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August 14, 2014
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2014-2015 Editorial Board
ecleader.org
Letter from the Editor The pamphlets and informational presentations you’ve read or listened to regarding college have probably given you the perception that it is this mythical experience in which you’ll fight the dragons of ignorance, solve the mysteries of the real world, and travel great distances until you’re initiated into the society of enlightened individuals. Well, “The Leader” is here to give you the honest truth about college and any other adventure you will take afterwards. Your roommate could turn out to be an asshole that drunkenly pukes in your closet, instead of the amazing best friend you imagined him/her to be. The subject you planned on majoring in, could end up being incredibly boring instead of engaging like you expected.
Zachary Bishop Editor-in-Chief
Chrissy Croft News Editor
Your college experience will not be what you imagined it to be, and accepting that is half the battle in making the most out of it. The only parts of it you can control are the decisions you make at each and every intersection. The pages that follow will provide you with the information you need to make those decisions wisely and confidently, along with a little humor that will teach you to laugh when you make the wrong ones. All you have control of is the choices that will carry you forward on your journey, so don’t be in the dark when you make them. Sincerely, Zachary Bishop Editor-in-Chief
Andy Prignano Opinions Editor
Kailey Hansen Beat Editor
Eric Lutz Nikki Smith Graphics Editor
Peter Flockencier Photo Editor
Faculty Adviser Feb. to Aug. 2014
ABOUT US
The Leader is the studentrun newspaper speaking to the students, faculty and administrators of Elmhurst College. The Leader is not submitted to any person or organization for prior approval. The contents are the decision of the editor in agreement with the editorial board. Opinions expressed in The Leader do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or its staff, and are not intended to represent those of the College at large. No text, photos, or art can be reproduced without direct permission of The Leader.
CONTACT US
Kathryn Kuszynski Copy Editor
Elyse Christofanelli
Business Manager
190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst, IL 60126 Phone: 630.617.3320 leadernewsec@gmail.com
PUBLISHING INFO The Leader is funded by the student activities fund and advertising revenue. The paper has a press run of 1,500. It can be picked up in all campus buildings and certain offcampus sites.
PRODUCTION STAFF Emily Dabrowski Katie Matthews Brett Peto Megan Schram Luke Tanaka Joe Tassi Tyler York
ADVERTISING Elyse Christofanelli c/o Leader Advertising 190 Prospect Ave. Elmhurst, IL 60126 Advertising: 630.617.3321 theleaderadvertising@gmail.com
Crash Landing on
Planet Bluejay
EC
From wayward to entitled, college students get a bad rap. We find ourselves wrapped up in the bubble that is our college campus, and as a result we can fall into the trap of putting on blinders to the world around us. Thankfully, all stereotypes have an exception, and we can move beyond the bubble. That’s why we are here. News is your gateway into the inner workings of the College as well as your local and global community. We are committed to disseminating relatable and reliable information in a timely manner that allows you to connect with the bigger picture. Most of all, we aim to be a part of your adventure as an EC student. This section is for you and about you, so don’t put on the blinders. - Chrissy Croft, News Editor
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Honorable Mention: A. The Roost Stage in front of the “Bluejay Roost” neon sign B. The Stanger Hall Laundry room next to some graffiti C. The R.A. Fagnell Hall Lobby in front of the trophies D. The Gazebo outside of Schiable (preferably when it floods) E. The third floor of Cureton during a football game
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Where and How to Take Selfies On Campus – Elmhurst Selfie Challenge 1. President S. Alan Ray’s Office Who better to be in your self-portrait than the most important person at EC?
2. The West Hall Courtyard If you want to trick your Instagram followers into thinking you attend Harvard Law School, sit on one of the courtyard’s benches, slightly tilt your camera upwards to catch the pedi- 4. The Alumni Circle Fountain You’ve probably seen this landmark in every brochure EC ment with the spire on it, and snap your selfie. compulsively sent you and yes, it is ten times more beautiful 3. The Mall in person, but you should still take a selfie with it. If there’s one thing the ghosts of EC past got right when designing the campus it’s the beautiful stretch of grass 5. The Ash Tray between Frick and the Chapel that we know as the Mall. There are several landmarks in the lovely stone oval known as the “Ash Tray” to include in yours selfies.
Graphics by Kathryn Kuszynski
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Wellness Center heals students confidentially
August 14, 2014
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Under the Microscope
Don’t forget your health Photo by Peter Flockencier The Wellness Center is where students can go for checkups and counseling on campus.
Chrissy Croft news editor
If college starts to feel like a voyage through uncharted galaxies, consider making the Wellness Center your central space command. Located in the basement of Niebuhr Hall, the Wellness Center is your one stop shop to improve your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Students can be evaluated by nurse practitioners and doctors right on campus. Any prescriptions or lab work will costs money, but the initial visit is free of charge. Freebies might be the best part of the Wellness Center, including brochures in the waiting room, a serenity room with a Lite Box to treat seasonal affective disorder, cold medicine, and sexual health items like condoms, dental dams, and even the morning after pill. If you’re having a hard time adjusting to new life changes, have been feeling down or distracted, or are coping with a mental illness, the Wellness Center also offers free psychological counseling. Students can take advantage of 30 free sessions during their time at Elmhurst, with a 15 session limit each year. Group
counseling is also available without limitations. The counseling staff includes three licensed clinical psychologists, four master’s-level counselors, and a psychiatrist to meet student needs. If a student has a problem that goes beyond the Wellness Center’s scope, they can offer referrals to other services. Amy Swarr, Director of Counseling Services, debunked a misconception about counseling through an e-mail. “The idea that you have to be ‘crazy’ or have a severe mental illness to benefit from counseling [is a myth],” said Swarr via email. “Counseling can be helpful to anybody who wants a safe space to work through issues in their life, or to work on personal growth and development.” Mental health issues are statistically more prevalent during the college years, so taking advantage of the free resources can’t hurt. Plus, it’s a great opportunity only offered through select agencies and institutions. The waiting room itself offers a relaxing environment through coloring and activity pages that students can come in and enjoy. As for the services that do cost money, there is the option of paying with check, cash,
credit/debit card, or through your student account. The Wellness Center is completely confidential, so the charge will show up generically as “medical charge” on the student account statement, if the latter is chosen. These services include massage therapy, vaccinations, and various medication prescriptions.
The idea that you have to be ‘crazy’ or have a severe mental illness to benefit from counseling [is a myth]” Amy Swarr Director of Counseling Services When exploring EC, don’t forget to stop in at the Wellness Center to take advantage of the great resources being offered. Their website, http://public. elmhurst.edu/wellness, has links to helpful online resources and guides for a variety of common issues and questions, as well as the comprehensive list of services provided. So next time you get a sniffle, stop by the Wellness Center for some cold medicine and a coloring book page. You wellness depends on it.
Stop the invasion of STIs Chrissy Croft news editor
Take off that tin foil hat and stop looking for UFOs, there’s a more serious invasion you should be worried about. Every year, approximately 10 million people age 15-24 contract an STD. Help prevent infection by following these tips: Use Protection Condoms and dental dams can be picked up in the Wellness Center, or purchased at any convenience store. Make sure condoms are the proper size, and never “double bag” because it might cause a tear. If you can’t afford dental dams, cut the tip off a condom and then cut down the side to create
a barrier for oral sex. Choose the Right Lube The type of lube you use can go a long way. Oil-based lube cannot be used with condoms. Instead, use water or siliconebased. All lubes come with a booklet in case you forget. Switching it Up Never switch from anal to vaginal penetration without changing the condom or glove and properly sanitizing your hands. Birth Control Women who may engage in sex with male-bodied individuals have many options for preventing unwanted pregnancies. From the pill to the patch to the sponge, it’s best to consult your
doctor or a nurse in the Wellness Center where they sell oral contraceptives for $15 per pack. Don’t forget, BCs don’t protect you from HIV or STDs, so still use protection! Be Aware Try to keep yourself in situations where you feel comfortable and in control. Consensual sex includes a mutual agreement about sex safety methods. Speak Up If you have questions about engaging in safer sex or feel that you are at risk of an STD, go to the Wellness Center or your personal physician.
Brett Peto staff writer
College is the beginning of a new life. Changes will happen, and each of you will experience college differently. In addition to the roommate troubles, car malfunctions, and weight accumulations everyone endures, biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology students must weather a few unique trials and tribulations. The first day of classes will either invigorate you, or deflate the invincible optimism balloon Big Questions painstakingly inflated and tied around your wrist. The first semester of classes will either reassure your chemistry professor that you can be trusted with hydrochloric acid, or discourage them from letting you in the same room with it. The first year of classes will either solidify the career plans you’ve had since before you could remember or dissolve them as if doused with... hydrochloric acid. Aside from the more lighthearted fare, it seems to me that science majors are at greater risk than some others of forgetting about their health. I’m not talking about the one day you eat cold chocolatefrosted Pop Tarts for breakfast on the way to your 8 a.m. class. I’m talking about the whole week you’re short on sleep, sunlight, and sanity writing a research grant proposal that always feels like it’s due in five minutes. Or the semester you think you could become a professional Jenga player with how many trees’ worth of biology notes you’ve carefully stacked on your desk. Things are bound to slip away. Old habits of brushing your teeth twice a day and piecing together a healthy diet will deteriorate into brushing your teeth with your fingers and tossing together a diet of quesadillas and chicken wings. The tiny stressors and the big stressors will gather into a hideous pile you can’t ignore for long. You’ll make bargains with your body: I promise, you can break down after this next test, this next presentation, this next lab practical. Soon, illnesses you’re more susceptible to after excessive stress will strike. Ear infections, sinus infections, head colds and the like. If you’re lucky, that will happen before finals. If not, your finals may glisten with snot when you hand them in. But then it will be over. You’ll have all winter break or all summer to recover. And then, somehow, you’re expected to do it again. And, somehow, you will. I don’t believe we science majors, nor anyone else, have to practice complete negligence of our health. Imagine a building under construction. That’s your brain. Buildings under construction need scaffolding. That’s your body. The building cannot be completed without the scaffolding, and the scaffolding has no purpose without the building. Like Chicagoland roads in summer, the construction will never end. You’ll constantly be improving your mind, tweaking it, laying new bricks down. So I propose something different. I haven’t tried it yet. But I think it’s necessary to improve the lives of science students, and really, all students. Take care of your grades and extracurriculars, but don’t forget to take care of yourself. Reach for more nutritious meals. Accept invitations to hang out if you need to have fun. Decline them if you need to relax. It doesn’t have to be drastic steps, where you throw the hydrochloric acid you’re not supposed to be holding at the wall and leave the lab swearing. Small steps—literal steps—are good. Sometimes, taking a walk away from everything can save your life. But when you’re done walking, and you’ve remembered your health and yourself, come back and clean up that acid. That stains, you know.
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Charting a course through Chartwells
File photo
Hungry Bluejays wait in line to get deli sandwiches, one of the many entrees offered in the caf.
Brett Peto staff writer
So the free food of Big Questions has just vanished, and it’s time to dig in to your brandnew Chartwells meal plan. Right now, navigating it may seem trickier than space travel. How do I pay for food? How much? Where should I eat? Is there a rewards program? How far can I stretch my meal plan? Which one should I have? Before you fall from space, here are some tips to help you feed yourself (and not the aliens) better. A Bluejay always pays his debts Once the semester starts, there’s no more walking straight past the cashiers like you own the place, unless you want to get familiar with Campus Security. Like a real adult, you’re financially responsible for your food. And Chartwells makes it easy enough to be so. The dollars from your meal plan—minus a security deposit, in case you still walk past the cashiers—are converted into points and digitally attached to your Jaypass. Just have the cashier give it a swipe and you’ll be on your way. You can also pay with credit or cash, although if you use the latter, you might just hear impatient grumblings behind you as your change inevitably tumbles to the floor. But if you don’t choose wisely, you could have no change at all. Most meals in the Caf and Roost range from seven to ten dollars. A few include a drink, like the Roost’s Grillnation value meals, but the majority don’t. Some items from the Caf’s salad bar, such as cottage cheese, are priced according to weight. Soup is priced by container size. Upstairs in the Founders Lounge and off the entrance in the library are the coffee shops, serving chai tea, cookies, bagels, muffins, lattes, and the like. Most concoctions run you two to four dollars.
Occasionally you’ll encounter a bake sale on the way to the Caf, almost always charitable and sponsored by a student organization. All the fare will be Chartwells-made—nothing else is allowed—and should cost you a couple bucks. Real bucks, too. They don’t accept Jaypasses. Fill your belly and your Belly You just got out of Intro to Macroeconomics and you’re hungry. Famished. Starving. Do you choose the Caf or the Roost? Well, what do you like to eat? The Caf is the closest EC has to a sit-down restaurant, offering entrees and sides like turkey, mashed potatoes, burritos, and deli sandwiches. It also has a large seating area that sometimes hosts music, charity drives, and poster sales. The Roost is more of a casual place you go to for burgers and fries, chicken wings, pizzas, and ice cream. Across from Olive’s, a sandwich bar specializing in flatbread sandwiches and quesadillas, is a convenience store housing cereal, candy, some personal health care products,
and more. But your decision, made under pressure as you walk from Hammerschmidt Chapel to the Frick Center, depends on your appetite, too. The Roost, especially the Grillnation value meals, tends to provide more food than most meals in the Caf of similar price. However, Roost meals can also often be greasier than Caf meals, given they try to mimic American diner-style food. Perhaps your appetite isn’t that big today, though. Perhaps a muffin or a bagel and a drink will satisfy you. In that case, both of the coffee shops have you covered. But whatever you choose to fill your belly, you can fill another one at the same time: your own personal Belly card. Founded in 2011, Belly is a customer loyalty program available at all Chartwells locations and several in downtown Elmhurst, including Zenwich, Nu Crepes, and Brain Freeze. To create an account, just pick up a blue card at a Belly station, scan its QR code, and enter your email. Or, you can download the Belly app if you don’t want to carry the card.
Every time you buy something, you’ll earn five points, which can eventually accumulate into rewards like a free case of Red Bull or skipping the line at the Founders Lounge coffee shop. There are smaller prizes, such as free cookies and coffee. But many students collect points into the thousands over their four years at EC—that free case of Red Bull doesn’t come cheap. Plan out your plan Your meal plan probably looks as bottomless as a black hole now—how will you ever spend that much money on food?—but, come finals time, it may prove otherwise. Of course, the hefty Bluejay ($2,375) will last longer than the midsized Basic ($1,796), which will last longer than the petite E.C. Lite ($1,362). But no matter which you have, there are ways to stretch it. Don’t eat three meals a day at Chartwells. Eat breakfast in your dorm room, or even a light lunch; peanut butter and jelly once or twice a week won’t hurt. Limit small snack purchases, like coffee, cookies, and muffins, from the coffee shops.
While most are three or four dollar expenditures, that daily habit can accumulate into hundreds over a semester. Downsize your intake. Chartwells offers the $5 Challenge, giving leaner portions for leaner prices. You may not get nor eat your dessert, but savings are just as sweet as that pumpkin pie you lust over at Thanksgiving. But which meal plan should you stretch in the first place? It depends mainly on how much you’re on campus. Students who rarely go home on the weekends might want to invest in the Basic or the Bluejay. Those who flee campus for home at 3 p.m. every Friday afternoon, however, should go with the E.C. Lite. Semester’s End Charting a course through Chartwells is, actually, nothing like ordinary space travel. It’s more like tiptoeing through the Caf to avoid an alien abduction. But if you follow these guidelines, you might just have enough left on your Jaypass—or your Belly card—at semester’s end to stock up on cases of Red Bull.
Chef Jerry hands a student sauce for his chicken tenders, an example of the more casual meals the Roost offers.
File photo
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August 14, 2014
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Surviving as an out-of-state student Chrissy Croft news editor
After hours of eating tiny bags of peanuts, or attempting to hold down gas station food, you finally completed your voyage to Elmhurst, Illinois. Elmhurst might be the big city – we’re talking to you Kansas – or a remote island compared to your bustling hometown. Either way, the start of freshman year feels like you’re navigating your first moon landing. Before you start decorating your dorm with One Direction posters and polaroids of high school friends you’ll probably never talk to again, you need to know the basics of surviving away from home. Take this trusty guide with you as you move through the obstacles of being an out of state student, and don’t forget to call your parents every once in a while so they don’t convert your bedroom into a home gym. Weekend cosmonauts If your vision of college looks like Project X, you might have picked the wrong school. Weekends are generally quiet, and it takes some extra effort to avoid boredom. Angie Carpenter, a 2014 EC graduate from Missouri, recommends connecting with other out of state students. “It’s nice to have friends who are around on the weekends,” said Carpenter via email. “Not
to mention someone who also knows what you’re experiencing.” Events periodically take place on weekends, offering a chance to meet other students who stay on campus. According to Rachael Willits, Assistant Director of Programming and Education, EC’s Office of Residence Life is responsible for some of them. “We have increased the amount of weekend programming we have done in the past few years to help... students who stay here on the weekends, [and] a large number of them are out of state students,” Willits said via email. Before you start making weekend friends, however, it might be a good idea to check what time the dining hall is open. Chartwell’s has limited hours on weekends, and without proper planning you might find yourself spending all your money on fast food deliveries. If waking up before 1pm is not in your weekend plans, stocking up on groceries or saving leftovers is a good alternative. Summer break: the final frontier When classes are not in session, the Campus closes down. If your family’s finances do not permit traveling home multiple times throughout the year, you should consider traveling home with friends from Illinois.
Although Break Housing is available through Residence Life, there is limited access to on campus dining. Plus the echo of an empty Frick Center adds to the sting of not being home for the holidays. Spare yourself the depression and find a break buddy. If you are lucky enough to travel home for break, make sure you plan ahead.
“It’s nice to have [out-of-state] friends who are around on the weekends.” Angie Carpenter You will have to make travel plans that accommodate your academic schedule, particularly finals week, as well as Residence Life regulations, which can be stressful if your family is unable to assist you. Over the summer, you have a few options for storing your dorm room belongings. You can divide up all your possessions and put them in the care of trusted friends, you can lug all your boxes back home, or you can invest in a storage unit. If you choose the latter, make sure not to wait until the last minute. Storage units fill up quickly as summer approaches. With all this stress, some students might find it beneficial to simply rent an off campus apartment, so they have a place
to live and store their items when campus is closed. Show this to your parents if you need help convincing them. It sounds a lot better than whining about how dorms limit your ability to be a mature adult who throws killer parties. “Houston, we have a problem.” It might seem obvious, but reaching out for help is an easy way to make the most of your college experience. Befriending Chicagoans Being an out-of-stater at a college where most students are from the Chicagoland area can be a struggle since most of the people on your floor leave to see their friends as often as possible. If you are really hoping to befriend these seemingly alien Chicagoans, try getting involved on campus, so you can find common ground with them. Bradley Levi, a current EC senior from Indianapolis, says campus involvement changed her experience for the better. “I forced myself to join clubs and try out new things as opposed to staying in my dorm room all the time,” she said via email. “It may seem awkward at first, but it pays off in the end.” These newfound connections can help you learn the ins and outs of Elmhurst, both the college and the surrounding community. Prepare for Launch
Staying on campus might be comfortable, but exploring surrounding areas will further connect you to your new home. Take a stroll down York Street, the main road in Downtown Elmhurst, and you will find places to eat, study, and play. The Bluejay Shuttle, a free service offered on weekends, will take you to Walmart, Target, and Yorktown Mall. Gather some friends and take advantage of the free ride. Elmhurst also has easy access to Chicago, or “The City”, thanks to the Metra station so close by. A day trip to a museum, art gallery, or park in the city is a great break from campus life. City slickers will find that Chicago feels a lot like any other large metropolitan city, while others will be impressed by its massive scale. Keep a look out on your campus portal for special deals, like discounted sports or aquarium tickets, offered to all EC students. “One small step for man” The point is: college is what you make of it. And you decided to make it a journey, a far away trek, an adventure to an unknown planet. So go forth and make the best of it. Take these tips and inhabit your new home planet, one small step at a time. Welcome to Elmhurst, space cadet.
On-campus jobs yield career experience Andy Prignano
opinions editor The time reads 8:02, you’re late. There’s no time for a stop in the caf, and you won’t be able to change out of your grease covered polo before class. Working the overnight shift is tough, but what other option does a college student have? On campus employment might just be the answer you’re looking for. EC junior Deonte Powell sees them as a favorable alternative to typical jobs, although they aren’t much different. “It’s like an everyday job, I think they’re more appropriate for people our age,” said Powell in an online interview. “The school does [a good job of ] of working around our hours but setting realistic expectations of us.” In an average year there are around 700 positions students can be hired to as part of the campus employment program. EC claims that these positions exist to help students learn how to act in a professional environment, build resumes, and feel more connected with the school. Michelle DeFranco, Assistant Director of the Frick Center, oversees 16 student employees that she feels benefit from the experience. “It helps build transferable
job skills, and builds a resume,” she said. She went on to say that for many of her workers it is the first time they’ve ever had to write a resume, and she offers opportunities for them to meet with other EC staff members to learn professional skills. “It helps you feel connected to the campus, especially for commuters. Instead of stopping at home between classes, you are actually on campus more and get to know more people.” DeFranco said. The biggest benefit to being a student worker on campus is the high chance of department heads working around your class schedule. “I have a few students who need 20 hours, but other than that I only ask students to work in hour shifts and at least 3 hours a week and I haven’t had any problems with letting them pick yet.” DeFranco said. “When it isn’t busy we’re even ok with letting the students study and get their homework done.” Chances are, you won’t find that kind of accommodation at a typical job. There are two different types of jobs offered to students: Federal Work-Study and Elmhurst College Funded Employment. The only major differences are where the money comes from and students with FWS have access to some jobs ECFE students do not.
Photo by Peter Flockencier Sophomore Rheanna Sudduth studies the list of available on-campus jobs in the Frick Center.
FWS can only be granted through a student’s FAFSA results. If a student does not take advantage of it by seeking employment on campus within their first year, it will not be granted their second year. “That way students who would actually use it are granted it” explained Kathy Maxwell, EC’s Student Employment Coordinator. If a student is offered FWS and chooses to work at multiple jobs, their FWS funds will go towards all of their current jobs, even the ones offered through
ECFE. When FWS runs out, the job(s) that are specific to FWS will also end.
“[On-campus jobs are] more appropriate for people our age... The school does [a good job of] of working around our hours.” Deonte Powell There is a 20 hour per week limit for student workers, allowing the funds to last longer and
for students to have a life outside of work. Like many of the jobs students can get outside of campus, EC positions usually pay minimum wage. But there are some exceptions. If you are interested in working on campus, make sure to check the campus employment page for new job openings, as well as the bulletin boards in the Frick Center. On campus jobs can boost your resume and your funds, without destroying your GPA.
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CPE helps students develop professionally Zachary Bishop editor-in-chief
The professional world can be incredibly confusing and in the United States’ recovering economy, employers will only hire college graduates who have specific skills ranging from effective communication to dinner etiquette. Even finding potential workplaces to interview you is a challenge itself. But EC students have a place on campus where they can go to learn all of these skills and tricks for no extra cost – the Center for Professional Excellence. Tucked away on the first floor of Circle Hall, its employees are available to help students develop skills and obtain experiences to succeed in the professional world. Although some of the services don’t seem like they belong in a professional development center, Executive Director Lawrence Carroll reveals that they all help students develop the skills they need for their careers. “[Our services] are woven together because they provide what employers and graduate schools believe students need to be successful,” he said. Having all of these services under one roof also makes it easier for the CPE’s employees to work together to help students, Coordinator of the Education Enrichment Program Julie Gonzales assures. “The CPE, with all it has to offer, enables us to address each student individually, meeting them where they are,” she said. “The earlier we can get a student to come through our door, the better prepared they will be when they graduate.” Career exploration The first step for students who want to prepare for the working world is to figure out what career paths suit them. For that, the CPE offers a mentoring program, a specialized course, and shadowing opportunities. The center’s mentoring program, which was given a Gold Seal of Accreditation by the International Mentoring Association (IMA) last Fall, provides students with the opportunity to hear first-person perspectives regarding careers they’re exploring. It pairs students up with mentors who are professionals in fields they are considering. “[Mentors] make themselves available to students in the form of informational interviews and shadowing experiences in order for students to be able to learn about specific careers,” said Gonzales, who oversees the program. For students who have no idea what they want to do with their lives or are unsure if their current major fits them, the CPE offers a half-credit course (CPP-299) titled “Professional Foundations of Career Development.” Students who take it are required to examine their skills,
read literature on career paths to find answers to their questions, and learn to network with professionals in prospective fields. The CPE hopes that students come out of the class with a clear idea of what they want to major in and what career they want to pursue. For students who already have a clear idea of what they want to do, the First Leap program caters to those who have a clear idea of what they want to do after college. For five days, participating students learn how to connect with professionals in their anticipated fields and shadow them.
“[The CPE’s services] are woven together because they provide what employers and graduate schools believe students need to be successful.” Lawrence Carroll Executive Director Sophomore Jonathan Tatar found the program useful because he was able to sit-in on a music classroom and work with others who were as focused as him. “I wanted to participate because [it was an] opportunity to solidify my desire to teach music while meeting other people who are also searching for validation of their chosen career path,” he said in an email. “Shadowing a music teacher for 10 hours was exhausting, but I know I can see myself in her shoes within the next few years.” Tatar left the program reassured of his major and future career choice. “I gained more confidence in the fact that I know exactly what I want to do with my life,” he said. Internship guidance A good step for students to develop professionally is to complete one or more internships to gain job experience and further explore their anticipated careers. Internship Coordinator Holly Coffin explains that students cannot get by in the professional world unless they make the time to complete an internship during college. “Any employer you speak with nowadays will only hire candidates that have done an internship,” she says. “If [an employer] has to choose between someone who got a 4.00 G.P.A., but did not complete an internship and someone with a 3.3 that did several internships, they’ll go with the [latter] person.” While she and the CPE work to provide students with information sessions and other resources regarding where to look for internships, Coffin stresses they don’t do all of the work for students.
Photo by Peter Flockencier Holly Coffin provides students with resources to find internships, but does not do all of the work for them.
“I give students the tools necessary to be able to locate an internship. But I’m not the internship fairy,” Coffin said. “I make it the responsibility of the student to search and be successful at finding an internship.” If a student chooses to receive school credit for an internship experience, Coffin believes they will become more aware of the skills they gain from it because of the required work. “By doing the skills assessments before and after the internship and then writing the final reflection paper, students become more aware of their skills and gain the ability to clearly present them to future employees,” she said. Internships also show students what the environments of the fields they’re interested in are really like, Coffin explains. She believes learning this is crucial for success. “It’s not just about the career they want to pursue, it’s about the culture [of that career],” she said. “They have to be happy with both.” There is no limit for how many internship experience students can have during college and the more they complete, the more of an edge they’ll have in the job market. Studying away While studying in a different part of the U.S. or abroad may seem like a way to have fun and waste money in college, the experience gives students valuable skills that employers and graduate schools are looking for. Students learn how to understand others, solve problems, and communicate more effectively, all skills employers want to see, Carroll explains. “Having a study away experience on a resume shows employers that a student has gained skills about how to work with people who are different from [him/her],” he said. Alice Niziolek, Director of International Education/Interna-
tional Student Services, says research shows that students who study away have a better chance of succeeding in the professional world, “Students who have studied abroad tend to find jobs faster and find ones in their desired careers more quickly,” Niziolek said. Students have a number of study away opportunities they can participate in, such as learning about globalization in India for a J-Term, completing an internship and living in downtown Chicago for a semester, and studying the humanities in Oxford for a year. But studying abroad is challenging and requires a lot of planning, which is why the CPE helps students prepare by requiring them to take a halfcredit course – CPP 250: Preparing for International Education. In the course, students learn how to apply for visas, cope with culture shock and loneliness, and fill out all the necessary paperwork. But other than helping students sort out logistics, the class teaches students how to reflect on the abilities they will develop abroad. “We encourage students to think deeply about the skills they’re developing while overseas,” Niziolek said. When students study abroad, they are able to use their EC financial aid to pay for the experience and the CPE works with them to assure the credits they earn while overseas will apply to their majors or ECIC requirements. So students can still study away for a semester or two and still graduate on time. “The world is your campus at EC,” Niziolek said. Teaching the art of professionalism While helping students explore careers, find internships, and study abroad programs that fit them, the CPE trains students how to behave and act in professional environments.
Its employees help students practice effective interviewing skills by hosting mock interviews, and show them how to write resumes and cover letters. And for formal occasions, the center teaches students proper meal etiquette, such as what fork to use for a particular course or whether to taste your food before seasoning it. The CPE offers in-person sessions to teach students these skills, but it also gives students a number of resources for them hone these abilities on their own such as informational packets, online workshops, and Optimalresume.com (a website students can use to format resumes, cover letters, and portfolios for free). The mentoring program also helps students learn how to be a professional, Gonzales explains. “Students [have the] opportunity to learn what it means to be a professional, alongside a seasoned professional that is devoted to their development,” she said. “They’ll get you out of your comfort zone, which you need to do to grow.” Additional services In addition to the services discussed, the CPE also helps students find service-learning sites, brings prominent intercultural speakers to campus, and develops academic research opportunities for all students. The employees also help students find jobs after college by holding an annual career fair, hosting networking events, and maintaining a job-posting database for the EC community (ECconnect.com). Since the CPE provides a plethora of services that help students grow professionally, its employees suggest students start utilizing them as soon as possible. “If we can just get you through the door, we’ll help you get where you need to go,” Gonzales assures.
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August 14, 2014
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Campus Shortz: Hard news briefs (usually) in 500 words or less Purchasing Bluejay merchandise is currently unavailable, but Beck’s website says they are coming soon. As for textbooks, the estimated shipping time is one to two business days for the Chicagoland area. The last day to return your textbook for a refund is August 29th. Beck’s operates in a much smaller scope than Neebo, with only nine other institutions housing book stores on their campuses.
Photo by Peter Flockencier Chartwells will now be serving Starbucks instead of Seattle’s Best at campus coffee shops.
Chrissy Croft
news editor For those who are new to EC or are returning for another year, here are some updates you might want to be aware of. EC ranked 166th best college in the US Money magazine has ranked the best colleges in the US, and Elmhurst is number 166. The ranking is based on three areas of criteria: quality of education, affordability for students, and career earnings of alumni. In the report, EC was compa-
rable to public state schools due to the rate of financial aid assistance and below average rate of student loan debt compared to similar private institutions. The average EC undergrad pays an estimated 40 percent of the listed tuition and acquires 13 percent less debt than students in comparable private colleges. Money Magazine reported that EC’s most popular majors include business, the health professions, education, computer science, music, and speech pathology. Nearby colleges with similar ranking include Wheaton Col-
lege, which came in at 101, and Illinois State University at 177. EC tied with La Salle University in Pennsylvania and Union College in New York. Beck’s Books replaces Neebo Chicago-based textbook retailer Beck’s Books is now at EC, replacing the Nebraska Book Company (Neebo). An EC portal announcement from store manager Hector Feliciano states that Neebo has given Beck’s their leftover inventory and they are now in the process of stocking up for the Fall.
EC now serves Starbucks Coffee addicts rejoice, and prepare for your Jaypass money to deplete, because Starbucks has arrived at EC. Chartwell’s has announced that Seattle’s Best Coffee will be replaced with their upscale parent brand, Starbucks. Both on campus coffee shops will make the switch at the start of the fall semester. Seattle’s Best was bought by Starbucks in July 2003 but is branded as a “working class coffee” and remains distinct from the iconic green mermaid, typically regarded as a less expensive alternative. Coffee isn’t the only thing changing; Chartwell’s announced via Facebook that a new brand called “Create” will be served in the Roost this fall. The brand is described as “an exhibition-style culinary experience where you’ll be able to customize the selection while the food is created right in front of your eyes.”
New space and resources for student orgs Over the summer, the Student Government Association (SGA) voted to put their funds towards reconfiguring the student organizations’ office space in the basement of the Frick Center and purchasing a program called OrgSync. They say these changes will provide the eight SGA- funded student organizations with more room for meetings. OrgSync was created by two former college students who suffered years in disorganized student organizations. They created the program with hopes that it will streamline and organize the functions of student organizations, which is why SGA wanted to purchase it. “It provides students with a place to join organizations and for student organizations to connect with each other” said President Meredithe Mimlitz. The program also SGA-recognized organizations a homepage to put all of their files and announcements in one so members and leaders can access them easily. The program provides numerous event management tools to help the heads of each organization keep better tabs of their events across campus. . It also gives students the option of searching through the student organizations to find one they might be interested in joining.
Students rethink the commuter experience Andy Prignano opinions editor
As a commuter student it can be hard to feel like a part of EC campus life. You have to endure an, at times, rigorous commute, suffer through the horrendous parking situation, and attempt to make the most of diminished time with friends. Nursing student and commuter Julia Salek finds it tough to make close friendships. “We tend to feel less connected to others on campus and often feel like we aren’t getting the real ‘college experience’ that everybody is always talking about,” she said. But all hope is not lost, because with a little extra effort you can reap the rewards of commuter life. Time is usually the enemy when commuting, so success depends on mastering the clock. Tony Maas, a senior at EC who commutes from Boling-
brook, advises students to take into account the usual obstacles of the road. “It can take as much as an hour and half or more if it is during rush hour, construction, or there has been an accident,” said Maas in an online interview. Budgeting time for these unexpected factors can reduce your stress, and keep you from missing class. If your commute involves crossing the train tracks, try to learn the railroad schedule and avoid delays by utilizing the underpass. Once you get to campus, the stress increases. The mere mention of parking is enough to send any commuter student into a blinding rage. “Parking is horrible. By far the most blood boiling thing you can ever experience at 7:30 in the morning,” Salek said via email. EC tries to deal with the problem by leasing two remote parking lots at churches near
campus, but most commuters complain that it is not enough. With no lots designated for faculty or on campus students, and the growing complaints of people double parking, the lots sometimes seem like a chaotic free for all. Most veteran commuters will tell you that allowing time to park is the only remedy.
“[Commuters] tend to feel less connected to others on campus and often feel like we aren’t getting the real ‘college experience.” Julia Salek Plus, the luck of finding a quick parking spot can be made sweeter if you use the extra time to familiarize yourself with campus, or refuel with a snack. Andy Rhea, an EC junior, says the benefits of arriving early are well worth it. “Get to school at least 30 min-
utes before your class starts,” said Rhea in an online interview. “If you do not spend that time circling around the parking lots looking for a spot, then at least you can grab a coffee or catch up with a friend in Frick.” It can take extra planning for commuter students to get involved in any on campus activities, so get yourself familiar with EC and spend some of your free time with friends who live on campus. There are other perks to on campus friends of course. As Maddie Pizza, a former commuter student and junior at EC, pointed out in an e-mail. “Also, make friends who live on campus so you have somewhere besides the library to go in between classes.” The college has events that make the stress of commuting a little less burdenous. Commuter appreciation events happen each semester, and attendees get free hot chocolate, coffee, and travel mugs for braving the
many headaches of commuter life. But there are more benefits than the freebies, like avoiding dining hall food and the constant supervision of living on campus. For Moss, that sense of independence is what makes him endure the obstacles of commuting. “I don’t have to plan my life around a roommate’s schedule, I have no floor meetings to attend, I don’t have anyone telling me when quiet hours are, and I can visit and leave campus as I please. I enjoy these freedoms and wouldn’t trade them,” he said in an online interview. While living on campus may seem enticing after your tenth lap around the parking lot, Salek says the drive is well worth it. “I think about living on campus every day… however, I fear that my studies would take a beating with so many distractions and I would actually miss my house and my dog along with home cooked meals and my own bed.” Salek said.
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August 14, 2014
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President Ray braves zoo with The Leader Zachary Bishop editor-in-chief
After his enjoyable camel ride last semester, The Leader’s editorial board thought President S. Alan Ray would like to learn more about the animals in his own backyard, so we took him to the Cosley Zoo for our traditional outing.
the zoo’s calm atmosphere for a few fleeting moments. But the Editorial Board soon cut to the chase and asked Ray to discuss the college’s budget plans for the upcoming year. The conversation surrounding the college’s $3.1 million budget deficit gave Ray quite the startle last year when students, faculty, and staff protested
President Ray eagerly feeds the ducks.
On that day, August 6, Ray met us at the gates of Wheaton’s quaint menagerie and declared, “I want to see the raccoons!” Despite starting his seventh year as EC’s president, he still seems to have his appreciation for life’s simpler pleasures. Budget conversation to change in tone and substance After finding the raccoon exhibit, we watched one of the little critters stand on its hind legs to beg us for food and enjoyed
against the Board’s contemplation of financial cuts that could negatively impact them. But Ray feels he and the Board worked well with their constituencies to deal with the crisis by creating and operating various working groups, whose work culminated in the Board’s approval of new strategic and financial plans last June. With these new measures intact, Ray feels the budget crisis is on track to be resolved and hopes this year’s budget conversation will be more practical.
“The Board’s new piece for this year is how are we going to implement [the financial and strategic plans] now that the money has been approved [and] long range ambitions have been established,” he said. “Its moving away from a financial conversation per say because the board and I feel we have [them] in mind.” The college has already started practicing these initiatives to recruit more transfer, veteran, and international students by combining the Office of Admission with the Office of Communication and Public Affairs, a move Ray deems highly beneficial. “There will be a lot of interesting work around admissions because… we can use our marketing talents a little more directly in admissions work,” be said. Ray also hopes the college will be able to focus more on improving student life, something they haven’t been able to do as effectively since the budget crisis began. “[We can now] turn [our] attention to other things, like how do you… make investments in the students again,” Ray said. “It is incredibly important to us that we know what it is the students find useful in their education, what they find enjoyable about their environment, and to try and make that happen so its not all about money, [but rather] the quality of life at the college.” “Elmhurst University” on the agenda Strolling past glaring bobcats, Ray elaborated on how EC will move forward with the question of becoming a university. After researching other colleges that have made the shift and interviewing their presidents, Ray wants the administration to take its time making the decision so all voices can weigh in. “I want to hear from all constituencies about [the university question] and get some information to people so their point of views are educated about this,” he said. “It will be a multi-
level conversation.” Ray went on to explain the concrete steps he and the administration will take to do this, which include providing a bibliography of writings on this topic, surveying the alumni early in the fall, and having discussions with the students, faculty, and staff. “There will be points in the year where we’ll take stock of where the conversation is and what the outstanding issues seem to be,” he said. “This is a big decision and if you [make the switch], you have to do it right.” As we stopped to get some water, Ray spotted the duck pond and excitedly asked us, “Do you wanna go feed the ducks?” Transparency with students a priority Ray grabbed a cup of food pellets and started tossing them to eager ducks that crowded before the railing while fondly telling us the story of how he got a duck for Easter as a child and raised it to maturity before letting in free at a local pond. As we walked across a little bridge, we asked him about his plans for maintaining better communication between the Board and college community. Hoping to have “as few information disparities as possible” regarding decisions that involve the whole campus, Ray plans on working more closely with The Leader to get information out to students. “We as an administration try to find the most direct route to get information pushed
around,” he said. “I think The Leader is one of those primary points where if we send you stuff, you’ll put students on the same information level as other people.” Ray plans on doing this after he shares the “really constructive” results of the Advisory Council for Strategic Planning’s recent retreat with the faculty at their breakfast on August 18th. As we made our way back out to the parking lot, Graphics Editor Nikki Smith had one last question for Ray – “Why did you want to see the raccoons? Was it because of the one in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’?” Laughing, he responded, “I saw the movie, but that’s just a happy coincidence… I came to see [the raccoons] redeem themselves from their backyard behaviors.” Now whenever Ray takes his trash out and spots a little raccoon raiding his dumpster, he’ll most likely flash a smile, remembering his day of animalwatching with The Leader.
“Remember us President Ray.”
All photos by Peter Flockencier President Ray discusses the future of the budget crisis.
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August 12, 2014
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The heroes of Planet Bluejay save the day
File Photos Eileen Sullivan and Ian Crone both carry on as average EC staff members, waiting to unleash their superpowers when the time is right.
Chrissy Croft news editor
The Mighty Bean Eileen Sullivan
They are hiding behind office doors and ordinary desks, living as common employees of the College. But what appears to be business as usual can actually be something far more notable. Planet Bluejay’s heroes are walking among us. While their superpowers may not be as spectacular as telekinesis or time travel, their contribution to the student body is beyond the expected human capacity. And if anything was learned from The Incredible Hulk, it’s that you won’t like superheroes quite as much when they’re angry, so respect their superhuman abilities or prepare to face their wrath.
The Frickin’ Incredible Frankie Michelle DeFranco Assistant Director of the Frick Center Commonly referred to as “Frankie”, DeFranco began working at EC in 2009 as the Assistant Director of Admissions. She became the Assistant Director of the Frick Center this past year, a position that involves great power, and great responsibility. DeFranco is tasked with overseeing the Frick Center, including the front desk, games in the Roost, Founder’s Art @ the Cafe, and student employees. She is also responsible for commuter student outreach, co-coordinates the Orientation Student Leader program, and is the co-instructor of a First Year Seminar class. DeFranco also runs the student loan program, meaning she can give you $50 when in need. The Frick Center is the main hub of student life on campus, so getting to know the Assistant Director can only be beneficial if you’re looking to get involved, or get some cash.
Dean of Students College can feel like a comic book adventure, full of obstacles and villains. Sullivan oversees many programs that intend on fighting those villains for you, including Student Success and Student Health Services. These departments ensure that the almighty force of procrastination, or a pesky stomach bug, don’t stand in your way. But Sullivan’s identity as a Super Jay is most apparent during her less formal interactions with students. Instead of staying in her office all day, Sullivan has made herself a part of the EC community. Students call her “The Bean”, and many can be heard shouting greetings to her as she passes. Sullivan can also be seen serving pancakes at the traditional Candlelight Breakfast hosted by Stanger Hall Council during Finals Week, as well as many other student run events. Once you meet her, chances are she’ll remember your name. And in the future, if you find yourself facing trouble, you can call upon The Mighty Bean to save the day.
Captain Cook Peg Cook Assistant Reference Librarian and Assistant Professor Like a superhero sea captain, Cook is able to navigate through treacherous territory. Rather than the deep blue sea, Cook is skilled at discovering the buried treasure in reference journals and online databases. During your First Year Seminar class, you’ll dive into the Fish Bowl and get a lesson on finding reliable research from Cook. But her navigation does not stop after class time. Like all the librarians at EC,
Cook is willing to assist students at any time. Find the lava lamp on the Reference Desk in the library and ask away. Whether you need a book about the history of sea voyage or online articles about the Dewey Decibel System, Cook can come to the rescue.
The Giver Laura Wilmarth Tyna Director of Leadership, Service, & Engagement Wilmarth Tyna’s superpower is no secret, because it’s in her job title. She dedicates her time to finding service and leadership opportunities for students through the Office of Leadership, Service, & Engagement. Wilmarth Tyna is also the advisor of many service clubs, including Habitat for Humanity and Greenjays. If you have a passion for helping others, Wilmarth Tyna is the
person to talk to. She coordinates Bluejay Cares Service
The Fantastic Mister Frick Ian Crone Assistant Dean of Students for Student Activities and Director of the Frick Center As you can tell, the Frick Center is the most important part of campus life. It’s the place to grab a meal, hang out with friends, and get involved on campus. It’s home of Greek Life, Student Activities, and Student Affairs. As the Director of the Frick Center, Crone’s job is vital to the operations of the center. Plus, his role as the Assistant Dean of Students for Student Activities puts him in a position to guide students looking to lead on campus. If you’re elected to a leadership position in a club or organization, Crone can help you Advertisement
with all the logistics including contractual agreements, Student Government Association proposals, and financial reimbursements. Crone’s superpower is knowing all things Frick. Pay him a visit in the Office of Student Activities if you have any questions. This list is in no way comprehensive, or presented in any particular order. From kindhearted Chartwell’s employees who throw an extra chicken wing, to professors that open up their office far beyond the required number of hours, EC is full of superheroes. The trick is finding who they are, identifying their powers, and never getting in their way. Because the last thing you want to be is the kryptonite to a potential networking opportunity, or an extra chicken wing.
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August 14, 2014
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Cultural Crusades
From fun events on campus to blockbusters on the silver screen, the Beat section covers all things arts and entertainment. Amidst our hectic college lives it’s important to take a break and catch up on pop-culture. So sit back, relax, and don’t miss a Beat! - Kailey Hansen, Beat Editor
Cheese-stuffed hamburgers, a 190 inch screen, and a retro all-American atmosphere makes watching the game and grabbing a drink a fun outing. Sports bars & grills are prevalent all over the city and The Anthem, located in the Wicker Park neighborhood, is one that makes watching your favorite team a unique experience.
On sunny days, kayaking on Lake Michigan is a great way to experience both nature and the city. Whether you choose a tour of the Chicago’s brilliant architecture or take the more scenic route of the lake, a $35 fee is worth the experience that Kayak Chicago can offer. It’s a great group activity, or date, that showcases Chicago’s beautiful skyline while getting an arm workout. 1501 N Magnolia Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
1725 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
If you want to get a good cup of coffee, Chicago hosts multiple coffee shops on almost every street. A Starbucks is the standard go-to place, but smaller cafés offer a new experience for getting your caffeine fix. Intelligentsia is widely known for their freshly brewed coffee made from a series of different filters in order to get the perfect taste. 1850 W. Fulton Street, Chicago, IL (6 alternative locations in the city)
It is an adventurous journey through the Windy City! Looking for something to do on those days off of school? Fortunately for Elmhurst College students, we live a train ride away from the city that holds the ‘Chicago Experience’. Most people hit the tourist hotspots such as Millennium Park, Navy Pier, and the never-ending supply of Starbucks, but the city is full of hidden gems for an exciting day downtown.
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This bookstore prides themselves in being one of the only independent bookstores left in downtown Chicago. It appeals to bookworms, housing two stories of bookshelves and a creative, rustic atmosphere. It’s a great place to sit back and read or sell your own used books. 23 E Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60611
o l i a n g a ery M Bak
The city is home to many delicious venues but one less talked about is Magnolia Bakery, a chain based primarily in New York. The Chicago location is a hidden gem connected to a small shopping center, making it a great place for retail therapy and a delicious snack. The little bakery has a quaint atmosphere and serves cupcakes, cookies, brownies, pies, and more.
Sushi and a fruit smoothie may seem like an odd pair, but Osaka Express specializes in both. This charming hole-in-the-wall makes freshly squeezed smoothies from all natural mangos, watermelon, peaches, and other refreshing fruits. The location is right on Michigan Avenue across from Millennium Park, making it a quick stop for a bite to eat or a cold refresher. 400 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605
Similar to Navy Pier, Northerly Island is a section of Chicago that offers many activities. The small peninsula, looking out to the city’s skyline, includes a number of beautiful hiking trails, fishing, and is home to many concerts at the FirstMerit Bank Pavilion (formerly known as Charter One Pavilion). 1300 S Linn White Dr, Chicago, IL 60605
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Beat
August 14, 2014
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Dorm Life Essentials: A Survival Guide Emily Dabrowski staff writer
Moving day is the longest day for most students. It’s a day of new beginnings, new roommates, and a new home for the next nine months. If it’s your first time living on your own, moving in is a game of survival. Most residents are guilty of over packing, hoarding, and not being fully prepared. Since choosing what to bring with you to campus can be stressful, here are 10 essentials for dorm survival. 1. Single serve coffee pods/packets If you are a heavy coffee drinker, these are essential! Packets of instant coffee powder require nothing more than a cup of hot water (or a cold water bottle for iced coffee). If you have a Keurig, than a steady flow of K-Cups for a quick early morning cup can help you avoid the extra stop at the coffee shop. 2. Microwavable containers Even though residents are not allowed to bring microwaves to their dorms, each floor has a kitchen with a microwave for the residents. These are vital for leftovers and frozen meals on cold winter days 3. Paper towels and cleaning wipes
Photo by Peter Flockencier
These 9 items easily fit in your dorm room and help you make the most of living on campus. Spills can happen unexpectedly and often in a dorm room. It’s best to be ready for anything. 4. Suitcase or weekender bag If you are going home for a visit, you’ll want a bag small enough for travel but big enough to fit all the dirty laundry that you just “haven’t got to yet. 5. Fan Most of the dorm buildings
do not have air conditioning, so the beginning and end of the year can be very uncomfortable. Even with air conditioned dorms, it can be difficult to agree with roommates about how warm or cool it should be. Keep your space comfortable with your own adjustable fan. 6. Hamper In a small dorm room, anything that can fold up for storage is great. When there is no use for it, fold it up and put it in
the back of your closet. 7. Tide pods These are really easy to use when doing laundry. There is no measuring involved. You just pop one into the machine with your clothes and press start. 8. Flashlight College is full of late night study sessions. Make sure you don’t disturb your roommates by keeping a flashlight by your bedside for studying or reading.
It’s also good in the event of an unexpected power outage. 9. Headphones Your roommates probably don’t want to listen to your music 24/7 anyway. Plus, you can play songs that you are embarrassed to listen to and no one will know.
Photo by Peter Flockencier
These 5 items are unnecessary for life on campus and clutters up your room. The key to moving in is also boundaries. It can be tempting to bring everything you own. Here are a few things to leave at home: 1. All of your your closet There is not enough room for it, and you probably won’t wear it all anyway. Bring only the
clothes for the seasons that will go by before you visit home. 2. Moving boxes Have your parents bring the boxes home with them. They can bring them back at the end of the year to help you move out.
3. Personal AC units They aren’t allowed in the dorms and they’re a pain to move out when you get documented for it. Stick with the fans. 4. Obnoxious alarm clock Your roommates will hate you if you bring them and hit the snooze every 10 minutes. A cell
phone alarm is just as effective and you can adjust the volume and tone. 5. Excessive Storage Storage is a good thing! It keeps things tidy. But like all good things, it’s good in moderation. Many residents clutter their room rather than help
with these extra boxes. If you did end up bringing any of these unessential items, don’t sweat it. Just send them back with your parents the next time they visit. That will probably be next weekend.
Beat
ecleader.org
Most Anticipated Films of Fall 2014 Joe Tassi
“Interstellar”
Internet Photo President Snow fights to keep his reign in “Mockingjay - Part 1.”
“Fury”
“Dumb and Dumber To”
Release Date: November 14, 2014 The upcoming World War II action flick takes a new approach as a historic battle movie.The plot follows a five-man crew in their single-handed attempt to take down the heart of Nazi Ger-many. Big name actors Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf play the lead roles in director David Ayer’s “The Fast and The Furious” most recent work. The November release is sure to grab the attention of action-film moviegoers.
Release Date: November 14 Twenty years after its debut, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels reunite to reprise their roles as the infamous Lloyd and Harry of the 1994 hit comedy “Dumb and Dumber”. Since its release, the original film has acquired a cult following, making this a highly anticipated flick for the films’ die-hard fans. The trailer promises the return of slapstick comedy that was used with hilarious results in the original film.
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1” Release Date: November 21
Much like its predecessors of teen-novel-turned-movie,“The Hunger Games” has taken a similar route as both the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” films, splitting its final movie into two separate parts. With a rebellion of the districts in full swing, Katniss Everdeen is a symbol of hope for those fighting against the menacing reign of President Snow. Current pop-culture favorite Jennifer Lawrence reprises her lead role showcasing her acting chops. The film also serves as Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last acting performance since his passing this past February. Fans of the series await the beginning of the
Coming to the Mill Near You Kailey Hansen beat editor
Just a parking lot walk away from EC’s bright and beautiful campus is a small building tucked beside the fitness center. Rumored to be the home of a ghost, according to school ledgend, the Mill Theater is often a
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end in this first part of the final installment.
staff writer What better way for summer to go out with a bang then by a wave of upcoming blockbuster releases? The last few months of 2014 are bringing comedy, sci-fi, fantasy, and drama to theaters in anticipation for award season. Big name directors and highly anticipated titles make the rest of the year a cinematic treat! Release Date: November 6 This science fiction film, which has been in development for over eight years, is finally hitting the big screen this November. The plot features a group of astronauts and scientists who discover a wormhole in space and are planning a voyage through it to discover new limits on space and time travel. The film already has plenty of credentials backing its name, with stars Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway. It is director Christopher Nolan’s first release since finishing the acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy, making critics buzz with anticipation already. Based on the names credited for this film, it would be surprising to witness anything less than spectacular when this hits theaters.
August 14, 2014
place many first year students are not aware it exists. Contrary to the stories that circle the building, life inside the Mill is very much alive. Each year students come together to bring the school a season of both dramtic and comedic productions. Three plays and two musicals
have been chosen for the Mill’s 2014-2015 season and all are very unique pieces of challenging theater, according to theater major and senior Shelby Westart. “We start out the season with an adorable and comical musical about love (‘She Loves Me’) then dive straight into Bertolt
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” Release Date: December 17 Peter Jackson’s three-part epic on the famous children’s novel comes to a close in December of this year. Although the first two installments haven’t lived up to the praise of Jackson’s Os-carwinning “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, The Hobbit films still cater to fantasy lovers and cinematography buffs alike. Though in Middle-Earth, the beloved story is one of greed, human nature, and the drive to succeed. If the first two movies are any indicators of the last, “The Battle of the Five Armies” will be a visual treat while taking viewers into a world of dwarves, wizards, and dragons. Release Date: December 17 Additional Must-See Motion Pictures “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them” (Sept. 12) “The Maze Runner” (Sept. 19) “The Equalizer” (Sept. 26) “The Judge” (Oct. 10) “The Interview” (Oct. 10) “Horrible Bosses 2” (Nov. 26) “Exodus: Gods and Kings” (Dec. 12) “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” (Dec. 19)
Thoughts on this Season...
Brecht’s German parable, (‘Caucasian Chalk Circle’).” Westart says. “As a student, I’m excited for the whole season because it gives the students a great learning opportunity and the audience a chance to see many different genres of theatre.” Directors for the productions
this year range from adjunct professors to students. The Mill Theater has been the home for the college’s theater program since 1969 and doubles as a place for improv and other performance courses during the school year.
The 2015-2015 Mill Theater Lineup
Internet Photo
She Loves Me Shop workers Georg and Amalia are rivals in the work place and completely unaware that the other is the person behind love letters. After becoming pen pals through an ad for folks wanting to find love, the two must come to terms with realizing they love the person they despise the most. This musical comedy inspired the film “You’ve Got Mail”!
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Caucasian Chalk Circle
You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown Based on the daily lives of the beloved Peanuts characters, this comedic musical is centered on Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy, and their friends as they battle the hardships of being a kid. This nostalgic tale about childhood brings catchy tunes to a familiar cast of characters such as Linus, Lucy, Sally, and Schroeder.
This show is a play-within-aplay set at the end of World War II. The play put on is a fabled tale about a peasant girl caring for a child from a wealthy background. Though the child lives a life of poverty, the girl raises him better than the rich family would. “Caucasian Chalk Circle” uses parables to comment on the ongoings during a time of political outburst in history.
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No Exit After death, Joseph, Ines, and Estelle are brought to a room to spend the rest of eternity together. This thought-provoking play follows the characters as they look back at their lives and soon find that the worst punishment may be the unending curse of each other’s company.
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The Last Cyclist This allegorical play about the holocaust begins when patients of a mental asylum take over the world with a vengeance against bicycles. Massacring anyone who has ever ridden a bike or been associated with a bike, the world quickly becomes a place of unescapable danger.
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August 14, 2014
When times get tough, turn on Netflix
ecleader.org
Zachary Bishop editor-in-chief
College is going to be one of the toughest and most exciting times of your life, but that doesn’t mean you have to be fully present for all of it. When your eyes hurt from reading 50+ pages for class, your boisterous friends drive you crazy, or your roommate exiles you for the 20th time, just log on to Netflix and escape into one of these engaging TV shows.
“Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-Present) It’s a quiet day at Seattle Grace Hospital and surgical intern Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) is anxious to “scrub in” to a surgery. Suddenly her pager sounds, causing her to rush to the ER and help an injured patient. While grabbing the first stretcher she sees, Meredith’s imagination swells. Could the patient have a huge tumor that needs removal? Or maybe a broken bone needs to be put back in its place? What if it’s just an appendectomy? That would suck for them, but maybe she could get a solo surgery out of it. It turns out to be a head injury that needs immediate surgical attention, so seasoned neurosurgeon Derek Shepard (Patrick Dempsy) comes to the rescue. Meredith averts his gaze as she explains the case in an attempt to ignore the memories of their steamy one-night stand. Thus is the beginning of an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” – the stories of surgical patients are intertwined with those of the doctors’ relationships, struggles, and aspirations. With well-crafted plotlines, realistic yet amusing characters, and ethically gray medical cases, this show entertains and grips viewers like no other medical drama out there. “Breaking Bad”
(2008-2013)
Internet Photo Piper and her fellow inmates are more than meets the eye in the Netflix hit “Orange is the New Black”.
high school teachers did on their time off? Well, this critically acclaimed series will open your mind to some dark possibilities. After being diagnosed with advanced lung cancer the day after his fiftieth birthday, struggling chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) makes the bold choice to cook and sell methamphetamine to pay off his medical bills and support his family after his death. Aided by his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), whom he develops a complicated yet fond relationship with, Walt begins a chaotic journey into the violent business of drugs that constantly shocks viewers and leaves them on edge of their seat. But despite its intense action, “Breaking Bad” is extremely well written and no detail is included without meticulous thought. Furthermore, the show challenges viewers’ black-andwhite conceptions of good/evil and crime/punishment.
“Orange is the New Black” (2013-Present) This Netflix original series captivated viewers when it premiered last summer due to its deep characters, heart-wrenching moments, and subtle comedy. It also proved that a show centered on female characters from an array of races, sexualities, and socioeconomic statuses could be just as inspiring and moving as any male-dominated work in Hollywood. Protagonist Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) has to leave her highly conventional life behind when she has to serve fifteen months in a women’s prison for smuggling her exgirlfriend’s drug money ten years prior. Though initially intimidated by the seemingly insensitive and coarse behavior of her fellow inmates, Piper, along with viewers, slowly learn of their past and present struggles – thus revealing how complex and unfair the situations are of the other inmates.
Ever wondered what your
“Scandal” (2012-Present) This intense political thriller revolves around Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington), a famous Washington D.C. crisis manager, who recently left her job as the White House’s Communication Director to start her own firm. In each episode, Pope and her unconventional associates, who call themselves “gladiators,” diligently work with rich and powerful clients to eradicate potential scandals, which range from politician’s and CEO’s mistresses being revealed to head’s of states’ families being kidnapped, before anyone else finds out about them. With each episode, Olivia’s integrity and dedication to upholding the moral image of the American government is challenged and her secrets are slowly revealed to viewers. The most significant of which is her tumultuous love affair with Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn), the current President of the United States.
Internet Photo Walter White and Jesse Pinkman aren’t your typical teacher and student in AMC’s “Breaking Bad”.
With expertly constructed story arcs, incredibly original characters, and breathtaking plot-twists, “Scandal” will leave you begging for more and probably destroy your faith in the United States’ government, if that hasn’t happened yet.
“DoctorWho” (2005-Present)
For those who have ever dreamed of exploring alien planets or traveling back in time, BBC’s reboot of the famous “Doctor Who” sci-fi drama is an excellent way to escape the mundane college experience. It follows the fantastical adventures of a mysterious humanoid alien known as the Doctor, who travels to a vast array of time periods, planets, and even parallels universes in his spaceship, the TARDIS, disguised as a blue British police box. Usually taking along a human companion, the Doctor uses his futuristic technology and strong values to save civilizations from disaster, stop evil species bent on universal domination, and protect the innocent and defenseless. His effect on the worlds and species he interacts with is so immense that he is feared throughout the cosmos, but viewers are more familiar with his quirky personality. The Doctor has the ability regenerate his body when his current one is compromised, so several actors have been able to play him since the original series started in the 1960s. The reboot picks up with the Doctor’s ninth incarnation (Christopher Eccleston) and his latest companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), who are followed by several other brilliant incarnations and companions. An amazing blend of jawdropping action, hilarious situations, and social commentary, “Doctor Who” will enthrall your imagination and leave you questioning the fallibility of human (and alien) nature.
August 14, 2014
Beat
ecleader.org
The Leader chooses best eats in Elmhurst Kailey Hansen beat editor
In the words of Oscar winning actress Jennifer Lawrence, “eating is my favorite part of the day”. Many of us identity with Jennifer and consider our breakfast, lunch, and dinner critical daily choices. Every student has their own opinion about on-campus dining, but the college experience is not complete without investigating the best local places to dine-in or carry-out. The city of Elmhurst is full of independent and chain restaurants that cater to your needs when you aren’t feeling what the cafeteria offers. For days when you need to get off campus, a few members of The Leader staff tell their favorite places to grab a bite to eat.
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“Red Dragon because they deliver, and no one likes leaving campus when it’s the polar vortex! I also really like frozen yogurt and boba tea from Yogun Fruz. It has a nice atmosphere and great treats.” Chrissy Croft news editor “Smash Burger has an good array of burger choices. My favorite is the Windy City burger on a pretzel bun.” Zachary Bishop Editor-in-chief
Photo by Peter Flockencier Dinner awaits at Elmhurst’s local “Red Dragon”
“Francesca’s for special occasions. Pricey, but an oasis of true Italian food in the desert of the Western suburbs. Meatheads has good service, and good community ethics. They also have soda machines from the future.” Peter Flockencier
“My favorite place to eat in Elmhurst is Back Alley Burger. Mostly because I’m a big fan of weird and creative burger toppings. My favorite thing there is the BFD (breakfast for dinner) burger.” Andy Prignano
Photo Editor Opinions Editor
“For a girls night out I really like Wok’n Fire. It’s a great place to get sushi and caters to poor college students with their sushi happy hour. They also serve a killer miso soup. My second favorite place is Flat Top Grill because you can make your own stir fry.” Kailey Hansen
“You can’t go wrong with great mexican food at Salsaria. However, when I am short on time, Chipotle is always my go-to place.” Kathryn Kuszynski Copy Editor
“It’s a little hard to choose just one favorite place, but I would have to go with Zenwich. Their sandwiches provide some Asian flavor that is hard to find elsewhere in Elmhurst. Plus, their chips have the perfect amount of seasoning and aren’t too greasy.”
Beat Editor “Zenwich because they have their crabby-yola sandiwch. Heaven in my mouth.” Nikki Smith Graphics Editor
Brett Peto Photo by Peter Flockencier Zenwich’s Joesplosian (Chicken Satay) sandwich
Staff Writer
Photo by Peter Flockencier A family enjoys dinner at Elmhurst’s local “Wokn’ Fire”
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ecleader.org
Experience culture on campus, for free
File Photo Students share their own readings at last year’s Poetry Slam.
Zachary Bishop editor-in-chief
What’s a student to do when he/she cannot afford the luxury of watching a good movie or engage in an awesome cultural experience? Tickets to concerts and literary events can cost over $100 these days, and with huge tuition bills, the broke Bluejay is practically out of luck. Fortunately, some of the money students are funneling into EC is paying for free cultural events on campus that anyone can attend. So whether you need an idea for a date or just want to indulge yourself, check out these cool happenings.
flick and spending time with peers, students have the opportunity to make money at these free events.
Music Department Concerts For the lovers of powerful instruments and angelic voices, the Music Department hosts over twenty free concerts each month to enjoy on campus. But don’t automatically assume these concerts will be
Poetry Slams
Union Board Movies Remember that movie you really wanted to see, but then forgot all about it? Well, students might just be watching it in the Frick Center. Every other week, Union Board (UB) turns either the Blume Board Room or Roost into a miniature cinema and shows movies that have recently left theaters. They even provide free snacks! Paula Marchese, UB’s Film Chair, wants students to know these events are an enjoyable way to spend downtime. “Movies are always a great source of entertainment, and students are able to enjoy the experience with their peers, whether its a movie they haven’t seen yet or its one of their favorites,” she said in an email. “It helps to bring students together on campus.” But the fun doesn’t end when the reel stops because the UB staff then engages audience in a game of movie bingo using words from the film, the winners taking home valuable giftcards to local businesses and movie theaters. On top of catching a current
tunities to attend concerts on campus and different kinds of groups playing,” Music Department Chair Peter Griffin says. “You can hear anything from a full orchestra to a jazz combo to somebody’s recital.” You can even get credit for attending them if you’re taking Music 100. So simply attending a concert on campus can help you pass a class, provide you with entertainment, and encouraging the musicians on campus at the same time. “Come to as many as you can and support your fellow students,” Griffin urges.
File Photo Students can listen to EC’s famous jazz band perform for free.
like the painful ones you sat through in high school because our music program is internationally renowned. Just think about it, EC students can listen to excellent musicians perform just by flashing their Jaypass. Furthermore, not all of these concerts are completely traditional because several take place in very relaxed environments, such as Fitz’s Spare Keys, and headlines are more vibrant with contemporary music. Students also have a variety of music ensembles to choose from. “There’s hundreds of oppor-
Anyone who frequents the Roost has probably heard the sounds of beautifully arranged words bursting from the area by the pool tables wondering if someone was telling off an ex-lover or speaking their last words. But don’t be alarmed, that’s just the sounds of a successful poetry slam being held by the Spoken Word and Poetry Club (SWAP). SWAP hosts several poetry slams throughout the year where students can read their emotionally raw works of verse to a small crowd. This isn’t just any open-mic event because the audience rates students’ works on a scale from 1 to 10. These events appeal to almost anyone, SWAP’s former president Emily Darrow assures. “It is always a relaxed environment so even if students don’t write poetry they will have fun,” Darrow said in an email. “People who don’t necessarily think they like poetry will be surprised at how enjoyable an event of poetry and music can be.” If you want to express your poetic side to a crowd or vicariously experience the emotions of others, stop by to one of SWAP’s poetry slams.
• Surviving College 101 •
“So you want to be an English Major?!” Kailey Hansen beat editor
If you’ve ever seen the Broadway show Avenue Q you know the musical number titled “What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?/It Sucks to Be Me”. I personally have never seen this show but have had the pleasure of being introduced to the song in hopes that I’ll either listen to it and A) laugh at the irony or B) realize the serious consequences of my life choice as an English major. In case you haven’t guessed, ladies and gentlemen, I am getting my bachelor’s degree in English and contrary to popular belief, I’m doing it without becoming a teacher. This is usually where people begin their deep concern for my future. English is one of those sticky humanities subjects that often poses the question—what can be done with this degree? What will your future hold? If you aren’t becoming a high school English teacher then you must be trying to become the next J.K Rowling and surely will starve. But fear not, incoming English majors! There’s more opportunities out there than meets the eye. Entering the college world and choosing a major can be a daunting business. Often we’re influenced by what our families expect of us, what will make good money, and where our passions lie. All are necessary factors in moderation, but there is truth in the cliche saying that passion is necessary for success. I’m not encouraging doing something that is setting you up for complete and utter failure but without interest in a degree, there’s very little chance you’ll make it studying a subject for four whole years. When I decided that I wanted to branch into the English route of writing rather than teaching, I wasn’t necessarily sure exactly where I was headed. For new freshman this feeling brings a lot of doubt and uncertainty as to whether your true calling will ever be unveiled. Liberal Arts degrees like English are seen as risky career paths but often open students to a variety of different job types. As someone who enjoys writing, I am not committing my future to an attempt at writing the next best-seller. Every field involves writing and in an age where print may be dwindling, writers for websites and online content are still as necessary as ever. If any lesson has been learned during my time so far at EC it has been that decisions about your career are not easy and don’t have to be rushed. While it’s smartest to know the track you want to follow as early on as possible, it’s okay to change your mind from teaching to writing or even accounting to interdisciplinary communication studies. Finding yourself and finding your passions for the future are all apart of the college experience. At EC, part of the mission statement is to prepare students for “meaningful” work in their future. Though the start of the school year is easily drowned out by activities fairs, adjusting to dorm life, and keeping up on homework, it’s a good reminder that it is our drive and desire for what we want to accomplish that shape our college experience.
sports
ecleader.org
August 14, 2014
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EC Athletics 2014-2015 Season Previews Tennis - Men’s
Tyler York, Staff Writer 2013 Season Recap The men’s tennis team performed strong last year with an overall record of 16-5 and an undefeated conference play of 6-0. They won their second consecutive CCIW Championships and earned their very first NCAA tournament bid. The team closed out their season by a loss of 5-2 to Sewanee: the University of the South in the opening round of the NCAA Championships. The Bluejays took home many postseason awards including two first team all-conference players Alex Harbert and Will Jung, one second team all-conference Luke Tanaka, and their coach Anthony McPherson received the Coach of the Year for the third time in the last four years. 2014 Season Outlook The team looks to win yet another CCIW title and NCAA Tournament bid. It will be a challenge as they lost half of their team from graduating seniors who made a big impact last year. However, with seniors Luke Tanaka and Chris Harrison coming back, along with a few others, there is a chance for them to step up and become the to bring back another title. The football team faces off with its rival North Central.
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Football Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer
Volleyball
2013 Season Recap After losing too many key pieces to sustain the success of 2012, the Bluejays dropped back into “normalcy” in a roller coaster 2013 season. Two weeks after a disappointing 10-0 loss to the Univ. of Chicago, EC gave NCAA semifinalist North Central all they could handle until an hour-long lightning delay derailed their momentum. The Bluejays played their best games against the CCIW’s (College Confrence of Illinois and Wisconsin) elite, but were unable to stick with Wheaton, North Central, and Illinois Wesleyan for 60 minutes. Head Coach Joe Adam led EC to a 4-6 (3-4 CCIW) record and a threeway tie for fourth place in the conference.
Fall 2013 Season Recap There is no doubt that head coach Julie Hall’s volleyball team was the most successful team on campus last year. Hall reached 500 wins in her EC career early in the season and the Bluejays entered the NCAA tournament as a regional host and the #5 team in the country. The great news of hosting a regional was spoiled by #1 Hope College who came to R.A. Faganel Hall in full force to knock the Bluejays out of the big dance in the sweet 16.
“Coach Lester (seasons 2008-2012) and Adam have built a tremendous foundation. All I am doing is emphasizing some different things and focusing on some details that I think can get us to where we want to be...We have some very talented freshmen and transfers coming in. I am sure someone in that group will surprise us with how ready they are for CCIW competition, but I think the guys who have been here and put in the work will make the most impact for the team.”
“We have a great group of returners who have proven themselves in the offseason by working extremely hard. Coupled with some talented freshmen and two top transfers, we feel we will be hitting a good stride by mid season. No one will be expecting much from us, so the pressure is off this year and we hope to use that to our advantage and surprise some folks.”
Ron Planz, Head Coach (1st Season) 2014 Season Outlook After just one season, Adam became the second straight EC head football coach to become an assistant at DI Syracuse. EC hired Ron Planz, an assistant at DII powerhouse Minnesota State Univ. Mankato, to replace Adam. Planz is an outside voice with recruiting connections in the Chicagoland area and no hope to dart to Syracuse (or so it seems). The Bluejays return many offensive starters including quarterbacks Joe Camilliere, who started seven of the team’s ten games last season, and his 2013 injury replacement Logan Stelzriede. The key to EC’s success has been the running game, so Planz will be happy to see stud junior running back Josh Williams (4.88 yards per carry and eight TDs) and three of five starting offensive linemen back from a year ago. Expect many new faces on the defensive side, as EC’s only returners are senior cornerback Marvin Carr, senior safety Stephen Ritter, and two defensive linemen. We won’t know much about the new Bluejays until they take the field at Loras College on Sept. 6th, but we’ll have a better idea when they return for their Sept. 20th home opener against the Univ. of Chicago.
Soccer – Women’s Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer
2013 Season Recap Head coach Paul Webster led the Bluejays to an 8-9 overall record (2-5 CCIW) and a sixth place finish in the conference last season. Senior midfielder Biba Beckwith was the energizer bunny on the field last season, keeping possession and leading the team with seven assists, while sophomore Kat Waugh provided the offensive firepower with a team-leading six goals. EC struggled in the goal, saving just 69% of the shots they faced.
Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer
Julie Hall, Head Coach (21st season) 2014 Season Outlook The Bluejays who graduated could have been one of EC’s best volleyball recruiting classes in the program’s 41-year history. Six of their nine regular rotation players and a couple of other key sparkplugs have either graduated or left the team. Key returners include sophomore Hannah Nimrick, an attacking-type setter who burst onto the scene halfway through her freshman campaign, senior Sam Szarmach who will see many chances from the outside this season, and middle/right-side hitter Jackie Pavilonis who’s role increased as the 2013 season progressed. Hall also added four transfers two of which, Melissa Nava from UIC and Mary Lawrence from Central Missouri, she expects to be big contributors this season. Also look for defensive specialist Amy Schryver, a freshman, to reinforce the back line when she returns from shoulder surgery. The Bluejays have their non-conference schedule packed with 15 teams that made the NCAA tournament last season in preparation to three-peat as CCIW regular season and conference tournament champions.
“[Our goal is] to improve on last year’s CCIW performance [with better] team defending and goalkeeping. Also, our attacking players had a down year in front of goal and we feel confident that was an anomaly and not a trend...Our good was very good, but we had too many long stretches of play that was not good enough to compete. If we minimize the length of those bad patches of play, we will have more success this fall.” Paul Webster, Head Coach (11th season) 2014 Season Outlook Without Beckwith and Waugh (studying abroad) on the roster, the offense will rest in the hands of forward Jackie Belmonte (two goals and five assists), and midfielders Courtney O’Keefe and Emily Heimerdinger (four goals a piece). Both goaltenders, sophomore Emily Gordon and junior Olivia Schoch, return with another year of experience under their belt and some possible competition in freshman Melinda Vickers. The keys for this team will be the goaltending and if last year’s role players can fill the void that Waugh and Beckwith left.
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The women’s volleyball team celebrates a hard-earned victory.
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ecleader.org
Soccer – Men’s Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer
2013 Season Recap With a little help from his back line, goalkeeper John Reglin, the EC male scholar-athlete of the year, was the story of 2013, recording a school record nine shutouts, while posting a 0.72 goals against average, and 94 saves in his 17 starts in net. After draws with North Park and Wheaton, the Bluejays looked poised to make a run in the CCIW tournament, but Carthage spoiled that plan by defeating them 4-2 during the regular season and 2-0 in the opening round of the CCIW Tournament. The Bluejays finished the year fourth in the NCAA regional rankings this year, behind their rivals Wheaton, North Park, and Carthage.
“Our team will be one that instills discipline, tenacity, focus, and desire in everything we do. [In order to win the CCIW championship], it will take solid structure and our creative players will have to step up. Scoring critical goals at critical times is where we just did not get it done last season so we hope to stay healthy and have our core players really contribute. The program is one that is expected to compete for championships every year so 2014 is no exception.” Dave Di Tomasso, Head Coach (11th season) 2014 Season Outlook The Bluejays lost two key midfielders, Austin Hass and Alex Safford, who started all 18 games last season, but Reglin and the entire back line will return next season. The main question is who will score the goals. Senior attacking midfielder Michael Delong led the team with five goals and 12 points last season, while junior forward Mikey Emig (three goals) also returns. Can anyone replace the attacking role Hass (four goals and one assist) played last year? Only time will tell. If the Bluejays find ways to score goals, especially in crucial conference games, there is no doubt they will be in the hunt for the CCIW championship.
Bowling - women’s
An EC golfer squats to read the green.
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Golf -men’s
Zachary Bishop, Editor-in-Chief
Zachary Bishop, Editor-in-Chief
2013-2014 Season Recap The Women’s Bowling team earned an overall record of 49-77, finishing second in the Wisconsin Collegiate Bowling Conference. They ended their season by placing 13th out of 17 teams at the USBC Sectional Tournament. Barbara Gutwein posted a top single season average for the second year in a row with a score of 177 and made the all-time top scores list for the fourth time with a 225 game. In addition, Beth Bogdanich posted her second all-time top score with a 235 game. 2014-2015 Outlook With nobody set to replace Dave Williams at the moment, it is questionable if the team will improve this coming season since its players will have to get used to a new coach. But Gutwein and Bogdanich, now seniors, will be able to use their experience to help their team boost its overall score and place higher at the 2015 Sectional Tournament.
2013-2014 Season Recap The men’s golf team participated in 11 classics and invitational last season, finishing in the top half in eight of them. Their most notable performance occurred at the University of St. Francis Fall Invitational, where they took second out of 16 teams. The team’s improvement from last year was most clearly shown at the CCIW Championship as they came in 6th out of eight teams, instead of 8th like last year. Sean Lenchner promisingly ended the season as a scratch player.
“I’m absolutely ecstatic about the opportunity to work with and coach our Elmhurst golfers... We have a talented, budding group of players who have expressed lofty goals with me for this upcoming season. It is my sincere desire to use my experience as a collegiate golf coach to elevate our players’ games to the level they envision for themselves.” (Quote from press release) John Baines, Head Coach (1st season) 2014-2015 Season Outlook The team looks like it will keep on improving this year, as Lenchner will continue shooting to par or below and three players might follow in his footsteps. The team also has three juniors with two years of experience under their belts and three freshmen who have been playing well in summer tournaments. This looks like it will be EC’s best golf team in years.
Golf -women’s Tiffany Potthast is a part of the team’s eager senior class.
Softball
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Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer 2014 Recap The 2014 CCIW campaign ended in a disappointing tie for fifth place after the Bluejays (15-15, 5-9 CCIW) won seven of their last eight games on an 8-4 spring break trip and split with eventual conference champion Illinois Wesleyan in their first CCIW doubleheader. EC ranked third in batting average but last in extra base hits and only tallied five home runs on the season. The pitching staff ranked fifth in the conference with a 2.90 ERA and was glad to have a solid defense behind them, as strikeouts were relatively rare.
“I’m very excited and optimistic about this season for good reason. After showing great improvement last season by leading the CCIW in team defense and beating three top-15 teams, we are positioning ourselves for another big step into the [CCIW] tournament.” Mike Paulo, Head Coach (3rd season) 2015 Outlook The Bluejays lost one starter, left fielder and all-time EC home run leader Clare Bukowski, who will be missed especially because of her power in the middle of the order. The Bluejays will look to replace that power with a senior class full of line drive hitters including outfielder Ele Walter, who broke onto the scene last season, leading the team in batting average (.425) and on-base percentage (.432). Her classmates Meg Griffin, Katie Boals, Bella Masini, and Tiffany Potthast round out the main contributors in the eager senior class. Timely hitting and solid pitching from starters Potthast and Boals could lead EC to their first CCIW tournament appearance in head coach Michael Paulo’s tenure.
Zachary Bishop, Editor-in-Chief 2013 Season Recap For the second year in a row, the women’s golf team finished in 7th place at the CCIW Championships, but improved substantially during the regular season. They won the Augustana Fall Classic with a school-record low score of 330. Ashley Beverage stole the season, averaging an 87.5 18-hole score and being named CCIW Women’s Golfer of the Week in October. Asia Andry and Brittany Stevens closely followed with 89.14 and 91.14 18-hole scores, respectively.
“We have a great group with a lot of talent… [Ashley can] finish as one of the best women’s golfers in our program’s history… Our three freshmen from last year are now sophomores so they know what to expect… they each have the ability to be our top scorer at any tournament. That is what makes this year so exciting.” Todd Scheuerman, Head Coach (9th season) 2014 Season Outlook The Bluejays will continue to make strides this year. Team captain Beverage will most likely stay at the top of her game and lead her team with all-conference honors. Andry will follow close behind and has the potential to be all-conference as well. With a year of experience under their belts, the remaining three players, now sophomores, have the opportunity to break out this season. This team could pioneer a new age of women’s golf at EC.
ecleader.org
Tennis –Women’s
Preview by Tyler York, Staff Writer 2013 Season Recap Last season the women’s squad took fifth in the CCIW Championship with 23 points. They closed out the 2013-2014 spring season by a demanding 8-1 win against Dominican University. They finished the season with an overall record of 5-8. Junior Cassie Kovach received first-team all-conference while Senior Meg Griffin was awarded second-team all-conference.
“I have spent many years around players from the Elmhurst College men’s and women’s tennis teams and I am energized by their spirit, enthusiasm, passion and potential! I fully embrace the exciting challenge of coaching at the college level and feel honored to be a part of the Elmhurst College Bluejay tradition.” (Quote from press release) Anne Mache, Head Coach (1st season) 2014 Season Outlook Almost the entire team will be returning as they only lost two graduating seniors. Always striving to be better, their squad consists of mostly upperclassmen who hope to return more improved than last year. With Griffin and Kovach leading, they may well have their first winning season since the 2008.
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Men’s Cross County/ Track & Field
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Preview by Zachary Bishop, Editor-in-Chief 2013-2014 Season Recap Will Cross took charge during the fall, earning honors at the NCAA Midwest Regional with a 15th place finish and helping his fellow runners place 24th out of 39 teams. Cross then went on to attain AllAmerican Honors at the NCAA Championships with a 34th place finish. He continued his excellent performance in the spring by scoring all-conference honors at the CCIW Outdoor Championships in both the 10,000 and 1,500 meters events. Andrew DeBolt also earned all-conference honors with a third place finish in the 800 meters. But the rest of the Track and Field team lagged behind due to some key injuries and they ended up finishing 7th out of eight teams.
“I am really excited for this 2014 Cross Country season…[and] am really optimistic on how our team is shaping up…Will Cross should be a top 10 runner in the country and with him leading us, I can see us really turning some heads this season.” “This is the year for our Track and Field team to take a step further up in the CCIW Conference…With all of our scorers coming back, I hope that we have a few new faces really step up and add to what we have returning…As a team we work very hard, despite having very limited facilities, and I appreciate all that the Track team must endure. Despite all the adversity, we still have a great team atmosphere and I am excited to see everyone’s growth.” Jim Akita, Head Coach (10th season/9th season) 2014-2015 Outlook The Cross County team has quite the advantage this year now that Cross has three years of experience and All-American honors under his belt. He will be leading a strong Junior/Sophomore class with DeBolt and Will O’Connell right behind him. With all athletes returning, the Track and Field team has a shot at significantly improving their group scores. In addition to Cross and DeBolt, top decathlete Jake Wilson and a strong group of throwers will hopefully help the team reach this goal.
Basketball – Men’s Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer
2013-14 Season Recap Head coach John Baines led a turnaround year for the Bluejays in his first season at the helm. After a disappointing 6-19 (2-12 CCIW) 2012 season, EC launched itself back above .500 and into the middle of the CCIW pack with a 14-11 (6-8 CCIW) 2013-14. The key to this surprisingly fast turnaround could have been late game situations. The Bluejays were 7-3 in games decided by five points or less in 2013, much improved from 1-7 in 2012.
“I’m extremely encouraged by the progress we’ve made over the past 14 months. [We have] a huge group of returners that are now moving into upperclass roles and I believe that fans are going to be surprised at their development. We also have a very talented recruiting class full of high character people, in addition to being talented players. Our major concern will be the cohesiveness of our team and how players mold into roles. Our ability to compete in the CCIW will be determined by our ability to come together as a group.”
EC wrestler butts heads with one from North Central.
File photo
Wrestling Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer
2013-14 Season Recap EC male athlete of the year Ryan Prater became the third Bluejay wrestler in two years to win a national championship and the 23rd All-American honor in head coach Steve Marianetti’s 13-year tenure. Prater missed much of the season with an injury, but wrestled his best when it counted, finishing off a perfect 20-0 season with a 4-2 win in the 149-pound championship match. The 197-pound CCIW champion Danny Balderas also reached the NCAA tournament narrowly missing All-American honors. As a team, the Bluejays struggled with injuries and finished with a 3-10 dual meet record.
“Our goals and expectations this year remain the same: win the CCIW Championship and earn AllAmerican honors. We graduated some key people so this season will be a challenge, but I know that we have guys ready to take over, including Venecia. Plus, we have 16 newcomers that will be fighting for starting spots.” Steve Marianetti, Head Coach (13th season) 2014-15 Season Outlook The Bluejays lost more than just Balderas and Prater from the starting lineup, as conference champion Danny Vargas (285 pounds) also left. Vargas was a key piece last year, adding on to EC’s strength in the heavier weight classes. The wrestler to watch this year is junior Miguel Venecia, an All-American in 2013 who hopes to bounce back from a 2014 sophomore slump.
John Baines, Head Coach (2nd season) 2014-15 Season Outlook Forwards Taylor Baxter and Nick Sanford may have graduated, but the return of Baines and other key contributors is vital to sucesss. Leading scorer Kyle Wuest (13.4 points per game) is part of a large junior class that exceptionally fits Baines’ “four out” offense. Wuest’s classmate Will Nixon can be seen guarding the paint (47 blocks last season) and should see a bump in touches, points, rebounds, and assists as the team’s lead post presence. Although it’s hard to imagine this team taking another monumental step forward this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Bluejays competing for a spot in the CCIW tournament.
Baseball Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer
2014 Season Recap Head coach Joel Southern’s baseball team had a modest 15-22 (9-12 CCIW) season in 2013. The Bluejays never had problems at the plate, hitting .302 as a team and packing a punch at the top of the lineup with seniors Tyler Wargo (hit .355 at the leadoff spot) and Dave Wolak (led the team in home runs and RBIs). On the hill, the Bluejays gave up 8.3 runs per game as a team, putting huge pressure on the offense to produce big numbers. Senior Jordan Hanlon was the horse of the rotation, pitching a team-high 59 1/3 innings and posting a team-best 4.55 ERA.
“We will have a bit of a different look [in 2015]. It will be difficult to replace some of our departing players, but I believe we have people in the organization and joining the organization this fall who will be able to do a good job in those roles. When you have some new faces, it’s hard to really predict how things will go, but we do have the personnel to be successful.” Joel Southern, Head Coach (9th season) 2015 Season Outlook There are young faces on the horizon to replace the likes of Hanlon, Wolak, and Wargo. Freshman corner infielder Ben Havel was a huge bright spot for the Bluejays last season hitting .350 with 28 RBIs and earning first-team all conference honors. Hopefully he’ll continue this streak. On the mound, the Bluejays will hope for bounce back seasons from their returning starters Ryan Millan, Justin Theisen, Jeff Guzzi, and Ivan Nevarez.
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Lacrosse – Men’s
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Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer
2014 Recap The 2014 EC men’s lacrosse season ended in unbelievable dramatic fashion. In the final game of the season vs. Augustana, the Bluejays came back from a three-goal deficit in the final minute, scoring the equalizer with eight seconds left in regulation and then winning the game on overtime. It was a landmark victory for EC lacrosse, which finished 8-8 and 5-5 in the Midwest Lacrosse Conference.
“We have the core of our team returning and are adding freshmen to the group. I don’t necessarily think we will be building on the momentum [of last season] as much as believing what we are capable of accomplishing. We beat some teams at the end of the 2014 season that, based on our losses at the beginning of the year, were games that no one thought we could win. So, embracing the belief that we can accomplish great things needs to start on day one.” Mark Morrell, Head Coach (3rd season) 2015 Outlook There are lots of positives for the Bluejays coming into 2015. Since the program is only in it’s third year, every key contributor will be back on the field for the Bluejays in 2015. Leading goal-scorer Drew Wassenaar is a sophomore, while leading assist-man Alex Opyd and do-it-all midfielder Mal Euson are juniors. Plus the CCIW, which is adding lacrosse this season, is presumably weaker than the MLC (define MLC). If the Bluejays can clear up some question marks on defense and in goal, they could be in for another big step in the right direction.
Lacrosse – Women’s Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer
“We have a great group of athletes who have excelled on their high school and former college teams and are ready to hit the ground running. Any first year is going to be an uphill battle but we are more than ready for the challenge.” Allison Brady, Head Coach (1st season) 2015 Season Outlook Fall 2014 is the first season for EC Women’s Lacrosse. As with any young program there will be a lot of young leadership and that starts in net with Grace Knoebel, a Wisconsin high school state champion last year. On offense, freshman Phoebe Leroy impressed head coach Allison Brady and looks to be the leading Bluejays attacker. It will be interesting to see if this team takes a similar progression to the beginning years of the EC men’s lacrosse team. The men went 2-14 in their inaugural season before improving to 8-8 a year ago. It’s hard to rack up the wins when your CCIW competition (Carthage, North Central, Augustana) has already surpassed their program’s formative years.
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An EC lacrosse player in the middle of a pass.
File photo
Basketball – Women’s Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer
2013-14 Season Recap Head coach Tethene Carrillo’s team (14-12, 6-8 CCIW) finished last year’s campaign by winning two of their last three games to qualify for the CCIW tournament as the #4 seed. EC faced heavily favored top-seeded Carthage in the first round, a team who they lost to twice in the regular season by a combined 55 points, yet gave them all they could handle in the third meeting. It was the second time they had a halftime lead against a NCAA tournament team (led by seven points at half vs. NCAA semifinalist Univ. of Wis.-Whitewater), but again they could not shut the door, losing by 10.
“On paper we have loads of talent at every position. I would say [we are] the deepest we have been [as a team] in a long time. If we [build team chemistry and play unselfish basketball] we should be hard to stop with all the combinations we can put out on the court. I also think that with a veteran line-up that will help with maintaining leads this season. Last year, we made it back to the conference tournament and that is what our goal will be for the season.” Tethene Carrillo, Head Coach (8th season) 2014-15 Season Outlook With EC’s dynamic duo down low and Fiona McMahon and Melanie Schwerdtmann (combined 26.8 points and 14.2 rebounds per game) returning for their seniors seasons, the Bluejays are in good shape to make another run at the CCIW tournament. EC will certainly miss guard Karen Sennette (10.2 points and 3.7 assists per game) and defensive Devin Vaughn, but Carrillo expects transfer Sarah Winans (28 minutes per game as a freshman with Division II St. Leo University in Fla.) to partially fill Sennette’s role, while Katie Swanson and Hannah Lipman will strengthen the backcourt.
Women’s Cross Country/ Track & Field
2013-14 Season Recap 2013-14 was the year of Alyssa Poremba on the course and the track. In the fall, the Bluejays’ star turned in a second place finish at the CCIW championships and followed that up with an eighth place finish at the NCAA regional, reaching the DIII National Championships. In the spring, she broke five school records on the track and earned AllFile photo American honors at 5,000 and 10,000 meter EC runners widen their strides near the end of a runs. Poremba shared EC female athlete and race. scholar-athlete of the year honors.
“Losing All-American Alyssa Poremba will certainly hurt us as she was a great runner and a great role model. We return the rest of our top runners as well as a new group of eight runners. As always, our only goal is to run our best. We can’t control what other teams do.” Erik Guta, Head Coach (15th season/14th season) 2014-15 Season Outlook The downside of Poremba graduating is coupled with the return of every other key component. Coach Erik Guta may not have another All-American up his sleeve, but he’ll have lots of runners with college experience. Runners to watch this fall are sophomore Ally Carpenter who propelled herself into a top runner in her first year and senior Elyse Cristofanelli who looks to take on Poremba’s leadership role. Alex Ried is a key senior sprinter and mid-distance runner on the track, showing up in the Elmhurst record book as an individual, as well as a member of the distance medley team with junior Caitlin O’Mara and senior Riley Seiler.
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Museum explores Cubs vs. Sox Rivalry Zachary Bishop editor-in-chief
As most Chicagoans will tell you, the inner city rivalry between the Cubs and Sox is so intense that you practically have to pick a side to dodge the crossfire. In an attempt to help others understand the complex culture of clashing players and fandoms, the Elmhurst Historical Museum created an exhibit that explores the historic rivalry titled “Sox Vs. Cubs: The Chicago Civil Wars.” The Cubs and Sox are historically significant in Major League Baseball, both being charter teams in their leagues, and that’s one of the reasons Curator of Exhibits Lance Tawzer wanted to explore their histories. “The Cubs and Sox constitute the longest inter-city rivalry in American baseball,” he said in a phone interview. “The idea was to try and find interpretive cultural ideas that visitors can relate to [and] I thought there were stereotypes from both teams that could be explored.” While visiting the highly interactive exhibit, guests can read about the histories of both teams’ players, games, fields on signs and timelines, play trivia games on IPads, and rate their favorite players from ESPN’s
Photo by Peter Flockencier
At the “Fan Cave Face Off” display, visitors can see items from the collections of two Elmhurst residents and hear them speak.
“Top 50 Best Cubs and Sox Players since 1950”, the results of which are posted on the museum’s Facebook page. They also have the opportunity to watch videos of die-hard
Cubs and Sox fans discussing their fandoms in-depth and sharing their perspectives of the other team and their fans. “Both fandoms were asked about the origin of their fan-
Photo by Peter Flockencier
A visitor from Wheaton tests his knowledge of the White Sox at the Trivia Challenge station.
dom, what it means to them to be a fan for their team, [and] how they feel about the other team,” Tawzer said. “It was especially fascinating to hear how the Cubs felt about the Sox winning the World Series in 2005. Some were happy for them, but others were in denial.” Additionally, the exhibit includes a spot for visitors to watch interviews with famous media voices, such as journalist Bruce Levine, broadcaster Chet Coppock, and writer/historian Rich Lindberg. “It was really interesting to hear their perspectives about the nature of the rivalry, where it is located, [and] the intensity of games,” Tawzer said. Fans who want to learn about famous Chicago baseball broadcaster Harry Caray can read a poster explaining his role in the Cubs’ and White Sox’ histories. But the exhibit is not lacking in material artifacts because guests can see an array of Cubs and Sox memorabilia that intense fans have gathered throughout generations. The most expansive display of which is titled “Fan Cave Face Off” and features items from the massive collections of Sox fan Sam Vasta and Cubs fan Mike LoCirero, who are both Elmhurst locals. Tawzer explained that showcasing these souvenirs are perfect examples of how fans use objects to remind themselves of their team loyalties. “We tried to choose artifacts and images that are interpretive,” he said. “Things that fans collected while at the games… to stay connected to their teams.” Some other displays that fans might be interested in are a wall-sized graph of attendance
at Cubs and Sox games over the years, a poster on the infamous 1906 World Series where both Chicago teams faced off, and a display case on the “Bat Days” hosted by both fields where fans received bats for coming to games.
“The Cubs and Sox constitute the longest inter-city rivalry in American baseball... The idea was to try and find interpretive cultural ideas that visitors can relate to [and] I thought there were stereotypes from both teams that could be explored.” Lance Tawzer Elmhurst Historical Museum Curator of Exhibits Museum Director Brian Bergheger revealed the exhibit is incredibly popular among visitor from Elmhurst and the surrounding communities, calling it a “big summer hit.” He encourages anyone to come to the exhibit regardless of whether or not they are interested in the sport. “It speaks to people about baseball in Chicago but it also speaks to people about the city of Chicago,” Bergheger said. “You don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy it.” The exhibit only runs until September 28, so those interested should take a trip over there before its too late.
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ecleader.org
Baines teaches basketball in Greece said. “They played an entirely different style of basketball.” The camp featured an intensive daily schedule where young men aged 6-18 practiced, scrimmaged, and participated in individual contests. The schedule also allotted time to teaching sessions run by Rodopoulos and Baines.
“I’ve worked at a billion basketball camps, but I’ve never done one out of the country.” John Baines Head Men’s Basketball Coach Coach John Baines cheers on his players during an intense game.
Zachary Bishop editor-in-chief
With his first season as head men’s basketball coach, John Baines took the unique opportunity to coach overseas at the Salonica Basketball Camp in Thessaloniki, Greece this past June. The camp made history at its founding in 1983 for being the first basketball camp in Greece.
Over the years, several famous basketball players have attended, including the Harlem Globetrotters. Its still run by its founder Ted Rodopoulos, a former professional Greek national coach who was a member of the United States’ National Association of Basketball Coaches for 38 years. Baines was honored when Rodopoulos asked him to run a
Photo courtesy of John Baines
shooting camp and assist with the other sessions at the 2014 program. Rodopoulos most likely chose Baines because of his winning record of 57-38 as head coach at the University of St. Francis for three years. But once there, he had to adjust his mindset. “I’ve worked at a billion basketball camps, but I’ve never done one out of the country,” he
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Most of the campers were from Greece, but there were several from Cyprus, Crete, and even Turkey. All of them spoke Greek, so Baines had to overcome a language barrier to effectively coach with the help of a translator, but luckily he did that quickly. “I learned enough Greek that by the end of my time there, I was running the camps entirely in Greek,” he said.
After participating in the camp, Baines feels he will be able to bring back a lot of new knowledge and skills to his coaching at EC. In particular, Baines believes overcoming the language has improved his coaching. “Having to coach players who spoke a different language than me strengthened my abilities on the court,” he said. “I think that will carry over to my coaching at EC.” Though being out of the states, Baines still did some recruiting work at the camp and found some prospects.
“I learned enough Greek that by the end of my time there, I was running the camps entirely in Greek.” He also started planning a trip to Greece the EC basketball team will take next year. He met a lot of coaches of club teams they could play. But overall, Baines enjoyed the camp because it helped him fulfill his passion for helping young athletes improve.
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Students burn calories at local gyms Andy Prignano opinions editor
Since you may find yourself spending a lot more time at EC and gaining some weight thanks to not so healthy or savory cafeteria food, you may want to check out a few gyms in the City of Elmhurst. We all know about Xsport, LA Fitness, and other chains, but here are a few gyms you won’t find on Yelp.
Transform Fitness & Sports (927 S York St.) Transform Fitness is a gym that specializes in kettle bell conditions, boot camp, rapid weight loss programs, youth training, and high-intensity interval training. They offer one-on-one training sessions, group classes, and in home training for all ages and fitness levels, and are only 2.2 miles away from EC.
Fire Force Crossfit (694 N. Larch Ave.) Fire Force Crossfit Elmhurst focuses mainly on the Crossfit philosophy on fitness, but also offers Olympic weightlifting classes. Their entire coaching staff has Crossfit certifications and range from US Army and Coast Guard Veterans to former NCAA athletes. One of their coaches is a player the Chicago Bliss in the Lingerie Football League At Fire Force they stress dedication, teamwork, motivation, and discipline.
“[Fire Force’s] entire coaching staff has Crossfit certifications and range from US Army and Coast Guard Veterans to former NCAA athletes.” They put such an emphasis on discipline that if one of the rules is broken, there is a minimum penalty of 15 burpees.
Photos by Peter Flockencier
Allan Ocha vigorously works out at Fire Force Crossfit (left) while a Transform Fitness & Sports trainer watches a gym member’s progress (right).
The first three classes are free, and it is exactly 2 miles away from EC.
Patriot Boxing and Fitness Systems (645 S. IL Rt 83) Patriot Boxing is a mixed martial arts gym that offers classes in boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, mixed martial arts, Jiu jitsu, yoga, strength and conditioning, and TRX (a simple way or using bodyweight to create resistance for students of any fitness level. They also offer private training sessions and classes for kids ages 5-10 that cover boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, taekwondo, karate, and Jiu Jitsu. Patriot Boxing and Fitness Systems won the Elmhurst Patch’s readers choice award for the best workout facility in Elmhurst. Featured on ABC 7
Chicago as “one of the hottest new workouts in the western suburbs”, they advocate positive reinforcement and try to foster a friendly environment.
“Patriot Boxing and Fitness Systems won the Elmhurst Patch’s readers choice award for the best workout facility in Elmhurst.” You can sign up for a free session on their website to see if the gym is for you. It is 2.8 miles away from EC.
FITT-RX (123 North York Road) FITT RX offers a wide array of classes including boot camp, circuit intervals, Zumba, yoga, and spin classes as well as 30
minute or 45-50 minute sessions that cover multiple activities from each class. Like most other gyms on this list they offer personal training sessions also. They try to use boot camp and high interval training without the hard-core “military style” mentality that comes along with it. FITT RX encourages a friendly attitude and makes sure members of every fitness level feel comfortable and not intimidated like they do in many other gyms. Located 4.5 miles away from EC, they offer onsite childcare, and welcome members of all ages and fitness levels.
Their philosophy revolves around creating a unique experience for all of its members. They provide one-on-one sessions and smaller customized group classes, as well as workshops designed to educate members on fitness and healthy living. In keeping with their personalized theme they work entirely on an appointment based system and guarantees to find a combination of workouts that will help you increase your fitness level. They are the closest gym on this list being only 1.3 miles away from EC.
BGB Fitness (533 W North Ave Suite 70)
So whether you want to lose a few pounds or get in shape for a marathon, these Elmhurst gyms can help you get fit.
BGB Fitness is not as big as the other gyms on this list, but tries to make up for it with a more personalized program.
A few members of FITT-RX make sparks on exercise bikes (left) while a Patriot Boxing trainer encourages members to keep on punching (right).
Photos by Peter Flockencier
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