September 25, 2014 The Swinging Bridge // Quest continued. The long-term goals of QuEST are to provide students with a new appreciation for general education courses. Lauermann often hears students say, “Gen eds are supposed to be easy! As well as, “I need to get my gen ed out of the way.” “One thing we hope happens is that the more students understand why its valuable to take a certain course, the more it will help them understand what is going on,” Lauermann said. She acknowledges that many of the skills employers seek are formed in general education classes. Whether it’s critical thinking or writing skills, QuEST works to make sure that students gain those basic foundational skills.
What does the general education change mean for students moving forward? Currently QuEST does not make any curriculum changes. Although, it is very important to search for classes that have been QuEST approved. Lauermann stresses not to take a class without getting it approved beforehand. Advisors, the registrar’s office, and Dr. Lauermann herself are available to answer any student questions. In addition the QuEST website provides a link of approved courses. Dr. Lauermann and the team behind QuEST hope that this general education change defines exactly what it means to have a Messiah College education.
FERGUSON’S ISSUES OF
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After a brief altercation between Johnson and the officer he then proceeded to grab at Brown, pulling him against his will towards the police cruiser which was when the first shot was fired. Brown along with Johnson tried to escape but the officer pursued them until Brown turned around with hands in the air and was shot several times which apparently caused his death. However, another side claims Brown
News 4
Rotaract Club
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Danielle Burkett STUDENT WRITER
f you enjoy helping others, locally, internationally, and globally than Rotaract Club is where you should be. Rotaract Club is a global organization with over 30,000 clubs worldwide for young adults aged 18-30 so your club membership doesn’t end when you graduate. After you turn 30, you become eligible to join your local Rotary Club. Rotary Club has been in operation since 1905 and has always been an international club dedicated to serving others. Rotary was intended to be a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships and that mindset continues to today. Messiah’s Rotaract club meets biweekly to plan out service opportunities, activities and projects, and socialize with other members. According to Rukishani Pereara, President of Messiah’s Rotaract Club, Rotaract isn’t just about service. Members are able to increase their international understanding,
professional development, and they can learn about club services. “I want to go international, put our faith into doing international projects,” Pereara said about the club’s future plans. For instance, she’s hoping that the club will be able to help out with a cancer project for kids. But the club is also dedicated to helping out the Mechanicsburg area by working with the Mechanicsburg Rotary club. Each month will bring a new project for the club to focus on. During the month of September, there was the 50th Annual Ox Roast in which the proceeds went toward programs and organizations supported by the Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg. Coming up next in November is Bowling for Books, which helps raise funds for local libraries. To learn more about Rotaract Club at Messiah College, check out one of their bi-weekly meetings on Wednesdays from 7-8pm in Boyer 130. Or, contact Rukishani Pereara at gp1169@messiah.edu
RECONCILIATION
Myriam Pedercini STUDENT WRITER
ichael Brown was a young African American male on the verge of entering college when he was fatally shot on the streets of Ferguson Missouri this past August. This case sparked controversy in the U.S. and gained global awareness after protests began in Ferguson against local law enforcement. There are different sides to this case; one being Brown and Dorian Johnson— Brown’s friend – were stopped by an unnamed Caucasian male officer inside his police car who allegedly demanded they get off the street. Johnson claimed that when they tried to explain where they were going he [the officer] seemed to continue to drive by but abruptly stopped in front of the pair.
had been approached in a threatening manner or was assaulted by the police officer which caused him to to shoot Brown as an act of self-defense. The incident stirred up protests and riots which have spread across the U.S. especially in universities around the nation. Discussions over racial tensions, profiling and reconciliation have even reached Messiah College. President of the Black Student Union (BSU), Djola McGowan, acknowledges the need for students to engage in these conversations despite how uncomfortable it may seem. McGowan explains that “...some students don’t identify with a culture or race, [and believe] there is no need to talk about it or they’re tired of talking about race. They think if they don’t talk about race it’ll go away”. She explained that clubs on c ampus such as BSU and the Multicultural Council are here to educate students on racial topics and to provide a safe place to build an opinion and become culturally competent
IN THE U.S.
by engaging in discussion. The BSU specifically plans to hold a discussion on October 23rd to speak about the Brown case as well as other current events which revolve around racial tension, the portrayal of unrepresented victims in today’s media and racial reconciliation. Professor Paul Rego of Messiah’s Department of Politics and International Relations agrees that students and communities across the nation should engage in conversations like the Brown case and to, “not shy away from the controversy of race”. Rego warns against demonizing the other point of view but to have open and honest conversation. He goes on to explain that Americans should “not separate this [Brown] issue with the racial baggage that this country has”. The Brown case is currently being decided on by the grand jury and has been pushed back to January 7th, according to CNN.
October
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The BSU plans to hold a discussion to speak about the Brown case as well as other current events which revolve around racial tension.