THE BG NEWS Monday
February 26, 2007 Volume 101, Issue 109 WWW.BGNEWS.COM
CAMPUS
Carmelite nuns honored by campus opera Actors took a field trip to focus on authenticity | Page 3
Wanted: more minorities in the media
ONLINE
Toledo Blade reporter helps BGSUMMA kick off its first event | Page 3
One-year-old boy found pinned under dresser
ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
The students behind the masks
After a long wait, Falcon mascots, Sic Sic crew unveiled to fans By Alaina Buzas Reporter
From August to February, 10 students sneak around campus at night hanging up signs, try to incite spirit at sporting events and are a constant presence at campus events. Unlike other students, they do so with masks on, concealing their identity from their friends and peers. But after months of lies and excuses, the secret is out. At the hockey game and women’s basketball game this past weekend, both Freddies and Friedas were beheaded, along
with the two senior members of the spirit crew, Sic Sic. One of this year’s Friedas, Nicole Messmore, senior, said her desire to be Frieda Falcon beganduring her freshman year. “To be honest, I was slightly obsessed with [Freddie and Frieda],” Messmore said. “To me, Frieda Falcon was the embodiment of BG school spirit. It was the best way for me to convey that excitement and passion.” This year’s other Frieda, Kristen Kulbis, vice president of Undergraduate Student Government, also had her eyes set on being a bird since her first
year on campus. “Since freshman year, I have always thought how cool of an experience it would be,” Kulbis said. But of all the experiences they’ve had this year, the bottom line is the love from their fans. “The best experience was realizing how big of a part you play in the University. Everyone knows who Freddie and Frieda are, you are the face of the University,” Kulbis said. “It’s almost inspiring.” Messmore agreed, saying that
See UNVEILING | Page 5
JORDAN FLOWER | THE BG NEWS
UNCOVERED: Eric Heilmejer is unmasked at the hockey game and revealed to be one of this year’s two Freddies.
Boy pronounced dead at the hospital, and no one has been charged
Arts Village hosts Oscar night bash
Read more online: www.bgnews.com
Falcon hockey suffers a loss on senior night
By Theresa Scott Reporter
WEATHER
PEOPLE ON THE STREET
OPINION
SPORTS
In spite of a final loss at home, the team returned the favor to MSU | Page 6
By Freddie Hunt Reporter
Some people do it to pass time, some do it to unwind and others just can’t resist the urge to doodle all over their class notes or a frosty window. Anthony Fontana, a graphic novelist and instructor, said doodling is extremely important and can be part of someone’s conceptualization process, an expression of nervousness or boredom, or just simple drawing practice. “Part of doodling may just be getting out a particular idea,” Fontana said. “Doodling might just be getting that idea on the page so that it can exit the mind and not be held on to anymore.” Mini Zen gardens, which are nothing more than a box of sand and a rake for etching scribbles with, are sometimes used in psychiatric offices. Dale Klopfer, associate professor of psychology, said doodling produces a calming effect and something like a mini Zen garden may relax a patient. Klopfer said by studying doodles, psychologists can sometimes tell what is going on inside the artist’s head. “Arts are a way of expressing ourselves. We use people’s drawings or renderings as something that is going on internally,” Klopfer said. “Especially with children who can’t talk, this technique is used to see what is going on in their mind.” Klopfer believes most students doodle during class because they are bored and doodling keeps their attention levels up. Erin Gruss, sophomore, said when she gets bored in class she draws picture of her professors because it prevents her from falling asleep. “Sometimes I doodle because I don’t feel like taking notes and I don’t want my teacher to notice me,” Gruss said. “So I just appear like I’m taking notes, but I’m really just doodling.”
The MAC winning streak finally ends The women’s basketball team loses Saturday night to the Bobcats | Page 6
Prince Harry of England to fight in Iraq
See DOODLE | Page 2
As British troops pull out of Iraq, British royalty steps up to take the lead; members of U.S. “royalty” have a long way to go | Page 4 How do you feel about Britain’s Prince Harry going to Iraq?
The glamour, the glitz, the freezing rain and 20 miles per hour winds — not quite like it is in Hollywood. The 79th annual Academy Awards aired last night on ABC, and each year the awards are met with big stars and even bigger hype. The Oscars, some say, is the equivalent of the Super Bowl in the entertainment world. Millions of viewers tune in to see who will take home the 8.5 pound gold statues. While some of the most exclusive parties raged on in Hollywood last night, including the annual Vanity Fair party and Elton John’s bash to benefit AIDS research, the BGSU Arts Village hosted their own version of the Academy Awards soiree. While Joan and Melissa Rivers argued about who was wearing what on the red carpet, residents of the Arts Village ate pizza and toasted sparkling grape “champagne” while debating their own picks for best picture and actor. When the pre-show coverage ended and the Oscars began, all of the guests’ eyes were glued to the television, excited to see who won. When the first award was given to “Pan’s Labyrinth” for Art Direction, the room exploded in cheers and applause. Residents came to the event dressed in their finest ball gowns and tuxedos to celebrate the best movies of the year. Tony Kasmar, a sophomore in the arts village, described the Oscars as “the pinnacle of movie making, you can’t not like it.” “It’s movies baby!” Kasmar said. Adam Clapper, dressed in his
See OSCARS | Page 5 TARA MCGINNIS AND CHRIS WEST | BG NEWS ILLUSTRATOR
APRIL DIX Senior, Education
“I think it’s good someone of that status is serving their country.” | Page 4
TODAY Flurries High: 34, Low: 26
TOMORROW Flurries High: 36, Low: 22
Grant opens doors for dreams By Christie Kerner Reporter
The opportunity to put the imaginations and passions of two University students to the test is now underway. Seniors Martina Hanulova and Betsy Kovar were the first two recipients of the Stuart R. Givens Fellowship, which allows students to go anywhere in the world. Students propose an idea to faculty about where they want to go and what they hope to accomplish, given a $6,000 budget. Hanulova and Kovar have different plans, but similar passions. Hanulova will be working in a Liberian Refugee Camp in Ghana, West Africa where she will stay for
Betsy Kovar
Senior recipient of the Stuart R. Givens Fellowship four months next fall. “I will be working for a nongovernment organization that is based on peace and education,” Hanulova said. Hanulova already has experience in Africa and has since held a great passion for it. “I spent last summer teaching in Africa and it became so much clearer for me as to what goals I wanted to achieve,” she said. In a country of violence, these development projects help to
teach the Liberian people the idea of peace and education. “Anywhere from basic education such as math and English to even helping mothers raise their children — this non-government organization works with the community,” Hanulova said. Hanulova is excited about the opportunity and the knowledge she will come home with. “I consider it as the opportunity of a lifetime to see how people suffer and have so little but to still see how happy they are, it’s a concept I want to bring home,” she said. Kovar looks forward to traveling to India where she will be given the opportunity to study
See DREAMS | Page 2
Univ. professor treks to Siberia for Arctic study Jeffery Snyder
By Christy Johnson Reporter
Scientific leaders from the United States, Russia and Germany will be heading to Lake El’gygytgyn in Siberia next summer to extract sedimentary cores needed to help piece together the Arctic’s past temperatures and geochemical makeup. A team of 30 to 40 people, including the University’s Jeffery Snyder, associate professor of geology, have been working for several years on the project. Project leader for the United States team, Julie Brigham-
BGSU geology professor working on Arctic project Grette of the University of Ma s s a c h u s e t t s - A m h e r s t , explained that a project of this volume takes time and money. Brigham-Grette said that the project initially started in 1994, almost 13 years ago. The first trip to Lake El’gygytgyn occurred in 1998, and since then several
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See ARCTIC | Page 2