March 9, 2017

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Logan

This superhero movie gives you something unexpected

Men’s Basketball

Bearcats prepare for the AAC tournament

THE NEWS RECORD / UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI THURSDAY, MAR. 9, 2017

NEWSRECORD.ORG

Zero Bearcat players named to all-conference first team JASON SZELEST | STAFF REPORTER

The 2016-17 list for firstteam all-conference honors in the American Athletic Conference was revealed yesterday, and there was a lack of Bearcat presence on it.

Despite finishing 27-4 with a conference record of 16-2, the Bearcats failed to have a single player stand out enough to make the cut.

Of the five who garnered first-team honors, four were the top scorers in the conference this season.

Those were University of Houston’s Rob Gray Jr. and Damyean Dotson, Southern Methodist University’s Semi Ojeleye and the University of Memphis’ Dedric Lawson.

University of Connecticut’s Jalen Adams

was the only player not to qualify as one of the statistically best scorers in the conference who earned first-team honors.

The selection decision, made by the coaches, to base their best players solely on pure point production did not fare well for a University of Cincinnati team that spread the wealth with four players averaging doublefigures.

It also seemed to give no value to defense, where the players on the court for UC worked together to lead their team to the fourthlowest opponent scoring average in the country.

Also of note is that barring a surprise conference tournament champion, only one player on that list, Ojeleye,

provided enough of a boost to his team to lead them to an NCAA tournament appearance.

UC head coach Mick Cronin seemed more concerned about his team’s performance than personal accolades given to his players.

“I think people just go down and look at the leading scorers,” Cronin said. “We don’t talk about awards. We don’t really talk about winning. We just talk about trying to get better and playing well, and then you will get what you deserve.”

Senior point guard Troy Caupain, who was named preseason co-player of the year, and junior forward Kyle Washington were both named to the allconference second team.

Freshman guard Jarron Cumberland was named to the all-rookie team.

Missing from all lists were sophomore guard Jacob Evans, who led the team in scoring, and junior forward Gary Clark, who was a unanimous first-team preseason all-conference selection.

Despite scoring the same number of points per game while increasing his field goal percentage from last season when he was a second-team all-conference selection, Clark was not disappointed by the lack of inclusion.

“It’s always a great accolade to have, but at the end of the day all that matters as a team is getting W’s and winning championships,” Clark said.

“I am happy for the guys

that made it.”

While the players and coaches took the high road, the fans were not so kind to the committee that saw fit to leave UC’s players out.

“That is bulls---,” said fourth-year business management student Brendan Wambaugh.

“Second best team in the conference, undefeated at home, and we still got shafted. Gary, Troy, Jacob and Kyle all could have been first-team, and nobody would have questioned it. The American made a mistake leaving all UC players off the first team.”

With the AAC tournament opening on Thursday, the conference’s selected best players will get one more shot to do what many of them failed to do during

the regular season – lead their team to a victory over Cincinnati.

Cincinnati begins their tournament against the winner of the University of Tulsa and Tulane University matchup on Friday at 7 p.m. in Hartford, Connecticut.

JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

UC point guard Troy Caupain (10) drives down the court while being guarded, Thursday, March 2, 2017 at Fifth Third Arena.

BKLYN BOIHOOD visits UC

Group strives to end damaging masculinity in America SAMANTHA HALL | SENIOR REPORTER

FILE ART.

Medical amnesty JUSTIN REUTTER | NEWS EDITOR

In the wake of a Miami University student’s death by alcohol poisoning, two of the University of Cincinnati Student Government slates are pushing for Good Samaritan policies.

On Jan. 20, Erica Buschick, an 18-yearold freshman at Miami University, was found dead by her roommate after a night of heavy drinking.

Buschick had a bloodalcohol level of 0.347, more than four times the Ohio legal limit, at the time of her death.

The presidential slates of Bashir Emlemdi and Kevin Leugers both believe that a medical amnesty program for alcohol could prevent tragedies such as this from happening at UC. Medical amnesty is the concept that if a UC student is dangerously intoxicated and in need of medical aid, they could access it without the risk of legal charges or academic sanctions for either themselves or the person who calls.

Currently, the university shall implement and enforce the laws of the state of Ohio as stated in the Ohio Revised Code, according to the university’s official alcohol policy, and individuals who are found in violation will face academic sanctions and possible prosecution under the Ohio law.

However, there is some degree of medical amnesty for alcohol on a discretionary basis for students, said Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards Aneisha Mitchell.

“Our policy under our student code of conduct is really limited to students who are experiencing sexual misconduct or a violent crime…it is on a

case-by case basis when we allow a student to qualify for amnesty,” Mitchell said.

SG At-large Senator and vice presidential candidate Nicole Price thinks this is not enough.

“Students drink,” said Price. “You don’t need statistics to know that students drink. At many universities across the country, like Miami, we’ve seen students do what they think is the right thing. You take them home, let them rest a bit, and sometimes, unfortunately, they don’t wake up in the morning.

And that breaks my heart.”

UC has most likely had, or will have in the future, students who don’t come home or don’t wake up the next day, said Price.

Price believes that there should be no minimum requirements to qualify for aid.

Some students are concerned that while medical amnesty could help keep students safe, the policy might enable the behavior.

“It could be a good thing, but It might encourage students to drink more,” said Andrew Limberg, a third-year accounting student.

Mitchell disputes this assertion. “I want for our students to be safe and feel empowered to get help for them and their peers,” said Mitchell. “I understand that concern, but I have yet to see the policy abused – here or anywhere else I’ve worked.”

“I think that having [medical amnesty] on our campus would be really beneficial just so that students have that reassurance that they are allowed to call for medical services to get the help they need,” said Deshae Nelson, a fourth-year communications student.

A Brooklyn-originated group strives to eliminate violent masculinity across the country and the University of Cincinnati.

Coming straight out of Brooklyn, the group “BKLYN BOIHOOD” arrived at UC Tuesday evening to spread the elimination of violent masculinity.

In the fifth floor of Teachers’ College, four involved members and founders gave a workshop titled “Un/Doing Masculinity” during their tour, which was free for students and community members who have questions or are looking for a welcoming environment.

Founded more than six years ago by five still-standing members, the collective holds a set of individual and intentional goals, the biggest of which includes creating a space for queer, trans, black and brown youth.

“The point is just making ourselves, our identities and complexities visible,” said Ryann Holmes, a founding member of BKLYN BOIHOOD. Other members who joined the evening for the workshop include

Chino Harelin, Van Baily and Morgan Mann Willis.

The collective touched on the topics of sexual and domestic violence during their introduction. The guest speakers brought attendees to the floor to display a demonstration of these violent acts by requesting participants to create their own scene of what dangerous masculinity looks like.

While the group tours to spread their message, their headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, is where the real action occurs.

Throughout the year, parties are hosted, inviting all queer, trans people of color (QTPOC) to join in on a night of hectic fun in their own community.

BKLYN BOIHOOD also has a social media presence that is most recognized on Tumblr.

Outside of social gatherings, another way that the group has largely created change for their fellow QTPOC is in their yearly calendars that highlight the fashion, beauty and fun of their community, which is not commonly represented in mainstream media.

Throughout the existence of the

group, questions have been raised of the safety of their parties. In order to eliminate any possible violence or unsafe party-goers, the collective established their own set of policies, guidelines and safety training in order to create the best environment for femmes and those who lack stereotypical masculinity.

As the night came to a close, attendees heard readings from BKLYN BOIHOOD’s published anthology, “Outside the XY.” Members shared personal experiences and trauma endured during their time with a lack of representation and understanding, and they also brought audience members to share in the safe space too.

In regards to BKLYN BOIHOOD’s impact at UC, fourth-year early childhood education student Amna Fazlani stated that it was important to make “queer, trans people of color visible, and centering people of color at UC.” Fazlani is a member of the LGBTQ community and hopes for the future presence for people of color at UC to grow.

JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

bklyn boihood members speak and interact with those attending a workshop, Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at Teachers College room 533.

New Kroger Corryville location opens doors today after 18 months EMILY STOLTZ | CHIEF REPORTER

The new Kroger location in Corryville will open its doors to the community on Thursday, March 9, nearly a year and a half after the old store was demolished.

The old store had a lessthan-favorable reputation, and some students say they avoided going all together. “It was just kind of outdated, and I really didn’t like going there if I didn’t have to,” said Brooke Schottenstein, a fourthyear psychology student. “I always felt like the layout was a little weird, and there

weren’t a lot of options.”

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the new store, boasting 69,000 square feet of floor space, offers a drive-through pharmacy, The Little Clinic, a natural foods selection, a bistro and seating area, a Starbucks and a beer tap station. The store’s downstairs bistro and seating area were designed

by University of Cincinnati DAAP students.

Emma Keifer, a fourthyear communications student, said she is more than pleased with the store’s new layout and

features.

“I love that it’s two stories.

I think it adds some cool flare to the traditional grocery store. And I live right down the street, so it’s going to be super convenient to just walk there,” she said.

The opening of the new store marks a new era of grocery shopping in an urban environment, a concept that revolves around convenience and plenty of amenities.

Kroger’s newest location will even include ClickList, a service that allows shoppers to buy items

online and simply pick them up at the store when ready.

Many large grocery store chains like Kroger are learning to cater to millennials, who have led a trend toward local and craft food and beverage.

Kroger’s new design, although smaller than most of the company’s marketplaces, offers the best of both worlds – convenience paired with seemingly endless options.

The goal of these new grocery store designs, referred to as urban grocery stores, is to provide

as many options and amenities as possible in as little space as possible, according to NPR. These urban grocery stores serve as a focal point of the community, according to Schottenstein. “I think the new Kroger will add a lot to the area, and it will bring a lot of people here that wouldn’t normally come to the area,” she said.

The store’s reopening adds to the rebirth of Short Vine. Over the past few years, Cincinnati residents have witnessed a number of new additions, including large apartment

complexes and a number of restaurants and bars.

The addition of more options for living, eating and drinking, coupled with the neighborhood’s existing customary favorites, sheds a new light on one of Cincinnati’s most vibrant spaces. “It’s really cool to see the area come up like this. I’ve loved living over here for the past few years, and it’s getting better every year it seems like,” said Keifer.

FREE

2 / NEWS ‘High Rise on the Green’ dorm under construction THURSDAY, MAR. 9, 2017

ZACHARY PERRIN | STAFF REPORTER

High Rise on the Green is the official name of the new building now under construction on the east side of campus.

The building will be situated between Turner and Scioto halls, serving primarily as an eight-floor residence hall with a total of 328 beds.

“It will be a suite style.

Very similar to what we have at Stratford Heights,” said Senior Associate Vice President of Campus Services Todd Duncan.

The cost per bed for students will be less than the other buildings near High Rise on the Green, such as Morgens, Scioto and Turner. It will provide a different option for students looking to live on that side of campus, especially with the construction of the new Lindner College of Business set to start soon nearby, according to Duncan.

“We were very thoughtful and intentional about the unit type. We didn’t want to

just build more apartment beds. We wanted to think about the different costs that students would face in choosing where to live on the east side. Daniels and Dabney will still be the lowest cost housing options on that east side, but we like providing a variety of unit types and price points for our students to choose from in our housing portfolio,” said Duncan.

A 275-seat dining hall, similar to that of Center Court, MarketPointe and Stadium View, will be on the ground floor along with a retail café.

Above that, the first floor will house the offices of Housing and Food Services and Resident Education and Development, both of which now work in the basement of Stratford 16, according to Duncan.

The whole project will cost $48 million and will be repaid over 20-25 years.

“Much like a mortgage, we call it debt service. It’ll be repaid only through housing fees by the students that live in the

building. This repayment does not come out of tuition dollars,” said Duncan.

High Rise on the Green is part of a housing master plan developed in 2014 that’s purpose is to respond to the growing demand in housing by building more housing and renovating existing housing. The renovations of Morgens and Scioto were initial parts of this ongoing plan.

With the university’s rapid growth in enrollment, the number of incoming freshmen is too big for the amount of housing UC has now.

Many students have ended up in overflow housing, which are offcampus apartments the university obtains through block leases given to uptown landlords.

“We have seen very rapid growth in enrollment, so that means demand for housing, demand for food services, and you really can’t create those as quickly sometimes as the enrollment growth is,” said

Duncan.

High Rise on the Green is set to open in August 2018. The next step in the housing master plan will

be to renovate Siddall and Daniels. Doing so will mean that each building will be offline for two years, respectively, but

both renovations will happen in a sequential manner, according to Duncan.

COURTESY OF GBBN ARCHITECTS.

Cincinnati sets a new heat record in February PARKER MALATESTA | NEWS EDITOR

JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

A sunny day on Sigma Sigma Commons. February 5, 2017.

On Feb. 24 Cincinnati reached 77 degrees, setting a new record for the warmest day ever recorded in February in the city’s history.

In 2016, according to AccuWeather, the average temperature in the Queen City was 1.3 degrees above the historical average. Also, precipitation for the year was 7.9 percent higher than the historical city average.

This information comes at a time when climate change is one of the most debated geopolitical issues in the country.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently confirmed its new administrator, and now former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt leads the agency that he once sued.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference, Pruitt was asked about his feelings toward talking to a group that wants to discard the agency he runs. “I think it’s justified,” he said. “I think people across the country look at the EPA the way they look at the IRS.” Among recent reports, it is noted that the White House is currently scuffled along this issue. According to The New York Times, senior adviser to the president Stephen Bannon is pushing Mr. Trump to pull the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. Inversely, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the president’s daughter Ivanka Trump have warned Mr. Trump that the move could create broad damages diplomatically.

The Paris Agreement brings all nations into a common cause to undertake

ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.

University of Cincinnati Environmental Engineering Assistant Professor Patrick Ray elaborated on the recent temperature increases. “It’s not just the past few years.

Since about 2000, we’ve been hitting new records for ‘warmest year on record’ pretty much every year. It’s a lot warmer than it was 20 years ago. The trend is up and fast. Sea ice is at lower levels than ever in the history of record (thousands of years of ice cores and sea sediment samples). The temperature trend started in the 1970s, worldwide. It is speeding up fast. Greenland is melting fast. Quite a significant thing,” he wrote in an email.

Third-year environmental engineering student and co-coordinator of Fossil Free UC Sarah Baryluk discussed what should happen for progressive change in climate research. “The connection between weather and climate is hard to make,” she said. “We have to focus on local government and local initiatives. Change will have to happen in grass roots, with green energy and infrastructure.”

For students interested in getting involved in the climate change discussion, Baryluk mentioned several clubs on campus, including Fossil Free UC, UC Sustainability, Leaders for Environmental Awareness and Protection, Ohio Citizens Action, Union of Concerned Scientists and the Sierra Club. For those who would like to expand their knowledge on climate change, books that Baryluk recommended include works by Bill Mckibben, “This Changes Everything” by Naomi Klein and “Cadillac Desert” by Marc Reisner.

Department of Public Safety conducts survey JUSTIN REUTTER | NEWS EDITOR

The Department of Public Safety is conducting their second perceptions of policing survey.

The purpose of the survey is to check the progress of building trust in the public eye.

Last year, most students (over 76 percent) agreed that the University of Cincinnati Police Department and Cincinnati Police Department are doing their jobs well, and a majority (around 53 percent) agreed that UCPD treat blacks (sic) the same as whites.

However, there is a wide disparity of trust for UCPD between black and white students.

About 36 percent of white students surveyed said that the shooting death of unarmed motorist Sam DuBose at the hands of former UCPD Officer Ray Tensing made them less trusting of CPD, while around 48 percent disagreed with this statement.

However, nearly 71 percent of black students surveyed agreed that the shooting made them less trustful of UCPD. In addition, only about 14 percent of white students surveyed said that they were fearful of what could happen to them when they encounter UCPD officers, compared to about 63 percent of black students.

Last semester, an African-American man was arrested in connection to a gunshot fired on campus.

“I was afraid of being shot by police because I fit the profile,” said Devonte Stewart, a fourth-year psychology student.

Since the death of Sam DuBose, UC has made efforts to reform their police force, including replacing UCPD Chief Jason Goodrich with current Chief Anthony Carter, forming the office of safety and reform and submitting to external reviews of the university, the police force and the incident itself by Exiger Inc and Kroll.

But only 36 percent of black students surveyed believe the University of Cincinnati has taken appropriate steps to reform UCPD, compared with 59 percent of white students.

The report also made three main recommendations.

The first is an increase in “positive pro-social” interactions with student groups that are disproportionately likely to involve minorities, including the United Black Students Association (UBSA), the University of Cincinnati African Student Association and Black Graduate and Professional Student Associations. Another was using university resources to promote positive social

interactions such as dinner with police, discussions of oversight boards, etc.

The second included training on implicit and procedural bias, cultural competency and language proficiency, de-escalation and documenting, preventing and addressing sexual harassment, abuse and assault.

Assistant Chief Maria Merill has implemented an “aggressive training schedule” in de-escalation and non-escalation, and UCPD holds trainings monthly, said Vice President for Safety and

Reform Robin Engel.

Lastly, UCPD will make efforts to enhance minority recruitment.

UC is currently working with the regional community to hire minority applicants and are in a hiring phase, according to Engel.

Engel emphasized the need for students to take the survey so that UCPD knows what to improve on.

The levels of response to this survey are much lower than the levels of response to that of the last year, said Engel.

“This could be for a

myriad of reasons, but it might be that people are less concerned,” said Engel.

“They’re less angry, they’re less concerned, they’re less dissatisfied, so it could be interpreted as good news; however, we don’t really know that.”

Engel said she is proud of the progress the university has made, overall, and noted that all recommendations made by Exiger will be completed in the next three years.

The survey is open until March 14.

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FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook TheNewsRecord Twitter @NewsRecord_UC Instagram TheNewsRecord SoundCloud The-News-Record-1 STAFF Editor-In-Chief Jeff O’Rear Managing Editor Lauren Moretto News Editors Justin Reutter Parker Malatesta Chief Reporter Emily Stolz Life & Arts Editor Isabella Jansen Opinion Editor Karly Williams Sports Editor David Wysong Copy Editor Cheyenne Krieger Photo Editor Shae Combs Chief Photographer Jean Pleitez Online Editor Stephanie Smith Designer Gabrielle Stichweh Broadcast Reporter Emily Wilhelm

SHAE COMBS | PHOTO EDITOR

File photo of UC Vice President of Safety and Reform, Robin Engel. February 25, 2016.

Videographer Michelle Fisk

LIFE & ARTS / 3 THURSDAY, MAR. 9, 2017

College girls depend on sugar daddies ISABELLA JANSEN | ARTS & LIFE EDITOR OPINION

PROVIDED

‘Logan’ breaks from the superhero norms

After coming across the “Dr. Phil” episode that aired on Jan. 30, I was immediately shocked and intrigued by the story of “My Sister Went From A College Basketball Player to A Sugar Baby Party Teen.”

The immediate intrigue came from the idea that there existed a site where individuals, specifically young women, could go and meet older, wealthy men who were willing to take them out and offer financial support.

For any college student who is feeling the financial pressure of college, this opportunity can be hard to pass up as well.

The guest on this particular episode of “Dr. Phil” was Kalli Riggins, a second-year broadcast journalism student here at the University of

Cincinnati.

Riggins, who is no longer participating in the lifestyle of a sugar baby, said, “It is a lot more common with college students than anyone realizes.”

The more individuals I spoke to, the more stories I heard of college students using apps or websites like whatsyourprice.com to meet men who were willing to provide money for dates.

There were even stories of students participating in other forms of sex work as a means of income.

While there were numerous stories, no one was willing to come forward with their own personal experience.

There were only stories of “one of my friends,” or “some girl I was in class with.”

If this was such a common phenomenon among the college student demographic, why was no

one willing to tell his or her stories?

And why was Kalli Riggins, one of the few brave ones to be open about her experience, getting so much hate and negativity?

Riggins was a student athlete on scholarship at Thomas Moore College, and she quit basketball during her first semester of freshman year.

She did not begin using the seekingarrangement app until the summer after her first year of college.

“When I first started, I still had another job. At first I was just trying it out, and then I realized how easy it was, so I just stopped going to work,” said Riggins.

Riggins was very open about her entire experience – what she did with these men, how it made her feel and how it was not always easy work.

“At first, it is easy and

JOEY MORAND | STAFF REPORTER

As far as the X-Men series goes, “Logan” breaks away from the norm and goes in a direction all on its own. The gory fight scenes and adult language are not typical for a superhero movie, but in “Logan,” directed by James Mangold, the blood and crude language emphasize the struggles Logan faces in his final days. Despite the focus of violence in this movie, the audience is taken through an emotional rollercoaster ride as they wait anxiously to see the demise of the great Wolverine.

From the opening scene, the audience knows right away that “Logan” will not be the typical Wolverine they have become accustomed to seeing on the big screen. Hugh Jackman plays a tired, aging and dying Wolverine, sleeping in the front seat of his limo. His hair is turning grey, his body is not healing itself properly and when a group of Mexican gangbangers try to steal the rims from his car, the audience sees his current state. What would normally be an easy fight for the infamous Wolverine turned out to be a beating that ultimately shows the audience just how weak and tired he has become.

As the movie goes on, we learn that Logan and Professor Xavier are two of only a hand full of mutants left, and they are currently in hiding due to Professor Xavier’s powerful and uncontrollable mind.

Seeing Professor Xavier in the state he is in was almost heartbreaking to true X-Men fans who have been following this character from the very beginning. The once brilliant and powerful professor was now locked in an abandoned silo and drugged to suppress his mind.

Just as we think Professor X has completely lost his mind, he begins communicating with a young mutant who needs help. Laura, a young mutant with powers not so different from Wolverine’s, comes into the picture and quickly makes it known that she is a force to be reckoned with.

The real journey begins when Logan and Professor Xavier try to take Laura to North Dakota so she can live safely across the Canadian border.

On the journey north, we find out just who Laura is, where she comes from and why she is being chased.

(But I’m not going to spoil that for you. You’ll just have to see the movie.)

As far as the ending of this movie goes, I don’t think it could have been done any better. Logan’s final fight, combined with the heartfelt goodbye from Laura, was an epic and emotional ending to the legend that is Wolverine – a legend that devoted fans have been falling in love with for years and new fans will be falling in love with for years to come.

fun,” said Riggins. “It isn’t as glamorous as it seems.

You can go on two or three dates without doing anything, but, eventually, they are going to expect something from you and get really pushy.”

While at times the money can be really good, you have to question if this money is equivalent to your self-worth, and the way you feel about yourself.

Riggins said there were times where she would drive home after “hooking” up with a guy, and he would pay her and she would not necessarily feel empowered.

“The ones that paid you right after, you did feel degraded. It did make you feel bad, and I would think, ‘I’m worth more than that,’” said Riggins.

Though Riggins has realized that the money is no longer worth the work involved in this lifestyle,

she would never judge any one for choosing to do so.

She believes that it is worth it for some people.

Angela Fitzpatrick, the director of UC’s Women Center, has a similar approach.

“If my sister or any woman told me they were a sugar baby, I would want to talk to them about the reasons they were doing it and reassure they were making the best possible decision for themselves,” said Fitzpatrick. “I think that is also what feminism is about, respecting women as rational beings and respecting them and having a genuine interest in supporting them.”

Not every female college student is a sugar baby, but it needs to be recognized and addressed.

For some, it is their only choice – a choice that needs to be supported and respected.

CCM orchestra shows ‘Heavenly’ NOELLE ZIELINSKY | STAFF REPORTER REVIEW

JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Andy Steves opens a Q&A with students after his presentation, Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at TUC Cinema.

Andy Steves’ City hoping, Europe Travel Workshop NIALA WAGSTAFF | CONTRIBUTOR

Students who are thinking about studying abroad may feel deterred by the many challenges that come along with it and the potential obstacles that arise once you are overseas.

While it’s perfectly normal to have concerns about studying abroad, it allows students to make new friends and experience new cultures.

Travel philosopher Andy Steves shares his experiences and tips from his book “Weekend Student Adventure” to help avoid the many stressors and lack of insight that comes with studying abroad for the first time.

While the overall experience of being away from home differs from person to person, there are still plenty of aspects of studying abroad that will be similar for everyone: maximizing your time, money and fun to pursue good travel by connecting with others and experiencing their culture and history. There is a lot that goes into an international adventure.

From backpacking to studying abroad, here is a list of tips from experienced traveler Andy Steves.

Line up a Great Trip & Planning

- Getting around: Google flight prices for your destination, and download apps like “Hopper” for ways to catch flight deals to lower your costs. You can also cast your trip sample into the Trip Advisor website to gain more information regarding your trip. If you are booking your own flights, pay attention to things like duration and layovers.

-Staying in touch: When it comes to communication while you’re abroad, it’s simple. If your current phone has SIM card capabilities and is unlocked, the easiest

thing to do is to buy a SIM card for the country/region you’ll be studying in. This allows you to continue using your current phone.

-Accommodations: Learn the value of hostels! Forget everything you may have heard about hostels in film. Not only are hostels cheaper than hotels, but the way they are set up allows you to connect with fellow travelers from around the world.

-What to do once you’re there: Where you go matters. Anchor your trip with exciting events, know what you want to do and get an idea of how much it’s likely to cost. Figure out if booking a tour or exploring things on your own is savvier.

Exploring websites or simply asking a native who lives there about upcoming events or festivals to attend while there is always helpful. Tip: Try out the local language to make new friends – you never know who you’ll meet!

-Identify tourist traps: To gain unique experiences, tour the place you are traveling and venture outside of tourist attractions, which are usually filled with overpriced items and restaurants that rob you of the authentic culture of the location you are in.

-Packing: Pack lightly! It saves you money and leaves room in your suitcase to bring items back. It is also essential to know what weather you’ll be in.

-Have fun: Studying abroad is both a learning experience and an adventure.

Embrace the experience and your time away from home. Take tons of pictures and, most of all, have fun!

If you would like more travel tips from Andy Steves check out his website; http:// www.wsaeurope.com/about/about-andysteves\

CCM’s Philharmonia Orchestra presented “Heavenly,” a concert dedicated to the wonders of the cosmos.

The concert featured an introductory piece entitled “Orion” followed by a seven-movement piece entitled “The Planets, Op. 32.” Miguel Roig-Francolí, a CCM music theory and composition professor, composed “Orion,” the first part of an orchestral triptych titled “Three Astral Poems.”

“It evokes the beauty of the stellar constellation Orion, as well as the drama of the giant hunter from ancient Greek mythology, whom the gods turned into the constellation,” said Roig-Francolí.

“Orion” captured both the mythological and heavenly aspects of the constellation in this captivating work.

“The whole piece is based on a three-note motive, symbolizing the three stars that form the most recognizable feature of the constellation, popularly known as ‘Orion’s belt,’” said Roig-Francolí.

This piece also prepared the audience for the sevenmovement work that was to follow.

This was unlike any other CCM Philharmonia concert, however. Nonprofit organization KV 265 and astronomer José Francisco Salgado collaborated with the Philharmonia Orchestra to combine science and art.

Before the concert, Salgado explained the idea of combining these two topics into one.

He explained that KV 265 seeks to heighten the appreciation and understanding of art, music and science through multimedia concerts, lectures and educational workshops. He proceeded to explain the movie that would be playing during the performance.

During the performance, the lights were heavily dimmed and the auditorium was filled with large,

colorfully lighted orbs hanging from the ceiling.

These orbs were meant to represent planets, and the dimly lit theater was meant to draw the audience’s attention to the screen, which displayed the movie that Salgado made.

“Both ‘The Planets’ and ‘Orion’ are inspired on heavenly astral bodies, hence the title of the concert and the connection between the pieces,” said Roig-Francolí.

Through each movement, different sketches, images and animations projected onto a screen behind the orchestra, correlating to the particular planet that the movement was associated with. This, along with the atmosphere of the theater, made for a truly stunning experience.

Rebecca Tong, a Doctoral of Musical Arts orchestral candidate at CCM, conducted “The Planets.”

Tong flawlessly led the orchestra through this complex selection. This seven-movement piece was composed between the years 1914 and 1916

by British composer Gustav Holst. Each piece corresponded to a particular planet, starting with Mars and ending with Neptune, while excluding Earth.

These pieces all had different components and sounds that were intriguing and pulled the audience through each section.

Each planet was also given a two- to three-word description. For example, the section entitled “Mars” had the description “the Bringer of War.”These descriptions allowed the audience to relate each part to a general mood or feeling along with the mood they developed throughout the piece.

The Philharmonia Orchestra wonderfully executed such a classical music piece. The setup of the auditorium was incredibly impactful on the overall experience and aided to the enchanting sound of the orchestra.

COURTESY OF CCM

4 / SPORTS THURSDAY, MAR. 9, 2017

Two track athletes look for national championships DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR

PHOTO COURTEST OF UC TRACK AND FIELD’S FACEBOOK

Weight thrower, Annette Echikunwoke, has qualified for the NCAA Championship indoor meet.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY UC TRACK AND FIELD’S FACEBOOK

Pole Vaulter, Adrian Valles is headed to the NCAA championships.

Two University of Cincinnati track and field athletes have their eyes on national championships.

Thrower Annette Echikunwoke and pole vaulter Adrian Valles will compete in the 2017 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at Gilliam Indoor Stadium at Texas A&M University Friday and Saturday.

Valles is going to his third-straight NCAA Indoor Championships. He finished sixth in 2015 as a freshman and sixth last year.

“Having the experience of competing at a really high level is going to give me a good shot this year,”Valles said. “[The previous NCAA Championships] have given me that experience that, hopefully, this year I can improve those results and being able to fight for the title.”

Valles was successful at the American Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships two weeks ago.

He won the gold medal in individual pole vault for the third year in a row. His clearance of 5.60 meters is the fourth-best in the nation and broke UC and AAC meet records.

“This year, the indoor season has been better

than other years,”Valles said. “This year, I have been jumping higher since the beginning of the season.”

Valles said his practices this indoor season have been in preparation for this meet.

“I think physically I’m more ready, mentally I know how the game works. So, I think I am just having a better season,” Valles said.

This weekend, Valles has one goal.

“My goal is trying to win.

I know that’s very hard, but I would at least like to be in the fight until the end for a title,”Valles said.

Echikunwoke also competed in the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships and is competing in her thirdstraight national meet.

Additionally, she is ranked second nationally with a best throw of 22.69 meters.

“I feel like after conference [meets] I wasn’t like super excited. I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to this.’ But as we have gotten closer to the date of me competing, I’m getting more and more excited.

So, I would say I’m pretty excited now, but then I’m going to have to bring myself down to a different level to calm down, to focus on what I have to do,” Echikunwoke said.

This year, Echikunwoke has recorded six throws of 22 meters or better, while the rest of the nation has only five combined.

Her relationship with God is what she attributes her success to.

“I just feel like my relationship with God has gotten stronger, especially since I have gotten better,” Echikunwoke said. “Just having that strong bond there helps me kind of stay focused and keep pushing to do better and bigger things every day.”

UC has never had a national champion in track and field, meaning Valles and Echikunwoke have opportunities to make history.

“It would be amazing as individuals and for the team [to win a national championship],” Echikunwoke said.

Valles thinks a national championship will help the future of the program.

“That would be great.

That would help out with recruiting for next year, and that would put UC track and field program at a higher level,”Valles said.

Following the indoor championships, the outdoor season will begin March 24 at the Raleigh Relays in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Washington brings energy and wins to UC CLAUDE THOMPSON | STAFF REPORTER

Cincinnati has earned a key addition to their men’s basketball team this season.

“The thing I love the most is that he can get you a basket when you really need a basket,” University of Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin said about Kyle Washington – the junior transfer from North Carolina State University who is only three total points behind team leader Jacob Evans.

Washington finished his first regular season at UC, helping the team to its highest win total since 2014, including a win over rival Xavier University and a second place finish in the American Athletic Conference. “[Playing in Cincinnati] has been a plethora of different experiences,” Washington said. “I’ve had my really high highs and really low lows. Under coach [Cronin]’s direction, I’ve learned what it takes to be a real player and learned what it takes to win real games. I just want to keep working and be there for my teammates. I want us to play extremely well and us to go out on a high note this year, and we’re preparing for, hopefully, a long road ahead.”

A former Top-60 recruit, according to CBS Sports, Washington had his best statistical season under Cronin’s tutelage and will be an integral part of a Bearcats team that will most likely be making its seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

“He’s a scorer, but he wants to win,” Cronin said.

“He’s worth another five wins. He’s encouraging to his teammates at all times, whether it’s in the shooting drill or subbed out in practice. He takes your team and raises them up. I literally believe that stuff is worth wins, but his spirit, his passion and the fun that he has is tremendous.

Every guy doesn’t have his energy level, but he brings you up.”

The message of energy was brought up often when talking about Washington and what he brings to Cincinnati.

“I’ve always played [with high energy],”Washington

said. “I’ve always been an excited person, and I’ve always lived life like that.

That doesn’t change for me on the court. My dad and my coaches always told me to play like that. Coach always endorses playing with energy. I guess that’s always fit into my game, but I have to love what I do, and that’s what I do. I’m excited all the time to play, and I never take anything for granted.”

Both Washington and Cronin spoke about his parents and how they helped set him up to succeed to be a great athlete – but, more importantly, a great person.

“My parents have been huge,”Washington said.

“People will see me after the game with my dad, arm in arm, walking up and down the court talking to each other. That’s just how it’s always been. I talk to him every day, and we talk about everything – life, basketball, school. He’s been a great figure for me to look up to my whole life.

He played sports, and he told me everything it takes to succeed thus far. And my mom has always ingrained in me to be a person first before you’re an athlete.

Be informed all the time.

Don’t be ignorant to any social issues going on. My mom always told me to be informed constantly.”

Washington and the Bearcats take on the winner of Tulane University and the University of Tulsa in the AAC tournament 7 p.m. on Friday in Hartford, Connecticut.

JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Kyle Washinton goes for the basket while being guarded by two Houston defenders, Thursday, March 2, 2017 at Fifth Third Arena.

SHAE COMBS | PHOTO EDITOR

Gary Clark (11) goes up for a rebound in the first half of the UC vs Houston matchup. March 2, 2017.

Bearcats prepare for postseason play DAVID WYSONG | STAFF REPORTER STAFF REPORTER CLAUDE THOMPSON CONTRIBUTED TO THIS STORY.

The American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship begins today.

The Cincinnati Bearcats have a first round bye in the tournament, automatically being entered into the quarterfinals due to having one of the four best records in the conference.

The first round features three games: East Carolina University versus Temple University, Tulane University versus the University of Tulsa and the University of South Florida versus the University of Connecticut.

Cincinnati will play the winner of Tulane and Tulsa Friday. The Bearcats beat both teams twice this season.

“It’s always a challenge to try to beat any team for the third time,” said Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin. “College basketball is so unique. In a one game shot so many things can happen. Very few one-seeds have, I think, have won mid-major tournaments so far. So, you’re probably seeing a lot of teams that swept during the regular season and then they got beat. So, that’s a concern.”

Cincinnati is the No. 2 seed in the tournament after finishing second to Southern Methodist University in the

regular season AAC standings.

Cronin said that he hasn’t thought much about any potential matchup after their quarterfinal game. “[The biggest concern is] making sure your guys are sharp and they don’t underestimate a Tulane or Tulsa because we did beat them twice, that would be my giant concern,” Cronin said.

Going into the tournament, forward Kyle Washington said the team’s focus is on winning the championship.

“That’s all we care about. We wouldn’t care if we were the eighth seed or whatever,”Washington said.

“We just want to stay focused, and we want to win this championship because we wanted to win the regular season obviously, and we couldn’t do that.”

Washington said the team needs to play smart.

“We have even keeled guys on our team,”Washington said. “We’re not going to lose our cool or pick up a technical [foul] or something like that. People are going to want to play physical with us all the time, and people are going to want to try to get us off our game or get us frazzled.”

During the days leading up to their first AAC tournament game, the Bearcats will prepare for tough

games and matchups.

“As a coach, you got to try prepare your team for March: close games, wild endings, situational stuff and then getting healthy,” Cronin said. “So, time off [is important] and then some practices where we don’t have, what I call, a lot of combat. There’s a lot of individual skill, and [we] prepare [for] late game [situations].”

Players and fans have mentioned this year’s Cincinnati team is special.

Cronin said the team chemistry has a lot to do with that.

“By far the best chemistry of any team we’ve had,” Cronin said. “If you stand outside of a meeting, which I’ll do and I’ll just stand out there for a minute or two, and the jokes that are flying in the meeting, the camaraderie amongst the players, the chemistry of this team, they have fun and I think that’s a huge thing in team sports.”

The Bearcats play Tulane or Tulsa 7 p.m. on Friday at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut. The game will be aired on ESPNU. Cincinnati and other teams will find out Sunday where and who they will play in the NCAA Tournament when the bracket is released from 5:30 p.m.

- 7 p.m. on CBS.