University News // August 19 // Issue One

News

A&E

Robert Walter, pg. 3

The Diastole, pg. 10

Local student still missing, after weeks of searching. Rewards offered for leads.

Lesser known scholar center at 27th and Holmes provides aesthetically pleasing event space on Hospital Hill.

UNIVERSITY NEWS UMKC’s Independent Student Newspaper

FACULTY DROPS THE BALL

Volume 81, Issue 1

Monday August 19, 2013

Late book orders cost students time and money

Roze Brooks

Co-Editor-In-Chief

New and returning students may feel a familiar frustration entering the bookstore this semester.

Greeted with empty shelves and not having the option of purchasing used textbooks may have students thinking twice about hashing out money at the UMKC bookstore.

However, while many students’ first reaction will be to blame the bookstore, the real fault dates back to April 2013. Each semester, UMKC professors and lecturers are asked to submit their textbook orders on April 15 for the summer and fall semesters and Oct. 15 for the spring semester.

According to Pete Eisentrager, textbook manager of the UMKC bookstore, these deadlines are being constantly neglected.

“Faculty really hold the key to us reducing textbook prices,” he said.

“Without them turning in textbook orders, it has a negative effect.”

Of the approximately 2500 title orders the bookstore has processed, only 24 percent were submitted before the April deadline. The current figures are worse than Eisentrager’s initial prediction, statistics that he deemed disgusting but can be fixed through grassroots efforts.

At least 64 orders, or three percent, have been submitted since Aug. 12, a week before the start of classes.

Chronic ignorance of priority deadlines starts a cycle of costly letdowns for all parties included.

Students are unable to sell back books during buyback periods at the end of each semester because the bookstore hasn’t been notified on time which books will be needed for

the following semester.

“We want our first source to be the students,” Eisentrager said. “ That’s why we ask for orders a few weeks in advance to be able to maximize the number of books we can buyback during buyback periods.”

Late order submissions gives the bookstore minimal time to source materials for the lowest cost, often resulting in purchase of brand new copies directly from the publishers. This costs the bookstore and inadvertently the students and university substantial dollar figures annually.

In addition to financial concerns, last-minute orders also put the university at risk legally. In 2008, the Higher Education Opportunity Act was passed into federal law. Included in this piece of legislation was a textbook information provision.

The essential requirements of the provision are “To the maximum extent practicable, each institution of higher education receiving Federal financial assistance shall—“Disclose, on the institution’s internet course schedule and in a manner of the institution’s choosing, the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) and retail price information of required and recommended college textbooks and supplemental materials for each course listed in the institution’s course schedule used for preregistration and registration purposes.”

The intent is to ensure students have access to course materials at the cheapest cost to them and that all parties involved are working towards decreasing prices of textbooks.

Cartoon by Joey Hill

Empty shelves lead to student disappointment at the UMKC bookstore.

“We understand every student is not going to buy textbooks here, but not even being able to provide that info puts students in a bind.,” Eisentrager said. “We don’t know about it and it looks bad for us and violates the national legislation” Eisentrager said this has been a worsening issue for years and listless efforts to rectify missed deadlines have been exhausted. He has approached the faculty senate, notified administrators and worked with SGA sporadically throughout his time at UMKC-- with reverse effects.

“We’re actually going backwards,” he said. “It’s affecting some of these key classes that have the highest enrollment.”

The UM System took over operations of its bookstores in 2006.

Since the transition, the UMKC Student Government Association (SGA) has passed two resolutions pertaining to textbook orders.

The concern stated in the 2007 resolution was a 15 percent book order submission for the winter semester at or before deadline. SGA voted in approval of strongly encouraging faculty members to submit textbook orders to the UMKC bookstore by priority deadline.

Another resolution passed in 2011 resolving that SGA supports adoption of a university-wide policy which requires instructors, faculty and staff to submit needed materials by the specified date.

“What it really comes down to is there has got to be a university driven policy,” Eisentrager said.

Unfortunately that policy has not been adopted even after the 2011

Photo by Roze Brooks

resolution.

The incoming SGA board, instructors of approaching deadlines.

RooServe, ran on a platform that “It can be changed. It’s simple. included a mission for reducing It’s proven on campuses all over the price of textbooks. Its intended the nation, it just requires a buy in,” approach while campaigning Eisentrager said. “I’ll take an order included working with other student written on a napkin if we have to, as government associations in the UM long as I get it on time.”

System to push for state legislation to

eliminate the tax on textbooks. After rbrooks@unews.com witnessing firsthand the adverse effects of late orders, SGA president Benjamin Campero is determined to add this to the forefront of the 2013 executive board’s action plan.

“We’re going to act on this,” Campero said. “If other universities can do it, we can do it.”

The bookstore will be launching a new online ordering system this fall that will give instructors more incentive to submit on time.

This new program should further ease the task of submitting orders.

D u r i n g new student orientations, Eisentrager encouraged students to take an active role in halting the cycle of late orders and costly textbooks Teachers fail to submit textbook orders in time for the start of the semester at by reminding the UMKC bookstore.

Photo by Roze Brooks

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

UNIVERSITYNEWS UMKC’s Independent Student Newspaper

www.unews.com

Miller Nichols Learning Center expansion complete Hiral Patel Contributing Writer

in 2009.

“I think from the student’s The Miller Nichols Learning perspective, in addition to the classes, Center expansion will be ready for there’s going to be spaces outside the 5327 Holmes St. Kansas City, MO 64110 student use as coursework starts in classes, which I think they’ll find Editor’s desk: Fax the upcoming semester. Construction very wonderful,” projected Bonnie 816-235-5402 816-235-6514 that has been in progress since April Postlethwaite, dean of libraries, also Advertising: 2012 has been completed on schedule. back in November 2012.

816-235-1386 “Use of the space will launch Upon entering the learning center, full force at the start of the fall 2013 students will find an impressive array semester,” said Jeff Vandel , director of study spaces and large-scale lecture U-NEWS SENIOR of facilities planning, design and halls. Accompanying the lobby areas STAFF construction, during the halfway on each floor facing 51st Street are milestone in November 2012. stretches of windows, offering a EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Most of the partitions surrounding bird’s eye view of the campus that ROZE BROOKS DISTRIBUTION the expansion have been removed stretches out toward the Quad.

ELIZABETH GOLDEN MANAGER and replaced with open walkways.

According to Vandel the new ANDREW GRAFF One of the most convenient features facility has an expansive lobby and PRODUCTION of the new space will be the new four new state-of-the-art classrooms MANAGER SOCIAL MEDIA entryway from 51st Street. Adding which accommodate collaborative KYNSLIE OTTE WEBMASTER another entryway will ease the influx learning.

These lecture-style CALEB-MICHAEL of foot traffic the library received classrooms are provided with a power ADVERTISING FILES MANAGER when initial renovations started back outlet at every seat for charging COPY EDITOR JOSEPH SALAZAAR phones, tablets, laptops MAL HARTIGAN or other electronics.

KATE BAXENDALE BUSINESS MANAGER There are also multiple CHLOE ROBBINS MOLLY BANKS JANET SCHAAF wireless access points MARKETING around the classrooms SENIOR BEAT WRITER MANAGER to keep internet JOEY HILL JORDAN STRANGE connections running DAN MORENO fast.

PHOTO EDITOR LINDSAY ADAMS Vandel boasted SASHI NEKKANTI JESSICA TURNER about the venue’s BROADCAST BOARD OF sound system design MANAGER PUBLISHERS CHAIR along with the size TAYLOR SILVESTRO STEPHEN DILKS of projection screens, which are more ASSISTANT advanced than those in Another entrance was added to the building. Previously, the only BROADCAST access to the building was through a single main entrance. other lecture halls on MANAGER Photo by Roze Brooks campus.

PETEY MCGEE

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To provide relevant, timely coverage of the UMKC community by seeking truth, fairness and accuracy in reporting while preserving the integrity of U-News as an independent student-run publication.

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We publish 4,000 copies each week, and distribute to the Volker and Hospital Hill campuses and surrounding neighborhood businesses.

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This view of Miller Nichols Library shows part of the completed expansion to the existing building.

The Jeanette Nichols Forum in the learning center is designed especially for community events as well as classes. Events held in the forum can be viewed in any of the other lecture halls in the center as it is streamed live onto the large projection screens, virtually combining the four lecture halls into one. Student organizations and other programming groups on campus will be able to utilize this space for events that can draw in larger audiences.

The Jeanette Nichols Forum has 353 seats. The Courtney S. Turner Lecture Hall has 414 seats which

Photo by Roze Brooks

can be separated to form two207seat classrooms. The other two classrooms, Classrooms 451 and 452, house 120 and 121 seats, respectively.

These higher capacity spaces will accommodate foundation level courses and navigate UMKC toward its goal of a significant increase in enrollment.

Ongoing rumors about extended hours at the Miller Nichols Library hold no validity and the library will be functioning with its usual operating hours. hpatel@unews.com

HENRY W. BLOCH EXECUTIVE HALL OPEN FOR BUSINESS Andrew Graff Distribution Manager “Today is a great day,” Chancellor Leo Morton said during a “first look” building tour of Henry W. Bloch Executive Hall for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The new facility, which stands adjacent to the Bloch School of Management, will be ready to accommodate students for the start of fall 2013 classes.

In compliance with the university’s strategic plan, construction of the new building focused on sustainability efforts, earning a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

UMKC enlisted the skills of two highly rated architecture firms. BNIM, a locally based firm, teamed up with Moore Ruble Yudell Architects to create the new venue.

“We’re on time and on budget, “ said Robert Simmons, associate vice chancellor of facilities.

Representatives of the architecture teams nodded in agreement with this sentiment.

The Active Learning Classroom in the Henry W. Bloch Executive Hall.

Photo by Andrew Graff

204, Throughout the building there are numerous study spaces, and creative areas for students to utilize for interactive and experimental learning.

The exterior can be seen as a simple square comprised of terra cotta paneling but the internal design captures large amounts of natural light. Floor to ceiling glass windows and large skylights also provide an open area and soothing light source.

An environmentally friendly air displacement system has air ducts embedded in the floor, providing a more effective way of cooling the building and consumes less space than other coolant systems.

A number of the walls between rooms are actually retractable white boards that can separate the space or be opened to create the rooms larger.

The ampitheatre of the Henry W. Bloch Executive Hall.

The building was made possible by a $32 million donation by Henry W. Bloch-- the largest monetary gift UMKC has received to date. Bloch cited the growing student population as one of the reasons why he decided to sponsor the facility. However, he also admitted to passing on the idea the first time around. Morton and previous UM System President Gary Foresee approached Bloch with praise about the UMKC business school, but arrangements were not made until later on.

“When you are the benchmark, where do you go from here? We have the ability to demonstrate what it means to be a leader and beyond,” Morton said.

A member of Bloch’s endowment committee continually vouched for the growing business program and the inherent need for a new space. ..

“How are these students going to improve if they’ve got an old building with no room to expand,” Bloch said, referring to preliminary conversations about the need for space. “We need to do something

Photo by Andrew Graff

now and I’d like to be around when it opens up.”.

The building can hold 800 students for class purposes at any one time. The largest classroom seats

Instructors at the Bloch School who will be using the new facility were given training on how to use the technology. Also included is a 16-screen media wall, a digital ticker relaying stock market information. agraff@unews.com

Many members of the press attend the grand opening of the building on Aug. 15.

Photo by Andrew Graff

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

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Few Leads in Search for Missing Student

$20,000 reward offered for legitimate leads

Erik Gandara

Beat Writer

Area resident Robert Seth Walter was last seen the night of Aug. 3 in Kansas City near the Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery. Friends say they dropped him off at his car at the intersection of 17th and Madison Avenue around 10 p.m. after hanging out at a coworker’s house. When Walter failed to show up for work at the Apple Store the following morning, concerns started to surface.

Walters was unreachable by cell phone, which had lost power early in the night. His wallet was also left at

the residence he visited the previous evening, so no unusual bank activity was logged..

“It’s like he just vanished,” said a close friend and co-worker of Walter’s who wished to remain anonymous and was present the night of the disappearance. “I’ve replayed the whole evening over and over, and nothing stands out in my mind as unusual or out of place.”

In a phone call made to another friend, Walters had apparently been drinking.

“He sounded wasted - drunk enough for me to think he shouldn’t be

Robert Seth Walter has been missing since Aug. 3.

Photo courtesy of The Kansas City Star

driving,” said the recipient of the phone call. “If he had wrecked, we would have heard something by now.”

No DUI-related incidents have occurred that would lead to implications of Walter’s involvement in a fatal accident. In the two weeks since the disappearance, no trace of the car or the missing person has turned up.

Despite minimal evidence, authorities continue to search for the missing 20-year-old and his maroon 2012 Nissan Altima, but little progress has been made. Friends and family are baffled by the disappearance.

Walter was a resident of Blue Springs where he lived with his parents. A transfer student from University of Central Missouri, Walter had scholarship money lined up to attend University of MissouriKansas City School of Law. Robert was also a campaign worker for Claire McCaskill, who personally flew from Washington to support the investigation Some believe she was influential in promoting the story of the disappearance.

With so many students returning to campus for the fall semester, this disappearance could come as a tragic backdrop to some during what should be a time of excitement and optimism.

“It’s just the same advice we give to anyone: always have a designated driver, and stay in groups to be safe,” said Sergeant Marisa Barnes of the Kansas City Police Department’s Media Unit Police confirm this case is not currently being investigated as a homicide; therefore friends and family members are continuing the search to find Walter. The family has created the Facebook page “Help

Bring Robert Home” for support and updates about the search.

If you have any information about Walter’s disappearance, please call the Kansas City Missouri Police Department at 816-234-5000 .

Police are still searching for Walter, and any leads regarding his whereabouts.

Photo courtesy of The Kansas City Star

egandara@unews.com

Communiversity is the community’s university

Janet Schaaf

Copy Editor

Communiversity: A shared experience between community and student. That’s how Rick Mareske, UMKC’s Communiversity program coordinator, defines it. He points out that this philosophy also fits right into UMKC’s Strategic Plan.

“I’m excited about this,” Mareske said. “The fact that we actually have words that describe what we’re doing: urban engagement and community involvement.”

The program also serves a diverse population with equally diverse topic offerings. These three things, urban engagement, community involvement and diversity, fit right into two of the university’s six strategic planning goals including goal three, advance urban engagement, and goal five, embrace diversity .

Communiversity was founded in 1970 and, according to Communiversity Fast Facts found on UMKC’s website, remains the largest all-volunteer adult education program in the country to date. A highlight of the program for UMKC students is that they are able to attend classes at no charge aside from materials fees. Fees for other community members are nominal.

Community members make up the majority of students taking Communiversity classes, but Mareske’s knowledge of the history behind the beginnings of free universities in the 1960s validates his interest in seeing more UMKC students take advantage of the free classes. Early free university classes through colleges like University of California - Berkeley in the late 1960s were started by students who realized they did not have rights over their own education.

“The students, feeling empowered and feeling like they could do anything, 1,000 of them took over the administration building at Berkeley for a month and basically occupied the building,” Mareske said.” During this time, the first free university was born. Out of that, there were about 200 free universities that started up immediately all over the country. The ideals were varied. Some were more anarchistic, and some were socialist, where some offered classes more like we do now, but more political in general.”

Communiversity’s volunteer class leaders are called conveners instead of teachers because of the shared experience philosophy of the program. A convener must have an

interest in imparting experience and knowledge, but classes are meant to be a learning experience for teacher and student alike. Mareske related his own experience of convening a class on the Chinese strategy game Go and having the president of the Kansas City Go Association as a student. Mareske admitted that the student ended up teaching the class more than he did.

A wide variety of classes are offered through the Communiversity program. Some of the more popular classes recently have been wine tasting, cooking and storytelling.

Mareske, who has been with Communiversity since 1978, says figure drawing is one class that has been offered longer than he has been with the program.

“Anything that’s legal and not going to hurt somebody, we can do,” Mareske said.

Summer classes are winding down, but staff members are working on the fall schedule now and classes will begin in September.

Communiversity’s Fall 2013 Wholistic Health will be 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 10, in the Student Union Multipurpose Room 401. jschaaf@unews.com

Photo courtesy of Communiversity

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

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Professor decodes potential for new technology Sumanth Koushik Kalli Beat Writer A new era in computer science started in Kansas City with Dr Yugi Lee’s innovative style of teaching.

As coding is the heart of any digital application used today, Lee has concentrated on bringing in new, inventive ideas to make students learn about coding through their school education.

Lee studied political science in Korea and started her computer science education at the University of Washington in Seattle. She obtained her B.S in computer science and later completed her Ph.D. at New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark. As a research assistant during her Ph.D. she completed many projects and also taught computer programming language courses. Lee said she enjoyed working with numerous scholars from institutes such as Carnegie Mellon University. After earning her Ph.D. she worked with Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation where technologies such as Artificial Intelligence technology and Database systems were born.

In contrast to traditional classroom teaching, Lee aims to embed concepts of coding deep inside students’ brains by correlating daily life activities with scholastic lessons. From June

Dr. Lee takes an innovative approach to teaching

17 to June 23, Lee trained 18 high school students who were able to develop their own code from scratch within four days with the help of a multimedia authoring tool from MIT. “Write a story and write code,” Lee said about the program.

She expressed happiness seeing students adding music and animation in addition to the original

Photo by Roze Brooks

coding. Lee has also taught students from Saudi Arabia for a similar program. They developed complex Android applications in 30 minutes.

A powerful tool named the App Inventor is used by the students for developing applications. This tool includes the tester, emulator and

other required components.

Lee has personally installed one of the apps, “Where’s my car,” on her mobile phone and said she feels elated about her students’ work. She is also planning to hold another workshop next summer.

Lee’s recent research on Active Mobile Interfaces for Promoting Active Lifestyles could lead the way to the next generation of life where humans can talk to machines through verbal and non-verbal communication such as audio, gestures and biometrics .

Cars could lock automatically by use of brain power or emails could be sent from home computers without having to be present at the keyboard.

These are just a few ideas that could become a reality with Lee’s innovative technology. These feats are achievable with communication between deployed sensors in our coat, shoes, or watch and the remote computer or mobile phone.

Lee explains that the motivation behind the project was the obesity problem among children in the United States. According to Lee, one of the key causes of obesity is the obsession with video games and texting, neither of which requires much physical activity. Bringing in a larger virtual keyboard will promote more enthusiasm and exercise for the children.

The Chronos watch from Texas Instruments plays a large role in Lee’s research, but there are some problems in the project. Time lapse between the continuous data communication and processing of data, missing some data at the receiver and overall time to analyze signals are posing challenges to Lee and her team but hasn’t halted progress altogether just yet. This project is being developed for the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.

Lee said she is an advocate for setting big personal goals.

“Don’t think of the present; think of future and set your goals and talk to people as much as possible,” Lee said to the incoming computer science students.

For the incoming graduate students, Lee advises spending time crafting a thesis and having the capacity and strong will to learn. She has seen many of her students end up in prestigious institutes for their Ph.Ds. and working in top companies such as Amazon and Google. She also has students who have become CEOs and said she feels proud to have such accomplished alumni. skalli@unews.com

International students find new home away from home similar brands. ISAO volunteers Prannoy Kiran escorted groups into separate rooms Contributing Writer for breakout sessions in which new Incoming international students students introduced themselves to to UMKC were greeted cordially for one another. a day’s worth of events and speeches

The session was followed by on Aug. 13. This special orientation a campus tour, which was the first facilitated by the International time the students had seen UMKC Student Affairs Office with the help beyond online photos. . Students of the Indian Student Association seemed particularly impressed with Organization (ISAO) ensured the the Automatic Response System in transition for international students the Miller Nicholas Learning Center, from their respective countries to Swinney Recreation Center and UMKC was smooth and successful. learning about services offered by the Participating students were issued UMKC Success Center. “passports” for the day which listed A skit from ISAO depicting different brands of beverages and students arriving to USA from were used to group students with different countries got the audience

closer and offered a sense of comfort.

Mel Tyler, the Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management vice chancellor, spoke about the mission of UMKC in maintaining its high ranking status., while Jennifer DeHaemers, the Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management associate vice chancellor, introduced many of the behind-the-scenes administrators and contributors to UMKC’s success .A roll call of nations gave students a feeling of pride in where they’re representing and demonstrated the diversity of the incoming group. UMKC Central performed another skit demonstrating how to navigate

through the Pathway .

Dr. Niyatee Sukumaran, a psychologist , discussed her transition to a new country and how she overcame the initial culture shock that international students often experience. She answered numerous questions and negated the concerns the audience had about adapting.

Marisa Moreno, Coordinator of International Advising Services, promoted more valuable resources.

Dr. William T. Self, assistant professor of leadership and organizational behavior at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of the student

participation and the significance of interacting with professors.

Students ended their orientation with a bus tour of the city and were introduced to some of the many Kansas City landmarks such as the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial. pkirran@unews.com

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

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University of Missouri – Kansas City Partnering with Area Health Care Systems to Create Translational Medical Research Facility Kate Baxendale

Copy Editor

The University of Missouri-Kansas City announced its partnership in creating a world-class medical research institute Aug. 8. UMKC will collaborate with St. Luke’s Health Systems, Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics and the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute to form an institute in Jackson County that will focus on translational research.

Translational research, which is often called “bench-to-bedside research,” takes medical discoveries made in laboratory, clinical and population studies and transforms it into applicable treatments and cures.

The medical research institute would be financed by a half-cent sales tax in Jackson County. If the tax is approved by the Jackson County Legislature, the proposal would be placed on the ballot Nov. 5. The tax would raise an estimated $40 million a year and it would end in 20 years.

If that tax is approved by voters in November, it could raise $8 million annually for UMKC. “The goal of the UMKC School of Medicine is to advance the health of our community,” said Betty Drees, dean of the School of Medicine.

“We do this through education of physicians and other health care providers who care for our citizens, as well as through research that focuses on chronic medical conditions in our own community, such as asthma, diabetes, addiction and vision degeneration.”

The funds raised for the institute are expected to attract professional researchers and to provide them with the facilities, equipment and staff needed to conduct translational research. Civic and scientific leaders

clarified that the use of funds raised through the proposed tax would be controlled strictly by the university and the two hospitals, not politicians.

The funds will not be used for any other purpose than to foster the development of the translational research institute.

Greg Graves, Chairman of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and Burns and McDonnell Chief Executive Officer, said UMKC is becoming a worldclass urban university. The institute will be located on UMKC’s Hospital Hill campus, near the Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Health Studies and Pharmacy.

The research institute will involve these schools, as well as the UMKC Schools of Computing and Engineering, Biological Sciences and the departments within social sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences.

UMKC’s developments in medicine and health sciences are widely recognized as some of the best in the world. The university has made significant progress in the evolving science of personalized medicine. UMKC has global experts in bioinformatics, a combination of computer science and biology used to organize and store information discovered in research.

“I think UMKC is a place where people strive for excellence and innovation, so the fact that we will be involved in the medical research institute is great,” pharmacy student Giovanni Brown said. “With the knowledge base and resources that UMKC has to offer, we will be able to improve the quality of health care and living for the citizens of Kansas City.”

Chancellor Leo Morton acknowledges the listless opportunites presented by partnership with area medical institutions.

University Communications Chancellor Leo E. Morton released operation. The institute will attract “The funding from the proposed a list of frequently asked questions patients and their families to Kansas sales tax would be transformational about the research institute along City, which will further develop the for Jackson County because healthier with the email announcement Aug. 8. community’s economy. communities are more economically “At UMKC, we have a particular successful,” Drees said. “UMKC’s The document explained the impact the institute would have on the focus on illnesses that affect children clinical faculty practice at the and the elderly, and that often have a best hospitals in the urban core of economy in Jackson County.

According to the Healthcare Metro disproportionate effect on minority Kansas City — Children’s Mercy Monitor Supplement Report from populations,” Morton said. “These Hospital, Saint Luke’s Hospital, July 2013, healthcare accounted for chronic illnesses take lives, cause Truman Medical Centers, Center for 13 percent of job growth in major human suffering and are extremely Behavioral Medicine, Kansas City metro areas across the country. In its expensive to treat. They include heart Veterans Affairs Medical Center first year of operation, the research disease, asthma, diabetes, glaucoma, and Research Medical Center. And institute is expected to generate osteoporosis, obesity and addiction.”. our affiliations with these hospitals With the development of the position us well to advance the hundreds of jobs and more than $30 research institute, cures and health of our community through million dollars in economic output.

The institute is expected to attract treatments for these diseases can research that translates knowledge nine world-class investigators and be applied faster, and the health of to practice.”. have 237 jobs by its 10th year of Kansas City residents can improve. kbaxendale@unews.com

New master’s program promotes diversity

Hope Austin Contributing Writer

A new online master’s degree program seeks to help educators embrace diversity in the classroom.

The degree program, a master’s in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership with an emphasis on multicultural education, is offered by the School of Education.

The 30-credit-hour program aims to attract educators interested in working with students from a myriad of different backgrounds, as the general population begins to become more diverse. The program is not limited to prospective educators.

People in other professions are encouraged to consider this program as well.

The Princeton Review adds UMKC to Best Regional Colleges list Janet Schaaf

Copy Editor

UMKC was recently recognized

by The Princeton Review as one of the “2014 Best Colleges: Region by Region.”

Of the 644 colleges chosen in the rankings, UMKC was one of 155 colleges in the Midwest Region which includes Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Colleges are chosen for recognition based on academic excellence and student experience.

UMKC was chosen in part due to its six-year BA andMD medical program, which fast-tracks top performing students to a medical degree, and its innovative business programs such as the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation with its mission to “nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in students across every discipline.”

According to The Princeton Review website, student surveys are an important part of the ranking process and are done at least once every three years at participating colleges. More than 80 survey questions cover information in

four areas: “About Yourself,” “Your School’s Academics/Administration,” “Students” and “Life at Your School.”

Cindy Pemberton, deputy provost for Academic Affairs said, “The Princeton Review uses over 30 data points that include information on academic programs, costs, and financial aid.”

With a population boom to 20,000 students by 2020 on UMKC’s wish list, the ranking comes at an excellent time.

“We try to excel in all aspects of delivering service and quality programming for our students, so when these types of recognitions come along, it’s obviously nice and people can use that as one part of their information processing about different types of institutions,” Pemberton said “We will identify that [The Princeton Review’s ranking] in our communications that go out as one potential indicator.”

The Princeton Review is a privately held company known for its test preparation programs and college ranking lists. Schools are never charged a fee to be included in the rankings. jschaaf@unews.com

“The attrition rate for new teachers – those in their first five years of teaching – is nearly 50 percent in urban schools,” said Wanda J. Blanchett, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education and Ewing Marion Kauffman/Missouri Endowed chair for teacher education. “This online degree specifically targets two of the cited reasons for the high rate of

attrition: preparation and mentoring support.”

Students in this program also have the option of choosing a focus in Cultural Diversity, Urban Teaching, or Working with Limited English Proficient Learners.

Courses for this program include Teaching Diverse Populations in Today’s Classrooms, Multicultural

Perspectives in Education, and teaching for equity and Social Justice.

The program can be completed in one and one half years. Prospective students are not required to take the GRE or submit letters of recommendation. haustin@unews.com

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

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Freshmen Handbook Street and is worth the visit. Hours Andrew Graff are Wednesday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Distribution Manager Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Kansas City may not seem like Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; and Sunday, a typical college town, but the city Noon–5 p.m. has much to offer those new to the Sahara - A gem of a Mediterranean area. Other than the obvious bars restaurant right behind Pizza 51 and clubs, there are many local will delight one’s palette. When the hangouts swarming with students. routine of Ramen noodles and Easy After getting settled into the UMKC Mac gets old, walk over to Sahara and rhythm, here are a few places worth enjoy freshly made hummus, lentil the visit. soup and falafel plates. Sahara offers exotic cuisine at affordable prices.

Around Campus: Sinbad’s Café and Hookah Lounge Loose Park - Located at 51st Street - Located at 39th and Broadway, and Wornall, Loose Park is home to Sinbad’s is a great place to relax a lake, Civil War monuments, tennis and enjoy unique shisha flavors courts, picnic areas and an award- in hookahs. Hookah bars are an winning rose garden. Students can excellent alternative for those under be seen jogging along the trail or age 21. The owner will often perform studying under one of the many trees. live Arabic music to complement the There is a drum circle every Monday atmosphere. night as well.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art A bit further from Home to neoclassical architecture campus: and an extensive collection of 39th Street- Only slightly less Asian art, this staple of the Kansas known than The Plaza for shopping, City art community is free to the 39th street offers a wide array of general public. The Nelson-Atkins shopping and food choices. For Museum is located at 4525 Oak those interested in biking, check out

the Roanoke Park trails. The trail contains more than three miles of winding trails to discover.

Midland Theatre- Located in the heart of the Power and Light District, the Midland is a strikingly beautiful theatre. With the Power and Light District just around the corner, it’s easy to catch a concert then explore the center of downtown.

“Enroll in classes that are personally interesting to you”- Emmett Starkey, senior, Jazz Studies.

“Embed yourself within the UMKC Community. The more friendships you have with peers and faculty, the more development you will have over time. This means you’ll end up realizing opportunities for unique partnerships/research/academic and career advancement that will keep you on track to be successful!” - Amy Johnson, senior biology major.

It may seem hard to find non-chain restaurants located around the city, but there are several hidden treasures minutes away from campus.

Mario’s in Westport- Mario’s is a casual Italian diner that is famous for their grinders (sandwiches) and

meatballs. Everything on the menu is under $10 and tastes delicious.

Located at 36 Railroad, the restaurant is open until 10 p.m. throughout the week and 11 p.m. weekends.

YJ’s Snack Bar - Although slightly farther from campus, this Kansas City restaurant is worth the drive. YJ’s offers a different meal every night and is open 24 hours on the weekends.

They are located in the Crossroads District at 128 West 18th Street.

D’bronx - Located on 39th street, D’bronx offers a wide selection of food, but this restaurant is famous for its pizza. The chicken parmesan sandwich is a restaurant must-have, but there is a large menu to choose from.

Stay safe –

While Kansas City is a great city, it is important to always be aware of one’s surroundings. It is also important to remember to travel in groups, particularly at night. A group would be considered three or more people.

The UMKC Police have taken important steps to ensure students’

Get Your Pizza Fix

continues to provide some of the best Jordan Strange tasting pizza many students have Marketing Manager ever had the pleasure of eating. The Kansas City isn’t exactly known South Plaza location at 51st and Main for being a pizza town, but there are Street was rated by Zagat as one of still a few rare treasures sprinkled the “Ultimate 23 Pizza Joints” in throughout the area to consider the country, a well-deserved title for when needing a pepperoni fix. The this wonderful gourmet restaurant. following is a list of the top-five best Minsky’s is open for delivery until pizza establishments that also deliver 10 p.m. weekdays and 11 p.m. on the to campus. weekends. #1 Minsky’s Pizza – No surprise #2 Waldo Pizza – Serving up here. Minsky’s Pizza has been a hardy slices of gooey, stringy Kansas City classic since 1976 and goodness, Waldo Pizza makes it into

the number two spot. Not quite as close to campus as other places, but it’s worth the delivery fee. Students can expect a generous amount of topping options to choose from when ordering from this Kansas City gourmet pizza restaurant. Waldo Pizza, located at 75th and Wornall, also has gluten-free and vegan options and will deliver until 10 p.m. weekdays and 11 p.m. weekends. #3 Pizza 51 – Delivery may not apply to this next favorite considering they neighbor the campus at 51st and Oak,

safety on campus. Throughout both the Volker campus and Hospital Hill, students will find a total of 67 blue light emergency telephone poles, which are a direct line to the UMKC Police. Once the button is pushed, the location of the caller is transmitted to the police. If someone is in danger and is unable to speak into the telephone, the police will still dispatch someone to assess the situation.

“Some people are scared to use them because they think a siren will go off,” Crime Prevention Officer Patrick Tedesco said. “They won’t make any noise, but the light at the top of the pole will flash.”

In addition to awareness of the blue boxes, Tedesco suggests everyone at the University program the UMKC Police number into their cells. Call 816-235-1515 to contact the UMKCPD. For emergencies, always dial 911.

UMKC police department also offers a free officer escort to vehicles or residence halls to students who feel unsafe while on campus. agraff@unews.com

Photos by U-News Broadcast Team

but this is one pizza place worth the trek. Providing a convenient place for college students to grab food in between classes, Pizza 51 is one of the only restaurants that serve pizza by the slice. #4 Imo’s – This St. Louis pizza restaurant is always a safe bet when craving a thin crust pizza in a hurry.

Hidden in Westport, Imo’s delivers to a large number of locations, which means toasted raviolis are available almost anywhere. The Wesport location is currently closed for

maintenance, but in the mean time, several other nearby locations are available for delivery. #5 Sarpino’s Pizzeria – Open until 4 a.m. on weekends, Sarpino’s is a great option for late night study breaks. The menu contains sandwiches and salads, in addition to their signature crust and gourmet cheese blend. Located on Westport Road, this pizza joint will even deliver to Hospital Hill. jstrange@unews.com

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

7

Options for textbook savings abound Ericka Chatman

Staff Writer

Students spend hundreds of dollars per semester on textbooks without getting a fraction of that money back during book buyback. Here are some tips to help save money on textbooks: 1.

Wait to purchase textbooks until after classes start.

Purchase textbooks after classes start to find out if the textbook is needed. Some instructors recommend or suggest textbooks but many of those textbooks are not required material and will not be used.

2. Purchase the previous edition.

Purchasing the previous edition could save the student as much as 75 percent of the newest versions price.

Before purchasing a previous edition, check with instructors to make sure the material hasn’t changed by much. Usually, small changes are made or an extra chapter is added.

To make up for the missed material, ask a classmate to copy the chapter.

Images can be scanned and emailed at Miller Nichols Library for free.

3.

Check out books from the public library.

A variety of English and literature courses require novels as course material. The books can be checked out for free from the Kansas City

Public Library. If the library doesn’t have the book on its shelves, it can be requested from another library. The book can also easily be rechecked online, if needed for longer than the original time requested. Residents of Missouri and Kansas are eligible for a free library card. The Kansas City Public Library Plaza Branch is located close to campus at 4801 Main St. 4.

Shop for textbooks at used bookstores.

Shave the cost of textbooks by shopping online at a used bookstore or shopping your local used book store. Those stores usually have textbooks for a fraction of the price of the university bookstore. One local half-priced bookstore is located at 1002 Westport Rd. 5. Rent textbooks. There are numerous options available to rent textbooks. Here are a few: a. UMKC Textbook Rental: UMKC offers textbook rental on certain books. The textbooks can be rented for 126 days and must be returned the last day of finals or an extra fee will be added. Prices vary.

Renting from UMKC can save up to 50 percent. Some books may have restrictions, such as no highlighting, and other terms and conditions may apply.

Greek organizations ready to welcome new members Jordan Strange Marketing Manager Late Night with the Greeks marks the beginning of another fall recruitment as UMKC rings in 61 years of Greek life. Fraternities and sororities across campus are preparing for this year’s formal recruitment and rush week, which will be held Aug. 19-25 and will host a variety of fraternity-sponsored social events that are open to all students interested in joining a Greek organization, as well as Panhellenic recruitment. Each of the five Interfraternity Council fraternities have been given an individual day reserved for their primary rush event, which starts with Sigma Phi Epsilon on Monday Aug. 19, followed by Beta Theta Pi on Tuesday Aug. 20, Sigma Alpha Epsilon on Wednesday Aug. 21, Lambda Chi Alpha on Thursday Aug. 22 and Lambda Theta Phi on Friday Aug. 23.

Panhellenic Recruitment Orientation will take place in the Student Union Theater on Wednesday Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. Round one of Panhellenic Recruitment will be Friday Aug. 23 from 4-11p.m. and Round 2 will be Saturday, Aug. 24 from 10a.m.-10p.m, and both will be held in the Student Union.

Panhellenic Recruitment Preference will be on Sunday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., also in the Student Union, and Panhellenic Bid Day will immediately follow at 7:30 p.m. An official Interfraternity Council Bid Day will be held Saturday, although bids can be given before this date. All students are encouraged to explore the option of joining one of the 16 fraternity or sorority chapters established at UMKC. jstrange@unews.com

b. Amazon.com Textbook Rental: Amazon.com offers textbook rental on a variety of textbooks.

With Amazon textbook rental, college students receive free twoday shipping if the student is a member of “Amazon Prime,” which is free for the first six months. The student can choose a specific time frame of rental and extend the dates if needed for an extra fee. If the book is returned earlier, the student will be reimbursed for the dates not used.

Students can save up to 70 percent renting from Amazon.com c. Campus Books Rentals: Campus Books Rentals offers free shipping both ways, flexible renting periods, students can highlight the textbooks and for each textbook rented, a donation to Operation Smile is made. Students can save between 40-80 percent on textbooks renting from Campus Books Rentals. The company also has a program called “Rent Back” which allows students to make money by renting their old books to other students. For more information about ”Rent Back,” visit rentback.com.

For specific savings tips, email echatman@unews.com. echatman@unews.com

Students search for alternatives to purchasing books from the UMKC bookstore.

Photos by Roze Brooks

Senior shares sorority secrets Erin Melrose

Beat Writer

With the upcoming rush week quickly approaching, senior Lindsey Howard offered some insight into the exclusive Greek community with tips and advice on how to successfully rush for a particular fraternity or sorority.

“Joining a sorority is making a commitment for a lifetime and having friends for a lifetime, so make sure you think about that when making your choice,” Howard said.

Recruitment is often a wildly daunting week for students because there are so many specific elements pertaining to each house. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were someone to calm your nerves and actually excite you for the not-so-intimidating week ahead?

“You can really talk about whatever you want. Having questions about Greek life really helps, i.e. philanthropies, leisurely actives etc.,” said Howard, who encourages limiting what information about yourself is censored because in the end, being compatible with a chapter of interest is ideal. She highly suggested Greek life hopefuls avoid

bringing up alcohol and fraternities, as those subjects have no impact on chances of acceptance.

Like any job, club or organization it’s important to do your research. No one wants to be the person caught in a sticky awkward silence.

“Going back I would have thought up about five questions to ask each person as a backup,” Howard said.

It doesn’t have to mean making a notecard and using it as reference but a safety net never hurt anyone.

Dress for success! Again, like most professionals in competition it is important to remember your audience. Treat recruitment as an interview.

“Basically, you should dress in business casual for the most part,” Howard said. “Each day you should get a little more dressy, with Sunday being the most dressed up.”

Howard reminds recruits to be careful not to confuse dressing up with going out attire.

After all the technicalities are addressed, it is most important to remember that recruitment is ultimately an incredible experience.

“Greek life has had such an

amazing impact on my life and really helped me grow as a person,” Howard said …”I have learned to be a successful leader and manage my time. It is actually really fun and you meet many different girls!”

If one thing is certain, it is that recruitment week is not nearly as scary as it may seem. It is an excellent opportunity to be yourself and celebrate the qualities you can offer to the Greek community.

“I love having sisterhoods where we just watch movies and eat snacks, but I also really enjoy raising money for our philanthropy and helping other sororities and fraternities with theirs,” Howard said.

There is no secret equation for each chapter; it’s a simple matter of finding your niche and embracing a community that continues to produce lifelong leaders and friends. emelrose@unews.com

Expectations Differ for Rush Versus Recruitment in the Greek Organizations new members to know what is Jordan Strange expected. It prevents [sororities] Marketing Manager from spending too much money and Students who have previously time and anxiety trying to go way experienced the Greek recruitment beyond. Rush for guys is more laid process have differing views of the back, which works for them,” Black experience. All agree, however, that said. “I think there are a lot more fraternities and sororities differ when freshman boys who are much more it comes to rush and recruitment. likely to be convinced to go to a BBQ While fraternities are less formal, and meet some people than they sororities take an extremely formal would be to join in on something like approach to their events. the production that recruitment is.”

Past Executive Officer Emalea Black Brittany Thomas, former Delta of Alpha Delta Pi sorority believes Zeta said, “I’m actually very jealous this all lies in the expectations. of how the fraternities do it.”

“I think recruitment is more formal Although fraternity rush has fewer primarily due to the fact that it helps rules and guidelines, several current sorority members and potential members are displeased with the

system.

“There cannot be an ‘in between’ when it comes to the fraternities,” said Tyler Marcellan , an active member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. “We either need to have more freedom when it comes to our rush events or we need to have a recruitment as organized as the sororities do.”

Alumnus Ryan Monahan also believes the current system should be changed.

“Rules weren’t really followed for fraternity rush and there were not penalties for people who broke the rules,” Monahan said. “Sorority recruitment was more organized and

better planned. It also seems more fair.”

The Fraternity and Sorority Affairs office and their contributing team have goals to increase the percentage of UMKC students in Greek organizations from slightly fewer than 5 percent of the student population to a full 8 percent in the next five years, according to Shelby Coxon, assistant director in the Office of Student Involvement.

More information about fraternities and sororities can be found on the Office of Student Involvement webpage or on the RooGroups website. jstrange@unews.com

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

8

HIGHLIGHTS FROM CONVOCATION AND UNIONFEST

Top Left: Vice Chancellor Mel Tyler addresses eager incoming students.

Top Right: Students hand out planners in the Student Union.

Middle: Students learn of organizations and clubs at Unionfest.

Bottem Left: Student Union abuzz with start of semester excitement.

Bottom Right: Dressed in matching shirts, students imagine their futures at UMKC. Photos by Sashi Nekkanti

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

11

Come to the ‘Picnic’

Kansas City Actors Theatre Celebrates William Inge’s 100th Birth Anniversary with Production Lindsay Adams Senior Beat Writer

The Kansas City Actors Theatre production of “Picnic” sizzles for another week at the City Stage in Union Station. This show is not one to miss. The story is a classic, made fresh by the astonishing acting and direction. ”Picnic” tells the story of a pivotal

unfulfilled women who live in the town, and passion and heartbreak ensue.

The leads of the show were convincing in their roles and breathe life into the romance.

Phillip Shinn is all too real as the overcompensating, self-loathing drifter, Hal. He creates quite the stir among the “nice ladies” of the play,

Actors Chris Roady and Phillip Shinn in the Kansas City Actors Theatre production of “Picnic: Photo by Brian Paulette day in a small Kansas town. It is the day of a large picnic, which coincides with the day a drifter strolls into town and is hired to do some odd jobs for one of the inhabitants. He causes a stir among the mostly lonely and

as he struts around, shirtless and completely comfortable in his own animal physicality. Certainly more than just the handsome face and body that are the requirements for Hal, Shinn brings enthralling storytelling

abilities and a cocksure swagger, but adds chinks that allow glimpses into the broken shell beneath.

Emily Peterson does a good job with Madge, an impulsive and beautiful, yet somewhat enigmatic character. Her chemistry with Shinn is powerful and she is able to show a wide range of emotion.

The show also features a wonderful supporting cast. Melinda McCrary is absolutely magnificent as Flo, the supportive but occasionally misguided and overbearing mother of Madge and Millie. She understands the realities of the world far too well.

Alisa Lynn plays a delightful Millie, a girl on the cusp of womanhood, afraid of the rules and responsibilities it entails, but yearning for the maturity and possibilities it offers.

Kathleen Warfel as Mrs. Helen Potts brings realism and humanity to a role that can easily become, in the hands of a less talented actress, the staple dotty old maid character that doesn’t exist in real life.

Chris Roady as Madge’s beau, Alan, presents a nicely understated performance. He is meant to serve as the antithesis of Hal, and Roady fulfills his purpose without making the character seem completely weak.

His realization of his own blindness when it came to his and Madge’s relationship is a wonderful moment in the play.

Rosemary, played by Jen Mays, is a difficult character, one who is grating and unlikable in many ways, but one who has been soured by the society in which she has been placed, one who

values beauty and youth over all else.

Her fragile persona takes hardly any time to break once she has to face Hal and Madges’ youth and beauty, and their burgeoning spark. Mays’ physicality and delivery perfectly expresses the character, and she makes Rosemary’s slow breakdown heartwrenching.

David Fritts as Howard, Rosemary’s erstwhile courter, is amiable and disarming. His character raises some uncomfortable issues in the show, from telling Hal he can help him find a hooker to staring at Madge through her window.

This objectifying of Madge by those she is surrounded by, Hal included, is a focal point of the show. The ultimately tragedy is that Hal never sees her as much more. She is merely the first nice lady that will have him and allow him to have her. She is the establishment that will accept him and allows him to lose his inferiority complex for a moment.

This show is so well produced and directed that it also can sell the a story whose ending is not really happy, although it can appear so. This show makes the audience willing to watch what is essentially the story of two aimless pretty people falling in lust and tearing apart the town in the process.

Much credit is due to Mark Robbins’ deft hand at directing. The moments between Madge and her mother are beautifully acted and staged, most notable an early scene in the first act, with the languid pacing befitting an awkward conversation

on a hot summer day. “Picnic” can come off as a nostalgic photo of Americana, that is both distant and unreal, but Robbins makes the show connect with the audience as they recognize the universal truths of the characters and plot.

The set is sparse, but detailed.

The houses are made of wrought iron bars, see-through for the most part, but for the iron framing. This decision underscores the way many of the characters live imprisoned by fear of societal repercussions and the visibility of living in such a small town. Yet, the presentational set includes realistic, lifelike elements, such as the grassy floor treatment, a realistic bike and wheelbarrow and Lovely period costumes with wonderful details from the jewelry the women sport to the little kid gloves and hairclips. The designer adds a more contemporary feel with Hal’s jeans which are torn almost so high as to be indecent, but not quite.

There is some wonderful sound work with a constant stream of crickets chirping and outdoor noises that one takes for granted in real life but add dimension to stage action.

The lighting design neatly and subtly shifts as the day rolls along, starting in the morning before the picnic and ending in the morning the next day.

“Picnic” runs through the end of the week. More information can be found at http://www.kcactors.org/ and tickets can be ordered through the site or the Central Ticket Office at 816-235-6222. ladams@unews.com

Student Profile: Tyler Wilson

I’m sure you can come up with something clever Lindsay Adams Senior Beat Writer Tyler Wilson is a second year MFA student in Costume design whose costumes can be seen in the production of Picnic produced by Kansas City Actors Theatre. Picnic is his first professional show. He will be following his work up with the UMKC graduate production of 7 Guitars by August Wilson.

Wilson was familiar with the show, having read it and seen a production of it in his undergraduate years, but he had never worked on it before.

When asked about his thoughts on the play, before starting to work on the constumes, Wilson replied, “I always thought it was ahead of its time in a lot of ways. It’s much more effective seeing onstage than reading it in a lot of ways. There are a lot of things in the script that we really

Costume designs by Tyler Wilson.

Photo by Lindsay Adams

don’t appreciate til we see them in characters in picnic to costume is the context of the 1950’s, a lot of the Hal, mostly because he wears so little sexuality, the silbling rivalry.” clothe during the show.

Wilson had a lot to say about his “Because he’s so minimal there experience at UMKC, thus far. are a lot of wring steps a person can “It’s really exciting as a young take,” said Wilson. designer to be in an academic setting Wilson spent most of his time, where you can start to explore, not when it came to Hal, simply looking only the famous designers but the for his boots, which are mentioned ones you’re working side by side many times in the play and have role with,” said Wilson Wilson describes the other student in the program as a constant support system and sounding board. They look after their fellow students.

“It’s important to be in a situation where it’s okay to make mistakes,” said Wilson, “We are encouraged to fail spectacularly. If we are going to try something go all out.”

He calls Joan Miró one of his recent art inspirations.

“He has a lot of really cool linear images,” Tyler said. Many of which were incorporated into women’s dress pattern in the 50’s, when the show is set.

“With this production you are so lucky to be so close to the source with him being from Independence,” Wilson said, referring to the fact that William Inge, who wrote Picnic, Costume design by Tyler Wilson. was from Kansas. Wilson called the closeness a, “huge resource.”

Photo by Lindsay Adams “I started off the research process with a lot of driving around the in the story. smaller areas in Kansas and looking at “I found the perfect pair for a different antiques stores and vintage great price and they were a size stores,” Wilson explained, “I worked too big,” said Wilson, “So I played pretty much exclusively with the with different insoles and different women with vintage pieces. ” bootsocks and we made it work, and One of the most challenging [Shinn] was a trouper through all of

that. “ The rip that happens to Hal’s shirt onstage was also extremely challenging. Wilson played with different snaps to try to make it work, but the shirt ended up being hand basted every night.

There was a lot of wonderful accessory work in the show, and when asked Wilson explained that much of it was collaboration.

“A lot of actresses had a certain ring or a certain necklace or a certain piece that was their grandmothers or their mothers that they were excited to share,” Wilson said, “When you have these certain artifacts that have been passed down, I think it adds a lot of value to the costume.”

Wilson’s favorite character and color story in the show is Madge, who he believes has the greatest story to tell and shirt in her clothing. She starts out in a very traditional 50’s pastel dress, but Wilson explains, Tyler Wilson designs costumes as an “She ends the show, like many of the MFA student. characters do in a pale blue, white, Photo by Lindsay Adams brown an homage to the grounded design class. moment before sunrise feel that It was then he realized that Kansas has.” costume design was his calling.

Wilson comes from a family of “I made the connection that artists with a mother who makes costume design is so much character jewelry and a father who was a design,” said Tyler, “You are doing ceramics instructor. When he was more than putting clothes on younger he wanted to be a Disney them. You hare making the visual animator appearance of the character. You are “I think when I got into college I portraying to an audience what you was planning on doing art education, believe that character is.” and I missed a deadline or something ladams@unews.com and ended up doing theatre education,” Tyler said, “And it was there that I took my first costume

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

12

Reviews

Magf*ckingnificent is fanf*ckingtastic

The Cure cover band plays recordBar, brings back nostalgia

Chloe Robbins-Anderson The Robert Smith of the group, stage. “The Cure in Orange,” while Byron Huhmann, was no lookalike, being at the height of The Cure’s Copy Editor but the second he began the sound popularity, contains very few of the For those looking to relive The check, “Just Like Heaven,” it was band’s hits, so this set brought out Cure at the height of their popularity, obvious he deserved his place on only the hard-core fans. Many danced look no further than “The Cure in Orange” – but for those wanting to get the live experience in Kansas City, Magfuckingnificent has you covered.

The cover band played The Cure’s most famous live set in its entirety on Friday night at the recordBar, and Cure fans were not disappointed.

The crowd that night was incredibly mixed: there were four cowboy hats roaming the space and glowsticks at one table, plus members from at least three bands were there to support this longrunning band. Magf*ckingnificent set the mood right, with roses at the front of the stage and a fog machine started in advance of their set. The control for the latter was passed a couple of times throughout the night into the crowd. The tambourine was Magf*ckingnificent uses fog machines during live performances to se the also passed around, only making its ambiance.

Photo by Chloe Robbins-Anderson way to the stage for occasional songs.

in front of the stage, plucking roses for themselves, from the beginning, but by the middle of the set, the whole room was moving.

“It’s a celebration of music we love,” said Krysztof Nemeth, guitarist and keyboardist. “It’s music I love and grew up with.”

Guitarist and bassist Mike Alexander explained that the group began as a duo with Huhmann almost 10 years ago, and expanded from there.

“It really started an excuse to see how many controlled substances we could handle,” Alexander said.

Since then, it’s been a revolving door of band members, which, he said, is a good experience. All of the musicians have been playing music in Kansas City for so long, it’s a community now. Other band members also play in The Latenight Callers, Knife Crime, Red Kate, Hipshot Killer and, formerly, Hidden Pictures.

Originally, the band would play sets of songs from throughout The

Cure’s repertoire, but Alexander said it was Huhmann’s idea to do specific records as sets. “The Cure in Orange” was especially popular when it came out in 1987, so it was only natural to get to that one.

“It’s a tribute band, so we have to do something for the fans,” Alexander said.

After the set, the band played “Pictures of You” and “Just Like Heaven,” some of The Cure’s most recognizable tunes. Everyone danced with each other and sang along until the end, when Huhmann thanked everyone and said they were done.

“It’s actually liberating because no one’s really listening to hear what it is because everyone already knows,” Nemeth said.

Magf*ckingnificent does not have anything definite in the works yet, but Alexander is hoping to kick something off around New Year’s Eve, which will be the band’s 10-year anniversary. crobbins@unews.com

Little Green Cars proves interesting addition to indie genre Lindsay Nelson Broadcast Assistant

To avid listeners of 96.5 The Buzz, the band name Little Green Cars may ring a few bells.

Little Green Cars is classified interchangeably as an indie rock or a folk rock band. Originating in Dublin, Ireland, Little Green Cars has aired on the radio since 2008, primarily in the UK and Ireland. The group has only recently gained traction in the United States, and can frequently be heard on the local radio station, 96.5 The Buzz.

Similar to bands like Of Monsters

and Men and Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, Little Green Cars distinguishes itself with two head vocalists, which include Stevie Appleby and his counterpart, Faye O’Rourke. Appleby’s voice is reminiscent of Ben Gibbard’s, the front man of Death Cab for Cutie.

O’Rourke’s perfect alto voice is best described as a cross between Florence of Florence and the Machine and Adele.

The single Little Green Cars released earlier this summer is called “Harper Lee.” The track references “To Kill a Mockingbird,” but only

with one line. The song is not actually about Harper Lee’s book. It has all the elements of a popular indie song — the harmonies, the instrumental bridge and an intro that builds into the actual pace of the song. This band is definitely set apart from what all the other indie bands’ listeners have already come to love.

Little Green Cars distinguishes itself within the indie genre with its upcoming single “My Love took Me Down to the River to Silence Me.” The song opens with Appleby and the others “chanting” the song title, which is well-executed. The

brilliance, however, commences in the opening line as O’Rourke slays the first verse. With the contrasts of pace and crescendos and decrescendos and near-acoustic moments, the song is addictive.

Keep an ear out for some other titles by Little Green Cars, such as “Big Red Dragon,” “The John Wayne” and “Please.” The band’s album “Absolute Zero” will be released Aug. 19. Download it on iTunes, add it on Spotify or purchase a hard copy. The album is worth the price.

lnelson@unews.com

Photo courtesy of http:// littlegreencars.co.uk/

UMKC presents: Fuddy Meers

Students bring chaos and comedy to the stage with new production Joey Hill

Senior Beat Writer

In this day and age, amnesia as a plot tool can almost be seen as a cop out or a joke, but in UMKC’s University Theater Association’s fantastic performance of “Fuddy Meers,” the technique can be genius on both a comedic and dramatic level.

The plot of “Fuddy Meers” begins rather interestingly in the bed of the heroine, Claire. Claire suffers from a type of amnesia where when she awakens each morning, she cannot remember anything pertaining to her life before, nor anything she did the day before. Brilliantly acted, this character is a perfect anchor for the audience, as she only knows as much as they do. By the beginning it’s made clear that Claire is married to a relatively caring man named Richard and has an interestingly angst-ridden, drug-addled teenage son, Kenny. It’s only after this scene that the play begins to fall into a sort of chaotic downward spiral.

While reading a book made for her by Richard that explains who she is and how to start her day, a mysterious limping man in a ski mask appears from beneath her bed and convinces Claire to leave the

house with him under accusations that Richard intends to kill her.

It is at this point that the amnesia appears as the perfect storytelling tool as Claire begins to follow further and further into a mass of contradictions and fabricated existences all built by those around her. The hallmark of this play lies in dialogue that, while expertly written by David LindsayAbaire, is brought to its full potential when delivered by the actors. As the questions begin to pile up for both the audience and Claire, there come moments of jarring juxtaposition between heartfelt remembrances of men walking groups of dogs and their comparison to the universe and the abrupt interruption of a foulmouthed tiger hand puppet.

Moments like these help convey the gradual shattering of what appeared to be a relatively understandable and predictable storyline, but when female police officers are kidnapped and teenagers threaten to shoot themselves in the mouth only to be met with the response, “Don’t drool on my piece nimrod!” the narrative begins to take on a sort of cartoonish insanity, eventually almost becoming so out of control that the narrative is be lost completely. It’s at these

The confusion quickly boils over into complete chaos in the UTA’s production of ‘Fuddy Meers’”.

Photo by Joey Hill moments that the skills of the cast characters, all leading to an ending appear most in their ability to show which is almost unrecognizable to the strain and stress which these either a happy or a sad ending. antics and confusion are taking on the “Fuddy Meers” is an incredibly

fantastic play, taking common narratives and making them fresh and vibrant, thanks to the remarkable talents of the UMKC United Theatre Association. jhill@unews.com

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

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Around the world in Swope Park

Ethnic festival showcases cultural diversity in Kansas City

Marlee Newman

Staff Writer

The Kansas City Ethnic Enrichment Festival, also known as the “Taste the World” Festival, gathered for its 34th annual celebration August 16th through August 18th in Swope Park. The history behind the festival began with the creation of the Ethnic Heritage committee which was formed in 1976 by Charles B. Wheeler, former Kansas City mayor. The mission was to highlight the growing presence of cultural diversity within the city and to embrace and recognize the contributions that various ethnicities give to Kansas City. What began as a group of people dedicated to embracing change and diversity has now transformed into one of the most anticipated end of the summer events in the city.

According to attendees and participants, the festival becomes larger each year. The amount of country-oriented food booths, a signature of the festival, is the most prominent sign of the increased popularity. This year, the cuisine of 53 different countries could be smelled wafting through the air at any given

time which is a significant change from last summer, when about 40 countries were represented.

The festival kicked off on Friday night with acts by folk dancers from countries such as Samoa, Japan, Greece and Ecuador and ended with an instrumental performance by the E Saan Spirit group from Thailand.

On Saturday, the fun began earlier in the evening, giving way to the performances that occurred every half hour as well as the annual presentation of the scholarship award and the much anticipated Parade of Flags.

With an array of food booths that circle around Swope Park, it’s easy to satisfy an empty stomach or a craving to try a new cuisine. These booths, that often offer the chance to view and purchase the native arts and crafts of each country as well, serve as a great representation and reminder of how Kansas City has become a unique cultural gem within the Midwest.

Saturday focused on the distinctive forms of entertainment that are present within every culture. The arena for the entertain is an outdoor stage, which can be easily viewed by

all and is set up in the midst of the booths. A sense of community arises from this set up, because, although the venue has an indoor/outdoor feel due to the pavilion-style roof, the seating remains close together and creates an authentic festival feel, giving the chance to enjoy the experience closely with all.

The stage hosted an array of different performances, from Colombian salsa acts to tribal dancers from Ethiopia to bagpipe players representing the hills of Scotland. Most striking was the “hour of China”, which included historical dances from different parts of the continent as well as ancient warrior techniques, such as Kung Fu and Tai Chi demonstrations.

The main attraction during the “hour of China” were the Jasmine Chinese dancers, part of a dance academy located in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Most of the performers ranged from elementary-aged to teens. This added entertainment value as amazement grew in reaction to the complicated dance moves, gymnastic feats and precision movement with props that were displayed throughout the recitals. The obvious dedication to learning these traditional dances

Kansas Citians celebrate diversity in Swope Park. broke through all of the performances and served as a reminder about the importance of the preservation of culture. Watching the dancers and taking in the history behind the songs and movements, it was easy to realize that the original goal of the Ethnic Heritage committee that included keeping the spirit of all nations alive

Photo by Marlee Newman and sharing the arts and values with others had been realized in 2013 and remained a prominent fixture throughout all aspects of the festival. mnewman@unews.com

INTERNATIONAL CALLING APPS

Prannoy Kiran Contributing Writer

For international students, talking to friends and family back home may be difficult and cause a serious disconnect. Thanks to several apps, available on both the iPhone and Android markets, communicating internationally is easier than ever. pkiran@unews.com

Vonage – Multipleoption calling app

Vonage was initially introduced as a landline service, but later developed an app to make the mobile user’s life easier for the changing market. They offer international and domestic calls at reasonable rates.

Functionality

Functionality

This app allows users to set up international calls by using the phone’s internet connection. This works on any smartphone with WiFi, 3G or 4G internet connection.

This app offers some of the cheapest calling rates.

The Vonage mobile app allows mobile users to send international text messages and place calls (voice and video) at cheaper rates. The service offers free calls within the country if the same app is on the other handset. This works over Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G. This offers comparatively lower rates than other applications.

Features

This app has a feature to automatically sync the contacts from a mobile phone and display the call rate for every respective contact. Vonage transfers the call by setting up the actual mobile number as the Vonage number. This has an extra feature of using the minutes of service in case of any disrupted internet connection.

Pros

Works great on mobile internet and Wi-Fi Good voice clarity Supports video calls Cheaper calling rates

Cons

Service could use improvement improved Video clarity can be improved

Final call

It is the best app to use internationally when accessing mobile internet and Wi-Fi connection.

Rating 4/5

Features

The user’s contacts sync with the AVT mobile contacts.. This uses the phone’s minute plan and allows the user to have complete accessibility of the phone.

Pros

Very low-cost calling rates User-friendly

Cons

Voice clarity during calls can be increased Video calling is not an available feature

Final call

Minutes count on the use of AVT mobile app.

Rating 3.25/5

AVT application screenshot

Vonage application screenshot

Graphics by Caleb-Michael Files

AVT Mobile – A way to get on with the mobile plan

AVT Mobile is a new mobile technology providing a user-friendly application to set up international calls using minutes from the mobile user’s phone plan.

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

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Disclaimer: The views of individual writers expressed below in this section do not represent the official stance of U-News. U-News welcomes participation from all UMKC students.

Letters to the editor may be submitted to Editors-in-Chief Roze Brooks and Elizabeth Golden, editor@unews.com.

UMKC, this is YOUR paper. I just make the edits Roze Brooks

Co-Editor-In-Chief

Within the pages of this issue, there are many changes. Some of them are apparent. Some of them are stealth.

If you’re returning to the confines of UMKC’s blue and yellow walls, you’ll notice the size of the newspaper has shifted. As you flip through the eco-friendly, recycled newsprint, new names of staffers are visible on each page. A new team of aspiring journalists, photographers and managers have assembled this year to bring a new and improved version of this legacy publication, and I’m humbly elated to be at the forefront of the new U-News.

Beyond the printed content, a visit to unews.com will unveil an updated, user-friendly website which we vouch to deliver exclusive content available wherever you need it. Social

media will be utilized throughout the year to capture current time photos and information through Instragram, Facebook and Twitter.

Most importantly, with the numerous physical changes comes a new energy and integrity among the new staff that will launch these ambitious decisions into a successful reality. Last year, U-News received an impressive number of awards from the Missouri College Media Association.

As a determined tag-team duo, Elizabeth and I as co-Editor-in-Chief already predict record numbers at next year’s superbowl of college newspapers.

But it’s not the awards that implicate the merit of a newspaper.

Throughout the year, I encourage the UMKC community to engage and interact with us. As the independent student voice of the University, our

mission is to report more than just accurate and informational news.

The goal, or at least my personal and steadfast goal, is to invigorate students to take initiative and actively participate in the events, organizations and the changes constantly impacting UMKC each week.

My own experiences at UMKC have garnered nothing but positivity and comfort. As a transfer student from Saint Louis Community College, I had a longer time to conjure misconceptions about university life. In the shortened amount of time I have attended UMKC, I have developed inseparable and invaluable working relationships with students, faculty and administrators. I intend to use these relationships to work towards the greater good of this University through the print news media.

I am passionate and continually pursuing training and understanding of underrepresented students such as myself. The diversity across this campus should be blatant and evenly disbursed amongst the coverage pursued by my staff. I fully support preparing students for what will await us once we leave our academic bubble.

I encourage all readers to accept my promise that U-News will serve as a tool for the most up-to-date information, but also information that may spark difficult conversations-- conversations that may bring us all out of our comfort zone. I also challenge readers to keep me to that promise.

As we launch into the year, I ask that readers embrace these changes.

I vow to be accessible and visible but also stand by decisions made by my staff, my co-Editor and myself.

Welcome to the new U-News

the staff. Instead of simply having Elizabeth Golden staff members, we now have beat Co-Editor-In-Chief writers. Each beat writer is in charge Hey everyone, of a different facet of campus life. This First off I would like to introduce way we can guarantee every aspect myself. I am a senior journalism and of campus will be covered. The days film major, but most importantly, I of U-News ignoring big events are am one of your Editors-in-Chief. I am over. If we aren’t covering something striving to produce the best paper in you feel is important, please let us the history of UMKC and reach out know. I want to be an open and to students of all ages. I’m sure you honest publication, so I am not afraid don’t want to read 500 words on of a few nasty letters to the editor. I how the U-News will be amazing, want to make sure you, as the reader, so let me tell you what we are in the are satisfied with the content in the process of doing. paper. The U-News should not be an My main goal for the year is to inclusive group that covers whatever spearhead a broadcast division. We we want. We work for you. We are have hired a Broadcast Manager your paper. Please don’t be afraid to who is going to help us expand our critique us or tell us what you think online presence. The team will work we could be doing better. on filming various aspects of campus We also have other projects in the life. works that you’ll have to wait to find We have also successfully and out about. We have hefty goals and beautifully redesigned the website. If we have an amazing staff, so I can you haven’t seen it yet, please check guarantee year will be amazing. it out. We are working on pushing online content, so not all you see Freshman Corner online will also be in print. Several Hello freshman, articles each week will be online Since you are new to campus, exclusively. you probably didn’t even read the One aspect of change you may not previous rant. That is perfectly fine notice is our change of structure for since you thankfully don’t have a

previous U-News to compare.

This first issue of the school year is directed to you, freshman. We spent a hefty number of pages discussing the ins and outs of eating and hanging out around campus. I remember being a freshman and it’s definitely not fun being the low man on the totem pole.

I started at a different school, but many of the lessons I learned can be translated to any university.

My best piece of advice for you is to go into college with an open mind. Thankfully you’ll be starting out in a school with a whole plethora of options. UMKC may seem understated compared to KU and Mizzou, but this city school has more to offer than many would think.

Our business school, law school and medical school are nationally recognized. Even though the College of Arts and Sciences is overshadowed at times, the faculty truly brings it all together. Since you have so many options to choose from, don’t limit yourself to one career path. Even if you are majoring in business, there is nothing wrong with taking a journalism class for the fun of it. You may even learn something.

Second, college really won’t be

View from the bottom

Erin Melrose Broadcast Assistant

Aug. 1 marked the last day of my two-month internship at Elizabeth Street in New York City. About an hour into my workday I was given a cliché intern task: run to the grocery store and grab champagne and ice cream. I didn’t mind these mindless errands. However, I took any chance to get out of the office and soak up my New York backdrop.

I threw in my ear buds, grabbed the company AmEx credit card and carried on to the food mart three blocks up from my office. I wasn’t given a limit or any specifications so I bought some decent bubbly and of course, the most expensive French

silk ice cream I could find. My head was certainly preoccupied with the dessert I’d planned to secretly indulge in once everyone was served.

Anxiously awaiting my sweet treat I hustled back to the office and presented my purchases to my boss.

She went to the bar located in our office and poured out five glasses of champagne and five bowls of chocolate goodness. There was only four staff members present that day.

Much to my surprise, she handed me a flute along with some ice cream.

Little did I know, the celebratory sustenance were a farewell treat for me, on my last day. Though I had just spent a solid 45 minutes out of my day running to grab my own party favors, I had never felt more on top.

Elizabeth Street is an online magazine “where stylish moms meet.” They profile successful mothers from around the world and offer advice and tips in order to achieve a fruitful family lifestyle.

Throughout the 11 weeks my main focus was editorials. I walked into the internship with the notion I’d be researching different establishments suggested by featured moms and reviewing them for readers. I was assigned around 15 projects a week ranging from restaurant to hotel to shopping recommendations in a variety of different cities. I absolutely loved it.

They say if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. I had based my entire life since I was

as great as you expect. You’ll be homesick by the first month, classes will be hard and waking up will be even harder. I’m not trying to be a pessimist, but this is a simple truth everyone should know. The truth is, it is hard to find your niche in college. It takes time, but by the end of your undergraduate career, you will remember all the good times.

The first few months may not be all parties and freedom like you expect, but eventually you will love and admire the experience.

Third, get involved in campus. Did you know the campus has more than 200 student organizations? Visit Roo Groups to find one that suits your interests. I know this may sound like a cliché statement. Everyone has been telling you to get involved since the beginning of time, but believe me, getting involved will change your entire outlook on college. Two years ago, I was an awkward commuter who only went to campus for class and didn’t have a single friend at UMKC. Now, I’m still an awkward commuter, but the newspaper saved my perspective on college. I have friends at the school. Yes, I know that is such a crazy concept. I’m also

14 years old on the notion I’d one day have a successful career and live in the city that never sleeps.

Two months flew by in front of my eyes. By the end of an incredible summer I had such a high knowing I conquered the concrete jungle.

However, I was ready to cut my losses and head back to the heartland.

It was time to revamp my entire life plan. New York and my time spent toiling in its glory molded me as an individual. It also reminded me that I am not a millionaire and will never be able to afford the dreamy lifestyle on a journalist budget. It was a tough pill to swallow, but the view from the bottom is quite nice because despite the twists and turns along the way, someone is always willing to help you

Roze Brooks The betterment of the paper is my biggest priority but this requires some assistance from the University that has already molded me into the leader I never imagined I would be. rbrooks@unews.com

Elizabeth Golden extremely well-connected, which will only be beneficial in the future.

College is more about the experience than the academics, since everyone knows that college algebra class won’t be of any benefit after you take the final, but getting involved will give you motivation leading to the best few years of your life thus far.

Hint hint, if you would like to get involved with seriously awesome people, the U-News is always hiring. egolden@unews.com

Erin Melrose see it from the top. emelrose@unews.com

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

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Summer abroad enriches educational experience Kate Baxendale

Copy Editor

This summer I learned more than I have in my 15 years of education, and I can attribute this to my study abroad experience in Spain. Many students automatically overlook the opportunity to study abroad, but it is completely within reason to include this as part of one’s college education.

Yes, studying abroad is expensive, but it is well worth the price.

I must admit that I, too, was one of these students who believed that going to school in a foreign country was out of the question. I never factored this into my four-year plan until I realized that now is the time to go. I will never be any younger or any more eager and able than I am now to take six weeks and completely immerse myself in another culture.

As my senior year of college approached, I realized I must seize the moment and make this opportunity happen for me. UMKC has a variety of study abroad programs, but I chose to study in Spain to improve my Spanish skills. There is no better way to learn a language than to surround oneself with it.

This was my first trip outside the United States. As my departure date crept closer, the nerves started kicking in. I had decided months before that I would go to Spain with a group of strangers, and I would live in a stranger’s home for one month.

The group of about 30 UMKC students began its adventure in Madrid, the capital of Spain, and we toured the southern region of

Andalucía via bus. We toured Toledo, the setting for the famous tale of Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes.

From there we saw Seville, Kansas City’s sister city. Returning to the

model on the Plaza appears so small, standing at just 130 feet. The Seville Light fountain at 47th and Broadway is spot-on as well. I smiled knowingly at the flowers hanging from the light

Photo by Kate Baxendale Country Club Plaza recently after visiting the city it mirrors was absolutely thrilling. After seeing the real deal, I am happy to report that the Plaza got it just right. La Giralda, the bell tower connected to The Cheesecake Factory, is a miniature replica of the actual tower in Seville. After climbing the original tower, which is over 300 feet tall, its

posts dividing 47th , for they are so Spanish.

The group and I traveled to Cordoba to see the great mosque, then to the beach town of Torremolinos to relax before classes began in Granada.

After two weeks of touring centuries of history and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, we all settled in to our assigned living quarters with

our new Spanish families.

Our Spanish mothers cooked our meals, cleaned our living quarters and did our laundry for us while we focused on school and took in the diverse culture in Granada.

My roommate from UMKC and I sampled the finest traditional dishes like gazpacho, a cold tomatobased soup and tortillas de patatas a quiche-like food made with egg and potatoes.

I spent 80 hours in the classroom in one month, five hours each day but only four on Fridays. We each chose courses that ranged from geography to Islamic culture in Spain. In one month I was able to complete nine credit hours for my Spanish major.

I will never forget the distinct cultures that compose the city of Granada. Its perfect blend of Muslim, Christian and Jewish faiths makes for a fascinating and rich city atmosphere.

Middle Eastern cuisine dominates the streets, with shawarma, kebobs and tea available on every corner. The dry, hot days ease into refreshing, cool nights thanks to the Sierra Nevada mountain air.

After experiencing a foreign country for the first time and living there for an extended period, now I feel more educated and culturally enriched than would otherwise be possible. I gained insights about the world and about myself that would not have occurred to me if I had remained on U.S. soil this summer. kbaxendale@unews.com

Kate Baxendale

Photo by Kate Baxendale

Monday August 19, 2013 | Issue 1

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