Study Breaks Magazine

THE PL AIN SIGHT FALL ACY OF NE W YORK’S FREE TUITION PAGE 22

BRINGING DILDOS TO A

GUN FIGHT UT’s Ana Lopez, the co-leader of Cocks Not Glocks and Students Against Campus Carry, has a radically reasonable plan for gun-policy reform.

By Karen Guan

A Stanford Student’s Sobering Journey to Tajikistan’s Woman of Stone

These Two Harvard Seniors Think College Admissions Are Unfair

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DEC E M BE R 2 017 • AUS T I N • S T U DY BR E A K S .COM

THE TABLE OF CONTENTS DECEMBER 2017 • ST UDYBR EAK S.COM

ONLINE THIS MONTH PAGE 4

By Study Breaks Staff

INTRAMURALS PAGE 18 Fencing virtuosa Francesca Russo hopes to lead Notre Dame to its third National Championship in four years.

STUDENT EXHIBITION PAGE 6 Carnegie Mellon’s Kasem Kydd uses provocative live performance and symbolladen visual art to explore the nuance of black culture.

By Maahfio Otchere

By Patrick Murtha

WHAT’S YOUR MAJOR? PAGE 23 This month, try walking a mile in the Chacos of an Adventure Education major at Plymouth State University.

TASTEMAKERS PAGE 14

By Camelia Juarez

Writer and video personality Upasna Barath, a student at North Central College, teases insightfulness out of the quotidian.

THE MEAL PLAN PAGE 25

By Carli Scalf STUDENT GOVERNMENT PAGE 22

GREEK LIFE PAGE 16 As the first trans sorority girl in the Indiana University system, Jenna Comins-Addis has all eyes on her.

New York’s Excelsior Scholarship promised free tuition to in-state undergrads, but the reality is far different.

By Leslie Currie

By Giselle Krachenfels

There’s no better bark to bite than the peppermint variety, and we’ve got the recipe you need.

By Joiya Reed UNIVERSITY REPORT PAGE 26

TALKING NOTES PAGE 10

#COLLEGEHACKS PAGE 27

Austin-based TC Superstar, helmed by a fleet of Texas undergraduates, explores the filigree of masculinity.

THE PROCESS OF ADMISSIONS PAGE 40 After experiencing the inequality of the collegeapplication process firsthand, two Harvard seniors created the Fair Opportunity Project.

By Joiya Reed

The best and worst college news from across the country

By Brandi Loving

Winter is coming.

By Christian Zeitler

EXTRA CREDIT PAGE 46 After creating “Caged Bird Magazine” last year, Howard University’s Alexa Lisitza discusses her new feminist publication, “The Intersectionalist.”

By Shashank Rao

By Jack Brandon STEM GEMS PAGE 12

COVER SPOTLIGHT BRINGING DILDOS TO A GUN FIGHT Photography by Thea Robinson

BRINGING DILDOS TO A GUN FIGHT

THE WOMAN OF STONE PAGE 34

Aerospace engineer and AAAEA president Malek Sarhan is helping connect and strengthen Arab STEM majors throughout Chicago.

UT’s Ana Lopez, the co-leader of Cocks Not Glocks and Students Against Campus Carry, has a radically reasonable plan for gun-policy reform.

While documenting her travels to a shrine in Tajikistan that celebrates the fortitude of the female spirit, Stanford’s Nicole Bennett-Fite experienced new iterations of an inequality older than time.

By Maya Halabi

By Karen Guan

By Patrick Murtha

PAGE 28

MEET THE PRESIDENT PAGE 48 Baylor’s Amye Dickerson talks about the Astros, salsa and her secret penchant for freestyling in this month’s questionnaire.

By Study Breaks Staff

EDITOR’S NOTE

THE COMMON DENOMINATOR

OUR TEAM FOUNDER: Gal Shweiki

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n a line that we edited out of Patrick Murtha’s story about Stanford student Nicole Bennett-Fite, he asks her where she first heard about the “Journey of a Lifetime” scholarship that she won, which awarded her more than $6,000 and financed her travels to Tajikistan and back.

She responds, pragmatically, “I googled ‘travel scholarships.’”

Then, in another feature, this one about Cole Scanlon and Luke Heine, the two go on at length about the various ways they’ve used tech to expand the reach of their Fair Opportunity Project. By rooting their practices in the truths of their data, the Harvard seniors have been able to reach, for pennies on the dollar, the students that have both most needed their services and been most unable to access them. “That, then, is what motivates the application of tech to this sort of deal, to see how we can have massive impact… This was a way that we could, with a very small team, impact what might now be up to a million students,” says Heine.

That technology can be of benefit to your college experience is about as obvious as saying that studying can help your grades, yet it remains the common denominator in the stories of many of our most remarkable students. Take Alexa Lisitza, the Howard senior and founder of two separate publications, “The Caged Bird” and the forthcoming “Intersectionalist.” With nothing more than a concept and a bit of emailing, she’s assembled a writing team of more than seventy-five students and created enough material to populate two humming websites. Or what about Upasna Barath, the North Central College student whose writing was discovered by “Rookie” editor Tavi Gevinson just because she had a proverbial “link in bio” that led to her personal website?

For all the merits of technology, though, there is one clear downside, and that is that it leaves you with even less of an excuse than ever. The difference between you and Nicole Bennett-Fite is little more than a Google search, while a Wordpress site or two may be all that differentiates you from Alexa and Upasna. In Nicole’s case, her queries were hardly rooted in philanthropy: She wanted to travel to Central Asia for free and was looking for a way to do it. So really, the actual

ART DIRECTOR: Ian Friedel EDITOR-INCHIEF: Mark Stenberg WEB EDITOR: Raquel Alonzo DIGITAL EDITORS: Jake Deven, Anh Le MARKETING DIRECTOR: Carmina de Alba SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR: Gabriela Mata GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Bryan Raynes

difference is not tech or emails or blogs at all, but initiative.

Maybe this winter break, after your finals are all squared away and you’ve taken a few days to unwind, get out of your parents’ house, go to a coffee shop and google something that you think might be a good idea. You might end up with little more than a new website to read and a caffeine buzz, or you might drive back home having secured thousands of dollars in scholarship or an idea for a side project that could end up changing your life. Trust me, it’s worth the effort.

ACCOUNTING: Elizabeth Castro DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Marcus Flores DISTRIBUTION: Frank Hartfield, Jose Espinoza, Ernest Ward

MARK STENBERG Editor In Chief @MarkStenberg3

PRODUCTION: Shweiki Media Study Breaks magazine is published twelve times per year by Shweiki Media, Inc. copyright 2012. All rights reserved. This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented without written permission from the publisher. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents of this magazine or of the trademarks of Study Breaks Magazine, Inc., without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for care and return of unsolicited materials. Return postage must accompany material if it is to be returned. In no event shall such material subject this magazine to any claim for holding fees or similar charges. Study Breaks Magazine is an entertainment magazine for the students of San Antonio, San Marcos, Austin and Lubbock, published 12 times a year. CORPORATE OFFICE: Study Breaks Magazine Inc., 4954 Space Center Dr., San Antonio, TX 78218 • CONTACT STUDY BREAKS: Editorial: Mark Stenberg, 210-705-3284, editorial@studybreaks.com • Study Breaks Magazine is excited to help your brand reach our audience through video and written content. SALES: Ralph Chaplin, 210-892-0951, contact@studybreaks.com

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STUDYBREAKS.COM

CONTRIBUTORS WRITER ///

PHOTOGRAPHER

MAAHFIO OTCHERE @maahfio Villanova University Journalism Student Exhibition page 6

JACK BRANDON University of Michigan English Talking Notes page 10

MAYA HALABI @mayaemii UTSA International Relations and Communications STEM Gems page 12

PATRICK MURTHA @patrickmurtha_ Eastern Connecticut State University New Media Studies Intramurals, The Woman of Stone page 18, 34

GISELLE KRACHENFELS USC Business Greek Life page 16

CARLI SCALF @carliscalf18 Ball State University English and Journalism Tastemakers page 14

LESLIE CURRIE @lesliecurrie University of Virginia Foreign Affairs Student Government page 22

CAMELIA JUAREZ @shescamie Texas State University Journalism What’s Your Major? page 23

JOIYA REED Georgia Southern University Journalism and Spanish The Meal Plan, The Process of Admissions page 25, 40

BRANDI LOVING @literallythebest St. Mary’s University English College News page 26

CHRISTIAN ZEITLER Carnegie Mellon Professional Writing and Creative Writing #CollegeHacks page 27

SHASHANK RAO University of Michigan English and Creative Writing Extra Credit page 46

KAREN GUAN Southern Methodist University Finance, Public Policy Bringing Dildos to a Gun Fight page 28

MORGAN RICHAARDS @mrichardsphoto Point Park University Fine Arts Student Exhibition page 6

THEA ROBINSON @dorothealouise University of Texas at Austin Radio-Television-Film Talking Notes, Bringing Dildos to a Gun Fight page 10, 28

QIYUAN ZHOU @keonjoe Illinois Institute of Technology Engineering STEM Gems page 12

JACOB G PERRY @jacobgperry North Central College Marketing Tastemakers page 14

REAGAN FITZGERALD @reaganfitzy University of Notre Dame Political Science Intramurals page 18

ROSE BYTHROW @butterflyrose Indiana University Journalism Greek Life page 16

SYDNEY CLAIRE ALTSCHULER @sydney.claire.photography Lesley University College of Art and Design Photo and Design The Process of Admissions page 40

OLUWATOBI OLADEJO @tobi.oladejo Howard University Public Relations Extra Credit page 46

NICOLE DINH @nicoldinh Baylor University Graphic Design Meet the President page 48

STUDYBREAKS.COM

BRIAN DALEY @brianjdaley Fairfield University International Studies and Political Science The Woman of Stone page 34

STUDY BREAKS WRITING INTERNSHIPS Study Breaks is written exclusively by a team of student interns from across the country. These writers work with the editorial team to pitch and submit one piece a week for the website, in addition to writing for the monthly print magazine.

Spring internships run from January 28 to May 28, and applications close January 14. If interested, email editorial@studybreaks.com with “Student Writing Internship” in the Subject.

Introduce yourself in the body, making sure to include your name, school and major. Please attach at least two samples of your work. Ideal writers are intelligent, funny and talented, though no formal experience is necessary.

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ONLINE THIS MONTH

ONE LINERS

RIGHT NOW AT

STUDYBREAKS.COM

“As you start to understand body odor, pubic hair, menstruation, ejaculation, acne and growth spurts, you may have asked: ‘Why?’ Your parent may have answered you directly: sex.”

Jack Brandon, University of Michigan • ‘Good Booty’ Peruses the Complex Social and Sexual Factors of Music

FROM THE VAULTS

“Because who doesn’t want to take a trip to a dystopian future where teenagers are forced to fight to the death?”

Marissa Cortes, Stony Brook University • Visit Panem in the Newly Opened ‘Hunger Games’ Theme Park

MEET LARA TABAK, THE AWARD-WINNING STUDENT DESIGNER One year ago, “Study Breaks” began profiling, in earnest, the stories of remarkable students from across the country, and we kicked off the new focus with a huge feature on Lara Tabak, an amazing designer from New York’s Fashion Institute. The photography, though one of our first major cross-country photo shoots, remains some of the most gorgeous we’ve gotten to work with.

SPOTLIGHT UMN TRACK-RUNNING BOYFRIENDS BRAD AND JUSTIN TALK RACE, SEX AND RUNNING Minnesotan track stars and boyfriends Brad Neumann and Justin Rabon have made headlines for being just that, though their relationship wasn’t always so easy. The two opened up about the challenges of being gay in the masculine atmosphere of college sports, as well as how their interracial relationship sat with their friends and family.

“The original cast was like one big family, and they had the same problems every family has, except they have eightyhour work weeks and sex in on-call rooms. A lot.”

Allie DiGennaro, Emerson College • Is It Time for ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ to Hang Up Its Scrub Cap?

5 COPING MECHANISMS FOR GETTING THROUGH FINALS

by Kathleen Danielson, Carleton College

COLOR OR DRAW

MAKE COMFORT FOOD

WATCH A MOVIE

HAVE A (MINI) DANCE PARTY

START STUDYING EARLY

ONLINE COLLEGE This month on the website, learn how to: Get out of assigned reading // Explain sex to your parents // Get through finals with your health in tact // Make your racist extended family regret asking you about politics // List the best songs of 2017 // Recognize when your inner bully is showing // Convince any business to hire you, unqualified as you come

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“I know, it’s impossible to believe the majority of women are trying to take control of their lives and create more opportunities for themselves the same way men do.”

Camelia Juarez, Texas State University • Your Girlfriend Won’t Be the Only One Calling You Daddy If She Can’t Afford Birth Control

STUDYBREAKS.COM

“‘Vava Voom’ is a banger and almost certainly the song on this list that will make your grandparents the most despondent about the youth of today.”

Christian Zeitler Carnegie Mellon The 4 Electronic/Hip-Hop Collaborations You Need to Hear

BLACK BODIES

MODEL AIRCRAFT

UPASNA ASKS

A NEW SISTER

EN GUARDE

By Maahfio Otchere PAGE 6

By Maya Halabi PAGE 12

By Carli Scalf PAGE 14

By Giselle Krachenfels PAGE 16

By Patrick Murtha PAGE 18

WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE

THE HONOR ROLL

Talking Notes

Intoxicating Masculinity What do you get when you take the clarity and polish of electronic music and mix it with a punk, grassroots, d.i.y. ethos? TC Superstar. From the thriving music scene of Austin, Texas, comes the group fronted by Connor McCampbell, the driving force behind TC Superstar’s debut studio album, “Masc.” With McCampbell on guitar and vocals, Mitchell Webb on synth and Julio Correa on guitar, TC Superstar comes together to form a bursting wave of synthpop with a surprisingly contemplative depth.

Continued on page 10

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HONOR ROLL: Student Exhibition

K A S E M

KYDD

By Maahfio Otchere, Villanova University Photography by Morgan Richards, Point Park University

“Loving Myself Violently in the Face of Blue Silence” by Kasem Kydd

One of Kasem Kydd’s paintings, “Loving Myself Violently in the Face of Blue Silence,” finds an androygynous black individual swathed in a mosaic of blues staring at what could either be a wall or a mirror; the spot holding their attention is intensely navy and resembles, in its outline, a police badge, and just behind the shape is what looks like a billy club. The inexpressive face of the work’s subject offers few emotional cues, but seems to exude an intense sense of scrutiny. Kydd, a senior at Carnegie Mellon, often explores themes of African-American identity in his artwork, which ranges in medium from video to performance to painting, and has won a number of awards, including the Andy Warhol Award (2015), the Samuel Rosenberg Art Award and a summer art residency at the Yale Norfolk School of Art (2017). I talked to him about his work, the intersection of activism and his art and why he has become such a distinct voice in the mostly white community of art.

MAAH OTCHERE: So let’s start with “Loving Myself Violently in the Face of Blue Silence.” The piece really reflects the intense emotion brought on by police brutality toward black individuals.

Do you imagine the scene you’ve created explores the historical phenome-

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non of institutionalized violence against minorities or its present-day reality?

KASEM KYDD: I reimagine histories, imagine possible futures and create work that counters a tried history of whiteness and white supremacy. It’s somber, but I feel that the

scene is timeless because it represents both the historical and present-day values of America. And, I feel that, through a shared knowledge of what it means to have blackness in America, I can create platforms, spaces and opportunities for other people who look

like me to speak more on how the scene can transcend time and space; it’s not only set in the past, but also in the present and soon the future.

MO: You use mainly black figures or people in your work. What does this have to do with black culture and your own

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HONOR ROLL: Student Exhibition

personal history?

KK: I mainly focus on blackness as a theme, and when I say that, I mean blackness in relation to its diaspora, or lack thereof, and my relationship with that. I would say that it is really the foundation of what I create, and from there it definitely branches out, often into black cultural aspects such as marching bands, drum lines and drum cores. I find that black culture is a product of our, and others’, conceptions of blackness.

MO: But since you are in a mostly white setting, how can you present blackness in a place where it is not necessarily understood?

KK: It’s hard. I think it’s definitely difficult making work in a white space as a black artist because I am always at risk of being co-opted, boxed in or silenced.

I want blackness to be shared, the pros and the cons, but that means I can’t sugarcoat anything.

I stay true to myself no matter how awkward or uncomfortable it can be, and it can be uncomfortable. But we need to ask the questions of why it’s uncomfortable and why it’s awkward to fully understand blackness as a concept.

MO: I think that’s a good way to think about it, so that you don’t worry too much about the outside world. Do you think that you leaned into that discomfort when performing your spoken word poem, “A Prayer for Black Folk”?

KK: Yes, I used my power

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as a performer to turn the narrative and demand that white people pray for black people. In some ways this invited awkwardness, because we were all forced to question why that statement felt awkward to say. That work prompted a particular energy in the room and a feeling of connection, amongst other things. We don’t usually hear or think of white people praying for black people or any minority. Because of this, I wanted us to all experience an opposite view that was not the norm.

MO: That really echoes the Assata Shakur quote that you have said inspires your work: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and support each other.”

What does this mean, and where is this represented in your art?

KK: I love the quote because it encompasses two of the most important things for me, which are existing in my blackness and being an artist. There’s been a historical battle between white supremacy and blackness for a long time, and it’s exhausting to be making work, existing, living, fighting, talking about and being black. That’s why I think the most important part of the quote is that we must love and support each other. We all need that rejuvenation, rest and respite from having to question our existence daily.

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FACT FILE: NAME: Kasem Kydd SCHOOL: Carnegie Mellon University INSPIRATION: Carribean heritage; blackness and black diaspora; pop culture PROMINENT WORKS: “Loving Myself Violently in the Face of Blue Silence”; “A Prayer for Black Folks”; “Untitled (Superhero) ((Black Ass Superhero))” MEDIUM: Interdisciplinary Fine Arts

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HONOR ROLL: Talking Notes

STARTING THE ENGINE TC Superstar frontman Connor McCampbell brings charming, off-beat synthpop on stage with a pure love for performance.

By Jack Brandon, University of Michigan Ann Arbor Photography by Thea Robinson, University of Texas at Austin Continued from page 5

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s the frontman, McCampbell has written and produced most of their first album. “Masc” is an exploration of the concept of masculinity, which has been much scrutinized over the past few years. Each track on the album is an exploration of moments of male upbringing, from boyhood, as on “Closer,” to first love, on “Don’t Wanna Be,” and friendship, on “Feelings.” While scores of think-pieces have been penned defending, explaining or rationalizing the various toxins of male behavior, McCampbell and company do no such thing. Instead, the identity of “Masc” is a gentle, tender look into the interior life of men, a rare approach to the subject.

McCampbell makes no effort to obscure his intent.

From the album’s opener, “Toyota Corolla,” he paints a scene of a lowly office worker who “writes up reports for alpha males” and silently endures their bullying.

Later, once safely out of the office, the song’s protagonist dares to avenge his ego, cutting his superior off in traffic and becoming “a Toyota Corolla superstar.” The next day, however, he discovers the repercussions of his actions—a termination notice on his desk—and returns home sullenly, whereupon he proceeds to take his life by letting his Toyota run idly in his garage as he sits passively inside. As the track ends, McCampbell opts to let the narrative conclude without assessment. Was the rebellion of the beta-male a success or a failure? Does manhood mean taking it on the chin or standing up for yourself? The song declines to answer.

Sonically, “Masc” buzzes with new wave and ’80s styles. “Toyota Corolla” opens with notes of hollow synth loops and McCampbell’s congested vocals, before the classic sounds of drum beats come in. The song progresses like any other pop hit, as layers and layers of synth and vocal flairs jump in and complicate the track.

Upon repeated listens, though, it’s the idiosyncrasies that rope you in, not the big picture. The sounds of “Toyota Corolla” strike clear and fresh, building to a crescendo before pulling into a fake-out ending that segues seamlessly into “I Don’t Mind.”

It should come as no surprise that the production of a TC Superstar album is immaculate, however. Mc-

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Campbell is a classically trained pianist who studied for eleven years. The band could be considered McCampbell’s musical project, since he writes, records and produces all of their material. As an independent musician, he has played in four other bands and has released material independently, as well. What separates TC Superstar, however, is the magnitude and collaboration of the release. “Masc” has been uploaded to Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, and the group has performed on Texas Student Television. A TC Superstar performance is multifaceted, with handmade costumes of reflective silver underwear and deep-blue lipstick. McCampbell considers performance an integral part of making music, and brought on two friends to dance.

Since he does most of the legwork for TC Superstar, it is a major relief to get up on stage and have a good time. “Here’s the thing—I don’t have to play really. In most of the shows, I just get to sing and dance,” says McCampbell. An ambitious songwriter, McCampbell has countless songbooks already written, as well as discographies from working with other bands. “I write the record knowing, in the back of my head, that we’re going to have to play it live, so it’s arranged for that, to make my job easier. But I don’t want to limit myself.”

That is part of what makes working with TC Superstar so enjoyable for McCampbell.

The collaboration of the group—from choreography, directed by one of their own, to creating the album and merchandise by hand—keeps things rooted in a distinctly punk, do-it-yourself ethos. The cover art, in fact, which has been replicated on much of their merchandise, comes from a woodcut that McCampbell made himself.

“Masc” is still a new, fresh album, and McCampbell and company are taking their time to perfect it. “I always want to take the live show and make it more intense,” he says. In the future, he hopes to add another guitarist, keyboardist or a drummer, so the group doesn’t have to rely on a machine. However, there’s a comfort in already having a reliable group. While other bands he has been a part of were forced to take a hiatus after a member moved, all the members of TC Superstar remain in Austin. Since that takes some weight off McCampbell’s shoulders, he’s looking forward to regular performances before hitting the studio again.

FACT FILE: BAND: TC Superstar LOCATION: Austin, TX SCHOOL: University of Texas at Austin GENRE: Synthpop LABEL: Porch Fire Records MEMBERS (L-R): Julio Correa, Connor McCampbell, LB Flett, Francis Rodriguez, Mitchell Webb, Emily DiFranco ALBUM: “Masc” MUST-LISTENS: “Toyota Corolla,” “Closer,” “Don’t Wanna Be”

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HONOR ROLL: STEM Gems

ARABIAN FLIGHTS Malek Sarhan, a junior at the Illinois Institute of Technology and president of the Arab-American Association of Engineers and Architects, is taking aviation to new heights.

By Maya Halabi, the University of Texas at San Antonio Photography by Qiyuan Zhao, Illinois Institute of Technology

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n a world that is predominantly run by STEM careers and majors, it takes an extra mile to stand out from the crowd. At the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago, Malek Sarhan is a third-year Mechanical Engineering student who specializes in aerodynamics. Malek also works to emphasize his cultural heritage and has made extra efforts to shed light on the Arab community of engineers and architects at IIT. As president of IIT’s chapter of the Arab-American Association of Engineers and Architects (AAAEA), he’s helped students find and form connections to gain internship, career and experience opportunities. As an Arab student myself, I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to talk to Malek about his efforts to enhance the college experience for other Arab students.

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MAYA HALABI: When did your passion for engineering begin?

MALEK SARHAN: In high school, I had a big interest in engineering but more specifically aviation. I loaded up on math classes. I stayed up to date with the newest releases of plane models. It was kind of a hobby of mine. I was passionate about engineering and knew that they make decent pay, so I thought I might as well go for it.

MH: I’m assuming IIT has a lot of opportunities to excel in engineering. Has there been anything that has helped your specific major?

MS: IIT’s engineering and aerospace programs

are very good, but we are based in Chicago, which isn’t an aerospace hub at all. Aerospace is popular along the West Coast, so if you want to pursue it at IIT, you really need to want it. Going to conferences, doing internships and putting yourself out there will help you gain contacts and social skills.

A school name can only do so much, so it’s imperative to back it up with experience.

MH: What experiences have you gained so far in college that pertain to your major?

MS: My major is specifically Aerospace, but I still have an engineering background. The organizations I’m involved with are spe-

STUDYBREAKS.COM

FACT FILE: NAME: Malek Sarhan SCHOOL: Illinois Institute of Technology MAJOR: Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace YEAR: Junior HOMETOWN: Chicago , IL

cialized toward aerospace and automotive engineering, such as the Society of Automotive Engineers. A team of us students had to put together a racecar from scratch in the span of a year. We took the car to compete against other schools across the country. It was almost like working a full-time job.

Because I’m involved in aerodynamics, I was able to help with those aspects of the car.

MH: That’s awesome, I can’t even work my running car. In addition to that, you’re president of AAAEA. What does the organization do?

MS: As a cultural organization, AAAEA focuses on connecting Arab

students on campus with professionals in their major. It’s more about opening opportunities for students than working on projects. We like to make sure the Arabs on campus are accessible to job and networking opportunities.

MH: How have you, as president, spearheaded the organization?

MS: The whole executive board was graduating the year I decided to get involved. Once I got involved, I was able to stabilize the executive board to save the organization.

The whole executive board this year is very devoted to serving the best for our members.

MH: Is the Arab community consistently growing in

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Chicago? I have yet to hear about an organization like that where I live, in San Antonio.

MS: Chicago has the second-biggest Muslim community in the country.

If an Arab is going into engineering or medicine in the Chicago area, they’ll go to IIT. Outside of the organization, we’re all friends, but the AAAEA brings us together as officials.

MH: Middle-Eastern culture heavily revolves around family and close friends. How has your family supported and impacted you as an engineer?

MS: I’m really close with my family. Both my parents are teachers, so they never

really limited my path options like the stereotypical, “You can only choose between medicine and engineering” Arabs. They always have known I liked planes. They encouraged me to do whatever I wanted with the understanding that family and a stable job are priority. My parents gave me the leeway to do what I’m passionate about.

MH: As an Arab myself, it’s nice to hear about someone having a genuine passion about STEM and not being forced into it. Do you have any internships or future career goals planned?

MS: I’ll be doing a couple office internships this year. My involvement with Automotive Engineers has

ORGANIZATION: Arab-American Association of Engineers and Architects (AAAEA) ROLE: President FAVORITE ENGINEER: Ibn Sina SPECIALIZES IN: Aerospace and Automotive Engineering

given me a good outlook on what the automotive industry looks like overall.

It’s actually put me on the border between aerospace and automotive engineering. Company-wise, there’s a couple options I could choose from, including Toyota. I really enjoy aerodynamics so I’m considering all my prospects. Career-wise, I still think I have some learning to do in order to make a set decision.

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HONOR ROLL: Tastemakers

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR North Central College’s Upasna Barath, an author and serialized videographer for Tavi Gevinson’s renowned girl-power publication, is writing to survive.

By Carli Scalf, Ball State University Photography by Jacob G. Perry, North Central College

L

ike many college students, Upasna Barath has questions: Is it okay to be a romantic? How do you find what you’re passionate about? How do you know if your crush likes you? Unlike many college students, however, Barath doesn’t endlessly ponder her questions alone on the couch; she answers them on the internet, for a publication that draws thousands of readers each day, in the hopes of connecting with the many, many teenage girls out there wondering the same things.

Barath is a writer and video contributor to the online magazine “Rookie,” a site that publishes writing, photography, artwork and more by and for teenage girls. Editor-in-chief Tavi Gevinson began the website, which was a transition from her personal style blog, in 2011, at the age of fifteen. Since then, “Rookie” has grown into a social media bastion boasting over a quarter million followers, as well as a four-series line of books featuring compiled and new writing from the magazine. Barath contributes personal essays to the site and is the creator of her own ongoing video column, “Upasna Asks,” where she answers common questions facing young adult girls.

Some would call Barath’s start with “Rookie” serendipitous. In 2015, after Barath favorited one of the publication’s tweets, Gevinson noticed the notification and clicked on the personal blog Barath had linked in her bio. She read Barath’s essays, reached out to talk and the ongoing collaboration was born. Though such a story is probably every “Rookie” reader’s dream, in reality, luck played only a small part in Barath’s journey; she had been preparing for the opportunity, unknowingly, her entire life.

“I grew up an only child, so when I spent time alone, I would just write a lot of stories on notebook paper,” she says. Barath later began to type out her stories and then transitioned to recording nonfiction, real-life stories on a personal blog. When Gevinson found Barath, the burgeoning author had no aspirations of a freelance writing career; she was just writing to survive. After she began her partnership with “Rookie,” Barath began to shift the way she thought about the stories she was recording. “When I saw other people [writing] for their career, I understood how significant writing had been for me growing up, and I started understanding how it was the same for other people, that there as a whole community out there that used writing as an outlet that was part of their identity,” she says.

In her essay writing, Barath tackles serious topics with a keen eye for observation and a gripping honesty. She’s written about parental expectations, fear, student protests and being a minority on campus, and her essays have sparked important conversations between teen girls across the country. While Barath enjoys sharing her thoughts and writing about important topics, the satisfaction does little to make the task of baring her personal life on a public platform easy. “I didn’t realize before how brave of me it was to do that,” she says of writing personal essays for “Rookie.”

“Anyone who puts their life out there on the internet is doing a brave thing.”

While her essays are usually serious in tone, Barath’s “Upasna Asks” videos tend to be lighter and cover a wider range of topics. And yet, though the videos can be silly and fun (which, admittedly, is a big part of their charm), Barath treats every question, even simple ones, such as “Do I have to grow up?” with her trademark insightfulness. Engaging seriously with these topics gives teen girls a voice and a space to grapple with the problems going on inside of their heads. Barath says that being able to share her personal life through the videos has been freeing. “The one I did that struck a chord with me was ‘Does My Crush Like Me Back?’ I was able to admit to the world that, yeah, I kind of suck at this, but it’s great that [the readers] can navigate it with me.”

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As a result, the conversations she’s able to start on “Rookie” have helped her as much as they’ve helped her viewers. “It’s made the world feel a lot smaller, in a good way, and it definitely makes me feel less alone,” she says. “It’s humbling.”

While Barath continues to write and produce videos for “Rookie,” her future interests are uncertain. She’s pursuing a double major in Economics and Theatre, with current plans to go to law school after graduation. And yet, she’s also interested in script writing for television and expanding her essay writing into a book format. “I don’t know who 2019 graduated Upasna is, and I don’t want to make any decisions for her yet,” she says. “A very smart person named Tavi Gevinson once told me, ‘You do not have to know now.’ I don’t want to make decisions for the person I haven’t become.”

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SECTION NAME: Group Name

FACT FILE: NAME: Upasna Barath SCHOOL: North Central College YEAR: Junior MAJORS: Economics and Theater MINORS: Political Science and Conflict Resolution FAVORITE WRITERS: Roxane Gay and Stephen King BIGGEST WRITING INFLUENCE: Music, especially Justin Vernon and Post Malone FAVORITE VIDEO BLOG: “Upasna Asks: Does My Crush Like Me Back?”

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HONOR ROLL: Greek Life

EXPANDING SISTERHOOD

FACT FILE:

Jenna Comins-Addis, Indiana University’s first transgender sorority sister, is redefining what it means to go Greek.

NAME: Jenna Comins-Addis

By Giselle Krachenfels, University of Southern California Photography by Rose Bythrow, Indiana University

J

enna Comins-Addis is a junior at Indiana University studying Cinematic Production and Design. She’s involved with the Indiana All Media Club and Hoosier Flipside, and writes for “The Tab IU.” Like hundreds of other girls at her school, Comins-Addis went through sorority recruitment to find a home at one of their twenty-two chapters, eventually settling on Delta Phi Epsilon. The only difference? Comins-Addis happens to be the first trans women to join Greek Life at IU. “The IU Delta Delta Chapter, although a regular PanHellenic Chapter, and not a queer based organization, is queer allied and very accepting of those who are queer,” says Commins Addis. “When I got my bid to be in Delta Phi Epsilon, they didn’t have any bylaw that said trans women were allowed, but there weren’t any issues. We do have a majority of straight women, but we are all really supportive of each other no matter how they may identify or how they look.

Again, we’re just a regular PanHellenic chapter that just happens to have a trans person in it.”

While her experience is an exciting first in the system, Comins-Addis doesn’t want to be seen as a figurehead of the trans community, as she believes that every trans person’s experience is singular. “I don’t want to be the face of the trans community, that’s not my intention. This is just my story, and it happens to be what happened to me. It’s not representative of how everyone else’s story could be.”

While, in terms of diversity, there is still a ways to go for the Greek system, Comins-Addis is optimistic about the future. Currently only five out of twenty-six national sororities have an official inclusive policy for trans women, but she hopes they will have a positive influence on others. “I can’t speak for the other chapters, but I can only hope that the first five will influence the other remaining twenty-one chapters,” she says. “Again, I don’t know anything about the other chapters, but what’s occurred within these five has been really great for PanHellenic. I hope that the other ones will follow suit.”

Policies are slowly changing in the Greek system, but sometimes good intentions can be misguided.

For example, the IFC Chi Phi Fraternity recently opened recruitment to trans individuals, but only those with government-issued identification that

16

SCHOOL: Indiana University says male. Comins-Addis sees this as a positive first step, saying, “My own opinion is that while I think that this is really great and a step in the right direction, I didn’t even have my gender marker or my name legally changed when I went through sorority recruitment. So I think that the policy is good in nature, but I think it would be even more open if it didn’t matter what your government ID said, but what you say you are.”

Institutionalized discrimination, such as a policy forbidding trans pledges, while discouraging, is at least visible; more granular discrimination, such as recruitment chairs favoring trans individuals who are passing (i.e. more clearly resembling their identified gender) over those who are not, is an equally pressing problem and one more difficult to identify and correct. Comins-Addis, while she can’t speak for every trans person or PanHellenic, believes that this type of discrimination has no place in the Greek system. “If you have a good heart, you want to be philanthropic and want to develop a sisterhood with woman from all different places and backgrounds, then it shouldn’t matter what you look like, whether you’re trans or cis.”

Occasionally there can be a pressure on trans people to educate cis people on trans issues, an issue that Comins-Addis has largely avoided by nature of her naturally outgoing personality. “I would say that there hasn’t really been a pressure, but rather just a desire to do it myself. When people don’t understand something, rather than them asking for help, I’ll just give them the proper terminology on the spot. Many times you get a lot of ‘a-ha!’ moments with people.

While I don’t get specifically asked to help people or educate people on these issues, it’s more just my own desire to do it myself when I feel that it’s fitting or necessary.”

The Greek life experience so far has been very positive for Comins-Addis, and she lauds her sorority for the friendship and support it’s given her. “My sorority sisters are my best friends on campus. I support them and they support me through everything— from the easy to the rough parts,” she says. “We just really help each other out when things are hard and when they’re awesome. We keep each other in check and we give each other the proper support.”

YEAR: Junior MAJOR: Cinematic Production and Design SORORITY: Delta Phi Epsilon SORORITY CHAPTER: Delta Delta

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HONOR ROLL: Intramurals

KEEPING HER GUARD UP After a dominant college career, Notre Dame fencer Francesca Russo is looking to bring the Fighting Irish a third gold medal in four years and secure her spot in the 2020 Olympics.

By Patrick Murtha, Eastern Connecticut State University

W

hen you think of Notre Dame, a few things instantly come to mind: the signature shamrock, the golden football helmets, “Rudy” and massive cathedrals. What you probably don’t think about, however, is the dominant fencing program that the Fighting Irish have developed over the last decade.

And while the campus may never see a mural of En Garde Jesus, Francesca Russo, a senior sabreuse, twotime individual National Championship winner and key figure in her team’s overall National Championship last year, is making a name for the Catholic university as a hotbed of elite swordsmanship.

For most Americans, fencing is one of a handful of sports that only seems relevant during the Olympics; even Russo, before beginning her athletic career, had no idea what the sport was. “I started when I was nine years old with my sister, Jessica. I honestly thought the sport involved actual fences, so I was surprised and relieved to find out that we would actually be sword fighting,” Russo says.

However, once Russo began her career, she quickly became one of the most dominant figures in youth fencing, boasting four consecutive New Jersey state titles in high school and competing with the United States Fencing Association (USFA) team on the international stage.

While her high school years were when Russo really began to emerge as a world-renowned individual talent, competing on her high school team helped groom her for success in ways that, at the time, she was then unaware of. “Although high school fencing is much different than collegiate fencing, I got the chance to experience a team environment, so transitioning to a team of over sixty people [at Notre Dame] was fairly easy,” Russo says. “Every meet matters not only for yourself, but for your whole team, both men and women. Coming to Notre Dame gave me the chance to compete for something bigger than myself, and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”

There are three different categories of competitive fencing: sabre, epee and foil. Each category offers distinct strategy and rules, and Russo has claimed the individual sabre National Championship in both her freshman and junior seasons. “I fence sabre, which is considered the slashing weapon. Sabre’s target area is the torso and up, and it’s the quickest of the three

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because it involves a lot of fast footwork FACT FILE: while moving up and down the strip,” Russo says.

NAME: In Russo’s three years at Notre Dame, Francesca Russo she has an astounding 144-36 record, including a ridiculous 20-3 record in pool SCHOOL: play at last season’s National ChampionNotre Dame ship. Like any other student athlete, she is expected to balance both her athletic YEAR: and academic schedules, which can beSenior come difficult while trying to maintain a place on top of the fencing world. RusHOMETOWN: so, and the rest of Notre Dame’s fencing Wayne, NJ team, have their eyes on one goal, however, and that is repeating their National WEAPON: Championship victory in this upcoming Sabre season. Despite the hours of training and travel, winning it all again would make TOTAL RECORD: everything worth it for Russo. “I have 152-37 seen this team grow, on both an individual and team level,” she explains. “To INDIVIDUAL win another championship would be an SABRE NATIONAL amazing ending to an unbelievable four CHAMPIONSHIPS: years.”

2 Beyond college, Russo plans on training for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, which will require her to commit even further to fencing after she graduates; however, training with her personal coach in New Jersey, as well as some of the best fencers in the United States, has her confident that she can achieve her goal.

While Russo will have to continue to work toward becoming an Olympic Gold Medalist in fencing, her love for the sport is what continues to motivate her every day.

“Fencers come in all shapes and sizes,” she says.

Many people may not believe that fencing is a tasking or an athletically challenging sport because there is no ideal image of a fencer. Because we are a sport of different weapons and styles, there is no perfect fencer. It is one of the most unique sports in the world; every single person has his or her own style, and that’s the beauty of it.”

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FREE TUITION?

ADVENTURE EDUCATION

BARK TO BITE

#HOLIDAYHACKS

By Leslie Currie PAGE 22

By Camelia Juarez PAGE 23

By Joiya Reed PAGE 25

By Christian Zeitler PAGE 27

WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE

AROUND CAMPUS

THE SPOTLIGHT

FACULTY FALLOUT To all those who helped break Canada’s immigration website on Election Day, you may want to reconsider becoming a Canuck: College faculty throughout Ontario have been on strike since October 16, derailing graduation timelines for half a million students. What’s more, the students are demanding a tuition refund, as, according to a Change.org petition, “At an average tuition of $5,000 for two 13-week semesters, students are paying nearly $40/day to be in school.”

Continued on page 26

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AROUND CAMPUS: Student Government

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A FREE TUITION In its first few months of providing subsidized tuition to qualified New York students, the Excelsior Scholarship has raised a number of questions about the viability of a bankrolled education.

By Leslie Currie, University of Virginia

T

his fall, as tuition costs continue to rise across the country, New York welcomed its first class of Excelsior Scholars, student recipients of the state’s offer to grant tuition-free college to qualifying applicants. The program, officially titled New York State’s Excelsior Scholarship, promises free tuition for New York residents attending schools within the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY) systems. To qualify, applicants or their families must earn less than $100,000 in annual income, a limit that is expected to increase incrementally over the next two years. The scholarship effectively introduces to the United States the novel concept of free college tuition, but it also raises larger questions about college costs and about the implications of potentially misleading language associated with tuition-free college.

The Excelsior Scholarship was introduced by Governor Andrew Cuomo at the beginning of this year and began this fall. The “New York Times” reports that the $87 million allocated to the scholarship was distributed among roughly twenty-three thousand students, although seventy-five thousand hopefuls applied. Compared to the almost nine hundred thousand total students enrolled (including graduate and professional students) in both the SUNY and CUNY systems, the number of individuals receiving New York’s prized scholarship seems inadequate. Still, the scholarship affords some disadvantaged undergraduates the opportunity of a college education, which in itself is invaluable.

According to New York’s Higher Education Services Corporation, the maximum amount a student eligible for the Excelsior Scholarship can receive is $5,500, while the current tuition is $6,470 at SUNY and $6,330 at CUNY. It must be noted that, obviously, tuition is not the only expense associated with college. All students can attest that textbooks, food, transportation and housing, among other costs, constitute an enormous expense necessary for attending and succeeding in college. Tuition makes up a fraction of the real cost of higher education.

The Excelsior award works in conjunction with other financial aid dispensations, meaning any other financial aid awards, such as New York’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and Pell Grants, are subtracted from the total award amount. The Excelsior Scholarship “Information Toolkit” notes that, “The remainder of your tuition charge will be covered through a tuition credit paid through SUNY and CUNY.” The term “tuition credit,” however, seems to undermine the point of free tuition by describing the award as a loan—as something that must be paid back.

One stipulation made clear by the Excelsior Scholarship is that students are required to live and work in New York for the number of years that they receive the award. A current freshman at SUNY who, say, receives the scholarship to complete her bachelor’s degree in four years, must continue to live in New York for four years after graduation. The state, therefore, gets its return on investment by compelling students to remain in New York as taxpayers, consumers and laborers. Is it fair, then, to call the Excelsior Scholarship “free tuition” when students have, in a sense, a debt to pay back? Does “free” only pertain to money,

22

and not one’s time and livelihood?

While requiring students to stay in New York is not harmful, especially considering the state pays for a portion of their college expenses, it limits the options available to undergraduates who require financial aid.

In a sense, it creates a cycle of restrictions for low-income and middle-income students—a circumstance that is almost wholly out of their control. In many cases, affordable higher education is sparse, if at all existent; thus, a student struggling to pay for college turns toward financial aid like the Excelsior Scholarship. It is unsettling, then, that a financial award given to a student who otherwise might not attend a university constrains her choices once she graduates.

Free tuition therefore interferes with students’ lives because of their financial restrictions, instead of providing opportunities in spite of them, which is ironically the ultimate goal of the scholarship.

Though it has limitations, the Excelsior Scholarship provides ample opportunity for students striving to pay for college, which is exorbitantly expensive and only increasing in cost. As the only state to implement a free tuition program, New York sets the tone for, and puts pressure on, the rest of the United States’ higher education systems. College simply cannot remain unattainable for the vast majority of young Americans, though this is the reality.

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AROUND CAMPUS: What’s Your Major?

MYTH & TRUTH

KEY TERMS

MYTH: All classes are held outdoors.

TRUTH: Yes, some courses will be on mountaintops and in canoes, but you are expected to crack a book in a walled enclosure at least once a year.

And it can’t be “A Walk in the Woods” more than once.

LEADERSHIP: The product of hundreds of trust falls, midnight pranks and broken geocaching records, leadership skills are earned, not given, to Adventure Education majors.

MYTH: You won’t learn anything in Adventure Education that you couldn’t figure out from “Survivorman.”

FACT: The Plymouth University degree path involves experimental education theory, philosophy and primitive psychology. Plus, that guy turned off the camera and slept in hotels.

MYTH: Adventure Education is a four-year degree for survival skills.

TRUTH: In addition to learning how to thrive in the outdoor economy, the major teaches critical thinking and procedural learning; nature may be the medium, but creative problem solving is the message.

T H I S MO N T H , W E ’ R E S T U DY I N G :

ADVENTURE EDUCATION

By Camelia Juarez, Texas State University

If it’s looking more and more like being an Eagle Scout isn’t going to pay the bills, it might finally be time to try and monetize your impressive outdoor skills.. At Plymouth State University, in New Hampshire, you can prove your mom, your scout master and your academic advisor wrong by becoming an Adventure Education major and capitalizing on your unsettling ability to make a fire anywhere and out of anything. So lace up your hiking boots, Johnny Appleseed, because the “Into the Wild” sequel isn’t going to write itself.

POTENTIAL JOBS

CONVERSATION STARTERS

PARK RANGER: Protecting and supervising designated wilderness, a.k.a. the dream job of Ron Swanson

“You want to take a walk on the wild side, baby?

Great, I’m a certified guide, so make sure you wear some close-toed shoes and bring bug repellant.” ¶ “ The instant I watched Kronk and the squirrel scouts, I knew what I wanted to do with my life.” ¶ “You can survive by drinking your own urine for seven days straight, so no, I don’t want a drink, thank you.”

OUTDOOR TRIP LEADER: Essentially a paid troop leader (Eagle Scouts, this one is for you) or a modern Sacagawea. You must be good with wild life and socially inhibited prepubescents.

WILDERNESS THERAPIST: Instead of encouraging you to recline on a sofa and admit how certain things make you feel, these Thoreauvian shrinks let the gentle breeze of a serene meadow do their jobs for them.

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FUN FACT

NEW HAMPSHIRE: The headquarters of Plymouth University, the Granite State is teeming with options for the active soul, from rock climbing and mountaineering to fighting to protect the state’s last shreds of cultural relevance.

COMMITMENT: An absolute must— kayaking class can be at the crack of dawn and even the most chipper AE students can get tired of Nature Valley granola bars and Chacos that early in the morning.

SAFETY: A total buzzkill!

(Also one of the main subjects taught in the field.)

Starting Salary:

$

60K

New Hampshire is the only state in the country that doesn’t require adults to wear seat belts, a fact that has to be related to an Adventure Education alumnus somehow.

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4 410 19 T H S T • 13 0 | 8 0 6.771.5 3 82 | K E VA J U I C E L U B B O C K .C O M

BOGO SMOOTHIE

FREE YOGURT

LARGE FOR MEDIUM CHARGE

BOGO SELF SERVE

BUY ONE GET ONE SMOOTHIE OF EQUAL OR LESSER VALUE | ONLY @ 19TH ST

FIRST 4 OZ. FREE W/ PURCHASE ONLY @ 19TH ST

LARGE SMOOTHE AT THE PRICE OF A MEDIUM SMOOTHIE | ONLY @ 19TH ST

BUY ONE SOFT SERVE GET ONE OF EQUAL OR LESSER VALUE | ONLY @ 19TH ST

EXP 11/30/2017 NOT VALID W/ OTHER OFFERS EXCLUSIONS MAY APPLY

EXP 11/30/2017 NOT VALID W/ OTHER OFFERS EXCLUSIONS MAY APPLY

EXP 11/30/2017 NOT VALID W/ OTHER OFFERS EXCLUSIONS MAY APPLY

EXP 11/30/2017 NOT VALID W/ OTHER OFFERS EXCLUSIONS MAY APPLY

K E VA J U I C E L U B B O C K T X

K E VA J U I C E L U B B O C K T X

K E VA J U I C E L U B B O C K T X

K E VA J U I C E L U B B O C K T X

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STUDYBREAKS.COM

AROUND CAMPUS: The Meal Plan

PEPPERMINT BARK INGREDIENTS: 2/3 cups of crushed candy canes (6-7 whole candy canes) Two, twelve-ounce bags of milk chocolate chips One, twelve-once bag of white chocolate chips One teaspoon of peppermint extract

BARKING UP THE RIGHT LIST Leave some of this crunchy, breathminty peppermint bark under the Christmas tree and Kris Kringle is sure to leave you the new iPhone X.

By Joiya Reed, Georgia Southern University

A

s a college student, the payoff for four months of tests, lectures, all-nighters and caffeine overdosing is the day finals week comes to an end.

By that point, there is nothing you want more than to throw that test in your professor’s face and leave the lecture hall with a slew of curses springing from your lips. While I would never recommend, in any way, doing that, it’s safe to say that the feeling of wanting to sprint into winter break is a powerful one.

So, congratulations, you are either one step closer to graduation day or dropping out, whichever comes first.

Either way, four long months later, you’ve managed to sprint right into best and most wonderful time of the year: Christmas.

Let the aroma of hot chocolate, cinnamon and freshly baked cookies fill your home as the past four months of non-stop work and hour-long lectures fade into a nightmarish memory. Now it’s time to relax, tap into your inner child and focus on scooching your way onto the nice list before Christmas morning rolls around.

For those who have already sealed their fate on Santa’s

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naughty list, I hope the coal weighing down your little red stocking will keep you warm during the winter in ways that a new laptop could not. But, if you haven’t given up hope yet, this world-class holiday recipe— with just a little bit of Christmas magic—might just be enough to convince Santa that you aren’t as naughty as your drunken college nights might suggest.

Peppermint bark is a simple, fun Christmas treat that, if put out for the big guy on Christmas Eve, is sure to get you back in Santa’s good graces. The recipe calls for four ingredients total: peppermint extract, candy canes, chocolate and more chocolate. (Warning: Consumption of peppermint bark increases the risk of chocolate addiction and/or overdose and ineffable holiday bliss.)

If a recipe that calls for seasonal must-haves such as chocolate and candy canes isn’t a holiday necessity, then I don’t know what is. Plus, what makes this recipe great is that it doesn’t require an extensive knowledge of kitchen tools or flavors. A quick trip to any WalMart or local grocery store and bam, you have every ingredient you need to create your family’s—and soon Santa’s—new favorite holiday treat. The only real challenge the recipe presents is forcing you to wait thirty minutes for the chocolate to cool.

If, after crafting the best imaginable peppermint bark known to man, you find yourself sticking to your old naughty habits of selfishness and greed and keep the crackling chocolate peppermint bark all to yourself, well then, I’m happy to have at least shared this treasured recipe with you. I hope the coal in your stocking keeps your warm at night, because it’s clear your morals won’t.

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit 2. Empty bags of milk chocolate chips onto a cooking sheet then place in oven for 10 minutes 3. Spread the melted chocolate evenly on cookie sheet, then refrigerate for 30 minutes 4. While the chocolate is cooling, place candy canes into a Ziploc bag and crush them (be careful not to turn the candy canes into powder) 5. Microwave the white chocolate chips for 1 to 1 ½ minutes, or until completely melted 6. Add peppermint extract to melted white chocolate and stir 7. Spread the melted white chocolate over the now chilled milk chocolate 8. Sprinkle and press crushed candy canes into the chocolate. (If white chocolate hardens too quickly, place cookie sheet back into oven to loosen the chocolate again.)

9. Place the cookie sheet back into the refrigerator to chill the chocolate 10. After 30 minutes, break or cut chocolate into squares and voila! You have peppermint bark

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AROUND CAMPUS: University Report

COLLEGE NEWS

THE BUZZ

By Brandi Loving, St. Mary’s University

ANTI-SEMITISM AWARENESS According to “Newsweek,” more than a dozen Jewish student events were disrupted at colleges across the country, including Boston University, University of Maryland and University of Florida, as incidents of anti-Semitic behavior have doubled over the last year.

PROBLEMATIC POSTERS

MEANWHILE IN TEXAS… CORNERBACK CORRUPTION

CAYLEY’S CASE

Holton Hill, UT’s most promising cornerback, has been suspended for allegedly violating team rules. The Houston native was enjoying a breakout year and had been projected to go in the first round of the NFL Draft.

At Trinity University, in San Antonio, the words “Draw a heart for Cayley” still linger on a whiteboard in the student activities center.

The mysterious death of nineteen-year-old Cayley Mandadi, a cheerleader at the school, is being investigated as a homicide.

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE FEELING BLUE? Professor Larry Greil has been dressing as Papa Smurf every Halloween for the last five years, but when Dom LeMorta tweeted out a picture of Dr. Greil, the photo went viral. At least on that day, nobody was unhappy to be in their 8 a.m.

GRADE-A RAPS The creator of a biology rap set to the tune of Lil Uzi Vert’s “XO Tour Llif3,” Julien Turner, a student at Morehouse College, made the video to gain extra credit in his science class. Incorporating concepts such as mitosis and chromatids, the hilarious video quickly went viral.

26

PRAYERS FOR SUTHERLAND SPRINGS In the wake of yet another mass shooting, many campuses are coming together to help the families, specifically the children, affected by the shooting.

Many faith-based school are holding memorials and services dedicated to the twenty-five lives lost.

FRATERNITY FREEZE The Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter at UT has been suspended due to safety and health concerns, which were reportedly leaked to the branch’s anonymous hazing hotline. The chapter is suspended until current membership has graduated or for a period not shorter than four years.

At schools across the country, including UC Davis, Harvard, Princeton and Tulane, signs were put up stating: “It’s okay to be white.” After minority students became frustrated, it was discovered that the signs were a 4chan plot created to upset students.

PRIVATE SCHOOL PAYS Simpson College, in Indianola, Iowa, is implementing a plan to better support low-income families. Beginning with high schoolers graduating in May 2018, the school will provide free tuition to incoming students whose families made less than $60,000 in 2016.

TOLERANT TEACHING Bestcolleges.com has partnered with the organization Campus Pride to create a list of the most LGBTQ-friendly colleges in the country. Among the twenty-five are several Ivy League institutions, such as Princeton and Dartmouth.

AROUND CAMPUS: #CollegeHacks

STUDY BREAKS PRESENTS

#ChristmasHacks Winter is coming. Don’t get caught in the cold without these #hacks.

By Christian Zeitler, Carnegie Mellon University December is a special time of year for many reasons. It’s a chance to complain about the cold, reconnect with family members you forgot existed and, most importantly, it’s the time of year when the Christmas music you’ve been hearing in Walmart for the past two months no longer sounds gratingly out of place. There’s something to love for everyone. So, here are some tips to help you exploit the magic in the air for personal gain.

THE CHRISTMAS MOVIE BREAKDOWN

Heartfelt Story

Ironic Audience

Heartfelt Audience

Ironic Story

4 THINGS TO WISH YOUR FRIENDS THAT ARE MORE PC THAN “MERRY CHRISTMAS” • Happy Holidays (the classic) • Happy Hanukkah (even if they’re not Jewish, at least you didn’t say Christmas) • Happy Birthday (even if it’s not their birthday, at least you didn’t say Christmas) • Look out, there’s an angry bear behind you (there probably isn’t one, but at least you didn’t say Christmas)

HOW TO STAY WARM (FOR STRONG GUYS) Is your fragile masculinity preventing you from dressing in weather-appropriate clothing? Use these simple tricks to stay warm while letting everyone else know that you don’t really need to…you just want to.

LAYERS > EMBARRASSING COATS A man wearing a big coat that covers his whole body and protects him from the elements? Dork alert. Instead, bundle up in layers so that no one knows exactly how much the winter breeze fucks your day up.

DIVERSIFY THOSE LAYERS So you’ve got layers on instead of a big coat, which is good, but it kind of looks like you’re wearing four pairs of pants—what, are you cold? But, if you diversify your padding—undershirt, regular shirt, flannel, sweater, jacket—then bam, you might as well be walking around in shorts, you monument to stoicism you.

JUST WEAR SHORTS Is trying to look like you’re not trying proving to be too much work? Try actually not trying! Walk out to get your mail through the snow the same way you came into this crazy world: in a wife beater and Adidas shorts.

RELATIVES TO SEE/AVOID THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

The Cook Whether or not their cooking is any good, one of your relatives will be trying to feed you nonstop. Cling to them.

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The Racist Don’t bring up politics around grandpa. The parents with younger children don’t want to explain what certain words mean later.

The Cheek Pincher Once the phrase “Look how big you’re getting” reaches a certain octave, you know your cheeks are in peril. If the cheek pincher and the cook are the same person though, then you just gotta take it.

The “You got games on your phone?”

You hated the word “millennial” until you met this kid. He stands too close and his habit of wiping snot on your smartphone overshadows his heart of gold.

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BRINGING DILDOS TO A GUN FIGHT In the wake of devastating firearms violence across the country, gun reform activist and University of Texas student Ana Lopez’s message has never been more reasonable.

By Karen Guan, Southern Methodist University Photography by Thea Robinson, University of Texas at Austin Ana Lopez, a junior majoring in Plan II Honors and Health and Society on the pre-law track at the University of Texas at Austin, is using her voice to stand up for gun control reforms on her campus and throughout the state of Texas. Lopez, a self-described accidental activist, has been a prominent voice in the fight against the Texas law allowing guns at UT Austin, as well as other public universities in Texas. ¶ Lopez’s first foray into firearms activism came as a result of becoming a co-leader of Cocks Not Glocks, the movement started by UT alumna Jessica Jin, who created the program to raise awareness about concealed carry by “fighting absurdity with absurdity”; Lopez would later further her activism by co-founding Students Against Campus Carry. I spoke to the Texas junior about her involvement with gun control reform and future plans for her activism.

KAREN GUAN: What initially sparked your interest in gun control advocacy?

ANA LOPEZ: I was raised in Austin, in a liberal family. My dad immigrated from Mexico, and my mom is from southeast Texas, but she grew up in a really liberal family. I never grew up around guns; I’m sure my grandpa went hunting in his youth, but that was never something that permeated my life. Around when [George. W.] Bush’s war was going on, I was kind of taught that war was wrong, and I thought that really, there was no place for guns anywhere else but in the army, and I still believe the same thing. Nobody in my family owned guns, and it was just something a little bit foreign to me. I decided to go shooting one time, and I still believe that guns have absolutely no place, especially on my college campus.

KG: So do you think that Cocks Not Glocks, the organization you’ve been involved with, has been effective in getting the message across to UT and the surrounding community?

AL: Absolutely. The organization has effectively put a spotlight on the absurdity of these guns laws: According to Texas Penal Code 43.22, it is a Class C misdemeanor to carry a sex toy in public, but as of August 1, 2016, it’s completely legal to carry a loaded weapon in a backpack in a classroom. Something that’s so unconventional and controversial allowed for the national spotlight to be put on something that’s so often overlooked. There are campus carry laws all around campuses in the U.S., and they have obviously posed problems, especially in such a red state like Texas. UT Austin is a liberal flagship university in Texas, and the state legislature clearly has it out for us.

For them to target us and other Texas public universities, it seemed like an affront, to both us and our liberal safe-space culture. And yeah, I feel like without something controversial like Cocks Not Glocks, Campus Carry would have passed without any argument.

KG: How did you first get involved with Cocks Not Glocks?

AL: My freshman year, Campus Carry passed, and my professor was the one who let us know about it; she brought me to my first gun-free protest, and I was hooked. I was appalled when I found out about the Senate bill, and I noticed that not a lot of students were even aware that this had happened because the bill passed during spring break, and nobody’s paying attention then. So I decided to co-found Students Against Campus Carry, and Jessica Jin, the girl who came up with the idea for Cocks Not Glocks, was moving to California, and she just wanted to pass the torch down to me.

KG: How do you think concealed carry has changed the campus climate at UT? AL: Thankfully, at UT, the guns have to be concealed.

If you see a gun, you are required to call 911. That is something that is definitely spread around to the student body, and that kind of adds an element of fear: On top of me worrying about passing my classes, keeping up my relationships and excelling in my extracurriculars, now I have to worry about keeping my eye out on who’s carrying a gun. I feel like Campus Carry has caused me to profile people a lot more. On my first day of classes, I have to look at the nearest exits in my lecture halls. I’m taking a class called Human Sexuality, and people already get riled up when we’re talking about the Bathroom Bill and, you know, sexual orientation and rape. To think that someone could be carrying a loaded gun during those lectures is very disconcerting, and it chills my free speech.

KG: Do you think the student body at UT has generally been responsive to gun control measures?

AL: Again, the worst thing about this bill is that it was passed during a time when students really wouldn’t be available to testify at the Capitol, so only twenty people came and fought against it. [The bill] passed without any struggle, and the university didn’t file any language about it. I’ve had meetings with students and the president of the university, and the measures by which they disseminated the message of guns on campus are a little bit faulty. A lot of my classmates had no idea that there were concealed handguns on campus now. People didn’t even know that open carry on non-college campuses in public in Texas was legal. There was that huge gap in awareness that we had to fill in for students because they just weren’t informed. After we enlightened the students and educated them on what was going to happen and what was already happening, they were a lot more engaged. But at the same time, there was a kind of

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disenchantment because the bill had already passed.

What could we do about it? We just said that the best thing we can do is to keep the conversation relevant and keep people aware, because everybody’s trying to push gun culture, and we’re trying to fight it.

KG: So how have you dealt with opponents of the issue?

AL: Jessica and I have been subject to a lot of death threats. Some really horrible people in East Texas made a video depicting me getting shot in the head, and it was really bad. We get rape threats all the time; people call us sluts and whores and say that we’re uneducated and stupid. They think that we started Cocks Not Glocks because we thought dildos would be a more effective self-defense measure than guns. It’s usually just men who can’t take a joke, and the one thing that I noticed was that most of the opponents who were really, you know, crude toward us and threatened us were actually self-reported gun owners. The way that we dealt with it was… if I communicate, especially to those videographers, that I am afraid, then they win. It’s all just a matter of these men feeling emasculated. It’s all very petty, but the way we fight back is by keeping going.

KG: How would you respond to the argument of self-defense?

AL: If you feel as though you need to be carrying a weapon that could kill dozens in one second, sure, but there are also other forms of self-defense. You could carry a knife, you could carry pepper spray, you could take jujitsu classes. Not everyone has to be armed with an AK-47 to feel safe, and for the legislature to push that [guns] are the only reasonable means of self-defense is harmful, incorrect and misleading. I was featured in a video on YouTube a couple weeks ago, and someone commented, “You’re going to get raped and you’re not going to have a gun to defend yourself.” There are so many other means by which I can defend myself; it’s weird that people think guns are the only option.

KG: You are the co-founder of Students Against Campus Carry. Where do you see the organization going in the future?

AL: Honestly, it was more of a reflexive effort to educate students on the perils of Campus Carry. After Cocks Not Glocks happened, the 2016 Texas Legislative Session went into effect, and they were starting to debate this thing called “constitutional carry.” Constitutional carry allows people to carry a gun openly or concealed without a license, without training, anywhere they want. I could literally buy a gun and carry it to a hospital. But Students Against Campus Carry basically… we showed up to the Capitol and testified, and thankfully that bill didn’t pass. Now, [the organization] has kind of fallen by the wayside. If another awful, harmful gun bill makes it way into the next legislative session, we’ll mobilize. But it was more of a momentary effort to educate students.

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KG: How do you think you can connect your advocacy to your future career?

AL: I was offered an internship with Congressman Lloyd Doggett, who is known to be super for gun control, and that contributed to me ultimately deciding to go pre-law.

Cocks Not Glocks opened up plenty of opportunities for us as well. We were featured in the “New York Times” and “Rolling Stone,” and that really emboldened us. As a direct result of my advocacy, I was offered an internship with Congressman Lloyd Doggett, and I have since been taken onto the staff, so now I’m a paid staff member there. Hopefully my experience in the real world, fighting against awful gun laws, will help me into law school. Right now, there are a lot of options for me, but if my job does call for testifying against guns everywhere, then that’s what I’ll do. It’s all kind of open-ended, but I definitely want to go to law school and learn about the policy aspect of everything.

KG: Do you have any immediate future plans for your advocacy?

AL: I’ll still be working with Congressman Lloyd Doggett, and I would really like to take a trip to DC to see what I can do, maybe intern for a semester. Fall 2016 was pretty crazy for me, and I want to just focus on being a student now. But opportunities, like these with “Study Breaks,” keep popping up, and I like that because it reminds me of all the successes that we’ve had.

KG: Are there any other social issues you’re passionate about?

AL: I’m passionate about healthcare and education, but, honestly, gun control is the most important to me because it is an immediate public health issue. We’ve had three hundred seven mass shootings in the U.S. this year, and I feel like that’s something we can avoid. It’s one of the least complex issues in policymaking, but it’s taken so long to get anywhere with it. That is something I can work on myself.

KG: You said gun control is a public health issue.

Could you elaborate on their relationship?

AL: There’s a lot to it—it’s very complex—but gun control is a threat to health of the populace because guns are killing machines and they worsen domestic violence situations. Honestly, they complicate everything, and at the same time, they exacerbate a lot of mental health issues. A lot of Republicans like to bring in mental health as rationales for mass shootings, but using gun control to validate people’s mental health experiences is also an issue. Two semesters ago, I met the previous surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, who said, “The proliferation of gun culture is absolutely a public health issue. Gun control is not just a policy thing, it affects every single aspect of our lives, and we need to look at it in a more holistic sense. It’s damaging to every aspect of the American dream.” I couldn’t agree more.

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The Woman of

STONE

After a harrowing journey to the outskirts of Tajikistan began to parallel the very myth she had set out to explore, Stanford’s Nicole Bennet-Fite captured the experience for a BBC radio documentary that reminds listeners how little has changed in a millennium.

By Patrick Murtha, Eastern Connecticut State University Photography by Brian Daley, Fairfield University “My name is Nicole, I’m twenty-two, I’m from a small town in the U.S. in the state of Connecticut and some time ago I heard a story that stuck in my mind about Genghis Khan,” begins the audio documentary. “About eight hundred years ago, when Khan’s armies were making their way across the ancient Persian world, a woman named Khoja Guliston retreated into the forest and turned herself into stone, rather than submit to the rape of his encroaching army.”

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he voice narrating the thirty-minute broadcast, which aired on BBC Radio on October 2, comes from Nicole Bennett-Fite, a senior at Stanford University and creator of the audio documentary, entitled “The Woman of Stone.” Bennett-Fite had come across the obscure myth in the back alleys of a travel blog and was intrigued by its message and almost complete lack of academic study. Determined to learn more about the apocryphal boulder, the Stanford senior applied for the “Journey of a Lifetime Award,” a scholarship presented by Britain’s Royal Geography Society, in partnership with IBG, that presents the annual winner with £5,000, or roughly $6,600, to embark on an “original and inspiring journey anywhere in the world.”

She requested to travel to the stone and catalogue the experience, knowing that the recipient receives training in radio broadcasting from the BBC and is given the opportunity to record their experience for a BBC Radio 4 documentary.

Before applying for the scholarship, Bennett-Fite had been involved with verbal narrative as a member of the Stanford Storytelling Project, as well as a recipient of the Braden Storytelling Grant, which led to her interest in applying for the opportunity. Prior to receiving the award, under the mentorship of Jake Warga, a lecturer in the Program in Writing and Rhetoric and managing editor of the Stanford Storytelling Project podcast “State of the Human,” Bennett-Fite had produced a piece interviewing Jim Yount, the chief operating officer of the American Cryonics Society. “I like radio because it feels more natural than video, as oral storytelling is our oldest form of communication and requires the listener to use their imagination in a similar way that reading does, which is very healthy,” Bennett-Fite told me in one of our conversations. “Also, you can be doing something else when you listen to radio, namely traveling, and not be missing out on the immediate world around you, as you do when you’re watching video. I like to be respectful of people’s time and mental space.”

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As a result of her background in oral storytelling and her novel pitch, Bennett-Fite won the scholarship, becoming the first American to do so in the program’s sixteen-year history. She soon began putting together a plan together to visit the Woman of Stone in person, a proposal that meant a six-week journey, from May to June, to the Yagnob Valley, a remote area in Tajikistan, a Central Asian country just north of Afghanistan and west of China. Due to the lack of infrastructure in the former Soviet country, though, as well as the remoteness of the Yagnob Valley in particular, reaching the shrine meant relying heavily on those who live in the area, many of whom she was unable to contact before arriving in the country, which meant she had to improvise many of her plans on location. Complicating matters further, the Connecticut native spoke little Tajik, the local language, and, due to the constraints of the travel budget, would be making the entire journey alone.

She flew into the country’s capital, Dushanbe, in May, and began looking for a translator. Shortly after, she began, by foot and donkey, crossing receding glaciers and skirting herds of goats, her journey to the Yagnob Valley. Along the way, she compiled audio data detailing the journey, ensuring that she captured between five and seven minutes of recording every day, including personal audio journals, interviews with locals and recordings of moments and sounds that she found inspiring. Considering that the documentary is twenty-eight minutes long, during the editing process, Bennett-Fite was forced by time constraints to cut everything but the most essential sound bites, the result of which is a riveting narrative without a single lull.

For example, in one emotional snippet, the Stanford senior has a conversation with a Tajik man who has two wives and eleven children between the two women. When Bennett-Fite asks, through the translator, why the husband took a second wife, he responds that his first wife, who is older than him, suggested that he take a younger wife because she could no longer do certain things as a result of her age. Later, when she is alone with the older wife, Bennett-Fite asks her for her version of the story. Crying, the woman responds that she left her village to attend the funeral of her sister in a neighboring valley, and that when she returned, she found the younger woman living in her house. As with many Tajik women, the wife had limited economic mobility, and, especially as an older woman, would have faced a bleak future had she chosen to leave her husband; so, she learned to live with the new woman. (In fact, because of Taijikistan’s lack of economic opportunity, much of the male population works seasonally in Russia, leaving behind their wives. While abroad, the men often take up second wives and start second families, sometimes divorcing their Tajik wives by text or email.) Bennett-Fite, stunned by the admission, reminds listeners that the conversation between the two of them is taking place in a small room, in the back of a wooden house, where the wife had delivered most of her children, alone and without medical attention or painkillers.

“Her fortitude is unmistakable, and it is really stunning to see her stoicism break,” whispers Bennett-Fite to her audio recorder.

Indeed, multiple times throughout her journey Bennett-Fite found herself grappling with similar instances of misogyny, though she is quick to point out that the issue is by no means a uniquely Tajik problem. The experiences are cast in a new light, however, given that the purpose of her trip was to study a shrine dedicated to a woman’s decision to take her life rather than succumb to sexual assault. As she traveled, the Stanford student found herself considering the standing of women throughout the world, especially in regard to how much or little their lot in life has actually improved. The poignancy of the fact that—while traveling to a shrine whose symbolic importance is to reflect the indomitability of the female spirit—she was witnessing the continued relevance of that message playing out in front of her, in her journey and in the lives’ of the women she spoke with, led the trip to take a weighty toll on her emotionally. “Ultimately, [in the documentary] I wanted to express a more global female experience,” she says.

“Articulating your inner emotional life is hard enough to do for yourself and explaining it to others was certainly a challenge, but I was able to do it through a resignation to hurt, combined with love for those who have experienced pain over centuries.”

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In another clip, the diary-like nature of the daily recordings adds a disturbing sense of reality to one of her experiences. On her trip into the Yagnob Valley, she found herself having to share a two-person tent with her male guide, an experience she is, understandably, less than enthusiastic about. She confides into the recorder at night that, despite the below-freezing temperatures, he had failed to bring sleeping bags, and that all day he had been talking about the women he has guided who had “demanded” that he sleep with them. “I’m not stupid, and I’m not interested,” she says, “…to be honest, I’m nervous and cold and I’m very much looking forward to morning.”

The next morning, with the sound of a tent unzipping in the background, she checks in: “I’m getting out of this god-forsaken tent. My guide put his body up against me and tried to kiss me last night. I yelled at him firmly.” Then, she stops, as the reality of her situation sets in. “Who was I yelling to, really? It’s very strange to think about myself from a zoomed-out perspective, in the middle of the mountains, sleeping in a tent with this person, just a small dot on a mountainside. If I think about it too much, I feel incredibly vulnerable.” Without anyone else around or another way to find the shrine though, despite the horrific experience, she is forced to stay with the guide.

“One thing that I am aware of is that I come across in the edit as a bit naïve, going up into the mountains with this random guide alone,” she admits. “First of all, in general, it shouldn’t be on me to make sure people don’t threaten me, although I know that’s the reality. But second of all, I met him through a greater network of people I had connected to in Dushanbe, he had come recommended by many people I had come to trust and he made his living working for expats. So, if this guy had hurt me, he would have had an issue.” Unfortunately, as she experienced a similar incident in Dushanbe with the father of a host family, in an act of eerily parallelism, Bennett-Fite’s trip to the shrine of Khoja began to resemble the very myth she had set out to explore. “The fact that difficult things happened to me along the way that were directly related to my womanhood was a very relevant part of the story and completely predictable, unfortunately,” she says.

Soon though, after several days more of traveling, the Stanford senior finally reached the Woman of Stone. “It’s a little three-walled structure and an open-face fourth wall, and people who have come here have tied pieces of fabric to the wood” she says upon reaching it. “The structure is covering a stone, a lumpy stone, probably six by five feet, and…it’s actually a little bit emotional to be here. This is a shrine to a woman who turned herself to stone to avoid the rape of an advancing army, which is really horrible,” says Bennett-Fite, her voice shaking. “Sometimes it’s really easy to lose hope that there will ever be a shift in consciousness in the world, that things will really be equal and okay for women, and this is from hundreds of years ago when the Mongols were invading this area. That these sorts of things still happen all over the world is really disheartening. This is basically a shrine to the reality that sometimes a woman’s best choice, to avoid pain and save dignity, is to take herself out of the game altogether. I don’t know what you do with that.”

Later, after more reflection, her interpretation strikes a more positive chord. “The women in this valley, in this country, they are the women of stone. And there are so many women across the world who bring grace and resilience to bear on difficult situations in their lives. I don’t feel like I have any answers after making it to the shrine of Khoja Guliston or what was missing that drew me here, but I do feel that now, for sure, I’ve been to a place, no matter how ramshackle or remote, that’s sacred, and really for women.”

“The experience getting there, talking to women on the way, the things that happened to me, all felt like a build-up that was released at the shrine,” Bennett-Fite says.

“That was how I experienced it, and I tried to engineer that experience for the listener.

The suggestion of the shrine is that people have understood for a long time that being alive is not a place for women, which is an unsettling concept to articulate. What I felt at the shrine was a little bit like crossing over to that place where the women in these legends go, a place to be free and autonomous, half in the world, half out of it. The experience felt like the biggest sigh I could take, a homecoming even, and the feeling has stayed with me.”

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THE PR OF ADM After Cole Scanlon and Luke Heine realized, given their backgrounds, how improbable their acceptance into Harvard was, the duo created the Fair Opportunity Project to level the academic playing field.

By Joiya Reed, Georgia Southern University Photography by Sydney Altschuler, Lesley University Imagine having, at your fingertips, for free, everything you needed to know about college applications: That’s the goal of the Fair Opportunity Project, created by Harvard seniors Cole Scanlon and Luke Heine. Heine and Scanlon created the Fair Opportunity Project, a guidebook with advice on the college application process, with the intent of giving high school students across the country fair and equal access to any and all available college resources. Since it first went out in August 2016, the guide has since reached millions of underserved students, been translated into Spanish and Mandarin and helped restore parity to the economically asymmetric world of college admissions. I was able to speak with Heine and Scanlon about the Fair Opportunity Project and the larger task of leveling the academic playing field.

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JOIYA REID: How did you guys meet and what’s your story?

LUKE HEINE: I had taken the semester off to work on the Midwest Information Parity Project, which was essentially a very early stab at creating what the Fair Opportunity Project is today. In the process, I reached out to some rural high school counselors and, in a way similar to Fair Opportunity Project, sent a college guide that we wrote to about nine Midwestern states and got really great feedback. After I came back to Harvard fall semester, I knew that Cole was really interested in education, so we met up and said, “You know, there are a lot of improvements we can make on this guide to turn it into something that can impact a lot more students.”

We talked about it in the dining hall and then began working on what is today called the Fair Opportunity Project.

JR: So the guide is not solely constructed by you guys, correct?

LH: Correct. The proto-guide, which was the Midwestern guide, was written using the feedback of about two hundred rural high school counselors, which came from a form that I sent out asking them where their students were having difficulty applying to college. I received their input, wrote this proto-guide and then sent it out to the counselors again to be reviewed. Then, after going through this review process, I sent it out to these students. The following year, when Cole and I really started taking this on, we sent it out to an editorial team of fourteen student

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editors from around the country because we wanted to get a wide perspective and editorial review on the guide. We received input from the editors, used it to tune up the guide and then started sending it to admissions committees.

After that, we created a mentorship team that has since been really instructive in making sure that we provide high-quality college application information.

The nice thing about this is that Cole and I both approached the project with a mindset of constantly receiving feedback and improving the system. We have a feedback link on every guide that we send out, in addition to the one on our website, just so that we can hear from counselors, teachers and students on how to continually make it better.

JR: The guide is very highly marketed toward public schools. Is that because you think that public schools lack access to the resources that private schools have?

CS: First, we’ve made the guide extremely accessible so that anyone can download and use it; we’ve gotten awesome responses and feedback from private schools, charter schools and various private institutions across the country.

But, when looking at the data and identifying the geographic areas in which students would benefit the most from this—i.e. the pockets in which students are most deprived of this sort of information—we realized it’s concentrated one, in public schools, but two, specifically, in the rural South and rural Midwest.

In addition to socioeconomic differences in areas, we also encountered other geographic nuances. For example, when we first sent out the guide to fifty-seven thousand public schools, we got a lot of emails from California and Florida requesting a Spanish version of the guide. That’s something we didn’t have at the moment and, to be honest, we didn’t really consider.

When we realized there was this need, Philip Alfano, the superintendent of Paterson Joint Unified School District in California, offered to fund our guide to be translated into Spanish. He then sent it back to us, and we sent it out to all the schools that wanted it.

JR: How have your previous work experiences, as an intern at the World Bank and as a U.S. delegate for the World Internet Conference, helped you guys in creating advice for this college guide?

LH: More important than our professional experiences is our background of getting into a school like Harvard. I grew up in a rural town in northern Minnesota, and the last kids who had gone to Harvard from a school like mine had gone thirty years ago. So when I was a sophomore, no one really thought about the Ivy League—really the farthest you would go would be Madison, to the University of Wisconsin. For me though, my parents were very clear that I would pay for my own education, so, only after finding out about the existence of college applications and financial aid after talking to

a guy in a take-out line, I started looking at financial aid programs. Later, after finding out that you could study for the ACT, I got into Harvard, but if I were to roll the dice ninety-nine other times, I probably wouldn’t be in this school.

That’s why, after getting into this kind of position, the agency was definitely on us to make sure that there was an easier, more streamlined, more accessible process for other students down the road.

That then is what motivates the application of tech to this sort of deal, to see how we can have massive impact. Cole and I, we’re both big fans of altruism and think about how we can live lives that have the largest impact on others.

This was a way that we could, with a very small team, impact what might now be up to a million students, and I think that’s an amazing story: that you can impact so many kids from a dorm room, or, like when I started it, in my boxers in my basement in Minnesota.

As college students, I think that it’s so important to never forget that with this education comes a responsibility to help others.

CS: Both of our professional experiences—in my case, my experience in tech and at the World Bank—definitely made us more effective, as it created a network of students and advisors who could give us mentorship. But second, to Luke’s point, perhaps the most important part was our personal backgrounds. Although different, they are similar in that we both feel extremely lucky to have the oppor-

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tunities we have and think that luck played a big role in them. I went to a public urban school in Miami as a low-income student.

Although the average ratio of students to counselors in public schools is about four hundred to one, in my case it was eight hundred fifty to one. So students, some of whom didn’t speak English, got very little advice in terms of how to fill out the complicated financial aid forms or write a college essay. As a result, our experiences made us more eager to scale the project and find how it could serve other students.

JR: Where do you believe high schools fail in terms of preparing students for college?

CS: I think a lot of it isn’t on the school level; the funds are just set up so that schools can’t afford many college counselors.

In both of our experiences, we were really proud of the people on the school level and the work that they were doing. So, our resources are by no way a means to supplement what people on the ground, like counselors, provide; they’re only meant to complement and enhance what they’re able to provide.

LH: Unfortunately, there is a lot of interest and money invested in keeping this space asymmetric, keeping the application process such that you can only find out about certain things if you pay someone. In particular, there are a lot of college consultant companies right now that do very well charging families, much of which is done on the backs of anxiety, people feeling unsure

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about the process. So, just because the space has become so competitive, it’s unrealistic to think that a town in Nebraska would have all the same information that maybe Greenwich or Cupertino do, where there’s all this money being poured into the question of: “How do we get the best information to our students so they can put their best foot forward?” That’s why we want to take some of the pressure off of the market and say, “Look, our resource is forever free.

All the best information on this entire process is free.” We see it almost as a human right, in that this information dictates so much of the rest of their lives.

I was in China this summer, and I was asked by a student who was familiar with Fair Opportunity Project, “Don’t you know you’re putting a lot of college consultants out of business?” I said, “Yeah, absolutely.” This information is free and it should be free for students; that’s what we believe.

JR: So would the idea be to eventually get rid of college consultant services that require students to pay money?

CS: Exactly—we want to flip the table on the whole college consultant factor and, honestly, I think that we’ve made awesome progress on that. In fact, when we sent out the guide, some college consultants actually emailed us to see if they could use it for their services. All of our resources of course are free; they can be printed and shared for free, so we can’t police people in terms of other people charging to use our

stuff, but in that case we did say no. We just said, “Make this available for your students.” The whole goal of Fair Opportunity Project has always been to make this information free and accessible.

JR: The idea of continuing this business without making a profit is kind of crazy. How do you finance your efforts?

LH: We have a couple different models. First, because we’re so intent on flipping an industry that is fueled by anxiety, people and funders really respond to that. Beyond that, we are also playing with a couple different ideas for keeping it sustainable, because we’re in this for the long run. One thing that we’ve done is talk with a couple of institutions to get sponsorship, in terms of providing ways to pay off student loans, ways to finance and ways to think about what it means to be fiscally responsible after school because, while college traditionally is a four-year commitment, sometimes it can be a twenty-year commitment depending on how those loans are financed. We’re also experimenting with some corporate partnerships, such as bringing in sponsored content that would be a companion guide to the original guide.

Finally, another idea we’re toying around with is a way to help counselors better understand their students by providing modular surveys, which would mean releasing a tool that can help counselors assess how their students are doing compared to students in other districts in a more

granular way than currently exists.

JR: In terms of your knowledge of financial aid and the college application process, what gives your program its credibility?

CS: That’s something we’ve had to address directly in sending our guide out to educators, because they need to trust us before forwarding these resources to their students. First, I think one of the reasons why we’ve gained their confidence so quickly is because the quality is pretty clear in terms of the information that’s provided, the tone in which it’s communicated and the thoroughness with which we created the guide. Second, if you look at our advisors list, that speaks to our credibility as well. The people on our advising team have contributed significantly to the guide and have given some awesome feedback.

LH: I think it also speaks volumes that college consultants are trying to use our guide; if that isn’t a good indication of its quality, then I don’t know what is. It’s also been reviewed down to the comma, and we have America’s top education non-profits serving on our advisory board. The best thing about this is that, while this is great in terms of establishing credibility, we see the responses we get from counselors and teachers, the true experts in the field who have the job day in and day out, taking this information and giving it to students. There can be a lot of hype about it or whatever, but the Fair Opportunity Project works.

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EXTRA CREDIT

ALEXALISITZA Though she admits life happens, Alexa Lisitza has little sympathy for those who don’t make their deadlines. After all, she managed to find the time to found, produce, edit and write for two renowned online platforms while managing coursework, jobs and a wide array of other commitments. ¶ Finding that many online college magazines did not treat problems of race or their writers of color as well as they did their white counterparts, Lisitza decided her first foray into the world of online magazines would be “Caged Bird Magazine,” which centered on issues of race, gender and politics. Her second project, am upcoming platform called “The Intersectionalist,” focuses on similar topics, but seeks to apply a feminist—in particular, an intersectional feminist—lens to the problems at hand.

“I WAS LATE LEARNING HOW TO READ. I didn’t know how to read until I was in the third grade, which meant I didn’t learn how to write until the third grade either. But I guess I’ve loved writing since I was very young, as soon as I could speak.”

“I DIDN’T REALIZE THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM until I started working at ‘Odyssey Online,’ where I was a writer for a while, and eventually became editor-in-chief. They decided that they had so few minority writers that they grouped all the writers from historically black colleges into a single group, called the Black Writers’ League. It was like they were saying we’re going to treat you as a group rather than individuals, like they do at other colleges across the country. It was like they were putting us in a pigpen.”

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“WHEN I LEFT ‘ODYSSEY,’ there weren’t really any places for someone like me to go, so I wanted to create a platform that people could turn to.”

“A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ME if I was scared about starting my own platform. I don’t think I really was intimidated, though. It took me months to get it together. The most intimidating part was going to other writers I didn’t know and asking them to come write for me. I was surprised to see that they all had so much confidence in me.

So I guess the biggest challenge was really just finding people, but after it launched, there was some news circulating about our project. ‘Caged Bird Magazine’ initially started with twenty-five writers, and in the following weeks, that number grew to around fifty.”

“I WOULDN’T SAY I’M MOVING ON FROM ‘CAGED BIRD.’ I’m not putting it away. It’s more of a next step. Whenever people ask me what my main interests are in writing, I always say ‘all things black and all things women.’ I’m doing the ‘all things black’ part now, but I feel like I’ve severely neglected the ‘all things women.’”

“I’M JUST REALLY APPRECIATIVE of my managing editor, Jazmyn Jackson, because when I told her I was transitioning into working more with ‘The Intersectionalist,’ she took charge. She’s so competent and confident, and even though she knows I’ll be aggressively checking on her, she’s totally open to the process. I know I’m leaving ‘Caged Bird’ in good hands.”

“I WANTED TO REALLY START FOCUSING on feminism and the way it reaches out to different categories of people.

People always think feminism is just about fighting for women, but I think it should fight for women and men equally. And there are so many people within feminism: transgender feminists, black feminists, white feminists, Muslim feminists and so on.”

“THIS NEW PUBLICATION, CALLED ‘THE INTERSECTIONALIST,’ is about fighting for people in all categories. The thing I’m most excited about is finally launching it. With the first site, I figured everything out as I went along, so the process of producing ‘Caged Bird’ took a lot longer. When I started working on ‘The Intersectionalist,’ though,

I already knew writers, I already knew people who were interested.

I knew exactly where I wanted to go with the new magazine and I knew all the mistakes I made when starting ‘Caged Bird.’”

“ONE OF MY GOALS WAS TO CREATE A SPACE where we could understand that feminism is not just entirely about women, but also understand that feminism is not strictly about white women. There are reasons why black women, brown women—all these women who are not white—are going off and creating terms such as black feminism and womanism; there’s a reason why there’s a fear people have about calling themselves feminists.

I wanted to reclaim the word feminism by starting a platform based on intersectionality.”

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SECTION NAME: Group Name

FACT FILE: NAME: Alexa Lisitza MAJOR: English YEAR: Senior SCHOOL: Howard University HOMETOWN: Chicago, IL FAVORITE BOOK(S): “The Interpreter of Maladies” and “Americanah” Publications: “Caged Bird Magazine,” “The Intersectionalist” ADVICE: Meet your deadlines!

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MEET THE PRESIDENT

Photography by Nicole Dinh, Baylor University

MEET THE PRESIDENT

AMYE DICKERSON Student Body President of Baylor University

WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR? I am a Baylor Business Fellow studying Finance and Economics!

I also have additional minors in Political Science and History.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM JOB? I just accepted my dream job as a management consulting analyst!

Ultimately, I could envision myself returning to higher education in the future, though.

WHAT ACADEMIC FOCUS MOST INTERESTS YOU? Some of my favorite classes at Baylor have been my history classes, specifically in Post-Civil War History and American Civil Rights.

In the spring, I am taking a class on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy that I am really excited about.

WHAT ARE YOUR INTELLECTUAL STRENGTHS? I am a very task-oriented person, but I also am able to meet people where they are and understand their concerns and/or perspectives.

WHAT WILL YOU NEVER UNDERSTAND? How some people willingly choose to hurt others through their words and actions.

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN A PERSON? Confidence, trustworthiness and empathy WHAT IS YOUR MOST MARKED CHARACTERISTIC? Always playing music. I hate being in a silent setting, so my Spotify playlist is on repeat constantly.

WHAT HISTORICAL FIGURE DO YOU ADMIRE? I really admire Margaret Thatcher.

She was able to stand up and fight for what she believed at a time in which many did not respect her because she was a woman. She influenced so many under her and challenged the opinions of many.

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WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE SPORTS TEAMS? I mainly follow college basketball and football, but I also really enjoy watching the ’Stros (World Champs!!), the Nationals, the Patriots, the Texans and the Cowboys!

WHEN YOU’RE COOKING, WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO MEAL? I always have eggs for breakfast, preferably with salsa on the side!

My roommates make fun of me because my grocery list is the exact same every time that I go to the store.

WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE AS A STUDENT? Balancing my various commitments with schoolwork, my role as student body president and finding time for my friends!

I love being busy though, so it is completely worth the struggle in planning everything out.

WHAT’S THE LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? I finally watched the latest Beauty and the Beast movie! It was my favorite tale as a child, so I loved seeing the remake as an adult.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION? I inherited a matching set of silver candlesticks from my great aunt, whom I greatly admired.

They are gorgeous and remind me so much of her.

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL OUTFIT? If it were up to me, I would choose to wear jeans, booties and a flannel every day but 1) Texas is too hot for that, and 2) I typically wear business casual/formal to class.

WHAT’S THE BEST CLASS YOU’VE TAKEN IN COLLEGE? The most incredible course I took at Baylor was Entrepreneurial Finance. It was taught by a professor who really took an interest in our work from the very beginning and empowered us to deliver the best results each day.

WHAT’S A SECRET TALENT OF YOURS? I like to think it’s my rapping abilities…others may disagree with that statement.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO MOST IN THE WORLD? I have always wanted to go to Cape Town, South Africa. The pictures I have seen are absolutely breathtaking and the perfect combination of mountains and beaches.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I definitely wish I was more musically gifted. When I was little, I wanted to be a professional singer, but then I realized I could not carry a tune to save my life.

WHERE DO YOU HANG OUT ON CAMPUS? Definitely in my office in the Student Union Building. Some days it feels as if I do not leave.

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THE PL AIN SIGHT FALL ACY OF NE W YORK’S FREE TUITION PAGE 22

BRINGING DILDOS TO A

GUN FIGHT UT’s Ana Lopez, the co-leader of Cocks Not Glocks and Students Against Campus Carry, has a radically reasonable plan for gun-policy reform.

By Karen Guan

A Stanford Student’s Sobering Journey to Tajikistan’s Woman of Stone

These Two Harvard Seniors Think College Admissions Are Unfair

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DEC E M BE R 2 017 • AUS T I N • S T U DY BR E A K S .COM