March 2016 by Spring Arbor University's The Pulse

THE

PULSE

M a r c h 2 5 , 2 0 1 6 • I s s u e 6 • Vo l u m e 3 • t h e s a u p u l s e . c o m facebook.com/saupulse twitter.com/saupulse

3 million Americans can't eat this

Pretzels. Doritos. Fried foods. All items gluten-free people avoid everyday. Read more on pgs. 12-13. PHOTO FROM Wikimedia

TA B L E O F

C ON T E N T S A PA RTM ENT S HUT DOWN Pa g e 5

Southern Spring Break Adventure Pa ge 6

Me n of Me ri t Pag e 7

E xp os e SAU Lent: Ea st vs . West Pa ge 8

B ro k e n A n c ho rs Pa ge 4 Pa r e nt i n g P rof e s s o rs Page 9

PHOTO BY Kayla Williamson

SALON DE R E FU SES Pa ge 16

Fo o d Alle r gi e s Pa ges 12 -13

DAY I N LIFE OF D C WOR KER Pages 10 -1 1 A Co m m u n i ty of Writers Page 17

Total Ec l i p s e of Th e i r He a rt s Pag e 1 4

An Orga n i c Revelation Pa ge 15 Artist Review: Troye Sivan Pa ge 18

F latline Pa ge 19

Spring Tra i ni ng Pa ge 2 0 PHOTO BY Mary Sramek

C h a d “ Co o k i e Mon st e r ” Ro use Page 2 1 2

TEN N I S COMP LEX Pag e 2 2

thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2016

Coach Q& A Pa ge 2 3

PHOTO BY Nate Bortz

Editor’s Note

“Ooh, you probably didn’t know, but a bunny can call another bunny cute, but when other animals do it, it’s a little…” Zootopia. A movie rife with references to “Frozen,” “The Godfather,” “Breaking Bad” and many other pop culture artifacts. It’s also a reflection of our own society full of prejudice and fear. Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a rabbit who dreams of becoming the first rabbit police officer in Zootopia – a city where anyone can be anything. Just kidding. It’s actually full of animals stuck in their own stereotypical boxes. Foxes are “clever” swindlers. Bunnies are “dumb” hillbillies who can never be real police officers. Hopps is reduced to meter maid until animals start going savage. The only lead? All of the animals turning savage are predators. In a community of 90 percent prey and 10 percent

predator, fear drives the already prejudiced community to extremes. Sound familiar? We’re living in a culture of fear as well. Terrorists? The KKK? The neighbor next door who happens to be Muslim? Trigger-happy, white police officers? Fear has a habit of controlling us, whether conscious or unconscious. It can rally an entire group of people to act. It can discourage another group of people to speak out. And it can wipe away logic and make us forget how to love. As the villain in Zootopia states, “Fear always works.” In our next issue, we at “The Pulse” want to share how you feel about fear. How does fear drive your actions? How has it encouraged or discouraged you to act? Have you ever felt threatened because of a false stereotype or prejudice? If you or someone you know in the Spring Arbor area

The Pulse Staff & Contributors Editor-in-Chief Kayla Williamson Associate Editor Amber Cekander News Editor Elizabeth DeGraaf Features/A&E Editor Amber Cekander Sports Editor Dana Sebald-Van Doren

PHOTO BY Andri Hill

KAYLAWILLIAMSON

EDITO RINC H IE F

has stories or opinions about the culture of fear we’re living in, please let me know at kayla. williamson@arbor.edu.

Lead Copy Editor Alexa Matthews Copy Editors Elise Emmert Ryan Jones Taylor Reed Design Editor Kim Bigos Business Manager Corina Cekander

‘Til next time, Kayla Williamson

Monthly Meme: The real question is why not both? Why must we be forced to choose between puppies and pastries? Revolt. Pick both. Love both. Do not give into false dichotomies.

Finance Manager Luke Roberts Social Media/ Photography Editor Nate Bortz Designers Kaci Bedgood Libby Buckland Rebecca Conley Andri Hill Megan Himebook Ellerie Hughes Staff Writers Libby Buckland Heather Clark Sarah Dean Ellerie Hughes Ryan Jones Olivia Landis Nathan Salsbury Hannah Shimanek Katie Shotts Mary Sramek Guest Writers Taylor Reed Jonathan Rinck Kaley Teceno

March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

NEWS

New Ministries on Campus STAF F WRITE R

his semester, Spring Arbor University (SAU) has introduced two new student-led ministries: Broken Anchors and Expose SAU.

Broken Anchors Broken Anchors is a project that addresses the tough issues in our society. The group’s leaders want students to be reminded that “even though we live in a broken world, our hope is anchored in God,” which is the ministry’s tagline. Their leadership team consists of Emily Burrill, Jessica Strayer, Erin Couch and Taylor Wallace. Their mission is “to bring hope to this broken world.” They aspire to encourage and empower others through the hope that lies in Christ. Through the arts, they yearn to share the love of God and display the struggles that plague the world today. Broken Anchors bases its mission and purpose after Romans 5:1-6, which states, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Their latest project involved a video interview with an SAU student who struggled with an eating disorder. They captured her testimony about her struggles through it and how she overcame it. Through this, they hope other students who are struggling will be able to relate and find hope and inspiration through the testimony of a fellow classmate, and to know that in their struggle they are not alone. With all of their projects, they wish to be an encouragement to those who read or watch their website, as well as praise Jesus through the art they use—whether that be video,

photo, testimony or anything else. They want to bring people in and involve them in these different projects. Students can submit testimonies, request project ideas and become involved in any way they feel called. Broken Anchors is very open to how students feel inspired to share and come alongside them. “Broken Anchors is still very new and quite broad, but that means there is that much more room to grow and work with,” Burrill said. Their blog, brokenanchorsblog.wordpress. com, is their biggest platform to share and update the community. On it they post their videos, blogs, encouragements and projects. They also have a Facebook page that they use for communicating with students.

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H A NN A HS HI M ANEK

SAU is a campus that claims to bear one another’s burdens, and Expose SAU is trying to embody that. Machala Culhane, Expose SAU’s founder

Expose SAU Another new ministry on campus is Expose SAU, which was created to reach out to students who seek to “find healing through the one true healer Jesus Christ, regarding any sin as a result of personal sin (i.e. addiction), sin as a result of being sinned against (i.e. abuse) and sin as a result of living in a fallen world (i.e. anxiety, depression, etc.).” The group leadership team for Expose SAU consists of Machala Culhane, Hannah Shimanek, Lorissa Matthysse, Josh Smith, James Hall and Devon Sturgis. Expose SAU wants to help students conquer whatever is holding them back from a full relationship with God, and do so as a group for accountability and partnership. “SAU is a campus that claims to bear one another burdens, and Expose SAU is trying to

thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2016

embody that to the best of its ability so that we can live as Christ has called us to,” Culhane, Expose SAU’s founder, said. The group meets every other Thursday, and posters are put up to communicate time and location. The meeting starts with a group devotion and then breaks off by gender for discussion. The discussion portion goes over questions that branch off the devotion and gives students a chance to share and talk about how they are doing that week. It is not a forced time of sharing, and people do not have to talk unless they wish. There is a theme for each meeting that covers the issues that attendees are struggling with. “The meeting times are meant to be a period of encouragement, learning and growing together as the body of Christ,” Sturgis said. “Being there to support one another through the high and low points and walking alongside each other. We want people to feel comfortable and know that they and their experience is important and valuable.” Expose SAU bases its mission and purpose off of Ephesians 5:11-14 which states, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’” Expose SAU is inclusive to everyone. They strive to create a private environment, which allows for openness and security within the group. They seek to create a space where students feel comfortable and confident sharing what they are going through and where they are at spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Expose SAU is not a professional counseling service and does not claim to be. What is shared in the group will be kept confidential within the group unless what is said could result in harm to that person or someone else. Both of these new groups hope to bring a new element of hope to the students of SAU. If you have any questions, want more information or want to be a part of either of these ministries, feel free to contact any of their members.

NEWS

Residence Reassessment:

PHOTO BY Heather Clark

SAU changes apartment policy for 2016-17 H E ATHE RCL ARK

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pring Arbor University’s (SAU) Park Street apartment housing option will no longer be open to traditional undergraduate students in the 2016-17 school year. With recent drops in enrollment, many of the campus housing options have fewer residents. The closing of Ormston and Muffit’s fourth floors last year is the most drastic example of a decreasing population of traditional undergraduate students. The apartments are also being affected by these changing demographics. Only 12 students currently live in Apartment B, the male residence, which can house more than 33 according to Resident Assistant (RA) Daniel Balzer. The only thing missing, he said, is tumbleweeds. The women’s option, Apartment A, is also fairly empty. “Currently, there are about 19 residents in Apartment A, which is about 60% of the capacity,” RA Angela Engell said. This decrease in demand for the off-campus housing has prompted the university to close all SAU owned apartments to traditional undergraduate students. Apartments A and B will convert to married student and faculty housing, and will also still be available by petition to students over 22 years old. According to vice president for student

development and learning Kim Hayworth, the apartment housing will simply not be listed as available on the housing application portal page for the 2016-17 academic year. The application, which is now available, will also allow Ormston and Muffit’s fourth floors to be selected as housing. These two floors, closed at the end of the 2014-15 school year, will reopen for students, coinciding with the closing of the Apartments. “The apartments being closed are close to O4 and M4’s bed capacity,” director of residence life, Bobby Pratt, said. Pratt also said because a larger percentage of resident students are freshmen and sophomores, reopening underclassman dorm space is more practical than continuing to maintain the apartments as student housing. A proposal to allow seniors living in the Villages to drop their meal plan entirely is also being considered. According to Pratt, this is not yet been finalized. K-house residents are already allowed to drop meal plans, but Village residents are currently required to maintain at least the minimum meal plan. The option of having no meal plan has been one of the largest draws to the apartments, and the housing staff hope allowing some modifications in the Village options will offset this. According to both Pratt and Hayworth, the housing changes are an attempt to consolidate

traditional students in the main campus housing. “We’re hoping it will make better community,” Hayworth said, “since apartment residents tend to be minimally involved in campus life.” Most of these changes will not affect current apartment residents, since many are seniors and will graduate before this policy goes into effect, like Apartment B resident Jared Bugbee. “I chose to live in the apartments because I am an introvert and like having my own space,” Bugbee said. Reasons for choosing the apartments extend beyond simply being able to drop a meal plan. Balzer said of his Apartment B residents, “Two reasons I think students have chosen the apartments are independence and transition. First off, I think the upper classman are looking for more independence, and they can have this out here because they are living on their own. The other reason is transition. The residents are preparing to enter the real world, and the apartments serve as a transition from college life by giving them a peek at what life after college may look like.” Housing staff hopes the intended policy changes for on-campus housing, as the apartments become unavailable, will continue to allow students to find an option that fits their needs.

March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

NEWS

Spring Break

with Stone & Seacott

S ARAH D E AN

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pring break at Spring Arbor University (SAU) invites a time for students to invest in a variety of opportunities including serving on mission trips, predictably escaping the cold of Michigan for the beaches of Florida or embarking on crazy adventures out of spontaneity or tradition. For one specific group of young men on campus, the week was an opportunity to be a part of the annual hiking trip led by Damon Seacott and Billy Stone, who have been leading the trip for several years. The group included Lucas Barres, Connor Cheyne, Boaz Gillette, Peter Kuhl, Thomas Jones, Jordan Moore, Alex Rodriguez, Will Sanders, Morris Hutchins and Baylor Smith. Rodriguez, sophomore, described it as a time of “hanging with the dudes.” Leaving the Friday of spring break, the group drove through the night in a people PHOTO BY Alex Rodriguez

PHOTO BY Will Sanders

mover to West Virginia. They stayed at Pipestem State Park where they spent the week living in cabins. Rodriguez said there was little rigidity in their schedule, and for much of the trip they just “played it by ear.” In the mornings, they would have breakfast and pack their lunches, spend about half the day hiking and return to camp for some relaxation time. The group would hang out at night, playing board games and sitting by the fire. The hiking aspect of the trip was the main highlight. Rodriguez said the temperatures were in the high 50’s and 60’s, which was ideal hiking weather. The group would head up to look-outs, go through hilly regions and wade into creeks and rivers. Rodriguez found this time to be meaningful and alluded to unique experiences resulting from simply “being with the guys.” Rodriguez said the best part of the trip was one specific trek through cold water. The

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thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2016

group traveled to a different park and set out on a hike that took them straight through a wide river in the woods. Rodriguez said the river was so cold that it was painful. Everyone in the group was miserable, yet it was an amazing experience. While feeling as though his legs were going to fall off, Rodriguez heard sophomore Gilette say it was a moment of pure misery, but in hindsight would be a good memory. For Rodriguez, these words captured the beauty of the experience. Rodriguez said the purpose of the trip was to “spend time with the guys.” He enjoyed the opportunity to get off campus into a different environment with friends whom he had already known quite well. One insight he gained from the trip was the importance of taking time to be open with others. While some people occasionally pulled out their phones to listen to music at night, the hikes were a time to be present with one another. The environment fostered good conversation between the guys and made the trip quite memorable. PHOTO BY Will Sanders

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NEWS

My Brother’s Keeper: SAU’s Men of Merit PHOTO BY Daryl Singleton

N ATEBORTZ

PHOTO GRAPHY E DITOR

he Men of Merit group is a place for African American students at Spring Arbor University (SAU) to grow and serve their communities together. Founded in 2008, it originally started as a Jackson Community College (JCC) group. Its goal is to “inspire members to stay in college, advance academically, serve their community and become the men they dream to be,” according to JCC’s website. Around seven years ago, Loren Mason started a chapter here at SAU. It is officially recognized by the Office for Intercultural Relations (OIR) and meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. The SAU chapter’s focus is not only about improving academic troubles and engaging in community outreach, as with JCC and other chapters. According to Lorenzo Montgomery, current Men of Merit president, the group’s main purpose is to “provide academic, spiritual

PHOTO BY Nate Bortz

and social support for African American male students.” “Men of Merit is more than just a meeting, it’s a group of brothers that pour love and wisdom into one another,” said member Payton Pope. Since his freshman year, Pope said Men of Merit has helped him grow in his character. He likened his experiences in the group to Proverbs 27:17, “iron sharpens iron.” He said the other members help him get sharper and vice versa in “faith, soul and strength.” “It’s been my backbone when I needed a tight group of friends to talk with,” Pope said. For Montgomery, Men of Merit has been a part of his life for the past five years. As well as helping him create strong friendships, it has also achieved one of the organization’s original intentions by improving Lorenzo’s academics. On a typical meeting night, Montgomery said the group talks about American “hot topics” and how it affects them. “It is not a negative militant group, but a Christ-centered and Kingdom-centered organization to glorify God,” he said.

“Meetings take a holistic approach to build a ‘total man’ by offering a place that encourages academic success, spiritual nourishment, social networking and physical well-being.” The official group mantra is “I am my brother’s keeper.” Group members also organize and plan fundraisers to help give back to the community. Montgomery said he believes community service will create a long-term bond with everyone in the group. Most recently, the Men of Merit group took advantage of spring break to go down to Atlanta, Ga. to help with a tree re-planting and maintenance project. Montgomery said he expects the group’s next leader to be inspired in the same way he was when he first joined. Pope’s thoughts of Men of Merit being a place that “helps prepare leaders for the future” seems to bring optimism to Montgomery’s wishes.

PHOTO BY Lorenzo Montgomery

March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

FEATURES

In view - Lent

Orthodox and Western ideals compared STAFF WRITE R

E L L E RIE H U GHE S STA F F WRIT ER

s this Lent season soon comes a close, it is important to reflect not only on what ones personal values are during this time of sacrifice but what it may mean for other sects of Christianity. Western Lent refers to the beliefs of Protestant and Catholic churches as one, while Orthodoxy refers to the beliefs of the Eastern Orthodox church as a whole. Below, are the different ideals, sacraments and methods of both forms of Christianity.

lent - defined: Western Western lent includes Protestant and Catholic Lent. Lent to many people of the Protestant and Catholic faiths means taking time to remember the sacrifices of Jesus Christ by giving up certain foods or activities. “To me, lent is a time of preparation and growth. [It is] comparable to Advent. A time when the church prepares and anticipates the resurrection, which is most significant to our faith,” junior Peter Kuhl said.

Eastern Orthodox For Christians, the Easter season represents the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Many celebrate with different traditions. One of the oldest traditions is the Great Lent. The Great Lent looks different from church to church, but for the Eastern Orthodox Church, the commemoration of Christ’s death and resurrection looks the same every year.

traditions:

Eastern Orthodox

Western

While the church fasts together, individuals often have their own challenges. Both sophomore Elyse Underwood and SAU alumna Hannah Beukema have individual readings. Underwood is participating in her first Great Lent, preparing to be chrismated into the Orthodox Church.

Major events held at various cathedrals often include fish fries on Friday’s. Holy Thursday (before Easter) includes Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which is also celebrated in the Catholic church.

Eastern Orthodox Unlike the Western church, Orthodoxy does not observe Ash Wednesday. Instead, Lent begins on Clean Monday and continues for 40 days. Lent ends with Pascha, also known as the Passover. Throughout the 40 days the Church fasts together, cutting meat and cheese from their diets. This vegan fast is paired with extra liturgical services on Wednesdays, as well as an entire week of services during Clean Week and Holy Week, the first and last weeks of the fast. Following the Great Lent is Bright Week, a fast-free week where the church celebrates the resurrection of Christ and his defeat of death.

Sacrifices: Western Each person chooses what he or she, personally, would like to sacrifice in the Protestant and Catholic traditions. “This year I gave up sweets. I decided to give this up because it would be a challenge because of SAU’s dessert table and the fact that I’m such a sweet tooth,” freshman Makana Geppert said. It often varies between people and faiths. “Personally, I’m giving up music at bed time, but I usually try to add a new habit. This year I’m also trying to have a meaningful conversation with God whenever I find a quiet moment,” Kuhl said.

thesaupulse.com • March 25,2016

dates and more: Western Lent began on Ash Wednesday and will last for the 40 days before Easter. This year it was Feb. 10 - March 27

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Eastern Orthodox

This year, The Great Lent began on March 14, but the traditions began on March 13, on what is called Forgiveness Sunday. Underwood described Forgiveness Sunday as a time to come together and ask one another

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[Forgiveness Sunday] is an opportunity for us to start new. Elyse Underwood, sophomore

for forgiveness, and to forgive one another. “[Forgiveness Sunday] is an opportunity for us to start new,” Underwood said. “We start clean and try to forgive like God does.”

FEATURES

A Balancing Act:

Professors discuss juggling academics and family life KAT ELYN SHOT TS STAF F WRITE R

ou can’t have a family and be an academic. I’m sorry, you just can’t.” While still working for her undergraduate degree and pregnant with her son, Dr. Lori McVay, a Spring Arbor University (SAU) sociology professor and mother to the now seven-year-old Jack, was told her career and family goals were impossible. Being both a professor and a parent can be very trying, and there are many challenges faced by the faculty at any university. One of those challenges is trying to find a balance between work and family life. Being a professor is not a regular 9-5 career. Work often spills over into free time, and many professors try to be on-call for students. Dr. Ji Hyun Kim, an SAU professor of violin and viola discovered just how problematic this can be when her daughter Yoonsol was born four months ago. While faculty are somewhat able to adjust their schedule to fit their personal needs, even breaks can be spent grading papers and preparing for classes.

It can be difficult, Kim said, trying to be there for both her daughter and her students. However, being a parent also helps professors relate to those in their classes. Since becoming a mother, Kim said, “something is changing in the way I communicate with students.” Dr. Jack Baker, an SAU English professor and father of three chidren under the ages of ten, also finds that being a parent compliments

PHOTO PROVIDED BY Dr. Brian Kono

PHOTO PROVIDED BY Dr. Ji Hyun Kim

his role as an educator. “In the same way you might draw skills out of your children, you want to draw them out of your students,” Baker said. For McVay, being a parent has taught her skills that she uses for work, such as negotiation and owning her own imperfections. She said her experiences have refuted the idea that “parents don’t gain marketable experiences.” Being faculty here also impacts the professors’ children. Dr. Brian Kono, an SAU professor of philosophy and theology, says after he and his wife Angel Kono, another professor at SAU, began teaching, their expectations for their children shifted.

“Before we worked here, the assumption was that they might go to college,” Kono said. “After, the expectation became that they would go to college. Not only was there the expectation that they would attend higher education, it was also that they would be successful within it. There’s a degree of pressure that parents who are professors feel for their kids to be smart, to set an example.” This can be both positive and negative. Baker has said being a professor will allow him to give his children the kind of academic support he was unable to have as a first generation college student. Kono mentioned being present on a college campus from an early age made the culture shock of college less severe for their children. Despite the challenges of teaching, being at a more family-friendly university helps to buffer some of these difficulties. McVay said she has found supportive mentors and colleagues who are both parents and academics. Kim and Baker echoed these sentiments. Their work is easier because of the atmosphere created at SAU. For the Kono’s, this is the kind of community they have aspired to add to during their time here. With such a large family then, it is no wonder professors see teaching at SAU as not just a career, but as an extension of their lives.

March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

FEATURES

A Day in the Life of a DC Worker H E ATHE RCL ARK

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N AT H A NS A L S BURY STA F F WRIT ER

lmost every single Spring Arbor University (SAU) student has eaten in the Dining Commons (DC) at least once. Many eat there every day. But the food does not just magically appear to satisfy hundreds of ravenous college students. Chartwells’ food service staff is busy behind the scenes preparing and cleaning up after the meals. Barbie Wesseling manages all the baking that goes on in the DC. She arrives before 5:30 a.m. to oversee supply deliveries that come on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and then she and her co-workers begin the day’s baking. The constant work continues until around 9:00 a.m. when Wesseling puts all of her finished food on trays to be laid out. “We’re like a bunch of bees, just a’hummin’ at what we’re supposed to be doing,” Wesseling said. While the kitchen work is busy, she said she enjoys it, and it is actually a way for her to relax. Mary Williams, who prepares and stocks the salad bar, said her day begins around 8:00 a.m., when she arrives and begins slicing vegetables for lunch. Any earlier than that, her section of the DC is being used by workers from Ada’s Kitchen to prepare their sandwiches, salads and vegetables. Kitchen space is limited, and food preparation involves careful scheduling and sharing space. “We use every corner,” Williams said. “You have to call out if you’re going to walk behind someone with a knife or a hot pan.” When she arrives at the DC, Williams turns

on the salad bar’s chiller unit. After prepping her pans of vegetables, she stores them in a large cooler until they are ready to be laid out. Williams makes sure the bins remain wellstocked through lunch, then takes down the whole setup and begins again for dinner. Unlike the scheduled delivery trucks Wesseling prepares for, Williams said the produce delivery can arrive anytime on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and is a much busier affair. “Every one [of the DC meal stations] needs the produce truck,” Williams said. The unloading can be somewhat chaotic as each group tries to find their own supplies for their meals. Although work in the DC can be challenging, both Wesseling and Williams said

thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2016

they enjoy it. “We’re a family,” Wesseling said. “It’s a blessing to come to work…we often start our days with a hug.” Besides friendships with their fellow employees, Williams and Wesseling said they enjoy getting to meet students who eat in the DC. Wesseling said it becomes more difficult with the university growing, and said she wishes students would talk with her and the other workers more. They also encourage students to make comments and suggestions, since it can be difficult to know what students are enjoying, or what they’d like to see change. “If there’s something you like, or you want to see us start making, let us know,” Williams said.

PHOTOS BY Rachelle Budop

FEATURES

Many students are employed in the DC as well. Holly Meredith has been a student worker in the DC since Sept. 2014, her sophomore year. She says she has done nearly every job that a worker could be assigned at least once. Some of these jobs include working in the dish room, being a runner and assisting deli, pizzas, salad and dessert areas, which is all one job. Holly has also helped cater a few events and even worked as the cashier a few times in her first year.

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If there’s something you like, or you want to see us start making, let us know Mary Williams, Chartwells Employee

“Typically, I am put on the runner position as that is where I perform the best, but I am always subject to move wherever my boss tells me to,” Meredith said. As the runner, she has to keep an eye on which foods are being eaten the fastest and report it to the chef to ensure that the food is refilled as soon as possible. “Most nights are not too crazy, unless there are chicken tenders involved,” Meredith said, relating her experience one night when she was new to running and chicken tenders were served at The Grill station. Runners are in charge of the deep fryers, meaning that they have to make sure that whatever is being fried is out and there is a back-up pan because the food tends to be eaten fairly quickly. Meredith

said she had a pan of chicken out and ready and another pan ready to take its place before the doors opened for dinner, but didn’t realize how fast it would go. As soon as people heard chicken tenders were on the menu, the line reached almost out the door. Meredith said she had to try to fry chicken while keeping the pans at the other end of the cafeteria filled. After the meal was over, she discovered the kitchen had used at least ten boxes of chicken tenders containing 20 pounds of chicken each. Meredith said working in the DC is great for building a good work ethic and she will most likely continue next year, but has not completely decided yet. Another student working in the DC is Kristen Suzio. She began working in the DC last October. Suzio said she has done all the possible jobs the cafeteria has to offer, but her top three jobs are working at the grill, working in the deli and being a runner. A typical day for Suzio begins when she walks in, says hello to everyone, clocks in and goes to her designated area. At dinner, she works until 7:00 p.m., shuts down her station and then helps with the dishes. She said she is normally clocked out by 8:30 p.m. at the latest depending on how busy the DC is and if they are short any workers that day. “I absolutely love the job,” Suzio said. “Personally, I am very outgoing, so I naturally clicked with many of the workers. Some of them became some of my best and closest friends. We joke, and laugh, they support me and pick me up on my worst days. They’re truly like family.” So next time you’re filling a plate at the salad bar or putting together a fresh burger, take the time to visit with the DC employee behind the counter. You might be surprised at the stories you will hear and the amazing people you will have the chance to meet. March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

FEATURES

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS COLD, HARD FACTS, PERSONAL TESTIMONY AND DC HACKS. KAYL AWILLI AMSO N E D ITO R IN C HE IF

thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2016

FEATURES

THE REACTION Junior Rachel Gerrild found out the August before freshman year of college she could no longer eat her favorite buffalo pretzels, breaded chicken wings or anything else containing gluten. “It was probably a blessing coming to college because the first couple weeks in August were horrible,” Gerrild said. “I just complained and cried a lot. Then I came to college and was like, I don’t want their first impression of me to be that whiny, complaining person.” Gerrild has an autoimmune disease that affects her thyroid and hormones. Whenever she eats the slightest amount of gluten, she becomes emotional and can have rashes. At its worst, she has difficulty breathing because her heart starts racing. Once while she was home, her dad made chicken nuggets for dinner. At the time, someone else in the house was also glutenfree, so she assumed they were safe. So she ate a crumble. By the time she had chewed it, her dad said, “By the way, those weren’t gluten-free.”

“I was like, ‘I’m going to die,’” Gerrild said. “But what are you going to do? There was no way I could have known those would not be safe to eat until it was too late.” When Kapcia was in primary school, his mother would cook all his food because neither she nor Kapcia knew what his high school would serve. His freshman year of high school, a girl at lunch was handing out candy, and he took a piece without paying attention. He opened it, threw it in his mouth and took a swig of water. His throat immediately started swelling, to the point where he could not swallow. When he mentioned it to the teacher during break, Mr. Hunter, the wrestling coach, threw Kapcia over his shoulder and ran to the office. “Now I’ve eaten enough peanuts in my days to know what to avoid,” Kapcia said.

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hey found out he was allergic to nuts by putting peanut butter on his head. 5-year-old Travis Kapcia was traveling to the Upper Peninsula on the way to his mom’s friend’s house. On the way, he stuck gum in his hair. When they arrived, his mom started to unpack, while her friend decided the best way to remove the gum was with peanut butter. “My mom came in and she said my face was just swollen to no end,” Kapcia said. “They had to take me to the emergency room.” Over 30,000 people visit the ER because of food allergies every year, according to WebMD. Three million people in the United States are allergic to peanuts. Another three million are allergic to gluten. While three million totals to about one percent in the United States, Spring Arbor University’s (SAU) Dining Commons (DC) has expanded their gluten-free options to better accommodate students with allergies. They are also in the process of providing nutrition labeling for the FDA’s labeling mandate for December 2016.

I have a lot of fun with students who end up with a plate of food, and I can’t recognize where they got it from. They created it. Made it their own.

Beth Lyman, director of dining commons

THE DINING COMMONS For SAU student Kapcia, eating in the DC is not hard. Besides avoiding the “Peanut Lover’s Day” last semester, he eats there often. If he knows peanuts will be served one day, he will cook in his room. Others like gluten-free Rachel Gerrild find it harder. It is in part due to the DC’s food selection she chooses to be vegetarian. She said her choices for gluten-free meat are plain chicken, plain hamburger patties or plain pork. Sometimes there is seasoning, sometimes not. “The days that they have herbs and spices, I’m like, ‘Okay, someone has actually

PHOTO BY Kayla Williamson

taken the time to care about the fact that people who have food allergies still have taste buds,’” Gerrild said.

SERVING THOSE WITH ALLERGIES The DC adjusts their menu every year to meet the needs of those with known allergies. During New Student Orientation (NSO), Beth Lyman, director of the dining commons, meets with students who come forward with allergies. Usually this includes gluten-free or special cases like cinnamon or pineapple. They do not see a lot of milk and peanut allergies because they make their way on their own. “We’d like to see more of them [milk and peanut allergy students] because then we can show them how to better navigate the spaces, and we have some trade secrets we keep tucked away,” Lyman said. In order for her to help, students need to come forward on their own. Due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) the Holton Health Center cannot share allergy information with the DC. Anyone who has a special need—from weight loss or gain to allergies—Lyman wants to meet with. Together they can formulate a plan to navigate the space. During such a meeting, Lyman gives a tour of each section depending on their need. She shows them how to customize their own meal instead of picking food straight from a station. For example, students can take legumes and spinach from the salad bar and take it to the “Create.” section and if they are not busy, workers will fry it for them. “I have a lot of fun with students who end up with a plate of food, and I can’t recognize where they got it from,” Lyman said. “They created it. Made it their own.” Lyman also introduces students to the entire Chartwells staff behind the double doors. That way the staff recognizes the faces that need help and the students feel more comfortable asking for help. To meet with Lyman about your own allergies or nutrition needs, email her at beth. lyman@arbor.edu.

March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

FEATURES PHOTO BY Nate Bortz

“Turn Around”: A review of a professor and a librarian

A M BE R CE KAND ER

A SSO CI ATE E DITOR

ipsync is one of the most popular, annual events at Spring Arbor University (SAU). The costumes, creative skits and energetic hosts are always well-received by students and faculty judges alike. This year’s event was full of memorable moments, from President Brent Ellis’s trippy exit to throwback photos of host Andrew King and performer Michael Kelingos. It was one performance by SAU faculty Robbie Bolton and Brent Cline, however, that brought the crowd to its feet. The duo performed a lip sync to “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. When asked about their motivation to

perform, Cline said it was out of “a fear of respect from our colleagues.” “I have total eclipses of the heart all the time, which the doctor says is a result of lack of exercise,” Cline said, when asked about the inspiration behind their performance. The performance began with Cline playing the intro to the song on an invisible piano. Bolton’s emotional lip sync of Tyler’s lyrics quickly engaged the audience while Cline’s repetitious act of “turn around” got the audience laughing. The performance really picked up when Cline revealed that not only was he talented at playing an invisible piano, but also invisible drums. At one point in the performance, Bolton abandoned his microphone for a cannon. The thunderous booms of the cannon were nothing compared to the standing ovation Bolton

thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2016

and Cline received upon finishing their act. Even with the standing ovation, student response was varied. “I’m not quite sure how to phrase it,” psychology major Erin O’Connor said about her thoughts on the performance. “Just open shirts and cowboy hats.” White Library circulation assistants Vicy Henry and Jodie Chilcote both loved watching their boss’s performance. “I thought it was hilarious,” Chilcote said. “It was Jimmy Fallon worthy.” “It was so well performed and hilariously good,” Henry said. “By far, my favorite lip sync.” When asked if they would perform again, Cline said, “Will the birds sing? Will the sun rise? Will the hearts of the young call out for joy? What I’m saying is, I don’t know.”

EDITORAL

Intake and Output TAY LO RRE E D

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here’s something about spending time in rustic cabins that brings about a spirit of living with conviction and grit. Over spring break, some friends and I ventured north for a spell in the Upper Peninsula. We found rest and reprieve in such an abode. For a brief moment of time, with the woodstove, propane lighting and oven as our sole amenities, we were a bit closer to the land. The seven of us had it made. One particular evening, most of our group shared a leg of venison. The deer had been harvested by one of the folks in our party on his own property. The guy has a personal philosophy of eating locally and sustainably, and it’s clearly displayed in his manner of meat consumption--limited, seasonally and with familiarity of the life of the animal. What was on the table before us was something known.

For me, with that understanding, partaking in it was significant. One of the major benefits of choosing to eat locally is that it prevents the formation of a buffer between the consumer and what is consumed. When the impact of how something is raised and tended, or designed and processed, is ultimately absorbed by the environment of one’s own comamunity, one’s priorities, habits and choices of consumption tend to be more heavily reflected upon. This means an increased awareness of land and season, and results in a more intimate sense of provision, gratitude and responsibility. In the case of subsistence farming, the divide between the consumer himself and very means of production is bridged, allowing for an experience of empowerment. I can directly attest that, rather than an arduous task, getting involved in the local food movement and perhaps growing or harvesting some of one’s own food is a joy, and opportunity for knowing involvement

with creation in a profound way. There’s something meaningful in taking care of a living thing that in turn nourishes you and potentially others, and knowing that while it wasn’t under your power to breathe life into it, you were allowed a significant role in caring for it. It can be therapeutic and poignant, and when inevitably back-breaking, allows for what Edward Abbey termed the “sleep of the just— the just plain tired.” As students, many of us are in a transitory mode. Many of us don’t have an abundance of time or energy for new pursuits. Many of us don’t have the money we think it might take to speak as ethical consumers. But we do have something. We have minds, we have hands, we have our thoughts and actions, and those around us and whatever is before us. Regardless of what it is that we have, we have something that allows us to start small, whether in word or deed and to develop from there as we find to be fitting. We can do something. In the words of Listener’s Dan Smith, “Let’s get growing.”

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March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

A&E

Salon Des Refusés A critic’s response to an SAU tradition J O N ATH AN RI NCK

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was admittedly skeptical that the innocuous mural in Andrews Hall South, in which we see an aviator-lion deftly piloting his little red plane above our campus, was, in actuality, an embittered, angst-ridden, politically-charged “exposé” fiercely expressing indignation at the corrosive effects of capitalism on academia. But the knowledgeable Billy Stone, self-appointed gallery-interpreter, convincingly assured me that it was so. Yes, reader, where else could I be, but the Salon des Refusés? I was there on assignment for “The Pulse” (for which I occasionally freelance), and had just a few hours to make deadline or I’d likely be canned for failure to churn out printable “copy.” Let it be known: “The Pulse” is a well-oiled machine. So I strapped on the media pass provided by the floor’s press representative and assumed the unsmiling glare best suited to a savage and unsparing art critic. Once again, it was time to review Salon des Refusés.

Now in its junior year, explaining this event is about as unnecessary as a parenthetical explanation of “ring by spring” (that’s the philosophy that freshmen should be engaged by their second semester at Spring Arbor University (SAU)). Nevertheless, here’s the rub: once a year, Andrews 1 South

transforms into one of the classiest, wellattended dorm art-exhibitions you’ll ever see, replete with live music and multiple gallery spaces showcasing artwork graciously provided by our talented art majors. If SAU were classical Greece, Andrews 1 South becomes Athens. Visitors who made their way past the gift shop (which sold commemorative T-shirts) and into the primary galleries encountered a generous offering of painting, sculpture, drawing, graphic design and typography. Although this show highlights works rejected from our highly competitive end-of-semester art shows, the art is undeniably first-rate. One still-life painting, for example, was particularly striking for its arrestingly vivid depiction of surface textures of pottery set against a beautifully rendered crimson cloth backdrop. The wittily oxymoronic “Pretty Ugly” was a playful typographic tour de force whimsically jesting at the intrinsic weirdness of the English language. And, of course, in the same feisty revolutionary spirit as Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, was the aforementioned “Aviator

thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2016

Mural,” which enjoyed special candle-lit prominence in the hallway. This was a solid “blue-chip show,” as the critics are wont to say. Since I’m trying hard to counter my undeserved reputation here at The Pulse for being an “insufferably self-aggrandizing blowhard,” I certainly won’t mention my own submitted works, though they included several stunning landscapes and a portrait, movingly laden with brilliance and pathos. As I pondered the herculean effort it must have taken to purge multiple rooms from any trace of dormitory life (How do they do it? Where do all the beds go? Did the residents sleep on the floor that night?), I recalled the tired, old cliché so beautifully modeled by the Andrews boys: while there’s no “I” in “team,” there’s always “tea.” Congratulations again, lads, on a triumphant evening. And, having found nothing to actually criticize, I exited the building having thoroughly failed as “critic.” So I bitterly discarded my media pass and sulkily retreated back into the night. But next year, boys, next year… PHOTOS BY Mary Sramek

A&E

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Writer’s block conquered SAU students create communal writing group M ARYS RAMEK

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pring Arbor University (SAU) students Andrew King and Cullin Morgan have made communal writing a routine on SAU’s campus. In late February, King and Morgan reached out to a group of students to put Spring Arbor’s concept of community learning into action. Together, the men started a writing club for all students. Those participating have a range of majors, abilities and experiences. Right now the nameless club is informal and unadvertised, but members meet regularly to enrich one another’s writing. The last meeting was on March 19. Students plan to meet every other Saturday at Jackson Coffee Company to work on personal writing projects. During the meetings the atmosphere is generally quiet, but they may have discussions about different writing projects and suggestions for improvement. The students give input to one another and authors are encouraged to accept the constructive criticism of their peers. Some meetings focus solely on writing and members may share pieces with one another quietly, but there are meetings that begin with discussion of a specific piece. When meeting, the writing is a creative focus, but there is a diverse group of people who attend. Some students, like Helen Jurich, just began writing creatively while others have been writing for years. One student has written over 11 novels. The group is not exclusive to students who have published works. Jurich said she was new to creative writing, so this was a healthy and nonjudgmental atmosphere to be in. As a youth ministry major, Jurich said the atmosphere is welcoming and encouraging as a new writer. Jurich said she liked the discussion from the other writers because she was able to hear experienced writers talk about their passion with one another. Hearing Andrew King talk about his poetry with another member of the group was one part of the meeting Jurich loved. The terms and concepts used showed her how much other people love writing. “I appreciate the minds that are there,” Jurich said. “I can learn from those who have been writing longer than me.” “It’s a safe place for questions,” Jurch said. “And I dig the coffee.” Anyone who would like to participate is welcome to contact Cullin Morgan at cullin.morgan@arbor.edu for times and dates of future meetings.

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I appreciate the minds that are there. Helen Jurich, Junior

March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

A&E

Troye Sivan

M ARYS RAME K

STAFF WRITE R

roye Sivan Mellet, recognized by his stage name Troye Sivan, is one of many young musicians who have worked their way into the stage lights. Musician Troye Sivan was born in South Africa and moved to Australia when he was two. He was homeschooled and spent much of his childhood working on his music and acting. In 2013, record label EMI Australia signed a contract with Sivan and did not tell anyone until a year later when Sivan released a five-song extended play (EP) titled TRXYE. TRXYE charted in the Top 10 of 40 countries. The first single from TRXYE, “Happy Little Pill,” was released in July 2014 and debuted at No. 1 in 55 countries. Sivan’s album, Blue Neighbourhood, was released December 2015 and featured artists like Betty Who and Allday. Blue Neighbouhood was Sivan’s first studio album, but is not the first music he has released. Between the years 2007 and 2015 Sivan released four EPs. His albums are new, but Sivan has been making music since he was 12. Sivan began creating music for YouTube, but admitted on his YouTube channel that he stopped when his voice began to change. Sivan began creating music again when he read John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars and wrote a song based on his emotional response to the book. Two days after Blue Neighbourhood was released, Sivan posted a video on his YouTube channel, which has 3.9 million subscribers. His video, “The Whole Story,” featured Sivan telling his viewers about his journey as a musician. “Ever since I was a little kid I have had one single dream,” said Sivan. “I wanted to be a singer. I wanted to be like Michael Jackson.” Sivan went on to tell his viewers about his journey from the age of five until the album release. “I did school talent shows,” Sivan said. He continued to tell about how he sang on television and then began to make YouTube videos where he sang to his audience.

PHOTO FROM c.directlyrics.com

Before he began producing music, Sivan spent time acting. Sivan was in Oliver! in 2007 and in 2008 was cast as young James Howlett in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Sivan has also appeared in Spud and Spud II. In “The Whole Story,” Sivan thanks his audience for supporting him and said that his success is not only for himself. His said he really did achieve what he thought he dreamed of—he really feels like Michael Jackson. During Sivan’s American tour, Seniors Jared Bugbee and Deirae Taylor saw Sivan perform on February 24 at the Royal Oak Theater. “The concert was amazing. Just so amazing,” said Bugbee. “The atmosphere was charged and full of excitement...he sounds

thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2016

exactly like he does recorded.” “[Sivan’s music is] profoundly personal to him, but also incredibly relatable at the same time...and his songs are just enjoyable to listen to in general,” Bugbee said.

Jared’s Five Favorites: Talk Me Down Fools Lost Boy Heaven Blue

A&E

Students fail to notice St. Patrick’s Day food coloring in DC N ATEBORTZ

PHOTO GRAPHY E DITOR

he SAU Chartwells workers always do their best making the DC fun to eat in during holidays. Employees dress up, decorations are everywhere, and appropriate music soothes the long-line tempers. During St. Patrick’s Day, however, things didn’t seem to go according to plan. An anonymous DC employee decided to speak out about the lack of recognition. “The burgers had green buns! How do you just not notice that?!”

As a joke, DC management decided to use green food coloring in many of the dishes to both stay in the holiday spirit and see the reaction of students, said another employee. Hamburger buns, rice, noodles, cookies and milk were all given the “green treatment.” During the dinner rush, DC workers stood at their stations smiling while eagerly awaiting students to look at the food and laugh, act surprised and maybe take a few pictures. Instead, everyone acted like absolutely nothing was different. One employee said he saw people walk up to the hamburger station, look for a second,

shrug, then put the food on their plate. “What are you talking about? That was green dye? Are you sure?” said one student. “I thought maybe it was just a leftover day,” said another. “I thought it was vegan friendly. Because I’m a vegan. I think the DC should do more things like that, since I’m a vegan.” the vegan said. Another factor that may have contributed to the food color apathy could be English students flocking to their beloved Brent Cline in his best Leprechaun costume. Cline kept telling everyone that his pot of gold contained a special treasure that only he and DC Director Mrs. Lyman knew about. After drumming up enough people to watch, he wheeled in a giant cauldron full of the infamous lost silverware. DC employees then got the reactions they wanted, but not exactly how they wanted it. “We got upstaged by a man in a Leprechaun costume and dirty silverware found under *redacted by authorities at Spring Arbor University*”

PHOTO FROM theschnitzel.haus

March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

SPORTS

Spring Break or Spring Training? L IBBY BUCKL AND STAF F WRITE R

K A L E Y T E C E NO G UE S T WRIT ER

Many of the Spring Arbor University (SAU) sports teams pack their bags and take spring training out of state for a little change in scenery. This spring break womens softball, mens baseball and both mens and womens tennis teams traveled south for a bit of sunshine, sweat and spring training.

Women’s Softball

“My favorite part was being able to play the sport I love with such amazing weather and outdoor courts.” -Nick Romano

Location: Clermont, Florida Competition: Total of 13 games (2-3 per day) “I enjoyed traveling with the team. It gave Stats: Wins - 7, Losses - 6 everyone a chance to get to know each other on another level.” - Nick Romano

Women’s Tennis Location: Hilton Head, South Carolina Competition: Total of 4 games Stats: Wins - 2, Losses - 2

Men’s Baseball Location: Florida Competition: Total of 10 games Stats: Wins - 3, Losses - 7

PHOTO BY Morgan Ledford

“The very last day of the trip... the team volunteered at ‘Give the Kids the World’ village, a non-profit that gives children the opportunity to Make a Wish and travel to Disney World or SeaWorld.” “This trip was a very eye-opening experience and a great team bonding experience helping others.” –Morgan Ledford PHOTO BY Monika Wynne

PHOTO BY Bob Harris

“My favorite part of spring training in another state is the warm weather and good competition.” –Jeremiah Johnson

Men’s Tennis Location: Hilton Head, South Carolina Competition: Played 4 different schools Stats: Losses - 4

“It’s a completely different experience than playing here in Spring Arbor. We get to train and play various teams around the nation, which is something we can’t get from training here at Spring Arbor.” –Monika Wynne “During free time, the team had the privilege of going to the beach, playing sand volleyball, going shopping, biking and more. The options were plentiful.” - Monika Wynne

“The games didn’t exactly go as expected, but it was a learning experienceand we are more prepared for the upcoming season.” –Jack Driscoll

Read more on thesaupulse.com PHOTO BY Jacob Byrd

thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2016

SPORTS

The Karate Kid:

Chad Rouse graduates to professional MMA fighter N E WSE DITOR

n May 14, Chad Rouse will walk across the stage with the rest of the Spring Arbor University’s (SAU) senior class, move his tassel to the left side of his cap and graduate with a degree in communication studies. A few hours later, he will compete at Lansing in the second professional fight of his career as a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter.

Rouse contracted his first professional fight in February, and it will take place on March 26. He has been in eight boxing matches, three kickboxing matches and 22 amateur MMA competitions, but this will be his first fight as a professional MMA fighter. Rouse, known in the ring as “The Cookie Monster,” took taekwondo and karate as a child, started boxing by the age of 15 and started training in MMA at 17. He realized that he was not interested in team sports, like football and basketball, and developed a passion for fighting. Currently, Rouse trains and coaches at three different gyms in Jackson, Livonia and Lansing. Overall, he spends about 25 hours on MMA each week. “It’s like a part-time job,” Rouse said. His manager, Joe Sharp, belongs to Spartan Sports and Fitness in Jackson. Sharp connects Rouse with fights, including his

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E L IZ A BETH D E G RAAF

two professional fights, as well as securing Rouse himself has had no serious injuries sponsorships. from fighting. He has never broken a bone or According to Rouse, a professional will been knocked unconscious. He said this is due fight an average of four times in one year. to his more technical and defensive fighting style. With each fight, he undergoes an eight-week After graduation, Rouse will be interning training camp where he diets and trains with with Axis, an organization that sends a primary focus on his cardiovascular system. speakers to inform young adults all over the In the last few country about the days before a weighbiggest issues facing in, Rouse said he Christians today. The fact I’ve made it will intentionally After this internship dehydrate himself in program, Rouse wants this far means I’ve order to lose between to move to Milwaukee already won. five and fifteen to pursue a full-time pounds of water career in MMA fighting. Chad Rouse weight. In the twentyTo people four hours between interested in getting the weigh-in and the involved in MMA, fight, he will regain about twenty pounds. Rouse said anyone can level the playing Rouse said this cycle is “the game within the field by dedication and breaking the mental game.” barrier. Rouse said MMA has made him more Rouse said MMA is oftentimes a hardworking and disciplined person in all misunderstood and seen as unnecessarily areas of his life. dangerous and violent, but good referees will “The fact I’ve made it this far means I’ve keep fights from becoming more violent than already won,” Rouse said. they need to be. To purchase tickets for Rouse’s fights or “Other sports, like football or soccer, “Cookie Monster” merchandise, contact him contain just as much brain trauma as MMA,” directly through Facebook or email. he said.

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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CHAD ROUSE

March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

SPORTS

New Tennis Courts to be Installed This Year AL E XA M ATHEWS TD: “I think there is a healthy pride that excited about these new expanded facilities.

he tennis courts are a prime spot on Spring Arbor University’s (SAU) campus. Both the mens and womens tennis teams practice there, and it is also open for general student use at times as well. Now, coming soon, they’re about to get a big change: plans are being set in motion to take down the current tennis courts, and completely rebuild them by the 2016-17 school year. Here at “The Pulse”, we talked with Head Womens Tennis Coach Bobby Pratt and Mens Tennis Coach Terry Darling to find out more about all the new tennis courts will entail. The Pulse (TP): What is the reasoning behind the change? Terry Darling (TD): “Our tennis courts are in bad shape and we have needed new facilities for a while. Generous alumni and friends of SAU are making it possible for us to have a top-notch facility.” TP: When will the new tennis courts be built? TD: “The old courts will be torn out in April and the new courts are scheduled to be completed in the fall. The exact name of the facility has not yet been determined but will be announced later.” TP: What is the biggest benefit SAU will receive from the new courts?

comes with having state-of-the-art, beautiful facilities. It will also be very useful in recruiting new athletes to our team.”

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LEA DCOPYE DITOR

Bobby Pratt (BP): “This project will give our campus another outstanding facility that will enhance our entire community. Having such an outstanding facility will help our tennis programs attract the best athletes possible.”

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Tennis is a great sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities Bobby Pratt, Head Womens Tennis Coach

TP: What is the most important part of tennis at SAU? BP: “Like all of our athletic programs, our tennis program allows students to use their athletic gifts in a way that glorifies God while at the same time building their faith and character through teamwork and competition.” TP: Will current tennis players be happy with this change? What will the new courts feature that the current ones do not? BP: “I know both of our teams are very

The complex will have a total of 8 new courts while currently we only have 6 courts. The additional courts will allow both teams more space to practice and provide more space for match play. Four of the courts will be sunk into the ground 3-4’ which will allow for great spectator viewing and add a unique feel to the complex. There will also be a building as part of the project that will provide onsight bathroom facilities, expanded storage space and team rooms for both the men’s and women’s programs.” TP: Why should students be getting excited about the new courts, even if they aren’t a tennis team? TD: “All you need to do is look out at our tennis courts on any nice day or evening. Unlike many sports where the field is almost exclusively used by the varsity team, we have students using these courts every day that the weather is suitable. We will continue to have day and night play available to everyone right in the middle of our campus. This is truly something to celebrate!” BP: “These courts will be available for student and community use just like the current courts. Tennis is a great sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. The site improvements as a result of this project will also help to enhance the appearance and feel of our entire campus.” Keep an eye out for the changes beginning this spring! PHOTO BY Creative Commons

thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2015

SPORTS

Coach Of the Month [ Ryan Frost ]

STAF F WRITE R

DA N AS E BAL D -VAN D OREN SP O RTS ED ITO R

oach of the Month: Ryan Frost Ryan Frost is in his fifth year as head coach of the womens basketball team and assistant athletic director at Spring Arbor University (SAU). “The Pulse” recently sat down with Frost to learn about his coaching experience. The Pulse (TP): What is your favorite part of coaching SAU’s women’s basketball team? Ryan Frost (RF): “Probably seeing where students are at when they come in and where students are at when they leave, seeing that kind of growth process as players, as people and academically. There’s a lot of growth that happens from ages 18 to 22.”

TP: What are some challenges that you encounter in coaching the team? RF: “We’re in a very difficult conference...and it’s taken awhile to get competitive, and I feel like we’ve finally gotten over the hump a little bit. Our sport has a really long season. From the day classes start until March 26, we were in full competitive mode. And so just the dayto-day grind of keeping the girls motivated is difficult, but they’ve done a great job. We have a really fun group to be around. But overall, I can’t complain about my job too much. I got a good gig.” TP: Does your faith impact your coaching, and if so, how? RF: “I always tell people if I wasn’t Christian, I don’t think I’d be coaching. I’d be off making money someplace, but it really goes back to what my favorite part of this job is, [which] is seeing people change and seeing lives impacted, just like mine was when I was in college. So there’s definitely a big ministry part of this. I just feel like basketball’s a vessel I can do that with, and it’s a way to relate to people. It’s a way to use as an example of your faith walk.”

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O LI VI A L ANDIS

TP: How did the freshmen, such as Rachel Nelson and Ryann Laier, impact the team this year and bring a new dynamic?

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I always tell people if I wasn’t a Christian, I don’t think I’d be coaching. Ryan Frost, Head Womens Basketball Coach

PHOTOS BY SAU Athletics

RF: “Every time you bring new kids on, they are going to bring different things. Both those girls, I think, are going to have really impactful careers here and really do some great things. Like every freshman, there is a learning curve and adjustment from high school to college; it’s a very different game. I think both of them did a very good job making that adjustment, and like I said, I think both of them have really bright spots moving forward.” TP: How do you see those that will be seniors stepping up to lead the team? RF: “You know, they have been leading the team. They’ve done such a good job. I can’t say enough about them. They lead a lot through service. They do a really great job and are great examples in how they work and their commitment to the program to making this thing go. Not only Karly and Kylie, but Aimee and Mabs [Jessica Mabry], and it’s fun to see Autumn and Faith and Cara rolling into that roll of taking ownership and making this team theirs. Just working through the years, our senior-to-be class has really taken ownership. It makes it easier as a coach to have upperclassmen that can explain how we do things.”

March 25, 2016 • thesaupulse.com

SPORTS

Athlete of the Month

TP: What is training like? Do you do it all year round or does it differ from time to time?

Track & Field

BK: I’m not going to lie, training is not easy. Outdoor nationals is at the end of May and summer training starts June 1st, so there is only a week or two break from training. Preseason practices are intense, but when we get into season practices it gets a little bit easier so we can perform our best at meets.

Bethany Kuenzer

TP: What is your favorite memory on the track team? BK: My favorite memory of track is hearing all my friends and family cheer as I am falling after clearing a new height or qualifying for nationals. I am always surrounded with hugs and people congratulating me. TP: Do you enjoy being on one of the largest teams on campus? BK: I love being a part of the track team. Even though the team has over 120 people, my individual training groups for vault and hurdles are around six people. TP: If you are not running or working out, what is your favorite thing to do?

L IBBY BUCKL AND STAF F WRITE R

The Pulse (TP): What is your major/minor and class status? Bethany Kuenzer (BK): I am a Health Careers in Biology major and a current sophomore. TP: What running or field event(s) do you participate in? BK: The events I compete in are pole-vault, 100 meter hurdles and triple jump. TP: Tell me a little bit about your event. Have you ever won any awards or had honors within your event? BK: The goal of pole vault is to launch yourself upside down into the air over a bar as high as you can. You literally defy gravity. Throughout my vault career I have been the state champion and a two time qualifier for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA) national meet. I was also the freshman MVP last year. I have the current school record in

both triple jump (11.01 m) and the 60 m hurdles (9.49 sec). I have the second best vault in SAU history with a height of 11 feet 11.75 inches.

BK: When I am not working out, you can find me in the science labs doing research or outside enjoying nature. PHOTOS BY Patrick Knowles

TP: How many seasons or years have you been a part of the track team? BK: I have been on SAU’s track team for two years (since freshman year), and I have been running track for eight years. TP: What brought you to Spring Arbor University (SAU)? BK: On my first visit to Spring Arbor, the track team, coaches and professors all made me feel like part of their family. I loved the close-knit community that SAU had. I knew after one visit that this would be my home for the next four years. TP: Did you run track and field in high school? BK: I did run track and field all throughout high school. I pole vaulted, ran the 100 and 300 meter hurdles and ran the 1600 meter relay. thesaupulse.com • March 25, 2016