October 17, 2017

OCTOBER 17 - OCTOBER 23, 2017

FEATURES

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

SPORTS

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RED ZONE: Realigning resources and victims of sexual violence

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

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Student-athletes from here, there and everywhere

Decline in ridership leads to new transit schedule

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Members of the Anchorage Curling Club meet regularly at their facility located in Government Hill. Curling, which is a traditional Scottish sport, runs its season from mid-October to April.

Friends, pints and the Anchorage Curling Club

By Logan Harrison

lharrison@thenorthernlight.org

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEOPLE MOVER

By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

A new People Mover transit schedule will be starting in Anchorage on Oct. 23. Some changes include increasing the bus frequency, expanding hours and providing direct routes to destinations. This new system is designed to open travel possibilities and make the transit system more convenient for active bus users, workers and students.

“The biggest change that is happening with this system is that we are increasing the frequency. Buses that used to come every hour or half hour are now coming every 15 minutes and what that does is allow for a lot more freedom and flexibility in travel,” Bart Rudolph, planning and communications manager for the Public Transportation Department at the Municipality of Anchorage, said.

There are four bus routes that will arrive every 15 minutes during the weekdays numbered thenorthernlight.org

10, 20, 30 and 40. On weekends, buses will arrive every 30 minutes instead of the normal hour.

The buses are not only more frequent, but hours of operation are expanded.

“The hours of the new system were not useful to a lot of people who work in the service industry. If you are a cook in a restaurant and you don’t get off shift until 11 p.m., you had to find a ride home. Under this new system, some of our routes will have expanded hours to try to serve some of those riders,” Jedediah Smith, chair of the Public Transit Advisory Board (PTAB), said.

The new transit system will now have expanded hours with service during the weekdays from 6 a.m. to midnight, with the exception of airport service until 2 a.m. The weekend is increased by an hour with Saturday in operation from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

There will be fewer neighborhood stops resulting in a quicker

ride with more direct routes that will take riders the shortest distance.

“We did a lot of outreach before we proposed these changes and a lot of people told us they were willing to walk a little further in order to wait less,” Smith said. “One of the problems with the current system is that buses go into neighborhoods with narrow streets. Sure, it is nice if you have a bus stop in front of your house. But if you are trying to get across town and the bus has to slow down through a residential neighborhood, the ride seems like it takes forever.”

After noticing a decline in ridership, the PTAB began looking at changes to the transit system. Their goal was to make it more efficient, reduce costs and make it more relevant to riders.

“Seeing the ridership decline year after year, the Assembly and the Mayor’s office kept proposing cuts. We kept fighting

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SEE TRANSIT

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@tnl_updates

At the beginning of October, The Anchorage Curling Club opened their doors for another fun-filled season. With winter beginning to punctuate its presence, it’s a perfect opportunity to uncover something new to fill your time.

Tucked away in Government Hill, the club is one of Anchorage’s best-kept secrets. It also has a long history in the community.

“The club has been around as an entity since the ‘50s, this facility has been around since the early ‘60s,” John Seigle, an avid curler who is in his fourth year as the secretary of the ACC Board, said.

With a facility as old as this one, there are plenty of challenges in keeping everything up and running.

The club had to suspend its operation for almost two full seasons after what Seigle called the “ice-making fiasco.” As one might suspect, it’s hard to curl when there is no ice. During this downtime, the club, which usually boasts a full-time membership of about 150 curlers, had dropped down to 12 members. “[We] were helping keep the electricity on,” Seigle said.

The club was able to quickly recover last year, which was the first full season back on the ice and had about 110 full-time members.

The building was given a face-lift during the renovations which included installation of a system that is considered the new wave of ice-making, successfully putting the roadblock in the rearview. Now the club is hoping to further expand its membership, as well as set the record straight when it comes to misconceptions of the sport.

Curling, which is a traditional Scottish sport, is considered a very social and communal experience. But, there is a lot more to @tnl_updates

it than drinking beer and sliding stones across a frozen surface.

“They call it chess on ice,” Courtney Gill, a child development major at UAA and curling enthusiast, said. “There’s a lot of strategy involved. It’s just kind of an interesting, quirky sport...

It’s a lot of fun.”

It can also be a great winter workout.

“If you’re doing it right, you should be tired.” Seigle said.

Curling is a sport for everyone. Seigle said that it is a lifetime sport, and the club has had members in the past who were in their 70s.

Curling can be picked up at any age, and the club hosts special “learn to curl” events that cater to new or interested members. Getting new members has been tricky at times for the club.

“There’s a lot of people that are interested in [curling], and they don’t even know that there is a curling club here in Anchorage,” Seigle said. “You say Government Hill and they’re like, ‘Where is that?’” Gill added.

The club also hosts special events called Bonspiels to draw in more potential curlers. The upcoming Bonspiel, called the Rookie Spiel, will be on Oct. 27 and 28, and consist of two days of curling with Halloween costumes, prizes and food. The club makes sure it is an opportunity for new members to learn, as they team new players with more experienced ones.

“You’re getting coaching while you’re playing,” Gill said.

“It’s a really great time to get anyone who is remotely interested in the sport to get a little bit of an introduction and see what it’s like and be a part of the fun.”

The $20 Bonspiel fee is waived for anyone who had previously attended a “learn to curl” leading up to the event.

The rich history of curling, with its Bonspiels, potlucks and multi-generational atmosphere,

SEE CURLING

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NEWS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

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Student Success position to be announced this week

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

After holding open forums for the interim vice provost of student success position Oct. 4-5, Interim Provost, Duane Hrncir, said a decision about the position will be made during the week of Oct. 16.

Hrncir said the position is meant to organize student success efforts on campus.

The interim vice provost of student success is a full time position underneath Academic Affairs.

“I think the idea of the vice provost for student success is to find someone to help coordinate all of the good things we are doing and then work with the campus to find ways to enhance that or maybe there are new initiatives centered around student success,” Hrncir said. “The whole idea is let’s be sure we have processes and procedures in places that will help students be successful at UAA. That really entails someone who can talk across disciplines. We’re not talking somebody who’s just in the academic world or just in the Student Affairs world.”

Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, Megan Olson, was the chair of the search committee for this position.

There was no student on the search committee. Olson said student input in the UAA 2020 strategic planning, which this position was formulated from, was taken into account.

“Students had really robust participation in the development of the UAA 2020 plan.” Olson said. “The provost — who at the time was Sam Gingerich — he formed the search committee and that committee began… in early summer. The committee is made up of staff and faculty, and recognized that UAA 2020, to which students contributed robustly would be guiding forces for this position.”

Olson said the search committee was looking for candidates that could bridge departments at UAA. “I think that one of the main goals and something that we talked about from the beginning within our search committee as we developed the job description was the need for culture change here at UAA,” Olson said. “And orientation towards student success. One of the goals are the obvious ones that are included in UAA 2020. Those aren’t the only goals but those become some great metrics and milestones that the interim vice provost for student success will strive to succeed.”

Four candidates had a chance to present on the questions of, “What does success look like at UAA in 2020 as a result of their leadership and what do they see as the top priorities for this position?”

Those four candidates in alphabetical order are: Daniel Kline (Director of General Education), Claudia Lampman (Director of the Department of Psychology), Tara Smith (Professor of English as a Second Language) and E. André Thorn (Director of the Multicultural Center).

Kline said communication and advising were two things that could be improved under his leadership.

“If there’s one thing that we can fix — and I’ve heard this from a lot of folks — communication. Both internal and external,” Kline said. “I don’t know that we’ve done a communication audit here at UAA, but Michigan State did one last year of the number of emails their first year students get the first semester: 340, and that may strike a cord, right? Multiple places, multiple information, sometimes conflicting information.”

Lampman said using Open Educational Resources and eliminating other small course requirement-type problems would be her approach as interim vice provost.

“I think there are a lot of small things we can fix, lots and lots of small things I think we can fix, and if we fix some of those small things — if we fix all of those small things — we will move forward in terms of student success,” Lampman said.

Smith said part of her strategy would be focusing on students who may need extra time taking tests.

“If there were enough people that were interested in providing untimed testing to all of their students we might have a different conversation about what kinds of supports need to be in place,” Smith said.

“We know that this would benefit a lot of groups who don’t get, who don’t qualify for [Disability Support Services] support.

So yes students with testing anxiety will be better served, and they won’t have to raise their hand and say, ‘I have testing anxiety, I need special accommodations.’

It would simply be provided. Students for whom English is a second language take more time to process English language exams.”

Thorn said he would focus on groups with low retention and graduation at UAA. “Status quo would suggest that we’re going to get more of the same. I have no interest in that because the populations that I serve are amongst those that have the lowest retention graduation rates on this campus,” Thorn said. “That must change. Accountability... So we find our self repeatedly in situations where students we say we care about are not faring well. What are we going to do? This is not an intellectual exercise for me, this is my life’s work. Accountability. Speaking truth to power.”

NEWS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

UPD gives performance presentation

GRAPHIC BY CHEYENNE MATHEWS

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

At the Oct. 5 meeting of Staff Council, University Police Department leadership gave a presentation on police performance for last year. Police Chief Brad Munn said UPD focuses on community policing.

“Last year we had over 20 different presentations that we did along those lines between active shooter, [Rape Aggression Defense training and] personal safety,” Munn said. “We had 12,420 calls for service last year, which is a pretty good amount for our department and it’s increased.”

Outside of presentations, Munn told Staff Council that UPD officers also assist with car

troubles.

“Some of the community things that we do: we provided 57 vehicle unlocks which saved students money, 59 jumpstarts and we also did 46 safety escorts,” Munn said. “We were at 144 welfare checks and we responded to 19 suicide threats or attempts last year on campus.”

Maintenance calls account for a large portion of UPD call volume.

“We handled 636 maintenance calls,” Munn said. “So we average about two maintenance calls every day because the maintenance staff people go home at a certain time and all their calls are forwarded to my dispatch to handle any late night, after hours, weekends, holiday maintenance calls.”

Staff Council member, Krys-

tal Offord, had concerns about UPD targeting increased crime with a smaller department.

“Bringing it down to our campus, how are you guys funded and how are they going to meet this more demand of crime?” Offord asked at the meeting.

Like many departments at UAA, UPD has a smaller budget this year.

“Our budget was actually decreased... When our budget got tight, there’s just certain areas you don’t mess with, and police, fire and things like that are one of those because those are essential services,” Munn said.

Lieutenant Michael Beckner said he is seeing crime on campus continue to increase.

“This year, we’ve only been in school for about a month, but the first month we are up 31 percent in call volume,” Beckner said at the beginning of the month. “Vehicle thefts are continuing to rise, you know we are in Anchorage. We had 12 [vehicle thefts] last year and we’re up to five right now, and that’s attempted also.”

Munn also said several positive initiatives he has implemented are benefiting the university, including the UPD procedure to have officers wear body cameras.

“You’ll see the body cams on the officers. I’m not wearing mine, but all the officers wear body cams. We’ve been wearing them since [2013],” Munn said. “We were probably one of the first agencies in Alaska to fully outfit all the officers with them. And that was a program I pushed for liability reasons. The officers here — there’s only so many of us — a lot of the time we work alone on calls and a lot of the time we’re in the dorms.

And we’re in situations where it’s nice to have that little thing on your shoulder recording everything that’s going on.”

Other initiatives that Munn reported successful outcomes from were the silent witness program, where people can report crimes anonymously, and the use of the state-supported electronic accident program to decrease time spent on paperwork.

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TRANSIT: Consolidated bus schedule to include frequent stops at key transfers Continued from cover the cuts, but it was harder and harder to justify. We figured we needed to do something radical to change the system, otherwise it was going to die a slow death,” Smith said.

Smith has been on the PTAB since 2010. He became chair in 2014 and has been involved in the process of changing the transit system from the beginning.

He believes the biggest problem was the lack of frequency.

“Of 13 routes, not counting the Eagle River route 102, eight of them were on one-hour headways. That means if you are one minute late to the bus, you have to wait another 59 minutes for another one,” Smith said.

UAA students, faculty and staff are able to ride the bus for free through the U-PASS Program by showing their Wolfcard.

Any students taking 3 credits or more pay the $13 transportation fee, allowing them to ride the bus for free.

“UAA is almost centrally located in our transit system, so from there you can go almost anywhere in the city for free,” Rudolph said. “That is a huge benefit to UAA students to help reduce the cost of owning a car, gas money, if you don’t want to drive, study on the bus or go downtown until midnight and don’t have to worry about driving back.”

UAA Parking Services contracts with People Mover and

AnchorRides to provide students, faculty and staff access to the public bus system. UAA Parking Services negotiates this contract every two years and has had a partnership with People Mover since 1998, Glenna Muncy, parking services director at UAA, said.

“I think all students, staff and faculty should try the bus system to give them options if their primary source of transportation fails. There may be a time your car is in the shop, or the weather keeps you from wanting to drive, or your financial situation changes and you want to save money on a car payment, fuel, insurance and maintenance costs,” Muncy said.

With the new change in the transit system, there are hopes that it will create a sense of community.

“What I’m looking most forward to in this new system is making transit relevant again in Anchorage and showing the people that live here what transit brings to a community by making it easier to use, allowing the flexibility that attracts the right diversity of riders of all income levels, of all walks of life, coming together and showing what a transit system how it can benefit a community,” Rudolph said.

There is a mobile app in the works for ticketing, but for a map or more information on bus schedules and routing information go to Peoplemover.org

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

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RED ZONE: Connecting students with sexual violence resources Hilary Huffman is working with various agencies to understand how to connect with victims

By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

There are a number of resources on UAA’s campus for students who experience sexual assault and harassment, domestic violence and other sexual misconduct, but sometimes it is difficult to connect students with them.

Hilary Huffman is an anthropology student whose master’s thesis is focused on examining students’ needs and finding out how to better provide the appropriate services.

Huffman said that there is a difference between students that are either disclosing their experiences or actually reporting them to officials, either the university or police.

In a report conducted by Brad Myrstol and Lindsey Blumenstein of UAA, the data was collected from the University of Alaska Campus Climate Survey in 2016.

The report showed that the rate of student disclosure was higher than the rate of student reports, where “[d]isclosure includes all the victims’ discussions with others, but reports only includes the victims’ discussions with officials such as university or law enforcement representatives.”

According to the report, students were more likely to disclose to a friend (45.3 percent for sexual misconduct and 28.0 percent for sexual assault) than they were to disclose to faculty or staff (6.7 percent and 0.4 percent) or sexual assault advocates on campus (0.5 percent and 0.4 percent).

Among the organizations that students report to, the least are the university police and other formal services, such as Title IX. “We know from research done on a national scale and, more recently, through the Campus Climate Survey… students experience sexual violence on our cam-

pus at about a rate of 1 in 10 during the time that they’re a student,” Huffman said. “[For] a lot of the services to respond, the disclosing rate is lower. So the lowest is the police department, Title IX, those agencies that can respond and have remedial action.”

Huffman’s goal is to figure out how to bridge these gaps that will help get students within UAA and its satellite campuses with the right resources and ensure that they are aware of their options.

“The premise of the project is that we see these really high rates of sexual violence and lower rates of disclosing to support agencies. We see this disconnect and this project is aimed at looking at that disconnect, being able to describe what it looks like, why it’s there and then make recommendations,” Huffman said.

“Part of it then will also be disseminating this information back to students. ‘Hey, these are your resources, this is who’s out there.’”

Georgia DeKeyser, director of the UAA Student Health and Counseling Center, said that one of the biggest challenges lies in a student trying to decide what to do.

“I think the biggest challenge is for people to come forward. Oftentimes, there might be a question in their mind of ‘Would this be helpful? Do I really want to share this information with somebody else? If I do share it, how will it help me?’” DeKeyser said. “It’s a very private matter. It’s difficult to talk about these things.”

The SHCC discusses options with a student depending on what he or she wants to do, while ultimately making sure that the student is safe. This may range from going to the police or finding time to heal.

“We try to be a safe place for students who have gone through something like this,” DeKeyser said. “We try to help people connect with other resources… all the while helping them connect with their own inner resources, their own strengths and their own support systems.”

Standing Together Against Rape has an office located next door to SHCC and Sam (last name not disclosed due to STAR policy), a direct services advocate, said that some resources can be difficult to reach for students.

The state of Alaska provides funds for three agencies, STAR, Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis and Victims for Justice, which can be used towards people who need housing, childcare, counseling and other services. Although there are many agencies for people to reach out to, some

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Anthropology student Hilary Huffman focuses her work on those affected by sexual misconduct and sexual assault for her master’s thesis.

services and resources are not easily accessed.

“There are resources that are available in town that I think — unless somebody was referred to them — they may not know about,” Sam said. “And there’s some that you can only access through another agency… The way that we assist people is going to look different for everyone, including the way that we use those funds and they don’t have to report to the police in order to use those.”

Sam said that there is a lack of discussion about sexual violence.

“The way I feel about it is if people won’t talk about something, it’s really hard to fix it. We give a fair amount of permission for people to talk about other violent crimes or other things that are difficult in their lives,” Sam said. “Like if a parent passed away, we give them permission to grieve and talk about that as a society… But we really don’t give permission as a society for people to talk about sexual harms.”

Starting a conversation could be helpful in making sure that students are getting the help and support that they need.

“If that barrier starts to get broken down a little more, I think it’ll be easier for agencies to reach out to people because there won’t be as much of a stigma with those people reaching back,” Sam said.

Huffman said that part of the reason why she decided to do this project was because she had seen her own friends experience various forms of sexual violence while in school for her undergraduate degree. Then she began working with

STAR after enrolling at UAA. “When I came to do my master’s program at UAA, one of the things I wanted to do was a practicum, so I decided to do that practicum with [STAR]. After working with them for a couple of years I decided to do this project in response to seeing how under-utilized different agencies and knowing that the rates of sexual violence were so high,” Huffman said.

To collect information and data, Huffman is speaking to current and former students who are willing to share their stories. She said that confidentiality and comfort are also essential to the interview.

“I’m looking for individuals who selfidentify that they’ve experienced any form of sexual violence while a UAA student… We would meet in an innocuous location and ask them questions — not about the experience — and then asking about, ‘Did you or did you not seek services or report? Why not?’” Huffman said. “I think it’s really important that they understand that I don’t have a certain position that you should do this or this.”

Students’ voices are important to Huffman and she hopes to gain the feedback and information needed to better serve agencies and the students they help.

“My goal is really just to reach students and help them understand that they have a voice, that their voice is wanted,” Huffman said.

Huffman is still collecting data for the study and welcomes people to contact her. Her email is hchuffman@alaska.edu.

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

| 05

English department’s annual anthology accepting creative work from all majors “Understory: An Annual Anthology of Achievement” features undergraduate works of creative writing and scholarly research

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

The UAA English department’s yearly publication, “Understory,” is a collection of work from students all over UAA’s campus.

By Ammon Swenson arts@thenorthernlight.org

The editors of the UAA English department’s yearly anthology of undergraduate work are reaching out to students for submissions.

“Understory: An Annual Anthology of Achievement,” features work covering every emphasis the English department offers — from creative writing and literary studies to linguistics and rhetoric.

While the scholarly work will come from the English depart-

ment’s curriculum, creative submissions are open to students regardless of their major.

“I know that there’s a lot of talent at UAA,” Anthony Taylor, co-editor of “Understory,” said.

“I know that there’s an abundance of talent and I know that a lot of people have a lot of things to say creatively about UAA — just about life in general.”

The creative section of the anthology is being overseen by first-time editors Taylor and Alexandria Bako, both of whom are English majors.

Past submissions to “Understory” include poetry, plays and

short stories, but with the addition of a web version of the publication, there’s more room for multimedia projects like photo essays, audio and video.

Taylor said they’re also looking for students to submit personal essays — especially ones pertaining to race, gender or sexual orientation.

“We want to sort of showcase the diverse community that is UAA, so we’re opening up submissions for people to talk about their experiences,” Taylor said.

Plans are still being finalized for a panel discussion to take place in conjunction with “Un-

derstory” about minority and LGBTQ students’ lives at UAA. The panel will be on Friday, Oct. 27 at 4 p.m. with the location to be determined.

What ultimately became “Understory” has seen several incarnations over the years, from an undergraduate publication at Anchorage Community College to a club-based project at UAA. Creative writing professor and faculty adviser to “Understory,” Ronald Spatz, has seen the publication evolve over the years since UAA merged with ACC in 1987. Spatz said previous editions became too focused on creative writing.

Along with linguistics professor David Bowie, Spatz expanded last year’s “Understory” content to include the entire English department and put a mentoring system in place for students.

“It’s a very substantial change,” Spatz said.

It can be tough for undergrads to have their work recognized outside of the classroom, but “Understory” allows students to get more than recognition. Spatz said it shows students that through active learning, they’re producing work that has value, even at an undergraduate level.

“Achievement is a high-impact teaching practice,” Spatz said.

Spatz and Bowie both know the feeling of accomplishment that comes from being published for the first time.

Spatz’s first published piece was a combination of scholarly and creative work for his honors thesis as an undergrad.

“It was the first time in my education that I felt empowered and taken seriously as a person who had something to add to the discipline,” Spatz said.

For Bowie, it was while doing research in graduate school.

He can still remember opening up the publication 20 years ago and seeing his article in print for the first time.

“That was a really cool feeling,” Bowie said.

Last year, Bowie notified students whose scholarly work had been accepted to “Understory” via email. He enjoyed the exchanges with students who were about to be published for their first time.

“There was this amazement and even a feeling of self-worth that comes through our email of, ‘Hey, I’ve produced something that’s worthwhile’ and that’s a really excellent thing,” Bowie said.

To submit creative work to “Understory,” convert it to PDF and email to understorysubmissions@gmail.com. Include your name and student ID number in the subject line.

Only students taking three or more credits may submit work.

Tentative deadline for submissions is Nov. 16.

To find the recent edition of “Understory” online, go to scalar.usc.edu/works/understory2017/index.

06 | FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

College Cookbook: Thirtyminute chicken Marsala

By Victoria Petersen copy@thenorthernlight.org

Move over, spaghetti. Impress your roomies with this Italian favorite. All this elegant dish requires is a pan, a stove and wine.

PHOTO BY EVAN JOSHUA SWIGART

Ingredients • 2 large chicken breasts, cut in half, flattened • 1 package of mushrooms (button or crimini, or both) • 3 tablespoons of flour • 2 tablespoons of olive oil • 3 tablespoons of butter • 4 tablespoons of lemon juice • 3/4 cup of Marsala wine • 1/2 cup of heavy cream • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions 1. In a bowl filled with flour, salt and pepper, take the flattened chicken breasts and coat them.

2. In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium to high heat. Add two tablespoons of the butter to the pan and wait for it to stop foaming. Add the chicken to the pan.

3. Cook the chicken for three minutes per side and set on a plate.

Cover with foil while you finish cooking the sauce.

4. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan, along with the mushrooms. Cook for five minutes.

5. Add the wine and lemon juice, and cook until it reduces by half.

6. Lower the heat to medium and add the heavy cream. Stir constantly until glossy, and return the chicken to the pan.

7. Taste for seasoning, and serve with pasta or potatoes.

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& AE

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

| 08

‘Radium Girls’ opening this weekend The UAA Department of Theatre and Dance’s production tells the story of one woman’s fight for justice against dangerous corporate practices

By Ammon Swenson arts@thenorthernlight.org

At the beginning of World War I, a young woman named Grace Fryer went to work for the United States Radium Corporation.

Radium was a relatively new discovery that was used in health remedies and as a way to paint luminescent watch faces for the soldiers fighting overseas.

Like the other women who supported the war effort by taking up jobs painting watch faces and dials with radium, Fryer just wanted to do her part.

Fryer and her coworkers were instructed to place their brushes in their mouths to make a fine point, dip them in the radium and paint. They would repeat this hundreds of times over the course of the day.

The workers had no idea this could have deadly consequences.

Eventually, Fryer’s coworkers began getting sick and dying from their exposure to the radioactive substance. Jawbones would crumble, teeth would fall out and massive tumors formed on the unwitting workers.

The UAA Department of Theatre and Dance’s upcoming production of “Radium Girls” is based on the true story of Fryer’s fight for justice.

“I think the main thing that I’m struck by is that the charac-

ters were real women who went into this job at a very young age — at 15-years-old — excited to do their part for the war effort to support their brothers and husbands… and really had no idea how their life was going to unfold after that,” Nova Cunningham, director of the play, said.

In addition to Fryer and the Radium Girls’ fight for justice, Cunningham said the play examines America’s obsessions with health, wealth and the commercialization of science. Fryer’s struggle isn’t just against corporations, but society as well.

“I mean, here’s Grace [Fryer] trying to say, ‘I think something’s not quite right here’ and everybody’s saying, ‘No, no, no.

That cant be right,’” Cunningham said.

Alexandra McCall plays the role of Fryer. McCall sees her as a regular girl from New Jersey with traditional American values. Fryer just wants to live a normal life with kids and a family, but she needs work and manages to find what seems like a good job.

“She just sort of has this journey of transforming from this person who is sort of on this path to something else to where she has to start fighting for justice,” something Fryer didn’t expect she would have to do, McCall said.

Fryer’s antagonist in “Radium Girls” is her employer Arthur Roeder, played by Jake

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASIA BAUZON

The Department of Theatre and Dance’s production of “Radium Girls” opens this weekend at UAA.

Beauvais. Beauvais sees Roeder as being a “big ideas” kind of guy whose ambition eventually leads to his downfall. While Roeder could be considered the villain in the play, Beauvais sees him as a sympathetic character.

“He’s not a mustache twirling villain,” Beauvais said. “He’s simply just trying to obtain his vision of the American Dream.”

McCall sees the story as a class struggle, fought by young women who might have been more likely to get taken advantage of during the 1910s and

‘20s.

“The issue that you are shown is how a corporation can neglect all of these people who are contributing to what they do, just because [corporations] have, you know, money and power,” McCall said.

Even though the events took place around 100 years ago, beginning in the first decades of the 1900s, Beauvias thinks that the issues addressed in “Radium Girls” are relevant today, from marginalized workers in China to unsafe commercial chemicals

sold by giant corporations.

“It’s the darker side of human nature,” Beauvias said. “Those things will keep happening, but the more we are aware of them, the more we can prevent [them] through legislation.”

“Radium Girls” opens Friday, Oct. 20. Tickets are $9.99 for students, $14.99 for seniors and military and $19.99 for adults.

For showtimes, tickets and more information go to www. artsuaa.com.

Sound is king in the claustrophobic thriller ‘Office’

By Jacob Holley-Kline Contributor

TITLE “Office”

DIRECTOR Hong Won-chan

RELEASE DATE Sep. 3, 2015

COUNTRY Korea

GENRE Thriller

The soundscape of “Office” isn’t chilling on its surface: phones ring, fingers clack on keyboards, and papers get shuffled around. Just by their mundanity, you’d think they’d fade into the background. Director Hong Won-chan and sound designer Kim Chang-seop make sure this doesn’t happen. The noise of white collar Korea is essential to representing the horror of it, so “Office” takes the slasher approach and turns the volume up a notch too high.

It’s a disquieting choice that always keeps you on your toes.

In one of many pulse-pounding sequences, the office-workergone-postal Kim Byeong-gook (Bae Seong-woo) stalks his junior Jung Jae-il (Oh Dae-hwan) when he stays late for work.

Trying to escape, Jung discovers Kim has chained them inside the office while he hears footsteps on the tile behind him.

The footfall sounds like it could

be anywhere, and, with a long, wide shot of the office entry, Hong Won-chan lets the suspense build to unbearable levels.

He’s an excellent director who has a deep understanding of how slasher-thrillers work.

While sound is his main tool, he’s just as comfortable using space. The movie is called “Office” after all. The titular setting is expansive, broken up by rows of cubicles, but feels smaller than a sedan’s interior because there are plenty of places to hide. Soon after Kim goes postal and murders his family with a hammer, he’s seen on security footage entering his office building but never leaving. Detective Jong-Hoon (Park Sung-woong) believes he’s hiding there. Short on leads, he focuses on the intern Lee Mi-rye (Go Ah-sung), a doe-eyed recent hire who knows more than she lets on.

Even after the revelation that Kim is hiding in the office, work days proceed as normal. Here, the movie finds its simple structure: night and day. In the day, people go about their days, notic-

ing stranger and stranger things around the office. At night, as in any good slasher movie, things go to hell. The sound design sharpens in these moments, erasing all background noise and hyperfocusing on one sound like your average Joe would.

The most successful aspect of “Office” is how easily it puts you into the character’s shoes.

Just by virtue of how the space is set up, they see little and hear everything. The power of suggestion is strong here and used as expertly as the classic slashers. Unlike those classic slashers, there’s nothing inhuman about Kim. In fact, he’s a pleasant guy. People around the office hate him for his graceless manner and rigid work ethic, but he talks with a hushed dignity. Maybe that quiet quality is what drew the equally soft-spoken Lee to him. Together, they become the silent center of the movie. That is until night comes.

When the “Office” empties, all it takes is an unseen mouse-click or falling binder to catch whoever stays behind

A&E

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10 | A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

Get off the couch!

A Tribe Called Red, author discussions and more Author Joseph Robertia presents “Life with Forty Dogs” and author Cynthia Baldwin presents “Sarah’s Days” What: In his book “Life with Forty Dogs,” author Joseph Robertia wants to give readers a glimpse into the mushing lifestyle and will discuss his work.

Author Cynthia Baldwin will discuss her children’s series about an adventurous young girl in Alaska called, “Sarah’s Days.”

When: Saturday, Oct. 21 from 1 - 3:30 p.m.

Where: Bookstore, The Loft Cost: Free Professor Ray Ball presents Luther’s Legacies: 500 Years of Religious Reformations

By The Northern Light staff

At UAA Seward and the Tsar: Mike Dunham reflects on the 150th anniversary of the transfer of Alaska to the United States What: Author of “The Man Who Sold Alaska: Tsar Alexander II of Russia,” “The Man Who Bought Alaska: William H. Seward” and veteran journalist Mike Dunham will discuss the United States acquiring of Alaska in 1867. The event is in celebration of Alaska Day, the anniversary of the transfer of the region from Russia to the U.S. When: Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 5 - 7 p.m.

Where: Bookstore, The Loft Cost: Free Fall Grad Fair What: Get all your supplies for graduation, from caps and gowns, to rings and diploma frames.

When: Friday, Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Where: Bookstore Cost: Free Move Mountains or Move Home? Understanding the Characteristics of Chinese Agri-Culture & Influence from Chinese Idioms What: University of Notre Dame Professor Yongping Zhu, a specialist in historical Chinese syntax and Chinese pedagogy, will discuss connections between history, culture and idiomatic language.

When: Friday, Oct. 20 from 5 - 7 p.m.

Where: Rasmuson Hall, Room 316 Cost: Free

What: Ray Ball will discuss the history behind Martin Luther’s break from the Catholic Church. Her talk will cover the violent and transformative era, political exploitation of religious movements and the legacies these movements left behind.

When: Monday, Oct. 23 from 5 - 7 p.m.

Where: Bookstore, The Loft Cost: Free

Poet Tom Sexton presents Alaska poetry, 1867 - 1966 What: Longtime Alaskan Tom Sexton goes over a brief history of Alaska poetry. Sexton is Professor Emeritus of English at UAA and was Alaska’s Poet Laureate from 1994 - 2000.

When: Tuesday, Oct 24 from 5 - 7 p.m.

Where: Bookstore, The Loft Cost: Free

Around town AFN Food Fair What: K Street Eats and the Spenard Food Truck Carnival teamed up with the Alaska Federation of Natives to feed the masses at this year’s AFN Convention.

Food trucks and vendors including Yeti Dogs, Adobo Grill, A Slice of Heaven and more. Tables tents and heaters will be provided.

When: Thursday, Oct. 19 - Saturday, Oct. 21.

Where: East side of City Hall (632 W Sixth Ave.) Cost: Free A Tribe Called Red: Live in Anchorage What: First Nations DJ group A Tribe Called Red, who mix indigenous music with hip hop, EDM and reggae, will return to Anchorage for a live show. Inuit funk group Pamyua will open.

When: Friday, Oct. 20 from 9 - 11 p.m.

Where: Williwaw (609 F St.) Cost: $35 in advance, $40 day of

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

| 11

UAA’s student-athletes in numbers

Every year, numerous talented Alaskans join the Seawolves to represent their home state, but out-of-state athletes and international students also seek to become part of the Green and Gold

By Karolin Anders

sports@thenorthernlight.org

The 49th state attracts various individuals for personal and professional reasons. The University of Alaska Anchorage’s enrollment numbers replicates that trend with its high diversity rates.

UAA’s athletic department also presents Alaska’s multiculturalism, while promoting local talent. Of the 153 student-athletes, currently listed for the fall semester of 2017, 42 are Alaskans. Additionally, 51 joined UAA from out-of-state, which makes 61 percent of UAA’s student-athletes American. Twenty-nine athletes came from the northern hemisphere to earn degrees while competing for the Seawolves, which results in 80 percent of UAA’s student-athletes coming from North America.

Women’s basketball head coach Ryan McCarthy enjoys finding those talented Alaskans.

After having a large number of athletes graduate last year, McCarthy currently has four Alaskans and 10 out-of-state studentathletes playing for him.

“Alaska is a basketball state, even in the small villages there are basketball courts and it is a strong piece of our culture,” McCarthy said. “Alaska has had some strong recruits come out of the high school ranks and we’ve been fortunate enough to keep most of them home. Our recent success and impact within our state have helped us keep our best and brightest home.”

Recruiting also comes with its challenges. Out of high school, many talented studentathletes want to use their athletic abilities to compete for schools out-of-state and experience something different than what they are used to. Associate track and field head coach Ryan McWilliams spends a fair amount of time recruiting year-around.

“The most common response I get from Alaskan high school students is that they want to

leave Alaska. But I have an affinity for working with the talent that is local,” McWilliams said. “I do try to reach out and dedicate a fair amount of time to getting Alaskan kids to come to UAA. But at the same time, you have to make decisions that put the program on solid footing moving forward. When we have an out-of-state athlete or an international athlete saying they are excited and want to come, it’s hard to pass that up knowing that the Alaskan equivalent you are recruiting is undecided and may turn you down.”

Darrion Gray is one of the Alaskans who decided to leave his home state to play football at Presentation College in South Dakota. He returned and started attending UAA after the out-ofstate tuition became too much of a burden for him. He made use of his speed and later earned an athletic scholarship for UAA’s track and field team.

“I could have taken out a loan and continued on going to school out-of-state, but that’s a path I didn’t want to take,” Gray said. “I came back to run track at UAA because I missed the competition and I missed being a part of something bigger than myself. There’s nothing like being in that intense situation where your next move can help decide the outcome to the game or meet.”

Sadie Fox of Soldotna decided to stay and join UAA’s Nordic ski team and did not regret a single day.

“I thought I wanted to get out of Alaska, but eventually I went on a tour of the Alaska Airlines Center and realized this was where I wanted to stay and continue skiing,” Fox said. “Staying close to home in my favorite state was the best decision I have ever made because I get to be close to my family and friends while doing all of the things I love. Our team has grown so much in the past few years and it has been awesome to get to ski alongside some international athletes and other Americans.”

International athletes com-

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

bine to a total of 60 athletes, 29 of which are Canadian and 31 from all over the world. Four student-athletes are Australians, 19 are Europeans and six are from Africa.

International and out-ofstate athletes do research about UAA and the athletic programs online or get to experience the Seawolves on the road, which makes them interested in joining.

“Most of the international athletes do their research online to see what schools they are interested in and what programs fit the profile they are looking for. They have the same general perception and their decision is based on normal recruiting factors,” McWilliams said. “In terms of out-of-state kids, I have had recruits contact us because they became aware of our program’s success or were at a meet that our athletes competed well at. And so that peaks their interest. Alaska is unique and they see that the performances are not tied up in novelty but that the program is actually quite successful.”

Even though only 39 percent

of all student-athletes are international, 19 percent Canadians and 20 percent other nationalities, their influence allows others to make experiences that they had not expected to make when joining UAA. Gray traveled to Canada multiple times and once to Europe since returning to Alaska.

“Having athletes from different states and countries allows people to network and experience different cultures. I think my experience of working with out-of-state athletes and international athletes is one of the best things that happened to me,” Gray said. “Never in my life have I ever thought about traveling to Canada, yet since being on the track team here at UAA, I have been six times. I know I have made connections with people that will last a lifetime. If it wasn’t for the athletes that didn’t originate in Alaska, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”

Additionally, several of the former out-of-state and international student-athletes decide to stay in Alaska and continue on with their education, volunteer

their time as a coaching staff or find employment to give back to the community that has accepted them and has been their home for numerous years.

UAA’s coaching staff seeks to keep Alaska’s talented athletes in the state to represent the Seawolves. For McCarthy, a recruit has to fulfill numerous components.

“We look for fit. I think the first part is always athleticism and skill, but also how tough or smart a recruit is, plays a big part,” McCarthy said. “Our most successful recruits are ones who fall in love with our mission and want to use basketball to impact other people, in particular, the youth of our state. If they have a mix of those attributes then I believe they will find a great deal of success.”

UAA’s athletic department engages with the community through summer camps and clinics, hosted by women’s and men’s basketball, volleyball and hockey. Events such as the annual Skate with the Seawolves and the Skiku hope to develop talent that turns into future Seawolves.

12 | SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

Mantha helps hold UAA hockey together for his final season The three-time team MVP goaltender of the Seawolves is starting the season by gaining national recognition for his success

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

For one final year, the Seawolf hockey has a skilled goaltender to utilize. After three years of starting as the UAA hockey goalie, Olivier Mantha returned to the team for his senior year.

His time at UAA has been respected by fans, coaches and his own teammates.

The mathematics major just began his fourth and final season with the Seawolves, after three incredibly successful years. His accomplishments include placing in the top-five for five separate UAA hockey categories.

Mantha is the assistant captain for the second year.

Mantha is well known within the collegiate hockey community and at the Division I level.

After being voted team MVP for three years in a row, Mantha’s contribution has helped the Seawolves make it to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs. Mantha’s first year was also the first season that the team had made the playoffs in years.

After three games total for the 2017-18 season, Mantha already started out with an impressive performance against North Dakota on Oct. 6-7, including a save that was nominated for NCAA top saves.

Due to successes during the previous weekend, on Monday,

PHOTO COURTESY OF ADAM PHILLIPS

Goaltender Olivier Mantha guards the net against Michigan Tech forward Reid Sturos during a November home game at the Sullivan Arena.

Oct. 9 the WCHA designated Mantha as the league’s goalie of the week. With the addition of this award, Mantha now boasts four total WCHA weekly awards, including rookie of the week.

“I think I was just seeing the puck well and I think the guys played well in front of me and helped make my job easy in some occasions. When I had to make some big saves, it just worked out,” Mantha said.

His hard work didn’t get noticed by just WCHA officials, but also by Thomas.

“He was pretty important on Friday and Saturday [Oct. 6-7] night,” Thomas said. “Olivier

[Mantha] made some unbelievable saves and then [made more] that probably looked routine to him. You know he is big [for the team], our seniors are big, our go-to players are big and he is definitely one of our go-to players.”

His results against North Dakota weren’t anything out of the ordinary. Mantha led the NCAA with 74 saves, a .948 save percentage and 1.90 goals-against average in 126 minutes of playtime.

With over 5,200 minutes of playtime in his collegiate career at UAA, Mantha ranks in the top-five in program history. He ranks in five separate career cat-

egories: first in save percentage (.910), second in saves (2,503), third in goals-against average (2.87) and second in minutes played (5,253:56). Mantha’s minutes played has increased since the categories records have been updated.

“When you have a goaltender that gives you that type of element in the net, it gives your team a lot of confidence. So, I hope that [Mantha] gives everyone a little more confidence [on the ice],” Thomas said.

Until Sept. 30, Mantha was third for minutes played. After a successful game against Simon Fraser, Mantha made a number of key saves and finished with 32

saves on the night allowing him to pass Doug Teskey (1996-99) for second in career minutes.

With his final season and his final academic year already under way, Mantha has some decisions to make for his future post-college. He hopes to go pro, continue playing hockey and be involved as long as possible.

Once his hockey life begins to dwindle down, he will have his degree in mathematics to pursue another path with.

Mantha and the team left on Oct. 10 to play in their first away games against Colorado College in Colorado Springs. The two back-to-back games resulted in two more losses for the Seawolves, but it wasn’t an unfortunate situation all-around; Mantha benefited substantially from the games.

After 38 saves on Saturday, Oct. 14, Mantha surpassed two previous UAA saves records to take the lead with 2,645 saves.

The previous record was held

by Paul Krake with 2,637 saves, which had been the standing record for the past 25 years.

“We [went] there and it’s [was] a challenge, but our goal was obviously to have a good weekend and build off of what we did [against North Dakota],” Mantha said.

The team will be back in action on Oct. 20-21 against Alaska Fairbanks for the first game of the Governor’s Cup at the Sullivan Arena.

CURLING: New season for club starts this month Continued from cover cannot overshadow the rich relationship between curling and beer. It is a Scottish sport, after all.

“I like that it is a sport about strategy, and it’s the only Olympic sport you can play and drink

beer at the same time,” Keegan McElhinney, a geomatics major who recently joined the club, said.

For those new to curling, there can be perks to losing games against their more experienced counterparts.

“It’s kind of like an old tra-

dition where the winning team buys the losing team a pitcher of beer,” Gill said.

The club’s season, which runs from early October into the second week of April, is still in the early stages of getting their members signed up. With the season just getting started, it’s a

great time to check out the club, which has multiple membership packages, including student and under-25 discounts.

Gill picked up the sport in college and wished she’d know about it sooner.

“I think a lot of college kids would enjoy it,” Gill said. “It’s

pretty easy to get the curling bug.”

For more information about the Anchorage Curling Club and to look at their events calendar, you can visit their website at anchoragecurling.com.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

| 13

Radical Recreation: Head in the clouds

Aviation enthusiast Maksim Mayer’s lifelong passion for flight

By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

Maksim Mayer, criminal justice major, has been flying airplanes since 2013. It is unknown where this love came from, but this passion kept growing throughout his childhood and into adulthood.

“Many people growing up in Alaska have flying in their families. They just get used to it from an early age. This was not the case for Maksim [Mayer], he does not have any pilots in the family and did not grow up around planes. His interest came purely from somewhere else inside him,” Leslie Hannam, Mayer’s mother, said.

At a young age, Mayer’s obsession with planes was obvious.

“When other young children were playing shooting and fighting video games, he was most interested in his flight simulator,” Hannam said. “He got his first flight simulator program at age 5. Even at this age, he could look in the sky and identify the types of planes flying overhead as well as the airlines. He dressed up as an Alaska Airlines pilot for Halloween.”

Mayer completed his flying license over the summer and is a licensed private pilot, which gives him the right to fly passengers and himself. He is currently working towards his next certificate that will allow him to fly through clouds and close to zero visibility. As of now, he flies a Cessna 172p, a small four-seat

training aircraft.

Most of Mayer’s training took place over Big Lake known as the “practice area” to aviators. However, Mayer has flown over many parts of Alaska.

“I have flown over most of South Central Alaska, Anchorage to Homer, Soldotna, Talkeetna and Kenai,” Mayer said.

“Flying is, in my opinion, the best way to see Alaska. I have flown over glaciers, lakes, ocean and mountains. There is no better way to travel the Last Frontier.”

Mayer describes flying as the most liberating experience of his life.

“My first solo was the most terrified and happy I have ever been in my life, I was all alone in the plane and no one could save me but myself,” Mayer said.

There are many dangers that come with flying, but after experiencing a flight with Mayer, Hannam is reassured by her son’s capabilities.

“I have gone flying with Maksim and the experience just increased my confidence in him as a pilot,” Hannam said. “We had an issue with the plane’s radio and communication system while headed north out of Merrill Field, and he handled it very calmly by going through the emergency procedures and negotiating the problem.”

Matt Muffoletto, business major and close friend of Mayer, is looking forward to the opportunity to fly with his friend.

“I have taken him flying several times and we’ve had a blast.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAKSIM MAYER

Maksim Mayer shaking Designated Pilot Examiner Alan Carpenter’s hand after recieving his pilots license in the summer of 2017.

Having another copilot in the seat makes things much easier while up in the air and more enjoyable. We’re always pushing each other to learn as much as we can,” Muffoletto said.

The ability to fulfill a lifelong dream of having a career in the aviation field seems almost unreal to Mayer.

“My dream career is sitting in the left seat of an Alaska Airlines 737, flying legs all over the United States. It has been my dream for as long as I can remember,” Mayer said. “I feel so

grateful that I have been able to make my life dream come within grasp. It feels so good to know that my career will feel like fun and not a job,” Although Mayer plans to have work in the airline industry, he is working on his criminal justice career.

“My decision to change majors this year has had many factors, one being that if flying does not work for a career in the long run, I thought it was prudent to have a major in a different field,” Mayer said. “As far as my crimi-

nal justice degree is concerned, I have taken a keen interest in APD and have been looking into becoming a police officer if flying does not work out, or if possible, at the same time.”

In the meantime, while going to school, Mayer is continuing to get his flying certificates and building his flight hours required for a commercial job.

“Do not let anyone tell you can’t do something, go out in the world and be confident in yourself and you will fly high,” Mayer said.

14 | SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

The Hungarian Olympian in the 49th state

Two-time Olympian Anna Berecz now coaches the UAA alpine ski team as a graduate assistant coach

By Karolin Anders

sports@thenorthernlight.org

Anna Berecz had already competed in the 2007 and 2009 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships before finishing 27th in the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010.

That’s when she started looking for opportunities to combine her passion for skiing with receiving a higher education.

When contacting several universities with ski teams ranked in the top 10 in the country, head coach Sparky Anderson caught eye of her. The two exchanged emails until they met in person and sealed the deal.

The two met during the Spring Series in Wenatchee, Washington where UAA competed and Berecz traveled to after competing at the U.S. championships to talk to Anderson. In the fall of 2011, she enrolled at UAA as a double major in psychology and languages.

“I really didn’t know what I was getting into,” Berecz said. “Sparky [Anderson] was very nice on the phone, and he wanted me on the team. I was very nervous about it, though. If someone would have told me right off the bat what it was really like, how breathtakingly beautiful [Alaska] is and what an amazing time I will have, I wouldn’t have hesitated for a second.”

During her career at UAA, Berecz found success. During her rookie campaign, she qualified for two NCAA meets, competing in slalom and giant slalom, placing 21st in slalom in 2014. She also contributed to a seventh-place team finish in 2013 and an eighth-place team finish in 2015.

Additionally, Berecz recorded immense academic success by being named

PHOTO COURTESY OF @SYDNEYMICHELLEPHOTOGRAPHY

Anna Berecz has competed at Arctic Man Ski and Sno-Go Classic for three years already and plans on participating again.

to the Division I All-Academic Ski team and earning the Dresser Cup, UAA Athletics Department’s highest academic honor, for graduating magna cum laude with an overall 3.99 GPA in 2015.

“Anna [Berecz] was always very professional. Over the years, she had quite a bit of success, which is awesome, and then went to the Olympics again in 2014,” Anderson said.

Berecz represented her home country, Hungary, and the Seawolves, on the international stage. She traveled to the Sochi Olympic Games in 2014 in Russia, where she placed 21st in the Alpine combined, 28th in the super-G, 48th in the giant slalom and 35th in both the slalom and downhill events.

“I think I had my cake and ate it too,” Berecz said. “I got to compete for UAA, got a degree and I could also compete in big international races. Sparky [Ander-

son] and Julie Leclerc [former alpine assistant coach] have given me the opportunity to race for UAA and also let me do my own thing and fulfill the requirements of my federation. This way I could represent Hungary at the Olympics, so I am very grateful for them for being supportive and not making me choose between the team and my home country.”

After graduating with her doublebachelor’s degree in 2015, Berecz did not want to leave the state that became her home. When the assistant coach position opened up, her and Anderson were excited to continue working together.

“I knew that Anna [Berecz] wanted to stay in Alaska and I always have really respected her work ethic. She is an unbelievable worker, super smart and she knows the system. She was definitely the best-case scenario for me,” Anderson said.

Transitioning from being a high caliber athlete to coaching went very well for Berecz as she is very experienced in all aspects of the sport.

“The transition from being teammates to coaching went pretty smoothly for me at least. The difficult part was to stand on the other side of things and watch, instead of do,” Berecz said.

By taking the assistant coaching position right after graduating, Berecz became a coach to some of her former teammates, which can be challenging as certain boundaries are expected in the coach-athlete relationship. Charley Field, senior alpine skier, was a freshman when Berecz was a senior.

“I really did look up to her when I came into my first year. She gave very

good advice and was motivational when it was greatly needed. I was very proud to be her teammate,” Field said. “I was also pretty excited to have someone as an assistant coach that already knew me. That way, we could have a good connection on and off the slopes. Anna [Berecz] really pushes me to be a better athlete than I could ever be.”

After one year of coaching, Berecz’s optional practical training visa ran out in 2016. She decided to become the graduate assistant coach for the Seawolves, while working towards her master’s degree.

“I am currently getting a master’s degree in public administration and I really like it,” Berecz said. “I want to make the world a better place for everyone, and give back to the communities that helped me get where I am.”

Berecz is seeking opportunities to learn more about the professional world and build a whole new set of skills.

“I interned in the Office of Economic and Community Development for about two months this summer. It was such a great experience,” Berecz said. “I got to see local government in working and got to know some fascinating people, government employees who care so much about Anchorage and bring a lot of energy in their work. This internship brought me closer to finding out what else I am good at and what I could be doing in the future.”

Berecz made the best out of the opportunities given to her, and is paying back to the community that helped her achieve her goals. She values Alaska and all it has to offer and hopes to continue living in the 49th state.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AP PHOTO / MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY / KELLY GORHAM

Anna Berecz competing in the slalom at the NCAA Western Championships, Feb. 23, 2013, at Bridger Bowl near Bozeman, Montana.

CONTACT

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

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A S S O C I AT E D CO L L E G I AT E P R ES S

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.

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