Arches Mount Mary University Fall 2021
Mount Mary becomes an HSI p. 8
Student guide to dining near campus p. 12
Advocating for pronoun usage on campus p. 24
STAFF
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his is my second semester as the Editor-in-Chief of Arches. Creating this issue came with its own set of challenges. Each semester is a fresh start, and this semester was the epitome of a new beginning. This semester, our team found itself with stories to write but the lack of designers to bring stories to life visually. We were determined to produce an issue for our readers to enjoy; therefore, we all became designers. I admire my team for their determination and adaptability in order to make this issue come to life. Like Arches, Mount Mary experienced a new beginning at its Cyber Cafe with Stone Creek as the new coffee provider. But what process did Mount Mary undergo upon choosing the new coffee provider? Emily Blazer dives into what this process looks like and how Stone Creek became Mount Mary’s new coffee provider. Read more on page 2. The first weeks of the semester had many students wondering what would become of Cyber Cafe, as it sat barren and unused. This left students with minimal dining and refreshment options on campus. Kayla Vega’s story, “Student guide to dining near campus,” shares some different dine and refreshment options around our campus for students to discover. This semester has also been a season of embracing diversity on our campus. As of 2020, Mount Mary has become the second university in Wisconsin to receive the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) designation. I took a deeper look at what this means for Mount Mary and for our university’s future. Read more about this on page 8. I hope that Olivia Giorgio’s opinion story, “Advocating for pronoun usage on campus” can have you contemplate the power of change that our voices hold when we share what we notice or believe. After more than a year into a global pandemic, it’s important to care for our mental health and to destigmatize caring for it. Mount Mary has recently rebranded their Couseling and Wellness Center and you can learn more about this in Allyson Gebauer’s story on page 6.
Editor-in-Chief marting@mtmary.edu
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Giselle Martin Gomez
ART DIRECTOR Allyson Gebauer
WRITERS Emily Blazer Olivia Giorgio Allyson Gebauer Kayla Vega Giselle Martin Gomez DESIGNERS Emily Blazer Allyson Gebauer Giselle Martin Gomez
Olivia Giorgio Kayla Vega
PHOTOGRAPHERS Emily Blazer Allyson Gebauer Giselle Martin Gomez
Olivia Giorgio Kayla Vega
ILLUSTRATORS
Allyson Gebauer Kayla Vega Giselle Martin Gomez
FACULTY ADVISERS Rachel Rauch Laura Ferguson Bengs Arches is written and edited by the students of Mount Mary University, who are solely responsible for its editorial content. Arches is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press.
Contact Arches at Arches, Mount Mary University 2900 N. Menomonee River Pkwy. Milwaukee, WI 53222 414-930-3027 Email: mmu-arches@mtmary.edu
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Contents
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Campus 2 Cyber Cafe: Stone Creek joins legacy 4 First-generation college students experience mental health struggles 5 Mount Mary rebrands the Counseling and Wellness Center Features 12 Student guide to dining near campus 16 Embracing biculturism Creative Works 18 Photography, poems, digital art and more Perspectives 24 Advocating for pronoun usage on campus
CAMPUS Words & Design | Emily Blazer
cyber cafe:
Stone Creek joins legacy
The new Cyber Cafe features several new signs and a fresh coat of light-yellow paint.
When students walked into the Cyber Cafe in Gerhardinger Hall at the beginning of the school year they were greeted by plain walls and empty display cases, with the absence of a food and beverage provider. This came as a shock for many, with that shock renewing each passing day with no news or updates. Last spring, students were still able to purchase items from the Cyber Cafe, such as sandwiches and coffee that were provided through Colectivo Coffee, a local coffee chain that had been there for years. Whispers circulated that a Starbucks was going into the space, but rumors faded when Stone Creek Coffee-branded signs suddenly appeared at the beginning of October along with a fresh coat of paint in the company’s color scheme. There was no shortage of questions pertaining to the Cyber Cafe after this reveal, however. Students wondered, “Why was Stone Creek Coffee chosen? Why didn’t Colectivo remain in the space, or why wasn’t Starbucks introduced to the school?”
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Answers may lie in the switch from one catering service to another. During the summer before the 2021-2022 school year, Mount Mary forged a contract with American Dining Creations,the new catering company now responsible for all things having to do with food service on campus. Therefore, a change in vendor for the Cyber Cafe was inevitable. According to Pat Holmes, district manager of American Dining Creations, “When we were evaluating Cyber Café, our onsite manager met with several students to discuss local coffee vendors. The overwhelming vote was for Stone Creek.” Holmes offered his endorsement as well. “Stone Creek is a socially responsible company that believes in the commitment to the environment, as well as a holistic approach for doing the best for the world. They regularly audit the environmental strengths and weaknesses of their operation.
On top of beverages, Stone Creek offers pastries that are kept in a glass display case.
“We’ve had a really good start here on campus.” - Evan Gritzon
These are the signature roast options that Stone Creek Coffee carries.
Since they are a local company, we are fortunate to have support in the area.” Stone Creek Coffee’s goals in helping the community and bringing awareness to certain issues that lie outside of simple coffee production closely align with those of Mount Mary’s own mission statement. The establishment of Stone Creek Coffee as a concrete part of the Cyber Cafe is still a work in progress. “We’ve had a really good start here on campus. It definitely started out slow but we’re easing into having everything that we are going to eventually do down here; people are starting to notice that this is open and that we have coffee,” Evan Gritzon, Stone Creek Coffee barista, said. “I think people are enjoying Stone Creek and what we have to offer so far. (Business) has been building up over the last several weeks. We’re looking to expand hours a bit and in a couple weeks we’re gonna have a student who is going to stay here til seven for people that are coming here later for night classes. However, for the most part, it’s enough work for one person.” Relating to improvements to the menu, Holmes said, “We (Stone Creek Coffee) will have regular marketing updates related to the holidays and special drinks.” Stone Creek Coffee is an alteration to the scenery of the Cyber Cafe, much like the incoming flurries of snow that will blanket the ground. Regardless of the selection process, students can now visit the Cyber Cafe to get a quick cup of coffee before their next class, just in time before the semester comes to an end.
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First-generation college students experience mental health struggles Words Giselle Martin Gomez | Illustration & Design Allyson Gebauer
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Kay Bollmus, third-year graduate intern in Mount Mary University’s Counseling and Wellness Center, has seen firstgeneration college students experience added layers of stress than other college students, and the pandemic brought a rise to those mental health concerns. “The pandemic has definitely created more stress, anxiety and depression in our communities. There is so much uncertainty, and we have a hard time as humans to process and move forward with confidence in situations like these where the uncertainty drags out for so long,” Bollmus said. A 2021 survey of about 33,000 college students nationwide by a Boston University researcher showed an increase of depression and anxiety among the college population, currently its highest percentage in history. The pandemic has led to new life experiences for many, which often leads to mental health concerns among college students. “Some of the biggest themes we are seeing in the counseling center are grief, loss of family members or friends due to the pandemic, losses of jobs and security and grief over the loss of things like a ‘normal’ high school graduation and stuff like that, sadness, loneliness, difficulty making friends and toxic relationships/boundary-making,” Bollmus said. Among this rise in mental health, both Bollmus andHuelmely De Jesus, coach and first year student initiatives coordinator at Mount Mary University’s TRIO Promise Program, share that first-generation college students often experience mental health issues at a higher rate. “A first-generation college student can sometimes, or often, have another layer of stress and challenge just because there is not someone at home or in their support system that has experienced college before,” Bollmus said. Having been a first-generation college student herself, De Jesus shares that the added layer of stress comes from having an incorrect perception of college because of the lack of exposure to others who have already gone through the whole college experience. Often first-generation students have an added level of responsibility to juggle that other college students commonly do not bear. “A lot of times, (first-generation) students don’t have time to do yoga for an hour to destress because maybe that one hour can be spent sleeping because they have to work a third shift, because they also have to go take their brothers and sisters to school…where other students don’t have those outside external responsibilities so they do have a little more time to destress or the ability to call someone and say ‘hey, I don’t really understand my homework, can you help me out?’” De Jesus said. Maria Aguilera, a Mount Mary Caroline Scholar and junior majoring in social work with Spanish and psychology minors, shares the struggles she experiences as a first-generation college student. “I think when quarantine came, I had a lot of time on my hands, or so they (my family) thought, and then my sister had just had a baby and she had nobody to babysit her baby,” Aguilera said. “At the time, I didn’t have a job, so I took on that responsibility of taking care of my nephew, but at the same time I was still in school. I had about five classes to manage, plus trying to continue volunteer work if I was able to.” Caroline Scholars need to complete 300 hours of community service each academic year. During the 2020-2021 school year, the number of hours was reduced to 50 hours, but service sites became limited especially for in-person service.
A year and a half into her added responsibilities, Aguilera recognized she had to advocate for herself. “It was really hard having to communicate to my family that I could no longer take care of my nephew because of the level of stress that it was adding to my life,” Aguilera said. “Trying to manage going back to normal, in a sense, and even though I love my family, I also realize I have to prioritize my mental health because it was affecting me very much.” Bollmus shares that recognizing the troubling thoughts, stress, anxiety, loneliness and depression, can be a start, but then different avenues for coping should be pursued, like the counseling center and self-care. “Our job as counselors is not to tell you what to do or fix things for you. We can, however, help you sort out your thoughts and feelings, and help you know yourself better. You can have a safe place where you can think out loud. Explore your feelings. Cry, if you need to, you lead the sessions,” Bollmus said.
Infographic by Giselle Martin Gomez
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Mount Mary rebrands Counseling and Wellness Center
Samantha Long, Autumnstarr Baker and Megan Frerichs wrote and discussed what makes them feel worthy.
Words, Photo, Illustration & Design | Allyson Gebauer
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This semester, the Counseling Center got rebranded as the Counseling and Wellness Center to shift focus towards mental health and wellness. Jamie Hollins Mast, administrative assistant for the Counseling and Wellness Center, has helped with the rebranding process and developing new groups for the Counseling and Wellness Center. “We are referring to the counseling area now as counseling and wellness so that there is an emphasis on holistic health and wellness,” Hollins Mast said.“The idea behind that is that we want students in the community of Mount Mary to know that you don’t have to be at a point of high stress or something really sad or your world is falling apart in order to seek out the Counseling and Wellness Center.” The Counseling and Wellness Center helps the Mount Mary community feel comfortable to talk about anything that has made an impact on them, whether it’s positive or negative.
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“It’s for things other than talking about personal issues and mental health,” Hollins Mast said. “We also want the community to know we can address things with body image, finances, spiritual health and wellness as well. So to cater towards the whole person, we can set up counseling to talk specifically about academics as well.” Students also have the option of group therapy. One of the groups that is being offered is a grief support group. “So that will be for anyone who has experienced any kind of grief in their life to come and learn about different tools and talk through some of the different emotional, physical responses to grief,” Hollins Mast said. Hollins Mast emphasizes the importance of talking to someone, even if it is just to pop in and ask a question. “Hopefully we frame how we all think about
counseling as one-on-one talk therapy. That is still a big part of it, but we also want anyone to feel free and come in and say, ‘Hey, I kind of need three to four sessions just focusing on talking about how do I budget as a college student’?” Hollins Mast said. The Counseling and Wellness Center will also hold different wellness activities for the Mount Mary community. “Another (group) that will be coming this semester for sure is a yoga group. So that will be not only held by the clinical director, but we are also going to have, hopefully, another two to three counselors who have some sort of certification in yoga instruction leading a yoga group in the Place of Peace,” Hollins Mast said. With new groups being developed, the Counseling and Wellness Center has been exploring different ideas of what to offer to the Mount Mary community. “We are open to see what Mount Mary as a community would like to see offered as wellness groups and also our counselors have different things that are personal interests for them,” Hollins Mast said. “Like, we have a counselor that really likes working with mothers. So she may want to see what it looks like to offer support of young mom groups. And that is just a possibility of something we would offer if there was a lot of interest.” The introduction of the PhD program for counseling and supervision has played a role in the rebranding process for the Counseling and Wellness Center. “So we have a group of students, about seven, who are full time PhD students who work out of the Counseling Center and also supervise masters level counseling students, as well as lead their own lives and do outside work in counseling,” Hollins Mast said. “Their plates are full, so we are so thankful that there was enough interest.” Along with changes in the structure of the Coun-
Allison Gerk and Sister Joanne Poehlman talk with students about tutoring and counseling.
seling and Wellness Center, the center also experienced physical changes. There are now six rooms for individual counseling and new furniture that was made possible by the PhD of counseling and supervision academic program. On Sept. 29, the Counseling and Wellness Center held an opening for their rebranding. At the opening, they had various activities that promoted and informed the Mount Mary community of the new changes that were made to the Counseling and Wellness Center. The center’s rebranding intends to help students like Emma Eisch, junior and interior design major. “Growing up, I dealt with a lot of food eating problems, so just figuring out what is triggering that and coming up with solutions on what is triggering that,” Eisch said. The Counseling and Wellness Center is implementing groups that they believe the whole Mount Mary community wants to experience. Eisch is looking forward to the new yoga group. “I think that implementing yoga is huge. It’s a way to destress, clear your mind, stretch your body,” Eisch said. “When you relax your muscles, I think your endorphins kick up and you get that dopamine. I think that yoga is a really good idea.” Overall, the updates that the Counseling and Wellness Center made intend to help the Mount Mary community. “I think this will help take stress levels down and when you talk about topics that people struggle with, you have a lot more clarity and therefore you know how to deal with those feelings and figure out why you feel that way and how to not feel that way,” Eisch said. “I think it will have people feeling better mentally and physically.”
The Counseing and Wellness Center held a fun activity where students spun the wheel for an oragami animal.
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A mural in front of Alumnae Dining Hall displays different elements that the Mount Mary community felt represent Mount Mary University.
Mount Mary becomes an HSI Words, Photos, Illustration & Design | Giselle Martin Gomez
Mount Mary University obtained federal status as the second Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in Wisconsin as of April 2020 due to serving more than 25 percent Latinx students in their student population. “What it means to me is that I am in a place where there are people that look like me, that speak the same language as me, and just feeling that I am in a space that is inclusive,” Nancy Juarez, a Mount Mary senior double majoring in Spanish and Justice, said. Dr. Jason Meyler, member of Mount Mary’s Latinx task force and associate professor and chair of the World Languages department, said, “HSI designation means that the university has made a commitment to serving Hispanic students, and, I would say, to serving underrepresented students across
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the board… it (HSI designation) has to do with so many different parts of the university.” Dr. Meyler spoke about how being an HSI means serving diverse populations, including recruitment, enrollment, retainment, graduation and alumni populations. “It’s exciting, but it’s also a moment to pause and say, ‘what have we done as a university to do this’,” Dr. Meyler said. “So it’s a recognition of student engagement, faculty, staff, it’s this big collaborative moment. As much as it might say ‘Hispanic’ in the title, I really think it encompasses so much more.” According to Mount Mary’s website, Mount Mary’s Latinx population rose gradually from 15 to 25 percent between 2014 and 2018. In fall 2019 alone, roughly 50 percent of new incoming students identified as Hispanic.
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Dr. Meyler shared that Mount Mary For Juarez, being at an HSI shows the rise in Latinx students began its goal of finding ways to support the attending college and it makes her feel at home. evolving demographics of graduating high “It shows that there are more Hispanics/Latinx people school students around 2018 or 2019, and that are attending universities and, especially at Mount Mary, the university reached its goal of increasing where this number is increasing as we go,” Juarez said. “That’s Hispanic student enrollment at Mount Mary something I didn’t necessarily expect because there’s not a lot of almost exponentially. undergrads as a whole, especially Hispanic population, that goes “Sometimes in Spanish there’s an expresto college. Being in a space where there’s more Hispanic populasion called ‘correr la voz,’ maybe the word tion makes me feel welcomed, and it makes me feel that I can be spread really quickly that we are an instituat home.” tion that supports a diverse population,” Dr. Dr. Kohn-Buday shared that Mount Mary is showing its Meyler said. “The best people to send that commitment to the Latinx Community with their display in the message out are the students themselves, so Academic Showcase in Notre Dame Hall, Room 151 featuring that’s the magic where I don’t know about works that represent being an HSI, Hispanic Heritage Month the numbers and how it happened so quickly. and the works of Hispanic students who attend Mount Mary. I’m pleasantly surprised, but I’m not sure I Dr. Kohn-Buday shares that this was the perfect moment understand why.” for Mount Mary to show how they are embracing the Hispanic Gabriela Barbosa, director of visitor serculture and celebrating their HSI status. vices at Mount Mary and chair of the Latinx “We have Hispanic Heritage month, which is from midtask force, shared about what Mount Mary’s September to mid-October. We have the fact that we’ve attained projected goal for reaching HSI status was. the Hispanic Serving Institution status; we want to acknowledge “We kept seeing an increase, like 2 or 3 that, celebrate that, announce it and make it more visible,” Dr. percentage points every year in the populaKohn-Buday said. tion on campus, so it actually happened The display in the Academic Showcase also highlights what faster than we thought,” Barbosa said. “We Mount Mary’s Latinx Task Force has done to serve the Hisset out a goal to become a Hispanic Serving panic community. Institution by 2025 and it happened in 2020, “The Latinx Task Force has produced Spanish-language so we’re really proud of that.” materials for recruiting students so we have all of our admisDr. Mary Ellen Kohn-Buday, associate sions brochures and fast facts, letters to parents in Spanish in the professor of the World Languages departroom so that everyone can see how we are addressing the need ment, has been witness to the shift in demographics within Mount Mary’s student population. “I have been here 30 years, and I have seen Mount Mary change from a campus that was predominantly white students, and in fact also many Catholic students, to various races, religions or nontraditional students (and) LGBTQ,” Dr. Kohn-Buday said. Dr. Kohn-Buday believes Mount Mary is fulfilling their mission by serving Hispanic students. “Part of our mission is to serve the underserved community, women and girls who maybe wouldn’t otherwise have the chances to go to college and advance their careers and their lives,” Dr. Kohn-Buday said. “I think the fact that we now have so much diversity among the student body is showing that we’ve been reaching out and addressing that.” Barbosa has recently noticed how the diversity has become much more visible this year. “Just the other day, I was sitting in the lunchroom and I looked around me and the majority of the women in the room were Latina or women of color, and this year in particular is when you can really see it and feel it,” Barbosa said. “And, following the pandemic, to see all of these students here on Nancy Juarez, Mount Mary University senior and acting president of campus together and how diverse the classrooms are looking, Student Government, leads their weekly meeting, sporting an artesanal it’s so wonderful, and it’s really one of my favorite things about Mexican shirt for Hispanic Heritage Month. Mount Mary.”
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CAMPUS of the Hispanic community,” Dr. Kohn-Buday said. Just like Dr. Kohn-Buday, Juarez believes that Mount Mary is doing a good job with diversity and inclusion, but Juarez expressed that there is still room for growth. “I think (Mount Mary is) pushing more for diversity and inclusion. Obviously there’s still room for growth and for improvement so I feel like, as of right now, they’re doing a very good job with that,” Juarez said. “They added a vice president for diversity and inclusion and that’s one step forward towards having an inclusive space on campus.” Juarez believes that one of the places where diversity and inclusion can still grow is within the faculty’s own diversity. “What I would like to see though is more people of color or Hispanic or Latinx individuals that are teaching classes,” Juarez said. “Since we’re being recognized as an HSI, I feel like we should have more professionals in the Hispanic and Latinx community that are teaching on campus. That way we have that connectedness between the student and the professor.” Dr. Meyler and Barbosa expressed the new opportunities that HSI brings to Mount Mary students. “In the future, coming up very soon, we’re hoping students will see more and more evidence of what it means to be an HSI,
as there will be internships, grants and opportunities for undergraduate research that will really directly benefit the students thanks to our institution, thanks to the university becoming an HSI,” Dr. Meyler said. “From a financial standpoint, it really opens up doors for us to be able to apply for grants and funding that can help create new programs and initiatives that can support students, and those are not specific to Hispanic students,” Barbosa said. “Our goal is that any grants or money that we receive will benefit all of campus; all students would be able to have access to that.” Barbosa shared specific ways in which the campus community sees changes due to becoming an HSI. “From a cultural standpoint, students will see that the likelihood of a Latinx student having class with other Latinx students is greater, so you’re beginning to see yourself reflected in the student body,” Barbosa said. “And that’s really important to feel like there’s others like you and that you’re not the only one in the room with your culture or your particular background, and I think that enhances learning for everybody when you can learn about other cultures and other perspectives.” Barbosa shared how through the HSI designation Mount Mary is able to develop a new program, refresh new spaces and
Part of our mission is to serve the “underserved community, women and
girls who maybe wouldn’t otherwise have the chances to go to college and advance their careers. - Dr. Mary Ellen Kohn-Buday
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have faculty and staff receive professional development and learning opportunities so they can enhance their classroom experiences. “All of that is helping campus-wide, so our goal is that all of these opportunities really become institutionalized and that everyone can benefit from it,” Barbosa said. “And the grant money will really help to eliminate barriers for students and really create access to career paths, or technology, or just additional resources that will help them along the way.” Barbosa shared how the Latinx task force will be collaborating with the office of diversity, equity and inclusion on campus to build HSI initiatives into the university’s strategic plan. “When you do that, when you include it in the strategic plan, it becomes woven into the fabric of what we’re doing each year, so we’re looking forward to that collaboration with the office of diversity, equity and inclusion,” Barbosa said. Barbosa and Dr. Meyler are both excited about the HSI designation and what lies ahead. “It’s a really wonderful environment, so I’m really proud of it,” Barbosa said. “We’re really trying to build a strong foundation...there’s so much more opportunity to come.” “There’s a lot on the horizon,” Dr. Meyler said. “There’s a lot that I am looking forward to.”
Mount Mary University’s club, SALSA, hosted a Mexican flockoric dance presentation over the noon hour on Sept. 16, 2021 for Mexican Independence Day.
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Student guide guide to dining near campus Words, Photos & Design | Kayla Vega
Miss Molly’s Cafe
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iss Molly’s is a small corner cafe located at 9201 W. Center Street in Milwaukee, just a twominute drive from campus, or a short eight-minute walk. They have indoor seating available and plenty of outdoor seating for the summer months. Parking is available across street. They offer food made with fresh, highquality ingredients and a selection of veggie-friendly meals such as the veggie breakfast bagel, the fresh fruit and yogurt bowl, the brioche French toast, the power bowl, the breakfast burrto and avocado toast.
Diners enjoy breakfast outside on the patio on a Sunday morning.
“I really like that their menu always changes. They alway use good quality ingredients. They have many options: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free. They cater to many people’s food preferences.” - Michelle Gabor, faculty “Quiet and welcoming.” - Kara Speakman, junior
Miss Molly’s Cafe uses compostable cups because they focus on the welfare of the environment.
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Miss Molly’s always uses fresh ingredients to make their food.
FEATURE
Corner Bakery Cafe
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orner Bakery Cafe is a modern-looking cafe located at 11500 W. Burleigh Street Suit 102 in Wauwatosa, only a six-minute drive from campus. They serve a variety of breakfast meals such as eggs, pancakes, sandwiches, wraps, oatmeal and, of course, coffee. Their lunch selection is as vast with varieties of salads, sandwiches, panini, pastas and soups. They have iced coffee, vanilla sweet cream cold brew, iced tea and strawberry and watermelon flavored lemonade. For students needing a space to do schoolwork and projects without being bothered, Corner Bakery Cafe is the ideal place. The booths are private and have plenty of space for up to four people. The cafe also has seating outside. “It’s definitely a cafe vibe, although more modern. They have really big tables if you want to study or work on a project while you eat. Parking is fabulous, there is a lot of parking!” - Huelmely De Jesus, faculty
Corner Bakery Cafe is located next to The Mayfair Collection outlet mall.
“Great and polite! I’ve never experienced bad communication or nasty attitudes and the staff seem to be enjoying it there.” - Inpanat Douangvilay, sophomore
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FEATURE
Colectivo Coffee “Colectivo is a good place for students because they have a open lay out that provides a welcoming environment for students to study.” - Kara Speakman, junior
Colectivo Cafe offers an inviting outdoor space. “You always see people there, it is a big part of the community. It’s close by.” - Melissa Hurtado, freshman
Inside of Coletivo Cafe, a door leads to a separate seating area. A flag shows their support for the LGBTQ+ community.
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lthough our very own Colectivo is no longer with us, there is still one close to campus where students can go to get lunch and relax for hours without getting interrupted. It is only a three-minute drive away. Parking is behind the store, and although it is a little cramped, you can always take the twenty-minute walk to the cafe if you are feeling like stretching your legs. It’s located at 9125 W. North Avenue in Wauwatosa.They offer an all-day breakfast and various options of pastries which include croissants, muffins, scones, bagels and cookies. Colorful outdoor sitting greats customers at Colectivo Coffee.
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Le Rêve Patisserie & Café “I like it because of the coffee and French inspired desserts. It’s is a little more high end if you want to spoil yourself once in a while.” - Jessica Rodrigues, sophomore
Diners can enjoy their food and drink at the front sitting area at Le Reve.
“It is a good place to treat yourself after a long week because the food is very aesthetically pleasing and delicious though it can be pricey.” - Rose McCann, sophomore
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e Reve Café is an ideal place for a casual or fancier meal after a long day, after exam week or just to go with friends or a date. They have seating outside, a two-story restaurant inside with a downstairs bar which offers a vast collection of wine such as sparkling wine, rose, rouge wine, reserve wine, dessert wine, sparkling cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. It is located in Wauwatosa Village where you can walk around after eating or having a few drinks. It is only a seven-minute drive from campus located at 7610 Harwood Avenue in Wauwatosa. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner and desserts such as macarons, fruit tarts, chocolate mousse and cakes.
Le Reve features an extensive downstairs bar.
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FEATURE
Embracing Biculturalism Words & Design | Giselle Martin Gomez
The United States is often compared to a mosaic or a salad, with the idea that our nation has multiple cultures that don’t blend together but rather keep their own identity and live together. For individuals with a multicultural identity, it can go one of two ways: their cultures either blend together or they cohabitate while keeping their individual identity. For Noelia Gramajo, a junior majoring in international studies, Spanish and communications, growing up was a fight to embrace and maintain her identity. “My mom is from Mexico, and my dad is from Guatemala, but I was born here,” Gramajo said. “Growing up I always went to bilingual school because I never wanted to lose my Spanish. Even outside of school all I listened to was music in Spanish, and all I watched were TV shows and movies in Spanish.” For Der Yang, a senior majoring in psychology and art therapy, the way she was immersed into American culture is a
Gramajo enjoys her time in Mexico while wearing a traditional artisanal Mexican top. Photo provided by Gramajo.
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little different from Gramajo’s experience. “I am Hmong. Originally, we are from China, but me and all of my family was born in Thailand. We migrated to the United States in 2005 as refugees, so I first came to Sacramento, Calif. and then recently moved from there to here (Milwaukee, Wisc.) four years ago,” Yang said. “I was five years (old) when I came here (United States) and then I moved from Cali to here when I was 17, so I am 21 now.” Although she had a strong grasp on her Mexican culture growing up, Gramajo struggled to embrace her Guatemalan identity. “I guess growing up it was kind of hard to embrace my dad’s side of his culture because there wasn’t a lot in Milwaukee,” Gramajo said. “I feel like there were a lot of things I didn’t know until I traveled, and I actually went to go see Guatemala.” This struggle bled into Gramajo’s experiences as she traveled abroad to her heritage countries. “Compared to going to Mexico the first time, I kind of knew what I was doing and how to talk to people, but in Guatemala it was completely different,” Gramajo said. “I feel like if I would have had a little bit of that (exposure to the culture) here, that would have been really helpful.” Gramajo felt out of place among her Guatemalan family, simply because she felt unaccustomed to the culture. “They were super nice, super welcoming, but you still feel like a stranger, you don’t really know these people and even like their accent and stuff, like some words were so different… it was hard,” Gramajo said. Gramajo expressed, however, that she has experienced exclusion in all of her cultures to a degree. “I would say in all (cultures), especially when I went to high school, it was mostly African American and white students, we (Hispanics) were a very small population. When they would talk about classic American movies, summer hikes and road trips, stuff like that, I wouldn’t be able to relate because I had never done that in my life,” Gramajo said. “I felt like I was falling behind, and it did not feel good.” Much like Gramajo, Yang has also faced difficulty fitting into American culture. “In American (culture), yes, I do feel left out sometimes because me being too much of Hmong I don’t have much knowledge from the Americans,” Yang said. “For example, my best friend would hang out with her friends, and they would talk
about movies or stuff I have never watched when I was a child… so I was left out.” While feeling out of place, both Gramajo and Yang find ways to embrace and connect with their cultures. “I do listen to a lot of music in Spanish, but not specifically Mexican music. I don’t think I put a lot of effort into finding things that would help me identify more with Guatemala, besides seeing what my cousins post on social media, which is kind of sad…” Gramajo said. “They (Guatemala) aren’t really known for music. I would say just food. My dad cooks here and there so kind of just embracing the food.” For Yang, her culture’s religious practices are a key thing for her to live out her Hmong identity. “In my culture we’re Shaman, so we do a lot of spiritual events. For new year, we do jingle bells, which is the new year celebration,” Yang said. “Usually we sacrifice animals, so we use chicken for that, and we have a rule where you have to stay home for three days, not use money and cannot touch any knives. Basically you just have to stop yourself from doing the negative stuff.” Upon not fully embracing her Hmong identity as a child, Yang has grown to love and accept it. “When I grew up, I actually love my culture (now), so I would wear a lot of Hmong clothes, especially at school events. If they do that you can wear anything you want for an event then my mom would always dress me up in Hmong dresses or Hmong clothes, so that’s how I embrace my culture,” Yang said. For both Yang and Gramajo, their home is a key place for them to stay connected to their native or heritage cultures. “I think that talking to them (my parents) just brings me back and centers me. A lot of times I think I get caught up in this world, but then when we sit down, even to have dinner and stuff, you feel super connected, you remember, ‘my dad and my mom came from here and they came so far and we’re still moving, evolving’,” Gramajo said. “Then there’s the food that they make, the music that they play when we make food, just like being home, that environment always connects me back and I think, ‘this is home’.” Food is also fundamental for Yang to stay connected to her Hmong identity while at home. “It’s very hard to embrace both of my cultures in America. I feel like, coming to America, it’s more like I am converting to the Americans, so I am Asian American… I think going out to a school like Mount Mary with a lot of Americans, but coming home with my Hmong family, we’re eating the same food that we eat, the Asian food I make,” Yang said. “Usually, most of the time, when I make food I always make Hmong food… I think that’s the most common way that I still keep my culture, along with language.” Through language, Yang also experiences the benefit of helping others from her Hmong culture. “I am able to translate, not just for my family, but for people outside my family,” Yang said. “I am really blessed that I know Hmong and still speak Hmong and am able to help my community.”
Yang feels in touch with her Hmong identity by wearing a simple version of traditional Hmong clothes. Photo provided by Yang.
In the end, Yang shares that the key to not lose your cultures is to embrace them. “I would embrace my culture and where I came from, instead of forgetting where you came from,” Yang said. Gramajo agrees. “I was always exposed more to Mexican culture here in the United States, not really like directly from Mexico, and so, I would also say that would mean that I have to embrace my American side,” Gramajo said.
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Fall 2016 | Arches
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Creative Works Design | Allyson Gebauer
Creative Works provides a space for students to showcase their work. We accept all types of artwork, photography, poetry, and flash fiction. For full submission guidelines, visit archesnews.com.
Emma Cournoyer Emma Cournoyer is a senior art therapy major and psychology & studio art minor. In her free time, she enjoys watercolor and acrylic painting, traveling, and binge-watching New Girl. She works primarily in landscape painting from selfcaptured photographs and places she has traveled.
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CREATIVE WORKS
Nashia Bass
I chose to illustrate “Women” by Alice Walker because this poem specifically depicts the sacrifices women make on the daily. The centerpiece of my drawing illustrates how women are the matriarchs. Alice talks about the long history of strength, leadership, knowledge and power women stamped on their families and the world for generations. The tree symbolizes the foundation of women and how rooted we are. The branches of that tree signify the various tasks accomplished by women. The fallen leaves represent the gems we drop to ensure our legacies prosper. The naked body of the tree depicts what Alice said in the last few words of her poem “how they knew what we MUST know without knowing a love of it themselves”. Oftentimes women have no clue the outcome of the many choices we make but, from that journey sprouts a better woman. This drawing and poem speaks to me personally because of the battles I’ve witnessed women in my life make. Growing into my own woman I’ve learned and endured so much. I want to instill this knowledge into my daughter so she can do the same for her children.
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Women - by Alice Walker Alice Walker Women They were women then My mama’s generation Husky of voice - Stout of step With fists as well as hands How they battered down doors And ironed starched white shirts How they led armies He’s dragged generals across mined fields Booby-trapped kitchens too discover books desks A place for us How they knew what we MUST know Without knowing a page of it themselves
Rose McCann
“Why They Cry” I cannot just sit Watch as life goes by Let every waking moment Pass as fleeting glimpses That only make me cry But why Why do you cry I cry for the sun Who is forced to rise The moon Who is so scared He feels the need to hide For people who drink Just to feel inside For people who write And watch their words die What about the words
Artist, poet and writer. When they are not busy with school work, they relax by driving around while listening to heavy metal.
Words who have no voice To speak for themselves Written in emotion Anger Hate Sadness Never to be loved Or have any meaning They rot on paper Slowly begin to fade They have no reason to stay To only be forgotten
“Mylimoji” Let me help you break down your soundproof wall That hardening glass that encases you Just give me your hand, I won’t let you fall You can trust me I swear, please let me through I’ll sweep you away, from feet that are glued, Fused on a stand that is covered in rust Take your body unhinged off of that rood I can blindfold my eyes to gain your trust I just want to free you from this clear case To hear your true voice not just your music Sweep back your dark hair, look into your face Tell you that i care, you don’t make me sick I know you can’t hear me, but i will try To prove that I love you, with every cry
Fall 2021 | Arches
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PERSPECTIVES
Advocating for pronoun usage on campus Words, Photo & Design | Olivia Giorgio
In the spring of 2021, I had a huge final project for my Art Therapy class, Creative Community Development, that involved coming up with something to do with a community, whether at Mount Mary or a group outside of Mount Mary. Normally, group projects are an absolute chore for me, but this one was different. For once, I didn’t do all the work while my group members did nothing. The two other girls, who eventually became my friends, and I all put equal effort into this project. We came up with two ideas for our community project. One project focused on accommodations for Mount Mary students. The other idea was about pronouns and how we can normalize asking pronouns on campus. The pronoun idea made me realize that only one of my professors in the last two years asked what the students’ pronouns were.
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I started to experiment with my pronouns at the time going by she/they pronouns instead of she/her pronouns. Yet, no one knew that I was changing my pronouns because professors never asked. It made me wonder if anyone else on campus noticed this. We ended up going with the pronoun idea for our project since we all agreed that asking people’s pronouns should be normalized on campus. And the way we were going to help normalize asking pronouns was by making pins. We were originally going to make pins with different pronouns like she/her, he/him, they/them, she/they, he/they, etc., but we thought there wouldn’t be enough pins for all of those combinations. So what we settled on were pins that said, “Ask my pronouns,” hoping that seeing the pin would encourage people to ask.
Gender identities defined Each of our pins ended up being based on different pride flags. I made one based on the transgender flag colors, another group member did one on the non-binary pride flag colors and the third group member did their pin on the rainbow flag for the LGBTQ+ community. We worked on making the pins in the evening while we talked and listened to music. The whole thing felt a lot less stressful since this was all going on near finals week, so we were all feeling stressed. I’m glad I got randomly paired with these group members and formed a friendship with them. We also created a survey for students to fill out asking questions like, “If you are a student, have any professors asked your pronouns?” The survey revealed that many professors were not asking students their pronouns. As a result, students thought it would be beneficial for Mount Mary to raise awareness around pronouns, suggesting students add their pronouns to their email signatures and professors ask students their pronouns in introductions. However, some students felt it was not the campus’s responsibility, rather an individual’s responsibility to advocate for their own pronouns. Another student expressed concern about remembering people’s pronouns, and worries that people would get upset about others asking pronouns. All together, I wasn’t too surprised by some of the results, like not many people being asked what their pronouns are by their professors. I do hope our community project continues to push the normalization of asking pronouns. Whether it be in syllabi, introductions or stating your pronouns in your email signature, I think doing small things like that can really make a difference. By asking what people’s pronouns are, we will create a more comfortable space for everyone at Mount Mary, especially trans women or non-binary students.
Transgender flag
Non-binary flag
Transgender is someone whose gender idnetity is different from the sex they were born as.
Non-binary is someone who identfies as neither male nor female.
AD My group members and I created these pins for the class Creative Community Development.
Fall 2021| Arches
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