The Leader November 3, 2015

THE LEADER

VOL.48 50SEPTEMBER November 3, THE AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT ELMHURST COLLEGE. VOL. 10,2015 2013

Day of the Dead Commemoration

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EC mourns the death of Drew Myslicki

Photo courtesy of Alana Bravo Drew Myslicki was a “fun-loving, unique and caring individual.“

Sarah astra editor-in-chief

EC transfer student Drew Myslicki was the guy who

brought candy into English class because he wanted people to smile, and was described as a “fun-loving, unique and [a] caring individual” by senior Gina Bruno.

He could make anyone laugh, his quirkiness could turn a bad day around, and he knew the right words to say to turn sadness into laughter, according to senior Alana Bravo.

However, his smiles were ended on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Myslicki died in his sleep at the age of 23. The cause of death is still unknown but one source stated it could have been cardiac arrest.

A mass was held on Oct. 31 at 10 a.m. for Myslicki in celebration of his life. There was no wake, according to Myslicki’s mother in a comment on Facebook. Anyone who knew Myslicki was invited to attend and reflect on his life.

Bravo also commented on

the people at the mass and their reactions as well as the ambiance of the event.

“The service was extremely hard and heartbreaking, but comforting at the same time,” she said. “Seeing the amount of people there was amazing and knowing that so many people cared for him was also amazing to see.”

Both parents wrote eulogies for Myslicki in which they shared memories and their expressions of love and sadness for their loss. The burial commenced after the funeral mass.

He graduated Lyons Township High School in 2010 and later went on to study at Illinois State University, then transferred to EC in Fall 2014 becoming a psychology major.

Myslicki was a native of La Grange and eventually took a year off between when he left ISU and when he enrolled at

EC for personal reasons.

Many students around campus are grieving for the loss of Myslicki, and more people post how much they miss him on his Facebook page each day.

Myslicki had a bright outlook on life, according to his friends.

“I will forever be grateful for what he taught me about myself and about how life isn't easy, but it is important that we keep moving forward and strive for great things,” Bravo said. “The memories we made and the advice he gave me will keep me strong and be a daily reminder of how lucky I was to have him in my life.”

Debate sparked over smoking ban at EC Gianfranco Ocampo news editor Students in Elmhurst College have responded in favor of a campus wide ban on smoking in a recent survey sent out by the Student Government Association, a move favored by one of its board members, Alex Romano.

The survey shows that of the 290 current voters, 60 percent of them are in favor of the smoking ban.

At this point the poll is only meant for SGA to understand how students and faculty feel about the initiative.

“This is a preliminary procedure, no action is being taken on this idea yet,” said Alex Romano.

“Something as potentially wide sweeping as a campus ban on smoking is not something that is going to happen overnight.

This survey is meant to get a feel of the campus and the spread of opinions that exist on the topic.”

Romano’s main concern was for the health of the student body, not only for the smokers, but for anyone on campus who doesn’t smoke that would have to deal with the effects of second hand smoke.

“The student government has an obligation to be a voice of the student community and thus work for the betterment of

such,” he said. “Elmhurst College[‘s] non-smoking students and visitors are limited in the routes they can take to avoid the contact with smokers, therefore being exposed to secondhand smoke .”

The need for SGA and the student body to take action on a campus ban regarding smoking is necessary and part of the core values of the college, according to Romano.

“The core values of Elmhurst College, two of them state — ­ we are committed to mutual respect among all persons and we are accountable to one another for the quality of our community,” he said.

Students who are against the smoking ban have been vocal with their objections.

“I think it's unfair to ban smoking on any campus where students are residents,” said Alex Bryne, one of the students in opposition to the ban.

“My main concern here is that an immediate smoking ban forces any students who live on campus to quit or deal with leaving campus every single time he or she wants to have a cigarette,” Bryne said. “Of course quitting is a good thing, but it can be really difficult for a lot of people, and if you aren't in the right place emotionally and mentally, withdrawal can have

an adverse effect.”

Suzanna Vasko also objected to the ban citing the strain it puts to many students who smoke to relieve stress.

“A large majority of my best friends and support group on campus are also smokers,” she said. “We heavily rely on the time between classes to catch up and mentally decompress.”

She also sent SGA a letter expressing her frustration over the idea of EC banning smoking on campus, the following being an excerpt of the letter.

“I am fortunate enough to have become a part of a group of students that continues to accept one another, inspire one another, and support one another throughout each of our daily joys and struggles. These people are not only my friends, but are my family,” she wrote.

“My peer’s and I can vouch for the fact that having freedom to enjoy one another’s company on campus has given us the ability to form ourselves both personally and intellectually.

Mihovil Turk is in support of the smoking ban, despite being a smoker on campus, and argues for the benefit of both the college and the students.

“It will be easier to advertise for future enrollment potential, we’ll have a cleaner environment due to less cigarette litter,”

he said. “It will also encourage smokers to cut down.”

Students also have the chance to comment on the survey and, like the poll, most students were in support of the ban.

“The collection of smokers that surround the entrances to the science building, Old Main, and many other buildings carry their scent in with them, trailing it through the halls. This puts at risk the non-smokers and increases the amount of second and third hand smoke,” one student said. “Being a former smoker, I never took into consideration how people who get nauseated by the smell of

smoke. Now I am one of those people who cannot stand the smell of smoke or the after smell. By implementing the ban, we allow a healthy and safe environment for everyone.”

In Illinois alone, there are 64 college campuses that have enacted a smoking ban on the entire campus, and nationwide there are 1,620 according to the website no.smoke.org.

The poll will be closing on Nov. 5 and shortly after the SGA is planning to have an open forum for students to discuss their views of this potential smoking ban.

File photo Members of the EC campus vary on their views of smoking.

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November 3, 2015

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Canada changes political scenery Corinne Demyanovich staff writer Canadians elected a new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, on Oct. 19. The election results brought the news that Canada would have its first change in party leadership in ten years.

After being led by Conservative Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, Canadians elected Liberal Justin Trudeau, the son of former Prime Minister, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, regarded as an “iconic leader of Canada from 1968 to 1984,” according to CNN. The new Prime Minister, 43, has received a lot of criticism for his young age and lack of experience for such an important job. As the second-youngest Prime Minister in Canadian history, Trudeau began his political career in 2008 when he was elected as a member of Parliament.

Trudeau proved his critics

wrong, performing excellently in the debates and throughout the campaigns, paving his way to a majority vote at the polls on Oct. 19.

Canadians welcome the new Prime Minister, as CNN reports that 70 percent of Canadians wanted a change. A Google search for the opinion on former Prime Minister Harper produces top search results such as the website “Shit Harper Did.” After ten years of conservative leadership under him, citizens grew tired of his harsh political style, in which his tactics “alienated friends and energized enemies,” stated CBC in an Oct. 20 article.

Trudeau has big goals as the political leader of Canada. In a news video from CNN posted on Oct. 20, he says that he will “end tax breaks for the wealthy, take on climate change, withdraw Canadian forces from the fight against ISIS, and legalize marijuana”.

Internet photo After being elected Canada’s newest Prime Minister, Trudeau smiles and waves to the audience.

With many key issues at hand, Trudeau will be extremely busy.

He not only landed a demanding job, but he stresses that his family is his life. He has three children with his wife, Sophie Gregoire, a popular television and radio host, and vows to keep them a priority

in his life.

During his victory speech, Trudeau referenced his fight to win the job.

"We beat fear with hope, we beat cynicism with hard work,” he said. “We beat negative, divisive politics with a positive vision that

brings Canadians together.”

Trudeau concluded with a hint at Canada’s bright future. “This is Canada and better is always possible.”

14 dead in Islamist militants attack on Somalian hotel Sarah Astra editor-in-chief A Somalian hotel in Mogadishu was raided by Islamist militants on Oct. 25, killing at least 14 people and injuring more.

According to The New York Times, a car bomb was parked outside of the front gate of the hotel and was detonated, bringing the gate down.

The militants entered the Sahafi Hotel, a popular place in Somalia, and began shooting guests and hotel employees.

The battle went on for several

hours and digressed to the militants having a shoot-out with hotel security on the rooftop.

A group called the Shabab militant group, known for having control over Mogadishu many years ago and enforcing a harsh Islamic law on the people, excitedly claimed responsibility for the attack, according to The New York Times.

Shabab fighters have been pushed back for now and the Somalian government believes this was a desperate attempt to gain control rather than showing an increase in power.

Rescuers carrying a person wounded during an attack at the Sahafi Hotel in Somali.

Internet photo

Russian plane breaks apart over Egypt - all dead on flight Sarah astra editor-in-chief A Russian airplane broke up midair over Egypt on Oct. 25 and crashed in the

The awardwinning student newspaper at Elmhurst College

Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people who were aboard.

It is still unknown what caused the flight to be interrupted and crash;

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however, it is certain that the Russian and Egyptian officials denied claims by Islamic State militant groups that they had destroyed the plane, according to The Chicago Tribune.

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The debris field was quite large,, spreading out over more than seven square miles all over the Sinai region.

geting rebel positions in Syria, but it is unknown whether this is true or not, according to The Chicago Tribune.

This crash is thought to be a retaliation for Russian warplanes tar-

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Rabbi Feigelson asks the big questions Gianfranco Ocampo news editor Rabbi Josh Feigelson spoke at Elmhurst College’s 15th annual Joshua Heschel Lecture in which he discussed Hebrew theology and how it can lead to the answers of “big questions”.

“Big questions are different than hard questions- hard questions require expertise,” Feigelson said. “Anyone can answer a big question, big questions share the importance of hard questions, and they’re questions that matter to anyone. They’re questions that lead to stories, not debates.”

Feigleson is the founder and director of Ask Big Questions, which aims to help develop trust among people.

Now more than ever there is a need for big questions to be

asked, according to Feigelson.

“We are now in a moment in human history where our ability to live together in communities is being challenge[d] as never before, and they will only be solved if we can find ways to live together.”

Feigelson’s theology can be viewed as a guide to examining oneself and how citizens should base their values on citing and quoting from Kings in the bible on the story of Solomon and The Pharaoh.

“In a democracy we are all sovereigns all of us have the capacity to be Solomon or the Pharaoh, if we are to nurture and maintain a healthy democracy we need to cultivate and live up to listen and have open hearts,” he said. “We need as individuals and as a collective [to] be sovereigns.”

Photo courtesy of Hannah Jasinski Rabbi Josh Feigelson speaks in Founders Lounge at EC on Oct. 20 about the need to ask big questions.

“We are all responsible for one another, if we are to have any hope of meeting the challenges

that confront us we must restore our ability to imagine ourselves together — we must reclaim the

power of the word we,” Feigelson said.

Reverend discusses Israel-Palestine conflict

Gianfranco Ocampo news editor Reverend John Thomas, leading activist for the United Church of Christ (UCC), spoke on the church’s role in their aid to Palestenians in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The UCC in recent months began boycotting companies that profit from, what he believes, violations of human rights.

These companies include Caterpillar, who sells construction equipment for building roads in the West Bank that is involved in the ongoing issues for the Palestienas, Motorola Systems, that sell equipment for the monitoring of Palestinians, and Hewlett-Packard, which provides the computer software for the checkpoints that monitor where Palestinians can travel.

The UCC is also going to contin-

ue to invest in projects aimed to improve the situation of the Palestinians.

Reverend John Thomas hopes through the efforts of the UCC they can help the citizens of Palestine until a middle path can be reached, a path many in his church community are beginning to doubt.

“There is a radical imbalance of power in the region, and therefore to stand with those who are in many ways powerless in resistance to those who have all the power, need to move [the} question of balance [off] of the table,” he said.

“The resolution does not seek to be balanced, it seeks to stand with those who are weak and vulnerable.”

Since the 1800s the UCC has worked in areas in the Middle East with the initial goal of converting the residents to Christianity until

Photo courtesy of Hannah Jasinski Reverend John Thomas spoke about the church’s role to help the Palestinians in their conflict.

they began humanitarian work.

ECHO hosts Fall Fest on campus Corinne Demyanovich staff writer The Elmhurst College Honors Organization (ECHO) hosted Fall Fest on Oct. 27, an event that included numerous activities for students to engage in.

The event had mini-pumpkin decorating, selfie photo stations with spooky backgrounds, makeshift bowling games with balls and cups, and a balloon popping-prize winning wall.

Students were given tickets for raffle prizes once they finished an activity — raffle prizes included numerous gift cards.

“The Fall Fest was so much [fun],” said senior Isabel Juvan who attended the event. “Though it was short, Fall Fest was a fun

break during the school day, giving students a chance to chat, make crafts, and win prizes.”

Hannah Stewart, the ECHO retreat/programming chair, hoped the Fall Fest would give students the opportunity to learn more about the honors program.

“ECHO plans the Fall Fest every year as a social event for the Honors Program so people can get together outside of classes,” she said. “We also want to let people know about the Honors program and the things we do, it’s a chance for other people to learn about the Honors Program.”

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November 3, 2015

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Planned Parenthood to be defunded

Internet Photo Debates have been sparking around the nation on whether or not to defund Planned Parenthood.

Saaniya ahmed staff writer Texas announced it will defund Planned Parenthood by cutting off its Medicaid funding in response to a string of controversial videos, a decision overwhelmingly disapproved of by EC students.

The Leader sent out a poll to students at Elmhurst College to determine whether they support Texas’s decision. It received responses from a total of 302 students.

Of those who responded, 20 percent believe Planned Parenthood and similar organizations

should be defunded; this opinion was expressed by a total of 59 students.

The videos were recorded and released by the Center for Medical Progress (CMP), an anti-abortion group. They allegedly revealed Planned Parenthood’s involvement in the illegal sale of body tissue harvested from aborted fetuses.

Abbott justified the state’s decision by citing the alleged practices shown in the CMP videos.

“The gruesome harvesting of baby body parts by Planned Parenthood will not be allowed in

Texas and the barbaric practice must be brought to an end,” he said, according to MSNBC. Critics of the decision have stressed the fact that Planned Parenthood provides services besides abortion. They claim that cutting off funding is equivalent to cutting off women’s access to necessary health services.

Of the 302 EC students surveyed, 243 said they do not believe the US government should cut off funding to Planned Parenthood and similar organizations.

This opinion belongs to 80 percent of those surveyed.

Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, agrees with these students and believes Texas’s decision should not have been based primarily off of the CMP videos, which she claims are highly edited.

"It is completely outrageous that Texas officials are using these thoroughly discredited, fraudulent videos to cut women off from preventive health care, including cancer screenings, HIV testing, and birth control," she said, according to the Associated Press.

Of the 243 EC students that do not support Texas’s decision, 190, or 78 percent, of them are women.

Eighty-five percent of those women are between the ages of 18 and 24.

Students were also asked which political party they most closely identified with. In total, 55 percent of students responded that they identify as Democrats, while 20 percent identify as Republicans, and 25 percent responded with ‘Other’.

The number of self-reported Democrats who believe Planned Parenthood should not be defunded is significantly larger than the number of self-reported Republicans that support Planned Parenthood.

In terms of those who believe

Planned Parenthood should not be defunded, a majority of 64 percent identify as Democrats, while 11 percent identify as Republicans, and 25 percent identify as ‘Other’.

The Leader also asked students if they are a pro-life or a prochoice supporter. Overall, a majority of 74 percent of those surveyed said they are pro-choice, while 26 percent said they are pro-life.

The number of EC pro-choice supporters that do not support the defunding of Planned Parenthood was larger than the number of pro-life supporters that do not want Planned Parenthood to be defunded.

Of the 243 students that do not support the government defunding of Planned Parenthood, 78 percent identified as pro-choice while only 22 percent identified as pro-life.

Overall, 76 percent of those who responded to the survey were white, 15 percent were Hispanic or Latino, 5 percent were Asian, and 4 percent were Black or African American.

Biden decides not to run for president Faiza Ikram staff writer Vice President Joe Biden Jr. announced that he would not run in the 2016 presidential race mainly based on his son, Beau Biden, death earlier this year.

Biden made this annoucement in the Rose Garden with President Obama and his wife, Jill Biden, by his side on Oct. 20 Biden also said that although he and his family have gone through the grieving process, it was too late to run.

“Unfortunately, I believe we're out of time, the time necessary to mount a winning campaign for the nomination,” he said. “But while I will not be a candidate, I will not be silent.”

The announcement ended wide speculation by the media and public as to whether or not Biden would run for president.

With so many Democrats wanting Biden on the Democratic ticket a campaign titled “Draft Joe” began as an attempt at just that.

Although Biden cited the loss of his son and a looming first filing deadline, other factors may have played into his decision not run.

Dr. Constance Mixon, a political science professor at Elmhurst College, said that he may have been reluctant to go up against Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate frontrunner and former Secretary of State.

“He said that given his son's death, he needed additional time to make the decision. It is also possible that he was simply waiting it out to see if Hillary Clinton would remain the Democratic Party's frontrunner,” she said in an email interview.

“Given the continued questions about her email server and Benghazi, he may have been waiting to see if she slipped any further in the polls. Nonetheless, one can't dismiss the impact of losing his son. I am sure it had a tremendous impact on his decision.”

Biden also discussed several issues which included his criticism for big money in political campaigns, his call for more bipartisanship in Congress, and his advocacy for free public college education.

Mixon also said that had Biden ran for the Democratic nomination, the race may have been substantially affected.

“His decision solidifies Secretary Clinton's status as the frontrunner and likely nominee. If he ran, he may have garnered the support of some Obama loyalists and voters unsure about Secretary Clinton,” she said. “With Biden out of the mix, Clinton will continue to receive the bulk of contributions from the major Democratic Party donors, which will be an advantage.”

Hillary Clinton responded to Biden’s announcement by praising his service.

"I am confident that history isn’t finished with Joe Biden," she said.

"As he said today, there is more work to do. And if I know Joe, he will always be on the front-lines, always fighting for all of us.”

As to whether or not VP Biden will run in 2020, Mixon seemed unsure.

“It is very unlikely and he has said himself that 2016 was his last chance. His future is as an elder statesman if he decides to remain in public life - and I think he will,” she said.

Internet Photo Joe Biden’s presidental campain was rumored for months and after not showing up in the Democratic debates, Biden confirmed he will not run for president in 2016.

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November 3, 2015

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Mythbusters: sorority life edition Saaniya ahmed staff writer Greek life has long been a source of controversy on college campuses. A Google search of the word “fraternity” yields accounts of hazing, sexual assault, underage alcohol consumption, and offensive social events.

The Leader was interested in determining Elmhurst College students’ opinions regarding Greek life.

Through investigation, it became apparent that many students fostered questions rather than judgments.

The Leader asked the presidents of fraternities and sororities on campus to ascertain which claims are myths and which are facts.

MYTH OR FACT? FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES HAZE NEW MEMBERS Sophomore Phillip Quezada wondered if the hazing he has witnessed in the media actually occurs.

“I’ve seen it in movies and on TV but didn’t know it was real until the Phi Mu article,” Quezada said, referencing an article published by The Leader last year regarding alleged hazing at EC. Freshman Hamna Amin described some types of hazing.

“I’ve heard stories where people had to do crazy things like extreme drinking, humiliating themselves to see if they’re “brave”, sometimes even hurting themselves,” she said.

Hazing also includes questionable ritual initiations to get into a fraternity/sorority that students also believe occurs frequently.

Freshman Diana Rodriguez has seen unusual initiation rites in the media. She is curious about specific rituals involving animals.

“Are weird animal sacrifices part of rituals?” she asked.

FACT: HAZING OCCURS (BUT NOT AT ELMHURST ACCORDING TO EC GREEKS) Tyler Espino, president of Alpha Sigma Phi, admitted that hazing occurs on larger campuses but denied it at Elmhurst.

“There’s absolutely no hazing on this campus. It usually doesn’t occur in a school like this as opposed to a larger institution. It’s a big school thing.”

Joseph Passarelli, president of Lambda Chi Alpha, agreed that hazing usually occurs at larger schools.

“I don’t believe that’s happened here, but I have witnessed it at other schools,” he said. “It’s disappointing to see some organizations follow that ‘tradition’.”

Espino also commented that the concept of animal sacrifices is entirely made up.

“We absolutely do not have animal sacrifices. People will make up a lot of things,” he said.

Allison Schultz, president of Sigma Kappa, corroborated Espino’s claims that sacrifices are not part of Greek life.

“Most of our girls can’t even kill a spider on their own, let alone kill an actual animal,” she said.

MYTH OR FACT? IT’S A DRINKING CLUB The number of alcohol related incidents in the Greek community have led critics of the organizations

to claim they are solely excuses to drink.

Amin said the consumption of alcohol by Greek organizations may be attributed to a certain reputation.

“I think they take the fact that they’re considered cool and they think they have to sustain that reputation [by drinking]. I just know if they’re having a party, there’s going to be alcohol,” she said.

MYTH: NOT PRIMARILY* ALCOHOL BASED Keli Kliebhan, president of Alpha Phi, admitted alcohol is usually consumed at social events but stated it is not their most important element.

“Alcohol is present at our social events but is not their only aspect.

The events are mainly massive dance parties,” she said.

Kliebhan claims that members of her sorority adhere to related laws.

“Alcohol is only accessible for those above the legal age. Under no circumstances are underage members allowed or able to access alcohol at our events,” she said.

MYTH OR FACT? YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR GREEK LIFE Sophomore Graeme Rowe claims that members of the Greek community pay for their friends.

“This is essentially a clique that you pay to be a part of,” he said.

“That friendship is conditional because if you stop paying, you’re an outcast and a pariah to them.”

FACT: CHAPTER DUES ARE REQUIRED

Espino said his fraternity does not outcast members because of dues but due to lack of involvement.

“I wouldn’t say that they’re being out casted [because they stop paying their dues]. I think at first it may be the money and then they start to distance themselves,” he said.

“Then they’re not seen at philanthropy events or brotherhood, which is their choice. You reach out to them, but you can only do so much reaching out.”

MYTH OR FACT? GREEK LIFE IS A SECRET SOCIETY Junior Jenna Webster believes the secrecy of the Greek community could lead to Greek organizations being viewed as elitist.

“People might think fraternity or sorority members think they’re better than everyone else,” she said.

FACT: GREEK ORGANIZATIONS WERE FOUNDED AS SECRET SOCIETIES It is an accepted fact that Greek organizations were founded as secret societies.

“Greek life stems from The Knight’s Templar in Europe and the Freemasons in America,” Kliebhan said.

Schultz attributed the secrecy to sacred rituals.

Different sororities have different rituals and what makes them sacred is that your organization is the only one that knows them,” she said.

Passarelli understands why people might think the Greek community is elitist.

“It might come off that way bcause we’re seen in groups and we

have our letters on,” he said. “But I have a lot of friends who aren’t in Greek life. I think that quelling that [elitist perspective] is something we are good at,” he said.

MYTH OR FACT? YOU MUST BE ‘GOOD-LOOKING’ TO JOIN A SORORITY Amin believes new members are recruited based on specific looks and denied if they do not meet requirements.

“A lot of the girls are blonde and white so I feel like they look for that.

I think they would deny somebody if they don’t look that way,” she said.

MYTH: NO OFFICIAL PHYSICAL REQUIRMENTS Kliebhan said there are no physical requirements to join Greek life.

“The PanHellenic Council makes sure people are academically eligible, but there are no other requirements,” she said.

Schultz stressed that EC has to integrate diversity into Greek life.

“Our community needs to find a way to successfully reach out to students who believe Greek life is geared toward ‘White Christian women/men’,” she said.

Espino believes EC already has a diverse Greek community.

“I think the Greek community is so diverse at this school. People have to realize that it’s not just for [a] ‘Type A’ person, it’s for everybody,” he said.

EC hosts Day of the Dead altar exhibit Evely Ortiz staff writer The Assistant Professor of Spanish and Assistant Department Chair, Beatriz Gómez-Acuña , invited a class of second grade English Language Learner (ELL) students to view altars on display by a group of EC students to commemorate the Day of the Dead and bring attention to the Latino Hispanic community on campus.

The Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated in several Latin American countries between the first two days of November that honors the deceased through the creation of altars constructed either at home or at the grave site of the dead.

These altars are decorated with objects commemorating the person in remembrance.

Gómez-Acuña described the altar exhibit as a two-fold event.

“The principle event is an exhibit, a display of the altars. The three altars are displayed along the outside perimeter of the fishbowl,” said Gómez Acuña. The idea is that the Elmhurst community will go see them. The other part of the event is opening it up to the larger community.”

The students commemorated the Day of the Dead through Project Care, an organization that works

with the Bensenville Public Schools, putting volunteers in contact with ELL teachers and helping students with limited English proficiency.

Not only did Gómez-Acuña hope to teach the elementary students more about the Hispanic culture through this event, but also to urge them to view the Elmhurst College students showcasing the event as role models.

“There is that component of teaching the next generation of Latino students. To be mentors, to be peers, to be role models for them,” said Gómez-Acuña.

Gómez-Acuña also expressed the necessity for awareness about Latino culture.

“I think it’s important for the general community of Elmhurst College to know that the Elmhurst College community has a relatively large population of Latinos. By having a large presence on campus it’s more obvious that we are here, that this culture is here,” said Gómez-Acuña. “Also, that this particular festivity is very important to this community. It’s a time of honoring the deceased, of remembrance.”

Oscar Gallegos, a student who created an altar for the event along with his brother Javier Gallegos, is pleased with the display.

“I got the feeling of satisfaction in knowing that other students, other

Photo courtesy of Mia Harmon ELL elementary students gather in the Fishbowl to learn about Latino traditions on Oct. 27.

people are learning about the Hispanic culture at Elmhurst College,” said Gallegos. “We based our altars on how we would set [them up] in Mexico.”

Gómez-Acuña hopes to instill a sense of pride within the Hispanic community through the altar display.

“It’s really that source of pride, of belonging, that to me is very important. I cater to Hispanic Latino

students,” said Gómez-Acuña. “I am a member of the community, and I want everybody here who’s a member of the Latino Hispanic community to be proud, to feel a connection with their culture.”

Gallegos sees this event as an opportunity for other cultures to put their traditions on display.

“I encourage other cultures to somehow represent themselves either by a ceremony that they’re

doing, or a ritual that they want to show, so that the students at Elmhurst College can learn from that just like they’re learning about the Hispanic culture through the altars,” said Gallegos.

Other students who helped make this event possible were Omar Vazquez, Javier Gallegos, Jocelyn Mandujano, Josefine Mendoza, and Deyaneira Garriga, who are all part of the Spanish program.

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Value the voice of students when planning lectures and events When students speak up, the College needs to listen. Lately, there have been a few instances where students expressed concern surrounding intercultural and diversity focused programs or lectures at EC. The Leader is not in a position to decide whether or not various programs are effective. We are, however, concerned with reporting and expressing ideas that give insight into the student experience at EC, as well as ways that it can be improved.

So we are offering a quick guide to planning future intercultural/diversity focused programs in a way that values the student voice. This is in no way exhaustive, but instead offers some general framework for how EC might be able to avoid another flop, and empower the campus in the process.

1. Find the right person.

If you’re bringing someone to campus and expecting them to positively impact the climate, you should know a few things about them. Namely, do they have personal experience as part of the community being discussed?

If not, will they have others with them who can amplify those voices? To be on the safe side, trainings should be led by the people being taught about, since they’re bound to bring more real-world experience into the room. So no more cisgender people leading transgender focused workshops, please.

Also, a quick internet search can help you deduce if they have past controversies you would rather not bring onto campus. Controversy can be a great tool for discussion, but there should be an understanding of the type of conflicts being presented. For example, when Dan Savage — a gay rights activist known for speaking poorly about religious groups and bisexual people — made sexual comments about the Pope and offended the Catholic community in 2012, it was an unnecessary problem that could have been avoided.

2. Know what they’ll be talking about.

Ask for a brief outline or summary of what will be discussed. At the very least, this will guide your advertisements and ensure that students know what kind of information they will receive. No one wants to walk out of a training more confused than when they entered, so a quick overview beforehand can be beneficial. Not only can this ensure accuracy, it can be assessed for how well the material aligns with the

College’s values. It’s troubling when the College puts money towards an event that counters the foundations of our mission statement. Different ideas should certainly be presented, but when someone like Andrew Sullivan comes to campus and endorses the use of hate speech, it sends a message that probably wasn’t supposed to be shared. Unfortunately, no one will know until it’s too late without the proper oversight.

3. Give students a choice.

Springing a program onto the student body is not always the most effective way to garner support. Instead, consulting with student leaders who are educated in the topic, or part of the community being discussed, could help eliminate the possibility of a negative aftermath. It ensures an audience, because students will be more motivated to attend an event they helped implement, and gives students the ability to utilize their knowledge and experiences. Most lectures, specifically, are filled with older community members. Giving students some input might help to balance the crowd.

4. Allow for feedback.

There are virtually no events at EC that include a survey assessing if students enjoyed the event. This is a major flaw in the programming on campus. Whether it’s a large scale lecture or a smaller training session, the experience of the student body is the most important part. After all, it’s the reason programs and events are implemented! This also gives students the space to vent, so they don’t need to create a big buzz across campus or online to get their voice heard.

Creating spaces where students can learn about and discuss issues related to diversity is highly important, but a failed program is just as bad as no program at all. So it’s important that the College values the voice and experience of the students, even when it’s inconvenient.

Also, if you ever want a workshop about how exciting working for a college newspaper is, you can give us a call. We win awards sometimes, so we can’t suck too bad.

•Op-art•

ecleader.org

Resistance• • Speak up or step aside

Chrissy croft opinions editor

Higher education is funded by students, for students. When students stop enrolling in a college, it crumbles. And when Alum cease giving, the college falls behind. So why does the College treat students like cogs in a machine? After all, we are the motor. We are the driving force that keeps it all running — stop allowing administration to overlook our power. Your tuition payment is your influence, it is all you need to be a valid voice on this campus, so why aren’t you using it?

In case you haven’t caught on yet, this is a call to action.

If there’s something you care about, something you think EC isn’t doing quite right, you need to speak up. Are you mad that out of state and international students don’t have constructive things to do on the weekends? Does it bother you that your professors are teaching material from the 1950s and are constantly tossing around offensive terminology?

Have you been the victim of a business hold that made absolutely no sense, but completely ruined your class schedule? Can you not stand that many of our buildings are not accessible to people with physical disabilities? Or maybe it’s something else entirely.

Whatever it is, you can’t keep sitting by and hoping someone else changes it. Because, unfortunately, EC doesn’t listen until students start making a ruckus.

The important part is the way you make that ruckus. It needs to include passion, purpose, and people.

Passion is the drive that gets us going and makes us angry, confused, upset, or hopeful.

Your passion needs to be clear.

Don’t join the executive board of an intercultural or social justice oriented organization if you don’t have this, because it’s the building block for social justice and actual change.

The purpose usually comes along with the passion, but you need to frame it in a way that speaks to administration.

Unfortunately this usually has to do with money, because an institution drowning in their own debt isn’t trying to take

on more money spending endeavors, unless it somehow boosts admission or retention rates.

Lastly, you need to connect people together. You need to join organizations with like-minded individuals or start your own group. You need to find people who are also committed to real change, and hold them to that commitment. I’m tired of halfassed “leaders” at Elmhurst. If you’re not trying to make the campus or the world a better place, find your resume booster somewhere else. Collecting executive board positions is nonsensical if you don’t use your power to lift others up and tear harmful systems down. Your post-collegiate interviews won’t go over well if the possible employer asks about a leadership position and you simply say, “Oh, I went to meetings and nodded sometimes while I texted under the table.”

This has been on my mind lately, as I meet more and more students who are only socially aware and active for the few hours per week that they spend in a meeting or event related to diversity or change. Then, the rest of the week, they are simply agreeing to be the cogs that the admnistration wants them to be. They go through the motions — attend class, attend party, go to sleep, attend class.

This monotony breeds the cultural climate that has allowed EC to bank on the tuition payments of minority students who think they’ll be supported, while systematically keeping them quiet and deflecting their demands once they arrive. It’s the force that drives “allies” of oppressed groups to tell us to be grateful for what we have and not be so angry. It’s what leads “well-intentioned” administration and faculty members to host events and lectures that are actually problematic, while ignoring the voice of the students most affected.

Your inaction, your apathy, your silence is what lets EC put the image of a transgender student on their application, while creating barriers for inclusive housing options. It’s what allows our professors to be overwhelmingly white, straight, and cisgender. It’s the reason why our most powerful student organizations lack diversity, and only care about service when they can post about it on Facebook.

Maybe you’re reading this and have decided social justice isn’t really your thing. That’s fine, please step out of the way. Give up your executive positions.

Give up your voice. Give up your money to an institution that doesn’t understand the basis of higher ed.

Meanwhile, some of us will be busy working to change the world. Stop telling us to calm down, it just won’t happen.

opinions

November 3. 2015

•Modern Renaissance•

7

Subtle signs of depression

Sarah Astra editor-in-chief

When you think about someone who is depressed, what comes to mind? You probably picture a person weeping openly, with smudged eyeliner, who is perpetually sad.

But it’s not always like that.

Sometimes it’s hiding beneath the surface, underneath the smiles and faux joyful remarks. Programs that are held at colleges, such as EC’s “Don’t Be A Stinker” program, imply that depression and selfharm can be spotted from a mile away, but in reality it will sneak up on you.

Recently, a friend of mine passed away out of the blue and everyone who knew him was shocked. How could this happen? What could have brought all of this on? How

could we have prevented this?

These questions kept floating through my mind and I asked anyone who knew him if they could answer. He was the kind of guy who always cracked a joke and was smiling and laughing the most.

It made no sense. I didn’t see any of the signs, even though I had experience with depression before.

I was once told, “Sometimes you just can’t see it. A person like that will smile the most and keep everyone else happy so no one will know. Sometimes there’s nothing anyone could have done.”

I don’t know if those words are true because I believe that tragedies like this one should be preventable, but they gave me some comfort.

When someone has depression, there’s no knowing when it will strike. According to the Mayo Clinic, signs can be as innocuous as losing interest in everyday activities or changes in appetite. Physical changes can also take place such as unexplained physical pains or even tiredness and low energy. Many of these signs are explained in programs and other informational services, but they aren’t always differentiated between normal behavior and depressive behavior.

And it’s not like this is an uncommon thing. Generation Y has seen more cases of depression and suicide in the past decade than anything the Baby Boomer era experienced. According to the Center for Disease Control, from 1990-1992 and 2002-2004, the rate

of hospitalized females between ages 5-19 increased by 81%, nearly twice the rate of increase than for young males. Those numbers have only risen since.

Now, it is estimated that about 6.9 percent of people living in the U.S. (roughly 6 million people) have had at least one major depressive episode in the last year, according to a report the National Alliance on Mental Illness published in Jan. 2015.

The signs are never clear.

Sometimes it’s a person not wanting to get out of bed. But that’s normal too, isn’t it? You’ll try to rationalize it by saying the person is just getting the blues, maybe it’s just mid-year sadness (that’s a thing, right?).

It can escalate, however. The person might become withdrawn and won’t share things as much as they used to. Maybe they try too hard to smile or brighten other people’s days, neglecting their own problems.

There aren’t always clear signs when someone is depressed, especially because each case of depression is different. However, there are some more standard actions to look for. While many programs such as “Don’t Be A Stinker” may overestimate how prevalent or obvious these signs are, these programs being around could help in the long run and might save a life. Be aware of your friends and yourself, it might be more serious than you think.

implications into it. Needless to say, I’m less naïve now.

I still remember one incident that took place at my old job in which I truly felt fearful. It was late, dark, and rainy, and I was sitting in my car waiting for it to heat up, texting a friend about my day. All of a sudden, my passenger door opened, and in sat a male coworker I’ll call Marco. The feeling of discomfort was instant; this was not the first time Marco had come onto me, nor the first time I felt uneasy about him. But what more could I do than sit there and ask as calmly as I could, “What are you doing?”

He smiled at me, made up some lame excuse about how he was heating his car up too and noticed I was sitting in mine, so he thought he would join me. I knew Marco was aware that I had been keeping my distance from him because just weeks prior, he had caught up to me in the same parking lot and tried to kiss me without my permission, holding me by my waist and pulling me closer as I continued to pull away. This was after he told me he had a wife and four kids. But that doesn’t really matter, right?

I wish the number of men who had these habits were difficult to find — they are not. This kind of behavior is far more prevalent than you think, and if you’re a man, you’re probably in denial that a) this stuff even happens or b) that you yourself are guilty of

these behaviors. What is important is to acknowledge that this shit happens every single day to women everywhere, and you need to make a conscious effort not to be part of the problem.

This is what I don’t understand: the belief straight men have that they can do and say whatever the hell they want to women, even in a professional workplace.

I cannot stand it when my current manager tells me and my fellow female coworkers to smile, but never says shit to the guys.

If the men are having a bad day or just aren’t feeling it, they’re allowed to be pissy, to carry a bad attitude around with them. They are always, always left alone. It’s always the women, I’ve noticed, who have to keep up appearances.

This manager has a pet name for all the women too — “baby” — but of course the male employees are referred to as “sir” and “chief.”

What kind of bullshit is that?

So here is a profound idea: stop demeaning me because I am a woman. Stop using me and touching me and speaking to me however you please because of my anatomy. I am not your honey, your baby, your sweetie, your anything. Call me by my name, that is all I will allow.

We are equals, you and me, and I’d like to be treated as such. So call me by my name. I will not be called anything else.

0 to 100• • I’m not your “sweetie”

Zakiyah Toor staff writer

There is no feeling more horrifying than being a woman with little physical strength and having a man twice your size feel up on you, talk to you inappropriately, and believe you to be his plaything. What’s even worse is when it’s a person you have to see regularly — because he’s your coworker.

I wish I could say that occurrences in which I’ve been harassed at work by male coworkers have been few and far between, but that would be a lie. Before I started working, and long before I put myself out there, I was naïve and childish; I still held the belief that people could compliment one another without injecting any sexual or derogatory

sTAR wARS episode vii

the controversy

GALAXY, FAR FAR AWAY—Entering the 21st century, the old, white man is being replaced by an up-and-coming black man. No, this is not the neverending story of the vacant seat for President of Elmhurst College as we sit with another white guy as our interim President. This is about something far greater than that—Star Wars.

When the final trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII was released during halftime of the Monday Night Football game (giving Monday Night Football its highest ratings until, of course, the start of the third quarter), fans rejoiced at the sight of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) holding Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), lightsaber duels, and the presence of a Vader-worshipping villain.

However, an aspect that was less than welcomed was the apparent “antiwhite” sentiments that the trailer seemingly proposed. Lead character Finn (John Boyega) is black. The question that many fans have started to ask is, “Why?” The trailer, featuring original stars Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher while intriguingly leaving Mark Hamill out almost entirely, takes viewers back to outer space almost 30 years after Darth Vader’s demise. The newer, younger characters featuring John Boyega and Daisy Ridley as Finn and Rey respectively, are not entirely sure that the Jedi stories from just 30 years ago are true. Fortunately, Han Solo solidifies the young ones in dramatic Harrison Ford fashion, “It’s true,” he said. “All of it.”

New droids, flashy lightsabers, and epic star fights have already captivated audiences as fans reacted on Twitter about the surprising lead character.

“JJ Abrams gives the finger to the bulk of #StarWars’ fanbase by not casting one white male in a leading role. #BoycottStarWarsVII,” reads one tweet.

Graphics by Chrissy Croft

awakens Another reads, “#BoycottStarWarsVII because it is anti-white propaganda promoting white genocide.”

Although these tweets could be excused for just a few trolls — a word which many may know as a person who posts rude, angry, or inappropriate remarks online whose sole purpose is to argue and upset others — they must be taken seriously.

In a recent study done by the New York Film Academy, they found that in the top 500 grossing films from 2007-2012, 12.4 percent of speaking characters were portrayed by black actors versus the 75.8 percent of white characters. Similarly, they found that black actors played 15 percent of roles in film and TV in the early 2000s while they only play about 13 percent of roles as of 2014.

These statistics show that there is not an anti-white agenda at play, but maybe just the opposite. The Star Wars universe has been criticized from day one back in 1977 for being 99 percent white. Now the lead is a British black man and the internet decides to jump ship. However, with characters like Lando Calrissian, Mace Windu, and even Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones), there is no reason for the “#BoycottStarWarsVII” twitter users to be as surprised as they are.

Trolls of the internet may be just that — trolls — but that does not mean their words should be shrugged away. Instead, true Star Wars fans understand and live by the words of a tiny, green leader who often spoke in broken English: “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

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November 3, 2015

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From

Hot ToDogs Top Dog

A Conversation With

Dick Portillo The Roland Quest Lecture Series Sunday, November 22, 7:00 p.m., Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel 190 prospect avenue, elmhurst, illinois Tickets are $10 at elmhurst.edu/tix Free for Elmhu rst C ollege students, faculty, staff and alumni

Questions? (630) 617-5186 or visit www.elmhurst.edu facebook.com/elmcol twitter.com/elmhurstcollege Follow us on:

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November 3, 2015

11

The Front Bottoms rock the Bottom Lounge Chrissy croft opinions editor The small room of The Bottom Lounge is filled with the stench of body odor and cheap weed as an ice cream cone, a cupcake, a bottle of whipped cream, and a donut walk on stage.

The crowd shifts forward, knocking people down like plastic dominoes as they raise their hands in the air and scream in excitement. Brian Sella, lead singer of The Front Bottoms, raises a full bottle of Champaign towards the crowd, eliciting another surge of screams and movement.

It’s Halloween night, and The Front Bottoms are dressed as desserts for their Champaign Jam, explained by Sella as a show where every member of the band must finish a full bottle of Champaign before they can leave the stage. Again, the noise level builds.

Before West Virginia’s indiefolk-punk-rock group stepped on stage to headline, their touring partners got the crowd warmed up. Elvis Depressedly, a three-piece indie rock band from North Carolina, performed a more mellow set to start the show. The audience members seemed engaged and entertained, although calm.

Then there was The Smith Street Band, an Australian punk band with vocals and musical composition reminiscent of

Bad Religion paired with the cousin of Mumford & Sons, sans banjo. They adorned King Diamond-esque Halloween costumes and joked that they were a metal band, adding witty banter that elicited laughs from the crowd. Although their music was high energy with many heavy hitting tracks, the audience was mostly stationary.

If I didn’t know better, I might have believed there was a completely different audience watching The Front Bottoms.

But that has less to do with the talent of the first two bands, and more to do with the magic of TFB. Even at a rainy early show on Halloween, TFB can bring a crowd from complacency to chaos by simply raising a bottle of Champaign.

The rest of TFB’s performance is just as hard hitting. They don’t repeat set lists, instead crafting a new show each night of their tour, giving a fresh performance nightly.

Their Halloween show fittingly begins with a classic, “Wolfman”, beneath dangling orange lights. They then plunge into their 21 song set, with short pauses to chug Champaign and banter with the audience.

In the middle of the show, a man in a Gumby costume enters the stage and begins rapping, revealing that he is GDP, a rapper that works with TFB frequently. Thrusting into a rap song during a primarily

punk-style show might seem strange to the outside observer, but these fans love a curveball and embrace the surprise with shouts and cheers.

Every band has songs that the audience loves to sing along to.

For TFB, it is every single song.

From their new pop influenced hits like “Help” to their old bare bones style songs like “Au Revoir”, the entire crowd is engaged. This interaction between the stage and the floor is what makes their shows special.

It’s what separates TFB shows from performances by other more mainstream rock groups.

A TFB concert isn’t about Brian Sella, Matt Uychich, Ciaran O’Donnell, and Tom Warren – it’s about everyone together. It’s about the person who carved a TFB pumpkin and carried it to the stage, so Sella could smash it onto his head and wear it like a mask. It’s about the guy in the banana costume that threw his “I find you a-peel-ing” sign to O’Donnell, who wore it while playing trumpet. It’s about the crowd surfers and stage divers, all of which get pulled onto the stage by a single roadie compensating for the lack of a barraciade. It’s about the unified shouts of “chug, chug, chug” at each member as they drink their large bottles of Champaign. It’s about the sweating, the screaming, the pushing, and the excited chaos.

After their three song finale

Photo courtesy of David Gross Bryan Sella, lead singer of TFB, and bassist Tom Warren perform at their 0ct. 31 show.

ends, I walk past the bar and see O’Donnell, standing alone with a drink in hand. “Hey C-Dawg!”

I call out. He silently reaches out his arms, embracing me with a smile before I can even ask. In an instant he transforms from idolized musician to old friend, reminding me that TFB is more than just a bunch of guys wielding instruments and hoping to get paid. They’re part of a larger community, one that loves to smoke weed and push each other around just as much as they love hugging and shar-

ing personal stories with each other.

This is what underground music looks like. These are the artists that deserve our money and attention, the ones who bring their all to a show and connect to the audience. The ones who aren’t too cool for their fans, and aren’t too arrogant to believe their show is simply about themselves.

Go out and see less wellknown bands, it’s worth the sweat and accidental contact high.

EC music program features their talent

Sara groppe staff writer

Photo courtesy of David Gross EC students perform at their annual fall concert Oct. 24

The Elmhurst College Orchestra held their fall concert Saturday, Oct. 24, one of many concerts this semester that will showcase Elmhurst College’s musical talent. This concert is the culmination of the students’ hard work and dedication towards EC Orchestra.

There are approximately 200 Music majors and minors at Elmhurst, and the website states that there are seven different variations of the music major at Elmhurst. They include General Music, Music Education, Musical Theater, Music: Jazz Studies, Music: Performance, Music

Business, and Music Theory/ Composition.

A requirement for any music program is participation in one of the 15 major ensembles on campus. Some examples include Late Night Blues, Women’s Chorus, Jazz Band, and Orchestra.

Being in an ensemble is an obligation that requires responsibility and diligence. For the ensembles to function at a college level, the students must make time to practice several hours each week. This can become very difficult because many music students are in

several ensembles in addition to their regular coursework and private lessons.

Josh Baty-Barr, a freshman Music Ed major, is involved with three different ensembles on campus. He said that high school helped prepare him for the amount of practicing he would do in college.

“I feel that it could be very difficult to balance between the ensembles, practicing, and class work. It is not hard for me because I learned to manage my time in high school,” he said.

Other students, such as Kailie Gilmore, a sophomore Music

Ed major, finds it a bit harder to manage her time.

“I am in five different ensembles here on campus. It is a lot of work, and sometimes I feel overwhelmed, but I enjoy music and think it’s worth it,” she said.

The music faculty members take their commitments to these groups very seriously and work hard to ensure students learn as they perform.

Gayle Bisesi, the director of “Blue” Vocal Jazz group, teaches the students to involve the audience with their music by providing context to the pieces they perform.

“I have the students introduce the pieces we play. They give a description of the piece along with some biographical information about the composer that they have researched on their own,” she said. “A lot of jazz music is about telling a story, and I want them to learn how to involve the audience in that story.”

In addition to creating music, the ensembles also establishes a sense of community. Donna Tallman, the director of the Women’s Chorus at Elmhurst, said that she works to provide unique relationships and opportunities for the young women on campus.

“We have a lot of freshmen in Women’s Chorus. I think young women need good examples of what it means to be an adult

woman. This is something Women’s Chorus provides for Elmhurst College women,” she said.

This community extends beyond music majors. There are many non-music majors who participate in the various ensembles. The students join for various reasons; for instance, EC Freshman, Jessie Allcock, joined Symphonic Band because she wanted a place to express her creative side at Elmhurst.

Others, such as Freshman Elizabeth Daulton, joined because music is something she has always enjoyed. She does not want to give up playing just because she’s in college.

Junior Megan Melzer had a very different experience. “I didn’t really think about joining an ensemble until I saw a flyer inviting everyone to audition, and I joined Women’s Chorus.

It has just been a really good fit for me,” she said.

Regardless of the reason for joining, it seems that many of the students involved in EC music ensembles have developed close bonds with the other group members. Brandi Weik, a sophomore Music Ed major, said that this sense of community continues beyond the various ensembles.

Weik said, “it’s a community within a community. I know everyone. The people here are like my family. Irion is my home.

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November 3, 2015

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EC haunted house delivers on Halloween

Mia Harmon staff writer Cool weather, falling leaves, trick or treaters, ghouls, and goblins. All the things that signify that autumn is upon us this Halloween season For some, this holiday signifies fear and terror. They try to avoid anything remotely frightening and prefer to hide out in their homes until the season has come and gone.

Others spend months perfecting their decorations and making sure every detail of their costume is up to par. Then in late September, the haunted houses seem to spring up overnight.

Elmhurst College decided that this Halloween would be the one to put on their very own student run haunted house in the basement of Cureton.

Now if you did not have the opportunity to go on Oct. 30, I feel for you. I’ve personally been to plenty of haunted houses over the years. Some scary, and some, well, not so scary.

In my opinion, the haunted house was well executed, and as embarrassing as it is, it made me scream like a little girl. Even more embarrassing, I went through twice and I was scared by the same person.

All of the actors in the haunted house were EC students and a majority of them were RA’s on campus. It took a lot of effort on their part to construct the ‘maze’ in the basement of Cureton and deliver genuine scares.

Freshman Shannon Wilson said, “It was really cool that we have the opportunity to be able to have a student run haunted house.”

When asked why she decided to participate in the events, Mary Tarsitano, freshman, said, “Halloween is my favorite holiday. I’ve done haunted houses for about six years now so when they said I could help, I jumped on it. I think it went fantastic really. It wasn’t the same each and every time, which I loved!”

What I’m happy about is the acting in the haunted house.

Normally, wherever you go, the actors are so over the top it becomes comical. But here, the participants were so into their characters it made it feel real.

One person led the trip through the haunted house with only a flashlight and the other students followed. At certain points actors screamed phrases like “Get out, get out!” or performed jump scares.

Another element that made it great was that there was not just one specific theme to the event.

Every character was something different, with everything from ninjas to witches.

The only thing that detracted from the experience was the length of the haunted house.

I know that there is limited space to put it on, but it did feel rushed.

In the future, the haunted house may be more terrifying if it is located at a larger part of

Photo courtesy of Mia Harmon EC student volunteers time to make the Cureton Haunted House memorable.

campus, or even outside.

Regardless of the limited resources, the students put on a

• Work of Art •

great show. I cannot wait to see what they come up with next year.

sports

ecleader.org

November 3, 2015

13

Lady Bluejays score over North Park Sarah Astra editor-in-chief

EC’s women’s soccer team finished a 4-0 victory against North Park on Oct. 28 on the Langhorst Field, clinching their 8-5-2 standings.

Three goals were scored in the first half of the game, two of them scored by Kim Stanczak, a sophomore midfielder, who spoke after the game about how the plays came about.

“In my head, I was doing what I usually do as a winger which was to make a run that gave an option to the player on the ball,” she said in an in-

terview. “Rushing the goalie is something we talk about all the time at practice, to make the goalie feel pressured and to capitalize on any mistakes she might make.”

The first goal was shot by Anna Garritano, a senior forward for the team, but was blocked by the goalie of North Park, giving Stanczak the opportunity to tap the ball into the back of the net.

The second shot of the game, also by Stanczak, was made from a corner kick by Garritano, and was taken by midfielder and EC junior, Courtney O’Keefe, who took a shot in front of the net.

It was again blocked by the opposing goalie but not cleanly, giving Stanczak another chance to hit it home, something she did not expect.

“The only thing that was going through my head was to make my run towards the center of the goal,” Stanczak said. “The next thing I knew the ball came out right in front of me which allowed me to finish the opportunity.”

Goal three was made by Garritano who took the ball from the defenders and raced towards the net, making it after the 16-minute

mark.

The final goal was executed by O’Keefe after her sister, Sidney, assisted with a pass from across the field after 64 minutes.

When asked about where the Lady Bluejays will go from here, Stanczak seemed optimistic.

Continued on page 16

Anna Garritano looks to pass to Stanczak.

Photo by Hannah Jasinski

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From the Blackhaws to Canucks...

Corinne Demyanovich staff writer

You may be keeping up with the Blackhawks but here’s what is going on in the rest of the league. The biggest story in the NHL right now is the nearly undefeated Montreal Canadiens.

The team broke a record with a nine-game winning streak, and is the first team in NHL history to start the season with such a streak.

However, they fell to the Vancouver Canucks, with a surprising 5-1 loss, and are now 9-1-0. Goaltender, Carey Price, is a large part of the team’s success, playing in eight of the ten games, with 1.75 goals against and a .945 save percentage.

Some of the usual top-of-theleague teams have plummeted in the standings this season.

The Anaheim Ducks, who dominated the last season and made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, are currently second to last in the league out of the 30 teams.

They were a preseason favorite to top the league, but they suffer from a lack of offense and as a result, they score fewer goals.

The Ducks haven’t undergone extensive team changes between this season and last, so the league

Trace nardi staff writer

Men’s Football Even with a third quarter surge, it wasn’t enough for the Bluejays to move into the lead and take down Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday, Oct. 24. The Bluejays lost the battle in a 49-28 victory to the Titans. Elmhurst’s record now stands at 3-4 and 0-4 in CCIW play.

During the first quarter, Elmhurst was able to capitalize on an Illinois Wesleyan turnover.

Junior safety, Andy Warsen, picked off the Titans QB and took the ball to the IWU 47-yard line.

Junior Connor Brewer scored an 11-yard touchdown after a 47yard drive that consisted of seven plays. In his first collegiate start, freshman quarterback Orlando Hernandez scored a 34-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter.

The Bluejays trailed 28-14 at the half. During third quarter play, a 62-yard drive and seven plays resulted in a three-yard touchdown

by Brewer.

The score was tied after senior superback, Garrett Claxon, scored on a 10-yard rush after five plays. The Bluejays scored 14 straight points and entered the fourth quarter in a 28-28 tied score.

During the fourth quarter, a botched handoff resulted in an IWU touchdown after the recovery of a loose ball. The final touchdown occurred in the last five minutes of the game when the Titans clinched the victory. For the season, the Bluejays scored the most points of any

is buzzing about what one sports website is calling “the Lame Ducks.”

Expected to make the playoffs last season, the Boston Bruins shockingly missed the postseason with a poor 41-27-14 record.

The same trend is continuing this season, with the team at 4-3-1.

The longest tenured NHL head coach of the Bruins, Claude Julien, having led the team since the 200708 season, has taken a lot of heat over the team’s poor performance.

Some are questioning whether he will be fired, a route some teams have taken recently.

The Columbus Blue Jackets at 2-8-0, fired head coach, Todd Richards, and picked up former Vancouver Canucks head coach, John Tortorella.

The Blue Jackets got two wins after the change, with a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche and a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils.

Under Tortorella, fans are hopeful that this change in leadership will spark a fire under this often bottom-of-the-league team.

The Calgary Flames ended a four-game losing streak after beating the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in overtime on Friday, Oct. 23. “I think when frustration kicks in, you find a way to use that as momentum,” says young forward, Sean Monahan, in an interview for NHL.com.

Their young and new roster is finding their stride and working toward climbing the standings, but at 2-71.

However, the usual abysmal Edmonton Oilers have a whole batch of young, fresh draft picks who are finally starting to raise the team from the bottom of the standings.

Connor McDavid, 18, and others close in age like Nail Yakupov and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, are producing more offense and winning games.

The Oilers are fighting to get out of the bottom of the standings and win a spot in the middle of the highly competitive Western Con-

ference.

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue last season’s struggle to put up points. After gaining the Detroit Red Wings’ head coach, Mike Babcock, the team hasn’t bounced back yet.

The Maple Leafs lost star right wing, Phil Kessel, to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the team now lacks big-time players that could help drive their offensive game.

After sprinting to a 3-0-0 lead, the Detroit Red Wings have fallen to 4-4-1. Numerous injuries have plagued the team, but star forward, Pavel Datsyuk, is slated to return mid-November from injured re-

The Montreal Canadiens celebrate after a nine-game winning streak to start their season.

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EC sports roundup

team against the 19th ranked Illinois Wesleyan Titans.

Hernandez lead the Bluejays in 94 rushing yards and a touchdown in 14 carries.

Hernandez completed 12 of 22 passes for 111 yards and an interception.

Brewer added 81 rushing yards on 20 carries and found the end zone twice. Claxon was the Bluejays’ top receiver, catching four passes for 43 yards.

Junior safety, Sean Wetherell, led the defense for Elmhurst with 14 tackles, 10 being solos. Warsen totaled 10 stops and an interception.

The Bluejays traveled to Wheaton College for their next game on Saturday, Oct. 30.

Women’s Volleyball

On Oct. 20, the EC women’s volleyball team set a record for the season with 17 blocks in four sets against North Central College 25-20, 23-25, 25-19, and 2624.

The Lady Bluejays are currently ranked 15th in the latest AVCA Division III national poll. Elmhurst has remained at the top of the CCIW standing with a 4-2 league mark and 23-9 overall record.

The first set was even at 17-17 before a 5-1 run put Elmhurst in front by 22-18. Kills from sophomores Hannah Davis and Alli Rogers and an ace form junior Hannah Nimrick sealed the set for Elmhurst.

Elmhurst held the lead early in the second set but lost the lead to North Central on a 7-2 run. After fighting off four set points, a kill

by North Central sealed the win.

serve, which fans hope will re-energize the team. Meanwhile, the team is still searching for the right chemistry after adding many new players.

Finally, the hometown Chicago Blackhawks bounced back from a mediocre start. The team is now 6-3-0, having won the last four games.

However, a lack of scoring has made it difficult for the Blackhawks to dominate like they did last year during their Stanley Cup-winning season. It will take more from this team to be a top contender, as the other Central Division teams are posting great numbers.

In the third set, Elmhurst broke a 7-7 tie with a 7-2 run and took a 14-9 lead. A kill by senior Shannon Burns closed the set for Elmhurst.

North Central had the lead early in the fourth set. A kill from sophomore Mel Lundin and a block from Davis evened the score at 23-all. Blocks from Lundin and sophomore Mary Lawrence sealed the set and the match for Elmhurst.

The Lady Bluejays hit .159 with 49 kills and 26 errors in 145 attempts. A new season-high was established with 17 blocks.

Nimrick recorded her ninth triple-double of the season with 13 kills and 27 assists to go with 10 digs. Davis had eight kills and a pair of blocks while Lawrence had eight kills and five blocks.

Senior Peggy Clemens led the Bluejays with 12 digs while sophomores Amy Schryver and Kerry Swain both executed 10 digs.

Elmhurst hosted Millikin University on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

Women’s Soccer

The Elmhurst College women’s soccer team suffered a 1-0 loss against the Illinois Wesleyan University Titans on Oct. 24. The lady Bluejays record stands 8-5-2 and 3-3 in CCIW play.

Illinois Wesleyan led in total shots for the game 15-9. The lady Bluejays had more shots on goal

than the Titans at 6-5. The single goal was scored during the 28th minute of play.

Sophomore goalkeeper Melinda Vickers had four saves for Elmhurst.

Elmhurst hosted North Park College on Wednesday, Oct. 28 in the final home game of the season.

Elmhurst’s Hannah Davis goes up for a ball in a 0-3 loss against Millikin University Oct. 28 Photo by Mia Harmon

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Lady Bluejays score over North Park Sarah Astra editor-in-chief

“I believe the team is well prepared and we have a good chance of fulfilling that opportunity,” Stanczak said in an email interview.

With a CCIW score of 3-3-0, as of Oct. 30, the women’s soccer team is looking good as the season draws to a close.

See LADY BLUEJAYS on page 13

Photo by Hannah Jasinski

Elmhurst celebrates goal number 3 in their 4-0 victory in their last home game over North Park College.