Western Herald 96-22

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WESTERN HERALD S ERVING W ESTERN M ICHIGAN U NIVERSITY

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M ONDAY , N OVEMBER 21, 2011 V OL . 96 I SSUE 22

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Broadcast engineer produces music Martin is the sweetener of sound. He tweaks concert recordings with echo so they sound like what you hear on the radio. “It’s a standard,” he said. “What we’re used to hearing in recordings is a certain amount of Klemm reverb just by being raised in the states and the recordings we listen to,” he said. “It sounds a little fancier.” Martin Klemm, a broadcast engineer at WMUK/102.1 FM on campus, produces, records and troubleshoots audio production at the station. He graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in audio. At 30 years old, he’s at his first career job. He’s still learning a lot by looking back at his years at WMU. “Try to minimize your debt,” he said. “Money can kill the spirit, a lack of it.” -Erin Gignac News Editor

in

Brief

CAMPUS

A team of Western Michigan University engineering students took first place in the second Stryker Engineering Challenge, beating out teams from University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Notre Dame University and Purdue University for the second straight year, according to WMU News. Members of the team are Avin Castelino, a mechanical engineering major; Jolica Dias, electrical engineering; Ria Periera, electrical engineering; and Benjamin VanDyken, mechanical engineering, according to WMU News. For their victory, they received an Apple iPad2 and an internship interview with Stryker, WMU News states. WMU’s record is currently 2-0. -Andrew J. Cooper

Poll

LAST

WEEK’S

What is your favorite Mexican restaurant in Kalamazoo? a) Los Amigos (56%) b) La Pinta (33%) c) Mi Pueblo (6%) d) Casa Bolero (6%) THIS WEEK’S

What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? a) Turkey b) Ham c) Stuf�ing d) Mashed Potatoes e) Green Bean Casserole To submit an answer go to www.westernherald.com

MODA struts its stuff

By Katey Stapleton Staff Reporter The biannual Merchandising Opportunity & Design Association (MODA) fashion show, Luminesce, stepped outside of the norm this year, boasting bright purple and blue lights, intimate seating, and a large screen showcasing videos of the designers. The show held in the Bernhard Center on Friday and Saturday night was a massive success, selling out before the show even began. Faculty, students, family and friends filled the seats that surrounded a long, straight runway. Thirteen lines trotted down the sleek, raised aisle as the audience clapped vigorously and cameras flashed. In a new twist this year, the audience was able to hear from the fashion designers themselves. A video, approximately 30 seconds long, played before each line was presented. Many designers spoke of their inspirations and what their lines meant to them. “It was really cool being able to hear from the designers while they were

Dan Morgner/Western Herald

MODA showcases an ensemble by Ashley Dragen.

“It’s not just the designers and their clothes. It’s the videos and clips and the clothes and the music... It’s everything put together. It’s a full circle show.” -Anna Erickson, Designer

actually in the process of making their clothing,” said Kendra Luke, 22, a

student at WMU. “It was a nice change. They didn’t have that the other years I

have gone to the show. The show was definitely exciting. I’m so glad that I got to experience it.” Designer Anna Erickson said, “there are a lot more elements to it. It’s not just the designers and their clothes. It’s videos and clips and the clothes and the music... it’s everything put together. It’s more of a full circle show.” From avant-garde styles to a menswear line, MODA designers did not disappoint when it came to developing innovative and shocking garments. However, the road to completion was not always easy. “The hardest part about being a designer was keeping self-confidence in my designs,” Erickson said. Long hours of labor and planning did not hinder the final products of the 18 designers that contributed to Luminesce. In fact, Erickson said she found the process to be the best part of designing. “Being able to choose my own fabric and create things that I like exactly how I wanted them [was the best part]. You know when you go to the store and you’re like, I wish I had

that? Well, I made everything like that. I thought that was cool,” Erickson said. MODA fashion designers paid for their own materials, picked out their models, and chose the music for the show. Erickson said the semester-long process was a really great experience. “[Now] we have things to put in our portfolio and first hand experience to go with that,” Erickson said. Another experience gained was one of a charitable nature. MODA teamed up with the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission, a homeless shelter that provides over 550 meals and 250 people with shelter per day. Many families will receive presents on Christmas due to MODA contribution. “It felt good for me to know that the money I paid for the ticket was going to make someone have a happier Christmas,” Luke said. As the show came to a close, designers took deep sighs of relief. Viewers could be heard ecstatically discussing the show.

WMU campus closes for Thanksgiving By Sam Stachurski Staff Reporter Thanksgiving break is right around the corner. For many students, this means taking a break from school, heading home and enjoying a turkey dinner with their family. Classes are over on Wednesday at noon, and many students are leaving even before then. With so many students gone, most of campus is shutting down over break. However, there are still buildings open around campus for those who aren’t going home.

According to the WMU News, on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 5 p.m., the Bernhard Center and Bronco Mall, the Help Desk, the Student Rec Center and Waldo Library will be closed. The Bernhard Center and Bronco Mall will open from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday, and the Rec Center is open from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Waldo Library will be closed on Thursday, but will reopen from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 3 a.m. on Sunday. The Admissions Office will close from

Thursday, Nov. 24 until Sunday, Nov. 27. The campus computer labs will also be closed from Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 5 p.m. until noon on Sunday, Nov. 27. Another big closing on campus is Sindecuse Health Center, which will be closed from Thursday, Nov. 24 through Sunday, Nov. 27. Most of the dining halls are going to be closed down during break as well. “Wednesday, Nov. 23, Hoekje, Bigelow, and Valley 2 are the only ones that are going to be open and then the dining halls will

close at 1 p.m. and all dining halls will reopen Nov. 28,” said Sharon Champion, a student assistant with the Dining Hall Services. “The others will close Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. They’re going to lock the doors over break, so there won’t be any dining halls open.” There will still, however, be some events occurring on campus, despite the closings. According to WMU News, there will be a football game on Friday, a woman’s basketball game on Friday, a volleyball game

on Saturday and a Kenny Rogers holiday concert on Saturday. For any students staying on campus during break, these closings may put students in a difficult situation. “I was thinking about staying because the drive home is so long, but everything is closing down. It’s a real hassle,” said freshman anthropology major Shelby Smith. Once classes resume on Monday at 8 a.m., the facilities closed on campus will resume their normal hours.

Rave for Relief exposes Africa’s famine By Craig Manning Staff Reporter A famine in East Africa has left hundreds of thousands of African citizens fleeing their homes to refugee camps around the continent. Kenya and Somalia have suffered some of the most severe blows, and Kenya’s main relief center, the Dadaab Refugee camp, has now reached six times the 90,000 person capacity it was originally designed to hold, with 1,500 more refugees arriving each day and no end in sight. The catastrophe becomes more devastating with each passing day, but now, Western students at Solid Grounds Ministries are pitching in to help. On Saturday, Dec. 3, at 9 p.m. in the West Ballroom of the Bernhard, Solid Grounds will be hosting a

benefit event dubbed “Rave for Relief.” Tickets are $5 if purchased in advance, $7 at the door with a student ID, or $10 at the door without one. Solid Grounds will be spreading awareness of the event and selling tickets at the flagpoles and by Miller Fountain on Monday, Nov. 28 and Thursday, Dec. 1. The event will feature two DJs---one from Grand Rapids and one a student at WMU---and all proceeds will go towards the Dadaab Refugee Camp. Solid Grounds is hoping to fill the room to its 300 person capacity. “Solid Grounds received a grant to pay for the expenses of the benefit event,” said Mark Couch, the campus pastor with Solid Grounds. “So all proceeds from ticket and Tshirt sales will go directly to the refugees at the Dada-

ab camp. There are 20 or so world agencies helping out with the relief effort at Dadaab, so we’ll just send the money right to one of them.” Megan Schwark, a student coordinator for the event and a junior early childhood education major at WMU, said she was inspired to reach out to the victims of the famine when she heard of some of the horrific scenes that take place every day in Somalia and Kenya. “My interest was sparked when I heard a news article a while back about mothers having to leave their dead children on the side of the road while seeking aid,” Schwark said. “So many people have died from starvation while on the road to Dadaab. Mothers have had to continue on, leaving their children

behind. Children have suffered through losing their families and having to continue on weak, hungry and alone. These people still continue to struggle for their lives, and my hope is for us to reach out to them however we can.” Clearly there is a dire need for any help that can be spared, and the students at Solid Grounds cycled through several benefit event ideas before they settled on the idea of a rave. The student team, which consists of nine students, met every Tuesday since late September, developing the event from its roots as a straightforward benefit concert into what it is now. “We originally were going to have a benefit concert,” said Couch. “We were going to get three or four bands to play the Dalton Recital Hall, but we

were having difficulty finding a big name band that would draw interest and fit our budget. Then someone suggested the idea of having a rave, and it just took off.” Couch said that the students at Solid Grounds, regularly volunteer at the Gospel Mission downtown and are planning a trip to Florida over winter break to assist Habitat for Humanity. They had a goal in mind to help out with at least one big international issue, and that this one stood out. “We wanted to be active on campus and throughout the community,” said Couch. “But we also wanted to pitch in to help out with a world cause, and the famine relief effort really stood out to me and to the students as a great one to support.”

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