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Minnesota State University, Mankato
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Post grad
Graduates struggle to find jobs in tough economy
International accomplishments
Seven faculty members receive Global Citizen Awards
CHELSEA MILLER
staff writer
• web photo These are the percentages of students who graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in six years. Information from the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. STEVEN VANG
staff writer With finals week approaching, there are students at Minnesota State University, Mankato who are preparing for graduation. Unemployment rates are at an all time high and the need for a college degree has diminished, leaving many graduates wondering whether going to college was really worth it. In October 2011, the
United States Department of Labor reported that the unemployment rate reached a record high of nine percent. Job openings are limited but as people are getting laid off, an average of 17,000 students graduate each year in Minnesota as reported by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS). Bruce Yang, a doctoral student and program coordinator of the Asian and
Pacific Islander American Affairs office, graduated with a double major in East Asian History and Sociology. Yang said that his likelihood of finding a job greatly increases with having two degrees, but the jobs he could find were irrelevant to his field of study. In order to find a job that allows him to teach or research, a Master’s degree
Post Grad / page 2
Dessa Coverage see page 8
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“I’ve never heard that term, is there really such a thing as a global citizen?” local musician Connor Wehrwein questioned over some pre-class Chick-fil-A. Twenty minutes later, a few feet from the Centennial Student Union food court, Wehrwein’s question was answered. The Global Citizen’s Award Ceremony hosted Minnesota State University, Mankato professors, faculty and students, all of whom are active in the international education programs in some way. Three women and four men, each with equally impressive accomplishments, received a Global Citizen Award that evening. It became evident that these international accomplishments were not solely responsible for the air of prestige and accomplishment in the Heritage room. Some students could even use the word “cool” to describe the winners. The recipients of the awards have vast amounts of knowledge, experience and appreciation of people who are not like them. “The Global Citizen Awards honor those colleagues among us who have engaged in international research or who have gone out of their way to support international education,” said Assistant Vice President for International Education Dr. Maria-Claudia Tomany. Wehrwein might have followed up his original question with, “Ah I see, but what exactly is international education?” “In essence, international education happens when a student, professor, staff member, or a member of the community, engages
• web photo Joseph Kunkel, a political science professor was one of the seven honored at Wednesday’s Global Citizen’s Award Ceremony.
in an intellectual, social, or practical activity that crosses cultural boundaries,” Tomany stated. After many thanks were given to those who helped set up the ceremony, the seven nominees were called up alphabetically to receive their awards. Clark Johnson, Debra Gohagan, Hans Peter De Ruiter, Joseph Kunkel III, Nadja Kramer, Scott Fee and Sue Romsa, names that many may recognize, were honored. Over food and coffee, the audience listened intently to each story. The successes included the facilitating of trips, internships, and study abroad opportunities in countries like Mexico, Finland, Austria, Ghana, Germany and South Africa. “[International education] is not a big idea or a set of policies,” Tomany said. “It’s an attitude, a mindset.” This statement captures the uniqueness of the program and its facilitators. Their intentions stem from honest and informed knowledge of the many benefits to expanded international ties at MSU.
Global Citizens / page 6
MSU volleyball team has season ended by Concordia - St. Paul - Page 9
Page 2 • Reporter
News
POST GRAD “It’s discouraging sometimes knowing I didn’t get the job offer because I lack relevant experience even though I have a four-year degree.”
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Chili for a cause
continued from 1 was required. Yang saw the advantage of pursuing a higher degree because it was the option to allow him to work in a career relevant to his studies. “It narrows it down in a way, but then again it also provides me with more opportunities as well,” Yang said. “Getting a higher degree allows me to put legs onto my ideas.” Although some fields of study require a higher degree to be more efficient, most jobs don’t require further education, but rather previous work experience. Tou Houa Lee graduated from MSU in May 2011 with a degree in business. He said he was able to find a relevant job to his major, but it took him several months of searching and applying with a low success rate, especially in landing interviews. Lee said that his education felt incomplete and that not all students in his department received the preparation needed to land a job directly upon graduation. He felt as though the department placed more emphasis on the top students and the most competitive part of the profession. This means that other students were pushed into different sections of the profession and weren’t given the full advantage of having an education specific to their desired career. “My current earning is lower than what I expected with a four year degree. In this economy you have to take what you can and can’t be too picky,” Lee said. Some college students choose their majors based on the possibility of making good money. These students may need to rethink their choices, as many college students graduate into low-paying jobs with limited opportunities that don’t live up to any original expectations.
“It’s discouraging sometimes knowing I didn’t get the job offer because I lack relevant experience even though I have a four-year degree,” Lee said. With an ever-changing job market, students need to be able to market themselves in a way that will make them more appealing to potential employers. One way to do this is to learn specific technical skills that may be relevant to a future job. Andrew Thom is the business manager of Abdo, Eick & Meyers, LLC, an accounting and consulting firm. “Jobs like accounting are tighter today than it used to be; technical skills are more important than ever,” Thom said. Not only do students have to gain more technical skills more than those which used to be required of them, but learning dif different methods and programs to accomplish tasks for their prospective jobs is necessary. The ability to adapt and learn is key in how fast one can adjust to a company and grow into the ideal status for higher achievement and ultimately be where they want to be. For those students nearing graduation, Lee has some advice about staffing agencies. Staffing agencies are companies that connect employers to possible employees. These agencies are becoming more popular for small businesses to connect with workers. “The CDC should inform the students of the many staffing agencies out there. It would be a great resource to help connect students with these agencies,” Lee said. “Coming out of college I didn’t have much knowledge of these agencies and what they are about.”
Are your UGGS UGGLY?
• web photo The fourth annual Mankato ChiliFest for Vets and Rett featured a silent auction where attendees could bid on sky-diving tickets. ELISE KONEZRA
staff writer
The 4th Annual Mankato’s ChiliFest for Vets and Rett brought attendees out of the snowy weather to enjoy some homemade chili at Buster’s Sports Bar and Grill. Saturday not only marked the day for the ChiliFest but also the first snowfall in the Mankato area. Folks from all over Mankato braved the cold weather to support the Minnesota Rett Syndrome Research Association and the Mankato Veterans Memorial Place. The original idea to have
police officers and firefighters have a chili cookoff came after Mankato police officer Jason Bennett’s daughter had a dramatic change in her health condition. His daughter Ashlyn had been diagnosed with Rett Syndrome and suffered multiple seizures, forcing her to be hospitalized for a month. The idea became a reality through Mankato Department of Public Safety commanders Amy Vokal and Matt DuRose. The paired with KTOE 1420 AM radio personality Trish. ChiliFest proceeds were split and donations were given to one chosen vet-
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erans-related cause. This year, the Blue Earth-Nicollet County Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial was chosen to receive the donations. The proceeds will go to the enhancement and expansion of native prairie plantings, a parking lot, walking path, and new landscaping. This year more than $16,000 was raised, and to date Mankato’s ChiliFest has raised $60,000. The event began at 10 a.m. with a bean bags tournament registration. At 11 a.m., the ChiliFest began with an opening ceremony from Law Enforcement Five with the National Anthem.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
T he
News
Green
Reporter • Page 3
Machine
Mankato Police purchase new vehicles to patrol parks, go green CHELSEA MILLER
staff writer
There is a new addition to the Mankato Police force: A vehicle that they cleverly named “The Green Machine.” A shor t video, posted on the Mankato Free Press website by the Mankato Depar tment of Public Safety, summarizes for the public the pur pose of the vehicle. With regards to the information given in the video, it appears that the vehicle should be a welcomed addition. The vehicle is not green. In fact, it is a white Suzuki, similar to a golf car t with the addition of a bed on the back. The vehicle is called the “green machine” because it is said to be ecologically friendly. The name is a reference to a social movement in the United States begun to promote the conser vation of resources. The phrase “go green” and other evidence of the fad can be seen slapped across many products sold today. “It is a smaller vehicle, smaller engine, and gives off less pollutants since it uses less fuel,” said Director of Public Safety Todd Miller. According to the video, the main use will be to
patrol Mankato’s parks and trails, since larger squad cars will not f it. There have been few calls to the police station regarding the parks since the purchase. In the month of October, there was not one, according to the Depar tment of Public Safety monthly police repor ts. Over the past year, there is no increasing trend of park-related crime or injur y, leaving Mankato residents in the dark about why this par ticular vehicle was purchased. The green machine cost $18,000, or as Miller said, “15,000 plus the cost of the sirens and lights.” Although not stated in the video, Miller added that along with the main use, “It would probably end up being a multi-purpose vehicle.” One of the other uses will be downtown patrol, which includes the parking ramps. The police receive many calls a month for things like underage drinking in the downtown area. Like the trends seen downtown, campus is another hot spot for dr ug and alcohol related incidents. Miller leaked future plans for all-electric Segways, which will be ridden by security on the Minnesota
chelsea miller • msu reporter These Suzukis are termed, “Green Machines,” and they are the latest addition to the Mankato Department of Public Safety. The Green Machines were purchased primarily to be used on park trails where larger patrol cars cannot fit.
State University, Mankato campus. “The Segways are good for the environment, and make cops more approachable,” Miller said. It would be time consuming to prove that the “green machine” is actually better for the envi-
ronment, when considering the many factors that would have to be f igured in. It also takes a lot of time to read even as little as one month’s wor th of police repor ts, to determine if the new vehicle is successful with its goals. The majority of people
do not have the time to keep up on ever y cur rent affair, let alone research the small details of a stor y. Although, reading multiple news sources is a great way to quickly get accurate infor mation, and keep the power with the people.
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o em e r
Making sense of the Penn State situation
TIGE HUTCHESON
staff writer Before I attempt to get to the heart of this entire disgusting, hard-to-watch saga that’s happening a little more than 1,000 miles away in State College, Pennsylvania, I have to ask everybody to disarm themselves a little bit. Yes, I truly do understand how messed up this whole situation is and on how many levels it is disturbing, but as repulsive and hard to imagine as it may be, believe it or not these things actually did happen. But instead of simply losing a little more faith in the human race, which many of us including myself have already began to do, let me try to paint the picture of what happened in a way that’s a little less horrifying. I can’t even stand to type the words it would take to describe what happened to those eight boys, so I really can’t even begin to fathom that a human being equipped with even trace amounts of rationality, empathy or morality could actually perform them. Jerry Sandusky is a monster and I’m not going to do him the favor of talking about him. The worst part of all of this is that, to protect the well-being of the boys (which is fair), their names haven’t been released, meaning the entire world is forced to see those boys pretty much exactly the same way as Sandusky did: faceless, soulless and interchangeable. We will probably never fi nd out most of these names, and we will stop thinking about the victims as much and eventually not at all. So before we stop thinking about the victims, let’s do the human race a favor by completely forgetting about Sandusky as a part of it, just as he did to those boys. So from this point on, no more Sandusky, I’m done with him and I sincerely hope all of you are too. On to Joe Paterno.
Over the past four years I’ve gained a pretty unique understanding of college athletics and even some of the fundamentals of coaching. There are no perfect coaches, and even before the most recent events, Paterno wasn’t perfect either. He cussed out Rutgers head coach Doug Graber after a nationally televised game in 1995, was accused of “making light of sexual assault” after comments he made in 2006 and momentarily lost control of his players in 163 criminal charges to 46 players in 2008. His coaching record isn’t completely spotless, but in a sport that has been largely taken over by greed, corruption and loopholes, I fi nd it hard not to give Paterno the benefit of the doubt when it comes to questioning his moral code, priorities and sense of what is really important. You can believe whatever you’d like to help you deal with some of the troubling questions this situation has raised, but I sincerely don’t think Paterno was so immoral, so backwards and so narrow-sighted that he would really look the other way and let all of this happen in the name of football. No, trust and loyalty are the most essential pillars of any coaching staff or team, and I believe that. In Paterno’s case, his mistake was refusing to let go. For more than 40 years, Paterno invested in and trusted his defensive coordinator with the thing most important to him, his legacy, and for most of that time his defensive coordinator seemed trustworthy. They shared the triumph of having hands in one of the most notable and beloved NCAA football teams in recent memory, and while Paterno was the one calling the shots, his defensive coordinator was with him for a very long time. One of the many lessons we all need to learn from this is that you’re judged and held
• web photo Joe Paterno was Penn State’s head football coach before scandal erupted.
up by the people you choose to surround yourself with and trust, but you’d better choose wisely and be honest with yourself because that trust can be blinding. We all know how hard it can be to tell the difference between rumors, allegations and the truth, and when it comes to our friends, every single one of us tends to give them the benefit of the doubt. And for most of life’s issues, that’s a great and admirable philosophy. But when so much is at stake and when the charges are as serious and irreversible as Sandusky’s were, you’ve got to open up your eyes. As people on the outside, we also have the luxury of giving ourselves the benefit of the doubt. It’s easy to look at Paterno or then-intern Mike McQueary and be disgusted and shocked at how they acted. How could they not do something to stop it? But perhaps the scariest thing to think about and realize is that, honestly, each and every one of us is far more cow-
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ardly than we will ever know or admit to ourselves. It takes serious courage to believe in yourself enough to risk everything you have in order to do what’s right, and I’ll be completely honest when I say that, having never been in a situation anything like the one at Penn State, I have doubts about my own courage. And you really should too. Until each one of us is in a situation like the one at Penn State that really tests our courage, we all have to face the possibility that we’re just as cowardly as Paterno and McQueary. Maybe that’s why we all liked Paterno for such a long time; he always seemed to be a little more noble, courageous and trustworthy than just about anyone else we could imagine. Nobody is perfect, but most people have the luxury of getting away with pretending and lying to ourselves since we’re never tested with a situation as horrifying as this one. But Paterno was tested and he failed. Paterno proved that he’s a coward, a hypocrite and
couldn’t practice what he had preached for 46 years. For that, the Penn State trustees did the right thing; Paterno had to go. But I urge you to remember everything you can about this M situation and keep it near your n heart until the day that you die. Remember what a saint Paterno seemed to be, and perhaps even was, until he failed to overcome his own loyalty. Most importantly, remember the eight and possibly many more children that will never p be the same, and will spend the rest of their lives learning to trust, love and be happy because their lives were ended by a monster and a bunch of people that were too cowardly p to stop it. This is a wake-up call. Stop pretending evil people, acts and motives aren’t real, because ignoring them isn’t making them go away. It’s time to stop counting on others to be the people we wish we could be. It’s time for all of us, myself included, to step up and be the hero we so badly wanted Paterno to be.
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Centennial Student Union 293, Mankato, MN 56001 • (507) 389-1776
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
News
Reporter • Page 5
The campus of the future IT faculty talks about MSU’s newest technology upgrade MEGAN KADLEC
news editor
Vice President for Technology Ed Clark gave the President’s Cabinet a special presentation in the Memorial Library Monday afternoon to highlight some of Minnesota State University, Mankato’s newest technological advances. While the Campus Hub has had a digital call-in service, Information Technology has enacted its version of the system earlier this semester. The old call-in software consisted of a bank of telephones that would be answered accordingly. “To be honest, we’ve simply outgrown that model. We don’t have the people to sit and wait for calls,” said Information and Technology Systems Manager Michael McLaughlin. McLaughlin said that many individuals trying to reach the help desk would simply hang up. He said the new system is much easier to manage. The system allows managers to stream calls more efficiently and ensure that students are not waiting for extended periods of time
for their questions to be answered. “So, the focus [is] to improve customer service so we don’t have students or other people calling who have to wait and wait and wait,” said President Richard Davenport. The system keeps track of total calls as well as average waiting times and the number of individuals who either choose to hang up or send their desired message to voicemail. There is talk of making this technology useful in the admissions office. Another new technological feature on campus is the ChimeIn system. This is used in classrooms as an interactive device, much like a traditional clicker. Clickers are specific devices students use in certain classes to provide professors with instant feedback. Unlike clickers, however, ChimeIn can be used for any class at anytime with any device. “When I talked to MSSA, they said, ‘Well don’t make us buy anything,’” Clark said. The ChimeIn technology is designed for use through any device that can access the internet including laptops, smart phones and
MSSA President facilitates MSU President Cabinet meeting
MEGAN KADLEC
news editor
MSSA President Matthew Lexcen took on the role of President Richard Davenport Monday when he facilitated the President’s Cabinet meeting. While MSSA officials have presented at the President’s cabinet meetings in the past, this is the first time a student has facilitated the entire meeting. “It was just a cool opportunity we’ve been talking about through my meetings with Davenport. He usually facilitates student government, runs our show down there,” Lexcen said. “We kind of thought we would flip-flop that, see what it’s like for the MSSA President to run their meetings. It’s kinda cool.” While Lexcen said it was interesting to see how the cabinet works, he also said that he doesn’t understand why everyone was so excited about him facilitating the meeting. Lexcen said that the worst part of the experience was the preparation that went into facilitating the meeting. “I know them all, but it’s still scary. I’d be remised to say that I didn’t get a little
• courtesy of michael cooper MSSA President Matthew Lexcen leads MSU Presidential Council meeting.
bit nervous, but it went very well.” Though Lexcen has had some experience in meeting management, he said there are fundamental differences between MSSA meetings and Presidential Cabinet meetings. “They’re kind of in the real world. We’re still a little bit guarded,” Lexcen said. “We’re still under the umbrella of higher [education.]” The cabinet discussed the capital campaign wrap-up, enrollment management and what MSSA has been doing throughout the semester.
iPads. Students can also use this feature by texting their answers to a specific number. “At the tech fair, we had students texting in and it did work. It’s really a neat feature,” Clark said. Clark said that the IT department hopes this software will be used in classrooms, meetings and presentations to engage students and faculty in discussion. “This could be very much an interactive device an instructor would use,” said Information and Technology Help Desk Coordinator Mitchell Wallerstedt. Answers to questions are streamed in real-time. Faculty members believe this could be essential for students who are too shy to ask a question in front of the class. “There are some math professors [who] said they wouldn’t notice students are doing poorly until test time when the top score would be a 40 percent and you’re saying, ‘Wow, I wish I would have known that before,’” Clark said. Clark said that this software should allow students to use the electronic devices they already
have in a way that helps them in class. “You expect them to have these devices, and now, if you’re using this type of system in a classroom, they’re using their devices in the right way,” Clark said. Another new technology the IT department is working on is the Citrix Receiver. This piece of technology is essentially a remote desktop students and faculty members can use to access certain software, such as CAD or InDesign, they might not be able to access on their own. Wallerstedt said that this technology will allow students to access specific applications from their apartment as opposed to using a specific set of computers on campus. TelePresence is another key software the IT department hopes to use across campus. The technology will make conference calls more realistic. Instead of seeing the individual you are talking to on a small computer screen and passing the computer around the room, the individual on the other side of the conversation will be able to see the entire conference
room. Rick Straka, the Vice President of Finance and Administration, said that the TelePresence software would be useful in advising off-campus students about financial aid. MSU will also launch its personal version of Kaltura will allow professors to share selfgenerated video content with their students. Clark said this software will be especially useful for online classes. Joan Roca, the Dean of Library Services, discussed how MSU is one of the most progressive campuses in the state, especially with the creation of MSU’s newest technological classroom. The classroom, located in the basement of the library, features 10 individual work stations that house up to five students each. These workstations are connected to larger monitors throughout the room. Davenport said that with all of these technological innovations, MSU is becoming the campus of the future.
Page 6 • Reporter
News
GLOBAL CITIZENS “Credit incentives are extremely effective on this generation of obsessive resume builders.” continued from 1 As students, it is hard to appreciate international programs when their decisions are dominated by thoughts of money, credits and time. Luckily, the programs future plans will allow the more positive aspects to carry the same weight in the decision to study abroad or not. “We are asking departments to define one to five international opportunities that would earn credit for their major and that they are willing to endorse,” Tomany said. Faculty members working in the International Center hope that this possible addition to the curriculum will persuade more students to consider these opportunities. “Credit incentives are extremely effective on this generation of obsessive resume builders,” MSU student, Mackenzie Knack
urged. “More importantly they recognize that these experiences can teach students lessons that are just as significant, if not more, than the ones taught in a classroom.” De Ruiter, a multi-lingual professor, raised by an Austrian mother, lectured his students in the streets of Krems, Austria. “The trip was life-changing for the students and me,” De Ruiter said. “The kids had said ‘This place looks like Disney World!’ I told them, ‘No, Disney World looks like this place!’” De Ruiter recalled with a laugh. The Global Citizen’s Award Ceremony is evidence that interest in different cultures is a fun and engaging way to gain a better perspective on the world.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
CHILIFEST “The first place winner was Jack Considine with his chili, ‘The Roaches.’” continued from 2 A silent auction, housed in tents outside the bar featured various items from sweaters and candy baskets to sky-diving tickets for two. There was also a Festival Kid’s Zone open inside Buster’s for children. There was macaroni and cheese available for those individuals who don’t enjoy chili. Judges for the cook-off were Mankato Mayor Eric Anderson, Gillette Chil-
dren’s Specialty Healthcare Pediatrician Art Beisang, North Mankato Mayor Mark Dehen, KEYC-TV meteorologist Mitch Keegan and John Thompson, who works for the Taylor Corporation. Thompson’s brother was an Army Seargant who died in the line of duty. The first place winner was Jack Considine with his chili, “The Roaches.” Tim Mohr came in second
place with “The Best Chili Ever,” and in third, Sue Worlds with “Fire in the Hole.” The people’s choice award went out to Stacey Martin for her “White Chix Chili.” Craig Allen, last year’s third place winner had his “BAD Chili” there again this year. “It’s so good, it’s bad for you,” Allen said.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Look What Drake’s Done
www.msureporter.com/arts-entertainment
Canadian Actor-Turned-Rapper Achieves Sophomore Sucess ALEXANDER RYAN ROUNDTREE
W
ith being nominated staff writer for six Grammy’s, having last year’s album go No. 1 and platinum, and being GQ’s man of the year in 2010, one could ask: ‘What more does Drake have to accomplish?’ The answer is an album that transcends all patterns of mediocrity that is seen in the music industry today and that is forthright one of the year’s best. Drake is the 25-year-old Canadian actor turned rapper that has relentlessly been one of hip hop’s front runners since his critically acclaimed mixtape So Far Gone in 2009. After last year’s successful debut Thank Me Later Drake returns with his sophomore album Take Care. Where many albums fall short in cohesiveness there is nothing of the sort to be said here. All 17 of Take Care’s tracks blend together, giving the listener a full experience of a body of work that can stand on its own. On “Over my Dead Body,” the albums opener, Drake un-bashfully pinpoints detractors with the line, “All these people really discussing my career again/asking if I’ll be going platinum in a year again/ Don’t I got this shit the world wanna hear again?/ Don’t Michael Jordan still got his hoop earring in?” Along with the track’s haunting melody, deepened by the emotion fans of his have grown to love, the first song is only a hint at things to come, which are a rich tapestry of sound layered with tales of heart break, contemplation and poise. More than his talent as a rapper, singer and songwriter; Drake’s real talent is his ability to display his emotions and touch on subjects and feelings that are absent from so many recordings. It would be hard to pinpoint an album highlight as they all are sonically coherent, but the clear winner of the bunch is the song “Look What You’ve
Done,” an ode to his mother and uncle. The song details accounts of his life situation in the past and his memories of both of them and how they helped to further him to the man he is today. The soft and tender piano in the background provides the perfect backdrop for Drake to give lines when arguing with his mother like, “You love me and I love you/and your heart hurts and mine does too/ and it’s just words and they cut deep/but it’s our world, it’s just us two.” He goes on to discuss being proud to give his mom the operation she needed and how she deserves it for everything she’s done. The tale is furthered on the second verse when Drake goes down memory lane to collect stories of his uncle and his feeling of their trials and tribulations. In the song he states that his uncle “made the world I know bigger/ changed the way that I viewed it.” The track’s most tender moment however, comes at the end, with a sentimental call from Drake’s grandmother that is sure to tug on heartstrings. • web photo The tracks “Headlines,” “Under Ground Kings” and “We’ll Be Fine” embrace the brasher side of his music more while the cuts “Doing It Wrong” and “The Real Her,” along with the rest of the album, hold a more R&B-heavy vibe. It’s this same vibe of R&B and soft melodies that are strung together with polish courtesy of Noah “40” Shebib, who lends production and additional assistance over the entire album. Among the guests to grace Take Care are Rihanna, on the title track, which features a light dance beat, and a sample from Gil Scott-Heron. The single “Make me Proud” features Nicki Minaj while the track “Lord Knows” is given bolstering assistance by Rick Ross. Toronto native, The Weeknd adds depth to “Crew Love,” giving shine to another artist from his hometown, and
DRAKE/ page 8
Hungry For The Music
Local Benefit Raises for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness EMRE ERKU
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elodies and bass guitar, rad riffs staff writer that you can forever hold on to. Drum lines. Creedence covers and a three dollar entry fee, or some canned goods if self-funding is insufficient. This was all made possible by the inventive nature of the students in Professor Dale Haefner’s Concert Production class and the musical talents of the bands Noble Gases and Dr. Lee. Nov. 12-20 was National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, so what better way to make the public aware then by plugging instruments into outlets and jamming it senseless? This awareness is exactly what Haefner, his students, and the music aimed to accomplish, along with concert production experience for the students of Haefner’s Concert Production class. “My students produced the show, located the venue, found the bands, posted the ads and posters necessary, and participated in the social networking made possible for the show,” said Haefner, after being asked to give a deeper insight into his students efforts put forth towards the gig. “This is one of the projects required for my class.” And the students indeed prevailed, finding Red Sky Lounge for the stage, Dr. Lee and Noble Gases for the music, and good grades for their report cards. Not only that, but the proceeds went to benefit the Campus Kitchen, which is a student and community volunteer organization that combats hunger by recov-
ering and preparing food to be delivered to local underprivileged citizens and families, a reward in itself. The bands played their parts as well. The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cream, and even Lady Gaga were performed in covers by the interestingly clothed Noble Gases. “We are actors, providing the stage with a greater package besides good music. We engage with our visuals,” said band member Garret Steinberg. “We are entertainers with costumes.” They are more than just that. Along with their dread-locked wigs and Matrix suits, they’re also accompanied with well-played cover songs and a great concern for hunger. “This is a good event for creating hunger awareness; it’s a bunch of people coming together for a just cause,” said the band’s lead singer and MSU student Jessica Pritchett. “It’s a serious issue and as college students we should understand the impact it has on our country.” • web photo Through the ancient ways of rock-n-roll classics and unforgettable attire, Noble Gases accomplished their mission. What about Dr. Lee? Did they accomplish their hunger mission, too? The answer: hell yes they did, through a series of attractive guitar riffs and good ol’ fashioned “Sympathy for the Devil,” a song made popular by the one
BENEFIT / page 8
Page 8 • Reporter
A&E
BENEFIT “People turn a
blind eye to something that is more and more prevalent every day, we encourage to help”
continued from 7 and only Rolling Stones. Of course, Dr. Lee performed their own original material, which was a cross between Kings of Leon and Leadbelly. “We play Kitten Mittens, road rock, road kill, and folk rock” said band member Lee Henke, describing the taste of Dr. Lee’s music. Their original tracks were performed with rock steady beats and hard blues, along with a wailing guitar. Dr. Lee’s members also believe that the music is a great way to alert the public. “People turn a blind eye to something that is more and more prevalent every day, we encourage to help,” stated band member Dustin Hackworth. “At times, even we musicians find ourselves homeless and hungry.” The show took place last Wednesday, and was a complete success. The students put forth an impressive effort into the collaboration of the event, as did the bands. The talented musicians rocked the place out with an eye-opening presence, thus, benefiting more underprivileged citizens of Mankato and surrounding areas. Minnesota State University, Mankato serves more than 11,000 meals in Mankato each year with the help of food and monetary donations from local restaurants, university dining services, and community members. Now, the students of Haefner’s class and both Noble Gases and Dr. Lee can say they too have helped more people receive food donations in the greater Mankato area.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Dessa Concludes Tour In Kato BRIAN ROSEMEYER | a&e editor
S
unday brought cold, snow, the pending season, and Dessa to Mankato. The Minnesota-native rapper came to the Verizon Wireless Center Ballroom downtown and brought enough
to warm the hearts of the audience. The stop in Kato was the last leg on her tour backing Castor the Twin. The show featured Dessa fronting the vocals, but instead of a DJ spinning pre-recorded beats, she had a full live band behind her, as well as Abby Wolf on backing vocals.
• brian rosemeyer
The band was hot, and Dessa tore through her songs, each performance enhancing as the night went on. Crescent Moon is in Big Trouble (also of Minnesota heritage) opened the night with a modest, but well done set. Dessa took stage and played to a little more than 200 people in the intimacy of the Ballroom. Dessa seemed loose and fluid on-stage, bantering in an honest way, cutting the “it’s so great to be here, Mankato is the best” stuff and sharing funny jokes about being a performer and talking to the crowd as they weren’t just faces. Her encore was stunning, “Hallelujah” done a cappella, single microphone, her in a chair. It was beautiful.
DRAKE “Everyone was intricately placed in the perfect spot to support each of their features respectively, rather than hinder the project.”
continued from 7 Kendrick Lamar adds his vocals to an interlude titled “Buried Alive.” Lil Wayne shows up on “HYFR” as well as the song “The Real Her.” Andre 3000 also lends his hand to the latter. With a variety of guests, some of which particularly have their own lanes in music, it should be noted that none of the features withhold anything from the consistency or feeling from the album. Everyone was intricately placed in the perfect spot to support each of their features respectively, rather than hinder the project. On “Over my Dead Body” Drake states that “Jealousy is just love and hate at the same time.” While critics love to scoff that he is over-emotional and lays out his feelings too much, it is that very same thing that makes his music so potent, powerful and compelling. With another year under his belt, I guess we’ll have to take care until next time.
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Sports
MSU Men’s Basketball: The Mavericks suffered their first loss of the season 74-63 to Michigan Tech in Houghton, Mich. to fall to 1-1 on the season. Freshman wing Kelly Madison led MSU with 16 points. MSU Wrestling: Eight Mavericks finished in the top-five of their weight class, with freshman Drew Lexvold winning his class at the Augsburg Open. MSU Swimming: Nicole Blum won the 200-yard freestyle at the Mini-Invite at Gustavus Adolphus College.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011 www.msureporter.com/sports
Mavericks fall short against defending champs, ending their season After struggling against the Golden Bears all season, MSU failed to reverse its fortunes in NCAAs. REECE HEMMESCH
staff writer
After a brilliant final weekend of the regular season last week, the Minnesota State, Mankato volleyball team’s season came to an end last Thursday after a 3-0 loss to the four-time defending national champion Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears. MSU came in as the seventh seed in the tournament after defeating the No. 2 team in the country, Minnesota-Duluth, two weekends ago. But Concordia was just too much to handle, as they swept the Mavericks, ending their season. “I am very proud of our season and the girls I got to play with,” senior setter Brittany Stamer said. Thursday wound up marking the last time Stamer and fellow senior Alli Rice would ever wear a Mavericks uniform. The match started off with Concordia jumping out to a quick 12-6 lead, then it went on to score 13 of the last 17 points to win game one 25-10. “We tried a different approach towards them the first game to throw them off,”
Photo courtesy of msu athletics Senior setter Brittany Stamer ends her Maverick career as MSU’s alltime assists leader.
MAVERICKS Concordia-St. Paul
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Stamer explained of the set one mishaps. “Obviously that was a little rough.” Sets two and three were both a lot closer than set one was, but it was Concordia that would collect 25-19 and 25-22 wins to achieve the sweep and move onto the second round. “We went back to our style for the second and third games, but they still got the wins,” Stamer said. Stamer led the way with 35 assists for MSU, and she also added a game-high 19 digs. Junior Chelsea Fogarty finished with 14 kills on the day, and Courtney Steinhauser, Jill Storlie and Rice all finished with seven kills. Concordia’s defense was outstanding in the victory, as they held MSU to a lowly .182 attack percentage, while the Golden Bears finished with a very superior .410 percentage. “They’re good at what they do,” said Stamer about the opponent that she never beat in her career at MSU. “Great blockers and great defense.
They can put the ball away with ease, and when their defense is on it’s tough to get by.” MSU actually did do a good job of containing Concordia’s Megan Carlson. Carlson is one of CSP’s leading hitters, and the Mavericks held her to nine Thursday afternoon. But Kayla Koennecke picked up the slack, hammering home 13 kills for the day. Despite the loss to the defending champs, 2011 brought in a lot of milestones for the Mavericks, as Stamer ended the season as MSU’s all-time assists leader. Fogarty heads into her senior season sitting eighth all-time in kills, and Alli Rice finishes her career with the second-most digs in Mavericks history. The highlight of the season came two weekends ago, as the team needed a victory to advance on to the NCAA tournament. It did so, beating heavilyfavored UMD in four sets. The Mavericks end their season with an overall 20-9 record and a 13-7 NSIC record.
Men’s Hockey
MSU can’t contain No. 8 Bulldogs offense in road sweep The defending national champions were too much for the Mavericks in Duluth, taking both games easily.
JOEY DENTON
staff writer
This past weekend didn’t go the way the Minnesota State, Mankato men’s hockey team wanted it to go, as the team suffered a sweep to the No. 8 Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. The Bulldogs took Friday’s matchup 5-2 and Saturday’s 7-3 to complete the sweep. “It was a tough weekend, no doubt,” senior defenseman Joe Schiller said. “Obviously, we can’t afford to get swept at this point. We always hope to get some points, but UMD was good too. They haven’t lost in 10 games.” In Friday’s game the Mavericks started off strong, keeping the puck on Duluth’s side of the ice most of the opening period. The Mavericks outshot the Bulldogs 21-9, but Duluth made them count, holding a 1-0 lead at the end of the period. Schiller thought that was the toughest part of the whole weekend.
MSU UMD
2 MSU 5 UMD
“The toughest thing was probably not scoring in the first period Friday on 21 shots and some real grade-A chances. We could have been in control of that game,” Schiller said. In the second period, the Bulldogs started to pull away, with J.T. Brown and Caleb Herbert scoring for the Bulldogs to make it 3-0. A little ray of light shined through as the Mavericks attempted to comeback with a goal from junior forward Eriah Hayes, his second in as many games, at the 1:27 mark of the third period. The comeback would be shut down with two UMD goals in the next four minutes to extend the Bulldogs’ lead to 5-1. The Mavericks would get a goal back with senior forward Adam Mueller scoring his second goal of the season, bringing the final score to 5-2. Things didn’t get any easier for the Mavericks on Saturday. After
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keeping the Bulldogs in check through the entire first period, the Bulldogs unleashed a scoring wrath in the second, scoring four goals in a two-minute time span to put the Mavericks in a 4-0 hole. Freshman forward Matt Leitner scored one of the goals back for the Mavericks, scoring at the 5:19 mark of the second period. To start the third, freshman forward Max Gaede brought the Mavericks one goal closer, scoring his first collegiate goal at the 0:43 mark for a 4-2 deficit. After MSU made the game a little interesting, UMD got three goals of its own and extended its lead to five at 7-2. Then junior forward Eli Zuck scored for the Mavericks at the 15:23 mark of the final period, but it was too little too late. “Personally, we had a good first period,” junior goalie Phil Cook said. “Then we gave them MEN’S HOCKEY / page 10
Photo courtesy of msu athletics Junior defenseman Evan Mosey assisted on freshman Matt Leitner’s goal in the second period of MSU’s 7-3 loss to UMD on Saturday night.
Page 10 • Reporter
Sports
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Women’s Hockey
Fighting Sioux’s Lamoureux twins overwhelm Mavericks Jocelyne, the nation’s leading scorer, and her sister, Monique, combined for four goals and nine points in two wins over MSU in Grand Forks, N.D. LEE HANDEL
sports editor
M HOCKEY (WCHA) School
Conf. OVR
Minnesota Minnesota Duluth Nebraska Omaha Denver Michigan Tech Colorado College St. Cloud State Wisconsin Bemidji State
8-2-0 7-2-1 5-3-2 4-2-3 5-4-1 5-2-0 4-3-1 4-7-1 3-6-1 MAVERICKS 2-6-0 North Dakota 2-6-0 Alaska Anchorage 1-7-0
11-3-0 9-3-2 6-6-2 5-3-3 7-4-1 7-2-0 6-6-2 5-8-1 5-8-1 3-9-0 4-7-1 4-7-1
W HOCKEY (WCHA) School
Conf. OVR
Minnesota
8-2-0-0 12-2-0 Wisconsin 7-1-0-0 13-1-0 North Dakota 6-3-1-0 9-4-1 Ohio State 5-4-1-1 7-4-1 Bemidji State 5-4-1-0 9-4-2 Minn. Duluth 2-5-1-1 5-6-1 MAVERICKS 1-7-0-0 5-9-0 St. Cloud State 0-8-0-0 1-11-2
AA CAMPUS MEETING Weggy's (University Square) Wednesday Nights at 7:30 p.m.
MSU UND
The Minnesota State, Mankato women’s hockey team had its hand full traveling to Grand Forks to take on the high-flying North Dakota Fighting Sioux offense last weekend. The Mavericks needed to be nearly flawless in all phases in order to steal a game at Ralph Engelstad Arena, but they were unable to put a complete hockey game together in losing the two-game series by scores of 5-3 and 6-1. MSU showed some spunk in the first period of Friday’s opening game, as junior forward Lauren Smith used an athletic spin move to beat UND goaltender Stephanie Ney, tying the score 1-1 7:08 into the game. The Mavericks entered the second period trailing 2-1 and kept up the intensity early on. Then the NCAA scoring leader, dynamic UND forward Jocelyn Lamoureux, notched her second goal of the game to give the Sioux a 3-1 advantage heading into the final period. UND extended its lead to 4-1 early in the third when Jocelyn’s sister, Monique, tallied a score on the power play. But the Mavericks kept fighting, scoring a power play goal of their own 9:09 into the third period to cut the deficit to
3 MSU 5 UND
4-2. Senior blue-liner Jackie Otto picked up the score for MSU, her second of the season, on passes from junior Emilia Andersson and senior Emmi Leinonen. MSU’s momentum was halted almost immediately, as a turnover on the same power play led to another Sioux score for a decisive 5-2 lead. Smith would add another goal in the closing minutes, her second of the contest and third of the season, to cap the scoring in the Mavericks’ 5-3 loss. Senior goaltender Alli Altmann played fairly well in net all things considered, and finished with 29 saves. The Sioux’s high-powered offense simply overwhelmed MSU in Saturday’s final game of the series, but the Mavericks did have their chances to make the game tighter than Photo courtesy of msu athletics the 6-1 final score. Junior forward Lauren Smith had two goals for the Mavericks in Friday’s UND recorded the only 5-3 loss to North Dakota. Smith now leads the team in points with 11. goal of the first period thanks er, as sophomore forward Kari to Jocelyn Lamoureux, who The Mavericks finished Lundberg notched her fifth goal picked up her third score of the 1-for-5 on the power play, and of the season to trim the deficit series. sophomore goaltender Danielle to 4-1. The Mavericks played a bit Butters struggled while making Two more UND scores in sloppy in the pivotal second 18 saves. the last five minutes of the period, as the Sioux tallied two MSU (5-9-0, 1-7-0-0) is off more goals to take a 3-0 advan- game completed the scoring this weekend and play the Wisand put the exclamation point tage into the third period. consin Badgers in two weeks in on the Sioux sweep. MSU kept fighting, howevMankato.
MEN’S HOCKEY continued from 9
the momentum. It’s hard to come back when you are in a 4-0 hole. Saturday’s loss was the toughest, because we needed that game for the team’s moral.” Schiller noted that once they gave Duluth momentum, it was
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very tough to come back. “We’ve been prepared physically as far as practice goes,” Schiller said. “What has gotten us has been short lapses in play that gave them a couple huge second periods last weekend.”
On the injury front, senior defenseman Cameron Cooper, who played a big part in the split at home against St. Cloud State the previous weekend, didn’t play last weekend to add to the injuries.
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“Cameron Cooper was unable to play, and we thought he’d be ready, so that hurt not having our most experienced defenseman,” Schiller said. “Other than that, we’re getting almost back to full health.”
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
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Reporter • Page 11
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