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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015
NASA partners with business students to evaluate technology patents MATT NICHOLS | STAFF REPORTER
MATT NICHOLS | STAFF REPORTER
Students who participate in the partnership may also have the option to launch businesses based on the plans they develop in collaboration with NASA scientists.
The NASA Ames Research Center has provided a rare opportunity for University of Cincinnati students to work with NASA patents in an effort to commercialize their technology. The partnership, which was coordinated by UC’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Commercialization at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business, has allowed students to access 174 patents for different technology areas — including health care and engineering — designed by NASA scientists. Students involved are challenged to evaluate these patents for potential commercialization along with possible investment venues. “We’re not just hypothetically talking about technology or technology commercialization; we’re actually putting together real business plans in the context of real patents with real scientists,” said Professor Thomas Dalziel, executive director of UC’s Center for Entrepreneurship. “Students that participate may have the option to
launch businesses based on the plans they develop.” The partnership formed at the beginning of fall semester as part of a commission NASA received from the federal government for technology commercialization. Because NASA deals mainly with aerospace, the partnership will allow students to work with these technologies and expand their application into various areas, such as healthcare or electrical engineering. Students in the program are asked to research potential commercialization strategies for a product and then report the findings back to NASA and other possible investors for future marketing endeavors. Greg Martin, a fifth-year marketing student, will be working with fellow UC students this semester in narrowing down the list of patents and selecting the most profitable. “With this commercialization plan, SEE NASA PG 3
Student Government SPEAKER EXAMINES SOCIAL ISSUES supports community, sponsors fundraisers STUDY ANALYZES SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS ON CHILDREN
CASSIE LIPP | CHIEF REPORTER
MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR
Terrie Moffitt, researcher and professor from Duke University, came to UC Wednesday to speak about the dramatic statistical relationship between growing up in a high-risk environment and becoming a high-cost adult. JOHNNA JACKSON | CONTRIBUTOR
While speaking to a full house Wednesday at Tangeman University Center’s MainStreet Cinema, professor and researcher Terrie Moffitt presented her audience with an intriguing question: “What if we could take a baby and watch everything that happened to them from birth to the grave?” Moffitt, a professor at Duke University, has started to answer that question through an ongoing study — the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study — that was conducted in New Zealand and followed the lives of roughly 1,000 people born in 1972. The research team conducting the study, which Moffitt joined in 1986, organizes yearly check-ins with its focus groups, which monitor participants’ living conditions. The past four decades of the study have shown a dramatic statistical relationship
between growing up in a high-risk environment and becoming a highcost adult — something Moffitt defines as requiring more social welfare and prescription medication, experiencing the most crime convictions, smoking the most cigarettes and displaying the lowest levels of self-control. The findings follow the Pareto Principle. Named after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, the principle suggests that in most cases, 20 percent of causes will account for 80 percent of effects. In every major observable element of their research, Moffitt found that 20 percent of their focus group used 80 percent of the qualifiers that categorize a high-cost adult. Moffitt warns that without proper education surrounding the conditions that create these unequal numbers, social resentment directed towards those living around or below the poverty line is a potential hazard. The team’s research was conducted
with the knowledge that people are currently having fewer children than previous generations, communities have a large older community to provide for, and life expectancies are longer. With these facts in mind, Moffitt urges communities to expand their knowledge surrounding the social issues that might land a person in a high-cost situation. “They did not choose to be who they are,” Moffitt said. “They did not get a chance.” Without social compassion, which Moffitt refers to as “a public good,” communities with large populations of working adults will feel overly responsible for the public welfare of elderly citizens and low socio-economic individuals who require government assistance. Meg Groat, a fourth-year secondary education student who is currently working in the Cincinnati Public School SEE EARLY CHILDHOOD PG 3
Student Government continued its commitment to bring the campus community together and support the surrounding community by voting to sponsor both the Cincinnati Dance Marathon and the 2015 METRO/CWEST Talent Show. SG passed two bills Wednesday appropriating $1,000 to sponsor the dance marathon and $500 to sponsor the talent show. Dance Marathon is a 24-hour-fundraiser that supports Children’s Miracle Network, an organization that raises money to support children’s hospitals across the country. Over 150 universities across the U.S. participate in the dance marathons. Now in its seventh year at UC, the Cincinnati Dance Marathon benefits Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. So far, the Cincinnati Dance Marathon has risen over $150,000, and UC students have completed over 50,000 hours of community service, according to Cincinnati Dance Marathon President Brittany Ziegler. This year, the marathon will take place in the UC Recreational Center from 6 p.m. Feb. 13 to 6 p.m. Feb. 14. “This year we bridged out to a lot of student groups, not only to attend but also to perform,” Ziegler said. “We reached out to a lot of organizations that will add a different light to the event and add a little bit more culture. I think adding that culture to the event will really help.” Ziegler said the event is fun for students because they can dance for 24 hours, and they will also be exposed to various student groups. “It’s also a philanthropy that doesn’t have to feel like you’re serving other people,” Ziegler said. “It’s inspiring and it makes you want to help and not feel like you’re having to be pushed to help people.” The talent show is an annual event hosted by METRO Men’s Honorary, along with Cincinnati Women in Excellence and Spirit Together. The event supports the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati, an organization that provides a safe place for children after school and at night. Since the 1940s, the talent show has showcased a selection of UC’s most talented students. The 2015 METRO/ CWEST Talent Show will take place 7 p.m. Feb. 12 in Zimmer Auditorium.
Emotional intelligence talk aims to curb exclusion, increase diversity at UC JAMES DOLLARD | CONTRIBUTOR
Tommis Lewis, President and CEO of Make It Plain Consulting, spoke Wednesday at the Vontz Auditorium on the importance of emotional intelligence, a practice in which a person, group, work place or society can better understand emotions and put that reasoning to use. Emotional intelligence also enhances the ability to accept any other person regardless of race, gender and culture, shifting focus from the self to the sum in order to benefit the greater good. Lewis provided examples of common, small-scale instances in which actively considering the emotions of others has a positive effect. Referencing the common “Hello, good morning” call and response, Lewis stated that when left unanswered, people can spawn a myriad of negative assumptions — all the way to assuming the person who did not respond does not respect or like the asker. Lewis further elaborated on emotional
hijacking, which he said is the result of letting oneself become too riled up in their own emotions, which is often triggered by annoyance, irritation and anger. An example would be saying “I hate you” to someone in the heat of a dispute. When asked if emotional hijacking can be a result of too much excitement, Lewis explained that over-excitement can, too, create a short-term false reality that may even psychologically limit one’s confidence. He followed with an example of an athlete who makes a tremendous play. The expectation set by the play could create anxiety that the person may not subscribe to that level again, deflating their confidence in their ability. Being emotionally aware and intelligent in what emotions are being felt broadens the spectrum of how one can understand a situation, Lewis said. It predicates itself heavily on separating the self from the SEE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE PG 3
TIMOTHY FOX | CONTRIBUTOR
Tommis Lewis, president and CEO of Make It Plain Consulting, spoke of the importance of emotional intelligence Wednesday in Vontz Auditorium on UC’s Medical Campus.
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Group criticizes US drug policies MICHELLE FLANAGAN | STAFF REPORTER
The International War on Drugs, a campaign that focuses on prohibiting drug use and eliminating drug trade, has been happening for decades. Many support it while others criticize it, especially with some American states now legalizing medical and recreational marijuana. The University of Cincinnati’s chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) connects individuals interested in discussing drug policies, their inefficacy and how to make legal policies work. The group meets every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in McMicken 26. There are 200 chapters of the organization worldwide. The state of Ohio has seven of its own, including chapters in Kent State University and Bowling Green State University. Although UC’s chapter of SSDP was operational for several years, there was a period of time in which it remained inactive. The chapter didn’t resume its activities until Zef Vesel, a fourth-year health promotion and education student, restarted the organization a year and a half ago. Since its rebirth, UC’s SSDP has received the Rising Star Award at its National Conference, which was held just outside of Washington, D.C. This conference included student lobbying in the nation’s capital. The group has also held more local activities. Members were responsible for co-hosting a panel with UC’s Young Americans for Liberty that invited a UC clinical psychologist and the director of the only needle exchange program in Cincinnati, as well as sponsoring weekly Narcotics Anonymous meetings on campus for more than two semesters to assist addicted students. SSDP does not condone or condemn drug use. Instead, the group prefers to focus on harm-reduction efforts through instructing the instruction of students who will be or are already engaging in these activities. The belief is that the United States has a lack of proper education and that these efforts need to be seen in schools, communities and public health care, Vesel said. Drug education through SSDP, according to Vesel, is different than what most would expect. Recognizing that drug use is a possibility even when people have been advised against it their whole lives, the organization aims to arm people with knowledge in order to make potentially dangerous decisions as safe as possible. Vesel also said that flaws in public drug education make the issues seem more black-and-white than they actually are, often causing more harm than good. “And then once kids get to high school and they start experimenting with marijuana, let’s say they really like it,”Vesel said.“And they’re told their whole lives that it’s this horrible, bad thing. And they realize it makes them feel kind of good or helps them deal with stress or relate to people better, or any of those things — they’re not going to trust the authority.” Vesel explained that this distrust often leads to backlash, drug abuse and rifts between communities and law enforcement. Decriminalization of most drugs could be the first step in reducing a rift, Vesel said. Most people who end up in the system aren’t harming others but harming themselves, meaning they need public health assistance instead of criminal justice assistance. The focus needs to be getting the multibillion-dollar drugs into a regulated market, Vesel said. These rifts often cause students to hesitate before calling emergency numbers when friends overdose. The Ohio SSDP chapters are currently working on getting Ohio House bills 392 and 363 re-introduced and passed through the Ohio General Assembly. These bills would grant medical amnesty in cases of underage drinking and limited immunity in drugrelated medical emergencies respectively. These “good samaritan” bills, Vesel said, would create an atmosphere where there is no hesitation before calling an ambulance in emergency situations. Amnesty laws and decriminalization may be able to help in more roundabout ways as well. While the heroine epidemic may not reach campus, the surrounding areas where students live have been affected by it. Zack Eckles, a law student who has been involved with the group for two semesters, explained that his house was broken into last year — a crime that cops often don’t solve because they’re solving heroine crimes instead. “That doesn’t do me any good or any student any good,” Eckles said.“Those people need to be going to rehab, not prison.” Eckles said he looks up to Portugal’s “drug courts” system. Run by a medical professional, a psychologist and a law enforcement professional, they decide how to best treat citizens who have been caught with drugs instead of sending them to jail. Although he strongly believes in ending the war on drugs, Eckles points out the gray area about how far legalization should go. “Criminalization is definitely not the answer,” Eckles said.“But allowing someone to walk into a gas station and purchase a cap of heroin also may not be the answer.”
DANIEL SULLIVAN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Buddies build a marshmallow tower during their meeting Tuesday. College Mentors for Kids is a non-profit organization that allows college students to mentor low-income children.
Mentorship program builds up bonds WILL KENDRICK | STAFF REPORTER
College Mentors for Kids, a non-profit organization that connects low-income children and college students, held its first after-school activity Tuesday in Zimmer Hall, where participants had the chance to bond over marshmallow towers. The University of Cincinnati partnered with the program six years ago and is one of dozens of universities involved. College students have the chance to mentor and interact with kids from grades third through sixth. After the daily snack Tuesday, two students read three rules reinforced by the program out loud. “Be respectful, participate, and listen, and we’ll all have a good time,” the students announced while a few of the returning kids chanted along. Because this was the first meeting for the semester, the daily activity had students and mentors build towers out of marshmallows, tooth picks and various other kitchen-related craft tools. The student-mentor relationship is called “little buddies.” Buddies will stay with their respective mentors throughout each other’s involvement with the program, making some of the teams last up to three years. Tuesday’s activity was designed to strengthen the bond between new buddies
and their mentors and reestablish existing buddy pairs who haven’t seen each other since November, when the group went on break. Brittany Newswanger, president of UC’s chapter of College Mentors for Kids, has been involved in the organization for the last three years. All mentors and members of staff must be undergraduates and have to go through an interview process. “If you get involved, you will stay involved,” Newswanger said.“Unlike Bearcat Buddies, we keep our pairs going. We let these relationships build, and it’s always very rewarding and fun to help these kids out.” Several representatives from the College Mentoring for Kids headquarters in Indianapolis also attended the inaugural meeting of the semester. “We try to give the kids something new to do every week,” said Maddie Stawicki, activity director for College Mentoring for Kids.“We never want to have them just sitting here.” Because of budget restraints, this semester’s meetings are to be held in one classroom, as opposed to the two-classroom setup they held in previous semesters. The cramped classroom was alive with noise and energy as the mentors and buddies wrote up nametags and played a get-to-know-you game that involved
wrapping strings around one’s finger. “I love working with kids, especially lowincome kids,” said Maggie Pratt, a first-year special education student.“I was adopted from a similar situation when I was younger. I’m very excited for these next few weeks.“ College Mentoring for Kids will host a banquet in April at the Sharpsburg High School to celebrate the end of the semester. This will also be the farewell gala for the members of staff who are graduating out of the program.
DANIEL SULLIVAN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Tuesday’s activities were meant to introduce and reconnect buddies.
Foreign students learn about job hunting FERNANDA CRESCENTE | COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR
International students from a variety of countries joined the Career Development Center Wednesday to learn more about the hiring process for foreign students after graduation. The event was part of the Career and Development Center’s 2015 Internship Month, an initiative that aims to prepare students for upcoming interviews, internships and job opportunities. “Over the years, when I would be in individual counseling with international students, they would be asking me questions about immigration, OPT (optional practical training), and other things that I wasn’t comfortable with answering because I didn’t have that knowledge,” said Arthur Walton, student employment and internship coordinator for the Career Development Center. That is why Walton decided to invite Douglas Halpert, an immigration lawyer for Hammond Law Group LLC, to campus Wednesday. Although Halpert is an American citizen, he has had his fair share of experiences with international bureaucratic procedures — his wife is from Taiwan and they have adopted two kids from China, making him very passionate about the issue. Halpert gave a note-free presentation that explored the perspectives of foreign students who wish to remain in the United States and the employers’ point of view. He also explained that foreign students should be prepared to interact with immigration lawyers and that maintaining their current student status is important to obtain a work visa. Students planning to stay in the U.S. should not only be prepared to work for a short time frame, but also have a backup plan in case their original plan doesn’t work out, Halpert said. According to Halpert, students may want to
consider going back to school and renewing their student visas to have a longer period of time to work with visa applications. When looking for jobs, students were also advised to stick to stable employers and bigger companies. Smaller companies usually do not go through this type of hiring process and may not be able to afford the costs of hiring an international employee. However, bigger companies are most likely to have gone through this process and are used to it, Halpert said. They were also instructed to look for jobs that require a specialized bachelor’s degree in a specialty occupation and make sure that their degrees will meet the requirements. Failing to do so could cause the rejection of their work visa application, Halpert said. Students were also advised to not let the need of a work visa overshadow their
excellence. Instead, when going through an interview, they should ease into the subject after they have showed the employer their worth and why they should hire them. “You deserve to be treated as a regular applicant,” Halpert said.“Qualify yourself, show them why you are the best candidate for the job, because bottom line that’s what is going to have them hire you.” Upul Ranaweera, a chemistry postdoctorate student from Sri Lanka, explained that he wishes to remain in the United States because it is one of the leading nations in his fields. In Sri Lanka, a developing country, the job market is very competitive. At the end of the presentation, students were encouraged to ask questions. Walton also recommended they continue to participate in Internship Month activities and prepare themselves for the job market.
ALEXANDRIA TAYLOR | CONTRIBUTOR
International students listen to immigration lawyer Douglas Halpert while he explains the visa process and gives them tips on their job searches after college.
Young Life group connects students through Bible studies ALLIE ALU | STAFF REPORTER
Through Bible studies and relationshipbuilding activities, Young Life at the University of Cincinnati welcomes students of all religions to hang out, have fun and make connections with their peers. “Young Life is about building purposeful relationships with college students as well as building their faith in God,” said Shannon Joyce, a second-year health sciences student and co-leader of Young Life. The faith-based organization meets 8 p.m. Monday nights in Tangeman University Center. The group also has Bible studies for smaller groups every Tuesday and Wednesday. Although more groups exist at the highschool level, Young Life is beginning to
grow at colleges. Originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado, Young Life is present at three other Ohio Universities: Ohio State University, Miami University and Ohio University. UC’s chapter usually has a turnout of between 30 and 40 people a week, with an estimated 20 to 25 students coming to the large group and about 20 or less who participate in the smaller Bible studies. Alex Faulkner, a first-year mechanical engineering student, has been involved with Young Life since his freshman year of high school and is continuing the journey through college. “My favorite part of Young Life would be the freedom of the environment,” Faulkner said. “I get to be myself and be real because of the love of Jesus. I’ve gone on trips, done events and have had real-life discussions
with some amazing people.” Young Life is a faith-based organization with a Christian focus. However, people of all religions are welcome. “It is important to not just serve Christianity, but to have this time for anyone who wants to just come hangout,” said Thomas Lynch, graduate student and a co-leader of Young Life. Young Life also provides a place for all kinds of students to come hang out and interact on a more personal level. “Our mission is eternal, and the community we build here and the leadership tools we develop help students develop a lifetime of following Jesus,” said Zach Wycuff, a third-year criminal justice student and co-leader of Young Life. Each large group meeting on Monday nights consists of some time for the
members to mingle and simply have fun. They also have exercises that allow them to get to know each other. At the end of each Young Life meeting, the group finishes up by tying the activities they do into Bible verses. This helps them understand their true meanings and significance. David Tangeman, a second-year computer engineering student, is fairly new to the Young Life group and has nothing but good things to say about it. “My roommate was involved in Young Life previously, and one of the leaders, Zach Wycuff, really got me involved,” Tangeman said. “All of the people here are really great and easy to talk to; you can really be yourself.”
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Plane crashes on highway in Taiwan (TNS) TAIPEI — The bodies of the pilot and co-pilot were retrieved from the wreckage of a plane that crashed into a river in Taiwan killing at least 31 people, media reports said Thursday. TransAsia Airways flight GE235 was en route from Taipei’s Songshan Airport to Kinmen Island with 53 passengers and five crew members on board when it hurtled into a river after take-off at 10:52 a.m. Wednesday, clipping a bridge and missing tall buildings nearby. The bodies of pilot Liao Chien-tsung and co-pilot Liu Tzu-chung were among those found at the site, state-run Central News Agency reported. More parts of the TransAsia Airways plane were lifted out of a river in Taipei early Thursday after cranes were used to hoist part of the wreckage
Wednesday, CNA reported. Fifteen injured survivors are in hospital and 12 people remain missing, the report said. There were 31 Chinese tourists and 22 Taiwanese passengers on board. According TransAsia Airways, 34 family members of Chinese passengers will arrive in Taiwan Thursday, some of whom will be asked to help identify unknown victims. Chinese tourism officials from Xiamen in Fujian Province are scheduled to arrive in Taiwan Thursday afternoon. Taiwan’s minister for the Mainland Affairs Council, a government body that deals with the Beijing authorities, said it would offer assistance to the family members of the affected Chinese tourists.
JIN LIWANG | TNS
FROM NASA PG 1
what it’s supposed to do is not only put the entrepreneurship program in the spotlight and say, ‘Hey, these are great undergraduate students that are doing work for a huge brand,’ but also to cater into a lot of learning and facilitate a great relationship in the future,” Martin said. Students who have taken Dalziel’s entrepreneurship strategy course have already experienced the opportunity to work with NASA’s myriad of patents. “Having to work with an agency and a client that has this level of importance really hones your skills for working with any client from a business perspective,” said Sean Fisher, a 2014 UC graduate of marketing. “I’m hoping that the work we did will help [NASA] to determine what are the most ‘commercializable’ patents that they hold. Hopefully that will get a foot in the door and help other students to work closely with NASA on these really exciting and big ideas. They might even turn those big ideas into big business opportunities.” The CEC contributes further through its Small Business Institute, which offers aid to starting businesses and growing companies that need consultation for projects. The SBI, a faction of the CEC, has historically been very successful, winning 10 national awards in the past 12 years. The CEC is home to three student organizations: The Entrepreneurship Club, Innovation Initiative and the Bearcat Launch Pad. All three of these organizations are entrepreneurship based and are aimed to inspire students that work in the program. With NASA as a new client, the program is geared for continued success and bountiful business opportunities. “It takes the classroom into the real world,” Dalziel said.
FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD PG 1
system, said that identifying high-risk students is important. “It affects their learning, affects why they are late to school, and it affects them while they are planning for their future,” Groat said. According to Groat’s experience working with low socio-economic students, there is a disparity between the education they receive and their lived experiences. “The students getting government assistance … don’t see situations that seem ‘real’ to them,” Groat said. “So in turn, they resort to the way they were raised, the territory that they are comfortable with, and sometimes that may be government assistance, drugs, coping mechanisms and use of medication and illegal drugs.” In her presentation, Moffitt encouraged more attention to be given to early childhood education — specifically early age pre-schooling. “We tend to balk at predictions of human behavior,” Moffitt said, adding that she is concerned that predicting who might end up a high-cost adult would “violate human dignity.” Moffitt’s solution is to offer blanket support to all
JIN LIWANG | TNS
children in all communities in addition to more aggressive public health campaigns. Keith Messerle, an electrical engineering technologies student in his seventh year, said that childhood reliance on social services can turn into an adulthood reliance on them, as well. “I believe that there is this learned helplessness when you are given everything,” Messerle said. “You lose that sense of achievement.” He does believe there is a social obligation to support people in these situations. “We do have a social obligation,” Messerle said. “Some people really can’t help it. I know people. You would think they could help it, but they really can’t.” While discussing the implications of her research, Moffitt stressed the importance of avoiding the line of thinking that results in the belief that people who rely on government assistance are lazy or somehow deserving of their situation. The work of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study is expected at an unconfirmed data to be turned into a documentary series titled “The Science of Us.”
Lewis said being emotionally aware and intelligent broadens a person’s ability to understand a situation. FROM EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE PG 1
whole, so as to cater to the group, which in turn can provide checkpoints for these emotional hijackings. Lewis also presented a 21-point list of conversational interjections that often stifle open discussion of diversity. “[Lines like] I have black/white/Asian/Latino friends, so I can say this,” Lewis said. Maya Antoine, a second-year graduate student, agrees with the importance for individuals to improve their emotional intelligence. “I think there is definitely room for emotional intelligence to be applied,” Antoine said. “For me, being a minority, I’ve experienced similar scenarios that Dr.
TIMOTHY FOX | CONTRIBUTOR
Lewis listed.” Antoine then provided a scenario relating the necessity of emotional intelligence to her campus in terms of sexuality. “While I did my undergrad at [UC] there was a level of diversification that doesn’t necessarily carry over to the medical campus, especially in regards to the spectrum of sexualities,” Antoine said. “I think the application of [emotional intelligence] can further assist collaborative efforts in the medical campus.” “It really makes sense when you look at it,” said Alan Wright, a second-year finance and marketing student. “It would bring in more voices. I mean sure, it’s something that at first you should actively think about, but will also over time become more natural.”
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Poet-activist to perform at UC’s black history celebration SHEALYN HOEHN | STAFF REPORTER
Astonishingly young for his accomplishments, 21-year-old Malcolm London is a Chicago-born poet, activist, educator and student. London is coming to the University of Cincinnati on Feb. 5 to speak and perform “A(r)tism” in honor of Black History Month. London wants to make a point that Black History Month should be more than just 28 days set aside every year. “I will not stop working until black history is recognized as America’s history,” London said. Internationally known, this young man appeared on the first televised TED Talk alongside John Legend and Bill Gates, as well as Season 2 of TVONE’s “Verses & Flow.” He has also shared stages with actor Matt Damon and rapper Lupe Fiasco. In 2011, London won the Louder Than A Bomb poetry slam, an annual Chicagobased youth poetry slam now taking its position as the largest organized youth slam in the world, its participants ranging from grade school to college students. “I didn’t really do that well in high school,” London said. “But my parents were very supportive when it came to doing what I love.” London said that poetry became not only an outlet, but also a creative and positive way to show support and get a clear point across. The outcome was recognized quickly, and in turn, people began to listen. It is undoubted that London has found his voice — it seems that he has always had one. It is reported over and over that London seems to possess such a strong presence, whether it be in regular conversation or on stage, where his confidence and passion are exuded. “I always get nervous, whether it be on stage or teaching in a classroom,” London said. “But I think that’s good because the minute I stop being nervous, it won’t be what I love doing anymore.”
Recently, London has written and directed a spoken-word play in response to George Zimmerman being found not guilty for the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, titled “Two Years Later,” which was performed at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. London’s work has been featured on numerous national outlets such as CBS, NPR, the Huffington Post, the Root and the Chicago Tribune. London is a member of the Young Adult Council of the prestigious Steppenwolf Theater, a member of UCAN’s National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention and a teaching artist on staff at Young Chicago Authors. London does not hold back, even in the classroom. Traveling to different schools that range from grade schools to universities, giving poetry workshops and performances, he feels the impact is the same, whether it be before 15 students or hundreds. “I like going to the high schools,” he said. “I like being able to work one-on-one with the kids and hearing what they have to say.” London is vigorous in his work, and he wants to validate his poetry through street activism and being present within the public realm. Showing that he’s not “all talk” and projecting genuine determination, the public reaches back. With such a clear definition of ethics and morality, London does not disappoint when it comes to connecting with those around him. It seems he is able to relate to all, which simply confirms his popularity amongst his fans — especially youth. And although it is evident through the response his art has garnered that London is making a big impact on youth today, he is aware that many issues in the world still need a lot of attention. As London says, “My work will never be done.” Malcolm London will perform “A(r)tism” at 4 p.m. in the Taft Research Center (Edwards I, suite 1110) on Feb. 5.
FOR RENT
PROVIDED
London travels the country, going to learning institutions and performing poetry to spread his ideas.
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London attends the University of Illinois in Chicago, and is interested in improving the education system.
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The 2014-15 NFL season: Controversy from start to finish CLAUDE THOMPSON | STAFF REPORTER
After the American Football Conference championship game descended into a fist fight, one would guess that would be the biggest controversy of the year in the National Football League’s 34th season since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. After being accused of cheating in the AFC championship game for allegedly deflating 11 of 12 footballs below the league minimum for competitive play prior to the Super Bowl, the New England Patriots won their fourth Super Bowl championship in 14 years. Super Bowl XLIX became the most watched program in American history as 114.4 million people tuned in to watch the 2013 champion Seattle Seahawks take an early lead over the Patriots, who had to score 14 points in the fourth quarter and come up with one of the most impactful interceptions in league history with 20 seconds left on the clock.
The Patriots, however, were backed up on their own 1-yard line. They were up by four points, so even if the Patriots surrendered a safety worth two points, the Seahawks would have still had to go down the field again and score a field goal to win the game, with presumably only less than 20 seconds left to accomplish it. Instead, the Patriots were able to draw the Seahawks defensive line into an off-sides penalty with a hard snap count. The penalty meant the Patriots had all of the room they needed to go into the victory formation and kneel the ball to end the game. The Seahawks, fueled by frustration toward their imminent defeat and the anger of surrendering the only opportunity to try and win the game, began to engage Patriots players in physical altercations on the next snap, resulting in one ejection. The Patriots’ 28-24 victory over the Seahawks, accurately predicted by the video game EA Sports’ Madden NFL 15, was merely the nightcap to a season full of
scandals and troubles all around the league. You can trace all of the hubbub from this past season all of the way back to the draft in April 2014, when the Cleveland Browns traded up, ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs, to draft much-hyped college quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. The media whirlwind, which followed his every action and dissected his every mistake, caused drama throughout the season for the Browns every time starting quarterback Brian Hoyer struggled on the field. Manziel managed to find himself back in the news promptly after the Super Bowl, when it was reported that he had admitted himself into a rehabilitation facility. During the season, two players were suspended indefinitely by their teams after off-the-field incidents that fell at the forefront of social issues being hotly debated across the USA. Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was captured on video striking
DEAN RUTZ | SEATTLE TIMES
Patriots wide receiver Brandon LaFell scores a touchdown on an 11-yard pass past Seahawks safety Earl Thomas during the second quarter in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday in Glendale, Arizona.
his fiancé at the time and knocking her unconscious in an elevator at Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He then proceeded to drag her out of the elevator toward their room in the hotel where they were staying. The initially lackadaisical response infuriated the public, who demanded answers from the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The investigation that followed produced contradicting statements on what parties were aware of what information and left the integrity of the NFL in serious jeopardy in the eyes of its audience. The Rice incident sparked all 32 NFL teams to unanimously agree on a new personal conduct policy for the players, highlighting the importance of preventing and reporting domestic abuse and sexual assault. Rice, who received an indefinite suspension from professional football, was later cut from the Ravens, but won his appeal on the suspension. He is currently a free agent and may sign with any team, but he has yet to have a reported visit with a team, let alone a contract. All-Pro running back for the Minnesota Vikings, Adrian Peterson, was arrested midseason on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child. His 4-year-old son was admitted to the hospital with severe welts and bleeding from his back, legs, buttocks, genitals and ankles. Peterson was suspended without pay for the remainder of the season, with a federal court appeal by the NFL Player’s Association still in the early stages. The list goes on for the league’s 2014 season, including Josh Gordon’s first suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and his impending second suspension, this one for at least a year, for once again violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The league’s Most Valuable Player award was given to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but his accolades fall into the background amidst all of the questions the NFL still has to answer for that linger from this past year, to include a decision on the proper punishment for the Patriots’ controversy in the AFC championship game. The new league year starts on March 1 with a retirement decision awaiting from Denver Broncos star quarterback Peyton Manning still looming on the horizon, making 2014 a season that many would potentially rather forget.
UC welcomes Women’s tennis opens up spring season 2015 national signing class JAELYNNE JOHNSON | SPORTS EDITOR
JAELYNNE JOHNSON | SPORTS EDITOR
Head coach Tommy Tuberville of the University of Cincinnati football program announced Wednesday that 28 student athletes have been added to the team’s roster for the 2015-16 season. “It’s the best class we have signed since I’ve been here,” said Tuberville in a press conference with the media Wednesday afternoon. “We worked hard, especially our coaches and Greg Bruner, our recruiting coordinator, and I think we got our share.” The 2015 signing class is composed of players from 13 states including Florida, Texas, Virginia, Indiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and California. Six of the 28 signees are Ohio natives, with two, Doug Bates and Braxton Neal, coming from the greater Cincinnati area. Bates attends Moeller High School and Neal attends Lakota West; both are expected to graduate in the spring. Ten members of the 2015 class have been enrolled in classes at UC since January, while the others are expected to join their teammates come early June. Among the other American Athletic Conference teams, the 2015 signing class of UC has received the No. 1 ranking in the league by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and Scout.com and No.2 by 247Sports.com. One of the main things that has helped recruit such a star-stacked class are the renovations on Nippert Stadium. “It’ll be a lot more beneficial once we are in the stadium,”Tuberville said. “It’ll be fun in September to be able to bring these kids in and see what we have been watching go up for the last 12 months. It’s going to be something that we are going to be proud of and I think that [Nippert Stadium] will be an icon for the city of Cincinnati and college football.” With the start of the new season, a few adjustments have been made on the coaching staff for the Bearcats, including the additions of Kenny Ingram as the new defensive tackles coach and Ty Linder as the new special teams coordinator. Ingram served as the director of player development at Auburn University for the last two seasons. He has also held coaching positions at Arkansas State University and Memphis University. Before coming to UC, Linder spent the 2014 season at Texas Christian University. He has held positions at Oklahoma State University and Texas Tech University, where he was a part of Tuberville’s staff. Spring ball is scheduled to begin Feb. 27 for the Bearcats, with the 15-practice session closing out on April 4. The Bearcats will hold their spring game April 4 at the Sheakley Athletics Center.
The women’s tennis team opened up its 2015 season with a pair of matches last weekend, facing off against Indiana University Saturday morning and Butler University Sunday afternoon. Five players return from last season, and new faces join the team, including head coach Eric Toth, who made his debut after being hired in November. Toth spent 18 years at Xavier University, where he was the head coach of the men’s and women’s teams. He led the Xavier men’s team to three Atlantic 10 Championship titles between 2008 and 2010 and was the named Atlantic 10 men’s tennis coach of the year during that three-year run. UC added four freshmen to the team this season, including Makenzie Stolar, Samantha Perry, Natalia Abdalla and Ali Miller. The Bearcats lost the match against IU with a score of 5-2 at the Western Tennis & Fitness Club — Cincinnati’s home court. One highlight from Saturday’s contest came from the duo of sophomore Lauren Bellinger and junior Kelly Poggensee-Wei, who got UC’s only doubles win of the day with a score of 6-3. Other highlights followed when Bellinger defeated Paula Gutierrez of IU in a singles match. It was clear that Bellinger was in control in the second set, winning by a score of 6-1 and gave Cincinnati its first point of the match.
Miller also garnered her first collegiate win in her singles match against Kim Schmider of Indiana with a score of 10-7. Going into Sunday, the Bearcats looked to bounce back against the Butler University Bulldogs, where they picked up their first season win, 6-1. Bellinger and Poggensee-Wei grabbed another doubles win by a score of 6-1. Teammates Katya Bure and Miller followed that success, winning their doubles match by the same margin. The victories continued for UC as they got into the singles competition Sunday afternoon. Hannah Wille, Poggensee-Wei, Bure, Miller, Bellinger and Abdalla all defeated their competition in their singles matches. Key points came from Bellinger’s 6-0 sweep against Rachel Sutton in less than 30 minutes, and Abdalla saw her first singles action of the year and earned her first victory, recording a 6-4, 6-4 win over Jordan Minnick. “We work really hard, [these girls] put a lot in to their tennis along with their academics and we want to make the most of these match days,”Toth said.“We took care of business quickly after coming off of a loss from IU.” The Bearcats travel to Memphis, Tennessee, this weekend, where they will face conference foes Memphis University Friday and the University of Central Florida Saturday.
MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR
Kelly Poggensee-Wei won 6-3 in her doubles match with Lauren Bellinger against IU Saturday.
Bearcats fail to avenge UConn Huskies JAELYNNE JOHNSON | SPORTS EDITOR
The women’s basketball team headed north to the University of Connecticut in hopes of getting vengeance against the Huskies Tuesday night in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. The Bearcats had previously faced the Huskies Jan. 25 in Fifth Third Arena, where they suffered a loss 96-31. Tuesday evening had a similar outcome. Cincinnati (6-16, 3-8 American Athletic Conference) fell to No. 2 Connecticut (21-1, 11-0 American Athletic Conference) 96-36. Tuesday’s contest was the 13th time in the series between the Bearcats and Huskies, and UConn has won every game. The two teams have been playing every year since the 2006 season, when both schools were part of the Big East Conference. The Bearcats were able to score the first five points of the game due to a layup from Marley Hill and a three-point shot from Jasmine Whitfield, but could not continue the momentum. The Huskies took a 47-15 lead heading into halftime after answering with a 15-0 run to cut UC’s early lead. Whitfield led the Bearcats in scoring with 14 points, nine of which were scored in the first half. Teammate Ana Owens added three assists and one steal while Hill contributed nine rebounds. Lack of ball control was a clear setback for the Bearcats as they allowed UConn to score 41 points off of 18 turnovers. The Bearcats ended the game with a 24.6 field goal percentage, compared to the
Huskies’ 51.4 percent. A highlight from the game came from the Bearcats being 5-5 from the free-throw line. Cincinnati will continue with conference play and travel to the University of
Southern Florida (18-4, 9-1 American Athletic Conference) Saturday, Feb. 7 with a tip-off time of 7 p.m. This will be the first of two matches between the Bearcats and the Bulls this season.
FILE ART
Pictured above: Jasmine Whitfield attempts to maneuver around a UConn player during a January game. Whitfield scored 10 points in the game against UConn.
6 / ARTS
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 / NEWSRECORD.ORG
Q&A Art cannot lie: Bukang Y. Kim
MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR
Kim presents an exhibit of her works at the Cincinnati Art Museum. The exhibit primarily focuses on her completed works from the late 1980s through early 1990s and displays her strong Korean roots. RUSSELL HAUSFELD | STAFF REPORTER
The fusing of two separate cultures in art often leads to distinct style and meaning. Such is the case for Bukang Yu Kim, a Korean-American artist who is based out of Cincinnati. Kim has had shows in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Her most recent exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum is titled “Journey,” and includes twelve pieces that represent her life as an artist. The paintings are expressive, dreamlike pieces on massive canvases. Her work ties qualities of Asian calligraphy and brushwork together with the emotive and dramatic feeling of American Expressionism. Kim spoke with TNR about what art means to her, the difference between Eastern and Western approaches to art style and education and how her artwork reflects the world around her. TNR: Did you always know you wanted to be an artist? Bukang Kim: Not since I was very little, but since I was in high school. In Korea, there are entrance exams that you have to prepare for and pass. If you go into a fine arts major, there is a lot of practice and exercise to do. Like piano practice if you want to be a professional piano player. TNR: Your work has been described as a mixture of Asian art styles and American Abstract Expressionism. Is that how you would describe your own work? BK: Yes, that is right. That kind of attitude and approach. Expressionism is very quick, and shows feeling and what is felt behind the image. For example, if it is
snowing outside and I am happy about it, I want to show the feeling of coming upon that landscape. Or, I want to paint Korean architecture, but I want to present the idea of Korean culture within it. TNR: Do you feel like your art changed when you came to the United States? BK: Eastern culture really emphasizes form and line, where Western art comes from Europe and depends heavily on where light is coming into the picture. I have been living here for a long time now, and have picked up this and that from American art. TNR: Would you say there is a difference between Korean and American art education? BK: Korean education teaches you how to paint very well, very realistic. In the U.S., the teachers always say it is about what you want or how you want to express yourself. So, that is a difference between these systems. When I started the program at UC, I asked a professor, “What do I do now?” and he said, “I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want to create.” In Korea the answer is, “Do this, do that.” In America, once you learn the basics, it is all about you.
there is a problem, the next day it is gone. That problem is nothing compared to the whole journey. There is a larger way I view living. Asian culture views nature and time as changing, ongoing things. I am always changing. TNR: How does the U.S. inspire your work? BK: I drive a lot. I have kids in New York and L.A. now, so I drive a long way at least once a year and observe the changing land from the window. I am interested in the landscapes of the U.S. When I go to L.A., I can find seascapes but they are not the same as the seascapes in Korea. Or I go to Kentucky and find mountains that are different than mountains in Korea. I am a landscape artist so I feel like differing geography represents different culture.
Even in America, if I lived in Arizona my artwork would be different than in Ohio. TNR: You came to the U.S. when you were in your twenties. Do you have any advice for people who want to be successful in a radically new environment? BK: I have friends in Korea who say, “If you lived in Korea, you would be very famous and successful.” But I don’t mind. Since I moved here, my life is richer and there are a lot of things I have achieved. So, I suggest to young people to not be afraid and to try hard wherever they are. “Bukang Y. Kim: Journey” is on exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum through March 15.
TNR: Do you feel like your art has helped you figure out who you are as a person? BK: Oh yes. In art, you cannot lie. You can’t do any art without what you have inside. TNR: What does the title of your exhibition, “Journey,” mean to you? BK: I feel like my life is a journey. One day DAN SULLIVAN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Kim’s unique painting style reflects her Korean art schooling as well as her time at DAAP in UC.
TECHLAND
The first-person game has already sold over a 1.2 million units in its first week. ‘Dying Light’ is a survival game that takes place in a quarantined city. It utilizes parkour movement styles to increase mobility.
Video game review: Zombie apocalypse erupts in ‘Dying Light’ CLAUDE THOMPSON | STAFF REPORTER
“Dying Light,” developed by Dead Island series creator Techland, combines all of the fun of a zombie-filled sandbox with the vibe of what a modern B-movie might feel like. Taking place in the fictional country of Harran, “Dying Light” drops the player in via skydiving as Kyle Crane, a Global Relief Operative (GRE) operative tasked with recovering a file about a work-inprogress cure for the zombie virus which has broken out in Harran. Harran remains quarantined, apparently halting the spread of the virus outside of the country, but that doesn’t so much help the citizens that still remain in the country. Crane is charged with recovering the data, which the GRE claims is dangerous and if released in its current form would only make the zombie virus worse. Unfortunately for Crane, the data is held by a former GRE employee who threatens to release the data if his demands aren’t met — and he’s changed his name. It’s up to Crane to discover who the employee is and recover the data. The GRE is keen to remind you of your purpose at any cost, claiming that recovering the data is the greater good. The game has been hyped as a spiritual successor to “Mirror’s Edge,” published by Electronic Arts, by utilizing familiar parkour elements and encouraging the use of evasive tactics as a favorable alternative to combat against the growing zombie horde.
The zombies move relatively slowly during the day, save for a few recently transformed zombies known as Virals, and are easy to engage one-on-one with weapons found throughout the world that range from table legs to assault rifles. The game never lets you feel overpowered, though, as large groups of zombies and even Virals by themselves can be intimidating and overwhelming as it becomes increasingly difficult to keep
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These particular zombies are difficult at first, compelling you to run and outmaneuver them to safety rather than stand and fight.
track of your targets. The real challenge lies at night where super zombies, referred to as Nightmares by some characters in the game, come out at night and chase the players once they detect you. These particular zombies are incredibly difficult at first, compelling you to run and outmaneuver them to safety rather than stand and fight. Engaging one may be an option, but more than that becomes far more than the character can handle. You don’t always stay weak, however, as the game utilizes minor role-playing elements, which allow characters to gain levels in the different facets of the game they utilize.
The two areas dependent on consistent use are Agility and Combat, both very selfexplanatory. The more you climb and jump, the higher your Agility becomes and the more you fight and kill zombies, the higher your Combat becomes. Whenever you gain a level in that respective discipline, you gain a skill point that you may spend in the same skill tree. Some upgrades seem far more useful than others, requiring you to read future upgrades in advance and plan your character’s development to prevent adding skills that you may not find particularly helpful. The core gameplay feels very polished, as the parkour mechanics allow a large majority of freedom to traverse the world as you please. This helps offset the lack of a fast-travel system. The fact that the game omitted such a system means that you’ll find yourself traversing many of the same areas numerous times as you head back-and-forth from your objectives and the person who sent you to them. Unfortunately, the large majority of the quests in the game are of the notorious “fetch” variety where people, perfectly capable ones, mind you, ask Crane to head out and collect items and take them somewhere else. That may sound like recipe for a monotonousness, it’s considerably less so when you engage in the cooperative multiplayer. Other players, either friends or random people, can jump in and out of your game without having to create a separate session and retain their progress and gear attained whilst playing with
you. This makes exploring Harran more efficient and makes fighting the zombie horde less intimidating and definitely more fun. “Dying Light” also implemented random “challenges” that you can invite the players in your game to for some competitive flair. The presentation suffers from frequent sub-par acting, including a villain who decided to try and emulate the recent Far Cry antagonists, albeit to a lesser degree. Crane makes up for it, however, with an abundance of one-liners and sudden outbursts of profanity, which induced laugh out loud more than once. The soundtrack also helps raise the overall feel of the game, leaning on synthheavy tunes and ambient tracks rife with ’80s nostalgia. When I played solo, I found myself behaving cautiously as bottles clinking around on the ground and other random world noises had me believing a zombie was coming from my blind sides, which they often had a knack for doing. Despite the mostly forgettable story, “Dying Light” proves to be closer to the vision Techland had for Dead Island, and is a step in the right direction for the developer. “Dying Light” feels longer than it should be and doesn’t have the kind of re-playability that one would hope for from a game about a zombie apocalypse. But “Dying Light” provided me with plenty of hours of zombie-killing, buildinghopping enjoyment, and if you’re looking for a game to get you through waiting on some of the bigger releases in April and May, I highly recommend it.