The News Record 1.22.15

FILM TRIGGERS MIXED RESPONSES

THROUGH THE LABYRINTH

Eastwood scopes out empathy in controversial ‘American Sniper’

>>

Ancient tool inspires prayer, guides students in spiritual undertakings

>>

PG 2

PG 6

THE NEWS RECORD

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

NEWSRECORD.ORG

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015

Blue Ash College representative joins UC Student Government Harrison became interested in SG because her major entails a lot of government involvement, she said. She believes being a part of the group will prepare her for future endeavors.

“It’s a great opportunity to get great connections,” Harrison said.

Harrison said the UCBA Student Government is currently working to promote campus involvement.

“Right now we’re working on building more community at Blue Ash since it is a commuter school,” Harrison said.

“People tend to just come to class and then leave. There’s not a lot of connection or community in that. So we’re trying to work on getting people more involved on campus.”

Harrison said everything seems new to her as she had never been part of a student government board before college, but she is interested in the various committees she can join in SG. Harrison’s interests include social justice and human rights. Her dream job

CASSIE LIPP | CHIEF REPORTER

University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College is now represented in Student Government body after Haley Harrison was sworn in at Wednesday’s meeting.

Harrison, a first-year international affairs student, represents Blue Ash College as tribunal senator, a position that involves representing her college in the larger body of SG senators.

SG members are not sure how long it has been since the last time a tribunal senator represented Blue Ash College, but they say it has been several years.

While tribunals represent every college on main campus and now the Blue Ash branch, there is currently no tribunal senator from Clermont College.

Harrison joined UCBA’s Student Government last semester, and she was elected tribunal senator during the group’s executive elections.

“I just voiced my interest in student government and what I wanted to do for Blue Ash, since I didn’t feel there was very much representation on main campus,” Harrison said.

MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR

SEE SG PG 3

Haley Harrison, a first-year student at Blue Ash, was sworn into Student Government Wednesday.

UC researchers look UC OFFERS TRANS-FRIENDLY SERVICES at student use of synthetic marijuana CENTRAL CLINIC INTRODUCES TRANSGENDER WELLNESS PROGRAM

CHANDLER BONN | STAFF REPORTER

MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR

Evelyn Heflin, program coordinator for the Transgender Wellness Program and staff therapist at UC’s Central Clinic, said the program works toward providing a safe environment for transgender people seeking mental health care.

CASSIE LIPP & PATRICK MURPHY | THE NEWS RECORD

In response to the suicide of Ohio transgender teen Leelah Alcorn on Dec. 28, the University of Cincinnati has introduced the Transgender Wellness Program to address the mental health needs of the transgender community.

Alcorn’s suicide created a spotlight for the need for more trans-friendly mental health care, especially in the Cincinnati area, according to Evelyn Heflin, the wellness program’s coordinator.

“There is definitely a need in the [trans] community because there are other organizations that do support groups, but there aren’t a whole lot of resources for people to be able to just go and see a therapist who is familiar with transgender issues and the needs of the transgender community,” Heflin said.

Central Clinic, an affiliate agency to UC located on medical campus, runs the

Transgender Wellness Program. Any UC student enrolled in Medicaid who identifies as transgender, gender-queer, gender non-conforming or is questioning their transgender nature is eligible for the program.

While the main component of the program provides mental health therapy for clients, services can also be extended to help clients see a psychiatrist. The program also aims to help connect clients to agencies with trans-friendly services.

“There are a couple different needs assessment studies that have been done on the past couple of years that look at trans-people as they try to connect with a healthcare provider,” Heflin said. “A lot of them tend to be met with different levels of discrimination from the providers not giving them services to being harassed.”

The program aims to eliminate any discrimination through connecting clients with trans-friendly services, as not many

federal or state laws exist to protect people from discrimination based on gender identity.

“One of the biggest challenges that a lot of trans-people face is the whole process of coming out and getting connected to services,” Heflin said.

The Transgender Wellness Program can help clients with the multitude of barriers trans-people may face, such as being rejected by family and friends after coming out.

“One of the things that people are trying to work towards is trying to give transgender people a safe space where they can be themselves and work through any additional things that are going on in their life,” Heflin said.

T. N. Vaught, program coordinator for the LGBTQ Center, said that while this is a necessary step, more can be done.

SEE WELLNESS PROGRAM PG 3

Researchers are striving to educate the University of Cincinnati community about synthetic weed after surveying 300 students.

Conducted by researchers from the Center for Prevention Science, the survey published UC students’ experience with synthetic Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. THC is the chemical compound in marijuana responsible for the drug’s high effects. Synthetic marijuana, commonly known as spice and K2, chemically reconstructs this compound to mimic the effects of natural THC. Keith King, professor of health promotion and director of the Center for Prevention Science, and Rebecca Vidourek, assistant professor of health promotion and assistant director of the Center for Prevention Science, conducted the research, which found relatively low yet dangerous use of the drug. The duo is concerned about unhealthy side effects the drug can have.

“My line of research is all about drug use, specifically adolescence and college students,”Vidourek said. “Synthetic THC is just a hot topic right now. There are a couple of states that are actually trying to make it illegal, so I’m just trying to see among our students whether or not this is actually a problem.”

By signing the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 2012, President Barack Obama made any combination of compounds commonly found in synthetic THC illegal.

Legislation restricting the drug has passed in several states, including Ohio, which banned PB-22 and 5F-PB-22 in 2014, forms of synthetic weed disguised as herbal incense.

Of the students surveyed, 17 percent reported having used synthetic THC. Of that group, about 10 percent reported negative side effects, Vidourek said.

“The number one [side effect] was a racing heartbeat, which is really common; that’s what other studies have found, too,”Vidourek said.

To combat use of the drug, Vidourek hopes to educate students on and off campus with the help of UC’s Student Wellness Center. In the past, the Center for Prevention Science has worked with the Student Wellness Center to educate students about drugs through freshman orientation, bulletin boards in residence halls and social media campaigns.

“I think that is something that we would SEE SYNTHETIC WEED PG 3

University hires second therapist to counsel sexual assault survivors ELYSSE WINGET | STAFF REPORTER

PROVIDED

Abby Lewis is the second of two staff therapists to be hired this academic year.

Along with the recent hire of staff psychologist in mid-October, the University of Cincinnati’s Counseling and Psychological Services expanded its staff with another therapist hire in hopes of providing general counseling services to sexual assault survivors.

“My combined eight years of clinical and academic experiences have fostered a strong passion for working with genderrelated issues and survivors of gender violence,” said Abby Lewis, the newest member of UC’s CAPS who will serve as a clinical counselor specifically for sexual assault survivors.

Lewis attended Northern Kentucky University for her undergraduate education and furthered her education in a graduate program at the Ohio State University. During her time at OSU, Lewis was able to research the impact of trauma on various survivors and contribute to their healing.

“I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings which has assisted me in understanding that each survivor’s experience of trauma and recovery from such experiences is both powerful and unique,” Lewis said.

Her experiences at OSU are what led her to the job at UC. “I was beyond excited to see that UC had developed this position and felt that working for the university in this capacity would enable me to make more of a direct impact on the wellbeing of survivors of gender and sexual violence,” Lewis said.

Lewis is the second of two new counselors at the university, the other being Anusha Zechella.

“I am very excited to see the changes that have already been made and the ones to come in the very near future,” said Christina Beer, UC’s student body president. “We are in the process of reviewing the Student Code of Conduct, specifically the processes of Title IX cases,” Beer said.

THE NEWS RECORD IS THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI’S INDEPENDENT, STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER

Title IX refers to the federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex at federally funded universities like UC. Recently, the UC community has addressed sexual assault on campuses through initiatives like the Consent Culture Campaign and the nationwide It’s On Us Campaign.

The addition of Zechella and Lewis is one accommodation the university is making toward the growing need for these kinds of resources.

“Over the next several months, I think we need to look critically at how many students use the counselors and if there is a need for another,” Beer said.

Alanah VanCleve, a second-year health sciences student, expressed her appreciation for UC’s efforts.

“Sexual violence seems to be one of the more pressing issues on college campuses, so I fully support UC hiring more SEE LEWIS PG 3

FREE • ADDITIONAL COPIES $1

2 / ARTS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 / NEWSRECORD.ORG

New release yields no new sound for The Decemberists’ latest RUSSELL HAUSFELD | STAFF REPORTER

WARNER BROS.

“American Sniper” has divided audiences, with some criticizing that it glorifies war and others asserting it simply depicts the reality of modern warfare.

‘American Sniper’: Putting the future in the crosshairs TONY JOHNSON | STAFF REPORTER

“American Sniper” is not a propaganda film. It is a rare case in which a virtuoso director, Clint Eastwood, breathes life into a true story seemingly doomed for nationalist hoo-rah nonsense (remember Michael Bay’s “Pearl Harbor” disaster?) and triumphs in his quest to sharply contrast the glory and the grit of modern warfare.

The protagonist is Chris Kyle, the recently deceased United States Navy SEAL who served four military tours during the Iraq War and holds the all-time highest sniper kill count for the U.S. military.

We are quickly shown Kyle’s fundamental lesson in growing up. “Protect your own,” his father says in a Texas drawl. “Finish the job.”

Eastwood goes on to tell the story not of a superhuman war hero, but a haunted boy who was raised to believe that his purpose and manhood was to protect those he cared about from violence, no matter the cost.

No subject is left without scrutiny, and there is no troublesome moment that Kyle, coolly yet painfully portrayed by Bradley Cooper, shies away from. Kyle makes difficult decisions that we feel are weighing him down, forcing him to wonder if he is an angel of protection or of death.

The subject matter is intense, and not to be taken lightly.

From the opening frame until the credits roll, Eastwood is willing to go uncomfortably in the direction of the deeply personal struggles that come with being a killing machine.

And yet he remains respectful to Kyle.

And that is where the confusion may stem from in regard to allegations of nationalistic “support our troops” garbage.

While Eastwood does depict the war itself as gruesome, nasty, and hellish, he does depict Kyle as a pure-hearted, honest and altruistic character.

And yet Kyle is depicted as an absent father (even when he is stateside) and disinterested husband for a substantial period of time.

If people are taking the message from “American Sniper” that Chris Kyle was a hero because he shot and killed Iraqis, they are missing the point.

The point behind “American Sniper,” and what makes it the best war film since “Zero Dark Thirty,” is that we’ll never know how things would have been if Chris Kyle had stayed with his family.

We’ll never know how many more Americans would have died in Iraq without Kyle’s protection.

We’ll never know how many less Iraqis would have died in Iraq without Kyle’s aim.

But, what Eastwood wants us to meditate on most importantly is that we’ll never know if Kyle could still be alive, with a family.

And the reason we will never know is because of the day he decided to enlist in the United States military. His death was tragic and bizarre (the film doesn’t show it, but the real Kyle was shot at a range by a fellow veteran who may or may not have post-traumatic stress disorder) but it would not have happened had Kyle distanced himself from the military.

Eastwood makes this message clear in the way he depicts Kyle’s death. A closed door on a marriage with so many lost years. A closed door on children he’ll never raise, grandchildren he’ll never meet, family dinners he’ll never host.

“American Sniper” is a powerful tragedy of a family losing its father to the cold fate that war all too often brings with it.

We are left to wonder if the glory, the respect, the honor and recognition that came with his service to the United States was worth the pain, the sorrow, the emptiness with the people he was truly taught to love and protect the most: his family.

SUB POP

Sleater Kinney emerged in the Riot Grrrl movement in the ’90s, one that braided together feminism, a liberal slant and punk to create a unique brand of music.

Returning to punk’s frontlines: ‘No Cities to Love’ ZACK HATFIELD | ARTS EDITOR

“Wanna walk to, walk off/The edge of my own life/Doom Town, a bright flash/My body is a souvenir,” sings Carrie Brownstein in the title track of punk-feminist band Sleater Kinney’s first album in ten years, “No Cities To Love.”This dramatic declaration fits well within the album, one almost constantly verging on the theatrical.

Although you might already know Brownstein from “Portlandia” (where she co-stars with Saturday Night Live veteran Fred Armisen), in reality that’s her side gig.

Sleater Kinney rose to prominence in the ‘90s as a part of the underground Riot Grrrl movement that originated in subcultures of Portland, Olympia and Seattle.

“No Cities To Love” feels like a paradox — it’s an album that simultaneously detaches from the other work in the band’s discography while also fitting right in, its organized disorder of staccato drums and anger-fueled guitar solos at odds with the seamless production style. At times it sounds like the love child of The Ramones and Rush: A marriage of the adrenaline and rawness of the former to the polished studio work and almost melodramatic pathos of the latter (both possess the extreme sense of purpose Sleater Kinney also has). What emerges from this rock equation is absolute art.

Unlike previous albums from Sleater Kinney, this one, released

by Sub Pop, seems more focused, the rhythms tighter, the vocals driven so hard it feels like they’re about to spill over the brink of each song. Longtime member Janet Weiss’ percussion is

maniacal but precise, the occasional drumroll letting all the chaos spill out.

The subject matter of the album is, because of the band’s Riot Grrrl context, at once political and concerned with humanity. Voids, defiance, broken relationships and violence fill the album’s lyrical content. “Ready to fight, fight makes the stillness/Only I get to be punched by me/Your voice is a crumb it leads me from the wilderness/Why start over, forget everything,” Brownstein belts out in “Bury Our Friends.”

Despite a song on the LP titled “No Anthems,” almost every chorus on the album is anthem-worthy in their rawness and sloppy harmonies. The sheer friction and rage of songs like “Fangless” help propel the experience forward, the vocals undulating frantically between high and low in an operatic display of vocal vulnerability and skill as visceral imagery is hurtled toward us in the lyrics.

Although the chord progressions can seem elemental, the overwhelming passion and scatterbrained guitar riffs sewn into “No Cities To Love” make it an exciting listen.

Sleater Kinney’s influence has been prevalent in 21st century pop — musical artists like St. Vincent and Perfume Genius are just a couple of the many eclectic people who have been impacted by the band’s sound.

This is the band’s first album after a nine-year hiatus, and no one, including the band members, are sure if they’ll stay together. But although the album art depicts a bouquet of crisp, dead flowers, the dynamic music and lyrics of the album prove it’s nothing but alive, rooted in what it means to be human.

The excitement surrounding The Decemberists’ new album, “What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World,” was so great that the mayor of Portland decided to honor the hometown band’s seventh album by naming Jan. 20 “Decemberists Day.” In his decree, mayor Charlie Hales says that the band represents the values of Portland and commemorates them for bringing back genres like “the lonely sea chantey, the bitter soldier’s lament, and other song forms from a half-imagined history.”

The Portland band returns after four years with the same five members who formed the band in 2000. Colin Meloy is back on this album with his bookish, intellectual lyrics along with the rest of the band — Chris Funk (guitar), Jenny Conlee (keyboard), Nate Query (bass), and John Moen (drums).

All of the events surrounding this album represent The Decemberists’ huge amount of success and recognition over the past 15 years.

Unfortunately, this new album really does not live up to expectations.

Fans hoping for new songs that double as narratives will be disappointed to find that most of the new tracks do not progress further into the lives of the songs’ characters.

Most of the songs feel one-dimensional, which is disappointing coming from a band whose previous work consists of such intricately crafted musical stories.

The band shies away from the stylistic risks that had defined them in exchange for simpler, milder songs.

Plenty of popular music is simple, though. What is really infuriating about “What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World” is that the songs on the album sound almost identical to all of the band’s other work.

Not in a way that unifies its whole body of work, but in a way that sounds completely recycled from its previous successes.

For fans of The Decemberists, this album will sound almost identical to any of the hits found on the band’s albums “Picaresque” or “Castaways and Cutouts,” but without the unique stories and authenticity. The band rehashes the same riffs and melodies that we have heard before to the point where they begin to feel stale.

Luckily, there are two redeeming songs on the album that capture The Decemberists’ flavor and spark hope that there is still engaging work to be produced by the group: “Philomena” and “A Beginning Song.”

“Philomena” begins with a catchy keyboard melody and progresses into an energetic song with a minimalist strings section and some cheery background vocals. This song does what any great Decemberists song should do by catching listeners completely off guard with its unexpected lyrics.

Had listeners not been paying much attention to the suggestive lyrics, the chorus will surely grab their attention: “All I ever wanted in the world/was just to live to see a naked girl.”

The other song that stands out from the rest is “A Beginning Song,” which is ironically the last song on the album.

Meloy’s voice is gentle and heartfelt as he asks, “I am waiting, should I be waiting/I am wanting, should I be wanting?” in the song’s chorus. This track manages to sound unique while still fitting the sound of the rest of the Decemberists’ canon — something the rest of the album tries and fails to do.

It should be noted that there is nothing explicitly wrong with any of the songs on “What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World.”They definitely have the Decemberists feel, but to the point where they seem like songs that have already been heard before.

To the band’s credit, this is its seventh album. So, it is not unrealistic to assume that the band might be running out of material.

Fans of The Decemberists and newcomers alike can enjoy “What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World;” just don’t hope for anything that feels decidedly new.

The album has received mixed reviews.

Upcoming UC arts events

A Moveable Feast @ CCM’s Corbett Auditorium

Sonja Livingston & Jamaal May @ Elliston Poetry Room

“Liquid Light” exhibit @ DAAP’s Reed Gallery

The Music of Ray Charles @ CCM’s Corbett Auditorium

Lectures on Cincy’s allure in film @ Max Kade Center

Jan. 23 @ 6:30 PM

Jan. 30 @ 4 PM

Feb. 8 - April 12

Feb. 15 @ 7 PM

Feb. 18

CAPITOL

LISA CAI | LEAD DESIGNER

NEWS / 3 THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 / NEWSRECORD.ORG

Alumni’s shoe company aims to step up on workers’ rights RUSSELL HAUSFELD | STAFF REPORTER

A project to create income for citizens in rural areas of Peru led two University of Cincinnati alumni to create a shoe company that puts workers first.

Piola, meaning “cool” in Peruvian, resulted from the efforts of Antoine Burnier-Dechon, a study abroad student from the Audencia Nantes School of Management in France and Josh Rudd, a 2012 UC graduate with a bachelor’s in business administration.

“We started by setting up an economic development project with our rubber producers in Peru. So, we started Piola from the sole up,” Rudd said. “A lot of companies start with designers and end up creating a shoe, whereas the rubber is the first material we had set before we even had a shoe produced.”

The two, who hatched the idea while attending UC, envisioned a shoe company that boasts fair working conditions and wages for their workers while maintaining transparency of they run their business.

“We pay our workers around five times the market price for rubber,” Rudd said.

“And in addition to that, included in each of our shoe boxes is a code for five euros that our customers can reinvest back into our big producers through our website.”

This reinvestment is to help the producers fund the expansion of their businesses. Rudd said that for the rubber producers, this means building more workshops and finding more sources of revenue.

Piola’s website clearly states that it is not a fair-trade or help program, but that it is an intermediary between customers and producers.

“I’m sure you’ve seen in the stores when things say ‘Fairtrade Certified’ or ‘Rainforest Certified,’ ” Rudd said. “These are typically third-party sources that companies pay to put a stamp on their product.”

These third parties are created to check in with producers of a company’s raw

PROVIDED

Antoine Burnier-Dechon (left) and Josh Rudd seek to open stores in the United States in early 2015. Most of Piola’s current shoe sales are made abroad.

materials two to three times a year.

According to Rudd, a company will ramp up its image during check-ins by bringing in legal and presentable workers that don’t interfere with thirdparty labor standards This is exactly the type of situation Piola makes a point to avoid.

“Nobody really sees what goes on behind the scenes,” Rudd said. “That is why we aim to be transparent in that process and tell everyone what we’re

IN BRIEF

FROM SYNTHETIC WEED PG 1

I-75 reopens after collapse

Obama proposes free college

All lanes of Interstate 75 southbound are now open after being closed for about 24 hours due to the collapse of the Hopple Street overpass Monday night, according to Cincinnati Police Department.

All debris from the accident was removed from the highway by 10:15 p.m. Tuesday. The Cincinnati Police Department partnered with the Ohio Department of Transportation to expedite the opening of I-75.

Brandon Carl, 35, was standing on the overpass at the time of the collapse and was crushed to death by the rubble, City of Cincinnati confirmed Tuesday at a news conference in Camp Washington.

Investigations of why the bridge collapsed are underway.

President Barack Obama declared in his State of the Union Address that he plans to present to Congress a “bold new plan” to make community colleges free.

According to the President, this plan has already been working in the Republican-run state of Tennessee and the Democratic city of Chicago. With the assistance of Vice President Joe Biden, President Obama is working toward connecting community colleges with local employers to train workers in fields such as nursing, coding and robotics.

Obama also encouraged businesses like CVS and UPS to offer educational benefits and paid internships for students.

FROM WELLNESS PROGRAM PG 1

“I think UC is heading in the right direction, but there are many policy and programming changes that could have a bigger impact on a larger population than the few students who may have Medicaid,” Vaught said.

Vaught, who identifies as gender-queer, using the pronouns they, them and their, expressed the discomfort transgender individuals feel in gender-specific areas.

“The students that I have spoken with are trying to figure how to navigate very gendered spaces,”Vaught said. “Some of them are still a part of their parents’ insurance or are on Student Health Insurance, which, as of last year, does not offer any coverage for any transitionrelated procedures or medication.”

Heflin said there are not many programs that offer mental health services to transgender people — only 12 similar programs exist in the United States.

However, there are many agencies dedicated to connecting people with the trans community and providing transgender advocacy work.

Ellen Rielag, a fourth-year healthpromotion education student and president of UC Feminists laments the lack of provided help for transgender individuals.

“The [Transgender Wellness] program is absolutely essential,” Rielag said. “We do need to have a safe space for them to come and get the medical and health benefits

FROM LEWIS PG 1

counselors,” VanCleve said.

VanCleve also thinks that by hiring more counselors and increasing awareness, individuals, specifically students experiencing sexual violence, will be more likely to confront their needs.

“I feel that by UC hiring more counselors to deal with these occurrences, people will begin to come forward and seek help, and that it is something that truly does need to be addressed if it occurs,”VanCleve said.

Lewis said that CAPS provides free, confidential services to all students “UC CAPS provides free, confidential therapeutic services to all students who identify as survivors of sexual or gender violence.

Students can reach UC Counseling Psychological Services Center’s Sexual Violence Afterhours Helpline 24/7 by calling 513-556-0648.

Additionally, UC CAPS provides onsite emergent services Monday through Friday between the hours of 1 and 4 p.m.

Additionally, UC CAPS provides onsite emergent services Monday through Friday between the hours of 1 and 4 p.m.

Students can walk in or call the office between those hours.

doing and what we are paying for the products so people can judge for themselves if it is fair or not.”

Piola’s transparency can be seen on the business’s website, where specific facts are listed including workers’ monthly income and how much the company pays for utilities like rubber and cotton, all the way down to what they pay to package and ship raw materials.

The business even points out unflattering aspects to its customers,

that they need because there are so few spaces where medical professionals are trained. They don’t have the expertise to treat people who are transgender.”

Heflin named Heartland Trans Wellness as another local resource for the transgender community. Located in Cincinnati, the agency offers support groups to anyone who identifies under the trans umbrella and their allies. Heflin said Heartland Trans Wellness was instrumental in bringing the transgender community together after Alcorn’s death.

“It really gives hope and incentive that we are progressing, that we are changing,” Rielag said. “UC taking these steps leads a precedent. Hopefully, other schools and communities can continue on this and give more spaces.”

Vaught also stresses the importance of the UC community in creating an environment of inclusion and acceptance both socially and medically.

“The transgender community, both here at UC and in general, is hurt, tired, and overwhelmed, but we are also resilient and fierce,”Vaught said. “We need allies to help raise our voice because although we are small in numbers, our issues are very real.

We need the UC community to step back and critically evaluate policies, procedures, and their approach to diversity.”

Heflin said the best way to get enrolled in the program is to call or email her. She can be reached at hefliner@ucmail.uc.edu or (513) 558-9000.

definitely be interested in,” said Regan Johnson, Student Wellness Center director.

“In fact, we are hearing that there’ve been more incidences of marijuana use among our students through judicial affairs, so that’s one of the things that we’re looking at now and how we address that.”

King and Vidourek are concerned that misconceptions about THC could put students at risk.

“After my study, I feel very strongly that more information needs to be out there so students know exactly what they are putting into their bodies,”Vidourek said.

“That’s something that I definitely took away with, is that students don’t understand synthetic THC and some of the other drugs out there.”

“We want to ensure that [students] have all the information prior to engaging in a specific behavior so that they can make — hopefully — healthy, wise, safe decisions,” King added. “But they need to have that information, and it needs to be readily accessible. I am amazed at how many individuals adapt faulty, flawed information and treat that as truth and fact, when it’s not fact.”

Joseph Dunkle, a fourth-year engineering student, believes that education about synthetic THC on campus is needed.

“The education is important because the only thing I know about it are stories from friends,” Dunkle said. “I don’t have any knowledge of it from anybody with any background who may have looked into it. What I would like to see is research on ways it was consumed, and then maybe go from there as well.”

Jacob Schutt, also a fourth-year engineering student, says education on synthetic THC isn’t as pertinent as more common substances.

“That’s a very small pool,” said Schutt, in response to the number of students surveyed. “I think there should be more emphasis on alcohol and more prevalent drugs. I think that education on any situation can’t hurt, but I think there are bigger issues.”

While Schutt is concerned about keeping a distinction between synthetic and natural THC, Vidourek and King have concerns about both, citing intoxicated drivers and marijuana being a gateway drug.

While negative side effects of synthetic THC have been reported, they say the drug has advantages due to its legality. Vidourek believes students may have underreported natural marijuana’s side effects in her study

FROM SG PG 1

is to work for the U.N. “I’m excited about actually making a difference,” Harrison said.

SG also passed a student appropriations bill appropriating $800 toward the cost of security and personnel for the 2015 Playdate with the Bearcats event,

a fundraiser benefitting Mitch’s Mission.

The non-profit raises money to send children from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute to attend summer camp at Camp Joy north of Cincinnati.

illustrating its pledge for honesty between business and consumer.

An example is the fact that Piola uses the processes of leather tanning and canvas dying, which is, according to the website, “still not eco-friendly. We are working on it.”

Rudd said most big-name shoe companies would outsource to thirdworld countries and pay lower wages to increase their own profit margins.

“We didn’t want to be that company,” Rudd said. “We want to be visible and transparent and change the trends of what these major shoe companies are doing.”

Mike Warwavesyn, a second-year computer science student at UC, is more lenient toward companies who outsource to third-world countries.

“I think it is O.K. since the value of money is significantly different in other countries, although I do believe they deserve an actual livable wage, or it is completely unethical,” Warwavesyn said.

Though most of Piola’s shoe sales are made abroad, they are working on expanding into the United States.

“Europe and Asia have been our main markets so far, but Nordstrom’s should be carrying some of our lines by the spring,” Rudd said.

Piola catalogues shoes from each of its collections on its website.

After looking through them, Morgan Cassidy, a third-year liberal arts student, was excited by the idea of a new brand of stylish shoes for men.

“I’d prefer a guy to wear unique shoes in that kind of style rather than the usual basketball shoes or Sperry’s most guys tend to wear,” Cassidy said.

The duo isn’t stopping here — Rudd said he and Burnier-Dechon are hoping to open up flagship stores in Paris, London, New York and Tokyo within the next fix years, as well as launch a clothing line to accompany their shoes.

“And of course,” Rudd added, “we want to hire more employees.”

due to its illegality.

“I guess when you start talking about natural marijuana versus synthetic marijuana, one thing that you have with synthetic marijuana is that you will have more of a quality control, if you will, on the THC,” King said.

Due to the illegal nature of marijuana and the secrecy by which individuals sell the product, King has concerns.

“They could be rubbing dirt in it, grass in it,” King said.

As states legalize natural marijuana, King hopes labels with ingredient information will be applied. Vidourek believes legalization of natural marijuana would prevent some students from using synthetic THC. “If marijuana was legal, there is no doubt we would see an increase in that and a decrease in synthetic THC,”Vidourek said. “That is one thing I’m interested in because the percentage of synthetic THC wasn’t very high when you compare it to overall marijuana, so it seems to me that the college students are choosing the real product anyway.”

But King has his doubts.

“I personally don’t know. I don’t think anybody knows what would definitely happen in the actual choosing of if both are legal,” King said. “If natural becomes legalized … then there becomes the need for some type of study. Which would you choose? Which is being chosen and why are you choosing this? And we don’t know that right now.”

If the risks linked to synthetic THC indicated in King and Vidourek’s research are true, both Schutt and Dunkle believe the drug’s legal standing should be questioned.

“When it comes to making it illegal, I wonder what else could be involved at the same time,” Dunkle said. “But yes, if there is any concern for what it may bring, then I think that it should be looked into for legality.”

Michelle Burbage, a graduate student and graduate assistant for UC’s Health Promotion and Education Program, worked with Vidourek and King on their research of synthetic THC. Their findings were published in the Journal of Drug Education.

Vidourek is currently working on a grant proposal to continue research on synthetic drugs with special attention given to THC. “My philosophy is very much that we need to empower people to make the healthiest decisions possible,” Vidourek said. “And then let the students and everyone else come together and decide whether or not something should be legal or illegal.”

4 / SPORTS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 / NEWSRECORD.ORG

Track and field teams show impressive numbers at KY Invitational UC high jumper takes first place, remains on top of NCAA rankings JAELYNNE JOHNSON | SPORTS EDITOR

The University of Cincinnati men’s and women’s track and field programs returned to competition at the two-day Kentucky Invitational Friday and Saturday, taking on one of the toughest meets in the country.

Cincinnati is fresh off of the Akron Pole Vault Convention at the University of Akron, where it accomplished top performances that ranked within the top 10 of UC’s all-time history. The most noteworthy performance came from junior thrower Macklin Tudor, who now holds the men’s shot-put record from a toss of 58 feet 2.5 inches.

“This is going to be a very big meet with lots of teams entered,” said interim director Susan Seaton before the meet. “But there are also quality teams coming — our former conference foe Louisville, Southern Illinois has a very good team — from our conference [University of Central Florida] women will be competing, as well as Kentucky — this will be a high-level meet.”

The Kentucky Invitational began Friday night with the weight throw and distance medley for the men and women. Field events continued the meet Saturday morning with running events beginning around noon.

Senior Josh Province and teammate Tudor started the meet Friday night in the weight-throw competition, finishing in 9th and 10th place respectively. Province had a throw of 54 feet 10.25 inches, and Tudor had a toss of 53 feet 3.75 inches.

In the shot put, Tudor placed 5th with a throw of 57 feet 9.75 inches, a few

inches shy of his new school record that was established at the Akron Pole Vault Convention. His counterpart Frida Akerstrom placed 5th as well in the women’s shot put with a toss of 50 feet 2.75 inches.

Junior Monica Phillips accomplished her season best with a throw of 56 feet 5.25 inches. This toss placed her 9th at the Kentucky Invitational. Following Phillips was teammate Akerstrom, who came in 10th with a throw of 54 feet 3.75 inches.

Annette Echikunwoke and Mekayla Breland both had throws over 50 feet.

The single UC win came from the women’s high jump, when junior Erika Hurd cleared 5 feet 11.25 inches. Hurd remains atop the NCAA rankings in women’s high jump with the height of 6 feet 1.25 inches. Behind Hurd was freshman Darragh May of Arkansas State University with a leap of 5 feet 10 inches.

Freshman Adrian Valles and Sergio Acera Villanueva earned second place in their events. Valles had a collegiate best height of 17 feet 2.75 inches in the pole vault, which moved him into fourth in the UC track and field records book. Villanueva made his collegiate debut in the long jump with a leap of 23 feet 6.25 inches.

On the track, the men’s distance medley relay quartet that was comprised of Brian Barney, Jaashir Morris, Jarrod Hart and Dan Huben finished in 5th place with a time of 10:21.55. University of Kentucky men took first place with a time of 9:57.62.

For the women’s team, it was the season debut of senior hurdler Je’Rica Sanders.

Sanders gave it her all as she ran a career best — 8.47 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles — to finish 2nd overall. Leah Nugent of Kentucky took first place with the time of 8.25 seconds.

PROVIDED

Erika Hurd leaps over the high jump bar at track meet. Hurd is No. 1 in NCAA women’s rankings.

Kevin Konkoly also recorded a personal best time at Nutter Field House as he got 4th place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.51 seconds.

The Bearcats’ 800-meter runners had topfive finishes, as Kelsey Mueller finished 4th in the women’s race with a time of 2:14.62

and Jarrod Hart took 3rd in the men’s race with a time of 1:54.63.

Cincinnati will return to Bloomington, Indiana, next weekend to compete in the two-day Gladstein Invitational on Jan. 23 and 24.

UPCOMING SPORTING EVENTS

SUNDAY, JAN. 25 2 p.m.

M. Basketball vs. University of Central Florida CBS Sports Network 700 WLW

SUNDAY, JAN. 25 3 p.m.

W. Basketball vs. University of Conneticut Fifth Third Arena

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28 7 p.m.

W. Basketball vs. University of Memphis Fifth Third Arena

Guard Ana Owens runs with the ball during a November game against Kentucky Weslyan University at Fifth Third Arena.

FILE ART

Women’s basketball suffers defeat at Temple JAELYNNE JOHNSON | SPORTS EDITOR

After a six-day hiatus, the University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team returned to the paint to play the Temple University Owls on Tuesday Jan. 20. The Owls took down the Bearcats at McGonigle Hall 83-50 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Cincinnati lost to the University of Memphis Jan. 14 with a score of 41-38. The loss to the Owls is the Bearcats’ second road defeat in a row and brings their overall season record to 5-13; 2-4 in the American Athletic Conference.

This marks the second time the Bearcats and Owls have faced each other this season. The first contest was Jan. 3 in Fifth Third Arena, where the Owls also took the win, 81-64.

The Owls appeared to rely on their ability to shoot strong shots in the second half to drive them to the win as they did in their first match-up against the Bearcats earlier in the season.

UC had a 6-0 run to take an 8-5 lead at the 14:12 mark in the first half, but Temple prevailed from Cincinnati’s lack of ball control. The Bearcats committed 20 turnovers, which allowed 24 points for the Owls.

Before halftime, Temple went on an 11-4 run over the span

of over three minutes that turned a once-tied game into a seven-point lead for the Owls. Bearcat Ana Owens hit a three-point shot with a minute remaining in the half to cut the shortage to four points. “[Temple] understood how important Marley Hill and Ana Owens was to us, and they took them out of the game,” said head coach Jamelle Elliott. “Give Temple credit — once they got confidence, they were able to knock down every shot.”

Temple was able to return after half time and increase the lead. Into the second half, the Owls stopped the UC 8-0 run when Erica Covile landed a layup. 10 points put the Owls in the largest lead of the night and put the score 60-42.

Key Bearcat players from the game were Hill and Owens.

Hill garnered 12 points, grabbed nine rebounds, two assists and one steal. Owens finished with 13 points and four rebounds.

The key Owls player was freshman Alliya Butts who scored 17 points, completed five assists and got one steal.

Cincinnati returns to Fifth Third Arena Jan. 25 in another conference contest against the University of Connecticut.

This is the first of two match-ups between the Bearcats and the Huskies. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.

NFL playoffs review; Super Bowl XLIX predictions CLAUDE THOMPSON | SENIOR REPORTER

The two teams headed to Glendale, Arizona, for the Super Bowl XLIX Feb. 1 were decided by two very different contests. The Seattle Seahawks, the first seed in the NFC, overcame a fourth-quarter deficit of 16-7 to force overtime against the Green Bay Packers. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson then threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Kearse for the win in the extra quarter.

The game has been heralded as an instant classic by talking heads at ESPN and the NFL Network for how the game ended in such a dramatic fashion, especially when the Packers had the game so firmly in hand.

One of the many headlines from that game came from Green Bay tight end Brandon Bostick, who was responsible for a blocking assignment on a Seattle onside kick, but whiffed his block in an attempt to recover the ball. Seattle ended up with the football from his mistake, which gave them the overtime-forcing tying score.

That game was followed up by a blowout in the purest of fashions, despite it now being mired in controversy. The New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts met at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Sunday.

Unfortunately for the Colts, the Patriots jumped out to a 17-7 lead at halftime and would finish the game 45-7 with quarterback Tom Brady throwing three touchdowns and running back LeGarrette Blount running for three himself.

The Colts could not recover as Indianapolis receivers and running backs dropped numerous passes from Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and Luck throwing several picks to force his defense back onto the field to make up for the critical errors.

But the New England Patriots are not out of the woods quite yet. The AFC champions are currently under investigation by the NFL for the alleged use of deflated footballs in an attempt to improve the ball’s catchability and handling.

The implications of the investigation are huge. The resulting decision has the potential to hand the victory to the Indianapolis Colts if the NFL deems that the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick violated the rules and used

improperly inflated footballs.

This would not be the first time Belichick would be caught cheating, if the allegations are proven true. In 2007, Belichick and his Patriots were the recipients of the NFL’s wrath after they had knowingly endorsed and utilized the illegal taping of an opposing team’s defensive signals from a sideline location and gaining an unfair advantage.

In a league that is proud of its parity, the NFL took swift action and stripped the Patriots of their first-round pick in 2008 and fined the team $250,000 while also levying a $500,000 fine on Belichick himself, which was notorious at the time for being the maximum amount a single individual could be fined in the NFL. The punishment for cheating this time, in a playoff game no less, could have dire consequences for Belichick.

Assuming the current results hold, the Patriots and the Seahawks are on a collision course in the Sonoran Desert.

The game should pit the league’s hottest offense against the league’s stiffest defense. Tom Brady has gotten hot at precisely the right time, which time has shown is always a boon to the team that is led by a hot quarterback like the Baltimore Ravens’ Joe Flacco in 2013 and the New York Giants’ Eli Manning in 2007 and 2011.

The Seahawks, however, just overcame a huge fourth quarter hole against Aaron Rodgers, who some are insisting is more deserving of the NFL Most Valuable Player award than all-world defensive end for the Houston Texans, J.J. Watt.

If we learned anything from last year’s Super Bowl, it was that we never know how these games are going to go. If I had to take a swing at it, though, I’d say that the Patriots win in a high-scoring affair 42-35 — also granted they are not stripped of their victory for cheating, if that comes out as true.

PREDICTIONS FROM THE NEWS RECORD TEAM: Jaelynne Johnson, Sports Editor – 38-30, Patriots Elizabeth DePompei, Editor-in-Chief – Next year, THE BROWNS! Zach Hatfield, Arts Editor – 100-99, Patriots “It’s going to be a close game.”

Katie Coburn, News Editor – 48-36 Seahawks

SPORTS / 5

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 / NEWSRECORD.ORG

Word on the Street: Students predict Super Bowl XLIX champs

MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR

MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR

“I think the New England Patriots will win,” said Stacy Loushin, a fourth-year biomedical engineering major.

“I think they are the stronger team and I don’t think Seattle will be able to handle their fast playing pace.”

“The New England Partiots will win. I think they have the depth in all of their rotation, I think all of their positons are well fed,” said Ed Breen, a fifthyear construction management major. “They have been there many times in the last few years and even though Seattle was there last year, I don’t think they’re as great of a team as they were last year.

I think with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick combined I think they have a great chance of winning.”

MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR

“I believe Seattle will win,” said Nathan Buxbaum, a fifth-year Biology student. “They always say, ‘Defense wins championships’ so I’m going to go with Seattle.”

Score prediction: 41-28 Patriots

MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR

“I favor the Seahawks but the Patriots got enough momentum going so it could be a coin toss and depends on who shows up at the game,” said Sam Hoelscher, a fourth-year journalism news track major. “I like the Seahawks’ uniform colors.”

Score prediction: “I can’t see either team scoring over 35 points since it is going to be such a toss up.”

MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR

“I personaly think the Seahawks are going to win because they are going for their second in the row and they are kind of the underdogs,” said Chris Waddy, a recent marketing graduate. “Bill Belichick and the Patriots are trying to make this a legacy game because they have been to multiple Super Bowls in the past 14 years, but I am rooting for the underdog. I really like Richard Sherman, he is a great player and I like what he stands for.”

Score predicition: “I’m going to say 21-14 Seahawks,

FOR RENT

1-3 Bedrooms HYDE PARK 1-Bedroom/3-Bedrooms in HYDE PARK 1-BR (700 sq. ft.) Hardwood Floors, Rent $760/month 3-BR (1,200 sq. ft.) with 2 Bathrooms, Balcony, Hardwood Floors, Rent $1,400/ month HEAT & WATER PAID. Call us at (513)477-2920 orpgspropertiesincincinnati@gmail.com

FOR RENT

For Rent in Clifton/Cincinnati area We have 2 & 3 bedroom apartments available for the 2015 school year. Visit our website at www.cdproperties.org or call 513-3520926.

HIRING

THE CASTLE Discounters of Diamonds & Fine Jewelry THE CASTLE- Discounters of Diamonds & Fine Jewelry. Hiring full & part-time sales associates. Hourly pay, commission, incentives, great benefits package. Perfect job for college students, open seven days a week and flexible hours. Sales experience preferred but not required, we will train. Come join our team! Call Mr. Stone 513.772.4653.

CLASSIFIEDS

ADVERTISE HERE Contact business and advertising manager Renee Howard today at newsrecordbiz@gmail.com or 513-556-5902

MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR

“I think it is going to be the Seahawks,” said Adam Herron, a sixth-year construction managament major. “They just have a better, balanced team overall than the New England Patriots I believe.”

6 / COLLEGE LIFE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 / NEWSRECORD.ORG

Student fair provides foundations for safe off-campus housing

DANIEL SULLIVAN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Students approach a booth to register for Wednesday’s Student Safe Housing Fair, receiving a bag to collect several giveaways offered throughout the day. The fair was created two years ago following the deaths of Ellen Garner and Chad Kohls in 2013.

Organizations gather for annual event, talk fire safety, housing security CASSIE LIPP | CHIEF REPORTER

University of Cincinnati students on the hunt for safe, affordable off-campus housing were met by a showcase of valuable resources Wednesday at the second-annual Student Safe Housing Fair in Tangeman University Center.

The fair began after UC students Ellen Garner and Chad Kohls died in an offcampus house fire in 2013.

Eighteen organizations gathered to educate students about their services, answer questions and hand out free items. Participants included the Student

Wellness Center, the Student Safety board, Duke Energy, City of Cincinnati Fire Department, University Park Apartments and Cincinnati Metro.

Erica Forrest, assistant director for the Student Wellness Center, explained that the greatest aspect of this fair is that it brings together everything students who are looking to move off campus could possibly need. This involves issues that are often overlooked, such as transportation and parking.

As living in off-campus housing can be expensive, members of the Student Wellness Center discussed financial management and gave students free spending logs, ready-to-rent and leasesigning checklists and savings jars.

The center also offers free “party packs” for students already living off campus.

The kit includes things to keep parties safe, such as clean disposable plastic cups and information about alcohol poisoning.

CFD participated in the fair to educate students on fire safety and emergency preparation.

Vickie Goodson, CFD fire and lifesafety educator, talked to students about knowing where to place their smoke detectors and when to change the batteries.

Goodson discovered from talking to students that most were not using their smoke detectors properly. CFD offered free smoke detectors and batteries.

Goodson also encouraged students to

have a plan in case a fire occurs in their home.

“Go through the motions and you’ll always know what to do,” Goodson said.

“Use that concept wherever you go, and you’ll stay safe in and out.”

Chris Reyes, UPA’s leasing and marketing manager, said fire safety is the most important thing to keep students in off-campus housing safe, especially in Clifton where most buildings and houses are very old.

“It’s really important that you stay up to fire code and keep everything up to date,” Reyes said.

Reyes said security is also very important to UPA. A private security team patrols the complex at night, and there is a security manager and resident assistant on call 24/7 in case of emergency, Reyes said.

“It’s important to have on-site management. Every large apartment complex should have a private security team that comes in at night,” Reyes said.

Sam Schroeder, external vice president of the Student Safety Board and thirdyear urban planning student, said the fair as well as the board are great resources for students.

The SSB is a student-run group dedicated to promoting safety initiatives for UC students.

“There’s so many different things around to help people realize what they need to do in order to stay safe when they look for homes,” Schroeder said. “Even things like the Metro, transportation, how to travel safely, and also before you leave for breaks making sure you have done things like locking your doors, unplugging your refrigerators and microwaves, all sorts of things.”

DANIEL SULLIVAN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Eighteen different organizations participated in the event, giving away items and information.

Online initiative brings attention to UC community MORGAN COOK | CONTRIBUTOR

It’s the face you see in the hall walking to a class. It’s the one you see smiling back at you in Tangeman University Center, and those seen cheering on the Bearcats at sporting events and diligently working late into the night at Langsam Library.

They are the faces of the University of Cincinnati, and a new initiative — #FacesofUC — was created to celebrate the individuals who make UC “the hottest college in America.”

As part of President Santa Ono’s Creating Our Third Century, an initiative that seeks to improve the university’s vision for its bicentennial in 2019, #FacesofUC aims to recognize the importance of its students, alumni, faculty and staff and propel the university into exploring more technological resources such as social media and video.

“I think what [Ono is] doing is super cool,” said Kelly Greene, a second-year business student. “It’s just another way that he is getting in contact with everyone and showing how much he cares about everyone here.”

“The Faces” will be an online video series

by Ono that features various members of the UC community who contribute and make a difference within the institution.

Each semester, the series will feature a new member of UC’s community.

Awadagin K.A. Pratt, a piano professor, artist-in-residence, chair of piano at the College-Conservatory of Music and one of two UC faculty members to have won gold medals at the Naumburg Piano Competition, was the first person to be featured by the campaign.

In a video interview led by Ono, Pratt talks about his passion for not only music, but also for educating students that share his interests. Pratt has led music festivals, seminars and brought acclaimed musicians to campus.

The website also features a section for kudos, where users can submit information about an individual they would like to see recognized. Although those won’t be featured in the online series, anyone can receive or give kudos to a fellow university member, which can be viewed on the website.

To get involved, Ono has challenged students to post selfies with the hashtag #FacesofUC. University members are also encouraged to suggest individuals to be highlighted.

A feed of any photo posted to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #FacesofUC is displayed on the website.

“When I saw his Instagram post about it, it really got me thinking,” said Nolan Gardner, a fourth-year student in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.

“It’s not just showcasing our amazing talent here at UC, but it’s also going to show how diverse we are. In that, I really think it’ll make a huge statement that although we are diverse, we all knit together so perfectly to form a university family.”

In a tweet posted Jan. 15, Ono said that this project is meant to deconstruct the idea of him being seen as the main face of UC. Instead, he wishes to shine the spotlight on the “true faces of UC” — the community that comprises it.

BAILEY DOWLIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Heather Kereluik, fourth-year graphic design student, walks down the prayer labyrinth and incorporates her whole body into prayer. Labyrinths are used symbolically in many cultures for spiritual practice.

Prayer labyrinth enhances spirituality Ministry event assists prayer, serves as metaphor for unforeseen path of life FERNANDA CRESCENTE | COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR

Candlelight flickered in Tangeman University Center’s Atrium Tuesday evening as students stepped over a bright-red tapestry covering the floor. A labyrinth pattern guided attendees through a one-way in-and-out path meant to inspire praying and overall spirituality.

Alice Connor, proprietor and Episcopal priest for the University of Cincinnati’s Edge House, a Lutheran Campus Ministry on the edge of campus, explained that labyrinths are ancient tools used in prayer by many cultures.

Connor was first introduced to prayer labyrinths through her father, a priest, who maintained a garden labyrinth in the family’s backyard to assist them in the act of praying.

“It’s a way of praying with your whole self, rather than sitting still,” Connor said.

Connor’s father explained the labyrinth to her as a metaphor for the path of life.

As you walk it, it can sometimes seem as

if you are far from the center, but then you unexpectedly reach it. This seems to be most people’s experience with life, Connor said.

“When you are walking [the labyrinth] with other people, you notice that people walk at different speeds,” Connor said. “You might find yourself walking right next to someone, and then they take a sudden turn and you are not walking next to them anymore.”

Connor also mentioned that because labyrinths are used in many different cultures, they could have different shapes and symbolisms. For instance, the NativeAmerican Hopi tribe also makes use of prayer labyrinths, but usually prefer square shapes, Connor said.

Although most people have their own personal way of getting through the labyrinth, Connor likes to focus on her breathing and sometimes says short prayers in between breaths.

She also explained that some people might go into the labyrinth asking questions, but leave it listening for answers that are sometimes not verbal, but spiritual.

“It’s a practice,” Connor said. “It’s like if you practice the piano or you practice,

I don’t know, walking a tight rope. It’s a similar sort of thing, that the more you do it, the better you get at it, the easier you can get into that space, that connected space.”

Heather Kereluik, a fourth-year graphic design student, first heard about prayer labyrinths through UC’s Edge House, but didn’t experience them until a service trip to Colorado.

“I think for myself, I like actually using my body in prayer a lot, because it helps me get into a prayerful state,” Kereluik said. “Because I have come to find that prayer is not just a mental exercise or a conversation or words; it is more of a state of being, very similar to what people would think of as meditation.”

Kereluik tries to still and quiet her mind when walking down the labyrinth, and whenever she reaches a tight knot, she will stop, say a mantra and take a deep breath.

“Just walking it doesn’t make everything better,” Connor said. “It doesn’t fix everything, it doesn’t suddenly give you deep enlightenment, but it can help.”

For more information about UC’s Edge House, visit edgehouseministries.org.