2-28-2014 Cal Times

INSIDE

CAL TIMES california university of Pennsylvania

hockey teams heading to nationals february 28, 2014

IN THE

CALTIMES.ORG

___________________________

It’s time for a laugh

staff writer ___________________________

Page 5

OPINION what ever happened to class?

Cal Times contributor Mitch Kumpf examines the declining image of young America.

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ENTERTAINMENT

vol. 35, No. 3

Scale bashing event raises eating disorders awareness

NEWS

Cal U student Derrick Knopsnyder is a funny guy. Seriously!

He’s won awards for his standup comedy and is now a regular performer at the Pittsburgh Improv. Read more about Derrick’s extraordinary standup experience.

Page 10

by

Lauren Griffith

The Cal U Women’s Center recently bought about 40 scales with the sole intention of smashing them to pieces. The Scale Bashing event, a part of the National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, was held Feb. 25 in Carter Hall.

Students were invited to take out their weight-related frustrations in a safe way—by bashing an analogue scale with a hammer.

Prior to striking the scales, students were encouraged to decorate their scales with permanent markers in any way that their weight, or body related issues, has affected them.

Each participant was given a name tag, in which they were instructed to label themselves by the best part of their personality, and a pair of safety googles to protect them from flying pieces of plastic. Several of the name tags read Happy, Flawless, and One of a Kind.

As students rose to the front of the room to tell of their struggle with body image, applause and cheers rang out for each one of them. Megan Wuycheck, a junior social work major, said, “All of these people realize that no one is 100 percent comfort-

photo: Jeff Helsel Meghan Wuycheck, (at left) a junior majoring in social work, Jackie Pierce (at center) tourism studies major and (at right) Maya Tomlin, English major, swing hammers to smash scales in the annual Scale Bashing event for National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, hosted by the Cal U Women’s Center. Students were invited to “destroy a scale in the name of loving themselves the way they are.”

able with their body. It allows you to take out all the frustration and anger you kept inside in a safe environment.”

The Scale Bashing event has been at Cal U for several years, and continues to grow larger with each year. The first year saw only eight students, while this year’s number grew to 35 participants.

“We do it to raise awareness.

There is a lot of secrecy and shame around eating disorders, and we hope to get rid of that,” said Kay Dorrance, coordinator for the Cal U Women’s Center.

Dorrance says she has seen a lot of similar faces return year after year, even bringing with them a couple of friends. The Women’s Center has also posted

fliers around campus with statistics on eating disorders and the populations that are most effected by them.

The Women’s Center is located in Carter Hall G45.

“Talk to someone about it.

Reach out and they can help you,” said Wuycheck.

Fraternity snow removal project helps community

New consoles on the way

Game designer unveils new line of home console systems.

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SPORTS Athlete spotlight: kate seebohm Meet this week’s Athlete of the Week, senior basketball player Kate Seebohm

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photos courtesy of Cal U Public Relations

Acacia fraternity members cleared packed ice and snow from sidewalks along Wood Street in California Borough as a part of their Operation Snowflake. When sunshine reappeared and temperatures warmed on Feb. 18, criminal justice major Jesse McQuillan (at right) used a bar to break through the frozen mess, while (at left) Joe Bradley and Mike Russell, both computer systems information majors, combined efforts to clear a path with a shovel for pedestrians. Need help shoveling your sidewalk or driveway? Contact Acacia project coordinator Matthew Johnson 814-442-7753

F ac e bo o k – Ca l T im es New s pa per

Twitter – @Cal T i mes

Cal times

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Police Reports Underage drinking

On Feb. 16 at 11:37 p.m., a nurse reported that an unresponsive female was found in the Health Center. The female was transported to Mon Valley Hospital.

Suspected drug use

On Feb. 18 at 12:49 a.m., police were called after reports of a male and female yelling at each other. Police reported that the male was “tripping on something.” He was then put into custody for an Act 64.

Wallet stolen

On Feb. 18 at 2:52 p.m., a student reported having their wallet stolen form the Fitness Center in Herron Hall.

Mail missing

On Feb. 18 at 5:20 p.m., a student living in Residence Hall E reported having their mail stolen.

Stealing from Kwik Fill

On Feb. 19 at 1:38 a.m., police were called to Kwik Fill in response to a case of retail theft.

The person charged with the theft is also charged with an Act 64 violation.

Student passed out

On Feb. 19 at 10:20 a.m., an ambulance arrived on Senior Drive after it was reported that a male student was unresponsive.

After coming to, the student refused treatment for what medical officials believed to be low blood sugar.

Times Staff CALTIMES.org

The Student Association Incorporated (SAI) is a non-profit corporation that is separate from California University of Pennsylvania. It was created in 1937 under the name of Student Activity Association, due to the need for increased green space for University activities.

The Association’s first purchase was what is now known as Roadman Park.

The official name change from Student Activities Association to Student Association Incorporated occurred in 1979. Since the initial purchase of Roadman

february 28, 2014

park, SAI has contributed to the university community by: helping to fund the original student union building, creating the Herron Recreation and Fitness Center (originally located in the Herron building), purchased an additional 10 acres of land adjacent to Roadman Park, the renovation of the Student Union building from 1989-1992, the new on campus housing suites, Vulcan Village, and the SAI Farm.

The SAI farm is available for use for clubs and organizations, University functions and

private events.

SAI was the first organization of its kind in the nation; it is owned and operated by the students that it serves.

The SAI executive board is made up entirely of students who were elected to serve on the board through voting that occurs each spring. In addition, the board itself contains three other students along with one graduate student, three alumni, and one retired faculty/staff member of the University.

Important budget dates for clubs and organizations The Student Association Inc. clubs and organizations are preparing budget plans for the upcoming fiscal year 2014-15.

- Budget Packets are due to the SAI business office Friday, Feb. 28 at 3:30 p.m.

Packets are considered late at 3:31 p.m.

- Cabinet Reps receive their club’s budget packets March 5.

- Cabinet Reps meeting with clubs and orgs March 6 - 25.

- Student Cabinet budget meeting: March 26.

- Student Senate budget approval: March 31.

- Budget published in Cal Times: April 4.

- S.A.I. Corporation meeting and budget vote: April 14.

Gene Axton...........................................................Editor in chief Jose Negron..........................................................Sports Editor Jamie Rider...............................................ENtertainment Editor Taylor Brown......................................................opinion editor lauren griffith.......................................................staff writer matt hagy.................................................................staff writer dan mader...............................................................staff writer Laura zeno................................................Website coordinator jeff Helsel..........................................director of publications

CALTIMES CONTRIBUTORS: Stetson Provance Lindsey Leonard Mitchell Kumpf Swarndeep Gill Brian Crawford Emily Geyer Deven L. Bourquin Michelle Cooper Kate Sheldon Nick Smith Walter Harris Eddie Wise

Caltimes@cALU.edu 724-938-4321 POLICY: The California TIMES is published in the Monongahela Valley area most Fridays of the academic year, with the exception of holiday breaks • Any member of the university community may submit articles, editorials, cartoons, photographs or drawings for consideration • Deadlines are as follows: All written copy, announcements, e-mail (caltimes@calu.edu), and advertising submissions are due at noon on the Monday before publication. Exceptions to these deadlines must be arranged with the editor. All submissions are the opinions of their creator(s). •The California TIMES reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions as it sees fit, without offering justification for content or advertising sections.

NeWS

Spoken word event with Kali

february 28, 2014 2013 FEBRUARY

by

lindsEy lEonard

for the Cal Times

Vulcan Theatre filled with talent on Friday, Feb. 21. Together, the Student Activities Board and Student Government brought in a spoken word artist that goes by the name of Kali. Kali led two poetry workshops in the afternoon and performed in the evening. SAB’s annual poetry event takes place in February, but this year’s was extra special.

Former Vice President of student government and member of student activities, Garrick Lackey, saw Kali at a booking conference last fall and created a vision for this event. Lackey passed away last November and SAB and SGA decided to put his plans into action and make sure the event was successful in

page 3

his honor.

Suzy Hart, a junior at California University of Pennsylvania majoring in liberal arts, was a large part of the event.

“I feel like Garrick’s spirit shined through on the entire day,” Hart said.

Kali encouraged student’s to pull out their inner poet during the workshops. She also motivated a few students to perform during her show.

Michelle Cooper, a junior at Cal U, majoring in psychology participated in the first workshop with Kali and performed during her show as well.

“I enjoyed every minute of the workshop and performance,” Cooper said. “I enjoyed the writing exercises that we completed and she gave great advice about writing and performing in front of people. I think it is important to be passionate about what you

do and I think her passion was portrayed very well.”

Kali, the Florida native and Virginia Tech alumni, graduated with a degree in creative writing and now loves to teach her passion. She performed poems that were funny, unique and emotional.

Lauren Griffith, a sophomore at Cal U and journalism major, said, “I loved how she told a story with her poems. Each one meant something different to someone, but they all hit hard and left me in awe.”

To some students this was a great show to enjoy but to others the spoken word event was a little something extra than just an event.

Cooper explained, “I live by this... anything that comes from the heart will touch it. There is a certain fire that ignites within me when I write and when I’m on stage.”

leaders responsible for bringing the event to campus.

Bachetti said that the idea came to her when she was organizing a “Random Acts of Kindness Week,” and she had the idea that kindness should not just be recognized for one week, but we should always strive to be kind to others and help out when we can.

Bachetti said that main goal for students participating is to inspire them to get involved.

“The main goal of this event is to inspire students to do random acts of kindness and service as much as they can,” Bachetti said.

“We want to show them that any small act of kindness can make a big difference.”

The tag line for the challenge is “10 weeks. 10 acts of kindness.

1 big difference.”

The Center for Civic Engagement kicked off the event on by

having a table in the union on Feb. 18, where students helped come up with the ideas for the different acts of kindness each week based on what they considered to be acts of kindness.

Bachetti said that the acts of kindness that the students came up with will be the basis for all of the challenges up until finals week.

“We had over 30 participants give us ideas for challenges, almost every club and organization is supporting us by retweeting,” said Bachetti. “A few students have gotten involved and have tweeted us back. This is only our second week, so hopefully next week’s challenge, which is attending the March Day of Service on March 3rd from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. will change that and get the ball rolling in the right direction; but we are very pleased with all

photo courtesy: robert benji photography, flickr.com

Kindness come to Cal U through new social media project by

Emily GEyEr

for the Cal Times

Starting with National Random Acts of Kindness Day on Feb. 17 and lasting until finals week, the Center for Civic Engagement is hosting the first annual Kindness Challenge this semester.

The Center for Civic Engagement is teaming up with the Vulcan Village Leadership Living Learning Community to hold the first ever Kindness Challenge on California University of Pennsylvania’s campus, in hopes to show the students in the community that small acts of kindness make a huge impact on others.

Tamlynn Bachetti, 22, a graduate assistant for the Center for Civic Engagement, is one of the

of participation so far, especially on Twitter.”

Bachetti said that this week’s act of kindness is to leave little encouraging notes on desks and tables around campus, and then take a picture and post it on Twitter with the hashtag, CaluKindness.

These acts of kindness are not limited to just campus either, according to Bachetti students can participate in the acts on and off campus at any time during the challenge week, which runs from Monday thru Friday.

“We encourage students to continue doing these small acts even after the challenge ends,” Bachetti said.

The students who participate in the Kindness Challenge will also have their names entered into a drawing for a prize during finals week.

“If the students tweet us a

Help Wanted

March 17 - 21

Part-time Student Accounting Position Position: Part-time accounting position with the Student Association, Inc. at California University of Pennsylvania Description of Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities: Assist with journal entries. Assist with reconciliation of various accounts. AR/AP banking and investment statements, management prepared operating reports.

Assist with managing asset additions, disposals, depreciation and inventory.

Contingent upon the timing of the employment, the student employee will assist with the annual audit at the end of the fiscal year (June 30). Employee will have opportunity to assist full time staff with the preparation of annual audit work schedules and confirmations, review drafts of various financial statements, and answer any questions the auditors have, within their scope of knowledge.

Student accountants will also receive consideration for internship opportunities.

Qualifications • Must be a registered student of California University of Pennsylvania • Must be Business Administration Major with an Accounting Concentration Please email copy of transcript and resume to skirpan@calu.edu

picture or tweet us back at, @ caluvolunteer, letting us know that they did the challenge accompanied by #CalUKindness, then they are entered into a drawing for a chance to win a finals week feast!,” Bachetti said. “This challenge was created in hopes that students will understand that small acts of kindness make a huge impact on others, and that they should do something like that every day if they can.”

The Kindness Challenge is an event exclusively for social media, so all that students need is a Twitter account; however, if students do not have one they can contact the Center for Civic Engagement by email or come to their office in Carter Hall for help or more information.

College or graduate school students needed to work with elementary school children in an after school program in the South Hills. $10-11 per hour, flexible hours, must have own transportation. Full or part time summer camp opportunity also available. Email resume or letter of interest to EDS-asstdirector@comcast.net.

Cal Times

page 4

February 28, 2014

Back to the ‘Drawing Board’ photos: lauren griffith Pottery was also featured at the show. L to R: Aeden Aracne and Autumn Siska.

Vividly colored paintings by Emily Cord were showcased that night.

_______________________

by Lauren Griffith staff writer

_______________________ The gallery in Vulcan Hall was swarming with students, parents and community members for the opening of the Back to the Drawing Boards art show on Feb. 20. The show featured different mediums of art, including pottery, sculpture, painting, drawing and even several pieces

from jewelry making. Music by Dom Pomposelli, Cam Chambers, Cody Dawson, Steven Krenn, Aaron Huff, Nick Jordan and Jack Shope rang within the halls for the gallery’s opening.

Plans for the show started coming together late last semester for the Associated Artists club President Shannon Drudy.

Other members of the club have been helping to repaint and reorganize the furniture in the gallery to accommodate this open submission show. Once

the pieces were collected the club hung and arranged them within the gallery.

Aeden Arcane, senior fine arts major, had several paintings and pieces of ceramics in the show.

Having previously participated in art shows over the course of his time here, he urged interested students to get involved “Art is about a sense of community of like-minded and inspired people hoping to inspire other people,” Arcane said.

While some pieces of art that

Netflix Pick of the Week

“Twin Peaks”

“Twin Peaks” begins with the discovery of murdered high school student Laura Palmer, but this is only one product of the goings on under the titular small town’s quaint veneer. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper joins Twin Peaks Sheriff Harry S. Truman in the pursuit of Palmer’s killer and in the process become increasingly intertwined in the double lives that the citizens of the town are leading.

A certain type of experience is expected from a production with David Lynch attached and “Twin Peaks” certainly delivers. The show’s 30 episode and feature film prequel act as more than just a murder mystery – they take the viewer on a ride through the different stages of normal until show and viewer come to an arrangement on what constitutes reality.

Genre: Cult TV Show Originally Released: 1990 Starring: Lara Flynn Boyle, Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean

Volpe said.

Interested artists are also encouraged to submit their work to an art show that will be held on Fri., April 25at the Wash Arts Center in Washington, Pa from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Each Cal U student or alumnus can submit up to three pieces for a cost of $5 per submission. For further information, contact Aeden Arcane at arc5776@calu.edu.

W C A L D J

photo courtesy: wikimedia commons

were shown were not for sale, others were sold at a price that the artist set when entering the show.

Ashley Volpe, a senior graphic design major and the secretary for the Associated Artists club, had one painting in the show.

Her untitled piece was a series of dark greens and reds. She also plans on submitting to the ‘Animalia’ show on April 17.

“It’s a lot of work and you have to put a lot of time into it. But it’s worth it in the end,”

S P O T L I G H T

photo:

Full Name: Nicholas A. Smith DJ Name: Shaggy Shows Hosted: Shaggy’s Shag Shack Shuffle Conundrum Show Times: 10:00 P.M. - 2 A.M. Saturday Night Favorite Music: Folk, Punk, Ska and Big Band Favorite Bands/Artists: Flogging Molly, Johnny Cash, Elvis, The Beatles, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Frank Sinatra and Reel Big Fish

I am a biology major that found my way into WCAL because my older brother had a show during his time at California University of Pennsylvania. My brother was known as Red and he ran the Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Brazilian Tube Show, a late night metal show on Sunday. While I was still in high school he would let me sit in on his shows. I knew then that when I became a student I wanted to have my own show. Thus, Shaggy’s Shag Shack Shuffle Conundrum was born. I like a wide variety of music, hence why the Conundrum is a themed show that changes weekly. I tend to be a pretty random and nerdy guy, so tune in!

Entertainment

February 28, 2014

page 5

Derrick Knopsnyder is almost famous _______________________

by Walter Harris for the Cal Times

_______________________ Derrick Knopsnyder, recently 23 (happy birthday, Derrick), may be the next student to add his name to the list of “Notable Alumni” on California University of Pennsylvania’s Wikipedia page.

Knopsnyder is a budding comedian and has developed for himself quite an impressive career over the last few years.

He was the featured comedian for the four-year anniversary of ‘Funny Freaking Friday,’ Cal U’s ongoing comedian series, on Feb. 7, 2014. Knopsnyder performed in Vulcan Theatre for a crowd of 109 people. He is the only active Cal U student to ever be featured for a Funny Freaking Friday event.

Knopsnyder, originally from Somerset, Pa., resides just off Cal U’s campus. He earned a bachelor’s degree last May in professional golf management from Cal U and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in intercollegiate athletics and administration “with a minor in Xbox and unemployment.”

In addition to his studies and his comedy, Knopsnyder serves as an assistant golf coach for the men’s and women’s golf teams.

Knopsnyder ultimately credits his Pap for “pushing him”

into stand-up. “Ever since… my pap took me to my first comedy show when I seven years old I was like, ‘that’s what I want to do.’”

Knopsnyder ’s stand-up career has earned him recognition throughout Pennsylvania and has taken him all over the east coast for various comedy gigs.

His goal is to eventually transport his career to Los Angeles, “The Comedy Capital,” according to Knopsnyder. There he can expand his regional fame into international celebrity comparable to the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Joe Rogan and… Ke$ha.

Maybe. He has already landed his first film, a small role in the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster “Foxcatcher” alongside Steve Carrell, Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum. Look for him as Stadium Extra #438.

Before starting his set for Funny Freaking Friday he mentioned a hint of uneasiness about performing for peers.

“It’s worrisome when all your friends are in the audience, because [they] see me everyday, but [they’ve] never seen me like this before,” Knopsnyder said.

He assured me that most nerves a comedian has before taking the stage in front of a crowd usually settle after the first laugh.

Luckily the crowd was quite amiable, demonstrating its approval with short bursts of chuckling that Knopsnyder

Derrick performs at The Improve in Homestead regularly.

aptly described as ‘comedy grenades.’ The term refers to the occasion when a comedian throws out a joke that’s followed by a short delay in audience response – then results in a sudden explosion of laughter. Some of Knopsnyder’s grenades had a larger blast radius than others, but none of them were duds.

Knopsnyder employed his “awkward” inclinations onstage to help recount (and dramatize) the hilarious misfortunes that were its byproduct.

Topics included: college life (roommate issues, partying, hooking-up, etc.), family dysfunction, police antagonism, attention deficit disorder, and several unprintable topics. He even had a few Cal U specific jokes, among which President Jones’ name was mentioned.

Before a scandal breaks out, President Jones was not the subject of a public roasting.

Knopsnyder’s jokes are largely self-deprecating and lampoon how his awkward behavior causes problems in those areas of life truncated in the listing above.

The show for ‘Funny Freaking Friday’ was Knopsnyder’s first one hour set. “To me it was like my final,” Knopsnyder said, reviewing his performance at the on-campus comedy series.

“I want that confirmation that I have an hour [of material]. It wasn’t the best show I’ve ever done [but] it took a lot of relief off of me. I’ve got an hour. I’ve proved that.”

Knopsnyder put a lot of work into proving himself at his Cal U performance.

“Preparation for the show was brutal,” he said. “I went through every single word.”

Even though he had performed all the jokes before, he went hoarse from preparation. “I went through the show maybe ten times, so I talked to myself for ten hours.”

His jokes – and his whole routine – are the result of meticulous writing and rehearsal.

He is a perfectionist when it comes to joke craft.

“If there is a word in [the joke] I can change to make it funnier, I will search for a week,” Knopsnyder said.

Perhaps it is this perfection that has afforded him so much

Underground Cafe relocates Vulcan Village _______________________

by Kate Sheldon for the Cal Times

_______________________ Each Thursday night from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m., California University of Pennsylvania’s Student Activities Board Underground (SABUG) hosts the Underground Café, usually in the Commuter Center. With suggestion, this past week the

Underground Café was held up at Vulcan Village in the Clubhouse.

Taylor Overly, a junior political science major at Cal U is also the Vice President of the Underground Café. He believed that there were positives and negatives to the new location of the Underground Café last week.

“I thought the turnout was really good for the new location,” Overly said. “There were a lot of new faces and people who usu-

ally aren’t on campus that live at Vulcan Village had the chance to come see what it’s all about.”

Overly also said that being at Vulcan Village gives the Underground Café a chance to appeal to a completely new audience and hopefully bring some of those students down to campus for the regular location.

“The only negative to the new location was that a lot of our usual performers may have had trouble transporting their equip-

photo: derrick knopsnyder

success.

In his years since beginning stand-up he has built a remarkable career that spans locally and regionally along the east coast.

Knopsnyder ’s start was in June of 2010. He reviews his first show poorly.

“If I had known how bad I was when I started, there is no way I would be doing it still,” Knopsnyder said.

Knopsnyder is now a regular at The Improv, a comedy club located at the Waterfront near downtown Pittsburgh. He is a recurring host of Open Mic Night and has performed with a number of famous comedians including Greg Warren, Jon Lovitz and Dave Coulier.

His largest show was in 2012 at the Carnegie Library Music Hall located in Munhall, Pa. He opened for Bo Burnham in front of an audience of more than 1200 people.

Additional accolades include a first place finish at The Stand Up to Cancer’s Funniest Person competition at Marshall University (Huntington, W. Va.) and competing as a finalist at the Cleveland Comedy Festival.

He continues to perform regularly at The Improv – you can catch him there this weekend opening for Taylor Williamson

from Feb. 27 - March 2. Visit www.derrickknopsnyder.com for more details and future show dates.

You can also monitor Knopsnyder ’s rise to fame by following his Twitter account (@ dknop), friending him on Facebook or regularly emailing him creepy fan letters at kno9260@ calu.edu. If these methods seem too inconvenient, just wait a year or two, turn on your television and laugh at Knopsnyder’s latest exploits on TMZ. Knopsnyder says that since he has his first one-hour show under his belt it won’t be long until he lands a Comedy Central special. He is even looking forward to performing again at ‘Funny Freaking Friday’ – of course, post-fame and for more money. That’s a joke.

Knopsnyder is pleased with the direction his comedy has taken him.

“I’ve been able to make lots of people happy,” he said. “That’s what life is about to me, just doing what I can to make someone else as happy as I am.” That is a message he wants to pass along to all who enjoy his comedy.

To hear my full interview with Knopsnyder, visit the Cal Times website.

ment up to Vulcan Village,” Overly said. “There was also a lack of sign-ups for performance slots and that’s usually not an issue when we hold it in the Commuter Center.”

Joshua Cross, a junior political science major at Cal U is a regular at the Underground Café each week.

“I think it was really important to branch out to other areas of campus where there are students who haven’t experienced

the Underground Café and everything that it has to offer,” Cross said. “I go every week and it was nice to see some unfamiliar faces at the Underground Café and also some performers we don’t usually see.”

Overly said that they plan on having the Underground Café at the Vulcan Village Clubhouse at least once a month if it is possible since it was such a hit this past week.

ENTERTA

PAGE 6

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Valve wasn’t destined to become a one-hit wonder though – “Team Fortress,” CounterStrike” and “Left 4 Dead” have become iconic multiplayer experiences while “Portal,” a puzzle-focused spinoff of “Half-Life,” has garnered a cult following. Valve has a successful track record when it comes to providing gamers with Triple-A entertainment experiences and they’re hoping to continue that trend this year when over a dozen new consoles hit the market to compete with Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.

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The new console and operating system are named after Valve’s Steam digital distribution service. Steam allowed Valve to sell and update its own games when it was launched in 2003, but Valve later began selling games from other developers and publishers to build Steam into the premier digital storefront it has become today. Valve’s online marketplace rivals those run by mega-

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PAGE 7

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- INTEL OR AMD 64-BIT CAPABLE PROCESSOR

- 4 GB OR MORE RAM - 500 GB OR LARGER HARD DRIVE

- NVIDIA GRAPHICS CARD - USB PORT INSTALLATION - UEFI BOOT SUPPORT 28, 2014

Opinion

page 8

February 28, 2014

Language is a primary component of “melting pot” culture by

Dr. Swarndeep Gill

for the Cal Times

This essay is written in response to an article,“What Happened to the United States Melting Pot Culture?” by Stetson Provance that appeared in the Feb. 7 edition of The Cal Times.

Controversy is “in” nowadays and the media certainly loves to play up the most extreme sides of any debate. There have been many fine responses to those who criticized the Coca Cola ad, I can likely provide nothing new, but I would like to address some of the arguments directly made in the Cal Times opinion article.

Let me start by where I agree with the author. Those who were offended by the commercial, I too believe that we shouldn’t label as necessarily racist. Although it is unlikely that if one is racist, they found the commercial agreeable. Ignorant, as the author mentions, is likely a better word. Perhaps they simply don’t understand the history of our nation and the relevance of language to culture.

I also agree that there is nothing wrong with a people taking

pride in their culture and roots.

I would ask the author then, how is language not therefore a valid part of culture? Language is one the most important aspects of culture. For many, an important way of preserving culture is by also preserving language. Nobody is suggesting they don’t learn additional languages that will help them.

Coke also did not suggest that we all learn other languages to communicate with immigrants.

To say that one should be free to take pride in their culture and roots but not speak their own language is contradictory. In regards to the author’s statement that “Coke dropped the ball,” and points at controversy over the ad as evidence of this, I would say that this view is incorrect. Controversy is a great way to strike debate and conversation about important issues that can lead to changes in attitude. It does not always divide. The Coke ad allowed for a relevant conversation and a chance to educate more people about history of this nation.

The U.S. is considered a melting pot, but I think we must seriously consider whether this

is the best way to be or whether this is really the way we have always been. The country is fairly divided now on a number of issues despite us all being American, thus language does not seem to a necessary condition for diversity in thoughts and ideas. Unification was never our strong suit. We fought a civil war for heaven’s sake. We also were not unified in going to past wars as a nation, We have constantly questioned government policies and laws.

This nation is not a history of assimilation, but a history that speaks to the advantages of diversity and the promotion of individualism. We also have a long history of bringing people into this country from other countries. This has led to greater diversity in what Americans are good at and has led to greater innovation and intellectual advances. Those who founded this country came here precisely because they were not free in England to practice their own way of life and faced great oppression. They wanted to build a nation free from oppression. So much so that they also wanted the country to be a haven for

Dan Mader

for the Cal Times

Leaving class in the past by

Mitchell Kumpf

for The Cal Times

What happened to the days of Sinatra, Monroe, Dino and Audrey? The golden age when music was swinging and bopping and made by hand not machine? When guys could take their gal to the drive in for a nickel and have a good time?

What I really want to know is, what happened to people’s self-image? Gone are the days of sharp suits and polished shoes – in are the days of basketball shorts and over-sized graphic tees. We traded fedoras for snapbacks, ties for chains and, worst of all, wingtips for Jordans.

Girls are just as guilty as men though. It seems that on most days a woman will just roll out of bed and throw on whatever

was in the dirty laundry hamper and go to class while completely bypassing any attempt to put on makeup and look presentable. Is it so hard to get out of bed twenty or thirty minutes earlier and pick out something that might make you look like a decent human being before going out in the world where everyone sees you?

Maybe I’m just missing something. Maybe I just don’t keep on the trends or perhaps I’m just old fashioned. Call me crazy, but I like to look presentable when I go into the world – not like I just left Champs Sports. Someone call up Doc Brown and tell him to warm up the DeLorean because I want to go back to a time when people had morals and standards for how they acted and looked. It’s time for all you guys ‘n’ dolls to get your act together and pull your pants up.

Europe have not tried their best to adopt the practices of those already here. I can think of many Native Americans who would have preferred not to be killed by small pox or converted to Christianity because of their heathen and savage ways.

America is a big country. To suggest that we even have a unified culture is perhaps also incorrect. Having traveled to many states in this country there are clear differences in attitudes and interests throughout the nation. Many of this has to do with immigrant populations that came to that region at one time or another. There are also plenty of places where people speak English and I can’t understand what they are saying; whether it is the heavily urban accent in St. Louis or a heavy southern drawl in Georgia. Should I tell those people to speak English in the way that I want them to?

People who were offended by the commercial lack an understanding of U.S. history and they lack an understanding of what defines culture. And just for the record, the reason it’s called English is because the language came from England.

said that she had it painted on because “I wanted to have fun.” Samkova’s fauxstache is the latest in well-documented superstitions in sports. One of my personal all time favorites is the Madden NFL video game curse. The uber-popular video game franchise is just that, but ever since the yearly game had a cover athlete, 1999, the player(s) have either performed poorly, got injured, or their team missed the playoffs.

As the years passed, fans of the NFL and video game franchise both began to realize that there was an odd correlation with the cover athlete and how they performed during the season.

Up until the Madden NFL 13 game, every year would bring season-ending injuries, all time worst season performances, and under-achieving teams. In the 2012-2013 NFL season, Calvin Johnson was the cover athlete

for Madden NFL 13. Everyone was wondering whether or not the curse would affect Johnson.

Aside from the Lions not making the playoffs, Johnson totaled 1,964 receiving yards, which broke the NFL single season record. Calvin Johnson singlehandedly broke the Madden curse in many eyes, although there are still skeptics who will say that the Lions missed the playoffs, therefore the curse is still there. I’ve always been one to question if the curse is still alive or broken, but Calvin Johnson’s single season receiving yards record gives the latter validation. All in all, superstitions in sports are always going to be a topic of discussion and in the cases of Eva Samkova and Calvin Johnson, superstitions will be apart of their careers forever.

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it by

photo: DoodleDeMoon, Flikr

those who were poor and oppressed from other nations.

This is why the Statue of Liberty says “Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses…”

It doesn’t say, “make sure they speak the same language as everyone else.” Perhaps this is why the U.S. has no official national language.

Roughly one-sixth of the population speaks a language other than English in their homes. To suggest that we all assimilate is much like suggesting that people stop practicing Catholicism in favor of the more popular Protestant-based faiths. I would also ask the author why community must be represented only at the level of a city? Why can’t we as a nation be a community? People from different countries live in many parts of this great nation, so why can’t we celebrate it all together? At one point the author says, “can you imagine what would have happened if those immigrants who came to this country from Europe a century or two ago hadn’t tried their best to adopt the practices of those already here?”

Historically, immigrants from

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That’s the motto of some athletes who believe in superstitions that they believe help them out in their respective sports. Olympic gold medalist Eva Samkova believed in a very unique superstition during the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. She wore a painted-on mustache during every snowboardcross event she participated in. Samkova, a quirky 20-year-old from the Czech Republic, won the gold medal in the snowboardcross event and as she reached the bottom of the course, she revealed her “facial hair.” Samkova first donned the mustache during the 2011 Snowboarding World Championship and

Photo: Hector Alejandro, Flikr

february 28, 2014

CORNER Michelle Cooper

BSU by

Hi everyone. Thank you to everyone that came to our last meeting to participate in the diversity activity. We all came to learn after the activity that diversity isn’t just the difference of race but within the individuals. Everyone is different even if they have the same skin color, are from the same family, etc. We still have many more meetings for the semester. They are every Thursday at 5:15 p.m. in Carter Hall Multipurpose Room. Most of the meetings there are activities and details about upcoming events.

If you are interested in running for an e-board position for next year, or would like to nominate someone, please come to our meetings to get more information about it. Please keep in mind that there are rules that go along with running and nominating. There are a certain amount of meetings you must attend in order to do so. You can see any e-board member if you have any questions.

Upcoming events include: the talent show, block party, and the retro party. We are also looking for ideas for places to go for the end of the year trip. We are trying to go somewhere in reasonable distance. Contact an e-board member or come to our meeting to express your idea.

In the ending of black history month, we would like to thank you for participating and supporting all of our events. We would like you to continue to educate yourself on black history beyond the month of February. As you know, you won’t be taught everything in school and if you are it won’t be on a consistent basis. March is Women’s month, remember to honor them!

“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey

The Internship Corner Making the most of InternLink - Part 2

By Deven L. Bourquin

InternLink: Searching for Internships with InternLink is easy. Under the tab “Internships” on the upper Toolbars will take you to internship search. Simply enter your major and watch the results flood in. There are three tabs for the searches that appear: InternLink, Internships.com, and Indeed.com. Upon first clicking on an internship that appears under the Internships.com tab, the user will be greeted with a prompt. Choosing the “connect me button” will create an account with Internships.com. Internships.com is a separate service which is why that is necessary. There will be an email sent to the email address connected to your InternLink account. That email will further explain setting up your profile on Internships.com. There is also an advanced search feature where you can input an internship ID number if you already have an internship on InternLink in mind. You can also look up by position type, employer category, and many other options.

Furthermore, InternLink is where you will create and submit your internship application. The option to do this is located on the left-hand toolbar of the main page of InternLink. Make sure that you select the correct intended term to complete your internship.

Career Campus Coach: On the left hand side toolbar of the homepage for InternLink there is a box that says “The Campus Career Coach.” This website is run by Matt Berndt, a professional with the knowledge of what it takes to start, maintain, and improve a professional career. He was the Director of Communication Career Services at the University of Texas at Austin for twelve years. He has also headed many committees and was a founder of the Southern Association of College and Employers.

The website has numerous tips about searching for jobs. In fact, there is an entire tab dedicated to such matters. He answers questions that people send to him, so contact is encouraged.

There are also numerous resource links. There is everything from advertising industry resources, to mathematics career resources to multiculturalism resources, to hospitality industry resources.

Furthermore, thecampuscareercoach.com also has a list of associations organized by career field. He does answer visitor questions so contacting him with a specific question is encouraged.

Of course, the university does offer career services for its students, so do not forget to utilize the Career Services Office for your immediate needs.

To view all of our internship opportunities, create a profile in InternLink at www.myinterfase.com/cup/student. For more information: Please visit the Internship Center webpage at www. calu.edu/internships or stop by the Internship Center, Eberly 230.

For questions or comments, please call 724-938-1578, or email Tracie Beck at beck_t@calu.edu. The Internship Center will assist you in taking the steps toward gaining career experience.

cal times

page 9

Unhealthy Relationship Support Group

One in five students experience dating violence. Take a look at your relationship.

Is someone you love constantly criticizing you or insulting you? Are they threatening to harm themselves or you? Is he or she constantly checking on you and wanting to know who you’re with, when you’ll be back, what you’re wearing, etc.? These are all sings of an unhealthy relationship. If you think that you are experiencing dating violence, or have in the past, contact the End Violence Center for information about our Unhealthy Relationship Support Group. Join us every Thursday at 11:00am, starting Thursday February 27th. Contact the End Violence Center for meeting location and questions. G45 Carter Hall. greendot@calu.edu 724-938-5707.

Women’s conference to focus on films The film director and chief executive officer of the Women and Girls Foundation, based in Pittsburgh, will speak March 6 at the 2014 Audrey-Beth Fitch Women’s Studies Conference.

This year’s conference title is “Employing a Critical Lens: Engaging with Film to Explore Media, Politics and the Military.” Events will take place in the north wing of the Cal U Convocation Center and are part of the University’s celebration of Women’s History Month.

All events are free and open to the public. Cal U students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend. No registration is required.

Heather Arnet of the Women and Girls Foundation, which works to promote equality in the region, will participate in a question-and-answer session following the Cal U premiere of the film “Madame Presidenta: Why Not U.S.? — Vamos Meninas!” which means “Let’s Go Girls.”

The film, which will be shown from 9:30-11 a.m., is based on Arnet’s trip to Brazil to explore the election of that country’s first female president, in 2010.

Other conference highlights: 9 a.m. Continental breakfast.

12:15-1:45 p.m.: Screening of “The Invisible War,” an

Academy Award-nominated film about sexual assault in the U.S. military.

2-3:15 p.m.: Presentation by Faith J. Dickinson, founder and president of Women in Film and Media Pittsburgh.

3:30-5 p.m.: Screening of “Miss Representation,” which explores how the media portrays women and girls.

Women’s Studies, the Women’s Center, the dean of the College of Liberal Arts, the Provost’s Office and the President’s Office are sponsors of the 2014 Audrey-Beth Fitch Women’s Studies Conference.

CAL TIMES

page 10

february 28, 2014

Cal baseball opens season against No. 5 Mount Olive _______________________

by Jose Negron sports editor

____________________________ After their home opener was postponed due to inclement weather, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team opened their season this past weekend as they traveled to North Carolina to take on the No. 5 ranked team in the country, Mount Olive University, in a doubleheader on Saturday and a Sunday matinee game.

The Vulcans are coming off of a season in which they posted 35 victories, but it doesn’t mean that their expectations are not going to be much higher for the season ahead.

“Each year, a team sets out goals to win more games than the previous year, and wining 35 last year for us was an accomplishment, but not good enough in our eyes,” senior second baseman Giovanni Morales said. “We as a team always tend to stay hungry and humble, constantly searching to get better. Each team sets out with a

goal to win a championship and come out victorious, and we know that to accomplish that, we must be better than we were last year, so that means winning more than 35 games.”

The Vulcans fell behind early to the Trojans, who plated a run in the opening frame on a solo home run by senior Bradon Reitano to take a 1-0 lead. After being shut down in the opening two frames, the Vulcans got something going in the third.

Morales opened up the inning with a lead off single to right center and would advance to second base one batter later after a sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position. Senior Ben Carson would follow up with a single to center field, advancing Morales to third, putting runners on the corners with only one out. The Vulcans would eventually tie up the ball game one batter later when junior Matt Peters flied out to center field to bring in Morales for the Vulcan’s first run of the season.

The Trojans, however, would answer back with two runs in their half of the inning on a sacrifice fly by junior DeAndre

Allen and another solo home run from Reitano, giving Mount Olive a 3-1 lead. The Vulcans would be shut down the rest of the game, while the Trojans would add three more runs in the 8th inning en route to a 6-1 victory.

Junior Justin Taylor picked up the loss; despite pitching five solid innings of four hit baseball while striking out three and walking three. The Vulcans were also led on offense by a 3-3 performance from senior John Orr. The Vulcans would return to the diamond later that evening for game two of the doubleheader, looking to avenge their game one loss and come away with an upset victory.

The Vulcans wasted little time getting an edge on their opponents, plating one in the opening frame on another sacrifice fly by peters to give them an early 1-0 lead. Mount Olive would later regain the edge, plating two runs in the third inning and one in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. The Vulcans trailed up until the top of the seventh inning when the bats came alive for Cal U. With only

one out in the inning, the Vulcans loaded the bases and tied the game on a pair of walks from junior Chris Mitko and senior Chuck Gasti. The scoring wasn’t over as senior Derrik Zeroski would drive in Peters and Mitko with a two run single down the line to give Cal U back the lead.

Senior Zak Schmidt would also add some insurance, driving Gasti in on a single into center field. Mount Olive plated one in the bottom of the seventh, but could not overcome the deficit as the Vulcans would go on to capture the upset and their first win of the season in comeback fashion.

“Picking up a win over the number five team in the nation definitely gives us a load of confidence to start off the year,” Morales said. “What was even more of a confidence builder was that it was a total team win.

It was a great opportunity for us to show ourselves what we can accomplish if we stick to our game.”

The Vulcans and the Trojans were back at it a day later for the deciding third game of the three game series. This game,

Softball team begins season in North Carolina _______________________

by Matt Hagy staff writer

____________________________ The 2014 Cal U Softball season began with a trip to Shaw, North Carolina last weekend to compete in the Shaw Softball Challenge. The Vulcans squared off against five different schools in the tournament and came away with three wins and two losses.

Cal U began the weekend with a convincing 7-1 victory

over Tiffin where sophomore Alex Sagl did it all for the Vulcans by tossing a complete game three-hitter with four strikeouts.

Sagl also collected three hits on the offense along with a RBI. In game 2, the Vulcans fell behind early to Mount Olive and after tying the game up at 5, could not complete the comeback as the Vulcans suffered their first loss of the season. After falling behind 3-0, Cal began to slice away at the lead highlighted by a two run single by freshman Kaity Finley in her first career

at-bat for the Vulcans. After tying the game twice, the Vulcans gave up a lead-off triple in the bottom of the seventh and eventually allowed the winning run to score for the Trojans. In the final game of the day on Saturday, the Vulcans were throttled

by West Virginia Wesleyan 8-0.

The Vulcans bounced back Sunday with a 4-0 win over Alderson Broaddus and a 7-4 win over Claffin. Sagl bounced back against A-B with a complete game two-hit shutout recording a season-high eight strikeouts.

The California University of Pennsylvania women’s hockey team celebrates winning the inaugural CHE Championship last Saturday against Penn State

_______________________

by Brian Crawford for the cal times

____________________________ The Vulcan women’s ice hockey team edged passed rival

Penn State to win the first ever College Hockey East Women’s championship on Saturday. It was fitting that the two teams would meet in the CHE finals after splitting the season series 2-2.

Megan Cooper scored the first

photo: cal hockey

goal following a two-minute long 5-on-3 penalty kill in the first period. After a scoreless second period the Vulcans drew blood again in the third as Alli Paratore gave the team a 2-0 advantage of the Nittany Lions.

With under two minutes left in

The Vulcans jumped out to an early lead and cruised to record their first team shutout of the season. The tournament finale against Claffin was another back and forth affair as the Vulcans recovered from an early 2-0 deficit and stormed ahead of the Panthers 4-2 in the bottom of the third using small ball to their advantage. After Claffin tied it at four, sophomore Natayla Smarra ripped a two-run home run to give the Vulcans the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth and used an insurance run

unfortunately, wasn’t too kind to Cal U, who was looking to upset Mount Olive for the second straight game.

After the Vulcans were able to get out to a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Peters in the first, the Trojans struck for ten runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a commanding lead right out of the gate. After Mount Olive was able to muster up four more runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings, the Vulcans were able to get another run on the board on an RBI single from junior Blake Henderson, to cut the deficit to 12. The Vulcans were shut down the rest of the game and the Trojans were able to score nine runs in the last three innings and would go on to take game three, 23-2.

The Vulcans now look towards their home opener this weekend, as they take on Shippensburg University in a three game series with a double header on Saturday and a game on Sunday at Consol Energy Park in Washington, Pa.

by Finley to finish the tournament on a high note with a 7-4 triumph. Freshman Kaity Davis made her first career start for the Vulcans by throwing four innings of four run ball with Sagl earning the win after limiting the Panthers to one hit over the final three innings.

The Vulcans now take almost a three week break and then travel to Virginia to compete in the Salem Invitational. Cal U will open play against Charleston (WV) on March 14th with first pitch at 1pm.

Cal U women’s hockey team wins inaugural CHE title the game Penn State attempted a comeback, pulling the goalie with an extra attacker on. Geneva Wagoner of PSU cut Cal U’s lead in half. Her efforts were not enough to turn the tide of the game, however, and the Vulcans take home the CHE trophy with a 2-1 win.

Cal U had to defeat West Chester University for the third time in two weeks in order to advance to the championship game. Maria Sciacca managed to propel the Vulcans past West Chester by keeping them off the scoreboard as Kelsey DeNardo and Dana Bowersox gave Cal U a 2-0 win.

After earning their third

league-wide championship in team history, the team has been guaranteed the opportunity to compete in the ACHA Division II National Championships this year in Newark, Del., where they could possibly run into Penn State for a sixth and final time. The national tournament will begin on March 13 at University Ice Arena Gold at the University of Delaware.

The Vulcan men also made it to the national tournament being held in Coral Springs, Fla., and will begin competing for their own CHE title starting with the semi-finals on March 1 at Rostraver Ice Garden.

SPORTS

FEBRUARY Page 11 28, 2014

febRuaRy 28, 2014 PAGE 11

photos: sports information Above: Seniors Ryah Gadson, Kate Seebohm, Ashley Hines and Elena Antonenko were honored on Senior Night for their contributions to the women’s basketball program before last Wednesday’s game against Pitt-Johnstown Below: Members of the men’s basketball team pose with their lone senior, Chris Williams as he was honored before the men’s game against Pitt-Johnstown on Senior Night

Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams win big; honor seniors on “Senior Night”

_______________________

by Jose NegroN sports editor

____________________________ The California University of Pennsylvania men’s and women’s basketball teams closed out their regular season home schedules with key victories against the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown on Senior Night last Wednesday in the Convocation Center.

The women’s basketball team picked up their sixth consecutive win as they cruised past the Mountain Cats, 94-65. The win improved Cal U’s record to 17-7 overall on the season and 11-4 in PSAC conference play.

Prior to tip off, the Vulcans honored their four seniors, Ryah

Gadson, Kate Seebohm, Ashley Hines and Elena Antonenko for their time the basketball program. All four seniors also started the game together, with Gadson departing after the opening possession with a pre existing injury.

The game began as a back and forth battle with both teams trading baskets for the first ten plus minutes of the half. Cal U took over the last eight minutes of the half, going on a 24-9 run to take a commanding 45-29 lead into halftime.

The Lady Cats looked to get back into the game early in the second half, but the Vulcans were able to shut them down early and often, opening their lead to 57-34 with a little under fifteen minutes to play in the game. They would continuously

add to the lead as the half went on, not allowing UPJ to gain any momentum and going on to win big.

Senior Kate Seebohm ironically led the team on offense on Senior Day, setting a new career high with 23 points. Freshman Miki Glenn also paced the Vulcans with 21 points and senior Elena Antonenko and junior Irina Kukolj scored 14 points each. The Vulcans will return to action this Saturday as they open up the first round of the PSAC tournament in the Convocation Center.

The men’s basketball team also picked up a victory last Wednesday night, snapping their five game losing streak with a 74-67 victory.

Like the women’s team, the men’s team also honored their

lone senior, Chris Williams for his contributions to the basketball program.

The Mountain Cats opened up the game with eight unanswered points in the first three minutes of the game to take an 8-0 lead. The Vulcans, who trailed for most of the first half, would mount a comeback late in the half that would include a 19-7 run that would give them a 30-28 lead with a little over two minutes left in the half. However, the Mountain Cats would answer with a run of their own to take a 35-30 lead into the halftime break.

The Vulcans came out in the second half ready to play, as they opened up with an 11-2 run to regain the edge. After the Mountain Cats once again mounted another comeback,

the Vulcans would once again answer with a 13-3 run that would give them their largest lead of the night. With under two minutes to go in regulation time, UPJ battled to within four points, but the Vulcans would capitalize on their possessions, run down the clock, and sink their needed free throws to end their losing streak and win their regular season home finale.

The Vulcans, who had five players score in double digits, were led by junior Alonzo Murphy who posted a doubledouble with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Tynell Fortune also was a big contributor to the efforts with 14 points and five assists, while Williams celebrated his Senior Night in style with 13 points.

SPORTS

page 12 11 Page

february 28, 2014

Athlete Spotlight: Kate Seebohm Class Rank: Senior Age: 22 Major: Biology

Hometown: Millicent, South Australia High School: Millicent

Before joining the Vulcans for the 2010-2011 season, senior basketball player Kate Seebohm played high school basketball at Millicent High School in South Australia. While in high school, Seebohm was a member of a team that captured the Australian Under 20 National Championship. In her time here at California University of Pennsylvania, she has been a named a three time PSAC Scholar Athlete and a member of Cal U’s AD Honor Roll.

After playing in only 16 games during the 20112012 season, Seebohm played in all 31 games as a junior in 2012-2013 and made 29 starts. She ranked second on the team in minutes played and sixth in the PSAC Conference. Following last season, she was selected to the All-PSAC Second Team and was selected to the Preseason All-PSAC West Second Team prior to this season. Seebohm, who has averaged a little under four points per game during her career at Cal U, recently set a new career high last Wednesday on Senior Night as she posted 23 points in the Vulcans 94-65 victory over Pitt-Johnstown. photo: sports information