The Clarion issue 4-19-23

Changing the narrative of incarcerated students

KELLY FENG Managing Editor

Being released from prison and reentering the world doesn’t mean you have a job lined up.

That’s what 5,280 reentering people discover every year when they try to rejoin the workforce.

Madison College is determined to change that.

On Friday, April 7, the Intercultural Exchange Center, United Common Ground and the Center of International Education presented “Changing the Narrative of Incarcerated Students.”

Organized by Olivia Lemke, the Intercultural Exchange Center associate advisor, and moderated by Jamie Reinart, the Center for Reentry Education manager, the presentation included speeches from experts in reentry. The Institute for Equity and Transformation Change director Marco Torrez-Miranda and Ronda Davis, a specialist from Justice-Involved Families State, reflected on what changing the narrative means and what it’s like for a student to be affected by parental incarceration, respectively.

The reentering program was created for incarcerated students to provide critical skills and knowledge that lead to livable wage employment. Madison College provides the training and education, and the Department of Corrections (DOC) covers the cost of instruction and helps with employment. The Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin (WDBSCW) facilitates interview opportunities and connects graduates with potential employers.

Highlighting the presentation was a talk from Reinart, who described pathways from prison to higher education and proudly spoke about former

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Delta Alpha Pi empowers students with disabilities

Delta Alpha Pi international honor society (DAPi) is a prestigious program that is committed to acknowledging and empowering the outstanding academic achievements, leadership abilities and advocacy endeavors of post-secondary students with disabilities.

DAPi was first established at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, but there are now over 170 chapters at different colleges. Madison College is one of the active chapters and works with many students

who are highly achieved.

With immense enthusiasm, Anna Nickolai, the Senior Disability Resource Liaison, passionately described the ongoing success of DAPi semester after semester.

“We have 34 members enrolled in classes this spring in our Madison College Chapter of DAPi," Nickolai said.

“We are excited to provide them with what they need to accomplish their goals," Nickolai added.

The program at Madison College equips individuals with the necessary tools and resources to help them reach their goals and be well-prepared for the

Voices of Latina and Black Women on Pay Equity

KELLY FENG Managing Editor

Madison College held a series of events during Equal Pay Week, held April 10-14 this year. One event was a virtual presentation titled “Speaking Truth With Power: Voices of Latina and Black Women on Pay Equity.”

Facilitated by Rhoda McKinney, a Madison College employee for over 24 years, now serving as an Adult Recruiter for Individuals

beyond High School, the presentation was a conversation with influential women of color leaders who have long dealt with career challenges.

The panel featured Ida Balderrama-Trudell, whose long career includes serving as a special assistant and chief of staff to senior leadership, and Sarita Mannigel, the Director of Human Resources Operations, at Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin.

next step in their lives. Within this program, all members of DAPi work collaboratively in a supportive and organized environment, dedicated to assisting students who have enrolled in DAPi. The well-being and success of students are greatly enhanced when they experience a sense of acceptance within their peer group. This creates a positive social environment where students can thrive and feel included. In addition, developing a level of trust with their advisor and/or mentor is crucial for students. This trust allows

KELLY FENG / CLARION

Aaron Sowieja speaks at the Changing the Narrative event.

KELLY FENG / CLARION

Jasmia Hamilton speaks as part of a virtual presentation for Equal Pay Week titled “Speaking Truth With Power: Voices of Latina and Black Women on Pay Equity.”

JACKSON CROSSEN / CLARION

Hannah Flemming, left, and Katrina Willis help preside over the Delta Alpha Pi international honor society induction ceremony.

IMAN ALRASHID Copy Editor

THE STUDENT VOICE OF MADISON AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE 2022-2023

Lillian Coppelman EDITOR IN CHIEF clarioned@madisoncollege.edu

Kelly Feng MANAGING EDITOR clarion@madisoncollege.edu

Taleise Lawrence ASSISTANT EDITOR Vacant

NEWS EDITOR clarionnews@madisoncollege.edu

Mary SeGall OPINION EDITOR clarionopinion@madisoncollege.edu

JD Smith-Nelson ARTS EDITOR clarionarts@madisoncollege.edu

Ross Litscher SPORTS EDITORS clarionsports@madisoncollege.edu

Emily Faust PHOTO EDITOR

Kylie Phillips

WEB EDITOR

Iman Alrashid

Leilani McNeal

COPY EDITORS

Vacant BUSINESS DIRECTOR clarionads@madisoncollege.edu

Valenzia Cina

Ruth Hatter GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Megan Anderson

Paul Becker

Kai Brito

Tessara Clark

Jackson Crossen

Dexter Cruse

Bryce Dailey

Ebenezer Idowu, Jr.

Marie Matlock

Anthony McCulley

Grant Nelson

James Paradisin

Paige Shapiro

Morgan Witthun CONTRIBUTORS

Doug Kirchberg ADVISOR dkirchberg@madisoncollege.edu

CONTACT US

NEWS

PHONE: (608) 246-6809

ADVERTISING

PHONE:(608) 243-4809

FAX: (608) 246-6488

OFFTHESHELF

By James Castrillo, Librarian

Celebrating National Library Week

National Library Week

(April 23-29) is a time to celebrate and appreciate the vital role that libraries play in our communities. First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries of all types across the country each April.

This year’s theme, “There’s More to the Story,” highlights the ways that libraries offer resources and services that go beyond books.

Madison College Libraries are no exception. They offer a variety of online workshops and resources to support students at all levels of their educational journey. From technology help to research skills, the library is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve both their skills and knowledge.

During National Library Week, Madison College Libraries are encouraging

everyone to stop by and explore what that they have to offer. The library is the place to be on campus. And with locations on six campuses and support available seven days a week, it is easy to find the help you need.

A critical role that libraries play is in providing access to technology and the internet. Internet access is essential for education, job searching and basic communication. Libraries offer free access to computers and the internet on campus, as well as training on how to use them effectively.

Madison College Libraries

supports this by lending laptops and wireless hotspots through the college’s Technology Access Program. Libraries remain vital for promoting literacy and learning. Madison College Libraries offer educational resources like journal article databases and online reference materials. The library is a wonderful place to work on homework or to research a topic for a project in your class. But libraries are not solely about education and research; they are also community gathering places. Debrief with your friends after class or work

on one of our puzzles. Your campus library brings people together for fun and socialization and they have something for everyone.

So do not miss the full story of what the library has to offer. Celebrate National Library Week with Madison College Libraries from April 23-29 and discover all the resources and services that are available to support your learning and personal growth.

Follow the Madison College libraries on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and the hashtag #NationalLibraryWeek to join the online celebration and learn more about your college’s libraries.

For more information, visit the library’s website at libguides.madisoncollege.edu/ library. And check out our guide for National Library Week at libguides.madisoncollege.edu/nlw.

PUBLICSAFETY

By Sgt. Lucas Adler

Counterfeit attempt among incidents

Public Safety Officers respond to many calls for service and we like to communicate our activities to the college community. Here are some recent notable incidents.

On March 14, officers responded to a report of an individual being disruptive and damaging college property. Public Safety Officers responded and removed the subject from property. The responding officer was physically assaulted in the process.

On Feb. 21, officers received a report of a counterfeit bill being passed on campus. Public Safety was able to determine the individual who passed the bill and made contact with them. Appropriate steps were taken to resolve the problem.

Pop-Up Thrift Shop

A reminder to the campus community. Public Safety is capable of assisting you with any safety issue you may encounter. One problem that many students unfortunately come across is stalking behavior. If you are having an issue with someone who is stalking you, please report it to Public Safety.

If you have a restraining order against someone and you are concerned about them coming to campus, please let us know. Public Safety will keep it on file so that if the person does come to campus, we are capable of handling it appropriately.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me at Lfadler@madisoncollege.edu or call 608-243-4165.

Wolf Pack Alert

SUBMISSIONS

To submit an item for publication, drop it off at The Clarion office, Room B1260G Truax and Room 109 Goodman South or email it to clarioned@madisoncollege.edu. The Clarion reserves the right to refuse to publish any editorial submission or advertisement, which may be edited for length, taste and grammar. All opinions expressed in editorials and advertisements do not necessarily represent those of the Madison College administration, faculty, the student body or the Clarion staff.

CORRECTIONS

The Clarion strives for accuracy in all of its articles. If you have questions or concerns, please call us at (608) 246-6809 or e-mail: clarioned@madisoncollege.edu.

REMEMBERING

Adam Lee Suby, 1987-2009

Philip Ejercito, 1981-2013

Have you signed up to receive WolfPack Alerts from Madison College? These alerts notify you of school cancellations or about emergencies on or near campus. If not, please do so on our webpage. Registration is free, easy and takes about a minute on your mobile device. In addition to our Facebook page, we have a Twitter account! Be sure to follow @ PublicSafetyMC to stay informed of what’s happening on your campus.

CLARION STAFF PHOTO

Above, Phi Theta Kappa officers Char Braxton, left, and Barbara Bahr set up a pop-up thrift shop the honor society organized in the Truax Atrium on April 17. Below, students look through some of the clothing.

Michaud to serve as Student Senate president

IMAN ALRASHID Copy Editor

During the last week of March, the Madison College Student Senate held its election for the 2023-2024 school year. The online vote lasted a week as 206 students cast votes for both officers and general senators.

Jovhany Michaud, a current Student Senator who has served as the chair of the racial equity committee, was selected as president.

There were four vice president roles on the ballot as well. Kai Brito was elected vice president of administration and finance. Theo Shulman was selected as vice president of public relations. Precilia Dahn was chosen as vice president of team development. Margaret Joof was elected as vice president of legislative affairs.

Four students were elected to represent regional campuses. Danny Her will serve as the Goodman South senator, Inez Pickelsimer as the Fort Atkinson senator, Annette Crowder as the Portage senator and Staci Brunner as the Reedsburg senator.

Students selected to serve as general senators were: Sierra Brunner, Matthew Henning, Michael Malone, Shin Thant Maung Maung, Ogaga Okumagba, Tina Owens, Rachelle Sappington, Ali Soumano, Cameron Wilkin and Katrina Willis.

Ellie Rome, Student Senate advisor at Madison College, conveyed the significance of actively participating in the Student Senate. Serving as a platform where students’ voices are amplified and heard, the student senate offers a unique opportunity to engage in college matters that impact thousands of fellow students. Beyond the chance to work on critical issues, being a part of the student senate allows students to play an influential role in shaping their college experience and contributing to meaningful change.

“The Student Senate really makes a difference,” Rome added.

Rome said voter participation in the election turned out to be disappointingly low. An email about the Madison College Student Senate election was sent to more than 11,000 students, but only 1.7% of the recipients cast their

votes. According to Rome, the students running in the Student Senate election put in a commendable effort to raise awareness about their candidacies. They engaged in various promotional activities, such as tabling and creating flyers to spread the word about their participation in the election. Rome believes that the candidates made significant efforts to generate awareness about their campaign and create interest among the student body.

And still, with all these efforts, the turnout present was low.

“The low turnout doesn’t affect the students who are elected,” Rome said.

In addition to the Student Senate election, the ballot included a referendum asking to increase the fees students pay to support the college’s fitness center. Specifically, the referendum asked to increase the fee by 25 cents per degree credit for the upcoming school year and by 3% in following years.

“When we have a referendum, our students are asked to decide something about student fees, which is very

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important to the students,” Rome said.

During the recent Student Senate meeting, one of the significant topics of discussion was the ballot question regarding the potential increase in the fitness center fee.

The fitness center had requested additional funding, and the Senate deliberated on the potential outcomes of the fee not being increased. They considered the decisions that would need to be made in that scenario, as well as the possibilities that could arise with the additional funds. Additionally, the Senate addressed any questions from students regarding the promotion of the referendum.

In the end, the Student Senate unanimously voted to support the outcome of the referendum, which was 69% in favor of the fee increase and 31% against, Rome said.

The swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected members of the Student Senate will be held on Thursday, May 4, from 4:30-6 p.m. The ceremony will take place at Truax Campus, Room D1630, and is an opportunity to welcome the incoming senate members.

students and program-available resources.

What got everybody’s attention were the two speakers who graduated from the program.

“I truly believe the most important voice is the voice of our students,” said Reinart when introducing the graduate panel. “The most important voices are Ian and Aaron. “

Ian Bowers talked about his path from incarceration to project manager at Findorff, the construction company.

While in prison, he began an apprentice program through Madison College, a pilot program called the Construction and Remodeling Techniques program.

Yahara Journal plans art show, book release

ALEAH MULGREW Contributor

Every year, the Yahara Journal publishes a collection of poetry and artwork created by Madison College students. Throughout the school year, any and all Madison College students can submit their poetry, prose, short stories and all types of artwork through various contests put on by the Yahara Journal. These smaller contests award cash prizes.

All submissions to these contests are then taken into consideration for the honor of being featured in the annual Yahara Journal, released at the end of the Spring semester.

Asime Ibraimi, the editor of this year's Yahara Journal, has described her club as “a group of passionate, intelligent, hilarious outcasts that come hang out with each other once a week and share their love for art and poetry.”

These individuals commune every week to brainstorm events and opportunities to host around campus that offer a safe space for students to express their artistic sides.

Some of the events hosted this year have included an open mic where students were given a stage to perform their poetry, a Coffee and Creativity event where free coffee was offered along with various crafts and poetry readings featuring several local, published poets.

As Ibraimi states, “every aspect of the Yahara Journal provides artistic expression –from the contests, open mics, tabling events to the weekly meeting sharing and reading poetry together.”

This past month, the staff of the Yahara Journal has been hard at work editing and assembling their book and the release date has been set for Friday, April 28, at noon in the Truax Gallery. This journal will include 56 pieces of poetry, prose and artwork, all produced and submitted by Madison College students.

Along with the printed journal, the group will also host an art show in the Truax Gallery. This art show will feature some of the artwork chosen for the Journal as well as new art submissions received before the day of the show.

Students will have a chance to show off their hard work and incredible skills by displaying their art in an official gallery –something lots of college students would only dream of.

The Yahara Journal staff is overjoyed with the amount of submissions they received this year and they hope to continue this trend for future semesters.

At the end of the day, artistic expression is something that all students should be able to recognize and celebrate, and student groups like the Yahara Journal do just that.

“More than anything, it has brought people together,” Ibraimi said. “Young people who feel alone have found a sense of community and passion.”

That sense of community and passion is vital in a world of ever-growing distance between peers and the opportunities given by Madison College and the Yahara Journal certainly try their best to bridge the gap.

Bowers shared that when he was closer to graduating from the program, he started writing many letters, joking, “Being incarcerated, I wrote a lot — kind of my pastime.”

One of those letters landed on the desk of a VIP at Findorff, who reached out to him.

After receiving his degree, Bowers planned on furthering his education, but Findorff was so taken with him that they would train him instead.

Aaron Sowieja served six years before being released.

Sowieja said that most incarcerated people don’t have many job opportunities. However, he says he and Bowers prove it can be done.

“I want to change people’s perceptions. We’re not all bad people. We made bad decisions. Nobody can argue that fact,” Sowieja said.

Sowieja enrolled in the Production Welding Program through Moraine Park Technical College and graduated in four and a half months.

However, there were other issues he had to confront. Halfway into his sentence, Sowieja decided to stop being angry at everybody else and take responsibility for his actions. He decided to turn his life around, beginning with his mental health.

After developing ways to cope with his emotions, he heard about the Industrial Maintenance program through Madison College, where students receive two embedded degrees.

He wrote the education director and told them his story. After being accepted into the program, where he took classes seven hours a day, he received a motion granted for early release because of good behavior.

Within two weeks, Sowieja had four job interviews. He accepted a job as a maintenance technician at Village Hearth Products in Sun Prairie.

He remains a student, now in the Electro-Mechanical Technology program, and was recently inducted into Madison College’s Phi Theta Kappa honor society chapter.

One of the audience’s questions was how to address past incarceration while interviewing with a potential employer.

Bowers said it’s about addressing the issue upfront, allowing them to get ahead and develop their own narrative.

He focused on “owning” it when interviewing.

“Yes, I made a mistake. I have work experience. I have an education. Here’s the degree. Here’s my plan moving forward. Here’s how this job position fits with my goals and dreams,” Bowers said.

Sowieja agreed and said he brought up his criminal history almost immediately.

“I don’t want to feel like I’m hiding anything. I brought it up in the interview. The most important part of presenting that part of our lives is to turn negatives into positives,” Sowieja said.

Sowieja said that while he didn’t like being in prison, he didn’t hide his past, saying, “I am the person I am today because of it. I am proud of that person.”

Finally, they were asked about who is the most essential storyteller in their narrative.

Bowers didn’t hesitate. “It’s you. The people that believe in you. A collective voice. Own your story. Saying where you want to go and be in life. You have to own where you came from. I can’t change that. I can only contribute to my story and give retribution to the mistakes that I made.”

Sowieja said he wants people to look at the whole broad spectrum of his life. Not necessarily of who he was in one part of his life. He said he strives for what his legacy is going to be.

“I am not the storyteller. I am the story maker.”

CLARION STAFF PHOTO

Above, Amelia Mieczkowski, left, Lane LaBoda, center, and Taleise Lawrence provide “poetry on demand” as a way to promote a poetry reading sponsored by the Yahara Journal.

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for open communication, guidance and support, which fosters a strong student-advisor/mentor relationship. Such support contributes to students' academic endeavors, providing them with the confidence and motivation to pursue their educational goals.

To be eligible for initiation into Delta Alpha Pi international honor society (DAPi), students must meet specific criteria. These criteria include having a documented disability and working with one of the advisors in Disability Resource Services, or self-identifying as an individual with a disability. Additionally, students must have completed a minimum of 24 credits and maintain an overall Quality Point Average (QPA) of 3.10. Lastly, students should also demonstrate a genuine interest in disability issues. Meeting these requirements allows students to be considered for initiation into DAPi, a prestigious honor society recognizing academic achievements and involvement in disability-related matters.

Zoë François bakes at Madison College

CLARION STAFF REPORT

Madison College hosted expert baker and best-selling author Zoë François on April 6 for its second Chef Series event of the semester.

The event featured a demonstration, an interview and question and answer session with François, followed by a book giveaway.

François is the author of “Zoë Bakes Cakes,” which is the 2022 International Association of Culinary Professionals Best Baking Cookbook. She is the co-author of the best-selling, “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” series with Jeff Hertzberg. She is now working on her 10th cookbook, “Zoë Bakes Cookies,” harkening back to her days of making gourmet cookies in her apartment and selling them from a food cart.

The host of “Zoë Bakes” on the Magnolia Network,” François was formally trained as a pastry chef at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. She has worked as the executive

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pastry chef at several restaurants in the Twin Cities.

In addition, François has more than 20 years of experience teaching baking and pastry arts nationally. Much of her teaching is done online through BluePrint.com and her own Instagram

Rounding out the panel was Jasmia Hamilton, the Program Manager of the Well Black Woman® Institute and Founder of Innovative DEI, a diversity, equity and inclusion-focused organizational development consulting firm.

The panel discussed Latina and Black women’s unique pay, equity and fair career advancement challenges.

All three offered a different perspective on Latina and Black women’s biggest workplace barriers to success.

For Balderrama-Trudell, the biggest challenge is mentoring or the need for mentoring.

She said we must teach women how to advocate for themselves with companies offering employee resource groups. She said employees should not have to pay for mentoring resources.

“It should be something that should be policy within companies to provide formal mentoring or coaching for people as they’re started to advance in their careers,” Balderrama-Trudell said.

Hamilton said that our imagination was the most significant barrier. She said that when we think of advancement, we often think of a man and typically, a white man.

She said we must recalibrate our workplace and affirm that Latina and Black women are leaders.

“We need to interrupt our default and our collective imagination of who can be a successful leader,” Hamilton said.

Before she was an executive, Mannigel was a single parent looking for affordable child care, which she still believes is a huge barrier.

The second barrier is self-doubt. “Self-doubt comes from inside because we don’t take the time to care for ourselves.”

One form of workplace self-care is to offer more benefits from human resources, saying those benefits must be inclusive enough to all.

and YouTube videos.

The Madison College Chef Series was coordinated by the college’s Entrepreneurship Center, whose mission is to strengthen communities through education, innovation and collaboration.

The panel discussed how they could encourage companies to adopt a more equitable hiring practice and create more inclusive work environments for underrepresented populations.

Balderrama-Trudell said to tap into your employees who know where to find employees of color. “(Companies) have to have a clear plan. You can’t hope people will find your company.”

Transparency is key. DEI benefits and job descriptions, along with pay, should be listed.

“DEI efforts should be clear so somebody comes into that process has information,” BalderramaTrudell said.

For Hamilton, it’s about retention; and while companies can hire young, racially diverse employees, how do they retain them? Building capacity and resilience is crucial.

“We are complex human beings with some defaults,” Hamilton said.

What strategies can promote diversity, equity and inclusion in your workplace and industry?

Mannigel said to take research and put it into action.

Beginning with a clear career pathway is very critical. Having training and developing options, which returns to the need for health benefits.

“Being part of an employee DEI that helps promote women’s leadership with a clear career pathway is critical,” Mannigel said.

For Hamilton, it’s all about the mindset.

She said she was a young single parent with a fair share of challenges.

As she approaches 30, she now has three advanced degrees. She said companies must look at the future potential and what a company culture can be.

“What happens if we embrace the possibility that our workplaces can be just? Everyone can experience belonging, and folks can be productive and have opportunities for rest, engagement or things that bring them joy?”

During the initiation ceremony into the Delta Alpha Pi international honor society (DAPi), students commit to a powerful pledge. They vow to uphold their pursuit of academic excellence, show leadership in advancing the rights of individuals with disabilities, serve as positive role models for students with disabilities, advocate for themselves and others with disabilities and actively participate in educational events through their involvement in Delta Alpha Pi honor society. This pledge reflects the dedication and commitment of DAPi members to promoting inclusivity, advocacy and excellence within the disability community and beyond.

"It's truly inspiring to witness the diligent efforts of students as they strive to accomplish their goals. It brings immense satisfaction to see them preparing themselves for the next chapter in their lives," Nickolai said.

The primary mission of DAPi is to celebrate and provide support for these exceptional students as they strive for excellence in their educational pursuits.

TESSA MORHARDT / CLARION Zoë François, at right, works in the demonstration kitchen during a chef series event at Madison College.

CLARION STAFF PHOTO

Kim Sponem, CEO of Summit Credit Union, spoke at Madison College as part of the Equal Pay Day programming during the week of April 10-13. Sponem’s presentation was titled, “Inspiring Change: Sparking Discussion about Pay Equity and the Wealth Gap.”

TESSA MORHARDT / CLARION

Chef series host Kyle Cherek poses with Zoë François following the event.

EDITOR:

MARY SEGALL CLARIONOPINION@ MADISONCOLLEGE.EDU

Questions asked to you, our readers.

What is your favorite podcast?

GUESTCOLUMN

"All types of true crime podcasts."

- Hope Thao

It is time to change the college's

"I don't listen often, but the one I listen to is the Tiny Meat Podcast."

- Mark Bahena

"I listen to one about solving murder mystery crimes called Murder in America."

- Megan Dudek

An examination of the history of socialism

KAI BRITO Contributor

Imagine this scenario: You’re a new student at Madison College and it’s the first day of class for Fall semester. You’re not sure about which major to pick, so you start with basic classes like Basic Statistics, Introduction to Business, Intro Psychology, College Chemistry 1 and Written Communication.

You later learn that Intro Psychology is not required for any of the programs you were interested in, and quite frankly five courses is too much for your schedule, so you decide to drop the course after going to the first class.

When you go online to your Student Center to Drop Classes, you see that after you dropped the course, you aren’t getting the full amount back. Even if only a day has passed, the current Madison College policy on tuition refunds allows you to receive only an 80% refund if you drop the class before 11% of the class is completed.

However, under the current policy, even if you were to drop the class on the first day, before the class began, you would not be eligible to receive 100% refund. You would need to drop the class before the first day in order to receive the full refund for your class.

This policy is not unique to Madison College. Madison College is a member of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS), which is the coordinating and oversight body for Wisconsin’s 16 public, two-year technical colleges. The Tuition Refund Policy is a statewide mandated policy for all technical schools written into the Wisconsin Administrative Code by the WTCS.

In the Technical College System Board (TCS) section, under TCS 10.08, the guidelines clearly state, “[a] student shall receive 100% refund of program fees, material fees and out-of-state tuition for a course, if application for refund is made by the student prior to the first scheduled meeting of the course and the student does not

add another course.”

A straight-line reading of this text would lead you to believe that you could drop a class before the first meeting time and receive a full 100% refund. However, Madison College is using additional district policies written in the “WTCS Tuition & Fee Guide FY 2022-23” to prevent students from receiving what they are due.

“[S]ome discretion may be applied when the refund application is made the day the student is first scheduled to attend the class. If taken literally, district staff processing the refund application would be required to compare the time the refund application was made to the time each dropped course started. Districts may adopt policies and procedures which treat all refund requests received on a particular day as having been received at a specified time – for example 12:01 a.m. or 11:59 p.m.”

The last line is particularly interesting because it suggests that Madison College has the power to interpret this ruling in a manner that would be favorable to students but chooses not to do so.

For example, Madison College could choose to implement a policy where all dropped classes on the first day could be treated as having been received at 12:01 a.m. This interpretation of the rule would allow all students to receive a Full 100% refund if they dropped at any point on the first day of class.

So the question I have for Madison College administrators is this: Why don’t students get their full money back after one day of class?

If Madison College has the power to extend the drop deadline for students, which I have established that they do, why aren’t they doing this now?

As students, we have power to influence policies that directly affect us at Madison College. We can demand the administration to create rules that support students in making better decisions for their academic future.

From Kai Brito LETTERS

What I am asking for is not unreasonable. All I want is for students to have the opportunity to go to the first day of class and think about whether they really need the class without the concern of a financial penalty looming overhead.

Madison College needs to empower students to make decisions that put them on the path to success, and updating the tuition refund policy would be one way to do that.

EBENEZER IDOWU, JR. Staff Writer

Socialism has been around for a couple of centuries, but in recent years, it has seen an uptick in popularity. A recent presidential nominee ran on a socialist platform. Several senators and representatives are self-identified democratic socialists. Many Americans even believe that certain European countries have tried socialism and succeeded, a key part of the construct of democratic socialism.

But where did socialism come from? Why is it so popular today? Does it present a superior alternative to free-market capitalism?

In this two-part series, I will examine past and contemporary socialism, revealing its track record and comparing it to capitalism. Let’s start with the history.

History of Socialism:

The Early Days Socialism as a political and economic institution began in the 19th century, but socialist ideas have been around for thousands of years, as Encyclopedia Britannica points out. One notes socialist governance and principles in many ancient civilizations, such as ancient Egypt and ancient Greece.

To be clear, this does not mean those societies were socialist, but rather that they had elements of collective ownership. Wikipedia, in their article “History of Socialism,” describes the former as “a theocratic state which … employed peasants in massive labor projects and owned key parts of the

economy,” contrasted to the free market equivalent, in which private companies use contracted workers to perform manual labor. Ancient India’s first emperor, Chandragupta, instituted a sort of socialism.

In Chandragupta’s empire, the king collectively owned all land and the working class paid taxes to him. In return, the emperor supplied the workers with farming tools, “agricultural products, animals, seeds, tools, public infrastructure and stored food in reserve for times of crisis.”

Socialist ideas made their way to ancient Greece, where the Greek philosopher Plato wrote a book called “Republic,” in which he described the ideal socialist society. In Plato’s vision of socialism, according to Encyclopedia Britannica’s article, “Socialism,” people share their goods as well as their “spouses and children.” Thomas More built on this idea and wrote a book called “Utopia,” which, as History.com informs us, described people living on an invented island where money does not exist (they abolished it) and individuals live in a communal setting. The Enlightenment gave more vigor to socialism, allowing it to emerge as an alternative to the exploitative capitalist economic system of the industrial revolution.

Utopian Socialism

Socialism officially started in the 1800s with the industrial revolution and the advent of free-market capitalism. Many politi-

» SEE HISTORY PAGE 6

CLARION EDITORIAL BOARD 2022-2023

Lillian Coppelman EDITOR IN CHIEF

Taleise Lawrence ASSISTANT EDITOR

Kelly Feng

MANAGING EDITOR

Mary SeGall OPINIONS EDITOR

JD Smith Nelson ARTS EDITOR

Ross Litscher SPORTS EDITOR

Iman Alrashid COPY EDITOR

Kylie Phillips WEB EDITOR

The views expressed by The Clarion editorial board do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Madison College, its student body or any faculty therein. They are comprised of the writers listed above and/or of those who write for the Opinion section.

Why don’t students get their full money back after one day of class?

... Under the current policy, even if you were to drop the class on the first day, before the class began, you would not be eligible to receive 100% refund. You would need to drop the class before the first day in order to receive the full refund for your class.

Podcast popularity continues to grow

PAIGE SHAPIRO Staff Writer

Podcasts are your favorite shows, topics, blogs and random conversations that are all jumbled together on recordings for free or on apps like Spotify, with a large audience specified for whatever the listener wants to listen to. It’s a great way to clear your mind while doing mindless tasks, like doing the dishes, driving your car, doing everyday household chores and even brushing your teeth. It fills the void of your thoughts or silence and allows you to listen to so many different topics and conversations.

I for one, enjoy listening to podcasts every day to stay informed, to learn and to be entertained.

Normally, for my everyday podcast listening, I listen to "Dear Hank and John," a podcast about the two brothers answering people’s questions from advice with very educationally informed answers (most of the time educational) on their part. Hank and John Green are very well known on the internet for creating loads of businesses and have created shows on YouTube like "Crash Course," that many people in high school used to get through chemistry.

They also created SciShow on YouTube and own a sock business that goes to charity. John Green is well known for writing books like "Looking for Alaska" and "The Fault in

HISTORY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

cal and social activists were enraged by the exploitative nature of industrial capitalism, which allowed a select few to get richer at the expense of the rest of society. In order to solve this, they proposed the creation of a utopian society in which all things were held in common and members of society supplied the needed resources to the wanting.

One of the earliest utopian socialists was a Frenchman named Claude-Henri de SaintSimon. While Saint-Simon did not call for the abolition of private property, he did advocate for central planning, a system where “scientists, industrialists and engineers would anticipate social needs and direct the energies of society to meet them.” Encyclopedia Britannica tells us that SaintSimon believed society was transitioning, moving away from monarchs and monotheism toward a more complex society based on the principles of information, reason and allocation of labor. Such a society would run best if its economics and production were in the hands of the most successful, beneficial citizens, allowing all people to benefit.

While Saint-Simon touted collective ownership through a centralized government, other socialists called for smaller scale, socialist societies. Robert Owen, an industrial entrepreneur, was one of such people. He first attracted attention by managing textile mills that were extremely lucrative and quite humane. (For instance, Owen did not employ young children in his mills.) Owen believed that social and economic institutions influenced man toward evil. Thus, changing those institutions would produce changes in the people that owned, worked for or

Our Stars." Together, they have created a huge impact on the Gen Z generation and continue to put out loads of interesting content.

Another podcast I listen to everyday is NPR's "Consider This," in which they pick a specific topic of news and focus on it for the episode. For example, they have an episode where they speak about the Trump indictment, the Wisconsin Supreme Court election and about the controversy regarding TikTok and the government. They help make sense of major news stories and help readers understand how the news impacts them.

"NPR Now," which I also listen to, is very similar to "Consider This," but is about four to five minutes, every hour airing on the latest news.

A very popular podcast is "Therapy Gecko." A man with green face paint who owns an abnormal amount of gecko costumes gets calls from random people, and they bring something to talk about that they are struggling with, or whatever they want to talk about. It’s very entertaining and sometimes he gets calls that blow your mind. Like a guy threw away his girlfriend’s roommate’s dad’s ashes.

If none of these piqued your interest, I highly suggest "Therapy Gecko" for anybody who thinks they would not be interested in podcasts. It’s a good starting podcast, because it’s a guy in gecko costume who just listens and talks with random strangers about their problems. What’s not intriguing about it?

were served by them.

History.com tells us that Owen decided to put this idea in practice by creating New Harmony, an experimental utopian socialist state based on self-reliance, cooperation and collective ownership. Sadly, Owen’s experiment failed, devastating his wealth, but he persisted in his socialist activism and according to Encyclopedia Britannica, he continued advocating for reforms that stimulated social cooperation, the type of thing needed to resist the egotism and excessive competitiveness of capitalism (e.g.: guilds, cooperatives).

The other socialist that wanted smaller-scale collective ownership was Charles Fourier, another French clerk. (Back to France, huh?) While not nearly as affluent as Owen, Britannica notes that he was entranced by the same socialist idealism. Like Owen, he believed that societal institutions influenced man toward evil-not the other way aroundand needed to be addressed first when speaking of change. He also sharply criticized capitalism for pitting entrepreneurs against one another in the battle for profits and proposed an alternative.

Fourier’s vision of socialism consisted of an [autonomous] community that operated by “attractive labor”– the idea that people will voluntarily work if their work “engages their talents and interests,” according to Britannica. People would rotate tasks to avoid boredom or getting tired of it.

Many of Fourier’s ideas were implemented when, across the United States, idealists created dozens of “cooperative agricultural communities,” as History. com puts it.

Socialism in the 20th Century

While these dreams of socialism were well-intended, they were just that: dreams,

unrealistic fantasies in which everything worked out perfectly, completely unsuitable for the real world. It was Karl Marx, the foremost theorist of socialism, that concretized these ideas. Marx literally invented the concept of class struggle. History.com tells us that Marx believed society was composed of classes, the primary categories being the bourgeoisie (the wealthy businessman) and the proletariat (the working class). While industrial capitalism (according to Britannica) had made way for the modernization and economic development of society, it also allowed the bourgeoisie to exploit the laborers by making them work for long hours under brutal working conditions for pittance change while the wealthy corporate capitalists acquired the profits.

In the Communist Manifesto, written in 1848, Marx argued that the only way to bring about “scientific socialism” was through violent insurrection: workers rising up and overthrowing the oppressive capitalist system. As explained by Britannica, class consciousness would make the laborers aware of their situation, leading them to revolt and ushering in the “dictatorship of the proletarian.” Eventually, there would be no government, and a community rules by voluntary work and collective ownership would emerge. Marx’s revolutionary ideas and philosophies became the foundation for socialist activism in the 20th century. The German Social Democratic Party, for instance, was founded primarily on socialist thought. In accordance with History.com, two main branches of socialism emerged: communism and social democracy. The former, communism, began when Vladimir Lenin led Russian citizens in a revolution against the oppressive

czars, overthrowing their monarchs and establishing a communist state under Lenin’s rule.

When Lenin died, his successor, Joseph Stalin, set a clear standard for what communism would be: absolute rule, industrialization and seizure of private property. Stalin had no patience for dissenters and crushed the opposition, executing them or sending them to concentration camps to basically be worked to death. Roughly 30 million Russians were executed under his dictatorship, which cast doubt on the efficacy of socialist states run by communism.

China also fell prey to the socialist temptation. In the early 20th century, communist revolutionaries led an insurrection, successfully overthrowing the monarchy and establishing a communist state. Things were going well at first, but it soon became apparent that the idealist and perfectionist method of central planning was wholly unsuited to the real world, the market, the economy.

A famine struck China, decimating her crops and, by extension, food supply. Under communism, the State has control of all resources and direct resources to meet the needs of society. But what happens when the government fails to accurately predict societal needs? Furthermore, what happens when an unforeseen event (i.e., the famine) throws things off?

That’s exactly what happened in China. The socialist government failed to direct resources to feed its needy people, and people starved. The end of the Great Chinese Famine ultimately claimed 60 million Chinese lives. This, when combined with Russia’s degradation into a tyranny, proved the inherent flawed nature of communism.

CLARION STAFF PHOTO Podcasts provide both great entertainment and information. There seems to be one for almost any area of interest.

With the failure of communism in Russia and China and the fall of the Berlin wall, communism as an economic institution was greatly diminished. It slowly faded out, remaining only in countries like China, Laos, Russia and North Korea. In its place came the other, less extreme form of socialism: social democracy. More moderate than socialism, but just as insidious, social democracy (closely related to the contemporary democratic socialism) garnered support in Europe as proponents pushed more and more left-of-center political philosophy, per History.com. Politicians in these countries argued for “a gradual pursuit of social reforms (like public education and universal healthcare)” by way of democracy in a capitalist nation.

Many of these nations instituted socialist governments, then reverted back to capitalism when things went south. In America, while socialism never reached the level of support it saw in Europe (until recently), socialist elements were introduced into the economy, like a welfare state, etc.

Conclusion

While socialist ideas have been around for thousands of years, the backlash to exploitation in industrial capitalism allowed socialism to take shape in the form of idea. Karl Marx then took those ideas and concretized them, making socialism genuine economic system.

Sadly, many past socialist experiments failed: Russia, China, Scandinavia, the list goes on. However, many contemporary politicians (I’m thinking of one in particular, an elderly man who nearly won presidential nomination), insist that socialism can be successfully implemented if it’s done right. In part two, we will find out whether these claims are valid or not.

JD SMITH-NELSON CLARIONARTS@ MADISONCOLLEGE.EDU

a great experience

Marvel has done it again with “Ant Man: Quantumania.” The newest installation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a fun and entertaining movie that fans are sure to love. With funny characters, fast paced action and beautiful work done by the CGI team, “Quantumania” is in the running for one of the best movies of the year.

While critics claim that the movie was mediocre at best, “Quantumania” has all of the stepping stones for a great movie. The characters all have amazing chemistry, playing off of each other very well and creating scenes that are both hilarious and heartwarming. The acting makes the emotional scenes hit hard with the cinematography and music score makes the audience sympathize with the characters.

Even though there were some plot points that could have been fleshed out more, like Scott and Cassie’s conflict on her going out and being an activist, “Quantumania” perfectly sets up the next movies in the MCU with the reintroduction to Kang the Conqueror and the multiverse along with

the buildup for Loki season two.

While at this point it is all too common in the MCU, the usage of CGI is to be expected. However, the CGI and special effects in “Quantumania” were fantastic, creating an alien world that is both fantastical and mysterious. When applied with the cinematography, each shot in the movie is breathtaking to look at. While some movies in the MCU could do without, “Quantumania” does a good job with using the special effects.

Overall, while the movie isn’t perfect, it is still an entertaining watch for Marvel fans, or even those not familiar with the MCU. Great characters, story and fight choreography create an experience that should leave the audience satisfied.

CRAIG MCKINLEY Staff Writer

Mental health is an important topic that often lacks the discussion it warrants. It’s sometimes covered in different types of media, and mediums such as games do this even less often. With all that said, I’m delighted to share a game that considers the topic effectively. “Celeste” describes anxiety with realistic responses to experiences, fiction-based analogies and cues from the music and the screen. Not only did Maddy Makes Games and Extremely OK Games manage to express this in their story, but they did so without significant sacrifice in the rest of the game. While this type of experience isn’t entirely expected from a two-dimensional game with jumping and climbing, this surprise is well worth playing through.

The player experiences “Celeste” from the perspective of Madeline, a woman trying to reach the summit of Celeste Mountain in spite of her anxiety. While many video game stories focus on doing something grand such as saving the world, this one is more personal and smaller scale. She’s not climbing the mountain for anyone else. She’s only trying to prove to herself that she can make it to the top.

During the story, she meets multiple characters that she can’t always discern as being for or against her. These personalities often appear to be more for or more against, and Madeline second-guessing herself makes understanding these characters more difficult. But often when Madeline is offered help, it creates a personal scene and sometimes

even offers the player advice that has real world applications.

“Celeste” isn’t just narrated through words though. It also makes effective use of environmental cues. The graphics use light, darkness and complimenting and contrasting colors to draw the eyes to emotional scenes or important game elements. This is helpful in a game such as “Celeste” where the pixel resolution isn’t a priority. The music also carries weight when necessary, and at more positively significant times can fire the player up. Players of “Minecraft” may be excited to hear that Lena Raine, who worked on some newer music tracks of “Minecraft” was also behind the soundtrack of “Celeste.”

As well told as the narrative of “Celeste” is, it’s not experienced passively. Whether it’s better or worse for the player, they will need to take an active role in progressing the story. Playing through each level, while demanding at points, can feel rewarding and be very forgiving. Thanks to precise movement and challenges to overcome and feel good about, victories often feel earned. What’s even better is that upon failing a challenge, the player continues from the last checkpoint they passed. This is the start of every room, and sometimes more often, in “Celeste.”

Still, the default experience can still be difficult, as it requires quick reaction, solving of movement-based puzzles and observation of moving elements. Thankfully, there is an option to make the game more approachable. Assist Mode is available as an option to help

EDITOR:

Film was much better than critics would lead viewers to believe

LILLIAN COPPELMAN Editor in Chief

‘Celeste’ acknowledges anxiety, introduces ways of approaching it

JAY MAIDMENT / WALT DISNEY STUDIOS / TNS

Kathryn Newton, left, as Cassandra “Cassie” Lang and Paul Rudd as Scott Lang in Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.”

‘Quantumania’

takes

Come one, come all! Show times around town

JORDAN HAKE

Staff Writer

Coming to a stage near you! Are you from the Madison area? Do you enjoy live theater? Find a city near you and see what might be going on this summer. Check out https:// bestcommunitytheaters.com/ if you don’t see something in this list near you.

Madison Overture Center

Peter Pan: April 22-30

Disney’s The Lion King: May 11-28

Tootsie: June 13-18

Disney’s Newsies: June 22-25

Six the Musical: Aug. 1-6

And much more!

Check out https://www. madison-theatre.com/ or https:// www.overture.org/ or https:// www.cityofmadison.com/ visit-play/performing-arts to find out about more shows and events in Madison.

Oregon

Oregon Straw Hat Players

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast: Aug. 5-12

Check out http://www.oshponline.org to find out about more shows in Oregon.

Stoughton

Stoughton Village Players

Twelfth Night: Nov. 9-11 and Nov. 16-18

Check out https://www. stoughtonoperahouse.com/ events or https://www.stoughtonvillageplayers.org/auditions-show-schedule.html to find out about more events in Stoughton.

Verona

Verona Area Community Theatre

The Lion King Kids: April 20-22

The Little Mermaid Jr.: April 20–22

The SpongeBob Musical: April 27-29

Singing in the Rain Sr.: May 11-21

The Wizard of Oz: June 16-24

Check out https://www.vact.

org to find out more about shows in Verona.

McFarland

McFarland High School

Clue: April 21-30

Check out https://www. mcfarland.k12.wi.us/community/PAC.cfm to find out more about events in McFarland.

Middleton

Middleton Theatre

Into the Woods: April 20-23

Check out https://www.middletontheatre.org to find out more about shows in Middleton.

Cottage Grove

Cottage Theater

Big Fish: April 7-30

The Book Of Will: June 9-25

The Game’s Afoot: Aug. 11-27

The Producers: Oct. 6-29

Elf the Musical: Dec. 1-23

Check out https://www.cottagetheatre.org to learn more about more shows in Cottage Grove.

Sun Prairie: Sun Prairie Civic Theater

Rent: April 14-23

Bye Bye Birdy Youth Edition: June 23-25

Cinderella Broadway Version: Aug. 4-13

Cinderella Youth Edition: Aug. 11-12

Check out https://www.sunprairiecivictheatre.com to find out about more shows in Sun Prairie.

Creativity in the kitchen makes cents

Recipe mashup makes for a tasty but affordable dish

MICHELLE MEYER Staff Writer

I challenge myself. I search. I find. I try new things. I discover. I experience joy.

Over and over, my relationship with local produce is awakened, inspiring me to approach grocery shopping as a challenge, to buy as much local produce as possible.

The challenge often takes me outside of my comfort zone, to discover joy in new recipes. Recipes that I never thought I would like.

As a rule, when trying new or different foods, I keep the recipe selection simple and complement with familiar ingredients. This strategy keeps my mind open to experiencing new flavors and developing a recipe repertoire.

My challenge recipe from this week’s grocery store trip is inspired by the reservoir root vegetable, beta vulgaris, commonly known as the beetroot.

I mashed up a couple of recipes for this one. Working with a budget, I relied on some pantry staples.

Ingredients

• 3 Beet Roots (Locally Grown)

• 5 Ruby Red Grapefruits

• Olive Oil (about 5 tablespoons)

• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

• Athenos Feta Cheese (1 cup)

• Honey (about 2 tablespoons, optional)

• Roasted Sunflower Seeds (~1/2 cup, optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Wash beets in cold water

Line the casserole dish with parchment paper

Drizzle olive oil over beets, season

with salt

Fold over parchment paper and cover dish with the top

Place the dish in the oven and set a timer for 50 minutes

Section and juice the grapefruit

After 50 minutes, let the beets cool to room temperature and slice into bite-size pieces

Combine the grapefruit sections, the beets and the grapefruit juice

Compliment with your faves, which might include walnuts, chopped pear, sunflower seeds, dried cranberry, grated or crumbled cheese, honey, rosemary or fennel

Drizzle with olive oil and honey

I started with Willy Street Coop’s Blood Orange, Beet and Fennel Salad, and paired it with Food & Wine’s Roasted Beet, Ruby Red Grapefruit and Warm Honey Salad. Despite the mashup, I still had to get creative with ingredients, kitchen gadgets and cooking supplies.

Humble beginnings, I follow the instructions, wash three normal-sized beets and preheat the oven to 375. However, this is where I sidestep the recipe and creatively work with what my budget allows.

The recipes suggest rubbing the washed beets with olive oil, seasoning them with salt, wrapping them with heavy duty aluminum foil and placing them on a baking sheet. I modified this step.

I used an oval shaped casserole dish

with a glass top (probably 2.5 quart, purchased at Goodwill for $3.99). I then covered the bottom of the dish with a generous amount of parchment paper. Place the washed beets in the parchment paper’d dish, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and place in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.

Side note knowledge: Parchment paper is less expensive than aluminum foil and better for the environment. The comparison for 50 square feet of product is parchment paper at $2.94 and aluminum foil at $4.98. I take my savings on this product and purchase five ruby red grapefruits.

Being on a budget is why meshing recipes is so important. I want the blood oranges that Willy’s recipe calls for. However, Food & Wine’s ingredients, at this time of year are kinder to my budget, so I grab the grapefruit.

I’m happy with this comparison. I refer to the instructions, carefully peeling away the rind (the white hard shell around the fruit) and sectioning each wedge, separating the fruit from the connective membrane. I do this with all five grapefruits. I squeeze the remaining juice from the grapefruit center into the Tupperware.

Then I slice the segments, making bite-size portions to mix with the recipe. I place the grapefruit and grapefruit juice in a covered Tupperware in the fridge.

I wait until my timer sounds, then pull the beets from the oven.

I make sure to let them cool at room temperature. I do not time this step, as I am usually busy multitasking; maybe a couple of hours to cool?

Then, I peel the skin, slice into bitesize pieces to mix with the grapefruit. Now comes my favorite part, deciding what to add to the salad ... Does it need texture? Crunch? Bitter? Fat? Sweet? Richness? Creaminess?

I decided to complement the dish with sunflower seeds for extra protein and some crunch, a drizzle of local honey for sweetness, a sprinkle of Athenos Feta for creaminess and a drizzle of Olive oil for richness. The recipe called for onions and fennel, except I did not have those on hand, so I improvised.

CELESTE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

with precision when avoiding obstacles or treat hazards as something safer. While “Celeste” couldn’t feasibly be made to be entirely accessible to everyone on every device, as its only software being distributed on existing hardware, the effort toward being playable by many of those devices’ users is good to see.

‘Honor Among Thieves’ an impressive film

GRANT NELSON Staff Writer

I saw the movie “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” and was blown away by everything about the film.

The fictional world was so alive and filled with magic and whimsy at every turn.

There were all sorts of creatures and monsters including everything from dragons to elves to hordes of undead.

The storyline focused on a group of thieves that traveled throughout the world of the Forgotten Realms to retrieve a long-lost relic from an evil, backstab-

bing Lord Forge Fitzwilliam (played by Hugh Grant).

The leader of the group, Edgin Darvis (played by Chris Pine), hoped to be reunited with his daughter Kira (played by Chloe Coleman) and use the relic to bring his wife back from the dead.

In the process, they learned that Lord Forge was under the control of an evil sorceress, Sofina (played by Daisy Head), who wanted to turn the city’s residents into an army of the undead.

For the quest, Edgin forms an unlikely team that includes warrior Holga Kilgore (Michelle Rodriguez), wizard Simon Aumar (Justice Smith) and a tiefling

druid named Doric (Sophia Lillis).

The film was very true to the world and lore of “Dungeons & Dragons.” It understood the culture of the fan base and humor of nerds. The acting was pretty good, and I came to care about the characters.

There was a lot of epic action and jokes that any fan of D&D will love. The world just felt so alive from the creatures and races to the locations everything was filled with magic.

The effects were great, the creature design top notch and it felt like a film set in Middle Earth. I highly recommend it for all audiences.

Playing through “Celeste” to the point of its credits is wonderful, and I’m glad both that it pushed me to rise above its challenges and even suggested its approach toward anxiety. While I personally appreciate the game’s level of difficulty, I also know not everyone enjoys this difficulty in their activities. I recommend these players try Assist Mode if they feel they need to, even if it isn’t a universal or perfect solution.

I also recommend checking the game’s options for visual accessibility settings, as the default setting may not work for everyone.

“Celeste” released in early 2018 and I really found it worth going back to. I highly recommend “Celeste”, available on many digital platforms such as Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Steam (PC), Epic Games (PC) and Itch.io (PC) to those willing to give it a try.

Roast Beets and Grapefruit

MICHELLE MEYER / CLARION

My Roast Beets and Grapefruit recipe is actually a mashup of two other recipes, but turned out very well.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND EONE/ TNS

Sophia Lillis as Doric, a tiefling druid, in “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”

MEETTHEPACK

EDITOR: ROSS LITSCHER CLARIONSPORTS@ MADISONCOLLEGE.EDU

SOFTBALL

SAMMY NELSON

Profiles of WolfPack athletes NELSON

A sophomore on the Madison College softball team, Sammy Nelson has started 22 games for the WolfPack this season and played in 23. She is currently second on the team in batting average at .421, with 32 hits in 76 at-bats. Nelson has scored 22 runs and has three triples and three doubles. In addition, she has driven in 19 runs and stolen nine bases.

A graduate of Assumption High School in

BASEBALL

CHARLIE MARION

Wisconsin Rapids, she was a team captain and three-time all-conference selection. In addition she was first-team All-District as a senior. The daughter of Melissa and Charles Nelson, she is a liberal arts transfer major.

A freshman outfielder on the thirdranked Madison College baseball team, Charlie Marion is a graduate of Franklin High School. He has started 19 games for the WolfPack this season and has helped lead them to a 23-6 start. He is third on the team in batting average, hitting .338 with 27 hits in 80 at-bats. Marion is tied for the team lead in doubles with seven and has one home run and one triple. In addition, he has been walked nine times and hit by a pitch five times. He has stolen six bases in eight attempts. Defensively, Marion has 18 putouts and three assists.

Softball team now stands at 4-12 overall

ROSS LITSCHER Sports editor

Easter weekend brought the nicest weather that we’ve seen so far in 2023, so it was a perfect time for some Madison College home softball games. The softball team entered the Good Friday doubleheader against Sauk Valley Community College with a record of 8-12.

Despite some wind it was a beautiful afternoon for softball, and Madison College responded with a 15-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader against Sauk Valley College on April 7.

CLARION STAFF PHOTO

WolfPack highly ranked

Madison College baseball team remains ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA Division II

ROSS LITSCHER

Sports Editor

The Madison College baseball team entered Easter weekend with 17-3 records and a top three ranking in the NJCAA Division 2.

The team spent most of March on the road, playing in Arizona and in northern Illinois.

The Saturday before Easter, the WolfPack played a home conference doubleheader against rival Milwaukee Area Tech College and posted an 11-7 win.

Charlie Marion and Gabe Roessler

each had big days, going three of four and two of three at bat. Marion added four RBIs for the WolfPack, who scored a run in every inning.

Game two was a lot more lopsided with Madison College winning, 11-2. The WolfPack jumped out to a 7-0 start in the first two innings and never looked back. Five players totaled multiple hits for the WolfPack in the game. Madison College will be playing more home games now that the weather is getting warmer with about a month left of regular season play before the postseason starts. The team now stands at 23-6 overall, with a 2-0 conference record.

Weather permitting, the WolfPack will play doubleheaders at home against the College of DuPage on April 19 and Carl Sandburg College on April 21.

Bruner reflects on his time with WolfPack

KELLY FENG

Managing Editor

Tim Bruner, the third-winningest men’s soccer coach at Madison College, stepped down in March to take a head coaching position at his alma mater, Edgewood College.

Bruner has a long list of accolades from his time spent here. He ended his first season with a 10-3-2 record, missing out on the North Central Community College Conference title with a 6-1-1 league mark. He was named the N4C Coach of the Year. The 2022 season showcased the Pack improving to

12-5 and securing the school’s second N4C title with a 5-1 record. Even with losing in the Region 4 championship match, Madison College was able to advance to the NJCAA Midwest District Tournament.

While this was an excellent season to end, Bruner explained that he decided to move to Edgewood based on his connection to the college, where he was a student-athlete and met his wife. He previously spent five years assistant coaching the men's and women's soccer teams.

» SEE BRUNER PAGE 12

Tim

Madison College 14, Kankakee Community College 5

After playing to a 5-5 tie after nine innings, Madison College scored nine runs in the 11th inning to beat Kankakee, 14-5, in the first game of a doubleheader on April 15. Clayton Slack led the WolfPack with three hits in the game, while Will Johannes hit a home run and Trace Kirchberg and Grant Ross doubled. Andres Kleinsek earned the win, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing just one run on three hits.

Kankakee Community College 7, Madison College 4

A late rally wasn’t enough as Madison College fell to Kankakee, 7-4, in the second game despite scoring three runs in the top of the seventh

» SEE BASEBALL PAGE 12

The WolfPack jumped on their opponent right away, scoring at least two runs in every inning while not allowing a single run. The third inning was when Madison College really ran away with it, scoring six runs to extend their lead to 11-0.

Karis Paulson and Sammy Nelson both had multiple hits, runs and RBIs, with seven other players all recording hits.

Game two went very similar to the first, with the WolfPack winning 10-1 once again in five innings. Their shutout streak of nine innings came to an end in the fifth, when Sauk Valley finally scored a run. Pitcher Kiana Patterson went two for three at bat with two RBIs, including earning the win as pitcher.

Madison College now stands at 12-14 overall and 2-2 in conference play. Its next home game is April 23, when it hosts a doubleheader against Triton College.

Waubonsee Community College 4, Madison College 1 Madison College had eight hits but only scored once in a 4-1 loss at Waubonsee Community College in the first game of a doubleheader on April

» SEE SOFTBALL PAGE 12

Fye takes over as men’s soccer coach

CLARION STAFF REPORT

Logan Fye has been named the next men’s soccer coach at Madison College. Fye has spent the past 10 seasons with NCAA Division III Wisconsin Lutheran College and brings a wealth of coaching experience to the WolfPack.

His hiring was announced on Friday, April 14, on the athletic department website.

“I am incredibly excited for the future of Madison College men’s soccer under Coach Fye’s leadership,” said Madison College athletic director Jason Verhelst. “He

has great experience and will do a phenomenal job in continuing to move the program forward.”

Logan Fye

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MADISON COLLEGE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

Bruner stepped down as the Madison College men’s soccer coach in March to become the coach at his alma mater, Edgewood College.

Madison College outfielder Dayton Rozinski-Hicks watches a pitch come in during a

game against Rock Valley College on April 10 at home. Madison College won, 14-2.

BRUNER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

Looking back on the past two years, Bruner says he better appreciates how much the college does to help its students and student-athletes succeed.

While coaching and spending time with the players, Bruner saw the academic barriers some student-athletes shoulder. Roadblocks like lack of accessible home internet, working full time to help with family expenses and speaking English as a second language.

He appreciates the college's support of his team and the athletic department.

"I was floored by how regularly we had check-ins and the genuine care behind the student success and pathway," he said.

But the real highlights of Bruner's career have been his relationship with his athletes.

He singles out the end-of-season

SOFTBALL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

15. Waubonsee scored twice in the first inning and twice in the second to secure the victory. Paulsen had two hits to lead the WolfPack and was the only player with multiple hits in the game.

Waubonsee College 13, Madison College 3

Waubonsee handed Madison College a rare 10-inning loss in the second game of the doubleheader, posting a 13-3 victory over the WolfPack. Madison College was led by Paulsen and Jenna Redders, both who doubled and scored in the game. Sophie Rivera added a triple.

Madison College 11, Highland Community College 7

After falling behind early, Madison College rallied to victory with eight runs in the final two innings, beating Highland Community College, 11-7, on April 14 in the first game of a doubleheader. Makkena Gish, Briar Armatoski and Chariell Butler each had two hits to lead the WolfPack offensive attack. Paulson added a double and two RBIs.

Madison College 8, Highland Community College 6

Another late rally gave Madison College an 8-6 victory in the second game against Highland Community College. The WolfPack turned a 4-3 deficit into a 7-4 lead by scoring four runs in the fifth inning. Kaina Patterson had three hits to lead the WolfPack, while Nelson and Jenna Redders both had two hits. Patterson pitched a complete game victory with seven strikeouts.

Madison College 12, Harper College 4

A five-run first inning helped boost Madison College to a 12-4 victory over host Harper College in the first game of a doubleheader on April 6. The WolfPack had 10 hits in the game, led by Brooke Cimler and Hailey Richter who each had two hits. Cimler’s hits included a triple, while Richter had a double. Addison Warner pitched the win, allowing four runs on four hits with six strikeouts.

Harper College 11, Madison College 8

An 11-run fourth inning enabled Harper College to reverse its fortunes and beat Madison College, 11-8, in the second game of a doubleheader, a game that ended after five innings due to a time limit. Harper scored its runs on four hits, four walks and five errors.

evaluations, where the players give anonymous feedback to the athletic department about his performance as a coach.

Bruner received outstanding scores and enjoyed reading the responses to whether the team's coach cared about them (where they overwhelmingly responded “yes”). His relationships with the student-athletes are the most important to him.

"I want those relationships to be authentic, and based on the feedback from that survey, that was achieved as well," he said.

During his two seasons, Bruner saw the difficulty of players carrying a full calendar of academics and athletics. He was often in the position of helping players handle the balance between being an athlete and a student.

He believes it begins at the school.

"If they're taking care of things in the classroom, then they're probably doing an appropriate job of managing and

BASEBALL

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inning. Ross led the WolfPack with two hits, while he and Roessler both had doubles.

Madison College 11, Sauk Valley 10

After an early slugfest, it took an error, a wild pitch and a passed ball for Madison College to claim an 11-10 victory over Sauk Valley College in the first game of a doubleheader on April 14. The two teams scored 10 runs each in the first two innings, then didn’t score again until Grant Ross scored the winning run on a passed ball. Kirchberg led the WolfPack with three hits and two runs scored, while Dayton Rozinski-Hicks had two hits and scored three runs.

Madison College 15, Sauk Valley 8

Madison College scored three or more runs in four different innings to beat Sauk Valley, 15-8, in the second game of the doubleheader. The WolfPack had 18 hits in the game, led by Johannes who had three hits and four RBIs.

Bryant & Stratton College 3, Madison College 2

A two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning gave Bryant & Stratton College a 3-2 victory over visiting Madison College on April 12. The loss marred an excellent outing by freshman pitcher Michael Carpenter, who allowed just three runs on seven hits.

COACH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

team’s recruiting, off-season training and soccer camps.

Over the past seven years, he has served in several coaching roles with Elmbrook United in Brookfield. In addition, he has been the Olympic Development Team coach with the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association.

In a news release, Fye said he is “thrilled to accept the role of head men’s soccer coach at Madison College as it is truly an outstanding opportunity for myself and my family.”

prioritizing that life balance, and then they're succeeding on the field," Bruner said.

Bruner and his staff emphasized the routine and structure of succeeding academically. He noted they must have and be willing to ask for help when needed. Asking for help is challenging for some student-athletes. Bruner and his staff made it a priority to identify those at risk and for students to be aware enough to use the resources around them.

Reflecting on his two seasons, Bruner said the time he coached at Madison College was well spent for him and his career. The school taught him aspects of running an athletic program, allowing him to gain perspective for the student-athletes.

"I can't thank Madison College enough for the knowledge they've passed along. I'm a much better coach now after having spent time there," Bruner said.

MCSPORTS

Madison College schedules and results.

BASEBALL

Schedule

MAR. 9 vs. Chandler-Gilbert CC, 8-7 WIN, 3-2 WIN

MAR. 10 vs. Mesa Community College, 17-5 WIN

MAR. 11 vs. Williston State College, 4-1 WIN; vs. MIles Community College, 12-1 WIN

MAR. 12 vs. Western Nebraska CC, 6-5 WIN

MAR. 14 vs. Glendale Community College, 2-1 LOSS 6-2 LOSS

MAR. 17 vs. Paradise Valley Community College, 6-4 WIN, vs. GateWay Community College, 6-1 WIN

MAR. 24 at Morton College, 11-1 WIN

MAR. 26 at Carl Sandburg College, 9-0 WIN, 13-12 LOSS

MAR. 29 at College of Lake County, 9-3 WIN

MAR. 30 at Highland Community College, 10-9 WIN

APR. 2 at Elgin Community College, 13-3 WIN, 11-0 WIN

APR. 6 at Rock Valley College, 14-4 WIN

APR. 7 at Waubonsee Community College, 9-5 WIN, 7-1 WIN

APR. 8 vs. Milwaukee Area Technical College, 11-7 WIN 11-2 WIN

APR. 10 at home vs. Rock Valley College, 14-2 WIN

APR. 11 at home vs. Bryant & Stratton College, 10-0 LOSS

APR. 12 at Bryant & Stratton College, 3-2 LOSS

APR. 13 at home vs. Sauk Valley CC, 11-10 WIN, 15-8 WIN

APR. 15 at Kankakee CC, 14-5 WIN 7-4 LOSS

APR. 21 at home vs. Carl Sandburg College, 1 p.m. 4 p.m.

APR. 22 at Harper College, noon, 3 p.m.

APR. 23 at home vs. Triton College, noon, 3 p.m.

APR. 25 at home vs. College of Lake County, 3 p.m.

Bryant & Stratton College 10, Madison College 0

A 10-game winning streak came to a painful end for Madison College, with a 10-0 loss at home to Bryant & Stratton College on April 11. Madison College was held to just three hits in the game, while Bryant & Stratton had eight hits and eight bases on balls.

Madison College 14, Rock Valley 2 Madison College again had double figure hits and runs with a 14-2 victory over Rock Valley College at home on April 10. The WolfPack had 18 hits in the game, led by Roessler, Payton Frehner and Ryan Santi, who each had three hits. Kleinsek pitched the win allowing two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts in six innings.

Madison College 9, Waubonsee 5 Madison College scored nine runs on nine hits to post a 9-5 victory over Waubonsee on April 7 in the first game of a doubleheader in Sugar Grove, Ill. Evan Iwinski had two hits for the WolfPack including a double, while Roessler added a hit and two RBIs.

Madison College 7, Waubonsee 1

A four-run third inning let Madison College take the lead on its way to a 7-1 victory over Waubonsee in the second game of the doubleheader. Roessler and Iwinski had two hits in the game, with Roessler hitting a triple. Liam Stumpf earned the win, pitching six innings and allowing just one run on five hits.

“I cannot wait to get started with the student-athletes in our pursuit of a NJCAA Division II National Championship,” he added.

Fye played professional soccer for one year as a midfielder with the Milwaukee Torrent of the National Premier Soccer League. He played four years of soccer at UW-Whitewater, where he helped lead the Warhawks to three WIAC championships. He had 17 goals and nine assists during his collegiate playing career.

After completing his business management degree at UW-Whitewater, Fye went on to earn a master’s degree in education-leadership and innovation and Wisconsin Lutheran College.

APR. 26 at McHenry County College, 3 p.m.

APR. 27 at home vs. McHenry County College, 3 p.m.

APR. 29 at home vs. Joliet Junior College, noon, 3 p.m.

APR. 30 at Black Hawk College, noon, 3 p.m.

MAY 2 at Oakton CC, 3 p.m.

MAY 6 at home vs. South Suburban College, noon, 3 p.m.

MAY 7 at home vs. Oakton CC, noon.

SOFTBALL

Schedule

MAR. 1 at Rochester CTC, 21-0 WIN, 17-3 WIN

MAR. 9 vs. Mott CC, 8-0 WIN, vs. Jackson College, 9-8 LOSS

MAR. 10 vs. Lake Michigan College, 8-7 WIN, vs. Hocking, 5-0 LOSS

MAR. 11 vs. W. Virginia Wesleyan JV, 5-4 LOSS, vs. Mid-Michigan, 9-5 WIN

MAR. 12 vs. Iowa Lakes CC, 19-8 LOSS, 4-0 LOSS

MAR. 13 vs. Heartland Community College, 5-4 LOSS vs. Spoon River College, 3-1 WIN

MAR. 14 vs. St. Louis CC, 9-1 LOSS; vs. Cuyahoga CC, 6-2 LOSS

APR. 2 at College of DuPage, 7-6 LOSS 14-6 WIN

APR. 5 vs. Rock Valley College, 13-5 LOSS, 11-1 LOSS

APR. 6 at Harper College, 12-4 WIN 11-8 LOSS

APR. 7 at home vs. Sauk Valley CC, 15-0 WIN, 10-1 WIN

APR. 14 at Highland CC, 11-7 WIN, 8-6 WIN

APR. 15 at Waubonsee CC, 4-1 LOSS 13-3 LOSS

APR. 18 at home vs. Kishwaukee College, 3 p.m., 5 p.m.

APR. 21 at Black Hawk College, 3 p.m., 5 p.m.

APR. 22 at McHenry County College, noon, 2 p.m.

APR. 23 at home vs. Triton College, noon, 2 p.m.

APR. 27 at home vs. Joliet Junior College, 2 p.m., 4 p.m.

APR. 28 at Carl Sandburg College, noon, 2 p.m.

APR. 30 at Kankakee CC, 2 p.m., 4 p.m.

MAY 2 at home vs. Bryant & Stratton College, 3 p.m., 5 p.m.

MAY 5 at home vs. College of Lake County, 3 p.m., 5 p.m.

MAY 9 NJCAA Region 4 Tournament Quarterfinal

CLARION STAFF PHOTO Madison College pitcher Andres Kleinsek recorded a win in a game against Rock Valley on April 10, allowing just two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts.

THELIGHTERSIDE

Puzzles and Cartoons

CROSSWORDPUZZLE

ACROSS

1 Emery board target

5 Change as needed

10 “F” on a gas gauge

14 No-frills grocery chain that collects a deposit for a shopping cart

15 With a long face

16 Michigan neighbor

17 Self-checkout sound

18 Batch of Brownies

19 Paper towel purchase

20 *Has significant influence

23 AirPods holders

24 Nothing to write home about

25 Small talk

27 Bubble tea “bubbles”

30 Encapsulated ecosystem

33 Lead an orchestra

36 “Tutti,” in English

37 Ones who fail to keep up appearances?

39 Margaret of “Fire Island”

40 Potluck contribution

42 Base for jam and clotted cream

43 Hershey toffee bar

44 *Is able to wrap one’s head around

47 Vessel in some Asian restaurant names

48 __ favor

49 “Do __ disturb”

50 [Shrug]

53 Boat pulling a fishing net

57 Play part that follows an overture

58 Footnote abbr.

60 Foolish talk

61 Nurses a sprain, say

62 Group of associates

63 “Make it snappy!” letters

64 Word

65 Touches up, as text

66 Range components: Abbr.

DOWN

1 Seize

2 Smart __: wisenheimer

3 Planning session offering

4 Comprehend without hearing, in a way

5 Up and about

6 Has the guts (to)

7 Noisy commotions

8 Farm machines

9 Like a universal donor’s blood

10 Permanently

11 “I have a bad feeling about this”

12 Bouncy tune

13 Texting guffaw

21 Boca __, Florida

22 13-digit pub. codes

25 Fine hairs

26 *Stands up to

scrutiny

28 Enumeration of life goals, on which one should also find the answers to the starred clues?

29 Hay fever sound

30 Shindig

31 __ Valuable Player

32 Sci-fi getaway option

33 Grifter

34 “Marry Me”

actor Wilson

35 Unable to make up one’s mind

38 Jolly syllables

41 Self-absorption

43 Smooth R&B

tune

45 Gives the go-ahead

46 Subj. of Rosalind

Franklin’s research

50 Can of worms, maybe

51 Latin “behold”

52 Wallow in sadness

54 Numbered hwys.

55 __ Williams bourbon

56 Gym count

59 Forensic series whose theme song is “Who Are You”

Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis / MCT Campus

BREWSTER ROCKIT

TIM RICKARD / TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

BREWSTER ROCKIT

TIM RICKARD / TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Keepin’ it Classy

The Clarion offers free classified advertising to students. Send your ads of 70 words or less to clarionads@madisoncollege.edu. Space is limited. Submission does not guarantee publication. Must submit 7 days prior to publication.

Help Finding Housing

Madison College is partnering with Rent College Pads to provide a curated list of houses and apartments available near all campuses in the district. The site is exclusive to the Madison College community. Visit madisoncollege.edu/housing to learn more.

Personal Research Help

Madison College libraries are now offering a Personal Academic LIbrarian program to help support students with research help. For more information about the new program, visit the https://libguides.madisoncollege.edu/pal.

Pick Up a Bus Pass

Madison College offers Madison Metro bus passes for its students to help them commute to campus. New bus passes are availabe in Student Life. Bus passes can be mailed to your home. Visit madisoncollege.edu/buspass for more information.

Lockers Available

Students can reserve lockers at the Truax Campus by visiting the Student Life Office, Truax Room B1260 or register them using the form at madisoncollege.edu/locker. Students must provide their own lock. There is no charge for locker use.

50 Clubs to Choose From

There are more than 60 clubs available at Madison College. Participating in a student-led club is a great way to meet new friends or develop a new skill. Visit madisoncollege.edu/ clubs-organizations to learn more about how you can join.

Join the Clarion Writers, photographers and graphic artists are invited to join The Clarion staff at any time during the school year. If interested in helping out, email clarioned@madisoncollege.edu to connect with our editor and learn more about the newspaper.

WolfPack Alerts

Remember to sign up for the college’s WolfPack Alert emergency messaging system. You will get need-to-know info about school closings and urgent updates. Go to madisoncollege.edu and search “WolfPack Alert” to find instructions.

Listen to Clarion Radio

Madison College has it’s own online student radio station. Listen in at ClarionRadio.com. The station is always looking for students who are interested in producing their own show. Email clarionmedia@madisoncollege.edu for more information.

SUDOKU

Provided by 4Puz.com

Objective

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.

Difficulty