M T H E M O N TA G E
William Van Hoogstraat, known by his students and friends as Bill Vann, was always ahead of schedule, but when students arrived for his 9 a.m. class Monday, Dec. 5, the door was shut and the room was dark and empty. That same morning, STLCCMeramec students and faculty were told that instructor Vann, 71, died in his sleep. He is survived by his wife, sons, daughter and grandchildren. Design instructor Chuck Groth worked with Vann at the PostDispatch in the early 90s. The two also worked closely in and outside of the classroom. Groth said Vann’s commitment to his students came naturally. “I think that’s one of the greatest tributes that you can think of for Bill is the impact he has had on his students,” Groth said. “I was online yesterday and saw tributes to Bill from students who had graduated 10 or more years ago saying how this man had such an influence on their art careers and lives.” One of these former students included Chris Powers. Powers graduated from Meramec in 2006 and currently owns his own design company. “Not only did he teach me the principals of how to approach a problem as a professional designer and to look outside the box–his lectures on the business was, and continues to be, an indispensable part of what drives me as a creative,” Powers said. Powers still references his notes and recorded lectures from Vann’s courses. “When I have a problem, or even an ethical question, I think WWBD (What Would Bill Do),” Powers said.
STLCC-student Mary Davis sat in the first floor of Humanities East in the art gallery room where she served as a part-time attendant and an unofficial publicist. She was known to call students in to explain exhibits and chat about art. Davis, 88, a student of STLCC for 25 years, died Wednesday after a short illness. A memorial is currently being planned in her honor. Professor of Art Margaret Keller described Davis as a student and a dedicated worker. “She was always here, this was her life. She took classes all the time, art classes, she worked in the gallery as the gallery attendant, she was always in there,” Keller said. After a career at Southwestern Bell, now AT&T, Davis decided to retire and take classes at Meramec. Davis, who was a part of Meramec’s Photo Club, Bacchus Club, International and Student Government for a time, was widely known around campus. Racking up over 100 credit hours, having been a STLCC student since 1986 and working as a part-time employee of Meramec’s art department, Davis kept busy. Campus Life Manager Steve Brady said that Davis lent a hand in different clubs. “Mary started out being in the Photo Club, she also got involved in the Bacchus Club and student government. It was cool with student government, she would always help us read scholarships when we had the student to student book scholarship,” Brady said.
Stories continued on page 5. @themontage
Voume 47 Issue 6
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December 8, 2011
A larger-than-life painting with shades of pink and orange set on an easel at the far west wing of the BOPP Chapel Funeral Home. The waist-up of an elderly man with thick-rimmed glasses is depicted. More colors – yellow, blue and red – drape from a pedestal to the left of the canvas. Uldis Alks’s self-portrait carries his legacy. Yellow, blue and red are the colors of the subject of the painting’s division of the Latvian Student Fraternity and are only a few of the colors Alks wore close to his heart. Alks, 77, died Monday, Nov. 28 after a heart attack. His memorial service and burial were held on Dec. 3. “I was lucky enough to see him two days before [he died] at Thanksgiving,” his former wife Annabelle Alks said. “We were always close friends, best friends.” Alks and Annabelle divorced in 2004. Nine years earlier, Alks retired from the National Geospatialintelligence Agency (NGA) and in 1997, a coworker from the NGA, Roger Becker, contacted Alks. “Roger called him up one day and asked him if he wanted a job,” Annabelle said. “He didn’t want to do nothing [after he retired].” There was an open position in the geography department at STLCC-Meramec and he knew Alks was looking for something to do after retirement. Alks signed on as an adjunct geography instructor and shared an office in what is now a classroom in Science West 105 with faculty members John Gribb, David Wamsley and Becker. “He always told me I saved his life,” Becker said.
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2NEWS
STLCC’s 50th At the Nov. 17 Board of Trustees meeting, STLCC Director of Communications and the re-branding planning team DeLancey Smith presented STLCC’s plans to change the way the college is viewed on the inside and outside. As STLCC prepares to celebrate the 50th year in the community, it is in the process of gathering data and to evaluate how students, the public, staff and faculty perceive the college. So far, the Strategic Communications Planning Team has finished screening the leadership team. The re-branding team also plans to improve the college’s online presence with a “refreshing” of the STLCC website and an STLCC application for mobile phones. Smith said the college will also analyze how the public and students view STLCC. “We want people to have a sense of who we are,” Smith said. “We want them to understand our value in the community.” Furthermore, Smith said the college is still not united in its image. “Fifty years and people still think of us as separate [schools]; we’re not, we’re one college,” Smith said. “Although our theme is ‘one college, lifelong opportunities’ we want the public to see us that way, we want ourselves to see us that way and we felt it was the time to just say ‘one college.’” Smith said the last study conducted
was four years ago. Unlike the previous research, he would like to gather more quantitative data. He said the re-branding effort has found that the college is “too inwardly focused” and needs to identify the customer. Student Jessica Thurston said she chose STLCC-Meramec because of its affordability and because her grades were not accepted at a university. Along with the image STLCC will portray for years to come, the team is also focused on celebrating the college’s half decade of existence. The team is also in the process of finalizing that message. For 2012, the team is focused on celebrating alumni success. “1.2 million have gone through this institution and we have not done a good job of engaging alumni,” Smith said. “Our overarching purpose is to engage alumni like we never have.” Smith said one way to engage alumni is to allow them to tell their story. The team is planning to create a microsite for alumni to register and tell their success stories. The college will then be able to stay in contact with them to notify them of future alumni events. Thurston said her story is her improvement as a student. Since coming to Meramec, Thurston has become more
December 8, 2011
College celebrates anniversary, refreshes image KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR
involved in her schooling and is an officer for Phi Theta Kappa, the student honors society. “I think there [are] a lot of negative stigmas for community colleges in general so I think there’s a lot of positive aspects,” Thurston said. “So if students can talk about that, I think that’s beneficial.” “You’d be surprised at the very successful people in St. Louis who would tell their story and say, ‘If it hadn’t been for St. Louis Community College, I’d never be where I am today’,” Smith said. A few events, including a reception in March with campus leadership and retirees and a fall festival that will involve academic departments and the community, are planned in honor of the anniversary and to encourage alumni participation. Smith said campus coordinators, campus life and student activities will work throughout the next year to develop activities to promote the anniversary. Each campus will have its own ways of celebrating the anniversary, too, Meramec President George Wasson said. For example, Meramec will have a “memory board” that will display the school’s history from 1962 to 2012 in a high-traffic area, according to Wasson. STLCC plans on creating a time capsule in honor of the anniversary where students will have input
on what goes inside. “You’ll start seeing it more as you go. You’ll start seeing it, you know, when you get your stuff from the bookstore. You’ll see it on the website,” Wasson said. STLCC communications works with a number of advising agencies, like Standing Partnership and 90 Degrees West to get an outside perspective. “A third party view is often very important,” Smith said. “When you look at yourself in the mirror, you say, ‘I’m a pretty good-looking guy.’ Somebody else tells you, ‘Meh.’” Thurston said one thing that should be better promoted is the one-on-one attention students get from teachers and Student Instructors (SI’s). “I think the school has a lot to offer that students just don’t want to take advantage of,” Thurston said. “I think saving money is what it’s all about.” Smith said the re-branding process is really about analyzing the perceptions of STLCC in the higher education marketplace. “We want to emphasize that it doesn’t matter; we’re here for your entire lifetime. Fifty years is a lifetime and we expect to be here in another 50 years. We try to be responsive to our audience, customers, if you will,” Smith said.
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NEWS E-readers available at all STLCC campuses TYLER BURRUS STAFF WRITER
As electronic reading devices, or e-readers, are becoming more popular, STLCC is making e-readers available in all libraries across the district. “Libraries are always looking at new technology,” said Bonnie Sanguinet, manager of the Meramec campus library and instructional resources. STLCC libraries were given a $5,000 budget to buy four Kindles and five Nooks, available for rental at STLCC-Meramec and the other campuses. The remaining funds can be used to buy titles requested by students or faculty. Sanguinet said the addition is part of a pilot program to gauge interest among faculty and students. Getting your hands on a Kindle or Nook may take a few days depending on availability, and e-readers are shared throughout the district. The e-readers have a three-week check-out period, just like a regular book in the library. You must have a valid student ID but no Kindle or Nook account necessary. Students can go online or at the circulation desk to request a Kindle DX, Kindle Keyboard, Nook Classic or Nook Simple Touch. All Kindles and Nooks come pre-loaded with about 50 different titles such as “Twilight”, “The Help” and include at least one type of dictionary. Internet has been made inactive for both types of e-readers and no textbooks are loaded on them, according to Sanguinet. “There is still quite a bit of money left to use for more titles,”
Sanguinet said. The e-readers are set to the library account, meaning the library can only add titles. Students and staff can request additional titles by sending in a request online at the library homepage. Although it is not guaranteed your suggested title will be purchased, Sanguinet said it would be highly likely unless it was considered inappropriate material. One student, Kelley Johnson, said she prefers to read physical books because she likes to highlight and write notes in them. She said students may not take care of them and they are costly to replace. “I realize that technology is implemented to better society but I almost feel like it is harming us rather than helping us and causes us to be more reclusive,” Johnson said. Another student Karla Posos said she prefers books but her sister, who was not interested in reading, began reading when she was introduced to an e-reader. “I personally like actually picking up the books and reading because it reminds me of my childhood,” Posos said. “I used to be a bookworm.” Sanguinet said the program is a great way to find out if you like using an electronic reading device. She said the devices come with easy-to-read instructions in case a reader is unfamiliar with how to operate the e-reader. “If the pilot is successful the plan is to get more,” Sanguinet said.
SGC rep fills vacant officer position Nick Rousseau is named new public relations officer
KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR
PHOTO BY: MIKE ZIEGLER
SGC Public Relations Officer Nick Rousseau speaks with Vice President Tori Lamborn. Rousseau was named public relations officer on Nov. 22.
BRIEFS The Martial Arts Club was approved at the Nov. 22 Student Governance Council meeting. The club will allow students to practice martial arts and mixed martial arts. Meetings are not set, but those interested can contact Physical Education Instructor Ron Mirikitoni. The club stresses that martial arts are not about fighting, but about peace, harmony and selfdefense.
Cashless book buyback
STLCC bookstores are using a cashless textbook buyback program. Funds will be placed on the STLCC OneCard. The OneCard is the official student ID card used in the library and computer labs. The card can be used like a debit card. Students will get the most money for your books by selling
“I think it’s a really good position for him because he loves taking pictures and helping promote the idea of student government,” Wilson said. “He likes to speak to people about it and he gets excited about it, which is what we need in a public relations officer. I think he’ll make a good addition to the officer team.” In 2009, Rousseau was a club representative for the photo club and a representative at large in the 20092010 year. Rousseau is a Mass Communications major. “The first time I was involved with SGC, I noticed we do have people to take pictures, but it seemed like everybody forgot. I have a camera, I will promote.” Currently there are two representative at large positions open. Wilson said they will accept applications for the positions. The public relations officer is responsible for maintaining the SGC bulletin board and online resources, to report to the president and to publicize SGC and club events. “I worked my way up the ladder. I’m not a guy who’s afraid to look outside the box – I like to think.” Nick Rousseau is a Montage staff photographer.
The Montage
KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR
New club on campus
Former Student Governance Council Representative at Large Nick Rousseau was made public relations officer at the Nov. 22 Student Governance Council (SGC) meeting. The council voted on Nov. 8 to excuse former public relations officer Tim Potthoff ’s absences. They voted four out of five absences were unexcused. “Because we need somebody that can be there for the meetings and help out all the time, we decided to go with somebody else,” SGC President Mark Wilson said. Potthoff had more than two unexcused absences. According to the SGC Constitution, if an officer misses more than two meetings, the officer is relieved of his duties. Tim Potthoff could not be reached for comment. According to Nov. 8 meeting minutes, Potthoff was contacted via email regarding his absences. “I don’t think he had enough to do it and so he wasn’t able to take part as deeply as we needed an officer to take part,” Wilson said. Rousseau has been involved in SGC since 2009. He said he thinks it is important that he promotes events going on within clubs. He said he will try his best to attend those events and document them with his camera.
PHOTO BY: ALEX KENDALL
them at the campus where the class was held. Buyback is held at Meramec Monday-Thursday, Dec. 13-16, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 17, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.; Monday, Dec. 20, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Tuesday, Dec. 21, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Swoboda featured in Meramec art exhibit
The Meramec Contemporary Art Gallery is presenting “Design em Santuários Humilde: Collaboration, Research and Social Design in the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro” from Dec. 3 – Jan. 15. An opening reception will be held Thursday, Dec. 8, 4:30-6:30 p.m. The exhibit features the work of Michael Swoboda, STLCC-Meramec assistant professor, and Fernando Carvalho, professor at Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro.
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December 8, 2011
Preparing for the winter
Grounds crew aims to keeps campus clear KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR
SCHNEIDER’S FORECAST OVERVIEW Larger snowfalls a potential
DEC.
JAN.
FEB.
extreme temp swings
many low pressure systems
est. 20 inches of snow total
temps avg. est. 9.6 inches of snow
ice/sleet could hurt snowfall totals
possible mixed precip.
temps avg. est. 8 inches of snow
temps avg. est. 5 inches of snow
GRAPHIC BY: LILLY HUXHOLD
ILLUSTRATION BY: CORY MONTERO
Last winter St. Louis had a total of 29 inches of snow. According to STLCC-Meramec Meteorology Professor Joe Schneider’s predictions, St. Louis could see around 20 inches of snowfall this winter. The Meramec building and grounds crew is a team that works through the storm to make sure sidewalks, parking lots and entryways are completely accessible to students, faculty and staff. “We do get a jump on [snow removal],” said Meramec Manager of Building and Grounds Willie Wright. “We know about it before anybody else does.” When a storm hits campus, Wright is responsible for relaying its condition to the chancellor to decide if classes will be cancelled. Wright said he and Dennis Bannister, building and grounds supervisor, work closely with campus police. Even while the crew is at home, they can monitor the campus with the use of the security cameras located around campus. “The patrolmen ride around the parking lot and they call us when it starts getting slick,” Wright said. “A lot of times we can see snow itself but you may not know that the ground is freezing sometimes because you can’t really see ice – unless it’s sleet.” When calculating winter temperatures and snowfall, Schneider looked at analog years in St. Louis as far back as the 1950s. He looked at years where the La Nina weather conditions affected weather patterns for the second year in a row, like this year. Schneider predicted average temperatures and snowfall amounts for December, January and February. “If we get 22 inches in total snowfall for
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the season, it’s going to mean some tricky commutes,” Schneider said. Wright said he and Bannister rely on weekly weather reports to prepare for upcoming storms. Bannister said the most difficult weather conditions to take care of are those that hit campus in the early morning. Schneider said this winter season could bring similar conditions and storms as last year. The storm in February last spring semester brought freezing rain, sleet and snow. “Sleet attaches and once [there is] more sleet on top of it, it just acts like a glue to the concrete and even to the grass really,” Schneider said. “Snow will go away a lot faster; sleet attaches and really attaches to that surface.” Bannister said the first preventative measure is to spray liquid salt on walkways and steps. When ice has attached to the surfaces, Bannister said the grounds crew employs the use of calcium chloride, salt and plows. “It’s just very hard to get up under that ice when it’s frozen solid and the ground’s very, very cold. You have to go over it and try to break it loose and go over it and salt it and break it loose,” Bannister said. “It’s a very tiring process.” Bannister has a team of five grounds crew employees, along with himself, to combat slick conditions on the campus and he can add to the team depending on the severity of the storm. He said if more help is needed, housekeeping can join the effort. “We generally just go out there and try to get it done as quickly as possible,” Bannister said. “And if it takes plowing and salt together, that’s what we do – try to get it done so we have a safe environment.”
NEWS Geography instructor and artist Uldis Alks, 77, dies Wamsley said Alks would share stories of his childhood in Latvia and Germany and discuss the Soviet Union and geography. As a token of appreciation, Wamsley bought Alks a map of Latvia which he used as a liaison for the U.S. military with Latvia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. “He always wanted to take me to Latvia and show me the place he [lived],” Wamsley said. Outside of school, Alks took Gribb and Wamsley out on daylong trips on the Mississippi River in his sail boat. “He was going to teach me how
to be a sailor. But he realized I wasn’t very good at it,” Gribb said. “He did realize I could fetch beer.” In 2000, Alks began taking courses like drawing and painting at Meramec. He took watercolor painting and oil painting with Margaret Keller. She said Alks would use his own drawings and photographs to paint in class. “He really liked painting people,” Keller said. “When he was in my watercolor class, it was during the time of the presidential elections. And he would sit in front of his TV at home with his drawing pad watching the
news, and he would do incredible drawings of like Hilary Clinton and all these people. And then he would bring his drawing to class and he would make really wonderful watercolors with those.” Annabelle said she first realized her husband’s artistic ability when she visited his family in Buffalo, NY, and saw the work he did when he was a student. “I knew he had the talent because he had his artwork in his bedroom and he pursued that art actively after he retired,” Annabelle said. Keller said Alks would also
paint “European” images from his childhood like his Latvian relatives. When Alks was 10, he and his family were forced to leave their homeland of Latvia for Germany, where they lived for five years before immigrating to the U.S. Uldis learned English. Wamsley said Alks’s accent was “subtle.” Alks spent three years leading up to his death as a participating artist at the Crestwood Art Coop, a gallery for artists to display and sell their work. One member, Barbara Otterson, said Alks sold a number of paintings there. “He had his own style,”
Otterson said. “He used to love to pick your brain and always wanted to improve himself.” Keller said Alks was “semistubborn” at times. “He wanted comments,” Keller said. “And if I would tell him something that he needed to fix he would do that, but sometimes it took some convincing.” One of his students, Kendall Ilko, said Alks’s stories brought the coursework to life. “He’s the kind of professor you would have liked to go and have a drink with,” Ilko said.
Mary Davis, 88, dies after 25 years at Meramec “Mary was very friendly, the gallery door would always be open, people would walk by and she would call them into the gallery. She’d start telling them about the show and explain a lot to them, she was like the publicity person for the show.” Keller said that Davis would always be trying to take care of students. “She was very dependable and she even would come for every opening reception and guard the food. When it came time to cut the cake she would always try to feed students, she was always very hospitable,” Keller said. Keller said that Davis’s passing
shocked her and that she expected her to bounce back as usual. “She called and said she would be in on Monday… so everyone was shocked,” Keller said. “She had gotten sick before but she always bounced right back.” Davis was known to offer guidance and advice in the several clubs that she was part of when advisors were not around. “Mary helped to provide some institutional memory and student memory for things that the student government did, things did that the Photo club did, Bacchus club and International Club. When an advisor was not around Mary could always help out and give a
perspective,” Brady said. Brady said that Davis had spent her most recent years working with the Bacchus Club and helping out at events around campus. “For years she would have trips she would take to do photo shoots,” Brady said. “The last several years she has devoted the bulk of her time to the Bacchus Club. One of the cool things she did was she made these little seat belt huggies that were animals that you put on the seatbelt for kids.” Davis often compared herself to Peter Pan and was known to have a young spirit.
“She related well with young people, you knew you were dealing with somebody who was older than you, but it just didn’t seem like that,” Brady said. “Students always thought Mary was cool and they could get good information from her,” Brady said. Keller said that Davis was a lively character who always kept busy with one thing or another. “She was very lively and full of life. Always really busy making things of other people; she loved making things for other people. She liked making quilts and Christmas ornaments, you name it. Busy all the time in the gallery,”
Keller said. Brady said that Davis not only was a student, but also a mentor to her fellow students. “She just was a real advocate for students, and a mentor for a number of students,” Brady said. “It seems as if she had been around forever,” Brady said. “She was also a member of the International Club and went on the spring trip a couple of times.” Davis would never be afraid to call to students walking past the art gallery and invite them in to look around.
Bill Vann, 71, ‘godfather of illustration,’ dies “He’s a fantastic role model for each of us in the field. He’s a legend and I’m truly blessed to have had him as a teacher and mentor.” Not only could former students count on Vann, his current students still did until his death. “People would come to him and ask for advice and he would drop everything and give them advice and do whatever he could to help students land jobs,” Groth said. “Sometimes he would have freelance jobs that he would farm out to students and say ‘here, you take this.’” Annabel Gonzales, currently enrolled in Vann’s Illustration course this semester, said she had
also helped him design a custom logo for his son’s chiropractic business. “He hired me on a little job to do and he taught me to just be you and if people don’t like what you’ve done, they don’t like it. He taught me not to take things personal,” Gonzales said. Student Johnathan Meyer agreed and said that Vann always stressed making things creative and that everything has potential to be a work of art. He said he was privileged to be in three of Vann’s classes. “He was always very energetic and outgoing and a great professor. He never stopped moving. He made sure that he got
to everyone in class and helped them as much as he could,” Meyer said. “He was an overall great person to be around and a joy for a teacher.” Students were not the only ones aware of Vann’s enthusiasm; Groth said Vann’s dedication to his students was a rarity. “The thing about Bill was that he was never too busy for a student. He would give as much time as any student needed,” Groth said. “If he had to work hours outside of class to help a student, he would do that. He shared his professional experience with students in a way that was so giving and so selfless. It was pretty remarkable.”
Meramec instructor Bob Shay said Vann was not only a colleague but also one of his best friends. Shay said he considered Vann an influence and inspiration coining him as the “godfather of illustrators in St. Louis.” Groth called Vann a “quiet giant in the illustration community” with major corporations as clients, including Anheuser Busch, Miller, Pepsi, Coke, NFL and MLB. Vann was also an active figure with the St. Louis Artists’ Guild, serving as president until a few months ago. “He is one of the big reasons why the guild still exists, probably because of his passion. He gave many hours every single day to
be a part of it, to keep the dream alive,” Shay said. He has been recognized with more than 35 local and national illustration awards, but according to Shay, he was not motivated by recognition. “We realized that awards don’t really mean anything. All the awards do is get you more attention to get more work,” Shay said. Vann will be sorely missed and will leave a hole in the community; not only at Meramec, but also in the illustration community as well, Shay said. “You go home and you hug your kids and your loved ones and you make each day count. He did. He understood that,” Shay said.
6OPINIONS Living the dream Holiday Daze
KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR The holiday season can be an awkward dance around denominational lingo and religious stigma. A dance around consumerism is more worth the time and effort this time of year. When a store clerk decked out in a red stocking cap and bells checks you out, smiles and wishes you a happy holiday, go home, wrap your presents and think about what you have. For years our country has moved away from pigeon-holing all creeds and shoving the Christian holiday down everyone’s throat. Is it for the better? Only if it is all about gifts. Insisting that the media and advertisers remove labels is not advancing the American culture. By no means should one holiday tradition take dominance while another is ignored but if people of all creeds could avoid the materialistic ties, all types of people would be better off. Think about it. If we spent less time in the checkout lines, there would be less death the day after Thanksgiving and more time to enjoy the company of friends and family to enjoy food and drink. The “holiday tree” and the “holiday lights” are no more than a facade. Everyone knows what the jolly red guy is all about. There is no way society could supersede these inevitable facts of life and bitching about technicalities will not advance human kind. Even around STLCC-Meramec, Christmas fodder decorates the Student Center. Let them be meaningless objects if they bother you. Make your own celebration. Take your socks off your feet, put them on your hands and celebrate Handukkah. Tie your arm behind your back and dance around the fire. Let’s look at the big picture: other people across the world are not worried about what the commercials tell them to think or believe. Some just worry about what they can bring home to their families. Stop paying any attention to the media portrayal of the time of year that lasts from November (October? September?) through January and enjoy people’s company and good food and drink. This season, educate yourself, learn a thing or two about another holiday celebration or, if none of these catch your interest, just do your own thing.
December 8, 2011
America Kicks Ass Segwaying into more kickass KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF Used by mall cops and generally lazy people all across the world, Segways say a lot about America. We Americans have to get there, but quicker than on foot and slower than car, mentality when it comes to a lot of things. Which is great because who needs to rush things anyway? But why delay? Notched in the middle of this fast and slow pendulum is the legendary Segway. Before you rule out the idea of the Segway, keep in mind all of the benefits it can, offer you. It takes little to no actual body movement, its cost effective, it has the pace of an automatic lawnmower and you look totally cool while riding it. Patch on some American flag stickers and flame decals and you’ve got yourself a certified patriot-mobile. Hey, while you patriots are at it, stick an American flag on that sucker. But still consumers and patriots alike may be skeptical
about this genius invention. If not for pure luxury, take the patriotic route. Segways, like America, are constantly moving, whether moving forward or backwards, America is always moving. No matter what, that is just something America does. It moves to the left, to the right, to the back and to the front. It does a whole lot of other stuff too, like… move. Honestly the Segway does not do anything other than look cool and move around but it stands for freedom, inspiration, awesomeness and is also a pretty sweet ride. The Segway can be mans best friend when it comes to looking cool. Grab your helmets, put on your American flag backpack and go for a ride in the park while reading the Constitution and setting off fireworks to celebrate Independence Day, every day.
Cory Montero Staff Designer
Off the eaten path
As far as the food is concerned, Steak and Rice does Chinese food right. Which is good, since they are a Chinese restaurant. All the staples you would expect to find in a restaurant like this are there. Fried rice, seafood dishes, beef, pork and duck as well. They even have lunch specials which are quite a value for the amount of food. Their steamed chicken and vegetable lunch JESSE HOFFORD OPINIONS EDITOR special came with chicken, vegetables and steamed rice. It also When walking into Steak and Rice Chinese Restaurant, came with a side of crab rangoon as well as sweet and sour and soy sauces. that old saying “do not judge a book by it’s cover” comes to The steamed chicken and vegetables was quite good. The chicken was better than what mind. While it may look a little sketchy on the outside, it is is found at most other restaurants that serve this type of food. The vegetables consisted actually a rather nice-looking place on the inside. of celery, mushrooms, water chestnuts, onions and cucumbers. This mix added to the The interior is decked out in traditional Chinese decor. chicken makes for a great addition to the rice that comes with the meal. Big tables all dressed up with tablecloths and folded napkins Steak and Rice provides quality Chinese cuisine for a good price. While it may not invite diners to come in, sit down and enjoy some Chinese look the best on the outside, that is certainly not the case with the inside. Good food can cuisine. Even the chairs have a bit of oriental detailing in be found here if one will simply take chance and walk inside to see fro themselves. They them to add to the ambiance and theme of the restaurant. are located at 951 South Kirkwood Rd. and their hours are 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday Of course all this attention to detail calls for diners to sit down and enjoy their food rather - Thursday, Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. than grab it and go like most other Chinese restaurants that have maybe two booths and to 9 p.m. the counter where orders are placed.
Steak and Rice
OPINIONS
What the Pell?! JOSH RITCHEY STAFF WRITER
Imagine working 40 hours a week and watching every paycheck go to a tuition payment plan, books or gas to make ends meet. Meanwhile, free tuition grants in the form of a refund are spent on unnecessary frivolities instead of being reallocated to help other students in financial need. The average Pell Grant given to a student in 2010-2011 was $3,705, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Pell Grants are the single largest amount of funds given to community colleges from the federal government. The financial aid system provided by the federal government has fundamental flaws that allow for the abuse of federal Pell Grant and Stafford Loan usage. Pell Grants are given to students with an estimated family contribution (EFC) that is lower than the cost of college tuition and attendance or for students of families who make under a certain income. Students often receive these funds in the form of a check, on their student account or in the case for Meramec, a student debit card. The federal government comprises eligibility of Pell Grant students by a simple formula to figure out the student’s estimated family contribution. This formula does often not account for other external factors including parental students, other siblings in private education, tragedy, job loss or other unfortunate circumstances. The formula also takes into account the income of the student and other constituents living at home receiving social security or retirement funding, even if it doesn’t directly fund education. In the case of student income, students remain declared as “dependents” even when their income is counted against their “possible” contributions.
Sometimes Pell Grants cover the maximum amount of tuition or ends in a surplus after scholarships and class schedules are figured out. The surplus is presented to the student in the form of a tuition refund. The money is to be used for support services, educational needs such as books or a career pathways program; however, many spend it at their discretion on things other than outlined above. Pell Grants should only be used for tuition purposes and the reasons set forth by the Department of Education including support services and some living expenses such as food, insurance or transportation. Entertainment and spending money are abuses of the grant money given by the government. While the average award hardly covers books and tuition for most students, there are many examples where the money can be received through refunds. When students drop classes, refunds are given in accordance to the time at which the class was dropped, returning money that was originally a Pell Grant. In another example, students that may also receive Stafford Loans end up with refund checks in the thousands of dollars after the loan is made out for the amount of tuition. The rules on these types of situations are merely situational and there is no direct policy written by the federal government, according to the U.S. Department of Education website for Pell Grant Eligibility is dependent on the dispersion of the grant and policies of the school. The federal government should regulate the usage and appropriations of Pell Grants given to students. They should reconsider the policies regarding refunds and only allow the refund money to be dispersed in monthly allocations for other support, transportation, food or insurance costs. If used for other purposes, the government should consider the presentation of receipts or documentation regarding other uses of the grant money to ensure the level of appropriateness and integrity of the program.
Cory Montero Staff Designer
Letter to the editor Dear Editor: I’m currently a first year student attending Meramec. While doing research for one of my classes, the issue of the importance of college surfaced, which caused me to face the ever important question: “Is college worth it?” Every year millions of students rush off to college in hopes of obtaining their degrees and using that piece of paper to land a well-paying job. However, the reality is that the price of education is steadily rising and the job outlook for graduating students is modest to put it bluntly. For instance, the average tuition that in-state students attending the University of Missouri can expect to pay is $8,989 and $21,784 for those that attend fm out of state. And at private universities, such as Washington
EDITORS Kavahn Mansouri Kelly Glueck Mike Ziegler Hans Steinert Lilly Huxhold Kurt Oberreither Amber Davis Jesse Hofford Tomi Storey Spencer Gleason Kait Thomas Justin Villmer Kelsey Koenig Shannon Philpott
Editor in Chief Managing Editor Photo Editor Multimedia Editor Graphic Design Editor News Editor Asst. Art&Life Editor Opinions Editor In-Depth Editor Sports Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Ad Representative Faculty Adviser
University in Saint Louis, students can expect to shell out $41,992 for their education. This is why I have come to the conclusion that more emphasis should be placed on the alternative options available to students, meaning foregoing the traditional route most take in pursuing their post-secondary educations. These methods include taking up a trade, such as plumbing and construction. Then taking part in an apprenticeship, which may lead to a decent job. Another option for students include traveling the world in hopes of broadening their cultural understanding of others. One of the grandest options for the go-getter is to start a business, since the entrepreneur opportunities in today’s internet age are limitless.
I think it is important that every student try their best and take advantage of all available opportunities to better their lives. I personally love the challenges and rigor of college and would never consider walking away from it. However this is most likely not the case for every student, and it is why I believe that more emphasis should be actively made by institutes of higher learning to the different approaches students can take instead of college and still end with a respectable job. I’m looking forward to reading opinions on my viewpoint in next month’s issue. - Henry Lelend STLCC Student
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8 INDEPTH
December 8, 2011
family, faith, feast
Winter break is about 10 degrees away from being here, and while many STLCC Meramec students spend their breaks with Jack Frost nipping at their nose, others are not accustomed to spending their holidays like something out of the movies. Meramec student Gina Fuentes remembers her first Christmas in the U.S., after leaving Mexico three and a half years prior. “I will say that it was kind of weird in the beginning. [The U.S. has] the snow.” Fuentes said. “So it’s like a real Christmas, because that’s what we watch in the movies. Hollywood movies always want to show to the world that Christmas is a white Christmas, and that’s what people see.” Movies such as “A Christmas Story,” “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” have set expectation of the holidays to include BB guns, snow and a holiday ham. Though student and campus life employee and former Montage writer Luelana Bustamante remembers Brazil to be hot during the summer, one of her Christmas traditions sounds familiar. “We eat turkey and glazed ham and all the foods you eat here. It’s not for winter and everybody’s sweating. I don’t know why they didn’t change the food to accommodate our climate. It’s the opposite, we eat all the food from [the U.S.],” Bustamante said. “Can you imagine how sweaty they were? It’s so hot and we are drinking wine.” Bustamante attributes her western world cuisine to the diverse colonization of Brazil. Meanwhile, Russian Jews have a historic tradition that references a miracle which happened during the Maccabean Revolt of 2 BC. “There are special foods that we make for Hanukkah. There’s a lot of fried foods to remember the oil,” student Illya Lubenke said. He said the oil’s significance in Jewish culture can be observed through the fried foods they eat, such as sufganiyots and latkes, and also through the lighting of menorah. Lubenke visited Israel for two years and said that even though these traditions are practiced in Russia and the U.S., being in Israel was a different way to observe Hanukkah. “In Israel during Hanukkah, it’s crazy. Everyone had menorahs lit in their window or outside so others could remember the miracle.” Lubenke said. “All of Israel was just lit up. There were menorahs everywhere, it was so crazy.” While Israeli’s are lighting up the streets with menorahs, the Latin world is takes their traditions to the streets with parades and dancing. Brazlian Christmas tradition, similar to other Latin countries, begins on Dec. 24. A close network of family and friends enjoy drinks, food and company until the early hours of Dec. 25, or Christmas day, said Bustamante. “We put the kids to sleep in the afternoon, so they can stay up all night,” Bustamante said. “We don’t have the tradition of putting milk out for Santa because
Holiday Traditions
celebrated around the world
On Christmas Eve in France
children leave their shoes by the fireplace to be filled with gifts from Pere Noel. In the morning they also find that sweets, fruit, nuts and small toys have been hung on the tree.
they see Santa. They talk to Santa, usually.” Bustamante is referencing the Brazilian tradition of Santa Claus going door to door to give children their presents. Bustamante said that it is her family’s tradition to flicker the lights and make a lot of noise so the children know that Santa Claus has arrived. After the children have received their gifts, the family continues celebrating until the early morning hours. Fuentes knows what it is like to party until sunrise in Mexico. “People close the roads and someone will come out and play live music and everybody dances on the street,” Fuentes said. Fuentes added that it is her family’s tradition to go to the beach after everyone else winds down. They usually get to the beach at 5 a.m. and stay until 4 or 5 p.m. “About 99 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, so we go to church at midnight. We pray at home. We [act out] a story about how the baby [Jesus] was born. We have a dinner. We dance. It’s like a big party for us,” Fuentes said. In Mexico, Fuentes said that everyone it expected to wear a new outfit. It is something they look forward to. “For us, those clothes are very special. In Mexico, the economy is not that bad, but families don’t have that much money to buy stuff very often, so when the kids in town get a new outfit, it’s something very exciting.” Fuentes said. Student and devote Muslim, Asad Ullah, said he understands the importance of a new outfit. After the Eid Prayer during Eid Mubarak, the celebration which marks the end of a month of fasting or Ramadan, Muslims are allowed to wear festive clothing. This is one of Ullah’s favorite Ramadan traditions. “Eid Mubarak is the celebration after Ramadan I hesitate to say it’s our own Christmas, but it’s a holiday that we enjoy a lot,” Ullah said. Ulllah said that in Pakistan, the celebration of Eid Mubarak could include up to 200-300 people. Since his mother’s death, he has been celebrating with his friends. “I hesitate to call them my friends because they’re more of a family. In Islam your friends are your brothers and sisters; your family. It’s a family environment; in a sense I have Eid with my family,” Ullah said. Student Lilly Miro celebrates the holidays with a close, extended family. “Our families, in Colombia, are larger than they are [in the U.S.]. We have a lot of cousins and they grow up close to us, like brothers and sisters,” Miro said. Similar to Mexico, Colombia is an all-night celebration that people take to the streets. “For Christmas there are big parades on the streets of different neighborhoods.” Fuentes said. “They aren’t as elaborate as Macy’s or anything, but there are kids running around blowing bubbles. It’s fun.” “It’s all about family in the end,” Miro said. “I cannot stress how important family is. Family is valued over everything on a holiday like Christmas.”
In contrast to the popular tradition of regifting or simply throwing away fruitcake in America,
the Japanese actually enjoy fruitcake. In fact, the department store Takashimaya sells this popular dessert gift-wrapped year round. The people of Greece before Christmas, not eating any animal or animal by-products.
global holiday feast
Columbia
On New Year’s Eve, Colombian women who want love and passion in the next year wear red underwear; for happiness and prosperity, yellow underwear; for health and well-being, green underwear; for true love and friendship, pink underwear; for hope and peace, white underwear.
Mexico
COLOMBIAN BREAKFAST COCOA Served with arepa bread and cheese (4 servings)
There is a Mexican tradition of eating a grape with each bell strike at midnight of December 31. According to the tradition, that leads to 12 months of prosperity.
Ingredients
Russia
4 ½ cups whole milk 2 ½ tablespoons sugar or to your taste ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 5 ounces sweet chocolate, chopped
Directions
Heat the milk in a saucepan on medium heat to just below the simmering point, add the chocolate. When the chocolate is melted, add the sugar and cinnamon.
During the Soviet period, the New Year was celebrated in place of Christmas, though Christmas has been regaining importance as a holiday once again. This is why trees decorate Russian homes from Jan. 1 until Jan. 14, despite religious affiliation.
Brazil
Whisk vigorously or transfer to a blender. Reheat gently and serve immediately.
RUSSIAN KUTYA (warm porridge) (4-6 servings)
Throughout Brazil, it is customary to wear only white on New Year’s Eve, and the clothes must be new in honor of the new year.
Ingredients
Pakistan
1 1/2 cup shelled wheat berries 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sliced almonds 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon or to taste 3/4 cup sugar or to taste 3/4 cup golden raisins 2 tablespoon dark raisins 7 tablespoon blanched almonds
An extended six day celebration occurs all through the Pakistan to celebrate the festival of ‘Nawrooz’ or New Day. Nawrooz is based off of the Gregorian calendar and is typically celebrated in March.
Rinse the wheat berries in a sieve under hot running water for about 3 minutes, or until the water runs clear. Combine 4 1/2 c water and the salt in a heavy saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the wheat berries and bring it back to a boil. Reduce heat, skim any foam and simmer, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and add the cinnamon, sugar and golden raisins, and mix until well blended.
Taste and adjust the cinnamon and sugar. Transfer to a serving bowl. If desired, garnish by arranging the dark raisins
I
Mix in the wheat berries.
traditions A
E
Rinse the berries in a sieve under cold running water for about 1 minute, or until most of the starch is rinsed off. Set aside; toast the flour and almonds in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and shaking the pan occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the flour is golden and the almonds are lightly toasted.
New Year
IE
Directions
A
t
INDEPTH
Tens of thousands they fill the room. of people gather In Costa Rica, models of Christ’s birthplace in a stable are so big that
In Bulgaria,
Christmas dinner consists of at least twelve dishes,
each representing a separate month of the year.
in Melbourne, Australia, on Christmas Eve night to enjoy a tradition called Carols by Candlelight. Everyone sings their favorite Christmas songs in the candlelit evening.
INFOGRAPHICS BY: TOMI STOREY
10ART&LIFE
December 8, 2011
The task is not finished until it’s finished Student Mike Roman to transfer to Oklahoma in spring KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF Whether he is posing with a stuffed bear named “Chemy,” helping out around campus events and or organizing a “formal Friday” dress day, STLCC-Meramec student and soon-to-be alumni Mike Roman considers himself a changed person after his four years at Meramec. Roman spent his first semester at Meramec in the summer of 2001. He took a math course before shipping off to University of Missouri (Mizzou) where he planned to spend four years. Roman said that although Mizzou was a good school he did not think it was for him and decided to come back to St. Louis. Roman began working at Adopt-A-Stray, a pet adoption company, where he said he got his will to work back. “Something about working there, working for somebody else, got my work ethic back. Doing something that wasn’t for myself just motivated me more,” Roman said. In 2008, Roman decided it was time to go back to school. He was a manager at St. Louis Bread Company and was ready to get back into the educational grind. Roman said he wanted to ease back in so he only took 9 hours between Fall 2008 and Spring 2009. “I took some classes I thought I would enjoy, to not stress myself out, to ease back in. I got my groove, got good grades and did well. But I wasn’t really looking to get involved in anything,” Roman said. As time went on, Roman said he found himself looking for opportunities to get involved. The first that arose was Meramec’s Geo Club. Roman joined the club, ran for president and won. Roman said that with the Geo Club and anything else he puts his mind to, the task is not finished until it’s finished. “Anything I put on myself, I like to complete,” Roman said. Although Roman had earned the position, he said he had one major obstacle to get around: his fear of public speaking. “I was always terrified of public speaking… terrified. I always tried to avoid those things,” Roman said. “When I got here, I just said I can’t do this anymore, it’s not good for me. I felt I had a lot to offer in certain ways, but I wouldn’t have the opportunity to offer it unless I just broke through that barrier. Roman said that he takes a lot of his personality from his parents. “My dad is always thinking critically about something, he doesn’t just believe what he hears. He’ll listen to it, and then he’ll think about it and get different perspectives on it. Critical thinking. Critical thinking is key,” Roman said. “I force myself to listen as much as I can. There’s all those cliches about ‘there’s two ears but there’s only one mouth’; that’s true and there is a reason people say that.” Roman said that no matter what, he gives everyone a chance. “I try my best to be good to every person I meet, as best I can.” After earning his presidency in the Geo Club, Roman continued on to join the Student Government Council (SGC) to reach out to other students. There he earned the titles of Public Relations Officer and eventually President of Student Government Council. Roman was also a student ambassador, a Phi Theta Keppa officer, a member of the Math Club and the President of the Geo Club.
PHOTO BY: ALEX KENDALL Mike Roman studies his photos of sand from a beach in Florida from under the microscope in the “rock room” in Science West. Roman was the president of the Geo Club and a part of the Geological Society of America.
Roman said that one of SGC’s main goals when he joined was to get student government to have a meaning. “We all really wanted student government to stand for something,” Roman said. “We started doing more things.” Roman said that one of his main goals is to make Meramec feel like a community. “It’s so important, especially at a commuter campus, for students to have a sense of community. A lot of students come here and don’t have that,” Roman said. Only recently SGC has become popular among students, according to Roman. “We’ve seen student government perpetuate nonstop. Every semester there’s more students wanting to get involved because they actually do something,” Roman said. Being a leader in SGC gave Roman a feeling of responsibility and community. “You’ve got that responsibility now to give back, and if you don’t do that there’s not going to be people excited doing events; you’re not going to raise money and the community is going to suffer,” Roman said. Roman said the leadership experience and opportunities Meramec offered will be a great benefit to his future. “I’m going into geophysics; let’s say I get a job in an industry, I not only have my managing experience, but I have leadership experience from school and I’ve got things to show for it,” Roman said. Roman said that his experience at Meramec has changed his outlook on meeting new people. “The staff, the administration, the faculty and the fellow students I’ve met, I’ve learned from every single encounter I’ve had. That’s why I try to go out and meet as many people as possible,” Roman said. Meramec offered Roman more experiences and opportunities while making him a more open person. “This school has provided me with more opportunities than I could ever have hoped to get, and the best thing that I’ve learned is to be more open to opportunities that are available to me. Experience things, learn what I can from those things and move forward with them,” Roman said.
Roman said that Meramec, more than most places, has people who are truly good. “I have been so pleasantly surprised by the caliber of people here. You can go anywhere in the world and find good people and bad people, but we have great people here,” Roman said. Being that this is Roman’s last semester he said that he would not be sad about leaving but that it is the right time for him to go. “I needed to be here this long, this was the right time for me to go. I’m ready. I’ve done my best, I’ve made mistakes but I’ve learned
from them. I feel like the reason that I’m not sad to go is because this place has prepared me so well to move on,” Roman said. “I’ll brag about this place wherever I go.” Roman has been accepted to the University of Oklahoma and will be attendeing the college in the spring. But he said he will always hold Meramec close to his heart and believes that Meramec has changed him as a person and a professional. “I would not have as good as a life and be as open to as many opportunities if I had gone anywhere else,” Roman said.
PHOTO BY: ALEX KENDALL Mike Roman takes time to enjoy the surroundings at “one of his favorite spots on campus” at the rock garden outside of Science West. Roman has been a student since 2009.
ART&LIFE Students stuck in a transfer trance Finding a way through the haze
JOSH RITCHEY STAFF WRITER 28 days. Imagine paying for a semester, signing up for classes, moving to a new town and possibly finding a job in 28 days. Thats around the average time between semesters over winter break for most schools. For those transferring or graduating from Meramec or starting classes here or at another school in spring, a crunched timeline maybe one of the obstacles in the way. For many, final grades play a huge role in determining acceptance and registration for spring enrollment. Passing grades of a C- are often required in order to count as credit at another accredited college. Low GPAs can deter acceptance or cause probationary acceptance for students. demanding that they meet a GPA of 2.5 in their entry semester, according to the transfer policies of numerous four-year universities like Webster University and Saint Louis University. The beginning of registration at Meramec, for example, occurs months before the end of the actual semester, October 27 was the first day of Spring 2012 registration, according to the
STLCC academic calendar. Financial aid applications are also dependent on admission to a school. Final grades at Meramec are due December 19, and degree conferral is on December 20. Transcripts are mailed to the transferring institution and usually not received, evaluated or opened until the administrative offices open back up in early January, setting a realistic timeline of registering, paying and housing to about two weeks. “If you’re going to a fouryear institution in January, it is harder, especially if you’re going away,” Coordinator of Enrollment Management Kim Fitzgerald said. “It really depends on where your comfort level is at.” Scholarships and financial aid are generally much more plentiful in favor of first-year freshmen. There are usually far less scholarships available for upperclassmen and transfer students; they can be much more difficult to acquire when starting out at a new school. Another issue for many students is the explanation of what a class transfers for
ARCHIVED PHOTO
For those transferring or graduating from Meramec or starting classes here or at another school in spring, a crunched timeline maybe one of the obstacles in the way.
at another institution. “All of my credits transferred, but not what I took them as,” said Meramec graduate and current Fontbonne University student Heather Pollman. Many schools require a courses that are transferred in order to gauge a student’s level of learning and current status in a degree program. Some schools, like Webster University and SLU, for example, have a database that details some of their unofficial, direct agreements with two-year colleges and
Transfer to Missouri State University • We enrolled more than 2,000 transfer students last year • We accept an Associate of Arts degree or the Missouri 42-hour block as completing our general education requirements
other schools. Some four-year institutions have transfer agreements that allow dual credit at both Meramec and their own institution. When searching a four-year institution’s website, typing the words “transfer articulation guide” can help locate both the agreements and a list of particular classes and their equivalents. Choosing the right classes at Meramec can help limit time spent at a four-year college and save money too.
Located in the heart of Chicago’s Loop and at saic.edu
AMERICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL SAIC encourages investigation that is interdisciplinary, collaborative, and experimental. STILL TIME TO APPLY: saic.edu/ugapp Classes begin January 26. ADMISSIONS 800.232.7242 | 312.629.6100 | ugadmiss@saic.edu
• We provide advisement from academic departments specifically for transfer students • We offer more than 150 undergraduate programs Contact the Office of Admissions at 800-492-7900 or go online to www.missouristate.edu/admissions/transfer
Amy Harvey (BFA 2009), Untitled (detail), 2009, mixed media
EO/AA ADM 055 11
12 ART&LIFE One mans treasured past
December 8, 2011
ALEX KENDALL SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Chris Smejkal, a communications professor at STLCC-Meramec, leans back in his office chair in his sports coat and jeans with his legs crossed, his hands together. On the wall are cards and letters from past students, posters and pamphlets from all around the United States and old family photographs. Next to him on the wall are a variety of collectibles from a black-and-white zebra pinata he kept from graduate school to the hundreds of books, each with their own wear marks. “I’m an object person,” Smejkal said. “I could point to pretty much anything in [my office] and tell a story.” Smejkal, who has been teaching communications classes at STLCCMeramec full time since 2007, reaches up from his chair and points to the cans of Play-Doh sitting on the shelf. “Play-Doh is a great metaphor for how people live their lives in a can and are able to mold themselves how they want. The can is what your parents and teachers tell you to be, and as you enter college, you can mold yourself into what you want to be.” Smejkal says that he could not find that ability to mold himself until after high school, where he found his niche in college and has never really left it. “I kind of wanted to stay in college, by teaching,” Smejkal said with a chuckle. “I mean, what an atmosphere, you’re perpetually young. You’re around everybody whose young, new ideas, new experiences; I kind of wanted to stay in that I guess. I love teaching here.” Smejkal brings his creative and unique personality into the classroom and says that he teaches his class a little less traditionally and more informally but allows the students to learn and understand it themselves. “I want people to think about what they are learning,” Smejkal said. “So
PHOTO BY: ALEX KENDALL Chris Smejkal, communications professor at STLCC-Meramec, sits at his desk with a board filled with memorabilia behind him. “I’m an object person,” Smejkal said. “I like things that tell a story.”
many students want answers, and there’s not always going to be easy answers. People have to enjoy what they’re doing.” As he finishes his sentence, Smejkal pauses for a moment. “A real education isn’t just what you get in the classroom, it’s everywhere,” Smejkal said with his hands outstretched. “The places you travel, the people you meet, the things that you experience. That makes you a more well-rounded person.” Smejkal puts his teachings into his own life through travel around the United States, hobbies such as photography and backpacking, and going out with his wife to different restaurants and concerts. “I’m a jack of all trades and a master of none, and I like it that way,” Smekjal said. “I always want to learn new things;
I always want to do new things. Life is meant to be lived and that’s what it’s for. So many people are so scared to try something that they don’t accumulate any experiences or moments in their life. Go experience things because, man, it’s going to fly by.” Smejkal sits back in his chair and smiles, looking out the window. “I think there is a difference between taking your job seriously and taking yourself too seriously. I don’t take myself seriously at all,” Smejkal said with a smirk and his hand on his face. “I take my job seriously, I take what I do for a living seriously.” Smejkal leans back and looks at the plaques and awards on the top of the shelves, almost hidden. “I don’t ever really think of getting an award or being asked to
speak somewhere or the real kind of things we’ve considered to be the marks of success [as my significant accomplishment],” Smejkal said as he looks back down from the shelf. “When I have a student maybe whose come back that I had in a class semesters ago contact me and talk to me about what my class meant to them, and being able to reconnect. If I can look back at those people I had a little impact on, man, that’s all I need, that’s better than any degree or any award.” Smejkal looks back at the wall of collectibles, to his desk and to his board with all of his photos on it. “I don’t ever want to be accused of not being interesting,” Smejkal said with a grin. “That would be the worst remark I could receive from someone.”
Sky Club set to launch in Spring 2012 KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF
For the past year STLCC-Meramec professor Joe Schneider had been trying to get Meramec’s newest club off the ground. Looking for a student who would take the necessary steps to start a club for students interested in meteorology and astronomy was one of his main tasks. Arielle Byington, a student of Schneider’s and president of Sky Club, was just that student. “For me, personally, I had been thinking about doing this for a while because of the interest in the two fields of meteorology and astronomy for students. I can help students outside of class with different prospects for jobs, different careers, going to school after here, graduate school and stuff like that,” Schneider said. “With the club itself, I can do that to a larger number of people. I am really looking to continue the education of these two fields outside of the classrooms.” Byington said that she was in Schneider’s class when the two started talking about the possibility of starting the club. She described the club starting as a “snowball” effect. “I’m in Joe’s class right now, and I have a really high interest in meteorology. We just started talking about it and he had the idea of starting the club so we started filling out the paperwork and it sort of snowballed
from there,” Byington said. “Now we’ve got the club so we have to come up with a plan for what we want to do and structure it a bit more.” Schneider said the idea for Sky Club had been in his mind for a year, but only became a reality when Byington took the initiative to start the club. “I needed someone to initiate the club and Arielle took the initiative to go do it. That’s really what it took, someone who had enough interest to go start it,” Schneider said. Byington said that her main goal is to create a community for students interested in astronomy and meteorology. “I want to provide students with the ability to take part in activities outside of school that further their education in both areas. I want to make it accessible and fun, enjoyable for them so it is not like sitting in a classroom,” Byington said. “I just want to give them the opportunity to spend time with fellow students and form a community.” Byington said she wants to encourage Meramec students to get excited about astronomy and meteorology and the club is a great way to inspire students to get involved.
“One of our purposes is to raise awareness among the public and to help students understand weather phenomenon and astronomy concepts, and get people more excited about it and possibly encourage people to take classes in those areas,” Byington said. Schneider said the club will host awareness days, answering common weather and astronomy questions. “We want to do things like a severe weather awareness type day, a winter weather awareness type day. To get the information out there of what is a severe thunderstorm warning? What does that mean? What is a tornado watch compared to warning? What is sleet compared to freezing rain,” Schneider said. Byington plans to use Meramec’s Club Days on January 25 and 26 as a tool to get students interested in the club. “We’re going to give out information about the club, let people know what we want to do. We’ll have a better idea of what we want to do with the club, activity-wise and maybe field trips,” Byington said. As for getting word out outside of Club Days, Schneider said he plans to take the word to the classroom. “I teach 230 students a semester, so
as far as getting the word out to just my students, if they were to join up, [it would] be a lot of students,” Schneider said. Schneider said he and Byington already have several ideas for activities and field trips, including trips to different venues that house scientific professionals. “As far as field trips, going to the local television station, going to the weather service, going to the planetarium, going to different places where people do work in the science field on an everyday basis,” Schneider said. “That can help people get a lot more answers as to what’s currently going on in those fields. That’s my main goal here, to help people out and have some fun too.” Schneider said that he believes the club will be a great asset to not only students who join, but for the campus as a whole, by providing guest speakers and events around campus. “I’m excited. I feel it will be good for the community. I can grab some guest speakers for the club, but I’m hoping to have guest speakers come not just for the club but for the campus,” Schneider said.
ART&LIFE ‘Working smarter, not harder’ Receptionist Chery Fowler works for the future
AMBER DAVIS ASST. ART & LIFE EDITOR When students walk into the assessment center to take a test, they are greeted by Cheryl Fowler, the receptionist at STLCCMeramec. Standing back against a file cabinet facing the door, Fowler is constantly moving. Fowler said her organization skills are important when multitasking between helping the students and filing through the tests. “I’m a logical order type of person,” Fowler said. “Everything has to flow.” Fowler has “Jamming Oldies,” a Chicago station, playing on her computer. “[The music] kind of helps my day, or evenings go by a little faster,” Fowler said. “And I play it all the time; it just kind of helps the time go by. I try not to keep it loud but I have it where I can enjoy it.” Fowler began working for the assessment center as a receptionist in May 2007. But this is not her only job on campus; she has four part-time jobs at Meramec. Besides two different positions in the Assessment Center, Fowler works for the Access Office as a note taker for students who are not able to take notes during lectures. She has also worked for the Financial Aid Office since August 2010. Some may describe Fowler as a hard worker by some. Working the four jobs at Meramec is not all she does to pay the bills and put herself through law school. Fowler has been packaging law school exams for the past 10 years at St. Louis University, tutoring at Sullivan Learning Center and serving up bread and bagels at St. Louis Bread Co. during school breaks. “My mother always said ‘you don’t work, you don’t eat. I don’t care how many jobs you get just get those jobs and get it done’,” Fowler said. “I set myself up so that way I work smarter, not harder. I make my job easy as possible.” Fowler said she still considers herself a student as much as a hard worker. She is 20 credits away from a master’s in legal studies
PHOTO BY: ALEX KENDALL Cheryl Fowler sorts through student paperwork in the Assessment Center within Communications Nouth on Dec 6. Fowler has worked for STLCC-Meramec since 2007 and is “willing to go the extra mile for students at all cost. It’s the ‘yes I can, yes I will’ type of attitude,” Fowler said.
at St. Louis University, where she earned a bachelor’s in political science in 2004. Folwer said she sees it as an accomplishment. “I’m a first generation student from my family to actually graduate from college. That’s a wonderful accomplishment. That makes me very proud,” Fowler said. She said her passion in life is the government, law and politics. “Hopefully in the next five to 10 years, I will have my law degree, not necessarily have my own practice but within a stable firm,” Fowler said. “I would just focus on the now and my countless thousands of dollars to get my degree in and I would put all my knowledge into that practice.” Fowler said she knows how it feels to be
on the opposite side of the desk, so being friendly and helpful is important for that student. “I know a lot of students rush in here and they probably forgot pencils or ink pens or had a bad day. Just for them to see a friendly face, I put a smile on and joke and laugh with them and say ‘look it’s going to be okay,’” Fowler said. “I’m willing to go the extra mile for students at all cost. It’s the ‘yes I can, yes I will’ type of attitude.” Ray Eberle-Mayse has worked with Fowler in the assessment center for five years. He said Fowler is personable with students. “[Cheryl] is an excellent employee working in the office in the evening – highly responsible, resourceful and I rely on her to provide support for the office,” Eberle-
Mayse said. Fowler said out of all the jobs she works on campus she enjoys the financial aid office more because it prompts her to think. “[Financial aid] challenges my brain,” Fowler said as she leaned forward and pointed at her forehead. “You are talking about someone’s academic future.” With work and school aside, Fowler said her religion guides her through the heavy workloads. “My faith is my background; it is my everything,” Fowler said as she closed her eyes and gripped onto her gold cross necklace. “This job has served me very well and I believe I’ve served this job very well,” Fowler said.
PHOTO BY: HANS STEINERT
Gary Gackstatter conducts the Symphonic Band at Meramec’s Holiday Concert on December 4 at 3 p.m. The concert was sponsored by the music department, which allowed it to be a free event open to the public. The Jazz Lab band performed during the 2nd half of the concert. Both bands will give another performance on December 11th in the Meramec Theater at 3pm. A carol sing-along song with the audience will be one of the many features at this concert. Visit http://meramecmontage.com for videos of the performances.
TRANSFER to Fontbonne University
At Fontbonne University, we’ll work hard to make the most of the credits you’ve earned — and help you reach your career goals. We offer more than 30 traditional majors — challenging programs with relevant curriculum. Plus, we offer four undergraduate degrees in our OPTIONS format — accelerated 8-week terms designed for busy working adults.
Connect with an admissions counselor: (314) 889-1400 or (314) 863-2220 (OPTIONS)
Our main campus is in Clayton, Mo., in the very heart of St. Louis, and we have convenient learning centers in Brentwood, North County and South County devoted to adult learners. A variety of daytime, evening, weekend and online courses are available.
Fontbonne University is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
www.fontbonne.edu/montage
FLYING HIGH
SPORTS
PHOTO BY: STEVE DUNCAN Left: Jordan Jones goes for a slam dunk against the Missouri Baptist Junior Varsity Spartans on Nov. 30. The Archers won 81-39. Jones has helped lead the Archers to a 6-3 record scoring 53 points with 10 steals. Above: Kyle Rice sets himself before shooting a free throw. Rice is shooting 78 percent from the free throw line, going 7 for 9. The Archers will play Mineral Area Community College on Dec. 7 at Park Hills, Mo. Their next home game will be on Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. against Kaskaskia. The next Archer win will be head coach Randy Albrecht’s 700th junior college win. Albrecht has 729 career PHOTO BY: KURT OBERREITHER victories. and has 27 straight winning seasons.
Eat, Shop and Be Merry!
Kirkwood is a Walkable Community and a Great Place to Eat, Shop, and Be Merry over your Holiday Break! ~ Visit the Christmas Tree Market and Gingerbread Shoppe at the Farmers’ Market. (Taylor at Argonne) ~ Meet friends for morning coffee or enjoy happy hour or live music during the evening at one of our venues! Kirkwood Can Also Meet Your Between-Semester Fitness Needs! At the Kirkwood Community Center & Ice Rink: ~ Ice Skating! Open skating sessions and skating lessons available! ~ Volleyball! Open volleyball sessions on Sunday nights, 7-10pm, $3 per session (limit of 36 players) ~ Drop-In on a Zumba Class! Drop in times on Monday nights, 6-7pm, $7 per class ~ Keep it Real with BOOT CAMP! New session starts January 2: Monday thru Thursday mornings, 5:45-6:45am. ~ Need to keep your kids busy? Check out Dr. Volleyball classes for 4th grade through high school. New session begins December 7. CALL 314-822-5855 for more details or to register.
Kirkwood Community Center & Ice Rink, 111 S. Geyer Road, in Kirkwood Park. Kirkwood City Hall, 139 S. Kirkwood Road Visit the City Website and read the City Blog: www.kirkwoodmo.org Follow us on Twitter: @KirkwoodCity
16 SPORTS
Rolling on a rink
Students find stress relief outside of class JACE JONES STAFF WRITER
December 8, 2011 As a 23-year-old, Orevia Vongsa encounters obstacles on the roller rink, workplace and at school. Vongsa ducks, dodges, falls down and gets back up, all before roller derby practice each week. As an STLCC student working toward a career as a phlebotomist while holding down two part-time jobs, she still finds time to push and shove her way around the rink as a member of the Arch Rival Roller Girls (ARRG) league. An athlete since the eighth grade, Vongsa has played volleyball, basketball and softball. She has been involved with roller derby in St. Louis since January. It is a sport that caught her eye one night in November 2009. “In late November, a friend texted me [asking me] to go skating. I saw a bunch of ladies in gear and skates, rolling around the rink,” Vongsa said. “The skating was fast-paced and it looked very scary. I was so intrigued on how aggressive they collided into each other.” She said she sent an e-mail to the ARRG and was accepted in 2011 after tryouts. Vongsa said she plans to take the whole derby experience step by step by starting at the recreational level. She is currently a part time derby member looking to skate in the future with the St. Lunachix. “Roller derby is the only sport that has truly challenged me and helped allow me be more myself. It brought me back as a competitor,” Vongsa said. “I love the physicality of it.” As a member of the ARRG, Vongsa volunteers for charity organizations, such as Safe Connection, who help those in domestic violence surroundings. Just this past November, several skaters helped clean up trash around highway 55 near the Germania exit. “I love my league. They are fun, eccentric and we care about our community, giving back as much as we can. These skaters in ARRG are unique. They are lawyers, teachers, accountants, mothers, students, scientists, designers, nurses and hard-working folks who love a sport that gives them a reason to represent our city of St. Louis, our league and themselves as individuals,” said Vongsa.
visit
.com
meramec montage
for multimedia on
the Arch Rival Roller Girls bouts
PHOTO BY: KELLY GLUECK PHOTOS BY: MIKE ZIEGLER Above: Members of the Arch Rival Roller Girls battle each other during a bout on Saturday, Dec. 3 at Midwest Sport Complex in Queeny Park. Games are scheduled once a month. The next bout will be on Jan. 14. The first match begins at 7 p.m. when the M-80s will play the Rebel Skate Alliance. Left: Co-Captain of the Stunt Devils, Deathica Steele, takes a victory lap with Sassy Villianassy, a member of the jeerleaders (roller derby cheerleaders), after their win over the M-80s. The Stunt Devils are 2-0 this season. Right: Orevia Vongsa spends time with friends.
at Queeny Park on Dec. 3