RED CEDAR LOG EST 1855 SPARTAN ROOTS MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY VOLUME 1 23 MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EAST LANSING, Ml 48825 ENROLLMENT: 34,414 WWW.MSU.EDU 000 (010) CAMPUS LIFE (120) STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS GREEKS (242) COLLEGES (260) VARSITY SPORTS (302) SENIORS 393 Wells Hall unwent a complete renovation during 2012. The new design features more office and classroom space, as well as a Starbucks. Daily, students walk past the 7-foot bronze statue of John A. Hannah. Hannah is most notably known for being the longest serving MSU president in school history. m m a 1 Berkey Hall, located on E. Circle Drive, is home to english and history departments. The building’s neighbor is the new Broad Art Museum. The 112-year-old Morrill Hall is scheduled to be demolished in 2013. Morrill Hall was one of the oldest buildings on campu|W| «■— — H ■■1 n , * si IS mb illl i ■teg'i ■ O P E r f i N G i i aiMMaiMi— i, I.Ç,-. M ; M in i '.. ¡G-ii.r v.'I ~ri l •{ i ui m ■■■¡■^■11 SgW RHH mm WKBBSSBBSBSSSSmSSmSi ......"-""T" ' _ , * M ViM — 1 3ft v ■ /,77j ■■■■■■■■■■■■■ -- -, ... J- A.r- ,ra-- : BSS -- — J -• ■ «i Siili WW m innnnnnniBg Hi M wgm t j» I^ mlBm1111118 ■I ^annosi .Michigan State University was founded in 1855. Originally, the university was named Michigan Agricultural. College Linton Hall stands .in the late summer light in MSLps West Circle. Linton Hall .is home to graduate school services. A squirrel eats an apple in a tree near West Circle. Squirrels are an everyday sight for MSU goers. Spring rime brings magnolias at the Sparty statue. Demonstration Field, located behind the statue, is home to Spartan. Martching Band practices. Graffiti lines the steps leading to the underside of Farm Lane Bridge. The Red Cedar River runs beneath the bridge. O P E N N G I m m w Junior Sara Stanzler reads a book in front of the Communica tion Arts and Sciences building. Stanzler said she loves fall afternoons on MSU’s campus. Students chant “who cares!” while using newspaper to ignore die Michigan Wolverine’s introduction during the final meeting between Michigan and Michigan State basketball. . Graffiti glows beneath die bridge on Farm .'Lane. Frequently, the Red Cedar River floods, preventing access to the underside of the bridge. Marching band uniforms hang clean m a storage room in Demonstration Flail. The Spartan Marching Band performs twice during each home football game. Clouds reflect off the Fairchild Auditorium windows. The Auditorium hosts plays, concerts, and guest Spartan Stadium sits vacant on a cold winter night. Spartan Stadium can hold more than 75,000 people. O P E N N G I A line of West Circle bikes are swallowed by a strong winter snow storm. Unlike 2010, winter weather was mild. CAMPUS LIFE MSU’s campus life is as electric and gratifying as the students who comprise it. With countless organizations, roaring protests, age-old traditions and Spartan pride that cannot be replicated, the MSU stomping grounds are a force with which to be reckoned. The unique blend of cultures and interests combining. to paint the green grasses of Spartan territory cannot be found anywhere else. From Quidditch tournaments and zombie battles to chocolate parties and puppy playgrounds, the diverse activities and endeavors MSU students create only compliment their unmatched passion. Outside the classroom, students exhibit their zeal and creativity through extracurricular commotion, adding a distinct flare to the higher education experience. MSU students define campus life. There cannot be one without the other. Campus life is the activities, games, concerts, art projects, protests and clubs gluing the tens of thousands of students, each from innumerable backgrounds, together. Campus life is the roots lying underneath campus, stretching from Hubbard Hall to Brody Complex, uniting customs and culture with leisure and amusement. It is the pulse keeping Sparty’s heart pumping green and white. It is what will remain ingrained in students’ minds after years at MSU are left to memory. MSU employee Laraine Walton, Everett High School volunteer Deaundra Walton, junior Megan Meerschaert and senior Arielle Johnson load school supplies onto a school bus. Donation boxes were placed all over campus and filled with everything from hand- sanitizer and colored pencils to soup. Sophomore Teela Kibble helps push bagged school supplies up to the bus at the Breslin Center on Sept. 2, In 2010, the event gathered over 200 grocery bags filled with supplies and over 200 pounds of f ood. The Michigan State community comes together to donate school supplies for the Fill the Bus event put on through the Department of Student Life. This was the third year for the event with donations going to select campus programs and greater Lansing non-profit partners. Senior Jonathan Rosewood and junior Rodney Dennis separate school supplies into paper bags destined for underprivileged school systems during the Fill the Bus event. Bus loads full of various school supplies went to MSU’s Mid-Michigan Partners. Spartan community members sort through and organize donated school supplies into grocery bags for the annual Fill the Bus event. The event happens every fall during the first week of school with the hope of instilling the concept “Spartans Give... for the Public Good.” SPARTANS GIVE Fill the Bus initiative donates 200 bags of school supplies to community It’s 10 a.m. and the sun is shining as a bright yellow school bus pulls out of the Breslin Center parking lot. The seats are filled—not with students, but with school supplies. “It started as a freshmen-only initiative a few years ago, but there was an overwhelming response from other students and faculty, as well as community members,” said Karen McKnight Casey, Director of the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement (CSLCE), Now, the entire university participates in the annual Fill the Bus charity event put on by the center during Welcome Week. The school supplies packed into the bus at the Breslin Center that morning were being donated to schools and other locations in the East Lansing and Lansing area. The initiative is run by Michelle Nickerson, an MSU alumna recently hired by the CSLCE to help oversee the logistics and serve as an adviser to programs such as Into the Streets and Alternative Spring Break. “It’s a dream job for me,” Nickerson said. “Since graduating from MSU I had hoped to return to the university to help give back to students, and this position allows me to do so.” From Aug. 28 to Sept. 1, scattered bins and barrels across campus beckoned students, faculty and staff to donate school supplies, non- perishable food, and sundries. On Friday, Sept. 2 student volunteers .sorted the donations and then stuffed them into four yellow school buses in the Breslin Center parking lot. The buses drove the newly sorted supplies to places such as the East Lansing Food Bank and Donley Elementary School. It is well-ordered chaos in the tunnel beneath the Breslin Center parking lot where the sorting and loading of the buses takes place. Sophomore Teela Kibble guides a cart up the incline to where the buses are parked, joking that she hopes she can ride the cart back down to the rest of the supplies. “I’ve done lots of volunteer work since high school, so I was more than happy to help when I got an email asking for student helpers,” Kibble said. “I definitely want to do this again. I love helping kids especially.” Junior Emily Walsh, another student volunteer, stands down in the bottom of the tunnel grouping together pre-sorted paper bags to be taken on the next cart and making sure all of the volunteers sign in to get credit for their hours. She became involved with the program as part of her internship with the Big Ten Network. “My internship deals with a lot of volunteer service-learning initiatives so helping with Fill the Bus just made sense,” Walsh said. Sophomore Carl Anderson and a few of his brothers from Iota Phi Theta participated in the event as well, loading and unloading carts and also standing at the top of the tunnel to help direct incoming buses and volunteers. “I had never helped with Fill the Bus before,” he said. “It’s a great program—a great way to help kids and givfe back to the community. In fact, the motto of the CSLCE is “Spartans give... Of themselves'... To others... In community... For the public good.” Amidst the cacophony of rustling paper bags and squeaky carts there are also words of encouragement and even some a cappella renditions of pop songs. Students race the carts up the tunnel, barely missing each other in the quest for volunteering glory, while down in the bottom a group of Iota Phi Theta brothers participate in the “planking” phenomenon to rounds of applause. In spite of sweltering temperatures and some labor-intensive work, these are the sounds of Spartans giving: peals of laughter, excited chatter and a very resounding cheer of “Go Green! Go White!” Freshman Tori Bauman plays a life-size version of Operation at Moonlight Madness, She hoped to win a prize for competing with other students in the game. FREE GEAR FOR THE NEW YEAR artment of Student Life hosts Moonlight Madness event at local Meijer stores A normal Monday night at the Meijer in Okemos, Mich, usually consists of families completing their weekly grocery run. But, on Aug. 29, Meijer turned into madness. Moonlight Madness^ sponsored by the MSU Department of Student Life|| brought students from all grades to enjoy free giveaways, food and activities at both the Meijer on Lake Lansing Road and the store in Okemos. As a part of fall Welcome Week 2011, Moonlight Madness is offered as a way for new students to experience off-campus shopping opportunities and get a feel for public transportation. Capital Area Transit Authority (CATA) provided free shuttles from MSU to the Meijer stores until 1 a.m. ‘We went with a big group of people and the bus was already stuffed,” freshman Emily Kolean said. “People were squished together, but it was worth it.” The event allowed new students, like Kolean, to recognize the accessibility provided by the CATA system. The free rides encouraged students to be more comfortable riding public transportation in the future if they need supplies outside of campus. “I live in the dorms, so I just got on the number 1 bus, which goes down Grand River and headed down to Meijer,” freshman Bryan Menchaca said. “It’s convenient and I feel pretty comfortable with it.” One of the most enticing parts of Moonlight Madness for students is the freebies. As soon as students walked in the store, free samples of hair ties, Axe body spray and coupons for almost anything they could ever need were offered. Jell-O trays, posters, drawstring bags and pictures from the photo booth were among the favorites of the free gifts provided to students throughout the store. Another draw college students can never turn down is free food. The smell of salty hot dogs wafted all the way outside the store to the back of the parking lot. Students filled up on the free samples of food, like hot dogs and chips, which were provided outside the front of the store. This year, Moonlight Madness had new games and activities filling the aisles. A dance floor, complete with a live DJ, had students breaking it down in the home section. A supersized game of Operation took place in front of the sports aisles, and a photo booth loomed beside the women’s clothing section. One of the big hits of the night was a 3-D motion simulator that held up to 12 people and took them on a wild ride. The line for the ride wrapped around the aisles into the personal care section of the store, but the wait was only about 20 minutes and, apparently, well worth it. “It made me feel like I was in 1995 again,” said law student Michael Chalhoub after getting off the five-minute-long ride. Chalhoub has attended Moonlight Madness for the past three years. While Meijer may not always be this fun and exciting with games and free food, it will always have the school supplies and groceries MSU students need to survive the school year. iSSIt was nice to see this place lively,” Menchaca said. “But I will definitely be coming back when it isn’t so busy next time.” ISP i$pC bit Price*; i« The MSU cheerleaders attend Moonlight Madness to pump up the crowd. The makeshift dance floor was filled with shoppers song after song. Senior Ashley L. Redmond shares the green sand bottle with fellow senior Amanda Williams. The sand was used to create art in plastic tubes. Freshman Jacob Sclater bags his groceries using the self-checkout lane. Unlike previous years, check-out lines were small. F Students munch on hot dogs and other snacks courtesy of the Department of Student Life. During Sparticipation, bands played live music during the evening to entertain participants. s The Student Greenhouse Project displays their model for a proposed biodome to be built on Michigan State’s campus. The biodome would be used for natural vegetation, as well as studying, student gatherings and perfomances. Freshman Alex Mize practices her swift two-kick combination amongst an active group Taekwondo Club members. Various clubs! were scattered across Munn Field from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. offering! memberships to all Spartans! JOIN THE CLUB Students gather at Munn Field for one last summer event Even from a distance, one can tell how popular Sparticipation is. Music is playing, students are chatting and the aroma of hot dogs and hamburgers fills the air. On Aug. 30, Munn Field was over run with four huge tents filled with tables and posters for club leaders to advocate their club to students. Each tent felt packed like a sardine can. The members of the Fencing Club battled one another in uniform; the Live Action Interactive Roleplaying Explorers made students feel like they were back in the Middle Ages; and the Latinos on the Move Club danced in the field to their own music. There were also fraternities and sororities advocating to new students, trying to convince them that they were the best. Sports clubs, like the Ski Club, displayed their equipment, telling everyone that their club was the “cool place to be.” There were even protest groups such as one group trying to get signatures to recall Governor Rick Snyder. Taekwondo member and senior Vernon Cox said Sparticipation is a great event for his club to recruit new members and show off how much fun Taekwondo can be. Members in white uniforms practiced their kicks and punches, intriguing many students. However, they weren’t the only club showing off their skills. Just around the corner from the Taekwondo Club, the Break Dance Club spun and broke it down on their mat laid out on the field. Sophomore Austin Dresner of the Break Dance Club said they have already gotten over a hundred signatures of students interested in joining. Then, just outside the next tent, a group of students held signs displaying the message of the MSU Pagan group. Eva Sabolcik, a member and sophomore, said they have had double the inquires of students than last year and it really helps them out because they are a support group who loves having more members. “The group is more of a support group for any MSU students who share their beliefs and Sparticipation helps them spread their message,” she said. However, the event was not just for clubs to spread their word; it was also a time for students to meet up with friends. MSU freshman Brandon Schmitt said he came to Sparticipation to meet up with his old friends, but he ended up meeting a plethora of new people. “I had no idea what this event was going to be like, but I’m really glad I came out.” Schmitt said. [UNP£r- Water Ho® Members of the under-water hockey club don their sport attire in promotion of the club. Along with a suit, under­ water hockey players require goggles, flippers, a snorkel, as well as a miniature hockey stick. Senior Prashanth Rajarajan and freshman Miranda Chavez dance to live music at Sparticipation. Rajarajan and Chavez are members of the State Swing Society, which has offered members swing dancing lessons since 1998. . 017 Freshman Steven Maine sits on his bottom bunk as his two other roommates’ feet dangle in his face. One of the biggest problems with the transitional housing is that it leaves little space for activities besides sleeping and talking. Freshmen Carrie Stalk, Kiley Turner, and Renée Baenen’s door is decorated with all three of their names. Despite having an extra roommate Stalk, Turner, and Baenen said it did not change their opinion of the university. CL0X5 O —I CD zrO w o 3 >CQ o® z P. '' 3- oo CD ZJ-Q O = °CQ Z Q_rs cn Z5 —t- CD 1 Ü "O H§ O O O ^ Q_o CD U Q Freshmen Nick Baldus andd^ahl Fraiidiina hangs' over the top bunk teying/to convince freshman \ Steven Maine to get out of bed. Baldus said he \ is excited for someone to move out so his Akers dorm is not filled with an extra person. STUCK IN TRANSITION/ Record number of freshmen creates cramped quarters The Armstrong dorm room of freshmen Carrie Stalk, Kiley Turner, and Renee Baenen appears normal at first glance: there are clothes in the closet, clothes on the floor, slept-in sheets cascading from their bunks, and desks covered in books, hair products and water botdes. But it’s not the room’s physical appearance that distinguishes it from a typical student’s I it’s the number of people who call it home. A record 7,800 freshmen arrived on campus in the fall, forcing students like Stalk, Turner and Baenen to cram into rooms normally reserved for two. This three person living arrangement is the case for many freshmen that moved in this year; they’re stuck in what Campu’s|Living Services has dubbed “Transitional Housing.” According to the organization’s website, Transitional Housing is a temporary arrangement in which some dorm rooms are set up to house an additional student. The website explains that this situation occurs randomly in all residence halls, but each room meets safety code and is equipped with additional furniture . It does not tell students how long they’ll be living with their extra roommate. This indefinite living arrangement multiplied by three seems overwhelming, but Stalk, Turner and Baenen don’t seem to mind the uncertainty. “We could live like this for the year,” Baenen said. “It isn’t ideal, but it is possible.” When asked what Campus Living Services has done to help accommodate them in light of their cramped quarters, the young women spoke over each other to list off some of the room’s extra accompaniments, such as T-shirts, a loft-able bed, their large room, three desks and the Brody café. If a transitional housing arrangement is unavoidable, Brody complex is the place to be, they agreed. Stalk cringed as she cited transitional housing situations in Yakeley Hall’s smaller rooms. Living in Brody does have its woes, though. The three agreed that while the café has the best food, it’s difficult to just grab a bowl of cereal or a quick lunch between classes. Nearly every other door on the third floor of Armstrong has three nametags, which means more people in the café. Despite the involuntary increase in floor mates, however, Baenen and Stalk said everyone seems to be coexisting well. As they chat, almost every door on the floor is open, and students walk in and out of each other’s rooms to borrow things or gossip about classes. Yet when pressed with the question that inevitably arises in their situation, the young women are hesitant to answer. It’s the elephant in the room: who will move out if given the opportunity? Stalk and Turner said they wouldn’t mind sticking it out together all year, but Baenen feels a little differently. “I love them, and I love living with them,” she said. “We have a lot of fun and a lot in common, but I think more room would be nice. I’d like to stay on this floor or in Armstrong if I could, but I am willing to be the one to leave. “It would be nice to not sit on the floor when people come over. Having a futon would be cool,” she added. A little hurt, Kiley teased Renee: “You’d really trade us for a futon?” Freshmen Carrie Stalk, Kiley Turner, and Renee Baenen try to get adjusted to their transitional room in Armstrong Hall. Stalk, Turner and Baenen said they were all excited and curious about having three roommates. To accommodate MSU’s large campus, Capital Area Transportion Authority (CATA) is the main source of public transportation with more than 18 routes available on or near campus. A central CATA station is located in front of the Chemistry building. Students wait at a crosswalk for traffic to Bplear. Bike lanes are available on public streets and near sidewalks. Sophomore Jamayl Martin rides a CATA bus to class in support||f the Clean Commute Challenge. This was MSU’s fifth year participating in the challenge. aro n rq CD =r-0 i-2 22.0 =>_ m CQ o ® > P. ;• AZ 8 ■ | n_tn Q O - >- 0 9. o”5 Co —-3 13 § Bn | | | I Learning how to ride a bike challenges most Mroung children. It’s exciting and terrifying all at once, but children keep on riding nonetheless. So why stop riding now am a college student, especially when there are environmental and personal benefits? Sept. 19-23 marked the third year for the Capital Area Transportation Authority’s Clean Commute Challenge—an event that rewards students who log on to CATA’s website and record clean commutes with the possibility of prizes and the satisfaction of a greener campus. The Clean Commute Challenge originally was invented by CATA. Call the Clean Commute Options direct phone line, and you might catch the voicemail of a very busy lady—Cathleen Edgerly. As the Clean Commute Options coordinator, Edgerly is like a Pandora’s box of green travel knowledge. “The Challenge was started because of some air quality issues the area had in 2006, but CATA has been promoting green travel for some time now,” Edgerly said. “This year we’ve added Western Michigan University to the challenge’s mix, and they seem excited. They’re looking forward to creating a buzz.” The Clean Commute Challenge is growing year after year because of press, the rise in social media (the Clean Commute Challenge has its own Facebook page and Twitter handle), radio features, posters and word of mouth. The amount of logged commutes even doubled in 2010 from years past. The rise in 2011 logs is projected to exceed last year’s because of prize incentives: Biggby Coffee coupons are available after every single commute logged, and individual prizes like bus passes, gas cards, complimentary bike repairs and gift certificates are up for grabs. this year, Along with WMU, the Spartans competed against Lansing Community College, Cooley Law, Grand Valley State University, and Wayne State University. With many students able to help win the challenge, one would think MSU takes the title, hands-down, but last year MSU took second to Central Michigan University. So this year, Lauren Olson^ the product coordinator in the Office of Campus Sustainability, wants every student to know about the challenge. Promotion has been revamped to offer education before the challenge even starts and encourage students to log their commutes after it begins. “A primary focus this year is to get more students ^ involved,” Olson said. “Students don’t really think about their commutes, [riding bikes, riding the bus and walking are] just easy ways to get to class. We’ve added more ‘Lunch and Learn’ seminars at the International Center to teach students how they can get, or already are, involved.” This could be difficult, though. According to the MSU Police’s annual report, there were 7,543 registered bikes on campus in 2010. While that may seem like a small amount when weaving in and out of what seems like hundreds of thousands of other bikers during a commute to class, there were more than twice as many student parking permits registered than bikes in 2010. Lynette Forman, the office supervisor for MSU Police’s Parking Operations, is doing her part to encourage the Clean Commute Challenge: carpooling permits are available for faculty and staff parking. “And anyone can buy a bus pass,” Edgerly said. “Anyone.” KEEPING IT CLEAN MSU's third annual Clean Commute Challenge offers prizes in return for green commutes A student uses his moped for travel, a common method on campus. The challenge was a part of CATA’s annual Clean Commute Week which began Sept, 19. Students ride their bikes down the Riverwalk Trail in support of the challenge. MSU was one of five schools that competed. 021 LOST&FOUN Journalism professor Karl Gude talks about his personal experiences since Sept. 11 “Never forget”: one of the more common mottos for the United States amidj;he 10th anniversary of Sept. 11. But this drctum.means a litde more to journalism professor' KarUCrude, who met with a full house in theNtincoliy^ Room at the Kellogg Center on Sept. 14 to discuss his experience while working as director of information graphics for Newsweek Magazine during the attacks. -^“Everyone has a story,” Gude began -hisillpresegtation. And it’s true—most evtrypneo&Aenough at the time can rememBgr^^U^^-^y^^^cdoing when the nation lost OnUof its most fatnous landmarks. But whatmanEpeopl^lohV'' if- they were~- understand, especially young when the towers fell, is Arperica’s emotional connection to the building, unspoken of up until that day, g|W New Yorkers had an intimate relationship with the World Trade Center. We took\every tourist there; we took dates to impress them,” Gude said. This relationship was severed for some sy the, loss /of the actual buildings, others fbr the people lost that day, and for malptmprU me “jumpers,” forced_tp__ decide how thee /would .leaveTaisWotidT _ The PowerPoint that accompanied Gude’s story showed personal pictures he had taken from the observation deck of one of the towers. ‘You can see how high it was, which puts it into context...people who had To' make that decision that day between choosing ho\V~~~to...die,” he said. “They couldn’t go into theAfiames^or they could—or they could jump, and tnafYjust- a place a human being should never have to be.. .in, but these people were.” Freshmen Elizabeth Fowler anti identified greatly/with Taylor Rixie Gude’s presentation. ^K‘9/11 is just somethingAhat’s close -ra^yofim,” Fowler spin. “I knew that I wouIdh’t bdh.Qpgyduring the time with my family, so I thought that this would be , a good way to remember without being Bofh\journalism majors, Fowler and Rixie felt they4earned a lVt about what it would be like asYgournaÉst working on breaking news. “(We) got to see howAtNsyprked from the inside andTtisj(i^de^=5pfiiions on all ^oGthatT'eall^GTafdAtuff to watch,” Rixie saidrYt was really interesting.” mmm cuo n <5 H i CD 3-0 EH M l M| co o cd H WÊmËa vs =•> .9 ■Sa»! Students and faculty gather at the Kellogg Center to hear Gude speak about his experience during September 11, 2001 and his role in coverage for Newsweek. Gude teaches a varietygf journalism courség, including a course on information graphics. MSU journalism professor Karl Gude talks to the public i about major news stories he covered as the information graphics director for Newsweek. Gude also worked at the New York Daily News, The National Sports Daily and The Associated Press, among others. M -2 HB —i, m. wm m m Juniors Nick Kowalski and Patrick Williams honor the victims of Sept. 11 by reading their names at The Rock. Kowalski and Williams read names for three hours. STILL REMEMBERING Tenth anniversary event honors Sept. 11 victims ick :pt. lie ;ad US. O 0 7\ 1 z z o As a gentle breeze wafted over a glass-like Red Cedar River, two strong voices echoed across campus on an overcast Sunday morning: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. ■ The voices belonged to Patrick Williams and Nick Kowalski, two juniors who are part of the recendy formed student initiative Campus Conservatives. For the next three hours, their voices rung out from the Sept. 11 flag memorial at The Rock, carrying the names of the 2,977 victims of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, hijacked flight United 93 and the Pentagon. While MSU has organized numerous Sept, 11 memorial services in the past, this was the first year that all of the names were read. “We wanted to do something different for the 10th anniversary, and we had heard that they were reading names at other universities as well as at Ground Zero,” Kowalski said. “I think it’s necessary for the MSU community to recognize and remember the people who perished that day. If we don’t remember them it’ll just be another day in history. This way we can actually put names to a horrific news event.’® Though the two were only in fifth grade at the time of the attack, the infamous day left Williams and Kowalski with vivid memories. “I was sitting on the carpet in my class when there was a PA announcement asking each class to send a student to the office. I was chosen from my class and when I got to the office I was given an announcement that our teacher then read, which essentially said that there had been an attack on the Twin Towers,” Williams said. “They sent us home early and by the time I walked into the house my parents were glued to the television, like everyone else, I’m sure.” Kowalski’s memory was much the same. “It was fall and I was at the elementary school. They had a couple of TVs in the hallways that usually played announcements or were just turned off. That day, they broadcasted the news all morning. My friends and I had no idea what was going on,” he said. The sun began to peak out of the clouds as Kowalski and Williams read the names, students and other passers-by stopping for a moment to listen, pausing their day to remember the fallen. “As long as people took the time to reflect on it,” Williams said, “that’s the most important thing.” ◄ if» ;1: fdggSm Commemorative flags adorn the lawn near The Rock in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Nearly 3,000 victims’ names were read aloud. 025 m Mitten Maven ‘Heart of Cold’ leads a group of teammates around the rink. Each player has a creative, play-on-words name that they use as their derby identity. ‘Ethel Weapon’ scores points for the Mitten Mavens by passing opposing skaters the race. Races are referred to as roller derby, and each jam can last Mitten Maven ‘TNTish’ celebrates the victory with her teammates after the derby. The final score was 263 to 64. RAINBOW BOUT Roller Derby team raises funds for The LBGT Resource Center The cheer of spectators from inside Demonstration Hall fills the chilly evening air on Sept. 17. The scene within is like something out of an inspirational sports movie: the second floor stands, packed with fans of all ages, loom over a flat, oval track surrounded by thick plastic walls. It looks like a hockey rink, but there aren’t any hockey players. Instead, the crowd watches as a blur of roller skates, elbow pads, brightly colored tutus and heavily-decaled helmets dash by. It’s the first bout of the season for the Mitten Mavens, Lansing’s roller derby team. The team, founded only about a year and a half ago, has a bout approximately once a month, said president Melissa Cogswell, a.k.a Terror 2 Bits. That night, they were competing against and successfully defeated Macomb County’s Eastside Derby Girls with a final score of 236 to 64. While the Maven’s aren’t currently a student organization, a number of the players are students at MSU pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies, such as Ph.D student Micalee Sullivan, a.k.a “ToTheMoon Alice.” Her derby name is a reference to Ralph Kramden’s famous comment in the 1950s sitcom “The Honeymooners,” in which he tells his wife, Alice, he’s going to send her “straight to the moon.” “I think it (the bout) was a good learning experience for both teams,” Sulhvan said. “This was the first bout for our opponents, and it made me realize how much our team had learned from just a year of playing. “Roller derby is a fairly confusing sport at first, there’s’ people coming at you from different directions, that kind of thing,” she added. The bout generated more than just a learning opportunity and entertainment for the numerous spectators; it also supported a good cause: MSU’s Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender (LBGT) Resource Center. “They were looking for opportunities to have conversations with the community about sexuality and gender issues, which are two topics that are very important to our organization,” said Deanna Hurlbert, assistant director of the LBGT Resource Center. The Mitten Mavens act as a non-profit and donate a portion of their ticket sales to a different organization each bout. Other beneficiaries include Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Gift of Life, and the Lansing Area AIDS Network. The Mitten Mavens have worked with the LBGT Resource Center in the past through other events such as the PRIDE parade and fundraisers at Spiral, a dance bar in Lansing, but some of the players wanted to do more. “Choosing the LBGT Resource Center this time came about for a couple of reasons, the biggest being that we have a large makeup of LBGT people both on our team and the roller derby community itself,” Cogswell said. Senior Kelsey Beachum, a.k.a “Van Kelsing,” added: “Derby has a lot of roots in the LBGT community, and we ^ had noticed as a group that we hadn’t really taken the time to help our chapter. Since we’re still a start-up, it’s a good group to get involved with.” Both Beachum and Sulhvan have been playing roller derby for about a year. Sullivan likes the sport so much she even has an extra question she considers before applying for jobs: where is the nearest roller derby team? But before she does find a job, she, Beachum and the rest of the Mitten Mavens will continue to hone their roller derby skills and engage with the MSU community. “We appreciate being able to use Demonstration Hah for practices and bouts and we’re actually in the process of applying to form a student organization,” Sulhvan said. “We’d like to be able to see new faces, both on the team and in the stands.” If the wild cheers from the second floor stands generated by the players zipping around sharp turns whilst body-checking each other is any indication, the Mitten Mavens can look forward to a long and successful relationship with MSU. The Eastside Derby Girls gather at the side of the rink for a break between the bouts. A bout consists of two 30-minute periods, and the team with the mol points at the end is the winner. CLcod n to CD rrO O _ o =5 “'ols g =3 o ^ c/> O * * ' O CD S -j —CP m ’ ■ CD ~<~D IQ Q CO CD <§_q H 027 CONNECTING CULTURES Many students at MSU change their major throughout the course of college, but not many change it in response to an earthquake. “I started off as a political science and economics major just to give back to my country,” junior Terry Pharaon said. “The political side of Haiti is really corrupt, and I wanted to bring a change. After the earthquake, I switched to electrical engineering. I have big dreams for it too.” Pharaon, a native of Haiti, hopes to return after ten years experience working in the United States and invest in new renewable power generation systems, such as wind and solar. His passion for helping his country stems from his experience living in Haiti. According to The World Bank, an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries, about 80 percent of Haiti’s population lives in poverty. “I had the chance not to experience it, but I have seen it and it’s really, really bad,” Pharaon said. On Jan. 12,2010, Haiti experienced a magnitude 7-earthquake that devastated its already hurting economy and unstable government. Pharaon said there still are rocks in the streets and dust covering buildings. The mindset of the people has changed since the natural disaster, he said. “They really try hard to maintain themselves and to keep faith that things will get better,” he said. Pharaon not only believes Haiti will rebound from the earthquake, he wants to help in the process. His refreshing attitude and 3.8 GPA will help him achieve his goals, but staying positive wasn’t always easy for him. When Pharaon arrived at MSU, he experienced culture shock. His favorite music from Haiti is Kompa, a native style which uses traditional drums and bass guitars. Coming to Michigan, Pharaon experienced music very different from Kompa, not to mention the food and a whole new lifestyle, which made it difficult and sometimes intimidating. ^E‘One thing I experienced coming here was exclusion,” Pharaon said. “I had to try harder and harder to break out of my bubble and try to make connections and meet people. It was really difficult.” But his positive attitude and a little assistance from the Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions helped Pharaon succeed and connect with other students. He is now the president of the Caribbean Student Association and a member of both the Black Caucus and the African Student fflnion. “The Caribbean Student Association tries to break stereotypes that are placed on the Caribbean, such as, ‘You’re from Jamaica, so you have to smoke weed,”’ Pharaon said. ‘We hear that all the time.” CSA also responded after the 2010 Haitian earthquake. The group threw a festival involving Caribbean music, a Haitian dance group and speeches bg professors to raise funds for medical supplies and rebuilding efforts in the suffering country. Pharaon isn’t only trying to solve problems with the Haitian population though. On campus, he works toward diversity and inclusion with many student groups. “Diversity is needed in a lot of fields, even throughout your life,” he said. Jit’s needed so you’re not stuck in your own perspective of other people, so you can have other peoples’ experience, get to know them and their culture and break stereotypes.” To do this, CSA and other black student organizations on campus come together to try to understand one another. “We’re black, but we’re really different,” Pharaon said. But he doesn’t stop there. Pharaon was involved with a French speaking club on campus, worked for the Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions, and is now a Peer Leader in Wilson Hall, working with other engineering students to inform and connect them with engineering opportunities and possible employers, and also to help with homework. Although Pharaon is a dedicated and hard worker in everything he does, he applauds MSU on their ability to integrate international students with campus life. “My favorite thing about MSU is that I feel like they really try to get people involved in the culture of MSU, to interact with each other, to build connections with people from different countries and backgrounds,” he said. “It is somewhat hard, but I enjoy that.” rocte 029 Freshmen Stephanie Herberg bashfully answers one of the questions posed during The Dating Game. Herberg was one of three bachelorettes during round one of The Dating Game. University Activities Board (UAB) volunteer and Sophomore Elizabeth Woroniecki prepares one of three prize packs to be won by contestants of the Dating Game. Woroniecki created the MINGLING AND MOCKTAILS University Activities Board presents The Dating Game • Freshmen Stephanie Herberg and Luke Klawiter live on the same floor in Akers Hall, and they have the same major. But it wasn’t until Friday, Sept. 23, that Klawiter officially asked Herberg out in front of an audience of students. The two were contestants of the University Activities Board’s The Dating Game, MSU|J|i version of the classic game show. After being chosen at random, Klawiter was put into a sound-proof room while the MC chose three “bachelorettes,” Herberg being one of them. After answering questions such as, “What kind of candy would you be and why?” (Herberg chose gummy worms because they’re “squishy”),-" Herberg was selected by Klawiter to go on a date paid for by the UAB. Their prize? The “Cuddle Package,” which included romantic comedy DVDs, popcorn, candy and an MSU Snuggie for the couple tofshare. Both students enjoyed the event and look forward to their date together. Other students were less interested in finding a significant other than they were in just meeting new people. Freshmen Danielle White and Colton Cherry were among those who arrived early to enjoy Royce Phillips Junior’s jazz quartet from Lansing and sip on “mocktails:” non-alcoholic beverages such as Shirley Temples. “My floor suggested it (The Dating Game) as a bonding event, so we decided to sign up to be contestants,” White said. “We even signed up our R.A. against her will!” Cherry signed up to be a contestant as well. “I. figured why not, it can’t hurt, right? To quote the Tootsie Pop commercial, ‘The world may never | know.’” The event is an annual one for the UAB, but this year was a bit different thanks to junior and director of communications Shannon McGreal- Miller. “This was actually my first event when I joined UAB a few years ago and I thought it would be funny if it was also my first event as a member of the e-board; lo and behold, it was!” “In the past we’ve put on this event with a DJ,! but I wanted to try a local band instead. When I j found the Royce Phillips Jr. Quartet I knew that j they had the vibe that I wanted,” McGreal-Miller j said. That vibe was a decidedly relaxed one: smooth,; mellow tones oozed from the saxophone, trailing J over the ticks of drums and the plucking of a double bass. A velvety voice rounded out the quartet, floating through the main lobby of the 1 Union. Colorful balloon arches and a makeshift mocktail bar added to the casual feel, allowing students to either sit and talk or make rounds around the room. The main attraction was, of course, The Dating Game stage where directors’ 1 chairs were set up with microphones against a loud, painted flower backdrop. While finding a 1 date, like Herberg and Klawiter did, is a nice perk, j the goal of the event was much simpler. “I wanted it to be a place where people can have fun without feeling pressure to drink,” McGreal-Miller said. “It’s a good alternative event to the typical ‘going out on Friday night.’ Plus, who doesn’t love winning prizes and raffles?” ► After taking home the “Cuddle package,” freshman Luke Klawiter is congratulated by sophomore Amanda Geldersma, one of three hosts for the event. The prize package included romatic-comedy DVDs, popcorn, candy and an MSU Snueeie for two. Michael Moore impersonates a passive liberal as he begins dialogue on current events before sitting down to discuss his latest publication. East Lansing was one of 38 stops during Moore’s four-month book tour. A captivated audience listens as Michael Moore notes the positive aspects of the recent “Occupy” protests around the country. Moore visited Traverse City East Lansing, Rochester and Ann Arbor during the Michigan leg of his book tour. A chair accompanied by a side table and microphone sit waiting along with the audience for the presence of Michael Moore. Moore braved a snow storm and a six-hour drive from Traverse City to East Lansing to present his latest book. HERE COMES TROUBLE Michael Moore visits MSU for new book tour Tuesday Nov. 29 was a day of infamy at MSU, in part because of a freak snowstorm that poured somewhere between eight and 10 inches of fluffy white powder over campus. It was also the night that director and author Michael Moore made a stop at the Auditorium as part of his latest book tour. Moore planned to read excerpts from his book, “Here Comes Trouble: Stories of My Life.” However, the evening quickly shifted into improvisation when he showed up a few minutes late due to the weather. He more than made up for it by throwing a snowball at the audience as part of his welcome to the podium. “I’ve never done that before!” Moore exclaimed amid cheers. “All the right-wing rags will say I assaulted someone.” That last line got some laughs and more cheers, thereby setting the tone for the evening: political jabs alternating with bits of humor. “It took me five hours to get here [from Traverse City]; but I had to get here: because we are Spartans,” said the Flint native, taking a moment to touch his Spartan baseball cap. A bout of, “Go green! Go white!” made its way through the audience. From there, Moore spent the next couple hours drilling the audience with his politics and beliefs, peppering in his love for both the state of Michigan and Michigan State. His at-times rambling, but always engrossing speech covered everything from his views on health insurance and Republicans to his excitement about the Occupy movement. “In the roughly three months (the Occupy movement has) existed, they’ve gotten a 59 percent approval rating. Fifty-nine percent! That never happens this early Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t have it during the Civil Rights Movement;! neither did Gloria Steinem.. .It’s heartening to see people turning off the TV and finding themselves.” After a question and answer session with the audience, Moore finally did the promised reading from his book, choosing a story called “Boys State.« It was! an account of his time in a summer camp about government that ultimately resulted in him giving a speech to the entire camp and a number of legislative officials denouncing racial prejudice in his local Elks Club chapter. It was this speech that launched him into politics and taught him (and, in turn, the audience) that it just takes one person to start something. Junior Katie Nowinski wasn’t sure who IMichael Moore was when she was first assigned to work as an usher that night, asking a friend beforehand if he was British. Once his identity was established, Nowinski said she found Moore’s speech “long, but interesting,” although she ultimately said she would probably not hear him speak again if she had the choice. “I just think there are more views on the table (than just Moore’s),” she said. “He mentioned at one point that Democrats are all about compromise, but he was also pretty adamant about his particular opinions.” Senior Eric Huffman was one of surprisingly few students in a mostly older-demographic audience. “He made some interesting ^ points and it was cool that he showed a great deal of pride in Michigan,” he said. While not completely agreeing with everything Moore said that night, Huffman did recommend that MSU students “just watch some of his documentaries.” “I think more students should be aware of IMichael Moore. He is one of the few active filmmakers who, even if you don’t agree with him, you should still see what he has to say. He brings up some important issues that should be talked about, regardless of your stance on them.” An excited audience applauds as Michael Moore is introduced to the stage. Moore’s book, titled “Here Comes Trouble,” chronicles his life in Michigan before becoming a filmmaker. =s • • 3 < n ■ ■ rn n ZT--3 -y O q oH Vcd =? O Q U-QZn $ 9 Q' Co O O CD O t n Ü > m o oTO m 033 k Prospective Spartan Frankie Garza poses W for the crowd as junior Cong Guo readies himself to exit the stage. Red carpets and red-tie door posts handed out flowers at the entrances-of all participating businesses from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. during Girls’ Night Out. Models ride the escalator back up as they finish the grand finale, giving the audience one more look at the outfits^ Models for the fashion show were chosen from a pool of MSU students and local residents that volunteered their services for the event. cud Ö (7) CD zrO tir Ç2 o =3 7D Cû'oloô n o zj nr CD- o — =5 • • =3_ CO ___CD ' ‘ (d < 3 fm o~> -j Lj o' -Dp —j— ■■ Q-O o Q QvQ m C/> Q ^ m .3 O Q ^ CO j> O ~7 m ¡1 , . wl Q Q_ Dr. Reinhard Schwienhorst explains the comment form made for the preview show. The staff was eager for comments from the MSU community. Spectators look over the comment form before the show. Information gathered from these forms would be used to make the show even more enjoyable for audience members. A giant globe sits in the center of the lobby as people file in to Abrams Planetarium. Students and members of the Capital Area Astronomy Association were given a sneak peak of “Relics of The Big Bang” on Oct. 5. Dr. Schwienhorst discusses the show with junior Ben Diefenbach. “Relics of The Big Bang” was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. 037 Showcasing his instrumental talent, Mac Miller gets the audience singing along with his rendition of “Wonderwall” by Oasis. A handful of lucky fans received signed snapback hats that were thrown into the crowd throughput the night. Casey Veggies -and crew lay down a couple bars for MSU students prior® Mac Miller’s! performance. Casey Veggies is part of a group called Odd Future that’s gaining popularity with the nation’s younger demographic. Sitting on the steps of the Auditorium, a group of students huddles together, waiting. Luckily, they gather closely because of the amount of people, rather than the lack of heat. It was a beautiful evening on Oct. 7, perfect for music and Mac Miller. A plethora of snapback hats matched the colored fallen leaves scattered across the lawn, where conversations of excitement intertwined with the fall breeze. “I’m ready to get rowdy,” freshman Eric Dippoliti exclaimed as people rushed through the opening doors. Malcolm McCormick, known by his stage name Mac Miller, is a rapper from Pittsburgh. Though he recently signed to Rostrum Records, he began his career as an independent artist. Miller, 19, gained his fan base through social networking on Twitter and Facebook, allowing fans to become the major factor in his rise to success. In the Auditorium, the mood matched the temperature of| the atmosphere; hot. Freshman Sam Chesnick emphasized her discomfort, stating that the concert “needed to be outside.” Soon the lights dimmed, the crowd cheered, and it was time. Mac Miller opened with the song, “Best Day:'liver,” with the lyrics, “life couldn’t get better, this ‘gon be the best day ever,” filtering into the mass of students, clapping in sync to the snare drums and throwing their hands up with the bass, “cheesin’ from cheek to cheek.” Miller continued to show his artistic capabilities by free- styling, involving the audience and handing the microphone to an audience member to announce the next song he would sing. “Every single person is important to this show,” Mac Miller screamed into the microphone, igniting a sense of significance Enjoying the concert, fans in the auditorium stood vibing to Mac Miller’s performace. Gaining exponential popularity as of late, Mac Miller was named one of XXL Magazine’s 11 Freshman artists to break out in 2011.. from the front row to the balcony. Sparking participation even! further, he played a variety of songs on guitar such as “Sweet j Home Alabama,” andl“Say It Ain’t So,” outside his genre. Incorporating the guitar into one of his own songs, “Another Night,” Miller rapped and strummed, creating an electrifying performance. “I just like to make music. It’s what I love,” he told the audience after thanking them for allowing him to speak and not! yell over him. Every show, Mac Miller dedicates the concert to the individual who pushed him to pursue his rap career: his grandfather. His grandfather passed away before he was able to see him perform, thus Mac Miller performs the song “Poppy” so that he may live i on in the notes and lyrics. Freshman Zachary Salaysay found this particularly potent, for the song “Poppy” became a vehicle to •handle similar experiences with his grandfather. “I think that Mac Miller is a real artist because every show he ; takes the time to step back from his stardom to appreciate how he j got there,” Salaysay said. The Auditorium transformed into Chesnick’s wish of an outdoor concert, as the darkness lit up with fireflies in the form of lighters and cell phones. Kyle Witgen, a visiting freshman from Olivet College, described the concert as “epic,” and Salaysay labeled it “real.” However the audience classified it, it was a performance that united spectators through the medium of music. Miller summed it up through his lyrics to “Senior Skip Day:” “enjoy the best things in your life, because you ain’t gonna get to live it twice.” Thanks to Mac Miller and his rendition, the audience did just that. As thousands of fans scream with excitement, Mac Miller makes a slight wardrobe change to begin the night. Hours after tickets went on sale, few seats were available for this, eventually leading to a sold-out show. Laying down some lines from his laste^H mixtape “Best Day Ever,” Mac Miller takes a rest on his park bench. He named the “Blue Slide Park Tour” after a local park where he and his friends grew up in Pittsburgh. BEST DAY EVER Mac Miller performs at the Auditorium Mac Miller performs “Donald Trump,” one of his most popular singles.' Miller was touring promote his upcoming album, “Blue Slide Park.” B I ¡ ■ Mackenzie Mohr, a sophomore at MSU, reads the secrets hanging from a clothesline at the Gilchrist Pub. Mohr heard about the PostSecret event through her hall government. West Circle students showcase their secrets anonymously in the Gilchrist Pub on Oct. 6, courtesy of PRIDE. The note cards were placed into students’ mailboxes and collected anonymously in the residence halls for display. Junior Rebecca Sobanski reads all of the secrets surrounding her at the PostSecret event held in the Gilchrist Pub. PRIDE, People Respecting Individuality, Diversity, and Equality hosted the event. A SAFE PLACE FOR SECRETS PRIDE event allows student to publicly, anonymously reveal secrets in Gilchrist Hall Normally when one thinks of a secret, he or she wants it hidden from others, otherwise it wouldn’t be a secret. Yet in Gilchrist Hall there are dozens of them scrawled on index cards and hanging from a clothesline, as if they were laundry drying outside. On Oct. 6, People Respecting Individuality, Diversity, and Equality their PostSecret event at Gilchrist Hall to showcase their group and give the students of West Circle a chance to expose their secrets anonymously. (PRIDE) held The event was inspired by Frank Warren’s PostSecret: a community art project in which people anonymously mail secrets on homemade postcards to be posted to a website, used for books or displayed in museum exhibits. Since its inception in 2004, the project has received national attention and attracted more then 500,000 secrets. Bailey Redinger, a senior and vice-president of PRIDE, said PRIDE is a safe space for LBGT students in West Circle. She said they put note cards in all the West Circle students’ mailboxes and then collected them to showcase at the social event. “This is an event for us to spread awareness, not just about PRIDE, but about the dangers in the secrets people are experiencing and hiding,” Redinger said. A solemn tone pervades the quiet study hall. Students walk slowly beneath the hanging secrets, occasionally pausing as their upward gaze is arrested by one that is particularly compelling. But in case a student wasn’t able to write a secret the first time, there were colored paper, markers and glitter available. There were also private booths in which one could steal away and prevent others from seeing his or her secrets being written. These new secrets were put into one of two boxes: those in the first box would be displayed in Linton Hall, and those in the second would be submitted to the official PostSecret website. Justin Drwencke, the president of PRIDE, said they chose to host the event because they thought it was interesting and a good way to get the idea of PostSecret out in the open. “This event is a way to give out secrets in an ^ anonymous way, which makes people feel more comfortable about sharing their secrets,” Drwencke said. It was a hit, as manygstudents walked in and out to learn about the event. Sophomore Kate Watson isn’t involved with PRIDE but came to the event to support a friend. She said she became excited after researching the event and was glad she came. “Everyone has stuff they are always dealing with and they usually keep that stuff inside of them, and getting it out of their system, even on a note card, always helps,” Watson said. The Gilchrist secret unveiling featured booths for students choosing to submit their secret to PostSecret. The event was inspired by Frank Warren’s website that showcases anonymous secrets submittecL by readers. H). Ft CEDT \N “no 041 Junior Kathleen Sarkady begins sketching the design of her intricate clock. Paints, fabric, and cardboard were just a few of the supplies on hand for the clock-making process,. c o nt e nt: ma ri os e s a n b or n r P R O F E S S O N A L I W R I T I N G C L O C K M A K N G I r TIME IN YOUR HANDS College of Arts and Letters organizations team up for dock-making party Room 307 Linton Hall proved a feast for the senses on Sept. 4. Laughter bounced off the chartreuse colored walls, and the aroma of warm Hungry Howie’s pizza mingled with the decadent scent of freshhS baked chocolate-chip cookies. The table at the center of the room was surrounded not by kindergarteners but college students, picking through layers of flashy fabrics, magazine clippings, and paint brushes. Yet none of this was particularly unusual for a gathering with the Creativity Exploratory (CE) and College of Arts and Letters (CAL) Maker groups; what made this particular event unique was the theme: clock-making. A raid of Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft, Michael’s, and Creativity Exploratory Convener Danielle DeVoss’ closet supplied the clock-making party with plenty of crafts for the groups to use in their designs. Throughout the afternoon, students and staff shared humorous anecdotes, ranging from personalized theme songs to the ethics of shunning ginger seals. Nearly as fascinating as the conversations were the clock designs. Bystanders in Linton Hall, undoubtedly attracted by the alluring scent of pizza, lingered in the doorway, vocalizing their thoughts on the elaborate designs of the clocks. Staff member Brian Adams, founder of CAL Maker, led the forefront of creativity with his Styrofoam dummy head clock. iCWe’re gonna make you pretty again... ” Adams cooed darkly while sifting away at the helpless Styrofoam face with a 4-inch razor. Other attempted clock designs included a rainbow, nuts and bolts, and one of the homemade cookies. After a few mishaps, the least functional designs were quickly weeded out. “If I make a cookie clock, will it go bad in a few days?” staff member Scott Schopieray asked. However, his attempts fell short; the clock mechanism could not reach through the thick, delicious layers of doughy goodness. Sadly for him, that was just how the cookie crumbled. Some students met with more success than the staff. “I didn’t know what I was doing,” junior Kathleen Sarkady laughed, “but it turned out great!” She gestured proudly at her finished product, a fully functional clock with trellised borders. The party was hosted by College of Arts and Letters organizations Creativity Exploratory and CAL Maker. These groups focus on providing a creative outlet for all MSU students, particularly through designing and creating digital and technical, do-it-yourself projects. So, why make clocks? ¡»‘One of the premises here is not to be too high tech with everything, and to make and touch stuff,” DeVoss explained. Hands-on projects are very rewarding for students and push their creativity. The goal of the clock-making party was to not limit students by using only digital media as the design medium, but to focus on more tangible, out-of-the-box materials, Adams said. The need for clocks in Creativity Exploratory’s home room where they usually meet, was also a significant factor. Junior Kathryn Nowinski expressed how glad she was to be a part of the event instead of being stuck in her dorm room. She explained the depravity of her situation: “It got me out of my wool socks and corduroy stretchy pants!” Students also expressed excitement for future events with the CAL groups. “My clock wouldn’t work, but it was still a good experience.. .1 think there should be more about CE out there! There should be more events!” junior Shelby Dosser raved. As the sound of ticking filled the room, the time for making clocks dwindled as students returned to their mundane lives. However, one man remained. Adams dug his hand into the white, flaky head of the motionless dummy, his concern for timeliness outweighed by his desire to finish the morbid monstrosity of a clock. At last, the hands of the clock emerged. Adams laughed maniacally as they ticked eerily along the forehead of the severed head. He surveyed his masterpiece clock, and grasped time in his hands. ( Professional Writing professor Danielle DeVoss cuts a piece of fabric to be used in her clock design. DeVoss provided many of the supplies for this creative event. m 043 For students in a hurry, bus tubs are located outside of the dishroom for dirty dishes t S2. O 5- Co CQ O' (X> —1 warn g I | ®-§ z T3 O CD ¡■¡■l !$üû^ g £-ÎrO § w o X and Other Drugs for MSU Student Health Services “would love to see this occur.” Allen requested “we make this an environment that is safe for everyone, and that has a focus on entertainment and sociability, instead of the law being impossibly harsh on students.” Anthony Lafrate, a freshman slapped with an MIP (Minor In Possession) over the University of Michigan versus MSU weekend criticized the current alcohol laws as well: “All I was doing was sitting in my dorm ^ How room drinking beers with my friends who were visiting, when two cops walked past my dorm and saw a couple of beer cans.” an simply reconnecting with friends over a few beers be punished, while a 22-year-old who stumbles down the street and pukel in a bush be considered legal? 18-year-old can Responsible drinking can be encouraged for developed society emits praise if consumption among young adults, rather than locking the issue away. The question is, how do we disentangle such a subject from the realm of taboo topics to allow breathing room for progress? A keg sits in the kitchen the Sunday morning after U-M vs. MSU football game weekend. Although all kegs are acquired by students of age, their contents are not always distributed to legal recipients. 21 IS DONE Students and faculty question the current minimum drinking age Age-based alcohol laws are inconclusively effective, especially as they split an otherwise unified community: college students. These young adults have the legal right to fight for the United States, vote for representatives, buy guns and operate motor vehicles. Shouldn’t they also have the opportunity to learn how to drink safely instead of doing it on the sly? An annual report released in 2010 by the Michigan State University Police cited over 3,000 “alcohol violations” in the last five years on campus alone, and more than 4,000 DUIs (Driving Under the Influence) in the last nine years. And that’s only the number of people getting caught; due to the necessity to hide from the law, it is likely that thousands of others were engaged in illegal activity. “Everyone drinks regardless of the law,” said sophomore Ana Alas, who lived in Sao Paulo, Brazil throughout her high school experience. “All they care about is not getting caught. In Brazil, people our age are more responsible with the way they drink because they have been introduced to alcohol at a young age, while people here are constantly passing out and throwing up. Parents don’t properly introduce kids to alcohol like at dinner or social events, so when students have the opportunity in college, they drink excessively,” she continued. In fact, under Michigan law it is illegal for minors to consume alcohol in a legal adult’s household. So how can parents properly teach their children to drink responsibly? The Amethyst Initiative, a group of chancellors and presidents of universities and colleges across the United States, aims to reopen this discussion and foster new ideas to prepare young adults for responsible alcohol consumption. Some suggestions include a drinking license, which 18-year- olds could acquire through a course on the safety issues of driving under the influence. Like a driver’s license, the drinking license could be suspended in the event of reckless drinking. This measure would encourage students to drink responsibly by emphasizing moral strict prohibition. choice, than Although Michigan State University is not a part of the initiative, Becky Allen, a representative for the Alcohol, Tobacco, rather Two decorated pumpkins sit behind a parking structure near Farm Lane. Individuals attended tailgates on football Saturdays to collect the discarded aluminum cans and glass bottles. MSU alumnus Keith Bury and hisyounger sister, junior Stephanie Bury, chug bottles of champagne while tailgating during the U-M vs. MSU football game. Many Spartans, both alumni and current students can be found in the parking lots near Shaw Road on Saturdays during football season. 049 I ,t. Chris Kelenske and Lt. Darin South worth observe the peace during a demonstration held Oct. 15. “As Ipng as everybody stays safe and everybody’s ■ constitutional rights are protected and they follow the|SwSit sounds good to me,” Lt. Kelenske said. A protestor wear® Guy Fawkes mask to represent Anonymous during the Occupy Lansing demonstration at the Capitol Building. The demonstration eventually led to a march down Michigan Avenue. Protestors leave the Capitol behind and head down Michigan Avenue. The protestots were instructed to stick together and let no one fall behind. CL i The Michigan State Police were in charge of ensuring a peaceful protest during the Occupy Lansing demonstration. There were police cars set up at the end of every block to keep the protestors away fromijncoming traffic. WE ARE THE 99 PERCENT Global occupation reaches Lansing On Sept. 17, about 1,000 people flooded Wall Street in what would become the first in a series of peaceful demonstrations touching more than 900 cities in 82 countries. The leaderless movement, dubbed Occupy Wall Street, models itself on the Arab Spring, a wave of demonstrations marked by revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya with civil uprisings and protests occurring in at least 15 other countries in the Arab world. Thanks to social media, Occupy Wall Street rapidly spread to major U.S. cities such as Boston and Austin, and on Oct. 15, Occupy Lansing, an initiativl organized by the Lansing Workers’ Center (LWC), carried 300 citizens into the Capitol streets in what some hope will be the first step in a series of continuing protests and rallies. “It wasn’t voted on at a meeting or anything. It just seemed obvious,” said LWC member Kevin Pietrick about the decision to organize the local occupation. Juggling a white poster that read “DEMOCRATIZE EVERYTHING” and numerous phone calls, Pietrick, who is also an MSU senior in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy, added that he sees the “main benefit” of the Lansing movement is its power^.s a “unifying force for people from different groups who are all on the same ‘screw Wall Street’ page.” About a week before Occupy Lansing, somewhere between six and 10 people set up tents and occupied Reutter Park, which later became known as “the camp.’ftLocated two blocks from the Capitol, the group merged with the LWC movement and by Oct. 15, the number of tents had swelled to 14, including one for first aid. Signs designed using pieces of cardboard boxes and markers noted which jugs of water were for washing and which van was media. Others hung on a clothesline between two trees. One sign hammered home continue on pg 052 Ken Faiver and his granddaughter, 10-year-old Savannah Gunn, hold their signs alongside other Occupy Lansing protestors on Oct. 15 at e Lansing Capitol. Faiver protested to ensure s granddaughter a bright and fulfilling future. 051 Muskegon resident, 24-year-old Anna Kathryn Sluka, chants with the marchers as they marched down Michigan Avenue. Sluka was the first female arrest on Wall Street for refusing lawful order. Protestors leave the Capitol behind and head down Michigan Avenue. The protestors were instructed to stick together and let no one fall behind. ^ the general sentiment of the crowd, “I voted for Obama but the banks got elected instead.” An open-air tent labeled “Donated in Honor of Motherhood” loosely contained piles of boxed and canned food. Police, who were present at the LWC planning meeting on Oct. 12, authorized portable toilets to be brought in and allowed people to stay overnight. Laura Lannen, 53, studied fashion design at a now-defunct art school across the street from the Lansing Capitol 20 years ago. She drove in from Ann Arbor to protest on the Capitol steps, holding a white fabric flag that read, “Democracy, not Plutocracy, getmoneyout.com.” Like many of the 99 percent—those who do not belong to the one percent of hyper-wealthy citizens symbolized by Wall Street—she worked her way up the middle class ladder until one day what she calls the “perfect storm” hit: Her husband, who works for the University of Michigan, got cancer; their $400,000 home was suddenly worth less than half its value; their equity evaporated; and Laura, who worked in real estate, was out of a career. “The root of the problem is that public money is being used to fund campaigns,” said Lannen, who explained that billionaires such as the Koch brothers—who are, perhaps appropriately, the major producers of toilet paper in the U.S.—pressure members of the House of Representatives to vote in their favor. If they don’t, the brothers pump millions of dollars into a campaign for another candidate within the same party, who then unseats the dissenting representative. “We need a constitutional amendment which will keep public money out,” she added. But the one percent has more than one way of controlling 40 percent of the nation’s income. “For me it’s about over the last 30 years it’s been death by a thousand little costs. It isn’t that they’re trying to keep up profits, it’s that they’re trying to become wealthier,” Laura continueda‘Corporations and financial institutions have raped this country in the past 30 years and it’s just obscene.” She explained that an incremental rise in the cost of everything from insurance co-pay to gasoline, coupled with a decrease in pensions and “flat-lined” wages, has allowed a small coterie to suck money out of the American people. “All the money of the middle class is still here. It’s just floated up,” she said. “It’s not like we’re trying to take [their money] away; they just need to give it back.” Ken Groom, an elderly gas turbine engineer who is responsible for supplying power to 2.5 million people in Westland, shed further insight into the consequences of tax cuts for the wealthy: “Businesses tried to stay in the 90 percent income bracket so that they wouldn’t be taxed by the government. It was a choice between spending the money or giving it to the government. So they would reinvest money into their business: create more jobs fot people, give them benefits. You take away the taxes and there’s no incentive to hire more people because that money just goes to the bottom line.” In other words, into the pockets of the one percent. While few protestors could afford to actually occupy the Capitol—family obligations, work and dinner with the wife being a few reasons—people drove in from Kalamazoo, Flint and Ashton to demonstrate. Some buses even brought in groups of people from other cities, and senior citizens circled the Capitol with petitions, one of which was to restore collective bargaining rights to Michigan teachers. Perhaps one of the most shocking aspects of this movement is the demographic: while still largely white, the age, gender, sexuality and occupation of participants varied greatly. “This is a diverse crowd,” said undeclared Lansing Community College student Alexander Baker.Baker spent six years working in the National Guard, including one year in Iraq, but still works thirty hours a week as a security guard in his struggle to make ends meet and get an education. “But I still don’t see the mainstream public involved. They’re at home, watching the [MSU-UofM] football game, or doing family things, but whatever they’re doing they aren’t here. They aren’t protesting. They aren’t trying to get things changed.” Further dissent was generated by the fact that the first speaker of the 10 a.m. rally was Mayor Virg Bernero, with an emcee who, in Pietrick‘s words “basically said how great Virg is and how we’re going to take politics back from the Republicans.” But while politics will never cease to interfere, there is an astounding unity to the movement. On a national scale, occupations continue to grow and a website called “The99Percen£Declaration” aims to elect a Working Group that will present a list of demands at the National General Assembly in Philadelphia on July 4, 2012. And as the second General Assembly in Lansing began at 5 p.m., hundreds of people stood at the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, fresh-faced from their first day of the London Stock Exchange occupation. HAIL SPARTY! "Rocket" play capitalizes special day for MSU With four seconds and 44 yards to go in a 31-31 game against the University of Wisconsin, MSU needed a miracle. As Kirk Cousins dropped back for a last chance pass, it seemed as if every fan at the^ game held their breath. As the ball soared in the air to the end zone, the stadium was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Somehow, out of a jostling clump of Badgers and Spartans, the ball found its way into Keith Nichol’s hands at the goal line. The silent crowd erupted with roaring cheers and applause. At first, however, the referees ruled that Nichol hadn’t crossed into the end zone. Yet upon further review, the ruling was overturned. It was a touchdown and victory for MSU. ESPN College Gameday picked MSU’s homecoming game for its weekly broadcast, setting up shop in Munn Field for a live show. Coach Lee Corso, an anchor since the show’s beginnings, picked Wisconsin for the win in pregame analysis, donning the Badger mascot’s head despite a throng of booing Spartan fans behind him. Senior Robert Goldman said he was ecstatic that ESPN chose to come to MSU for the game. “It’s a really cool part of my senior year,” he said. “It really helps put our school on the map and makes you proud to be a Spartan.” Jake Feldman, an alumnus who grew up in Michigan but now works in Seattle, said he was happy to be able to come back to school for the weekend. “This weekend is a great way to see my former classmates who I haven’t spoken to or seen in a while,” he said. “It’s just a fun time, hanging out with each other like we always used to do.” And to top it off, it was a night game. “As fans, we know night games are extra important so we have to bring extra energy and be extra loud,” sophomore Ben Suchin said. In fact, Michigan State football veterans said they hadn’t heard the stadium so loud in 25 years. The game wasn’t all cheers, however. I Wisconsin jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter, and it wasn’t until the second quarter that the Spartans began to take over. After a long, neck and neck offensive! battle in the second half, the Badgers tied the game up with a two-yard touchdown in the last minutes of the fourth quarter. The crowd quickly became nervous,! but began to cheer even louder, with more, “GO GREEN, GO WHITE!” chants filling the air. With 1:26 left and the crowd stilli screaming, the excitement intensified. In a! series of plays, the Spartans drove 44 yards to the Wisconsin 44-yard line, at which point fans could only hope for a miracle. They knew that a “Hail Mary” play was the only chance of avoiding overtime. Thankfully, their hopes were answered by the play that head coach Mark Dantonio would eventually call “Rocket,” and that later quarterback Kirk Cousins would explain the team practiced every Thursday,! yet one couldn’t help feeling a whole lot of luck had been on the Spartan’s side as well. During the ESPN Gameday broadcast onj Munn Field, Lee Corso predicts a Wisconsin] victory for the MSU Homecoming game! The Spartans won 38-31 over Wisconsin! In opposition to Wisconsin, Spartan fans waved handmade signs badgering the opponent. Spartans won the game 38-31 after scoring a “hail mary” touchdown pass. Students and Spartan fans gather on Munn Field to watch the ESPN Gameday broadcast live from campus. The event was sponsored by ESPN and The Home Depot. MSU students show school spirit in traditional Spartan dress. ESPN broadcasted live from Munn Field the afternoon before the Homecoming game at 8 p.m. Team captain Draymond Green signs posters for fans along with the rest of the Spartan basketball team. Green commanded the SpartanSias the their strongest leader and captain on a team full of young players. THE IZZONE EXPERIENCE Izzone members meet the new and returning men's basketball players A snake of students slithered out of the Breslin Center, basking in the warmth of excitement. The tail discussed the importance of the wait, while the head gazed into the empty Breslin Center, waiting for the doors to open. Somewhere towards the belly of the MSU attired serpent, freshman Tyler Peterson intermixed with the crisp autumn breeze. “You get to see how they play, but you never really get to see how they interact with people,’5 he said. Peterson’s voice floated toward the Breslin Center, where the men’s basketball team awaited the Izzone’s arrival. Due to an unforeseen cancellation of the Izzone campout because of rainy weather, the group’s leaders opted for a meet and greet inside the Breslin Center to fortify the bond between the Izzone and the ¡¡MSU players. The Izzone: an entity. A roaring unified mass that shakes the floorboards of the court, sending positive vibrations to the players. It is a synchronized relationship, like lungs providing the essential elements to the whole system. The Izzone exhales and cheers to exhaustion while the team breathes in the energy and exhales the fierce competition. They feed off one another, as shown by the placement of the students in the bottom bowl as part of the action. On Oct. 25, the students sat in the familiar bottom bowl, listening to the words of Coach Tom Izzo. “Most colleges don’t have their students surrounding the court, but here at State we believe you can make the 10-point difference,” Izzo asserted. “Although we are a young team.” “We are due to win another one. For the goal is not to win everything in November, but to be walking around in March. And based on past years, March is good to this team.” Freshman Adam Feuerstein agreed about the influence of the Izzone. “The Izzone will help set records this year,” he said. Coach Izzo then invited the fans onto the court, where their eyes would be fixed for the season. The students conversed, took pictures and requested autographs from the players. With posters, hats and basketballs signed, the students took a tour through the locker room to further make an imprint on the Izzone character. The locker room, though silent at the time, resonated with an undertone of the forceful hurrahs from the games to come. Russell Byrd, a redshirt freshman, echoed the words of Feuerstein: “Big Ten Championship here we come!” he cheered. “We need the Izzone, and I’m expecting a lot from them this year.” Meanwhile, redshirt senior and center Anthony Ianni sat patiently behind the growing line of starting forward Draymond Green. After 30 reflective seconds, he spoke about his experience playing for MSU: ■‘It’s a once in a life time thing. You have to enjoy it. No regrets. You have to put your nose to the grindstone, and I know better than anyone that the harder you work, the more you earn. And the more you have fun with it, the greater the experience.” As each player returned to the locker room to gather their belongings, the snake of students unwound out the doors of the Breslin Center, taking one final breath, exhaling their essential influence. During their tour of the locker room, Izzone members were given the opportunity to fill thé shoes, or seat of their favorite Spartan basketball player. The Spartans have only two players returning this season who averaged more than twenty minutes per game last season. Coach Izzo introduces the new additions to the Spartan squad and reintroduces the familiar favorites along with his staff. MSU added four freshmen and one senior transfer to their roster for the 2011-2012 seasoiills HH CCD n CD =3-0 kH i£. O CQ cf CD U ■ n H M l HR TO m m —I As students listen intentiy, Coach Tom Izzo speaks to them ' about the upcoming season and fields questions from inquisitive members. During his introduction, Coach Izzo revealed that the Spartans would be wearing specials uniforms for the upcoming Carrier Classic against North Carolina. 057 After the performanc&water, rice^ toast and other items covered the floor of the International Center. The interactive performance required audience participation. QCO O TO CD ZJ~0 P) 22.0 2.X CQ o fD U 3 ’O A 1 3 rr -< Q H Q 2L —i Q P) ao“8~o mm to A performance of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” showed at the International Center on Oct. 28. For added chaos, audience members were encouraged to participate during the viewing by throwing rice, toast, toilet paper or spraying water guns. MOVIE MADNESS Students participate in interactive showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" Imagine throwing rice, toast and toilet paper, or spraying water guns and shaking hand-clappers during a movie. While this may trespass on notions of social propriety, this is what hundreds of students did on Oct. 28 at the International Center. In celebration of Halloween, students gathered for a screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” in which the audience interactively participates with the characters and events in the movie. Michelle Cooper, directing coordinator, said that while the event isn’t usually what people expect, most people leave the show grinning the “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” which is about two hours long, was originally released in 1975, but gained popularity as a midnight release film in 1977. Since then, the movie has become a cult favorite. It is also the longest- running theatrical release in history. Freshman Grace Scarsella had seen the movie before and said it is indescribable. “As weird as the movie is, I love it. It is a bunch of crazy stuff all put together,” Scarsella said. The event was packed; hundreds in costume. of people showed up Witches, vampires, prisoners and maids flew, battled and flounced through the International Center. The cafeteria- turned-theatre was stuffed with bags full of props for people to use throughout the show. Inside the bags, there was also an audience participation guide so newcomers could better understand what to do. Cooper said in the first 19 minutes, about 200 people showed up for the film. Last year about 400 people packed the event, and they expected more this year. Freshman Rebecca Roberts had only heard of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” from “Glee,” but came to this event to check it out and have fun. “I don’t really know what to expect of the film, but if all these people showed up it must be good,” Roberts said. The audience doesn’t just throw things or use props throughout the film; they talk, too. Whenever Brad and Janet’s,f; y two of the main characters, names were said, the audience yelled out “asshole” and “slut” respectively. “The audience always seems to know which parts to yell out at and precisely when to participate ” Cooper said. If someone didn’t know what to do, he or she would quickly catch on. For example, at the part of the movie where the characters do the time warp dance, everyone in the audience gets up and does the dance too. At the beginning of the song not many knew what they were doing, but by the end everyone was doing the time warp just like the characters. Freshman Shannon Fegan, who had never seen the film before, said she loved it. “I never expected I could have so ^ much fun during a movie. It was unlike any other movie experience,” Fegan said. A newcomer handout was provided to students who had never attended the interactive performance of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” At the mention of specific characters’ names, audience members screamed “slut” or “asshole.” Attendees were invited to wear costumes in celebration of Halloween at “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” performance. Maids, prisoners, witches and vampires were just a sample of the popular costumes. Jeff Ceinroy-Kmetz and his daughter lizzie trick-or-treat on M.A.C. Avenuelin celebration of her first Halloween. Safe Halloween is an annual event hosted by fraternities and sororities where kids can play games and participate in different Halloween activities. The MSU Greek community comes together for Safe Halloween You don’t normally see a pirate, a dinosaur and a ninja walking together down M.A.C. Avenue in East Lansing. But on Oct. 29, the sight was nothing out of the norm. Hundreds of East Lansing families and MSU’s Greek fraternities and sororities participated in the annual Safe Halloween, an event that gives East Lansing children a chance to trick-or-treat safely. “We want to provide a safe environment for trick-or-treating, and we want to have fun with families,” said event coordinator, I Pan-Hellenic Council chair and senior Kathleen Loftus. Despite aspects of the event going wrong beforehand, like the DJ canceling last minute and the moon bounce company forgetting its generator, smiles and laughter were everywhere. More than 500 people participated in the trick-or-treating and games, but one of the more popular attractions was a fishing game, organized by Zeta Tau Alpha. Children used a fishing rod to J ■ magnetically pick up a prize in a fake pond. “It’s all about the kids,” said Loftus, who is also a member of Zeta Tau Alpha. “We wanted to be creative and let them have a variety of activities to have fun with.” Each Greek house had a booth lining the street, and almost all members of the houses participated by passing out candy or helping the kids with games. There was even a police car and fire truck at the end of the street, also passing out candy and allowing, j the kids a chance to admire the features of the vehicles up-close. 1 Loftus said this is the only philanthropic event all the Greeks do together. Her nine-person team of the Pan-Hellenic Council worked for more than two months to bring together the houses and donators. | The hard work paid off. Ghouls, goblins, parents and kids | danced alongside one another to the “Monster Mash” and other songs in the middle of M.A.C., while other families waited in line for apples and cider donated by Uncle John’s Cider Mill. Senior Shannon Cramm, president of the Order of Omega« wrapped suckers in white tissue paper and drew faces on them, j creating a “Boo sucker” resembling a ghost. “It’s my favorite event of the year,” Cramm said. “The Greeks get to interact with kids and kids get to interact with the colleg|| kids. We don’t normally get to do that.” Hupp .Alpha Omicron Pi sophomore Mary Cox carefully paints 4-year-old Isabel Hutcheson’s face for Safe Halloween. This was Hutcheson’s first year trick- or-treating at the Greek event. Trinnitie Hudson, two and a half years old, takes a piece of candy from her dad after fishing for it. This was her second time trick-or-treating at MSU, but her first time dressed as Spongebob Squarepants. community and setting an example for them to aspire to. It was a time for kids to see older students reaching out to the m A young girl, dressed up for the festivities as a doll with a poufy striped dress and hair in pigtails, approached Loftus in front of the Zeta Tau Alpha house. “What is it?” asked the girl, pointing to the house. “Can I get candy there?” “That’s a sorority house,” Loftus said. “It’s kind of like a doll house.” * “Can I go in there?” the girl asked. ■‘One day, honey,” her mom replied. The dressed-up doll looked over her shoulder once again at the house as she walked hand-in-hand with her mom away fro.3 the festivities. Elena Hernandez grabs a lollipop at one of the many tables participating in the annual street carnival. This was her first year trick-or-treating at MSU’s Safe Halloween. Children wait in line to toss bean bags for the chance to win candy at Safe Halloween. The event is an annual street carnival hosted by MSU’s Greek community that provides a safe alternative for children to trick-or-treat and play games on M.A.C. Avenue. Members of the MSU Pompon team dance down Abbot Road in the midst of the Homecoming parade. The winner of the “Best Float” for the parade went to the School of Hospitality Business. A decorated Spartan pick-up truck pulls “Zeke the Wonder Dog” in a chariot emblazoned with the dog’s face. Zeke is the only non-human to receive an athletic letter from MSU. The MSU Rodeo Club rides their horses down Grand River Avenue. The MSU Rodeo Club promotes an annual rodeo each year called the Spartan Stampede. A float constructed completely of used laundry detergent bottles rolls its way down Abbot Road during the Homecoming parade. The parade began on Abbot at 6 p.m. and ended on campus at the Abrams Planetarium. The School of Hospitality Business offers a delicious dinner special for Saturday’s Homecoming football game against Big Ten rival Wisconsin. In 2012, The School of Hospitality Business will be celebrating its 85th anniversary. COOKING UP COMMUNITY The School of Hospitality Business prepares for homecoming On a rainy afternoon on Oct. 20, student organizations and Greeks gathered under the concrete umbrella of the Michigan State Stadium. Surrounded by scraps of fabric and tools, they diligently worked on their floats in preparation for Homecoming weekend. According to the freshly-painted menu on the School of Hospitality Business’ float, the “special is Badger”—a stuffed animal Wisconsin Badger to be exact. As it turned above the flames of Spartan green, a blend of sociability and productivity filled the humid autumn air. A group of roughly 10 students surrounded the progressing float, created with this year’s theme of “Glow Green, Glow White” in mind. Jake Dondzila, senior and president of the Student and Industry Resource Center, voiced the difficulty of incorporating the theme and added, “the idea is to continue the hospitality business aspect to the float.” Last year, for the “Spartan Space Odyssey”-themed homecoming, the school’s “Jetson’s Dinner Scene” won best float. The float depicts a restaurant with two tables, occupied by Hospitality Business students dressed as waiters and serving grilled badger—a presentation sure to invigorate the taste buds of parade spectators. However, for Dondzila it was more than a presentation, but also a bonding experience for the school. “The point is to bring everyone together as a social activity to just chill and build a float,” Dondzila said, adding that, “most people don’t realize that there are 800 students in the hospitality business program.”’ This recipe of community and creativity whipped up another float for the School of Hospitality Business, ready to be served. Junior Nicole Hanley paints a sign to be hung on the sidellf the Sigma Delta Tau homecoming float. The theme for homecoming was “Glow Green, Go White,” which encouraged students; to pick up free green light bulbs from the union for use outside their homes. 063 ■ mmmsm Stift WÈÊÊÊt ■ I JOB! A WORLD AWAY FROM HOME “Most people are pretty interested in me,” sophomore Audrey Mabiza says with a laugh. “I actually feel like I am at an advantage over the other domestic students because of my accent.” Not only does she have a killer cool accent from her hometown of Harare, Zimbabwe, but Mabiza’s tightly braided hair and dark skin create a flawless background for a perfect smile; one that continually breaks into laughter about every three minutes. Describing her home in Zimbabwe, Mabiza debunked common misconceptions many non-natives have about Africa,! misconceptions worsened by some movies, likell'Mean Girls,” that paint a rural picture. “I don’t live in a hut,” she laughed. “It’s like some people think we don’t have pools in our yards or schools with desks*®! She didn’t grow up with a pet lion in her backyard, and she owes her easy transition from Zimbabwe to East Lansing to her very modern upbringing and education. “It’s different here. I am constantly reminding myself that I’m not in Africa,” she said, reflecting on her move two years ago. “And that home is a thousand miles away.”* But the hardest part? Mabiza was disappointed with her roommate situation. An international student as well, the two girls had difficulty bonding with their language barriers. “We were both so wrapped up in transitioning from home life to American life that we didn’t have time to be friends,” she said. Lucky for Mabiza, the African Students Group did a great job of helping her make friends outside of her roommate. “It was difficult because I would have to try to explain things to her in English, with my accent, and she would have to try and understand them. It was always really quiet in our room,!! she said. You mean you didn’t listen to music? “Well, we did,” she said, laughing again, "“but I would have my headphones on, and she would have her headphones on. Anyone who walked past our room wouldn’t have any idea that people lived there.” Ideally, Mabiza would have preferred to live with a domestic student. She thinks that the school should work harder to pair up international students with active domestic students to offer them the best potential opportunities and experiences. But she really didn’t mind the whole situation. “It could have been much worse,” she said. When asked about her decision to come to MSU, Mabiza whipped herself into a nostalgic frenzy over applications, researching schools and a love for the campus. “It’s so funny being here,” she said. I“I walk past the (Beaumont) Tower, and I’m just like, ‘Oh, I’ve only seen this in pictures and now, here it is’!” She also credits much of her success to the friends she has made who have brought out the best in her. They help her shoot for higher goals, like applying to be an intercultural aid. She was offered the job and now lives in the dorms and helps other students from out of state transition as smoothly as she has. While she does miss home sometimes «(she only returns to Zimbabwe during summer break), she always is invited to go home with a friend for the holidays. A Catholic, Mabiza gets into the Christmas spirit like many others. “But I don’t like the snow,’g she said. “The first two weeks of snow is like the honeymoon stage. Everyone is like, Ahh! It’s pretty! It’s white!’ Someone says, ‘Let’s make snow angels,’ so we make snow angels. Then someone says, ‘Let’s have a snowball fight,’ so we have a snowball fight.” Mabiza talks about snow for another minute. Between giggles and breaks for air she says, “By the end of the two weeks everyone is annoyed, like, ‘I’m just trying to get to class, and all this snow is in the way’. I don’t like the snow.” rocte 065 / BEGINNINGS MSU celebrates opening of Brody neighborhood and engagement centers President Lou Anna K. Simon speaks to the press about the grand opening’of the new Brody cafeteria and the Brody and South Neighborhoods Engagement Centers- The engagement, centers were created tp provide students with academic, health, intercultural and residential support. Sophomore Brittany Campbell smiles as she directs foot traffic through the spacious entrance to Brody Neighborhood’s cafeteria on Oct. 28. At the foot of the stairs leading up to the eating area are white tables covered with an enticing array of finger foods, showcasing all that Brody’s food service has to offer. Further down the hall past the stairway, the atmosphere is cheerful but attentive as reporters and photographers flock together in the area designated for press. A simple wooden podium and a short line of chairs mark the location of the first of today’s festivities—a press conference with a selection of MSU staff members. The subject: the official opening of the Brody and South Neighborhood Engagement Centers. The speaker! included Assistant Vice President for the Division of Residential and Hospitality Services Vennie Gore and Assistant Vice President of Executive Management Kelley Bishop, among h) handful of others. President Lou Anna K. Simon provided the final speech. , “I think it went really well; we had a good turnout, who are hopefully off looking at everything now,” Gore said in reference to the clusters of people walking through the classrooms and other aspects of Brody’s Neighborhood Engagement Center. Bishop also thought the press conference was a “great ^ kick-off.” “I was glad to see that most of the people here wanted to partner with us,” Bishop said. “This project started at high speed, so it’s nice that we were able to take a moment to step back and say ‘this is a really cool thing.’” Bishop is also the chief ambassador behind the neighborhood initiative, which began first as a trial program in Hubbard Hall last year. The idea behind establishing engagement centers for each neighborhood of campus is to provide services that cater specifically to the needs of students living there based on four criteria, or “pillars:” academic support, intercultural support, health and wellness and residential support. “Essentially everyone that provides a service oil product on campus fits into one or more of these pillars,« Bishop said. “The engagement centers are set up as a wal to give it some overall structure; it’s similar to a really good" concierge who asks questions like ‘What do you like?’] What are you looking for’?” For this reason, Bishop also mentioned that the] program is an evolving one that will most likely changi based on student input. He added that since every] engagement center is based specifically on the needs oi their residents, no two are exactly alike. After the speeches! guests had the option of either taking a tour of Brody, taking a shuttle bus over to the South Neighborhood Engagement Center in Holden Hall, or staying to mingle] with the speakers as they concluded their portion of the event with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. As the ceremoni was being set up, Simon said, “Now this part of today’s agenda is unscripted. Are there any MSU students out there that would like to be a part of history?” She then invited the students in the audience to join her and the rest of the speakers in a photo memorializing the day’s events; one of the lucky students was Campbell, who called the experience “great!” “I actually live in Brody, so it’s been really cool to be a part of such an official opening,” Campbell said. j H H H H n ¡ Wm 1THEATER D I THE verve PIPE BACKSTAGE PAS I^CKSVUle mm Freshman Zach Hunter volunteers as an “ELFF elf” during the film festival. Wells Flail classrooms were temporarily transformed into four separate theaters, all labeled after famous directors, during the weekend of the East Lansing Film Festival. In addition to a newly constructed Starbucks, moviegoers were offered fresh popcorn to snack on during their movie experience. Short films and documentaries were included along with standard feature films during the 2011 ELFF. A LOCAL TOUCH East Lansing Film Festival adds a local showcase featuring MSU students It was a year of firsts for senior Justin Grosjean. His first time creating a film, his first time being featured in a film festival, and now, his first production company. Grosjean and his identical twin brother, John Grosjean* parted their own unofficial production company less than f. year ago called Grosjean Brother Productions, or Gro Bro Pro for short. On YouTube, their page has more than 2,000 views, 50 subscribers and the duo is now being paid by the site to have their short sketches uploaded. Each week, the Grosjean brothers release a new, one to five-minute long video, but they never come up short on ideas. Grosjean says the pair has more than 40 ideas currently written down, and they are constantly brainstorming new ones. After making this short film, I got addicted to filmmaking,” Grosjean said. It started when he changed his major to media arts and technology after taking three years of premed classes, while taking TC 340—a required course for his new inajor last summer, - Grosjean’s professor encouraged dim to enter hip first film, “Fractured,” into the East arising Film Festival (ELFF). He heeded the advice and ound out he was admitted two months later. On Nov. 12, Grosjean saw the screening of his film and a Hollywood- sfle star on the floor of Wells Hall for the first time. , T treated in 1997, the ELFF is the largest film festival in dhchigan and runs annually for one week in the Hannah Dmmunity Center and Wells Hall. It screens independent and foreign feature, documentary, shorwand students dims from around the world. Grosjean’s five-minute “Fractured” ocumentary about “a post-apocalyptic look at how a is :-:a; film ‘Great War’ can fracture the Earth and also the mind.”1 It was featured in the Local Filmmakers Showcase, a new addition to the festival this year. “We created the new Local Filmmakers Showcase because we had so many quality films from filmmakers from the Lansing area that we could not fit into the LMFC,” said Erika Noud, director of the Lake Michigan Film Competition. The Lake Michigan Film Competition (LMFC) was a part of the festival that awarded cash prizes to films made in states that border Lake Michigan. More than 120 films were submitted, but only 29 were chosen. However, the Local Filmmakers Showcase featured 13 films from the Lansing area, including six from MSU students and faculty. Among those featured in the Local Filmmakers Showcase was Timothy Zeko, Executive Producer at WKAR-lfv, who graduated from MSU in 1977 with a degree in telecommunications. His film, “The Verve Pipe on BackStage Pass,” is a “90-minute concert performance by Michigan’s alt-rock icons interspersed with behind-the- scenes features and interviews with band founders.’™ Zeko says his favorite part of the process was working collaboratively with WKAR staff and students. “No one individual could create a program like this,” Zeko said. “It literally took dozens of people to pull this off.” Although filmmaking is hard work, there -are many rewards. “(My favorite part of filmmaking is) actually seeing - my ideas conceptualize and become something real,” Grosjean said. “It’s sitting at the computer, pressing play and seeing these bits and pieces become reality.” Lansing resident, Terri Adams, participates in the fifth annual Old Town Dickens Village event by dressing up as a Victorian villager named Anne Montgomery. All proceeds went towards the revitalization of Lansing's Old Town. Puppet Theatre Players founder Fred Engelgau puts on a singing show called "Christmas In My Pocket.” “Christmas In My Pocket” was the name designated to the show, and it focused on the players instead of their puppets. Surrounded by her creations, Burnadette Leach knits a hat to sell during Old Town Dickens Village. Leach’s frequenting craft shows has found that her favorite pieces of work bring a smile to her customer's face. Dec. 3 marks the annual celebration of Old Town Lansing’s Dickens Village. Free family activities were provided around Old Town throughout the afternoon to celebrate the holiday season. WHATTHE DICKENS? Old Town Lansing hosts Dickens-themed festival Seniors Garrett Nelson and Zenit Chughtai were mystified. It was Dec. 3 when the two began their leisurely walk down quiet Turner Street in Lansing, but the scene quickly shifted when they reached downtown Old Town. The alarming clash of hoof on pavement made the students double take as two massive Clydesdales pulled a carriage covered in evergreen wreaths wrapped in red ribbons. At the Grand River Avenue intersectionltwo ladies in Victorian gowns tittered about Michigan’s gloomy weather as they dug their hands deeper into their muffs and covered their delicate feet with whoop skirts. As Chughtai and Nelson sat down in Sir Pizza, they were personally serenaded by Christmas carolers. The Ghost of Christmas Past even shuffled by, his face grey with regret and rusty chains clanging. What the Dickens was going on? “It’s really trippy what’s happening,” Chughtai said. “It’s like a secret.” Although somewhat puzzled by their surroundings, the couple enjoyed the free hot cocoa, competitions and performances held by small businesses and organizations such as Tallulah’s Folly, the Great American Fierce Beard Association (GAFBA) and The Puppet Players Theatre. “Look at me,” Nelson laughed, a mustache cut-out glued to a Popsicle stick under his nose. “I’m 23, walking around with a foam mustache.” Not wishing to leave his fellow students in the dark, senior Austin Ashley, an employee at the new gift shop, Tallulah’s Folly, kindly explained that distributing false facial hair was not quite the point of the event. The wacky happenings were actually planned by the Old Town Commercial Association (OTCA) as a part of its fifth annual Old Town Dickens Village festival. The OTCA is involved with the Main Street Program, which is designed to bring revenue into communities with a unique flavor, like Old Town. “The OTCA looks to promote the area and business,” Ashley cz Z3 explained. For Lansing residents, this event was an invitation to explore the antiques, art and hand-made crafts in Tallulah’s Folly. Other small organizations and businesses also benefited from the exposure. GAFBA hosted a beard competition and arts and crafts (where Nelson received his fake mustache). The Puppet Players Theatre performed a Christmas rap for a crowd of adoring children and their parents. Hilltop Yoga held a craft sale where the instructors found a place to sell their handmade hats, Christmas decorations and other knickknacks. But behind the business and publicity, there are the faces of individuals who care deeply about their community. “What drew me to Old Town was the community relationships and the emphasis on being a neighbor,” said junior Lisa Wright, who worked with the OTCA since October to coordinate the event. It was through her internship there that Wright has gotten to know Old Town. “We love this community,” Hilltop Yoga owner Hilaire Lockwood- O’Day said. She described the tight-knit bond and wonderful atmosphere of the community as coundess other organizations, business owners and friends circled through her studio. “That’s the joy of Old Town; everybody visits everybody,”; she said. GAFBA members Kyle Muston and Ian Walker agreed. “First it’s about appreciating the beard,” Muston laughedH stroking his impressive beard that would make Santa jealous. But beards aside, Muston explained his appreciation for the local businesses, which have graciously hosted all the GAFBA meetings. “I look at the beard aspect as an excuse to get together.. .We’re all very adamant about local business,” Walker asserted. Wright explained that the event could not have been a success without those in the community who care so much about each other. “It all goes back to the revitalization of Old Town,” she said. MSU students take a horse- drawn carriage ride down Grand River Avenue on Dec. 3. The horse-drawn carriage rides were part of transforming Old Town Lansing’s streets into a festive Victorian scene. 071 Five-year-old Tori pèses as Tiny Tim for the Old Town Dickens Village event on Dec. 3. Gingerbread house building, holiday card-making, a Victorian dress-up photoshoot and grapevine wreath making were just a few of the activities offered. Remodeled Case cafeteria opens For many, the start of spring semester means another round of buying textbooks and .scheduling classes. For residents of South Complex, it meant having easy access to sushi, sandwiches and other goodies. Newly renovated Case Hall’s South Pointe cafeteria opened its doors Jan. 8 and students were buzzing about it. Freshman Mackenzie Phillips was one of them. “I love it,” said Phillips, a Case Hall resident. It’s really convenient now—I can go get something to eat, and I don’t have to worry about going to another building.” Phillips and her friends, being unable to use their own residence hall’s dining facilities during the renovation, would often have to go to Wilson and Holden halls. “It was a pain because I wouldn’t always have time to get food before class, so I had to improvise sometimes,” Phillips said. The cafeteria construction was part of a renovation of the entire residence! hall that also included the addition of a Sparty’s cafe, a new media room in the basement and various changes in decor and design in both the main lobby and dorm rooms. Culinary Services communication manager Lindsey Bliss said the construction took seven months to complete. “South Pointe (Case cafeteria) features a similar design to other locations such as Brody and The Gallery at Snyder-Phillips, but there are also some differences,” Bliss said. “Sustainable materials such as reclaimed wood from Michigan were used throughout the construction.” The cafeteria’s connection to Michigan isn’t just in p. the construction materials—it also is in the food. In addition to the usual food venues of Ciao!, Bliss and S2 is a new venue—Great Lakes Plate, where all of the menus feature localiwithin 250 miles) and regionally sourced (within 500 miles) food items. Freshman and Wonders Hall resident Katie Ford said she is thrilled to have access to another cafeteria. “My friends and I used to eat in Wilson most of the time and sometimes Holden, but (South Pointe) is better because it’s not only great food but it’s also right across from my dorm room,” Ford said. The renovation of Case Hall is part of Culinary Services’ 10-year Dining Master Plan, during which at least one residence hall in each campus neighborhood will be renovated and suited up with an updated cafeteria. Bliss said the next on the list is Shaw Hall, followed by West Circle once funding is approved. “Our approach haslbeen to balance the renovations as much as possible so that each campus neighborhood has its own destination dining location. We believe that on-campus dining encompasses the total experience of living and learning at MSU,” Bliss said. If Culinary Services is trying to encourage more students to live on-campus, it’s certainly succeeding as far as Phillips and Ford are concerned—both students plan to stay in the dorms next .year. “It’s just so convenient to stay on campus,” Phillips said. “You don’t have to worry about food—it’s all right there.” The college “Dating Coaches” instruct the MSU community in the ways of college dating. Dave and Ethan have been featured on “The Colbert Report,” “The Millionaire Matchmaker,” The Onion, and many more. University of Michigan student Chris, journalism sophomore Greg Rokisky, and transfer student Rayshon Gore sit on stage as “bachelors” in Dave and Ethan’s Dating Game. The show’s attendance exceeded about 200 MSU students. Comedians Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixed] perform a skit about college dating. The comedians often channel the experiences of their many past blind dates for their performances. STUDENT MANUAL: HOWTO GET A DATE r Comedic duo Dave & Ethan illustrate MSU,s dating scene On Jan. 21, hundreds of students poured into the International Center. Not even the noon lunch rush could rival the amount of anticipating students filing into the food court. But what force could possibly be greater than the hunger of college students? Love. Or more precisely, how to get a date. YouTube sensations and dating coaches, Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell, visited MSU to help single students find a date. The duo began its love doctoring tours to different colleges in 2010, after several years of double-dating about 200 women all over the U.S. “For the people standing in the back, I’m sorry.. .1 owe you each one cuddle session,” opened Ahdoot, gesturing toward the edge of the audience. The crowd of primarily women laughed and whooped with approval at his flirtatious offer. “I like the ratio here,” Ahdoot said. “We’ve done some research about MSU’s dating scene,” continued Fixell, reigning in Ahdoot’s enamored audience. ‘We found out it’s a mess.” After the first wave of laughter subsided, Ahdoot and Fixell began to show why there are so many! without dates on campus by acting as two “typical” MSU single ladies. The “girls” donned their imaginary Northface vests, Ugg boots and leggings because “you can wear these as pants here.” v The audience was in hysterics as the duo acted out, with surprising accuracy, the common experiences of student life—getting lost in the Brody Square cafeteria, admiring the ideal manliness of the Sparty statue, getting parking tickets for having the wrong color car, freezing while waiting for CATA buses, and getting into Rick’s American Cafe courtesy of bogus IDs. After the “girls” downed a few drinks* the presentation of MSU’s disastrous dating scene concluded with the actors pretending to vomit all over the front row. Once the audience regained some semblance of composure, Ahdoot and Fixell dove in immediately to upset it with a few quirky tips. Fixell walked amid rows and showed how foreign accents make a great first impression when trying snag a date, Ahdoot making his own impression by showing exaggerated, flirtatious gestures, such as “gently” touching the hair. “I’m the girl that got stroked,” senior Samantha Larson said as she laughed. “It was the best feeling I’ve ever felt in my whole life.. .so ridiculous.” After dishing out tips about dancing and landing the perfect first kiss, the audience members related dating questions and stories to Ahdoot and Fixell,H who once again stunned with their ridiculous, yet insightful, responses. Sophomore Kathleen Riley had her horrific first date story reenacted by the men. While Ahdoot played Riley, Fixell improvised between her date, as well as her date’s mother and grandmother. “It was traumatic and hilarious at the same time,” ^ Riley said after seeing herself played by a man. Next, Ahdoot and Fixell asked for a single lady to join them on stage, followed by three bachelors, whom she would ask questions prepared by Ahdoot and Fixell. At the sound of “single ladies,” seniors Nate Brooks and Katiana Haratsis forced their friend Joanne DeMois’ hand into the air. “I live vicariously through her,” Haratsis said with satisfaction as DeMois was chosen as the lucky bachelorette. Although the stage was nerve-wracking for the quiet-mannered DeMois, she considered the experience well worth it—after all, she was able to meet smooth talking bachelor number one, Lansing Community College sophomore Rayshon Gore. “I love all women—all shapes, all sizes,” Gore said»“They’re all beautiful to me. However dysfunctional the MSU dating scene might beJjAhdoot and Fixell agreed that MSU singles have the potential. “Just get out there. Be yourself and get out there,” Fixell urged. “Yeah, definitely,” Ahdoot agreed, “Rejection doesn’t suck as much as you think it does.” With that parting advice, the dating coaches set off to their next college to spread the love. But not before fulfilling Ahdoot’s promise of cuddle sessions. 075 HK iW H f * * wW wBEM Senior Rebecca Buchholtz waits excitedly for an interview with a representative from ALDI Inc. The majority of students' that attend the fair are seniors, however, some ambitious students try to get a head-start by attending the fair a few years in a row. Mike Chase speaks with a representative from Targg| They discuss the qualificMon^j ¡¡iiknd traits needed to succeed in the workplace today. w mk M* m m K ■ ■ ■ ■ THE BEGINNING OF THE FUTURE Students engage in the 2012 Diversity Career Fair 11 Representatives from General Mills interviewed hundreds of hopefuls during the fair, looking for the most innovative and dedicated students. 0X5 O U trt 0~=3 < a i ‘ A GO On Jan. 19, the route 31 bus headed toward the Kellogg Center, uture graduates huddled closely together, briefly escaping the frigid weather. In freshly pressed suits and business attire, the Spartans were on their way to what could be the beginning of another chapter 0 ^ves—the 2012 Diversity Career Fair. The fair is MSU’s largest spring semester recruiting event and Vcts ^dents from all colleges along with a variety of recruiters ottering full time, internship, and co-op opportunities. , undreds of students filtered into the Kellogg Center, examining me occupational displays ranging from AT&T to Whirlpool orporation. The MSU students were the growing cells to the corporate body, the future. HhBm Baker, a representative from First Investors Corporation said she loved the event at MSU. we are continuously growing and we need to add members, H Iaa ™e colleges I’ve been to, Michigan State is the best. They MgHS PreParecl, friendly, and it goes a long way.” sent S CTaracter was shown through Sarah Sears, a communication a recruldng job among the sea of empfo er ° tC> an -^ts asking someone out,” said Sears with a smile. «Tm Wor0US’not nerv°us, because I know what I want to say. I mean, I f md so I will pop out. How could they forget me?” freshrn HIM ^azef faded among the ocean of potential employees, hoebe Richardson surveyed the competitive atmosphere. “There are a lot of hoops to jump through, and hopefully this fair will help me learn about all the options I have,” she said. “You can learn so much from people who already have been through those experiences and through theirs, you can transform it into your own.” After each mini-interview, the room seemed to exhale in relief, as each student traveled from job exhibit to job exhibit. “It’s a little overwhelming,” junior Ryan Volkman said while taking a break in a chair. Jennifer Tuyls, representative for Portage Public Schools stood and spoke with passing students. “The fair is tremendous, in many regards,” Tuyls said^TOn one hand, it allows us to bring in a diverse amount of potential staff members but it also limits our time to talk with each student who is interested^® “After all, we are shaping the future,” said Rachel Roberts, Tuyls’ <4 fellow representative and second grade teacher. Ayesha Yalamarthy, a physiology senior, stared intently at her portfolio, analyzing potential positions that she could fill. “I’ve always dreamt of becoming a doctor as a kid so that I can make an immediate impact,” Yalamarthy said. “I’ve handed out multiple resumes already and now I just have to wait. I have been confident, and if you are confident you project it,” she added. Whether it be a dream of becoming a recruiter, an investor, a teacher or a doctor, MSU students made a bold impression upon the employers, one as vibrant as a red blazer. 077 With boots laced up and hats firmly on their heads, hundreds of MSU students took to the streets, helping an effort to bring awareness to the educational achievement gap between affluent and poverty-stricken children. Despite the bitter cold and snow, the students in the “Now More Than Ever: Educational Equity Rally” marched on, chanting and displaying their posters. The event, co-hosted by the ASM SI? and Teach For America, began as a rally at Beaumont Tower. The students cheered their way to Wells Hall, where there were speeches from advocates for education equality in the Midwest. ^ “College campuses are where change happens,” said John Matthews, the Teach For America Recruitment Manager and one of the event’s planners. “There’s a lot of energy. It’s great that we can harness that energy and make something productive out of it.” There also were K-12 students and teachers, nonprofit leaders from across the state and political leaders in the crowd. “There was a big lack of awareness about education inequality,” Matthews said. “Teach For America had to first define the issue, and now we are increasing that awareness.” Senior Zachary Taylor, an ASMSU student provost and event coordinator, was happy with the rally’s turnout. “I think it’s great that we are helping break the stereotype of a ‘typical college student,”’ Taylor said. “It’s obvious from the turnout that MSU students do care about important issues like educational inequality.” Once at Wells Hall, attendees listened to speeches® from people on the front lines of fighting educational inequality. Tiffany Williams, the managing director of leadership development for Teach For America Detroit, enlightened the crowd to some statistics about the progress in Detroit schools. MrHearing about that turnaround in Detroit was powerful,” senior Victor Draine said. “Educational inequality is a big deal. Things are changing, and there is proof in the numbers?” Senior Sophia Mosher said she was excited to see such an interest in fixing the education inequality gap. “If you have an attitude that you can’t do anything to help, nothing will ever get done,” Mosher said. “It might seem like nothing’s going to change, but things do change, and that happens by raising awareness.” After die speeches, more than 20 student groups and organizations had tables set up to explain their involvement in ending the education gap. Taylor said the presence of the student groups was one of the rally’s biggfj 9| uccesses. “Because of those groups, we can turn this ally from something that raises awareness to omething that delivers action,” he said. The students at the rally could stop by the ;roup tables to get information on how to jo® n organization and get involved with their plans flj o end educational inequality. Despite the snow, Taylor said he believed the ally was a total success. “Very few people in the world try to change t,” he said. “But what is important to remember s that one person is totally capable of making jt Range. A great place to start is what we and TeacI ■?or America are doing here: changing the life ot )ne child.” John Matt! fot Teach j tie educati bonomie ' Vnerica w University sStudents assemble for the educational equality rally on the Hannah Administration building bridge. Teach for America advocates for quality education for children from low income backgrounds. ASMSU Provost Zachary Taylor speaks to students about the educational achievement of MSU. Taylor was accepted into Teach for America and placed in Detroit. Recruitment manager Tesha Downey speaks about her experiences at the Academy for Urban School Leadership in Chicago. TFA operates in 43 cities and metro area&g»i Matthews, recruitment manager °r ^each for America, speaks about e ecMcation gap in lower socio­ economic communitiel Teach for erica was founded by Princeton diversity grad Wendy Kopp in 1989. 079 Central Michigan University- student Hillary Cook performs “The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy” during the Vagina Monologues. The piece involved a woman discussing the details of her career and her love of giving women pleasure. The four female directorsgf the Vagina Monologues address the audience and close out the show while thecast surrounds the stage. All four directors performed in the play in previous years? Doctoral student Violeta Donawa performs a piece entitled “Reclaiming. Cunt.” The ■ monologue detailed a woman’s attempt to reverse the negative connotation of the word. cro o <; CD zrO }> -•2.2-0 CQ O ® ^ H ^_rr y> CD pL-. H o ^ ®_0 ° — CDjp zt£Q C/> qcq n U cn THIS ONE'S FOR THE GIRLS 2012 Vagina Monologues raise awareness, girl power A quiet theater, a bare stage save for four microphones, and a scattering of chairs, futons, bean bags chairs and couches. The audience is curious but silent as one-by-one, 20 young women wearing black with red accents emerge from the wings of the Wharton Center Pasant Theatre. Thus begins The Vagina Monologues, a collection of stories from women of all ages, sizes, colorff and backgrounds about that infamous word, g&ilt sounds like an infection at best...” “A completely ridiculous, unsexy word...” “At Hogwarts, they call it the Chamber of Secrets.ljB The Harry Potter reference received the most laughs in the opening act of Feb. 17’s matinee performance of the show, written by women’s activist Eve Ensler. laughs There were many more throughout the performance, many of which came during a piece called “Bie Flood.” Senior Becca Robinson wore a form-fitting black dress, heels and a bright red scarf around her head, babushka-style. She took her chair with her to the front of the stage, adjusted her mic, and when she spoke, it was not a college student. It was a woman in her late 60s, squirming at the thought of being asked about “down there.” “I haven’t been down there since 1953 ... no it had nothing to do with Eisenhower,” Robinson said in an outraged tone amid more laughs. Robinson’s association with the Vagina Monologues began through her involvement with the Social Action Theater Troupe, where she met one of this year’s co-directors. She recognized the show’s relationship with raising awareness about domestic and sexual violence and knew she had to try out. “Sexual violence is a silent crime ... it’s been my mission to fight against it,” Robinson said. “So it just felt right that I try out, and then I got in, and the rest is history.” Junior Jazmen Moore was a bit of an anomaly in this year’s cast in that she was one of only two women who had performed in the show in previous years, i f “They don’t generally bring the same people back because they want to give other women a chance to try out too, so originally they put me in one of the group monologues called ‘Wear and Say’,” Moore said. “When they added a few regional monologues in later in rehearsal, they asked me to do one called What if jlTold You I Didn’t Have a Vagina?’ and, of course, I accepted.” Moore got involved with Vagina Monologues after seeing a documentary about Ensler and her work with V-Day, a global activist movement dedicated to stopping violence against women and girls. Her passion for the play was such that she was selected to be a co-director for next year’s version. “When they asked for candidates for next year’s co-directors, I immediately volunteered,” Moore said. “The Vagina Monologues has been such a strong part of my time here at MSU, so I wanted to continue that connection in my final year as well.” In contrast, senior Abby Wood’s connection to Vagina Monologues was not quite so thoroughly planned. “I actually auditioned for the show on a complete “It turned out to be the best whim,” Wood said. spontaneous decision I ever made.” Wood performed both a group and solo monologue, one about transgender women entitled “They Beat the Girl Out of My Boy ... Or So They Tried” and the other a tribute to women in devastated areas of the world called “For My Sisters in Portauprincebukavuneworleans.” She stressed the importance of seeing shows like The Vagina Monologues and participating in V-Day events. This year, 90 percent of the proceeds went to Listening Ear, a 24-hour hotline and crisis center in Lansing, and the remainder benefited V-Day efforts in Haiti. “This show focuses completely on the experiences of women as they see it, feel it and tell it,” Wood said. ■Especially important is the show’s underlying goal of bringing awareness and an end to violence against women. One in three women will be raped in their lifetime, (according to the One in Three Women campaign). That’s not just terrifying; it’s an epidemic.” A performer dons red high heels while reciting her monologue. The cast of the Vagina Monologues abide by a red and black dress code for the performance. Sophomore Thu Tran performs a monologue entitled “Hair.” The piece involved cultural stereotypes surrounding the unnatural grooming habits of women. O m > > Z o cï ci Go m CI $ KENYA? YES YOU CAN. Like many freshmen at MSU, Dominic Nangea and Julius Kuya have learned to love university life. Adjusting to the sometimes questionable cafeteria food, meeting new friends in their dorm complexes and mastering study techniques are just a few elements that they have conquered, but these cousins are not like most students. They wouldn’t be at MSU if it weren’t for financial support from their Maasai village in Enoosaen, Kenya. Nangea, a 21-year-old agribusiness management major, and Kuya, a 20-year-old biomedical major, are here on scholarship granted by the university. Although they were extremely grateful to receive this opportunity, their room and board fees, totaling more than $10,000, were not included. Luckily, their village community banded together and contributed enough money to carry out their dreams of higher education. “The good thing about our community is that family belongs to everybody,” Nangea said. “If you are a good guy in the Maasai community and work hard, everybody will come together and make some contribution, and that is how we ended up here. Many, many people worked hard to get us here.” Maasai’s economy revolves around cows, and it was the selling of these cows that gave Nangea and Kuya the opportunity to pursue a higher education. “In Maasai, the cow is the closest friend,” Nangea said, lit is the measure of wealth. It is because of cows that we are here. All the money contributed came from the cows.” The appreciation and thankfulness Nangea and Kuya convey is shown through a gleam in their eyes that is complemented by the brightness of their smiles. Each wear beaded bracelets of vivid reds, blues, oranges and greens, handmade by their mothers and sisters. Beading is a traditional trade learned by the women of Maasai at a very young age. “(The bracelets arbj very significant to mej« Nangea? said. “Whenever I’m writing, or just doing anything, I look down at them and it reminds me of home.” Peter Briggs, Director of the Office for International Students and Scholars, was first introduced to Nangea and Kuya through Morompi Ole Ronkei, the cousins’ uncle and Briggs’ friend. Due to Kenya’s recent constitutional change to divide the country into state-like counties, Ole Ronkei approached Briggs with the idea of furthering the cousins’ education. Briggs said Ole Ronkei’s plan is to develop talented people for the long-term ability to govern the newfound states, and Nangea and Kuya were perfect candidates. “It’s not a personal journey as much as it is a great fit and an opportunistic moment,” Briggs said. “With MSU’s global reach and the African Studies Center, this was just a great, synergistic fit.” After only being at MSU for one semester, the cousins already have a steady grasp on what they would like to accomplish after graduation. Both plan to return to Kenya to give back to the community that paved their path to MSU. As a biomedical student, Kuya wants to concentrate on public health in his community. He believes that with his education, he will advance wellness to an area that is in need of more medical personnel. “I want to focus on contributing to the health department of my people,” he said. “At times when somebody gets sick, you have to travel long distances. Diseases like malaria have been claiming the lives of people for years. Bfeel like I have an opportunity of bringing medicine and helping my people.” As an agribusiness management major, Nangea’s focus is on the food security system of his country. After he finishes his first degree, he plans to study economics to gain the knowledge he needs to help combat food shortage that is so prevalent in Kenya, and ultimately all of Africa. want to really understand what goes on between business and agriculture (in the U.S.), like how to store food and how to budget food for the whole country,” he said. “If I am armed with economics and business agriculture, I can go back and make a contribution; make a difference.” Junior Emily Syrja performs her set telling jokes to audience members about the woes of internet dating. Syrja was the only girl to perform out of 12 competitors. Senior William Chodos comes forward as his name is called for third-place- winner during the Last Spartan Standing competition. Competitors were going head-to-head in hopes of winning an iPad 2, a Connxtions Comedy Club hoodie and an iPod touch. WHY DID THE SPARTAN CROSS THE ROAD? Student comics get a chance to show-off their talent at theLast Spartan Standing comedy competition “If Carmen Sandiego and ‘Where’s Waldo?’ had a baby, that kid would be the best at hide-and-seek, hands down,” Taylor Reschka joked onstage at the International Center food court. This joke and others led Reschka to win the tide of MSU’s Last Spartan Standing. The annual comedy competition, produced by the University Activities Board (UAB), gives comedic hopefuls a chance to prove their humor to three judges—and a relentless audience—in an attempt to be dubbed the Last Spartan Standing. Judges for this year’s event included Frank Stevens, owner of Connxtions Comedy Club in Lansing, working comedian Fred Potter, and Jerome Crawford, a competitor in MSU’s first Last Spartan Standing competition. Hailing from Marquette, Mich., Reschka said he would practice his comedy routines for friends but dreamed of reaching a larger audience. When he started school at MS Of he said he began to do stand-up at open mic nights around campus and comedy clubs in Lansing, Grand Rapids and Detroit. Reschka’s passion for comedy comes from his love of making people laugh. I love making people happy. No one can look down at that and be mad at you because you made them smile,” the media arts and technology junior said. But before the comedians áre able to display their talent on stage, they must audition. The audition process consisted of performing a videotaped, three-minute skit in front of a panel of UAB judges. According to UAB member and marketing junior Shannon McGreal-Miller, 30 people auditioned and^only were chosen to compete. Most of the comedians appeared reserved, at first, but were able to channel their inner comedic beast when it mattered most. Some of the people would come in and seem so shy,” cGreal-Miller said. “Then they would let out this whole la’11 madness and everyone at the [judging] table would die revalent themes among the jokes this year were online ating, reality T\||lhows such as ti|||ddlers in Tiaras|| and campus cyclistsjj Although these thcme§, were common, Clirans successfully showed off their talent by making each joke relevant to their own set. “Well, actually, I find the complexity of the match algorithm completely fascinating, especially its implications of sociological research in the digital age,” contestant and English and women’s studies senior Emily Syrja joked in regard to trying honesty in the world of online dating. “You don’t hear from that guy again. Last Spartan Standing attendee Sean Peecook, a film and creative writing senior, said jokes that relate to everyday life and comedians who appear comfortable onstage seemed to get the most laughs^B “It’s important to be likable onstage and have a personality that M you can relate to instead of just reciting joke after joke,” he said. Among the 12 contestants chosen, Syrja was the only' ' female. She said although she was the only woman, the other contestants were very supportive. “When I got backstage the emcee and other comedians were very encouraging and told me to keep doing comedy,” she said. “That was great. I really want to keep doing it after having that experience.” Syrja said she hopes her performance will encourage more women to participate in comedy. “I would like to do more performing in the area and to get a more visible female presence,” Syrja said. “I think seeing other women [onstage] is very powerful, and I would like to see more of that.’SH After all the comedians performed, judges deliberated and eventually picked Reschka as the winner. He won a Connxtions Comedy Club sweatshirt and an iPad, as well as the title of being named the Last Spartan Standing for the next year. Reschka said most of his material comes from his'“crazy brain” and ability to “think out of the box.1 He said he also likg| to watch his favorite comedians^such as Kiddie Izzard and Robin Williams, perform so he can dissect their acts to improve his own. Reschka credits MSU’s wide range of opportunity as influencing his drive to pursue stand-up and his overall appreciation for the craft. “If you have any urge to do something, do it; that is what IJyc learned the most at Michigan State,” he said. “Increase your empathy and increase your drive for what Sou want because I wouldn’t be [the Last Spartan Standing] if I hadn’t.” 085 Nathan Alan encouraged audience members to participate during his performance. His self-described “electroacoustic” “¡sound fit the cozy venue perfectly. A microphone stands ready for the performers atthe first night of Middle of the Mitten. The first night took place Éfg the Scene Metrospace in East Lansing. MUSIC AND MITTENS AND MICHIGAN, OH MYi Middle of the Mitten celebrates 4th anniversary £8 Through its windows on Charles Street, (SCENE) Metrospace looks like a bare room that probably smells strongly of tomato sauce and melted cheese due to a shared wall and door with Georgio’s Gourmet Pizza. Walking through that shared door reveals a different story entirely. The nondescript walls are made vibrant by pieces of artwork—some drawings, some sculptures—created by local artists. A back corner near the entrance hides a tiny desk upon which there is a laptop and various bits of technology responsible for lighting. The lighting is not for the art however^ it’s for the stage. After a welcoming, applause echoed through the room from an audience of about 100 people seated in chairior leaning against walls. The first act of this year’s Middle of the Mitten music showcase stepped up to the stage with his guitar. His name was Vince Zydeck, and he proceeded to go through a set of mellow acoustic pieces, making time for some humor as well. “I prefer Gatorade when I’m on stage, because it helps me perform,” he said as he took a swig of the electrolyte-laden beverage. He ended his set on a self-deprecating note. “I’m really excited for the rest of the night... which I’m assuming is what you guys are here for.” Zydeck, a senior at MSU, got involved with the show mainly through his roommate Dan Nufer, who was one of the directors of this year’s festival. He couldn’t have been happier to be a part of “such a cool event.” Hi would love to do something like this again ... anything in East Lansing would be great to play.” As Zydeck left the stage, Nufer and fellow director and founder Joel Heckaman maneuvered their way through the crowd to help the next musician set up. In an email, Heckaman described Middle of the Mitten “as § a showcase for musicians from all over the state of Michigan.” This year marked not only the fourth year of the event but also the first attempt at not one but two days of music during the weekend of Feb. 3 and 4. The first night at (SCENE) Metrospace had a folk vibe with acoustic acts like Zydeck, while the second night at The Loft in downtown Lansing had a harder rock edge to it with such bands as The Blue Effect and Simien the Whale. Heckaman, a recent alum of MSU’s Professional Writing program, essentially created Middle of the Mitten from scratch as a tribute to The Record Lounge, an East Lansing-based record (store at which he worked part-time. He described that first festival as “one of those ‘a-ha!’ moments ;|M that really changed my life.” “I actually had the idea a year before the first show, when I was in a local band looking for out-of-town acts to trade shows with,” Heckaman said. ‘ I was amazed to find such quality music just pouring out of Saginaw, Mount Pleasant, Grand Rapids, Lansing—all across mid-Michigan—and I thought it would be great to get all of these bands on one stage.” After working as a one-man band organizing and promoting the event on his own, he decided to enlist some help last year for the third annual version. He didn’t have to look far before he found Nufer, whom he had met in the continued on pg IF Professional Writing program. HIlIll Mel Tarter and jack Wells brought a sunny disposition to the stage with their light, acoustic sound. Their band, formerly known as “Sunny Side Up,” has recently changed its name to “Those Willows ” ■■ a Dummer Will Shattuck, guitarist Kory Kopchick and guitarist James Brown of Citizen Smile perform on the second night of Middle of the Mitten. Citizen Smile has been around since 2005, making them one of the longer lived bands in the festival. Two friends share a song after Middle of the Mitten concludes. The performances marked the fourth annual Middle of the Mitten concerts. ^ m m o o mm —H Through its windows on Charles Street, (SCENE) Metrospace looks like a bare room that probably smells strongly of tomato sauce and melted cheese due to a shared wall and door with Georgio’s Gourmet Pizza. Walking through that shared door reveals ^different story entirely. The nondescript walls are made vibrant by pieces of artwork— some drawings, some sculptures-iglreated by local artists. A back corner near the entrance hides a tiny desk upon which there is a laptop and various bits of technology responsible for lighting. The lighting is not for the art however; it’s for the stage. After a welcoming, applause echoed through the room from an audience of about 100 people seated in chairs or leaning against walls. The first act of this year’s Middle of the Mitten music showcase stepped up to the stage with his guitar. Elis name was Vince Zydeck, and he proceeded to go through a set of mellow acoustic pieces, making time for some humor as well. “I prefer Gatorade when I’m on stage, because it helps me perform,” he said as he took a swig of the electrolyte-laden beverage. He ended his set on a self-deprecating note. “I’m really excited for the rest of the night ... which I’m assuming is what you guys are here for.” Zydeck, a senior at MSU, got involved with the show mainly through his roommate Dan Nufer, who was one of the directors of this year’s festival. He couldn’t have been happier to be a part of ffsuch a cool event.” “I would love to do something like this again ... anything in East Lansing would be great to play.” As Zydeck left the stage, Nufer and fellow director and founder Joel Heckaman maneuvered their way through the crowd to help the next musician set up. In an email, Heckaman described Middle of the Mitten “as a showcase for musicians from all over the state of Michigan.” This year marked not only the fourth year of the event but also the first attempt at not one but two days of music during the weekend of Feb. 3 and 4. The first night at (SCENE) Metrospace had a folk vibe with acoustic acts like Zydeck, while the second night at The Loft in downtown Lansing had a harder rock edge to it with such bands as The Blue Effect and Simien the Whale. Heckaman, a recent alum of MSU’s Professional Writing program, essentially created Middle of the Mitten from scratch as a tribute to The Record Lounge, an East Lansing-based record store at which he worked part-time. He described that first festival as “one of those ‘a-ha!’ moments that really changed my life.” “I actually had the idea a year before the first show, when I was in a local band looking for out-of-town acts to trade shows with,” Heckaman said. “I was amazed to find such quality music just pouring out of Saginaw, Mount Pleasant, Grand Rapids, Lansing—all across mid-Michigan—and I thought it would be great to get all of these bands on one stage.”/ After working as a one-man band organizing and promoting the event on his own, he decided to enlist some help last year for the third annual version. He didn’t have to look far before he found Nufer, whom he had met in the Professional Writing program. “I can remember sitting in class with Joel (Heckaman) and talking about music,” Nuferpaid. “It wasn’t until the semester after that that he asked if I wanted to help with (Middle of the Mitten) as part of an independent study he’d made with one of our professors.” It was difficult to pinpoint Nufer and Heckamen during the evening as they made the rounds of the room. They handled everything from serving as honorary roadies to touching base with the director and curator of (SCENE) Metrospace Tim Lane, who spent the evening manning the sound and light board. Lane later said in an email that in spite of the chaos he couldn’t have been happier to have participated in such an event. “(Events like this| bring people out; they bring people downtown. And they go a long way toward convincing people of the fact that the Greater Lansing Area has great entertainment options,” Lane said. “They boost the area’s reputation, and that helps boost the area’s economic development.” As Lane finished setting up the lights, junior Paige Bolen took her place at her keyboard and immediately launched into a soulful rendition of Lady Gaga’s “Marry the Night.” Bolen was a fairly unique performer in that she also was a member of the a cappella group Ladies’ First. In fact, a good fraction of the Gray Bouchard, of the band Match by Match, gave an enthusiastic performance by keeping the crowd involved. The band hailed from Ann Arbor, representing the diversity of performers who participated in the show. Guitarist Jon Mickelson of the Commodore Cosmos runs through a solo during the opening act at The Loft. Commodore Cosmos is a band with roots right here in Lansing. 089 Junior Emily Taylor strike|||her first pose during one of three outfit alterations all performed on the.-catwalk by designer and junior Lauren Dale. Dale won the award for most innovative dress design with her efficient use of the bow accessory. A model keeps her look edgy as she begins- her strut towards the audience in a dress! called “Pop Can Machine” by junior Krity Shrestha. Shrestha’s dress was composed of more than 200 pop cansBnd epoxy. Senior designer Stephanie Gupta bows during an applause at the finale of the fashion show. More than 150 dress- designs were submitted for the fashion show from Apparel and Textile Design students at MSU. cud o >- C!) ~J O —I —.0^.0 -n CD o __n oo ¡ppP ■fBI 8 o^8 z Sh| —Q CD X Em Q-O n a-CD Si Three models pose at the end of the runway, all conn^gd by thread to create one three-piece dress. Donald Bradford, a designer from Calvin Klein, guest judged student designers along with Michigan State faculty during the ATD Fashion Show. Minutes before the start of the Apparel and Textile Design Annual jB^gMMn^Show, the backstage area is a chaotic scene. Designers rushed to make last minute changes to their pieces, directors frantically called out instructions and models got quick make up and hair fix-ups. On Feb. 26 the stage lights of the Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre fade away, and only pink overhead lighting illuminated the runway along with an orange spotlight. Techno music started blaring, and then the first model made her appearance. The first five models showcased garments that were designed based on the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum. Some designers based their pieces architecture of the building, and others incorporated design aspects. The fashion show is an annual event for MSU’s Apparel and Textile Design program and showcased more than 60 student designers and models. Senior Amanda McFee said designing a garment based on the museum was^a great opportunity to showcase her artistic talents. My individual design for the Broad piece was highly influenced by the architecture of MSU s campus,” she said. “I wanted to bridge the gap between the neo-gothic style architecture that surrounds the Broad with the contemporary lines of the museum itself to create a hybrid piece that is representational of my experience being a student here.” McFee was one of four students who had the opportunity to design a Broad Museum-inspired piece for the fashion show. The four students also collaborated on a fifth design. Senior Stephanie Gupta said she enjoyed working on the collaborative piece with the other designers. “Working on the collaborative garment was a lot of fun,” she said. “It was a very different feeling at first to have five people working on one garment, but it didn’t take very long for us to become a team.” McFee agreed the experience was a beneficial one. It was not only a positive learning experience, but it was really exciting too, McFee said. “It helped me to vocalize my opinions and pushed me to share creative input. I think it turned out to be a nice conclusion to all of our specific aesthetics and the project gave us the freedom to push the envelope a bit, which was fun.” The fashion show played out without even a minor hiccup, but that doesnt mean the designers didn’t have to overcome challenges to get to that point. The most challenging part was the fragility of the piece,” Gupta said, referring to her museum-inspired garment called jstratified,” which had many pieces suspended from its blue dress. “I had to be very careful about transporting the garment as well as putting it on and taking it off my For McFee, the hardest part of designing for the fashion show was prioritizing her time. “The biggest challenge was racing against the clock to finish everything,” McFee said. I wouldn’t say I was the best at time management.” The show also was an opportunity for apparel and textile design students to get real-world fashion show experience. Senior Katy Wright said designing a piece for the show was an excellent way for her to learn the ins and outs of the fashion industry. I had to decide every aspect of how my design would be presented, from my model’s hair and make up to the way I wanted her to walk down the aisle!i Wright said. Wright, who hopes to work in the fashion industry, won the Judge’s Choice award for her design that featured plastic Kroger bags knitted into a strapless dress. Despite months of preparation, the day of the Apparel and Textile Design Fashion Show is a hectic one, and this year’s designers worked past their obstacles to put on a show that won’t soon be forgotten. Even if the scene was a little crazy, the students involved in the production know the show must go on. DESIGNING IN TIME Apparel and Textile Design students race the clock to put on a fashion show W \ \ \ \ X \ w \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ 091 Hilary Garcia and Melissa Geimer, both students at The International Culinary School, take down their chocolate sculpture. All sculptures were linked to the theme “Cabinets of Curiosities,” an exhibit that is in the MSU museum. A chocolate structure waits to be judged at the 23rd annual Chocolate Party benefit hosted at the Kellogg Center. Four different culinary groups made sculptures modeled after the theme “Cabinets of Curiosities.” A chocolate fountain gets guests’ attention as they enter the 23rd annual Chocolate Party benefit hosted by the MSU Museum. The chocolate fountain was just one of the numerous selections of chocolate items to choose from. A SWEET CAUSE MSU Museum hosts annual Chocolate Party benefit to support collections Some like it dark. Others prefer semi-sweet or milk. Whatever the case, guests were treated to a veritable feast of the delectable dessert at the MSU Museum’s 23rd annual Chocolate Party on Feb. 26. Twelve Michigan-area chocolate vendors filled three ballrooms in the Kellogg Center, offering samples of everything from wedding cakes to crepes to candies. One vendor, Caruso Candies, offered such delicacies as potato chips, Gummi bears and bacon all covered in chocolate. The latter proved to be such a popular item that owner Shawna Fancher ran out of within an hour of the event’s start. “We wanted to shake things up a bit with our samples, so we thought ‘what could be better than bacon?”’ Fancher said. Fancher has been a part of Caruso’s for a number of years and has seen the company move from the Meridian Mall to its current location at the Lansing City Market. When the MSU Museum approached her about being a part of the Chocolate Party she jumped at the chance to spread the word about the business and find new customers. Across the ballroom from Fancher was another candy shop simply titled “Awesome Chocolates.” The owner, Henry Klok, stumbled onto chocolate-making after dabbling with the sweet stuff during his 29 years as a truck driver. “I used to get those chocolate-dipped strawberry kits from the grocery store, and I’d bring them into work, and they were always a hit, so one day I thought it might be fun to see what else I could dip in chocolate,” Klok said. What started as a hobby eventually morphed into a full-time career as the owner of a candy store when he was laid off from his truck driving job. Despite his unusual background, Klok’s business was invited to participate in the Chocolate Party for the last two years and was voted second place overall during this year’s people’s choice awards. When guests weren’t sampling from vendorsfithey were voting on silent auction items, participating in cooking demonstrations or viewing a sampling of artifacts from the museum’s extensive archive. The main attraction by far was of a sweeter variety. “Every year we include a chocolate sculpture competition that’s open to pretty much anyone that wants to compete,” event manager Mike Secord said. “It’s always exciting to see what the competitors will do with the theme.&U This year’s theme was “Cabinet of Curiosities,” which required competitors to create a piece inspired by the museum’s newest exhibit of the same name. The exhibit features collections of items from around the world that might be found in someone’s cabinet. A group of local chefs judged four different approaches to the theme before awarding one of them a trophy and cash prize. The winning piece was designed by a team of pastry chefs led by Greg Stroker from The Art Institute of Michigan in Novi. Their design featured an exquisitely crafted cabinet filled with such items as a globe, flowers and other bits and baubles fashioned from chocolate and sugar. About 300 guests turned put to see the sculptures and to participate in one of the museum’s biggest fundraisers of the year, which Secord said will raise anywhere more than $10,000. “It’s a unique thing—you don’t really hear about a lot of ■ chocolate parties,” Secord said. “This was also the 23rd year of the event, so it’s not only unique but also long-standing.” Junior Elleda Groeneveld was able to help out at this year’s event after volunteering her time at the MSlfMuseum for the past semester. Although she spent most of her time behind-the-scenes^, Groeneveld madejkure to take in the sights and tastes. = “I was so happy to be a part of the Chocolate Party this year,” Groeneveld said in an email. “It was a neat event and ,a great way to get the word out about the current exhibits. Being able to sample some chocolates didn’t hurt either! Bake N’ Cakes donated gourmet cupcakes for the MSU Museum’s chocolate benefit. Bake N’ Cakes was one of twelve participating chocolatiers. Ken Wright of Wright Endings cuts his families strawberry cake for customers. Wright Endings came in first place for the “People’s Choice” award. 093 Red worms begin to decompose an eggpl®11 by digesting it and turning it back into earth The worms, along with other microorganisms, accelerate the compost process. A 2G by 70 foot hoop-house grows plants like Kabbage, spinach and kale* among others, at the MSU Student Organic Farm. Like this hoop- house, all of the soil that will go to the hoop- house next to Bailey will come from food garbage composted into rich soil. Laurie Thorp, coordinator of the RISE program, digs into composted soil. Food waste is taken from Yakeley and Landon Hall cafeterias twice a week and fed to millions of worms that will turn the waste into soil. QCU O ~n CD zr- O O <£. O 3. X CD O ® ^ p - 3.U Q Q o S- §_Q Q > BbIB O ...... Q I I I > jQ It’s a Monday afternoon after biology class and senior Dominique Sanchez hurries out the door of the Biomedical and Physical Sciences building to beat the rush across the street at the Shaw Hall cafeteria. After filling up on a colorful mixed green salad and a whole wheat tortilla sandwich, she neatly wipes her mouth, places the napkin on her tray and stands up to set her tray on the conveyer belt and continue with her day. While Sanchez makes her way to the belt, however, she is stopped by! a woman in an orange MSU cap holding stickers and measuring plates on a metal scale. Congratulations, you had zero food waste today,!!; she chimes, placing i sticker on Sanchez’s shoulder reading the same thing. For Sanchez, it was an odd experience to be applauded for eating all the food on her plate, much like when parents encourage their child to finish dinner. For Carla Iansiti, MSU Culinary Services sustainability officer, it is her dream to create a database for the university documenting the actual amount of food waste from students. She and the rest of her team accomplish this through food audits, which began in 2005. In dining halls around campus, Iansiti and student volunteers conduct rood audits by weighing students’ plates after they are finished eating and record the number into a database. We don’t have any benchmarking data, and it’s kind of a new thing,” ansiti said. “And students care. They want to know what’s going on.” A study conducted by Department of Biosystems and Agricultural ngineering specialist Dana Kirk said 14,121 pounds of food were wasted w MSU cafeterias each day in 2006. On average, one person wastes 1.54 pounds of food and 1.51 pounds of food packaging per week. The data accounts for both pre-consumer waste, or before the cafeterias prepare the food, and post-consumer waste, which is the food left after people have finished eating. For Iansiti, being able to use both types of waste provides more opportunity to expand her food auditing programs. “Not only do I have a pre-consumer waste program going on that’s going to the digester and the farm, we have a post-consumer (program) to ’-bring awareness to students about food waste,” Iansiti said. And although not all the dining halls are transferring food waste for reuse, Brody Square cafeteria is leading the way. When Brody Neighborhood’s cafeteria renovations were completed two years ago, a food pulper was installed to separate the solid food waste from water. The pulper allows for food waste to be condensed, thus using less water to process the food, rather than putting it down a sink disposal. “Wet chunks of rags and clothes would be the consistency,” Kirk said. “It’s dense, and it’s heavy. It includes bananas and food waste, cookies---- anything that is on a student’s plate.” Previously, the food waste from the cafeteria was sent to a sanitary sewer in East Lansing and eventually ended up in a landfill. But now with the pulper, the waste is being sent south of campus. Just beyond College Road at the MSU dairy farm, is an anaerobic digester. The digester, which opened in September 2011, turns animal and food waste or pulp into biogas, a source of energy, and currendy-can generate 20-30 kilowatts of energy, enough to power 10-20 houses. Now, the energy is being used to sustain the digester and a few surrounding buildings. Kirk and others will be auditing in the spring to see if the project should expand and take waste from other cafeterias. continued on pg 096 Laurie Thorp, coordinator of the RISE program, digs into some composted soil. More than 300,000 red worms are mixed in with the compost in various hoop-houses. Pipes that belong to MSU’s anaerobic digester take animwwaste and food waste and convert it into energy. The digester can generate enough electricity to power itself and a few surrounding buildings. MSU’s anaerobic digester works non-stop to turn animal waste and food waste into energy. Currently researchers are trying to expand the digester and increase its energy output. “If we expand the project and the digester, of course we would be looking at offsetting more costs for the university or generating revenue, or offsetting energy from coal or other sources, Kirk said. Right now, they still are in the planning phase. “We want to see what is next with organic waste management on campus,” Kirk said. “We do a good job recycling all the different things we can, but waste is another important factor that needs to go into that recycling idea.” Another project that tackles food waste happens in a place where red worms and rows of salad greens are a common sight. Kept in a hoophouse at the end of a dirt road, more than 300,000 worms are mixed in with compost. The Student Organic Farm, home to the little invertebrates, is located a few miles from the digester. The decayed organic matter is used as fertilizer to grow other plants and is generated by the red worms, which digest the food waste and turn it into usable soil. It is; operated in a large hoop house, about 20-by-70 feet with plastic covering the metal frame. The soil, described by manager Brendan Sinclair as Asteroid for plants,” is packed with organic nutrients and microdiversity and isl used in the soil for the next round of organic produce, creating a closed cycle,, “We are taking literally food garbage and turning it into rich, fantastic soil,” said Laurie Thorp, director of MSU’s Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment. The food waste is taken from the Yakeley and Landon hall cafeterias and transported to the farm about twice per week. It is then fed to the worms burrowed beneath the piles of what some would look at and call dirt. ► When the compost is ready, it is used to help grow more organic greens, which are then transported back to both Yakeley Hall and Brody Square cafeterias. Although the vermicomposting program solely focuses on these dining halls for now, the crew at the farm constantly is thinking of new ways to expand the program. ^ ; ¿MS'll is like a small city. We’re feeding 30,000 meals a dayl Thorp said. “We want to figure out how to scale this up really bigt® turn this completely into a closed loop.” With a new research grant from the Office of Campus Sustainability, the Brody Neighborhood will welcome a new herb hoop house located outside of Bailey Hall on Harrison Road in summer 2012. Sinclair, who will manage the hoop house, said its purpose is to provide herbs, such as rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme, to Brody Neighborhood and West Circle cafeterias and to the Kellogg Center restaurant The State Room. The hoop house, still yet to be named, will be 30-by-72 feet and managed by two-to-four studeriSl “They will be doing the planting, care, distribution and selling or the plants,” Sinclair said. “Their income comes from the amount of .1 food they sell.” . Sinclair only sees benefits to the project and believes it will help redevelop a connection with food for students who can’t makeH out mthe Student Organic Farm. He also said this project is unique „ for a university. “We are one of the only universities doing this in the country,f Sinclair said. “Culinary Services wants to do. the most they can t| be sustainable. I think this will open up opportunities for tooif sustainability.” Former MSU student Zachary Stein generated uproarious laughter from the audience with his simple sarcasm. The performers used many different types of comedy, including anecdotes, one-liners and physical comedy. Senior Scott Long focused much of his comedy on his personal life, building a strong connection with the audience. The event raised money for student comics like Long to attend and participate in showcases around the country. “So I’m on this diet. Yesterday I ate a chicken breast...and a small tree,” theatre senior Scott Long joked onstage at Connxtions Comedy Club in Lansing. On Feb. 15, dozens of theater and comedy lovers filled Connxtions to support student comics and benefit the theatre department’s Society of Performers and Arts Management (SPAM) foundation, a student for organization performing arts students. that provides career exposure telecommunication “I’ve never seen anybody (from the department) do stand-up before,” theatre junior and attendee ► Adam Sutherland said. “It was cool seeing a different side of (the performers) that you can’t get in the classroom setting.” Theatre and junior Brett Kline was chief organizer of the fundraiser. Kline has performed in several Michigan clubs, including Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle in Royal Oak and Joey’s Comedy Club in Livonia, since he was legally old enough to enter the venues. Approaching his fourth year of performing stand-up comedy, Kline said he was elated to organize a show benefiting his department. “(Organizing the event) wasn’t really work for me, it was something I wanted to be doing anyways, and it’s more stage time for me and the other comics,” he said. As emcee, Kline treated the audience to musical comedy, causing him to stand out from the other comics. His songs related to subjects such as being in love with a blow-up doll and the torment of unsuccessful relationships. Although Kline began his career as a musical comedy performer, he would like to use his songs as “an asset more than a clutch.” Kline generalized his comic taste as “weird anti-humor.” His motivation is seeing comics perform successfully. “I love seeing people have amazing sets and be like, ‘why can’t I do that?”’ Kline said. “I’ll laugh really hard, then I analyze it and figure out why I laughed.” He hopes his combined degrees in theatre and telecommunication will enable him to succeed in several aspects of show business and eventually lead him to Los Angeles. Kline has a regular spot at Connxtions and has performed at the venue more than 21 times in January. Connxtions, the only comedy club in the area, has hosted nationally known comics, including Drew Carey and Rob Schneider. It also makes time for holding local fundraising performances, like the SPAM beneficiary, to give back to the community. In total, the SPAM fundraiser raised more than $200. SPAM funds performing arts of all kinds and provides workshops in areas from musical theatre to improvisation and comedy. Long said the “foundation sends the (bachelor’s of fine arts) seniors to showcases in Chicago, New York and all over Michigan to audition for booking agents and casting directors.” “It’s a way to raise money so we don’t have to spend money on plane tickets and booking a place to stay,” he said. is a member of Giraffe House, an Long independent and has participated in several MSU productions. He will play the UPS man in MSU’s interpretation of “Legally Blonde: The Musical” in April. sketch comedy group, Having performed in stand-up for a few years, Long aspires to make a career out of comedy, whether it is through stand-up or comedic acting. “It’s something I want to do for the rest of my life,” he said. “I love performing for new people. MSU) there’s always a chance to see something and to come out and support the arts.” *w CUD O P) CD zr-O H <£.. O =3 U CQ o ® Z 13 ■ ■ 3 O Q -y-X Q c K | ^-§1=0 Q q 0_CO ® CT3 O ^ o 9H 8 c-o o «■1 COMEDY FOR A CAUSE Student comics fundraise to promote MSLTs Department of Theatre Senior Mike O’Keefe appeared to be right at home on the stand-up stage. O’Keefe, said e plag on pursuing his stand-up career, Jfld these events help him become more comfortable; on the stage. THE COST OF AN OPPORTUNITY She is hesitant to relay her feelings at first. A few telling phrases come out, but it is a cautious release. “You try to explain, but it’s difficult to tell them because some people don’t even understand racism or colonization.” With that said, the curtain that had been covering this topic lifts. Released, she leans back in her chair then pushes forward into her next words, “That’s why you think that I don’t exist.. .it’s because I barely do.” An ironic smile breaks out; it’s bright against her North Face jacket that’s a brown several shades lighter than her hair. Big earrings, red on silver, flank her face. There is a bag on her shoulder, leather boots on her feet. From this mix of apparel and accessories, she looks like a majority of the students walking along Grand River Avenue. But she isn’t. Rose Petoskey is a political theory senior studying in the James Madison College. Petoskey was born and raised on the reservation of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians on the Leelanau Peninsula near Traverse City, Mich. Although her hometown isn’t referred to as a municipality, everyday life in Peshawbestown is not starkly different from those that are. In the tribe of 4,000, her friends were her cousins, and Rose cites this as the largest dividing line. The high school classroom—the end of education for most of Petoskey’s peers on the reservation—is another point of distinction. Only Rose and two of her classmates came to MSU, and these three were the only ones to leave Peshawbestown and pursue a higher education. “It’s hard for a lot of native students to come out from the reservation, and come to a big school like this because a lot of people don’t know what it means to be a native or an Indian person,” Petoskey said. “I still get those interesting questions like ‘I thought you didn’t exist anymore, I thought all the Indians were dead.” In judging the ease of integration for Native American students, Petoskey said it depends on whom you talk to. MSU is a land grant university, and the land for campus was secured from Native Americans in the Treaty of 1855. In exchange for territory, it was established that MSU would provide an education to all native children. Bound to honor that agreement, the Federal government has established the Michigan Indian Tuition Waiver, or MITW, which allows members of the 12 federally recognized tribes in Michigan to attend MSU tuition-free. Some students are angry and resentful toward the Native Americans who take advantage of this program. To those people, Rose points out the small number of native students being granted the waiver. “It’s not like 1,000 students are going to school for free, it’s the select few that actually get the opportunity to go,” she said. Her tone turned wistful, “I can’t imagine the day that there would be 1,000 native students.” North American Indigenous Student Organization co-chair and senior Sean Patrick has encountered adverse attitudes about the MITW in the past. “Most people that I talk to that are non-native and aware that it exists have a negative view of it,” Patrick said. “They see it related to racial preference, but they don’t have any understanding of the treaty behind it. They feel that Native Americans come from a place of privilege, but that really couldn’t be farther from the truth.” On the reservation today, natives stay in touch with their heritage through sweat lodges, powwows and a governmental system infused with cultural practices. Jingle Dress dancing is one tradition that Petoskey has been involved with since she was a young girl. This dance is one of healing. It is for the prayers of the community, for those who are sick or troubled. Maybe if a wish is sent out for integration and understanding, a path toward education can be cleared for Native Americans. Maybe. In hopes of that happening, Petoskey will have to continue dancing. Volin teers assisting with the event help ; . '.students sort recycmiles before getting the chance jib pk^with the puppy of their choice. The puppies were provided to students by the Capital Area Human Society. Weeble, a Chihuahua, perks his ears up as other puppies cause a ruckus elsewhere while juniorStephanie Bury enjoys the-satnc sight. Students brought a combination of card^Srd, aluminum, and monetary donations for the opportunity to play with puppies. CL2CO O TO D zr~0 m 2.0 3.0 i> ~b CZ ~o “O M J Junior Corey Brown holds back a pit bull puppy as it tries to explore the rest of the Shaw Hall terrace level. Puppies were played with for an average of 11 minutes before students were asked to part ways and make room for the next group of recyclers. Coonhound Buster explores the floor while MSU students try to keep him settled. There were 10 dogs available to play with during the RecycleMania event. THE POWER OF PUPPIES Rent-A-Puppy produces success for RecycleMania Dog is man’s best friend; it doesn’t matter if you are 5 or 50 years old. However, as we grow up and head off to college, we likely leave behind that canine companion. Luckily, the MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center, MSU Live On and Be Spartan Green teamed up with the Residential and Hospitality Services to restore that missing component by contacting the Capital Area Humane Society and in turn borrowing a pack of playful puppies. Beside providing a burst of cuteness to MSU students, how do puppies help the recycling cause? v As part of the RecycleMania tournament, an annual eight-week recycling competition between colleges and universities across the U.S., Rent-A- Puppy was created. Through the event, students who brought a full bag of recyclables could play with puppies from the Capital Area Humane Society in McDonel, Wonders or Shaw halls from Feb. 27-29. Nicole Micolichek, Shaw Hall assistant hall director, was one of many who helped coordinate the event. . Last year we brought puppies in as a stress teliever during finals week, so we continued with that idea,” Micolichek said. This year, the puppies served as an outlet for the stress we put on the environment. An outlet that contributed to the recycling of about 373,000 pounds after RecycleMania’s third week. Dawn McCune, a member of the Capital Area Humane Society, explained that the mission of the organization is to promote the humane treatment of through protection, placement, education and example. By pairing up with the RecycleMania event, McCune said students learned the importance of symbiosis between humans and the natural world. companion animals “It was a fundraising event that allowed more than stress relief and cuddle time,” McCune said. “All the students left with smiles on their faces.” Freshman Sofia Cavallin was among those smiling while she played with a pit bull terrier puppy named Lolita. “It was relaxing in itself, but it allowed ms to escape college for a moment and bring back many memories. I miss my dog Babe* said Cavallin after pausing for a moment. Babe ilia golden retriever that grew up with Cavallin since she was young. “I love her because she has been through everything with me,” Cavallin said of the dog. After receiving a job offer in China through General Motors, her father and family moved to China, and as usual, Babe followed. “I remember when Babe got stuck in a heat wave in Germany on the way to China. She was dirty, hadn’t eaten for a couple of days and was scared. It broke my heart, but she was happy to see u||’ Cavallin said. Three years later, the family moved to Brazil, and of course, so did Babe. “The moves were difficult for me, and Babe was always the first one to greet me when I walked in the door after a long stressful day,” Cavallin said. Cavallin gave Lolita one last hug, explained to the next student in the line that stretched out the door that Lolita was 4 months old and handed off the loving puppy., “I consider Babe my best friend,” Cavallin said. “Dogs never interrupt you when you speak, but simply listen to you, always smiling and wagging their tail because they are genuinely happy to be with you.” Looking behind her as she walked out of the room filled with recyclables, puppies and memories of Babe, Cavallin noticed Lolita wagging her tail. 103 Frontier Ruckus plays a free show, talks about touring and being home For many, it is difficult to think of Frontier Ruckus without thinking of Michigan or MSU. After all, singer/ songwriter Matthew Milia loads his folksy songs with reference points deeply connected with the state he calls home. This may be one of the reasons students crammed the common area of Gilchrist Hall on March 1 to listen to the band perform. Senior Erin O’Connor said she feels a connection with Frontier Ruckus, which got its start as a band at MSU and is mainly comprised of MSU alumni. “I can make more connection with a song like that because I know exactly what they’re talking about geographically,” O’Connor said. “I feel like I’m rooting for them because they’re from the same state.” The connection goes even deeper than that for some, like Frontier Ruckus member Zachary Nichols, who mans the trumpet, melodica—which is similar to a harmonica—and most notably, the musical saw. “The very first time I played the saw was in Gilchrist (Hall),” he said. “I was bored. I was watching a saw player play online, and I got really interested in it. I started in the dorm and met my neighbor because they didn’t know what the sound was.” Milia, who also lived in West Circle while at MSU, lets his Michigan roots shine in nearly every son||he writes, with references to 1-75, sprawling suburbs and dark autumn nights. _ “I really think memory has a physicality to it. To still be in Michigan at the end of the day was very restful and meditative,” Milia said after describing himself as “overly nostalgic.” On stage, Frontier Ruckus oozed comfort and confidence and even made its way to the middle of the audience for a special acoustic set. As the banjo plinked away, the musical saw sighed shrilly and Milta’s acoustic guitar strummed as his quavering voice warbled about Michigan summers and outstretched strip malls. However, Milia wasn’t alone in singing, as many of the audience members’ voices wafted quietly to the high ceilings. While Frontier Ruckus is taking a break from its two-year touring stint, the group has been hard at work recording its new album, “Eternity of Dimming.” “It’s a little different sonically,” Milia said. “It’s a really sprawling record—20 songs. There are a lot of thematic tangents. It’s very verbose. There are like 5,500 words. I think it could stand lyrically, like something people would want to read just off the page, and the text is really important to me.” Still, being at home in Michigan is bittersweet; with feelings of restfulness comes feelings of restlessnessJH “We’ve been in town for a couple months, and I’m sort of getting the wanderlust again,” Nichols said|fi| can’t wait to hit the road.” He added with a wry smile;; “But when you’re on the road you always want to be at home.” m Lead singer and guitarist Matthew Milia croons to the crowd. The band decided to play the final three songs in the middle of the audience, making for an intimate finale. Bassist John HanSr and drummer Ryan Etzcorn keep rhythm for the band. The entire show was recorded by 89 FM The Impact to be re-broadcasted at a later date. mmm CCD O -n CD =3-0 /D -■O 5-0 7 ^ 0 (0 5 ' ' 5- —| CD • • il U~ < ^3 nj (t Q ^ ^ 70 of =3 H ~< , R CD § n cr=i'< ® £ Ch ;z plays rhythm lillipsjr. plays a Harvest opened us opens their show to adience. The Gilchrist to capacity for the Pub was filled performance. NO PLACE UKE HOME Carol Paul, wife^f Ron Paul, waves to the crowd during her husband’s speech at MSU. The couple celebrated their 55th anniversary this month. Ron Paul says goodbye to his supporters after his speech made in the MSU'Auditorium. Paul came to MSU to rally before the Michigan primarie^ An enthusiastic Ron Paul fan shows his support during Paul’s rally at MSU Paul was introduced t>y junior and leader of the MSU Youth For Ron Paul, Ethan Davis. . PAUL FOR PRESIDENT Ron Paul rally at MSU draws an expressive crowd The lobby of MSU’s Auditorium was chaotic as students and community members jumped from line to line to try and get the best seat for the Youth for Ron Paul speech. Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul made MSU a stop on his campaign tour on Feb. 27 one day before the Michigan republican primary, creating a campus event with historic success. More than 4,000 people attended the rally, decked out in campaign gear and holding signs with sayings like “End the Fed’’ and “Ron Paul Revolution.” Ron Paul supporter and junior Natalie Brumfield, and her sister and senior Elizabeth Brumfield, both said they were excited to attend the event. ^ We are just really ecstatic to be here,” Natalie Brumfield said, unsticking her blue “Ron Paul for President” sticker and putting it on her jacket. “I have been waiting a long time to be able to attend a Ron Paul event, and now there is finally one in mid-M ichigan.”/;/ Natalie said she had been a Paul supporter since his last presidential run in 2008, but Elizabeth said she was a new supporter. I wasn t a huge fan of him in 08, she said. “But I think these four years have made a change in what I’m looking for in a politician, and Paul has got what I want.” The rally was a full house in the Auditorium. People packed in wall-to-wall to hear what the presidential candidate had to say, and the audience was not a quiet crowd. Paul started the speech by explaining he was what he called the “only candidate for liberty,” which was met with ear-splitting applause and cheers of “President Paul.” Not even five minutes later, the crowd was on its feet and cheering again when Paul mentioned ending the Federal Reserve. The audience’s “end the Fed” cheers were enthusiastic and accompanied by matching signs. “It’s not working,” Paul said of the Federal Reserve. “It’s not what the people that founded it wanted it to be anymore.” Paul also spent time talking about foreign policy. What Washington (D.C.) doesn’t get right now is that we need to get out of other countries and mind our own business,” he said. “We have problems here at home we need to be dealing with first.” Paul s call for defensive-only wars was met with another standing ovation. The presidential candidate more than once acknowledged the fact he was at a college campus by giving the young crowd a nod. “This crowd’s a little more informed than their parents,” he said. “You’re on the Internet, you don’t have television news ishoving views on you. That’s why you’re herey because you’re informed.^! Natalie Brumfield said she thought calling out the audience on its Internet knowledge and its ability to think beyond biased media portrayal was a good idea, since it united the audience in a shared belief. It made me feel empowered, like this man could actually win and be a great president, Natalie said, noting that media does not normally give Paul much airtime. Paul may not be the most popular Republican candidate in the race—he finished third in Michigan s primary—but it doesn’t make his supporters any less passionate. The enthusiasm Paul was met with at his rally is something that can go down as one of the most energetic events in MSU history. 107 Junior Evan Stemmer captivates the audience with a glow stick performance. This TEDx event featured both presentation and performance-style guest appearances. Ashiq Rahiman speaks to the Tedx MSU crowd about growing up and interacting with different cultures. Rahiman is a senior international student at MSU. Jeff Jorge explains the history of access to information and the amazing speed of knowledge accumulation. Jorge is the Executive Partner and Founder of Global Development Partners: a global strategy, market growth and social responsibility consultancy group. Drummers from the Korean Student Organization dazzle the crowd with a riveting performance. This was the first TEDx event ever held on MSU’s campus. International Student Association hosts first TEDxMSU conference “Take a look at this map,” instructed speaker Jamie Hsu as a projection of the world appeared before the audience. “What do you see? Do you see people moving? Ideas spreading? Information growing?” This and many other questions were raised in the first annual TEDxMSU event on Mar. 31, which explored the ideas of globalization and localization and was hosted by the MSU International Students Association and the MSU Office for International Students and Scholars. “We felt that through combining TED with the global and local theme would serve as a bridge between the international and local students,” said Mohd Aizat Abdulrahim, who helped organize the event. But sometimes it is hard to bridge that gap. It is difficult to define global and local because the world is so dynamic and interconnected,” said Hsu, also a professor of management at Lawrence Technological University. TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, is a nonprofit organization that began as a four-day conference in California, and has expanded to inviting the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. TEDx is an independently organized TED event that brings the global aspects |! JED to a local level. Usually this would take me an entire semester to cover, Hsu said in front of his projected presentation, volving Careers in a Changing World. “However, I ave 18 minutes, and in these 18 minutes my goal is to entertain you, captivate you and educate you.” Hsu was an engineer and executive at General otors for 32 years, and with his Taiwanese roots and ecades of business travel he provided keen insight impact within the career world. ., y.ears ago, the top 10 jobs did not exist,” Hsu sat . ‘Write your plans in sand, carve your goals in stonlland cast your values in gold, for careers cannot be defined as rigid.” In fact, by age 38, people typically have had 10-14 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The goal for your career is to broaden your base, learn something new and instead of job seeking, propose your specific value within the company and spend your time doing, teaching and learning, according to Hsu. “Think without any box, plan outside the box, and act within the box,” Hsu said. Dany Masado, a graduate student who received the license to host the event, spoke of the Strict regulations in hosting the event. . “TED requires all independently run events to follow their rules and obtain a license. We had to follow all the directions given, maintain consistent contact, and notify them of our sponsors, but through working with the extraordinary group, they helped start a legacy at MSU, and it is a great one,” she said. “TED wants to keep the message of innovation, and I feel that our speakers achieved that.^H After only a month’s notice the International Students Association achieved the goal of creating the connection between the global and local community and maintained the innovative philosophy of TED. Captivated by the speakers, Taiki Fujimori, a sophomore Philosophy major, Sat beside the silhouette of a Spartan logo on the wall. “The message each speaker gave really hit home. I ^ feel that being at the local event, rather than watching the TED talks online, really made it feel inspirational.” Dr. Geri Zeldes, spoke on behalf of the pervasive nature of human intimacies, filtering into both global and local contexts. “We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers.” DRAGGING AWAY THE NORMS MSU's Official Drag Show abolishes gendered stereotypes It’s pFriday the 13th. Inside the International Center’s food court, columns are draped with eerie vines and spider webs, leading to a smoked out stage accompanied by a full-sized coffin. In a nearby dressing room, several drag queens and kings wait, applying the finishing touches to, perfect their look, whether it is a bit more glitter to the cheek or an added stroke to a flawlessly penciled goatee. These performers are warming up to take part in one of the most fabulous events of the year on April 13, Fright Night: The Official MSU Drag Show. Outside, a line stretches from the front door of the International Center and spans across the sidewalk to Farm Lane. A DJ plays the hottest hip hop tracks as hundreds of students wait, dancing in line, hoping to gain entry before the venue reaches capacity. Senior Justin Drwencke was not surprised by the colossal amount of students waiting to enter the show. As part of MSIJ’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, he characterized the drag show as a “great event to showcase the LGBT community to the larger campus community.” ‘iThe MSU Drag Show is really popular across campus, so there are a lot more people who get introduced to the culture,” he said. Junior Cole Davis said he sees the drag show as a way to expose a wider Audience of people to a part of gay culture. “I know there are a lot of people in the university who are just coming out or just being opened up to that world, and it’s great for them to get a chance to be exposed to it here on campus'” Davis said. The MSU Official Drag Show has become “a staple for Michigan State and something needed to do before you graduate,” University Activities Board member and senior Melissa Klusek said. UAB, the Residence Hall Association (RHA),; and Respecting Individuals on Neutral Grounds North Neighborhood Caucus sponsored the event, Onstage, emcee Hershae Chocolatae entertained even the most mundane audience members. From her humor to countless wardrobe changes, Chocolatae kept the crowd howling with clever one-liners and voice fluctuations ranging from soft hellos to deep, hoarse shouts when the audience was not paying proper attention. Lansing area drag queens, such as Delicious Jackson, Cheetah Jamison, Ace DeVille and Chanel Hunter, appeared draped in fabulous silk and glittered garments with luscious makeup and voluminous hair to match. Separately, the drag queens performed choreographed routines to diva jams, including Beyonce, Rhianna and Whitney Houston, while drag kings such as Dice Santana lit up the stage with suave steps and slick moves. For performer and Lansing resident Matthew Briekner, whose stage name is Ace DeVille, MSUs Official Drag Show is a canvas to expose drag culture to a younger audience that may not be exposed to tb|| art any other wayMg “I love the amount of new people that are here: that have never been to a drag show and the way they are so receptive,” Briekner said. “Their energy gives me energy, and I love it.” One of Briekner’s goals when performing is to encourage individuals interested in drag to try it. “I want to show that I’m this fabulous, and you can be this fabulous, too,” he said. “We all start from nowhere.” The culture of drag is notorious for celebrating gender as a performance, instead of a doctrine