Op-Ed 2 News 3-4
Education 5 Features 6-7
Sports 8-11 Entertainment 12-13
Kids’ Korner 14 International 15
February, when the days of winter seem endless and no amount of recollecting can bring back any air of summer. -Shirley Jackson
The Wilson Billboard February 19, 2010 Wilson College Chambersburg, Pennsylvania Vol. XXXXI, No. 8
The Wilson Community Responds to the Record Haitian Earthquake by Sarah Martin Deforestation, colonization and years of political unrest resulted in poverty, high mortality rates and left numerous people homeless in Haiti. Haitians recently received another blow to their impoverished lives. On Tues, Jan. 12, Haiti shook, buildings collapsed and cracks in the land opened up. A 7.0 magnitude earthquake, thought to be the effect of two plates shifting, destroyed much of Haiti. This is the strongest earthquake to hit the region since 1770. Wed, Jan. 20 saw a 6.1 magnitude aftershock. Seven days later another aftershock, this one registering 4.9 on the Richter scale, shook the already destroyed country. The epicenter of the quakes was located ten miles southwest of the country’s capital Port-au-Prince. BBC News reported that officials estimate 230,000 people are dead, around 300,000 are injured and at least one million are homeless. Survivor rescue efforts were called off on Tues, Jan. 26 and plans toward relief and rebuilding began. Now, towns and cities are full of tents--most are sheets held up by sticks--are surrounded by buildings BBC News reported that in rubble. These makeshift tents house families, officials estimate 230,000 many of which lack the necessities of food and people are dead, around water. 300,000 are injured and Many countries all over the world sent aid at least one million are by whatever means they could, whether it was homeless. medical personnel and supplies; food and water; tents and humanitarian aid or simply their prayers of support. The U.S. sent almost 13,000 troops to Haiti to help with the relief efforts. Former Presidents Bush and Clinton launched the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fun. On Sat, Jan. 16, to raise money for the people of Haiti. The Red Cross began a cell phone campaign on Fri, Jan. 15, in which U.S citizens texted the word HAITI to a specific phone number and made a $10.00 donation via their cell phone bill. Another country-wide relief effort was the Hope for Haiti Now telethon. Various actors, singers and TV show hosts joined together to gather more financial support for Haiti. Relief efforts and donations of any size are wanted and needed. Wilson
College students and faculty participated in one such effort, a bake sale, that was held on Mon, Feb. 15 and on Wed, Feb. 17 from 8:30-9:15pm in Warfield Hall and the Science Center. The Spanish Club and the Friends of China club held the bake sale because, according to Prof. José Cordova, “we feel distressed that there are actually people who seem to have written Haiti off as a lost cause and think that any aid we may offer will make no difference. The members of the Spanish Club feel that in the face of suffering and need we must respond as generously and fraternally as we can.” The two Spanish Club presidents, Mariza Cooray ‘10 and Monique Pare ‘11, commented that the bake sale was, “not receiving as much support from students as we hoped for…[we] appreciate all forms of support from the Wilson Community in this effort, no matter how large or small they may be.” The donations and proceeds from the bake sale went to the Red Cross. “[We] appreciate all forms A local Club Scout group, Pack 136, of support from the Wilson collected tents and tarps in response to a plea Community in this effort, no for help from a Boy Scout Troop in Miami. matter how large or small Prof. Dana Harriger, Assistant Dean and they may be,” said Spanish Head of the Science Division and Assistant Club presidents Cooray ‘10 Prof. of Biology, who announced the Boy and Pare ‘11. Scouts’ need at a faculty meeting, hopes, “that if anyone [has] an old tent or tarp lying around, they may consider donating it for relief.” The troop collected tents from the charter church St. John’s United Church of Christ members, from parents of the Pack and Troop 136 and one tent from a Wilson employee. The Chambersburg troop sent the tents to a Miami troop that then sent them on to Haiti. Chaplain Rosie Magee asks the Wilson community to send their prayers to Haiti, not only for those who have lost their lives or the lives of loved ones, but also for “the millions of Haitians who survived the quake and are now without shelter, food, and/or proper medical attention.” Continued on Page 2
The John Stewart Memorial Library and Warfield Hall after the snowstorm. For more about the record snowfall see the story on page four. Photo by Xiaomeng Li
Students, faculty, staff and community members looking for more campus news are in luck. The Billboard recently entered into a partnership with College Publisher--a subsidiary of MTV Networks--that will give The Billboard the opportunity to publish articles online. Because of this new medium, staffers can now publish news and information in a timelier manner, with content supplementing the monthly print edition. The plan to launch an online edition of the paper has been in the works for at least a year. Xiaomeng Li, the current News and International Editor, will begin as the Online Editor as soon as the website launches. The Billboard hopes to add features independent of the print format. Some of these features include a more interactive design where readers can comment on content. The Billboard also hopes to add more sections to the electronic version, incorporating updates from departments on campus, clubs, as well as a events calendar. Other features that The Billboard can add to an online format are short videos and podcasts, which reporters can use to illustrate or contribute to their stories. The online edition will have a greater capacity for photos that are often left out of the print edition of the paper. Look for the online edition of The Billboard soon.
Now Get Your Billboard Fix Online by Kayla Chagnon
Editorial-Opinion
Government Programs Which Help Others Could Also Help You by Kayla Chagnon
It is a common belief today that people should provide for themselves instead of taking money or help from others—if people do, they are weak or less than human. As college students, we grew up in the era of the “Welfare Queen,” a mythical figure popularized by Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, which is still part of popular culture. Every now and then, someone posts a negative Facebook message about someone receiving food stamps. That message is usually about how that person needs to “get a job” and “stop taking someone else’s hard earned money.” In reality, they do not understand that it is much easier to blame individuals than to look at the country as a whole and how we are all interconnected. The problems of a few, even those we do not see as relevant, affect us all. The division between the “rich” and the “poor” seems to be noticeable at an educational level. The government is now taking steps to help all students. During President Obama’s State of the Union speech, he spoke of his plans to help students receive a college education. He confirmed that he intends to raise the amount of money students can receive from a Pell Grant, a government grant for students in low-income families. The President also said that it is his goal to help students pay off their loans if they decide to go into public service after their college graduation. College, which might not have been an option for students with lower incomes, might now be more accessible. This will begin to lessen not only the divisions between people, but it will also help others. By going to college, students will be able to help their community, which highlights the President’s second goal. People with some kind of education will be able to make a difference in their communities and others may consider public service in order to make their education more affordable. If they decide to do public service, programs such as AmeriCorps or Teach for America allow students to work in rural or underprivileged communities, start their own careers after graduation, pay off their loans and most importantly help others. Some would argue that these programs are for students in the humanities or students who want to be teachers. These programs can benefit students in a variety of disciplines; for example, AmeriCorps has programs
that range from tutoring children and rebuilding houses to establishing businesses in lower income communities. Many people need help in all kinds of places and these programs offer this help. As a college student and a young adult in today’s society, it is easy to question why I should care about others. In short, the problems in other communities—even in places far from our homes—can affect us in some way or another. For example, problems in Iraq and Afghanistan became a worldwide issue, and have come to affect those in our own communities and lives. In addition, with people in inner cities or rural communities suffering because of poverty and lack of resouces, many turn to crime or become resentful towards others. Without the help and encouragement from those who have something to give, these problems continue to become more entrenched in society, affecting us all. We need to realize that, one day, we might need the help that these programs offer, and if we continue to criticize those who need help rather than support them, we are only hurting ourselves. Accepting that these programs are helpful to some means that we must accept that each of us has frailties and that we might need help. For many that is frightening. If we continue to criticize others that use these programs, soon such programs might not receive public or governmental support. Three years ago, I would never have dreamed of receiving government aid, but I do. When I came to Wilson College in 2007, my family was financially stable. During the end of my junior year that all changed, and during my senior year I received a Pell Grant. I am thankful for my Pell Grant. I never realized what this kind of grant could offer a student. It offered me a chance to finish my degree. I have never looked at myself as taking a handout and I never will. However, I realize that without the help of others I would not be able to attend college. Therefore, if you ever feel like saying someone does not need help, think about yourself. You do not know what will happen down the road—you could be in the same position one day. I never knew it would happen to me, but I look forward to giving back something positive in return for the help I received.
Members of the Class of 2010 at Spring 2010 Convocation Photo courtesy of Kira Stone
Your People’s Republic of Art is tackling a 20x30 foot painting and you can help! It’s a New York street scene (sort of) for the Chambersburg Community Theater production of Godspell coming in March to the Capitol Theater. Can’t help right now but interested in art? There will be a gathering in the Art Center from 1:00-4:00pm on Sunday afternoon. PRA will provide pizza and chips. This is a great time to check out what PRA is about! Make sure you wear painting clothes! Visit with the exciting and festive PRA members to find how you can become exciting & festive too! Interested? E-mail lharmyk@wilson.edu or scole@wilson.edu to get involved.
Continued from pg. 1 Magee is also collecting hygiene kits, which include one hand towel, one 16 by 28 inch face cloth, one nail-clipper, one bar of soap, one toothbrush (toothpaste will be sent separately) and one box of Band-aids. Place all of these items into a one gallon sealable plastic bag. So far, Magee has collected 51 hygiene kits from the Wilson community and a $15.00 donation. She delivered these to the Church World Service collection depot
in Harrisburg. Other organizations Magee recommends donating to are the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Habitat for Humanity. Please send contributions for the Presbyterian Church to PCUSA, Box 643700, Pittsburgh PA, 15265-3700. Any checks should be made out to DR000064-Haiti. For Habitat for Humanity, visit their website, www. habitat.org. Remember to send money only to reputable and well-known organizations.
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TheWilsonBillboard February 19, 2010
News
Wilson College Holds Hope to Reach Carbon Neutrality in the Future by Sarah Martin
What do Sulphur Hexaflourides, Nitrous Oxide, Chlorofluorocarbons, Methane, Perfluorocarbons and Carbon Dioxide have in common? They are all green house gases. These gases cause the greenhouse effect. This effect, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary, is the warming of the earth by trapped solar heat. Wilson College is one of many colleges trying to battle the greenhouse effect. They are attempting to do this with a plan to reach carbon neutrality. Carbon neutrality is reached when the amount of carbon released into the air is decreased to zero. These harmful carbons are emitted from cars, our trash and using electricity. To counteract the release of these carbons, Wilson has pledged to reach carbon neutrality by 2040. This plan is called the Wilson Climate Action Plan and details how Wilson will reach neutrality. Project Director Edward Wells, chair and associate professor of Environmental Studies, thinks the 2040 goal of carbon neutrality is attainable and feels that “students can lead the way in bringing about the cultural changes that are needed for energy conservation.” He provides an example from Penn State. They have a “Lights Out” program in which groups of students go around campus each night to shut off any lights that are not in use. This is an example of how students can take a leadership role in conserving energy and reducing carbon emissions. Wells and Tara Leeking ‘11 co-authored the Climate Action Plan, along with contributions from the Fall of 2009 Environmental 215 class, ‘Environmental Impact Assessment.’ Leeking says that even though the Action Plan and the gas inventories were hard work, the findings were surprising. She says, “It’s not something one usually thinks about, so to see it in numbers, was kinda mind-blowing.” Some points outlined in the plan include improving energy efficiency, producing alternative energies and conservation projects. Already, Wilson has begun combating their carbon emissions. In 2007, President of the College Lorna Duphiney Edmundson signed the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The ACUPCC ‘pledges to sharply reduce and eventually eliminate all of the college’s greenhouse emissions, and accelerate the research and educational efforts to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate.’ That fall Wilson participated in its first greenhouse gas inventory. In the Fall of 2009 this inventory was updated. The findings of these inventories showed that emissions were at their lowest in 2007. In 2008 the emissions increased, most likely due to the size of the newly opened LEED-certified Harold Brooks Science Complex. This LEED-certified science building is one of many ways Wilson is applying the Action Plan. They have also purchased two zero-emissions,
all-electric vehicles. Alternative energies found on campus include biodiesel, which is produced from the waste oil in the dining hall, two solar sub arrays and a wind generator, which are all located at the Fulton Farm. Also, the Fulton Farm contains an eight-acre organic farm and has a composting program that is used to educate the community through the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. A recycling program called Recyclemania has been implemented in order to encourage the community to recycle. The dining hall is also doing their part by having trayless dining which reduces the amount of water and chemicals needed to wash their dishes. The ground’s department uses less fertilizers and only appliances with the energy star logo will be purchased to replace old energy consuming appliances. Educationally, Wilson is the host for the Energy and You workshops, which began in the Spring of 2009. These workshops feature a variety of presenters who talk about energy and energy conservation. Students, faculty and staff of Wilson have opportunities to attend international conferences on sustainability. In 2008, Wilson, one of 33 colleges and universities, presented at the Third Annual Smart and Sustainable Campuses Conference at the University of Maryland. They presented “Implementing Environmental Sustainability without Compromising Financial Sustainability.” Wilson also partnered with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and they hope to renovate the 3.1 mile stretch of the Conococheague Creek that runs through campus. This renovation will help the ecological system of the river flourish. Wooded lots and ecological systems offset the emissions of carbon dioxide. The campus houses 25 acres of wooded area as well as an eight-acre organic farm. In West Virginia a 319 acre plot of preserved forest land was given as a gift to Wilson, and is factored into the emissions inventory which offsets emissions produced by the campus. Wilson has implemented many programs in order to reduce their carbon emissions and they are discussing more programs to use. These programs under review include shortened work weeks during the summer and winter recesses, upgrading windows in older buildings, providing incentives for car-pooling, more shuttle services and expanding the Yikes Bikes program. Carbon emissions may have increased with us, but we have the ability to turn that around. Next time you think about throwing that water bottle out, do your part, take an active leadership role and recycle. All of the information included in this article, and much more, can be found in the Wilson Climate Action Plan. This is located on the Wilson website. Type in the Climate Action Plan into the search box and click on the link. Further questions can be directed to Ed Wells at ewells@wilson.edu.
Another Date to Mark in your Spring Calendars: Student Research Day by Xiaomeng Li
You should mark your calendar for a special day each spring semester –student research day. This year, student research day is scheduled on Fri, April 23. What is student research day? Mary Hendrickson, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, explains that it is a day designed for seniors to present their academic accomplishments. It “asks majors to let us know which student in which major can give a presentation. The presentation can be a research project, an art exhibit, an equestrian performance, or a teaching.” Students will not have class on student research day. However, “it is not a free day,” says Hendrickson. “It is a day that all the students, faculty, and staff should participate. Faculty will meet and attend different presentations. Students that are not seniors are expected to attend presentations too.
They will learn what the seniors do, and may be inspired.” Mariza Cooray ‘10, the Disert Scholar, will present her Honors Research Project in the science center auditorium. “We will set aside a time for her. Her proposal is considered to be the best. And all students are encouraged to attend her presentation.” Besides the presentations, the annual academic awards banquet will be held that evening. Hendrickson believes the student research day blends well with the ongoing Wilson Campaign and says, “We will invite local newspapers, TV, if they wish, to come and cover this activity. Parents, friends, and people from the community are also welcome. It is a good showcase of Wilson’s academic excellence. We let the public know about Wilson students’ accomplishments.”
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News
Wilson ‘STARS’ Sustainability
by Sarah Martin
Many of the Wilson Community heard that Wilson is ‘going green.’ This means that the campus is trying to become more environmentally friendly. One way to do this is by becoming sustainable. Wilson uses an organization, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability (AAHSE), to find out how sustainable the campus is at the moment. This is the same organization that oversees the Wilson Climate Action Plan. AAHSE defines sustainability “in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for all generations.” This broad definition may leave many of us asking ourselves, what does being sustainable really mean? Sustainability is not just about the environment and our impact on it, but includes how we interact with each other inside our community, known as Equity, and how we make a living or earn money, known as Economy. When these are balanced so that a project is fair to people, they can earn a living from it and it does not affect the environment, this project is sustainable. Christine Mayer, head of the study and Program Manager of the Richard Alsina Fulton Center for Sustainable Living (FCSL), uses the intertwining circles in her classes. She describes these as the Three E’s: Environment, Economy and Equity. There is a fourth E. This is Education. It affects sustainability because without education we would not be able to progress towards a better future. She says, “education is the backbone,” and adds that we have to educate people for them to understand how to be sustainable. Education is why AAHSE exists; their mission is “to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation.” It is a union of colleges and universities. They have a series of studies that universities and colleges can use to measure their sustainability. The study Wilson is using is called Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS). STARS has three parts to it: the Education and Research, the Building Operations and the Planning Administration and Engagement. Overall there are 65 credits, or parts, to the study. Last fall students in the Environmental class, Foundations of Sustainability, completed 13 credits. This semester different students in the same class hope to complete 14 credits, making half the study complete. Mayer says she undertook this study as her Masters Project because she “wanted the documentation to show where we are and to back up all the claims Wilson is making. It’ll be our benchmark, our starting point.” Campuses have the ability to compare themselves to other colleges and universities because the study is standardized, which means that each campus fills out the same questions on the study. One student who worked on the project, Kayla Whitfield ’10, comments, “this project allows students to contribute something to the college that eventually will be able to show everyone what a great effort the college is putting into becoming more sustainable.” Mayer wants to present STARS to the cabinet of AAHSE once the study is completed in order to get Wilson’s name on the AAHSE website. This would show that the claims of sustainability Wilson has made are true. The study will be a good starting point for Wilson to evalENVIRONMENT ECONOMY uate their position in their sustainability mission, and with the evaluation find a way to make changes and imEQUITY SUSTAINABILITY provements, like a task force.
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Snowmageddon or Snowpocalypse! Whatever you call it, it was a lot of snow. by Kayla Chagnon
The snow fell during afternoon classes on Fri, Feb. 5 and covered the ground by dinnertime. Students awoke on Saturday to find almost two feet of snow outside, with more falling. While the snow made for a pretty picture, getting anywhere was hard. Residents of Riddle and South walked along the road or braved the knee-deep snow that blanketed the green to get to Jensen Dining Hall for brunch. Students who made it to the dining hall commented to each other about the amount of snow received. Others lamented that they were stuck on campus for the unforeseeable future. Soon, Resident Assistants began sending emails to students telling them that Physical Plant needed them to move their cars. Students dug out their cars with anything they could get their hands on, and many used trays commonly used for tray sledding. Others swept off the snow with brooms. The storm left snow reaching over the fronts of many cars, and the plows piled it behind cars. This made digging out hard for students without shovels. Those with four-wheel drive did not have as much trouble, and other students helped push their friend’s cars out of the snow. Many students spent the rest of the weekend taking advantage of the snow by sledding or spending time with their friends. A second storm hit Tuesday night, adding another foot of snow to the previous totals. The region, which was still struggling to remove the snow from the weekend’s storm, could not keep up with the fast falling snow. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation closed portions of Interstate 81, U.S. Route 30 and other roads because of large amounts of drifting snow. Wilson students braved the conditions for Tuesday night classes but the college closed on Wednesday due to the falling snow and the blizzardlike conditions that developed overnight. With roads throughout Franklin County still covered in snow, Wilson canceled classes again on Thursday, making for a welcome break for students on and off campus. Some students enjoyed the snowfall; Katelin Jordan ’13 said, “I like that it was record snowfall this year…coming form California, it was cool to be part of it.” However, the two days of missed classes affected many professors, who scrambled to figure out how to make up for the lost classes. The grounds crew worked in shifts to help clean the campus over the course of the week. They worked in shifts of two or three workers to clear the campus of the snow. Many worked well into the night to clean the campus’s main roads, along with the Science Center parking lot, so students could move their cars. They also worked hard to clean off sidewalks so students could get to classes and buildings. First they cleaned with plows, and then cleaned by hand. President Edmundson also commended the Physical Plant Staff in an all campus email, “I’d like to publicly thank all of the members of the Physical Plant staff who labored throughout the weekend – day and night – to handle the snow removal and assist everyone on campus, including members of the Alumnae Association Board who were here for their winter meeting…not only did they work tirelessly, but with good humor and cheerfulness.” While the snow in Chambersburg brought schools and business to a close, Washington D.C. received more snowfall and the U.S. Government remained closed for almost a week. Maryland fared worse with large drifts that stranded motorists in Fredrick County.
TheWilsonBillboard February 19, 2010
Education
ASC’s Online Scheduling to Help Busy Students Coordinate Tutoring by Vickie Locke, Academic Suport Center Director
All students will use an online appointment scheduler this spring to arrange tutor sessions, as well as other appointment services for disability support, learning contracts, and academic skill reviews. Although the process may seem a bit difficult at first, I am confident the benefits will greatly outweigh our awkward learning experiences. What are these benefits? The first benefit, and probably the most important for a student, is the ability to make an appointment with a tutor simply by visiting the Wilson web page at www.wilson/tutors and clicking on the “Schedule your appointment now” link. The link opens to a page showing a registration button on the left and a login button on the right. Students wishing to access academic support services will need to register with the system before scheduling appointments. Once a student registers, he or she can return and log in any time using the email address identified during the registration process. The scheduling process is clearly outlined using drop-down menus and calendars. First, select the desired service from the drop-down menu. After selecting a service, another drop-down menu will appear with the names of available tutors/staff. Select a tutor/staff member to see his or her calendar and available days/times. To make an appointment on a specific day, click the calendar date and then select a time--white spaces are open slots. Review the form that appears and check that all information is correct on the form that opens, then click “Finalize appointment.” The student and the tutor will receive an email confirmation of the appointment. Right now, each tutoring appointment defaults to 30 minutes to allow ample time for each session, as well as to provide enough slots for all interested students. Other benefits to using this online system include the ability to adjust tutor schedules more easily due to emergencies or illness, decrease the number of missed or forgotten appointments with the email confirmation capability, and enhance overall reporting capabilities for the Academic Support Center. Students can register with the system immediately. As you probably already suspect, this system replaces our paper schedule, which became cumbersome to maintain. However, even though the ASC will no longer publish a hardcopy schedule, any student who needs to access services and feels confused by the online system or who lacks access to the internet can contact a tutor or staff person for assistance. In addition, no appointments are necessary to access our online writing lab, which will operate Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings through early May. I hope you share my enthusiasm about our new name and updated procedures. As always, if you have questions or concerns, or even just a comment, please contact me at 264-4141, x 3349 or email vlocke@wilson.edu.
Orchesis Book Sale Sat, Feb. 20 9:00am-3:00pm Sarah’s Coffeehouse
Some rare items will also be sold at a silent auction! For info: call 263-9147 or e-mail pkellinger@wilson.edu
JSM Library and IT Department Remove Complications to Accessing to Wilson’s Research Databases Off-campus courtesy of Library Staff Faculty members and non-resident students: throw away the long lists of unique logins and passwords needed to search individual databases off-campus. All databases be can searched remotely. At your Internet-connected computer, go to the JSM Library webpage, click on Online Databases, then click on the database of your choice. There could be a kink or two in our initial setup so we are counting on you to contact us if you have any problems so that we can iron them out. Just send an email to joclark@wilson.edu or to kgallagher@wilson.edu.
PCA 2010 Undergraduate Writing Competition Announces New Deadline courtesy of The Pennsylvania Communication Association’s convention at East Stroudsburg University, October 22-24, 2010. Purpose: To encourage and give recognition to undergraduate and graduate-level scholarships in communication and to offer undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to present their work at the Pennsylvania Communication Association’s convention at East Stroudsburg University, October 22-24, 2010. Participation: Submissions are invited from any student enrolled in an undergraduate and graduatelevel communication program at any Pennsylvania college or university. Entrants must be members of the Pennsylvania Communication Association or must join when submitting their work. Recipients of prizes are invited to attend the Association’s convention and present their papers. Guidelines for Submissions: Papers submitted to this competition must have been written as papers in courses during the academic year. Topics should fall within any area of communication study recognized by the National Communication Association. Critical, historical or empirical methodologies are equally acceptable. Papers should be typed, doublespaced and 8 to 15 pages in length. Please include a title for your paper and designate either under-
graduate or graduate submission. On a separate sheet of paper, submit your name, address, email and summer telephone number and an explanation of the original assignment. We need to be able to contact you over the summer. Include your course professor’s name as well as the name and address of your department chair. Be certain that your name does not appear on any pages of your paper including the header or footer. Four (4) copies of the paper should be submitted by Friday, March 26, 2010 to: Undergraduate Writing Contest C/o Dr. Donna S. Weimer Juniata College Dale Hall, C111 Huntingdon, PA 16652 Entrants who are not members of the Association should also send a $25 check (payable to PCA) for an annual student membership. The convention registration fee and banquet ticket charge will be waived for the winners. Transportation, housing and other meal expenses are the responsibility of the participant. Awards: First Place - $100.00 Second Place - $50.00
What’s New in the Career Development Center?
by Angela M. Lynch, Director of Career Development What do you think of when you hear “Career Development Center”? Chances are you associate the Center’s operation with activities related to the job search process. Of course that is part of what we offer students and alumnae, but there are so many other programs and services available. Whether you are a freshman or getting ready to graduate, we can clarify your career goals, research majors and provide assistance as you implement your career choices. Visit the Career Development Center early – and often. Once you become familiar with our offerings, we hope you will let us know how we can better serve you. We solicit feedback from students and alumnae
who use our services. We now offer many workshops at both 12:00pm and 5:00pm in order to meet a variety of scheduling needs. Take a look at our upcoming workshop schedule, prepared with your student input in mind: ◘ Mon, Mar. 1: What’s the Big Deal about a Cover Letter? (WAR 111) ◘ Tues, Mar. 9 : Resume Writing 101 (WAR 111) ◘ Thurs, Mar. 11: How to Work a Job Fair (President’s Dining Rm) ◘ Tues, Mar. 23: What Employers Want (5:00pm, President’s Dining Rm) We are always interested in knowing what we can do to better meet your career
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Features
Corporations Celebrating Supreme Court Ruling, Others Not So Happy by Kayla Chagnon
A bird’s-eye view of Artfest 2010
Photo by Xiaomeng Li
Wilson Employee and Alum Sponsor Artfest Featuring Local Talent by Xiaomeng Li
Chambersburg celebrated its annual IceFest at the end of January. At the same time, local artists, including Wilson professor Bob Dickson of the Fine Arts department, participated in Artfest, which was part of the Icefest activities. Mike Albert, who worked at the Wilson physical plant for 12 years and is now in charge of the Historic Preservation Services in Chambersburg, said that this was the third year that they held Artfest during Icefest. He first came up with this idea of inviting artists to contribute their art during Icefest three years ago, and it did not take long before he contacted Dickson and some other local artists to make this plan come true. During this year’s Artfest, local artists made art in the warehouse of the Historic Preservation Service and had a silent auction afterwards in order to raise money “to help save kids and support the community art project,” said Albert. The Artfest featured local artists that ranged “from an 80 year old to a 14 year old; from Faust Middle School, Wilson, and Shippensburg University; and from retirees to full-time professional artists,” Dickson explained. Dickson worked on a new monotype print at the Artfest. He said the idea of this print fit in with his exhibit “New Prints” which was on display at the Wilson Bogigian Gallery from last October to December. “I was trying to push to a bigger image size and a more restrained color palette,” said he. “Over the three years this was the coldest Artfest but it was the best received, and the overall quality of the art was quite high,” Dickson added. However, among the young artist groups at the Artfest, there were no student artists from Wilson. Dickson explained that “Artfest is always right after winter break and usually I forget to invite students until the last minute. But we have had a number of students over the years. If Billboard readers remind me next December, we could plan ahead!” On Wed, Feb. 17, Physical Plant staff hung Wilson College blue and silver banners, which highlight the new branding slogan: “Wilson College, With Confidence.” They were placed in preparation for President Edmundson’s public announcement about the college’s Comprehensive Campaign to take place on Fri, Feb. 19 in Brooks Auditorium
On Thurs, Jan. 21, the Supreme Court allowed corporations to fund political broadcasts by a 5-4 vote. The Court ruled that preventing corporations from funding political broadcasting was against corporations’ First Amendment rights. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion that, “If the First Amendment has any force it prohibits Congress from fining or jailing citizens, or associations of citizens, for simply engaging in political speech.” He added, “We [The Supreme Court] have long since held that corporations are covered by the First Amendment.” Supporters argued that this was a win for free speech and that the government should not have a part in regulating political speech. Prof. Doug Crawford, Asst. Prof. of Business, agreed with this sentiment, saying that the First Amendment “is the most important right, and when the government puts a limit on political speech, people become ruled by the government.” He also brought up another argument overlooked by those against the decision, saying, “Corporations still cannot give directly [to political campaigns.] This is really about their right to be in the public square of political discourse. That is why I think it is a great ruling… Why should the government say who can talk and who cannot talk?” However, not everyone was happy. A day after the ruling on Jan. 22, The New York Times reported, “Specialists in campaign finance law said they expected the decision to reshape the way elections were conducted.” Dissenting Justice John Paul Stevens wrote in his 90-page opinion that, “The majority had committed a grave error in treating corporate speech the same as that of human beings.” Laura Wilson ’13, also agreed that the decision to allow corporations the right to sponsor political advertisements was wrong. She said, “I just feel like it would make politics similar to a sports competition with corporate sponsors. People might just vote for a candidate because they like Nike better than say, for example, Reebok. I just don’t want to have to watch a state of the union address with a corporate sponsored background, like when corporate sponsored athletes get interviewed.” Finally, during his State of the Union Address, President Obama chastised the Court, saying, “last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests— including foreign corporations—to spend without limit in our elections. I do not think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people.” While the vote was a shock to some, the laws against corporate campaign financing began to change recently. Since 2007, the Court allowed groups to pay for commercials that criticized politicians but did not urge citizens to vote a certain way. However, the Supreme Court, as recently as 2003, upheld a law restricting corporate spending, and only began to loosen the limits in 2007. This case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC), overturned these previous cases. The case hinged on Citizens United claims that the FEC could not block commercials of their movie Hillary: The Movie and could not stop the broadcast of the movie on television as well. Citizens United wanted to broadcast the movie right before the 2008 Democratic Primaries. The FEC argued that the 2003 ruling, commonly known as the McCain-Feingold Act, blocked them from doing so. The Court argued that the FEC could not block the airing and that the restrictions placed on spending by the FEC were invalid. However, the court still blocked direct corporate financing to individuals and the majority of the Justices agreed that corporations must disclose of their campaign financing along with disclaimers in advertisements.
Photo by Xiaomeng Li
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TheWilsonBillboard February 19, 2010
Features
Death and Deceit at Bridal Party by Kayla Chagnon
Jennifer Mae Shaffer ‘12, Rebecca Dennison ‘12, and Chaplain Rosie Magee at Habitat for Humanity’s Mardi Gras Table Photo by Xiaomeng Li
Alternative Spring Breakers Plan Trip to Kentucky to Help Those Hit by Recession by Xiaomeng Li
The Wilson College Habitat for Humanity chapter will send ten students and Chaplain Rosie Magee to Morehead, Ky. for this year's Alternative Spring Break. They will spend a week helping local people build houses. As a senior, Katelin Reever ’10 has been participating in Alternative Spring Break (ASB) since her freshman year. Now, as the President of Habitat for Humanity club, she shares her understanding of ASB: “Alternative Spring Break provides students a chance to spend the break to serve others. This year, we will serve others by providing houses to families that normally wouldn’t find their own houses," says Reever. "It is a great experience for students because they don’t always have the opportunity to build houses. It is also good for leadership and teamwork building,” she noted. For Magee, this is her first time joining ASB and she is very excited about it. “It is a wonderful opportunity for students to contribute to a community outside their own.” Magee also says that after the recent Haiti earthquake, she has started to think about how much we take for granted. “This time in Kentucky, we will help people that do not even have a house of their own. We will help make their dreams come true.” Magee says. She also explains that, “the whole concept of Habitat for Humanity is about service. Usually we will find that we actually gain more than we give. The trip will surely help us learn about ourselves, our relationship with others, and with the team. It is going to be challenging.” She wishes that everyone going on the trip prepare an open mind, have patience with each other and have fun. She believes that the team will grow together throughout the course of the trip. Because of the economic crisis, the head office of Habitat for Humanity reduced spots in its chapters. Therefore, this year only ten students can go on the trip. Since more than ten students have applied, the Chaplain’s Office asked them to write a short essay about why they were interested in going, and then chose 10 students based on their essays. “This is fairer than a ‘first come first served’ policy,” says Magee, “because otherwise if students have class and can’t come to our meeting, it’s very unfair for them.” The Habitat for Humanity club held two fundraisers on Feb. 15 and 16 in order to support their trip. Reever says that, “We had many donations, such as handmade purses and jewelry. We also had people donate services.” Magee also remarks that, “We will spend the money for a good cause. We don’t want to see students can’t go because of money.”
The bachelorette party was to be a lavish affair with the elite of the fashion world coming to celebrate the marriage of one of their own, Mindy Mintjulius. However, soon after the festivities began, gun shots echoed through the hall. Rita Roberts, co-owner of Divergent Designs with Mintjulius, was dead, and her killer was at large. These events set the scene for the Valentine’s Murder Mystery Dinner put on by the Resident Assistants at Wilson. Around thirty students participated in the night’s events. They mingled with others and tried to find the murderer while staying in their assigned character. As Serenity Franklin explained, students “receive[d] two sets of objectives to fulfill throughout the night: one set of objectives before the murder and one set for after the murder.” By doing this, the students acquired more of the back-story of each character and they worked to try to discover who killed Roberts. Each participant was also allowed to guess at who committed the heinous crime. Many of the students received the same information on their role sheets, and from that they each decided with whom they would share their gossip. Sometimes they exchanged information for money. Students added their own improvisations and characterizations to the basic script and made each characters come to life. The bride, played by Sarah Emmel ‘10, won the night’s award for her acting abilities and portrayed a happy bride-to-be, a good friend as well as possible murder suspect. Emmel said, “I had a great time and it was a wonderful idea. It was a good way to get students to spend time with each other and act like someone we are not for a night.” This was just what Franklin said she hoped would happen. “The murder mystery was a nice way for students not celebrating Valentine’s Day in more traditional ways to enjoy the company of others.” However, the crescendo of the evening came when the murderer was revealed. Only one student guessed the right murderer: Hannah Homemaker, portrayed by Jess Domanico ’11 who murdered Rita Roberts. Homemaker murdered Roberts (portrayed by Christina Howard ’10) to cover up a secret that would terminate not only her employment, but also her close relationship with the bride. Howard said that she, “enjoyed the program and believed that it was well put together.”
Resident Assistants pose after the “Bachelorettes and Bullets” event Photo Courtesy of Sherri Ihle
The Joanne Harrison Hopkins Prize
The prize will be awarded to the student with the best work in Fiction, Poetry, Drama or Creative Non-fiction. You may enter multiple submissions, but send each as a separate file. To submit your entry, please email your piece to Prof. Michael Cornelius at mcornelius@wilson.edu no later than Mon, Mar. 8. Please address any questions to Prof. Cornelius.
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Sports
February Sports Madness: A lot of Talent Across Many Different Wilson Athletic Teams by Nikola Grafnetterova
Sports lovers at Wilson can be happy because of the last few days. In addition to the start of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, many sports at Wilson have begun to blossom. The basketball team hustles to the end of the season, with only one home game left this Sun, Feb. 21, in addition to their three away games. The gymnastics season took off during the J-Term. Wilson gymnasts have shown so far that this year’s team is full of talent. Furthermore, spring sports at Wilson have started their pre-season. While tennis and lacrosse compete for the first time at the beginning of March, softball will travel to South Carolina to a Peace College Tournament on Fri,
Feb. 26th. Basketball Wilson’s basketball season is winding down. Recently, the team won its first North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) game. This win is a tremendous success, symbolizing how much the team has improved from the previous years and forecasting a great future for the Wilson basketball program, especially since next year the team will have eight returning players from this year’s squad. “We are just a few players away from competing at a higher level with the top teams in our conference,” says the head coach Angie Grove. “Next season, the combination of our returning athletes and a handful of talented freshmen can together lead this team to a winning season,” says Grove. Another great success for the team came when Tara Fields ‘13 was recently selected as the NEAC Athlete of the Week, the first Wilson basketball player to ever be recognized. “Tara has been the spark in our offense that we have needed and has had a strong freshman year. She averages 17 points a game,” says Grove. Overall, Coach Grove and her assistant Kelly Buikus feel very proud of their team, especially of the effort made in each and every game. “Even when we are having a bad offensive game, we still play hard on defense and play with heart,” says Grove. Co-captain Alaina Hofer ‘11 believes that this season was a success.
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“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs this season. For me, this season has been a successful one. It’s not about the losses we’ve had but [what] we’ve accomplished. We have meshed together and our efforts have been seen not only by our Wilson community, but also in the NEAC, too,” Hofer says. The Wilson basketball team will have their last home game this Sun, Feb. 21 at 1:00pm. Please come and support the team as well as all the Wilson athletes who will participate in their community project, Girl in
Sport day.
Gymnastics
While basketball season is at its end, the gymnastics team still has weeks of competition ahead of them. According to the Head Coach Amy Martelli, the season is progressing well, although it has been slightly disappointing that two meets had to be cancelled due to the bad weather. “Traditionally, these have both been high scoring meets because they are both Division I competitions. We would have liked to have had these scores. However, we are planning to do the best that we can with what we have,” says Martelli. Overall, Wilson gymnasts have worked together extremely well and have become a well-bonded group. “We have really come together as a team and gotten very close. We are so supportive of each other and focus on our strengths. I think this has a lot to do with how well everyone has done. We are working hard and will continue to improve,” says captain Sam Vance ‘11. Amanda Stopinski ‘13 agrees with Vance. “We are all having a lot of fun getting to be together and making our friendships and bonds a lot stronger. Being on this team is like being in a big family, we all get each other and help each other in every way that we can. It has been a great season and it is only getting better!” Stopinski said. The Wilson team trains hard every day for many hours for their upcoming meets. In particular, they want to be in the best shape for their only home meet against West Chester University on Sun, March 7 at 1:00pm.
“We are really hoping everyone comes out to see our home meet. The girls are looking really strong and are hoping to give West Chester University [a Division II team] a run for their money!” says Martelli. All the gymnasts hope that a lot of fans will come to support them and see with their own eyes how much the team has improved. “This year the gymnastics team has been working hard and the work has paid off. Our team has gotten several compliments from other teams who can see the improvement from last season. Wilson Gymnastics is turning heads this year! You should come to our home meet and see yourself!”
says Beth Bush ‘11. Following the home meet, Wilson gymnasts have their Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) competition, which determines what athletes will make Nationals. According to Martelli, several Wilson gymnasts are in a good position to qualify. Continued on Page 9
Tara Fields ‘13, NEAC Athlete of the Week, poses for a picture before the game against Penn State Harrisburg. Photo by Brianna Smith
TheWilsonBillboard February 19, 2010
Sports
Continued from Page 8
Tennis
Head Coach Mike Ricker and his Assistant Coach Lyndy Ayers are very excited about the new season, especially since they have a lot of talent on this year’s tennis squad. “We have a great mix of new players and returning athletes, and so far we have seen much enthusiasm and determination in practice,” Ricker says. Because of current weather conditions, the team now practices indoors in the Gannett Memorial Field House as well as in a local indoor tennis facility to prepare for their first competition. “The weather is the biggest challenge we are facing now. Not being able to get outside and hit makes it very difficult to simulate real match play,” admits Ricker. According to the players, the team works hard at every practice, and the results are being noticed. “We had a good pre-season so far,” says Sarah Loucks ‘13. “We are all ready to show Wilson College what we’ve got behind our rackets! I am positive our team can work together and have a fun and competitive season.” Coach Ricker agrees with Loucks. He truly believes in his team and has high expectations of his very talented players. “I see no reason why we cannot send the whole team to the NEAC championship tournament at the end of the season,” Ricker says.
Softball
When five seniors graduated last season, many of the Wilson fans may have wondered what was going to happen to the team this year. However, Head Coach Brett Cline and his assistants Rick Phelps and Rachael Cline were busy recruiting. As a result, this year’s squad consists of the largest freshman softball class in 10 years, in addition to having several players returning. “We are fired up for the start of the 2010 softball season. This year we have a large group of freshmen who have the ability to immediately impact our team. Along with the leadership from the returners, we look forward to an explosive season,” says the head coach Cline. Many of the freshmen players cannot wait for the first games as they are excited to start their careers as softball student-athletes.
Ally Rice ‘13, Sam Vance ‘11 and Amanda Stopinski ‘13 relax during one of their meets Photo courtesy of Kathy Vance “I’m extremely ready for softball season. It seemed like it took so long to get here and it’s started. As a freshman coming in, there is a lot of talent, which is going to help us bring home the title,” says Nicole Musser ’13. “Most of all, the girls are great and we already bond as a family. All I can say is the other teams better be ready because Wilson’s softball team has something hidden within their bats! It’s game on!” According to Head Coach Cline, the Phoenix focus is to live the dream as a force in the NEAC this season. The team’s vision is: “Dream it. Believe it. And Achieve it.” The team has high hopes this season of returning to the NEAC final four and then further advancing to the NCAA playoffs. “Besides that, we look forward to continuing our excellence in leading NCAA Division III in stolen bases this year,” says Cline.
Lacrosse
The lacrosse team has started their second pre-season as a varsity sport at Wilson College with new Head Coach, Kelly Buikus, and Assistant Coach, Stacey Wood. Both coaches admit that they have high expecta-
tions for their young team although they have several players on the squad who have never played the sport previously and many returners who actually held the lacrosse stick for the first time last season. “Our players that picked up lacrosse for the first time last year have a year under their belts and are focusing on building on those fundamentals therefore becoming more confident lacrosse players. Our freshmen are doing a great job too, especially the ones never playing before,” says Buikus. “We have several new players this year and everyone is impressed on how quickly they have picked up the game,” says Alyssa Bernard ‘12. “There are definitely high expectations from not only the coaches, but from each other as well, to be the best we can be, and everybody works really hard.” Freshman Jess Menard, who has played lacrosse for many years prior to coming to Wilson, agrees with Bernard. “I think that we have a promising team this year. All of the girls are really stepping up and trying their best, even the newbies. I think it’s going to be a great season,” says Menard.
The Phoenix team is dedicated to learning the game and is ready to be the “dangerous underdog” in the NEAC. “I feel that we have a lot to bring to the field this year. All the players are working hard, and have the determination to have a very competitive season. I definitely feel some positive vibes from the effort that is being put forth by our team. You will be hearing good things about the Wilson College Lacrosse team,” says Jami DeVanie ’12. “Our stick skills continue to improve each and every day. I’m confident that we will surprise a lot of NEAC teams,” says Buikus. “These ladies want to win! They work hard and never give up. As a coach, that’s all you can ask for.”
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Sports
Did you know?... Student-Athletes Participate in the National Girls and Women in Sports Day by Katelyn Alleman
Did you know that Wilson College is recognizing National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on Sun, Feb. 21? National Girls and Women in Sports Day began in 1987 as a day to remember Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and her work to assure equality for women’s sports. Since that time, NGWSD evolved into a day to acknowledge the past and recognize current sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation of girls and women and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports. Did you also know that 80% of all schools and colleges are still not close to being in compliance with Title 9 after 30 years? While over 50% of our college populations are female,
female athletes still receive approximately 36% of all sports operating expenditures, 42% of all college athletic scholarship money (1990-00 NCAA gender-equity report and NCAA participation statistics, 2002). Assistant Athletic Director and Head Lacrosse Coach Kelly Buikus coordinated this event and is enthusiastic about the experiences the young athletes will have. “I’m very excited that Wilson College is participating in this great day. As a women’s college, our student athletes don’t have to compete with the men’s programs for funding and/ or facilities and are very fortunate. I hope the young ladies who are coming to participate in this event learn a little about the history of this day and how far we have come in ac-
Athletes of the Week Tara Fields ‘13 Basketball
Fields has been selected the Athlete of the Week four times since the end of the Fall semester due to her both offensive and defensive efforts in various games.
Sam Vance ‘11 Gymnastics
Vance was selected the Athlete of the Week twice. Most recently, Vance has been selected based upon her contri-
bution in the meet against Rhode Island College. Despite the team’s loss, Sam finished first on the all around with a score of 35.075, as well as finishing first in floor exercises.
Beth Bush ‘11 Gymnastics
Bush has been selected based upon her contribution in the gymnastics meet at Brockport. Beth beat her own personal floor score and was a major contributor in the meet!
cepting women athletics. I’m hoping our student-athletes as well as the participants learn from this day and have a sense of the rich history of this event and feel lucky to be able to play sports, regardless of gender.” This event will introduce young girl athletes to athletics and the advantages of participating in sports.
The day will be full of clinics in all sports and instructed by Wilson coaches and players. “Our athletes have been working hard to make this a successful event, with our Student Athletes Advisory Committee (SAAC) representatives being responsible for their perspective teams,” states Buikus.
Schedule of Events for Sun, Feb. 21: 12:30pm Registration/check-in/Face-painting and take your picture with the Phoenix! 1:00pm Basketball Game: Wilson College vs. Keuka College *Half time and time out shootout contests!* 2:30pm Welcome/Introduction 2:45pm Soccer/Field Hockey 3:15pm Basketball/Softball 3:45pm Team Building and Leadership Workshop 4:00pm Pizza dinner with Wilson College coaches and student-athletes
Wilson Athletics are NOW on FACEBOOK! Come and check out all athletic information now on Facebook! Become a Fan of Wilson College Athletics – Home of the Phoenix! Check out: Upcoming games, results, events, and more!
Upcoming HOME games/meets
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Basketball
Gymnastics
Softball
Lacrosse
2/21 vs. Keuka 1:00pm
3/7 vs. West Chester 1:00pm
3/2 vs. Stevenson 3:00pm 3/10 vs. Gallaudet 3:00pm 3/26 vs. Keuka 1:00pm
3/5 vs. Waynesburg 3:00pm 3/7 vs. Hollins 10:00am 3/23 vs. Shenandoah 4:00pm
TheWilsonBillboard February 19, 2010
Sports
2010 Olympic Games Provide Distraction from Winter Blues by Nikola Grafnetterova
Since the 2010 Winter Olympic Games started, many Wilson students have spent significantly more time than usually watching television to see the hundreds of ath-
letes from many countries around the world competing for national pride and medals. According to the official website of the Vancouver games, the Games consist of seven
Sarah Emmel ‘10 and Christina Howard ‘10 Tennis “Curling! We don’t understand what is going on but it is super cool!”
winter sports with 15 disciplines. Furthermore, each discipline is divided into different competing categories based on gender, distance completed, and/or type of sport.
What is your favorite Winter Olympic Sport and Why?
Billboard staffers were interested to know what kind of sports at the Winter Olympic Games are popular among student-athletes and athletic staff and why they like them.
Jen Peebles ‘13 Soccer and Tennis “I like men’s, women’s, and pairs figure skating because they are dancing on the ice, spinning fast, jumping high to music and it’s fun to watch!”
Amanda Mace ‘12 Soccer, Basketball, and Tennis “I watch the ice skating. It’s amazing how high they can get off the ice and how many times they can spin.”
Tracy Randall-Loose Athletic Trainer “I love watching figure skating! It’s something I’ve always wanted to learn how to do. The figure skaters are very talented and it’s so much fun to watch.” Tessa and Mia Doyle ‘11 Tennis “We like ice hockey because it is an intense sport and exciting to watch.”
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Entertainment
The Book and Movie Review
The Sirens Questions the Definition of Creativity by Jess Domanico The Sirens, written by first-time novelist Stavros Stavros and fresh off the press last summer, is a grotesque, nihilistic search for the definition of art and creativity. It is written from the perspective of a creative writer who, in the process of writing his first novel, wonders what it means to be a writer as well as an artist, and, in the process, questions what it means to be human. The word order and overall style of Stavros’ writing fluctuates, depending on what is going on in the novel. When the narrating character describes his personal experiences, the language is archaic, highly metaphorical, and dense. The word order and punctuation is eccentric, perhaps serving as a device intended to contribute to the novel’s subtlety. I often thought the author’s choice of words to be abstruse, and at times the language is far beyond subtle. In fact, it is nearly inscrutable. Oftentimes the author’s stream of consciousness gets in the way of meaning. On the other hand, when the main character, the narrator, shares his Photo courtesy of Artless Dodges Press writing, the sentences become shorter, more terse, and easier to follow. The narrator claims that the novel he is working on is an effort to put thought and experience into language, but there is no real dialogue between the characters, and the terse writing style is nothing more than an account of events with little to no commentary. Despite this, I found myself growing tired of all the non-conclusive and often mad rants of the narrating character and looking forward to the novel within the novel. I realized, however, that although the narrator himself desires to transcend human nature, the situations he creates for his characters and the the thoughts that accompany them are wholly ordinary, or, at their worst, downright carnal. Each character is connected to another by way of some bizarre circumstance, usually sexual in nature, and each is like the other in that they are extreme: their moods are either very happy or utterly morose, nothing else. Only a handful of the female characters have names, and are otherwise referred to as “the girl,” “his wife,” or “his mistress.” They are always defined by their relationship to the men in the novel. The similar egos and alter-egos of the characters make it difficult to distinguish them from one another, but in each character I found aspects of the narrator. They mirror his actions and echo his thoughts, and he admits he recognizes bits of himself in the people he creates, which suggests that his attempt to transcend human nature ends in failure, both in his characters and in himself. The setting is unknown until the conclusion of the novel, when the plot twists in such a way that the narrator has no choice but to complete his sordid writing project. The plot, like the characters, is merely a series of mood swings, and there is little real action. Large portions of the novel are dull and tedious to read. When there is action it is extreme, in keeping with the moods of the characters. Every so often, something shocking and wholly unexpected happens, and towards the end of the book the narrator reveals just where he is and why he is there – if, of course, the reader has not figured it out already. To finish the novel required a good deal of effort after a long day of classes, work and day-to-day life. Frustrated and impatient, I finally cast the book aside and resolved to reserve it for the weekend. Even then, finishing each chapter was a chore. The initial questions that the novel poses are never answered, unless you believe that any element of art or creativity must stem from insanity -- and the novel’s overall vision of humanity is that man is either unthinking and abominable or intelligent and imaginative, but completely insane.
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2009’s Top Ten Movies by Jonathan Clark These are my picks for the top ten films of 2009. Regrettably, I was not able to see every film this year had to offer, and some (such as A Serious Man, The Blind Side, The White Ribbon, and An Education) may have made it on to this list if I saw them. Some of these have been publicized enough and need no description, while others, the more obscure titles, are provided with reasons for their place on this list.
1 Inglourious Basterds Dir. Quentin Tarantino, starring Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz
2 The Hurt Locker Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, starring Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie -- Bigelow should win an Oscar for directing this powerful and unbelievably suspenseful movie about a bomb squad in Iraq. The Hurt Locker is without a doubt one of the best crafted films of the decade. 3 Up Dir. Pete Doctor, starring the voices of Ed Asner and Christopher Plummer 4 Precious Dir. Lee Daniels, starring Mo’Nique and Gabby Sidibe -Director Lee Daniels has created an eighth circle of hell and thrown his characters in its center, but the overweight and regularly abused Clarisse Precious Jones still manages to imagine a world away from her demonic mother and bleak existence. The entire cast gives utterly phenomenal performances, especially from future Academy Award Winner Mo’Nique and newcomer Sidibe. A harrowing and deeply upsetting film, but one you certainly will never forget. 5 Star Trek Dir. J.J. Abrams and starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto 6 Assassination of a High School President Dir. Brett Simon and starring Reece Thompson and Bruce Willis -- The best direct-to-video movie! A funny and winning combination of Chinatown, Heathers and Fast Times at Ridge Mont High involving an undercover reporter for the school paper unearthing who stole the SATs. Bruce Willis is hysterical. 7 (500) Days of Summer Dir. Marc Webb, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel 8 Zombieland Dir. Ruben Fleischer, starring Woody Harrelson and Abigail Breslin
9 Dream Boy Dir. James Bolton, starring Stephen Bender and Maximillian Roeg -- A romantic, harrowing and deeply moving film (perhaps the best gay-themed romance since Beautiful Thing) is unfortunately not available outside of Britain and Germany (which is odd because it’s an American production). Nathan is a teen who recently moved to the Deep South and quickly meets Roy. The two fall in love and, like most movies of its kind, ends in tragedy. Bring along a few tissues. 10 Funny People Dir. Judd Apatow, starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen -- The words “Adam Sandler’s best performance” may not mean much, but his work as an Adam Sandler-like comedian in Funny People is absolutely wonderful. When he discovers a rare blood disease is killing him, Sandler begins to help struggling comic Rogen with his career and tries to win back his lost love (Leslie Mann). Apatow’s funny and surprisingly moving film is certainly his most mature work to date. Women in Need is Looking for Survivors Are you willing to share your story of dating/domestic violence or sexual abuse at this year’s annual vigil, April 29 at 6:30pm? If you are interested in participating please contact Tammi or Jackie at WIN at 264-3056. Please note that you do NOT have to read your story.
TheWilsonBillboard February 19, 2010
Entertainment
The Brightest Films From The Past Decade Shine Into the Next
We’ve Got the...Beat
by Jonathan Clark
The following are the decade’s best contributions for original and exciting cinema that will remain classic for years to come...
1 C.R.A.Z.Y. 2005 Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée -- The best coming of age movie ever made! This little-known, French-Canadian gem shows the story of a young man growing to accept both himself and his ‘crazy’ family in 1960s-70s Montréal. Writer/director Vallée carefully crafts this film, with extraordinary performances from the entire cast, especially Marc-André Grodin. C.R.A.Z.Y. is the finest film of the decade. 2 Little Miss Sunshine 2006 Dirs. Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris -- A funny and heartfelt story of a family escorting their youngest to a beauty pageant and discover the love they share for each other. Probably the most authentic movie about a dysfunctional family ever made and the entire cast deserves every award going for ensemble acting. 3 There Will Be Blood 2007 Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson -- Daniel Day-
Lewis could be the best actor making movies today. There Will be Blood showcases just how amazing he can be. Anderson has adapted a littleknown Upton Sinclair novel into a quintessential story of greed, corruption and insanity that has become all too common in American society. Jonny Greenwood’s (Radiohead) soundtrack is also worth a listen.
4 The Dark Knight 2008 Dir. Christopher Nolan -- The best superhero movie; a stylish, exciting and surprisingly terrifying descent into madness, crime and evil. Unlike any other masked hero movie, The Dark Knight creates a world so much like our own that perhaps we should expect to see clown-faced villains in our backyards. Ledger is astounding and Nolan’s direction is unbelievable. 5 Requiem for a Dream 2000 Dir. Darren Aronofsky -- The most disturbing film ever made about drug abuse. Not for the faint of heart, this masterpiece would be nothing without the fearlessness of the cast. Ellen Burstyn is the standout. In one of the greatest performances in film. Tragic, dark and provocative, Requiem is dangerous filmmaking at its finest. 6 Children of Men 2006 Dir. Alfonso Cuarón -- This is an Apocalyptic vision of the future where children have not been born in nearly two decades. Clive Owen finds the one woman who is with child and must fight to protect her. Powerful, intense and truly masterful. 7 Bad Education 2004 Dir. Pedro Almodóvar -- Spain’s bad-boy director Almodovar creates an inventive (and incredibly sexy) neo-noir, dramatic mystery with Gael Garcia Bernal turning in three amazing performances. Blackmail, intrigue, sex and filmmaking make this wickedly fun. 8 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2004 Dir. Michel Gondry -Next to The Truman Show, Jim Carrey gives his best performance in this film; a wacky romantic ‘dramedy’ about erasing memories and how true love conquers all. Kate Winlset, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood and Kirsten Dunst are excellent, but Charlie Kaufman’s script is the star. 9 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 2002 Dir. Peter Jackson -- Jackson’s masterpiece trilogy reached its zenith with The Two Towers. The introduction of Gollum and the Helm’s Deep battle are just two reasons to revisit Middle Earth to see this amazing film.
10 City of God
2002 Dir. Fernando Meirelles -- An unforgettable excursion to the violent streets of poverty-stricken Rio de Janeiro. Meirelles bursts onto the scene with this exciting and harrowing piece film. Honorable Mention Goes to: Billy Eliot 2000, Inglourious Basterds 2009, Memento 2001, Mystic River 2003, The Orphanage 2007.
The Passion Pit
Passion Pit Minds their Manners on Latest Outing by Janessa Demeule
I first discovered Passion Pit on a small North Eastern music sampler that was free at my local record store. The song that got me hooked on the Massachusetts band was “Better Things” off of their Chuck of Change EP. Their sound is catchy indie pop and they are good at it. Each song is infused with emotion fueled lyrics and a whirlwind of electro pop beats. Manners is Pit’s first full length album, and I have not stopped listening to since I purchased it. The music is simply an ode to youthful love and joy, that the listener can feel throughout the album. The only downside to this album is that its lead singer, Michael Angelakos, has a high-pitched voice, reminiscent of Steve Perry of the band Journey from the late 1970s and 80s. Some listeners may be turned away because of it, but it works amazingly well with the electronic-style music Pit makes. “Little Secrets,” the second track
on the album, has one of the best beats on the album. Its fast rhythm primes the listener to get up and dance, or at least move about in a spastic manner. “Sleepyhead” is the ninth track, which some people may have heard already, as the track has been featured on some of the recent Palm Pixi commercials from their latest ad campaign. The way Angelakos sings on this track is phenomenal; you can feel the passion in his voice as much as you can hear it. “Let Your Love Grow Tall” is one of my personal favorites off of the album and it is a complex, yet cohesive piece that really shows the band’s talent. The whole song is a symbiosis of lyrics and melody, and the song crescendos into one hidden gem on the album. Overall Manners is a well written, fun electro-pop album that shines. To listen to free Passion Pit music samples from Manners: go to http:// www.passionpitmusic.com/.
CDs of Wilson’s Christmas Concert Now Available! Feeling a little out of the loop because you missed the annual Christmas concert in December? There's still hope! Recordings are available for purchase for $10.00 each. Contact Choral Director Elizabeth Shoenfelt directly to order your CDs today: EShoenfelt@wilson.edu or 385-8936.
Calling ALL Staff & Faculty voices to join the College Choir! Mondays & Wednesdays, 3:30-4:45pm Thomson Hall, Rm. 36
No audition necessary. Ability to read music a plus! Contact Choral Director, Elizabeth Shoenfelt if interested: 385-8936
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Kids’ Korner
Kids’ Korner Make a Bottle Snowman! Materials:
creamer bottles googly eyes black beads colored toothpick cut in about 1 in. length glittery pompoms black pompoms yarn small twigs about 5 in. length tacky glue
Instructions:
Remove the plastic wrapper from the creamer bottle and fill with a cup of sand. Glue on the googly eyes. Glue on black beads for the mouth. Poke holes for nose and arms. Insert the colored toothpick for nose. Glue on glittery pompoms for top of hat . Glue on black pompoms for the front of the snowman. For the scarf, wrap yarn around a piece of cardboard - about three times. Use another piece of yarn to tie the ends together. Then wrap it around the neck of the snowman and tie it.
On a nice sunny day, after a great snow fall, bundle up nice and warm and go outside.
Lay down in the snow.
Move your arms up and down in the snow. Move your legs back and forth in the snow. Now stand up. You've made yourself a Snow Angel!
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TheWilsonBillboard February 19, 2010
International
Will Google Withdraw From China? University in Cyprus Opens Doors to by Xiaomeng Li (China)
On Jan. 12, David Drummond, Senior Vice President and Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer of Google, published a blog entitled “A New Approach to China.” Drummond, on behalf of Google, stated that Google will no longer censor the search results on Google.cn (Google’s Chinese Web site). He also said that, “this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our office in China.” Chinese Internet users soon found out this breaking news. A friend of mine updated his status on Renren.com, a Chinese social network website similar to Facebook, saying, “I entered some sensitive keywords on Google and now they show those previously censored pictures!” In 2006, Google came to the Chinese market and promised that it would help the Chinese government monitor certain search results. Therefore, when Chinese people try to search for words that are considered “sensitive,” they will not get the result, or the website will just display “access denied.” However, the same keywords entered in places outside of China could easily lead to the accordant results. According to the official blog, the reason Google finally decided to uncensor its search results was that they found some human right activists’ Gmail accounts that have constantly been accessed by a third party from China. Although Google did not say it was Chinese hackers or the government that did this, it indicated that it would conduct an investigation into the issue. The reactions of Chinese people are varied. There was a group of Google votarists that were extremely devastated about the news. They even bought sympathy flower bouquets and placed them in front of the Google China building as if their beloved idol had passed away. There were also people who thought this was just Google’s strategy to withdraw from the Chinese market with more dignity. Apparently, Google did not achieve the success that they expected when they first came to China in 2006, because the most popular search engine in China has always been Baidu.com--a counterpart of Google. Another interpretation was that this was a political conspiracy. Some Internet users wrote long analyses, saying that the Obama administration’s policy towards China, the ideological differences, America’s current economy crisis and other factors are all related to this issue. On the other hand, the sudden access to the “sensitive” pictures and news did not cause a lot of chaos and social unstableness among the massive Chinese Internet users or the society as a whole. Although it might be surprising, the previously censored contents are not unknown by most Chinese people. Throughout the years, they have generated the consent to avoid certain issues. This is a fairly interesting social phenomenon in China. One thing that Chinese Internet users all believe is that Google will not completely leave the Chinese market, considering China’s rising economy and international influence. However, this also means that Google has put itself in a difficult spot. As for now, Chinese people still have access to Google.cn and on Jan. 12, according to CNN.com, Sergey Brin, the cofounder of Google, said to the press that he is “optimistic that his search engine will not have to pull out of China over hacking and censorship issues.” Does China really need Google.cn? Is the modified Google really going to help Chinese Internet users, given that they have already have Baidu? I have not seen any significant improvements that Google.cn has brought to my country. Therefore, what I want to know is, not only Google’s next step, but whether Google will change its approach and make any difference to my country, intellectually and politically.
A Lenten Pilgrimage of Peace
Sat, Feb. 27, 2010 in Sarah’s Coffeehouse Breakfast~9:30am, Sessions~10:30am – 4:30pm (lunch provided)
Join Stefan Andre Waligur for Taize-style reflection, prayer and fellowship.
Wilson VMT Students In Summer
by Jonathan Clark Students studying in the Veterinary Medical Technology (VMT) program have an opportunity to travel abroad this summer for a “hands on” experience to enhance their knowledge. The University of Nicosia, located in the Mediterranean country Cyprus, is offering a program for students in the animal sciences to work with large and domestic animals, as well as practical experience on the University’s farms. If completed, the program ensures students two credits toward their degree here at Wilson. The $4,500 course, which runs from June 3 – July 6, includes all program, lab and field fees, textbooks, access to all the University’s labs and facilities, lodging, weekend and day excursions and admission to museums and other cultural institutions. All courses are taught in English. Students in the Veterinary program have said that the trip and experience “sounds exciting.” One VMT student stated that “you may get the chance to work with animals you don’t get to work with here at the college.” Located in the northeast Mediterranean Sea and neighboring Turkey (to the north), Syria (to the east) and Egypt (to the south), Cyprus is an island nation of mostly Greek and Turkish ethnicity. The country’s capital, Nicosia, is home to the main branch of the University (the other two locations are Larnaca and Lemesos). A private institution founded in 1980, the University of Nicosia offers not only programs in animal sciences, but also accounting, education and architecture to name a few. For more information, visit: http://www.globalsemesters.com/SummerCyprus-Animal-Science.html.
Finding The Perfect Definition For France by Sandrine Berre (France)
It is always interesting to learn what other people think about your country. Whether the reaction is good or bad, it teaches you a lesson and redefines your relationship with your homeland. As the French Teaching Assistant at Wilson, I always ask the students how they imagine France. The answer is often unexpected and sometimes entertaining. Frankly, I do not have an ideal definition of France. The task is very difficult, even if I lived there for 22 years. So asking others should help, I thought. According to my students, French people wear striped shirts, drink wine all the time and girls do not shave their legs! But, in all seriousness, some similarities stood out, but I could not identify with these stereotypes so I kept on looking. I was probably going in the wrong direction. A few months ago, a French survey was conducted by Nicolas Sarkozy’s government to try to answer the famous question: “what is France for you?” And, as hard as it seemed, politicians really thought that it would help the citizens to join hands and be united again! Funny, I must say, but the survey was a very serious matter. Unfortunately, nobody found the truth about the French – even themselves. So, why is it so difficult to draw a perfect picture, or to find an answer to this question? Probably because there is not a real answer, but many possible solutions exist. As Kant claims, “although all our knowledge begins with experience, it does not follow that it arises from experience.” We may not only rely on our own experience, but also on others’ criteria which are not so easy to find. So, if finding the perfect definition implies an interaction with others, or a formation of ideas in our minds, then it is not a useless process. We might never find the truth, but at least we have been thinking about it. And isn’t that what really matters?
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Calendar & Announcements
Weekly Events
Mondays Morning Prayer 9:30am Prayer Chapel
Tuesdays La Table Francaise 12:00pm Jensen Dining Hall
Wednesdays Weekly Worship 12:00pm Alumnae Chapel
Art Table 12:00pm Jensen Dining Hall
WGCA Meeting 11:00am Schedule at CAB Calendar on web
Environmental Club 9:15pm Sarah’s Coffeehouse (every other Weds.)
Meditation Prayer Chapel 5:00pm
Wilson College Choir 3:30-4:45pm Thomson Hall 36 For info: Elizabeth Schoenfelt 385-8936
Current Events Table 12:00pm Jensen Dining Hall Spanish Table 5:00pm Jensen Dining Hall Fencing 9:00pm Laird Hall
Fiber Fellowship 8:00-10:00pm Sarah’s Coffeehouse
Thursdays International Studies Club 12:00pm Jensen Dining Hall (meets every 2nd Thurs.) Meditation Prayer Chapel 5:00pm Muhibbah Meeting 9:15pm Sarah’s Coffeehouse
March 7 April 11
Thurs, Feb. 18
Thurs, Feb. 25
“Basic Job Search Etiquette” 12:00pm & 5:00pm President’s Dining Rm. “Inside Iran Today” 7:00pm Alumnae Chapel $6.50 Adults $5.50 Seniors $2.50 Students 10-18 FREE: Students Under 10 For info: 262-2003
What would *you* like to read in *your* Women’s Studies class?
Learn how to overcome your tobacco addiction so you can start enjoying the benefits of better health. Class will be offered on campus in a small group setting. Participant workbook and other materials provided. Seriously interested? Email: nurse@wilson.edu, noting preferred class time: day, evening, or 9:15pm. Open to staff, faculty and students!
Fri, Feb. 19
Campus Announcement with President Edmundson 3:30-3:50pm: refreshments 3:50pm: seating time 4:00pm: announcement Brooks Auditorium
Sat, Feb. 27
“Abstract Ideas” Joseph Abbott, Sasha Coleman & Aric Sites Painting Reception 4:30-6:30pm Council for Arts Gallery FREE The Blind Side 9:00pm Sarah’s Coffeehouse
Sat, Feb. 27
Billboard Staff
News & International Editor Xiaomeng Li
The Blind Side 9:00pm
Sports Editor Nikola Grafnetterova Staff Writers Xiaomeng Li Sarah Martin Nikola Grafnetterova Xiaomeng Li Nikola Grafnetterova Jess Domanico
Kayla Chagnon Jonathan Clark Kayla Chagnon Sarah Martin Mary Marrero
Tues, Feb. 23
Girl in Sport Day 12:30-4:30pm Field House
Infant/Toddler Laptime: Music & Stories age 0-3 10:00am Spanish Film Night Coyle Free Library FREE 6:30pm “Career Path of Change” Allen Auditorium 12:00-1:00pm FREE Allen Auditorium
Fri, Mar. 5
Sat, Mar. 6
Two Cars and a Deus Ex Machina: Three One-Act Plays 8:00pm Renaissance City Quintet Thomson Chapel $5.00 at door 7:30pm Alumnae Chapel Twilight/New Moon $15 General Audience 9:00pm $12 Senior Citizens Sarah’s Coffeehouse FREE: K-12 & Students For info: 262-2003 “Druid & The Irish Tenors” 8:00pm Capitol Theatre Tickets: $34.00
Adviser Dr. Aimee-Marie Dorsten Editors-in-Chief Sarah Martin & Kayla Chagnon
12:00pm
Jensen Dining Hall
Fri, Feb. 19-Feb. 21 Sun, Feb. 21
Second Presbyterian Church Retreat: “Lives of Faith Lived out Loud,” with Rev. Ellen True Camp Eder Transport available. For info: rhammel@wilson.edu “Lenten Pilgrimage of Peace” 9:30am-4:30pm Sarah’s Coffeehouse
Katelyn Alleman Jess Domanico Jess Domanico
March 28 April 25
Women’s Studies Lunch Table Presents:
...with the Freedom From Smoking program
Christian Fellowship 8:30pm: leave campus for Shippensburg Univ. For info: Chaplain Rosie Magee, chaplain@wilson.edu
Sundays Agape Christian Fellowship Featuring Joan of Arcadia 7:00-9:00am Prayer Chapel
¡Welcome Hispanophiles! (and all others interested) to SPANISH FILM night A variety of movies will be shown on the following Sunday dates at 6:30pm in Allen Auditorium:
Quit the Habit Now!
Wilson College Choir 3:30-4:45pm Thomson Hall 36 For info: Elizabeth Schoenfelt 385-8936
Janessa Demeule Sandrine Berre Graphic Designers Nicole Twigg Copy Editors
Fridays Spanish Table 11:30-12:45pm Jensen Dining Hall
Fri, Mar. 26
Muhibbah Dinner 6:30pm Jensen Dining Hall $8.00 Students
Weds, Feb. 24
Infant/Toddler Laptime: Music & Stories age 0-3 10:00am Coyle Free Library FREE
Thurs, Mar. 11
Sarah’s Acoustic Concert Series 9:00pm Sarah’s Coffeehouse
Two Cars and a Deus Ex Machina: Three One-Act Plays 8:00pm Thomson Chapel $5.00 at door
Comprehensive Campaign Presentation Fri, Feb. 19 4:00pm Brooks Auditorium Twilight/New Moon 9:00pm Refreshments Sarah’s Coffeehouse in atrium lobby for early arrivals
Fri, Mar. 26
Sat, Mar. 27
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes Kruno Gypsy (Premiere Weekend) (Premiere Weekend) Jazz Ensemble 9:00pm 9:00pm 7:30pm Sarah’s Coffeehouse Sarah’s Coffeehouse Laird Hall $15 General Audience FREE Job, Internship & Grad School Expo $12 Senior Citizens FREE: K-12 & Students Wednesday, February 24 $7.50 Non-Wilson Students 10:00am-3:00pm For info: 262-2003 Wyndam Hotel, Gettysburg
Editorial Mission Statement:
The Wilson Billboard is a once-monthly student-run newsmagazine serving the Wilson College and Chambersburg community. Our mission is to relay important information to the campus and provide a forum for intelligent and democratic discussion. To fulfill this mission, the Billboard recognizes the many goals of the Wilson community and strives to encourage communication between students, faculty, staff, and administration in an ethical and non-biased fashion.
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TheWilsonBillboard February 19, 2010