October/November 2016
what’s in THIS ISSUE
Volume 55 Issue 5
Alvernia Football to Kick Off in 2018
Photo courtesy of Justin Herforth
By Justin Herforth Contributing Writer
Knocking Trees Down to Help the Kids
Football used at Alvernia Football announcement on October 5, 2016.
Football will be coming to Alvernia! The Alvernia Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to bring the sport to main campus in 2018. Football will become the 22nd sport on main campus. There will now be 10 men’s sports and 12 women’s sports. Alvernia will look to continue its excellence in athletics when the football team kicks off its inaugural season. The key for Alvernia to start out strong is to hire a great head coach and to recruit well. A good coach will draw interest from potential
“Orphan Train” Stops at Alvernia
Photo courtesy of ReJeanna Goldsborough
By Andrew Kelly Contributing Writer
Christina Baker Kline discusses her book, Orphan Train, and the history behind is for Alvernia’s Literary Festival.
By ReJeanna Goldsborough Contributing Writer
Is Pinterest Killing Our Creativity?
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PA State Professors Strike
The Student Body on Elections
Holiday Shopping Tips to Stay on Budget
student athletes, and the rich tradition of winning helps as well. According to Athletic Director Bill Stiles, Alvernia plans to hire their first head coach by January 2017 to get a start on the recruiting process. Along with recruitment for finding the best players for the team, there are some students that hope that they will have the opportunity to try out for the team. “It has always been a dream of mine to play football in college,” Andrew Cook, junior said. “If I were to have the opportunity to try out and make the football team
Christina Baker Kline, author of the New York Times Bestseller, Orphan Train, presented a lecture at Alvernia University on October 5 as a part of the 2016-2017 literary festival. A reception was held at 5 p.m. where Kline mingled with attendees. The reception was followed by a lecture by Kline at 6:30 p.m. in the Francis Hall Theater. Kline, born in Cambridge, England and raised in Maine, obtained her bachelors at
Yale and her MFA in fiction writing at UVA. In addition to authoring Orphan Train and several previous novels, Kline has also published various essays, articles and reviews in publications such as The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and Psychology Today. In addition to writing, Kline has also taught writing, poetry, English literature and women’s studies at Yale, NYU and Drew University. Kline’s novel Orphan Train has spent more than two years on the New York Times
bestseller list, including five weeks at #1, and has been published in 38 countries. Orphan Train is a fictional story, but it is based around the real-life trains that transported poor and orphaned children from New York City to the farmlands of the Midwest between 1854 and 1929. These children were then given to families as indentured servants to help on farms until they turned 18 or 21.
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Negotiations over a new faculty contract remain tense between the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The APSCUF has raised concerns over many of the 240 State System proposals. The State System has proposed adjusting the contractual cap on the maximum allowable number of temporary (adjunct) and part-time faculty from 25 percent to 30 percent. It has also proposed an increased workload for full-time temporary faculty, assigning faculty members to teach outside their field of knowledge, increasing the need for on-campus students to take online courses, and allowing graduate students to teach certain classes. Dr. Spencer Stober, professor of Biology and Educational Leadership at Alvernia, supports the strike, and gave
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campus news
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Managing Editor Mady Johnston Layout Mady Johnston Section Editors Mikaileigh Baker Jane Burkett Kyle Grim Connor Mustakas John Petrecz Ryan Weber Contributing Writers Gwen Bauer Veronica Cepparulo Andrew Dotter Cheyenne Ettinger ReJeanna Goldsborough Elizabeth Gonyea Carmen Gonzalez Sarah Hamory Justin Herforth Andrew Kelly Macy Storm Justin Strohm Faculty Advisor Dr. Ryan Lange
The Alvernian is the official student newspaper of Alvernia University. To contact newspaper staff, the office telephone number is 610-796-8358.
Articles submitted for consideration into The Alvernian should be written in some semblance of AP style. Letters to the editor, requests for advertisements, and general comments and questions may be submitted to ryan.lange@alvernia.edu. The editors reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, accuracy, and length.
The views expressed in The Alvernian are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the student body, faculty, staff, administration, or sponsors.
© 2016 The Alvernian
Reading Collegiate Scholars Program Hello Alvernia! As you well know, the Holleran Center for Community Engagement and the O’Pake Institute for Ethics, Leadership and Public Service are our two “Centers of Excellence,” charged with creating learning experiences for Alvernia students and leveraging University resources to foster positive change in the community around us. By so doing, we believe that we help our students become “engaged citizens and ethical leaders with moral courage” while also making a positive contribution to the Greater Reading Community, and beyond. One of the most impactful community programs conceived by Alvernia, and supported by both centers, is the Reading Collegiate Scholars Program (RCSP). This program combines college readiness programming and academic assistance to high school students in Reading with scholarship, mentoring and other assistance to students from Reading who enroll at Alvernia. The goal of the RCSP is to encourage high school students from the City of Reading to finish high school, be prepared for college, and be successful in completing their degree. The RCSP consists of two levels of programming: The first enables identified students from the City of Reading to participate in activities designed to provide advanced supports aimed at college readiness, such as academic tutoring, applications assistance and an introduction to college life. The second, in addition to offering financial aid, provides important assistance to support our scholars in their college experience, including providing academic and community mentors, and other tools to help them to become successful college graduates. RCSP is quickly garner-
ing national attention as an exceptional approach to help first-generation college students from smaller cities, especially communities with high rates of poverty and relatively low levels of educational attainment like Reading, successfully enter college and complete their degree. Now in its third year, RCSP has demonstrated itself to be an impactful program both for high school and college students, and we would like to share some of the remarkably positive early outcomes with you. From the High School Program: To date, the RCSP program has served 502 high school students from Reading, offering assistance with developing college applications, major selection, academic tutoring, and organizing visits to college campuses. RCSP programming is offered at Reading High School, Reading Intermediate High School, and the Mulberry Street Olivet Boys and Girls Club. Students from RCSP have visited a variety of college campuses, including Alvernia, Albright, RACC, Kutztown, Philadelphia U., Penn State Berks, Penn State Main, Millersville, Ursinus, Susquehanna, Lehigh, NYU, Drexel, Carnegie Mellon, East Stroudsburg, and West Chester University. Of the 63 high school seniors that participated in the RCSP at Reading High over the last academic year, 59 successfully matriculated at the college of their choice this fall. Programming to high school students is offered by Alvernia students who work or volunteer for the program through the Holleran Center. Last year, Alvernia students provided 1,930 hours of service to the program, including tutoring, college readiness programming and facilitating campus visits to Alvernia and other schools.
Photo courtesy of Patrick McGettigan
t h e alver n ian
Vol. 55 Issue 5
Brenden Schlotzhauer, first year Healthcare Science major helps high school senior Maritza Tinoco with SAT preparation at Reading High School through the Reading Collegiate Scholars Program.
From the University Program: This year our third cohort of 10 scholars joins the students in the first two groups admitted to Alvernia through the RCSP program. Today, there are twenty-five Reading Collegiate Scholars on campus, joined by three other students who helped to round out the first cohort. Collectively, these students have been actively involved in campus life, participating in student activities, performing in musical and theatrical programs, serving as OWLS, RAs and tour guides. Many hold jobs on campus, serving as tutors, peer mentors, working in the various offices on campus. The RCSP scholars have also been active in the community, participating in service projects, traveling on mission trips, serving as tutors in the College Readiness program. And academically, as a group, the first two cohorts have achieved an overall GPA of 3.2. Several scholars have been inducted into academic honor societies and made Dean’s list. Guided by our Franciscan mission, the RCSP is one way that Alvernia is serving the community. Historically, Reading has had a lower percentage of college graduates
in its work force than many other areas of Pennsylvania, with many of Reading’s resident adults having only a high school diploma, or less. With that in mind, Alvernia designed this program not only to increase access to higher education for underserved students in Reading, but equally important, to improve results by increasing the number of Reading students who successfully graduate with a four-year degree, and it is working! Alvernians, you are a part of a special place, and you have much to be proud of— thank you for your support! We will continue to share with you the good work you and your University are doing in our community. To learn more about the Reading Collegiate Scholars Program please reach out to the Holleran Center for Community Engagement, or the O’Pake Institute for Ethics, Leadership and Public Service. R. David Myers, Director, O’Pake Institute Jay Worrall, Director, Holleran Center
Write for The Alvernian!
campus news October/November 2016
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Alvernia Football to Kick Off in 2018 (Continued pg. 1) here at Alvernia, it would be a dream come true.” There will be construction on the stadium to add new bleachers as well as renovations to the PEC that are expected to be completed by the end of summer 2017. Renovations to the PEC are not only to get ready for football, but also to create better facilities for the other sports as well. The renovations include upgrades to locker rooms and additional stadium seating along with a press box and hospitality suite. The bleachers being added will be located below the PEC and on the hill, and are expected to seat between 900 and 1,200 fans. The Crusader Crazies will finally be able to “Fill the Hill” after the renovations are completed. Along with the renovations being done to the
stadium and the PEC, the biggest project on campus is the PLEX and the addition of east campus. The PLEX will help a great deal because the new football team is going to need time to practice and train like the other sports on campus. When the PLEX opens in 2019, the team will use the facilities there for training. Parking is already a major issue on campus for students and faculty. With a crowd for football games, will the situa-
tion be even more hectic? The plan for crowds and excess traffic for games will be to have parking in Angelica Park and at the new East Campus when it opens in 2019 with shuttles taking fans to the games from there. During the historic announcement, Alvernia President Thomas F. Flynn spoke about how the new team will help to build upon the strong athletics program that we already have on
campus, while also attracting new students. “Our launch of football now is part of a logical evolution for the university at a time when we are well situated to expand athletic and recreational opportunities for our students,” Dr. Flynn said. The start of the football program will bring excitement and energy to the campus that has never been seen before. The addition of football will look to increase
interest in fall athletics in the student body as attendance is poor because of the lack of seating and advertisement of the events. A large percentage of students wait until the winter when basketball season rolls around to attend sporting events on campus. “I usually just go to the basketball games if anything,” Arelis Colon, junior said. “Not enough of my friends go to the games in the fall, I feel like football will change that dynamic, people will want to go to the games.” Alvernia football is going to create a lot of excitement and buzz throughout the community, and it will look to continue on the university’s athletic excellence when the program kicks off in 2018.
Alvernia Football logo.
Photo courtesy of Patrick McGettigan
PA State Professors Strike (Continued pg. 1)
A flyer posted on the campus of Edinboro University.
his two most important reasons. The first is solidarity. “We as professors should support other professors in their profession when treated unfairly,” Dr. Stober said. The second reason he gave was simply “the students.” Another proposal from the State System involves a 20%
increase in the workload of adjunct professors. Expecting these professors to teach more classes will hamper their ability to commit to research, creative work, clubs, advising, and even effectively teaching said classes. “In short, college is much more than time in a class-
room,” Dr. Stober said. While the state-run schools are granted collective bargaining rights by state law, Alvernia is a private school and so must be granted that right by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The University of Scranton, for example, is a private university with a unionized faculty, the Faculty Affairs Council, a chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). That happened because the faculty and administration agreed on it. Private schools, like Alvernia, have trouble unionizing because faculty are considered as managers. This is because groups comprised of faculty members ostensibly make personnel decisions (they “hire” and “fire” people), but the administration has the final say. Dr. Stober recalls the last time faculty brought a case to the NLRB for collective bargaining, in 1990. “The NLRB supported the administration’s case against it,” he said. A teacher’s strike is not a threat at Alvernia at present. Dr. Jamie Martin, APSCUF’s vice president and chair of the negotiations team, expressed irritation over the State’s attitude after an
unproductive meeting on September 29. “Their proposed treatment of our adjunct faculty continues to be extremely troubling,” Dr. Martin said. “At the bargaining table, they once said they wanted to turn our temporary faculty into ‘teaching machines’ by suggesting that their salaries be cut or their workload be increased by 20 percent,” Dr. Martin said. “They actually said that.” “I was disgusted by their disdain. My colleagues are hardworking teachers and researchers who provide valuable service to our students and our universities. We are anything but ‘teaching machines.’” NPR reports that the average adjunct professor (and 75% of instructors nationwide are adjunct) makes $20,000 to $25,000 annually. A strike began in the Pennsylvania State System on October 19. The strike was still active at time of publication.
For more information about APSCUF, visit their website via the QR code below.
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campus news
October/November 2016
Vol. 55 Issue 5
Media and Politics: Educating Youth Voters By Justin Herforth Contributing Writer
Photo courtesy of Dr. Jodi Radosh
This year’s presidential election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is one of the most highly anticipated elections in recent memory. It is also one of the hardest choices for voters come Election Day, November 8. Media and Politics, a class taught by Dr. Jodi Radosh and Dr. Victoria Williams, helps students with that decision. It is designed to help inform students about the
election and how the media impacts politics. Many America’s youth voters are not informed about the candidates and current events. This course helps solve that issue. The majority of the class is centered on the Trump and Clinton campaigns for the presidential election, analyzing political speeches, debates, political advertisements and current events surrounding each candidate. Some other issues being covered include the relation-
Media and Politics class in Washington D.C. on October 7, 2016.
ship between media and democracy, the roles of media in society and whether the media has an ideological bias. “I really enjoy teaching this course every four years with Dr. Williams,” Dr. Radosh said. “This is such a unique experience for students as well as professors.” Dr. Radosh has taught the course four times, but every year is different than the last. She enjoys discussing the changing perspectives of students every class. “This election is certainly being played in all aspects of the media, traditional, social and even comedy news shows like Saturday Night Live. [I enjoy] getting input from the students and seeing the election through their eyes.” Students get as much out of the class as Dr. Radosh does as well. “I was really interested in politics and media, so it was a no brainier for me to sign up for this class, and I must say it is really living up to my
expectations,” Keith Noonan, junior, said. “I really enjoy the class and the discussions I especially enjoy because I think learning from the real world is very important, especially with the presidential election.” America’s youth voters are ages 18 to 29. In the 2008 election, 51% of that age group cast a vote. Just four years later in the 2012 election, that percentage dropped to 45%. The youth vote is crucial in elections. When Barack Obama won in 2008 and 2012, he dominated the youth vote with over 60% in both elections. Without the youth vote, he probably would not have become president, since he was not as popular for voters 45 years of age and over. So, youth votes do matter. Media and Politics also helps students in their voting decisions, especially if they were undecided, by providing them with unbiased informa-
tion surrounding the candidates and their platforms on major issues. “This class has fortified my voting decision,” Olivia Hess, junior, said. “I have become more aware of Trump and Clinton’s policies, and I have realized how much I disagree with one candidate’s views and how much I agree with the other’s views.” This election is a crucial one, especially for youth voters, every vote matters. So, get informed and get out and vote on November 8.
the group left for the farm. Worrall was “tremendously impressed” after seeing how many students, despite the weather, had shown up for service. Once at the farm, members of the Berks County Parks and Recreation Department told Alvernia students what they would be doing throughout the day. One project that would be happening was the cutting down of trees to open up space for a new wild flower garden. The space will be used as a learning garden as well. Other projects included taking down forts in the woods, cleaning up other gardens and building butterfly and bee houses. Berks County Parks and Recreation employee Brendan Lederer showed much gratitude towards the Alvernia students. “It’s always nice to have Alvernia students here,” Lederer said. “We appreciate your hard work and all that you do.” Victoria Gowland, senior, has participated in St. Francis Day of Service every year since she has been at Alvernia. “It is something my friends and I do every year,” Gowland said. “We make sure that we
mark off that weekend so we can do service together.” Gowland and her friends were in the group that got to cut down the trees. Gowland is a senior Occupational Therapy major and will be at Alvernia for one more year, while her friends are graduating this year. “It has been a tradition since we all came to school that we do service,” Gowland said. “This was our last St. Francis Day of Service all together.” At the end of the day, almost 20 trees had been cut down. There were a couple groups that struggled to cut the trees down by them-
selves, but they did not have to worry. Other Alvernia students came to the rescue and as a group they finished the job. For more information on service projects and service days, you can check out the Holleran Center in Bernardine Hall room 102!
From left to right- Chloe Gletow, Alexa Cerulli, and Nicole Procopio volunteering for St. Francis Day of Service.
By Veronica Cepparulo Contributing Writer On October 1, 2016, over 150 students took part in Alvernia’s annual St. Francis Day of Service. This years’ service took place at Angora Fruit Farms. Angora Fruit Farms covers over 23 acres and was a family owned farm. The original owners recently passed on. Today, the Berks County Parks and Recreation
Department runs the farm as an education center to teach children about environmental issues. The Alvernian team marshalled in the Student Center at 8:30 a.m. for registration and the welcoming. Each student received a free t-shirt from the Holleran Center to wear during the day’s event. After an introductory talk by Jay Worrall, Director of Community Engagement for the Holleran Center,
Photo courtesy of The Holleran Center
Photo courtesy of The Holleran Center
Knocking Trees Down to Help the Kids
Students gather at Angora Fruit Farms before being given their tasks.
campus news
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October/November 2016
Vol. 55 Issue 5
“Orphan Train” Stops at Alvernia (Continued pg. 1) Over the next few years Kline would read hundreds of nonfiction narratives and speak with half a dozen of the remaining train riders about their experiences. Kline emphasized in her lecture that everything that happens to the characters in her novel was based on actual anecdotes told to her by train riders. “I wanted the story, the facts of the story, to be as accurate as possible. So even though I tell the story from [Vivian’s] perspective, the events of the book are true,” Kline said during the lecture. “It was important to me that a train rider or a descendant could read this novel and know that it was an accurate portrayal of what actually happened.” Orphan Train is currently being adapted into a feature length film with the collaboration of producers Michael London and Janice Williams, both known for their work on the Academy Award win-
By Connor Mustakas Contributing Editor
Clinton comes off as a classic example of a career politician in the bad light, and on the other Donald Trump seems to be out of control, immature, and with bad intentions. This election also comes at a pivotal time in the United States, and many young voters are very down on our candidates. “This election is quite possibly one of the most important elections in a long time,” Nathan Keller, junior, said. “Unfortunately, our two candidates are 70 years of age and do not accurately represent many voters’ views including mine. I’m simply voting for the lesser of two evils.” “There is such a pull of polarization, that young
ning film, “Milk.” This will be Kline’s first film adaption. Her newest novel, based on the iconic painting “Christina’s World” by Andrew Wyeth, will be releasing in Winter of 2017.
To find out more information about Kline, Orphan Train or any of her other works, visit her website at www.christinabakerkline. com. To find out more informa-
tion about the Alvernia Literary Festival, contact Sue Guay at sue.guay@alvernia.edu or call (610) 796-8344.
Photo courtesy of ReJeanna Goldsborough
In her novel, the story follows a young Irish immigrant, Vivian Daly, as she experiences the trials and tribulations of being a train rider. Kline’s lecture focused on the history behind Orphan Train rather than on the book itself. The book was a hefty research project that Kline had spent several years investigating before even beginning to write her novel. “I realized that this was the story most people didn’t know a lot about, so this was the story that I was going to tell,” Kline said during her lecture. After learning that her husband’s grandfather was a passenger on an orphan train, Kline researched all she could on this seldom talked about piece of American history. “In all my years of schooling I’d never heard about the 200,000 poor, orphaned, and abandoned city children who were sent on trains to the Midwest,” Kline said in an interview.
In her lecture, Kline stressed how important the historical accuracy of the plot was to her in the hopes that those reading the story could identify with the protagonist’s journey and emotions.
Photo courtesy of Politico.com
The 2016 Presidential election race has been one of the most bizarre events in recent memory. As the country sets out to find its next leader, the history of both major candidates, as well as the mudslinging between the two, has left many turned off to the process in general. Now as the race is seemingly coming to a close, it is worth wondering if the banter between Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton has gone too far. Many voters in the youth age group find themselves seemingly choosing between the lesser of two evils of sorts. On one hand, Hillary
people like myself feel like they have to love one or hate the other,” Christopher Thomas, junior, said. This is due to the way the election has been set up. While third party candidates like Gary Johnson are beginning to gain traction, the elimination of Bernie Sanders, the man who had many young voters riled up, has given a bad aftertaste to the general election coming up in November. While the anomaly that was Donald Trump running for President might have at first seemed interesting, many voters are now put off by his showmanship. “Both candidates have done some stupid things,” Kyle Grim, senior, said. “So, at
Photo courtesy of Drew Angerer, Getty Images
Alvernia Students Weigh in on Election 2016
Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump has become the talk of the nation.
Does Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has the credentials to be the next President of the United States?
this point I really don’t think either have done anything to further their status as a potential president.” This feeling of disgust and disinterest is not something that is reserved for a few. Many youth voters feel that this choice in November is one with no real positives. With so much negativity coming from both campaigns this year, it is not hard to see that the whole process turns many off. As the election continues to heat up, it seems that everyday a new scandal comes out against either Trump or Clinton. The candidates have spent so much time dragging each other through the mud that many may be numb to it at
this point. With Trump’s recent Access Hollywood scandal being the latest example, it is hard for young voters to feel this election has any gain for them. While the election may not feature any candidates that youth voters agree with, some may find it worth reviewing into third parties to find someone who resonates with their ideals.
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Vol. 55 Issue 5
Follow these tips to stay on budget while shopping for the holidays.
By Sarah Hamory Contributing Writer The holiday season for most is the best time of the year. Unfortunately, for our bank accounts it may not be. It is important to keep in mind the best steps to stay on
a budget while giving gifts for those around us just to see them smile. Here are five tips on how to holiday shop on a budget. (Perfect for college students!) 1. Plan Ahead Make a list of everyone you need to buy for and how
Fall Movie Preview
much you need to spend before you step into any store. This is the best way to make use of retailers deals. Speaking of retailers deals, look for sales, coupons, and make use of online deals. By doing this, you can save extra during the holiday shopping season. 2. Keep a List If you keep a list of what you want to buy, what you need to buy, and what your budget is, you will feel much more organized. Download the app “Wunderlist”. It’s a simple to-do list app that will take away some of the holiday stress and make it much easier to complete all the to-dos! 3. DIY Gifts “Do it yourself” gifts are the way to go especially on a budget. You can find cheap materials to make something inexpensive and amazing. All materials put together can still cost less than what would be spent on a gift from the store. Check out Michael’s
With every change of season comes a new lineup of exciting upcoming movies! The fall movie season has already gotten off to an exciting start with great movies like Deepwater Horizon, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Chris Pratt’s The Magnificent Seven, and Disney’s Queen of Katwe. All of these from only the last two weeks of September! October is on track to continue that trend. Last week saw the release of thriller novel adaptation, The Girl on the Train, about a woman who watches the perfect couple everyday as she passes their house on the train. But everything is not as perfect as it seems when the woman witnesses a shocking event happen and gets caught up in the mystery that follows. “I was completely sucked into it and thrilled by the idea that your protagonist was a blackout drunk,” star Emily Blunt said about her role. On October 14, we saw the release of two thrillers and one comedy. Ben Affleck’s The Accountant, is about a mysterious freelance accountant who works for
Photo courtesy of Fantasticbeasts.com
By Andrew Dotter Contributing Writer
Harry Potter fans have long been anticipating the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them on November 18.
the world’s most dangerous crime organizations. “I thought, this movie could look like a lot of other genre action movies, but when you went and saw it, you get something a lot more interesting and layered,” star Ben Affleck said about the movie. Also playing is STX Entertainment’s Desierto, about a group of unarmed men and women who are relentlessly pursued by a merciless rifle-toting killer through the U.S.-Mexican border, provide a dark start to the upcoming weekend. But if you’re looking for something lighter (and funnier) then maybe Kevin Hart’s Kevin Hart: What Now? is the film you should see. The movie was filmed out-
side in front of 50,000 people at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field and marks the first time a comedian has ever performed to a full capacity football stadium. Those thrillers might hold you over until Halloween but what about a good scary movie? In Boo! A Madea Halloween, Perry’s famous character Madea finds herself fighting off all things that go bump in the night in the hilarious new installment of the Madea movie series. In 31, a group of five carnival workers are kidnapped and forced to play a deadly game of life or death called 31. Their next twelve hours is a fight for their lives in this dark horror movie.
or AC Moore for some crafty inexpensive items. Another fun positive: They usually have a 50% off coupon to use on any regular priced item! 4. Secret Santa This is the easiest and most inexpensive way to make sure everyone in your family or friend group has a gift without buying gifts individually. A website to make this task a little bit easier than picking out of a hat is www.drawnames.com. All that is required are the e-mail addresses and the list of people involved. It also gives you the option to
list a few items as a “helper” to someone that might not know you too well. Be sure to check that out and maybe use it at your next holiday event! 5. Set a Spending Limit Make sure to keep a spending limit and do not go over. It may help to keep a list of each individual person you shop for and how much to spend per person. Save early and cut corners where it is possible to. Check out local small businesses and consignment shops for inexpensive items if your budget is low.
Photo courtesy of Kommunicated.com
Photo courtesy of Channel One News
Holiday Shopping Tips to Stay on Budget
Snack jars can be an inexpensive DIY gift for the holidays.
Another unsettling film is Ouija: Origin of Evil, about a group of friends that unleash their deepest fears after contacting the other side with a Ouija board. November continues the excitement and includes some of the year’s most anticipated films. The first week will see the release of Marvel’s Doctor Strange, about a surgeon turned superhero who uses his newfound psychic powers to fight evil, J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the story of Newt Scamander and his quest to recover his escaped mystical creatures, and Disney’s newest princess movie Moana, about a young girl who embarks on a journey in search of a mythical island and has the adventure of a lifetime. But it’s December that has the most anticipated and talked about movie of the year: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. This prequel to A New Hope is hot off the heels of last year’s mega-blockbuster Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which was the seventh movie of the Star Wars saga. The story focuses on a group of rebels who team up for a daring mission to
recover the Death Star plans. This film is the second in Disney’s plan of releasing a Star Wars movie every year, whether the film is Episodes Eight and Nine or an original story like Rogue One. The movie will also see the second female lead in a Star Wars movie following Daisy Ridley’s heroine Rey from The Force Awakens. “She is absolutely a very unlikely heroine. She’s someone on the edges and fringes of society,” Rogue One star Felicity Jones said about her role as Jyn Erso. The film will be released on December 16 of this year. The fall season is all about staying warm while enjoying everything autumn has to offer. So grab your warm jacket, get some popcorn and get ready to watch some the fall’s best upcoming movies. For a complete list of upcoming movies and details about them visit movieinsider.com.
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Cheap, Fun College Fall Activities College students are always looking for fun and cheap things to do in the area. For those students that are not familiar with the area, there are many things to do on and off campus. There are many places to go and do right here on campus for little to no cost. Starting with Halloween, there are many places to go for different events and activities. A few cheap and fun places to go and get you in
the Halloween spirit are these haunted attractions; Pennhurst, Shocktoberfest, and the Field of Screams. Student Activities sponsored a trip to Pennhurst this year for the Halloween trip on October 23. If you did not sign up for this trip, you are still able to go at a discounted price. Pennhurst holds a few college nights where college students can get $10 off every ticket. They have four attractions this year, the Asylum, the Dungeon of Lost Souls, the Ghost Hunt, and the Tunnel of Terror.
Photo courtesy of Pennhurst Asylum
By Gwen Bauer Contributing Writer
Pennhurst Asylum is one of many Halloween attractions for students.
Shocktoberfest, another Halloween attraction, consists of three main activities, the Unknown 2.0, the Zombie Safari Hay Ride, and the Prison of the Dead. This is where the school Halloween trip was last year. “I would definitely recommend it again, it makes you get into the Halloween spirit,” Danny Hetrick, sophomore business major, said. The third place is the Field of Screams which will has four main attractions; the Haunted Hayride, the Den of Darkness, the Frightmare Asylum, and the Nocturnal Wasteland. All the haunted attractions cost around $35 dollars to do at least three of the events. There were not any discounts shown on the website If you are interested in something a little cheaper and a little less creepy, there are many other activities. There are several corn mazes, apple orchards, and pumpkin patches to visit in the area.
The corn mazes are usually under $15, and if you choose to visit an apple orchard or pumpkin patch, it will cost as much as you choose to spend on the fall festivities. Student Activities is also offering a trip to the Renaissance Fair on November 29. If you are looking for another way to spend your time, men’s and women’s basketball season is coming along with the men’s ice hockey season. Some fun events that are under $5 to do on campus are easy to find. Have a movie night with your friends. Everyone can even chip in to get your favorite holiday cookies and some drinks such as hot cocoa and hot apple cider. Then heat up your drinks, pop in a holiday movie, and enjoy your time with friends. Another simple activity would be to purchase pumpkins with your friends and you can paint, draw, or carve them.
You could also go to a coffee shop and get any kind of fall drink, which would help you get some homework done. Lastly, have a bonfire and enjoy your favorite music, s’mores, and hot holiday drinks with friends. Ask your RA about getting a fire pit for the night and spend some more time getting to know your hall-mates. Last year Resident Assistant McKenna Achenbach threw a bonfire for her hallway as a educational program, “It is fun and everyone seems to enjoy the s’mores,” Achenbach said. There is plenty to do and see on campus and in the surrounding community, so have yourself a fun fall season. Enjoy it and let yourself forget about your responsibilities, even if it is just for a few hours.
By Carmen Gonzalez Contributing Writer Many people eagerly await Halloween to be able to dress up and express themselves in a variety of costumes ranging from humorous to petrifying. It is important to acknowledge that although this can be a fun and creative day for some people, others take it out of proportion and make this holiday dangerous for kids and parents to enjoy. “It is unfortunate that I won’t be able to enjoy this year’s Halloween with my younger siblings because I’m afraid something terrible can happen to us,” Maciel Ceballos-Peralta, junior, said. With so many things happening, it is almost like it is out of the control of anyone. “I wish we could enjoy trick or treating like the old times where we could go out into the community without the worry of being in danger and return home safe,” Ceballos-Peralta said. Fortunately, there are some safety rules everyone can follow in order to be safe this year. During the past few weeks, there has already been violent crimes in the city of Reading involving teenagers wearing frightening Hallow-
een masks. One of these incidents led to the death of a teen. The teen was very well loved in the community and seemed to be adjusting well with the transition of becoming an adult. Many in the community are still in disbelief with his loss, and advise everyone to be safe and awfully careful during the Halloween weekend. In order to assure a safe and fun Halloween weekend around the community and on campus everyone should keep a few things in mind. If you are going to attend an event during the Halloween weekend, be sure to stick with a group of friends. Never leave the event by yourself and always take at least one extra person, and never allow a friend to go alone either. The buddy system helps keep everyone safe. Make sure to minimize the use of listening devices while you are walking. This will prevent you from clearly paying attention to what is going on in your surroundings. Do not take dark routes and walk by well-lit areas. Keep your phone with you at all times, and keep it charged. Perhaps your costume might not have pockets
and it feels bothersome to carry it around in a bag, but having your phone might be the difference between life and death. People who are old enough to drink should also be sure to monitor their intake. Overindulging on Halloween can be dangerous. If you have had anything to drink, get a ride home. During Halloween time people tend to act out and do unnecessary activities. This matter becomes significantly important in regards to the night time appearances of clowns in the community. Alvernia is in close proximity of this sinister clowning and it is easily accessible to anyone. “The public safety department should take extra caution for this year’s Halloween weekend and have higher security on campus at all times, especially during the night time,” Yanelis Herrera, senior, said. Herrera proposed stronger measures for Alvernia security officers. “Allowing higher security with trained professionals who are able to carry weapons and use them correctly will enhance the safety of students and staff.” But what about the clowns?
Photo courtesy of Carmen Gonzalez
You Ought to Look Out: Halloween Safety Tips
Do not walk through dark alley ways. You never know who can be waiting on the other side.
“We are aware of the current clown sightings throughout the nation and of course will not tolerate that on campus as this is a private institution and not a public university,” Director of Public safety, Edward Heim said. The Public Safety Department also makes sure of putting extra officers on duty for Halloween. The Reading police are also requested to do extra patrol when possible. If you are sure you will be away from campus for the weekend and you are a resident make sure you take some important contact numbers and saved them in your phone, in case you might
need them. The Department of Public Safety provide services 24 hours a day and 7 days a week they can always be reached at 610-796-8350. The local police department can also be contacted at 610555-6116. “As in the past public safety will make every attempt to provide a safe and secure campus for the Alvernia faculty, staff, students and visitors” Heim said. No matter what your plans are this Halloween, remember these safety tips and you are sure to have a fun and safe weekend.
beyond campus
8 October/November 2016
Vol. 55 Issue 5
Mickie, a male Chihuahua, is adoptable at the Animal Rescue League.
By Cheyenne Ettinger Contributing Writer As a college student, there is a good chance that you are all over the place with homework, studying and possibly have a job. Managing time can become stressful with everything that needs to be done in a day, with barely any time. As Alvernia students, 40 volunteer hours are needed as a graduation requirement.
That statement itself can cause even more stress. If you are looking to get community service hours or need some stress relief, look no further than the Animal Rescue League of Berks County (ARL). Many animals (especially cats and dogs) reside here, looking for their forever homes. Each has a different story and personality, making the experience all the more worth-while. From kittens to pitbulls to horses and more, there is an animal and a job for everyone in need of service hours. Nan Parks, marketing director, has been with the ARL since April of this year. Parks loves what she does. “Animals have a good power,” she said. There are many roles a student can play in order to gain community service hours as well as to really make a difference in other’s lives. From kennel care to
landscaping, cat cuddling or interning at the front office, there is something for everyone. Not only will students be doing what they need to do, but they will also gain a rewarding experience from spending time with the animals. “A lot of volunteers leave destressed after spending time with the animals,” Parks said. “People want to make sure that they are happy. There’s nothing better for a destressor, great companion, a good responsibility.” The ARL brings in nearly 6,000 animals a year. Depending on the season, more cats could be coming in all at once. Due to the overflow of animals that are brought into the shelter, not only is volunteering needed, but donations, as well. Anything helps, such as blankets, food and treats, Kong toys, cleaning supplies, and especially cat litter! Other opportunities include walking the shelter
dogs and fostering animals. In order to walk the dogs, the ARL prefers that you be eighteen or older, which is no issue for college students. However, there is an orientation that must be taken before walking the dogs, which can be found online for available days and times. Fostering can be a bit trickier. Of course, residents cannot partake in fostering, but commuter students and their families can. Fostering requires taking care of the animal as if the animal was your own, but also going to show events and making sure that they are sociable to help them get adopted. Fostering takes a lot of dedication, but is worth it in the long run. It can be hard to say goodbye once adopted, but the feeling of helping an animal find their forever home is a rewarding feeling. If students are interested in volunteering at the ARL and getting approved commu-
dents. College Program participants are responsible for doing their own grocery shopping, maintaining good condition of the apartments (which are inspected randomly at least once a month), getting to and from work on time, and managing their own finances. The parks offer jobs in operations, entertainment, lodging, food and beverage, retail, and recreation. The infamous “Disney Look” requires that cast members always have clean and tidy costumes, maintain professional-looking hair styles, have no visible tattoos or piercings, and always have smiles on their faces. Participants are expected to work a rigorous 40 to 60 hours every week in the job that they are assigned. All Disney cast members are held to very high standards in all aspects including how they communicate with guests, their efficiency in the workplace, and how they present themselves to the public. “I learned a lot about Disney’s business structure and networked with managers that I maintain great relationships with today,” Scott Dressler, Alvernia graduate, said.
While it sounds like a lot of work, and it is, most of the time it doesn’t even feel like work. No matter where you are working or what you are doing, you are making magic for the guests, and that is the most important thing to remember. By the end of the program, no matter what job you had in Disney, you will be more than prepared for any future career. “One of the most important things that I learned while with Disney was to network, network, network… set up meet and greets with your leaders to learn more about how they got in their position and above all else, put in the work,” Dressler said. Surprisingly, in between all those hours of work, there is also plenty of time for play too. Whether it is spending the day in the parks, meeting characters, riding rides, and watching shows, or exploring the many other opportunities the surrounding areas have to offer, it is impossible to run out of adventures. During my time in Florida, I obviously spent insane amounts of time in the parks and loving every minute of it, but I also learned to break free from my comfort zone and enjoy adventures that I
never would have previously imagined going on. I did a Wild Africa Trek in Animal Kingdom where I crossed a rope bridge over a lake full of alligators, I hit the beaches in Miami, I stood inches away from gators in the Everglades, I floated down springs that were so clear I could see the manatees swimming under me, and I even went to California for a day to see Disneyland for the first time. “The memories that my roommates and I have from our DCP are probably some of
Photo courtesy of Nan Parks
Photo courtesy of Cheyenne Ettinger
Lending A Helping Paw
Star, the lovable pit bull, visited WEEU for Pet of the Week.
nity service hours, they can contact Brooke Castner at the 610-373-8830, extension 109. The ARL is open Monday and Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday 11 a.m.- 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., but is closed on Wednesdays. For more information on how to get involved, visit www.berksarl.org.
Don’t You Want to Do as the Dreamers Do at Disney? The Walt Disney Company is currently accepting applications for the spring session of the Disney College Program, an internship that could change your life. “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them,” Walt Disney once said. Disney has gone down in history as one of the best leaders, innovators, and creative geniuses in America, and maybe even the world. It is because of Walt Disney that millions of people’s dreams come true every day. It is because of this amazing man that my dreams are coming true, and yours can too. The program is a 4 to 7 month internship where students have the incredible opportunity to explore Walt Disney World in Florida or Disneyland in California. Students from all over the world come to these magical places to build transferable skills like problem-solving, teamwork, networking, effective communication, and even “adulting.” While Disney offers housing that is just a ten-minute drive from the parks, everything else is up to the stu-
the best… our backstage tour of the Haunted Mansion, my favorite ride, was unforgettable,” Dressler said. The Disney College Program provides students with the opportunity to work with one of the most wellrespected companies in the world, meet amazing people, and make dreams come true. Your dreams can come true today if you have the courage to pursue them.
Photo courtesy of Paige Burkett
By Paige Burkett Contributing Editor
While in Disney, students form one-of-a-kind friendships that are sure to last a lifetime. (L-R) Emma McKeith, Taylor Schreier, Paige Burkett, and Layna Munoz were roommates during the program. The ladies became incredibly close, and continue to keep in touch.
sports October/November 2016
9 Vol. 55 Issue 5
Alvernia Rides for the River
Photo courtesy of Schuylkill River Heritage Area
Riders’ bikes lined up while at the one rest stop.
By Mikaileigh Baker Contributing Editor A chilly, gloomy morning did not stop over 300 bikers of Ride for the River. The 40-mile and 16-mile trips on Saturday, September 24 were sponsored by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area. The rides raised money for the Schuylkill River Trail to help the Schuylkill River Heritage Area maintain and
improve it. Bicycling is not a large activity that the Alvernia campus is involved with. “I would love to see more of the Alvernia community on bikes! This area is so rich in opportunities for biking or exploration,” Alex Roche, Alvernia alum and Americorps VISTA, said. “In fact, Reading is one of 30 bronze certified bike trail destinations in the world.
People from all over the globe come to Reading to bike, so those living here should take the opportunity to do so as well.” Alvernia fielded seven riders that rode at varying paces. Roche had an aggressive goal: He wanted to get back to home base before any of the other 40-milers. Roche succeeded in his mission, being the first rider back out of any of the others. When he returned, he was able to watch while the other riders and his team members slowly rode in. “I felt like my hard work had actually paid off and it was incredibly rewarding,” Roche said. “I spent over a month working hard at increasing my speed and cadence so that I wouldn’t tire out as fast as I did back when I was biking for commuter reasons.” Sadie Shinn, sophomore, marveled at Roche’s biking ability. “Alex was a speed demon
and I[was] halfway convinced that he actually put some kind of magical powers into his bike,” Shinn said. Roche’s athleticism made the ride easy. According to Roche, “I currently bike about 20 miles a ride, so this 16 mile ride falls right under the norm.” Roche achieved this goal by biking more frequently within the past year. More recently it has been often because it has been his main transportation from point A to point B. With biking becoming his hobby, he challenged himself when going for a leisure ride to increase the miles he went each trip. Fears of bad weather were found to be exaggerated. The rain held off for the remainder of the day and the sun started to peek out. It made for a perfect day to ride a bike. At the midway point was a rest stop with bathrooms. The rest stop featured energy snacks, as well as water and
other energy drinks. After the race, participants enjoyed the Can Jam Music Festival at Sly Fox Brewery. Riders received a free meal and drink ticket to help fill up after a hard ride. The Alvernia team overall had an enjoyable time. For more information about Ride for the River, visit: www.schuylkillriver.org
AUpuck: Back and Ready for a New Chapter By Justin Strohm Contributing Writer
Photo Courtesy of Justin Strohm
The Alvernia Crusader Ice Hockey team’s season is underway for their twelfth season. This season will be quite a challenge as a new coach is behind the reigns and nine new players are on board. The team got off to a rough start, but back on October 9, a 5-0 shutout boosted the team’s confidence. This season will see a different coach behind the benches as Tom O’Connell recently stepped down to focus on men’s and women’s golf. Now the reigns have been passed to 2014 alumni and Philadelphia native Andrew Dziedzic. Dziedzic played for the team from 2010 to 2014, and was a role model during his playing days. Former captain and current third year assistant coach Lucien Staquet played with Dziedzic all four years. Staquet served as the captain for his final two seasons. “Just like me, he brings the energy and fun, but also works hard to help the players get where they need to be so they can succeed,” Staquet said.
“Lucien always worked hard as a player,” Dziedzic said. “He never stopped moving his feet. He brings the intensity every day to the rink and is doing a very good job especially with the strength and conditioning with the team.” This season will see many new faces. They include Hunter Guenzel, Eric Drebushenko, Alec Krause, Colin Wall, Max Horn, Chase Wilson, Bryce Miceli, Zach Vendetti and Nicolas Fiucci. Despite the new guys, there are numerous returners from last season, including Justin Gueveraz, Kevin Duggan, Mirco Giangiulio, Jake Waltz, Matt Kosinski, Phil Satz, Nic Cacace, Dane Beilhart, Mike Urban, Mike Durofchaulk and Bill Waltz. Robert Kohler is also back for a fifth season, and will serve as captain. Out of those players trying to make a big impact will be former defenseman and now forward Zach Vendetti. Vendetti, who hails from Philadelphia, played high school hockey at Father Judge. Usually on defense, this season Vendetti is switching to the offense for the first time in his career. The transition from high school to col-
The Team Huddles Up Before Their (10/9/16) Game Against East Stroudsburg
lege hasn’t fazed him. “You just gotta rely more on yourself, it’s more of an independent thing as I have to wake myself up and do my own work without anyone telling me to,” Vendetti said. Vendetti will be one of the key pieces to this new chapter of Alvernia ice hockey, and so far he is doing what he is supposed to. The team’s main goal is to get back to postseason, which they missed out on after a 5-8 season record in 2015. “Once the team gets our systems down I think that will be a good possibility, we just need to play more discipline hockey,” Dziedzic said.
“We don’t want to over commit, these guys need to the little things and learn from their mistakes because of the new rules that have been emplaced and find a way around those rules and find new ways to play,” Staquet said. There was speculation that the team would be moving down a division. However, the league decided to have them stay put. Both Dziedzic and Staquet as well as the players believe they can get back into competitive play and make a good run this season. After having multiple home games for the rest of October,
the team will see more home games in November as well. The team will play the annual November tournament in which they will play Hobart College, American University & Catholic University of America. Then four out of the five remaining games will be home games at Body Zone and Santander. The dates include November 29, December 4, January 28 and February 17. Big challenges are ahead for seasons to come.
10
profiles
October/November 2016
Vol. 55 Issue 5
Alvernia’s Very Own “Birdman” Photo courtesy of Alvernia University
Dr. Klucsarits’ passion for science, nature and the American Kestrel are what makes him Alvernia’s very own “Birdman”.
By Kyle Grim Contributing Editor While standing in line at the Kestrel Café in Bernadine Hall, you’re probably thinking about your bacon, egg, and cheese or your coffee. Alvernia biology professor James Klucsarits gets a reminder of his life’s work anytime he stops by the Kestrel Café. Klucsarits is well-known to Alvernia students as well as to conversationists.
Klucsarits has dedicated over 1000 hours to the conservation of the American Kestrel. The American Kestrel, a small breed of falcon, was declining in North America. Klucsarits decided that it was time to make a change, and began to volunteer at Hawk Mountain. Influenced by his scientific training, he helped to design and build what’s called a Kestrel Nest Box. After several years of research, Klucsarits was
involved in one of the first recording of an American Kestrel hatching. “I was just interested in doing something other than teaching and I always liked hawks,” he said. “So I went up there (Hawk Mountain) and they said they were looking for someone to help this couple. Then I met them and they were just infectious, so I got interested in them.” From there, Klucsarits discovered his passion for the forgotten North American raptor. “Once you got involved you just wanted to keep doing it,” he said. “You felt almost obligated to keep doing so because it’s for their conservation.” In 1992, he jumped on board the Kestrel Nest Box Program. Since then, he has been responsible for the placement of several boxes south of Route 78. “They use these boxes because they are natural cavity nesters so if they don’t have place like these boxes
available they wouldn’t have places to nest,” Klucsarits said. Since 1992, he has volunteered 1,390 hours of field work, driven 17,877 miles, and banded 1,292 kestrels with FWS bands. This project is for the conservation of and knowledge regarding this falcon residing in the farmlands and meadows within and surrounding Berks County. In the future, Klucsarits hopes to keep moving forward with his research for as long as he can. However, one goal he has in mind is creating a smaller device for satellite telemetry since the devices available today are too large for such a small bird. He believes that learning more about the migratory patterns is incredibly important to the conservation of the birds. Klucsarits has been at Alvernia since 1985, and chose to stay over the years because of its small school
environment. He enjoys working with his students very much and loves when he finds someone with a common interest as him. “If you get a couple people interested you get the chance to work really closely with them. There are more opportunities at a small school if you get a couple who are interested,” Klucsarits said. To become a volunteer at Hawk Mountain, please contact Tammy Jandrasitz at 610-756-6000 x215.
academic writing and even creative,” Dr. Bierowski said. “It was about the same time I got tired of playing music, weird season of putting down some things and picking up others. Anyway, back then, somebody gave me a small blank book (leatherbound), fits in the palm of your hand. That settled it.” Dr. Bierowski has mainly made graphic novels for the last ten years. “The Rocket Power’d Cross Trilogy,” “The Garden,” “Nocturnes,” “Hagiography,” and “The Green Couch” are his most recent graphic novels. After a couple years treating graphic novels as a hobby, Dr. Bierowski admits he got tired of them. Today, he is concentrating on traditional creative writing again. Dr. Bierowski has completed one satirical short story cycle called “A Man of Substance” and another called “Butus and Verny,” a love story. He also completed a 500+ page manuscript called “The Bowl-a-Rama,” which is a piece of sports-fantasy extravaganza about bowlers who play Nerf-hoops professionally. Dr. Bierowski has earned awards for his high-quality work. A chapter of a novel he
wrote in California won the National Henfield Award for fiction in 1993. Since then, Dr. Bierowski has had a few short stories and essays published, along with a book on the modern American novelist, Jack Kerouac that came out in 2011. Students can expect more vivid creative work from Dr. Bierowski very soon. “I’m now goofing around with a project on the history of bead prayer, a gnostic interpretation of Exupery’s The Little Prince and am almost 200 pages into my memoir,” he said. Priot to becoming an Assistant Professor of English at Alvernia University, Dr. Bierowski earned his Ph.D in English from Lehigh University, an M.A. from San Francisco State University in creative writing and a B.A. in English from St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia). Today, Dr. Bierowski teaches a number of courses at Alvernia, but he said his favorite course to teach is Modern American Fiction. Modern American Fiction includes the study of significant American novelists and short story writers from the 1920s to the present, including Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Salinger, Heller
and others. Dr. Bierowski also serves as the advisor to the Alvernia literary magazine, the Zephyrus. The yearly magazine is published each May, pending available funding. “The theme of this year’s Zephyrus is Redemption,” Dr. Bierowski said. “We’re looking for Alvernia students to contribute original poems, stories, art, and music.”
“Dr. Tom”: The Most Colorful Character on Campus By Ryan Weber Contributing Editor
Photo courtesy of Ryan Weber
There are plenty of professors at Alvernia University, but none are quite like Dr. Thomas Bierowski. First impressions of Dr. Bierowski can be misleading. With his long beard and baseball cap, “Dr. Tom” does not appear to be an ordinary college professor. Unlike some college professors, Dr. Bierowski has a vivid sense of humor, and brings high energy to his classroom. Dr. Bierowski’s students enjoy coming to
class as they never know what to expect each day. Dr. Bierowski is an artist as well as an author in his spare time. Dr. Bierowski has composed a variety of works ranging from short stories to graphic novels. Art covers the walls of Dr. Bierowski’s office, including pictures, quotes, and drawings from various artists from different decades. There is a story behind his love for graphic novels. According to Dr. Bierowski, he got into visual art around 2004. “I kind of got tired with
If you want to get to know Dr. Tom, just check out his office, where you will find works of art, humor, faith and sometimes a mix of all three.
opinion October/November 2016
11 Vol. 55 Issue 5
Is Pinterest Killing Our Creativity? It’s the night before the big Halloween party and you still have no idea what to wear. You have thought about it for a long time, but you cannot come up with anything. In desperation, you whip out your phone, open the Pinterest app, and after typing “Halloween Costumes” into the search bar, you are instantly greeted with photos of hundreds of costumes. You finally settle on dressing as Russell from the hit
Disney movie Up. Within seconds, your problem is solved... or is it? Pinterest has been under fire for being a creativity killer. Critics say that creativity is lost because a person can simply type what they are looking for into the search bar. The results turn up hundreds of ideas with many of them having step-by-step instructions on how to complete the task. Pinterest has do-it-yourself (DIY) ideas for cooking, hair, crafts, decorations, costumes,
Pinterest has numerous categories to choose from when searching for DIY ideas.
Photo courtesy of Macy Storm
By Macy Storm Contributing Writer
and much more. It has been considered a gateway into the realm of lost creativity. The anti-Pinterest community has made claims that it kills the sentimentality of gifts. Homemade gifts have a certain level of sentimentality because the gift giver takes time to conjure up the idea and make it. Pinterest, they claim, takes that away because the ideas are there. Some members of the Alvernia community feel as though this is true. “If all the work and ideas are laid out, it takes away from the ability to challenge yourself,” Erica Luna, a senior occupational therapy major, said. Luna has experienced moments where she will see bulletin boards on campus that are beautifully crafted, only to find that it was a Pinterest idea. She prefers to be originally creative and come up with her own ideas. “It’s like being a kid again,” Luna said. “You have to use
your imagination.” Other members of the Alvernia community, however, find Pinterest to be a helpful tool for creative and uncreative people alike. “I think Pinterest has allowed me to be more creative,” Sarah Englert, Publicity Chairperson for Campus Activities Board, said. “It helps people who may not be so artistically inclined by giving them step by step instructions, making them feel accomplished when they finish their project!” Englert, like many others, believe that Pinterest is a good tool to aid people who are not so creative. It can be difficult to come up with ideas or even execute them, so step by step instructions are very helpful. People like Carolyn Stabile, a senior occupational therapy major, believe that Pinterest is a great starting point. “When I use Pinterest, I use it to get an idea for something I’m working on,” Stabile
said. “Rarely is what I make identical to the instructions on Pinterest.” Stabile believes that having the ideas and instructions on Pinterest does not mean you are bound to them. You can take a simple idea and twist it to make it original. Does this mean that Pinterest ideas still have sentimentality? “I think it can still be sentimental as long as you put your own twist on it,” Jen Atlas, senior occupational therapy major, said. “Sometimes I’ll get the basic idea from Pinterest but the quotes or sayings are specific to my relationship so in that way, it’s still personalized.” Despite the negative opinions of Pinterest, it still thrives as a useful tool for creativity. Pinterest is a great site for birthday, anniversary, and holiday gift ideas.
sonal relationships,” Eisner said in an interview with USA Today. “It gives you an appreciation of what makes people tick.” At Alvernia, liberal arts majors are encouraged to take the lessons they have learned in the classroom and apply it to real world experiences. Students looking to achieve a degree within the liberal arts area are strongly urged to partake in a minimum of one internship within their four years. In the workforce today, it is a necessity to have experience before landing your first job. The Career Development Center, located in Bernadine Hall, helps students outsource to internship sites based on the student’s interests and personality. The career center can also help students and alumni with job placements, resume and cover letter editing, personality and skills assessments to accurately place the individual in a path that interests them and even mock interviews to prepare them for any scenario. As the liberal arts degree is one of the smaller programs on campus, students create a small community within the major. Most students continu-
ously have the same students and faculty in their classes, which allows them to build a comfortable work environment that allows everyone to grow. “Having small classes with the same students is great because everything is more personal, making it a comfortable environment to work in,” Maeve McGhee, a senior communications major, said, With all the tools to succeed Alvernia students feel prepared for graduation. “I have gained an array of knowledge from areas that I would never have before if I had just chosen a conservatory specific for my major,” Chiara Marone, senior theatre major, said. “I believe that the liberal
arts curriculum is essential to every student’s education at a university.” Marone plans to do outreach to different theatrical environments to apply for a graduation program in Theatre Education after her positive experience at Alvernia. Liberal Arts degrees do not hinder the lives of students after they graduate it enhances them. This program does not solely touch upon one area of study; students integrate their knowledge in numerous fields and at Alvernia, liberal art students feel prepared, knowledgeable and excited for life after graduation.
Photo courtesy of Chiara Marone
Hidden Success of Liberal Arts Education
Chiara Monroe playing Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.
By Elizabeth Gonyea Contributing Writer
Photo courtesy of Amy Dundon
Alvernia University is well known for having a strong occupational therapy program as well as a nursing program. However, people may not realize the success stories of a liberal arts degree. Obtaining a degree in liberal arts has been denounced by skeptics of being a useless degree that will cause students nothing but disappointment and disaster in the workforce. However, proponents on a national scale have disproved these theories. In Fortune Magazine, Wilson Peden said, “Earning a degree in English, philoso-
phy, art history, name-yourhumanities-discipline will not condemn you to a lifetime of unemployment and poverty.” If you need proof of this statement, take a look at CEO of Starbucks Howard Shultz, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications. The former chief executive officer of Walt Disney Company, Michael Eisner, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Theatre. Both successful businesspeople attributed their success to their liberal arts education. “Literature is unbelievably helpful, because no matter what business you are in, you are dealing with interper-
A theater degree may be more valuable than you think. (Above) Graduate Marcus Williams and Sophomore Amy Dundon from Fall 2015’s The Phoenix Always Returns.
Undergraduate & Graduate Courses
Winter SessÄąon Starts December 12
Winter Session: December 12 - January 13
Online Undergraduate and Adult Education: ART 122-W1: Introduction to Digital Photography BIO 109-W1: Human Biology BIO 203-W1: Biosphere BUS 342-W1: Business Law COM 290 or ENG 290-W1: Folklore of North America ENG 103-W1: Introduction to Poetry HIS 112-W1: The Study of American History MAT 110-W1: Business Mathematics PED 304-W1: Wellness for Life PHI 105-W1: Introduction to Philosophy PHI 210-W1: Professional Ethics PSY 101-W1: Introductory Psychology PSY 208-W1: Human Development Across the Life Span PSY 215-W1: Multicultural Issues
r e t s i ! g e R day To
SOC 111-W1: Principles of Sociology THE 105-W1: Foundations of Theology THE 210-W1: Medical Moral Theology THE 225-W1: Global Issues: Gospel Perspectives
Online Graduate: COR 520-W1: Ethics & Moral Leadership MBA 518-W1: Corporate Communication MBA 610-W1: Legal Environment MED 535-W1OL: Issues Concerning Special Education Programs (12/12/16-1/22/17)
Get ahead this winter break! Convenient Online classes! 5-week accelerated courses. Credits are readily transferable. Financial aid may be available.
Register today at alvernia.edu/winter