Study Breaks by Digital Publisher

Volume 30 Issue 2

StudyBreaks.com

Amanda Gorman THE FIRST EVER YOUTH POET LAUREATE

The Tar Heels’ Secret Weapon PAGE 34

Brigham Young’s Embattled LGBTQ Community PAGE 40

31ST ANNUAL OLD SETTLER’S MUSIC FESTIVAL

TILMON (NEAR LOCKHART),

TEXAS

THURSDAY-SUNDAY

APRIL 19-22

2018

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS * RAILROAD EARTH * CALEXICO * BOB SCHNEIDER I’M WITH HER – SARA WATKINS, SARAH JAROSZ, AOIFE O’DONOVAN JD MCPHERSON * RAY WYLIE HUBBARD * BALSAM RANGE * DONNA THE BUFFALO THE GRATEFUL BALL FEATURING THE TRAVELIN’ MCCOURYS & JEFF AUSTIN BAND WILL HOGE * DARLINGSIDE * THE TRAVELIN’ MCCOURYS * STEVE POLTZ THE CALIFORNIA HONEYDROPS * JEFF AUSTIN BAND * FRONT COUNTRY BILLY BIL STRINGS * THE WAR & TREATY * COLTER WALL * THE DEER THE PETERSON BROTHERS * WE BANJO 3 * JON STICKLEY TRIO * SOPHIE SCOTT AND MORE TO COME! CAMPING, JAMMING, PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS, YOUTH COMPETITION, KIDS’ ACTIVITIES, ARTS & CRAFTS.

TICKETS: WWW.OLDSETTLERSMUSICFEST.ORG

table of contents FEBRUARY

features COVER STORY

2018

Online This Month

Student Exhibition

STUDYBREAKS.COM

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RISD student Tasnima Tanzim discusses her work with blacklight paintings and the magic of Bengali typeface BY MAAHFIO OTCHERE

A Poem in This Place

As the nation’s first ever youth poet laureate, Harvard’s Amanda Gorman has only begun making history. BY

Managing Expectations

Emily Brickner-Hughes, team manager for the UNC Tar Heels men’s basketball team, is part of a new generation of women in sports.

Blessed Are the Persecuted

BY KATHLEEN DANIELSON

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As president of the Understanding Same Gender Attraction Club at Brigham Young, J.D. Goates is risking his faith for his sexuality.

Unsatisfied with dodgeball’s amateur reputation, Stevenson’s Kris DeJesus is bringing the obscure sport to the international stage BY PATRICK MURTHA

STEM Gems

22 23 25 26

With a practiced poise, slack-rock group Daddy’s Beemer spins fatalist themes into salad-day ballads BY JACK BRANDON

Student Government What’s Your Major? The Meal Plan University Report

Through The Aquaponics Project, Sasha Cohen Ioannides helped turn a shipping container into a self-sustaining source of tilapia and produce BY MAYA HALABI

Tastemakers

For LeiLei Secor, what started as a jewelrymaking hobby soon turned into a way of financing her entire college education — and more BY CARLI SCALF

Greek Life

Inspired by an infamous Italian court case, Delta Gamma sister Mckenna Carrigan uses jeans to shine a relatable light on sexual assault BY GISELLE KRACHENFELS

27 46 --------------

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BY GISELLE KRACHENFELS

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SHASHANK RAO

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Intramurals

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Talking Notes

#CollegeHacks Extra Credit

In his short film “STUD,” filmmaker Casiano Hamer explores sexuality in sports, media representation and the trap of toxic masculinity BY SHASHANK RAO

Meet the President

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of two great, young minds, one in which both parties would finally have the chance to interact with a peer who was on their level in their respective field. And, as fate would have it, my prediction proved true. The interview is crackling with intelligence, conducted on a high level of literary understanding and a phenomenal read for any young, aspiring writer. After I read the piece, I realized that facilitating those interactions is one of the best parts of my job, and that it happens fairly often. Such an opportunity appears, obviously, when our writers conduct interviews with other student writers, but it also happens when photographers photograph photographers, or when artists sketch artists. Sometimes, even, it’s not quite so blatantly parallel. At times we have paired entrepreneurial types, who, though in different fields, are driven by the same motivations. Other times we have been fortunate to introduce students who are both passionate for social change; while one may be bettering the environment and the other caring for the disenfranchised, both find in their interaction a kindred spirit.

here are a number of very rewarding parts of my job, and since I know I’m relatively lucky to be able to say that, I try to think about them often. As a writer and editor, my favorite aspect of the position is being able to work with and improve young writers. Hands down, watching their growth is the best part of our program. In addition to watching the writers mature, there are a number of other great parts about the job, such as getting to tell remarkable stories, working with young, bright writers and working alongside an innovative, creative staff. This month, however, one component of the job stood out. When Shashank Rao, one of our most eloquent writers and a student at the University of Michigan, pitched his idea for interviewing Amanda Gorman, a Harvard student and youth poet laureate, I was excited. When conducting an interview or assigning someone to conduct an interview, you always worry, in the back of your mind, that the interviewer may be out of their league. And, to be fair, most people being interviewed are generally the type of person who are out of most leagues — that’s why they’re being interviewed. With Shasank, though, I had no such fear. In fact, I felt the exact opposite; I felt that the interview would be a meeting

What makes these interactions doubly special, though, is when that connection lasts beyond the pages of the magazine or bylines on the website. Many of our writers and photographers have gone on to maintain both professional relationships and friendships with the students they’ve worked with, which is the ne plus ultra of networking. So many good relationships have already sprung from Study Breaks assignments in the last two years, and I can’t wait to see what dynamic pairings are created in the coming months. Stay tuned.

our team FOUNDER Gal Shweiki ART DIRECTOR Jesus Acosta EDITOR-INCHIEF Mark Stenberg WEB EDITOR Raquel Alonzo DIGITAL EDITORS Jake Devin, Anh Le MARKETING DIRECTOR Carmina de Alba ACCOUNTING Elizabeth Castro DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Marcus Flores DISTRIBUTION Frank Hartfield, Jose Espinoza, Ernest Ward

Sincerely, Mark Stenberg @MarkStenberg3

----------------------------------------------------------------------------PRODUCTION: Shweiki Media Study Breaks magazine is published twelve times per year by Shweiki Media, Inc. copyright 2012. All rights reserved. This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented without written permission from the publisher. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents of this magazine or of the trademarks of Study Breaks Magazine, Inc., without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for care and return of unsolicited materials. Return postage must accompany material if it is to be returned. In no event shall such material subject this magazine to any claim for holding fees or similar charges. Study Breaks Magazine is an entertainment magazine for the students of San Antonio, San Marcos, Austin and Lubbock, published 12 times a year. CORPORATE OFFICE: Study Breaks Magazine Inc., 4954 Space Center Dr., San Antonio, TX 78218 • CONTACT STUDY BREAKS: Editorial: Mark Stenberg, 210-705-3284, editorial@studybreaks.com • Study Breaks Magazine is excited to help your brand reach our audience through video and written content. SALES: Ralph Chaplin, 210-892-0951, contact@studybreaks.com

Writer

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+ contributors

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Photographer

MA AHFIO OTCHERE @maahfio Villanova University Journalism Student Exhibition PA G E 6

JACK BR ANDON University of Michigan English Talking Notes PA G E 1 8

M AYA H A L A B I @mayaemii University of Texas at San Antonio International Relations and Communications STEM Gems PA G E 1 0

PAT R I C K M U R T H A @patrickmurtha_ Eastern Connecticut State University New Media Studies Intramurals PA G E 1 4

GISELLE KRACHENFELS USC Business Greek Life, Managing Expectations PA G E 1 6 , 3 4

CARLI SCALF @carliscalf18 Ball State University English and Journalism Tastemakers PA G E 1 2

LESLIE CURRIE @lesliecurrie University of Virginia Foreign Affairs Student Government PA G E 2 2

CAMELIA JUAREZ @shescamie Texas State University Journalism What’s Your Major? PA G E 2 3

J O I YA R E E D Georgia Southern University Journalism and Spanish The Meal Plan PA G E 2 5

BR ANDI LOVING @literallythebest St. Mary’s University English College News PA G E 2 7

CHRISTIAN ZEITLER Carnegie Mellon Professional Writing and Creative Writing #CollegeHacks PA G E 2 8

SHASHANK R AO University of Michigan English and Creative Writing A Poem in This Place, Extra Credit PA G E 2 8 , 4 6

K AT H L E E N D A N I E LSON @theleenmachine28 Carleton College English Blessed Are the Perscuted PA G E 4 0

J AY N E C H E N @jayneinnyc CUNY Baruch Computer Science & Business Communications Student Exhibition PA G E 6

JAQUANAS GR ANT @j_grant2020 Clemson Industrial Engineering Talking Notes PA G E 1 8

N I KO L E KO S T @nikolekrpst Point Park University Photojournalism STEM Gems PA G E 1 0

RICHARD DIZON @richnotdick University of Virginia Computer Science Tastemakers PA G E 1 2

KEITH GARNER @ch3s3_ University of Maryland Business Administration Intramurals PA G E 1 4

Study Breaks Writing Internships K ATIE SCHEIDT @kscheidtphoto UW Madison Journalism Greek Life PA G E 1 6

A R I E L PA R R A @makeitreal University of California Berkeley Chemical Engineering A Poem in This Place PA G E 2 8

M A D DY P U R V E S @andrewrsnyd Brigham Young University Theatre & Media Arts Blessed Are the Persecuted PA G E 4 0

Study Breaks is written exclusively by a team of student interns from across the country. These writers work with the editorial team to pitch and submit one piece a week for the website, in addition to writing for the monthly print magazine. Summer internships run from May 28 to Sept. 28, and applications close May 14. If interested, email editorial@studybreaks.com with “Student Writing Internship” in the Subject.

RYA N H E R R O N @ry.herron University of North Carolina Business Administration, Economics Managing Expectations PA G E 3 4

FENG YE @feng97129 University of Chicago Anthropology Extra Credit PA G E 4 6

Introduce yourself in the body, making sure to include your name, school and major. Please attach at least two samples of your work. Ideal writers are intelligent, funny and talented, though no formal experience is necessary.

+ online this month ----------------

ONE LINERS

Right now at

StudyBreaks.com spotlight W H AT I’ V E L E A RNE D F RO M M Y S T U T T E R

University of Michigan’s Shashank Rao, who interviewed Amanda Gorman in this issue, discussed what his speech impediment taught him about communication. If the disability has any silver lining, it’s that it played a large role in his becoming a writer. (Image via Itsoncraft)

from the vault

PA UL H O L S T O N I S H O L D IN G J O URN A L I S M A C C O UN TA B L E

A year ago, on the heels of Donald Trump’s election, the integrity of the news media was being called into question across the country. In the midst of dwindling faith in the press, Paul Holston, the editor in chief of Howard University’s student newspaper, The Hilltop, was a much-needed source of optimism. A two-tour veteran and dogged pursuant of the truth, Holston represented a new breed of journalist.

T HE 4 B E S T B O A RD G A ME S F O R G IF T E D L I A R S

by Christian Zeitler, Carnegie Mellon

------------------------------------------------------O NL INE C O L L E G E

This month on the website, learn how to: Freestyle like Marshall Mathers / Make lemonade out of your speech impediment / Get into the Disney College Program / Breeze through grad school applications / Defend Nikki Halley / Effectively protest the wage gap / Enjoy “13 Reasons Why” guilt-free.

“If you told me that Case Keenum was going to lead a team to the playoffs this season, I probably would have assumed you were on a heroic dose of mushrooms.” – Patrick Murtha, Eastern Connecticut State University, 5 Bold Sports Predictions for 2018 “There are two types of people in the world: people who have been left on ‘read,’ and liars.” – Kelly Lambkin, SUNY Cortland, Is Your S.O. a Bad Texter? Try These Tips “There are only two rules: don’t eat mom’s spaghetti beforehand and leave your sweater at home.” – Christian Zeitler, Carnegie Mellon University, The Beginner’s Guide to Freestyle Rap “Unsurprisingly, it seemed to be men who took to attacking the story the most.” – Cheryl Litvin, Purdue University, Why The New Yorker’s ‘Cat Person’ Went Viral “In a perfect world, they would never stop making Rocky movies.” – Jacoby Bancroft, University of Nevada at Reno, The Eight Movie in the ‘Rocky’ Saga Just Got a New Director

what’s on the inside

Photography by Keith Garner

STUDENT EXHIBITION

EYE OF THE TIGRESS By Maahfio Otchere

6 STEM GEMS

FISH

BARREL

By Maya Halabi

10 TASTEMAKERS

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH By Carli Scalf

12 GREEK LIFE

DENIM DREAMER

By Giselle Krachenfels

16 TALKING NOTES

DADDY’S

BEEMER

By Jack Brandon

18 intramurals klutch mode dodgeball There are a lot of things about American culture that confuse me; our longstanding obsession with celebrities, our complex political climate and how anyone enjoys eating apple pie are all things that keep me awake at night.

Continued on page 14

the honor roll

culture as a canvas

Tasnima Tanzim, a RISD student and Bengali immigrant, channels the pallette of the Indian subcontinent into clean, thoughtful graphic design.

BY M A A HF I O O T C HE RE , V IL L A N O VA UNI V E R S I T Y

asnima Tanzim, a senior at the Rhode Island School of Design, enjoys leaning into discomfort. In fall 2016, she exhibited an installation piece called “Painting in Darklight,” in which she created visual images using glow-in-the-dark paint in a blacklit room. The work, which explored the idea of removing the self from the process of creation and focusing only on the creation, reflects the intense scrutiny she brings to the process of art-making itself. As a graphic designer, painter and photographer, Tanzim has brought that same level of scrutiny to every medium she’s used, which has led

P H O T O G R A P H Y BY J AY NE C HE N, C UNY B A RU C H

to a diverse portfolio united more by an ethos than a distinctive style. Tanzim is also the founder of Being Bengali, an organization that highlights the diaspora of Bengali creatives. As an immigrant from Bangladesh herself, her history has influenced her creative process, particularly in her passion for warm, bold colors and typefaces; several of her designs explore the Bengali language, which she speaks, along with English and Hindi. Tanzim has been the recipient of numerous awards, including

+ honor roll: student exhibition ------------ ------------

the 2015 Hearst Magazines Scholarship Award, 2017 Graphic Communications Scholarship Foundation Award and the 2016 Ron West Award for Visual & Academic Achievement. I had the chance to ask her about her work, and the nuances that she shows within it. MAAHFIO OTCHERE: IT SEEMS LIKE YOU REALLY LOVE COLOR, ESPECIALLY BRIGHT COLORS. WHY? TASNIMA TANZIM: My sense of color is completely

informed by my culture. Growing up in Bangladesh, I was always surrounded by the warmest, brightest colors, so when I moved to New York at age 10, I sought out warm and bright colors for comfort. As I got older, the colors eventually bled into my work. I used the color as a way to aid in helping to tell stories and communicate. I feel that color gives the concept a voice. MO: AS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTIST, WHAT UNITES YOUR WORK? TT: I believe design is fluid. So, as a designer,

sometimes I’m called to be a community organizer, sometimes a photographer and sometimes an illustrator. I’m really just trying to communicate, so I use different mediums. I let the challenge decide what medium should be used.

MO: THOUGH YOUR VISUAL ARTS ARE AMAZING, I FOUND MYSELF SURPRISED AT HOW ARRESTING SOME OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY COULD BE. IS THE MEDIUM A NEW UNDERTAKING FOR YOU? TT: Photography has been my hobby for quite

some time now. I very much like to document my travels and moments with the people I love, but only recently have I started taking photographs with a

true concept. In my photographs, I find myself trying to capture moments of pause or silence that trigger reflection. That being said,I have done commissions for friends before and tried a bit of product photography. But nothing brings me more joy than loading a new roll of 35mm film into my analogue. This summer, while traveling through Europe, I challenged myself to finish at least one roll of film per city. It was an assignment I gave to myself, but it ended up being one of the most joyous experiences. MO: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO PAINT IN BLACKLIGHT? TT: Honestly blacklight was just a very fun, interesting

medium, so I wanted to find a way to explore it. However, this year I was taking an installation class, and in it, I went back to the blacklight-painting concept and tried to find what things I could push more. The most recent installation was inspired by my sketchbook, which tends to be my safe space. It’s where I can let go of emotions and really dig down and explore them, through color, words and texture. So, I created a space with blacklight again, using different elements from sketchbook, and tried to make a fun, happy and comfortable space that others could also enjoy. I also think this piece helped me explore how important my personal practices are to my work in design. It helped me understand that these worlds didn’t need to be separate, but they could weave together.

MO: IN YOUR SKETCHBOOKS, WHICH ARE FILLED WITH AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF IMAGES, QUOTES AND COLLAGES, A DRAWING OF A WOMAN WITH PURPLE SKIN AND GREEN HAIR STOOD OUT TO ME; IT’S SET NEXT TO WHAT LOOKS LIKE A POEM. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT INSPIRED THAT ONE? TT: I think I found a photograph of a woman I found very

beautiful and wanted to sketch her. I had drawn her in just pen initially, and then I added colors to her weeks later. I think I had markers that had different fruity smells, so when I smelled the purple and green they smelled like

they fit together, so I shared them with this unknown woman I found a photograph of. The poem is actually a LCD Soundsystem song called “All My Friends.” At the time, I’m pretty sure I was struggling with losing someone close to me, so the song was a sort of summary of our time together. I was feeling bittersweet about the situation; sometimes I found my loss poetic, sometimes upsetting, and the song helped me feel both.

In my photographs, I find myself trying to capture moments of pause or silence that trigger reflection.

Golden Summer, 2017

Finding Connections, 2017

+ honor roll: student exhibition ------------ -----------FACT FILE

NAME Tasnima Tanzim SCHOOL Rhode Island School of Design HOMETOWN Jhenidah, Bangladesh INSPIRATION Warm colors, ornate typefaces, Bangladesh MEDIUM Multidisciplinary (graphic design, fine arts, photography)

STUDYBREAKS.COM

in the park BY MAYA HALABI, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIKOLE KOST, POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Carnegie Mellon’s Sasha Cohen Ioannides, a sophomore and member of The Aquaponics Project, is using sunlight, food scraps and a shipping container to grow fish for the hungry.

n a world of constantly evolving food systems, it’s difficult to create something original and impactful. But for a sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University, Sasha Cohen Ioannides, that was never a challenge. An economics and statistics major, Ioannides helped design The Aquaponics Project, a portable shipping container that, by utilizing solar power to fuel an anaerobic digestion system, grows tilapia, basil and microgreens. After winning the Ford Motor Company’s College Com-

munity Challenge (C3), her team was invited to participate in a specific, mobile-themed competition, “Making Lives Better by Changing the Way We Move.” The competition challenged the teams to pitch a concept designed to reduce food waste and make healthy food more accessible, and Ioannides her team of four other students took home first place with their idea. I had the privilege of talking to the Carnegie Mellon senior about the project and how it could change the way we look at food systems.

+ honor roll: stem gems

------------ -------MAYA HALABI: SINCE YOU’RE A SPECIALIST IN FOOD RESEARCH, HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN STATISTICS AND ECONOMICS? SASHA COHEN IOANNIDES: I actually began as an engineer-

ing major because I loved math; I didn’t enjoy the application of it as much, though. My father really inspired me because he’s done a lot of research in human geography, which has lots of connections to economics. I’ve always loved creating mathematical formulas to explain human behaviors, as it’s helped me understand the world better. MH: I THINK PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A WOMAN WITH A PASSION FOR ANY KIND OF STEM MAJOR. DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD YOUR KNOWLEDGE AS A FEMALE IN THE STEM FIELD? SCI: Growing up in Missouri, it was the only place I felt I was

being held back as a woman in the STEM field. My peers believed I could only gain opportunities to succeed because many careers wanted woman to diversify their companies or projects. However, the Carnegie Mellon environment exemplified the opposite. They’ve always provided me with equal opportunities; I’ve never had problems with gender barriers here. MH: IT’S NO WONDER, THEN, THAT YOU’RE DOING SO WELL AT CARNEGIE MELLON. SO, WHAT EXACTLY IS THE AQUAPONICS PROJECT? SCI: The Aquaponics Project started as exactly what the

name entails: a mobile unit designed to educate the local community on alternative sustainable-agricultural practices in an urban area. Now we are expanding to examine food systems more holistically and aim to create closed loop, sustainable food-system models that can take food waste and place it back in the food system by providing both fertilizer and energy. MH: HOW EXCITING! I THINK YOU’RE DEFINITELY SETTING AN EXAMPLE WITH THIS PROJECT FOR MANY OTHER WOMEN WORKING TO MAKE THEIR MARK IN STEM. SCI: I haven’t really thought of that before. My team is 50

percent women! Most of the urban and sustainable agriculture teams I’ve worked with before have either been led by women or had a pretty equal amount of men and women in leadership positions. I want to be setting examples for communities above all else; my priority is creating better societies in terms of sustainability. MH: OF COURSE. HOW HAS WINNING BOTH THE F3 AND MOBILE-THEMED COMPETITION HELPED YOU ACHIEVE THAT GOAL? SCI: Well, the competition focuses on “making lives better

which we won an additional $10,000 and a Ford Transit Connect vehicle. The vehicle is being used to aid in food redistribution with our partner, 412 Food Rescue, and to transport the fertilizer we make using the food waste. MH: HOW DO YOU HOPE THE SYSTEM WILL AFFECT COMMUNITIES? SCI: The project aims to be a model that can be used in oth-

er urban communities to make food systems more local and sustainable. Our team hopes to produce optimal food systems that will close the food loop and be used to improve the Pittsburgh community by producing less food waste, creating more opportunities for education in nutrition and sustainable agriculture and providing college students the opportunity to learn more. I’ve been able to think about food systems in a much broader sense, thanks to this competition MH: I’M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT ELSE YOU’RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE AQUAPONICS PROJECT! DO YOU HAVE ANY LAST WORDS OF ADVICE FOR WOMEN, OR ANYONE IN GENERAL, LOOKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN STEM? SCI: Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re getting places “just

because they’re looking for more girls.” It doesn’t matter what other people think. It just matters that you’re doing something because you enjoy doing it.

FACT FILE

NAME Sasha Cohen Ioannides SCHOOL Carnegie Mellon MAJOR Statistics or economics (Undeclared currently) DESIGN The Aquaponics Project PURPOSE Provide sustainable, local food to urban areas HOBBIES Yoga, cooking and hiking

by changing the way people move,” so it deals with mobility in the literal sense, as well as social mobility. The initial prize was $25,000, and then Ford granted a bonus competition, in

STUDYBREAKS.COM

BY C A RL I S C A L F, B A L L S TAT E UNI V E R S I T Y

P H O T O G R A P H Y BY RI C H A RD DI ZON, UNI V E R S I T Y OF V IRG INI A

n the summer of 2012, then-16-year-old LeiLei Secor decided to start selling jewelry on Etsy as a last-ditch effort at summer employment. By December, she was in the process of buying a brandnew 2013 car in cash. Almost six years later, her Etsy business has morphed into the successful online jewelry site Designed By Lei, and the current University of Virginia senior still supports herself financially with her crafty hobby. “I was always intrigued by businesses when I was younger,” she says. Though she’d always had an interest in business, she didn’t think of starting her own until it seemed like the only option. “I applied to restaurants, stores, you name it, anything a 16-year-old would apply to do, and didn’t receive anything but a rejection letter from my local grocery store,” Secor says. “Then I discovered Etsy stores, did a lot of research and a week after opening, I made my first sale.” Secor says her shop experienced an intense period of growth in the beginning; she was doing a lot of marketing on social media platforms to pull in new customers, and was increasing her internet presence with SEO (search engine optimization) tactics. “The orders shot up exponentially [after my first sale],” she says. “My first year is still definitely one of my best years.” Designed By Lei currently sells handmade rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces of varying styles and materials. The jewelry Secor makes for the shop is based on both her personal interests and the desires of her customers. After years of experimentation, her process for product development is down to a (crafty) science. “My process has always been the same: I have the idea, I make it and then I wear it to see how I interact with it, how the customer will interact with it,” she says. “I wouldn’t say the process has changed so much as the materials and what I put into the jewelry has.” Whether it’s a bold turquoise gemstone necklace or a simple pair of wire heart earrings, Designed By Lei speaks to sophisticated and modest customers alike. What Secor sees in every buyer is a real person with a story, someone who has purpose and meaning behind their purchase. “I think jewelry tells a story about the person wearing it,” she says. “I think a lot of people wear certain pieces because it means something to them.” She vividly remembers the first time a customer

reached out to her to share the story behind their purchase, which was used as an engagement ring, and how deeply it affected her. “Those moments where customers come back and tell me, ‘Well, this what your necklace meant to me,’ those are what makes me appreciate the business beyond it paying for school.’” Shop sales have plateaued since the early cash-carbuying days, but only because Secor has deemed it more of a side project as she prepares for graduation. And plateauing in no way denotes failure; Secor continues to support her education and lifestyle with complete independence because of her store’s success. “It still kind of blows my mind that I’ve been able to pay for school — my expenses, my rent, going out and having fun — with [money from the] store,” she says. Underneath the financial benefits, however, is a love for the creative process of jewelry-making. She says the best thing about creating new necklaces or bracelets is seeing the ideas in her head come to fruition in real life, and then seeing those real-life designs find homes with appreciative customers. Secor, now 22, has plans in place to become a business analyst at an investment firm after her May 2018 graduation. Now that the store has largely fulfilled its initial purpose of paying for Secor’s education, she sees the future of Designed by Lei as uncertain; in many ways, she says, it is still the business she

+ honor roll: tastemakers ------------ --------

precious

Jewelry-maker Leilei Secor, the University of Virgina senior behind Designed by Lei, turned her Etsy storefront into four years’ tuition.

FACT FILE created at 16, and her tastes and interests have changed since then. One thing that wont be changing, however, is her love for the craft at the root of her business. “Even if I don’t continue to sell on Etsy, I think I’ll always turn back to making jewelry as a hobby,” she says. If you’re reading this story with mountains of student debt piled up, wondering how you can make your own bonafide, hella-profitable company, Secor’s best advice is to, in the words of shoe company Nike, just do it. “You can sit and think about the business plan and all the things that go into it, but I think just taking it’s just taking that first initial step to do something,” she says. “We’re young, the risk is the lowest it’s ever going to be, so take the risk right now while you can.”

NAME LeiLei Secor SCHOOL University of Virginia YEAR Senior MAJOR Finance and IT HOMETOWN Upstate New York BUSINESS Designed By Lei

FAVORITE SHOP ITEM “The heart diamond earrings. They’re simple, and you can dress them up or down.” MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT “When I realized I could actually pay for school using the income from my store.”

STUDYBREAKS.COM

coming in

Stevenson University’s dodgeball phenom, Kris DeJesus, has his sights set on a dodgeball revolution.

BY PAT RI C K MUR T H A , E A S T E RN C ONNE C T I C U T S TAT E UNI V E R S I T Y P H O T O G R A P H Y BY K E I T H G A RNE R, UNI V E R S I T Y OF M A RY L A ND

( C ON T IN UE D F RO M PAG E 14 )

ne question, however, that has been stuck in my head since my youth still remains unanswered: Why is dodgeball not our national sport? Requiring a combination of insane dexterity, catlike reflexes and unadulterated power, dodgeball fits our country’s personality unlike any other sport, yet it remains inhibited by its reputation as a children’s game. Still, the potential for a dodgeballtakeover remains, and one Stevenson University student just might be leading the way. Kris DeJesus, a.k.a. “Klutch Kris,” has been dominating the college dodgeball landscape since he first started Stevenson’s club dodgeball team in 2014. In addition to his collegiate pursuits, DeJesus has also competed professionally in both Elite Dodgeball, which is the premier dodgeball league in the United States, as well as the Ultimate Dodgeball Championship, which is featured on ESPN. While DeJesus has ascended through the ranks of dodgeball’s elite, his love of the sport comes from humble beginnings. “I started playing dodgeball when I was 13 years old, in ninth grade. There was a church by my high school where we played dodgeball every Friday,” DeJesus says. “A lot of the original group still

attends weekly, including myself when I’m in town.” College dodgeball, unlike the game that the rest of us common-folk grew up playing, is imbued with enough strategy and skill that the game is almost unrecognizable to the untrained eye, which DeJesus believes is the biggest distinction between casual and competitive dodgeball. “While, when you were playing dodgeball in gym class, certain people played no purpose, everyone has an important role in competitive dodgeball,” DeJesus explains. “Another difference is that teams run plays and have strategies to beat other teams. If your team doesn’t have a good strategy, then you’re likely to lose. The same strategy won’t work for every team. Using your players’ talents, and maximizing them in your strategy, is the best way to win.” While the transition to the collegiate level of dodgeball came pretty naturally to DeJesus, he found himself looking for a higher level of competition. In April 2017, he helped to create Klutch Mode Dodgeball, a professional dodgeball team based in his hometown of Dover, Delaware. Since the team’s creation, they have already made waves throughout the national dodgeball scene. The team has already competed in multiple professional tournaments, and even qualified

+ honor roll: intramurals

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in second place out of 16 teams for the Ultimate Dodgeball Championship’s National Tournament in Chicago, which was featured on ESPN. Even though Klutch Mode Dodgeball did not take home the title, DeJesus believes that the experience that his team gained during the competition was extremely valuable. The Stevenson senior also shares my confusion surrounding dodgeball’s relative lack of popularity, but he remains optimistic that dodgeball will eventually rise to prominence in the athletic world, and he hopes that he will be a part of the sport’s renaissance. “I will definitely be playing dodgeball until I physically can’t anymore. I believe that I can be the best player in the world one day if I keep working hard at it, but more than that, I want to see the sport grow, and be featured a lot more prominently in pop culture,” DeJesus says. “This is the greatest sport on earth, and people who get into it don’t tend to leave.” Further, DeJesus would love to see dodgeball represented on the grandest stage of them all, the Olympics, but recognizes that the sport has a long way to go before it’s recognized as a serious endeavor. “I do believe that dodgeball will be an Olympic sport when it grows in popularity. People see it as a children’s game or a joke, because of the movie (“Dodgeball” starring Vince Vaughn), but it’s more than that,” DeJesus says. He also referenced the fact that there is already an international competition that resembles an Olympic style of games, so the transition would not be as drastic as some might think. Down the line, we just might see “Klutch” Kris DeJesus on the podium for a dodgeball gold-medal. For now though, he’ll have to be content tearing apart dodgeball teams across the United States for Stevenson University and Klutch Mode Dodgeball.

FACT FILE

NAME Kris DeJesus SCHOOL Stevenson University CLASS Senior MAJOR Business and Technology Management HOMETOWN Dover, DE YOUTUBE Klutch Kris TEAM Klutch Mode

CHANNEL

caring

Meet McKenna Carrigan, the Drake senior and DG sister fighting sexual assault, one pair of jeans at a time.

BY G I S E L L E K R AC HE NF E L S, UNI V E R S I T Y OF S O U T HE RN C A L IF ORNI A P H O T O G R A P H Y BY K AT IE S C HE ID T, UNI V E R S I T Y OF W I S C ONS IN

FACT FILE

NAME McKenna Carrigan SCHOOL Drake University MAJOR Public Relations and Graphic Design YEAR Senior SORORITY Delta Gamma CHAPTER Alpha Lambda

At a time when most high schoolers are worrying about prom dates and college acceptances, McKenna Carrigan was busy building a campaign, called “Share a Pair,” to challenge society’s troubling beliefs about sexual assault. Now a senior at Drake University, Carrigan is continuing to fight for those affected, as well as people suffering from human trafficking and abusive relationships. Between school and her sorority, as well as her work with Share a Pair, the Lotus Legal Clinic and as a healthy relationship ambassador, the public relations and graphic design major has little time to spare. Unlike the typical (and unwarranted) sorority stereotype, Carrigan contains multitudes. The senior’s interest in social justice issues had an unlikely beginning. In fact, her famous slogan, “Share a Pair,” came from a class assignment. “For my honors class, we had to do a community service project. Everybody was doing something like a bake sale or a food drive, but I wanted to do something different — more impactful,” she says. For her, this meant using inspiration from the Denim Day Project, created when an Italian court ruled that a woman could not have been raped because her jeans were too “tight” to be removed without her consent. Her brainchild, called Share a Pair, meant she collected and displayed 1,050 pairs of jeans — each one representing a sexual assault that occurred while she was in school that week. Carrigan did not anticipate the huge level of support her project would receive, as the newspaper articles and TV interview requests came in. “It grew into something much bigger than myself,” she recalls. “That was a powerful thing. It became the community’s project, about our community coming together for the same cause.” That was just the beginning for Carrigan. When she came to college, she continued work with Share a Pair, started working for the Lotus Legal Clinic and found a way to use her passion within Greek

+ honor roll: greek life ------------ -----

life. She is a member of Delta Gamma and wanted to join Greek life for the strong community. “When I transferred schools, I knew I wanted to be a part of a supportive community. I wanted to be surrounded by uplifting and powerful women. Once I joined Delta Gamma, it felt like home to me,” she says. In fact, the Angel Band Project, a group Carrigan is partnered with, is run by fellow DG alumni Rachel Ebling. Every sorority chapter has one or two healthy relationship ambassadors, and Carrigan filled this position for DG. For this, she says, “I went through training where we learned about teaching members about what a healthy relationship looks like. We go over things like stalking, rape culture, cat calling, etc. We want to support our members and let them know what resources are available.” This information is valuable for many people, seeing as unhealthy behavior is often normalized. “Girls will come up to me or message me saying, ‘thank you so much for talking about that,’ ‘I really needed to hear that’ or ‘I didn’t realize what that was,’” she says. Working for the Lotus Legal Clinic is another way Carrigan strives to empower women. The organization aims to help those affected by human trafficking. Carrigan sees it as a way to help these women not only find a new life, but also to get rid of the stigma and false beliefs about trafficking. “They want to help people get out of the system, protect them and let them start fresh. For example, if you were a victim of trafficking and now needed a name change, they would help you with that,” she explains. “The conversation has shifted away from telling people it’s their fault if they were involved, to putting the blame correctly on the ringleaders, and knowing that you were roped into it and just couldn’t get out.” She sees her sorority experience as a source of solid, constant support. “Whether I’m struggling with a class or just really stressed out, I always have this incredible community of women to empower and support me,” she says. In fact, after Carrigan appeared on the cover of The Anchora, Delta Gamma’s quarterly magazine, her sorority sisters wanted to be a part of her movement too. “When the article came out, I didn’t tell anyone, so the magazine arrival was a

The conversation has shifted away from telling people it’s their fault if they were involved, to putting the blame correctly on the ringleaders

surprise. Everyone was so incredibly supportive. My sisters thought it was amazing and started asking if I was doing it again, and if there was anything they could do to help.” As of now, Carrigan is gearing up for another Share a Pair event at Drake’s campus this spring. She hopes to possibly involve Delta Gamma and other Greek organizations in furthering the discussion about sexual assault. When asked about the broader future, Carrigan says she looks forward to helping Share a Pair to grow impact as many women as possible. “We’ve been starting to talk about creating an official non-profit organization, and furthering the work of the Share a Pair Project,” she says. “We want to be able to go around to different college campuses and have the same work and discussions go on there. That’s the hope right now! We’ll see what doors open and what opportunities come up.”

Four-part rock group Daddy’s Beemer delivers passionate ballads with deceptively intricate arrangements and good vibes.

ver the last year, the members of Clemson slackrock group Daddy’s Beemer — Brady Sklar, Luke Waldrop, Wesley Heaton and Dan Fetterolf — have quietly established themselves as the preeminent figures in the Clemson music scene. Before Daddy’s Beemer came together, the foursome created The Pablo Generation Collective, in October 2017, by gathering other bands in the Clemson area and releasing “The Pablo Sampler, Vol. 1.” The boys were well suited to galvanize the local music scene, as several members of what would later become Daddy’s Beemer live in a house that also serves as a venue for the collective. Unsurprisingly, then, it was the house that brought the members of Daddy’s Beemer together. As a way to generate momentum for the venue, Heaton, while looking for a few friends to form a band that would lead The Pablo Generation, found Sklar, Waldrop and Fetterolf and voilá: Daddy’s Beemer was born. At their most conventional, the group’s releases recall an edgier Mac Demarco. The first track from their self-titled EP, “TV Lied to Me,” is driven by a jangly guitar and Sklar’s nuanced and impassioned vocals. Sklar has impressive control of his upper register, which he demonstrates on other tracks, such as “Numb,” which also evokes this dreamy, stoned quality. However, much of their work is complex in sound and composition. “Laced” opens up with a dramatic rumbling of percussion, synth and vocals, with the glamour of ’70s hard rock, before settling into Heaton’s easy bassline. Guitar and synth start to build once again, creating a mood that absolutely luxuriates in itself. The group is excellent at provoking emotion through sound, especially at the intersection of instrument and voice. On “Grem-

lin,” before the chorus begins, the synth drops like your stomach does on a rollercoaster, as Sklar laments, “without me.” Sklar employs his voice excellently here, too, reaching vertiginous highs. I suppose, then, that their capacity to keep a song listenable while telling stories of substance abuse and emotional turmoil is what leads them to dub themselves “slack rock.” On “Numb,” Sklar sings of the trouble of romance and drugs: “Baby’s hooked on getting numb and driving around with me / And every time I tell her to slow down she just says she can leave.” Despite the obvious struggle in the content, there’s a sweetness and slowness in the tune, especially in Sklar’s lazy delivery and Fetterolf’s romantic strings that come in after the chorus. Since the release of their self-titled EP in May 2017, the boys have been hard at work playing shows and writing new music. They released a single in November, “Joan,” which demonstrates a marked progression in their sound through Waldrop’s warped guitar and Fetterolf’s string loop. Says Heaton, “After the first EP, we focused more on our sound to create something a little more funky. I’ve always loved the Motown era.” The group has planned a release for a second EP in February 2018, which may include “Joan.” Daddy’s Beemer would like to release a full-length album, but they’ve found singles are a great way to garner attention. “Culture now, you can go through countless playlists on Spotify,” Waldrop says. “If a listener doesn’t like your song in the first five seconds, they’ve got hundred of other songs to listen to. There is some pressure to make every single song a banger.”

+ honor roll: talking notes ------------ --------

BY J AC K B R A ND ON, UNI V E R S I T Y OF MI C HI G A N P H O T O G R A P H Y BY J AQ U A N A S G R A N T, C L E M S ON UNI V E R S I T Y

L -> R: Luke Waldrop, Wesley Heaton, Brady Sklar, Dan Fetterolf

FACT FILE BAND Daddy’s Beemer While an album may not be in the cards quite yet, the group is likely to continue producing music. Sklar, Waldrop and Heaton are finishing up their time at Clemson, which will open up time for music and longer tours. Over winter break, the gang played the East Coast for the first time. Owing to a rising interest in the collective, the group played several shows for more than 200 people, the

SONG SONGS

largest audiences they’ve had to date. The trip also marked the first time Daddy’s Beemer found themselves performing in front of total strangers, which never fails to stoke an artist’s insecurities. Luckily, there was little reason to worry: If you can get people jamming on Spotify, real life is simple.

YOUR OTHER

LOCATION Clemson, SC SCHOOL Clemson University GENRE Slack Rock MEMBERS Brady Sklar, Luke Waldrop, Wesley Heaton, Dan Fetterolf EP “Daddy’s Beemer” MUST-LISTENS “Joan,” “TV Lied to Me,” “Numb”

STUDYBREAKS.COM

31ST ANNUAL OLD SETTLER’S MUSIC FESTIVAL

TILMON (NEAR LOCKHART),

TEXAS

THURSDAY-SUNDAY

APRIL 19-22

2018

TICKETS: WWW.OLDSETTLERSMUSICFEST.ORG

what’s on the inside STUDENT GOVERNMENT

USING THE RESTROOMS By Leslie Currie

22 WHAT’S YOUR MAJOR?

SEX-ED By Camelia Juarez

23 MEAL PLAN

THE FOWL PLAY By Joiya Reed

25 #COLLEGEHACKS

#VALENTINESHACKS By Christian Zeitler

college news opioids in ohio With the number of Ohio opioid overdoses outnumbering the number of students receiving diplomas from Ohio State University, state institutions of higher education have decided to act. An Athens-based task force called HOPE (Halting Opioid abuse through Prevention and Education) aims to curtail the state’s ballooning drug problem.

Continued on page 26

around campus

+ around campus: student government ------------ ------------------

By Leslie Currie, University of Virginia

Don’t Stand So Close to Me

Brooklyn College’s preference for police to use specific school bathrooms raises questions about public safety on college campuses across the country.

n November of last year, the New York Post published a story detailing the apparent deep-rooted distrust of Brooklyn College students toward the New York Police Department officers who use the school’s bathrooms while working on the campus. The article openly and wrongly asserts that the college was planning on initiating policies to ban cops from campus bathrooms because they make students feel unsafe. In an attempt at investigative journalism, the authors of the piece visited the restroom in the West End Building and described the “horrendous” state of that particular bathroom, which they repeatedly remind readers is attached to taxpayerfunded buildings. The New York Post’s exposé was quickly debunked by both Brooklyn College’s president, Michelle Anderson, and by the authors themselves. Authors Alex Taylor, Shawn Cohen and Bruce Golding acknowledge at the tail end of their piece that Brooklyn College’s director of campus security and public safety, Donald Wentz, emphasized the “key words” of the entire issue were “we prefer,” meaning no official action had taken place to force cops to use designated bathrooms on campus. Wentz explained to the Post that students might feel alarmed to see police walking across quads on campus, interpreting their presence as an emergency situation. Anderson backs Wentz’s statements, as the Ditmas Park Patch, a local news source, reported. She made it clear that the New York Post’s story about Brooklyn College was embellished, noting, “Brooklyn College does, in fact, welcome police to use its campus bathrooms. No policy has changed. We have always allowed public servants to use our facilities under a neutral policy that

applies to police, sanitation workers, traffic enforcement agents and others who work in the field.” Brooklyn College’s brief bathroom scandal, while largely deflated, points to a rooted issue that gets overlooked too often across the United States: not everyone feels safe around the police, even on college campuses. Though an obvious statement to many, specifically people of color, some Americans have yet to realize this densely packed idea. The student population at Brooklyn College catches a glimpse of colleges across the nation, as well as American society. According to the Brooklyn College website, the school community, which is 17 percent Asian American, 17 percent black or African Americans, 20 percent Hispanic and 25 percent white, among others, is diverse in terms of represented ethnicities. Compared to the United States Census Bureau’s 2016 demographic estimates, Brooklyn College is considerably more diverse than the U.S. population as a whole. The New York Post’s recent attempt at institutional muckraking only further elicits acknowledgment of the school’s diversity, especially when the topic at hand is public safety and police. The Pew Research Center has conducted multiple research surveys to gauge citizens’ attitudes toward police officers. A recent survey, conducted in September 2017, reaffirms the various studies conducted in years past, which demonstrates that, on average, many black Americans feel “colder” toward cops compared to white Americans. Only 30 percent of black participants rated their feelings toward police as “warm,” whereas 38 percent expressed “cold”

attitudes. Hispanic respondents rated their feelings for police officers as relatively “warm,” though these attitudes were still 18 percent lower than white respondents. Another survey depicts similar findings, though the focus rests on confidence in police forces in participants’ communities. The survey found that black and Hispanic Americans were significantly less confident that cops would perform their jobs well in their respective communities. One specific question in the survey rated respondents’ confidence that police would not use excessive force on suspects. A majority of both blacks and Hispanics expressed low levels of confidence in this instance. Both data sets illustrate the racial disparity in trust for police, which plays an important role in Brooklyn College’s recent run-in with the law, so to speak. As colleges continue to evolve into spaces for free thought for everyone, administrators and students alike should include racial differences in discussions about public safety. Striking a balance between public and personal safety can only occur when racial disparities in policing are acknowledged and subsequently mended; a college campus is the perfect place to do so. Though policies at Brooklyn College remain unchanged in terms of cops using restrooms as needed –which, in and of itself, is indicative of the inclusive environment that the school fosters – the larger topic need not remain closeted. Attending to attitudes that differ for communities of color, especially when it comes to feeling safe in an environment meant for expanding education and opportunity, is required for college campuses to reach their full potential.

+ around campus: what’s your major? ------------ -----------------

This month, we’re studying

Sexuality Studies

60K AVG.

By Camelia Juarez, Texas State University

SALARY

Ever wonder about the history of the missionary position, why people have foot fetishes or whether the back of a woman’s knee really is an erogenous zone? Are you a lady on the streets and a Freudian freak in the sheets? If so, you might consider a transfer to Ohio State University, whose sexuality studies major will reward you for keeping your mind in the gutter. This taboo topic covers the history, psychology and culture of sex, going way beyond the foreplay and fantasies you’re familiar with. Yes, that’s right: having a profitable career in the sex industry doesn’t mean taking your pants off.

PORNOGRAPHY An industry that makes men radical supporters of net neutrality. VAGINA The real chamber of secrets. PENIS You know what it is. Drawn in public places more than any other symbol. MASTURBATION Mass murder of innocent sperm.

myth & fact M Y T H : Women don’t masturbate. T R U T H : It’s the only time they don’t have to fake it to appease fragile male egos.

M Y T H : Women are more likely to major in sexuality studies. T R U T H : Men and women major in sexual studies at equal rates.

M Y T H : Lesbians are virgins because there is no penis involved. T R U T H : Sex doesn’t require men.

M Y T H : BDSM is what all the cool kids are doing these days. T R U T H : Sex isn’t about fitting in; it’s about fitting it in.

M Y T H : Everyone loves to have sex. T R U T H : One percent of the population identifies as asexual.

key terms

conversation starters “I don’t know what’s more difficult, finding Waldo or finding a girl’s g-spot.” “Does sex with your professor seem more or less appropriate for extra credit in sexuality studies?” “That’s what she said.” “Did you know only 17 percent of women are likely to have an orgasm during sex? Let’s close the pay and orgasm gap!”

CONSENT A big fucking deal. It’s literally a deal to fuck. BIRTH CONTROL Something everyone can get behind.

potential jobs LADY OF THE NIGHT Someone who exchanges their goods for a service. GYNECOLOGIST A medical professional who puts cold metal objects where they shouldn’t be, a.k.a. the dentist of the second mouth. SEXOLOGIST A sex therapist, trained in helping couples with their intimate problems. SEX-ED TEACHER A high school teacher who puts condoms on produce, making pubescent teens uncomfortable when their parents later insist they eat more vegetables.

fun fact Women who went to college are more likely to enjoy receiving and giving oral sex.

STUDYBREAKS.COM

+ around campus: the meal plan

One Nation, Under Chicken

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B Y J O I YA R E ID, G E O RG I A S O U T HE RN UNI V E R S I T Y

inety-one years ago, in 1926, Carter G. Woodson founded the first historical celebration of African-American culture, Negro History Week. Fifty years later, President Gerald Ford dedicated the entire month of February to black history, officially making February, Black History Month. For as long as I can remember, the month of February has been filled with projects dedicated to Black History Month, and, every year, when the time arrived, I would sit at home researching AfricanAmerican inventors, scientists and innovators in not only black, but American history. As a child, I always thought of these assignments as tedious and felt they put a wrench in my entire month. While I only wanted to focus on Valentine’s Day and which Wal-Mart treats to hand out to my classmates, my teachers were determined to teach me about important African-American figures in history. I understand that I took those years for granted because, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that black history is significantly less integrated in the curriculum. So, since what’s taught about American history in required social studies courses doesn’t consider important historical black achievements (not including Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights activists), it is important to set aside time to read about and marvel at the historic achievements of black Americans. Historical facts aside though, this article is also meant to educate you in the ways of the kitchen so, without further ado, allow me to introduce this month’s recipe: fried chicken. Fried chicken is a staple of black culture, but it’s also a staple of Southern culture, and, considering the audience, I know this is a recipe that will strike a chord of happiness in your Southern hearts. Cooking fried chicken is an art, so, although this easy recipe calls for four ingredients, understand that it is possible to incorrectly make fried chicken. So, what makes great, slap-your-mama-good fried chicken? Well, my friends, I believe it all comes down to two things: the seasoning and the crisp. Yes people, I’m talking about the crunchy, flakey outer layer, coating juicy and tender, white, fall-off-thebone meat. If you’re serving up fried chicken and the first bite doesn’t sound like a potato chip from a freshly opened bag of Original Lays, then you’re doing it wrong.

In a month that celebrates black history, nothing salutes both black and Southern culture like a simple recipe for classic fried chicken. Image via Cook’s Illustrated

flavors, remember this: season like there’s no tomorrow. The recipe included for you guys today calls for salt and pepper to taste, but there’s nothing that says you can’t put whatever seasoning you want on your chicken. Pro tip: add some spice, something along the lines of cayenne and paprika. So, the take away from this is: Be generous with your seasoning, as if you’re Santa Claus on Christmas Day, and fry your chicken with the crunch in mind

Fried Chicken INGREDIENTS

Canola oil, for frying One cup of flour Salt and pepper (and other seasonings) to taste One whole chicken (or chicken breasts cut into strips)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place approx. 2 inches of oil in a saucepan on medium heat 2. Heat oil until the oil is around 350 degrees (or until oil begins to pop) 3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and other

seasonings 4. Dredge chicken strips in flour and seasoning mixture, shaking off the excess (remember: the key word here is generosity) 5. Place chicken in the oil, turning the strips occasionally 6. Fry the chicken for about 15 minutes or until dark-brown 7. Set your chicken on a paper towel to allow the access oil to run-off 8. Let the chicken cool for five minutes, then it’s ready to serve!

Next is the seasoning. When it comes to spices and

STUDYBREAKS.COM

+ around campus: university report

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College News By Brandi Loving, St. Mary’s University

THE BUZZ ( C ON T IN UE D F RO M PAG E 21 )

meanwhile, in texas F R E E S P E E C H D E B AT E D, A G A IN

After a Texas State University student columnist wrote an “anti-white” article, titled “Your DNA Is an Abomination,” another free-speech debate has erupted throughout the state. Texas politicians, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, began discussions of the issue on Jan. 31.

H O O T E R S H O S T IL I T Y

Abilene Christian University, a conservative campus, is urging students not to apply to the local Hooters that is set to open. The campus attacked the restaurant’s wellknown uniform, as well as the company’s “loose morals.”

G IR L S RUL E , B O Y S D RO O L

According to studies from the Texas Higher Education Board, Texas men are greatly lagging behind Texas women in the classroom. Texas women, according to statistics, significantly outnumber Texas men in obtaining public school college degrees. I guess girls really do go to college to get more knowledge.

on the lighter side A P O ULT RY PA R T Y

Texas, being Texas, is preparing for its 27th Annual Bluebonnet Classic Poultry Show. College Station will be hosting 1,400 birds, 300 pigeons and a variety of different eggs. The campus will likely be covered in feathers for weeks. W H ATA B URG E R W O O S

Whataburger, arguably the heart and soul of Texas, may have helped Texas A&M land fivestar cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart, a San Diego native. During a visit, Taylor-Stuart reportedly really enjoyed the local Whataburger, and A&M recruits are hoping he stays for more.

EARLY RETIREMENT Thomas Roma, a photography professor at Columbia University, announced his retirement after multiple students came forward accusing him of sexual misconduct. The accusations, which include “oral rape,” have yet to be investigated, but Roma has decided to retire “effective immediately.” PAR FOR THE COURSE Bellevue University has recruited a 61-year-old man to their collegiate golf team, adding a new meaning to the phrase “college senior.” Don Byers is about to start this semester as a collegiate golfer, competing against and alongside students well under half his age. FIGHTING FOR FITNESS New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants all New York public colleges to begin providing a food pantry on campus for students. Cuomo feels campuses need to provide a way for students to have consistent, reliable access to healthy foods. ALTRUISTS ANONYMOUS An anonymous donor has provided a $1.2 million gift for future St. Louis college students. The donation will provide scholarships for 100 high school seniors, who will receive $12,000 annually, covering tuition for any community college or public university in Missouri .

+ around campus: college hacks

#valentineshacks

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By Christian Zeitler, Carnegie Mellon University

ove is like candy: It’s sweet, addictive, most of it isn’t high quality and anyone allergic to it can get pissed off by the people who enjoy it in front of them. In a month dedicated to monetizing your need for human connection, remember to repeat the words you read on the poster your twice-divorced high school math teacher had hanging on their wall: Self-love is the most powerful kind of love there is.

Types of People You See on Valentines Day

how to:

ROMEO AND JULIET

Named not for their love, but for how utterly dumb and irritating their love is to witness. This couple kisses all day, holds hands and does other things to specifically target you. THE CYNIC

Because they had their heartbroken, all romance is a joke. They have risen above pursuits of the flesh through superior intellect and insight into the human condition.

Ace the Last Second Present

CHOCOLATE AND A DATE: If you have money, it doesn’t matter how forgetful you are. As

long as you remember your significant other’s favorite restaurant — bam — you just bought yourself a nice night and a free pass for the holiday. THE LETTER: If you struggle with negligence and being poor, write a thoughtful letter or poem. It’s easy to speak from the bottom of your heart when the bottom of your pockets are empty. PHOTO ALBUM: Your partner’s obsession with posting pictures of you on social media finally becomes practical. Print out as many as you can afford and put them in an album with “Memories” written on the front.

THE CHOCOHOLIC

When life gives you lemons, eat your feelings. There’s no such thing as empty calories when you’re empty inside. THIRSTY BOY

Convinced that the romance of the season is the perfect atmosphere to break out the dating tips they’ve been researching on YouTube. They could be a nerd, meat-head or a stoner, but one thing is sure: It will be uncomfortable.

Love at Its Most Pure Love comes in many forms, but none more pure than that of pizza’s love for you. When the world turns it back on you, when your partner leaves you, your parents abandon you and your dog dies, only pizza remains. Pizza is our silent guardian. Pizza is eternal.

STUDYBREAKS.COM

BY SHASHANK RAO, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARIEL PARRA, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY

manda Gorman is a woman of many passions. She studies sociological phenomena at Harvard University, has expressed her desire to run for president of the United States one day and, perhaps most importantly, pens collections of winning poems. Her work, it seems, has paid off: as of 2017, Gorman was named the nation’s first youth poet laureate. The Harvard sophomore wants to use her new role to espouse a worldview contingent on hope and progress, as well as to spotlight the multitude of people, identities and voices within the United States. Gorman spoke with Study Breaks to offer us her thoughts on everything from the merits of rhyme, to the unfair STEM/humanities dichotomy, to the possibility for a brighter tomorrow. SHASHANK RAO: TO BEGIN ON A GRAND NOTE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY MAKES SOMETHING WORTHY FOR YOU TO WRITE ABOUT? AMANDA GORMAN: For me, I ask myself: Why am I writing this? Who am I writing this for? Who do

I stand with when I’m writing this? A lot of the time, those answers are to specific questions that have something to do with the type of hope I have for the future. For example, I spend a lot of time writing about gender disparity, because I hope in the future that it will be less of an issue and that the world will have gotten to a place where there is equality of the sexes and genders. But there are also things I find worthy of writing about that are quite mundane. I love writing about nature, and I love writing about “the moment.” So I suppose it has to be something that either speaks to me at a particular instance or that I feel has some type of political or personal weight.

STUDYBREAKS.COM

SR: WOULD YOU SAY YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE A LOT WHEN YOU’RE WRITING POETRY, ESPECIALLY SEEING AS A LOT OF WRITERS SAY THAT YOU SHOULD BE WRITING FOR YOURSELF FIRST? HOW DO YOU SEE THAT? AG: When I first began writing, I was writing for myself. I

was writing in my journal; no one was reading my writing; I wasn’t published anywhere. I found it very liberating that I was writing for the voice in my own head, rather than for applause or recognition or acknowledgement. Now that I’m youth poet laureate, I’m always thinking about my audience and who could be listening and who could be watching. That’s not necessarily a negative thing. I actually think of it as a great privilege that I now have this platform and microphone to be writing and producing writing that is listened to. SR: YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU ARE, AFTER ALL, THE NATION’S YOUTH POET LAUREATE. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY IN A NEW WAY NOW THAT YOU HAVE THIS HUGE PLATFORM? AG: Absolutely. Every

single day I feel like I have a responsibility with this platform. But if I’m going to be honest, I always believed I had a responsibility, even before I was named youth poet laureate. I believe all of us in some way have a responsibility and a duty to try to affect change. Though I can say, specifically, ever since I became the nation’s first ever youth poet laureate, there was this moment where I was thinking: This is a great opportunity to make that change I want to see. SR: IN THE TRADITION OF ASKING WRITERS ABOUT THEIR PLACE OF ORIGIN, COULD YOU TELL ME ABOUT GROWING UP IN LOS ANGELES? DO YOU THINK YOUR POEMS HAVE A “LOS ANGELES” VOICE? AG: I’m not sure I would say so, because I don’t think

there’s a singular “Los Angeles” voice. What I can say, though, is that I am deeply inspired by Angelinos and Californians who have come before me as writers. For example, when I was thinking about who I wanted to be as youth poet laureate, I turned to the former U.S. poet

laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera, who was poet laureate of California. I was also really inspired not just by the outstanding poetry, but the humanitarianism of Luis Rodriguez, who was the Los Angeles poet laureate. Now I look up to Robin Coste Lewis, who is the current Los Angeles poet laureate. I’m really lucky and fortunate to have grown up in Los Angeles where I had all of these examples of poets of color who weren’t just phenomenal writers, but phenomenal human beings as well. SR: STAYING IN THAT VEIN, WHO ARE YOUR TOP FIVE INFLUENCES IN TERMS OF YOUR POETRY AND YOUR WRITING? AG: I’d have to say Maya

Angelou, number one. Two: Toni Morrison. Three: Yusef Komunyakaa. Four: Gwendolyn Brooks. Five: Sonia Sanchez. But … SR: YOU CAN ADD A FEW MORE IF YOU WANT TO! AG: I’d also add in J.K.

Rowling there. Even though she’s not necessarily a poet, seeing a woman be such a prominent writer was really inspiring as a little girl and still is now. SR: I DEFINITELY SEE THE MAYA ANGELOU INFLUENCE SHOWING THROUGH IN YOUR POEM, “IN THIS PLACE (AN AMERICAN LYRIC).” WHAT ABOUT HER POETRY DO YOU FIND SO COMPELLING, SO INSPIRING? AG: One thing I find captivating about Maya Angelou as

a person is the way her beliefs as a teacher intersected with her work as a poet, in that her job as a “writer” didn’t stop when she was reading at the inauguration of Bill Clinton or when she published an autobiography. Maya Angelou really saw her responsibility as that of being a teacher and a student. She was a magician when it came to rhyme and lyricism, but she was also a goddess when it came to being this wise soul who transcends death. Even now, years after her death, people are still reciting her words and will be for years to come, because her poetry isn’t just good technically, it’s good in terms of its intentions. SR: A LOT OF POETS TAKE ON A VERY GRIM, PESSIMISTIC MANTLE OF SUFFERING WHEN WRITING THEIR POETRY, YET YOU ARE MUCH MORE HOPEFUL, IT SEEMS. HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR

POETRY FITTING INTO THAT BINARY OF POETIC HOPE AND POETIC PAIN? AG: I think it’s unfortunate that in poetry that binary exists,

but I also think that anger is a great place to draw from when it comes to social change. Audre Lorde wrote about this a lot, about the power of anger. At the same time, it is unfair and discriminatory to expect me, as a black woman poet, to be angry and furious, as it overlooks my potential for harboring hope and affecting change. I do concede that I am often angry and frustrated by oppression and issues of power inequality, as I should be — we should all be disappointed in the shortcomings of the world. Having said that, that doesn’t necessarily mean that my poems should be limited to those types of emotions. I can make my anger constructive, as I am not someone who believes they are hopeless and powerless.

SR: YOU’VE TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN THE FUTURE, SO YOU’RE OBVIOUSLY VERY INTERESTED IN POLITICS. THERE’S ALWAYS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT WHAT ART TAKES FROM POLITICS, BUT I’D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK POLITICS CAN LEARN FROM ART. AG: What I think is interesting is that in Washington D.C.,

the Library of Congress stands between the Capitol Building and the United States Supreme Court. What that symbolizes to me is the specific role of literature between policy and justice. I think that art and creativity serve as a vital bridge for democracy. Look at all the strongest and most stable democracies in the world: creativity is usually at the forefront. I think of Athens and the theater, poetry and spoken word and their role in discussions of democracy and politics here. Of

course, politics will always speak to poetry, art, theater and dance, but it is also very true that art can influence politics. It can be just as powerful, if not at certain times, more powerful, than certain political moments. I’m a huge fan of “Hamilton: The Musical” because it proves that an art piece, a composition, can interject itself into the theater space as well as the realm of political parlance and influence the way people think about immigration reform, gender equality, etc. SR: I’D LIKE TO TURN BACK TO “IN THIS PLACE” FOR A MOMENT. AMONG MANY INTRIGUING COMPONENTS OF THE POEM, I FOUND MYSELF FASCINATED BY THE RHYME PATTERNS. YOU DON’T SEE A LOT OF POEMS RHYMING THESE DAYS, SO WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE VALUE OF RHYME? WHY RHYME? AG: As much as poets don’t rhyme — and I even I don’t rhyme

all the time — there is still value in having sounds in your poetry that sound similar. It helps the reader remember. Everyone has a song or jingle stuck in the back of their head, and more often than not, they rhyme. So, if I really want to get a message out there, I use rhyme to imprint it on the reader. What I wanted to highlight in “In this Place” was the historical fact that tyrants fear the poet. So I go on a long rhyme with the sound “-oet.” If I want to communicate the idea that every American is a poet, then I’m going to rhyme the heck out of that poem, back and forth. SR: I’VE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT RHYME THAT WAY. IN POETRY CLASS, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT RHYME IN TERMS OF FORM AND HOW IT MAINTAINS THE INTEGRITY OF THE METER, BUT I’VE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT RHYME BEING A FORM OF TEACHING, IN A SENSE. AG: I like that word you used: teaching. SR: MOVING ON A LITTLE, BUT STILL ON A RELATED NOTE, YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION CALLED ONE PEN, ONE PAGE. COULD YOU TELL ME A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT? AG: I started One Pen One Page, when I was 16 through a grant

I received through a program called HerLead. I wanted to fight illiteracy by giving underserved youth access to creative writing programs. One Pen One Page accomplishes this goal in a variety of ways. One way is through an online website that publishes the stories of young people from around the world. Another way is

through our in-person workshops, where we go into schools and teach workshops about poetry and social justice. We also give out reading rewards and supplies to schools so that they can host their own creative-writing workshops and can reward students who have been working on their reading and writing skills. To me, what’s so important about the work One Pen One Page does is that it plants two trees with one seed: You can fight the rampant illiteracy in certain areas of the United States, while also inspiring the next generation of community leaders. It’s that intersection that drives me to continue that work. SR: WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES, A LOT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE BASED AROUND STEM. WHAT’S THE VALUE OF DOING SOMETHING MORE CREATIVE? WHAT DO YOU THINK STUDENTS CAN GET OUT OF, SAY, CREATIVE WRITING, THAT THEY CAN’T GET OUT OF A COMPUTER-PROGRAMMING CLASS? AG: I think it’s unfortunate that often, in the discourse about

afterschool programs and the educational system at large, the arts get left out. I believe STEM education is beyond important, because of course it’s going to play such a significant role in the way the world is going, but I know we will have better engineers, scientists and technicians if they have exposure to the arts growing up. A lot of the world’s geniuses talk about this — whether it’s Steve Jobs or Lin Manuel Miranda — about how exposure to some form of the arts helped them develop their “it” ideas, that big idea that lit up the world. It’s important that we realize how important interdisciplinary fields can be. Look at Pixar Animation. I think animation films are incredible because they have physicists and engineers and computer graphic designers and artists and storytellers and singers working together to make a film. They’re rooted in STEM, because you really need STEM to make a film as real as “Moana” or “Coco,” but you also need storytellers and writers. The two need to work collaboratively. I think we’ll see a lot more powerful innovation in the world if, from the get-go, the educational system joins art with STEM, rather than separating them from each other. SR: I’D LIKE TO END ON A BIG QUESTION: WHAT DOES BEING YOUTH POET LAUREATE MEAN TO YOU IN THIS DAY AND AGE? AG: I feel a lot of pressure, but I also feel a lot of gratitude and

excitement to be youth poet laureate. On one hand, you have this president who’s trying to get rid of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Humanities, which is terrible beyond belief, but at the same time, we have this movement of millions of people who have gathered to create events like the Women’s March or who are using poetry in a way we saw in the 1960s and ’70s. It’s really exciting work to be a part of because I really believe that what is being created today is going to be talked about in the history books my grandchildren will read someday. So whenever I do a reading or a workshop as youth poet laureate, I tell myself that we are living history. Sometimes we forget, because we don’t know what’s history until we look back. I want to make sure that, in this role and in this position, I am a person I can be proud of and that my country can be proud of when this moment becomes history.

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As team manager for the UNC Tar Heels menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball team, Emily Brickner-Hughes supervises one of the most prestigious athletic programs in the country, and is one of the only women in the field.

BY G I S E L L E K R AC HE NF E L S, UNI V E R S I T Y OF S O U T HE RN C A L IF ORNI A P H O T O G R A P H Y BY RYA N HE RRON, UNI V E R S I T Y OF N OR T H C A ROL IN A

or someone who isn’t a basketball player, Emily BricknerHughes spends a lot of time at the Dean Smith Center, the University of North Carolina’s famed basketball stadium. Whether it’s 6:45 a.m. on a freezing winter-break morning or 11:00 p.m. on a school night, there’s a solid chance that you’ll find UNC senior Brickner-Hughes close to the hardwood.

Coach Williams and keeps a detailed spreadsheet of meal orders to send to restaurants while traveling. The last time I saw Brickner-Hughes, her purse was stuffed with jumbo bags of Skittles and Starbursts. “Oh these? They’re for Jalik [Felton]. I always have them on me,” she said nonchalantly, as if everyone always carries around several pounds of candy.

She’s not an athlete, but one of the dedicated people responsible for making Carolina’s esteemed basketball team run smoothly. If you’re a fan of college basketball, it’s likely while watching ESPN you’ve seen her behind the players’ bench, though without actually noticing she’s there. Why? Brickner-Hughes is a manager for the men’s basketball team, a job that, while critical, largely goes unseen.

A double major in sports management and interpersonal communications, Brickner-Hughes works hard to balance school with what is essentially a full time job, often clocking in at 60 hours per week. A typical day for her consists of class in the morning and practice at 3:30. “I set up equipment behind the goals and put out gum for the players, hand sanitizer and tissues for the coaches and then I’ll rebound. During practice we’ll either take stats, run the clock or be at the basket ready to rebound. After practice, many of the players will shoot and we’ll rebound for them again. Then we’ll all have a meal as a team, and afterward we clean up. On a usual practice day, I’m there from about 2:30 to 7:30.”

Brickner-Hughes, a childhood friend of mine, didn’t play basketball competitively growing up, but she’s always been a UNC fan. Photos from 15 years ago show her decked out in Carolina gear with a pair of blue-and-white pom-poms and face tattoos. Her dad, Thomas Brickner, works as a sports medicine physician for UNC, and she largely credits him for how she became involved with sports management. “I think what drew me to it is that Carolina basketball is like a huge family,” she says. “My dad is the sports medicine doctor for the team, so I grew up around the players and the coaches and their families. I grew up seeing how everything worked, and what it looked like behind the scenes.”

I think part of our job is having to accept that we’re going to do all of this and probably not get a thank you.

The majority of college teams have managers, a position that entails the general running of a team and its logistics, leaving the coach and other staff free to focus on coaching and training. As Bricker-Hughes describes, “Essentially, we, as managers, are here to meet any and every need of the players. It’s on us to make sure that everything is always set up, that the players are always happy.” She and her fellow managers set up equipment, rebound for the players, make sure the locker room is always clean and the gear is ready. For away games, they pack the bags for player and coaches, handle all the equipment they travel with and coordinate with restaurants they visit. Being a manager is about anticipating the team’s needs and ensuring every game, practice and team event happens without a hitch. It’s her job to be attuned to players’ and coaches’ preferences — their likes, dislikes and must-haves. She always has an ice cold Sprite Zero at the ready for

On game days, Brickner-Hughes says the team’s schedule is completely grounded by their rituals. “Coach Williams is really superstitious. We do everything the same every single game. We have a meal exactly four hours before the game. If the game is at 7:04, then we will be eating our meal at exactly 3:04. After shooting around and warming up, all the players need to be dressed and seated in the locker room exactly 37 minutes before the game starts. We have to be right outside the locker room waiting for Coach Williams when he comes in at the 37-minute mark. Everything has to be done on a second-bysecond basis, so we always have to be conscious of the time. It’s on us to be on time, always.” When you’re a sports manager, if you’re doing your job completely right, no one should notice. It is only if you make a mistake that your work will be recognized. BricknerHughes notes that managing is certainly not a job for those who need constant praise. “It’s very much so work that is going to go unnoticed. I think part of our job is having to accept that we’re going to do all of this and probably not get a thank you,” she says. “It’s pretty thankless work. And you know, that’s okay. Don’t get me wrong — our players are very grateful for everything, they’re some of our best friends — but at the end of the day, people don’t care what we’re doing, they care what the players are doing.”

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Brickner-Hughes’ job as one of six basketball managers is already remarkable — the process to become a sports manager is competitive, especially making the leap from the junior varsity to varsity team. But her status is particularly notable given that she’s a woman. To few people’s surprise, the sports industry is largely male. There has never been a female general manager in any of the four major sports. Key management positions within the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB are only 2 percent female-held. When it comes to broadcasting, out of the 183 sports talk shows, there only two female hosts. In terms of coaches, between all 122 teams within the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB, there have been no female head coaches and five assistant coaches: Katie Smith and Kathryn Sowers for the NFL, Jenny Boucek, Becky Hammon and Nancy Lieberman for the NBA, Dawn Braid for the NHL and Justine Siegel for the MLB. On

the college level, statistics are a little better, with women accounting for around 3 percent of coaches for men’s teams. (Interestingly, men coach about 57 percent of women’s college teams.) Duke University recently published an article investigating why their basketball program doesn’t have female managers. A senior associate director of athletics and external affairs at the university said that there had been a lack of qualified applicants. Other sources reported a female candidate being told they were not hiring women due to the hassle of special accommodations and a message showing that female candidates were being held to a higher standard than male candidates. In response to the article, Bricker-Hughes says, “Even if it costs a little extra for another hotel room, that should never be a deterrent. I think everyone deserves the

opportunity to work in sports if they want to.” Given an industry loaded with these kinds of statistics and incidences, it is remarkable indeed that Brickner-Hughes and fellow senior Maria Rose Vanderford both work as varsity managers for one of the nation’s top college-basketball teams. Bricker-Hughes notes that being a women in this position means no discrepancy in competence or capability, just an extra room needed and the players occasionally joking that she shouldn’t listen to their conversations about girls. She feels that her experience has made her much more aware of this issue around the nation. “Being a manager has made me so much more aware of other women within the sports industry. Whenever we go to other schools, I’ll always look to see if a team has any girl managers. I always have more respect for a team that does, because I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to have female managers if they’re qualified.” Brickner-Hughes says at games that people often aren’t used to seeing female managers. “A lot of the time, teams will have women who are trainers or work for the event center, but aren’t actually part of the team. So I think maybe people assume,

‘Oh there’s a good chance these girls aren’t actually associated with the team.’ People do seem surprised sometimes when they find out that Maria and I are managers.” When asked about why she thinks there are so few women seen in sports management, Brickner-Hughes speculates dated stereotypes about women not liking/understanding sports and therefore, girls being implicitly told they’re not as capable play a major part. “I think a lot of the time there’s an underlying assumption that there wouldn’t be interest from women. Some people might wonder, ‘Well why would a girl want to work for a men’s team?’ But I’m doing the same duties a lot of the time that any manager for any women’s team would do. I think it’s also that a lot of girls don’t feel they would have a chance. They think, ‘Why would I get picked over any guy?’ There’s a belief that there’s less legitimacy with women in sports, which obviously isn’t true. There have just been so many stereotypes that have been ground into people’s minds for so many generations that it has become harder for women to get these opportunities.” However, the situation isn’t without hope, and

Brickner-Hughes believes that spreading awareness and girls seeing representation can help change the tide. She recalls that she would not have even known about the chance to be a manager had it not been for her dad in the athletics department. “I think just getting the word out is a huge first step, doing stuff like this interview so more girls can know that this exists. If I were a girl in high school and read an article like this, talking about a woman’s experience as a sports manager, and I had any interest, I would be like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is actually possible — you can totally do this.’ If women can see that the opportunities are there, then we’re more likely to fight for them or become qualified enough to pursue them.” Brickner-Hughes hopes that her presence as a manager will encourage other young people to pursue the extraordinary experience that is Carolina basketball. She recalls how much she’s learned from Coach Williams, a future Hall of Famer and the kind of man who makes excellence look ordinary. “He’s taught me so much about good leadership skills. He never gives up. There are a lot of times, if it’s a bad loss, where I wouldn’t have anything to say if I was in his place. But Coach always continues moving forward. He’ll say, ‘This is what we need to do differently and what we need to learn from.’ Or if he feels that he did something wrong he’ll say, ‘This is my fault, I’m sorry I let you guys down.’ He’s incredibly humble and down to earth, which makes it even more enjoyable to work with him.” She remembers one of the little things he does every practice to be one of the most meaningful. Every day at practice, Coach Williams gives a thought of the day — a different, inspirational quote at each of their 100+ practices. Her favorite was one he repeated over and over the whole time they were at the Final Four of the 2017 NCAA championship. “He said, ‘We didn’t come this far, just to come this far.’ I like that. People started to joke about it cause he said it all the time. But it’s so true. We put in however many thousands of hours of work, and we didn’t do that just to lose and go home. I think that’s the way he looked at it — instead of worrying about this or that or saying ‘This team is better,’ he trusts in us and what we can do.” Brickner-Hughes counts her time spent working with the team, now seen as a second family, to be one of her favorite things she’s ever done. She says, “I love knowing that every day I feel like I’m at home when I walk into the Smith Center.” She hopes other girls will have the same opportunity. After being featured in photos on the team’s Instagram account last year, she remembers some young girls reaching out saying how cool her job was, and asking how to get involved. Brickner-Hughes was proud to have set an example, and hopes she’ll continue to do so in her future career. One thing, however, is certain: She didn’t come this far, just to come this far.

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blessed are

the persecuted AT BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY, WHERE HOMOSEXUALITY IS EXPLICITLY CONDEMNED IN THE SCHOOL’S INFAMOUS HONOR CODE, SENIOR J.D. GOATES IS WALKING AN IDEOLOGICAL TIGHT ROPE TO PROTECT THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. BY K AT HL E E N D A NIE L S ON, C A RL E T ON C OL L E G E P H O T O G R A P H Y BY M A DDY P URV E S, B RI G H A M YO UN G UNI V E R S I T Y

or the past few years, Brigham Young University has hovered near the top of Princeton Review’s list of the most LGBTQ-unfriendly colleges in the U.S. A large university in Provo, Utah, BYU is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and historically, it has allowed its religious foundations to prevent it from treating students equally. The school doesn’t attempt to hide its prejudice against queer members of its community: simply searching “LGBTQ” on BYU’s website unearths pages of articles from the student newspaper reporting increased rates of depression and suicide among queer students and controversy over protests in favor of queer rights. But the negative articles are nearly outnumbered by reports of attempts to educate a prejudiced

community through panels, guest speakers and film screenings. Understanding Same Gender Attraction (USGA), a BYU club striving to create a campus community for LGBTQ students, has been central to these efforts — and senior J.D. Goates is at its helm. Goates started attending USGA meetings his freshman year, when he heard a professor mention the organization in passing. Back then, the culture of hostility toward LGBTQ people was even more perverse than it is today, and Goates felt alone with no community to support him. “I felt as though I was the only gay person at BYU,” he says. “Logically, I knew there had to be other gay people there, but it just didn’t feel like it.” His sense of isolation and lack of support led him to devote time to USGA, eventually becoming

its president. “It was very isolating,” Goates remembers. “And unfortunately, that’s what many students at BYU experience, and it’s because they just don’t know — they don’t know that they can identify as LGBTQ; they don’t know that there are other out LGBTQ people; they don’t know there’s a community; they don’t know they have friends; they don’t know they have support.” USGA strives to lend students the support they are missing by hosting socials, barbeques, game nights, education nights, guest speakers and presenters. The club also regularly forms panels that allow students like Goates and others to educate BYU parents, professors and students on a variety of topics: navigating faith and sexuality, being queer in the working world, becoming a better ally, coming out to parents and being supportive to LGBTQ children. “We like to do many things that can educate, but also provide a space for a community.”

opposition to the widespread fear that counselors will try to change students’ sexualities. “A lot of people are very scared to go to a therapy session at BYU — they’re afraid that there will be attempts for aversion therapy or electroshock therapy or essentially any kind of therapy to change your sexual orientation,” Goates says. “That is not a practice. In fact, if that is suggested by someone, the school wants to shut it down and prevent it from happening.” The presence of such an accessible and trustworthy resource is no doubt a comfort for queer students seeking a confidant, and the counselors’ kindness can make a an otherwise difficult college experience much smoother.

they don’t know they can identify as lgbt

Goates says that USGA supports every student equally, without influence or bias. “USGA has a position of neutrality when it comes to someone’s life,” he says, and the cold wording of this statement only reinforces the professionalism of the organization’s relationship with the students they support. “For example, we’re not going to tell someone that they have to stay within their faith — instead, we’re going to encourage them to make their own decisions, and if that means staying in their religion, as I plan on doing, then that’s great and we support it,” he explains. Even if a student decides to leave their religion, they will find reassurance and encouragement in USGA. “We’re about unconditional support regardless of life trajectory.”

But USGA isn’t the only place students can turn to for support; Goates says people consistently report that BYU’s Counseling and Psychological Services are an excellent confidential resource for queer and straight students alike. This reality is a positive

Unfortunately, USGA’s efforts to build a queer community and counselors’ efforts to give students the help they need are in a state of constant push and shove with the existence of BYU’s Honor Code. The Honor Code tells students how to dress, how to style their hair, how to behave and how to express their sexuality — namely, don’t. Under the section titled “Homosexual Behavior,” the Honor Code states: “One’s stated samegender attraction is not an Honor Code issue. However, the Honor Code requires all members of the university community to manifest a strict commitment to the law of chastity. Homosexual behavior is inappropriate and violates the Honor Code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual relations between members of the same sex, but all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings.”

According to Goates, all students must sign and agree to follow the Honor Code when they enroll at BYU, and if they violate it, they are subject to harsh discipline, from a warning to suspension to expulsion. Anyone can report a student to the office — faculty, staff, students, even parents or other people with no direct connection to the school. “One of the issues that BYU students currently face is a fear. There’s a fear of being kicked out,” Goates says. “There’s a fear of losing the life that you’ve worked hard to build.” If the Honor Code’s intention is to instill fear in LGBTQ students, it has succeeded. Even when students are doing nothing wrong, they still face the anxiety that someone might misinterpret their

actions and report them to the Honor Code Office. “I can’t go out to lunch with my best friend, my roommate, who’s a straight man, without constantly having to look over my shoulder and worry that someone’s going to see us, and because I’m an out man, think that we’re on a date and report us to the Honor Code Office,” Goates says. “And then it becomes my word versus theirs, and as the ‘guilty party,’ my opinion is going to hold less weight.” Even same-gender relationships, when students can get away with them, are tense under the fear of the Honor Code. “If people are in relationships or are being physical or intimate, there’s still a feeling of distrust,” Goates says. “It’s really rough, and it’s isolating, and it’s hurtful.” Such distrust between partners likely would not exist if the Honor Code didn’t either, but since it is such a cornerstone of BYU’s mission as a school, it is most likely here to stay. Recent news articles about BYU and its discriminatory policies reinforce the fear of living under the Honor Code that Goates describes. In 2016, The Salt Lake Tribune published a harrowing article about the vulnerability of LGBTQ victims of sexual assault. According to the article, “Advocates for LGBT students say coming out brings such scrutiny that even people who have no intention of

dating tend to seek support in secret, often online.” This has created a network of online predators who take advantage of queer BYU students and their reluctance to speak out after assault for fear of outing their orientation. As horrifying as this victimization may be, students face equally terrible consequences from the Honor Code Office if they choose to report an assault. The Tribune tells the story of a gay student raped by an older man when he was a minor. Not knowing where to turn for help, he reported it to the school, and the Honor Code Office stripped him of his job, housing and right to participate in activities; he could go to class, but that was all. Another student dropped out after reporting his rape rather than face the stress and shame of admitting homosexual relations, despite their nonconsensual nature, to the Honor Code Office. BYU’s discriminatory handling of such cases is on the national radar: The university is on a list of 200 schools across the country under federal investigation for their poor handling of sexual assault cases, and LGBTQ rights activists have been pressuring the Big 12 conference to disqualify BYU due to its discrimination against queer students and staff. However, progress has been slow, and BYU is still allowed to compete and discriminate.

I actually love my school. And I think that’s true for many students — they love the school, and they don’t want to walk away from it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t hard.

Even state law cannot touch the school: Because of its status as a private institution, BYU has avoided accountability for its discrimination against the LGBTQ community. According to a 2015 Washington Post article, “During the 2015 legislative session, Utah lawmakers, gay-rights advocates and Mormon leaders hammered out an anti-discrimination law that extends housing and employment protections to LGBT people while also safeguarding some religious liberties.” However, BYU was labeled exempt from this law. While such incidents have hindered progress, some things have improved since Goates’ isolated freshman year. A Huffington Post article reported that in 2014, a survey was distributed

to BYU students, asking, “What is your sexual orientation?” The only responses provided were “I am heterosexual, but I struggle with same-sex attraction,” “I am heterosexual and do not struggle with same-sex attraction” and “other, please specify.” But, in December 2017, the article was updated — its publication had spurred the Church of Latter-Day Saints into action, and the same survey question is now distributed with answer choices “yes,” “no” and “other.” A small improvement, but everything helps. Even so, why not transfer rather than endure BYU’s discrimination? Goates says students are reluctant to leave a school that they care about despite its flaws. “BYU may have its ups and downs, but, in

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general, I actually love my school. And I think that’s true for many students — they love the school, and they don’t want to walk away from it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t hard. A lot of people do decide that they would have a better college experience going to a different university, whereas many others — like myself — have decided that it’s the right place for us.” From his experience, Goates is skeptical that transferring would automatically improve a queer student’s life. “You experience acts of discrimination no matter where you go. It’s one of the things I’ve learned in life.” But it isn’t everywhere that an LGBTQ person will be told they are simply facing a conscious choice between heterosexuality and queerness. “That is a very frequent thing that people say — ‘It’s natural, you don’t choose to be gay, but you can choose not to act on it,’” Goates says. “It’s like a predisposition to addiction — you can choose not to be addicted.” This attitude is widespread at BYU; LGBTQ students hear it not only from classmates, but also from parents and professors. Goates says that although the vast majority of BYU professors are LGBTQ-affirming, the few who are homophobic do the most damage. USGA, however, has made impactful attempts to alert the administration to the harm these professors are causing. “As a club, we have gone to the individual colleges and given the deans of each of these colleges ways to help teachers understand what’s going to help LGBTQ students feel included and what’s not,” Goates says. “Most of the faculty is extremely open to it and extremely interested because professors at BYU truly care about the development of their students. I’ve talked with the administration multiple times on how to deal with this, and they are very concerned about students’ cultural concerns.” But despite the administration’s interest in students’ issues, and despite the fact that USGA has had an immensely positive impact on the school’s attitude of acceptance in

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the past few years, the organization is still an unofficial club. Its leaders have made repeated attempts to change its status, but Goates, who meets with the administration weekly, says that USGA’s existence as an unofficial club isn’t a problem with the school. “The administration knows we exist and they’re fine with us existing. I can’t give you a reason why they won’t add us as a club; however, I really do think that the university is heading in a great direction. Given my work with people currently in charge, I think that they truly care about the experiences of the students and they want to make all students feel welcome to the best of their abilities.” BYU seems to be headed in the right direction, but Goates graduates in the spring, and USGA will have to keep pushing for change without him. After graduation, Goates hopes to attend grad school, where he plans to join a clinical psychology program. “Working with USGA has set me on a course to understand more about microaggressions and minority stress and other issues, so I’m very interested in researching that when I go to grad school,” he says. “Being in USGA has really helped me understand that there is a world outside of the microcosm that is my current experience. It’s helped me to connect with people, not only in the queer community, but in the larger community.” Beyond continuing his education, Goates wants, above all, to be free to continue being himself without apology. “I plan on living my life,” he says, and after four years fighting to gain equality at BYU, it’s safe to say that he deserves to live the way he wants. Despite BYU’s problems, Goates has found a place there, and he is leaving his school with more knowledge and selflove than when he arrived. “I’ve gained the courage to say that I deserve to exist. I think that’s the most important thing, for an individual to feel like they deserve to exist— and I can’t say that I had that feeling my whole life. As part of USGA, I found a community, and I found that I deserve to be.”

iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gained the courage to say that i deserve to

exist

getting to know Pratt Institute senior Casiano Hamer, the director of the gritty but cinematographically stunning short film “STUD,” has his eyes set on gold when it comes to making movies. BY S H A S H A NK R AO, UNI V E R S I T Y OF MI C HI G A N

P H O T O G R A P H Y BY F E N G Y E , UNI V E R S I T Y OF C HI C AG O

t seems as if Casiano Hamer eats, sleeps and breathes film. Growing up, he would watch everything under the sun with his grandmother; now, he attends one of New York City’s many movie theaters to seek inspiration for his films. However, for the longest time, Hamer was consumed by the world of sports, particularly baseball. His new short, “STUD,” takes a raw, gritty, yet elegant look at the world of baseball and draws from his own experiences with the pressures that are part and parcel of athletics.

An intensely psychological endeavor, “STUD” is rife with cinematographic nods to acclaimed films, such as last year’s Best Picture-winner, “Moonlight” and the French director Claire Denis’ “Beau Travail.” The Pratt Institute senior’s cinematic inclinations are manifold, but Hamer is ultimately bent on creating films that both challenge viewers’ ideas about the lives of people of color and grant them fresh perspective on life. “FILM IS THE WAY I digest the world around me. My

favorite thing to do as a kid was to sneak into six different films with my family.” “MY GRANDMOTHER WAS THE PERSON WHO I’d talk

FACT FILE

NAME Casiano Hamer MAJOR Film SCHOOL Pratt Institute CLASS Senior HOMETOWN Bridgeport, CT FAVORITE FILM THIS YEAR “Call Me By Your Name” FAVORITE DIRECTOR Paul Thomas Andersen

about films with. We’d watch all types of films, but most of them were dramatic and dark, and we’d have great conversations about them. It was after she passed away right before junior year of high school that I decided that film was something to pursue.” “BOTH OF MY PARENTS were super athletic. One of

them almost made it to Olympic tryouts. I definitely showed talent in sports growing up, especially baseball.”

WAS A POINT when I realized that I was fighting so hard to just get on a varsity baseball team when I wasn’t even sure if baseball was what I really wanted to do. I knew I had a creative side. I knew I had an intellectual side that I was able to excel in with my writing in school that I couldn’t communicate at all through baseball.” “THERE

“THERE’S A ‘ME NOW’ that understands the toxic

masculinity in my life, and there’s a ‘me then’ that trusted my father and coaches. It’s complicated to me because I don’t really see it as toxic masculinity: being pressured all the time has helped me in my filmmaking. What I wanted to capture in ‘STUD’ was the feeling of what it’s like to have people in your life telling you what you’re going to do.”

------------

THIS EXPECTATION that stories about people of color have to be about suffering. And don’t get me wrong, ‘Moonlight’ was an amazing film, but suffering isn’t the only aspect of black life. What I’m trying to do is subvert that. I want to show stories of life from my perspective.” “THERE’S

“FILM CAN SHOW THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE like

any other American. No one has seen a film where black people or Hispanic people or Asian people are talking about philosophy in the south of France, but you see plenty of films about white people that are like that. For example, ‘Phantom Thread’ is about a postwar fashion designer — if those kinds of films existed for people of color, it would articulate our role in that history and show that we’ve done things in the same intellectual vein as well.”

I COULD HAVE IT MY WAY, I would shoot a feature independent that would get picked up by A24 or Annapurna, those $5 million budget films you see at the Oscars, every two or three years.” “IF

THINK there are more incredible things to come in terms of making films digitally. And with programs like Moviepass, I think people will start appreciating going to the movie theater more often. It’s also becoming a trend to give praise to films about people of color or the LGBTQIA community, so hopefully we’ll see that be the norm and not something that’s so unique that you either have to love it or you can’t understand it. I’d love for it to be the case that we see films like that all the time now.” “I

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+ meet the president ------------ ---

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN A PERSON?

Honesty and loyalty

WHAT IS YOUR MOST CHARACTERISTIC?

MARKED

That I’m a homebody and very shy

WHAT’S THE BEST CLASS YOU’VE TAKEN IN COLLEGE?

Being a Man of Color in Chicago, taught by Dr. Vijay Pendakur WHAT’S A SECRET TALENT OF YOURS?

I can dance.

WHAT ANGERS YOU?

Student loans

WHERE DO YOU WANT MOST IN THE WORLD?

WHAT HISTORICAL FIGURE DO YOU ADMIRE?

Harold Washington

WHO ARE YOUR SPORTS TEAMS?

FAVORITE

Don’t have any WHAT’S READ?

THE

LAST

BOOK

YOU

“The Audacity of Hope” by Barack Obama

Student Body President of DePaul University WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR?

Baked salmon with brown rice with a tall glass of rosé

WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE AS A STUDENT?

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM JOB?

WHAT ARE YOUR INTELLECTUAL STRENGTHS?

Analytical and observant leader that aims to ask quality, probing questions WHAT WILL YOU NEVER UNDERSTAND?

People who don’t like Beyoncé

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I wish I could sing.

WHERE DO YOU HANG OUT ON CAMPUS?

The SGA office

WHERE WOULD YOU BE IF NOT IN COLLEGE?

WHAT MAKES YOU NERVOUS?

WHAT’S THE LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

Education disparities in low-income areas and their effects

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

WHEN YOU’RE COOKING, WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO MEAL?

Organizational communication

WHAT ACADEMIC FOCUS MOST INTERESTS YOU?

Ghana

Going to college was never an option for me because of my parents, so I never thought about that.

Time management

White House chief of staff to the first woman president

WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU INTO AT THE MOMENT?

Janet Jackson’s entire discography

Michael Lynch

“Life is but a Dream,” a documentary by Beyoncé WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?

Any pictures of my parents

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE?

A glass of Riesling

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL OUTFIT?

Turtleneck with a sleek pair of black pants and loafers

Donald Trump overseeing the nuclear codes WHAT IS YOUR DULGENCE?

BIGGEST

IN-

Flights

WHAT LIVING PERSON WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO MEET?

Michelle Obama

WHAT IS IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW?

YOU

Graduating and living a life of purpose WHAT IS YOUR ACHIEVEMENT?

GREATEST

Allowing myself the space to be authentically me. Accepting myself, and my journey, just the way it is. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?

To whom much is given, much is required. Do the work.

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