MORAINE VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER WWW.MVCCGLACIER.COM JANUARY 24, 2014 VOLUME 47, ISSUE 9
Polar vortex strikes MVCC campus By Naimah Mitchell Staff Writer In the first weekend of 2014, winter storm Ion slammed the Midwest with heavy snowfall and a succeeding deep freeze. According to Weather.com, the highest recorded snowfall total in the region was Benton Harbor, Michigan with 18.8 inches. In the Chicagoland area, 10 to 12 inches of snowfall was expected throughout the weekend. Following the heavy snowfall was a deep freeze where temperatures dropped between -25 and -35 degrees with wind chill factored in. The record breaking deep freeze began late Sunday, January 5th and continued into Tuesday, January 7th with a slow but steady warm up beginning Wednesday, January 8th.. The dangerously cold weather “can cause frostbite in a matter of minutes,” according to CNN. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also noted on its website that “hypothermia [can result] from prolonged exposure to cold.”
Patrons of the Chicagoland area were strongly advised by the NWS to stay indoors as much as possible, adjust heat to a higher setting, and keep a backup heat source in the event of an emergency outage. For travelling patrons who could not make it home in time for the storm, many public buildings were turned into warming centers for emergency shelter. The inclement weather resulted in most major school districts closing, major airports and public transit systems halting service, and jobs cancelling work. Emanuel Reyes, a longtime resident of Blue Island, shared his experience with the snowstorm. “This snowstorm was particularly difficult for me to deal with because I was stuck at work overnight. My wife and newborn were at home and I could not make it to be with them.” Moraine Valley was also negatively impacted by the snowstorm. The college issued a statement on its website that the school was closed on Mon-
Heavy, still-falling snow made for difficult treks by students between classes. [Erica Sinnott] day, January 6th due to the extreme conditions. For students of Moraine Valley, the college’s closing put many of them at a disadvantage: “I am an adult student who works two jobs. I don’t have time to run back and forth [to Moraine Valley], so when I found out it closed, I had to
completely change my plans. I had to withhold buying my books and everything,” stated student Angela Sotomayor. Fortunately for students and staff, the college reopened all of its facilities at noon the following day on Tuesday, January 7th to the appreciation of many students.
“I was glad that the college opened up quickly. This is my first semester here at Moraine so I needed to register and sign up for class,” explained student John Collins. Naimah Mitchell can be contacted at mitchelln28@student.morainevalley.edu.
International students expand horizons By Ashley Meitz News Editor It may be a surprise, but Moraine Valley’s International
Student Orientation Program begins with picking students up from the airport. Upon arriving, students meet their host families and
Muhammad Arslan, Xiaowei Wang, Oswanel Mozer Molloumba and Han Dong Change inside S217. [Erica Sinnott]
learn where they will be living throughout their schooling. Host families are founded through word of mouth, relatives already living in the states and specialized recruiters. Before placement with a host, both parties complete questionnaires in order to ensure a comfortable living environment. During their first five days, students are provided with information essential to acquiring an education in the United States. Orientation includes a campus tour, staff introductions, an overview of the U.S. educational system, placement testing, information regarding general health in the U.S., academic advising, community
advising and an explanation of college policies. The Thursday during orientation is dedicated to demonstrating transportation into downtown and a glimpse into Chicago. Students visit Millennium Park and The Water Tower Place and have the opportunity to see the sites and shop. “The orientation is one of our greatest prides. Not all schools have such a comprehensive program for international students. We teach them what to expect academically, from choosing classes to buying books. Then we teach things like how to choose classes, how to open a bank account, how to get a driver’s license and where the post office is,” explained Cecilia Galvan,
International Student Services & SEVIS Coordinator. Visa regulations differ from one country to the next. Typically, students study during the fall and spring semesters and are allowed to spend summer as they wish. “Some stay with their hosts, some travel to destinations like California or New York and others choose to visit home,” said Eliza Plous, M.A., International Student Services Specialist. Visas permit international students to spend anywhere from one year to five years within the states. Nearly all of the international applicants possess at least a basic understanding of English. Some writing and INTERNATIONAL | page 2
IN THIS ISSUE ENTERTAINMENT Carrie Ann Schumacher’s sculpted dress exhibit graces MVCC. SOCIAL PAGE 7
SPORTS Local woman ventures to Russia for the Olympics. PAGE 12
FEATURES Welcome Days celebrates new and returning studentsfor the spring semester. SOCIAL PAGE 1