THURSDAY, FEB. 6, 2014
VOLUME 117 ISSUE 33
Spectrum The
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
“Knowing that we
have some members of our
campus who would love to
give blood but are not eligible
to do so, that can be seen as a deterrent for them and it kind of hurts a little bit.” – Kara Gravley-Stack
Statement Addresses Ineligible Blood Donors, Discourages Competitive Blood Drives Ineligible donors still able to help cause Lisa Marchand | Head News Editor Stock Photos | The Spectrum
After conquering her fear of needles, Cassie Hillen became a proud blood donor. With five donations under her belt, she was getting used to the routine. Then last winter, the junior food science major came down with mononucleosis. In the midst of her illness, she contracted jaundice, a temporary blood disorder that causes bruising and yellowing of the skin. Two months later, Hillen went to a Theta Chi Fraternity blood drive, but to her surprise, learned that she was permanently ineligible to be a donor. “I was kind of sad because I like to donate blood and I was also a little disappointed because I didn’t realize that (having jaundice) affected that much to where you can never donate again,” she said. The American Red Cross and the United Blood Services have extensive lists of eligibility requirements regulating who can and cannot donate. From medicines a person has taken to the countries someone has visited, dozens of reasons can limit people from temporarily, or even permanently, becoming a donor. Dena Wyum donated blood twice in high school before heading off for college. She couldn’t wait to keep donating. But after several failed attempts, she kept getting turned away. The senior human development and family science lecturer has normal levels of hemoglobin in her blood, but not quite enough to donate. She started taking iron supplements to raise her levels and continued to make appointments with the United Blood Services. The answer was always no. Although she knew the risks of donating with low levels of hemoglobin, she still wanted to help the cause. But because of strict federal guidelines regulating eligible blood donors, Wyum and many others like her have given up completely on donating blood. “I ended up being
frustrated by always being turned away so I stopped trying,” Wyum said. The department of Equity, Diversity and Global Outreach recently reached out, asking organizations and departments to include a new statement in all promotional materials for campus blood drives. They are also discouraging them from holding competitive blood drives. “While NDSU is inclusive in its policies, current federal regulations prevent particular individuals and groups from donating blood at this time,” the email said. “Please be aware that some members of our campus population may not be able to donate blood for a wide variety of reasons.” Kara Gravley-Stack is the director of diversity initiatives at NDSU and helped develop the campus-wide statement. She said that in recent years, many departments have sponsored blood drives, sometimes as competitions, that have been crucial to the area’s blood supply. However, she said she has consistently heard concerns from those who are ineligible to donate, especially when the message is “Everybody’s encouraged.” “Knowing that we have some members of our campus who would love to give blood but are not eligible to do so,” Gravley-Stack said, “that can be seen as a de-
West Dining Center supervisor retires
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terrent for them and it kind of hurts a little bit.” Aside from those who have contracted specific illnesses, some groups and individuals are permanently ineligible simply for being at high risk for certain diseases. If someone has been or is at risk for being exposed to the HIV virus, they can never donate blood. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 63 percent of Americans with HIV are homosexual men. Along with being director of diversity initiatives, Gravley-Stack is also the campus coordinator for the LGBTQ program. “We have heard concerns from people in the LGBTQ community, but that’s not the only community (effected),” she said. “That’s the one (group) that people will often go to first but there are a number of other folks who don’t meet those eligibility requirements.” Gravley-Stack said that although the LGBTQ community is often the focus of discussion revolving around HIV exposure and the inability to donate blood, that is not why her team composed the email. She said they wanted to dev e l o p a statement that they were comfortable recommending to the entire university. “We wanted to make sure we
NDSU SChool of music kicks off jazz festival
9
BLOOD | PAGE 3
Freshman spotlight: Bree whatman
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MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
Dinan, an all-girls dorm on campus, will remodel every bathroom on each level by next year.
Bathroom Remodels to Come to Two Residence Halls Students can expect better conditions by fall semester Josh Francis Staff Writer
The North Dakota University System is putting millions of dollars into new toilets and showers. The State Board of Higher Education voted unanimously on Thursday to approve more than $2 million for remodeling bathrooms in NDSU’s Stockbridge and Dinan Residence Halls. “The project is required because the community-style lavatories have exceeded their useful life,” a staff report said. “The students desire a private layout, and the fin-
ishes, fixtures and piping are failing. “The waste piping is severely corroded and several plumbing fixtures have had to be removed from service because the piping no longer works.” Dinan Hall resident Josie Carlson, sophomore nursing major, said the bathrooms are outdated and the showers have low water pressure. She said she welcomes the improvements. “It is exciting, but since we won’t be living here (next semester) there is the disappointment of missing them by a year,” Carlson said. “It definitely needs to be done, and it will make community bathrooms a better experience.” “The added privacy for the showers will be great. It will change it from feeling like camp showers to your own,” she added. The bathroom remodel is a non-state funded capital project that is a part of the
2012 Campus Facility Master Plan. The bathroom renovations are phases two and three of a plan to replace outdated bathrooms on campus. One bathroom stack in Stockbridge Hall was previously renovated. Stockbridge and Dinan Halls were listed by the university as having the worst bathroom conditions and were first on the list to be remodeled. The report said the renovation of the Dinan bathroom stack and the remaining Stockbridge bathroom stack will start in May and wrap up in August while most classes are not in session. Dinan Hall was built in 1954 and Stockbridge Hall in 1957. The SBHE also approved $700,000 in additional spending for the North Dakota 4-H Camp project, to increase the total amount allotted to $2.6 million.
How many student organizations are you involved in? 0 organizations 1 organization 2 organizations
28% 31% 24%
This project has been in the NDSU Campus Master Plan since 2010. The site is located near Washburn, N.D, and is used for summer camps and NDSU Extension Service staff trainings, according to a staff report. Three cabins and a main lodge at the camp need renovations and repairs. Construction is expected to take place from spring to the end of the year, the report said. The SBHE also approved a $300,000 Memorial Union freight elevator upgrade. The current elevator was installed in 1952. Dining Services uses the elevator to move goods in and out of the dining court in the basement. A staff report said the elevator has safety issues, and several near-miss accidents have been reported every year. The project is set to begin in May and wrap up in June, the report said.
does poor weather affect your class attendance? yes
55%
NO 45% 8% 3+ organizations 8% Jan. 28 ‘Tuesday Two’ Results
3 organizations
3
THE SPECTRUM | NEWS | THURS, FEB. 6, 2014
International programs give information for students online Colton Pool
Co-News Editor
NDSU is presenting students with an opportunity to take their studies in new and foreign lands across seas in a whole new way. Rather than giving faceto-face speeches about the Study Abroad programs,
NDSU International Programs presented the NDSU Virtual Study Abroad Fair this week on their website. To start the fair off Monday, Study Abroad advisor Callie Dominique K. Speer gave an overview of the various programs available to students. Speer said there are more than 1,400 programs to choose from. While there are a number of different kinds of programs available for students to study across the American borders, Speer said there are ways to find the right program for an individual student regardless of major or standing.
“It’s also a little intimidating, I know,” Speer said. “But the nice thing is you don’t have to follow every single program. You can just find one program that is the program for you.” During the overview on Monday, Speer highlighted several programs in various countries including Japan, Denmark and France. For the first day of the virtual fair, two returnees gave their takes on their experiences with Study Abroad programs. Shelby Moenster first gave her presentation on her time at Aarhus University in Denmark. She said she went
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through a culture shock when she first experienced European fashion. “Going to NDSU, I will wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt everyday to class,” Moenster said. “But in Denmark, you don’t go out in your sweats unless you’re going out to the gym. It’s a lot different than it is here.” Moenster also said there was a noticeable language barrier in her time there. Along with that, Moenster said she noticed a difference of personalities between America and Denmark. “Danish culture is really interesting for me,” Moen-
ster said. “They’re pretty reserved.” Then, Rachel Austin talked about her time in Granada, Spain. She said that during her time studying in another country, she formed tight bonds with other students who are now scattered across the United States. “I became so close to those people, and I was only there for five weeks,” Austin said. “So I can only imagine if I was there for six months.” Afterward, Speer gave a general review of Study Abroad. She included due dates and deadlines to make
payments and for possible scholarships for those who take part in the programs. Also on the schedule for the weeklong fair was a faculty-led session Tuesday and a session dedicated for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics students Wednesday. Affiliate providers of Study Abroad are set to present Thursday, while Study Abroad scholarships will round the schedule off Friday. “Apply for scholarships so that you can really get as much bang for your buck as possible, and study where you want to study,” Moenster said.
Round-the-Clock Counseling Services Available at NDSU Fargo-based nonprofit to provide support at nine campuses Josh Francis Staff Writer
Students who need help from the university’s Counseling Center don’t have to wait until it’s open to talk to someone. The North Dakota University System recently received a $282,520 boost for mental health services. A portion of that will be used to implement afterhours crisis intervention and emergency services at nine campuses. The system is looking to utilize a nonprofit that NDSU and UND already use to ensure students have access to counseling services 24/7. Both universities are partnered with Fargo-based nonprofit, FirstLink, which prevents any call from going unanswered. NDSU and FirstLink have been working together for more than 15 years, said Marlys Borkhuis, assistant director of the NDSU Counseling Center. “The Mental Health Task Force, which is comprised of a representative
from each of the eleven campuses, are currently working with FirstLink to see if this same set of services is something that FirstLink would be able to accommodate for all eleven campuses,” said Becky Lamboley, the NDUS director of student affairs. If a student calls the Counseling Center after hours, his or her call will forward to FirstLink, which can assist a student in a variety of ways. If the student needs someone to talk to about a problem they are having or even if they are contemplating suicide, FirstLink is able to provide them assistance, Lamboley said. “Crises don’t always happen 8 to 5, so it is important to provide a means for obtaining help after hours,” Borkhuis said. FirstLink also answers calls made to the North Dakota’s 211 helpline and suicide lifeline. They also serve a small portion of Minnesota. Lamboley told the State Board of Higher Education during their Jan. 30 meeting that the Mental Health Task Force is looking into utilizing FirstLink at each of the remaining nine campuses. She said they are talking with FirstLink to figure out costs for the system-wide implementation. If FirstLink is unable to provide similar services to every campus, the task force
would look for similar agencies, but Lamboley said she doesn’t anticipate that being the case. “NDUS as well as the Mental Health Task Force are excited to implement this service as soon as we are able,” Lamboley said. The implementation of the after-hours crisis intervention service is one of four major projects the task force is working on. NDSU and UND also have psychiatric support services, behavioral intervention teams and mental health first aid-trained staff, but the university system is looking at implementing those services at its other nine campuses as well. The task force also recommended expanding psychiatric support services at its two largest campuses. Lamboley told the SBHE that the task force was looking into ways for psychiatric support services to be made available by telecommunication for its smaller campuses. She said in many of their college communities, there aren’t adequate mental health support services for students on campus or off. The system plans to train behavior intervention teams at each school by the end of spring. Those teams will monitor student behavior and intervene when necessary to prevent incidents or crises.
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were being clear in it that we recognize that there are reasons that some people who might wish to give cannot give, so we were wanting to be general about it,” Gravley-Stack said. Tami Kilzer is the blood drive coordinator for United Blood Services in Fargo. She said that only five percent of the entire population chooses to donate blood. Of that small number, United Blood Services only turns away 10 percent. Strict FDA federal guidelines dictate the extensive list of eligibilty requirements. “It’s for the safety of the donor and the recipient,” Kilzer said. “There really are no exceptions.” University students and employees are not legally obligated to disclose medical history for any reason. Gravley-Stack said that for people who are aware
of their ineligibility, being asked to participate in campus blood drives can be discouraging. “It kind of puts the person in an uncomfortable situation,” she said. “I shouldn’t have to disclose that to people, but if I feel like I’m being pressured into participating, that makes a very uncomfortable work environment for me.” The director of diversity initiatives and her team decided to go ahead with the message as an educational piece. Rather than approach the American Red Cross or United Blood Services with the situation, they chose to act on their own. Kilzer of United Blood Services said that their organization was unaware of the campus-wide request, but that she understands why they did it. “We certainly respect the message that NDSU put out
there and we appreciate the blood drives that are held on campus,” Kilzer said. She said that 20-30 percent of the Fargo-Moorhead area’s blood supply comes from university- and high school-sponsored blood drives. She said “every drop counts,” but those who can’t donate blood can help out in other ways. Kilzer said that United Blood Services is always in need of blood drive coordinators. “That’s a very important role in helping to spread the word of the importance of blood donation,” she said, “so while they might not be eligible to give, they’re doing a very, very important part.” Gravley-Stack also suggested ineligible donors recruit people who can donate blood or give monetary donations to blood donation organizations.
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THURSDAY, FEB. 6, 2014
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
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MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
Aquina Beck has cherished her 14-year career spent with NDSU students and staff at the West Dining Center.
Beck Beckons on a New Life Award-winning supervisor retires after 14 fruitful years
Connor Dunn Features Editor
Aquina Beck always has a smile on her face. Whether she is preparing food in the back, stocking up the sandwich bar or cleaning tables and floors, the West Dining Center supervisor loves what she does. However, the WDC will have a different feel with the departure of this beloved employee. “She has been an inspiration to me. She has taught me from the first day I got here,” said Leta Holsinger, WDC cashier. “She has that infectious personality that everybody who is around her is always in a good mood.” In a 14-year career that brought her a Gunkelman Award, a National Residence Hall Honorary membership and countless days of happy interaction with the students and staff at NDSU, Beck retired on Monday to spend more time with grandchildren, her father and loving husband. Beck began her time at NDSU in 2000 when she was hired as a supervisor for the p.m. shift at the WDC. Beck already had experience in the food business coming from a family that took pride in great food, 15 years providing meals for her own home daycare and a year and a half spent at the University of North Dakota’s dining centers. “When my husband was transferred from Grand Forks here to Fargo, there was no doubt about it that NDSU was right for me and that I wanted to stay in the university system,” Beck said. “I like getting to know the students, and there is a wide variety here, which make it a very good place to work.” One of Beck’s main duties during the p.m. shift was to ensure student employees,
as well as the full-time staff, were present and assigned to different tasks. Beck also worked with fellow staff members to make sure everything was in place for every meal. This included serving entrees and making sure the salad bar, sandwich bar and desserts were constantly filled. Even with all of the different tasks and responsibilities Beck oversees, she said she perceives her job as simple. “I enjoy putting out a nice meal, making it presentable and knowing it’s good quality food that students can enjoy,” Beck said. Students are a main focus for Beck, and she has cherished the opportunity to see students every day. Beck also said she enjoys to have some of those students recognize her and give a friendly greeting. “I like to think I’m a people person, so I try to get out and know students by name if that’s possible,” Beck said. “I like to just stop and ask these students how things are going, because I strongly believe that deep down, it means something to all of us to feel that somebody cares.” Beck said one of the perks of her job is the relationship between the athletic department and the dining centers; she and the dining staff have created close-knit relationships with many of the football and basketball players. “Just getting to know people and getting the pat on the back that we’ve done a good job are my two favorite things about this job,” Beck said. In 2004, Beck received a pat on the back when she was the recipient of the Gunkelman Award, which is an annual award that honors a student, faculty or staff member who has made the most significant and unselfish contribution to a happy environment
MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
at NDSU. In an NDSU news release from 2004, former WDC employee Matt Hoesel wrote, “She is a very friendly and outgoing person. She is always nice to the students and takes time to ask how they are doing. She is a great supervisor, and I enjoy working with her. She makes coming to work fun.” Former NDSU professor of soil science, John Enz, wrote, “Beck greets everyone with a big smile, a friendly hello or ‘how are you?’ Ms. Beck obviously enjoys her job immensely and shares the joy with everyone. Her enthusiasm and friendliness are infectious.” In 2007, Beck received another accolade: membership in the National Residence Hall Honorary, the premiere honorary dedicated to recognizing leaders in residence halls.
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Beck believes it will be tough to say goodbye to some of the dining center staff she has worked with for the past 12 to 14 years, but she has plenty in store for the near future. “My husband and I will be spending a lot more time with our six grandchildren, four of whom are actively involved in school functions,” Beck said. “I also have a father out in Montana that I need to be with a little more as he grows older.” Relaxation, an open mind and some crossed off bucket list items are in store for Beck. “My husband has always wanted to work in Medora, N.D., so who knows?”
THURSDAY, FEB. 6, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
5 NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
PHOTO COURTESY OF | KAY BECKERMAN, NDSU PERFORMING ARTS
Jazz bassist Brian Torff is one of three guest artists headlining the NDSU Jazz Festival on Feb. 7 and 8.
NDSU Jazz Festival Showcases Spectrum of Performers Jack Dura
Staff Writer
This Friday and Saturday, the NDSU School of Music kicks off a showcase of jazz music with a collaboration spanning schools and skills. As a high school invitational, this program will be presenting jazz music of all kinds for and by high school students. Three renowned guest artists will be heading the helm with the NDSU Jazz Ensemble along for the ride as well. Bassist Brian Torff, trumpet Larry Williams and saxophonist David Milne are slated for the stage during this two-day festival, offering their insight to regional music students, as well as playing right alongside them. Torff, a jazz bassist/composer and music program director at Fairfield University,
is no stranger to North Dakota even though he is East Coast-based. “I’ve taught at the International Music Camp, about ten years or so ago, so I know some of the guys who are on the faculty there,” he said. “I think I also maybe played at this festival one time before, many years ago.” Though this festival will not allow for a spotlight solo performance of any of the guest artists, their collaborations with area students will offer snapshots of their skills. They are also giving master classes and working closely with the NDSU Jazz Ensemble and high school bands, as well as critiquing performances. These clinics are free and open to the public. For his collaborative performance, Torff has something a little different up his sleeve
in relation to his trumpet and saxophone counterparts. “My performance will be a little bit more contemporary, so I would say it…crosses into more of the rock and pop arena and a little world music,” he said. “I have a feeling that my material will be a little more contemporary than maybe some of the other things that you’ll hear that night.” Broken up into two days, each concert will showcase something different. The first night will feature the smaller groups with a student focus, while the festival will conclude on the second night with a blowout performance between the three guest artists and the NDSU Jazz Ensemble. For those who cannot attend the Feb. 8 concert, a video feed will be available from livestream.com. For Torff, working and playing so closely
with these high school and college students is a real reward, as showcasing performers from all areas of the spectrum is what this festival is about at its core. Put those talents together with the swanky styles of jazz music, and everyone is in for a good time. “I think it’ll be a really great energy,” Torff said. “The students will play with a lot of enthusiasm, [and] we really get excited working with young talent.” The NDSU School of Music High School Invitational Jazz Festival is Feb. 7 and 8. The Jazz Combos Concert is at 6 p.m. on Feb. 7 in Beckwith Recital Hall, and is free and open to the public. The Jazz Festival Concert is at 7 p.m. on Feb. 8. Tickets will cost $5 for adults, $2 for seniors and students, and are free for NDSU students with a valid I.D.
Two-Person Play Fulfills Wish of DC Comics Shakes Up Creative Teams Lobdell is gone; Late Theatre B Ensemble Member Johns and Romita Jack Dura
Staff Writer
Starting the second half of the 2013-2014 season at downtown Fargo’s Theatre B is Rajiv Joseph’s “Gruesome Playground Injuries.” A small show, this play puts just two actors onstage in a nonlinear timespan that sees two old friends during the most critical moments of their lives. “It’s a lovely show, it’s a wonderful script, and it’s very B. I mean, it’s got B all over it,” director Pam Strait said. “The playwright is right in our wheelhouse, but part of the reason this play is in our season is because Matthew Burkholder loved it.” Burkholder, an ensemble member of Theatre B, starred in and directed numerous plays at the downtown venue, and was the driving force behind “Gruesome Playground Injuries” earning a slot this season. Unfortunately, he passed away in December 2012 following a battle with cancer before he could see his selection come to life. “This was his baby, his legacy, so this wasn’t something I was planning on doing, but it is indeed something I’ve fallen in love with,” Strait said. Following two friends, Dougie and Kayleen, from their chance meeting in the nurse’s office as 8 year olds, “Gruesome Playground Injuries” analyzes their friendship by peeking in at their lives at various junctures on their journey. Playwright Joseph jumps around in the progression of their story, in a style similar to “Momentum,” Strait said. At times seeing each other fairly regularly and once for the first time in five years, Dougie and Kayleen find a kind of comfort in each other amid life’s storms. However, their struggles to connect to each other and to define and find their love are somewhat of
a barrier to their progression. “We are seeing them at their crisis moments…the moments that define them as human beings,” Strait explained. “They are so damaged. They’re just fundamentally broken, and each of them sees in the other something that can either heal themselves or that they can help.” Taylor Schatz and Christina Johnson portray the play’s characters, and both are no strangers to the stage. Schatz, among many other area performances such as “Young Frankenstein” and “Rumors,” appeared in “ReEntry,” Theatre B’s partnership performance with the Fargo VA Hospital in the fall of 2012. Johnson was seen just a year ago in Theatre B’s Incubator Series production “Sweet Nothing: A Grim Fairytale.” “They’re perfectly balanced, and they are so tuned in to these people,” Strait said. “Their performances are so nuanced that we really get a peek into these people. It’s amazing.” Altogether, “Gruesome Playground Injuries” represents a legacy of one of Theatre B’s own performers while examining a friendship that searches for strength out of weakness. Two people brought together by chance who remain loyal despite time and distance and distress; that is what this play hits upon, and the moments that define what friendship really is. “Gruesome Playground Injuries” is presented at Theatre B at 716 Main Ave. at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday through Saturday from Feb. 6 to Feb. 22 with an ASL performance on Feb. 8 and a 2 p.m. matinee on Feb. 16. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students and are available at the box office and by phone at 701-729-8880.
Jr. take over Superman Steven Strom A&E Editor
We’ve known for a while now that John Romita Jr., the artist best known for drawing just about every Marvel series at one point or another, would be taking over illustration on Superman. What we didn’t know is who would be handling the writing duties. DC Comics was definitely hyping their wannabe-flagship character’s new direction, saying that it would at the very least be an Alist writer. Now it seems that writer is none other than DC golden boy, Geoff Johns. Since the beginning of DC Comics’ New 52 relaunch just over two years ago, Johns has worked on Justice League, Aquaman, Green Lantern, Justice League of America and the current event series Forever Evil. Bleeding Cool reported that President of DC Entertainment Diane Nelson asked Johns to restrict his writing to just two books. Johns left his new, critically lauded Aquaman run along with Green Lantern and Justice League of America. That left just the main Justice League title and some mystery solo series project. Now Bleeding Cool is saying that the mystery project is the very same series that tempted Romita Jr. across the fence. There’s no word yet on whether the series will be relaunched at issue no. 1 or just start a new
arc, but DC has yet to renumber an ongoing series since the beginning of the New 52. Previously, Superman was written by Scott Lobdell and illustrated by Kenneth Rocafort. Interestingly, Superman was the last of Lobdell’s ongoing series at DC after the cancellation of Teen Titans and James Tynion IV taking over Red Hood and the Outlaws. Hints by DC indicate that he might show up again in the company’s new weekly comics initiative, but no official statements have been made as of yet. These are only a few of the big changes happening at DC, as the company has cut a swathe through its less successful titles. Talon, Batman: The Dark Knight, Animal Man, Teen Titans and Nightwing have all been cancelled in addition to the creator shifts. The past few months have been something of a mess over at DC. Major creators like W. Haden Blackman and J.H. Williams III have left the company entirely while some, like Gail Simone, have been intentionally removed from their titles (although Simone was put back on Batgirl almost immediately, thanks to fan outcry). It’s a shame. DC’s New 52 was the event that got me into reading single-issue comics, but these days I find my stack increasingly comprised of more Image and Marvel books than the house that Batman built. While I’m a huge fan of Romita Jr.’s art, Johns’ brand of writing can be incredibly hit-or-miss (Aquaman was shockingly great, but his Green Lantern ended with more of a wet flop than a bang). Hopefully the company has something in the works, as I would prefer not to write off the universe entirely. At least DC Vertigo is as great as ever.
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THE SPECTRUM | A&E | THURS, FEB. 6, 2014
Weiss
Comedian Feeds Off NDSU Crowd’s Energy
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McKenzie Freeze Contributing Writer
“You ever poop so bad you have to shower after?” It’s an awkward yet effective opening joke; Comedian Eric O’Shea (YouTube star known for his Creative Emmy’s performance “Songs for Commercials”) brought unique and quirky comedy on Tuesday, Jan. 21, to NDSU’s Memorial Union. With about 200 students watching in the Great Plains Ballroom, the event orga-
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could relate to, which added to the humor. He supplemented this interactive style by bringing witty punch lines and goofy humor. O’Shea covered many topics, such as the lack of strictness among parents, road kill and late-night TV. He also poked fun at the cold area that is Fargo and the lack of entertainment options in the region. His best trait was using his unique style of delivery and perspective to create jokes that connected with a lot of the audience. Simple
and not over the top, his energy gave the crowd a chill vibe while also keeping them entertained and constantly on their toes. Before the comedian left, he gave a live performance of his famous bit “Songs for Commercials.” O’Shea gave NDSU a great, high-quality show that most students may not have expected. O’Shea gave a great performance and continues on his nationwide college tour.
Nintendo Founding Family Sells Shares Steven Strom
Johnson’s Barn Dances 2 Miles North of Arthur, ND on Highway 18
nized by Campus Attractions staff members turned out to be a great success. A lot of the hour-long stand-up performance featured the comedian feeding off and returning the crowd’s energy. From lightly making fun of some of the audience members, to making improvements based on their responses to some of his jokes, it felt like more of a conversation than a routine. He also asked the students attending “Have you ever...” and “You know when...” questions that they
In September of last year, the world lost Hiroshi Yamauchi, grandson of Nintendo founder Fusajiro Yamauchi and the man most responsible for changing the company from a playing card manufacturer into a video game juggernaut. The company is in a much more dire situation than it was when the younger Yamauchi took over, however. Poor market penetration of the Wii U — even in the face of record consoles sales at Sony and Microsoft — have led many to wonder about the future of Nintendo. Those who no longer wish to be a part of the Nintendo family are, quite literally, the current members of the company’s founding family. Yamauchi’s four children, who inherited his stock when he died, have informed the console manufacturer that it intends to sell its 9.5 million stock
shares back to the company for a whopping $1.1 billion. The family has given no clear reason for their decision as of yet. However, this announcement comes immediately after Nintendo showed abysmal Wii U sales and adjusted sales projections on both their console and the 3DS handheld. Stocks in the company dropped more than 15 percent after the financial forecast. The company’s current CEO, Satoru Iwata, outlined plans to turn the company around during a strategy briefing in Osaka last week. However, the plan failed to drum up much optimism. The briefing included several interesting announcements, including a release window for Mario Kart 8 (this May), Nintendo DS games will soon be playable on the Wii U, and the company will license out its characters to other companies — although they will not appear in games on nonNintendo consoles. Iwata, along with several other high-ranking Nintendo
Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata holds the Wii U Gamepad.
PHOTO COURTESY OF | DIGITAL TRENDS
executives, also took a 50 percent salary cut in a gesture toward helping the company find its footing. Perhaps the most important news was that Nintendo has no plans to drop the price of the Wii U further. When the system launched, its primary SKU retailed for $349 in the United States. Since then, it has seen a modest price cut to $299 along with several bundles including ‘The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD” and “New Super Mario Bros. U.” In spite of all the bad news and pessimism surrounding Nintendo, the
company is incredibly solvent. As of last year, it is still completely without debt and registers $8.6 billion in the bank, according to Nintendo Life. Hopefully this decision was made for personal reasons and not a lack of confidence in the company. While I haven’t agreed with many of Nintendo’s business (or game design, for that matter) practices in the past, it would be a shame for the industry to lose the company. Regardless, this will be the loss of about a century’s worth of family history at Nintendo.
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WWW.NDSU.EDU/STUDYABROAD Explore opportunities abroad through online video presentations about returnee student experiences, financial aid and scholarships, upcoming summer and semester program highlights, and special
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The Funny or the Feels
Are Super Bowl commercials better when they are funny or sentimental? Caleb Werness Opinion Editor
With over 250,000 million viewers, the Super Bowl has the most coveted ad time of any television event in America. The ad space gets sold in 30-second increments for around $4 million. That is approximately $133,000 per second. This creates high viewer expectations for ads when the game takes its commercial breaks. Over the years there have been many memorable commercials. Some were funny, others were ridiculous and some offer nice sentiment. When thinking back, commercials by Budweiser, Doritos, Go Daddy and the various car commercials leave a lasting impression. What makes these commercials so much more memorable than the others they shared time with? This year had some profound ads, but which ones will stay in the viewer’s mind? Many people I have talked to when asked to recall some of their favorite Super Bowl commercials think back to the ads that were funny. Some memorable ads include Honda’s
commercial with Matthew Broderick and his modern day Ferris Buehler shenanigans. Or the “free Doritos” with the snow globe through the vending machine. For some reason, getting a laugh makes a 30-second commercial much more memorable. This year, however, featured not as much humor but more sentimental and “feels” if you will. The Budweiser ad with the Golden Retriever puppy and the Clydesdale is rated as the best ad of the Super Bowl. Axe also featured the “make love, not war” with war like settings ending happily with couples expressing their love towards one and other. Another ad that has received a large amount of hype was the Coca-Cola commercial in which the song “America the Beautiful” was sung in multiple language to emphasis America’s diversity. Chrysler brought back its famous “imported from Detroit” slogan of American pride featuring Bob Dylan. Many of the commercials that stood out this year were not the humorous ones. Will these ads last the test of time? Does an ad have to been funny to be memorable? I would say no. One of the most famous Super Bowl ads is the one of “Mean” Joe Green tossing his jersey to a kid who offered him his Coca-Cola. What I think makes a good Super Bowl commercial section is a mix of both. It is good to have both laughs and feels. Too much of one gets overwhelming. It is always enjoyable to see what comes up during the one time of year in which people look forward to the commercials. Caleb is a sophomore majoring in English.
Heavy Workload May Improve Quality of Life Colton Pool
Spectrum Staff
Stress: it’s everyone’s favorite kind of emotion, right? Everyone should love that feeling of dealing with multiple deadlines in a single day, all while foregoing the pressures we experience from friends and family to forget the work and embrace the play. So how could this stress be good for anyone? First, there should be a disclaimer. If a student is getting only four hours of sleep a night because the student is dedicating hours upon hours to study, work and study some more without any social life, I strongly advice you to check out the fantastic counseling center we have at the Wellness Center. However, just the right amount of stress can not only urge, but also force a person to unbelievable new heights. The expression that pressure turns coal into diamonds certainly applies here. There is no challenge for the coal if it isn’t ever pushed, pulled sideways or stretched apart by surrounding forces. The coal has to go through inexplicable forces to change at all. However, the result can be breathtaking in beauty while admirable in composition. The same could be said for an everyday student, including the great pool of pupils we have on campus at North Dakota State.
How is one ever supposed to grow if there is only so much stress applied? No, it is not only our responsibility, but also our right to push ourselves to new heights. This is why students come to NDSU in the first place. They want to get a degree while learning along the way. But it is up to the individual how much development should take place. There are plenty of people who are under stress everyday. Being student media sure isn’t easy. Writing stories under deadline, editing packages on time for a newscast or simply being the first one to get to a story can be simply overwhelming. Which is one reason I love it so much. It makes me better as a person. Getting time away from the couch and in the office is going to make me exponentially better as a reporter when I come out of college. But that’s not even the best part. I’m thinking it should force me to become a better person, too. There are few ways of learning how to appreciate something, but I believe the best way is by working for it. If a person can work to attain their dreams of getting that job or getting that salary to support a family, then that person can truly appreciate everything he/she has. All of this can happen with the proper application of one thing: stress. Colton is a junior majoring in journalism.
JCPenney Got Biggest Bang for its Buck at 2014 Super Bowl Emma Heaton Spectrum Staff
Budweiser had the top 2014 Super Bowl advertisement, rated by AdWeek. The one-minute ad cost the company approximately $8 million. JCPenney opted out of a big-buck commercial slot and opted for real-time marketing instead. And it paid off. Real-time marketing has been successful in the past. Marketing and communication students and professionals are still talking about Oreo’s “You can still dunk in the dark” tweet that was released during the blackout at the 2013 Super Bowl. Although JCPenney did not impress quite as much as Oreo did, it was definitely on its social-media game. JCPenney’s first tweet that caught people’s eyes stated, “Who kkmew theis was ghiong tob e a baweball ghamle. #lowsscorinh 5_0.” According to AdWeek’s Twitter feed, JCPenney either waited too long, or not long enough, to reveal what the jumbled tweets were all about. However, JCPenney only tweeted twice while “tweeting with mittens” over a span of 25 minutes. Within that amount of time, JCPenney was able to evoke several responses. Kia was one of the first company’s to respond to JCPenney asking if it needed a designated driver.
Other people on the social media site tweeted at JCPenney advising them to fire its intern or to simply, “Go home, you’re drunk.” Additionally, if people have paid slightly closer attention to JCPenney’s Twitter feed, they would have realized what the company was doing. It tweeted about its product— Team USA mittens—before the game even started. JCPenney revealed the mittens trick 34 minutes later, which was enough time for these responses and even entire articles to be written about the mysterious tweets. If the company had waited longer, like AdWeek suggested, people would have become bored. There were tons of compelling advertisements to watch, so consequently, people would have lost interest. Not only did JCPenney time out its stunt perfectly, but responded appropriately to companies that used its marketing efforts to their own advantages. On Monday, JCPenney tweeted a photo back to Snickers, saying, “The wrapper’s proving a bit tricky. #SnickersWithMittens #TweetingWithMittens.” The day after the Super Bowl, AdWeek released that JCPenney was mentioned the most times on Twitter, right behind Budweiser. Maybe AdWeek’s social media coordinator shouldn’t have spoken so soon. C+, AdWeek. Emma is a senior majoring in journalism. Follow her on Twitter @emmajheaton2.
@jcpenney
We’re ready for the big game no matter the temp. Staying warm thanks to #TeamUSA mittens! http://jcp.is/1gEDSpX pic.twitter.com/pqocEbkC9K
@jcpenney
Who kkmew theis was ghiong tob e a baweball ghamle. #lowsscorinh 5_0
@jcpenney
Toughdown Seadawks!! Is sSeattle going toa runaway wit h this???
@kia
Hey @jcpenney need a designated driver?
@snickers Eat a #SNICKERS, you’re not you when you’re hungry RT @ JCPenney Who kkmew theis was ghiong tob e a baweball ghamle. #lowsscorinh 5_0
@JCPENNEY Oops...Sorry for the typos. We were #TweetingWithMittens. Wasn’t it supposed to be colder? Enjoy the game! #GoTeamUSA
Introverts vs. Extroverts: A Phase or Genre of People? Amber Zolondek Staff Writer
I have never quite understood the concept of being surrounded by people, of all likes really. Friends, strangers, partners, new acquaintances, they all seem to have things to say and do, but I rarely feel a connection strong enough that makes me feel the desire to stick around. Maybe it is the fact that I am an only child or perhaps more likely to be wired as an introvert. But it seems as though when I express my lack of desire to be in a public place, the reaction I receive isn’t disgust or contempt
anymore, its agreement. Is being alone the new social norm? For years, in middle school and high school, everyone wanted to hang out, be around one another, text, call and message on Facebook. Constant contact, essentially. I couldn’t understand why that would be a possibility, let alone having others want to hang out with me. Naturally, wanting to fit in, I did just that. I went to movies and parties, walked with big groups in the mall that were practically filled with strangers, I had come to scratch the surface of each and every one of the people in my so-called “circle” just to gain a sense of knowing and friendship. Like most admit, as I moved up in years and grades, I noticed a pattern. It seemed
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that people either only spoke to me for favors or help, or lost contact altogether. It was sort of sad, yet relieving. I had finally received this release of sustained encirclement that seemed to choke me and steal what little free time I had. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate the friendship; it was more of a quantity over quality issue. Lord Byron once said, “I only go out to get me a fresh appetite for being alone,” and I don’t know if I could put it more plainly than that. Unfortunately, many confuse my appreciation for being alone with hostility and dislike. It’s not that, I really do love and treasure my friends; I just value being alone equally. What makes me curious about introverts and those slowly modifying, is why
now? Was it because perhaps we were younger and trying to fit in with our peers, or was there a deeper sense of acceptance than there was at home? Could it have been just simple loneliness? We often fill a void in our lives with people, and that can get dangerous. While introversion is not anything to be fixed, it is complicated and fascinating. It is a state of mind, typically describing a self-centered person, but there is nothing wrong with wanting to be alone. It may be a sign of our maturity, or it may be possible that times have changed, and so have we. Amber is a sophomore majoring in public relations and advertising. Also check out her blog http://addcreamandsugar.blogspot. com.
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Ryan Perrault, the NDSU sports information director, works at the women’s basketball game against Denver, Colo.
A Day in the Life Sports Information Director Ryan Perrault Connor Dunn Spectrum Staff
With mental preparation, last-second game plan alterations, warm-ups and most importantly a basketball game, game days are hectic for coaches and players. However, many do not even consider the behind-the-scenes work that makes any Bison basketball game possible all done by the hosts of the Bison Sports Arena: Ryan Perreault and his sports information team. “A lot of our work starts early in the week,” said Perreault, NDSU’s Sports Information Director. “With games typically on
Thursdays and Saturdays, we get the game notes ready on GoBison.com for media and the public on Monday.” In preparation, Perreault’s team prints out game notes, stats, standings and any other information pertinent to the game for the on-site media at the game. “On a typical game day we set up the press tables courtside two to three hours before a game,” Perreault said. “We want to ensure that radio announcers and newspaper writers, who are just showing up, have a clean place with power and Internet connectivity.” Although media is not the only focus for Perreault’s team in their preparation for a game, as they make sure an official scorer and scoreboard operator are in place and ready. “In our particular case here at NDSU, we are also closely associated with a pool of students who are in charge of the video production and web-streaming content of
Where is the Hype? Bison men set for biggest game of the season Saturday Sam Herder Sports Editor
Remember the week heading up to Oct. 5, 2013? It was dubbed the biggest game of the regular season. No. 4 Northern Iowa was coming to the Fargodome to clash with the No. 1 NDSU football team. Oh man, that was the talk of campus all week. Well, we finally hit the biggest regular season game of the winter. Yes sir, it will be a doozy as the Summit League second-place Bison team (16-6, 5-2) will try and avenge their Jan. 9 loss to Fort Wayne (18-6, 6-1) for a spot at the top of the standings. Yet, I’ve heard as many people talk about this game as the number of touchdowns Peyton Manning threw Sunday. My roommates and Spectrum co-workers don’t count. Once. I overheard a conversation about going to Saturday’s game once. The rest are about ice fishing this weekend, deporting Justin Bieber or where the next party is at, bro. Chances are, the student section will be relatively full come game time. The crowd will exceed 4,000 people and fans will be energetic the entire game. But chances are, this game won’t be treated like the UNI game. And that’s what I don’t understand.
I get BisoNation thinks Fargo is football heaven and nowhere else is like this place. But what this men’s basketball team has a chance to do is special. And in the sole case of gaining national exposure, this run will be more special than an FCS national championship. Of course, what means more to the school is a different case. But let’s take a look at this. The Summit League Championship Game is on ESPN2 March 11. Winning that game and making it to the NCAA Tournament brings the national coverage back to Fargo just leading up to the tournament. And you can bet the first round game will draw in a bigger TV audience than the FCS title game. And that’s why Saturday’s game against IPFW deserves more hype. With Omaha ineligible, the No. 1 seed gets a first round bye. With the tournament starting Saturday, March 8, the top seed doesn’t play until Monday, only needing two wins to go to the Big Dance. With a win, the Bison settle into a tie heading down the backstretch of the conference season. NDSU has five of its seven remaining games at home while the Mastodons are the opposite, going on the road five times in seven games. Bison fans swarmed the ticket offices to see the last games of Brock Jensen, Billy Turner, Marcus Williams and Grant Olson. What about Taylor Braun, TrayVonn Wright, Marshall Bjorklund and Mike Felt? Many probably do realize the talent this team has. Most fans realize this is the last year for a few years in which the Bison have a shot at making the NCAA Tournament. A majority recognizes that there are only five games left in the old Bison Sports Arena.
HYPE | PAGE 9
the game,” Perreault said. Opposing radio announcers and the team start to show up about 90 minutes before a game, so Perreault’s team welcomes them and guides them to where they need to go. An hour before the game, there is a final check with the scoreboard and the clock to assure both are properly functioning and that the game is going to start on time according to the time left for warm-ups. Thirty to fifteen minutes before tip-off, starting line-ups are turned in and then relayed by Perreault’s team to the radio and television announcers, so they can be up-todate with their graphics and information. The final pregame preparations include inputting all players and the starting line-ups into the statistics program that is displayed on the two scoreboards in the BSA. “During the game, we are in charge of Twitter updates, overlooking and delivering the stats and answering any questions the media has with records or trends,” Perreault
said. “We essentially work as the historians and record-keepers for all of our teams.” Once the game is done, Perreault’s team works with the stats crew to send out the final stats to the both teams, on-site media, the Summit League, all of the different wire services, such as ESPN and the Sports Network and finally the NCAA. Then, all attention turns to the postgame press conference and the radio’s postgame show, as players and coaches are shuffled back and forth by Perreault and crew between the locker rooms, radio table and conference room. “Mixed in with all of that is the story of the game that we write for our own website, GoBison.com, and that about wraps up our night,” Perreault said. About an hour after the game, Sports Information Director Ryan Perreault and his team are heading home satisfied with their work and hosting of another Bison basketball game at the BSA.
What We Learned from 2014 Super Bowl Joe Kerlin Staff Writer
And here we are. Another amazing NFL season has come to a close and with it brings a new champion. For the very first time, the Seattle Seahawks are the undisputed league champs. However, the anti-climactic Super Bowl didn’t do justice to how wild the 2013 football season was. Plays were made, games were won and stars were born. From breakout stars like Josh Gordon, to emerging talent in Carolina, through the process of the NFL season, much is learned and must be retained. The overall and emphatic lesson learned from the NFL season is that you can have 600 point teams, you can have over a quarter of the leagues quarterbacks throw over 4,000 yards and you can have two of those nine quarterbacks chuck the pigskin for over 5,000 yards, BUT nothing beats a wellcoached, technically sound, hard-nosed, I’m-going-to-smack-the-living-crap-out-ofyou attitude on defense. The Seahawks were the perfect example of the age-old theory of defenses winning championships. And excuse my hyperbole, but screw it, the Seahawks defense may be the highest-flying, most dangerous and most intimidating defense this league has EVER seen. Think about it. Peyton Manning came into Super Bowl 48 with a prolific offense; one this league has never seen (NFL record 606 points). A
few broken records later and Manning and his offense that averaged over 36 points a game were held to a mere eight points on the world’s biggest stage. The Broncos averaged over five touchdowns a game. That’s nearly one half of their total drives ending with touchdowns and they were held to one last Sunday. I would say, calling the Seahawk’s defense the best subjective isn’t even subjective; it’s a fact. The Seahawk defense was in the Manning’s face all night. Defensive lineman Red Bryant, Cliff Avril and Chris Clemons came with pressure the entire game, allowing the Seahawks’ linebackers and defensive backs to swarm on Broncos receivers as Manning struggled to push the ball down field. The highly touted secondary of the Seahawks were the story coming into Sunday’s matchup, but the pass rush stole the show. As Richard Sherman would tell you, there are no plays made in the secondary without a ferocious pass rush and his point was made Sunday night. Malcolm Smith may have walked away with the MVP, but in reality, every defender on the Seahawks defense made plays. But what’s dangerous about this defense compared to others in the past is where these defenders are in their careers. Young stars Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, Byron Maxwell and Sherman are all under the age of 26 and have all the potential of sticking around in Seattle for a long, long time. As contracts expire, the likelihood of this secondary being split up is real, but if
SUPER BOWL | PAGE 9
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THE SPECTRUM | SPORTS | THURS, FEB. 6, 2014
No. 20/21 Wrestling Loses at No. 15 Wisconsin Sam Herder Sports Editor
The North Dakota State University wrestling team was one win away from pulling off a signature win at No. 15 Wisconsin. Down 19-17 going into the final match, No. 10 Connor Medbery of Wisconsin took over the second period and scored a major decision over
No. 28 Evan Knutson 10-1 to help the Badgers to a 2317 win. It was a spirited battle for the Bison, which found them down 12-0 after three matches. No. 10 Ryan Taylor won by major decision over Hunter Weber, 15-4 at 125 pounds. No. 6 Tyler Graff won by tech fall over Justin LaValle, 19-4. Jesse Thielke extended the lead to 12-0 after defeating Clay
Cathey. NDSU got on the board with 149-pounder Tyler Diamond winning an 11-5 decision over TJ Ruschell. Wisconsin responded at 157 pounds when No. 6 Issac Jordan won by major decision over Nick Olejnik. The Bison began to make a run after, winning big matches. No. 3 Steven Monk extended his fivematch winning streak, win-
ning by tech fall over Frank Cousins to make the score 16-8. The Badgers recorded another win at 174 pounds, this one over NDSU’s No. 9 Hayden Zillmer, 3-2. NDSU got two straight wins at 184 and 197 pounds to make it 19-17 going into the final match. No. 27 Kurtis Julson started it off by winning a 4-3 decision over Jackson Hein. No. 30 Tyler Lehmann continued his pin-
ning spree, recording his fifth pin in six duals. His pin closed the lead to 19-17. Knutson had the last shot to pull off the upset. He was only down 4-1 after the first period, but Medbery took control and won with a major decision as the Badgers fought off the Bison for the 23-17 win. The loss ends a fivematch dual winning streak for the Bison, who sit at 7-4.
This was the first dual loss since December 2013. The Bison are in action again Friday, as they face Western Wrestling Conference foe Utah Valley on the road. NDSU then travels to Northern Colorado on Sunday for another conference dual matchup.
Freshman Spotlight: Bree Whatman Freshman guard from Australia adjusts to life as a Bison Corrie Dunshee
Contributing Writer
From the land down under to the frozen tundra of the northern plains, not many would say they would commit to such a leap. But if that leap meant that one could play basketball, then 7,500 miles away from home and a dramatic temperature drop in weather would be nothing compared to a 10-foot-high basketball rim. NDSU freshman guard Bree Whatman, an Australian native from Beaconsfield, Victoria, made that leap back in August. Beginning basketball at the ripe age of nine, Whatman started out playing little kids games and eventually fell in love with the game. Today, Whatman plays for the Bison women’s basketball team. A year before arriving at NDSU, Whatman began communicating with assistant coach Tom Goehle, who recruited her to the team. “The coaching staff is awesome,� Whatman said. “They make it very easy for me to adjust here and make it feel like home. All the girls are like my family.�
Adjusting to the culture in America is a little different for Whatman, but everything is generally the same. Having arrived in the summer, she was able to experience Fargo with beautiful trees before they disappeared. With freezing wind chills now in place, things could be a bit different. “I’ve never been in weather this cold before,� Whatman said, “so I’m trying to adjust to it right now.� But, with basketball and school keeping her busy, Whatman doesn’t have time to think about adjusting. In fact, she doesn’t have much free time at all. When she
does, she can normally be found either hanging out with teammates or studying for her classes. And, like many teenagers, she enjoys reading fantasy novels such as the “Harry Potter� series or “The Hunger Games.� Whatman can also be found walking wherever she goes or riding along with her teammates. When she does get off campus, Whatman usually ends up at Target or Scheels. In Australia, Whatman would normally be found at one of the many little cafes having coffee and hanging out with her friends. With Australia being more city-
based, Whatman can feel the size difference between there and Fargo. “Fargo is kind of small compared to where I live,� Whatman said. “There’s not really much to do around here.� With not much to do, Whatman can still possibly expect to hear a comment about her native accent. “I think everyone here is just surprised I’m from Australia,� Whatman said. When hanging in the dining center, Whatman has had people approach her and ask if she is the Australian. Others, like her teammates, joke around about
HYPE from page 8 So where is the excitement? Where is the buzz? Where is the hype? Is BisoNation too invested in college football’s signing day? Is BisoNation still pouting about the Nov.
JOSH FRANCIS | THE SPECTRUM
Australian native Bree Whatman is averaging 5.1 points per game and 2.6 assists per game as a freshman.
24 loss to North Dakota, because the blood-boiling rivalry is back after UND’s quarterback tweeted some mild trash talk? Let’s hope this isn’t the case. Let’s hope BisoNation
her accent and the way she pronounces the letter “r.� Not only does she deal with the accent, but also with the challenge of being far away from family. Back home, Whatman left behind her parents, older sister and Jack Russell terrier, all of whom she contacts through Skype when she can. With basketball taking place over winter break, she was not able to fly home, but will be able to in May. With four years of college studies and basketball ahead to keep her busy, the distance from her family may not be an issue. As a basketball player, she hopes
to play professionally in Europe and travel around as well. “It’s like a professional league over there,� Whatman said, “so once I’m done with my four years here, I can go play over there.� As a journalism major, Whatman hopes to become a sports journalist and return home to work in Australia. For now, Whatman is simply enjoying the time she spends with the Bison women’s basketball team. When asked about her opinions on traveling, Whatman said it’s tiring but enjoyable. “We usually fly back on Sundays at 4 o’clock in the morning, which kind of drains you but makes it fun,� Whatman said. And, as a member of a young team, there’s still a lot that can be learned. “We are a very young team,� Whatman said. “In a couple year’s time, we’ll be pretty experienced, which is good.� Whatman is not the only international player on the young team, either. Other international players on the Bison women’s basketball team are fellow Australian Marena Whittle (Vermont South, Victoria) and Brittany Wiebe (Brandon, Manitoba). So, with quite a busy schedule and a bright future ahead, Whatman has much to look forward to. And, with the team and coaches feeling like family, and Skype to help her out, 7,500 miles away from her real family may not seem like a far distance at all.
SUPER BOWL from page 8
truly shows they are some of the most devoted fans in college sports. Because, after all, the Bison men’s basketball team could put a stamp on a nationally historic year for this university.
Paul Allen and the rest of the Seahawk front office play their cards right, we could be talking about this group of men for the next five years. And let’s not forget about Brandon Browner. As early as this pre-
season, I would have argued Browner was the best player in the Seattle secondary. After his suspension midseason, Browner has the opportunity to be reinstated into the league next season. The rich are getting richer.
So we learned the Seahawk defense is still better than advertised, and if injuries and bone-headed front office moves are avoided, the elite Seahawk defense isn’t going anywhere.
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Now Leasing both current and future units! (T2 opens August 1st) Call to make an appointment!
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THE SPECTRUM | NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | THURS, FEB. 6, 2014
Darwin or Design?
The Cell’s Design: Darwin and Paley
3:00 PM Memorial Union NDSU–Century Theater 1401 Administrative Ave. Fargo, ND 58102 Common Descent or Design: Darwin and Owen
www.reasons.org (855) REASONS
7:00 PM NDSU Alumni Center 1241 N. University Dr. Fargo, ND 58102