state press magazine VOLUME 17 // ISSUE ONE
FIERCE BY DESIGN former ASU career coach, Jyll Harthun, shares her story on starting her own welding and furniture design company
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from the editor
the staff
Welcome back, ASU! It's hard to believe this is my seventh magazine with SPM, but year two as editor-in-chief is already off to a great start. I got to write the cover story for this issue which features an amazing woman, Jyll. When I met Jyll several months ago, she just had this incredibly bright and different presence that I instantly clicked with and loved. She's absolutely a delight, and I hope reading her story inspires you as it did me to be true to my personal mission and strive for greatness.
Executive Editor Sydney Maki Editor-in-Chief Alexa D’Angelo Managing Editor Savanah Yaghsezian Multimedia Editor Heather Hudzinski Design Editor Charlie Francis Copy Editor Jessica Suerth Lead Reporter Andrew Nicla Reporters Madison Alder Ashley Ballard Taylor Bishop Aashini Choksi Amber Franklin Nicole Gimpl Josie Harvey Lauren Intrieri Andres Guerra Luz Nina North Demitria Pilatos Melina Zuniga Lead Photographers Katie Malles Willow Greene Smith Photographers Stella Atzenweiler Bre Della Corna Jordan Neel Elena Pelkey-Landes Cartoonist Adam Zanzucchi
This issue also contains a lot of hard work from many new reporters, all of whom I am proud of! This being my senior year, I really felt this issue had to be the best one yet, and I know I say every time we have a new issue that it's the best: but this one really is, swear. The design, the stories, the cover... it's all amazing. Enjoy the issue, and we'll see you back next month for issue number two!
meet the editors
Heather Hudzinski, Charlie Francis, Alexa D’Angelo, Savanah Yaghsezian Photo by Reilly Kneedler
join the conversation & follow @statepressmag
contents
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08 STUDENT LIFE 06 Student's Guide to Phoenix & Tempe
08 10 13
Personalized Space Drunkorexia
An Artist's Perspective
FROM THE COVER 16 Fierce by Design
16
BUSINESS 24 Swimming with the 26
Mermaid of Ali & Ariel Social University
CAMPUS CULTURE 28 A Walk in the Shoes of
24 10
30
International Students Digital Volunteering
september // october
local concerts & festivals
SEP 14
SEP 22
OCT 1
Hall & Oats @ Ak-Chin Pavilion Ray Lamontagne @ Comerica Theatre O.A.R. @ Livewire Local Natives @ Marquee Theatre The Kickback @ Rebel Lounge
The Spill Canvas @ Marquee Theatre
SEP 23
Katastro @ Marquee Theatre Tour De Fat @ Tempe Town Lake
Krewella @ Crescent Ballroom Iration @ Marquee Theatre
Tycho @ Marquee Theatre
SEP 15
SEP 24
OCT 4
Kraftwerk @ Orpheum Theatre
Blink 182 @ Ak-Chin Pavilion NF @ Crescent Ballroom Flans @ Comerica Theatre Tegan and Sara @ Livewire Steve Aoki @ Talking Stick Resort
The Lumineers @ Comerica Theatre Miguel & Sia @ Talking Stick Resort
SEP 16 Swans @ Crescent Ballroom Post Malone @ Marquee Theatre Anthony Green @ Nile Theatre Demi Lovato @ Talking Stick Resort
OCT 2
OCT 5
Saint Motel @ Crescent Ballroom
Mumford & Sons @ Ak-Chin Pavilion Miike Snow @ Crescent Ballroom St. Lucia @ Crescent Ballroom City & Colour @ Orpheum Theatre
SEP 26
OCT 6
Atmosphere @ Marquee Theatre
La Sera & Tourist @ Valley Bar
SEP 27
OCT 7
Steel Pulse @ Livewire
Flume @ Comerica Theatre Cold War Kids @ Marquee Theatre Nothing But Thieves @ Valley Bar
Oktoberfest @ Tempe Town Lake Arizona State Fair @ Fairgrounds
SEP 21
SEP 29
Black Sabbath @ Ak-Chin Pavilion Bloc Party @ Marquee Theatre
Oh Wonder @ Crescent Ballroom
Halestorm @ Marquee Theatre
SEP 17 Taco Street Festival @ Chandler Park Kismet @ Crescent Ballroom Jared & The Mill @ Livewire Boyce Avenue @ Marquee Theatre
SEP 18
SEP 25
SEP 30
Phantogram @ Marquee Theatre
zan-doodles As a junior in the architecture program, Adam spends most of his free time working in the studio. When he is not there he enjoys skateboarding with friends, making art and drinking copious amounts of coffee. The art he enjoys making is a combination of life experiences and personal interests expressed through different types of mediums.
OCT 11 OCT 14 Ra Ra Riot @ Crescent Ballroom
by Adam Zanzucchi
STUDENT LIFE
A STUDENT'S GUIDE TO PHOENIX & TEMPE BY ASHLEY BALLARD PHOTOS BY ASHLEY BALLARD & KATIE MALLES
F
inding new and exciting things to do near your campus can be next to impossible, especially in a city as spread out as Phoenix. You may begin to feel you have seen everything that there is to see, and you are destined to eat the same food, shop the same places, and go to the same spots in your free time. However, Phoenix is a scavenger hunt; all sorts of cool spots are everywhere, you just have to hunt for them. This is your guide to some of the essential places to go for great eats, shopping and entertainment at the Phoenix or Tempe campuses!
PHOENIX CAMPUS
Best Coffee: Futuro Futuro is a serene, minimalist space adorned with mid-century modern chairs and large work tables. Located a block away from the Downtown campus, Futuro is an ideal place to go for a caffeine fix between classes. There is no menu, however, so be sure to go in knowing what you want! Order a simple cold brew or latte, or grab an espresso and tonic water if you’re feeling like trying something new and adventurous! 6
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Best Food: Phoenix Public Market Phoenix Public Market is a must-have for students, especially those who live on the downtown campus. Almost everything is health-conscious and local, and you can grab a huge breakfast plate for just under eight dollars. They also offer a student discount if you show your SunCard. They’re also famous for their Downtown Devil Fries.
Best Entertainment: Crescent Ballroom Crescent Ballroom is the ideal spot to go if you want to see a band that typically plays small venues with standing floors. Half a bar and half a venue, Crescent Ballroom’s events are often 21 and over, but a lot of bands will play all-ages shows. Performers such as Kate Nash, Father John Misty, and Aesop Rock have come through there, so it is definitely a prime spot to get your live music fix! There’s also a great outdoor patio that was just recently renovated.
Best Food: Green New American Vegetarian
Best Shopping: Melrose District
It can be difficult finding fast, healthy food to accommodate your busy schedule, and Green is one of the prime spots in Tempe to eat healthy on a budget. Everything is free of animal products without abridging deliciousness: be sure to try one of their soy milkshakes or a sandwich!
The Melrose District is the perfect choice for a unique shopping day. The area has a whole line of vintage and antique shops that sell anything you can put your mind to, from clothes and jewelry to cameras and home goods. It’s best to make a day out of it with a friend!
TEMPE CAMPUS
Best Entertainment: Marquee Theatre A prime spot for bands to play when coming through the Phoenix-Tempe area, the Marquee Theater is an easy walk from the Tempe campus, just on the other side of Tempe Town Lake. Bands and musicians across all genres play here, so there is something for everyone, and most events are open to people under 21. Best Coffee: Cartel Coffee Lab If you are looking for a high-quality coffee shop with an ambiance that helps to focus on studying, Cartel is an important spot for you. With an in-house roastery and any type of coffee style you could imagine, this is a great place to have a nice, dark roast and be in the zone for long periods of time.
Best Shopping: T. Madison Located on the border of Tempe and Chandler, T. Madison is a local curated clothing, home and apothecary shop that is nothing short of a design student’s wonderland. You can expect to be greeted warmly by the staff and find an assortment of different goods that you won’t find anywhere else in Tempe.
STUDENT LIFE
PERSONALIZED SPACE: MEN VS. WOMEN BY NINA NORTH PHOTOS BY BRE DELLA CORNA
T
here's a lot of stress that comes with moving into a new place. You need food, furniture and, you know, money. Making a space feel like home can be a daunting task that makes move-in day kind of a nightmare. (Don’t we all love that? I mean, who doesn’t love carrying furniture and boxes upon boxes up flights of stairs in 115-degree weather?) Moving into a new apartment also means multiple trips to the the holy grail: Target. As you are walking around, take a look around at all the other college students filling their carts. What do you see? You will probably see a girl with a shopping cart filled with decorative pillows, an area rug and a desk organizer. A few aisles over, you might notice another girl with a nearly empty cart, just buying the necessities for her upcoming housewarming party. You may see a guy with a shopping cart full of junk food, a 6-pack of beer and a new game for his Xbox, but you might also see a guy with a cart full of home goods such as plants, mugs and coffee table books. Rene Wetzel, a sophomore nursing student, says, “I was really excited to finally live with my new roommates, but the movein process itself was a nightmare and extremely exhausting.”
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Wetzel had to make three separate trips to the store before finally having everything she needed for her room. Her biggest frustration was not receiving the art piece she ordered weeks before move-in and it not being found anywhere in the shipping route. However, she did not let that stop her from making her apartment as home-y and organized as possible. Wetzel has multiple desk organizers, a dry-erase board with her to-do list on it and multiple cookbooks to whip up her roommates a fabulous dinner. Unlike Wetzel’s move-in experience, ASU sophomore Nico Debruyn said his move-in day and decorating process was a breeze. In fact, he said the whole decorating process took only 10 minutes and cost $50, thanks in part to his incorporation of repurposed items including an old "STREET CLOSED" sign.The rest of the ambiance in his place is very simple, with a file cabinet as an end table and strobe lights along the wall. Debruyn says there actually may be more cases of protein powder in the apartment than silverware. “I probably spend more money on food than decorating,” he says, as he opens his mini-freezer packed with meat and frozen vegetables.
As you walk into Joshua Melton’s house, you can pick up on the vibe that he is an architect student here at the university. His home could definitely be featured on HGTV. Melton describes his home as “southwest eclectic.” From the area rug he bought while backpacking on an American Indian reservation to the mounted vintage bicycle on the wall, this place is unlike any typical college student’s.
Although, Melton has lived here over a year, the move-in day is a never-ending process, as he is always adding more décor to his house. “Everything in here has a story,” Melton says. He finds his stuff everywhere: Craigslist, Ikea, and an American Indian reservation. Superstores aren’t your only option; some people prefer to shop at thrift stores or Goodwill to find what they need. Chelsea Bonsu, an elementary education sophomore, relies solely on thrift stores and Goodwill for her wardrobe. Bonsu chooses not to spend her money on name brand clothes and says thrift stores are her favorite places. Bonsu’s apartment reflects just that. Her non-materialistic manner is clearly portrayed throughout her apartment. In fact, she is still moving items into her place, but not decorative items like a wall painting. Instead, it’s items like her bed spread, which she spent the previous two weeks using her roommate’s blanket as bedding. “I have yet to spend anything,” Bonsu says about decorating her apartment. As we all dread move-in day, we must also realize that this particular day (or days) reveals a lot about our personality because our apartment reflects who we are. But that does not mean how much we spend does.
STUDENT LIFE
DRUNKOREXIA BY MADISON ALDER PHOTOS BY BRE DELLA CORNA
T
en college students walk into a bar and new research shows that if they’re all heavy-drinkers, at least eight of them have participated in “drunkorexic” behavior. “Drunkorexia” — a hybrid of the words “drunk” and “anorexia” — is the term given to behaviors, such as skipping a meal, exercising heavily, inducing vomiting and using laxatives, used to either decrease the net calorie intake when consuming alcohol or get drunk faster. A University of Houston survey of 1,184 heavy-drinking college students – defined as those who binge-drink at least once a month – found that 80 percent had participated in some form of “drunkorexic” behavior in the past three months. The author of the report, University of Houston psychology professor Dipali Rinker, says "drunkorexia" is more often found on college campuses where peer pressure, being tight on cash and body image make it more prevalent. “I was interested in (the) coexisting risk that might enhance or augment the problems in risky behaviors among college students,” Rinker says, adding students found the behaviors to be "extremely normative."
THE COLLEGE ENVIRONMENT The college environment allows dangerous behaviors to flourish for a number of reasons, but the main issue, Rinker says, is the misconception that binge-drinking is the norm among emerging adults. Dispelling the normative perception is the most effective way researchers have found to deter this type of behavior, she says. Chrissy Barth, a lecturer in the College of Health Sciences at ASU, says "drunkorexic" behavior can stem from a student's first taste of freedom. “When college students leave home, that’s a big transition,” she says. “In some ways, college is our first experience with alco10
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hol and they can’t gauge how much is too much.” Barth, who runs a nutrition consulting practice, says she has seen several clients use alcohol to control their weight. Though her patients are all different ages, a majority of those in their twenties practice behaviors that align with “drunkorexia,” she says. Barth says the issue is more prevalent in college students because there is a pressure to look and act a certain way.
MEN VS. WOMEN While eating disorders are typically attributed to women, the study found “drunkorexic” behavior was equally as common in men. “We really thought that women would dominate as far as engaging in these behaviors,” Rinker says. Megan Kniskern, an ASU College of Nutrition lecturer and certified eating disorder dietitian, says college students may partake in these behaviors in order to keep up their appearance. “Obviously, appearance is really key in the college environment,” she says. “For both males and females, it is becoming more and more prevalent.” There is an obsession with appearance more so than there ever has been in the past for both genders, she says. Kniskern says she saw dieting become socially acceptable for men when the Atkins diet became popular. “Socially, when men started dieting, it snowballed into this mentality of staying in shape,” she says, adding the fitness trend has become an obsession that is “image driven more than fitness driven.” “If they’re doing all these great things for their diet during the day, they don’t want to counteract what they’re doing when they go out at night,” Kniskern says. But neither gender is immune to the damage that “drunkorexia” can have on the body.
HEALTH EFFECTS OF “DRUNKOREXIA” “We found that people that engage in these behaviors not only drink more heavily but they also experience more health problems than people who don’t,” Rinker says. Alcohol is very high in empty calories. When you don’t eat and replace those calories you would’ve had from food with alcohol, you’re not getting any nutrients, she says. “One night of heavy binge drinking can do damage to the liver,” Kniskern says. “But the liver is remarkable because it can heal itself.” But it’s the compounding factor of “drunkorexia” that will
lead to problems in the long run, she says. “Often times if someone skips a meal to binge-drink, they will partake in the other socially-acceptable convention of latenight binge-eating," she says. Eating greasy food after a night of heavy-drinking and before you go to bed is just continuing this “cycle of inappropriate relationships with the alcohol and the food,” Kniskern says.
BUILDING A BAD RELATIONSHIP Drinks are also expensive and many college students are on a budget, she says. Many students will choose to have a drink rather than get something to eat to save money. But by treating alcohol that way, going out becomes “more about the ritual of the behavior than enjoying the beverage you’re consuming,” she says. That kind of mentality isn’t socially acceptable later in life. “Some find that without the college environment they don’t use alcohol the same way and are more motivated by their career,” Kniskern says. But there are others that leave college not knowing how to consume alcohol in a responsible way and they suffer for it, she says. “It can get really scary the more you think about this behavior.”
DEALING WITH “DRUNKOREXIA” “The first thing is to understand that alcohol cannot be a substitute for food, and with that thinking, the way your choosing to manage your weight is problematic,” Rinker says.
Binge-drinking is not as common as it seems and dispelling the normative perception is the most effective way that researchers have found to deter this type of behavior, she says. “Spread it out,” Kniskern says. “One drink per hour is a more moderate way to budget your consumption.” “Create situations that work with your budget and still work with control,” Kniskern says. If you go out to eat before, don’t get a drink with your dinner or get a side instead of a whole entrée if that’s cheaper, she says. “Look for the overall pattern,” Barth says. Drinking socially can be healthy but it becomes a problem when someone starts to use alcohol as a way to control their weight, she says. “You can also reach out for help at ASU, they have services,” Barth says.
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AN ARTIST'S PERSPECTIVE BY MELINA ZUNIGA
B
eing handed a Sharpie pen, a Canson 8x11 sketch paper, and a pack of Crayola Pipsqueaks markers, Arizona State University fine art senior, Emmalanie Wright, excitedly grabs the washable mini markers, almost in disbelief and says, “I haven’t used Crayola’s in so long.” For a creative experiment, I asked two local artists to draw the same concept and see what their take on the subject would look like. These are the results. Wright has been drawing since she was in the womb. “My mom always told me that there’s cave drawings still inside her since I’ve been drawing since I was little.” The Scottsdale Community College transfer student, who has an associate’s degree in Fine Arts Theatre, remembers making murals with paper that she would hang around her daycare. Her specific career choice had been a long time coming. Cam DeCaussin, an ASU art professor currently in his third year in the painting program, looked at the materials handed out in front of him and patiently waited for instruction. “It’s always been something that I’ve done,” he says. “In high school, I was thinking about going into the medical field and that turned into medical illustration, then that turned into illustration which turned into painting.” After two years at a community college, he transferred to a state university and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis in illustration. Both Wright and DeCaussin looked amused when asked to draw an animal eating dessert on top of something red, but they eagerly went to work. Both artists began their drawings in the same order they were described. Wright opened the pack of Crayola markers and didn’t touch the Sharpie pen until she signed her finished illustration. She began by drawing ears on a black cat eating a triple scooped ice cream cone with a cherry on top, which was on top of an extremely puffy red cushion. DeCaussin followed in the same order. Drawing the ears and the curved body of an armadillo first, he later drew a bowl with five scoops of ice cream with only three of them with cherries on top, all sitting on a red and yellow carpet. I asked the artists to draw three distinct objects to learn how their brains would interpret the request. People typically make
Emmalanie Wright
Cam DeCaussin word associations based on their individual thought processes and music, color, images and creativity preferences. Deanna Minich, a nutritionist with an interest in alternative medicine, explains in an article on psychologytoday.com why the artists may have chosen to draw ice cream over another dessert. Minich says that sweets such as ice cream allow us to make connections to our childhood, implanting a feeling of freedom and being carefree. Whereas pastries, cakes, candy and pies reflect the feeling of being exhausted and chocolate enables us to a good “in-love” feeling. The colors chosen for the project also have a deeper psychological meaning, says Jennifer Bourn of bourncreative.com. “Color has a huge impact on our emotions, our perceptions, and our spiritual and physical well-being,” says Bourn. She associated the color red to certain characteristics such as determination, power, confidence, and enthusiasm.
STUDENT LIFE
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fierce by design BY ALEXA D'ANGELO PHOTOS BY WILLOW GREENE SMITH
FROM THE COVER
H
e sits perched on the top of the gray, modern couch. He’s a plump cat, clearly the boss of the house. He has an air about him; he is his own master and very much answers to no one. He is the king, and this home is his castle. He sleepily opens an eye when a guest enters, not enthused enough by the presence of another to actually move. The Tabby cat is Don Julio, and he is the namesake behind his owner’s company, don j design. Proprietor Jyll Harthun owns her own welding and design company creating end tables, furniture and home décor — and catering to Don Julio, of course. “Don Julio is that cat that looks in the mirror and sees a lion,” Harthun says. “He is fierce and I was inspired by that fierceness when I was creating my company, so I named it after him. I know it’s kind of a weird story but it’s our story, and I love that cat. Like the namesake, don j design is a small business but with a lion heart of confidence in designing and building pieces for the modern world.” Harthun, who taught and served as a career coach at Arizona State University for 13 years, left the school in 2015 to turn her passion for business and design into a career. But building and design were not foreign to the 33-year-old. “Back in the good year of 1998, I started building,” Harthun says. “At that time, it was wood models for architecture classes which eventually grew to bigger models like tables and unique closet doors...and then the itch to add metal was scratched and welding became part of the family.” Her entire Tempe home is filled with her eclectic touches and furniture. In the living room, there is a coffee table with a metal base and a wooden top with a skull laser etched on the surface, a piece she sells on her website and on Etsy. There is also a light fixture created out of multiple pieces of wood that form together, making a cube-like shape. “This was always my hobby of nights and weekends, I would do projects around the house and then family and friends liked my work so I would make them things too,” she says. “For 13 years while I was working at my nine-to-five job I would come home and work more hours just building and designing. “ Don j design was started to build products that enhance and rejuvenate tired rooms, Harthun says. “The company was kind of a pipe dream in the beginning,” she says. “But my husband, Jeff, one day was like ‘hey, why don’t you make this your career’ and I decided to go for it. I can’t imagine doing much else now and I’m just really excited to see what happens in year two of don j design.” Harthun grew up in Mesa, Arizona, an only child of parents
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Gary and Linda Thomas. She went to ASU and graduated in 2003 with a degree in marketing and for thirteen years was focused on other people’s businesses. She first worked in sales and recruitment post-graduation and then went on to work at her alma mater. At ASU, she was a career coach, helping students find their passion and work toward that goal. She married her husband Jeff, who she lovingly calls “Mr. Inspiration,” 11 years ago, about the same time she adopted Don Julio from a local shelter. Last November, Harthun was out to dinner with Jeff when he brought up the idea of changing her life. “He was like ‘have you ever thought of just having your own business?’ And I hadn’t, honestly but then that’s all I could think about,” Harthun says. “He started it and from there I went to research and write a business plan, I laugh at that now, it’s really cute. That was my ASU training kicking in when I made that.” Creating pieces around her home and for family and friends was her hobby up until she thought she could create her own successful business and become an entrepreneur. Most of the items in her home she created over the years, spending nights and weekends designing and building. This love for building didn’t just pop up, however. Harthun originally enrolled in college in the architecture program, but says that specific kind of design wasn’t for her. That’s when she entered the business and marketing world and wanted to help other businesses. Post-graduation, Harthun got a job working in a marketing and communication position with DeWalt, a major
“
...it made me more confident and gave something to me that I’m incredibly thankful for. It sounds really weird, but it made me more like Don Julio. When I look in the mirror I don’t see just this woman who had an idea, I see someone fierce and that’s what’s amazing to me about this journey.
“
“
Don Julio is that cat that looks in the mirror and sees a lion... He is fierce and I was inspired by that fierceness when I was creating my company, so I named it after him. I know it’s kind of a weird story but it’s our story, and I love that cat.
“
tool company, which often sent her home with samples — giving her the tools (literally) she needed to start her hobby and later her business. Now, people see Harthun as a “badass welder wonder woman,” but that wasn’t always the case, she says. “I was really afraid and worried about everything,” she says. “So jumping into the business it really changed who I am, it made me more confident and gave something to me that I’m incredibly thankful for. It sounds really weird, but it made me more like Don Julio. When I look in the mirror I don’t see just this woman who had an idea, I see someone fierce and that’s what’s amazing to me about this journey.”
THE DESIGNS As she walks around her home in her pink-rimmed glasses and NASA T-shirt, she shows off different pieces she has made
over the years, including a hanging shelf in the kitchen, the kitchen table and closet doors made out of re-purposed metal roof material. She’s very humble about her work, and when she gets to a new project she says she carefully takes the time to understand exactly what the client wants, and how she can make it happen. In her design space, she opens the closet door (made out of re-purposed tin from an old tin roof) and shows off the other thing she loves: Sci-Fi. “If somehow I could combine Sci-Fi and design I would be the happiest person,” she says with a laugh. “Is a space designer a thing? I’m in if it is.” Her office includes a table on wheels she made with the idea that she could move it around the house and the room if she felt like it. She has knick-knacks around the room, including a shelf
FROM THE COVER
with motivational posters and photos of her friends, husband and family. She has a bookshelf filled with science fiction and Star Trek memorabilia tucked in one corner of the room. Outside, she has her welding space in a room she converted from a storage space to a workshop. She leaves the keys in a bowl next to the backdoor on the kitchen counter. The space looks small on the outside, but when the doors open, so does the small room. Two of the walls are covered with power tools. In one corner is a pile of plywood and in the other is Harthun’s “love,” her welding machine. Sitting on one of three tables that line the walls in a T-Rex figurine, the company mascot, she says. “There’s Don Julio, there’s me, there’s my dad and there’s this T-Rex, I love dinosaurs, I’m a nerd,” she says.
A FAMILY AFFAIR Harthun points to a corner in her workspace where the welding machine sits and says that she’s the only one who can touch it. Her dad, Gary, who works with her isn’t savvy with the tools. “It’s nice learning from her,” Gary Thomas says with a hearty chuckle. “But I’m really just there for support and for heavy lifting. Her mom is the one who helps her with her creations. I advise.” When Thomas retired a little more than a year ago, Harthun was just starting her business and she asked him to work with her and help her out with the custom projects. “She hasn’t disowned me yet so I think I am doing OK,” he says. Harthun says she really values her dad’s input and says he’s actually a very talented builder himself. “I say he’s a sorta-retired builder slash motivator slash great three-point shooter,” she jokes. Thomas says about eight months ago Harthun was making a C-table (a small side table with a top, a side and a bottom creating a ‘C’ shape) and when she burned the wood to start designing, the wood naturally showed a light heart right in the center of the piece. “It was incredible,” Thomas says. “It was kind of like a sign for her, I think about the company, I mean it’s for sure one of a kind and a beautiful piece.” For Christmas, Thomas and his wife received the heart C-table from their daughter and have it in their living room where they proudly tout their daughter’s talent and business. 20
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SPREADING THE WORD About to enter year two of don j design, Harthun says she wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without the word of mouth and her Etsy shop. She is currently juggling three different custom projects, including an up-and-coming restaurant. Friend and fan of don j design, Jennifer Boonlorn says Harthun is “hip and cool” and that her designs are amazing. “She is just a radiant light,” Boonlorn says. Boonlorn, the founder and creator of Soul Carrier, a local company that creates leather handbags, often supports small business owners. “Jyll designed me a visual merchandising display case to show off the Soul Carrier bags,” Boonlorn says. “For the display case, Jyll lasered into the wood of the display case all my favorite quotes, song lyrics and lines from my blog and manifesto. I have also commissioned Jyll to design me a coffee table. It is like a creative-explosion of ideas when we brainstorm the type of coffee table she should design for me.” Boonlorn and Harthun met while studying at the W.P. Carey School of Business, they shared friends and have continued their friendship supporting each other’s respective entrepreneurial spirits. “I call Jyll my ‘kindred spirit’ she is one of the coolest women I know,” Boonlorn says, adding that Harthun is “just a badass.” Boonlorn and Harthun have a mutual admiration for each other. Harthun has a Soul Carrier clutch perched on her dresser (a repurposed Ikea dresser that she made new drawers for). “God bless Jenn Boonlorn,” Harthun says laughing. “She’s helped spread the word about my business so much and has been so eager to help, that woman has the best contacts and is so into paying it forward. I want to do what she has done for me for someone else.” Boonlorn says she is incredibly proud of Harthun and excited to share her brand and showcase it in her Arcadia condo, out of which she runs Soul Carrier. “I love don j design,” Boonlorn says. “Jyll’s creations are creative, artistic, and very cutting edge. I am so proud of her for following her dreams and going out on her own and building a design business. It takes a lot of courage to make that plunge and Jyll did it with dignity and grace. “ Harthun, Don Julio and Thomas are about to enter their second year in business and hope that this year brings them to more projects and into more homes. “I’m really excited to be spreading the word more,” Harthun says. “This year was about setting the foundation of don j design and now we have something really solid to build on.”
FROM THE COVER
THE BREAKFAST JOYNT Harthun described her latest project for an up-and-coming restaurant, The Breakfast Joynt. "It’s exciting being in the beginning of year two and being able to work on a restaurant — it's mind blowing," she says. "My ultimate goal is to design for restaurants and coffee shops." But the designer says it's also been a little overwhelming, however she says she survived because of help from mentors and others in the business. "I survived finding the right mentors, general contractors that really know what their doing and who know how to give the right advice," she says.
"It's been a very exciting emotional roller coaster." The pieces for the restaurant are large light fixtures for the ceilings, the main one (pictured) is six feet and there are four others that are four feet each. Harthun also designed some signs and other pieces to go in the restaurant, including a "huge floating metal sign that says 'morning.'" But, Harthun says while she is proud of all her work the lights are her biggest project to date. "The lights are the big shebang," she says. "It's the biggest custom project I've had and I'm just so excited and so happy." The Breakfast Joynt will open in mid-September.
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.com asu’s online dining guide
SEPTEMBER 2016
BUSINESS
SWIMMING WITH THE MERMAID OF ALI & ARIEL BY AMBER FRANKLIN PHOTOS BY KATIE MALLES & ALIANDARIEL.COM
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hen you're in a sorority, wearing your letters is a huge part of showing pride for your chapter. Wearing something "basic" is just not going to cut it. Creative director and founder of Ali & Ariel, Ali Matthews, gives sorority members the chicest clothing and accessories on campus. While an active member of Kappa Alpha Theta at Arizona State University, Matthews was searching for something that was missing in Greek life. The less than fashionable sorority apparel she sported on campus didn’t show the creative side of her, her sisters and other girls a part of Greek life. “Everyone was just wearing the same unisex tees and everything, everywhere nationwide,” Matthews says. So after graduating in 2008, Matthews used her strong background in art and fashion to start her first Greek apparel company. Fast forward eight years later, and Matthews has owned two successful Greek apparel companies, making Ali & Ariel her third. Matthews launched Ali & Ariel on April 28, 2016. Built with the idea of empowering young women’s creativity and individuality, the proud Kappa Alpha Theta alum combined the forces of fashion and Greek life. “I knew it needed to happen and it needed to exist,” Matthews says. “So that was kind of my purpose in life and what I needed to do. Make sorority apparel and have it to be a voice of women doing that for other women.” Ali & Ariel provide Greek life apparel such as shirts, bags and hats to hundreds of sororities not only throughout the 50 states, but also in Canada. How do they have such a huge customer base? The power of social media, of course. Jordan Wessel spends a majority of her time speaking and connecting with their clients via social media to understand the sorority, or organization's brand, and the image they are trying to portray. “Our only form of advertisement is social media,” says Wessel, marketing and brand manager. “So I’m on social media I’d say 80 percent of my time, just because that’s how I’m connecting with girls all over the country.” Ali & Ariel can be found connecting with young women and 24
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developing design ideas on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram. “We’re always working on sending the right message across on social media,” Matthews says. “One that celebrates everyone for who they are and for being themselves and for being proud of that.” Ali & Ariel is nonexclusive to Greek life. Matthews often works with consumers who just simply want something cute to wear. All products from the clothing company are custom made to order, but they also provide designs from consumers to spark creativity. "My favorite thing about the line would have to be the uniqueness of each design," says current Kappa Alpha Theta member Cassidy Maturan. "Keeping up with the latest trends but also placing organizations on apparel with pride makes representing each chapter so adorable." The design process for each chapter starts with the client and sending sketches to one another or inspiration to get an idea of what they want in their product. "Each sorority has their own unique sense of personal style," says Matthews. "We have the special privilege of growing friendships with each chapter and getting to know one another." Because each sorority and chapter is so different, there is rarely an overlap when it comes to design.
Now, if you’re looking for the Ariel of Ali & Ariel, you won’t find her. Matthews is the sole owner of the company and says Ariel is a fictional character that is a part of everyone. “She’s magic,” Matthews says. “She’s you, she’s me, she’s every young woman that’s wearing our clothes. Because a bit of that magic that is Ariel, she’s anything she wants to be in this whole entire world. She lives within you, too.” In the few short months that Ali & Ariel has been in opera-
tion, Matthews has reached thousands of young women and doesn't plan on stopping any time soon. “I see it growing to where it’s the number one resource for sorority women,” Matthews says. “Helping to not only give them what they need, the apparel for all their different events throughout college, but in addition to that, I want us to make a difference in the life of young women and make an impact that’s positive.”
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FRESH-CRACKED EGGS & HANDCRAFTED COFFEE TOGETHER AT LAST IN TEMPE! On the corner of Rural and University
BUSINESS
SOCIAL UNIVERSITY BY LAUREN INTRIERI PHOTO BY ELENA PELKEY-LANDES & FROM SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
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isplaying your life on the internet is the norm in today's world. Back in our parents’ day, you had to actually see people in person or send pictures in the mail. Now, our parents can creep on our social media accounts and see pictures and updates at any time or any place with the touch of a finger. According to Pew Research Center, 90 percent of adults from the ages of 18 to 29 are on social networking sites. While posting your life online seems normal to most millennials, turning it into a career might seem out of of the ordinary. Social media has created an entirely new job market: YouTube vloggers, Instagram photographers, Twitter influencers and Snapchat celebrities. Arizona State University students are finding themselves in these modern jobs with the ability to connect with people from all over the world.
YOUTUBE Sydney Jozwiak talks to her camera like it’s her best friend. She makes jokes, silly faces, gives advice and talks about what’s happening in her life. This sophomore has nearly 13,000 subscribers and nearly 600,000 views on her YouTube channel, Sydney Alexandra. She posts videos about being a college student, vlogs (or "video blogs"), look books, hauls, makeup tutorials and advice videos. Jozwiak, 19, started her channel in 2015, the summer after she finished high school. She first began posting videos of herself when she was in middle school, only to be made fun of by her classmates. Bullying caused Jozwiak to drift away from YouTube, and it wasn't until her senior year of high school that she began to watch videos again. "When I started watching YouTube religiously again that's where I was finally like, 'Wait, why don't I give this another shot,'" Jozwiak says. "The fact that I was soon going to college across the country, away from the people who picked on me, helped me stop worrying about the opinion of others." The Illinois native had plans to attend ASU in the fall but she wasn’t able to find any videos on YouTube that gave good advice about college, especially videos that were specific to ASU. Jozwiak decided to start a channel with the username Sydney Alexandra, Alexandra being her middle name. She planned to 26
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make videos aimed at students wanting to learn more about the college experience as well as lifestyle videos. It has been over year since Jozwiak started her channel, but more has changed in her life than just the number of her subscribers. YouTube even influenced Jozwiak to switch her major from education to communications with a minor in sales and marketing. “I enjoyed YouTube and social media and that made me realize I would be much happier in that field surrounded by media rather than in a classroom,” Jozwiak says. Jozwiak tries to show her viewers as much as she can that she is being her genuine self. This means she isn’t afraid to be silly in front of the camera; Jozwiak often changes her voice and makes funny faces. “Watching my old videos, I seem so coy and soft spoken and watching my videos now, I’m a lot more like myself, and I got to that point by not caring what people think,” Jozwiak says. “I just like to be my goofy, weird self instead of trying to be something that people want of you because I don’t want people to get the wrong impression of me.” Jozwiak’s most watched video is "Summer Morning Routine 2016" with over 200,000 views. In the video, Jozwiak shows herself waking up, stretching and making herself a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. “There are probably like 20 comments on that video like ‘Finally, someone who didn’t make an açai bowl with granola and fruit with lemon water’ and I’m like, cause I don’t do that,” Jozwiak says. Not only does Jozwiak try to be
genuine in her videos, but she also wants her viewers to do the same. She hopes that by her being her true self, she’ll be able to encourage her viewers to not be afraid to be who they truly are. “My big thing is being yourself and not caring what people think. I think that’s a really big part of my brand because it just makes me upset when people feel like they have to shelter who they really are,” Jozwiak says. Jozwiak finds it weird that people are so interested in her life, but she remembers how curious she was about college in high school, so she understands why people like to watch her videos. She makes sure to film vlogs that showcase a day at a university so her viewers can get an understanding of what college life is really like. Jozwiak is open with her viewers about what university she attends because she recognizes the lack of videos specific to ASU. With ASU having over 80,000 students, Jozwiak realizes the amount of people her videos are able to reach. Girls on campus have recognized Jozwiak from her videos and have asked to take pictures with her. Now that she is being noticed, Jozwiak is always thinking about who could be watching her videos whenever she is walking to class. “These two adorable girls asked for my photo and I was probably fangirling more than they would… It was the coolest experience ever,” Jozwiak says. “...When I do meet fans, I want them to say ‘oh my gosh, she is just like she is in her videos’.” Jozwiak’s ultimate goal is to turn YouTube into a life-long career. In the meantime, Jozwiak hopes to film more travel vlogs and to reach out to more people from around the world. “If I could get to 20,000 subscribers (by the end of this year) that would be a dream. I would probably cry,” Jozwiak says.
INSTAGRAM If Mariah Moneda could describe her photography in three words it would be textured, light and warm. When scrolling through her Instagram feed, you’ll see pictures from her recent trip to Europe, smiling faces and softly lit backgrounds. Moneda’s passion for photography started her senior year of high school when her uncle gave her his old Canon 60D. After playing around with the camera, she realized photography was something she had an eye for and really enjoyed. Now as an ASU sophomore, Moneda is working professionally as a photographer while also studying film and media studies. “I’ve always been someone who liked being creative, and painting took too long and writing wasn’t exactly the best forte for me to project my image," says Moneda. "...I could literally show people what was going on inside my head and how I viewed things." The summer after high school, Moneda began taking more and more photographs and posting them to her Instagram account. She started getting requests from people to take their senior photos, and her hobby transformed into a business.
After one of her friends gave her a promotional code to make a free website, Moneda was able to save over $200 on a platform and have an advantage over other photographers her age. “I was able to get a head start in front of everybody because I had the equipment and I had the platform to get my stuff out there,” Moneda says. Moneda’s favorite thing to photograph is people. Moneda finds most people don’t find themselves beautiful, and her goal is to show them a side of themselves that they might not be able to see. “Everybody is attractive in their own way... it’s just the way you’re captured and that’s what I do as a photographer, that’s my specialty,” Moneda says. “I love making people feel good about themselves and showing them that they do have this beauty about them and their uniqueness is something to be proud of.” After a photoshoot, Moneda posts the photos she takes to her Instagram account. Here, she selects her best photographs and gives followers a sneak preview to the rest of the photos which are on her website. Instagram not only acts as her portfolio, but it also provides Moneda a way to connect to other photographers, models and artists who attend ASU. Last semester Moneda was able to score an internship with Trend Magazine because one of her followers liked her work and suggested her to the publication. Also, this past summer she was able to work as an intern in Hollywood for Mario Productions after the company reposted some of her work.
CAMPUS CULTURE
A WALK IN THE SHOES OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS BY JOSIE HARVEY PHOTOS BY WILLOW GREENE SMITH
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magine moving to a new country completely alone, learning a new language, using a new currency and trying to understand a new culture and way of life – all in the space of a semester. For hundreds of international exchange students who study abroad at Arizona State University every year, this process is very much their reality. While some students may stay longer than a semester — many international students study here for their degree — every single student who uproots their life to come and experience life at a university in America needs to spend time adapting to the smorgasbord of surprises this nation has to offer. As with everything, there is the good and bad, but the question is, do international students have the resources and support to cope with the stresses that come with moving? Associate director of the International Students and Scholars Center, Daniel Hoyle, says the center usually starts to see international students reporting problems a few weeks into the semester when the “honeymoon phase” has worn off. “Usually a couple of weeks into the semester we start to see some of the transition issues like, 'Hey I really want to practice my English, I’m not understanding this culture, I need to make a friend, I want to join a group…'" he says. “I’ve already had to send two students home. They just weren’t ready." “One young man came into my office and said 'I’m not ready for college, especially not ready for college in the U.S,'” he says. Hoyle says coping with culture shock and the adjustment process depends on what support networks students have. “Of course this is generalizing but I would say that there are some groups that find these things easier than others because they have a larger support network from their own community," he says. "So for example, we have large numbers of Chinese students, students from India, some of these coun-
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tries, whereas maybe there’s a student from Cambodia or another country where they may not know anybody else here from their country, so they don’t have a friend from their own country to lean on and ask questions of.” Florian Varga, an exchange student from the University of Manchester, England, says that he’s enjoyed his time in the U.S so far, but he has also had some stressful encounters with regulations he was not aware of. “Unfortunately, for me I received a smoking ticket on campus on day one and an MIC on day two for being caught with a can open,” he says. “When you live in a new country, you don’t just need to get used to their rules but also their enforcing power and the cultural approach to misdemeanor.” Varga says attempting to create a new home for the year has been stressful and complicated. “Back in England a lot of people would recognize that and look to help an individual rather than punish them if they were to step out of line,” he says. Varga says so far, the larger majority of the friends he’s made are British. Yu-Wei Lao, an exchange student from the National Taiwan University, says he chose Arizona because of the coveted business school and his desire to experience desert weather. This is his first time out of Asia and he has found it difficult to break into American friendship groups. “Most of my friends are international students, it’s hard to get into local student groups, especially if your English is not that good,” he says. “Our friends have a Facebook group called Asia Community, and sometimes they have parties and hang out together, but I don’t like it because I came here to learn about the culture – even though I’m not doing very well at it." Dr. Bong Joo Hwang, assistant director of the ASU Counsel-
ing Services, specializes in dealing with international students. In fact, 18 years ago, Hwang was an international student himself. Hwang says that there is a pretty high percentage of international students who seek help from ASU Counseling. “Problems can vary from adjustment to anxiety, depression or other more severe mental health issues depending on their pre-existing problems,” he says. "The problems range, depending on background, familiarity with American culture… Some students are pretty well versed with American culture depending on their background, some are not.” Hwang says it’s normal that many students initially only group together with people from their home country. “Having that support network can be helpful so they can connect and talk about their experiences.” He recommends that while trying to acculturate, international students focus on setting goals, maintaining healthy eating and exercise habits, building relationships and focusing on positive experiences. He explains that overcoming culture shock and acculturative stress can be a huge opportunity to grow as a person. “If a person is able to have a more successful experience with different cultures, they can develop bicultural capacity in which you feel more comfortable and actually more capable in both
cultures, so that means you can be a more capable person. That can be an asset for you, and you can expand your horizons and perspectives," he says. Hanbing Gao, exchange student from Sichuan University, China, also says she’s had difficulties making friends outside of her own nationality, but she is optimistic about her experiences still to come. “The food I’m not used to, and lacking friends up to now, it’s a challenge for me. Challenge means improvement. When I overcome these difficulties, I can better myself [sic],” she says. For those who are seeking support past the realms of friend networks and guidance, ASU Counseling Services offers free consultations and free follow-up assessments, before deciding for an appropriate course of action. Ongoing counseling sessions are available to all international and exchange students for $15 per session. Many exchange students will overcome the trials and tribulations of the acculturative process and have the time of their life, making new friends and integrating a whole new culture into their worldview. However, some may not, and it is important to remember that every now and then, it could change someone’s entire day, week or even semester, if you reach out to them and teach them something about culture that may seem simple to you — but is actually totally foreign to them.
YOU CAN LAND A GIG IN SILICON VALLEY
OR YOU CAN APPLY
YOU KNOW TO PROTECT OUR NATION.
Sure, you could work for a buzzworthy tech company that has a playground in the lunchroom. Or you could come to the CIA – where you’ll embark on a mission to keep Americans safe. With your STEM background, critical thinking skills and intellectual curiosity, you’ll crack some of the toughest challenges imaginable – from developing the world’s most advanced technology to seeing the complex narrative in big data. This is your opportunity to have a career that’s as meaningful as it is challenging. Apply today.
Applicants must have US citizenship and the ability to successfully complete medical examinations and security procedures, including a polygraph interview. An equal opportunity employer and a drug-free workforce.
THE WORK OF A NATION. THE CENTER OF INTELLIGENCE.
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CAMPUS CULTURE
DIGITAL VOLUNTEERING BY ANDRES GUERRA LUZ
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ouldn’t it be great if you could make a difference and help someone out without ever having to leave the comfort of your house? Well, digital volunteering is a way you can do just that. If you're a college student, you're either a) too busy to go drive half an hour every weekend to work at your state's volunteer center or b) too lazy to wake up at a regular hour on a Saturday to be a valuable member of society. Whatever the reason, virtual volunteering is a great way to offer your time and effort to organizations that serve the public, and you don't even need to get out of your pajamas to do it!
CATCHAFIRE.ORG Catchafire.org is a great tool if you are looking for a volunteer experience specifically tailored to your professional skill set. The online volunteer database connects professionals with organizations looking for someone to fulfill a certain role within one of their volunteer projects. You simply create a profile, list your skill set, share your previous work and perhaps include a picture of yourself. Then you can scroll around for organizations on the site, apply for positions within organizations that interest you and wait to see if you get a match. It’s like Tinder for volunteer organizations (without the cat-fishing because catchafire.org curates the organizations). Even though this site is more for college students who have interned somewhere or already work in a professional organization, anyone can create a profile and see what volunteer opportunities are recommended for their skill set. And (like Tinder) the worst that could happen if you are not experienced enough for a position is that you get virtually left swiped.
VOLUNTEERMATCH.ORG Volunteermatch.org does not filter volunteer options by your skill set, but it does allow you to narrow your volunteer search by cause. You can use the online tool to find available volunteer opportunities in your area, or you can take it a step further and find organizations that are looking for volunteers that can do work for them over the Internet. Virtual volunteer opportunities can be done from a computer or any device that can connect to the Internet, and that way you can contribute to your community from the comfort of your own home! No shoes, no shirt? No problem! 30
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The other great thing about this website is that Arizona State University’s Changemaker Central also has their own Volunteermatch website where organizations looking for student volunteers can have their volunteer opportunities reviewed and posted by the student-run organization.
GREATNONPROFITS.ORG Greatnonprofits.org is kind of like Yelp for nonprofit organizations, the website allows users to find out about nonprofits and then review them on their website. And the great thing is that no organization on the site has three dollar signs (or any for that matter) because it only costs your time and service in order to contribute to the organizations. If you are looking to volunteer for a nonprofit listed through Greatnonprofits.org, you can use the site’s search engine to find nonprofits in your area, find the address, read the nonprofit’s bio, and contact the organization through the contact info listed. The reviews work on a star system, so you can quickly make sure other users had a good experience with the organization before volunteering for it.
ONLINEVOLUNTEERING.ORG Organizations from countries all around the world are in need of people to volunteer, and if you’re thinking most people can’t afford to fly to a different country every weekend, the United Nations Volunteers online volunteering website is the place for you! The site displays a little over 100 online volunteer opportunities right now that only require you to have a device that connects to the Internet and a specified skill set. Each volunteer opportunity is reviewed by the United Nations Volunteers programme and is color-coded by which skill set the opportunity needs and displays the weekly time commitment it requires.
IDEALIST.ORG Like other volunteer databases, Idealist.org allows you to filter your search options by keyword and area. However, it also includes a bunch of other search filters that make it easier to find an organization that meets your specific experience level and time commitment. You can narrow your search by how much time a week you are willing to commit, your willingness to volunteer for less or more than three months, the time of the day you can volunteer, your ability to work either weekdays or weekends, how flexible or rigid the schedule can be, and/or your need for provided training. It also lists a host of international volunteer options, for which you can find out if they provide the resources you need to volunteer there.
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