The Yellow Issue | Summer 2019

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T A B L E

Welcome

to the

115th

F O

anniversary special

issue of the marquette journal.

We have lots

of surprises in store for you in this online exclusive. Inside, you’ll find your favorite multimedia content, right on your screen. happy reading, watching and listening, and happy 115 years!

26 editor’s letter.................................................................5 flash five........................................................................6 a changing skyline..........................................................16 an investment in the future...............................................20 not alone......................................................................21 safety first...................................................................22 women in sports media.....................................................24 work to be done..............................................................26

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C O S N T E N T

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marquette’s phantom load.................................................28

the makings of a marquette mural......................................48

sunshine style................................................................30

dear sally.....................................................................50

one of a kind..................................................................40

yellow like lemonade......................................................52

goals, genetics and growth...............................................42

texts, toast and good talks...............................................53

the one hit wonder women.................................................43

serving up spice..............................................................54

stop and smell the tulips.................................................44

a complete (and crucial) cheese curd guide...........................56

a plight of pollinators......................................................46

the bro-yo breakdown.....................................................58

colors and connotations...................................................47

home is where the heart is................................................60

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Executive Director of the Marquette Wire JENNIFER WALTER Managing Editor of the Marquette Journal ALY PROUTY EDITORIAL Assistant Managing Editors EMILY ROUSE, NATALLIE ST. ONGE

DIGITAL General Manager of Marquette University Television TARA SCHUMAL

Executive Editors MAYA KORENICH, MATTHEW MARTINEZ, JOHN STEPPE, MACKANE VOGEL

General Manager of Marquette University Radio GM POWELL Executive Producers CHELSEA JOHANNING, LARSON SEAVER

Assistant Editors KELLI ARSENEAU, ZOE COMERFORD, REILLY HARRINGTON, DANIEL MACIAS, ANNIE MATTEA, DONNA SARKAR, JENNA THOMPSON, JENNY WHIDDEN

Assistant Producers KENDRA BELL, KAITLYN BROSS, MARGARET CAHILL

Copy Chief EMMA NITSCHKE

Assistant Radio General Manager NICK CORDONNIER

Copy Editors JULIA DONOFRIO, LAUREN GOETZ, MIKE JELCZ, ELEANOR MCCAUGHEY

Audio Producers LUCIE SULLIVAN

Contributing Writers DAN AVINGTON, MADDIE ADAMS, AMINAH BEG, MARGARET CAHILL, SYDNEY CZYZON, ALEX GARNER, MOLLY GLOWACKI, MARY HANNA, MATTHEW HARTE, CLAIRE HYMAN, SARAH LIPO, JACKSON MOZENA, AMANDA PARRISH, LARSON SEAVER, EMMA TOMSICH, MATTHEW YEAZEL

ART Design Chief CHELSEA JOHANNING Executive Photo Editor ANDREW HIMMELBERG Designers KELLI ARSENEAU, KATIE DELIA Photographers ELENA FIEGEN, CLAIRE GALLAGHER, JORDAN JOHNSON, RICKY LABRADA

COVER PHOTO BY JORDAN JOHNSON 4

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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am sitting in the newsroom in Johnston Hall, for maybe the last time, putting the final touches on this issue of the Marquette Journal ... it’s the last time I’ll run a magazine for quite a while. I’m texting my co-manager about decorating our graduation caps. Two editors are sitting with me, and we’re eating Noodles and Company while downing Starbucks drinks. This has been my life for four years. Nearly every day, I’ve walked into a Johnston Hall newsroom, whether it be the old basement newsroom or the newly renovated one that sits on the second floor. Every day’s been a little different, but some things never changed.

The student media spaces will always smell like food. I will probably be addicted to coffee forever, and this magazine will be published for years to come. This month, we celebrate the 115th birthday of the Marquette Journal.

On the other hand, nothing is ever the same. Breaking news creeped into a lot of my weekends, transporting my arts and entertainment brain to a world I never imagined reporting on.

Newscast lineups can change at any time. An editor may opt to drastically change our magazine ... I mean, I color-coded them to create a primary color theme. People will come and go.

A lot of my friends would tell you I spent a little too much time with the Marquette Wire and worked a little too hard. I will tell you I wouldn’t want it any other way.

My hope for every student who walks in this room is that they find their passion and purpose, regardless of if it ends up being journalism or media related. More importantly, I want them to find people who they love being around; I hope they find “their” people. I hope they believe in themselves. I want them to take the words of Cinderella to heart: “have courage and be kind.” I want the same for all of you.

When I first came to Marquette, I didn’t think I would. I continually met people who couldn’t be bothered to be kind. Since then, I’ve learned those people will never go away, but they aren’t the only people in the world. We should be focusing on people who bring sunshine into our lives. This staff has certainly brought it into mine.

In our final issue of the year, I wanted them to feel empowered to shine a light on issues they care about. The entire M(yo)U section highlights topics near and dear to my team, including minority representation (26), women in sports media (24),

Photo by Larson Seaver

campus safety (22), programs supporting people on the autism spectrum (16) and more. The rest of this issue is filled with fun, creative content, including a feature on siblings who share a common love for lacrosse (42) and a Milwaukee cheese curd guide (56). Our assistant sports editor rounds “The Yellow Issue” out with a narrative on what home and family means to her (60). You’ll notice this issue is a little different from the rest. Videos and podcasts are embedded in the magazine. Simply click your screen to enjoy the incredible work of our television and radio staffs.

I am proud to pass on the title of managing editor to Natallie St. Onge. She will do phenomenal work, and I am so excited to watch her succeed. There is nothing but greatness in store for her, and my favorite magazine.

I wish I could slow down to take it all in, but I have to move on to the next adventure. It has been an absolute honor to serve as your managing editor. Thank you for making college so special.

Aly Prouty Managing Editor, Marquette Journal SUMMER 2019

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flash FIVE The women’s basketball team meets in a happy huddle during a game.

PHOTO BY ELENA FIEGEN

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flash FIVE

Miller Park lights up gold for a Billy Joel concert.

PHOTO BY CHELSEA JOHANNING

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flash FIVE Sunflowers grace exterior walls, adding a splash of color to Brew City.

PHOTO BY ELENA FIEGEN

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flash FIVE A monarch butterfly nestles itself among stems of foliage.

PHOTO BY ELENA FIEGEN

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flash FIVE Lights illuminate Gesu on a foggy night.

PHOTO BY CHELSEA JOHANNING

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a changing skyline sydney czyzon

Photo courtesy of MKE Drones

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ilwaukee’s skyline will change in the years to come.

That is, change colors.

The Light the Hoan project, a crowdfunding campaign to illuminate the Hoan Bridge with light bulbs, hopes to raise enough funds to light the bridge by summer 2020.

The Hoan Bridge, often noticed for its yellow arch, connects Interstate 794 to Lake Freeway across part of the Milwaukee River.

“We have a lot of really great things happening here, and the bridge is a metaphor in a way to show how we can make those connections,” Michael Hostad, co-founder of Light the Hoan, says.

For $25, community members can purchase a bulb online. Bulbs can be dedicated to people or organizations, or they can just be acts of kindness that are making a positive impact in Milwaukee. Donations on the website can be made for up to $500.

Light the Hoan currently has between $350,000 and $400,000 saved for the project, Hostad says. To begin manufacturing the lights and get engineering work done, Hostad says the project needs at least $1.8 million from community donors.

In total, the project will cost between $4.5 and $5 million, which will include electric and maintenance costs for a decade. To cover costs not funded by community members, Hostad says the Hoan

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group members are meeting with corporate and philanthropic donors, looking to secure larger donations.

“We’d like to finish all of our fundraising for this year and have those lights up ideally in time for the Democratic National Convention, if we end up getting that here in Milwaukee,” Hostad says.

Once the lights are up, advanced technology will allow the colors to change or be synced to music.

Hostad says project members are working with the Department of Transportation to be conscious of safety concerns. Distracted drivers, migrating birds and other risks exist.

With safety accounted for, Hostad says he wants the bridge to be “the temperature of Milwaukee at any given moment.” The bridge’s lights and patterns could coordinate with important moments or organizations in the city.

Some possibilities include lighting the bridge pink for breast cancer awareness, gold for pediatric cancer awareness, Brewers colors during home runs or the colors of local business sponsors, Hostad says.

Hostad says he reached out to 88Nine Radio Milwaukee about syncing the lights with local artists’ performances. He plans to explore opportunities with Summerfest, too.

“People can tune in and watch the bridge lights move in coordination with the music,” Hostad says.

Behind the scenes, young individuals part of Islands of Bril-

M(yo)U: activeM(yo)U

liance, a Milwaukee-based nonprofit organization that provides project-based learning opportunities to children and young adults with autism, will be gaining coding and programming skills, controlling the bridge’s functions from a digital immersion laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Individuals aged 14 to 26 will learn to build and code a virtual environment of the bridge. Then they will learn to code and program the bridge’s lights to respond to music, change colors and have movement.

Mark Fairbanks, executive director of Islands of Brilliance, says 10 individuals on the autism spectrum with high aptitudes for coding were selected to be part of the project.

The organization provides other opportunities in design, 3D modeling, STEM and art for individuals on the spectrum, but Fairbanks says Light the Hoan is unique.

“More often than not, we’ve had individual projects and solo projects working with a mentor,” Fairbanks says. “So this actually takes the collaborative team process.”

The individuals selected began working in the digital immersion lab over the summer to become familiar with the equipment and virtual environment. The virtual bridge build will start in June, Fairbanks says.

Hostad says Philips Lighting, the company creating the lights for the Hoan Bridge, expressed interest in hiring some individuals from Islands of Brilliance. The individuals would be given oppor-

tunities to light up other monuments, including the Empire State building, the London Eye and the Oakland Bay Bridge, the last of which is located in San Francisco.

“These kids in Milwaukee can end up having the skills to light up landmarks around the world,” Hostad says.

Fairbanks hopes the project can combat underemployment rates for individuals with autism.

“We’re talking about taking candidates who may not have been employed and teaching them, how do you fit on a team and how do you collaborate?” Fairbanks says. “The reward, I think, is we’re tantalizingly close to having candidates who are going to be employed.”

This project has the ability to serve as a model for others who want to teach STEM-based skills to individuals on the autism spectrum, Fairbanks says.

He says the work he does is purposeful, but Fairbanks doesn’t get caught up in his organization’s impact. He’s “too busy still climbing the mountain.”

“If what we’re doing with this project happens in other communities across the country, then we can say that Milwaukee is exporting some really cool opportunities that we can be known for, and that’s really exciting,” Fairbanks says.

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STREAMING 24/7 AT MARQUETTEWIRE.ORG

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Photos via FreeIconsPNG and Petr Kratochvil

an investment in the future EMILY ROUSE The aftermath of 9/11 left the world in shock.

It left America wondering where to go from there. It left America wondering how to invest in the future.

A soldier returns home from war. He looks to his family... to his friends. He is unsure of what is to come next. But he knows he can get an education.

The freedom to pursue an education is one of many freedoms he and his fellow soldiers fight to protect. Knowing he can receive an education helps him feel a little less vulnerable in a world where countless veterans sleep on the streets.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs describes the Yellow Ribbon Program as a post-9/11 GI Bill enhancement that pays military-related recipients’ full tuition and fees for a public education, or a yearly national maximum for a private education.

In order to receive the program’s benefits, one can qualify in several ways: serving 36 months on active duty, being injured and receiving an honorable discharge, or having the benefits transferred to them as the child of a veteran, to name a few.

Marquette is a participant in the program, and since the Yellow Ribbon program’s 2009 inception, 97 students have received VA benefits toward their educations, with 52 of them receiving the additional Yellow Ribbon enhancement, according to data from Susan Teerink, associate vice provost for financial aid and enrollment services.

Amy Thompson, veteran and navigator for the Wisconsin Veterans Network, was a three-year active duty training manager in the U.S. Air Force. She says the hardest part for veterans transitioning into non-military jobs is having expertise in performing tasks civilians don’t normally do.

According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, a nonprofit organization that provides resources to homeless veterans, many veterans are homeless due to factors such as lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, shortage of access to livable income and the potential of military training not transferring to being competitive in the civilian job market.

“When you have people that were either working on helicopters or … they were a sniper sharpshooter — stuff that civilians just don’t do — yes, it’s a hard transition,” Thompson says. “We have people that assist veterans on their resume to tweak it up and make it relatable, but there’s a lot of jobs out there in the military that aren’t (relatable to civilian work).”

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Marquette’s involvement in the program aims to help military personnel on a personal level.

“Marquette’s participation in the … Yellow Ribbon enhancement is a means by which we … (provide) students who otherwise might not have been able to (attend Marquette) the opportunity to add their voices to our community and become the next generation of Marquette graduates ready in every way to ‘go and set the world on fire,’” Teerink says in an email.

One problem, however, is that the VA will not notify veterans of extra benefits they are not already aware of, Thompson says.

“So, what you don’t know is what you don’t know,” Thompson says. “Working (at the VA) I could not solicit any of that information. … I could see a veteran making a claim for a disability, but I could see his medical records and he’s got five others that I know he could get service connections for, but I couldn’t tell him about it.”

The Wisconsin Veterans Network is not mandated by law to help veterans apply for benefits and rather must refer them to the county veterans office that is mandated by law to help veterans with this task.

Access to an education could also allow veterans to build a support network to help them process things that happened during their service.

“I’ve had male veterans in their 60s … (talk about) when they were sexually assaulted in the military,” Thompson says. “Grown men crying in (my) office, … (and) I’m not a counselor, but it had to come out. (They’re) 60, 70 years old, carrying this around all these years.”

Some veterans, however, do not receive assistance. The VA’s strict rules for who qualifies as a veteran prevent many from getting necessary aid, Thompson says.

“The VA only serves veterans that are honorably discharged, or re-serviced, but they have to have 180 days consecutive deployment,” Thompson says. “You could be in the reserves for 15 to 20 years and if you were never deployed for 180 days total in one deployment, you are not considered a veteran.”

In Thompson’s work with the Wisconsin Veteran Network, resources distributed to veterans include aid toward health care bills, assistance in working with landlords and information regarding their GI Bill.

“I do get new veterans that have just got out of the service and I always encourage them to use their GI Bill. Always,” Thompson says. “Don’t let it go to waste.”

M(yo)U

not alone MAYA KORENICH

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hen I first confront the subject of suicide, I am in elementary school, and too young to really grasp what it means. All I know is my uncle is dead.

I can’t perfectly remember the day in question, but I know I don’t understand the reality of what happened and think it’s like when grandparents die of old age. Eventually I put it together and realize my uncle died by suicide.

It’s a topic people hear a lot about, but never imagine it happening to someone you know... someone you call family.

In my life, I come to see other individuals extremely close to me struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. I make a drive to the hospital with a friend of mine who thinks they are a danger to themselves. I have knots in my stomach for the entirety of the drive and am honestly in disbelief about what is happening. After I leave the hospital, it is hard for me to sleep because I am so worried.

More mental health issues arise with this same friend a year later, and don’t seem to stop. They struggle with an extreme substance abuse problem, which is hard to watch. It’s strange having to call inpatient facilities and say a “secret password” in order to talk to a friend. Not being able to just text and ask

how they are doing is tough.

For weeks my friend attends outpatient therapy and every time things look like they are turning the corner, it all seems to come crashing down again. As much as I want them to get better, after each program fails it feels like it will never happen.

To this day this person I love and care about is still struggling. It seems to go in waves, but it’s hard. There are be months that go by where they don’t crack a smile or eat.

It’s weird thinking about how it is out of my control. It’s weird thinking about all the times my phone rings and my heart sinks because I think it is going to be the phone call I always dread.

It’s weird that no matter how much I want to fix everything for this person, the only thing I can do is be there to lend an ear or share resources.

These aren’t the kinds of things you ever forget. It doesn’t go away. What it does, is make me want to help others, so they don’t have to experience it.

So they know they’re not alone.

The simplest thing I can recommend is to listen to your friends and family. Be there if they need to talk and let them know they don’t have to got through anything alone.

No one has to go through it alone.

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safety first Donna Sarkar & EMily Rouse

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arquette University’s urban location paves way for speedy cars and traffic students walk past daily. Accidents on campus are becoming commonplace. A student was hit by a car while crossing the intersection of 17th and Wells streets last fall and a residence hall director sustained injuries after a driver slammed into her in the crosswalk in 2017. These events call for traffic regulation and change.

“A key part of the Jesuit tradition of higher education is that universities are located in urban centers, where faculty, staff and students live and work in the community,” Marquette University Police Department Chief Edith Hudson says in an email. “Our urban location is an asset in so many ways.”

The university vows that it works closely with the city of Milwaukee to keep the campus safe. University spokesperson, Lora Strigens, says all intersections and pedestrian crossings are evaluated with the campus community’s safety in mind.

However, some students say they have a different opinion.

“There’s cars speeding down Wisconsin Avenue and stories of people getting hit on campus (by cars),” Ellie McNeal, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, says. “If that doesn’t show the university that change needs to happen, I don’t know what will.”

In recent years the university has added flashing lights and pedestrian crossing signage on Wisconsin Avenue between 13th and 16th streets, and pedestrian crossing signage was added to a similar stretch of Wells Street, Strigens says.

The university has no imminent plans to add additional crosswalks or signage at this time, Strigens says. The development of the Campus Master Plan can be a start for

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M(yo)U future solutions.

The master plan is a comprehensive effort that explored all aspects of the physical campus, including transportation and circulation, Strigens explains.

The plan includes recommendations relative to pedestrian circulation, roadways and bike circulation, Strigens says.

These changes will be considered as Master Plan projects are implemented.

As projects come online, the university will work with the city to ensure that considerations relative to circulation are addressed, she says.

Students jaywalking can often be a part of the problem, McNeal says.

“Students are rushing to get to class and there are a lot of reckless drivers,” McNeal says. “It’s just not a good combination.”

“It’s very important to follow the traffic laws,” Hudson says.

“They’re there for a reason: to keep us safe.”

MUPD received an $8,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to increase pedestrian and traffic safety on campus back in 2015.

However, serious accidents, such as the student being hit by a vehicle on the intersection of 17th and Wells streets, occurred three years later in September 2018.

MUPD is currently looking at implementing pedestrian safety specialists that would be stationed at intersections and pedestrian crossings with the highest amounts of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, Hudson says. ”In discussion with students, faculty and staff, there was a recurring theme ... that there had been improvements in pedestrian safety, but ... there was still a little bit of concern,” Hudson says. Some of this concern is attributed to the speed of vehicles on campus.

The Pedestrian Safety Initiative comes following three major crashes on Marquette’s campus in the last two school years: two crashes into the Al McGuire Center and one crash into Johnston Hall.

“With the university’s full support, the Pedestrian Safety Initiative was developed to utilize student staffing in a way that makes the campus safer for pedestrians, with a focus on the busiest intersections,” university spokesperson Chris Stolarski says in an email.

Hudson says the final details are not yet finalized, MUPD will hire students at a rate she thinks is similar to the pay for Marquette LIMO drivers. MUPD will also reach out to other universities with similar programs, and details will be ironed out before the initiative’s implementation in fall 2019.

MUPD will potentially reach out to the Milwaukee Safety Division to help train students for the job, Hudson says.

“We want to make sure that whatever training we do provide is industry standard and something that would be consistent with training that (someone) would get anywhere,” Hudson says.

Training student pedestrian specialists to draw drivers’ attention to pedestrians will be one part of the job.

“Student staff will be hired and trained in the coming months to serve as pedestrian safety specialists,” Stolarski says in an email. “When they start in the fall semester, they will be equipped with bright vests, whistles and hand stop signs to bring added attentiveness to pedestrians crossing those streets, as well as added visibility for passing motorists.”

Just as drivers must be aware of pedestrians, those walking must also take precautions to stay safe.

According to MUPDs website, important pedestrian safety tips include always walking on the sidewalk, not relying solely on pedestrian signals, removing headphones while crossing the street and making eye contact with drivers.

“Never assume that a vehicle is going to stop,” Hudson says. “Sometimes people just aren’t paying attention, it’s not like they’re intentionally trying to harm someone … (they just) may not see the pedestrian coming.”

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Photo by Sta

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

WOMEN IN SPORTS MEDIA MADDIE ADDAMS

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here is an increase in female presence in sports media. However, sports play-by-play and color analysts are still predominantly men.

Women in the industry continually battle through times of adversity to see progress in their presence in sports journalism.

Nancy Armour, a Marquette alumna, sees this trend reporting on some of the highest profile events in sports, including the Super Bowl, the Olympics and the NCAA Final Four.

She tried her hand at sports reporting for the first time at Marquette, as the only female sports reporter for the Marquette Tribune in the 1980s. After graduation, one of her first jobs was to cover Notre Dame, including their football team, for the Associated Press.

When Armour would try to go into the men’s locker room to do her job and get interviews for coverage, she was often not allowed into the locker room. At the same time, her male colleagues entered the locker room without issues, giving her peers advantages in coverage.

Since then, Armour says she has seen tremendous growth within the industry in regards to oppurtunities for women.

“The exposure of women in sports media has gotten better because we aren’t a novelty anymore,” Armour explains.

“Women are now a visible part of the fabric of sports journalism.”

Katie George and Sophia Minnaert deal with similar experiences as sports reporters in Milwaukee.

George is the sideline and digital reporter for the Milwaukee Bucks. After watching Erin Andrews on ESPN, she says she knew she wanted to go into sports broadcasting. George also gives credit to women such as Doris Burke and Robin Roberts, who she views as pioneers for women in sports media.

“I find it so much more prevalent to see women in sports,” George says. “It has definitely trended very much in the right way.”

She admits there is still work to be done.

“I would love to see more women become play-by-play or color commentary analysts,” George says. “Sarah Kustok is the 24

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color analyst for the Brooklyn Nets, and she is the first full-time female to do color for an NBA team. Usually the person doing color is a former NBA player.”

George is just one of many reporters who is covering a sport she never played. In George’s case, she played collegiate volleyball for the University of Louisville and is now covering professional men’s basketball.

“I have worked hard, and I deserve a seat at the table just like everybody else,” George says. “I have just as much knowledge and have just as much to offer, even though I didn’t play basketball growing up and I didn’t play in the NBA.” Despite not having first-hand experience in this professional sport, George proves she is a professional sports reporter through her hard work.

“It’s a really tough industry to break into and it’s a tough industry to stay in, it’s very cutthroat and competitive,” George says. “If you’re really someone who wants to do this, you need to be passionate, committed and (prove) you’re willing to work.”

Minnaert, like Armour, is a Marquette alumna. She worked heavily with the Milwaukee Brewers over the past few years through Fox Sports Wisconsin. In June 2018, the Brewers hired Minnaert as their broadcast and digital features content director.

Minnaert agrees it would be an improvement in the gender equality of sports media if there were more women stepping into additional play-by-play analyst and reporter roles. But she says she has always been comfortable working in a sideline reporting role because of the relatively better representation of women.

“Representation is very important,” Minnaert says. “I got into doing sideline reporting because I saw other women doing it, like Doris Burke and Jessica Mendoza.”

Minnaert’s goal is to not even need these conversations.

“I’m hoping it gets to the point where we don’t even have to have these conversations anymore and women have an equal amount of roles in this industry,” Minnaert says.

M(yo)U

Come volunteer with us next year and Try your hand at: news entertainment sports production Interested in getting involved with MUTV? We’d love to see you either on air or behind the camera!

Contact Kennedy Coleman, incoming MUTV General Manager, for more information kennedy.coleman@marquette.edu SUMMER 2019

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work to be done AMINA BEG

My biggest fear entering college was not the difficulty level of the courses, the strict deadlines from professors or even the hardships of making friends.

My biggest fear was stepping into my freshman dorm room and seeing a Make America Great Again flag plastered on the wall across from my bed.

Although this fortunately did not happen, I had a sincere and severe concern of this actually happening. Some people may believe this was an irrational fear. However, I knew it would be difficult transitioning from a high school with a 46 percent white population to a university with a 68 percent white student majority and 78 percent white faculty population.

Instead of a roommate who had Trump merchandise in the dorm, I moved into a hall where the entire west fifth floor community in Cobeen Hall was white. Not only am I a girl of Pakistani heritage, I am a Muslim. The physical manifestation of my Muslim identity is displayed by the scarf I wear on my head. I was clearly the anomaly in the group and knew I would have to make the extra effort to integrate myself into my dorm community. Since I am somewhat of an introvert, this could possibly be an excuse I am making for myself. At the same time, I was in no way motivated to do the work to include myself in dorm activities or events. I knew that the end result of being friends with these white girls is that I would always question the real connection between us. I contemplated on why I would even try in the first place then. I feel like I would not be able to relate to them on aspects of our lifestyle or values because our existence is so different. I feel like I would be faking my identity to fit into white culture.

The same question of a legitimate connection is carried over

Photo by Ricky Labrada

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M(yo)U in my relationships with my professors. At the beginning of every course, I take the first couple of classes to observe whether the instructor seems to hold ignorant beliefs. Red flags include disrespectful or degrading tones and rhetoric when discussing issues that affect minorities or anything that strays away from a typical white majority ideal. If the professors do not want to discuss politics, it usually means they are privileged enough to not have politics affect their life. Depending on the assumption I make, it affects how comfortable I feel asking questions or contributing to the discussion in class.

As I walk into class, I automatically understand that I will be the only hijabi without even having to look around. I have accepted this fact and become numb to it now. The first class I attended at Marquette was COMM 1000. It was a class of around 70 students, and none of them looked like I did. There might have been a few African American students, but not a single Asian or Muslim student was present. I try not to let it affect my behavior too much. At the same time, the least I try to do is find another minority that I can automatically connect or relate to in order to feel comfortable in the classroom. In a lot of my classes at Marquette, I have never found that one other minority student. Especially as a communications major, minorities seem to be few and far between, so I have to accept the reality of the situation and sit in a classroom as the only one with brown skin. It makes me, a female Pakistani Muslim American, feel automatically excluded from the white majority.

I also understand that by identifying both as an Asian American and a Muslim, I am forced to become the representative for my communities, whether I want to be or not. I have to speak out when my religion is being attacked because who else is going to?

Who else is going to change the ignorant beliefs of those who have misinformed perceptions? I do not always have the scholarly responses or the effort to fix these wrongs, but in a white majority classroom, I feel forced to do so. My white counterparts constantly expect me to give them answers. At times, it feels like they are asking these questions to make themselves feel better and more educated even though there is so much more involved with appreciating a minority community than a few answers to some questions. That is why resources like scholars and social media exist; I should not have to take the burden in place of them.

As a minority student, these are the processes I experience in my head on a daily basis walking around and attending the very majority white campus that Marquette University entails. White, cisgender, heterosexual, male Christian students do not have the same pressures and societal responsibilities placed on them. They do not have to ask the questions I constantly ask myself. Questions like if they must change their behavior to fit a certain white majority mold. Questions such as “am I correctly representing my race?,” “am I including my people in discussions without trying to always take the attention?,” or “are there people in my classes that look like me?” When I try to relate the class discussion to my own experiences as a Muslim Asian American, I am fearful that my peers become annoyed with me trying to focus the conversation on myself. Even the small act of changing my name when ordering food, so the Einstein Bagel workers do not spend the extra minute trying to figure it out in front of everyone else. White people do

not need to use additional energy to ensure they are included in the conversation because they are the ones automatically prioritized from the beginning.

I’ve come to the conclusion Marquette University holds racist values.

There is an environment consistently created by the staff, students and the institution where the white majority presence it always felt and held over non-white individuals’ heads. I fully understand this is my and other minorities’ opinion that I have talked to at Marquette.

I personally feel that the university continues to make decisions or perpetuate behaviors that do not fully accommodate the needs of its non-white students. This carries out through actions such as devaluing minority organizations’ events, failing to publicize the safe spaces on campus for minorities and ignoring the need to truly create those spaces.

I understand the faculty and administrators might have the best intentions to incorporate minority students in their efforts, but intention varies a lot from the execution, impact and truth of their behavior. These problems cannot continue to be ignored and handled with little to no help from the university. Rather, there needs to be authentic intentions behind actions and understand the effects, more the absence of any effects, that the individuals in a higher position’s rhetoric, imagery and actions all have on non-white students on campus.

I would like to see real, sincere passion and care from the administrators in reaction to events that have affected minority communities. I do not want to see the same script written in every email for every time a minority is under attack. I want the tour guides to emphasize and focus on the safe spaces on campus, so that minorities looking into Marquette know they have the power to increase their influence and space at this university. I want clubs and organizations focused on the minority experience to be given the same amount of attention and resources as other organizations with a white majority. I want professors to be held accountable for their hurtful words and actions and I want minorities to feel comfortable enough to report these kinds of behaviors. I would like to see hurtful imagery toward minority communities be eliminated from Marquette’s buildings and brands. For example, the way in which Native Americans are depicted in the Marquette crest are offensive to the group, but it continues to be used around the university. I want Marquette’s services to include the values and needs of minority students. I fought with Sodexo, Marquette’s food caterer, for months to try to include Muslim-friendly options since I am paying $4,000 a year to eat on campus. In the end, I gave up and accepted that this institution simply will not accommodate. I understand that this might be a long-winded list that includes solutions from various aspects of the university, but this is how much work I believe still must be done.

This has been my experience of Marquette University in my last two years attending here. All individuals have the right to feel how they do and interpret situations in their own ways. I know that this is just my story and that other minorities may feel completely differently than me.

This is an opinions narrative piece written by a columnist.

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marquette’s phantom load CLAIRE HYMAN & AMANDA PARRISH

Infographic by Matthew Martinez

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s students’ laptops quietly charge and library computers go to sleep, the university’s phantom load awakens.

Phantom power, or standby power, is the term for this phenomenon. Phantom power is the amount of power an electronic device uses while on its lowest power mode, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. When on standby, electricity still flows through these devices. At Marquette, phantom power composes 5 to 10 percent of Marquette’s total energy use, says campus sustainability coordinator Brent Ribble.

Despite this, Ribble says there have not been any organized efforts to measure Marquette’s phantom load.

Chargers, microwaves, televisions and desktop computers are just a few examples of electronics that utilize standby power. Nearly all electronics with an external power source, a continuous display, remote control or that charge batteries have standby power, according to Berkeley Lab. Mark Federle, a Marquette engineering professor and the associate dean for academic affairs, says phantom loads make electronics more convenient and readily accessible.

“If you’ve ever shut off your cable box all the way and turned 28

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it back on, its initializing process takes five to seven minutes,” Federle says.

Federle says from a design standpoint, it’s easier for electronics to maintain a constant trickle of energy than shutting down and rebooting for every use. Also, from a user’s perspective, the constant trickle of energy means that electronics are ready to use at the flip of a switch, Federle says.

Ribble calculated his estimate of Marquette’s phantom load by looking at data from studies released by the U.S. Department of Energy. Ribble says he used measurements of phantom loads in spaces such as residential homes, offices and labs to determine the likely amount of phantom energy at Marquette.

Phantom energy, however, is difficult to measure, Ribble says.

“We would have to go building by building, space by space and plug a watt meter into every device and measure how many watts of electricity are flowing through it when not in use,” Ribble says.

Federle says from a mechanical standpoint, new buildings are generally more energy efficient than older ones. Specifically, newer buildings have more energy-efficient ways of heating and cooling. For instance, a newer building’s windows are more likely to efficiently trap in heat than an older building’s windows.

Ribble says a university-wide project would have to start small.

M(yo)U He says Marquette would need to create a sample of the different types of spaces on Marquette’s campus (i.e. office space, lab space, residence halls, etc.). A portion of each type of space, perhaps 10 percent says Ribble, would be monitored for phantom power. Once samples are collected Marquette could create plans for the university as a whole.

One easy way for students to reduce their phantom load is to plug clusters of devices into one power strip, Ribble says. When the power strip is turned off, power is cut off from all the devices at once. There are also smart power strips that can be programmed to turn off at certain times or when it senses a device is fully charged, Ribble says.

Ribble adds that in some cases it isn’t practical for devices to turn off so readily. For example, lab equipment is often collecting or storing important data, he says, and those working in labs may not want to risk all of their equipment turning off at once. Additionally, appliances like refrigerators need to be turned on at all times.

Decreasing phantom load can also be done at the consumer level, Ribble says.

“When you are shopping for a new television, microwave or whatever it may be, do some research … and try to find ones with the lowest standby power,” Ribble says.

On a university level, Ribble says the fundamental questions are the same: Are there electronics that are plugged in that don’t need to be, or clusters that can be plugged into a power strip? Are we purchasing energy-efficient devices?

However, unlike individuals, the university can implement policies, Ribble says. Examples he gives include requiring new purchases to consume standby power below a certain amount or requiring all employees to unplug chargers when they leave the office.

Ribble says some of these policies can be difficult to enforce, however, as it could be difficult to monitor something like whether employees actually unplug chargers.

Due to the difficulty in reducing phantom power, efforts may be better spent reducing energy use in general, or switching to renewable energy, Ribble says.

What’s one way to save real load? Federle gave the example of a thermostat in a dorm room that fluctuates heat and cool depending on the time of day.

Similar to a fluctuating thermostat, renewable energy is an eco-friendly option to energy consumption.

However, unlike the fluctuating thermostat, renewable energy makes a positive impact by lessening the environmental impact of the energy, not by lessening the amount of energy consumed.

Renewable energy is energy from a naturally replenished source, like wind, solar or hydropower. These sources are virtually inexhaustible, meaning the risk of overexploitation is all but eliminated.

Additionally, renewable sources are cleaner. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, when burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas, greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane, which contribute to climate change. GHGs trap heat, increasing air and water temperatures, evaporation and precipitation according to NASA.

A framework proposed by We Energies, Marquette’s utility provider, for the sale of renewable energy was signed by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Dec. 28, 2018. This framework consists of two programs that would allow commercial or industrial customers to purchase renewable energy.

Marquette spokesperson Chris Stolarski says Marquette has been looking into the We Energies programs.

“We are in the process of evaluating both programs’ feasibility and their implications for sustainability,” Stolarski says in an email.

Both programs utilize renewable energy certificates (RECs), which allow customers to purchase renewable energy, though the customer might not use that energy onsite directly. Energy from utilities, for example, goes to the same grid as non-renewable energy making it impossible to know whether the energy actually consumed is renewable.

The first program is the Solar Now pilot, which allows customers to install solar panels on rooftops. We Energies pays customers to rent out the roof space for the installation of solar panels. That energy goes to the grid and customers can purchase RECs to integrate it with their own power consumption, We Energies spokesperson Brendan Conway explains.

The second program, Dedicated Renewable Energy Resource pilot, allows customers to purchase a subscription to a Wisconsin-based renewable energy plant. Conway says the subscription helps cover the cost of building large-scale renewable energy projects, such as wind or solar power plants. Similar to the Solar Now pilot, DRER allows customers to purchase RECs from the project.

Conway says these programs allow customers to support renewable energy while avoiding installation costs. While installing its own renewable energy source would allow an organization to ensure the direct use of renewable energy and track how much renewable energy is used, installation and maintenance can be costly.

For now, individual habits have to change in order to reduce energy consumption.

“I think it boils down to, if you’re trying to reduce your impact on the world, how much are you willing to be patient, have less convenience?” Conway says. “It’s a trade-off.”

Marquette’s total energy use increased by 14 percent since 2008 and its total electrical energy use increased by 13 percent, according to data collected and monitored by Ribble through Facilities Planning and Management. Ribble says this is impressively low given the growth of Marquette’s campus. When accounting for the physical growth of campus, Marquette’s energy consumption increased by only 1 percent, the data shows.

Five to 10 percent of total energy use is a small but not insignificant amount of phantom energy, Ribble says.

Federle says there are ways to save money by limiting phantom load use, but saving money comes at a different cost. This is because saving money by unplugging electronics would require a behavioral shift as opposed to a technological one. Until we’re ready to sacrifice the convenience of electronics available at the flick of a switch, it’s unlikely that we’ll reduce our phantom load, Federle says.

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sunshine style MARY HANNA

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direct reflection of the sun, the color yellow is its own refreshing burst of sunshine.

There is nearly neither a day nor a person that cannot be brightened by the bright hue. Especially in summertime, yellow is a color of warmth and a signal to the world that better weather has arrived.

When wearing yellow, there are a wide variety of pieces that mesh well with the color. Unlike any other color, the many shades of yellow have their own individuality and their own special expression. A lighter shade of yellow can be paired with a linen texture for a more relaxed, breezy summer look.

With a darker yellow hue, there is a richness to the shade that is best paired with a cotton basic t-shirt, synching together any ensemble.

These shades can add a pop of color to everyday staples: shirts, pants and shoes. In the summer heat, to master the balance between fashion and comfort, opt for a light-shaded linen top or a solid-shade tube top. Shoes can be a great way to incorporate yellow, so try a monochromatic pattern for an extra kick of summer fun.

When in doubt, pair your favorite summer yellow with a bright smile and a pair of shades — and it will be impossible not to shine.

Photos by Jordan Johnson & Andrew Himmelberg

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one of a kind

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SYDNEY CZYZON

arefully setting her made-to-fit Nigerian clothing items on a table, a smile spreads across Oluwapelumi Oguntade’s face.

The clothes, part of Oluwapelumi’s recently launched fashion line, symbolize a fusion of family and culture. The items serve as a token of the hours of work spent gathering customers, conceptualizing designs, tailoring pieces and completing sales, among other responsibilities.

Oluwapelumi, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, is hoping her fashion line develops into a one-stop-shop for practical, ethnic fashion that reaches customers across cultural boundaries.

The name of the line, OLUOMO, has a special meaning. “(OLUOMO) means a person that is one of a kind,” Oluwapelumi says.

Nigerian fashion consists of lace materials, prints and fabrics, as well as simple elements such as lines and patterns. The most important component, Oluwapelumi says, is color.

Two of those colors are yellow and gold, which can both be used to represent festivity and celebration in Nigerian fashion.

Yellow is also bright, colorful and inviting, she says.

“When I think of the color yellow, I think of glory,” Oluwapelumi says. “I think of something really shiny that’s radiating.”

She hopes her fashion line can spark conversation and bridge the gap between people of different backgrounds.

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Oluwapelumi says customers outside Nigerian culture don’t need to worry about committing potential acts of cultural appropriation. “(Appropriation) is not an issue with us,” Oluwapelumi says.

“It’s about the intention before you’re wearing our brand.”

As long as customers are familiar with her company’s background and share the vision, Oluwapelumi says she supports and encourages people outside of Nigerian culture to embrace her fashion line.

Her clothing line offers accessory items — like scarves or jewelry — for people who want to try Nigerian fashion.

A current Milwaukee resident and commuter student, Oluwapelumi moved to the United States from Nigeria when she was 9 years old.

Her fashion line embodies all parts of her identity.

“What it means for me is more confidence because there’s sometimes that urge to suppress that part of me,” Oluwapelumi says. “It’s like the West and Africa, they kind of intertwine in me.”

Oluwapelumi remembers being constantly surrounded by beautiful fabrics in her hometown of Lagos, Nigeria. When she moved to the U.S., wearing Nigerian fashion became a weekend activity.

She often provides ideas for fashion pieces to her mom, Iyabo Oguntade, who turns them into reality. Iyabo has been a seamstress for about two decades.

Oluwapelumi started her business in the fall 2018 semester,

Culture when she heard the 707 Hub offers free art supplies. She recently won first place in the social business track of the Brewed Ideas Challenge, which provides seed funding to selected students with business ideas.

Megan Carver, associate director of the Kohler Center for Entrepreneurship at the 707 Hub, noticed Oluwapelumi and her mom using the center’s sewing machine in the fall.

“There’s so much passion behind it,” Carver says. “I really appreciate the fact that she’s trying to break into a market with her mom and they’re being true to their cultural heritage and building cultural awareness within campus and then with their customer base as well.”

Iyabo looks upon her daughter with pride. She feels especially “When I think of the color attached to certain pieces the pair created — among them, a yellow, I think of glory. I gold blouse and a yellow dress. think of something really “It really makes me feel proud and hopeful because I have that kind of backbone, that support,” Oluwapelumi says.” (My mom shiny that’s radiating,” is) always behind me and right beside me and it’s really, really Oluwapelumi wonderful because she understands what I’m saying.”

Oguntade says.

The 707 Hub has helped Oluwapelumi with branding, product refinement, financials, ways to sell her product and more, Carver says. Oluwapelumi says she met friends and mentors while working in the space.

“You get more than you’re looking for,” Oluwapelumi says.

“You’re just looking for a space to do what you’re working on, but you also meet all these awesome people along the way.”

While the mother-daughter duo started the business with money out of pocket, they’ve been able to generate some customer revenue to fund material and labor costs. Oluwapelumi says she’s currently working on pieces for some Marquette students.

Practicality is an element that sets OLUOMO apart from similar fashion lines, Oluwapelumi says. This includes pockets, longevity of material, versatility and accessibility, such as transforming from casual to business looks.

“Before I started the brand, I did a lot of surveys to make sure what people actually wanted,” Oluwapelumi says. “I’m doing ethnic fashion, but I’m also taking it one step further.”

OLUOMO can be found on social media sites, and Oluwapelumi says she is in the process of creating an Etsy store.

Her 8-year-old brother Leke Oguntade takes many of the photos for the fashion line’s social media accounts.

“I’m happy, and I’m looking forward to be like her, too,” Leke says.

Oluwapelumi says her brother is her biggest cheerleader.

“Sometimes, I might be too busy with things, and he just says the name of our company and I smile, and I’m just like, ‘Yeah, we got this,’” Oluwapelumi says.

She loves trying on the clothes she envisions and her mom creates — it allows her to have fun, dance and be lively, she says.

“I love that it’s really breaking me out of my shell because I used to be more of a reserved person,” Oluwapelumi says. “But it’s really making me more outgoing and start a conversation with people.”

Photos by Sydney Czyzon & Elena Fiegen

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Goals, genetics and growth

L dan avington

Photo by Jordan Johnson

ook to the sideline at Valley Fields and you’ll notice a youthful assistant hollering at the defense. Then take a glance at No. 55 in the blue and gold on the field, and you’ll likely figure out the reason for the screaming.

The coach is Jake Richard, a 2016 Marquette lacrosse graduate and now the Marquette assistant coach in charge of defense. His younger brother Noah is the one donning a No. 55 MU uniform on the pitch.

The Richard brothers are just one example of siblings to wear blue and gold together since the program’s inception in 2010. Head coach Joe Amplo credits the culture of the team to the program’s sibling legacy. “(Our program) really opened the door to this great opportunity for these kids to come to Marquette,” Amplo says. “Marquette wraps their arms around them and takes care of them and challenges them to their core so they can grow and turn into great human beings and go tackle the world.”

The elder Richard says the sibling pairs reflect the atmosphere the program has built.

“The fact that players want their siblings to go there, I don’t think that happens everywhere,” Jake says. “It’s a testament to the culture that the coaches and faculty around the program have built.”

Upon graduation, Jake became a coach to continue his impact on the program. Amplo says his maturation showed instantly.

“He grew up in a matter of minutes. He can run the program,” Amplo says. “If I get hit by a bus and Coach (Stephen) Brundage got hit by a bus, (Jake) could run the program and this place would not skip a beat.”

Amplo says he views Jake as one of the most dominant players at his position in team history.

“He’s one of the best short-stick (defensive midfielders) of college lacrosse in the past five years,” Amplo says. “You watched him on the field and you knew that he was good.”

One of Jake’s best assets was his athleticism, using his speed and pure strength to smack the ball out of opposition’s crosses and making plays in transition.

Richard is a former United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Third Team All-American, named to the list his senior year as a short-stick defensive midfielder.

“That’s the toughest position in our sport,” Amplo says. “To be a Third Team All-American as a short stick d-middie, that’s really, really hard to do.”

Jake uses his playing experience to guide him as a member of the Marquette coaching staff.

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“I draw on my experience as a player all the time,” Jake says. “It allows me to be a lot more empathetic with the guys, understanding what they’re going through.”

His brother Noah might have an even better legacy. He is a senior long-stick midfielder and captain for the 2019 Marquette men’s lacrosse team. He is a reigning unanimous BIG EAST First Team member and a 2019 Major League Lacrosse draft selection.

“He’s big, he’s strong, he’s developed his body into a physical presence,” Amplo says. “He’s learned how to use his athleticism to be a valuable lacrosse player on our team.”

Anytime he’s on the field, the 6-foot-3 player is recognizable, checking the ball out of opponents’ sticks and using his larger frame to body smaller opponents.

Jake says his younger brother has come a long way since his freshman year.

“When he first got here, I don’t think anyone would expect that he would be in the talks of being an All-American,” Jake says. “But now as a senior, the sky’s the limit for him. Those goals are a testament to his work ethic.”

Off the field, the brothers say the Marquette lacrosse program has brought the two even closer than they had been before. Noah describes Jake as his best friend.

Walking around the lacrosse facility, the closeness of the brothers is evident. Jake pokes fun at Noah, and Noah fires right back.

Noah says there’s a slight difference between the player-coach relationship and brother relationship.

“When we’re outside the field and joking around, there’s less pressure,” Noah says. “When we’re on the field, just trying to uphold the standard and help lead the guys, he looks to me for that.”

Jake says he’s always working to bestow lessons on his brother. He says his biggest advice to Noah is to always work hard.

“The biggest lesson is nothing is given, it’s all earned,” Jake says.

“I just keep reminding him to keep his head down, continue working, continue to improve yourself, improve your teammates (and) focus on the defense.”

But Jake says Noah teaches him more than he would’ve thought.

“I’ve learned way more from coaching Noah than I could have ever taught him,” Jake says.

While their on-field actions are vital to the team’s success, Amplo says they are models for every Marquette lacrosse player to come. “(Jake and Noah) are the gold standard,” Amplo says. “Every human being that comes here will be judged off of Noah and Jake Richard. That’s exactly how we want our people to behave and act.”

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THE ONE HIT WONDER WOMEN matthew yeazel

In high school and college athletics, it’s much more common to see women and girls playing softball instead of baseball.

However, there was once a competitive league in the Midwest called the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, and the historical impacts of that league remain strong today.

The city of Milwaukee had its own team, deemed the Milwaukee Chicks, a fitting name in an all-female league with other teams like the Daisies, Lassies, Peaches and Sallies.

The Milwaukee Chicks competed in the 1944 season of the league, and only that one season.

However, that one season resulted in a league championship.

The AAGPBL seasons had first and second halves, each about 60 games for each team. The Chicks were just 31-27 in the first half, leaving them in third place out of seven teams in the league. The Kenosha Comets won the first half of the season but could not win the second half, prompting a playoff series between the Comets and the Chicks.

The Chicks finished the second half with a 40-19 record before taking on the Comets. The victory in the playoff marks the end of the Milwaukee Chicks, who relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the remainder of the AAGPBL’s existence.

The lack of attention from the Milwaukee community is one

Photo via

Photo via aagpbl.org

of the reasons for the Chicks’ departure despite a famous coach. Max Carey, the head coach, was a hall of fame-level baseball player for 19 years in the big leagues from 1910-’29.

Some people in Milwaukee were not willing to pay the higher ticket prices to get into the Chicks’ games and opted to attend the American Association’s minor league Brewers games instead. The Brewers played in the same stadium as the Chicks.

Those willing to pay the admission price had the pleasure of seeing pitcher Connie Wisniewski, whose season with the Chicks included 23 wins and five complete games in the seven-game playoff series. That includes a 13-inning performance in the sixth game and a shutout in the seventh game.

Her numbers also speak to how talented she was as a pitcher, as that 1944 championship season isn’t even her best year.

She pitched 40 complete games and was never once removed from a game the whole year. She had a 0.96 earnedrun average and was one of the AAGPBL all-star pitchers.

Looking back now, Milwaukee and the now-Major League Brewers are acknowledging the Chicks’ accomplishments. In Miller Park, there is a display that honors the Chicks and their championship season, and in the 2019 season, the Brewers are having a theme night celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Chicks. During the Pittsburgh game June 29, the Brewers will be giving away hats with the Chicks’ black and yellow M logo, as well as donating proceeds of ticket sales to the AAGBPL Players Association.

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stop to smell the tulips

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Matthew Harte

t. Joan of Arc Chapel is a classic photo op for the Marquette community and tourists alike. However, the charming appearance of this spot is not be possible without the work of service manager Jim Blonien and his team of 13 full-time groundskeepers, who plant and maintain every flower in the area.

The garden is a mainstay of the university, something that’s been consistent throughout Blonien’s 41 years at Marquette. In his experience, the garden’s most talked-about aspect is the tulips, which usually bloom in early May. “When my kids (attended Marquette), most of the comments they got were, ‘When is your dad planting the tulips?’ and ‘How long are the tulips gonna stay?’” Blonien says. “Then when the tulips came up, there would be a lot of online posts with people saying, ‘We’re so happy.’ That gives us a lot of pride.”

The process of preparing the garden begins in fall, when the tulip bulbs are planted. Next, they are covered with dirt until spring, to protect them from the winter temperatures. The crew aims to ensure the tulips are in full bloom for graduation, but the varying extremes of spring weather have an effect on how quickly the flowers come in.

Once the tulips peak, the crew begins planting the annual flowers.

These annuals, such as petunias and begonias, are vital because the tulips’ peak bloom only lasts a few weeks.

“We plant the tulips first so we have some color first,” Blonien says.

“Once the tulips are fading, we start planting the annuals to make sure there’s still color.”

The appearance and layout of the garden change every year. This has a lot to do with flower availability, and also the interest of keeping things fresh, groundskeeper Christopher Stiyer says. One recent addition to the garden is large flower pots in place of traditional surface

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flower beds, which are easier to maintain.

The space requires additional care compared to other gardens and flower beds on the grounds. It receives daily attention throughout the summer, which involves watering, pruning, trimming bushes and cleaning the centerpiece fountain.

Aside from squirrels, rabbits and poor weather conditions, one of the major threats to the garden is students. Upon arriving to work Monday mornings, the crew often finds flowers that are pulled out or stepped on. “(Students) are wrecking the aesthetics,” Blonien says. “It just takes (the team) longer to put them back.”

One of the most unconventional aspects of the garden is a plaque commemorating a time capsule, buried in 1965. Blonien says he believes the capsule includes a Marquette Tribune and some personal effects of Rev. John Naus, a Marquette resident Jesuit and philosophy professor who worked at the university for nearly 50 years. The full contents will be unearthed when the time capsule is reopened in 2025.

In addition to providing a great photo spot, the garden is a tool for promoting the university, Chris Bartolone, the assistant director for facilities services, says.

“The appearance of the campus — the cleanliness — is huge for (prospective students) and their parents,” Bartolone says.

Bartolone recommends Marquette community members stop by to appreciate the work of Blonien and his team. “A lot of times, people walk right by and take it for granted,” Bartolone says. “They should stop and smell the roses.”

Or, in the case of this garden’s most popular feature, the tulips.

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Photo by Ricky Labrada

A PLIGHT OF POLLINATORS ALEXANDRA GARNER

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he Marquette University Pollinators are creating a buzz on campus.

Emma Schmierer, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences and president-elect of the MU Pollinators, says the club is working on building its organization by gaining members and engaging Marquette students.

“Right now, we’re really trying to get our foundations and try to focus in on what we’re trying to accomplish here,” Schmierer says, adding that most of the events the organization does on campus help out its parent organization, BeeVangelists, run out of Redeemer Lutheran Church on 19th St. and Wisconsin Ave. The Pollinators club hosts events for students like honey tastings and candle and lip balm making at Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Schmierer says the organization helps Charlie Koenen, executive director of BeeVangelists and MU Pollinators Club adviser, care for the bees. There are four beehives on Redeemer Lutheran Church’s rooftop.

Koenen says the BeeVangelists also have partnerships with nursing homes, churches, backyards, golf courses and country clubs in the Milwaukee area who host beehives, such as the Westmoor Country Club and Sisters of St. Francis.

“Even though we have the hives on campus, they go out all throughout the city and they help everyone,” Schmierer says, adding that the bees are making our planet healthy. “We’re helping other people become aware of their issues and (we’re) trying to promote (them) to … become beekeepers.”

Schmierer says in the last decade, bee populations declined due to many factors, such as viruses entering the hives during the winter and changing weather patterns.

Koenen says the decline in bee populations means less biodiversity and less food abundance, leading to fewer humans and animals living on the planet.

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According to Beeinformed.org, there is nearly a 45 percent loss of managed bee colonies in the 2015-’16 data. The acceptable percentage loss of bee colonies is about 15 percent for the study.

“The issue with the bees is the issue with us,” Koenen says.

“The big deal is that most people are aware that the pollinator population is in decline, … and has been in a steep decline for a long time.”

Koenen says arguably the largest cause of pollinator death is large-scale monoculture agriculture in the United States. He says in addition to the pesticide and fertilizers used on crops, bees are essentially force-fed one source of nutrients.

“When we release them in the city, they can pick and choose a little bit more what they have,” Koenen says. “By hosting beehives in the city, we’re giving them the best chance of finding diverse and abundant bloom.”

Koenen thinks the primary goal of addressing the bee issue is having students take better action.

“It’s this information that we want to pass onto the students and pass onto the community so that they can make better decisions,” Koenen says. “Whether it’s understanding the food in the store and as it becomes scarce and expensive and why that’s happening (and) how (they) can go about it, (or) whether they make choices in the voter booth.”

Koenen says the MU Pollinators club is continuing to develop activities to engage students about the “plight of the pollinators.”

He hopes students will take an active role in hosting beehives and bringing in guest speakers to talk about what they’re doing to help the bees.

“The whole focus of Marquette is trying to do better for others (and) one of the simplest ways we can do that is with the bees,” Schmierer says.

Culture

COLORS AND CONNOTATIONS MOLLY GLOWACKI

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ome people associate yellow with happiness or perhaps the color reminds them of funny videos of babies trying a sour lemon. But the meaning behind yellow changes depending on who you’re asking and where you’re looking.

In the world of art, yellow is a primary and

warm color.

“Warm colors generally come forward in art,” Daniel Herro, head designer and preparator for the Haggerty Museum of Art, says. “It really pops out at you.”

Not only does yellow pop on a canvas, but Lynne Shumow, curator for academic engagement at the Haggerty, says, yellow is “a really sickly color. … It can be contrasted with (the) sunshine and happy.”

When mixed with black, yellow becomes an unattractive yellow-green color instead. Yellow does not always connect to joy.

Historically, ships raise solid yellow flags in order to communicate with other passing ships that an infection or disease is on board. In this case, yellow is alarming and serves as a warning.

“Color is one of the most important forms of non-verbal communication,” Linda Menck, professor of strategic communication, says. Menck teaches strategic communication classes that discuss the topic of color. “It’s very important in design and advertising to harness the power of emotion and color meaning.”

The meaning of colors changes based on many factors, including culture.

“In Egypt, yellow is (used) more to signify the dead, … (while) yellow in Japan stands for courage,” Menck says.

In contrast, in western countries, yellow is linked to cowardice with terms like “yellow-belly” and “yellow journalism,” journalism with little evidence. It can be used to describe something as

“yellowing” with age, like wallpaper or paint.

Yellow can also trigger the senses of smell and taste. Citrus and sourness are commonly associated with the color.

“When you see a color, you look at it, … but it also plays with your other senses,” Menck says. “When you think of the color yellow, you immediately get sensations of smell and taste.”

Yellow can indicate caution as well. A yellow traffic light notifies drivers to slow their vehicles, and a yellow card in soccer serves as a caution to a player who has committed a foul.

When walking down the street, yellow is common because street signs, traffic lights, taxi cabs and school buses are all yellow. The color choice serves a specific purpose: to capture people’s attention.

“The combination of yellow and black is one of the highest-contrast pairs, which is why you see signs on the street … that are yellow and black,” Menck says.

Psychologically, studying in a room with yellow walls can be beneficial because it often has a stimulating effect on the mind, improves concentration and makes you feel energetic. However, yellow can also be overpowering and annoying if there is too much of it.

Even though there are many facts about yellow, Menck says, “We all have a personal relationship with color.”

For Alyssa Barrera, freshman in the College of Communication, yellow is a favorite color.

“I like the color because of how bright it is, and it is one of those colors that catches your eye,” Barrera says. “I really hate cloudy days, so I try to incorporate it into a lot of the clothing I wear and on objects I use every day, like my laptop, so I can see it if a day seems particularly gloomy. It reminds me of summer, the sun and sunflowers, which are some of my favorite things.”

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THE MAKINGS OF A MARQUETTE MURAL ANNIE MATTEA

Photo by Ricky Labrada

W

hen former director of the Haggerty Museum of Art Curtis Carter brought Keith Haring to Marquette to create a mural, he has no idea Haring will become such a big name in art.

Haring’s “Construction Fence” is a nearly 100 feet long painted fence that surrounded the Haggerty’s construction site in 1983, the year before the museum opened. The fence is double sided and consists of numerous outlines of figures, such as dogs and babies. Everything is filled in with a bright yellow-orange color. “Marquette” is painted in one corner. Part of the mural is on display right now, while the rest is in the Haggerty’s permanent collection in storage.

Haring was a famous artist in the 1980s, according to the Keith Haring Foundation. He is featured in over 100 solo and group exhibitions.

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He was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988. In 1989, he established the Keith Haring Foundation with the purpose of funding and providing works of art to AIDS organizations and children’s programs, as well as expanding the audience for Haring’s work.

Haring died of AIDS-related complications at the age of 31 Feb. 16, 1990.

Haring continues to attract a wide audience through his direct, accessible and social messages.

In the early 1980s, however, Haring is still relatively unknown.

Carter meets Haring and sees his work in New York.

“I thought that could be interesting,” Carter says.

Carter is looking for ways to promote the new museum and asks Haring to come paint the temporary construction fence surrounding it while it is being built. Haring’s interested and says yes.

Haring comes to Milwaukee, and only stays for a few days.

Culture

Students and other people from the community came to watch him paint, Carter says. Haring eventually appears on local news.

The president of Marquette University at the time, John P. Raynor, comes and blesses the mural. It stays up through the following summer. The Haggerty takes it down shortly after construction is complete. When the museum opens, Carter says he put parts of it on display.

“People began to like (the mural) more and more, and he became more and more famous,” Carter says.

Haring gifts the mural and another work to the museum for free, which is now featured on the Haggerty Museum of Art’s t-shirts.

“I’m very happy the piece turned out to be … a signature piece of the museum,” Carter says.

Haring’s work continues to inspire students at Marquette.

Carly Ogletree, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and

member of MU Art Club, says she has a Haring-inspired bedroom as a kid.

She says he is one of her favorite artists of the 20th century and his art is obviously iconic, but his activism and philanthropic efforts are the most powerful part of his legacy.

“Having Haring’s work in the museum adds to the academic life of the university,” Ogletree says. “I believe that Haring’s life also aligns deeply with Marquette’s Jesuit mission — he was truly a ‘man for others.’”

Ogletree also says Haring’s status as an LGBTQ activist shows the university supports those from minority or marginalized groups.

Haring’s work and legacy lives on in the Keith Haring Foundation, which continually works to assist children and organizations involved in education, research and care related to AIDS. SUMMER 2019

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DEAR SALLY...

AMINAH BEG, REILLY HARRINGTON, MATTHEW HARTE, MAYA KORENICH, SARAH LIPO & JACKSON MOZENA

You asked, and our opinions staff answered. Although, you may want to take these answers with a grain of salt.

When should my boyfriend meet my parents? How soon is too fast?

MH: Ideally, your boyfriend will never meet your parents.

He might like your mom better than he likes you.

RH: Definitely wait at least three dates.

MK: In a perfect world, your parents should be the one organizing all your dates.

Should I consider being a RA to get free room & board?

RH: Your goals are too small. Become the president. Build your dream house right on campus. Run the school into the ground. Flee the country. Finish your degree. Start your own small business.

JM: Do your interests include babysitting a herd of hungover, overly-anxious and vape-addicted toddlers? If yes, go for it.

SL: If Corms was still used as a residence hall, my vote would be yes. Who doesn’t love 5 foot rooms?

AB: No, consider being an RA for the late night knocks on your door for another crying session from the resident that misses home for the third time this week.

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Culture

My roommate keeps bringing his significant other over without telling me, what should I do?

MH: Raynor Library is open 24 hours during the school year. Sleep there to give your roommate space.

MK: Change the locks.

AB: Never leave the room. Stay there and be the parental guidance they need for a college relationship.

I think the guy I’ve been dating has ghosted me, what should I do?

RH: Is ghosting someone the same thing that Patrick Swayze did during the pottery scene in “Ghost?”

Because that rules.

JM: Call an exorcist. Duh. SL: Secretly egg his dorm room in the dead of night.

AB: He’s probably not getting your messages. I would keep texting and try again. A couple times every hour would

certainly do the trick. Knock on his door, ask in person.

I’m an incoming freshman, what are some things I should do to make friends in my classes?

RH: People love it when you call them mean names and are sarcastic all the time, give it a shot.

SL: Wear monochromatic outfits down to the shoes. That way, you’ll always have a go-to conversation starter.

MK: Ask your teacher if you can present a PowerPoint on the first day with some fun facts about yourself.

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yellow like lemonade Daniel Macias

Photo via Flickr 52

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O

n a hot, humid day in Kansas, goalkeeper Alec Wons watches his dehydrated teammate being dunked into an ice bath. With the teammate’s clothes still on, his relief is like a dog jumping in a pool on a hot day.

“I’ve taken plenty of ice baths before and they’re definitely not fun for the first couple of minutes but yeah, he was kind of just chilling in there,” Wons remembers.

“It looked like he was looking kind of relieved to be in there, cooling down.”

It’s a constant battle for athletes to remain hydrated. The determining factor is whether an athlete’s urine is clear or as yellow as lemonade. The amount of liquids athletes should take in varies, per men’s soccer athletic trainer Lisa VanHoose.

“It’s going to be different, individual to individual and you can probably read things where people say eight cups of water a day but that’s not going to be enough for someone who’s working out two, three hours a day and losing a lot of fluids,” VanHoose says.

Men’s soccer, as well as other sports teams at Marquette, have the ability to know exactly how much fluids they lose during a practice. VanHoose says before and after practice the players do hydration checks.

“This isn’t all the time; it’s usually sporadic,” VanHoose says.

“So they’ll weigh in before practice. Afterward we’ll weight them out. Then with however much they lose, they multiply that by what they should be consuming to replace that.”

VanHoose says she tells the players how much fluid to drink in a certain amount of time after practice so they will be prepared for the next day.

For Wons, that means drinking 16 ounces, equivalent to the size of a water bottle, for every pound loss in training.

Cross country head coach Mike Nelson addresses preparation for the next day, specifically referring to a byproduct of dehydration: cramping.

“I think sometimes that cramping, though, is more than just (a result of) the game,” Nelson shares. “It’s (due to) the chronic dehydration that might have come along days before.”

Nelson states if an athlete is only hydrating well the day of the game, that person is missing the boat.

“Maybe he or she wasn’t hydrating well … ever, or the week before,” Nelson says with a laugh.

Nelson says a lot of NBA players take nutrition between the second and third quarter seriously. Whether it’s fruit or a protein bar, along with a sports drink or water, players consume various solids and liquids so they can not only finish out the final half of the game, but also be prepared to compete the next day.

“It’s kind of having that mentality of (hydrating is) not just a onetime thing, it’s more of a behavioral habit that (a player should) do a good job of every time,” Nelson says.

Just check someone’s urine.

“When people outside (of men’s soccer) ask this I’m like, ‘Oh they got to think I’m crazy’ (thinking urine should be) like a lemonade color,” VanHoose says. “It should be a little yellow, it doesn’t have to be clear and it shouldn’t be dark.”

Culture

TEXTS, TOAST AND GOOD TALKS SaraH Lipo

I

t’s 8:30 p.m., and a group of students huddle around two computers in the McCabe Hall conference room, and frantically discuss questions about God and faith as more questions trickle in.

For the fifth year in a row, InterVarsity, an interdenominational, Christian Campus Ministry group, puts on Text a Toastie, when students across campus can phone in to a Google number, and ask a question about religion or faith. In return, they are brought a cheese or Nutella sandwich, grilled to perfection, along with the response. Chris Ni, a junior in the College of Engineering, says this InterVarsity tradition is one of the reasons he became involved in the group.

He says he phoned in and asked, “How do you experience God on a different level than where we are right now?”

When he was brought the “toastie,” InterVarsity members asked if he wanted to join the team. “Not gonna lie, I knew Photo via Flickr the answer, … and I wanted the sandwich,” he jokes. Today, he is on the leadership team for the Asian American Chapter of InterVarsity.

Josh Green, the InterVarsity campus minister, is a Marquette alumnus. In 2015, it was time for him to come back to Marquette. “Text a Toastie is one of the more creative ways people can know (Intervarsity) can exist,” he says.

Usually receiving around 80 calls with questions within a couple of hours, Text a Toastie is a full-blown production.

Stocking up on bread, cheese and Nutella days before, InterVarsity Marquette alumni grill sandwiches in apartment kitchens, while current members answer questions and send runners around campus to meet hungry students dispersed around campus.

Sometimes, questions come up that can be answered by a simple Google search. But often students ask questions like, “Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons?” and the discussions get more lively.

The questions vary each year; Green says this year, people ask questions like: Is God real? And why do bad things happen to good people? When these questions arise, InterVarsity members discuss, and whoever has the most to say can deliver the sandwich and have a conversation with the asker.

Ni says college is a time when faith can be strengthened or doubted, since it is a time of autonomy. “I think that the goal is to let people know that we are a place on campus that we can talk about God.” He says he values InterVarsity because it is a place where learning can take place with students across campus.

Ni says he hopes Text A Toastie can take place twice a year, since he feels it reaches such a broad group of people on campus.

“The stress that is college can really push people away or draw people toward faith,” Ni says.

Photo via Flickr SUMMER SPRING 2019 SPRING 2019

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sushi SERVING UP SPICE LARSON SEAVER

Photos by Ricky Labrada

C

ooking can be a great way to impress a date or even your friends on a night in. It’s easy to fall in love with the pastime. Once you make that first successful dish, you may just be hooked. As someone who loves to cook, there is no dish I will not attempt to make, no matter how diificult

it may seem.

“It’s something that is incredibly technical and incredibly precise, but also incredibly beautiful at the same time,” Screaming Tuna chef Noah Rasmussen says.

Making sushi is an art form that can take up to a year to perfect, which is exactly how long Rasmussen has been making it.

“There’s just a lot of tradition behind it, and plus, it’s a constant pursuit to perfect yourself and perfect your craft,” Rasmussen says.

“You’re never going to get there. You can always be better, you can always make better fish cuts, you can always make better sushi, you can always make more complicated things.”

Rasmussen starts working as a chef in gastropubs, higher-end restaurants that serve burgers, beer and other comfort food, until he switches to making sushi at Screaming Tuna in February 2018. Comfort food gets mundane after awhile, but making sushi never gets boring. Even though he works to perfect the craft every day, he is still trying more complicated rolls.

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Rasmussen demonstrates how to make a roll that is not even on the Screaming Tuna menu: the spicy tuna, cucumber and avocado roll topped with sliced Kampachi, a sashimi-grade yellowtail fish.

To make this complicated roll, start by taking a golf ball amount of rice and spreading it out onto a rolling mat covered in plastic wrap.

As a professional tip, dip your hands in a bowl of tempura flakes, which prevents your hands from sticking to the rice.

Second, lay a sheet of nori — which is Japanese for sea vegetable — or seaweed, over the rice and then flip everything to the other side and peel off the rolling mat so that you can sprinkle sesame seeds on the rice.

Next, set the mat off to the side and begin to slice your avocados. After you peel the avocado, use a knife to cut two slices about the size of your finger and lay them end to end on the nori. Cut the cucumber into thin slices like stirring straws for your coffee. Then take a small handful of cucumber and lay it along the avocado.

Next, spread out a small amount of the spicy tuna mix. Rasmussen explains that this is made by “running yellowfin tuna through a meat mincer and adding rayu (or chili oil), sriracha, roasted garlic and green onion.”

Finally, roll the sushi carefully making sure to surround everything inside with the nori and not pushing everything out the ends like a tube of toothpaste.

Once you have your sushi roll, slice it and serve as is or even dress your sushi up a little bit, such as making thin slices of yellowtail fish and laying them over the roll.

Even if you cannot make that perfect roll, do not give up, because the reward will be gratifying in the end. Rasmussen says that he can make this roll in three minutes.

My first attemps took me 10 minutes from start to finish as I followed along the instructions, but I’ll see where I’m at in a year.

Culture

SUMMER 2019

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A COMPLETE (AND CRUCIAL) CHEESE CURD GUIDE MARGARET CAHILL

Photos by Claire Gallagher

Cheese curds are to Wisconsin what peaches are to Georgia, what oranges are to Florida or what potatoes are to Idaho. And as an integral part of Wisconsin culture, there are many different types of cheese curds.

I tried some of the most popular cheese curds in Milwaukee and carefully evaluated each type and rated them on a 10-point scale. This information is crucial for any Marquette student looking for some quality Wisconsin cheese.

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Culture The Dogg Haus Almost every Marquette student is familiar with the bright yellow awning on the corner of 16th and Wells streets. The widely recognizable beacon of fast food is well-known for its cheese curds. But despite the convenience and cheap cost, Dogg Haus cheese curds rank low on this list. For only $5, a large cheese curd order gives you a lot to eat, but after a few bites of the cakey cheese, you’ll probably have your fix. The cheese lacks flavor and tastes extremely salty and greasy. But they are satisfying and ideal for an occasional guilty pleasure snack.

West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe Located conveniently in the middle of the Milwaukee Public Market, the West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe allows customers to choose from a wide array of cheeses. Classic curds are $5, and you get a whole plate of cheese, making it a sound purchase. They taste more like mozzarella sticks than cheese curds, but the flavor isn’t bad.

The breading is somewhat grainy, the cheese is chewier and be sure to watch out for a lot of grease. But overall, West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe gives you good food for your money.

Sobelman’s Right on Marquette’s campus, Sobelman’s is a frequent choice for Marquette students looking for a quick, hot meal. Sobelman’s cheese curds have much thicker breading than AJ’s, giving them a crispier taste. These curds feel much heavier overall and taste greasier than many of the others on this list, but the cheese is stringy and pulls apart easier. For $6.75, Sobelman’s gives you many small curds that are sure to feel filling.

AJ Bombers These chewy cheese curds have a full, juicy taste, but they lack the breading typical of most deep-fried cheese curds. They have a tougher texture and they’ll fill you up fast. This snack is a bit dry for cheese curds, and the flavor is a bit salty. But regardless, these curds still maintain a deep, cheesy taste. They’re average-sized as cheese curds go and for $6.50, you can get a lot for your money.

Milwaukee Ale House Milwaukee Ale House had far and away the best cheese curds of the bunch. The curds have thinner breading, allowing for some crispiness while still maintaining the true taste and texture of the cheese.

They have the perfect amount of melt and don’t feel too tough or too stringy. The flavor is delicious but not overwhelming, leaving you wanting even more. Milwaukee Ale House also offers delicious chipotle aioli sauce that beautifully complements the cheese. At $10, twice as much as other restaurants, these cheese curds are expensive goodies. But if you’re in the mood to treat yourself, Milwaukee Ale House is the place to go.

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The Bro-Yo Breakdown Emma Tomsich

Photos by Kaitlyn Bross

Though most students dread the freshman 15, a good, old, greasy, American-style meal is needed every now and then. BroYo Campustown, located on W. Wells Street, is an iconic breakfast dive at Marquette known for its huge portions and affordable prices. If you’re looking for a cute brunch restaurant with healthy options, continue downtown, but if you’re interested in trying a staple on campus, read on to learn about their specialties.

Biscuits and gravy (half order)

Egg, cheese and meat sandwich

Price: $3.95

Price: $4.95

After sampling one bite of BroYo’s buttery biscuits, anyone’s taste buds would believe they were at home enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with family. For many students, BroYo is a home away from home, and the appeal of home-cooked, American food is what makes many Marquette students enjoy eating at BroYo. Students can enjoy large portions, hearty meals and practically hear their grandmas urging them to clear their plates even though their stomachs are filled to the brim. BroYo’s biscuits are one of its most popular items. They can be ordered as a half or full order, and they are very affordable for college spenders. The biscuits are fluffy, moist and drenched in smooth gravy without being soggy. The gravy is thick and the sausage bits inside are not sparse. Though I ordered a half order, it was still a large portion — big enough to feed me and another person. The biscuits and gravy are not gourmet, but they are home-cooked and perfect for someone craving a satisfying and filling meal.

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For a quick, on-the-go breakfast item, the egg, cheese and meat sandwich is the perfect way to start a busy day. At an affordable price, the sandwich is packed with hearty ingredients and melted together with cheese, so nothing will fall out on a speedy dash to class.

Though it is a basic, no-frills item, the sandwich allows for personal customization and a wide variety of toppings. Customers can choose to have bacon, sausage, ham, steak, turkey, chicken, Canadian bacon or corned beef hash as their meat. Customers can also choose to have their sandwich on their choice of toast, English muffin, bagel or pay an extra dollar to have it on a croissant, sub roll or wrap. I ordered a bagel sandwich with egg, bacon and provolone cheese. There is light butter on the doughy bagel which adds to the flavors created by the crisp bacon and scrambled eggs. Pieces of bacon peeking out of the side of the sandwich are thick and heavy, so I knew that it would be filling. Overall the egg, cheese and meat sandwich is a great item to choose if you are looking for a simple snack to start the day.

Culture

Sausage and cheese omelette

Bro-Yo skillet

Price: $9.95

Price: $7.95

With a menu of multiple omelettes, I decided to play it safe and order a sausage and cheese omelette. Immediately, I regretted it.

It’s not that it isn’t a good omelette; the eggs are light and fluffy and it’s packed with sausage bits, but it feels like it is lacking. I wish that I would have added vegetables to the omelette for more substance, or chosen one of BroYo’s specialty omelettes off the menu. I am certain BroYo has some five star omelettes on its specialty menu for only a dollar more than its basic omelettes. Nonetheless, the omelette is served with toast and hash browns, which are both very impressive.

The hash browns are peppery and thick, while the toast is fluffy, coated in butter and served with an assortment of Smuckers jams. Without jelly the toast is really good, but with jelly it is even better. Overall, I would suggest to branch out and try a specialty omelette at BroYo.

A popular choice and a featured $7.95 combo item, the BroYo skillet is unlike anything else on the menu. Resembling a less fancy frittata or quiche, the skillet is a mix of scrambled eggs, hash browns and a choice of meat layered in cheese. I ordered it with provolone cheese and bacon. It came out of the oven hot, appearing as if the cheese was melted on it only seconds before. Separately, the hash browns are rich and tasty, the bacon is strong and has a good consistency and the eggs are chewy. But together, the flavors are even more developed. Because the eggs, cheese, hash browns, meat and cheese are layered, you can taste each ingredient in one bite. The BroYo skillet is the perfect item for someone looking to eat eggs, meat and hash browns without worrying about extra carbs from toast or pancakes.

The Hungry Yolk Breakfast Buffet

The hash browns are thick and not skimpy, but they do get cold easily, so I would eat them first before filling up on other items. The eggs are bright yellow and very fluffy. Though my stomach instantly filled, I wish that the Hungry Yolk Breakfast Buffet was served with a side of fruit. After eating this meal, I craved an apple or clementine to cleanse my stomach of the greasiness.

Price: $10.95 If you are looking for a way to feed a small family or just satisfy a very rumbling tummy, the Hungry Yolk Breakfast Buffet offers nearly every item on the menu at one reasonable price. It’s so much food that they need to serve it on two plates! This BroYo specialty offers three eggs, hash browns, a choice of meat, a choice of a bagel with cream cheese or toast, and a choice of two pancakes or two pieces of French toast. I ordered scrambled eggs with hash browns, bacon, toast and French toast. I was an ambitious eater when I ordered this, but — spoiler alert — I did not finish my plate. Because of the large servings, be prepared to take home some leftovers!

One of my favorite items on BroYo’s menu is the thick, flavorful French toast, which has the perfect butter to cinnamon sugar ratio.

They also have just enough syrup on them without being soggy. Side note, if you order the French toast or pancakes off the menu, you can add a variety of toppings, including M&Ms, peanut butter and jelly, and hot apples. The sweet French toast is a carefully crafted complement to the salty bacon, hash browns and eggs. The bacon achieves the perfect crispy texture without being too chewy or too burnt.

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Photo courtesy of Zoe Comerford

home is where the heart is

ZOE COMERFORD

A

classmate once asked me, “Who are you always on the phone with?” My response is simple: my parents. There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t talk to them at least twice.

Whether it’s when I’m walking to class, after I receive exciting news or just when I’m in my room studying, I talk to them every day.

Though a lot of people don’t understand why I call my parents so much in my free time, I know exactly why. Family is everything to me.

And family isn’t always biological. In my case, it’s the people who have spent their lives giving me the world and making me their everything.

If you see my parents and me walking down the street, you’ll realize it right away: We look nothing alike. I have black hair, brown eyes and I’m super short. My mom has red hair, green eyes and is average height. Meanwhile, my dad has gray hair, blue eyes and is 6-foot-3.

The reason? For the first 10 months of my life, I lived in China.

I was born in a small town called Le Ping, which is in Jiangxi Province, China. I was left in a farmer’s field when I was a baby until someone found me and brought me to an orphanage.

About a day later, my foster family picked me up. For the next 10 months, I stayed with them in Le Ping.

A continent away in Naperville, Illinois, Bob and Julie

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Comerford filled out paperwork for adoption. In February 2000, they got the call: They are going to travel to China in April with eight other families who are also adopting.

Two months later, the nine families got on a plane to Beijing.

On April 16, 2001, I met my parents for the first time.

I didn’t know it then, but that day will always be the best day of my life. Each year on April 16, we celebrate the day we became a family. Most adopted families we know call it “Gotcha Day,” but we call it “Family Day.” My parents bought 18 different presents in China before they met me. They give me one every year, and have for past 18. Some of the presents include jade necklaces, calligraphy sets and pearl bracelets.

When we put down our 13-year-old Boston Terrier last year on Family Day, I didn’t necessarily want to remember that she died April 16, but I quickly realized why we did it. She is part of our family and deserves to be remembered on a day when we come together to celebrate when we became a family.

My grandparents and my mom’s aunt Isabel greeted us when I got to the United States. She went by Izzo, and that’s how my parents chose my legal name, Isabel. My parents took the “Zo” from Izzo and added an e and that’s how I received my nickname, Zoe. Though I have thought about eventually meeting my birth parents, I have learned that my parents aren’t necessarily the people I inherited genes from. They are the people who raised me.

Perspective

The summer before I started middle school, my parents and I took a trip back to China. We visited major landmarks such as the Great Wall and Tiananmen Square. I pet pandas as big as me in Chengdu. We traveled all around the country, from Beijing to Chengdu to Hong Kong. Most importantly, I met my foster parents.

I still remember feeling nervous on the way to Le Ping. My parents and I brought the fad rubber bracelets, Sillybandz, to give out to children in the town. We then went to my foster family’s house, where I met my foster mother, father, sister, brother and nephew for the first time in almost two decades.

At first I was hesitant, but my foster family recognized me instantly and it was surreal. Even though there is a language barrier, I told my foster family that I was doing great through our interpreter. They gave me a bookmark with my birth mother’s handwriting on it. It confirms what I always wondered: I was actually born June 2, 1999.

I’m not the only one to go through this. My best friend and next-door neighbor Emily, whom I have known since known I was 2 years old, and I were both adopted from China. She graduated from Marquette in December.

We have similar experiences growing up with always wondering who our birth parents are.

I’ve realized people who are a part of adopted families are often comfortable sharing their stories with others with adopted backgrounds. I noticed this last year when I wrote about the men’s tennis and golf coaches, who both adopted children.

Having a personal tie made it easier to ask questions about their experiences with adoption. The story is the first-place regional winner for best sports story from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Domestic adoption, like what the two coaches did, makes it sometimes easier to figure out family history. International adoption is usually the opposite. I never know what diseases or conditions I may be prone to because of my genetic history.

I can never fill out the family history part of forms at the doctor.

People ask me if I ever want to meet my birth parents. Even though it would be interesting to find out who they are, I don’t really want to.

My parents are the ones who have raised, cared and supported me over the past two decades.

They never missed a band or jazz band concert in middle school. They never missed a tennis match, band concert, jazz ensemble gig or awards ceremony in high school.

Now, my parents never miss a broadcast I’m on and always are the first ones to read my articles.

As an only child, my parents are my support system. It’s the reason I call them so much. We are like three peas in a pod.

Family are the people who you hold most dear to your heart.

Every time I go home to my big yellow house in Illinois, I am reminded that home is where the heart is.

SPRING 2019

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