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Theorion.com | Wednesday, March 11, 2015 | Vol. 74, Issue 8 | First copy free, additional copies 50¢
SCIENCE
Student killed in shooting at party Madison Holmes
Opinion Editor
Utterly interactive Gateway Science Museum celebrates 5th anniversary with hands-on learning experience By Blaine Ball Staff Writer Bloodsucking insects and cannulated cows are just a few things that people can get their hands on when exploring Chico State’s Gateway Science Museum, which thrives off its interactive and informative exhibits that attract guests of all ages. The Gateway Science Museum is led by Dr. Renee Renner and 2015 marks its fifth anniversary, an occasion that was celebrated on Feb. 28. “We are celebrating the fifth anniversary of the museum as well as many years of collaboration in this informal learning process.” Renner said. “Making a parallel between man-made and naturally-made is frequently focused upon.” As executive director, Renner’s goal is to create a positive interaction between the school, the community and the museum, she said. “The museum operates as a campus facility and is under direct guidance of the College of Natural Science,” Renner said. “We have a very strong community advisory board, and they are very instrumental in assisting us to make our program happen through fundraising and volunteer efforts.” Renner is in charge of the programming, budget and staffing of the museum, as well as overseeing the public exhibit galleries. The museum currently has multiple hands-on and viewing exhibits such as “Modern Farming,” “Attack of the Bloodsuckers” and “Seeds.”
MODERN FARMING In the “Modern Farming” section, museum visitors can find a cannulated cow simulation where visitors have the opportunity to feel the inside of a cow. Specifically, one can feel the rumen, or intestine, of a cow by sticking a hand inside the false animal. “We built the exhibit ourselves with the help of a design
firm out in Oakland,” Renner said. “It highlights Northern California’s agriculture through community, research and technological aspects.”
ATTACK OF THE BLOODSUCKERS “Attack of the Bloodsuckers” examines some of the insects and animals that feed off of warm blood. Mosquitoes and leeches in particular are on display, and guests may view the bloodsuckers through magnifying glasses stationed at each viewing tank. “The ‘Bloodsuckers’ exhibit is rented from the Sciencenter in Ithaca, New York,” Renner said. “In this gallery, we tend to try to target an age group of fourth grade through middle school, but I would say even adults find it interesting and entertaining.”
SEEDS Inside the main hall of the museum are several enlarged photos of plants native to California. In the “Seeds” exhibit, one can view the dispersal process of several species of plants. At the museum’s fifth anniversary celebration, members of the museum’s advisory board helped run the event as well as several of the interactive booths. Visitors were given the chance to perform a cow-milking simulation as well as pet some of the live animals on display during the event. “Whenever we can have a positive interaction with members of the community, whether they’re visitors of volunteers, when they see our students and our faculty engaged with community, it creates a really good camaraderie and rapport,” Renner said. “This way they’re closely connected with us, and we can create a very positive experience.”
Blaine Ball can be reached at featureseditor@theorion.com or @BlaineHBall on Twitter.
TOP: Four-year-old museum visitor Oliver Connell tries his hand at milking an artificial utter at the Gateway Science George Johnston/The Orion Museum’s five-year anniversary celebration.
Travis Powell, a 22-year-old Chico State junior, was shot and killed at a house party on West Seventh and Oak streets early Saturday morning, according to a press release from the Chico Police Department. Powell was attending the party when a fight broke out and spilled into the streets. The fight escalated and three victims, including Powell, were shot. TRAVIS Two individuals POWELL were stabbed and Chico State student one victim was hit in the face with a glass bottle, according to the release. Police responded to a call at 1:17 a.m. Saturday that a shooting had taken place. Powell was transported to Enloe Medical Center and later died from his wounds. The suspects in the shooting are unknown. Powell was a criminal justice major and wanted to become a game warden after he graduated, according to a campus-wide email. He was a talented student and athlete who loved to hunt and fish. “He was a determined student. When faced with a challenge in class, he would always go above and beyond to improve his academic performance,” said professor Darin Haerle, department of political science. “He was very much looking forward to graduation. Travis will be remembered for his love of basketball and his sometimes shy, yet always genuinely friendly, demeanor,” he said. Marc Smutny, one of Powell’s best friends, posted a status on Facebook in remembrance of Travis. “Travi, even though you were younger than me I still looked up to you in so many ways,” he wrote. Travis was hospitable, hilarious and the perfect guy, he wrote. “We know we will never forget the memories made and days spent sitting across the table from each other, for hours on end, just laughing,” he wrote. The university flag will be lowered tomorrow in Powell’s memory. His family has set up a website for donations to help with funeral expenses. To donate, go to http://www.gofundme.com/ travispowell Madison Holmes can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or
@MadisonHolmes95 on Twitter.
A.S., state workers partner toward thriving campus life Kristina Martinez
Staff Writer
Many students may not realize that Associated Students is not an island unto itself and in fact partners closely with state-funded workers to produce the programs available on campus. The Wildcat Recreation Center has four state workers and Student Life and Leadership has eight, not including student staff. The Cross-Cultural Leadership Center is also an A.S.-funded program, but the employees are funded by the state. Mary Wallmark is the program coordinator for Student Life and Leadership and is one of the many state workers at Chico State who works in an A.S. building. Wallmark works with student organizations in leadership education, the Wildcat Leadership Institute and the Wildcat Welcome team. She started her career at Chico State in 1997 as the head women’s volleyball coach, then moved to director of sport clubs and recreational sports.
Trevor Ryan/The Orion
Nick Howell, student involvement coordinator, helps students at the Student Life and Leadership center with questions they have about the program. A lot of similarities can be found between the state side and A.S. side. Both have the same mission and goals, but they go about handling them a bit differently.
“For a student, they don’t care who it is,” Wallmark said. “They just want the help, or they want the resources or they want the workshop. So if we’re really
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being student-friendly and student-centered, then we blob those things together instead of ‘Let’s play find the office.’ In this case, the Associated Students doesn’t have to pay for our positions right? They don’t pay my salary, but they support the mission of what I’m doing on behalf of the state.” A.S allows state workers like Wallmark to use its buildings and space to help facilitate many on-campus student activities. A.S. can’t afford to sponsor everything, so the idea of letting in state workers to help run and fund certain studentfriendly projects only made sense, Wallmark said. The WREC is an example of another A.S. facility that state-sponsored programs are held in. Steve Riccomini, director of intramural sports at the WREC, and other state workers utilize the facility, but do so in a way so that they are not taking up too much of
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