2008-09 Issue 15 Loquitur

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

YOU SPEAK, WE LISTEN

Radnor, Pa.

CABRINI COLLEGE

Pacemaker Winner Vol L, Issue 15

www.theloquitur.com

Blogs reveal Israeli, Palestinian hopes Palestinian blogs search for solution from war zone

Israeli blogs put human face on fighting christopher r. blake

andy stettler staff writer

news editor

ads725@cabrini.edu

crb724@cabrini.edu

When Israeli armed forces blocked reporters from entering the Gaza Strip, the blogosphere became the main source of news from the war zone. Since outside reporters could not report from inside Gaza, bloggers were the ones providing much of the detailed information about the impact on actual citizens.

One Palestinian woman’s blog read, “I am a Palestinian from Gaza. I am a journalist. I am a mother. I am a Muslim. This blog is about the trials of raising my children between spaces and identities; displacement and occupation; and everything that entails from potty training to border crossings.”

Meet Laila El-Haddad. She has been writing on Blogger from Gaza City since November 2008. Her blog, “Raising Yousuf and Noor: diary of a Palestinian mother,” has no mention of antiIsraeli feelings. She does not talk about a need for terrorist actions against the military occupation.

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An Israeli citizen is pictured above in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces have blocked reporters from entering

PALESTINE, page 3 the Gaza Strip. Israeli and Palestinian citizens have been communicating to the world through blogs.

Blogs from Israel offer a window into the worlds of people in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Although news reports from Israel show that anti-Palestinian sentiment has greatly increased during the conflict over the last several months, some Israeli blogs show that individuals are trying to remind each other that the Palestinians are still human beings.

In one blog, an Israeli mother tries to instill positive values in her child.

“There have been times that I felt were incredibly important, times when I had an opportunity to shape my son’s thoughts and wanted so badly to ensure that he understood. When he told me that his teacher explained that there are good Arabs and bad Arabs, I responded by reminding him that there are good people and bad people, and that it doesn’t matter where they’re from or if they’re somehow different from us,” Israeli mother Liza Rosenberg said

ISRAEL, page 2

Iraqi students make transition to U.S. colleges

kasey minnick guest writer

km735@cabrini.edu

“My first response was tears,” Mike Griffin, a professor of Theology at Holy Cross College in South Bend, In., said when President Brother Richard Gilman agreed to take part in the Iraqi Student Project.

“I was so pleased. This is what our mission calls for us to do,” Griffin said.

Griffin teaches a Global Issues class, which two students from the project are enrolled in, one of them being Omar Rasheed, who entered the project after finishing high school in 2003 when the U.S. invaded his homeland.

Rasheed said, “I always dreamt to get an education in a vast country and I was searching for any opportunity to continue my education since I couldn’t get back to

INSIDE this week’s edition

Baghdad. So I turned to the Iraqi Student Project that I found out about through my cousin.”

The Iraqi Student Project was created in 2007 due to the deterioration of Iraq’s educational systems and is a grass-roots effort to help young people who have studied in Iraq acquire the education they need to participate in rebuilding their country, according to the Iraqi Student Project’s Web site.

A team of individuals volunteered their time to travel to different parts of the world and realized what most Americans didn’t in the United States; the need for education was vital and it was vanishing to something that is barely existent today.

One of the travelers who is now the U.S. Executive Director of the Iraqi Student Project, Jane Pitz, explained the beginning process is coming back home.

jane pitz/submitted photo

Students in the Iraqi Student Project take notes. The project was created in 2007 due to the deterioration of Iraq’s educational systems. Thirteen colleges have now accepted students in the United States.

“I was speaking with one of the founders of the program, Gabe Huck, and we both asked each other what does the U.S. do

best? They have wonderful higher education systems. Why don’t we see if some schools can give tuition waivers?”

Pitz then called many people

IRAQI, page 3

The Great Depression

Outside the Box

Page 8

Page 12

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2 NEWS

EDITORIAL

College to prepare students with lifetime advocacy plans

Justice Matters is more than the name of Cabrini’s new curriculum; it is the way Cabrini students think. Rather than just having students engage in community service activities, Cabrini emphasizes how students can bring about longlasting change for social justice.

Organizations, courses and trips have shown the student body that lending a hand to those in need during the holiday season is not enough.

Cabrini has helped open student and faculty minds to a world and a lifetime of advocacy.

To advocate for a better world is the goal of the new curriculum. Regardless of what profession you go into after graduation, Cabrini wants to ensure that the world will be filled with graduates working towards making a difference.

It is easy to graduate from Cabrini or from any college and jump right into the work force.

Before you know it, you are having a family, buying a house and doing the thousand and one things that you will have to do. Without noticing it, you will have spent your life focusing on yourself and the small world around you instead of also working towards a change that you had loved so much during your college days.

However, our government and major corporations have shown us that they do not always make the best decisions. Their selfish decisions that are coming to light these days in the news are leaving us average American people to clean up their mess.

It does not have to be that way. You can stay on top of what is going on around you and speak up when laws get dropped or passed that would hurt in the issue you feel strongly about. The point of the Cabrini curriculum is to help each of us to find an area we really care about and then work towards finding solutions to what is broken in society. It can be global hunger or inadequate schools. Whatever the cause, Cabrini can give us the tools to get at the root of the problem instead of just helping out once in a while.

As journalists, we believe the power of the pen is a tool for shedding light on problems and offering a platform for those seeking change.

However, it sometimes is not enough.

Congressman Joe Sestak recently sat down with a group of Cabrini communication majors to discus the best way to advocate for a program or topic they feel strongly about. Sestak made a great point by saying he receives thousands of letters and e-mails a day and although he reads them all, the ones he pays most attention to not only present their ideas, but more importantly, have reasonable solutions.

Although Sestak is a democrat, he is representing a district in Pennsylvania that is 65 percent republican and so he needs solutions acceptable to people from both parties. So when someone comes to Sestak to advocate for their particular cause, he prefers to hear compromises and solutions rather than demands.

So the lesson for all of us at Cabrini is that in working for social justice, we need to learn how to develop effective solutions to the problems we are studying. Then we will be set to make a long-term difference in the world.

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

Israeli blogs surface true stories from citizens facing the war-torn Holy Land ISRAEL, page 1 G. wrote in a letter to a fam-

in her recent blog, lizarosenberg. wordpress.com. “I tell him that in Gaza, there are little boys just like him, little girls, mommies and daddies, that they are good people, and that they are probably very scared right now.”

Within the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, foreign journalists have been banned by Israelis from covering the recent warfare.

In times of war, journalists play vital roles in communicating the message of the people to the world.

In a land where journalists have been silenced, cruelties can go unexposed, innocent lives continue to been taken in vain and a solution will never be found.

In blogs, Israelis and Palestinians have acted as their own personal journalists telling their stories and spreading their messages of fear yet hope through blogging.

Some Israelis feel Palestinians are not taking positive steps but bring their fate upon themselves.

“I swear to you that if the citizens of Gaza were busy paving roads, building schools, opening factories and cultural institutions instead of dwelling in self pity, arms-smuggling and nurturing a hatred to your Israeli neighbors, your homes would not be in ruins right now,” Israeli soldier Yishai

ily whose house his military unit searched. The letter appeared on a blog by an Israeli citizen named Yael K. from Tel Aviv.

“If your leaders were not corrupt and motivated by hatred, your home would not have been harmed. If someone would have stood up and shouted that there is no point in launching missiles on innocent civilians, I would not have to stand in your kitchen as a soldier,” Yishai wrote in a blog named olehgirl.com.

In his letter, Yishai explained to a Palestinian family that although he was ordered by his country to go through their personal belongings in search of explosives and tunnels him and the other soldiers did so in respectful fashion.

“I spent many days in your home. You and your family’s presence was felt in every corner.

I saw your family portraits on the wall and I thought of my family.

I saw your wife’s perfume bottles on the bureau, and I thought of my wife. I saw your children’s toys and their English language schoolbooks. I saw your personal computer and how you set up the modem and wireless phone next to the screen, just as I do,” Yishai said.

Although the letter may have never been received by the Palestinian family, it’s a symbol of future change.

The news media in the past chose what would be seen and heard by the people of world.

Blogs are enabling two peoples who have been long in conflict to learn what people on the other side think and feel.

“In my opinion, we have a lot more in common than you might imagine. I am a civilian, not a soldier, and in my private life I have nothing to do with the military.

However, I have an obligation to leave my home, put on a uniform and protect my family every time we are attacked. I have no desire to be in your home wearing a uniform again and I would be more than happy to sit with you as a guest on your beautiful balcony, drinking sweet tea seasoned with the sage growing in your garden,” Yishai said.

Please send your comments to Loquitur@googlegroups.com.

The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.

2008-2009 Loquitur Staff/Editorial Staff Editor in Chief Mallory Terrence Staff Writers Deputy Editor Christine Graf Christine Adolf Kirk Manion Managing Editor Meghan Smith Megan Bernatavitz Melissa Mariani News Editor

Liz Garrett Samantha Bokoski Morgan Miller News Editor Christopher R. Blake Justin Bostwick Erin Nollen A & E Editor Christina Michaluk Charles Bush Michael O’Hara A & E Editor Jake Verterano Amanda Carson Eric Povish Features Editor Britany Wright Gillian Davis Gianna Shikitino Perspectives Editor Jessie Holeva Kara Driver Andrew Stettler Sports Editor Danielle Feole Katharine Engell Matthew Stewart Sports Editor Nicholas Pitts Kerry English Tina Vitanza Copy Editor

Shannon Keough Jill Fries Jessica Wegelin Copy Editor Brittany McLeod Arielle Friscia Candice Wojnarowski Copy Editor Diana Trasatti Kristofer Genther Jen Wozniak Web Editor Megan Pellegrino Janene Gibbons Multimedia Editor Kara Schneider Sami Godowsky Multimedia Editor Brittany Mitchell Molly Kearney Graphic Designer Anna Scholl Megan Kutulis Adviser Dr. Jerome Zurek Brian Loschiavo

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The Loquitur is Cabrini’s College weekly, student-run, campus newspaper. It is widely respected as the voice of students, staff, faculty, alumni and many others outside the Cabrini community. The Loquitur has earned its position by advocating for self expression through freedom of speech, and by serving as an outlet for readers to affect change on campus and off.

Founded in 1959, the Loquitur has thrived and greatly expanded its readership. The paper now has over 2,000 online readers and 1,500 print readers on a weekly basis.

Our mission is to provide readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions freely, in an environment where their voices are effectively heard and respected.

The Loquitur: You Speak. We Listen Loquitur is a laboratory newspaper written, edited and produced by the students of COM 353, 352, 250 and 251. Subscription price is $25 per year and is included in the benefits secured by tuition and fees. Additional copies are $1 each. Loquitur welcomes letters to the editors. Letters to the editor are to be less than 500 words. These are usually in response to a current issue on campus or community area. Guest columns are longer pieces between 600 and 800 words and also are usually in response to a current issue on Cabrini College campus or community. Letters to the editor and guest columns are printed as space permits. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content. Name, phone number and address should be included for verification purposes. Personal attacks and anonymous submissions will not be printed. Letters to the editor and guest columns can be submitted to loquitur@googlegroups.com or to the newsroom mailboxes in Founders Hall 264.

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

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NEWS 3

Palestinians blog for peaceful resolution PALESTINE, page 1 pictures of headless children and Instead, El-Haddad has just posted a piece with the title “What YOU can do: 10 ways to help Gaza/Palestine.” The post is a guide of, in El-Haddad’s opinion, how not just Palestinians but Americans and other outsiders, can help raise awareness to the conflict in Gaza.

Solutions include informing oneself and contacting local news media. She even says to wear a Palestinian pin, t-shirt or armband simply as a conversation starter in order to raise awareness of what has really gone on in the region since the start of the 23day war.

Readers who may not be informed on the current conflict in the Middle East may not realize that much of the violence has had little to do with opposing religions. Religion is sometimes only used as a pretext to inflict greater punishment on both sides.

Palestinian blogger Mohamed Khodr uses his blog in a much different context than El-Hadder.

Khodr has a “Gaza Massacre” slideshow on his blog, projecting

Palestinian men carrying their bloody-faced friends to medical facilities.

He mentions an article from a British newspaper “The Guardian,” with the title “Fueling the Cycle of Hate” in order to advocate how he believes Israelis have “nurtured hate” in their younger generation.

He quotes The Guardian in saying, “Israeli soccer matches were suspended during the assault on Gaza. When the games resumed last week, the fans had come up with a new chant: ‘Why have the schools in Gaza been shut down?’ sang the crowd. ‘Because all the children were gunned down!’ came the answer.”

The brutal realism of Khodr’s language in his blog “They Shoot Children from Womb to Cradle to Grave” is stunning. Where ElHaddad has gone to great lengths to find peaceful ways of advocating and solving the problem, Khodr shows his view of what the conflict has done to the children, the parents and the entire population of Gaza.

Blogging, however, has done much more to inform than just

raising awareness of the problem. Bloggers like Hope Man, an Israeli living in Sderot, and Peace Man, a Palestinian college student living in Sajaia refugee camp, have spread a message of diplomacy and peacebuilding.

Both Hope Man and Peace Man share a blog on Blogger and although both have different backgrounds they are determined to begin a movement of peace between both their peoples.

“We are only several kilometers apart and that will never change. It is extremely important to widen our dialogue and create trust between those that are willing to talk. To share our stories, fears and hopes,” Hope man said.

“What me and others are doing is continuing the dialouge with friends in Gaza. The day after the war we need a new beginning. Let’s start planting seeds of humanity and trust now.”

Please send your comments to Loquitur@googlegroups.com.

The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.

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Israeli and Palestinian citizens have been affected by the ongoing conflict for decades. Blogs have helped enable communication.

Iraqi Student Project launches in U.S. IRAQI, page 1

she knew, visited schools and even though it was not an immediate yes, higher education employees were acknowledging that it was an important thing to consider. The colleges and universities that did accept Iraqi students, now 13 in the United States, were very positive and simply found ways to offer the scholarships to the students, one of those colleges being Holy Cross College.

“If you look at mission statements of schools, there is something written in them that includes a global perspective and outlook and they commit through mission statements at schools to educate minds and hearts. If they commit themselves to educating a refugee from Iraq, they are, of course, including that in their statement.

What better means to educate other students and faculty about who these people are,” Pitz said.

“It was an interesting challenge. South Bend is not a huge city, but many people came forward willing to help. As long as you are not in a remote, rural area, which Cabrini College is not, you will find many people willing.”

Griffin was nervous, though whether the people from the community would resent that Holy Cross College was bringing in an Iraqi or Muslim student. “I feared that people would be angry that we were giving scholarships and I did not encounter any of that including instances of prejudice.”

Huck and the other founder Theresa Kubasak then arrived at his home and interviewed him and found Omar eligible for the project. According to one of the

jane pitz/submitted photo

Members of the Iraqi Student Project stand above. The Iraqi students expressed their gratitude and positivity to study in the United States. mission statements on the Iraqi Student Project Web site, its staff, Board of Directors and with the help of many volunteers and donors, the project will work impartially to identify, screen and recommend students from Iraq for tuition waivers based on their academic records, English language ability, economic need and overall likelihood of success.

“Before I enrolled in this program, my life in Syria was empty; I had an empty life,” Rasheed said. “When I came over here, my life started to be busy with learning English and going to writing workshops along with classes at the college.”

Not only is Omar getting acquainted with the rigorous schedule of U.S. schooling, but he is also making an impact on the fellow students in his class.

Griffin said, “I was very excited to see how these students would enrich the other students of the class. I have seen students wanting to learn more from Omar.”

Griffin explains that Omar’s

papers, projects and speeches on the Middle East, globalization and workers shed new light on what Americans didn’t know about what is taking place overseas.

Other than meeting people in the classroom, there is a support group in South Bend, where the students can enlighten the hosts, as well as opening themselves up to American culture.

Leslie Eid, the support group coordinator for the South Bend support group and office manager for the Iraqi Student Project, took in Omar for roughly three weeks, as well as two other students, before their host families were ready for the new transition. When Pitz contacted Eid and her husband Mansour in 2007 for their help with the project, they were since referred to “the people who open their house.”

“Omar has a unique personality with the ability to look at any experience that’s right in front of him and put that in the context of both his past and how he’s changed,” Eid said.

Eid spoke about the winter gathering that took place over the holidays at the Holy Cross Parish Center with 15 students in attendance. Here, many cultural traditions were shared, such as Middle Eastern drum playing with dancing, Middle Eastern tea and the Yule log, which took place in two parts. Everyone placed a leaf or a twig into the log, which was placed into the fire, to symbolize the letting go of pasts from 2008, and in return lit “Candles of Hope” for 2009. Eid said, “This was a hope for peace and lighting up our world with our own hopes and wishes.”

Omar is very open to the future. In four years he will get his certification and business administration degree. He wishes to go on to graduate school and will return home to either become a professor at a university or work in a company in their investment department.

Even though Omar is pursuing his dreams, not many refugees are that lucky.

“The educational system in

Iraq is not totally gone, but decimated to the degree that many elementary and high school kids aren’t getting education,” Pitz said.

The problem arose when one or two working parents were threatened, had to flee and as refugees did not have the right to work.

“Any savings have gone down to zip and that’s why, in fact, their children are in the project,” Pitz said.

Many colleges and universities may want to extend a hand to these young people, but there is an economic downturn that may stand in the way. Many schools in the U.S. are tuition-ran and indecisive to give a tuition waiver.

“Schools that are more dependent on tuition to run their schools are hesitant to give a free tuition waiver to one student. With those figures and a budget, the institution may need as many paying students as possible for the upcoming year. So, this year it is a little harder if schools don’t have at their disposal scholarships that need to be given away and particularly ones directed at international students,” Pitz said.

Whatever a college or university decides, they need to keep in mind one thing.

“I would think education is universal and our power to engage us in a broader world,” Eid said.

“The lack of education and the lack of ability to pursue education would be a poverty of spirit.

Education, for them, is providing the ability to move forward and up and out of that situation.”

“We can’t afford to NOT have them here,” Pitz said.

4 NEWS

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

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Students spread social justice through forum

involved. Each also thought that it would be important to try to localize and globalize the issues that they are trying to instill in others.

Locally, there will be fundraisers, an AIDS walk and attending HIV/AIDS conferences. Students are also trying to promote Urban Promise, a local ministry helping children in inner-city schools.

“I became involved after hearing the stories learned about hardships, visited Washington and lobbied for more financial and medical aid in Africa,” Diana Vilares, senior English and communication major and CRS ambassador, said. “If others want to become involved it is important to visit CRS.org, Kiva.org and get involved with organizations on your campus.”

“What is awesome about this is that this idea came from students.

What energizes us is the willingness to put your brains and your heart together,” Dr. Mary Laver, director of international partnerships, said.

megan bernatavitz staff writer

mmb722@cabrini.edu

Promoting peace and awareness was what students from different universities had in mind on Thursday evening, Jan. 29.

Approximately 50 students from four colleges and universities met to exchange ideas about social justice programs they participate in.

“Tonight we have two goals in mind: get to know each other and sign up for ways to get involved within the social justice program,” Jessica Zawrotny, senior psychology major and main organizer of the event, said.

The Catholic Relief Services ambassadors forum held in Grace Hall was filled with students from Cabrini College, Villanova University, Neumann College and Eastern University. Students sat around a horseshoe-shaped table and each got up and spoke about what issues were most important to them.

They then received feedback on how to get others involved and whom to get in contact with.

Each college expressed appreciation for the work done by students at other schools.

Chris Cantwell, junior history and education major, said, “The forum is a good chance for local schools to share in successful activism opportunities that they

brittany mitchell/multimedia editor

Students speak about social justice programs that they have been involved with in college during the Catholic Relief Services ambassadors forum held in Grace Hall. have taken part in.”

Catholic Relief Services, founded in 1943, is the official overseas relief and development agency of U.S. Catholics. Its focus is on peace-building, agriculture, education, HIV/AIDS, food

security and other issues. The CRS mission is to assist impoverished countries through Catholic Social Teaching.

“Whether it’s through speakers or bringing students together, the most important thing is to ed-

ucate, just educate one another,” Sonya Lopez, sophomore English major at Villanova University, said.

Participants from each college spoke about starting projects on campus to get more students

Please send your comments to Loquitur@googlegroups.com.

The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.

Congress helps aid student-loan programs andy stettler staff writer

ads725@cabrini.edu

In order to save the studentloan market, the U.S. Education Department announced recently that it would temporarily pay lenders a higher subsidy rate on loans issued through the guaranteed student-loan program since 2000. This move will allow banks to raise their subsidy rates and will stop banks from dropping out of the market.

The truth is that banks make little to nothing on student loans simply because these loans do not bring in large sums of money like entrepreneurial or mortgage loans do.

In September 2007, former President George W. Bush, pressured by Congress, signed the “College Cost Reduction and Access Act” into law. “Which meant that the small profit lines that banks made in the student-loan programs became almost nonexistent,” Mike Colahan, director of financial aid, said.

“Banks only exist to make money … they got into this more than 40 years ago because it was good PR.” Banks, in lending to college students to pay tuition, not only strengthen the U.S. college education system, but also increase the likelihood that those students after college will continue business with the banks and open new accounts.

“In some ways they’re selling

the field by being in this federal loans program, but they are not making a lot of money off it,” Colahan said.

With the current economic crisis, some critics may see the raising subsidy rate on student loans as a form of “bail-out” to the loan program. “Even if we weren’t having a lending crisis right now, you would still see a lot of banks dropping out of the program because the government had cut their subsidies off,” Colahan said.

Much of the mainstream media still see this as a victory for the Education Department during a time of brutal economic crisis, “but once in a while I’ll read an article from someone who has enough knowledge to say ‘they’re just fixing the damage they did a year ago.’ They never should have cut the subsidies to begin with.”

There are two main studentloan programs, the Federal Family Education Loan Program, and the direct loan program. The direct program was made during Clinton’s administration in order to cut out the middle man, the bank.

Democrats, such as senior Sen. Ted Kennedy, have always pushed the direct loan program, “but the direct loan program has never been as good as the federal loan program, which uses different banks. When you have different banks involved, you have a level of competition; and who benefits from that? The student,”

Colahan said.

Cabrini College’s financial aid department usually pushes students to borrow from FFELP because in this federal program, private banks have to compete by lowering its subsidies and offering what Colahan calls a “sweeter” deal.

In a time when more students than ever are losing their loans as banks drop out of the studentloan market, the financial aid office is more than willing to help students find a bank that will work best for them. “Even though we don’t have a preferred lender list, we can still direct you, we can say, ‘look into this bank and then look into this bank and you decide what you want,’” Colahan said.

The Cabrini College Financial Aid Office is located in Grace Hall across from the admissions office.

Please send your comments to Loquitur@googlegroups.com.

The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.

christopher r. blake/news editor

TD Bank on E. Lancaster Ave. in Wayne, Pa. is one of many banks students choose to take loans from for their college tuition payments. Recent government actions will allow banks to raise their subsidy rates.

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Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

NEWS 5

Layoff period sets new record melissa mariani staff writer

mlm744@cabrini.edu

christopher r. blake/news editor

A Cabrini student walks into the Admissions/Financial Aid office in Grace Hall. Colleges around the tristate area have begun to offer unemployed students new financial aid packages due to attrition rates.

Colleges target unemployed students by offering discounts arielle friscia staff writer

af728@cabrini.edu

Centenary College in New Jersey and others in the tri-state region have come up with unusual financial aid programs for students who are unemployed. For example, at Centenary, if a student takes one accelerated class, the second one that the student decides to take would be free.

While Centenary’s plan is targeted at unemployed students, the struggle to pay for college hits many ranges of students. Siobhan Hurd, senior English major, was also affected by the crisis, and after three years of living on campus had to move off.

“I wanted to commute because I’m actually paying for school myself and I thought that it would cut down costs if I don’t live on campus,” Hurd said. Hurd who graduates in the spring is terrified due to the fact that she is not only going to school but she is also providing for herself.

“I am really excited because that means I can actually spend more time working. Once I graduate I will hopefully be getting a better job, but I am really scared of paying off my student loans. I don’t have enough money to do it all,” Hurd said.

Not only are seniors really affected by the amount of tuition; freshman communication major, Danielle Alio, is struggling to live the college life.

“With our scholarship money it’s cheaper, but with the economy my dad doesn’t make enough money anymore and I think it’s going to be a problem. We can’t go on vacations, we can’t even buy things that we need around the house,” Alio said.

Alio worries about her mother driving an old car but she said that her parents can’t afford another car and it is difficult for them to spend money on themselves.

“My parents, the way they work, they need a vacation. Even if it’s just the two of them but they can’t even afford for the two of them to get away. It’s kind of sad and that’s another reason why I can’t live at college because it

would be so much money. We try everything we can to make things affordable,” Alio said.

Not just students are feeling the pinch. John Haggerty, financial aid counselor at Cabrini College, who has graduated in the past five years and since then has gone through graduate school, has deferred his loan payments.

“While I am not paying now, I might be paying more later. I’m even worried about myself in that sense. So it’s hard for me to say I don’t know if it is going to be more or less difficult, to be honest,” Haggerty said.

A tuition discount may help get more Cabrini students to come here, but according to Linda Milne, junior psychology major, tuition discounts will not help Cabrini expand.

“I don’t know if it would make more people come here, because Cabrini already gives out a lot of money, but I think it would make people go to college more in general,” Milne said.

There are also other ways besides the tuition discount that can help students find aid to pay those college bills. Haggerty has been an aid to students who are looking for scholarships they are eligible for.

“I come and have them sit here and they tell me a little about themselves. I’ve created a profile online where I can go in and put that data in and find a list of scholarships for them,” Haggerty said. “For current students there are grants that Cabrini does offer based on financial need. I believe when they are admitted here they are also given an achievement grant or scholarship as well, which in a sense is sort of a tuition discount.”

Hurd tries to increase her earnings rather than seek scholarships. Hurd is constantly working to put money in her pocket.

She feels that scholarships are a bit unfair. She said that she never pursued scholarships because she never was able to meet the standards.

“They’re all catering to people who did all these clubs and community service and all this stuff.

I never had the chance to do be-

cause I was either working or just providing for myself,” Hurd said.

The scholarship research that Haggerty does is a new service and the responses have doubled since last semester. Scholarship ads are hung around campus and are on the television screens around campus.

“I honestly think that Cabrini would get a rise in students because if they realize there are opportunities to be taken here then they would definitely come,” Hurd said.

Hurd said that she thought rewarding good grades with tuition discounts or scholarships would attract more students to college.

“I would love a discount because I think the price for college is ridiculous. Any college, even state schools, is still a lot of money,” Alio said.

“If you are making the college choice based on if first off, I can afford it and second off do I like it, instead of, do I like it and then can I afford it. That’s a huge difference where you end up going and you want to end up in the right place. I think enrollment would increase and people coming back would increase.”

Nevertheless, Alio stepped back and realized how grateful she really is to have the opportunity to be getting her education. In Alio’s SEM 100 class, the professor told the students that 1 percent of the population in the world goes to college and the percentage decreases every year because of the economy.

“My professor said how lucky we are to be sitting in these seats to learn. The economy is so bad, kids are just dropping out left and right because of the money,” Alio said.

Please send your comments to Loquitur@googlegroups.com.

The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.

On Tuesday, Jan. 27, thousands of workers for several big U.S. companies announced massive job cuts. Companies included ING, Sprint Nextel, Home Depot and General Motors. The total number of job cuts was 20,000. While layoffs by the big name companies attracted most attention, workers at thousands of smaller firms are losing their jobs as well. For the next six months, many economists do not expect the layoff announcement to stop.

The Economic Policy Institute analysis reported that the nation has experienced the steepest rise in unemployment since the recession from the early 1980s.

Positive news for student loans President Obama’s economic stimulus package has a huge effect on the nation’s school districts, child care centers and universities. The proposed package gives $150 billion in federal spending for two years. Funding for renovations, special education and grants to college students would amount to the largest increase in aid since the end of World War II. Chairman of the House of education committee George Miller said, “We cannot let education collapse; we have to provide this level of support to schools.”

The positives of the Federal aid will provide new jobs for construction through renovation, provide stable teaching jobs and help the student loan industry.

House passes stimulus package The White House passed a $19 billion stimulus package that will revitalize our nation’s economy. This bill is one of the largest stimulus packages in history. Not a single republican supported the bill, and only 11 out of 255 democrats opposed it. The package cost more than the entire Iraq War. “The strategy under this bill is to throw billions of dollars in every bureaucratic direction, and cross our fingers and hope for the best,” Rep. Ken Calvert said.

Disappointments in the White House Thomas A. Daschle, Obama’s secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, was not paying more than $128,000 in taxes. Daschle did not realize that he had to pay taxes on limousine services from a Democratic power. According to the Senate committee, Daschle used the car service 80 percent of the time for personal purposes. The service was worth more than $255,000 in unreported income, according to the committee report. Sen. Judd Gregg, N.H. Republican, accepted nomination of secretary of commerce.

Iraq’s new era The mood has changed in Iraq as the American troops start drifting out of the war zones. In the United States, Americans view the war as already over, even though more than 14,000 American soldiers remain in Iraq territory. Iraq army officers no longer look to the Americans for approval. As the American military slowly steps back, Iraqis are beginning to see Americans for not only protection, but as a different kind of relationship. The Iraqis need the Americans not just to put a stop to terrorist activities within the country, but to protect them from predatory neighbors. President Obama has made it clear that Iraq is not his war, he wants to focus on Afghanistan.

6 PERSPECTIVES

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Perspectives

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

Super Bowl commercial spending skyrockets IN M Y OPINION

samantha bokoski staff writer

scb728@cabrini.edu

The economic downfall has caused individuals to lose their jobs and companies to declare bankruptcy, yet still companies are able to spend $3 million on 30-second Super Bowl advertisements.

Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo and many other industries will continue to run advertisements during the Super Bowl, however, companies such as FedEx are not finding the $3 million is easy to spend.

This is the first time in 12 years they have not bought a spot during the Super Bowl.

I feel that the Super Bowl industry is straddling the line of ridiculous and just doing business.

Many people, including myself, love to watch the Super Bowl for the commercials alone. Businesses having to pay $3 million for every 30 second clip in the Super Bowl, I am thinking this is borderline absurd.

Jake Verterano/a&e editor

Various companies like Pepsi, Budweiser and GoDaddy.com are known for shelling out big bucks when it comes to advertising during the Super Bowl.

Obviously, my opinion does not seem to match many companies because many of them are still paying to get one of the 67 spots available. According to CNN.com, the network was able to fill 90 percent of their spots for the big game in Tampa, Fl. The $3 million cost for a spot in the Super Bowl is a 10 percent in-

crease than last years cost.

One of the top companies that are returning is Monster.com, a convenient way for you to send your resume to hiring companies.

The site received a 172 percent increase from the day prior to the Super Bowl.

After watching the Super Bowl, I would have to say that I am disappointed this

year in the commercials.

There were not any that seemed to stick in my mind and make me cry laughing.

If I had to pick one that stuck in my mind, it would have to be the Pedigree commercial.

I do not know if this is biased because of my obsession with dogs, well animals in general, but it was funny and got the point across.

It goes through all these horribly-obnoxious pets, such as a rhino, warthog and a bull. The clincher is to adopt a dog because it will be much more people-friendly.

Doritos surprisingly put out a good commercial relating to a younger crowd.

The commercial starts with when a man eats a Dorito, a woman’s dress comes off, and the next Dorito

to enter his mouth makes a MAC machine spit out money. Then, the closing was when the bag runs out, the man gets hit by a bus.

It’s a little brutal, but it gets the point across that good things happen with Doritos.

Even though the cost is high and the risk, I personally feel for the large 500k companies, such as PepsiCo and Anheuser-Busch, it is worth it. Companies during the Super Bowl reach about 95 million people, that is so much advertising and publicity for these companies.

I feel if the network decides to increase the cost next year, which would be no shocker, I think more companies are going to back out. Our country is going to get worse before it gets better and companies cannot just come up with $3 million or more to spend on the Super Bowl alone.

The Super Bowl is the eighth biggest selling week in the year and companies want to be able to afford a slot but if it gets too expensive they will have no choice but to say “no.”

Entertainment has gotten out of control and now the network seems to have no limits or boundaries on cost.

One word that describes this issue especially at this time in our history is scary.

Gaining weight due to recession?

Waistbands grow as wallets shrink I N MY OPINIO N

megan kutulis staff writer

mmk725@cabrini.edu

It’s a shame there’s no level on the food pyramid for comfort food, because I think it’s safe to say that, although most of us have established “get skinny” resolutions for 2009, there’s a stash of chocolate

and Campus Corner menus hidden somewhere in our dorm rooms.

Of course, this is nothing new. “Starving” college students have been known to live off Ramen noodles and to-go snack bags, but, in a time of recession, it’s not just college students who are looking to indulge in a little emotional eating.

Granted, the American public has never been secret about its obsession with food. Most towns have fast food restaurants on every corner, and the national obesity rate has been creeping up for years.

But these statistics and the recent economic downturn aren’t doing much to scare anyone away.

Instead, it seems like no one is hesitating to pull out their wallet for a night out.

Over break, I saw parking lot after parking lot crowded with cars, and 45minute waits on a Tuesday night. There are lines of people waiting to get inside the T.G.I. Friday’s at King of Prussia. Call me crazy, but I never realized there was such a demand for a burger and fries.

I understand that it’s winter, it’s freezing and sometimes cooking dinner when it gets dark at 4 p.m. is out of the question.

That’s when calling for a pizza or having a menu to choose from seems like the perfect solution. And it is, until you realize you abso-

lutely have to have that new outfit and all your income has been spent on bills and tips.

There’s also that whole aspect of emotional eating.

Whether you’re celebrating a new job―a rarity in our current economic situation―or getting over your most recent break-up, it seems like dinner or a “quick bite” is always involved. Of course, this is nothing new, but it seems surprising when you turn back 70 years to another economic rough spot, when out-of-work Americans were waiting in line for bread instead of a three -course meal.

No matter what the circumstances, I have to say

I’m surprised. I know that groceries and the gas it takes to get them might not be cheap, but a $50 meal six nights per week certainly isn’t cheap either. Maybe families of four should start stashing up on Ramen and pretzels.

In a constantly declining economy, eating out is apparently the one thing Americans really aren’t

willing to give up, which could be a good thing. Sure, we’re all a little strapped for cash, but to get the economy going again, our money has to go back into it.

The next time you find yourself unwilling to make the trek to the caf, just tell yourself, you’re doing it for the economy.

Did we pinpoint your viewpoint?

E-mail your opinion to LoqPerspectives@googlegroups.com

Thursday Feb. 5, 2009

PERSPECTIVES 7

www.theloquitur.com

Maybe he is ‘into you’ Happiness

contagious

IN MY OPINION

I N MY OPI NI ON

jessie holeva perspectives editor

jh734@cabrini.edu

Since the dawn of time, both females as well as males have spent countless hours, days and years obsessing over the opposite sex. Magazines like Cosmo make bank by publishing pieces on how to get a guy, what their body language means and even what a guy’s sentence means in girl language.

Maybe the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You” is that tough love we all need.

Maybe when that potential partner you’ve been shacking up with becomes aloof, it’s not just for the whole playing hard to get ploy.

And maybe we should stop forcing things to mean something that they just don’t mean.

Deal with it and stop telling yourself he or she wants you just to ease your pown mind.If he flirts with your friend, odds are that’s not just to get to know more about you.

Men really are from Mars and women from Venus. We females like to think that guys act a certain way, such as not calling the day after an all night deep conversation just to play around, to keep us inter-

CHRISTINE ADOLF christine adolf staff writer

cna722@cabrini.edu

mct

Drew Barrymore and Kevin Connolly acting in a scene for the upcoming movie “He’s Just Not That Into You.” The movie follows various characters in regards to relationships. ested. While men may just not call cause frankly, they could care less.

It’s a pretty big pill to swallow, but it would save the human race a lot of embarrassment to learn this lesson, and fast.

Then maybe you wouldn’t be in that not-sosexy situation of waiting around for him to meet you at a party. This scenario results in waiting around with a well-groomed bod and no one to share it with.

Don’t fret too much.

Listen up ladies, I’ve recently learned something pretty monumental and you’ll be flabbergasted too.

Turns out guys, not all but most, are not looking for anymore friends.

Why is that important?

Duh, if a dude is talking to you he’s got some ulterior motives. I’m not saying he’s only out to get some, but it’s unlikely that he’s going out of his way to chat it up throughout your whole seminar class just “to be nice.”

So maybe Alex or Evan from Wednesday night at Brownies accepted your friend request via Facebook but didn’t message back to your witty comment regarding something about the other night.

That’s just how it goes.

Maybe those guys aren’t digging it. Odds are there are others in your life that you walk right by, that you text inside jokes to or that always message you what parties they’ll be at.

These guys or gals just might be really into you.

You’re wasting time being too wrapped up with those jerks. Those good looking jerks say they’ll call and don’t. They say they feel so attached yet later share some intimacy with someone that’s way too fake tan and obviosuly not you.

Stop reading between the lines. Instead of using common sense, we try to mold things to mean what we want and desire.

Hey, maybe that somene special really does only get with him or her to make your lust grow. I can’t say. I still read those pieces mags write decoding dudes.

Pro-Obama’s green plan IN M Y O P I N I O N

sami godowsky staff writer

scg726@cabrini.edu

“We cannot afford more of the same timid politics when the future of our planet is at stake. Global warming is not a someday problem, it is now. We are already breaking records with the intensity of our storms, the number of forest fires, the periods of droughts. By 2050, famine could force 250 million families from their homes.

The polar ice caps are now melting faster than science

had ever predicted. This is not the future I want for my daughters. It’s not the future any of us want for our children. And if we act now and we act boldly, it doesn’t have to be,” President Barack Obama said in 2007.

Obama has his work cut out for him for the next several years when it comes to the environment.

By 2050, Obama has a goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent.

In just the next five years, Obama plans to make 40 percent of federal buildings more efficient and by 2025 make all federal buildings zero-emission.

Another goal of Obama is by 2025 to have 25 percent of electricity come from renewable sources.

He also wants to spend $150 billion within the next 10 years in advanced technologies to help the environment.

As an initial goal, Obama wants to combat global warming because people do not understand the severity of the issue, and the fact that it is occurring right now. Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden have a goal of reducing carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050 by using a cap and trade program that is also cost effective.

The cap and trade program limits the amount of pollutants companies use, and gives financial incentives to companies to comply with this program. This will allow companies to meet environmental regulations with less financial burden.

People all around the country are suffering with the rise in gas prices.

Obama plans to encourage automobile manufacturers to create fuel-efficient cars in the U.S. instead of losing

the market to companies that are overseas.

The new advanced vehicles will be lightweight and carry a new type of electric engine. Obama wants to expand consumer tax incentives by lifting the cap on buyer tax credits making it easier for more Americans to purchase these extremely fuel-efficient vehicles.

In my opinion, the best plan Obama has is creating the Green Job Corp. Obama hopes to create millions of jobs that focus on helping the environment. This is a great plan for two reasons: it is beneficial for the environment and it helps improve the economy.

These goals may seem unrealistic, but with Obama’s detailed strategies and determination, I believe he can accomplish these goals and make our country a healthier place to live.

Happiness is as contagious as the flu. Happiness can be caught, but it is also something that has to be found as well.

I think in order to catch the happiness bug, people need to be faceto-face. Even though people may seem happy or content over the phone or on the Internet, I’m not sure if you could catch it in the same way you could talking to someone face-to-face.

Even though you might have a bad day and may want to run away, you should listen for laughter and look for smiling faces to join.

Someone who is happy will ultimately pass it on and on to help people feel better.

Wouldn’t the world literally be a happier place if someone was happy and just kept passing it along?

If people were to catch someone’s happiness, they could have a better day, a better job, a better life.

A happy employee means a better job performance. As employees spread their vibes to others, it can help make the workplace a healthier and more enjoyable environment to work in.

Its been proven, that happiness leads to a healthier life. It has been shown that people who are happy most days tend to not catch as many colds or fevers as unhappy people do.

Happier and healthier people tend to live longer as well.

I didn’t know happy until just recently.

Even though I’d see my friends happy and enjoying life, I was in pain.

Pain that I kept hidden to those I did not want to know what I was feeling. It was hard to walk up the hills of Cabrini’s campus, until I had my surgery.

In December, I had a

breast reduction, which changed my life. It’s easier to walk up the hills now and keep up with my friends. I had a great doctor who was nationally ranked and had many surgeries under his belt.

Now, almost two months later, I am changing my life around and letting myself out of my shell that I was held captive in for so long.

Six pounds lighter and a whole lot happier, I look at life a different way.

I’m not afraid to go out with my friends and hang out with them. I’m comfortable and happy with who I am now and what I look like. The surgery changed my life and made me so much happier. Now I love spreading my happiness on to others every single day.

Smiling is a big part of sharing happiness with one another and laughing is another cure. Making someone laugh or smile whether you are making a fool of yourself in front of them or just reminding them of a funny thing that has happened to them in the past will help brighten their day. I think making a fool of yourself could also cheer you up.

Happiness is the difference between good and bad. When a person is happy and enjoying themselves, it makes the person looking happy.

That’s just another example of how happiness is contagious.

If I saw someone having an amazing amount of fun, I’d want to join in with them. I’d want to feel what they are feeling.

Happiness is a joy of life. An entity to survive life. People need to live, breathe and bleed happiness.

As people share their happiness all over the world in their own special ways, people will learn how happiness is contagious and can be caught like the flu. Happiness has its own way of attacking our bodies.

Happiness will continue to be a great asset to life as the world continues to grow and prosper.

Laughter and happiness are the medicine to a better, healthier life.

FEATU

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

www.theloquitur.com

8 FEATURES

Change necessary in recent tough economic crisis diana trasatti copy editor

dlt722@cabrini.edu

Americans today are experiencing the gut-wrenching and helpless sensation of losing jobs, seeing food and merchandise prices rise and watching a good portion of their 401K cut in half.

The current economic problems have led Americans to wonder how our country will ever come out of these hard times.

This, however, is not the first major financial crisis that America has faced. In the not-so-distant past, the stock market crashed, jobs were lost and just putting food on the dinner table proved to be a challenge.

In 1929, the economic slump of the Great Depression put the nation in similarly tight times as today.

Mercedes Compton, 88 years old, is a witness of the financial instabilities of both 1929 and present day.

Compton was born in Philadelphia in 1921 and was 8 years old when the Depression hit. While many families experienced the troubles of being laid off of work,

Compton’s father luckily had his own plumbing and heating business rooted in Camden, N.J. Compton’s father remained in business and had work, but there was still a drawback to being independently employed during the Depression.

“People wouldn’t pay him after he completed the jobs because they didn’t have the money. My father ended up having to take a loan out at the Haddonfield National Bank just to pay for the work that he had done. The bank helped our family avoid the shame that came with bankruptcy. When I grew older and married, me and my husband opened an account at the bank because I felt like I owed them for how they helped my family.”

Compton grew up in the comfortable area of Haddonfield, N.J., where her parents tried their best to shield Compton and her brother of the harsh realities that came with the Depression. While many other children were forced to do without, Compton’s mother ensured that her daughter attended her high school dressed as if the economy was booming.

“My mother struggled to dress

me well because she didn’t want me to become discouraged attending school with others who had money. My mother spent every dime she could on me,” Compton said.

Compton’s parents strived to shelter their children from the hardships of the Depression and give their children a fulfilling childhood.

The family partook in recreational activities such as picnics, camping, church gatherings, firework displays and days at Clementon Lake Park. These activities were readily available because of their low or free price.

As the difficulties of the Depression subsided and Compton grew older, she took jobs as secretary of business at Ancora hospital and then worked at the Internal Revenue Service.

She managed to obtain a comfortable life in Gibbstown, N.J. with her husband and two children; yet her memories from America’s 1929 stock market crash are never too far from her memory, especially with such similarities occurring in the present day.

“I think it’s going to be worse

freephoto.com

This photo represents the importance of following stock information, especially through this economic downturn. The stock market crash in 1929 was the main reason for the financial turmoils many families faced in America.

mct

A sign is posted demonstrating the respect that Americans have for former President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s work throughout the ‘30s.

His efforts to uplift a dwindling economy won him four terms in office as president of the United States. [than the Depression] if it keeps up,” Compton said. “Some change needs to occur in our country so

that America doesn’t have to go through times like this again.”

Then an Profiles of survived Am economic d

Small family triumphs over hardship brittany mcleod copy editor

blm726@cabrini.edu

Marie Kobylinski was 14 years old when a worldwide economic downturn took its devastating effects on America in 1929.

Philadelphia was a city dependent on heavy industry, plucking young children from school and forcing them into work.

It was C Street in the Kensington section of Philadelphia where Kobylinski took shelter.

A single mother of three, Blanche Dukenfield, niece of comedian W.C. Fields, became the head of household when Kobylinski’s father left at the tender age of 9.

At 14, Kobylinski went to work with her two brothers at the

Wittman & Moriarty leather factory for 43 cents an hour.

She was forced to begin “continuation,” which back then was attending school for one day a week, Wednesday, to learn how to sew and cook, and work the remaining days.

Things were cheap, she said, and for fun she would attend a movie for 15 cents or go dancing for 10 cents.

Still, it was impossible for her to escape the effects of the depression.

Her mother worked two jobs, one at the Rose Silk Mill and another as a maid.

“I would get my clothes from the daughter of the woman who my mom cleaned for,” Kobylinski said. “I thought they were great.”

Though still young, Kobylin-

ski remembers what it was like to live during the meager conditions she and her family faced.

“It was awful. It was bad. It was especially hard for us because we didn’t have my father,” Kobylinski said.

“Today is nothing like it was then. People are still working well now; we went to work for little money.”

Little money was $6 a week for a young girl making leather hat bands. Today, the federal minimum wage is $6.55 per hour.

“Everything was cheap. Bread was 5 or 6 cents. Today, I saw an ad for potatoes in the paper― $2.99 a pound! Potatoes were always cheap.”

Kobylinski says she is thankful to remember her past, and while she was young, what she

can recall is certainly worth knowing.

Kobylinski eventually left Wittman & Moriarty to work at PhilCo, a television and radio building factory, for a pay increase of 10 cents.

During the depression, her passion and release became dancing and she danced until she was 90 years old.

A month away from turning 94, Kobylinski now lives in the Juniata section of Philadelphia.

Today’s economic condition cannot measure up to the likes of what Kobylinski and others endured in their formative years.

Still, there are worries about how this generation will handle the current and upcoming hardships.

brittany mcleod/submitted photo

Marie Kobylinski is pictured here at age 15 in 1930. She worked at Wittman & Moriarty leather factory for 43 cents an hour.

URES

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

www.theloquitur.com

FEATURES 9

Learning the importance of a penny brittany mitchell multimedia editor

bvm723@cabrini.edu

The year 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Depression, but not everyone was feeling the severe financial strain.

Helen Heck, 88, of Turnersville, N.J., was a happy 9-year-old who was able to live comfortably and enjoy the everyday hobbies of riding her bike and picking flowers.

“I lived on a farm. We were very fortunate. We had our own vegetables, chicken eggs and my dad raised pigs for our meat,” Heck said. At the time, Heck lived near Bells Lake, N.J., where she attended Bunker Hill Middle School.

“The kids I went to school with were very fortunate because everyone had the same thing― vegetables, cow, horses and pigs,” Heck said. “Money was scarce, but we managed.”

Heck then began to describe a typical shopping day with her mother. “We shopped the Sears catalog but we also used to go to Kaighn Avenue in Camden to buy our shoes. Shoes were like 25

anna scholl/graphic designer

President Barack Obama has to face similar isses former President Franklin D. Roosevelt did in the ‘30s. cents a pair,” Heck said.

Now a days, shoes cost upwards $50, but Heck thinks it is people’s spending habits during the recession that is affecting them negatively, not the cost of the product.

Due to the downward spiraling economy, the percentage of

Americans’ savings rose 2.9 percent, but Heck is still concerned for this generation facing these tough economic times because of their technological reliance.

“I’ll tell ya, I think the people today, if there was another Great Depression, I don’t think they’ll survive just because they need to

nd now: those who merica’s last downturn

use all this technology. I mean my mother used a washboard; when I grew up we had none of this technology stuff,” Heck said.

When asked if our recession will lead to a severe depression, Heck drew her own conclusion.

“I don’t think it will ever be similar because people spend too

much money for things that aren’t necessary. Mom and dad always watched their pennies and watch their money. People today get too much money and spend foolishly,” Heck said.

Statistics show that Americans spent a staggering $162 billion in 2007 on electronics alone and the median income of a family of four in New Jersey was $99, 224. “Too many credit cards, too much money, they need help,” Heck said.

The financial belt is now tightening in most American households to alleviate some risk of a sticky economic situation.

In October 2008, Americans invested an average of $863 into retirement accounts, jumping 54 percent in one month.

Heck believed that the saving is essential, but people today have to learn more about the ways of the people from the past.

“Everyone seemed to help each other [during the Depression], everyone looked out for everyone. People need to look out for each other. Love your mom and dad, get along and save your money, that’s what you need to do,” Heck said.

mallory terrence/submitted photo

Robert Edward LeCompte and his children and nephews in Royal Oak, MD., in 1931.

mallory terrence/submitted photo

mallory terrence/submitted photo

James Brassie Handy at a market in the 1920s.

John Norman Terrence, born in Philadelphia in 1928.

Two different experiences mark an era meghan smith

managing editor

mes733@cabrini.edu

Widespread unemployment, near halts in industrial production and construction in conjunction with an 89 percent decline in stock prices led to a worldwide economic crisis called the Great Depression in America’s history.

One of six children growing up under the care of a widowed mother in the middle of the Great Depression, Catherine Arnesen, 94, remembers the Great Depression as “being not that bad.” Arnesen is still employed at Cabrini in the faculty support office.

Living in a “little country town” of Laurel Springs, N.J., Arnesen acquired a different view of the depression. “The photo of all

those men lined up on the street in their hats and coats in the city; that’s what I remember. The cities had it much worse,” Arnesen said.

Arnesen explained that her father and grandfather passed away shortly before the Depression hit and were fortunate enough to leave a substantial amount of money for her mother to raise a family with. “I was a young teenager in the middle of it [the Great Depression] so I spent my time in school. Looking back, I don’t think it affected me much,” Arnesen said.

Ninety miles away in Bloomfield, another small town in N.J., Julia Giuliano, 80, tells a different story.

Giuliano’s father was in the hospital for the majority of the

‘30s—before passing away in 1938, leaving his wife and 16-year-old son to raise a family of nine in America’s toughest economic hour. She explained there was no money coming in so her mother went to work sewing clothes. “She always cooked. No matter what, we had a homemade meal every night,” Giuliano said.

“Most of the time we only had the basics, what we could afford; but still, Mom always made sure dinner was on the table, whether it was just stew or homemade macaroni. She was always cooking. It was her sense of stability,” Giuliano said.

While Arnesen and Giuliano were from different financial backgrounds, both found their siblings joining the work force in order to help out.

“My sister, she went to work for $15 a week,” Arnesen smiled, “which was a lot back then.”

Similarly, Giuliano’s sister dropped out of school to work at a cigar box factory and her brothers “washed our neighbors floors, did yard-work, anything they could to pitch in.”

The resounding feeling both Arnesen and Giuliano expressed about the depression was not a somber one, rather one of family and community.

“We were a happy family, mom was always singing, always happy and always cooking,” Giuliano said.

Looking at America’s current economic state, both are hopeful that as a country we will prosper.

Arnesen has served as Cabri-

ni’s faculty support secretary for over 40 years.

“I don’t see what we are going through now as a ‘depression’”, Arnesen said. “Most people are still going about their daily lives and that’s what we did.”

Giuliano, who has been battling cancer for the last three years, has an optimistic outlook for the future.

“It is in my nieces and nephews and their children that I see the same strong sense of family that got us through [the depression] and gives me the faith that things are going to improve,” Giuliano said.

Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@ googlegroups.com.

10 A&E

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Arts & Entertainment

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

Making a clearer switch with digital television kirk manion staff writer

kjm725@cabrini.edu

On-air broadcasting is making the switch to digital on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

This change mainly affects those people who still use set-top or roof-top antennas. This new law means all people whose TVs are still receiving analog signals through the air must take steps to make their TVs broadcast in digital. Most people across the country have had digital TVs for a few years now. With the advent of Comcast Digital Cable, Direct TV and Verizon Fios, most homes have been made digital a few years ago.

In addition, if you have cable television or satellite television, this change will not affect you.

You will still be able to keep using your old analog television.

But those with analog TVs that use rabbit-ears antennas must buy a converter box. Analog TV owners have 3 options to choose from before the Feb. 17 deadline.

The first option for analog owners is to check to see if their

Fast Track to Philly

TV was made after March 2007.

If the TV was made after that date then no changes needed to made because TVs made after that point are built with a digital tuner.

Those with analog TVs that were built without a digital tuner must choose between two routes.

The more expensive choice would be to go out and buy a new TV. All TVs now are digital if not HD quality. The cheapest choice would be to buy an external digital-to-analog converter box.

These boxes are essentially digital tuners with an analog output that lets older TVs receive digital transmissions after the switch.

One good side note is that the government is offering households two $40 vouchers to defray the cost of the designated devices, which run up to $70.

The digital switch is a sign of the times but also not the center of people’s attentions. Matt Gledhill, junior English major, said, “It was a matter of time, as society continues to advance, that this technology would take over.

People know this and will adapt and won’t even be a big deal.”

Jake verterano/a&e editor

The grainy images “rabbit ears” produce on a television will be no more beginning on Feb. 17. Analog TV owners must switch over to digital cable.

The benefits of the conversion are that the bandwidth used by the old channels will now be freed up

and actioned off the bidders to develop new services. In addition, stations broadcasting digitally

EVENTS: Feb.5 - Feb.12

Free transportation to Philadelphia, Pa. Stop by to pick up your free SEPTA pass.

Friday, Feb. 6 Anytime SEaL Center, Widener Center

Poetry Slam featuring Crystal Irby

What’s Love Got To Do With It? Relationship Workshop

A coffee house atmosphere with free coffee and desserts, Cabrini students and special guest poet.

Explore how your relationship affects your life.

Tuesday, Feb. 10 8 p.m. Grace Hall Atrium

Wednesday, Feb. 11 3 - 5 p.m. East Residence Hall, 2nd Floor Lounge

will be able to multicast or send out multiple channels.

jake verterano/a&e editor

Hunger Banquet Learn about the world through different courses. Sponsored by CRS Ambassadors.

Wednesday, Feb. 11 6 p.m. Mansion Dining Room

A&E 11

www.theloquitur.com

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

The center stage exemplified by flashing spotlights an outline by swarms of people anticipating the performance of Bruce Springsteen during the halftime show.

MCT

mct

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band perform during halftime of Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fl. on Sunday, Feb. 1.

‘The Boss’ at the Bowl mike o’hara staff writer

mto722@cabrini.edu

Hopefully you put down your chicken fingers and turned your television all the way up during the halftime show of Super Bowl XLIII. If you didn’t, you missed a great performance by “The Boss” himself, Bruce Springsteen.

Springsteen and the E-Street Band rocked Raymond James Stadium, as an estimated 100 million viewers watched on television,

with a four-song set halftime.

Springsteen opened the show by telling viewers, “I want you to put the chicken fingers down and turn your television all the way up,” before starting the set with “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.” “I’m a die-hard Bruce fan. I only watched the Super Bowl to see him. He started with ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,’ which is my all time favorite song,” Desiree Umosella, sophomore criminology major, said.

Springsteen included in the set

his hit songs “Born to Run” and “Glory Days” as he moved and slid around the stage with an energy not often displayed by men approaching 60 years of age.

“He’s just a great performer,” Umosella said.

Springsteen also played his newest song “Working on a Dream,” during which a full choir provided the backup vocals.

After closing his set with “Glory Days” Springsteen became a part of a long Super Bowl tradition. Cabrini students who

Bruce Springsteen displays his gratitude to his loyal fans after his performance during the halftime show at Super Bowl XLIII. watched “The Boss” perform were impressed.

John Alex Spotila, junior political science and history major, said, “Bruce was pretty good.

This halftime show was a lot better than previous ones. Paul McCartney was lame.”

Conor Trainor, junior human resources major, is from Ireland and watched his first Super Bowl in the states. “I really enjoyed my first Super Bowl experience in America and Bruce’s performance was a big part of that,”

mct

Trainor said.

With Sunday’s halftime performance, Springsteen further solidified himself as one of the greatest rock musicians of all time.

“Bruce Springsteen is all over the place. He’s on the cover of Rolling Stone, in the Super Bowl, he’s won multiple Grammys.

He’s just a great artist,” Spotila said.

Springsteen showed the world just how great he is at Super Bowl XLIII.

CHRISTINA MICHALUK/A&E EDITOR

12 A&E

www.theloquitur.com

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

Local band thinks ‘Outside the Box’ katie engell staff writer

kge722@cabrini.edu

An accomplished local band, known as Outside the Box, consumes most of the time of one of Cabrini’s most artistic students.

Francis Valentino is a sophomore communication major.

If Valentino is not in class or doing schoolwork, he can often be found working with his band as a skilled drummer.

Valentino has been playing the drums for 12 years and meshes perfectly with the other members of the increasingly popular band.

His band members include guitarist and singer Jeff Cafone, New York University, keyboardist Mark Masefield, Boston Architectural School, and bassist Warren Thieleman, City College of New York.

“My main interest is music, but I don’t want to underestimate the value of a college degree,” Valentino said. “Sometimes it’s difficult to focus on school knowing I’d much rather be spending time working with the band.”

Cabrini plays host to students with a variety of interests and talents.

Many of these students express themselves on and off campus as a way of promoting their individual abilities. Musicians

of all kinds can be found around Cabrini’s campus.

They all share the similar dream of musical success.

Even though the band members of Outside the Box don’t attend schools that are close in proximity, they still manage to come together quite often.

Valentino’s band members share the same mentality and understanding that school needs to come first, even if music is their passion.

He and his band members sometimes play three shows per week and somehow find time to practice.

“School and music are equally important to me, but I would love to make a career out of my favorite hobby,” Thieleman said.

Outside the Box is a bluesbased American rock band from the Jersey Shore. They play yearround and have recently opened for or shared the bill with artists such as Johnny Winter and several members of Conan O’Brien’s Late Night Band.

A few other of their recent highlights include opening for Southside Johnny, a blues rock legend, at the Count Basie Theater in New Jersey. The band also shared the bill with rock legends Gov’t Mule this past July.

Gov’t Mule is made up of members of the Allmans Broth-

er’s Band and various other legendary musicians.

In the summer of 2008, Outside the Box also had the opportunity to hold the house band slot at the famous Stone Pony Club in Asbury Park, N.J., where Bruce Springsteen began his career.

“The best experience for the band was being on stage with Southside Johnny. This proved to us that we’re capable of playing with musicians of a high caliber.

It was a really great moment,” Valentino said.

The band plans to have another busy year of performing and recording.

In February of this year, Outside the Box will be traveling to Memphis, Tenn. for a show at B.B. King’s Blues Club. They will be competing in a national blues competition amongst other rising artists.

Plans are also in the works for a full-length album, which should be out sometime before the summer.

“I’m very happy about the direction the band is going. I’m hoping and I’m starting to really believe that the future will hold great opportunities that we will definitely take advantage of,” Masefield said.

katie engell/ Submitted Photo

Outside the Box sometimes performs up to three times a week.

katie engell/ Submitted Photo

Outside the Box performs live at the Stone Pony at Asbury Park for their New Jersey fan base.

5

great reasons to apply to Jefferson School of Pharmacy.

Innovative, Collaborative, Comprehensive, Student-Centered, Jefferson Degree

Doctor of Pharmacy Degree at Jefferson School of Pharmacy

Open house and workshop dates at w w w. J e f f e r s o n . e d u / J C H P 1 - 8 7 7 -J e f f -C H P THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

www.theloquitur.com

SPORTS 13

Sports

Generations of Cavaliers gather for alumni game jill fries staff writer

vjf722@cabrini.edu

Alumni from the class of 1980 through the class of 2008 came to Cabrini’s Nerney Field House for the annual Alumni game hosted by the Cabrini men’s basketball team.

Two teams of 16 men each showed up to play a fun, lighthearted game of basketball on Saturday, Jan. 31 and to reunite with old players, fans and coaches.

Later that day, the Cabrini men’s team defeated Marywood University 71-48, and on Monday, Feb. 2 against Centenary College, 72-65.

The alumni were split randomly into a black and a grey team. After the first half, the black team was up 32-26.

They were in good spirits and played for fun, with, of course, a little athletic competition.

After the second half, the grey team was defeated 72-68.

Some familiar faces were seen on the court, such as Greg Clifton, class of 2008 and Saleem Brown, men’s assistant coach and class of 2004.

“It was weird. I remember watching and thinking I’d never be here and now I am,” Clifton said about playing as an alumn. “I am happy to see the current team doing well and it was nice to see all the alumni come together.”

Brown had a similar comment saying, “It was a great feeling to see everyone come back. It’s nice to keep the family spirit.”

The game started at 10:30 a.m. with a moment of silence for several players who had passed away.

They were also given a continental breakfast and lunchtime reception for everyone

patrick gallagher/staff photographer

Several generations of Cavaliers pose after the annual alumni game played at the Dixon Center on Saturday, Jan. 31. to catch up with past teammates and others in attendance.

The alumni game started the first year the team had graduate players in 1980. The event has continually grown.

The announcer Joe Kelly, along with Coach Keeley and John Zeke, were associate coaches for the program for 25 years.

After the alumni game, the Cavalier men defeated Marywood for its 13th win of the season, with a record of 13-5, 7-3 in Colonial

States Athletic Conference.

This win puts them in second place in the CSAC with six games left.

Senior shooting guard Ryan Oxley led the team with a season and game-high 20 points.

He was six for nine at the three-point line.

Junior forward Kevin Misevicius followed with 19 points, six rebounds and four steals to help in the Cavs win.

Sophomore guard Lamar

Fisher scored 10 points along with junior guard Charles Bush’s nine points, six assists and four steals.

The men forced a season-best 24 turnovers against Marywood.

Monday night vs. Centenary College, sophomore forward Dom Farello led the team with 16 points along with six rebounds and six assists. Misevicius added 14 points, five rebounds and four steals.

Oxley dropped three three-

pointers to add nine points.

The Cavaliers forced a seasonbest 26 turnovers against the Centenary Cyclones. The men are now on a three-game winning streak with an overall record of 14-5, CSAC record 8-3.

The Cabrini men’s basketball team will play CSAC opponent Gwynedd-Mercy College who is 8-1 in the conference.

The game will be held at the Nerney Field House on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 3 p.m.

Brady’s work ethic key to success jessica wegelin staff writer

jw729@cabrini.edu

When you get knocked down, you just have to get right back up. That is the motto Alyssa Brady, a guard for the Cabrini women’s basketball team, has followed ever since she was 5 years old.

Brady started out playing coed basketball in kindergarten where she became very competitive and wouldn’t let anyone, including the boys she played, walk all over her.

Brady was a very active child, involved in softball, soccer, volleyball, swimming, diving and lacrosse. Being involved with all of those sports made her a very competitive person.

“I will do anything it takes to

cabrini athletic department

win. I take that attitude onto the court and will do whatever I can to get my team a win,” Brady said.

Brady lettered in varsity basketball all four years at

Allentown Central Catholic High School for coach Mike Kopp, winning two state gold medals and one silver medal.

“I love playing a team sport because you always have someone else to pick you up if you are having an off day,” Brady said.

“Alyssa was a no-nonsense player; play the game as hard as you can, play it the right way and never be content just to play, you had to win. She was as tough a competitor that I have ever coached, and I have coached for 33 years,” Kopp said.

Brady has also played for the Lehigh Valley Lady Pitbulls team, where she has gained a lot of experience.

“Over the years, we have seen her frustrate her opponents to the point that she has been

pushed, shoved and even thrown to the ground, all because the opponent could not perform as they were accustomed to performing. Many times, we were worried that she would get hurt, but she always has managed to get right back up, and just play the game,” Joe Brady, father, said.

While playing basketball for Cabrini, Brady was a part of the 2008 Pennsylvania Athletic Conference championship team.

“Alyssa is a great teammate who works hard to not only make herself better but to make her team better,” teammate Kate Walck,junior psychology major, said.

“My personal goal on the court is to learn everyday from what I had done the game or

practice before. I want to be the best player I can be and earn the respect of other teams.

My team goal is to help lead my team to the 2009 Colonoial States Athletic Conference championship,” Brady said.

“She has great work ethic and is always trying everyday to be the best ‘Alyssa’ she can be. It is always easy to coach someone that has so much heart and is always putting their ‘all’ in everything they do,” Cabrini women’s basketball head coach Bernadette Laukaitis said.

“As we all know, everything will not go our way, but we have to get right back up, forget about what just happened and just play the game of life. I am sure that Alyssa will attack life just as she has attacked the game of basketball,” said Joe Brady.

www.theloquitur.com

14 SPORTS

Lady Cavs down Centenary Arizona, danielle feole sports editor

df727@cabrini.edu

The women’s basketball team’s focus on improving their rebounds paid off against Centenary College College, winning by a score of 78-52 in the Nerney Field House on Feb. 3.

The Cavs stole their seventh consecutive win and remain unbeaten against Colonial States Athletic Conference opponents.

The Cyclones entered Monday’s game averaging more than 84 points per game.

“Going into the game, we focused on rebounds since that is our weakness. Out-rebounding them by 26 was a big factor in how we won on Monday,” senior English and communication major Nikki Duggan said.

Senior forward Brittany McLeod led the team to a 26 point win with her fifth double-double of the season. She recorded 12 points and 15 rebounds.

“At this point in the season, it feels great to be 11-0 in the conference and begin to gain the respect we’ve been working towards,” senior English and communication major Brittany McLeod said.

Junior shooting guard Kate Walck collected a game-high 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including a 2-for-4 long range performance.

“It feels great to win our seventh game in a row, but as

a team we are never content and are always trying to make ourselves better,” junior history major Deana DiAmico said.

DiAmico, junior court leader, collected eight points, three rebounds and three helpers.

“This was another game to make a statement of how strong

of a team we are,” Duggan said.

“Everyone that went in played very well.”

The Cavs will play at home on Saturday, Feb. 7, against leaguerival Gwynedd-Mercy College at 1 p.m.

a super disappointment SPORTS SCENE

By Nick Pitts sports editor

ndp722@cabrini.edu

patrick gallagher/staff photographer

Alyssa Brady dribbles down the court during a game against Cedar Crest College.

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

Had the Super Bowl been a quarter long, instead of four, it would have been one of the greatest games ever played, as Yahoo Sports claimed minutes after the final whistle.

But, it was four quarters long, and just another giant snore-fest that got interesting for a few minutes, similar to the National Hockey League’s blunder of an all-star game.

The close score, 27-23, was nothing more than deceiving.

The Cardinal’s lone X-Factor, wide reciever Larry Fitzgerald, did what he was supposed to do.

If it had happened earlier and more often, Arizona may have had a chance.

Alas, the Steelers were way too much for them to handle, and that is what was generally expected by everyone who knows anything about football.

When the smoke cleared from all of Bruce’s synchronized fireworks, I saw the Arizona Cardinals as a team that should not have gotten past the Carolina Panthers in the first round.

They didn’t at all deserve

the Super Bowl birth they were granted.

Not that Kurt Warner wasn’t a world-class quarterback in his day, but there is no way his team should have beaten Jake Delhomme that bad.

The Panthers choked and the Cards reaped the benefits.

And if the Panthers choked, then the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t even bother to show up.

Really, a team that the Eagles embarrassed on Thanksgiving night, scoring over 40 points without breaking a sweat, just lies down and dies when it means something?

The team doesn’t rally behind Brian Dawkins, playing perhaps his last game on the gridiron?

I guess the stars aligned for the Cardinals, which is a shame, because the Eagles would have more than likely gave big Ben Roethlisberger the pounding of a lifetime had they made it to the big dance.

Not that Philly deserved to be there to begin with, just that Arizona deserved to be there even less than Philly did.

At the end of the day, Arizona was a 9-7 barely-made-it-to-theplayoffs kind of a team who got lucky until the end, and almost knocked off a great team.

Now why couldn’t my Eagles have done that?

This week in sports meghan smith managing editor

mes733@cabrini.edu

Steelers down Cardinals, win Super Bowl XLIII The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 2723 to win Super Bowl XLIII. With the win, the Steelers became the first franchise in the history of the National Football League to earn six Super Bowl rings. Down 23-21 with less than four minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Ben Roethlisberger marched Pittsburgh down the field and threw the game-winning touchdown to Santonio Holmes, who made an acrobatic catch in the endzone. Holmes was named the MVP of the game.

Manny Rejects one-year contract worth $25 million Free agent slugger Manny Ramirez formally of the Los Angeles Dodgers has rejected a 1-year contract worth $25 million dollars. Reports suggest that the 36-year old Ramirez is holding out for a long term deal, somewhere in the range of four or five years at $25 million a year, miles away from the Dodgers one season offer. The only other team in the fray at the moment is the San Francisco Giants who are apparently content in waiting for the Dodgers to pull out of the race to sign the career .314 hitter. With pitches and catchers reporting to spring training in less than a week, time is short for Manny to decide where he wants to play.

Kobe Bryant sets MSG scoring record by dropping 61 Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard Kobe Bryant scored an amazing 61 points in the Lakers 126-117 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday night. The total is the highest amount ever scored at the storied Madison Square Garden in New York. The display even turned the normally brutal New York fans on their heads as the “boos” that reigned down on him early in the game turned into chants of “MVP!” as it drew to a close. Bryant broke the record of Michael Jordan who scored 55 in the current MSG and the alltime record of 60 points in all previous incarnations of the building set by Bernard King in 1984.

Upcoming Games Thursday, Feb. 5 No games Friday, Feb. 6 Track and Field - New Balance Collegiate Invitational - New York - All day Saturday, Feb. 7 Men’s Basketball - Home vs. Gwynedd-Mercy @ 3 p.m.

Women’s Basketball - Home vs. Gwynedd-Mercy @ 1 p.m.

Track and Field - New Balance Collegiate Invitational - New York - All day Sunday, Feb. 8 No games Monday, Feb. 9 Men’s Basketball - Home vs. Eastern University @ 8 p.m.

Women’s Basketball - Home vs. College of Notre Dame @ 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 10 No games

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

www.theloquitur.com

Athletes reveal winter workouts staff writer

jmg727@cabrini.edu

How do athletes stay in shape during the cold winter months?

The Cabrini Cavaliers reveal their workout habits to get through the winter so they can be ready for their spring sports. Whether

it’s hitting the treadmill, joining a gym, taking ballet or trying not to oversleep, these athletes share their personal methods for keeping physically fit during their off seasons and downtime.

janene gibbons/staff writer

janene gibbons/staff writer

steven forrester

sophomore, pre-med men’s lacrosse

dolores weathers

sophomore, exercise science and

janene gibbons/staff writer

janene gibbons/staff writer

women’s softball

“This year we had winter workouts. You have to go lift a couple times a week and run for 20 minutes. Once a week, we had gym times where we would practice throwing and the basic softball fundamentals. Personally, I don’t need ab workouts. I focus more on running. My favorite thing that we have been doing is going to hit at batting cages.”

staff writer

Members of the Cabrini men’s and women’s track and field teams earned qualifying times to later compete at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship during the Thomson Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 31.

The meet was held at the Delaware Field House, on the University of Delaware’s campus, and included a range of participating DI to DIII teams.

Sophomore Dana Nardello became a new Cabrini recordholder for clocking in at a time of 3:17.25 in the 1000m run.

“I had never run in the 1000m before. My main goal was trying to stay with the pack. Coach taught me how to run in the race and I listened to him. It worked,” Nardello, special education major, said.

Women qualifiers for the 500m run included senior Leslie Williams, clocking in at a time of 1:21.17, and junior Christiana Taylor, who clocked in at a time of 1:21.09.

Taylor also qualified for the 200m dash, along with freshman Shakeya Singleton-Ladson.

Of the women’s overall performance, Nardello said, “We did pretty well. We had a hard training week, which helped us earn great times. We did better than we all thought.”

On the men’s side, sophomore Eddie Penetar qualified for the 3000m run and freshman Anthony Girolamo qualified for the 1000m run.

Both earned first place in their respected races with Penetar clocking in at a time of 8:44.22 and Girolamo clocking in at a time of 2:39.16.

“I thought I did well for an early season race. Hopefully I improve and place top three [at

the ECACs],” Penetar, psychology major, said, “Overall, it was a good day for Cabrini, especially for our female sprinters.”

“We ran well, but we need to work more at practice,” Christopher Cantagnus, sophomore pre-med major, said.

The ECAC Championship is scheduled to take place March 6-7 in Medford, Mass.

Head coach of the Cabrini track and field team James Williams is optimistic about the team’s prospects.

“Right now we have more qualified than we have ever had,” Williams said. Of the Thomson Invitational, Williams said, “I was very satisfied.”

Cabrini’s track and field teams compete next at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York City.

The meet is scheduled for the weekend of Friday, Feb. 6.

women’s lacrosse

“I joined a YMCA over Christmas break and I ran. When I got back from break, I went to the gym as much as I could.”

leslie farrell

amanda carson

health promotion major

“I just workout a lot—five days a week. I lift a lot of weights and run 100yd sprints.”

sophomore, mathematics major

Early season surprises arc726@cabrini.edu

janene gibbons

SPORTS 15

amanda alexandrowicz

junior, exercise science and health promotion major women’s lacrosse

“I lift a lot. My diet is a lot healthier when I am at home than it is during the school year. I’ll go to my high school track or go up to the gym to use the treadmill. I try not to drink as much and go to bed at a decent time. I also try not to oversleep. Sleeping habits are critical to me.”

cabrini athletic department

Eddie Penetar follows the leader of the pack closely during an indoor track meet earlier this season.

Hunger Banquet

cabrini athletic department

brett heller

junior, business major golf

“Over winter break I took ballet class to perfect my balance and grace.”

janene gibbons/staff writer

kate schmid

junior, marketing major women’s lacrosse

“This year I tore my ACL so I did physical therapy. I also warm up by biking. Then I run on the track and lift some weights in the gym.”

Wednesday, Feb. 11 @ 6 p.m.

Mansion Dining Room Participants will learn and experience the implications of hunger around the world by listening to speakers and eating a meal in solidarity with the poor.

For more information, contact Beth Briggs, eab724@cabrini.edu, or sign up in the Wolfington Center

www.theloquitur.com

Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

SPORTS 16

Freezin’ for a reason

nick pitts/sports editor

The Polar Bear Plunge took place on Jan. 31 at Neshaminy Park, Pa. as a fundraiser for the Eastern Pennsylvania Special Olympics. The organization raised $14,308.75 at the event alone and donations are still coming in. Dr. David Dunbar, associate biology professor, (center with arms up) took the plunge as Cabrini’s representative at the event. nick pitts sports editor

ndp722@cabrini.edu

There he stood, on a bitter cold January morning wearing only a bathing suit and a pair of Crocs, ready to take on the mighty Delaware River.

Flexing his arms and smiling for the cameras one last time, Dr. David Dunbar, associate biology professor, dashed into the icy river water with 75 other brave challengers.

“He’s insane,” Dr. Maureen

Dunbar, his wife and moral support, said.

The Eastern Pennsylvania Special Olympics held the Polar Bear Plunge fundraiser on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Neshaminy Park, Bensalem, Pa. The event was the first held in Bucks County.

“When I was younger, I used to do a lot of crazy things,” Dunbar said. “But this was definitely worth it; it benefits a worthy cause.”

Dunbar was the only participant from Cabrini;

however, two honors students volunteered to help run the event, junior Gina Mulranen and sophomore Allison Potter.

The money raised at the event, $14,308.75 so far, will go to other events that the organization had to cancel due to insufficient funds.

This includes the Eastern Pennsylvania Winter Olympic games, the event that the Cabrini honor students have helped coordinate in previous years.

“Because of the current status of the economy, the organization

nick pitts/sports editor

Dr. David Dunbar, associate biology professor, poses in front of the Delaware River right before he takes the plunge.

felt the event was too expensive to run this year,” Jeff Baxter, competition director of Special Olympics, said. “Our events are funded on donations, grants and business sponsorships, and people are decreasing what they usually donate.”

The winter games, originally planned to take place on Jan. 21 and 22, is an overnight training camp and qualifier for the statewide winter games, held in Johnstown, Pa. on Feb. 22 through 24.

It is also a chance for athletes not competing in Johnstown to enjoy a day on the slopes.

“The event covers 20 counties in Eastern Pa., and generally has 80 to 100 competitors ranging in age from eight years old and up, but it seems to be getting smaller every year,” Baxter said. “Housing close to 100 people overnight at a ski resort is expensive, not to mention the cost of lift tickets, transportation and meals. For now we are going to put the money we did raise towards other events so we do not falter at any other event.”

Baxter said the event is on hold for the year, and the organization hopes to have it again next February.

“This event is usually one last weekend where athletes could connect with athletes from other counties on the slopes and go down as many times as they want before the statewide games,” Baxter said. “If an athlete is at a novice level, but wants to attempt a bigger challenge, this is usually their chance.”

Baxter also admitted that he was fearful of losing touch with the Cabrini honors students whom he spoke highly of for their involvement in past years.

For that reason, Dunbar took the plunge.

“It hit big time the second week of classes when we were supposed to be there helping, that we weren’t part of it,” Dunbar said. “It really hit home when I realized we weren’t going. We see what it means to the athletes,

and we look forward to it every year.”

When asked what he thought about while wading through the frigid river, Dunbar laughed and said he blocked everything else out.

“I had the same mentality as I do when I’m in the middle of my insane leg workout, or like when I’m playing sports, you have to block out pain and everything,” Dunbar said. “Plus, I’m crazy.”

Mulranen and Potter also braved the cold by volunteering to help sign in the participants prior to the plunge.

“Once I arrived, I thought to myself, ‘why did I wake up this early to freeze my fingers off,’ but when I saw a few athletes that were in attendance, thanking the volunteers for giving them the opportunity to participate in the special olympics every year, I really did not feel the cold anymore,” Mulranen said.

“I really hope the money raised at the plunge will help get the event back next year, because the athletes really deserve it.”

Baxter noted that the honors students are very serviceoriented, something that not many other college students can say for themselves.

“I really didn’t want to lose these Cabrini honors students; they are very valuable,” Baxter said.

“They took it upon themselves to get involved even though their event got cancelled, and I think that is just awesome.”

Dunbar has been involved with the Special Olympics for over six years, and is planning on continuing to lend a hand anyway he can.

“It means so much to families and athletes, but the economy is just really effecting society and non-profit organizations in such a negative way,” Dunbar said.

“Anything Cabrini College can do, I’m all for it.”

On the way back to campus, the radio reminded of the bonechilling weather.

Wind chill, 11 degrees.