Nov. 3, 2014

Since 1966

Vol. 39, Iss. 10

Monday, Nov. 3, 2014

IN BRIEF

UCCSScribe.com University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Recycling initiatives proving beneficial for campus

NEWS

Campus crime

Petty crime decrease, increase in sexual offenses 3

Science employment Jobs are difficult to find in Colorado Springs even with a degree 4

CULTURE

‘Dracula’ Business management major starred in the Fine Arts Center’s recent performance 5

Yoga Class aims to help students relax during stressful points in the semester 6

Students are more aware of recycling and composting initiatives on campus through informative materials.

Samantha Morley smorley2@uccs.edu

Recycling and composting awareness has steadily grown on campus over the last couple of years.

According to Sustainability zero waste coordinator Kami McFall, recycling at UCCS started about six years ago and has seen steady progress.

“I’ve seen an increase in recycling,” McFall said.

“I definitely have. I think

it’s also due to our students here on campus coming in as freshmen and they’re getting acclimated to how we live here on campus.”

Along with the current recycling and compost bins, Sustainability has also

MeGan lunsFord | The Scribe

implemented a new cardboard collection program.

Cardboard would traditionally go into the singlestream recycling bin, but is being separated because of monetary benefits.

Continued on page 2 . . .

OPINION

Politics Celebrities should stay out of who we vote for 9

Dating Technology is ruining the traditional process of courting 9

SPORTS

Men’s and Women’s golf Fall season complete, preparation for spring begins 11

Heather Bates Transfer student leads cross country team this fall 12

Students receive grant, look to improve data security Jonathan Toman jtoman@uccs.edu

A team of four students and a UCCS professor are watching out for your cybersecurity, even if you aren’t.

Earlier this month, the team was awarded a $70,000 grant from Northrop Grumman to help research a new network device to stamp where a request comes from, according to computer science professor C. Edward Chow.

“As with any research, you’re looking at the ideas, can you design and implement them,” said Chow.

Chow will serve as the principal investigator, mentor and give some direction to the students, but the students themselves will create the programming and software. The grant will pay for equipment and a weekly student stipend.

The students on the team

nooh alrashid | The Scribe

Computer science professor C. Edward Chow talks about his students’ cybersecurity project.

are Ph.D. student Philip Huynh, Ph.D. student Joshua Alcorn, master’s student Scott

Melton and senior Bachelor of Innovation in computer science student Charlie Wang.

Each student will have a different section of the project Continued on page 2 . . .

News

(continued from page 1) Separating the cardboard brought in close to $3,000 and allowed for two new parttime positions, according to Sustainability program manager Kimberly Reeves.

“Overall, we’re saving more money by not putting the cardboard in the single-stream,” Reeves said.

By segregating the cardboard, the number of Waste Management pick-ups has been reduced, which cuts back on transportation costs. She estimated that UCCS has saved about $20,000.

They are also continuing to encourage wise recycling of plastic bags, which cannot go into the single-stream system.

McFall explained that the bags are too thin and get jammed in the recycling machines. The process is then halted, which causes Waste Management to lose money as they fix the problem. But McFall cautions to not just throw the bags in the trash.

There is a box near the

they are responsible for.

Huynh and Alcorn will use the information as part of their dissertation.

“They’re hungry for topics, so I have very little need to urge them to do it,” said Chow.

Currently, a network will receive requests but there is no way to identify where they come from. The research Chow and his team are doing will look to create a program that will wrap around the data and determine the proximity of a request.

The tool would look to simplify the privacy and security of both government and personal data.

If the request does not come from within a certain area, say,

Campus recycling utilized more often

Student Life and Leadership Office in the University Center that is specifically for plastic bags.

“It’s not like we cannot recycle plastic bags, we just cannot in a single-stream at this time,” she said.

Once the bin is full, the bags are taken to a recycling company. It is estimated that four large bags are recycled every month.

Sustainability has two locations on campus for composting: one in Café 65 and the other in the Lodge.

McFall said that they are also composting paper towels from specific trash cans in the bathrooms.

“We’re always looking out for gaining more locations to compost,” she said.

When full, the compost is taken by Waste Management and transported to the Midway Landfill where the compost is sorted and tilled. Sustainability aims to eventually keep the compost on campus.

(continued from page 1)

“It is beneficial for an outside hauler to come and take it,” Reeves said. “If we did it on campus we would lose the product that we purchase.” She explained that the compostable paper plates and utensils need a larger container to compost in that the university cannot currently provide.

McFall encourages students to promote sustainability through word of mouth. She also mentioned that students with their own personal gardens may benefit from the compost.

“We’re just trying to get the outreach out there into the community,” she said. Sustainability has partnered with Students for Environmental Awareness and Sustainability in order to promote the on-campus garden.

For students wanting to get a good idea of what is recyclable and what is not, they can participate in Mount Trashmore on Nov. 13. at the El Pomar Plaza.

“It helps us to determine

what products are going in [the trash] and how we can help educate the campus,” Reeves said.

“This is when we need all hands on deck. This is when we need all the volunteers,” McFall said. “It doesn’t take a lot of time. You can come by, you know, for 10 or 15 minutes to get some kind of educational piece from that.”

“We encourage anyone to take a minute to stop by and if you want to, put on a pair of gloves and dig in,” she said.

McFall explained that she goes around to waste bins on campus and inspects their contents to ensure trash and recycling are actually being separated, a process called “ground truthing.”

“I will look for what belongs and what does not belong,” she said. “I try to understand maybe where it’s coming from and understand what the educational piece is that’s missing. Is there something more that we could

have done?”

McFall hosts waste demonstrations based on the results of her “ground truthing.” The demonstrations show students how to separate trash, recyclables and compostables.

McFall believes that if students analyze the effect of sustainability on themselves, their community and others then the campus’ recycling and composting initiatives could improve.

The Lowdown What: Mount Trashmore Where: El Pomar Plaza (In front of the library) When: Nov. 13 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

More Info: uccs.edu/sustain

Cybercrimes grant for students

UCCS, the program would be able to identify a hacker and possibly lock the system or even destroy the data.

That way, according to Chow, the network can ensure the request is from who they say they are, and from where they say they are.

“How do we know the person is actually in UCCS?” Chow asked.

Huynh got his master’s degree in computer science from UCCS and now has Chow as his advisor for his Ph.D. work.

He has worked on the project well before the grant, starting in spring 2014 when he worked on a mechanism to self-destruct or hide the data.

“This project will contribute to students in the future,” he said.

He will submit his research from the project to the Association for Computing at their annual conference for Ph.D. students.

The team will partner with experts at Northrop Grumman to share information and resources and will have a scheduled meeting every two weeks to see the progress of the project.

Chow highlighted the relationship that is created through this kind of partnership.

Contacts with large, local companies are created, faculty can work with Northrop Grumman and the same

cooperation template created now can be used for future projects.

“Academically, we look at the big idea, but we need to know how practical is that,” Chow said. “It’s very rare to get this kind of new problem, to get it from the real world.”

Students in this kind of setting can help a company solve their problems and the students can receive funding for their support. Internships, such as the one Wang will fill for Northrop Grumman next summer, can follow the mentorship during the project.

“If they fit, they get a job,” said Chow.

The team will be invited

to present at the Northrop Grumman internal exhibit showcase in July.

Huynh hopes to see the value of the work translate to the work world. He believes his particular job market will be based on information insurance.

“It’s very important to me,” said Huynh. “Companies will be concerned about network security, and how they make that more effective.”

Chow explained he would like to see the team create some aspect of software to help protect data.

“That would be the most rewarding thing, and would be a big advancement in terms of cyber security.”

Combination of alcohol and minors poses security issues at The Lodges Kyle Guthrie kguthri2@uccs.edu

The Lodges off-campus student housing has seen its share of incidents this fall, and many groups have noticed.

“The Lodges are a new facility based on a successful business model from other universities,” Brian McPike, director of Public Safety and chief of the UCCS Police Department, said. “It’s a concept that appealed to a lot of kids, and they don’t have the same parameters to abide by that we have on campus.”

On-campus residents must follow rules such as not being

News

Nov 3, 2014­| 2

able to possess alcohol in the dorms, whether their age legally allows them or not. Residents of The Lodges, however, are allowed to drink alcohol if they are 21 or older. The close location, combined with the college atmosphere has lured underage drinkers.

The Colorado Springs Police Department has received numerous calls since the beginning of the semester.

Dana Shellhorn, a sophomore biology major who lives at The Lodges, witnessed a few incidents.

“It was definitely a lot crazier earlier in the semester,” Shellhorn said. “There were a couple times where I saw cop

cars outside.”

“I know in the beginning of the semester they were having a problem with high school students and freshmen wandering into The Lodges without knowing anyone who lived there, so they increased security. You also have people who are 21 or older, so you have easier access to alcohol.”

The CSPD communicated with the UCCS Police Department to inform them of some of the incidents.

While campus police and CSPD have a working relationship through an intergovernmental agreement, the boundaries established in the agreement do not extend to The

Lodges or surrounding areas.

Because of this, the campus police are not allowed to patrol, operate, or work within that area.

“Our job is to ensure the safety of the students on campus or on university controlled properties,” McPike said.

Should a CSPD officer request assistance however, an officer with the campus police can respond to the call and help at The Lodges.

“Alcohol is something that we always want to educate our students on,” McPike said. “The Lodges are a mix of various ages; this presents a lot of access to illegal use

of alcohol. We want them to understand the risks associated with that.”

Shellhorn said that while the property had a great deal of security problems at the beginning of the semester, the rowdiness has died down in the past few weeks.

“It’s actually decreased since the beginning of the semester I think,” she said. “Especially now that people have kind of gotten into the rhythm of going to class and taking tests, especially around midterms.”

McPike said that while alcohol is certainly a factor, it’s one that they hope to alleviate with proper training and lectures.

Nov 3, 2014­­ | 3

Report notes overall decrease in crime, increase in sex offenses Eleanor Skelton eskelton@uccs.edu

Petty theft may have decreased on campus in the last year, but sex offenses increased.

Public safety released its Annual Security Report at the beginning of October, and the UCCS Communique announced the statistics on Oct. 1.

“The number of reported thefts, alcohol violations, and drug related offenses were all down from previous years,” Philip Denman wrote. Later, the article said, “the number of sexual assaults and on-campus burglaries increased.”

“The report shows an increase in sexual assaults and burglaries but doesn’t always take into account when and where the events actually occurred,” McPike said in the Communique article. “With the continuous campus growth we’ve also seen a marked increase in the number of calls for service our police officers are responding to.”

Here is a summary of the information released in each of the last five years’ Annual Security Reports. Each year noted was recorded in the following years’ report.

Campus police have responded to several incidents on and off campus.

nooh alrashid | The Scribe

The Crime Lowdown 2009: one aggravated assault, 11 burglaries, 51 thefts, one motor vehicle theft.

2010: one sex offence, one aggravated assault, one burglary, 72 thefts, one motor vehicle theft.

2011: one sex offence (revealed in 2013 due to external audit), one burglary, 74 thefts, one motor vehicle theft.

2012: three burglaries, 64 thefts, three motor vehicle thefts.

2013: three sex offences (one from 2012 not reported until 2013), one aggravated assault, six burglaries, 46 thefts, two motor vehicle thefts.* * This year’s report features a new section due to the Violence Against Women Act of 2013, which additionally mentions one incident of dating violence and one incident of stalking.

The Kraemer Family Library again this year emphasized to students via Commode Chronicles and the library website to not leave belongings unattended, although Dean Teri Switzer said the library has not noted a recent change in theft, either increase or decrease.

“Around three years ago, it seems a student had a laptop stolen and one of our own staff had her wallet stolen from her office while at a meeting,” Switzer said in an email.

“Those are the only thefts I recall. We are very fortunate that there is very little theft in the Library. I think that is a testament to the students on our campus.”

The library does ban certain behaviors, however.

“We have, on occasion, called Public Safety to report unacceptable behavior, such as bathing in the bathrooms, sleeping in the bathrooms, and harassment of our student assistants,” Switzer said.

“However, this has been infrequent and has been handled immediately.”

In addition, the SaVE Act, which makes faculty and staff mandatory reporters, went into effect this school year and will not be accounted for until next year’s report.

Campus neighborhood crime blotter summary Eleanor Skelton eskelton@uccs.edu

Incidents on Campus Monthly summary: Three liquor violations in the dormitories in October.

Three arrests made for driving under the influence on or near campus in October.

Five total arrests made for marijuana possession on campus in October.

Specific incidents: Oct. 8, between 10:13 a.m. and 5:51 p.m.

Breckenridge House Campus police investigated in Summit Housing Village, “conducted case follow-up.”

Officers “arrested Charles Robertson for retaliation against a witness or victim.”

Oct. 15, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Parking Lot 224 Theft from motor vehicle reported.

Between Oct. 24, 11 p.m. and Oct. 25, 1:04 a.m.

Keystone House Theft reported in Keystone House. Second degree burglary.

Incidents in Surrounding Area: Oct. 25, 4:24 a.m.

2700 Maroon Bells Ave. Criminal mischief was reported, “an unknown suspect was going through the neighborhood slashing vehicle tires.” KOAA reported Oct. 25 around 67 vehicles were involved.

Oct. 24, 5:11 p.m.

5410 N. Nevada Ave. Violent domestic disturbance at Sunset Creek Apartments.

Officers reported “the call indicated a female was screaming and being slammed against a wall.”

“Upon arrival, Officer Jelmo approached the apartment and heard a female screaming. He knocked loudly announcing ‘police’ and demanding that the occupants open the door.

When he received no response he forced entry to stop the violence.

Once inside a female and child ran out of the apartment.

Officer Jelmo confronted the male party inside, later identified as Kevin Eaves (20).

While the officer was attempting to place handcuffs

on the suspect, a female, later identified as Kayla Rhuby, (19) entered the apartment behind the officer and demanded to see his ID. The officer was in full police uniform at the time.

The officer ordered her to leave the apartment for his safety, as he was still making the arrest without any other officers on scene.

Ms. Rhuby refused to leave, continuing to demand the officer’s ID as he attempted to make the arrest, so the officer raised his hand to move her away for his safety. Ms. Rhuby slapped the officer’s arm as he reached for her. The officer, not knowing if Rhuby was going to continue her assault against him, grabbed Ms. Rhuby, pinning her against a wall while he tried to control his original prisoner. As other officers arrived, Ms. Rhuby was able to be handcuffed.

Numerous witnesses were in the hallway yelling at the officer when additional officers arrived. The situation was highly volatile but was defused without further use of force.

Eaves was booked into CJC for 3rd Degree Assault, Harassment, Child Abuse and Failure to Vacate Premises

Upon Police Officer Demand.

Rhuby was served and released for Obstruction of a Police Officer.”

Oct. 23, 8:23 p.m.

3858 Maizeland Rd. Alarm and 911 call from victim alerted officers to robbery reported at Net Connection.

“When officers arrived they contacted two employees of the business who said they had been robbed at gun point.

The employees said two males entered the business, one was armed with a handgun.

While one male held the two employees at gun point, the other opened the register taking the cash. The suspects then ran to the east around the building.

There were no customers in the business at the time of the robbery. There were no injuries.

Suspect 1 is an unknown race male 18-23 years of age, approximately 5’6” with a thin build. The suspect was wearing a black hoodie, dark blue or black jeans, grayish Chuck Taylor shoes, and a white clown mask.

Suspect 2 is described as a light skinned Hispanic male or white male approximately

6’ tall and 200 lbs. wearing a black hoodie, dark blue or black jeans, white tennis shoes, and a white bandana around his face. This suspect was bald and was armed per one of the victims.

Officers searched the area with a K9 Officer, but were not able to locate the suspects. The suspects took an undetermined amount of money from the register as well as one of the victim’s purse.”

Oct. 3, 11:53 p.m.

4300 Montebello Dr Robbery reported at Montebello Gardens Apartments.

Arrested Dwight Sago, 43 “A female reported having her keys taken by force by an unknown suspect. A witness was able to identify an apartment that the suspect went into afterwards. Officers were able to contact the suspect in the apartment where he was taken into custody. Officers recovered items of evidence related to the robbery in the apartment.”

Sources: UCCS Police Blotter and CSPD Police Blotter

News

Nov 3, 2014 | 4

Science career opportunities limited to experience and connections ajensen@uccs.edu

Colorado Springs was nicknamed the mini Silicon Valley in the mid-80s due to local computer software companies. There was a strong job market for natural science graduates. But trends have shifted and students now have fewer options.

Chair and assistant professor in the chemistry and biochemistry department David Anderson said that only occasionally do companies go to professors looking for students to hire.

“Both before and after graduation we regularly write letters of recommendation to help students get jobs. Before graduation we also have opportunities for students to participate in internships with companies and other organizations locally or regionally, some of which have resulted in full-time employment,” he said.

UCCS alumna Andrea Tully received her Bachelor’s in forensic chemistry and was able to land an internship her senior year with the El Paso

County Coroner’s Office. Janel Owens, assistant professor in the chemistry department, helped.

“I did research with Janel Owens who is friends with Werner Jenkins [chief forensic toxicologist at El Paso County Coroner’s Office] and I signed up for an internship class offered in the chemistry program,” Tully said.

Tully was then hired on as an assistant forensics toxicologist.

“The internship helped me to get a job. I was introduced to people here and they were able to see my work ethics,” she said.

Tully said it is important for students obtaining a degree in a natural science to have research experience and get to know the faculty in their area of study.

“I know a lot of people that graduated in the chemistry area who got jobs in town,” she said. “The professors really helped a lot, they know which leads are looking to hire and have companies that ask for students.”

Jobs that do come along tend to be from internships and letters of recommendation from professors.

“While the prospects for jobs is somewhat limited in Colorado Springs, we have a somewhat greater range of opportunities for internships that will provide students with valuable experience in their pursuit of careers,” Anderson said.

Anderson listed several companies where students have interned in the past or where they are currently interning, including Pyxant Laboratories, the County Coroner’s Office, Chromatic Technologies Inc., Aspire Biotech, Neuman Systems, NexGen Pharma and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

UCCS alumna Kat Johnson, who graduated with a Bachelor’s in chemistry and a minor in physics, didn’t know where she was going to work after graduation.

“I looked for jobs locally for about a month [after returning from a two month vacation after graduation] before a friend of mine from the chemistry program told me about an entry-level opening at Pyxant Labs that had just become available,” she said.

Although Johnson did not intern anywhere, she said she

knew the language of the lab well due to her degree and was hired on at Pyxant Labs as soon as her interview ended.

“Science jobs in Colorado Springs are there, but they are scarce,” Johnson said.

“There are a few contract labs like the Pyxant, as well as engineering firms that may require a few chemists, but those positions are highly competitive. Also, there are lots of job opportunities working for Colorado Springs Utilities, but beyond that, it was difficult to find science jobs in the Springs,” she continued.

“

Science jobs in Colorado Springs are there, but they are scarce.

—Kat Johnson, UCCS alumna

“

Audrey Jensen

Hallie Hardrick, who works in the quality assurance department at NexGen Pharma, graduated from Western State

College with a Bachelor’s in chemistry and a minor in mathematics. She did not have a job lined up after graduation either.

“I had a hard time finding a job after graduating and ended up just settling for a job I didn’t really want. The job was in my field, and I need experience to help me get hired in the future,” she said.

Hardrick said her degree gave her an advantage compared to other applicants, but said, “I don’t feel like I really use my degree in my work. Knowing how to write scientifically and how to use Microsoft programs has been helpful, but a high school knowledge of these would allow anyone to do my job.”

“I do add extra into my work from things I learned in college but that just makes me liked more by my employer but isn’t required,” she said.

Hardrick is staying at her job for the experience.

“Employers in my field like seeing a degree on a resume but seem to only really care about the experience, which can be hard to get when no one wants to hire without it,” she said.

CULtUre

Nov 3, 2014 | 5

UCCS hosts seventh annual Human Trafficking Task Force Symposium Nick Beadleston nbeadles@uccs.edu

During one year, the average trafficked prostitute will have sex with approximately 868 clients.

This FBI statistic was one of many presented at the seventh annual Human Trafficking Task Force Symposium, hosted by UCCS and the Human Trafficking Task Force of Southern Colorado, on Oct. 25 in Berger Hall.

“People think human trafficking happens in other parts of the world,” said Aditi Mitra, a UCCS assistant sociology professor and university organizer for the event. “They think ‘oh it happens, but it can’t happen to us.’” “[They] don’t realize it’s happening locally.

It’s happening in our neighborhoods,” she continued. “It’s targeting young women and children

who we are related too.”

“It’s so close to home, and that’s something people are unaware of,” she said.

According to Elie Reid, a Colorado Springs vice detective, the department has investigated over 50 cases of human trafficking this year.

She also indicated they have rescued 51 adults and 17 juveniles.

Reid also displayed slides showing that in Colorado Springs there have been 1,272 ads posted for female prostitutes between Sept. 12 and Oct. 23. An additional 27 and 48 ads were posted for male and transgendered prostitutes, respectively.

Reid’s presentation was one of several that focused on human and sex trafficking in southern Colorado and across the country.

Other speakers included anti-trafficking experts and representatives from local advocate groups.

“It is great that the community is interested and wants to stand up to protect our vulnerable population,” said Debbie Manzanares, one of the event’s organizers.

Manzanares has also served on the symposium’s board for the past six years.

She said the event allowed “students to get a deeper look into the issue and get a local lens from the Colorado experts.”

For many at the symposium, knowledge is the key to combating human trafficking.

“The reason I teach a course on this topic … is because there is a huge need for awareness,” said Mitra.

“The most vulnerable groups, the ones who are the victims are young people.”

Early in her career, Mitra worked with nongovernmental organizations that helped women and children in the red light

districts of Calcutta, India.

She has also worked with Noble Prize winners such as Mother Teresa.

Mitra said she has already seen her efforts to inform resonate with her students.

“I’ve only been teaching this for a couple of years now, but the kind of impact I’ve been able to have on these young minds has blown me away,” she said.

“I think they’re going to do even better than I have done, because they’re starting very young and they’re motivated and passionate.”

Joint efforts between local and federal agencies, as well as advocacy groups and educational institutions, were also a reoccurring theme throughout the day.

“Communication and working together is what enables us to be more efficient in identifying trafficking victims,” said Annjanette Alejano-Steele, a

Metropolitan State University of Denver professor and speaker at the event. “That collaboration and partnership piece is critical.”

Alejano-Steele is also the co-founder for the Denverbased Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking.

“It is not someone else’s problem,” said UCCS Chancellor Pamela ShockleyZalabak, also in attendance.

“It is our problem, but we must link to others.”

Though the legal punishment for human trafficking in Colorado was strengthened this past July to align with federal standards, those at the symposium continued to reiterate the importance of citizen involvement on a local level.

“Only the government or the law enforcement agencies cannot do much,” said Mitra.

“We the people, the regular people, have to come and do something about this.”

Business student performs as Dracula at Fine Arts Center

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Business marketing major Matt Radcliffe starred as Dracula in the Fine Arts Center’s presentation of ‘Dracula’ which ran from Oct. 9 to Nov. 2.

Alexander Nedd anedd@uccs.edu

FREAKY FAST

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Instead of waiting for a bus, one student is featured on one.

Business marketing major Matt Radcliffe headlined as the lead actor in “Dracula” at the Fine Arts Center.

Radcliffe heard of the Fine Arts Center’s production of “Dracula” in May. He was invited to audition by those who had seen his previous work at Springs Ensemble and at the Millibo Art Theater of Colorado Springs.

He prepared for the audition and was stunned to receive a call back. Upon a successful read through,

Radcliffe was awarded one of the biggest roles of his life.

“I freak out still to this day,” he said. “They have billboards up. It’s a little bit surreal to me.”

Radcliffe began rehearsing for the show during the first weeks of school. The schedule consisted of long nights and 12-hour weekends.

“I had to miss out on sleep,” he said. “I never had any free time.”

Originally from Texas, Radcliffe made Colorado Springs his home after leaving the military after a career that included receiving a bronze star and a 27-month deployment to Iraq over seven years.

Acting has been a hobby

of his since attending Sam Houston University in Texas.

“I love it,” he said about his first semester at UCCS. “I’m with a group of students who seem to be committed to whatever it is that they are studying.”

He also works for Theatreworks as a graphic design artist.

“I volunteer at other theater organizations, I do [public relations] and marketing for Springs Ensemble Theater,” Radcliffe said. “When I’m not acting I like to hang out with family and friends.”

Radcliffe hopes that his major will open the door to success in the future.

“A lot of artists only do the work and don’t know the

business side of things,” he said. “They don’t know how to market themselves, how to make a production spread and how to make money.”

“It’s great to be a sustainable actor and build a living off of that but the reality is, unless I build that business myself, it’s probably not going to happen,” Radcliffe said.

“Dracula” ended its four-week tenure on Nov. 2.

Radcliffe now looks to further himself in the theater world.

“A lot of the work that I am going to be doing is behind the scenes, business administration work at Springs Ensemble Theater,” he said.

“I really want to tread the boards here at UCCS either with the student theater or the

professional company.”

Radcliffe shared some advice that helped him transition to being a student and an actor.

“On the business side of things, just volunteer,” Radcliffe said. “You can learn from some of the best people in town.”

He warns that you shouldn’t expect to be paid immediately, but he urges aspiring actors to remain diligent with their goals.

“You can’t get down if you don’t get the role,” Radcliffe said. “You just have to keep auditioning, the only way I [was able to] play Dracula now was because I have two years of doing whatever theater people threw at me.”

CULtUre

Nov 3, 2014 | 6

Student hopes to rescue students from debt, wins $500 dollars Audrey Jensen ajensen4@uccs.edu

On Jan. 16, 2012, former collegiate athlete and junior leadership communication major Antonio Adams received notice that his athletic scholarship was being revoked. In March of 2014, Adams was notified that his second athletic scholarship was being stripped from him as well.

Due first to a concussion and then a fractured mouth, Adams was no longer eligible for his athletic scholarships.

This devastation sparked the idea for a business that he hopes will make an impact on student’s lives locally and nationally. He wrote down the idea for Village Scholarships on a napkin two years and two days after losing his first athletic scholarship.

“Rather than feeling victimized, I felt disempowered and I didn’t like that,” Adams said. “[Students in similar situations] can take charge, just like we did.”

Adams and his twin sister

MeGan lunsFord | The Scribe

Junior leadership communication major Antonio Adams presented his scholarship plan during the Lion’s Den Pitch Night on Oct. 24.

Talya became co-founders and he became CEO of Village Scholarships, a company that Adams sees as a way to democratize, commercialize and popularize scholarships for students of all backgrounds.

With the help of five UCCS faculty, Adams was nominated with his business proposal to compete as one of five entrepreneurs on Oct. 24 for

Lion’s Den Pitch Night.

“I had my family support and the Vice President of the El Pomar Foundation liked my idea so I was directed to the director of the Center for Nonprofit’s office which connected me to banks, who then brought me to Pikes Peak Community Foundation, our fiscal sponsor,” Adams said.

Five people or groups of people each had five minutes

to present their proposal and five minutes to answer questions from a panel of five guest judges in order to win first place of $1000 or second place of $500.

Adams was third to present his business idea to the judges and the audience.

Although a business idea for online school for foster parenting received first place, Adams’ Village Scholarship proposal won second place and he was presented with a life-sized check for $500.

Adams hopes to use this money to start Village Scholarship’s first connection to UCCS in March of 2015 and if all goes well to launch the website nationally in 2016.

Pikes Peak Community Foundation is Village Scholarship’s fiscal sponsor and any funds that Village Scholarships has or receives goes straight to them.

“I’m still learning to budget, an organization with that much experience can help me make decisions,” Adams said.

Although Adams won second place and is continuing to build his company, Village

CULtUre

Nov 3, 2014 | 7

Students gather for the annual Halloween Carnival

Scholarships has faced a few obstacles, including four or five changes to the idea.

“Village Scholarships is not designed to replace traditional scholarship opportunities,” Adams said. “[It] will tap into other revenue streams and increase speed and efficiency.”

“We see that higher education is changing, more universities are going online,” he added.

Adams said he wants to bring a fun element to applying for scholarships.

“Scholarships are boring.

We are making scholarships fun,” Adams said. “One way to get a scholarship can be by getting the most likes on a Facebook post, we will create contests and reward students.”

Adams wants Village Scholarships to one day be considered a top five scholarship company. He wants to be among the top 40 most influential people under the age of 30 and said his overall goal is to impact one billion people.

“Life’s short, but it’s the longest thing you will ever do, so do something.”

Students leave anxiety behind through stress-reducing yoga class Ashley Thompson athomp13@uccs.edu

Students are turning to yoga to cope with the stress of their classes.

Yoga for Stress Reduction is led by Debby Patz Clarke, yogi and psychologist at the counseling center, and provides an opportunity for students to take a break and participate in yoga.

Clarke has been practicing yoga for 15 years and said she believes in the help it can provide.

“Yoga is for everybody.

There is nobody who can’t do yoga,” she said.

Though Clarke said that talking about issues can help relieve stress, she also mentioned that there is a definite impact when people are on their yoga mats.

“Your posture can have a huge impact on your mindset,” she said. “Yoga helps you get out of your head and into your body. On a college campus, we’re in our heads all the time.”

Clarke believes that altering your brain’s chemistry is possible and a key factor in reducing stress.

“Our brain is a very powerful organism, and that’s

MeGan lunsFord | The Scribe

Students attended the annual Halloween Carnival hosted by the Student Government Association on Oct. 29. Activites included a pumpkin carving contest, blood pong and ghostbusters training. Freshman Jareth Spirio, bottom left, prepares to throw a ping-pong ball in a cup of imiation blood. Sophomore Alyssa Wilbert, bottom right, takes aim at the Ghostbusters Training Zone booth.

MeGan lunsFord | The Scribe

Debby Patz Clarke, left, demonstrates a yoga posture in her Yoga for Stress Reduction class on Wednesdays.

where our stress originates,” she said.

Students who have attended the class have seen this for themselves. Freshman Megan Womack, criminal justice and psychology dual major, has been attending the class for two and a half months.

“My friend and I were stressed out over the fact that we had three exams in a three day period and so we joined,” she said. “The class really helps me unwind. I have classes almost every day and I find that taking an hour to loosen up really helps me feel better.”

Research, Clarke said, indicates that different postures in yoga have an impact on hormones released in the brain.

She teaches more vigorous yoga

in the stress-reduction class as a way to get students to focus on the pose and move out of their minds.

“It’s great because I will focus really hard on the position, which will cause my mind to go blank and I won’t be thinking about work or school,” Womack said.

Knowing your limitations is also important. Clarke said that she is a runner, which causes tightness in her legs.

“There are some things my body won’t do,” she said. “I’ve recognized that it’s just not that important.”

There is more to yoga than what the poses look like.

“Yoga is about finding balance. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Learn to let go,” she said.

“Learning this stuff young can save years of stress.”

She added that yoga helps provide perspective. Through yoga, stressful situations become mere experiences and are not allowed to turn into tragedies or dramas in your head.

Sonja Bjelland has attended the class for a year and appreciates how Clarke runs her classes.

“I really like her classes, and it’s free. Can’t beat that,” Bjelland said. “There are always some good thoughts for the day that always seem to be what you need to hear.”

The Yoga for Stress Reduction class is on Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. in UC 124 or on the lawn

outside Main Hall if the weather is good.

“Everyone is welcome,” Womack said. “It’s simple and will have you doing things you never thought you could before.”

The Lowdown What: Yoga for Stress Reduction Where: UC 124 When: Wednesdays Noon to 1 p.m.

How much: Free

eDItorIAL Letter to the Editor In response to “Shuttles not up to par, changes necessary” in the Oct. 20 issue, please consider these things when it comes to bus driver’s restroom breaks: The issue of restroom breaks is not unique to UCCS drivers. It has only been in the last year or so that Waste Management drivers were allowed these types of breaks. Until the breaks were scheduled, some urinated into cans and bottles on the road, as reported in the television show “Undercover Boss.”

To have a second driver on board to cover for a three to eight minute restroom break (as reported by UCCS drivers I recently surveyed) would be a financial and labor waste, most likely resulting in a reduction of at least one bus from the current bus team.

Funds would need to be rerouted from operating costs of a bus to pay for the idle drivers. So, the inconvenience of restroom break time would be extended, possibly doubled, into bus stop wait time.

I surveyed UCCS drivers this past week. The drivers already take fewer breaks than entitled to them by Colorado state labor laws, which is a 10 minute break every four hours. The issue here is not about students being late, but unexpressed time management on the part of the students.

Public transportation is what it is.

Plan for it.

Personally, I am pleased not to walk up the hill every day, as I have done on other university campuses. It is my opinion to request understanding of the human condition that must, sometimes, trump our schedules.

Kristine Barnes Senior Psychology

Nov 3, 2014 | 8

opINIoN

Celebrities need to shut up about politics, we should stop listening

Voting more important than ever Jonathan Toman Editor-in-Chief

Samantha Morley Managing Editor

courtesy | mYinSiGhTmaG.com

Staff Editorial scribe@uccs.edu

OK, it’s time for our annual voting rant.

But, this is not the same old spiel when it comes to exercising your right to participate in the most fundamental part of democracy.

We can tell you why it is important to vote, and we can try to press that into the brains of American citizens and college students until we are blue in the face.

But we’ve done that, and frankly if you don’t understand the importance that your vote and participation in our government have, we can’t help you.

The key issue is why it is more important than ever to vote.

First, our generation is starting to have a greater impact on the way our elections turn out. Increasingly, the way an election swings depends on what happens with the young people (that would be us).

There’s a reason we are targeted with all the advertisements, mail and people who come to campus encouraging us to vote.

Our generation is important, so make your voting important to you.

Make it important to you by doing your research and making an informed decision. Simply put, care.

Care about voting like you care about

money, food, succeeding in school, getting a job, relationships and finding random things to do between all the other things you have to do.

Second, if you don’t vote, you have no right to complain.

When the legislators that represent you make a decision that you don’t agree with, an essential part of democracy is to voice your displeasure at their decision.

But if you refuse to vote, you forfeit that essential part of how we do things.

As we continue to critique and criticize our elected officials, make sure you have the background to stand on firm ground. If you don’t vote you lose your voice, both before and after the election.

Third, we are in ever-increasing danger of losing voter motivation and participation as a country.

Eligible voter turnout in the United States has hovered somewhere between 50 and 60 percent for most of the recent past.

That’s not good enough for a country that is the beacon of democracy for the rest of the world.

You’ve got one more day to vote and show that you care about how important voting is. Take advantage of it. Make sure you find a polling station or ensure you make it the next time that ballot comes your way.

Taylor Hargis Copy Editor

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Our society values brawn over brains.

I’ve spent a substantial chunk of my life in school.

Ad Representative Hussain Albahrani

Advisor

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agenda on impressionable young teens completely undermines the foundations and ideals of a democratically elected government made to represent the people.

So when young Johnny Voter, fresh out of high school, votes for a politician whose policies he is completely clueless about because he was told to do so by a person who stands in front of a camera and says words for a living, he can’t act shocked when this politician passes legislation that he doesn’t agree with.

Many of these celebrities and cultural icons are absolute hypocrites when they talk about political agendas

and stances, oftentimes condoning actions that they themselves have made famous.

Actors like Jamie Foxx want to preach to the world about the evils of gun violence and how all America is racist, while one of his latest blockbusters featured him gunning down dozens of people while spouting lines such as “I kill white people and get paid for it, what’s not to like?”

Most irritating of all is the fact that many of these celebrities act like they are pushing a political agenda for the common American, without having any idea what that lifestyle is like.

Actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow love to preach about how the

candidates or policies they are supporting are good for America, but this is the same woman who said in an interview that she “couldn’t live” without her $2,500 custom bookshelf.

How can a woman who said “I am who I am, I can’t pretend to make $25,000 a year” advocate for people who actually make that?

Everyone has the right to their own opinion, but there is a big difference between answering honestly about who you are going to vote for, and hiding behind a façade of commonality to push your agenda because you are actually worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

There are some celebrities, such as

Jennifer Lawrence, who are intelligent enough to understand the importance of voting and refuse to endorse sides because of it. Sadly, many celebrities who choose this route often fade into obscurity.

Young voters still possess the best tool for filtering celebrities’ opinions: don’t listen to them.

Don’t take political advice from a person who has no relative understanding of your life. Do your research, read your ballot and vote for the candidate that you believe has your best interests at heart. Only then can the democratic republic that America was founded on reach its full potential.

A large portion of that time was spent avoiding athletics by hiding behind the bleachers.

I watched other kids religiously practicing day and night for their prestigious sports scholarships that would grant them a full, free ride to any college of their choice.

Instead, I spent nights cramming for exams, typing essays and collecting letters of recommendation that would determine my admission into college. I envied those who could

go to college because they were good at sports. I also resented them.

Everyone just seemed to like the athletes more, while the nerds and intellectually inclined individuals were tossed aside as jokes.

I worked just as hard as the athletes, why was it such a struggle to compete with them for collegiate success?

With registration for the spring 2015 semester creeping closer, I have found myself spending late nights frantically piecing together classes that will

hopefully fit into my already busy schedule.

While several factors are used to determine the relative priority of registration, one particular way frustrates me: whether you are an athlete or not.

My qualms concerning the divide between athletics and academics had been unearthed once again.

Most schools seem to work in a similarly dysfunctional manner, often pushing academics to the side and bringing athleticism into the spotlight.

I don’t understand why

athletes receive priority.

I get it that an athlete’s schedule can be tight, with daily practices and games piling up over the weeks, but they aren’t the only students who have complicated schedules.

Some would say that giving athletes priority in registering is fair since they have limited time slots for classes due to their free time being spent at practice. But it really isn’t fair at all.

I know plenty of theater majors, for example, who would love priority in registration. They

have rehearsal times and performances that often get in the way of possible class time.

So why don’t they get priority in registration?

I’ll admit my bias and come to terms with the fact that I will always hold a strange jealousy against athletes. What can you expect from a girl who hid behind the bleachers in high school?

But athletes aren’t more important than the rest of us.

It’s a scholarly struggle, one I wish would one day swing in my direction.

New-age technology killing the old-school dating scene

Laura Eurich

Mail:

political season never fails to rear its ugly and unwelcome head: the unavoidable appearance of celebrity endorsements and political drives.

Every other November, actors, musicians, pop culture icons and other public figures love to come out of the woodwork and begin spouting about how you would be an idiot if you didn’t vote for their candidate.

The notion of people as influential as actors and singers talking down to young American voters like they are idiots is not only offensive, but dangerous.

American culture is obsessed with celebrities and stars. Using this influence to push your

Allowing priority registration for athletes wrong, unfair

Samantha Morley

Jennifer Curry

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With elections looming, political debates, ads and explosive mail have invaded and bombarded the homes and lives of any person who is unfortunate enough to live in a swing state such as Colorado.

One aspect of the

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Nov 3, 2014 | 9

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Look at her. She’s beautiful. Oh, look! Her friends are leaving, now’s your chance. You walk up, calm and collected, finally muscling the nerve to ask the question you’ve rehearsed for over two hours: “Hey, Amber, want to hang out this weekend?”

Romantic? Maybe.

Cliché? Most definitely, but that’s not the point of this short-lived love story.

Flip phones and 10 years ago, our founding fathers once believed meeting someone was special. Butterflies would flutter in your stomach and the thought of rejection was abundant, but the risk was very much worth the reward.

It’s a move that has brought generations of people together, including my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

It was an act that could simultaneously become the most vulnerable and bravest moment of your life.

Dating.

Sadly, these moments are leaving us, becoming replaced by the “now

factor” that influences today’s fast-paced culture.

No one asks anyone out anymore, relationships are formed through the use of cell phones and popular apps.

In some ways, dating in 2014 has become one of the easiest things to do.

Apps and websites such as Tinder and eHarmony make it easy to create a profile and connect with singles in your area.

These digital applications vary among shared interests, such as meeting Christians, farmers or LGBT members who are single. Anyone with an Internet connection can join these sites, which cater to your wants with hundreds of profiles to choose from, all on one page.

With the advancement of technology and the shift toward a more open culture among the millennials in America, many are ditching the act of finding relationships in exchange for quick hook ups.

Seriously, hooking up is as easy as ordering a pizza, and sometimes faster too.

More teens and young adults are looking for casual sex than meaningful relationships. And with it so easy to find someone only less than a mile from your location, it’s tempting to do just that.

Features such as instant messaging and likeable photos allow for instant information to be shared between parties, information that used to require a three-date rule.

It’s easy and attractive

but kills the opportunity to truly get to know one another and form meaningful relationships.

Hooking up can lead to multiple issues, including a breakdown in communication and depression. Besides the risk of sexually transmitted diseases which can be high among college students, the act of meeting up with other singles doesn’t fill the void of connecting with another person and learning about them.

People become objects that can be thrown away.

Match.com says one in five relationships now meet online. We should use these tools of advancement to enhance the ability to meet and greet one another.

My current partner and I began dating through the

use of an app, a medium that has pleasantly yielded a two year relationship.

Success can be found, but it’s all in how you use the tools and market yourself.

It’s not going to happen in just one drunken night.

2004 may be gone, but our standards should not leave with the advent of new technology.

It’s time to put the risk in dating again.

Ask that girl out, flirt with one another, grab her number. Don’t sit behind a screen with a wellorchestrated picture and clever pick-up lines in your browsing window. Rather, seize the moment to perfect your communication skills and take a chance.

Dating doesn’t have to be dead; you just have to learn how to live.

LIFe on the BLUFFs Sudoku 3 5

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Brandon Applehans bappleha@uccs.edu

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2014 write in candidates Celeste Burnham, cburnham@uccs.edu

Capture

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Clyde

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Top Ten

Win a prize! Come to The Scribe office (UC 106) and tell us where the picture was taken.

Hemsworth 10 Chris 7 Yoda (a word to the wise) 4 Oprah (Thor can fix anything) 3 Starbucks’ CEO 9 Bill Nye The Science Guy 6 Jimmy Fallon Security guard at Safeway Captain ‘Merica 8 5 (he would keep us all safe) 2 Clyde

1

Spongebob Squarepants (He’s ready, He’s ready, He’s ready!)

Sweet Salty Tweets

Keve Glaspie, dglaspie@uccs.edu

If you could pick one celebrity to be president, who would you choose and why?

Rachel Ginburg, sophomore, psychology “Neil Patrick Harris because he seems really awesome and exciting and he will make a fun president.”

“Just registered for my final semester! #almostdone #uccs”

@jacoblebbst

“UCCS Parking. May the

Erika Hermanson, freshman, pre-nursing

“Beyonce, because she is a very successful, smart and intelligent. She is Queen B. How could you not choose her for president?”

odds be ever in your favor. #uccs #uccsparking #ridiculous” @jessisue_

Aiden Mitio, sophomore, chemical engineering “John Wayne because Western stuff is cool and he could sling a gun.”

This week

at UCCS Thurs

6

Fall 2014 Career and Volunteer Fair 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Berger Hall

“I got the job! #salaried

#UCCS”

@Count_Andrew

Mon

3

Fri

7

Walk-in Advising 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Main Hall 208

Mountain Lion Research Day 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Gallogly Events Center

Wed

5

Sat

8

Freshman Alex Darwin helped lead the Mountain Lions through the midst of their second season with a women’s golf team, breaking her personal career best scores as tournaments proceeded.

But that’s not what she expected.

“I kind of expected it to be a disaster,” said Darwin. “I didn’t expect to play my best golf ever. I expected to play decent.”

Darwin shot a program record 76 at the Colorado Christian Invitational, helping the Mountain Lions to a fifth place finish.

The record didn’t stand long.

Darwin lowered her record to a 75 on the first day of the Western New Mexico Fall Invitational, but freshman Michelle Romano promptly lowered it to a 73 the next day.

After a ninth place team finish in that tournament, the Mountain Lions concluded the season with a sixth place finish in the second Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference event of the year.

courtesy | SporTS informaTion

Michelle Romano tees off at the Western New Mexico Fall Invitational on Sept. 23.

Darwin sees the need for the consistency preached by head coach Sadie Farnsworth, but feels that a

golfer is only as good as their next shot.

“Being able to play one bad

round and to come back and play a good round the next day is always a huge confidence booster,” she said.

Darwin feels the team outperformed expectations.

“I think we all performed better than we thought we were going to,” said Darwin. “It’s just a matter of all of us coming together.”

Darwin explained that when it comes to practice, the team is competitive. But when the team isn’t competing, they come together like a family.

“The team was sitting in the airport coming home from Phoenix and we were all playing a game.

Even coach and all of the players were laughing and goofing around,” she said.

The future of the young program will be on the shoulders of the freshmen.

“It’s going to be an awesome program. In just a year, to have improved as much as we did says a lot about coach Farnsworth, but we’re going to be a good team,” said Darwin.

“Breaking records and shooting under par. Why not do it?”

Men’s golf concludes fall schedule, looks for RMAC title in spring Brandon Applehans bappleha@uccs.edu

&

Campus Chatter

Nov 3, 2014 | 11

Darwin leads women’s golf through promising second season

Bring your completed sudoku to the Scribe office (UC 106) for a prize!

2

4

sports

Nov 3, 2014 | 10

UCCS Unplugged 1 p.m.

UC 122

Rosecrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead 8 p.m.

Osborne Studio Theater

With the conclusion of the fall season, senior Patrick Skakel and the Mountain Lions can officially turn their eyes toward the spring season and the end goal of a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship and perhaps a berth in the national championships.

“I want to make the most of it,” said Skakel. “I want to win an RMAC Championship. We won one, and I wasn’t in the lineup, so I still don’t consider myself a part of that team that won it. No regrets this year.”

Returning three seniors, the team felt that the veteran leadership would propel them into this year.

“Coming into the season we felt good since we didn’t lose many guys from last season,” said Skakel. “We were definitely better prepared coming into this season than the year before.”

Rounds of 69, 70 and 71 from Skakel at the Palmer Foundation Invitational Sept. 15 and 16 helped UCCS to a second place finish in the first tournament of the year.

“I surprised myself a little bit coming off the summer where I worked all summer,” said Skakel. “I didn’t get to play a whole lot and I think it helped me. Coming in with three months rest definitely helped.”

The team followed that success with a win at the first major RMAC tournament at the Buffalo Run Golf Course in Commerce City, Colo. Dylan Mitchell finished third and Skakel tied for tenth.

“Great start to the season. It showed everyone that just because we didn’t do that great last year doesn’t mean we

courtesy | SporTS informaTion

The men’s golf team won the first RMAC event of the fall on Sept. 23.

don’t have a good start,” Skakel said.

Skakel believes that practicing with his teammates gets the team ready for tournaments.

“We all push each other. It helps having guys that are as good as you, if not better, on the team competing,” he said. “If we’re qualifying together, we all want to make the team, but at the same time you want to beat each other as well.”

The Otter Invitational in California

was the last fall tournament for the Mountain Lions, where they finished thirteenth in a field with 10 teams that have been to the national championships within the past two years.

Skakel feels the regularity of the teams finishes have been critical.

“Our consistency has been important,” Skakel said. “Even in tournaments where we felt we didn’t play to the best of our abilities, we still

finished pretty well.”

“We like to think that even when we don’t play our best we are still going to be up there. When we are up there, we will win.”

The team will begin the spring portion of their season at the St. Edward’s Invitational March 9-10 in Austin, Texas.

“We want to win the RMAC. We should, really. That’s the least we expect from ourselves,” said Skakel.

Sports

Nov 3, 2014­­­ | 12

Volleyball needs some help, all wins to make RMAC tournament Ashley Thompson athomp13@uccs.edu

With the regular season winding down, women’s volleyball will need to win out and get a lot of help to make the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament.

The young team, with only four returners, has struggled down the stretch, losing their last seven games.

“It’s a huge learning curve for the freshman just coming in,” said junior outside hitter Kim Catlett. “Integrating everyone into the system took longer.”

Freshman libero Natasha Habert feels the team has worked efficiently with what they have.

“Overall, I think since we had only four returners and so many new players, we have had a really successful season. We’re only going to get better, and we’ve taken some big steps throughout the season,” Habert said.

Catlett knows there will have to be some luck for the team to make the RMAC tournament.

“If we win all three of our remaining games, we have a slim chance of being in the playoffs,” she said. “The stars would have to be aligned, but you never know. We’ve improved a lot over the season, and definitely

courtesy | sports information

The women’s volleyball team will conclude their season on Nov. 8 and will need help to make the RMAC tournament.

are ending a lot stronger than we started.”

Despite the recent struggles, players did not indicate that their approach to games was going to change.

“We have to keep a high intensity, we’re going to be playing tougher teams,” freshman setter Celeste Henderson said.

Henderson is optimistic about the team’s performance in her first year.

“Our record overall isn’t the

greatest, but as a team it’s been a really successful season,” Henderson said. “We’ve grown so much, we’ve gotten better, and you can see we’re improving each and every day.”

Catlett explained the RMAC games have become progressively harder, with the tougher teams in the conference coming in the second half of the season.

“We started out with the easier side of the conference, so I feel like if we had last year’s

schedule, and started out with the harder side, we would be better prepared to win some of the games we had moving on,” she said.

“There’s a lot of games that I feel like we could’ve won,” she added. “But we have taken sets off of really good teams, which is a really good feeling.”

Team chemistry has been good throughout the season, according to players, in part because of the large number of new players.

“Since there’s so many freshman, we’ve built a little family within ourselves. The team itself is really close. It’s definitely a stronger bond than I’ve experienced,” Habert said.

After Colorado Christian on Oct. 31, the team will conclude the regular season with home games against Chadron State and Black Hills State. Chadron is in town Nov. 7 for a 7 p.m. game, while Black Hills State will visit on Nov. 8 at 5 p.m. in the Gallogly Events Center.

Heather Bates blazes through trails for the love of music Kyle Guthrie kguthri2@uccs.edu

The name Heather Bates should ring familiar for those keeping track of cross country.

The transfer from the University of Colorado Boulder won the Roadrunner Invitational on Oct. 4 and was runner-up in the Fort Hayes State Tiger Open on Oct. 18, helping her team to first and third place finishes, respectively.

But she says that her real love is something a little more rhythmic.

“I love music,” said Bates. “If I’m not in class, my iPod is on and I’m listening to something.”

Her playlist is filled with various genres.

“I like alternative and Indie music,” she said. “I love Coldplay, they’re probably my favorite band, but I listen to anything from Coldplay to Panic! at the Disco.”

Her love of music is just one of many passions. When she takes a break from her running schedule, she enjoys filling her times with zombies and superheroes.

“When I have time, I love ‘The Walking Dead.’ I’m a little

courtesy | sports Information

Freshman Heather Bates runs during the Seventh Annual Rush Buster on Sept. 13.

behind though, so I haven’t seen the new season,” she said. “I like superhero movies. I love them because they satisfy all the viewers.”

But Bates also makes time for her love of running. Whether it’s running for her school or just for recreation, her hobby has taken her all over Colorado Springs, which is where she grew up.

“I’ve lived in Colorado Springs since my dad was stationed here,” said Bates.

“He used to be Air Force, and I always liked it here.”

While she originally planned on continuing her education at Boulder, it didn’t work out.

“When I got up to Boulder I just wasn’t really clicking. I wasn’t enjoying my school and I wasn’t enjoying the area,” she said. “I decided it was time to move on. I just wanted to come here and within 24 hours I had contacted this school and was scheduling my transfer.”

Bates said that it was her seclusion in a boring place that got her started in running.

“My dad was stationed in Nebraska, and there was nothing to do,” Bates said. “My Mom said ‘Why don’t you try running?’, and that sounded cool,

so I went out there and found out I was pretty good. I stuck with it, and really pushed myself to be better. If you don’t try something, you won’t ever know if you’re good at it.”

But she doesn’t enjoy everything about running.

“One of the things I don’t like about the sport over the years is that it’s gotten so complicated,” said Bates. “I love it because it’s simple, but people make it so complicated with their fancy little devices or their fancy shirts and shoes.”

“Running is so overthought now. We’re so overcomplicated that we’re messing everything up.”

While Bates is currently studying health sciences, she says that her future and desires are still very much up in the air.

“I don’t know anymore,” she said. “I was doing nursing, but lately I’ve been working on the idea of doing something more in the sports area. I don’t know. It’s a big question mark right now.”

Bates and the rest of the Mountain Lions are next in action at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in Gunnison, Colo. on Nov. 8.