In the line of nuclear war While international leaders debate over how to handle North Korea, Japanese and South Korean students are prepared for anything. PAGES 4–5
Electrical engineering sophomore Byungchan Go poses for a picture on Oct. 31 at Wells Hall. Go is an international student from South Korea. PHOTO: JON FAMUREWA
N E WS
OPINION
SPORTS
Spartans targeted: Persecution in Iran
East Lansing voters head to the polls
Spartans battle for Big Ten soccer title
Two MSU students share their stories on living in a theocratic Iran and finding refuge.
Not sure who to vote for in the city council race? Not sure if you should support the income tax proposal? Read our endorsements.
The Spartans play in the Big Ten Tournament Sunday and face a competitive bracket. See what they are doing to prepare.
PAGE 7
PAGE 6
PAGE 9
T HU R S DAY, N OVE MB E R 2 , 2 017
@THESNEWS
STAT E NE WS .COM
News
Brigid Kennedy Campus editor campus@statenews.com
Smile 4 Kids MSU to memorialize student through service work BY MADISON O’CONNOR MOCONNOR@STATENEWS.COM
To continue building the legacy of Abhi Shah, a finance junior who passed away last November, a new club on campus has made helping kids in the Lansing area its mission. The club, Smile 4 Kids MSU, started as a way to engage MSU students in local volunteering and as a way to carry on Shah’s generous disposition. “We wanted to give MSU students Abhi Shah the opportunity to do something good in memory of Abhi around the Lansing area, so we created Smile 4 Kids MSU as a club to allow students to do that,” President of Smile 4 Kids MSU and human biology senior Brandon Halmaghi said. “So our goal is to enrich the lives of children in any way possible. That’s pretty much how we started off.” Following Shah’s death, a candlelight vigil was held at The Rock in remembrance. An estimated 500 people showed up at The Rock and around 1,200 people attended his funeral, just one of the many testimonies that show the magnitude of how Shah affected those around him. Almost a year after his death, a foundation in his name was created by his parents — The Abhi Shah Foundation — and the campus-based club Smile 4 Kids was created.
The club
Within the first month of its establishment, Smile 4 Kids MSU already has 93 members and is growing every week, Brandon Halmaghi said. “We had one Natural Science Building room and every single seat was filled,” international relations senior and Vice President Veer Shah said. “There were a couple people sitting on the same seats together.” To work with kids in the community, Smile 4 Kids MSU partners with different organizations. The club’s current partners are St. Vincent Catholic Charities and Sparrow Hospital, which are both based in Lansing. “So we’re doing tutoring activities and we’re conducting different types of field activities and arts and crafts, just trying to work with the kids and just spend time with them and better their lives in whatever way we can,” Jay Shah, a supply chain management junior who does public relations for the club, said. One of the main visions of the club is to go beyond raising money for children in the area to instead develop personal relationships with these kids.
From left to right, Public Relations Director Jay Shah, Vice President Veer Shah and Fundraising Director Nick Zugaro during the Smile 4 Kids meeting on Oct. 11 at Natural Science. PHOTO: ANNTANINNA BIONDO Following the club’s recent field day event, Jay Shah said the kids engaged in the event kept asking when Smile 4 Kids MSU would come back. “That’s kind of the biggest thing we wanted to stress — that this wasn’t a one time volunteer event and kind of, never show your face again, this is something we want to continue to do to show consistency with the children’s home,” Jay Shah said. Another one of the club’s recent efforts was to create care boxes for the kids at Sparrow Hospital, Jessica Halmaghi, a premed sophomore who also works on public relations for the club, said. Jessica Halmaghi is also Brandon Halmaghi’s sister. “The way I looked at it when I was trying to think of something we could do for these patients was, like, this club and the foundation, personally — and I’m sure this goes for all of Abhi’s friends and family —it helped me heal a lot from Abhi passing away, and I think my idea for this was that these kids are kind of facing their own illnesses and there’s something we could do with this organization to help them heal too,” Jessica Halmaghi said. Jessica Halmaghi said Sparrow has a myriad of regulations and guidelines to meet when it comes to personally interacting with the kids. She said the goal is to get a group of people to go through the application process, background check and get the correct vaccines in order to engage with the kids personally. Other projects in the works include tutoring children through a partnership with St. Vincent Catholic Charities and possibly partnering with an MSU sports team to raise funds for St. Vincent Catholic Charities.
The foundation
The Abhi Shah Foundation was created by Abhi Shah’s parents, but Brandon Halmaghi and Veer Shah hold the public relations chair for the foundation. The foundation’s goal is similar to Smile 4 Kids MSU, but its impact is not focused on the Lansing area. The foundation is partnered with the Methodist Children’s Home Society in Redford, Michigan and Vista Maria in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Through financial support from the foundation, the Methodist Children’s Home Society will reopen a cottage to house 10 additional boys, all foster children who are survivors of child abuse or neglect. Previous events held by the Abhi Shah Foundation, according to the foundation’s website, include a walkathon, a comedy show and a basketball tournament. One project Brandon Halmaghi and Veer Shah are working on is an event with the Detroit Pistons. On the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 20, for each ticket that is purchased using a special promo code, a portion of the proceeds will go to
2
the foundation, Brandon Halmaghi said. “It’s more of an event to spread awareness of our foundation,” Brandon Halmaghi said. Those who want to purchase one of these tickets should go to pistons.com/AbhiShah and buy a ticket using the promo code “AbhiShah,” Brandon Halmaghi said. For MSU students who are in Smile 4 Kids MSU or for those who are interested in joining, purchasing a ticket covers their membership fee, Veer Shah said.
The purpose
At the heart of it all — the foundation, Smile 4 Kids MSU, the volunteering and community outreach — is Abhi Shah. Smile 4 Kids MSU hopes, in the end, to establish a sustainable club that will help keep Shah’s generosity and goodwill going. “Abhi was the type of person who never let you feel alone, so it was one of those things where these kids might not have a support system or feel like they have a support system, so we’re trying to be there the way Abhi was there for everyone else,” Jessica Halmaghi said. The entire Smile 4 Kids MSU executive board is made up of people who have known Abhi Shah for a long time, Jay Shah said, so the board has a shared goal. Veer Shah said one of the reasons why the club is so successful is because the hundreds of people who were affected by Abhi Shah during his life are coming out to do good in his name. Keeping the organization local is another big draw to the club, Jay Shah said. “There’s so much to the Lansing, Okemos and East Lansing area that I feel MSU students don’t really get a chance to reach out as much and see what’s going on in their community, where there is impact needed. And I think that was a big part of our plan, was to really reach out to the different communities,” Jay Shah said. “There’s so many different communities that need help, and this is a really good chance for MSU students to branch out and to make an impact in their four years here.”
Getting involved
For MSU students who want to get involved, there are a few requirements, according to Brandon Halmaghi. There’s a $20 yearly membership fee that goes toward volunteer events, a tshirt and food for meetings as well as a minimum attendance rate. “You have to attend five club events per semester,” Brandon Halmaghi said. “We’re going to be requiring that you attend one meeting, one fundraiser event and one volunteer event within that semester, and the last two, you can attend whatever event you’d like to attend.”
T H E STAT E NE WS
TH U R S DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 , 2 01 7
Contents
McKenna Ross Managing editor mross@statenews.com
ONLINE AT STATENEWS.COM
Portion of Grand River renamed
Know Thy Enemy: Penn State
Lansing City Council will rename a portion of Grand River Avenue after civil rights activist Cesar Chavez.
Football Reporter Souichi Terada continues his Q&A series, talking to sports reporters at The Daily Collegian.
33
BY T H E N U M B E R S
Number of points MSU lost by to Penn State in 2016 See page 12
Listen Friday: The State News Podcast Football Reporter Souichi Terada and Sports Editor Sam Metry discuss Penn State.
“If they arrest you in Iran as a Baha’i, they basically don’t need anything against you.” Mahtab Graduate Student See pages 7
Employees speak out against bus owner BY MARIE WEIDMAYER MWEIDMAYER@STATENEWS.COM
Since LansingParty.com, LLC, had its buses impounded for operating unlicensed and uninsured, former employees and neighbors are speaking out against owner Christopher Staggs. “It was almost like stealing from these kids,” former employee Matt Joy said. “When something would go bad and he would promise them a refund and he would never give it to them or he would change the price.” Joy was a manager for Lansing Party for 8 to 10 months in 2015, and he left the company because Staggs was not paying him, a common theme among former employees. Staggs did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Xavier Davis, a former driver from July to December 2016, sued Staggs for wages he was owed. Davis said he won the lawsuit and received his money through garnishments. Another former employee, Lisa Thomas, worked at LansingParty.com, LLC, from April to December 2016. She said she left the company because she was
not getting paid — Staggs owes her almost $5,000 — and she had been pulled over multiple times by the Michigan State Police because the buses were unlicensed. The insurance for the buses expired on Sept. 1, 2016 and the Michigan Department of Transportation revoked the company’s operating license on Sept. 14, 2016. “Everytime I would hire somebody or a hire group of people, they would end up quitting because they weren’t getting paid,” Thomas said. “Or they were rude to them or something.” Staggs would answer the phone for LansingParty.com, LLC, use an alias and say he was not the owner so he would not have to talk the customers, Joy said. “I only saw it for that short amount of time, but he would answer the phone and answer it as an alias, multiple times as different alias,” Joy said. “He would not put down his personal name on federal tax documents either.” One reoccurring problem was that Staggs would schedule a bus and then tell the driver not to show up. READ MORE AT STATENEWS.COM
Lucy Burkitt, 5, tries out a slack line while be supported by Lansing resident Amanda Burkitt, left, and environmental studies and sustainability senior Ian FitzGerald, right, during the Safe Halloween event on Oct. 26 on M.A.C. Avenue. Safe Halloween is an event put on by MSU Greek Life to provide kids with a fun and safe trick-or-treating experience. PHOTO: JON FAMUREWA
VOL . 108 | NO. 10 CONTACT THE STATE NEWS (517) 295-1680
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rachel Fradette
NEWSROOM/CORRECTIONS (517) 295-5149 feedback@statenews.com
MANAGING EDITOR McKenna Ross
GENERAL MANAGER Marty Sturgeon ADVERTISING M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ADVERTISING MANAGERS Mia Wallace, Raquel Mishaan COLOPHON The State News design features Acta, a newspaper type system created by DSType Foundry.
CAMPUS EDITOR Brigid Kennedy CITY EDITOR Riley Murdock SPORTS EDITOR Sam Metry FEATURES EDITOR Sasha Zidar PHOTO EDITOR Jon Famurewa COPY CHIEF Blair Baeten
The State News is published by the students of Michigan State University on Thursdays during the academic year. News is constantly updated seven days a week at statenews.com. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the MSU community. Additional copies $0.75 at the business office only. State News Inc. is a private, nonprofit corporation. Its current 990 tax form is available for review upon request at 435 E. Grand River Ave. during business hours. Copyright © 2017 State News Inc., East Lansing, Michigan
DESIGN EDITOR Alexea Hankin
T H U RS DAY, NOV E MB E R 2 , 2 01 7
@ T H E S NE WS
STATE N E WS .CO M
3
McKenna Ross Managing editor mross@statenews.com
Korean students react to threat of nuclear war BY NADAV PAIS-GREENAPPLE NPAISGREENAPPLE@STATENEWS.COM
S
ome day, a siren might sound, and you will have minutes — or maybe only seconds — to find shelter from an incoming barrage of missiles, artillery shells and bombs. For your whole life, you’ve known this is a possibility, and the war waiting on the horizon is a constant presence in your mind. For Americans, the idea of constantly being on the verge of war is terrifying. But for South Koreans, who have technically been at war with their nuclear neighbor, North Korea, since 1950, it is simply routine. MSU is home to 419 international and exchange students from South Korea and 76 from Japan, another nation in North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s crosshairs. As tensions increase between the U.S. and the reclusive east Asian nation, how are MSU’s South Korean and Japanese students reacting t o the potential threat of war?
‘People are used to it’
SINCE 2006, NORTH KOREA HAS HAD
SIX NUCLEAR BOMB TESTS NORTH KOREA HAS LAUNCHED
22 MISSILES THIS YEAR ALONE
CAMPUS CENTER CINEMA NOW FEATURING
NOVEMBER 2nd-5th
0
B
PM
LOGAN LUCKY
DUNKIRK Thurs: Wilson Aud 8:30 PM
Thurs: Conrad Aud, 9:00PM
Fri & Sat: 115B Wells Hall 8:30pm Fri & Sat: 117B Wells Hall 7:30PM
Fri & Sat: 119B Wells Hall 7:00PM Fri & Sat: 119B Wells Hall 9:15PM
Sunday: Conrad 8:00PM
Sunday: Wilson 8:30PM
LA LA LAND
Nov. 9th-12th
4
Thurs: Wilson Aud, 9:00 PM
DOCTOR STRANGE
Sat: Wilson Aud, 7:00 & 9:15 PM
Thurs: Conrad Aud, 8:30 PM
Sat: Conrad Aud, 7:00 & 9:10 PM
Fri: Conrad Aud, Sun: Conrad Aud Fri: Wilson Aud, Sun: Wilson Aud, 7:00 & 9:10 PM 8:30 PM 7:00 & 9:15 PM 7:00 & 9:15 PM
THE STATE NEWS
Electrical engineering sophomore Byungchan Go poses for a picture on Oct. 31 at Wells Hall. Go is an international student from South Korea. PHOTO: JON FAMUREWA
THURSDAY, NOV E MB E R 2 , 2 01 7
“For South Koreans it’s been always like this, so nowadays people are used to it,” political science junior Jaehyun Park said. Park is originally from Seoul, South Korea, but has studied in the U.S. since seventh grade. “Back in the day when this kind of thing happens, people usually buy noodles, rice, for preparing for air raids and stuff like that,” Park said. “But nowadays you rarely see people preparing for that kind of stuff.” North Korea is more than 5,000 miles from the continental U.S., and yet U.S. media, according to Park, is more concerned about the threat posed by Kim Jong Un than the South Korean media. Park theorizes this is because for the U.S., that threat is a new one. Simply put, North Korea never needed a nuclear weapon to attack its southern neighbor. Seoul — a city of 9.86 million people — is about 30 miles from the border, and North Korea has been able to obliterate the city with conventional artillery for decades. Only now is the U.S. potentially facing that same threat. “When I read articles from Korea it’s very different,” Park said. “We already knew what they are doing and what they want, but normal citizens in the United States are more fearful about missiles because they didn’t experience this kind of thing before. We are used to the fear. We don’t want this kind of fear all the time, but we cannot erase it.” After a nationwide civil defense drill in August, multiple news outlets including the Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times reported that, surprisingly, South Koreans tend to be casual about preparation for a North Korean attack. Byungchan Go, an electrical engineering sophomore at MSU, lives in Seoul during the summers with his family. He admits the civil defense drills, which happen multiple times a year, are not as effective for training the populace in what to do during a North Korean attack as might be expected. “To tell the truth, they’re useless drills because nobody concentrates on the media or the radio,” Go said. “It’s kind of a big show. It’s a useless show, because nobody knows what to do if North Korea attacked us.” Go says there are some concerns about a possible war with North Korea since the election of President Donald Trump, who has taken a
decidedly more antagonistic stance on the nuclear-armed country than his predecessors. But ultimately, it comes down to a different calculus of warfare. “Unlike the Iraq War and the Vietnamese War, nowadays Seoul has millions of people, including American citizens,” Go said. “We understand very well that it is almost impossible to start a war, but every time I listen to news about President Trump saying we can do war like that, it feels scary.” So why is it that the people of South Korea have had to adjust to living in fear of the war waiting for them across the border?
A war without end
At the end of World War II, Korea, which was a colony of Imperial Japan, was liberated from Japanese rule by both the U.S. and the Soviet Union. North of the 38th Parallel, the Soviets set up a state modeled after the ideals of Soviet communism: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. South of that line, the U.S. helped usher into existence the nation of the Republic of Korea — more commonly known as South Korea. Both nations claimed legitimate rule over the entire Korean peninsula, and this eventually led to war in 1950, when North Korean forces backed by the U.S.S.R. and China invaded the South. This led to a bitter, violent war. Over the next three years, the U.S. fought North Korean and Chinese forces on behalf of South Korea. The war resulted in over a million and a half civilian deaths in both Koreas, and left the entire peninsula in ruins. The North was left with a deep hatred for the U.S., and a peace treaty was never signed — only a truce. The border between North and South Korea, designated as a “de-militarized zone,” is now the most heavily militarized area in the world. Tensions have run hot between North and South Korea for decades, and even broken out into violence multiple times. Border skirmishes have occurred, and in 1999 and 2002, the two countries navies battled over a disputed maritime border around Yeonpyeong Island. In 2010, North Korean artillery installments shelled that same island. “They didn’t announce anything,” Park said. “They just did an artillery attack on the island.” Also in 2010, a North Korean torpedo sank the South Korean navy ship Cheonan, killing 46 sailors. The incident did not lead to war.
Spotlight
Robert Brathwaite, a professor of international relations in James Madison College, says that if a similar incident happened now, it may not have a peaceful ending. He attributes this to the increased aggressive rhetoric between Trump and Kim Jong Un. “This escalating rhetoric between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump is limiting options for both of them in some ways, because they made these very public pronouncements,” Brathwaite said. “If these lines are transgressed, something very, very bad may happen.” That rhetoric is of particular concern to Go, who will be returning to Korea in January to begin his mandatory military service. South Korean men between 18 and 35 are required to serve in the nation’s armed forces for at least 21 months. “I do not want to serve for the Korean Army, but I know I have to,” Go said. “I don’t have any option, but I just hate it. Rising tensions means rising possibility of war. I don’t want to think about it, but if the war starts when I’m serving in the military, that’s not good. That makes me scared and nervous every time I think about it. “It makes my heart beat,” Go said.
A painful legacy
Nearly 600 miles to the west from North Korea is another nation that has found itself in Kim Jong Un’s crosshairs: Japan. Over the past three months, North Korea has launched two unarmed ballistic missiles over the island nation. Each passed over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, setting off alarms and sirens across the country. Miyu Arai, a 19-year-old exchange student from Tokyo’s Hosei University currently studying at MSU, just came to the U.S. when the first missile was launched on Aug. 28. “They recently installed a system where the government can immediately send alerts to everybody through phones, TV and everything,” MSU Japan Club president Momoko Watanabe said, translating for Arai. “She was here at the time when the missile flew over, but she heard from her parents about the system. The threat seemed more real now that the government is stepping in and notifying everybody.” Arai and her family live in Gunma Prefecture, a region northwest of Tokyo. Arai explained that despite the J-Alert system built to warn citizens of an impending nuclear attack, the re-
gion does not have the same shelter infrastructure that more urban regions might have. She worries that her family might not be as safe. “The retaliation that North Korea does — their retaliation isn’t towards the U.S., it would be towards Japan or Korea or other countries that are in between like Guam, too,” Watanabe, translating for Arai, said. “So especially since the anti-ballistic missile systems, they’re in the Sea of Japan and in Japan, they would be more affected than Americans. She’s very worried, concerned.” Japan may seem an unlikely target for North Korea’s wrath. But it is the country’s imperial past that has led to these modern threats. Imperial Japan ruled the Korean peninsula as a colony from 1910 until 1945, when Imperial Japan surrendered to the U.S. after the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. During the colonial rule, repression and human rights abuses were widespread, and after liberation, citizens of both Koreas harbored animosity towards Japan. A recent opinion poll conducted in South Korea and Japan found that the percentage of Koreans with a “good impression” of Japan has increased in recent years, but the number still rests at only 26.8 percent — barely a third of Koreans. Arai’s perception that the government is taking the North Korean threat seriously is not far off-base at all. According to Brathwaite, the tides of public opinion and government action are shifting in Japan. In the recent election, the ruling party of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gained more power, which may push Japan away from its current pacifist stance. “Where we see U.S. troops in Japan, they’re more in places like Okinawa — they’re more divorced from typical everyday life in Japan,” Brathwaite said. He said in comparison, U.S. forces have visibly been in South Korea for decades. “Their presence has been there for a very long time,” Brathwaite said. “They’ve been there since 1953. And for the foreseeable future, 30,000 plus troops will be there.” Currently, Japan’s constitution prohibits its military, known as the Self Defense Forces, from participating in any offensive operations. That may change in the coming months or years.
RELIGIOUS DIRECTORY Stay up to date at: www.statenews.com/religious
Chabad House of MSU 540 Elizabeth St East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 214-0525 chabadmsu.com Prayer services, Friday night services, followed by a traditional Shabbat dinner @ Chabad. Shabbat Day Services 10:00am @ Chabad, followed by a Traditional Shabbat lunch @ 12:15pm. For weekday services & classes call 517-214-0525. Hillel Jewish Student Center 360 Charles St., E. Lansing (517) 332-1916 Friday Night Services: 6pm, Dinner: 7pm September - April Martin Luther Chapel 444 Abbot Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 332-0778 martinlutherchapel.org Sunday: 9:30am & 7:00pm Wednesday Worship: 9pm Mini-bus pick-up on campus (Fall/Spring)
River Terrace Church 1509 River Terrace Dr. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 351-9059 www.riverterrace.org Service times: 9 & 11:15am Riverview Church MSU Venue MSU Union Ballroom - 2nd Floor 49 Abbot Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824 Phone: 517-694-3400 Website: rivchurch.com Worship Times: Sundays at 6:30PM during the MSU Fall and Spring semesters University United Methodist Church & MSU Wesley 1120 S. Harrison Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 351-7030 universitychurchhome.org msuwesley.org Sunday: 10:30am 9:00am Garden Service in the summer TGIT: 8:00pm Thursdays Sept. April
Greater Lansing Church of Christ 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. East Lansing at corner of N. Hagadorn & Albert Ave. (Meeting at the University Christian Church Bldg.) Phone: (517)898-3600 STUDENTS WELCOME Sunday Worship Hours 8:45am Sunday Bible Class 10:00am Small Group Bible Study Wednesday 1:00pm Students please feel free to call for rides greaterlansingcoc.org
READ MORE AT STATENEWS.COM
Religious Organizations: English and intercultural relations sophomore Atsushi Koyama holds his traditional Japansese tea bowl in his dorm room on Oct. 30 in Holden Hall. Koyama is from Japan. PHOTO: ANNTANINNA BIONDO T HU R S DAY, N OVE MB E R 2 , 2 017
WELS Lutheran Campus Ministry 704 Abbot Road East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 580-3744 www.msu.edu/~welsluth 6:30pm Saturday Worship
STATENEWS.COM
5
Don’t be left out of the Religious Directory! Call (517)295-1680 to speak with an Account Executive today
Editorial
Rachel Fradette Editor-in-Chief rfradette@statenews.com
The State News endorses Aaron Stephens, Ruth Beier for council BY THE STATE NEWS EDITORIAL BOARD FEEDBACK@STATENEWS.COM
East Lansing’s local government has been in the spotlight for several months now — from Country Mill Farms’ court case against the city to the income tax proposal — and the importance of a strong city council is as necessary as ever. With the local election taking place on Nov. 7, The State News endorses Mayor Pro Tem Ruth Beier and Aaron Stephens for the two available seats in the upcoming East Lansing City Council race. Beier has the financial background the city needs. She graduated from MSU with a degree in economics and received a master’s degree from Duke University. She is experienced in her field — she worked as an economist for the Michigan Education Association and was appointed deputy treasurer for taxation and economic policy for the state of Michigan by then-Gov. James Blanchard. She initially ran for city council in 2013 because
she wanted to help the city manage its finances. The city needs that interest and determination in managing the budget — now more than ever. Beier is well-equipped to handle the results of the income tax proposal, whatever happens. If it is to pass, Beier will be able to implement the tax effectively. If it fails, Beier will be a leader in working with appropriate city leaders to find the $3 million needed to fund pensions. Beier has been active in decisions to approve Brownfield redevelopment projects and make downtown businesses more diverse and active. One of her original campaign goals was to bring in new business to the Park District buildings, and she said for the next term she wants to bring a new developer in to complete that goal. Furthermore, Beier represents the permanent residents of East Lansing very well. She makes an effort to connect with residents by knocking on doors, talking to students and more. Having a government that listens to its resi-
Aaron Stephens
Ruth Beier
dents is vital, and Beier does her best to make sure that happens. Though Stephens, a political science senior at MSU, is running for his first time, he has experience working on national campaigns. He worked with both the Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton presidential campaigns. As a student, Stephens can bring a different perspective to the council. One of his goals is to work closer with the university, and he knows the actors within the administration to make that possible. His passion for politics is noticeable. Throughout the campaign, he’s emphasized his goal to stay in East Lansing past graduation and be a politically active community member. By showing a genuine interest in solving these local problems, voters can take Stephens by his word and believe he will stick to his goals. Support for Stephens is evident. He was endorsed by Rep. Sam Singh, the Michigan House minority leader who was on the East Lansing City Council for 10 years. Stephens also raised more than $10,000 for the election.
Stephens wants to make downtown development a priority and is not picky about who applies to develop. In a previous State News article, Stephens said he would let the market decide what comes downtown. Beier is a candidate students and residents alike can trust to make tough decisions and engage the community. Stephens is a newcomer with genuine ideas and a student’s perspective. The two are equipped to handle anything the council needs, which is why The State News endorses Beier and Stephens for East Lansing City Council.
The State News Editorial Board is made up of Editor-in-Chief Rachel Fradette, Managing Editor McKenna Ross, Campus Editor Brigid Kennedy, Features Editor Sasha Zidar, Sports Editor Sam Metry, Copy Chief Blair Baeten, Staff Representative Madison O’Connor and Inclusion Representative Souichi Terada. City Editor Riley Murdock did not sit for this editorial.
Vote ‘Yes’ on E.L. income tax prop BY THE STATE NEWS EDITORIAL BOARD FEEDBACK@STATENEWS.COM
There’s no way around it — East Lansing is in financial stress and needs money. Generating revenue is its best solution. A city income tax is on the Nov. 7 ballot. Following months of financial health analyses, it became clear that the city needed more revenue to provide basic necessities to operate the city and meet their obligations to pay pensions of retired city employees. The tax is not a large burden to the average student. At 1 percent annually for residents and 0.5 percent for non-residents, it would be a very small portion taken out of a biweekly paycheck. If a resident makes $5,001 annually, less than $2 would be deducted from a paycheck every two weeks. It even has an exemption of incomes less than $5,000 annually. The average student earns $4,000 in a year, meaning most students will be exempt from this tax. There’s additional deductions for persons with disabilities and seniors over the age of 65. The city is doing its best to affect the least amount of people. 6
THE STATE NEWS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBE R 2 , 2 01 7
But above all, it’s a small price to pay to have a safe, clean and functioning local government. The tax is expected to raise about $5 million annually. Of that, $3 million will go to pensions, $1 million to infrastructure and $1 million to city operations. Without the tax, budget cuts will have to be made in various departments of the government. In a previous State News article, councilmember Erik Altmann said cutting the entire Parks, Recreation & Arts department would only save $2 million, which is not enough to make the pension payments — the bare minimum needed to address the city’s financial issues. “There is no way to find $3 million in cuts without going after public safety because it’s two thirds of our budget,” Altmann said previously. Public safety. Yes, that’s right, potentially fewer ambulances to respond to alcohol poisoning, allergic reactions and any other emergencies a college town could face. While taxes are never pleasant, the alternative of cutting important services is much worse. Keeping that in mind, The State News supports the income tax proposal.
News
Brigid Kennedy Campus editor campus@statenews.com
Two MSU students share their lives under a theocracy in Iran under governmental influence, Ghorbanpour said nowadays, many of his fellow countrymen view Baha’is as equal citizens, making persecution more of a political power play than a widely held belief. “Because of the media, because of the internet, because of social media, year by year Iranians could get to know Baha’is better,” Ghorbanpour said. “The rest of the community, I think they treat Baha’is as fellow citizens, full Iranians.” East Lansing resident Melanie Smith believes as fellow Baha’is abroad refuse to physically fight back against persecution, interest in the struggle will grow among other Iranians. Stressing that Baha’is in Iran were not responding passively, but rather non-violently and within the Iranian legal framework, Smith believes that these methods have been crucial to helping citizens see Baha’is for more than what the government tells them. “As time has gone on and people have observed how the Baha’is respond to the persecution, they’re intrigued,” Smith said. “A lot of the populace has been prevented from learning about the Baha’i faith, has been subject to propaganda and a lot of fake news.”
BY MAXWELL EVANS MEVANS@STATENEWS.COM
Amin Ghorbanpour never got to meet his grandfather. In 1984, five years before Amin’s birth and five years after the Islamic Revolution installed a theocracy in Iran, his grandfather, one of nine people who made up the local Baha’i spiritual assembly, was arrested for his faith in a nighttime raid. Three months later, his family was informed by the government that he had been executed. No explanation of his formal charge, no time of death or information on the judge and court that sentenced him, just the coldly-delivered fact that he was no longer alive. Ghorbanpour’s father, also a member of the spiritual assembly, escaped the same fate, but at a cost: he went into hiding for several years, forced to leave his young family behind in the face of significant danger. He would bounce from house to house, wary of remaining in one place too long, being caught and sentenced to death without a fair trial. “It was a chaotic situation at that time,” Ghorbanpour said. “Many of these raids and executions, basically they were not based on previous instruction, like a court order or something like that. That’s why, because of all the chaos, people tried to stay safe and maybe not live at one address.” Ghorbanpour’s grandfather is one of over 200 Baha’is that were killed in the early years of the Iranian Islamic system, and his father is one of countless Baha’is to have faced or evaded imprisonment as a result of his faith. Even as faith-based executions have given way to less violent forms of societal repression, Baha’is continue to be persecuted for nothing other than the religion they follow. The political and social climate in Iran, as well as long-standing religious disagreements, have led to a dangerous situation for Baha’is who choose to stay, and heartbreak and confusion for those like Ghorbanpour who choose to flee the country they called home.
Targeted persecution
Mahtab, a 28-year-old graduate student at MSU whose name has been changed for her protection, can identify with a lot of what Ghorbanpour has gone through. Growing up Baha’i in Iran left her with similar stories — fearing for her family’s safety, experiencing unequal treatment and seeing loved ones become political prisoners. As a result of protests in the aftermath of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election in 2009, she said her Baha’i friend was arrested and given a bogus charge. “The funny and sad thing is, my friend who was arrested, she at the time was 24 or 25. Very young artist, has nothing to do with this,” Mahtab said. “Her charge was that she was trying to overthrow the government. She’s a teeny tiny woman artist, like what? Overthrowing the government? No matter what happens in Iran, they always use that as an excuse to go and arrest Baha’is.” At first glance, the persecution and violence seems random. Government overthrow is hardly a goal of the Baha’i faith; Ghorbanpour said Baha’is are taught to not even verbally argue with others, let alone try to violently prove their points. The Baha’i are the largest minority religious group in Iran, but they are outnumbered nearly 250-to-1 by the Muslim majority — and accept Islam as a legitimate, divine faith, as they do with other major religions. Although 99.5 percent of Iranians are Muslim, the persecution that Baha’is face is largely avoid-
Education is not a crime Marketing senior Mesha Farahani spreads some paint around her paper at the Unity Painting event on Oct. 13 in Brody Hall. The event was hosted by the MSU Baha’i Association. PHOTO: MATT SCHMUCKER
ed by those of other religions. Christian and Jewish communities in Iran, although incredibly small, aren’t threatened with imprisonment or death nearly as often; Islam recognizes Jesus and Moses as legitimate prophets. The Baha’i faith is different. They believe in a prophet, Bahá’u’lláh, who died only 125 years ago and preached a message of global equality. Bahá’u’lláh was born in Iran and, after establishing the faith, was exiled, moving throughout the region until his death in Israel, making the latter nation a “holy land” for Baha’is. Mahtab said this means that Baha’is are often accused of being spies of Israel and its ally, the U.S. “If they arrest you in Iran as a Baha’i, they basically don’t need anything against you,” Mahtab said. “They can just say, ‘spy of Israel’ and, all set.
take away the power from who is governing. It’s all politics.” As a result, much of the discrimination faced by Iranian Baha’is is far from taboo; it’s explicitly state-sanctioned. A 1991 internal memo, featuring a handwritten note of approval by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, contained anti-Baha’i statements like “Deny them employment if they identify themselves as Baha’is” and “A plan must be devised to confront and destroy their cultural roots outside the country.” Some of the persecution is not only restrictive, but demeaning. Mahtab says rumors circulate that Baha’is are so dirty that their food is inedible, or that they’re infidels — even that Baha’is have tails. She recalled a high school teacher who, instead of teaching his assigned subject,
“If they arrest you in Iran as a Baha’i, they basically don’t need anything against you. They can just say, ‘spy of Israel’ and, all set. You can be sentenced for that.” Mahtab Graduate Student
You can be sentenced for that.” On top of these issues, not only do Baha’is violate one of the most central tenets of Islam, that Muhammad was the final true prophet, but the faith’s progressive tendencies tend to contradict Iran’s social conservatism. In a government like Iran’s, whose power has been directly drawn from Islam since the revolution, a contradiction against the religion is a contradiction against the state. “When the prophet started the faith, he said things that at the time were not acceptable, like equality of men and women or not having clergy, and now the country is governed by clergy,” Mahtab said. “These are all things that would
would constantly criticize Baha’is and other minority groups. Her friends in class refused to let it continue. “Instead of teaching language, he was talking about Baha’is and other minorities,” Mahtab said. “He started saying these things, and my classmates actually defended me, saying, ‘No, we have a friend who is Baha’i. We know what you are saying is not true.’” This is an example of something both Mahtab and Ghorbanpour agree on: the average Iranian doesn’t actively discriminate against Baha’is. With the exception of “maybe ten percent” of Iranians who are religious and closed-minded or
T H U RS DAY, NOV E MB E R 2 , 2 01 7
@ T H E S NE WS
As is the case with many basic aspects of life for Iranian Baha’is, receiving an education is a challenging process. Ghorbanpour recalls his elementary and secondary schooling experience as being marked by discrimination and, sometimes, hopelessness. “As Baha’i children, also we had tough times too, because schools were dominated by Islamic culture and beliefs,” Ghorbanpour said. “As a kid who doesn’t have those beliefs, people try to integrate you or try to make you uncomfortable. ... In some incidences — not specifically myself, but there have been so many cases — teachers or the school managers try to bother or even dismiss someone from the school.” After completing high school, Ghorbanpour took the Iranian University Entrance Exam, required of all graduating students. What happened after he took the exam is a typical story for Iranian Baha’is looking to attend university. His score indicated he was qualified to attend many of the Iranian universities and enter into the major of his choosing; the final decision said something different. “I took this national exam, and although I had this score that was qualifying me to go to so many majors, I didn’t. I got this result back that I have not accepted to any major,” Ghorbanpour said. “That’s not only my story, that’s the story of other Baha’is as well.” In order to receive any sort of post-secondary education, Ghorbanpour turned to the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education, an “underground” university the Iranian government refuses to recognize as legitimate. The BIHE has been labeled an “extremist cult” by Iranian leadership, and a Quartz report on the university said BIHE enrollment is, in effect, a “scarlet letter” on students. Even as the government kept tabs on the university’s every move, he was able to receive his undergraduate degree. The BIHE is a bare-bones operation; Ghorbanpour says classes nowadays are largely online, with in-person meetings occurring at people’s houses every few weeks to address questions and provide help. He said the university made gains towards operating as a normal university, obtaining computers and better facilities as the Iranian government momentarily loosened its grip, but those gains were short-lived. READ MORE AT STATENEWS.COM STATE N E WS .CO M
7
Sports
Sam Metry Sports editor sports@statenews.com
COLUMN: The rest of 2017 is just house money, just enjoy the ride BY SOUICHI TERADA STERADASTATENEWS.COM
For as close as the Spartans were to the Chicago Cubs last Saturday — the quintessential “next year” team for 108 years — MSU fans should embrace that
decades-old mantra. Yes, “next year” is a cliche, old but classic. Consider sifting through the disappointment of the Northwestern loss for a second. For stretches, not the whole game, mind you, the Spartans looked incredible; flashes of brilliance that should have the MSU faithful brimming with excitement. Yeah, I’ll concede, the Spartans likely won’t be traveling to Indianapolis at the conclusion of the regular season. But guess what? They were never supposed to. The most optimistic supporter would have never expected a 6-2 start and an MSU team that still controls its destiny in the Big Ten East heading into November. Those hotels around Indianapolis sure look
pretty, but so will whatever bowl game the Spartans end up in. Instead, the win over Michigan has rejuvenated this program and injected East Lansing with something it’s been missing for months — hope. The Spartans played with fire for a bit too long as the mistakes added up. But if you don’t think they’ve learned from those gaffes, you’re sorely mistaken. Winning close games down the stretch is a skill, just ask the 2015 Spartans. Some of it is comprised of luck. But if you don’t have the unwavering belief that your team can close a nail-biting win, you’ve lost before you’ve ever started. And those players, yes, the ones who will be here for the next two, three, maybe even four years, are still learning. Don’t forget, either, the slew of future All-Big Ten talent the Spartans display. A trio of wideouts — Felton Davis III, Darrell Stewart Jr. and Cody White — were absolutely lights out. That’s a junior, redshirt sophomore and true freshman, in that order. And the guy slinging the pigskin looked even better. Sure, that last play that sealed it for the
Wildcats was rough. So were the missed deep balls. But damn, Lewerke orchestrating that two-minute drill on the last drive of regulation was a thing of beauty. Methodically, he marched up the field, converted a fourth down and found Davis to send the game into overtime. There’s no doubt in my mind about the redshirt sophomore quarterback. That man is clutch as all hell. He’s the perfect commander to steer this wayward ship wherever it might end up. Again, that’s not just this season. Expand your horizon a bit and gear for the future. Couple all that firepower with a defense oozing with talent, that’ll be a fun team to watch next year and beyond. That core looked uncharacteristically shaky in overtime, but even it has developed a rapport and a special place in Spartan fans’ hearts. Let’s face it, there’s a lot to be optimistic about going forward for MSU. Tasting defeat because of the Spartans’ youthful mistakes will suck. For now at least. The true fun begins in 2018 and beyond, when this trying youth becomes seasoned veterans and spark celebrations in Cedar Village.
Here’re the nitty gritty facts: BEAT PENN STATE! Visit the MSU Drumline before the game! Free QD doughnut holes & cider Stop in before and after
SPARTANS BEAT THE NITTANY LIONS! FRI: 9-8 SAT: 9-8 SUN: 11-5 FREE VALIDATED PARKING FOLLOW US: @SBSMSU
351-4210 • order at sbsmsu.com 8
THE STATE NEWS
THURSDAY, NOV E MB E R 2 , 2 01 7
2017 was always supposed to be a rebuilding year. A fifth or sixth place finish in the Big Ten East was not out of the realm of possibility. Indiana and Maryland were, and still are, on their way up in the division.”
Sports
Sam Metry Sports editor sports@statenews.com
Men’s soccer focused on itself prior to Big Ten Tournament BY JONATHAN LEBLANC JLEBLANC@STATENEWS.COM
In a Big Ten conference featuring four teams ranked in the top 25 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, including No. 2 Indiana, No. 12 Michigan and No. 24 Maryland you would think the No. 8 Spartans would focus on these top ranked opponents heading into the Big Ten Tournament next weekend. Well, they don’t. Their only focus is on themselves. “We don’t really see the opponents, we take care of ourselves and what we do as a group. That’s the most important thing for us,” midfielder Ken Krolicki said. “We can play with anybody in the Big Ten and in the nation.” Krolicki isn’t the only one who thinks this way, as the exact train of thought is spread throughout his teammates as well. “We don’t focus on anybody, because everybody is the same and anybody can beat anybody,” defenseman Jimmy Fiscus said. “We can’t take anybody lightly.” This includes the Hoosiers, with whom MSU tied 1-1 on Sunday night and also pose one of the biggest threats to Spartans in the Big Ten tourney. “It was a great test, they’re one of the best teams in the country,” Fiscus said. “A lot of games are going to be just like that, right to the very end and I think it’s good we got our momentum going late in the year, instead of earlier in the year.” Krolicki said playing Indiana was not only a good test for playing in the Big Ten Tournament, but for the NCAA Tournament as well. But playing the Hoosiers wasn’t the only test for the Spartans during the season, as MSU played against six straight ranked teams in the middle of the season, going 4-1-1 in that stretch with the lone loss against non-conference opponent then-No. 24 Akron. But in Big Ten play, MSU had its way for the most part going 5-0-3 (11-2-3 overall) and claim-
ing second place in the Big Ten standings alongside Indiana, who also went 5-0-3 in Big Ten play (13-0-4 overall). One of those Big Ten wins against a ranked opponent, was against then-No. 16 Ohio State, who the Spartans demoralized 5-1, and will play in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament this Sunday at DeMartin Stadium with the start time at 1 pm. While the Spartans kept the success going, the Buckeyes were shook up and went on to lose seven more straight games to end the season with a 7-9-1 overall record (3-5-0 in Big Ten play) and scoring two goals in that eight PHOTO: Sophomore defender Michael Wentungu (17) steals the ball from Indiana midfielder Cory Thomas (11) during the game against Indiana on Oct. 29, at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans and the Hoosiers tied 1-1 in dougame losing stretch. ble overtime. PHOTO: ANNTANINNA BIONDO If MSU takes care of business Sunday, it will set up a possible rematch them and it wasn’t easy,” Renswith the Hoosiers if the No. 2 ranked team in ing said. “This isn’t an easy the nation also takes care of business against a thing and our guys responded.” Rensing said making realistic 5-9-2 Penn State team that lost to Indiana 1-0, goals and hard work are also earlier in the season. The other side of the bracket hosts a couple keys to having success and finof prime matchups between Maryland and a ishing towards the top of the Big good 8-4-4 Wisconsin team, and the Wolver- Ten regular season standings. “We don’t make goals that we ines against the winner of Northwestern and can’t achieve,” Rensing said. Rutgers matchup. The Maize and Blue are also the Big Ten reg- “If you set a goal and you put ular season champions after beating the Terra- your mind to work, you have that chance to do it, and that’s pins 2-1 in overtime on Sunday. All of this started with head coach Damon all you can ask for from these Rensing and knowing he “had a good group” guys.” of freshmen and sophomores three years ago. “Our guys worked hard, and we challenged
SOCCE R MATCH U P S #1 MICHIGAN
Junior forward Ryan Sierakowski (11) tries to head the ball during the game against Indiana on Oct. 29, at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans and the Hoosiers tied 1-1 in double overtime. PHOTO: ANNTANINNA BIONDO
#8 NORTHWESTERN #9 RUTGERS
Nov. 5 | 1 p.m.
Nov. 4 | Noon
Try our pumpkin spice oil massage!
@ #4 MARYLAND #5 WISCONSIN
Nov. 10 | Noon
Nov. 5 | 1 p.m.
BIG TEN CHAMPION
@ #3 MICHIGAN STATE #6 OHIO STATE Nov. 5 | 1 p.m.
@ #2 INDIANA #7 PENN STATE
Voted Best Massage by MSU community 7 years in a row 2011-2017!
Swedish-Deep Tissue-Couples-Hot Stone-Sports Paraffin-Aromatherapy-Facial Massage
Nov. 12 | Noon
541 E Grand River Ave (Campus Town Mall - 2nd Floor) massageandwellnessonline.com |517.203.1113
Nov. 10 | 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 5 | 4 p.m. T H U RS DAY, NOV E MB E R 2 , 2 01 7
@ T H E S N E WS
STATE N E WS .CO M
9
Crossword
L.A. Times Daily Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
Features
Sasha Zidar Features editor features@statenews.com
Students provide gifts, hope for child cancer patients
ACROSS 1 Attack vigorously 7 Insurance company’s concern 11 “Now I get it!” 14 Dry-eyes solution 15 __ Picchu 16 Female GI in WWII 17 With 61-Across, dubious tabloid image 19 Curved line 20 ‘50s president, initially 21 20-Across nickname 22 The Congo, formerly 24 Tycoon Onassis 25 Call to a police hotline, possibly 29 Hits the tarmac 31 Very long time 32 Attention-getting whisper 33 Elect to office 35 Spouse 36 1972 chart-topper for the band America 43 Storyteller __ Christian Andersen 44 Key of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony 45 Relaxing venues 49 Train cos. 50 Likely will, after “is” 51 Emmy-winning travel and cuisine show hosted by Anthony Bourdain 56 Canon SLR camera
57 Get the better of 58 “If you ask me,” briefly 59 Like this crossword ans. 60 Hole in __ 61 See 17-Across 67 ATM maker 68 Poke fun at 69 Thingamabob 70 Bashful 71 Sleep in a tent, say 72 Dries out, with “up”
DOWN 1 Sch. with a Tempe campus 2 She plays Dr. Cristina Yang in “Grey’s Anatomy” 3 Stirred up a cloud of dust at, as a base 4 Staff helper 5 Suffix with hero 6 Bolshevik leader 7 Battle of Britain fliers: Abbr. 8 Here, to Henri 9 Female pronoun 10 Invasive Japanese vine 11 Anticipates 12 Poll founder Louis 13 Receive willingly 15 Personal bearing 18 Ring ref’s decision 23 Snake that bit Cleopatra 24 Thomas __ Edison 25 Tag sale words 26 Irish poet
27 Cloth-eating insect 28 Upright 30 German article 34 Jacket style named for an Indian leader 35 Capital of Belarus 37 Say “Watch it” to 38 Arabian Sea nation 39 Little bite 40 Go before 41 Auto, to a Brit 42 Love god 45 Cereal utensils 46 Beer gut 47 Blood carrier 48 Criterion: Abbr. 52 The third letter of 13-Down (but not the second) 53 Work starting hour 54 Texter’s “Crikey!” 55 Forest 59 “This is __ for Superman!” 62 Grassy expanse 63 Candied veggie 64 Web access co. 65 Scarer’s shout 66 NFL scores
Get the solutions at statenews.com/puzzles Level: 1
2
3
4
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 MONDAY’S PUZZLE
Get the solutions at statenews. com/ puzzles 9/12/17
10
© 2017 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
THE STATE NEWS
Kinesiology senior Hannah Brunson poses on Oct. 24 at the MSU Union. Brunson started the Hope Movement in 2016. PHOTO: ANNTANINNA BIONDO BY CLAIRE MOORE CMOORE@STATENEWS.COM
It’s a medical diagnosis that nobody wants to give, and it’s a medical diagnosis that nobody wants to receive. You have cancer. But for millions of people across the U.S., a cancer diagnosis is no unimaginable scenario: in 2016, about 595,690 people in the U.S. died from the disease, according to statistics from the National Cancer Institute. Millions of people face a struggle with cancer every day, and for many of them, the disease strikes at the core of their relationships between family and friends. For Hannah Brunson, the gravity of such a diagnosis is all too real. Brunson, a kinesiology senior, witnessed several of her family members undergo chemotherapy and other treatments for cancer-related issues. For her, these experiences were eye-opening to the exhausting, sometimes unsuccessful recovery process that comes with cancer. “I’ve had a lot of former family go through cancer, but I’ve never really understood how they felt or the procedures that they had to go through,” Brunson said. “I remember taking one of my family members to a chemotherapy appointment, and they just sit there while they get the treatment.” In those moments, the weight of such procedures didn’t affect Brunson in the way that it does now. “I didn’t really think anything of it at that point, ‘cause I think I was about maybe 16, or 18, one of those ages,” Brunson recalled. Her outlook would later undergo a change, specifically during her career at MSU. In her sophomore year at MSU, Brunson — a Detroit and Grosse Pointe, Michigan native — said she felt a call to action for those who are dealing with cancer. “My sophomore year of college, we had to write an essay about how we wanted to impact not just MSU ... I can’t remember what the prompt was, but what do you want to do before you die basically, how do you want to impact the whole world, what career do you want to go into,” Brunson said. “So then I just started writing about how I wanted to make an impact on people with cancer.” In 2016, Brunson created the Hope Movement, a nonprofit MSU registered student organization, or RSO. According to Brunson, the Hope Movement hopes to bring support to individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer. “Originally, the Hope Movement started about how I
THURSDAY, NOV E MB E R 2 , 2 01 7
wanted to make an impact on campus, and how I wanted to spread positivity, but I felt like that was just a broad statement, so I focused more on cancer and how I could make a difference on their lives,” Brunson explained. Comforting a child, she thought, could be done simply, so she worked on an idea to develop care packages for an individual child. Such packages, she said, would contain items that the child could take advantage of in order to comfort them from the reality of their cancer treatment. “We narrowed it down more to kids with cancer,” Brunson said. “I felt as though they need some type of distraction to — of course they know they have cancer, but just to distract them from the chemotherapy as they’re getting it. So that’s the main reason why we started.” Brunson said the packages usually contain pictures and notes about the sender, coloring books, blankets and more. The group is adding more this year. “This semester, we have a list of specific wants of the child, so we have their age, and what they have interests in,” she said. “This year we’re a little more personalized with our packages.” Kayla Taylor, a psychology senior, said she initially learned of the organization from Brunson. To Taylor, Brunson’s concept of giving care packages to cancer patients was familiar. “My mom was actually diagnosed with breast cancer before I came to school,” Taylor said. “One day when I was with her, when she was getting her chemotherapy treatment, someone actually brought in a package for her.” Taylor, who is now the vice president of the Hope Movement, described how Brunson’s idea first made her want to find out more about the organization. “When I came to school, I saw Hannah was doing it as well, but it was for children, and I remembered how happy my mom was receiving her package. … So that’s another reason why I wanted to get involved,” Taylor said. This semester, Brunson says that her organization will personally deliver the packages to children, but she now faces a dilemma. “I think that last year, we had a really big turnout for our first time, but people dropped off because they realized we weren’t personally delivering the packages,” she said. “Now that we’re actually doing it, we don’t have people to deliver them, so that’s our issue.” As of 2017, the Hope Movement partners with Bronson Children’s Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to personally deliver their packages to children affected by cancer.
Features
Sasha Zidar Features editor features@statenews.com
Student business expands, selling tea and agricultural products BY JAMESON DRAPER JDRAPER@STATENEWS.COM
In April, The State News talked to the student-run business Land Grant Goods, a company established through MSU’s Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment, or RISE based out of Bailey Hall, about its business. Part of their products come from the Bailey Hall greenhouse itself. Land Grant Goods makes herbal tea and sells them on its website in addition to about a dozen vendors. They originally sold their herbal tea at the Kellogg Center until they were noticed by the Eli Broad College of Business and the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation who began to work with them. Co-CEOs Bethany Kogut, an elementary education senior, and Alex Marx, an environmental studies and sustainability junior, started the business in early 2017. CTO Abdullah Mohammed, a chemical engineering senior, joined in the summer, after The State News last talked to Land Grant Goods. “This summer I was going out of the country and we knew that Alex couldn’t just do this on his own, so we brought Abdullah on because he had the skill set of working with RISE before, and also working with Alex and I,” Kogut said. “We all knew each other, so we knew we had good chemistry to make this business work. At the same time, he also had the skills of working in the greenhouse and working with Land Grant Goods in the past so that he could continue to work with us simply, I guess. There wasn’t a very large learning gap. So he could just jump right in. And it worked out great.” Marx said Mohammed is a vital addition to the business. “Abdullah is a very unique individual. You can’t find someone quite as able to adapt and help make things flow,” Marx said. “He’s a very bright mind in terms of technology, in terms of business, in terms of science, even. He’s studying chemical engineering, and it’s funny how he excels at things so well such as Land Grant Goods.” Land Grant Goods is less than a year old, but they have made leaps and bounds since their inception. It continues to become more of a legitimate business. This year, it has 14 first year interns gaining experiential education. They have interns for
several aspects of the business, providing a variety of resume-building jobs. “The interns are getting first hand experience of some of the work that we’re doing,” Kogut said. “So we have some interns that are working on our accounting, filing our receipts into our accounting system. We have a bunch of interns that are helping with production, and they’re actually processing and packaging the tea with us. And then we have a few that are doing sales work, so they’re actually going out into the markets and selling our products to people. And we also have a team that is doing product development, so they’re developing new blends and developing new products for us for the future.” Land Grant Goods has also seen a production increase while maximizing efficiency, two things that sometimes don’t work together. “We’ve had to problem solve over time and it has been difficult, but we’re trying to make some of our production more autonomous, so it’s not involving as many people and it’s not as time consuming,” Kogut explained. “We’re also looking at how we can minimize our input costs in terms of packaging and then also labor.” For Marx, his solution was a bit less complex. “I’ve been taking our interns out at 6:50 a.m. Monday through Wednesday for the last few weeks and this has really been increasing our production and allowing us to flow with this production much better,” he said. “Because these students don’t have class at 6:50 a.m. We get to get up early, get out in the fresh air at this farm and just kind of produce.” Many upcoming events are in store for Land Grant Goods. First, they’re participating in Making it in Michigan on Nov. 7, an annual food conference run by the MSU product center to help spread awareness for their business. The next event they’re taking part in is at the Holiday S.T.E.M. Market at the Impression 5 Science Center on Nov. 10-11, which is a market designed to allow families to experience S.T.E.M. focused products firsthand. Land Grant Goods is also attending an event at the Surplus Store on-campus called “Shop Everything MSU” on Nov. 30 from noon until 8 p.m. The event brings in different MSU-related vendors to showcase their products for the holiday season. It is generally one of the MSU Surplus Store’s most popular events.
From left to right, chemical engineering senior Abdullah Mohamed, elementary education senior Bethany Kogut, accounting freshman Jake Standerfer, and environmental studies & sustainability senior Alex Marx pose for a picture on Nov. 1 at Bailey Hall. PHOTO: CARLY GERACI
Classified Your campus marketplace! statenews.com/classifieds TO PLACE AN AD …
DEADLINES
BY TELEPHONE (517) 295-1680 IN PERSON 435 E. Grand River Ave. BY E-MAIL advertising@statenews.com ONLINE www.statenews.com/classifieds OFFICE HOURS 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.
LINER ADS 2 p.m., 1 business day prior to publication (includes cancellations) CLASSIFIED DISPLAY 3 p.m., 3 class days prior to publication
NOTE TO READERS The State News screens ads for misleading or false claims but cannot guarantee any ad or claim. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when sending money.
Employment DOWNTOWN LANSING restaurant now hiring all positions. Please apply or send your resume to jaymer@feastwith.us
Houses/Rent
The Bailey Greenhouse provides many of Land Grant Goods with their tea and cosmetic herbs on April 24 at Bailey Greenhouse at Bailey Hall. Land Grant Goods is the first MSU business solely run by students. The business is an organic food, tea and honey company. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO
Houses/Rent
Houses/Rent
2018 HOUSES. Best locations and rates. Excellent conditions. Lic. 4, 4 bedrooms. msuhouses. com (517) 202-0920.
‘18 AUG houses available. Lic 4 people. www.gutowrentals.com or call 517-749-4767.
4 BDR/LIC across from msu. Excellent condition. Clean. Aug 2018. $535/mo/person. Call (517) 676 4641 or cell (517) 420 2363
2018 HOUSE. Lic. 3 People. Deck + 2 Car Attached Garage. Excellent Location. Top Condition. Extensively Updated. Call/Text: 517-490-3082.
AUG ‘18 Apts 1&2 Bdrm & Studios. Great Locations/Top Conditions. Visual tours hudginsrealty.com (517) 575-0008. No pets.
T H U RS DAY, NOV E MB E R 2 , 2 01 7
@ T H E S NE WS
AUG 18. Lic for 5. 508 Cornell. Many Updates. Very Affordable. Call 517-712-9600 Avail. 2nd Semester 201718. 136 Durand. Brand New Building! 2-4 bed townhome/ apts. W/D, D/W, front porch, bsmt, hardwood. 517-351-0765. HRIRENTALS.com Behind Whole Foods. $355/mo. Rent w/ group of 3 or 6. W/D, D/W, 2 LR, bsmt. 517-351-0765. HRIRENTALS.com.
STATE N E WS .CO M
11
THE BATTLE FOR THE LAND-GRANT TROPHY
MICHIGAN STATE VS PENN STATE
AP RANKING: WEEK 10
NOON KICK-OFF | SPARTAN STADIUM, EAST LANSING TV: FOX | RADIO: SPARTAN SPORTS NETWORK
#24
AP RANKING: WEEK 10
#7
OVERALL: 7-1 BIG TEN: 4-1
OVERALL: 6-2 BIG TEN: 4-1
LAST FIVE MATCHUPS Gerald Holmes, Senior Running Back
2016: 45-12, Penn State 2015: 55-16, MSU 2014: 34-10, MSU 2010: 28-22, MSU 2009: 42-14, Penn State
TEAM STATS *PER GAME
SPARTANS
NITTANY LIONS
23.8
POINTS*
39.8
167.1
RUSHING YARDS*
163.1
226.5 19.6 89.8
PASSING YARDS* POINTS ALLOWED* RUSHING YARDS ALLOWED* PASSING YARDS ALLOWED*
277.6 13.2 126
193.6
187.6
KEY MATCHUP: Saquon Barkley vs MSU’s run defense.
SAM METRY, SPORTS EDITOR: MSU wins if the run defense manages to contain Saquon Barkley, which would make them the first team this year to do so.
PREDICTION: Penn State 38 - MSU 17 GRAPHIC BY LAUREN GEWIRTZ
12
THE STATE NEWS
THURSDAY, NOV E MB E R 2 , 2 01 7