MAY 24, 2016 - JUNE 7, 2016
Features
THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE
A&E
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A twist on your average potato chip
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Ideas to add to your summer list of to do’s
Bucket list ideas
K Street eats brings food trucks to downtown Anchorage By Victoria Petersen
vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org
PHOTO BY CASEY PETERSON
Katie Wright takes a customer’s order at Phat Kid food truck, where they serve a variety of foods including waffles and donuts.
Spearheaded by the creators of the Spenard Food Truck Carnival, K Street Eats is Anchorage’s newest food truck hub. Located at K Street and Eighth Avenue, the trucks are open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. The trucks that will be at the hub will vary from day to day, but the venue can host up to 15 trucks at any given time. The Facebook page is well maintained with a list of the food trucks that are available. “They are always letting people know when, where, if there are ever changes to the schedule,” Kierstyn Baird, a local foodie, said.
Food trucks have become more popular in the last frontier and in the last decade. With summertime being the main season for the food on wheels phenomena, there are new options and trucks constantly popping up. “I think food truck culture in Anchorage is growing massively. When I was younger, food trucks were solely for the state fair. Now, they are everywhere, and you can follow them on Facebook. It’s amazing that it’s happened in such a short amount of time,” Abby Slater, a journalism student at UAA, said. One of the benefits of the food truck rendezvous is the ability to offer a multitude of food in one place, attracting even the pickiest of eaters.
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UAA men's track and field team seizes Getting to know the Confucius Institute first ever outdoor GNAC championship
PHOTO BY CHRIS OERTELL
The men's track and field team hoists their first ever outdoor GNAC championship.
By Jordan Rodenberger
jrodenberger@thenorthernlight.org
The Seawolves men’s squad took home the outdoor Great Northwest Athletic Conference trophy on May 14, snapping Western Washington’s five-year reign. The two-day meet at Western Oregon University’s McArthur field concluded with UAA conquering four individual titles and outscoring second-place WWU 163.5-128 for their first outdoor GNAC title. Leading the No. 16 nationally ranked Seawolves was senior Cody Thomas. The All-American contributed the most points by anyone on the men’s side, 31, and was named Co-Most Outstanding Performer with Concordia’s Josh Koch. Thomas won the decathlon less than two weeks prior, finished second in the high
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jump and had a career-best leap in the long jump to place third at the GNAC championships. On the first day, the men’s distance crew dominated owned the 10,000-meter finals, having members in green and gold placing first, second, third and fourth in the event. Victor Samoei won his third consecutive title, placing first with a time of 31 minutes, 38.86 seconds, while Henry Cheseto, Edwin Kangogo and junior Michel Ramirez trailed behind him respectively. In the women’s 10K, senior Joyce Chelimo won her second title in this event, while teammate Caroline Kurgat placed second for a 1-2 UAA finish. The women’s team finished third at the meet. The Seawolves were also success-
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PHOTO BY CASEY PETERSON
Ruby Qiao, Annie Ping Zeng and Hongyang Hu are three of the people that run UAA’s Confucius Institute.
By Casey Peterson
cpeterson@thenorthernlight.org
On the ground floor of Rasmuson Hall you’ll notice a little office with chinese style red lanterns out in front. A plaque to the side of the door states that it is the office of the Confucius Institute of the University of Alaska Anchorage. What does this institution do? The Confucius Institute is meant to support Chinese language and culture of UAA campus, as well as throughout Alaska. The CI headquarters are in Beijing China, though all of its other branches are in cities throughout the world out-
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side of china. 300 individual Confucius Institutes exist around the world, with about one third of that total number being in the United States. Promoting language and culture comes in many different forms, one of which is through the inclusion of chinese classes offered as part of the UAA course catalog. The CI has brought in instructors from China to teach these classes to UAA students. Currently no major nor minor is offered in Chinese at UAA, however four classes are offered with the end result having students ready to pass the HSK. The HSK is the Chinese equivalent of the
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FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016
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College Cookbook: Sweet potato chips
By Victoria Petersen
vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org
With names ranging from yam, kumara, and camote, the sweet potato is a staple food and resource across the globe. Sweet potatoes, originally found in the Americas, made their way to Polynesia and eventually to the Philippines. The migration of sweet potatoes from South America to the South Pacific helps support the theory of pre-Colombian contact with Polynesians and South Americans. From the Philippines, the sweet potato
was introduced in China in 1594, Japan 1735 and then Korea in 1764. The sweet potato is more than just a food source. All parts of the plant are used to feed livestock. The Moche culture of ancient Peru used the sweet potato in their ceramics. At North Carolina State University researchers are growing sweet potato variants to be used and tested as biofuel. Most popular as a food source, sweet
potatoes are starchy and contain complex carbohydrates, fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin B, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Sweet potato chips are a popular snack item across the world, sold in the streets in Peru as a snack and with sour cream and spicy sweet chili sauce in New Zealand. Sweet potatoes vary in color from region to region.
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 teaspoon of salt 1 sweet potato
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. After rinsing and drying the sweet potato, take a sharp knife and cut thin slices off. The thinner the slices are, the crispier they will turn out. 3. In a bowl, toss the olive oil with the raw sweet potato slices to saturate the slices. 4. Once each slice has been oiled, place the slices close together on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt. 5. Bake for thirty minutes or until the edges have curled up and are crispy. Let cool and enjoy. PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM
June First Friday rundown By Victoria Petersen
vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org
Summers first First Friday is on June 3. Get out and enjoy the sunshine in downtown Anchorage as you walk through the streets exploring what art in Anchorage has to offer. The cornerstone of all First Friday happenings in downtown Anchorage starts at the Anchorage museum. The museum is presenting local author Brendan Jones, where he will present his new novel, “The Alaskan Laundry.” The novel is set in Southeast Alaska, where Jones once lived on a tugboat. The event is running at 7 p.m. and is free of charge. In addition, the museum is presenting a gallery talk on an international contemporary art exhibit known as the View From Up Here: The Arctic at the Center of the World. The exhibit is the arctic seen through the eyes of artists. The event is also at 7 p.m. and is free of charge. Saunter down to the Sunshine Plaza to Anchorage’s newest gallery, Heart of the City. Every First Friday from 6 - 8 p.m., local art, music and light refreshments are offered as well as a small bar on site.
First Friday is more than just galleries. First Friday gives Anchorage locals the opportunity to explore all kinds of art from music, dance, crafts and more. “I love that first Friday is a designated evening for boutiques, galleries and other venues to entertain the public. There’s a strong sense of local pride and community and it’s just an all around good time. I also love the added perk of being able to walk so easily from once place to another.” Annie Obrochta, sociology student at UAA, said. Brown Bag Sandwich company is showcasing artist Britt McLeod and her line of jewelry known as Errangs and Thangs. “I’ll be set up, working on new pieces throughout the evening. People should come out to First Friday to see all the wonderful local artists. I’m still learning, and it’s awesome to see all the different styles of art,” McLeod said. Getting downtown on First Friday is an excellent way to see art by local Anchorage residents. “It gives Anchorage character and encourages people to appreciate art and culture,” Savannah Wilmarth, a UAA a physical education and fitness leadership student, said.
Explore and discover First Friday in downtown Anchorage to find your next favorite local artist.
FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016
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K STREET: Local food trucks find new gathering place in downtown Anchorage
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“The event attracts groups of friends, because even picky eaters can find something there, which means you don’t have to go through the hassle of agreeing on one restaurant,” Slater said. “So, I go there with my friends, and I can get barbecue, but then I see the coffee stand, and I could really go for a coffee, and then I see a cupcake stand and start craving dessert. Plus all my friends are going around doing the same. It’s sort of an all around benefit to the consumers and the trucks.” The goal of K Street Eats is to provide options for the public and to bring diverse Anchorage food culture from the hands of talented and creative chefs to the hands of local eaters. “I love the idea of a food truck and more options in one area sounds amazing to me,” Matthew Palla, local foodie, said.
PHOTOS BY CASEY PETERSON
Customers line up outside of the Smokehouse BBQ food truck.
Customers order their food from two of the food trucks that congregate on the block of K Street and 8th.
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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016
FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016
INSTITUTE: Providing cultural support to UAA
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Toefl test that is administered to foreign students wishing to enter an American university. Just as the Toefl tests students proficiency of English, The HSK is the only standardized test designed to prove non native Chinese speakers proficiency. Passing the HSK may allow UAA students to receive a semester of even a full year scholarship to study in China. For UAA students the CI also sponsors a summer program that allows students from the university to go to Beijing. This is a program that is not exclusive to the students that have passed the HSK. Annie Ping Zeng, hailing from Xi’an China, home of the famous terracotta army, is the director of the CI. She describes the goal of CI as a way for “people to know about the chinese program.” She says they do this not only through the Chinese courses they offer, but by assisting many of the other departments on campus with a variety of activities that relate to China in one way or another. Sense Zeng has been a part of UAA CI program the Institute has sponsored two professors from china to perform guest lectures for the Business College of UAA. The CI has also sent two UAA professors, one from the Business department and the other from the Economics department, to China. The CI also sponsors many cultural significant activities on UAA campus, things such as Chinese films, guest lectures, banquets, and Chinese painting classes. Furthermore they offer Chinese language learning support beyond the CHIN 202 class, which is the highest class offered to UAA students. This continued instruction benefits from being highly individualized to each student that wishes to take the course. These are noncredit courses, but a great way for students that wish to continue their efforts to grow more proficient in Chinese.
The scope of all of what the CI does extends into the larger community. Beyond the university level learning the institute supports the same language and cultural learning for the local K-12 schools. They have many programs in high schools in the area to help support and enrich their Chinese language learning programs and they hold a yearly contest of the K-12 schools about Chinese culture. Mt. Edgecombe in Sitka has taken 1st place in the contest for the past few years. “Providing additional support for the K-12 schools is one of the goals for our future,” states Zeng. Schools are not the only place that the CI provides assistance. More assistants goes into the larger community. All of the activities hosted by the CI are open to the entire community, and they provide a lot of support for the Alaska Chinese Association, which is a community group that has many of the same goals as the CI. The ACA offers Chinese classes to the community as a whole and the CI gives the ACA free training for all of their teachers, who happen to be volunteers from Anchorages Chinese community. As for the future, on top of their higher level of support for the K-12 schools in the area, the CI wishes to help the community further explore Chinese culture. They recently had a workshop on Chinese medicine from a visiting export of the subject, and they wish to have more workshops like this. Future workshops could include one oh how to prepare Chinese herb foods. “Help understanding the similarities shared between our two cultures,” is the aim that Zeng has for the CI future plans. The friendly staff inside the Confucius Institute in the Rasmuson hall is happy to answer any questions that students or members of the community have. If you would like more information stop by or visit their page on the UAA website.
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TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016
GRAPHICS BY JIAN BAUTISTA/ DEMI STRAUGHN
A&E
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016
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Bucket list ideas to add to your summer 2016 agenda
GRAPHICS BY JIAN BAUTISTA
SPORTS
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GNAC: UAA men’s track and field breaks Western Washington’s winning streak Continued from cover ful in several prelims to qualify for the finals the following day. Jamie Ashcroft won the 100-meter prelim, and freshmen Yvonne Jeschke placed first in 400-meter hurdles. Also crossing the finish line first were Liam Lindsay for the men’s 400-meter and Mary-Kathleen Cross, who had a career-best in the 400-meter prelim with a time of 55.2 seconds. UAA stayed hot for day two, as more individual titles were claimed. Cody Parker won the javelin for his second GNAC championship in that event. Distance runner Michel Ramirez led another Seawolf dominated event, placing first in
the 5,000-meter while teammates Kangogo and Chest were the next runners after him. Ashcroft took home gold in both the 100-meter and the 200-meter and has won both events in the GNACs for the third straight year. The men’s track and field team snagged the triple crown for the GNAC’s this year, winning in cross country, indoor, and the outdoor seasons. The men have two indoor championships, but this was the first time they took first during the outdoor season. Those athletes who have qualified for the NCAA championships will have a week off to prepare to travel to Bradenton, Florida for the meet. PHOTOS BY ADAM EBERHARDT
Senior Cody Parker launches the javelin at the 2016 Outdoor GNAC championships in Monmouth, Oregon.
Junior Alexia Blalock makes her final leap in the triple jump at the 2016 Outdoor GNAC Track and Field Championships. Blalock received all-conference honors for her performance over the weekend.
Sophomore Tamara Perez paces herself in the 1,500-meter race at the 2016 Outdoor GNAC Track and Field Championships. Perez will compete in this event at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships at the end of May.
SPORTS
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016
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10 | SPORTS
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016
As a student of the University of Alaska, you could be saving 17% on qualifying AT&T plans. To check your eligibility, choose from these options: • Go to http://www.att.com/getIRU. • Go to your nearest store (bring proof of eligibility such as an employee badge, paystub or student ID).
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Sponsorship Program discounts: Monthly service discounts are available to qualified employees, students and other authorized individuals associated with eligible sponsoring organizations, such as companies and colleges/universities with a qualified business agreement (“Business Agreement”). Individuals must provide proof of eligibility (valid employee badge/student ID card, paystub or other approved validation method) and subscribe to service as Individual Responsibility Users (IRUs), taking personal liability for their accounts. Discounts are subject to the Business Agreement and may be interrupted, changed and/or discontinued without notice to you. A minimum number of employees, minimum monthly service charge for qualified plans, additional AT&T services or other requirements may apply for eligibility. Under some Business Agreements, the discount can vary monthly depending on your organization’s aggregate volume of qualified charges. Discounts apply only to the monthly service charge of qualified plans (unless otherwise provided in your organization’s Business Agreement). If you have a question about available discounts and/or your eligibility, contact your organization’s telecom manager or contact us at att.com/getIRU. © 2015 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
CONTACTS
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016
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The Northern Light is a proud member of the ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 2,500. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood. The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or the Northern Light.足足足
LETTERS AND CORRECTIONS POLICY Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length is 250 words. Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum word length is 450 words. Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity. Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www. thenorthernlight.org. The Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union, directly next to Subway.
THE NORTHERN LIGHT CONTACTS 3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jian Bautista jbautista@thenorthernlight.org
MANAGING EDITOR Sam Davenport content@thenorthernlight.org
MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE Milo Stickle-Frizzell marketing@thenorthernlight.org
COPY EDITOR Kathryn DuFresne copy@thenorthernlight.org
MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero
NEWS EDITOR Victoria Petersen vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Jordan Rodenberger jrodenberger@thenorthernlight.org PHOTO EDITOR Casey Peterson cpeterson@thenorthernlight.org STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Young Kim ykim@thenorthernlight.org LAYOUT EDITOR Demi Straughn layout@thenorthernlight.org
ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Zac Clark ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Stacey Parker OPEN POSITIONS Executive Editor A&E Editor Assistant News Editor Features Editor Assistant Features Editor A&E Editor Assistant A&E Editor Sports Editor Staff Reporters Multimedia Editor Advertising Manager
CORRECTIONS In the commencement edition in the list of graduates for Spring 2016, mechanical engineering majors were misplaced under geomatics and then geomatics majors were left out.