the house and things quickly spiral out of control from there, wrapping up with a twist of an ending that was both thrilling and frightening.

Illegal Aliens Part of the Minnesota Loud category (for films made in Minnesota that feature intense situations and/ or really strong characters), this hysterical comedy pokes fun at the recent political arguments over undocumented immigrants. This film was perfect for fans of satire or for those wanting a light-hearted break from all the seriousness of politics and current events.

The Car Pool Another comedy in the Minnesota Loud category, this short film follows four

SPEECHLESS

page 11

Music review: Drake’s playlist More Life a nice surprise Rapper’s latest project is everything you didn’t know you needed.

KRISTINA BUSCH Staff Writer I personally wasn’t a huge fan of Drake’s album Views, so I was pretty skeptical about liking Drake’s new playlist More Life. The playlist dropped on March 18, and I quickly jumped to listen to it once it was on Spotify. As one of the most polarizing rappers in the game today, we can all agree that people either love or hate Drake, or love to hate him. I’ll admit that I get in my “Drake moods” once in a while, and if I’m feeling like I want to drown in the feels, Drake is my go-to. I’ll point out that in More Life, it’s not all about Drake this time. In fact, his dad appears on the cover, not him. He avoids singing about women who’ve hurt him, and he features various other artists in the tracks. The result is a diverse production,

(CC BY-NC 2.0) by eastscene improving on the flaws from Views.

In the track “Do Not Disturb,” Drake reflects on Views, rapping “I was an angry youth while I was writing Views / I saw a side of myself

that I just never knew.” As with lots of Drake songs, we find him in a pensive state in this track. He reflects on what happened after he released Views. At the time, Drake was under the microscope and

being accused of not writing his own music. The track is brutally honest, and I appreciate that. Views may have gotten lots of negative reviews, but I think that the negativity brought out a more aggres-

sive Drake, which I definitely get a feel for in More Life.

Notable in the playlist is the song “No Long Talk,” which features London rapper Giggs. In the first verse, Drake raps “That’s Baka / he’s a no-long talker,” in reference to a member of the OVO crew and his long-time friend. “No long talk” is a Jamaican phrase used to express frustration with someone who talks too much. The song also includes other Jamaican expressions, which gives the song attitude, and I like that.

I’ll admit I was pretty excited to see Young Thug featured on one of Drake’s tracks. He appears with 2 Chainz on the song “Sacrifices.” The song has a chill beat,

DRAKE

page 10

10 • MSU Reporter

A&E

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Video game review: Breath of the Wild Newest entry in Legend of Zelda franchise is a beautiful masterpiece.

GABE HEWITT A&E Editor The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an open world game in every sense of the term.

It’s the best Zelda game ever produced and is one of the best games of all time.

I’ve been a Zelda fan since I was a kid. Every game has a sense of wonder and adventure. The franchise is unique in that it uses the same characters, settings, items, and other pieces across its game catalog. With this concept, Nintendo still somehow finds a way to distinguish the games from one another and BOTW is no different. I was skeptical when it was announced years ago as a Wii U title and then eventually delayed to be released onto the Switch as well.

Before playing BOTW, Wind Waker was my favorite Zelda title. I’m usually not one to play into the hype surrounding products, but I couldn’t ignore the dozens of publications giving BOTW perfect scores.

I didn’t think Nintendo could top masterpieces like Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time, but I was completely blown away. BOTW follows that same Zelda formula, but with a few additions and variations. There’re monsters, rupees, discovery, and you’re going to have your dungeons, but they’re presented in a new and refreshing way.

The game begins with the its main protagonist, Link, waking up from a century-long nap and you eventually find out why. From there, the game throws you into an interesting tutorial that gives players a feel of its open world capabilities and its concept of shrines. Shrines are puzzles similar to ones we’ve seen in previous Zelda entries and upon completing them, the player is awarded a Shrine Orb that can be exchanged for new hearts or increases in stamina. These shrines are spread out over the many regions of Hyrule.

I’ve put over 20 hours into this game and I’m still finding shrines.

The shrines only add to BOTW’s freedom and optional quests. After the tutorial, the player is capable of going to the game’s final boss from the get-go and defeating them. It may not be the smartest decision with a

The Sheikah Slate is an item with mysterious powers. small number of hearts and weak weapons, but the option to do so is a testament to the flexibility and open world of BOTW. One of my favorite features of BOTW is its inventory system. During your travels, you’ll find that you can collect pretty much anything (herbs, fruit, weapons, monster parts, etc). BOTW takes a page from RPGs and allows you to do a number of actions with items such as combining them into a food dish that increase your hearts

DRAKE Continued from page 9 and more of a reminiscent tone. 2 Chainz and Young Thug are both from Atlanta. In the song, the rappers paint a picture about the sacrifices they’ve made during their lives, and the hurdles they’ve overcome in their careers. Drake’s verses in the song seem to serve more as a filler, which I’m okay with in this case.

He echoes “And I’m convinced / I made sacrifices / I been ballin’ ever since / We been seein’ so many blessings, sh*t don’t make no sense / Someone watchin’ over us, so shout goes out to Him.” Young Thug also appears in a fun track called “Ice Melts” in the playlist.

Another collaboration I was a fan of in More Life was the song “Portland,” featuring Quavo and Travis Scott. It’s been mentioned that the title refers to Portland, Oregon, home of the NBA team the Trailblazers. The name of the team suggests that they make

their own paths and don’t just follow the trends and what’s popular.

Travis Scott also recently said in a tweet, “I was once asked my fav place in America to find peace. Portland is the answer. Took a trip and found happiness.” The song has a catchy beat and is a good listen.

I love the singer Sampha, so I was pleased to hear him in the track “4422.” However, Drake doesn’t appear in the song at all. The majority of the track was written and performed by Sampha. The main theme surrounding the song is likely based on the bible verse Isaiah 44:22, relating to forgiveness and acceptance. The feels flood in with this track and I’ll admit to giving Drake at least some credit in helping Sampha get the exposure he deserves from this track.

It’s important to know that Drake released More Life as a “playlist” versus an “album,” in order for it to be

viewed more as a collection of works rather than something that Drake takes complete ownership of.

To be completely honest, I didn’t know what to think about a Drake and Kanye collaboration, in the song “Glow.” However, it did grow on me after some time. Kanye’s verses have an attitude of reflection with reminiscent lyrics like “We go suit and tie, we gon’ touch the sky.” The outro of the sky is a breeze of 70’s nostalgia, featuring a sample of Earth, Wind, and Fire’s song “Devotion.”

More Life contains 22 total songs and is filled with a variety of moods and artists. The crazy thing is that I didn’t expect to love this playlist and I can’t say much else besides it was everything that I didn’t know I needed.

Reporter Rating

4.5 5

or stats, exchanging them for goods, or selling them for rupees. Long gone are the days of breaking open pots and finding rupees and you’ll get most of your rupees from selling the items you collect.

Although Hyrule is obviously a fantasy world, this gives it more of a real world feel.

Another thing I like is its cast of characters. Every character you talk to, both major and lesser, has so much personality to them. BOTW includes cutscenes with voice acting in them, a first in the franchise, and this brings so much life to the game.

BOTW has layers upon layers of content. Writing a review is somewhat difficult as I haven’t completed the main storyline and have been doing a lot of exploring. On top of that, it’s nearly impossible

(CC BY-NC 2.0) by sirdrak to comment on the game’s features because there’re just so many. There’s also a season pass available to buy that provides even more content for players during the game’s lifetime.

Every time I play, I find myself discovering new areas, characters, and quests. My usual sessions consist of me running around on foot or on horseback exploring the region. It’s the perfect game to showcase Nintendo’s new Switch console as you can take it and play it on-the-go.

It’s a perfect addition to the franchise for veterans and a great starting point for Zelda newbies.

Reporter Rating

5 5

Thursday, March 23, 2017

MSU Reporter • 11

A&E

Film review: Jordan Peele’s horror comedy Get Out Comedian and director ties historical racial tensions into new film.

RACHAEL JAEGER Staff Writer Get Out gave the impression that all the characters lived under illusions, whether their own or falling into the traps others set. Overall, the film is a good reminder and example of not learning from the past and is a neon sign for what could happen if we become either too exclusive, we lack the perception that we hurt others around us, or we are too passive and do not want to stir the waters that look so quiet.

Director Jordan Peele enlightens his audience on the future possibilities regarding if the nation returned to its former historical state. He starts the movie with two main characters, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and Rose (Allison Williams), an interracial couple who are completely in love and passionate about each other.

Or so it would seem.

The horror lies in the tragedy of the all-too-familiar personal struggles in how the past has power to influence the forgotten days. Exploring that horror consists of so much, from Rose’s SUV hitting a deer to the contrast in Rose’s family workers’ mannerisms compared with their owners’—for lack of better terms.

The colors of red and blue also appear to symbolize the American flag. While Rose and her parents wear red, Chris wears blue. Red may resemble blood on hands from people in the past, as blacks struggled to break free from their oppression, whether in wars or violence in their own streets. Meanwhile, blue reflects not only a depressed mood but also the Harlem Renaissance period where African Americans first explored their freedom in their identities through art, music

Daniel Kaluuya stars as Chris Washington. and writing.

In the film, Chris is a photographer who captures moments through people’s interactions, personalities and interests. He’s the only one who seems to be genuinely interested in stepping outside of his comfort zone so he can learn about others or figure out the darkness that lurks behind superficial faces.

The music used throughout the film perfectly matches the genre between horror and comedy, both moods challenging to accomplish in itself without being cheesy.

The musical scores match at the perfect moments when providing a foreshadowing or comedic relief. An example of this is when the instruments orchestrated in the part when Walter, the groundskeeper, nods at Chris and gives him a creepy smile when he first arrives. It gives off a creepy feeling that punches your gut and you receive an initial impression where the audience begin to wonder what is going on behind the scenes.

But Chris’ fears appear to be, at first, relieved when he meets his girlfriend Rose’s parents who exchange playful jabs with each other. The jabs are seemingly innocent

Photo courtesy of The Associated Press

comments that have grown popular in society, are often damaging since they create stereotypes and expectations of who a person is supposed to be instead of learning who the person is and what makes them an individual.

One element to introduce the audience to Chris’ conflict with Rose’s family is when her mother Missy (Catherine Keener) scrapes her teacup with her spoon. When she first does that, Rose’s father Dean (Bradley Whitford) calls attention to it, warning Chris (jokingly) about her perfected ability to hypnosis. The scraping is grating and obnoxious, and honestly one of my own pet peeves. But it becomes steadier the more she does it and lapses into a rhythm to seduce Chris despite him having told her he does not want to undergo the hypnosis.

But after Rose’s parents pose a seemingly innocent question about Chris’s parents, Chris’ barriers break down. He tells the family members about his struggle, trauma, and guilt for his mother’s hit-and-run when he was 11-years-old.

Missy uses that to tear Chris down and imprison

SPEECHLESS Continued from page 9 co-workers as they carpool to work one bright and sunny morning. It ends with a hilarious twist that comes right out of left field and left many of the viewers (myself included) in fits of laughter.

Half Smile This touching drama debuted as part of the Minnesota Quiet category, which showcased films made in Minnesota that feature some highly personal stories and sympathetic char-

acters. Half Smile follows two men as they move a bunch of old valuables to the dump. As the two men bond while they work, one of them comes to grips with the past he tried so hard to forget. This was one of the most touching films I’ve seen in recent months.

Audition Another entry in the Minnesota Quiet category, this student film follows a middle-aged actor named John as he waits for an au-

dition that just might rejuvenate his stagnating career. Things pick up when a younger, more confident actor arrives and John must wrestle with his own confidence and sanity. Featuring elements of both comedy and drama, this film had some of the best acting and camera work I’ve ever

SPEECHLESS

page 12

him in a dark place below the floor. She lets the guilt torment him and the ghosts of his past haunt him to the point where he feels less than human because of his helplessness.

On the other hand, Rose ultimately deals with her day of reckoning toward the end of the film where she gets a glimpse into the life she had with Chris. The audience receives the impression that she might have regretted betraying him, but the snide look on her face also makes the audience wonder if she was leading him on like she had in the beginning.

Maybe Rose’s performance in her love relationship with Chris was following what her parents had taught her without thinking for her-

self.

Overall, the film helped enhance the audience’s self-awareness about how we handle our own interactions with others in the sensitive nature and altering the language in which we speak to others.

If you are open-minded, you quickly start examining your own potential but unintended prejudices with your background and where you grew up in relation to someone else with a totally different background you may have nothing but assumptions about.

Like the question Chris posed to Rose: “Has anyone here met a black person who didn’t work for them?”

To prevent repeating the past, there needs to be a progression of changes throughout history. Change is able to only occur when you can tear down barriers and take a chance at being vulnerable.

Sometimes you may get hurt, but in the end, you strengthen because of it.

“We go to the theater to be entertained,” Peele told Scott Mendelson, contributor for Forbes. “But if what is left over is sort of eye-opening on some social issues, then it can be a really powerful piece of art.”

Reporter Rating

FIND A PLACE TO RENT AT

M A N K AT O ' S R E N TA L L I S T I N G W E B S I T E

5 5

12 • MSU Reporter

A&E

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Film review: The Salvation is a reminder of our humanity Western drama features Mads Mikkelsen as troubled ex-soldier.

act with Jon. The Salvation puts on display many tribulations life can offer. The film is thought provoking in how it makes the viewer ponder what possible outcomes could happen if circumstances were different for each character. Every character in the film has both good and bad in them and this allows the viewer to separately empathize with them.

This film has both enticing dialogue and a great physical appearance, but lacks a little in encapsulating the revenge Jon seeks. The motive feels somewhat empty and the film suffers slightly from this.

CALEB HOLLDORF Staff Writer There’s only so much a man can do when he tries to live a good life. At some point, the world decides to step in and remind him of who he is, of what power he does and does not possess.

The Salvation, directed by Danish film director Chrisitan Levring, is a Danish Western following Jon Jensen in his heartbreaking pursuit of vengeance on a small town gang and their leader. Levring captures a beautiful array of dark and happy colors to accompany the old west setting, almost dreamlike in fact.

Jon Jensen (Mads Mikkelsen) is an ex-soldier during the 1870s who is looking to start a new life. He has not seen his wife or son for nearly seven years due to the war, and the longing he has for them is seen through how anxious he is while waiting.

A smoky locomotive comes screeching to a halt where Jon and his brother, Peter, await Jon’s wife and son at a train station. After they unload, Jon and his family get into a carriage to transport them to a nearby town.

Two strangers (who are actually criminals) crawl into the carriage as well since they are going to the same place, and the five of them are off.

A thunderstorm rolls in the background with a few flashes of lightning striking across

Mads Mikkelsen stars as Jon Jensen. the sky, and there’s an undoubted feeling that doom will ensue.

During the ride, the two strangers instigate a scuffle with Jon. A couple of tense moments with guns are exchanged and Jon is kicked out of the carriage, somersaulting to a stop.

Jon finds the carriage next to some trees after walking through the night and following the paved trail. The men escorting the carriage are dead, and Jon grabs a rifle lying next to one of their bodies. He shoots the two strangers and finds they have killed his son and wife along with having raped her.

Jon takes them on horse-

Photo courtesy of The Associated Press

back to where his brother lives and the two of them decide to head west. They stop in a town to get supplies before leaving. The townspeople here are forced to produce a certain revenue for Mr. Delarue (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a gang leader. Turns out he is the brother to one of the men Jon shot, and wants him to pay for what he did.

Unfortunately, Mr. Delarue has so much control he is able to have the sheriff capture and deliver Jon for him.

We are introduced to the now widowed sister-in-law Madelaine (Eva Green) who is now staying with Delarue.

Jon is hung with rope from a pole, and the story continues

Supreme Court sympathetic to Microsoft in disc lawsuit WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court suggested Tuesday that it is sympathetic to Microsoft Corp. in a dispute with disgruntled owners of the Xbox 360 video-game system who sued saying the console has a design defect that scratches game discs.

The justices heard arguments Tuesday in a case that involves the Xbox 360 owners’ attempts to get class action status for their lawsuit, which was filed several years ago in the state of Washington, where Microsoft is headquartered.

Xbox 360 owners were initially denied class action status in the lawsuit.

Several justices seemed sympathetic to Microsoft’s argument that the Xbox 360 owners shouldn’t be permitted to use a procedural maneuver to force an appeals court to weigh in

after the appeals court declined to do so.

Microsoft has sold millions of Xbox 360 consoles since they were introduced in 2005. It says only 0.4 percent of owners report disk scratching and that in many cases damage is the result of consumer misuse. The company says consumers were warned both in the instruction manual and on a sticker affixed to the console not to move it while a disc was inside.

When a handful of Xbox 360 owners sued, a federal judge initially said the lawsuit couldn’t proceed as a class action, and an appeals court declined to consider an appeal of that decision.

The Xbox 360 owners then asked the judge to dismiss their case, a procedural move designed to get the appeals court to weigh in, which it did. Microsoft says

that shouldn’t be allowed to happen.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told the attorney for the Xbox 360 owners, Peter Stris, that “rule makers went through a lot of work” to come up with the rule governing appeals in class action cases and suggested he was making an end run around it. And Justice Stephen Breyer suggested the “simplicity” of ruling for Microsoft seemed preferable, asking Stris if there was “anything terrible that would happen” if the justices ruled against his clients.

with more grief and misery to everyone who seems to inter-

SPEECHLESS Continued from page 11 seen in a student film and, in many ways, reminded me of the Oscar winning film, Birdman. This film was highly enjoyable from start to finish and might possibly be my favorite film from this year’s festival.

These were just a few of the many delightful and profound films that graced this year’s Speechless Film Festival. I wish I could have seen and wrote about

more of the films at this year’s event, but with over 90 films, the festival as a whole is a heck of a lot to take in. All in all, the fifth annual Speechless Film Festival was an amazing event for those who are interested in films and the craft of making them and I’m thoroughly excited to see what other amazing films will be showcased at next year’s event.

MSU Reporter • 13

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Have a story idea or a comment?

Minnesota State University, Mankato

EMAIL

Sports Editor Tommy Wiita

thomas.wiita@mnsu.edu

Maverick spotlight: softball pitcher Coley Ries The Mankato-native has produced some mind-boggling stats throughout her career.

CHELSEA DORVAL Staff Writer Senior right-handed pitcher, Coley Ries, has started her final year playing with the Mavericks. The fifth-year senior has already started the 2017 season off strong, picking up 11 wins and only two losses.

Ries has been playing competitive, traveling softball since she was eight years-old, but started with t-ball and catch from the time she could walk.

“My dad played slow-pitch so we would be out at the field, that gave me the ability to be around softball and try it at a young age,” she said.

The Mankato East high school graduate has earned a long list of accomplishments in her lengthy softball career with Minnesota State. Her accomplishments started in 2014 when she earned the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Pitcher of the Year, Freshman of the Year and lead the conference with the lowest earned run average (ERA) with 1.44, most strikeouts with 139 and wins with 14.

Reporter Archives Coley Ries (1) has been the rock for Minnesota State’s softball program for four years, leaving quite the legacy after the 2017 season is over.

ERA that year threw 26 strikeouts, while every other member of the top 5 lowest ERA category threw a maximum of 96. Ries earned a total of 434 strikeouts in the season, moving past the first place slot that she set the season before. She also threw nine shutouts, including her third no-hitter and had a 45.1 score-

“‘My dad played slow-pitch so we would be out at the field, that gave me the ability to be around softball and try it at a young age,’ Ries said.”

Ries continued her success into the 2015 season, making the 2015 All-Conference Second Team. She finished her sophomore season with a 2.44 ERA after 41 appearances and a 21-16 record. Ries set a single-season record by posting 297 strikeouts, and threw two no-hitters during the season.

The Eagle Lake-native kept the momentum going into the 2016 season, earning NSIC Pitcher of the Year, and a spot on the All-Tournament Team and All-Conference First Team. She also posted a final ERA of 1.28 over 101.2 innings and 195 strikeouts in conference play. The lowest

less-inning streak. Ries also earned the all-time strikeout leader spot with 1,005 career strikeouts and sat eighth for most strikeouts in NCAA Division-II history. In addition to NSIC accolades Ries also received Division-II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-American Second team and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCS) All-American Third Team honors.

In her senior year, Ries has already earned Fast-pitch News Pitcher of the week, NSIC pitcher of the week, (twice), Fast-pitch New Preseason All-American and NSIC Preseason pitcher of

the year.

Ries did not have a typical answer when asked her favorite softball memory.

“I don’t really feel that I can sum it up into one. I would just say that my fondest memories are the people that I’ve met and the experiences that I’ve had,” Ries said. “Not necessarily one game comes to mind or one tournament. It’s more just about the connections I’ve been able to make and the people who have really influenced me through softball.

Like our coaches here, both of them have influenced me in a big way outside of softball and as a person too.”

Despite having major success on the field, Ries has faced an obstacle that many athletes face.

“I think my biggest obstacle is that I expect a lot out of myself. I have very high expectations and very high goals because I want to push myself that extra little bit,” she said. “I think it is more rewarding when you achieve goals that are really far out there and hard to get to.”

Although she currently has 89 career wins Ries said she “comes out of wins with lessons, things I should have done better- even if we win, we still need to take something out of it.”

She also believes that the lessons learned on the field can be taken off the field and used in her everyday life.

“Softball is a sport of failure, so when you are playing you are obviously going to deal with tough times, especially as a pitcher. You are going to get a lot of hype when things go well but you are also going to feel like it’s all your fault when they don’t go

Graduating this year with a degree in mass media, Ries was not exactly sure what she wanted to do for a career.

“Coming in I didn’t necessarily know what I wanted to do, career-wise. I thought maybe I wanted to do something sports related, especially after seeing the influence that my coaches had on me personally,” Ries said.

“I kind of think that college coaching would be something I may want to try and I’m hoping to help out for the next few years so I can really get a taste of it so I can see if it is something I do in fact want to do.”

Her goals for this season include helping the team to the national tournament and to win the conference. She also hopes to earn her 100th career win, and earn First Team All-American honors.

“Being from Mankato and being able to play at home for the last season of softball I get to play is fun, and being able to have past coaches and teammates and family and friends being able to be

Reporter Archives well,” she said. “Dealing with the mental side of the game is something I had to learn at a very young age. So I think the mental side of the game has helped me in normal life too, of being strong with anything you might face and getting through it. I keep going back to the lessons I have learned from coaches, and that stuff sticks with you.”

there is one of the highlights of my career,” Ries said.

The softball team will take on the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears Tuesday at 2 p.m. and again at 4 p.m. in Mankato.

14 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Wild look to right the ship before playoffs Minnesota suffered a tough road trip before returning home to finish the regular season.

COLTON MOLESKY Staff Writer The Minnesota Wild looked to be the dominate team at the top of the NHL’s Western Conference, but a brutal March has fans on the edge of their seats with ten games left in the season.

After their five-day bye that started on Feb. 22, they seemed unfazed, finishing the month off with two wins.

But then the Wild went into March and had a miserable 8-3 record, putting them behind the Blackhawks in the standings and posting a fivegame losing streak. An 8-3 month isn’t terrible, though not inspiring, it should still not induce panic. The timing of this skid does bring questions about consistency to mind for fans.

The main concerns facing the Wild: are their too many problems to fix before playoff time? And what needs to be patched up first?

The consistency on the offense comes to mind immediately, only because it has been a stubble throughout

Photo courtesy of The Associated Press the season. In November, they averaged 2.31 goals a game, ranking 23rd. In January, they climbed all the way to second, with 3.92 a game, only to fall back to 22nd in March with a poultry 2.30.

While the numbers seem grim, this also may be their easiest fix, as this team was a top-five scoring squad in January and February. Finding that early season gel and

getting that chemistry back on the ice is crucial and the formal for success is their consistency.

The bigger concern is on the other end. The Wild let up four or more goals 11 times headed into the break, but since then have given up seven games of four or more scores. While goaltender Devan Dubynk has been sold all season, their is no

back-up for him and he sees an extended amount of ice time throughout the season, which could be causing some fatigue that we are seeing now. Since Darcy Kuemper is unreliable and Alex Stalock has failed to take the next step into becoming a sturdy backup, there seems to be nothing behind Dubynk for any kind of relief.

The final key issue is on

special teams. The Wild rank 13th in the NHL in power play goals with 42. Being able to take advantage of going a man up on the ice is huge in the playoffs, and with other teams in the Western Conference playoff race (like Edmonton and St. Louis) who are ranked above them will be able to take advantage of the leg up. Again with the scoring potential of the team, some tinkering on the lines to try and find better fits could work.

The bottom line is that this is not a bad team. However, some problems with depth give reason for concern. Also the fact that certain areas on the roster still seem to need experimentation to find a winning formula this late in the season does not exactly ring of confidence headed into the playoffs. This team needs some serious soul-searching over the next month if they are to meet some of the post season aspirations set by an impressive first half to their season.

Timberwolves look to build on 2016-2017 success

COREY YUMAN Staff Writer As of March 22nd, the Minnesota Timberwolves are 2842 on the year and are trailing five games behind the eighth-seeded Denver Nuggets. This is a far cry from the striking distance they were at coming out of the All-Star break and while there are still games to be played, the only real thing Minnesota has to play for is better position in the upcoming draft.

At the end of December, the thought of a playoff berth this year seemed liked a joke, then Zach LaVine suffered an injury that put him out for the rest of the year that made it seem like ‘Tank City’ was going to be the destination for the remainder of the year, but then something happened.

A feeling Timberwolves fans aren’t very accustomed to: hope.

The Wolves not only starting winning, but they were winning consistently and

against playoff caliber teams.

With Sacramento trading DeMarcus Cousins, it seemed like just one more obstacle cleared on the way to a Cinderella story of bottom-feeder to eighth seed in one year.

Even the often battered by media and fans Ricky Rubio started showcasing why he belongs as the starting point guard.

Yet, it wasn’t to be. The Wolves have lost four-in-arow after going 5-2 in the previous seven games before.

Nemanja Bjelica being added to the out-for-the-season list with a foot injury didn’t seem like it would be as dire after the team bounced back from LaVine, but the lack of any sort of depth from the bench finally caught up.

The real question now is what’s next for this young team. The Wolves fought hard enough that they are currently holding the seventh worst record in the league, so a high lottery pick is unlikely unless the rest of the season goes more awry than expected. These remaining games should highlight the importance of immediately addressing two issues.

First and foremost, the aforementioned lack of depth off the bench. While

Ricky Rubio has been riding off potential and is finally fulfilling that, a guy like Shabazz Muhammed has yet to find a consistency or role on the team.

Rookie Kris Dunn has also been a top-five candidate for biggest flop draft pick of the season. The rookie that was projected to take over the starting role after 20 games at the start of the season has struggled to find his footing on the court. How he comes out of his first NBA offseason could help predict what kind of future he’ll have in the league.

Aside from every other spot on the bench being up for grabs, the next biggest obstacle in the way of evolution from pups to Wolves lies in what the franchise can do to fix the four spot. Currently the Wolves are utilizing a converted center in Gorgui Dieng at the spot.

Karl Anthony-Towns has cemented himself at the five and has been dominating in his sophomore season, pairing him up with a power forward that can stretch the floor will give even more room for Towns to dominate in the paint and dish out if need be. A lot of energy has gone into pointing out what’s

wrong at other positions but the Wolves could use a modern athlete occupying the spot.

The Wolves are on the cusp of something special as they continue to grow. I predicted earlier in the season that it may be too soon to expect the playoffs and it

seems that it will unfortunately come true but, for once, saying next season doesn’t seem like a stretch.

$10 OFF

$20 OFF

(MINIMUM OF $50)

(MINIMUM OF $100)

ANY PIERCING

ANY TATTOO

307 N. RIVERFRONT DR., MANKATO, MN 56001 OPEN MON.-SAT. 12-8

507-387-6601

www.cactustattoo.com

Thursday, March 23, 2017

MSU Reporter • 15

Sports

Twins outfield full of young talent

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — When Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario started in the Minnesota Twins organization, they were spindly teenagers with plenty of potential.

They’ve been through their growing pains since then. Now the Twins hope their young outfielders have grown enough to shoulder the load of a rebuilding team.

“There’s no pressure,” Kepler said. “We’ve been told to just go out and play with no worries, to not be so tedious and just have fun out there.”

The 25-and-under trio will occupy the outfield for Minnesota on opening day. If the projections proceed as planned, that will be the case for may seasons to come.

With their speed and agility, Buxton, Kepler and Rosario also have the building

Photo courtesy of The Associated Press (From left to right) Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario provide a youth movement that should be patrolling the outfield for many years to come for Minnesota. might have kept me from being myself,” said Buxton, who turned 23 in December. “I was trying to be somebody

“‘The ceiling is whatever we say it is,” Buxton said. “We’ve got a really great group of guys that just like to go out there and play baseball.’” blocks to give the Twins one of the top outfield defenses in baseball.

Last year, Twins pitchers were last in the American League in ERA (5.08) by more than a half-run, opponent’s batting average (.283) by 14 points and on-base-plusslugging percentage (.806) by 32 points.

“Defensively, I don’t think we have a ceiling,” Kepler said. “Bux is unbelievable out there. Rosie has a great arm.

The sky’s the limit with this group.”

Their abilities at the plate will be just as significant of a factor in a franchise turnaround following a club-record 103 losses in 2016.

Buxton, the best defender of the bunch with a penchant for spectacular catches in center field, began last September to show the offensive potential that made him the second overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft out of Appling County High School in Georgia. In his final 44 games, Buxton had nine home runs and 26 RBIs in 167 plate appearances. Over parts of two major league seasons, Buxton has a .220 batting average with 12 home runs and 12 stolen bases.

“I think I tried to do a lot of things that I may not have been capable of doing, which

else. The pressure definitely played a factor in how things went for me. Now I’ve pretty much let that go. Go out and just be who I am.”

Buxton has battled myriad injuries in his brief career, mostly stemming from what he called “an intense competitiveness” that triggers maximum effort every time he takes the field. With health and confidence restored entering the 2017 season, Buxton has been tried by manager Paul Molitor everywhere from the leadoff spot to third to fifth in an attempt to maximize his potential — and the team’s — at the plate. Entering Wednesday, Buxton was batting .235 in spring training play with one home run and a team-high six doubles.

“Byron is trending,” Molitor said. “We can’t predict the pace, but the scale might go pretty high.”

The German-born Kepler started his professional career with the Twins at age 17, after signing the summer before. He was part of the stellar 2009 crop of international free agents with third baseman Miguel Sano and shortstop Jorge Polanco. In his first full season in the majors in 2016, the native of Berlin broke out with 17 home runs and 52 RBIs in 396 at-bats while playing a steady right field.

Since his arrival in the U.S., Kepler has added about one

inch and 25 pounds to his 6-foot-4 frame. He has grown in many other ways, too.

“Mentally and the way I approach every game,” the 24-year-old said. “I’ve learned to accept failure.

Growing up in Europe where most kids played soccer, I was always the best, but when I came over here everyone was just as good or better. I’m still hard on myself, but I’ve learned to be tougher mentally to accept those things.”

Rosario wasn’t quite as productive last season as he was as a rookie in 2015, when he tied for second in the majors with 16 outfield assists, but at age 25 he has enjoyed a strong spring. Before joining Team Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic, the left fielder was batting .375 with one double in six exhibition games.

“He’s been exciting to watch,” Molitor said.

Mostly grown up now, the trio is still taking that go-have-fun attitude to the ballpark like when they were teenagers.

“The ceiling is whatever we say it is,” Buxton said. “We’ve got a really great group of guys that just like to go out there and play baseball.”

Now hiring seasonal employees. +/- 40 hours a week.

View website for job descriptions www.greencare4u.com

507-344-8314

The Mankato Golf Club is now accepting applications to fill part-time positions for spring and summer in all areas.

Applications can either be picked up at the Mankato Golf Club or on our website, www.mankatogolfclub.com.

Training for these positions could begin as soon as March 1, 2017.

Return applications with preferred area to Cheryl at the Club or email to Cheryl@mankatogolfclub.com.

16 • MSU Reporter

Advertisement

Thursday, March 23, 2017