11.04.11 | reportermag.com
CRAFTING CAREERS TURN YOUR CO-OP INTO A JOB OR JUMPSTART YOUR OWN BUSINESS.
RECOGNITION EDITOR IN CHIEF James Arn | eic@reportermag.com COPY EDITOR Nathaniel Mathews | copy.editor@reportermag.com MANAGING EDITOR Brendan Cahill | managing.editor@reportermag.com NEWS EDITOR Vasia Ivanov | news@reportermag.com LEISURE EDITOR Evan Williams | leisure@reportermag.com FEATURES EDITOR Alex Rogala | features@reportermag.com SPORTS EDITOR Ali Coladonato | sports@reportermag.com VIEWS EDITOR Brett Slabaugh | views@reportermag.com WRITERS Christina Belisle, Nick Bovee, Brendan Cahill, Ali Coladonato, Danielle Delp, Jonathan Foster, Victor Group, Nolan Harris Jr., Amanda Imperial, Tia Long, Steven Markowitz, Jeff McKinzie, Evan Williams, Amber WilsonDaeschlein
ART ART DIRECTOR Lauren Bolger | art.director@reportermag.com SENIOR STAFF DESIGNER Theo Folinas STAFF DESIGNERS Simon Jones, Bradley Patrie, Michelle Samuels PHOTO EDITOR Juan Madrid | photo@reportermag.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Jonathan Foster, Neal Danis
Last week I got a chance to leave the autumnal bluster of Rochester behind and spend some quality time with the palm trees and sunshine of central Florida. But I have to admit that I broke the cardinal rule of tropical escapes: I was mixing business with pleasure. I was, along with five other members of REPORTER’s eBoard, in Orlando for the annual National College Media Convention. Every year thousands of student journalists from across the country descend upon a different city to share stories, experiences, tips, tricks and, perhaps, a few drinks. At the end of the convention, as is the case at many such events, an awards ceremony is held. Presenters and corporate sponsors recognized the individual excellence in the various fields that go into student journalism — from design, to photography, to writing, to advertizing. But the real prize, the one publication in the room was aching for, is the Pacemaker. Informally dubbed the Pulitzer Prize of student journalism, the pacemaker recognizes journalistic excellence in every aspect of a publication. This year, for the first time in it’s history, REPORTER won a Magazine Pacemaker. As much as I would love to pat myself, and the rest of the staff, on the back, I know that this award wasn’t given to us: it was given to the people who came before us. As in any collegiate pursuit, many of our best and brightest have gone on to even better and brighter things after graduating this spring. In that light I would like to extend a congratulations and a very special thank you to everyone who had a part in making the magazine last year. In particular, I would like to recognize REPORTER alums Michael Conti, Joi Ong, Caitlyn McCormick and Ko Kawazoe, each of whom won individual awards for their work with REPORTER last year. I would also like to thank everyone whose name appears on the left hand side of this page for the incredibly amount of work that each of you put into this project, week in and week out. You are some of the finest, hardest-working people I know, and you have my continual respect and admiration for the work you do. On a more personal note, I would like to thank my predecessor, Madeleine Villavicencio, who, besides putting her heart and soul into this magazine, has taught me more about more things than almost anyone else in my life. She will think I am very silly for saying this, but it’s true nonetheless. Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, our readers. Because you do so much more for us than pick up the magazine. You are the magazine. Without you we would have no stories to write, no photographs to shoot, no words on the street and, unimaginably, no rings. So keep up the good work, and we’ll try our best to do the same.
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Marcus Elliot, Griffin Moores, Kyle Jackson, Brett Carlsen STAFF ILLUSTRATOR Dan Alshiemer CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS Amber Gartung, Melissa Huang, Shin Wakabayashi, Adrian Yablin
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
11.04.11 | VOLUME 61 | ISSUE 10
Victoria Versai is retiring after five years of hosting RIT’s annual student drag show, which is put on by RIT’s Gay Alliance. Versai has also been an active member of RIT’s community by taking a variety of active leadership positions in RITGA, OutSpoken, Spectrum, and the on-campus GLBT Center. NEWS
13. Caffeine & Trinkets & Pandas, Oh My!
4. News Desk
A rad new store opens in the ROC.
6. Occupy Rochester Leads to Arrests
16. Cooperative Education Helps RIT Graduates
Obama ends the Iraq war.
24. The Hammer’s Story
From UFC to Hollywood — Matt Hamill can’t be stopped.
FEATURES Photos from the front.
9. KEEPing Rochester Together: RIT club helps those in need.
Medical gaming at RIT.
18. Doubling Down
Winning big with your own business.
VIEWS
26. Word on the Street
What business would be your front for the mob?
29. Is Higher-Ed Crippling Us?
Why financial aid needs a reboot.
LEISURE
10. Reviews
Two great indie titles.
11. At Your Leisure
All hail the caffeine cure.
13. Keeping Secrets Safe Frank Warren at RIT.
21. Eric Fish: Student Entrepreneur
31. Rings
The Fish the beat the sharks.
Would you like fries with that?
SPORTS
cover photograph by Marcus Elliott
23. Men’s Soccer Wins 1-0
RIT’s first Liberty League season draws to a close.
BEYOND THE BRICKS
compiled by Nolan Harris Jr. | illustration by Melissa Huang
11.04.11 OBAMA ANNOUNCES END TO WAR IN IRAQ
OHIO OWNER RELEASES EXOTIC ANIMALS Terry Thompson of Zanesville, Ohio deliberately released some 50 exotic animals before taking his own life, said Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz at a press conference on Wednesday, October 19. Thompson was reported by neighbors to have let his animals roam on numerous occasions. “We’ve gotten about 35 calls since ‘04, ‘05 with complaints [that] the animals were running at large and not being treated properly,” said Lutz. In the interest of public safety, nearly all of the animals were killed, according to the Sheriff’s department. The incident has prompted renewed calls for Ohio to strengthen its lax laws on wildlife ownership.
NUMBER ENTHUSIASTS CALCULATE PI’S 10 TRILLIONTH DIGIT An October 20 article on PhysOrg.com reported that Shigeru Kondo, a Japanese systems engineer, and University of Illinois graduate student Alexander Lee have calculated the mathematical constant Pi up to its 10 trillionth digit. Pi delineates the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Kondo, who has been enamored with the irrational number since his days in college, led the calculation effort. Using a home PC, the two were able to compute up to the 10 trillionth digit— a five. Shigeru writes in a blog post: “Over the course of the computation, there were multiple hard drive failures, each of which required us to roll the computation back to a previous checkpoint. The result was approximately 180 days of lost time.” The calculation took a little more than a year, clocking in at 371 days.
4 News | 11.04.11
At a press conference held on October 21, President Obama announced the conclusion of the Iraq War. Following through on a commitment made during his campaign, the President stated, “...as promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year.” In the announcement, Obama said the troop withdrawal would come “over the next two months,” and that “tens of thousands of [troops] … will pack up their gear and board convoys for the journey home.” The war, now in its ninth year, was initiated by the Bush administration and has cost the U.S. more than $800 billion — by one calculation, about $3,000 a second. The campaign in Iraq saw more than one million soldiers in action and more than 4,500 fatalities.
LIBYAN DICTATOR GADHAFI KILLED After 42 years in power, Col. Moammar Gadhafi, Libya’s controversial dictator, was killed. Following the capture of Gadhafi’s hometown of Sirte by rebel forces, he was eventually rooted out, then shot and killed in crossfire between loyalist fighters and the rebel forces, said Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril. Gadhafi was discovered hiding “in a large sewage pipe in Sirte,” according to a Time.com article. Said Jibril, “He did not resist, although he had a small pistol.” His death comes some eight months into the resistance movement within Libya, which began in February with a wave of peaceful protests in the Middle East and North Africa. These protests emerged from the citizens’ questsv for the reform of their respective governments. The resistance devolved to an armed conflict, pitting rebel forces, seeking to oust Gadhafi, against loyalist groups. The National Transition Council, the current de facto governing body, will now move forward with reconstruction efforts.
ACADEMIC SENATE 10.20.11 by Danielle Delp
CHANGE TO MINOR POLICY A change to the academic minor policy was voted upon at the October 20 Academic Senate meeting. Though no concerns against the old policy were put forward, a desire had been expressed by faculty to “clean up” the current document. It will require proposers of new minors to research and inform the Academic Senate of what majors should be banned from minor programs, on the grounds of programs not being a “broadening experience,” as is required by the current policy. The proposal was met with quite a bit of opposition. Those opposed to the change, led by Academic Senate Vice Chair Tim Engström, were concerned with the clarity of the term “broadening” experience, and who would be qualified to determine this. The lack of specific criteria and vague wording lead to some minor rewording prior to approval of the change.
SG UPDATE 10.29.11 by Brendan Cahill
ROAR DAY A SUCCESS At the October 28 meeting of the Student Government Senate, Women’s Senator Nikki Steinberger announced that the fourth annual ROAR Day made $50,000 in one day, with 1,200 student donations and over 200 volunteers participating. The ROAR, or “Raise Our Annual Responses,” initiative seeks to increase student and alumni donations to RIT. Its main fundraising effort takes place on ROAR Day, when the institute sets up stations on campus to encourage students and local alumni to donate. Steinberger claimed that this fourth annual ROAR Day was the most successful to date.
DOWNTOWN BUS ROUTE NAMED Student Government Vice President Phil Amsler opened the floor to suggestions for a name for the new downtown bus route, which will be entering a trial phase in January. After calling a straw poll, it was decided that the route would be called Tiger East End Express (TE3).
FORECAST
compiled by Steven Markowitz
CAB Presents: Far East Movement and Mike Posner Gordon Field House (GOR, 24). 8 – 11 p.m. Rock out with the hip-hop and dance music blending of Far East Movement plus Mike Posner, best known for the song “Cooler Than Me.” Cost: Students: $13, Faculty/Staff: $16, Others: $26
CAB Late Night Presents: Michael C. Anthony Ingle Auditorium, Student Alumni Union (SAU, 04). 10 – 11 p.m. A stage hypnotist known worldwide for shows that combine theatrics and psychology, Michael C. Anthony will make volunteers obey his every request. Cost: $1
Unity House’s Soul Food Sunday SAU Cafeteria, Student Alumni Union (SAU, 04). 6 – 8 p.m. Come enjoy traditional African-American meals and learn about African-American culture. Cost: Free
RIT Orchestra Fall Concert Allen Chapel, Schmitt Interfaith Center (SMT, 16). 8 – 9:30 p.m. Support some of RIT’s best musicians as they perform Edward Elgar’s “Sospiri,” Op. 70, and Antonín Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor “From the New World.” Cost: Free.
Crocus Clay Works Gallery Holiday Show Suite 225, Hungerford Building, 1115 E. Main St. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Get into the holiday spirit with local artists Maggi Bartlett and Michelle Westcott, who are showing off their home-made quilts and hand-made books. Cost: Free.
Eastman Wind Ensemble Kodak Hall of Eastman Theatre, 60 Gibbs St. 8 p.m.
Treat your ears to the talented Eastman musicians as they perform “Celebrating Karel Husa 90th Year,” featuring works by Pesca, Morris and Husa. Cost: Free
National Toy Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony The Strong, 1 Manhattan Square. 10:30 a.m. Come to the Strong to find out which toys will be chosen for this year’s toy hall of fame. Cost: Adults: $12, Seniors: $11, Children: $10.
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Occupy Rochester protestors await arrest in Washington Square Park, about 20 minutes before midnight on Friday, October 28. The park closed at 11 p.m.
Rochester Police Department Chief James Sheppard waits outside Washington Square Park with his officers before moving in to make arrests.
Paul Dewhirst is handcuffed by Police Chief James Sheppard in the first of 32 arrests. The Occupy Rochester protestors were committed to non-violence during the arrests, and Dewhirst compliantly removed his gloves to be handcuffed.
6 News | 11.04.11
Police Chief James Sheppard talks to the husband and daughter of Shirley Thompson, former Rochester school board member and president, who was among the arrested.
Activist Emily Good was the last protestor arrested early Saturday morning. She refused to remove her hat, which she said represents the voiceless animals on this planet.
OCCUPY ROCHESTER LEADS TO ARRESTS
People wait in the Rochester Public Safety building for Occupy Rochester protestors to be processed and released on bail. All protestors were released throughout the day on Saturday.
by Jonathan Foster | photographs by Jonathan Foster and Griffin Moores Rochester Police arrested 32 protestors at the Occupy Rochester protest in Washington Square Park on Friday, October 28. Though Occupy Rochester protests began on October 1 at the Liberty Pole downtown, this was the first attempted overnight occupation in the city. The protest is one of a worldwide collection of offspring from the Occupy Wall Street movement, which began on September 17 in Manhattan. Police forcibly removed and arrested anyone staying in the park, on the charge of trespassing in a public area after hours. Observers said that Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard, who personally made several arrests, was working to dispel a potentially riotous situation by placing himself between the protestors and his officers. Protestors cooperated with the arrests and proceedings in a commitment to non-violence. Editor’s Note: Jonathan Foster was among those arrested at Occupy Rochester while on assignment as a photographer for REPORTER.
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KEEPing Rochester Together
RIT Club Helps Those in Need by Steven Markowitz “I was homeless and a drug addict ... I lost everything.” Tears swell in Julianna Johnson’s eyes as she tells her life story. “I was able to get sober, pull myself out of the gutter; I came down with a terminal illness I ended up beating and had an epiphany that I needed to change my life.”
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nspired by her experiences, Johnson and Brandon Kelloway, both 2011 RIT graduates in Graphic Design, co-founded KEEP Rochester in the fall of 2010. KEEP Rochester is a community service organization based out of RIT, but it started as a graphic design project. The goal of the project was to build an organization starting with the letter “K” and design fake posters, forms and a marketing campaign to support it. With all the work completed, the co-founders decided to take the final step and make their project a reality. “KEEP isn’t an acronym. It represents ‘KEEP’ safe for women’s shelters, ‘KEEP’ warm for homeless shelters, ‘KEEP’ nourished for food banks and kitchens and ‘KEEP’ sober for rehab centers,” Johnson explains. After six months of researching over 80 shelters, homes and kitchens in the Rochester area, Johnson and Kelloway hit the streets to give back to the community. In late March, an official RIT club was formed, and the founders decided to move their activities to shelters for the safety of the students. Even after graduation, their dedication has kept the club going — today, the club has 22 dedicated members who attend meetings, in addition to countless volunteers. Current club president and second year Management Information Systems student Dharin Nanavati explains: “Meetings are important, but the goal is to help people. The more people we have, the more people we can help.” The club plans on expanding and cooperating with other organizations, and is attempting to remain true to the founders’ goals of connecting students with their community and helping people. According to Johnson, the club looks for shelters that are smaller and receive fewer donations. It also looks for shelters that house children for the student volunteers to interact with and act as role models to. On a recent Friday night, KEEP Rochester held its first event of the year at the Women’s Place, a battered women’s
shelter, which the group calls their home base. At the event, the club put on bingo for the women and pumpkin painting for the children. Hoping to expand its activities, the club also brought in RIT’s Juggling club to entertain the children. The women were howling with laughter as they played bingo to win articles of clothing, which were donated to the shelter at the end of the night. During the game, one woman won a coat — her first and only coat for the winter. The children ran around with hand puppets and Batman masks, smiles stretching from ear to ear as they played with the student volunteers. After their previous bingo night at the Woman’s Place, the shelter’s activities director said, “there was never so much laughter in this house, which was a huge compliment to us,” said Johnson. In addition to putting on these events, the club also hosts donation drives for different types of shelters and homes. The club has collected everything from sweaters to diapers to baby formula to coats. Last year, the club ran a Sol’s drive, where it asked costumers to use leftover debit to buy toiletries, such as a toothbrush or soap. The drive was such a success that the club plans on repeating the drive at the end of the fall quarter. “The reason why KEEP Rochester has been so successful is because everybody is looking to help,” says Kelloway, “It’s a feel good club and there are no obligations. When people see this opportunity to give, it’s contagious.” Johnson and Kelloway, as well as Nanavati and current Vice President Wade Fuller, a second year Management Information Systems student, are proud of the club’s accomplishments and are looking forward to helping the Rochester community in the coming year. As Johnson says, “I have so much passion for these battered women because I was one; the drug addicts because I was one; the homeless because I was one … If someone had done [what KEEP Rochester does] for me when I was homeless, I know I would never forget that.”
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REVIEWS
11.04.11
A
“CATHERINE”
BY: ATLUS GAME | ADVENTURE | XBOX 360, PLAYSTATION 3
RATING: DIG IT! by Amanda Imperial
n average man living an average character — and your thumbs — to the limit. life, Vincent Brooks is a character As the player moves blocks around to create who is easy to relate to. He even a clear path through Vincent’s dreams, the has average relationship struggles with rest of the stage beneath him crumbles and his long-time girlfriend Katherine — a falls away. One misstep, and he could fall to mature, career-driven adult with her eyes his doom. If Vincent dies in his dreams, he to the future. He also meets a seductive and dies in real life. The game also leaves plenty mysterious woman named Catherine. And of room to decide how Vincent’s life turns in recent news, mysterious deaths have been — with two girls in his grasp, he must make happening all around town—but only young a choice. What he decides is entirely up to men. Must be a coincidence…right? the player. Such is the story of “Catherine,” a puzzle- The most frustrating parts of the game, of platformer, survival-horror, anime-styled course, are the puzzles (especially when adventure that subtly, but surely, digs itself playing on normal or hard mode), but into the deepest pits of the brain. solving them isn’t the problem. There are “Catherine” successfully combines several times when Vincent can climb behind blocks game mechanics to create an exciting and become invisible to the player, with no experience. There are game altering decisions way to move the camera around to see him. — similar to those in role-playing games More often than not, this causes the player to — puzzles and scenes in which you gather accidentally drop Vincent. Though incredibly useful information from other characters. irritating, this does not render the game Vincent begins to have unsettling dreams, unplayable. Overall, this thrilling adventure and when his nightmares begin, so do the comes highly recommended. puzzles. These tests of skill push the main
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“IN THE PIT OF THE STOMACH” BY: WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS ALBUM | ALTERNATIVE | 57 MINS
RATING: DIG IT! by Nick Bovee
10 Leisure | 11.04.11
n the Pit of the Stomach” is the second album from Edinburghbased We Were Promised Jetpacks. Two years after its debut, the band is back with an album that holds just as much fire as before, but with a technique unexpected from an act so new to production music. Their previous album, “These Four Walls” was a less refined creature, and the effort put into their music since then shows in the present sophistication. Opening with “Circles and Squares,” the album leaps directly into Jetpacks’ powerful guitar riffs, strong bass, and persistent use of cymbals. Although you would expect this to be an absolute cacophony, each instrument is soft, creating a warm fuzz-rock sound that is somewhat reminiscent of Silversun Pickups. Throw in some thickly accented lyrics, and you’ve got the core of this album. The vocal talents of the band become clear on the next big song, “Through the Dirt and
Gravel.” On this track, it becomes apparent that front man Adam Thompson has put real effort into his songwriting, the weakest part of their debut album. His penchant for repeating a single line four times as a chorus has made way for melancholy echoes and introspective lyrics. The most memorable song of the entire album is “Sore Thumb.” Disguised as a breather track, the first three minutes are nearly devoid of lyrics, allowing the guitar, bass, and drums to construct a slow and mournful melody. This builds into a hopeful crescendo, with the barest hint of vocals, and then falls, back down to its previous mood. One thing needs to be made clear. This album is a slow one to take hold. No superstar songs jump out the first time through, and many tracks may seem to blend together, paced so as to ease you into each new piece. It’s solid work, and you can expect much more to come from this group in the future.
STREAM OF FACTS
by Evan Williams
REPORTER RECOMMENDS Victory Lap Electives Are your days numbered here at RIT? Looking for a way to go out with a bang before graduation? Need to fill up those welldeserved wellness and liberal arts credits before you waltz on out of this brick beast? Then take a look at some of what we call the “Victory Lap Electives.” Past graduates have passed on a wealth of knowledge of classes that fit your unique tastes and styles. You know, because you’re weird. Enjoy getting a grade for getting buzzed mid-day? Try the Wines of the World, Beers of the World or Beverage Fermentation and Distilling courses. Into oddball history? Check out Life in Las Vegas, Viking Myth and Saga, or History of Siege Weapons. Training for the pending apocalypse? Give Humans Versus Zombies Boot Camp, Space Tourism, or Cyborg Theory a go. If there’s one thing college is supposed to be good for, it’s training you for real life.
QUOTE “The problem with music appreciation is that people are taught to have too much respect for music; they should be taught to love it instead.”
Former Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver Terrell Owens held a private workout for NFL teams Tuesday, October 25, to showcase his ability to perform on his surgically repaired knee. Not a single NFL team sent a representative to watch the 37-year old Owens run routes and catch passes at a Los Angeles area HIGH SCHOOL . A fifteen-year-old HIGH SCHOOL student in Snohomish, Washington is in jail after stabbing two classmates in the school bathroom on Monday, October 24. The attacker had been planning to attack someone for several days, and chose the victims at random. The first victim was stabbed between 20 and 25 times in the neck, heart and lungs while the second received deep slashes after trying to help her friend. Both are expected to SURVIVE . The reason that cats have better chances to SURVIVE higher falls is that their bodies act as a parachute in mid-air. Their inner ears act as a gyroscope and tell the cat which way down is and they spread their bodies in a way that maximizes surface area and slows them down. The cats studied were FALLING from heights of over nine stories. The recent trend of satellites FALLING to earth over the past few months is less of a call for concern that people may think. The 2.4-ton ROSAT and the school-bus-sized UARS have both fallen out of orbit, but both burned up in the atmosphere, causing no damage to humans or properties.
WORD OF THE WEEK Autohaumaturgist n. – One who pretends to be mysterious or noble.
The amateur pick-up artist thought that the one way for him to attract women was to be an autohaumaturgist, but his fake air of mystery left him mysteriously alone.
COMIC by Justyn Iannucci
OVERSEEN & OVERHEARD “Peewee Herman here wants a Tech Crew, light on the hot sauce.” – Grill cook at the Brick City Café passing along an order from a diminutive customer
“I’m worried about each and every one of you right now.” – Teacher reacting as students explain using coffee to treat stress
HAIKU Week nine is over, You’re so close yet so far,
Best of luck to y’all.
- Igor Stravinsky
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n an effort to create a “safe, shower” is the most common secret Warren receives, a close second nonjudgmental place where people are those sent in by people looking for someone to share all of their could share their true selves,” Frank secrets with. Warren said that the thousand or so secrets he receives Warren started a “community art each week are divided into two categories; “secrets kept from others project” that would eventually and secrets kept from ourselves.” During the program he urged the become Post Secret. Post Secret is audience to embrace their secrets and share them with others. Says a blog where people send in their Warren, “sharing a secret can be transformative; not just for the secrets on the back of a postcard to person who shares it but for others who read it.” be scanned in and uploaded to the Warren shared with a secret with the audience, which he said had website www.postsecret.com. The only requirements for the secrets that kind of resonant effect on him. On the back of the post card are that they must be true and they must be something that has never was a picture of a bedroom door with holes in it. The text read, “the been shared before. holes are from my mom knocking on my bedroom door so she could In 2004, Warren handed out thousands of self-addressed postcards continue beating me.” After this secret was posted, Warren began to strangers he met on the streets of Washington D.C. “Hi, my name receiving many pictures of doors with holes in them. The gym was is Frank and I collect secrets.” The unique greeting got many different silent as Warren revealed that he too had a broken door as a child. responses. “The most common response was ‘I don’t have any secrets’… Warren stated, “The greatest epiphany that people can have is seeing a But I always made sure they got a card because they have the best secret they’re struggling with, at a level beneath their own awareness, secrets,” Warren said. As time went on, word of this “collection of articulated by a stranger better than they can say it.” secrets” spread quickly and the Post Secret phenomenon was born. At the end of the program, audience members were given a chance “When I was in third grade I found my mother’s diaphragm. I put to share secrets of their own. Some were personal, many were sad, but it on my head and wondered why she never told me she was Jewish.” just like the secrets written on the backs of post cards, all were true. “Your mic wasn’t off during sound check… We all heard you pee.” “We all have secrets,” says Warren. “All of us have a secret that could “When I was in a mental home, I would look out the window a lot… break your heart if you just knew what it was… if we could feel that now I ride my bike past and smile.” truth, I think it could allow us to have more compassion and empathy These were some of the secrets revealed Wednesday, October 26 at and maybe there would be more peace in the world.” the Post Secret @ RIT event in the Clarke Gym. While “I pee in the
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J D E B T F I Z D V Q S J Y B
P U T E E R T S L L A W E I U
P A F U L L U C E I C C T H T
M C N V P R E M M A H H P U D
BUSINESS CATHERINE DEBT ECONOMY HAMMER IRISH ITHACA
V B F D L A S B T L A S A Z C
E S L P A T E H H C E P C Y Z
S R I O E M E I A L Y Z K L K
I V U R T R A Q Z T M B S W R
H R C S I G U N Z N O Y V J D
H E I N I X B U S I N E S S I
JETPACKS LEISURE MAFIA PANDAMAN SECRETS WALLSTREET
S M E S R E H Y W H O R U J K
S A H Z H L L I Y T C N N U R
F F X I X X S N D K E L J H I
S I E Y W E N H B D R Y V A G
T A V A X P V R Y T Q R W S M
What is the most honest way to clean your teeth? UESTDNRE BSEARC SFOSL YHNENIG LORAM RIVETOEB TRTTAA QAEPLU BIEMALDN LMAINPT Answer
Caffiene & Trinkets & Pandas, Oh My! by Ali Coladonato | photographs by Neal Danis
“Welcome to Pandaland Pandaman!” Or, being that this isn’t the movie “Hook,” welcome to the far less enticing Rochester, N.Y. Pandaman Toys is a new store that was opened last month by Pittsford native Beth Small. A toy, coffee, art, video and board game palace, Pandaman is less like a store and more like your friend’s basement — your cool, quirky, artsy friend with a coffee bar and walls you can draw on. Small, along with PR manager and art director Chuck Harrison, store manager Ben Slomovic and business manager Matt Sleaton, has created a space where people can hang out, look around and maybe buy a cup of coffee and a trinket or two. Says Harrison, “Beth and I had the crazy idea to open this shop so we could hang out with stuff we like.” And what these friends really like are vinyl figurines. This is reflected in the shop’s collection, as the toys sold at Pandaman are largely collectible vinyl figurines, an increasingly popular collectable among adults in the 18-35 range. Vinyl figurines have been around for over a decade, and have been picked up by graffiti and alternative artists as a way to merchandise their work. This 3D art form lets an artist showcase their style on something physical as well as allow a more accessible way of collecting art. While vinyl figurines for the serious collector can become pricey, Pandaman sells many smaller figurines to trick out a dashboard or a desk for less than $10. In addition to toys and vinyl figurines, Pandaman also sells Finger Lakes coffee and the art of various local artists, which can be seen lining the walls in what Harrison calls “a street art gallery.” Opened as a way to fill a dearth of all-age hangouts in Rochester, Pandaman caters to all different age groups and interests. Although vinyl toys aren’t for children under 15 due to a lack of lead testing, the store also boasts an NES, SNES and an N64, as well as Risk and Scrabble — free for anyone to play. Additionally, there is a chalkboard counter and bathroom that encourages everyone to add to the store’s art collection. Small said that in opening Pandaman, she looked at what isn’t in Rochester. Citing the numerous bars in the city (Pandaman is in fact located next to a pub), Harrison lamented, “There’s nowhere to go in this town that’s not a bar.” Echoing his comment, Small expressed that Pandaman is just a place for “good clean fun…with clean, crazy people.”
While visiting the store, three friends walked in to look around. Philip Herford, along with John and Pete Lake, all Rochester locals, peeked in with Herford announcing, “I heard about this place so I came here.” Driving by, they decided to stop in based on a conversation Philip had earlier in the week with someone who recommended he check out the store. “Yeah I was stoked to find this place,” said Herford, “these music and coffee places come and go but this one has some potential. Now it’s not just Boulder and Java’s.” Pandaman has resonated for many within the community, quickly building up a local following due to its outreach to other local businesses and the numerous events that have been held since its inception. The store has already gained a group who play Dungeons and Dragons every Sunday night, and there are rumors of a board game group starting up as well. Small encourages people to come make the space their own and suggest new uses for it. The store will eventually be able to host more after-hour events as well as bring more music to these events. Says Harrison, “opening this store has been this beautiful mix of luck, insanity and hard work.” Slomovic summed up the essence of Pandaman: “Art. Toys. Panda. Store. Atmosphere.” What’s not to like?
Pandaman Toys is located at 439 Monroe Aveenue, adjacent to Park Bench Pub. Hours and more information is available at http://pandamantoys.com
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Cooperative Education Helps RIT Graduates by Tia Long | illustration by Adrian Yablin
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Job placement after college graduation was not great during the recession. But according to Dr. Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, a professor of economics, it is slowly rising. “It’s improving, but not by a lot. It depends on your major,” Batabyal said. According to Batabyal, the outlook for graduates is especially improving for those in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. But RIT students have an advantage because of the cooperative education program and all the services provided by the Office of Cooperative Education and Career Services.
Helping Students The Office for Cooperative Education and Career Services, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary next year, offers a variety of services to RIT students. Located in the Bausch and Lomb Center (BLC, 77), a few of its services include: job search advisement, graduate school information and career counseling. “We also offer contact information for employers and will do mock interviews with students,” says Maria Richart, associate director of the Office for Cooperative Education and Career Services. “We also do a lot of résumé reviews.” The office also offers a professional network for students. According to information provided by the office, “RIT alumni, employers and friends of the Institute volunteer to provide current students and alumni with career development support, counsel, guidance, reinforcement and constructive examples.” This network is available to students and alumni through Job Zone, an online job database system through the Office for Cooperative Education and Career Services. Batabyal says that networking is a key way to get jobs; so talking to alumni would be beneficial to undergraduate students. But if students need one-on-one counseling, they can meet with their coordinators in the Office of Cooperative Education and Career Services. Richart says that her office allows first year students to adjust to college life and figure out what they want to study. Then, when a student reaches their second year, they focus on outreach and make sure students have been to a co-op orientation. When students go to Richart, she asks them why they chose RIT and then, to make sure they’re in the right program, why they chose their major. She also follows up with them after their co-ops to ask how they liked them. “Once I can figure out their passion, then I can advise them,” Richart says. Richart also says that she has an open-door policy and encourages students to walk in if they have questions about work, internships or co-ops.
Taking Action According to the Office of Cooperative Education and Career Services, RIT was one of the first colleges to begin a co-op program in 1912, and its program is one of the largest in the world. About 2,000 employers hire RIT students annually for co-ops, and last year about 3,300 students worked co-ops with more than 5,000 companies. According to Batabyal, the STEM disciplines are seeing greater improvement and graduates are more likely to land jobs using degreerelated skills. It is the humanities where the picture is bleak and graduates are more likely to find minimum wage jobs or ones that do not utilize their skills. Both Batabyal and Richart recommend the same advice to students in every major preparing to enter the work force: start early. And both agree that a student’s sophomore year is the best time to start preparing. Batabyal advises that, by the end of their sophomore year, students create a plan consistent with whether they want to continue on to graduate school or go straight into the work force. He says that students looking to go to graduate school should prepare in advance by researching schools and also thinking about the entrance tests required. According to Batabyal, going to graduate school might be a good idea for students in some fields, especially humanities. “Graduate school will allow students to ride out a bad time in the economy and in the meantime learn skills,” Batabyal said. “Anytime you can do anything to improve your skills, do it.” For those who wish to enter the work force, Batabyal says students should go to the Office for Cooperative Education and Career Services and participate in co-ops, even if their program does not require them. According to Richart, the co-op experience is what makes RIT students more marketable. “Don’t leave co-ops to the last year,” Richart says. “[That way] you will be more qualified and more prepared when you look for a job.” Batabyal says that co-ops give students a great opportunity to work with a company and will increase the likelihood of a full-time job. Despite the economic climate, Richart says that this fall quarter was the biggest career fair they’ve had. She stated that more students have been coming into the office for one-on-one meetings. Richart said that “if students start early and stay positive,” they will find a job. “Our goal is to help students gain full-time employment after graduation,” Richart explains. The benefits of the Office of Cooperative Education and Career Services don’t end once students graduate. “Our services are forever,” Richart says. “Even after you graduate, we help wherever we can.”
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Even after you graduate, we help wherever we can.
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Doubling Down Winning Big With Your Own Business by Evan Williams | illustration by Amber Gartung
“It’s a gamble, double down or don’t. Step out if you want to, stay in if you’re bold, and roll.” Lines like this, from Hot Water Music’s “Wayfarer,” have always been the mantra of gamblers and mavericks alike, and the idea of wagering safety and security for the chance to strike it rich is as tempting as it is intimidating. Life’s uncertainty is often its most alluring quality, and in the pursuit of reward, risk often holds us back and keep us from pursuing our passions. And in these daunting days of economic uncertainty, few gambles stand out like rolling the entrepreneurial dice.
17 Features | 10.21.11 18 11.04.11
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tarting your own successful business has never been — and will never be— a half measure. It’s not just an investment of time and resources, it’s an investment of self. Your ideas, passions, and convictions have to stand up to constant criticisms, practical limitations and the ebb and flow of the free market tide. To ensure success, nothing can be left to chance, and your vision must be fully realized idealistically and practically. No half measures. This is perhaps what makes entrepreneurship so exciting: the idea that you can jump in with both feet and surface with not only a career, but an identity. So what are the secrets to hitting it big? Can the ins, outs, dos and don’ts be tailored to your ideals? What risks are worth taking and which ones aren’t? If you’re at the table and thinking of anteing up, you’re going to have to go up against the big casino house that is the free market. Having solid preparation can give you a remarkable edge, though — just like counting cards in blackjack. It’s a numbers game with a strong human element. Hit me. Many young entrepreneurs look at the idea of a business plan the way many of us look at root canals; they’re long, painful, and, if you put it off, maybe you can get away without them. But having a well-written business plan is crucial for two main reasons. First, it gives faith to people who plan on investing time, money or energy into your company, who now know that you’ve taken the time to streamline your vision into something that can readily be executed. Second, it lets you know that you’ve taken the time to streamline your vision, and that you’ve thought through the details of how to proceed with your business. Your business plan is your Bible, but it doesn’t have to be anywhere near as long. A good mission statement, which explains why your business is doing what you’re doing, should be a maximum of 25 words and encompass the value of your business to the industry. Run your statement by several people and see if the concept and wording interests them. Your statement should include short and long term goals, a list of top projects to implement to make your business more affective and an “elevator speech” statement that succinctly answers the question, “So what do you do?” Include a marketing plan that lists the things that you can do practically to get people to reach out to your business. This could include having early customers give testimonials for your website, creating a Facebook page, or making surveys and polls to see how people feel about your direction. “Serial entrepreneur” Dr. Delmonize “Del” Smith is an assistant professor at the Saunders College of Business and has rolled the entrepreneurial dice as well as any faculty member at RIT. The founder and CEO of D.A. Smith and Associates, LLC, Smith got his first taste of self-reliance watching his father run a construction business. Then, at the age of 23, he was the third hire at a fast-growing technology-consulting upstart. His background education in management, coupled with this experience, led him to start technology solutions provider Technetium Group, Inc. at the age of 25. The company was one of only a handful of minority-certified companies recognized as a Microsoft Certified Partner and Cisco Premier Partner. Since then he’s racked up years of invaluable experience in management working for the Fortune 500 firms and the US government. The Rochester Business Journal recently recognized him as a part of their “Forty Under 40” award, which recognizes young professionals who have served their industries.
So where do you start? “A source of passion and the propensity to be ok with taking risks immediately come to mind,” Smith says. Believe in what you’re doing and take the time to understand how to best implement your ideas in the real world. According to Smith, a basic foundation of business principals can be as important as knowledge of the field your company will focus on. Classes in finance, accounting, marketing and entrepreneurship are an excellent start. “These are core skills that you will call upon continuously at every level, so it’s best to have a good handle on them,” Smith advises. Next is being prepared to adapt. “Many young entrepreneurs believe that the business plans and models in their head will work out exactly as they expect. Therefore, they execute with this assumption, which unfortunately is incorrect most of the time,” Smith says. “The market has tremendous pressure over what business plans and models are accepted. Young entrepreneurs should be ready to make adjustments based on the feedback from their market.” There are also resources available here at RIT to help get your business off the ground. If you’ve got a plan worth proposing, check out the RIT Student Business Development Lab. In association with the Albert J. Simone Center for Entrepreneurship, the Lab can offer course or co-op credit for up-and-coming student business ventures, as well as exposure and promotion.
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You have to be the person you want your business to be.
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Smith admits that finding people to share in your venture is one of the toughest parts of the process. Just being at RIT can help surround you with like-minded individuals. “Two of my full-time employees are former students of mine. One has worked for me for three years now and is quickly developing into the type of person that has the potential to carry the torch down the road,” Smith says. In the age of apps, making money off of software, websites and blogs is the new black. Some argue that there is less to lose because building a website costs far less than opening a storefront, but it could also be argued that the ease of these new mediums makes for a saturated market exploding with competition. But without competition you can’t show others the value of your service. The industry and the markets that you’ll find yourself in dictate the level of risk, and in turn, the level of rewards. “You have to be the person you want your business to be,” Smith says, stressing that the attitude you bring to your venture is paramount. So wager what you’ve got and try your hand. The house is always taking bets.
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Eric Irish Student Entrepreneur by Christina Belisle | photo illustration by Juan Madrid
Swimming with sharks may seem like a risky idea, but on Friday, October 11, five teams of entrepreneurs took the plunge into a tank of some of the fiercest tiger sharks out there.
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he Shark Tank is a contest held by RIT, where groups present their business ideas to a panel of five professionals — the “sharks”. The ideas are unique and provide solutions to existing problems in the market. The winner of this year’s Shark Tank was Eric Irish, a third year Information Science Technology major, who snagged a $2,000 prize. Irish’s winning idea was CampusSafe, a mobile application that can be used by college students, faculty and staff to get in contact with Public Safety. “We have those blue boxes on campus,” Irish explained, referring to the campus wide safety system that allows users to directly contact Public Safety. “But you need to be able to speak into the phone to use them, and deaf students can’t use them. They can’t tell Public Safety what’s going on.” RIT also has a phone line for Public Safety and an instant messaging account, where they can be contacted if the caller cannot speak. “Deaf students use the instant messaging system,” Irish said, but this channel of communication is not feasible if the student is away from a computer. “I want to tie together those three systems,” said Irish, which is why he developed CampusSafe. Known at RIT as TigerSafe, the app is a “virtual blue light.” A student can call Public Safety from anywhere, removing the need of finding and running to a blue light station. Students that are unable to speak can use the built-in instant messaging, typing their messages to Public Safety. The app, designed for smart phones, uses many advanced features. A student’s contact information is sent to public safety, along with their GPS location — saving precious time. In nonemergency situations, TigerSafe can be used to file lost item reports, send reports to Public Safety, look up information and act as a phone directory. Developing an app that is deeply integrated with the RIT community is nothing unfamiliar for Irish. As an Information Science Technology major, he has always had an idea-driven mind. “I started out as an idea guy, and I’ve always had an
interest in computers,” Irish said. “I think my tech background has helped me out. I have an idea and form a business around it.” CampusSafe is currently under development with Public Safety, and once it’s completed, Irish plans to expand service to other universities. Each will need its own special considerations, though. Sensitive information is being sent and received, and liability is an issue: If the application fails to send information, CampusSafe could be liable for any harm that happens to the user. “I’ve been working with Public Safety so it’s fail-safe and user friendly.” Irish said. Beyond CampusSafe, Irish is a very involved student. He is a resident advisor and sings in the a capella group Proof of Purchase. Working in the Innovation Center has allowed Irish hands-on experience with new products and ideas, giving him the feel for start-ups. “I love the startup culture,” Irish said. “I love the freedom of it.” Last winter he worked at the RIT Incubateor on a project called Newdiggs — a Rochesterbased housing site aimed towards students and young adults looking for apartments. As an entrepreneur, Irish sees where opportunity lies. “The culture of San Francisco is like that [the start-up culture], and Rochester is going that way, too.”
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We invite the RIT Community to uncover the hidden heroes among our student population. Do you know a student who is making a meaningful difference in the lives of others? We want to hear their story! Please help us identify candidates for the 2011 Bruce R. James Public Service Award. This award is given to a student committed to enhancing his/her community through service. To nominate a student, stop by the Student Development Center, Room 1445 or Campus Center, room 2740 on Thursday, December 8th between 10am-4pm. We invite you to come tell us about the heroic student and how they are involved in assisting others. Help us discover our unsung heroes!
MEN’S SOCCER WINS 1-0 AS FIRST LIBERTY LEAGUE SEASON DRAWS TO A CLOSE
RIT midfielder and captain Sean Coots, third year Mechanical Engineering major, battles for the ball against Ithaca's Zach Hutchinson (#12) and Brandon Glass (#25).
by Ali Coladonato | photograph by Brett Carlsen It was a dark and stormy afternoon on Wednesday, October 26, as RIT’s men’s soccer team took on the Ithaca College Bombers in their last home game of the season. Claws out from the beginning, the Tigers dominated the Bombers throughout the game, allowing the team only three shots on goal in the Tigers’ 1-0 victory. After a brief two-game losing streak, the Tigers brought their best against Ithaca in this non-conference battle, outshooting the Bombers 14-8. The first goal of the game came at the 25th minute off a misplayed ball by Ithaca goalie Jack Van Adelsberg. On an attempted clear, Van Adelsberg accidentally fed the ball directly to fourth year Finance major David Vogt, who quickly made Van Adelsberg pay for his mistake with a hard shot that buried itself deep into the open net to give the Tigers their lead. One point was all the team needed, as Vogt’s second goal of the season proved to be the only score of the game, despite several challenges from veteran players including fourth year Criminal Justice major Darryl Anderson and fourth year International Business and Accounting major Dan Holowaty. Ithaca’s only chance in the first half was quickly smothered by second year Civil Engineering major Sean Conway, who was left to count the raindrops for the majority of the game. He only had to make three saves in the entirety of the game in his eighth shutout of the season. This is RIT’s first season in the Liberty League conference, and all of the teams have stepped up and competed strongly against new opponents, making their presence known and feared throughout the league.
Men’s soccer ends their regular season at 10-6-2 overall and 5-2-1 in the Liberty League conference. Their record places them third of nine teams, after a 2-1 overtime loss to Hobart College last Saturday knocked them out of second place behind an undefeated St. Lawrence. Women’s soccer ends their regular season at 8-9 overall with a 5-3 conference record, also placing third of nine teams. Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams will be participating in the Liberty League Tournament; the championship takes place on Saturday, November 5. Women’s volleyball struggled through this season, losing a number of critical Liberty League match-ups, but performing well against several non-conference teams. The team ends their season at 15-20 overall, with a 4-8 conference record, placing sixth of seven teams. Women’s cross country ended their season strong, placing fifth at the New York State Collegiate Track Conference (NYSCTC) in late October and finishing fourth at the Liberty League Conference Championship last Saturday, October 29. Men’s cross country achieved fourth place honors at the NYSCTC championships but have not yet received the results from the Liberty League Championship due to harsh weather that knocked out the timing system. At the time of printing the results had not been finalized. Be sure to come out and support winter athletics, including basketball, swimming and diving, men’s wrestling and of course, hockey.
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THE
HAMMER’S STORY by Jeff McKinzie | illustration by Dan Alsheimer
24 Sports | 10.14.11
DEAF. DEFIANT. DETERMINED. alking out of the tunnel, he moves to the front of the thunderous crowd. Despite his deafness, he knows that everyone is cheering for him. As he nears the octagon, he turns his back and faces the crowd, trying to take in the chaos around him. In an instant, flashbacks of his life start to play. It is the story of Matt Hamill, former RIT wrestler and UFC fighter as told by “The Hammer,” the movie made about his life. As a deaf athlete, Matt Hamill is identified in the deaf community as someone who has disproved the misconception that deaf people can’t play sports. Through his amazing wrestling skills, he became one of RIT’s most popular athletes, earning three Division III national championships. His success at the collegiate level eventually propelled him into fame as one of Mixed Martial Arts’ most well known fighters. Boasting an 11-4 record in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Hamill is an inspiring success story. Before he rose to stardom in the UFC, he worked as a bouncer at a bar called Casa Bella’s in Utica, NY. It wasn’t until he knocked out two fighters in the UFC’s King of the Cage promotion in Southern California that he started to get some recognition. In 2006, Hamill auditioned for the Spike reality show “Ultimate Fighter 3.” Among the 2,000 fighters that tried out, Hamill was the first that was chosen. There, Hamill was approached by Los Angeles-based filmmaker Eben Kostbar, who expressed interest in making a movie about him. Kostbar heard about Hamill while working on “Ultimate Fighter,” and found his story of overcoming deafness inspiring. Hamill accepted Kostbar’s offer, and a four-year journey to bring the film to the big screen began. At first Kostbar was worried that Hollywood wouldn’t be on board with the idea of making a film about a deaf wrestler. He explained that it hadn’t been done before, so people were “nervous about financing the film,” wanting instead to stick with what they knew would sell. He also mentioned the fact that they cast deaf actors for the deaf roles was a challenge as well, simply because he didn’t know how audiences would react. The lead actors portraying Hamill (Russell Harvard) and his then-wife Kristi Hamill (Shoshannah Stern) are both graduates of Gallaudet University, a school founded to educate the deaf and hard of hearing. In the end, it took nearly three years to work out the story and to get it fully financed before filming could start. When filming began in 2009, the film’s crew came to Rochester and various scenes were shot on the RIT campus. While back at RIT, Hamill was pleased to see the support from people who heard that they were filming there. “It was great, we had deaf students that would come to watch our national championship scene. In LA, you ask some people to be extras or background people and they’re like, no way, but at RIT everyone was excited.” One of the people in Hamill’s life that also plays a big role in the film is his former RIT wrestling coach, Ron Gross (played by Joseph McKelheer). Gross recruited Hamill out of high school and still maintains a good relationship with the former wrestler. He said that when he met him, he knew Hamill was more than an average Division III wrestler. Gross reached out to him anyway, in case things didn’t
work out at his current school, Division I Purdue University. They didn’t: Hamill struggled with his classes and was even encouraged by his wrestling coach to switch into a different, easier major. Hamill’s mother subsequently contacted Gross looking for an opportunity for Hamill to continue studying Electrical Engineering — while still wrestling — at RIT. Speaking over the phone, Gross explained that the relationship he had with Hamill was in some ways like his grandfather’s. “I think what Hamill wanted from me is kind of how his grandfather is portrayed in the movie. His grandpa had this tough love about him and I think that’s what I offered to Matt. People tended to treat him special because of his disability,” said Gross. With this tough love from his grandfather and his coach, arguably two of the most influential characters in his life, Hamill learned to keep a good head on his shoulders. Gross continued, “I’d really hold him accountable to the highest standards and he really responded well to that. He doesn’t like or want to be coddled; he respects authority and the people that hold him accountable.” Hamill has since retired from fighting, officially announcing his plans August of this year. According to Kostbar, Hamill has been enjoying life since retiring from fighting in the UFC. Keeping busy at the gym, Hamill has been training and coaching many up-andcoming fighters and wrestlers. He’s also opened a sports bar in Utica called The Cage, which opened October 29. Kostbar added that Hamill hasn’t ruled out the possibility of coming back, but was quick to note the injuries he suffered in his wrestling career. “A lot of people aren’t aware that he got kind of nicked up and injured in some of his fights and he wanted to give his body a rest, get some surgeries and maybe come back if his body felt good enough for it,” he said. Gross, who left RIT’s wrestling program in 1998 after four seasons as head coach, has returned to the wrestling staff as an associate head coach for the 2011 season. He had Hamill come to one of the RIT wrestling practices, and he talked with him about the possibility of coming back. “We talked about it, I think we might see him in the octagon again. He fell in love with the sport after collegiate wrestling. I think he wants to do it if his body will allow him.” Deaf. Defiant. Determined. More than just the movie tagline, these are the qualities that everyone who talks about Matt Hamill express about him. Hamill showed the Deaf and hearing worlds what he could achieve, and set the bar high. He was not only a champion; he was someone who overcame his struggles and set an example for others. He’s a fighter, a family man, and a firm believer that deaf people can do anything.
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WORD
ON THE
STREET
by Jonathan Foster
If you were a mafia boss, what business would you use as your front?
“Men’s underwear boutique; it’s highly profitable (especially among the homosexuals). Undies equal money.” Tanner Newcomb, third year Molecular Bioscience & Biotechnology
“Girl Scouts.” [“Why would you use innocent little children?!”] “Exactly.” Stephen Patterson, fourth year Journalism (left)
“Mine would be a cupcake store... ice that fool.” Erika Mason, fourth year Electrical Engineering (center)
“A laundromat... wash those fools.” Cheyanne Davis, fourth year Finance (right)
“My cover up would be a ballet studio - sweet, innocent - no one would ever know. ” Maddi Hoppy, third year Industrial Design
26 Views | 11.04.11
“Daycare. Inconspicuous. Who thinks a daycare guy is running the mafia?” Aaron Weidenaar, first year Mechanical Engineering
“Bookstore. Same reason. Mafia people don’t read books.” John Sweet, first year Mechanical Engineering
“I would run a joke store ‘cause I could make people laugh.” Kristen Wildenstein, second year Civil Engineer Technology
“A pet store... because no one would suspect me, plus then you could have lots of puppies.” Sidney Coombs, fifth year Chemistry
“I would sell bleach because it’s a front for massive amounts of acid which you can dispose of bodies with, and it’s a front of a laundromat. You get to launder your money twice.” Bob Martin, fourth year Chemistry
“I wouldn’t dabble in muggle affairs.” Severus Snape, Professor of the Dark Arts
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ARTIFACTS
MAY 14, 1971
28 Views | 11.04.11
IS HIGHER-ED CRIPPLING US? by Nolan Harris Jr | illustration by Shin Wakabayashi
ollege is a great steppingstone, and in our global economy it has become all but a prerequisite for those who wish to compete. Historically, the privilege of matriculation was the exclusive right of the wealthy and gifted. However, as time went on, America began to realize that an educated citizenry can push the world forward. The American ideals of opportunity and “the pursuit” would spill over into the world of higher education, such that historically underrepresented groups — minorities and low-income individuals — could also study at post-secondary institutions. This egalitarian practice was, I think, a noble one. However, the system that was set up to achieve this goal fell short. The system I allude to is financial aid. Everyone knows college is expensive — and over the years, it’s only gotten more so. In fact, according to a recent report published by the College Board, the average cost to attend a public university rose about 5.4 percent this year. Likewise, the price tag for private institutions increased 4.3 percent. These increases, coupled with the sobering fact that household incomes have been on a steady decline over the past three years, have left families all over the country with no recourse but to take out loans — private or federal — to finance their children’s education. And this is where things break down. Families and individuals are now borrowing at record-breaking rates. According to a USA Today article, “the amount of student loans taken out last year crossed the $100 billion mark for the first time, and total loans outstanding will exceed $1 trillion for the first time this year.” This exorbitant amount of borrowing is symptomatic of the larger problem: When everything is driven by capitalism, there can be no limit to prices, fees and profit — and a college is a business. What has emerged, as a result of the financial aid system and ever increasing tuition, is a cycle of borrowing that students and their families must enter in order to study and train in their profession of choice. This presents a paradox: While financial aid is supposed to be a means to secure the opportunity of higher education, it ends up leaving students with the immense monetary burden of their hopes and dreams. Nowadays, one must fight tooth and nail only to find a mountain of debt at the end of the rainbow — debt that is symbolically conferred via diploma. It makes sense — we buy everything. Now we must add education to that list. The outrage that students feel in response to this seemingly crippling system is just. We are the ones who must train and learn to better prepare ourselves for the fast-paced, highly specialized world out there — but in order to get there, we have to willingly encumber ourselves with debt. This will affect ‘life-cycle events’ such as purchasing a car or a home, and deciding when, or if, we can start a family.
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What we need is reform. President Obama recently announced a small step in the right direction. However, for those overburdened with debt already, his plan falls short. While we may be able to consolidate debt and see loans forgiven after 20 years of timely payments, we need more. The higher education system needs a cap on tuition raises and borrowing rates. Students everywhere should pressure their politicians for reform, and in the meantime manage their debt as responsibly as they can. Raising awareness constructively through petitioning and on-campus forums have to be our weapons in this fight to free ourselves from this bondage. After all, if we don’t speak out for ourselves, then who will?
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RINGS Tuesday 10:00 a.m. (from text)
Can I just give a shout out to the guy who rides a unicycle to class every day?
You, sir, are my hero.
585.672.4840 All calls subject to editing and truncation. Not all calls will be run. REPORTER reserves the right to publish all calls in any format.
compiled by Victor Group
Thursday 10:33 p.m. (from text)
Hey, can I order a large cheese pizza and some
cheese sticks?
Thursday 9:51 a.m. (from text)
The turf lights were on all night.
Tuition just went up another 3 percent. Thursday 10:10 a.m. (from text)
RINGS, I just saw sprinklers go off in the Infinity Quad... It’s been raining for the last week! WTF?! Sunday 12:32 a.m. (from text)
Hey Rings, if elephants had no trunks and no ears THEY WOULD BE [FLAPPING] TERRIFYING. Let’s keep elephants the way they are.
Friday 3:26 p.m. (from text)
Trying to study for my exam. This guy just sat next to me, loudly unwrapped his sandwich and proceeded to eat it, making me hungry and annoyed. Saturday 10:32 a.m. (from text)
What does week seven mean to engineering students? A BEER RUN SO LARGE THAT WE NEED A TRUCK. 31
Reporter, badass and stylish.