The Lumberjack -- December 6, 2018

T H E L U M BE R JACK

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019

CONGRATS GRADS A SPECIAL ISSUE

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

I

don’t know how I manage to do it to myself. Each semester, I find a way to have a busier and busier schedule than the one previous. Stress is numb to me now — it’s both liberating and worrying. However, despite that, I wouldn’t want it any other way and I’ll tell you why.

Entering this semester, I was anointed the prestigious honor of sports editor for The Lumbejack after previously serving as assistant sports editor and following my one semester hiatus abroad in the Netherlands.

I was nervous, excited, hopeful, anxious and just about any other emotion that would best describe the bi-annual mayhem that is finals week. Prior to my position as sports editor, I made a list of goals. The goals were short but impactful: I wanted our stories to expand beyond the campus limits to reach the Flagstaff community, I foresaw more human interest stories and people’s impact on other lives and I wanted to work as hard as I possibly could every single day.

As I finish this semester and leave the position as sports editor for The Lumberjack, I can rest with ease knowing that I did just that.

KADE I want to instill this method of thought into those of you reading. I think that GILLISS sometimes, especially as a college student, it’s easy to look beyond the horizon and SPORTS EDITOR into the unknown trying to trace down all the webs of our future possibilities. To me, that’s too messy. It’s important to set meaningful, short-term goals and ask yourself, “Am I putting in as much work as I should be?”

Often, the answer is no.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been days where I will lose the fight against procrastination, throw on my girlfriend’s robe and numb my mind with my eighth run of The Office. However, I like to believe those days come few and far between. I pride myself on being one of the first people to force myself out of bed and one of the last to go to sleep. I respect myself for being able to juggle two fulltime jobs, going to the gym daily and being the best boyfriend I can be.

Don’t pity your busy days, weeks or semesters — own them.

Looking back on my first two semesters at NAU, I wish I had done just that. I feel like I intentionally let things blow by me. I felt incredibly average and in a world that is never-endingly progressing, I was stuck in some mediocre state of purgatory.

When I graduate, I will know that I escaped that ordinary way of life and excelled in my juggling act of piling responsibilities. I know that my small, ever-changing goals will lead me to where I want to be.

I know they will do the same for you.

- Flagstaff Police Department public information officer Cory Runge The body of Kain Turner was recovered Dec. 3 from the canal near Beaver Street and Phoenix Avenue that is part of the Rio de Flag channel. Shannon Ainsley Cowan | The Lumberjack

Thank you for reading.

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 107 ISSUE 15

Editor-in-Chief Matthew Strissel

Managing Editor Bailey Helton

Director of Digital Content Conor Sweetman

Copy Chief Ashley Besing

Faculty Adviser Annette McGivney

Faculty Adviser, Photo Taylor Mahoney

Sales Manager Marsha Simon

Print Chief Brady Wheeler

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Chandler Staley

Features Editor Collin W. Clayton

Sports Editor Molly Smith

Director of Multimedia James Lemarr

Asst. News Editor Ray Anne Galzote

Asst. Features Editor Pruthvi Khilosa

Asst. Sports Editor Amber Neate

Director of Photography Shannon Swain

Senior Reporter Owen Sexton

Culture Editor Sebastian Moore

Director of Illustration Katie Dobrydney

Asst. Dir. of Photography Rylee Flowers

Op-Ed Editor Peggy Packer

Asst. Culture Editor Sabrina Proffitt

Asst. Dir. of Illustration Colton Starley

Senior Photographer Michael Patacsil

Asst. Op-Ed Editor Maria Angulo

Director of Circulation Ariel Cianfarano

Asst. Dir. of Circulation Robyn Monroe

Senior Photographer Jack Mehl

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“While the cause of death is unknown, the initial investigation does not indicate any signs of foul play”

On the cover Illustration by Aleah Green

Corrections & Clarifications The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email Matthew Strissel at mbs263@nau.edu.

F O T ES

B

PoliceBeat

Aug. 17 At 5:01 p.m., staff at the du Bois Center reported another staff member’s hand got stuck in a pasta machine. NAUPD, Flagstaff Fire Department (FFD) and Guardian Medical Transport (GMT) responded and the staff member was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC).

Aug. 20 At 7:56 a.m., a staff member at the Performing and Fine Arts building called to report the theft of a paperclip holder. An NAUPD officer responded and the paperclip holder was located.

Aug. 31 At 10:04 a.m., a staff member in McDonald Hall called to report the theft of couch cushions. NAUPD responded and took a report.

However the cushions have yet to be located, leaving the couch quite uncomfortable.

At 5:46 p.m., a staff member at McKay Village called to report that several fire extinguishers had been discharged for no reason.

NAUPD responded to the scene and took a report. The McKay Village hall staff also notified Fire Life Safety.

Sept. 4 At 5:47 p.m., a Tinsley Hall Residence Assistant (RA) reported a student exposing themselves out their window.

An NAUPD officer responded and the student was informed that exposing themselves was strictly prohibited by the student code of conduct.

Sept. 6 At 12:22 a.m., an Honors Living and Learning Community Community Assistant reported finding mysterious blue pills. An

NAUPD officer responded and the pills were determined to be candy and were properly disposed of.

Sept. 9 At 10:33 p.m., a Tinsley Hall staff member reported finding $100 dollar bills on the pedestrian path near the hall.

An NAUPD officer responded and determined that the money was counterfeit.

Compiled by Owen Sexton report several subjects in clown masks attempting to get into the building. NAUPD officers responded but were unable to find the people who had been clowning around.

Oct. 12 At 9:21 a.m., a Facility Services staff member called to report the theft of a Louie statue head. The statue was being temporarily stored at Facilities while renovations are Sept. 15 completed in the Skydome. An At 12:25 a.m., an RA NAUPD officer responded and reported a student was in took a report. possession of a weapon in Campus Heights. It was Oct. 15 discovered that the item was a At 7:44 p.m., NAUPD plastic role-playing weapon. received a fire alarm from Cowden Hall. NAUPD officers Sept. 21 responded and discovered that At 1:53 p.m., a student the alarm had been set off by a reported observing a subject fog machine. peeing on a building at Hilltop Townhomes. An NAUPD officer responded, but the Nov. 2 subject was not located.

At 1:25 a.m., a NAUPD officer reported a possible Sept. 22 fight between two subjects At 12:27 a.m., a Pine at the intersection of south Ridge Village RA reported San Francisco Street and spotting a subject climbing on East Butler Avenue. Upon the Skydome. NAUPD officers conducting a field interview responded but were unable to with the subjects the officer locate the climber. discovered they were not fighting.

At 8:05 a.m., a subject reported observing an animal Nov. 22 stuck head-first in a dumpster At 9:07 a.m., a student by the Skydome. NAUPD reported a fellow student officers responded, and the sustained a dislocated animal was released from the shoulder at the South Village dumpster.

Apartments. FFD, GMT and an NAUPD officer Sept. 30 responded, but the student At 12:59 a.m., a subject refused transport to FMC reported seeing two people as they didn’t want to miss walking near the campus Thanksgiving dinner. bookstore wearing masks.

NAUPD officers responded, Nov. 23 and one nonstudent was given At 10:14 p.m., a student a field interview and left the sighted a mountain lion area. near the Aquatic and Tennis Complex. NAUPD officers Oct. 4 responded but no wild animals At 12:58 a.m., a RA from were found upon a search of McConnell Hall called to the area.

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 3

NEWS

Local opportunities for NAU graduates are appropriate employers for criminology and criminal justice majors. Moreover, there are a number of marketing firms as well as every business that needs strategic communications.

She also went in depth about the benefits and aid the Chamber of Commerce has for NAU graduates.

“We work with students assisting with their capstone projects and have offered NAU students internships and volunteer opportunities that assist NAU undergrad and grad students’ ability to learn Flagstaff’s business landscape, network with local business leaders and develop career opportunities,” Pastrick said.

“It’s a great way for NAU grads to explore their local career potential” -JULIE PASTRICK

Illustration By Alexy Flores

Eleana Assimacopoulos

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s the semester comes to a close, many students are looking to begin life after college, and there are many different career opportunities for graduates right here in Flagstaff. Some resources available include NAU’s Career Development and the Chamber of Commerce, both of which can aid graduates with finding their dream job.

Career Development recommends students to first go to the website Handshake because it focuses on jobs in Flagstaff. They also suggested the website Indeed.com

for graduates who are looking for employment in Flagstaff or anywhere else they chose to work.

“Indeed.com is an aggregator search engine that will enable you to search for jobs in Flagstaff or anywhere else in the world,” said NAU Career Development director Emily McCarthy.

Career Development also does research and has found data suggesting there are graduates from specific majors that tend to stay in Flagstaff.

“We are still in the progress of collecting and analyzing the data for our last graduating cohort,” McCarthy

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said. “But based on the data we have looked at thus far, the most common majors living and working in Flagstaff are Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Strategic Communications.”

However, according to McCarthy, a person’s major does not necessarily determine their field of work. She stated that employers in today’s workforce focus more on transferable skills that a graduate has rather than the field they studied in.

Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Julie Pastrick explained some of the employment opportunities graduates

have here in Flagstaff as well.

“NAU grads have many great local job opportunities across several employment sectors in Flagstaff including health care, education, forestry, manufacturing and more,” Pastrick said.

According to Pastrick, opportunities include Northern Arizona Healthcare, a regional medical center that serves all of the northern tier of the state via Guardian Air Medical transport and owns two helicopters for quicker transport of seriously injured or ill patients.

Pastrick said that the city and county sheriff and police departments

McCarthy also said Career Development is designed to work with students regarding their career searches and provides assistance to students by making appointments or hosting workshops.

McCarthy said it is Career Development’s pleasure to assist any student with job search strategies appointment, which can be scheduled via Handshake or by calling their office at 928-523-1087.

“We also hold job search strategies workshops for interested student organizations,” McCarthy said.

Pastrick said students can find the Chamber at 101 W. Route 66 in the heart of downtown. They also support hiringflagstaff.com to ensure graduate students get the full help and assistance they might want.

“It’s a great way for NAU grads to explore their local career potential,” Pastrick said.

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 5

NEWS

NAU graduation rates growing Jayna Arola

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raduation has arrived once again as the fall 2018 semester comes to a close. Many students will be going their separate ways to pursue different careers.

However, the demographic impact will have a lasting effect at NAU. One office here at NAU is responsible for tracking this information.

The Office of Institutional Research and Analysis recently updated its graduation data for fall 2018. The Research Office provides data toward the university’s internal and external reports of different academic programs.

According to their website, they also collaborate with other universities to share data.

There are different categories they use to analyze graduation rates. The students were organized and separated further based on fields of study and departments, college progression and financial circumstances. All of which were compiled and used as graduation analysis for each semester.

According to Laura Jones, the Chief Institutional Data Officer from Institutional Research and Analysis, more than 2,500 students have applied for fall 2018 graduation. This includes 502 graduate students and 2,079 undergraduate students.

When it comes to the four-year graduation rate, NAU graduates 40.2 percent of undergraduate full and part-time students. Compared to previous years, this has improved rapidly. Going back to fall 2004, the four-year graduation rate was 26.8 percent for undergraduates.

Although this may have increased over the years, overall graduation rates continue to sit lower than ASU and UA’s.

Despite having lower graduation rates than the other two state universities, NAU has seen another trend of having an increase of students taking longer than four years to graduate.

According to NAU’s Student

Illustration By Colton Starley

Achievement Measure, the total graduation rate of bachelor’s degreeseeking students was 55 percent within six years from 2016-2017.

The colleges with the highest graduation rates for fall 2018 were the College of Education with a graduation rate of 55.9 percent, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences with 42.5 percent and the W.A. Franke College of Business at 42.4 percent.

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The retention rate for NAU has increased compared to previous years. However, the rate has dropped compared to last fall. This fall, there was a retention rate of 84.6 percent while in fall 2017 the retention rate was 89.3 percent.

The college with the highest enrollment rate for fall 2018 was the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences with 5,825 enrolled students.

The second highest was College of

Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences with 5,086 enrolled students.

The third was the College of Health and Human Services with 4,840 enrolled students.

When compared to ASU and UA, retention rates range depending on majors. For the fall 2018 term, ASU’s highest retention rate was in students studying engineering. In 2018, UA saw their highest for one year retention rate at 86.5 percent.

NAU graduation rates have continued to increase every year.

However, retention rates have been fluctuating over the same period.

Some other trends observed in the statistics include the overall graduation rate increasing heavily when students spend more time on campus. Nobody knows whether or not these trends will continue, but the Research Office will continue to keep track of all the data.

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DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 7

COMICS

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Scout's honest college survival guide Scout Ehrler

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ollege is the most important time of one’s life.

As students, we have so much to learn and so much to experience. These four years hold so much wonder. As an experienced and educated 19-year-old sophomore, I’m here to guide you through it.

Living in the dorms is time to thrive The transition to college can feel lonely and isolating. The only way to confront this is to simply ignore it. Embrace those cold, brick walls and remember this is your new home. Calling home or texting a high school friend is only going to hurt. Open that door, strike up a conversation with your new neighbors and make new friends as fast as possible.

It’s a race, and if you don’t make friends fast enough, according to Arizona law, you must display a placard on your door which states that you are a friendless loser.

Hold on to that long-distance relationship you had during your senior year of high school! It is bound to last.

First loves may be the strongest of all. As Cat Stevens once said, “The first cut is the deepest.” Going off to college can create rifts in those relationships — that rift is distance.

Whether it’s 2,000 miles or a two-hour drive, this change can be difficult. Don’t give up. Young love is so

strong and it can transcend distance. If you try hard enough, that relationship will last. Cling as hard as you can and you two will be married in no time.

Call to all freshmen: Get a job, ASAP! Maintaining a fart-time job in college can have a multitude of benefits. It’s nice to have some spending money and it shows you’re responsible. Throwing yourself into your new life in college and integrating yourself into numerous communities will expand your social life and in turn, your happiness. The more the merrier! Fill up that schedule and get to work.

You have so much to do.

Relax May I repeat, these are the best years of your life. Chill out. You have no cares in the world. Sure, you miss home and your friends and everyone you know is anxious and depressed and you’re gaining weight, but who cares? You’re young. You’ll get over it. Just go to class and work. Make sure to maintain a social life and most importantly, have fun. You have no excuse not to.

Declare a major, NOW These four years are going to fly by, especially with your busy schedule. In order to fulfill all your academic goals and earn your degree in time, you need to declare a major right now. Stop reading this, walk to the academic counseling center and declare a major. No one cares if you actually like your major and everyone knows it doesn’t really matter what degree you earn. There are no jobs anyway.

Eat at the dining hall as much as you can All you care to eat, who can argue with that?

After class, camp out at one of those super-clean and comfortable booths, do your homework and go to town. Eat as much as you can. Your parents are paying for it anyway, might as well get some use out of it. Plus, the freshman 15 is a myth, so have fun.

Just eat to your heart's content. You’ll burn it off on your way to Campus Health Services, anyway.

Illustration By Christian Ayala

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 9

OPINION-EDITORIAL

Less time, less money Caitlin Burke

Reaping the benefits

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ollege is a busy time of figuring out who you are, making friends and working toward your future career. Because of all this, some college students put relationships last on their list of priorities. However, this shouldn’t stop people from having a sex life in college either.

In my past experiences, doing the “friends with benefits” thing has not worked out. In fact, I’ve lost a lot of friends because of the looming presence of the thing we dreaded the most: unreciprocated feelings — both on their end and mine.

As I reflect and think about what went DEVYN COONS wrong in each circumstance, I conclude that the two main things were: I either ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR tried doing the friends with benefits thing too early in the friendship or I pursued it without communicating exactly what I wanted out of it.

Because of all this, I am encouraging others to do this the right way and save yourself some time and possible heartache.

Media — whether movies or books — often portray two platonic friends of the opposite sex who end up falling in love.

This creates the toxic idea that two people of the opposite sex can’t just be friends.

Not everything is about falling in love. Although it can be tricky, this doesn’t have to be the case. Communication is the fundamental foundation to any sex life, especially with a friend with benefits.

Partners who are just sexual partners should be held to a high standard of respect. You should remember that your partner deserves more than just a 2 a.m. booty call, unless that’s the sexual relationship you have agreed upon. Just because you decided to not pursue each other romantically, doesn’t mean you have to address each other as strangers. There is still the word “friends” in this relationship term.

A lot of people forget about that part and think that casual sex turns into a blasé encounter with one another in order to keep feelings out of it. However, a friendship in your sexual relationship is what makes it fun. I genuinely think that’s the best of both worlds.

When starting a friends with benefits relationship, I highly recommend that people talk about a set of guidelines between one another. These can be subject to change as feelings change in the relationship.

However, a guideline of what each partner should expect is key to a successful relationship — whatever that relationship may be.

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F

or the most part, graduating early from college is perceived in a positive light. Working hard in school and taking on a challenging course load is often commended by both peers and professors. However, this isn’t always the case.

I plan on getting my bachelor’s degree in three years rather than four. Graduating a year early means I don’t have to take out more money in loans to cover my pricey tuition at NAU. Education is a worthwhile investment and going into debt for a degree is necessary these days. Since I have the option to save a bit of money by taking a couple extra credits each semester and enrolling in a few online courses over the summer, that’s a deal that I will gladly sign up for without hesitation.

That being said, I love my time spent in college at NAU. Living with my best friends ensures there is never a dull moment together. I enjoy the subjects my classes focus on, and I actually appreciate having a schedule and being busy each day. These are all things I tend to miss when I go home for the summer.

Even though I have the option to live with my friends for another year of college, I’ll keep in touch with them after I graduate a year early. Plus, I’ll have a bachelor’s degree and a year’s worth of debt I don't have to worry about.

When I tell people I am on track to graduate a year early, I usually hear responses like “Wow, that’s awesome!” or, “Good for you!”

Recently, I told a professor that I have all my elective classes already scheduled out to make sure my credits align with graduating a year early, and this professor responded by asking “You’re graduating early? Why?” This is a response that caught me off guard. My professor expressed that his concern for graduating a year early meant going into the workforce a year early, which is inevitably bleak, dismissive and downright depressing compared to living it up in the cozy bubble that is college. This professor suggested that I should milk the “college experience” for as long as possible.

While I agree that being a full-fledged adult who pays off loans and bills at the young age of 21 sounds really frightening, I can wholeheartedly say that if I stayed a fourth year at NAU there isn’t much else I would accomplish.

I wouldn’t pay for an extra year of college just to bar-hop with my friends on the weekends, even though that sounds like a good time.

Within the three years I will have spent at NAU before graduating in spring 2020, I can say that I’ve accomplished being a writer for the school newspaper, being elected to the student senate, taking an average of 18 credits each semester, maintaining a 3.8 GPA, along with finding time to go out and have fun with my friends at the occasional party.

I don’t blame anyone for wanting to stay in college as long as they’re able to before they’re forced to leave the security blanket of school and stress about finding a career that pays the bills right after graduating. There’s nothing wrong with taking longer than four years to graduate.

However, people who choose to graduate early are not missing out on any type of college experience that is commonly portrayed in movies and is a stereotype for the party culture at large American universities.

This is in part because no singular college experience exists; every student has a completely different view of their time spent in college. No one should be pressured to make their college experience live up to a stereotype.

Graduating a year early and missing out on the experiences of college is simply not correlated.

Illustration By Amy Czachowski

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 11

OPINION-EDITORIAL

First-generation students feel pressure vianella burns

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oing to college is a big milestone for many people. It is the first step toward independence and a chance to further your knowledge in a particular field.

While obtaining a college degree is not necessary to live a successful life, there is still societal pressure to pursue higher education. That pressure is only magnified when you are the first person in the family to go to college.

Growing up, I was always told how important getting a college education was. From a young age, I can recall my parents and extended family telling me that becoming a professional was the only option available to me.

My parents immigrated to the United States when they were in their 20s with nothing but a small suitcase and the hope of building a better life.

Their inability to further Illustration By Ayala Christian

their education due to the circumstances put upon them made them always make sure that I understood that staying on the path to college was the most important thing.

I have an older brother who decided to forgo the college experience and head straight into the workforce. Being the only person in my immediate family to have gone to college is intimidating because the pressure to succeed solely relies on me.

An article from Wil Del Pilar, vice president of higher education policy and practice for Education Trust, Inside Higher Ed said, “First-generation students feel significant pressure,” who was also a first-generation student. “When I graduated I had 18 people there because I was the first to do it. Everyone wanted to celebrate, but with that came an incredible amount of pressure. I went to college with my mom, my dad, four other siblings ... and bazillion cousins. It opened doors for other folks in my family.”

Having parents that went to college and understand the struggles and hardships of being a college student is more helpful than some people think. My parents do not have the best understanding of how much is really on my plate throughout each semester. This causes a lot of arguments centered around the fact that I am not taking advantage of every opportunity that

comes my way.

The topic of graduation has slowly started to come up in conversations with my family, which is a daunting thought. Most millennials are aware of the fact that job security does not usually exist when you graduate.

A common route some people take is to finish school and then move back home or into an apartment with some roommates and figure out what to do next. This is something a lot of parents do not understand — especially parents of first-generation students.

“You were supposed to get a degree and be successful ... so what happened?” is something that my mom would probably say.

Being the first one to go to college means having all the expectations of the college experience fall onto you.

If I were going to live my life at NAU the way my parents would want me to then I would be in 10 different clubs, on a sports team, taking 19 credits while maintaining a high GPA and planning a semester abroad.

I’m not doing any of those things. And that is okay.

My plan is to attend school, do my best, have fun and graduate.

A Lumberjack's conflict with NAU's retention SCOUT EHrler

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AU retention is a sore topic for me. With a simple Google search, one will see that our acceptance rate is listed as 77.1 percent.

However, according to USNews, the acceptance rate is up to 81 percent as of 2017. In comparison, our four year graduation rate is only 40 percent which is 5 percentage points lower than UA and ASU. I have a couple theories as to why this is, as well as some thoughts on NAU’s retention rate as a whole.

First of all, with an acceptance rate so high, the floodgates are wide open. Essentially, NAU’s filter is almost nonexistent. From my personal observations, our vetting process is extremely loose.

Test scores aren’t even required upon applying.

Let me just say, this is not inherently a negative thing. I think it is a positive opportunity for those who had an average or below average performance in high school, or those who weren’t financially equipped to take the SAT or ACT, and are still motivated to go to college. There is nothing wrong with a high acceptance rate, despite the negative connotation relative to other state universities or Ivy League schools.

I do believe, however, that a high acceptance rate and a low graduation rate points to one things: high drop out and transfer rates. I, myself, am applying to transfer as we speak.

Last semester, I trained to be a Resident Assistant (RA).

During this process, a frequent focus for us was retention. We were often discussing what we can do as RAs to get our residents to stay at NAU. How can we encourage our residents to ride out these four years in Flagstaff?

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A conclusion I came to was that the cause is a lack of community, and in turn, RAs feel a responsibility to create that community for their residents which will increase retention. Such a loose filter on college applicants has the potential to foster a community of complacency and apathy. While it is positive that such a wide variety of students have the opportunity to attend NAU, many have the potential to feel displaced, isolated and lack motivation.

Less than half of NAU students complete all four years here and make it to graduation. That is significant.

Personally, I think NAU is a bubble.

There is a good amount of diversity in the student body and in academic programs, but not enough diversity to promote excellence beyond oneself. I genuinely believe many facets of NAU promotes complacency. I was talking with a friend recently and she said to me, “Everyone here thinks they’re special.” This sparked a conversation regarding the very topic of retention at NAU. Flagstaff is relatively small. The majority of people I have met here are from the greater Phoenix area, and I am from San Diego. Relative to these locations, Flagstaff is microscopic. So, in

my experience, we are floating around in a bubble, surrounded by the same people and becoming painfully familiar with everything and everyone within a year of attending the university.

I don’t think NAU is a place where students are pushed — whether that’s pushed beyond their own expectations or out of their comfort zone. Professors meet the criteria of the class and assign what they have to assign and leave it at that. Access to clubs is minimal. The social atmosphere is dim and grim unless you’re over 21 or in Greek life.

I’m not sure if I have a solution.

If you’re feeling hopeless, do whatever you need to not feel that. For some people, that’s leaving altogether, and I don’t think there’s shame in that.

I do think NAU could do more Illustration By Alexy Flores for its students. But to loosely quote John F. Kennedy, consider what you can do for NAU. Seek out a community in which you feel like you belong.

It’s harder than it should be, but it’s possible. Bring to the table whatever you have to offer. Each student brings something to NAU and without that, it would be a collection of burnt sienna buildings and hallowed halls.

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 13

FEATURES

Senior Matt Baxter is from New Zealand and came to NAU three years ago to run with the men’s cross country team. After winning his third NCAA National Championship, he plans to return to New Zealand, Dec 3. Shannon Swain| The Lumberjack

Matt Baxter returning home after running the globe Matthew Kruelle

T

o some, running conjures up images of burned lungs and dread. For others, it is as essential as coffee to a morning routine.

For senior Matthew Baxter, running is a way of life. It has allowed him to push the limits

of what he can achieve.

However, after three years competing in track and cross country, his visa is up and he will soon return to New Zealand.

While Baxter has the option to stay in the United States and continue pursuing a master’s degree in criminology, he said he would like to focus on his future as a professional runner. He

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isn’t sure if he will complete his master’s at NAU. “I’m done competing for NAU now so my eligibility is up,” Baxter said. “If I want to stay in the country, I have to keep studying. With how my running is going, it’s just not the right time to be trying to do both.”

Balancing athletics with coursework is one thing — most professors understand just how

rigorous sports schedules can be. Competing professionally as an independent athlete, however, is a different ball game. Baxter now faces the task of finding sponsors and races to run on his own.

Obtaining an F-1 or student visa involves jumping through several hoops. First, students must be accepted into an American university,

FEATURES then that university provides an I-20 form.

Students must also be able to provide proof of funding for their entire cost of attendance, which typically amounts to roughly $37,000.

Courtney Luque, director for the International Students and Scholars Services department, said obtaining a visa is a timeconsuming process with several steps involved.

“There’s a lot to know for international students,” Luque said. “They have a lot of things to be thinking about and worrying about along the way.”

F-1 visas are given to degree-seeking students, whereas those studying abroad for a semester or two typically receive a J-1 visa. The latter has similar requirements but lasts for a shorter period of time. A visa is required to enter the U.S. but not to remain within it. So, as long as other requirements are continually met, students do not have to renew their visa.

Upon arrival, international students must maintain fulltime enrollment at the university, which for undergraduates is 12 academic credits per semester.

For graduate students, this requirement is met with only nine credits. With this in mind, Baxter said being able to focus on his running while simultaneously maintaining a course load is simply not viable.

“What happens in your life often directly impacts what’s going on with your immigration status,” Luque said.

The stress of living in a different culture might cause international students to struggle and eventually drop courses. However, considering the federal requirements, dropping a class could impact their ability to remain in the country.

New Zealand native and Baxter’s girlfriend Emily Roughan completed a three-year trek with the cross country team in spring but stayed to finish her master’s degree in education. She plans to graduate at the end of fall.

Roughan traveled from New Zealand, alongside Baxter, to run with the team. Despite an initial culture shock, she said the community at NAU made her transition much easier.

“The support we had, the friends we made on the team and the coaches made it a lot easier,” Roughan said. “We took a risk coming over here, and it paid off.”

Baxter and his teammates have garnered national fame and acquired their third victory

in the 2018 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship. According to NAU Athletics, they are the first non “power five” school to win a three-peat in NCAA cross-country since 1981.

In his tenure, Baxter’s team never lost a meet.

“I’ve had a great time competing with these boys,” Baxter said.

At this year’s championship, Baxter ran the 10-kilometer race in just 29:35, and ranked No. 15 among the best collegiate cross country runners in the country. In imperial measurements, that means he ran 6.25 miles at an average pace of 4:45 per mile.

Other teammates placed well as well, with Tyler Day ranking No. 6 overall, and Luis Grijalva ranking No. 23. The team’s overall average race time was 29:39 seconds - a solid 7 seconds better than the runners-up.

Michael Smith, NAU director of track, field and cross-country, said every second counts at an event like this.

“Every inch of this championship win was earned by these young men,” Smith said.

Now that Baxter’s gaze is set on loftier goals, he will compete in a halfmarathon in January, shortly before returning home. He expects to be back on his home island by the end of February 2019. Once home, Baxter is going to work on training for the track season then focus on trying out for New Zealand national teams.

“Coming over here and being able to compete against some of the best college athletes in the world has been huge in terms of my progress as an athlete,” Baxter said. “Trying to get on any kind of world champ or Olympic team is definitely hard though.”

Studying and competing in America comes with its fair share of challenges for international students. New Zealand is 103,483 square miles with a population of just over 4.7 million.

Arizona on the other hand, is just one of 50 states, spans 113,998 square miles with a population of over 7 million. Baxter’s home state of the past years has been larger than his home country.

“The U.S. is so different to home,” Baxter said. “It’s been a nice three years of just doing different stuff.”

Despite the challenges faced by international athletes studying abroad, many find a community at NAU ready to accept, embrace and support them for the entirety of their stay.

“being able to compete against some of the best college athletes in the world has been huge in terms of my progress as an athlete” -MATT BAXTER

Upper: NAU senior Matt Baxter crosses the finish line at the George Kyte Classic Sept. 1 at Buffalo Park. Michael Patacsil| The Lumberjack Lower: Baxter keeps his trophies displayed on top of a cabinet in his apartment. During his three years at NAU, Baxter has accumulated multiple titles for his contributions to the nationally ranked NAU men’s cross country team, Dec. 3.

Shannon Swain| The Lumberjack

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 15

FEATURES

Mountainaire Sweet Breads keepin’ it local Kirsten Bublitz

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here’s always a dusting of flour on Samantha Evans’ counter tops, and there’s never a time where her house doesn’t smell like freshly-baked bread.

Evans is the owner of Mountainaire Sweet Breads, a company she runs out of her Flagstaff home with the help of her husband.

Baking is something that has always been ingrained in Evans’ life.

“Baking ran in the family,” Evans said.

“We didn’t eat out much so it felt natural to be in a kitchen.”

Evans grew up in Mountainaire, a small community 10 miles south of Flagstaff.

After moving out of her parent’s house to attend Coconino Community College, Evans was reminded of her love for baking. Her roommate’s mom brought over a pumpkin loaf one day, and Evans found it so delicious that she asked for the recipe.

Weeks later, Evans was in the kitchen baking her own pumpkin bread, which she began selling at Mountainaire Tavern, the restaurant where she bartended a few days a week. Some of her customers at the tavern started asking for more variety such as zucchini and banana bread, which gave her the opportunity to explore in the kitchen to develop new flavors.

A year later, Evans got married and soon after gave birth to her daughter. She was looking for a way to make a steady income without leaving her home, and she instantly remembered the bread she used to sell at the tavern and thought to develop a sweet bread company.

Her husband helped with finalizing the business, and when they were finished, they were left with Mountainaire Sweet Breads.

Evans started baking and taking samples of her sweet bread to local Flagstaff businesses.

Now, over 11 businesses sell her bread. She said she feels privileged that her business has done so well in such a short amount of time.

Evans spends anywhere from four to 10 hours per day baking six days a week.

Sundays are some of her busiest days because most businesses request that their orders be delivered on Monday mornings. On even the busiest of days, Evans can bake nine loaves an hour, thanks to her three ovens.

Most of Evans’ sales come from local businesses, but there are also individuals who order her sweet bread from her website. Those

Evans works on her bread alone at home because she prefers to keep her company small and quaint but loves going around and selling her freshly-baked goods to stores so everyone can have a little taste of home, Nov. 29. Jay Soliz| The Lumberjack

customers will get their bread within a day or two of ordering it. Evans’ bread is baked fresh; baking days in advance and freezing her bread is never an option.

Because Evans is a big believer in freshly-baked goods and because she likes working alone to keep her business small, it’s challenging for her to find time to spend with family. If it’s a beautiful day outside, instead of going on a walk, Evans will often be left inside baking.

Although running Mountainaire Sweet Breads is grueling at times, Evans can’t think of a more rewarding job.

“I bake with love and I take pride in what I do,” Evans said. “I know I have a good product.”

Shawn Reed is a Flagstaff resident who knows that Evans has a good product. Reed is the owner and founder of Wicked AZ Coffee, which he established in 2001. Reed moved from Grant Pass, Oregon to Flagstaff and soon realized there were no drive-through coffee places in Flagstaff.

Reed was inspired to start his own coffee company with the intention of keeping it local and keeping Flagstaff as the center. Reed

16 THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

blended his own roast and set up business.

Now, he oversees three Wicked AZ locations: west side, downtown and east side, which are all on Route 66.

At the time Reed was just starting out with his east side location, he started developing a friendship with Evans. She was a regular customer of his and he frequently saw her at Salsa Brava, where she worked as a server.

Reed was the first Flagstaff business owner to try Evans’ bread, and he instantly knew he wanted to sell it at his coffee establishment. Now, Wicked AZ is Evans’ biggest supporter. Reed purchases anywhere from 40-60 loaves every two weeks for his three establishments. Reed is especially grateful for Evans, someone who knows the benefit of keeping it local.

“Anybody can get commercialized products,” Reed said. “There’s nothing special about that.”

Not only does Reed recognize the importance of staying local, but so do his customers. When Reed sold commercialized products at Wicked AZ, his customers didn’t say much about those items. After he

started selling Mountainaire Sweet Breads, he noticed that his customers become more enthusiastic about the product.

“They’re pretty fanatic about her bread,” Reed said.

Above all, Reed said he is grateful to be in partnership with Evans, a local business owner like himself. He recognizes that people in Flagstaff pick up on his local approach that sets him apart from coffee chains.

Brian Yoskovich is another Flagstaff business owner who prides himself on keeping it local like Reed. Yoskovich is one of the owners of the Flagstaff Farmers Market, a family-owned grocery store that has been in Yoskovich’s family for 19 years. The market is located on 4th Street and has been part of the Flagstaff community for the past 40 years.

To keep the products in the store local, Yoskovich drives around the state to pick up produce from farms that he will later sell in the market. Most of the time, he’s on the road four times a week not only to local farms, but also to the Grand Canyon and the community of Tucson, where the Yoskovich family also oversees the produce in those grocery stores.

Because of the family’s grocery business at the Grand Canyon, they have gotten many calls from customers from other countries who have reached out to thank the family personally for selling local products.

Yoskovich tried Mountainaire Sweet Bread about three years ago, and he’s been selling Evans’ bread at the market ever since.

Her bread is even sold at the Grand Canyon in the stores the Yoskovich family also oversees.

Evans uses the market’s produce to make her breads. Yoskovich is thankful Evans is willing to do what it takes to provide customers with truly local products.

Yoskovich explained that Evans’ bread as well as the other products he sells at the market go well together. Many customers realize that the two compliment each other well and often come by early in the morning for the market’s coffee and for Evans’ bread.

Over the years, Yoskovich has come to realize the relationship the two have is more of a friendship than a business transaction.

“Not only does she have a great product, she’s also a great person,” Yoskovich said.

It’s business owners like Evans, Reed and Yoskovich who are making Flagstaff a unique place for customers to experience local products.

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DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 17

CULTURE

Graduation ceremonies at NAU tend to bring out a lot of families of students, which can cause local tensions. Problems can include tourists driving away regulars at restaurants, overworking employees, traffic and the infamous “bottleneck” scenario at graduation when parents try to leave all at once, Dec. 2. Chanel Smith | The Lumberjack

Graduation’s big business blow out Harrison Schonbrun

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or some, graduation week conjures up images of long lines and the town filling up with thousands of parents and students.

For others, they see their business opportunities increase.

Graduation week happens twice during the year. There is a fall graduation Dec. 14 and a spring graduation hosted May 10 and May 11, 2019.

The fall 2018 graduation at NAU will be a very large event. There are multiple ceremonies throughout the day as various colleges try to accommodate their massive graduating classes.

Parents, extended family and close friends from various points in a student’s life come to see their loved ones, but that presence can create real problems for businesses. One of the major problems is the bottleneck caused when parents all try to leave the ceremony at the same time.

This creates heavy traffic that builds throughout

Flagstaff, causing delays for many residents.

“Yes, absolutely, traffic impacts us,” said freshman strategic communication major Gracie Shoup, who works at the Aspen Deli located on Beaver Street. “We’re on a one-way street and it really confuses people. We don’t have parking so you have to walk.”

Many businesses try to take advantage of seeing an increase in parents and students as they come into Flagstaff. These new faces can help local stores, restaurants and shops gain sales, so businesses do what they can to recruit new customers.

“We’ll do deals around those times and make it more of an incentive to bring people in,” said manager of Flagstaff Escape Space Travis Baumiller. “We try to change it whenever [NAU] has something and we try to stay on top of it.”

Students on a budget might find it difficult to indulge on a steak dinner. Black Bart’s Steakhouse is an establishment about 2.5 miles

18 THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

away from campus. Many students walking through town don’t generally come to the restaurant, instead Black Barts’ market tends to be the older generation. Parents in attendance to support their children at graduation may be more willing to spend money to treat their children.

“When my parents come to town I love to take them to places like NiMarcos Pizza because of the interesting toppings they have,” said senior environmental science major Hayden Brecto. “We like to celebrate with the different variety of beer from Flagstaff Brewing Company and really show them the cool things Flagstaff has to offer us.”

On the other hand, some business view graduation as an inconvenience for them to deal with. These businesses tend to rely on long-term residents of Flagstaff and these regulars may not come out during graduation because of how packed the town becomes.

“I would say it can be one thing about

graduation [that if we] get lots of tourists, [it can] discourage locals for us,” Shoup said. “It’s a plus for other places, but you can lose business.

If you rely on locals and they don’t come out, that’s not a good thing.”

With more people at restaurants, hotels and shops, employees have to do a lot more. Traffic issues certainly don’t help either.

People tend to clog the roads, cars pile up on Milton Road, which makes it harder for customers to arrive on time to where they plan to go.

“The only problem it causes is people arriving on time for their reservation because sometimes they don’t know how long the drive will take,” said Nick Gabriel, general manager for Black Bart’s Steakhouse.

Though businesses have mixed feelings about graduation, it provides opportunities.

As students celebrate finishing their years in the education system, businesses can share in the excitement of graduation week.

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DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 19

AVE R

CULTURE

A colorful cultural wave at graduation Aliyah Humphrey

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t is coming close to graduation time at NAU, meaning swarms of soon-to-be graduates are going to the bookstore to pick up their cap and gowns with all of the necessary accessories.

For every graduating class, requirements and rules for attire are different. People who are receiving their master’s or doctorate will be wearing something different than the undergraduates. One primary difference between most cap and gowns is the academic colors associated with them.

During graduation, the crowd may see an array of different colored tassels, stoles and cords. Every color has meaning behind it that applies to a various number of factors. The bookstore is responsible for not only providing the cap and gowns, but providing students with the correct color garments related to their majors.

“Every school has an agreed upon color for their graduation tassel,” said general merchandise department manager Mariana Frabbiele. “These colors are decided based on the academic costume code, which means it can change often. A few years ago, all schools had the same color.”

The academic costume code was created by the American Council of Education (ACE). According to their website, ACE is a “membership organization that prepares the higher education community to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice.”

“Sometimes the university doesn’t necessarily follow the costume code directly, but it is the guideline for our graduations,” said NAU bookstore director Ken Roughton.

“For example, a couple years ago, all of the undergrads would have had the same color tassel, but it has changed. Now we follow the list that the costume code gives us.”

Roughton added that all education majors, whether they are graduates or undergraduates, will

have tassels that are light blue while all engineering majors will have tassels that are orange. He said the colors have a universal code that all schools follow.

“The colors are based on your college, but they apply to everyone, whether they are getting their doctorate or something simple like their associates or undergrad,” Frabbiele said. “When it comes to the sashes and stoles, it can get a little more tricky.”

An academic stole is a scarf that represents accomplishment, membership and awards. At a graduation ceremony, spectators may see students with numerous stoles around their neck. It is seen as a high honor to have multiple stoles and cords on graduation day.

For example, the valedictorian or salutatorian would get their own stole. The meaning of a stole can often go beyond only academic meaning.

Students at graduation can wear stoles to represent their cultural heritage.

Every stole has different colors and patterns. Students who come from an African American background receive stoles that are made of kente cloth. Kente cloth is a symbol of pride in African culture and is a form of cultural expression. Wearing this fabric recognizes the close heritage African Americans have.

For Asian and Pacific Islander culture, the stole is typically red with gold or yellow trimming. Red is a common staple color across all of the islands, which is why the primary color of the stole is red. In Chinese culture, yellow or gold represents neutrality, good luck and is seen as a symbolic color of the five legendary emperors of ancient China.

Veterans also can receive their own stoles. These are to commend them for their participation in the United States military. These are usually represented with a pattern similar to that of the American flag.

Every stole’s pattern may vary from institution to institution, but the

overall meaning of wearing the stole is always the same: to acknowledge a students culture and achievements.

Many students meet for a convocation before the graduation ceremony.

“The colors are based on your college, but they apply to everyone” - MARIANA FRABBIELE A convocation is an event before graduation where students are recognized by their social and cultural groups for their achievements.

Typically convocations fall under ethnic background or affiliation.

Before 2018, a convocation was only held for spring semester graduating students.

According to NAU’s inclusion website, there are six groups that offer convocations: African American, A s i a n / Pa c i f i c Is l a n d e r,

ILLUSTRATION BY KAYLYN DUNN

20 THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

Hispanic, Native American/ Alaskan Native/Native Hawaiian, rainbow and veteran. Convocations are a part of NAU’s inclusion office and are overseen by the director of fall convocations Ivy Banks.

“Convocation is for students to be able to celebrate with people who relate to their culture,” Banks said. “It is a time for students to have a close celebration with the ones they love.”

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 21

CULTURE

Winter commencement: a ‘high-priority production’ Collin W. Clayton

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early 2,200 students, alongside thousands of friends and family members, will gather together Dec. 14 at the Walkup Skydome to celebrate the success in earning college degrees.

The day will be filled with all the excitement community members have come to expect from an NAU graduation ceremony with the help from a dedicated group of faculty members who’ve worked yearlong to make the event a reality.

Krista Allen, an alumna and director of the university events team, has overseen the careful collaboration of several school departments throughout the preparatory phases of the ceremony. Allen said her job is to ensure each of the ceremony’s 340 volunteers will be on the same page when students take the stage that Friday morning.

“There are a lot of people that have to be involved to make [the ceremony] actually happen,” Allen said. “I just kind of make sure all of those people are doing what they need to do. We get together with the police department, parking services, the registrar’s office or alumni relations in big committee meetings which occur throughout the year.”

Preparing for this event has been a massive undertaking for members of the commencement team. Allen said that preparations for the upcoming ceremony began last spring almost as soon as the previous one ended. She also mentioned the countless hours of training and setup that will occur during the week leading up to graduation.

“Commencement planning happens year-round in one way or another,” Allen said. “We probably take a month or two off to get caught up on everything else that we’re doing and then we’ll start holding committee meetings again. If commencement is on Friday, we’re in there setting up on Tuesday. We have training for volunteers, marshals and college representatives occurring that week as well.”

With the excitement surrounding the event, Allen said it would be easy to overlook much of the action occurring behind the scenes. Communication between volunteers will have to be maintained throughout the entirety of the proceedings in order for the crew to quickly adapt to changes and problems that might occur. “ I f you actually watch the mechanics of everything that’s happening, it’s fascinating,” Allen said.

“You might not see all the volunteers running around or the movement of the marshals or someone scooting behind the bleachers to make sure the students get water.”

Another element to the celebration is the attention to safety paid by members of the NAU Police Department (NAUPD).

Police Sgt. Joe Tritschler, head of security for the ceremony, said members of NAUPD have been working with representatives from the Arizona Department of Transportation to prevent a buildup of traffic on local highways during the event.

Tritschler also detailed some of the ways NAUPD plans to decrease wait times at entrances into the Skydome.

“We’re going to be trying some new traffic control patterns. We’ve got some different plans in place to try and redirect some of the traffic coming northbound so we don’t get those traditional backups,” Tritschler said. “We’ll also have more doors available; we’re going to have eight doors on each side, staffed with security. We’re hoping we won’t have any real bottleneck issues with people coming in.”

Despite inevitable delays, the sergeant expects smooth sailing on the day of the event but recommends that students and families stay informed about changing weather conditions. He

also said those who plan to attend should familiarize themselves with NAU’s clear-bag policy, which will be in full effect the day of the ceremony.

Tritschler said the department is always looking for ways to create a safer and more convenient experience for attendees.

He recognizes the importance of keeping people safe and traffic flowing smoothly.

“It’s an ongoing process. We [ask ourselves], what can we do better? How can we improve our service?” Tritschler said. “This is potentially one of the biggest days in people’s lives and we want to make it a fantastic day.”

In recent decades, digital media has become another major element in commencement ceremonies at NAU. One department, which Allen has worked closely with throughout preparations, is NAU-TV. Members of the department are responsible for livestreaming, digitally recording and producing visual aids for the event.

Mitch Strohman, General Manager of NAU-TV and voice of the Lumberjacks, described some of the challenges faced during previous broadcasts. Strohman said his team had to learn how to make decisions on the fly and adjust to swift logistical changes.

“We have to deal with a very fluid ceremony that has a lot of moving parts,” Strohman said. “Any time you’re live with a TV production, you will always have something happen that you didn’t anticipate. We have to think on our feet as a team, identify what the issue is and come up with a solution to it — all while being on the air.”

Strohman reiterated the notion that commencement is a year-round endeavor for each faculty member involved. He said the ceremony bears a heavy importance to his department and his crew is always looking for ways to improve their methods.

“It’s a high-priority production for the university and it’s something we take very seriously and have great passion about,” Strohman said. “We’re always in a planning mode; we’re looking at new ways to do things. Maybe it’s different camera angles, improving our graphics or trying to find ways to make it as professional and as highquality a production as humanly possible.”

Allen feels the upcoming commencement ceremony will serve well as a day of celebration for university families from an array of different backgrounds. In her opinion, the ceremony is about honoring achievement, tradition and fun.

“We want to ensure that anyone who’ll be there will have the best experience they can have,” Allen said. “That’s definitely my favorite part of the job — seeing people happy.”

Each member of the commencement team seeks to provide graduating students with a formal, yet lively experience Dec. 14. With the close partnership of several departments, members of the event team expect the event to go down as yet another success in NAU’s long-standing history of spectacular graduation ceremonies.

“We’re always in a planning mode; we’re looking at new ways to do things”

-Mitch Strohman, General Manager of NAU-TV

ILLUSTRATION BY PRUTHVI KHILOSIA

22 THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 23

SPORTS

A letter to NAU’s next head football coach

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ith the retirement of Jerome Souers as NAU head football coach, athletic director Mike Marlow is now on the hunt for the next leader of the Lumberjack football team. Marlow will give his best pitch to the candidates he sees fit, and while that’s all well and good, I thought it would be polite of me to give my own letter of recommendation to whoever is next in line for NAU football. Here it goes.

Dear soon-to-be NAU head football coach, I moved to Flagstaff, home of NAU, fourand-a-half years ago from New Hampshire. I’ve also lived in Texas, Rhode Island, Bermuda and Montana. Having never lived in one of those MATTHEW places for more than five years, I’ve become a JARECKI HOST OF “THE master of the stereotype. After more than four JERK” ON KJACK years, I think I’ve got NAU down.

According to NAU facts and stats, a whopping 21,305 of NAU’s 31,057 students are Arizona residents.

None of them came to NAU for the athletics. You see, if you’re from Maricopa County, where 60 percent of Arizona residents live, according to worldpopulaitonreview.com, you either grew up a Sun Devil or a Wildcat. Or, you grew up thinking sports are stupid, got a nose piercing and realized that ganja was the answer, man.

In that case, you probably moved to Flagstaff, a liberal mountain town where trail running and climbing are the most popular “sports.” For NAU, football attendance last year, barely half of the Skydome’s capacity occupied is evidence. Fan engagement is a challenge for coaches of all sports with a ball up here on the mountain.

On top of that, the pay isn’t great. Jerome Souers, the previous coach for NAU football, made just under $200,000 a year, according to NAU’s website. Coordinators in the Pac-12 regularly make double that. The good news is, NAU probably has a little more cash to throw your way given that its athletics budget increases yearly.

So, nobody likes sports here and the pay isn’t spectacular, but strangely, it’s not all bad.

If you come to NAU, you’re not inheriting a world of expectation. Souers wasn’t exactly Saban, and luckily for you, the most successful sports team NAU has to compare against yours is cross country (we have a cross country team?). If you win multiple Big Sky Championships, they might build a statue for you.

The recruiting scene isn’t bad either. Phoenix is increasingly a football hotbed, and many of those players are happy to be able to stay in state if given no offer from ASU or UA. Most importantly, if you have the drive to build something on a blank slate, like James Franklin did at Vanderbilt or Jim Harbaugh once upon a time at San Diego, you can catapult yourself into better opportunities, while leaving NAU better than you found it.

There you have it, straight from a cynical, hopeful observer of NAU athletics.

24 THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

Junior wide receiver Joey Gatewood (88) rushes to make a play during the last home game against North Dakota, Nov. 17 at the Walkup Skydome. Maria Saldivar| The Lumberjack

A blessing disguised as a curse W

hen he was just five years old, it almost killed him, but today it’s what makes him who he is. Junior wide receiver Joey Gatewood is seeking to put an end to the stigma of diabetes and its perceived limitations for the future’s youth.

His eyes were hallowed and distant.

His body was weak and deeply deprived of water. His head was war and his focus dizzied. The boy didn’t know what was going on with his body and neither did his dad. His symptoms were flu-like in the beginning, but something much more severe was disrupting him, that much was clear.

As a Vietnam veteran, Gatewood’s father was familiar with the sight of death, and one thing was certain, his son was swiftly approaching mortal danger.

In a state of life-threatening circumstances, the little boy, Joey Gatewood, could make out words that only a five-year-old could in his unknowing condition.

“Dad, I need Mom.” Joey Gatewood was rushed to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. He immediately got his vitals checked. His blood sugar was so off the charts that it was undetectable. He was then hurried to the emergency room of Banner Health

Good Samaritan where they could check the readings with accuracy. At 300 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) your blood sugar level is considered severe and you must seek an immediate doctor.

Double that to 600 mg/dl and one can enter a life-threatening coma. Over 700 mg/dl and your brain and other body functions can start shutting down.

The results that came back for Joey Gatewood were astronomical — 860 mg/ dl.

The readings that came back meant immediate need for intravenous therapy (IV) to restore hydration. The task didn’t come with ease. The dehydrated body concealed any prominence of a vein to attach to. A flurry of 10 desperately missed punctures later and a vessel was finally found. Eleven bags of hydrating solution were pumped into Joey Gatewood and his body began to respond to the IV treatment. The horror gradually began to subside.

Joey Gatewood’s journey as a typeone diabetic came with a distressing start.

It wasn’t like Joey Gatewood to walk with his head down, kicking the rocks that passed in life. He always had an aura to him, one of optimism, enthusiasm, humor, kindness and an infectious level of buoyancy.

His father, Phillip Gatewood, recalls a year before his son’s incident, a moment that resonates with him to this day. It is a story that is always accompanied with a smile in its narration. Phillip Gatewood would take his three boys, Joey Gatewood being the youngest with an older sister and two older brothers, golfing on frequent occasions. Joey Gatewood, however, took his attention in other things than the put-put match between his family.

“Joey wasn’t interested in hitting golf balls,” Phillip Gatewood said. “I turned around and he was up on the putting green talking to some 70-year-old man.

He always had such a crowd around him, [he’s] the kind of person that is at home with people.”

A year after his diagnosis, his social curiosity failed to waver when he provided an informational and extensive lecture to a physician at their local Blockbuster.

“I look and here he is, standing in one of the aisles, talking to a doctor,” said Kim Gatewood, his mother. “Joey’s teaching him all about how to manage diabetes and he was talking to this guy for like 45 minutes and he was loving it.

That is how Joey has always been.”

Beyond his desire for social interaction, Joey Gatewood has rarely

SPORTS had moments filled with self-pity throughout his years as a diabetic. Limitations for much of the time were nonexistent. His whole life has circled around athletics, mainly football, and he has climbed his way to the ranks as a Division I scholarship athlete at NAU in spite of the disease. “[Diabetes] is a blessing, not a curse,” said Joey Gatewood with his traditional positive spin. “It gives you the opportunity to be able to learn so much more about yourself and your body than anyone else.”

His family, much like Joey Gatewood, had little room for the conceding of misfortune.

They responded as adamantly as a family unit could and realized they were grateful that Joey Gatewood had something that could at least be monitored and treated.

Through treatment and constant monitoring, Joey Gatewood made it through a primarily normal childhood. His grades were decent, the acquisition of friends was never an issue and his athletic career seemed limitless.

During his tenure at Paradise Valley High School, Joey Gatewood set a school record for most receptions in a single season as he recorded 87 during his senior year. This was also the season where he was recognized as the school’s Offensive Player of the Year after adding on eight touchdowns and just under 1,000 yards.

Although his football run in high school seemed limitless, that wasn’t the case. Much like the mind of an adolescent in the unripe stage of high school, Gatewood went through a “rebellious” stage. His monitoring of diabetes was worse than it had ever been, his blood sugar jumped throughout the day, his usual uplifting mood was just as inconsistent and his health was a shadow of what it could have been.

“I remember calculating the amount of shots and times I’ve pricked myself in my life,” Joey Gatewood explained the tedious routine that grew old on him. “It was tens and tens of thousands, getting close to 100,000.”

In spite of that, Joey Gatewood was still able to maintain a high level of production as a wide receiver, but his aspirations of playing at the next level needed some outside help.

Thanks to a former teammate and friend’s referral, Joey Gatewood met up with Shane Anderson, a disciplined and youthful trainer at Foothills Acceleration and Sports Training (FAST). Anderson was a former wide receiver at the University of Nevada after his departure from high school that included a state championship and Offensive MVP at Saguaro in 2006.

After Joey Gatewood finished his senior year in high school, his direction in life was skewed. There were aspirations of playing collegiate football at NAU, but it was clear that his years of rebelling against his health would

have to be a thing of the past.

Anderson made sure of that.

Anderson trained Joey Gatewood six days a week over the course of three years and played a vital role in Joey Gatewood making the roster at both Glendale Community College (GCC) and later NAU. Joey Gatewood received scholarships at both. He discovered his passion through all of his training, learning his limits and faults and the knowledge that he could share with the world’s youth as a diabetic.

“I’ve read some things about other kids with diabetes and people feel limited and parents don’t want to put their kids in harm’s way, which is totally understandable,” Joey Gatewood said.

“But it’s just a little bit of a lack of knowledge.

I realized that over the past two years that that’s what I want to do, and I know I’m going to be able to positively impact the lives of how many kids I’ll be able to and I’m super excited.”

It was always the way Joey Gatewood has been. His priorities were never placed before the needs of others, not even as a football player at the junior college level. A place where athletes are expected to be selfish in order to move onto higher programs. That’s what is expected, it’s the nature of the beast. Community college athletics is a forest and only the tallest trees get the light.

You get in, you shine and you get out.

That wasn’t Joey Gatewood’s philosophy.

In football, nothing came before the team. Not even in the ravenous free-for-all that is juco sports.

His coaches and teammates took great notice of his sacrifices for the team. In his second season he was awarded the Coach “Mac” Gaucho Player of the Year. The award, unlike the name implies, is given out scarcely to a player that best represents the traits of the former longtime head coach Earl McQuinston held by: toughness, dedication, selfless commitment to the team and academic success.

It had been three years since a player received the honor and McQuinston personally requested a meeting with Joey Gatewood midMarch after the 2016-2017 season. McQuinston was lying on his deathbed when the request was made, with his wife alongside him and current coaches accompanying Joey Gatewood.

McQuinston knew that Joey Gatewood was going to be the last man to receive his award that he could meet in person.

McQuinston’s words were soft and pushed out with diligence. His wife helped ease the communication between him and Joey Gatewood as they shared their thoughts.

“I told him how honored I was to be able to meet him and honored to get the award and how much it meant to me,” Joey Gatewood said.

“To be in his presence and be able to receive his gratitude and his award, it was amazing.”

After his conversation with Joey Gatewood, McQuinston passed away that same night.

To this day, Joey Gatewood holds true to the values that McQuinston instilled in his teams for 15 years at GCC and has dedicated his future toward helping kids with diabetes and breaking down the barriers of limitations that are associated with the disease.

His goal is to play a role as part of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) team, a nonprofit organization that funds type-

one diabetes research and assist those with the disease at any stage.

“Having diabetes is not a got to, it’s a get to,” Joey Gatewood said. “You get the opportunity to take care of and monitor your body more than anybody else, because you have to know exactly what goes into your body. You become a master of yourself, and it really is an incredible opportunity just to be the best that you can be.”

5-year-old Joey Gatewood receives a visit from a Harlem Globetrotter team member at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Photo courtesy of Kim Gatewood

Junior wide receiver Joey Gatewood (88) ready to start the third quarter of the game against North Dakota Nov. 17 at the Walkup Skydome. Maria Saldivar | The Lumberjack

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 25

SPORTS

Senior D2 IceJacks shoot final puck of the semester MATTHEW STRISSEL

H

alfway through the 2018-2019 NAU D2 IceJacks season the senior players have really shown their skill. A total of seven players are seniors this year. Four of the top six goal scorers and points leaders for the team will be graduating next semester.

The current points leader is senior alternate captain Lucas Lomax from Peoria, Arizona, who has 11 goals, 20 assists and 31 points so far in the season. Following close behind is senior forward Max Mahood from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with 10 goals, 17 assists and 27 points.

The IceJacks senior players don’t just work well together on the ice, but outside their home rink, the Jay Lively Activity Center, as well.

“We are a tight group,” said senior forward Kristjan Toivola, a senior from Bellingham, Washington. “We love to hang out outside the ice rink, and we just have a great time.”

Toivola said that even though the time and energy that practice, road trips and games can take away from college studies, the experience has been rewarding.

“It can be tough to balance studies, but when I came in here I didn’t know anybody and now I have a bunch of good friends all from the hockey team,” Toivola said. “So, that’s my biggest takeaway.”

The IceJacks are currently sitting at an 11-6-1 record for the season. A slight decrease from last year where they finished second in the West division of the American Collegiate Hockey Association with a record of 23-8-1, eight wins behind No. 1 ranked Utah State University. Utah State played 40 games in the season, whereas NAU only played 32.

Still, the focus for the year is on teamwork and helping each other succeed.

“It’s been amazing,” said senior forward Desmond Conley.

“Whether you are playing good or bad, the boys are always there for you and the coaches are there to pick you up and lead you in the right way. It’s a good family and a good program so hopefully it will keep going in the right direction.”

Conley said that although he hasn’t been playing for NAU the entire four years, he still feels right at home.

“I transferred here after two years so it’s only my second year but it’s like a family,” Conley said. “From the coaches to the players — very welcoming and warming.”

Conley explained how he decided to join the IceJacks hockey club.

“I had a friend that was going here and I’m from Anchorage, Alaska so it’s pretty similar weather where it’s like back home with really similar outdoor activities,” Conley said. “And then they have a good hockey program here and after sitting out for two years with an injury I was ready to play again.”

Another senior, goaltender Josh Nolan, did not plan on playing hockey during his college career.

“During my freshman year I didn’t skate at all,” Nolan said.

“And then I played a stick and puck back in Phoenix when I was home for spring break. I ran into Jaxon [Gosnell, another goaltender on the team] and he actually told me to come and try out. I didn’t want to at first, but he ended up convincing me and

26 THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

NAU alternate captain Jordan Nolan, a defenseman, prepares to shoot the puck during the hockey game against ASU, Oct. 12.

Matthew Strissel| The Lumberjack

NAU senior Steven Thompson celebrates after scoring a goal against ASU, Oct. 12.

Matthew Strissel| The Lumberjack

I don’t regret it.”

Nolan said that long hours of being together with his teammates has helped build the camaraderie between them.

“I mean, obviously when you do something like this it’s going to take its toll between the trips, practices, games and all that stuff but it’s all about time management,” Nolan said. “If anything, it’s added to a better college experience. It’s awesome, it’s a tight-knit group. We are all brothers in there [the locker room] and it’s pretty nice.

Josh Nolan’s twin brother Jordan Nolan is proud of his brother, but still sad to see him go.

“It’s awesome to see him go on to medical school,” said Jordan Nolan. “It’s kind of bitter-sweet that he’s not going to be with me next year.”

Looking toward the future, the senior players plan on using the skills they learned at NAU in their careers, while keeping their passion for hockey.

“From here, hopefully flying planes, but [still] be around hockey,” Conley said. “It’s something I’ve been doing since I was two-and-a-half years old so if you can walk, you’re on skates back in Alaska. [I’d like to] always be involved with that, whether it’s helping out youth kids or going from there to hopefully coaching in the future.”

As for Toivola, he plans on continuing on to Conley’s home state. “[I’m a] commercial fisherman in Alaska so I will continue to do that but also have a finance degree,” Toivola said. “So, hopefully, I can invest some of the money if I get lucky enough to make it.”

With half of their final season remaining, the NAU D2 IceJacks seniors have certainly made their mark on the hockey program.

DEC. 6, 2018 – JAN. 16, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK 27

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