Oct 1, 2014

American Way of Eating chosen as One Book, One Community read

Crime Report: GSA signs stolen, theft reported

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Oct. 1, 2014 Vol. 60, Issue 2

Student Gov’t elects new officers Dakota Sherrick Agora Staff

Shelby Angilley and Cole McNew are the new president and vice president of MCCC Student Government.

The election, held Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 30, was close, with Angilley topping McNew for the president position. Then McNew won the vice president position in another close race.

Tom Ryder, Student Government adviser, declined to release the vote totals.

Members both new and old were elected, setting up a government with a wide array of opinions on different topics.

Other officers elected were JesPhoto by Mariah Tevepaugh sica Ryder, secretary; Chase LindShelby Angilley poses after being elected Student Government president. becker, liaison; Miyuki Zerke,

treasurer; and Madisyn Taylor, historian.

Angilley has been in Student Government for two years. She has held the position of secretary for one year and has chaired the Student Government Blood Drive both years.

During this time, she said she worked to serve as a go-between for new members and the elected leaders of the group.

In her campaign speech, she promised to motivate new members to take leadership roles within the government and to get involved, to help make the group more productive.

McNew is a second-year member of Student Government. He hasn’t held an office at MCCC, but did during his junior high and

high school years. He said his goal is to both introduce new techniques to improve productivity, and to focus Student Government on having more fun.

Despite having different backgrounds and views, virtually all candidates expressed the hope that this year would mark a new sense of inclusion for all members.

This came after allegations of intimidation of newer members in previous years, Angilley said.

“Certain individuals may have come off as more intimidating, so it really scared some of the new members,” she said.

As Student Government secretary, she said she listened to the complaints and decided to do something about it.

“Because of that, I’ve been able

to develop an idea of the change I’d like to make to make sure it doesn’t repeat,” she said.

Most of the candidates promised to help new members find a place in the group.

“I think the biggest thing we need to do (more) this year than last year is show people how important they are in our group,” McNew said. “That’s been pretty universal, I think everybody’s said that.”

All the officers said they are confident this will be a good year for Student Government.

“I couldn’t be happier with the nominations,” Ryder said. “Anybody that they nominated today, I felt very comfortable that they could fill any of the seats they were nominated for.”

Nathan’s story: illness, struggle, hope Shelby Spencer Agora Staff

Life hasn’t been easy for Nathan Hays and Terri Gower, but one doctor appointment turned their world upside down.

“I felt like my whole life had just gone away,” Gower said.

She had just heard that her son, Nathan, would be adding cancer to the already overwhelming list of obstacles he faced.

“You go to the doctor and they tell you your liver is dying, you need a transplant, and you have cancer in your liver, too,” Gower said, recounting the story of Nathan’s recent diagnosis.

Gower is an adjunct instructor at MCCC, where she has taught for 13 years, and Nathan is a past and possibly future student.

The prospect of a liver and possibly a pancreas transplant has raised financial issues for the family. They have been able to raise $12,345 in donations in one month to help offset the medical costs.

Nathan has been battling his health for as long as he can remember. He was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis just before he began first grade.

“We were in for an ultra-sound and everyone came in. It wasn’t just a tech – everyone in all of UM in that department came in,” Gower said.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects the body’s ability to transport salt. This can lead to a mucus buildup that coats the lungs, pulmonary problems, blocked pancreas, digestive problems, and liver failure.

At the time of Nathan’s diagnosis, the expected life span of a

CF patient was mid-20s. It is now around 40 because of medical advances and technology.

During the eighth grade, Gower thought that Nathan was going through regular teenage issues.

In reality, his body was becoming chemically unbalanced because his liver had failed.

He was rushed to the hospital, throwing up blood, and was lifeflighted to the UM hospital. The veins in Nathan’s throat had burst and he was bleeding to death.

After a week in ICU, surgery every six weeks, and being evaluated for a liver transplant, his liver began to regenerate.

However, Nathan wasn’t out of the woods.

While in ninth grade, he was diagnosed with diabetes, just one of the many complications that can accompany CF. Taking insulin shots for diabetes and enzymes every time he ate made Nathan’s life frustrating, so after the ninth grade he left high school.

He got his GED and began attending MCCC at 18.

He enrolled with less than a clue of what he wanted to do, but he began to find his way.

Professors fell in love with so many things that Nathan brought to the table.

“Nathan was the kind of student I could always count on to contribute something to the class that no one else had thought of,” English professor Carrie Nartker said.

“He’s quirky in the best way.”

It was because of Nartker that Nathan found his knack for writing.

Photo by Mika Kotanova

Former MCCC student Nathan Hays and his mother, adjunct instructor Terri Gower, hope for a future of health and happiness.

“Nathan’s contributions to class discussions stand out to me. His way of looking at literature, and the world in general, often made the rest of us stop and think,” Nartker said.

Nathan put his writing to use, also finding an interest in journalism. He worked on The Agora

staff, and has actually thought about pursing journalism professionally.

Along with The Agora, he was also active in Professor Mark Bergmooser’s speech and Tae Kwon Do courses.

Continued on page 2

If you want to help Members of the MCCC community who want to help Nathan Hays’ cause can make a donation at www.gofundme. com/nathan-liver.

But Terry Gower, Nathan’s mother, said the best thing anyone can do is to sign their donor cards and make sure their families know to donate their organs.

MCCC makes it easy for students to vote

By Jacob Adams Agora staff

MCCC is making it easy for students to register to vote on Nov. 4.

A table has been set up in the A Building for the last few weeks, encouraging students to register.

The idea is to increase voter turnout on Election Day, when the county will vote on a 1 mill tax increase proposed by MCCC. Faculty and staff aren’t allowed to campaign for the millage while on work time, but Dr. Joanna Sabo, Political Science professor, had this to say about voting.

“It is very important to vote, and I think the millage is important to the county,” she said. “I think students are aware of the issue, as professors are letting them know as much as possible.”

According to Sabo, over 35 students

Inside:

had registered through the school to vote through last week.

Students interviewed by The Agora seemed to think the voter registration campaign is a good idea.

“I was registered to vote in high school, but if I hadn’t been, I wouldn’t have known what to do,” writing fellow David Ferguson said. “It’s good that the school is encouraging students.”

“I think it’s important to vote,” he added, “because, you know, democracy and all.”

Sarah Dusseau, another student, thought the table for registration was a sound strategy.

“It’s a good idea. Our school needs the money, and if we don’t encourage people to at least get out there and vote, the millage might not pass,” she said. “We definitely need it.”

Campus News...............2,3,6,8 Features...............................4 Sports......................................5 A&E..................................7

MCCC has been treading water financially for at least seven years, when the economic downturn led to declining revenue from the state and county property taxes.

The last time the school asked the county for a tax millage increase was 34 years ago, in 1980. If passed, the millage will generate about $5 million a year in additional revenue for the college.

A homeowner with a house valued at $100,000 will pay around $4 a month more if the levy passes.

Area residents interviewed at the county library also had plenty to say on the issue.

Jim Harris, a life-long resident, said he didn’t mind the additional tax.

“The school obviously needs it. It won’t cost me very much a month, and the school is a vital part of our commu-

nity,” he said. “We [the county] stay relevant because of the college. Without it, we’re just another city between Toledo and Detroit.”

Janice Fitzgerald-Smith shared similar thoughts.

“It doesn’t take any time to go and vote yes,” she said. “If I can help my children and my children’s children by paying a few extra dollars a month, I don’t mind at all.”

While most seemed fine with the millage, others had reasons for not wanting an increased tax.

Harry Phillips, who just moved to Monroe County, was one of those residents.

“I literally moved here a month ago.

I haven’t even gotten my feet on the ground and a school I’d only just heard of wants my hard earned money,” he said.

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Agora sponsors Candidate Forum

Six candidates for MCCC’s Board of Trustees will face off Oct. 15 in a candidate forum sponsored by The Agora.

There are three open positions on the board, with two incumbents running for re-election. At least one new member will be elected to the sixyear terms on the board.

Board members William Braunlich and Mary Kay Thayer are on the ballot again. They will be joined by Ignazio Cuccio, Annette Dowler, Jack Straub and Barbara Verran.

The forum will be at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 15, in the atrium of the La-Z-Boy Center. Agora editors Shelby Spencer and Mariah Tevepaugh will be co-moderators. Questions will come from the Agora staff and from the audience.

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Campus News mcccagora.com • |2 Former student stays strong in fight for normal life October 1, 2014

The Agora

Continued from page 1.

“In speech, he had a vibrant personality, tons of spirit. He brought some of his own unique insights and talents to every class,” Bergmooser said.

“In Tae Kwon Do, he did the same, only it was through physical determination. Despite his illness, he rarely let it show and always worked hard.”

Life was looking up – until January of 2012.

After having friends over to ring in the New Year, Nathan wasn’t feeling well. His mother figured it was from a lack of sleep.

That was until an all-too-familiar thing happened – throwing up blood.

He was rushed to Ann Arbor on Jan. 2, 2012, and had five procedures in 48 hours.

Because of the bleeding, Nathan underwent several blood transfusions, along with a procedure to place a stent in his liver to bypass arteries and stop the bleeding.

While this solved the immediate problem, it also caused more complications. At that point he had no filtration through his liver, which meant his body wasn’t filtering out toxins, and more medications were necessary.

Because of these toxins, Nathan has suffered from severe ammonia poisoning several times, which can result in lasting damage to the brain.

Ammonia poisoning affects a person like a shortlived Alzheimer’s episode.

“You don’t know who anyone is, your vocabulary is about three words, you lose motor skills, and you don’t know what’s going on,” Nathan said.

While in the hospital last June, Nathan, who has been using computers since he was 3, thought his computer had died. In reality, he couldn’t figure out that the monitor was just turned off.

These episodes are both frustrating and dangerous.

“Coming from someone who was a strong writer, was in journalism, started out to be a writing fellow, and can’t come up with words anymore – it’s concerning,” Gower said.

“He is losing parts of his memory.”

Nathan will often mix up words and say things that don’t make sense without being conscious of what he is saying.

“I know what word I want to say, but I can’t think of the actual word. My mouth will say things without going to my brain first,” Nathan said.

He has continued to be ill and on antibiotics since the incident in 2012, because his immunity has been so low.

He was unable to return to classes that winter, and has been too sick to return to MCCC since.

He also had to give up Tae Kwan Do, because of the contact, along with Dagorhir, which is live-action sword fighting.

Nathan still keeps in contact with some of his professors.

“Every day with Nathan was memorable,” Bergmooser said. “He knew so much and always shared what he thought. When challenged by other students, he challenged them right back, always respectful.

“Nathan is one of those students I think about regularly, and when I do, he is always smiling.”

The stent in Nathan’s liver was estimated to last ten years, and after ten years it could be replaced.

But not even two years later, the stent has failed

Photo by Shelby Spencer

Being himself, Nathan makes Gower laugh at a photo session outside the A building on the MCCC campus.

and the process of evaluating him for a liver transplant has resumed.

As if not being able to return to classes, and being evaluated for a transplant wasn’t enough, the bad news just kept coming.

Last June, ultra-sounds and MRIs found a spot on Nathan’s liver. A follow-up MRI in August confirmed that it was cancer.

“I couldn’t do anything for about three days,” Nathan said. “My brain just couldn’t handle any more.”

There was no time for shock, because in order to get a transplant there are several things that have to be checked off the evaluation list.

You have to be approved for heart, lungs, and dental before you can receive a transplant.

Nathan was held up by a procedure that is routine for most people, but not for a high-risk case like his.

Before he could have a transplant, he needed to have his wisdom teeth removed. After three different referrals, Nathan is having his wisdom teeth removed with a full OR procedure.

“Cancer is a ticking time bomb; you don’t take any more time than you have to,” Gower said.

While checking off the list for transplant evaluations, there have been complications in planning Nathan’s cancer treatment.

Nathan has a team that includes a doctor, a coordinator, a surgeon, a financial advisor, a social worker, a dietitian, and a nurse who together decide on his treatment options.

The first plan was a procedure where the doctors would burn the cancer out of Nathan’s liver; it was decided that was too high risk.

Next was isolated chemotherapy, where chemo would be delivered through the veins in Nathan’s leg to his liver to isolate only the cancer cells. Again, it was decided this was too high risk.

Finally, it was decided that Nathan would begin radiation treatments on Sept 23.

As for the transplant itself, it’s a whole other waiting game.

“It’s in their hands, not ours,” Nathan said.

UM alone has around 150 people waiting for livers, and they draw from the same pool as Oakwood

and Henry Ford Medical Center.

They use something called a MELD score, based on patient blood work, to rank transplant recipients on a list.

The score can range from 0 – 40. A score of 15 gets a patient on the transplant list. A score in the midto-low 20s usually means a person should receive a transplant.

If a person has a cancerous tumor like Nathan’s, once the tumor is a certain size, their score is automatically 22. After three months, if they still haven’t received their transplant, the score is increased to 25.

The recipient has to be matched with a donor based on both their blood type and body size.

“One of the biggest factors out there is donors,” Gower said. “People need to sign their donor cards.”

They have decided against the option of using a live donor for Nathan’s transplant.

This is done when the surgeon removes 60 percent of someone’s liver for the transplant, leaving the remaining 40 percent. Both livers regrow to be about 80 percent.

While this is possible, it is rarely done, partially because insurance then has to pay for the recovery of two people.

Several people have been willing to do the procedure for Nathan, but it is a tough decision.

“It would be hard to put someone in a situation where they might sacrifice their life for yours,” Nathan said.

Gower has considered giving Nathan part of her liver. The doctors don’t recommend it, because if something happened to her during the surgery, Nathan would lose his support system.

“I would love to say ‘take my liver, I’ll save your life,’ but I’m scared that if something happened to me, there would be the guilt he would feel, and someone has to be around to take care of him,” she said.

Nathan’s girlfriend, Ashley Parton, also would be willing to do a live donor transplant, but there is the same “what if.”

Dealing with CF, along with the transplant process, is very costly.

“I have to take 14 pills and two shots before eating

breakfast in the morning,” Nathan said.

The enzymes alone for every meal are about $30.

“We could be eating filet and lobster tail every meal for that,” Gower said.

Being an adjunct professor, Gower doesn’t get any sick pay or health insurance to pay for the procedures, the hospital stays, and medical co-pays that will follow the transplant.

Nathan and his mom started a fundraising page, using gofundme.com. They have been sharing it with anyone and everyone they could think of.

The goal was set at $12,000. This was to cover Gower taking time away from work because Nathan will need round-the-clock care for a month after the transplant.

It also would help with expenses of a hotel in Ann Arbor while Nathan is in the hospital for the transplant, as well as for co-pays.

While that was the original goal, more financial burdens have been placed upon them.

Nathan’s wisdom teeth procedure was much more expensive because of the high risk and need for a full OR operation, and they have no dental insurance.

Nathan also has been denied disability by the state of Michigan. They have a court case in November to fight that decision.

In just over a month since the fundraising page was launched, they have surpassed their original goal of $12,000.

“I didn’t expect to be where we are with the funding, but it’s been work,” Gower said.

The fundraising has been eye opening for both Gower and Nathan.

“Getting donations from total strangers is mind boggling. Especially when they are $100 donations; we had a friend of a friend donate $1,000,” Gower said.

“So many people are saying that there are so few good people left in the world, but we have total strangers saying ‘you need this money more than we do; take care of yourself, I hope you get better.’ ” “Nathan is a likeable guy who never wallowed in self-pity, so it’s no surprise that when he needed help, so many people were there for him,” Bergmooser said.

Nathan said that the music scene has really been his biggest supporters.

An Industrial band gave Nathan VIP passes, let him come backstage before the show, and has been plugging his campaign.

Gower spent a majority of her life doing volunteer work.

She was president of a co-op preschool in Monroe, vice president of a nonprofit organization out of Toledo that gave teddy bears to traumatized children, and has also been involved with the VFW auxiliary.

People are telling her it is now being paid back to her.

After the transplant and recovery, Nathan would like to return to MCCC and transfer, hopefully to EMU. “I want to have a degree in marketing or journalism,” Nathan said.

Terri has a hopeful outlook for a bright future for her son.

“I just want him to get the transplant, recover from it and have somewhat of a normal life,” Gower said.

“He hasn’t had a normal life since he was 13.”

High school students enjoy a college opportunity Stevie Pipis Agora Staff

The college’s experiment offering classes at Monroe High School has officially begun.

The classes started on the second day of school, meeting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

“The students love being treated maturely and independently,” said Valerie Orr, Monroe High School principal.

Orr said that the student and parent feedback has been positive.

The classes being offered are English 151, Psychology 151, Political Science 151, and CIS 130.

Classes are being taught by Rich Hoover, Patrick Wise, Margie Bacarella, and Brenda

Mccormick.

According to Grace Yackee, Vice President of Instruction at MCCC, the teachers either volunteered or accepted the position when asked.

“The response from the community has been positive, but the on-campus response has been mixed,” Yackee said in an email.

Yackee also wrote that there have been some challenges.

According to Orr, school officials met with parents of students enrolled in the classes to explain that the curriculum is unchanged from college courses. The teachers are still college professors, teaching a college-level class.

“The students are taking the classes very seriously,” Orr said.

The Agora

Co-Editors: Shelby Spencer Mariah Tevepaugh

Monroe High School is giving the students extra time to work on the college classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

According to Orr, this is so that the students will not fall behind in the college classes, as well as being able to keep up on their high school classes.

Orr also said the classes are a nice choice for students as opposed to the middle college. Students in the Middle College program are going into the medical field.

According to Orr, the classes being offered at the high school are not tied to one pathway.

Anyone can use them to contribute to their major.

With the students remaining on the high school campus, they do not have to worry about transportation to MCCC, she added.

Professor Margie Bacarella teaches a Political Science 151 course at Monroe High School.

Construction: So far, so good Stevie Pipis Agora Staff

Adviser: Dan Shaw Staff Jake Adams Jeff Brown Stevie Pipis Julia Wells Makailyn Ellison Julia Grzywinski Mika Kotanova Eugene Kutz Mitch Perkins Dakota Sherrick Jaclyn Young Darryl White

Editorial Policy The Agora is published by the students of Monroe County Community College, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd., Monroe, MI, 48161. The editorial office is located in Room 202 of the Life Sciences Bldg., (734) 384-4186, agora@ monroeccc.edu.

Editorial policy: Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of The Agora staff. Signed columns represent the opinion of the writer. All letters to the editor must include a signature, address and phone number for verification purposes. The Agora reserves the right to edit for clarity, accuracy, length and libel.

The Agora is a student-managed newspaper that supports a free student press and is a member of the Michigan Community College Press Association, the Michigan Collegiate Press Association, the Michigan Press Association, College Media Advisers, Associated Collegiate Press and the Student Press Law Center.

Story suggestions are welcome. Let us know what you’d like to see in The Agora - it’s your newspaper. E-mail submissions: agora@monroeccc. edu .

Photo by Stevie Pipis

Workers are reconstructing the roof of the Life Science Building.

Reconstruction of the roof of the Life Science Building and the Cellar appear to be on schedule.

“It’s been pretty smooth sailing so far,” said Jack Burns, the director of Campus Planning and Facilities.

The only problem so far was one of the workers cut into an electrical conduit, but he was unhurt and the problem was easily fixed, Burns said.

The contractors are scheduled for 100 days, he said. This should put the end of the reconstruction sometime in mid-to-late November.

There are multiple contractors working on the projects. DRV Contractors were hired to work on the L building, while The Cellar is being done by Davison Building Co. and Lakeside Interior Contractors.

The L building is undergoing reconstruction because the flashing was not installed properly when the building was constructed, Burns said. This caused water to get into the cavities in the walls.

According to Burns, the building was up to code when it was built, but no longer meets standards because of the changing times.

To put the new flashing in, brick had to be torn off the walls and then put back after the flashing.

The contractors tried to save as much brick as they could for the more visible parts of the roof. They found a new brick that is almost an identical match to the existing brick. It will be used on the less visible parts of the roof.

The Cellar needed work because groundwater leaked through the slab drainage tile.

This could have created a health problem by contributing to mold forming, Burns said.

The Cellar repairs will include a new sump pump, carpet squares, upholstered furniture, a laminate flooring that will look like wood, paint, and new slip resistance on the stairwell for safety.

According to Burns, the water in the Cellar was found this past winter. The college did tests and determined that reconstruction was needed.

The problems with the L Building roof were known for a little longer, but the college needed time to plan and budget, he said.

Both the L Building roof and The Cellar construction were a part of this year’s budget.

Campus News

October 1, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|3

Barbeque: bigger and better

Photo by Mariah Tevepaugh

Students, faculty, and staff graze around the center of campus for the annual Back to School Barbeque hosted by Student Government.

Back to school barbeque: more students, more booths and more freebies.

By Eugene Kutz Agora staff

MCCC’s annual Back to School Barbecue on Sept. 9 was a day for gathering, socializing, and grabbing some good summer food as the season comes to a close.

“It’s nice to catch up with people you may have had classes with that you haven’t seen over the summer,” said MCCC student Scott Reaume. “For that reason I think the barbeque is a great event for students.”

Many clubs had booths at the event, as well as Siena Heights, which has a long relationship with MCCC. “I think it’s definitely a little more crowded and livelier this year; there are more booths and

more people playing frisbee than I remember. I think it’s a fun time for everyone,” said Julie Edwards, Siena Heights representative at MCCC. MCCC’s Student Government hosts the event each year. Student Government is led by Tom Ryder, who is the Campus Event and Student Activities coordinator.

“This year has by far the most people and most businesses attending, which means more free giveaway items for our students,” Ryder said.

The booths had various merchandise to pass out to students stopping by, including t-shirts, wristbands, frisbees, and lanyards, among other things. The Student Government booth itself

garnered student interest.

“Although all clubs are represented, Student Government organizes the barbeque in hopes to get more members each year,” said member Tawny Johnson.

An official number of attendance was not confirmed, though she was pleased with the student support.

“It’s certainly safe to say it’s been a good turnout this year,” Johnson said.

Present for their third time this year was the Gay Straight Alliance’s booth. Interim treasurer of GSA, Ian Leach, was representing the booth at the barbeque.

The GSA promoted their Candelight Vigil event, which took place on Friday, Sept. 11.

Photo by Mariah Tevepaugh

President Kojo Quartey was nominated to get soaked for the ALS Ice bucket challenge.

Photo by Mariah Tevepaugh

Students enjoy a friendly game of football during the barbeque.

Photo by Mariah Tevepaugh

Photo by Mika Kotanova

Students participate in the balloon release sponsored by the Gay Straight Alliance.

Students lounge in the shade at the barbeque.

Features

October 1, 2014

Briefly

For more information contact Dr. Joanna Sabo at (734) 384-4297.

Great Pumpkin 5K run scheduled for Oct. 4 MCCC is scheduled to host “The Great Pumpkin Pursuit” 5K fun run/walk for Saturday, Oct. 4 at 10 a.m.

All proceeds will go toward an MCCC scholarship in memory of Mary Mosingo Cobb.

The registration fee is $25. Race-day registration will start at 8:30 a.m. at the Health Building. Find entry forms online at www.monroeccc.edu/run.

For further information, contact Ramona Fisher at rfisher@monroeccc.edu or (734) 384-4177.

International Studies Club to host ISIS forum MCCC is encouraging students and community members to attend a forum on the U.S. response to ISIS on Oct. 2 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Meyer Theater.

The forum will introduce who ISIS is, explain why Syria is important, and analyze President Obama’s response.

Bookstore plans National Student Day for Oct. 9.

On Oct. 9, the MCCC Bookstore invites students to celebrate National Student Day from 11:00-2 p.m. in the cafeteria and bookstore located in the A building.

The event will include food, games, prizes, and bookstore specials throughout the day.

Students may also participate in an essay contest.

The theme will be “summer community service.”

Students should bring their stories to the bookstore, or submit them via email to bookstore@ monroeccc.edu. The winner will be selected by the bookstore staff and awarded with a new printer.

Human trafficking panel planned for Oct. 21 On Tuesday Oct. 21 the MCCC will hold a panel discussion about building awareness of human trafficking, and anti-trafficking strategies.

The discussion will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Panelists include: Crystal Martin, executive director of family counseling, Nicole McGee, FBI

Students, faculty react to kicked-out gay youth

By Makailyn Ellison Agora Staff

Growing up, we’re taught to never judge a book by its cover, or to never be afraid to express ourselves, to be whom we really are.

That plan backfired when a Georgia teen was kicked out of his home for being gay.

When 20-year-old Daniel Pierce told his parents he was gay, the conversation quickly turned verbally abusive and later became physical.

Pierce came out for being gay in 2013, but was kicked out of his home last month because of it.

During the intervention by his Christian parents and grandparents, he was told homosexuality is a choice, and “God creates nobody that way.”

“I believe he has been mistreated all of his life since they said they have known that he was gay since about 5 years old,” said Penny Bodell, adviser for MCCC’s Gay Straight Alliance.

“What 5-year old could “choose” to be gay?

“This was his calling – to be disowned was probably meant to be before any further abuse,” she added.

The entire conversation was caught on video. Afterward, Pierce received nearly $100,000 in donations to help him get on his own feet.

Now, Pierce is paying any more donations forward toward a non-profit agency in Atlanta called Lost-n-Found, which support homeless lesbian, gay, or transgender youth.

MCCC students have similar sentiments.

“When I got older and more established, I’ve wanted to create a home here in Monroe where people can go,” said Jeremy McGary, a GSA member.

From a parent’s perspective, Bodell said the entire episode is difficult to understand.

“As a parent, I cannot believe anyone could disown their child, especially for being who they are. This video recording sickens me. My child will forever be my child, and I will always be there for them,” she said.

There are various reasons a family might reject their children’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, according to Psychology Professor Melissa Grey.

“For some families, they feel embarrassment, like the child is a flaw or mark of shame on the family that others will judge,” she said. “Some family members don’t understand that diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity and expression is normal and healthy.”

People also tend to react with outrage because they simply don’t know enough about the topic.

“Unfortunately, people have a lot of misinformation and negative attitudes about sexual orientation and gender diversity,” Grey said.

“They often don’t have ‘good’ reasons for rejecting their LGBTQ young people. A lot of people think the misinformation and negative attitudes come from religion, but this isn’t a completely accurate picture.”

It’s important for people to feel comfortable in their own skin and to know how to express themselves, she said.

“In general, peer and family support are both important predictors of better psychological health,” Grey said.

“Accepting family attitudes of LGBTQ youth lead to decreased risk for suicide, depression, and substance abuse, and higher levels of self-esteem, social support and general health in adulthood,” she said.

mcccagora.com • The Agora

Victim Specialist, and the Honorable Tim Walberg, U.S Congressman.

For more information contact Molly McCutchan, at (734) 384-4245, or at mmccutchan@monroeccc. edu.

Culinary students opening Cuisine 1300 on Oct. 27 Second-year MCCC culinary arts student will open their on-campus restaurant for its fall season on Oct. 27.

Cusine 1300 is a dining experience provided by the culinary students, Chef Kevin Thomas, and Chef Vicki LaValle. The menu theme is Modern American Bistro. The restaurant is open to the public by reservation only.

Seatings are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 11:30 and 11:45 a.m.

To make reservations, call 734-384-4231 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Note that Cuisine 1300 does not accept credit or debit cards, and will run through Dec. 10.

X-Tech Career Exploration planned for Oct. 23 The MCCC Applied Science – Engineering

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Technology Division is planning a day for students to explore their future with the X-Tech Career Exploration set for Thursday, Oct. 23.

The event will run from 3 - 7:30 p.m. in the Career Technology Center on the main campus. It will be an informative event about the certificate programs and two year degrees offered through MCCC. There is a kick-off event scheduled at the Whitman Center on Oct. 22 from 11-3 p.m.

For more information contact the Career Technology Center at calbring@monroeccc.edu or call (734) 384-4112.

MCCC to host SolidWorks User Group Conference MCCC’s Applied Science and Engineering Technology Division will host the Southeast Michigan and Northwest Ohio SolidWorks User Group Conference.

The conference will be held Oct. 14 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m in the Career Technology Center.

It is free and open to students, teachers, designers, engineers, employers, and anyone interested in the mechanical design industry.

Dr. Dean Kerste, MCCC professor of mechanical design technology, is the leader of the group.

To register, visit www.monroeccc.edu/swug.

Student style “Basically I take it from any music I like. I take Rock and Country and put them together.”

“Have you heard of Nirvana and Kurt Cobain? I am inspired by what he wore when he was alive”

“I like Forever 21 and basically online shopping for cute and cheap”

Anna Pete

Rachel Huff

“It’s [the fedora] pretty much my trademark. It’s my way of staying connected to my grandpa.”

Jake Moskal (Left)

“I dont really look up to anything. If I see something I like in a store, I’ll buy that.”

Collin Walters (Right)

Photos by Mariah Tevepaugh

Student textbook questions answered

By Julia Wells Agora Staff

New textbooks often mean that students will be mourning the loss of their hard-earned cash.

“Pricing seems to always be a concern for the students,” said Jean Ford, MCCC director of Auxiliary Services and Purchasing.

Textbooks in the bookstore are sold at a price which is based on the publisher’s, with a 25 percent markup that goes into the costs of getting the books here, among other things.

“We do make a profit that goes back into the college itself. If funds are needed, they do pull from the auxiliary funds,” Ford said.

The professors in each division decide which textbooks best fit their curriculum and they place their orders with the bookstore.

It’s no secret that sometimes students feel tricked out of their money when they buy textbooks and do not directly interact with them in a course.

“Basically, I never actually get a book for a class unless I need it,” student Daniel Kowalczyk said.

Kowalczyk is a student in Lisa Scarpelli’s Earth Science course, which requires a textbook that has a suggested selling price of $160 and is available to rent for $56.63. There is an additional book needed for the lab that retails at $118.

“I saw how the class is basically entirely PowerPoints that gives us all the information we need. I didn’t see a point in buying a 100 some dollar book for no reason,” Kowalczyk said.

Scarpelli prefers content quality over

Photo by Julia Wells

Kelli Plumb, Assistant to the Director of Auxiliary Services oversees store operations.

convenience for her textbooks.

“I decide which textbooks to use based on how well they present the topics that I am covering in the course,” Scarpelli said.

“I take price into consideration, but I will not sacrifice content for a cheaper book.”

Some professors take into consideration the price of their desired textbooks a little more than others.

Terri Kovach, who teaches in the Sociology department, chose different secondary reading materials because she felt her main textbook was already expensive enough.

“I wouldn’t be as confident asking them to purchase the book if I wasn’t confident in the content. I make an effort to respect their money and time. But also respect their academic efforts,” Kovach said.

Kovach also said that she remembered when she had to pay her way through college and that other professors do as well.

“I can’t say they’re oblivious to the financial issues,” she said.

Another issue for students, other than the initial sticker shock of the price, is the need for the newest edition of the textbook, even though little may have changed between books.

This becomes a roadblock to students who may borrow older editions from the library or friends.

“I don’t think they should change editions every semester,” Student James Gardner said.

It is difficult and costly for the bookstore not to offer the latest edition. Ford said that older editions are not as available once the newest edition comes out.

“Somebody will say ‘I don’t know why they’re changing editions. There can’t be that much that has changed’ but that is out of our control,” Ford said.

Students are also let down at the bookstore’s book buy-backs when they receive only a fraction of the money they paid for it.

“They have the book buy backs, but they give you like five bucks back for a $200 book,” Gardner said.

The bookstore may not be to blame for what some think are unfair return prices.

According to Ford, there are a number of factors that go into determining the amount a student gets back.

The bookstore takes into account whether the book will be used for the upcoming semester, if a new edition will become available, the number of copies in the bookstore inventory, and if the book includes an online code.

“If the bookstore purchases titles back, taking into consideration all the variables, the student is given back 50 percent of the purchase price,” Ford said.

The bookstore is not entirely unware of student concerns, but it does have to do what is best financially for the college, Ford said.

Ford said that while there have not been formal complaints against the college for their book prices, the employees in the bookstore hear the students worries.

“Just in general, when students are in the store and we’re trying to help them. I try to be very understanding,” Ford said.

“The publishers are the ones who pretty much decide the price increases, and we’re kind of caught in the middle. We try our best.”

Book rentals now available

Students now have the option to rent their textbooks from the MCCC bookstore.

Every student can rent textbooks as long as they have a credit card. Students who receive financial aid to buy their textbooks still need to have a credit card. If a student is using someone else’s credit card to rent their books, the cardholder must be present to sign the rental agreement.

Once the semester is over, the rented book is expected to be returned to the bookstore by the date agreed upon in the contract. If the textbook is not returned, the credit card on file will be charged.

New & used textbooks may be rented at a cheaper price than buying the textbooks to own. The prices of the rentals are suggested by Follett Campus Resources, which the bookstore has partnered with in this program. Follett also owns the signed rental contracts as well as the rented books.

Jean Ford, director of Purchasing & Auxiliary Services, said that students are already taking advantage of the new program to save money.

“The bookstore is excited to be able to offer this in-store rental program to the students, which represents a savings to the student and is more convenient,” Ford said.

Sports

October 1, 2014

Fantasy football: money, time, bragging rights

Mitch Perkins Agora Staff

Fantasy football has grown exponentially in The United States since the start of the 21st century.

Though the first Fantasy leagues began as early as the 1960s, the growth in popularity did not begin to boom until the late 1990s.

Fantasy football spread as more people began using the internet for entertainment purposes.

Fantasy leagues began as a lighthearted competition between part-time owners of American Football League teams and sports journalists, but now is open to anyone with access to NFL games.

Fantasy competitors usually play against their family, friends, and coworkers.

Many leagues are played for the pur-

mcccagora.com • The Agora

poses of bragging rights for the winner of the league.

Many students at MCCC participate in Fantasy leagues that play for bragging rights, including James Liedel, a 19-year-old architecture student, and Nick Scheer, a sophomore accounting student.

“The winner gets bragging rights over the other guys, so there is something to actually try for,” Liedel said Many leagues up the stakes and play for money. Travis Boggs, a secondyear criminal justice student at MCCC, plays against his friends in a league with a $20 buyin per person.

The financial growth of fantasy football is even bigger than the leagues themselves. With a following this large, companies see Fantasy football as yet another marketing opportunity.

Fantasy team owners such as Liedel

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and Boggs spend multiple hours every week looking over player statistics, editing their lineups, and watching the games themselves.

Even these college students have time to watch 2-4 games per week while spending hours researching and tinkering with their lineups.

With an audience this large, the marketing for companies through Fantasy leagues has grown tremendously. Fantasy football is now a multi-million dollar business where companies can have direct access to a large demographic for multiple hours every week.

Fantasy football has expanded to such a large group of people over such a short period of time. The Fantasy football phenomena has taken America by storm and it does not seem to be slowing down.

Illustration by Darryl While

B-ball Fridays are back Draft held to pick teams Mitch Perkins Agora Staff

Fitness Staff member, Nick Scheer, shoots around in his free time.

Photo by Mitch Perkins

The MCCC intramural basketball league began this past Friday, Sept. 26, with a school-yard draft.

MCCC students gathered in the Fitness Center gym to pick teams for the upcoming basketball league. The league takes place every Friday morning through the next seven weeks.

Karen Turner, the fitness activities coordinator for the college, is the director of the league.

She encourages all of the students to come participate in in athletic activities such as the basketball league.

“This league gives students a chance to get to know each other and feel like they are a part of the college campus,” Turner said.

Turner, a fitness trainer as well, encourages all students to take part in physical exercise.

Playing in the basketball league is a great way to get in a cardio workout, she points out.

One of the big upsides to the intramural league is that it is free to all MCCC students.

There are four teams in the league, with almost 30 students participating. Many of the students are in their second or third years and have played in the league in the past.

One returning student, Gabe Deal, a secondyear business management student, talked about the experience of playing in the league.

“I made tons of new friends through playing competitively in a sport that I love,” Deal said.

With a group of students coming out week in and week out, eventually friendships are built through the comaraderie of competitive play.

“Playing in the league gave me something to look forward to on Fridays,” Deal said.

Photo by Mitch Perkins

MCCC students are being offered a bonding opportunity through a Bowling Night at Nortel Lanes.

MCCC works to provide bowling for students

By Mitch Perkins Agora staff

Efforts to get MCCC students bowling have taken a new turn.

At the beginning of the semester, the college proposed a student bowling league at Nortel Lanes in Monroe.

Tom Ryder, the Campus Community Events/Student Activities coordinator for MCCC, is an avid bowler.

In the spring of 2014, he and Duane Pfund, the owner of Nortel Lanes, began planning a bowling league for college students.

But the deadline for signing up for the bowling league came and went last week, with no takers.

So Ryder and Pfund have switched to proposing an MCCC Bowling Night, when any student can bowl, at a discounted cost.

Creating another opportunity for students to bond and enjoy their time while at MCCC is one of Ryder’s biggest goals. He hoped that through a bowling league students would feel a sense of community with their fellow students.

Despite the appeal of an affordable activity on a

weekly basis, when asked, students responded with little interest toward the idea of joining the bowling league.

“It’s just not something I could see myself doing,” said Zach Morrison, a 19-year-old veterinarian student.

Ryder and Pfund had requested that at least one of the three members on a team be a student at the college when the league was being planned. With the bowling night, a student ID would be required to get deals on bowling, food, and drinks.

Pfund was going to give deals to all people playing in the league, but that now will be extended to students that night.

“I tried to make it as cheap as possible so college kids could come out one night a week and enjoy themselves,” Pfund said.

The bowling night will be an opportunity for relaxing and having fun, while playing a sport Pfund and Ryder both play on a consistent basis. All college students are welcome to join.

“You don’t have to be big or strong to play the game,” said Pfund. “It’s something everyone can enjoy.”

Campus News

October 1, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

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MCCC launches new ad campaign Jaclyn Young Agora staff

MCCC is set to launch an “I got my start” advertising campaign.

The ads will feature former students talking about how they got their start and what successes they have had since their time at the community college.

“I’m so thrilled with how it looks and how it’s been received,” Marketing Director Joe Verkennes said.

He came up with the idea at home, and took it to a meeting of administrators in the middle of last year.

“The idea started from wanting to feature our students and feature our alumni,” he said.

Initially Verkennes received 40-50 submissions of successful alumni, but he only needed a dozen.

“I’ve got a stack now of 60-70,” he said.

The campaign will rotate the seven ads and may add another four or five, topping out at 12, he said.

This is one of the few times that MCCC has had multimedia advertisements. In the past, advertisements were primarily print based and had more to do with branding the college.

Verkennes said that he usually stayed away from visual advertisements because they are costly.

He is keeping costs down by using as few outside resources as possible. Verkennes wrote the ad copy and the college graphic artist handled the design.

The television advertisements were somewhat challenging for cost, but Verkennes had that figured out, too.

“I’m using more freelance type folks,” he said.

The TV ads will be different from other college advertisements because they will show the students in action.

“It’s not going to be typical boring testimonials,” Verkennes said.

Each student has a different story, Verkennes said. For example, Nicole Borowski is a female welder and Matt Foley is a police officer.

The television ads will be shown on Buckeye Cable, Charter, Comcast and WOW. Eventually, all of the video advertisements will go up on YouTube for everyone to see.

“Another reason for doing a campaign like this is the social media aspect,” Verkennes said.

The idea behind this is that friends and family of the alumni can share the ads with people from anywhere.

“Obviously, I get really excited about it because it’s why we go into marketing,” Verkennes said.

Asia Rapai is one of the students participat-

ing in the ad campaign. Rapai, 24, is the public relations coordinator for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

“You don’t have to have amazing resources to make it,” she said.

She chose MCCC because she had a scholarship in theater, and it was close to home.

Rapai said that she looks fondly on her time as a student at MCCC. She wrote for the Agora, was a writing fellow, and participated in theater.

“I loved the community college; it was a great foundation for me,” she said.

Rapai said that her biggest inspirations were Mark Bergmooser, Dan Shaw and Joe Verkennes.

She graduated from MCCC in 2010 with an Associate of Arts, and went on to Bowling Green State University with the skills she learned at MCCC. “I was able to jump right in,” she said.

She became the editor for the Bowling Green student newspaper after her first year.

In 2012, Rapai graduated from Bowling Green with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism.

She has been with the DSO for a little over three months. She said she loves working in the arts, and in Detroit. She also said that it is her dream job, and that the employees of DSO are like a family.

I GOT MY START AT MCCC. Asia Rapai PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Asia’s experiences on the MCCC student newspaper – and, later, as editor of Bowling Green State University’s newspaper – led to her interest in the growing field of public relations.

www.monroeccc.edu 877-YES-MCCC Photo attributed to Joe Verkennes

Gay Straight Alliance stands up for suicide prevention Dakota Sherrick Agora staff

MCCC’s Gay Straight Alliance sponsored the Suicide Awareness and Prevention Candlelight Vigil on Friday, Sept. 11. It took place among a small crowd of tearful mourners and survivors.

Photo by Dakota Sherrick

Students and community members gather around with their lit candles in support of suicide awareness and prevention on Sept. 11.

“I honestly feel like this event will be a success if we can reach just one person, if we can just show them there is hope and lead them to resources,” said GSA Interim-Treasurer Ian Leach.

The event’s speakers were Psychology Professors, Patrick Wise, and Melissa Grey.

KayeLani Wilson also spoke.

She works with Gabby’s Ladder, a non-profit dedicated to helping survivors and the family members of those who have committed suicide.

Denice Yost, whose twin brother committed suicide, also gave a speech.

“I don’t hurt over him anymore.

I remember him and think of all the great things he could have

Photo by Dakota Sherrick

GSA member Ian Leach, lights the flame of a little girl’s candle.

done,” Yost said.

“If you’re interested in learning about Gabby’s Ladder, I say go ahead. I don’t know what I would have done without them. I just don’t know,” Yost said.

After the guest speakers had concluded, the event moved outside where everyone formed a circle, and stepped forward to light their candle.

Many participants became emotional during the vigil.

“I thought it went very well.

I was pleased with the turnout,” said Penny Bodell, GSA adviser.

Michigan-born journalist chosen for One Book read Julia Grzywinski Agora staff

The One Book One Community Committee has decided to go in a different direction for the 2015 event.

The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee’s, Farm Fields, and the Dinner Table, by Tracie McMillan, will be the topic of discussion for the three-week event running March 23 through April 18.

Cheryl Johnston, professor of English and co-chair of the One Book One Community Committee, said that although the nonfiction narrative diverges from the committee’s usual selections, members are hopeful that it will be a good read for the community.

“We did break away from fiction this year, but I think it’s going to be an exciting choice,” Johnson said.

The American Way of Eating follows McMillan while she works undercover in the American food system to see how food is grown, prepared, and sold.

It also aims to expose how American food standards have lowered to what they are now, and what keeps Americans from eating well.

Johnston admits that McMillan’s home roots played a large part in the selection process.

“For a long time, the community was hoping to get a Michigan author, so the fact that she is one of us is very appealing,” Johnston

said.

McMillan is a Michigan native whose writing has been acclaimed by the New York Times, earned the prestigious Sidney Hillman Prize for Book Journalism and a Books for Better Life Award. Her writing was also recently featured in National Geographic.

Along with being excited about the author and book selection, the One Book Committee is also looking forward to the activities that are in the beginning phases of planning.

Activities will include a buffet from the MCCC culinary students, documentary viewings at local libraries, and a visit from McMillan.

McMillan will be on campus

April 15. She will meet with students during the day, and at night will be present for a book signing and presentation in the Meyer Theater. This event will be free and open to the public.

The One Book One Community committee members believes they selected a book that will quickly capture the attention and interests of community members.

They also hope the selection will bring awareness to the American food system, while also stirring up conversation in the community.

“We thought it was something the Monroe community could relate to, that we would enjoy discussing, and would be enlightening for most of us,” Johnston said.

Photo by Julia Grzywinski

Culinary students help wine makers crush grapes Makailyn Ellison Agora staff

Photo by Makailyn Ellison

Mark Spenosa, right, observes the hopper, which destems the grapes, to then be crushed into juice.

The MCCC Culinary Arts students held their inaugural Community Crush on Sept. 14.

People around the community were given the opportunity to bring in grapes. The students crushed them and returned the juice so they could make their own wine.

The grapes were brought in by buckets and then dumped into a motorized crusher. This machine separates the grape pulp from the stems. When the grapes get dumped into the “hopper,” pulp and juice falls through the bottom and stems are discarded out the side.

“We invited people to come in and give us their grapes for us to crush so they can go and make their own wine,” said John Feaganes, resident of the Culinary Arts Club.

The Bacchus Society was formed for the purpose of creating

a viticulture program at MCCC, making it one of the first community colleges in Michigan to offer degree programs in this field.

It started when a group of people got together who have an interest in wine, decided to plant a vineyard, and are now working to create a wine-making program at MCCC. “Food and wine are such a big part of culinary arts,” said Chef Kevin Thomas, a board member of the Bacchus Society.

Over the next several years, the Bacchus Society intends to add different varieties of white and red grapes to its vineyard.

Unfortunately, due to the harsh winter, the plan suffered a major setback.

“We lost a lot of grapes last winter; it put us about two years behind where we want to be,” Thomas said. “We have some petite pearls this year, which are meant to last through the cold.

A matter of five degrees has the

power to wipe out an entire vineyard.”

Wine making is becoming more and more common every day.

When MCCC held its Community Crush, it helped many people around the community make their own wine.

“I’ve been making my own wine for 15 years; I’ve never really had a special technique. I de-stem all of the grapes and then crush them with a piece of wood I made myself. Bringing them here made it a lot easier,” said Dan Poirer, a Monroe resident.

Big dreams and high hopes are in store for this class as they proceed to take on this vineyard and students look forward to what will happen in the future.

“I’m hoping once we can get it decorated, when it’s all grown, we can have events here like a wedding,” Thomas said. “I want to get connected to people around the community.”

A&E

October 1, 2014

Awaited video game delights and disappoints Jeff Brown Agora Staff

Destiny is finally here and though the game is not for everyone, if you have patience and a dedicated group of friends it can become a challenging and rewarding adventure that should be experienced by everyone.

Destiny provides players with mechanically perfected gunplay, fascinating environments to play through, and brilliantly designed enemies.

Destiny’s gameplay is a combination of games from multiple genres. Because the Destiny was developed by Bungie, the same studio that first created the Halo franchise, it shouldn’t be too surprising to know that the game feels a lot like it.

The Guardian has a life bar at the top of the screen which acts just like a Spartans energy shield, though less durable. Guardians also have a normal jump that is roughly the same height and distance as the Master Chief. However, where Destiny’s movement really differentiates itself from its predecessor is the jump abilities that your character gets.

If you play as a Hunter, you get a double jump that can later on be upgraded to a triple jump or a blink ability that teleports the hunter short distances.Titans have a jetpack that launches them in the air and allows them to reach great heights, and Warlocks have a glide ability that allows them to leisurely glide long distances and can also eventually be upgraded to blink.

There are ten different guns that the player can wield and each gun has three models, which changes stats like range, damage and rate of fire. I played most of the game using the same weapon type of auto rifle because for some reason the enemies that

I defeated didn’t drop anything new. However, other players have had greater success in finding a more diversified arsenal to play around with.

Finally, each Guardian class has his or her own “Super Ability” that is immensely powerful. You earn the chance to use the Super Ability by defeating enemies and completing objectives and the results are devastating.

The Hunter has the ability to summon a powerful gun called the Golden Gun and fire three awesomely destructive rounds at enemies. The Titan’s Super Ability, called Fist of Havoc, launches the titan into the air then slams him to the ground, decimating anything around him. And lastly, the Warlock hurls a Nova Bomb at a group of enemies, disintegrating those caught in its path.

Bungie is known for making worlds that are picturesque and exciting, and in this front, Bungie doesn’t disappoint.

There are four different worlds you visit, each with its very own unique and wide-open spaces for the guardian to explore.

You start out on Earth in old Russia, make your way to the moon, head over to a terraformed Venus and end at Mars. Each and every inch of every planet looks unique and lovingly hand-crafted all the way down to the placement of broken pavement that makes up the ramshackle roads you’ll be traveling on.

The many small details that Bungie paid attention to while constructing this futuristic solar system made for a very believable and alluring playing experience, which made every area feel like a special place.

While traveling through the beautifully realized future, a superb score of orchestrated music plays, magnifying the sense of discovery. When you get into a confrontation, the music seamlessly picks up and drives the action forward. And even the horrendously long load times going from one planet to the other are made much more attractive by the score and good use of visuals in the load screen.

Along with all these things, Bungie is known for making a game with a compelling story that makes

mcccagora.com • The Agora

you care and feel for the protagonist.

I’m sorry to say, this isn’t the case for Destiny. If you are looking for a game with a good story to get behind, you’re looking at the wrong game. Which is a shame, because Destiny sports a star-studded voice cast including Peter Dinklage and Nathan Fillion.

The game starts out with a floating robot ball called a ghost (voiced by Peter Dinklage) who resurrects the guardian from the dead. One of the first things that he says is something along the lines of, “I’m sure you have a lot of questions, but there’s no time now.”

Turns out there isn’t time throughout the entire 12- hour story. In fact, the guardian only meets a few other characters through the course of the game and ends before anyone was even named.

To have a good story, you generally need to answer five questions. Who? What? When? Where? Why? The only two that are actually clear here are when and where, the Sol System Hundreds of years in the future.

What is somewhat answered too. You’re doing missions to revive the mystical sphere that is floating above the last city on earth.

However, who, why are still very vague and unanswered questions. Sure, “who” might be the guardian, but without any context we don’t know “who” the guardian actually is.

The real problem is the question “Why.” You go from planet to planet doing missions to attempt to revive the traveler, but the narrative never clearly states why we’re doing this.

Throughout the game there are only a handful of cut scenes and most of the near nonexistent story is told during load screens.

Destiny’s convoluted and downright atrocious story-telling techniques are a huge problem.

The end of the story is not the end of the game however. Once you reach the max level the game starts to get into the MMORPG territory. That, in my opinion, is when the game starts to become the most fun.

After reaching the max level of 20, the guardian can start earning better gear, which gives him or her a

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sub-level called a light level, allowing for the player to get to light level 30.

Getting a higher light level allows you to participate in new events and harder challenges, all leading to prepare you for the immensely fun raid.

In Destiny, a raid is a cooperative mission requiring a full fire team of six high-level and skilled member to complete.

The raids are so challenging that even my group of friends and I couldn’t get past the last boss, even after playing the raid for over eight hours straight.

There are five stages that you have to complete to beat the raid, each one multiplying in difficulty.

The raid is by far the best part of the game, and it’s a shame that you are required to play 25+ hours before you can even think about attempting it.

The last thing that needs to be mentioned is the competitive multiplayer.

Multiplayer matches are up to six versus six players and Bungies’ multiplayer map design is great, making for fun and fluid boards to compete on.

The multiplayer doesn’t seem all the way fleshed out. It runs excellent, there’s always action at every time in every match, the gunplay is fluid, and bringing your gear from the main game to the multiplayer stage is cool, but there isn’t too much to do.

There are only five regular game types and none of them take advantage of Destiny’s unique gameplay to make a fun and different experience. All five game types are modes that are found in almost every other online multiplayer shooter.

Saying that Destiny is an MMO-Shooter doesn’t do Destiny justice, it borrows from many gaming genres and plays extraordinarily well. Destiny doesn’t take advantage of its star studded cast to tell a compelling story, and the real meat of the game doesn’t start until after you’ve finished it. The competitive multiplayer is a fun time, though it lacks variety of game types.

Destiny’s endgame content might keep you coming back once you fully understand it, but having to play 25+ hours before you get to it can be a chore.

Destiny is available on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

Fans flock to comic and card convention Julia Wells Agora Staff

Monroe will welcome its very own comic book and card convention on Sunday, Oct. 4.

The Monroe Comic-Con and Card Show was founded last year

by Gary Pillette. His son, Drake Pillette, is an MCCC student.

“This year’s show is going to be pretty fun,” Drake said.

“I believe it will interest students because of the ability to talk to various talents, from artists to actors, and see if any of those may be a possible career choice.”

The pair got the idea for the convention when they visited the Motor City Comic-Con to meet comic book legend Stan Lee. “We fell in love with the atmosphere,” Gary said.

“I was also in the process of selling a lady’s 15,000 comic collection for her, and it just clicked.”

Gary said his previous experience as a shop owner helped him create the convention.

Photo courtesy of Gary Pillette

Drake Pillete, left, poses with brother, Bryce Pillette, right, with Star Wars characters at last year’s convention.

“I’ve always loved organizing events and used to own our own collectibles shop, so it just went from there,” Gary said.

The first show was held in September 2013 and debuted to an outpouring of local support. The convention’s charitable donations combined with a growing interest in comic culture made for a successful event. They are hoping for 3,000 to 5,000 attendees this year.

“There’s lots more to do.

There’s a costume contest and we even have a Hollywood makeup artist who is going to turn someone into a zombie,” Drake said.

Proceeds from the convention’s raffles went to The Down Syndrome Guild of Southeast Michigan. This year, a $5 donation to the DSG buys a wristband that allows access to autographs and photo-ops with the celebrity guests.

This convention is more than just a place to pick up comics, art, and collectibles – it also will feature a slew of celebrity guests.

The line-up includes television host and actress Gigi Edgley from the Sci-Fi series, Farscape; Michigan-born actor Martin Klebba, best known for his roles in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and Oz:The Great and Powerful; and model Alloy Ash, who has been seen on the Discovery Channel’s Fast N’ Loud, among others.

Stuntman Travis Russell also will be in attendance. Russell has performed stunts in NBC’s Chicago Fire, Into the Storm, and is filming the upcoming Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, in Detroit.

“I’m happy to be a part of a great cause and helping local charities,” Russell said. “I’m really just looking forward to seeing everyone and just hanging out.”

Local celebrity and professional boxer Bronco McKart also will make an appearance.

Raffles have been promoted on the Monroe Comic-Con and Card Show’s Facebook page to lead up to the event.

iCloud breach releases pics, scares users

By Julia Grzywinski Agora Staff

The recent release of uncensored celebrity selfies has left iCloud users wondering how to better protect themselves online.

On Sept. 1, the media erupted with the surfacing of nude celebrity photos. Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, and Ariana Grande were among the celebrities who were targeted.

Although this may seem like a situation that is only relevant to celebrities, it is never a bad time to be reminded of security, and common sense measures that should be taken online.

Brian Lay, manager of Information Systems at MCCC, does not believe that people know enough about Apple’s iCloud, or what it does with the information it’s sent.

“People send this information without knowing where it goes, where it is stored, or how it is stored,” Lay said.

To know the proper measures, users must know about the system Lack of knowledge is not the only contributing factor to hacked information.

Panera Bread and Starbucks may seem like a nice place to get the perfect combina-

tion of expensive coffee and free Wi-Fi, but the majority of internet seekers ignore the fine-print, making their information much more easily accessible.

“People don’t read the disclaimer that says there’s a chance that someone could potentially be using a device to sniff for usernames or passwords,” Lay said.

Aside from actually paying attention to the disclaimers, another important aspect of security measures is having a complex password that is not easily accessible. Lay had a few pieces of advice dealing with password creation and protection.

“Don’t save passwords where other people can see or read. Use more complex passwords. Change your passwords often. Don’t use the same password for everything.”

If it is too hard to remember the tips, maybe it will be easier to remember that not everything needs to be shared over social media.

Not every event needs to be live-tweeted, and not every Saturday night should be posted on Instagram. Lay believes that may be the issue with the technology-obsessed younger generation.

“People think that everything and any-

“If you wouldn’t show it to your grandmother, or tell your grandmother about it, maybe you should not send it, create it, or give it to the public.”

Brian Lay Information Systems Manager thing they do needs to be out there for the public, and I think people should probably rethink their position on that,” Lay said.

It seems as though it should be common sense; what is and is not appropriate to post online, unfortunately that is not always the case.

If it is too much of a hassle to weigh the pros and cons of posting something online, Lay gives users one simple rule; “The Grandmother Rule.”

“If you wouldn’t show it to your grandmother, or tell your grandmother about it, maybe you should not send it, create it, or give it to the public.”

Illustration by Darryl White

Campus News

October 1, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

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Gay Straight Alliance signs stolen

Jaclyn Young Agora staff

Seven Gay Straight Alliance signs were stolen off campus between the Candlelight Vigil on Sept. 12 and the Tuesday after.

The signs were placed to promote membership in the club, which works to increase awareness and acceptance of LGBTQ issues and culture, according to adviser Penny Bodell.

“We noticed it sometime Tuesday,” Bodell said.

Bodell said the theft could have happened over the weekend.

Five of the stolen signs were in the center of campus, one at the La-Z-Boy Center, and one at the Tech building. The remaining signs are at the Health Building, Whitman Center, A Building and C Building.

Bodell also said that she does not understand why anyone would take the signs.

“Anything we do here is for the betterment of the campus,” she said.

Bodell sent an email to all MCCC students and employees, describing what happened.

“Whatever the reason for taking the signs, it is viewed as a hate crime,” she said in an email.

Bodell also made an appeal to the community.

“My plea to the campus community is to return the signs,” Bodell wrote. “We will not take further action if our signs are returned – there will be no questions asked.”

The signs cost the GSA $100, which came from GSA fundrais-

Crime report: Security, Larceny Three issues were reported to Campus Security in the last two months, according to information released by the office of Randy Daniels, vice president of Student and Information Services.

ers. The profits from their mug sale purchased the signs.

GSA Interim Treasurer, Ian Leach said he is upset and shocked by the stolen signs.

Leach and Bodell both believe that no one would have questioned anyone taking the signs if the thief was acting normal “This is the first time I’ve felt that my group is being attacked,” he said.

Leach said that the artwork for the signs was taken from the Diversity Mural hanging in the Abuilding on campus, and that their slogan “we are one” was a good representation of what the group is about.

He said that he does not think that the signs being stolen has anything to do with the Candlelight Vigil the GSA hosted on

Pre-test to bypass courses for nursing

campus the Thursday before they were taken.

At first, he said that it might have been some kids playing a prank, but once he saw that the Student Government and job placement signs were still up, he began to see the situation differently.

“Someone fundamentally disagreed with our values,” Leach said.

He went on to say that he understands that people have certain religious and moral beliefs. He said he would not mind a group protesting their meetings, but this was theft of property.

“This is exactly the reason why we are a group,” he said.

Leach said that what bothers him is the principle of the matter.

“We’re not going to stop be-

Mariah Tevepaugh Agora Staff

Students will take a pre-test for entrance into MCCC’s nursing program instead of a series of elective courses, beginning in October 2015.

The MCCC Board of Trustees, meeting on Sept. 29, approved the

On Aug. 26, campus security witnessed an accident that occurred by the solar panel area east of campus.

The reporting officer saw a semi-truck exit the area. The trailer on the truck was too close to a pole at the south end of the driveway.

According to the officer, someone yelled “You hit it!”

The truck backed away from the pole before trying again, hitting and damaging the pole in the process.

The truck was eventually able to exit the area using another direction.

cause some idiot or idiots wanted to steal them,” he said.

Leach said that he could attribute 20 new members of the club to the signs.

Even through the hardship, Leach said that his faith in humanity was restored when an anonymous donor gave $100 to the GSA. “We felt empowered that some-

change. Now prospective nursing students will take an ATI test to be accepted into the nursing program.

Kim Lindquist, dean of the Health Sciences Division and Director of Nursing, said the entrance exam is a way to replace some admission requirements, such as chemistry.

but after some questioning, she relented, and told the officer her name.

The girl then walked to the La-Z-Boy Center and found an unknown ride home.

...

Security Incidents

Seven lawn signs identical to this one were stolen from campus

It was determined that property was damaged and that a report would have to be made to the college, but no report needed to be filed with the police.

It was unclear who owns the pole, either DTE or the college.

Larceny

Another incident occurred on Sept. 3, stargting in the East Tech parking lot, and ending in the West Tech building.

While on a routine patrol, an officer was sent to investigate a report of a student who was possibly high on drugs.

The officer talked to the student who had complained and proceeded to look for the girl in question. He searched the parking lot, every classroom in the East Tech building, and the West Tech building before finding the student in a hallway.

When he found her, the officer asked her what her name was.

She would not tell him at first,

The last of the three reported incidents occurred on Aug. 8 in the parking lot of the La-Z-Boy Center.

Sometime between 9 a.m. and 12:10 p.m., a blue Ford Escape was broken into by an unnamed suspect.

Sixty dollars in cash and a phone charger were taken from the car. The cash was in a grey wallet in the center console of the car.

The victim stated that her car was unlocked at the time of the theft and she was advised to always lock her car in the future.

one would donate that money,” he said.

He still hopes that the person who took the signs will give them back, and that if they are returned the club will not press the matter further.

Leach said that the club should continue putting up signs.

“If they get taken again, then we’ll worry about it from there,”

There will be a $25 fee for the test, which students can take up to three times – keeping the highest score.

MCCC President Kojo Quartey raised a concern about whether class sizes would begin to drop for the courses that no longer would be a requirement.

he said.

The GSA is still planning a Pride Prom for winter semester and will continue to be a part of the campus.

Anyone with information about the signs is asked to contact Penny Bodell. Her office is A132 and her email is pbodell@monroeccc.edu.

“Enrollment to classes, like chemistry, will be affected,” Quartey said.

However, Lindquist said it would be more help to students than harm.

“The changes are in students’ favor and for students’ success,” Lindquist said.

What are your next steps?

You can finish your bachelor’s degree on the MCCC Campus!

Siena Heights University has a degree completion center right here on campus!

Undergraduate classes available in: • Accounting • Bachelor of Applied Science • Business Administration • Criminal Justice • Multidisciplinary Studies • Professional Communication • Psychology • RN to BSN

CONTACT US TODAY!

Phone: (734) 384-4133 Email: monroe@sienaheights.edu Web: www.sienaheights.edu/mccc Stop by our office located in L-221

www.sienaheights.edu