April 21, 2015

Tuesday, April 21, 2015 @msureporter

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Minnesota State University, Mankato

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These heels were made for walking Men of Mankato walk a mile in high heels for a good cause.

VALISA FAIR Staff Writer On Sunday, April 19, the men of the North Mankato Fire Department and Mankato Public Safety Officers in uniform walked a mile in women’s high heels to raise support, funds, and awareness for CADA of Mankato.

Approximately 40 people took part in the first annual event, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, which was put on and organized

by Zonta Club of Mankato.

Debbie Kolstad, head of the PR committee for Zonta explained the benefits of this event: “For our very first attempt, it was fabulous. It can only go up from here. We all came away with big smiles on our face, and tickled to death from watching the men walk in heels. There wasn’t one unhappy moment.”

“A few years down the line, it will be a huge community involvement,” Kolstad added.

Jamie Erickson, an instructor at MSU, was one of the speakers at the event. Erickson was also a very dear family friend of Jocelyn Robinson – a student at MSU

Photos Courtesy of the Zonta Club of Mankato Facebook Page

who was a victim of domestic abuse. Erickson is responsible for passing important legislation for domestic abuse.

“Everyone had a good time and everyone was impacted by the message of our speakers, Re-

nita and Jamie,” Kolstad says.

Nine five-foot-tall silhouettes symbolizing victims of domestic abuse in Mankato were aligned around the mile. Each of the figures silhouettes has a victim (woman’s) name and what hap-

Undergraduate Research Symposium Students host presentations in CSU Ballroom LUKE LARSON Staff Writer The 17th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS), hosted by the Undergraduate Research Center, took place all day yesterday in the CSU. The event featured student research presentations from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. and culminated in a banquet for all presenters and faculty advisors at 5 p.m. It was an opportunity for students to share the findings of their research and creative projects publicly.

“Today’s symposium is a celebration of intellectual exploration, creativity, hours of labor and collaboration across

INSIDE:

students, faculty, and staff,” said MSU president Richard Davenport.

Two sessions of poster presentations were held in the CSU Ballroom and fifteen oral presentation sessions were held in various rooms on the second floor of the CSU. Presentations were given from students in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from art to anthropology to geography to biology to engineering. All six colleges were represented, according to the Undergraduate Research Center. Topics included “Synthesis and Isomorphous Substitutions in Lead Sodium Vanadate Apatite,” “Japanese Students’ Honorific Language

Use,” and “Geochemical Fingerprinting of Glacial Sediments in Southern Minnesota.”

In all, a total of 196 students were registered to present.

The Undergraduate Research Center says that the URS is intended to “encourage undergraduates to pursue professional development opportunities in the form of research and scholarship, teaching, and professional practice. Students gain experience as they are challenged to summarize their findings. This experience will hopefully inspire students to become future scholars by continuing their academic journeys to develop research and creative scholars.”

pened to her and where it happened.

“The silhouettes represent a woman who has been killed way too soon, before her time, at someone’s expense. We treated the figures like they were human beings – they had a potent presence,” Kolstad said.

“Every single people left there feeling good, even though it’s such an evil thing. But we are honoring our “ladies in red,” and we need to take major steps in eradicating this problem. Also making people aware there is a safe place to go if they are in need of help,” Kolstad said.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is an International Men’s March where men walk a mile in women’s high-heeled shoes as a symbolic gesture to raise awareness on the issue of violence against women. By participating in this event, men show that most men aren’t violent; in fact, the vast majority of men are good people who care about violence and also that it is a man’s issue too. Domestic violence affects our entire society, and all of us can make a difference.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is a preventive education event, helping men better understand and appreciate women’s experiences,

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changing perspectives, helping improve gender relationships, and decreasing the potential for violence. For healing, it informs the community that services are available for recovery. It demonstrates that men are willing and able to be courageous partners with women in making the world a safer place.

Zonta Says No (to domestic abuse) is an international campaign to end domestic violence.

The objective of this event was to raise awareness in our community about the serious causes and effects of men’s sexualized violence against women.

Sexualized violence does not just affect women. It affects the men who care about them, their families, their friends, their coworkers, and their communities.

Sexualized violence is epidemic.

Some of the statistics: Every two minutes someone in America is raped. One in six American women are victims of sexual assault. That means someone you know, someone you care about, has been or may become the victim of sexual violence. It may be your mother, your sister,

your friend, your girlfriend, your wife, your coworker, or your daughter. Contact the CADA House at 507.625.7223 for further information if you feel that you or someone you know needs help.

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2 • MSU Reporter

News

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

$57 million in construction planned for MSU New Clinical Sciences building, repaving, and reptile housing scheduled for 2015. projects off our construction list. This year at MSU, there will be over $57 million in projects that will be underway this summer, both large and small. The two largest projects are the new

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Clinical Sciences building—for which construction has already begun—and the Dining Facility.

Following are some of the other projects, provided by Campus Community.

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Nicole

Name: Barbara A. Carson, Ph.D.

Department: Interim Chair, Department of Gender & Women Studies & Professor, Sociology & Corrections

Education: BA Western Illinois University, Sociology & Anthropology; MA. University of Iowa, Sociology; Ph.D. University of Minnesota Favorite class: Sociolog ical

Theory Hobbies: Sailing, bicycling, gardening, reading, going to concerts Favorite Quote: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”.

-Albert Einstein Dr. Carson has committed her professional work towards understanding how our society legitimates violence at both the individual and societal level. In the past she taught law enforcement, now she teaches people to be probation of-

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ficers. She has studied the criminal justice systems in Australia, Chile, England, France, Italy, and Spain looking for ways to make the U.S. system more just.

She even taught a drawing class in our local jail for 8 years.

Lot 25: Malin Street Resurface (May 13 - July 31) This project removes the deteriorated blacktop and installs new concrete valley gutters and bituminous surface.

Lot 14 Expansion (May 13 – July 31) This project expands the capacity of Lot 14 with new surface on the west end of the lot to provide 22 new parking spaces.

Lot 14A: Carkoski Commons Delivery Lot Remodel (May 13 – July 31) This project reconfigures and expands the delivery access road serving the north side and loading dock of Carkoski Commons. A new temporary entrance for public access to the Crawford Residence Community will be constructed while the dining service facility is being built. The sand volley ball court next to the road will be reconstructed and improved as part of this project with another new sand volleyball court constructed on the south side of Julia Sears.

Dining Services Construction (May 2015 – December 2016) This facility will replace the outdated Carkoski dining facility with a new modern-style dining experience. With a budget of over $25 million, this facility will support a residence hall occupancy of up to 3,000 students.

Performing Arts Electrical Transformer (Summer 2015) This project removes the old transformer that failed last winter and permanently installs the replacement electrical trans-

former. The permanent location will be in the grassy area next to the southwest corner of the building. An electrical outage associated with the relocation of the transformer will be coordinated with the building occupants. Electrical Supervisor: Kevin Morgan 389-2071 CSU HVAC and Conference Room Renovation (May 11 – August 21) This project replaces two old HVAC units serving the second floor west conferencing area and the bookstore area on first floor. Conference rooms 253-255 will be renovated and upgraded as part of this project.

Morris Hall Addition HVAC Replacement (May 18 – August 21) This project is a 2014 HEAPR funded project for the complete replacement of the HVAC system in the eastern portion of the building. Similar to when the west half (old Morris) HVAC system was replaced, the east portion of the building will be vacated and access restricted during the project. Ceilings, lighting and finishes will be replaced or renewed in the impacted areas as part of the project. Other aspects include replacement of deteriorated galvanized piping and upgrading of restrooms to meet ADA and building code requirements.

Trafton South Reptile Room (Summer 2015) This project modifies HVAC systems to create a variable environment area for research. Specialized equip-

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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

2015 Latino Night in review Student performers, Miss Latina event showcased vibrant cultures of Latin America.

YUSEONG JEON Staff Writer

2015 Latino Night was held in April 10 to celebrate the Latino culture. Through the various traditional foods and performances, it gave a great opportunity to audience to experience the unique culture of Latin America. Since Latin culture is fairly familiar for Americans and other internationals, I personally think it was one of the popular cultural events among students and community members here on this campus.

For the annual event, Latino student organizations such as Latino Affairs and Latino Wellness put a lot of efforts to make the event successful.

“I think Latino Night is important because it really is the one night of the school year that we get to showcase our culture and we did this in variety ways,” said Monica Villarreal, one of the coordinators of the Latino Night. “We had student performances, we had dancers and singers, we had a bunch of Latino students from different backgrounds, we had Brazilians, Peruvians, Colombians, Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. It was really an educational event that people could come and have fun have an experience a little bit of our culture.”

“And the student performers put a lot of work and they were 7really proud to showcase their

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culture and they were really excited about the whole thing,” Villarreal continued.

This year, Latino Night had a lot more diversity with Latino students. Unlike previous years, this 2015 Latino Night also had Brazilian and Colombian students. The biggest difference from the previous years was by far the most popular show in the event—Miss Latina.

“We started it off the idea that it was just going to be a beauty peasant, but it became so much more than that. We had an audition process where we had contestants come out, they answered questions about their background, what they want to do in the future, what made them proud of being Latino,” Villarreal said.

The photo shoot that had a theme of modern Latinos also brought a success to the event.

The judges from various student organizations contributed to a fair competition by focusing on contestants’ posture, charisma and other attributes of them.

“We told them to interpret that however they would like, how they would want society to see them presently, how they would want to be a representative as Latinos. Not how the media represents them, but how they think what Latino in today’s society looks like,” Villarreal said.

The 2015 Latino Night turned out well, from the general opin-

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ion of the coordinators of the event.

“I think it was a great success, it went better than I expected, we had a lot of people show up, and I am really glad that everybody liked it,” said Gabi Andersen, student worker of the Latino Affairs.

Villarreal also said, “It went really well. Everybody’s excitement was through the roof, the performers practiced a lot and their dances went really well, the music was amazing. It was a fun show.”

According to Andersen, although it is hard to expect how the next year’s Latino Night will be, but it seems that there is no doubt that it will be fun and entertaining.

“We usually come up with a theme of the event closer to the date, it’s kind of a surprise usually,” Andersen said.

The Sports Management program will be hosting a Dinner of Distinction, along with several other events, to honor and recognize contributions to the program.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf will be visiting Minnesota State University, Mankato on April 30 as he is inducted into the Cambria Sports Business Hall of Fame. Those wishing to join in the celebration are welcome to come to the Cambria Sports Business Hall of Fame at 3:30 p.m. on April 30, the ceremony will begin at 3:30.

Several students will be recognized at the Dinner of

Distinction, which will also be held April 30.

Student of the Year: Nikki Marie Lillo Timberwolves Leadership Award: Tyler Slick Sport Management Leadership Awards: Andrew Bornholdt Zak Armstrong Chad Brinkman Kelly Distad Maria Gochenour Lexi Platz Lindsey Grasmick Emilee Shearer Nicci Malecha Jake Theisen A complete lists of awards and award descriptions can be found at http://ahn.mnsu.edu/ hp/sm/tudentwardominations. html

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4 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, April 21, 2015 Follow the Reporter on Twitter @MSU Reporter or Like Us on Facebook.com/ msureporter

Email the Editor in Chief: reporter-editor@mnsu.edu

Q & A with MSSA President Elect Mariah Haffield and Vice President Elect Bassam Al Mohamadi

Minnesota State University, Mankato

SPRING 2015 EDITOR IN CHIEF: Schuyler Houtsma........ 389-5454 NEWS EDITOR: Rae Frame.................. 389-5450 SPORTS EDITOR: Derek Lambert.............. 389-5157 A&E EDITOR: Chelsey Dively..............389-5227 ADVERTISING SALES: Mac Boehmer............. 389-5097 Jase Strasburg.............. 389-1079 Jacob Wyffels..............389-6765 Allie Bigbee................ 389-5609 Brandon Poliszuk......... 389-5453 Amber Masloski...........389-1063 Sam Rosenzweig..........389-5451

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Student senate elections took place April 14, with Mariah Haffield elected to her second term as student body president and Bassam Al Mohamadi elected to serve as vice president in the 2015-2016 school year. The Reporter had a chance to ask them a few questions about their plans for the next year and to get to know them as students and student senate representatives.

President Elect Mariah Haffield: What do you feel was your greatest accomplishment last year?

I honestly cannot pick just one accomplishment from this past academic year. I am proud of many things that I, and others, had accomplished last year.

For example, one senator worked hard with various student groups to organize a candlelight vigil for those affected by suicide and to honor the lives of those lost.

I am also proud of the collaboration between the International Student Association (ISA) and MSSA to work on an acceptable change in the International Cultural Contribution Scholarship.

Another example of an accom-

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www.mnsu.edu/mssa/

plishment from this past year is the increased flexibility of the University T-shirt Graphic Standards.

What would you like to remain the same and what would you like to do differently in your second year as president?

One aspect I would like to remain the same next year is the level of respect the various entities of the University hold for MSSA. In the past, MSSA has not always been treated with, what I feel, was an appropriate level of respect. I am thankful to say this has changed for the better this past year and I would like to see it continue.

One aspect I would like to change next year is the engagement of the MSSA with the student body. I believe every member of the senate should be discussing the various issues with students, receiving feedback from the students, and attempting to find solutions for various issues. Like I have said

previously, I feel the MSSA has made some positive steps forward, however, so much more can and should be done.

Vice President Elect Bassam Al Mohamadi: Tell us about yourself. What has been your experience as a student at MSU and what issues and activities you enjoy being involved in?

I am Sam. My current address is the CSU. Yes, I spend more time in the CSU than in my own house. I love to travel and learn about new cultures. I also love to learn new languages. I currently take German classes to improve my German language skills. I am a proud Arabic speaker who loves to show the best of his culture by dancing and cooking Middle Eastern food. Yes, I do cook and I can say doing dishes is not fun.

My experience as a student here at MSU Mankato has been great so far. I am an international student from Yemen. I love to

get involved with many different events on campus. Currently, I am the Vice President of the Middle Eastern Student Association.

Through my current position with MESA, I have the chance to talk to and interact with many international students on campus. I am also a student worker on campus. I work as Lead Student Scheduler with University Scheduling. Throughout this opportunity, I have developed many leadership skills such as communication, ability to delegate and confidence. I also got to meet many students, staff and faculty with whom I developed great, professional and lifetime relationships.

What do you feel you will bring to the table as senate vice president?

I will bring our student body issues to the table. I am also willing to work closely with departments to ensure our students experience the best of what the

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“What MSU event would you like to be involved in?”

TANVIR KALAM, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS “I would like to be involved in winter activities.”

UDU OVRAITI, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

SHRAVANI KYASARAM, IT

“South Asian Night, Nepal Night, all the nights, really.”

“Indian Night.”

SAM KREBS, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY “Engineers Without Borders travel team going to El Salvador.”

AD. DESIGN/PROD. MGR.: Dana Clark..................389-2793

POLICIES & INFORMATION • If you have a complaint, suggestion or would like to point out an error made in the Reporter, call Editor in Chief Schuyler Houtsma at 507-389-5454. The Reporter will correct any errors of fact 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 Yohanes Ashenafi

ANCA CERCELARU, BIO CHEMISTRY “I would like to be involved in the International Festival and learn about different cultures.”

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My experience at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research

YUSEONG JEON Staff Writer

The 29th National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) was held from April 16 to 18 at the Eastern Washington University.

For the 2015 NCUR, Minnesota State University, Mankato sent about 43 students representing the school.

Some of the students had oral presentations and others had

poster presentation sessions for their researches.

As a part of the students who flew to Washington to present their researches that they have worked on for one or two semesters, I was happy and honored to attend the conference.

In the conference, my research, titled “If I’m Not a Smoker, Why Would I Listen to Your Ad? Exploring Smoking Cessation Advertisements for Social Smokers,” received a lot of attention and feedback.

When I finished displaying my poster in the assigned place to present my research, I was so nervous that I was completely spaced out and lost navigations about how to explain my research to people. As my session started and people started showing up and asking me questions, I panicked and made some mistakes,

stuttering and failing to answer the questions from people.

Even though I prepared my research for a year with the constant advice of my professor, I became jittery at the moment I presented my research in front of so many people in the diverse fields of study from different schools. However, fortunately, the more I explained my research to people, as they showed their interests on my research, the more I got to be confident.

Other students were also content about how their research went at the conference.

“It was a great opportunity to be part of the national-level conference,” said Karleen Doering, biomedical science major at MSU. “I presented our work as well as was able to learn from other students from multiple universities.”

Amanda Roche, elementary education major also said, “I had a lot of fun and I thought it was a great opportunity. I was very nervous at first so I didn’t think I could go through with it but it went well. It was fun.”

It was definitely a great opportunity to present my research, and be inspired by other young researchers not only from MSU, but also from many schools all around the United States and interact with them.

In addition to this, I also learned a lot regarding how to develop my research from the feedback of my audience. Their feedback, comments and opinions were so valuable that I was glad that I even had a chance to learn more at the moment I completed my research and presented it at the conference.

While a lot of students attend

the conference several times, I had only one chance to present my research this time before my graduation. Still, it was by far the most valuable experience I have had this year and I am thankful for having this great opportunity.

The Graduate Fair that graduate schools came down to the conference to promote their schools and give information of their schools’ educational opportunities to students was also exhilarating and inspiring.

The National Conference on Undergraduate Research promotes undergraduate research in all fields of study and sponsor an annual conference for students in undergraduate.

How the royal baby craze in Great Britain became our family tradition

AMANDA HINDE Staff Writer

I admit to waking up at 4:30 in the morning the day of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding and giggling like a schoolgirl with my mother on the couch, watching the ceremony. As we all know, happily ever after doesn’t just stop after the ceremony—the royal couple

had a child. First it was Prince George and now? Ever since the announcement last fall, not only Britain but also many other countries are all a buzz about what the sex of the new baby could be. Now as the pregnancy is in the final stretch, as the baby is due any day now, the betting frenzy is hitting its peak in the United Kingdom. The consensus is that the new baby will be a girl and that they will name her Alice.

This is all very nice and all, but why is the royal baby craze that is sweeping Britain drifting over the ocean and coming to America? Why is there so much hype about a family that isn’t even a part of our government system? There are probably a few things that could be the rea-

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son. Maybe it’s just the whole future prince marries future princess that makes it so much like Disney that you feel there should have been birds carrying her veil. Or maybe it’s because almost every girl dreams about a Prince Charming coming in, sweeping her off her feet, and marrying her. There were also some who wanted to be a mad scientist, but the numbers on that are much more slim. Another idea could be that just as any other person came and said that they were getting married or having a baby, people would

be excited for them and it just so happens that this couple is just a little bit more visible to the global populations. Whatever the reason, it’s probably different for everyone.

I remember asking my mom why on earth she was waking me up at 4:30 in the morning to watch some couple’s wedding and she just answered that when Prince William’s mother Princess Diana was married, her mother and her woke up and watched it together. She remembered talking about Diana’s dress, the flowers and the pomp

and circumstance of the wedding; that was one of the fond memories that she could remember of her mother and that she wanted to keep that tradition going. So as I sat there and thought it over, even with my sleep depraved mind, all I could think of was that Kate had on an amazing dress.

6 • MSU Reporter

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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

MSU Photo Moment: Indian Night 2015

Photos by Yohanes Ashenafi

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continued from 4 school is offering in terms of academics and student life events.

In addition, as I mentioned before, I am hoping to work on improving dinning services next year, extend students’ engagement within our campus and work closely with the University and City of Mankato to ensure our bus transportation service is accessible and used by all students.

What is the biggest goal for MSU going forward and what is the best way to accomplish it?

H: In my opinion the biggest goal for MSU going forward is to increase student involvement and engagement. This would, among other things, increase the retention rate, increase participation in RSOs, and it would mean increased attendance at various events (from international events to sporting events to theater/dance events).

I believe that involvement and engagement in the University beyond strictly attending class helps students learn important social and networking skills, broadens students’ perspectives and experiences, and helps create important connections with fellow students. The best way to accomplish this is by strengthening the various RSOs. Another way to accomplish this is by providing more opportunities to participate through MSSA. For example, in the past, MSSA has sponsored tickets for select events and this year, I would like to increase the number of events that have sponsored tickets.

AM: Minnesota State University is expanding and improving the quality of education as a state school. Mankato is becoming part of the metro area. For that, the university needs to work harder to make sure that its name is well known and respected between other competitive schools.

I believe the biggest goal for MSU is to keep accomplishing what I mentioned knowing that the school is in an expanding deficit that may prevent us from going forward without making executive decisions. The administration also needs to realize that all options are to be considered as long as they do not affect the students and their needs.

I believe it is about time to realize that we have problems and issues in order for us to resolve them. I know for sure that with the MSSA President and newly elected Senate, our cooperative administration and, of course, our active student body, we can develop and improve our campus by dialogue and communication.

We all want the best for MSU Mankato; we just have different ideas and opinions that we must listen to. Effective communication, transparency, and good in-

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tentions will be the foundation of all decisions made by the next student government.

What would you do to increase student involvement in MSSA issues and activities?

H: One of the biggest ways to increase student involvement in MSSA is through student outreach. I believe that the MSSA had accomplished made some progress but much more needs to be done. One thing that I think may be beneficial is to have a large meeting of representatives from every RSO and members of MSSA to discuss the various issues and inform the students about the issues MSSA is working to solve. I also think senators need to be more involved with their constituents and need to spend more time interacting with members of their constituency.

AM: A few days ago, I read the article written by James Houtsma in the Reporter; I agree with Houtsma that students are losing interest in their student government and this may as well affect their trust in our student leaders. Transparency and prioritizing students are what can attract students’ trust back to MSSA. I would like to give a piece of advice to our newly elected Senate: fight for the students and what’s right; you are never wrong by doing that.

In addition, students are interested to know what their government does that would have a positive effect on their daily life. We are hoping to work on improving dinning services next year, extend students’ engagement within our campus and the community in general and work on improving student fee allocations. Most of MSSA services

are offered to students with lack of marketing. Therefore, I would like to create an action and marketing team to develop/create ideas with an organized marketing plan before introducing them to our students.

Any other thoughts on your plans for next year or anything you would like the student body to know about you?

H: I am truly honored and humbled to have received this second opportunity to serve the students of Minnesota State University, Mankato. I thank all of those who supported and voted for both Sam and I and I know we plan to work extremely hard for the students this upcoming year. I believe progress was made last year in regards to student involvement in MSSA, student outreach, and relationships between MSSA and all entities of the University, but I know that so much more needs to be done.

I know that these changes cannot all be made this upcoming year, but I want make as many changes as I possibly can. I will continue to work on advocating on behalf of the students and fighting for the voice of the students.

AM: Things I would like to work on immediately are developing the MSSA structure and make MSSA more accessible to students by recruiting different and diverse members of our student body to join MSSA committees; creating an office to help advise and guide students with their needs (this office should be led by interested students, staff and/or faculty); and in addition, I believe it is time for MSU to join other schools and assign genderneutral bathrooms on campus.

continued from 2 ment and controls will be installed to allow a wide range of temperature settings within the research space.

Clinical Sciences Building (March 2015 – July 2016) This 79,000+ square foot building with a budget of over $22 million will support new clinical spaces for Dental Hygiene; Speech Hearing and Rehabilitation Services; and new simulation and instructional space for Nursing; and five new classrooms. The building will link to Ford Hall via an underground tunnel. The east entrance to Ford Hall will be blocked from approximately May 11 – August 14. More de-

Expires 4/30/15.

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tails regarding the closing of this building entrance and how it will impact the building occupants is forthcoming. Our goal (weather permitting) is to have the building ready for occupancy and classes for Fall Semester 2016.

Baseball Backstop Remodel (May-June 2015) This project is a donor-funded project that replaces the chain link backstop with a new wood backstop with cable-supported netting. Work to be completed after baseball season but before the Vikings summer training camp.

Expires 4/30/15.

8 • MSU Reporter

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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

MSU Reporter • 9

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

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Mavericks complete four-game sweep at home

Strong pitching and a potent offense gave Minnesota State four wins over in-state rival Concordia.

LUKE LONIEN Staff Writer The fifth-rated MSU Baseball team kept their winning ways going with a four game sweep of Concordia on Friday and Saturday.

Extending their winning streak to 12 games, the Mavericks got a great pitching performance from Freshman Brody Rodning (6-0) in game one. Rodning pitched a complete game shutout, giving up two hits and striking out five.

The Mavericks had chances early in the game to score, but were unable to. In the bottom of the second, the Mavericks got runners on first and second with one out, but Concordia was able to get out of the jam.

MSU was able to get the win in the bottom of the seventh.

Josh Wenzel got the inning started by hitting a double down the left field line. He was moved to third on a bunt and scored when Senior Max Waletich singled to right field, giving the Mavericks a 1-0

Yohanes Ashenafi • MSU Reporter Senior catcher Nolan Johnson connects on a pitch.

Brody Rodning

walk-off win.

In the second game of the day, the MSU offense struck early.

Sophomore Eric Peterson led the bottom of the first with a walk, and sacrifice bunt sent him to second. Waletich then singled him home for the first run of the game.

The Maverick offense put another run on the board in the third and tacked on two runs in the fourth when redshirt fresh-

men Dylan Dresel and Luke Waldek hit RBI singles to give MSU a 4-0 lead.

MSU was able to get three more runs on the board in the fifth. Waletich singled home Eric Peterson to start the attack, Senior Nolan Johnson singled home a run and Waldek doubled home another run to push the Maverick lead to 7-0.

In the sixth inning, Peterson hit a two-run home run to give the Mavericks a 9-0 lead.

The Mavericks finished their scoring off in the seventh when freshman Brennan Gilyard hit an RBI double, forcing the 10run rule giving the Mavericks a 10-0 win.

Freshman Dalton Roach (4-1) got the start for the Mavericks, going the distance in a two-hit shutout. He also struck out five batters in the win.

Peterson paced the Maverick offense going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Waletich went 3-for-4 and two RBI. After a successful sweep of day one, MSU was back in action for another twin-bill Saturday.

CSU got on the board in the first, plating two runs. The Golden Bears were caught stealing at second, and Connor Olson was able to score for their second run. MSU got five runs back in the bottom half of

the inning.

Nolan Johnson reached on a fielder’s choice to score Peterson. Taylor Branstand was able to drive home Connor McCallum after grounding out to the shortstop. Josh Wenzel and Kevin Kramer were each able to get two-out singles to plate two more runs to give the Mavericks a 5-2 lead after one.

The Golden Bears were able to cut the lead to two on a Trevon Bargfrede solo home run in the second. The Mavericks plated home two more runs in the bottom of the third.

Kramer singled home a run, while Peterson collected an RBI to push the lead to 8-3.

The Mavericks collected another run in the fourth on a Dresel sacrifice fly. The Golden Bears scored two runs in the fifth and sixth, but it wasn’t enough to tie the game, giving MSU an 8-5 lead.

Aaron Rozek (4-0) got the start for MSU, he went four innings giving up three earned runs on two hits and struck out one.Dakota Belter was able to pick up his sixth save of the season in the victory.

In the final game of the series, the Maverick offense didn’t slow down, putting up 10 more runs.

The Mavericks scored two runs in the first, Johnson singled home a run, while Dresel reach on a throwing error to plate the second run of the game. In the second, McCallum grounded out to second, but a run scored in the process. Giving the Mavericks a 3-0 lead.

CSU took the lead in the third, when Connor Olson hit a grand slam. The Mavericks were able to tie the game in the third on a Waldek sacrifice fly.

Waletich singled home Peterson in the sixth to regain the lead for the Mavericks.

MSU then plated four runs in the eighth. Dresel singled home a run, than Waldek tripled to score two runs. Wenzel scored Waldek. Kramer then scored Wenzel on a single to round out the scoring, giving the Mavericks a 10-4 win.

Mitchell Bauer went six innings in the start for MSU, giving up four runs on six hits, while striking out five. Delter got his seventh save of the year, going three innings and giving up two hits while striking out four.

With the sweep, the Mavericks hold a 29-4 (19-3) record while the Golden Bears fall to 15-17 (13-11). MSU rounds out the home stand with a double header against Northern State University. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. while the second game of the day is slated for 3 pm.

10 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Minnesota State softball continues to impress TOMMY WIITA Staff Writer The Minnesota State University softball team is still rolling along smoothly this season, as they have collected a 32-18 overall record and have gone 17-7 in conference play. Since early last week, the Mavericks were ranked number ten in opening NCAA central regional rankings. During the past week, the Mavericks saw themselves splitting a two-game series with Winona State University in Mankato, splitting another two-game series in North Dakota against the University of St. Mary, and finishing off the weekend with a two-game sweep of Minot State University on the road.

In the first series of the week, the Mavericks hosted the Warriors from Winona State University. Minnesota State ran across the majority of their runs in the first two innings, as junior outfielder Tatum Klein lead the Mavericks in their offensive outburst with a three-hit day.

The Mavericks were also lead by junior Emily Bransky, as Bransky recorded two hits with one of them being a double. She also drove three of the Mavericks seven runs.

MSU had a 5-1 lead after two

innings of play, but the Warriors gave them a run as WSU tied the game up on a three-run rally in the top of the sixth inning, but the Mavericks answered back in the bottom of the inning.

Bransky doubled in junior Abby Whritenour and junior Laura Milligan to put the Mavs up for good. The final score was 7-5, Minnesota State. The winning pitcher was sophomore Coley Ries, as she moved to 15-12 on the season.

The next game was not a game to remember against Winona State. Starting pitcher Coley Ries was asked to go back to back games against the talented Warriors, and it cost the Mavericks. The Warriors hung a five-spot in the first inning against Ries, followed by three more runs in the third inning. It was an 8-0 lead for WSU after the third inning. The Mavericks could not generate much offense all afternoon, and the final score after five innings was a 10-2 victory for Winona State. The Warriors are currently ranked seventh in the central region rankings.

The Mavericks then hit the road for the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. The Marauders have been battling to generate consistent play all season, as they have been hovering

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around .500 performance-wise.

The first game of the doubleheader turned out to be quite the pitching duel, as freshman from MSU Libby Bemis squared off against another freshman from

UM, pitcher Nena Dudley. The first run came for the Mavericks in the top of the third inning, as sophomore Dana Mogren singled in fellow sophomore teammate Ashley Thell to give

the Mavericks a 1-0 lead.

The Marauders responded in the bottom of the fourth, as redshirted freshman Taylor

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MSU Reporter • 11

Sports

Maverick track and field takes their talents to the West Coast Mavericks impress in Los Angeles in 4x100 relay, 110 meter hurdle.

DENZELL OATS Staff Writer The Minnesota State men’s track and field team had the chance to showcase their abilities in the Golden State of California this past weekend. They competed in a trio of meets including CSU’s Los Angeles Twilight Open, The Beach invitational, and the annual Mount SAC Relays.

Taking the meets head on the Mavericks began their trip at the LA Twilight Open meet.

Tuning up and facing great conditions, a Maverick 4x1 team made up of Richard Wilhite, Emmanuel Matadi, Kyran Stewart and Anthony Gustafson took to the track to put down an impressive time. With clean handoffs, anchor leg Gustafson was able to cruise through the finish line to see a time of 40.19 and a first place finish for the Mavericks; the first of the trip.

Setting the tone, a few other Mavericks would follow suit grabbing first place finishes of their own.

Victor Bowen grabbed his in the 800-meter run setting a new personal-record time of 1:53.17.

Senior Austin O’Brien would go on to do the same in his specialty event in the 1500 meter run finishing with a time of 4:02.94.

The field event would see a great Maverick effort as well.

Freshman Geno Bullard got his trip rolling in the long jump with a sixth place finish and a mark of 22’8”. And to wrap up the meet, sophomore Frank Veldman took second in the high jump at 6’9.5”. This mark raises his national ranking to

11th in Division II. Following that successful first day in California, the men’s team took their performance to the next level on Friday as they took part in the annual Mt. SAC Relays where the Mavs saw a dominant performances.

The tone would once again be set early from the same group led the Mavs the night before. Stewart, Matadi, Wilhite and Gustafson built

Victor Bowen

off their solid performance last night and were able to improve posting a time of 40.15 in the 4x100 relay event. Despite a second place finish, their performance deemed them the new record-holders taking down the previous record by 0.01 set in 2013. Gustafson, who was also on that 2013 team, anchored for the Mavericks once again.

This speedy quartet now finds themselves firmly planted at the top of the Division II standings with this automatic qualifying time. They also are now ranked 24th across all divisions.

Continuing in the meet, Matadi made himself a very

notable subject. Very familiar with record breaking after this past indoor season, Matadi kept that trend going in the 100 meter dash. Matadi posted a time of 10.26 taking a first place finish as well as matching Moo Muhammed’s 1988 time. With this, he was automatically qualified for the National Championships and is the number one individual in Division II for the event. He also ranks 11th across all divisions.

Junior Stewart would not disappoint either. Impressing the crowd as well, Stewart ran a time of 10.39 finishing second right behind Matadi. His performance ranks him fifth among division II and is .08 away from automatically qualifying for the National Meet.

The 200-meters saw much of the same for those two. Both posted new personal-records with Matadi running a 20.70 and Stewart posted a 21.03. This ranks them second and sixth in Division II, respectively.

And lastly contributing to the Mav effort at the Mount SAC relays was sophomore Myles Hunter.

With one of the most impressive indoor seasons in MSU history, Myles Hunter returned to the track in the 110-meter hurdles after taking a few weeks off following indoor nationals.

In his first action of the season, Hunter popped off an impressive time of 14.03 showing off his great athletic ability in the event. His time automatically qualifies him for the NCAA Outdoor National Championships and currently sits him in the fourth position in

Division II. Concluding the Mt. Sac Relays, just one more meet stood between the Mavericks and their trip back home. And after two consecutive days of fantastic results in the Golden State, the men’s team wanted to keep rolling in its last competition at the 2015 Beach Invitational.

Breaking the school record the night before in the 4x1, the challenge and possibility of do-

Austin O’Brien

ing it again in the 4x4 became

very realistic. A team comprised of Matadi, Stewart, Javontee Brice and Nathan Hancock took to the track.

With the opening legs, Stewart and Brice maintain great position for the Mavs which was maintained throughout the rest of the race. Despite anchor leg Hancock crossing in third, the Maverick relay team was able to post a time of 3:12.74; the second-fastest in school history and missed breaking the record by 0.5 seconds. They currently rank 11th in Division II. Alongside that, Senior Keyvan Rudd made his name known again in the high jump as he leaped into the national conversation. Rudd jumped 7’1” finishing first in the meet yielding him a new personal best. His mark also automatically qualifies him for the national championships ranking in second in Division II. The Mavericks will have a quick turn-around before competing in the 2015 Drake relays this weekend in Des Moines, Iowa.

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12 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

MSU SOFTBALL “Since early last week, the Mavericks were ranked number ten in opening NCAA central regional rankings.” continued from 10

Yohanes Ashenafi• MSU Reporter MSU sophomore Dana Mogren up at the plate.

Mendez hit a bomb off Bemis to tie the game at one. The next inning, the University of Mary rallied for another run to grab a 2-1 lead. The Mavericks were short on runs and rallies, as they dropped their second straight game. This marked the first time the Mavericks had lost back-toback games since late March, when they lost back-to-back games against University of Minnesota-Duluth and St. Cloud State University.

The Mavericks bounced back nicely in the second game of the doubleheader, as the Mavericks

offense came alive again and drove in seven runs in just the first two innings. Freshman outfielder Jess Meidl led the offense, as she went two for four on the day with a big three-run homerun that broke the game open in the first inning. She drove in three runs, scored two and stole a bag in the contest.

Eight Mavericks ended up with at least one hit, as Mogren also had two hits, three runs batted in and two runs scored. The Marauders could not come up with enough runs to stay in this one, as pitcher Coley Ries grabbed

her 16th win on the season.

Minnesota State then went on the road to Minot State University, as they were set to take on an evenly matched squad. Ries was once again on the mound for the Mavericks, and she faced some adversity in the first inning of game one. Ries came out a little wild to begin the game, as the first run scored for the Beavers on a passed ball by freshman catcher Jordan Mauch.

Coley performed better as the game moved along, and the Mavericks would respond with a run of their own in the top of

the fourth.

Call it karma, but sophomore Molly Sager would also score on a passed ball. Sager would go on to have a three-hit game, while scoring one and driving in two.

The Mavericks would rally for four more runs in the top of the fifth inning, including an RBI single from Dana Mogren and a two run double coming from Ashley Thell. Sager would add a run-scoring single as well to make it a 5-1 ballgame. Minot would earn a run back, but the Mavericks would hold on for a 6-3 victory. Coley Ries earned her 17th victory of the year.

The Mavericks then ended their week of play with a second game against Minot State University. Freshman Libby Bemis took to the mound for the Mavericks, as she looked dangerous.

Minot only managed to have six hits in the entire ballgame. Minnesota State decided to get the scoring party started in the first and second innings, as Thell doubled in Bransky in the first inning and Meidl scored on a wild pitch in the second inning.

The Beavers would crawl back into the game however, as after a homerun in the fourth and a game-tying single in the fifth tied things at two apiece.

Ashley Thell was not done run producing however, as she lifted a 2-2 pitch out of the stadium to give the Mavericks a 3-2 lead.

Molly Sager added an insurance run right after Thell, as she homered as well on a 1-2 count.

That was all the Mavericks needed, as they went on to win their third straight 4-2. Libby Bemis notched her 15th win for the season.

Emily Bransky Bransky had two hits and three RBI’s in game one versus Winona State.

The Mavs will face Southwest Minnesota State for a double-header this Wednesday, the 22nd of April in Marshall, Minnesota. SMSU has gone 25-21 overall this season, and 14-10 against conference foes.

They are only 11-9 at home, but the Mavericks are only 8-5 when they are on the road. The Mustangs have been playing well, as they have won four of their past five games. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. for the first game, and 4 p.m. the second game.

The Mavericks have a total of six regular season games left in the year until the NSIC Softball Tournament begins on April 30th, with their last four games being played at home.

MSU Reporter • 13

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Follow the Reporter on Twitter @MSU Reporter or Like Us on Facebook facebook.com/msureporter

Email the A&E Editor: reporter-arts@mnsu.edu

507-389-5157

The importance of indie games The future of the gaming industry in independent hands.

MATTHEW EBERLINE Staff Writer In recent years, the vide game industry has seen a drastic increase in the number of games developed by independent (indie) creators rather than big name companies. While tripleA (AAA) titles like Activision’s Call of Duty and Electronic Arts’ Battlefield series continue to dominate the market, there has been a noticeable shift in public demand for smaller titles not constrained by the rigid development procedures and Digital Rights Management (DRM) policies of the top publishers.

For developers, going independent can be liberating and can allow creators more control over the quality and distribution of their creations.

As the indie sector continues to grow in popularity, so too does the quality of the games being produced as young developers search for new ways to innovate and create captivating and believable worlds. Triple-A studios have developed a tenden-

cy to stick with tried and tested formulas of game development, resulting in a number of repetitive titles that simply blend or rehash gameplay or story elements introduced in other works.

I can understand why they do it; when you’re investing millions of dollars into the development of a single game, you want to be sure you’re producing something that will sell copies and recuperate those production costs. Games that try to innovate too heavily often run the risk of failure and few companies are willing to invest in a project that isn’t guaranteed blockbuster success.

Yet, this repetitive and formulaic approach to game development too often results in bland and uninteresting titles, saturating the market with games that lack originality and that few consumers are willing to spend much money on. When you’re paying an average of $60 for a single game, you want to be sure you’re investing in something that will be captivating and that will provide you with countless

hours of entertainment.

This is where the indie sector comes in. While independent studios are often constrained by tight budgets and limited resources, they benefit from the lack of executive oversight that can squash the creativity in so many larger development teams.

This allows indie developers to exercise greater creative freedom and control in the production of their games, and in such a vast and quickly expanding market, indie developers need to work extra hard to produce content that stands out from the rest of the crowd.

Consider No Man’s Sky, an indie space-flight simulator currently in development under the UK-based studio, Hello Games.

In No Man’s Sky, Hello Games aims to provide an unparalleled experience that allows players to freely explore a vast galaxy filled with thousands of procedurallygenerated worlds, each with its own environment and set of ecosystems. If successful, No Man’s Sky will offer an experience truly unrivaled by anything else

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in gaming, a feat that’s virtually unheard of in today’s AAA sector and could only be pulled off by a studio with the creative freedom to dedicate time and effort into trying something new.

Funding is also becoming less of an issue for indie developers with the rise of crowdfunding services such as Kickstarter, where game developers, film-

makers, and other creators and artists can set up a donation page for their project. With a media presence and some simple marketing, developers can promote their product and convince interested parties or individuals to donate and become backers, providing the funds necessary

INDIE GAMES• Page 14

Pirates of Penzance in review A look back at a nautical good time at the theatre.

LORIEN MEGIL Staff Writer I love arriving to a show while the orchestra is still warming up in the pit. There is a kind of controlled chaos as each of the musicians prepares, the air is full of music and the mood is one of expectation and promise. This was the case when I took my seat for The Pirates of Penzance, performed by the Minnesota State University, Mankato, Department of Theatre and Dance in the Ted Paul Theatre of the Earley Center for Performing Arts.

And from the opening of the overture that promise and expectation were met with a light, fun, and quick-moving performance.

The attitude of this classic Gilbert and Sullivan operetta is one of whimsy and hilarity and this was clear from the moment the curtain opened, revealing the fanciful set pieces, complete with a brightly grinning sun. The show tells the story of Frederic, who on his 21 birthday leaves his indenture with a pirate ship (an apprenticeship he took due to a

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directive misheard by his nursemaid) and falls in love with the general’s lovely daughter Mabel.

The show contained a large cast and these individuals from MSU were universally strong.

This musical provides ample opportunity for physical comedy and over-the-top facial expressions, and this production made wonderful use of both. It seemed as though each and every cast

member in the various groups that danced across the stage (the pirates, the general and daughters, and the police officers) stole the scene at some point in the show, a reminder that there wasn’t a weak link in the group.

In addition to fully leaning into the comedic aspects of this show (and the show is rife with opportunity for comedy), the cast was vocally strong, both

diction-wise and technically.

Emily Scinto as Mabel was especially captivating through her voice. She conveyed strong emotion and seemingly effortlessly hit the notes required of her. The strongest songs were those performed either with large ensembles, such as “Oh there is not one maiden breast,” featuring the General’s daughters, or smallgroup numbers like “When You

Had Left Our Pirate Fold,” which utilized the comedic chops and the vocal skills of Ben Stasny as the Pirate King, Christina Dyrland Smith as Ruth, and Gabriel Sell as Frederic. The three made the most of the opportunity to harmonize and play off of one another, creating one of the most memorable songs of the evening.

While the entire cast was strong, my favorite part of the show was the pirates as a group.

Headed by the Pirate King, played by Ben Stasny, who was fully committed to his goofy character, these paradoxically tenderhearted pillagers brought color and comedy to the stage each time they stepped on it.

Minnesota State University’s, Department of Theatre and Dance took on a hefty challenge in the form of an iconic show, and they did an excellent job of bringing it to Mankato audiences, showing that this semester is sure to end with a bang.

14 • MSU Reporter

A&E

The Stanley Parable Weird, wonderful, and to the point.

SHAWN CLOSE Staff Writer The Stanley Parable isn’t so much a game as an experiment in interactive story telling and the nature of choice. The Stanley Parable (SP) is funnier than hell, smarter than a Ph.D. and utterly unlike anything you’ve ever played before; unless you played the original source mod

that SP is based on, in which case you’ll probably enjoy the improved graphics and expanded story line.

The Stanley Parable is all about making choices, and the consequences that those actions have. There are only two ‘characters’ in SP, your titular first person controlled silent player character, and the narrator-a British accented omnipresent voice that guides you. You

guide Stanley as the narrator delivers exposition, telling your story as you play. As you advance through the story you can choose your path, following the story set out for you by the narrator or forging your own path.

The main appeal of The Stanley Parable is the branching story line, which includes 19 possible endings, ranging for ‘that was odd’ to ‘what the hell was that’ with every shade of ‘I did not see that coming’ in between.

The Stanley Parable succeeds in giving the player choices without making it seem like the choices you’re making are intended. The feeling of fighting against the narrative isn’t something you normally experience, and the feeling of satisfaction you get as the game gets progressively more abstract as you veer away from the ‘main’ story. I have always been someone who checks

short. I found about a dozen of the endings in about four hours, spent about two hours finding two or three more, then putting in another two after looking up how to get the final few endings. Its only about eight hours for 15 bucks, and if you use a guide (and you really shouldn’t because it ruins the fun) you could probably beat it in one sitting.

thegamersblog.com

every corner of every room in a game, and SP frequently rewards my virtual OCD with a new path or a funny quip from the narrator.

The game’s humor is also a huge plus. The narrator is hilarious, whether it’s chiding you for defying him, mocking you for making a ‘dumb’ choice or insulting you just for the fun of it. SP takes pleasure in messing with the established order,

hardcoregamer.com

and breaks just about every rule in the video game handbook from the narrators breaking the fourth wall, to absurd achievements such as ‘Play The Stanley Parable for the entirety of a Tuesday,’ and ‘unachievable’ an achievement that is imposable to achieve. SP never takes itself seriously.

The one down side of The Stanley parable is its length, even with all the possible endings to achieve the game is fairly

The Stanley Parable is perfect for someone with a bad case of AAA burn out. In an industry choking on bland games full of gruff white male protagonist hiding behind waste high cover SP manages to be different.

SP is the anti-Call of Duty, the anti-Madden; SP is like finding a unicorn in a pile of horses, it so beautiful and unique that you want more, but deep down you know that it would make it less special if you got it. There’s only one Stanley Parable (well technically two), and that’s the way I like it.

I went into this game without even seeing a trailer, I decided to buy it after finding it on sale and remembered someone saying it was good, and I can’t think of a more rewarding way to play it. The game has been out for a year and a half (with the original mod being released almost four years ago) so there are FAQ’s and video’s of everything you could possibly do in SP. If you haven’t heard anything about SP (and there’s a good chance you haven’t) don’t go looking for more information. Buy the game, play it as many times as you possibly can, don’t look up any walk throughs (seriously don’t do it, I looked one up to get the last couple of endings and I still hate myself for it) and enjoy one of the weirdest, most wonderful things to ever be called a video game.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

INDIE GAMES “In recent

years, the video game industry has seen a drastic increase in the number of games developed by independent (indie) creators rather than big name companies.” continued from 13 to pay for the project’s production.

Such is the case for Star Citizen, another space-flight simulator in development by Cloud Imperium Games and supported entirely through crowdfunding donations. As of March 2015, funding for Star Citizen had surpassed $75 million and continues to collect more contributions every day, proving that with a little marketing, and plenty of transparency, indie developers can gather the necessary funding for their project far more easily than they ever could before.

Even the technical side of game development is becoming easier to break into, with the release of development tools such as Unity and Twine that allow aspiring developers to make simple games with little to no programming or animation experience. Likewise, programs like RPG Maker make it even easier for enthusiasts to create titles similar to the classic role-playing games (RPGs) enjoyed on consoles like the Super Nintendo. Even Microsoft is jumping into the fray with its new Project Spark

utility, which allows Xbox One owners to create their own games using tools, textures, and other bits of content included in individual development kits provided by the company.

While these platforms are fairly simplistic and are in no way capable of crafting some of the more complex technical elements found in the latest AAA blockbusters, they open the door for budding creators who lack the training and coding skills that have for so long been a necessity in the industry.

Independent studios have been a part of the video game industry for decades, but only recently has the average individual been able to sit down and craft a game with any real potential for success. As more tools, resources, and funding options become available for indie developers, their creative potential will increase in turn, leading to many deeper and more original experiences, something the video game industry could really use more of right now.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

MSU Reporter • 15

A&E

2015-16: A space odyssey

A look at some of the coming year’s biggest attractions among the stars.

forums.vr-zone.com

WES HUNTINGTON Staff Writer 2015 and 2016 are shaping up to be big seasons for Hollywood.

Several major motion pictures are finally being released after gestating in the minds of the filmmakers for several years, some since major franchises have changed ownership, others since the mid 1990’s. Several tidbits of news about Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Trek 3, and Independence Day 2 have been circulating through the entertainment news in recent weeks. Some are already known, some are not well known (that is if you keep track about it on social media and other websites such as Entertainment Weekly or TMZ).

Star Wars: The Force Awakens The biggest news of the past few weeks is the newest teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released at the

Star Wars Celebration festival in Anaheim, California, on Thursday and appeared online shortly thereafter. It expands upon the first teaser trailer that was released in November and actually includes voiceover from Mark Hamill, who is reprising his role of Luke Skywalker in the upcoming J.J. Abrams film. It also expands upon the small battle scene with the Millennium Falcon and several TIE fighters that was shown in the first trailer.

However, probably the biggest reveal of the entire trailer was at the end when Harrison Ford said the line (as Han Solo) “Chewie, we’re home,” aboard the Falcon.

The film is set 30 years after Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and is scheduled to be released Dec. 18, 2015.

Star Trek 3 One big piece of casting news for the upcoming third film in the rebooted Star Trek film franchise was made April 10. The entertainment website Deadline reported that actress Sofia Boutella

was cast in a “major” role for the upcoming sequel to 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness, that while

ence to her resume, but she was recently seen in Kingsman: The Secret Service, which was re-

being directed by Justin Lin and is tentatively scheduled to be released on July 8, 2016, as a part of Star Trek’s 50th anniversary.

Independence Day 2 The long-gestating sequel to the 1996 film has gotten many tidbits of news in recent weeks, mainly in the category of casting. Several of the original cast has been confirmed by several entertainment sites, and director Roland Emmerich himself.

Those cast members include Bill Pullman (Thomas Whitmore), Jeff Goldblum (David Levinson), Brent Spiner (Dr. Okun) and Judd Hirsch (Julius Levinson).

The film is set 20 years after the original, when reinforcements from the original invading force return to attack the humans. The film is set for production in May and is set for release on June 24,

polygon.com

a critical success and the most successful of the 12 films to date, Trekkies everywhere either loved it or hated the film because they felt it was a blatant copy of The Wrath of Khan. Boutella doesn’t have a lot of film experi-

leased in February. Star Trek 3 is being written by Simon Pegg (Scotty) and Doug Jung, and will enter production this summer

2016.

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16 • MSU Reporter

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Tuesday, April 21, 2015