“Schwarzen-Schnitzel” Speaks to UB ANDREW WIKTOREditor in Chief Nobody ever said you needed a speech to be a Distinguished Speaker. Arnold Schwarzenegger didn’t have one on Thursday night, and he did just fine. A receptive audience that nearly filled the capacity of Alumni Arena greeted the former governor of California, who, improvising from the heart, explained the importance of hard work, public service, and chasing goals, as he balanced serious topics with light humor. The evening started with a video, put together by UB, that depicted students, cheerleaders, and the school’s head football coach, Jeff Quinn, doing their best “I’ll be back” impersonations. Once Schwarzenegger took the stage, he quickly joked about the interesting accents within our school’s community, acknowledging his signature, but sometimes-hardto-understand, voice. In fact, later in his speech, he graciously admitted that his accent was both a blessing and a curse when he started getting into the movie business. He recalled being told by an agent that he would never make it in Hollywood because his muscles were too big, his words too hard to understand, and his last name – “Schwarzen-Schnitzel” – too difficult to pronounce. But the fear of failure never stopped the 38th governor of California from pursuing his goals. If it did, he would have been a “girly man,” and those in attendance Thursday night know just how undesirable of a title that is; “girly men” are afraid of failing and refuse to take risks, which is how he once described Californian legislators. The main theme of the night was setting goals and pursuing them. Schwarzenegger even explained the easy steps to success: “Come to America, work hard, and marry a Kennedy.” Jokes aside, it was evident that part of his recipe for success was no laughing matter. The former bodybuilder learned valuable lessons from sports, such as camaraderie, team play, hard work, and the fact that there are no shortcuts in life. He then applied what he learned inside of the gym and took it into the real world. It wasn’t until he met his future father-in-law, Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr., however, that he truly appreciated the value of public service. Despite all of his accomplishments in the weight room, successes on the big screen, and lucrative endeavors in the business world, Schwarzenegger remarked that being governor has brought him the most joy. Instead of waking up and thinking about himself, he woke up and thought about all of the people of California for seven years in a row.
Records Shattered in Bulls’ Win
Clinton Hodnett /// The Spectrum
And if a few words in the Constitution were amended, he’d love to wake up and think about the people of America as president of the United States. For now, though, he’ll settle for his speech tour, which made its first stop in the States right here in Buffalo. After Schwarzenegger finished ad-libbing his heartfelt speech, he assured the audience that it hadn’t seen the last of the Governator, stating, “I’ll be back.” Although Generation’s Kathryn Przybyla and I were only supposed to get a five-minute joint-interview with Mr. Schwarzenegger, it quickly grew evident that the bodybuilder turned movie star turned politician didn’t mind chatting with us. In fact, he would have loved to answer all of our questions if he didn’t have a speech to get to. Although we were only able to ask two questions apiece, we spent 15 quality minutes with the charismatic Schwarzenegger, who shed some light on politics for me. Here’s how he responded to my questions:
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continues to put the team above her personal accomplishments.
CAREY BEYER and BRIAN JOSEPHSSports Editor and Asst. Sports Editor The athletic department’s budget for paper is going to skyrocket in the coming days, because a few members of the women’s basketball team have rewritten the record books. A commanding performance by senior forward Kourtney Brown helped the Bulls (10-10, 3-4 MidAmerican Conference) outlast Central Michigan (12-7, 4-3 MAC), 92-89, on the road at McGuirk Arena. Brown became Buffalo’s all-time leading scorer midway through the first half on a layup that tied the game. She finished the game with her 13th double-double of the season, scoring 33 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. She also had six assists, three blocked shots, and two assists. When Brown first came to Buffalo, she never could have envisioned the success she has had, but she
“I’m excited [about the records],” Brown said. “It’s kind of crazy that it happened. I never thought, coming here, that I would be able to do that. It’s even more exciting that we got a win out of it.” The senior phenom broke the previous record held by former Bulls guard Brenna Doty by topping her 1,703-point mark. Brown’s total after the game sits at 1,730, but it will surely be inflated as the season progresses. If one record wasn’t enough, Brown also broke the program’s record for career rebounds. She only needed one rebound to break the 30-year old record of 982, set by former Bulls forward Janet Lilley. The team captain’s 998 rebounds put her two shy of becoming the first Bulls player to record 1,000 boards. Bulls head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald stressed how crucial Brown is to Buffalo’s success. “You know what you get when she’s out on the floor,” Hill-MacDonald said. “She is the focus of everyone’s defense, and she continues to produce game after game.” Senior forward Jessica Fortman joined Brown in the record books. Her 19 points in the game earned her entry into the Bulls’ 1,000-point club. Hill-MacDonald was sure to stress how dependable Fortman is every time she steps onto the court. “The one thing you know about [Fortman] is that every time she steps on the court, she’s there to play her heart out,” Hill-MacDonald said. “You always know what you get when she’s on the floor. So you know she’s coming to play, and she’s going to execute everything you tell her to.” Heading into intermission, the Bulls led the Chippewas, 51-42, after a Buffalo offensive onslaught. Buffalo maintained its composure and wouldn’t let Central Michigan reclaim the lead down the stretch. Hill-MacDonald attributed the win to the team’s execution on both ends of the court, as well as the success of containing the Chippewas’ top scorer, Kaihla Szunko. “We knew what we needed to do against this team, and I think the girls really executed the game plan to perfection,” Hill-MacDonald said. “They got some wide-open opportunities, but not very many, and I thought we did a great job containing their penetrators for the most part.
Clinton Hodnett /// The Spectrum
ARTS & LIFE :: 4–5 CLASSIFIEDS :: 6 DAILY DELIGHTS :: 7 SPORTS :: 8
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The Independent Student Publication of the University at Buffalo WEEKEND EDITION v January 28, 2011 Vol. 60 No. 45 v ubspectrum.com
Professor Presents Students With New Style REBECCA BRATEKStaff Writer Leaps onto benches in lecture halls, quirky and inspirational catchphrases, imitations, jokes, and references to pop culture. These antics may attract the crowds, but the quality of the teacher keeps students in the seats. Kushal Bhardwaj, Ph.D. and adjunct instructor in the Department of African and African American studies, is one of UB’s best-kept secrets. While Bhardwaj has been teaching courses at UB for over a decade, many students have never heard of “Dr. B.” If students sit in on one of Bhardwaj’s courses, they will experience a style of teaching that is not usually seen at the collegiate level. A self-proclaimed “know-it-some, not know-it-all,” Bhardwaj tries to impart what he’s learned on his students. “I encourage my students to raise the ‘so what?’ question about issues and topics,” Bhardwaj said. “Education is a tool for empowerment.” Though he currently teaches American Pluralism, a general education requirement for undergraduates, in the past Bhardwaj has taught courses in American and African American studies, history, anthropology, and a “Hip Hop and Social Issues” course. Bhardwaj, who was born in Washington, D.C., was raised in both Long Island and Buffalo. He was raised by his father, who was born in Kenya, and his mother, who was born in India, allowing him to use his background to convey cultural differences and raise awareness in his students. His travels have “changed his life,” including notable trips to both Ghana and Harlem. A Ph.D. graduate in American Studies, Bhardwaj is also a huge “music buff,” which has inspired his interest in becoming a “cultural historian,” analyzing how people use music and culture together in their lives. He believes that by using hip-hop as a tool for studying black culture and history, we can communicate “what has happened, is happening, and is going to happen in nearly every area of society.” This interest inspired his Ph.D. dissertation, which examines “what it means to be a Buffalo hip-hop artist” and whether or not these artists need to leave Buffalo to “blow up.” “Rick James, Ani DiFranco, the Goo Goo Dolls. [These artists] show fertile ground [exists] for people with something to say,” Bhardwaj said. Bhardwaj also uses the interests of his students to form his courses. In his American Pluralism courses, Bhardwaj gives his students an “inquisition” to fill out, asking them questions about where they come from, what they hope to achieve, what famous people they respect, and what topics they are interested in learning about.
ARTS DEAD SPACE 2 PAGE 5 Source: ign.com
“If a majority of my students are interested in John Lennon, I’m going to include Lennon [in the course],” Bhardwaj said.
The professor’s innate ability to reach students has not gone unnoticed by university administration. Bhardwaj was presented with the Milton Plesur Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2003, an award given out by the UB Student Association to a professor who teaches with energy and enthusiasm, and who has a memorable effect on his or her students. The award is directly voted for by the student population. Students have also petitioned for more courses to be offered by UB with Bhardwaj as an instructor.
“Not only is he fun and entertaining, but [Bhardwaj] teaches in a way that is both interesting and inspirational,” said Mariya Lokshin, a sophomore health and human services major. “He not only cares about the material that he teaches, but he teaches his students about real-life scenarios that are both useful and life-changing.”
As an adjunct instructor in a general education course that holds about 50 students per section, Bhardwaj’s American Pluralism classes are in high demand this semester. A list of students anxiously awaits any final spots to become available, and current students bring their peers along as “visitors” to classes daily. “[The amount of] students discussing what we learn outside of class is remarkable,” Bhardwaj said.
Bhardwaj’s ability to connect with students has been recognized by his colleagues as well. Faculty members respect his teaching abilities and admire the “style” he presents in the classroom.
“Dr. Bhardwaj is the kind of dedicated educator that has been the hallmark of our field,” said Keith Griffler, Ph.D. and chair of the Department of African and African American studies and director of the division of transnational studies. “He makes a difference in students’ lives with the passion and commitment to excellence he brings to the classroom. Seldom does a day go by that I don’t see the evidence of it.” Bhardwaj is not only a “cool” professor because of his ability to capture an audience, but he is extremely knowledgeable and able to pass on his insight to students. “If ‘cool’ means effective teaching where students connect what they know to what they are learning, then I aspire to be the ‘coolest’ professor that ever walked the earth,” Bhardwaj said. g
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
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