AUGUST 30, 2021 • THEONLINECLARION.COM • VOLUME 52, ISSUE 1 • MADISON AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE OPINION
ARTS
SPORTS
The importance of public parks in Wisconsin » 6
Summerfest returns this fall
Standards set high for men’s soccer with new coach »12
Summerfest bounces back with new COVID safety precautions. There are a variety of artists and activities to partake in,...just as long as you have a mask and maintain social distance.» 9
MASK MANDATE
Mask wearing for the fall semester
ANDRES SANCHEZ / THE CLARION
Surgical masks on top of the Welcome Desk at Madison College Traux.
MORGAN ENGELS News Editor Students and faculty participating in classes or visiting campus at Madison College will be required to wear face masks, likely through the fall semester. The decision came more than a week before the Dane County mask mandate. It followed a spring and summer that saw immense progress in the fight against COVID-19, which has largely been upended by the Delta Variant. “There was understandable disappointment when the mask mandate was announced, because of all the positive progress that has been made over the past year,” said Joshua Cotillier, Madison College’s Risk Manager. “However, the college’s commitment to its mission has not changed, we move forward to ensure our students are met where they are, and support their successes.” Over the Fourth of July weekend, the average number of reported daily cases were less than a quarter of where they were at the same time last year. They were also at their lowest point since March of 2020, before we were capable of carrying out significant testing efforts. As of Aug. 24, the average number
of daily reported cases is at its highest point since January, with over 150,000 new cases being reported on average. This is over three-and-a-half times as many as those being reported on average a year ago to the day. The Madison College Cabinet met on Aug. 5. During this meeting it was decided to reinstate the campus mask mandate. Twelve days later Dane County announced its own mask mandate, which took effect on Aug. 19. That order is set to be in effect until Sept. 16. Both decisions followed a guidance issued by the Center for Disease Control that recommended fully vaccinated persons wear masks in indoor settings. As with the previous mask mandate, cloth face coverings and surgical type masks are recommended.
Meanwhile, bandanas and neck gators are not appropriate. Currently, Madison College is in phase three of its four phased reopening plan. According to Cotillier, the mask mandate has not changed that. Phase three refers to a larger return of students and faculty returning to campus. Cotillier has also referred to this phase as meaning the campus is fully open. One difference students will notice when they arrive on campus is that there will be no more distancing requirements. In being in phase three at the start of the Fall semester Madison College has achieved its previously reported goal. However, while hopes in the past were » SEE MASKS PAGE 5
“There was understandable disappointment when the mask mandate was announced, because of all the positive progress that has been made over the past year. However, the college’s commitment to its mission has not changed, we move forward to ensure our students are met where they are, and support their successes.” JOSHUA COTILLIER, MADISON COLLEGE’S RISK MANAGER.
Many transportation options for students KALEIA LAWRENCE Editor in Chief
ANDRES SANCHEZ / THE CLARION
BCycle station at Madison College Traux.
First day of classes can be exciting. You have a new campus to explore, new books and different classmates. But before you ever even get to experience any of this, you have to get to school. Whether you get to school using a car, bus or legs, it’s crucial to be informed in order to have a successful trip. If your main mode of transportation is car, make sure to register your vehicle online. In previous years this was done on a physical form, but the entire process is online now. This can be found on the public safety website (students.madisoncollege.edu/public-safety) or via QR codes that are posted at the Public Safety Office at Truax. Registering your car is important because it will help you out in case
anything happens. For example, if you leave your lights on Public Safety can let you know because of the information you gave them. Or if your vehicle got damaged while in the parking lot, public safety will be able to reach out to you. For those who don’t register their cars or park illegally, they may receive a ticket. If you don’t pay the $20 fine, the citation goes to the state. This could get you pulled over and eventually result in your plates being suspended. If you receive a citation that you believe is unjust, you can dispute it. The form to do so can be found online at students.madisoncollege.edu/parking/. The same website hosts the link to pay for tickets. If you would rather pay in person, go to the Bookstore at Truax. You can only use cash or check. Be sure to bring your ticket number with you. To avoid parking illegally, be sure to park in designated areas. This means no
blocking the fire lane, no parking in the grass or on the curbs. If there’s no spots found in the parking lot across from Truax, head to overflow parking. There are security cameras being monitored 24/7, and if you don’t feel safe walking there alone, Public Safety offers rides to students. While driving in your own car all alone is one way to get to school, there are other ways that you can still get there in a car. One of the other options is to carpool with others. This can be with people you know or other students that are in need of rides. Some of the resources that students can use to connect about needing or offering a ride is Rideshare and RoundTrip. RoundTrip has a Dane County specific option, while Rideshare is for those outside of Dane County. There is preferred parking towards » SEE OPTIONS PAGE 5
2 | NEWS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021
THE CLARION
OFFTHESHELF
NEWSROOM
By Julie Gores, Dean of Libraries & Academic Support Services
Learning has changed, but it is better THE STUDENT VOICE OF MADISON AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE
2021-2022 Kaleia Lawrence EDITOR IN CHIEF
clarioned@madisoncollege.edu
Paige Zezulka
MANAGING EDITOR
clarion@madisoncollege.edu
Eimy Gonzalez ASSISTANT EDITOR
clarion@madisoncollege.edu
Morgan Engels NEWS EDITOR
clarionnews@madisoncollege.edu
Vacant OPINION EDITOR
clarionopinion@madisoncollege.edu
Lauren Taillon ARTS EDITOR
clarionopinion@madisoncollege.edu
Cole Downing SPORTS EDITOR
clarionsports@madisoncollege.edu
Andres Sanchez PHOTO EDITOR
Vacant WEB EDITOR
Sydney Hise
Welcome back students. Although the fact of the matter is, most of you have been moving forward despite one of the most trying times in world history. Most likely you either graduated from high school or have been taking remote classes to keep progressing towards your goals. Congratulations to you! It hasn’t been easy with all the uncertainty and rapidly changing rules, but you got through it — and here you are. You are survivors. Learning these days looks and feels a little different. It’s a menagerie of masks, social distancing paw prints on the floor, plexiglass screens and other funky stuff that would have been hard to find in 2019. For some courses you are fully in-person or fully online in addition to the hybrid model of a little bit of both. Academic support services from our libraries, tutoring centers and student technology hub are more flexible these days, too. Students have more options than ever before to help them succeed because
the pandemic forced all of us to be better. We have some exciting new services and resources that are available to you 7-days a week — even during non-traditional hours. • We have expanded our weekend hours. We will provide on-site and online services from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Regional students have access to all online opportunities during this time as well. • Appointments can now be directly made with our librarians and academic engagement partners (professional tutors) through Navigate. We continue to offer appointments through the Book-A-TechXpert, BookA-Librarian and Book-A-Tutor
links from the library home page as well. • Online tutoring from Madison College tutors is now available into Sunday evening. Yup, we know about you procrastinators (like I was). Someone will be there for you. • We are on chat! You can get immediate service with us by selecting any of the following drop-downs in the chat widget on the college website: General Information & Library, Tutoring or Student Technology Hub. • Need to borrow a college laptop or hot spot? We can hook you up. Request what you need and we will help you set it up. By the time you leave you will have full access to everything that you need to
be successful. • Need a PAL? Sign up for the Personal Academic Librarian program. You will have access to your own personal librarian who will work with you on reference, research, technology needs and more. • Our Student Technology Hub can answer many questions you might have about Blackboard, Navigate, Email, Account Creation, Multi-factor Authentication, Microsoft Office, etc. You can reach us by email, chat, text, in-person or by phone. We ALWAYS answer our phone! Maximize all these positive changes that have been made over the past year and a half. It will allow you more flexibility in your learning and your life. The Library, Student Achievement Center and our Student Technology Hub are here for you. We can’t wait to serve you all in whatever way you choose. From our entire team, we wish you the very best for a safe, happy and successful semester.
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
CAMPUS UPDATES
Sherra Owino COPY EDITOR
Michelle Meyer
BUSINESS DIRECTOR
By Clarion Staff
clarionads@madisoncollege.edu
Instructor earns recognition
Chris Bird DESIGN DIRECTOR
Ivan Becerril-Gutierrez ASSISTANT DESIGN DIRECTOR
Melissa Moua GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Hailey Griffin Grant Nelson Brian McNeil Boh Suh Taleise Lawrence Alexia Ware Staff Writers
Doug Kirchberg ADVISOR
dkirchberg@madisoncollege.edu CONTACT US
NEWS PHONE: (608) 246-6809 ADVERTISING PHONE:(608) 243-4809 FAX: (608) 246-6488
SUBMISSIONS To submit an item for publication, drop it off at The Clarion office, Room B1260G Truax and Room D237 Downtown, 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
PUBLICSAFETY By Sgt. Lucas Adler
Helpful back-to-school advice from the Public Safety Office Welcome back to Madison College, if it’s been awhile since you’ve been on campus here are a few reminders so that your return to school goes smooth. • At this time, masks are required in all Madison College facilities. • Students be sure to register your vehicle online. You can find the link to register on our website or scan the QR code above this article. • Remember to park in marked stalls only, do not park in the grass or on the curbs.
• Remember if you are experiencing any COVID symptoms, do not come to campus!
WolfPack Alert
Have you signed up for 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. Public Safety is available 24/7 by calling 245-2222. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me at Lfadler@madisoncollege.edu.
Stephanie Beckman, a full-time instructor in the School of Academic Advancement, was honored at the American Psychological Association Convention with the Jean Lau Chin Award for Outstanding International Leadership Contributions. Beckman received the award for co-facilitating virtual international field experiences to the Philippines and Kuwait through The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, for her behind-the-scenes leadership at the fourth annual Middle East Psychological Association Conference and Expo, and for her leadership as the Director of Student and Early Career Membership for the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence.
Bookstore update Students should order their books online through the Madison College Bookstore at https://madisoncollegebookstore.com/. There is free shipping on all orders through Sept. 10. Students who order for pickup will get an email when their order is ready. That email will include a link to a pickup information page that shows the hours for each pickup location. During the weeks of Aug. 16 through Sept. 3, the bookstore will be open by appointment only. Sign up for appointments on the bookstore’s website. Starting Sept. 7, the bookstore will be open Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | NEWS | 3
Financial relief for all students EIMY GONZALEZ Assistant Editor
PAIGE ZEZULKA / THE CLARION
New Early Learning Campus room.
Early Learning Campus opened at Truax MORGAN ENGELS
2 to 4. For years prior to the construction of the Early Learning Campus, Jost and her team had wished to enroll infants and toddlers. The Early Learning Campus is able to allow up to 50 students enrolled with an age range of 6 weeks to 5-years-old, fulfilling Jost and her team’s long held wish. The building has 4 classrooms, each with a dedicated playground, radiant floor heat and a restroom. The playgrounds consist primarily of natural elements including
child is safe in a high-quality care and education setting.” The Early Learning Campus is able to offer a flexible enrollment An open house held on Aug. 2 schedule that most centers are not gave visitors a chance to see the able to offer (ie: two half days + one new Early Learning Campus. full day). There are also a variety of For those closely involved, the student-parent childcare scholarevent marks the culmination of ships to offset the cost of care. years long effort that promises to The Child Care Access Means benefit the entire Madison College Parents in School scholarship is a Community. federally funded program where “It is amazing to be in a space eligible students can be awarddesigned for young children and ed up to 75% to 95% of funding their teachers,” said Donna Jost, towards out-of-pocket childcare Director of the Early Learning expenses. Other Campus. scholarships include According to Jost, the Madison College the campus is almost Child Care Foundation complete. Recently, Scholarship and The they were able to begin Myrtle Bahm Leonard using all four playMemorial Scholarship. grounds. However, Information for elithere are still little gibility and how to improvements to be apply for each of these made inside that she can be found on The says, “help the center Madison College webfeel more inviting and site by searching Early comfortable.” Learning Center. Plans to convert Along with provida building formerly ing campus affiliated used by the Penske parents with childcare, Truck leasing The Early Learning Company began someCampus also works time between the PAIGE ZEZULKA / THE CLARION closely with other late winter and early Art supplies on display academic departspring of 2019. In ments, providing stuJanuary of 2020 the a mud pit and sandbox, featuring dents with opportunities to learn City of Madison’s Plan Commision very few plastics. Along with the firsthand about child development gave unanimous approval to ecologically conscious playground, or early education. Occupational the project with a proposed late the building includes 355 solar pan- Therapy Assistant and Dental March or early April start date. els that provide the majority of its Hygiene students have participated Construction was completed in electricity. in classrooms with Early Learning December of 2020 and the building “Madison College has a long Campus children. Meanwhile, opened the following January. history of supporting students with students from the Early Childhood The previous Child and Family a wide-variety of strengths and bar- Education program have completed Center was confined to converted riers,” Jost said. “Certainly, a potentheir practicum teaching assignclassrooms. Due to limited space tial barrier to being a successful ments inside the Early Learning and resources they were only able student is knowing that your young Campus classrooms. to have 30 students enrolled ages News Editor
Visit our website for a virtual tour of the new Early Learning Center at www.theonlineclarion.com
Madison College student debt has been forgiven, leaving thousands of students free of financial burden and with the opportunity to pursue their career interests steadily during the pandemic. Any debt accumulated within a student’s account, since Spring of 2020, has been waived. This includes financial aid owed after withdrawing due to the pandemic, textbook and computer charges, or any type of fee that a student may have accumulated. “We wanted to ensure that students didn’t have anything that would be blocking them from continuing their studies,” said Keyimani Alford, Dean of Student Access and Success. Roughly $4 million has been forgiven and a total of 5,232 students have benefitted. In addition to the debt forgiveness, Madison College has granted its students emergency funding as an additional help through this unprecedented financial hardship, many are facing. While the college counts with their own emergency funding program, established prior to the pandemic, additional benefits have been bestowed by the department of education and the federal government. The Cares Act enabled the school to disburse $2.75 million to students in emergency grants during the spring semester of 2020 and then again during the fall semester. During the spring of 2021, as an emergency federal grant, the college received 11 million dollars to further support students. Alford mentions that there is enough funding to continue to help students for fall of 2021 and well into spring of 2022. The way in which benefits have been applied to the student’s accounts is by an automatic disbursement of them, primarily to students who filled out a FAFSA application. The submission of the FAFSA application was considered as an automatic application to the grant, since it became the major form to identify who is experiencing a need for funding. For students who have not completed a FAFSA application, or who did not qualify, there is another process. The team of Student Access and Success has developed a quick form to fill out. The only required fields are the full name, student ID number, number of credits and program enrolled in, as well as the category that the student needs support in. The form takes about two to three days to be processed and will be available on the first day of class. This brief form submission helps the school keep track of the students in need to deliver the emergency grant they are entitled to. It is important to note that all Madison College students are eligible to receive this funding and can utilize this form to obtain them, U.S citizens and eligible non-citizens alike. The main requirement is to be enrolled in one credit or more. A communication plan has been developed and students will not go without knowing that this opportunity is available. A banner will be placed on the student website with information, an email will be sent out to students, postcards will be mailed to each household as a reminder, posters will be spread throughout the campuses and more. There will be plenty of help for anyone struggling to afford their education. » SEE FINANCIAL PAGE 5
College updates its travel guidelines for Fall 2021 semester KALEIA LAWRENCE Editor in Chief Early July, an email was sent out to Madison College employees/colleagues laying out plans for college related travel and events. According to the email, in-state travel is allowable for learning related opportunities and may be approved by the appropriate manager. When it comes to travel throughout the United States, it must be recommended by the appropriate manager and approved by the appropriate Cabinet member. As far as college-supported international travel goes, it is not an option for the Fall of 2021. However, tentative planning may begin for Spring 2022 and
beyond. While this is the current plan, nothing is set in stone. Data is always changing which makes it impossible to set just one plan regarding how everything will work with COVID. “You can’t predict the future, but you can have multiple scenarios that you’ve thought through. Then when the future presents itself, you’ve already put a lot of thought and effort into it and you can respond better than if you just started thinking about it that day,” said Mark Thomas Jr., Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration. There are daily discussions with various Madison College faculty. Dr. Daniels, a risk management team, faculty from the health programs and public safety
are some of the members of the board. Even though meetings occur frequently, there’s always work going on behind the scenes. A committee that is in direct coordination with the public health agencies monitors the Central for Disease Control guidance 24/7. When it comes to making plans, the priority is safety. “What we would continue to do is put the health and safety of students and employees first, number one priority. We will base our decisions on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local public health authority recommendations in order to reduce the risk of transmission on campus as much as possible,” said Thomas.
4 | NEWS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021
THE CLARION
Truax is here to serve you Coffee check, personal tutor check, ready for the school year check! PAIGE ZEZULKA Managing Editor It’s been a while since Madison College’s halls have been full. This fall, Truax will be more visited than it has been in a couple of years. Newcomers, and even many second or third year students, will be stepping on campus for the first time. With that, it is important students know the services that are available to them. Let’s take a walk through campus together. Starting on the first floor and heading down the main hallway, you’ll come across TruStyle Salon. Here is where cosmetology students work while studying. From hair to nails, they have got you covered with affordable prices. As you keep walking you will stumble upon the UW Credit Union down the hall to your left. Need to open up a checking account? They will give you $50 in return! As you keep strolling you will come to the Madison College Bookstore to your left, filled with Wolfpack gear, book rentals and school supplies.
The cafeteria lies ahead. It is a place to mingle with friends while you scarf down some food before class. It includes many features such as a Starbucks, an Ice Cream Bar, daily dining served up by the culinary arts students and the Wolfpack Den that displays limitless amounts of games and activities. Located on the second floor is the Student Achievement Center. This is the perfect spot to visit if you need some free tutoring on any subject. Next door, for specific writing assistance, the Writing Center is also a useful destination. You will discover a lot of services in the library on the third floor, such as the student tech support team, research assistance and private study rooms with
excellent views. To the left of the Truax main entrance stands a separate building, the Early Learning Campus. The new and improved early care and education building assists the college’s youngest learners. If you are a student and need some extra support, the Early Learning Campus is here to help with childcare needs. Across from the student parking lot, on Hoffman Street, is the Health Education and Information Technology Building. As you can imagine, there are plenty of services here to keep your body and mind healthy for the school year. On the very first floor is the Group Health Cooperative (GHC) Madison College Community Clinic. Many treatments are available for students including immunizations, sports physicals, x-rays and so much more. Maybe your tooth is aching, or you might just need a clean-up. Students perform low-cost maintenance at the Dental Hygienist Clinic. You can schedule an appointment for as low as $35. Feeling money and time crunched? Take a moment to explore the campus’ variety of services that are here to help you make the most out of your school year. These are just some of the many services that are available on campus. To learn more details about additional services and resources, visit Madison College’s Website: https:// madisoncollege.edu/student-experience/campuses/ madison-truax/campus-serPAIGE ZEZULKA / THE CLARION vices.
Campus Bookstore, Student Achievement Center, The Wolfpack Den and The LIbrary
KALEIA LAWRENCE / THE CLARION
Young women in the CampBuild program.
CampBUILD provides accessible training for young girls KALEIA LAWRENCE Editor in Chief Power tools and safety glasses were found at the Commercial Avenue campus over the summer. While this isn’t out of the ordinary, it was the people using them that made it special. CampBUILD trains girls to thrive in a construction environment. The event was hosted by Madison College in partnership with the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Badgerland. Each session focused on different skill sets for the varying age groups. “I’ve really worked pretty diligently to get involved in things that provided opportunities for women and other
underrepresented folks in the skilled trades,” said Sandra Thistle, a construction and remodeling instructor at Madison College. “I really feel strongly [that] giving the opportunity to the girls at an early age normalizes this industry and makes it accessible like no other way can,” she went on to say. The idea of CampBUILD has been on Thistle’s mind for a while. The trades, she notes, are an industry dominated by white men, and she has been trying to pave a pathway for other folks to find the industry and get in. These efforts, according to her, have been to greater and lesser success. However, she says that this program
is essential in making the trades more accessible. This year, some of the activities included building wooden stools and birdhouses. The high schoolers got to pour concrete slabs for their three legged stools, while the younger group’s stools were entirely made of wood. The cost of camp varies per session length. Half days were $25, full day sessions were $35, and two day camps were $75. Costs help cover materials and t-shirts. The program is branched from a larger program, CampHERO. While CampHERO focuses on teaching girls about EMT, fire and police services,
CampBUILD’s focus is introducing girls to the trades. Another way that the program was made accessible was by offering it during a high point of the pandemic. Materials were sent to participants and instructions were given via virtual meetings. For the younger age groups, there was an ongoing session while the older groups had check-ins at various times. “Regardless of whether they choose it as a career path, developing a comfort with power tools and a knowledge about how to use them serves almost everyone...well, unless you’re really, really wealthy and can hire people for everything,” said Thistle.
THE CLARION
MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | NEWS | 5
The Center for Black Excellence and Culture, a much-needed initiative Dr. Alex Gee creating safe places for the Black community EIMY GONZALEZ ASSISTANT EDITOR
By the fall of 2023 Madison’s Black community will have a space to be supported, inspired and feel represented in. Rev. Dr. Alex Gee, a leader and spokesperson of the Black community, is developing a Center for Black Excellence and Culture, an initiative that will bring forth incredible cultural advancement and inclusivity to the city of Madison. Per the city of Madison’s awards page, the city has been ranked as the 18th best place to live in the United States, reached a platinum level bicycle friendly community and was named one of the happiest, healthiest cities. However, what does this mean for the Black community? The 2010 and 2020 census, in comparison, have a notable change in its population size. By 2020 Madison had 269,840 inhabitants, an increase of 15.7%. Yet 7% identified as Black or African American, the same percentage as in 2010. Dr. Gee has lived in Madison for the past 50 years, serving as a pastor for the community, being an employee for the University of Wisconsin Madison as a recruiter, as well as being a leader with multiple initiatives. He has dealt with the difficult conversion for the past years that the City of Madison struggles to retain Black professionals and talents. Dr. Gee made mention as to how newly arrived people inquire about a community for them, asking for black restaurants, hair products or a place for culture. “This is a question that becomes difficult to answer,” said Dr. Gee, “and as a result people leave.” People of color come to Madison finding that there is a lack of a place to assemble and feel welcomed in. This pushes them into moving yet again to where this void can be satisfied. “So, I want to see African American people stay here in Madison, but if we’re going to do that it needs to be a place where our culture is reflected, our history is told and our children and the children who aren’t our children learn that our culture is stronger and deeper and older than slavery,” said Dr. Gee. The Center for Black Excellence and Culture is not meant to capture just the idea of being African American, rather, it has as a vision to be a place for all Black culture to come together as one, including African Blacks, North American Blacks, Native American Blacks, Afro-Latinos and more. It welcomes all Black identities and non-Black to demonstrate how African culture has not only influenced this community, but the entire world with customs and knowledge that has been passed down through generations and preserved almost intactly. Dr. Gee explained, “There’s so much about our contribution to this world that people don’t know, and so you can’t look at people that have had this kind of influence and just refer towards us as minorities.” The center is focused on developing four aspects in favor of the community: Innovation and leadership development, History, culture and gathering, performance and wellness. The center will be a home of a theater for the arts where performances will take place
to support Black talent and strengthen their voice. There will be film festivals, showcases of images, as well as celebrations of Black history and culture. In addition, when it comes to supporting future Black leaders, there will be opportunities to develop skills to start their own business, learn about politics and how to use their talents to better themselves and the community. “We need a place that feels like home, otherwise it would never feel like home in Madison.” said Dr. Gee. Dr. Gee also mentioned that the center not only will provide a space for Black and non-
MASKS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 to be in phase four by Spring 2022, there is currently no expectation on when that may happen. Phase four is said to be whatever the new normal is. “The college’s approach to the pandemic is data driven and safety focused, this includes students, employees and the general public,” Cotillier said. “All decisions are based on CDC and Public Health guidelines or college mission objectives, this approach began in February 2020 and continues today.” Those who are unvaccinated are of greater concern than those who are vaccinated. According to the CDC some data suggests that the Delta Variant may cause more severe illness in unvaccinated persons than previous strains of the virus, and put them at greater risk of hospitalization. While breakthrough infections are considered to be rare, the data on exactly how common they are is lacking. It is known that symptomatic people who are fully vaccinated can transmit the virus to others. The CDC, however, is
OPTIONS
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY DR. GEE
Photo of Dr. Alex Gee. Black people to congregate, share their stories, learn, grow and be a community, but it also represents job opportunities for people of color. It will be a place for experienced African Americans to serve the younger generations, training and inspiring them, as well as sharing their experience as to how to navigate in predominantly white spaces. Matthew Charles, a Black artist—a poet, made a comment on the initiative that Dr. Gee is developing. Mentioning how Dr. Gee is making safe places for Black people to be in. “Alex’s work is necessary and forward thinking. And I hope that he continuously finds and gets all of the partners he needs to be able to fund these things, to be able to resource these things, to be able to staff these things and create all of the programming. Whatever he is doing is needed,” said Charles. The Center for Black Excellence and Culture is a much-needed project in Madison. Any place for people to feel safe and represented in is welcomed with open arms and the city has been a supporter of this initiative. The center will open in the Fall of 2023, located on the 700 block of West Badger Road. For more information about the center and to become a supporter, visit https://www.theblackcenter.org/about/. Any contribution and donations to the center are welcomed. To know more about Rev. Dr. Alex Gee and to learn about the work he is doing you can visit https:// www.alexgee.com/about/.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY DR. GEE
3D rendering model of The Center for Black Excellence and Culture building.
the front of the parking lot for commuters. To park there, go to the Public Safety office. You’ll receive a physical form to fill out. One of the requirements is having three people in the car. Another way to get to school is using the Metro bus system. As long as you’re enrolled in one degree credit course, you get a bus pass. To pick up the pass, either go to Student Life or have it mailed to you. This can be done at any time during the year. There is no shuttle for fall 2021. One of the reasons for this is because there will be less students on campus due to many classes still being offered virtually. Since the service is
still assessing data on whether individuals who are asymptomatic and fully vaccinated can transmit the virus. It is believed however, that unvaccinated persons are of greater risk of transmitting the virus than fully vaccinated ones. Unlike previous variants, the Delta variant produces the same high amount of virus in fully vaccinated persons as it does unvaccinated persons. However, studies have shown that the infection goes down faster in breakthrough cases than it does in unvaccinated individuals. This means that fully vaccinated individuals are likely infectious for a shorter amount of time than unvaccinated people. On Aug. 19 Madison College held vaccination clinics on the Goodman South Campus. Follow up appointments for the second dose are scheduled for Sept. 5-15. For information on what to do if you test positive for COVID19, you can visit the COVID-19 Positive Test Results page on the Madison College Website. You can also contact the COVID screener at 608-243-4880 or email CovidScreener@madisoncollege.edu. no longer available, getting a bus pass could help with getting to and from campuses. For those that prefer two wheels, e-bikes are available at a discounted price. Through Madison B-Cycle, students can get an annual pass for $30 instead of the usual $120. If you don’t want to invest for the entire year, it’s $5 for 30 minutes. There’s a station located by the main parking lot at Truax. Using the app, you can find out where other charging stations are in the area. Of course, you can always use your personal bike. Make sure to bring your own lock. No matter how you get to school, come early. Not finding a parking spot or being late because of transportation is never an ideal way to start a new school year.
ANDRES SANCHEZ / THE CLARION
Student driving in front of Madison College Traux Campus.
FINANCIAL
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 Alford makes mention that it is a one-time opportunity, probably within their career, to have millions of extra dollars available to support students and it is important for them to make the most of it. This is money that can be used in case of an emergency, it is not taxable, and it can be accessed throughout the semester. Applications are reviewed every week. For any additional support, students can apply for scholarships as well as financial aid. There may be a misconception that they may not qualify for financial aid, however, that isn’t always the case, and it is always worth giving it an
opportunity. “Students should not be ashamed to apply. We are here to help assist them…we are all in the pandemic and we are here to support our students,” says Alford. For more information regarding the student debt forgiveness, you can visit https://madisoncollege.edu/ about/news/college-erase-4million-student-debt. For any information regarding the emergency grants and how to apply, please visit https:// students.madisoncollege.edu/ emergency-funding. There is nothing wrong with receiving assistance throughout these challenging times, these resources are available, and the college encourages them to be utilized.
6 | OPINION | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021
opinion
THE CLARION
THEBUZZ
Questions asked to you, our readers.
EDITOR: VACANT CLARIONOPINION@ MADISONCOLLEGE.EDU
What do you look forward to the most at the start of the semester?
"Getting back into the shop. I'm an automotive student."
"Animation classes. I'm excited to learn new things I'm excited about."
"Meeting new people and making friends."
-Cory Meyer
- Aryn Fargain
- Avery Jesse
Student, athlete, editor: who knows what will be next? KALEIA LAWRENCE Editor in Chief
T
hree years ago I came to Madison College. I had no set career path and was living in someone’s room that I met on Facebook. The only reason I came to Madison College was to fulfill my childhood goal of playing collegiate volleyball. My first month in Madison was filled with volleyball practice and working at the Fitness Center. But, soon enough, the first day of classes rolled around and I walked in ready and raring to go. Every first day of college advice page I scoured said to make a buddy for each class and that was my goal for the day. So as I stood outside of my first class, I was looking for someone who looked like they wanted to talk. As I stood there, I overheard a conversation that involved the words student newspaper. My ears immediately rang, knowing a student newspaper equals a whole lot of people you can make friends with. I jumped in as PAIGE ZEZULKA / CLARION smoothly as I could, asking about what Kaleia Lawrence is the new editor it was and how to of The Clarion. join. Luckily for me, I was talking to some experts at the school, Larry Hanson and former Opinion Editor Casey Anderson. Since that day, I’ve been around the Clarion in different roles. Starting as a writer first, I moved onto the Opinion Editor role the next year and co-hosting a radio show with the broadcast side, to now being Editor in Chief. This year will be busy between working with WolfPack Wisdom Student Youtube channel, volleyball and the Clarion. I’m excited to work with all the awesome staff to serve all the awesome students. If you’re ever on campus, feel free to say hi because I basically live here.
PUBLIC PARKS ANCHOR A CITY PAIGE ZEZULKA / CLARION
The sun sets on James Madison Park in Madison.
Open spaces improve the quality of life PAIGE ZEZULKA Managing Editor
W
hether you go to get some physical exercise, enjoy an afternoon with a loved one, or search for peace within bird sounds and horizons, public parks are there for our community in a variety of ways. Visiting parks improves the physical and mental health of all ages from young children to the elderly.
Whether you are kayaking, fishing, going on a morning jog, playing tennis or just hammocking with a book in hand, the bountiful space parks provide enhances physical exercise and lowers stress levels. Recreational areas also help maintain the environment in which we live. According to the National Recreation and Park Association, public lands “are proven to improve water
Britney Spears’ conservatorship is really a human rights issue ALEXIA WARE Staff Writer
I
n June, Britney Spears told a Los Angeles court that she was forced by her conservators to keep an IUD implanted-even though she wanted more children, forced to take medication, and made to perform onstage, regardless of how she felt, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. Britney has been under the control of the courts, and especially her father, for 13 years. 13 years. 13 years too long. I don’t know if Britney has mental health challenges or not.
Sure, she shaved her head. Yes, she beat a car with an umbrella. I just don’t know that we know. She was a woman who was followed by the paparazzi wherever she went. She may have temporarily lost it for a hot second. But the truth is, it doesn’t matter. Because no one should be under the control of anyone else. And honestly, if she was not rich, she wouldn’t be. I have mental health challenges. I have been locked up for a few days in institutions, but I did get mostly free. She is like Rapunzel, locked up in her » SEE
BRITNEY PAGE 8
quality, protect groundwater, prevent flooding, improve the quality of the air we breathe, provide vegetative buffers to development, [and] produce habitat for wildlife” Let’s not forget about the economic impact parks have on cities and towns. Parks are an essential part of a city’s economy. They increase property values, broaden local tax bases, increase local business » SEE PARKS PAGE 8
CLARION EDITORIAL BOARD 2021-2022 Kaleia Lawrence
Lauren Taillon
Paige Zezulka
Sherra Owino
EDITOR IN CHIEF
MANAGING EDITOR
Eimy Gonzalez
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Morgan Engles NEWS EDITOR
ARTS EDITOR
COPY EDITOR
Chris Bird
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Ivan Becerril
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
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TRIBUNE NEW SERVICE
Britney Spears is trying to end her conservatorship.
Letters to the editor should be typed or written legibly, be 250 words or less, and include the writer’s name, phone number and email address. The Clarion reserves the right to refuse to publish any editorial submission or advertisement, which may be edited for length, taste and grammar. All submissions become the property of The Clarion and may be used for publication. Bring letters to The Clarion office, Room B1260G Truax, or email clarioned@madisoncollege.edu.
THE CLARION
MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | OPINION | 7
Olympic games has flaws to overcome TALEISE LAWRENCE Staff Writer
I
love the Olympics. It doesn’t matter if it’s winter or summer, if I know the sport or if I’ve never heard of it. The TV stays on for the entirety of the Olympics. I stay up late watching the opening ceremony, and I follow along with the different countries’ medal count. Before the 2020 Olympic Games, I had never heard of mixed team archery. But when it was done, I could tell you who was in the gold medal match, who won and how far away the target was from the archers. It is so fun to learn about new sports and talk about all the Olympic excitement and drama with friends and family. One thing that was different at these Olympic Games from previous years was the athletes' social media presences. Ilona Maher, a U.S. rugby player, posted many TikToks showing her followers what the Olympic village was like. There were “behind the scenes” type videos, videos where she talked about other athletes and just fun videos with her teammates. British swimmer Tom Daley went viral for knitting a sweater while not competing. The sweater was 2020 Olympic themed. Japanese boxer and gold medalist Sena Irie similarly became popular for her love of frogs. She said that she would like to “spend her off-time with frogs.” Instagram users quickly went to her page to see for themselves. Sure enough, the whole page was post after post of frogs, with one simple post of her Olympic win. Though, I love watching the games, not everything about the Olympics is fun. There are many issues that are prevalent in today’s games. Earlier this year, U.S. track athlete Sha’Carri
TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
Randolph Ross of Team United States competes in the Men's 4x400m Relay on day 14 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Richardson was set for the Tokyo Olympics after breaking college records and winning the 100-meter final at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials. After testing positive for marijuana, Richardson would no longer be able to compete in Tokyo. She publicly acknowledged that yes, she had smoked legally in the past. She went on to explain that her mother had just passed away, and she needed something to help her cope. It seems highly unfair that she would be punished for coping after the loss of her mother, while some athletes have used steroids at the Olympic
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Games to better their abilities. Some Namibian sprinters were banned from the games because of their “elevated” testosterone levels. Soul Cap, a company that makes swim caps designed for Black hair styles, were banned from the Olympics as well. This was because it “does not follow the natural form of the head.” There are clearly more obstacles preventing Black athletes, and more specifically Black women, from competing in the Olympics. Some said that because of the discrimination against Black athletes, everyone should simply boycott the
games. Others thought that this wasn’t fair to the athletes who did make it; we should be celebrating the people who did make it and working to make qualifying more fair in the future. Despite all this, the Tokyo Olympic Games had many U.S. Black athletes competing. There were Black athletes in many sports, including skateboarding for the first time ever. While there doesn’t seem to be one clear answer of how to fix the discrimination happening throughout the Olympics, there is optimism for the future as we see small changes towards more equal competition.
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BRITNEY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 house, at a loss of her own agency. Britney’s conservatorship is a reproductive health issue. It is no different than law makers deciding a woman can’t get an abortion or prisons that have and still forcibly sterilize women. Britney must have the right to make her own decisions about her body. All women must. When we take away this fundamental right of reproductive choice and freedom, we are taking away a woman’s right to decide for herself what she wants her life to look like. Deciding when, how many, and if to have kids is a life altering decision and Britney’s dad shouldn’t hold that power.
Reports just came out that Britney’s dad is stepping down. Everywhere you look, people are saying Britney is Free. But I just re-read an article, Jamie Spears said he would step down, in due time. Over and over, Britney is being failed by the system, left behind and controlled. Britney must be free. She must be able to have a million kids if she wants to. She must be able to rest when she is tired. She must be able to find her own psychiatric help if she needs it. This is a human rights issue. We should all want Britney to have autonomy, for the sake of all of us In hopes that this never happens again. In hopes that we never have to hashtag Free_____ for the rest of eternity.
THE CLARION
PARKS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6
PAIGE ZEZULKA / CLARION
A visitor climbs a tree in Olbrich Park.
purchases and provide hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout the nation. “When combined with the National Park Service and state park systems, public parks are responsible for $200 billion in annual economic activity,” according to a NRPA report in 2016. Parks also satisfy social needs by providing safe areas for people to gather. They are the perfect place to watch a colorful sunset with friends, gather for a fundraising event or have a picnic with family. Public parks serve as an escape from the constant hustle and bustle of a city. They offer people the opportunity to slow down, reflect and connect with what really matters in life, nature’s gifts. As our communities continue to grow, land is going to become more and more scarce. So having land available for free, such as city parks, reminds us to stay in tune with nature. As we stay in tune with it, we stay in tune with ourselves.
THE CLARION
MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | 9
arts EDITOR: LAUREN TAILLON CLARIONARTS@ MADISONCOLLEGE.EDU
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SUMMERFEST
Guests get a birds-eye view of the Summerfest grounds in Milwaukee during a recent festival.
Summerfest returns this fall Music festival adds COVID precautions to ensure safety SIERRA BRUNNER Photographer Summerfest is being held on three weekends this September due to the coronavirus pandemic. Just be aware that you will need a negative COVID test at least 72 hours before or attendees need to be fully vaccinated before you get to the festival. If you don’t have proof for either of these, you will not be admitted into the festival grounds. Make note that all transactions are cashless due to the pandemic. That means credit card or debit card only. Masks will be required in certain areas of the festival grounds. There will be many concerts to see. Some of the shows that I personally think that are interesting are; Luke Bryan, Jonas Brothers w/ Kelsea Ballerini, and Kesha. These artists are known for putting on amazing shows and getting their fans involved.
Also some of the other artists that will appear are Miley Cyrus, Green Day, Chance the Rapper, Twenty One Pilots, Brett Eldridge, and many, many more. Tickets are only $23 plus tax to get in and no cost to see the free stages but you’ll need to purchase a concert ticket to see anyone in the American Family Insurance Amphitheater and BMO Harris Stage. Some of the free stage artists are; G-Easy, Diplo, Flo Rida, T-Pain, Ludacris, Nelly, Fitz and the Tantrums, Jesse McCartney, Shaggy and so many more to choose from. There is also a BMX stunt team at Summerfest that will be putting on a show. You will always find other street performers throughout the festival. There is also a skyline that you can ride for a small fee to get from one end of the park to the other. There is a small splash pad to cool down in. They have contests to win and freebies to get also. There really is something for everyone. All in all, Summerfest has a lot to offer and will be a lot of fun. Just be careful and stay aware of your surroundings.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SUMMERFEST
A Summerfest guest uses her phone to capture an image of a musical group.
Taste of Madison moves to Breese Stevens Field LAUREN TAILLON Arts Editor This year, the Taste of Madison is back in action at Breese Stevens Field on Labor Day weekend. Attendees can attend by purchasing a ticket online for one of three time slots on either Saturday, Sept. 4 or Sunday, Sept. 5. “The biggest changes this year are location and that this year you have to buy a $10 admission ticket for one of three time periods: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2-5 p.m., or 6-9 p.m. We will have 42 food vendors this year and there will be beverage options and one live entertainment stage. So for each time slot, we will feature a different genre of music,” said Sara Klemme, president of Madison Festivals, Inc. All tickets can be purchased online or received through a 1,000 free ticket giveaway that Taste of Madison’s presenting sponsor, Starion Bank, is doing. To get a free ticket, visit any of the Starion Bank locations in Sun Prairie, Middleton or Monona. They are being handed out on a first come first served
CLARION FILE PHOTO
A vendor displays a dish at the 2015 Taste of Madison. basis until they run out. 1,000 tickets were also donated to frontline workers, healthcare workers and nonprofits in the area. Klemme made note that the decision to host the Taste of Madison in Breese
Field as opposed to downtown Madison, wasn’t an easy one, but a necessary one to help ensure a safe event. In a normal non-COVID year, Klemme said that the Taste of Madison has an average of 75 80 food vendors and upward of 250,000
people. This year, there is a max capacity of 5,000 people that will be allowed to attend per time slot. In addition to having a limited number of slots available to the public, there will be one entrance and one exit to help control the flow of crowd traffic. The 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. time slots will be more family focused with live entertainment sponsored by Magic 98, balloon artists, air brush tattoos, and mascot appearances from Maynard G. Mallard and D.C. Eagle-Official Mascot of the Madison Capitols Hockey Team. On Saturday at 12 p.m., ‘The Voice’ contestant Raine Stern and the Girls Rock Camp Madison will take the stage in what will be the biggest act of the weekend. Other artists who will be performing over the holiday weekend are Jenna Joanis and Friends, Frank Martin Busch and the Names with The Rotation, Aranda with Foo Foo Dolls, Kerosine Kites and Don’t Mess with Cupid with Seasaw. Of the 42 food vendors attending, » SEE TASTE PAGE 11
10 | ARTS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021
THE CLARION
CLARION STAFF PHOTOS
Above, Sammie Donaldson, center, and Taleise Lawrence, right, stack blocks as part of a challenge exercise. At right, Ricardo Marroquin-Santos juggles multiple objects, including a foam fish, during one activity.
CHALLENGING THEMSELVES
CLARION STAFF PHOTOS
Above, Madison College student leaders participate in activities at the college’s Challenge Course on Aug. 20. Pictured, from left, are: Ade Onabule, Cassandra Cullen, Thomas Llamas, Kaleia Lawrence, Kelli Kahl and Sean Green.
CLARION STAFF PHOTOS
Above, students form a human chain as they work through an obstacle at the Challenge Course. At left, Ade Onabule competes in a timed jump rope activity. Below, students work together to move a billiards ball from one post to another.
THE CLARION
MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | ARTS | 11
‘Seven Deadly Sins’ completes 5 season TALEISE LAWRENCE Staff Writer
NETFLIX / TNS
Comedian and filmmaker Bo Burnham in “Bo Burnham: Inside.”
Netflix comedy special captures shut-in feelings TALEISE LAWRENCE Staff Writer Staying at home and being inside are things that have become very familiar to many of us over the last year. Bo Burnham’s “Inside,” released in May 2021, perfectly captures the feeling of quarantine and everything that came with it. “Inside” is a Netflix comedy special that is unlike any other that I’ve seen. It is written, directed, produced and edited by Burnham. Though there were a few other members of the crew such as editors and producers, the majority of the film was created by Burnham alone. Though not on stage like a typical show would be, there is still only one setting: a single room in his house. This isn’t the first time Burnham has pushed the boundaries of what a comedy special can be. His previous work from 2016, “Make Happy,” was performed more like theatre than a typical stand-up comedy routine. It was a refreshing take to see lights and sound incorporated into the show itself. Many of the songs in “Inside” have become
TASTE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 Klemme promises a diverse selection of options for the public. “We worked really hard to be more representative of Madison and our diverse food culture and our diverse community that lived in our area. And that is one of the initiatives that I have to move forward, just making sure that the taste restaurants are representative of our community. So you’ll be getting soul food, Jamaican, Indonesian, it’s not just, although Pizza is my favorite food in the world, pizza. It’s everything,” she said. This year, each of the vendors will also have allergy disclaimers at their booths so attendees can see if something is vegan, dairy-free, nut-free or gluten-free. Another thing that makes the Taste of Madison stand out in comparison to other events of its size, is all of the charity work that the event contributes to. “I think there is a common misconception with Taste that people don’t realize that it is a non-profit fundraising event. So the money that comes in is not lining anyone’s pocket, it's not funding some second home that I have in the Caymans - although that would be amazing - but it’s going back into our community.
sound bites used on TikTok. All of the songs are very catchy and humorous, so it’s difficult for me to choose just one as my favorite. One of my favorites from the special is “How the World Works.” This song starts with Bo talking about how nature works in a way easily understandable for children. The bees drinking from flowers and squirrels spreading seeds is how the world works. Everyone “gives what they can, and gets what they need.” The second verse the audience is introduced to Socko, a sock puppet. He tells the audience how the world works, which is how socio-political conflicts affect our lives. The final verse is a power struggle between Bo and Socko. Though this verse isn’t one of the two directly explaining how the world works, it shows the audience that those in power have control over those who are marginalized. It was a very cool way to show the audience how the world works, unlike the previous verse which directly told it. “Inside” is a great film to watch if you like comedy, but want to switch it up from the typical type of comedy special.
Taste has donated $1.2 million back into the community,” said Klemme. The huge event partners with local charities every year by utilizing volunteer groups to help set up and run the event. “When you buy a beer or a soda at taste, you are buying it from a volunteer so when you leave a tip in their tip box, 100% of those tips stay with that volunteer group,” Klemme continued. Even the ticket cost this year is being donated to a local charity. Klemme explained that the reason why the majority of the tickets have a cost attached with them, is to provide insurance to the vendors that people will show up to buy their products. This is one of the multiple ways that Madison Festivals has been trying to help restaurants in the area since so many were hit hard by the pandemic. In non-COVID years, restaurants also have to pay a fee to set up their booth at Taste of Madison. This year, that fee is being dropped. Even though there are a lot of changes this year, Klemme stated things won’t always be this way. “Breese is a temporary thing. We will be back in square next year barring any like, other apocalypse that we can’t predict. Taste is going to go back downtown in 2022, it’s going to return to its glory, and it will be a free event again.”
“The Seven Deadly Sins” is a five season show, with an additional movie to support the main series. The main characters, nicknamed after the seven deadly sins, team up to stop the Demon race from taking over Britannia, which is where they live. The team is split up completing different tasks, allowing for multiple storylines simultaneously. The fifth and final season aired on Netflix in June. This season was slower paced than the previous season. The plot lines weren’t as interesting to me, and they dragged on for a long time. The show didn’t develop all of the characters equally, with some left on the backburner for the entirety of the season. It was disappointing to watch, as some of my favorite characters were left behind. The characters are the highlight of “The Seven Deadly Sins.” Their back stories were fleshed out over the course of the whole show. They all have their quirks,
Though this was the final season, there are rumors that there will be a final movie to round out the series. which makes them more relatable and enjoyable to watch. The writers did an excellent job of writing the “bad guys” to be relatable as well. Everyone had a different side to the story. While many of them had good intentions, their actions were what determined whose side they were on. Though this was the final season, there are rumors that there will be a final movie to round out the series. I hope that there will be, as the show ended on a strange note. It felt unfinished, and I found myself looking for more episodes thinking I had missed something. I would recommend the show to people starting out on anime, as the plotline is easy to follow and the show is easy to access.
‘D&D Baldur’s Gate 3’ a quest to stop aliens GRANT NELSON Staff Writer A game I would highly recommend is “Dungeons and Dragons Baldur’s Gate 3.” This long-awaited sequel in the D&D universe comes after decades of development hell. It’s a role-playing game to the core. You can play from a large selection of races from elves, demon-like Tieflings, dwarves, as well as from classes such as mages and fighters. You can create a vast fellowship of companions. The game is literally a D&D game made into a modern video game form.
There’s combat, life choices, how skills work, and world mechanics. The game is filled with choices such as who you will journey with and who will you save in life-or-death situations while in combat... unless you have the skills or magic, they will remain dead. The game follows you on your quest to stop the alien mind flayers from harvesting the world and to get the plan B for the alien baby that is eating your brain. The game is filled with lore, world building and every monster and creature from the D&D Monster books. The game is still in early access but it’s worth the shot.
CLARION FILE PHOTO
A guests waits for her order at the 2015 Taste of Madison.
12 | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021
THE CLARION
sports EDITOR: COLE DOWNING CLARIONSPORTS@ MADISONCOLLEGE.EDU
MEETTHEPACK
Men’s Soccer MATTHEW RUGGERIO
Profiles of WolfPack athletes
Matthew Ruggiero, a sophomore on the Madison College men’s soccer team scored three goals during the 2021 spring season. He was named to the Second Team All-North Central Community College Conference.
Women’s Soccer ANGELINA PEREZ
A sophomore on the Madison College women’s soccer team, Angelina Perez was a leader in goals during the spring season, with eight goals and and four assists in just eight games. In addition, she has already scored a goal in the team’s first match of this season. The returning first-team all-American player graduated from Madison East High School, where she was a three-time
PEREZ
RUGGERIO
all conference selection in the Big Eight Conference. The daugher of Michael and Crystal Perez, she is a liberal arts transfer student at Madison College.
Ruggiero is a graduate of Madison West High School, hailing from Rome, Italy. During his highschool career, he was a five time letter winner during his time on the soccer and tennis team. The son of Majorie Kieth is a student in the Liberal Arts Transfer Program.
Women’s soccer opens with a win ADAM FROHMADER Staff Writer The Madison College women’s soccer team’s first game of the year was Aug. 20 at Rochester Community College. The WolfPack defeated the Yellow Jackets, 2-0, thanks to goals by Angelina Perez and Alexis Kulow. Last spring the team finished 4-4 in its shortened and postponed season. With the season now underway, The Clarion’s Adam Frohmader recently got a chance to interview the team’s head coach, Matt Schwartz. Q: What are your expectations for the season? A: We are all on the same page that winning a Region Championship is the goal along with making a run to the national tournament. Q: Who are your top returning players and what do you expect from them this year? A: We are returning a first-team all-American (Angelina Perez) and five all-region selections (Mikayla Fox, Ameila Clarquist, Elizabeth Foye, Monica Tapia-Gutierrez, and Marin Staffacher). Overall, this is a great group of second-years that have a lot to bring to the squad this season. Their experience will be critical to the team’s success. Q: How many incoming players do you have? What excites you about them? A: We have a class of nine freshmen this year. They are a very talented group that will be able to come in and immediately contribute. Q: How do you think the conference teams will stack up this year? A: That is a complete unknown to me as many colleges did not compete last season and every coach in the conference is brand new. Q: What do you think your team’s strengths will be this season? » SEE SOCCER PAGE 13
ANDRES SANCHEZ / CLARION
Madison College soccer player Evan Thom evades a Marian University defender during a recent scrimmage at home.
New coach, new challenge Bruner leads men’s soccer team into new season ADAM FROHMADER Staff Writer The Madison College men’s soccer team has a new coach this season. Tim Bruner has taken the reigns after serving as an assistant coach at Edgewood College the past four years. Bruner is an Edgewood College alum, where he competed on both the soccer and tennis teams. He still holds the school’s assist record with a total of 26. In addition, Bruner has coached for the Madison 56ers club team for the past five years. The new coach kindly answered
some questions about what to expect from the upcoming soccer season. Q: What are your expectations for the season? A: Given this is my first season, I’m not sure what to expect from the perspective of results. I know we will be hard working, respectful and organized. Q: Who are your top returning players and what do you expect from them this year? A: We are still pretty early in the pre-season so our coaching staff is learning more and more about the players every day. ... Jonas, Jheison, Matthew, Sebastin and Sully have all been standouts for the college in the
past according to the statistics and match footage we have seen. In watching them live, we can see why. Q: How many incoming players do you have? What excites you about them? A: The launchpad to the season was a short one being hired about four weeks before the first day, so recruiting was largely carried by Coach Matt (Schwartz) and Coach Tony (Parades). The program is thankful they put us in a position to succeed. Erick Antimo is going to be a big contributor on the attacking side. He has a nose for the goal and can supply as well as finish. Isaak Cordova is also » SEE COACH PAGE 13
Top fantasy pick or bust? BO SUH Staff Writer
CHRISTIAN PETERSEN/GETTY IMAGES/TNS
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) tries to escape Arizona Cardinals cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) during a preseason game on Aug. 20.
People have different definitions of what a bust is in fantasy football. It’s not just about how many points a player scores. For me, bust picks are the ones that are drafted way too early for what they're worth. For example, Patrick Mahomes is currently going as a No. 1 quarterback. Will he be bad? Absolutely not. When he plays, he is one of the best. However, if someone is drafts him as No. 1 overall, I think that’s too high. He’ll still score points, but so will almost any other quarterback you draft.
Here are my thoughts on some players who might under-perform for their fantasy owners this season.
Quarterbacks
1. Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) – I like Mahomes. I would like to have him in my team, but how early he is getting drafted makes me question myself whether I would draft him or a great running back, or a wide receiver instead. He will do well, but I do not think that he will be doing as well as his average draft indicates. 2. Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills) – He finished as the No. 1 quarterback last » SEE BUST PAGE 13
THE CLARION
MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | SPORTS | 13
Fantasy football sleepers to add this fall BO SUH Staff Writer In any fantasy sport, finding good sleepers will help your team tremendously. What I find interesting is that if you read enough fantasy football articles, every player is on someone’s sleeper list. Likewise, they all seem to be on someone’s bust list as well. How do we know which player is going to be a sleeper? To be quite honest, I don’t know for sure. If I knew all the sleeper and bust picks, I would be in Las Vegas making money off it! There were some seasons that I got a bunch of sleeper picks right, and my team was unstoppable. Other seasons, my luck was not as good. If you have listened to many fantasy football experts talking, they are often wrong. Therefore, whatever you read or watch, take with a grain of salt.
Quarterbacks
1. Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles) – Hurts’ throwing may not be as impressive, but his rushing is what makes him valuable. He is capable of rushing 10 or more times per game with the potential for a rushing touchdown. With more experience gained from the last year, Hurts has a Top 5 quarterback potential.
2. Justin Fields (Chicago Bears) – Fileds is another running quarterback available for people to draft. He had 1,133 total rushing yards with 19 touchdowns in his college career, and this running game will continue in the National Football League. Currently, Andy Dalton is listed as a starting quarterback, but it is a matter of time before Fields takes over, so stack him on bench for now.
Running Backs
1. Kareen Hunt (Cleveland Browns) – I understand that Hunt is a backup for the starting running back, Nick Chubb, but even as a backup running back, Hunt was busy in both running and receiving part of the game. If Chubb is out Hunt will have Top 10 potential. If you are going to draft Chubb, I highly recommend drafting Hunt as well. 2. Mike Davis (Atlanta Falcons) – Davis filled in amazingly as a starting running back for the Carolina Panthers last year. Now he is with a new team, the Falcons, and has better job security as a starting running back. His passing ability also makes him valuable as Matt Ryan, the starting quarterback, will likely throw quite a bit.
Wide Receivers
1. Sterling Shepard (New York Giants)
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– Shepard finished strong last year with 17 receptions and 189 yards with two receiving touchdowns (and 24 rushing yards and a rushing touchdowns). The Giants added Kenny Golladay this offseason, but it is questionable how efficient he will be given his injury history. Currently, Golladay is drafted pretty high while Shepard is almost undrafted in many league, so you can get Shepard for cheap. In the worst case, you can drop him later without much investment.
year with 4,544 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns. He also added 421 rushing yards with eight rushing touchdowns. The year before? He had 3,089 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, 510 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. I predict that his rushing game will be similar this year, but I have doubts about his passing game.
Tight End
Running Backs
1. Rob Gronkowski (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – My friends know that I draft big name players who may not be superstars anymore. Gronkowski came back last year with Tom Brady and finished as Top 10 tight end last year. More chemistry with Brady has been built in the new lineup in Tampa Bay, so Gronkowski has a Top 5 potential this year. 2. Mike Gesicki (Miami Dolphins) – Gesicki was very quiet during the first half last year, but then he showed what he was worth last year’s draft pick in the second half. With more chemistry built with a rookie quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, it’ll be interesting to see the production of Gesicki in Tagovailoa’s second year.
1. Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints) – Kamara finished as the top running back last year. However, with Drew Brees, the quarterback for the Saints now gone, it is questionable how much he will be able to produce in both running and passing games. And with Michael Thomas, a starting wide receiver, out for a few weeks as well, the opponent’s focus will be primarily on Kamara. Which makes me hesitant to draft him among the Top 5 running backs right now. 2. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Kansas City Chiefs) – Edwards-Helaire’s first year with the Chiefs went OK. I remember he was drafted in the first and second rounds last year. Currently, he is going through a minor injury, and I would rather invest my pick on someone else. In the meantime, I would suggest grabbing his backup running backs, Darrel Williams or Jerick McKinnon just in case.
Wide Receivers
ANDRES SANCHEZ / CLARION
The Madison College men’s soccer team is ready to get things rolling this year under new coach Tim Bruner.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 an attacking player. He brings some size, speed and power to our front line. Jose Gonzalez has been performing at a high level in training. He has excellent vision and will be a big part of our buildup. Adriano Ponte is a polished player that we can plug into multiple positions. Q: How do you think the conference teams will stack up this year? A: That is a fantastic question. The coaching staff haven’t seen the opponents in live matches before and am new to the level, so any observation we would make would be purely speculative. We feel good about the work rate we see in training and the pieces we have. In terms of where that lands us, not really sure. Q: What do you think your team’s strengths will be this season? A: We are going to be dynamic and create loads of scoring chances. Through
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 A: We will be very balanced and organized. Q: What will be areas of emphasis for your team this year? A: Discipline and organization are always at the forefront of what we try to do. Make the least amount of mistakes we
the midfield we have players that take good care of the ball. The backline is coming together and should have good pace and athleticism. We think a lot of our goalkeepers. We have four great ones. They have all had fantastic attitudes about the competition for the position and it is helping make the best version of themselves. Q: How excited are the players to have a full season this year? A: There are a lot of smiling faces on the training grounds. COVID gave us a lot of time to reflect, and the players realized how important soccer was to them. It had never been taken away before and having that happen generated an appreciation for its value. Q: How excited are you to be coaching a college team? A: My high school guidance counselor, Sister Karen asked me what I wanted to do for a career. It was a long and windy path but I am now doing it. Needless can and adjust when we do make them. Q: How has practice looked so far this fall? A: Training has been productive. Getting the team out on the field together has been showing us a lot. Q: How does it feel returning to a full schedule this fall? What precautions are in place to help ensure that the season goes off without COVID interrup-
to say, very excited. Derek Helmer and Edgewood College helped me achieve that on an assistant level and prepare me for this. Q: How different has it been from coaching a club team? A: At the college level we have access to the players more often so that is helpful. With club soccer the job is 97% coaching and 3% organization. At the college level so far it has been probably 50/50. I am learning every day and being challenged in new ways. Q: What brought you to Madison College? A: Madison College has a strong tradition with both our men’s and women’s soccer programs and has a history of fantastic leadership through the years. I’m excited to have my name added to the list of coaches. The men’s next home match will be against Triton College on Wednesday, Sept. 8, at 3 p.m. tions? A: Everyone is very excited. We are masking and distancing when indoors and continuing to follow all personal hand washing and health guidelines. Q: How excited are the players to have a full season this year? A: Players are ready to get to work and bring a championship home. The women’s soccer team’s next home game will be Wednesday, Sept. 8, at 2 p.m.
1. Davante Adams (Green Bay Packers) – I cannot believe that I am writing about Adams who I had last year and was the No. 1 wide receiver. What I am afraid of is the situation with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. If there was nothing going on with Rodgers this offseason, I would have no doubt that Adams would finish as a Top 5 wide receiver. However, with the situation around Rogers, it makes me hesitant to draft Adams early. 2. Mike Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Evans is great. With Tom Brady as his quarterback, there is no doubt that he will perform well as a wide receiver. However, there are too many great receivers in the Buccaneers offense. Currently, there are Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, and even Rob Gronkowski whom Brady played with on the Patriots for years. Evans will have a great week sometimes, but don’t expect consistent production from him this year.
Tight End
1. Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons) – Pitts is getting drafted pretty high in many fantasy leagues right now, sometimes right behind Travis Kelce and George Kittle. There is no doubt that he has high potential, but it is difficult for me to trust a rookie tight end who has not shown anything yet over other proven players like Darren Waller and Mark Andrews. 2. Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia Eagles) – With another tight end, Zach Ertz playing for Dallas, Goedert’s ceiling is low. This is not going to be the Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez situation from the Patriots years ago. I would avoid Goedert unless Ertz is gone.
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THE CLARION
THELIGHTERSIDE Puzzles and Cartoons
BREWSTER ROCKIT
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BREWSTER ROCKIT
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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.
60 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.
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CROSSWORDPUZZLE Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis / MCT Campus
ACROSS
1 Where time is served 5 Hindu divinity whose name is a homophone for a herding dog 9 Spanish kiss 13 River of Pisa 14 More under the weather 15 “If you ask me,” to a texter 16 Vase-making dynasty 17 “I won’t do this anymore” 19 BBC nickname, with “the” 20 Scones go-with 21 Mind-boggler 22 Lions’ calls 24 “What a long week!” 25 Copenhagen’s __ Gardens 27 Chef lead-in 28 ’50s dance party 31 Grossed 32 Christmastime 33 What to buy to solve P_T S_J_K 34 Elevator guy 35 Sleigh driver 37 ’60s civil rights 38 UCLA’s __-12 Conference 39 Fodder holder 40 Cheap booze 42 Opposite of NNW 43 Kept in the loop, in emails 44 Fluctuates 45 Dallas NBA 46 Aired again 47 Actress MacRae who played Alice Kramden on “The Jackie Gleason Show” 50 Pro 51 Role in “Son of Frankenstein” 54 Dog breeders’ group
56 Go off the board 57 ESPN MLB analyst 58 Military divisions 59 Range component 60 Hardy’s “___ of the D’Urbervilles” 61 Tolkien creatures 62 Greek sandwich
DOWN
1 Door frame segment 2 R&B vocalist India.__ 3 Conscience 4 Captain’s records 5 Works by Swiss cubist Paul 6 Thomas __ Edison 7 Martial artist Bruce __ 8 Come and go, e.g., grammatically 9 Major condition 10 Kindle download 11 Carpentry wedge 12 Chaplin of
“Game of Thrones” 14 Essential worth 18 Cordial flavoring 23 “The Greatest” 24 Promote bigtime 25 Sporty sunroofs 26 Teensy amounts 27 Church assembly 28 Greenery in suspended baskets ... or, phonetically, what 3-, 8- or 14-Down is? 29 Perfectly timed 30 Agreements
36 Brewpub orders 37 Unowned, free-ranging pooch 39 Weigh station? 41 Galley implement 45 Gives a hoot 46 Beats but good 47 Three-handed game 48 “Psst! Over __!” 49 Grandson of Eve 50 Move like a bee 52 Finished 53 City near Tahoe 55 “Inside Politics” airer
THE CLARION
MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | 15
THELIGHTERSIDE BREWSTER ROCKIT
Puzzles and Cartoons
TIM RICKARD / TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
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THE CLARION