Crescent Magazine October 2012

crescent University of Evansville

College Culture Upfront | October 2012

magazine

All Made Neu

“Come as you are” has never looked so right.

Campaign Cleanup

When it comes to the presidential election, we want the facts.

That Extra Little Boost Are supplements the miracle we’ve all been looking for? $2.50

UE is offering a selection of

ONLINE COURSES during Winter Break...

• ART 105 – Introduction to Visual Arts (Larmann) • COMM 380 – Intercultural Communication (Thomlison) • EXSS 201 – Introduction to Sport Management (Newhouse-Bailey) • EXSS 320 – Nutrition for Performance and Health (Rodd) • FIN 280 – Personal Finance and Wealth Management (Alhenawi) • MGT 280 – LinkedIn and Social Networking: #LandYourCareer (Rawski/Rosen) • MKT 380 – Services Marketing (Fraering) • PSCI 100 – World Politics (Kim) • PSYC 229 – Social Psychology (Stevenson) • SOC 105 – Introduction to Sociology (Plikuhn)

Register for WINTER INTERSESSION courses at the same time you register for Spring Semester 2013 courses, beginning Oct. 29.

For more information — www.evansville.edu/registrar

To advertise, call us today at (812) 488–2223 or 488–2221 or e-mail us at crescentadvertising@evansville.edu.

10

In an effort to give back to the Evansville community, this month’s spotlight nonprofit businesses are Matthew 25 & Holly’s House.

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

editorial Writing Director Mindy Kurtz hensley Writing Assistant Amy Reinhart Reporting Assistant A.J. Ogundimu Senior Writer Jessica Ingle Writers Joshua best tori griffin craig keepes Chelsea Modglin emily molli chris norris alexandra wade jamelyn wheeler

editing Editing Director Jenelle Clausen Copy Editors Ashley matthews anna sheffer Fact Checker Emily krieble

contents 18

thestaff

marketing & sales Advertising Sales Manager jon sturgeon Marketing Assistants ashley davis Alison petrash Circulation Assistant Michael Armanno

With all the mudslinging going on this election season, will the facts ever come to the surface? Read on to find out what the candidates think about issues that strike a cord with students.

20

fascinating people l Jessica Ingle

22

cover l Jessica Ingle & A.J. Ogundimu

26

feature l Mindy Kurtz Hensley & Emily Molli

32

overtime l Alexandra Wade

CREATIVE Creative Director Amanda Squire Photo Editor Samantha Cook Designers Jeffrey Buente Kaylee Harden kevin o’reilly Brooke Reneer Katie Winiger Photographers Amy Rabenberg Jessica crihfield-taylor

feature l Amy Reinhart

Two women devote a portion of every week to spending time with those in hospice care, and they are prepared to dispel some myths about the challenging work they have come to cherish.

From vitamins to creatine to caffeine, supplements claim to offer a quick fix to health, weight and workout problems, but can using these capsules and drinks to cut corners really be healthy?

From putting a new spin on old music to hosting interfaith services, Neu Chapel is showing the campus community that inclusivity is its mantra — and it plans to practice what it preaches.

Since her freshman year, Ashley Ring has been a powerhouse player for the women’s volleyball team, and now, after a year of play, she continues to make great strides — both on and off the court.

03 Viewpoint

25 Q&A

04 Vox Populi

29 Through the Lens

07 Innovation

30 Campus Crime

08 Giving Back

31 Dorm Storm

11 One Word

35 A Closer Look

12 Entertainment

36 Off the Wall

14 First Time

38 The Lists

16 Fitness & Health

40 Don’t Quote Me

facebook.com/uecrescent l issuu.com/uecrescentmagazine l crescentmagazine@evansville.edu 02

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

ourviewpoint

A more perfect union

Is Ridgway Center really a student union? something happened

last month, something that rarely graces our campus — there were lots and lots of people in Ridgway at one time, and they were having a good time and being loud.

Originally set for outdoors people came to the flash mob prepared to jump and shout for their school.

And, granted, the allure of a national TV spot was hard to ignore. Everyone — for a brief moment — was not studying in Ridgway. The Student Organizations Fair and Labor Day picnic was another instance of this phenomenon. The a cappella group, Trebles Without a Cause, gave a live performance, AcesTV hauled out a green screen, students admired the new LinC and music was playing — music, might we add, that was not the typical Norah Jones playlist coming from Jazzman’s Cafe. In short, it was easy to see that people were having a good time.

The CM staff spends a lot of time in Ridgway, for some more than 20 hours per week, so we know what this place looks and sounds like most of the time. Bluntly, it’s on the boring side. People are doing one of three things: getting food, taking a nap or studying. Except for meal times, when the dining hall is definitely full of life, students are sprawled out in chairs with their faces buried in books. It is silent, almost eerily so, and those studying quickly hush anyone who tries to break that silence. In a way, Ridgway has become an expensive library with comfy chairs and sofas, a nice water fountain and a rather intimidating portrait of benefactor William Ridgway watching our every move.

Ridgway is a nice facility, one that took a lot of money and time to construct. That fact is not what we are scrutinizing; we are just stressing the point

that this facility is supposed to be a student union, not a library.

As an illustration of this, the lack of activity in Ridgway is in the minority when compared with student unions at other schools. Indiana has bowling alleys and a rock-climbing wall in its student union. Granted, it is fair to make the argument that a school’s size reflects its budget, but look at the other local colleges. USI and Ivy Tech both have game rooms, and they both have places where students can go to blow off steam and make some noise. They let fun take center stage and not be pushed aside like the pool tables are in Ridgway.

To those of you who do use Ridgway as your studying stomping grounds — why do you? We have a library, one that maintains a good level of silence.

Sure, the comfort level of its chairs could use a little boost, but we could use the extra room in Ridgway for some new entertainment devices.

So, let us make some noise, and do not make us buy into the idea that having fun is something taboo in a student union. We are students who have busy, stressful schedules, and sometimes we just want a place to be a little loud and have a little fun. Sure, we understand there might not be a bowling alley installed next to Cafe Court anytime soon, but we just want a place we can really call our own.

letter

Chick-fil–A Removing Chick-Fil-A from campus because of their beliefs? Sounds suspiciously like discrimination. Isn’t that what we are supposed to be fighting against?

Where’s your sense of inclusiveness?

Josie Davis, UE libraries acquisitions associate

how to contact us Address: Ridgway University Center, University of Evansville, 1800 Lincoln Ave., Evansville, Ind. 47722 Editorial e-mail: crescentmagazine@evansville.edu • Phone: (812) 488–2846 • FAX: (812) 488–2224 Marketing & Sales: (812) 488–2221 and 488–2223 • Marketing & Sales e-mail: crescentadvertising@evansville.edu

Crescent Magazine is the University of Evansville’s student magazine. It is written, edited and designed by and for students and distributed six times during the academic year. It is funded through advertising revenue and a subscription fee paid on behalf of students by the Student Government Association. Circulation is 1,700. Printed by Mar-Kel Printing, Newburgh, Ind. © 2012 Student Publications, University of Evansville. z Editorial Policy: Commentary expressed in unsigned editorial pieces represents a consensus opinion of Crescent Magazine’s Editorial Board. Other columns, articles and advertising are not necessarily the opinion of the Editorial Board or other members of the magazine. z Letter Submissions: Crescent Magazine welcomes letters from UE students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni, but material the Editorial Board regards as libelous, malicious and/or obscene will not be published. Letters should not exceed 400 words. For verification, letters must include the author’s name, year in school or title and e-mail address. Crescent Magazine does not print anonymous letters or those that cannot be verified. Letters will be edited for length, style, grammar and spelling. E-mail letters to crescentmagazine@evansville.edu and write “letter” in the subject line.

ON THE COVER: Soph-

omore Benjamin Waldo is a biology major from Bedford, Ind. He works out at the Fitness Center about three times per week and regularly plays intramurals. Using protein shakes and dietary supplements for muscle upkeep to help him stay in shape, he says, “Staying motivated is the hardest part. Find your motivation, and stick to it.”

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

03

It’s just not true

Hijinks and rhetoric drag the election down. clint eastwood

talked to a chair.

During the Republican National Convention, a celebrity speaker was supposed to whip the crowd into a frenzy and help generate momentum for the coming election. Instead, the famed director and star of such blockbusters as “Dirty Harry” got into an argument with an imaginary President Obama.

voxpopuli

As if the sheer insanity of this public relations stunt was not enough to confuse viewers, the content of the speech was a highlight reel of nonsensical gibberish. “See, I never thought it was a good idea for attorneys to be president, anyway,” Eastwood said, ignoring the fact that while Mitt Romney is not an attorney, he does have a degree from Harvard Law. Eastwood blamed the lingering conflict in Afghanistan on Obama, despite it being common knowledge that the war began under the leadership of former President George W. Bush. It seemed as though Eastwood was intentionally recasting reality.

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Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

It was the ultimate example of sideshow politics paraded around as actual politics. Someone had the brilliant idea to thaw out Eastwood, an actor known for being a man of few words, and push him onto national TV to do what amounted to a skit rejected from a third-rate improv workshop. It was as if the event organizers told everyone to forget the real issues affecting people and to just put on a lousy play for party insiders to awkwardly laugh at.

We attend a liberal arts college. We would not be here if we did not value education and knowledge.

Meanwhile, politicians, especially — let’s face it — Republican politicians, constantly insult those who are educated and undermine the working class by ignoring plain, simple truth. The jury is not out on climate change, Obama did not start the war in Afghanistan and no, Romney is not a down-to-earth working man. Campaigning has left the area of public relations and entered outright fabrication.

Remember Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo.? When talking about abortion rights, he said, “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” It does not matter what your stance on abortion is. Anyone who has graduated from high school can tell you this statement is wrong. What about all that education students are getting, all those pesky facts and truths that are supposed to prepare us for the real world? Our politi-

cians do not want them getting in the way of a good old-fashioned campaign. It is easier to churn out a sensational quote, either to distract or misinform the populace, and push the conversation in a more advantageous direction.

It is a commonly held belief that politicians lie, especially in regard to their own beliefs and their interpretations of their opponents’ beliefs. Even flip-flopping, where a candidate holds a different opinion from the one he or she has previously expressed, is just a different version of the truth. These new lies are blatant fabrications that show it’s easier to qualify to serve in Congress than it is to graduate college.

Akin’s statement earned him a storm of controversy, and few people, if any, took him seriously. But the criticism leveled at Eastwood was mostly about his bizarre performance, not the outright falsehoods the convention crowd ate up. And why not? Those lies are the basis of the campaign against Obama.

Here is the truth. Under Obama, Osama bin Laden was killed and removed as a threat. Any rape is a legitimate rape, even if it results in pregnancy. Romney has a law degree. Unemployment is at 8.1 percent and not getting much better. No amount of spin can make these facts go away.

But students do not seem to care enough. A study done by the University of Maryland about social media addiction showed that most students just hop on sites like Twitter or Tumblr to get news and do not make a greater attempt to educate themselves.

This kind of political discourse is full of random opinions that do not contain the kind of reliable information needed to make serious decisions. We might be busy, but our lives are only going to get busier as we get older, and if we cannot learn how to keep up with the leadership of our country, career politicians will keep pushing us around.

The truth is not found on Twitter in short, pithy fluff pieces on Yahoo! News or in campaign stunts staged to produce sound bites. The truth is found through research, conversation and observation. We live in an age when information is so freely available it can be hard to decide what matters and what does not.

Though it may be hard, we either find the truth or place ourselves at the mercy of people who talk to furniture and play it off as legitimate politics.

a.j. ogundimu l columnist

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10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

05

whoooooo’s your

sister?

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Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

innovation

science

by Chelsea Modglin photo by Samantha Cook

p l ay i n g

transl ator Geckos helping save species.

“Reproduction” is a word scientists use in a clinical sense.

To them, it is simply a function — but an important one.

And no one knows that better than junior Emmy Ogawa.

A biology major, Ogawa has been researching the habits of Stenodactylus sthenodactylus, a gecko species, for a year with Noah Gordon, assistant professor of biology.

Though not endangered themselves, these geckos could be the key to protecting other species that are. “Studying any kind of species can lead to bigger things,” Ogawa said.

“For example, if we study the sexual habits of a nonendangered species, we can [apply that knowledge] to an endangered species.”

Human expansion has contributed greatly to extinction through habitat destruction, and though we rarely think of ourselves as living in an ecosystem, we affect and are affected by our environment. “We’re not just sad when a species dies out,” Ogawa said. “Everything relies on each others. If one thing starts to crumble, then everything starts to crumble. It might take awhile, but it will happen. “ In their research, Ogawa and Gordon study two geckos at a time. First, each one is placed in a separate tube. After 15 minutes, they are released into separate pens and monitored on video for 24 hours. Finally, after the tube process is repeated, the geckos are released into one shared pen and monitored for another 24 hours. After the geckos’ individual behavior is observed, their behavioral changes and sexual habits when together are obvious.

Although research and education take time, Gordon says they are the most effective ways to combat species endangerment. “I don’t think anyone’s going to benefit in the short-term,” Gordon said. “No one immediately benefited from Einstein’s findings. We’re making small, valuable contributions, and mostly through teaching students, whether through research or in the classroom.”

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

07

givingback

service

times are tough

for a lot of people, and while some people volunteer their time only to build their resumes, that is not enough for Ace CARE volunteer and graduate student Natalie Fishel, who coordinates the Ace CARE clinic. “They need to have the passion to do it,” she said.

Started in 2011, Ace CARE provides physical therapy services to the underinsured, uninsured, homeless and unemployed of Evansville. Physical therapy students volunteer to help make an impact in the lives of those needing therapy services, while gaining valuable experience. The group was the brainchild of 2012 graduates Tim James and Kathy Shelton. With help from their adviser, Chair Mary Kessler, associate professor of physical therapy, the pair made the dream of CARE a reality. “They had a big vision and made it come to life,” Fishel said, “which is a hard thing to do.”

CARE united with Echo Community Health Care, a local health center offering pediatric and family practice care to people who would otherwise receive none. Volunteers are not afraid to work, logging about 1,000 hours just last year. Patients who normally would not see professionals now find themselves in the hands of capable UE graduate students, as well as a licensed physical therapist. They serve about 12 patients per week. There have been about 180 patient visits since January 2011.

CARE’s success touches lives and goes beyond Evansville. In the United States, CARE is one of the few programs completely run by students.

It has even been recognized nationally. “We’ve been able to be a model to schools that want to start it, too,” Fishel said. “If they can learn from our faults and successes, then it’s good for us, and it’s good for them.”

Because the organization lacks equipment, CARE volunteers focus on exercises patients can do at home. The group normally uses small items, such as hand-held weights and exercise bands, to help clients. Fishel’s dream for the future would entail a gym with bikes and equipment like those found in hospitals and rehabilitation centers and the ability to see more than one patient at a time.

But the equipment is not the most important part of the job for Fishel. “Personally, the most rewarding part is being able to discharge a patient on the last day, and they feel much better than when they came in,” she said.

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Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

by Joshua Best

Helping hands

These groups donate time and money to make days brighter for those in need. a pageant

of style and show, Tau Kappa Epsilon’s “Glamour Girl” lets women students strut their stuff while benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. For junior Jourdan Wilson, TKE vice president and philanthropy chair, knowing the money raised is helping children makes all the planning worth it. “To be a group who does that is rewarding,” he said. Students can see the show at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 in Eykamp Hall. All UE women are welcome to compete and represent any student organization.

in phi mu’s

fundraiser, “Rock-4-Riley,” Greek students and those from other organizations will take the crowd’s breath away, performing in a lip-synch contest whose proceeds go to the Riley Hospital for Children. Various organizations will participate in a friendly competition to support a worthy cause. “I love the event,” said senior Sara Hamilton, Phi Mu philanthropy chair. “Just being able to send them a check at the end is worth it.” The event will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 in Eykamp Hall.

shouts of

“Bingo!” ring through the halls. Smiles appear as Morton & Brentano Hall Council volunteers brighten the day of residents at the Evansville State Hospital. Junior Bri McLaughlin, the council’s volunteering coordinator, arranges a monthly trip to the hospital. She said about 10 people from the two halls keep the residents company by being bingo buddies or just people to talk to. “It just feels like a better use of my time — really,” she said. “And it feels really good to give back.”

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10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

09

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by Jessica Ingle photo by Samantha Cook

Bryan’s one word is Intense with extreme passion,

graduate student Bryan Koewler lives his life the only way he knows how: fiercely and with determination. “When I devote my mind to something, I usually go all out,” he said. This philosophy can be seen through both his physique and the many hours he spends building it in the Fitness Center. Koewler refuses to settle for anything less than his best, whether in class or lifting weights. In his free time, he uses the rowing machines the facility has to offer, although he would prefer to utilize his skills in the water. And his ardency does not end there.

He would jump at the opportunity for track and field if UE offered the sport. His desire for bigger and better obstacles spurs him on, and he never once looks back. “Intense is the first thing that came to my mind,” Koewler said. “Not sure why.” But noting the confidence in his stride and his ironclad will, it is no wonder why “intense” is his one word.

bryan koewler l graduate student

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

11

entertainment

visiting with the grey lady

Tired of lame haunted houses?

Take a tour starring the Willard Library’s oldest patron.

by Brodie Gress

one day,

the Willard Library adult services librarian walked downstairs by herself to unlock the front door of the library. As she crossed the balcony overlooking the library’s main entrance, she smelled peculiarly strong perfume. She looked over the balcony to find the source. No one was there. She had read somewhere that pregnancy heightens the senses, and since she was four-months pregnant, she assumed the scent was like an irrational craving.

But she could not help thinking that maybe, just maybe, she had gotten a whiff of the Grey Lady.

Eva Sanford was not the first to tell a story like this. In 1937, a custodian reported seeing a lady near the furnace in the basement of the library — where the children’s department is today. He had enough run-ins with this apparition to eventually make him quit his job. Since then, numerous people have said they have seen the Grey Lady wandering around. Workers from nearby businesses have their meal breaks near the library when it is closed, and some have reported seeing its elevator moving and its lights flashing. Jeff Lyons, WFIE 14 meteorologist, witnessed books falling off the shelves once when he was reporting from the library.

The former children’s librarian Margaret Maier claimed the ghost followed her home once when the library was undergoing remodeling. “She believed [in the ghost] so much she said she took [it] home with her,” library assistant Ani-

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Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

ta Glover said. Visitors have reported feeling the Grey Lady flick their dangling earrings, or they come back to rooms to find furniture rearranged. Apparently, the Grey Lady is more playful than most ghosts.

And now everyone has the chance to catch a glimpse of her. In mid-October, the library will again host its annual ghost tours. Located north of the Lloyd Expressway on North First Avenue, the library draws in about 2,000 people during the two weekends in which tours take place. “People like the phenomena,” said library director Greg Hager. The tours draw a variety of spectators, from families to teenagers, elders, paranormal enthusiasts and students.

The tours began in 1995, but even before then people were keen to hear more about the Grey Lady. A previous employee got the idea for the tours while his wife was giving a lecture at USI about Salem witches. He helped the library host its first ghost tour, where guides would take groups of people to the many spots where the Grey Lady had been sighted. The staff expected about 50 people to show up, but an overwhelming 800 came. “They were lined up at the front door, going way back into the parking lot,” Hager said.

“There were traffic jams on First Avenue. We had to call the police to apologize.”

The Evansville Courier & Press installed a webcam in the library in 1999. While online, people could watch the rooms

“It becomes like one of those places where you don’t want to ring the doorbell.” where the Grey Lady was most commonly seen. On Halloween, the night they first installed it, the web site got a million hits, taking down Evansville’s local Internet server. “I had to apologize to them, too,” Hager said.

Needless to say, the tours have become a much-anticipated tradition for the library. They feature staff members taking groups around the library, telling stories about Grey Lady sightings in the spots where they happened. The tours differ depending on the guide but generally start in the basement and hit highlights such as the elevator, the stairs, and the northeast corner of the top floor.

Little is known about who the Grey Lady was before she earned her phantasmal reputation, but one theory claims she was Louise Carpenter, daughter of Willard Carpenter, the man who built the library. Theorists say the library’s construction put him at odds with his daughter, especially when he willed the majority of his fortune to the building. In anger, Louise sued the library for the money she felt was hers but lost the case, so now she is believed to haunt the building her father loved. But others discredit this theory, pointing out that her bitter temperament does not match the mischievous nature of the ghost who messes with chairs and books.

Whoever she was, the Grey Lady is now the library’s most enduring resident and has helped the library achieve nation-

al fame on shows such as Syfy’s “Ghost Hunters,” the Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures” and Fox Family’s “Real Scary Stories.” In recent years, ghost teams bringing high-tech equipment have conducted overnight paranormal investigations on the elusive phantom. One investigation detected a strange presence in the children’s section, and one team even claimed to find multiple ghosts.

Scare tactics are not the focus of the tours, but those hosting them say it seems as though the library takes on a creepy atmosphere to match the tours’ tone. “It becomes like one of those places where you don’t want to ring the doorbell,” Sanford said.

Though the Grey Lady intrigues with her stories, the library also has other enriching tales to offer. Most guides will provide some history about the library with the tours, such as how Willard Carpenter established it as a free public library for all people, including women, children, and minorities — a big deal in the 1880s. The tour guides provide entertainment that pulls strangers from every background together.

“I would definitely encourage anyone in college to incorporate this place into their memories,” said Laura Summers, Bower-Suhrheinrich Library interlibrary loan associate.

Tours range from 30 to 45 minutes, and — best of all — they are free. Tours last from Oct. 18 to Oct. 27. To find or reserve times, visit the library’s web site, willard.lib.in.us.

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

13

Best kept secret

Rock-climbing gym promises adventure. my arms feel weak

as they grope for the next rock, and sweat drips into my eyes. One wrong move, and I fall 30 feet to the ground below. Finally, my hand makes contact with a hard surface, and I hear the clang of a cowbell. The woman below congratulates me as I rappel down until my feet touch the floor of the Vertical eXcape Climbing Center.

Vertical eXcape, 1315 N. Royal Ave., was founded

by Nathan Holmes, who wanted to provide a safe climbing environment for people wishing to work on techniques or discover the sport. He is grateful to the people who use his facility, but he is always looking for new climbers, and I decided to answer that call.

My experience began with a warm greeting from general manager Barb Byers, who immediately fitted me for climbing shoes and strapped me into a harness that cut uncomfortably close to my man parts.

As soon as I was strapped in, we entered the climbing area.

firsttime

I bounced on the spongy blue floor and eyed the impressive 32-foot-high walls and more than 40 climbing stations. I turned to the first station I saw and decided it would be an easy starting point.

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Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

While climbing, Byers held my climbing rope from the ground and offered more information about group programs and team-building workshops offered by the center. I responded with grunts as my brain focused on the wall. Occasionally, she would interrupt her information with a tip on how to climb, such as put your hand there or use your feet. Eventually, I made it to the top and rang the cowbell.

The second wall started out simple but soon became harder. A couple of feet above my head, the wall sloped out, forcing me to hang at an angle instead of climbing vertically. Byers saw me searching for a starting point and pointed to colored duct tape that made a “V” beneath each rock. She said each color showed a way to get up the wall at varying levels of difficulty. I chose an easy one: purple.

I tried to grab the purple-taped rocks, but I soon strayed from this goal. I came back every chance I got, but I also began grabbing other colors. This was a mistake as my path was more difficult than I imag-

ined the purple to be. When I made it to the top, I was disappointed to find a cowbell-less wall greeting me. So, half heartedly, I slapped the gray wall and rappelled down again. I was exhausted. Maybe it was some sort of Walken-esque fever that required more cowbell, but I still felt the need to conquer one more wall and asked to try another. This wall protruded from the main structure, giving me three sides to explore while climbing, and then came out once again at a sharper angle. Byers indicated a reasonably easy path marked with red tape, and I began.

This time, I was good about sticking to the path. I followed Byers’ instructions and ignored all rocks not marked red. I made my way up the wall with few interruptions, though the angled part forced me to support almost all of my body weight with my fingers and toes. Somehow, I made it to the top, but I was in no position to hit the cowbell that taunted me from across the station. I slapped the red mark at the top, gave a shout of triumph to fill the silence and rappelled down. I made it to the ground, ready to collapse, and limped out into the main lobby with Barb to catch my breath.

From there, Byers led me upstairs to an area that contained several shorter walls used for bouldering — climbing low rocks without a harness. The area was small, but Byers told me about their plans to expand it. Bouldering seemed to be a good activity for lone climbers, as you usually need a friend to belay.

The safety/belay course for first-time climbers is offered on all operating days, every hour on the hour. The course is included in the Basic Introduction Package that also gives you equipment and an all-day pass to the gym for $25. Or you can go on Wednesdays, when adults can get that same package for only $15. You can also make an appointment for the Discover Climbing package, which allows you to climb two walls with a staff belayer for only $10. The gym is open on weekdays 12–10 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m.–8 p.m. You can contact the gym by calling 812– 497–6887 or visiting verticalexcape.com.

All in all, this first-time experience was a good one. I left the gym sore but excited, and Byers shared my enthusiasm, wanting more people to discover the place. “They say we’re the best kept secret in Evansville,” she said. “And we don’t want it to be that way.”

chris norris l reviewer

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• Exclusive access to alumni events • Interact with fellow students • Plan campus events • Philanthropy opportunities • Travel opportunities • Network with UE Alumni To learn more about SAA or to join, please contact SAA president Melanie Bacaling at mb298@evansville.edu

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the 2012 Phi Class into their sisterhood Maighan Caldwell Christine Donaghy Anne-Marie Franko Susie Heer Breonna Hill Erin Kiesel Samantha Knoy Christina Lewis Patilyn Lowery Annalea Miller Sara Padgett Sheilah Payton Chrissy Perl Kierston Rodriquez Brooke Russell Paige Salutric Hailey Sweeten

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

15

fitness

& health

by Cory Hart

mind & body Take a break and unwind with yoga.

with endless

homework assignments and late nights, college life sometimes gets the best of many of us.

But what many students do not realize is that one of UE’s many fitness classes is a great way to help tame stress.

You can grab a mat and join the yoga class from 5 to 6 p.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays in Carson Center. Yoga is all about the mind and stillness, and concentrating on those things helps you forget the stresses of life. “When you can get [your mind] to focus on just one thing, it is really amazing,” said Jill Mohn, a certified yoga instructor who leads the class. “We don’t work out our stress as much as maybe we used to,” she said.

Yoga is all about finding balance, and that takes time and practice.

Yoga is something anyone can do. Just as every person’s body is different, there are numerous forms of yoga. You do not have to be really flexible to do it. You just have to pick the type that is right for you. Hatha is the most widely known form in the United States, and it is the style used in UE classes. Hatha focuses on poses and breathing exercises and requires a moderate amount of physical effort.

16

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

Most people come to yoga thinking it will be easy. But after trying it themselves, they find it is more difficult than they anticipated. The goal is to clear your mind while doing poses to stretch or build muscle. Though these poses or the amount of focus may seem difficult to achieve, do not get discouraged. Yoga is all about finding balance, and that takes time and practice. Once you have found that balance, small changes will begin to take place in your body, from acquiring better breathing habits to being able to touch your toes. “I really like teaching people who have never done yoga before,” Mohn said. “Even after five times, I can see them change. To me, I think that is amazing.”

Regardless of the form, yoga holds benefits for both mind and body. It has been known to aid in the lowering of stress levels and risks for heart disease, and it also has practical uses, such as slowing your breathing before an exam.

“Eventually I think it will become a part of health — staying healthy,” Mohn said.

With yoga, you focus on the present. Because of this, practicing yoga helps you acquire better concentration skills.

And as students living in a fast-paced world, we could definitely use all the help we can get. “My thing is to give people a taste of it,” Mohn said. “It’s really up to them to choose how far they go.”

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10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

17

Campaign

by Amy Reinhart

Cleanup

There is much more to the issues than what is shown in a 30-second ad.

“The government should create the next month’s opportunity for people to be successful.

It’s critical that we have someone in office with the experience to create jobs.”

presidential election has evoked many negatives, from President Barack Obama’s “You didn’t build that” remark to Republican hopeful Mitt Romney’s refusal to release his tax returns. But beneath the mudslinging, both candidates have bold ideas on tackling different issues, especially those concerning higher education and the job market. And those ideas could have a serious effect on students now and in the future.

While Obama and Romney agree that education is key to boosting the job market and the economy, they have different strategies in mind for helping people earn degrees. These days, college and financial aid go hand in hand. This especially rings true at UE, where 95 percent of students received some form of financial aid for the 2011–12 school year.

With a percentage that high, it is easy to think that financial aid will always be available. But the election results could have a significant impact on where those much-needed dollars come from.

As much as students hate to do it, taking out a loan is

18

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

sometimes necessary. But Robert Dion, associate professor of political science and College Democrats adviser, said Obama has made the process easier during his presidency. Banks and other financial institutions used to be in charge of distributing financial aid before Obama decided to give money to students directly. “Republicans thought it was a government takeover,” Dion said.

That is not to say the Republicans have not done their share for education. Wayne Parke, Vanderburgh County Republican Party chair, said Romney is definitely pro-education. During his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, Romney created a four-year, full-tuition state college scholarship for graduating high school students in the top onefourth of their class.

Aside from loans, many students depend on Federal Pell Grants to help pay for schooling. Some analyists believe Romney would cut billions of dollars from the federal program under vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s budget proposal if elected. Romney has yet to say whether he will adopt Ryan’s budget, but mittromney.com states he plans to refocus Pell grants toward students who are most in need by lowering the maximum family income amount for students to be eligible for aid.

Already during his presidency, Obama has doubled the funding for Pell Grants. He also plans to raise the maximum amount of each grant by more than $900. But Romney disagrees with this approach. He believes increased funding for Pell Grants has caused college tuition to skyrocket.

Romney states the budget for Pell Grants has increased by 475 percent since 1980, and the average cost of tuition has increased by more than 430 percent.

Despite the costs, Dick Connolly, professor of philosophy, said Pell Grants are essential. “Pell Grants are an investment we have to make, like roads and bridges,” he said.

But all of these proposals require money. Jack McNeely, Vanderburgh County Democratic Party chair, said candidates do not always get approval for funding to do everything they want to do.

Although there are no quick fixes to making education affordable, both Romney and Obama have made it a priority. Others are not so impressed with Obama’s efforts, including senior Brady Hall, College Republicans president. He believes Obama has prolonged the recession and laid off parents who helped their children pay for college. “I joke that college kids are Democrats until they start paying off student loans or finding a job,” he said.

Although students worry about how to pay for college, they should also be concerned about their postgraduation lives. One issue graduates face is finding a well-paying job, something both parties agree is a problem.

McNeely said too many graduates are not working in their fields and are forced to return home to live with their parents. Parke said students should always keep their career prospects in mind, especially since they are paying so much to attend college.

But finding a decent job is not nearly as easy as it sounds, even for those with a college degree.

Students should be aware of the outsourcing of jobs, something affecting communities nationwide. Parke believes Obama has failed to create jobs for young people. Because of the high number of regulations in the U.S., he said it is easier and less expensive for companies to do business outside the U.S. Parke said Romney plans to make it simpler and easier to do business at home. “The government should create the opportunity for people to be successful,” he said. “It’s critical that we have someone in office with the experience to create jobs.”

mind: reducing the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent. He said Romney believes loosening regulations on corporations that do business in America will serve as an incentive to keep them here. He also hopes to reduce tax rates for individuals.

When talking about the job market, one cannot ignore unemployment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states unemployment has remained above 8 percent since February 2009, just after the beginning of the last presidential term. McNeely believes outsourcing is to blame. “Until you reduce that greatly, I don’t see unemployment going down in great numbers,” he said.

The importance of this election cannot be stated enough. Dion thinks students must vote because they can make a huge difference in the outcome, and it is essential that students know where the candidates stand on the issues. “You are never more powerful than on Election Day,” Dion said.

yes

yes

no

X

Gay marriage

Republican presidential debate

X

“Good Morning America”

Pro-choice

mittromney.com

X Manchester, N.H., town hall meeting

X

While some believe Romney’s business experience will help him, McNeely said the former governor’s history of moving jobs elsewhere would do the opposite. He said eliminating tax cuts for corporations that move jobs out of the country will help keep jobs in America, and that is what Obama plans to do.

X Values Voter summit

X

Legalization of medical marijuana Gun control

mittromney.com

X Mail Tribune interview

X Arizona Daily Star article

access to free birth control

X Reproductive rights meeting

X

DOMESTIC OIL DRILLING

Fox News interview

X

X USA Today article

washingtonpost.com

No matter which form of aid students receive, both candidates want them to be informed about the money they are getting. Romney’s web site states that he has proposed joining forces with private sector businesses and having them provide information on universities. Whitehouse. gov states Obama wants to create a college scorecard and a financial aid shopping sheet to compare tuition costs at different schools.

No

X

Presidential speech

TAX cuts for THE WEALTHY

X Presidential speech

Hall said Romney has something different in

10.2012 102012 l Crescent Magazine

19

once a week,

fascinating

people

junior Emily Morris spends a few hours watching “Family Feud.” She looks at magazines, bursts into song without a moment’s hesitation and other times sits in contemplative silence. Senior Sarah Patterson flips through puzzle books, comments on the weather and talks about how her weekend went.

While these activities may seem like everyday tasks, Morris and Patterson disagree. Every week, they schedule volunteer work into their alreadyhectic schedules of classes, softball and social obligations. Through VistaCare Hospice, they provide comfort and stability to patients in their last months of life. “There are usually about 100 volunteers,” said Maria Dennis, VistaCare volunteer services manager. “Most are college students and retired folks.”

volunteers for life Hospice is a rewarding experience for two students who find comfort in brightening others’ lives.

by Jessica Ingle photo by Samantha Cook

“

You’re dealing with so much loss, yet you still can brighten someone else’s day.”

This is the duo’s second year volunteering. Patterson, a sociology major, discovered this opportunity through a class that required volunteer hours.

She chose hospice because she worked with the elderly before. “It’s like visiting your grandma or grandpa,” she said. “They want to know what’s going on outside and what’s going on with you.” Morris discovered hospice through Patterson. As a nursing major, this work helps her understand how to communicate better with people. She said she wants to go into pediatrics but is keeping her options open, while Patterson hopes to do social work.

A common misconception about the care Morris and Patterson provide is where the care actually occurs — hospice is not a place. It is not a building where people go when they are close to death. More than anything, hospice is a state of mind, a willingness to physically and mentally go wherever the patient needs, whether in a nursing home, an apartment or the patient’s own house — a practice referred to as being “out in the field.”

“You’re a friend coming to visit once a week,” Morris said. “They like you coming just as much as you like going.”

To dispel another myth, Morris and Patterson are nonclinical volunteers.

They do none of the heavy lifting, cleaning or strenuous activity the general public many times associates with hospice care. They are known as companion volunteers — those who have direct contact with patients.

“It’s a nice little break for myself,” Morris said. “They have just as much spunk as anyone else.”

When Morris and Patterson visit their patients, they fill the time by talking, watching TV or simply sitting with them. Though patients might not always be in the best of moods, the volunteer’s presence makes all the difference, even if the patients do not say so. “They like knowing that someone cares enough to come see them,” Patterson said.

20

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

Sarah Patterson & Emily Morris

“Everybody deserves to have a companion in any part of their life.”

Volunteers are able to bridge the gap between patients and their families. If relatives do not live in the area, Morris and Patterson try to establish contact with the family or be there when the family cannot. Because Dennis matches one volunteer to one patient for consistency, the volunteers get the chance to get to know their patients personally. “One of my patients just loved country music,” Morris said. “It was so much fun to go over there and sing for an hour.”

In order to give hospice care, Morris and Patterson attended a series of training sessions. They learned the basics, including what to do and not do and how to react in certain situations. They also learned about protecting patients’ confidentiality and medical records. Most importantly, they learned how to cope with the loss of a patient. “They say that crying makes you weak,” Patterson said. “But crying is sometimes the only thing that will help.”

Both of Patterson’s former patients have died.

She said she does not normally deal well with loss, but she continues volunteering because of the satisfaction she gets when she reaches out.

Morris has not yet experienced the death of a patient. “It’s very fortunate, because I’m afraid,” she said, “but it’s what we’re trained to expect.

You know at some point it’s going to happen.”

It takes a strong-minded person to do the work Morris and Patterson do every week. This type of volunteering is not for everyone, but they urge those who might be unfamiliar with hospice to go for it. “You’re dealing with so much loss,” Patterson said, “yet you still can brighten someone else’s day.”

When volunteers visit a patient, it is no longer about those volunteers. Thoughts of exam scores, relationship problems and weekend parties vanish as soon as they enter a patient’s

home or room. Their troubles are trivial compared to what the patient has to face. “It humbles me a little bit,” Morris said. “My day wasn’t as bad as I thought it was.”

Dennis emphasizes the significance of the time volunteers spend with patients. She said it promotes a selfless outlook and keeps volunteers grounded. While some may give of their time only for the resume boost, Morris and Patterson realize that life is too short for everything to be about them.

Hospice demands patience and strength from volunteers, and for these two, it is extremely worthwhile to support both the patient and the family during a trying time. It is no horror story; it is being there for people, leading them into the next phase of life. “Everybody deserves to have a companion in any part of their life,” Morris said.

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

21

THAT EXTRA LITTLE BOOST

by A.J. Ogundimu and Jessica Ingle

Supplements can make miracles, but there’s more to them.

20

America’s share of the global market represent $20 billion in vitamin sales.1

750

$750 million is spent on energy drinks in America each year.2

50

50 percent of Americans take multivitamins or supplements daily.1

In 2012, 84 supplemental products were found to contain dangerous steroids, stimulants and hormones, and were banned.3

84

“You can always be thinner. Look better,” said Christian Bale’s fitness-obsessed serial killer character in the 2000 film “American Psycho.” And that is exactly what scores of dietary supplements claim to provide: a better you, whether in the form of weight loss, augmented muscle mass, boosted energy or increased awareness. But much like Bale’s unhinged antihero, these pills, powders and drinks may turn out to be much more dangerous than they appear.

conditioning coach. “They provide for certain needs, but they’ve been marketed. Marketing drives supplements.”

Take a look at any bottle of diet pills or energy drink can. There is usually a disclaimer on the container declaring any statements made as unapproved by the Food and Drug Administration.

That means manufacturers’ claims do not have to be factual, and consumers can easily buy potentially dangerous substances meant to improve health.

Considering many people want to live healthier lives, it is no surprise dietary supplements are so popular. But just because these products promise miracles does not mean they deliver, even if they are backed by seemingly legitimate research. In fact, many can have an adverse effect on your health.

Take caffeine, a commonly used supplement.

There are plenty of people who do not workout but love caffeine, particularly in the form of energy drinks. Caffeine gives a quick boost, but that boost does not last forever and actually gets weaker the more frequently used. “Like any drug — and it is a drug — you’re going to build a tolerance,” Hermes said.

Many supplements make incredible claims, but companies often inflate those benefits, and the information is not accurate. The National Poison Data System’s 2010 annual report accounts for only three deaths caused by dietary supplements that year, but that does not mean supplements are safe. “They’re better on paper than they are in reality,” said Joe Hermes, strength and

Once a tolerance is established, it will be difficult for the body to know when enough is enough. According to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, caffeine overdose is possible and can lead to undesired

CAFFEINE HOW MUCH CAFFEINE ARE YOU ACTUALLY DRINKING?

Red Bull 80 mg in 8.3 oz Tab 95 mg in 10.5 oz

Monster 95 mg in 16 oz No Fear 174 mg in 16 oz Fixx 500 mg in 20 oz Wired X505 505 mg in 24 oz Brewed Coffee 200 mg in 12 oz Instant Coffee 140 mg in 12 oz Brewed Tea 80 mg in 12 oz Mountain Dew 54 mg in 12 oz

Archives on Internal Medicine 2Albuquerque Journal 3 UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency 1

22

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

Pepsi 38 mg in 12 oz Bomba Energy 75 mg in 8.4 oz

amount of caffeine fluid ounces

WhoopAss 50 mg in 8.5 oz

masterinnursing.net

results. While a can of soda provides a quick boost, misuse of caffeinated products turns this quick fix into anxiety and confusion. And an addiction to caffeine leads to withdrawal once the intake stops. People can also experience problems with breathing, sleeping and staying still.

If consumed regularly in large doses, such as a 24-ounce bottle of Monster, heart attacks or death may occur.

Energy drinks are classified as dietary supplements by the FDA and contain large doses of caffeine and other ingredients whose effects have not been properly researched. A big part of the energy drink craze is marketing. Edgy packaging with outlandish claims about big boosts of energy sell these products even if their actual formulas are not that impressive.

Students more inclined to athletic performance might take supplements to emulate bodybuilders. Diet and exercise yield results, but jars of powder and bottles of pills promise faster, better results. Creatine, a natural substance found in meat that helps build muscle, is an excellent example. Ads for creatine play off alpha male fantasies without providing useful information.

While creatine is found naturally in the body, Hermes said the product is not without risk. The major risk is dehydration, especially if someone is using both creatine and caffeine at once. Diuretics in both substances pull fluid out of the system, defeating the purpose of creatine and causing injury with continuous use.

In fact, creatine may have contributed to the 2008 death of a Louisville, Ky., high school football player. In the murder trial against the player’s coach that followed, defense attorneys claimed creatine and other substances, along with overexertion, as the cause of death. Creatine’s dehydrating effects may also have played a role. At the least, incidents like these should discourage others from mixing substances with other supplements and drugs.

But sophomore Jesse Smallwood, an exercise science major and amateur bodybuilder, disagrees.

“I’ve never had any side-effects from supplements at all,” he said, “including caffeine.” He said he takes a laundry list of supplements daily, including caffeine and creatine, as well as vitamins and both pre- and postworkout shakes. It seems to be working just fine for him. His first competition is next March, and he attributes some of his success to his supplement use — in addition to good diet and exercise.

“The biggest advantage is [supplements] enhance the diet you have,” Smallwood said. He encourages whole foods — steak, chicken and other healthy nutrients, all 6,000 to 8,000 calories’ worth for him — but since his diet is not particularly high in fruits and vegetables, he turns elsewhere for those needs. “Supplements just give you that extra little boost,” he said.

Hermes said that, in certain circumstances, supplements may be a viable option. “Supplements are going to fill a need or a void in an individual’s diet,” he said. Every person’s physiology is different — what works for one person may not work for another. If someone has certain deficiencies, Hermes might recommend a supplement beyond the average multivitamin.

So how can people take a cocktail of different supplements and still be healthy? Smallwood said he researches everything he takes, and with good reason. Many products feature proprietary blends — those full of flour or caffeine that do not have to be listed in the ingredients and provide no results. “The biggest thing is supplements that are fake,” he said. “I research a lot, just to make sure they’re valid and beneficial.”

Vitamins are crucial in order to keep the body working the way it should, and a daily multivitamin might be useful when a person is not getting the correct vitamins from food.

This method is a painless way to keep the body healthy, but just like caffeine and creatine, a multivitamin could be harmful if taken in excessive amounts, especially if it contains iron or calcium.

To prove this point, Hermes stresses the importance of looking at a supplement’s label; while it may say the product contains 90 milligrams of caffeine, the proprietary blend could contain 400–800 milligrams of substances and extracts recognized by the body as caffeine. This could be a problem for those who do not research prior to purchasing these products.

According to MedlinePlus, symptoms can include discoloration of the skin, bloody diarrhea, muscle and joint pain, rashes on the skin and seizures. Luckily, Vitamins A, B and D usually do not trigger any symptoms even if an overdose occurs. And in a survey distributed by consumerlabs.com, 10,000 people confirmed the most popular supplements, including fish oil, multivi-

SUPPLEMENT SIDE EFFECTS

Vitamin A: Overdose can cause blurred vision

Ephedrine: Irregular heart rates Energy Drinks: Tremors, nervousness, anxiety, insomnia and upset stomach Creatine: Muscle cramps and possible kidney problems Vitamin E: Thins blood, so there is an increased risk of bleeding

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

23

tamins and vitamin D, were not known to cause unpleasant side effects.

Students... ask us to provide

But for the typical student, the key to safe supplement use is knowing what is in the bottle and how much to take. Hermes said he needs his morning coffee to get through the day, and Smallwood admits to taking his allotted creatine, caffeine pills and preworkout shakes, but both use these supplements in moderation. They do not go overboard. “Whole foods will benefit you more than supplements,” Smallwood said.

This is a recurring theme with any reputable fitness enthusiast: It is good to use supplements, but they are no replacement for healthy living.

These days, supplements are being abused to quickly reach a goal, something a good night’s sleep, exercise and good food could help people achieve safely over time. And as with many other questionable products, it is always a gamble to take something without truly knowing what is going into the body.

But Smallwood still believes it is worthwhile to get that extra boost. “I recommend supplements for people,” he said. “The only thing that makes supplements dangerous is if you overdose.”

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Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

Passionate. Engaging. Community.

Everyone Welcome 10:30 a.m. Sundays

Q: A:

q&a

interview What do you make of CM’s September viewpoint about UE’s continued sponsorship of Chick-fil-A?

I confess that I was disappointed to read about Chick-fil-A’s stance, which is opposite my own opinion. The nature of how a university is defined is in part by the response we get from students, the university, faculty or staff. And I was wondering when this issue first came out if we were going to see the same thing expressed, and it didn’t really materialize. I didn’t get a single e-mail. It’s fair to say we got a muted response.

One of the biggest student concerns is parking. Will this problem ever really end?

A:

I think it’s fair to say we’ll never fully get parking right, and by right I mean to the satisfaction of every car owner, so we’re trying to balance interests. It’s fair to say that it’s a kind of moving target. It’s really a relative issue because I’ve been at schools that were much larger than this campus, and if I had been able to park as close to the active facilities as students are able to here, I would consider myself incredibly lucky.

Q:

Students are concerned with housing quality. Can students expect to see anything happen with Village housing?

A:

Yes, definitely. We are working with a number of developers who have expressed an interest in partnering with us to build new town house-style housing that would replace Village housing. We are committed to replacing Village housing, so the only questions now are which approach will we use, and what’s the time frame? Our intention now is to have the first phase of the new housing ready within two years at the latest.

President Tom Kazee

Q:

Right now The Big Freeze is the talk of campus. With the tuition freeze, how are we going to afford improvements?

Crescent Magazine sat down with the president to ask a few questions people might be curious to know the answers to.

A:

Samantha Cook/Crescent Magazine

Q:

5 Questions

Q: A:

We think we can afford it because we believe we’re going to be able to enroll to our targets. In the long run we increase the demand for a UE education. At some point, if recruitment numbers are small enough, a higher level of tuition actually generates less total revenue. One of the reasons for The Big Freeze was to say, ‘What is the price point that allows us to compete most effectively when recruiting students?’”

SGA President Patrick Hayden said the board of trustees has hired someone to look at the effectiveness of bringing back football. Do you agree with bringing it back?

That remains to be seen. When I first arrived at UE, I was approached by a number of alumni who said we should reestablish football. I said I was willing to hear the arguments. We contracted with a sports consulting firm. They just completed the report and submitted it to me. I want to digest all the information contained in the report and then make a recommendation to the board, and once that board meeting gets completed, there will be an announcement.

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

25

“let’s give some love

to these guys up here,” Chaplain Tammy Gieselman said as she spread her arms wide, the sleeves of her robe billowing as though to encompass in one large embrace the jazz trio that just finished playing. Applause followed, and just as quickly as the burst of sound began, it ceased, and the silence of prayer settled in.

Mindy Kurtz Hensley & Emily Molli

All Made Neu Inclusivity comes in all shapes, sizes and sounds, and Neu Chapel has a lot to bring to the table.

The word “love” seems to be paramount at Neu Chapel’s Sunday morning services, and from the music to the tailgating parties afterward, Gieselman is inspiring changes both large and small, all being brought about by the desires of students.

Gieselman founded the Worship Planning Team, a mix of students and adults who are carving out the structure of each service. These students, including senior Nick Joyner, who is the assistant chaplain and preached his first sermon of the year in September, and sophomore Zoe Post, the team’s media specialist, are not only making decisions but are helping to carry them out.

There is a sense of welcome within the chapel, and Gieselman is spreading the message of acceptance. “The university has a reputation for being inclusive,” she said, “so we have an advantage because of the university’s intent.

We take cues from both the university and the church.

The church doesn’t always get it right, but I think that [inclusivity] is where we are valuable.”

Sophomore Matthew Banks and senior Caleb Thompson pass a melody back and forth between them that you can’t help but tap your toes to. [Samantha Cook]

And this year, one way that desire will be expressed is in the form of an interfaith Thanksgiving service. Welcoming all faiths, this service will be a celebration of thankfulness.

The service is in lieu of the one held last year on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. “It was energized by the meaning that service created,” Gieselman said, “and once it was done, people were asking, ‘So when’s the next one?’” She wanted a similar service this year but in light of something more positive. “I just wanted to host one that wasn’t so connected to a tragic event, but one we can all celebrate,” she said. “I mean, who doesn’t feel thankful for what they have?”

Inclusivity also extends into Sunday services, where peo-

26

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

Harmonies come from thin air as organist Douglas Reed, music professor emeritus, works his magic, filling Neu Chapel with sound while senior Melanie Bacaling awaits her turn to sing. [Amy Rabenberg]

“It just has to be this way because of who we are and what we believe the gospel preaches.”

ple from different denominations gather to worship. “All of our leaders in service are diverse,” Gieselman said.

“They’re inclusive, a representation of the variety of all the different sexualities, cultures, genders and races we have on campus.”

And there are no better representatives of this than that of seniors Tim Gaisser, Caleb Thompson and Joe Luegers.

Though the trio is heavily involved in music — Gaisser is a music performance major, and Thompson and Luegers are music education majors — they are from different religious backgrounds. Yet every Sunday they come together to worship and make beautiful music. “We want to bring in a wide range of stuff from euphonium to sax to piano to organ,” Luegers said. “Not praise band type of stuff, but taking hymns and giving them more sounds like bass, brass and drums.”

By contemporizing the music and catering to the tastes of a wider audience, the staff hopes to draw in new ears and faces that will continue to regularly attend services.

“There’s a lot of arrangements that can be done,” Gaisser said, “and between Joe, Caleb and I, we can arrange those to a more jazzy, funky or rock style. We’re still using the same tune, but we’re making it more lively.”

Not only are students getting involved, but the music department is as well. “There are shared values amongst all of the people on this campus,” said organist Douglas Reed, music professor emeritus, “and we want to celebrate that and find music that can help us do that. We want to help express the broadest possible range of musical expression.”

But beyond the music, the meaning of it all — the jazz, the singing, the sermons — has a much deeper purpose than just getting students out of bed on Sundays. “People from all walks of life and religious backgrounds are coming and worshipping together,” Reed said, “and that’s a good thing. We want, most of all, to find a common ground — to promote cooperation, understanding, peace and tranquility among all people — and what better place to do that than in our own chapel, our holy place?”

Most importantly, the chapel becomes a safe haven in the wake of a world that can be harsh and discriminating, especially when many churches are taking stances on issues like homosexuality and are not seen as welcoming. “It’s a safe place for all people of all orientations, all across the spectrum,” Gieselman said. “We have people who come out of the LGBT community who know this is a safe place.”

For Gieselman, this is not just the way it should be but the way it must be. “It just has to be this way because of who we are and what we believe the gospel preaches,” she said. And the changes are helping to do just that.

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

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ZETA’S BACK Paige Baumgardt Molly Chidester Jessika Collins Chelsea Elliott Aubin Fowler Alyssa Gehlhausen

get global

Taylor Groves Marley Hannabass Payton Judd Maggie Limmer

Applications Available Harlaxton Fall 2013 and 2014

Office of Study Abroad | SOBA 261 | studyabroad@evansville.edu

Ashley Manka Maddie Ralph Elaina Robinson Sami Schmitt Madeline Smith Rebekah Taylor Anneliese Trapp Brianna Van Horn Alex Weintraut Kaylee Yager

Zeta Tau Alpha Pledge Class 2012

28

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

throughthelens

photos

by Samantha Cook

#getstached Small school, big spirit.

how many

Ace Purples can you count?

Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, hosts of the fourth hour of “Today,” challenged colleges across the country to tell them via Twitter why the pair should visit their campus. The result? Arguably the most animated Purple Friday campus has seen in a long time. Not even the rain could dampen the school spirit of close to 200 members of the campus community. Showing off all shades of purple, everyone cozied up to one another on the Ridgway Center staircase to participate in a flash mob, a last-ditch effort to grab KLG and Hoda’s attention. Though UE was not one of the six finalists, UE showed the nation how proud we are to be Aces.

“Where did you get those mustaches?”

[Clad in everything purple from head to toe, sophomore Reagan Wallace explains to WFIE reporter Brian Boesen why he loves and supports UE. [Jessica Crihfield-Taylor] [Smile! Seniors Lauren Thomas, Ashley Nels, Kathryn Wiglesworth and Amanda Hopf and junior Sarah Joseph prepare to show KLG and Hoda some love. [Samantha Cook] [There can never be too many Ace Purples! Seniors Michael Armanno and Braden Pretzsch and junior Cassie Curry show some pride after filming. [Samantha Cook] [With school spirit in the air, senior Brittney Daugherty joins the fun by modeling her newly grown mustache for senior Kaylee Harden. [Jessica Crihfield-Taylor]

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

29

campus crime

The following information was compiled from criminal offense reports filed Aug. 19–Sept. 18 in Safety & Security.

Sept. 14–Cash stolen from a wallet near the basketball court in the fraternity housing complex. No suspect apprehended. Loss reported at $7.

Sept. 12–Hole poked in the School of Business Administration roof. No loss reported.

Sept. 9–Student arrested for trespassing after being apprehended on the roof of Olmsted Hall.

Referred to the vice president for Academic Affairs for disciplinary action.

Sept. 6–iPod stolen from Shanklin Theatre.

Loss reported at $180.

—Seven textbooks stolen from the UE bookstore. Loss reported at $1,282.70.

Sept. 5–Money stolen from a Koch Center office. No suspect apprehended. Loss reported at $50.

—Television stolen from the Phi Gamma Delta house. Loss reported at $850.

—Bag of marijuana found in a Hughes Hall hallway. No suspect apprehended.

Sept. 3–Textbook stolen from a Hyde Hall classroom. Loss reported at $224.

Sept. 1–Student found intoxicated in Hughes Hall. Referred to the vice president for Academic Affairs for disciplinary action.

—Glass broken in a Rotherwood duplex apartment door. Suspect apprehended and ar-

rested by Evansville Police. Loss not reported.

Aug. 30–Textbooks stolen from a Koch Center office. Loss reported at $643.

—Student in Moore Hall found in possession of marijuana. Referred to the vice president for Academic Affairs for disciplinary action.

Aug. 28–Items stolen from a vehicle parked in the Weinbach apartments parking lot. Loss reported at $78.

Aug. 25–Student found intoxicated in Hale Hall. Referred to the vice president for Academic Affairs for disciplinary action.

Aug. 24–Purse and personal items stolen from the Sigma Phi Epsilon house. Loss reported at $284.

—Counterfeit bill passed at Ace’s Place. Investigation ongoing. Loss reported at $10.

—Handicap sign and accompanying pole stolen from the drive between Hughes and Hale halls. Loss reported at $30.

—Wallet stolen from a Schroeder Hall room.

Loss reported at $125.

Aug. 22–Money stolen from a Koch Center desk. Loss reported at $320.

Aug. 21–Two students in Schroeder Hall found in possession of marijuana. Referred to the vice president for Academic Affairs for disciplinary action.

sign up for day DeaDline: Oct. 12 Register online at: cse.evansville.edu/service

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

October 272012 LinC? Haven’t picked up your Stop by Student Publications Center for Student Engagement

Ridgway University Ridgway Center, secondCenter, floor2nd Floor

OPENING IN AUGUST OF 2013

BE A PART OF THE

CHARTER CLASS! FORT WAYNE, INDIANA www.IndianaTech.edu/law 855-TECH-LAW

30

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

simple

things balance seems

to come naturally to senior Chrissy Hopp. Though she has a bustling schedule as a neuroscience major and as an honors student, she easily manages to display her effervescent personality through her frequent giggles and radiant smile. “She’s vivacious,” senior Matt Williams said. “She has this energy that’s fun, and you want to have a good time with her, and you do.”

For Hopp, even the smallest moments can be thrilling. “During Welcome Week I got to ride around with [President Tom] Kazee in a golf cart,” she said. “I felt like the coolest person in the world.” Williams recalled many simple yet memorable moments he has spent with Hopp.

One of his favorites was a day that included a trip to Donut Bank and then to Vann Park, where they finished the day reenacting “Twilight” scenes in the grass.

An Indianapolis native, Hopp credits her family for instilling in her a strong work ethic. “My parents were in the Marine Corps, and my brother is in the Navy,” she said. “They make me want to work hard.”

dormstorm

by Jamelyn Wheeler photo by Samantha Cook

In that spirit, she is applying for medical school at Marian (Ind.) University, where she would be a member of the first graduating class of the newly formed College of Osteopathic Medicine if accepted. Her goal is to join the Navy and become a physician. “As far as my career, it’s not the money,” Hopp said. “It’s helping people.”

This spirit of serving does not end with her career choice; she is the vice president of Kappa Chi and a Student Alumni Ambassador. Hopp also volunteers at VistaCare, a local hospice organization. “It’s really time-consuming,” she said, “but it makes you get more in touch with the community.”

Williams shared that time management comes easily to Hopp. “I admire her because she has fun but knows how to hit the books,” he said.

And although she pays close attention to her studies and frequently volunteers her time to causes she finds worthy, like many students, Hopp enjoys spending time with friends. “My favorite thing about myself is the friends I have,” she said.

One of those friends is her roommate, senior Jil-

lian Smith. “She’s so loyal and so supportive all the time,” Smith said. “She’s a really, really loyal and caring friend to everyone.” It only took one encounter with Hopp for Smith to realize she had made a lifelong friend. Although they lived in the same hall freshman year, by sophomore year they were sharing a room. “I knew we’d be friends when she made me laugh,” Smith said.

This affable nature extends to every aspect of Hopp’s life — from keeping close ties with her family and friends to embracing new experiences, such as studying abroad. Like many students, one of Hopp’s most exciting UE experiences was studying at Harlaxton. She was able to travel the European countryside and visit Spain, a country she calls one of her favorite places. “My class got to go on field trips every week,” she said, “and my best friend from IU studied at Harlaxton with me.”

It actually takes little to make Hopp happy.

While she is as busy as most students, she does enjoy the occasional guilty pleasure of watching TV, including the reality show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” “I love the Kardashians,” she said. “It’s so bad, but I love it.”

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

31

overtime

sports

put a ring on it

Ashley Ring brings her A-game wherever she goes.

by Alexandra Wade photos by Samantha Cook & Amy Rabenberg 32

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

sophomore

Ashley Ring knows how to get down to business. As an outside hitter for the volleyball team, she met her teammate, fellow sophomore and roommate Meaghan Holmes, at a high school volleyball camp hosted by UE. A middle hitter, Holmes was starting to get the feel of the place, and Ring, whose presence was like that of an old childhood friend, reassured her. Then Ring entered the court. “She hit, and it was like, ‘Oh, I’m glad I’m on this girl’s team,’” Holmes said. Since then, many have noticed Ring’s hard-hitting style.

Originally from Madison, Wis., Ring has excelled at UE since her freshman year. A biology and Spanish double major, she had the highest GPA on the team last year and was named to the MVC all-freshman team. This honor is given to freshmen who conquer the challenges of transitioning to college while continuing to grow athletically. The honor also labels Ring as a threat to other teams, which boosts morale among her own teammates.

Part of Ring’s success stems from her love of the game, a love that started early. When she was in fourth grade, her older sister taught her to play, so she had someone to practice with at home. Ring immediately liked the game because it was something she could do with her sister. But because volleyball players had to be sixth graders or older, she had to wait before she could play competitively. “It was so hard watching her for those two years,” Ring said. “I was just like, ‘I want to play!’” As she continued to learn the game, she realized it was everything she had ever wanted in a sport, from the fast pace to the tactical aggression. By the time she could compete, Ring had fallen in love with volleyball.

Now Ring is growing as a leader both on and off the court. She leads the team in aces and is now the top hitter in the MVC for kills per game. Ring averages 15.33 kills per match, and this season she has already reached a career high of 19 kills in one game, when the Aces played Utah Valley State. She has been named to two all-tournament teams in as many weeks, once for the Wildcat Invitational and then again for the Morehead State Tournament.

Coach Mike Swan said younger players look up to Ring and that she excites the crowd and her team with her plays. She is also an “all-the-way-around” player this season — someone who can play in both the front and back rows. Swan saw that was one of her goals, and he helped her achieve it. Once he felt she deserved it, he was more than willing to put her on the court in that position. But he is not worried about Ring becoming too confident, or even too comfortable, on the court and no longer wanting to grow. “It just pushes her to get better,” he said. “She’s not nearly satisfied where she is.”

Swan describes Ring as a natural leader, also praising her maturity and intelligence. “She’s a calming presence on the court,” he said. “She doesn’t get rattled, and she’s very supportive of her team.” Holmes said Ring brings the team together and helps transform the team from a group of athletes into something much closer. “People probably get sick of me saying it,” she said, “but it’s not really a team. We’re more like a family.” Ring also described her team as a family. “I know that if I’m having a rough time, there will be girls there to pick me up,” she said.

Besides her outstanding athletic record, Ring is studious, and Holmes has benefitted from her studious side. “I’ll want to take a break when it gets to be kind of overwhelming,” she said, “but Ashley just buckles down, pushes on through.” Ring’s work has clearly paid off. She ended the 2011–12 school year with a 3.9 cumulative GPA, achieving a 4.0 GPA second semester. Ring said her time at UE has taught her to balance school and volleyball and to know when to switch into different modes. “Leave everything that’s outside the court outside,” she said. “That’s important for any athlete.” Thanks in part to her, the American Volleyball Coaches Association recognized the Aces in August for academic success for the eighth year out of the past nine years.

Even with all of these achievements, do not expect Ring to brag. Once the game starts, her focus is devoted to the sport she loves. But she did say the recognition boosts her confidence. “It’s always nice to have someone notice your playing,” she said. Ring realizes volleyball will take a backseat to her career once she graduates, but that does not mean she is looking forward to giving up the edge that comes with being a college athlete. She hopes to play in adult leagues after graduation and possibly coach in the future. “I just love being able to instill that love of the sport that I have in other people,” Ring said.

“I love being able to help anyone become a better volleyball player.”

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

33

CHECK OUT OUR UPCOMING EVENTS: Monday, Oct. 29 — Game Show • 7 p.m. • Eykamp Hall Tuesday, Oct. 30 — UE’s Best Dance Crew, Round 1 • 7 p.m. • Eykamp Hall Wednesday, Oct. 31 — Trick or Eat (Campus Service Project) • TBA • Ridgway Center Thursday, Nov. 1 — Operation Comedy • 7 p.m. • Eykamp Hall

reunion weekend

HOMECOMING NOVEMBER 2–4, 2012 WELCOME ALUMNI: Classes of 1962, 1967, 1972, 1987, 2002 and 2007; Phi Mu alumnae, Education alumni, Orientation Leaders alumni

FEATURED HOMECOMING EVENTS AT THE FORD CENTER: Women Basketball vs. USI • noon Chili Cook-off and UE’s Best Dance Crew Finals • 2 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. University of Illinois-Springfield • 4 p.m.

View the full schedule of events at www.evansville.edu/homecoming

Don’t forget every Friday is Purple Friday at UE!

COME VISIT US Office of Alumni and Parent Relations • Igleheart Building evansville.edu/alumni • 812–488–2586

UE Alumni A S S O C I AT I O N

I AM

curious when asked to describe

the relationship between math and music, Clark Kimberling, professor of mathematics, reached for a dictionary. With a handpicked word in mind, he turned to “concinnity,” which means a skillful arrangement of parts. And Kimberling has been arranging both numbers and notes for many years.

Kimberling has been teaching math at UE for 42 years and has garnered a long list of accomplishments, including his own Encyclopedia of Triangle Centers — points in triangles where the bisectors of the three angles meet — and on his web site, he collects theories from contributors worldwide. But alongside his mathematical accolades, his achievements in music make a list just as impressive. Kimberling’s relationship with music started in childhood. “Other kids were out playing, and I had to practice piano,” he said. “I grew up in a household where there was a high priority on doing things your own way, and it really stuck.”

acloserlook

by Tori Griffin photo by Samantha Cook

Clark Kimberling says melodies have character, and he is a big fan of Johann Sebastian Bach because of how he mixed harmonies.

Kimberling has written many original pieces, including children’s music, arrangements for church choirs and compositions for the recorder — yes, the recorder. Though the recorder is not usually thought of as a musical staple, Kimberling began to play and warm up to the instrument during his sophomore year at the University of North Texas, formerly known as North Texas State. His interest in composing grew from there. “It had a nice sound,” he said. “Not many people play it.”

Even in passing conversation, the depth of his love for both subjects is apparent. He understands that math and music connect people in ways language cannot. “Music is very much a means of communicating something,” Kimberling said. “And there is no substitute.”

Though the relationship between math and music may seem contrary, Kimberling recognizes their similarities. He used the analogy of a tennis match to describe both, saying the goal is to get the ball as close to the net as possible without hitting it, which is what makes it exciting. “It’s a combination of following the rules and trying to break them at the same time,” he said.

Despite the connection between music and math, they are two different parts of Kimberling’s life. “I go to one when I’m tired of doing the other,” he said. And after his time as a math professor has ended, Kimberling has no intention of ending his musical career. “I’ll be musically active after I’m mathematically active,” he said. “I plan to do more and more composing.”

Kimberling is an inspiration to students whose passions lie in seemingly unrelated fields. To these students, he proves even the most apparently contradictory of subjects can find common ground, from math to music and beyond.

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

35

offthewall

Four months before the 1966 World Cup in England, the trophy was stolen. A dog named Pickles found it seven days later wrapped in newspaper.

WhoKnew?

dotm gotta get it We always wondered when jetpacks and walking on water would become a reality, and now that dream can be realized, thanks to Canadian inventor Raymond Li, who in 2008 combined his love of James Bond and water navigation to create a water-powered jetpack. So, move over sliced bread, because the JetLev R200 is officially the greatest water-treading device ever.

According to jetlev.com, for a mere $100,000 you can own your own water-thrusting jetpack, complete with two-way radios, a pilot certification course and an operator’s manual. The jetpack works through a hose connected to a boating system — which is also included — that pumps water at 1,000 gallons per minute.

The boat follows you as you pilot above or below the water. The jetpack can lift you up to 30 feet high and thrust forward at 25 miles per hour. Unfortunately, it’s not usable on land. But think of it this way: 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is waiting for you.

heard it here

“My report card always said, ‘Jim finishes first and then disrupts the other students.”

tidbits & assets

— Jim Carrey

Pumpkin Pie Cocktail

Put the boo in booze with this pumpkin-flavored treat that will surely not scare anyone. According to drinkoftheweek.com, to make this sweet beverage, mix the ingredients in a blender with ice and blend, then pour into a graham cracker-rimmed highball glass and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

ingredients

: 1 oz. Malibu Rum / .75 oz. canned pumpkin pie filling / .5 oz. Kahlua / 2 oz. cold milk kinseyinstitute.org

there is nothing wrong with a woman if she does not bleed the first time she has sex. The reason: Each female’s hymen is slightly different. The hymen is tissue filled with blood vessels that covers the vaginal opening. Some females have a thick hymen (one that covers a lot of the vaginal opening); others have a thin hymen (one that covers a little). The Kinsey Institute says as females mature, some of the hymen may wear away. There are many things that cause this, including physical activities and using a tampon. When a woman first has sex, she may notice lots of bleeding, small amounts or none at all. Whether or not a woman bleeds has nothing to do with virginity. Bleeding during sex is also not a sign of being healthy or unhealthy. It is just a reflection of how much tissue a woman has, which varies from woman to woman.

WhoKnew? The world’s smallest elephant is the Borneo pygmy elephant, which can grow to anywhere between 5 and 8 feet tall.

36

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

telegraph.co.uk

hole in the wall Being lost in translation is possibly one of the funniest places to be, and engrish.com is a perfect embodiment of those hysterical errors. Everything from handbags to menu items that have tried to reflect hip English slogans are horribly mistranslated into words and sentences that make absolutely no sense but definitely touch a funny bone.

there’s an

app

for that

You had to buy that large soda. And during the movie, nature calls. What if you miss something awesome?

Never fear, moviegoer, there’s RunPee. This free app tells you the best times to go and what’s happening while you’re in the john.

Many times graffiti can be an artistic expression that adds to the beauty of an otherwise desecrated cityscape. However, there are some people out there who specialize in witty, sarcastic or ridiculous street art, and their handiwork can be found on picturesofwalls.com. Some are as small as scrawls made on bathroom stalls to words added to signs.

dumblaws.com

oddlaws

Nature’s Way

ca

In Arcadia, peacocks have the right of way when crossing streets and driveways.

Bottom Dollar

oh

In Bexley, an ordinance bans the installation and usage of slot machines in outhouses.

time suck of the month

Snooki’s Shame

Possibly one of the most addicting sites on

When it comes to travel, it is considered an offense to throw pickle juice on a trolley.

the Internet is lovecharts.tumblr.com. Though some charts may be considered boring, these charts are totally out of the ordinary — the anatomy of a gummy bear, for example, or the blueprints for a 1989 Batmobile. These, along with several others, should keep you scrolling for hours.

Pig Ring

ri

mi

In Detroit, it is illegal to let your pig run free unless it has a ring in its nose.

it came from the library The Bird’s Eye View Museum in Wakarusa, Ind., started as the setting for the landscape of an electric train. Devon Rose built a miniature replica of the town’s Wayne Feed Mill for his son’s train layout. Over time he added more than 160 buildings and has won a plethora of awards for his miniaturized showcase of the town as it looked in 1965.

Walt Saine of Switzerland gave himself a massive kick in the face. In fact, Saine administered 110 successful kicks to his head in one minute to take the world record in October 2010 in Lausanne, Switzerland. He used his left and right legs to kick himself in the forehead an average of 1.8 times per second. Talk about having a major headache.

On the menu at Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria in Los Angeles is an enormous 4-foot6-inch square pizza. That’s 2,916 square inches of deliciousness. Available for $199.99 plus tax, this mammoth of a pizza can serve 50–70 people. As long as you give the pizzeria a 24hour notice, this is the world’s largest deliverable pizza.

Steganography, the sharing of secret information in which only the sender and the recipient are aware of the message’s existence, dates back to 5th century BC when the Greek ruler Histiaeus shaved the head of a servant and tattooed a message on it. When the servant’s hair grew back, he sent him to deliver the message to a slow-moving army.

good news bad news

Drunken Bears. Even

Borthen Nilsen of Norway discovered a bear of a problem when he returned home to find empty beer cans and a destroyed cabin.

Bears drank the family’s beer supply — more than 100 cans of lager — ate all the food in the kitchen and smashed up the furniture.

They got in through a window.

Mermaid in Training.

Job practicality is no concern for aspiring underwater mermaid performers in Weeki Wachee, Fla. Women from across America have flocked to the nineperson town to learn the trade of becoming a mermaid. For $350 these campers will learn to perform underwater ballet in bodysuits complete with tails.

Scarlet Woman. A new study found that waitresses who wear red get 15 to 26 percent higher tips from men than they would while wearing other colors.

For six weeks, 11 waitresses in five restaurants wore the same kind of T-shirt every day but alternated colors. But this only works on men. Women tip the same regardless of shirt color.

Seaweed Storm.

Berkeley, Gloucestershire, residents were surprised to find their village littered with smelly seaweed after stormy weather swept it up from Clevedon Beach 20 miles away.

Weather experts blame a possible freak twister. One resident regretted it did not rain fish instead.

WhoKnew? American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by getting rid of a single olive from each salad served in first class.

10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

37

thelists

best places things that make us crazy to eat this month Suburban Rastafarians You’re from an affluent household, and you couldn’t be angrier about it. We get it — Bob Marley was the man.

Get over yourself.

Slow-walking Couples Hey, it’s great that you want to walk your sweetheart to class, but could you do it a little faster and not swing hands so much? It’s dangerous, and we’re not into Red Rover.

Parking at Weinbach apts Someone backed into my car — again. But what do you expect when you pack cars in a lot that obviously can’t hold all of the residents’ vehicles?

Facebook activists Maybe it’s because we spend weeks preparing the arguments we make in print, but posts that start and end in sourceless political arguments aren’t needed. It’s great you’re taking a stance, but at least back it up with facts.

Nice girls/guys finish last So the hottest guy or girl didn’t return your advances.

Perhaps you’re just interested in different things. Or maybe it’s the fact that you live with your parents.

charlie’s mongolian barbeque

offers a large selection of Asian-style vegetables and meats cooked on a hot griddle while you watch, and unlike most hibachi-style restaurants, this one is more affordable. You can pile the food high, and more always seems to be available from Charlie, the host. 315 E. Diamond Ave. • 812–423–9897

gracie’s chinese cuisine

has been in business since 2001 and offers a wide variety of dishes to tempt your pallet. Including crab rangoon, green beans, lo mein, orange beef and 10 delicious varieties of chicken, the restaurant offers all things Chinese. And remember to leave room for desert. With cheesecake or its famous sugared donuts, its deserts are just as delectable, not to mention affordable. 12500 U.S. Highway 41 N. • gracieschinese.com

wolf’s bar-b-q offers mouthwatering choic-

es in the barbecue realm. It has staples like ribs and pit pork, and for those who still long for salads, there are a variety of them, from a chicken tender salad to Wolf’s own dinner salad. The restaurant also serves several types of homemade soups and loaded baked potatoes with hearty toppings that will fill any stomach. 6600 N. First Ave. • wolfsbarbq.com

stoll’s country inn brings several Amish-

style dishes to the table, from mashed potatoes and gravy to friend chicken and okra. The inn has a variety of deserts like pie, pudding and ice cream that will satisfy any sweet tooth. It also has an in-house bakery, which sells freshly baked bread and homemade candies all day. 19820 Castle Creek Drive. • stollscountryinn.com

great READS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

No, no. I didn’t go to 1.England; I went to London.

—Paris Hilton

2.

BREAKING CELEBRITY NEWS: I was sitting with my legs crossed for too long and my penis fell asleep. —John Mayer

3.

Ann Romney, we have something in common!

Your husband makes me laugh too. —Sue Galloway

4.

A poetic dude telling his life story in front of me and it’s got everything — negligent dad, religion, Hurricane Katrina and it’s only been five minutes.

—Edward Hansen out Paul Ryan 5.liedTurns about his marathon

time. This guy lies more often than a lazy mattress salesman on President’s Day weekend. —Will Durst

6.

Scientology is totally on Cruise control. —Alec Sulkin

Relationship vs. Internet: 7.Round 25. —Jim Gaffigan

memorable celebrity tweets

as far as senior Emily Wright is concerned. Of the 25 books she read this summer, here are her top five:

“A Walk in the Woods” Bill Bryson (Broadway Books, 1998) “The Andromeda Strain” Michael Crichton (Knopf, 1969) “The Help” Kathryn Stockett (Penguin Books, 2009) “Paper Towns” John Green (Dutton Books, 2008) “Drive” James Sallis (Poisoned Pen Press, 2005)

WhoKnew? The flea can jump up to 350 times its body length, which is comparable to a human jumping the length of a football field.

38

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

1. it is normal to whistle “The Simpsons” theme, but Nick McKaig shames everyone with his a cappella rendition.

top 10

YouTubers put their dubious musical skills to the test with these remixes of classic movie and TV theme songs.

6. british sitcom “Are You

Being Served?” may be unfamiliar to many of us, but the industrial version of its theme is worth a listen.

2. if you thought the “Back to the Future” theme could not get any better, think again. A heavy metal twist makes it more intense.

7. “doctor who” indiestyle is funky, and die-hard fans will definitely keep pressing the replay button.

3. as if the original “Hal-

8. a 30-year-old pianist

4. replacing the pound-

9. “family matters” with a jazz twist is enjoyable, but the bromance behind it is a whole lot better.

loween” piece was not creepy enough, this hard rock version steps it up a notch.

ing strings of “Jurassic Park” with soothing ska makes being eaten by a velociraptor seem not so frightening.

5. when obi-wan and QuiGon of “Star Wars” trade their lightsabers for cellos, you get a melody that’s out of this world.

named Jarrod Radnich creates his own magic with his classical “Harry Potter” remix.

10. it is hard to upstage the

“2001: A Space Odyssey” theme, but this accordion player gives it a good try.

tunes

adultswim.com/blog

Here are some secret favorites.

Neal Catellier

Sophomore “The Princess Bride” (1987) “It’s typically seen as a girl’s movie I suppose, but I can quote every line from it.”

Favorite songs for contemplation.

Alyana Ladha

Freshman “Mean Girls” (2004)

“Breathe (2 AM)”

“The Rain Song”

Anna Nalick

Led Zeppelin

“It basically just tells you to take a moment to breathe through any situation you’re having a hard time with.”

“It’s a good combination of deep lyrics and music that evokes emotion well.”

sophomore Elizabeth King

junior Morgan Pruitt

“Handlebars”

“It’s a song from God to us as humans, and it’s talking about how he’ll never leave us even in our hardest times.”

“I just think it really subtly shows the power people can have for good or for bad.”

Tenth Avenue North

Flobots

senior Stephen Weinzapfel

“I Won’t Give Up”

junior Jesse Willingham

“Into the West”

Annie Lennox

Jason Mraz

“They wrote it for ‘The Return of the King,’ and that alone is very emotional for me. It just makes you think about your place in the universe and what everything means.”

“I just like the message he has in it — just telling the person he loves that he won’t give up on them.”

freshman Ben Johnson

“Because it’s hilarious, and I like to laugh.”

Aaron Smith

Senior “The Fifth Element” (1997) “’Cause it’s ridiculous. Gary Oldman’s character, he’s insane in a good way.”

“By Your Side”

“

movies Don’t be ashamed.

junior Camille Burger

I got a chain letter by fax. It’s very simple. You just fax a dollar bill to everybody on the list.”

— Steven Wright, comedian and actor

Parker Mitchell Senior

“Bio-Dome” (1996)

“It just makes me laugh a lot.”

Sedona Rigsby Freshman

“Ultraviolet” (2006)

“It’s a good movie. It’s Milla Jovovich. The action. The aesthetic look.”

Henry Ragan

Freshman “Blue Valentine” (2010) “Being an actor, it’s all about the characterization of the couple. The cinematography is really beautiful.”

WhoKnew? Philip Morris, the first owner of the Marlboro cigarette company, died of lung cancer as well as the first Marlboro Man. 10.2012 l Crescent Magazine

39

Prancing with the dragons

What do you do when no one else is looking? like bruce wayne,

don’tquoteme

I live a secret double life. In public, I strive to be a symbol of maturity. I allow people to cut in front of me in the checkout line. I refrain from shooting straw wrappers at fellow patrons at fancy restaurants, no matter how wide open they leave themselves. I even preface any references to M. Night Shyamalan films with “spoiler alert” to avoid ruining a twist ending for anyone — except in the case of “The Last Airbender,” in which the twist ending is that it’s a horrible film.

40

Crescent Magazine l 10.2012

But in private, I am still trying to top my 30 billionpoint high score on “Pokemon Pinball.” The last major argument I had with a parent was a ferocious debate with my mother over whether or not Severus Snape turned out to be a noble hero or a whiny coward. If college has taught me anything so far, it is how to find a balance between these two parts of my life: the upstanding citizen and the hopeless geek. Sometimes, though, the two are inseparable.

One such example took place when my roommate, senior Coty Wiley, and I made a day trip to see the dinosaur exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. The adult in me was fascinated by the scalemodel replicas of the Bambiraptors and pondered the mystery of how these beasts fit into the evolution of both avian and reptilian lines. The child in me wondered if ancient birds tasted like chicken.

The exhibit included a section on my most secret guilty pleasure: dragons. Hanging from the ceiling and peering from behind glass cases were dragon sculptures, masks, paintings and any number of ancient trinkets depicting the serpentine legends. Imagine Charlie in the chocolate factory, and you will have a good idea of how I pranced among the exhibits.

The main draw of the dragon exhibit was the skeleton of a newly discovered dinosaur. Surrounding a replica of the dinosaur’s head were easels, and the museum invited patrons to try their hand at sketching the creature. As my roommate and I worked on our own sketches, his looking akin to a turkey and mine having all the artistic depth of a character out of “Flatland,” one of the exhibit’s workers came over and started talking to us.

We chatted for a bit about the discovery of the skeleton and how the dinosaur may have behaved in real life. The adult in me found the conversation il-

luminating, but the child in me had only one question to pose to the expert. “Were dragons real?” I asked the question in the same way the 5-year-old me used to ask my mom to check under the bed for monsters and the third-grader me asked Santa Claus for a real Pikachu.

Perhaps it was a bad time to ask such a life-affirming question, because just then, a group of children appeared at the exhibit, and our guide needed to greet and entertain them. Trying to politely excuse herself, our guide mumbled something about how no one has ever found definitive proof that dragons existed, but I was free to believe whatever I wanted.

That answer might have worked for the 5-year-old or the third-grader in me, but college sophomore Craig had watched enough political debates to know when someone was skirting an issue. My childhood notions of fire-breathing shadows and sunlit flights crushed, Coty and I gathered our items and were about to exit when our guide turned back and approached us with a solemn look on her face.

“About your question…” Her voice dropped to a whisper. Somewhere in the museum, I imagine there were secret police monitoring dozens of computer screens and watching every museum employee to make sure no one let the truth slip about Area 51 or Bigfoot or whatever happened to Chumbawamba. In my eyes, our guide was risking everything to tell us the truth. This woman, who was certified in her field and whom I firmly believe had to take a sacred museum oath never to lie, said to us, “They’re real.”

It was at that moment the 5-year-old, third-grader and college sophomore versions of Craig simultaneously peed their pants. Country musician Bryan White once said, “We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public.” It comforts my immature side to see those little slips happen to people around me, those moments when someone’s private, fun-filled world accidentally stumbles out during a conversation.

More than anything, though, seeing those bits of people’s lives in public makes maturity seem less like an unavoidable alien growing inside us and more like a game everyone is in on.

craig keepes l essayist

One mistake is all it takes.

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AttEntion DECEmbEr GrADUAtES: Come to Commencement Central 10 a.m.–4 p.m. • Thursday, October 25 Ridgway University Center

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