Thursday 4/16/15 by The State News

State News The

Freshman pitcher/outfielder Brandon Hughes is welcomed to the field by his teammates Tuesday during the game against Michigan at Comerica Park in Detroit. PHOTO: ALLYSON TELGENHOF

STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE

For junior outfielder Cam Gibson, the game against U-M on Tuesday night was like a trip home. Read more about it on page 11. Also, see statenews.com for a recap of the matchup against Central Michigan University last night

F E AT U R E S

S P OT L I G H T

NEWS

Video games could Art a medium for accessible poetry get you a job Some students are turning to eSports as a viable career path — PAGES 6-7 T HU R S DAY, A P R IL 16 , 2 015

@THESNEWS

Students translated poems into artwork that appealed to all senses — PAGE 9 STAT ENEWS .COM

Student organization plans career fair for international students, to be held next year The usual career fairs are typically not beneficial for international students — PAGE 4

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Contents First-year medical student Jason Do breakdances Monday during a MSU Breakdancing Club practice at IM SportsCircle. The group was preparing for Red Cedar Ransom, a breakdancing battle they host annually. Read more on page 5. PHOTO: KENNEDY THATCH

DA I LY N U M B E R

INSIDE

Quidditch team soars above expectations, makes it to Sweet 16

Science Festival to return to campus, to cover range of topics

MSU junior to bike 4,000 miles across the country to raise funds for charity

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PAGE 9

Games left for MSU Tennis this season. Read about the seniors on page 12.

“People protest the issue of sexual assault in many ways, and just because they chose not to attend, or were not aware of Take Back the Night, does not mean they do not care.” Mariah Hill, neuroscience and anthropology senior in a letter to The State News. Read more on page 10.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Celeste Bott MANAGING EDITOR Anya Rath BREAKING NEWS EDITOR Simon Schuster TRENDS AND ISSUES EDITOR Olivia Dimmer SPORTS EDITOR Geoff Preston

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News MSU Quidditch team lands in Sweet 16 Kinesiology junior Jacob Heppe and genomics & molecular genetics senior Shelby Atkinson talk Saturday during a Quidditch match at the US Quidditch World Cup in Rock Hill, South Carolina. After a stint in the Sweet 16, the Quidditch team’s streak ended. PHOTO

her last year on the team. The team got through the preliminary rounds JSTEELEY@STATENEWS.COM 4-to-1, but lost in the Sweet 16 to a team from Despite ultimately being bested, the MSU Quid- Texas, said Mansour, a chaser. DeNunzio said everyone did really well in the ditch team went to the Sweet 16 this year in the eighth annual U.S. Quidditch World Cup, one of tournament, especially since only 24 teams make the best runs the team has had since it began. it into bracket play. The MSU Quidditch team has 21 varsity playThough Quidditch was created as a fictional sport, popularized in the Harry Potter series, ers, DeNunzio said, adding that it’s a competistudents on MSU’s team take the game seriously. tive process to get onto the team. Mansour describes Quidditch as a combina“We far exceeded expectations this year,” food tion of rugby and dodgeball, with seven players science senior Maria DeNunzio said. Biochemistry and molecular biology and on the field, and every goal is worth 10 points. There are three chasers, public policy sophomore Sartwo beaters, and one keeper, ah Walsh said people often Walsh said, and a seeker who predict how well teams are comes into the game 18 mingoing to do on online chats, utes into play at the same time and MSU did better than anythe snitch is sent in. one expected them to. The snitch is a person Walsh is the chaser for the dressed in yellow, with a tail team, and her main goal as that the seekers have to catch such is to score points by to earn the team an extra 30 throwing a ball through one points and finish the game, of three hoops. Sarah Walsh, chaser Mansour said. The world cup was held in Most games last 25 minutes, Rock Hill, South Carolina, last but depending how good the weekend and DeNunzio said MSU’s team went farther than any other Quid- snitch is, a game could go on for almost an hour, Walsh said, adding snitches are usually ditch team from the Midwest. “We did phenomenal this year, especially con- volunteers, who are wrestlers or cross-counsidering the team had a lot of injuries and a lot try runners. The world cup tournament lasted for two days, of first year players on the roster,” Walsh said. DeNunzio, who is the team’s strength and con- ending Sunday night with The University of Texditioning coach, said this is the fifth year in a as-Austin winning for the third year in a row, DeNunzio said. row MSU has made it into the world cup. As one of the coaches, DeNunzio said she Out of around 300 U.S. teams, the top 80 in the country compete at the world cup, said zoology appreciated the work the team’s four seniors — senior Meyessa Mansour, adding it was a good Meyessa Mansour, Isaak Willard, Kevin Fennell experience to make it to the Sweet 16 during and Bobby Casler — put into the tournament. BY JESSICA STEELEY

“We actually did way better than anyone predicted us to.”

COURTESY OF MSU QUIDDITCH TEAM

Business society aims to host international student job fair BY RYAN SQUANDA RSQUANDA@STATENEWS.COM

The Broad China Business Society, or BCBS, will be holding the Michigan China Forum on April 24 in the Auditorium Room at the Kellogg Center. Known as the Greater China Supply Chain Forum since 2003, the name of this year’s event has officially been changed to the Michigan China Forum. The focus of the forum is on the comparison of business startups, technology and innovation in and between China and the United States. BCBS president and finance senior and China native Xin Zhao, who has been involved with the BCBS since he was a freshman in 2012, said he has noticed several differences. And of these, Internet entrepreneurship is now a hot topic in China, Zhao said. The organization’s official aim is to “develop a global network of elite business professionals,” according to the BCBS website. With more than 4,500 Chinese students enrolled at MSU and many pursuing a degree in business or economics, the BCBS uses MSU as a place to meet and discuss global business trends. “I don’t want to find out which business model is better,” Zhao said. “I want (to) find out why certain business models work in China and why different business models work in the U.S.” Zhao and the BCBS have been in the process of setting this event up since December 2014 and have 10 speakers lined up from all different backgrounds, including Americans pursuing business 4

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in China and vice versa. The goal of the BCBS is to make this an annual event and one that can grow to become as big as similar China forums currently held at Harvard and Cornell. In addition to allowing for the comparison of American and Chinese business models, the forum will also allow for discussing the possibility of an international career fair at MSU, finance junior and BCBS Vice President Zhouxiaoxiong Qi said. For the career fairs currently held at MSU, Qi said they aren’t always as beneficial to international students as they are to their American counterparts. This is because there are several complexities involved when American businesses attempt to hire international students. Many of these boil down to complications between companies and their limitations on curricular practical training and optional practical training. So when Qi heard from a friend about the success of an international career fair held at another university, Qi and the BCBS have gone to work to schedule one at MSU. Currently the plan is to have one in either fall 2015 or spring 2016, Qi said. “Nowadays, it is really hard for international students to find jobs, even internships in the U.S.,” Qi said in an email. “BCBS wants to collaborate with other school organizations and institutes to hold an international student career fair to provide not only the BCBS members, but also the whole international student group, opportunities to talk with professionals and discovering the potentials to be employed.”

Olivia Dimmer and Simon Schuster Trends and issues editor Breaking news editor campus@statenews.com @thesnews

Breakdance Club gears up for area-wide competition ONLINE To see the breakdancers in action, visit statenews. com/ multimedia

Finance senior Andrew Chan breakdances Monday during an MSU Breakdancing Club practice at IM SportsCircle. The group was preparing for Red Cedar Ransom, an annual breakdancing battle. PHOTO: KENNEDY THATCH

BY JESSICA STEELEY JSTEELEY@STATENEWS.COM

MSU Breakdance Club will compete against other Midwest breakdancing crews this Saturday as part of the Red Cedar Ransom 6 at The Loft in Lansing. The crews are competing for an $800 prize, mechanical engineering junior and club president Michael Doa said. Doa said the team has set up the event, found judges from other Midwest crews and hired a local emcee and DJ. “There’s not a crazy amount to do except show up — make sure Michigan State has a presence, make sure that the rest of the Midwest knows who we are,” Doa said. “If not talent-wise at least person-wise.” Doa said the competition is focused on one style, four versus four, and is going to host many Midwest crews. Hospitality business senior Austin Dresner said he’s bringing back some of his old friends to compete with him in the competition, including one who introduced him to the club as a freshman. Dresner said he’s practicing all he can to get ready for Saturday. “It’s just a rush that scares the crap out of me, but at the same time I want to keep doing it over and over and over again,” Dresner said. “I’ve been breakdancing for five years, and some of my best friends are from this club.” Medical student Arpon Shahed said he is looking forward

to dancing and is preparing by working out, making sure his moves are clean and remembering to enjoy himself, because that’s when he performs at his best. Being from Canada, Shahed isn’t used to Michigan’s breakdance style, so he said he dances with some of the younger members in the club because it makes him train harder and encourages him to try new moves. Hospitality business freshman Kanmani Govardhanan is new to the club this year, but she said she’s excited for the competition. Govardhanan said she’s practicing her moves for the competition and trying to learn new ideas from the more experienced members, but Doa thinks the new members have learned a lot and are hitting beats and creating their own moves. “It’s just so beautiful how they’ve grown since day one cause everyone, especially these new people, have come in here knowing absolutely nothing,” Doa said. The club is a fun experience for Govardhanan and she said she hopes to improve her skills. The event is held every other year and Doa said judges pick the top 16 crews from all entries. From there, it’s tournament style. “They’re parties for all of us to just hang out, network, get to know each other, cause we’re all excited to know other people who dance and people who share our passion,” Doa said.

MSU Science Festival to returns to campus this week BY AJ MOSER AMOSER@STATENEWS.COM

After visiting a science festival at the University of Cambridge, Renee Leone wanted to bring the same opportunities to explore and discuss scientific interests to MSU’s campus. Leone, a teacher at Montessori Elementary, drafted her own proposal for an MSU science festival and presented her vision directly to the faculty at various MSU colleges. The MSU Science Festival debuted in 2013 and returned for its third year Wednesday with events happening through the rest of the week. “There are only about three dozen festivals of this size in the United States,” Leone said. “To have this at MSU is something that everyone here should be proud of.” For the first year of the festival, events were focused mostly on MSU’s campus and marketed toward families and students in the immediate area. Moving forward, the festival hopes to bring free events across the entire state. Detroit Day, which will be held April 19, features a full afternoon of programming located in Detroit, with members of the MSU scientific committee making presentations and giving museum tours to the public. All events are free and the organizers of the festival hope to engage young students specifically. “We see this as a celebration of science for people of all ages,” said Carla Hills, communications manager for the MSU Science Festival. “Some people

don’t realize that if they like sports, music, video games or art they are seeing the effects of science.” Hosting such an event on a university campus offers unique opportunities for presentations and discussion. Leone said the festival allows MSU students to share their work, as students are invited to volunteer and present during the week. MSU Science Theatre has participated in the event previously and several doctoral students hold discussions to share information about research issues in the science community. “It is important to understand dimensions of science that affect us every day like recycling,” Leone said. “Some people find it hard to make time to discover something new and this festival is a way to do that and have fun.” A major goal of the MSU Science Festival is for enthusiastic young people to find support to make decisions based on their interests in science. The programming offers an exploration of the diversity of careers and interests in the fields of science and engineering. “The university has the infrastructure in place, so it’s not difficult for us to use those same resources for guests,” MSU spokesman Jason Cody said . “I see it as a win-win situation — groups are able to use our facilities for their events, and at the same time MSU gets to show off its campus to prospective students, families and possibly donors.” Full lists of event programming and schedules are available on the festival’s website or located in several buildings across the university.

The showtimes for April 16-19 are as follows: The Immitation Game Thurs 115 B Wells Hall 8:30 PM Fri, Sat & Sun 115 B Wells Hall 7:15 & 9:20 Wedding Ringer Thurs 119 B Wells Hall 9:00 PM Fri, Sat & Sun 119 B Wells Hall 7:00 & 9:00 PM Rent Fri, Sat & Sun 117 B Wells Hall 8:00 PM

T H U RS DAY, AP RI L 1 6 , 2 01 5

www.rha.msu.edu ccc@rha.msu.edu 517-355-8285

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Spotlight

Increasing eSports competition shows its viability as career path

The face of eSports is changing across the world, with the first university adding it to their athletic program BY MICHAEL KRANSZ

ABOVE LEFT: Political theory and constitutional democracy sophomore Marcus Muallem plays a game March 28 during the MSU March SoloQ tournament at the Engineering Building. The event was attended by approximately 50 students and alumni, who are members of the MSU League of Legends Club. ABOVE RIGHT: Computer science sophomore Julian Ellis and media and information sophomore Ryan Oh discuss a game March 28 during the MSU March SoloQ tournament at the Engineering Building. PHOTOS: ALICE KOLE

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“Don’t stay up late playing video games,” many parents warn. “Focus on your studies — good grades get good jobs.” But for political theory and constitutional democracy sophomore Marcus Muallem, analyzing League of Legends competitive play is precisely what he studies. And it’s already landed him a head coaching position with Australian team Legacy eSports and put him in the running for the coaching staff at Robert Morris University Illinois. “League of Legends,” or “LoL”, is a multiplayer online battle arena video game. The game is free to play and its premise, put simply, is that two teams of five battle against each other in a struggle to destroy a building within the opposing team’s base. Each player controls a character who possesses special powers, and as the game progresses, their avatars get stronger through unlocked abilities and purchased weapons and armor. In fall 2014 RMU became the first North American university to add the game to their athletic program, complete with stu-

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dent-athlete full-ride scholarship offerings and an arena equipped with 35 high performance gaming computers for the team’s use only. The private university’s addition of an eSports team to their athletics program highlights the growing acceptance and fan base of competitive gaming in the U.S. Although a competitive gaming sports team might be far off for MSU, the campus is a hub of the excitement and interest felt on the international scene, with some students playing in clubs and competing against other universities. GOING PRO When Muallem told his parents about freezing his schedule at MSU if offered the RMU coaching position, they had trouble understanding the career choice. “It’s just a totally new concept to them, that you can get paid for playing or coaching, (that you can get paid) being in the industry of video games,” he said. Unsure of whether his major suited him and debating a switch, he said the chance to take a break from college and pursue a career as an eSports coach came as a relief.

“I had spent so much time on this game — analyzing it, playing it, coaching it, learning it — that I wanted to take it to the next step.” Marcus Muallem, political theory and constitutional democracy senior

“When the opportunity came up, it was such a huge blessing,” he said. “I kind of wanted to break from college and I had spent so much time on this game — analyzing it, playing it, coaching it, learning it — that I wanted to take it into the next step.” It’s unknown what RMU might pay Muallem, and he said he isn’t allowed to divulge the additional earnings he makes from coaching the Australian team at night, but he did estimate both salaries combined would be enough to rent an apartment and have spending money. Muallem said he hopes to become a professional coach,

someone who works with teams in the League Championship Series, the top-tier “LoL” league. Professional coaches are paid about $25,000 a season by Riot Games, the company that makes the game, according to a Riot Games statement. But this number doesn’t include money from sponsorships and tournament prizes — at the Season 3 World Championship at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the winning team left with $1 million. Although suspending studies to pursue a career in competitive gaming seems like a big leap, a former student did just that. Hai Lam left MSU several years ago and worked his way up the professional “LoL” scene to become team captain of Cloud9, the fifth best “LoL” team in the world, according to GosuGamers.net. Alumnus and MSU LoL Club founder Matt Ao played with Lam when he was at MSU and said he remembers discussing the decision with him. “One day he told he was going to drop out of school to become pro,” Ao said. “I told him it was the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard and he should definitely not do it. He ended up doing it

Anya Rath Managing editor arath@statenews.com @thesnews

Electrical engineering junior and MSU League of Legends Club president Sean Irwin deliberates with his teammates March 28 during the MSU March SoloQ tournament at the Engineering Building.

anyways and became pro and became super successful.” Lam, who has more than 241,000 followers on Twitter, lives with his team at a gaming house in California, Ao said. Professional gamers often live together, sometimes with their coaches and analysts, to facilitate day-to-day playing. Top-level players rarely work, as the income from sponsorships, prize money, live-stream advertising and Riot Games monetary support are enough to live off of.

“One day (Hai Lam) told me he was going to drop out of school to become pro. ... He ended up doing it anyways and became pro and became super successful.” Matt Ao, founder of MSU League of Legends Club

GROWING PROMINENCE The eSports following in the U.S. has seen huge growth over the last decade, especially after the emergence of online streaming services such as Twitch.tv, which allow people to watch their favorite players skirmish and their favorite teams compete in tournaments. More than 67 million people play “LoL” every month and 27 million play every day, according to Riot Games figures. Even the U.S. Air Force Reserve has jumped on board by sponsoring Cloud9, according to a team press release. Muallem said he sees potential for eSports in the U.S. to become even bigger because of its entertainment value and the popularity of other sports. To those skeptical of eSports taking a place among traditional sports, Muallem asked if anyone in the 1800s ever foresaw kicking a ball around as a profession that would make millions of dollars. Given the niche market for eSports and the profitable sports programs at MSU, a competitive gaming team could be a perfect fit, if not for NCAA limitations, said Robert Morris University Illinois associate athletic director Kurt Melcher, who spearheaded the addition of an eSports program at his university. After implementing the program, representatives from 30 to 35 universities reached out to Melcher, inquiring about the program, he said. And some of these universities are Bowl Championship Series schools. Melcher said he cannot divulge their names. “I can tell you it’s coming, and it’s going to come in a big way too,” he said.

LOCAL THRILLS At MSU the gaming scene features several clubs devoted to games such as “Super Smash Bros.” and “LoL”. And although the competitive play lacks the massive cash prizes and celebrity status of the big leagues, the on-campus tournaments and scrimmages still promise thrills and new-found friendships. Fifty-five players, with many more spectating, turned out for the MSU LoL Club’s tournament March 28 to compete for in-game currency and the title of victor. Amid the empty halls of the Engineering Building on a Saturday, shouts and music could be heard from within the ad hoc gaming arena set up inside a classroom. That energy and enthusiasm for the sport, MSU LoL Club president and electrical engineering junior Sean Irwin said, is what he loves about people getting together to play the game. “People stand up and yell and scream — usually only when good stuff happens, when bad stuff happens people usually tend to not talk, but the other team will be loud and that psyches you out,” Irwin said. “It’s kind of like a huge party, you know? You’re all together just hanging out. It’s super loud all the time, the music’s playing and everybody’s talking to everybody.” Following tournaments and Thursday night club meetings, the participants head out to a diner for grub, post-game socializing and maybe a little trash talk too, Irwin said. Travis Conte, MSU Smash Club president and actuarial science sophomore, echoed that notion. Because he, like most, started playing competitively with

“I can tell you (competitive eSports gaming) is coming, and it’s going to come in a big way too.” Kurt Melcher, associate athletic direcor at Robert Morris University Illinois

friends. Gaming and socializing go hand-in-hand, he said. The club held a “Super Smash Bros.” tournament March 21 that brought out nearly 60 contestants, from MSU students to people who know a few members and just love the game. In a Communication Arts and Sciences Building classroom, where TVs and gaming systems sat on tables lining every wall, participants came to have a good time and compete in a game that’s also gained some international eSports traction. “Most people came knowing they won’t win,” Conte said. “They’re coming to play the game.” Macomb resident and high school senior Adrian Headley caught a ride to MSU for the tournament. He knew a few students from playing online, some of whom even coached him. Although the thought of becoming a professional “Smash” player excites him, the problem of money and the slim chance at making it ward him off, he said. But, regardless, through the game he has made friends and maintained relationships with those who have moved away. “I don’t think I would have as good of friends as I do now if I never went to ‘Smash,’” he said.

earn credit online this summer in

How did China become an economic superpower? Why did Japan go to war against the U.S. in 1941? When and why was the Korean peninsula divided? Learn the answers to these questions and more in HST 210 online. We’ll expore the amazing transformations that have made East Asia so important to our world. Using films, novels, and first-hand accounts, you’ll gain a deep understanding of China, Japan, and the two Koreas. No prerequisites or prior experience required.

Prof. Ethan Segal first summer session

(May 18 – July 2, 2015)

––––––––––––––––––––––– MSU History Department

history.msu.edu/onlinecourses

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Crossword

L.A. Times Daily Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

News

Annual Relay for Life to take over Breslin Center

ACROSS

1 Determination 5 One often schmeared 10 Get entangled (with) 14 “It depends” 15 Have __ for news 16 Ended a flight 17 Blue 18 Suppress 19 George Lucas group 20 Semiprecious stone 21 Sends out 22 Roast’s roost 23 2014 U.S. Women’s Open champ 24 Hamlet, for one 25 Succumb to pressure 26 Choose not to pick? 29 Bit of cheering 31 __ kwon do 32 Tiff 34 Computer outlet supply 35 Bruin legend 36 Furniture designed for portability ... or, what are found in this puzzle’s circles 40 Swung thing 41 Winged god 42 Alf and Mork, briefly 43 Aegean Airlines hub, on itineraries 44 Dauphins’ play area 45 Really beat

49 Relatives of emus 51 Exchange 55 Frito go-with? 56 Muppet with a unibrow 57 Hosiery shade 58 Unusual 59 “__ la Douce” 60 Playground denial 61 “Metamorphoses” poet 62 Operation Solomon carrier 63 Symbol of authority 64 “See you around!” 65 Word sung on New Year’s Day 66 Belgian expressionist James 67 46-Down, for one

DOWN

1 Isolated lines, in typesetting 2 Go-getter’s phrase 3 Many a character on “The Good Wife” 4 Web browser since 1992 5 Derived from, with “on” 6 Jungian concept 7 Was accepted as a member 8 Abstruse 9 Eye part 10 Significant 11 Vertical shuttle 12 Auxiliary seating units

13 Really tough puzzle, say 25 Has an ace up one’s sleeve 27 Healthcare.gov, for one 28 Computer outlet supplies 30 Workout woe 33 Telegram 34 British sports cars 36 Like some advice 37 2008 love triangle film, with “The” 38 Viking 39 Follower’s suffix 40 The first ones were introduced in blonde and brunette in 1959 46 Eleventh-century Scandinavian leader 47 Contralto Anderson 48 Half-wild Asian canine 50 “And thereby hangs __”: Shak. 52 They may be measured in knots 53 Disco era term 54 Pan on Broadway 57 Immortal Yankee, with “The” 58 Sway

Get the solutions at statenews.com/puzzles Level: 1

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk SOLUTION TO WEDNESDAY’S PUZZLE

Then-packaging junior Matt Somaiah, left, and then-packaging senior Nick Salic play cards during Relay for Life on March 28, 2014, at Breslin Center. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO BY ASHANTI SEABRON ASEABRON@STATENEWS.COM

Relay for Life is right around the corner, and it has MSU students ready to participate for the cancer-fighting charity. Relay for Life is an organized fundraising walk, taking place in the evening and designed to raise awareness about cancer and money toward cancer research. During the relay, students will have to form teams to participate and be ready for a night filled with activities and events pertaining to the event. Prenursing freshman Natalie Moesta is participating in MSU’s Relay for Life event this year, and said she is excited to see how this year’s relay will impact donations and cancer survivors.

“I think it’s great that Relay for Life is able to get people together and raise money for those who need it,” Moesta said. While students such as Moesta participate in Relay for Life for the benefits of others, other students have different motives. Nursing sophomore Brandon Woodruff is participating in the event to honor and respect the most important people in her life — her family. “Relay for Life allows me to bond with my mom,” Woodruff said. “I feel like it’s a good way to give back to those who are less fortunate.” While Woodruff uses the time spent at Relay for Life to bond with her mother, she also does it to pay respects for other family members. “My grandma died of cervical cancer and my other grandma has lung

City to hold input sessions to decide fate of Bailey Community Center lot BY AJ MOSER AMOSER@STATENEWS.COM

4/16/15

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cancer,” Woodruff said. “I definitely feel like Relay for Life gives me an opportunity to give back and help pay for research that goes toward cancer research.” During the relay, participants will also keep busy with a number of activities, including a dance hosted by a DJ. Food, games and other activities at the relay are designed provide entertainment and build companionship among team members. “I think that Relay for Life promotes the need to help support cancer treatment,” Moesta said. “It gives people more knowledge about the issue, and when people have more knowledge about an issue ... they want to truly help.” The event starts Friday at 6 p.m. at Breslin Center and goes on until 6 a.m. Saturday.

The city of East Lansing is hosting two community input sessions regarding the future use of Bailey Community Center. The meetings will be held at 7 p.m. April 27 and May 4 at Hannah Community Center. Community input sessions will be used to “facilitate open dialogue and solicit community feedback on possible concepts and ideas that residents have for the future use of the Bailey Community Center building,” according to a press release issued today by the city.

Interested citizens are encouraged to attend both sessions, as discussion will build upon itself from session to session. Both meetings will be professionally facilitated by Doak Bloss, who has previously worked with the Planning and Zoning Division. The community input sessions were announced following a virtual town hall forum for ideas regarding Bailey Community Center, as well as offers from several businesses to purchase the building. A recommendation based on the options and citizen input will be made to East Lansing City Council following these discussion sessions.

Features

Casey Holland Features editor features@statenews.com @sn_features

“Accessible Art” exhibit presents sensory artwork in large print. We also have QR codes on each of the tables which you can listen to the poems in audio recording.” Grimes added that everything in the exhibit was The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum was packed Tuesday evening as the new “Exceptions: Acces- decorated by students. She said students wrote poems in class with sible Art” event took place. However, looking at the art in the exhibit was only a small part of the professors. After they were written, those poems were givexperience. “Accessible Art” was hosted by Exceptions Jour- en to an art class and that separate class of students created paintings inspired by the poems. nal, a student organization. Some students even recorded their voices readThe journal has a goal of bringing artwork to ing each poem to accompany the artwork inspired those who lack visual ability to see it. Artists take that opportunity to explore new by it. One of those artists was stumediums that senses other dio art junior Colin Murray, than sight can interact with. “We just wanted who created a representation Exceptions also worked with of a brain MRI for his art piece MSU’s Resource Center for Perto create an displayed that evening at the sons with Disabilities, the Eli exhibit with MSU museum. and Edythe Broad Art Museum students that was Murray explained that he and a number of professors in took an MRI of a brain and order to put on the event. also accessible translated the different colors Professional writing junior to everyone from the MRI into textures to and managing editor of Excepacross the visible represent each different color. tions Katie Grimes said AccesHe used a variety of matesible Art was done in an effort ability spectrum.” rials to make his exhibit both to promote awareness of accesvisual and textural so visitors, sibility issues. whether or not they could see “We just wanted to create an Katie Grimes, professional the piece, could enjoy it in simexhibit with MSU students that writing junior ilar ways. was also accessible to everyone Murray said that he changed across the visual ability spectrum,” Grimes said. “So whether you’re blind, his project the day before it was due in to create a have visual impairment or you’re visual, every- better texture and flow. He added that it was particularly difficult tryone can enjoy it.” Grimes also took time to show the different ways ing to balance the artful expression while maintaining an accurate textural feel. in which the art could be perceived. “The hard part was trying to make it not like a “We have the poems displayed in Roman characters on the tables. But then also … when you enter, science project, not just a box to put your hand there’s a table you can get a packet from with all in, but really something that you can feel and get the poems in braille,” Grimes said. “The poem’s different emotions from,” he said. BY PATRICK BADE

PBADE@STATENEWS.COM

Human biology senior Kyle Muchez and social work junior Samantha Kiriazis view the exhibitions Tuesday during the “Exceptions: Accessible Art” show at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum. PHOTO: ALICE KOLE

MSU junior plans to bike 4,000 miles this summer BY LAUREN OWINGS LOWINGS@STATENEWS.COM

This summer one student will embark on a 4,000-mile journey across the country — all by bike. Biochemistry and molecular biology junior and Pi Kappa Phi Vice President Karl Ochs is taking the Journey of Hope to support people with disabilities throughout the nation. The Journey of Hope cycling f undra iser was desig ned for The Ability Experience, an organization owned and operated by Pi Kappa Phi which aims to spread a message of acceptance and understanding toward people with disabilities. Ochs said this organization

was one of the main reasons he joined Pi Kappa Phi as a freshman. Last year was Ochs’s first big cycling adventure, traveling from Miami to Tallahassee in Gear Up Florida. Overall his team raised $95 ,000 for people w it h disabilities. This year, beginning on June 7, Ochs decided to step it up, cycling 4,000 miles instead of 900. “I love challenging myself. It’s a good way to do that and help people while I’m at it,” Ochs said. “It’s a huge challenge upon myself to not only do it physically, but to raise the money and embark on a journey that’s over two month’s commitment.”

Along the way, the team of 30 cyclists will be stopping at group homes for people with disabilities. Ochs said they do a variety of activities, from board games to sports to dances to keep them entertained and brighten their days. He said these visits were what he enjoyed most during Gear Up Florida. “It’s really cool because we not only get to raise money for people with disabilities, but we get to interact directly with the people that we’re helping,” Ochs said. Ochs said his route will travel through Michigan and even make a stop in East Lansing at the group home where he volunteers regularly.

He said after last year’s ride, he is a little more experienced and knows what to expect from the journey. Gear Up Florida began the day after Ochs’s 21st birthday with 103 difficult miles. But the third day was when the fatigue really hit him. “I wanted to quit, to be honest. It was really hard and it was catching up with me,” Ochs said. In the end, a safety coach motivated him to finish first after being in the back that third day. Ochs said overcoming that exhaustion really changed his mentality and he felt like he could go even farther. Training for Journey for Hope has not been without

challenges of its own. Ochs said his biggest obstacle was getting emergency surgery just a couple of weeks ago. With acute appendicitis and a removed appendix, his training was derailed for a few weeks. That hasn’t stopped Ochs. He said his first ride after surgery felt good, and he’s had a lot of unwavering support from his family, friends and fraternity brothers. He said Journey for Hope is about recognizing people with disabilities who aren’t ordinarily noticed. “People in their own communities don’t even know that they have these centers,” Ochs said. When the cyclists arrive in

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these small towns, Ochs said it’s a big deal, with police escorts and a lot of attention. “What we’re trying to accomplish with that is to show people in that community that there’s people in their own community that need help,” Ochs said. He said the intention is to motivate people to volunteer, donate and otherwise support people with disabilities. As a pre-medical student, Ochs said his goal in life is simply to help people. He said Journey for Hope is a way for him to do that even before his career starts. “It’s something that my parents are still saying to me, to better yourself by helping other people,” Ochs said.

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Opinion

Greg Monahan Opinion editor opinion@statenews.com @thesnewsopinion

Universities should encourage peaceful protest

BY RACHEL FRADETTE RFRADETTE@STATENEWS.COM

Protesting will always remain a significant part of this nation’s history, but what will it be in the future? Critics of on-campus debate and protest argue that student activism has declined over the years, developing into “slacktivism.” Social change comes about through the participation of each individual that is passionate enough to fight against social injustices. The 1960s sparked a major transformation for students on college campuses and for pro-

testing altogether. Students were going out and expressing their beliefs for their country to see and hear. They no longer tolerated the indecency of what was going on in the country at the time, specifically concerning civil rights and the Vietnam War. Recently, Howard University students led a protest against LGBT intolerance. The students acted in opposition to the Westboro Baptist Church, notorious for their anti-LGBT presence. Social media came into play as the students used the hashtag #BlackLoveMatters. This is just one example of the importance of public protesting and students exercising their right to do so peacefully, and it’s something I think we need to see more of. Student activism on and off college campuses is changing. Social media and other immense shifts in the way we consume and create news has altered the main focuses and platforms of particular movements. The Internet has become an instrument in the

success of resolving issues and bringing attention to things that would ultimately be ignored or forgotten. MSU has several actively vocal student groups and organizations, but I wonder if they fear being reprimanded for their participation. Universities should encourage peaceful and lawful protest. Through this, they can help assist in the resolving of an issue or realize if they were the cause of the problem. A partnership of sorts could become a valuable resource for any university if they encourage their students to protest. After all, the main purpose of educating people is the hope that they will one day go out and change the world for the better. Students have valuable voices for the future of this country. If the opinions of students are ignored, then the progress of our nation will cease. There is a distinct difference between wishing away the issues of the world and actively

assisting in the reconstruction of failing social institutions. The phrase “You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?” represents the mindset behind free speech and protesting. A person can have a set of beliefs they defend only if an appropriate conversation appears or they can go out into the world and share them on a platform that our country allows without a second thought of judgement. All it takes is one brave soul to go out and tell their peers why they need to speak up. Perspectives are of massive importance, and students are meant to challenge decisions and speak their mind like any other human being. It is a right, but also a privilege. That right should not be forgotten or adapted in order to prevent change. I hope MSU will be a forward institution and see the positive outcomes from listening to their people. For those who choose to silence the free-speaking warriors: Do you hear the people sing?

OPINION P O LL W E D N E S DAY ’ S R E S U LT S

Do you think spending $111,000 on 85 body cameras is money well spent by the MSU police department? 66%—Yes. It will hold officers accountable. 34%—No. $111,000 is too much money to spend. TOTAL VOTES: 96 AS OF 5 P.M. MONDAY

TO DAY ’ S Q U E S T I O N

Have you ever participated in a protest for an issue you cared about? To vote, visit statenews.com MIKE HOLLOWAY

LETTER: Take Back the Night poorly planned, not indicative of student apathy I am writing this letter in response to the The State News article that was posted last week regarding the poor attendance at this year’s Take Back the Night. It is not only unfair, but false to claim that the MSU and the Greater Lansing community is indifferent to the issues of sexual assault and relationship violence. MSU and the Greater Lansing community have organizations such as the Listening Ear, Ending Violent Encounters, Capital Area Response Effort, Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention team and the Fire10

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cracker Foundation that provide services to survivors and victims of sexual violence as well as educate people about this topic. The sheer number of services and passionate advocates are indicative of the community’s continuous efforts to end sexual and domestic violence. Take Back the Night is only one gauge of community involvement. Take Back the Night began in the late 1960s and has been held in over 30 countries around the world. The movement began and has continued to strive to “create safe communities THURSDAY, APRI L 1 6 , 2 01 5

and respectful relationships.” This year’s event was missing a crucial element to their planning and programing — community. Take Back the Night has always been about the people we live with in every part of our life. It’s more than university experiences, yet this year’s event was framed narrowly around protesting MSU’s administration. The call for the community to take back the night was not made. Why would the community rally around such a narrow image of survivors? This experience of being a

survivor on campus is by no means something that no one else could connect to, but rather is one of an infinite number of experiences. Others might have felt uncomfortable interacting with a narrative with which they might not identify. It’s not a matter of people simply being afraid of protesting, but rather feeling uncomfortable with the specificity of this year’s event, as well as the sheer quantity of events. The number of events and how late locations were made available were confusing and served to turn people away from

participating. To say Take Back the Night is representative of our community’s desire to eradicate sexual assault is erroneous, because much of the community was not made aware of the specific details of the event. People protest the issue of sexual assault in many ways, and just because they chose not to attend, or were not aware of Take Back the Night, does not mean they do not care. Mariah Hall Neuroscience and anthropology senior

Sports

Geoff Preston Sports editor sports@statenews.com @thesnews_sports

Detroit a familiar home for Cam Gibson BY MATTHEW ARGILLANDER MARGILLANDER@STATENEWS.COM

For some of the baseball team, Tuesday night’s 4-2 victory over rival Michigan at Comerica Park will be a memory they carry with them for the rest of their lives. Some were experiencing what it was like to be on that stage for the first time. “Just very appreciative for the opportunity — to stand there before the game during the national anthem and think about what’s happening here and to be able to participate in a game like this is part of what being a student-athlete and coach at Michigan State is all about,” head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. “It’s a dream for every one of our guys to play at this level on a daily basis.” However, for junior outfielder Cam Gibson, Tuesday’s game in Detroit was a trip back home to where it all began for him. Cam Gibson, the son of former Spartan and Detroit Tigers legend Kirk Gibson has been

coming to Detroit as long as he can remember. “This is where I grew up, on the field with my dad, and this is basically where I learned how to play baseball,” Cam Gibson said. Even though his father played at the old Tiger Stadium instead of the newer Comerica Park, he still has fond memories of playing baseball in Detroit. Cam Gibson recalls receiving lessons in the game of baseball from his father and fellow Tiger legend Alan Trammell. Trammell and Kirk Gibson are a part of Detroit legend as they were two major pieces of the Tigers’ 1984 World Series winning team. Cam Gibson remembers those times running around as he was learning the game and took a moment to reflect on them now that he’s back in Detroit on a more serious stage of his own playing career. “Running around with Mr. Trammell and my dad, I’m grateful to have two guys like that teach me how to play the game (and the) fundamen-

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tals of the game,” Cam Gibson said. “It’s always nostalgic to come back — this is where I was always running around as a little kid, and now I’m running around as a big kid on a little bit more serious stage.” When it came to his father asking him about his experience at Comerica and what it was like to play at the park the conversation was very quick. “All he asked me was if I liked playing here, and I said, ‘Yeah.’ And then he goes, ‘It’s a nice ballpark,’ and then he went right into critiquing me on my swing. So that didn’t really last very long about the park.” Like Cam Gibson, some of the other players have been to Comerica before and some have even played before as Spartans or in high school, but according to Boss that takes nothing away from this experience for either side. “A lot of guys played here in high school, a lot of their guys played here in high school. That doesn’t take anything away from it.”

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Junior outfielder Cam Gibson stands at home plate preparing to bat Tuesday, during the game against Michigan at Comerica Park in Detroit. The Spartans defeated the Wolverines, 4-2. PHOTO:

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TH E STATE N E WS

Sports Seniors on men’s tennis team prepare for emotional end er than tennis. “I’m just too busy making the best out of it,” Linders said. “I think it’ll hit me once I sit down over the summer and realize that I have to go to work.” One of the many things Linders had to wrap his mind around in the beginning of January was that this would be the last time he could play collegiate tennis. Fellow senior Doug Zade admitted he doesn’t want to think about hanging up his racket anytime soon either. He said tennis has been a focal point of his life. Zade also wants the underclassmen to realize this time in their lives does not last forever. “You want to focus on the end goal but enjoy the process,” Zade said. “I think if I look back on my career, I realize that some of the stuff, like practices and 6 a.m. working, was definitely tough, but in the end of the day, you’re going to miss it.” Tuesday, in preparation for their weekend matchup with Purdue, there was a positive vibe circulating through the out-

BY ZACH LIBBY ZLIBBY@STATENEWS.COM

Two games. There are two more games before everything the seniors on the men’s tennis team have worked for since they first arrived at MSU comes to an end. Senior Gijs Linders can still remember his sophomore year when MSU earned their first bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2013. He said it’s something he’ll never erase from memory. The window for accumulating once-ina-lifetime achievements at MSU is slowly closing, and even though the reality is that his tennis career at MSU is reaching its final checkmark, it hasn’t fully hit the Amsterdam native. Coming off his final home meet this past Sunday following a 7-0 defeat from No. 32 ranked Minnesota, Linders said the feeling of finishing his final regular-season campaign won’t be real until he settles down and focuses on something oth-

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door courts. It’s been a roller coaster-type season for the Spartans, who are sitting in the bottom third of the conference standings, as well as riding a five-game losing streak that began in early April. The recent pattern of consecutive defeats hasn’t fazed Linders yet, as he strives to individually finish out the schedule strong. “Earning first-team All-Big Ten honors is definitely a personal goal of mine,” Linders said. “I just want to leave the program with a good mark on it so the guys who are juniors and sophomores can take the torch from us and know what we expect.” Zade’s goals are more team focused, because victories are always a main priority for any program. “(The goal is) keeping the team morale alive and do the best that we can,” Zade said. “And just trying to do the little things right as a team. What it comes down to is to get as many wins as we can.”

Senior Doug Zade hits the ball during a match against Youngstown State Feb. 27, at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility, 3571 E. Mt Hope Ave. in Lansing. The Spartans defeated the Penguins 6-0. PHOTO: ALICE KOLE

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