Fashion in bloom
FRIGHT NIGHT What makes a horror movie not horrible. Arts & Life, page 16
Spring’s here, ditch the winter coat and try these trends. Arts & Life, page 18
DePaulia
The
The No. 1 Weekly College Newspaper in Illinois
Volume #99 | Issue #20 | April 13, 2015 | depauliaonline.com
Raising funds and awareness for cancer across campus By Megan Deppen News Editor
Two organizations, hundreds of students and tens of thousands of dollars for one cause: ending cancer. Whether it’s knowing a friend or family member that has or is affected by cancer, hundreds of DePaul students unite every year to take on new fundraising challenges towards curing the disease. Last week Demonthon’s 24-hour fundraiser that aimed at raising $24,000 actually raised more than $36,000, while DePaul’s Colleges Against Cancer, CAC, raised more than $40,000 for their annual highlight event, Relay for Life. To explain why they did it — why they stood on street corners, overcoming fears of asking strangers for money; why they sent countless emails asking for donations and then stayed up through the night to walk around a track — students said it was because everyone, in some way is affected by cancer. DePaul sophomore Alexa Ohm’s parents led the opening lap around the indoor track last Friday at CAC’s
See CANCER, page 6
World Catholicism Week stresses responsibility for planet By Megan Deppen News Editor
In anticipation of Pope Francis’ encyclical, the annual papal address to all Roman Catholic bishops, DePaul hosted scholars, theologians and activists from around the world last week to address environmental issues at the university’s sixth annual World Catholicism Week. The South American pope’s environmental agenda is expected to put pressure on world leaders to prioritize environmental solutions, but it is only a part of the movement by all religions to take better care of the planet. In a country where science and religion don’t easily mix, speakers at the conference hosted by the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology, said the divine and nature are intertwined. “I think the reason (science and religion) been studied separately is one is considered spiritual and
See CATHOLICISM, page 5
COURTNEY JACQUIN | THE DEPAULIA
Sheila Gerhardt, a third-year student at DePaul, stands on Fullerton Avenue just west of Sheffield Avenue in the location where she and her roommate were mugged September 2013 on their way to class. Theft is the most common crime reported to DePaul Public Safety and the Chicago Police Department near the Lincoln Park campus.
The reality of crime
Theft higest among crimes reported at DePaul
Safety) in that way. The way they supported me was really cool.” The incident, which took place Sept. 30, 2013, was part of a larger attack involving three separate incidents in a half-hour span that morning. Chicago Police By Courtney Jacquin arrested four of the six offenders, three of whom were Editor-in-Chief minors. Gerhardt’s unfortunate incident is not uncommon Sheila Gerhardt and her roommate were walking to their first class of the day after grabbing coffee at near DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus. In a survey of Starbucks on Sheffield and Fullerton Avenue, now Chicago Police Department data from Sept. 1, 2014 to taken over by Whole Foods, like any other fall quarter Dec. 1, 2014 — roughly DePaul’s autumn quarter — just over 200 crimes were committed in morning. the sliver of Lincoln Park DePaul As they were walking west along inhabits. Incidents happening Fullerton Avenue to their 11:20 a.m. Theft is the most common between Armitage Avenue to the classes in Arts & Letters Hall, they crime reported to the south, Wrightwood Avenue to the noticed a loud group of teens not far north, Lakewood Avenue to the behind on the sidewalk. And then Chicago Police Department west and Halsted Street to east were the morning wasn’t so usual. and DePaul Public Safety considered. “This girl slapped my roommate around the Lincoln Park Among those reports to the on her butt … they used that as a campus. Chicago Police Department, nearly distraction to unzip her backpack half were theft with 90 reports. and take her wallet,” Gerhardt, a Criminal damage to property came third-year DePaul student studying in second with 19 reports and battery with 17. The creative writing, said. Gerhardt then ran after the group screaming to get majority of thefts were reported as taking place on the the wallet back, but in the process was tripped by one street, with 23 of the 90 reports fitting that location of the offenders, hitting her head on the cement and description. DePaul Public Safety reports mirror the prevalence spraining her ankle, later requiring medical treatment. She and her roommate immediately went to DePaul’s of theft around DePaul’s campus. From Sept. 5 to Nov. Public Safety office to report the incident, and Public 8, 2014, 24 theft reports were filed to Public Safety. At the start of Spring Quarter, DePaul students Safety received permission from the Chicago Police Department to arrest the offenders, and caught those were reminded of the reality of crimes on campus — Public Safety sent out an alert of an aggravated robbery involved within 10 minutes according to Gerhardt. “I definitely believe in Public Safety in a way I hadn’t near campus on the first day of classes for the quarter. before,” Gerhardt said. “I never encountered (Public
See CRIME, page 4