Celebrating 20 years of The Sims Page 6 Rochester Community and Technical College
Volume 90 - Issue 5 - April 2020
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Hive Supply stays open for students
The Hive Supply, RCTC’s campus-based food pantry, says the health and safety of students is its No. 1 priority. Photo courtesy of Student Life
RCTC staff
The Hive Supply, RCTC’s campusbased food pantry, is committed to serving it students and has announced that it is still open for use during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Like anywhere else, COVID-19 is affecting people. Food sources are an essential service,” said Travis Rutt, interim Student Life coordinator. “Grocery stores and food shelves are staying open, restaurants are giving away food to hungry families — this service should not be any different.” A recent 2019 Real College Survey indicated that food insecurity is an obstacle that RCTC students face, Rutt said, adding
that the health and safety of the students is the No. 1 priority. “[We need to] assist them with finding success this semester. We are here to help anyway we can.” To comply with current recommendations from the CDC, they’ve created prepacked brown paper bags with items from the Hive Supply as a grab-and-go option. Students can receive a grab-and-go bag at the Welcome and One Stop Center. “In each bag has the essentials, nonperishable, nutrient dense food,” Rutt said. “There is pasta, canned protein, canned vegetables, and even some toilet paper. This is consistent with the services larger community food banks are currently
providing.” Students who prefer to visit the Hive Supply on campus are asked to schedule an appointment by contacting Rutt at travis.rutt@rctc.edu Additionally, students who are experiencing obstacles that are making it difficult to meet their academic goals can request assistance on RCTC’s website. Students can share concerns related to basic needs (housing, food, financial, medical, mental health, child care, and others), clarification on official RCTC communication, access to relevant technology, or information on campus services.
Ebony Night was a ‘positive experience’ By Samantha Olson Reporter
RCTC celebrated Ebony Night on February 28. This annual event recognizes and honors those of African and African-American decent. The event also provides an opportunity to showcase the pride carried within the African/AfricanAmerican culture to the students, staff and faculty at RCTC. Event attendees got a chance to taste African cuisine, hear African music, listen to poetry, and view a variety of African dances. There was also a fashion show that displayed many styles of African dress. After the event, guest Tony Macioce was asked his thoughts after attending RCTC Ebony night. “It was one of the best events I’ve ever been to since moving from Duluth in 2018,” Macioce said. “I love being a
Photo courtesy of Kristin Mork
RCTC’s annual Ebony Night event celebrates African culture through music, cuisine, poetry and dance.
part of a community where I can experience things I’ve never seen or done. “Ebony night left me with a much greater appreciation of unfamiliar cuisine, dance, fashion, and even poetry. It was a very positive experience for me personally, and from what I saw, for the rest of the participants and attendees as well.
“I plan to go again next year. A big thanks to RCTC and all who made it possible!” Event attendees agreed that this year’s Ebony Night was a hit — one that will remain imprinted within the minds of many, and not just those who participated, but the audience as well. Page 7: Poem from event
RCTC expands summer and online offerings
RCTC staff In an effort to better serve the needs of the College’s diverse community, RCTC is announcing many new and expanded summer courses and fall online class offerings. Beginning this summer, RCTC is offering several courses which begin after the College’s usual summer session starts. These courses offer students who would normally not be able to start RCTC’s summer session due to other commitments options to take needed coursework during the summer months. Late start courses include several science, math, and health/physical education classes, including many offered exclusively online. A complete list of late start courses and their start dates is available at rctc.edu/summer. In addition to the new late start classes, RCTC’s Summer Semester includes more than 120 courses including online, mostly online, hybrid and on campus. Of the 120 courses, 71 offerings are completely online. “These flexible course offerings provide students an opportunity to start or continue their education with course schedules that meet their needs,” said Michelle Pyfferoen, RCTC’s Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Summer courses provide students that plan on attending a university in the fall to get a jumpstart on their education. The cost of tuition is generally lower and smaller class sizes supports active interaction and engaged learning.” In addition to expanded summer course offerings, and in response to significant student demand, RCTC is offering Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II completely online in both summer and fall semesters for the first time ever. RCTC’s A&P classes are very sought after as they are often prerequisites and required courses for a majority of RCTC’s health-related majors. In addition, many non-RCTC students enroll in RCTC A&P courses because of RCTC’s comprehensive curriculum and expert faculty who teach these courses. These new online offerings join more than 740 additional courses offered during fall semester—164 of which are offered completely online. For a complete look at all of RCTC academic pathways, majors, and degree options, visit rctc.edu/ academics. Non-RCTC students interested in enrolling for summer or fall courses should contact RCTC’s Welcome and One Stop Center at 507-285-7557 for further information. Current RCTC students can enroll via Student eServices.
2
News
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Rochester Community and Technical College | The Echo
Advice: Do’s and Virtual Hive fosters connection at diffcult time Don’ts during and well-being, and links to information here for you.” By RCTC staff on free virtual tours and events. Virtual Hive was created as a place for Life, Student Health Services COVID-19 threat andStudent Student Life has also developed discusRCTC students to find resources, online the Office of Student Rights and By Ashley Walker Managing Editor Everywhere around the world, COVID-19 is a very real threat. As this virus has grown more deadly and spread around the globe, many people are taking precautions to protect themselves and others by practicing social distancing and staying home. There are other people who aren’t listening to the rules and guidelines being put out by the government, increasing the risk of illness for themselves and others. As the panic in America rises, supplies are running out everywhere — everything from cold medicine to toilet paper. Businesses are shutting down and people are starting to hunker down for the “apocalypse” they think is coming. Many are stuck not knowing what to do or who to listen to. If you are panicking about what to buy, where to go, who to see, or who to stay away from: stop. Panicking is the last thing anyone needs, and is likely what started all of the controversy over the virus in the first place. Everything from fake news about what works to kill the virus to what doesn’t. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts that might help you through these uncertain times: Don’t · Stock buy and hoard items such as toilet paper, cleaning products or food · Make your own hand sanitizer (see recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or some other reputable organization for more information on this topic) · Forgo washing your hands · Touch your face · Have social gatherings Do · Wash your hands often with soap and warm water (key times include but aren’t limited to before and after interactions with others, before you eat, after using the restroom, after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose) · Gather only what you need for supplies, as other people will need what you’re getting as well · Practice touching your arm or hands whenever you feel yourself reaching for your face · Cover and regularly sanitize any open wounds, specifically when with others · Meet with your friends virtually! You’re keeping yourself and others safer this way Although this time can seem like the end of the world, it won’t last forever. We are all here to help each other through it. If you need any type of mental or emotional help, assistance with food and/or shelter, or even internet help for classes, contact RCTC Student Health Services, your adviser or counselor, or even a campus professor. Times are tough right now, but RCTC is here to help you through it!
Responsibilitiesare teaming up to create a Virtual Hive in D2L for students to replicate the programs, services, and activities that take place in our campus Hive (College Center).
sion posts to help foster community and connection.
activities, and support while maintaining social distancing.
“COVID-19 is affecting so many aspects of our lives,” noted the Virtual Hive welcome and description for students.
Students will find information and links to resources on a variety of topics.
Students will have access to information about resources, online activities and events through Zoom, activities they can do at home to support their mental health
“For many of us, having to unexpectedly leave or disengage with our community – even if just for a short time – can be stressful and confusing. We get it, and we’re
Students are also reminded to check the course schedule for events they can join. All RCTC Students can access the Virtual Hive through D2L.
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News 3
Rochester Community and Technical College | The Echo
RCTC awarded Rotary grant for graduating seniors By RCTC staff
Rochester Community and Technical College’s Collaboration Among Rochester Educators (CARE) Summer Bridge program recently received a $2,000 grant from the Rotary Clubs of Rochester. The grant will help fund transportation, supplies, and snacks for approximately 50 graduating seniors from Rochester Public Schools participating in RCTC’s Summer Bridge program. RCTC’s CARE Summer Bridge program is an eight-week program designed to help John Marshall, Mayo and Century high school seniors’ transition from high school to college. The primary focus of the Summer Bridge program is to help students develop the skills necessary to complete college-level coursework before they begin college. Since its inception, the Summer Bridge program has served dozens of students each summer. These students are typically from low-income house-
holds (Pell eligible, free and reduced lunch recipients) students of color, and/or firstgeneration college students. Participating students who test into developmental level college classes (reading, writing, and math) can attend the program for free. In addition to the specific academic areas, participating students enroll in a First Year Experience (FYEX) course designed to help students develop strategies and skills necessary for a successful college career. RCTC’s Director of High School Collaborations, Dale Amy, notes “Everything Rochester Rotary does opens another opportunity for someone, somewhere.” Amy adds, “Today, that someone includes RCTC CARE Summer Bridge participants.” For more information about RCTC’s CARE Summer Bridge program, contact dale. amy@rctc.edu or 507-2857332.
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4
Opinion
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Previous Editor-in-Chief ‘honored Have an opinion? We want to hear it to have been part of Echo staff’ By Ilhan Raage Guest Column
April 2020 Volume 90, Issue 5 AH-402 507-438-6932 RCTCecho@gmail.com www.rctc.edu/echo Editor-in-Chief Ekhlas Abdullahi Managing Editor Ashley Walker Reporters
Samantha Olson Amaya Travis Faisa Mohamed Ilwad Salex Amina Abdi
To say the least, I was shocked that the Echo placed first in General Excellence at the MNA’s Better Newspaper Contest. For the second year in a row! It’s not that our staff didn’t put in the work to have qualified. As a matter of fact, we worked so hard and I couldn’t be prouder of us. The reason I was so surprised is because we managed to place first against student newspapers from four-year universities. This accomplishment is one that I won’t forget and an achievement that I’ll use as encouragement for future goals as well. I’m so proud of our staff and I’m grateful to Dwight Boyum for his guidance, motivation, and support throughout the year. Three of our staff members also placed in individual categories. Hawa SheikhAdam, our Arts and Entertainment Editor,
placed second for arts and entertainment reporting, our Photo Editor Nathan Hoover placed second in feature photography, and Breanna Shen, our second Arts and Entertainment Editor, placed third in column writing. I was a writer for the Echo for a semester and then I was the editor-in-chief for a year. The experience I had and lessons I learned while working there will last me a lifetime. I’m incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to write for and be part of such an amazing newspaper. As a staff member, I built better communication skills, learned to be comfortable with interviewing others as well as being interviewed myself, and learned to balance school, the newspaper, and work. Without a doubt, I believe it is the wonderful people who work at the Echo who made it what it is today, and I’m honored to have been a part of the staff.
Photo Editor Kristin Mork Faculty Adviser Marissa Gentling
The Echo is a free publication written by RCTC students who are dedicated to freedom of press, while reporting on issues affecting the student body, faculty, administration and staff. Letters to the editor are subject to editing for content and length, and opinions expressed within The Echo do not necessarily reflect the views of Rochester Community and Technical College’s administration, faculty, staff or student body.
Letters to the editor: We welcome letters of up to 250 words on campus issues and current events of national and international interest. Please include your name and phone number for verification. Letters that are respectful and civil will be given priority. Letters will be edited for grammar, clarity and conciseness. Guest columns: We also welcome guest columns on important public issues. Ideal length is up to 600 words. Send letters and columns to rctcecho@gmail.com or hand-deliver them to the Echo office at Art Hall 402. We encourage letter writers to include a photo for use with their letters or guest columns.
FINISH
Graphics Manager Mark Fantonial
We want to hear from our readers. Send your comments, story ideas or upcoming events to: rctcecho@gmail.com
The Opinion pages are where The Echo encourages perspectives on different points of view. Here’s how to get involved.
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Opinion
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Rochester Community and Technical College | The Echo
5
You can get an education regardless of your age By Amaya Travis Reporter On average, the typical college freshman is 18 years old. This is the way it has been for many, many years. There is, however, a developing shift in this normality. In a 2018 article written by Leigh Guidry for USA Today, she mentions “Nontraditional students now outnumber those who start as 18-year-old freshmen supported by their parents, according to data from RTI International, a North Carolina think tank.” She followed with a statistic: “Take Louisiana, for example. Students older than 25 make up 28% of the University of Louisiana system’s 90,000-plus students.” While we are seeing a rise in students within the 25+ plus crowd, this makes me wonder: Are we going to see an increase in senior citizen students at any point in the future? If you ask me, I don’t believe there is such a thing as “too old to go back to college.” And it seems many people agree. Truth be told, it was incredibly difficult for me to find online sources opposing or challenging the idea of more elderly individuals being given the spaces and opportunities to go back to college. One thing I remember quite well from my childhood are all the times I’d go with my grandmother to drop my mother off at
the RCTC campus for her many nursing classes. My mother wasn’t (and still isn’t) a “senior citizen” by any means. But at the time, my mother was in her late 30s. So being in classes with students in their late teens and early 20s was somewhat awkward. She mentioned getting the occasional side-eye look, but she was determined to learn new things nonetheless. She had to unfortunately halt her education due to conflictions with her place of employment at the time. But even now in her late 40s, she is considering resuming her nursing education, now that I am in college. Besides age, two things seem to be the primary reasons that older adults refrain from or are discouraged by going back to college: work conflictions and having children. Not being able to take the time away from work or raising kids are common themes. Perhaps this is why we see more senior citizens going back to college today. They didn’t have the opportunity earlier. This is largely due to how uncommon and nonexistent online education was at the time. Today we’re in a time where older generations are given the space to get their college education, not just online, but in person as well. Over the years, colleges have become more adaptive and welcom-
ing to all types students. On a side-note, we also see a lot of high school students (PSEO students) taking college classes earlier than many of their classmates. Many may feel very out of place being younger than even the common-aged college students. They get a lot of flak and strange looks from the older students because they are much younger and are in the same classes. No one can really say for sure what people my age think about the many PSEO students here at RCTC. Personally, I think it’s great. Getting a head start on your education, for free! It’s a great way to work ahead on your future. But that’s a different story for a different day. This extends beyond college, though. Take my grandmother, for example. She dropped out of high school during her senior year, was married by age 17, and had her first child, my mother, at age 18. She went to a school in Chicago to further her education after she had my mother and my uncle. But as it turned out, the school she went to was a fraud and her
GED was invalid. At age 40, in the early ’90s, she decided it was time to really get her GED. In a class of mostly early- to mid-20-year-old students, she was the oldest by far. Many of the students laughed at her. But in the end, she was the only student in the whole class who passed the exam. I hope one day I get to see a world where a college education in not something that only young, childless individuals can get. We continue to make efforts and changes to adapt to an ever-changing education world. But there are still plenty of things we can change and implement to make older adults and senior citizens feel more comfortable with furthering their education, without having to feel like their age is a roadblock to success. Because after all, education is ageless!
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6
Arts & Entertainment
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EA’s The Sims 4 is a great stress-reliever By Amaya Travis Reporter
Electronic Arts (EA) has produced some pretty incredible games over the years. One of which is The Sims franchise, a fan favorite. EA recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the long history of The Sims. However, I won’t be doing a review on the entirety of The Sims franchise. I will focus on EA’s most recent Sims game: The Sims 4. The Sims 4 was released Sept. 2, 2014. Over the past nine years, The Sims 4 has become one of today’s most popular games. Over the past 10 years, simulation and sandbox-type games have risen in popularity. The Sims games and Minecraft are great examples of this. I’ve been playing The Sims 4 for about three years. Thus far, it’s the only Sims game I have played. I absolutely love it! It’s one of my favorite mediums for creativity. There are an endless number of possibilities to create your worlds and characters. The game’s character creation feature, create-a-sim (CAS) is my favorite out of all of the different character creation features in the other games I’ve played. And like many other Sims players, I’m hooked
to the custom content. Most of the custom content I’ve download are items for CAS. Clothes, accessories, makeup — the whole nine yards! I’ve also downloaded a few building items, but not nearly as much. However, I absolutely love building in The Sims 4. I’ve always had a love for architecture and building, so I really love games like this. There are virtually no limits to what you can build — the only real limit is if you limit your own imagination. I usually stick to building houses and residential-type structures, but recently I’ve started going outside of my comfort
zone and tinkering with different styles and ways of building. One thing I’ve been experimenting with is resizing items and changing their height level. My best friend and I spent hours making a super-sized flower forest. The things you can do with two simple tools is incredible. Overall, the game has some amazing features and qualities, but there are a lot of things that the community would really like to see added into The Sims 4. One big thing many Sims players want to see in the game is cars. Functioning cars was a very popular feature of The Sims 2. In
that Sims game, Sims could even fix up and sell vehicles. Seeing this feature in Sims 4 would make gameplay that much more realistic. Not having played Sims 2, I would also love to be able to have usable vehicles to play with in my game. Adding onto how creative the game is, The Sims 4 and it’s plethora of options is very therapeutic for many of the creative minds that play it. You can create and build to your hearts content! All of the day’s stresses and hardships melt away with the hours upon hours of time you spend cultivating the perfect worlds. Besides writing and art, one of my go-to stress relievers is The Sims 4. Creating the families to live in the houses I build, playing out multiple generations of Sims — every little bit of the game lifts mountains of stress off my shoulders when I play. Not many of the video games I play have that same effect. If you are looking for a way to relieve yourself of stress and are like me — interested in architecture and expressing yourself through creative and artistic means — then I highly, highly suggest purchasing and playing The Sims 4. The is one game I know I will never regret buying, and I have a feeling that you will feel that same way!
Arts & Entertainment 7
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Rochester Community and Technical College | The Echo
History’s Byproduct A poem by Samantha Olson With pity and pride, she eagerly stated
That my ancestors would have been the chattel bound to the plantation by the hands of her heritage wait, I thought, did she not hear what she was saying? I have lived with this separation my whole life with this everlasting presence of confusion dwelling within the pit of my stomach a shame not of my own passed down to me at birth it weighs my soul, anchoring it to the soil,to a time I myself have no remembrance of I walk around with questions and no answers Who am I? Where do I belong? Who are my people? For stained am I with the blood of superiority and inferiority Do I hold the whip or take the lashing? My ancestors both slave owner and slave And I history’s byproduct of the two,cast aside, forgotten Lost within a sea of color and turmoil drowned out by the restless cries of what it is to be black in America But I say to you, has anyone taken the time to wonder what it is to be bi-racial in America? To experience the racist tongue from the slave and the master? To be the unaccepted mulatto, the mule, the half-breed? To be labeled mixed up / confused? These words have branded my childhood Has anyone taken the time to acknowledge there is a race longing to belong, and seeking acceptance? I ask you please listen Did she not hear what she was saying? This separation I have lived with my whole life Her ancestors and mine are one and the same Or did she forget that I am her daughter? Samantha Olson is a mixed-media artist and poet attending RCTC’s Liberal Arts program.
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