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Michigan State’s Independent Voice

‘IT FILLS MY SOUL’

Client Karen McClure, left, with her psychiatric service animal Finn, practices greeting client Louise Harder, right, with her psychiatric service animal Ollie in Harder’s backyard on Nov. 10, 2019.

PHOTO BY ANNIE BARKER

One woman’s goal to train psychiatric service dogs for survivors PAGES 6-7

Pack your bags Spartans,

Let’s study abroad

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PAGES 4-5 T H U R S DAY, JANUARY 9, 2020

George Perles dead at 85 PAGE 10

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PA I D A DV E RT I S ME N T

MSU is still trying to silence Nassar Victims.

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The MSU Board is still trying to sweep what Larry Nassar did under the rug.

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Vol. 110 | No. 16

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020

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STUDY A B ROA D

Want to study abroad? Here’s your guide

By SaMya Overall soverall@statenews.com Michigan State offers 275 study abroad programs in 60 different countries and on every continent, providing all MSU students with the opportunity to supplement their college experience by studying, researching or interning abroad.

Education abroad programs are offered through ever y undergraduate college, along with opportunities for stu-

dents pursuing professional degrees and students in the Honors College.

For example, students are able to go to Deakin University in Australia in a direct-enroll program through the College of Social Science, Lyman Briggs and the College of Communication Arts and Sciences, or the Technical University in Denmark, in an exchange program through the College of Engineering.

There are also internships abroad in Canada sponsored

the College of Arts and Letters, James Madison, the College of Communication Arts and Sciences and the College of Social Science, and firstyear seminars in Germany sponsored by the Office of Education Abroad.

Students have the additional option to do an independent study in countries like Guatemala through the College of Osteopathic Medicine and India through the College of Human Medicine.

“I kinda just wanted to go as far as possible to really expand my horizons.”

Alia Jones Humanities pre-law junior

STUDY ABROAD RESOURCES

MSU students Brianna Aiello, left, Fatima Ali, center, and Sami Prakash, right, at Pride in Amsterdam.

PHOTO COURTESY ARIANNA AIELLO

MSU offers students different resources to plan, apply, and finance their study abroad trip through the Office of Education Abroad and their website.

All applications are online and can be found through the program search feature, Madeleine Fazio, peer advisor at the Office of Education Abroad, said. “ You ca n see di f ferent aspects of the program such as the dates that it goes on ... cost, which is obviously really important, description of the program and things like that,” she said.

St udy abroad prog rams vary in length and popularity. Some programs are only two weeks during university breaks, while others run a full semester or even a full academic year.

Europe is the most popular destination for students studying abroad, Fazio said.

MSU offers financial assistance for students applying to study abroad through scholarships and other financial aid. “ We have sc hola r sh ips through the Office of Education Abroad that students can apply for,” Fazio said. “Typically, it’s one essay or so and you can be considered for any scholarships offered through us. There’s also scholarships offered through the colleges, so based on whatever college a stu-

dent is in.”

Scholarships are an important factor in many students’ ability to afford education abroad.

“If I didn’t get the scholarships, I don’t know if I would’ve gone,” journalism senior Katherine White said. “I think it was still a good opportunity to go and I think everyone should go, but definitely (pursue) the scholarships. MSU has a lot of options to get those scholarships, so that definitely helped in my decision.”

White studied in Paris and Rome during the summer of 2018 through the sports journalism program.

In addition, students are also able to get financial assistance with flights through STA Representatives who are also located at the Office of Education Abroad. “(STA is) a travel agency devoted to students throughout the U.S.,” Fazio said. “They work in our office once a week.

They have an agent here that can help take student appointments or walk-ins, and they help with booking flights for students, booking excursions for students beyond their travels. They offer raffles for discounts on flights and things like that.”

With these resources, more

students are able to take advantage of the relationships built through studying abroad, Fazio said.

“Globalizing your perspective, making relationships with people overseas that you can really keep,” she said. “If you’re interested in a job abroad after graduating, you can really build those relationships and networks abroad, that can really help as well.”

STUDENT EXPERIENCES

Studying abroad allows students to gain academic, cultural and experiential knowledge while in a foreign country.

In addition to gaining college credit, students learn about a country’s culture, which allows them to notice differences between that country and the US, according to White.

“It just opened my eyes to other cultures in general and how different the U.S. is compared to Europe,” White said.

“In general, France is a little bit more private. I’m from the Midwest so we’re very used to saying hi to people even if we don’t know them, just walking down the street, and they don’t do that, so it was a little bit of an adjustment.”

On top of cultural differences between countries, students who study abroad experience new diets first-hand.

Social relations and policy junior Brianna Aiello noticed

“It just opened my eyes to other cultures.”

Katherine White Journalism senior

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ST U DY A BROA D

Journalism senior Katherine White stands in front of the Vatican.

PHOTO COURTESY KATHERINE WHITE

the difference in food after studying in London her freshman year and in Amsterdam in the summer of 2019.

“I think it was a lot more of a chill environment, and I could definitely tell that ... they cared a lot about the health and safety of students,” Aiello said. “I know the cafeteria at the University of Amsterdam was phenomenal. They had vegan options, they had kosher, they had halal, and it was really nice to see that.”

Along with studying, the Office of Education Abroad offers the opportunity for students to intern abroad.

Humanities pre-law junior Alia Jones interned at 3M’s digital marketing department in Sydney, Australia and noticed the difference in the work culture in Australia compared to the U.S. “They have a more relaxed work culture, where in America we’re very ‘Type A’ about our work,” Jones said. “We want things to be done by a certain deadline and it’s very strict and orderly, but there, things are a little more relaxed and people have as little more freedom to make sure they are taking care of their selves first and then also taking care of their work, so it was less stressed.”

Students had different reasons for deciding to study abroad, such as the opportunity to be far away from home and to be independent.

“It’s really far away, and I thought it would be a unique opportunity,” Jones said. “I kinda just wanted to go as far

as possible to really expand my horizons and get comfortable being far away from family and friends. I thought it was a nice balance for a country mainly because they speak English so I wasn’t going to have too much of a language barrier, but it was still a different culture.”

However, all the students agreed studying abroad is a worthwhile experience.

“Do it,” White said. “I never thought that I was going to study abroad, but a couple of my other friends and a couple of my teachers opened up and gave me some more information, kept pushing me toward it and I mean, it’s just something I never thought I was going to do and I really enjoyed it.”

(Left to right) MSU students Lauren Gewirtz, Kara Keating, Katherine White and Cassi White in front of Arc de Triomphe.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHERINE WHITE

MSU students Annie Barker, left, and Haley Sinclair, right, pose nearby the Eiffel Tower. PHOTO COURTESY MATT SCHMUCKER

“IT’S REALLY FAR AWAY, AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.” Alia Jones Humanities pre-law junior

MSU students Annie Barker, left, Haley Sinclair, center, and Alyte Katilius, right, pose nearby the Eiffel Tower. PHOTO COURTESY MATT SCHMUCKER

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SPOT L IG H T

A reason to be here

MSU alumna finds purpose training dogs to aid other survivors

By Claire Moore cmoore@statenews.com

One November afternoon, a woman parks in a lot on Michigan State’s campus and steps out into the sunshine.

It’s cold. But Amy Shelle, 45, plans to work outside today, so she’s bundled up. Before she shuts her car door, she reaches back for a bag of dog treats. They are the “good brand,” she says.

A small group of women wait for Shelle on the other side of the lot. Each of them has a pup at their side. The dogs wriggle a bit as their owners fit them with a harness, “DO NOT PET” written in bold lettering on each one. Belly rubs and head scratches are affectionately given out.

Shelle reaches the circle of women and greets them, then runs through a list of training options for their canine companions. Shelle uses her expertise to assist her clients in training their own psychiatric service dogs — an initiative she has worked on since 2019.

GRETA

Over coffee one morning, Shelle talked about how she grew up in a violent home. Her pets were a refuge from trauma.

Years later — when Shelle was raped in 2008 — she decided she wanted that refuge once more.

Shelle said she thought about adopting a dog that looked intimidating. She said she wanted one who could walk alongside her on the sidewalk and make a person think twice about approaching her. She visited a dog breeder, selected a boxer puppy and named her Greta. She intended for Greta to be trained as a service animal.

“I really wanted a dog that had a look to her that said, ‘Don’t mess with me,’” Shelle said. “The idea ... was she would get me out of my comfort zone … and (give) me a purpose to live.”

When her living circumstances changed, Shelle said she found herself unable to keep Greta. She made sure to find Greta a new home.

But her degrees in animal science and social work, combined with multiple years of researching animal behavior, made her want to do something more, especially after she saw how psychiatric service dogs can comfort their human handlers. In 2016, Shelle worked with service dogs at a nonprofit in Brighton, Michigan, where she trained them to assist veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

She said she wanted to create a group to help civilians — such as survivors of domestic violence, rape or sexual assault — train their own service dogs. Once trained, the dogs can assist humans with a variety of daily tasks that make lives easier, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Shelle didn’t forget the little boxer puppy that started it all. She took Greta’s name and used it as an acronym for her initiative. It became Dogs for GRETA — Dogs for “Gaining Resilience and Empowerment through Teamwork and Assurance.”

Through Dogs for GRETA, Shelle helps women train service dogs that are tailored to their needs. She said it lets her earn a little bit of extra money, but she doesn’t charge much. She realizes not everyone can afford the cost.

“Part of the reason why I charge so little for training dogs is because I understand that,” Shelle says. “I’ve been there, I’ve been homeless for a time. I get how this stuff goes, and I want to make it available to people.”

TRAINING

Ollie, a bouncy, two-year-old white English Labrador, doesn’t seem to like stairs.

This isn’t the first time Ollie has had a reaction to stairs.

Louise Harder, his owner and one of Amy’s clients, coaxes Ollie to climb them. It’s important he learns to ascend and descend stairs without fear and without Harder helping him.

“Don’t hesitate,” Shelle tells Harder. “Just go.”

Up again, down again — and twice more. Exercises with stairs are repeated until Ollie is comfortable on them. When they finish, Harder is ecstatic. Shelle is smiling.

“Dogs are really good at picking up on how we’re feeling,” Shelle says. “Since this has been a repeat situation of him hesitating, typically the human will also have that hesitation because they know there’s going to be a potential problem.”

They agree that Ollie’s encounters with stairs are vastly improving.

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Client Louise Harder trains her psychiatric service animal Ollie to go up stairs in Home Depot on Nov. 16, 2019.

PHOTO BY ANNIE BARKER

Client Karen McClure puts a vest on psychiatric service animal Finn on Nov. 10, 2019 in client Louise Harder’s backyard.

PHOTO BY ANNIE BARKER

“It’s something that humans really don’t think about. We just step down and step up,” said Jessica Crane, a Michigan State freshman who has shadowed Shelle’s work since October 2019.

A week later, Shelle is with Harder for an in-home training session. Ollie is learning to turn the house lights on and off for Harder, open doors for her and conduct perimeter checks.

A little bit of peanut butter applied to a handheld model of a light switch lets Harder show Ollie how to turn a light on and off before trying it on the real thing.

“They have to love working,” Harder says. She points to a rope tied to a door knob, and Ollie tugs at it. The door pops open. “He loves it. And you can just see it on his face.”

Another of Shelle’s clients, Karen McClure, attends the training at Harder’s house. McClure’s dog, Finn, is Ollie’s younger half-brother. Finn loves working as a service dog, too. McClure describes how she can recognize Finn’s disappointment when he can’t go somewhere with her.

“Whenever we have to go out or go to a doctor’s appointment — and we can’t bring him because there’s one doctor who doesn’t let him — he’ll get so sad,” McClure says. “He’ll

THU R SDAY, JA NUA RY 9, 2020

bring his leash over to the door and he’ll be like, ‘Am I going with you guys? Am I going?’”

Then it’s out to Harder’s backyard. For one exercise, Shelle has the two women approach each other, dogs at their sides, and pause to greet each other.

“The goal is that the dogs can be in the presence of each other and not be interested in each other, but focus on you,” Shelle tells them.

Shelle stands back and observes as they repeat the process.

Each time, the women get closer to each other. It takes some time, but at the end of the exercise, Ollie and Finn are attentive to their humans, not to each other.

When training in the backyard is finished, Harder and McClure let Ollie and Finn out of their leashes and harnesses. Harder brings out a tennis ball and sends it flying. Shelle observes and mentions it’s important to understand service dogs, like humans, need breaks from their work.

RISKS

Service animals. Therapy dogs. Emotional support animals, or ESAs — there are differences between the three. Shelle wants to educate people on what those are.

For instance, therapy dogs must be certified. That’s not a requirement for service animals. However, psychiatric service dogs may receive more rigorous, extensive training than ESAs. There are risks attached to choosing, adopting and training a dog to become a service animal — it’s a pricey endeavor.

Full investment into the selection, temperament testing, training and care costs of a service dog can reach up to $50,000.

Even then, it takes about two years to know for certain if a dog has what it takes to be a psychiatric service animal.

Shelle talks about how some canines have a natural inclination to be more aggressive, due to either their specific breed or the environment they grew up in as a puppy. Other dogs have a tendency to be timid or get startled more easily. Detection of unhealthy levels of aggression or fear in a dog can be devastating to a person set on training the dog, she said.

“Washing out,” or the realization a dog won’t work as a service animal, can deal a significant blow. And to McClure

S POT L I G H T

“These are sentient beings.

They have desires, they have drives, they have instincts and we have to respect that, too.”

Amy Shelle

Founder and trainer for Dogs for GRETA

Finn and Ollie play after training in client Louise Harder’s backyard on Nov. 10, 2019.

PHOTO BY ANNIE BARKER

Different Types of Assistance Dogs Service Animal

Therapy Dog

Emotional Support Animal

ADA Covered; Right to bring animal in public establishments Needs to tolerate a wide variety of experiences, environments, and people May live with their disabled owner, even when a “No Pet” policy is in place Primary function is to provide emotional support, through companionship

Specifically trained to assist a single person Provide emotional support and comfort to many people SOURCE: Dogs for GRETA

and Harder, that possibility is terrifying.

“I honestly don’t know what I would do with Finn,” McClure said. “I would definitely want to keep him, but I don’t know if I’d be able to keep him if I had to get a new dog.”

A carefully-constructed attachment between a human handler and their dog can be lost if the dog washes out.

“When it doesn’t work out, then you’re back to square one,” McClure said.

The idea of Ollie washing out is always on the back of Harder’s mind. Sometimes, training might not always be successful as Harder and Shelle hope, and there are days when Ollie can’t complete a task on the first try. But the support he gives her is well worth the time and effort. If Harder is alone in her house at night, Ollie — and Calvin, her other non-service dog — put her at ease.

“Smaller things that other people wouldn’t even pick up on, these dogs do pick up on and help,” Harder said. “A dog washing out, it happens. There’s so many ways it can happen because they’re put to such a high standard. It’s terrifying. ...

Based on how he’s doing so far, I’m fairly hopeful and I think the fear of him washing out has decreased.”

The potential for her clients’ dogs to wash out of training

is a heavy weight on Shelle’s mind. She wants her clients to continue having that source of comfort, especially if they’ve grown close. But at the end of the day, she has to remind herself that dogs are freethinking creatures.

“These are sentient beings,” Shelle says. “They have desires, they have drives, they have instincts and we have to respect that, too.”

HOPE

It is a few weeks shy of Christmas when Shelle allows us into her home. Coal, Shelle’s own service dog who is a large American Labrador, excitedly squirms.

Shelle talks of her daughter, her master’s degree in social work, her previous research on animal behavior and the other dogs she has trained. It is a deeply personal conversation, one that she isn’t required to share with anyone.

Shelle recalls a trip to the hospital for a medical emergency, where she thought she would be saying her last goodbyes.

She only wanted to talk to her daughter, who was seven at the time.

“And that was the first time, looking in her eyes ... that I saw I mattered to someone,” Shelle said.

Trainer Amy Shelle poses for a portrait in her home on Nov. 24, 2019. PHOTO BY ANNIE BARKER

She says she is not a religious person by any means. But she made a pact with a higher power after that day. If whatever is up there got her through, she would refocus her life.

“I don’t want to be here, to be absolutely blunt. I’m exhausted,” Shelle says. “That’s why when I say the service dogs give me a purpose, I mean that.”

Shelle sits on her couch, so Coal jumps up and settles onto her lap, protective. Readers should know that a rape in 2008 does not define Amy Shelle. But training dogs to aid other survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape does.

“To me, it’s not about making money. … My clients give me a reason to be here. A purpose,” Amy says. “It fills my soul.”

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CO M M U N ITY

Michigan lawmakers in Washington react to Iran strike with concern

By Claire Moore and Wells Foster cmoore@statenews.com wfoster@statenews.com

Draft jokes and World War III memes aside, concerns about an escalation of conflict between the U.S. and Iran are on the minds of Michigan State students and lawmakers alike.

Humanities pre-law senior Guadalupe Perales could do without all the online discussion and jests about a worldwide conflict, she said. She doesn’t have a comprehensive knowledge about possible prolonged conflict in the Middle East, but the jokes she sees on Facebook are tiresome.

“All those memes really do get to me, because everyone’s making a joke out of it when you have soldiers over there who are praying not to have another war,” Perales said.

National media outlets reported on the Jan. 3 death of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, a key figure in Iranian intelligence and military operations. The drone strike which killed him — ordered by President Donald Trump — prompted a slew of reactions.

Trump and his top officials defended the strike as a necessary step to preserve the safety of U.S. and allies. Concerned critics said it only laid the groundwork for extended conflict in the Middle East.

Iran retaliated Wednesday with strikes of its own, firing ballistic missiles at Iraqi air bases housing U.S. troops. There were no casualties, per the president. In a Wednesday address from the White House, Trump said Iran appeared to be “standing down.”

Whether or not the already-contentious situation escalates further is under scrutiny, especially after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif said Wednesday his country did not “seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression,” per NBC News.

STUDENT REACTIONS

American studies sophomore Sebastian Dalbro is monitoring whatever happens next between the countries. Dalbro, an international student, said the news of Soleimani’s death piqued his concerns.

“For me as a European, I’m not sure if my country’s going to be involved directly, seeing as I’m from Denmark,” Dalbro said. “But even under Trump, we’re still allied with the U.S. So in some way, we have been involved in wars previously. We’re in Iraq and Afghanistan as well, so if this turns out to be a war against Iran and the U.S., it probably means my country could be drawn into it.”

Perales said she has CNN notifications on

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for additional updates. The latest one she received was about Trump’s Wednesday address from the White House.

“I feel like it is (concerning), because I got a notification saying Trump will speak about it and that ‘everything is well.’ Nothing is well,” Perales said. “There’s something wrong.”

Dalbro said he doesn’t believe there will be any call for draft, as the memes on Twitter might suggest.

“I’m not going to get drafted, but it is still quite worrying that that is something that might happen,” he said.

A student-led “Spartans Against War” rally will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 10 at the Rock on Farm Lane, per a Facebook event urging students to join and stand up “for peace with Iran, not war.”

MICHIGAN LAWMAKERS’ REACTIONS

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) expressed concern over the potential consequences of the strike.

“Soleimani was responsible for the death of many American service members and inciting chaos throughout the Middle East. However, a single action without a meaningful plan will lead to more risk for Americans at home and abroad. The Administration is required to provide a clear rationale to Congress for its actions. They also must consult with Congressional leaders on a meaningful strategy to protect American lives and interests around the world,” according to Stabenow’s statement.

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters’ (D-MI) statement on Twitter focused on national security.

“I am focused on ensuring that there is a strategy to protect our citizens, servicemembers, and diplomats, and that advances our national security,” Peters tweeted.

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, (D-MI) who represents East Lansing, criticized the President for not consulting Congress first in a Twitter thread.

“The Administration must come to Congress immediately and consult ... If military engagement is going to be protracted — which any informed assessment would consider — the Administration must request an AUMF,” Slotkin wrote, referring to an authorization for use of military force.

Slotkin is a former Shia militia analyst and served in Iraq as well as in the Pentagon and White House under the Bush and Obama administrations.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

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THU R SDAY, JA NUA RY 9, 2020

The night of Jan. 7 saw Iran respond in force.

More than a dozen rockets rained down on two Iraqi bases housing American troops.

Iran claimed at least 80 troops were killed, but the White House says there were no American casualties.

The Iraqi Prime Minister said that he was informed of the attack ahead of time. Iraq also claims no Iraqis were killed.

President Trump tweeted “All is well!” on Twitter shortly after the attack.

The President addressed the nation Jan. 8 in his first in-person response regarding the attacks.

He announced the U.S. would implement “powerful sanctions” on Iran that will remain in place until Iran changes its current course of action in the Middle East.

The president also said the U.S. bases sustained minimal damage, and stressed the importance of peace.

“The United States is ready to embrace peace with all who seek it,” Trump said.

TIMELINE OF TENSION

2015 Obama administration and Iran create Nuclear Deal

2018 Trump claimed that Iran was not upholding deal, despite contradictory evidence from his own administration and other nations and reimposes sanctions on Iran

2019 Dec. 27 – A militia group named Kataib Hezbollah attacks a U.S. military base near Kirkuk, Iraq, which kills an American contractor and wounds several personnel. Kataib Hezbollah has ties to Iran, but Iran denies involvement in the attack Dec. 29 – Trump orders strikes in Iraq and Syria targeting Kataib Hezbollah fighters.

Dec. 31 – U.S. embassy stormed by Iraqi protesters that support Hezbollah and Iran. The protesters and militia attempt to embassy and damage the building.

Trump then threatens Iranians on Twitter

2020 Jan. 1 – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cancels trips to Ukraine and other countries Jan. 2 – Soleimani is killed in an airstrike near a Baghdad airport. Pentagon confirms U.S. involvement in strike and says Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack Americans in the Middle East Jan. 3 – Iran vows revenge Jan. 5 – Iran abandons Nuclear Deal Jan. 7 – Iran fires ballistic missiles at Iraqi air bases housing U.S. troops. No casualties are reported

COMMU NITY

Impeachment: What you need to know, students react

By Lucas Day lday@statenews.com

On Dec. 18, 2019, the House of Representatives voted to approve articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

Trump was impeached on the grounds of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The abuse of power article stems from a whistleblower complaint that accused Trump of asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s son in exchange for previously authorized military aid Trump had cut. The whistleblower’s memo and a summarized transcript of the phone call between Trump and Zelensky have since been released.

The obstruction of Congress article was brought due to Trump’s refusal to comply with congressional subpoenas, according to NBC. Trump is the third president in U.S. history to be impeached, joining Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.

Impeachment was a controversial decision, with the vote decided almost entirely along party lines, with just two Democrats, Collin Peterson and Jeff Van Drew, voting against both articles of impeachment

and another, Jared Golden, voting against obstruction of Congress, according to The New York Times. No Republicans voted in favor of impeachment.

Up next is a vote in the Senate to decide whether or not to remove Trump from office.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has said there will be a trial before the vote.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is withholding the articles until Democrats can reach an agreement with McConnell on how a Senate trial should proceed. Democrats want four Trump officials to testify, while McConnell has said he’ll only allow the evidence from the House trial to be used, according to CNN. The Senate will vote on trial parameters. If the Democrat and Independent vote is united, they’ll need four Republicans to join them, according to the Senate’s website.

For Trump to be removed, two-thirds of the senate will have to vote in favor of removal. The Senate has a Republican majority. Given the close party lines the House vote followed, removal is unlikely unless new evidence comes out.

Ahead of the Senate vote, The State News gathered student opinions on Trump’s impeachment.

Psychology and neuroscience sophomore Kate Frieden said she believes Trump’s impeachment is a defining moment in his presidency.

“It’s such a monumental moment in history,” Frieden said.

“When I’m an adult and I have my own kids, my kids are going to be like, ‘What was it like living in Trump’s America?’ ...

I have very, very little hope that anything will be done, but I hope that a fair trial is given.”

Pre-veterinary sophomore Jacobo Bacariza said Trump’s willingness to exercise his power as president is something Congress isn’t used to.

“He’s definitely using it unlike our previous presidents,” Bacariza said. “America spoke a few years back, and we wanted Trump as our president. ... (Trump’s) someone that you can’t really beat right now, and you just have to wait until he serves his two terms.”

Bacariza said Democrats impeached Trump because they can’t win in the 2020 election.

Lindsay Guare, a junior triple majoring in computer science, biochemistry and genetics, said she’s glad he’s being held accountable. “(Impeachment is necessary) in order to show that we uphold people to a certain standard.” Guare said.

Australian fires affect study abroad

The current fires in Australia and surrounding countries, as shown by a Google Map from the Australian government’s MyFireWatch.

cern is the people currently living in Australia and making sure they’re safe.

When visiting the country, she intends to find different community service events for her and students to engage in to help give back to the community hosting them.

“Business leaders help the community, that’s just what we’re about,” Henry said. “We try to make sure our business students know that it’s not only doing business in a community, but because we are part of the community we’re responsible to take care of the people in the community.”

Vast amounts of smoke have resulted in the skies turning shades of orange, red and gray throughout the region.

“Last time I spoke with one of (the contacts in Australia), she said she had to wear a mask when she walked her dog because the smoke was so bad in Sydney,” Henry said. “It’s more of we care about the people right now, and we’ll figure out the program and how this natural disaster has affected business when we’re there.”

T HURSDAY, JA NUA RY 9, 2020

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All Saints Episcopal Church 800 Abbot Rd. (517) 351-7160 Sun. Worship: 8am, 10am, & 5pm Sunday School: 10am www.allsaints-el.org Ascension Lutheran Church 2780 Haslett Road East Lansing (517) 337-9703 Sunday worship: 10:00am Sunday Bible study: 8:45am Thursday Bible study: 2:00pm www.ascensioneastlansing.org Crossway Multinational Church 4828 Hagadorn Rd. (Across from Fee Hall) (517) 917-0498 Sun: 10:00am crosswaymchurch.org Greater Lansing Church of Christ 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. (Meet @ University Christian Church) (517) 898-3600 Sun: 8:45am Worship, 10am Bible Class Wed: 1pm, Small group bible study www.greaterlansing coc.org

By Karly Graham kgraham@statenews.com

With many education abroad trips headed to Australia in the summer of 2020, the fires currently plaguing the country are responsible for global levels of destruction.

“We’re hoping we have a country to go visit,” said professor of practice in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations and academic specialist Greg Taucher.

Taucher is leading a study abroad to Australia and New Zealand, where students will visit different agencies to see how advertising works in different areas and cultures.

The fires now spreading to different countries has been estimated to kill more than 1 billion animals, according to CBS. But current plans for Taucher’s study abroad trip to the area remain the same.

“It’s not like we’re going to a war zone or anything,” he said. “It’s unfortunate what’s happening down there, but you will find that human beings, we persevere and life goes on.”

Another trip to Australia is to study the business of the Olympics, where students get to see Olympic venues and their legacies in their locations. They plan to visit the sites of the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne and the 2000 Summer Olympics held in Sydney.

Sherri Henry, the Director of the Residential Business Community, intends to use the opportunity for educational purposes and a real life example of how things can change suddenly.

“I think it’s going to be a real-life example of how things can change in a second and how in business, we have to plan for risk,” she said.

“We’re going to have to plan for things that might threaten the business.”

While the fires are able to provide a unique educational opportunity, she said the main con-

RELIGIOUS DIRECTORY

9

Hillel Jewish Student Center 360 Charles St. (517) 332-1916 Shabbat – Services@ 6pm / dinner @ 7, September–April www.msuhillel.org instagram: @msuhillel

The Islamic Society of Greater Lansing 920 S. Harrison Rd. (517) 351-4309 Friday Services: 12:15-12:45pm & 1:45-2:15pm For prayer times visit www.lansingislam.com/ Martin Luther Chapel Lutheran Student Center 444 Abbot Rd. (517) 332-0778 Sun: 10:30am & 7pm Wed: 7pm Mini-bus pick-up on campus (Fall/Spring) www.martinluther chapel.org The People’s Church Multi-denominational 200 W Grand River Ave. (517)332-6074 Sun. Service: 10:30am with free lunch for students following worship ThePeoplesChurch.com Riverview Church- MSU Venue MSU Union Ballroom, 2nd Floor 49 Abbot Rd. (517) 694-3400 Sun. Worship: 11:30am-ish www.rivchurch.com St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA) Worship with us on Sundays at 10am 3383 E. Lake Lansing Rd 517-351-8541 www.stpaul-el.org officemanagerstpaul el@gmail.com

St. John Catholic Church and Student Center 327 M.A.C Ave. (517) 337-9778 Sun: 8am, 10am, Noon, 5pm, 7pm M,W: 5:30pm T & Th: 8:45pm F: 12:15pm www.stjohnmsu.org University Christian Church 310 N. Hagadorn Rd (517) 332-5193 Sun. Bible Study: 10am Sun. Worship: 11:15am www.universitychristianwired.com University Lutheran Church (ULC) “We’re open in every way” 1120 S. Harrison Rd (517) 351-7030 Sun. Worship: 8:30am & 10:45am Fridays@Five: Dinner, discussion & fun 5pm Mon. Bible Study: 6:30pm @Wells Hall Quad www.ulcel.org Facebook: ULC and Campus Ministry University United Methodist Church 1120 S. Harrison Rd (517) 351-7030 Main Service: Sun: 11am in the Sanctuary Additional Services: NEW contemporary service Sundays at 9am with band titled ‘REACH’ TGiT (Thank God its Thursday): Thur: 8pm in the Chapel of Apostles universitychurchhome.org office@eluumc.org WELS Lutheran Campus Ministry 704 Abbot Rd. (517) 580-3744 Sat: 6:30pm msu.edu/~welsluth

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SPORTS

Former MSU trustee, head football coach George Perles dies at 85

By Elijah McKown and Claire Moore emckown@statenews.com cmoore@statenews.com

university is grateful for his decades of faithful service."

FOOTBALL AND COACHING CAREER

Former Michigan State head football coach and former trustee George Perles died late Tuesday evening, according to an obituary received from his family. He was 85.

Perles, an alumnus of MSU, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2017. He was first elected to MSU's Board of Trustees in 2006. He retired in November 2018, citing health reasons.

He was seen as an outspoken, sometimes controversial figure in MSU’s administration and athletic program. He was first elected to the MSU Board of Trustees in 2006 and served for 12 years until resignation in November 2018.

"My mobility is compromised and I live with the effects of Parkinson's every day," Perles wrote at the time. "The ramifications of my health issues continue to grow ... at this juncture, I feel that Sally (Perles' wife) deserves some respite. We need to make our life smaller as we age and consider our quality of life.

Our family has bled green and white for the better part of our lives. It's time to step back and allow the next generation to carry the MSU torch."

Details of Perles’ funeral service are pending, according to the obituary.

"From the classroom to the playing field, and athletic director to trustee, Mr. Perles embodied what it means to be a Spartan," MSU president Samuel L. Stanley, Jr. said in a university statement. "The

Perles is regarded as one of the most prominent figures in MSU sports history. He was a man who wore many hats in his career in athletics. After finishing high school at Detroit Western, Perles enlisted into the U.S. Army in the early 1950s. When he returned from active duty, Perles began his journey as a Spartan when he joined the football team in 1958, coached by the legendary Duffy Daugherty, the second winningest coach in MSU history. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1960.

He later began his coaching career in 1967 as a defensive line coach on Daugherty’s staff. In 1972, Chuck Noll hired Perles to coach the Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive line.

He was the Steelers’ assistant head coach from 1979 to 1982. He became famous in coaching circles for instituting the “stunt 4-3" defense with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where the defensive tackles and ends cross paths after the snap to confuse the offensive line.

Perles' leadership of the famed "Steel Curtain" defense with talents like Hall of Famer “Mean” Joe Greene helped the Steelers win four Super Bowls.

Perles was tapped to lead the MSU football team in 1982. In twelve seasons, he led the Spartans to two Big Ten conference titles, seven post-season bowl appearances and a 1988 Rose Bowl victory, the first for the school since

1956. He concurrently served as MSU’s athletic director for two years before resigning.

"Coach Perles exuded confidence, conviction, and toughness," current MSU football coach Mark Dantonio said in a statement. "He really gave his life to Michigan State, all the way till the end. He welcomed me back to MSU when I first became the head coach here.

Not many people have been in these shoes, but he was one of them, and was always extremely supportive every step of the way. He was someone you could lean on."

Outside of football, he became known as an advocate for the Special Olympics. In 1987, he created the Kelley Perles Secchia Special Olympics Golf Classic. According to Lansing Business News, this golf outing has raised over $1 million in its 30-year history.

LAWSUIT

In September 2018, Perles and the rest of the Board of Trustees came under fire after a lawsuit alleged that Perles intervened in an investigation of a 1992 rape committed by convicted felon and ex-MSU faculty Larry Nassar. The lawsuit claimed intervention by Perles — the athletic director at the time — led to the complaint being dropped.

Details of that lawsuit led Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, MSU students and additional lawmakers to call for his resignation.

The suit was dismissed in May 2019.

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Perles is carried off the field by Allen Moore and Anthony Bell in 1983. PHOTO COURTESY OF MSU ARCHIVES

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Former MSU football head coach from 1983 to 1994, George Perles, talks to the football team before the start of practice Aug. 27, 2013, at the practice field outside Duffy Daugherty Football Building.

STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

S PORTS

WINTER SPORTS RECAP

By Sara Tidwell stidwell@statenews.com Winter break for the Spartan athletic teams meant, with academics on pause, it was grind time.

FOOTBALL WINS BOWL GAME

The Michigan State football team (7-6) snuffed out the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8-5) 27-21 in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York December 27. Senior quarterback Brian Lewerke closed out his career with a 320-yard performance, complete with a 10-yard game-winning touchdown pass to junior wideout Cody White. Senior defensive tackle Mike Panasiuk scored the only touchdown of his career on a 14-yard interception return in the first quarter.

The victory drove MSU to its 11th winning season in 13 years under coach Mark Dantonio, who extended his school record with his sixth bowl victory.

MEN’S BASKETBALL BEATS MICHIGAN

Michigan State men's basketball (12-3, 4-0 Big Ten) triumphed for the fourth straight time over archrival Michigan (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten), 87-69, at home January 5. Senior point guard Cassius Winston scored a career-high 32 points and handed out nine assists. Junior forward Xavier Tillman added 20 points and 11 rebounds, as well as a career-high six blocks.

"It was one of the greater performances this building has seen," coach Tom Izzo said of Winston's performance. "I tip my hat to him, until tomorrow."

WOMEN’S HOOPS FALLS IN ANN ARBOR

The rival Michigan Wolverines defeated Michigan State women's basketball 89-69 January 5 after a tough fourth quarter. Michigan State's senior point guard Taryn McCutcheon scored a season-high 23 points, but was overshadowed by the play of two sophomore Wolverines. Guard Amy Dilk led the way for Michigan with 23, while Naz Hillmon nipped at her heels with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

"I hate losing to Michigan," coach Suzy Merchant said. "I don't do it often thankfully, but I did today. " Go to statenews.com for a full recap of Spartan athletics over winter break.

COLUMN

After GLI disappointment, we will see what No. 20 MSU is really made of in coming months

By Brendan Gumbel bgumbel@statenews.com The Michigan State hockey team (10-9-1) recently dropped to No. 20 in the rankings after a disappointing showing at the Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) December 30-31, going 1-1 in the tournament and placing third at Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit.

For a Spartan team that has played more consistently against top competition this season than in previous years, getting more respect nationally will start with beating the teams they are supposed to beat. When the green and white squared off against Michigan Tech in the opener of the GLI Dec. 30, missed opportunities plagued the Spartans and kept them out of the championship game for the fifth year in a row.

While the talent gap between MSU and Michigan Tech isn’t that significant, the players would tell you that it was a game they should have won.

The frustration from senior forwards Sam Saliba and Logan Lambdin could be felt as they spoke to the media after the loss, as they tried to find the words to explain their team’s shortcomings.

Entering the third period with a 2-1 lead and a good sense of control on the game, an MSU breakdown in the neutral zone allowed the Huskies to come down the ice and score a shorthanded goal, completely swinging the momentum in their favor.

“You just can’t give up a shorthanded goal like that,” coach Danton Cole said. “Give them credit, they made a nice play (and took a) nice shot, but to get to the spot we were in, guys have to execute. We didn’t at that point and it ended up hurting us in the end.”

Mistakes such as that one could be a deciding factor in how far this team can extend their season in Cole’s third year at the helm.

The Spartans would rebound the next day with a convincing win over Ferris State in a battle for third place, restoring their confidence before heading into the home stretch of the season. Cole stressed to his players before the game that they shouldn’t feel sorry for themselves and disregard the consolation match, but rather view it as an opportunity to bounce back and be better than they were the day before.

“It’s our next game, and that’s the most important

game,” Cole said. “That’s kind of how the Big Ten is. You battle through the weekends and you want to get something out of every weekend. If you stumble on Friday, you have to recover and get something the next night. That’s just the way the rest of the season is going to be.”

One game at a time. That’s the mentality MSU will have to live by for the next couple of months if they hope to be one of the 16 teams that will get to compete for an NCAA championship at the season’s end. The Spartans are teetering right around the conversation as one of the top-16 teams in the country, but winning the Big Ten tournament would get them an automatic bid into the dance.

The GLI had a playoff-type atmosphere to it, with fans from each team in large supply.

However, it had nowhere near the implications or significance of a conference or NCAA tournament that is soon to be on the horizon for the Spartans.

Putting this result behind them and building on the positives will only benefit them when the stakes become higher.

“I think we just have to stick with it,” senior forward Patrick Khodorenko said. “Full 60 minutes all the time. I don’t think there’s a team out there that can really beat us if we pay attention to details all the time.

You can’t slip up once or twice per game and expect to win every game.”

Michigan State will get more opportunities to play the best teams in the conference, such as Ohio State and Penn State, as the season continues on. And when the Big Ten

Tournament comes around in March, the green and white can look back to that game on Dec. 30 against Michigan Tech, hopefully for their sake as a more refined team ready to make a run and put themselves on the map.

Senior center Patrick Khodorenko (55) collides with an Arizona player during the game against Arizona at the Munn Ice Arena on Dec. 14, 2019. The Sun Devils defeated the Spartans, 4-3.

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Transfer students adjust to a late MSU entry

By Wendy Guzman wguzman@statenews.com As Michigan State students return to their lives in East Lansing after winter break, some transfer students are just beginning to adjust to their new lives as Spartans.

“I'm still adjusting to the whole college experience,” Cameron Dherin, a business-preference freshman, said.

“But so far, so good. The professors that I've met and had classes with are all amazing.”

As opposed to students who began attending in the fall, transfer and spring admits face a learning curve unlike their classmates who have already been here for months prior and know their way around.

“I can tell I'm the odd one out,” psychology freshman Mirela Mamushlari said. “You're moving in the middle of the winter. You don't know where you're going. I know I wasn't comfortable taking the buses my first couple classes … you kind of miss a whole year of the beginning of (everyone) making friends, all the football season.”

Just as most new students, Dherin felt worried as she got ready to start at MSU before she adjusted.

“I think in some ways I am worried about starting now before starting in fall, but I also did take first-semester

Students walk to the Brody Cafeteria on Sept. 26, 2018 at Brody Hall. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

classes so it's not like I haven't been in the loop of school, but the students here have been super helpful and super inviting and welcoming and open,” psychology freshman Kal Sochocki said. “They make me feel like I can always ask questions when I have them. And I do have a lot, so

it's not bad.”

Both Dherin and Mamushlari also find their classmates that started in the fall to be good resources for settling in as opposed to the lack of resources they felt they got from the school.

New transfer students attend New

Student Orientation, or NSO. For spring semester students, this process is set up differently, and some students believe this puts them at a disadvantage.

At the spring NSO, students were given a simple agenda with no exact location or times, Dherin said.

“It was very confusing. And it was hard to navigate. So that kind of put me on the back-burner for starting on a good foot.” Dherin said.

Mamushlari said she moved in from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2, and then had orientation all night long.

“And the next day I had orientation again, so I really couldn't actually settle in until that Friday,” she said.

“I definitely think they should have something prior to the move-in day, or even an email acknowledging everything that's happening. And more time, I only had two hours to move in. So how fall has it, they have their orientation and then they move and I think that would be a better route to go with.”

Some students wish they received more information from MSU on what to expect prior to their move-in and orientation, in order to smooth their settling-in process.

“Maybe if they gave a little more detail on what was going on. (Tuesday), Hubbard Hall had a fire drill and nobody was aware of it,” Dherin said.

“And nobody knew what to do. There wasn't really like a precursor, nobody sent an email to say, 'this is where you go if you have a fire drill.’ So, it's just a little bit of a lack of communication.

Maybe if there was a little more communication between everyone.”

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