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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
VOL. 93 ISS. 18
LABOR RELATIONS
CRIME
Union for adjuncts possible
Suspect arrested for Jones’ murder
The PLRB will decide if the union can continue as proposed.
Police say Randolph Sanders, 36, confessed to shooting Kim Jones.
PATRICIA MADEJ JOE BRANDT The Temple News
JOE BRANDT News Editor
Adjunct professors at Temple are making strides toward unionization, which could guarantee job and wage security among other benefits, but no changes can occur until multiple conflicting parties come to an agreement. In mid-December, adjunct professors filed authorization cards with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board for unionization with the Temple Association of University Professionals and the United Academics of Philadelphia. TAUP represents about 1,400 full-time faculty members, not accounting for those who teach in the health professional buildings. Art Hochner, TAUP president, said that for an election for unionization to go through, the PLRB requires at least 30 percent of eligible candidates to sign authorization cards. Temple has more than 1,000 eligible adjunct professors with the support of well over the majority, Hochner said. The next step for unionization is a conference call that’s scheduled on Feb. 10 between TAUP, PLRB, the United Academics of Philadelphia, the American Federation of Teachers and the university which will determine a date for election. If an agreement isn’t met, both sides will have to go to a hearing. University participants on the conference call will include Sharon Boyle, associate vice president for Human Resources operations, and Susan B. Smith, senior associate university counsel as well as outside counsel.
Throughout our annual Movers & Shakers issue, a look at several individuals at Temple whose work is making a difference. Photos by Kara Milstein, Jenny Kerrigan and Aaron Windhorst
UNION PAGE 6
A landscape for learning Art education professor Dr. Lisa Kay is helping young women express themselves through art. ALEXA BRICKER Assistant Lifestyle Editor While driving home through an ice storm from a trip to Chicago, Dr. Lisa Kay paid particular attention to the way the ice clung to the dead trees, an image she remembered a student had shared while brainstorming ideas for her art project. When Kay returned to class the next week, she told the student she had thought of her, much to the student’s surprise. “[The student] said, ‘Ms. Lisa, I can’t believe it – you were really thinking of me?’ and it’s like, ‘Well yeah, I just thought about what you said and it struck a chord with me,’” Kay said. Through an art education program, Kay has been working with young women, ages
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JONES PAGE 6 15-18, from the Carson Valley Children’s Aid School for more than a year. “This is an art education class,” Kay said. “We’re not necessarily focusing on therapeutic change or therapeutic growth, but [the girls] are in sort of a therapeutic day treatment program – they’re in residential care. So, that’s kind of a side benefit, that they felt like they’re not alone, like some people may have some of the same problems.” The program was inspired in part by the work of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis with children living in the Terezin ghetto camp during the Holocaust. “Teaching art in a setting like that, [where]
... That’s kind of a side “ benefit, that they feel like they’re not alone ... ”
people can have a sense of hope with an environment that is filled with despair – art has a lot of power,” Kay said. Kay studied more than 4,000 pieces of art
KAY PAGE 8 LIFESTYLE - PAGES 7-8, 14-16
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT | TYONNA WILLIAMS
A second chance at life
Tyonna Williams said she owes her success to her grandparents. MICHAEL GUISE The Temple News
Tyonna Williams hit the cold, hard asphalt with tears streaming down her face. The Temple senior guard had, hours beforehand, prepared to take on Kent State with the rest of the women’s basketball team in a road matchup on Dec. 6, 2012. Williams and her teammates had just won two consecutive games, but she said she couldn’t focus on the task at hand that day. “All day I just felt like not in the mood,” Williams said. “I just wasn’t there and I’m always there on game days.”
When tipoff arrived, nothing changed. From start to finish, Williams was not herself, and struggled in what would be the third loss of her sophomore season. Following the game, Wil-
liams boarded the team bus and saw multiple missed calls from her mother on her cell phone. She stepped off the bus for a moment to return the call, because she knew what she was
WILLIAMS PAGE 19
JENNY KERRIGAN TTN
Senior guard Tyonna Williams drives to the basket against Cincinnati.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - PAGES 9-13
Bradley fosters community
Student breaks new ground
A look into the unseen world
Since joining Temple’s police force in 1972, Captain Eileen Bradley has risen through the ranks to become a community liaison. PAGE 3
Melanie McCoy will be one of the first undergraduate students to represent Temple at the National Conference of Black Studies. PAGE 7
The Nikon Small World Photography Competition houses photos seen through a microscope. PAGE 9
OPINION - PAGES 4-5 Should Temple build stadium?
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hiladelphia police arrested a suspect Sunday in connection with the shooting of a 56-year-old Yorktown woman the morning of Jan. 13 at the corner of 12th and Jefferson streets. Kim Jones, director of the Families and Schools Together Program of Turning Points for Children – an organization devoted to assisting abused and economically disadvantaged children – was waiting for the No. 23 SEPTA bus when Randolph Sanders, an assistant director who she hired two years ago, allegedly killed her with a shot in the back of her head, police said. Sanders, 36, of Northeast Philadelphia, confessed to murder Sunday after his arrest, which followed a round-the-clock investigation that spanned three weeks and required combing through hours of video footage, Homicide Captain James Clark said in an interview Monday. Sanders is now in police custody. Public Affairs Officer Tanya Little said Sanders believed Jones was going to report him for allegedly misappropriating $40,000 in funds from the organization. Dressed in dark clothing and covering up his face, Sanders could be seen walking past Morgan Hall and down into the Broad Street Line Cecil B. Moore subway stop, making a point not to look at surveillance cameras. Police could
SPORTS - PAGES 17-20
Enechionyia impresses mid-year
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
Students mourn transgender teen in vigil
Students gathered in memory of suicide victim Leelah Alcorn on Jan. 28 in the Founder’s Garden. ERIN EDINGER-TUROFF Chief Copy Editor
Compared to the overall U.S. population’s reported 4.6 percent of people who have experienced one lifetime suicide attempt, the rate of occurrence in the transgender population is 41 percent, according to the Williams Institute and American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. This statistic was mentioned several times on Jan. 28, when students and members of the community gathered to honor and remember one transgender life lost to suicide: Leelah Alcorn, a 17-year-old trans woman. At least three different speakers at the Moment of Silence for Leelah Alcorn referenced the disproportionately high suicide rate within the trans community, also acknowledging the prevalence of violence and discrimination toward trans women and trans women of color, in particular. The event was held one month after Alcorn, known on Tumblr as “LazerPrincess,” tragically took her own life by walking into traffic on Dec. 28. More than 25 people gathered in the Founder’s Garden on Main Campus to honor the suicide victim with a moment of silence. At 3:30 p.m., students and some members of the community bowed their heads in silent honor and remembrance of Alcorn’s life, cut too short but now a pivotal name in a growing social movement for trans rights in America. “I’m here because I’m a small part of the trans community,” one attendee, freshman undeclared major Noah Neville said. “When I heard what happened … I tried to reach out to as many people as I could.” In an effort to continue and increase that movement among students on Main Campus, Temple Area Feminist Collective hosted the event to correspond with a worldwide Moment of Silence event organized by the Trans-Health Information Project. Also in attendance were members of student organizations Queer Student Union and Queer People of Color, as well as a fledgling Philadelphia organization called Serve the People – PHL. One of TAFC’s creators, junior women’s studies major Morgen Snowadzky, and her comember, junior women’s studies major Riley MacDonald welcomed those gathered and introduced the purpose of the moment of silence. Junior anthropology major and QSU president Shane Rubin also spoke up before the collective moment was held, reading a personal letter to Alcorn. They said to the crowd, “I wish I had
gotten a chance to meet her in person and convince her there are people who care.” Rubin recalled their own struggles with not feeling valued as they grappled with coming out as a non-binary trans man. Snowadzky and MacDonald invited everyone to sign a poster decorated with photos of Alcorn’s face and the slogan “Rest in Power,” honoring Alcorn’s suicide note on Tumblr that called for her readers to “fix society.” “My death needs to mean something,” Alcorn wrote in the note, which she set to post online after her death. “My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year.” Despite the focus on remembrance and mourning for Alcorn’s death, many of those present were also emphatic that while moments of silence are necessary to promote acceptance and recognize the tragedies of lost lives, action is immediately necessary. “Something Leelah Alcorn wanted to make known … is she didn’t want the conversation to end with her death,” MacDonald said. MacDonald also mentioned three trans women of color who were violently killed in the month of January: Ty Underwood in Tyler, Texas; Lamia Beard in Norfolk, Virginia; and a woman dubbed Goddess Edwards by trans activists in Indianapolis, Kentucky – local media released only Edwards’ birth name, so the Trans Women of Color Collective used the pseudonym “Goddess” out of respect to her gender identity. All of the women died of fatal gunshot wounds. Rubin reflected on the transmisogyny perpetuated by some media and those who disregard transgender and gender nonconforming people. They “found it almost impossible to find an article that did not use the birth names” of aforementioned and additional victims of violence against trans people, as well as any article respecting proper pronoun use. “This serves not only as a memorial, but a call to action,” Rubin said. In accordance with the “call to action” mentality, Andrea Haulcoch, a part-time Community College of Philadelphia IT major, represented Serve the People. She described the group as a “revolutionary and radical student organization.” Haulcoch advocated collectivism of transgender and non-binary people to her listeners. She said Serve the People, which was formed about two months ago, is actively seeking members and hopes to continue working with the Temple community. “We’re not even given the basic right of selfdetermination over our bodies,” Haulcoch said. “We’re all extremely divided by how the system [of America] is. We have to organize more deeply in order to combat the system.” Haulcoch said Serve the People fights for what she believes should be fundamental rights:
JENNY KERRIGAN TTN
(TOP): Shane Rubin speaks at a vigil for transgender teen and suicide victim Leelah Alcorn. (BOTTOM): Students signed condolences on a poster with Alcorn’s face and the slogan ‘Rest in Power.’
in her words, democratic education including standard gender studies courses is a key component. She applauded the significance of Jan. 28’s Moment of Silence for Leelah Alcorn, but was vehement that in society, trans people and their allies “have to stop being silent.” Kayla Raniero, a freshman communication sciences major who identifies as non-binary, announced to those gathered that the Trans Lifeline, a support service to transgender and non-binary people, is looking for trans and non-binary volunteers to man phones for those in need of a supportive ear. They also suggested any cisgender – meaning a person whose gender identity matches their gender assigned at birth – allies to the trans community try to get involved.
Raniero encouraged their listeners not to become discouraged or feel trapped by the tragic reason for the Moment of Silence for Leelah Alcorn or the heart-wrenching subjects discussed there. “Energy cannot be created or destroyed,” Raniero said. “It can only be changed.” They told the group, huddled together for warmth and support, to turn their sadness and anger at the violence and transmisogyny “into hope,” and remember “our generation is very powerful right now.” * erin.edinger-turoff@temple.edu ( 215.204.6737 T @erinJustineET
‘Fly in 4’ developer reflects on her 25-year career Jodi Levine Laufgraben oversees academic affairs and teaches. DAVID GLOVACH The Temple News The office is filled with mounds of neatly stacked binders and papers. Reports need to be completed, surveys finalized, and progress needs to be made. Nothing about the stacks makes the spacious office appear small, but they serve as a reminder to the amount of work that needs to be done. Sitting behind the L-shaped desk in one corner of the office, which is nearly filled with more binders and reports except for a small rectangle used for meetings, is Dr. Jodi Levine Laufgraben. As usual, she is quite busy. Laufgraben said her career at Temple started in a rather unexpected way. Her family had just moved to southern New Jersey and she was looking to join them from New York, where she was working for the State University of New York’s Farmingdale campus doing admissions. Upon the move to New Jersey, her mother saw a job description for an academic advising position at Ambler Campus. That was September 1990. Twenty-five years later, Laufgraben remains at Temple. She used her early years here to fur-
ther her education, she said in an interview in her office Friday. “I think it’s one of the things that I think is unique about me is that I am Temple Made,” Laufgraben said. “I have my doctorate from Temple. I earned it while I was working here full time.” No longer an academic adviser, Laufgraben now serves as the vice provost for academic affairs, assessment and institutional research. She is responsible for institutional effectiveness initiatives, including institutional research, outcome assessment, accreditation and program review, which means that she has a wide range of responsibilities. Under her watch, the university has implemented a number of programs like the implementation of wait-listing, updating the undergraduate and graduate bulletins and providing students with more academic advisors. A large component of her job was Temple’s ‘Fly in 4’ program. One of the university’s signature initiatives under President Theobald, the “Fly in 4,” was created with the affordability of student tuition in mind. If a student agrees to the terms of “Fly in 4” and meets various checkpoints, but cannot graduate on time because of the unavailability of a course or courses, then the university will
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pay for the remaining courses. Laufgraben has spent the better part of the last two years taking on a leadership role to get the program up and running. “I provided program development and leadership for the initiative and chaired the committees that rolled out ‘Fly in 4,’” Laufgraben said. “I was also responsible for developing the various checkpoints in the [Self-Service] Banner that the program uses.” It is a program that Laufgraben said had been quite successful, with 88 percent of freshmen in Fall 2014 agreeing to the program and 90 percent of those students meeting their various checkpoints. Her office also oversees academic programs, curriculum and unit changes in conjunction with the Board of Trustees. “Another major thing I do is work with all the schools and colleges on the process of developing and getting approved academic degree programs like a new major,” Laufgraben said. “Those come from those schools and colleges, but there is a process. I help facilitate that process.” However, her work at Temple involves more than just academic affairs. When she is not in meetings, answering phone calls or responding to emails, she teaches graduate classes on higher education in the College of Education. “I enjoy being around the
ALEX FRIEND TTN
Jodi Levine Laufgraben discusses ‘Fly in 4’ and her 25 years at Temple in her Sullivan Hall office.
students,” Laufgraben said. “I enjoy preparing university and college administration officials of the future.” Over the years, Laufgraben said she has also enjoyed seeing the changes that have occurred and those that are still occurring on Main Campus, not just in the buildings, but also in the overall improvements that she said makes the school great. “The facility, students, and academic programs has continued to rise and Temple is truly an institution with momentum and our stock is rising,” Laufgraben said. “We’ve seen that in our improvement in not only
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our [education] rankings, but just the overall academic quality has improved tremendously. “Another huge change has been our campus,” she added. “You see the increased number of residence halls. Students are living on campus. There are incredible new buildings for learning. In my time here the school has added Tuttleman Learning Center, Alter Hall, the Fox School of Business, the New School of Medicine, and of course the most recent building [Science, Education and Research Center].” Laufgraben added that while she may look into new
job opportunities in the future, she enjoys her current role at Temple. “I think you always need to be thinking about your career path,” Laufgraben said. “I firmly believe that if I’m doing a good job in the current year, opportunities will be there in 10 years. I have been fortunate enough to be a part of some creative and innovative projects and initiatives. But it’s great to be a Temple Owl and I love what I do here.” *
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david.glovach@temple.edu @DavidGlovach
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TUPD captain fosters community relations Eileen Bradley was the first female patrol officer when she joined the force. LIAN PARSONS The Temple News When Temple security guard Huey Burkett passed away in February 2004, he was raising his teenaged son, Corey, as a single parent. Burkett wanted his son to attend the university, and with the help of many at Temple, Corey achieved his father’s dream. One of the many was Captain Eileen Bradley, project coordinator for campus safety. “[Bradley] ensured that a [security guard’s] child get tuition admission,” Monica Hankins, external relations coordinator for campus security and a long-standing colleague of Bradley, said. “She took [the paperwork] down to the bursar’s office herself. [Corey’s] father gave his life to Temple, and Captain Bradley thought his son should have the privilege of getting his degree here.” A self-described “Temple Made city girl,” Captain Bradley joined the Temple police service after graduating from the university in 1972. She was the first female patrol officer at the university, before it was common for women to be patrol officers at all. “[Temple] didn’t have any female patrol police officers,” Bradley said. “[Philadelphia] did have juvenile officers inside, but they didn’t have anybody on the actual patrol, and Temple put women out before anyone else in the city.” Since then, Captain Bradley has dedicated her life to serving Temple and its community. She has a strong bond with students, administrators, staff and residents of the neighborhood alike, but
JENNY KERRIGAN TTN
Captain Eileen Bradley often meets with students and other members of the community as part of her position as the university’s project coordinator for campus safety.
she believes that Temple students are the most integral part to her job. “I think that’s one of the strongest things that I have, my relationship with the students,” Bradley said. “I get along very well with the student government. I always go out of my way to make sure I know who they are. I meet with the leadership on a weekly basis, I attend all the general assembly meetings, I try to get out every year and talk to every student organization.” Ray Smeriglio, student body president, said he’s known Bradley since his sophomore year. “She’s almost a staple of my relationship with Temple,” Smeriglio said. “My professional network and the people I can now contact has quadrupled since I met Captain Bradley, just because of the way she is and the way she carries herself around campus.” Beyond her large network at Temple and in
the community, Bradley is also well-known for her work ethic. Hankins said she has worked with Bradley for about 15 years. “Because of the nature of our job, I’ve witnessed a lot of madness,” Hankins said. “And that’s where you know what the outcome is going to be, but you’re not quite sure how you’re going to get to that outcome.” Bradley values the relationship that Temple has with the North Philadelphia community and said she always does her best to get to know community leaders and put together programs and events for residents. The annual children’s party in December is organized by Bradley, as are bike safety programs, trips to sports games for the children in the neighborhood, officer mentorship, and the monthly service initiative, Adopt-A-Block. Bradley said that she is also trying to establish a food bank in
the neighborhood. “If you live around Temple University and you’re active a little bit in the community, you know who she is,” Vice President and Special Assistant to the President William Bergman said. Bradley said she emphasizes community relations to students as well. “The last couple years there has been tension, as students have moved further and further into the neighborhood,” Bradley said. “I try to tell the students that they’re going to be here for four or five years, and they should be part of the community while they’re here.” Outside of her hectic work schedule, Bradley said she runs an exercise class every morning. She also works with Special Teens Project, which assists special needs teenagers in counties across Pennsylvania. The Special Teens Project is especially important to Bradley because of her close relationship with her sister. “After my parents died, I took her in,” Bradley said. “I have a special needs sister and I do a lot of service with her group.” Bradley also has a son, who is adopted from Korea, and three grandchildren. Bradley’s mentorship has been pivotal for budding leaders at Temple throughout the years. By working closely with students who take an active role, she has given advice that has endured throughout the students’ time at Temple and beyond. “One thing she always says to me is, ‘You’ll be fine,’” Aaliyah Ahmad, Temple Student Government’s director of local community affairs said. “She tells me not to overthink something, to know that I already have all the qualities to make sure that something is successful … to just believe in myself and know that I’ll be able to conquer whatever my goal is.” *
lian.parsons@temple.edu
Super Bowl brings talk of ads at university Temple aired the “Stella” ad locally for the Super Bowl.
Fox professors found which part of the brain responds to advertisements.
STEVE BOHNEL Assistant News Editor The second wave of the university’s “Take Charge” advertising campaign that started in October 2014 started with a regional advertisement that aired during Super Bowl XLIX. Two commercials were put to a vote on the campaign’s website, both of which are identical except for the ending, which showed either Stella the Owl or Morgan Hall and the Philadelphia skyline in the final frame of the advertisement. The Stella version ended up winning the contest with 4,412 out of 7,163 votes, and ran between the third and fourth quarters of the game on Sunday. Karen Clarke, vice president for strategic marketing and communications, said she wanted to give students the opportunity to pick an advertisement because much of her budget comes from student tuition. She added that initially, she didn’t want to pursue broadcasting a Super Bowl advertisement because of the $4.5 million price tag for a 30-second television spot. But once she heard from NBC that Temple could run a commercial in just the Philadelphia area for a much cheaper price, the deal became possible. Clarke declined to comment how much the Super Bowl ad specifically cost, but did say that the advertisement on Sunday was the beginning of a three-week deal with NBC that cost less than $200,000. She added that this type of deal was completed because Temple doesn’t have the budget to run several ads on a daily basis. “What we do is use a marketing technique called ‘focused impact,’” Clarke said. “It’s where you flood the marketplace for a period of time. It’s like Google ads – you see a whole bunch of them over a three-week period, and then you don’t see them for a while. That makes an impression, you get more people to see them.” Clarke added that she was initially going to purchase a pe-
STEVE BOHNEL Assistant News Editor
KARA MILSTEIN TTN
Karen Clarke explains the “Take Charge” ad during a Thursday interview.
to get them engaged a “We’ve got little bit more. ” Karen Clarke | vice president for strategic marketing and communications
riod from mid-February through March, but when she heard that she had an opportunity to run a commercial during the Super Bowl, she moved the period sooner to start on Feb. 1. Clarke said she wanted to start a new wave of advertisements on Super Bowl Sunday, in order to increase alumni awareness of the university’s brand. According to university data, among a pool of 300,000 living Temple alumni, 89 percent are “not engaged” with their alma mater. Clarke said she hopes the new phase of “Take Charge” changes that. “That’s why I spend money on awareness advertising,” she said. “There’s this huge group of people who have experience with Temple, and it’s my belief that their perception, for whatever reason [is] they’re not engaged, they don’t feel like it’s relevant or they have a misinformed view of what Temple is.” “If we’re going to get them engaged so that they continue to support Temple in a variety of ways … we’ve got to get them engaged a little bit more,” Clarke added. “We have to have more people embrace us. If you did this [data research] for Penn State, it would almost be exactly the opposite.” Helping Clarke promote awareness is Marketing Co-
ordinator Kaitlyn Sutton, who graduated from Temple this past May with a degree in strategic communication. Sutton said the “Take Charge” campaign is also important among students because there isn’t enough awareness about the value of attending Temple. “There’s not enough pride on campus,” Sutton said. “Being able to go into a Penn State or a Syracuse and say, ‘I’m from Temple, and this is why we’re great,’ is so vital to a university’s future.” Clarke said Sutton had been involved since the start of the campaign’s development last year, which led to her hiring as marketing coordinator in July. “Take Charge” has received positive coverage from news outlets like NBC and WHYY during the past couple of weeks. But even with the recent success, Sutton said more can be done to increase alumni and student engagement. “We need to get everyone, all of our students and Temple community, to hold true to this and make sure we’re all united in this front of ‘Take Charge,’” Sutton said. “This campaign is doing a good job at [that], but our work is not over, it has just begun.” * steven.bohnel@temple.edu T @Steve_Bohnel
The key to any television advertisement’s success partially lies in the “reward center” area of the viewer’s brain. This discovery was one of the main findings of a sixmonth study conducted from December 2012 through May 2013 by Fox School of Business professors Angelika Dimoka, Paul Pavlou and Vinod Venkatraman. The study consisted of evaluating responses of more than 300 participants to 37 different advertisements through eight different methods. The different methods differed from paper surveys to physical changes in behavior – like changes in breathing, heart rate and eye tracking – to neurological responses like functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and electroencephalography. Venkatraman, an assistant professor of marketing and lead author of the study, said the brain’s “reward center,” formally known as the ventral striatum, is a great predictor of the success of television advertisements because it indicates a more direct response from the viewer. “When you’re watching an ad, it should increase your desirability for the product that is featured in the ad,” Venkatraman said. “We basically argued that’s a measurement that’s difficult to obtain with a simple question … after 30 seconds of watching the ad, [viewers] don’t know what to focus on … what we have here is a more automatic response. How does your brain respond in [the ventral striatum] when you are watching the ad?” Venkatraman added that these neuroscience measurements are “live” measurements, meaning that they evaluate the viewer’s response during the entire span of an advertisement. The research team’s paper was accepted for publication in the Journal of Marketing Research, a journal under the
KARA MILSTEIN TTN
The co-authors of the study sit in Paul Pavlou’s office on Jan. 30 to discuss the study.
American Marketing Association, on December 12. The Association consists of more than 30,000 members who “work, teach, and study in the field of marketing across the globe,” according to its website. Dimoka, director of the center for neural decision making, said collaborating with six other authors from Duke, NYU and UCLA was rewarding because each individual added valuable insight to the paper. She added that working together was easy at the time because the six authors were all at NYU during the time of the study. “To be able to do a study of this scale, we needed to have multiple people with multiple [areas of] expertise,” Dimoka said. “It was a very rewarding collaboration and I think both sides benefited a lot.” Venkatraman, Dimoka and Pavlou were able to conduct the study because of a $286,000 grant from the Advertising Research Foundation, which Dimoka said the group received because of its expertise in linking neuroscience to advertising studies. “Our Center [for Neural Decision Making] is one of the very few centers in the world that do this type of research, especially being located in a Business School,” Dimoka said. “Not all centers have seven different neurophysiological measures. They might have one, two or three, but not all of them.” Another reason the ARF awarded the grant was because it was impressed by an international conference in neuroscience held at Temple in 2011, Dimoka said.
Even with the paper’s success, Pavlou, Fox’s associate dean of research and chief research officer, said there is still more to learn when it comes to determining what contributes to the success of television advertisements. “From a practical perspective, we can predict quite well,” Pavlou said. “The next question people ask is, ‘How do you activate the ventral striatum?’ … I guess to be facetious, we need another $300,000 to do another study, and it’s probably more difficult than the current one … that’s what we’d probably call ‘Neuro 3.0.’” After this past Sunday’s Super Bowl, the study’s importance not only is relevant because of how important advertisements are on that day in general, but also because Temple showed a “Take Charge” commercial during the third quarter of the game. While Dimoka said she wished Temple reached out to Venkatraman, Pavlou and her about seeing how their research correlates to the university’s advertisements, she said Super Bowl commercials are different than those that air on a typical day. “We do know that Super Bowl commercials are a species of their own,” Dimoka said. “... But we have a good [idea] of understanding what will make a more successful ad, and how we can take even those quite expensive ads and see characteristics from them that help us [determine] a better ad and its success.” * steven.bohnel@temple.edu T @Steve_Bohnel
EDITORIAL/OP-ED
PAGE 4 A watchdog for the Temple University community since 1921. Avery Maehrer, Editor-in-Chief Patricia Madej, Managing Editor Erin Edinger-Turoff, Chief Copy Editor Joe Brandt, News Editor Paige Gross, Opinion Editor Claire Sasko, Lifestyle Editor Emily Rolen, Arts & Entertainment Editor EJ Smith, Sports Editor Steve Bohnel, Asst. News Editor Andrew Parent, Asst. Sports Editor Alexa Bricker, Asst. Lifestyle Editor Albert Hong, Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor Patrick McCarthy, Multimedia Editor Kate Reilly, Asst. Multimedia Editor
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
FROM THE ARCHIVES...
Harsh Patel, Web Manager Tom Dougherty Web Editor Kara Milstein, Photography Editor Jenny Kerrigan, Asst. Photography Editor Addy Peterson, Design Editor Donna Fanelle, Asst. Designer Justin Discigil, Advertising Manager Grayson Holladay, Business Manager Dustin Wingate, Marketing Manager
The Temple News is an editorially independent weekly publication serving the Temple University community. Unsigned editorial content represents the opinion of The Temple News. Adjacent commentary is reflective of their authors, not The Temple News. Visit us online at temple-news.com. Send submissions to letters@temple-news.com. The Temple News is located at: Student Center, Room 243 1755 N. 13th St. Philadelphia, PA 19122
EDITORIALS
Recognizing achievements As Temple continues to Works, to help represent the grow and evolve, the univercommunity she grew up in is sity commutold on Page 9. The university should take nity should Captain notice to those making stop and take Eileen Bradnotice to the positive, innovative changes ley, the first individuals female patrol in the community. who are makofficer to join ing strides in the areas around Temple’s force after graduatthem. ing in 1972, has climbed the This week’s issue is our ranks of Campus Safety Sersixth annual “Movers & Shakvices and now acts as a liaison ers” issue that profiles these between surrounding commumembers of the community nity members and the univerwho are making a difference sity. at the university, the city of “The Hive” founder, Philadelphia and beyond. alumna Melissa Alam, opened On Page 7, senior Melanie the coworking space for womMcCoy is profiled as the first en to work with and share undergraduate allowed to atideas with other women in the tend the National Council of Philadelphia community. Black Education. She is sellVice Provost for Acaing her Afrofuturist artwork to demic Affairs Jodi Levinefund the trip. Laufgraben, stands as one of We talked to Dr. Lisa Kay, the leaders of the “Fly in Four” who will present an art eduprogram that aims to increase cation program – focused on four-year graduation rates for positivity and geared toward incoming freshmen. special student experiences – In this issue, we are proud to educators across the state on to showcase past and present Feb. 14. Temple community members Alumna Jos Duncan’s stowho are exceeding standards ry of how she created her comand making a difference. panies, Griot Don and Griot
Local crime desensitizes We thought the trail leadIn surveillance video, ing to Kim Jones’ killer had Jones’ killer can be seen walkall but gone cold, so we were ing past the Fresh Grocer and just as stunned Morgan Violent crime near as the rest of the Hall before Temple commucampus, like the murder boarding the nity to learn a of Kim Jones, should not northbound coworker turned stop student-community Broad Street himself in for the Line subway interaction. crime. and departJournalistic standards ing at Hunting Park station. and common practice dictate Video also caught the that any follow-up to previous suspect walking to a vehicle coverage must still summarize owned by Sanders, hence the the initial incident. But in our arrest. coverage of what followed afAt a university that says ter Jones’ death – the shooting, it is committed to both service the planning of the vigil and and diversity, Jones’ death is the vigil itself – we wrote in especially tragic. Temple’s each piece the details of how Good Neighbor Initiative enshe died, broken down into a courages students to get inparagraph. volved in their community, yet That gets harder and harda social worker is killed in cold er each time. blood in an area where plenty Fifty-six-year-old Jones, of students live during the a mother of two and a newlyschool year. wed, was waiting for her usual As a community, we need bus to work. She listened to students to act in the interest gospel music as she walked to of North Philadelphia. But it the stop at 12th and Jefferson becomes increasingly difficult streets two blocks from Main to unite students for that cause Campus. when fear of crime persists in Randolph Sanders, 36, an the wake of tragedy. assistant director at the nonKim Jones’ death is devprofit where they were both astating for this community. employed to help abused chilBut students nonetheless need dren, allegedly stalked Jones to continue interaction and not and shot her once in the back shy from the neighborhood of the head. According to poaround them. lice, Sanders feared that Jones would report him for misallocating $40,000 in funds.
CORRECTIONS The Temple News strives to be a newspaper of record by printing factually correct and balanced articles. Accuracy is our business, so when a mistake is made, we’ll correct it as soon as possible. Anyone with inquiries about content in this newspaper can contact Editor-in-Chief Avery Maehrer at editor@temple-news.com or 215.204.6737.
Feb. 5, 1985: The university celebrated Black History Month with events centered around African-American writers, and programs that preserve cultural ideals. Temple has planned several events this month to celebrate and honor historical African-American events and figures in Philadelphia.
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COMMENTARY | student finances
Credit users have much to gain A student believes that building good credit early in life is essential to success.
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anuary 2012 was one of the most memorable months of my life. It was the month I turned 18 and also when I expected most of my college admission decisions to arrive. I paid close attention to the mail each day, MICHAEL CARNEY hoping for a birthday card or acceptance letter. However, I was puzzled shortly after my birthday when I received a letter from South Dakota. I had no friends or family in that state nor had I applied to any colleges there. The letter was from a small bank in the Midwest offering me a credit card. Even with zero knowledge of my financial ability and no inquisition into whether or not I was employed, I was still eligible for the company’s card. I researched its proposal further and quickly discovered why it was so willing to extend me credit: The credit card I was offered carried an exorbitant interest rate near 30 percent. This annual percentage rate is extreme compared to the national average of 14.89 percent, according to creditcards. com. To put these rates into perspective, a $1,000 balance on a card with a 30 percent APR would become a $1,300 debt in just one year if no payments are made to lower the balance. And after two years, $1,800. I, along with many other newly legal adults, was being punished with a high interest rate because of my age. Rather
than helping me build a strong credit history, banks like the one in South Dakota designed a credit card intended for my financial failure and for its profit. After the letter from South Dakota, I received a handful of other letters from banks all across the country. This constant stream of letters was overwhelming and I briefly considered throwing them all away. However, I believed I could find a credit card to use responsibly and that the benefits of cautious credit card use
card rates and auto rates,” Scott said. “Along with other things they wouldn’t think about such a phone contracts, apartment leases, etc.” Many students at Temple have reaped the benefits of establishing a credit history and have found little difficulty in the process. However, despite the benefits, statistics indicate that fewer college students are choosing to open credit cards than in past years – dropping from 42 percent in 2010 to 30 percent in 2013, according to Sallie Mae’s website.
outweighed the risks. I considered my credit score, a report of an individual’s credit quality and history on a scale of 300-850. A credit score is an important factor when applying for student loans, mortgages, auto loans, and is often taken into account by landlords and certain employers. I saw these credit card offers as an opportunity to establish and build my credit score much earlier than those who wait until after college who will inevitably face many more financial obstacles than one who has been using a credit card responsibly since they turned 18. Jonathan Scott teaches various finance courses at the Fox School of Business and frequently stresses the importance of credit scores to his students. “In my Investing for the Future class, the students learn quickly that their FICO score has a huge impact on their future: mortgage rates, credit
Emily Demyanovich, a junior actuarial science major, said her credit card habits show that she is financially dependable. “I pay off my bill every month on time so I don't have to ever worry about interest,” Demyanovich said. “If you're smart about it, there is no reason to worry about debt.” The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act was signed in 2009 – a statute that was supposed to set limits to the types of marketing and offers companies can offer to young adults aged 18-21 – but has not stopped the advertisement and availability of credit cards on college campuses. Students who do own at least one credit card may have already had difficulty in maintaining good financial habits. An annual report by Sallie Mae called “How America Pays for College” determined that 68 percent of American college students carry a balance on a
As a student progresses through “college, becoming independent is increasingly important. ”
credit card and 17 percent already have more than $1,000 of credit card debt. The Federal Reserve declared in October 2014 that the total amount of outstanding credit card debt in America is more than $880.6 billion dollars. Most of this debt has been accrued by those who use their credit cards irresponsibly and allow their balance and interest to accumulate month to month. Credit card use requires strict discipline and can quickly cause financial hardships when used improperly. However, those that are willing to face the challenge of building a strong credit score will benefit in the long term compared to someone who delays until after college to establish a history. Owning a credit card is about freedom and responsibility and those who begin the process early generally find themselves more financially independent. As a student progresses through college, becoming independent is increasingly important, as does the responsibility of being able to spend whatever, whenever you want. The Conference Board, a non-profit research organization, recently announced that U.S. consumer confidence is at its highest rate since August 2007, which may indicate that the American economy is growing and that consumers are feeling increasingly confident about spending their hardearned money. While in college, young adults should take the opportunity to learn about how building good credit is a responsible step for students who are testing the water with consumer credit to build their professional and financial success. * michael.carney@temple.edu T @mike___carney
OPINION
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
PAGE 5
COMMENTARY | football
Mixed reactions to possible on-campus stadium
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Students discuss the pros and cons of a football stadium on or near Main Campus.
ince its inception, the football team has never played on Main Campus. The team has played in Mt. Aerie, at Veteran’s Stadium and, currently, at Lincoln Financial Field. It seems, though, that Temple football might be coming home – and that is not such a good idea. The Inquirer reported on Jan. 5, “if some remaining financial details can be resolved, a go-ahead for a 30,000-seat, on-campus facility could come as early as this spring.” In 2017, Temple’s contract with the Linc will be up, and the university will have to decide to renew its current lease that is set to double, or VINCE BELLINO build a stadium on or near Main Campus. The lease has been reported to cost between $1 to $1.5 million. It has been shown by other, similar universities and a changing college football reality makes building a new football stadium a big gamble with an unlikely payout. As the Inquirer reported, the University of Akron, which faced a similar situation in 2009, showed that building an on-campus stadium has for a school that was transitioning from a commuter school with dwindling interest in a football program could end in a tremendous failure. Akron’s stadium was built in 2009 with a 27,000-seating capacity. Its 2009 average attendance was approximately 17,000, but by 2012, it was down to just over 9,000. Akron may be just an average team in terms of performance in its conference, but a winning record was not the factor that drove fans away. For now, at Akron, student interest has just not supported the building of the stadium. To get students in the door, to a free game nonetheless, the university had to utilize gimmicks like free tuition to one student who attended. Temple’s situation looks eerily similar to this. Attendance for 2014, with the exception of the home opener, does not reflect a necessity to build a 30,000 seat stadium and critics of the new plan speculate that the reported attendance figures may be exaggerated. The University of Pittsburgh, a school similar to Temple in its metro setting, student population size and their contracts with NFL stadiums, reported that they were also struggling with attendance. They have finally succeeded in filling the 10,000-seat student section, but much of Heinz Field remains empty. College football also appears to be changing in ways that could be rather drastic. The New York Times reported that high-budget universities are petitioning the National Collegiate Athletic Association to allow for an increase in the number of scholarships schools can offer their athletes, which could stop the recruiting progress schools like Temple have made in recent years. Until the kinks are worked out and decisions are finalized in the NCAA, it would be a hasty move for Temple to build a football stadium on Main Campus. Temple cannot afford to keep up with these large football schools if these new allowances pass – Temple has a budget around $40 million, according to the most recent data from
the U.S. Department of Education, to compete with budgets upward of $100 million at the top schools. Although Temple remains in the Top 50 for recruiting athletes last year, if the school spirit isn’t there, we can say goodbye to our visions of a grand football stadium packed to capacity with screaming fans. The harsh reality is that it could very easily become a sparsely populated home for a team of decent football players. Another point, having nothing to do with football at all, is the continuous strain between the university and the surrounding neighbor-
hoods. In a time where university housing built up Morgan Hall instead of building out, North Philadelphia simply can not spare
avid beat Goliath, and not many were there to witness. A rainy Saturday afternoon succeeded Halloween night in North Philadelphia when many students opted to stay on Main Campus instead of taking the trip to Lincoln Financial Field to attend the football team’s matchup against nationally ranked East Carolina. The team won its first game against a Top 25 opponent in more than a decade with an announced number of 23,882 in the crowd, but it certainly didn’t l o o k it. In front of at least 45,000 empty seats, Te m p l e m a d e history. I t should have come as no surprise, however, as the team's second season in the American Athletic Conference was also the secondlowest home attendance total of all schools in The American. Following last year’s athletic cuts, t h e
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the space. In another universe than our plot in North Philadelphia where interest is higher for the football program and Temple has larger financial resources to compete with the richest football schools, building a stadium on campus seems like a great idea. It would be a great source of amusement and pride if every weekend saw a stream of students filing into the Owls’ new stadium on Main Campus, but that weekend is still some time away. To build a new football stadium on Main Campus is an attractive idea, but with that attraction comes a huge risk – one that isn’t likely to pay off. * vince.bellino@temple.edu
program has shifted its focus to reallocating funds, renovating facilities and building a program that succeeds from top to bottom. In an exclusive interview with The Temple News last October, Athletic Director Kevin Clark and other high-ranking officials expressed interest in “broad-based” competition for both revenue sports like football and basketball, and nonrevenue sports like fencing and tennis. Like many successful athletic departments, however, the resources necessary to achieve such a feat begin with profitable revenue sports creating opportunities to fund other sports in order to compete on a national level financially. A good example for the department in pursuit of its dreams is conference foe Connecticut, which ranks No. 14 in a CBS algorithm placing schools in order of most successful programs –
considering revenue sports, baseball and a “wild card” spot for the rest of non-revenue sports to rank each athletic program on overall success. In the same CBS ranking – conducted last July, Temple ranked No. 123, tied with four other schools. Another promising example is former opponent in The American, Rutgers University, whose department moved the program into the Big Ten – a more decorated conference – in 2012. Three years later, nj.com reported that Rutgers is projecting a 16.6 percent leap in athletic revenues in 2015. As of 2014, Rutgers boasts a $79 million budget, roughly $35 million more than Temple’s last recordEJ SMITH ed athletic budget. While the athletic department has declined to comment through a university spokesperson on the official plans for the stadium, its hopes have been made transparent. Upon moving into The American in 2013, Deputy Athletic Director Pat Kraft told The Temple News what he envisioned for the program’s future. “I want our student body to be the loudest and most recognized in all of the country,” Kraft said. “I want to put Penn State’s student body to shame. I’ve seen it and it is so awesome, and so special. That’s what keeps me up.” “The dynamic is changing drastically, and when you talk about a football stadium on campus, now you have more and more students living here,” Kraft added. “Now that atmosphere can come.” Not only does an on-campus stadium present the possibilities of long-term financial growth for an improving football program, it also helps the department elude imposing financial consequences of staying in Lincoln Financial Field. President Theobald said the Eagles, who occupy the Linc, are set to increase the rent from $1.5 million where it currently sits, to $3 million per year. In addition, Temple would be required to dole out $12 million for renovations, Theobald said in an April interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education. With cost in mind and the William Penn property in hand, Temple could follow through on sending lacrosse and field hockey to the new athletic fields, and utilize the two teams’ current home of Geasey Field as a new stadium site, making the need for new property less expensive. In October, Clark referred to the possibility as lacrosse and field hockey as “in flux.” Clark also pointed out the renovations should be complete sometime between October 2015 and April 2016. However, the Geasey Field estate, currently at 342,450 square feet, according to Temple Recreation Facilities, would currently struggle to house a full-sized football stadium, especially one that attracts big-name football teams and conferences. While local backlash from neighboring property owners and communities is to be expected, the seemingly-inevitable move back to campus for the football team is a necessary one, en route to a nationally-established athletic department. * esmith@temple.edu T @ejsmitty17
COMMENTARY | City Living
Bike Share should be seen as an opportunity to explore The program coming to Main Campus is a healthy, fun way to travel.
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or me, the task of catching a cab from Temple in order to go to the city is not a simple feat. Walking down Broad Street in order to catch a cab has often left me waiting for at least twenty minutes and eventually calling the main dispatchers. Even with ride-sharing service Uber, I have often found that the “nearest car” is 10 minutes away. Coming from Los Angeles, a city known and often mocked for its dependence on cars, times KEELAND BOWERS of arrival and direction are often based on traffic. While the city is built on sprawling landscape and the option for plentiful “alternative” public transportation options is there, the lifestyle just doesn’t support it. The city is seeking a reconstruction of the subway systems in order to make
the city more connected, but for now, the main preference of transportation is to drive. As a new transplant to this city, I’ve realized that part of my college experience is getting to learn from the city just as much from as from the school. From knowing how long it takes to get to a location, to how far the subway goes, there are many small idiosyncrasies that go into understanding a city. The bike sharing system coming to Philadelphia in April will help facilitate another mode of transportation that will allow easy access between Temple and other parts of Philadelphia by picking up a bike in one location in the city and being able to drop it off at another Bike Share spot. Temple students should be excited for this addition. Alternative transportation is no stranger to Philadelphia, however the difference between ride-sharing and bike-sharing are the markets that are affected by their operation. “Nearly a third of the taxis on the road aren’t adequately insured, and that’s a public safety hazard. Consum-
OPINION DESK 215-204-7416
ers demand and deserve access to safe rides, and that’s exactly what we’re providing,” Uber spokesman Taylor Bennett said in a CBS News report from last October.
to the city’s transit system, and an opportunity for new Philadelphians, like myself to get to know their city. “We want to make sure we’re not negatively affecting other transporta-
As a new transplant to this city, I’ve “ realized that part of my college experience is
”
getting to learn from the city just as much as the school.
Edvard Petterson of Bloomberg News said, however, “the only taxis allowed to operate in the city are those that have an official certificate of public convenience and a medallion valued at as much as $520,000.” Where ride-sharing companies spark a wide controversy due to the current strain the alternative companies are putting on Philadelphia taxis, Bike Share will support the growing market of bikers in the city. The program will hopefully bring together Temple and the rest of Philadelphia, marketing a healthier addition
tion. [Bike sharing is] a good way of getting people around without providing more motor vehicles,” said Aaron Ritz, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs Planner for the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, in a recent interview with Temple News. According to the Philadelphia bike sharing website, “Philadelphia will launch with 60 stations in Spring 2015, and intends to expand the system with an additional 60 stations in Spring 2016.” Similar programs exist around the world, and popular American cities
LETTERS@TEMPLE-NEWS.COM
that see a lot of tourist influx, like New York, are seeking to add 6,000 more bikes to their programs because of its success. Philadelphia’s current proposed plan to start with the 60 locations and expand as time goes on further explains the investment in the city. Main Campus will host three of those proposed stations – 13th Street and Montgomery Avenue, North Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue and on 13th and Norris streets – that will not only encourage travel, but exercise and exploration. This system of bike sharing coming to Main Campus is much needed in the face of the questionable Uber cars and proposed construction to subway stations in the coming years. Bike Share will offer an alternative to Philadelphia’s transit system, allowing a safe, enjoyable ride to many points throughout the city. The program should be welcomed and used by Temple students as a way to get to know their city. * keeland.bowers@temple.edu T @KeelandBowers
NEWS
PAGE 6
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
UNIVERSITY NEWS
are both from Philadelphia. Tucci and Seay are majoring in international business and psychology, respectively. Alan Cohen was elected to the Board of Trustees in May 2014, The Temple News reported. His term started May 13 and is scheduled to end Oct. 10, 2017. -Steve Bohnel
OLD TUCC BOOKSTORE TO CLOSE
The bookstore located on the third floor of Temple’s Center City Campus on 15th and Market streets will permanently close at 4 p.m. on Feb. 6 in anticipation of the opening of a new bookstore. William Parshall, executive director of Temple’s Ambler and Center City campuses, wrote in an email that a new café and Barnes and Noble bookstore is expected to open on the ground floor on March 2. Parshall added that the three-week transition period is needed for moving inventory, products and security and computer systems from the third floor to the ground level. Students who need to purchase books during the transition period should contact the Main Campus bookstore at 215-204-5578 or by email at sm693@bncollege.com. Books can be ordered and picked up at the Main Campus location or shipped to a home address at a standard shipping speed for free. Orders can also be placed online and picked up at the new TUCC bookstore location once it opens. Parshall wrote that students looking to buy school supplies should shop at the Staples located on 15th and Chestnut streets, and that snacks and beverages are still available in vending machines located on the second, third, fourth and fifth floors in the Center City building. The Inquirer reported in December that Accesso Partners LLC, a real estate firm located in Florida, bought the property that includes TUCC for $85 million. The previous owner of the 502,000 sq. ft. building was Winthrop Realty Trust, a real estate investment trust based in New York and Boston. -Steve Bohnel
NONPROFIT TRAINING OFFERED
Two international Temple campuses have joined efforts to start a nonprofit training program. Temple’s Harrisburg and Japan campuses started offering the International Nonprofit Training and Leadership Program on Jan. 30, according to a university press release. According to the program’s website, six courses are taught by instructors who have ex-
IN THE NATION
RECORD YEAR IN ATHLETIC GIFTS
ABI REIMOLD TTN FILE PHOTO
Temple’s Center City campus bookstore will undergo renovations this month.
perience working in the nonprofit sector in not just the United States, but also worldwide. The classes are offered on a completely online platform via WebEx, a web conferencing site. Two of the six courses are in collaboration with Temple University Japan, while the remaining are created for audiences from the United States. Eugenia Medrano, director of continuing education at Temple University Japan, said in the press release that the program should be effective for students looking to break into the nonprofit sector. “Students will gain exposure to diverse concepts and ideas and will have a tool kit to immediately apply what they have learned at their places of employment,” Medrano said. “The scope of the nonprofit sector continues to grow internationally – more and more nonprofit organizations and businesses are working together locally, nationally and globally to provide the best possible service to their clients.” The program is scheduled to run through December 2015. -Steve Bohnel
NEW SCHOLARSHIP FOR ‘FLY IN 4’
A member of the Board of Trustees recently created a scholarship fund in collaboration with the university’s ‘Fly in 4’ Program. According to a university press release, Alan M. Cohen, executive vice president and global head of compliance at Goldman Sachs, created The Alan and Deborah Cohen Goldman Sachs Scholarship Fund because of a recommendation by Goldman Sachs Gives, a donor-advised fund where current senior employees can suggest grants to qualified nonprofit organizations. The scholarship, named after Cohen and his wife, Deborah Cohen, is worth $350,000. Both contributed funding, and Deborah said in the release that she and her husband wanted to give back because they were fortunate enough to attend college themselves. “Both of us were in the first generation of our families to attend college, and that was largely because Temple was so affordable,” Cohen said. “We feel like we were given a huge gift to get a high-quality education and pursue our dreams, so this is our way of giving back.” The first two recipients of the award are freshmen Melanie Tucci and Brianna Seay, who
Last year, donations to major college athletic programs totaled $1.26 billion dollars, the third time in the last four years that institutions have eclipsed the billion-dollar mark, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported. The figure was calculated through a “Voluntary Support of Education” survey from the Council for Aid to Education, which is the first organization to offer statistics on private individuals donating to higher education, according to its website. Almost 400 colleges provided information about athletic donations for the survey, and last year was the highest mark the donation total has reached in the survey during the past decade. Leading the way in athletic donations was Texas A&M University, whose $93.6 million total almost doubled any other college that was included in the survey. The University of Michigan was in second, tallying $54.6 million. Greg Byrne, vice president for athletics at the University of Arizona, said that donations will be needed more in the future due to decreasing funding from state budgets. “A lot of the facilities we compete in were built with state dollars, and that will rarely happen anymore,” Byrne told the Chronicle. “Many of us have had to look ourselves in the mirror as our infrastructure has needed replacing, and realize that philanthropic gifts are going to be the only way to solve that issue.” The record year represents a huge increase in athletic donations – according to figures the Council for Aid to Education provided to the Chronicle, athletic departments brought in approximately twice as much money from them last year than in 2004. -Steve Bohnel
Police: Jones’ murderer gave full confession
Continued from page 1
JONES
track him as far as the Hunting Park station initially, Clark said, but further review of footage traced him through the neighborhood until the suspect was seen enter a silver GMC Yukon. After learning that Sanders owned that model of vehicle, police took him in for COURTESY PHILADELPHIA POLICE questioning and he gave a Randolph Sanders, 36. full confession, Clark said. Sanders had made state- incident. “We are both shocked ments to 6ABC about Jones, and shook her son Andre and saddened by this news,” Jourden’s hand at Jones’ fu- Vogel said. He noted that the neral, according to a philly. organization is working with a private investigator to recom report. Sanders was arraigned at inforce its belief that it was 12:16 a.m. Monday, accord- an isolated case, and that the ing to his court docket, and organization has been comawaits preliminary court pro- municating with its funders. ceedings that will begin Feb. He also thanked the police 18 with a court-appointed at- for their work in finding the suspected killer. torney. “This is a very difficult Turning Points for Children CEO Mike Vogel re- situation for everyone inleased a statement on the volved and we appreciate all Continued from page 1
UNION
In a joint interview Thursday, Smith and Boyle said they believed unionization could limit progress they said has been made with regard to adjunct relations in the past few years, including updating the adjunct handbook, advocating improved communication to adjuncts and monthly meetings to discuss adjunct concerns. “What’s happened since then is we are really in a kind of holding pattern,” Boyle said of the petition to the labor board. “It kind of halts our plans on implementing improvements to some degree. We now have to follow this [PLRB] process.” Boyle and Smith said the union’s goals – which could include higher pay and possible restructuring of the way classes are scheduled – could put a strain on the university’s current allocation of resources. “We have some pretty serious concerns about that from an operational standpoint … from the impact it will have on students,” Boyle added. “It has
of the words of support from friends, family and supporters,” Vogel said. “In addition, we want to thank the staff of Turning Points for Children for the hard and important work that they do every day. Despite this terrible situation, our amazing staff continues to do their job and to make an impact on the thousands of people they serve.” Residents and students mourned Jones, a mother of two and newlywed, at a vigil on Jan. 16. Jourden, Jones’ son, gave a statement to reporters afterward. “My mother was a great person and she deserved a lot better than this,” he said. “She was 100 percent selfless. Her life was helping other people. She dedicated her life to that. She worked hard at Turning Points for Children, but she worked just as hard in the church soup kitchen … It was her passion.” * jbrandt@temple.edu
the potential to seriously limit the way we deliver classes, the cost of an education at Temple and the quality of that education.” Smith said the “natural tension” between full- and part-time faculty could worsen if unionized adjuncts try to compete for resources like merit pay increases. “When you’re talking about resources, dollars, the university obviously doesn’t have an endless pot of money,” Smith said of the pool accessible to full-time faculty. “If adjunct faculty are added to the union, it’s likely that the union will push hard for adjuncts to share in some of that money,” Smith added. “So each dollar they take is a dollar out of a fulltime faculty member’s pocket.” A letter from Provost Hai-Lung Dai dated Sept. 29, 2014 reminded adjuncts that unionizing is binding, dues would have to be paid and withdrawal would be difficult. “We are concerned that once the union files a petition for representation, we cannot continue the meetings we have had with you, the adjunct faculty, until there is an election,” Dai wrote.
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Residents gathered at 12th and Jefferson streets on Jan. 16 for a vigil to mourn Jones.
“If the union is certified, we cannot make any changes to compensation, benefits or other terms of employment without coming to agreement with the union.” “Ultimately, it is your decision whether or not you wish to be represented by TAUP and AFT,” Dai added. “In the meantime, we want to reaffirm our interest in continuing to work directly with our adjuncts without thirdparty involvement.” Hochner said some faculty that are currently a part of TAUP are concerned that more benefits for adjuncts will mean less for them, but overall, unionization is important for security on multiple levels. “[Unionization will] mean a voice, mainly. And, what they want to use that voice for is up to them,” Hochner said. “Typically, they want to negotiate for regular pay increases and some access to benefits and for some measure of job security. What exactly these adjuncts at Temple want is something we’re going to have to find out.” Hochner said an election will likely take place sometime this semester. The Temple News reported last
spring that adjuncts – who make up more than 40 percent of educators at Temple – are paid between $2,500 and $4,000 per three-credit course, with limitations on how many classes they’re allowed to instruct. Wende Marshall, an adjunct professor at the College of Liberal Arts who’s currently instructing her fourth semester, is just one of the many who filed an authorization card. Marshall said she hopes for better job and wage security with unionization. “Adjuncts are low-wage workers who are highly committed to the enterprise of teaching,” Marshall said. “I think that at the end of the day, it’s really important that adjuncts be represented along with other workers on campus. In a lot of ways, adjuncts carry a disproportional load.” Elizabeth Spencer, another CLA adjunct who signed an authorization card, said she joined the movement when she began to see adjuncts assigned to fewer classes with less wage security. She said the thought of unionization was “the first thing that gave [her] hope about [her] future in teaching.”
When she began teaching at a community college in 2011, she taught five classes and said she was the most financially secure she’s ever been. But now, Spencer only teaches one class at Temple, and said she’s thankful she lives in a household with a spouse who has a higher salary. She said there was once a time where adjuncts “could count on having two classes at Temple” and that security is diminishing. In addition, she said adjuncts aren’t finding out about what classes or how many they will instruct for the upcoming semester, and there’s a greater possibility of classes being canceled before they begin. “A lot of adjuncts are living close to poverty and of course it’s going to affect their teaching,” Spencer said. “I’ve seen new buildings go up, I’ve seen tuition go up for students, and I think that giving the adjuncts more stable working conditions, more supportive working conditions in terms of having access to basic supplies ... will benefit the students,” she added. * news@temple-news.com ( 215.204.7419
lifestyle
owlery.temple-news.com
STUDENT TAKES FLIGHT
HELP FOR THE HEART
Graduate student Brian Thibodeau was recently awarded the SMART scholarship for military tech work through the Department of Defense. PAGE 16
Dr. Jon C. George is leading a clinical trial that will help people suffering from heart failure. The study will soon end its second phase. PAGE 14
temple-news.com
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
MANCHOIR FESTIVAL CONCERT
The ManChoir festival concert will take place Saturday night in the Temple Performing Arts Center, other news and notes. PAGE 16 PAGE 7
MOVERS SHAKERS AND
Traveling to rescue a population
Doctoral candidate Kim Reuter traveled to Madagascar to help save endangered lemurs. FINNIAN SAYLOR The Temple News
AARON WINDHORST TTN
Melanie McCoy, a senior African American studies major, is among the first undergraduates attending the National Council for Black Studies since 1992.
Illustrating a movement Senior African American studies major Melanie McCoy is selling her Afrofuturist artwork in order to attend this year’s National Council for Black Studies.
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on’t be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood,” the satirical film of Wayans brothers renown, was a staple in Melanie McCoy’s childhood. So, she said she always knew there were stereotypes associated with Black Culture. The senior didn’t initially intend to major in African American studies at Temple; she was first a journalism major. But after her first course with doctoral student Ifetayo Flannery, Blacks in Cinema, McCoy realized her passion for studying the subject matter she has a deeply personal relationship with. “It was pretty amazing to see a young black woman teaching the course,” McCoy said of her first encounter with Flannery. Today, 22-year-old McCoy is immersed in the African American Studies Department and community service organizations, as the president of the Organization of African American Studies Under-
graduate Students, recent member of Sankofa Community Empowerment’s Philadelphia chapter and tutor at Tree House Books. From March 11-14, she’ll be one of the first undergraduate students to represent Temple University at the National Council for Black Studies since 1992.
pretty amazing to “seeIt awasyoung black woman teaching the course. ” Melanie McCoy | senior
She’s entered her research paper on Afrofuturist musicians, including Frank Ocean and FKA Twigs, into an NCBS competition, the results of which will be released in early February. “The inspiration that comes from seeing her peers engage in conversation and academic dialogue
with scholars is extraordinary,” African American Studies Department Chair Dr. Molefi Asante said in an email, regarding McCoy’s plan to attend the conference. “We are all proud of Melanie’s multidimensional talents and her guidance of the undergraduate majors in our department.” Last year, 14 graduate students from Temple’s African American Studies Department attended NCBS, where they presented papers and sat on panels. Asante called the conference “the most important professional organization in the field of African American Studies.” After McCoy and her friend and colleague, senior African American studies major Kezia Barnett, attend NCBS this year, McCoy said they will encourage fellow undergraduate students to continue representing Temple in years to come. “I want to bring back more fire [to OAASUS],” McCoy said. “My hope is that whatever Kezia and I learn and we find, that if it matches up with their interests, they can learn and take off.”
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A Temple scientist recently took it upon herself to provide a voice for the endangered lemurs of Madagascar that are illegally kept in captivity. Earlier last month Kim Reuter, a Temple doctoral candidate in the biology department and Fellow Researcher at the Betty and Gordon Moore Center of Science and Oceans at Conservation International in Washington D.C., published her research about lemur ownership in Madagascar. Her research and findings appeared in Oryx, a scientific conservation journal, where the research quickly gained national attention. “It’s great to see two years of blood, sweat and tears come to fruition,” Reuter said of her published work. Haley Gilles, a Temple graduate who is currently working to attain a master’s degree in sustainable solutions at Arizona State University, worked alongside Reuter in Madagascar and is a co-author of the research. “I’m a big stickler for citations, and I think it will be the coolest thing to get cited in another scientist’s paper,” Gilles said. After Reuter completed her undergraduate degree at Florida State University, she applied for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program through the National Science Foundation. She was selected for the fellowship, and Reuter was free to use her awarded funds to conduct a research project of her choosing. Because she previously spent time in Africa and Madagascar, Reuter had seen several different accounts of domestic lemur ownership, which she knew to be illegal. Having been aware of international lemur conservation efforts, through which considerable sums of money are spent in hope of preserving future prosperity for the species, Reuter wondered why such behavior
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Historian takes a mobile approach to oral history preservation Erin Bernard, a public history graduate student, modeled her thesis project off food trucks. JENNY ROBERTS The Temple News Erin Bernard was passing a string of food trucks on Main Campus when she was struck with an idea for her master’s thesis project. Bernard combined her passion for history with the concept of Philadelphia’s famous food trucks to unlock the untold stories of the city’s residents. With a truck, Bernard could travel around selected neighborhoods and conduct oral interviews with residents. “[But] I had this idea, and I didn’t even have a truck,” said Bernard, a graduate student who is currently completing her master’s degree in history with a concentration in public history. Bernard discussed the idea of a history truck with her advisor, Seth Bruggeman, director of the Center for Public History at Temple. With Bruggeman, Bernard proposed travel-
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COURTESY ERIN BERNARD
A woman conducts an oral history interview inside Bernard’s truck .
ing around selected neighborhoods via truck and conducting oral interviews with residents about “family life, neighbors, [and] stuff going on in the city.”
Bernard planned to use the stories to create exhibits for her mobile history museum. “One thing I absolutely hope [the] History Truck does is help those who live, work and
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play within Philly places and spaces to choose how they wish to be remembered,” Bernard said. “[The] History Truck stands the chance to not only preserve the often marginalized voices of our city in Temple’s archives, but also to turn the cog in the social change wheel.” Bruggeman, who immediately liked the idea, began working with Bernard, and the two were able to attain an $85,000 annual grant from The Barra Foundation for the History Truck, which ultimately funded the project. “I thought it was a great idea from the outset,” Bruggeman said. “It had a clear precedent in Philadelphia’s own public history past, but also modeled new ways of thinking about the intersections between exhibit space and public memory.” “What excited me more than the project, however, was [Bernard’s] enthusiasm about it,” he added. “From the get-go, [Bernard] clearly had the vision and energy to make this project a success.” Eventually, Bruggeman introduced Bernard to Jeff Carpineta, the former president of the East Kensington Neighborhood Association and
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MOVERS SHAKERS AND
Healing through art education Continued from page 7
KAY
made under Dicker-Brandeis’ instruction. The art was designed to help the children she worked with find beauty in traumatic surroundings. The girls at Carson have been through extremely difficult and traumatic events themselves, Kay said. Some were sent to the school on court order, while others have spent their lives in the foster care system.
“Some of these young ladies, when you hear some of their stories, some of the trauma they’ve experienced in the first 15 years of their life is a lifetime of experiences and stress that nobody wants to have to go through,” Kay said. It was important to Kay to gear the program toward positivity and the special experiences they have had, she said. Two of the themes of the projects the group worked on, “beauty and ugly” and “lost and found,” were designed to bring forward those messages of hope.
JENNY KERRIGAN TTN
Dr. Lisa Kay has created an art education program that she will present to educators across the state on Feb. 14.
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For the “lost and found” project, the girls had to use eight to 10 found items to be incorporated into a mandala – a circular balanced design. The design conveys ideas of wholeness to help the girls recognize that even though they have experienced loss, they are still “whole,” Kay said. The art projects have helped many of the girls express themselves in a way they otherwise may have not been able to. In addition to paintings, drawings and other mediums, Kay has also guided to the girls through writing poetry and keeping a journal. Some of the projects the girls have worked on are now on display as part of “FireFly Illuminations,” an exhibit at the Woodmere Art Museum, located in Chestnut Hill, which opened on Jan. 18. The exhibit, which will have its grand opening ceremony on Feb. 12, is also an opportunity for the girls to curate their own work. All of the art featured in the exhibit is accompanied by an artist book in which the girls say what they like about their work and what they would change, as well as an explanation behind the piece. “It’s not as typical to see work on display from students who have experienced trauma or from students who are in residential care,” Kay said. “These kids are more marginalized, they’re just not as typical of regular art classrooms. So to have a show of their work is special and unique for them.” Kay said she hopes to continue to partner with the Woodmere in future programs with Carson and plans to publish the work as a curriculum that can potentially be utilized by art educators in the future. On Feb. 14, Kay will be hosting a “gallery tour and tea” for art educators from across the state to discuss the project, present the finished curriculum and listen to their input for how the program could be used in other settings. “Art teachers aren’t always prepared to deal with trauma,” she said. “We need to sort of understand, how can a teacher in a regular classroom, and specifically an art classroom, be supportive without doing therapy? I see no reason why educators should not be more traumainformed.” Though she has worked with people of all ages, Kay said she enjoys working with young women in particular because of the difficulties they face. “In our world today, there are lots of challenges for young women, especially women who live in poverty, who have experienced a lot of sexual abuse, physical abuse, drug abuse – either their own or from people around them,” Kay said. “We have such a violent culture,” she added. “I just feel like anything that can be done to bolster young women’s self-esteem and sense of strength is an important place to spend my time and energy.” * abricke1@temple.edu
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HISTORY TRUCK provider of the project’s all-important truck. Before Carpineta bought the truck from Craigslist, it served as a water ice truck and even a post-office truck. In June 2013, Bernard manned the history truck for the first time and made her way to Carpineta’s neighborhood of East Kensington. It was then that the Philadelphia Public History Truck’s journey began through its community partnership with the East Kensington Neighborhood Association. Soon, the history truck workers began conducting interviews and delving into community issues, like Kensington’s existing racial tensions and the history of buildings catching fire in the community. Bernard continued recording the neighborhood’s history well into the fall. She then began planning to display the History Truck’s findings in an exhibit, which she has described as “a weird fusion of history and art.” The exhibit opened for gallery display at Little Berlin in April 2014 and was then condensed into mobile form and taken to the streets. “What is critical about this project is that it serves as an example of how public historians, artists, and museumists can work with people to develop exhibitions,” Bernard said. Throughout its North Philadelphia travels, the History Truck has focused on topics like community gardens and has acknowledged “community displacement” as a result of university expansion. The History Truck also became more expansive by partnering with Tree House Books. During its summer camp, Bernard led a public history workshop through which campers interviewed local residents. The History Truck’s art partner, Theodore A. Harris, who is also a collagist and poet, worked with the History Truck on the project. “Part of being a good collaborator is knowing each others strengths … at certain points [Bernard] hands the baton to me,” Harris said. “I [taught] the campers how to create visual art from the oral histories they recorded from the neighborhoods around Tree House Books.” There will be one more event before the North Philadelphia exhibit showcases the team’s findings in the spring, Bernard said. This event will be held on April 11 at the Wagner Institute of Science from noon to 5:30 p.m. The Philadelphia Public History Truck will be showing “Unedited Philadelphia,” which is a composition of clips from past Philadelphia newscasts. After viewing the footage, community members will discuss the events as they personally remember them. Following the conclusion of the North Philadelphia exhibit, the History Truck will begin preparations for their next cycle, which will start in June 2015 and focus on Chinatown, where Bernard said she hopes to tackle issues surrounding homelessness. * jenny.roberts@temple.edu
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RESTAURANT RISES FROM THE ASHES
PUBLISHER ENABLES SOLO CREATIVITY
Hawthornes Biercafé recently reopened after suffering damages from a fire and now offers a craft beer delivery service. PAGE 10
The Soapbox is an independent publisher in West Philly that helps young creatives produce their own work. PAGE 10
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REDEFINING ‘DEEMED TO FAIL’
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Alumna Jos Duncan formed Griot Don and Griot Works.
n Sept. 11, 2001, Jos Duncan took quit her job to start a West African Dance comKEELAND BOWERS the day off of work to spend the pany by the name of Griot Don Dance Collective, The Temple News night in New York. with Temple alumna, Cachet Ivey. Duncan and a friend were on It was through the organization that she found their way back to Philadelphia from New York when two planes herself most happy, participating in a facet of her own cultural hit the Twin Towers. identity. Duncan said this is where she found her voice. “When I saw people jumping out of windows in their busiNow the company, combined with film, named Griot Works, ness suits I realized these people may have never pursued their is an organization that works with the community to share stories dreams,” Duncan said. “They may have never taken steps toward that educate others, honors traditions, shares morals and helps to what they really believed in. It changed my perception on what foster a collective future for a community. life was.” DUNCAN PAGE 11 Shortly after, Duncan decided to pursue her aspirations and
On Jan. 29, extras for the new Rocky Balboa film, “Creed,” lined the sidewalks in front of Temple’s Performing Arts Center to film a scene identified by a member of the crew and extras as a fight scene. Filming on campus lasted until Friday, Jan. 30. The movie is scheduled to premiere in January 2016. KARA MILSTEIN TTN
EXHIBIT
From dumpsters to art museums The Dumpster Divers are currently showcasing trash-picked artwork at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts. ANGELA GERVASI The Temple News
ALLAN BARNES TTN
Jens H. Petersen (left) submitted a scarlet pimpernel macrograph to the Wistar Institute for Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, and Dr. Sabrina Kaul submitted a larval stage development of an acorn worm.
The unseen world
The Wistar Institute is hosting the Nikon Small World Exhibit.
ALLISON MERCHANT The Temple News Amidst the transparent glass walls and doors, up the wide white
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staircase and echoing throughout The Wistar Institute atrium is a world only visible through the refracted lens of a microscope. Twenty selected discoveries reveal the close-up photos sought after in the 2014 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. Located on 36th and Spruce streets, The Wistar Institute is currently hosting the Nikon Small
World Exhibit, a display of the Top 20 winners from the annual Photomicrography Competition. “It’s not so much about what the subject is but it’s about looking at it in a different way people haven’t seen and sort of exploring it, bringing out something that’s unique and eye-catching,” James Hayden,
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In the early 1990s, a cluster of artists called themselves the Dumpster Diners. They visited Eva Preston’s Jamaican-American restaurant. They only came for a meal, but left with a new member. The Diners asked Preston to join their coalition after seeing the artwork adorned on her restaurant’s walls. Preston remains one of the members of the Philadelphia-based group, which comprises of more than 40 artists who create their works out of materials that would otherwise be thrown away. Preston, a self-taught artist, prefers not to buy art supplies. “I would never have to go to the store and buy paper, so all those trees that have been cut down …I’m using that paper,” Preston said. Many of her collagic works come from old photographs, which she alters by adding in skillfully cut and torn paper. There’s a consistent chronological connection between the different recycled materials in Preston’s works: a photograph from the 1920s, in other words, is decorated with old magazines or comic book pages from the same
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A lesson in the magic behind animation
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
FOOD
The art of animation proves to be more difficult than it looks, especially in Temple’s Animation Workshop. As the clock ticked on into the early hours of the morning, the pile of crumbled up pieces of index cards grew larger and larger. After a long production day at The Temple News last spring, I sat on the edge of my rolling chair inside of my closet-sized bedroom – not writing, but drawing. The assignment was to produce a series of illustrations showing a “monster” walking across the sheet. All I could think about, as my version of a monster failed to make it past his first step, was, “I’ve made a colossal mistake.” I was in the midst of Temple’s Animation Workshop, a graduatelevel class taught by longtime film and media arts professor Warren Bass. I decided to enroll in the course while AVERY MAEHRER reminiscing on my childhood, when my family watched Disney movies like “Peter Pan” and “The Lion King” on a daily basis. I knew the class would be challenging, but never envisioned it would be this difficult. But by the end of the semester, I had a newfound appreciation for the art form of animation – especially at the independent level. We
the end of “theBysemester, I
had a newfound appreciation for the art form of animation – especially at the independent level.
”
studied the work of animators like Norman McLaren, Chuck Jones, George Dunning, among others. I even produced a few – very brief – pieces of hand-drawn and computer animations. Bass, whose work often consists of documentaries about social issues, said he sometimes goes to animation as a relief from the more serious topics he covers. He teaches the course every second year, and enjoys seeing what his students are able to accomplish in the course of just a few weeks or months. “Part of the aesthetics of animation is the excitement of seeing graphic forms move,” Bass said. “It’s almost like how there can be an excitement about dance or
something else.” “I think [the class] is a lot of fun,” he added. The workshop requires students to continuously work on a final project that’s around a minute long – so students who are interested in making a traditional animation may need to produce close to or more than 1,000 drawings, depending on what techniques they use. Senior FMA major Caitlin Frain, who is currently participating in Temple’s Study Away Los Angeles program, said she took the class because she hopes to one day write animated films. Although she said the course was rigorous, she enjoyed learning more about the field she one day hopes to be a part of. “I’ve always considered myself creative and an artist, when it comes to drawing by hand,” Frain said. “So it was a rewarding experience. There was a high effort and high reward.” The rewarding aspect that Frain is referring to is why, by the end of the semester, I was glad I decided to take the class. Through all of the crumpled up drawings, the broken pencil tips and the latenights pondering whether my overambitiousness had gotten the better of me, Bass’ teachings were among the most worthwhile I have experienced at this school. When it came time to finally watch the monster assignment up on the big screen of the classroom in the basement of Annenberg Hall, I was afraid to watch. Bass would collect our drawings on the due date, and then string them together on a computer and screen them all for us the following week. So I hadn’t the slightest clue of whether the monster would walk across the screen, or appear as some sort of jumbled mess. My best hope, I thought, was for the class to find it funny. I tried to animate a bumblebee flying across the screen, which was supposed to land in the monster’s mouth as his expression changed from angry to perplexed. Would it work, though? The clips were all shown consecutively, and when mine cued, I closed my eyes. But then, by some miracle, I heard laughter. My classmates did find it funny. So the second time it played, I watched. The crudely drawn monster’s walk was by no means perfect, but there was no denying that he made it across the screen and ate that bee whole. The monster had made it, and so had I.
KARA MILSTEIN TTN
Located on South 11th and Fitzwater streets, Hawthornes now offers a beer-delivery service.
‘Beer boutique’ gets an upgrade after damages After catching fire, Hawthornes Biercafé reopened on Jan. 11.
EAMON DREISBACH The Temple News After an electrical fire ripped through Hawthornes Biercafé last February, prospects seemed grim for the humble eatery. Yet throughout the entire process of rebuilding the business this past year, there was never a moment when owners Chris Fetfatzes and Heather Annechiarico doubted Hawthornes’ ability to rise from the ashes. “[Quitting] just wasn’t an option,” Annechiarico said. “We didn’t get jaded, or angry, or brought down.” True to their determination, the couple reopened for business on Jan. 11, unveiling a few new additions. Located on the corner of South 11th and Fitzwater streets, the restaurant now offers a beer-delivery service, improved fireplace and 10 counter-pressure fillers for growlers. Thanks to the new Quick Sip service, customers can have brews delivered directly to their doors by ordering
online or via cell phone. The cozy café is also offering Bloody Marys and mimosas with lunch, among other small tweaks to its gourmet-American focused menu. Despite these changes, it was important for Annechiarico to keep the Hawthornes look, feel and customerdriven philosophy alive after reconstruction. “We wanted to still keep it homey but we didn’t want to reinvent ourselves, because what we had before we really enjoyed,” Annechiarico said. “It was more about getting more guest service, in a better way than we did before. It was really important to understand why [customers] came before, and to not lose that but to add things that they might further enjoy.” For Fetfatzes, creating a relaxed, family-like atmosphere has always been an important part of the Hawthornes experience. “We excel at being really relatable with our customers,” Fetfatzes said. “It’s a really natural neighborhood spot, so we wanted to embellish on that.” Hawthornes has managed to retain half of its original staff through the lengthy reconstruction process. “It’s like we were never closed,”
* avery.maehrer@temple.edu KARA MILSTEIN TTN
Susan Freeman, head server and floor manager, holds Leo, the child of Hawthorne’s owners Chris Fefatzes and Heather Annechiarico.
Annechiarico said. “I think the veteran staff that are here really care about the place, and they trained the new staff very well. The new staff understands what kind of place this is so they’ve kind of fallen in and really enjoyed working here so far.” Designed by Annechiarico herself, the quaint beer café’s architecture and furnishings prove just as pleasant as ever. The new fireplace is now encased by stone with two holes on either side to house firewood, while wooden palettes adorned with flowers in mason jars occupy a few of the empty spaces on the walls. The venue also continues to provide a wide selection of beers and liquors, housing 700 to 1,000 different bottles, depending on the day. In the wake of the blaze, Fetfatzes said community support from customers and friends of the Hawthornes team alike was overwhelming. “They came out every night on the streets when we were rebuilding,” Fetfatzes said. “They would say, ‘Is there anything we can do? Can we help you paint? Can we help you demo?’ It was nice that they were really supportive.” “It’s nice to see that the guests we had before waited for us and were really excited for us to open,” Annechiarico added. “They’re as excited as we are.” Prior to their foray into the restaurant business, Fetfatzes worked at a beer distributor and Annechiarico held a career in marketing. Aside from Hawthornes, the couple also owns The Cambridge on 1508 South St. With five years of experience in the restaurant business and a small disaster now under their belts, the couple hopes to continue to build on the foundation that makes Hawthornes a neighborhood favorite. “We want to perfect what we do,” Fetfatzes said. “We want to focus on really perfecting Hawthornes and making sure we surround [ourselves] with great staff who enjoy each other.” * eamon.dreisbach@temple.edu
West Philly studio promotes independent publishing The Soapbox offers workshops, book binding, studio space and more. CHELSEY HAMILTON The Temple News Mary Tasillo, co-founder and president of The Soapbox, prides herself on the artistic community her company creates in West Philadelphia. The Soapbox is an independent publishing center in Philadelphia that opened in 2011 and is run solely by volunteers. Tasillo, a Pittsburgh native, moved to Philadelphia nearly 11 years ago to pursue a MFA in book arts and printmaking at the University of the Arts. In 2011, The Soapbox officially opened its doors. “Charlene Kwon, a Ph.D. student at Temple at the time, and I both had an interest in in bookmaking and printing and we basically came from situations where we had access to great printing facilities in a university environment,” Tasillo said. “When we finished up
with school, we realized there’s not a place to do that in a community. We probably had a year of brainstorming before we opened our doors.” Tasillo and Kwon wanted to keep The Soapbox accessible to everyone in the city and base it off volunteer work, but they knew they would run into financial issues, so they decided to buy a house together and run The Soapbox out of their home. “We thought community-minded people should have a place in Philadelphia to be able to take a workshop on bookmaking and keep it accessible,” Tasillo said. The Soapbox is open four times a month, and all the volunteers, including Tasillo, also hold full-time jobs. “In an ideal world, this would be a dream job,” Tasillo said, who currently manages the office at an architecture firm, teaches papermaking and writes a column for a papermaking newsletter. “I enjoy the jobs that I do, but my ultimate dream job is the work I do at The Soapbox.” The Soapbox currently has about
a dozen members who pay once a year for access to the studios, and a few work-exchange members. Twice a month they hold open hours, where non-members are welcome to come in and tour the studio or take a workshop. “We hold additional hours for members only,” Tasillo said. “Members are welcome to work in the studio and have access to the letterpress, binding tools, screen-printing and other tools.” Along with the usual hours, they also occasionally hold special events. The Soapbox has also hosted poetry readings, zine readings and other art exhibits. The Soapbox boasts a large zine library, with 1,200 zines, that is open to the public. Zines are small, often hand-made independently-published books. They can be personal essays, poetry, academic journals or any type of self-expression. The Soapbox offers facilities to make zines and share them in its library. “West Philly has a pretty active, creative community, and a lot of projects are operating out of homes like
ours so it’s been great to be a part of that,” Tasillo said. “My favorite part is teaching people to do something for the first time at the workshops.” One of The Soapbox’s volunteers, Anna Lehr Mueser, started using the studio as a member and is now a Soapbox board member. “I love what I do with The Soapbox,” Mueser said. “We offer affordable and reasonably accessible art studio space to the whole community.” Mueser joined The Soapbox in 2012 and has had experience bookbinding in the past. “You don’t need to be an artist in a private studio or have a lot of money,” Mueser said. “It reaches a lot of people in the area and makes independent publishing more available.” Temple assistant English professor Brian Teare and art librarian Jill Luedke have worked in the zine library with Soapbox in the past. Tyler adjunct assistant professor Jenn Pascoe has led screen-printing workshops and assistant professor Sneha Patel has brought in her architecture publication class for
tours and hands-on demonstrations. Additionally, Temple alum of the Masters in Art Education, Johanna Marshall, is a former board member and workshop instructor. In the future, volunteers at The Soapbox hope to eventually move to a new space. “My vision is that we can also engage more people in zine writing, reading, printmaking and publication art,” Mueser said. “I hope people will be able to express themselves and connect with others through these art forms.” In the next few months, The Soapbox is holding workshops in printmaking, comics creating and bookbinding. Beginners with no experience are encouraged to drop in for a workshop. “We’re always looking for more people to get involved,” Tasillo said. “Anyone can stop in if they’re interested in volunteering or learning.” * chelsey.nicole.hamilton@temple.edu
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From design student to president Alumna Soonduk Krebs is the president of SK Designworks, Inc. RAMONA ROBERTS The Temple News Tyler School of Art professor Soonduk Krebs, owner of SK Designworks, Inc., said that growing up in South Korea set a high standard for her life, in which excuses are unacceptable. After moving to America when she was 20 years old with no family, Krebs decided to attend Tyler. “South Korea has such a vigorous push for success … ultimately, having grown up with such a high standard and coming from that kind of environment, it pushed me to have a dedicated work ethic,” Krebs said. Krebs described Tyler as being very intense. “I hardly slept and was constantly just thinking and working,” Krebs said. “It’s a real boot camp.” After graduating, Krebs landed a job at a design studio right in the city and worked there for about four years. She had been teaching graphic design and typography at Tyler since 1992. Her company creates graphic de-
signs, logos, invitations, promotions and a variety of designs. Its client base reaches out to commercial, educational, public service and nonprofit institutions including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington; Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey and the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. Krebs started the company in 1996, with no family around to help and no open doors for her. “I had to do it by myself and work with complete strangers, yet working with strangers, it’s amazing how they help you through,” Krebs said. Krebs said her biggest challenge with running her own business has been marketing the design company. For the company members, getting the right clients and the clients they want to work with has been tough. Many of her employees come from Tyler. She said many of them give off good energy because they are young and eager to work. “Most of them like working here,” Krebs said. “We prep them for the jobs that are more harsh.” In addition to being the president of her own company and teaching fivehour classes every Wednesday, Krebs juggles the responsibility of being a mother.
GREG FRANGIPANI TTN
Tyler professor Soonduk Krebs and graphic designer Brendan McAuliffe converse in Krebs’ studio.
“I have a 20-year-old daughter, and by the time she was in high school I had to calm down my career to be [more supportive for her],” Krebs said. Krebs said there was a period in her life when it was a challenge to be a mother, run a business and teach all at the same time. “I have a very supportive husband, however, it is a huge challenge for women to balance their career and child care … and easier for men to focus on their career over childcare,”
Krebs said. Thus far, Krebs said her life has been successful in maintaining a balancing act between her work and home life. “I feel like I have it all because I was able to still maintain my career,” Krebs said. “I have this great kid right now, I’m happy with the business and I’m still teaching, so when you look at it like that, yes, I do have it all.” * ramona.roberts@temple.edu
KARA MILSTEIN TTN
Temple alumna Melissa Alam created The Hive, located in Old City, this past November. Her intern Jillian Hunt (right) is a senior tourism and hospitality major.
A co-working space for creative women The Hive and Femme & Fortune were created by alumna Melissa Alam. KELLEY HEY The Temple News Melissa Alam got an idea that would change her life during a happy hour two days before her birthday. Her idea: Open a co-working space for ambitious women. Alam – a 26-year-old alumna – opened The Hive, a 900-square-foot, female-only coworking space in Old City, this past November. “I previously worked at a coworking space and I realized the community there was awesome,” Alam said. “[I] realized how the business model worked and I thought, ‘Why not try to a smaller scale of that?’” Alam grew up in Chicago and attended boarding school in Connecticut before moving to Philadelphia to attend Temple. She majored in marketing and international business. “I just loved the diversity because I was coming from a boarding school in the middle of nowhere in Connecti-
cut,” Alam said. At Temple, Alam learned people and leadership skills as she became involved with Greek Life and joined Kappa Phi Gamma, a South Asian sorority. By her senior year, she was president of the Multicultural Greek Council. “When I was president of MGC at Temple, the board [members] were all male beneath me,” Alam said. “I was never afraid of shying away from a position because a man wanted it.” Alam said her career was not working for her. She quit her job to become an entrepreneur. “The 9-to-6 routine didn’t match the lifestyle I wanted and it really sucked my creativity,” Alam said. “I thrive on being creative and being able to create ideas for other people. I was so busy with my 9-to-6 jobs that I realized I needed to go on my own and do what makes me happy.” Alam said she worked side jobs as a hostess and as a product demonstrator in department stores. In the spare time she had, she immersed herself in learning and did freelance work. “I already have a good foundation for digital marketing but I needed to
continue learning so I would go to conferences, or workshops, or take online courses for websites,” she said. Two years later, in July 2014, Alam got the idea to open The Hive and shortly after, in September, she signed the lease for it. She spent the month after decorating the space, which involved “a million trips to Target, IKEA and Walmart.”
with my own kind of feel and vibe.” Along with running The Hive and doing freelance work, Alam is also the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Femme & Fortune, an online magazine for ambitious women. “I knew I wanted something bigger than my personal blog,” Alam said. “I wanted a site where other women could write.”
on being creative and being able “I thrive to create ideas for other people. ” Melissa Alam | founder
The Hive provides a comfortable space for professional women to work and share their ideas with others. Membership is from a month-to-month basis and includes the space, free coffee, tea and snacks, access to workshops and free printing and scanning. “I opened The Hive because there was a need for a comfortable space for women to work out of and a community to be built,” Alam said. “There are a lot of great networking groups out there, but I wanted to create my own
Working with other women comes naturally for Alam, since she was heavily involved in her sorority. “Female empowerment is exciting for me and it encourages me to keep motivating other women,” Alam said. “Women keep coming into my life and saying, ‘Thanks for helping me.’ It keeps motivating me to keep going with The Hive and Femme & Fortune and keep going on this path.” * kelley.hey@temple.edu
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DUNCAN
Griot Works bridges the gap between cultures and generations by passing along themes and teachings through the oral tradition of storytelling. “We don’t have a culturally competent society,” Duncan said. “We don’t know how to talk about race and especially about black people.” Duncan originally attended Temple in 1993, studying social work. She wanted to stay close to her home – at 16th and Master streets – for her undergraduate degree. “It was a much different neighborhood than it is now,” Duncan said. “I was passionate about that community and about understanding some of the issues that were plaguing our community at that time … Social work seemed like an ideal field of study.” As her studies progressed, Duncan said she couldn’t grasp the terms in her classes. She said that everything was “unfamiliar” and “uncomfortable” to her. She failed her sociology and psychology classes. “The textbooks presented me as an urban teen who technically fit the description of ‘underserved,’ ‘underprivileged,’ ‘deemed to fail,’” Duncan said. “For me, to walk into those classes and be presented with language that depicted me and my people in that way, it was really offensive.” After she decided to leave Temple to study social work, Duncan returned in 1996 as a business administration major, with a concentration in information technology, shifting her major to something that would allow her to deal with numbers and bottom lines. By the time she graduated in 2001, Duncan was working full time for Primavera Systems, a software company that has since been acquired by the multinational computer technology corporation, Oracle. Soon after she graduated, Duncan found herself unfulfilled with her work. As a young woman from a rough area, she said she felt like she had accomplished everything she should. Yet, she was “miserable.” After her experience in New York that caused her to change her perspective, Duncan threw herself into her new endeavours. The organization’s name comes from the word Griot, a West African storyteller, and Don, which means dance. This “Dance of the Griot” spread to universities around the city, and started giving more opportunities to Duncan and Ivey. “[I use] art as a way to heal, as a way to address issues, as a way to teach people,” Duncan said. While Duncan began to put up her own productions, she had a strong understanding of running a business. “Having a business degree has been my secret weapon,” Duncan said. “My degree helped me to be fearless.” In 2005, Duncan began to take film classes at the Community College of New York. It was here she learned the importance of documenting her community from the perspective of the community, capturing the stories that weren’t seen on the news. Realizing she couldn’t do this work as solely a dancer, Duncan founded Griot Works in 2007. Now, Duncan said Griot Works is being dismantled because it “has met the marks that we have set out to do.” Duncan said she finds she is growing as an artist, as a speaker and as a filmmaker. “The truth of the matter is, I am growing in a slightly different direction,” Duncan said. “I might be growing more commercial. I might be doing more Hollywood-based stuff and Griot Works is a community organization that has done its work and has done its work well.” * keeland.bowers@temple.edu
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
CHIP FRENETTE TTN
At the Philadelphia Auto Show, which began on Jan. 31, Jeep offered an indoor driving course at Camp Jeep that climbs 13 feet above the Convention Center floor at an angle of 35 degrees. (Top):Temple Formula Racing developers (left to right) Joe Petrina, Steven Moya and Mike Allen were at the show with their vehicle. This is their second year at the show.
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WISTAR
ALLAN BARNES TTN
Wistar Institute researcher, Harry Choi, observes three colliding kidneys for 16th place winner Dr. Nils Lindström.
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managing director of Imaging Shared Resources at The Wistar Institute, said. In its 40th year of the competition, Nikon received more than 1,200 entries from 79 countries. The competition focuses on four components for the judging criteria: visual impact, originality, information content and technical proficiency. The winning images contrast each year among the four elements, accelerating the fusion of science and art. “There’s been a shift over the years toward more high visual impact images, away from the scientific content and technical proficiency,” Hayden said. The 2014 first-place winner Rogelio Moreno, a Panamanian computer system programmer, purchased his equipment from eBay.
“When you get some new, fresh person coming in looking at it with a new, fresh way, you wind up getting some really neat images that you wouldn’t have thought of necessarily,” Hayden said. Another competitor, Lars Bech, submitted entries consistently until his death in 2011. He was a minister in the Netherlands and his work is often referenced as a reflection of painters like Vincent van Gogh and Paul Klee. “The appeal is the images,” said Darien Sutton, senior media relations associate at The Wistar Institute. “Some of them could be other things that if you were to look at them once, you might think that that’s Van Gogh’s painting of “Starry Night.” But it’s actually fluid flow around a coral,” Sutton said. Photomicrography produces images of still-motion and intense magnification. “You get sort of this di-
chotomous idea of what it is you’re looking at,” Hayden said. “And you can look at it on a couple of different levels. From the scientific point of view [or] you can look at it from an artistic point of view.” The technical training for certain microscopes amounts to approximately nine hours. However, experience does not matter for the competition. “When you have one that works you know it,” Hayden said. “You’re working on something for a while and you keep trying, you keep trying, you keep trying and – eureka.” Framed images of the 20 winners will remain on display until March 6. “We all have eyes and we all see things through the scope,” Hayden said. “If you can capture it.” * allison.merchant@temple.edu
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 Continued from page 9
DUMPSTER era.
“It makes the picture more authentic when you use it as a period piece,” Preston said. Preston and Sara Benowitz, a member of the Divers and an alumna of Temple’s graduate program in education, are showcasing their work along with 22 other divers in, “Upcycling, The Art of the Dumpster Divers” at the GoggleWorks’ Cohen Gallery East in Reading, Pennsylvania. The mediums of the different members vary, ranging from bodily sculptures of vintage metal crafted by Linda Lou Horn to a piece composed of all the parts of a dysfunctional piano by Carol Cole, to a lamp constructed from an old cigar box by Neil Benson. Founding member Joel Spivak’s famous slogan for the group coincides with its rejection of wastefulness: “Trash is simply a failure of imagination.” The first members of the group also include Len Davidson, a notorious neon artist in the area, and Isaiah Zagar, the renowned mosaic artist who created Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens along South Street. As time went on, the founders changed the name of their organization from the Dumpster Diners to the Dumpster Divers. “They wanted to point out that they were not eating trash,” Benowitz said. She credits the original Dumpster Divers with the feat of helping
to save South Street. Before they started the Dumpster Divers in 1992, the founding artists met in the 1970s. During this time, the possibility existed that the iconic Philadelphian street was to be annihilated and replaced with the controversial Crosstown Expressway. Artists like Zagar bought real estate properties along South Street and helped to improve its image. “So, they saved [South Street] and made it into the bohemian art scene it became,” Benowitz said. Benowitz has been sketching, painting and coloring since her childhood, considering her involvement in art more of a pastime than a profession. “I had the misunderstanding that to be an artist, you had to be famous enough to have your artwork in a museum,” Benowitz said. “Like you had to be Picasso or Van Gogh, or something like that.” She progressed through the fields of psychology and education, taking art classes for enjoyment at her undergraduate alma mater, the University of California, Berkeley and a rigorous MFA program at New York University. Once she started a family in Philadelphia, Benowitz began saving bits of broken items around the house: a fragmented dish, an unwanted CD that had been sent in the mail and a piece of fine china from her wedding with an ever-sosmall hairline crack. Benowitz kept the objects alive, well and out of a landfill by painting de-
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signs on them and displaying her work around the house. In 2010, while walking around South Street with her daughter, Benowitz discovered a gallery owned by the Divers. After feeling an instant connection to the “upcycled” works in the gallery, Benowitz approached the Divers and was accepted into the group. “And so that was wonderful because it allowed me to start taking myself more seriously as an artist, since I was part of an art group of professional artists,” Benowitz said. Like Benowitz and Preston, many of the Dumpster Divers consider their work “outsider art,” the products of self-taught artists who lack a history of formal artistic education. Several months after Benowitz joined the Dumpster Divers, the organization’s art gallery on South Street closed. Nevertheless, the organization has been functioning for more than 20 years. Like many of the Dumpster Divers’ shows, the ongoing exhibition lacks a specific theme other than conveying the differing ideas of the Divers. “There are so many different artists in the group,” Preston said. “Some make lamps, some make pictures, some make beadwork, some people use fiber, some people weld. … So that’s what makes us all so very different when we put up a show. Everybody has their own niche.” * angela.gervavsi@temple.edu
OUT & ABOUT NEW ROCKY FILM, “CREED,” SHOT AT TPAC LAST WEEK
Extras for the newest installment of the Rocky films, “Creed,” walked across Main Campus on Thursday around 11 a.m. into Temple’s Performing Arts Center. “The Rocky series is an important part of Philadelphia’s history and continues to make an impact on so many people,” Brandon Lausch, Temple spokesman, said. “The same is true for Temple. We’re excited to be a part of ‘Creed’ and can’t wait to see the final product.” A catering company, production staff, trucks of lights, chairs and parts of the set lined Broad Street, beginning at 9 a.m. The scene, identified by a member of the crew and extras as a fight scene, was filmed at TPAC, the only building on Main Campus where the movie was shot. Filming lasted until Friday, Jan. 30. The movie, set to be released in January 2016, follows Rocky Balboa as he takes on the role of a trainer and mentor for Apollo Creed’s grandson. The director is Ryan Coogler, also known for his work in Fruitvale Station. Coogler cowrote the film with Aaron Covington. -Emily Rolen
“THE ART OF THE BRICK” TO OPEN AT THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE
A new exhibition at the Franklin Institute, “The Art of the Brick,” opens Feb. 7. The exhibit highlights the work of Nathan Sawaya, who is known for his versions of famous works recreated through Legos, including Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and Leonardo DaVinci’s “Mona Lisa.” “The Art of the Brick,” named one of CNN’s “Global Must-See Exhibitions” is in Philadelphia until Sept. 6. -Tim Mulhern
EXHIBIT ON KENNEDYS COMES TO THE CONSTITUTION CENTER
A new exhibition coming to the National Constitution Center, “Creating Camelot: The Kennedy Photograph of Jacques Lowe,” will highlight the photojournalist’s work documenting the lives of the Kennedy family while President John F. Kennedy was in office. 70 photos will give viewers a look inside the relationship Lowe had with President Kennedy and his wife and daughters. A film documenting Lowe’s work with the Kennedy family will be shown alongside the photographs. The exhibition opens Feb. 13. -Tim Mulhern
“OSCAR” OPENS AT THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC THIS FEBRUARY AARON WINDHORST TTN
Junior Spencer Coulton created Dive Club and its new EP “Ghost Story” in his Morgan Hall dorm room.
Student self-produces new EP
Spencer Coulton’s solo project, Dive Club, just released its newest EP, “Ghost Story.” FAISSAL DARWISH The Temple News
“I’ve been doing music all my life. I’ve always had a musical side, an artistic side, that I like to pursue, and if I’m not pursuing that or using some kind of equal for my artistic endeavors, I’ll go kind of crazy,” Spencer Coulton said. Coulton, a junior and risk management and insurance major, goes under the moniker, Dive Club. His newest EP, “Ghost Story,” is his first musical endeavour since high school. Coulton used “Dive Club” because he said he saw it on a T-shirt he bought a few years ago. “Ghost Story” was inspired by the idea of “something haunting you from your past.” “The idea I had writing these songs, or when I listen to them, is that some traumatic thing that happened in the past is haunting you
in the future,” Coulton said. “But is it guilt, is it just remembering it, is it accepting it finally? That’s all coming together as more of a feeling of something there. It’s a very loose idea, and there was no traumatic event in my life, but I think it ties with the actual sound of the music and the genre.” Some of the tracks on the EP revolve around an aquatic theme, like “Blue” and “Mantaray” in reference to his first moniker, Faust Falcons. Coulton established Faust Falcons while he was in high school. Since enrolling at Temple, he decided it was time to produce something fresh and modern, especially since he had not accomplished anything related to music after graduating. The 20-year-old composed the EP in his dorm room at Morgan Hall. “I recorded it when I should’ve been studying and doing homework, but I just had this really old keyboard and I got a program, Logic, and I would just sit at my desk and do it,” Coulton said. “No real studio, or anything.” Coulton said people are always saying they
can’t understand his lyrics. “They physically can’t understand what I’m saying,” Coulton said. “And that’s okay, because I feel like my voice is just another instrument.” Regardless of the lyrics, the type of impact Coulton wants to have on his listeners through his music is simple: “If I have a good time and people have a good time as a result of it, then I’m happy.” As far as any future releases go, Coulton said he isn’t sure. “I’m working on some stuff now that I’m really happy about,” Coulton said. “I don’t know when I’m specifically going to release anything, but I am definitely still going to make music and hopefully people will listen to it and dig it.” * faissal.darwish@temple.edu
Opera Philadelphia will host the East Coast premiere of “Oscar” at The Academy of Music on select dates starting Feb. 6 through Feb. 15. The opera follows the downfall of writer and poet Oscar Wilde as he is charged and sent to prison for his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas. Events will take place around the showing of the opera, including a special event on Feb. 13 that focuses on LGBT issues around the time of Wilde’s life. Tickets for the opera start at $19. -Tim Mulhern
UNDERGROUND ARTS HOSTS FIRE PERSON ARTS STORY SLAM
Underground Arts is hosting the annual “First Person Arts Storyslam: The Ex-Files” on Feb. 14. Each year, First Person Arts hosts the comedic event where audience members have the chance to share stories of heartbreak and lost love on a day typically reserved for celebrating romance and relationships. Audience members judge those brave enough to share their story. The winning storyteller receives $100 and a ticket that serves as entry into First Person Arts’ Grand Slam held in May. Tickets start at $11 for First Person Arts members.
-Tim Mulhern
TRENDING IN PHILLY What’s happening this week in Philly– from news and event coverage to shows and restaurant openings. Based on Philly area: food, music, stores, etc. For breaking news and daily updates, follow The Temple News on Twitter @TheTempleNews.
RESTAURANT WEEK EXTENDED
@uwishunu tweeted on Feb. 2 a reminder that Center City’s Restaurant Week has been extended until Wednesday, Feb. 4. Restaurant Week offers $35 threecourse dinners and $20 three-course lunches.
PRESIDENT OF PHILADELPHIA FREE LIBRARY NAMED “LIBRARIAN OF THE YEAR” @CBSPhilly tweeted on Jan. 27 that the Library Journal, a news publication for the library community, named the president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, Siobhan Reardon, “Librarian of the Year.” Reardon joined FLP in 2008 and has been recognized for her efforts amidst cuts in library funding.
RIDE-HAILING SERVICE LYFT LAUNCHES
@phillymag tweeted on Jan. 30 that the City Council body passed a vote calling for ridesharing services like Lyft, which launched in the city Friday, to be legalized, amidst heavy opposition from the Philadelphia Parking Authority and the Pennsylvania Taxi Association.
PHILADELPHIA AUTO SHOW RUNS THROUGH FEB. 8
@phillyautoshow tweeted on Jan. 31 that the 2015 Philadelphia Auto Show has officially kicked off at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Through Feb. 8, attendees can see more than 700 vehicles from multiple manufacturers, learn about the newest models and test drive cars from Toyota, Kia and Jeep.
LIFESTYLE
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MOVERS & SHAKERS Continued from page 7
LEMURS
KARA MILSTEIN TTN
Dr. Jon C. George, an interventional cardiologist and an adjunct professor, stands in Temple University Hospital. George is in charge of a nationwide clinical trial.
Cardiologist leads clinical trial to help individuals suffering from heart failure Dr. Jon C. George is finishing the second stage of a clinical trial. JANE BABIAN The Temple News Temple University Hospital is the only hospital in the Philadelphia area to run a clinical trial for end-stage heart failure (ESHF). Dr. Jon C. George, an interventional cardiologist and an adjunct assistant professor at the Temple School of Medicine, is in charge of the clinical trial. George said the nationwide trial is focused on enhancing the quality of life for individuals suffering from heart failure with ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM). The hearts of patients affected by IDCM have a harder time pumping blood because the main pumping chamber – the left ventricle – is enlarged, weak and dilated, George said. This is caused by coronary artery disease and heart attacks and makes it difficult for the flow of blood to reach the heart muscle. George became the principal investigator for the trial based on his experience, prior involvement in clinical trials and years spent researching stem cell research. The trial – called ixCELL DCM – focuses on stem cells because they can do a variety of functions. “[The trial] uses stem cells to regenerate the flow of blood vessels into the diseased area of the heart,” George said. “A part of it is to recreate blood flow and regenerating heart muscle. It’s primarily supposed to focus on regeneration.” George is investigating whether a patient’s stem cells can improve his or her blood flow.
The trial passed the first phase, which George said is “a safety evaluation to make sure treatment is safe” and is currently heading into the second phase to see if the study is effective. “As far we we’re concerned the trial is just getting started for us,” George said. “We have at least three patients scheduled to go within the next month and were not sure of the total we’ll have.” The trial does not accept patients who are candidates for a heart transplant, meaning that they are either too sick or not sick enough to fit the criteria. Those who pass the clinical criteria will have stem cells removed from
their bone marrow and sent to a lab for enhancing. The doctors working the trial will use NOGA, a mapping tool, to pinpoint the exact locations in the heart that are damaged. After the stem cells return from the lab, about two weeks later, they are injected into surrounding damaged areas. Patients will then have 12 months of health monitoring follow-up visits that include different checkups, like a walk test, echocardiograms and quality of life measurements. The results will be analyzed to determine if the group that received the stem cell treatment have an improved
heart function, lower mortality and a lower number of hospitalizations. “The goal is to basically improve their heart failure status enough so that they stay out of the hospital,” George said. Heart failure caused by IDCM can force patients to visit hospital emergency rooms regularly. “The hope is to reduce the number on the transplant list,” George said. “A lot of patients are on the waiting list for transplants and a lot of patients die waiting for the transplant.” * jane.babian@temple.edu
KARA MILSTEIN TTN
Dr. Jon C. George points to a computer screen that displays information about the clinical trial.
went unnoticed “Why isn’t anyone doing anything about this?” Reuter asked herself. So she did something about it. Reuter decided to use her funds to conduct a study of lemur ownership and of the lemur pet trade in Madagascar. For three months of Summer 2013, she led a research team of seven people in the island nation, which lies just off the coast of Southeast Africa. Reuter spoke to over 1,000 native Malagasy people in the northern part of Madagascar, asking each citizen about their knowledge of lemur ownership. Often, Reuter and her team would nomadically roam from village to village as to find populations to interview. Reuter and her team once got lost while navigating through the country. “We ended up hiking for like 10 hours,” Reuter said. “We were essentially dead. Our feet were bleeding.” Upon arriving in a given village, Reuter said she would ask to meet with the village’s president in order to gain permission to speak with the inhabitants. Upon gaining trust – which was crucial for her research – she and her team would engage with people. Because possessing a lemur in Madagascar is illegal, the research team had to approach each question carefully as to promote accurate findings. “We would say, ‘Have you ever seen a captive or pet lemur?’ and we would broadly define a pet lemur as a lemur that looks like it was owned by someone,” Reuter said. “We never specifically asked people if they had personally owned a lemur, but 32 people self-identified as owners.” Upon collecting and quantifying the data, Reuter found that from 2010 to mid-2013, roughly 28,000 lemurs had been held in captivity. The conclusions quantified her curiosity about lemur ownership as she uncovered that the problem is significant in Madagascar. Reuter’s co-author, Gilles, also found the research to be an important part of a larger effort to protect this species from extinction. “Although I think it’s just a drop of water in a lake, this research is another piece of the puzzle that is lemur conservation,” Gilles said. Fueled by the desire to protect this species, Reuter now leads two lemur conservation projects. Along with Melissa Schaefer of the University of Utah, she created Citizen Science: Pet Lemurs in Madagascar, a project that intends to keep track of lemur ownership in Madagascar. Reuter is also teaming with the International Union for Conservation of Nature and nearly 100 other scientists and organizations to create the Lemur Conservation Network, set to launch next month, that intends to act as unifying platform to connect any and everyone working to conserve the lemur population. She is the Director of Outreach and Content for the network. More than science and more than an occupation, Reuter actively advocates for the dwindling lemur population as a service for future generations. “I do my research because I really care,” Reuter said. “I really want conservation initiatives and policy to be better about lemurs.” * finnian.saylor@temple.edu
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
“Do you know any
person or group you would consider to be a ‘mover and shaker?’
”
CLAIRE SASKO TTN
“Kufere Laing. He volunteers at a job with kids multiple times a week. He tutors them.”
JAMAL WILLIAMS
JUNIOR | SPORTS MANAGMENT
“The Temple Democrats. They do a lot to get people registered to vote and makes students’ voices heard.”
KAITLYN GREY
FRESHMAN | UNDECLARED
“The Wellness Resource Center – they will be hosting Take Back The Night, an anti sexual assault rally.”
ALESHA WALKER SENIOR | ENGLISH
LIFESTYLE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
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Writer and poet Kevin Killian showcases work New Narrative style writer Kevin Killian visited Temple Contemporary as part of the Rachel Blau DuPlessis letures. EMILY SCOTT The Temple News Kevin Killian started writing on his mother’s typewriter when he was 4 years old. “When we would get the weekly magazines, like LIFE, I would type L-I-F-E,” said Killian, a San Francisco-based poet. On Jan. 29, the New Narrative style writer visited Temple Contemporary as part of the fourth annual Rachel Blau DuPlessis Lecturer in Poetry and Poetics. The lecture honors DuPlessis, a notable professor in the College of Liberal Arts at Temple. DuPlessis is considered a crucial scholar of feminism and poetics and received Temple’s Creative Achievement Award in 1999. “We are bringing in a poet every year who does critical and creative work in the realms of gender and sexuality,” said Brian Teare, a professor in the Creative Writing program. Killian is considered one of the original New Narrative writers. The writing movement, which began in San Francisco in the late 20th century, experiments with fragmented stories and other traditionally poetic styles of writing. New Narrative also often discusses social issues with sexual identity and gender. Killian is a senior adjunct professor of writing and visual and critical studies and has written three plays, several books of poetry and novels. The writer is also known for his critical knowledge and biography on early 19th century poet Jack Spicer. Spicer was a poet who worked and identified with the San Francisco Renaissance in poetry. Killian also wrote a book of short stories titled “Little Men,” which won the PEN Oakland award for fiction. The novelist and poet opened the night by
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reading a short poem called “Coloring Book.” The San Francisco-based New Narrative writer showcased his photography series titled “Tagged.” In this collection, Killian takes a caricature of male genitalia drawn by Raymond Pettibon, who is known for his design of the Black Flag logo. “It is kind of this replication that protects their modesty in a way, but also calls attention to the thing they are trying to conceal,” Killian said. After the showcase of the photo series, Killian read two longer poems: “Fetish Photography” – which may hint to his work receiving recent attention – and “The Birth of Pallaksch.” Killian is also well known for his reviews of Amazon products. Ranging from novels to dog toys, he has reviewed thousands of online products. “It’s as resolutely sweet as a [1920s] Irving Berlin standard,” Killian said in his review of “Gerber Tender Harvest 1st Foods Sweet Potatoes.” Fay Ferency is a professor of the Introduction to Poetry workshop and used Killian’s work as a medium to instruct her class on different poetic styles. Ferency said she wanted to show her class some of the New Narrative writers. “I find the Amazon reviews in particular, very fun and accessible, and it shows how anything could be a spark for writing,” Ferency said. Killian’s most recent novel, “Spreadeagle,” was published in 2012. The novel looks into the lives of several gay characters and dives into the culture of the LGBTQ community. “He’s a force of nature,” Teare said. * emily.scott@temple.edu
MARGO REED TTN
(TOP): Kevin Killian speaks to a crowd in Temple Contemporary on Jan. 29 as part of the fourth annual Rachel Blau DePlessis Lectures in Poetry and Politics. Killian is a new narrative style writer who explores topics of gender and sexuality. He is also a senior adjunct professor of writing and visual and critical studies at the California College of the Arts.
this kind “ofIt’sreplication that ... calls attention to the thing they are trying to conceal.
”
Kevin Killian | New Narrative writer
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
MOVERS SHAKERS Artwork to fund student’s travels AND
Continued from page 7
MCCOY
Barnett, who plans to attend graduate school in the fall for community-oriented primary care, agreed and added, “it’s going to be a great opportunity to expand our members.” “The No. 1 question people ask when you major in Black Studies is, ‘What are you going to do with that when you graduate?’” Barnett said. She thinks she and McCoy will bring back knowledge about how the discipline does apply to a diverse range of careers and community-driven initiatives, like her own interest in public health. First, McCoy and Barnett have to get to NCBS, which will be held at the Westin Los Angeles Airport in California. Though the African American Studies Department has covered her hotel fees, McCoy said, she still needs to pay for her airfare, the conference attendance fee of $125 for student members and living expenses for her time there. In order to raise the money she needs, McCoy is selling her artwork, which she describes as Afrofuturist and Sankofic. The pieces typically sell for $100 or more – she still needs to sell $400 worth of work. Sankofa, which can mean “to
AARON WINDHORST TTN
Melanie McCoy designs a book cover from her office in Gladfelter Hall.
I think art complements everything “ that I speak of, everything that I do. ” Melanie McCoy | senior
go back and catch it” or “you can’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been,” is an African word used by some scholars of African American literature and Black Culture. For McCoy, painting is a way to express the womanist and Afrofuturist ideals that now dominate her approach to African American Studies. “I felt like I had a kid, and
someone took the kid away,” McCoy said of selling her first piece of art – despite the necessity of her fundraising. “I think art complements everything that I speak of, everything that I do. It survives the digital age, as well. I talk about imagination, and future possibilities and Afrofuturism.” After tweeting out an announcement that she was selling her
work to attend NCBS, McCoy said she was surprised by the significant response she received. Flannery, who said McCoy’s plan to attend NCBS means “our students are at the forefront of our discipline,” has several of McCoy’s works in her home. McCoy created a three-piece series for Flannery that Flannery likes to refer to as “Lady Moon” – in the paintings, the moon is a black woman’s face surveying a city. “I think [Afrofuturism] is going to be really big for the new generation to take that and develop what we know,” Flannery said of McCoy’s scholarly interests. The complexities of McCoy’s academic studies and stance on Afrocentrism are manifested in each brushstroke; McCoy herself realizes the controversial nature and many differing opinions on what she called Black Consciousness. “There’s a difference between freedom and liberation,” she said. “Freedom is more physical, but liberation is a mindset. Once you can free yourself mentally, it doesn’t matter if someone tries to chain you physically. That was a message I wanted to spread to other people of African descent.” * erin.edinger-turoff@temple.edu T @erinJustineET
Grad student awarded SMART scholarship Electrical engineering graduate student Brian Thibodeau was recently awarded the SMART scholarship in 2014. EMILY SCOTT The Temple News When Brian Thibodeau was graduating high school, he didn’t have the grades for – or the interest in – furthering his education. But Thibodeau always had a passion for flying. “I wasn’t focused during or after high school to go to college and become a pilot,” the Bucks County native said. Thibodeau didn’t realize that just 10 years after graduating from high school, in 2014, he would be awarded the Science, Math and Research for Transformation (SMART) scholarship created by the Department of Defense. The award encompasses a full ride to his master’s program at Temple, $33,000 annual stipend, paid summer internships and funds for health insurance and textbooks. After high school, Thibodeau attended Bucks County Community College for two years. The recent undergraduate of Temple engineering decided to enlist in the air force when he was 21. “If I couldn’t be a fighter pilot, I decided I would work on planes and be around them,” Thibodeau said. Thibodeau began working on Seattle’s McChord Air Force Base in 2008, where he worked with planes all day, mostly on systems that protected pilots from getting shot down. “Working with some of those electronic systems really captured my attention,” the 28-yearold engineering student said. On a rainy Seattle day, Thibodeau said he watched a physics documentary titled “Particle Fever,” which discusses the complex Higgs particle. Thibodeau said this was his “transformative moment” into furthering his education of math and physics. The McChord base worked closely with a local community college and offered classes right on the base. In January 2008, Thibodeau started taking pre-algebra courses and worked his way up to calculus for the remaining years of his enlistment. Thibodeau wasn’t without a busy schedule during this time. “I would go to class at night, work all night on planes, and then go to another class in the morning,” Thibodeau said. At the end of his enlistment, Thibodeau believed he was going to get an opportunity to work on an air base in Japan, but he did not get the assignment. He decided to go back to school fulltime with his GI benefits. The engineering student then moved home with his parents and started attending classes at Temple in January 2011. Because several of his credits transferred,
Thibodeau only needed three years as an undergraduate. The engineering department sent out an email during this time looking for undergraduates to work on a project called Robots Utilized for Undergraduate Study (R.U.F.U.S). “The project was to develop a telepresence robot so that students who wanted to take a tour of the campus could log on to a website and basically drive around this robot,” Thibodeau said. During his second semester in Fall 2011, he took a Circuits II class instructed by Dr. Li Bai, who had a research grant with the navy in Philadelphia and hired Thibodeau as a sophomore to help with R.U.F.U.S because of his military experience. “He never gave me an excuse of why he could not do a task on time,” Bai said in an email. He had good analytic skills as I found out when I taught him.” The duo submitted their research in Sum-
call in May 2014 from the Wright-Patterson air force base in Ohio, which was interested in hiring Thibodeau as an intern, he said. “I said absolutely because they are the headquarters for air force research and development,” Thibodeau said. While working at Wright-Patterson in June 2014, he received a Summer 2015 internship offer from the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, a base focused on design and implementation. Thibodeau will work there this upcoming summer and, after graduation, will work with them for two more years, he said. Later in June, he was informed that he received the SMART scholarship. Thibodeau said he never thought he would be awarded because of the competition from other schools. But he gives credit to his military experience and the network he developed from opportunities given to him by Bai. “Temple has a lot to offer to science and en-
go to class at night, work all night on planes, “I would and then go to another class in the morning. ” Brian Thibodeau | graduate student
mer 2012 to the sixth annual International Symposium on Resilient Control Systems. Bai and Thibodeau went to the conference in San Francisco to present their work. “I was very nervous, especially being an undergraduate presenting a paper with people who had been doing research for 15 to 20 years, but it was a great experience,” Thibodeau said. After being accepted to the conference, Thibodeau decided he would attend graduate school for engineering. Bai suggested Thibodeau apply for the SMART scholarship, which the Churchville, Pennsylvania native said was exactly what he wanted to do: research and development for the military. The engineering student received a phone
gineer majors, so to get this scholarship really promotes the department and demonstrates the capabilities of the professors and the students,” Thibodeau said. After graduation, Thibodeau will work at Eglin until 2018. In regards to research, the electrical engineer would like to work on investigating compressed sensing, which seeks to reduce the amount of data needed to read signals. Thibodeau also hopes to apply that research to military radars. “I never thought I would end up where I am right now,” Thibodeau said. “It’s going to be another good 10 years.” * emily.ivy.scott@temple.edu
AROUND CAMPUS NEW ENGLAND CENTER FOR CHILDREN HOSTS INFO SESSION
The New England Center for Children will host an information session on Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. in Room 300AB of the Tuttleman Learning Center. The private, nonprofit autism research and education center is offering career opportunities for interested students. The center is dedicated to their mission of transforming the lives of children with autism worldwide through education, research and technology. Their vision is to become a global leader in effective, evidence-based educational services for millions of underserved children with autism and their families. This session is free and open to all students. It is sponsored by the Temple University Career Center. -Jessica Smith
CHECK OUT TECH RECRUITS WOMEN
Check Out Tech is calling all female students and alumni to learn about getting involved in the career world of technology tonight from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Science Education and Resource Center lobby. Professional women from the computer and information technology fields will be present to discuss what their careers in IT are like and why young women should consider pursuing similar careers. This networking opportunity is available for all majors. There will also be a raffle for an iPad and various gift cards. Check Out Tech is sponsored by the Temple CIS Department. -Jessica Smith
H. WAYNE SNIDER LECTURES CONTINUE WEDNESDAY
The H. Wayne Snider guest lecturer series continues on Wednesday from noon to 12:50 p.m. with Joseph Clark. The 2001 Temple graduate is the senior vice president and personal lines private client leader at Willis Group Holdings. Willis is a leading global risk advisor, insurance and reinsurance broker. Clark formerly worked with Nationwide Insurance. He will discuss his experiences in the workplace, valuable skills needed for success, industry trends and career opportunities available to young Temple graduates in the risk management, insurance and actuarial science industries. The lecture will be held in the Alter Hall Auditorium in Room A031. The Sigma Chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma sponsors this lecturer series. -Jessica Smith
MICHAEL S. NEIBERG TO LEAD DISCUSSION
Dr. Michael S. Neiberg will lead the discussion “Neutral in Thought? Rethinking American Reactions to European War, 19141917” on Wednesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Weigley Room 914 of Gladfelter Hall. Neiberg will discuss the implications of the famous words of President Woodrow Wilson who urged his countrymen to remain neutral in thought and deed in response to outbreak of war in Europe. Dr. Neiberg believes that after initial doubt in 1914-15, the nation showed strong reactions to joining the war and equally weighed the dangers and opportunities the war presented. Dr. Neiberg is the Henry L. Stimson Chair of History in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. His lecture on Wednesday is free and open to all. -Jessica Smith
SCHOLARSHIP WORKSHOP TO RUN THURSDAY
The “Scholarships and Fellowships 101: Strategies for Finding and Winning Funding” workshop will run from 1-2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon in Room 201 of the Tuttleman Learning Center. The workshop is intended for students who are unsure of how to find scholarships and fellowships they are eligible for and all those interested in competitive opportunities for funding their goals. Both undergraduate and graduates are invited to attend this free event. The Scholar Development and Fellowships Advising will sponsor this session. -Jessica Smith
SATURDAY NIGHT MANCHOIR FESTIVAL CONCERT
MARGO REED TTN
Graduate student Brian Thibodeau plans to work at Eglin Air Force Base until 2018 .
The ManChoir festival concert runs on Saturday night from 5-7 p.m. in the Temple Performing Arts Center of Lew Klein Hall. The second annual ManChoir festival will feature more than 150 high school singers joining in song. Dr. Paul Rardin will conduct the festival. Last month, Rardin was appointed Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Medelssohn Club of Philadelphia, which he holds concurrently with stone State Boychoir. -Jessica Smith
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
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SPORTS BRIEFS
Tiernan named to all-conference team
Owls are making a concerted effort to land four-star running back T.J. Simmons to its Class of 2015. Per a report from the Inquirer, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound back visited Main Campus last week and – after decommitting from UCLA, is expected to sign with the Owls next Wednesday, during national signing day. Simmons is ranked the No. 17 running back in the country by rivals.com, a recruiting website. Simmons is one of two four-star recruits expected to sign with the Owls, the other being New Jersey defensive back Kareem Ali Jr., who has already signed his letter of intent, according to Owlscoop.com. -EJ Smith
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COVILE MAKES HONOR ROLL
Junior forward Erica Covile was named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll Monday for the third time this season. In games last week against Connecticut and Central Florida, Covile averaged 13.5 points, 9 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.5 assists. She is averaging 11.2 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game for the season. The Owls, who went 1-1 through the two-game stretch, are fourth in The American with a 6-3 conference record and a 1012 overall record. -Michael Guise
MEN’S BASKETBALL
HUA ZONG TTN FILE PHOTO
Junior midfielder Nicole Tiernan runs during last season’s 9-8 overtime win against Hofstra on March 19, 2014.
TIERNAN EARNS CONFERENCE HONORS
Temple junior midfielder Nicole Tiernan was selected as the Owls’ lone representative on the 16-player All-Big East Conference preseason women’s lacrosse team last Tuesday. The conference’s eight coaches voted on the roster. Her 29 goals ranked second-most on the team in 2014, and helped result in her Big East second-team selection last season, as well as an invitation to try out for the U.S. Women’s national team last summer. Big East newcomers Florida and Vanderbilt both contributed players to the preseason all-conference squad, including a league-best four from the Gators. -Matt Cockayne
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD LAROCHE TAKES GOLD
Senior Kiersten LaRoche was the only Temple track & field athlete competing on Friday, but she kicked off the team’s win with a victory. Hosted by George Mason University, the two-day event started off with the men’s and women’s pentathlon competi-
Continued from page 20
SABRE
“That was very difficult for me to do because I would like to see what happens and there is no time to see what happens in sabre,” Wynn said. You have to have a decision and go through with it, or else you are going to fail.” Much of the adjustment came with the help of Suber, who switched weapons three years prior. “I could sympathize with what she was going through, transitioning from foil to sabre,” Suber said. At the beginning of the fall, Wynn said she would confuse some of her foilist techniques like flèche, where foil fencers cross their feet during competition, which is not allowed as a sabre fencer. While Suber said the technique confusions are no longer an issue, Wynn admits she needs to improve her fencing style and how she uses the weapon. While foilists hit with the tip of the weapon, sabre fencers really don’t need to because the entire weapon is electric and can use any part of the weapon to pick up points. Although Wynn has only been using the sabre weapon for about six months, both her teammates and coaching staff have said she has made stride. That was evident during the Philadelphia Invitational on Jan. 24, when Wynn left with an individual record of 4-2. “[Wynn] really has come a long way,” Suber said. * danielle.nelson@temple.edu T @Dan_Nels
tions. LaRoche’s event, the Pentathlon, was a five-part competition consisting of the 60-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800-meter run. LaRoche dominated the competition, placing first in three out of the five events – the 60-meter hurdles in 8.91 seconds, the shot put with a distance of 10.89 meters and the long jump in 5.49 meters. She placed second in the high jump, clearing 1.64 meters, and in the 800 with a mark of 2 minutes, 31.52 seconds. These finishes were enough to accumulate 3,671 points in the women’s pentathlon, which awarded LaRoche the first-place finish. The event was worth 10 points and gave Temple the early lead in women’s competition. LaRoche finished fifth in the 60-meter dash with a mark of 8.80 seconds in Day 2 of the competition on Saturday. The Owls swiped four gold medals en route to finishing fourth overall. -Tyler DeVice
FOOTBALL RHULE HONING IN ON FOUR-STAR RECRUIT
As the time dwindles in the 2014-15 recruiting period, the
OWLS EARN MULTIPLE HONORS
Will Cummings and Obi Enechionyia each earned American Athletic Conference honors Monday for their performances in wins against Central Florida and Tulane last week. Enechionyia is the conference’s rookie of the week after averaging 10.5 points per game and 3 rebounds per game for the week. Cummings was included in The American’s weekly honor roll after he averaged 13.5 ppg along with 5 rebounds and 4 blocks per game, respectively, through both games for the Owls (15-7, 6-3 The American). -Andrew Parent
SOFTBALL SOFTBALL SET TO RETURN AS CLUB
After being one of the five varsity sports cut by the athletic department last year, the softball team will return to play next season as a member of the National Club Softball Association. The softball team ended its final season 15-30 (5-13 American Athletic Conference) and would have returned 15 players had the program stayed afloat. The squad joins men’s gymnastics, men’s track & field and the baseball team as former Division I sports that are now club teams at the university. -EJ Smith
Ice hockey
Despite winning record, penalties persist for ice hockey club as playoff run continues The club is aiming to make its first playoff appearance in four years. STEPHEN GODWIN JR. The Temple News A year after missing the American Collegiate Hockey Association regional tournament for the third consecutive season, the ice hockey club is once again vying for a Southeast playoff spot – despite its years-long struggle with penalties. Last year, Temple finished the season with 407 penalty minutes. This year, the club has tallied 525 so far. The Owls have an average of 19 minutes in the penalty per game, five minutes higher than last season. The increase puts the Owls dead last in the Mid-Atlantic North division and third-worst among 42 teams in the Southeast division in division two hockey. “It just means we’re undisciplined at times,” defenseman Chris Carnivale said. “A lot of our penalties tend to be misconducts or coincidentals, so they tend not to be too much of a detriment to us, but it’s definitely been an issue for us the last four or five seasons.” Coach Ryan Frain has noticed the uptick in penalties, and – with mixed results, has tried to enforce discipline into his team. “I guess going into any season you want to install discipline right from the [start] as soon as tryouts are over, but things happen in the heat of the games,” Frain said. “We’ve had conversations with some select players about keeping their mouths shut after the whistle [and] not talking to the ref
after the penalty has been called. That Frain said. “I can remember at the beleads you nowhere, but 10-minute mis- ginning of the season when we sat one conducts and the referee is [going to] or two kids for a game or two and I have a bad taste in his mouth the rest think they kind of wised up.” of the game.” Frain said he thinks he sometimes Frain said he does not provide the UP NEXT benches his players for best example of stayOwls atDelaware penalties, but the veting cool under presFeb. 6 at 8:30 p.m. erans also police themsure. selves during the team’s intermissions. “I find myself getting loud with “We would take shifts away from the refs here and there,” Frain said. guys and if things got out of control,” “Just given the situation of the games
We need to be more disciplined ... We “need to make sure when we are taking
our checks that we are making them clean [and] there are no dumb penalties after the whistle.
”
Patrick Hanrahan | defenseman
BY THE NUMBERS
525
PENALTY MINUTES IN 2014-15 SEASON
19
AVERAGE PENALTY MINUTES PER GAME, FOUR MORE THAN THE SQUAD’S TOTAL FROM LAST YEAR
118
INCREASE IN PENALTY MINUTES FROM LAST SEASON TO THE OWLS’ 2014-15 SEASON
[with] calls that were missed or against us, so I’ve been trying to do a better job of practicing what I preach and that’s not yelling at the refs.” A tactic that has been used frequently by opposing teams this season is to employ a physical game against the Owls, especially early in games. “I know that a lot of teams know that we are a physical team as well and it might just come with the territory, but we don’t back down to anybody,” junior defenseman Patrick Hanrahan said. “But we need to be more disciplined in that sense. We need to make sure that when teams come out and play that physical style with us to try to goad into penalties we need to make sure that when we are taking our checks that we are making them clean [and] there are no dumb penalties after the whistle.” As for the team’s increased penalty time, Hanrahan cited instances like the game against the University of Delaware on Dec. 12, 2014, when the team registered 79 penalty minutes. “I would say that this year we have taken a lot of penalties that we should not have taken, but I feel like the bulk of those penalties have come in specific games and we need to limit that and limit any of the penalties that we’re taking to make sure that doesn’t cost us down the stretch,” Hanrahan said. “I think so far where we’re at, we’ve definitely put ourselves in a good position to make the MACHA playoffs and working ourselves into position to make the regional playoffs and we don’t want to jeopardize that by taking any more penalties,” he added. * stephen.godwin@temple.edu T @StephenGodwinJr
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SPORTS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
ANDREW THAYER TTN
Freshman forward Obi Enechionyia earned weekly honor roll in the American Athletic Conference after a strong performance against Central Florida and Tulane, in which he averaged 11.5 points in the two wins.
Enechionyia views off-bench role as most suitable Continued from page 20
OBI
failed to score more than four points and never had more than five rebounds in his four-game stretch in the starting lineup from Jan. 4-14. His knack of finding foul trouble by the late stages of games, though, landed him back on the bench in favor of Watson, Dunphy said. “We need him at the end of games because he adds that spark,” Dunphy said. “He’s got great athleticism, he can block a shot, he’s pretty mobile and when we have a lead, we can switch with him. He can guard perimeter guys better than the rest of our bigs. He’s
getting better.” bench role, Dunphy obliged. After experiencing both sides of the lineup through his first 22 “Well, if he says that and he’s comfortable with that, then I’m games as an Owls, Enechionyia said he’s comfortable OK with that,” Dunphy said. “Whatever [EnechiUP NEXT right where he is. onyia] says is OK by me. But, he has to be ready “Right now, to be honest, I think I feel better Owls at South Florida when his minutes come and I thought [Saturday] coming off the bench,” Enechionyia said. “I like he was very much ready and he made some big Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m. bringing energy to the team when we’re kind of shots for us. I think he can do a little better on down, when everyone’s getting tired. I can come in and bring enthe defensive end and he can catch the ball better, but I like where ergy defensively.” he’s heading.” The numbers indicate it, as he’s averaging 5.2 ppg in his 18 * andrew.parent@temple.edu games left out of the starting lineup, while he scored 2.5 ppg on ( 215.204. 9537 average in his four appearances as a starter. T @Andrew_Parent23 When told of his freshman forward’s feelings toward his
Women’s gymnastics
Following multiple injuries, Rakus returns to competition After missing two years, Rakus has moved to uneven bars in her last year. GREG FRANK The Temple News
SASH SCHAEFFER TTN
Junior Bianca Fernandez practices during last year’s spring season.
traveled to Haverford on Dec. 6 to cheer on the women’s squad at the Jack Pyrah Invitational. “We were all really close,” Janneh said. “They’re still our teammates and we still look at alongside the men’s team, which no longer com- them as our [men’s] team. It was just taken away petes in a Division I capacity past the fall cross from them, it’s really sad. It hurt us to see that they had to go through something like that.” country schedule. With that said, Davis explained the imporDubrow said training alongside the men’s tance of maintaining a sense of responsibility, team helped push her further in workouts. “We would all be out there on the trails to- knowing that her team survived for a reason. “I think that because the opportunity was takgether and doing workouts together,” Dubrow said. “You cheer them on, and they cheer you en from somebody else, I feel like we obviously on, and it brought more of a competitive atmo- have to put that chip on our shoulder,” Davis said. “It could have been us, and I know that they [the sphere.” men’s team] would Along with fostering a comUP NEXT be really bent out of petitive atmosphere, Demeshia Davis said the men’s team acted Owls at Giengengack Invitational shape if it had happened to us. I think as a form of moral support when Feb. 7 that they would use she was upset with her own perit to motivate them and to do better in general.” formance. While she feels it is important to continue to “The boys were like our other coaches,” Davis said. “If I ran [poorly] in one of my races and work her best and look ahead, Davis said she will I’m beating myself up about it, they [would] see always feel remorse for her former teammates. “Nothing is going to make up for it, that’s that and come over to me [and say], ‘You still have your next race,’ and that is what [I] needed. how I feel,” Davis said. They made us feel really important.” Davis and Janneh said the members of the * tyler.device@temple.edu former men’s team who still remain at Temple Continued from page 20
TRACK & FIELD
Taylor Rakus thought her time on the uneven bars was over when she graduated from Downingtown East High School four years ago. Her four years at Temple, though, have proved her wrong. Rakus, a senior, had to sit out her freshman season in 2012 while recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, though she earned a spot on the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Academic team. Entering her first year of competition with the Owls in 2013, Rakus was listed as an all-around, but performed best on the balance beam. The 5-foot-6 gymnast posted a season-high 9.75 on the beam in a dual meet against Ursinus, and went on to qualify for the 2013 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships on the beam. Yet another roadblock would come in 2014. As a junior, Rakus suffered a broken talus and sprained many ankle ligaments. While the rehabilitation this time around wasn’t as lengthy, she and coach Aaron Murphy agreed that it would
be best for her to compete in vote time to all four events.’” two events moving forward – Senior all-around Alexis the beam and uneven bars. Arena, Rakus’ roommate, has Using Rakus on the bal- witnessed the Downingtown ance beam made sense con- native battle back. Arena has sidering her past success in the been able to compete in each event. But for someone who of the last three seasons, and favored the vault and floor broke into Temple’s lineup in exercise – areas that require all four events by her sophostrength – the choice of the more year. bars came as a surprise. What impressed Arena the “Coming in from high most about Rakus through the school, I thought I would nev- course of their time together, er touch bars she said, UP NEXT another day was her optiOwls at Penn in my life,” mism. Feb. 7 at 1 p.m. Rakus said. “She al“I saw people ways came went to college and they only into the gym positive,” Arena did two or three events, and said. “She always had a good not all four. But because of my attitude even though she was
If I’m having a bad day, I’ll “ definitely look back at [Rakus] and say ‘She could do it, I can do it.’ ” Alexis Arena | senior all-around
[injuries], I was able to spend a lot more time on bars because they were impact-free.” Murphy felt Rukas needed a change of pace. “I think it was pretty much mutual between the two of us,” Murphy said, addressing the decision to switch Rakus’ events after her injury last year. “She was coming into that year already thinking, ‘Hey, if I can devote my time to beam and bars I’m going to be a better gymnast than if I have to de-
hurt.” If things aren’t going well on a certain day, Arena said, Rakus’ efforts to bounce back after both injuries are an inspiration. “If I’m having a bad day I’ll definitely look back at her and say, ‘She could do it, I can do it, everyone else here can do it,’” Arena said. * greg.frank@temple.edu T @g_frank6
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
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tennis | notebook
Spring season progresses with mixed results The men’s tennis team has struggled in singles play, while the women’s team has excelled in doubles. DALTON BALTHASER The Temple News Yana Khon had no interest in playing a doubles tennis match. In fact, the freshman Uzbekistan native never competed in a doubles capacity before she joined Temple’s women’s team, and was soon introduced to senior Rebecca Breland. Breland’s attitude caught Khon’s eye, shifting her opinion toward playing doubles at the collegiate level. “Rebecca is a supportive teammate,” Khon said. “I did not play doubles at all before I came to Temple … she was supportive of this change into doubles play.” The duo of Breland and Khon has been successful during the course of the fall and spring semesters, through which the pair has combined for a 3-1 record. “[Breland] is one of our best doubles players,” coach Steve Mauro said. “She is a good finisher when it comes to the point … Yana sets her up nicely, which is why Rebecca and Yana are a good combination. Doubles partnerships are formed by how well the athletes complement each other on the court.” The Owls swept in doubles action from Jan. 24-25 at the Virginia Commonwealth Invitational, as sophomore Mariana Bedon and junior Minami Okajima defeated VCU in scores of 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, while senior Rebecca Breland and freshman Yana Khon topped Norfolk State in scores of 6-7 (5), 6-4, 106. Khon and Breland did not take part in doubles action in the team’s 4-3 defeat to the University of Pennsylvania Friday, in which the Quakers took two of three doubles contests, while Khon participated only in singles play for Temple’s 7-0 win against the University of Delaware on Saturday. As Mauro has continuously
ABI REIMOLD TTN FILE PHOTO
Junior athlete Hicham Belkssir competes last spring as a sophomore.
stressed the importance of doubles this season, the squad has ramped up its practice attention on doing just that. We have been working hard on doubles,” Mauro said. “As a team we are still trying to figure out our doubles combinations. It is going to take some time before we figure out who will be playing with who, but because we are working a lot on doubles play is the reason the women are having success.” The pair has made a conscious effort to improve communication by means of understanding each others’ on-court tendencies. “Communication is important when it comes to a strong doubles partnership,” Breland said. “When you are out on the court with someone else and you can’t communicate with that person then as a team you will not be in
sync and that can hurt.” Khon said Breland’s ability to communicate during a match makes it easier for the pair to play in sync with one another. “It is nice to play with [Rebecca],” Khon said. “She is a good communicator and it is so much easier to play doubles with her.” In years past, the women’s team has lacked communication. After a roster turnover that included the graduations of four seniors and additions of three freshmen, Breland said on-court dialogue has greatly improved. “The team last year consisted of many upperclassmen, and the seniors weren’t as into it from a communication standpoint as we are as a team this year,” Breland said. “This year we have the team dynamic that as a team
we lacked last year … we are cheering each other on more.” Individual struggles Just before Ondre Cargill started a fresh set in the final singles match against Drexel on Jan. 24, he was already down a point. Junior Santiago Canete had cracked his racket against the side of the net after his own singles defeat that afternoon, an indication of the team’s early 6-8 showing in singles play after its first three spring matches. “I think that it is so early in the season,” Mauro said. “I feel that the guys are good enough singles players that as time goes on they will become more consistent.” The Owls have dealt with several close singles matches, which can result
in periodic frustration for the team, junior Hicham Belkssir said. “In tough singles matches, our confidence is tested,” Belkssir said. “Sometimes we get frustrated, but the frustration comes and goes.” Stuckey-Willis back in lineup After being sidelined for a week with a persisting knee injury, Monet Stuckey-Willis returned to the lineup in the fifth spot Friday against Penn. In her first match of the season, the freshman won her singles match in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. “It is important to have her back in the lineup and get her back into the rotation,” Mauro said. * dalton.balthaser@temple.edu T @DaltonBalthaser
different way. “She literally tells me, ‘I don’t know if I would still be on this earth if it wasn’t for you,’” Williams said. “‘If I didn’t have someone making me smile, about to hear. Her mom soon told her that Williams’ I really don’t know if I would still be here.’” best friend and grandfather, Matthew Simmons, Bunter said Ella Simmons was “the glue that died from complications with a stroke he suffered kept our family together.” Simmons was the conduring Williams’ senior year of high school. stant parental figure that filled the void in WilFallen to the ground, tears rolled down her liams’ life growing up. face as she was consoled by the coaching staff. “I see my grandmother’s open-heartedness “I felt like someone had literally shot me in and willingness to help out others,” Bunter said. my chest,” Williams said. “I was dead on the in- “And because of that, my grandmother showed Tyside.” onna the steps that you have to take to become sucThe pain she felt was like no other, as it was cessful … my grandmother showed my little sister for someone who may have saved her life. how to become a lady, how to become a woman.” As a 5-year-old in Washington D.C., life was Now a senior, Williams is nearing a college not easy. Going to bed hungry or degree in spite of her tumultuous UP NEXT thirsty wasn’t unusual for Williams childhood. Owls vs. Memphis and her two brothers, Brandon and “She is going to graduate Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. Anthony. here,” Temple coach Tonya CarIt was also not unusual for doza said. “It’s just a credit to her them to knock on neighbors’ doors to ask for food. grandparents and her. Just because there are obWilliams’ father was nowhere to be found, as stacles, [that] doesn’t mean it is going to stop you he abandoned the family when she was a year old. from getting where you want to go.” Their mother, at times, was also absent. Her reason When she graduates, Williams said she wants was different, as her addiction to crack-cocaine led to help kids like her – whether it’d be as a baskether to leave her children unsupervised for days at a ball coach, police officer or homicide detective. time, Williams said. “I want to give back through my testimony,” This led the family to a Washington D.C. Williams said. “I want to give back through being homeless shelter – where Williams said everything there for kids that grew up like I did, who didn’t changed. have someone like I did … there is so much I want One night, she fell asleep in her mother’s to do in life.” arms. When Williams woke up, she was alone. Describing Williams as a “born leader,” BuntHer mother was gone without a trace and now, er said it comes as no surprise that Williams has Williams and her brothers had no one. the desire to give back. Following two weeks in foster care, Williams “She was like, ‘I have to save people,’” Buntand her brothers needed a miracle. er said. “It’s just not about talking about it – I have That finally arrived in the form of Williams’ to be about it now.” grandparents, Ella and Matthew Simmons, when Yet, she has already begun to make her impact they decided to take the children into their Fort both on and off the hardwood. Washington, Maryland home as their foster parAs the lone senior on a young team, Williams ents. With Williams’ older brother, Kevin Bunter, has been the mentor and leader whom her younger already under their care, Williams knew she had a teammates need. fresh start. “She makes sure everyone is good at all times “They gave us a chance at life and they saved … she is just a real big sister figure that I’m glad my life,” Williams said. “Without them I would that I have as a freshman,” guard Tanaya Atkinson not be here talking to you.” said. Eight years later in a Fort Washington courtWilliams, who is on pace to be the first from house, Williams jumped into her grandfather’s her family to graduate college, inspired her brother arms after a judge allowed Williams’ grandparents to get into law enforcement. Bunter, a veteran, to become the children’s legal guardian. now wants to help give back, just like his younger “I’m forever in debt, especially to those two,” sister. Williams said. “That’s only because of my sister’s drive to go Now a senior, Williams inches closer to the to college,” he said of his career. “I was like, ‘That day when she can repay that debt. was impressive. I can’t let her out-do me.’” Her grandparents, who used their life savings to support Williams, gave her the opportunity she * michael.guise@temple.edu never had. But since her grandfather’s passing, T @Michael_Guise KARA MILSTEIN TTN Senior guard Tyonna Williams will be the first from her family to receive a college degree this spring. Williams has been repaying her grandmother in a Continued from page 1
WILLIAMS
SPORTS THE LONG ROAD BACK
Redshirt-junior Taylor Rakus missed two straight seasons with multiple injuries, but is set to return for her fourth year. PAGE 18
Our sports blog
thecherry.temple-news.com
THE GOOD WITH THE BAD
TIERNAN HONORED
The men’s tennis team has struggled with singles play, while the women’s team has gotten off to a quick start in doubles. PAGE 19
Junior midfielder Nicole Tiernan named to all-conference team, football team hones in on a four-star recruit, other news and notes. PAGE 17
temple-news.com
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
‘Missing the other half ’ The women’s track & field team continues to adjust to its first season without the men’s squad.
I
TYLER DEVICE The Temple News
t’s in all of their heavy hearts, but is rarely spoken of. A meeting called in the middle of finals week on Dec. 6, 2013 resulted in a drastic change that left the men’s track & field team in the fray with five other squads set to be stripped of Division I sponsorship. The women’s team, contrarily, was left without the other side of its foundation. The aftermath – resented silence. “What’s Temple without a track team?”
junior sprinter Demeshia Davis said. “I didn’t think it was a real … I don’t think anyone is going to adjust to [the change]. We don’t talk about it just because it hurts, but no one else is talking about it either. No one sheds light on the fact that we still are missing the other half of who we are.” Davis wasn’t the only one shocked by the announcement. Senior distance runner Jenna Dubrow remembers the meeting in vivid detail. She said the teams were split up into two separate groups – those that would survive the cuts were informed of the news in McGonigle,
while those set to be eliminated heard Athletic Director Kevin Clark’s announcement in the Student Pavilion. “At first I didn’t know what to think,” Dubrow said. “We weren’t expecting that at all. Overwhelmed is a good way to describe it. I couldn’t imagine that happening to the men’s team, so obviously it’s just hard to wrap my head around it.” In its first season as Temple’s sole track & field program, the women’s team is still trying to make sense of the matter. Dubrow finished her cross country season
TRACK & FIELD PAGE 18
SASH SCHAEFFER TTN
Sophomore athlete Jimmia McCluskey training last season.
Enechionyia flourishing mid-season The freshman forward has taken a liking to his role coming off of the bench. ANDREW PARENT Assistant Sports Editor To come up with a former protégé who he felt was as athletic as his fourstar freshman forward out of Springfield, Virginia, Fran Dunphy recalled a name from more than a decade ago. Until Obi Enechionyia joined his Temple team this season, Dunphy said he had not coached a big man who could play the low post, defend and shoot the 3-point jump shot since he guided two-time Ivy League Player of the Year Ugonna Onyekwe from 19992003 during his 17-year tenure with the University of Pennsylvania. “He was one of those guys that was pretty good inside and out. He was very athletic, like Obi,” Dunphy said of Onyekwe, who averaged 14.9 points per game in four seasons at Penn before an eight-year professional career overseas. With a 6-foot-9-inch, 220-pound frame, Enechionyia sports a similar build to Onyekwe, along with a liking of the 3-point shot, as he’s shooting 8-for-26 beyond the arc. His transition into the college game has been gradual, as he has started four games and averaged 18.1 minutes per game for a 15-7 Temple squad. It took Enechionyia a month to eclipse double-digit scoring totals in a single game, and has yet to pull in more than eight rebounds in a contest. But, Dunphy’s lone 2014 recruit has contributed productive minutes in
ANDREW THAYER TTN
Freshman forward Obi Enechionyia shoots a free throw during the season opener against American University. Enechionyia scored 2 points in the 40-37 win.
big games. His first double-digit scoring performance came in a 10-point showing at then-No. 7 Villanova, while he had his eight-rebound game in Temple’s 25-point defeat of then-No. 10 Kansas. He knocked down three baskets in Temple’s four-point win against Connecticut on New Year’s Eve, and scored 14 points in a losing effort to Cincinnati. Furthermore, he did it all while coming off the bench. “I think I’m getting the hang of the
I think I’m “ getting in the
hang of the physicality. ... It’s getting easier and easier.
”
Obi Enechionyia | freshman
physicality [of the college game] and stuff like that,” Enechionyia said. “Every game, it’s getting easier and easier. … I’ve had a couple games where I think I played pretty well.” Inserted off the bench for junior center Devontae Watson periodically through Temple’s 55-37 victory against Tulane University on Saturday, Enechionyia reminded the 7,254 people in attendance why he was an ESPN Top 100-rated recruit. He showed flashes of his potential on both sides of the perimeter with two 3-pointers and 12 points,
while drawing unified reactions from the crowd on each of his three blocks in a game in which Temple held Tulane to eight points in the first half – a Liacouras Center record. “Our defense in the first half was incredible,” junior guard Quenton DeCosey said. “Everybody did a good job and really locked down on defense. We were getting three or four stops in a row. We did a great job.” Interestingly enough, Enechionyia
OBI PAGE 18
fencing
Following shake-up in roster, Wynn moves to sabre Sophomore fencer Olivia Wynn moved spots in order to compete earlier in her collegiate career. DANIELLE NELSON The Temple News Before the start of each season, the Owls’ fencing coaching staff pairs incoming freshmen fencers with an upperclassman assigned to a different weapon. Used as a way to help freshmen with their transition into college, the tradition has cultivated many friendships, like that of junior Olivia Wynn and sophomore Victoria Suber.
SPORTS DESK 215-204-9537
“[The upperclassmen] will guide them through the beginning of their collegiate experience,” coach Anastasia Ferdman said. “If they have any questions about school or about the team, you will have that big sister to turn to and ask those questions.” With a shortage of upperclassmen last season, some of the sophomores were designated as “big sisters” to Class of 2017 freshmen like Suber. For much of her sophomore year, Wynn, who duels with the foil weapon, was responsible for the sabre-wielding Suber, both on and off the strip. “If you are late [for practice], your big sister gets in trouble, too,” Wynn said. Last May, the coaching staff asked Wynn to switch from foil – her weapon of six years – to
sabre. “It’s like telling a sprinter, ‘You know what, we need people to run the 3-mile,’” Wynn said, laughing. Losing two sabrists to graduation and standout senior sabrist Tiki Kastor to academic ineligibility, the fencing team needed to fill the position. As one of the team’s four active sabrists, Wynn switched for the opportunity to compete earlier in her career. During the summer, Wynn began to get accustomed to the new sabre weapon, which she had never used before. With the different weapons comes different target areas in competitions. As a foilist, fencers can target the torso only, but sabre fencers can hit the arms, wrists, head and torso
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they are usually on the attack. Wynn said she got much of the basics down during the summer as she trained at the same fencing club where Ferdman coaches during the summer in New Jersey. Along with the different target areas, Wynn had to get used to the intensity of the game when the fencing preseason started last fall. “Sabre is so much faster than foil,” Wynn said. “Foil you can go up and down the strip, decide when you want to make your move. You have more time to set up your attack. Whereas sabre, you have no time. You just need to hit the other person first and to know what you want to do before the director says ‘Ready, fence.’”
SABRE PAGE 17