Volume 100 | Issue 16

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VOLUME 100

ISSUE 16

#BlackatAU Black Spirit Week Kicks Off Month-long Celebration

PHOTO BY JESSICA FELICIO

ON BLACK WOMANHOOD

VALENTINE’S SHOUTDENVER WINS THE PRICE OF LOVE OUTS & RELATIONSHIPS “Going into the game, there were “And I said, ‘James, you need to

“We need a time to freely and un- “I think in any relationship, there’s apologetically express our Black- a give and take, but that’s obviousness, without having to explain ly accentuated in a cross-cultural ourselves.” relationship.”

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several predictions that the Broncos would not only lose, but be blown out like they were in 2014...”

follow your own advice. You want to go out with June, just ask her out.’”

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THE OSCARS “(T)here is little to no agreement amongst critics and audiences alike on who should walk away with the little golden man...”

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THE TIMES THEY ARE (STILL) A-CHANGIN’ “Fear is one of the most human elements—but it has not always played such a pivotal role in the national psyche.”

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THE STUDENT MOVEMENT

News

Women: The Black Experience

Shenika K. McDonald News Editor

PHOTOS BY SCOTT MONCRIEFF

Regine Senior | The first Black History Month forum for this school year was held in the Newbold Auditorium at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7. This forum was entitled Women: The Black Experience and involved five black women of different ethnicities and cultures discussing various topics pertaining to black women and how they described their experience in America.

The five panelists included Persephanie Chiddick (senior, com-

munications), Jacqueline Dohna (senior, psychology), Jessica Felicio (junior, architecture), Erin Musgrove (junior, speech-language pathology), and Dana Swann (junior, animal science) as well as Esther Battle (junior, sociology), who moderated the discussion. Although the auditorium was not packed, a great number of students, the majority being black women, attended the event.

The forum began with Chaplain Michael Polite speaking on the im-

portance of the discussion and expressing the hope that others, black or not, could benefit from the stories and thoughts that were shared during the forum.

Battle began by asking the panelists how they identified themselves, both racially and ethnically, and what was one word they would use to describe their experience. Words such as “woke” and “enlightening” were just some of the many terms used to describe being a black wom-

an in America.

Three panelists, Chiddick, Felicio and Musgrove, brought a different perspective of being a black woman in America due to the fact that they were born in different countries.

“In the Bahamas, the population is 80 percent black, so being in America definitely made me feel more aware of being a black woman,” Musgrove said.

These panelists also spoke about how their experiences as black women differs from those who are American.

“People think I’m exotic and not like other black girls because I have a culture. They often say this in a way that puts down African-American women which bothers me,” Chiddick said.

Other panelists who identified as either African-American or part African-American spoke about their experience as black women.

“As a black woman, you are automatically perceived as ghetto or angry,” Dohna said.

“White women are afforded the privilege of being seen as pure, while black women continued to be seen as aggressive due to how we are portrayed and disrespected in the media,” Chiddick said.

During the discussion, the panelists were asked to speak about how they believe gender and race interplay and affect each other. Swann began by sharing a story about how a male co-worker complained about her hair being wet and proceeded to touch her hair without permission.

This story shocked both the panelists and the audience and led to the discussion of the issue of entitlement that men seem to have in regards to black women.

Following this topic, the panelists were asked how they believe black women relate to each other and also how they support one another. One method of support, referred to as “Black Girl Magic,” was brought up due to the fact that it has been used to uplift various black women in the media.

In regards to the Black Girl Magic movement, Swann said, “For me there is a difference between the online community and real life experiences. Black Girl Magic is very uplifting online but then in real life

I still see people making comments about (black women’s) skin and hair.”

The topic of hair, which was explained to be a huge part of the black woman experience, sparked moments of laughter and agreement in the crowd regarding the use of coconut oil and shea butter and how the natural hair movement impacted their lives.

“Growing up in Portugal, I always viewed my hair as ugly, but after cutting it I’ve grown to really accept and love my hair,” Felicio said.

“When I do my little sister’s hair I constantly tell her how beautiful it is and I teach her the importance of loving her natural hair,” Chiddick said.

After the panel spoke on the matters of hair, skin and overall acceptance, the audience was given the opportunity to tweet in questions.

One question asked how black men attending Andrews University could be more supportive of black women.

All of the panelists agreed that the most important way to give support is to offer protection.

“When you hear your friends making insensitive comments about black women, call them out on it,” Chiddick said.

Many audience members expressed feelings of appreciation in regards to the event.

“I thought it was really enlightening. These events at Andrews make me feel more accepted,” said Miracle Richardson (freshman, biology).

“I think it was important to have this conversation because it gives black men a glimpse of what it means to be a black women and helps us learn how to protect our black queens,” said Garrison Hayes (Master of Divinity student).

In regards to the overall turnout of the event, panelist Chiddick said, “I think it went really well. I was happy about the turnout, although I wish more people of other races attended.

I hope these forums don’t just take place during Black History Month but also for other minorities’ months such as Hispanic Heritage Month.”

The next forum will take place on Feb. 13 and will focus on The Black Experience for men.

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mento, Calif., there was a reverent tone to the service with so many students sitting together in solidarity in the front rows.

DMC director and seminary student Anthony Bolden said, “It was very nice seeing not just black students, but students of different backgrounds wearing black and supporting our #BlackatAU cause. It shows the eagerness of people wanting to learn, embrace and be involved in black culture.”

Samuel said, “During chapel when I stood up for song service and saw the sea of black clothing on people I felt so loved. It was beautiful to see how supportive we are to one another and that is what makes the black community so powerful: we have a strong sense of community.”

Immediately following the chapel service, participating students were instructed to gather on the church’s front steps for a blackout picture. In overwhelming support and unity, over 100 student gathered together to take the picture, showing a sea of black, appropriate for the “Blackout Chapel” theme.

Samuel said, “It was a very beautiful and emotional thing to see people that look just like you come together for good and celebrate our Blackness.”

The final day of the week, “Black Selfie Day,” inspired by social media’s #BlackOutDay, is a show of community and solidarity, by exclusively posting and reposting pictures, videos and selfies of black people. This movement, first started in March 2015, is important for the black community. When the words “beautiful people” are typed into Google Images almost every picture is of a white individual. black individuals decided to take this concern into their own hands by celebrating the beauty of Blackness in their own community.

And this is exactly what BSCF did.

Julissa Boyce (junior, elementary education) said, “Usually Black History Month celebrations, particularly at such diverse institution like Andrews, are used more as a teaching moment for other races and ethnic groups, rather than a celebration for blacks themselves. It was refreshing and comforting to see Black Spirit Week entirely as a celebratory event for black students. “ Andrews Black History Month events are sometimes used as teaching moments, however this event was more celebratory, something black students approved of.

Boyce said, “We already know our history and our culture, therefore

any of the educational events that we usually have during this month would be redundant or not applicable to black students such as White Privilege 101. It is sometimes inappropriate to use our celebratory month to teach others about ourselves. We need a time to freely and unapologetically express our Blackness, without having to explain ourselves.”

Students spent the day posting and reposting selfies of the day’s participants. Students at Oakwood University even joined in by reposting many of the selfies they saw their friends tagging with #BlackatAU. As a Historically Black University (HBCU), Oakwood students are used to self-affirmation and the celebration of their race at their Adventist institution and were happy to see black Andrews students celebrating themselves.

Brandon Wint, a senior physical therapy student at Oakwood, said, “It was so pleasant to see black Andrews students unapologetically celebrating their Blackness. When we (at Oakwood) hear about black celebrations at Andrews, we remember last Black History Month when someone wrote in the school newspaper that Black History Month was not necessary.”

When asked about what he would like to tell black Andrews students, Wint said, “Unapologetically celebrate yourselves without explanation. Attending an HBCU allows me to celebrate myself everyday, but that may not be the reality of black Andrews students. I am proud that these students have taken it into their own hands. Oakwood University stands with you.”

Seen as a success by its organizers, Black Spirit Week gave students the opportunity to freely express themselves in a way that was not usually done.

Battle, one of the event’s primary organizers said, “I think this year the black student body just recognized that no matter what we do, people will be upset. So instead of toning things down and trying to make everyone else comfortable, we refocused the attention back on us, and what we want, and how we can make this our month again, and anyone who so pleased was welcome to join us in our celebration, but it was our celebration.”

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News

Spirit Week: Black by Popular Demand

PHOTO BY EMMANUEL LAPOTERIE

Shenika McDonald | In the first few days of Black History Month, Andrews University saw a different type of celebration on its campus. In an attempt to build solidarity within the black community, express the attributes germane to the black community and celebrate in a way the black student population deems most satisfying, the planning committee of the Black Student Christian Forum (BSCF) organized “Black Spirit Week” to allow black students to support and celebrate each other.

Spirit weeks are usually organized by schools trying to increase students’ school spirit and this variation of spirit week was no different; BSCF aimed at increasing black students’ school spirit during an already celebratory month. Each of the five themed days allowed students to celebrate themselves dressing according to the theme or following that

day’s instructions.

The first day of Black Spirit Week, falling on the first day of Black History Month, was Twin Day. Students got creative with matching outfits and hairstyles, posting their twin pictures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the hashtag #BlackatAU. This hashtag was an expressive claim to black students’ identity in such a diverse university.

Bethany Morrison (junior, psychology) and Tia Jones (junior, public health) matched on Twin Day and commented on their experience.

Morrison said, “In all honesty, it was probably the best thing that has ever happened at this school since I’ve been here. No matter the color of your skin, you weren’t looked down upon for participating and celebrating, and that’s what schools need to be about: integrating and appreciating those who are different from

you.”

Jones said, “Black Spirit Week was the most fun I’ve ever had at Andrews. But not only was it fun, it meant something and that’s what set it apart. I loved twinning with my roommate, and we got lots of compliments, as did all the participants on twin day. Being set apart from the university to celebrate Black History Month was so empowering, and I absolutely loved it.”

The second day, dubbed “Black Apparel Day,” allowed students to wear attire germane to black culture and the black experience. Students and faculty alike wore an assortment of clothes that expressed their celebration of Blackness.

“Black Apparel Day was special because I am not used to seeing so many students dress in a way that shows our culture. It made me feel as though I wasn’t alone in my cul-

ture at such a diverse school. The students that led this event did an exceptional job,” said Matthew Henry (senior, computer science). “The hashtag #BlackatAU gave me a feeling of fulfillment that I got whenever I opened a social media site; my colleagues were able to flaunt their cultures with this hashtag that gave the event campus-wide attention.”

Many sported their African Student Association crewnecks and BSCF baseball shirts. Dashikis were seen on many students as they celebrated West African culture, while other students wore expressive shirts, sweaters, and hoodies representing a plethora of phrases and names such as “Hillman College,” “Young, Black & Dope,” “Black by Popular Demand” and “Does My Blackness Offend You?” The third day, “Black Notable Figures Day,” allowed students to dress up and embody their favorite black role models. Classrooms had numerous celebrities in attendance as students took on their black figures throughout the day. Students went all out, completely taking on the role of their celebrity.

Some of the most exciting characters were Esther Battle (junior, sociology) as Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Regine Senior (senior, psychology) as Erykah Badu, Lisa Hayden (freshman, biochemistry) as Maya Angelou, Oviri Duado (junior, social work) as Sade, Bethany Morrison (junior, psychology) as Phylicia Rashad, Danielle Samuel (senior, architecture) and Dana Swan (junior, animal science) as Janelle Monae, Pierrena Charles (junior, political science) as Tupac Shakur, and Camille Nixon (senior, psychology) as Beyoncé.

When asked about her experience as Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Battle said, “It was actually really nerve-wracking because I knew a lot of people would have no idea what I was doing and why I was dressed like that.

I was literally relying on seeing other black students who I knew would understand, and once I did, the support and love I received from them was enough of a boost to get me through the day.”

The fourth day, “Blackout Chapel,” instructed students to wear all black and sit in the front rows at Pioneer Memorial Church in support of Black History Chapel. With a moving performance from Deliverance Mass Choir (DMC), who were also appropriately and supportively wearing all black, and a sermonette from Pastor Damien Chandler of Capitol City Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sacra-

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THE STUDENT MOVEMENT

Ideas

Love is in the Air Love Knows No (Cultural) Bounds Name: Jason Shockey Year: Senior Major: International Business, AcDaniel J. Fults

Ideas Editor

counting, Spanish Interviewed by : Daniel Fults Editor’s Note: Jason Shockey, our AUSA President, took time out of his busy schedule to sit down and discuss his cross-cultural relationship with his girlfriend Brenda. His insights and responses are as follows.

What’s the background of your relationship?

Brenda and I met in some of our business classes and got stuck on a couple large group projects together, so after like the third time, we were really comfortable working with each other and got to be really good friends, so we just took the next step to where we’re at today.

You both come from different cultural backgrounds; how has that impacted the relationship?

It’s definitely impacted it, but not as much as some people might think.

She’s been in the United States for four years, so finding that midpoint between our two cultures has been easier.

Have you had to make any accommodations or learn any new cultural norms?

I think in any relationship, there’s a give and take, but that’s obviously accentuated in a cross-cultural relationship. It was really helpful because, being a Spanish major, I’ve studied for a year in South America in addition to a lot of classes on cultural understanding and communication.

Have you met the family?

I have: this past November, Brenda and I went down to Peru for Thanksgiving break. It was a lot of fun getting to know the culture and family on a first-hand basis. There are definitely differences in our opinions and perceptions (like any family meeting the boyfriend), but overall we get along good! It really helps that I speak Spanish though, because they only know a few words in English.

In the past, people were told that cross-racial/cultural relationships were taboo or unhealthy for both individuals, how would you respond to those ghosts of the past?

I think those are ghosts of the past for reason. As the human race has grown together over the past decades, I think the general realization is that

we can benefit from diversity rather than be harmed by it. Sadly, there are still some people who have yet to embrace this, but overall, I think we understand that a relationship with someone different than us is a positive thing and not a taboo.

Is there anything that came as a surprise for either of you?

Obviously there’s surprises in any relationship, because it’s two different people coming together to form one bond, but I can’t think of anything that was surprising in our relationship related to cultural differences.

We got to know each other pretty well before we started dating.

Has your Spanish-speaking ability given you a better/different understanding of the culture?

It’s definitely helped. I can’t imagine trying to meet her family and friends back in Peru with no knowledge of the language. Being able to understand how she communicates and then also being able to talk with her friends and family back in Peru has been invaluable. Not to say that the relationship would be impossible if I didn’t know Spanish, but it has made the path a lot easier for both of us.

Have you been able to balance your responsibilities (AUSA President, etc.) and relationship well?

I would love to say that it’s been easy to balance all of that effectively, but it’s impossible to say that adding another responsibility such as a relationship won’t have some impact on all the other parts of life. Brenda has been really understanding at knowing when I need to get something done for AUSA, and I’ve tried to be intentional at scheduling time for her so that I can balance everything as well as I can.

Is there something that you wish you had known going in?

I wish I had known I was going to date a Hispanic girl because then I would have paid a lot more attention in my Spanish classes (laughs).

ing close, even if we’re far apart, or forcing us to resolve problems if we are having a disagreement. Longdistance isn’t fun, but it can work if there’s enough intentionality involved!

Finally, what advice would you give for relationships in general and/or for cross-cultural ones?

The most important thing sounds so cliché but is so true in a crosscultural relationship (or any relationship)—it’s communication. It’s impossible to get to know someone in the way that is necessary for a strong positive relationship unless you are both able to communicate your feelings and what is necessary to continue growing the relationship.

How do you handle the unique challenges arising from a longdistance relationship?

Technology helps a lot, but with both of our busy schedules during the week, we usually don’t talk much during the day. However, we make sure that we call each other every night to pray together and that has been crucial in stay-

The “Talking” Phase and Other Dating Practices Paris D. Rollins | Another Valen-

tine’s Day approaches, placing romance on the forefront of many minds. In addition, as a college senior, it seems I can’t go a day without the words “in a relationship,” “engaged” or “married” popping up in my Facebook newsfeed. So I have been thinking about relationships a fair amount lately, and I have taken issues with several aspects of Adventist dating culture.

Obviously, many Adventists manage to make it to the altar, so the system isn’t completely defective.

However, I think that we make relationships more complicated than they need to be, specifically at the outset.

Most relationships start through either dating or “courting,” a foreign concept to most 21st century young adults. Dating is the secular standard: two people spend oneon-one time together to determine if they think they would be compatible. If the first date goes well, another is scheduled, followed by another, until both parties decide

they know each other well enough to want to enter a more permanent relationship.

Courting is more old-fashioned.

Two people get to know each other through group settings—such as with family or friends—over a considerable time period, only entering a committed relationship when marriage is the probable end result. The main difference between courting and dating is the level of commitment: a person can go on casual dates with many people in order to “test the waters,” whereas courting focuses a person’s attention on a single romantic interest.

Since many people prefer to be friends with someone before getting involved in a romantic relationship, Andrews students typically follow more of a courting progression. While this is a perfectly legitimate idea, we are pretty terrible at handling that transition from friends to significant others.

I’ve taken to calling that transition the “talking” phase. You’ve probably seen it yourself: When

two people are “talking,” they spend a lot of time together but are not “officially” a couple. There’s an inordinate amount of flirting. Both are typically aware of their mutual interest. Despite all this, the involved parties insist that they are “just friends.” If their friends answer the question “Hey, are [insert name here] and [insert other name here] dating?” with knowing looks and a multi-syllabic “No…” it’s a pretty good bet that the two people in question are “talking.”

I’ve seen the talking stage stretch out unnecessarily for months. It’s frustrating, not just for the involved parties, but also for the nosy—err, concerned—people like me who watch these scenarios play out. They are basically in an exclusive relationship, but neither person comes right out and says it.

Sometimes the relationship never does get off the ground because of this. The problem stems from communication, or rather, a lack of it.

Miscommunication nearly kills many relationships before they

even start; I have a theory that most sitcoms would end in a single season if their protagonists would just sit down and have a good, honest chat.

The second problem with Andrews’ dating culture is that it lacks actual dating. I can count on one hand the number of people I know who have casually dated during their time at Andrews. It’s almost like we think that by going out to lunch with someone we’re signing our marriage certificate.

(We’re not). Honestly, I think that we do ourselves a disservice by rejecting casual dating outright.

I remember when one of my friends asked a guy out to dinner our junior year. Being the socially awkward human that I am, I was shocked at her boldness, but she shrugged and said, “I figured I could do what I normally do—secretly like him for months, try to create opportunities to hang out with him in a group setting, and be frustrated that he had no idea what I was feeling—or I could just

go for it and see how it panned out.” When she came back from her date, she told me that she had had a great time. She’d gotten to know the guy better…and realized that she wasn’t interested in him romantically after all. The two remained good friends, and she was able to save herself a lot of wasted time and effort.

The fact of the matter is that there are some people on this campus that we may never get to know if we don’t go out of our way to do it. I think that if Andrews were to adopt an attitude that was more open to dating as a way to get to know people, we would find that it doesn’t have to be such a big deal.

Old habits die hard, but it might be time for Andrews’ student body to reexamine our dating culture. I think that if we did, we would discover that we expend less energy figuring out how to start relationships and more energy making them work.

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Valentine’s Day Shout-Outs To: Dear Andrei Wayne Kyrk, From: Andrei Wayne Kyrk I’ve seen you walking around campus looking nice with your cute ahh.

I’ve seen on stage singing, tryna hit those runs. Go on ‘head boy.

We’ve been together for 20 years and there is no one that I love more than you.

Thank you for being kind.

Thank you for being awesome.

I’ve watched you grow into one fine gentleman.

I’m also single. Get to know me.

Just kidding...but not really.

To: Ben Koch From: Tanya Ebenezer The nature of mankind is a complex web of distinguishing characteristics; among these are our self-centered and selfish motives. As humans, we gravitate more easily toward bettering only the things that directly affect us. Because of this, I never comprehended that it was humanly possible to love someone more than I loved myself. That was until I met you. Benjamin Koch, thank you for tearing down the walls of social norms and teaching me the truth about love. This one year with you has made me thrive in ways I thought were impossible. I love you.

To: Kayla Schenkelberg From: Anonymous You are awesome and I want you you to be my valentine!

To: Christina Johnson From: Anonymous To the intelligent & beautiful Christina Johnson, thanks for being there. Keep shining girl. #newcreation #lol To: Rebecca Gaines From: Anonymous Two Fresh Prince quotes characterize my thoughts about you. #1: “I think I’ve seen your picture somewhere before. Oh yeah, that’s right.

It was in the dictionary next to ‘KABLAM!’” And last but definitely not least, #2: “You look so good I wish I could plant you & grow a whole field of y’all!”

To: Natalie Boyer From: Sam Fry You’re the best friend a guy could ask for. You’ve made my last two years at Andrews truly memorable, and I’m grateful for your friendship every day. Happy Valentine’s Day! To: L’Mar Hall From: Anonymous You are the sun that shines bright throughout my day, You are the gravity that holds me down in every way.

You are the moon that shimmers throughout my night, You are stars that glimmer oh

so bright.

You are the oxygen that keeps me alive, You are the heart that beats inside.

You are the blood that flows through me, You are the only guy I can see.

You have the voice of when a mockingbird sings, You are my everything.

To: Someone Special From: Isheanesu Mazani The truth is that I’ve liked you for a while now and I just wanted to know...will you be my valentine?

To: Nathan Kim From: Anonymous Sitting next to you makes Spanish class so much better! Wish you were my valentine ;) To: Paris Rollins From: Anonymous Let’s be real: your job’s a joke, you’re broke, and your love life’s DOA. It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear, but when it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, I’ll be there for you. Why? Because you’re there for me, too. Happy Valentine’s Day. To: Regine Senior From: Shenika McDonald I like my baby hair with baby hair and afros. I like my Ne-

gro nose with Jackson 5 nostrils...I got nutmeg in my bag. Love you!

To: Carlyle Tagalog From: Anonymous Hey QT!!! I love you. I hope we can go on a date to Mabuhay soonsies ^_~ You are the eggs to my rice.

To: Kyle Lucrida From: Anonymous You used to call me on my cell phone. call me 1-800-hotline-bling..

Your hustle dont ever go unnoticed, I’m with you, I’m with it.

To: Andrew Chirachevin From: Anonymous Dang, them new yeezy’s hurt your pocket?

Before anybody wanted KWest beats You and I split the buffet at KFC...

I gotta testify [You] Come up in the spot lookin’ extra fly To President Andreasen From: Anonymous You came in ‘94, before I was crawling on the floor You hailed from Denmark, Wanted to leave a mark You left one on the U, ditched Walla Walla too Taught at least for a score, and left it all for more From a grad in ‘63, to the President of the campus we see

Now as we wave goodbye, we’ll remember flying high Through a new millennia and 3 US presidents, you guided us as leader in-residence Thanks for it all, charging on and standing tall We now say Farewell, Farvel, and thanks for it all as well from AU to You, Thanks for being more than our Valentine To: Jess Yoong From: Anonymous Jess Yoong, you are truly a one in a million type of girl.

Your professionalism, dedication to service, and nonstop positive attitude inspires me. You’re also really cute, and I think we should go out.

To: Sumen Trollman From: Du vet hvem er jeg Glad Valentinsdag til deg! Jeg er glad i deg masse og jeg er spent å feire denne dag med deg. Og du har rett—det er gøy å skrive på en språk at ingen vet. Jeg liker deg veldig mye ass lissom.

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Pulse

Super Bowl Overview Torian Hill | On Sunday night, Feb.

Ali Reiner Pulse Editor

7, the National Football League (NFL) held its annual showdown between the two best teams of the season. The 50th annual Super Bowl was broadcasted on CBS and kept millions of viewers entertained. Some watched because of their interest in the game and others because they wanted to see someone of the funniest commercials of the year.

Andrews University held a few parties to celebrate the big event.

The one in the University Towers was a big hit, and the atmosphere was thriving. Many people came out to see the game in a room filled with food and fantastic decorations. There was even a raffle, and the winner was allowed to bring two friends to the VIP section. The VIP section consisted of unlimited

cold drinks, snacks and food delivered straight to the winner. It was a great way to watch a quarter of the game and see the hysterical commercials in the front row.

The game pitted the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos were the apparent underdogs, so to no surprise the room was filled with Panthers fans. Although there were only a few Broncos fans, there was still tension in the room. Going into the game there were several predictions that the Broncos would not only lose, but be blown out like they were in 2014. But while the Panthers had the best offense this year, it was not good enough for the Broncos’ defense. Not only did the Broncos shut the Panthers down, but they also got a defensive touchdown off of them. With the Broncos’ de-

fense being the best this year and debatably one of the top ten of all time, they put the Broncos’ offense in position to score many times. Although their offense did not execute perfectly, they still put enough points up on the board to keep them in the lead the whole game.

In 2014 the Broncos went to the Super Bowl with future Hall of Famer quarterback, Peyton Manning. They put up some remarkable offensive numbers during the regular season that had everyone expecting them to win. However, the game ended in their loss because their defense was nowhere as great as their offense. The game was a blowout because their opponents, the Seattle Seahawks, had the best defense in the league at the time.

It’s often been said that “defensive

teams win championships.” Based on the performance of the Broncos this past Sunday, as opposed to two years ago, this saying can be seen as true. The key to Denver’s success was their going out on the field with a team that could stop the Panthers, rather than winning by offense only. This does not give the offense permission to be terrible, but it allows them to need only to keep their composure and score a few points, which is exactly what Denver did on Sunday night.

Carolina had a good defensive rating in the league as well, which can explain why the Broncos did not score much either. At half time, the difference in the score was not immense. With Denver having a 13-7 lead at the half, one would think that a team as great as the Panthers would respond with a

touchdown. However, that wasn’t the case on Sunday night. Their touchdown in the first half was the only one they had for the whole game. In fact, looking at the status from this year, it can be concluded that the Panthers are not a “second half” team. They gave up points in the second half so many times this season, putting them close to defeat numerous times. Both teams had the number one seed, so they both deserved to be there. It was just up to one of them to give their best and take care of business, which is what the Broncos did, resulting in a 24-10 win over Cam Newton (the face of the new age of NFL) and the Carolina Panthers.

PHOTO BY TANYA EBENEZER

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Pulse

Service Gala to Promote Worthy Causes AUSA and UNICEF Partner to Promote Service Opportunities at Andrews University Sam Fry | Andrews University Stu-

dent Association has partnered with Andrews University’s UNICEF chapter to host the Premiere Service Gala on Feb. 13, at 5 p.m. in the Howard Performing Arts Center (HPAC).

An AUSA initiative project in collaboration with the Andrews University chapter of UNICEF, the Premier Service Gala is designed to highlight student-led service organizations and connect students with opportunities to serve.

The event will feature student speakers who represent various avenues of service, followed by a black tie reception and silent auction to raise funds for UNICEF. “Students should go to the Service Gala because it’s a great option for an inspiring Saturday night that supports our student body’s progress towards a culture of service,” says Jess Yoong (sophomore, management, pre-med).

“It’s a way to have a fun evening

with friends while supporting a great cause.”

To facilitate this, event organizers will provide a table or booth for each organization that reserves a spot at the event, where each organization can display or distribute promotional materials and recruit student volunteers.

Over 17 organizations were invited to recruit volunteers. Confirmed organizations that will be attending the event include: Engineers Without Borders, Least of These Ministry (LOT), AU Enactus, Andrews University Student Philanthropy Council, GO Projects.

Jordan Mondak (junior, speech pathology), will be presenting at the Service Gala as well as representing Least of These Ministries, “Students should come to the Gala to get inspired to make changes in their community,” says Mondak.

“They will have the opportunity to see the various opportunities with which they can put feet to their faith.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY AUSA

Chemistry Department Gains Continued Approval Ali Reiner | Andrews University’s

Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry has once again received the American Chemical Society’s approval as a department that meets the ACS Guidelines of program excellence.

The ACS is the world’s largest scientific organization to which around 160,000 individual chemists belong. According to David Nowack, department chair, there are approximately 3,000 colleges

in the United States that provide chemistry degrees. Of those 3,000 colleges, 682 have ACS approved programs. Along with being one of 682 approved programs, Andrews continues to remain the only Seventh-day Adventist institution to be approved.

The department was first granted approval in 1976, making this school year its 40th anniversary of exceptional program performance.

“This is a testimony to the Uni-

versity’s commitment to excellence,” said Nowack.

According to the official letter of approval, the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Professional Training commended the significant renovation of Halenz Hall, the investment of new instrumentation, and the positive atmosphere for the promotion of research and skill-growth of chemistry majors in the department.

“It demonstrates that we have

a quality program,” says Nowack.

“Students of chemistry and biochemistry can have confidence they are getting an outstanding education here at Andrews.”

In hopes of maintaining approval in the future, Nowack explained his goals to improve the department over the next few years. The next steps include further developing the curriculum and creating an internship co-op program.

“The co-op is a dream of mine,”

says Nowack, “to give students the industry job experience necessary to get that extra edge in applying for the next level, whether that be a job, career or graduate school.

Having internship experience is incredibly valuable,” said Nowack.

The department has also received praise from other faculty members over the recent report of continued approval.

“This is an endorsement that contributes to the excellent repu-

tation of the Andrews University STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) departments,” says Keith Mattingly, dean of the Andrews University College of Arts & Sciences. “This kind of news is unique in the Adventist world of higher education.”

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THE STUDENT MOVEMENT

Humans

Capture the Moment enjoy forever. There are settings and events that just need to be remembered in full detail and color. If you go to an art gallery or simply turn on the television, you will see these moments captured in high definition so that every last detail can be seen. You can enjoy a breathtaking mountain or a booming city, a beautiful flower or an incredible smile. You can see a small part of the world that has been captured forever simply for us to enjoy. I recently interviewed Daniel Martinez, a freshman documentary film major and a character whose sole mission is to “Capture the Moment.”

Andrei Wayne K. Defino Humans Editor

Daniel, what is the difference between documentary film and photography?

Unlike filmmaking, photography is a single frame versus multiple frames to capture the emotion and beauty of your subject.

PHOTO BY DANIEL MARTINEZ

Name: Daniel Martinez Major: Documentary Film Class Standing: Freshman Interviewed By: Harold J. Milliner II In life there are often moments that we wish we could just capture and

What do you do as a photographer/filmmaker?

As a photographer/filmmaker, you’re trying to show your audience an image or a series of images in your perspective and through your eyes.

You’re trying to allow them to see

what exactly it is that you’re seeing and define that moment through your understanding. It’s more than just trying to make a pretty picture or cool movie; there is a story behind every moment and a meaning behind every captured frame.

Why did you get involved in filmmaking?

I was always creative as a young child, but I couldn’t draw or paint.

I loved art but I didn’t have any talent with pencils or paint brushes.

Then I discovered photography I began to understand that it was an art.

It began as just a hobby for fun, but I slowly began to get drawn deeper and deeper into it. I started to use it as a way to express myself and tell my story to the outside world.

What is your favorite moment that you’ve captured?

A few years ago I went with my church on missionary trip to the Dominican Republic. The first week we were there was to do missionary work and be with the different people in camps. The second week we were able to go sightseeing and enjoy the culture. During the first week while

we were in a small town we visited an orphanage of Haitian children and brought them toys, clothes and other basic necessities. Being able to capture this moment on film was very special to me. Just to be able to see their smiling faces and hear the laughter was such an amazing experience. Everyone was in such high spirits and every moment was priceless. Most of my favorite documented moments are on that trip because it was just such a wonderful experience.

What do you plan on doing with this skill in the future?

I hope to be able to travel the world and capture moments that I can share. I want to be able to bring other cultures to light and be able to explain what’s special about each one through my work. I would also like to start my own company that includes photography, cinematography and graphic design.

Why did you choose Andrews?

Most other film schools drive their students towards a life in Hollywood, which is something I personally don’t care for. Andrews focuses more

on a storytelling style and I am given the knowledge not only to make documentary style films, but also the types of films that are seen in Hollywood today. I feel that I am receiving a more well-rounded experience and being able to learn a lot more in the process.

How long have you been doing this?

I started graphic design my freshman year of high school. That led me to photography my sophomore year.

That same year while searching for a camera I discovered a passion for filmmaking. After finding this, my love for this art just grew, and I knew it was something I wanted to pursue long term.

Is it ever challenging for you?

It is difficult to capture a moment and be able to express the full story behind it. I want to be able to do justice to that moment, but sometimes it’s a challenging process full of planning and editing. But then again, the challenge is all part of the fun.

Leila Celestin: A Portrait professor who encouraged me to do more of a free stylized art. It turned out that I was a very quick painter so what he would do was make me cut out these square pieces of woods and challenged me to make self-portraits on them in five minutes. I ended up getting really fast and I started utilizing light to make the images look like a person without really having specific features. Eventually I started getting interested in bold brush strokes. It came to the point where, for my senior thesis, I presented about 50 portraits that I painted in about 30 minutes each. It was due to three professors that I finally found my style and I continuously do portraits – for my friends and people who might be interested in getting portraits done – despite the busyness of grad school.

PHOTO BY BRIAN TAGALOG

Name: Leila Celestin Major: Master’s Degree in SpeechPathology Interviewed by: Andrei Wayne K. Defino What did you study for your Undergraduate education?

A Bachelors of Fine Arts in French Studies.

What motivated you to study French and the Fine Arts?

Well, I’ve always wanted interested in art, but to be honest, I kind of did it to prove a point. I was interested in art since elementary school so my mother encouraged my creativity; I entered a lot of competitions and

won a lot of competitions. However, coming from a family of physicians, studying art wasn’t always the ideal thing for me to do. But I really wanted to do it, so I kept on honing my craft and I decided to get a degree in it.

French Studies was kind of cheating since I already speak French. I was however able to study in France for a year, clep a lot of classes and get my degree.

That sounds fun! Can you tell me more about your art?

I really like doing realistic paintings, but I’ve always been interested in doing portraitures. I did a lot of realistic portraitures early in my life, but I got to a point where there was one

As a Master’s student, how do you find time to still do portraits?

Listen, if I’m being honest, I only do them when I have a sliver of free time or when I need extra money. If someone really wants me to do one of them or even a lot of them, I usually have to tell them that it might not be available until my next slot of free time; I hold quite a few jobs on campus, so it’s hard to always be available but doing portraits doesn’t always take long for me so I guess it works out.

So I’ve seen that you’ve held multiple art shows. How did that happen?

I had my first art show here at Andrews, but I also got to do a show in

Albany, New York, in Oct. 2013, which was really cool. A lot of the people I that were in my portraits were able to come and see them. Later, they asked me to do show my pieces at the Town Hall. Basically, in Albany there is this big dome where they have meetings, town events, museum tours and art shows. For this one show, I was able to show my pieces at a refugee celebration—a real highlight of my career.

What is art to you?

Here’s the thing: for me, I realized that halfway through my degree that if I had to do this to eat, I would begin to hate it. After I finished my 50 pieces I was very burnt out; I didn’t paint for a year; I didn’t touch a paintbrush or a pencil to draw, sketch, or anything like that after I did that show.

And even now, this past Winter break I did a whole bunch of pieces and I don’t think I’ll be painting again until May. I guess that’s always been my thing – innately I like a lot of variety in my life. I like to say that I can paint, I do some tutoring, I do some teaching. So for me, art is like a relaxing process. It’s stressful when I have deadlines, but it’s usually a fun thing. It’s not even that all my pieces have a deeper meaning or anything; I just really like to paint.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artistic minds?

Listen to Ira Glass’s “The Gap” because in every creative field there is a “gap.” You have your tastes and you get into a field where you hone those tastes; To you, however, when

you start your skills are still at a low level and all your efforts will seem to suck...until you bridge that gap.

When you’re a musician, it can take years of practice to finally mend that gap and finally think you’re good.

Poetry, art, acting, in literally all these fields, you will have so many days when you think you aren’t good enough, but you have to persist. You have to be okay with crappy work until you get to that point. Surround yourself with other people who have the same interests as you because they’re going through the same thing. As artists, comedians, dancers, painters and whatever else we never want to admit that we have bad work and only show off our perfected pieces, but really by seeing each other struggle we can feel better about improving. Surround yourself with people who can go through those low points with you and spend time watching and listening to people’s coming up stories; you’ll be surprised how many great artistic figures have struggled in similar ways to you. No one becomes successful overnight.

Kevin Hart, Christopher Nolan, Angelina Jolie, Misty Copeland, all started off with 500 or even a thousand bad tries before catching their break. Be encouraged that everyone who has inspired you and helped you had a long and reckless journey; any failure you have right now is just part of the game. Take heart that everyone in the creative field is going through the same thing.

WED 02.10.16

VOLUME 100

ISSUE 16

9

Humans

Love Story: The Prices, Part I “He was very thoughtful in hearing the things I liked, and he was very smooth at always inviting me to another opportunity to hang out.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JAMES AND JUNE PRICE

Name: James Price Assistant Dean of Men, Meier Hall At Andrews since 2006 Name: June Price University Chaplain At Andrews since 2009 Interviewed by: Scott Moncrieff When did you two meet?

James: Starting in 2009, at weekly Student Life meetings—we were both deans at that time.

When did the relationship go to the next stage?

June: In the fall of 2011, our campus suffered the tragedy of losing Dean Esperanza Alvarez-Muniz (killed in a car accident, Oct. 14). I was the dean on duty that weekend, and she and I were very close friends. She was on her way to pick grapes, and I was going to teach her to can the grapes she was going to pick. So we had a very long, emotional night in the dorm, and I had maybe gotten two hours of sleep. The next morning, a Sabbath, James came by on his way to PMC, and he was walking up the stairs in Lamson to where I was standing, and he said something like “I just came by to check on you guys and see how you were doing.” At that point I didn’t even have words, and I was just shaking my head, and tears started to run down that I couldn’t hold back, and James was so empathetic, to the point

that his eyes started to well up. And I said to myself, “This is a really good man.”

James: After that, it was propelled forward for me by conversations that we had with our RA’s in the residence hall. Every so often, in our meetings, we have conversations about dating. We had a couple of RA’s in one meeting who said they wanted to ask some young ladies out, but they felt like the ladies would just say “no” and probably wouldn’t be interested. So that led to a whole long meeting where I said, “Guys, you’ve got to step up. If you see someone you’re interested in, go for it, ask her.

What’s the worst thing that can happen? She says ‘no.’”

Not long after, I found myself in June’s office, in Lamson, sequestered

by Lamson residents who were asking me the same question: “Dean Price, how come the guys at Meier don’t ask us out?” I thought, “This is so ironic. We’ve got guys who aren’t asking girls out, due to fear, and ladies wanting to be asked out.” So one night after these experiences I was at home and the light went on, and I said, “Hey! I’m not following my own advice.” So I decided I would ask Dean Madrigal (June Price’s last name then) out just to get a bite to eat, so we could chat a little bit more.

June: He had dropped by at Lamson, and I thought he was just dropping by no matter who was on duty,

but I found out later from my other deans “No, he never drops by when we’re on duty.” So at this conversation with my RA’s, that James mentioned, we had been talking about equity between male and female. There were more than half a dozen girls packed into the office, and they were grilling him with comments like “It seems like guys and girls are treated differently on Adventist campuses.” Then they went into “Why don’t these guys step up and ask us out? It’s not like we’re buying curtains. It’s not that serious.” So we had this about threehour Saturday night conversation, and it was really good. So then he follows up the next week to say, “Hey, I really enjoyed that conversation. I think we should continue it, so let’s maybe go out to lunch.” And I was like, “Yeah!” Because I’m passionate about equity between the genders. I have the ear of a Meier Hall dean, so let’s talk about this. So it progressed from “Let’s go out to lunch” to “Let’s go off campus,” to “Hey, I’ll pick you up.” We went to Tim’s Too, and we had a great conversation, very natural. We were comfortable because we had been colleagues. But I was naïve enough not to have put together the dots. I grilled him for about an hour on “equity.” (It was) a great, freeflowing conversation. Then, toward the end of our conversation, he said, “And there’s another thing we talked about at your office, that night,

with the girls, that I wanted to talk about as well. Remember how they were talking about guys not stepping up and asking girls out? And I said, ‘James, you need to follow your own advice. You want to go out with June, just ask her out.’” For me, that was the “aha” moment. This is a date.

And I responded with something like “And see, it wasn’t that difficult.”

James had always been a really good listener, and by the end of that meal he had heard that I liked frozen yogurt, so before he dropped me off he asked, “Hey, do you want to go out for frozen yogurt next week?” By the time that date was over he had another idea. He was very thoughtful in hearing the things I liked, and he was very smooth at always inviting me to another opportunity to hang out.

James: And we both like sports, spectating and playing. She’s a golfer and I play tennis, so we introduced those sports to each other. It’s just been a match made ever since.

So this was still November of 2011? What was the next milestone?

James: There were so many fun points along the way, but I’ll land at spring break, 2012. By this time we’re dating.

June: He had said, “I’m very interested in getting to know solely you, in a more focused way.”

James: We went down to Pikeville, Tennessee, where her family is from. And we had a great time. It was just great meeting the family and seeing part of Tennessee that I had never seen before. But the telling part, for me, was the road trip itself. We were in the car for ten hours, each way, and going and coming the conversation was fantastic. We learned so much about each other, both common interests and things that were different, that were just fun to learn about. So when we got back, my own

assessment was, if we can do that on a road trip, that just about sealed the deal for me.

June: Something I’ve always appreciated about James is that he’s a very good communicator, which is about not only being able to be vulnerable, and express himself transparently, but to listen. So conversation is something that I’ve always appreciated about him. And his intellect is very sexy (laughs). That trip was just confirmation for me about how easily and well we communicate about a whole variety of topics, even things that we don’t see eye to eye on, but we’re willing to be an “iron sharpens iron” thing (Proverbs 27:17), where we turn something over and look at it from different perspectives, along with the more superficial and funny things we’d talk about. After that trip, things were definitely solidified. It took our love to a next level. We’d been very prayerful about our relationship— both of us had been previously married and had been through the pain of divorce. So we were surrendering everything to God. James: I had children, so the introduction of June to my son and two daughters was going to be a litmus test. Getting feedback from them was important to both of us. And their affection for June, their respect for her, they saw something in her—and in “us”—that was really special. They were on board. They were like, “Go for it, daddy!” That was really important to me.

Read next week’s issue to see how James popped the question, how June responded, and what advice the Prices have about relationships.

Scott Moncrieff Faculty Advisor

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THE STUDENT MOVEMENT

Arts & Entertainment

Point: Why I Love the 2005 Pride and Prejudice

Shanelle E. Kim Arts & Entertainment Editor

PHOTO PROVIDED BY PUBLIC DOMAIN

Alexandria Edge | I enjoy the 2005 interpretation of Pride and Prejudice the most. Now if you happen to be a diehard Jane Austen fan, hear me out—I know that you might think it would have Austen rolling in her grave. This version may not be completely true to the book, but it does a great job of balancing plot accu-

racy with modern film and societal expectations. The directors and producers of modern-day filmmaking face the major challenge of saleability. In recreating Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, this expresses itself in two book-altering areas: length and gender equality.

Director Joe Wright faced the same

issue of movie length that any director faces when turning a book into a movie. To truly capture the nuances of character growth and the details of relationships, the movie would have to be well over five hours long (as can be seen through the six-part BBC Pride and Prejudice series, which is widely regarded as being most accu-

rate to the book). This is well over the length that any average moviegoer would be content to sit through. In a series of books-turned-movies like The Hunger Games or Harry Potter, a director can afford to split one book into parts; for a single book, it is almost unheard of. To keep the movie a normal length, Wright had to make difficult cuts. This led to some characters starting at different stages of character development than the book. Examples include making Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy less inflexible or Keira Knightley’s Lizzy more flirtatious. While these changes have significant impacts on the mood of the production, they hasten the plot and make later developments internally consistent.

The movie similarly had issues with the gender hierarchy inherent to the setting; the film’s intended audience being female complicates the presentation of the characters. While Austen’s portrayal is undoubtedly feminist for her own era, modern movies draw criticism for even period-accurate depictions (see critiques of Sherlock’s “The Abominable Bride” for prime examples). Reducing the gender gap was a necessary

component of marketing the movie.

The film still contained the necessary plot settings of societal expectations of propriety and intra-class marriage, but the women often lacked their typical passive roles in mixed society in this adaptation. This led to more criticism of book and setting accuracies from the fundamentalist fans, but worked as intended to increase popularity among the general audience.

As faced with the challenges of modern moviemaking, the 2005 movie produces what I would imagine to be one of the best possible results for today’s audience. It reduces it the fairly lengthy book to a film that is only just over two hours long, and it subtly shapes the gender inequality of the movie to be more in line with modern expectations. It was also personally successful in introducing me to the world of Jane Austen, because it inspired me to begin reading her works. If that is not a success story, I don’t know what is.

Counterpoint: Why I Hate the 2005 Pride and Prejudice Maria Wixwat | The 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, has been, for the most part, widely accepted by the public; however, I would venture to say that although it is popular, the movie is not a good representation of Jane Austen’s novel. The characters are changed to be either more mellow or more fiery, and the interactions—especially the romantic ones—are much too modern, missing the subtlety of Austen’s novel.

To begin, a lot of the rich, colorful and realistic characters Austen created have been changed in this new adaptation. Mrs. Bennet is still quite annoying and inappropriate in the movie, but it portrays her in a more flattering light. Even her relationship with Mr. Bennet is shown to be not all bad; they enjoy laughs together and seem to be quite fond of each other.

In the book, Jane Austen wrote up their relationship to show the evils of loveless relationships and as a motivation for Elizabeth Bennet’s determination to never settle for less than

deep love. The movie partially shows how Mr. Bennet has little patience for his wife and enjoys teasing her, although she never notices.

Another character mellowed out in this film is the character of Mr. Darcy. He is portrayed as shy and nervous, but with very little of the pride which is so distinctive and so characteristic in the book. Elizabeth Bennet is also rather differently portrayed. In the book she is witty and clever, but in this movie, Keira Knightley portrays her as saucy and flirty. Even when she is supposed to

dislike Darcy still, her witticisms in his direction come across as quite flirtatious. She is much more impetuous and “modernized” in the movie with her disrespectful and flirtatious manners. ​T he modernized manners contribute to the whole modern feel of the romance. They wrote it to appeal to the modern audience with its more dramatic scenes, such as the proposal in the rain or the one in the midmorning light. Yet in doing this, they missed the beautiful subtlety of Jane Austen’s quiet romance and its re-

spectable manners. The romance is built through flirtations and sensual proposal scenes, instead of quiet, intimate conversations and growing respect. It is to be expected that a normal length movie could come nowhere close to the intricate depth of character and romantic growth that is shown in the book; therefore as a chick-flick I can highly recommend this movie. However, as a movie attempting to portray the beauty and depth of one of Jane Austen’s expertly woven novels, it falls considerably short of expectations.

WED 02.10.16

VOLUME 100

ISSUE 16

11

Arts & Entertainment

Oscars 2016: A Guide to the Best Picture Nominees

PHOTO PROVIDED BY PUBLIC DOMAIN

Editor’s Note: Though the Academy Awards retains its prestige as a ceremony recognizing the success of talented individuals in the film industry, it remains a site of contention regarding its recognition of persons of color The 2016 list of nominees in particular fails to reflect the efforts of certain people pushing for diversity in the media. In light of this year’s so-called “whiteout,” many Hollywood stars, such as Jada Pinkett-Smith and Will Smith, have chosen to forego attending the awards in order to call attention to their lack of diversity.

Films such as Ryan Coogler’s Creed and Cary Fukunaga’s Beasts of No Nation, which feature nonwhite persons in central roles (as writers, directors, producers or actors) have not received the recognition many audiences believe they’re due. This is not a new phenomenon. Last year’s Mar-

tin Luther King, Jr. biopic Selma was snubbed for A Best Actor Nomination for David Oyelowo in the lead role.

This year and previous years, films featuring black, Hispanic, Latino and Asian persons in major roles continue to receive little to no recognition during the arguably most important film event of the year. This is not to say that we should completely disregard the 2016 Academy Awards. After all, the Oscars reflect the interests of the culture at large.

We have the responsibility of calling for change in the selection practices of certain organizations, as well as reflecting on our own practices. The Academy Awards list lacks the diversity of our population, and so do other aspects of media and many other industries.

We hope that you, our audience, read the list below keeping in mind

that while these are well-made films, there are still many others that have not been recognized—both in 2016 and in years past—and that we all have a duty to self-reflect on our own recognition of nonwhite voices.

Demetri Kirchberg | Feb. 28 brings another year’s round of Academy Awards. From Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio being left for dead to Saoirse Ronan and Charlize Theron venturing into the unknown, it has been a wild year in films. Perhaps more than any year in recent history, there is little to no agreement amongst critics and audiences alike on who should walk away with the little golden man this February. Here is a rundown of the movies nominated for Best Picture by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The Big Short—This drama direct-

ed by Adam McKay attempts to both entertain and educate by way of the 2007 financial/housing disaster with a cast including Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell.

What the movie lacks in shine or wow-factor, it makes up for with oddball surrealism, like Selena Gomez breaking the fourth wall to explain complex financial structures while playing blackjack. Themes of morality vs. the love of money add a strong philosophical undertone to the story.

Borrowing its tone from last year’s hit, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Big Short isn’t the most original piece this year, but its sharpness and ability to convey truth garnered it a nod this year.

Bridge of Spies—This Cold War thriller has Steven Spielberg written all over it. From a highly political setting to the movie’s dialogue-driven plot and large-scale historic scenes, this Tom Hanks-led telling of American legends is Spielberg to the core.

By taking a huge setting and series of events, and bringing them down to focus on the lives of two relatable men, Spielberg is able to tell a moving personal story while still capturing the events that shook a generation.

Brooklyn—Of this year’s three romances (Carol, The Danish Girl, and Brooklyn), this is the only one to have climbed the ladder into the coveted position of Best Picture nominee. This is the tale of a 1950s Irish immigrant who leaves behind family and home to come to New York and ends up falling for an Italian. Torn

between home and love, Brooklyn stars Saoirse Ronan in her best performance yet. This film has its leading lady to thank for bringing to to this category.

Mad Max: Fury Road—A standout from its competition, Mad Max abandons realism and creates a symphony of fantasy, fire, fuel and freedom. In recent years, post-apocalyptic films have made up a massive portion of the industry but none has received such high recognition as this. Directed by George Miller, best known in this decade for Happy Feet, this movie is action packed and leans more on stunning visual art direction than well-written dialogue. Taking on themes of feminism and personal liberty, Mad Max is not all speed and no substance, but appeals to audiences on a variety of depths, making it one of this year’s most memorable watches.

The Martian—Director Ridley Scott is once again in outer space with this mission to mars. With a shocking seven nominations, The Martian was one of 2015’s most popular movies. This film did a lot right in terms of audience appeal from choosing a popular cast led by Matt Damon to blurring lines between sci-fi, adventure and comedy.

The Revenant—After last year’s Best Picture win for Birdman, director Alejandro Iñárritu return to the category with this enormous work.

The Revenant earned its spot into this category for two main reasons: mind-blowing cinematography and stellar acting. Iñárritu’s filming tech-

niques have never been seen before as he constructs absurdly long takes, such as the fly from massive panoramas to intimate close-ups and back again. Once again delivering a top quality performance, Leonardo DiCaprio depicts a man who climbs from the edge of death through the worst events nature can throw at him, all in the struggle of avenging his son’s life. At its heart, this film is a tale of familial love and justice wrapped in some of the best filmmaking the industry has seen.

Room—Adapted from the novel by Emma Donoghue, Room is an intimate depiction of a kidnapped mother and her son forced to live in a shed.

While being a story of survival, the film is really a tale of human endurance and the resilience of faith even with little to no hope. With a stellar performance by Brie Larson and creative directing by Lenny Abrahamson, Room earned its spot at the top.

Spotlight—Another true story, Spotlight follows writers at the Boston Globe as they investigate the 2002 story on the Catholic Church’s cover up and protection of molestations by priests. Told like a true journalistic article, Spotlight delivers facts and tough realities without overly dramatizing reality. Hard to watch at times—not for being explicit but for being honest—this film has shocked many. Directed by Tom McCarthy, and hosting a long list of A-list actors, Spotlight is a must-see.

The Epic Life Story Sarah Stelfox | Life is a story, an Epic. Our society is founded on a culture of storytelling. We are innately storytelling creatures, because our lives, fundamentally, are stories.

And these stories are all a part of an overarching, larger story. Stories remind us of the Epic for which we are created, and the road ahead. In his book Epic, John Eldredge draws parallels between the storylines of some of the most monumental stories humans have ever created (such as Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Matrix, and The Lord of the Rings) and the overarching story of humanity. According to Eldredge, these parallels exist because God has placed eternity in our hearts, and we try to express it in the stories we tell.

The book is broken up into four

PHOTO PROVIDED BY PUBLIC DOMAIN

chapters, each representative of an act in the story of humanity. In Act One, we see a portrait of personal intimacy and eternal love. This is the relationship we are invited into. This is the beautiful beginning of all stories. In Act Two, evil enters the stage, and Eldredge makes the point that all stories have villains. This is representative of evil entering in heaven, and God’s character comes into question. Act Three is a battle for the heart, and we see that something has gone wrong within the human race.

Good and evil must battle, and ultimately the lover must die in order to save his beloved. Finally, in Act Four, paradise is restored, good triumphs over evil and love conquers all. This a recurring theme in almost all over the greatest stories ever told, and

that is because we are all a part of the greatest story ever told, with eternity in our hearts, and our greatest desire is to tell it again and again.

I loved the connection Eldredge makes between the stories we tell and the ultimate story of reality. Because he draws from content that most readers are highly familiar with, Eldredge is able to deeply engage the reader. Not only that, he also gives the reader a sense of purpose. Eldredge repeatedly mentions and analyzes the stories we all love and the epic feelings they gave us, and suddenly turns it around and suggests that we are a part of that story—a meaningful part. He implies that we, essentially, are living in an Epic and that everything we do contributes to the outcome of the story.

“If a story has been true to life in all its sorrow and hardness and longing, to life as we know it, and if it also offers that turn at the end in hope beyond hope, then our eyes will swell with tears and we get a glimpse of joy, beyond the walls of this world.”

Eldredge concludes by positing three eternal truths: things are not what they seem, we are at war, and you have a crucial part to play. He calls the reader to examine the recurring theme of man-made stories as evidence of the universal story, and the ultimate reality of God and life and love.

“This is the gospel,” Eldredge writes. “This is the story we are living in. May you play your part well.”

THE STUDENT MOVEMENT

The Last Word

Fear, Forward-Thinking and our Faith Editor’s Note: This editorial was printed in our Jan. 27 issue, but we accidentally ommited part of it. The following is the complete version.

Samuel James Fry Editor-in-Chief

“Come writers and critics who prophesy with a pen…” is how Bob Dylan’s 1964 hit single opens its second verse. The Times They Are A-Changin’ remains a not-so-subtle token of the bygone era of social and political change that colored the 1960s. In the midst of the twentieth century, a latitude of change was happening throughout the United States, trickling out through music, culture and harkening the arrival of a new era of progress and despite the uncertainty there was an optimism in the human spirit—a belief that a better day was on its way. Those days have never seemed farther away.

Progress and change, as manifested in our social and cultural systems, has always been accompanied by fear. This fear of the unknown, the uncertainty of what lies in store in the world we will wake to tomorrow, has been a constant theme throughout civilization. It’s always been in our nature to question what next week, next month and next year will bring. This fear is one of the most human elements—but it has not always played such a pivotal role in the national psyche.

For most of the last half of the twentieth century, a remarkable phe-

nomenon occurred. People feared the future less than they do now. It seems, almost paradoxically so, that while our world fought two global wars, endured the Cold War and the threat of nuclear annihilation—people were to a large degree more optimistic than we are today. They had a good reason to be. The median income nearly tripled in the last hundred years, and three-quarters of the planet went from not having access to a landline to having an iPhone or other cellular phone in their pockets—individual devices with more computing power than the Apollo 11 rocket which sent Neil Armstrong to the moon.

It’s interesting to look back and see how predictions of the past decades have either come close to the truth, or have been proven largely false with the passing of time. It is even more interesting to see how the fears of our parents’ generation differ greatly from ours. Regardless of the era, however, we still see writers and critics trying to prophesy with a pen—often drawing grand conclusions about the future of the human race or its impending apocalyptic doom—and 2016 is certainly not exempt from their endeavors. Now, with George Soros and Co. forecasting another global recession even bigger than the ’08 crises, and geopolitical instability on the rise, millennials have a much bleaker outlook

about the future than previous generations. This fear, to a large degree, is exacerbated by the echo-chamber effects of social networks and the media. It seems like our world has grown steadily untenable, plagued by disaster-upon-disaster, where fear mongering and vitriolic diatribes reign supreme, fanning the flames of extremism and violence.

However, millennials, in spite of a college debt bubble set to burst, and record unemployment, are not alone in their efforts to try to anticipate the next disaster or trend. Forward-thinking is not limited to us as individuals and autonomous agents; rather we are guilty of practicing it collectively, where the allure of envisioning and crafting a world we desire is part of a grand narrative we engage in together. Magazines like The Economist and think-tanks like Stratfor hire experts to analyze geopolitical relations and make complex calculations about our financial and electoral systems. They are certainly due some credit, as it is at times possible to predict with accuracy trends in our financial markets, or consumer behavior—but they often are illequipped to deal with the infinite complexities that make accurately modelling our physical world an impossibility.

Inevitably, despite our best intentions, even the most well-thought predictions fail more often than not,

or events arise that IBM’s Watson Analytics computing fails to foretell.

This is in large part due to the unpredictability of human behavior itself.

One of the most interesting things about human nature is that despite our capacity for rational choice, we often make illogical and contradictory decisions, sometimes to our benefit, sometimes to our demise. Such contradictory decisions are often chalked up to be an aberration in logic or reason. What if instead, we were to recognize that the sovereign hand of God still drives men’s affairs. This is what Winston Churchill was referring to when he said “the destiny of mankind is not driven by material computation.” It’s not unreasonable that as humans, we desire an overarching knowledge about the future.

It’s just not practical. Trials and tribulations will come—but so will God. When we let go of our desire to control and engineer every aspect of our lives, we can begin to seek the peace and respite that God desires for all of us. In its purest sense, our faith is what keeps us afloat despite the constant unpredictability of the fallen world we live in.

So, perhaps Bob Dylan was right.

The times they are a-changin’—but as the children’s song goes, “He’s got the whole world in his hands,” and we should never have a reason to fear.

THE STUDENT MOVEMENT STAFF

Samuel James Fry Editor-in-Chief Paris D. Rollins Assistant Editor Shenika K. McDonald News Editor Daniel J. Fults Ideas Editor Ali Reiner Pulse Editor Andrei Wayne K. Defino Humans Editor Shanelle E. Kim Arts & Entertainment Editor Coming Soon Photo Editor David A. Forner Copy Editor Nichole A. Reid Layout Editor L.J. Robinson Multimedia Manager Scott E. Moncrieff Faculty Advisor

The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventhday Adventist church.

Please address all correspondence to smeditor@andrews.edu.

The Student Movement reserves the right to edit all letters for style, length or possible libel. Priority will be given to correspondence from students, staff and alumni of Andrews University. All letters sunject to publication.

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This issue was completed at 9:49 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9, 2016.