THE
CAMPUS
VOLUME 137, ISSUE 11
SERVING ALLEGHENY COLLEGE SINCE 1876 - FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2012 -
WWW.ALLEGHENYCAMPUS.COM
‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ premieres
Fall Playshop season wraps up with Shakespearean classic with modern twist By RACHEL GIESEL Junior Editor gieselr@allegheny.edu
The Allegheny Playshop Theatre will present “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” this weekend with a new modern spin. This Shakespearean play directed by Dan Crozier features original music, a twostory set, gender-bending in various roles, and modern flair from costumes to props. Freshman Allie Schneider, who plays Hippolyta, said this version of the play is edgier than other performances. “I know a lot of people know of Midsummer’s Night Dream, it’s a very popular Shakespeare,” she said. “But I think they’re going to be surprised by the set, by the costumes, by some of the lines, by how we play things. It’s a little bit avant-garde, a little bit on edge […] It’s not the same old medieval stuff that you’ve seen before.” Senior Austin Scales who plays Demetrius agrees with Schneider in that this particular production is unlike others. “It’s definitely a unique take on the story. I wasn’t expecting them to go in this direction. It’s not your typical Shakespearean flavor,” he said. Sophomore Lizzie Thompson, who plays Hermia, said the idea of Shakespearean language shouldn’t scare people away. Making the language relatable has been their goal. “It’s going to be really cool to try to make Shakespeare understandable because I think a lot of people are afraid to come see Shakespeare because they don’t understand it,” Thompson said.
CARLY LUITGAARDEN/THE CAMPUS Colleen McCaughey, ’13, enters the stage as Titania, Queen of the Fairies with her train in Allegheny’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
See DREAM | Page 5
Activists, artists increase environmental awareness Pittsburgh photographer discusses Marcellus documentary project
SEA promotes environmental education with event, public art By LARRY FARES Contributing Writer faresl@allegheny.edu
By DANIEL BAUER News Editor bauerd@allegheny.edu
As the fracking debate rages at Allegheny and across the country, photographers such as Martha Rial are working to show the human side of the energy industry. Rial, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1996 for her work in Rwanda and Burundi, presented her work alongside five other photographers in Pittsburgh this Wednesday. The exhibit, the culmination of the Marcellus Shale Documentary Project, showcased activists, workers and citizens from across Pennsylvania engaged with the controversial practice of fracking. Rial’s favorite subject in the project was Jeanne Williams, a goat farmer in Greene County. “She’s the real thing,” said Rial. “She practices very sustainable farming. For example, all of her livestock drink from springs that come off the mountaintop. So she has a lot to lose.” When approached by an energy company about gas exploration, Williams and her husband agreed to lease their land. “What I liked about Jeanne’s story is that I thought she was savvy,” said Rial. “There’s often a very big divide on this issue. I really wanted to meet the people in the middle. And I was impressed that she managed it. She even negotiated that [the energy company would plant] certain grasses for her goats after drilling.” Rial met Wililams at an Isaac Walton League meeting in Greene County. The IWL, one of the nation’s oldest conservation groups, had been especially active since energy companies came to Greene to drill. Rial spoke at the meeting upon arriving
INSIDE
MEGHAN HAYMAN/THE CAMPUS Martha Rial speaks about her experiences with the project at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers Center for the Arts on Wed. 14, 2012.
in Greene County, asking people to share their stories. Williams agreed, and Rial’s work took off. But even for the veteran photographer, the project was a challenge. “I’ve never done environmental work before,” said Rial. “It’s often very difficult because sometimes the main character is lacking. He or she is not always evident.” Rial was excited to contribute to the ongoing debate about American energy. “The mere fact that more and more people are talking about it I think is terrific,” said Rial. “When we go and pump our gas or we turn our heat on in our homes, that all comes at a cost.” The exhibit will be displayed at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers Center for the Arts until January 6, 2013. The photos can be accessed at http://the-msdp.us/msdp.
On Nov. 15, Frack University, a presentation through the Energy Justice Network, was held in the Schultz Banquet Hall. The event, sponsored by Students for Environmental Awareness, discussed many aspects of the fracking process, from the legal processes to the drilling itself. Frack University was invited in response to concerns about potential fracking on Allegheny’s 280-acre Bousson Experimental Forest, a prospect which is still in its early stages of discussion. Nathan Malachowski, ’14, vice president of SEA, said it was a simple process to get Frack University to come to campus. “We were put in contact with Alex Letort, the speaker, and from there we got the funds to bring them down and ASG approved it, and then just did some advertisement,” Malachowski said. Along with the presentation, the SEA recently constructed a large octopus structure outside of the Campus Center made entirely out of tires from multiple car repair services in downtown Meadville. The structure was built to protest the proposed tiresto-energy plant. “The octopus shape goes along with the protest against John D. Rockefeller and the Standard Oil Company. There are a lot of political cartoons from the era of an octopus going around sucking up all the oil, so this theme goes along with the concept of big industry taking over small communities,” Lee Swaydis., ’14, who is in charge of building the structure.
► F E AT U R E S
► S P O RT S
FRACKING Q&A
COOKING CLASS
The Campus sits down with President James Mullen and VP Larry Lee.
Project O.N.E. and the Market House team up for community cooking classes.
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
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► N E WS
Men, women gear up to start season strong.
2 || November 16, 2012 || The Campus
[NEWS]
AlleghenyCampus.com
The Campus sits down with administration By SAM STEPHENSON Staff Writer stephensons@allegheny.edu
President James Mullen and senior associate vice president of finance and planning Larry Lee sit down with The Campus to talk about the possibility of seismic testing in Allegheny’s Bousson Forest. The Campus Newspaper: How is the money part of the equation coming into the debates? President James Mullen: When you make a decision like this and go through the process, you make your decision [based] on a number of factors. First, Allegheny has an incredible commitment that we’re proud of to environmental stewardship. And we have guiding principles here. That informed decisions on the campus across the board: programmatic, construction decisions, so we’re going to begin by saying that whatever we do we are going to be loyal to our environmental ethos here. We don’t know the dollar value that we might be under Bousson. This is not going to be a decision based on dollars, and we won’t know what is there in terms of dollar value until this process continues to play out. Campus: What was the timeline for when you were notified by Larry Lee and other faculty members? Mullen: Larry and I talk out a lot, so it wasn’t a long time. It was essentially immediately. Larry came and informed me and Dave McInally that we were approached. What we agreed on right away is that we would consider this through a process, that a process was fundamental to this going forward, that it would be inclusive and transparent and open. It would lead us to a point to when the trustees ultimately voted it would be an informed decision in which all voices were heard. That was the immediate reaction. We began to talk about how we would do that and how we would learn through the process. I think a really impressive thing here is that when I talked with the board of trustees about it this fall, they said: process, we want to learn with the campus, we want to have a process that we walk through together through the campus community. I think that says a lot about our Board of Trustees, particularly at a college that is committed to civility and public discussion. Larry Lee: At that meeting, they said when we do set up that forum that they want to come back and attend. Not all of them, but certainly a group of them. That wasn’t a suggestion from Jim and I, it was their comment that they want to be on campus when those discussions take place. I’ve been really impressed, I’ve attended three different community forums with the students, its been a great dialogue. I just attended one in Carnegie, where they gave a little presentation and afterwards they had a question and answer and I couldn’t have been more impressed. I came back and told Jim. Just the level of the questions, the thought that students had put into it. The civil nature in which the dialogue took place. It was a great representation of what we value here.
Mullen: We’ve got in this moment a remarkable opportunity. In a way, I think the nation will look at, for a college that is committed to environmental stewardship, with guiding principles, and a college that is committed to civility and public debate, for us to, as a college community, engage this question in such a way that again I believe that the nation will look at and say, “Here’s a college that had a conversation on an issue that was very complicated, and yet they did it. They did it with transparency, with openness, they invited various points of view, and they did in a way that was civil and true to their principles.” Other principles we have here are teaching and learning. How you take advantage of a moment like this is to learn. We’re all learning about the processes and what is new and not new in the world of accessing natural gas. This is an opportunity for us to really walk through a process together. Like Larry said, I think students, trustees, faculty, alumni, administration, what I have felt is everybody engaging this with a spirit of civility and willingness to trust the process. Campus: How much feedback have you gotten from students, faculty or even the Meadville community? Mullen: I think the Meadville community - and we have an alumnus who is a part of the panel, Dave Anderson, who is a member of the community, and has expertise in this field - what I have heard from this community as I have moved around is interest in how this progresses and an interest in learning as the college learns, which is a good thing as well. I’ve heard that everywhere I’ve gone and from students who have reached out. Lee: The process has just started. The president just formed an advisory group and we just met for the first time about a week ago. That first meeting was really about catching everybody up with some of the information that Kelly Boulton and I have accumulated, handing out a lot of notes from meetings. We meet again next week and then we’ll get into our role and set up the process for communication. I think you’ll see a couple campuswide forums very soon. As far as student communication, again, I’ve been to the Facilities and Finance committee and we have student representation on that group. I did go to ASG and spoke there and took questions there. I attended a class. I went to a classroom session just to take questions. Right now that’s been the extent of our communication. There are 3 students who sit on our advisory group and they will be helping us set the process for future interaction across campus. Our goal is that everyone across campus has a voice. Campus: Has a decision been made about seismic testing? Mullen: Not yet. We want to have the opportunity for forum conversation. Here, Larry and the task force will be looking up to set up the opportunity to learn more about what that means and the process of seismic testing. And then we’ll come toward a decision. And that will be as soon as we can. Lee: We’d like to have an open forum before we break for the holiday and to have a group come in that said they’d like to give a presentation and give info about what the process entails. Campus: How important is it to maintain the idea of becoming a very green college? Mullen: We have committed as a college, and we’re proud of it, setting a standard of excellence in environmental stewardship.
And, we have adopted a core set of principles around that commitment. So we’re going to honor those going forward. And you know, as we go through the process certainly as president that that’s going to be the center of what we think about. Campus: Have you noticed within yourselves or with the trustees any sort of leaning one way or the other on your decision? Mullen: Everyone wants to be neutral and listen. I think there are students on this campus that certainly have feelings for both sides of that question. And that’s good. The trustees feel very deeply in their responsibility as decision makers as the process unfolds to listen and to learn. One trustee said “Let’s learn through this and work this with the campus community” and they’re very committed to do this. Lee: I know its hard for some because there are some staunch advocates for gas exploration, and some who are staunchly opposed to it. I think what we’re trying to do is embark upon a process that allows everyone on campus to be better informed. My role in it is to not bring my own bias into it. That’s not a facilitating a discussion. If we stand up and say “We don’t want to talk about it at all,” that’s not a discussion… That’s a challenge. To not want to say, “We have to stop” or “We just have to drill,” that’s not a discussion or a dialogue. Campus: What’s your response to SEA saying that the negotiations go against the green initiative? Mullen: I have absolute respect for that position. The way I’m trying to view this is that we have an obligation to always look at an issue like this, understand all the facts, all the date we can gather, all the information we can gather, and hold certain principles while we do that. Environmental commitment being right there. And we have to take into account the long term stewardship of the institution. There is a way I think to look at all these questions with these sets of principles in mind. I think we have an obligation to go through the process we are now. I say that with absolute respect for the students who hold a different point of view.
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STAFF AND CONTACT INFORMATION ELAINA MERCATORIS Editor-In-Chief KATIE McHUGH, DAN BAUER & SAMANTHA HUNGERFORD News Editors CHELSEA FLEISCHMAN & MOLLY DUERIG Features Editors CORY RECTENWALD Opinion Editor COLLEEN PEGHER Sports Editor DANA D’AMICO Design Editor CODY MILLER Photography Editor RACHEL GIESEL & ELLIOTT BARTELS Junior Editors ELLEN MINTZER Copy Editor __________ AMANDA SPADARO Business Manager CHERYL HATCH Faculty Adviser The Campus is printed every Friday during the academic year, except during breaks and exam periods. The Campus is printed by The Corry Journal. To place an advertisement, call (814) 332-5386. Rate sheets are available upon request. Box 12, Allegheny College Meadville, PA 16335 E-mail: business@alleghenycampus.com Classified Ads are $.50 per word (12 word minimum).
4 ||November 16 2012 || The Campus
AlleghenyCampus.com
[Features]
Single Voice features Natalie Bakopoulos
CAITIE MCMEKIN/THE CAMPUS Max Lindquist, ’14, Kelsy Sadlek, ’14, and Ha Nguyen, ’15, listen intently as Bakopoulos reads excerpts during the single voice reading.
CAITIE MCMEKIN/THE CAMPUS Author Natalie Bakopoulos chats with Kevin Dougherty, ’13, after signing a copy of her new novel The Green Shore. She read excerpts and then answered student, staff and faculty questions.
Author Natalie Bakopoulos spoke at the Single Voice Reading in Tippie Alumni Center on Thursday. She said she was inspired by her father’s immigration to the United States from 1960s Greece to set her new novel The Green Shore in the same setting and time period. She spoke about the difficulties of writing her first novel as well as the current political state of Greece and its relevance.
Market House sponsors cooking classes By CHELSEA FLEISCHMAN Features Editor fleiscc@allegheny.edu
Things appeared to be shutdown at the Market House on Monday evening as just a few cars sat in the wrap-around parking lot. Inside, Market House Master Alice Sjolander stood over the cash register, assessing the day’s sales. But at the bakery, Save Room for Dessert, located just inside the main doors, 11 people gathered around the center countertop, squeezed between the showcases typically filled with delectable treats. Local farmer Linda Bookamer was teaching them how to make mozzarella cheese from raw milk. The lesson was part of this year’s cooking classes sponsored by the Market House and Project O.N.E. (Offering Nutrition for Everyone), a nonprofit started by Sjolander and Ellie Davies, whose family funds the Davies service program at Allegheny. Sjolander said that she and Davies came up with the nonprofit five years ago after discussing local senior citizens’ physical inability to get to the Market House for the farmer’s market and fresh produce. “So we kind of brainstormed, ‘well how can we get these vegetables to these seniors?’ and that’s when we came up with the idea of Project O.N.E.,” she said. “Ellie is the one that came up with the name.” A community supported agriculture system (CSA) was put into effect. Adrienne Nelson, ’13, is the site’s current Davies Community Service Leader. This is her second term at the Market House.
She spent the summer traveling from a farm near Cochranton, Penn. to pickup produce baskets and then deliver them to senior citizens’ private homes or the Holland Towers Retirement Homes. The CSA produces baskets for senior citizens that cost $6, a low price subsidized by other community members that pay $20 per week’s basket. Sjolander said that the cooking classes began three years ago under Davies Community Service Leader Erin Sweeny, class of 2010. When the Cookie Lady bakery left the Market House last year, the kitchen space was lost and classes discontinued. Because Save Room for Dessert supports Project O.N.E. and is closed on Mondays, the classes were brought back in July as a fundraiser for other project programs. Each class costs $20 with dinner provided and features volunteer instructors. Monday night’s teacher Linda Bookamer hosts several dairy classes for adults and children at her family’s farm. According to their website, adult classes feature how to make products such as butter, yogurt, or cream cheese from cream, skim and whole milk. For kids, she offers classes on the science behind dairy and how cheese is made. Bookamer said that she heard about the Project O.N.E. classes from another Market House employee that attended one of her farm’s cheese-making classes. As a member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Bookamer wanted to support the cause and volunteered to teach a class. “Promoting agriculture is
CHELSEA FLEISCHMAN/THE CAMPUS Local farmer Linda Bookamer shows ten local residents how to make mozzarella cheese from raw milk at the Market House on Monday. Bookamer used the old-fashioned cheese-making techniques that her grandmother taught her while still emphasizing the chemistry involved in dairy cooking.
something that we’re very active in and we feel as farmers that Market House promotes us so I was shocked when I heard (about the class) and said I really want to help in this in any way that I can,” she said. Sjolander said that Communications Arts professor Ishita Sinha Roy taught a course on Indian cuisine in August. “I learned a lot from her,” Sjolanda said. “She’s just absolutely incredible.” Next Monday night’s Moroccan class will be taught by Allegheny librarian Cynthia Burton. Aside from Nelson, no
other Allegheny students were present at Monday night’s class. Nelson said that there have been students at past classes but that the cost is a bit much for a college budget. “It’s definitely worth considering how can I make this program more available to people who want to have access to it or not necessarily who want to have access to it but I mean it should just be there,” she said. “It shouldn’t be limited by certain things like price but we need to raise money.” Nelson said that they’re keeping student-based activities on the radar, such as the
possibility of a cooking-inyour-dorm kind of class. The classes have had a 10-person cap because of the limited room at the bakery but Sjolander said that they are trying to fill 15 spaces for the next Moroccan class. Nine of the spaces have already been filled. “This is the best it’s been in a few years,” Sjolander said. “People are really learning a lot.... I think it’s going to be extremely successful this year.” Sjolander said that they’re also thinking of ways to make the program even more accessible. Ellie’s idea for the class was to reach not only senior
citizens but also people in the lower socioeconomic groups that are interested in cooking their own foods using fresh produce. Sjolander said they’ve been discussing the possibility of a mobile farmer’s market that travels to local subsidized housing. “We just want to expand it to get the word as far and wide as we can to let people know that you can cook healthful foods that really taste good,” she said.
International Education Week’s photo contest promotes world travel By EMERALD WRIGHTCOLLIE Contributing Writer wrightcolliee@allegheny.edu
Spain, East Africa, Turkey and Italy are just a few of the destinations students can choose from within Allegheny’s study abroad program. In recognition of International Education Week, Allegheny reminded students of these opportunities to explore the world. International Education Week is not an Alleghenyspecific initiative; rather, it is recognized internationally. The week’s purpose, according to the official web site, is to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange
worldwide. Allegheny’s own version of International Week includes a series of events hosted by ACCEL during the week of Nov. 15. The purpose of these events is to promote cultural awareness and to help people explore the world. ACCEL’s international program hosts a series of events the week of November 13 to the 17. These events consist of different activities for students and members of the Meadville community. “We promote cultural ideas and diversity for students to really learn about Allegheny and to raise awareness,” said Jenny Kawata, director of the Inter-
national Program. An international photo contest, held on Tuesday of this week during lunchtime in the Campus Center lobby, displayed 128 photos of widely diverse places, from Africa to India. The photos were organized into four categories, “People,” “Other,” “Places,” and “Built,” and were featured on display boards. The photographs depicted scenery from and lifestyles of different countries all around the world. “The photos that place first, second and third from each category get displayed in room 303 of the Campus Center,” said Linda Litzinger, secretary
at the ACCEL office. Photo subjects ranged from citizens of Africa to the outdoors of Nicaragua. One picture, taken by Nicholas Christensen, ‘13, in the spring of 2012, depicts a group of citizens in the streets of Ecuador. Students walked around the Campus Center lobby with paper and pencil in hand, deciding on which picture to vote for from each category. “I wanted to see all the pictures that Allegheny students took while traveling,” said Andrew Nunn, ‘16. “I picked the tiger photo because it was incredible that they were able to get that close to the tiger while it was yawning.”
He was referring to a photo taken in Japan by Kento Hashimoto, ‘16. The picture is now hanging up in CC 303. The program of events will continue this weekend with the annual International Dinner, hosted by the International Club in Schultz Banquet Hall. The dinner features a fashion show and dance performances for entertainment. “The dinner serves around 250 people from Allegheny students to Meadville community members,” said Jenny Kawata, “It’s all about trying something new and developing an appreciation for it.” This dinner encourages people to embrace different
kinds of cultures by partaking in the food, fashion and performances of those cultures. The International Office also took advantage of the week as an opportunity to showcase the variety of summer EL (Experiential Learning) programs available to students. During the photo contest, tables representing all the EL country destinations were set up in the Campus Center lobby.
AlleghenyCampus.com
DREAM
[Features]
The Campus || November 16, 2012 ||5
from page 1
“But our goal is to try to make it so we understand, so we can say it in a way that they’ll understand.” Crozier said that although the language may sound difficult, the audience should catch on quickly. “You think, 417 years, you have this huge gulf, but it’s still ours,” Crozier said. “It’s our language. We can really get it if we work hard as actors. I wanted to try to make it so it’s not hard work for the audience so they can follow it. That’s our job.” Sophomore Lee Scandinaro, who plays the young Athenian Lysander, agreed that the audience shouldn’t worry about the language. “If you’re lost in the first three minutes, don’t feel bad,” he said. “You’ll get what we’re saying.” Sophomore Adam Zahren plays Puck, a jester to Oberon. Puck’s character is based on the fairy of the same name from English mythology, a mischievous sprite that traditionally dwells in woodlands, leading passerby astray. “My favorite part is the set, just because it adds a whole new dimension for us to play on, thoroughly enjoy, and just explore and experiment with,” Zahren said. “This awesome addition, I feel, has just added to everyone’s performance and given everyone just a spark that was desperately needed.” Freshman Timur Dikec plays Philostrate, the Master of Revels at the court of Theseus, the mythical founder and king of Athens. Dikec also enjoys the set. “It’s a very big set and a very intricate set as well,” Dikec said. “There’s a bridge that spans it, there’s two towers, and a giant set of stairs. It looks beautiful…I feel a lot of people will be shocked when they see
the set for the first time.” After helping build the set and act on it, Scales said he feels it’s “otherworldly.” “This is definitely the most complicated set and one of the biggest, and most involved that I’ve ever worked with,” Scales said. Dikec also said he recognizes the challenges of a complex set. Among this set’s distinctive elements is a waterslide. “There are challenges you may not have when you’re not working on the set, but then again you also don’t have water slides in everyday life,” Dikec said. “You get to have a lot of fun on the set, but you also… have to change your actions depending on the set as well.” Thompson said acting with the water slide was the most difficult challenge to overcome with the set. “I think the water’s challenging,” Thompson said. “I think it’s something that actors aren’t used to working with on stage. It’s unpredictable.” Zahren said another unique aspect to this show is its gender role reversal. Puck, Oberon and Egea, as well as the mechanicals forming an acting troupe, all switch genders. “We’re doing a significant amount of gender-bending with Puck and Oberon, specifically,” Zahren said. “We’re really taking advantage of androgyny to the best of our ability. Just working on a show that questions gender-norms and asks actors to move outside their comfort level of their gender norm is really exciting to do and really exciting to work with.” Junior Maggie Boone, who plays the traditionally male character of Oberon, king of fairies, said the role reversal presents a unique perspective. “For this performance, I never would have thought to
have been cast in this role just because I’m usually maternal characters or funny characters,” Boone said. “So this has just been really interesting to explore power and gender roles…The way I’m trying to play the character is not really gender specific as much as just powerful, and so that’s been really difficult.” Boone said people should attend the show to challenge their expectations. “I don’t think people would normally expect me to come on stage wearing all black makeup and a cape and a weird spider bracelet, but I just feel like it’s something that people need to see because it’s about a lot more too,” Boone said. Zahren said he thinks the play’s modern perspective makes it engaging and unique. “I think that it really puts Shakespeare in a really fun mood, and it’s not like people would expect a Shakespeare show to be,” Zahren said. He said he thinks if the audience puts for the effort, they’ll be able to enjoy the show. “This in particular has been a really in-depth show,” Zahren said. “We’ve worked a lot with the language to be able to communicate with the audience what we’re trying to say, even though we’re speaking in a way that’s typically unfamiliar to most people. But I think if people would give it a shot, and step outside their comfort zone for an hour and a half, they might really walk away with something spectacular.” Show performances will be in the Gladys Mulleniz Black Theatre in the Vukovich Center for Communication Arts. Performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will be at 8 p.m. and Sunday’s performance will be at 2:30 p.m.
CARLY LUITGAARDEN/THE CAMPUS Austin Scales, ‘13, and Katie Beck, ‘14, act out a love scene in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
CARLY LUITGAARDEN/THE CAMPUS Lee Scandinaro, ’15, and Lizzie Thompson, ‘15, sit on stage during “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Critics’ Corner
‘The Fault in Our Stars’ portrays cancer realistically By CLAIRE TEAGUE Staff Writer teaguec@allegheny.edu
Author John Green’s honest portrayal of the flawed and human characters he creates makes this heartbreaking book a best seller. The Fault in Our Stars is the story of 16-year-old Hazel, who was diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at the age of 13. The humanity of the characters makes this novel an intriguingly honest exploration of death that, somehow, also incites an appreciation for life. Writing about kids who have cancer is an invitation to be sentimental and wholly unoriginal. It’s usually the story of the child, wise beyond her years, who silently suffers through the brutality of cancer and eventually dies a hero. She triumphs over pain, allowing her life and death to transcend. Ultimately, The Fault in Our Stars is a narrative full of harrowing honesty. There are no magic cures, no romantic strolls along the beach. Instead, there is pain, shame, brokenness and anger, a prosthetic leg and a portable oxygen tank. Parts of the story are unpleasant and awkward, but through Green’s skilled writing, these disturbing realities only strengthen the romance and add meaning to the story, which somehow manages to
celebrate life simultaneously. Green’s story examines life, love and death through a realistic and honest lens. In this way, his readers can start to understand how it feels to live life with cancer, and how unpredictable and terrifying that reality can be. The book is remarkably funny considering its subject matter, and it is also a heartwarming love story for teenagers. Green is not afraid to break his readers’ hearts. Two years after the diagnosis of her cancer and a medical miracle that puts her in remission, Hazel has her GED, a few friends other than her parents and a life that can hardly be called normal. Despite surviving the cancer and responding to a drug that will keep her alive for some undefined length of time, Hazel is dependent on an oxygen tank and lives with the threat of slipping back into her illness if her tumors resist the drug. Now enter Augustus Waters, the story’s male lead. Witty, gorgeous and also in remission, Augustus is hardly the usual attendee of the cancer kid support group, where he meets Hazel. He is immediately drawn to her, and the two embark on an unexpected but much-needed journey together which forces Hazel to re-examine life, the fragility of sickness and health, and what impact or legacy people leave behind when they die.
Initially Hazel, the narrator, is just our funny and witty guide to the story, but as the plot continues we get a deeper look into her heart and fears. Augustus is presented similarly: in the beginning, he appears to be nothing short of perfect. He’s handsome, smart and is completely infatuated with Hazel. But as the story progresses and we learn more about his cancer, we see how his sickness has shaped him and forced him to address the fragility of life and death. His perfect exterior hides his flaws, his limitations, his fears and, above all, his humanity. The feeling of being 16 and struggling through adolescence is a universal story. The cancer, however, is not. Beautifully written, this book does not try to sugar coat the horror of cancer or the impact it has on its victims as well as the people who love them. True, outside-of-a-Nicholas-Sparks-book love is occasionally humiliating, challenging, beautiful and, at its core, just two people. In this case, it’s two kids, growing with and accepting each other, for all of one another’s little pieces, both pretty and ugly. This love that Green writes about in The Fault in Our Stars is so much more satisfying and romantic than any stereotypical sunset embrace. Author John Green is an award-winning novelist, a New York Times bestselling author,
Courtesy of guardian.co.uk
‘Skyfall’ reinvents classic Bond movie By BEN DAUBER Movie Reviewer dauberb@allegheny.edu
Rarely has a film energized me like Skyfall, the new addition to the James bond legacy, was able to do. I came out of the theater ready to punch everyone I saw in the face, and as soon as I got into my car it was impossible to go under 65 miles an hour. The new addition to the James Bond legacy, Skyfall breaks our expectations along with all of the rules. With its combination of groundbreaking layers of sophistication and Bond’s typically high-caliber action, this film is the real deal. To dismiss Skyfall as just another entry in a long line of tongue-in-cheek spy films would be downright foolish. This brilliantly-crafted movie is simultaneously an homage to past Bond films as well as an introspective look into the mysterious background of Bond himself.
Skyfall is not simply Hollywood’s next espionage vignette or a mediocre flick they thought could bring in some money. On the contrary, this film is truly innovative, transforming inexperienced film fans into die-hard Bond fans. Daniel Craig is more than a superb actor: he is literally the only man I want to see play James Bond, until either he’s dead or I’m blind. As for the rest of the cast, they can be summed up in one word: reinvention. They are actors you have seen before, but never in such a way. The boundaries of Bond archetypes are expanded by characters such as Moneypenny, the seductive and flirtatious assistant Bond can’t quite get his hands on. Apart from superb performances by Daniel Craig (Bond), Judi Dench (Casino Royale) and Ralph Fiennes (best known for his role as Lord Voldemort), which any
well-informed audience member would have anticipated, Javier Bardem(No Country for Old Men) indubitably stole the show. He incorporated the classic aspects of a Bond super villain with a startling, inescapable creepiness. Bardem managed to be amusing, enigmatic, exaggerated and frightening, all at once. I legitimately could sit down, watch that man eat breakfast and be marvelously entertained. Skyfall is so much of a good thing, even people who have never eaten meat in their life will go out into the woods, find a tree, chop it down, make a spear and kill a wild animal by hand—just for shits and giggles. So much history coupled with so much innovation made for a transforming and rich experience. Just go see it.
6 || November 16, 2012 || The Campus
AlleghenyCampus.com
[SPORTS]
Football shuts out Hiram in final game
basketball
conference-leading total. Devlin credits his teammates for much of his personal The football team ended its success this season. 2012 season with a victory at “I feel honored to lead the Hiram Saturday, shutting out conference in tackles, espethe Terriers and becoming the cially since we are in such a 35th team in NCAA Division competitive conference,” said III history to capture their 500th Devlin. “I’d like to thank my victory as a program. teammates on defense. With“I think it’s humbling [to out them it is difficult for me to get that 500th win],” said Head make plays and be so producCoach Mark Matlak. “You’ve tive.” got to understand that to get Two of DeStefano and Devto that milestone, there are a lin’s defensive counterparts lot of other coaches and play- were also honored this week ers that came before you that with Academic All-District were responsible for climbing Honors. Defensive end John that mountain. Our crew is just Douglas, ’13, and cornerback a little piece of that.” Colin Hartford, ’13, along The win put the Gawith sophomore right tors at 5-5 for the seaguard Zack Palmer, son, tying their record will now move to the for last season. Earlier national ballot, where in the season, the Ga- It felt great they could potentially tors led the confer- that all the win the honor of Acaence, but after several demic All-American. injuries to key players time and efOn the offensive and losses against Wit- fort we have end, the Gators posttenberg, Kenyon and ed 13 points against Ohio Wesleyan, they been putting Hiram. Senior fullfinished fifth overall. in paid off back Tim Werley “I think coming in, had a career day with we started off really and ended it 130 yards on 32 carwell,” Matlak said. “I right with a ries and 58 receiving was highly optimistic, yards. His perforand then the injury shutout.” mance was the best bug hit us in some key single-game effort by areas.” an Allegheny player Despite their resince 2006. cent three-game los- Rudy Kicker Ryan ing streak, the Gators DeStefano, Mong, ’15, was redominant at Hiram, sponsible for all of earning their first de- ’13 the scoring in the first fensive shutout since half with field goals of Oct. 2010. 21 and 37 yards. Senior Rudy DeStefano, In the fourth quarter, Alwho was selected to play in the legheny scored its first and only inaugural 2013 Dream Bowl, touchdown of the game after a an all-star game to be played 12-play, 70-yard drive. Firstin Salem, Va. in January, said year fullback Anthony Opet he was proud of the defense’s finished the drive with a twoability to bounce back against yard touchdown run. Hiram. To finish the game, Raysean “It really shows what we Glenn, ’15, picked off Hiram’s were trying to get accom- quarterback with six minutes plished on defense all year,” remaining, while Allegheny said DeStefano. “It felt great ran out the clock on their next that all the time and effort we offensive series. have been putting in paid off “It’s nice to win your last and ended it right with a shut- game,” Matlak said. “It propels out.” you into rebounding, regroupDeStefano had a team high ing and trying to get better for of six tackles and a fumble re- next year.” covery. Teammate Bill Devlin, ’13, also recovered a fumble and added five tackles to his
Men’s team looks to improve this season
Cross country captain wins NCAA regionals
By COLLEEN PEGHER Sports Editor pegherc@allegheny.edu
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NICK OZORAK/THE CAMPUS Two racers push off the edge at the start of a backstroke competition against Gannon on Nov. 9, 2012. The men’s team lost 106-117.
Swimming battles Gannon, Edinboro By DAN MARCUS Staff Writer marcusd@allegheny.edu
Riding the wins of Grant Richman, ’15, and Brandon Intrieri, ’13, the Allegheny men’s swim team snagged a fourpoint victory over Edinboro Saturday after falling to Gannon Friday, putting them at 2-2 on the season. Richman won the 1,000 meter freestyle and finished second in the 500 meter freestyle against Edinboro. He won both the 500 and 1,650 meter freestyles against Gannon. Intrieri finished first in the 50 and 100 meter freestyles at both meets. When asked about his individual success, Richman was
By HOLLY RAMEY Contributing Writer rameyh@allegheny.edu
The men’s basketball season will begin with the Greg Richards ’08 Memorial Tip-Off Tournament this weekend, in honor of the Allegheny basketball alumnus who passed away from cancer earlier this year. “This should be a great weekend of basketball. We are honored to play,” said Head Coach Jim Driggs in an e-mail. Devone McLeod, ’13, is proud to play in the tournament because Richards was a role model to many participants in the Allegheny basketball program. “[Richards] graduated the year before I came here, but he paved the way for guys like us,” he said. D’Andre Corbin, ’14, did not know Richards personally, but he attended the memorial service earlier this year. “I could tell from the people that were there that he was someone people truly cared about,” he said. The Gators will play PittTitusville at 8:00 p.m. Friday in the first round of the tournament. On Saturday, they will play either Wilmington or McDaniel, pending the first round results. The men play in one of the best Division III leagues in the nation, according to Driggs. In the NCAC coach’s preseason
quick give credit to others. “I think I do relatively well individually because of expert coaching, great friends on the team, and just my love for the sport of swimming that keeps me going when I am swimming that freestyle,” he said. Richman has provided stability for the team, while other swimmers have had to take on new events. This weekend, first-year Jack Marlowe swam in two new events, the 200 meter fly, finishing third, and the 400 meter individual medley. Although the women’s team has yet to win, encouraging performances from seniors Joanna Wieckowska, Lauren Karl and Molly Durot have the team
poll, Allegheny placed ninth out of ten teams. The team remains unaffected by this standing and hopes to surprise everyone this season, according to Andrew Sestina, ’16. “I do not want to base the team’s expectations of our abilities off other’s expectations,” he said. “We know what we are capable of.” The improvement and growth of the guards will be noticeable this season, as there are currently 12 guards on the roster. “I think our depth at that position will be one of our strengths,” Driggs said. Offensively, the team is confident in their shooting ability and athleticism, according to Corbin, but the coaching staff is concerned with the team’s ability to grab rebounds. The coaches, however, still tend to allow players much freedom in practice, Sestina said. “Letting us play our own game is going to help a lot,” he said. Top competitors this season will be Wooster and Ohio Wesleyan, but Corbin is not worried. “I think we can play against any team in the country, if we play our game, our way,” he said.
confident for their upcoming meets, according to Durot. “The last few meets for our team have shown great improvement,” she said. “We not only have improved in the water, but we have become closer as a team and had fun racing. We support each other in and out of the water and this has made us stronger.” Durot earned wins in three events, winning the 200 meter fly both days and the 500 meter freestyle Friday. The team will also receive a confidence boost when four members of the team return from a hiatus due to injury, according to Detwiler. “This team has more to offer,” said Head Coach Erin De-
twiler. “We will improve as we regain our health, which will give us the depth we need.” This weekend both teams will travel to Carnegie Mellon University to swim against three nationally ranked teams: Rochester University, Carnegie Mellon, and Washington and Lee University. Detwiler anticipates that the meet will be fast paced and a challenge that which the team is excited to face. The competitive environment, according to Detwiler, will give individual swimmers hoping to make nationals a chance to measure themselves against possible future competition.
Women’s team aims to continue success By PAT JAMESON Staff Writer jamesonp@allegheny.edu
Following a successful season in 2011, the women’s basketball team begins their season Friday. Last season, the Gators went 15-11 overall and 10-6 in conference play. The Gators will boast an experienced roster as they several key players return this season. They will, however, return without All-NCAC performer Heidi Goeller, who was responsible for a great deal of the Gator’s offensive output last year before she graduated one year early. “Heidi will be tough to replace, but like with any losses to graduation, new players will step up and fill the void,” said Head Coach Kate Costanzo. “Ann [Ryan] will be looked upon to score more around the rim this year, and we have some talented forwards in the first-year class who bring a lot of energy to the court.” Besides Ryan, Coach Costanzo expects Daryl Ford, ’13, and sophomore guards Marinia Scarantino and Kendall Hoffman to be major contributors on the court. This season also marks the much anticipated return of two-time NCAC all-conference forward Erica Restich, ’14, who is coming off a season-ending knee injury from last year. With so much returning tal-
ent, the Gators seemed poised for success as long as they continue to play fundamental basketball, according to Constanzo. “We must play better defense, have balanced scoring, and rebound the ball,” Costanzo said. “If we do those three things, we will put ourselves in the best possible situation to win games.” Ford also emphasized the importance of teamwork to survive when faced with tough teams such as nationallyranked DePauw. “Our success will definitely depend on how well we can play as a team.” Ford said, “We need everyone to contribute something this year, whether it be at practice or in the games, and I think that we finally have a great group where each teammate is capable of doing so.” A large first-year class is expected to contribute immediately, and has already made its presence felt in preseason practices, according to Ryan. “The first years have come in ready to play,” said Ryan. “They are pushing the upperclassmen, which is what Coach Costanzo wanted them to do.” Allegheny opens up their season this Friday at 6 p.m. against Penn State-Altoona at home in the first annual Greg Richards ’08 Memorial Tip-Off Tournament.
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By LAUREN SCHRICKER Junior Editor schrickerl@allegheny.edu
Overcoming the adversity of running a thickly forested course in the Appalachian Mountains against 343 other individuals, Bobby Over, ’14, led the Gators to fifth place at the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional, securing for himself the number one spot in the individual standings. “It was probably one of the hardest courses we have ever run on,” said Head Coach Brent Wilkerson. “The hills in the race weren’t long, but they were steep, which messes up your rhythm.” Much of the course was through woods, which can affect morale as there are no bystanders to cheer runners on, according to Wilkerson. “You’re pretty lonely for at least 4,000 meters of the race on this course,” he said. Runners were less lonely through the first half of the race, when the course became
congested and potentially dangerous to runners. “With that many teams on the course, you can get trampled or pushed out of the way,” Wilkerson said. “Some of our guys did get pushed toward the back. It was neat to see them work their way back to the front.” The Gators will compete in the NCAA Division III National meet Saturday in Terre Haute, Indiana. The team finished their last pre-Nationals workout on Tuesday and have been in Indiana since Wednesday to get familiar with the course in preparation for the run, according to Over. “The team mentality is big with us and we all just want to run our best for the team because we don’t want to let anyone down,” he said. “We just hope that during the race our guys can stay grouped up and gain strength from running together.”
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