Nourish to Flourish

April 22, 2019

USF Art Exhibition p. 18-19 Clean Space Clean Mind p. 22-23 Interview with Graduating Seniors p. 26-27

Nourish to Flourish p. 20-31

Is USF Sustainable? p. 34-35 How to Balance it All as a Student-Athlete p. 40

Editorial Board Katie Wozniak

Editor-in-Chief katherinewozniak@stfrancis.edu Emily Plummer

Student led, student written

UNIVERSITY 4

Editor's Columns

NEWS

6 USF News 8 Local News 10 World News

ENTERTAINMENT 13 13 14 15 16 18

WCSF Top Ten Monthly Staff Picks Dos and Don'ts of Festivals Reels at the Rialto Review Preview of the Taste of Joliet USF Art Exhibition Through the Lens of Sydney Jarrard

FEATURE 20 21 22 24 25 26 28 30

32 College Admissions

Scandal 34 Is USF Sustainable?

36 Let's Talk About Discrimination Among Majors 37 The Toxicity of Social Media

SPORTS

39 Chicago Sports Update 40 How to Balance it All as a Student-Athlete 41 USF Sports End of the Year Report 42 Graduated Athlete Interview: Kevin Mampe

"Self-Care" Misconceptions Goal Digger Clean Space Clean Mind You Are Not Your GPA Self-Manifestation Interview With Graduating USF Seniors How to Deal With a Breakup Cannabis Plants Boast Impressive Bloom in Science Hall Green Space

Cover photo courtesy of Chandler Kowaliczko

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COMMENTARY

April 22, 2019

Layout Artist emilyplummer@stfrancis.edu Amber James

Assistant Editor & PR Specialist amberjames@stfrancis.edu Antonio Smithberg

Online Editor & PR Specialist antoniosmithberg@stfrancis.edu Chandler Kowaliczko

Entertainment Editor chandlerkowaliczko@stfrancis.edu Blake Tomac

Feature Editor blaketomac@stfrancis.edu Giovanni Alvarado

Commentary Editor giovannialvarado@stfrancis.edu Alex Guglielmucci

Sports Editor alessandroguglielmucci@stfrancis. edu Misael Tobias

Photo Editor misaeltobias@stfrancis.edu Dr. Scott Marshall

Advisor smarshall@stfrancis.edu

Staff Writers Ashley Hare Lauren Wozniak Sara Hill Ian Bond Clarissa Del Rio Angelica Bibian Jalen Williams Gabby Paelmo Courtney Joyce Jess Stevens Bennie Radford

Letter From the Editor Thank you for picking up the April edition of the USF Encounter: “Nourish to Flourish”! It is that time of year again; the weather is getting warmer and many are “spring cleaning” after being stuck inside all winter. In this edition, we wanted to talk about the positive aspects of personal care and growth. Have you ever been through a breakup? Do you have an insanely messy room? Hoping a bubble bath will cure your problems? If so, check out this edition full of tips and tricks on how to achieve healthy habits.

Look out for our April Fools article on page 30-31! (We promise this is a joke).

Our entertainment editor, Chandler, did some great photoshop work in hopes of pulling a fast one on you all. April Fools!

This is our last edition of the 2019 spring semester and I am thrilled to be returning next semester as Editor-in-Chief. I wanted to thank all of our seniors who were involved with the Encounter their last semester here at USF: Chandler Kowaliczko, Alex Guglielmucci and Misael Tobias. Chandler and Alex served as section editors and Misael, served as our photo editor this past semester.

They have also helped the USF Encounter by working on the PR staff and as staff writers in the past. After graduation, Alex will be working full time at the Chicagoland Speedway as the Digital Marketing Coordinator. Chandler will be continuing his education and studying public relations at Syracuse University in upstate New York. Misael will be pursuing a full-time job as a video editor after graduating this summer. We are so proud of what these three have accomplished and wish them all the best in their future endeavors!

Also, thank you to our senior Entertainment Editor, Chandler, for taking our cover photo for this edition!

From all of us here at the Encounter, we hope you enjoy reading "Nourish to Flourish"! Have a great summer, Saints! We will see you in the fall!

Katie Wozniak Editor-in-Chief

From the top, left to right: Katie Wozniak (Editor-in-Chief ), Emily Plummer (Layout Artist), Amber James (Assistant Editor & PR Specialist), Antonio Smithberg (Online Editor & PR Specialist), Chandler Kowaliczko (Entertainment Editor), Blake Tomac (Feature Editor), Giovanni Alvarado (Commentary Editor), Alex Guglielmucci (Sports Editor), Misael Tobias (Photo Editor)

As a Catholic university rooted in the liberal arts, we are a welcoming community of learners challenged by Franciscan values and charism, engaged in a continuous pursuit of knowledge, faith, wisdom, and justice, and ever mindful of a tradition that emphasizes reverence for creation, compassion and peacemaking. We strive for academic excellence in all programs, preparing women and men to contribute to the world through service and leadership.

Policies The Encounter is published by the students of the University of St. Francis, 500 Wilcox Street, Joliet, Illinois, 60435. The newspaper office is located in room S413C of Tower Hall. The Encounter phone number is 815.740.3816.

As a member of USF Campus Media, the Encounter strives to produce a publication that stresses quality writing and design.

By reporting on issues that may be sensitive in nature, the Encounter aims to educate, inform and persuade students on topics that affect their lives on and off campus.

Editorial pages provide Encounter staff with opportunities to express thoughtful views on controversial topics.

Letters to the Editor represent the opinion of the author and are not necessarily opinions of the Encounter Staff.

Publications of letters to the editor are subject to space availability and management discretion. Letters are also subject to editing.

Letters to the editor or any other submissions may be dropped off at the Encounter office or emailed to encounter@ stfrancis.edu The Encounter is printed by RICOH Services on the campus of the University of St. Francis.

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EDITORIAL COLUMNs A Day in the Life of Alex As if my schedule was not crazy enough as a student-athlete here at the University of St. Francis, this past October I was hired to do my dream job, which is working in the motorsports industry. This past summer, I interned at Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway and worked with their Public Relations and Marketing Department, helping capture content for the next year’s race. Little did I know that the person I worked with would be leaving in the fall to take a position at a different race track.

Michael Jordan or LeBron James? Who is the greatest basketball player of all time? The debate started years ago, and with LeBron James getting further in his career, the debate is more controversial than ever.

My job consists of maintaining and building website for both tracks. I have had the pleasure of rebuilding the Route 66 Raceway website within the last few months, and that has taken a lot of work and time to accomplish. I am also the handler of the race track’s social media accounts.

I firmly believe the talent in the NBA has gotten exponentially better within the last decade. Players nowadays benefit from far greater nutrition, training regimens, technology and knowledge of the game than those who came before them. With that being said, LeBron James is playing in a more competitive league and if you look at the statistics, he is superior to Jordan in almost every category. For example, James has a higher 2-point shooting percentage, 3-point shooting percentage and true shooting percentage; he has better defensive stats, assists per game and rebounds per game.

A normal week for me is by far not normal for anyone else.

On Mondays and Fridays, I go to school from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and then head straight to work until 7 or 8 p.m. to make sure I am not behind. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I head back into the office at 7 a.m. and work until 10:45 a.m. and then head to class. After I finish up my class, I head home and go to practice from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. or later.

Wednesday is the only day where I do not work in the office, but I am able to work from school between classes and at home.

While it may be hard to balance it all sometimes, my time at University of St. Francis has prepared me for real world situations better than I could have imagined.

Congratulations class of 2019, we did it!

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LeBron James vs Michael Jordan

April 22, 2019

Being raised a Chicago Bulls fan and having a Jordan poster hanging on my wall throughout my childhood, it would be easy for me to stand by Michael Jordan in this debate.

However, I believe there is a strong case for James.

Of course, Michael Jordan has more championships and playoff success, but is that what we use to define individual greatness? If that were the case, we would be considering players like Robert Horry, Frank Ramsey, Sam Jones and Bill Russell to be the greatest of all time. All of them had more championships than Jordan.

LeBron James is inevitably the better overall player between the two when it comes to statistics and leadership skills, but does that make him the greatest of all time? I am still not quite sure. Greatness and excellence are two different concepts and there is no true formula to measure greatness.

I personally would give LeBron James the edge but, unless someone invents a time machine, the debate will continue.

Photos courtesy of the USF Encounter and Katie Wozniak

Thank you to SGA for awarding the USF Encounter "Club of the Year" and our Editor-in-Chief, Katie Wozniak, the "St. Clare Award" for outstanding senior leader. Without the hardwork and dedication of the entire Encounter editorial staff, staff writers, club members and our advisor, Scott Marshall, the Encounter would not be where it is today. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this news magazine througout the years. Here's to continued growth and many more years of news reporting!

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designer? experienced in

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The USF encounter needs y o u We are hiring a new layout artist for fall 2019! email encounter@stfrancis.edu for more information UNIVERSITY

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CAMPUS NEWS By: Katie Wozniak Editor-in-Chief

SGA Awards Banquet Recognize Leaders on Campus The SGA Awards Banquet took place on April 16 and awarded 13 awards to honor deserving student leaders and SGA sponsored clubs. Taking place in Conference rooms A & B in Motherhouse, students, faculty and advisors were welcomed by Damon Sloan and Liz Badalamenti. After dinner was served, the SGA Executive Board began announcing awards.

Some of the awards from the afternoon include, but are not limited to: Best Use of Collaboration was awarded to De Colores Exchanging Cultures from UVA and International Club and, as presented by Rodolfo Perez, “[Was an] event meant to encourage students to work together not only in their organization but with others to create an amazing event. This year's collaboration event brought out over 150 people to partake in the event. This

event centered around the diversity of the students at USF and worked to bring together music, art, dialect, food, and clothing from several cultures represented here at USF.” The Vinciguerra Award was awarded to Black Student Association, “an SGA sponsored club that has fulfilled all club requirements. They went above and beyond to represent respect, integrity, compassion and service throughout their events and meetings.” The enSGA Executive Board at the SGA Awards Banquet tire list of award recipients can be found at www.usfencounter.stfrancis. edu.

SGA 2019 - 2020 Elections Update Polls are closed and USF has a new SGA Executive Board. Succeeding Bobby Santillian as SGA president is Haley Rednour.

According to her profile, provided upon voting, she explains her goals for the upcoming school year. “There are several goals that I have for the upcoming year, some of which include: Help current student leaders succeed in their position by creating support groups for club members, reaching out and assisting members and their clubs. [Also,] break down barriers for new students to get involved

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April 22, 2019

by teaching students the ‘how-tos’ of how to be a leader, not just leadership skills.”

She also explains her motivation to help make a change at USF. “...help to improve overall wellness for students by identifying and voicing common concerns, reaching out to students and staff members to brainstorm possible solutions and take actual steps to implement those changes.”

Serving on her Executive Board is Executive Vice-President, Rodolfo Perez; VP of Finance, Russell Egan; VP of Student En-

deavors, Victoria Bravo; VP of Publicity, Elizabeth Badalamenti; VP of Diversity, Fernanda Sandoval; and VP of Sustainability, Joshua Rutnicki.

Photos courtesy of Clarissa Del Rio and Liz Badalamenti

Alpha Psi Lambda Inducts Seven New Members to Their " Familia " On April 14, the Alpha Kappa chapter of Alpha Psi Lambda introduced seven new members into the “Familia”. The individuals inducted into the membership were: Captain Fernanda Sandoval, Magdalena Solis, Alexis Ceballos, Tobias Alcaide, Abigail Liss, Jameel Salaam and Anchor Raele Lane.

The group spent approximately two months preparing for their induction into USF’s Latino based fraternity. Induction is seen as a celebratory get together with alumni and members from other chapters. The “Familia” also use this gathering as an opportunity for photos and to bond over having a group dinner. For anyone interested in joining Alpha Psi Lambda at USF, feel free to reach out to any of the current members, who would be more than happy to answer any questions about the recruitment process and Alpha Psi Lambda as a whole.

Newest member, Tobias Alcaide, expressed how

The newest line inducted into Alpha Psi Lambda moving it was to finally be a part of such an amazing “family." "It was very touching, there was a lot of emotions at that moment: both happiness and excitement.

I was overjoyed seeing everyone congratulate me and my line. Even though the process was hard, it was worth it. In the end, you get to be a part of a family that will be by your side, that will always help you when you're in need and watch your back."

The Alpha Kappa Chapter of Alpha Psi Lambda

Lisa Hedrick Steps Down From Duns Scotus Biochemistry professor Lisa Hedrick, Ph.D, Duns Scotus Director for the past 14 years, has decided to step down from her position within the honors society. As of July 1, 2019, there will be a new director of the program, who is yet to be named. Hedrick addressed the members of the program in saying, “Deciding not to be the director is one of the hardest decisions I have made in a long time…. My decision to step down as the director is a result of both a need and a desire to return to my

NEWS

department full time. With the development of the biochemistry degree and other programs within my department, I would like to be, and need to be, there full time.”

Amy Wegrzyn reflects on her time in Duns Scotus and how greatly Hedrick impacted her time at USF. She says, “Lisa was the first professor I met at USF. She has always been a friendly face and someone I knew I could go to if I was having troubles, even outside

of the Honors Program. She always seemed to care about each member of the Duns Scotus group individually and that really made a difference to me. She helped me map out my college career and always challenged me to try new experiences. Working with her and Duns Scotus will stand out as some of the best memories I have of my time at USF.”

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LOCAL NEWS

By: Amber James Assistant Editor

Belmont Little League Thankful to Community After Help with Stolen Equipment According to www.theherald-news.com, the Belmont Little League in Joliet is thankful for the community after helping them when all of their field and baseball equipment was reportedly stolen almost two weeks before opening day.

Rick Brown, president of the Joliet youth baseball league, said he went to the shed where the league stores their equipment and noticed there was no longer a lock on the door, according to the source. He opened up the shed and saw “everything was gone.”

The items stolen included rolls of fencing, field draggers, stainless steel table tops and

baseball bats. “I didn’t even have any bats to hand out to the kids,” Brown said.

League staff reported the thefts to the Will County Sheriff ’s Office and they tried to track down the equipment at scrap yards and sporting goods retailers, but neither the league nor the sheriff ’s office had luck finding the equipment, according to the www.patch.com.

Businesses, Little League alumni and other people in the community responded with cash and equipment donations. Brown told reporters one company donated a lawnmower.

Little League alumni and Joliet City Councilman Don "Duck" Dickinson was one of the many people to help the Belmont Little League. Dickinson played Little League Baseball when he was a child. He also served as president of a girl’s softball association in Joliet for six years.

Dickinson said he donated $200. He then encouraged others to donate to the league in a Facebook post that received more than 800 shares. “It’s all about the league,” Dickinson said.

Senator Hastings Works to Expand Intern Programs and Veteran Involvement According to www.patch.com, legislation that would expand the Law Enforcement Officer Intern Program passed the Illinois Senate today. State Senator Michael E. Hastings is the chief sponsor of this initiative.

"Our current Law Enforcement Officer Intern Program is one of the finest programs the state of Illinois offers to those seeking a career in law enforcement," Hastings (D-Tinley Park) said. "However, I felt that we could make a few improvements to the program that would allow for a more expansive training program."

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April 22, 2019

The Herald News reported that Senate Bill 2148 would expand the current Law Enforcement Officer Intern Program and would also include a Corrections Officer Intern Program. This would also add veterans' preferences in the application process for both programs.

"There is no group of people that could be better prepared for this program than our veterans," Hastings told reporters.

"By adding veterans' preference to this program we would provide our veterans more job opportunities while simultaneously ensuring our law

enforcement officers come from an intensely qualified background."

State Senator Michael E. Hastings

Photos courtesy of www.senatorhastings.com and www.jolietcentralbands.org

Joliet Central Band Director Wins Outstanding Music Educator Award Joliet Central High School Band Director Don Stinson was chosen as a winner for this year's Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award by the Quinlan & Fabish Music Company. According to www. patch.com, this special award recognizes excellence in the field of Music Education in the Chicagoland area. He will attend a special awards presentation along with the four other winners in June.

Stinson is the Director of Bands at Joliet Central High School and is only the fifth director in the band's 107 year history.

According to www.jolietcentralbands.org, his direction has allowed the program to receive a grant from the “Give a Note Foundation” as well as three consecutive “SupportMusic Merit Awards” for excellence in music education.

In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the Symphonic Band was selected to participate in the prestigious University of Illinois Superstate Festival. In 2018, the band was awarded class winner at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival in Tennessee and in 2017, the Joliet Central Marching Band was featured in the nationally televised McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

From left to right: Ray Cramer (Indiana University), Mike Fiske (JCHS) and Don Stinson (JCHS)

The Joliet Central High School Band Stinson earned degrees from Joliet Junior College, VanderCook College of Music, Northern Illinois University and the University of St. Francis.

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Become a staff writer for the USF Encounter!

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NEWS

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WORLD NEWS

By: Misael Tobias Photo Editor

Notre Dame Cathedral catches Fire, Millions Donated to Rebuild Devastating news from France as the Notre Dame Cathedral was caught in a terrible fire on Monday, April 15. According to CNN International, the 856-year-old historic church was caught in a large fire that took hours to extinguish. People in France and all around the world watched in devastation as the fire caused the spire on the church to be taken down. Fortunately, there are still historical artifacts in the cathedral that were managed to be salvaged. State workers are going to need to wait 48 hours before being able to safely get them out of the wreckage.

Such a devastating story also showed the good in people. According to USA Today, just a day after the fire, more than $700 million was already donated to help reconstruct the cathedral. The donations come from both French and international donors from all over the world. Plans to reconstruct the cathedral are already in the works with the amount of donations. While

French President Emmanuel Macron said the reconstruction would be done in five years, experts say otherwise. To some experts the project could take more than a decade to complete, but no cost or time estimates have been announced yet.

While it may take a very long time for the Notre Dame Cathedral to be done, the fact that such an enormous amount of money has already been donated to reconstruct the historic treasure is a highlight itself. It has only been a day after the fire, so more donations are more than likely on the way. Macron commented on the whole situation in a televised address, stating, “We are rebuilders…There’s a great deal to be rebuilt. And we will make the cathedral of Notre Dame even more beautiful.

We can do this and we will mobilize everybody.”

The Notre Dame Cathedral in France on April 15

Disney and Fox Merger Made Official After the announcement was made a little over a year ago, Disney has officially merged with 20th Century Fox. Fox, an enormous company responsible for Alien to Titanic, "The Shape of Water" to "The Simpsons," "The Fantastic Four" to "X-Men," was bought by Disney for a whopping 71.3 billion dollars, making for one of the biggest media mergers in history, according to Todd VanDerWerff of www.vox.com. 20th Century Fox is now among Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm as companies owned by Disney.

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April 22, 2019

Such an enormous purchase means Disney is somehow becoming even bigger than ever.

They now own a couple movie studios, a large amount of TV networks, and a 30% stake in the streaming service, Hulu. This also means they own all of Fox’s TV and movie libraries. Opportunities include new Marvel superheroes previously owned by Fox such as "X -Men" or "The Fantastic Four" to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which already has "The Avengers," "Spider-Man," and "Guardians of the Galaxy." It’s safe to

say the joining of these properties had a lot to do with the merger.

Along with the merger comes a bit of dark news as well. According to www.ibtimes.com, nothing will be official until June. However, estimates show up to 10,000 employees working for 20th Century Fox could lose their jobs, a little less than half of their total workforce worldwide. Nothing is set in stone of course, but at least some layoffs are definite.

Photo courtesy of www.wired.com

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Resigns Amid White House Tension Kirstjen Nielsen, who oversaw President Donald Trump's hard-line immigration policies as secretary of Homeland Security, is leaving her post, according to www.usatoday. com. The resignation took place amid tension with others in the White House who felt she has not done enough to stem border crossings.

Trump tweeted about Nielsen’s resignation that she has held since the end of 2017.

“Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen will be leaving her position, and I would like to thank her for her service,” he wrote. According to www.usatoday.

com, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) commissioner Kevin McAleenan will become the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary. McAleenan has held positions within CBP during President George W. Bush’s presidency.

In her resignation letter, Nielsen wrote, “Despite our progress in reforming homeland security for a new age, I have determined that it is the right time for me to step aside.” She continued, “I hope that the next Secretary will have the support of Congress and the courts in fixing the laws which have impeded our ability to fully secure America’s borders.”

According to www.nytimes.com, Nielsen's departure also comes as a surge of migrants overwhelmed the U.S. immigration system in recent months. In response, Trump threatened to close the border and cut off aid to the Central American countries that migrants continue to flee.

Nielsen told CNN reporters, “We have tried everything that we can at DHS. However, I can say with confidence that the homeland is safer today than when I joined the administration.”

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April 22, 2019

Top 10

Artists Let’s get in touch!

musicdirectorwcsf@stfrancis.edu -- 815-740-3697

1. ORVILLE PECK Pony Sub Pop

2.

POND Tasmania Interscope

3.

BLACK MIDI

"Crow's Perch" [Single] Rough Trade

4. ACID TONGUE

The Night We Broke Our Lease [EP] Freakout

5. NILUFER YANYA Miss Universe ATO

6. MUNYA

Munya Luminelle

7.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL American Football (LP3) Polyvinyl

8.

Artwork Courtesy of WCSF

9.

WALLOWS

Nothing Happens Atlantic

BLACK DRUMSET, THE

Charged Self-Released

10.

BODY TYPE

Body Type [EP] Partisan

ENTERTAINMENT

MONTHLY Staff Picks

The USF Encounter Staff took to Spotify and shared their favorite songs from this month in their "April Staff Picks" playslist “Island In The Sun” Weezer “Only Wanna Be with You” Hootie & The Blowfish

Want to hear more?

Follow us on Spotify!

“Oogum Boogum Song” Brenton Wood “T-Shirt Weather” Circa Waves “Here Comes The Sun” The Beatles “Beachin'” Jake Owen “Grenada” Brothertiger “Dirt” Jackson Wooten “Sunlight” Hozier “Gloria” The Lumineers “A Sky Full of Stars” Coldplay “Strangelove” Depeche Mode “Sour Patch Kids” Bryce Vine “Clearest Blue” CHVRCHES “Norman Rockwell” The Mowgli's

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FESTIVAL Do's and Don'ts By: Jess Stevens Staff Writer

Music festival season in Chicago is revving up. Lollapalooza recently announced its 2019 lineup, tickets for Pitchfork Music Fest are now on sale and we are about to head into summer break. There is nothing better than spending time outside, getting some sun and listening to great live music with friends. So, to help you enjoy your music festival experience, here’s a guideline of what to do and what not to do while at a music festival.

The Do’s 1. Protect yourself from the sun.

It is summer and it is hot. There is nothing worse than getting an awful sunburn on a day you’re supposed to be carefree. Don’t forget to wear a hat as well for added protection.

2. Know the bag policy.

Some festivals have restrictions on what kind of bag you can bring in. For example, Lollapalooza only allows small purses, totes, drawstring bags, small empty hydration packs and fanny packs into the festival grounds. Make sure to check the festival’s website for their exact regulations.

3. Hearing protection.

Constant exposure to noise as low as 90 - 95 decibels (dB) will cause permanent hearing damage, and most concerts run between 110dB and 120dB. Jeff Jaskowiak, a Live Sound Production instructor at the University of St. Francis, explained that rock concerts run at around 115 dB, and that at 125 dB, pain will begin.

According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, we should only be exposing our ears to 115dB for 15 minutes, anything after that will cause damage to our ears. According to Jaskowiak, “It’s an issue that young people don’t think about, but need to be aware of.”

5. Apply to be a volunteer!

Festivals usually have a volunteer teams that work in small groups to make sure everyone at the festival has a great time.

University of St. Francis senior Mayra

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April 22, 2019

Marin has volunteered multiple times for festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.

She only had to work three six-hour shifts at Bonnaroo and in return, she received a four-day pass for the festival.

2. Recording the show.

When you record acts on your phone, the sound comes out garbled and unrecognizable, you are blocking someone's view of the show and to be honest, you most likely won’t be watching that video The Don’ts after the fact. When I see video footage of 1. Talking during the set. concerts on Snapchat or any other social Just like yourself, everyone around you paid media platform, I instantly skip it. to hear the music, not your conversation.

If you encounter this kind of behavior, I If you follow these rules, you’ll have a find it is best to politely ask them to quiet better experience and can create a better down. If they refuse to stop, move to a environment. Hopefully these tips help different location. you survive any music festivals you plan on going to this summer. Overall, remember to have a great time and enjoy some fantastic music!

Photos courtesy of Jess Stevens and Lauren Wozniak

REELS AT THE RIALTO "I was enchanted by the atmosphere the Rialto brought while showing such a modern picture in a traditional theater."

By: Lauren Wozniak Staff Writer The Rialto Square Theatre is a staple of Joliet. It has a rich history, beautiful architecture and so many events that take place there every month. One of their new events is “Reels at the Rialto,” which occurs one Thursday at 7 p.m. every month from January 2019 through October 2019. According to www. rialtosquare.com, Reels at the Rialto “is a nod to our Vaudeville movie palace past, and will feature past and recently made movies for the entire family, shown on the retro movie screen by the new projector, generously donated by the Rialto Square Volunteers, inside the beautiful Rialto Square Theatre.” This year, the theater has shown “The Blues Brothers” and “Sleepless in Seattle.” The March movie was “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and I had the opportunity to go to the screening with the University of St. Francis’ Student Government Association (SGA). That’s the beauty of Reels at the Rialto, anyone can go for just five dollars.

Another student that went with SGA to the screening was sophomore Rodolfo Perez. When asked about the experience, he happily explained, “I was enchanted by the atmosphere the Rialto brought while showing such a modern picture in a traditional theater. I love what they're doing in promoting more films to be shown there, and I hope they only go on to add more movies as time goes on.”

As for “Bohemian Rhapsody,” I can see why it won four Oscars this year, including Rami Malek’s win for “Best

ENTERTAINMENT

Actor in a Leading Role.” We all know the rock band Queen and at least a couple of their songs, so it was really cool to see how the band started, and the struggles and successes behind them. I had no idea how innovative they were and how the entirety of their albums, not just a select few songs, were going beyond anything music had been before.

Rami Malek did a great job portraying the internal struggle Freddie Mercury had with his identity and sexuality.

Especially at the end of the film, you can really see how much Freddie loved what he did thanks to Malek’s phenomenal acting. The music was amazing and the visuals were just as stunning. As a Communication and Media Arts major hoping to go into video editing, it was exciting to see the film that also won “Best Editing” at the Oscars. The clips were shot and put together in a really creative way, and there was a specific scene where clips were playing on top of one another that I found really interesting and innovative.

Reels at the Rialto is going on through October and they will hopefully continue the event afterwards due to its popularity.

At least from the show I went to, the room was packed. People really enjoyed coming together to see this film. I would highly recommend going out to see a film at the Rialto Square Theatre, as it is a unique experience that takes going to the movies to a whole new level.

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In the past, the Taste of Joliet has had multiple musical acts such as Little Big Town, Hunter Hayes, USF Alumni, David Nail, Plain White T's and many more. This three-day event will have over 25 food vendors and carnival rides, in addition to the music acts. The Joliet Park District Board of Commissioners and staff believe that the Taste of Joliet By: Angelica Bibian embodies the true spirit of the Joliet community, according to the www.tasteofjoliet.com. Last year thousands of people Staff Writer attended the event despite the weather. Although it rained last year, tons of people still showed up to see the musical acts.

This year, the feature headliners for the Taste of Joliet are Foreigner, Cole Swindell and Scotty McCreery. Foreigner will perform Friday, June 21 at 9 p.m. Foreigner is a rock band that formed in 1976. The band consists of seven members including founder Mick Jones, Thom Gimbel, Jeff Pilson, Kelly Hansen, Michael Bluestein, Chris Frazier and Bruce Watson. Some fans may recognize their greatest hits, including, “Long, Long Way from Home,” “Feels Like the First Time” and "I Wanna Know What Love Is.” Cole Swindell and Scotty McCreery will perform Saturday, June 22. Cole Swindell will be performing at 9 p.m. and Scotty McCreery will perform at 7:30 p.m. Scotty McCreery won “American Idol” in 2011 during its tenth season. A few hit songs from McCreery, according to www. billboard.com are “Five More Minutes,” “See You Tonight” and “Carolina Moon.”

After Scotty McCreery, Cole Swindell will perform. His first five singles all were number one or number two on the charts. Some of his top songs according to www.billboard. com are “You Should Be Here,” “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey” and “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight.”

Creek.

Other musical acts that will be performing throughout the day on Saturday will be Tyler Rich, Dillon Carmichael and Cooler By The

USF alumni Daniel McGee loves attending the Joliet Taste every year. “I love all the food vendors they have at the Taste!

It’s a summer tradition that my family and I spend together every year.”

There are tickets to reserve the front section of the performances. The cost to reserve the front section cost $53, while general admission tickets are $14. Seniors are five dollars. Kids 11 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets can be purchased the day of the show. To avoid the long line at the gate, visit www.tasteofjoliet.com to purchase tickets.

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Photos courtesy of The Herald News and mlive.com

THE TASTE OF JOLIET

The Taste of Joliet is a well-known festival in the Joliet area that happens every year in the summer. This year it will take place June 21 through 23 at the Memorial Stadium located at 3000 West Jefferson St.

Congratulations to the Welcome to the Alumni Association!

ENTERTAINMENT

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USF ART GALLERY Through the Lens of Sydney Jarrard

By: Chandler Kowaliczko Entertainment Editor

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April 22, 2019

Photos courtesy of Chandler Kowaliczko

From March 27 through April 12, the USF Art Gallery hosted an exhibition consisting of all student submissions. Pieces at the exhibit included oil paintings, sculptures, digital artwork and more.

For senior Studio major Sydney Jarrard, this was her final opportunity to showcase her artwork at the University of St. Francis before graduating. Jarrard submitted four pieces in total, ranging in mediums: two oil paintings, a screen print and a video. The pieces she submitted to the exhibition not only reflect her artistic style and flair, but also tackle topics related to mental health, family dynamics and domestic violence.

“From a young age, I was interested in depicting people and the human figure. This remains true today because the content of my work almost always includes a depiction of one or more persons.

One of the oil paintings I submitted is a portrait titled, ‘Somebody’s Daughter.’ I completed this painting as a commission around the time I became interested in portraiture—something that many view today as outdated,” Jarrard explained.

The second oil painting Jarrard submitted is titled, “American Ranch” and is based off of Grant Woods’ iconic “American Gothic” painting. She explains that “It has a similar composition to Woods’ famous painting, but with a ranch-style home in the background.

This painting is derived from old family pictures and memories. It aims to represent how some of our memories can be vivid and clear where others can be cloudy or even lost.”

According to Jarrard, the silkscreen print that is on display at the exhibit was inspired by two family photographs. “At a young age, I lost someone very important to me to suicide. Losing someone as a result of suicide is very different than losing someone to other causes, and this had a great impact on how I view life.” She went on to explain how she hopes the print will raise awareness of suicide and suicide prevention.

The video Jarrard submitted was comprised entirely on footage from multiple sources. “It was created with intentions to spread awareness of domestic violence, specifically within families where both alcoholism and domestic violence are present. Not only that, it also aims to end the silence that accompanies alcoholism and domestic violence,” she remarked.

Upon the exhibition coming to fruition, Jarrard couldn’t help but sing her praises to the Art Department at USF for all they have done for her as an artist. “Since transferring to USF, I have grown so much as an artist as well as a person. I attribute these changes to all of the content I have learned in my courses and to my professors for going above and beyond in aiding me in anything I need help with. The Art Department has allowed me to gain so much insight into the art world, different types of art, what is popular now and the different perceptions each person has to the same work of art simply by being around others who are passionate about the subject. The environment in the Art Department has allowed me to explore and create art that I am truly passionate about and gain friends that have helped me through the process, and I could not be more thankful for that.”

ENTERTAINMENT

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By: Amber James Assistant Editor

"Self-Care" misconceptions Self-care, according to websites like www. hercampus.com and www.loreal.com, is a “beautiful” and “empowering” lifestyle that has been made popular by the internet and social media influencers. But, this idea has been misconstrued to mean taking lavenderscented baths, buying a $250 eye cream and eating an entire chocolate cake. The truth is, self-care is more than luxury items and indulgence.

One of the largest misconceptions about self-care is that it is always going to be fun and relaxing. Rarely do we think of finishing those little chores as part of our self-care regimens. Taking care of ourselves properly also involves checking off some of the things on that overwhelming to-do list. To have a healthy balance, we still have to pay our bills and put away the laundry.

Isabel Jimenez, student at the University of St. Francis, says, “I think a huge misconception about self-care is that it can also involve asking others for help. You don’t have to do everything alone.” According to www.psychcentral.com, self-care can mean reaching out to friends and family to help you lighten the burden. If we are feeling sad, stressed or alone, it is important to talk to someone about those feelings.

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Another self-care misconception is that it is not something we can cross off our list and consider "done." If we stop paying attention to ourselves once we feel better, that good feeling may soon dissipate. Changing our lifestyle takes time and effort. As our lives change, so will our self-care needs.

Not only that, but stressing about selfcare can make things even more stressful.

According to www.psychcentral.com, sentences like, "I have to go to the gym" or, "I need to eat healthy" will only make us feel worse. If we rephrase our daily goals in a less stress-inducing way, self-care will seem more

attainable and we will be more likely to take care of ourselves.

There are plenty of self-care misconceptions, but true self-care is really about letting go, choosing to do better and maybe even disappointing some people. It is enforcing a morning routine, cooking yourself healthy meals and no longer just running from problems and calling the distraction a solution. Self-care is not face masks or chocolate cake; it is becoming the person we know we are meant to be and realizing that those face masks and slices of cake are ways to enjoy life – not escape from it.

Self Care is More Than Just Face Masks

Photos courtesy of www.pexels.com and www.pinterest.com

By: Sara Hill Staff Writer

As we approach the end of the school year, there are many students who are graduating that may have no idea how to take that next step to achieve their goals. Transitioning from being a full-time student to a fulltime professional is hard, but I am here to tell you some tips and tricks on how to be a successful “goal-digger” and take the first steps to create and achieve your professional goals.

career goal.”

As you move along through life, you are going to grow and your goals may change, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

You should also make sure your goals are taking your happiness into account.

Senior Emily Fears says, “I think the most important thing to take into consideration [while creating goals] is happiness. I create goals surrounding things that I think will make me happy.”

Making that transition from a student to a working professional is a difficult one. For your whole life, people have been asking

the workplace. Drama will only make your life harder, and any hiring manager will say that someone who is easy to work with is a more valuable employee. You should also make sure that you are watching and learning constantly while starting a new job.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions; it shows others that you are wanting to learn as much as possible.

Networking is a big deal in the professional world. You could be more likely to receive a job just because of the people that you know. When you are looking for a job, talk to everyone and anyone that you know and make those new connections with people in the business who are reputable. Even if you are comfortable with your job, you should always be updating your resume. You never know when a new opportunity may come along where it better suits your skills and gives you a leg up in the business.

"I create goals surrounding things that I think will make me happy.”

One thing about achieving your goals that most people don’t take into consideration is how long it takes. Some of the goals that you make for yourself could take years, even decades, to reach and the mentality for some is that if the payoff for all the hard work isn’t immediate, then there is no point.

However, this isn’t the case. Natalie Jesionka wrote an article for "The Muse" on how to reach your goals and also enjoy life. She said, “…being on a long-term career track doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying life or even work all day, every day. You will change and evolve, and opportunities will come your way—opportunities that you shouldn’t turn down just because you’re working toward a

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you, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” Well, what happens when you’re finally grown up and you still aren’t sure on what to do? In an article on www. pongoresume.com, they include five tips on making the transition from student to professional as smooth as possible. You should make sure to adjust your focus. This means you need to turn your focus from homework and dealing with professors, to your professional work, the needs of the company and working alongside your coworkers.

You should also work on your people skills, making sure that you don’t create drama in

It’s scary making that transition from being a student to being a professional. There are some who have more of a plan than others, but it’s important for everyone to have that list of your goals someplace where you can see them every day. Considering how life can change and alter your goals to suit your needs is key to keeping up. Remembering these tips and tricks can make this transition a bit easier and help start you on your journey to achieve your goals.

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Clean Space Clean Mind By: Antonio Smithberg Online Editor

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Photo courtesy of www.pexels.com

Clothes strewn on the floor, trash piles the size of the Pyramids of Giza, dust bunnies parading beneath your bed; none of us are strangers to the characteristics of a dirty room or workplace. As students with busy lives and too many responsibilities to count, staying clean can be a difficult task.

However, keeping your living space or workplace in tip-top shape can prove to be more important than you think.

Clutter isn’t just a housekeeping issue, it’s a health issue. Our brains demand order; reminders of disorganization can hinder our cognitive resources and reduce our ability to focus. According to a study by Princeton University in The Journal of Neuroscience, clutter in our environments have a major impact on our ability to focus. You can try to ignore the clutter but it’s always competing for your attention.

“Personally, I can’t work in a cluttered space at all,” said University of St. Francis (USF) student Chandler Kowaliczko. “Before I start studying or begin any homework, I need to make my space as organized as possible.

As a student, I have found that it is impossible for me to do anything productive in a distracting space.”

According to Dr. Susan Krauss Whitbourne of Psychology Today, an investigation on “perceptions of the environment and well-being” examined the set of relationships among clutter in the home and subjective wellbeing. In 2016, the University of New Mexico’s Catherine Roster, an expert in Behavioral Analysis, examined how clutter compromises an individual’s perception of “home.” The premise of the study was focused on the idea that because people identify so closely with their home environments, the extent to which it is cluttered can interfere with the pleasure they experience when being in that environment.

The same idea can apply to your workplace or even classroom. Dr. Roster found that clutter was “negatively related to the psychological sense of home and, ultimately, to well-being.”

So, the more cluttered your space is the less comfort you will take in the space.

When asked how she handled the cleanliness of her dorm room, or temporary home space, USF student Amber James said, “For me it is about not procrastinating. It’s hard sometimes, but if I keep up with the things I need to clean then it doesn’t pile up. It is important for me to keep my dorm

clean because it is a much smaller space.”

A study conducted by Lynn Hasher of the University of Toronto proposed that “mental clutter” can also be detrimental, and is one of the prime suspects of agerelated memory loss. She stated that if you’re unable to get through the material clogging up your neural networks, you’ll be slower and less efficient in processing information. As a result, you will be incapacitated when it comes to shortterm memory tasks. Even in longerrange mental tasks, such as when you have to come up with information you should know, like the names of things or people, you will no longer find it within your disorganized repository of knowledge.

Now, I know it may seem at this point that clutter is everywhere. Take a deep breath. You don’t have to tackle the clutter all at once; a little piece at a time can go a long way. With spring upon us, don’t be afraid to do some spring cleaning or to decompress your mind. A tidy place is a tidy mind.

"Clutter in our environments have a major impact on our ability to focus. You can try to ignore the clutter but it’s always competing for your attention" FEATURE

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You are NOT Your GPA By: Gabby Paelmo Staff Writer

With final exams creeping up in just a few weeks, grade point average's (GPA) are vulnerable to fluctuation with last-minute tests, homework assignments, essays and lab reports. This also means more caffeine intake, minimal interactions with family and friends to study and enduring the classic college all-nighter.

While GPA is important in the long-run when applying for a job or internship, your grades do not define you as a person.

in school. The 2010 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment found that 25% of students claimed that school-related stress significantly lowered their grades and their motivation to finish the semester. The classic all-nighter appeals to students because for them, more time awake means more time

With this being said, do not completely blow off your grades. Your GPA sets you apart from candidates similar to you. If another candidate has similar passions and level of school involvement, GPA is a deal breaker in which candidate gets hired. A balance between schoolwork and social/ personal life is an ideal lifestyle for college students. Senior Biochemistry major Maria Macias-Bedolla says, “The key for me is having my schedule planned out every two weeks. Twoweek increments keep me from being overwhelmed and give me a pretty big window to study for upcoming exams.

Taking personal time to myself and knowing when not to overload myself keeps me from burning myself out.”

"Success is built upon failures"

In reality, most test letter grades only really determine the student’s reiteration skills and ability to memorize a specific answer. They do not define your intelligence, creativity, curiosity or personality.

In a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers examine an applicant’s leadership roles, extracurricular activities, school and community involvement before considering GPA. A graduate with a 2.7 GPA juggling multiple responsibilities and passions in college appears as a more qualified candidate for a job than a graduate with a 3.5 GPA and no extracurricular activities.

Stressing about test grades and GPA can actually hinder your performance

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to study. However, according to Texas A&M College of Medicine Professor David Earnest, cramming late at night prevents the information from being stored into your long-term memory. Therefore, when you take the test the next morning, it is harder for you to recall information because your short-term memory storage dissipates very quickly.

Put the textbook down, shut off your laptop and get some sleep. That B on your organic chemistry test does not indicate your self-worth and does not make you less intelligent or less of a person.

Success is built upon failures and mistakes made down the road and receiving one bad class grade does not damage your entire future. In the end, praising yourself for putting forth your best effort into whatever you do is just as much of a rewarding accomplishment as getting that A+.

SelfManifestation "Without action, our

desires will not just

happen

on their own."

FEATURE

By: Amber James and Misael Tobias Assistant Editor and Photo Editor There are many definitions of the word “manifest,” but the simplest would be “something that is put into your physical reality through thought, feelings and beliefs,” according to www.thelawofattraction.com. When we focus our energy, attention, awareness and emotion on something often enough, it can become our reality.

One of the first things we should do when we selfmanifest something is to actually see it in our minds.

According to www.mindbodygreen.com, it is important for us to spend plenty of time imagining our dream lives as if we are already living it. Another huge step in self-manifesting is to actually believe what we are telling ourselves. If we don’t believe what we are saying, we are going to feel the opposite of what we want to attract.

Another important thing to address about selfmanifestation is that unfortunate circumstances may occur and manifestation does not stop those things from happening. According to Denise Fournier of www. psychologytoday.com, some people have the idea that as long as you just think positive thoughts, good things will come to you. This is a problem because that idea “implicitly suggests that what happens to us in life is exclusively a matter of choice,” and it does not always work this way.

Manifestation, unfortunately, does not just work with our thoughts. To manifest something correctly, there has to be some form of action on our part. Without action, our desires will not just happen on their own. The action aspect of self-manifestation has a huge impact on what comes to fruition in our lives and what does not.

Bennie Radford, junior at the University of St. Francis says, “For me, the strongest and most powerful way to manifest something is to act as if it is already true.

Manifesting plays a huge role in my athletic career at the university. If we want to win a game but have not practiced for some reason, there is a low chance that we will actually win that game because we did not put in that extra effort. Basically, we should just act like the person we want to be and act as if we already have everything we want. Acting on your manifestations allows you to be ready to receive it from the universe. In all honesty, I think self-manifestation is also a spiritual thing for a lot of people, myself included.”

In the end, when we are trying to manifest something into our lives, it is important to do it correctly and with purpose. Nothing comes without a little effort involved.

By self-manifesting, we can create a life for ourselves that we have always wanted.

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By: Clarissa Del Rio Staff Writer

As the 2019 school year comes to an end, I went out on a bittersweet journey to interview four of USF’s most influential seniors to receive some final words of wisdom and discuss their experience here at USF. To read the full article about the other seniors that were interviewed, please visit www.usfencounter.edu.

Gabe Ceballos is a Communication and Media Arts (CMMA) major with a concentration in broadcasting.

He is publicity chair for the nation’s first and largest co-ed Latino based Fraternity Alpha Psi Lambda, has broken records and won various awards as a member of USF’s cross country and track team and is involved in USF’s TV Club and Radio Club.

GABE S O L L A B E C

Clarissa Del Rio: “Who are your top two professors at USF?” Gabe Ceballos: “One would be Brien McHugh because he helped me transition from Computer Science to CMMA and he really tried to help me out through that process, even though he’s not my advisor. The second would be Professor Rosner. Even though I have always struggled in her class, the stuff that she teaches will help in the long run.”

Roberto “Bobby” Santillan is a double major in Political Science and History. He is president of Student Government Association (SGA), part of the club Unidos Vamos Alcanzar (UVA), Campus Ministry, a history and geography tutor, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Mock Trial, choir, the soccer team, Saints in Action and History Club.

CDR: “Who and/or what will you miss most from USF?” Bobby Santillan: “I’m going to miss the people at Sodexo and the relationships I’ve made with them. If I was to single out a person there, it’d be Miss Diane a.k.a.

‘Momma.’ I’ll definitely miss her and all the smiles that she gives every day. I’ll also miss hanging out with my girlfriend in between classes, doing homework together, etc. But, I’m glad that we’re leaving because I can’t get too comfortable with that.”

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BOBBY SANTILL AN

Photos courtesy of Clarissa Del Rio and Roberto Santillan

INTERVIEW WITH GRADUATING USF SENIORS

Destinee Gonzalez is an Elementary Education major who is involved with the education honor society, Kappa Delta Pi. She is a Saints Ambassador, Resident Assistant (RA), is part of the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) and works the Marian Hall front desk. She was also a part of USF’s softball team her first two years at USF.

e e N I DESTZALES GON

CDR: “Who and/or what will you miss most from USF?” Destinee Gonzalez: “I am going to miss living on campus and having my friends live in the same hallway. Being surrounded by everybody day and night is so much fun because you’re always busy and there’s always activities. I’ll miss just being around college students in general.”

CDR: “What has been the hardest part of you major?”

DG: “Honestly, senior year has been the hardest. You’re working a 40-hour job and you’re not getting paid for it.

The kids make it worth it but working those 40 hours you [still] have your edTPA, which determines if you get your teaching license. It’s a lot to handle on top of lesson planning for every single week.”

Sara Hill is a Digital Audio Recording Arts (DARA) major.

She is a RA, writing tutor, DARA Student Worker and is the president of Spectrum, all while being a photographer on the side. She has also been involved as a SGA senator, on the E-board for Residence Hall Association (RHA), Justice League and Student Activities Board (SAB).

CDR: “Did you ever question your major?”

Sara Hill: “At first I did. There was one student in particular who would always tell me that I wasn’t going to make it because he knew more than I did. And it was difficult because I didn’t know anything. I was a beginner going in and I didn’t have the knowledge that some of these other people did coming in, so I felt very inadequate.

[However] one of the seniors took me under their wing and [even] led me towards my internship, and that’s when I started to feel like I had a place in DARA. [Professors] Jeff Jakowiak and Alby Odum were also very encouraging and when I did have an issue I could come to them and get it solved right away. I just appreciate them and Jake Tahney [for being there] when I was doubting the major I chose.”

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How to Deal With a By: Katie Wozniak Editor-in-Chief Imagine, you just broke up with a significant other and you see them while walking on campus. They smile and wave, stop by to say hello and wish you a nice day and then continue on. Not the typical behavior you expect from someone who just got dumped, right? If only going through breakups was that easy. Whether the relationship was romantic or platonic, breakups can be brutal. Even going separate ways from family members, colleagues or mentors can be tough, especially if you are leaving each other on bad terms.

Beginning with romantic relationships, we see the same scene played out over and over again: the woman in the breakup is seen trying to “get hot” by cutting her hair or working out or sitting on her couch eating anything from the depths of her fridge. Cut to the guy, hanging out with old acquaintances or finding new dates and realizing that they aren’t “her.” Now, in these scenarios, the two characters almost always get back together in the end.

However, in real life, this isn’t always the case. While a surprising 50% of exes rekindle what they once had, according to

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www.rd.com, building that relationship back isn’t as easy as a kiss in the rain.

In the aftermath of a breakup, it is easy to forget to take care of yourself or let everyday stress run rampant. According to www.huffingtonpost.com, there are many ways to cope with the added stress going through the end of a relationship may entail. Some of the most important ones include writing or talking it out, taking care of your body, being active and giving back.

While it may seem selfish to help others to, essentially, feel better about yourself, what matters at the end of the day is that it is truly a win-win situation. Junior Sam Ritchie says she spent quality time with her family to help cope with a breakup, saying, “Spending time with family and friends helps distract me while I’m trying to move on.”

While romantic breakups may seem rough, platonic ones can also feel brutal.

Friends are confidants, your biggest supporters and a shoulder to cry on.

"If they care about you and your success, they will most likely be understanding and open to helping you both succeed"

Break U When a person that you once cared about leaves, you often feel alone and lost.

According to www.time.com, losing a friend is more difficult than losing a romantic partner, because we often “don’t know what to say, don't know the terms of the breakup and the grief process is unexpected.”

Sometimes, friendships end by a certain betrayal or event that is the cause for the “break up.” More often than not, however, relationships end by gradually growing apart, physical distance or from a difference in lifestyles.

These causes for separation do not have a standard script to follow when attempting to talk to the other person. Without the conversation that is so standard in a romantic breakup, we can be left without a sense of closure. Sophomore Liz Badalamenti says she recognizes her emotions during a breakup but tries her best to move forward, saying, “After the period of frustration or sadness, I make it a point to try to move on with my life and focus my attention to the more enjoyable things in life.”

Finally, leaving a colleague, who you consider a friend can be tricky. Say you

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p

have a new job or even just a new major, you are bound to be leaving some friends behind who you saw every day because of work or school. While scheduling time out of your busy days may not be an option, try to keep up with these people either by phone calls, text or social media.

However, many of us find ourselves in relationships with coworkers that go south, sometimes suddenly. If you don’t know if you are involved in a toxic work friendship, take a closer look at your productivity. If they know you have a deadline and are interrupting your work only to discuss the office gossip, you might want to set certain boundaries in regards to productivity and time management. Do not skirt around the conversation, make sure to be direct and speak to the person one-on-one in order to salvage the core of the relationship. If they care about you and your success, they will most likely be understanding and open to helping you both succeed.

Dealing with breakups is something no one wants to do, but is, ultimately, inevitable.

Take time for yourself and remember that the best is yet to come.

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By: Chandler Kowaliczko Entertainment Editor As the LaVerne and Dorothy Brown Science Hall celebrates one full year of operation, students are also celebrating a successful first bloom of cannabis indica that was planted in the building’s second-floor green space. This effort was a part of a year-long botany experiment conducted by students interested in the planting and harvesting of marijuana.

The state-of-the-art building was completed in the early months of 2018 and currently houses interdisciplinary laboratories, a tutor room, faculty offices and a lecture hall. The building also includes a “green roof ” on the second floor by the faculty-student common area that allows students and faculty to interact informally, accommodates special events and can be used for teaching botany, ecology and sustainability.

“The new LaVerne & Dorothy Brown Science Hall will be transformational for

Photo courtesy of Chandler Kowaliczko

Cannabis Plants Boast Impressive Bloom in Science Hall Green Space

the sciences at the University of St. Francis and for the university as a whole.

As the first new, on-campus construction in decades, the Brown Science Hall is an important part of how the University of St. Francis is preparing itself—as well as its students—for its second century of service and leadership,” said USF President Johnson in a press release.

had a really open mind about it. And, to be honest, when a few of my friends and I first planted the cannabis seeds, we weren’t really expecting much. We aren’t professionals after all. We were as stoked as everyone else when it started to grow like weeds, no pun intended.”

The indica that was successfully grown in the green space is of the “Purple Monkey” variety and is believed to be a mixture As universities across the country are adding of different strains including “Northern cannabis to their curriculum by offering Californian,” “Mendo Purps,” “Granddaddy degrees related to medicinal plant chemistry, Purple” and “Deep Chunk,” according to students here at USF are just as eager to www.leafly.com. “The bulbous purple buds learn more about the flowering industry. produce a grape aroma that gives way to Although there are currently no plans to sweet flavors of pine and berry. The sedating add a marijuana major to the roster of effects produce deep relaxation great for science-related programs at the university, chronic pain, but best saved for the end of that hasn’t stopped THC enthusiasts like the day if you need to remain productive,” biology student Jenna Rogers from taking the website claims. advantage of the science halls new growing Biology student Michael Richardson was space. “At first, like, I really didn’t expect also impressed by the remarkable cultivation any of the faculty to take me seriously, you of the hallucinogenic in the science hall, know, with the whole ‘weed being illegal’ as well as its punctual bloom just in time thing, but they all supported my interest and for April 20th, which is considered to be

FEATURE

an occasion for smoking or celebrating the smoking of marijuana.

“Yeah that’s a little bit ironic, right? We didn’t really expect the cannabis to grow at all, so we aren’t quite sure what to do with it all. USF Security has to be posted there 24/7 because apparently people keep trying to steal it.” Richardson explained.

As mentioned above, there are no current plans on what is to come of the marijuana, but the plants show no signs of stopping.

APR FOO IL LS! usfencounter.stfrancis.edu

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By: Ashley Hare Staff Writer We live in a time where college tuition is averaging anywhere from $10,000 to $35,000. Since 2011, many people have been speculating that the rich and famous are bribing or cheating colleges into allowing their children into these prestigious schools.

The U.S. Attorney in the District of Massachusetts charged 50 people in federal court as a nationwide conspiracy to illicitly gain admission for high school students

site before it was taken down. The Key’s mission statement was, “The Key partners with your son or daughter to identify their strengths, unlock their potential, choose the right college, position themselves for admission and outline a course of study and extracurricular experiences to lead to a life of success.” However, the site was just a fraud to help the wealthiest parents get their children into school. Singer stated, “What we do is we help the wealthiest families in the US get their kids into

When the news broke about this college admission scandal, many parents and students were outraged learning about this scam. As a current college student at USF, it is heartbreaking to learn that the rich, famous and privileged can just bribe their way into college. Many students across the country are not privileged enough and work extremely hard to get where they are today. Olivia Jade, the daughter of Lori Loughlin said in a YouTube video, “I don't know how much of school I'm going to

“It is unfair to those of us who have worked so hard to get into school and those of us who can’t even afford to be in school. It is unethical for this to be happening.” to top colleges and universities. Actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman are just some of the 50 people accused of this scam. How exactly are these famous people bribing and cheating colleges of allowing their children acceptance into school?

According to www.cnn.com, the scam was being organized by the CEO of The Key, William Rick Singer. The Key was an organization that helped students with test preparation, searching for the right school and setting up campus visits. The site can no longer be accessed on the internet, but BuzzFeed has a screenshot of the

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school. They want guarantees, they want this thing done. They don’t want to be messing around with this thing.” U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said that Singer used two ways to sell students into school.

Lelling said, “One was to cheat on the SAT or ACT, and the other was to use his connections with Division I coaches and use bribes to get these parents' kids into school with fake athletic credentials."

Singer would take the parent’s massive amount of scam money and claimed it was a charitable donation to The Key organization.

attend but I do want the experience of game day and partying. I don't really care about school. As you guys all know.”

After hearing Olivia Jade say this on her YouTube channel, it is upsetting that I have to work so hard just to attend college due to the countless fees and the price of tuition. USF students Ivana Markovic and Hannah Gawenda both agree and say, “It is unfair to those of us who have worked so hard to get into school and those of us who can’t even afford to be in school. It is unethical for this to be happening.”

Photo courtesy of JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

College Admissions Scandal

April/May Highlights April 1st: Wing Bar April 8th: Sushi Lunch April 10th: Easter Lunch April 11th: Farmers Market April 12th: Fish Fry April 24th: Steak or Salmon Night April 26th: Last Day for Bernie’s Pub April 29th-May 1st: Late Night Snacks May 4th: Commencement ** Check out the April Calendar for all Specials and Events, as well our Friday Lent

Follow USF Sodexo on Social Media:

Specials

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Summer Bistro Hours Monday- Friday: 8am-1:30pm *Begins May 6, 2019

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COMMENTARY

Good Student Discounts Available!

Contact Joanne Winkler at joanne@esco1960.com 815-922-6616 For more info www.esco1960.com Located Across From Joliet Memorial Stadium 3077 W. Jefferson St. Joliet, Il 60435 usfencounter.stfrancis.edu

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Photo courtesy of www.pexels.com

IS THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. FRANCIS SUStainable?

Every day, news headlines and science reports reflect a world increasingly impacted by unsustainable trends and catastrophic climate events. In the face of all of this, it is easy to wonder, “Where does being sustainable on a college campus fall?”

As an educational institution, the University of St. Francis is responsible for introducing, supporting and encouraging core sustainability values and actions into all aspects of campus life. But are these efforts successful? The following articles focus on the university’s abilities to create a sustainable campus and remind us that our decisions impact not only the world, but the places we visit almost daily.

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YES In 2019, being conscious of the resources we are using and how we use them is of the utmost importance. As a twenty-year-old on a college campus, it’s hard to avoid the fact that my future may very well be affected by my generation’s decisions when it comes to being sustainable.

Being self-aware and acknowledging that humans are wasteful is only half the battle.

It’s putting into action those little things we have learned as kids about reducing, reusing and recycling. It’s not that these opportunities aren’t presented to people, many just choose to take the lazy way out.

Let’s just cut to the chase. The University of St. Francis (USF) employs enough resources, events and activities to make our school sustainable, but ultimately it is left up to students and faculty to ensure that we are being sustainable. In the past several years

By: Emily Plummer Layout Artist alone, USF has removed straws from all the dining halls, offered more sustainable to-go options, opened an eco-friendly vending machine and introduced more recycling options in the residence halls.

students to interact with these events and take advantage of them. Janine Hicks, USF’s Sustainability Coordinator, believes that although recycling is a struggle on campus, USF has made plenty of strides in the past couple years to be more eco-friendly. She The opportunities to be eco-friendly are says, “In the past three years, we have added all around us, yet many people pass up on beehives on campus, created a certified bee them. The sheer number of students that and butterfly garden on the quad and will order food to-go is jaw-dropping. The Three be adding a second on this year. We have Oaks Bistro and Bernie’s Pub both have brought in speakers to talk about saving the options for green baskets, all you have to do Great Lakes, we have expanded Green Week is ask. to Earth Month and offered a variety of events in conjunction with the Council on All clubs on campus are also required to host Environment Awareness and the SGA VP for “green events” for students, offering them Sustainability. We also have had education opportunities to be sustainable. Many of from Waste Management but need more these events will include free gifts such as of a commitment from everyone. Once reusable water bottles, straws and bags. All of recycling is back on track, we will work on these events are at no charge to students and composting.” provide opportunities for them to maintain being sustainable. Ultimately, it is left up to

By: Ian Bond Staff Writer Because this is a controversial topic, I am going to preface this by stating that the examples I will provide are not entirely the fault of the university as an institution but are a result of limitations it does not have full control over. I can also assure from talking with Sustainability Coordinator, Janine Hicks, that there are plans to address these issues.

The first of these limitations is recycling.

While recycling is readily available, it is not as simple as it seems because items cannot be “contaminated.” Otherwise, “one dirty product, or one with food waste still in it.”

According to Waste Management, “This can contaminate an entire bale, containing thousands of pounds of collected plastics.”

While the stakes are not that high at USF, students, faculty, staff, etc. are the ones responsible for the university’s recycling efforts and preventing fees from Waste Management. While the university can take steps to make it easier, we are the ones that decide whether the recycling bin’s contents end up in a recycling plant or a landfill.

COMMENTARY

Speaking of landfills, in 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency found that, “more than 39 million tons of food waste was generated, with only 5.3% diverted from landfills and incinerators for composting” constituting, “22% of discarded municipal solid waste.”

This leads to the next issue: food waste.

According to Janine Hicks, in order to start composting food waste on campus, USF must either find space for composting or pay Waste Management to remove it from campus. Regardless, though, “composting,” at least on main campus, “would require students or Sodexo employees to store and monitor.” Now I must point out that I am specifying main campus because there are plans to build a small composter at St. Clare.

Keeping somewhat in line with the composting theme brings up the final issue I will mention: biodegradable materials.

While it is commendable that Sodexo uses biodegradable and eco-friendly materials, most notably the disposable to-go boxes, these can only go so far. In the right

No

circumstances, these products such as plates and utensils can be environmentally friendly, but that to-go box from Taco Tuesday will take much longer to decompose if it is sealed in a garbage bag buried in a landfill rather than sitting in a composter.

Also, simply banning to-go boxes is not a practical solution because it would take too much time and water to wash hundreds of reusable to-go boxes. Not to mention, very few people will be happy about this for what I think are obvious reasons. That said, Sodexo customers are welcome to use their own reusable containers instead of the disposable ones.

So, in the end, the university has its limitations that it must work around in order to be sustainable. I wrote this article in order to serve as a reminder to readers that the university is not perfect and neither are we. There are still steps we, the university and ourselves, can take to be more sustainable.

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Let's Talk About Discrimination Among Majors "You picked a major and I picked a major. We all made different By: Courtney Joyce Staff Writer I am a history secondary-education major. I am sure just by reading that sentence that a picture came into your head. You probably assume that I spend all day making lesson plans and cutting out cute shapes for my bulletin boards and hang out with kids. You probably don’t think about the 10 to 12-page research paper I have due in three history classes this month, or the fact that I taught the future generation of America this week, or even that my major is just as worthy as yours.

I am here to talk about discrimination among majors and how it needs to stop. You picked a major and I picked a major. We all made different choices.

What makes your choice better than mine? Just because your major may be difficult or contain a lot of work does not give you the right to bash on mine. Every major is unique. They contain a unique skill set, a unique set of people to succeed and a unique workload. However, that does not mean that one major is better than

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another. Some majors require research and memorization while others require public speaking and emotional intelligence, yet others require creativity and empathy. All different but still worthy of respect.

artists, journalists and more, the world would not only be boring but would not function.

I quickly found out that I was not the only student feeling this discrimination among majors. Emily Specifically, I want to talk about Plummer, a junior Communication STEM majors versus other majors. and Media Arts (CMMA) student Now I am going to be vague here said, “Everyone just assumes that because I know and understand that CMMA is the major that you switch this may not be true in all cases, but to when you fail out of nursing or generally STEM majors are valued the realize business isn’t all that easy either. most in society. They contain the most There are still tight deadlines, monthwell-paid jobs in society. This makes it long projects, all-night studying and hard for people going into non-STEM harsh grading. Those things aren’t majors to succeed. Their degrees are exclusive to STEM. Just because the often seen as “less rigorous” or “less major is versatile doesn’t mean that essential” which sharply influences the it is for everyone or is in any way fact that many college students choose ‘easier.’” their major based on making money in the future, instead of choosing a major It is not for you to choose which that could make them happier. major I should pursue. It is not you paying my tuition bill and paying off An article from www.huffpost.com my student loans. So, until you are, addresses the idea of incorporating I expect you to get out of here with arts and humanities into STEM discrimination against majors and learning. The author proposes the idea respect each other. of a world without the humanities.

Without teachers, musicians, lawyers,

Photo csourtesy of Courtney Joyce and www.pexels.com

choices. What makes your choice better than mine?"

THE TOXICIT Y OF SOCIAL MEDIA

By: Jalen Williams Staff Writer

For many millennials and other generations alike, social media has become the bane of our existence. From likes and shares on Facebook to retweets on Twitter to dog filters on Snapchat, social media has become one of the main vehicles of communicating with our friends and family. However, like fast-food and drinking, too much of something can be a bad thing. Where many people use social media to update the world on their day-to-day activities, others can use it to inflate their lives and make people see themselves in a light that is fabricated.

According to www.entrepreneur.com, multiple studies have shown that the psychological effects of likes, comments and shares are proving detrimental to the mental health of the general population. One study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that liking more posts was tied to worse mental and physical health and “decreased life satisfaction,” while another study by the University of Copenhagen found that many people suffer from “Facebook envy,” the concept of being jealous of friends’ activities on social media. The design of Facebook in particular has caused what researchers call a context collapse, where users are locked into a single persona by the platform. The single persona we create on Facebook has led us to “self-edit” what we share, to create the perfect version of that public persona.

This is another factor that leads to Facebook envy and is the reason many people are buying followers on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Angelica Bibian, a senior at the University of St. Francis, agreed with the idea that many are focused on inflating their social media. “Social media can be toxic when you use it for the wrong things. Looking at other people’s posts, hoping that you can live just like them, can be harmful. Trying to live as

COMMENTARY

somebody else rather than yourself can be toxic to one’s selfesteem.”

For some, uploading pictures to Facebook or Snapchat throughout the day can be a fun and creative way of showing their friends and family what is going on in their daily lives. Taking videos of a concert or a good night out with friends can seem harmless, but many don’t realize the damage that can come from uploading certain images or videos. As the old saying goes, once it’s on the internet, it’s there forever. Whether you choose to post personal information on Facebook or Twitter is up to you as a user, but just remember that once you hit that “post” button, it will always be able to be found by the government or prospective employers.

According to www.entrepreneur.com, Facebook is a prime example of a social network that has become more about quantity and commercialization rather than a place to connect with friends and family. The addition of the Facebook Marketplace, a section of Facebook where users can buy and sell items, much like Craigslist, has furthered their ability to cash in on users and their information.

If social media is what makes you happy, then go for it. However, know that not everything you see on social media is true and that, with some inflation of profiles on Facebook or Twitter, things can negatively impact how you see your life or how you interpret life around you.

"Many people use social media to update the world on their day-today activities, others can use it to inflate their lives and make people see themselves in a light that is fabricated." usfencounter.stfrancis.edu

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Photos courtesy of Alex Guglielmucci, Katie Wozniak and www.chicagoautohaus.com

CHICAGO SPORTS UPDATES By: Alex Guglielmucci Sports Editor

As the calendar turns to April, two things become the center of attention in Chicago in 2019: The Cubs and White Sox baseball season. We look back, as well, to the poor seasons the Blackhawks and the Bulls have had in 2018-2019.

Chicago White Sox:

The White Sox had an interesting off-season as they were in contention to land superstars Bryce Harper and Manny Machado in free-agency. Although they did not sign those two players, they signed Eloy Jimenez, their best minor league prospect, to a record six year, 43 million dollar contract and he has never played a Major League Baseball game. According to the www. chicagotribune.com, should the White Sox and Jimenez agree on the options, the contract could end up being worth 75 million dollars. The Bleacher Report website predicts that the Chicago White Sox will finish the season third in their division and have a 74-88 season.

Chicago Blackhawks:

A disappointing season for the Blackhawks is an understatement. They currently hold a 34 and 33 record and are last in their division. A mid-season firing of three-time Stanley Cup Champion Coach Joel Quenneville made some fans upset and wondered what the future of the Blackhawks would be.

Yes, Patrick Kane is having one of his best seasons of his career, but if he is the only one scoring goals, issues will continue for the Blackhawks.

Chicago Bulls:

The Chicago Bulls continue to struggle to win ball games. Sitting in 13 position in the 15-team conference, the Bulls need to, quite honestly, keep losing so that they can have a higher draft pick in the 2019 National Basketball Association draft. According to www.nbadraft.net, the Bulls are positioned to have the fourth overall pick. If all goes as planned, the Bulls could be in the position to draft Duke University Guard, RJ Barrett, who would be a major addition to the already young Bulls roster.

Chicago Cubs:

The Chicago Cubs are looking to bounce back from a disappointing finish to their 2018 season that saw them go from leading their division to being the wild card team within two days and ultimately ending their season earlier than expected. University of St. Francis senior Marc Gonzalez thinks that the Cubs can make another run at a World Series ring in 2019 if their bullpen holds up and injuries are minimal, compared to last year. According to www. bleacherreport.com, the Cubs are predicted to win the stacked National League Central division and have a record of 90 and 72. As a Cubs fan, I hope this is true with all the trades and signings that the Brewers and Cardinals made this off-season.

SPORTS

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By: Amber James Assistant Editor

You thought Troy Bolton from “High School Musical” had a tough time?

Radford currently plays football at USF as a defensive back and is a music major with a concentration in digital audio recording arts (DARA). He is taking 13 classes for 21 credit hours, which has required him to obtain an “overload waiver” from the music department. These classes are for his graduation requirements and/or to keep his music scholarship.

Radford is also a member of the Augustus Tolton Honor Society and has two jobs; one as a music student worker and another as a DARA student worker. Most recently, he was chosen to be an orientation board co-

chair for the upcoming school year and was a lead cast member for the spring musical.

So, how does Radford balance it all?

“It sounds basic, but I think what helps me balance everything is managing my time and prioritizing everything that I need to get done.” He continues, “But I think finding motivation is what is more difficult. Luckily for me, I found motivation by thinking about how my life is going to turn out at the end of all of this. I think about how the things I am doing now will help me live the life that I want. I am lucky to have opportunities that have helped shape who I am today.”

Radford also gathers inspiration from those close to him. “My family and my girlfriend, Amber, are my inspiration to keep going as well. They push me in all aspects of my life and without them I don’t know where I would be. They motivate me to be more than just average,” he says.

It is obvious that there are athletes balancing a difficult workload that many would find crazy to think about and Radford is only one of those athletes. According to www. browndailyherald.com, 30% of students decide to quit their sport before graduating due to stress. So, the next time someone makes a negative comment towards an athlete for their performance on the court, field or track, it is important for us to think about what they have to go through on a daily basis for the opportunity to succeed in the sport of their choice.

Photos courtesy of University of St. Francis and USF Athletics Flickr page

College athletes are in the unique position of trying to play the sport they love, take classes and find a job to be able to afford food, rent, tuition and other expenses. If that wasn’t enough, athletes also have to try to find time in their life to decompress with friends, family or significant others.

Bennie Radford, student-athlete at the University of St. Francis (USF) is only one of the many athletes that experience this dilemma. He says being an athlete in college is a monumental task. According to www. naia.org, more than 65,000 student-athletes have the opportunity to play college sports at National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) member institutions every year.

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April 22, 2019

USF Sports End of the year report By: Bennie Radford Staff Writer

As the year comes to an end, so do the USF Spring Sports. Although not all sports are done yet, the majority of them are wrapping up their seasons as we speak. There have been many accomplishments throughout this spring season, so here are a few: Bowling: Although the bowling season is not completely finished, they have put up some seriously ridiculous scores and finishes throughout the season.

On the men’s side, USF finished fourth at the USBC Intercollegiate Team Sectional Tournament held on March 10 at Stardust Bowl in Addison, Ill. The men’s team also advanced their first male singles athlete in program history.

On the women’s side, the team also finished fourth at the sectionals. This will be the women’s fifth straight appearance at the ITC National Tournament.

Abby Ragsdale and Robert Kicmal were also two athletes that were named First Team All-Americans

SPORTS

this year. According to www.gofightingsaints.com, not only did they earn AllAmerican status, but they also earned “Rookie of the Year” on the men’s side and “Player of the Year” on the women’s.

Baseball: The season has yet to come to an end, but the men’s baseball team has had a good run since their opener in February. Earlier this month, the baseball team was relentless in their 13-3 win over Trinity International University.

Six Saints recorded multiple hits and four drove in multiple runs, according to www.gofightingsaints. com. Later in the season, in a matchup pitting two of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference's top squads against each other, the University of St. Francis baseball team used strong pitching, solid defense and timely hitting to defeat Olivet Nazarene University 4-0. The University of St. Francis has much to look forward to in terms of their spring athletes.

Cheerleading: They are one of the only spring semester sports that are finished with their season. They finished first in the Reach the Beach National Cheer Competition held in Orlando, Fla. on March 23. This is the second consecutive year that they have been crowned the victors. Michael Mendoza, sophomore cheerleader at USF states, “I felt confident that we would come out and perform to the best of our abilities like we usually do. Some people don’t think cheerleading is a real sport but I think we proved them otherwise after our second win.”

For more information on all things USF sports, please visit www.gofightingsaints. com.

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By: Blake Tomac Feature Editor

Kevin Mampe was a four-year starter for the Fighting Saints baseball team as both an infielder and a pitcher. He was a First-Team All-CCAC selection in 2016 and a Second-Team All-CCAC honoree in both 2017 and 2018. While majoring in finance, Mampe was named to the CCAC All-Academic Team three different years. His career came to an end last season as he graduated in May but Mampe’s impact as a captain and a leader for the Saints baseball program is something that will not be forgotten anytime soon. I sat down with Mampe to get his take on his time at USF and see what he is up to now.

KM: “I am currently the graduate assistant for the baseball team at USF. I am working towards my MBA while gaining some coaching experience. In the future I hope to stay in coaching and hopefully one day become a head coach at the college level.”

BT: “What is your favorite baseball memory at USF?”

KM: “I would say I have two favorite baseball memories. The first would be my freshman year, making the national tournament and going to a regional in Montgomery, Alabama. That was something we were never able to repeat while I was still playing so that first Blake Tomac: “How would you describe your time as a student year means a lot to me. Second would be senior day, it was our first and athlete at USF?” games on our newly renovated field which was special. Being able to share that day with my dad, mom and all my brothers on the Kevin Mampe: “My time at USF as a student-athlete was priceless. team was pretty cool.”

As a student, I was fortunate enough to receive a solid education from a lot of great professors. As an athlete, I made lifelong friends BT: “What advice would you give to an athlete coming into the while playing the game I love. That’s something I wouldn’t trade baseball program for the first time?” for anything.”

KM: “A quick piece of advice I would give to any athlete is to just BT: “What have you been up to since graduation and what are enjoy it while it lasts. It sounds cliché but you can’t take anything your plans for the future?” for granted because someday you’ll wish you had it all back. Just work hard and cherish the moment that you’re in.”

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Photo courtesy of USF Athletics Flickr page

Interview with Graduate Athlete Kevin Mampe

By: Giovanni Alvarado Commentary Editor

April Horoscopes

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)

Your ability to cultivate relationships will be extremely vital for you this month. Try not to get on the edgy side of your boss or partner. Remain calm, organize and tactful. It is a good time to invest in something important to you.

It will be a good time for a romantic relationship. For singles, surprises are in store for you. In your professional aspect of life, responsible duties must get fulfilled before they add up. Take all opportunities offered to you.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)

Taurus Traits: Caring, loyal, patient

Scorpio Traits: Adaptable, perceptive, hard-working

The odds will be in your favor this month and everything will go your way. While this month will be full of abundance for you, there will be some unexpected changes in important aspects of your life.

The winds of change will strongly affect you this month.

Contradictions may occur, though the rewards of your labor will finally be recognized. A job offer may result in traveling abroad for new beginnings but may aslo mean the end of a relationship.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)

If you’ve been wanting to change something in your life, set new goals and objectives, now is the time. It’s also a great time for a new look. With enough patience, persistence and hard work, you will find success.

This month your focus will revolve most in your family and relationships. Determination and grit will be your top highlights and you will enjoy a new experience coming your way.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)

Overall, the atmosphere will be very calm for you this month.

Any changes could only result in more negatives. Remain head strong and centered, focus more on your family and friends and little with those that are not as close.

You are one of the most hardworking people, but too much work can hinder other parts of your life. This month, work may not come easy and you may need to re-organize. Instead, spend quality time with family to lift your spirits.

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22)

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)

This month will revolve around your professional life, but there will be tension in the air. Try to avoid any arguments with your boss. You will learn that by being more supportive will you receive desired results in the long run.

This will be a very dynamic and busy month for you at work and home. Don’t worry, it will pay off at the end. It will be all about hustle and bustle, but your attitude of care, well-being, pragmatism and concentration will deeply matter. You got this!

Aries Traits: Great leaders, optimistic, daring

Gemini Traits: Intelligent, sociable, multitasker

Cancer Traits: Protective, nurturing, emotional

Leo Traits: Brave, assertive, fearless

Libra Traits: Romantic, intuitive, charismatic

Sagittarius Traits: Optimistic, adventurous, open-minded

Capricorn Traits: Patient, persistent, responsible

Aquarius Traits: Original, intelligent, spontaneous

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20)

Priorities, personal matters and your loved one’s happiness will be your most important highlights for this month. You’re not one to easily get distracted by silly unimportant events or drama.

It will be a very lively month for new beginnings.

You will be focused this month in your career path and future aspirations. In order to target success, you will need the help of partnership from others like co-workers, classmates and family.

You will begin plans you previously set with a successful job.

Virgo Traits: Dependable, intellectual, modest

SPORTS

Pisces Traits: Creative, compassionate, intuitive

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Thanks for a great year!

Sincerely, The USF Encounter Spring 2019 Seniors